Stefan gazed at his rank in the theoretical test, unmoved by his 52nd position. Among 72 participants, he found himself below average, but he saw no point in dwelling on it.
Jason was at fault for not informing him about the theoretical test earlier. How was he supposed to know about the advancement of the galaxy and other galaxies when their population was scarce previously?
Questions about Titan abilities and how they could provide a team with a tactical advantage left him baffled.
"52nd! And the coach said you're a talent capable of leading our team. Ha! You'd have a tough time securing a spot in our reserves with such a score," Landon sniggered.
"Are you finding this amusing?" Stefan, arms crossed, turned to his coach, who struggled to contain his trembling lips, observing Stefan's demeanor.
"Don't fret, kid. You'll still join the club. We just need to get you trained in a body martial art first," Jason assured.
"Wait… he hasn't learned any martial art before!" Landon exclaimed.
"Let's move forward, Landon, you're dismissed now," Jason promptly dismissed Landon and guided Stefan to the elevator.
As a prominent figure in the establishment, Jason didn't need to adhere to protocols for his handpicked talents.
Joining them in the elevator was Landon. The moment they noticed him, both Stefan and Jason sighed while shaking their heads.
"Oof, you're just like the Coach, makes me think you're an old man," Landon remarked, widening his eyes as Stefan, for the first time, reacted with a smoldering glare that pricked his skin.
"Who are you calling old?" Stefan's voice deepened.
"He didn't mean it," Jason interjected swiftly, alarmed by Stefan's sudden change in temperament.
The realization that he had slept through his youth and middle age was difficult to comfortably swallow.
At that moment, Stefan was sensitive about his age. From once being the youngest in the team, he might now be the oldest!
Looking through the transparent door, he squinted at the big screen listing the top ten participants in dazzling light.
"Hey, you better not fail so miserably again, I'm still craving your mom's waffles," Landon whispered into his ear, causing Stefan to close his eyes to rein in his emotions.
'You shouldn't have brought him,' Stefan thought, intending to speak to Jason inwardly, yet to his shock, Jason turned.
"Did you say something?"
"No," Stefan replied.
"I could have sworn I heard someone talking to me," Jason mumbled, shrugging it off after a while.
As the elevator opened, they entered another enormous hall. The ground was transparent, allowing them to see everything happening below.
"The second test is an ability test. If you possess at least an Elite ability, then you're likely to secure a spot in the Rising Stars team," Jason explained, turning to Stefan.
"Oh? What's his ability level then?" Stefan pointed at Landon, who nearly choked. "You dare compare yourself to me? I scored 5th in the theoretical test!"
"We've arrived," Jason announced, and a white door slid open. Inside the room stood a woman calibrating a sleek white and blue pod positioned in the center.
"Step into the pod, Mr. Anderson," she instructed without turning back, and with a slight nudge from Landon, Stefan approached the woman.
When he approached, she turned, her sharp eyes scrutinizing him. "Have you noticed any signs of your ability manifesting?"
"I have," Stefan responded.
"Okay, remove your clothes and step into the pod," she instructed, calmly observing as Stefan undressed.
Standing there in a white singlet and black boxer, his arms crossed, causing his chest to bulge.
The woman meticulously observed his physique, jotting notes on her transparent blue tablet as she studied him from his chest down to his well-defined, lengthy legs.
"You can proceed, Mr. Anderson," she said, marking a mental strength indicator as green in her notes. Most young men would feel flustered being assessed by a woman, but Stefan remained composed.
Lying in the pod, machines emerged, attaching to his chest, temples, and limbs while a soothing liquid rose from beneath, enveloping him.
As the pod sealed shut, the woman, Jason, and Landon focused on the screen, eagerly awaiting the results.
"I'd wager his ability will be at the Elite level," Landon scoffed, prompting a chuckle from Jason.
"He intimidates you, doesn't he?"
"Honestly, he does," Landon admitted with a nod.
"Don't worry, he's here to benefit the team. No matter his result, I'm grooming him to be your team leader," Jason disclosed.
"What!"
"There'll be his mum's waffles," Jason added, a comment that weakened Landon's resistance.
Jason had shared his intentions with Landon due to his straightforward nature, but others were not as simple-minded.
'Hopefully, it's an Elite-level ability,' Jason thought, crossing his fingers.
After a while, the screen displayed alarming red results, causing the woman to frown. She swiftly activated various controls, her reflexes astonishingly fast, leaving Landon momentarily speechless. In just a minute, sweat beads formed on her temples.
"What happened?" Jason's heart raced with concern.
"I'm not sure, but we should extract him from there. If he had an ability, it should have manifested by now," she replied, casting a shadow of doubt over Jason's hopes.
Beep! Beep!
Suddenly, the screen beeped, and they all turned to it.
[Abilities found!]
"A-abilities!" The woman gasped, her eyes widening in shock.