Your Excellency Is Strong, But My Art Style Is Above Yours!

Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding

Category: Bond & Art Style

Level: EX (Impossible to measure accurately)

Quality: EX (Impossible to measure accurately)

Rewards:

Stamina · Slight increase

Endurance · Slight increase

Spirit · Slight increase

Mobility · Slight increase

Accuracy · Slight increase

Evasion · Slight increase

Talent:

One-Hearted Admiration · Reverse

· After becoming the object of another's admiration, you will support them in moving forward in the form of conviction, accelerating their growth. The stronger their feelings, the faster they grow.

· This conviction will also drive you forward in return. The more people follow behind you, the more pronounced the effect.

· With this talent's bonus, there is also an extremely small chance of obtaining Art Style Value when drawing Bond CGs in the future.

What kind of CG was this? It had both Art Style and Bond categories?

It was Iori's first time triggering such a special CG. He had never seen an example of two categories overlapping before. Following that logic, could other categories overlap as well?

But what were the trigger conditions for this kind of CG? It didn't feel like there had been anything particularly special about the nonsense he'd fed Tousen Kaname...

After thinking it over and over, Iori could only sigh, As expected, I still don't get it, and give up.

This kind of question was like the pull rate for limited characters. No matter how much you studied it, you could never find an exact pattern.

Sometimes, relaxing and leaving everything to fate produced better results instead.

That said, the stat boosts brought by this special CG were quite good, and the talent description was a pleasant surprise as well.

Among the talents Iori possessed, Poetic Elegance and Scheming Glasses did nothing to improve his strength. Precision was more of an assassin-oriented combat talent. Only Perfect Shinigami could enhance Iori comprehensively, proving highly useful in both battle and training.

This One-Hearted Admiration · Reverse talent easily brought to mind a certain little rabbit who was always getting beaten up in a dungeon, but its effect was quite good, especially for someone with Iori's way of doing things.

Not to mention that it could also grant Art Style Value!

The words "extremely small chance" were a little glaring, but as a mobile game player who had been screwed over by countless toxic pools yet still persisted, Iori didn't think low odds were a problem at all~

Tousen was released less than two days later. The charge pinned on him was "assaulting nobles," but in truth, several nobles had stopped Tousen on the road that day and tried to force him to reveal something. When Tousen Kaname refused, the conflict began.

Many passersby could testify to the matter. Tousen Kaname had been responding passively throughout, and under no circumstances should he have been imprisoned. It was only because the nobles had pressured the supervisory authority that Tousen Kaname ended up behind bars.

But shady dealings were exposed the moment they were brought into the light. The only difficulty was making those who lied through their teeth shut up.

That was undoubtedly impossible for Tousen Kaname, who had neither power nor influence. But Iori had Kyōraku Shunsui as a connection. Once the Captain of the 8th Division, a man born into an upper noble house, personally intervened, the matter was destined to be laid bare before everyone. No one could pretend not to see it.

And Iori had sought out Kyōraku Shunsui not merely because the two had some friendship. More importantly, Shunsui deeply hated the mastermind behind this matter—

Tsunayashiro Tokinada!

In the wilderness on the outskirts of some district of Soul Society, atop an exceptionally secluded hill, stood a simple, lonely grave.

There was no tombstone, only a wooden plaque planted before it. Other than a name, there was nothing else:

Kyouka

The day after Tousen Kaname was released, he came here to pay his respects. He brought a bouquet of blue-violet wild bellflowers, gently bent down to place them before the grave, and remained silent for a long time.

Iori quietly watched from some distance away. His handsome face, usually wearing an amused and carefree expression, was somewhat solemn at this moment.

He had long known where the softest place in Tousen Kaname's heart lay, but only after speaking with Tousen personally did he understand how important it was to him.

Kyouka, a female Soul Reaper born in Soul Society who appeared to possess nothing particularly extraordinary.

In the anime, she existed only as "Tousen Kaname's white moonlight." But in this real Soul Society, she had been a flesh-and-blood person, gentle to everyone, someone who believed in justice and fairness and lived earnestly in this world.

She had been Tousen Kaname's closest friend. Once, she had illuminated a pure sanctuary within his dark life, and her gentleness had made Tousen begin to cherish and love this world.

It should be said that deep in his heart, Tousen liked her and may even have loved her, but for various reasons, he had always strictly maintained the boundaries of friendship.

Because the two, one a Soul Reaper and the other a commoner, were not a suitable match—at least, that was what Tousen believed.

Not to mention that he was blind.

So later, when Kyouka caught the eye of a Great Noble who wished to marry her into a noble family, Tousen had genuinely been happy for her.

But what happened afterward was something he never could have imagined...

Kyouka died at the hands of her own husband.

There was no explanation, no reason, no investigation. Everything was concealed behind the scenes, in a darkness far deeper than Tousen Kaname's field of vision.

When he "saw" Kyouka again, the woman who always smiled gently and was filled with kindness and love for all things in the world had already become a cold corpse.

Tousen Kaname had once wanted justice, but what result could a blind commoner possibly obtain... that was easy enough to imagine.

It was after that that Tousen picked up the Zanpakuto Kyouka had left behind, entered the Soul Reaper Academy, and swore to become a Soul Reaper, inherit her convictions, and ultimately avenge her!

Those feelings were so intense that they had nearly changed the very way his soul existed. That was why, even wielding someone else's Zanpakuto, he could successfully train to the level of Bankai.

"Tsunayashiro Tokinada."

After a long silence, Tousen spoke in a dry voice. "He is a branch family member of the Tsunayashiro, one of the Five Noble Clans. Even if there were conclusive proof that he killed Kyouka, no one could interrogate him. Even now, I don't know what exactly happened, or why Kyouka died..."

"I've heard of him."

Iori stepped forward two paces and laid a bouquet before Kyouka's grave as well. Then he said calmly, "He, Kyōraku Shunsui, and Fujitora Shijuro were classmates in the same class at the Spirit Art Academy, and all were disciples personally taken in by the Captain-General.

Captain Kyōraku told me in private that Shitan appeared to be a quiet young man in his student days, but his heart was actually quite twisted. He clearly despised his own noble status, yet in reality, he relied on that status to commit evil everywhere.

Captain Kyōraku also put in effort to get you released this time. Make sure to thank him properly later."

"I understand." Tousen fell silent again after saying that, and Iori said nothing further.

Tousen's path of revenge had now become part of Iori's own ambitions.

There was no need for any additional promises. A man's pact was not something hung on his lips, but something firmly engraved in his heart.

"Do you know why Kyouka caught the attention of the Tsunayashiro?"

Iori suddenly asked, "Shitan couldn't have decided to marry a commoner woman for no reason."

"Hmm?" Tousen Kaname furrowed his brows. He had considered that question as well, but he had no clues.

"This time, the noble youths Shitan sent came looking for trouble with you. Why did they suddenly bring up this old matter? It was certainly heartbreaking for you, but they wouldn't necessarily care about it..."

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

"This..."

Tousen was momentarily at a loss, but his mind was sharp, and he quickly guessed something.

"They came to me to demand that Kyouka's grave be moved, forcing me to reveal where she rests... They never cared before. They were even unwilling to bury her in the family cemetery and simply let me take her away... Could their goal be Kyouka's corpse..."

"I see."

Iori nodded. "I understand now... It seems there was some special power within Kyouka that the Tsunayashiro family discovered. That was why they married her into their household. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to make such a choice.

"However, it seems their plan encountered an accident. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come to demand her body only now... They probably want to use it as an experiment and squeeze out every last bit of its value."

"Ugh!"

Tousen Kaname clenched his fists. His anger caused his spiritual pressure to surge violently, and Iori then realized that this seemingly unassuming man had actually reached the Shikai level.

Those who could become captains were all exceptionally talented, so powerful spiritual pressure was nothing strange. But he had not even graduated from the Spirit Art Academy yet, and he was wielding a Zanpakuto that did not suit him, yet his growth rate was this fast... Could it be that power within Kyouka...

"What exactly... was it that Kyouka possessed, the thing they coveted?"

"That involves Soul Society's greatest secret."

Iori steadied himself, gave Tousen a meaningful look, and then said calmly, "Do you know about the Fragments of the Spirit King?"

Chapter 27: Bankai Is Only the Entry Threshold for High-Level Battles

"The Spirit King? You mean the one from the legends... Isn't that just a myth?" Tousen Kaname was quite astonished.

"After all, it happened a very long time ago, and people in the Seireitei have no opportunity to see the Soul King at all. All related information is tightly controlled, so it's perfectly normal for people to regard him as a myth."

Iori had brought up the "Soul King," but he did not intend to tell Tousen anything too secretive. Just like the old man in a ring from fantasy novels would say:

Knowing too much in advance won't do you any good!

The past between the Five Noble Clans—especially the Tsunayashiro—and the Soul King, as well as the connections between the Soul King, Yhwach, Zero Division, and Fujitora Shijuro... there were only a handful of people in all Soul Society who knew the details. Leaking even a little could stir up enormous waves.

In any case, Iori had no intention of revealing too much before he possessed the strength to protect himself.

So he used a very vague explanation. "Legend says that after the creation of heaven and earth, fragments of the Soul King's power accidentally flowed into the Three Realms. After evolving over countless years, many of them merged into the bodies of living beings throughout the world.

"Strictly speaking, quite a few people possess the Soul King's power. Many Soul Reapers do, but the amount is minuscule, and there is no visible effect at all. Perhaps the souls of hundreds or thousands of Soul Reapers would have to be combined before the refined Spirit King's power amounted to even this much."

Iori held up his fingers to indicate something tiny.

"However, some people are especially fortunate... or perhaps unfortunate. They are born with relatively larger tiny fragments. They may not notice it themselves, but they truly have a connection with that legendary 'Creator God.'

"These fragments often bring certain blessings, such as extraordinary spiritual pressure or exceptional talent. They may even awaken unique abilities unlike any other in the world!

"This isn't really a secret among the Seireitei's upper ranks, especially not among the Five Noble Clans that have existed since creation... The Five Noble Clans have always stood aloof, yet the Tsunayashiro were this obsessed with Kyouka, even willing to create a scandal. When have you ever heard of them losing their composure like this?"

Tousen found the reasoning deeply convincing. After hearing Iori's explanation, he felt as though he had suddenly been enlightened.

Even he himself had found it strange. His talent had not originally been particularly outstanding, yet after he resolved to inherit Kyouka's will, it was as if something had clicked. His rate of progress became completely different from before.

If Kyouka truly possessed a Soul King Fragment and thus had special power, then Tousen's performance after inheriting her Zanpakuto could be explained.

Thinking that even after death, Kyouka was still helping him in another way, Tousen was overwhelmed with mixed emotions...

"While this isn't some earth-shattering secret, it is information the nobles have sealed away. Even captains might not know it if they lack seniority, so you must keep what I told you today confidential, understand?"

"Don't worry. When necessary, I can turn from a blind man into a mute one."

Tousen promised seriously, then asked, "How should we act from now on?"

"Of course, we gather strength. Before our wings have fully grown, anything we say is empty. Only by standing high enough do we earn the right to follow our hearts and change the world."

Iori patted his shoulder, conveying that he thought highly of him.

"Little Kaname, have a little more confidence in yourself. Set a small goal first—

Unlock a Bankai and have some fun~"

Tousen Kaname: "..."

Taking a future captain in as his little brother would probably have made anyone else ecstatic, but Iori continued attending school obediently, honing himself through relentless daily training.

What did a captain amount to?

The Soul Reaper power system seemed to end at Bankai, so everyone beyond Bankai was Captain-level. But Iori knew well that captain was merely the entry qualification for high-level battles. A Bankai was not the same as another Bankai!

People like Toshiro, Renji Abarai, and Madarame Ikaku, who had only initially mastered Bankai, were not on the same level as seasoned captains like Kuchiki Byakuya. And Byakuya was still a tier below Shunsui and Unohana, above whom stood Old Man Yama.

Even Old Man Yama from a thousand years ago and the current Captain-General did not have the same kind of Bankai!

(Of course, whether he had become stronger or weaker was hard to say...)

They were all captains, but if they truly fought, Old Man Yama alone could wipe out the Thirteenth Division with ease!

On the surface, the gap appeared to lie in the quality of their Zanpakuto, but in truth, it still came down to spiritual pressure.

Look at Toshiro's Hyōrinmaru and Old Man Yama's Ryujin Jakka. They were theoretically Zanpakuto of the same level, so why was the difference in their displayed power so vast?

Wasn't it because the wielders were different?

You only needed to look at Senju Hashirama and Captain Yamato next door to understand that principle.

Of course, if one's spiritual pressure was powerful and one's Zanpakuto ability was also excellent, the result could be greater than one plus one.