14 You Have No Choice

Tokikaze didn't know that Zaraki Kenpachi had an agenda regarding himself, but Tokikaze had already anticipated that Zaraki Kenpachi would make his move the moment he targeted Ikkaku Madarame.

In the eyes of other Soul Reapers, the new Captain of the 11th Division was the least person they should provoke. Not only because of his beast-like fighting style and his love for a fight but also due to his wild appearance that made more than 80% of the Soul Reapers hesitate to approach.

Moreover, the unique way 11th Division Captains assumed their positions made other Soul Reapers even more wary of Zaraki Kenpachi. However, Tokikaze wasn't concerned about it. With Yamamoto Genryusai overseeing everything, the fights between Captains were highly unlikely.

As for the combat itself, he wasn't worried about the current Zaraki Kenpachi. The current Zaraki Kenpachi, whose true strength had been sealed by numerous restrictions, was only of average level among the current Captains. In simple terms, he hadn't learned things the hard way yet so far.

Furthermore, Zaraki Kenpachi, being a complete idiot when it came to directions, especially with a fellow idiot guiding him, would find it troublesome to locate Division 9's barracks. 

After dealing with the case file of Ikkaku Madarame, Tokikaze once again focused his attention on the baldy inside the cell. Even though the light within the cell was dim, Ikkaku's head still shone brightly, resembling a light bulb.

"According to the laws of the Soul Society, you should be sentenced to..." Tokikaze began, but halfway through, he remembered that he hadn't really memorized the laws. He had just skimmed through them hastily.

The prison guards then said, "For destroying the prison and severely injuring a prisoner, the sentence should be seven years or more. If you choose to go to Central Underground Prison instead, the sentence can be shortened to one year."

Obviously, the prison guard was more knowledgeable than a Captain when it came to this.

"I choose the Central Underground Prison," Ikkaku immediately requested, lifting his hand. "Being locked in this dim place, where fight is out of question for seven years will drive me crazy."

He wasn't aware of the harsh conditions of the Central Underground Prison, but judging from the comparison of sentences, he could make a reasonable judgment. Ikkaku Madarame was reckless, not foolish.

Even so, Ikkaku still chose the Cemtral Underground Prison.

As a battle maniac, he'd rather die than living a life without a fight.

Tokikaze, in the midst of considering the decision, raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat surprised at Ikkaku Madarame.

"Haven't you realized the situation yet?" Tokikaze calmly said, though he realized he hadn't remembered the regulations properly and just glanced through them. "Since you're in prison, you no longer have the luxury of choice. Third Seat Ikkaku, all you can do now is accept your fate."

As he spoke, he raised the corners of his mouth, facing Ikkaku Madarame with a gentle smile.

For some reason, when Ikkaku saw this friendly smile, an inexplicable chill surged in the depths of his heart. The memories of their brief fight on the 11th Division's barracks kept playing itself in his mind, leaving a psychological scar.

"Ahem!"

Ikkaku Madarame cleared his throat a few times, quickly shifting his gaze away, and subconsciously responded, "My bad. Decide as you see fit, Captain. I'm willing to accept any punishment."

In order to get away from this dangerous guy in front of him as soon as possible, Ikkaku temporarily abandoned his so-called dignity.

The feeling of being seen through was extremely uncomfortable.

"Uh, about this punishment..."

Tokikaze rubbed his chin thoughtfully, appearing to be in deep thought. "For now, you'll be detained in the prison for three months. I'll decide your fate after my inauguration ceremony."

Hearing this, Ikkaku Madarame was about to argue, but seeing Tokikaze's unfriendly gaze, he changed his mind.

After a brief interaction, Ikkaku Madarame came to believe that this newly appointed 9th Division Captain was as dangerous as Zaraki Kenpachi.

At the very least, Zaraki Kenpachi was not as difficult to fathom as Tokikaze.

As soon as Tokikaze's words fell, a system panel appeared before him.

[9th Division Captain's daily disciplinary tasks are completed!]

[Reiatsu has increased, currently at Rank 3!]

[Hado proficiency has improved! Hado #73: Sōren Sōkatsui acquired!]

Unlike the previous diligent training, the daily tasks required completing the Division 9 Captain's primary duties. The rewards varied based on the difficulty and completion of the tasks.

As the Third Seat of the 11th Division and with a considerable number of case records in the 9th Division' archives, disciplining Ikkaku Madarame provided relatively good rewards.

At the completion of the task, memories about Hado #73: Sōren Sōkatsui, flooded Tokikaze's mind. The incantation, double incantation, incantation-less, and its application in Kido techniques—all of this knowledge became instantly available to him.

In just a moment, Tokikaze had fully mastered everything about Hado #73: Sōren Sōkatsui, even breaking down its Kido incantation and incorporating it into his understanding of other Kido.

As an intermediate-level Hado, Sōren Sōkatsui packed quite a punch. Even among the Captains skilled in Kido, it was frequently used.

Moreover, his Reiatsu was enhanced albeit by a bit. Although it had not reached Rank 2 Reiatsu Class yet, he estimated that with a bit more time, the rewards from both diligent training and daily tasks would be sufficient to enhance his Reiatsu to Rank 2.

Reiryoku was once been a measurement standard used among the nobility to indicate the level of Reiatsu within a soul.

Its definition was somewhat vague.

This was one of the crucial reasons why this measurement standard was not well-known among most Soul Reapers.

To surpass one's original Reiatsu rank, training alone wasn't enough, comprehending essence of the soul was also necessary.

The fixed hierarchy in the Soul Society also stemmed from this.

The talents and Reiatsu of nobles far exceeded those of ordinary souls.

For Tokikaze, Rank 3 Reiatsu was far from enough. Even Rank 1 seemed insufficient.

For monsters like Yamamoto Genryusai, Sosuke Aizen, and Yhwach, though their Reiatsu was categorized as Rank 1, it far surpassed other Captains with the same Rank.

It was like a straight-A student achieving a perfect score because the total score of the exam was only 100.

You couldn't use the top student's paper score to measure yourself.

The two were simply not on the same level.

Tokikaze reminded himself constantly that only when he possessed the power to sweep through everything could he truly control his destiny.

In this world, the dangers were far greater than they seemed.