The Strongest in...

Jain's body began undergoing a radical transformation, a change so profound it transcended the physical form. His corporeal structure twisted in ways almost imperceptible to the naked eye, yet within himself, he could feel every cell, every atom, every particle of Reishi shifting. The 37 trillion spiritual particles that made up his essence began reorganizing, each one adjusting to reach its final stage — the apex of his power. This was not merely a superficial transformation but a complete reconfiguration at a level so profound that his very existence seemed to be recalibrating.

(Note: I assumed the Reishi body consists of the same number of cells as the human body — approximately 37 trillion spiritual particles — since it was never explicitly stated.)

His body was no longer the same. He had become something beyond human comprehension. Every muscle, every bone, every particle of his spiritual energy was now in perfect balance and harmony. Jain felt his strength grow, not just physically but on a spiritual plane, as though his soul had aligned more deeply with the vastness of the universe, as if he could feel the force of all worlds at his disposal. Power coursed through every cell of his being, and he felt more alive, more complete, than he ever imagined possible.

With the transformation complete, Jain experienced an unusual sensation — his body finally felt stable, as though something had clicked perfectly into place within his essence.

(Note: Insert image here.)

And then, without warning, he felt his body begin to fall. The void around him seemed to swallow his consciousness until a gentle touch made him land softly on something cushioned. It was a shocking contrast to the abyss he had just been in.

"Cheon-san, please wake up." Jain opened his eyes and sat up.

Who was Cheon-san? He didn't remember having that name, yet somehow, something within him felt an immediate connection to the word.

Jain looked around, trying to orient himself in the new reality he found himself in. The surroundings felt familiar, yet strangely distant. He was in a simple room with neutral-colored walls and a small window that let in soft light. As his eyes adjusted to the illumination, he saw a familiar figure.

Aizen stood there, next to a simple table, observing him with a serene expression. His brown hair fell in soft, slightly tousled curtains around his face—an appearance that could easily be interpreted as disarming if not for his eyes, which had a slight downward tilt at the outer corners. That calm yet sharp gaze conveyed a sense of tranquility, almost academic in nature. His square-framed glasses completed the look, giving him an air of intellectual authority, of someone always in control but in no rush to reveal his intentions.

He wore the academy uniform, which, although reminiscent of the traditional shihakusho of the Shinigami, had some distinct differences. The shitagi, the inner shirt, was blue, in contrast to the usual white. The kosode (jacket) was white with blue stripes, and the hakama (pants) matched in an elegant shade of blue, complementing his white socks and the sandals he wore. There was something about the way he carried himself—something meticulously calculated to convey both authority and approachability.

Jain, still adjusting to his new reality, looked around once more before fixing his gaze on Aizen, asking with a calmness that contrasted with the internal turbulence he felt:

"Aizen? What time is it?"

He sat on the bed, feeling slightly dizzy, still processing the enormity of the transformation and the choice that lay ahead.

Aizen didn't seem surprised, only serenely attentive to the situation.

"It's 5 a.m."

Jain grew thoughtful for a moment, his gaze fixed on the empty space ahead as his mind began to work through the questions that automatically arose, without giving much thought to the implications of his new situation. He felt a faint wave of curiosity and uncertainty, typical of someone finding themselves in a new and unfamiliar setting. Then, he murmured to himself, with a slight furrow of his brow:

"Hum... Nano, are you there?"

A silence lingered for a few seconds until a cybernetic voice emerged, clear and cold, inside Jain's mind, as though it were a digital presence—a consciousness implanted directly into his thoughts.

[Yes, master]

Jain couldn't help but let a faint smile escape upon hearing the response. He didn't need to look around to know that no one else could hear it. The voice was clear and direct, yet carried a tone of cybernetic intelligence—impersonal, but somehow reassuring, like an invisible ally always present and ready to act at a moment's notice.

He lowered his head slightly, hiding his smile as he refocused, feeling more secure with the presence of this entity. His mind began to formulate the next question, practical and aimed at fully understanding what he was about to face.

'What kind of information were you implemented with?' Jain asked mentally, his thoughts measured but tinged with a hint of anxiety about what he might discover.

The response came quickly and precisely, like an instant data transmission.

[All general information about my use, as well as about you. Would you like to download the information?]

Jain paused to reflect for a moment. He knew this database could be the key to better understanding his new reality, the laws governing the world of Bleach, and most importantly, everything he needed to know about himself, his new powers, and his role in this world. There was no time to waste with doubt. He needed to be prepared for whatever lay ahead.

'Yes.'

Upon granting his authorization, Jain felt a surge of data and information flooding his mind, as if an infinite array of books, texts, images, and diagrams were being directly transferred into his consciousness.

Cheon Jin. That was now the name he carried.

After a few moments of reflection, Jin headed to the bathroom. The warm water from the shower relaxed his muscles and helped cleanse not just the physical grime but also the lingering residue of mental confusion that still haunted him.

He felt at peace, yet something inside him was restless. Who was he now? What was he supposed to do? He wasn't sure, but one thing was clear: he needed to adapt to the world he had been thrown into.

After finishing his shower, Jin dressed in a uniform reminiscent of Aizen's, now part of the new role he was meant to fulfill. The attire—consisting of a white shirt with blue stripes, blue hakama pants, and sandals—was simple, yet somehow conveyed a quiet authority.

As he put on the clothes, he felt a small sense of belonging.

Aizen was waiting calmly, as always, his expression unchanged, but his watchful and calculating gaze showed that he had anticipated this moment. Without words, the two left the dormitory and headed toward the academy. The morning was quiet, still wrapped in the silence of dawn.

The academy opened its doors at 5:30 AM, allowing students to enter half an hour before classes started. It was a precious time, and Aizen, as always, knew how to make perfect use of it.

The path to the library was quiet, but there was something different in the air. Jin could feel Aizen's presence beside him, but he also knew this was a strange moment for both of them.

They were together, yet the situation didn't make sense on many levels. For Aizen, this was probably no problem at all. He seemed comfortable in any environment—always calm, always scheming. But for Jin, it all still felt somewhat surreal.

The situation became even more unusual when they reached the library. Aizen, with his usual composure, headed straight for the shelves, but Jin was the one who surprised himself. He had never been someone drawn to books or deep studies.

His interests had always been in more practical things, focused on survival and strength. Yet, at that moment, surrounded by shelves filled with ancient and vast volumes, something stirred within him.

The library was a silent and contemplative space, a place where the knowledge of previous generations was preserved, waiting to be absorbed. Jin, contrary to his usual behavior, approached a shelf and, almost without realizing it, picked up a book. He opened it, flipping through its pages, seemingly unaware of what he was searching for.

Practicality and physical strength had been his priorities until now, but something inside him seemed to indicate he needed to go beyond that.

Aizen, noticing Jin's behavior, simply observed with his piercing eyes, saying nothing. To him, it might have been simple curiosity, but for Jin, it represented more—a matter of adaptation. What was he searching for in that book?

After flipping through the entire pages of the books, he left the book in its original place and then moved on to the next one.

"Nano, scan all the pages of the books I flip through, store them, and transfer them to my brain."

[Yes, master]

And it went on like this for 20 minutes, with a total of 10 books flipped through.

Aizen looked at everything and found it strange.

"He only flipped through the books, well, what could I expect from Cheon Jin?"

"Stop thinking you're in control, Aizen." Jin felt Aizen's gaze on him, but he completely ignored Aizen's stare.

Jin left the book on the shelf, doing this for several minutes, and now he had all the information from those books in his brain, thanks to Nano.

Nano's scanning function allowed it to copy texts and images written in books, separate certain information, correct it, and transfer the information directly to the brain. He took advantage of this to specifically learn something he didn't know, which was the Zankensoki.

These are the basic combat techniques of Shinigami. Zan refers to sword fighting techniques. Ken refers to unarmed combat techniques. So refers to movement techniques. Ki refers to Kidō.

He just picked up the basics and was content with that.

After a moment, Jin and Aizen went to class.

"Cheon-san, why did you skim through the books? That was disrespectful," Aizen commented, now in the hallway with a few students here and there.

"Ah, that's because I was analyzing the books and memorized half of the total amount I read," Jin revealed to Aizen, making the man widen his eyes. 'How convincing.'

"Is that possible? You've never done that before."

"I never wanted to before, but I changed my mind," Jin said, not caring what Aizen would think. "Let's go to the Hakuda class."

Aizen glanced at Jin's back before following him.

In the classroom, Jin watched the lesson with no interest, using Nano to archive what the teacher said and then separate the important parts.

Hakuda, as a martial art, was only used by a few since the Zanpakutou was the main weapon of the Shinigami, although the Shikai could transform into a form that forced hand-to-hand combat.

There are only two types of lessons: the first is theoretical, and the second is practical. Jin was more interested in the practical one than the theoretical, and this was because of Nano, which made any theoretical part useless with its scanning function.

After that, the Hakuda class ended, and it was now time for the practical Hohō class. Jin found it more interesting; through the Hohō training, it was possible to perform the Flash Step, the signature movement technique of the Shinigami.

Jin turned to Aizen, crossing his arms and slightly tilting his head, a curious look in his eyes. He didn't seem to be trying to provoke, but the question carried an unexpected weight.

"Aizen, what do you think of the Shinigami?"

Aizen, who had been focused on another book, looked up, adjusting his glasses with a calm and calculated movement. His neutral, almost friendly expression was typical, but there was a sharp gleam in his eyes that never went unnoticed.

"An interesting question, Jin." He closed the book in front of him gently, as if to show he was giving his full attention to the conversation. "The Shinigami, as an institution, are a reflection of the order that governs this world. They represent the balance between life and death, between the human and spiritual realms."

Aizen paused, leaning back in his chair and watching Jin with an expression that bordered on contemplative.

"But if you want to know my personal opinion..." He let a slight smile slip, one that seemed sincere but concealed something deeper. "I believe they are limited. Bound by the rules they themselves created, unable to see beyond what has been established. Most follow the orders of the higher-ups blindly, like pieces on a chessboard they don't fully understand."

Jin remained silent, absorbing Aizen's words. He knew that Aizen rarely spoke without purpose, and every sentence seemed laden with meaning.

Jin held the Hakuda book, his eyes scanning the first few pages, but his mind was far from the combat techniques. He watched Aizen's figure leave the library and, for a moment, allowed himself an ironic smile.

"Irony," he thought, absently flipping through the pages. "Aizen talks about seeing beyond and challenging limitations, yet he himself is part of a system that controls him... at least for now."

Closing the book with a soft snap, Jin murmured to himself, low enough for no one to hear:

"To be honest, Central 46 is nothing more than a corrupt group using the excuse of 'the good of Seireitei' to mask their own agendas. They're like mortals playing at being gods... arrogant and self-important. It's irritating."

He rested the book against the table and ran his fingers across his face, trying to dissipate the slight discomfort growing in his chest. Despite being reborn into a world full of potential, Jin already felt the gears of a larger system trying to limit him, forcing him to fit into a mold.

"Mortals playing at being gods..." he repeated to himself, letting the thought mature. "If even Aizen feels the need to overcome these barriers, maybe this place is more rotten than it seems."

He stood slowly, holding the Hakuda book in one hand and adjusting his uniform with the other. His expression was neutral, but his gaze carried a quiet determination. Jin knew that, to thrive here, he would have to play the system's game while working to understand and, perhaps, overcome its limitations.

"If Central 46 is the one setting the rules in this world, then I just need to create my own." He thought, a spark of challenge in his eyes.