"Hmm?"
Sensing a sudden surge in Reiatsu behind him, Jūshirō Ukitake abruptly turned his head, eyes locking onto Aiyan.
Whoosh—
Golden wisps of light burst out from Aiyan's palm. A moment later, a Zanpakutō emerged—shaped like a Tang Hengdao, with a straight, uncurved blade. It shot from the golden glow and landed in his grasp.
"What…?"
Jūshirō Ukitake's pupils shrank, a wave of shock rising in his chest.
"That's… a Zanpakutō!"
"How is this possible?"
"A Zanpakutō created solely from Reiatsu… without a sealed state?"
The noble-born students—Urahara Kisuke, Byakuya Kuchiki, and others—visibly stiffened, expressions filled with disbelief.
Unlike them, the Rukongai-born Shinigami—Tousen Kaname, Komamura Sajin, and the others—looked confused, not quite understanding what Aiyan's Zanpakutō meant.
"Zanpakutō…?"
"Brother, you've taken another step ahead."
Aizen smiled faintly.
"Then it's your turn too. Or are you planning to slow me down by staying behind?"
Seeing Aiyan summon his Zanpakutō, Aizen felt even more certain of his decision—those sealed states weren't to be touched.
Something about them was wrong. He could sense it.
Still, he wasn't too pleased with the voice inside him.
"If you don't want me to take the sealed state, then appear already."
He was happy for Aiyan, truly—but the fact that his own Zanpakutō hadn't emerged yet was frustrating.
Whoosh—
As if responding to his will, a swirl of purple light danced in the air. A brand-new Zanpakutō materialized and gently landed in Aizen's hand.
He had made his choice to show his true potential upon entering the Academy. There was no point in hiding. Of course, some things would still be kept secret—like his Zanpakutō's true power.
But even with that restraint, it was enough to shock the entire Soul Society.
"As expected of a king…"
Aiyan admired Aizen's performance.
"If my strength comes from having a cheat-like edge in every category… then Aizen is pure talent."
He was always trailing behind Aiyan—but never too far.
And every time Aiyan advanced, Aizen was right there chasing after him.
"I am Aizen… and I will never be weaker than anyone."
Holding his Zanpakutō firmly, Aizen met Aiyan's gaze. The two shared a smile through their glasses.
The feeling of constantly pushing each other forward—it was exhilarating.
"First Aiyan, now Aizen…"
"These two brothers…" murmured Shihouin Yoruichi. "They're monsters."
"I thought this kind of thing only existed in legends…"
Byakuya Kuchiki tightened his grip on his Zanpakutō.
"Excuse me," said Amagai Shusuke, "but is something wrong?"
"Oh, nothing really," Urahara Kisuke replied lightly. "It's just that in the 2,000-year history of the Gotei 13, no one has ever created a Zanpakutō without a sealed state."
"What?!"
Tousen Kaname and Amagai Shusuke's eyes widened. Just moments ago, they'd been thrilled about receiving their own Zanpakutō—now, that excitement turned into stunned silence.
"Kisuke, you call that 'nothing'?!" Yoruichi kicked him aside.
"It's said that any Shinigami who's created their Zanpakutō without relying on a sealed state has gone on to make a powerful mark in Soul Society's history," she added.
"Not only are they strong, but even their Zanpakutō is special?"
Komamura Sajin asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Based on the records… yes," Ukitake answered with a deep look at the brothers.
Originally, he'd wanted to judge Aiyan's potential through his choice of sealed state.
But now, that wasn't necessary.
Even without seeing their Shikai or knowing their abilities—just the fact that they created Zanpakutō on their own confirmed it:
They were geniuses.
In his memory, only Yamamoto Genryūsai had done the same—created his Zanpakutō without a sealed state. The result was Ryūjin Jakka, the oldest and strongest flame Zanpakutō.
"Even if their skill in Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō isn't yet on par with Sensei Genryūsai… their potential is even higher than mine or Shunsui's."
"There's no doubt Teacher Genryūsai will want to take them as disciples."
The thought filled Ukitake with pride—not as a noble, but as a member of the Gotei 13.
[Aizen says he'll never be weaker than anyone? After hearing that, your Zanpakutō scoffed. "The younger brother is still the younger brother," it said. Then, it declared its own name—the name of the strongest light in all of Soul Society—and told you to remember it well.]
Just as Jūshirō Ukitake silently planned to inform Yamamoto Genryūsai of everything, Aiyan heard the voice of his Zanpakutō again.
Then, as if to make sure he heard it loud and clear—
BOOM!
A deafening sound, like thunder cracking through the heavens, exploded in his ears.
At the same time—
Golden energy surged from Aiyan, cascading outward like a great tide.
In an instant, radiant golden beams wrapped around his body, then shot up into the sky, forming a pillar of light that pierced the heavens—connecting the Spiritual Arts Academy directly to the skies of Seireitei.
BOOM!
The massive Reiatsu beam didn't just illuminate the sky—it unleashed a storm of pressure and energy.
Everyone in the vicinity—except Aizen and Ukitake—was sent flying.
Even Shihouin Yoruichi, Urahara Kisuke, and Byakuya Kuchiki couldn't hold their footing. The force tossed them about violently.
As for Tousen, Komamura, and the others who had just received their sealed states and had no training in Zanjutsu or Hakuda—they were blown off their feet like cannonballs, crashing into walls and landing in heaps.
"Aiyan… Did you… just now… Did you hear something?!"
Jūshirō Ukitake, wide-eyed and overwhelmed, stared at Aiyan standing amidst the golden light—like a god descending to the mortal world.
His voice trembled with rare urgency and awe.