Chapter 83: Inner Realm
Upon returning to the squad barracks from a mission, Tokikaze politely declined Matsumoto Rangiku's invitation to drink.
Why bother drinking if he couldn't go see Kikuji-san and other geisha?
Upon hearing this, Matsumoto Rangiku almost chopped off Tokikaze's head. She had mustered the courage to take the initiative, only to be brushed off with such words. It was downright infuriating.
Ninth Division barracks.
Captain's exclusive training ground.
Tokikaze was focused, starting the long-neglected Zanjutsu training.
The walls of the training ground were adorned with intricate Kidō spells, forming a mimicry Bakudō to contain any Reiatsu that leak out while also having a certain anti-peeking function.
For a Soul Reaper, training was of utmost importance, especially Zanjutsu training.
Tokikaze sat cross-legged on a gray-white cushion, placing his Zanpakuto across his knees. With one hand lightly pressing on the hilt and the other gently stroking the blade, he closed his eyes while holding his breath and concentrating.
As a Soul Reaper who had mastered Shikai, it didn't take Tokikaze long to enter the state. After a brief trance, his spirit found itself in a completely different space.
Pale and boundless, with wild winds raging, a vast and familiar scene stretched out endlessly.
"It's not much different from the last time I was here."
Tokikaze stood in the surging wind, extending his right hand as a gentle breeze caressed his palm.
Oddly enough, unlike other Zanpakuto, Arashigane did not have a humanoid form. It was the wild wind in this space, free-spirited, unrestrained, roaming freely, and omnipresent in this Inner World.
Considering that some Zanpakuto didn't have humanoid forms, Tokikaze paid little attention to this fact.
This appearance suited it well.
Tokikaze dispersed his spirit, allowing the Reiatsu to roam through the wind, traversing the pale and boundless world, searching for the second layer of the Inner Realm.
Suddenly, the raging wind intensified, and the world seemed to come alive. The pale sky turned increasingly gray and cloudy.
As if countless clouds were piling up, rising layer upon layer towards the end of the sky.
The wind became even stronger.
The rugged ground was instantly lifted, creating enormous ravines that extended beyond sight. Massive magma emerged, spraying into the sky, creating a scene close to that of doomsday.
The wind intensified, transforming into a storm that tore through the sky. Faint glimmers brewed within the clouds.
Until—
Boom!!!
A loud sound echoed through the sky, illuminating the gray sky at that moment.
A brilliant burst of light erupted, countless lightning serpents roamed within it, freely releasing their power, turning the sky into an endless thunderous pool!
Crack—
The sky was torn apart, thunder blared, and a lightning struck down, incinerating everything in its path.
Instinctively, Tokikaze opened his five fingers, allowing the lightning pillar to fall into his palm.
In an instant, all the thunder in this world rapidly converged, forming a blade emanating intense lightning.
Blue-purple electric lights continuously danced on it, emitting astonishing power with a sizzling sound.
"Thunder, huh..."
Tokikaze looked at the fierce lightning flickering in his palm and smiled.
...
Time swiftly passed, and a week flew by.
Shin'o Academy, the largest training ground.
Hundreds of students and Soul Reapers gathered here, eagerly awaiting the commencement of today's grand event.
As it was the annual graduation assessment, both Soul Reapers who had become Seated Officers and students in reserve attached great importance to it.
What excited them even more was that after the student assessment, there would be a Captain Proficiency Test held in the training ground.
The student assessment was a basic test of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, and Hoho, and Kido.
On the other hand, the Captain Proficiency Test had an undefined format and might not occur for several decades or even a hundred years.
The reserve Soul Reapers were curious about it.
On the elevated platform, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto stood with his hands on the cane, gazing sternly at the crowd below. Behind him was his Vice-Captain, Chojiro Sasakibe.
In contrast to their upright figures, the Captains who came to watch from behind seemed somewhat lacking in grace.
Leading the way was the Captain of the Seventh Division, Komamura Sajin, towering over others, not just in height but also wearing a massive iron face mask, concealing his true face.
Behind him stood someone who surprised even Tokikaze.
Kaname Tosen.
At this moment, he seemed to have emerged from the shadows of the past, bearing some resemblance to his appearance in later years.
The only difference was those black eyes.
If observed closely, two imperceptible seams existed above and below those eyes.
It was one of Yamada Seinosuke's masterpieces and an important proof that Kaname Tosen had regained his light.
Ignoring the curious glances from others, Kaname Tosen, especially when he saw Tokikaze, smiled and nodded.
This reaction left everyone puzzled.
Kyoraku Shunsui walked to Tokikaze's side, poked his arm, and whispered, "What's going on? Why does it seem like you two have some secret affair?"
Tokikaze gave him an annoyed look, "Didn't you attend the last Noble Assembly?"
Kyoraku Shunsui looked completely bewildered, having not attended a Noble Assembly since becoming the Captain of the Eighth Division.
"Tsunayashiro Tokinada, the one you reported to Central 46 Chambers, is dead."
Tokikaze said indifferently, "I killed him on the battlefield against the rebels."
From his tone, it was clear that killing Tokinada was like squashing a bothersome bug.
"Oh..." Kyoraku Shunsui showed a sudden realization, "That's indeed something to celebrate."
"The death of a vile person makes the air in the Soul Society even fresher."
Kaname Tosen, hearing these words, softened his gaze towards Kyoraku Shunsui.
Ignoring the aside, Yamamoto cleared his throat, "Chojiro, we can begin."
"Understood, Captain-Commander!"
Chojiro Sasakibe stepped forward, using his Reiatsu to amplify his voice. His resonant tone echoed throughout the entire training ground:
"The sixth-year assessment of Shin'o Academy officially begins. Candidates, please enter!"
Below the elevated platform, thirteen Seated Officers confidently stood at the center of the training ground with arms crossed. They were acting as examiners for the students' assessments, responsible for testing their basic combat skills.
Tokikaze watched the battles below with interest.
As an experienced Soul Reaper, he enjoyed watching his junior working hard.
Unfortunately, those Seated Officers dared not go all out. After a few battles, not even a severe injury was inflicted.
However, after observing a few fights, Tokikaze lost interest.
There was no prodigies this year, and their performance was barely passable.
"If there's anyone you're interested in, you can recruit them into the Ninth Division," Tokikaze reminded Matsumoto Rangiku beside him. "I leave this matter to you."
"You might not be able to recruit anyone at all," Matsumoto Rangiku wasn't very optimistic about this year's graduates. "If there are some who are good with paperwork, that would be helpful to share the workload with Nanao."
"Handle it as you see fit," Tokikaze delegated the responsibility.
The student assessment swiftly progressed, and in no time, it was reaching its conclusion.
The atmosphere in the training ground gradually became tense, with almost everyone's attention focused on the elevated platform.
They knew that the main event of the day was about to begin.
Chojiro Sasakibe wore a serious expression, infusing a bit of Reiatsu into his voice:
"Next, the Captain Proficiency Test begins!"
"Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division, Ichimaru Gin, and Captain of the Ninth Division, Tsunayashiro Tokikaze, please enter!"
Tokikaze stretched his arms, relieving the stiffness from prolonged standing, and cast a sideways smile:
"Nice to see you, Vice-Captain Ichimaru."
The atmosphere in the training ground became heavy as everyone's eyes concentrated on the elevated platform.
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