Omaeda led Setsuna to the front of the Dean's office.
Pushing open the heavy solid wood door, Setsuna stepped inside.
The light in the room wasn't particularly bright, yet it gave off a solemn atmosphere.
Behind the expansive desk, an old man with white hair and beard sat upright, his hands resting on a black walking stick.
His eyes were slightly closed, yet they emitted a suffocating pressure.
This was the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, founder of the Shin'o Academy, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.
"Dean," Omaeda bowed respectfully. "Setsuna is here."
Yamamoto gave a slight nod. Omaeda immediately took the hint and retreated from the room, closing the door behind him.
"Sit," Yamamoto's voice was low and authoritative.
Setsuna, expression unchanged, sat in the chair opposite him.
"One month ago," Yamamoto slowly opened his eyes, his sharp gaze piercing like a blade, "In District 77 of North Rukongai, someone killed over a hundred hollows, including a Gillian-class Menos Grande. That was you, wasn't it?"
Omaeda, eavesdropping outside the door, sucked in a sharp breath, the fat on his face trembling.
'Killed a Menos? What on earth is this big shot's background?'
Even the lowest-level Gillian-class Menos Grande could only be killed by a seated officer or even a Lieutenant.
Although Setsuna tested at third-class Reiryoku, which was above that of an average Lieutenant, without the systematic training of the Shin'o Academy, without knowing how to condense Reiatsu, and without even a Zanpakuto...
In theory, Setsuna shouldn't be able to unleash the true power of third-class Reiatsu at all.
Setsuna nodded. "That's not against the law, I hope?"
"Hmph, of course not." Yamamoto rarely allowed a trace of a smile to appear. "This old man should be thanking you for your actions at that time."
He paused, then continued asking, "If it's convenient to say, what did you do in the Living World?"
"Martial artist," Setsuna said lightly.
Yamamoto gave a slight nod. "No wonder you possess such pure Reiryoku..."
A flicker of recollection passed through his gaze. "The Soul Society indeed occasionally has exceptionally gifted individuals. Once, there was a boy whose innate Reiryoku was so great it made even this old man take notice. He even caused Unohana to resign as Captain of the 11th Division and take up the captaincy of the 4th Division instead."
Setsuna understood internally, 'The person Yamamoto was referring to was likely the future Captain of the 11th Division, Zaraki Kenpachi.
Of course, the current Kenpachi Zaraki was probably just called 'Zaraki'.
Yamamoto sighed, seemingly with emotion. "Unfortunately, that boy did not enroll in the Shin'o Academy back then. Otherwise, with his Reiryoku level at that time, his test result would have been at least second-class, perhaps even reaching first-class."
Setsuna found this rather amusing internally, 'Was this an attempt to use Zaraki as a warning to me, to keep me from getting conceited?'
"Of course, you need not undervalue yourself either." Yamamoto's tone shifted, becoming genial once more. "Enrolling with a third-class Reiryoku result, you have already made history for the Shin'o Academy. Train well. With your potential, you will undoubtedly become a pillar of the Gotei 13 in the future."
"Thank you for your confidence, Dean." Setsuna expressed his gratitude politely.
After a brief conversation of encouragement, Setsuna opened the door and left.
Outside, Omaeda was rubbing his hands together, waiting with an eager look on his face.
As soon as he saw Setsuna emerge, he flashed a brilliant smile. "Setsuna, let me show you the way. The Academy has already arranged your dormitory."
He led the way enthusiastically, deliberately walking half a step ahead and to the side, maintaining a distance that showed respect without seeming distant.
The two walked along a long corridor. Outside the glass windows on either side was a neatly trimmed garden, with occasional curious glances from senior students.
They soon arrived at a relatively independent two-story wooden building. A few cherry blossom trees in full bloom were deliberately planted at its base.
"This is it." Omaeda pushed open the door, making an 'after you' gesture.
The interior of the dorm was more spacious than expected, divided into an outer and inner room. The outer area was a simple reception space, the inner one the bedroom.
The moment Setsuna stepped into the dorm, the inner door was gently pushed open.
A refined, handsome boy wearing black-framed glasses stood in the doorway, a gentle and elegant smile on his face.
That smile froze the instant he saw Setsuna, then transformed into disbelief and excitement.
"I-It's you?!" The boy's voice trembled slightly. He quickly stepped forward, bowing deeply. "I never imagined... I never imagined I would be assigned to the same dormitory as Setsuna-sama. This is truly... truly an honor!"
Setsuna looked at the face before him, a powerful sense of déjà vu washing over him.
"You are..."
"I am Aizen Sosuke." The boy raised his head. His eyes behind the glasses were clear and humble, yet also held a calmness that belied his age. "One of the newly arrived souls you saved on the day I entered the Soul Society."
He bowed again. "If not for your timely intervention, all of us in that group would likely have ended up in the stomachs of hollows."
Setsuna's expression became somewhat subtle.
If the first world he had crossed into was the Bleach World, facing this man, he might have treated it as a great threat.
But now, he merely found it interesting.
Leaving aside the fact that Shinigami Combat is a battle of Reiatsu, making Kyoka Suigetsu unlikely to be effective against him...
Even if Kyoka Suigetsu could truly dominate his five senses, he still possessed the Sixth Sense, Seventh Sense, and Eighth Sense.
Thinking this, Setsuna smiled and patted Aizen on the shoulder. "Since we're roommates, no need for '-sama'. That's too formal."
His tone was light and friendly. "Just call me Big Brother from now on."
Aizen nodded excitedly. "Yes, Setsuna-nii."
Setsuna asked another question. "By the way, what's your Reiryoku class?"
Aizen pushed up his glasses slightly, looking a bit embarrassed. "Only ninth-class. Compared to Setsuna-nii, it's truly insignificant."
Setsuna wasn't surprised. Aizen later became the 'unremarkable' Captain of the 5th Division, not drawing too much attention.
This indicated his growth path followed the normal captain promotion route, and he didn't display exceptionally outrageous talent from the start.
Aizen's future achievements stemmed more from his own intellect and relentless research.
He wasn't the kind of genius who shone brilliantly from the beginning, but rather one who, through long periods of dormancy, step by step reached the pinnacle.
Besides, ninth-class Reiryoku was actually quite outstanding. The fact that the Academy assigned Aizen to room with him suggested Aizen was likely the one with the highest Reiryoku class among the remaining group.
Seeing Aizen and Setsuna chatting happily, Omaeda, standing to the side, wasn't pleased.
'This kid really knows how to put on an act. I was here first.' Looking at Aizen's 'innocent' appearance, he felt fire rising in his heart.
'I am the first one to follow Setsuna-sama. This kid pops up out of nowhere and wants to steal my position? He's a bit too arrogant, isn't he?'
Omaeda narrowed his eyes slightly, deciding to find an opportunity to give this overconfident 'four-eyes' a little bit of... care from a senior.