As Soul Society was being done dirtier than how the Europeans did the Native Americans, Tokinada—the man that he was, the one who totally wasn't responsible for this—was sipping some wine.
The taste was simply divine, really. He sipped the wine, looking outside, watching as countless Shinigami lost their lives. Oh, the chaos. Oh, he liked this. Their screams, the explosions—it almost gave his sadistic ass a goddamn boner.
He lived off this. Oh, this was good. Well, not like he could get hurt. The clan leaders had sent out a call to Squad Zero—not because they cared about the countless lives being lost...
More like the enemy was getting too close to their territory, and you know, can't tarnish their profits.
If he had known that kidnapping a kid would lead to this, he would do it again. Aight, he might even do it 100 times over—for the love of the game and nothing more.
He lifted his cup and drank the wine. That was the pristine stuff. We're talking like 2,000-year-old wine.
The kind of stuff you couldn't get anywhere else.
Maybe he should try out that wine the main branch drinks. The stuff had been around for thousands of years. That primordial wine.
He should get that some—
BOOM
His train of thought was interrupted as the door to his luxurious room was opened... by a female guard.
Following behind her was Ryouma.
Sword in hand.
His gaze burned with unfiltered hatred.
Behind him?
The guards were gone.
Dead.
Except for that chick.
Hm. She seemed to be under some form of mind control. Who cared? She dared lay a hand on the mighty family... so when this was over, her whole family was going to the gulag.
Welp, since the man was so pissed, the kid was probably his.
"Oh? Now that's unexpected. I thought they'd last at least a little longer. How disappointing."
He didn't feel like he was in any real trouble, honestly.
"Let's see... you must be the boy's father. What was his name again? Ah, right—doesn't matter. I was planning on killing him anyway."
Ryouma's grip tightened on his sword.
Tokinada chuckled.
"Relax, he's still alive... probably."
Could you tell he liked fucking with people?
"You fathers are all the same. So predictable. So boring. Really, is one child worth throwing your entire life away? Hah, I suppose it doesn't matter. Your precious son will grow up, live a miserable life, and die a miserable death like the rest of us. You should be thanking me—I'm just expediting the process."
Ryouma's spiritual pressure spiked violently.
For a moment, Tokinada could almost taste the sheer rage rolling off the man.
Oh, this was good.
This was so good.
He let out a low chuckle, setting his drink down.
"Oh, don't glare at me like that. You should be grateful. I've given you a reason to fight, a reason to scream, a reason to hate."
He spread his arms wide, mocking.
"Isn't life so much more exciting when you're drowning in despair?"
Ryouma's eyes burned.
Tokinada expected him to lash out. To go into a blind rage.
Which, to be fair, was something Ryouma wanted to do—but first, he made sure that the Arrancar he came here with had his son secure. Only when he was 100% sure that his son was back in Hueco Mundo did he let out a breath of relief.
Now for the bug.
"Huh. Smart. Didn't think you'd be the type to prioritize, but I suppose even dogs can surprise you sometimes."
Then, in an instant—
Ryouma was in front of him.
And before Tokinada could react—
CRACK.
A fist slammed into his gut, folding him like a cheap chair.
Tokinada's eyes bulged as he felt his lungs collapse into his ribs.
But—no damage.
His body was intact.
His ribs weren't shattered.
His lungs were fine.
But the pain?
The unrelenting, searing pain still remained.
Tokinada let out a hoarse laugh. Ryouma was using his Fullbring. By making sure the man took no real damage, the pain, however, remained. It was a twisted way to use it—breaking someone mentally without actually hurting their body.
BAM!
Another punch—
This time to his jaw, sending him sprawling across the room.
Tokinada coughed violently, tasting blood that wasn't there.
Yet despite everything—
Despite the unbearable agony—
He laughed.
A manic, breathless cackle.
"Yes... that's it. More. Give me more!"
Ryouma ground his heel into Tokinada's chest.
Tokinada merely grinned up at him, eyes gleaming with sick amusement.
"Go on, keep going! You think this changes anything? You think your king is going to win?"
Ryouma's voice was ice cold.
He wanted to kill this man so badly, yet he remembered Gabriel's words.
"Trust me, Soul Society will hand him over to you themselves."
Those were his words, and so far, Gabriel had kept all of his promises. But first—
Ryouma had his troops—mostly Fullbringers—air this bitch out. So a lot of nobles died that day. Their sacrifice would be remembered... mostly. Maybe.
Anyway, the man slit Tokinada's throat while using his power to give the man the impression that he was choking on his own blood when he was, in fact, fine.
Also cut his tendons too. You know, just in case. Can never be too safe.