Geniuses Are Always Lonely

"Student, Sōsuke Aizen."

Chapter 42: Geniuses Are Always Lonely

Aizen calmly gave his name, but those simple words struck Xuanxin like a bolt from the blue.

For an instant, Xuanxin's mind went blank.

His pupils contracted sharply, and his breathing stopped. His body reacted even faster than his mind.

"Click."

The crisp sound of metal striking metal echoed through the empty training hall.

Xuanxin's right hand had instinctively gripped the hilt at his waist, and his thumb had already pushed the blade an inch out of its sheath.

A terrifying killing intent suddenly spilled from the newly appointed Eleventh Kenpachi. Even the dust floating in the hall froze under his Reiatsu.

Sōsuke Aizen.

No one understood better than Xuanxin what that name meant to his soul, fused as it was with memories of the World of the Living!

Ever since witnessing the succession of two Kenpachi, and especially after learning of the Eighth Kenpachi Sōya Azashiro's mad plan to raze Hueco Mundo, Xuanxin's thinking had changed completely.

He no longer dared take anything mentioned in those "dream memories" lightly, or leave anything to chance.

Should I kill him? A cold voice rang out in Xuanxin's heart.

If he drew his sword now, it would take only an instant to nip this future danger in the bud!

But when Xuanxin abruptly raised his head, he found the space before him empty.

The boy with black-framed glasses and a gentle, handsome face had left at some unknown point. Now, in the vast classroom, only Xuanxin himself and the floor that had been there for years remained.

Xuanxin stood where he was, slowly relaxing his grip on the hilt.

He then let out a long breath. As his killing intent faded and reason regained the upper hand, Xuanxin began to give serious thought to the mad idea he had just entertained.

No, I can't do that.

Xuanxin shook his head in the dim training hall.

Leaving aside the fact that Sōsuke Aizen was still just an ordinary student studying diligently at Shin'ō Academy, he had committed no crime and shown no signs of rebellion.

If Xuanxin abandoned all restraint and murdered an innocent boy just because a dream predicted he "might bring destruction," what would that make him?

A Soul Reaper's sword existed to protect the balance. If he slaughtered the innocent out of fear of the unknown, what fundamental difference would there be between him and Kiganjō, whom he had just cut down?

Besides, even when facing an enemy destined to appear in the future, a true swordsman should have the courage to draw his sword and face that enemy head-on, rather than resorting to such shortcuts for peace of mind.

Having thought it through, the confusion in Xuanxin's eyes gradually faded, and clarity returned.

He gathered his thoughts, locked the training hall's doors, and set off back to the Shihoin Clan estate with a heavy heart.

By then, the sky was gradually darkening. The last rays of the setting sun fell across the Shihoin Clan's spacious inner courtyard, making it look even more peaceful.

Xuanxin sat alone on the wooden floor of the veranda, holding a cup of warm tea. He gazed at a cluster of white camellias blooming in a corner of the courtyard and said nothing for a long time.

A gentle breeze stirred the petals, making them look even more beautiful against the setting sun.

Just then, footsteps so light they were almost inaudible came from behind him.

A pair of soft arms wrapped around Xuanxin's neck from behind, and a familiar presence with a faint, delicate fragrance filled his senses.

"What's wrong? Our mighty Eleventh Kenpachi, whose name shakes the Soul Society, the undisputed number one genius—why are you sitting here sighing? What could possibly make a genius like you look so troubled?"

Yoruichi Shihōin rested her chin on Xuanxin's shoulder. Her golden eyes glimmered with a mixture of mischief and concern as she teased him in a cheerful tone.

Feeling her warmth and softness against his back, Xuanxin's tense nerves relaxed without his realizing it.

He set down his teacup and gently covered the back of Yoruichi's hand with his own, his gaze still fixed on the camellias in the corner of the courtyard.

"I'm thinking about a question."

Xuanxin spoke evenly, with a rare hint of uncertainty:

"Yoruichi, look at that flower. Its stem and roots are strong, and its bud is full. It'll definitely bloom more beautifully and brilliantly than any other flower in this courtyard. But... it seems to be growing a little off course. I'm afraid it'll grow crooked in the future."

Hearing Xuanxin speak as flowery as the Captain-Commander, Yoruichi pursed her lips, rather unimpressed.

She released her arms from around his neck, walked over and sat beside him. Picking up his teacup, she drained it in one gulp, then said boldly:

"What's there to be afraid of? So what if it grows crooked?"

Yoruichi turned to look Xuanxin straight in the eye, her bright golden gaze meeting his as she said matter-of-factly:

"If you know it might grow crooked, can't you just prune it often? As long as you prune it properly, naturally it won't grow crooked!"

Yoruichi's simple answer went straight to the heart of the matter, piercing the layers of fog in Xuanxin's mind like a bolt of lightning.

That was right! He was now a guest instructor at Shin'ō Academy, and Aizen was his student.

Since he had already noticed the dangerous signs in Aizen's thinking, why not try to guide him?

As a teacher, wasn't guiding his student down the right path exactly what he ought to do?

If things truly reached the point of no return, it wouldn't be too late to use the sword in his hand to personally cut down the evil that had grown crooked!

"Phew..."

Having thought it all through, Xuanxin let out a long breath.

The gravity and worry on his face finally vanished completely, replaced by a gentle, relieved smile.

"You're right."

"As long as it's pruned often, it'll grow well."

Seeing that Xuanxin had regained his spirits, Yoruichi proudly lifted her smooth chin.

"Of course! I, the head of the clan, am very wise! You just never noticed before~"

But as Xuanxin looked at Yoruichi's smug expression, he suddenly remembered how Marechiyo Ōmaeda had looked ready to drop dead when they ran into each other outside the Second Division that day.

Xuanxin then changed the subject, narrowing his eyes as he said in a low voice:

"Speaking of pruning... Captain Shihoin, did you sneak off again today? I heard all the Second Division's paperwork landed on Lieutenant Ōmaeda's head again this afternoon."

At the word "paperwork," Yoruichi's smug expression instantly froze.

"Huh? Well... um..."

Yoruichi's eyes darted wildly as she laughed awkwardly.

Seeing that Xuanxin was about to launch into a lecture, Yoruichi acted decisively and brought out her ultimate trump card.

"Poof!"

With a puff of white smoke, the tall beauty sitting on the floor vanished in an instant.

When the smoke cleared, a black cat with golden eyes deftly leaped into Xuanxin's arms.

She buried her furry head in the crook of his arm and purred, taking the excuse "I can't understand what you're saying; I'm just a cat" to its absolute limit.

Looking at the black cat showering him with affection, Xuanxin's entire lecture turned into a helpless sigh.

He reached out and gently rubbed her head, a doting smile curving his lips. He said nothing more.

As for whether Marechiyo Ōmaeda lived or died? All he could do was ask the newly appointed lieutenant to keep up the good work.

In the days that followed, Xuanxin adjusted his mindset and began taking substitute teaching assignments at Shin'ō Academy more often.

Whenever the 11th Division had no urgent business, he made time to visit the academy.

And in every class he taught, he would consciously, or even unconsciously, focus his attention on the student named Sōsuke Aizen.

During his lessons, Xuanxin did not deliberately single Aizen out. Instead, he held nothing back, teaching him everything as he would a gifted student he truly liked.

He taught Aizen more advanced theories of swordsmanship, answered his many questions about combining Hakuda and Kidō, and occasionally even held in-depth discussions with him after class about the principles of Reishi structures.

Through these exchanges, Xuanxin came to appreciate Aizen's astonishing talent more and more. In his view, perhaps Aizen was the true genius.

He was like a sponge that could never absorb enough water. No matter how profound a theory Xuanxin presented, he could always fully digest it in a short time and draw further inferences, raising even more questions.

At the same time, however, the more closely Xuanxin observed him, the more he noticed a puzzling detail.

Aizen was very popular at the academy. He was easygoing, and his face always wore that gentle, refined smile.

Whether dealing with teachers or ordinary classmates, he was always humble and courteous, often offering to help students who struggled to control their spiritual power.

Yet Xuanxin always felt that something about Aizen was profoundly out of place.

It was like looking at a doll wearing a perfect mask.

Everything he did was too perfect, so perfect that there was barely a flaw to be found, like a false appearance produced after countless precise calculations.

That afternoon, in the underground training ground reserved for the 11th Division.

Xuanxin sat cross-legged on the cold floor with his eyes closed, carrying out his daily Jinzen training.

In the inner world, Miyamoto Musashi sat cross-legged in midair, bored out of her mind, tossing the tachi in her hand. Looking down at the meditating Xuanxin, she couldn't help asking:

[Hey, Xuanxin. You've been watching that kid Aizen every day lately. If you think there's something wrong with him, why not ask Urozakuro for help? Didn't that woman with the filthy mouth say that as long as you called her name, her "eyes" and "ears" all over the Soul Society could help you uncover any secret information?]

Hearing Musashi's question, Xuanxin slowly opened his eyes in the inner world and answered calmly:

"I don't trust her. Or rather, I can't trust that sword spirit yet."

Xuanxin stood up, looked at the distant sky, and continued:

"Urozakuro's ability is frightening, but she is still Sōya Azashiro's Zanpakuto. That man entered Muken of his own free will, but has he really given up his obsession with reconstructing the three realms?"

"Using Urozakuro to obtain information could very well be like bargaining with a tiger for its skin. If the information she gives me has been tampered with, it could leave me trapped in a hopeless situation. Rather than rely on an uncontrollable outside force like that, I trust my own eyes and judgment more."

Musashi shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just don't bottle it all up and make yourself miserable."

After finishing Jinzen, Xuanxin left the training ground, changed into casual clothes, and prepared to visit Shin'ō Academy to watch the afternoon's swordsmanship assessment.

When he reached the academy grounds, he stood in the shadow of a raised platform and looked through the crowd, his gaze settling precisely on Aizen, who was instructing a classmate on how to grip a sword at the distant assessment field.

"Hey~ What are you looking at so intently?"

A familiar, cheerful voice sounded beside him. Xuanxin didn't need to turn around to know Yoruichi had arrived.

Yoruichi wasn't wearing her captain's haori today, but a sleek black bodysuit. Clearly, she had once again dumped her paperwork on Ōmaeda and sneaked out.

She then followed Xuanxin's gaze curiously.

"I'm watching that student," Xuanxin said without concealing it.

Yoruichi looked in the same direction for a while, then raised her eyebrows in apparent recognition.

"Oh, it's Aizen. I've heard of him. He's the genius of this year's class at Shin'ō Academy. They say he gets perfect scores in every subject, whether it's Hakuda, swordsmanship, or Kidō. They say he's a super genius whose talent is every bit as great as yours."

At that, Yoruichi suddenly leaned closer and bumped him with her shoulder, teasing him half-jokingly:

"What's this? Is our peerless Lord Kenpachi feeling threatened by a junior? Afraid he'll steal your title as the 'number one genius' someday? Don't worry~ No matter how outstanding he is, I won't fall for anyone else..."

Hearing Yoruichi's words suddenly take that turn, Xuanxin gave her a speechless look.