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

Longing is the emotion furthest from understanding.

Category: Bonds & Art Style

Grade: EX (Difficult to measure accurately)

Quality: EX (Difficult to measure accurately)

Rewards Overview:

Physical Strength - Minor Improvement

Endurance · Minor Improvement

Spiritual Micro-Enhancement

Mobility and Minor Improvement

Hit chance slightly increased

Avoidance & Slight Enhancement

talent:

【Aspirations Unfulfilled - Reverse】

• After becoming an object of admiration for others, one will support them in the form of belief, accelerating their growth. The stronger the emotion, the faster the growth.

This belief will in turn propel you forward, and the more people follow you, the more pronounced the effect will be.

With this talent, there is a very small chance of obtaining art style value when drawing bond CGs in the future.

-

What kind of CG is this? It combines art style and strong bonds?

This was the first time Iori had triggered such a special CG; she had never seen two categories overlap before. Following this logic, could other categories also overlap?

But what are the trigger conditions for this CG? It doesn't seem like there was anything particularly special about Tosen Kaname's deception...

After much thought, Iori could only sigh and say, "I still don't understand," before giving up.

This kind of problem is like the drop rate of a limited character; no matter how much you study it, you can't find an accurate pattern.

Sometimes, having a calm and accepting attitude can lead to better results.

On the other hand, the attribute bonuses from this special CG are quite good, and the description of that talent is also surprisingly good.

Of the several talents possessed by Iori, [Elegant as Poetry] and [Cunning Glasses] do not contribute to improving strength, while [Precision] is more of an assassin's combat talent. Only [Perfect Reaper] can comprehensively enhance Iori, making it useful in both combat and training.

The current [Single Heart Yearning - Reverse] skill, while easily reminiscent of a certain little white rabbit who always gets thwarted in the dungeon, is quite effective, especially suited to Iori's style of doing things.

Not to mention it can also gain extra art style points!

The phrase "extremely low probability" is a bit jarring, but as a mobile game player who has been burned by various toxic gacha pools yet still persists, Iori doesn't see anything wrong with a low probability.

-

Dongxian was released after only two days. He was framed for "attacking a nobleman," but in reality, they met on the road that day. Several nobles stopped Dongxian and tried to force him to tell them something. When Dongxian refused, a conflict broke out.

There are many bystanders who can testify to this. Tosen Kaname was on the defensive the whole time and should not have been imprisoned under any circumstances. It was only because the nobles put pressure on the supervisory authorities that Tosen Kaname was imprisoned.

However, such underhanded dealings will be exposed once they are brought into the open. The only difficulty lies in silencing those who are blatantly lying.

This was undoubtedly impossible for the powerless and insignificant Tosen Kaname, but Iori had the connections of Kyoraku Shunsui. When the captain of the Eighth Division, who came from a high-ranking noble family, personally intervened, the matter was destined to be brought to the forefront, and no one could pretend not to see it.

The reason Iori approached Kyoraku Shunsui wasn't just because they were friends; more importantly, Shunsui deeply disliked the mastermind behind this affair.

Gang Midai Shida!

-

In the desolate wilderness on the outskirts of a certain Rukongai, on an extremely remote hill, stands a simple, solitary grave.

There was no tombstone, only a wooden plaque placed in front, with nothing else besides the name:

【歌匡】

The day after Tosen was released from prison, he came here to sweep the grave. He brought a bunch of blue-purple wild bellflowers, gently bent down and placed them in front of the grave, and remained silent for a long time.

Iori watched this scene quietly from a distance. His handsome face, which was usually full of playfulness and nonchalance, was now slightly solemn.

He had known all along what the softest spot in Tosen's heart was, but it was only after talking to Tosen in person that he realized how important it was to him.

Kaku, a female Shinigami from Rukongai who doesn't seem to have anything special about her.

In the anime, she exists only as "Kaname Tosen's white moonlight," but in this real Soul Society, she is a flesh-and-blood person who is kind to everyone, believes in justice and fairness, and lives earnestly in this world.

She was Tosen Kaname's best friend, who once illuminated a pure land in his dark life, and her gentleness made Tosen begin to cherish and love this world.

It should be said that Tosen liked and even fell in love with her deep down, but for various reasons, he always adhered to the duty of being a "friend".

Because the two, one a grim reaper and the other a commoner, are not a good match—at least that's what Tosen thinks.

What's more, he himself is blind.

So when Kagura was chosen by a noble family and they wanted to marry her and bring her into the noble family, Tosen was genuinely happy for her.

But what happened next was something he never expected...

Ge Kuang died, killed by her own husband.

There was no explanation, no reason, no investigation; everything was hidden behind the scenes, a darkness far deeper than Tosen Kaname's vision.

When he "saw" Ge Kuang again, this woman who always smiled gently and was full of kindness and love for all things in the world had become a cold corpse.

Tosen once wanted to seek justice, but what could a blind commoner possibly get... is also imaginable.

It was after that that Tosen took up the Zanpakuto left behind by Kagura, entered the Shinigami Academy, vowed to become a Shinigami to inherit her beliefs, and ultimately avenge her!

This emotion was so intense that it almost changed the way his soul existed, to the point that he could successfully cultivate to the Bankai state even while wielding someone else's Zanpakuto.

“Gang Mi Dai Shi Tan”.

After a long silence, Tosen spoke in a dry voice: "He was a member of a branch family of the [Tsunayoshiro], one of the five great noble families. Even if the evidence is conclusive that he killed Kagaku, no one can interrogate him. To this day, I don't even know what happened or why Kagaku died."

"I've heard of this person."

Iori stepped forward and offered a bouquet of flowers at Utako's grave, then said calmly, "He, Kyoraku Shunsui, and Ukitake Jushiro were classmates at the Spirit Arts Academy and were all first-class disciples of the Captain-Commander."

The band leader told me in private that Shi Tan appeared to be a quiet and reserved young man during his student days, but in reality, he was quite twisted inside. He clearly loathed his aristocratic status, but in fact, he used his status to commit evil deeds everywhere.

"You were able to get out of here thanks to the band leader's help; you should thank him properly later."

"I understand." Tosen said and remained silent, while Iori didn't say anything either.

Tosen's path of revenge has now become intertwined with Iori's ambitions.

No extra promises are needed; a man's promises are not just spoken, but firmly remembered.

Do you know why Kagaku was chosen by [Tsuna Yayo]?

Iori suddenly said, "Tokina wouldn't have decided to marry a commoner woman for no reason."

"Hmm?" Tosen Kaname frowned. He had also pondered this question, but had no clues.

"This time, you were provoked by noblemen sent by Shi Tan. Why did they suddenly bring up this past incident? After all, while it is deeply painful for you, they may not care..."

Iori asked seriously, "Perhaps we can find the cause of Kagura's death from their motives."

"This……"

Tosen was momentarily bewildered, but his quick thinking soon led him to the conclusion.

“They came to me to move Ge Kuang’s grave, demanding to know where she rests… She didn’t care before, and even refused to be buried in the family cemetery, letting me take her away… Could it be that their target is Ge Kuang’s body…”

"I see."

Iori nodded: "I understand... It seems that there is a special power in Kagura's body, which was discovered by the Tsuna-Yayo family, so they married him into the family. Otherwise, there would be no reason to make such a choice."

However, it seems their plan has taken an unexpected turn, otherwise they wouldn't be only now demanding her body... They probably wanted to use her as a test subject, squeezing out every last drop of value from her.

"Well!"

Tosen Kaname clenched his fists, his anger causing his spiritual pressure to fluctuate violently. Then Iori discovered that this seemingly unassuming guy actually had Shikai level as well.

Those who become captains are all exceptionally talented, so high spiritual pressure isn't surprising. But he hasn't even graduated from the Spirit Arts Academy yet, and he's wielding a Zanpakuto that doesn't match his abilities, yet he's growing at this rate... Could it be the power within Kagaku's body...?

"What exactly... is it that Ge Kuang is coveted?"

"This involves the biggest secret of Soul Society."

Iori composed herself, gave Tosen a meaningful look, and then said calmly, "Do you know about the 'Fragment of the Spirit King'?"

Chapter 27: Bankai is just the threshold for high-level play

"The Spirit King? You mean the legendary one... isn't that a myth?" Tosen was quite surprised.

"After all, it's a very distant thing, and the people of Seireitei have no chance to see the Soul King. All information about him is controlled, so it's normal for people to regard it as a myth."

Iori mentioned the "Spirit King," but didn't intend to tell Tosen Tai anything secret, just like the old man with the ring in the fantasy novel said:

Knowing too much in advance is not good for you!

The past of the five noble families (especially Tsunayoshiro) and the Soul King, as well as the connections between the Soul King and Yhwach, the Zero Division, and Jushiro Ukitake... There are very few people in the entire Soul Society who know the details, and even a small leak could cause a huge uproar.

In any case, Iori doesn't plan to reveal too much until she has the ability to protect herself.

So he used a very vague statement: "Legend has it that after the creation of heaven and earth, fragments of the Spirit King's power accidentally flowed into the Three Realms, and after countless years of evolution, many of them were integrated into the bodies of living beings in the world."

Strictly speaking, there are quite a few people who possess the power of a Soul King, including many Shinigami. However, the amount is so minuscule that it has virtually no effect. It's possible that the purified Soul King power from hundreds or thousands of Shinigami souls would only amount to a tiny fraction of their total power.

Iori made a gesture with her fingertips, symbolizing something small.

"However, some people are exceptionally lucky... or rather unlucky, born with relatively larger tiny fragments that they may not even be aware of, but are indeed connected to the legendary 'creator god'."

These fragments often bring blessings, such as extraordinary spiritual pressure, outstanding talent, or even the awakening of a unique ability in this world!

This matter wasn't exactly a secret among the Seireitei's upper echelons, especially among the five noble families who had existed since the creation of the world… These five noble families had always been aloof, but Tsunayoshiro was so obsessed with Kagami, even at the cost of scandal. When have you ever heard of them losing their composure like this?

Tosen wholeheartedly agreed, and after hearing Iori's explanation, he felt completely enlightened.

Even he himself found it strange, because his original talent was not particularly good, but ever since he made up his mind to inherit the legacy, it was as if he had suddenly become enlightened, and his progress was completely different from before.

If Kagura truly possesses a fragment of the Soul King, thus granting him special power, then Tosen's performance after inheriting his Zanpakuto can be explained.

The thought that even in death, Kagura was helping him in another way filled Tosen with a mix of emotions…

"While this isn't exactly a groundbreaking secret, it's information that the nobles are keeping under wraps. Even a captain, if he's not senior enough, might not know about it. So what I'm telling you today must be kept secret, understand?"

"Don't worry, I can also turn from blind to mute if necessary."

Dongxian readily agreed, then asked, "What should we do next?"

"Of course, it's about accumulating strength. Before you've fully grown your wings, anything you say is meaningless. Only when you stand at a high enough level can you be qualified to follow your heart and change the world."

Iori patted him on the shoulder, indicating that she had high hopes for him.

"Xiao Yao, have more confidence in yourself, set a small goal first—"

Let me try out my Bankai for fun~

Kaname Tosen: "..."

-

Having a future captain as a subordinate would probably make anyone else ecstatic, but Iori obediently went to school and continued his daily training.

What is a captain?

The power system of the Shinigami seems to end with Bankai, so anything above Bankai is Captain level. However, Iori knows that Captain is just the entry qualification for high-level play, and Bankai is not the same thing!

Those like Toshiro, Renji Abarai, and Ikkaku Madarame, who have only a basic grasp of Bankai, are not on the same level as veteran captains like Byakuya Kuchiki. Byakuya is a level below Shunsui and Unohana, and above them is the old man Yama.

Even the Bankai of the old man from a thousand years ago and the current captain are not the same thing!

(Of course, it's hard to say whether it has become stronger or weaker...)

Everyone is a captain, but if it really comes down to a fight, Old Man Shan could easily wipe out all thirteen teams by himself!

While the difference may appear to be in the quality of the Zanpakuto, it actually comes down to spiritual pressure.

Look at Shiro's Hyōrinmaru and Yama-no-Toki's Ryūjin Jakka. Theoretically, they are Zanpakutō of the same level, so why is their performance so different?

It's all because the person wielding the knife is different!

Just look at Hashirama Senju and Captain Yamato next door to understand this principle.

Of course, if one's spiritual pressure is strong and their Zanpakuto's abilities are also excellent, then the effect of one plus one is greater than two.