006 – The Assistance Area

After finishing his daily courses, it was time for evening training.

Arima Seiya and Tōsen Kaname had agreed on a time and began sparring again, continuing until they were both utterly exhausted.

During a brief rest period, Arima raised a question.

"Hakuda? If you're asking me, you might be asking the wrong person…"

"After all, Hakuda is just a comprehensive term for close-quarters combat techniques, refined, combined, and ultimately integrated."

"It's not difficult to start learning, but improving it is anything but simple."

"There aren't many instructors in the academy who are proficient in this subject. As one of the four foundational skills, its utility is somewhat limited."

"You can understand why—it's about prioritizing. Everyone's energy is finite. No matter who you are, you have to focus on one area and hone it to achieve mastery."

"For example, everyone has weaknesses. When I was a first-year, I was graded the lowest in Kidō during the exams."

"But the academy isn't here to make things impossible. They won't push you to the brink—after all, it's not their mission to create failure."

Tōsen shared his insights while passing Arima a cup of water.

The intense sparring session had been far more effective than swinging a wooden post by several orders of magnitude. Without replenishing his fluids, his body would soon start screaming in protest.

Seated on the ground, Arima accepted the water, gasping softly as he thanked him.

"So, finding someone skilled in Hakuda isn't easy?"

Tōsen sat beside him, thinking for a moment before answering.

"At least, I don't think it's simple."

What a headache.

For Arima, the fastest way to learn was to find someone skilled, get them to "guide" him personally, and absorb their expertise.

"Most Shinigami rely on their Zanpakutō as their primary weapon. Hakuda is more of an emergency fallback. That said…"

Tōsen paused thoughtfully before adding, "The Onmitsukidō, the stealth corps, are quite adept in Hakuda techniques. Unfortunately, I don't have any connections with them."

With his inability to see, Tōsen maintained a calm posture of staring into empty space as he continued speaking.

"My apologies."

Arima exhaled deeply, letting his arms fall slack before sprawling out on the ground.

"No need to apologize—that's a bit much. I was just asking."

"It's about manners, not content."

"So rigid! Are you some kind of old man?"

Tōsen's lips curled slightly, but he didn't respond to the jab, instead shifting the topic.

"Although I don't know why you've suddenly taken an interest in Hakuda, as a second-year, I wouldn't recommend it."

He drained his water and let his hand rest on the hilt of his sword.

"Just get through the exam. A person needs to know their limits. Your talent in swordsmanship far exceeds Hakuda—you shouldn't waste it."

Oh?

Arima couldn't help but chuckle.

"Look at you, saying something encouraging for once."

"It's simply the truth. But arguing with someone as crude as you is pointless."

Arima could feel the disdain radiating from Tōsen as the latter stood and offered him a hand.

"That's enough sparring for today."

[You wielded a wooden sword and engaged in close interaction with Tōsen Kaname. Swordsmanship +2.]

The gains were smaller this time, a sign that Arima's swordsmanship was catching up to Tōsen's level.

Reaching out to take Tōsen's hand, Arima intended to pull himself up but couldn't suppress his reaction.

"Ouch!"

The sharp pain from his muscles forced a yelp from his mouth.

Clutching his arm, Arima hissed, feeling a throbbing ache in his head.

Tōsen crouched beside him, a frown deepening the lines on his forehead.

"You… Why are your injuries still this severe?"

Why are you asking me? Shouldn't I be asking you why you hit so hard?

After a moment of contemplation, Tōsen seemed to realize something and asked, "Don't tell me—you haven't sought anyone out to use Kaidō on you?"

"…What? That's an option?"

"Of course it is. It seems you really don't know anything."

Tōsen sighed as he extended both hands to support Arima by the elbows, helping him to his feet.

"I mentioned this before—everyone has their strengths. Even among students, some specialize in Kidō, particularly Kaidō."

"Some students are already committed to joining the 4th Division of the Gotei 13. These people are happy to practice their skills by helping others."

"Granted, their abilities may not be refined, either due to inexperience or as part of their training."

"But I think you can figure out the trade-offs for yourself."

As he spoke, Tōsen pointed to his wrist.

Arima recalled that this spot had been a target of Tōsen's attacks the previous day—enough to impair movement.

There was no way such an injury could have healed overnight without assistance.

So, you've had a healer helping you all along!

Before Arima could voice his complaint, Tōsen shot him a look of disdain.

"I always thought you were a little dense, but I didn't realize it was this bad."

Arima tried to argue but found himself without a valid rebuttal.

He could only offer a weak excuse.

"Uh… Isn't this just the kind of thing you power through with grit? Grit!"

"...Are you some hot-blooded fool?"

For once, Tōsen cracked a rare joke, shaking his head with a faint smile.

"Take some time to visit the first floor of the academy's main building. That's an area designated for student assistance. If you need something, you can seek help there. Though, keep in mind, not everyone there is reliable."

Oh, so such a place exists.

"I owe you one, Tōsen."

Arima noticed the corner of Tōsen's lips twitch slightly, as if he was trying to suppress a smile but quickly subdued the emotion.

Even his expressions are so controlled—what a determined guy.

"You're welcome."

The two parted ways at the dojo entrance, concluding their training for the day.

The Next Day

Setting his alarm early, Arima arrived at the assistance desk on the first floor of the academy building an hour before class.

The walls were covered in handwritten posters and quirky announcements, giving the place a distinctly student-run vibe.

Arriving so early, the area was mostly empty, allowing Arima to leisurely browse the postings.

There were requests for roommates, advertisements for selling second-hand items—and even girlfriend recruitment posters.

Seriously, who would respond to something like that?

While pondering, a pair of hands reached out and tore down the poster in front of him.

"…?"

Huh?

Turning around, Arima found himself facing a rather imposing figure.

Like him, the individual wore the academy's blue-and-white uniform, but their height was strikingly disproportionate.

Arima, already over 180cm tall, still had to look up slightly to meet the person's gaze.

What are they eating to grow this big? This is ridiculous.

Raising his eyes further, Arima locked eyes with the figure.

Golden irises, short silver-gray hair, and strikingly thick eyebrows made them stand out.

The person's androgynous face bore a neutral expression as they stared back at Arima.

The air grew awkward.

Being literally overshadowed made it difficult for Arima to muster the courage to speak.

The other person, however, broke the silence.

"Are you here to post a new assistance request?"

Huh? A woman?

Startled, Arima snapped out of his thoughts. Before he could respond, the person continued.

"If so, please wait a moment. This section needs to be cleared first… You can post new notices over there."

Though her tone was a bit cold, her actions were genuinely helpful.

As she continued tearing down outdated posters, Arima noticed her side profile.

Her hair was braided into fine strands, adorned with red pendants dangling just below her earlobes. They swayed like wind chimes in the breeze—delicate and eye-catching.

Caught staring, Arima stammered, "Uh…"

She stopped and turned toward him, her stern expression softening into one of slight confusion.

"Is there something else you need?"

Arima quickly waved his hands, forcing an awkward smile.

"Ah… No, nothing. Sorry to bother you."

Having been interrupted, she seemed to lose interest in her task. Straightening up, she said,

"You're a first-year, aren't you? I'm the person in charge of this area. If there's anything I can assist with, just let me know."

Perhaps it was her androgynous appearance, but her serious demeanor felt oddly out of sync with her words.

Still, meeting someone in charge saved Arima a lot of trouble.

"Well, I tend to get injured a lot during training, so I'm looking for a student skilled in Kaidō…"

Hearing this, she raised an eyebrow.

"Let me see your injuries first."