join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr
Inside the pitch-black bedroom, devoid of any windows, Ishikawa sat cross-legged on his bed, his Zanpakuto laid across his lap, and slowly opened his eyes.
"Still unable to communicate?"
Ishikawa shook his head slightly, looking at the system interface. Although his Reiatsu felt unchanged, his stats had increased by more than ten points compared to last night.
He picked up the long cloth bag beside him and put his Zanpakuto inside. The sinister aura around Ishikawa gradually receded, and he reverted to his usual gentle and refined demeanor.
Lately, he had been spending most of his nights practicing Blade Meditation instead of sleeping.
Although Blade Meditation was far less consistent in Reiatsu improvement than Development Spiritual Mark, sometimes not even increasing Reiatsu proficiency by a few points over several nights, continuous Blade Meditation could gradually increase his Zanpakuto proficiency on the system panel.
Zanpakuto: Advanced (38356/100000)
Ishikawa looked at the long cloth bag in his hand, a hint of struggle flashing across his brow.
The Shikai of a Zanpakuto requires 'dialogue' and 'synchronization' with the Zanpakuto. The Blade Meditation Ishikawa had been performing all this time was precisely to enhance his synchronization with his Zanpakuto, thereby increasing proficiency.
But for dialogue…
He hadn't done it. It wasn't because Ishikawa rejected his Zanpakuto, or vice versa, but because he was completely unable to communicate!
At this thought, Ishikawa's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
As soon as he entered his spiritual world, no matter how he tried to communicate, he could only hear children's laughter echoing from all directions, and then…
He would be forcibly pulled into a game, playing with a child who was only a faint shadow. This game would continue, endlessly, until he exited the spiritual world.
What infuriated Ishikawa the most was…
It was fine if he intentionally lost to the other party, but once Ishikawa accidentally won, the other party would inexplicably go berserk. The childish game would instantly transform into a bloody, terrifying one, perfectly embodying the words 'utterly unreasonable'.
This confirmed Ishikawa's earlier suspicion…
That guy was essentially a willful, lawless, annoying, and utterly uncommunicative brat!
Ishikawa had tried many methods, from initially losing on purpose to now always winning, but the results always ended in failure, making 'him' even more unreasonable.
"Is it a matter of difference?"
Ishikawa muttered to himself. He really couldn't understand what was wrong with his communication method.
He had been thinking recently whether to skip the 'dialogue' stage and directly force it to submit to him. To put it more bluntly, it meant skipping the Shikai training and beginning the foundational training for Bankai.
Unlike Shikai's dialogue and synchronization, Bankai training requires the Zanpakuto to be 'materialized' and 'submissive'. This stage normally requires a very long period of training, but this time can be shortened through other methods.
—Tenshintai!
One of the special spiritual tools of the Onmitsukidō, its function is to forcibly reproduce and materialize the Zanpakuto's true form, making it an essential tool for accelerated Bankai training.
For regular Onmitsukidō members, one could obtain usage qualifications by simply submitting an application.
But for Ishikawa, it wasn't convenient to submit an application.
Because Ishikawa's Zanpakuto was still in a 'sealed' state in the eyes of others. This was a rule set by the Central 46 when Ishikawa was given his Asauchi. If Ishikawa violated it, the Central 46 would certainly not hesitate to use it as an excuse to cause him trouble.
However, there wasn't no way to obtain it through channels outside of the Onmitsukidō, after all, the creator of the Tenshintai was none other than the former Captain of the Twelfth Division, Urahara Kisuke!
Ishikawa had considered whether to go to the Human World and trade for a Tenshintai from Urahara Kisuke, but after carefully reviewing the Tenshintai's related information within the Onmitsukidō, he abandoned the idea.
Because the Tenshintai cannot be used immediately after Shikai. To materialize a Zanpakuto using the Tenshintai, two prerequisites must be met.
The first condition: Only when the user himself possesses the latent ability to materialize a Zanpakuto can this method be used to forcibly skip the time required for materialization training.
The second condition: During use, a person with Captain-level Reiatsu is required to assist, maintaining the materialization's existence with their own Reiatsu.
The second point was not difficult for Ishikawa; he only needed to ask Kukaku-Ane to help him.
But the first condition excluded Ishikawa from the conditions for using the Tenshintai.
With only synchronization achieved and no progress whatsoever in dialogue, he simply did not possess the latent ability to materialize a Zanpakuto, at least not until he could communicate with his Zanpakuto.
Of course…
For Ishikawa, there was an even simpler method.
That was to simply not talk, and directly use experience points to forcibly make 'him' submit!
With the system's unique properties, achieving this was not difficult, but it might mean permanently losing the possibility of communication, preventing the Zanpakuto's proficiency from increasing; however, this could also be compensated for by the system. By continuing to invest experience points, the Zanpakuto could be made stronger, completely ignoring, or even erasing, the Zanpakuto's own will.
It's just that doing so would consume far too many experience points.
If possible, Ishikawa still wanted to try to communicate with it.
Looking up at the time, Ishikawa tightened the seal on the long cloth bag, changed into a fresh black uniform, and walked out of the bedroom.
Ignoring the greetings from inside the tavern, Ishikawa went straight to the bar.
"Ishikawa-sama!"
Ganju's four subordinates stood up, bowed to Ishikawa, and gave up their seats in front of the bar.
"Ishikawa, tell me honestly."
Ganju scrutinized Ishikawa, his gaze strange, and said, "Are you hiding a woman upstairs?"
Hiding a woman?
Ishikawa was slightly taken aback.
"Otherwise, why do you look so tired every morning, as if someone had been tormenting you all night?"
"…." Ishikawa.
In a way, he really was tormented all night by a 'person'.
"Just training," Ishikawa replied casually, then took the noodle soup Uzuki handed him and began to drink it, saying as he drank, "Speaking of which, Ganju-nii, aren't you coming earlier and earlier? Instead of occupying a spot here, you should train more. I feel like you haven't trained at all recently."
"Do you think everyone is a training fanatic like you?"
Ganju rolled his eyes at Ishikawa. He truly didn't understand why Ishikawa was so obsessed with becoming stronger.
He was clearly busy every day, but whenever he had free time, besides training, he was out making friends with women, as if his life only consisted of training, making friends, and working; although his elder sister always urged him to train more, she repeatedly advised Ishikawa to balance work and rest…
"And I'm not here to occupy a spot, I'm here to work!"
Shiba Ganju patted his chest and said proudly, "Recently, I'm no longer just self-proclaimed; many people in the western Rukongai call me the 'Everything Store Request Form Clearing Expert'. Now, more people are looking for me to work than for you."
"Yes, yes, yes~ Everything our Ganju-nii says is right!"
Ishikawa smiled and didn't refute, because it was true. Many jobs that required no technical skill, only physical labor, were mostly handled by Ganju and his subordinates.
A small portion was also secretly taken on by the ruffians in the tavern who couldn't pay their drink tabs.
Recently, the tavern subtly gave off the vibe of an adventurer's guild in an RPG game.
Ishikawa didn't stop this.
Anyway, those physical labor commissions, whether handled by Ganju or the ruffians, could be easily accomplished and wouldn't tarnish the Everything Store's reputation.
Ishikawa, on the other hand, handled the high-end commissions within the Seireitei and those requiring technical skill.
It's worth mentioning that…
In this year, Ishikawa had already opened Everything Stores in the southeast and north. The managers of the southern and northern branches were Jinkaku and Ginkaku… These two were the two notorious villains caught by Nishijin Ori. Jinkaku and Ginkaku weren't their original names, but Ishikawa was too lazy to remember their names, so he casually gave them easy-to-remember ones.
As for the manager of the eastern branch, it hadn't been decided yet. Ishikawa had Takashi, whom everyone liked, temporarily serve as the receptionist.
So Ishikawa didn't care about most of the western commissions being intercepted.
As for Nishijin Ori, Himura, and the others, being unable to sit still, they had already led people into the East Borough, declaring that they would bring the entire Rukongai under Ishikawa's command.
However, it was said that they encountered many unexpected obstacles. It seemed as if someone was unwilling to let Ishikawa's forces unify the entire Rukongai, and many previously unknown individuals with strong Reiatsu suddenly appeared in the East Borough.
Ishikawa had some vague suspicions about this.
Anyway, it was either the Central 46 or the Gotei 13, and the possibility of noble families couldn't be ruled out.
Although all three looked down on Rukongai, viewing its residents as lowly people who could be killed at any time, there were many exceptionally talented individuals in the higher-numbered districts. A considerable number of private armies trained by nobles were recruited from these higher-numbered districts.
Ishikawa wasn't worried about this at all.
Because Nishijin Ori's strength had been advancing by leaps and bounds, subtly showing signs of breaking through to Captain-level.
Perhaps because of the memories Zaraki had once given him, which were too terrifying, he himself had been cooped up in West 80th District all these years, with minimal progress in his strength; however, his second battle with Zaraki, and his battle with Ikkaku Madarame, although he lost completely, this instead had changed his original mindset and helped him overcome his psychological shadow.
His Reiatsu had advanced by leaps and bounds through constant battles.
He had also replaced his original twin axes with a long sword, claiming to follow in Zaraki's footsteps.
With his strength, unless a Vice-Captain of the Gotei 13 personally intervened, there would be no problem at all.
Coupled with Himura's increasingly proficient mastery of Kido and Kaido under Ishikawa's guidance, with the two of them working together, those newly emerging forces would only make Nishijin Ori even more excited.
At this thought, Ishikawa's expression became somewhat strange.
What did this make him? The overlord of Rukongai?
Ishikawa swore to heaven that he truly had no intention of ruling the entire Rukongai, nor had he ever taken action towards it.
But…
Nishijin Ori, Himura, and Oyama, they just happened to use 'Ishikawa's' name to kill and set fires in the higher-numbered districts of Rukongai.
As soon as their names were mentioned, people would say that these people were the capable subordinates of 'Ishikawa, the Great Villain'!
Recently, even people from the Onmitsukidō had started paying attention to Nishijin Ori, because his growth rate was simply too rapid.
However, due to Ishikawa's connection, they weren't planning to do anything to him, merely conducting basic surveillance to prevent him from doing anything harmful to the Seireitei.
And those great villains firmly remembered the rules set by Ishikawa. The so-called rule over Rukongai only targeted the higher-numbered districts; the stable areas were not affected in the slightest. Otherwise, even with Ishikawa's presence, Nishijin Ori and his group would be purged as unstable elements.
After all, no matter how much they looked down on the lowly people of Rukongai, those high-and-mighty individuals had to admit that Rukongai was the Gotei 13's largest talent market.
And the people from the higher-numbered districts were not within the Gotei 13's recruitment standards.
Again, the Gotei 13 is a noble organization, and absolutely no unsuitable individuals can be present within it.
More directly speaking…
Those high-ranking individuals within the Central 46 absolutely would not allow anyone who could threaten them to exist within the Gotei 13, otherwise they wouldn't be so resistant to and wary of Zaraki, nor would the Maggot's Nest prison have come into existence.
To them, it would be best if the 'unsuitable lowlives' from the higher-numbered districts all died!
Of course, not everyone looked down on the ruffians from the higher-numbered districts.
Recently, Ikkaku Madarame often came to the tavern to recruit Squad Members. Through his efforts, he actually recruited quite a few Squad Members from here.
Regarding this…
Commander Yamamoto completely adopted a laissez-faire attitude. Although the Central 46 repeatedly reprimanded him, Zaraki ignored them completely. This could be said to be a privilege of the 'Kenpachi' title; some people had once chosen to become Kenpachi precisely for this privilege.
Moreover, the Eleventh Division was already predominantly composed of individuals from the higher-numbered districts. These people, from beginning to end, were not serving for any Five Great Noble Families, but simply became Shinigami to follow Kenpachi.
Gulp, gulp—
Ishikawa picked up his bowl and drained the noodle soup, then asked, "Have Shino and the others arrived?"
"They're already waiting for you upstairs," Uzuki replied.
Ishikawa nodded. The Shino he referred to was from the latest batch of students at the Shin'ō Academy. Ishikawa had not canceled the Shinigami Cram School commission, but had been diligently managing it; over the years, he had also cultivated many talents for the Gotei 13, and these individuals held a great deal of goodwill towards Ishikawa.
Unbeknownst to Ishikawa himself, he had actually established a certain level of influence within the Seireitei.
Although these people were dispersed among various Squads, once unified, they could barely be considered a decent force, and many of them even chose to follow Ishikawa and joined the Onmitsukidō.
It's worth mentioning that…
The Shino whom Ishikawa mentioned was full name Shino Madarame.
That's right, the Madarame of Ikkaku Madarame. According to her, she seems to be Ikkaku Madarame's sister or cousin.
The reason for 'seems to be' is because her and Ikkaku's clan spent their days in Rukongai constantly fighting and killing. In short, they were a family-based group of ruffians! Their parents died one after another before they were old enough to understand, and they were constantly sent to live with relatives, which led to them not even knowing their exact relationship.
But…
Their blood relationship could still be confirmed, and that particularly prominent high forehead was exactly the same.
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr