After dressing in the school uniform, Elian took a moment to admire himself in the mirror. "Looking good," he said with a sense of self-satisfaction.
He couldn't help but reflect on his situation. "I guess I lucked out with this face," he mused aloud. "Otherwise, I might have been dumped in some remote wilderness at the edge of the world. Well, I did wake up in a forest, so maybe the goddess had already cast me aside." he added, his thoughts meandering in strange directions.
On their way to the school, Arthur had taken the time to explain the usual process after the assessment.
"Normally, after the assessment, you either have a talent or you don't," Arthur began. "If you don't, you're expected to reimburse the resources used during the assessment. The orb you saw there draws energy from five stones, representing the five major elements: earth, fire, water, wind, and celestial. Each use of it consumes a portion of the stone's energy. After that, there's typically a written exam to evaluate your knowledge about elementals, summoners, and various related topics. This part can affect which organization might invite you after the initiation, but I'll explain that later."
"Lastly, there's the combat portion," Arthur continued. "You're placed in an arena with a beast cultivated by the association to test newcomers. Incidents can happen during this test. People with keen awareness tend to do well. You don't necessarily have to defeat the beast; just demonstrating battle awareness is enough to pass."
"As for you," Arthur noted, "since you haven't taken these different assessments, I'll assume you're either exempt or will take them later."
"The assessment runs for about a month," Arthur added. "It attracts many nobles because they can afford to fail and because they tend to have a higher probability of becoming summoners. As you grow stronger, your genes become more optimized and altered. So, when two summoners have a child, the chance of that child being talented is higher."
"After the assessment, there's an initiation rite. Different organizations, including the school, participate. The school teaches various aspects of summoning, the nature of aetheric essence, and elemental essence, among other things. They don't actively invite individuals, as they believe anyone with ambition will seek them out."
"In summary," Arthur concluded, "the school is the primary destination for summoners, unless they urgently need money, in which case they might join an organization for immediate benefits. Larger organizations participate in the initiation rites to establish connections with talented individuals, with the hope of recruiting them in the future as they grow stronger."
"That sounds quite complicated." Elian admitted with a perplexed expression.
Arthur chuckled. "Don't fret too much about it. You've been recommended to the school, so you can just hang around there for now since you don't have any other place to go. I'll even provide you with some books to read in the meantime." he said, his laughter warm and reassuring.
Returning to the present, Elian walked over to the table and spotted a book resting there. Its title read "Aetheric Essence Control"
Elian felt a surge of gratitude and determination as he realized the significance of the book Arthur had given him. It wasn't just a book; it was a symbol of Arthur's support and belief in him. Elian made a silent promise to himself that he would work hard, grow stronger, and someday repay Arthur for his kindness and encouragement.
. . .
Elian had been staying in his school quarters for twelve days, and he was starting to find life a bit dull. There wasn't much to do, no TV or entertainment he knew of, so he decided to make use of his time by going to the school library. He also spent time reading the book Arthur had given him, which is all about controlling aetheric essence. However, Elian hadn't felt or controlled this aetheric essence in his body yet.
He learned that people with higher talent could control this aetheric essence more easily and efficiently, but Elian was beginning to wonder if he even had this talent. Normally, even someone with a "D" rank talent should be able to feel their aetheric essence after a week of training. He couldn't help but think if the book Arthur gave him was just a scam.
While Elian was deep in thought, there came a familiar knock on the door. It was Arthur, probably the only person who visited him in this place. Elian didn't rush to open the door, and after a while, Arthur just let himself in, acting like he owned the room.
Elian didn't waste time with formalities and got right to his questions. "Any news about my assessment?"
Arthur, who seemed pretty chill about everything, replied, "I don't have the answers, man. I'm not the school, you know? The initiation rites are coming soon, though, so they'll probably let you know what's up."
Elian couldn't help but express his doubts, "I'm starting to question my talent, Arthur. It's been almost two weeks, and I can't even sense a hint of this aetheric essence. Maybe that book you gave me was a rip-off?"
Arthur, trying to keep the mood light, chuckled and said, "Scammed, huh? Well, not everything works for everyone. The book has helped many, but it might just be taking its time to work for you. Talent varies, dude. Some people get it right away, while others need more time. Don't give up just yet."
Elian sighed, feeling the frustration build up. "I get what you're saying, but it's like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands."
Arthur nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it's frustrating. But sometimes, your talent just needs a trigger to wake up. Some people only discover it in life-or-death situations. Keep at it, and you might surprise yourself one day."
Elian couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh. "HAHAHAHAHA! What's the point of having your talent awaken during a life-and-death situation if it can't even be used to turn the situation around?" His laughter echoed through the room, carrying a touch of frustration.
Arthur, though understanding Elian's sentiment, tried to offer some perspective. "I get your point, man. It's frustrating as hell. But sometimes, it's those extreme moments that unlock the true potential. It's like a last resort, you know?"
Elian nodded, his laughter subsiding. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe I'm just being impatient."
Elian locked eyes with Arthur, a mischievous glint in his own. "You know, maybe you're onto something. Perhaps awakening can be triggered during a life-and-death situation..." He inched closer to Arthur, his tone ominous.
Chills ran down Arthur's spine. He shifted uncomfortably, his voice quivering. "What the hell are you thinking? Back off, man, you're giving me the creeps." Arthur stammered, his mind racing with horrifying scenarios of Elian pushing him to the brink of death.
Arthur chuckled, his earlier playfulness turning into sympathy. "I'm talking about you, Elian. You have the talent. You just need a trigger, a real push, to feel the aetheric essence. As for me, well, I'm already hopeless." he replied, his voice carrying a hint of resignation.
Elian let out a deep sigh and grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, I'm just messing with you, buddy. If I ever become famous, I promise I'll make you my personal driver." he joked, hoping to bring a smile back to Arthur's face.
"Speaking of which," Arthur started, his tone shifting to one of intrigue, "I heard about this fighting arena from one of our station officers. Apparently, it's the place where summoners square off against each other. We spectators can place bets on who we think will come out on top. It's quite a spectacle, and despite my noble status, I rarely get to witness summoners in action. You see, despite the vastness of our land, we're still considered a village. But that's not based on population or wealth; it's all about the strength of summoners we have."
Elian thought for a moment, his brow furrowing. "I get it now," he mused. "That's probably why I haven't seen anyone walking around with their summoned creatures, except when I was at the gate. Summoners are like living safeguards, right? So, the level of security the regular folks enjoy is what determines the town's classification, isn't it?"
Arthur nodded in agreement. "You're right, it's a system that comes from the higher-ups in the cities. We pay taxes for their protection, which includes these powerful elementals and creatures that our summoners can't handle. And I'm pretty sure they have their own way of classifying the threats posed by different types of elementals and creatures."
Elian's face was filled with enthusiasm as he leaned in closer to Arthur. "A fighting arena huh? That's got my interest piqued! I'd be more than happy to join you for that." he chimed in, a spark of excitement dancing in his eyes.
"Alright, let's check it out. I'm really curious to see how these elementals fight." Arthur said and made their way into an underground area where they left the LunaShadow X8 in the parking and made their way to an elevator. At the elevator, two imposing men in all-black attire and sunglasses guarded the entrance. Elian couldn't help but think, "They even have bouncers here."
After Arthur paid the entrance fee, they entered the elevator, which began descending into the depths of the underground. As the elevator descended further, neither of them knew how deep it would go. Finally, when the doors opened, what lay before them was a sight they hadn't anticipated.