Bleach: Me and Aizen

Who exactly is Yu Mikami?

The Aizen who had crossed over really wanted to ask this question directly, but he just kept it to himself.

Knowing himself well, if he did ask that question, the conversation would inevitably fall under the control of the Aizen in front of him.

Though, in reality, it wouldn't make much of a difference because the dialogue between the two was already extremely inefficient and meaningless.

Since they were, after all, the same person, they could naturally have an open and straightforward discussion.

However… it was truly interesting to engage in this mental sparring with himself.

He had been an unqualified genius since childhood. Even when sealed in Muken Hell, his inner pride remained undiminished, and there was not a single person who earned his true recognition.

Not even Kisuke Urahara, whom he only partially acknowledged.

No one had ever been able to fully keep up with his thoughts, to stand on an equal footing and compete with him.

Until today, when he had crossed over and encountered another version of himself.

The competitive spirit he had suppressed deep inside was provoked; he didn't want to lose, not even when facing himself.

The Aizen who had crossed over pondered slightly and asked, "Then let's first talk about what's happening in Las Noches. What's the situation with those noble Soul Society Shinigamis?"

The Aizen of this world replied, "They are the remnants of the Tsunayashiro Clan's failed rebellion, exiled to Soul Society. After Tsunayashiro Tokinada died, I… incorporated them. Now they stay in Las Noches to do some work."

"Oh?" The Aizen who had crossed over raised an eyebrow, with a meaningful tone, "Leaving the decayed noble Soul Society to do work? That's not like your character."

The Aizen of this world adjusted his glasses. "Who knows? Now it's my turn."

"You just asked if the sheltered Shinigamis in your world's Tsunayashiro Clan were exiled, right?"

The Aizen who had crossed over recalled, "No, in my world, the rebels were quite powerful, but they were ultimately subdued by the 13th Division. Although the nobles supporting them were caught by the Seireitei, they were eventually suppressed by Central 46. Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni didn't pursue the matter further."

"As for Tsunayashiro Tokinada, it seems he died from illness."

The Aizen of this world nodded, quickly analyzing the conditions in that world from these snippets of information, continuously deducing how the situation on the other side had come to be.

The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became.

He realized that what the other Aizen described was too normal—so normal that everything seemed taken for granted, as if the circumstances there were indeed justifiable and aligned with the rules of Soul Society.

In contrast, what was truly abnormal here was that he had nearly toppled one of the Five Great Noble Clans, the Tsunayashiro, even forcing them into exile in Hueco Mundo.

Undoubtedly, Yu Mikami played the most crucial role in this matter.

In other words, the reason everything seemed so normal on their side could very likely be the absence of this pivotal element…

In his mind, an idea gradually surfaced.

If before he had only vaguely suspected through their conversation, he was now about seventy percent certain.

The Aizen who had crossed over continued, "Alright, for the second question, how much do you know about the Soul King, and what do you and Yu Mikami plan to do after learning the truth?"

He was subtly extracting information.

The Aizen of this world replied, dissatisfied, "That's two questions."

"As for the Soul King, I have a general understanding of everything, including those disgusting methods employed by the nobles."

"As for the plans with Yu, that's another matter. Now it's my turn to ask questions."

After a brief pause, he asked, "Who are the disciples of Yamamoto Genryusai?"

"Hmm?" The Aizen who had crossed over was taken aback. What kind of question was that?

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's two disciples, Kyouraku Shunsui and Ukitake Juhachiro, were well-known in Soul Society.

Wait, that's not right. This question is too simple and lacks any informational value— is he testing me?

Does Yamamoto Genryusai have more than just those two disciples in this world?

Who could it be? Based on the information he had, what was the biggest difference between their two worlds?

His brain was racing, but his face remained composed as he replied, "Kyouraku Shunsui, Ukitake Juhachiro, and... Yu Mikami."

The Aizen of this world smiled. "Congratulations, you answered incorrectly."

The Aizen who had crossed over was dumbfounded.

I guessed wrong?

Is it possible that Yu Mikami is not a disciple of Yamamoto Genryusai?

Wait a minute.

The Aizen who had crossed over suddenly realized something was wrong.

Since the two worlds have various differences, then the existence of Yu Mikami must inherently come with various possibilities.

He shouldn't have expressed it as a "guess," but rather should treat it as a statement!

He wanted to maintain his attitude of certainty; unfortunately, it was already too late.

In that fleeting moment, his wavering attitude had already revealed the problem.

The smile of the Aizen of this world deepened. "Game over; I win."

The Aizen who had crossed over glared at him, feeling frustrated—one misstep and he lost everything.

The Aizen of this world laughed particularly joyfully, reassuring him, "You don't need to wear such an expression; this isn't your fault. After all, this kind of thing is merely a matter of intelligence. The developments in your side's situation are too normal to not raise suspicion. Well then, let's have an open and straightforward discussion."

"To show my sincerity, let me first introduce the situation in this world."

He adjusted his glasses and began telling the story to the Aizen who had crossed over.

From becoming classmates at Shin'o Academy to discovering Yu Mikami's uniqueness, and then being amazed by Yu Mikami's talent, the two supported each other through various events, eventually becoming true partners who recognized each other, all the way to now.

At first, the Aizen who had crossed over was quietly listening as a member of the audience, but as he listened, he began to feel something was off.

How could such a person exist in this world?

Someone whose talent was on par with his own, whose strength grew in sync with his, who was valued by the Captain-Commander, had good relationships with everyone, and was even courted by the Kurosaki Family and Shihouin Family among the Five Great Noble Families.

What astonished him the most was that after attaining such a status, he could still maintain his original intentions and become best friends with the Aizen of this world.

Even upon learning about his plans, he chose to support him without hesitation.

Even if doing so could cost him everything he had gained in Soul Society, and even misinterpretation from his former friends and teachers.

Was there really such a person in this world?

Was this not something that the Aizen of this world fabricated?

Suddenly, the Aizen who had crossed over felt a mix of emotions.

Why didn't he have such a friend?

If he had a Yu Mikami by his side, if he had someone like that alongside him during his growth, his life would surely be very different.

He sighed deeply, and by the time the Aizen of this world finished speaking, he felt a sense of loss of interest, suddenly not very eager to tell the story of his own world.

However, in the end, he still spoke of the events that had occurred in his world.

Due to the sheer volume of content, his account mainly focused on the later developments, specifically what happened after the birth of Ichigo Kurosaki.

After listening, the Aizen of this world pondered for a few seconds.

"Kisuke Urahara, huh… I see."

He raised the corner of his mouth. "It seems that Yu was the first to discover Kisuke Urahara's potential, and he has scored another win."

The Aizen who had crossed over couldn't help but respond, "Your tone is quite unpleasant when you mention that person."

The Aizen of this world shot him a glance and smiled. "Are you feeling jealous?"

"Living in a world without Yu, always looking down on others as mediocre, you must feel very lonely, don't you? Do you dream of having a friend who can stand by your side?"

"Coincidentally, I have all of that."

"Sōsuke Aizen, you bastard…"

The Aizen who had crossed over felt his blood pressure rising.