First round: Kidō

The Shin'o Academy had never seen such an uproar.

All the Lieutenants and senior officers present couldn't help whispering to their familiar colleagues, sharing the rumors they'd heard.

"A genius like this hasn't appeared in the Soul Society in two thousand years…"

"Mastered Zanpakutō without a sealed state, learned Shikai instantly."

"Memorized Kidō from the Hadō and Bakudō sections up to number 60 just by flipping through the Kidō Encyclopedia."

"Even defeated a Gotei-level captain in a Kendo class."

Though the stories weren't fully confirmed, just these bits of information were shocking enough. If any of it were true, then the student applying for early graduation today—Aiyan—had already surpassed most of them in strength.

"Hey, look!"

"Even a Gotei captain is here."

"That's Captain Unohana… and Captain Ukitake too!"

"Wait… that's—Captain Yamamoto?!"

"Is this really a graduation assessment… or a coronation ceremony for the next Head Captain?"

As the time of Aiyan's early graduation test approached, the pressure only intensified.

Captain Unohana Yachiru arrived first, her expression calm but clearly interested. Then came Captain Jūshirō Ukitake and Captain Kyōraku Shunsui. But when Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto himself appeared, the entire academy practically held its breath.

This wasn't just a normal assessment anymore—this was history in the making.

Even Shiba Isshin, the one overseeing the exam, looked surprised by the captains' presence. Though only a few had arrived, each one carried immense weight.

Take Unohana for example.

To most ordinary Shinigami, she was just the captain of the 4th Division—the medical squad. But to those in the know, she was second only to Yamamoto himself in both strength and status.

Kyōraku and Ukitake had been legends since their own student days, having become captains while still enrolled in the Academy.

And then… Yamamoto Genryūsai. The strongest Shinigami in a thousand years. The founder of the Gotei 13. The embodiment of justice and power.

All of them had gathered… to watch one student's graduation assessment.

Shiba Isshin couldn't help but sigh.

The pressure from above was unimaginable.

Yet Yamamoto simply stepped forward and calmly said, "We're only here to observe, Captain Isshin. Proceed as you normally would."

"Yes, sir."

Shiba nodded solemnly and turned toward the candidate standing calmly among the crowd.

"Candidate: Aiyan Sōsuke."

"Step forward."

Aiyan moved without hesitation. His Zanpakutō hung at his waist as he crossed the field to stand in the center of the spacious testing ground—an open grassy field about the size of several football stadiums.

"Your application for early graduation has been approved," Shiba announced loudly. "Since you're from a First Class, and this is an early graduation request, the test will be more difficult than the standard graduation assessment."

"The categories include: Kendo, Kidō, Hakuda (White Hits), Hohō (Shunpo), Reiatsu, and Zanpakutō mastery."

As he spoke, several Kidō Corps members escorted a restrained Gillian-class Menos Grande—heavily bound in multiple layers of Bakudō—into the testing area.

"First round: Kidō."

"Use Kidō under number 80 to defeat this Gillian. You must demonstrate both Bakudō and Hadō."

This was no paper exam.

The Soul Society didn't want scholars; they wanted warriors. Even the Shin'o Academy's top class—the one known to produce future captains—had to face real combat.

What good was knowing how to chant Kidō if you froze during battle?

Aiyan gave a calm nod. "Understood."

"Release the seal," Shiba ordered.

The Kidō Corps Shinigami immediately removed the restraints from the Gillian.

ROOOOAAARRR!

Like a beast let loose from its cage, the Menos Grande roared wildly. Its Reiatsu surged instantly, and scarlet light gathered rapidly in its jaws—forming a Cero.

"Cero already?" one of the spectators whispered in disbelief.

"Kidō above number 80 requires full chanting unless you're a captain," another said. "But Cero doesn't need a chant. It just condenses and fires. Takes less than a second."

"Can he even finish chanting in time?"

They weren't wrong.

A Menos Grande wasn't a test dummy. It attacked. It hunted. It killed. There was no courtesy or countdown. No chance to calmly perform incantations.

In past tests, many excellent students had frozen up—unable to cast even the spells they'd practiced for years.

Gillian's Cero charged in less than three seconds. Its eyes locked onto Aiyan—closest, calmest, and standing alone.

BOOM!

A blood-red Cero blasted forward, tearing through the air with deafening force.

"Bakudō #81: Danku," Aiyan murmured softly.

He didn't even glance back. He just turned and casually walked away.

A towering, translucent energy wall surged up between him and the oncoming Cero.

BOOM!!!

The beam crashed into the Danku, shaking the sky with a thunderous blast—but the Kidō barrier stood firm.

Unbroken.

Untouched.

"Didn't even flinch…"

The onlookers were stunned. But the Menos didn't stop. With the little intelligence it had, it started forming another Cero.

Aiyan didn't turn around.

"Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō," he said coolly.

Before the Cero could even form, the ground cracked beneath Gillian's massive feet.

A violent surge of Reiatsu erupted.

A brilliant blue glow burst upward like a rising dragon.

Then—BOOM!

From beneath the Menos Grande, a torrent of energy exploded, a beam of lightning and spiritual power shooting through its body like a volcano blowing from beneath.

Gillian roared.

It was swallowed whole by the storm.

When the dust settled, there was no trace of the Menos Grande—only a smoldering crater, and the faint lingering scent of scorched Hollow.

Aiyan slowly turned back, dusting off his sleeve, expression calm.

Silence.

No one spoke. Not even the captains.

Because what could they say?

One Bakudō.

One Hadō.

Both among the highest of their kind. Both cast with no chant. Both executed faster than most Lieutenants could even draw their Zanpakutō.

The Kidō test had just started—yet it already felt like the finale.

And yet... This was only round one.

...

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