Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Be Mentally Prepared

"Don’t get discouraged. People can change. You can change yourself too."

Byakuya offered Mutsuki some encouragement.

As her superior, he could hardly tell her to just give up.

"Mm..."

Mutsuki nodded slightly: "I’ll try harder to overcome it next time."

"I believe you can do it."

Byakuya acknowledged.

"That’s all for today. Rest up when you get home. We continue tomorrow."

With that, the trainees dispersed to their respective homes.

After they left, the Squad Zero members prepared to leave as well.

On the way back, Hairu and the others were heading to the subway station—which happened to be in the same direction as Byakuya.

As they walked, Hairu suddenly asked Byakuya: "Among this batch of trainees, who do you think has the most potential, Byakuya-senpai?"

"Well, in my view, it’s either Kuki Urie or Tooru Mutsuki—or perhaps both of them."

Byakuya answered.

He was speaking based on the original story. Urie and Mutsuki were undoubtedly the most prominent performers among this batch. One had eliminated the SSS-rated "Dodgy Mother" Roma Hoito; the other—Mutsuki after her dark transformation—had also become quite powerful.

Yonebayashi and Shirazu had decent performances in the original too, but weren’t the most outstanding.

"Really? I can understand Kuki Urie, but Tooru Mutsuki seems off, doesn’t she?"

Hairu looked puzzled: "Given her performance today, she barely qualifies as an investigator. I can’t see any potential there. Or is Senpai biased because she’s a girl?"

"You know she’s a girl?"

Byakuya said with some surprise.

"Yeah, I thought something was off from the start. After observing her closely, I confirmed she’s cross-dressing."

Hairu said: "Seems like Senpai noticed too. Is that why?"

"How could it be..."

Byakuya shook his head slightly: "If that were the reason, why wouldn’t I favor Yonebayashi, who’s also a girl?"

"Good point. I was just joking anyway."

Hairu smiled: "What I’m more curious about is how Byakuya-senpai’s consideration is coming along."

Consideration...

Byakuya remembered Hairu had asked him to consider dating.

He hadn’t expected her to bring it up again now.

"About that... Actually, I want to ask if you’re mentally prepared? Couples often do all sorts of things together. For instance, I quite like doing this..."

As he spoke, Byakuya lightly lifted Hairu’s chin with his finger.

His intention was to intimidate Hairu a little. He suspected she either didn’t understand anything or understood perfectly and was just toying with him. This way, she’d probably back off on her own.

"That’s fine, if it’s Byakuya-senpai."

But that’s what Hairu said.

"..."

Byakuya was momentarily speechless.

Neither spoke for a moment.

After a brief standoff, Hairu was the first to yield.

"But I guess I am a little embarrassed. Let me get mentally prepared first..."

Her cheeks slightly flushed, she said this and then moved away.

"Sure. We can talk again when you’re ready."

Byakuya smiled faintly.

As expected, he was still a step ahead.

...

The next day, Byakuya continued leading the trainees through the "Whack-a-Mole" operation in Ward 24.

The walls of Ward 24’s underground labyrinth were made of kagune, and ghouls could freely manipulate these kagune walls. So during operations in Ward 24, ghouls would frequently burst out from the walls—like moles popping out of holes—and the investigators would have to fight them. Hence the name "Whack-a-Mole."

At this moment, they’d encountered several more ghouls emerging from the "flesh walls."

Byakuya and the other Squad Zero members observed from the side, only intervening if things became dangerous.

Today, Mutsuki was clearly making an effort. Wielding her pair of B-rated Bikaku Quinque daggers named "Abksol & Ifraft," she stepped forward to fight the ghouls.

Though timid, when she mustered her courage to fight, her movements didn’t falter from fear. For Mutsuki, achieving this much was already significant progress.

Urie showed no obvious changes—still charging at ghouls the moment he spotted them, with virtually no team awareness. Like a glory-seeking "lone wolf."

Just then, Byakuya noticed Mutsuki was about to be overwhelmed. If this continued, she’d be in danger. He alerted Hairu beside him: "Hairu..."

"Mm."

Hairu nodded slightly. Her Quinque briefcase had already transformed into combat mode—the S+-rated Ukaku "T-Human"—ready to rescue Mutsuki at any moment.

Byakuya trusted Hairu’s gifted dynamic vision, and even if something unexpected happened, he was still there.

Though a near-death experience might trigger Mutsuki’s dark transformation, that transformation wasn’t exactly a good thing...

Just as Mutsuki faced danger, Hairu immediately raised T-Human. A massive energy sphere shot forth, engulfing and annihilating the ghoul in front of Mutsuki in an instant.

Mutsuki breathed a sigh of relief, simultaneously a bit shaken by the tremendous destructive power she’d just witnessed.

She turned to Hairu and bowed in thanks: "Thank you, Investigator Ihei."

"You’re welcome."

Hairu smiled.

Shortly after, the remaining ghouls were also dealt with by the trainees.

"Well done. You can now face ghouls in direct combat."

Byakuya praised Mutsuki.

"Yes!"

Mutsuki nodded with a smile.

"As for Yonebayashi... though I didn’t call you out yesterday, you shouldn’t keep slacking off either."

Byakuya then addressed Yonebayashi.

"!!"

Yonebayashi’s expression shifted to alarm.

Oh no!

Caught slacking!

Yonebayashi had assumed no one would notice her laziness—after all, she had been putting in some effort, just not her full strength.

But she couldn’t escape Investigator Amaha’s watchful eye after all.

...

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