Byn couldn't help but think that this little bck cat had impressive acting skills.

  If it weren’t originally human, it would be the perfect pet—beautiful, obedient, and quiet. A model house cat.

  Unfortunately, in the end, this little guy was still human.

  Before long, the little bck cat finished the bowl of nutritious porridge.

  Byn tidied up the dishes before heading off to have his own dinner.

  Late at night, when it was time to sleep, the little bck cat was also in the bedroom.

  However, Chelsea clearly had no intention of sleeping on the floor. Just like the night before, she waited until Byn was asleep before sneaking onto the bed and burrowing under the covers.

  In reality, Byn wasn’t fully asleep. The moment he heard the faintest sound, he knew the little bck cat had crawled under the bnkets again.

  Wanting to ensure a more peaceful sleep, he deliberately shifted, letting his hand rest directly on the little bck cat. This way, if she made any unusual movements, he could react immediately.

  Chelsea tensed the moment a rge hand covered her body, nearly jolting upright in arm.

  But when she realized Byn hadn’t woken up or made any further movements, she rexed.

  Still, being held down by his hand and sleeping in this position felt... odd. For some reason, she couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

  …

  During their short two-day break, the members of the Imperial Assassination Unit witnessed one shocking event after another in the Imperial Capital.

  If it had only been one or two incidents, they might have been able to brush it off.But experiencing so much in such a short time—and seeing it all with their own eyes—left them shaken.

  Doubt crept into their hearts.

  Was the Empire truly as great as they had believed?

  Was absolute obedience to such an Empire really the right thing to do...?

  Even when it was time to resume training, these thoughts still weighed on their minds.

  “Commander Byn, are we hunting Danger Beasts again today?”

  Kelly, trying to shift his focus, brought up the day's training.

  Byn nodded. “Yes. Though we’ve been hunting Danger Beasts, the difficulty of each session will continue to increase.”

  “Understood.”

  Kelly and the others had no objections, but something felt... off.

  The previous commanders had always incorporated assassination into their training, rarely focusing on combat against Danger Beasts.

  After all, their ultimate goal was to fight the rebels of Night Raid. Sharpening their skills through killing was considered the most effective way to prepare.

  Yet Commander Byn had never included assassination in their training. That alone felt strange to them.

  …

  [Ding! The Host has sin a Level 4 Danger Beast. Reward: 1 System Point!][Ding! The Host has sin a Level 3 Danger Beast. Reward: 3 System Points!][...][Ding! The Host has accumuted 200 System Points, meeting a hidden condition. System Shop Lv1 has been upgraded to Lv2!]

  During training, a new system notification suddenly echoed in Byn’s mind.

  System Shop?

  So it really could be upgraded.

  Byn wasn’t too surprised. From the beginning, he had noticed that [System Shop] on his personal panel had a [Lv1] suffix, which suggested it could be leveled up.

  He had just never known how—until now. Apparently, accumuting enough System Points was the key.

  Eager to see what had changed, Byn accessed the System Shop with his mind.

  The first page still dispyed the same items as Lv1, apart from the three core attributes. However, scrolling further revealed the newly unlocked Lv2 inventory.

  [System Shop Lv2]

  Note: The following items are system-modified versions.

  [Item: Red Cloud Robe]

  Description: The signature attire of the Akatsuki organization. Offers better defense than standard clothing but has no significant practical effects, so it’s retively inexpensive.

  Price: 1 System Point

  [...]

  [Item: "White Mask" Set]

  Description: Includes the "White Mask" and the "Uchiha Fan." Prices increase progressively. The White Mask is the base item, granting +10 to all attributes. The Uchiha Fan must be used in conjunction with it.

  Price: 10 System Points (base price)

  [...]

  [Item: Ocur Power]

  Description: Directly enhances ocur abilities. Reaching a certain threshold can evolve the Mangekyō Sharingan into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

  Price: 1 System Point

  [...]

  [Item: "Crimson Night Bde" Set]

  Description: Includes the "Tiger Skin Mask" and the "Crimson Night Bde (Tachi)." Prices increase progressively. The Tiger Skin Mask is the base item, granting +10 to all attributes. The Crimson Night Bde must be used in conjunction with it.

  Price: 10 System Points (base price)

  The newly unlocked Lv2 items genuinely surprised Byn.

  The first item—the Red Cloud Robe—immediately sparked inspiration.

  Since he was already pnning to establish a new organization, why not name it "Akatsuki"?

  The original Akatsuki had been founded to end the chaos in Amegakure and bring peace. In that case, his goal would be to put an end to the Empire’s turmoil.

  As for Ocur Power, it hardly needed an expnation. If it truly allowed him to obtain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, the potential was immense—but the requirements were surely steep.

  And then there were the White Mask Set and Crimson Night Bde Set—both incredibly cost-effective.

  For just 10 System Points, he could acquire a mask that boosted all attributes by +10.

  Not to mention, he was in dire need of a powerful, reliable weapon. Whether it was the Uchiha Fan or the Crimson Night Bde, either one would be a perfect fit.

  …

  After completing the training, Byn began pnning his next move.

  He intended to kill Saikyuu, the founder of the Empire's Assassination Unit. Once Saikyuu was dead, he would have full control over the unit.

  At the same time, Saikyuu had already come to see Byn as a serious threat.

  News of Byn's actions within the Empire's Assassination Unit had gradually reached Saikyuu—such as terminating "brainwashing," granting leave, and abolishing the "disciplinary action" system... Byn had defied Saikyuu far too many times, overturning almost every rule he had established. Any high-ranking figure in Saikyuu's position would find this intolerable.

  Although Byn was unaware of Saikyuu's growing hostility, he had long been mentally prepared for such a situation. It wouldn't interfere with his next steps.

  Meanwhile, after several days of observation, Chelsea felt she had gathered enough information about Byn and was ready to report back on her surveilnce.

  On the way back to the base after training, she seized a moment when no one was paying attention and quietly slipped away.

  Byn could have chased after her—but he chose not to.

  He had already realized that this "little bck cat" was only here to gather intelligence. If she had any intention of attacking, she would have done so by now.

  It was actually beneficial for the Revolutionary Army to recognize that the Empire's Assassination Unit was undergoing changes. That way, future encounters wouldn't have to immediately turn into deadly battles.

  At that moment, Byn opened the System Shop and exchanged his points for a White Mask.

  [Ding! The Host has redeemed “White Mask x1,” deducting “System Points x10”!]

  PinkSnake