Yagumi walked through the marbled halls of Red Crest Academy, hands in his pockets, Twin Reaper Blades strapped across his back in a perfect X. His snow-white hair contrasted sharply with the crimson banners hanging from the vaulted ceilings. Every step he took echoed with quiet confidence, arrogance even—yet no one dared to stop him.
He had aced the theoretical warden exams in ten minutes, setting a new academy record. The professors had scoffed—until the results were revealed: 100%. Not a single error. No hesitation. No room for critique.
The school board reluctantly issued him his official Warden License, etched in platinum and sealed with the Crest of Flame—symbol of Red Crest's elite. Yet even as the parchment was handed to him, he barely glanced at it before tucking it into his vest with a smirk.
---
The uniforms at Red Crest were designed with tradition and dignity in mind: a pristine white shirt stamped with the ancient Red Crest, sleek white pants, black or white combat boots, and a long coat representing unity.
But Yagumi?
He wore the signature pants, sure. But everything else? Ignored.
He sported a tight black vest, sleeveless and open at the sides to show off the intricate demon-scar tattoos running up his arms. His headband, white and frayed, carried no school emblem. And most notably: he wore no boots—just bare feet, padded silently across the academy floors.
He looked more like a streetfighter than a warden.
And yet…
---
Girls fawned over him. In the cafeteria, giggles followed him like a trail of roses. "Did you see him flip his hair?" "He didn't even look at the exam!" "I bet his eyes glow in the dark…"
Boys scowled. Grit teeth. Whispered insults behind his back but fell silent whenever he walked past. His aura was suffocating, heavy like storm clouds. Jealousy twisted their expressions, but fear sealed their mouths.
The Senseis, on the other hand, weren't impressed.
"Disrespectful," muttered Master Hado, a stoic Flame Arts instructor.
"Talented or not, he'll be expelled if he keeps violating the dress code," said Professor Nomura.
But no one enforced it.
Because on his back rested The Twin Reaper Blades—a pair of curved, cursed katanas said to devour the souls of those they slay. They were ranked fifth among the Legendary Blades. And Yagumi wielded them with terrifying ease.
---
Later that week, the academy's towering dojo hosted its monthly Warden Sparring Gauntlet—an event where top students demonstrated their skills before a crowd of spectators, nobles, and sponsors.
Yagumi hadn't signed up.
But he was challenged.
The number-one ranked student, Raiku Minazaki, a third-year Warden who specialized in lightning channeling, marched into the center of the arena and called him out.
"Yagumi. You don't belong here. You disgrace our traditions. Face me."
Gasps erupted from the stands.
The teachers remained silent, eyes narrowed.
Yagumi stood from the bleachers, yawning, then vanished in a blink. Before anyone could blink again, he appeared in front of Raiku, standing barefoot on the stone stage.
"Sorry," he said lazily, "I don't fight insects."
Raiku's eyes burned.
Lightning danced across his skin. His spear spun to life, crackling with volts.
"You're gonna regret underestimating me!"
The duel bell rang.
Raiku lunged forward, leaving a shockwave crater behind him.
Yagumi? He stood still. Hands in pockets. Head slightly tilted.
Just as Raiku's spear reached him, Yagumi vanished again—and reappeared behind Raiku.
CLINK.
The Twin Reaper Blades were unsheathed for only a second.
Raiku froze.
The tip of his spear fell to the ground. His knees buckled. A single, bloodless line crossed his chest—his uniform sliced perfectly open.
He collapsed.
Silence.
Then roars of disbelief from the crowd.
Yagumi sheathed his blades and walked off the stage.
"Next time," he said, without turning, "send someone with a pulse."
---
By nightfall, his name was etched into the Crimson Leaderboard—#1 Warden Student at Red Crest.
And in the shadows of the academy, a hidden chamber deep underground stirred. A black door, sealed for decades, trembled slightly.
A voice from within whispered.
"So… the Reaper returns."
End of Chapter 50.