Following Tousen Kaname,
Arima Shinya trailed behind discreetly, sneaking out of the Shin'ō Spiritual Academy.
"So, where are we headed?"
"A place both you and I know very well… the District of the Destitute."
Ah, indeed.
It felt like they were returning home.
But, upon reflection, leaving Seireitei wasn't exactly easy.
After all, at night, there were constant patrols from the Division squads, and the main gates were closely guarded…
Without special authorization, not even a properly registered shinigami was allowed to freely enter and exit.
But Tousen Kaname certainly didn't ignore these rules, right?
"Don't worry. Lord Aizen has already arranged a specific route for us to exit the city."
"By following the designated path, we can avoid the patrols. There will be people waiting at the East Gate. Soon, we will reach the outside world safely."
Understood.
As expected of Professor Aizen — meticulous as always.
About an hour later, Arima Shinya finally saw Aizen again, near the edge of the East Gate.
He hadn't changed much since three days ago, except for the armband on his left arm — the symbol of a vice-captain.
"Oh, that suits him… exactly like his appearance a hundred years ago in the original!"
There was no denying it: the strength of history followed its course, inevitable.
Arima Shinya thought he might have arrived a little too early in this temporal period, but in reality, his presence made no difference.
When it came to a hundred-year plan, a deviation of just one month was insignificant.
"Shinya-kun, you've finally arrived."
Aizen's smile remained the same as always — calm, unwavering, evoking a strange mixture of respect and suspicion.
"Yes, Aizen-sen… no, Lord Aizen. It's been a while since we last met."
The old habit from academy days slipped out reflexively, leaving him slightly embarrassed.
Fortunately, Aizen merely offered a small smile and rested his hand on Shinya's shoulder.
"Just a title — no need to worry about such trivial formalities."
Turning, his gaze quickly passed over Tousen, before continuing:
"Well, we shouldn't waste time. Let's prepare to depart."
Shinya still wondered how exactly they would leave, but soon understood.
With Aizen's power, there was no place in this world he could not enter — or exit.
The three of them passed unnoticed past the drunken guards, slipping out through a side gate.
Kyōka Suigetsu proved its usefulness in moments like these.
No elaborate disguises were needed; simply following Aizen's steps allowed them to traverse Seireitei freely.
No traces. No risks.
Truly convenient.
Once outside the city, Aizen began explaining the next plan.
"We need to strengthen our abilities and secure positions within the Thirteen Protective Divisions."
"Only then can we obtain firsthand information and, when necessary, manipulate the Divisions' will through our own methods."
"That is why I want both of you — Shinya and Tousen — to become captains."
To achieve this goal, individual strengthening was indispensable.
"From this point forward, I will initiate a more rigorous training with both of you."
"The methods may seem somewhat brutal, as they are far from academic… so prepare yourselves mentally."
Aizen adjusted his glasses calmly, as if merely stating an absolute truth.
"After all, this is the first step toward true strength. Gentlemen, I hope you are fully prepared."
There he was.
Even having anticipated something like this, hearing those words made Shinya's blood boil.
Before, he had only been "interning."
Now, he would finally receive direct instruction from Aizen — the true private training.
This was a real privilege.
⸻
Two hours of intense training left him exhausted.
As Aizen had said, the regimen went far beyond the academy's standards.
"The true essence of kenjutsu lies in the harmony between offense and defense. The skill of the Zanpakutō is important, but technical fundamentals often decide the outcome."
"Hand-to-hand combat requires total mastery of the body. Control your breathing, your steps. This is the foundation of everything."
"As for Shunpo, it is essentially a technique of manipulating spiritual pressure. The Shihōin clan preserves the entire historical legacy of this method."
"And Kidō follows the same logic. Each spell is constructed precisely — the incantation exists to shape and stabilize the spiritual structure, allowing the spell to reach its maximum potency."
These four fundamentals were Aizen's main focus.
And this aligned perfectly with the image Shinya had of him — someone at the top, observing even more distant horizons.
Surpassing shinigami. Reaching beyond.
Returning to training:
Tousen endured only up to the hand-to-hand combat phase before being knocked down and forced to rest.
Only Arima Shinya persisted to the end.
After all, these were his strong points.
But that didn't mean he was "doing well."
Now, in the final test, he gritted his teeth, squeezing every last drop of reiryoku within him.
"Oh sovereign! Mask of flesh and blood, ten thousand—"
Before he could finish the chant, Aizen appeared by his side and, with a quick and precise motion, delivered a direct kick to his waist.
Thud!
The impact was brutal — enough to make him spit up his stomach.
Shinya flew over ten meters, rolling across the ground before managing to stand, trembling.
"Your mastery of Kidō is indeed improving, but never forget: every technique exists for combat."
"Sometimes, the incantation is merely a burden. In real battle, learn to shorten it or eliminate it entirely."
"This is one of the challenges of a true shinigami."
Shinya wiped the acidic saliva from the corner of his mouth, making a resigned grimace.
Seriously?
First day and already an insane workout like this… If it weren't for my preparation, I'd be dead right here.
Aizen, however, maintained his serene tone:
"But I must admit, Shinya, you were admirable. Persisting to this point is already proof of your strength."
"Excellent."
"I expected nothing less from my student. If you couldn't even achieve this, I would be disappointed."
So that's it: beat you, but then praise you.
As ironic as it was, Shinya preferred this to a cold lecture.
"Hah… thank you for the praise."
Aizen sheathed his sword, his gaze moving between the staggering Shinya and the exhausted Tousen, fallen on his back.
Then, with that familiar smile, he concluded:
"Very well. That's it for today."
"Engrain everything you've learned in your minds and strive to apply it in every battle."
Shinya helped Tousen to his feet, both panting, responding:
"Understood!"
Aizen nodded, satisfied.
"Excellent. Then, in the remaining time, we will clean up part of the chaos in the District of the Destitute. And, while at it… we'll make some necessary preparations for the future."
(End of Chapter)
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