Lying in bed, Kai pondered how he could become stronger. Without a "cheat system" or special abilities like the heroes in some anime, he had few options. He thought of training his body and learning some martial arts, maybe even kendo once Kuoh Academy became co-ed, though that would still take a few months. In the meantime, any angel or fallen angel could easily eliminate him with a single blow.
"I'd better leave this to Tsubaki. If Souna entrusted her with my training, it's because she knows what she's doing," he murmured, giving up on the thought for now.
To pass the time, Kai decided to jot down the events he remembered from the anime. "I only watched up to episode 11, so I have no idea what happens next... Maybe I should've started watching earlier," he thought with slight regret. He also vaguely remembered some spoilers a friend had mentioned, although most were more complaints about the protagonist than story details. The only problem was that his photographic memory stored everything, but in a confused and disorganized way.
While searching for paper to start noting down information, he noticed the old diary his grandfather had left him resting on the desk. Picking it up, he felt a slight tingling sensation, as if the diary was drawing something from him. Upon opening it, he was surprised to see something written on the previously blank pages. In the center of the page, an image of a mystical roulette appeared, with a glowing crystal ball at the center.
"Is this…?" he murmured, excited by the possibility of activating some kind of system or maybe gaining a special ability.
Without thinking much, Kai placed his hand on the crystal ball, hoping for the best. As soon as he touched it, the roulette spun, and words and symbols appeared, rotating along with the pointer. But before he could read anything, a piercing pain shot through his head, as if thousands of needles were piercing his brain. He let out a groan of pain, feeling his body drenched in sweat.
After several seconds of intense suffering, he managed to pull his hand away from the ball and looked at the roulette again, breathing heavily. The pointer had stopped on an option labeled "Immense Spiritual Power."
"Well… I guess having 'Immense Spiritual Power' must be… positive?" he murmured to himself, still confused.
An electronic voice echoed through the room.
"Welcome to Long-Distance Shinigami Training! Please place your hand back on the device to measure your Reiatsu."
Upon hearing the request, Kai hesitated, remembering the intense pain he had just experienced. He took a step back, seriously considering giving up. But with a determined sigh, he muttered to himself:
"If I'm going to get stronger, I'll endure any pain."
Gathering his courage, he extended his hand again and touched the crystal ball. This time, to his surprise, there was no pain, only an intense light. Kai closed his eyes, shielding them from the blinding glow. When the light faded, he heard the voice again.
"Processing student information… Preparing status."
A loading bar appeared in the air, advancing slowly. Once complete, a hologram appeared before Kai, displaying his basic information.
Status
Name: Yamamoto Kai
Age: 16
Race: Demon/Vizard
Abilities:
Charm (Passive)
Language (Passive)
Photographic Memory (Passive)
Reiryoku: Immense Spiritual Power
Reiatsu: Dual/Elemental Type
Kai frowned, puzzled by what he was seeing.
"Vizard? Does this mean I have both Shinigami… and Hollow powers? How is that possible if I'm not even a Shinigami?"
He wondered if this had something to do with his grandfather and the mysterious diary. Although the thought intrigued him, he sighed, knowing he probably wouldn't find answers anytime soon.
"Forget it. If I keep overthinking, I won't get anywhere."
Kai turned the page of the diary, curious about what else he might find. The hologram changed, and a new word appeared: "Introduction." He clicked it and began reading about the concepts of Reiryoku, Reiatsu, and Asauchi.
He quickly learned that Reiryoku was the amount of spiritual energy accumulated within the body or soul, while Reiatsu was the spiritual pressure that energy exerted. In other words, Reiryoku was the spiritual potential, and Reiatsu was the spiritual force in use, which could be perceived by other spiritually sensitive beings.
Continuing his reading, he reached the explanation about Asauchi, nameless swords with the potential to transform into anything. He remembered the two katanas left by his grandfather and father, and a flicker of excitement passed through him as he thought they might be Asauchi.
Upon turning the next page, a new holographic image appeared, showing a man in a meditative position with a sword resting on his lap. As he read the explanation, he realized that the figure illustrated the process of communicating with the Zanpakutō, the sword's personification. It would require much training and time, incorporating his own essence into the Asauchi until it transformed into a unique Zanpakutō.
Kai turned one more page and found an introduction to Kido Spells, divided into Bakudo (binding spells), Hado (destructive spells), barriers, and seals. Only Hado was unlocked, with two initial spells available. He read the incantations and prepared to test them later.
When he looked out the window, he saw it was already getting dark. Surprised at having spent the entire afternoon exploring the diary, he placed the book back on the desk. Fastening his katanas to his waist, he went down to the first floor, where he would wait for Tsubaki.
While waiting, Kai decided to test one of the spells he had learned. He picked up a soda can, placed it in front of him, and murmured the incantation:
"O brave warrior, iron chariot, advance and break the darkness. Hadō #1: Shō!"
Pointing his finger at the can, Kai felt a concentrated wave of energy shoot from his hand. Instead of merely pushing the can, as he had expected, the spell shattered it into pieces, leaving only the tab intact.
"Ah… oops?" he murmured, looking at the remnants.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. He turned slowly and found Tsubaki watching him with a cold expression, arms crossed and a severe look.
"Are you… having fun, Kai?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, I… was just… you know, practicing!" He smiled sheepishly, trying to hide his nervousness.
Tsubaki sighed, but her lips trembled slightly, as if she were holding back a laugh.
"Let's see if you can follow instructions without blowing things up, then," she said in a dry tone. "Come on. We have a long training session ahead."
She led Kai to the backyard, where there was a wide, isolated area, perfect for a safer training session.
"All right, Kai. Today, I'll teach you some basic combat techniques and energy control. Let's start with the basics of how to channel and focus your energy, so we don't have any more 'unintended explosions,'" Tsubaki said with a hint of sarcasm.
Kai scratched his neck, laughing awkwardly.
"Yeah… about that… it was a technical error, you know?"
She ignored the comment and assumed a firm stance, demonstrating an energy control exercise. Kai tried to mimic her, but he realized the process required a lot of concentration and precision.
"The key is to maintain calm and discipline," Tsubaki explained as she observed his movements. "Your energy needs to become an extension of your own will. Focus."
Kai tried to follow her instructions, but focus was not his strong suit. At one point, he felt his energy escape uncontrollably and stumbled, falling to his knees.
Tsubaki sighed, extending a hand to help him up.
"We'll need a lot of patience," she murmured.
Kai chuckled, trying to lighten the situation.
"Don't worry, Tsubaki. In time, you'll see that I'm an exceptional student."
She rolled her eyes but ended up smiling.
"Let's hope that 'exceptionalism' includes not destroying more things around here."
And so, they continued training, with Kai stumbling and making mistakes here and there but determined to master his new powers. The path seemed long, but he knew that with effort and determination, he might one day become strong enough to face the threats of this supernatural world.