Kyoya opened his eyes and glanced around, relieved to see that no one seemed to have noticed anything unusual about him.
He clenched his fist slightly, confirming that, in that brief moment, he had indeed gained the results of a full month's worth of swordsmanship training.
It wasn't just the techniques ingrained in his memory… his physical abilities had also improved significantly.
Continuous training for a month yielded far greater results than training for twelve hours and resting for another twelve. The difference was several times more effective.
This made Kyoya even more eager to see what the gold-tier Marine Faction Gift Pack had in store for him.
'If even the lowest-tier white achievement reward had boosted my strength several times over, just how much would the gold-tier gift pack enhance me?'
When he saw Rangiku also pass the entrance exam, Kyoya, for the first time ever, gave her a genuine smile.
This was something Xia Ye would never have been able to do before.
This was something he would never have done before. After all, Kyoya had no intention of drawing Gin's attention.
Rangiku was Gin's greatest weakness… the only person he truly cared about.
Kyoya didn't think his frail body could withstand Gin's 'stab'.
But now, having confirmed that his unreliable system had finally become reliable-
'Ichimaru Gin?'
'Who is that?'
'Forget it, I won't pretend anymore.'
'I had originally intended to blend in as an ordinary person, but all I got in return was indifference.'
'I'm laying my cards on the table.'
'I am a billionaire-'
'Wait, no… I'm a cheater!'
At this point, only a handful of people were worth his attention… Aizen Sosuke, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, and Hyosube Ichibe'e!
As for Ichimaru Gin, he could handle him with ease!
Of course, Rangiku had no idea about the whirlwind of thoughts running through Kyoya's mind in those few seconds.
Seeing him smile at her, she returned the gesture, genuinely happy that Kyoya had passed the exam and was now entering the Shin'o Academy.
Once all the applicants for the day had finished their evaluations, the examiner led the forty-plus successful candidates through the [Black Ridge Gate] and into the Seireitei, heading straight for the Shin'o Academy.
'The Reishi here are so dense!' (T/N: Reishi means Spiritual Particle.)
Kyoya didn't know how the others felt upon entering the Seireitei, but with just a single breath, he could feel his hunger slightly alleviated.
The higher concentration of Reishi was a boon for those with Reiatsu, but for ordinary people without any Reiatsu, it becomes an immense burden.
It's no exaggeration to say that everyone living in the Seireitei possesses some degree of Reiatsu.
Of course, the majority of them only have spiritual pressure at the 20th or 18th class or below.
They can survive in the Seireitei, but their potential for becoming Shinigami through training is extremely limited.
Thus, despite living in the Seireitei, most people continued their lives as ordinary civilians.
For the people of Rukongai, the only way to rise above their station is to become a Shinigami.
But for those born in the Seireitei, unless they possess notable talent, they rarely aspire to become Shinigami.
After all, unlike the people of the Rukongai, those in the Seireitei know that the number of recruits accepted into the Gotei 13 each year is strictly limited.
Yet, the number of students graduating from the Shin'o Academy is over ten times the number of available positions.
Where do those who aren't recruited by the Gotei 13 end up?
The people of the Rukongai don't know.
They only see dozens, even hundreds, of students admitted into the Shin'o Academy each year, yet only two or three ever make it into the Gotei 13.
However, the people of the Seireitei know… those who aren't recruited by the Gotei 13 are all conscripted into the [Expeditionary Force to Hueco Mundo], sent to battle in the Hollow World.
Without exception!
To this day, very few Shinigami who join the Expeditionary Force ever return to the Seireitei.
Thus, if given a choice, most people in the Seireitei would prefer to live ordinary, peaceful lives rather than become Shinigami.
Following the examiner, Kyoya arrived at the Shin'o Academy's training grounds, where the recruits from the other three districts had also gathered.
These were the students admitted from the remaining three Rukongai's directions.
Next, the recruits would be divided into classes based on their admission scores.
Among them, Rangiku, with her 8th-class Reiryoku, was placed in Class A.
Kyoya, with his 10th-class Reiryoku, barely managed to secure a spot in Class A as well, becoming Rangiku's classmate.
After the class assignments were finalized and the schedule was announced, the students were assigned dormitories.
Thus, the first day at the Shin'o Academy came to an end.
…
'Now, it's time to witness a miracle!'
In the dormitory, after ensuring his roommates were sound asleep, Kyoya quietly opened his eyes.
Once again, he focused his mind and gently tapped the golden orb in his consciousness.
[Pop-]
A sound like a bursting balloon echoed in his mind.
The golden orb then shattered into countless tiny specks of light, merging into Kyoya's consciousness.
In an instant, Kyoya felt his awareness expand outward… everything around him flashed vividly into his mind.
'This is… Observation Haki?'
Kyoya's eyes widened with excitement.
In the One Piece Achievement System, the gold-tier achievement was considered a top-tier reward.
Opening it could grant one of the three Haki types, a Devil Fruit ability, or a powerful combat technique.
For Kyoya at this moment, Observation Haki was a solid outcome… certainly not the worst.
Of course, the biggest immediate boost to his strength would have come from a Devil Fruit.
As long as it wasn't something useless like the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Human, any Devil Fruit would have significantly enhanced his combat capabilities.
If he were to choose the reward with the best value, it is naturally the Conqueror's Haki.
But given Kyoya's current level of strength, even if he had obtained it, its potency would have been limited.
Armament Haki also required a strong physical foundation.
If Kyoya had acquired it now, his mastery would likely have been weaker than even the weakest Amazon Lily's warriors.
Only Observation Haki could provide him with a substantial advantage at this stage.
'In the One Piece World, the swordsman's ability to sense the [Breath of All Things] shares similarities with Observation Haki.'
'Or perhaps, it could be considered a variant of it.'