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When Hirako Shinji looked down, he gasped.
Aozaki Reiji looked at the arena, and what greeted him was a gentle smile, tinged with a hint of provocation.
"Interesting..." Aozaki Reiji mused meaningfully.
Unlike Hirako Shinji, he had no intention of exposing Aizen.
Firstly, words alone were not enough; the Old Man might not believe him.
Secondly, he understood Aizen's strength. Aizen was not Yamamoto's opponent, but unless Yamamoto wanted to destroy the world, he would find it very difficult to kill him.
Thirdly, he and Aizen were too deeply entangled. If certain things were exposed, given the Old Man's character, he might choose to clean house.
Aizen could run, but he couldn't.
He agreed with some of Hirako Shinji's views; Yamamoto was indeed very stubborn!
The others, unaware of what Aozaki Reiji and Hirako Shinji were thinking, watched the two in the arena with great interest.
Don't misunderstand Aizen's aloofness, arrogance, ruthlessness, and bloodthirst, or his intention to overthrow the Seireitei's governing order.
But in the eyes of most, he was actually a good Shinigami.
Aozaki Reiji could only say that when it came to acting, he still had to learn from Aizen.
He could easily charm young Shinigami into falling head over heels, and even after betraying the Seireitei, he still had fangirls who couldn't forget him.
He felt that if this person hadn't thought too much, he would have been one of the top candidates for Captain-Commander after Yamamoto retired.
"If you become Captain-Commander, what can't you do? Is it that, as an aloof genius, you can't bear to be subordinate to a group of incompetent people after achieving your goals?"
Looking at the confident Aizen, Aozaki Reiji let out a long breath, then a smile played on his lips, as if he had seen through everything.
"And now, coming out to contend for a Captain position, what made you change your mind? However, if a Captain's power is used well, you can indeed do more. Good luck!"
Aozaki Reiji knew that Aizen remained a Vice-Captain in the Fifth Divsion simply as a pastime when he was bored, wanting to see when Hirako Shinji would discover his true nature.
Now, it was clear that a new form of entertainment had captured his attention, as he was someone who would shave Hirako Shinji bald for fun.
It sounds childish, but at its core, Aizen was like a child with an overly sharp mind.
His abilities made him extraordinary, and his superior intellect allowed him to perceive deeper things.
He was like a child crying silently, alone in a void far older than the world ordinary people saw.
His mind was too wise and cunning, so much so that he remained eternally lonely in a more distant, illusory world.
And the fact that he could experience loneliness precisely indicated that he was also human, a social creature.
It is only through interaction with others that one can grow, so even if he stood far away, at his core, he was just a lonely child who wanted companions.
Looking back at Aizen's actions in the original timeline, one could indeed see a hint of childish willfulness.
Aizen looked at the smiling Aozaki Reiji, feeling an unprecedented joy: "Do you understand me? Indeed, we are of the same kind."
Under everyone's gaze, Aizen Sōsuke let out a breath and slowly walked to face Kensei Muguruma.
"Your name is Aizen Sōsuke, right? Shinji's Vice-Captain."
Kensei Muguruma suddenly spoke.
"I hear you're not even two hundred years old, but you've mastered Bankai. Very impressive."
"For Shinji's sake, I actually don't want to hurt you."
"But since Captain-Commander has given the order, I won't hold back."
His physique was tall and robust, and as he spoke, his muscles bulged, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure compared to the slender Aizen.
Many Vice-Captains watching the battle silently swallowed their saliva.
Kensei Muguruma gazed directly at Aizen Sōsuke, as if expecting a response from him.
However, Aizen Sōsuke did not show the slightest hint of fear, as he had expected.
The young man with the Fifth Divsion armband on his arm simply watched him quietly.
"I will take the exam seriously, so please, Captain Muguruma, do not take it lightly."
Kensei Muguruma was slightly startled.
Aizen's calm demeanor actually made him feel a sense of pressure.
On the high platform, Hirako Shinji narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully observing every move of the two.
Once he detected any unusual action from Aizen, he could immediately find a stack of reasons to prevent Aizen from becoming a Captain.
However, although he sensed that Aizen was very dangerous, he was unsure of his strength.
What if Kensei Muguruma won and then declared Aizen failed the exam?
Then if he interfered, he might have a chance to influence the Captain-Commander's judgment...
The Old Man hadn't noticed that he was surrounded by individuals with ulterior motives, and he nodded towards Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Chōjirō Sasakibe raised his voice, using his Reiatsu to ensure everyone present could hear him, and loudly announced the start of the exam.
The white-haired tough man's gaze sharpened, he pulled open his shirt to reveal the "69" tattooed on his abdomen, and drew his Zanpakuto from his waist, entering a combat stance.
He gripped his Zanpakuto firmly, his stance steady, his steps resolute, and with swift speed, he charged directly towards Aizen.
Seeing this, Aizen simply raised his hand lightly, drew his Zanpakuto with a swish, and then swung his blade.
Kensei Muguruma's eyes widened instantly.
He couldn't avoid the strike, so he could only parry with his Zanpakuto to block the attack.
Bang!!
As soon as the blades met, a massive force like a flood surged from the blade, startling him slightly, as if he hadn't expected this slender young man to possess such power, able to clash with him without falling behind.
But he was no ordinary person; with a slight tremor, he stabilized his stance.
Aizen gave him no time to react. Seeing that the first strike was effective, he continued his actions, unleashing more than a dozen slashes in an instant.
Kensei Muguruma hastily swung his blade to block.
After putting all his effort into keeping up with those dozen or so slashes, just as he thought he had a chance to counterattack, Aizen suddenly extended another hand, Reiatsu surging in his palm, and the sound of wind whistling.
"Hado #58: Tenran!"
A massive whirlwind, like a fierce tiger, pounced on Kensei Muguruma, stirring up dust everywhere.
"Not bad!"
"His Reiatsu has indeed reached Captain-class!"
"But I didn't expect him to be able to suppress Captain Muguruma!"
Seeing Kensei Muguruma take the wind-type Kido head-on, the Captains on the high platform all showed expressions of admiration.
Kensei Muguruma had been a Captain for several decades, and for Aizen, as a "newly promoted Captain-class," to be able to suppress him was a truly remarkable achievement.
"Hiss... I'm Shinji's friend, after all. You little brat, your attacks are too ruthless, aren't they?"
Kensei Muguruma, who was at a disadvantage, still had the presence of mind to tease.
Aizen was somewhat puzzled.
He hadn't had much contact with Kensei Muguruma, but he had gathered information about him, and Kensei Muguruma was supposed to be a hot-tempered and irritable person.
At this moment, however, he heard satisfaction and admiration in Kensei Muguruma's tone.
Aizen Sōsuke slightly raised the corner of his mouth, "After all, Captain Muguruma said he would go all out, so I wouldn't dare be careless."
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