Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Today was the day Soifon would travel to the Dangai to undergo her Captain's proficiency exam.
The veil of night had not yet lifted. Soifon donned her Shihakushō, strapped her Zanpakutō to her waist, and headed toward the First Division barracks for the assembly.
Her silhouette vanished into the darkness instantly. Even within the Second Division—famed for its mastery of assassination—not a single soul noticed someone quietly slipping out of the barracks.
The Seireitei's military strength was currently depleted. Dispatching four Captains, including the Captain-Commander, to the Dangai for an exam was a high-risk move.
If someone decided to cause trouble during this window, it would be difficult to handle. Consequently, the Captain-Commander had called an emergency meeting and decided to move the exam forward, scheduling it for 4:00 AM while most were still deep in slumber.
Stepping soundlessly across the rooftops of the Seireitei, the scenery blurred in Soifon's vision. With a series of flickering movements, she arrived at the First Division's training grounds.
Whoosh—!
The empty training grounds were silent. As Soifon used Shunpo to enter the space, five other figures appeared in unison.
The Captain-Commander—Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Fourth Division—Unohana Retsu.
Eighth Division—Shunsui Kyōraku.
Thirteenth Division—Jūshirō Ukitake.
And one other Vice-Captain undergoing the selection alongside her...
Fifth Division Vice-Captain—Sōsuke Aizen.
Soifon's gaze swept across the group rapidly. Her eyes didn't linger for a second as they passed over Aizen, finally coming to rest on the Captain-Commander.
The night wind whistled past, tugging at the black Shihakushō and white Haori of the six people present. Everyone stood in silence, waiting for Yamamoto to speak.
"Enough idle talk. This Captain's exam shall be kept brief," the Captain-Commander said, tapping his wooden staff lightly against the ground. "Prepare to depart."
As soon as the words left his lips, Yamamoto turned his gaze toward Unohana Retsu and gave a slight nod.
Understanding the signal, she stepped forward with her usual gentle smile and drew her Zanpakutō.
Unohana Retsu lightly pressed the tip of her blade into the empty air before her, twisting it as if turning a key in a lock. Amidst a flow of spiritual light, an elegant, traditional Japanese sliding wooden door manifested out of thin air.
"The Senkaimon is open, Captain-Commander," Unohana said softly.
Yamamoto said no more. Leaning on his staff, he was the first to step through the shimmering gate, followed closely by the other three Captains.
Sōsuke Aizen offered Soifon a warm, gentle smile, gesturing for her to go first.
Soifon shook her head expressionlessly, signaling for him to proceed instead. Aizen didn't insist further; he nodded and stepped inside.
Walking at the very rear, Soifon caught a fleeting glimpse of Aizen's back from the corner of her eye as she entered the Senkaimon, though she didn't dare stare for long.
If she hadn't known exactly what kind of man he was, she truly would have been deceived by that kindly smile on his face, mistaking him for a genuine 'good guy.'
The condition for Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu Shikai was for the enemy to witness the moment of its release. During this exam, he would undoubtedly use Complete Hypnosis to forge a fake Bankai and bluff his way through.
After traversing the brief, dark passage, the six found themselves within the Dangai. They were surrounded by a deep, light-swallowing darkness and the chaotic 'Kōryū' currents.
Yamamoto looked around at the group and spoke in a heavy voice: "Time is limited; I shall be brief."
"This Captain's exam has been simplified to quickly fill the vacancies in our combat strength and stabilize the Seireitei."
"To preserve our precious fighting force, there will be no combat phase."
After listening, Soifon translated this in her head: 'Hurry up and show your Bankai and a Third-grade Reii or higher so we can finish the paperwork and go home.'
What a pity...
Feeling a trace of regret, Soifon gave an imperceptible shake of her head.
If they had arranged a combat phase between her and Aizen, she would have loved to see him suppress his strength only to be riddled with Hornet's Crests.
Who knows? Maybe her hand would have 'slipped' and triggered a 'Death in Two Steps.'
In any case, with these four 'monsters' watching from the side, the current Shinigami Aizen—no matter how heaven-defying he was—wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble.
"Vice-Captain Soifon, if you don't mind, may I go first? My Zanpakutō does not possess power as formidable as yours; it will be over quickly."
Her daydream ended as Aizen's gentle, magnetic voice rang in her ear.
Rolling her eyes internally, Soifon nodded. "Please, go ahead, Lieutenant Aizen."
"Vice-Captain Soifon, please, watch your tongue," Aizen corrected her with a mild smile. "I have not yet passed the exam."
With that, Aizen bowed slightly to the Captain-Commander and the other Captains. After receiving Yamamoto's approval, he walked slowly to a spot about ten meters away and stood still.
This distance was enough to display his power clearly without being so close that his Bankai's range would be seen as a potential sneak attack. It made him appear very sincere.
He elegantly drew the Zanpakutō at his waist—Kyōka Suigetsu.
"The name of my Bankai is—Kyōka Suigetsu: Sōran Eikyo." (Aizen's on-the-spot fabrication).
"Its ability is not direct attack or defense, but rather the creation of an illusory yet perceptibly real domain of water."
"Opponents caught within it will feel as if they are drowning in the deep sea, experiencing a sense of suffocation and sluggishness as their Reishi circulation is hindered, thereby greatly limiting their movement and combat capability."
"Essentially, it is an auxiliary-type Bankai focused on battlefield control and debuffing."
Soifon nodded along with the others as if she were taking it seriously, though she was entirely unimpressed.
After finishing his explanation, Sōsuke Aizen gripped Kyōka Suigetsu with a reverse hold, pointing the tip toward the ground. He slowly raised his Reiatsu until it reached exactly the level of a Third-grade Reii.
"Then, if you will excuse me." Aizen gripped his sword tightly and called out clearly: "Bankai—Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu: Sōran Eikyo!"
To put it simply: the Bankai was fake, the name after Kyōka Suigetsu was fake, only the Shikai release command was real.
A feeling of drowning suffocation, accompanied by a blue curtain of water, enveloped everyone simultaneously.
However, a slight surge of Reiatsu was all it took to suppress this uncomfortable hallucination.
His control over the intensity is perfect. Typical Aizen,
[Detected: Complete Hypnosis Debuff. Clear it?]
Suddenly, small characters from the system appeared before Soifon's eyes.
[Yes. Clear it.]
While putting on an act of using her Reiatsu to resist the suffocation, Soifon unhesitatingly chose to clear the hypnosis debuff from Kyōka Suigetsu.
The uncomfortable illusion vanished in an instant, and the shimmering curtain of water beside her disappeared without a trace.
Aizen maintained the release of his Reiatsu and the 'Bankai' form for several seconds. Afterward, he slowly withdrew his power, sheathed his sword, and stepped back to his original position with a humble air.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before looking toward Unohana, Kyōraku Shunsui, and Ukitake Jūshirō. "What is your verdict, everyone?"
No one spoke in opposition; everyone raised their hands in a unanimous vote of approval.
"Very well," Yamamoto gave the final word. "Fifth Division Vice-Captain Sōsuke Aizen has passed the exam. Upon returning to the barracks, you shall immediately assume the post of Captain of the Fifth Division."
"My deepest thanks to the Captain-Commander and the other Captains."
Aizen bowed deeply. Despite the darkness of the Dangai, Soifon thought she saw a white glint of reflection off those thick glasses of his.
"Next. Vice-Captain Soifon, it is your turn."
Yamamoto's gaze turned toward her.
It wasn't just the Captain-Commander; the curious gazes of the others were cast upon Soifon as well.
After all, a week ago, the Second Division's training ground had been turned into a massive crater.
They were all extremely curious to see just what kind of Bankai could cause such terrifying destruction.
____
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