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"They're fighting, they're fighting! Quickly… quickly collect intelligence on the battle as per the Captain's orders."
"Speaking of which, is this guy crazy? Although communicating with those prisoners is useless, he just started fighting without even trying to communicate?"
"Do you think someone with the strength of a Vice-Captain, who runs off to help a bunch of commoners clean public toilets, would be sane?"
"What's wrong with cleaning public toilets? The male Shinigami Association's gathering place is also set up in a public toilet…"
"Shush! You can't say that!!"
"…"
As the battle in the Maggot's Nest began, the Supervisory Team members, who had been monitoring, became busy.
Mastery of combat techniques, Reiatsu intensity, and even attacking habits…
Everyone's eyes were wide open, not daring to miss the slightest detail. Although they had been monitoring Ishikawa Katori for several years, this was the first time they had witnessed his battle firsthand.
"His Reiatsu is between that of a High-Level Seated Officer and a Vice-Captain. The intensity displayed is even less than the data collected last time; he must be deliberately suppressing his strength."
"His mastery of Hakuda is extremely strong…"
The Onmitsukido member, responsible for researching Hakuda, couldn't help but open his mouth as he watched the figure that appeared and disappeared on the screen.
Originally, he thought this mission would be easy to complete. A guy from an unconventional background, in front of them, the Onmitsukido, who were extremely skilled in Hakuda, would easily reveal all his weaknesses through their research.
However…
After the battle began, he realized that not only could he not find the opponent's weaknesses, but this guy from an unconventional background had a mastery of Hakuda that even exceeded his own understanding.
The more he watched, the more shocked he became.
From beginning to end, the opponent constantly changed to the most suitable Hakuda techniques according to the battlefield situation.
Hands, elbows, arms, shoulders, feet, legs… every part of his body became the strongest weapon. Some of these techniques he was very familiar with, some he had only heard of, and many obscure techniques he had never even heard of!
Comprehensive.
"Monster!!"
Hakuda seemingly only involves techniques of the fists and feet, but in practice, it is far from as simple as it looks. Many people… including their Onmitsukido, specialize in a few directions.
For example, specializing in fist techniques, or specializing in leg techniques… After all, even for a Shinigami, energy is not infinite.
In just five and a half years, and perhaps even less actual training time, it's impossible for him to have mastered Hakuda so comprehensively, even if he didn't eat or sleep, right?
"Speaking of which, isn't he hitting too hard?"
"Should we warn him?"
"Then you go try?"
The Onmitsukido member who spoke looked at the black-haired youth on the screen, who looked more like a prisoner than the actual prisoners, and decisively shook his head.
Are you kidding me…
With his current strength, going in now would likely result in him being torn apart along with the others.
…
"Hoo—"
Ishikawa Katori exhaled slowly. At this moment, there were few prisoners still standing around him. The entire entrance area was like hell, filled with wails.
Drip, drip—
Blood dripped down the waterproof rubber apron, merging into the pool of blood on the ground.
This guy is definitely a new prisoner!
Nijima swallowed, looking at the prisoners lying at Ishikawa Katori's feet, feeling incredibly grateful that he hadn't rushed forward with them just now.
If it weren't for the conversation he had with Ishikawa Katori earlier, which gave him a faint feeling of having met this kid somewhere before, he might already be one of the wailing prisoners on the ground.
Nijima cautiously retreated while surveying the situation at the entrance.
Everyone here had their own rooms. Although the battle just now was intense, some old prisoners with a decaying aura did not participate. They just sat or lay with empty eyes, like walking corpses… completely unmoved.
According to Nijima, these prisoners had been confined many years ago. They had already passed the stage of venting and had chosen to accept their fate.
Long-term imprisonment had completely eroded their will to resist. Many prisoners in the Maggot's Nest met their end in this decaying manner.
For example, the old man with a withered face and ragged clothes to his left, was said to be a Vice-Captain from many generations ago. Few of the now-crazed prisoners in the entrance area dared to provoke him.
However, as long as one didn't actively attack him, he was just a motionless… doll…
Hmm?
Nijima froze, looking at the black-haired youth who suddenly appeared in the old man's room. What was he doing there?
His confusion was resolved the next second.
Because…
The black-haired youth pulled and threw the old man, who had been quietly sitting in 'his' room, on 'his' bed, like a piece of rag, slamming him heavily onto the ground outside the door.
Bang—
The loud thud, even just hearing it, made Nijima know that the fall was definitely not light.
The old man was clearly stunned by the impact, and it took him a while to open his eyes in confusion.
Then…
"Ahhhhhh—~"
Amidst a roar, immense Reiatsu burst forth from the old man!
The immense pressure, even from ten meters away, sent Nijima flying. The wailing people on the ground were also blown into the corner of the entrance, just like him.
Crazy!
Damn it, is this new prisoner's adaptability that strong? He just came in and he's already gone crazy!
Why did you provoke him when you had nothing better to do?
In a blink of an eye, Nijima was buried by the prisoners who were also blown away. After a while, he pushed aside the prisoners covering him and crawled out.
"Ahhhhhh ah—"
Bang bang bang bang bang…
Angry roars and muffled thuds kept coming. Even without looking, Nijima knew… the newcomer was finished. He would surely be torn to shreds by the enraged old man.
Hmm?
However, when he clearly saw the scene, Nijima froze in place.
Looking up, what greeted his eyes was… the old man, carrying terrifying Reiatsu, being held by one leg by the black-haired youth and slammed heavily onto the ground.
Bang—
"Ahhhhhh—"
This was not an angry roar; it was a scream of pain from being slammed so hard.
However, that extremely brutal youth, completely disregarding the old man's age or whether he lived or died, did not stop his actions. Instead, he lifted the old man again and slammed him down…
It became an endless cycle.
This scene of the youth brutally beating a senile old man caused Nijima, who had just crawled out of the pile of prisoners, to remain silent for a few seconds before pulling two prisoners over and burying himself again.
Bang!
Ishikawa Katori looked at the old man in his hand, who was now barely breathing, and casually tossed him aside. His dark eyes began to search for the next target.
Still not enough!!
The fighting passion that had been suppressed for half a year completely erupted at this moment, putting Ishikawa Katori in a state of exhilaration.
This place is really good!
It's even better for training than the Ōkaku Training Hall.
As the battle continued, Ishikawa Katori only felt that the spiritual power in his body became incredibly active. What they called 'blood boiling' was probably this feeling!
After scanning around and confirming that there was not a single standing figure left, Ishikawa Katori's body flickered, and he charged directly into the depths of the Maggot's Nest.
There…
Were even more prisoners!
"It's him!!"
"He's the mad dog sent by the Onmitsukidō!"
Before Ishikawa Katori could even reach the depths, dense crowds of prisoners were already surging towards the entrance like a tide.
Looking at the prisoners rushing towards him, Ishikawa Katori grinned, like an unsatiated beast, revealing his grim fangs still stained with traces of blood.
Ishikawa Katori's foot tapped the ground, and his figure vanished on the spot.
The next moment, Ishikawa Katori appeared in the middle of this group of prisoners. Ishikawa Katori's assertiveness surprised everyone. When Ishikawa Katori appeared in the middle of their ranks, for a moment, they did not react.
The continuous intense fighting had made Ishikawa Katori more accustomed to fighting Shinigami, and his mastery of fleeting combat opportunities had become more proficient.
In the brief moment of the prisoners' obvious bewilderment, Ishikawa Katori's body spun rapidly on the spot.
His two legs were like two swinging steel blades.
Dazzling, sharp light suddenly rose from the ground.
—Round Dance.
Ishikawa Katori's figure spun faster and faster, his body getting lower and lower. Countless visible forces, like a tide, spread out, covering an area of several meters!
Bang, bang, bang!
Under the top-like rotation, one by one, the prisoners were kicked backward by the force like thrown soccer balls, their screams echoing throughout the area.
Blood mist filled the air, adding a nauseating bloody smell to the already foul atmosphere!
After clearing the prisoners within a few meters around him, Ishikawa Katori slapped the ground with one hand, rising into the air, and directly slammed his heel into the burly man attacking from behind.
—Windmill!
With one leg slammed down, the charging strongman's upper body directly sank into the ground. His legs twitched a few times before he fell silent.
This scene made the slightly more distant prisoners freeze in place, feeling a chill run through their bodies. The black-haired youth in their sight, wearing a ridiculous apron and surrounded by wailing casualties, was a complete devil in their eyes!!
They had never seen anyone defeat so many people in an instant with bare hands.
Such a sight was truly awe-inspiring.
Suddenly, a sharp shout pierced the air.
"Die!!"
A figure whistled through the air, and a slightly thin man appeared in front of Ishikawa Katori, a grotesque, sinister smile on his somewhat lewd face as he swung his arm to strike Ishikawa Katori.
Ishikawa Katori did not dodge; instead, he closed in and threw a punch.
Seeing this, the thin man's grotesque smile widened. His half-swung fist suddenly opened, and a flash of fire appeared, causing the Reiatsu fluctuations in the entire area to become chaotic.
"Hado #33: Sokatsui!"
The flickering blue flames erupted, causing the rubber apron on Ishikawa Katori's body to shrivel before they even made contact.
"Hahahaha~ Die!!"
The thin man pressed his palm downwards, and a sky full of flames immediately assailed Ishikawa Katori.
Ishikawa Katori seemed not to see the flames at all. He merely changed his punching motion from a direct strike to a horizontal swing, meeting the high-temperature flames with the back of his fist.
This suicidal act caused the surrounding prisoners to sneer.
Bang!
His hand met the flames, and in an instant, sparks flew everywhere. That intensely blazing Sōkatsui was directly extinguished with that single swing.
Bakudo #8: Seki.
"How is that possible?!"
This scene left the scrawny man stunned, but Ishikawa Katori didn't give him time to react. The fist that had just dispersed the Sōkatsui opened in mid-air and swung down in a wide arc.
Dispelling Kido, swinging his arm.
The entire sequence of movements was fluid and seamless, giving off a sense of effortless grace.
With a crisp smack, the scrawny man was sent flying sideways to the ground. He hit the floor with a tremor, and the immense force bounced him back up, but as soon as he rebounded, Ishikawa Katori punched him back down again.
Cruel.
Looking at the scrawny man whose entire head was smashed into the ground, these two words couldn't help but surface in everyone's minds.
However, the scrawny man's previous action had reminded the prisoners present.
Although their Zanpakuto had been confiscated, among the vast number of prisoners, there was no shortage of those proficient in Kido, and there were even former Kidō Corps members here.
The prisoners skilled in Kido retreated one after another, chanting aloud.
For a moment, the Reiatsu in the entire area became chaotic. The other prisoners, who were not very proficient in Kido, swarmed towards Ishikawa Katori. These people were surprisingly good at coordinating, which made Ishikawa Katori a little surprised.
But on second thought, he found it quite normal.
Although their current identity was that of prisoners, every single one of these inmates was once a regular member, or even a Seated Officer, of the Gotei 13.
For them, coordinating with the Shinigami beside them was not difficult; it was merely a matter of willingness.
"Ruler, oh! Mask of flesh, all creation, flapping wings…"
"Self-destruct, black dog of Rondanini! Read it once and burn it all away…"
"Chariot of thunder, gap in the spinning wheel, this thing has light…"
"…"
All sorts of incantations echoed throughout the prison, causing Ishikawa Katori's brow to furrow slightly.
It was getting out of hand.
Although he very much wanted to continue fighting, he also had to consider his future work. Kido was different from Hakuda; once released, there was no holding back. It would cause immense damage to both people and the surrounding structures, easily leading to prisoner deaths.
Ishikawa Katori himself wasn't too concerned about prisoner deaths, but Ōmaeda had said absolutely no killing... Besides, he would have to repair the damage caused later.
At this thought, the excitement in Ishikawa Katori's eyes gradually receded.
Using the excuse of prisoners interfering with his work to 'passively' vent a bit was fine, but his real work couldn't be delayed.
"Kaminawa!"
Ishikawa Katori's figure flickered, dodging the attacks of the prisoners in the front row, while his Reiatsu surged, no longer hidden but unleashed at full power. He raised his hand and swung it in the void, and a rope-like light cord condensed from spiritual power instantly extended, binding a prisoner who was releasing Kido in the blink of an eye.
The prisoner didn't pay attention when the rope touched him, because he could tell at a glance that it was merely the lowest level of Bakudo, 'Bakudo #4: Hainawa'. Its binding ability was not strong, and it couldn't even serve as interference. It was only used when binding prisoners or pulling allies away from dangerous attacks.
But just as he was about to continue chanting, his whole body suddenly went numb, and he froze in place.
Looking at the lightning that bloomed on the rope, the bound prisoner's pupils constricted.
This isn't 'Hainawa'!?
The moment the thought flashed through his mind, it was already too late. The light of Byakurai erupted along the rope. He didn't even resist, twitching a few times before passing out.
Lift leg, roundhouse kick…
Seamless!
Ishikawa Katori, still in place, kicked the prisoner in front of him flying. With a whooshing sound, the prisoner crashed into the Kido-releasing prisoners on the outer perimeter.
The lightning-flashing ropes, like swimming snakes, flew up and down, binding person after person. Prisoners whose Reiatsu defenses could be broken were all electrocuted unconscious; and those whose Reiatsu defenses could not be breached were also pulled in front of Ishikawa Katori and knocked out with brute force punches!
Wielding the Kaminawa with one hand, striking with a clenched fist in the other.
Using Shunpo, Ishikawa Katori's figure moved through the crowd like a ghost, constantly weaving in and out.
Any prisoner attempting to release Kido was forcibly interrupted by him, and those who abandoned their chants were also countered by Ishikawa Katori with the same Kido, causing no spiritual leakage whatsoever.
Wherever Ishikawa Katori passed, chaos ensued.
The number of prisoners visibly decreased rapidly, the shouts of battle grew fewer, and the wails grew more numerous.
Ishikawa Katori paused his movements, only then realizing that, without him noticing, there were no standing figures left in the field.
"This is troublesome now."
His aura stabilized. Ishikawa Katori looked at the scene of bodies strewn across the ground, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
It felt good to fight, but as for the cleanup…
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
...
Is it over?
Nijima, buried under the prisoners, thought to himself.
Since about ten minutes ago, the shouts of battle outside had ceased, and the entire Maggot's Nest exuded an unprecedented sense of quiet.
Although he really wanted to go out and check the situation, just thinking about the brutal scene of the black-haired young man pummeling the senile old man made him tremble all over.
It was the first time he felt that the Maggot's Nest truly had a reason to exist.
It was completely normal for someone who would beat others up without regard for their condition to be imprisoned.
He waited there for nearly another half hour, finally hearing footsteps approaching from afar.
Who was it?
Was it that black-haired young man?
Or was it someone else?
Nijima subconsciously held his breath. Not long after, a spiritual energy fluctuation emanated.
Then...
"Ahhhhhh—"
Bang!
The spiritual energy fluctuation emanated again.
And then...
"Ahhhhhh—"
Bang!
What exactly was going on? Was someone still fighting?
The continuously repeating roars and crashing sounds filled Nijima's heart with confusion. Finally, driven by curiosity, he cautiously pushed aside the prisoner in front of him a little and peeked out through the gap.
It really was him!
Looking out, he saw the black-haired young man, wearing a tattered apron, squatting beside the old Vice-Captain he had nearly smashed to death. One hand was pressed against the Vice-Captain's body, while the other was raised above his head.
That was…
Kaido?
When he saw the light emanating from the black-haired young man's hand, Nijima immediately recognized what he was doing.
Wherever the light passed, the old man receiving treatment, his injuries healed at a visible speed. In a blink of an eye, he gradually regained consciousness from his severe injuries and unconsciousness.
This was Kaido?
It wasn't that he hadn't seen Kaido before, he had even studied it, but he was certain that even the Vice-Captain of the Fourth Division might not possess such terrifying Kaido mastery.
Who exactly was he?
His Reiatsu was formidable, his Hakuda was formidable, and his Kaido was actually formidable to such an extent.
The old man, now conscious, had a flicker of confusion in his eyes, but when he saw the black-haired young man in front of him, his cloudy eyes instantly became incredibly frenzied.
"Ahhhhhh ah—"
Bang!
However, before he could even get up, the black-haired young man's right fist, raised above his head, slammed down fiercely.
"…" Nijima.
Looking at the old man whose head was once again smashed into the ground, Nijima felt a chill run down his spine, his face incredibly pale.
He finally understood what the previous sounds were about.
Demon!!
Kaido operated again.
After a while...
"Ahhhhhh-"
Bang!
"Ahhhhhh-"
Bang!
...
The same scene repeated continuously, and Nijima gradually shifted from initial fear to numbness.
That figure, wielding Kaido with one hand and raising the other above his head…
It was deeply imprinted in his mind!
"Ah…"
The old man woke up again, his frenzied gaze reappeared, and that fist… swung down once more.
But this time, it was a little different.
"Wait…"
Bang!
Wait?
Nijima looked at the old man whose head was once again buried in the ground, stunned ed for a moment, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. Had he actually heard that old man, who had been senile for hundreds of years, speak?
It must be an illusion?
Nijima stretched his head out to look, and found that the black-haired young man seemed to have paused for a moment as well, then resumed treating the old man.
Not long after, the old man woke up again, and again, and again…
However, this time, he no longer fell into a state of frenzy, but instead glared at Ishikawa Katori with a resentful expression.
"Just give me a quick death!!"
"Uh…"
Ishikawa Katori blinked.
"Still want to fight?"
"Fight…"
Bang!
"…" Nijima.
It was the first time he knew that senile dementia could be cured by being beaten…
After a while.
"Still want to fight?"
"No more."
Ishikawa Katori looked at the old man lying on the ground, looking utterly lifeless, and nodded: "Good, then get up and clean your room, inside and out."
The old man was silent for a moment, but when he saw Ishikawa Katori with Kaido in one hand and the other raised, he nodded slightly.
"…Mm."
Nijima was silent for a moment, then pushed aside the surrounding prisoners and stood up. And just as he appeared, some of the wailing prisoners on the ground also began to get up.
"I'll go clean right away!!"
Nijima met Ishikawa Katori's gaze and quickly shouted. With that, he turned and ran towards his room. As he rounded the corner, he looked further in and saw that it was bustling with activity… The usually fierce prisoners had all transformed into diligent cleaners, tidying up everything inside and out.
They weren't afraid of death…
But this kind of torture, being beaten half to death and then revived, was truly cruel to the extreme!
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