"Hm?!"
Kenpachi Zaraki's gaze fell upon the figure holding a sword in front of him, the large "9" on the captain's haori particularly noticeable.
"Hahahahaha!!"
Kenpachi's manic laughter intensified as he swung his serrated Zanpakuto, pointing it straight ahead. He smiled like a demon, filled with bloodlust.
"I finally found you, Captain of the Ninth Division!"
"Come, let's have a thrilling fight!"
Whoosh—
An even more violent spiritual pressure erupted instantly, engulfing the entire First Division. The sheer force caused the floor to sink, creating layers of cracks. The dojo, already under strain, creaked and groaned in protest.
"Captain Kenpachi, you are overstepping!"
Before Tokikaze could respond, Yamamoto Genryusai stepped forward, releasing an overwhelming pressure.
"Duels between captains are forbidden!"
His cold gaze fixed on Kenpachi, but the temperature in the dojo continued to rise. The air became thick with the smell of burning, like a dormant volcano ready to erupt.
"Haha, old man, don't be mad!"
A cheerful voice echoed from the corridor outside the dojo. A small figure, even shorter than Soi Fon, was darting back and forth, seemingly chasing something.
Yachiru Kusajishi, riding her scooter at breakneck speed, finally picked up a shiny, round pebble from the floor.
"Hey, gotcha!"
She joyfully pocketed the pebble and hurried into the dojo. "Ken-chan just got excited..."
"Um, what's your name?"
"Tokikaze Kamimiyada."
"Great, I'll call you Windy from now on!"
Yachiru, looking innocent and playful, gave Tokikaze a nickname and then looked up at Yamamoto Genryusai with an earnest expression, explaining:
"Ken-chan just got too excited."
Yamamoto nodded slightly, seemingly having endless patience for Yachiru. He immediately believed her words. The restless spiritual pressure around him gradually calmed down.
Meanwhile, Kenpachi still had his usual wild demeanour.
This wasn't a sign of defiance; it was simply his inability to control his overflowing spiritual pressure.
Even now, Kenpachi wasn't at full power. The eyepatch on his right eye constantly absorbed his spiritual energy.
Removing the eyepatch would unleash Kenpachi's full strength.
"You need to learn to control your bloodlust, Captain Kenpachi," Yamamoto advised. "Acting recklessly makes you no better than a beast, driven solely by instinct."
"Also, didn't I ask you to come two days ago?"
"Why are you only arriving now..."
Kenpachi snorted dismissively: "Tch, got lost."
Yamamoto Genryusai: "..."
Only Kenpachi could so brazenly admit to getting lost.
It took him two days to get lost in the Seireitei, with its central barracks. No wonder he hadn't found the Ninth Division's barracks yet.
The dojo fell silent for a while, the only sounds being Yachiru's scooter and her happy exclamations.
After a moment, Yamamoto sighed, "I called you here to teach you the way of the sword."
"As a Captain of the Gotei 13, fighting like a brute will only bring shame to the Gotei 13."
Tokikaze noticed that as Yamamoto said this, his eyelids drooped slightly, and his already narrow eyes made it difficult to discern his gaze.
Was he hiding his true intentions?
"Tch, useless," Kenpachi sneered. "Just kill the opponent. Who cares about looking good?"
"Nonsense!"
Yamamoto roared, "The way of the sword is profound, not something a beast can understand."
"Captain Tokikaze!"
"Please assist me!"
Tokikaze looked puzzled, not grasping Yamamoto's intent.
"You must show Captain Kenpachi the strength of swordsmanship!"
Yamamoto picked up his cane. As the air swirled around it, the wooden surface vaporised, and a searing heat spread out.
"Don't worry, I'll suppress my spiritual pressure to the limit."
Tokikaze: "???"
What did he mean by that?
Was he not targeting Kenpachi but me?
It became clear that Yamamoto wanted Tokikaze to duel him, demonstrating the essence of swordsmanship to Kenpachi.
Tokikaze had often treated others as tools. Now, the tables had turned, and he was Yamamoto's tool.
Tokikaze understood Yamamoto's reasoning.
If Kenpachi experienced the essence of swordsmanship firsthand, he might get carried away, unleashing his full power.
If that happened and Yamamoto couldn't hold back, Tokikaze might end up spending weeks in the Fourth Division.
In the worst-case scenario, he could be incinerated on the spot.
After all, Kenpachi was on the verge of breaking his self-imposed limits.
Yamamoto, known for his fierce attacks, had no means to heal Kenpachi's self-inflicted injuries.
All he had was immense destructive power.
"Drawing my Zanpakuto against the Head Captain is exhilarating," Tokikaze said, pulling out his Zanpakuto. His aura became sharper, like a drawn sword, dazzling to behold.
Being a tool was secondary. Facing Yamamoto Genryusai was a rare combat experience.
Even if it was just a spar, it was invaluable.
Seeing Tokikaze's enthusiasm, Yamamoto realised he might have misjudged him again.
He sighed, slowly drawing Ryujin Jakka, then fiercely slashing forward.
Clang—
The sound of metal clashing filled the dojo, sparks flying in the intense heat.
Even though Yamamoto didn't release his spiritual pressure, relying solely on swordsmanship, Tokikaze felt unprecedented pressure.
Unlike Unohana's varied and complex techniques, Yamamoto's strikes were straightforward and powerful, filled with explosive strength, like an ever-burning fire.
The sense of oppression grew!
The volcano simmered, holding back its fury as flames roared.
Tokikaze sensed that when this volcano erupted, it would spell the end of all things.
This was the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, the strongest Shinigami of the Soul Society, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni!