Stepping out of the interview chamber, Sombravida tilted his head slightly, fingers brushing the Fourth Division gentian stamp.
Was it really that simple?
Before he could reflect further, Momo rushed toward him.
"Big Brother! You took forever!"
"Talkative examiner," Sombravida replied lightly.
"Let me see!" She snatched the form.
Her eyes widened.
"You passed — and you got another division stamp?!"
Sombravida smiled faintly.
"As long as it says 'Pass,' that's enough."
"Two divisions already! Big Brother, you're amazing!"
"Lower your voice," he said quietly. "We're still being evaluated."
Second Assessment — Spiritual Pressure Measurement
The next hall was far louder.
Dozens of examinees were lined up before spherical measurement devices — polished reishi-crystal constructs clearly designed by the Twelfth Division.
The procedure was simple:
Place hand on the sphere.
Release controlled reiryoku.
Measurement calibrated in layered output bands.
The sphere glowed blue at baseline.
The closer the hue shifted toward white, the purer and denser the reiryoku signature.
Momo went first.
Her output climbed steadily.
50… 60… 70…
It slowed around the mid-70s and stabilized at 82.
The glow leaned pale blue-white.
"Upper-middle class reiryoku. Stable control," the examiner recorded.
Momo beamed.
Then—
"Number 918."
Sombravida stepped forward.
He placed his hand on the sphere.
Reiryoku flowed.
The sphere shifted from blue to white rapidly.
The numerical scale climbed past 80… 90…
Sombravida subtly suppressed his output.
It stabilized at 96.
The examiner narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
"Superior reiryoku density. High aptitude."
Then—
The sphere flickered.
The hue shifted violently.
White flashed into crimson for less than half a second.
The numbers distorted.
Then stabilized again.
Sombravida immediately regulated his internal flow.
The Hollow-derived reishi signature had reacted to the measuring calibration.
Not exposure.
Resonance.
But that flash had already triggered something.
A massive spiritual pressure surged from outside the hall.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Clinical.
Not suppressive — inquisitive.
Sombravida's spine stiffened.
He recognized the texture instantly.
Not killing intent.
Curiosity.
The doors slid open.
A tall figure in layered white and black stepped in.
Painted face.
Golden eyes.
Smiling.
Captain of the Twelfth Division.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
The air itself felt dissected under his presence.
The examinees instinctively backed away.
"Ahhh," Mayuri's voice sang lightly, distorted through layered vocal modulation.
"Which little specimen made my instrument malfunction?"
The examiner stammered.
"C-Captain—"
Mayuri waved him silent.
His gaze locked directly onto Sombravida.
"You."
He stepped closer.
"You triggered red resonance."
Pause.
Head tilt.
"You have consumed Hollow matter."
Silence fell across the hall.
Sombravida did not hesitate.
"Yes."
Gasps erupted.
Mayuri's eyes widened—not in shock, but delight.
"Explain."
Sombravida kept it simple.
"During a forest encounter, I killed a Hollow. Its mask fractured. A fragment entered my mouth during the struggle. I survived."
Mayuri circled him slowly.
"Most Shinigami who attempt such foolishness experience internal reiryoku rejection and destabilization. Hollow reishi is violently incompatible."
He stopped inches from Sombravida's face.
"And yet… your internal signature shows assimilation. Not rejection."
He turned sharply.
"Retest."
The examiner froze.
"Captain—"
"Retest."
Full Output Measurement
Sombravida returned to the sphere.
Mayuri's reiatsu tightened — not overwhelming, but pressing. Forcing reaction.
"Release fully."
Sombravida had no choice.
He stopped suppressing.
The sphere erupted into pure white.
Numbers climbed past 100.
The hue shimmered with faint prismatic distortion — not Hollow corruption, but dual-density layering.
Mayuri's smile widened.
"Yes… yes… you compressed the foreign reishi instead of purging it."
Sombravida pushed further.
The scale stabilized at 213.
The hall went silent.
That number was extraordinary for an unenrolled soul.
Not Captain level.
Not even Vice-Captain.
But far above normal entrants.
Mayuri's smile faded into calculation.
"Fascinating."
He leaned close.
"You did not hollowfy."
"No."
"No mask manifestation."
"No."
"No psychological erosion."
"No."
Mayuri tapped his chin.
"Your soul did not reject Hollow reishi. It reorganized it."
He turned to the examiner.
"Record: Exceptional reiryoku capacity. Adaptive assimilation trait. No immediate instability."
The examiner swallowed hard.
"Score confirmed… 213."
Mayuri's eyes gleamed.
"You are not normal."
Sombravida remained silent.
"Most who attempt Hollow ingestion die. Some become unstable pseudo-Visored abominations. You… stabilized it."
Mayuri's grin sharpened.
"Interesting."
He leaned even closer.
"You are still blind?"
"Yes."
"Would you like to see?"
Sombravida paused.
"I've adapted."
"Pity," Mayuri mused. "The optic nerve can be rebuilt. Modified. Enhanced."
Sombravida knew what that meant.
Dissection.
Experimentation.
Ownership.
"It is an honor to be noticed, Captain. If I pass, I will consider my assignment carefully."
Mayuri's eyes narrowed.
"Cautious. Good."
He turned.
"I cannot interfere with Academy assignments."
He paused.
"Yet."
He began walking away.
"Name."
"Hinamori Tsukishiro."
"Hmm."
Mayuri's smile returned.
"Hinamori Tsukishiro."
He exited the hall.
The examiner shakily announced:
"Number 918 — Exceptional Reiryoku. High Aptitude. Final Measurement: 213."
Sombravida exhaled slowly.
Internally—
It's over.
Now I cannot hide anymore.
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