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Chapter 70: The Show Begins
🕑 Added 2025-07-08 14:55:35 +0000 UTC
Russell said, "Yoriichi," his voice low in the small room. "Let go of your Zanpakutō." "Let me see it."
The new Soul Reaper looked at his master and then around the small, rented house. They both understood each other without saying a word.
Russell sighed and smiled wryly. "Don't worry about it." You'd probably set the whole place on fire, and I'd have to pay for it. He wasn't going to waste money like that, even though he was rich now. Yoriichi nodded slightly, as if to say yes, and Russell remembered the card.
He let out a breath of relief. He finally had one more real trump card. In addition, Yoriichi's successful progress showed that his crazy, story-bending changes could work. He thought, "Zoro's Zanpakutō can't just be three swords," and a new creative problem was already forming. There aren't many people in Bleach who can use two swords at once, let alone three. But that was a puzzle for another day.
He calmed his mind and began to meditate for the night. Russell still hadn't found a safe time to test the limits of Yoriichi's Shikai after several days of this. He was worried that the noise and the damage it would cause would draw too much attention.
Russell was daydreaming in class when Victoria Song walked in. She looked very serious.
"Be quiet!" she said, her voice sharp as she patted the teacher's desk. "Students, I need you all to pay close attention to what I'm about to say."
The students in the key class quickly quieted down when they saw Ms. Song, who is usually very easygoing, look so serious.
She coughed a little. "We will be going to Northgate next week to take the Riverview Province Unified Examination," she said clearly.
She went on, "This unified examination is being organised by the Association this year and is open to all registered cardmakers in the third year of high school throughout the entire province."
When she spoke, it was like a bomb going off in still water. A wave of loud, excited guesses went through the classroom. Russell and Nancy, on the other hand, were not surprised. Jonathan Whitemore had already told them about the test. Russell's main reason for wanting to get better at first was this test. That was still a part of it, but a much bigger part was because of the Spirit Begging Society's shadow.
Victoria continued, "Since this is an official test, there is no prize money," after seeing that the students were almost done with their first discussion.
Everyone in the room let out a groan of disappointment.
Russell, on the other hand, just shook his head. He thought it wasn't about the money. This is a test that students take early to get into the best colleges in the country. The prize was getting in.
Victoria's voice rang out again, just like we thought it would. "Still, I hope that everyone will take this test very seriously." If you get a high enough score, you might be able to get into schools like Northgate University and New Metro University early.
The students couldn't help but gasp when they heard this. It was a chance that change life. For most of them, it was just a dream, but for Russell, it was a real goal. He already had a spot at New Metro University, but this trip was to apply for the apprenticeship that Director Blake had promised him at Northgate. He could feel the cards' power in his head, a quiet thrum of confidence. I have the upper hand.
When he got home from school and opened the door, he was greeted by the familiar, unwelcome sight of Marcus sitting on his couch.
Russell said, "You're here," in a flat voice.
"Business," Marcus said with a thin smile.
Russell didn't want to play games because he was too lazy. "What is it this time? Another job? Do you really think I'm your workhorse?
Marcus didn't say anything for a moment. Then he took something out of his pocket and gave it to Russell. "This is what you get for giving us good information."
Russell took the stuff and his eyes got big. It was a Silver-level material, and it was also gold-quality. [Star of Calamity].
He let out a voice that was hard to believe. "Is the Spirit Begging Society this kind? Was that diary really that important?
Marcus didn't know if he should laugh or cry at what he said. "Yes, the information was very important on one hand. But the Society has a new job for you.
Russell rolled his eyes. "I knew you weren't that nice." What is it?
"You're aware of the unified exam, right?" Marcus leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling without thinking. "Getting a high rank shouldn't be hard at your level. The Society just hopes that when you pick a college, you pick one that is inland instead of on the coast.
Russell stood up after hearing this, then sat back down on purpose, his mind racing with thoughts. He got their plan right away. They wanted to put him, their powerful new mole, deep in the heart of the Association. But they didn't know he was a broken item that they couldn't fix.
He had to do his part. He made a sneer and swung the valuable silver-level material in his hand. "So this is what this is all about," he said, his voice full of doubt. "You're giving me this expensive gift to ship me inland for a dangerous job."
Marcus smiled bitterly, which was exactly what they wanted him to do. "Russell, don't be mad. The Society has some power on the coast, but all of our tentacles in the inland are weak. We are counting on you to rise through the ranks and become our base. There will naturally be more help for you later. "Besides," he said in a smooth voice, "the help the Society is giving you now is much better than anything the Association has done for you, isn't it?"
Russell stopped talking and acted like he was thinking about it. What Marcus said was right. But he had worked hard to get these things. It wasn't "help." They only gave him these things because they thought they owned him and that the contract made it impossible for him to leave. He would never forget how helpless he felt when Five came to his house.
He thought that every gift from fate had a secret price tag on it. But the person who owned it before me already paid that price.
Also, their beliefs were very different from each other. Maybe a real demon from the abyss could accept their methods, but Russell couldn't. Even though the Daming Federation had its problems, it was better than a society that saw people as raw materials.
He acted like he was a little moved, but he was still stubborn. "I took the stuff," he complained. "It's not like I won't do the work."
Marcus laughed, stood up, and patted him on the shoulder when he saw this. "Someone will find you when you get to Northgate." He left Russell's house without looking back after that.
Russell's eyes slowly grew cold as he watched him leave. "Tsk. The Society for Spirit Begging...
"You really think you're angel investors."
(End of this chapter)
Comments
Raphael Espinoza Angulo
I wonder when the protagonist of this association will leave.
