After vanquishing Hanami and subduing Itadori with a swift, calculated strike, Kanzaki Kenzo acquired two new purple entries:
[Life Absorption (Rare)]: Absorbs life energy from the surrounding environment to rapidly heal wounds and restore stamina and magic power.
[Conditioned Athlete (Rare)]: Boosts training efficiency by 300%. Greatly increases the likelihood of triggering a Black Flash in combat.
"Not bad," Kenzo mused, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
The Life Absorption entry offered a superior alternative to his healing bracelet, but it was the Conditioned Athlete entry, derived from Yuji's unique traits, that truly intrigued him. A tripling of training efficiency was a game-changer.
Stowing away his magic sword creation, Kenzo equipped the Conditioned Athlete entry. Instantly, the Ki within him surged, amplifying his potential threefold. Sensing his strength escalating, Kenzo, already nearing his limits, donned the weighted gear he'd ordered days prior.
He commenced his rigorous regimen: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, followed by a 10km run. After a brief minute of rest, he repeated the cycle.
Sweat drenched his attire as he relentlessly pushed his body to its boundaries. Hours later, the awaited notification echoed in his mind:
[Ding! The host's strength has advanced to Level Three, unlocking new functional terms!]
Finally, an upgrade.
Kenzo accessed his status panel to examine the new features.
[Entry Sharing]:
"Hmm... a symbiotic power boost?" Kenzo pondered. "Interesting, but perhaps not immediately practical."
Considering the cost of opening new entry slots and upgrading existing entries, he realized his resources were already stretched thin.
"Perhaps later," he concluded, closing the panel and setting aside the thought.
It was time to rest.
After a refreshing shower, Kenzo retired to bed, slipping into a deep slumber.
---
At 4:00 AM, the alarm buzzed.
Kenzo opened his eyes, surveying the cluttered room.
"Maybe it's time to hire a maid," he muttered.
Daily intense training left him little energy for housekeeping. In just a fortnight, his once orderly space had devolved into chaos.
He grabbed his phone and posted a job advertisement online before heading out for his weighted morning run.
After circling Kuoh Town twice, Kenzo arrived at the Occult Research Club to freshen up. Emerging from the shower, he found Rias seated on the sofa, sipping tea.
"Morning, Rias."
"Good morning, Kenzo," she replied, a hint of concern in her voice. "I thought you'd take a break today."
"Rest? You think yesterday's battle wore me out?"
"Not exactly, but I believe you need to rest and recalibrate your mental state."
Kenzo's expression turned contemplative. He hadn't anticipated his spontaneous actions yesterday would leave such an impression on Rias.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore," Rias said with a smile, standing up. "Remember to attend class on time and avoid overexerting yourself like before."
"Got it," Kenzo responded, watching her depart with a puzzled look.
She came all this way just to have tea and remind him about class?
---
In the Student Council room, Sona Sitri looked up from her paperwork, surprised.
"Rias? What brings you here?"
"I arrived at school early and had some free time, so I thought I'd visit," Rias replied, taking a seat.
Typically, Rias wouldn't come to school so early. However, ever since she agreed to mentor Kenzo in magic, they'd established a routine: one hour of training during the day and another at night.
Though Kenzo had completed his apprenticeship, Rias still found herself waking early out of habit.
"By the way, Sona, would you consider teaching Kenzo for a few days?"
"Teaching?"
Rias nodded. "I feel he's been overtraining physically. Perhaps he could benefit from learning some strategies and tactics from you—to sharpen his intellect."
Sona considered this. "You think he's lacking in that department?"
"Just preparing him for future challenges. He'll ascend to a high-ranking devil eventually."
"Alright, I'll help. I'm usually in the Student Council room at noon. He can drop by if he's free."
---
Unaware of Rias's plans, Kenzo proceeded with his day.
After breakfast, he entered the classroom and took his seat.
"Kenzo, you went too far yesterday!" Yuji Itadori exclaimed, turning around. "Punching me without warning—it hurt!"
"I believed it was the best course of action," Kenzo replied. "The item you consumed was both poisonous and cursed. If I hadn't acted swiftly to perform a separation procedure, you'd be in dire straits."
"I understand, but still, that punch was brutal."
Yuji shuddered, recalling the pain. Due to his unique constitution, his memory hadn't been wiped. After regaining consciousness, he learned the full story from Gojo Satoru and others.
Even with that knowledge, the memory of the punch lingered.
"I suppose I owe you," Kenzo conceded after a moment's thought. "After school, I'll find something to make it up to you."
"Like what?"
"I'm still considering."
"Seriously?"
Yuji sighed, turning back to face the front.
Meanwhile, Kenzo accessed his entry warehouse, contemplating the new feature he wanted to test: granting an entry to Yuji.
He dismissed the white entries—too basic. Given that he'd received a valuable purple entry from Yuji, he decided to be generous.
Scanning his limited inventory, he settled on a green entry:
[Swift Stride (uncommon)]: Enhances agility and power. Movement speed is increased by 30%.
With that, he made his decision & then he closed the panel.
He noticed Megumi Fushiguro observing him.
"What's up, Megumi?"
"Did you have a fight with Yuji?"
Kenzo shook his head. "Not a fight. He had a stomach issue, and I helped him... expel it."
"I see."
Megumi nodded, the explanation making sense.
At that moment, Natsuki Minami entered the classroom, tapping the blackboard to draw attention.
"Class is starting. The monthly exam is approaching, so I'll highlight key points today. Review them thoroughly."
---
Time flew by, and soon it was time to head home.
In the grove behind the school, Kenzo and Yuji found a secluded spot.