Lan Yan.
I still underestimated him.
Ukitake Jūshirō sighed inwardly as he watched Lan Yan calmly take the second volume of the Kidō Compendium from his hands.
I thought even with his speed; it would take him nine months to graduate early from Shinō Academy.
Now? It might only take six.
—You've obtained the second volume of the Kidō Compendium. Your Kidō is pleased. But it doesn't like you trying to take over its training.
Just as Lan Yan was about to scratch his itch and personally try out a few #60+ Hadō spells, that inner voice returned.
He paused.
And immediately buried the idea.
No matter how tempting, he wasn't going to risk getting his Kidō talent to go on strike. Let it train itself.
—After reading through the second volume, your Kidō trained diligently and has now mastered Bakudō #61 – Six Rods Light Prison.
Almost as if it sensed its master's restraint, the Kidō talent responded with unexpected efficiency—like a pet that suddenly learned a new trick to please its owner.
"You really threw that in my face, huh?" Lan Yan mused with a half-smile.
Just moments ago, he'd finished browsing the first volume, and his Kidō had immediately mastered every Hadō and Bakudō from #1 to #60.
Now, it had only picked up one—#61.
He understood why.
Low-level spells were trivial for his Kidō. It could rip through them just by skimming.
But #60 and above? That was another story.
Even with non-stop, focused grinding, it'd likely take ten days to two weeks to master everything up to #99.
And that was for fully chanted versions.
The incantation-less forms? Maybe another half a month on top of that.
After all, casting high-level Kidō without incantation didn't just depend on skill—it required raw power.
—
Step.
The sound of approaching footsteps broke his train of thought.
"Oh? What can I do for you, Kuchiki-san?"
Lan Yan looked up lazily, still leaning against the tree, as Byakuya stepped forward.
"…You've already started the second volume?"
Byakuya's gaze flicked to the book lying on the grass.
His voice was calm, but his expression was anything but.
"I've only learned one spell so far," Lan Yan replied with a shrug. "I underestimated the difficulty of high-level Kidō."
"It's not like the earlier ones. These take time."
But his casual self-deprecation hit Byakuya like a bolt of lightning.
He… already learned one?
From a book he'd just picked up minutes ago?
From the advanced volume?
Yoruichi, Komamura, and the other nearby students turned pale.
They had all heard it, too.
"I underestimated him… again."
"If he's already tackling Volume II, then he won't need six months to graduate. Maybe three."
Ukitake sucked in a breath.
At this point, Lan Yan had shocked him more in two days than anyone else had in centuries.
"You still have something to say?" Lan Yan asked, glancing at Byakuya, who remained rooted in place, unmoving.
"…I must admit," Byakuya said slowly, "in the realm of Kidō… I cannot compare to you."
"But the prestige of the Kuchiki clan is not so easily trampled."
"One day, I'll return."
"And when I do, I'll use my Zanpakutō to return every ounce of disgrace you gave me today. Until then…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Lan Yan Sōsuke—don't slack off for even a moment."
With that, he turned and walked away without waiting for a response.
Though his pride still burned, he didn't cling.
As heir to the Kuchiki clan, he had at least that much dignity.
"Well now… that's unexpected."
"If this defeat helps Byakuya temper his fiery nature," Ukitake thought, "he may be closer to becoming a true clan head than anyone expected."
He'd been ready to intervene if things escalated—but now, watching the resolution, he felt relief.
The problem with Byakuya was never strength or talent.
It was that his life had been too smooth.
And he wasn't born with the potential to stand at the absolute summit.
This loss?
It might be the best thing to ever happen to him.
As the bell rang for the end of the day, Lan Yan and Aizen walked back to their dorms side by side.
Both had private rooms—as expected of Class One—but conveniently, they were right next to each other.
The halls were quiet, though every student who passed them did so with wide eyes and hushed whispers, not daring to come close.
It made the conversation much easier.
"Brother, did you notice something?"
Aizen pushed up his glasses slightly, eyes sharp.
"This morning, during Kidō class—Byakuya's reaction was too aggressive."
"It didn't feel like righteous anger. It felt like he was waiting for an excuse to act."
"He wasn't provoked—he was testing you."
Lan Yan said nothing.
Aizen continued:
"I don't think this came from Byakuya himself."
"More likely—it came from the Four Great Noble Houses."
"This time, it was a probe."
"Next time, it'll be a full-on offensive."
"There's something about us that's caught their attention. But they're not sure what."
"If it was just talent… they'd watch us quietly. But this?"
"They're after something else."
He smiled softly.
The words were chilling.
But the expression on his face was like a spring breeze.
"As expected of you, King of Flex."
Lan Yan laughed to himself.
During Kidō class, Byakuya had thought he was being subtle.
But Aizen?
He'd seen right through it—like reading an open book.
In fact, Lan Yan wouldn't be surprised if Aizen understood the situation better than Byakuya himself did.