Those Who Stand Apart
"I am Yano Masahiko, appointed by Central 46 to preside over this Shin'ō Academy entrance examination."
The man clad entirely in white robes stood at the center of the assessment platform. His presence was calm, restrained, yet unmistakably authoritative.
"Now," Yano continued, his voice echoing through the hall,"I officially declare the commencement of the first stage of the entrance examination—the Reiryoku Aptitude Test."
As soon as his words fell, the sixteen Shinigami overseeing the assessment moved in unison. They positioned themselves around the four spiritual pressure measurement instruments, forming a strict perimeter that left no room for interference or deceit.
The examination began immediately.
"Hasegawa Masami—Reiryoku Level Thirteen. Failed."
"Mori Satsuki—Reiryoku Level Seventeen. Failed."
"Inagaki Masaki—Reiryoku Level Eleven. Failed."
"Suzuki Keigo—Reiryoku Level Ten. Failed."
...
A series of cold, emotionless announcements rang out one after another.
The atmosphere inside the hall grew heavy.
"So difficult… Level Nine is the minimum threshold?"A thin young man with pale green hair standing ahead of Raizen Kō clutched his head, his voice trembling."I borrowed money from District Seventy-Nine just to secure this recommendation… If I fail here, my entire family is finished…"
"Kaga Yoshio—Reiryoku Level Nine. Passed."
The voice echoed like a lifeline thrown into deep water.
"I passed! I really passed!"Kaga Yoshio shouted uncontrollably, his face flushed with disbelief and joy.
A supervising officer glanced at him flatly."This is only the first stage. Move on immediately."
Only then did Kaga Yoshio realize where he was. He bowed awkwardly and hurried toward the next testing zone.
The examination continued.
"Matsumoto Rangiku—Reiryoku Level Seven. Passed."
The hall went silent for half a breath.
Then
"Level Seven…?"
"That's elite-class output!"
"Even seated officers rarely reach that!"
Whispers erupted across the hall.
Raizen lifted his gaze.
At the very front stood a golden-haired girl no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. Her wavy hair framed a youthful yet striking face, and though still young, she carried a natural allure that drew the eye unconsciously. A small beauty mark beneath her lip lent her expression an unmistakable charm.
More than that, however, was her spiritual presence dense, stable, and refined far beyond her apparent age.
Oda Yū, standing nearby, let out a bitter chuckle.
"I've served decades and barely reached Level Eight," he muttered. "And this girl…"
Raizen rested his chin against his hand, eyes narrowed slightly.
"At this point in the timeline," he thought calmly,"Matsumoto Rangiku has already lost the fragment of the Soul King's nail to Aizen. And yet… she still registers at Level Seven."
His gaze sharpened.
"If she were whole… what would her true level have been?"
The announcements continued.
"Shimazu Hyōya—Reiryoku Level Eleven. Failed."
"Makino Kazuki—Reiryoku Level Nine. Passed."
"Kubo Tōya—Reiryoku Level Twenty. Failed."
"Nagasawa Masami—Reiryoku Level Nine. Passed."
"Hoshimiya Ichika—Reiryoku Level Ten. Failed."
Then
"Hisagi Shūhei—Reiryoku Level Seven. Passed."
Raizen's lips curved faintly.
"So we meet early," he thought.
He observed the boy closely thin, composed, eyes steady. The freshly inked '69' tattoo on his cheek still showed faint redness.
"Two Level Sevens in one intake!"
The examinees erupted.
Even the examiners were visibly taken aback.
"Excellent," Yano Masahiko laughed heartily. "Truly an outstanding generation."
He quickly coughed, regaining composure, and motioned for the assessment to continue.
Eventually
"Tsukada Shinji Reiryoku Level Nine. Passed."
"I passed… I passed!"The green-haired man ahead of Raizen nearly collapsed from relief.
"Next," the officer snapped.
Raizen stepped forward.
"So it's finally my turn."
He placed his hand on the instrument's grip.
The moment his Reiryoku flowed
A brilliant golden radiance surged outward, flooding the hall. The light pulsed violently for more than ten seconds before slowly stabilizing.
The examiner stared at the display.
"…Level Five."
His voice cracked.
"Raizen Kō—Reiryoku Level Five. Passed."
The hall exploded.
"What?!"
"Impossible!"
"The device is malfunctioning!"
The loudest voice belonged to Kubo Tōya, who had just failed with Level Twenty.
"Silence."
Yano Masahiko released his Reiatsu.
An overwhelming pressure swept across the hall. Several examinees collapsed instantly, gasping for breath.
Kubo fell flat to the floor.
Raizen, however, continued walking calmly toward the next examination zone as though nothing had happened.
No one noticed.
But several examiners did.
Reiryoku Assessment Standards (Shin'ō Academy)
Below Level 9: Insufficient
Level 9–8: Cadet standard
Level 7: Elite cadet
Level 6: Seated Officer potential
Level 5–4: Vice-Captain class
Level 3 and above: Captain-class Reiatsu
More than a decade earlier, Ichimaru Gin himself had tested at Level Six.
And now
Raizen Kō had surpassed that.
Oda Yū burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! I told you this one was different."
And somewhere far above the academy walls
Unseen eyes took interest.