Soon, the morning classes ended.
Up until the end of this kendo class, no one came to challenge Gusion for sparring. However, he hadn't just been sitting there brooding over the past; instead, he took the initiative to ask Aizen for a friendly match.
The final result was that, on the surface, he won completely, but the reality was hard to say. Don't be fooled by how young Aizen seems now—who knows what level his combat prowess has reached.
"Gusion-kun, you didn't hold back. I thought I could last a few more moves,"
Aizen complained on the way to the cafeteria. Despite his words, there was a faint smile on his face, making it impossible to tell what he was really thinking.
"But I feel like Sōsuke's strength is more than that. I hope next time I can spar with you when you're in better condition."
Gusion didn't expose Aizen's façade and simply expressed his desire to challenge strong opponents.
"Then I'll try to learn as many kendo skills from you as I can, Gusion-kun."
Aizen smiled and led the way at a corner. "Gusion-kun, you haven't been to the cafeteria yet, right? I'll take you. The food at the Academy is quite plentiful."
Gusion perked up at this. He hadn't eaten in ages, especially regular meals.
Yesterday, when Unohana brought him to the Academy, it was already late, so after a few instructions, she let the dorm supervisor handle his check-in. This morning, Aizen reminded him not to eat breakfast and took him straight to class.
Aizen probably guessed that Teacher Fujimoto would test his kendo skills, which was why he told him to skip breakfast. But he didn't expect the outcome.
"So big…"
Upon entering the cafeteria, Gusion was shocked, his eyes scanning the rows of food windows, his nose catching the delicious aroma in the air. He swallowed hard.
"Sōsuke… do you have to pay here?"
Gusion asked. Just yesterday, he was still a street soul from Rukongai, penniless.
Aizen didn't pause, leading Gusion to a food window. "Don't worry. Considering that some students here come from Rukongai, there are quite a few free food windows. I think the tofu here is pretty good."
"Free? Unlimited?"
Hearing it was free, Gusion got excited. He was starving, and after being detained by the company, he hadn't eaten real food at all. Now, his stomach was growling uncontrollably.
Aizen also heard Gusion's stomach. Watching his expression, Aizen felt strange. He had doubted Gusion's background as a street soul but now, he did look like a stray dog who'd never eaten his fill.
"Free and unlimited. Eat as much as you want, but don't waste food, or the lunch aunties might get mad."
Aizen said as he reached the window. The lunch lady seemed to know him and greeted him warmly.
"One order of mapo tofu, please."
"You like tofu, huh?"
The lunch lady smiled as she served Aizen, giving him just the right amount, clearly knowing his appetite.
When it was Gusion's turn, he glanced over the food and, somewhat embarrassed, asked, "Auntie, can I have one of everything?"
The auntie was taken aback. "One of everything? A little of each?"
Gusion shook his head. Under Aizen's odd gaze, he said, "Give me a full portion of each dish, like Sōsuke's tofu. And… one big bowl of rice, please?"
The auntie was dumbfounded, her eyes scanning Gusion, especially his stomach. Can this young man eat that much? she wondered.
As the scene turned awkward, Aizen spoke up. "Auntie, Gusion-kun just arrived yesterday and hasn't eaten in a long time. He has a big appetite. Please serve him. If he can't finish, I'll help him."
Gusion was surprised that Aizen would help him. He wasn't sure if Aizen was maintaining his helpful good student image or had another motive.
Regardless, Gusion was truly hungry and appreciated the gesture.
"Well, if Sōsuke says so…"
The auntie, who seemed to like Aizen, compromised and started serving Gusion. In the end, she filled several metal trays and added a huge bowl of rice, handing them to Gusion with a skeptical look. "Don't waste it…"
"Thank you, Auntie. I'll finish it all,"
Gusion said gratefully. He picked up the trays, and as he was about to balance the rice bowl on his head, Aizen had already picked it up.
"Let's go. There are empty seats over there. You'd better really finish it, or I can't help much."
Aizen looked at the rice bowl in his hands, thinking, How confident is this guy in his stomach?
"Don't worry."
Gusion walked with Aizen to a table. As soon as he sat down, he snatched the rice bowl and, under Aizen's curious gaze, began devouring the food at lightning speed.
Not just Aizen—other students nearby were stunned, forgetting to chew as they watched Gusion eat straight from a metal bowl.
Halfway through, probably noticing Aizen's gaze, Gusion swallowed a mouthful, looked up, and asked, "Sōsuke, why aren't you eating?"
"Oh… I was just thinking."
Aizen came back to himself, taking a spoonful of mapo tofu.
He was rarely surprised, but today, Gusion had shocked him more than once—first with his extraordinary combat skills, then with his extraordinary appetite…
Watching Gusion eat, Aizen thought, In the Academy, Gusion-kun must be the one getting the most value at the free window.
Soon, Gusion finished everything. He patted his slightly rounded belly with satisfaction, feeling reborn.
When the company detained him, they only gave him nutrient injections. In that era, it was hard to find food from the old times. This meal at the Academy was probably the most sumptuous of his life.
After eating, he felt his stomach warm, energy spreading through his body. This was the magic of Soul Society cuisine.
Everything here was made of spirit particles. Eating these meals was equivalent to replenishing spiritual energy, a good recovery method. Long-term consumption of quality food might even help increase spiritual pressure.
Of course, training was still the main way to increase spiritual pressure, but he hadn't taken those classes yet.
On the way back to the dorm, Aizen walked behind Gusion, his deep eyes shining like a child who found a new toy.
He felt that his roommate might be a genius like himself, at least in combat.
If he was so strong in Kendo, what about Hakuda? Shunpo? Kidō?
Aizen's lips curled unconsciously, then returned to normal.
Gusion-kun… the next few years are going to be interesting.
…
"In complex combat situations, sometimes we need offensive or defensive methods besides Zanpakutō…"
The teacher on the podium was giving a theoretical lesson on Hakuba. Perhaps someone had spoken to him, as the first half of the class covered a lot of basics, making Gusion drowsy.
Beside him, Aizen seemed very focused, occasionally taking notes—a model student in the teacher's eyes.
"…Now, let's begin practical exercises."
The teacher scanned the students as he spoke. When his gaze landed on Gusion, he paused, then turned to a girl. "Shihōin-san, you have the best hakuda grades. Help the new student."
Gusion followed the teacher's gaze. The girl sat by the window, her skin a healthy chocolate brown, short purple hair, energetic and youthful…
But at this moment, she was lazily leaning back, eyes closed, a bit of drool at the corner of her mouth, clearly napping—and having a good dream, judging by her silly smile.
"Shihōin-san!"
The teacher raised his voice, clearly annoyed but not taking further action. The other students weren't surprised, as if this girl sleeping in class was to be expected.
"Huh? Here!"
The girl was startled awake, jumping up like a startled cat, and landing lightly on her feet.
Gusion's eyes changed—this was getting interesting. A chocolate-skinned beauty from the Shihōin family, considering her age… could this be Yoruichi Shihōin?
He'd read the manga, but Bleach was vague about time, and the captains' ages could only be estimated. Judging by the timeline, Aizen and Yoruichi were contemporaries, but he hadn't expected them to be classmates.
No wonder Yoruichi teased Aizen in the original—turns out they were old acquaintances.
Gusion hadn't seen Yoruichi in kendo class that morning—maybe she skipped.
Now, the teacher looked helplessly at the drool on Yoruichi's mouth. "Since there's a transfer student today, spar with him and teach him some Hakuda basics."