After returning to the routine of academy life, several months passed in the blink of an eye.
Suō Tsukasa first passed the initial and secondary assessments in succession, finally arriving at the ultimate assessment for early graduation.
In reality, for ordinary students, the graduation threshold of the Shin'o Academy was not particularly high. The standard for a regular student only required a certain level of combat capability to graduate with ease. The expectation the Gotei 13 held for most graduates was limited to their ability to handle daily duties such as cleaning, patrolling, and reconnaissance. The careers of the vast majority of graduates ended there, becoming the foundation that supported the operation of the Gotei 13 upon joining.
However, for someone like Suō Tsukasa who applied for early graduation, the goal was not merely to graduate, but to stage a special debut before the Gotei 13.
The act of early graduation itself sent a strong signal, intended to attract the attention of the various squads. To these applicants, the graduation assessment was not an endpoint, but a stage to demonstrate strength and potential that far surpassed their peers.
This was also reflected in the promotion rules for Shinigami. When an ordinary graduate entered a squad, they started as a regular member and could only obtain a seated position after accumulating enough merit and passing rigorous combat evaluations. Conversely, students who graduated early could, according to squad regulations and upon passing internal evaluations, be honored with a direct appointment to a high-seated officer position. The starting points for the two were worlds apart.
Consequently, the assessment standards faced by applicants were far beyond those of conventional exams.
Combined, the number of students from various grades who took the first assessment alongside Suō Tsukasa totaled around a hundred. By the time of the secondary assessment, the failure rate had already exceeded three-quarters. Now, only Suō Tsukasa and four other upperclassmen remained to participate in the final assessment. Renji Abarai, who had met Tsukasa again during the second assessment, had also failed to pass.
Currently, outside the final examination hall, heavy cypress doors stood like a barrier, completely sealing off all sound from within. Suō Tsukasa and the other upperclassmen sat on a wooden bench outside according to their grade rankings, clutching their Asauchi as they waited for the summons from the examiners inside.
Time slipped away second by second in the oppressive silence. The air in the corridor felt as heavy as a physical object, carrying a solemn, invisible pressure. Light falling from high windows stretched the shadows of those waiting.
After an unknown amount of time, the doors swung wide.
"Candidate Number One, Suō Tsukasa."
"Present."
Suō Tsukasa stood up at the call and stepped into the open doorway with steady strides. Behind him, the doors closed silently, once again isolating the interior from the exterior.
The interior of the examination hall was extremely spacious. Three chief and assistant examiners, draped in black haori, sat perched upon a high platform. In the four corners of the hall stood proctors holding writing boards, responsible for reviewing and recording. The atmosphere was solemn and stern.
The lead examiner seated in the center, possessing the coldest expression of all, fixed a gaze as sharp as a blade upon Suō Tsukasa and spoke slowly.
"Examinee, state your name."
"Student of Class One, Year 2069, Suō Tsukasa," Tsukasa replied calmly, meeting the examiner's scrutinizing gaze.
Upon hearing this, the lead examiner picked up a dossier placed beside the desk. It recorded all of Suō Tsukasa's training, evaluations, and internship scores since enrollment. The lead examiner did not rush to flip through the contents; instead, he held the dossier and performed a detailed comparison between Tsukasa himself and the photograph in the file.
Inside the great hall, it was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The only sound was the slight rustle of paper as the dossier was flipped and spread open.
The process of waiting might have seemed agonizingly painful to others, but Tsukasa was perfectly composed.
Doing all this just to intimidate someone, he thought. Beyond his confidence in his own strength, this level of scrutiny was not enough to make him nervous. On the contrary, he found the unique examination setting quite novel—though it was slightly less interesting since he already knew the format of the final assessment.
The previous two assessments had been individual evaluations of various subjects to reach a final composite score, differing only in the level of difficulty. The format of the final assessment was simply a direct display of comprehensive combat performance; there was nothing particularly innovative about it.
As the lead examiner finished reading the records in the dossier, his eyes couldn't help but light up.
Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō were all at the "Excellent" grade. The theoretical written exams were also entirely "Excellent," as were his internship scores. The lead examiner carefully finished reading this impeccable report card and the teacher's comments attached to the end of the file. Only then did he truly look at the black-haired youth standing in the hall with a sword at his hip.
The Shin'o Academy had a long history and had produced countless talents over the years. However, students who could stand in this final examination hall after only one year of enrollment—and with past records so dazzling—were few and far between.
"To have successfully reached the final assessment after only one year since enrollment..." The lead examiner's voice softened slightly, carrying clear admiration. "Student Suō, I look forward to your performance."
As his voice fell, an assistant examiner rose from his seat, used Shunpō to move in front of Suō Tsukasa, and said in a deep voice: "Are you ready?"
"Yes."
Without any superfluous chatter, the final assessment began immediately.
The assistant examiner closed in with Shunpō to launch a Hakuda attack. Suō Tsukasa raised his hands to meet him, their figures weaving through the hall. After a dozen rounds of clashing limbs, they switched to a long-range Kidō duel. Rounds of Kidō collided successively in the air. Once the light and sound faded, they finally transitioned to the most direct assessment: Zanjutsu.
"Stop!"
The entire assessment process lasted no longer than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before the assistant examiner was the first to call a halt.
Suō Tsukasa's performance throughout the assessment did not disappoint the examiners. The afterimages of Shunpō, the impact of Hakuda, the flames of Kidō, and the cold glint of Zanjutsu—his combat posture and his proficiency in all four Shinigami arts during the assessment perfectly matched the standard of an elite graduate in their minds.
Hearing the end of the assessment, Suō Tsukasa stopped his movements and sheathed his sword. His breathing was steady, without a hint of panting. It was as if he hadn't just faced a final assessment, but had merely engaged in an ordinary sparring session. And in truth, that was the case; the intensity of his daily sparring with his Zanjutsu and Hakuda instructors had long since surpassed the assessment standards. As for Kidō, it was Suō Tsukasa's most proficient subject, and he handled it with effortless ease.
Seeing this, the lead and assistant examiners briefly exchanged views and quickly announced the result.
"Precise control of spiritual pressure and an appropriate grasp of combat rhythm. Suō Tsukasa, congratulations. You have passed the final assessment. The Academy will transfer your records to the squad you applied for today. they will soon send someone to receive you; you just need to wait in your dormitory tomorrow."
"Thank you, examiners."
Having achieved the desired result, Suō Tsukasa bowed to the examiners in a gesture of respect.
When he walked out of the great hall, the four upperclassmen were still waiting outside. Seeing Tsukasa emerge first, their gazes shifted slightly, as if trying to read something from his face. But his expression was too calm, betraying no clues. In the end, they asked nothing, only silently watching Suō Tsukasa's receding figure as he left alone.
Stepping into the courtyard, the daylight suddenly brightened. Suō Tsukasa paused in the garden, his gaze sweeping over the upturned eaves of the academy buildings and the greenery of the courtyard. Sunlight spilled over him, and his blue-and-white school uniform fluttered gently in the wind.
Since enrolling, there were many parts of this academy Tsukasa had never visited—the classrooms of the upperclassmen, the elective course buildings; many corners remained unfamiliar scenery to him. Although his time at the school was short, it was undeniable that Suō Tsukasa had spent a relaxed and pleasant period of academy life at the Shin'o Academy.