A Chance Encounter with Aizen

That day.

A crowd had gathered before the gates of Shino Academy, bustling with activity.

This was the period when Shino Academy recruited students from outside.

Whether they were Lost Souls from Soul Society hoping to change their fate or descendants of noble families, anyone who passed the selection could enter Shino Academy to learn its arts.

After graduation, they could join the Gotei 13 and become honored Shinigami.

Feeling the lively atmosphere outside the academy, Kenma seemed infected by it as well, and his steps grew much lighter.

Ever since graduating, he had rarely returned to visit the academy.

Today, as he brought Shisui to enroll, the familiar school buildings stirred a faint nostalgia in Kenma for those carefree years of his youth.

"My lord..."

"It's nothing. I was just remembering the past. Let's go."

Kenma led Shisui through the noisy crowd, openly bypassed the long queue, entered the academy, and found the instructor in charge of admissions.

Knock, knock!

After receiving permission from within, Kenma and Shisui stepped into the room.

"Mikami-sensei, it has been a long time."

Kenma gave a slight nod as he greeted him.

The instructor inside had assumed it was someone from the academy. When he looked up, he found that it was one of his former students.

And one who had graduated with outstanding results.

"Kenma, I never expected it to be you..."

The instructor's gaze swept over Kenma before landing on Shisui behind him.

"Have you brought me a new student?"

"Yes, Yamakami-sensei." Kenma shifted aside, revealing Shisui behind him. "This is a talent I found in Soul Society. His aptitude is quite good, so I brought him here to enroll."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing Kenma's words, Instructor Mikami's eyes lit up as he carefully examined Shisui.

Shino Academy trained professional Shinigami. Naturally, the more gifted its students were, the greater their future accomplishments would be after joining the divisions.

It was not merely about grades. If instructors like them could nurture a genius, it would become no small honor and a topic of conversation in the future.

After observing him for a while, he nodded in satisfaction.

"He truly is not bad. His gaze is resolute. He does not seem to have trained for long, but his foundation is solid. You have a good eye. He is indeed promising."

What surprised him even more was the faint Killing Intent he could sense from the young man.

His mannerisms and the aura he gave off did not resemble those of an ordinary Lost Soul. Instead, they were somewhat similar to the style of the Onmitsukidō.

He glanced at Kenma. Now that he was the son-in-law of the Shikokuin Family, he could no longer be compared to the poor boy with no background from back then.

Every move he made seemed laden with meaning. Perhaps today's actions had been directed by the Shikokuin Family.

His gaze fell upon Shisui, and a conjecture gradually formed in his heart.

Perhaps this boy was one of the private soldiers secretly raised by those Great Nobles, now using Shino Academy to legitimize his identity.

He nodded lightly without saying anything.

That meant he had agreed to Shisui's enrollment.

"As long as he meets your approval, Sensei."

Although Kenma knew there was no chance of failure, he still could not help but let out a sigh of relief.

"I ask that you educate him strictly from now on. Please do not slacken and waste this talent of his."

"Naturally."

After waiting a while, Shisui finished filling out the forms and handling his identity information. His registration for the day was successfully completed.

After bidding farewell to his former teacher, Kenma led Shisui out of the office.

"Please rest assured, my lord. Shisui will never tarnish your reputation at the academy." Uchiha Shisui made a solemn pledge.

When he had left the Clan Territory, Clan Head Fugaku and many of the clan elders had given him countless instructions.

Besides his duty to protect Kenma, he was to conduct himself properly. After entering Shino Academy, he was especially not to disgrace the Uchiha Clan.

"I am merely an ordinary Fourth Seat. What reputation do I have?"

Watching the stern and earnest Shisui from the corner of his eye, Kenma said gravely, "Once you enter the academy, learn as many skills and as much knowledge as you can. What they teach there is important to you. It may even determine your future development."

"Yes, Shisui understands."

Just as Kenma and Shisui were leaving the school building, someone approached from ahead, causing Kenma to halt instinctively.

Shisui behind him seemed to sense Kenma's vigilance. His expression immediately tensed as he stared fixedly at the newcomer.

The man wore a Shinigami uniform with a Zanpakuto at his waist. There was no doubt that he was a professional Shinigami.

He was tall and upright, broad-shouldered, with short brown hair and black-framed glasses. The lenses glinted white, concealing his eyes and lending him an air of mystery.

The Shinigami had clearly noticed Kenma as well. He quickly approached, stopping before Kenma and Shisui with a warm smile as bright as sunlight.

"It has been a long time, Senior Kenma. I did not expect to meet you here."

The man's voice was deep and kind, carrying a peculiar magnetism that made others feel at ease.

"It has not been that long."

Kenma still wore the same stiff, expressionless face.

The Shinigami paused in surprise.

Then Kenma continued, "You attended my engagement ceremony to offer congratulations, didn't you, Sosuke?"

As Kenma looked at the mild-mannered Shinigami before him, his heart tightened, and he could not help but feel wary.

As a transmigrator, how could he fail to recognize this seemingly humble and gentle Shinigami?

Aizen Sosuke, the major boss of the early Bleach storyline.

Outwardly, he seemed elegant, courteous, and gentle, but in truth, he was cold and ruthless, wildly ambitious, and possessed strength among the very best of the three realms.

If possible, Kenma truly did not want anything to do with him.

He did not even want to know him.

Yet during their academy days, Kenma had been this behind-the-scenes boss's senior by four years.

They had both been model students in the eyes of teachers and classmates, and they shared some of the same elective classes. Over time, they came to know each other.

Of course, under Kenma's vigilance, his relationship with Aizen had remained limited to mere acquaintanceship. They were not close.

But Kenma had not expected that when he got engaged, Aizen had even sent a congratulatory gift as a junior.

Hearing Kenma's words, Aizen showed a surprised expression.

"There were many people offering Senior their congratulations that day, and they were all prominent nobles and captains. I did not expect Senior to notice me. I am truly flattered."

"It was nothing," Kenma said calmly.

With Aizen's identity and name, it would have been difficult for him not to notice him!

After the engagement ceremony, he had specifically opened the gift Aizen sent. It turned out to be an entire set of the Four Treasures of the Study.

The thoughtfulness of it had instead left Kenma unable to discern Aizen's true intentions for a while.

Kenma also noticed that a silver-haired little boy was following beside Aizen.

The boy wore rough clothing from Soul Society. His eyes were narrowed shut, as though he were smiling, yet combined with his facial features, he gave off a crafty and vicious air.

Kenma had a suspicion and asked, "And this is?"