Meanwhile—
Bai Chen had already expected that the moment he showed the wooden plaque, it would cause a stir.
So he stayed calm.
As always, he simply ignored everyone's opinions.
However, the exam hall was divided into two sections.
After giving Hinamori Momo a few words of encouragement and watching her head into the written test area, Bai Chen turned and walked straight into the reiatsu test zone.
Queue up.
Wait patiently.
Bai Chen lifted his gaze toward the front of the line, looking at the specialized instruments used to measure reiatsu.
In his obsidian eyes, anticipation flickered.
The reiatsu test—
as the name suggested—
used specially made devices to detect each applicant's reiatsu level.
Of course—
when it came to the official standard for those levels,
there was a professional term that had long circulated among Seireitei's noble circles:
Rei'i.
Rei'i was divided into twenty tiers.
From high to low, the smaller the number, the denser the spiritual pressure contained within one's reishi—meaning the stronger the reiatsu.
Generally speaking,
the lowest-ranking seated-less Soul Reapers in the Gotei Thirteen sat at the bottom—
Twentieth-tier Rei'i.
Above that were the seated officers.
Vice-captains were usually Fifth-tier or Fourth-tier.
And anything Third-tier and above indicated captain-class strength.
Of course—
Rei'i wasn't fixed forever.
As one's strength improved over time, their rank could rise as well.
Soon after—
The examinees began testing one by one in order.
"Mizuta—failed!"
"Satō—failed!"
"Shinnosuke—failed!"
…
In no time at all,
people were being eliminated in batches.
Some did pass, but overall the elimination rate was still extremely high.
Most ordinary souls from Rukongai were rejected and left in disappointment.
And then—
After waiting a full hour—
the written exam had even finished—
it was finally Bai Chen's turn.
Before the device,
the examiner looked at him and gave a small nod.
"Bai Chen. Inject your reiatsu."
Bai Chen lifted a hand calmly,
placed his palm flat on the instrument,
and prepared to channel reiatsu into it.
"I wonder what kind of result Bai Chen will get… I'm really looking forward to it."
Off in the distance,
Momo—who had just passed the written test and arrived in the reiatsu area—
found her attention locked onto him immediately.
Kind-hearted and sincere,
she was genuinely rooting for him, praying he would do well.
And of course—
it wasn't only Momo.
Kuchiki Rukia, Abarai Renji, and Kira Izuru, freshly done with their own written exam, also shifted their focus at once.
All three stared straight at Bai Chen, curiosity plain on their faces.
"I'm guessing… he fails."
Kira didn't have any personal bias against Bai Chen.
But after trying to probe him again and sensing nothing, he shook his head and spoke honestly.
"Isn't that obvious?" Renji sneered.
"The reiatsu test is fair and square. Connections and backdoor tricks don't help you here."
"Just watch. This 'Bai Chen' is about to get exposed."
Renji's smile turned sharper.
He couldn't stand people who lacked real strength yet insisted on showing off.
And because he'd sworn to become the most famous honors student of this class—
he didn't want anyone stealing his spotlight.
However—
Just as Kira looked doubtful and Renji mocked from the side—
Rukia, standing with them, didn't say a word.
She held to her earlier judgment.
"Exposed? Not necessarily."
"It feels more like he's about to stop hiding."
Rukia thought quietly.
From start to finish, she'd been watching Bai Chen's posture and expression.
And as always—
he was steady.
Calm.
Unbothered.
That wasn't how someone with weak reiatsu looked when standing before the testing device.
As for why Bai Chen seemed to have no detectable fluctuation at all—
Rukia couldn't explain it.
At the same time—
Under everyone's gaze,
with his palm resting on the device, Bai Chen willed his reiatsu forward.
Whoosh!
In the span of an instant—
the first segment on the instrument's display lit up.
"Huh? A segment lit!"
"That means Bai Chen is at least Twentieth-tier Rei'i—he's already passed!"
Seeing the bright red indicator,
the candidates watching nearby were surprised… and envious.
No one expected that the moment Bai Chen injected reiatsu, he would so easily hit the passing threshold.
"?!"
"What the hell… wasn't that guy's reiatsu supposed to be weak? He's got Twentieth-tier Rei'i?"
In the crowd,
Renji's expression shifted.
He shook his head instinctively, convinced he had to be seeing things.
But when he looked again—
he froze in disbelief.
The indicator lights were flaring up one after another, as if the machine had gone out of control!
"Nineteenth…"
"Eighteenth…"
"Seventeenth…"
…
In less than a few seconds,
twelve segments lit up in total.
Eighth-tier Rei'i!
That meant Bai Chen's reiatsu strength was already at least the level of a high-ranking seated officer!
"Holy—are you serious?!"
"T-This… no way! His reiatsu is that strong?!"
In that moment,
Renji was completely stunned.
His eyes were stretched wide, round pupils reflecting the flashing lights as they climbed higher and higher.
His heart shook.
He'd thought he was about to watch Bai Chen embarrass himself—
Only to have Bai Chen slap him in the face with reality, instantly.
And what shocked Renji even more was—
Anyone with eyes could tell:
Eighth-tier Rei'i clearly wasn't Bai Chen's limit.
He still looked relaxed.
As if he hadn't even started trying.
"Gulp…"
Realizing that, Renji swallowed hard.
His face turned pale, then flushed, then pale again—
and he muttered hoarsely:
"Kira… Rukia…"
"What kind of genius monster did we just run into…?!"