Aizen and Ichimaru Gin sat watching everything unfold on the surveillance monitor, the events in the training grounds playing out before their eyes. For several long seconds, neither said a word.
It was Gin who finally broke the silence.
"Captain Aizen... this Tachikawa Nobu—hasn't he exceeded your expectations?"
He had felled a Gillian with a single strike.
They weren't on-site, so they couldn't feel the pressure of that slash firsthand. On the screen, it looked like just an ordinary burst of sword pressure—nothing extraordinary.
But a student at the Shin'ō Academy with that level of strength? It was unheard of.
Aizen said thoughtfully, "He was definitely hit by the Menos, wasn't he?"
He was referring to the moment Nobu was struck by the Hollow's massive palm. Judging by where Nobu reappeared later, it was clear he hadn't dodged it.
And yet, when he returned, there wasn't a single mark on him—not even a wrinkle in his clothes. He couldn't have stopped to straighten his uniform afterward, could he?
Gin narrowed his eyes slightly. "Could it be the ability of his Zanpakutō? Captain Aizen, are you suggesting he's hiding its true power?"
Aizen didn't confirm, nor deny.
Gin gave a quiet chuckle. "So what now, Captain Aizen?"
Their original plan had been to appear at a critical moment—rescue the students, complete the test, and earn some goodwill in the process.
But at this point, it seemed like their intervention was entirely unnecessary.
Aizen stared at the figure on the screen, then smiled faintly.
"Gin, isn't an unexpected variable like this... the most delightful kind of surprise?"
Just then, several figures burst into the room, their eyes widening in horror at the bodies strewn across the floor.
"What happened here?!"
"Any survivors?!"
The Shinigami scrambled to assess the situation, seemingly blind to Aizen and Gin standing in plain sight.
"Let's go, Gin."
Aizen turned and calmly walked straight out through the middle of them all.
---
Inside the barrier.
With the Gillian and the large Hollow defeated, only the weaker training-grade Hollows remained.
The students were huddled together, still visibly shaken, while the upperclassmen stood guard on the outskirts.
Nobu sipped water slowly, unhurried. His communicator suddenly vibrated in his pocket.
He answered. A voice came through immediately:
"This is the Barrier Squad. What's your status? Has anything unusual occurred?"
"We're safe for now. We were attacked by a Menos. The exercise needs to be aborted. Please send a team for extraction."
There was a brief silence, then the voice returned.
"Repeat that, please."
"We were attacked by a Menos. Please dispatch a response team."
"Did you say... a Menos?"
"A Gillian-class."
Another pause.
"Rescue units are en route. What's your casualty count?"
"No casualties."
"And the Menos?"
"Dead."
Nobu answered every question in a calm, steady tone. He knew that when the extraction team arrived, he'd have to explain everything again—so he remained patient.
He set the communicator down and scanned the surroundings.
If the Barrier Squad was responding again, the situation was likely winding down. Aizen hadn't shown up.
Hinamori approached him then. Like many of the lower-year students, she was still visibly shaken—only now beginning to recover.
"President…"
"What is it?"
"Are you okay?" Her voice was full of concern.
"What would be wrong with me?"
"I remember you got hit... that Hollow slammed you into the ground..."
Nobu had taken the hit to save Kanisawa—he hadn't dodged it at all.
He just smiled. "Don't worry. I'm fine."
Around them, the other first-years were watching too. Their expressions were a mix of awe and disbelief.
Facing the group, Nobu reassured them. "There were some unexpected Hollows this time, but no serious injuries. The rescue team is already on the way—you're safe now."
Some unexpected Hollows...
The way he said it sounded so casual.
But that was a Gillian!
Even in Academy textbooks, Gillians were marked as "extremely dangerous"—a class of Hollow that only seated officers, and high-ranking ones at that, were authorized to confront. Its spiritual pressure had nearly paralyzed them with fear.
And yet... Nobu had cut it down with a single swing.
They'd always known their Student Council President was strong—but this strong?
It was a good thing he was. If he hadn't been, none of them would be standing here now.
"President, you saved all of us," Kira said quietly.
Nobu replied evenly, "I'm the team leader for this exercise. Protecting you is my duty."
The rescue squad soon arrived, led by none other than Fifth Division Captain Aizen Sōsuke.
That the Fifth Division had taken this mission wasn't unusual. Aizen was known for his diligence and reliability—he often took the lead himself.
"What's the situation? Did we arrive too late?" Aizen asked at once, brows drawn in concern.
As the lead officer for the exercise, Nobu answered, "No major problems. Everyone is safe."
Aizen let out a breath. "I see. That's good. Can you tell me what happened?"
Nobu almost laughed. You already know exactly what happened.
But outwardly, he played along, recounting everything from the first Hollow's appearance to the Gillian's defeat.
Ichimaru Gin stood silently behind Aizen, eyes half-open, watching Nobu with unreadable calm.
Aizen looked amazed by the end of the account.
"You... you killed a Gillian?"
"I got lucky."
"Something like that doesn't happen by luck." Aizen shook his head, then gave a warm smile. "Tachikawa-kun, you really do keep surprising us. It's a shame your Zanpakutō's a Kaidō-type. Otherwise, I'd try to poach you for the Fifth Division."
"You flatter me, Captain Aizen." Nobu nodded respectfully. "Captain, what happened with the Barrier Squad? We lost contact for a while."
Aizen paused, thoughtful. "That's under investigation. Once we know more, I'll make sure you're informed."
"Yes, sir."
They're probably all dead, Nobu thought. And whatever 'explanation' they give later won't be the real one.
But it was beyond his power to change that now.
Aizen placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Tachikawa-kun... you're quite something."
Nobu didn't respond, nor did he meet Aizen's eyes. Not that it would matter.
Aizen would be wearing that same mild, scholarly smile of his—the one no one could ever read through.
Aizen then turned to encourage the others—Hisagi, Kanisawa, Hinamori, Kira, Renji—commending them for standing up to protect their peers in a moment of crisis.
They responded with polite stiffness. They all knew perfectly well—they hadn't done much at all.
The rescue team set to work: one unit to mop up the remaining Hollows, the other to tend to the students.
Kanisawa suddenly felt eyes on her. She looked up to find Nobu watching her.
Their eyes met. He gave her a small smile.
Kanisawa felt a quiet warmth stir inside her—remembering how he'd thrown her out of harm's way earlier without a second thought.
...
The internship ended on its very first day.
The students were escorted back to the Academy. The wounded were taken directly to Fourth Division.
It wasn't until they returned to the Soul Society that everyone finally exhaled.
For many of them, the day had felt like a dream. What had begun as a thrilling, nerve-wracking field exercise had spiraled into something unthinkable.
Nobu didn't get to rest. After answering questions from the Fifth Division, he was urgently summoned to the Headmaster's office.
It was still late at night. Principal Shunsō Sasakibe had rushed over the moment he received word—pale and sweating.
He wasn't the only one. The entire upper administration now knew.
"Nobu, we truly owe you," Sasakibe said, offering his heartfelt thanks. Had Nobu not been there, it was likely none of the students would have survived the attack.
It wasn't about whose responsibility it was anymore—this had been a matter of life and death for dozens of students.
And this particular group had been Class A—the elite, the future of the Soul Society.
"I only did what I had to do."
Nobu had said that sentence more than once today. He hadn't wanted anyone to die under his watch.
Many of the students were in the student council. Some of the upperclassmen were close to him.
Sasakibe's gratitude was tinged with a complex expression.
This student... he wasn't like anyone he'd ever seen before. The Academy had seen prodigies, it had seen troublemakers—but rarely someone who embodied both so fully.
Thankfully, his heart was in the right place.
Sasakibe stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder.
"You saved everyone on this field mission. In a few days, we'll be holding a commendation ceremony in your honor."
"Please don't." Nobu grimaced. "I really hate those kinds of events."
Sasakibe chuckled. "Then what kind of reward would you like?"
Nobu thought for a moment. "Can't think of anything yet. Just owe me one."
"Owe you?" Sasakibe blinked. "You mean... you want the school to be in your debt?"
"Didn't you say I deserve a reward?"
"…"
Sasakibe shook his head, amused. The boy was bold—but not wrong. "Didn't you just say you were only doing what you had to?"
Nobu grinned. "What I choose to do is one thing. How the school chooses to repay me is another."
Sasakibe burst out laughing. "Alright, alright! Consider it owed!"
After leaving the office, Nobu didn't return to the dorm immediately.
Instead, he stopped by the student council room, collapsing into a chair and letting his body go limp.
He didn't think about anything. His head was buzzing.
The fight may have looked easy, but he'd been tense all day—on edge from the moment the anomaly appeared.
Suddenly, the door creaked open.
Kanisawa walked in.
"You came?" Nobu looked up, surprised.
At this hour, she should have been back in the dorms.
"I was on my way, but I saw the lights on and thought you might be here..."
As she spoke, she walked toward him.
Nobu straightened up a little, resting his arm on the desk and rubbing his forehead.
"Tired?" Kanisawa asked, seeing the way he held himself.
"A bit," he sighed.
The next second, Kanisawa leaned in—and pressed her lips lightly to his forehead.
Blushing, she looked at him and asked, "Feel a little better?"
Nobu blinked, stunned, then chuckled. Where'd she learn that from?
She must have been trying to express the gratitude she couldn't put into words. That kiss had come out of a sudden impulse—an earnest attempt to give something back.
Nobu rose from the chair and tapped her lightly on the forehead.
"I know you wanted to thank me. But there's no need. Just being alive—that's thanks enough."
"…"
"Go get some rest. I'm heading to bed too."
"…Okay."
Back at the dorm, Hisagi Shūhei was still awake. When he saw Nobu walk in, he immediately sat up in bed.
"Nobu."
"You're still up? Man, I'm dead tired."
Nobu stretched and flopped onto his bed.
Hisagi was quiet for a moment, then got up to turn off the lights and returned to bed.
They each had their own thoughts. Nobu's mind turned to what might happen next—how Aizen would move in the shadows.
"Nobu."
"Mm?"
"I've always wondered…"
Nobu glanced toward his bed.
"How are you so strong?"
"I'm a genius."
Hisagi gave a quiet laugh. "Even geniuses have limits."
"A real genius defies logic. You're trying to understand me like you understand everyone else. That's why you never will."
"…You're right," Hisagi said quietly. "But I still don't get it. We enrolled at the same time. We've had the same classes. You spend time in the library? So do I. But no matter what I do, I can't catch up. Your swordsmanship... it's already beyond Master Nanada. Did you really learn all this on your own?"
Nobu stared at the dim ceiling for a while before answering.
"Want me to tell you a secret?"
"What?"
"I had a dream. In the dream, I became a swordmaster—invincible, undefeated."
"…Really?"
Hisagi fell silent. He didn't believe that for a second, but didn't press it either.
Nobu smiled to himself. Of course he doesn't believe me.
But aloud, he whispered, "That dream was so long…"
My past life—it was like a dream.
I only hope this one isn't too.
"Nobu… will I ever catch up to you?"
"That's not a question for me," Nobu murmured. "That's a question for you."
"…"