"What about Ran En?"
"I couldn't confirm it before," Yamada Seinosuke said, his tone calm but heavy. "But judging by the complete destruction of both Hunting God teams, there's no doubt. As you suspected, Lord Tokinada, the Ran En brothers carry Spirit King fragments."
"And not just a sliver they possess a significant portion."
"That's the only way to explain their absurd growth after just a single day of wielding Zanpakutō and Kidō."
Tokinada narrowed his eyes, then gave a faint nod.
"There will be another opportunity later."
"For now, the fragments I already possess are sufficient. Let them breathe in Soul Society's reiryoku air a little longer."
"Consider it a gift an offering they made when they brought me more of the Spirit King's power."
He chose to bide his time. The plan had been exposed, and Spiritual Arts Academy was no longer vulnerable to infiltration. Better to wait until the brothers graduated when attention on them inevitably faded. Then, and only then, would he strike again.
The Next Day
Morning arrived quietly, and the Ran En brothers returned to class as usual, as if yesterday's assassination attempt had never happened.
They didn't speak of it.
They didn't need to.
But something had changed.
Today's Zanpakutō class wasn't taught by Jūshirō Ukitake. Instead, the door burst open and a man strolled in black hair cropped short, a white captain's haori flapping behind him, emblazoned with the number "10."
"Yo! Good morning, class!"
"I'm Shiba Isshin. You can call me Teacher Shiba, or just Teacher Isshin whichever sounds cooler."
With a flash of Shunpo, he landed on the podium, grinning as he scanned the crowd.
The classroom… fell into silence.
Ran En leaned back in his seat, eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Shiba Isshin, huh…?" he mused to himself. "The future headless hollow. One of the few who can break the game without a script."
He was different.
Besides Yamamoto Genryūsai, this man might be the most unpredictable anomaly in the entire Soul Society.
Aizen noticed his brother's interest and took mental note of the name.
Shiba Isshin.
He'd gather intel later.
"This idiot… Still acts like this even after becoming a captain," Shihouin Yoruichi muttered, palm to forehead. As a close friend of Shiba Kōka, she was already far too familiar with Isshin's antics.
"Ahem. Alright, alright settle down."
"Let's get to work."
Isshin turned, chalk in hand, and wrote two large characters on the board with a fluid motion.
Sword Zen.
Each stroke was sharp and energetic like a blade cutting cleanly through the air.
"The liberation of Zanpakutō comes in two stages Shikai and Bankai."
"But no matter the stage, the essence is the same: enter the spirit world, communicate with your Zanpakutō."
"To learn its name is to achieve Shikai. To manifest its form and subdue it that's Bankai."
His tone was light, but his explanation was clear. Concise. Even Byakuya Kuchiki and Shihouin Yoruichi sat upright, listening carefully.
"Teacher Isshin," Komamura Sajin asked, raising a hand. "How do we enter the spirit world?"
Isshin grinned.
"You've heard the saying, 'Sincerity leads to success,' right?"
"Place your Zanpakutō in front of you, lay your hand on its blade, and pour your Reiatsu into it. The sealed state serves as the bond your spirit energy, the guide."
"This is called Sword Zen."
At his instruction, students across the room unsheathed their Zanpakutō and followed suit.
Most failed instantly.
Those without Shikai Tousen Kaname, Komamura Sajin, Tianbei Shuukei, and others couldn't even step into the spirit world.
Isshin wasn't surprised.
"Don't be discouraged, newbies."
"Zanpakutō are a part of you and like any person, they have personality. Just because you call, doesn't mean they'll answer."
"For example my own Zanpakutō? He's got a nasty temper."
"It took me an entire day just to step into my spirit world, and when I finally did left foot in, right foot still out he kicked me out before I could even say hello."
His cheerful voice relaxed the tense students. Knowing even a captain had once been tossed out of his own spirit world was oddly comforting.
Then suddenly
"WHAT?!"
Isshin's shriek echoed through the classroom.
Tousen and the others, who had just started to calm down, jumped. Some nearly cut themselves from the shock.
"Isshin! What the hell!?" Yoruichi snapped. "I was about to meet my Zanpakutō!"
But Isshin didn't answer.
He stared at the back of the classroom, slack-jawed.
Everyone turned to follow his gaze and gasped.
Next to Ran En…
A massive crimson dragon claw had materialized, gently resting on his shoulder.
"That's… That's Zanpakutō manifestation," Isshin whispered.
"That's Bankai training."
Silence fell over the room like a heavy curtain.
"Let me get this straight," Urahara Kisuke murmured. "He learned Sword Zen… and his Zanpakutō manifested instantly?"
"He didn't even need to call its name out loud."
Even Shihouin Yoruichi's brows twitched.
Zanpakutō manifestation was no joke.
It was the first and most difficult step toward Bankai.
And Ran En had done it right here, in a classroom, casually following basic instructions.
"That… That's cheating!" someone muttered.
"He just got his Zanpakutō yesterday!"
"Is he really going to master Bankai today!?"
Byakuya Kuchiki clenched his fists, his expression unreadable.
Tessai, Komamura, even Aizen… all turned to look at Ran En, whose expression hadn't changed.
He sat calmly.
As if the dragon claw on his shoulder was nothing worth mentioning.