Aizen walked very slowly, his steps measured and leisurely, as though he were merely taking a stroll through the school campus.
But Gin Ichimaru knew better. Aizen had been standing right there the entire time, listening to their conversation. From the moment Gin said he wanted to join Squad Five, to his plan of assassinating a seated officer to take his place, to Ren offering to help him... Aizen had overheard absolutely everything.
Countless thoughts swirled frantically through Gin's mind.
'How much did he hear? How much does he know?'
He whipped his head around to look at Ren, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock, confusion, and a sharp trace of resentment.
'Was Ren... doing this on purpose?'
He had known Aizen would be there all along, which was why he deliberately lured him over. Dark theories flashed through Gin's mind at breakneck speed. Conspiracy, betrayal, manipulation... Every suspicion flooded his chest all at once, the sudden crisis suffocating him.
The hairs on the back of Gin's neck stood on end. Cold sweat instantly drenched his uniform as his hand instinctively drifted toward the Zanpakuto at his waist. He was prepared to fight to the death, even knowing he didn't stand a ghost of a chance.
But Ren pressed a hand down firmly onto his shoulder.
"Don't move," Ren whispered, his voice barely audible, meant for Gin's ears alone.
Ultimately, Gin's movements froze. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down until his usual harmless smile returned to his face. Once he realized he had absolutely no leverage to fight back, a strange sense of serenity washed over him instead. Slowly exhaling, he decided he might as well see how this would play out.
Aizen soon arrived in front of them and halted. His gaze fell upon Gin, sizing him up from head to toe. "You must be Gin Ichimaru."
Gin bowed slightly. "Lieutenant Aizen."
Aizen smiled. "No need to be so formal. I've heard of you. The freshman with the highest spiritual power in this year's class."
"You flatter me, sir." Gin kept his head lowered slightly.
Aizen turned his gaze toward Ren. "What were you two discussing just now?"
Ren chuckled. "We were talking about this kid's future. He wants to stand by your side." Ren patted Gin on the shoulder. "The boy is exceptionally talented, meticulous, and has plenty of ambition. I think it wouldn't hurt to bring him into the fold; he might prove useful. Just a moment ago, he was telling me how he planned to assassinate a seated officer in Squad Five and take his place, all to catch your eye. A reckless move like that would probably cause some unnecessary trouble for you, wouldn't it, Lieutenant?"
With a single sentence, Ren laid bare Gin's ruthlessness, ambition, and master plan right before Aizen—completely out in the open, with absolutely no filters.
Gin was completely dumbfounded. He even wondered if his ears were playing tricks on him. Ren had actually handed his entire plan over to Aizen on a silver platter? Wasn't this just sending him straight to his grave?
Gin turned his head, staring at Ren in utter shock. Yet Ren's expression remained as cool and collected as ever, looking as if he were discussing a mundane, everyday matter without a single hint of malicious intent.
Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Gin. "You want to join us?"
Forcing his chaotic emotions down, Gin turned back to face Aizen. He narrowed his eyes into even tighter slits, rendering his expression completely unreadable. "...Yes."
Aizen's gaze lingered on Gin for a beat before shifting back to Ren. His smile never wavered, but a glint of comprehension and amusement flickered deep in his eyes.
Aizen recalled that previous joint-squad mission deep within the forests of the Rukongai. Back then, he had tailed Ren, overhearing the two having a secret discussion inside a dilapidated shack and watching Ren treat Rangiku's injuries. At the time, Ren hadn't noticed his surveillance at all. Ren still had no idea that Aizen had long been aware of his collusion with Gin, knowing every detail of their hidden connection.
Looking at Ren, the curve of Aizen's smile deepened. "Young Ichimaru is indeed impressive. But based on what you're saying, Ren... have you two met before?"
Ren froze slightly at the question.
'Why is Aizen asking this out of the blue?'
In the next second, scenes from that joint-squad mission in the South Seventh District of the Rukongai flashed through his mind. Treating Rangiku, his private talk with Gin...
It finally clicked for Ren. If Aizen already knew about his connection to Gin, it meant Aizen had been playing the voyeur right beside them back then. He had actually been monitored by Aizen without ever realizing it.
The corner of Ren's mouth twitched. He had thought he'd hidden it perfectly, that Aizen was completely in the dark. But in hindsight, how could someone like Aizen possibly miss it?
Ren connected the dots instantly. Without showing any outward change in expression, he offered a natural explanation. "We crossed paths in the Rukongai during that joint-squad mission a while back."
Aizen stared at Ren with a gaze so profound and piercing that Ren felt the ambient pressure around him skyrocket. Fortunately, Aizen didn't press the matter any further. He simply turned his head slowly back to Gin.
"Gin Ichimaru, if you want to join us, you may," Aizen said, his tone entirely level. "Just proceed exactly as you planned. Assassinate a seated officer and take his place. There's no need for reservations, and there's no need to hide it. I'll be waiting for you in Squad Five. Show me your value."
Gin shuddered, looking up at Aizen with his heart hammering against his ribs, utterly at a loss for words.
Without waiting for Gin to respond, Aizen turned on his heel and walked away, his silhouette melting into the gathering twilight.
Gin stood rooted to the spot, staring at the empty space where Aizen had been for a long time. Though his face remained a blank mask, his fingertips were trembling slightly. Only when Aizen was completely out of sight did Gin finally let out a long, shuddering breath, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from his body.
Countless grim scenarios of what would happen if Aizen found out had flashed through his mind earlier. He had never imagined that Aizen would directly approve of his plan, even sanctioning the murder of a seated officer for a promotion.
Gin turned to look Ren, his narrowed eyes reflecting a whirlpool of complex emotions. Shock, bewilderment, and a lingering aftertaste of dread intertwined, leaving him utterly speechless.
"See? When I said I'd help you, I meant it. Total success, right?"
Gin stared at Ren, completely flabbergasted.
'Success? Where's the success in this?! I still have to go through with my exact plan anyway! Aside from scaring the absolute life out of me, what did you actually accomplish?!'
Gin fell silent. After a few moments to sort out his chaotic thoughts, he spoke softly. "Aizen... already seems to know what I intend to do." Gin's fists tightened. "Then why did he still..."
"Because he doesn't care," Ren answered. "Aizen is arrogant to a fault. Even if he knows you want to kill him, he'll just find it amusing. He probably wants to sit back and watch how you'll try to pull it off."
Gin relapsed into silence. He stood beneath the moonlight with his head lowered, his silver bangs obscuring his eyes.
Twilight completely engulfed the Shin'o Academy. The light inside the bamboo grove grew increasingly dim, making Ren's figure appear even more enigmatic in the shadows.
"Are you aligned with him?"
Ren sighed at the question. "On the surface? Yeah, for now. I only just joined up myself, a bit ahead of you. After all, we're both working toward the same ultimate goal."
Staring at the man before him, Gin finally understood. Ren wasn't sabotaging him; he was using the most direct, brute-force method possible to shove him right into Aizen's line of sight. Even if the process was completely unhinged.
Gin let out a cold scoff. "Heh. Right now, I wouldn't dare trust a word you say."
Ren burst into laughter, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "Alright, go get some rest."
With that, Ren turned around, his figure gradually dissolving into the night.
Gin stood there, watching the receding back. Then, letting out a soft sigh, he turned and left as well.
'What a headache.'