Aizen Sōsuke and Ichimaru Gin watched silently as the surveillance feed replayed the chaos within the training grounds. For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.
Eventually, Gin broke the silence.
"Captain Aizen… this Tachikawa Shin… hasn't he already exceeded your expectations?"
With just one strike, he'd effortlessly felled a Gillian-class Menos.
They hadn't been present on the field, so they couldn't feel the weight behind that slash. On-screen, it had looked like nothing but a clean arc of sword pressure—a cut that seemed almost routine.
But that kind of power… was far beyond the realm of what a student at the Shino Academy should possess.
Aizen murmured, thoughtful, "He really was hit by it, wasn't he?"
He referred to when Shin had been swatted into the ground by the Menos. Judging by where he'd reappeared, it was clear he hadn't dodged.
Yet when he stood again… there hadn't been a scratch on him. Not a torn seam. Not even a wrinkle.
What, had he taken the time to fix his outfit afterward?
Gin narrowed his eyes to slits. "Could it be his Zanpakutō's ability? You think he's been hiding its true nature?"
Aizen said nothing.
Gin chuckled. "So, Captain… what now?"
According to their original plan, they were meant to step in during a "crisis moment"—conveniently saving the students, winning their trust, and gathering intel on promising recruits.
But clearly… there was no need for any of that.
Aizen stared at Shin's figure on the screen. A beat passed—then he smiled faintly.
"Gin… isn't a surprise like this the true delight?"
Just then, a group of Shinigami burst into the room, horrified by the corpses strewn across the floor.
"What the hell happened?!"
"Anyone still alive?!"
They began examining the area—but not one of them noticed Aizen or Gin standing right there, as if the two weren't even present.
"We're leaving, Gin."
Aizen turned calmly and walked straight through the crowd of Shinigami—utterly invisible.
Inside the Barrier.
With the Gillian and the oversized Hollow both eliminated, only the low-level training Hollows remained.
The students had gathered together, rattled but intact. Upperclassmen stood guard around them.
Shin took a slow sip of water. His Denreishinki buzzed in his sleeve.
He answered it.
"This is the Barrier Corps. What's your status? Any irregularities?"
"Situation's stable for now," Shin replied. "We encountered a Menos. Training needs to be aborted. Send a recovery team."
A pause.
"Repeat that?"
"We encountered a Gillian-class Menos. Requesting extraction."
Another pause.
"Rescue team's en route. Any casualties?"
"None."
"And the Menos?"
"Dead."
Shin's tone was calm and level. He knew they'd grill him again when the team arrived, so he wasn't in a rush to elaborate.
He lowered the communicator and scanned the field.
If contact was restored, the curtain was falling on this act. Aizen hadn't appeared.
Hinamori approached him—her steps hesitant, eyes still wide.
"President…"
"What is it?"
"You're really okay?" she asked softly.
"What do you think happened to me?"
"I saw you get hit… by that Menos…"
To save Kesa, he'd taken the blow directly.
Shin smiled. "I'm fine. Don't worry."
But he wasn't the only one being watched. The other students were staring too. Looking. Whispering.
Shin turned to face them and spoke evenly.
"We ran into a few Hollows above training level. No one was harmed. The rescue team's coming. Everything's under control."
A few Hollows above training level.
That was all he said. But everyone had seen it with their own eyes—a Gillian.
An entity marked in academy texts with Extreme Danger. Hollows like that were meant to be fought only by ranked seated officers—and only the upper seats at that.
And yet… this man had cleaved one apart in a single swing.
They'd always known the Student Council President was strong. But this strong?
Without him, most of them would've died.
"President, you saved us all," Kira said quietly.
Shin replied, "I was the squad leader. It's my responsibility."
The rescue squad arrived quickly—led, unsurprisingly, by Captain Aizen Sōsuke of the Fifth Division.
Aizen was the face of trust—always calm, always kind, always ready to help.
"What's the situation? Are we too late?" he asked as soon as he saw Shin.
Shin, maintaining the façade, replied, "All's well. No major issues."
Aizen breathed a relieved sigh. "That's good. Can you walk me through what happened?"
Don't you already know? Shin thought, amused.
But he didn't show it. He recounted the incident, from the first unusual Hollow to the arrival of the Gillian and everything in between.
Gin stood behind Aizen, watching silently, expression unreadable.
Aizen, feigning astonishment, said, "You killed a Gillian?"
"By sheer luck."
"There's no such thing as that kind of luck," Aizen chuckled. "Tachikawa-kun, you're full of surprises. It's a shame your Zanpakutō's from the Kaidō branch. Otherwise, I'd try to steal you for the Fifth."
"You flatter me, Captain Aizen," Shin said modestly. "But… about the Barrier Corps. There was a point we completely lost contact. Any idea what happened?"
Aizen's expression turned grave. "Still under investigation. We'll let you know when we find out."
"Understood."
Shin figured the entire Barrier Corps was probably dead. Whatever story got released later would be fiction.
He couldn't stop that.
At the end, Aizen stepped forward and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Tachikawa-kun… you're quite impressive."
Shin didn't look at him. There was nothing to see. Aizen would be wearing that usual gentle smile—calm, humble, unreadable.
The Captain went on to praise Hisagi, Kesa, Hinamori, Kira, and Renji for standing strong and protecting others during the crisis.
They said nothing.
They all knew—it had been Shin, and Shin alone.
The rescue squad began cleaning up the last of the Hollows and tending to the wounded.
Kesa kept feeling someone watching her. She looked up—Shin.
He gave her a faint smile.
She thought of the moment he'd thrown her out of harm's way—how it had felt to be saved, like that.
The training was officially terminated on the first day.
The students were returned to the Academy. The wounded were taken to Fourth Division.
Only once back in Soul Society did everyone truly relax.
For many, the day felt like a dream. The kind that starts thrilling… then turns to nightmare.
Shin didn't get to rest.
After giving his report to the Fifth Division, he was summoned to the Headmaster's Office.
Despite the late hour, Principal Shūsō Sasabune had rushed to campus in a cold sweat the moment he heard.
The entire Academy leadership was already aware.
"Shin… truly, we owe you everything," Sasabune said sincerely. "If not for you, none of those students would've survived."
It didn't matter who was responsible—the point was, lives had been on the line.
And they had all been Class A students—the best Soul Society had to offer.
"I was only doing what I should."
It was a line Shin had repeated several times that night. He genuinely hadn't wanted anyone to die under his watch.
Among the first-years were several Student Council members. And among the upperclassmen, people he'd fought beside.
Sasabune looked at him with a mix of admiration and unease.
This boy—he was unlike any student he'd ever seen. The Academy had raised geniuses before. It had seen wild, unruly talents too.
But rarely both, in one man.
Thank the heavens… he was a decent person.
Sasabune walked over and patted his shoulder.
"You saved everyone. In a few days, we'll hold a commendation ceremony in your honor."
"Please don't," Shin replied instantly. "I hate that kind of thing."
The Headmaster laughed. "Then what reward would you like?"
Shin thought. "Nothing comes to mind. Let's say… you owe me."
"Owe you?" Sasabune blinked. "You're asking the Academy to be in your debt?"
"You're the one who offered," Shin grinned.
Sasabune was speechless for a second—then chuckled. "Didn't you just say you were doing what you should?"
"What I do is my business. What the school does… is yours."
Sasabune couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing.
"Alright. We owe you."
After leaving the office, Shin didn't head back to the dorms.
Instead, he stopped by the Student Council room. Sat down. Let everything go.
His head throbbed—blank and buzzing. Slaying the Menos had been easy, but he'd been on high alert all day.
The door creaked open.
Kesa entered.
"You?" Shin blinked. "Shouldn't you be back in the dorms?"
Kesa bit her lip. "I was walking back and saw the light. Thought maybe you came here…"
She approached, cautiously.
Shin leaned forward, rubbing his temple.
"You're tired?" she asked.
"A little," he sighed.
Then, without warning, she leaned in and gently kissed his forehead.
Her cheeks flushed.
"Does that help?"
Shin blinked in surprise. Then laughed softly.
Where did she pick that up? he wondered. Hinamori, maybe—but Kesa?
She was trying to thank him. She didn't know how. That kiss had just… happened.
He stood and tapped her on the forehead.
"Look, I get it. But really—just being alive is thanks enough."
"…"
"Now go rest. I'm going to bed too."
"…Okay."
Back in the dorms, Hisagi Shūhei was still awake.
"Shin."
"You're still up?" Shin groaned, collapsing into bed. "I'm wiped."
Shūhei said nothing at first, then quietly got up and turned off the lights.
Both lay in silence for a while. Each lost in thought.
"Shin."
"Hm?"
"I've always wondered…"
Shin looked over at his bed.
"How did you get so strong?"
"I'm a genius."
Shūhei chuckled. "Even genius has limits."
"Genius means breaking limits. You look at me with normal eyes—you'll never understand."
"…"
Shūhei exhaled. "Maybe. We started at the same time. Same classes. Same materials. I followed your example—read what you read. Practiced what you practiced. But I can't catch up. Your swordsmanship alone has surpassed Nanda-sensei's. Did you really figure it all out on your own?"
Shin stared at the ceiling. Quiet.
"…Let me tell you a secret."
Shūhei perked up. "What is it?"
"I had a dream. In it, I was a great swordsman—unmatched, unbeatable."
"…"
Shūhei went quiet again. That sounded like a joke. Maybe it was.
Shin knew he didn't believe it. Didn't care.
"…It was a long dream," he murmured to himself.
He thought of his past life.
A dream? Or was this the dream?
"Shin… will I ever catch up to you?"
"…That's not a question for me," Shin said softly. "That's for you to answer."