As time quietly slipped away, the battle in the Ninth Division had already begun.
On the vast training ground, after being divided into pairs, the battles between ordinary Shinigami started like a violent storm and ended as quickly as lightning.
Without the ability to release their Zanpakuto, pure swordsmanship became especially important.
Even a small mistake could lead to immediate defeat.
Ultimately, about twenty victors emerged.
They could challenge Seat Officers after the Seat Officer battles concluded, aiming for higher positions.
This behavior was encouraged by every Division.
Only then would the Division not become like stagnant water, losing its vitality and vigor.
On the empty training ground, Tsugikuni Yoriichi quietly watched these twenty winners, a look of relief in his eyes.
Without a doubt, some of these Shinigami should be able to release their Zanpakuto.
Perhaps the Seat Officer positions would see a major reshuffle.
"Ahem, let's continue."
With a light cough, the next round of battles began.
The twenty victors received their orders and retreated.
They rested while avoiding being affected by the Seat Officer battles.
At the same time, seventeen Seat Officers stepped forward.
They looked at each other, and then some of them revealed ferocious smiles.
Their fighting spirit surged as their Reiatsu climbed, making the surrounding air feel heavy, as if a storm was about to break.
Yoriichi had not yet announced the rules for the new round.
Ikkaku Madarame suddenly swung his sword.
Swish!
Amidst the sound of air being torn, he stepped forward and shouted loudly in a clear voice:
"I'm the Eighth Seat of the Ninth Division, Ikkaku Madarame!"
"Fourth Seat Kuna Mashiro, I challenge you!"
This sudden challenge was truly abrupt.
Kuna Mashiro was deep in her thoughts and was suddenly startled.
She looked up blankly, her gaze falling on Ikkaku Madarame, realizing that the one challenging her was a newcomer who had just joined the Ninth Division.
Even as optimistic as she was, she felt a bit annoyed at this moment.
Her face flushed, she also shouted loudly:
"Hey, you guy, don't you know to respect your seniors?!"
"Seniors? Ha!?" Ikkaku Madarame's eyes widened, and his mouth curved into an exaggerated arc, as if questioning the statement,
"What's that?"
"I don't care about seniors or not, as long as I win against you, I'm the senior!"
That was true; the skilled were teachers. So-called seniors were just Shinigami who had started earlier.
If one lacked strength, starting earlier was useless.
Because of this, a fire almost ignited in Kuna Mashiro's heart. This bald bastard was too arrogant, practically pointing at her nose and saying she was weak.
She was a Vice-Captain!
At least, she used to be.
Taking a deep breath, Kuna Mashiro also stepped forward and shouted to Tsugikuni Yoriichi:
"Captain, if someone is seriously injured in battle because I can't hold back, how will that be handled?"
"…"
The provocative meaning in her words was very obvious. Yoriichi watched the two of them and fell silent.
One could only say that the Eleventh Division truly lived up to its name; they had just arrived and already had the demeanor of wanting to fight all the heroes under heaven...
After a moment of contemplation, Yoriichi slowly spoke:
"I will cover the treatment costs after serious injuries. However, it's best to know when to stop."
"You are all Shinigami, I don't need to remind you of the prohibited actions, do I?"
"No need!" Kuna Mashiro said decisively, "I won't kill him. I want to show this bald guy the strength I once had as a Vice-Captain."
"The Eleventh Division is truly too barbaric!"
Upon hearing this, Yumichika Ayasegawa, among the Seat Officers, suddenly let out a laugh: "Pfft."
"What are you laughing at?"
Kuna Mashiro keenly heard the sound, raised an eyebrow, and looked at him, her expression very displeased.
At such a serious moment, what was so funny?
"Nothing." Yumichika Ayasegawa waved his hand, trying to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth, and said elegantly and calmly,
"I just think, after being Shinigami for so many years, why are you still so naive?"
"This isn't barbarism; it's merely trying to thoroughly implement the Captain's orders."
"We don't recognize seniors based on seniority; Shinigami must speak with their blades."
"You…"
"Ahem."
Yoriichi coughed twice, interrupting, "Irrelevant remarks can wait until after the matter concludes."
"Kuna Mashiro, I ask you, are you willing to accept Ikkaku Madarame's challenge?"
"Also, Ikkaku Madarame, you only have one chance to challenge. Are you willing to use that chance on Kuna Mashiro?"
"Willing!" x2
The two spoke in unison. Yoriichi nodded slightly: "Very good."
"Since that's the case, begin."
...
...
At the same time.
Outside the Sixth Division.
Two teams of Shinigami were conducting a prisoner handover ceremony.
"Soujun-sama, this fellow is now entrusted to you. He injured several of our brothers, so he absolutely must not be allowed to escape."
Under the sunlight, tree shadows swayed. Kuchiki Sōjun looked at the prisoner being brought over and nodded lightly: "I understand."
Although he was a prisoner, he didn't have a vicious appearance.
He was very handsome, and apart from some dust on his slightly luxurious clothes, he was no different from an ordinary person, with blue pupils and light white hair...
If it weren't for the killing stone binding him, causing him to look solemn, his demeanor would have been even more elegant.
"If I remember correctly, he should be a mid-level noble, right?"
Kuchiki Sōjun looked at the documents his Seat Officer handed over, following closely behind, and gently furrowed his brows,
"Why did Ginrei-sama order his capture?"
"About that…" Facing him, a Shinigami who also belonged to the Sixth Division but managed the prison, and was part of the Kuchiki Clan, mused for a moment and said,
"We aren't very clear either, but Ginrei-sama said he's connected to the Tsunayashiro Clan."
"It just so happened that we uncovered a smuggling operation, so we simply arrested him directly."
"The case is not small. If there's no reversal, he'll likely be sentenced to three thousand years in underground Prison."
"Soujun-sama, this young man is not weak, so you must not underestimate him. If nothing unexpected happens, perhaps we can even reel in a few more fish."
"This might be an opportunity…"
"I see…" Hearing him say this, Kuchiki Sōjun vaguely understood something.
After a month of preparation, was Ginrei-sama finally going to make his move?
For Shinigami, a month was as short as yesterday.
Therefore, whenever he recalled almost dying, Kuchiki Sōjun felt a lingering fear.
Whew…
Kuchiki Sōjun let out a long breath, the air dispersing slowly like heavy shackles:
"Understood. Tell Ginrei-sama that I will have someone watch him closely."
"Also, please ask the Twelfth Division for me when the gift I ordered for Captain Tsugikuni, to congratulate him on becoming Captain, will be ready."
"Their efficiency is too slow."
...
Crack! Pop!
A crisp crackling sound like popping beans, resembling a sudden summer downpour, resounded thunderously across the Ninth Division's training ground.
Ikkaku Madarame's offensive was fierce, wielding a weapon in each hand, attacking Kuna Mashiro like a furious gale.
His posture was like a man-eating tiger.
His face was brimming with excitement, as if he would never tire, and he swung his weapons so fast they became blurs.
Kuna Mashiro faced his attacks, her brow slightly furrowed.
Clang! Clang!
The force of the impacts on her blade was like surging waves crashing against a reef, making her hand ache.
She had to admit, this annoying bald man indeed had some skill.
However, he was still a bit short compared to her.
Although she was proficient in leg techniques, her swordsmanship was not weak either.
The gap in combat experience between the two could not be compensated by the rough fighting methods from Rukongai.
As far as Kuna Mashiro knew, none of these Shinigami from the Eleventh Division had ever studied at Reiatsu Academy.
How could a self-taught style defeat swordsmanship that had been continuously optimized for a thousand years?
Humming softly to herself, Kuna Mashiro slightly raised her palm.
Bang.
Her Zanpakuto, held horizontally, easily blocked Ikkaku Madarame's simultaneous swing of both blade and sheath, resulting in two muffled thuds, one after the other.
Clang.
When the sound faded, Kuna Mashiro casually swung her hand, and Ikkaku Madarame stumbled backward.
Then, under Ikkaku Madarame's slightly surprised gaze, her tone subtly contained a hint of seriousness:
"Baldy, your swordsmanship probably hasn't been systematically studied, has it?"
"Your style is very wild."
"This kind of style might be useful in the Eleventh Division, but in our Ninth Division, it's all outdated stuff."
"What did you say?" Ikkaku Madarame's face slightly contorted.
"You're saying my swordsmanship is outdated? No, wait, what did you call me again?"
Suddenly realizing Kuna Mashiro's address for him, Ikkaku Madarame's forehead twitched, and even the eye shadow at the corner of his eyes involuntarily distorted, showing a few veins.
He took a deep breath, straightened his body, and shouted: "Do you dare say that again?!"
He hated nothing more than people calling him bald.
Clearly, he still had a few millimeters of hair, okay?!
Not to mention it was...
"Baldy, what's wrong?" Kuna Mashiro instinctively blurted out.
After speaking, she understood something and giggled.
"No way, you actually reacted to that? Am I not stating a fact?"
While it was true, Ikkaku Madarame had a very short temper, and people often didn't like to hear the truth.
The last person to call him "baldy" was Kusajishi Yachiru, and if he couldn't beat her, Ikkaku Madarame would have acted long ago.
Now this one…
Ikkaku Madarame could no longer suppress the anger in his heart. He tightly gripped his sword hilt, and his entire Reiatsu erupted:
"Extend, Hozukimaru!"
With a low shout, the one-meter blade suddenly transformed into a long spear, its tip shaped like a Zanpakuto, gleaming with a cold light.
He raised it above his head and swung it rapidly, causing a fierce wind to erupt around him, as if the air was wailing.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Amidst the roaring wind, Ikkaku Madarame's excited smile reappeared, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes:
"Brat!"
"You successfully made me angry!"
"I don't care if you're a Vice-Captain or the Fourth Seat, today I'm going to cut you down!"
Kuna Mashiro stood not far away, the image of Hozukimaru reflected in her eyes, realizing that only its shape had changed.
A hint of disappointment flashed across her expression.
"What is this?"
"I thought it was some amazing Shikai!"
"It just made the Zanpakuto longer."
"Being too confident isn't good, you know."
Swish!
As the Zanpakuto cut sharply through the air, Kuna Mashiro's expression returned to a calm, placid state.
It was as if her usual innocent, blunt personality was just a disguise.
Facing Ikkaku Madarame's arrogant expression and boastful tone, Kuna Mashiro said casually:
"Come at me. Let this Fourth Seat teach you what a senior's dignity is."
"I'm not very good at using a Zanpakuto, so I won't use Shikai this time. For a brute like you, Shikai probably wouldn't have much effect anyway."
"I'll just make you remember with my fists and feet."
Saying this, she slowly sheathed her Zanpakuto, clearly intending to do as she said.
As the former Vice-Captain of the Ninth Division, she was different from other Vice-Captains; swordsmanship, for her, was merely a means of combat.
Compared to using swordsmanship, she preferred to defeat enemies with her fists and feet, because only then could she feel the joy of battle.
Fist to flesh.
This was far more satisfying than cutting people.
And so.
Her inner self usually hid or revealed itself with changes in her combat style.
Many Shinigami within the Ninth Division knew about this, so even if some Shinigami saw a clear difference in her personality before and during battle, they didn't show too much surprise.
Some who enjoyed watching the spectacle even raised their hands and cheered: "Good!"
"Kuna Mashiro-sama, you must teach him a lesson!"
Upon hearing this, the veins on Ikkaku Madarame's forehead throbbed even more intensely.
Not using a Zanpakuto? This was clearly looking down on him!
Damn it!
He gritted his teeth: "Brat, I'll see if your strength matches your arrogance."
"If not…"
His words abruptly stopped there, simply because he had already stomped his foot and charged forward.
The Hozukimaru in his hand was like a sharp sword piercing directly towards Kuna Mashiro's chest, erupting with immense power.
As if to pierce her through.
"Mashiro Super Kick!"
Kuna Mashiro let out a low growl without haste, then vanished from her spot, appearing in front of Ikkaku Madarame, and kicked upwards fiercely.
Instantly.
Crack!
Hozukimaru's shaft was struck hard, emitting a crisp cracking sound, and countless spiderweb-like cracks spread from the shaft.
Hearing this sound, Ikkaku Madarame's heart tightened, and he immediately felt that things were not good.
—Hozukimaru… was kicked broken?!
...
"How about it, Tsugikuni, is my subordinate still alright?"
Outside the training ground, Zaraki Kenpachi stood ramrod straight beside Tsugikuni Yoriichi, his arms crossed like a lighthouse.
"Although his strength is a bit lacking, his mindset is exactly like mine."
"If he didn't want to defeat me, he wouldn't have left the Eleventh Division with me. Eighth Seat, he's underestimated."
"But he's going to lose." Yoriichi's tone was calm.
"I know, but that's nothing." Kenpachi seemed not to care much about the outcome of this battle.
He said indifferently, "My subordinate isn't a crybaby who cries after one defeat."
"This girl named Kuna Mashiro isn't weak. It's a pity she's not using her Zanpakuto, otherwise I'd even want to cross blades with her."
"Yachiru."
He suddenly looked at Yachiru on his shoulder.
"Do you have confidence?"
"She's about to challenge you. How uninteresting."
"I find it very interesting." Yachiru chuckled.
"I really like Kuna's personality. At least, she didn't hurt the baldy."