Three Elites and Twin Stars

"Shisui, how have you been finding your time at Shino Academy?"

In the study, Kenma wore a casual yukata and sat cross-legged before a low desk. Holding a pair of small scissors, he trimmed the potted plant in front of him.

Shisui sat properly at one side of the low table, holding a cup of tea in both hands.

At Kenma's casual question, his expression immediately turned solemn, and he answered with great seriousness.

"At the academy, the teachers have taken good care of me out of respect for you and the Shikokuin Family. They answer any questions I have, and my classmates have all been very friendly."

"Relax. You're at home; there's no need to be so stiff."

Kenma kept his gaze on the little green plant before him and waved a hand at Shisui. His fingers unconsciously tightened, making the scissors snip repeatedly.

"Yes."

Though he said that, Shisui still wore an impeccably serious expression.

He had lived with the Shikokuin Family for some time as Kenma's servant.

Not only him—even Yashiro and the others who had come with him were staying as guests in the Shikokuin household.

Even after entering Shino Academy, Shisui had not lived in the dormitories like those classmates from the Soul Society. Instead, he attended as a day student.

He studied at the academy during the day, then learned alongside Yashiro and the others at night, honing his skills.

Sometimes, when Kenma was in the mood, he would also offer them some guidance.

Seeing that Shisui came from the Shikokuin Family, the academy's teachers and students naturally wanted to build a good relationship with him.

"I heard you've become quite famous at the academy. You and that boy Aizen brought over are known as the Soul Society's rising Twin Stars, geniuses seen only once in a hundred years."

Kenma's face remained stern and his voice low, but as he spoke, the emotion in his words could not help but rise considerably.

Having followed Kenma for so long, Shisui could detect the faint change hidden beneath his nearly unchanging tone.

It did not sound like reproach. Instead, there was a trace of pleased pride.

Shisui immediately relaxed, and a humble expression appeared on his face.

"I do not deserve such praise from you, my lord. This subordinate has a little talent, but I would never dare compare myself to you in your youth. As for being one in a hundred years, that is merely idle people exaggerating."

Even though he could tell Kenma was in a good mood, Shisui could not help reacting so quickly.

As far as he knew, the Master before him, who held the Uchiha Clan's Life and Death in his hands, had graduated from Shino Academy less than a hundred years ago.

If he himself was one in a hundred years, then where would that leave his Master?

Some of the academy's teachers had taught there for centuries. Shisui had subtly sounded them out in private.

What he mainly wanted to know about were the classes from Kenma's student days.

Kenma—and especially Aizen, whom Kenma regarded with such wariness!

According to the information he had gathered, three Pillars of exceptional promise had appeared in succession over the course of ten years back then.

People of the time collectively called them the Three Elites.

Even now, the teachers still spoke of them with great relish.

Two of them were Lord Kenma, who stood before Shisui now, and Aizen Sosuke.

The third was someone Shisui had never met. He had heard that he was also a son-in-law who had married into the Kuchiki Family, another of the Four Great Noble Clans.

Even now, people still privately discussed how two of the Three Elites had already married into Great Noble families. When would Aizen be next, and which family would he marry into?

Shisui told Kenma the gossip he had heard from his classmates, and Kenma's expression immediately stiffened.

"Is that what your current class talks about at the academy?"

"Please forgive me, my lord. This subordinate has tried to stop them, but those classmates still discuss it secretly in private," Shisui hurriedly said.

"How could I blame you? Their mouths belong to them. What they choose to say is their freedom; there's no need to take it so seriously."

He could hardly send the Punishment Force to arrest those students over a bit of idle gossip.

Kenma did not consider himself especially broad-minded, but he would not punish people for their words, much less make things difficult for students over a few rumors.

"Still, now that you mention it, I really can't imagine what Aizen would look like at a wedding—let alone one with nobles he particularly despises... Heh. I wonder how he'd react if he learned about this."

Only after seeing that Kenma truly was not angry did Shisui finally let out a breath of relief.

"Aizen should already know about such talk. I heard classmates mention that during calligraphy class, Aizen publicly stated that he had no intention of marrying for the time being."

Shisui paused, then guessed,

"It was probably Gin Ichimaru who told him."

Calligraphy was an elective at Shino Academy, not a required class like swordsmanship or Kido.

There were also flower arrangement, board games, painting, and more. Students could enroll according to their own interests.

And the calligraphy instructor was none other than Aizen Sosuke.

Knowing Aizen's true nature, Shisui had not approached him.

"Gin Ichimaru..."

A trace of seriousness appeared between Kenma's brows. His gaze shifted away from the potted plant and settled on Shisui.

"You're classmates with him. After spending these days together, what do you think of him?"

"He is without question a genius—a genuine genius!"

As someone Aizen had brought over, and someone who also bore the name of genius, how could Shisui not have paid attention to Gin Ichimaru?

"Although my classmates and teachers like to place me alongside him, this subordinate knows that I am not a genius like him."

"Thanks to my experience as a Ninja in life, I can learn some of the knowledge and skills taught by the teachers very quickly and pick them up easily."

"But Gin Ichimaru is different. This subordinate can tell that he had never undergone systematic study before. He was completely blank paper, yet he learned those things almost as quickly as I did. In some areas, he was even faster."

Kenma was not surprised in the slightest by Shisui's answer.

After all, Gin Ichimaru had been a genius who graduated in a year in the original story, and he had even managed to scheme against Aizen later on. It was only natural that he possessed such talent.

What was surprising was that Shisui could actually contend with Gin Ichimaru. That was truly rare.

"Heh. The more talented Gin Ichimaru is, the more headaches Aizen will have in the future."

Who knew what peculiar taste Aizen had, keeping such a troublesome figure by his side for more than a century.

He had even treated Gin Ichimaru's killing intent as entertainment.

Kenma truly could not understand Aizen's way of thinking.

"My lord, there is one more matter."

"Hmm?"

Shisui said, "This subordinate has heard that Gin Ichimaru has already completed this year's coursework and wishes to skip ahead to a higher grade."

Kenma naturally knew of this. He looked at Shisui and understood.

"You want to skip a grade too?"

"This subordinate will follow your arrangements in all things."

Shisui knelt and pressed his head to the tatami.

Frankly speaking, he had already completed the coursework for his current grade and had even begun studying more advanced material.

He did not need to build connections at the academy, so continuing would only waste time.

On the other hand, there were also the expectations of his clansmen.

As the village's only college student, Shisui's news was closely followed throughout the Uchiha Clan, and his reputation as a genius was widely known.

At the mention of Shisui's name, even three-year-old children would puff out their chests.

The Clan Head had once sent him a letter, subtly telling him not to tarnish the Uchiha Clan's prestige.

Yashiro and the others around him also openly and covertly urged him not to let anyone surpass him.

Shisui could not make the decision himself, so he could only come and request Kenma's orders.

"This matter..."

Kenma pondered for a moment and was just about to speak when a crisp, bold female voice suddenly rang out from outside.

"Kenma, Kenma, I need to talk to you about something!"

The voice was utterly unceremonious and carried a strong note of displeasure.

Kenma's brows drew together slightly.

It was Yoruichi.