chapter 6a: The Test

As the group materialized in the testing facility, the air vibrated with anticipation, the scent of fresh grass and sweat mingling with the hum of excitement from the crowd. The sound of other teams emerging around them filled the space, drawing Alex's attention to the diverse gathering.

Alex's gaze swept across the other participants, each appearing with a mix of excitement and apprehension. He scratched his head, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Hey, Officer Janet," he called out, "no one else is holding hands. Did we really have to?" His voice carried a hint of embarrassment and curiosity.

Officer Janet, focused on the towering stands ahead, ignored his question. Her expression remained calm and collected, as if she had witnessed this scenario unfold countless times.

Among the crowd, Gene stood apart, his observant gaze fixed intently on Alex and Eria. His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing every detail.

Alex's thoughts wandered as he pondered the group dynamics. "How long have they known each other?" he wondered. Officer Janet had mentioned wanting them to bond, but he questioned if the others already shared a history.

Still reeling from teleportation, Eria felt her stomach churn. Her vision blurred, and her knees buckled. Memories of her mother training her with oranges resurfaced, a grounding exercise that now seemed distant and ineffective.

Nearby, Lilly watched Eria's distress with a critical eye. Her lips pursed, and her shoulders squared, radiating disapproval.

Attempting to lighten the mood, Alex turned to Jake. "Hey Jake, what's with your hair? It's white!" Jake's eyes flicked to Lilly before responding.

Jake and Lilly held hands a little longer than necessary, prompting Alex to ask, "Why are you still holding Lilly's hand?" Realizing their lingering connection, Jake and Lilly quickly let go, their faces flushing with embarrassment.

Noticing Eria walking away, Alex followed her out of concern. "Hey Eria, what's wrong?" he asked gently.

Eria doubled over, unable to hold back any longer. She retched, and laughter erupted from the stands, echoing around them like a cruel chorus.

Internally, Eria berated herself, "Why can't I handle this? I really hate teleporting. I hope my ability doesn't involve teleportation."

Lilly scoffed, her voice barely above a whisper, "Pitiful. You're not my kind."

Officer Janet chuckled softly. "Holding hands was just to encourage bonding," she explained.

Alex, still puzzled, complained, "Will we even see each other after this? Why do we have to bond with other people, Officer Janet? I mean, look at these two—they're practically already bonded."

Jake walked up to Alex and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I was born this way. My family all have white hair and white eyes. Or blue eyes," he explained.

Alex turned back to Jake, curious. "Do you have the copy ability?"

Jake turned to Alex with a knowing smile, leaving Alex to stare at him, thinking, "Did he just copy all of our abilities?"

Their exchange was interrupted as General Ruthgart stepped forward, his voice booming through the stadium. "The stakes of this test loom large over us all. Your performance will dictate your future roles in a new world order, where energy reserves define worth and safety."

With a hint of pride, General Ruthgart recounted a tale of his own prowess. "I recall the day I slew the dragon, its scales glinting in the sunlight… My fused ability proved decisive. This day, we all must adapt and overcome!" The crowd erupted in cheers.

Amidst the applause, Eria approached Alex once more, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I'm not good with teleportation," she confessed, just as Alex was about to offer encouragement.

Before he could respond, Officer Janet stepped up and clapped her hands twice, cutting through the noise. "Alright, everyone! Enter the center!" she commanded.

The group teleported again, and Eria's scream pierced the air. "Stop! Stop doing that, please!" she pleaded.

Laughter filled the stadium, a harsh reminder of the spectators' amusement at her expense.

An announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, adding to Eria's humiliation. "I guess someone can't take teleportation well! But group 27GH you are up!"

Officer Janet approached the gated ring with purposeful strides, her presence commanding attention as she swung open the gate and gestured for the group to enter. "Alright, everyone, it's time to take your seats," she instructed, her voice firm yet clear, resonating with authority. "Lilly, you stay out next to me. Alex, you stand right next to this gate here, because you're after Lilly."

Eria, Gene, and Jake followed Lilly into the pit, their footsteps echoing off the walls of the cavernous room. The sight of the large building with its sleek automatic doors, which slid shut behind them with a soft hiss, was both imposing and awe-inspiring. Hovering seats awaited them, suspended in mid-air, and Eria settled into one, her heart a mix of excitement and nerves pounding in her chest.

Surveying the room, Eria's eyes flitted over the other students, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Her gaze settled on a boy with striking light blue hair, his eyes focused intently on the field ahead. Nearby, another student drew her attention—a hulking figure with bands glowing a luminescent blue and a tattoo on his shoulder that pulsed like a heartbeat, adding an air of mystery and intensity.

Turning her attention to the field, Eria studied the obstacle course laid out before them. Her mind raced with doubt, "Can I even pass this training field?" she wondered, anxiety creeping in.

Just then, The System activated, its monotone voice filling the air with an almost mechanical precision. "Training requested. Now enhancing gravity by 10%. Quest received: complete the training facility. Reward: 25 EXP, +1 Agility, +1 Stamina. You are now being affected by gravity. Good luck."

Eria's inner monologue halted abruptly, replaced by a wave of panic. "Wait, 10% gravity? No!" she thought, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead.

Jake turned toward her, his expression warm and reassuring. "Hey, I know your friend isn't here, but I know you'll do great. No need to be so nervous… Uh, Eria, isn't it?"

Eria turned to Jake, managing a smile despite her nerves. "Uh, yeah, thanks."

Officer Janet's voice cut through the ambient noise, commanding the group's attention. "Alright, everyone! Lilly, you're up! Alex, you're on deck, and Jake, you're in the hole! Now, pay attention, everyone! You will have to complete the test!"

She continued, "You are timed, but it's not about having the fastest time to get the highest score. Just do your best!" Her words hung in the air, but Alex raised his hand, seeking clarification.

Ignoring him, she pressed on, "This test is to assess your speed, agility, stamina, and strength!" Another pause followed, and Alex seized the moment to speak up.

"Can we use our abilities?"

Officer Janet's expression remained stern as she ignored him once more. "You must run 40 meters, then climb over the wall. You're allowed to use your ability here as well. When you climb over the wall, you have to use the monkey bars to go over the water, and at the end, slide down the pole to land on the ground. You have to zigzag through the stakes in the ground and, lastly, touch the wall and sprint back. The sprint is exactly 100 meters; you must finish at your absolute best. Do I make myself clear?"

The group remained silent, absorbing the instructions.

Officer Janet's voice grew louder and more authoritative. "Do I make myself clear?!"

The group responded in unison, "Aye, ma'am!"

Officer Janet nodded, satisfied with their response. "Great, now Lilly, you're up! On your mark!"

Lilly approached the starting point, settling into a three-point stance like a sprinter. The murmuring crowd fell silent, anticipation building as they awaited Lilly's smile. Her name flashed across the screen: "Lilly Mayham. 1st year, Ability (unknown)". Whispers rippled through the spectators.

"What's her ability? Why the question marks? Is she a fusion?"

Officer Janet raised her hand, gripping a beast gun. "Get set!" Lilly adjusted her stance, preparing to launch herself forward. The air in the facility grew thick with tension; everyone was eager to discover her mysterious ability. It was rare for an ability user to have a question mark beside their reference. Lilly focused intensely, the atmosphere feeling more like a high-stakes game. Over 10,000 students were watching, with more than 2,500 participating in the test that day.

Officer Janet lifted her other arm. "Go!" With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Lilly exploded from her starting position, leaving a trail of dust as she sprinted the 40 meters to the first wall. The timer clocked her sprint at 3.13 seconds. The crowd gasped, murmuring among themselves.

"Is she a speed user? That's a level 3 ability time!"

Lilly scaled the wall with unusual speed, her body appearing to accelerate. Alex stepped up to the line, unfazed by Lilly's performance. Jake nodded in approval, commenting, "She's not a speed user, but something more serious."

The light blue-haired boy turned to Jake, intrigued by his remark, then turned back to watch Lilly. She seemed to grab one monkey bar and instantly appeared at the last, as if teleporting. Then she reappeared on the ground, zigzagging through the stakes while chanting, "Faster! Quicker! Faster!"

The crowd buzzed with speculation. "Did she just teleport? Is she a speed user with teleportation abilities? Is she a fusion, using two or even three abilities?"

Lilly touched the wall and sprinted back, her speed increasing with every step. She crossed the finish line in 7.88 seconds for the 100 meters, setting a new record by 0.06 seconds. Lilly glanced back at her time, then stood proudly and walked to the hut with her eyes closed to sit down.

The screen displayed her score: 33 out of 50. Lilly stood in shock. "Only a 33? What?" she exclaimed, looking at Officer Janet. "Why only a 33?"

Officer Janet ignored the question and called out, "Next up, Alex! Jake, you're on deck! Eria, you're in the hole!"

Eria's eyes widened, her heart pounding with nervousness. "There's no way I can keep up with that," she thought, anxiety gripping her.

General Ruthgart pondered for a moment before calling over his secretary. "Sergeant Amy, can you run a replay on her performance? I want to see what she did," he instructed. Sergeant Amy nodded, "Aye, sir," and walked away to fulfill the request. Ruthgart then turned his attention to Lilly and Eria, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Interesting, we have sunlets here," he mused aloud. "You both have a natural skill and an ability. I'm curious about you, Eria," he added, stroking his beard as he thought to himself. "Ah, a phoenix kid, huh? One of the 12 major clans is here. Let's see how you do."

Officer Janet's voice cut through the air, "Get set!" At that moment, Alex's body was engulfed in flames, and wings began to spread from his back. Eria watched in awe. "What is that?" she wondered. The System chimed in, "Congratulations, you have unlocked the skill 'Assess.' You can now inspect individuals. 'Assess' will provide you with minor details of information."

Eria focused on Alex, and the System displayed, "Alex Sayer, Ability: Magma. Skill currently using: Terrablaze; Terrablaze is an enhancer skill, boosting the user's stats by 15%. System update: You have been in direct sunlight for an hour, 5% stat boost." Eria blinked at the information in front of her. "Close, please," she thought. "I'll ask about this later." Just as she closed the System window, she felt a surge of energy coursing through her.

The crowd gasped as Alex's name floated across the screen: "Alex Sayer, Year 1, Ability: Earth and Fire; Fusion Ability: Magma." Officer Janet raised both hands in the air. "Go!" she shouted. The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Alex's name. Alex took off, covering the first 40 meters and reaching the wall with a time of 3.93 seconds.

He bolted up the wall and crossed the monkey bars effortlessly, using his flames to propel himself further and keep him airborne. Sliding down the pole with flames aiding his descent, he landed and dashed through the zigzags. Jake commented, "I like this guy; he's skilled with that Terrablaze."

Eria overheard Jake and thought, "My System said the same thing. How accurate is this thing?" Just then, Alex blazed through the final 100 meters with a time of 7.14 seconds, beating Lilly's record. Lilly stood up in disbelief, and the crowd gasped as well. But then Lilly noticed Alex wasn't slowing down—he was coming straight toward her.

Everything seemed to slow down for Lilly, and she teleported out of Alex's path just in time. Alex sped up again, crashing into the wall and knocking himself out cold. The crowd erupted in laughter, while Eria's eyes widened with concern.

Officer Janet yelled, "Stay in your places!" After her command, Alex was teleported away. "He will be treated immediately!" she assured the crowd. "Jake, you are up! Eria, you're on deck! Gene, you're in the hole!"

Alex's score flashed on the screen: 47/50. Lilly fumed, "How the hell!"