Chapter 7: Really Weak

"Alright, this is the RDD. Otherwise the Research and Development Division." The trio of diverse races left the First Squadron's dorm after Kouki accepted to help Rhian become strong, which prompted Doru to suggest heading to the RDD.

After spending the morning doing various things, the walk over to the RDD turned the gentle morning sun into a harsh tyrant that radiated its sunlight into the Main Hall. The RDD was built behind the back wall, where the clearing of reception desks was made for.

They walked into a giant atrium with several floors that mimicked the main hall. "Why.. is this place so big?" Rhian questioned, looking around the vicinity, and noticing numerous sections filling the space. "We have too many people," Doru explained monotonously.

"Also.. for some odd reason, my Slot is set on the highest floor, contrary to the First Squadron's dorm," Doru said with sarcasm and frustration, leading the other two into an elevator.

Decorated with mirrors on the walls and railings on the side to lean on, the way up fifty floors was accompanied by an addictive jingle until they were at the top, which drained Rhian.

"Fifty floors? How many damn people are in this place?" Rhian complained as they all stepped out of the elevator.

"There are about two hundred different squadrons," Kouki added to her thoughts, shocking the girl as their attention was called towards Doru with a clap. "This is my slot," Doru pointed at a wall with a small door and a label that read: 'Slot 1: Doru Sorin'.

'Can't get behind how colossal this world is..' Rhian thought as they were led past the door. It.. was an office. One that hosted various trinkets, hung and stationed to the right. The middle was reserved for tinkering and creating things. It was evident with the blade and handle placed upon a table with tools scattered all over. The left was just a desk and a sleeping bag covered in stacks of papers.

"You sleep here?"

"I don't exactly get enough time to go home," Doru grumbled as he answered, walking towards an interesting machine to the left of his desk. "Now, this is an Evaluator. I made it." Doru leaned on it as he spoke.

"It's used to evaluate Rune Ranks," Kouki helped.

"... What are Rune Ranks?" Another buzzword clouds her mind as confusion washes her face, causing Doru's head to droop as he sighs heavily. "Damn.."

"Alright. Rune Ranks are a system to categorize the strength of Runes." Doru sprinted towards his computer, typing a little before a projection appeared on the back wall. "As you can see, there are four different ranks." The projection showed a pyramid with several words listed from top to bottom:

Insignia

Symbol

Pattern

Mark

"Now, I know you can tell a sort of pattern in its naming." Doru grabbed a long ruler, waltzing over to the projection as Rhian nodded. "Runes are a sort of 'limiter' for all organic matter. Since magic is infinite." Rhian's eyes widened as Doru spoke.

'I-Infinite magic? Wait.. then why can't I just- Runes.." Rhian's face showed some sort of clarity as she pieced together Doru's brief explanation.

"Runes appear the moment you start existing, otherwise, in your mother's womb." A soft click echoes as the projection switches, showing a baby with a distinct fiery symbol on its stomach. "Runes can appear anywhere. For example, the stomach as any affinity." Doru tapped on the baby's projection as he pulled back his sleeves, revealing a glowing forearm with feathers surrounding it. "I possess Augment Magic and I have it around my forearms." Doru gave another example.

"Wait.. then, what is yours?" Rhian quickly turned towards Kouki, who watched the class from the back. "Well.."

"Kouki's Runes are placed on his nerve cells since he possesses Sensory." Bewildered once again, Rhian looks back and forth at Kouki and Doru. "As I said: Anywhere." Another click echoes as the projection changes again, prompting Doru to tap at the pyramid.

"These ranks are given based on proficiency and knowledge over your own Magic, not strength. So, even if you are birthed with something like- uhh- Nuclear Magic. You would, most of the time, just get yourself killed." 

'.... I have Vibration Magic.. what does that say about me?'

"Now, according to the simulation you went through, you are born with Vibration Magic which was placed on your heart," Doru explained, pointing the ruler towards Rhian as her hand tried to grab her chest.

Another click resounds as the projection changes again. Now, showing two words: Dirty and Clean.

"Each rank is then graded based on its cleanliness. Of course, the cleaner, the better," Doru further explained as he tapped on the projection again, causing sentences to appear under each word, reading:

DIRTY

-Crude, unfinished, and unrefined. Defines the mage's lack of experience and inability to utilize their magic adequately.

Clean

-Beautiful, refined, and complete. Defines the mage's handful of experience and proficient use of their magic.

'Seems.. offensive.' 

"Now, do you understand the basics of Runes?" Doru quickly threw away the ruler as he completed the sentence, glaring at Rhian who started to sweat. "Y-Yes."

"Great. Now over here." He ushered Rhian quickly towards the machine. The machine itself had a chamber with numerous wires and tubes connected to its top and bottom, which caused Rhian a slight bit of distress.

"Alright, enter and activate your Runes." Doru sprinted towards a panel of controls strapped to the side of the machine after shoving Rhian into the chamber. "How.. do you activate your Runes? Exactly?" Even though she was inside the chamber, she felt as if Doru was getting frustrated and annoyed despite not seeing his face.

Luckily, Kouki was present. "Smyra. Magic is driven by desire. To activate your magic is to want its presence. To have it by your side. To have it fight for you. Desire is all you need," He explained, which left Rhian rather perplexed.

'.. Magic is infinite, but runs off the notion of 'I feel like it'?' Skeptical of Kouki's advice she follows it with a grain of salt, closing her eyes as she recalls the sensation she felt in the simulation. 

'My.. heart.' Her eyes closed, she blocks off any thoughts in her mind, only minding her breathing and her body. Feeling the air brushing across the thin and small hairs on her body, the way her hair cascades behind her back, and the irritating itch in her leg right now. 

BADUMP!

She hears it. Her heart's beating. 

Her chest shines crimson with arcs appearing and imprinting themselves on her, but this time, there was no movement. They weren't moving erratically or vibrating uncontrollably. They just appeared on her chest.

'Did I do it?' And they're gone.

The chamber dims as her chest stops glowing red. The arcs that surrounded her chest sink back into her skin as she comes back to reality, realizing Doru's shouting at her. "GET OUT NOW RHIAN!" Doru's voice enters the chamber, applying a reverb effect as Rhian's ears are pierced. "A-ALRIGHT!"

Immediately stepping out of the chamber to escape from Doru's wrath, she joins back with the two who are standing in front of the panel with Doru visibly annoyed while Kouki was sighing.

"This-" Doru says, frustrated as he pulls Rhian towards the screen on the panel. "-is your rank." Rhian stared at the screen, absolutely devastated and disappointed.

It showed the following:

[Magic Affinity: Vibration]

[Rune Rank: Dirty Mark]

[The mage being evaluated is of the proficiency possessed by a newborn.]

"Well, at least Vibration is something you can actively read about easily," Kouki suggested, shooting Doru a look as his face pales. "No. I don't have the time," Doru quickly denied as he knew what Kouki wanted him to do.

"Just search the Zephyrium Grand Archive." Kouki shrugged as he suggested, which caused Doru to blank before sighing. "Alright.."

Though, Rhian was out of the loop. "What... are you two-"

"This geezer will be training you I guess, while I give you a summary of what vibrations are..." Doru says, walking away quietly as he seems to grumble and curse when he reaches his desk, throwing away stacks of paper.

"Well, Smyra. I will be your teacher now." Kouki looked at Rhian as he said, smiling.