"Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding."
— Sōsuke Aizen
****
Let me introduce myself properly—though I doubt I need to.
My name is Sōsuke Aizen, formerly of the 5th Division in the Gotei 13, now a man whose legend is buried beneath a century of conspiracy, betrayal, and a war that shaped all three realms.
More than a hundred years ago, I became Vice-Captain under Shinji Hirako, a man whose instincts were sharper than his sword. He sensed my ambition—but like all those who cling to suspicion, he never truly understood me. So I taught him a lesson only betrayal can offer. In the end, he wore a Hollow mask and was forced to flee to the Human World, hunted by the very laws he once upheld.
With my Captain gone and my plans taking root, I ascended to the position of Captain of the 5th Division—a role I wore like a well-fitted haori, all while hiding a blade far sharper beneath.
But power has limits, and titles mean little to one who seeks transcendence. To stave off boredom—and to recruit pawns—I became a guest instructor at the Spiritual Arts Academy. There, I found potential—not once-in-a-millennium prodigies, but sparks worth igniting: Izuru Kira, Hinamori Momo, and Abarai Renji.
Hinamori idolized me to the point of obsession. Kira was loyal, if dull. And Renji... too wild. I left him to Gin Ichimaru, a blade more suited to cutting down rebellion.
****
One day, I tested the limits of my modified Hollow on a Quincy target. The result? A fusion of bloodlines that would change everything: Kurosaki Ichigo—Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow. The perfect variable.
As he grew stronger, I followed from the shadows. Through him, I rediscovered the Hōgyoku, long thought lost, now hidden within Rukia Kuchiki thanks to Urahara's schemes. I, of course, retrieved it—with style and ease.
And yet...
When I faked my death and left Soul Society, Hinamori did not mourn me as a traitor. Instead, her eyes filled with joy:
"I'm so glad you're alive!"
Naïve. Disappointing.
I gave her my most famous line:
"Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding."
And then I struck her down.
Not to kill—merely to remind her, and Hitsugaya Tōshirō, her childhood companion, that I was no longer bound by sentiment.
****
When I confronted Ichigo in the skies above Karakura Town, he disappointed me. I caught his blade with a single finger, a moment meant to crush his spirit. I gave him every reason to abandon hope—and yet, that boy rose.
After my speech before the captains—an aria of power and truth—I ascended beyond the Gotei 13. I fused the Hōgyoku. I created the Espada. I ruled Hueco Mundo, not as a visitor, but as a god in exile.
My battles became legend.
Against Yamamoto Genryūsai, I made the mistake of thinking he finished after a single blow. I forgot—his fire doesn't die; it smolders. He nearly turned me to ash with Ennetsu Jigoku. I survived. Barely.
Ichigo Kurosaki, on the other hand, became something... else. He unleashed the Final Getsuga Tenshō, a move I had no answer for. He severed me in two. Though the Hōgyoku revived me, my defeat was absolute.
After that? Sealed. Caged. Judged by the Central 46—the very council I once manipulated. Irony, isn't it? Sentenced to 20,000 years in Muken, Soul Society's deepest prison.
But I never lost my mind.
Even when Yhwach rose and the Thousand-Year Blood War began, they begged for my help. I saw his warped face and declined. Not even he was worthy of being my rival.
Only Ichigo Kurosaki ever was.
****
But now… something is different.
I awaken not in the darkness of Muken, but in the soft light of dawn.
The uniform on my body is unmistakable: the white-top, blue-bottom robes of a Spiritual Arts Academy student. The wooden sword by my side, the chatter of students outside, the scent of ink and paper—it's all familiar.
I've been reborn, over a hundred years in the past.
Before the Hollowfication Incident.
Before Gin.
Before the Hōgyoku.
Before betrayal.
This time, the game board is empty.
The pieces haven't moved.
No conspiracies laid. No enemies created.
"What happens when a mastermind with no plan is given a second chance?"
Maybe... I won't bother with conquest.
Maybe I'll seek something else. A confidant. A partner. Someone who understands—not worships—me. Perhaps a woman with sharp eyes and no illusions.
****
A voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Hey, classmate, let's get along! It's our first meeting."
I turned to see a boy with a cheerful grin and an outstretched hand.
"My name's Aizen Kazuki," I said, accepting it.
A new life begins.
No conspiracies. No crowns. No kings.
Only endless possibilities.