Aizen Sōsuke.
At the mention of that name, Shinichi's brow twitched involuntarily.
"I see… Understood. When will he arrive?"
"The day after tomorrow, in the morning. Captain of the 5th Division will arrive at the Academy before classes begin. President Tachikawa, please be ready to receive him."
"..."
After the instructor who came to deliver the message left, Shinichi's brows furrowed deeply.
Aizen…
He had imagined more than once what it would be like to meet that man—how he should act, what he should say.
He just hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"Shin?"
Lost in thought, Shinichi didn't notice Hisagi Shūhei approaching.
"Shūhei?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"…Nothing much. Just got word that a captain will be visiting the Academy in a couple of days. The school wants us student council members to handle the reception and act as guides."
"Oh." Shūhei didn't seem surprised. It was a long-standing tradition.
"So, it's that time already," he mused.
This was their fifth year at the Spiritual Arts Academy. Ever since their first year, aside from captains who came to substitute teach, it was common for captains to visit annually. It served not only to inspect the Academy but also to promote their own divisions to potential recruits.
Starting from their first year, they had seen visits from Captain Ukitake Jūshirō of the 13th Division, Captain Kyōraku Shunsui of the 8th Division, Captain Unohana Retsu of the 4th Division, and Captain Shiba Isshin of the 10th Division.
"So, who is it this year?" Shūhei asked again.
"Captain Aizen of the 5th Division."
"And how are we supposed to receive him?"
Shinichi pondered. It was usually just a formal announcement, some banners for show, and then a guide to lead the captain around the campus.
But his thoughts were elsewhere.
"We'll hold a meeting this afternoon," he said.
That afternoon, after being notified by Rukia, the student council officers gathered and were informed about the upcoming inspection. Shinichi briefly delegated their duties.
And then, the day of the captain's visit arrived.
Thanks to the student council's prior announcements, the entire Academy knew about it. Many students gathered along the main road near the front gate, most of them first-years eager to catch a glimpse of a real captain in person.
Watching his student council members raise the welcome banner, Shinichi couldn't help but think how embarrassing this kind of thing was.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. Two figures appeared in the distance, approaching steadily. The leading figure wore the unmistakable white haori of a captain—instantly drawing gasps from the crowd.
"He's here! He's here!"
Exclamations rippled through the crowd, only to quiet down quickly as the figures approached.
Captain Aizen Sōsuke of the 5th Division was a tall, gentle-looking man with neatly combed brown hair and black-rimmed glasses. A warm smile rested on his face, exuding an approachable aura.
With just one glance, the students standing on both sides couldn't help but feel a sense of trust and admiration.
This feeling didn't come from his appearance alone—it was also the overwhelming, ocean-deep spiritual pressure he emitted. Unlike the instructors they were used to, this spiritual pressure wasn't oppressive. Instead, it felt calm and profound.
So this is a captain…
Even for someone like Shūhei who had met captains before, facing one directly still sparked a sense of awe. This was a height they might never reach.
Walking just behind Aizen was a silver-haired man in standard Soul Reaper uniform, wearing the armband of a lieutenant.
He, too, was a well-known figure—Ichimaru Gin, who had graduated from the Academy in just a single year.
At Shinichi's side stood Rukia and several other student council members.
"Captain Aizen, Lieutenant Ichimaru—welcome to the Spiritual Arts Academy," Shinichi greeted them politely.
Aizen came to a halt, his gaze falling on Shinichi. His smile deepened.
"You must be President Tachikawa Shinichi. I've heard of you."
Shinichi gave a slight bow and replied with a smile of his own, "It's an honor that you know of me. Please, allow us students to guide you and Lieutenant Ichimaru around the Academy."
"Of course. Thank you. I've been quite curious about your student council—would you mind telling me more about it along the way?" Aizen said with a smile that seemed… slightly more layered than it appeared on the surface.
Shinichi led Aizen and Gin directly to the student council office, where he had already prepared some materials.
Along the way, Shinichi explained the council's structure, its duties, and how it operated.
"For such an organization to be established and functional so quickly is no small feat. Tachikawa-kun, I can tell you're quite capable," Aizen praised.
Shinichi responded humbly, "You flatter me. I only proposed the initial concept. It was the instructors who truly shaped and developed it. They entrusted me with the title of President, but I still wonder if I'm really up to the task."
"I think you're being too modest. To even have such a concept is commendable. The Academy has existed for many years, and no one ever suggested forming a student council until now. And from what I hear, your academic performance is also outstanding. A few months ago, I even contacted your homeroom teacher to ask about your post-graduation division preference. I was surprised to hear you hadn't opted for early graduation. But now, I see that was a wise choice," Aizen said cheerfully.
Shinichi's brow twitched slightly. There was a lot hidden in Aizen's words.
"I simply feel that my skills aren't fully polished yet. I'd rather study another year at the Academy. Otherwise, even if I graduate early, I might fail the Gotei 13 entry assessment."
"Who says that?" Aizen chuckled. "If you were to join the 5th Division, I'm sure you'd pass."
Shinichi sighed and shook his head slightly. "I appreciate the offer, Captain Aizen. But I wouldn't be able to join the 5th Division, even if I wanted to."
"Oh?"
"A few days ago, I awakened my Zanpakutō. Its ability is healing-type, able to perform Kaidō techniques. My homeroom teacher told me the 4th Division would be more suitable for me in the future."
"Healing-type…"
Aizen paused, as if deep in thought. "That is quite a rare ability. With such a Zanpakutō, you're sure to shine in the 4th Division."
"Thank you for your kind words."
Shinichi handed over a stack of documents to Aizen. These contained detailed information on all the first-year classes. If Aizen took interest in anyone, he could choose to visit that class.
Aizen flipped through a few pages, then suddenly said, "President Tachikawa, if possible, could you have the other students step out? There's no need for so many people to be around—we're all busy, I'm sure."
He was referring to the other student council members in the room.
Normally, everyone was eager to stay near a captain, but since Aizen made the request, Shinichi motioned for them to leave. Only Rukia remained, standing tensely at Shinichi's side.
As he continued flipping through the documents, Aizen spoke casually, "President Tachikawa, may I ask something a bit forward?"
"Sure."
"There's this spiritual pressure lingering around you—like a subtle barrier. Is that part of your Zanpakutō's ability?"
Shinichi's eyes narrowed slightly.
To conceal his true spiritual pressure, he had always allowed a steady leak of reiryoku from within his body.
But after awakening his Zanpakutō, he gained a much more refined method.
Now, he constantly surrounded himself with a thin layer of reishi—so faint and sparse that most people couldn't even detect it. Not even Professor Hidezawa had ever noticed.
This layer didn't just mask his true power—it had other functions as well.
Aizen smiled gently and looked up at him, adjusting his glasses slightly.
"Perhaps I'm just too curious… but Tachikawa-kun, could you help clear up my confusion?"