"What... did you say?" Ichigo subconsciously used his catchphrase.
Seeing his utter shock, Aizen's twisted sense of humor seemed satisfied, and his smile widened.
"First, I am not joking."
"Shigū-kun spends his days with you. With his powers of observation and intellect, he must also have some understanding of your situation. Furthermore, the teachers at the Academy are not incompetent, yet they have not offered any useful advice. Clearly... they see your situation as hopeless."
"Kurosaki-kun, your Reiatsu is too strong. So strong that it's uncontrollable. That's why you can't limit its power when using Kido, resulting in 'self-destruction'."
"Of course, I have a way to prevent that from happening. But in doing so, we would encounter another problem."
"What problem?" Ichigo pressed.
"It's still because the power is too strong, right?" Takeru reacted instantly, guessing the answer.
"Yes."
Aizen adjusted his glasses, first confirming Takeru's judgment, then slowly explained:
"Even if you could successfully cast Kido, the fact that your Reiatsu is uncontrollably strong would not have changed."
"Think about it. Imagine a scene where you intend to use 'Hadō #1: Shō' to knock a sword from your enemy's hand... but instead, you vaporize the sword, the arm, and half their body."
"..."
Ichigo seemed to picture the scene. His expression, which had been a bit resentful, became much heavier. It was clear he was averse to uncontrollable violence.
If that kind of tragic situation was inevitable, he would rather give up Kido and fight only with the sword in his hand.
"However, to look at it another way, 「Kaidō」 might not be a bad choice," Aizen suddenly changed the subject.
"Eh? 'Kaidō'?"
Ichigo's brain almost couldn't keep up.
Takeru, however, easily followed Aizen's train of thought.
"Teacher means that since the destructive power of your Kido is uncontrollable, you might as well specialize in 'Kaidō' (Healing Kido)."
"For healing-based arts, the stronger the performance, the better. Not only can you heal yourself at any time in battle, but you can also save your teammates in a pinch. It can be considered a suitable outlet for that powerful, displaced Reiatsu of yours."
"Shigū-kun has expressed my thoughts exactly." Aizen nodded with pleasure.
"Although you'd be abandoning offensive Kido, your Zanpakuto, Zanjutsu, and Hakuda are more than sufficient. Adding in 'Kaidō' that can be activated without incantations... you would be, in your own way, a complete offensive and defensive package."
"Even if your opponent's strength far exceeds yours, it would take them considerable effort to defeat you. It's a rather troublesome combat style."
You can say that again.
As far as he knew, there was currently only one Shinigami in the Soul Society who could cut people down while healing herself, Takeru thought.
"I get the logic, but from what I know, 'Kaidō' is really hard to learn..." Ichigo hesitated.
The Academy had a "Kaidō" course, but it was extremely difficult. Plus, since it was a healing art, it was widely considered useless in a fight, so it had become an unpopular elective.
"I understand your concern, but it is unnecessary. You may not have noticed, but you are exceptionally talented in spiritual power control."
"Otherwise, by all rights, your Reiatsu should have spun so out of control that it would have needed to be sealed. The fact that you can still stand here proves that your power is still within your grasp. With sufficient training, you can absolutely learn to wield it with more finesse."
"If this were not the case, I would not be confident in helping you. Under those circumstances, all experience and skill would be useless."
Aizen's words gave Ichigo a huge boost of confidence.
"I understand! 'Kaidō,' right? I'll definitely master it!"
"Then, I will now teach you some practical Kido techniques. Coupled with the Kido Recovery Room to increase efficiency, Kurosaki-kun's problem will soon be solved."
"Next, after you've mastered the foundational 'Kaidō' courses at the Academy and gotten the basics down, I will recommend you to the 4th Division's General Relief Station to gain experience. As for Shigū-kun..."
Aizen looked at Takeru, who had been relatively quiet, with a kind and sincere smile.
"As the new student with the best scores in the Academy's history, I doubt there is much that can stump you."
"But witnessing and guiding the growth of the next generation is my mission, both as a Gotei 13 Captain and as an Academy instructor. So, whether it is Kido or anything else, as long as you are willing, you can come to me for guidance at any time."
"Really?"
Takeru was a bit surprised. This attitude is almost... too good. Is he trying to recruit me into his grand rebellion?
"Of course. I sincerely look forward to seeing you go far on the path of a Shinigami."
Aizen's forthright words left Takeru unable to guess his true motives.
But he didn't care.
Just as he had told Rindo Itaru, thoughts weren't important. Actions were.
"Then... I will be in your care, Teacher."
Takeru bowed deeply and formally.
Ichigo, seeing this, remembered how much Aizen had helped him and quickly straightened his posture, bowing as well.
...
In a flash, night had fallen.
Aizen personally walked the two to the barracks exit, watching their young figures fade into the distance before returning to his room.
Under the eaves outside his door, a slender, thin figure leaned against a pillar, hidden in the shadows where the moonlight could not reach.
"My, my. To think you'd actually spend the whole day training those two kids. Are you plannin' to find me and Kaname some new colleagues, Captain Aizen? They're smart kids, but they don't seem like they'll be useful anytime soon."
"Are you saying I'm wasting my time, Gin?"
"I didn't say that~ Captain Aizen has his reasons, I'm sure. But it just feels a little different from your usual style, Captain. So I was just a little curious."
The figure in the shadows spread his hands. His seemingly frivolous tone carried no emotion, like a snake or a fox—always appearing cold, always looking cunning.
"My 'usual style'... It seems you've been observing me very carefully, Gin."
Aizen's smile was playful.
"A good subordinate has to know his boss's preferences, y'know~"
"Then you should try to be a little more attentive."
"..."
Ichimaru Gin paused.
"If you truly understood me, you would remember what I once said—a development that is not part of the plan can also be called a harvest that surpasses the plan."
Aizen looked up, his indifferent gaze fixed on the moon. The pale moonlight was blocked by his thin lenses, but the dark clouds in the sky mirrored the thoughts swirling in his eyes.
"The dead Kurosaki Ichigo... and, appearing without warning, a boy with no less potential than his. I can feel the pull of destiny."
"But I must admit, this 'joke' is far more interesting than this disappointing world. It's so amusing it makes me want to do something. If you say my style is different from usual, that is likely the reason."
"..."
Ichimaru Gin frowned. He didn't understand Aizen's words. Even as a genius, he couldn't comprehend Aizen's current mood.
This was inevitable.
The one who leaves his companions behind to walk forward alone is destined to never empathize with the one who was alone from the very start.
He could not understand the latter's surprise upon meeting a similar soul.
He could not understand the feeling of, through an unintentional act of his own, having given that soul a companion to walk with, thereby saving him from walking the path alone.
-------
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