Chapter 81

It wasn't until Kaelith Yurei left the field that the observing Shinigami snapped back to reality. 

"Vice-Captain Yadōmaru… lost?!" 

"And that guy didn't even release his Zanpakutō!" 

"Hey, is this for real…?" 

For those with seated officer ranks, the shock ran even deeper. 

Unlike regular Shinigami, they were aware of the earlier prison raid incident. 

When they heard rumors of Kaelith Yurei holding his own against two rebel captains, they dismissed it as exaggerated propaganda. 

Now, after witnessing him easily and decisively defeat Yadōmaru Lisa, they began to realize the truth. 

Among Vice-Captains, Lisa's strength was top-tier. 

Defeating her meant Kaelith Yurei was already qualified to challenge even greater opponents. 

Some Shinigami from noble families couldn't help but entertain thoughts of recruiting him. 

But those thoughts quickly dissipated. 

Kaelith Yurei already bore Yamamoto's mark. 

Unless they were part of the Five Great Noble Houses, attempting to pull him away would be a futile effort. 

On the platform, Kuchiki Ginrei, who had kept his eyes half-closed for most of the event, finally opened them slightly. 

Kaelith Yurei… he had heard of this boy. 

His son, Kuchiki Sōjun, seemed to get along well with him at the academy. 

At the time, Ginrei wasn't pleased about it. 

For a scion of the Kuchiki clan to associate so closely with a boy from Rukongai—it was improper. 

But as Kaelith gained Yamamoto's favor and was even accepted as his disciple, Ginrei's view of him softened. 

After the prison incident, Kaelith Yurei piqued Ginrei's interest further. 

Now, seeing the boy's strength with his own eyes, Ginrei couldn't help but feel shaken. 

This boy's talent might rival that of Kuchiki Kōga! 

If only he could bring Kaelith into the Kuchiki clan… 

Ginrei instinctively glanced at Yamamoto's back. 

Perhaps this needed careful deliberation… 

---

After Kaelith's exam, Yamada Seinosuke stepped into the arena. 

Since he was determined to join the Fourth Division, his test was simple yet specialized. 

The staff brought in various animals and inflicted injuries upon them on the spot. 

Slashes, blunt trauma, even Kido-induced wounds… 

Kaelith, observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but click his tongue. 

Good thing the Soul Society hasn't developed any terrifying animal protection groups yet, or this whole setup would've caused an uproar. 

Once the injuries were inflicted, the staff exited, leaving the arena to Seinosuke. 

His task was to perform emergency treatment on all the animals within 15 minutes. 

The final evaluation, based on the effectiveness of his treatments, would be judged by seated officers from the Fourth Division, determining whether he would be accepted. 

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Seinosuke hummed a tune as he confidently approached the first animal—a wild boar. 

Its thick hide bore several deep gashes, with blood flowing freely. 

Narrowing his eyes, Seinosuke examined the wounds for a few seconds. 

Then, with a flourish, he raised his hands as though conducting an orchestra. 

With a sharp pull, threads of reishi appeared out of thin air. 

Skillfully controlling the threads, Seinosuke guided them into the boar's flesh, threading them through the severed blood vessels. 

Once all the blood vessels were connected, the threads tightened, pulling the ends together. 

Next, his hands emitted a radiant green glow. 

Under the healing light, the aligned blood vessels rapidly fused together. 

Within five to six seconds, every severed blood vessel was as good as new. 

With a confident smirk, Seinosuke repeated the process on the boar's muscles and skin. 

A quick application of healing light, and the boar looked no different from when it had first been brought in. 

Kaelith, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow. 

Seinosuke's skill with reishi manipulation and healing techniques was undeniably impressive. 

Even the bloodstains on the animals were meticulously wiped away by Seinosuke using spiritual energy.

All of this, astonishingly, took less than forty seconds!

Then came the second injured animal, the third… 

In less than ten minutes, Seinosuke had healed every single one of them. 

One of the seated officers of the Fourth Division couldn't hold back any longer and rushed onto the field. 

After inspecting the animals, he exclaimed with excitement: 

"All— all injuries have been completely healed!" 

"Rating: Grade A!" 

"No, wait… Grade A doesn't do this justice. This should be Superior Grade A! Or even Above Superior!" 

A few Fourth Division members quickly intervened, reminding him that there was no such rating. 

Despite the comedic interruption, everyone present was left in awe of this young man named Yamada Seinosuke and his extraordinary talent in healing techniques. 

The surrounding Shinigami beamed with joy. 

Having someone so skilled emerge in the Fourth Division was excellent news for those constantly putting their lives on the line. 

Sasakibe Chōjirō formally announced that Yamada Seinosuke had passed the graduation exam. 

With that, all three students in the group successfully completed their early graduation. 

Seinosuke returned, his expression full of pride as he looked at Kaelith Yurei and Aizen. 

"Well? How about it, Kaelith, Aizen? Don't you suddenly feel a deep sense of admiration for me?" 

"There's still time to call me 'Grand Master Seinosuke,' you know." 

Kaelith glanced at him sideways. "I've got Captain Unohana's autograph." 

"Senpai!!!" 

In an instant, "Grand Master Seinosuke" demoted himself two generations down. 

---

After Kaelith and his group's graduation exams concluded, the atmosphere at the training grounds grew more serious. 

All the Shinigami present instinctively straightened their postures. 

It was time for the Captain Examination Ceremony for the three new captains! 

Once the area was cleared, Sasakibe Chōjirō surveyed the crowd and began the next announcement: 

"Now commencing the first Captain Proficiency Examination." 

"Third Seat of the Third Division, Kenseikan Rōjūrō! Step forward!" 

A man with golden hair stood from the crowd. 

His appearance carried distinct Western aristocratic features, leaving one to wonder whether he was of mixed descent or a soul who had passed away in a distant land. (t/n I think it was just a design choice by Kubo)

Under the gaze of the audience, he walked forward at a measured pace and bowed respectfully to the platform. 

Sasakibe turned toward Yamamoto, who looked to the captains by his side. 

"Captain Hirako," Yamamoto said, "you will serve as the examiner for this assessment." 

Hirako Shinji scratched his head with a resigned look. 

Sasakibe nodded. "The examiner for this trial is Captain Hirako Shinji of the Fifth Division." 

"Third Seat Kenseikan Rōjūrō, please demonstrate the strength expected of a captain within the allotted time and earn Captain Hirako's approval!" 

Hirako's figure flickered as he moved to face Rōjūrō in the arena. 

"Captain Hirako, I look forward to your guidance," Rōjūrō said solemnly. 

"Relax, no need to take it so seriously. My tests are pretty lenient; as long as you—" 

Before Hirako could finish, Yamamoto's deep voice interrupted from the platform: 

"Captain Hirako, if the examination isn't taken seriously, I will not be pleased." 

Hirako jolted and quickly cleared his throat, adopting a more serious expression. 

"Ahem. Well then, Rōjūrō, you heard the old man. I won't be holding back, so be careful." 

"Understood," Rōjūrō replied with a firm nod, placing his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō. 

At Sasakibe's signal to begin, Rōjūrō wasted no time and drew his blade. 

"Play, Kinshara!"