"Plop, Plop, Plop"
Drops of sweat pattered against the asphalt like material on the ground as Tai punched outwards. The air slightly rippled as his fists connected with the air. The air pushed and pulled as if something had a tight grasp on it. Tai had spent the whole night leading into the late morning practicing and honing his new strength. At the 2 hour mark, he'd already adapted to his new power, yet he chose to hone his skills and continue. He would occasionally throw kicks and practice takedowns on the air.
Eventually, as the sun beamed on his face, and he began to feel the summer heat, Tai awoke from his enlightenment. During his stupor of training, Tai came to some conclusions on his ability. He theorized that in order to gain a new ability, he would have to analyze it, understand the fundamentals of the ability and how it works. This is how he gained body strengthening and not the other power that the beaver wielded. Because when he fought the small, but strong monsters; he analyzed their strength and predicted how they were going to use it to their advantage, understanding the fundamentals of body strengthening.
'Well, as of now, this is only a theory. I have to gain more knowledge via fighting monsters and Ascenders if I wish to truly understand this ability of mine.'
"I guess its about time to get going!" Tai claimed as he walked out of the park he was in, and went toward the city. After getting an evaluation of his power and testing his skills and abilities, Tai would be eligible for an official Ascenders ID. This would make it so he wouldn't have to take on fake identities.
...
After a short drive, Tai had successfully found the Ascenders Recognition Agency. The building was sizable, and was clearly distinct from other buildings. The building was made out of a white sleek material and had matt black accents in the form of smooth rectangles which lay apart of the buildings exterior. All in all, the building had the clear beauty of the inner cities structures, and the holographic sign which stated: [Official Ascenders Recognition Agency] made the building seem even more out of place.
"I've got to admit, the people of the inner city know what they're doing." Tai stated as he entered the building. The buildings interior was completely white with four receptionists at the front. Four lines separated the receptionists as a few people waited in each line waiting to get appraised. It was quite bland.
After a few short minutes, Tai had gotten to the front of the line.
"Scan your wrist link using the screen." A strong voice sounded out from the receptionist as Tai scanned his wrist-link against a blue holographic screen. After doing so a blue screen popped up, relaying all of Tai's relevant information.
[Name: Tai Surren Occupation: Office worker for Badill maintenance Cell number: --- --- ---- Home address: _____________________________ Ability: Body Strengthening Power potential: A Talent: Unknown]
"Huh? What the hell's going on? Talent unknown? Hmm...I'm not too sure on what going on here sir. Perhaps the system had an error. Would you mind scanning again?" The receptionist asked with a confused face. In all of his years of working at the Agency he had never seen an unknown result come back from talent. And the machine was designed by the one of the seven primordial's; Cygnus of technology and energy. So it was unlikely to have been a fault of the machine, yet the man made sure to test again.
"Sure no problem." Tai replied anxiously nervously, he wished to see his talent, after all it was a factor that dictated whether you'd be a great Ascender. Tai scanned his wrist-link as these thoughts faded. The result was different this time. Now Tai's talent was different:
[Name: Tai Surren Occupation: Office worker for Badill maintenance Call number: --- --- ---- Home address: _____________________________ Ability: Body Strengthening Power potential: A Talent: F]
When Tai saw the result of the scan, he felt like his heart and been crushed, broken into pieces, and used seasoning on some Bull-Shit! He was at a loss for words.
"F-F rank tal-talent..." Tai didn't know what to say.
"Well sir...would you like to apply for the mock trial to acquire an Ascender ID?" The receptionist asked as a hint of pitty could be seen flashing in his eyes. However he could do nothing, this man in front of him was clearly fated to be useless, and so he could only urge the man to continue with his registration.
"Sure," Tai replied dejectedly. Both him and the receptionist knew how bad F rank talent was. Talents and power potentials were based on F to SSS rank, with power potential, and the innate talent to absorb and understand Chronicle energy both being assessed and graded through this scale. His power potential was a A, but that was a given as body strengthening was an overall good power that had no specific drawbacks, it just didn't excell in anything. Though with Tai's talent being so low, its was unlikely that he would be able to make it to a Rank three Ascender even after cultivating his whole life.
Though Tai considered this result strange. As he thought him self to have a good comprehensive understanding of Chronicle energy and the way it supplies powers to Ascenders. He had also honed and acquired acute control over his new power, which the same couldn't be said for others; even after years, some people aren't able to grasp their understand power.
Yet in the end, Tai was too stuck up on the result of "F talent" as he was limply lead to the mock trial room by the receptionist.
"The mock trial is here?" Tai asked dully as he entered a small room filled with five other people. In the middle of the room sat an LRTD.
"Yes, when your time comes you will be asked to stand on the teleportation device and will be teleported to mock a battle grounds. However, don't be fooled by the word "mock" as the enemies you will be fighting will be monsters." The receptionist explained.
The receptionist gave Tai a badge and explained that if he took fatal damage, the badge would break and heal him, as well as teleport him back to the room. He also told Tai that a series of natural threats would arise in the short time that Tai would be there and that he would have to overcome them. These threats ranged from monsters, to the threat of hypothermia, and starvation. It was effectively a test that made sure to hone an Ascenders ability to survive all threats of War. After all: Ninety-five percent of all combatant Ascenders registerd for the Earthen guard at some point in their lives.
This was the method that the [Earthen Guard], the earth's military, took to train potential soldiers.
Soon Tai's name was called. Standing up and walking onto the device, Tai's body instantly faded away into light particles as he appeared in an unknown location.
...
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Instantly, explosions that looked like mini mushroom clouds, sounded out thousands of kilometers away as Tai took cover behind a nearby tree and began to dig his feet into the ground, as the shockwave from the attack threatened to rupture his organs.
"Where the fuck am I? How the fuck am i suppose to survive that? Are they trying to instantly kill me?!"
Before Tai could question anything else, a severe sense of danger prickled his entire body and made him feel like someone was putting ice directly on his spine. Turning around, a huge beam of fire erupted in his direction.
"Whoosssh!"
Dodging the beam, Tai quickly got into a fighting stance as a human sized ant blitzed through the huge smoke of the fire and snapped at Tai with its huge mandibles. Though Tai was ready, the ant was too fast to attack or dodge, this thing was beyond Tai's level. But, just as Tai thought he was going to be crushed under the ants mandibles.
".....Kriieeekk" a loud screech sounded out.