"Do you realize what you're saying?" Lucio asked Marcos incredulously.
"No? The truth is, I don't know what an 11.20-meter mana sense means, but just hearing that number, it doesn't seem like much-".
"Doesn't seem like much?! Do you know that amount is considered prodigious?!" Lucio snapped at Marcos, visibly angry. He couldn't believe Marcos had called his mana sense small.
Lucio was mentally exhausted after activating the mana sense for all the recruits. He was so tired that he didn't realize Marcos had never received any education, having grown up in poverty. Lucio lost his temper, but after shouting at Marcos, he collapsed.
Seeing Lucio, who had just criticized him harshly, fall to the ground, Marcos felt a pang of sympathy. Fortunately, another instructor nearby assured him that Lucio would be fine. Marcos checked Lucio's condition and, seeing that he had merely fainted from exhaustion and was now sleeping peacefully, breathed a sigh of relief. He updated Lucio's status to ease any concerns.
Marcos also explained that all their fellow recruits were in their respective barracks and would receive their meals at 8:00 PM. He was excited to ask Charly and Elliot how they had fared.
As I descended from the platform and headed toward my assigned barracks, I felt someone watching me. I turned around to find a dark-haired boy with eyes that radiated happiness—it was Aaron, sporting a wide smile that revealed his white teeth.
Recognizing Aaron, I moved to greet him, but a repugnant odor halted my steps. Surprisingly, the stench emanated from Aaron, who now looked a bit embarrassed.
"Aaron, why do you smell so horrendous?" I blurted out, covering my nose with my hand. The odor was so strong and nauseating that it made my stomach churn.
"Well, um," Aaron hesitated, debating whether to reveal the truth to Marcos. But recalling what his superiors had told him, he finally decided.
"It's a secret."
Upon hearing Aaron's response, Marcos refrained from asking anything related to the smell. Although he sometimes acted foolishly, Marcos wasn't stupid enough to press for answers on certain matters.
"I understand," was the simple reply Marcos gave Aaron.
While Marcos liked Aaron, they had only met today—hardly enough time to form a deep friendship. Yes, he cared a little about Aaron, but not enough to be overly insistent.
***
Upon reaching their barracks, Marcos and Aaron entered in silence. They hadn't spoken during the entire journey, creating a somewhat awkward situation for both of them.
As they opened the door, they found Charly and Elliot playing the game of "Light and Shadow." Upon noticing Marcos and Aaron's arrival, Charly and Elliot stood up from their seats and went over to greet them.
However, upon catching a whiff of Aaron's odor, Charly and Elliot promptly told him to go wash up—a sentiment I wholeheartedly supported. Embarrassed, Aaron headed to our private bathroom, which each barracks had.
I started playing cards with the other two, waiting for Aaron to emerge from the bathroom so we could discuss our experiences during the tests.
After Aaron returned (now changed into fresh clothes), we finally began discussing how our tests had gone. Charly and Elliot eagerly shared their results.
"In elemental affinity, I achieved 9.93% affinity with shadow. And for my mana sense, I reached 2.87 meters," Charly explained.
Elliot, on the other hand, looked at us with an air of arrogance and self-pride.
"Haha, is that all? I have 10.56% affinity with earth! And my mana sense also reached 3.76 meters!" Elliot boasted proudly, as if he'd accomplished something monumental. He proceeded to regale us with stories of his family, emphasizing how he was the first in 20 years to enter the capital's military camp.
But in reality, it could be considered a true feat, especially for someone without a gift. From what Marcos had heard, having a higher affinity was more likely if you awakened a gift.
A clear example would be someone with a fire-related gift—they would undoubtedly have high affinity with fire.
The same applied to Marcos. His affinity with earth likely stemmed from his "Hardening" attribute, while wind came from "Sharpness."
"But what about the 'Penetration' attribute? Did the gods forget to grant me one, or what?" I pondered while listening to Charly and Elliot's "exciting" exploits.
Ever since I learned about the connection between gifts and affinities, this question had lingered in my mind. Perhaps it was a machine error, or maybe something else entirely?
"Another thing that bothers me is how they both have higher affinities than me."
I buried all these questions deep within my mind, as Charly posed a question to Aaron—one that genuinely intrigued me.
"Aaron, what were your affinity and mana sense results? And most importantly, what kind of gift do you possess?" Charly asked with expectant eyes. He was so eager to share his own story that he forgot to inquire about Aaron and Marcos' experiences.
"I-I, stammered Aaron nervously. He debated whether to reveal his affinity and mana sense to his comrades. But after some thought, he remembered that he was only forbidden from disclosing what his gift did. Sharing his affinity and mana sense, which weren't as impactful, should be fine.
"I have 14.23% affinity with lightning, and I can expand my mana sense up to 6.13 meters…" Aaron finally revealed.
Charly and Elliot were left wide-eyed with astonishment. Meanwhile, Marcos lamented once again over his two elemental affinities, which paled in comparison to the others.
"Incredible! You have a remarkable talent, Aaron. Lightning affinity is quite rare, yet you achieved 14.23%!" Charly exclaimed in amazement. Elliot, on the other hand, shifted from awe to embarrassment, having recently boasted about his own "talent."
"…And as for my gift… I can't tell you yet."
Charly and Elliot were slightly disappointed, but they didn't complain. They understood that someone with a gift would always receive special treatment compared to those without.
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, but fortunately, Charly broke it with a question.
"… And you, Marcos? You must have a very high elemental affinity, as well as an impressive mana sense, right?" Charly asked curiously, hoping Marcos would respond.
"Well… I do possess two elemental affinities!" Marcos confessed, intentionally skipping the percentage part to avoid embarrassment. Then he revealed his mana sense.
"… And I also have a mana sense that can reach up to 11.20 meters!"
Charly, Elliot, and Aaron were stunned by what they had just heard.
11.20? That was no joke. Only legendary figures from tales possessed such an extraordinary amount. The three of them found it hard to believe Marcos, which was understandable—they hadn't known each other for long, and trust wasn't yet firmly established.