C14 The Most Worthless Examinee

Shinoreijutsuin, situated on the southeast side of the Court of Pure Souls, was a stone's throw away from the barracks of the Gotei 13. Today marked the entrance exam for new students, and the influx of people heading to the academy was noticeably higher.

The crowd wasn't just made up of first through fourth-grade nobles; it also included commoners from the Flowing Soul Street. For them, unlike their noble counterparts, the only path to rise above their station within the Court of Pure Souls was to gain admission into Shinoreijutsuin. After six years of rigorous training, they could join the prestigious ranks of the Gotei 13, shedding their commoner status.

Of course, there were rare exceptions like Zaraki Kenpachi, whose extraordinary abilities earned him an unconventional admission, catching the eye of the captains. But individuals of his caliber were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns on Flowing Soul Street. The emergence of another Zaraki was unpredictable.

This scarcity underscored why the Shinoreijutsuin's structured assessment was the most reliable route. The academy's faculty was drawn from the Gotei 13, the covert Mobile Team, and the Kido Corps, each specializing in different areas of expertise and rotating teaching responsibilities.

The curriculum was divided into four main disciplines: Kendo, represented by the Soul-Cutter Sword; Hakuda, the art of unarmed combat; Shunpo, known as Flash Steps; and Kido, the practice of spiritual energy-based techniques.

These rotating instructors also scouted promising talent to bolster their ranks. Students who excelled in a particular skill or achieved a certain proficiency across all four disciplines could apply for the final assessment at the end of their six-year tenure. Success meant graduation and the honor of joining the elite teams of their chosen field.

However, those who didn't meet the mark after six years were dismissed from the academy. This rigorous standard applied to the average student, but there were always exceptions for prodigious talents.

Special cases like former vice-captain Kaien Shiba, who completed the six-year curriculum in just one year and was granted early assessment, were welcomed into the Gotei 13. Others, like Ichimaru Gin and Toushirou, who carried the mantle of genius, were likewise not subject to the usual constraints.

Once they managed to secure an early opportunity to take the assessment and graduated with ease, they were seen as prime candidates for future vice-captain and even captain positions.

"Look who's here, being carried on a stretcher by two senior Soul Reapers. His resilience is truly inspiring to me."

"Exactly, just look at his deeply furrowed brows and the agony on his face, his mouth even bound in bandages. He's clearly suffered grave injuries yet refuses to miss the Shinoreijutsuin assessment, coming here against all odds."

"He's a paragon for our generation. It underscores that getting into Shinoreijutsuin, graduating, and joining the Gotei 13 is the ultimate dream for us commoners."

"Isn't it shameful if we, in good health, can't even surpass someone who's disabled?"

"…"

A buzz of uplifting chatter filled the air, one after another, as if energizing the crowd.

The stirring speeches, like a chain reaction, followed the stretcher through the gates of the Shinoreijutsuin, spreading rapidly.

Watching the commoners, faces alight with excitement, and even nobles joining in to extol the virtues of determination despite physical impairments.

Lucia and Abarai Renji were mortified, wishing they could just disappear.

On their journey, they had attempted to rouse Shiba Taku, to no avail. Despite their strenuous efforts, he showed no signs of waking.

To make transport easier, they procured a stretcher and enlisted a compassionate member of the medical team to help find a way to sober him up.

They had hoped for a smooth trip to the Shinoreijutsuin.

But they hadn't anticipated the act of drunken bravado.

Upon seeing Shiba Taku, the medical team's young lady began to ramble about his wife.

Lucia and Abarai Renji resorted to wrapping him in bandages.

While Shiba Taku seemed unbothered by the outcome, the continuous praise for his 'indomitable spirit' became too much for the medical team's young lady, who couldn't bear the embarrassment.

She quickly made up an excuse and fled, tail tucked.

If not for Ukitake's promise, Lucia would have gladly left Shiba Taku in the middle of the road and taken off running.

The thought of Shiba Taku showing up to the exam still drunk and inadvertently revealing his true condition was particularly troubling. If he did, his Three Bamboo Spiritual Energy would be laid bare, failing to even graze the entrance requirements of Shinoreijutsuin—a massive embarrassment.

"Renji, the exam has already started up ahead. Let's hang back in a corner for now and wait until the crowd thins out before we join in," Lucia suggested anxiously after surveying the lengthy queue upon entering the examination hall. The last thing she wanted was to make a fool of herself in front of a large audience.

Today marked the final day of enrollment, attracting a greater number of students than usual, predominantly from noble families. The nobility preferred to make their entrance at the end of the process, believing their superior lineage warranted a grand finale appearance. Moreover, the final day was prime time for the captains to observe, offering a perfect stage for the examinees to showcase their talents.

The rationale behind this tradition was murky at best, but it was well-known that those confident in their abilities would hold out for the last day's assessments.

"Lucia, you've got a point. Let's hold off for a bit. I thought I spotted Captain Kuchiki earlier, and I'd like to say hello. If he hadn't informed me that you'd gone to Zaraki District, I might have missed you," Renji said, his face flushing as he spoke. His eyes kept darting over to Shiba Taku, who was still deep in sleep, snoring away.

Surrounded by expectant looks and under the scrutiny of the captains, Renji was clearly tempted to make a quick getaway. He had personally witnessed Shiba Taku's meager Three Bamboo Spirit Pressure. The Nine Bamboo reading on the test bracelet? He couldn't bring himself to believe it.

The prospect of being outed as an examinee with a "never-say-die" spirit but a Three Bamboo Spirit Pressure to show for it was mortifying. If that happened, his reputation would be in tatters, and he'd be the laughingstock of the Court of Pure Souls for centuries to come.

It was entirely possible that he would go down in history as a legend of the Shinoreijutsuin.

And the two who had arrived bearing the stretcher, like harbingers of death, would likely be etched in memory forever, their tale recounted by generations of examinees.

"Renji, you!" Lucia was seething with anger.

She knew all too well what her childhood friend was up to.

But before she could confront him, the piercing stares from the throng of examinees outside sent shivers down their spines.