"What is his grade?"
"A person with an SSS score is a genius that appears once in a hundred years!"
"What about him? A rare genius seen once in a thousand?"
Even as they were being forced to the ground by his Reiatsu, the first reaction of those present wasn't fear or anger—but overwhelming curiosity.
Everyone wanted to know: just what was the final score of Aiyan, the one whose Reiatsu burst the measuring orb and flattened nearly the entire field?
"Your name is Aiyan, right?"
"Reiatsu: Captain-Class."
"Rating: SSS+."
At that critical moment, it was Jūshirō Ukitake who finally regained his composure.
With eyes full of admiration and awe, he looked at the boy before him—this once-in-two-millennia prodigy of the Spiritual Arts Academy—and solemnly announced a rating never before recorded in the institution's long history.
"SSS+...?"
"There's never been such a rating in the last 2,000 years!"
"But it's not entirely surprising... that boy, Aiyan, possessed captain-class Reiatsu even before manifesting his Zanpakutō. No, more accurately—his Reiatsu far surpasses that of an ordinary captain!"
As Jūshirō Ukitake personally confirmed Aiyan's evaluation, the surroundings erupted into chaos.
"How could a genius of this level come from Rukongai?"
"Even among the Four Great Noble Houses, no one has ever reached this!"
"Is this even possible?!"
Shihouin Yoruichi, Byakuya Kuchiki, Urahara Kisuke—all looked on in disbelief, their expressions frozen in shock.
Even Aizen, standing beside him, was momentarily in the spotlight.
But the brilliance radiating from Aiyan was simply too overwhelming—completely eclipsing Aizen's presence.
"You two, your enrollment procedures have been completed."
"I'll escort you to the dormitories now."
"Later, the Academy will assign two senior students to act as your guides and help you familiarize yourselves with everything."
The examiner quickly finished the formalities, processing the entry of both Aiyan and Aizen into the top-tier class. And then, almost instinctively, began leading the way for them, as though escorting nobles.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Aiyan said calmly, walking leisurely through the courtyard.
"Yes," Aizen admitted without hesitation.
"I thought you'd keep your strength hidden. Lay low, cultivate quietly, and amaze everyone only when the moment was right."
Aiyan cast a side glance at his younger brother.
"The only reason that kind of procedure exists is to serve my intentions."
"Compared to seeing you more clearly, altering the plan is inconsequential."
"As for shocking the world... I don't need to intentionally conceal myself. I can do that anytime I wish."
Aizen met his brother's gaze squarely.
"If you wanted to know my strength, you could've just asked."
"Did you really need to set the stage for this performance?"
"Or did you think I'd refuse to tell you if you simply asked?"
Aiyan shook his head.
"Rather than asking and receiving a reply, I prefer using my own method to see."
"When facing you directly—I see more, understand more."
"Don't you think so?"
Aizen smiled, but hidden beneath that smile was a deep-rooted arrogance.
He was a prodigy—no, more than that. A flawless genius.
Whether in combat, intelligence, or spiritual science, he had mastered it all.
If he were not a pure Shinigami, but a hybrid like Kurosaki Ichigo—born with the blood of a Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy, and Fullbringer—his achievements might have already surpassed the Soul King.
Such a person was naturally proud to the bone.
And yet, for all his talents, he had methods. Methods that not only allowed him to assess Aiyan's depths but also preserved their relationship as brothers.
"Direct confrontation, clearer insight... and then?"
Aiyan knew well that his younger brother was someone who relished control.
"To match you—or even to surpass you."
Aizen's response was blunt, fearless.
That was the dynamic between them—siblings bound by blood, yet each other's only true rival.
[You have sensed the intense will to compete radiating from Aizen. Under its pressure, your mastery in Kendo has undergone a breakthrough. You have comprehended: Sword Pressure.]
A slight smirk curved Aiyan's lips as the system notification echoed in his ears.
"You haven't changed. Still proud. Still obsessed with victory."
"But fine. If that's your mindset, then don't hold back."
"Because even if you do see me clearly—what you're seeing is only me at that moment… not the me now."
He said those words with layered meaning, yet did not dwell on them further.
"Growth, huh?"
"You surpass who you were yesterday. But, brother, do you think I don't?"
Aizen chuckled lightly, his smile reflecting deep warmth.
Having a brother… truly was a blessing.
In the original timeline, he had always been a lone genius. Born unmatched. Because no one could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, he often felt unbearably isolated. He longed for someone—anyone—who could understand him, match him, even if just once.
There were even moments when he secretly wished he had been born as just an ordinary Shinigami.
That longing eventually gave rise to Kurosaki Ichigo—his creation, his challenge. But once Ichigo use Mugetsu to surpass him, Aizen relinquished the idea of further evolution.
He feared that climbing any higher would once again cast him into lonely isolation, far above the rest.
But now—with Aiyan here—those thoughts no longer held any weight.
His brother's existence had filled the void in his heart.
Aiyan was not just a sibling. He was a rival. A challenger. Someone who stood at his side, and at times—walked ahead.
And for the first time… Aizen felt truly fulfilled.
The Spiritual Arts Academy had produced a pair of legendary brothers.
One—a once-in-two-millennia prodigy.
The other—a genius born once every hundred years.
News of their existence spread through Seireitei like wildfire.
Noble families, the Gotei 13—every division was stirred.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai was the first to receive the report from Jūshirō Ukitake.
"Aiyan."
"Aizen."
"I thought the era of geniuses like you and Kyōraku Shunsui had long passed... and yet, in one generation, two prodigies appear once again."
"It's uncanny. Almost the exact same situation as back then."
As he listened, Yamamoto's heart—unyielding as stone—trembled for the first time in decades.
A genius appearing once in a century was already a miracle worth his attention.
But a boy like Aiyan, who had never undergone formal Shinigami training, yet shattered the Reiatsu measuring orb with raw spiritual power alone?
That meant his Reiatsu had already surpassed even Muguruma Kensei's threshold.
"Teacher Yamamoto, I do not believe I am inferior to those two."
Jūshirō Ukitake coughed gently.
"There's no need for modesty in front of this old man. I've taught you long enough to know your limits."
"But those two..."
"They are unpolished gems of the rarest kind."
There was an unreadable depth in Yamamoto's voice as he spoke.
"Teacher Yamamoto... you're not thinking of taking Aiyan as a disciple, are you?"
Ukitake's eyes widened in surprise.
As Yamamoto's disciple, he had sensed his teacher's intent the moment he heard it.