"Captain, what's going on? Why are you fighting the Captain-Commander?"
Rangiku asked hastily.
"Well, this... this is probably the Captain-Commander's test for me," Toshiro said.
"What kind of test would make you fight the Captain-Commander? Even as a Captain, if you were to face the Captain-Commander, you probably wouldn't have much chance of winning, right?"
Rangiku asked.
In Rangiku's view, her own Captain was a monstrous genius, incredibly powerful. Within the entire Gotei 13, aside from Yamamoto, probably no one was a match for her Captain.
But if he were to fight Yamamoto, he likely still wouldn't have much chance of winning.
As the founder of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto, his title as the strongest Shinigami was deeply rooted in people's hearts.
Even though Toshiro was a monstrous genius, the number one prodigy in the Soul Society, in the short term he probably still couldn't shake Yamamoto's position as the strongest Shinigami.
Toshiro explained: "Captain-Commander has already decided to choose me as the next Captain-Commander. However, before that, Captain-Commander wants to personally test me to see if I have the ability to shoulder the responsibility of the Soul Society."
Rangiku understood: "So that's how it is, Captain-Commander has already made up his mind?"
Many years ago, Yamamoto had already listed Toshiro as one of the candidates for Captain-Commander. Although this matter wasn't widely publicized, many people around Toshiro knew about it, and Rangiku was no exception.
She just didn't expect that Yamamoto had now firmly decided to choose Toshiro as the next Captain-Commander.
Previously, Toshiro was only a Captain-Commander candidate, possibly becoming the Captain-Commander, but it wasn't certain if he would actually become one in the end.
But now, Toshiro had become Yamamoto's successor, 100% certain to become the Captain-Commander.
"Rangiku, for the next month, I will devote myself wholeheartedly to training. So, I'm handing the 10th Division over to you."
Toshiro said solemnly.
"Mm, I understand, Captain."
This time, Rangiku didn't try to shirk responsibility as she often did, but agreed with a serious expression.
Although Rangiku was often lazy in daily life, she wasn't someone who couldn't distinguish priorities. When it came to critical moments, she was very reliable.
Inside a training room of the 10th Division.
Toshiro sat cross-legged, entered his Inner World, and began his training.
Previously, after Toshiro's breakthrough, it had caused a huge impact in the Soul Society, to the point where Yamamoto had to personally intervene to stop Toshiro.
And Toshiro, upon noticing the impact he had caused, also promptly reacted, thus avoiding truly endangering the Soul Society.
However, precisely because of this, Toshiro also didn't have the opportunity to properly familiarize himself with and master the power after his breakthrough.
Therefore, during this one month, his goal was not to continue training to increase his strength, but to fully master his current power.
Inner World.
Toshiro stood on the boundless ice plains, beginning to test his own power.
"Dragon's Eye!"
A flash of ice-blue light passed through Toshiro's eyes.
Then Toshiro felt the entire world become clearer than ever before, as if all mysteries were exposed before his eyes.
After a moment, Toshiro blinked, deactivating the Dragon's Eye again.
"Indeed, as I thought, the Dragon's Eye has indeed changed."
Toshiro murmured to himself.
During the breakthrough earlier, Toshiro had noticed some changes in the Dragon's Eye, but at the time, he didn't have the chance to investigate properly. It was only now that he figured it out.
Previously, the Dragon's Eye could only see through falsehoods. Against Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu, it was indeed an unparalleled method. However, besides that, it had no other uses.
But now, the Dragon's Eye not only retained the ability to see through falsehoods, but also gained some other practical abilities.
For example, the ability to predict and decipher enemy moves. With the Dragon's Eye activated, the flaws and weaknesses in an enemy's moves were clearly revealed before Toshiro's eyes. He could even further predict the enemy's attacks.
Moreover, when the Dragon's Eye was activated, if Toshiro wished, he could greatly enhance his dynamic vision. With enhanced dynamic vision, everything around him, including enemy attacks, seemed to slow down immensely.
Of course, dynamic vision was just dynamic vision, not some heaven-defying ability to accelerate or slow down time. Even if he could clearly 'see' enemy attacks, if his body's speed couldn't keep up, if he couldn't react in time, then it was still useless.
Even so, it was still extremely formidable.
Also, Toshiro discovered that when using the Dragon's Eye, his Reiatsu consumption was greatly reduced. In fact, the rate of Reiatsu consumption was now slower than his natural Reiatsu recovery speed.
"What's going on? Why has the Reiatsu consumption decreased?"
Toshiro wondered, somewhat puzzled.
When Toshiro first used the Dragon's Eye back then, just a few tens of seconds almost drained all his power. Later, although as Toshiro's strength increased, using the Dragon's Eye no longer placed a huge burden on him, the power consumption was indeed still significant.
But now, logically, with more abilities of the Dragon's Eye, the required Reiatsu consumption should have increased. Yet now, the consumption had drastically decreased.
"That's because your connection with the Ice Dragon Pearl has deepened."
A clear and melodious voice sounded.
"Hyorinmaru, you've come?"
Toshiro didn't need to look to know who it was.
This was Toshiro's inner world, and naturally, besides Hyorinmaru, there was no one else.
Hyorinmaru, in human form, walked gracefully over and stood beside Toshiro. "Mm, I was too bored alone, so I came to watch you train."
"You just said my connection with the Ice Dragon Pearl has deepened. What does that have to do with the reduced consumption of using the Dragon's Eye?"
Toshiro asked.
"Of course it's related. The Dragon's Eye is the innate skill of the ice dragon. Before the ice dragon perished, she imprinted the ability Dragon's Eye into the Ice Dragon Pearl."
"And ultimately, the Dragon's Eye isn't your own ability. Previously, you were just forcibly using it by borrowing power from the Ice Dragon Pearl. That's why each use consumed so much spiritual power."
"But before, to break through, you were continuously refining the divine power within the Ice Dragon Pearl. And this was equivalent to simultaneously refining the Ice Dragon Pearl itself. If the Ice Dragon Pearl were completely refined by you, then the Dragon's Eye imprinted within it would also become your innate ability. By then, using it would be like using your own eyes, and it would no longer consume your power at all."
"And now, although you've only refined half of the Ice Dragon Pearl, even so, the consumption of using the Dragon's Eye has decreased to a negligible level."