Bleach: The Strongest Shinigami

{Aizen POV}

My name is Sōsuke Aizen, a first-year student at the Shin'ō Academy. Thanks to my considerable aptitude, I was placed in Elite Class 1.

Initially, I intended to use the academy as a platform to uncover secrets and find peers who could match my intellect.

But how did things end up like this?

On a small path in the academy, there's a table adorned with a fan and a ruler. A banner flutters in the wind, proclaiming [Chief Priest of Sakahone Shrine].

Akira sits behind the table, affecting an air of importance, while I stand behind him, arms crossed and expressionless.

"Sōsuke, don't just stand there like an idiot!" He whispers urgently, "I'm the chief priest — I can't lower myself to hawking my wares."

So it's fine if I lower myself, is it?

Hearing the crowd's chatter buzzing around me like flies, I decide to keep my thoughts to myself. I'm already regretting having greeted this guy when I first enrolled.

In all my decades of life, Akira is the most unprincipled person I've ever encountered. I never imagined his money-making schemes would extend to expanding the Sakahone Shrine's business within the academy.

It's even more outrageous than before. Exorcisms, blessings, prayers, communicating with deities, peddling various talismans — he dabbles in every possible shrine-related business.

He appears omnipotent, but in reality, he's a jack of all trades, master of none.

I shake my head, waiting for his inevitable crash and burn.

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{Sōjun POV}

My name is Sōjun Kuchiki, eldest son of the Kuchiki clan — one of the Five Noble Families.

Despite having professional tutors and my father's personal guidance, I chose to study at the Shin'ō Academy. Here, I can experience things beyond the confines of my family's estate.

Just like now...

{T/N: Here ends the first person perspective}

"Sakahone Shrine?" He stared at the black characters on the banner, lost in thought.

If he remembers correctly, this shrine seems...

"Hey, don't pass by without a look! Fortune in career, love, and wealth — young man, what are you waiting for?" Seeing a potential customer approach, Akira greeted him enthusiastically.

Sōjun's expression freezed, sensing something off about this vendor's words.

Fortunately, his kind and gentle nature prevented him from dwelling on these details. He smiled and asked, "Do you have any talismans that can protect the wearer from illness and misfortune?"

Hearing this, Akira is greatly disappointed, feeling his talents are wasted. He can only pick out a talisman from those displayed on the table to hand to the young noble.

Sōjun took the talisman and examined it carefully.

As the heir of a great noble family, his knowledge is quite extensive. Due to his naturally weak constitution, his father, Ginrei Kuchiki, has gone to great lengths for him. He has seen hundreds of different talisman styles, but this is the first time he's encountered one like this.

The delicate white wooden chip, wrapped in a red string, is adorned with an unusual pattern: a huge black right hand enveloped in luxurious clothing. Its anthropomorphic posture gives a sense of sacredness and inviolability. On the back of the right hand, a single eye is slightly closed, its indifferent gaze fixed ahead.

"It seems familiar." Sōjun mused, fiddling with the talisman as he tried to recall the source of this familiarity.

"For this unique and powerful talisman, the price is just a tiny and insignificant amount of ₭1,000." Akira said with a crooked merchant's smile, naming an exorbitant price.

Sōjun frowned slightly, realizing the inappropriateness of this price.

"Young man, don't hesitate!" Akira cajoled, "The Sakahone Shrine is renowned. The One-Eyed Great Deity will surely bless you with good health."

After a moment's hesitation, Sōjun took out a ₭1,000 bill and handed it to him.

Just then, an angry voice bellowed from the end of the distant street.

"Akira Kisaragi, Sōsuke Aizen! How dare you behave so recklessly within the Shin'ō Academy!"

Akira cursed under his breath, then with a wave of his hand, he lifted the table.

"Sōsuke! It's getting windy out here. Time to make like a tree and leave!"

To the astonishment of the two onlookers, he carried the table and dashed off at an incredible speed, disappearing from sight.

"Young man, the Sakahone Shrine offers after-sales service. If you need anything, come to East Rukongai, District 76—"

Before he could finish, his figure had completely vanished.

Seeing this, Aizen's mouth twitched. He nodded to Sōjun, then chased after Akira's escape route. His speed was even greater than that of this quack shrine priest.

By the time Uruoi (their teacher) arrived at the scene, only Sōjun was left standing there.

"Lo-Lord Sōjun... That Akira fellow didn't say anything strange to you, did he?" Realizing the identity of the person before him, Uruoi felt a headache coming on.

That bastard didn't con this young master of the Kuchiki family, did he?

You should know, Sōjun had an excellent reputation in the Shin'ō Academy, known for his gentleness and kindness, without any of the airs of a great noble. If that guy had conned such a good person, he'd truly be beyond redemption.

Sōjun shook his head with a wry smile, "No."

Hearing this, Uruoi breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing a bit.

"That's good. I'll go chase those two guys now. Lord Sōjun, please excuse me."

Sōjun nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

After Uruoi left, he raised his right hand, fingers spread. On the white wooden chip tied with a red string, the deep single eye gazed indifferently ahead.

Perhaps it was an illusion, or maybe it was truly effective. While holding this talisman, Sōjun felt his body become somewhat lighter. It was as if half of the accumulated impurities had been cleared away.

After a moment of examination, he clutched the talisman tightly and said in a low voice, "Akira Kisaragi, is it? I'll remember this name..."

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In the first-year dormitory, Akira put down his belongings and flopped unceremoniously onto the soft bed.

Beside him, Aizen pondered a question: Why had he followed this fool in such an undignified escape through the Shin'ō Academy? Could stupidity be contagious?

"What a haul!" Akira's cheer soon attracted his attention, "As expected, fleecing rich dogs is the quickest way to make money!"

"Rich dogs?"

"Didn't you notice? That guy had a star-pulling hairpin — an accessory only upper-class nobles are allowed to wear."

"Is that why you charged him such a high price?" Aizen's tone suddenly became calm, his scrutinizing gaze falling on his friend.

"How narrow-minded!" Akira turned over, looking at him with disdain, "That talisman is genuine — ₭1,000 is, if anything, too little! Infused with the Reiatsu of the One-Eyed Great Deity, it's one of the few masterpieces of the Sakahone Shrine."

Aizen frowned slightly, asking in confusion, "The deity worshipped by the Sakahone Shrine is called the One-Eyed Great Deity?"

Akira nodded, grinning, "The object that commemorates the Spirit King's right arm, the One-Eyed Great Deity… Mimihagi."

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