Aizen Sōsuke considered whether he should take out the small knife he had just put in his pack, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
Showing hostility before knowing the opponent's strength was an unwise move.
One thing he was certain of, however, was that this Shinigami was stronger than him. He had appeared without Aizen sensing his presence at all.
"Lord Shinigami, the moon is beautiful tonight," Aizen said, revealing a serene smile. "A view like this should be appreciated from a high place, lest it go to waste."
This spot happened to be on relatively high ground; after going down this slope, he could leave Inuzuri District.
"It is indeed beautiful. But..." Sora looked up at the moon, a smile on his lips, then looked down and asked, "why did you cut your hair to admire it?"
"This... this is a custom from my hometown," Aizen began to weave a lie. "It is said that the moonlight is the source of life, so hair, which symbolizes vitality, can only be trimmed at an auspicious time like this, when the moonlight is plentiful."
"Oh? What an interesting legend. I'd love to visit your hometown someday," Sora continued to press, still smiling. "Then why put on the glasses? You were quite adept when cutting your hair just now. Your eyesight seems to have no problem."
A cold sweat broke out on the back of Aizen's neck. This Shinigami had indeed been watching him for a long time! How terrifying!
Aizen blurted out, "I can see things at close and medium distances, but not things farther away. The mountain path is treacherous, and I was afraid of danger on the way down."
The moment he said it, he regretted it. Such a condition did exist, but the glasses he was wearing were non-prescription. If the Shinigami insisted on checking them, he would be exposed!
Fortunately, the man seemed to have no intention of doing so. "It's getting light. The mountain forest is still quite dangerous during the day. You should hurry back. Where do you live, young man? I'll escort you."
There was no way Sora was going to let a good prospect like Aizen go. He took the opportunity to find out where he lived.
"I live in the shanty town in Inuzuri District," Aizen replied. He assumed the Shinigami had followed him from there, so he didn't lie on this point.
Sora knew he was definitely lying; his actions clearly indicated he was trying to leave the district. However, Sora didn't expose him.
"Then let's go. You lead the way. I'm not very familiar with this area. I almost got lost just now." He also wanted Aizen to lead so he could learn the path through the forest and place some "monitoring points."
Aizen, left with no choice, had to lead the man back the way he came.
"Young man, what is your name?"
"Aizen Sōsuke."
"A good name. My name is Katori Sora."
Aizen committed the name to memory. "You praise me too much, Lord Katori. It's just an ordinary name."
"Aizen-kun, you seem a bit nervous."
"It's probably just because I'm too happy to see a real Shinigami. A strong person like yourself is not someone one gets to see often."
"Oh? You can sense that I am strong? It seems you are quite talented, Aizen-kun!"
Aizen's mind flashed to what his friend Katō had said. He, too, had been praised by a "lord." He feared this Shinigami would pull out a "divine sword" at any moment.
"You jest, Lord Katori. I only saw that you are wearing a haori, which is different from an ordinary Shinigami's uniform," Aizen said smoothly.
"So that's it. This haori signifies that I am the master of a dojo. See..." Sora turned to the side, showing Aizen the characters printed on the back.
The back of the haori bore the word "Katori" in a bold, cursive-like script.
"Katori Dojo?" Aizen had never heard of it.
The Katori Dojo had some fame among the Shinigami community, but his knowledge of things related to Shinigami was actually very limited.
Sora smiled. "Yes, the Katori Dojo primarily teaches the way of the sword. But if you want to learn other things, that's possible too. Shunpo, Kidō, even Kaidō, I can teach them all."
"Aizen-kun, are you interested in training at the Katori Dojo? For someone as outstanding as you, it would be a shame to waste your time in a place like this."
Aizen sensed the man's inexplicable enthusiasm and became even more vigilant. He was not one to easily trust others.
Though he was resistant in his heart, a happy expression appeared on his face. "To receive such high regard from you, Lord Katori, I am truly flattered."
He then added with a troubled look, "But my aptitude is dull. I'm afraid I would tarnish the dojo's reputation."
"Aizen-kun, you can't be called dull. I can sense your Spiritual Pressure, you know," Sora said with a slight smile, continuing to probe.
He had a premonition that if he let Aizen go now, he would never find him again. A talent like this, who knew what level he would reach by their next meeting.
He had to act decisively and get him to the dojo first!
Hearing Sora's words, a great shock went through Aizen's heart. The young Aizen finally failed to maintain his composure, and his expression changed slightly.
He thought he had hidden his power perfectly. He had tested it in front of official Shinigami many times before, and none had discovered his hidden Spiritual Pressure.
Yet, this man had seen through him!
It seemed his opponent's level was far beyond his imagination; they were not in the same league at all!
If this man was the one who had given Katō the "divine sword," then he too would not be able to escape the fate of feeding it! A strong sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.
"So tense? It looks like the back of your shirt is getting damp," Sora chuckled.
Aizen was silent for a moment, then said directly, "Lord Katori, were you here looking for me?"
Running was not an option. It was better to feign compliance and look for a chance to escape later.
"Yes, I was. The moment I saw you, I thought, this must be a good prospect for the sword," Sora said with a grin, no longer hiding his intentions. "If you don't come back to the dojo with me, I probably won't be able to sleep tonight!"
He hadn't come for Aizen, but now he had.
"..." Aizen took a deep breath. He couldn't be sure if the man was telling the truth, but since he had said as much, he had no choice but to go with him.
"Lord Katori, it is my honor to receive your guidance."
"Call me 'Professor'."
"Professor." Aizen Sōsuke complied smoothly.
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