The next morning, Katori Natsuki arrived early at the Shin'ō Academy. His classes were mostly scheduled for mornings, and today he'd come particularly early.
Before leaving yesterday, Azashiro Kana had mentioned the poor quality of wooden swords in their practice room. He intended to inspect them before class.
Natsuki first stopped by the faculty office. With the semester just started, he hadn't yet met all his colleagues.
As he entered, he spotted the petite Shinigami again—Shirai Riko, leaning against a desk while chatting with a green-haired instructor.
"Good morning, Katori-sensei!" Shirai waved cheerfully.
The green-haired teacher—Sakai-sensei from the Kidō Department—returned the greeting. Natsuki had met her briefly yesterday.
"Good morning, Shirai-sensei, Sakai-sensei." He paused. "Actually, Shirai-sensei, I may need your assistance later."
Shirai worked in logistics, not teaching faculty. Her presence here was unusual.
"What do you need?" she asked curiously.
"My students reported many damaged practice swords in the dojo. After inspection, I may require replacements," Natsuki explained.
"Damaged already? On the second day?" Shirai's eyes widened. "We replaced every sword before the term started! Are your students swinging with spiritual pressure?"
"I'll accompany you to check," she offered.
"Please."
Natsuki had planned to socialize with colleagues first, but with Shirai available, he prioritized the sword inspection.
The walk between buildings gave Shirai ample time for chatter.
"Are your students manageable?" she inquired.
"Reasonably so." Natsuki recalled his class. Apart from Shinji Hirako's laziness during drills and Kensei Muguruma's impulsive nature, none stood out as particularly troublesome.
"Then you'd better work extra hard." Shirai lowered her voice conspiratorially. "The Kidō instructor Nakajima-sensei mentioned her class is full of noble family prodigies. Their swordsmanship teacher is new too."
She leaned closer. "Here's a secret—the Kendō Club head is returning from secondment soon."
"How does that concern me?" Natsuki frowned. As a rookie instructor, such positions were beyond his reach.
"Rumor says they'll appoint whoever demonstrates exceptional teaching results. Why else cluster all those talented nobles together?"
Natsuki's interest sparked. A club leadership role would grant class selection priority and more interaction with notable Shinigami.
His Patient Instructor trait already enhanced his teaching efficacy. Even without the "pre-selected" elite students, he could compete.
"It's true!" Shirai insisted. "This reshuffling's been planned for months. Only new hires like you are unaware."
Though doubting Natsuki's chances against the nobles' instructor, she couldn't resist sharing gossip.
"My thanks for the insight." Natsuki made a mental note to bring Shirai snacks tomorrow.
Upon reaching the dojo, they examined the sword racks.
"These look brand new," Shirai remarked.
"They are—outwardly." Natsuki channeled reiatsu to his fingertips, scrubbing away the protective oil coating.
Beneath the glossy surface, the wood showed cracks.
"Refurbished swords. Poorly stored, likely dampened and degraded over time."
Neglected wooden swords lose integrity—their surfaces roughen while the material weakens, becoming prone to splintering.
Maintaining the Katori Dojo's arsenal had given Natsuki keen eyes for such defects.
"Refurbished?!" Shirai gasped. Testing another sword, she found identical damage. Sample after sample revealed varying degrees of cracking.
"Are you involved in procurement?" Natsuki asked warily. If so, she faced serious trouble.
"I handle distribution! If the entire batch is like this... I'm doomed!" Shirai tugged her hair in distress before dashing off to inspect the warehouse.
With replacements unavailable immediately, Natsuki resolved to proceed carefully. Today's lesson would focus on basic stances and footwork—no sparring yet.
Students trickled in as class time approached.
"Goo' mornin', sensei~" Azashiro Kana mumbled through a mouthful of bun.
"Morning." Natsuki took attendance—full roster, as expected. New students rarely skipped early classes, though their diligence seldom lasted.
He needed to capitalize on this brief window to cultivate genuine interest in swordsmanship.
"Class begins."
"Yesterday, someone asked why Shinigami—who wield zanpakutō, kidō, hakuda, and shunpo—must study pure swordsmanship."
"Today, I'll demonstrate its true value."
============
Early chapters: patreon.com/Reborn_noob