Skipping Grades and Combat Drills

"By the way, how many years are you planning to take before graduating?"

A gravestone as massive as a mountain split the heavens. Within the dark, boundless Kamui Dimension, the boy and girl collided fiercely in the most resolute manner.

"One or two years, either works. It depends!"

Yato answered distractedly, gripping the Flame Fan with both hands as he smashed it down at Scarlet Eye.

The girl gave an acknowledging sound, her body as light as a paper crane as she dodged the heavy blow.

At the same time, the Uchiha Gunbai in her hand suddenly tilted, pinning down Yato's shoulder.

"Don't use a gunbai like a sledgehammer! How many times have I taught you? Yato, use your brain!"

As she spoke, Scarlet Eye's eyes turned into Three Tomoe, and she shot him a fierce glare.

Yato felt as though flames were scorching him, leaving him unable to move.

Genjutsu: Will-o'-the-Wisp!

Then Scarlet Eye's kick struck him.

The girl showed no mercy. Yato couldn't withstand it and could only retreat to dissipate the force. One retreated while the other advanced, moving at incredible speed as they leaped onto another gravestone pillar.

Boom!

Yato's feet plowed deep furrows into the ground before he finally barely managed to block Scarlet Eye's incoming punch.

At that moment, his eyes also turned crimson. As his dynamic vision increased severalfold, both of their speeds surged at once, and the battle rose to another level of intensity.

Yet even while fighting, Yato and Scarlet Eye occasionally exchanged a few words. Sometimes Scarlet Eye was instructing Yato; sometimes they were merely chatting idly.

This was Scarlet Eye's requirement. As an Uchiha Clan member with exceptional insight, learning to multitask was a fundamental skill.

"One or two years? Don't you want to graduate early? Maybe break Shin'ō Academy's record for fastest graduation or something."

"There's no reward for it, and since I came from Rukongai, I have a lot of basic knowledge to learn from scratch."

"Mm-hm."

"Sigh, Byakuya's been getting more and more impressive lately. His control over his Shikai has grown increasingly refined, like an extension of his own arm."

"Mm-hm."

"So Byakuya's Senbonzakura really is powerful. Tch."

"Mm-hm."

"And those cherry blossom-like blades are beautiful, too..."

Scarlet Eye suddenly broke into a dazzling smile, beautiful enough to shame the moon and flowers.

She jumped backward, spun gracefully through the air, and drifted lightly to the ground.

Uchiha Yato, meanwhile, was half-kneeling on the ground and gasping for breath, too exhausted to speak clearly.

"S-so, are we stopping for today?"

"Yes, that's enough."

"All right, then I'll be going first..."

"Don't leave, my master Yato~" The girl deliberately made her voice sweet and coquettish.

"I don't think you need to be this polite... Huh?"

The next instant, agonizing pain engulfed him, as though he had fallen into an abyss.

Yato's mind went blank, and he lost consciousness.

The last thing he saw was endless black flames burning fiercely.

"Ow! It hurts, it hurts!"

In the Shin'ō Academy dormitory, Yato was forcibly kicked out of his Sword Zen state.

He sucked in a breath of cold air, rubbing his arm to soothe his trembling skin.

"What did I say wrong this time to make that little demon angry again?"

Yato slapped his forehead in frustration and began reviewing everything he had done.

The relationship between a Soul Reaper and their Soul-Cutter Sword truly was the most wondrous bond in the world.

Master and disciple, lovers?

Brothers, close friends?

Father and son, master and servant?

No matter how it was defined, to a Soul Reaper, a Soul-Cutter Sword was a living being with thoughts, not a mindless puppet.

For example, Yato had discovered that Scarlet Eye got jealous of other Soul-Cutter Swords.

"All right, looks like I can't praise Senbonzakura for being pretty..."

In the dormitory, Yato finally figured it out and shook his head with a bitter smile.

He rested for quite a while before getting to his feet. After taking a shower, he left his room.

It was already late at night. The day's classes had ended, and Byakuya Kuchiki had returned to the family estate. Yato was bored by himself, and he felt too embarrassed to visit Scarlet Eye again just to pass the time, so he went to the library.

He truly was a diligent student. And just as he had said, because he came from Rukongai, Yato lacked much basic knowledge.

For instance, the course Hueco Mundo Hierarchy Chart had troubled Yato for a long time. It was too complicated and chaotic. Fortunately, Byakuya personally tutored him, and with his usual hard work, he had managed to earn passable grades.

In the quiet library late at night, Yato diligently leafed through books, occasionally taking a sip of the complimentary tea provided by Shin'ō Academy. It was rather pleasant.

Five months had passed since his last visit to the Kuchiki Clan for dinner.

All told, Yato had been at Shin'ō Academy for nearly a year.

During that time, he had gained tremendously.

Scarlet Eye's [First-Stage Shikai] had been completely mastered. He had become highly proficient with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and was increasingly accustomed to using the Flame Fan.

He also ranked among the academy's best in the four major disciplines of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Flash Step, and Kidō. Among them, his fire-based Kidō was unquestionably number one.

Moreover, through relentless training, his Reiatsu level had risen dramatically.

Eighth-Class Reiatsu—solidly at the level of a top-ten Seated Officer!

Because of his outstanding performance, Headmaster Hasegawa had specifically asked Yato whether he wanted to graduate in one year.

After careful consideration, Yato chose to decline.

There was still much knowledge at Shin'ō Academy that he had not learned. Entering the Gotei 13 too early was definitely not a good thing.

Besides, he had his own growth plan.

Scarlet Eye would complete [Second-Stage Shikai].

His Reiatsu would reach Sixth-Class Reiatsu, the level of a lieutenant's assistant.

Yato planned to take up the position of Fourth Seat or even Third Seat after graduation and become one of Seireitei's high-ranking Soul Reapers!

Like Yato, Byakuya also did not choose to graduate in one year.

The Kuchiki Clan's rules considered such speed too conspicuous and inconsistent with their million-year-old family teachings. Byakuya was not someone who cared about empty fame, so he did not graduate immediately.

Of course, for people as capable as Yato and Byakuya, proceeding step by step was equally unreasonable.

After negotiations with the academy, the two of them would skip four grades in a row a month later. At the start of the next term, they would directly enter the graduating class and become sixth-year students!

Graduating in two years was actually Shin'ō Academy's orthodox route for geniuses. It improved efficiency while ensuring that none of the taught knowledge was missed.

In the original work, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, wielder of the strongest ice-and-snow-type Soul-Cutter Sword, had also graduated in two years.

This fit Yato's plans quite well. At his current training pace, he would probably achieve [Second-Stage Shikai] and [Sixth-Class Reiatsu] within a year.

"Still, it seems sixth-year graduating students have to undergo combat drills to prove they're ready to become Soul Reapers. I wonder when I'll get to visit Hueco Mundo and broaden my horizons..."

Yato had this thought while flipping through a book, feeling somewhat expectant.

But he never expected that day to come so quickly.

After the next morning's Zanjutsu class ended, Headmaster Hasegawa called Byakuya and Yato over and explained the upcoming arrangements.

"The combat drills for the new graduating class are scheduled for the opening week next month."

"Once you skip grades, you'll be sixth-year students, so both of you must participate."

"Byakuya, Yato, you are the strongest among all the students. But remember, a drill is a battlefield. In the past, talented students have also met unfortunate ends."

"As for what exactly you need to prepare... Yato, you can ask Byakuya more about that."

"A trip to Hueco Mundo must not be taken lightly."

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