"Everyone, huh? Well, I'm part of 'everyone,' so I get a share too, right?"
Urahara Kisuke grinned and reached for the lunchbox Shihouin Yoruichi had offered to Ran En. But halfway there, his hand froze mid-air.
Yoruichi was giving him a look.
That look said: Touch it, and I'll cut it off.
"…So by 'everyone,' you meant Ran En."
Urahara slowly withdrew his hand with a sheepish smile. No spiritual meal was worth losing the hands that could craft a Hōgyoku.
"Thanks."
Ran En glanced sideways at Yoruichi, who kept sneaking glances at him. But every time their eyes met, she turned her gaze away.
The corner of his mouth curled faintly as he opened the bento.
Eggs, beef slices, purple sweet potatoes, and a carton of milkseemingly simple, but unmistakably high-quality spirit food.
Each bite was saturated with dense spiritual energystandard nourishment for nobles. Over time, it would significantly strengthen Reiatsu.
"Not bad," he said casually.
Yoruichi glanced over, trying to appear indifferent. "Yeah? It's decent?"
"For the food, I'd give it ninety-seven points," Ran En said as he took a bite of the egg. "The remaining three points… are for the heart behind it."
"Hmph! Of course!" Yoruichi turned away with a flick of her ponytail. "You don't even know who cooked it."
"I made too much recently, that's all. I'll bring extra next time… if it doesn't go to waste."
She raised her chin, facing away so Ran En wouldn't see the pleased smile spreading on her lips.
Meanwhile
"Student Urahara, if you haven't had breakfast yet, I have plenty."
Aizen's warm voice rang out.
He walked to the door and pulled it open. Outside, stacked in tidy rows, were what looked like hundreds of neatly packaged spirit food bentos.
Every student's eyes widened.
Urahara Kisuke gawked. "A mountain of bentos?!"
Shiba Kaien whistled. "If there were a popularity ranking at Spiritual Arts Academy, you and your brother would rule both the talent and fan polls."
"You could too," Tenbei said, admiringly. "Just show your Shikai to everyone like Aizen did."
"Not a chance," Kaien laughed, waving it off. "Uncle Isshin would kill me."
Zanpakutō abilities were sacred and secret, especially among noble families. Revealing them openly wasn't just frowned uponit was dangerous.
Still…
"What're you all waiting for?" Aizen smiled, beckoning. "Take one. They're better hot."
The tension eased instantly. Even students who had already eaten wandered up sheepishly to grab a box. Urahara went first, followed by Tousen, Komamura, Kaien…
Even Byakuya Kuchikistoic, proud, and usually aloofeventually picked one up.
They chatted while they ate.
Noble and commoner alike, sitting together, sharing food, talking freely.
Just days ago, most students barely nodded at each other. Now, conversations flowed as easily as their laughter.
Still, as the last bites were swallowed, one question began to buzz.
"…Where's Teacher Yixin?"
"He's never late."
"Strange."
The bell rang.
Still no sign of Shiba Isshin. Or Jūshirō Ukitake.
As Yoruichi stood to investigate, the dojo door creaked open.
A man stepped in wearing a long-sleeved haori, golden blond hair tied back, a laid-back grin on his face.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting."
"My name's Hirako Shinji. I'll be your substitute teacher today."
"Captain Isshin caught a little something and couldn't make it, so I'm here to give you a proper lesson in what it means to walk the way of the sword."
Everyone exchanged looks.
A substitute… for the substitute?
Is the faculty that short-staffed?
Still smiling, Hirako strode to the center of the hall. "To make things more exciting, I'll need a volunteer."
He scanned the room.
Then pointed straight at Aizen.
"You there. The cool guy with the glasses. I heard you helped everyone understand Dao Zen by showing them your Shikai."
"Well, what better person to help me demonstrate today?"
Ran En's eyes narrowed slightly.
He's here for Aizen.
It wasn't a questionit was a certainty.
In the original timeline, even when Aizen kept his abilities hidden, Hirako still found him suspicious.
Now that Aizen was out in the open?
Of course Hirako would act.
"Of course, Teacher. I'd be honored."
Aizen adjusted his glasses slightly, his voice calm and smooth as ever. But behind his lens, a faint glint of ice flickered in his eyes.
Hirako's grin widened.
"What is swordsmanship, you ask? To me, it's simple."
"One horizontal… one vertical."
"I'm standing. You're on the floor. That is the way of the sword."
The class laughed.
But Shinji's eyes never left Aizen.
"Now, Aizen, I want you to take this seriously. Don't hold back."
"Treat me like a real enemy. Come with the intent to kill."
"Because once I draw my sword" He placed a hand on his hilt "I don't always stop myself in time."
clang!
Before anyone could react, Shinji's Zanpakutō was already half-drawn.
A flicker of silver light danced across the floor like lightning.
Then
A razor-sharp gleam cut through the air, speeding straight toward Aizen's throat.