"How... how is that possible?!"
"SSS-class?!"
"They say that since the founding of the Spiritual Arts Academy, no student has ever entered with captain-level Reiatsu let alone earned an SSS rating!"
Just moments ago, the crowd had been reeling from the impressive scores of Shihouin Yoruichi and Byakuya Kuchiki.
Now, every gaze in the plaza was locked onto a brown-haired youth with calm eyes, a faint, spring-like smile, and brown-rimmed glasses perched elegantly on his nose.
"Who is that guy in glasses?"
"He outscored Byakuya! Even Yoruichi!"
"Urahara, you're not even close!"
In an instant, the big names Shihouin Yoruichi, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Urahara Kisuke shifted their attention toward the boy who had just shattered the scale.
But Urahara's sharp eyes noticed something deeper.
His gaze drifted from Aizen Sōsuke… to the black-haired young man beside him equally refined, equally composed, wearing similar glasses but with an ease that was almost too effortless.
The resemblance was there. Their presence, though? Totally different.
Aizen was like a breeze in spring gentle and calculating.
Ran En was calm like still water, yet beneath the surface… unfathomable.
They didn't stand like subordinate and superior.
They stood like equals.
Neck and neck.
"SSS-ranked… wow," Urahara muttered under his breath. "A once-in-a-century genius."
Nearby, Captain Jūshirō Ukitake overseeing this year's admissions also perked up. Even for someone as serene as him, this was shocking.
"Name?"
"Aizen Sōsuke," came the reply from the examiner.
"Excellent," Ukitake nodded. "Process his enrollment immediately. Send him to the First Class."
That was the elite course.
Reserved only for noble heirs and captain-level talents.
People like Byakuya Kuchiki.
People like Shihouin Yoruichi.
Commoners from Rukongai could join but only if they were monstrously gifted.
"Student Aizen, please follow me," the examiner said, eager to usher this rare genius forward.
But Aizen simply smiled and shook his head.
"I'd be happy to," he said politely. "But my brother is still waiting. Would you mind testing him first?"
The words were calm, but a subtle chill lingered beneath them.
No one else noticed it, but deep in Aizen's eyes was a glint of displeasure as if the examiner's oversight of Ran En had violated some unspoken rule.
"Y-Your brother?" the examiner stammered, caught off guard.
He turned and finally looked at Ran En really looked at him.
The same poised demeanor. The same quiet charm.
The examiner's heart skipped a beat.
"I've made a huge mistake."
"If his little brother is a once-in-a-century genius...
Then how can I afford to offend the older one?"
With a nervous smile, the examiner quickly returned to his seat.
"My apologies, everyone. I neglected my duties."
He looked at Ran En with a respectful nod.
"Please, place your hand on the Reiatsu orb."
Ran En smiled faintly.
"It's fine," he replied, stepping forward.
He didn't care about the ignorance of small characters.
Besides, Aizen had already made a mark.
That examiner? He'd probably either get crushed by a Menos Grande, or end up as material for Hōgyoku one day.
Because that's the kind of bond the two shared.
They were brothers. And rivals.
"Brother, huh?" Shihouin Yoruichi murmured.
"No wonder they look alike," Byakuya added, narrowing his eyes.
Urahara folded his arms, curious. "Let's see what this 'big brother' can do."
None of them had any plans to leave now.
Normally, a Rukongai native wouldn't warrant their attention.
But this one? This one was different.
Even if his score fell short, being Aizen's brother made him worth observing.
"Don't be nervous," Ukitake said gently, stepping up beside him. "Just channel your Reiatsu. Even if it's hard to control, the orb will respond. Just takes a little longer."
"Thanks."
Ran En smiled and pressed his hand onto the orb.
A soft hum echoed.
Colors began to flicker.
Purple. Blue. Green. Yellow. Orange...
The orb pulsed brighter and brighter.
The crowd held its breath.
Then
Red.
Someone gasped. "Red?! That's… that's beyond captain-level!"
The examiner jumped up, voice trembling.
" Ran En Sōsuke."
"Reiatsu: Captain-level…"
CRACK!
Before he could finish, the Reiatsu orb shattered.
Cracks shot across its surface like lightning bolts. In the blink of an eye, it exploded, showering the area in shards of glowing crystal.
Silence.
Then BOOM!
A wave of spiritual pressure burst outward.
A storm of Reiatsu swept through the plaza.
Candidates collapsed on the spot.
Some dropped to their knees, gasping for air.
Others hit the ground, unable to move.
Only a few were still standing heirs of noble houses like Yoruichi, Byakuya, and Urahara… and a scattered few commoner prodigies with high spiritual resistance, struggling to stay upright.
"Soul Society actually gave birth to a monster like this?" Yoruichi whispered, eyes alight with excitement.
Urahara's expression grew serious. "So it's not just the younger brother. The elder is terrifying too…"
Byakuya clenched his fists, jaw tight.
"A man from Rukongai… is stronger than me?"
He gritted his teeth.
He'd train harder. He had to. The pride of the Kuchiki clan demanded it.
Meanwhile, Aizen was silent.
He looked at Ran En, eyes calm behind his glasses.
"So you've surpassed me in Reiatsu… again."
He hadn't planned on showing his full power today.
But he changed his mind.
He wanted to see the gap.
To feel it.
To use it as fuel.
For Aizen, it was better to expose his strength just enough than to hide it forever.
Because his true game had just begun.