The long period of peaceful life was beginning to feel a little dull to Kazuma, so he decided to head down to the Shin'ō Academy and check on the new generation.
After all, quite a few familiar faces were currently enrolled there.
By now, Rukia, Renji Abarai, Momo Hinamori, and Izuru Kira had all successfully entered the Academy.
Rukia, in particular, was the absolute lynchpin of the future timeline, and if Kazuma did not see these recruits with his own eyes, the itch in his heart would remain unscratched.
Kazuma knew this simple visit was not as harmless as it seemed.
Stepping into the Academy could draw Aizen's attention before he was ready, but the thought of seeing those familiar future figures with his own eyes kept scratching at his heart until, in the end, curiosity won.
"Jin'emon, accompany me to the Shin'ō Academy," Kazuma called toward the open door of his office.
A long moment passed without a response.
Kazuma frowned, and just as he was about to call again, a deep, resonant voice spoke from the hallway.
"Captain, have you forgotten? Vice-Captain Jin'emon chose to retire a while ago and you still haven't appointed a new Vice-Captain," Tetsuzaemon Iba said, stepping into the room.
Realization dawned on Kazuma, and he slapped his forehead. "Right! Sorry, Tetsuzaemon, i was so used to having Jin'emon handle the daily paperwork that I completely forgot he left."
He looked up at the ceiling, a trace of genuine contemplation entering his eyes.
"Do you think the longer a man lives, the lonelier he becomes?"
Tetsuzaemon adjusted the collar of his Shihakushō, pausing briefly before he answered.
"Perhaps. But that is also a necessary stage in a warrior's life. I'm still young, so I may not be able to understand that burden yet."
Kazuma nodded, still gazing upward, lost in thought.
After a moment of silence, he stood. "Tetsuzaemon, grab your sword. Accompany me to the Shin'ō Academy, i hear there are some excellent prospects in the advanced class this year! Let's go have a look."
Tetsuzaemon adjusted his sunglasses. "Since the Captain requests it, I am happy to serve as your escort."
The two set off.
Along the way, Kazuma and Tetsuzaemon chatted idly, discussing the history of the Gotei 13 and the shifting politics of the Seireitei.
Before long, they arrived at the sprawling grounds of the Shin'ō Academy.
The campus bustled with activity, with recruits in white and red uniforms hurrying between classrooms and training grounds.
Kazuma and Tetsuzaemon strolled through the courtyards, taking in the vibrant academic atmosphere.
While wandering near the primary lecture halls, Kazuma heard a commotion coming from inside a large classroom.
Curious, he walked in to investigate and found a massive group of students gathered in a tight circle.
The scene intrigued him, so he pulled Tetsuzaemon along to see what was happening.
As the two approached the crowd, Kazuma immediately regretted his decision.
'Why did I have to stick my nose in here? Now this is incredibly awkward.'
The man standing at the center of the adoring students was the one person in the Three Worlds Kazuma least wanted to see today.
Aizen Sōsuke.
Several familiar faces also dotted the crowd.
Shuhei Hisagi stood near the front.
He was already a sixth-year student who had successfully earned an early placement in the Gotei 13, and the conspicuous "69" tattoo on his cheek made him instantly recognizable.
Renji Abarai stood nearby, his striking red hair tied up as he laughed boisterously.
Izuru Kira stood next to him, wearing an irritatingly gloomy expression that forcefully reminded Kazuma of his old friend.
Momo Hinamori stood beside Kira, her large brown eyes shining with adoration as she stared at Aizen.
And then there was the most conspicuous of them all: Rukia.
Her appearance was so identical to Hisana's that it was jarring.
The only difference between the two women was the sharp, resilient look in Rukia's eyes.
Meanwhile, Aizen was chatting amiably with the students, but his brown eyes unconsciously swept toward the entrance.
When he saw Kazuma, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing an almost imperceptible, calculating smile.
Aizen gently pushed his glasses up his nose.
'I've finally gotten the chance to met you. I've been wanting to test this reclusive Seventh Division Captain for decades, and I never expected him to deliver himself directly to my doorstep today.'
The originally lively atmosphere inside the classroom instantly fell silent.
The students looked at Captain Aizen in confusion, wondering why he had suddenly stopped talking and was now staring intently at the doorway.
Driven by curiosity, the crowd followed Aizen's line of sight.
They parted, revealing another man in a white Captain's haori slowly walking into the room.
The sight immediately caused a stir.
"Another Captain has come to the Academy?" someone whispered.
"I wonder which Division he commands?"
The students began to murmur, trying to find clues from the man's attire and lazy demeanor, but none of them could place his identity.
Kazuma offered a helpless smile, realizing he had no choice but to engage the viper.
"So it's Captain Aizen. I was wondering who was drawing such a crowd."
Aizen responded with a warm, perfectly crafted smile. "It is a pleasure to see you here, Captain Kazuma."
He turned to the students and gestured gracefully. "Students, this is the Captain of the Seventh Division, Satou Kazuma. He is an incredibly powerful Captain.... you should learn well from him."
Hearing Aizen's smooth endorsement, the female students became visibly excited, chattering among themselves.
"Wow, Captain Aizen is so gentle and respectful!"
They were utterly captivated by Aizen's charming facade.
Aizen turned back to Kazuma. "I wonder why Captain Kazuma come to the Academy today, is it for official business?"
"I heard there are a few excellent prospects in this year's class, so I came down to evaluate them," Kazuma replied evenly.
"But Captain Aizen, what brings you here?"
Aizen smiled humbly. "It seems Captain Kazuma doesn't know. I am actually a guest calligraphy instructor here at the Academy. Whenever my duties allow, I come down to teach the recruits."
"Haha."
Kazuma let out a dry, forced laugh.
'Of course you are.'
"In that case, I won't disturb your lesson. Please, continue. I'll just wander the grounds a bit more."
Just as Kazuma turned to leave, Aizen called out to him.
"Captain Kazuma, aren't you here to evaluate this year's prospects? There is no need to wander the grounds. The best of them are all standing right here. Allow me to introduce them to you."
Without waiting for an answer, Aizen began introducing Rukia, Renji, Kira, and Hinamori to Kazuma one by one.
Kazuma exchanged brief, polite pleasantries with the recruits, already preparing to grab Tetsuzaemon and escape this troublesome trap.
But Aizen was not done stirring the pot.
"Captain Kazuma, won't you stay a little longer?" Aizen asked, his voice carrying easily over the crowd.
He turned to the students, expertly rousing their emotions.
"It's exceedingly rare for Captain Kazuma to visit the Academy. Shall we ask him to introduce his Zanpakutō to the class?"
At that, the thoughtless and impulsive Renji took the lead, cheering loudly.
"It's a great honor to meet you, Captain Kazuma! We request that you demonstrate your Zanpakutō to us, to broaden our horizons! Please, we would be eternally grateful!"
Renji performed a deep, rigid bow.
The surrounding students erupted into cheers and, following Renji's example, bowed in unison.
"Please, Captain Kazuma!"
Kazuma was completely boxed in.
Refusing now would only make him seem suspicious and arrogant, so he braced himself and walked up to the raised lecture platform.
"Okaaaaayyy, okay! Listern well, my Zanpakutō is a localized Kidō-type! A support type Zanpakutou," Kazuma lied smoothly.
He drew his blade and held it out.
"Pierce the veil of night and rain down the heavenly wrath. Strike, Hokushin Raitei."
As the release command was spoken, Kazuma's standard katana transformed into an ancient, straight-edged blade.
The steel instantly radiated a dense, localized aura of condensed starlight, casting an ethereal glow over the classroom.