As I underwent the physical tests, I occasionally glanced at my fellow recruits to see how they were faring. I was surprised by some of the results.
"26 Strength Points!" exclaimed an excited recruit with blond hair, standing in front of the strength measurement machine. Apparently, he possessed an ability related to strength enhancement.
Next, a girl with braids sprinted at an inhuman speed on the track. I overheard someone supervising mention that she had a gift that increased her speed by 131%, which I found quite impressive (the girl was running at about 50-55 km/h). Each physical test had a supervisor to assess their condition and determine if they had an ability.
"But the most impressive so far was that silver-haired girl." When I think of her, words fail me.
She exuded a cold aura, causing everyone to avoid her, despite her undeniable beauty. Her light blue eyes held indifference, as if she were a queen looking down on mere commoners.
"Surely she's a narcissist," I thought before refocusing on the scene I had witnessed. This girl, who stood at just 1.60 meters, transformed into a hybrid creature. She retained human features like her hair, eyes, and form, but her skin turned pale—so much so that you might think she was ill. Claws, fangs, and even a small horn sprouted from her forehead as she transformed. Then she struck with all her might, achieving a strength score of 30! That meant she had the strength of at least three men (average strength = 10). In the speed test, she reached 75 km/h, indicating that her ability not only granted strength but also amplified every part of her body.
"I hope my ability is better than hers… maybe I can shoot laser beams from my eyes," I mused, shaking my head at such thoughts. Carl led me to a three-story building with a strange sign at the entrance. I remembered that I couldn't read the language of this world. Inside, I saw several fellow recruits waiting like me. They informed me that, like myself, they hadn't awakened any physical abilities.
"Carl, why are we standing at the entrance of this building?"
"This building is the library. Here, we'll conduct tests to discover your elemental affinity and assess your mana sensitivity. Afterward, we'll forcibly activate your ability, as you're not yet accustomed to the sensation needed for natural activation."
Initially, I felt excited by the terms "elemental affinity" and "mana sensitivity," but when they mentioned forcibly activating my ability, worry crept in. Carl noticed my concerned expression and reassured me.
"Don't worry. When I say we'll activate your ability forcibly, it won't be as literal as it sounds. You won't suffer or feel any discomfort during the process."
His reassuring words eased my anxiety. Why would they harm a young recruit who had awakened an ability? It simply wouldn't make sense.
***
We waited for several minutes until all my fellow recruits arrived. Earlier, I had asked Carl why people who had already awakened physical abilities were brought here.
"They need to come here because they haven't undergone the elemental affinity and mana sensitivity tests yet. Now, you might wonder why these tests are necessary if they only depend on physical abilities. Well, there's a reason: mana is used for much more than just casting spells, as you might think. But they'll explain all of this in detail later."
That was his response, which sounded somewhat irritated. But don't you think it's natural to ask about things you don't know?
"Attention! Form a single line at the entrance. We'll call you one by one to verify your abilities. For those who have already awakened an ability, please don't form a line; wait patiently until we've checked your peers' abilities," announced one of the men at the entrance. He had long black hair tied in a ponytail and wore a white uniform. Suddenly, a woman (also in a white uniform) rushed toward the man with the ponytail, panting. She caught her breath and whispered something to him.
"Ahem, it seems Miss Sylvia will also have the right to test if she awakened another aspect of her ability," said the ponytailed man, surprised by this sudden order. Upon hearing her name, the same girl with silver hair and transformation ability stepped forward. She was first in line since no one else had gone yet.
"What! Hasn't that girl already awakened an ability? It doesn't make sense to recheck," exclaimed a female voice suddenly. A disoriented girl emerged from the crowd and stood behind Sylvia. She had chestnut-colored hair and eyes, dressed luxuriously with valuable necklaces and bracelets. Her face exuded arrogance as she confronted Sylvia.
"That arrogant girl seems like a noble," I thought before observing the clash between the two women. Sylvia, upon being addressed, furrowed her brow slightly. Her cold aura grew even colder, and the arrogant girl named Erika began to feel an unfamiliar fear.
"What is this fear?" Erika wondered, just before hearing Sylvia's icy voice. Sylvia had transformed, and every time Erika looked at her, she felt intense fear. The very air seemed to freeze until Sylvia spoke.
"Out of my sight."
That's what she said before Erika fainted—apparently overwhelmed by fear. The ponytailed man, witnessing this scene, sighed to himself.
"Looks like I'll need to pack my bags…"