"Ding, new check-in mission released!"
The notification sound came, and Shigure's heart stirred.
"Mission Content: Please check in beside Kuchiki Rukia at Confession Palace, 4th Underground Prison, when the Ryoka invade Seireitei!"
"Additional Mission: Before completing the check-in, please hone your swordsmanship level to 'Excellent' to receive an additional EX reward!"
"Ding!"
As the notification sound fell, the system's virtual display panel suddenly popped up automatically.
The top two lines showed this mission and additional mission content.
Below, it displayed the current host panel.
Host:Segawa Shigure. Soul: Ultimate Soul. Spiritual Pressure: Ultimate. Zanpakuto:Candle Dragon. Shikai: Lightning·Ultimate; Storm·Ultimate. Bankai: Not yet mastered. Swordsmanship: Proficient. Hakuda: Proficient. Shunpo: Ultimate. Kido: Excellent. Other Skills/Abilities:Soul Resonance; Barrier Collapse.
...
This time, quite a few new things had appeared.
First was his soul attribute, then the two abilities he had continuously obtained in the underground prison.
After checking these, Shigure looked up again and carefully reread the mission.
It could be said that this mission was the most complex in terms of conditions so far.
First, the time was fixed at "when the Ryoka invade."
That meant he had to wait until Ichigo Kurosaki and the others came to Soul Society before he could go to Confession Palace to check in.
Second, this check-in location wasn't a direct position either, but was limited to "beside Kuchiki Rukia."
Finally, there was this additional mission.
Hone swordsmanship level to Excellent and receive an EX reward.
Honestly, when he first heard this, he was momentarily confused.
As one of the four Soul Reaper arts, and the skill most compatible with Zanpakuto, swordsmanship could be said to be easy to begin but most difficult to master.
Originally, Shigure thought its improvement would also be obtained through check-ins like Kido and Shunpo before.
But unexpectedly, he had to hone and improve it himself.
"It seems... placing all hopes for ability improvement on the system was indeed a bit naive."
After just a moment's thought, he immediately made up his mind.
After all, there was nothing to hesitate about.
Improving swordsmanship to Excellent while also receiving an EX reward—there was no reason not to do such a thing that killed two birds with one stone.
"Swordsmanship is the art of actual combat."
"Unlike Kido and Shunpo, these two skills can be deepened through self-contemplation."
"But swordsmanship improvement must be completed through constant battles with the strong."
"That is to say, I must find someone who can spar with me in practice, and who far surpasses me in swordsmanship."
In fact, when he thought of this, he already had a rough answer in mind.
Although there were very few people in Soul Society who had reached the pinnacle in swordsmanship, among the current Gotei 13, Shigure could confirm two people.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.
4th Division Captain Unohana Retsu.
Yamamoto Genryusai naturally needed no explanation. As the Captain-Commander of the Gotei with the title of "strongest Soul Reaper in a thousand years," his swordsmanship level required no questioning.
However, Shigure directly rejected this choice.
Every move of the Captain-Commander would be watched by all of Seireitei.
If Shigure went there every day, it would be far too strange.
Moreover, although Yamamoto Genryusai had once actively taught Kenpachi Zaraki swordsmanship, that was only his deliberate reverse psychology.
He was using this method to make Kenpachi Zaraki give up learning swordsmanship, thereby achieving the purpose of suppressing his strength.
So, after careful consideration, Shigure's target turned to Unohana Retsu.
No, she should be called... Unohana Yachiru.
As the first Soul Reaper in Soul Society's history to possess the title "Kenpachi," she was also the first captain of the 11th Division.
And her most outstanding feature was her terrifyingly skillful swordsmanship.
Before joining the Gotei 13, she had been the most unprecedented and unparalleled villain in Soul Society's history.
She claimed to master all schools and sword styles in the world, so she took the name "Yachiru" for herself.
But later, for unknown reasons, she was recruited by Yamamoto Genryusai and became the captain of the 11th Division among the original Gotei 13.
After that, she learned healing techniques from Kirinji Tenjiro, the "Hot Spring Demon" who was now in Squad Zero.
Then, to better enjoy the pleasure of slaughter, she went to Rukongai under the pretext of subjugating vicious criminals, seeking fierce warriors to her liking.
This was how she accidentally encountered the young Kenpachi Zaraki.
If we were to say who in current Seireitei would be most suitable to become Shigure's swordsmanship teacher, then without doubt, there was only one name.
Thinking of this, Shigure's eyes flickered with light.
This additional mission only had the time limit of being completed before the check-in to receive the EX reward.
And according to Soul Society's regulations, death row inmates would have about a month's reprieve period, just as Sasakibe Chojiro had announced in the previous verdict.
During this time, Rukia would be held in Confession Palace.
But the time given to Shigure wasn't a full month.
Because before that, Ichigo Kurosaki and others would arrive in Soul Society through the Senkaimon created by Urahara Kisuke.
"That is to say... to achieve this additional mission, I must give it my all."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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