Upon hearing those words, Arima Shinya couldn't help but feel a shrill alarm ring inside his mind.
What had to happen had finally arrived.
Aizen was not satisfied with the status quo — and had begun moving the pieces of a hundred-year game, carefully prepared for his rebellion.
A sequence of events would follow: the infection of Kurosaki Masaki, the expulsion of the Masked Squad, the changes within the Soul Society…
These crucial points began to emerge clearly in his mind — and in comparison, the purpose of his own visit now seemed almost insignificant.
So, what would his answer be?
To desert the Soul Society and, like a serpent, begin a hibernation that would last an entire century?
With just over forty years of life accumulated until then, the pressure of such a sudden decision indeed made him nervous.
It wasn't that he didn't want to accept.
But, considering the seriousness and prudence the moment demanded, he knew that this would be the correct way to respond to such an important invitation.
Just as Arima Shinya was about to speak, Aizen paused and then displayed a gentle smile.
"Ah, sorry… I don't think I've talked about these things with you yet, Shinya-kun."
Aizen murmured calmly, retracting his right hand and standing up naturally.
"Saying something so disjointed must sound strange to anyone… Heh, it seems I got carried away in my haste."
Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Aizen walked around and stopped beside Arima Shinya.
"Shinya-kun, do you have a moment to take a walk with me?"
Although the night class schedule was approaching, at this point there was no way to refuse.
"Let's go."
The two walked side by side down the long corridor leading to the school buildings, until they reached the convenience store on the first floor.
It was late afternoon.
The place had been closed for some time, and no students usually wandered around there… It wasn't completely isolated, but definitely a remote corner.
Arima Shinya looked at Aizen's back, listening to him speak in a low, reflective tone.
"Although it seems like a lot has happened, if we think about it, in total, it hasn't been more than a little over a month… Shinya-kun, this time really makes one reflect."
Indeed, that seemed to be the case.
Recalling from the start of the semester to the present moment, it really had been a short period.
A little over a month.
For a shinigami whose life spans centuries, that was like the blink of an eye…
Under normal circumstances, no one would bother to reflect on something so trivial.
"But it is precisely because it was such a short period that I am truly impressed with your progress."
Aizen, at some point, had turned to face him. His eyes glimmered with an enigmatic light.
"When you entered the academy, you stood out only in kenjutsu."
"But in less than two weeks, you had already earned the right to receive an asauchi, and used refined hakuda techniques to defeat Vice-Captain Ōmaeda, becoming known throughout the Spiritual Arts Academy."
"After that, you even mastered your initial release and managed to injure a captain in a direct confrontation."
"Frankly…"
"How does one even describe the magnitude of your achievement in this past month, Shinya-kun?"
Although it was true that all of that had really happened, hearing Aizen say it in this way… sounded more like a trap disguised as praise.
"So, Professor Aizen, encountering Kiganjō Kenpachi that day… was that your doing?"
"In part, yes."
Aizen replied frankly.
"I knew that members of the Eleventh Division were having fun around here. Considering their nature, a conflict was only a matter of time."
And then?
"I just wanted to observe your temperament and, through that confrontation, evaluate your growth even further."
Arima Shinya remained silent for a moment.
"Professor Aizen… is this something you say so casually?"
After all, he had almost lost his life in that episode.
"Shinya-kun, do you think I was too cruel?"
That was obvious — he wanted to say, but the slight smile forming on the man's lips made him swallow his words.
That cynical expression.
It was a sign that Aizen, without a doubt, had much larger plans in mind.
"Young people are always like this… Shinya-kun, do you know the mortality rate among academy graduates who enter the Gotei 13?"
I don't even know where the end of the universe is, how could I know that?
"It's one in four, Shinya-kun."
Aizen spoke calmly, hands on his knees, almost enjoying the role of a mentor.
"Many are devoured by Hollows, injured beyond recovery. There are also those who fail their missions and are secretly executed."
"And that's not even counting those eliminated for low grades, or those who suffer accidents during their internship… From enrollment to the moment they pass all trials and become true shinigami — few, very few survive."
"Shinya-kun, what I told you that day was not just a speech. It was sincere words, spoken from the heart."
"For those who do not master the spiritual arts, it's better to face one's weakness early and live in peace, rather than die at the hands of an enemy."
"That… is compassion."
The same words, but in a completely different context.
In that moment, the impact was much deeper.
Thinking about it, the original manga had never shown the harsh reality of the lower-ranked soldiers.
After all, Ichigo went through enemies as if cutting butter — there was rarely anything he couldn't overcome.
At least now, Arima Shinya was learning a bit more about the true world of shinigami.
"But, speaking on a personal level, indeed, what I did to you was too cruel."
"And, for that reason, I must apologize. I'm sorry, Shinya-kun."
Simple, direct, and without beating around the bush — that was Aizen's sincerity at that moment.
"…"
Perfect defense.
Faced with such disconcerting courtesy, what could he say?
Twice, Aizen had brought him to the brink of death. Anyone would find that unforgivable — and yet, the way he did it was… strange.
If he wanted to kill him, he could have done it easily.
But instead, he preferred to act in such an indirect way, almost as if testing him.
"So, Professor Aizen… what exactly do you want?"
After a brief silence, Aizen smiled.
"I want to know the true potential of Shinya-kun. I want to confirm if you can become a truly powerful shinigami."
I…
"And I also hope that Shinya-kun becomes my true companion."
Of course. For Aizen, the ideal was to find someone capable of eliminating all obstacles before him — a journey companion, a seeker of truth with whom he could share the path.
That was his true objective.
"Shinya-kun, I have a plan… Through it, I will make it so that everyone can live under a sky of equality and freedom."
As he said this, Aizen reached into his robe and pulled out a small, translucent, glowing sphere.
"And the origin of everything… lies in this small object."
"...?!!"
What—?!
You just pulled out the Hōgyoku like that, right in front of me?!
And this thing is already complete at this point? So, how far has your plan already advanced?!
Damn, so many questions!
Even surprised, Arima Shinya decided it was best to listen until the end.
Aizen calmly placed the orb back into his inner pocket and let out a slight sigh.
In a grave and deep tone, he continued:
"It's a long story, Shinya-kun."
"Have you ever thought that, in this world we live in…"
"There may exist an entity with its own consciousness, which, merely by the strength of its will, can move the entire universe?"
"Yes, this is the truth about the world we live in… We exist under the gaze of another. We are bacteria on a petri dish — mere materials of an experiment."
"We…"
"Are chained prisoners."
(End of Chapter)
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