Ichibei Tatsumi's arrogant words made Tokikaze fall into contemplation.
Where did he get the courage?
And what did the Ise Clan do wrong?
In Tokikaze's understanding, the Ise Clan, as a priestly clan, was an extremely special existence, even among the various nobles.
With a small population, they also came with a permanent debuff—widowhood.
After Nanao Ise's mother passed away, even the long-maintained ritual was completely abandoned.
"May I ask, what does it have to do with the Ise Clan?"
Tokikaze was curious. "Our battle should have nothing to do with a Seated Officer."
"Hmph, don't you know about the curse of the Ise Clan?"
Ichibei Tatsumi said discontentedly, "Hadn't I gone rogue back then, I would have become a dead man by now!"
"Besides, as the sinful side of the Soul Society, all nobles should die!"
Tokikaze slightly widened his eyes. So, the reason for Ichibei Tatsumi's betrayal was because he did not want to marry a woman from the Ise Clan?
And, what's with that look? A Captain from the prestigious Tsunayashiro Clan is standing here, and you're indifferent?
"Young one, your gaze is becoming more disrespectful."
Ichibei Tatsumi's surroundings were filled with substantial purple Reiatsu, as if some viscous substance was constantly surging.
"Since you refuse to surrender, let me personally bestow upon you the deepest despair!"
Evidently, Ichibei Tatsumi was unaware of Tokikaze's noble status; otherwise, he wouldn't only target Nanao Ise.
The battle was about to begin.
As a former Captain, Ichibei Tatsumi's strength was considerable. The bursting Reiatsu shook the surroundings, and nearby ruins collapsed.
"Nanao, move away from this area."
Tokikaze advised, "Let me handle this first."
Facing the Captain-level Reiatsu, even though Nanao Ise had considerable strength, she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
In this situation, moving away from the battlefield was the best choice.
Ichibei Tatsumi didn't target Nanao Ise. In his eyes, as long as he dealt with this Ninth Division Captain, a mere Seated Officer wouldn't be able to escape.
He stepped forward, and his slightly hunched figure moved like lightning. In an instant, he appeared in front of Tokikaze, holding his Zanpakuto at an upward angle and thrusting it.
A swordsmanship style never seen before.
The strike failed to touch Tokikaze, not even his Captain haori was hit.
Standing at the pinnacle of swordsmanship, Tokikaze always felt a disturbing feeling when he saw the swordsmanship of others aside from Unohana Retsu.
It was like a child trying hard to wield a sword much larger than their size.
Tokikaze dodged to the side, and with a slight push of his left thumb, he unsheathed his Zanpakuto, and immediately collided with Ichibei Tatsumi's sword tip.
Ding!
A clear sound of metal collision echoed on the street.
Ichibei Tatsumi's green eyes contracted, a hint of surprise flashing in them.
A master's skill was evident as soon as they made a move.
Although Ichibei Tatsumi wasn't a master in Zanjutsu, his proficiency in Kido and Hakuda were both above average.
His opponent's Zanjutsu completely surpassed his at this moment.
Utilizing Ichibei Tatsumi's power, Arashigane flew out and landed in Tokikaze's hands.
"While I sympathize with your plight, we're enemies."
The crescent-shaped compressed air blade pressed against the blade, and the overwhelming Reiatsu transformed into a gust of wind, enveloping it.
"Death is your best fate."
The compressed air blade burst out from the blade, heading directly towards Ichibei Tatsumi!
"Stop yapping, kid!"
Ichibei Tatsumi held his Zanpakuto and swung it upward at an angle. A weird purple sword pressure surged from the blade in the same direction as Tokikaze's.
"When I was fighting on the battlefield, you might not have even graduated from the Shin'o Academy!"
Ichibei Tatsumi was quite fixated on the concept of seniority, and the word 'kid' never left his mouth for more than three sentences.
The two-colored sword pressures collided in front of them, creating a violent shockwave that spread in all directions. Buildings collapsed, and the ground cracked.
Thugs that hid in the shadows scattered as soon as they saw what was happening. In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace.
Though they were cruel and ruthless, it didn't mean they were stupid.
The clash between the two Captain-level Soul Reapers generated waves that were too much for them to bear.
Any slight mistake could result in severe injuries, from losing limbs to death with no intact corpse left.
Ichibei Tatsumi paid no attention to them. His green eyes were staring fiercely at Tokikaze.
Boom!
Reiatsu surged, and his hunched figure disappeared in an instant, leaving only flickering afterimages.
A peculiar purple aura condensed on his slender Zanpakuto, emitting a spine-chilling corroding sound, as he aimed it directly at Tokikaze.
So far, it was just moves to gauge Tokikaze; now it was time for the real deal.
The compressed air blade technique was not as effective in long-range combat as it was in close-quarter fighting.
The battle between Soul Reapers hinged not only on overwhelming Reiatsu but also on Shunpo and Hakuda.
Tokikaze remained composed, holding Arashigane and advancing instead of retreating. The blade, surrounded by the surging wind, cut through the air straight towards the opponent.
The intertwining of purple and blue burst forth with roaring energy.
The ground beneath them exploded, creating cracks that spread in all directions. Dust and debris filled the air as the shockwave shook the surroundings.
Ichibei Tatsumi glared at Tokikaze, his face contorted in anger. "Your appearance reminds me of the ugly faces of those nobles."
"All those condescending folks, just like you, are disgusting!"
In response, Tokikaze sneered, disdainfully saying, "Jealousy."
In contrast to lengthy discussions about certain principles, a word could break through defenses more effectively.
As expected, at the moment those words were spoken, bloodshot streaks appeared in Ichibei Tatsumi's eyes. The black patches on his face turned an abnormal shade of crimson.
"Bullshit!"
In the instant he angrily cursed, Ichibei Tatsumi's Reiatsu skyrocketed like a pillar of light, surging into the sky.
Simple words could be the most potent.
However, such emotions usually split into positive and negative responses.
Ichibei Tatsumi held his sword with both hands, gathering all his strength. His Reiatsu surged, instantly pushing Tokikaze back before he dished out a compressed air blade from his Zanpakuto.
Boom!
Tokikaze swung his sword, countless wind blades stirred, and they instantaneously neutralized the incoming compressed air blade.
"No time to waste. Let's end this battle here."
Ichibei Tatsumi placed his Zanpakuto vertically in front of him, gazing ahead. "Since you refuse to join us, then just die."
"Cover the sky, Dokumori!"
His emaciated hands, like dry branches, suddenly exuded a large amount of viscous fluid, extending along the knife handle all the way to the blade until it enveloped the entire surface.
In the blossoming purple light, the tip of the blade split and transformed, taking on a shape reminiscent of the horn on a unicorn's head.
Unable to gain an advantage in Zanjutsu and Shunpo, Ichibei Tatsumi directly used his Shikai.
With the transformation of his Zanpakuto, a strong purple mist began to permeate the air. Tiny particles floated, aggressively corroding the external Reiatsu of Tokikaze.
Tokikaze had heard about this ability from his Clan members once.
The most terrifying poison-type Zanpakuto in the history of the Soul Society. Upon release, countless tiny toxic particles were released, poisoning the enemy's Reiatsu, body, and soul.
If the Reiatsu was weaker than Ichibei Tatsumi's, the person would be instantly disintegrated into toxic particles, merging into the Zanpakuto known as 'Dokumori'.
However, Tokikaze's Reiatsu is not weaker than his opponent's; it was even slightly stronger.
In this situation, it was almost impossible for Ichibei Tatsumi to break through Tokikaze's Reiatsu defense.
"Hado #54: Haien!"
He clearly realized this and raised his hand, firing an oblong blast of purple energy from his hand.
Tiny toxic particles in the air instantly merged with the purple energy, causing an immediate change in its form.
The flames expanded rapidly, fueled by the toxic particles, obscuring the sky.
The terrifying might even left the distant residents of Rukongai in awe.
"Don't you realize it yet, kid?"
With a sinister smile, wrinkles and dark spots clustered on the face of Ichibei Tatsumi, making him appear particularly hideous and fierce.
"This is the potent ability exclusive to Dokumori, enough to enhance the power of Haien by more than tenfold!"
Tokikaze also used Shikai. The slender blade of his Zanpakuto seemed to be composed of raging winds, swiftly slicing through the purple mist.
"Don't underestimate me, old man. Each person's Zanpakuto is unique. Perhaps Arashigane's abilities are just the right counter for you?"
As the words fell, a foreboding sensation surged in Ichibei Tatsumi's heart. Before he could speak, the sky underwent a sudden change.
Heavy clouds rolled in from afar, instantly covering the sky and plunging the battlefield into darkness.
Tokikaze placed his left hand horizontally in front of him, held the hilt of his sword with his right hand, and took a few steps forward. Feathers fluttered in the wind.
In an instant, a violent wind rose from the debris-filled street, transforming into a terrifying tornado centered around Tokikaze, swiftly dispersing the overwhelming Haien.
Ichibei Tatsumi gasped, realizing that Tokikaze's displayed strength far exceeded his expectations.
He thought of the young Captain as just an ordinary kid, but it turned out that his strength was not inferior to that of a seasoned Captain, even surpassing it.
The tornado roared, solidifying and descending below, transforming into a radiant light that converged into Tokikaze's palm.
"Kill him, Arashigane!"
In an instant, a dazzling white line tore through the air, flying with unparalleled force and piercing through everything in its path.
Splurt—
Flesh tore, and Ichibei Tatsumi's chest was instantly pierced. The residual force of the radiant line continued, reaching the end of the street, once again turning a ruined building into rubble.
Ichibei Tatsumi spat out blood, his face becoming extremely pale.
A little closer and his heart would have been pierced.
"You're not dead yet, huh?" Tokikaze said nonchalantly. "Well, I still have some more tricks up my sleeve."
It must be said that as a Captain-level Shinigami, Ichibei Tatsumi's strength was slightly superior to the Adjuchas created by Sōsuke Aizen.
Considering the low intelligence of that Adjuchas, it was somewhat challenging to distinguish who was stronger or weaker.
If the two were to fight a life-and-death fight, Tokikaze would still be willing to bet on Ichibei Tatsumi.
After all, this former Captain should still have his final trump card.
"Cough, cough!"
Blood stained the white feathers, making them appear like brilliant blossoms.
Ichibei Tatsumi's face showed a pale color, and his expression looked extremely bleak.
"I admit that your strength is admirable, definitely more than just a newly appointed Captain. I underestimated you. But as a senior, I must teach you a lesson."
He spread his arms, looked up at the sky, and raised the poison dust Zanpakuto high:
"The former will always surpass the latter!"
"Bankai, Uro Doku Tenzō!"