It was safe to say that Kaname Tosen was poor.
In the past, he and Kakyo often talked about life under the night sky, exchanging opinions as close friends. The beautiful and kind Kakyo once confided in Kaname Tosen about her ideals. She wanted to become someone who could dispel the clouds and keep the faint light shining.
At that time, Kaname Tosen also aspired to become a Soul Reaper, fighting against Hollows and bringing peace to the world, completely unaware of the world's darkness.
Later on, Kakyo married Tokinada.
The despicable Tokinada killed his colleagues and wife over a trivial dispute. Despite that, he was spared by the Central 46 Chambers due to his status as a noble.
When Kaname Tosen saw Kakyo again, she had become a cold corpse.
Both were Soul Reapers with a strong sense of justice, envisioning a peaceful world full of beauty. Tokinada, on the other hand, represented destruction, destroying everything that he laid his hands on. It could only be said that he deserved to die.
As for Tokikaze's previous actions, it was merely to add some obstacles for Aizen.
Kaname Tosen joined Aizen's ranks for revenge, carrying out justice in his own way.
Now that Tokinada was dead, he would inevitably start questioning the righteousness of his actions.
After all, conducting Hollowfication experiments on the souls of Rukongai and the Soul Reaper of the Gotei 13 seemed like purely antagonistic behavior.
It was almost like wearing the words 'evil' on his face.
Perhaps the Soul Reapers were not entirely innocent, but what did the residents of Rukongai do wrong?
As for what Kaname Tosen would do next, Tokikaze didn't care. In any case, he definitely won't be as loyal as he was now to Aizen.
At this moment, he just wanted to exchange swords with Unohana Retsu.
A day apart felt like three autumns.
Including the time spent on the battlefield and the time wasted in Clan meetings, he and Unohana Retsu hadn't seen each other for nine years.
Swordsmanship required a partner in order for its user to compete with each other and make each other stronger.
Captain's office.
Tokikaze walked in as if he knew the place well, and he happened to see Unohana Retsu working diligently. The pile of files, like a small mountain, was visibly decreasing at an astonishing speed.
Looking at this scene, Tokikaze couldn't help but fall into self-doubt.
Did the Fourth Division approve paperwork that easily?
It was literally one file per second, and when it was simple tasks, she could even handle three files in a second.
When Tokikaze was the Seated Officer, he tried to handle his own share of the paperwork. Sadly, he couldn't last more than half an hour before he felt drowsy.
Even after forcing himself to stay awake, he couldn't continue.
So, he left the paperwork to Kaname Tosen and the lower Seated Officers.
And now, his second handyman, Nanao Ise, has already come online. Regarding document processing work, there was no one in the Ninth Division better than her.
Therefore, Tokikaze delegated his authority, letting Nanao Ise handle the paperworks according to her own decision, with all consequences being shouldered by him.
Thinking of this, he suddenly realized that he had promised Kyoraku Shunsui to teach Nanao Ise Kido.
Now that Nanao Ise has been in the Ninth Division for some time, there has been no Kido teaching at all.
Next time for sure!
Tokikaze made up his mind; he would fulfill the promise when he returned to the Ninth Division.
Now, his bamboo sword was itching.
"Captain Tokikaze, please wait a moment." Unohana Retsu said without raising his head, his gentle voice flowing like a spring breeze, "There is still a small amount of work left to complete."
Tokikaze sat across from Unohana Retsu, observing the woman before him with keen interest.
Black, flowing hair hung in front of her, and her gentleness was exuded even when she was seriously working at her desk, giving off a tranquil and peaceful feeling.
It had to be said that, if you cast aside her appearance when entering battle mode and occasional dark humor, Unohana Retsu's popularity would definitely explode.
Of course, she was more than popular as it was.
At least in the Fourth Division, she has reached the point where everyone loved and supported her.
Unohana Retsu put down the brush in her hand and smiled as she stood up, "Well, the work is done. I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Captain Tokikaze."
"Don't be, Captain Unohana." Tokikaze also stood up and stretched, "I'm hoping you can give me some advice in swordsmanship."
"If that's the case, then shall we?"
...
On the training ground, two white figures faced each other, bamboo swords in hand with the blade pointed diagonally upward in opposition.
Unlike before, after changing into the Kendo uttire, Unohana Retsu also persuaded Tokikaze to change his attire.
According to her, the Kendo attire was more suitable for the transitions between different techniques, making movements more fluid.
Now, Tokikaze deserved to wear it.
What made Tokikaze feel a bit uncomfortable was that this Kendo attire originally belonged to Unohana Retsu.
In the three days he left the Soul Society, Unohana Retsu had a tailor modified it specifically for Tokikaze, producing the Kendo uniform he was currently wearing at the fastest speed.
Due to the rarity of the Kendo attire's material and the complexity of the craftsmanship, it took a very long time to make a new one.
Due to how close they stood, Tokikaze can clearly smell a faint fragrance, probably from Unohana Retsu.
"Please don't let your mind wander, Captain Tokikaze."
Unohana Retsu warned, "If we were on the battlefield, you would already be dead by now."
Saying the harshest words in the gentlest tone.
The atmosphere in the training ground was constantly changing, the gentle aura receded, replaced by a demon-like oppressive force.
From Tokikaze's perspective, a strange black aura continuously emanated from Unohana Retsu's body, and a terrifying sense of oppression instantly enveloped him.
In Unohana Retsu's intense gaze, full of desire, there was a yearning for a thrilling and intense battle.
"Here I come!" Following these words, Unohana Retsu's foot lightly tapped the wooden floor, charging straight towards Tokikaze like an arrow released from a bow.
Facing the attacking figure, Tokikaze was no longer relying on instinct to react as he did initially.
With Level 11 Zanjutsu, he was now full of confidence facing Unohana Retsu.
Kendo 路 Flying Heavenly Sword Style.
The bamboo sword rose, bursting forth with a rapid and fierce momentum, directly aiming at the weak points of Unohana Retsu's attack with extremely subtle angles.
Clang!
The bamboo swords clashed, producing a loud sound.
Surprisingly, Unohana Retsu's beautiful eyes revealed a look of surprise; Tokikaze's progress in Kendo truly surprises her.
Just three days without seeing each other, and he could already notice the mistakes he made earlier.
Such a fast progress...
Unohana Retsu raised her gaze, staring directly at Tokikaze in front of her. In the depths of her eyes, an unexpected greedy look welled up.
She was like a gourmet looking forward to a feast.
In response, an instinctive chill welled up in Tokikaze's heart, as if he was being targeted by some predator.
Kendo 路 New Moon!
Unohana Retsu's bamboo sword was pressed downward, smoothly raised to the front, and then cleanly swung down.
A new moon rose slowly in the training ground!
Tokikaze's heart was calm. He reversed his hand, unleashing Kendo 路 Extreme Sword Style like a thunderbolt, swift and powerful.
The bamboo sword ripped through the air, and the training ground produced a deafening explosion. In an instant, the new moon shattered with a resounding crash, turning into countless stars.
Kendo 路 Starry Sky!
Unohana Retsu held the bamboo sword, launching a series of rapid thrusts at a speed invisible to the naked eye. Where the tip of the blade fell, a burst of light immediately blossomed.
Countless rays of light condensed, resembling numerous stars in the night sky.
Tokikaze didn't employ flashy swordsmanship styles; the Extreme Sword Style alone was sufficient to handle Unohana Retsu at the current stage.
The sword movements were swift and unpredictable, with the bamboo sword following a trajectory that formed a continuous line, creating a beautiful play of light and shadow like a painted scroll.
Unlike the previous spar, under Unohana Retsu's guidance, Tokikaze could now use all his strength without worrying that the training ground would collapse.
As the exchange between them intensified, their techniques became more aggressive and vibrant, and the sound of their strikes turned into a continuous and overlapping ripple, like ripples on a lake.
Crack!
The bamboo sword once again broke as it collided, and bamboo fibers scattered in the air like pouring rain.
Unlike the previous spar, Tokikaze forcefully overwhelmed Unohana Retsu with the newly mastered Extreme Sword Style. He held the bamboo sword with a shattered edge at her neck.
If it weren't for the obstruction of her braided hair, this strike would have landed perfectly on her fair neck.
Silence fell in the training ground.
It wasn't until Tokikaze put away his sword and slightly bowed to express gratitude: "Captain Unohana, thank you for your guidance this time."
Hearing these words, a gentle smile appeared on Unohana Retsu's face, and she returned to her calm self.
"This is thanks to your own efforts. However, your progress still surprised me. Saying that your Zanjutsu is at Level 10 is an understatement."
The Level 10 Zanjutsu, although rare in the Soul Society, was not unique to Unohana Retsu alone.
However, even seasoned Captains like Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro was quite far behind compared to Unohana Retsu.
After all, their expertise lied elsewhere.
Only few like Unohana Retsu devoted themselves to hone their Zanjutsu for a millennium.
"Perhaps, I should submit an application to the higher association."
Unohana Retsu smiled, "Reclassify the levels of swordsmanship, so as not to be unfair."
At these words, Tokikaze couldn't help but feel puzzled and asked, "Higher association?"
"Why have I never heard of an organization in the Soul Society responsible for classifying the levels of Zanjutsu?"
Unohana Retsu nodded gently as she placed the bamboo sword down, and her gentle voice echoed:
"It has another name..."
"The Female Soul Reaper Association."