The moment they stepped into Zenteiji District.
Danger Instinct began blaring warnings, as endless malice surged at them from every direction.
It was as if the next step would send them plunging into the abyss of death.
It was different from when he had crossed swords with Unohana Retsu.
Her danger came from pure bloodlust, an instinctive desire for battle.
The danger in Zenteiji District felt more like a mixture of malice and bloodlust, along with a disregard for life.
Although he couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the other person's Reiatsu.
Kisaragi Akira knew perfectly well that the source of the malice might be watching the two of them from some hidden corner.
So he didn't dare make a single sudden move.
Everything proceeded as usual.
Only after they had safely left Zenteiji District did Danger Instinct stop warning him, and his taut nerves gradually began to relax.
"The smell of death..."
Aizen furrowed his brows slightly, trying to recall everything unusual that had happened in Zenteiji District.
He knew about Kisaragi Akira's inexplicable intuition.
So he didn't doubt the truth of what Akira had said.
But no matter how hard he racked his memory, he couldn't find the slightest clue.
"Well, don't worry about it too much."
Kisaragi Akira grinned carelessly. "We can leave it to Teacher Kaede and the others to worry about."
"All we need to do is hand over the culprit's Zanpakuto and report what happened truthfully. After that, it has nothing to do with us."
"And we'll get a decent reward out of it, too."
"Tonight's tofu dinner is on me, your Chief Priest!"
Aizen gave an almost imperceptible nod.
What Kisaragi Akira said made sense.
But for some reason, ever since hearing what Akira had said, he'd been feeling vaguely uneasy.
With his current level of Reiatsu, anyone capable of avoiding his senses without being detected—
At the very least, they'd have to be a captain, wouldn't they?
Had this incident really involved someone at Captain-level?
What role had the Shinigami who'd gone rogue played in all this?
And what was the truth behind it?
Aizen lowered his eyelids slightly. Behind his deliberately obscuring gaze, the flames of curiosity blazed.
Shin'o Academy.
Teachers' Office.
Kaede Junya stared at the Zanpakuto on the desk, its distinctive personal style unmistakable, and fell into thought.
How long had it been?
The kid had investigated the incident and killed the culprit in less than a day.
Wasn't his current strength already comparable to that of a high-ranking Seated Officer?
At the thought, Kaede Junya narrowed his eyes and began studying Kisaragi Akira, who sat in another teacher's chair with a languid air.
He couldn't read him!
He couldn't read him at all anymore!
"This is the reward you've earned."
Kaede Junya promptly took out a stack of bills and set them on the desk.
"As for your report that there may be an even greater danger in the 32nd District of East Rukon, I'll pass it on to the Captain-Commander as well."
"From here on, it's no longer your concern."
Kisaragi Akira took the money and left with an easygoing air, dragging along Aizen, who was still deep in thought.
But just before they reached the door, Aizen stopped and turned back, his expression earnest.
"If possible, please have a captain investigate this matter."
Kaede Junya looked startled and confused, but when he saw Aizen's serious expression, he couldn't help nodding.
He didn't know Aizen Sosuke very well as a student, but being able to get along with Kisaragi Akira was an accomplishment in itself.
"I'd better hurry and report this to the Captain-Commander."
Kaede Junya picked up the Zanpakuto from the desk and hurried out of the office.
That night.
Kisaragi Akira got his wish and ate the Shin'o Cafeteria's special tofu dishes.
Aizen seemed a little distracted during dinner, but he still ate plenty.
Tofu was one of his favorite ingredients.
It had a delicate fragrance, a smooth texture, and a tender mouthfeel.
As long as the cook wasn't too incompetent, it was hard to make tofu taste bad.
And the Shin'o Cafeteria's chefs were certainly up to the task.
After dinner, the two returned to their temporary dormitory right on schedule.
It would take a while to rebuild the Central Male Dormitory, so in the meantime, they had to stay in temporary quarters put together by the 12th Division's research team.
The temporary dorms were pretty good, all things considered.
The only drawback was that they were a little cramped.
Of course, with only two people staying in Kisaragi Akira's room, it wasn't a problem.
The other temporary dorm rooms housed four people.
One unlucky room even had six crammed into it.
"Full stomach, happy life."
Kisaragi Akira sprawled across his bed like a beached fish, looking completely content.
Compared with his former struggle to survive in Nikkotsu District, he might as well be in heaven now.
Of course, it'd be even better if he could rest his head on Shizune's lap pillow.
Back when he was at the Shrine, once he'd eaten his fill, he'd lie down on Ise Shizune's lap and enjoy a massage from her ten slender fingers.
The pressure, the feel, the technique—they were all superb.
Aizen glanced at Kisaragi Akira lazing around but paid him no mind. He returned to his own bed and immediately began training his Reiatsu.
Powerful ability was what fueled a strong sense of curiosity.
No matter how talented someone was, if they didn't work hard at training, they'd eventually fade into obscurity.
He wasn't sure how talented Kisaragi Akira was, but based on his performance lately, he was certainly no less talented than Aizen himself.
If Akira kept progressing at this rate, he'd surpass Aizen sooner or later.
At the thought, Aizen couldn't help feeling an inexplicable sense of urgency.
"Go ahead, keep pushing yourself. It's great to push yourself."
Kisaragi Akira noticed what Aizen was doing, sat up, and sighed helplessly.
That was the one downside to being friends with someone like Aizen.
Whenever Aizen was studying or training, if Akira went off to have fun, he'd feel an overwhelming sense of guilt.
Once the guilt set in, he couldn't eat or sleep properly. It was pure mental torture.
Fortunately—
His own talent wasn't bad these days. He couldn't claim to have a photographic memory, but he did have a little knack for learning.
Kisaragi Akira straightened up, ready to get in on the training.
[Reishi Affinity] to the max. Let's see what you've got!
When he fully released his Reiatsu, the familiar unexpected incident occurred again.
The Reishi in the air drifted along irregular paths, gradually converging. A faint white glow rose in the dorm room, illuminating the colorful fabric around them.
Aizen slowly opened his eyes and let out a helpless sigh.
He'd known this incident wouldn't be as simple as it seemed.
Kisaragi Akira was like a human mine detector. Wherever he went, some kind of trouble was bound to crop up.
Kisaragi Akira noticed the anomaly too. The moment he realized what was happening in the dorm room, his eyes widened.
The white light blurred and shimmered as the Reishi gathered, gradually becoming clear and illuminating a simple, pure-white figure.
What was that?
Had a mosaic come to life?!
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