Seeing Akira Kisaragi's disappointed look, Sosuke Aizen tilted his head, puzzled. Why would a first-year care about those places? But since Akira dropped it, Aizen didn't push.
Now that he was a student at the Shinō Academy, he'd glimpsed secrets he'd never seen before—details about the Soul Society's hierarchy, the whole world's power structure.
It didn't add up.
Why would Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the Captain-Commander with unmatched strength, bow to those so-called nobles? And why were those nobles such nauseating creeps?
Then there was the Central 46, the Soul Society's highest court—what role did they play in this mess?
He'd figure it out. Bit by bit, until nothing in this world stayed hidden.
Academy life gave Akira a taste of his old days. In his downtime, he flexed his shrine master skills—exorcising spirits for cute girls, hyping up the Bonebreaker Temple's name. Pure, innocent student friendships? Nothing beat 'em.
Man, what a time to be alive!
Well, mostly. After years of sleeping in at the temple, his body clock was a wreck. The 7 a.m. morning bell hit him like a sledgehammer, leaving him in a groggy haze.
Trapped again. Freedom gone.
Words like that churned in his head as Aizen—freshly washed up—knocked on his door, calling him to class.
"Is this what life is?" Akira groaned, dragging himself out of bed like a wounded animal, fumbling into his blue-and-white uniform.
He opened the door to Aizen's familiar, gentle smile.
For some reason, this guy had latched onto him since day one, sticking close like glue. So much for laying low and grinding.
At least Aizen wasn't annoying. Honestly, this nice-guy version of him was prime friend material.
"You should fix yourself up," Aizen said kindly as they walked to class.
Hanging with Akira had taught him something: human limits could stretch way further than he'd thought without being off-putting. Was that a natural gift?
"Morning's with Instructor Nobutsume. He hates sloppy students."
After a few weeks, Aizen had every teacher's quirks down pat, always nudging his careless buddy straight.
Akira nodded, half-dead. "Nobutsume, huh? Great, more bragging about his family's cash. What a jerk—living off Rukongai blood and acting like it's nothing."
Aizen glanced over, thoughtful. "Akira, you hate nobles?"
"Nah, I hate that I'm not one," Akira said, slinging an arm around Aizen with a grin. "Slay the dragon, become the dragon, right?"
Aizen's eyes flickered. Something to chew on.
In the classroom, Nobutsume Omaeda—a hulking, stern figure—stood at the podium, his piercing gaze sweeping over every student filing in.
This wasn't the fat, retired Omaeda from later years. Right now, he was elite—master of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kido. His hand-to-hand skills? Top-tier, which was why he moonlighted as the academy's Hakuda instructor.
Once everyone was seated, he clasped his hands, his serious face turning grim.
"Before we start, a heads-up. You're the entrance exam elites, and you've come a long way. After this class, specialists will test your Hakuda skills."
No time for questions—he launched into the lesson.
Akira actually paid attention. This stuff mattered for his future, especially with his sign-in rewards sucking lately. Self-reliance was the move.
Aizen, usually the model student, seemed distracted—until Akira waved a hand in his face.
"Thanks, Akira," Aizen said, snapping back with an odd look.
"Huh?" Akira blinked.
Aizen smiled. "Just figured something out."
Then, a familiar ping hit Akira's ears.
[Sosuke Aizen's trust level met. Sign-in condition achieved.]
[Character Sign-In: Sosuke Aizen]
[Reward: 1,000 Reiatsu points. Reiatsu level increased. Current level: Lv. 20]
[Unique Trait Unlocked: Heart of a God]
[Heart of a God: Supreme arrogance—you see yourself as a true deity. Learning speed for all skills maxed out to your current level!]
Akira sucked in a breath. His face twisted from shock to glee in under a tenth of a second—a performance so wild even Aizen blinked.
He'd thought location sign-ins were king, but this? This was nuts.
Hanging with Aizen had always made him feel like a scrub. Now, Heart of a God cranked his senses to eleven. The world burst into color—geniuses didn't just see differently; they lived in a whole other reality.
While he grinned like an idiot, Nobutsume wrapped up.
"That's it for today. Now, your test."
His hawk-like eyes scanned the room, cowing the students into silence. Some ducked their heads, avoiding that glare.
Then he spotted Akira, lost in his own head, and frowned.
He knew this kid—shrine master from Bonebreaker Temple. Decent talent, mid-to-high in Class 1-A, but a loose cannon. Always pulling stunts: sassing teachers, "exorcising" girls, plugging his temple like a salesman.
Nobutsume's stare hardened. Better not screw up this test, punk, or I'll teach you some respect.
As that thought crossed his mind, a shadow loomed outside. With a sharp crash, glass shards sprayed across the podium.
A bold, cocky laugh followed: "Ready for a miserable fate, newbies?"
A dark-skinned girl with a purple ponytail stood there, arms crossed, grinning wide—her white teeth glinting in the sunlight.
"Next up…"
"I'm Yoruichi Shihoin, your Hakuda examiner!"