You Are Quite Good

Aizen and Ichimaru Gin watched everything that had unfolded within the training grounds through the surveillance screens, falling into several seconds of silence.

It was Ichimaru Gin who spoke first: "Captain Aizen, has this Tachikawa Shin already exceeded your expectations?"

With a single slash, he had effortlessly slain a Gillian.

After all, they weren't on-site, unable to truly sense the spiritual pressure of that sword strike just now. From the screen alone, it appeared as an unremarkable slash that merely released sword pressure.

Such strength was already far beyond what a Spirit Training Academy student should possess!

Aizen said thoughtfully, "He was hit just now, wasn't he?"

He was referring to Shin being smacked by that Menos Grande's palm. Judging from where Shin reappeared afterward, it was clear he hadn't dodged.

Yet when he reappeared, there wasn't a single trace of being struck on him, not even a wrinkle in his clothes. It couldn't be that he had deliberately tidied himself up after getting up, could it?

Ichimaru Gin narrowed his eyes: "Is it the ability of his Zanpakutō? Does Captain Aizen think he's intentionally hiding his Zanpakutō's true power?"

Aizen neither confirmed nor denied.

Ichimaru Gin let out a light laugh: "Captain Aizen, what should we do next?"

According to the original plan, they would have made an appearance at the critical moment, both achieving the goal of the test and earning some goodwill from these students.

As things stood now, it seemed there was no need for them to rescue anyone at all.

Aizen's gaze fixed on the figure on the screen, and he suddenly gave a faint smile: "Gin, isn't this kind of unexpected turn the real surprise?"

Just then, several figures burst in, startled by the sight of bodies lying haphazardly across the room.

"What happened?"

"Anyone still alive?!"

These arriving Shinigami quickly began inspecting the scene, yet they acted as if they hadn't seen Aizen and Ichimaru Gin at all, busily checking everywhere.

"Let's go, Gin."

Aizen turned and walked blatantly right past the crowd of Shinigami.

Inside the Kekai.

After the Gillian and that large-class Hollow had been slain, only the small-class Hollows used for normal training remained.

All the students had gathered together, each looking visibly shaken, with the upperclassmen on perimeter alert.

Shin drank water unhurriedly when the Communication Device on him suddenly vibrated.

He answered, and a voice immediately came through: "This is the Barrier Team. How are things on your end? Have there been any special circumstances?"

Shin said calmly, "We're safe for now. We encountered an attack by a Menos Grande. We need to suspend the training; please send someone to pick us up."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end before the voice asked again: "Please repeat that."

"We're safe for now. We encountered a Menos Grande attack. Please send someone to pick us up."

"You mean a Menos Grande?"

"A Gillian."

The other end fell silent again.

"Reinforcements are already on the way. What are your casualties?"

"No casualties."

"And the Menos Grande?"

"It's dead."

Shin responded to the questions on the other end in a calm tone. He knew that once the Shinigami reinforcements arrived, he'd probably have to explain everything in detail again, so he didn't grow impatient.

Setting down the Communication Device, Shin looked around.

Being able to contact the Barrier Team meant this should be wrapping up soon. Aizen hadn't appeared.

Hinamori then came up close to Shin. Like many of the lowerclassmen, she had been badly frightened just now and had likely only just calmed down.

"President..."

"What's wrong?"

"Are you alright?" Hinamori asked with concern.

"What could be wrong with me?"

Hinamori hesitated: "I remember you were slammed into the ground by that Menos Grande earlier..."

Earlier, Shin had failed to dodge while saving Kanazawa, and he had definitely taken a solid hit.

Shin just smiled: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Besides Hinamori, the first-year students were also watching him, their gazes varied.

Shin addressed the crowd reassuringly: "Although a few oversized Hollows appeared this time, fortunately it was a close call with no real danger. The reinforcements have arrived, so everyone can rest easy."

A few oversized Hollows...

Those words sounded rather light and breezy.

But that was a Gillian!

Even the Spirit Training Academy's textbooks marked it with a bold warning: "Extremely Dangerous"—a high-level Hollow that only seated officers, and specifically Upper Seat Officers, could hope to oppose. The terrifying spiritual pressure it had emitted upon appearing had struck fear into everyone's hearts.

And yet, something so dangerously lethal had been cut down by this man with a single slash!

They all knew the Student Council President was strong, but they never imagined he could be this strong.

It was a good thing he was this strong; otherwise, none of them would be safe right now.

"President, you saved all of us," Kira said at that moment.

Xin replied, "I'm the leader of this Human World field trip. Protecting you is my duty."

The relief squad of Soul Reapers arrived soon after, led by none other than Fifth Division Captain Sosuke Aizen.

The Fifth Division was the rescue unit, so it was normal for Captain Aizen to lead the team personally. This gentle and affable captain always handled matters with earnest responsibility, often doing things himself.

"How are things? Were we too late?" Aizen's brow was furrowed with anxiety, and his first words upon seeing Xin were a question.

Xin, as the primary person in charge of this mission, responded, "No major problems. Everyone is unharmed."

Aizen let out a sigh of relief. "I see. That's good. Can you tell me in detail what happened?"

Xin couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Don't you already know exactly what happened?

But on the surface, he played along with the act, recounting everything from the appearance of the large Hollow to all that followed.

Ichimaru Gin stood behind Aizen, his eyes slightly open, watching Xin with a calm expression.

After hearing Xin's account, Aizen looked astonished. "You killed a Gillian?"

"I got lucky."

"There's no such thing as luck in something like this!" Aizen shook his head, then looked at Xin with a wry smile. "Tachikawa, you really do keep surprising me. It's a shame your Zanpakutō is the Kidō type; otherwise, I'd definitely find a way to bring you into the Fifth Division."

"Captain Aizen flatters me," Xin said modestly. "Captain Aizen, I wanted to ask—did something happen on the Kekai team's end? We lost contact with them for a while."

Aizen pondered. "This needs to be thoroughly investigated. Once things are clear, I'll let you know."

"Yes," Xin replied, lowering his head.

He guessed that the entire Kekai team was likely already in grave danger. Even if an investigation did get completed, the explanation would probably be something else entirely.

But this was something he had no power to change right now.

Finally, Aizen patted Xin on the shoulder and said, "Tachikawa, you're quite impressive."

"..."

Xin didn't look at Aizen's expression at that moment. Even if he had, he wouldn't have seen anything.

This Captain Aizen would inevitably wear a gentle and affable face—no one could see through him.

Aizen then offered words of comfort and encouragement to Shūbīng, Kanazawa, Hinamori, Kira, and Renji, praising them for stepping up to protect everyone in the moment of crisis.

Shūbīng and the others looked rather awkward. They all knew in their hearts that they hadn't really done anything.

The relief squad Soul Reapers were busy with two main tasks: clearing the remaining Hollows within the Kekai and calming the students.

Kanazawa felt like someone was watching her. She looked up and met Xin's gaze.

Their eyes locked, and Xin smiled at her.

Kanazawa thought back to how Xin had unhesitatingly thrown her out of harm's way earlier, and a warmth flowed through her heart.

The field trip was forced to end on the very first day.

The students were brought back to the Spirit Training Academy, and the injured were sent directly to the Fourth Division.

Only after returning to Soul Society did everyone finally let out a sigh of relief.

Everything that had happened today felt like a dream to many. What had started as an exciting adventure had turned into something no one expected.

Xin didn't get to rest. After giving his statement to the Fifth Division members, he was urgently summoned to the Principal's office.

It was still late at night. Principal Suzumebachi, having received the news, had broken out in a cold sweat and rushed back to the school.

And not just him—the entire leadership of the Spirit Training Academy had been informed.

"Xin, we really owe this to you," he said, expressing his sincere gratitude. If not for Xin, none of those students would likely have survived an encounter with a Menos Grande.

Even though it wasn't the Academy's fault, that wasn't the issue—dozens of lives were at stake!

And the students on this Human World trip were all from Class A—the future elites of Soul Society.

"It was my duty."

Xin had said that phrase many times today. He truly didn't want anyone to die under his protection.

Besides Kanazawa, Hinamori, and the others, there were many Student Council members among the first-years, and plenty of familiar faces among the upperclassmen.

Suzumebachi Gyosho, still shaken, wore a complicated expression.

This student was truly different from most people he had ever met. The Academy had seen genius students before, and it had seen unruly, eccentric ones—but rarely someone who possessed both traits, and to such an extreme degree.

Fortunately, his nature was good.

He walked up to Xin and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

"You saved all the students on this internship. In two days, the school will hold a special Commendation Ceremony for you."

"Forget it," Xin said quickly. "I'm not a fan of that kind of occasion."

Suzumebachi Gyosho let out a soft laugh. "Then what reward do you want?"

Xin thought it over carefully, then said, "Can't think of anything right now. Just owe me one."

"Owe you one?" Suzumebachi Gyosho was taken aback. "You mean, you want the school to owe you a favor?"

"Didn't you, Principal, say you'd give me a reward?"

"..."

Suzumebachi Gyosho thought to himself that this kid really wasn't one for modesty. He wasn't angry at all, but he couldn't help saying, "Weren't you just saying this was what you ought to do?"

Xin grinned. "What I do is my business. What the school does is the school's business."

Suzumebachi Gyosho couldn't hold back a chuckle, then burst into laughter.

"Alright, then I'll owe you one!"

After leaving the Principal's Office, Xin didn't rush back to the dormitory right away.

Instead, he went to the Student Council office first, leaned back alone in a chair, and let himself completely relax.

His mind was blank at the moment, buzzing with noise.

Though cutting down the Menos Grande had been easy, he'd actually been on edge the entire day.

The door suddenly swung open.

In walked Kanazawa.

"Why are you here?" Xin asked, a little surprised.

At this hour, Kanazawa should have been back in her dorm.

Kanazawa pursed her lips. "I was waiting for you on the way back to the dorm, but then I saw the light here turn on and figured you might be here..."

As she spoke, she walked over to Xin.

Xin sat up a little straighter, resting his arm on the desk and lightly propping his forehead with his hand.

"Are you tired?" Kanazawa asked, seeing his state.

"A bit," Xin said with a long exhale.

The moment the words left his mouth, Kanazawa suddenly leaned in and pressed her lips gently to his forehead.

Then, cheeks flushed, she asked, "Does that help a little?"

Xin was briefly stunned, then let out a laugh, wondering to himself where she'd learned that.

If Hinamori had done something like that, it wouldn't have been strange, but Kanazawa...

Right now, Kanazawa felt an immense gratitude toward Xin for saving her. She didn't know what to do or what to give in return, and that kiss had been a spur-of-the-moment impulse.

Xin stood up from the chair and lightly tapped her forehead. "Alright, I know you came to thank me, but there's no need. To me, the fact that you're alive right now is already the best thing."

"..."

"Go back and rest. I need to sleep too."

"...Okay."

Back in the dorm, Hisagi Shūhei was still awake. Seeing Xin return, he immediately sat up in bed.

"Xin."

"You're still up? I'm dead tired today."

Xin stretched and flopped straight onto his bed.

Hisagi Shūhei was silent for a moment, then got up to turn off the light before lying back down.

Both had things on their minds. Xin was thinking about how this incident would ultimately play out and how Aizen would maneuver behind the scenes.

"Xin."

"Hm?"

"I'm curious..."

Xin glanced sideways at Shūhei's bed.

Shūhei asked slowly, "How did you get so strong?"

"I'm a genius!"

Shūhei let out a quiet laugh, then added, "Even a genius has to have limits, right?"

"The thing about a genius is that you can't judge them by common sense. If you look at me with the same eyes you use for others, of course you won't see through it."

"..."

Shūhei sighed softly. "You're right... But I've never been able to understand it. We enrolled at the same time, received the same education. Aside from regular classes, you often go to the library to read all kinds of books—I've done that too—but no matter what, I can't catch up to you. Take your swordsmanship, for example; it's already far beyond Teacher Nanda's. Did you really figure all that out on your own?"

Xin stared at the dim ceiling, silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "Then let me tell you a secret."

Shūbīng perked up instantly. "What?"

"I had a dream. In it, I became a great swordmaster, undefeated across the world."

"... "

Shūbīng said nothing. He felt Xin's words were a brush-off, but he didn't press further.

Xin guessed he probably didn't believe it, so he didn't bother explaining. He just murmured to himself, just loud enough for his own ears: "That dream was so long..."

He thought of his past life—it, too, felt like a dream.

He hoped that wasn't a dream. He hoped this wasn't one either.

"Xin, can I still catch up to you?" Shūbīng suddenly asked again.

"That's not a question you should ask me. Ask yourself."

"... "