A few hours before the Selection began...
[Your magical energy has begun undergoing some minute mutations... Analyzing mutation...]
Kai stared at the slightly transparent green panel that was floating in his vision. As he was the only one capable of seeing it, to anyone who saw him, he would look like he was zoning out.
[According to the magical waves being emitted while under mutation, your magical specialty shall be slightly altered to favour one magic type over others. This was within Lord Kasuyi's expectations and so, a skill set has already been prepared to suit whatever type of magic you will be attuned to after the mutation].
He scratched his head and thought about what direction he would focus on when the mutation was complete. The Divine Mage System had already explained the ins and outs of the mutation to him earlier on. The mutation of magical energy had to do with a concentration on a certain type of magical energy in a person's body.
The surroundings were constantly filled with various types of magical energy. When one's internal magic energy was undergoing a mutation, only one type of magical energy would be absorbed from the surroundings while the other types of magical energy would be forced out of the body. This process was usually only carried out after reaching the Peak of Earth class in preparation for the Sky class of power. Kai was just an anomaly in this case. The Divine Mage System had chalked it up to his incredible Magic Affinity. Magic Affinity basically meant one's talent in a certain area of magic. The higher one's Affinity, the more outstanding one would be in his or her area of magic. Most heads of the different departments in the Imperial Army were headed by people with high Magic Affinity.
'When will the mutation be finished?' Kai asked the System while still viewing his status. His Mana bar was grayed out.
[In approximately three hours.]
'Hmm, that's about the time we're heading to the square for the Selection.'
Three hours later...
Kai's palm remained pressed against the surface of the crystal as the seconds ticked by. His brows were scrunched up in concentration as he urged time to move faster.
'Just a few more seconds...' He thought to himself.
Just as the guard in charge of his queue was about to chase him off, the crystal gave off a dim, barely noticeable glow. His brows raised slightly as he noticed it. The glow seemed to pulse, giving off faint magical waves that weren't easily noticeable to a normal person. It's glow slowly increased in intensity before suddenly spiking, flashing briefly in the guard's eyes. He squinted as the glow died down and Kai withdrew his hand from the crystal.
"Hmm... Weird..." Kai heard him muttering as he walked to join the crowd of people who had gotten chosen within his age group. His mind's eye was firmly trained on the screen in his mental scape.
[Magical Energy Mutation completed... Running diagnosis... Magical Energy focus detected - Elementalist.]
'Elementalist?' He pondered. Just as the System was about to reply, someone called out his name.
"Hey Kai! You got through too?" A deep, cheery voice called out just as he joined the small crowd. Kai turned around to face the owner of the voice. This youth's name was Reinhard. He was among the group of boys who were kidnapped alongside Kai.
Reinhard quickly closed the gab between them, giving Kai a sound slap on his back as a way of congratulating him. Kai's back was sure to be red and swollen later on.
"I think we were the only two among our circle. The others didn't make the cut but they said they'll try again next time." He brought Kai up to speed on the situation of the others in their little circle of friends. Not all of them were lucky enough to possess an affinity for magic.
They waited for a while longer before everyone in their line was done with the test. The guard in charge of their group gathered them together before making an announcement.
"Congratulations on successfully passing the Selection. Very few have the opportunity to join the Imperial Army. After this test, you will all follow our caravan back to our Cluster base. There you will undergo another test that will filter out the mages and martial artists into their respective groups. When that is done, you will be put under a strict one year training program to hone your skills." The guard droned on with a somewhat annoyed look on his face. It was obvious he had done this so many times already.
Kai and Reinhard listened closely. Among the both of them, Reinhard was obviously more excited to join the Imperial Army. Kai nudged Reinhard with his elbow to get his attention.
"Why do you want to join the army?" He was curious. Everyone had their reasons and he wouldn't mind knowing that of his friend.
Reinhard didn't miss a beat, speaking his mind at once. "I want to give my family a better life." He sported a solemn look on his face as he spoke, "We grew up here... Made friends here. This is our home; but still I want my family to be able to live comfortably without having to work themselves to the bone everyday. The trade routes that pass through our planet are just too few. Even when the merchants come around, they're never honest, always trying to rob us in broad daylight. I want something better, y'know..." He trailed of.
Kai understood him. After all, they grew up together. Aside the livestock and crops, there was basically no other way to make a good penny. He would also want to let his family live a better life, but there were other ways to do that.
One of which was to uproot the Imperial Army...