When Shinji Hirako looked down, he sucked in a sharp breath.
Masatsuki Aozaki turned his gaze toward the field, only to be met with a warm, gentle smile—one that carried a faint trace of provocation.
"Interesting…" Masatsuki murmured, his tone laced with meaning.
Unlike Shinji, he had no intention of exposing Aizen.
First, words alone meant nothing. Yamamoto might not even believe it.
Second, he understood Aizen's strength. Aizen wasn't Yamamoto's match, but unless the old man was willing to destroy the world in the process, taking him down wouldn't be easy either.
Third, Masatsuki himself was too deeply entangled with Aizen. If certain things came to light, knowing Yamamoto's rigid nature, the old man might decide to "clean the house."
Aizen could always escape. Masatsuki? Not so much.
So, in that regard, he agreed with Shinji—Yamamoto was indeed stubborn.
The other captains, unaware of the thoughts running through Masatsuki and Shinji's minds, simply watched the scene unfold with intrigue.
Despite Aizen's arrogance, ruthlessness, and his countless murders—not to mention his ambition to overthrow Seireitei's order—most people still saw him as a model Shinigami.
Masatsuki could only admit one thing—when it came to acting, he had a lot to learn from Aizen.
The man could effortlessly charm young Shinigami, turn them against Seireitei, and even after everything, some still worshipped him.
If Aizen weren't so obsessed with overcomplicating things, he would've been an undeniable candidate for Captain-Commander once Yamamoto stepped down.
"If you make it to the top, what's left that you can't do?" Masatsuki mused, watching Aizen's confident stance. "A lone genius—unable to tolerate being beneath a group of incompetent fools once your goal is achieved?"
Taking a deep breath, Masatsuki smirked, as if he had seen right through everything.
"And now, you're stepping up to become a Captain. What changed your mind? Well, I suppose if used correctly, a Captain's authority can go a long way. Good luck."
Masatsuki knew Aizen had never stayed in the 5th Division as a Lieutenant out of duty—it had always been a game. He was simply passing time, waiting to see when Shinji would finally uncover his true nature.
Now, though, something new had piqued his interest.
After all, he is someone who could shave Shinji Hirako's head bald just for fun.
It sounded childish, but at the core of it, Aizen was like a child—one whose intellect was simply too advanced for his own good.
His extraordinary abilities set him apart from others, and his superior intelligence allowed him to see far beyond the surface of things.
It was as if he stood alone in a world far older than what ordinary souls could perceive—a solitary child crying into the void.
His mind was too sharp, too keen, and in the grand illusion he saw, he was always alone.
Yet, the very fact that he could feel loneliness proved something important—he was still human. A social creature by nature.
People could only grow through connections with others. No matter how far Aizen distanced himself, at his core, he was just a lonely child longing for companionship.
Looking back at his actions in another timeline, Masatsuki could see it—traces of childish defiance, masked by grandeur.
Aizen looked at Masatsuki Aozaki's smiling expression and felt an unprecedented sense of joy.
"So, you understand me? As expected, we are the same kind of person."
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Aizen Sōsuke let out a slow breath and stepped forward to face Kensei Muguruma.
"Your name is Sōsuke Aizen, right? Shinji Hirako's Lieutenant," Kensei suddenly spoke.
"I heard you're not even 200 years old, yet you've already mastered Bankai. Not bad."
"For Shinji Hirako's sake, I didn't really want to hurt you."
"But since the Captain-Commander has ordered it, I won't be holding back."
His tall, muscular frame exuded raw strength, making him seem overwhelmingly dominant compared to the seemingly frail Aizen.
The Lieutenants watching from the sidelines swallowed nervously.
Kensei stared straight at Aizen, as if expecting some sort of reaction.
However, Aizen didn't display the slightest hint of fear, contrary to Kensei's expectations.
The young man, his 5th Division armband neatly tied around his arm, simply gazed at him in silence.
"I'll take this exam seriously, so please don't hold back, Captain Muguruma."
Kensei was momentarily taken aback.
There was something unsettling about Aizen's calm demeanor—something that made even him feel a slight sense of pressure.
On the high platform, Shinji Hirako narrowed his eyes, carefully observing their every move.
If Aizen showed any sign of overstepping his bounds, Shinji would immediately come up with a dozen reasons to prevent him from becoming Captain.
But the problem was, despite sensing Aizen's dangerous nature, Shinji had no concrete understanding of his true strength.
If Kensei managed to defeat him and declared that Aizen had failed the exam, Shinji could use that opportunity to sway the Captain-Commander's judgment...
Yamamoto, oblivious to the scheming minds around him, gave Chōjirō Sasakibe a nod.
Raising his voice with the aid of Reiatsu, Sasakibe ensured that everyone in the audience could hear as he announced:
"Let the Captain's exam begin!"
Kensei's gaze sharpened.
Pulling open his shirt, he revealed the "69" tattoo on his abdomen before unsheathing his Zanpakutō and stepping into a combat stance.
His grip tightened around the hilt, feet firmly planted, and with explosive speed, he lunged straight at Aizen.
Seeing this, Aizen simply lifted his hand, drawing his Zanpakutō with a smooth motion before swinging in a single, fluid strike.
Kensei's eyes widened.
There was no way to dodge—it was too fast.
His only option was to turn his blade sideways and block the attack head-on.
Bang!
The moment their blades met, a tremendous force surged through Kensei's sword like a tidal wave, momentarily startling him.
He hadn't expected such power from someone with Aizen's slim build—yet the young man was matching him blow for blow without faltering.
However, Kensei wasn't so easily shaken.
With just a slight tremor, he quickly regained his footing.
But Aizen didn't give him a moment to recover. The instant his first strike connected, he followed up with a relentless barrage—more than ten rapid slashes in the blink of an eye.
Kensei barely managed to parry them, putting all his strength into blocking each attack.
Just when he thought he'd created an opening for a counterattack, Aizen suddenly raised his other hand.
Reiatsu surged in his palm, whipping up violent gusts of wind.
"Hadō #58: Tenran!"
A massive whirlwind roared forth like a raging beast, slamming into Kensei and kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
...
...
"Not bad!"
"His Reiatsu is definitely at Captain level."
"But I didn't expect him to actually overpower Captain Muguruma!"
The captains on the platform exchanged glances, impressed by what they had just witnessed.
Kensei had been a Captain for decades, yet Aizen, as a newly promoted Captain, was already managing to suppress him—a remarkable feat.
"Damn... I'm Shinji Hirako's friend, at least. You really didn't hold back, huh, kid?"
Despite being at a disadvantage, Kensei still had the energy to joke.
Aizen, however, was puzzled.
He hadn't had much interaction with Kensei, but based on his research, the man was supposed to be quick-tempered and easily provoked.
Yet right now, the tone in Kensei's voice carried a sense of approval—perhaps even satisfaction.
Aizen's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Since Captain Muguruma said to go all out, I wouldn't dare be careless."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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