Evening at the Shin'ō Academy.
Emerging from the Jinzen room, Tōshirō Hitsugaya was surrounded by a crowd like a star amongst moons as they flocked out of the teaching building.
The blade in his hand had undergone a drastic transformation, upgrading from a generic Asauchi into a unique Zanpakutō.
After Tōshirō successfully achieved Shikai and demonstrated its abilities before his instructor, he received a succinct evaluation:
"An ice-snow type Zanpakutō with formidable power. Not bad."
The Jinzen teacher stroked his small mustache with a look of relief and nodded in satisfaction.
Under the guise of 'cultivating Tōshirō's social skills,' Momo Hinamori didn't let the other members of their four-person squad intervene. Instead, she let Tōshirō struggle to handle the classmates swarming him.
Though, in Rukia's eyes, it seemed more like Momo just had a wicked sense of humor and wanted to see Tōshirō make a fool of himself.
"Hitsugaya-kun, I'm from the Yoshida family! We're incredibly wealthy, would you consider..."
"Money is useless! My family are high-ranking nobles, and my grandfather is in the Central 46..."
"Look at me! My younger sister is very beautiful..."
Solicitations of this nature rang out incessantly in Tōshirō Hitsugaya's ears.
Tōshirō's brow was furrowed tightly, but being a newcomer, he didn't know how to forcefully break away.
It was at this moment that Soifon, having just returned to the Shin'ō Academy from the Second Division, arrived to check on their Jinzen progress. She happened upon the dense, noisy crowd in front of the teaching building.
Soifon's cold, authoritative voice cut through the chatter. "What are you all huddled here for?"
The crowd fell silent instantly. Everyone turned toward the source of the voice to see Soifon standing at the edge of the shadows in the nearby corridor. Her white Captain's Haori was exceptionally striking under the setting sun.
Her face remained expressionless, but when those sharp eyes swept over them, the noble students felt a sudden chill crawl up their spines.
"You don't seek self-improvement, but only think of recruiting others to increase your family's status?"
"Is everyone in your families... possessed by such thoughts?"
"How degenerate."
Soifon walked closer, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt. No one dared to meet her gaze, much less argue.
After a brief, dead silence, the students lowered their heads one after another, bowed in a panicked apology, and scattered like startled birds.
Tōshirō let out a long sigh of relief, his tense shoulders finally relaxing. "Thank you... Teacher Soifon."
Soifon's gaze fell upon the Zanpakutō at his waist. "Is this the blade that has been calling out to you?"
"Yes." Tōshirō reached out and lightly touched the hilt, feeling a faint chill against his palm. "Its name is Hyōrinmaru."
Soifon nodded. "A powerful Zanpakutō. I can feel it."
Tōshirō looked up, slightly surprised. Did even a Captain-level figure consider Hyōrinmaru to be strong? Since joining the Academy, he was no longer a complete novice; he understood exactly how high Soifon's status truly was.
Without saying much more, Soifon looked in the direction the noble students had fled.
"Stay away from people like that in the future."
"They won't amount to anything in this lifetime. Nobles who only think of leaching off others to maintain their 'dignity' are nothing more than parasites of the Soul Society."
Beneath a nearby corridor, Sōsuke Aizen came to a halt while holding his books. He listened to Soifon's remarks with great interest.
Such rebellious words coming from the mouth of Captain Soifon?
—This was something he had to hear.
Just as she was about to say more, Soifon's spiritual senses keenly caught someone around the corner of the corridor. She swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
"There are some things you will naturally understand once you truly join the Gotei 13."
"Momo and the others are still waiting for you for dinner."
Seeing Tōshirō's half-comprehending expression, Soifon chose to remain cryptic. Almost the moment Tōshirō left, Sōsuke Aizen stepped out from the corner of the corridor with his usual gentle smile.
"Good afternoon, Captain Soifon." He pushed up his glasses, his tone candid. "I didn't intend to eavesdrop; I was merely passing by."
Admitting his fault so openly, his sincere attitude was practically irreproachable.
"No matter."
Soifon turned to face him, her expression reverting to its usual indifference.
"Forgive me for overstepping, Captain Soifon," Aizen said, pushing his glasses up again and offering well-meaning advice. "Next time, it might be better if you don't bring up the students' families when criticizing them..."
He played the role of the considerate colleague perfectly. However, to Soifon's ears, his words sounded like he was trying to fan the flames.
—'Don't go starting a feud, Captain Soifon.'
Heh... as expected of you, Aizen.
"Is there something I shouldn't say?" Soifon stared directly into Aizen's eyes. "It is a fact that the vast majority of nobles are incompetent."
Acting? Who didn't know how to do that?
Soifon was testing him; she wondered if her current display of hatred for the nobility would attract Aizen and entice him to recruit her into his schemes. A double agent... the thought was quite thrilling.
Thus, Soifon decided to raise the stakes. "If the Central 46 hadn't insisted on opposing it back then, I would have gone to the World of the Living long ago to bring those two criminals to justice!"
Aizen's eyes were full of frankness and helplessness. "Captain Soifon, there might have been hidden circumstances regarding the events of that year..."
Precisely. And that 'hidden circumstance' is standing right in front of me, Soifon thought, looking at Aizen expressionlessly.
"I don't care about 'hidden circumstances,'" Soifon said, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow. "Once the perpetrators are caught and their mouths are pried open, everything will become clear."
Aizen continued to play the peacemaker. "You're right, but those above us must have had their own considerations..."
As if he didn't want to find Kisuke Urahara himself. No matter how much he tinkered with the Hōgyoku in his possession, it remained a half-finished product. Aizen felt he had to get his hands on the one Kisuke Urahara held to see how it compared.
"You're right, Captain Aizen." Soifon sighed and muttered quietly to herself, "Sigh, if only the Central 46 didn't exist..."
The speaker was intentional, and the listener was attentive.
Sōsuke Aizen's eyes widened, performing a perfect show of shock. "Captain Soifon, watch your words!"
Soifon nodded slightly. "Apologies. Just consider what I said to be sleep-talking."
It wasn't until she used Shunpo to depart that Aizen stared at the spot where she had been standing, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
Because of a betrayal, she had grown to hate all nobles?
She's still a bit uncontrollable, but perhaps she can be made useful to me.
He would have to find a way, in secret, to have Soifon go to the World of the Living to draw out Yoruichi Shihōin and Kisuke Urahara. That way, he could observe whether Soifon truly hated the two of them or if she was merely putting on a performance for the other Captains.
Of course, even if it were the latter, Aizen could understand it. Because of those old fogies in power, if Soifon dared to speak up for those two, she'd likely end up rotting in the Maggots' Nest. In fact, the latter scenario might even be better.
However...
Killing the Central 46?
The idea was rather novel; Sōsuke Aizen noted it for consideration.
_____
New Story: Starting from Their Seventeen Years Old
✅ New releases are dropping, plus get exclusive content & updates.
✅ Help us unlock community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan