The Shinigami Ascension: Rise of the Reaper

Although Renjiro Kurozawa didn't know that many influential figures were watching him closely, he could easily guess.

After all, this was exactly what he wanted to achieve!

Sure enough, by the end of the day, the system verified his hypothesis.

[Congratulations to the Host for successfully surviving one day. A lottery reward will be issued.]

Renjiro had been anticipating this reward.

While others might not realize it, he understood his limitations very well—his entire spiritual power could only be used to unleash Swear the Sword of Victory. Beyond that, he was essentially a paper tiger.

Now that he had drawn the attention of both powerful and ambitious figures within the Seireitei, his survival had undoubtedly become more difficult.

But Renjiro had never feared challenges.

"Start the lottery!"

With excitement, Renjiro tapped the lottery wheel.

A familiar light flashed, and the system prompt appeared:

[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining Elite Hakuda!]

The reward caught Renjiro by surprise, but it also raised new questions.

"System, what level does 'Elite' refer to?"

Previously, his Hakuda skill had been ranked as "mediocre" on his system panel.

[Replying to the Host: The 'Elite' level is an upgrade from 'Mediocre.' In terms of ranking, this places the Host within the top 100 of the entire Soul Society.]

"Top 100 in all of Soul Society?!"

Renjiro was stunned.

The Soul Society was where countless souls from the Human World resided, including Shinigami from the Gotei 13, Kidō Corps, and Onmitsukidō. In such a vast population, being ranked within the top 100 in any combat discipline was a terrifying feat!

At that moment, Renjiro felt the change personally.

A flood of Hakuda knowledge surged into his mind.

The most astonishing part was that he experienced no discomfort—the mastery felt natural, as if the knowledge had always belonged to him, ingrained in his very bones.

"This eliminates one of my major weaknesses. If I continue improving like this, I'll eventually cover all my shortcomings!"

Renjiro was very satisfied.

Hakuda was an essential combat discipline for a Shinigami.

The fundamental fighting system of a Shinigami consisted of four core areas:

Zanjutsu (swordsmanship)

Hakuda (hand-to-hand combat)

Hohō (speed techniques, including Shunpo)

Kidō (Demon Arts)

Now that he had elite-level Hakuda, he was no longer limited to relying solely on Zanjutsu. If he could master Hohō and Kidō, his combat abilities would become truly terrifying.

"I can't wait for tomorrow's draw."

However, Renjiro's excitement quickly turned into disbelief during the second day's lottery.

[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining 'Golden Smile'!]

"…Wait, I can even get cooking skills?"

Renjiro was surprised.

A plate of odd-looking buns appeared in front of him. They closely resembled those crafted by Master Xie in Steel Rod Cooking.

After hesitating for a moment, he picked one up and took a bite, treating it as a late-night snack.

"Hmm! It doesn't glow, but it's really delicious!"

After finishing it, Renjiro's eyes widened slightly.

He had lived in Soul Society for over a hundred years, where traditional Japanese cuisine was the norm. While delicious, it had long become monotonous for him.

"It seems that even if I don't get combat-related skills or equipment, other rewards can still be useful. I'll just look forward to the third day's lottery…"

For now, no one had approached him directly.

Thus, Renjiro continued drawing rewards, passing the time in peace.

On the third day, however, before he could spin the lottery, a member of the Sixth Division arrived.

"Renjiro-sama, excuse me! I am Ninth Seat Gin Miyu!"

The visitor was a tea-haired woman with glasses. Renjiro had a faint impression of her—she was the daughter of the former Vice-Captain of the Sixth Division.

"Do you need something?" Renjiro asked.

Gin Miyu answered nervously, "Yes! I'm here to inform you about the celebration reception following the seat ranking test. Please make sure to attend!"

"Huh. I thought they wouldn't hold it this time, but I guess it was just postponed by a day…"

Renjiro pondered this.

In the past, these receptions were always held the day after the seat ranking test.

The purpose was to celebrate those who had been promoted and to provide a social opportunity for division members. It was also a chance for lower-ranking officers to curry favor with their superiors.

Even when commoner Shinigami died in these tests, the tradition continued. However, this time, a noble had been killed, leading Renjiro to assume they might cancel the event.

"I understand. Thank you."

With that, Renjiro nodded, signaling that Gin Miyu could leave.

---

That night, the Sixth Division reserved a banquet hall within the Seireitei.

As a noble-heavy division, the Sixth was extravagant—the venue was large enough to accommodate multiple squads for a grand feast.

Fine food and sake were in abundance, making it a genuine luxury even within the Gotei 13.

However, throughout more than half the banquet, Renjiro remained isolated.

Most of the Sixth Division members kept their distance from him, but he didn't mind and focused on enjoying the food.

He had expected this reaction.

After all, he was a former member of the Kuchiki family who had killed a noble. The political consequences of that were significant.

Even though he had been promoted to Third Seat, the Four Noble Clans likely didn't recognize him as anything more than a potential threat.

As long as the situation remained uncertain, most team members were reluctant to interact with him and risk getting caught up in the storm.

---

"The Vice-Captain, Hiroshi Arata, is really amazing. He's still holding his position this year!"

After a few rounds of drinking, the conversation became more unfiltered. Shinigami began loudly praising Hiroshi Arata.

It was understandable—Byakuya Kuchiki was too aloof and unapproachable. Hiroshi, by contrast, was charismatic and easier to rally around.

"Haha! This is nothing—you haven't even seen my true strength yet!"

Hiroshi, slightly flushed from alcohol, laughed confidently.

However, not all Shinigami held their liquor well. One particularly drunk officer blurted out without thinking:

"Hey… but between Vice-Captain Hiroshi and Third Seat Renjiro, who's stronger? They didn't face each other in the seat test, right?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the atmosphere shifted.

"S-Stupid! Of course, Vice-Captain Hiroshi is stronger!"

"Yeah! How can a Third Seat compare to a Vice-Captain?!"

Yet, the drunken Shinigami kept pushing.

"But… isn't the Third Seat position just below the Vice-Captain? And did you see that move? No ordinary Shikai should've been able to block that attack!"

Hiroshi's expression darkened.

A heavy tension settled over the surrounding officers.

Originally, Hiroshi wasn't the type to provoke fellow Rukongai commoners, even when drunk.

But over the years, his relationship with Rukia had grown strained, while Renjiro had become closer to her.

It created an undeniable sense of being replaced.

Hiroshi narrowed his eyes and glanced at Renjiro, who remained calmly eating.

"…Speaking of which."

He lifted his sake cup, his voice carrying an undeniable edge.

"As the newly promoted Third Seat, Renjiro still hasn't toasted me as his Vice-Captain."