Chapter 3: Graduation assessment, a good start!

With the resonant beat of a somber drum, the graduation assessment was officially underway.

The examination was structured in two primary segments.

In the first phase, candidates were evaluated on four essential aspects: swordsmanship, unarmed combat (White Hits), Shunpo (the art of high-speed movement), and Kidō (spiritual energy manipulation).

The examination rooms were divided according to the specific skill being evaluated. Students would showcase their abilities, with invigilators assigning scores based on their performances. Each subject held a maximum of 100 points, with a passing grade at 60, excellence at 80, and a prestigious "Penultimate" standing granted for scores above 90.

To secure a diploma, a minimum total score of 240 points across all four subjects was required. However, only those attaining a combined score of 320 or earning a "Penultimate" rank in any subject could proceed to the assessment's second phase.

Amid the steady procession of students to their respective examination rooms, Su Li found himself joining the stream.

The initial task was to demonstrate one's sealed state, known as the "Cut" or Zanpakutō. Su Li approached his designated examiner, responding to their routine inquiry:

"Name and class?"

"Su Li, Class One, Grade Six," he replied composedly.

The invigilator, engrossed in paperwork, continued without raising his gaze, "Alright, you may begin."

Unexpectedly, Su Li uttered, "I abstain."

The invigilator jolted, his gaze locking onto Su Li in disbelief. He questioned again, assuming he had misheard.

"What did you say?"

"I abstain, teacher," Su Li reaffirmed, his tone steady.

A profound sense of astonishment swept over the invigilator. He had presided over countless examinations, yet never encountered a student who willingly chose to forgo the evaluation.

"Are you absolutely certain?" he asked, his voice tinged with incredulity.

"I'm certain," Su Li responded with an air of nonchalance.

Internally, he couldn't help but chuckle. After all, his Zanpakutō was still bound together with glue. What good would it do to present it for an examination? It would be akin to parading absurdity.

The invigilator, baffled by Su Li's calm demeanor, couldn't conceal his exasperation. He had witnessed his fair share of students over the years, yet never encountered one so audacious as to voluntarily abandon an examination.

In response, the invigilator struck a forceful zero with a red pen, signifying Su Li's zero score for the sealed state assessment.

"Su Li, sealed state: 0 points."

Acknowledging the notation with a nod, Su Li left the examination room with unassuming grace. He couldn't suppress a smirk, envisioning the invigilator's infuriated expression as he walked away.

...

Shortly thereafter, Su Li found himself facing the Kidō examination.

"Thirty-one: Hadō! Red Cannon!"

The invigilator's perplexed expression drew laughter from the room. Su Li's embarrassment turned the situation into an unintended comedic exchange.

"Student, let's be serious. Smoking is prohibited in the examination room."

"What?! You're telling me this is my 'Red Cannon'? Are you sure you don't mistake it for my lighter?"

"Pfft... Hahaha... I'm sorry... We've received professional training, but sometimes... Hahaha..."

"Student, we apologize, we can only award you 5 points—one point for attempting the spell and four for the amusement you provided. Thank you for the laughter!"

"Next candidate!"

Exiting the examination room, Su Li wore a sheepish grin. His Kidō skills seemed to parallel those of Abarai Renji.

He shook off the lingering embarrassment and regained his composure. Ultimately, the scores of the sealed state and Kidō assessments hardly mattered to him. He had intended to forgo them from the outset.

What truly counted was the final assessment, the second round. Passing this phase would secure his entry into Gotei 13 and grant him a graduation certificate, the ideal solution for someone like Su Li, whose diploma prospects appeared grim through conventional means.

With his thoughts organized, he made his way to the third examination venue.

On the playground, students who had recently concluded their assessments took a moment to rest and chat.

"Did you hear? In the sealed state test, there was a guy who scored a whopping 0 points!"

"Zero points? You mean he couldn't even draw his sword? How on earth did he pass?"

"I don't know, he apparently just gave up the test. The invigilator was so furious that his beard was practically standing on end!"

"Hahaha, someone's quite the character. He even abandoned the most fundamental aspect of the assessment. Is he really aiming to graduate?"

"I think his name is Su Li or something. I heard he's in Renji's class..."

"Unbelievable! I was just in the examination room with him. He was ahead of me. You know what he got in Kidō?"

"What did he get?"

"Five points! Absolutely ridiculous! His 'Red Cannon' resembled the fire starter my uncle uses in the village. The invigilators were practically in tears from laughing!"

"Man, he's got to be the top contender for 'Scumbag of the Year'!"

"Hey, did you hear about Abarai Renji's Kidō score? It's a staggering 6!"

"But the catch is that Renji earned 92 points in the sealed state. He's the only one among us who's managed to achieve Shikai during his student years."

"It's safe to say there's a noticeable gap between these two 'scumbags'."

...

Simultaneously, at the White Hits assessment venue, a wooden puppet towered in the center of the area.

Crafted by the Technology Development Bureau, the puppet possessed a robust frame and the ability to autonomously attack within a designated range. Its purpose was to facilitate White Hits training and evaluations for academy students.

The evaluation process was straightforward. Candidates engaged in combat with the puppet using White Hits until it was defeated. The fewer hits sustained, and the less time spent, the higher the score.

If a candidate could dismantle the puppet in under 5 minutes while enduring fewer than three hits, they'd earn a score of 90 or above. Achieving this in three minutes without getting hit at all warranted a perfect score.

Although the task seemed simple, executing it proved daunting. The puppet was remarkably resilient, and its attacks were swift and relentless.

Since the academy's inception, only two individuals achieved a Penultimate score of 90 or more: former Second Division Captain Shihouin Yoruichi, and the current captain of the Second Division, Sui-Feng.

No one had yet achieved a perfect score.

"Student, you may begin," the invigilator addressed Su Li, hand poised above the starting switch.

Su Li nodded calmly, acknowledging the signal.

Without delay, the invigilator activated the switch and initiated the timer.

"Squeak, squeak!!" The wooden puppet spun with great intensity, preparing to assail the young man standing before it.

In the blink of an eye, however...

"Boom!!"

A colossal force struck the puppet, reducing it to a flurry of splintered debris suspended in the air. Su Li regarded his fist in mild astonishment. The unexpected surge in his strength caught him off guard.

Swiftly recovering his composure, he retracted his fist, dusted off his attire, and stifled any signs of satisfaction.

"I'm finished, teacher," he calmly informed the invigilator.

Observing the puppet's destruction and Su Li's composed demeanor, the invigilator was momentarily dumbfounded by the disparity.

...

In another venue, the Shunpo assessment replicated the scene.

"The evaluation entails dodging balls. Each successful dodge prompts the machine to launch an additional ball. Failure to dodge results in an immediate end to the assessment."

"Sixteen dodges constitute a pass, thirty-two are excellent, and sixty-four denote Penultimate!"

"Don't harbor delusions of grandeur; let me clarify, only the former captain of the Second Division has reached sixty-four in all these years!"

...

"Hey, this classmate's performance is commendable; he's already achieved thirty-two..."

"Yes, indeed; quite impressive! He's up to forty-eight now..."

"Uh... Sixty-four?!"

"Eighty-seven... One hundred and one... One hundred and twelve..."

"One hundred and twenty-eight..."

Inside the closed examination room, an array of small balls were rapidly launched, leaving everyone in shock.

One hundred and twenty-eight balls—representing the machine's entire arsenal—had been released.

This student had managed to remain untouched while expertly employing Shunpo amid the relentless barrage.

"Teacher, the machine isn't releasing any more balls. Could you check if it's malfunctioning?" Su Li's voice resounded from within the room as he continued to Shunpo.

The invigilator, utterly flabbergasted, was left momentarily speechless.