The Kido aptitude test had five stations running simultaneously.
The candidates were grouped by number. Gilgamesh was assigned to Group Three, while Rukia and Renji Abarai were in Group Four.
Because of her results in the spiritual pressure test, when Rukia began her test in Group Four, many candidates gathered around to watch.
They wanted to see whether Rukia, whose spiritual pressure aptitude had reached Grade Seven, was just as impressive at Kido.
In the invigilators' room, nearly all the captains had gathered, except for Soi Fon, captain of the Second Division; Kenpachi Zaraki, captain of the 11th Division; and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, captain of the Twelfth Division.
At their head was, naturally, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
Isshin Shiba and Kaien Shiba had also come here after leaving the examination hall.
At that moment, they were watching the Kido aptitude test through the surveillance screens in the invigilators' room.
They noticed what was happening in Group Four and turned their attention to the corresponding screen.
The moment Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of the 6th Division, got a clear look at Rukia's face, he froze. An expression of disbelief flashed across his features.
Byakuya wasn't the only one. The other captains who knew him well also froze when they saw Rukia's face.
Shunsui Kyoraku, captain of Squad 8, exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that Lady Hisana of the Kuchiki Clan?"
The others instinctively looked toward Byakuya.
Byakuya seemed to have realized something. A flicker of suspicion crossed his cool eyes.
He was just about to make a move when Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto spoke in an unquestionable tone. "I've already said that no one, whoever they may be, is to disrupt the examination."
"If you have something to discuss, wait until after the entrance exam."
Byakuya knew the warning was meant for him, so he silently suppressed his agitation.
The other captains exchanged thoughtful looks but said nothing.
Still, one of them pulled up Rukia's records.
Before long, her information was displayed and passed around among the captains.
They now knew that Rukia's spiritual pressure aptitude was Grade Seven.
To ordinary people, Grade Seven meant a prodigy, but it was still nothing compared to a true genius.
That wasn't what concerned them most, though. Rukia's records showed that she was following a candidate named Gilgamesh.
And she wasn't the only one. Renji Abarai, whose spiritual pressure aptitude was Grade Six, was also following Gilgamesh.
They knew Gilgamesh was the candidate suspected of possessing captain-level spiritual pressure.
Byakuya looked at Rukia's records in his hand and frowned.
Following him? A follower? Isn't that just a servant?
If this Rukia really is the younger sister Hisana has been searching for all this time, then her status is far too low.
With a background like that, how could she enter the Kuchiki Clan...
Remembering how difficult it had been for Hisana to enter the Kuchiki Clan, Byakuya felt a headache coming on.
But then he thought of his beloved wife, whose health had grown frail as she searched for her sister. He gritted his teeth in secret. No matter what, Hisana's health came first.
With that thought, Byakuya turned his gaze to Rukia on the screen.
The Kido aptitude test had ten levels of patterns. The first was the easiest, and the tenth the most difficult.
Since Shin'o Academy's founding, only a handful of candidates had ever completed a Level Ten pattern. The most famous were the former and current Grand Kido Chiefs of the Kidō Corps.
Rukia began by choosing a Level Three pattern, which she formed successfully with spiritual energy without much trouble.
Next, she chose a Level Seven pattern. She succeeded again, but only after struggling through the attempt.
Rukia knew she was close to her limit, so she didn't push her luck and ended the Kido aptitude test.
Although she had only completed a Level Seven pattern, her aptitude was already better than that of 99% of the candidates present.
After Rukia, it was Renji Abarai's turn.
Renji's Kido aptitude test also drew a crowd of onlookers.
Since Rukia had stopped at the Level Seven pattern, Renji chose one of the same difficulty right away.
But Renji failed. The Level Seven pattern was harder than he had expected.
To be safe, he chose a Level Five pattern for his second attempt. Even after trying his best, he still failed.
In the end, Renji chose a Level Three pattern and finally succeeded.
Without a doubt, Renji's Kido aptitude was far inferior to Rukia's.
Seeing Renji hang his head in dejection, Rukia consoled him. "It's okay, Renji. You did great."
Even with Rukia's reassurance, Renji couldn't bring himself to feel better.
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the examination hall.
"That's incredible! He completed the Level Eight pattern on his first try!"
"Good heavens, his Kido aptitude is terrifying!"
"You really can't compare yourself to other people. It's infuriating!"
"I worked so hard just to barely form a Level Three pattern, and he completed Level Eight on his first try. Is he even human?"
"Wait, no way—is he going to keep going? Is he planning to attempt the Level Nine pattern?"
Renji and Rukia followed the noise and saw that Gilgamesh had begun his Kido aptitude test.
The examiner in charge of Group Three seemed not to have processed what was happening. He asked instinctively, "Are you going to attempt the Level Nine pattern?"
Gilgamesh gave a slight shake of his head. "I'm going straight for the Level Ten pattern."
The moment he said that, the whole room erupted.
Even the captains in the monitoring room couldn't hide their surprise.
None of them seemed to have completed a Level Ten pattern during their own Kido aptitude tests.
Even Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake, Yamamoto's prized disciples, had only managed to complete Level Nine patterns back then.
The only person present who might have been able to complete it was Sosuke Aizen, captain of the Fifth Division.
But he hadn't tried. Back then, he had chosen to keep a low profile and take the middle road.
At that moment, Sosuke Aizen stared intently at Gilgamesh on the screen, his eyes hidden behind his glasses, and thought to himself:
Gilgamesh... I feel like I've heard that name somewhere.
But I'm certain I've never met this man. Where did he come from? Why have I never heard of such a genius before?
Well, I've been wanting to use a Soul Reaper's soul to create a Menos. I wonder how the experiment would turn out if I used him...
Before you continue