Aizen's Trust, Heart of the Divine

Seeing the look of disappointment on Kisaragi Akira's face, Aizen felt a bit puzzled; he could not understand why a student would be curious about such places.

However, seeing that the other party had no intention of continuing the discussion, he did not delve further into the topic.

After becoming a student at the Spiritual Arts Academy, he had witnessed many secrets that were previously inaccessible to him.

Secrets regarding the structure of the Soul Society and the hierarchical system of the entire world.

He did not understand.

Why did Yamamoto Shigekuni, as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, possess strength that stood unrivaled in the Soul Society, yet choose to remain subservient to the so-called nobility?

And the conduct of those nobles was so utterly revolting...

As for the Central 46, the highest judicial organ of the Soul Society, what role did they play in all of this?

He would slowly search for the answers to these questions.

Until there were no more secrets left in this world.

The subsequent academy life allowed Kisaragi Akira to regain a bit of the feeling from the past.

In his spare time, he utilized his expertise as a shrine priest to exorcise spirits for beautiful young girls and promote the name of Nikkotsu Shrine.

The pure friendships of one's student days are often the most moving.

Ah, what a wonderful era!

Of course, there were drawbacks.

Having grown accustomed to waking up naturally at Nikkotsu Shrine, he found himself unable to adjust his biological clock for a time.

Every morning when the seven o'clock bell rang, Kisaragi Akira remained immersed in a state of daze.

Returning to a cage, losing one's freedom...

Countless similar adjectives swirled in Kisaragi Akira's mind, while next door, Aizen had already finished washing up and came to knock on the door, calling for Kisaragi Akira to head to the classroom together.

"Is this what life is all about..."

Kisaragi Akira wailed listlessly, struggling to rise from his bed like a wounded beast, and reluctantly pulled on his blue and white student uniform.

When he opened the door, what met his eyes was Aizen's familiar, gentle smile.

Although he didn't know why, this guy clearly intended to latch onto him, following him everywhere since enrollment.

His plan to keep a low profile and develop in the shadows had thus been declared a failure.

Fortunately, Aizen's words and actions were not detestable.

Or rather, a gentle Aizen was perfectly suited for the role of a friend.

"You really should tidy up your appearance."

On the way to the classroom, Aizen kindly reminded him.

Ever since he had gotten to know Kisaragi Akira, he had gained a deeper understanding of human nature; it turned out that one's bottom line as a person could truly be adjusted flexibly without making others feel disgusted.

Could this be an innate talent?

"We have Marechiyo's class this morning, and he dislikes students who are unkempt."

After a period of classes, Aizen had already mastered the personalities and preferences of the teachers, and he would remind his careless companion at any time.

Kisaragi Akira nodded listlessly, looking as if he had been completely drained.

"Marechiyo, I have to listen to this guy show off his family wealth again."

"It's truly detestable. He's just a noble who sucks the blood of the commoners in Rukongai, so why does he enjoy all of this with such peace of mind!"

Aizen glanced at him sideways and mused, "Akira, do you hate nobles?"

"No, I hate that I am not a noble."

Kisaragi Akira skillfully draped his arm over Aizen's shoulder and grinned, "After all, the dragon slayer will eventually become the dragon!"

Aizen looked thoughtful.

Inside the classroom.

Marechiyo, with his burly, robust physique and a stern, meticulous expression, was already standing on the podium, scanning every student entering the room with a fierce gaze.

Unlike the obese figure he would have after retirement, the current Marechiyo could be considered the elite of the elite, aside from his penchant for showing off his family wealth.

He was proficient in swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, flash steps, and kido, with none lacking.

It was precisely because of this that he also served as the hand-to-hand combat instructor at the Spiritual Arts Academy in his spare time.

Once all the students had arrived, Marechiyo let his hands fall to his sides, his serious expression taking on a more solemn tone.

"Before we officially begin the lesson, I have an announcement to make."

"As the elites of the entrance examination, you have all made remarkable progress during this period. After this class ends, specialized personnel will come to evaluate your hand-to-hand combat proficiency."

"Alright, let the lesson begin."

Without giving anyone a chance to ask questions, Marechiyo began his lecture on hand-to-hand combat.

Kisaragi Akira was quite serious during class, as it concerned his future destiny.

Especially since the sign-in rewards had been abysmal lately, he had to learn to rely on himself.

In contrast, Aizen Sosuke, who usually listened most attentively, was somewhat distracted at this moment.

It wasn't until Kisaragi Akira waved his hand in front of his eyes that he finally snapped back to reality, his expression somewhat subtle.

"Thank you, Akira."

Question marks appeared on Kisaragi Akira's forehead.

Aizen Sosuke smiled and explained, "I just figured out a few things."

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang in his ears.

[Aizen Sosuke's trust level has reached the requirement, sign-in condition met]
[Character Sign-in: Aizen Sosuke]
[Obtained 1,000 points of Reiryoku, Reiryoku level increased, current level is lv20]
[Obtained exclusive trait: Heart of the Divine]
[Heart of the Divine: Utterly aloof, viewing oneself as a true god, talent for learning anything is increased to the MAX of the current realm!]

Kisaragi Akira gasped, his expression shifting from shock to distortion, and then to wild joy.

This series of transformations took less than 0.1 seconds.

A display of pure skill that even left Aizen Sosuke stunned.

He had originally thought location sign-ins were invincible, but he hadn't expected something even more formidable to exist.

This sudden surprise was truly exhilarating.

Ever since he met Aizen Sosuke, Kisaragi Akira had often felt inferior because he wasn't a genius enough.

The acquisition of Heart of the Divine allowed Kisaragi Akira's six senses to be developed to the extreme in an instant, and the world became colorful and vibrant.

So, the world in the eyes of a genius and the world in the eyes of an ordinary person were two completely different existences.

Just as he was foolishly happy, the lecture by Omaeda Marechiyo came to an end.

"Today's lecture ends here. Next is the test for you all."

His gaze, sharp as a hawk, swept over the crowd. The boys and girls, overwhelmed by his aura, didn't dare to breathe, and some even lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

Until.

Omaeda Marechiyo saw Kisaragi Akira, who was immersed in his own world, and his brows furrowed instantly.

He still had some impression of this priest from Nikkotsu Shrine.

His talent was decent, upper-middle level in Class 1-1, but his personality was unstable. He was a troublemaker in the class who often did things that violated rules and discipline.

For example, talking back to teachers, performing exorcisms on female classmates, and openly advertising the services of Nikkotsu Shrine...

Thinking of this, Omaeda Marechiyo's gaze became a bit more fierce.

He hoped this kid wouldn't pull any stunts during the upcoming assessment; otherwise, he would make Kisaragi Akira understand what it meant to have resolve!

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a black shadow approached outside the window, accompanied by a crisp shattering sound, and countless glass shards scattered across the podium.

Following that came a hearty and arrogant laugh:

"Haha, are you ready to accept your miserable fate, freshmen!"

On the podium, a dark-skinned girl with a purple ponytail stood with her arms crossed, grinning, her neat white teeth reflecting the sunlight:

"From now on..."

"I, Shihoin Yoruichi, will be your examiner for Hakuda!"