The room was quiet — too quiet for a pair of first-year prodigies who had just come back from the Rukon District with a destabilized Kidō construct and a cursed crystal in their possession.
Akira lounged sideways on his futon, one leg crossed over the other, idly flipping a copper coin between his fingers. The system HUD flickered in the corner of his vision, endlessly scrolling diagnostics on the artifact lying between him and his brother.
[Analyzing Item: Reiryoku-Encoded Artifact][Material Composition: Reinforced Seireitei glass, bonded with Kidō-script microfilaments][Energetic Signature: Noble House Pattern – Class S Restricted][Status: Dormant][Caution: Embedded trap matrix dormant but responsive to reiryoku][Translation Sequence: 41% Complete]
Across from him, Aizen sat at the low lacquered table, spectacles low on his nose, sleeves rolled up, a brush in hand as he sketched out spiritual formulae on handmade parchment. Despite the flickering lantern light, his strokes were clean, elegant — the markings of a mind in full acceleration.
"I've confirmed it," Aizen said without looking up. "These microfilaments aren't just a spiritual recording device. They're a key."
"To what?" Akira asked, tossing the coin and catching it behind his back.
"The library," Aizen said, finally glancing up. "Not the public one. The Deep Archives — the section hidden behind the old Hall of Records, beneath the third sub-level of the academy's western wing. It's not open to students. Not even most instructors."
Akira whistled low. "So, restricted knowledge, hidden key, and a mysteriously self-erasing scroll linked to the Four Great Houses." He grinned. "Couldn't be more suspicious if it screamed 'We're hiding a centuries-long conspiracy!'"
Aizen ignored the comment. His gaze was fixed on the crystal, intense and gleaming.
"We need access. Subtle access."
"Or…" Akira said, and the system pinged cheerfully.
[Skill: Social Engineering – Activated][Objective: Gain access to restricted archive][Suggested Actions: Flirtation | Noble Name-Drop | Tactical Intimidation | "I'm clearly supposed to be here" Confidence Bluff][Alternate Path: System Override – Probability of Success: 72%]
Akira laughed aloud. "The system's even suggesting I flirt with the head archivist."
Aizen sighed. "You're insufferable."
"And yet so effective."
Later That Night – Shin'o Academy Archives, Sub-Level 3
The air grew colder as they descended, lit only by pale-blue spirit lanterns. Aizen led the way, hood drawn over his head, his steps noiseless. Akira trailed behind, arms folded, exuding just enough noble aura to make any patrolling officers hesitate before questioning them.
Their earlier detour to the office of the assistant head librarian had gone suspiciously well — a single conversation from Aizen about a "cross-referenced Kidō thesis" had opened just enough access to bypass two of the three outer gates. The last one?
A quiet shimmer, and the gatekeeper saw only an empty hallway — courtesy of Kyōka Suigetsu.
Now, deep in the heart of the Academy, they reached a door engraved with the insignias of the Four Great Houses — Shihoin, Kuchiki, Tsunayashiro, and Kirin. The crystal hummed faintly in Aizen's hand.
He pressed it to the lock.
There was a soft click.
The door opened.
Inside was a narrow chamber. No larger than a private reading cell, but its walls were lined with spirit-sealed scrolls and data tablets etched with ancient reiryoku. At the far end stood a single lectern, and atop it, a tome sealed in transparent Kidō glass.
Akira stepped forward and the system pinged.
[Warning: Protective Warding – Touch triggers archive notification][Override Option Available – Risk of Detection: 18%]
He looked to Aizen.
"We only get one clean shot."
Aizen nodded. "Then let's make it count."
Zhuoyin's whisper drifted through Akira's thoughts, smooth and almost amused.
"This place reeks of old secrets. Let us cast a little light."
Akira placed his palm gently on the protective ward.
[Executing System Override – Silent Access Mode][Warding Deactivated]
The ward flickered — and vanished.
They opened the tome.
What they found inside wasn't a manifesto. Not a clear report. But a web — dozens of entries, timelines, names and events spanning hundreds of years, all linked to the Soul King's fragmentation.
It detailed Project Oikage — a secret endeavor to dissect the Soul King's divine essence and distribute his fragmented powers into vessels, under the pretense of ensuring "balance" in Soul Society. The fragments were housed in select bloodlines and monitored… or manipulated… through generations.
And there were names.
Lan, Sōsuke.
Their family.
Aizen's eyes sharpened. "We weren't just born powerful. We were chosen."
"No," Akira said softly, brow furrowed. "We were engineered."
They read further. The Shihoin were tasked with ensuring physical survivability of fragment-bearers through advanced Hakuda techniques. The Kuchiki were assigned ritual preservation, maintaining spiritual integrity through noble arts. The Tsunayashiro… they handled suppression. Control. Termination protocols.
And the Kirin?
"They were the collectors," Aizen murmured. "When a bearer died… they ensured the fragment didn't return to the cycle. They extracted it. Refined it."
The air around them felt heavier now.
"Do you realize what this means?" Akira said. "We're not just two strong students. We're resources. Property. Part of a project still in motion."
Aizen nodded. "And we just revealed ourselves as active fragments."
They stepped back, letting the tome seal itself once more.
[System Notice: Unknown Surveillance Signature Detected – Evade Immediately]
Akira's eyes snapped up. "We've been tagged."
From the hallway, they felt a faint shift — the kind of subtle, trained spiritual pressure that meant they weren't alone.
"Time to vanish," Aizen said.
Akira grinned. "Leave it to you to get us into a conspiracy and a chase."
Elsewhere – Central 46
A transmission flared to life.
"Targets Lan Akira and Sōsuke Aizen accessed restricted Archive Theta. Attempted breach succeeded. Extraction of Class S document confirmed."
A pause.
"Activate Countermeasures."
Back in the Dorm
The brothers reappeared in a flash of silent shunpo, breath controlled but hearts hammering. Akira dropped onto the futon, exhaling deeply.
"We're in it now."
Aizen removed his glasses, setting them aside.
"We've crossed the threshold," he said. "They'll come for us. Not openly, not yet. But they'll move."
Akira leaned back, gaze fixed on the ceiling. "We've uncovered just enough to be dangerous."
"No," Aizen said, eyes narrowing. "We've uncovered enough to be targeted. But not enough to win."