You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

I used to think I had some talent, but compared to you… Iori, you'll definitely become one of the most important figures in Seireitei someday—I'm sure of it!

"You flatter me. My Bankai is too mediocre. It's just a pure elemental attack. Without special abilities, it's difficult to occupy a place at the very top."

Iori smiled modestly, then sheathed her longsword: "But thank you for thinking so highly of me."

Even if you say that... speaking of which, what about that just now?

"Is the technique too exaggerated?" Iori said seriously. "That is a technique I developed using Bankai. It requires concentrated power. Unlike Shikai, this can only be used once or twice even if you exhaust your spiritual pressure."

"I see. That makes sense."

Tenbei felt relieved: "It feels like I could be wiped out by just splitting off a stream of water... With such outrageous power, it's normal that it consumes a lot of energy."

Is its name "Mirror of Still Water - Eight-Headed Raging Waves"? A water-type Zanpakuto named after a legendary water god—that's quite fitting.

"Haha, I do think this name is a bit cringeworthy... cringeworthy means embarrassing."

Iori smiled and explained, then looked wistfully at the longsword that was already sheathed.

"I communicated with the sword spirit according to the method given by Lord Saito. I should say I was lucky or unlucky. It was a rather irritable guy, and for some reason, it started attacking me right away... I almost got killed."

"So that's how it is. There's such an unruly sword spirit," Tianbei's expression darkened, but then he relaxed as if he had thought of something. "But it seems you've successfully tamed it after all."

"Well, I guess so." Iori scratched his head and didn't continue. Judging from his expression, there must have been a lot of shady dealings between him and the sword spirit... but Tenbei didn't seem inclined to pry.

Each person's Zanpakuto is different, and the way to gain the sword spirit's approval and make it submit is also different. How to do it depends on personal style and ability, and others can't learn it even if they want to.

Judging from Iori's description, the sword spirit he encountered was the most dangerous type, and being able to master Bankai was purely a gamble... I have to say, this guy is really lucky. He encountered this kind of thing right after mastering Bankai, and he still managed to survive!

However, while feeling a sense of lingering fear, Tenbei couldn't help but feel joy for Iori.

Of the thousands of Shinigami in the Gotei 13, only a handful of individuals in the same era are capable of Bankai.

Once Bankai is achieved, the Shinigami's name will be forever etched in the annals of Soul Society!

Learning Bankai is also one of the necessary conditions for becoming a captain under normal circumstances.

While Shinigami who have mastered Shikai are considered elite and can potentially secure a high-ranking officer position with some effort, they are ultimately only comparable to lower-ranking officers. However, those who have reached Bankai level, or captain level, are instantly elevated to the top, immediately joining the decision-making ranks!

While the 46 Chambers possess the highest authority within the Seireitei, the Gotei 13 are responsible for the daily operations of almost all specific matters, including military affairs, intelligence, and technology. The captains' power can be said to be second only to the 46 Chambers.

Regardless of their origins—commoner or lower-ranking noble—once they become captains, they gain a transcendent status and are no longer bound by class.

It's hard to imagine that someone as young as Iori would be given such significant authority, but there's no doubt that he's already secured half a ticket to the inner circle!

If others saw their companions rising so high, they might feel jealous, but Amagai did not. Instead, he was genuinely happy for Iori.

Young, determined, talented, humble, polite, and valuing his companions, and also very handsome... In Tenbei's opinion, only someone as outstanding as Iori can climb to a high position!

As for the difference in their social status, Tianbei didn't care—he was indifferent to fame and fortune, at most he had a bit of a desire to perform and wanted his father's approval.

"Can you keep it a secret that I've mastered Bankai?"

Iori's sudden remark stunned Amagai.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled. "Isn't this a great thing? Although you're not experienced enough, you can compete for the captain's position after a few more years of training."

"That won't do, I don't have such ambitions."

The boy smiled slightly: "Each of the thirteen squads holds an important part of the Seireitei's responsibilities. The captains are all pillars of strength and pillars of the sea. How could I, a student temporarily promoted from the academy, be qualified?"

"Iori... are you serious?"

Tenbei frowned, not believing that this was Iori's true feeling: "Is there something you're worried about? Don't worry, Lady Saito thinks highly of you and will recommend you when necessary."

According to the Seireitei's system, a new captain must not only learn Bankai (except for the 11th Division), but also be recommended by three senior captains and demonstrate his Bankai in front of them to prove his strength and ability.

Tenbei thought that Iori was considering his humble origins, lack of connections and background, and inability to find other captains to recommend him.

"Although the expeditionary force is not in the Thirteen Divisions, Lady Saito's status is equivalent to that of a division captain, and she will definitely support you!"

"...That's why I'm asking you to keep this a secret."

Iori shook her head slightly and said seriously, "This will cause trouble for Lord Saito!"

"What?" Tianbei was taken aback.

"The expeditionary force was practically a semi-exile anyway. If Saito were popular in the Seireitei, she wouldn't be stationed here permanently."

Iori said earnestly, "And as you said, the speed at which I learned Bankai is too abnormal. I'm not from a prestigious family like the Five Great Noble Families. If the news gets out, it will easily arouse jealousy."

“Jealousy? Oh…” Tianbei suddenly realized.

He wasn't interested in the sordid affairs of power struggles, so he hadn't thought about it at first, but Iori's prompting made him realize it instantly.

It is said that the original Gotei 13 was just a purely violent organization, but over the course of thousands of years, it has long since evolved into a behemoth encompassing multiple fields, effectively ruling the entire Seireitei and even the Soul Society.

There are significant conflicts of interest involved. For example, the Fourth Division controls most of the medical professionals who can use advanced techniques, while the Twelfth Division has produced many valuable inventions, creating immeasurable economic value.

In the vast Soul Society, there are only thirteen captain positions, making them highly coveted by everyone.

If it weren't for the rigid barrier of "Bankai," a series of political dramas would definitely have unfolded in order to seize these positions!

Iori is a typical commoner Shinigami from Rukongai. Even if he has mastered Bankai, he has no chance of rising to a higher position as there are no vacancies in the 13th Division.

Of course, the Thirteenth Squad is ultimately based on strength. If he proposes a duel, any captain must respond, or he will lose the respect of his squad members.

The Eleventh Division was even replaced by killing the previous Kenpachi!

Especially now that we are at war, if the 13th Squad encounters any setbacks, a newcomer like Iori could potentially rise to the top... However, his foundation is too shallow, and as the saying goes, the taller the tree, the more the wind will blow against it, which will definitely attract the jealousy of others.

—Amagai believes that Iori is worried about this.

The disheveled young man sighed, feeling sorry for Iori: "Do we really have to keep this from everyone? It's like a precious gem being buried in dust."

“The value of the gem doesn’t decrease just because it’s covered in dust,” Iori reassured him. “It just means it won’t seem so exaggerated after a while. Besides, I’m still a member of the expeditionary force and need to get through this with everyone… If it’s revealed that I have Bankai, I’ll probably be transferred to the human world.”

"You think so much. Sometimes you're almost frighteningly perfect."

Okay, don't worry, I'll keep it a secret!

Amaga shook his head with amusement, but Iori's words still moved him deeply. The young man in front of him could have easily achieved great things, but he was willing to wait for his companions. What noble character he had!

He was probably admiring my noble character, wasn't he?

—Thinking this through Iori's mind, a pang of shame swept through her heart.

In reality, he was not as noble as Amagai thought. This Bankai was just a Noble Phantasm disguised as a real weapon, and together with the Shikai, it was all a sword technique of "Ama-no-Murakumo".

The reason I told Tenbei this was to use him as an experiment, to see if anyone could see through the trick.

For the sake of authenticity, he deliberately activated the water-based divine nature of the sword during his "Bankai," changing its surface color, and then released the spiritual pressure that had been restrained, creating the illusion of increased spiritual pressure.

The result was quite good. The ability to inherit the Shikai and Bankai was the same as Iori's, and Iori's soaring spiritual pressure made Amagai have no doubt about Iori's "Bankai"!

I'll find another opportunity to "confess" to Saito later. If I can even fool this veteran captain, then I can openly say in Seireitei that I have the Flowing Water Bankai...

"Oops! That's right!"

Tenbei suddenly remembered something and smacked his hand in regret, saying, "You shouldn't have told me you had Bankai... What if I'd accidentally revealed it in my sleep?"

"Uh, cough!"

Iori laughed, thinking it was something serious...

"I'm just an ordinary person, so of course I should share this joy with close friends and family!"

"Huh?" Tianbei pointed to herself. "You thought of me first?"

"To be honest, I don't have many male friends who are my age or close to me... In Hueco Mundo, the only one who comes to mind is you, Amagai."

Iori scratched her head and smiled shyly, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this... I hope it doesn't bother you by treating you like a close friend?"

"Well!"

Tenbei Xiuzhu took a deep breath, feeling radiant.

"Of course not! What are you talking about? We're like brothers and sisters who would risk our lives for each other on the battlefield!"

【drop】

[CGs have been collected]

If only you were a woman.

Type: Bond

Attribute points: ...

Iori: "???"

-

Using the excuse of staying here to practice Bankai, Iori sent Tengai away and watched his figure disappear behind the sand dunes for a long time before finally letting out a slight sigh of relief.

Almost messed up!

Just then, a playful voice came:

"Don't you feel guilty about lying to such an honest person?"

"……Have it?"

Iori turned around and took a few leisurely steps. Then she reached out and grabbed a ripple in the void, which then rose up like a curtain, revealing her true appearance hidden beneath her realm.

Her long, flowing hair, her captivating beauty and independent spirit, and her ever-smiling, beautiful eyes:

Aizen Sōyūhime!

"I'd like to ask you, dear sister, what are you doing here?"

“My half-brother was sneaking out of the camp with a grown man. Shouldn’t I come up and check on him?”

Yuuki walked out of the demonic barrier where she was hiding without any embarrassment, her expression calm and casual—even the vice-captain Amagai didn't notice her standing right next to him!

"They specifically chose such a far place. I thought it was something shameful, but it turns out they just didn't want anyone to sense their spiritual pressure fluctuations."

Even with such a low profile, it's still inevitable that people will come knocking on your door.

Iori smiled, then changed the subject: "Onee-sama, what are your thoughts on my Bankai?"

"...Your progress is much faster than I expected. I even suspect you used some forbidden methods."

Yuuki thought for a moment: "As for your Bankai... I didn't expect it to be a water-based one."

“Of course, what do you think?” Iori raised an eyebrow. “I’ve always been completely open and honest.”

"That's not necessarily true~"

Yuhime narrowed her eyes slightly, revealing a sharp glint in them, and slowly drew a shallow-cut katana from her waist with her right hand.

"As for the power of your Bankai, why don't I interrogate you myself? It just so happens that my Zanpakuto is also of the Water type!"

Chapter 166: Saito - No zuo no die (4.5K)

"Swords have no eyes, sister, please be careful."

"Heh, looks like you're pretty confident~"

Yuuki flicked her wrist, the snow-white blade gleaming with a cold light. The straight yet slightly curved blade swayed like a willow leaf in the wind as her right hand moved—

Clang!

The brilliant sparks shattered the beautiful imagery. Before anyone could see Yuuki's footwork, the blade had already reached Iori by the time it fell, colliding with the Ama-no-Kurakumo sword. For a moment, it seemed as if the person had deliberately approached Yuuki.

Despite being on the defensive, Iori held his sword firmly with one hand without wavering. His arm and wrist were as if they were made of steel, and his attack failed to push the sword down even by half an inch.

"Oh?"

The girl with long, straight black hair raised an eyebrow slightly as she felt the force coming from her.

Women are generally considered to be at a disadvantage in terms of strength, but Yuuki is different. She is a perfectionist who does not allow herself to have any obvious weaknesses. She has put a lot of effort into her hand-to-hand combat skills and has mastered the technique of using spiritual pressure to enhance her physical functions at a young age. Many strong men who are taller and heavier than her cannot defeat her.

"hiss--"

With her jaw slightly clenched, Iori took a small step forward.

The burst of power knocked Yuki back a step, and then a whistling wind blew as the strangely shaped longsword flew past, colliding with Asauchi three times in succession.

bass!bass!bass!

The brief exchange sparked like lightning, with no gaps between them, almost simultaneously.

The contest was brief, a sword fight within three steps. The moves were simply the most basic forward and backward slashes, but the speed of the movements exceeded the limits of vision. The process was completely invisible, with only the afterimage remaining at the end.

Whether attacking or parrying, the two fighters displayed astonishing sword speed.