The Next Day.
The morning sun slipped quietly through the curtains, scattering golden threads across the warm wooden floor of the room. Upstairs, life began to stir slowly in the new home.
Inside his room, Ren lay on the bed, one hand behind his head, his eyes half-open. He hadn't slept much that night, yet strangely, he didn't feel tired… in fact, he felt unusually refreshed.
[Ding! Congratulations on opening a B-Rank Treasure Chest and obtaining: Black Card (Unlimited Funds)]
"Not bad," Ren muttered, staring at the black bank card adorned with golden patterns in his hand. He no longer had to worry about money, nor did he need to ask the old man for any.
"I wonder if this has something to do with her being a heroine… the treasure chest I got from touching Rui yesterday wasn't bad at all," Ren murmured, recalling the treasure he received from Rui's touch. Most treasure chests came through physical contact with others—rarely did he receive chests that required completing a quest.
"It's been a while since I did that… I have to admit, I feel refreshed." Ren stretched his waist slightly. He had stayed in Rui's room until sunrise before returning to his own. It was Saturday, after all—they didn't have to go to school, so both of them had indulged throughout the night.
As for the fear of being overheard, they weren't concerned. The room was well soundproofed, and Ren had used his Reiatsu to isolate it from others' senses—even Isshin couldn't eavesdrop without Ren knowing.
"Even though the black card isn't bad, I'd prefer something that gives me better control over the Six Eyes… to reduce the constant stream of information flowing into my brain." Ren lazily got up from bed. It was close to noon, and he needed to shower and head out—he wanted to visit Urahara to train his Bankai the same way Ichigo did in the original work.
"Suspicious as he is, Urahara's intelligence is terrifying," Ren mumbled as he picked up his white bathrobe. He didn't enjoy walking around with just a towel in a house full of women and made his way out of the room.
His silver hair was completely messy, with no intention of fixing it, and his blindfold was nowhere to be found, revealing his crystal blue eyes—eyes that looked like they held an entire galaxy within. But he didn't mind. He could handle the sensory overload for a while. Wearing the blindfold constantly was annoying, and his eyes needed exposure to light every now and then.
Ren stepped out and walked along the relatively long hallway toward the upstairs bathroom. After renovations, the house had three bathrooms—two downstairs and one at the end of the upper hallway. Ren chose to use the one closest to his room, which meant passing naturally by Rui's room. His spiritual senses easily picked up that she was asleep, and the room was already clean—she must've taken care of the aftermath before sleeping.
Ting!
He opened the bathroom door casually and didn't forget to flip the small wooden sign to show the bathroom was occupied—just a simple courtesy they'd adopted as part of their new family dynamic.
Upon entering, Ren turned on the water to fill the tub with hot water and began undressing. His body was well-defined, honed by years of kendo training—muscular, lean, and free of excess fat.
"Looks like I've gotten taller…" Ren muttered while staring at himself in the mirror. He now stood at 185 cm, and his physique had become more sculpted—like a masterpiece drawn by the world's finest artist. "Could this be because of the Six Eyes?"
That power was the only explanation that made sense to him—especially the Six Eyes, which had been adapting to his body over time. Or more accurately, it was transforming his body to match it. As for his hair and eye color, they were dismissed as a growth spurt—something the old man never questioned much, likely suspecting it was linked to his Shinigami powers.
Truthfully, although Ren held some disdain for Isshin for deceiving them for so long, he still respected the old man a little. At least he didn't meddle in their lives too much as long as they stayed on the right path.
After admiring himself briefly, Ren showered and cleaned his body thoroughly. He stared for a moment at the red marks scattered from his neck to all over his body, then ignored them and slid into the hot bath.
Seeing hickey marks on his body wasn't uncommon. His family had grown used to it, so he was confident no one would comment. As for Hina and Tsukiko, he didn't care even if they saw—he had no intention of hiding his womanizing tendencies. Still, he wasn't planning to announce his relationship with Rui just yet—it would cause unnecessary tension in their newly blended family.
"Sigh~" Ren let out a satisfied breath and closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of warmth soaking into every part of him. "I think I need to visit Tatsuki…"
Since gaining his powers, he hadn't spent much time with Tatsuki despite them often being together. He planned to visit her soon—she was very good at massages.
Thankfully, no one could read his thoughts. Any sane person would never let Tatsuki give them a massage—doing so would land them in the hospital with serious internal injuries. Tatsuki's strength was monstrous, and she didn't know how to adjust her pressure.
Ren continued relaxing in the bath, trying to clear the conflicting thoughts from his mind. He knew he had to move soon if he wanted to reach Urahara's shop before it closed, but the warmth and quiet made him hesitate.
A few minutes later, he finally decided to get out. He dressed quickly, draped a towel around his neck to catch the remaining water from his messy silver hair, and stepped out of the bathroom. The house was now more lively—soft footsteps moved downstairs, and muffled laughter reached his sensitive ears.
"Looks like everyone's awake…" he whispered, heading to his room to dress properly.
When he entered, he found his black blindfold lying on the bed where he had left it before his shower. He picked it up, pondering for a moment whether to wear it. In the end, he placed it in his pocket—ready to use it if the Six Eyes' information flow became overwhelming.
Wearing a loose black jacket and comfortable sweatpants, he picked up the black card from the table and took one last look in the mirror.
"All right, let's go."
As Ren stepped into the kitchen, Hina was flipping some eggs on the stove. She looked at him with half-asleep eyes, but suddenly they widened in shock.
"W-When did you dye your hair?!" she shouted, waving the spatula at him.
Ren casually glanced at the silver strands draped over his shoulder. "Actually, this is my natural color."
"What? But you've always…"
"I used to dye it black," he interrupted calmly. "It was easier to avoid… problems."
Hina closed her mouth, her eyes drifting to his glittering blue eyes. A strange tightness bloomed in her chest. "Well… that explains a lot." She paused, then added curiously, "But your blindfold?"
"No need for it now." He didn't elaborate, but his gaze was clear—That's all you're getting.
Hina muttered softly, "Aren't you afraid someone might see you like this?"
"No one will care."
"I care!" she shot back instantly, then blushed at her own words. "I mean… it's just weird seeing you like this all of a sudden."
Ren gave her a half-smile. "You'll get used to it."
Hina pressed her lips together and turned back to the pan. "Anyway, you're taller too. When did that happen?"
"Gradually."
"Annoying."
Ren chuckled softly while filling a cup with water. "Didn't know my height annoyed you."
"Everything about you annoys me!" she replied quickly, though her tone was more playful than irritated—like an older sister teasing her younger brother.
The atmosphere between them was different today—strange, but not in a bad way.
Ren finished his water and placed the cup in the sink. "I'm heading out."
"No breakfast?"
"Got training."
"Oh." She looked at him for a moment, then quickly turned away. "Just… don't cause trouble."
"No promises."
As he left, he heard a whisper behind him:
"…And your hair… it suits you."
"I know," Ren replied smugly as he stepped out, pleased with his new appearance. He hadn't become someone entirely different, but he definitely looked more like Gojo Satoru now—and he didn't mind. He was handsomer than ever.
...
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