Character : Nathan Fiore, First Test
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After entering the front gate, we then arrived at a massive front yard belonging to the academy.
The first thing we noticed upon entering was the seven tables that were placed forming a horizontal line in the middle of the yard. There are seven individuals standing right behind the tables, and each table has a certain object placed on top of them.
Seeing the colors of the robe worn by the individuals by the table, I knew immediately just what kind of a test we're going to be having for the first one. I looked around to see if anyone else knew what was happening, but it seems like everyone is also quite confused.
Beforelong, a person descends from the skies and floats in the air on top of the yard. His positioning is right above where the tables are, in front of the big entrance to the academy hall next to the yard.
The mysterious old man then started explaining about what we are going to do in this yard. This first test will involve the size of our current origin capabilities, scored by the amount of origin energy within our bodies. The test will involve placing our two hands into a massive crystal ball that was placed on top of the tables, and the ball will then light up as a reaction to show the result of the test.
The scoring of the test is to be decided by the intensity of the light that came out of the crystal ball after we touched it. There is a mechanical tool that has the ability to detect the exact number of the light intensity, and the tool was placed directly under the crystal ball. It is impossible to meddle with the measuring because the tool only specifically detects the light intensity coming from the ball and nothing else.
This is one of the more credible tests of a person's origin powers without combat. By seeing how much origin energy capacity that a person has, it's quite easy to roughly tell that someone is good or not at using their origin powers.
But, as any lazy tests like this have always proven is that tests like this cannot be used as the only test to score a person's origin capabilities. There are other aspects that determine how good someone is at using origin powers, such as control, aim, and firepower. This test only measures one part of a person's origin talent, which is their energy capacity.
Fortunately, the elemental academy is not that stupid. There are other tests aside from this one, and hopefully those tests will cover the other aspects that were also important as well.
And the results? Well…
After the floating old man told us to line up at our respective origins, we all tried out the crystal balls test one by one. And ball oh ball, the results for the first few batch of applicants were quite something.
The number that will come out from the measuring tool can range between the hundreds to the thousands. Obtaining five hundred points can be considered middle class, and anything above one thousand is considered talented. Getting one thousand and five hundred is usually only found on trained and experienced warriors who have lived for over forty years, but it's also possible for young people like us to have that level of talent. Anything above that is just too great to think about.
At first, the numbers that were revealed ranged from seven hundreds to one thousand two hundred. Getting the numbers somewhere around this amount can still be common, especially among applicants who are applying for the great elemental academy in Avenor.
But then, the talents began to appear one by one.
"W-Woah!!! It's so bright!!!" The crowd from the water element seemed to be quite excited about something.
Thankfully, the water crowd is right next to ours, so Reju and I can see clearly the result of the test. The crystal ball at the very front line of the water origin line is shining bright blue, and the test conductor standing behind the table glanced at the number that came out of the tool.
"Clade Holt, 1545 points!" The test conductor for the water origin announced, and everyone was quite amazed by that amount.
So far, he has the highest number that was announced. Everyone from the water origin rejoiced when the high number was announced. However, that happiness of them did not last very long when the earth origin line turned rowdy.
"Kenneth Shenron, 1634 points!" The test conductor from the earth origin announced. This time, the earth origin students all cheered.
"Woah. That is a lot." Reju commented in front of me, and I nodded at him. "How much did I get when we tested it at home?"
"Hmm… two hundred?" I joked, and Reju turned his annoyed stare at me.
Another rowdy crowd came from the lightning origin this time, and everyone turned curious. The bright blue light was so intense that even us could see it from so far away. The lightning origin is on the other side of the yard from the fire origin, so we really had to sharpen our ears to listen.
"Marvolo Alberto, 2374!" The announcer from the lightning origin shouted so loudly that everyone in the field could hear it. And hearing such a crazy number, everyone in the yard turned rowdy.
"T-That's insane!! He is so godly talented!!" A member of the fire origin commented after hearing the number, and everyone else seemed to agree.
"That's big?" Reju turned to me with a confused face, and I nodded firmly at him.
"Well, it might be enough to rival you." I said to him, and he giggled as he stepped forward.
It is now Reju's turn, and he walked closer to the table with red cloth at the very front of the line. "I wonder about that."
Everyone from the fire origin line watched as Reju placed only one hand at the crystal ball, and even the test conductor requested that he placed both. Reju even denied, saying that he only needed to put one hand since all the crystal needed was a touch, and he started pouring in his origin powers.
In an instant, the crystal ball glows up bright red. It was so bright that it nearly blinded us who were near the crystal, and everyone else on the yard noticed the bright red light coming from the crystal.
"That's good enough, right?" Reju grinned as he took his hand off from the crystal, and he started walking away to the back of the line without even waiting for the result. After all, the result was announced so loudly.
"Prince Rejulus Fiordall! 2750 points!!" The test conductor announced, and everyone turned insane.
While everyone was jumping around from how amazing that number is, I turned my gaze to where Reju was walking to the back. From how his left hand is forming a fist, I can tell that he is very excited about the result, even though he never showed it.
He really have come so far… he really was only at the two hundred when we first tested, and that was about six years ago. I remembered the Rejulus from back then, fat, short, annoying, and so demanding with every single word he said. Fortunately, Felicia and I existed around him for seven years, and we were able to shape him into the charismatic prince he is today.
People can really change, and you've proven that, Rejulus.
"Please step forward, your highness." The test conductor in front of me said to me, and I realized I was dozing around.
"Ah, my bad--"
"""Woooaaahhhhh!!!!!""" From my left, the crowd once again turned wild at something.
Everyone noticed the bright yellow light coming from the earth origin table, and it seems like another great talent has appeared from the earth origin side.
"Regie Vagran, 1867 points!" The test conductor from the earth origin announced, and everyone from the earth origin cheered and congratulated the person who got it.
I realized that the amount of cheers has not gotten beyond Reju just yet, and I wonder if I should break that number. But, then I realized how much of a problem it would be for me to show off my abilities.
Instead, why not make this fun?
"Please put your hand on the crystal ball." The test conductor patiently asked me, and I heeded his request.
Everyone at the flame origin line waited and watched intensely when I placed my right hand at the crystal ball, and I made sure to open my eyes as wide as I could to focus. Deep down, I controlled my breath so that my self focus was heightened, and I started pouring in the energy bit by bit.
The crystal ball grew brighter very-very slowly, but certainly, it started to glow so bright that it nearly blinds. Everyone covered their eyes from the brightness of it, but it's still far from the intensity that Reju showed off before.
After I felt that it's enough, I pulled my hand away from the crystal ball. The red light coming from the ball died down, and the test conductor turned really shocked at the number that came out.
"N-No way… did you do this on purpose?" The test conductor even asked me about it, and I pretended that I'm just confused.
"What do you mean, sir?" I acted with a dumb expression, and he let out a sigh.
"Prince Nathan Fiore… Exactly 2000 points."
Hearing that specific number, everyone from the flame origin line turned amazed. Everyone cheered at the beauty of a number, and I only waved at them when I walked to the back of the line as if I was really happy by it.
I was indeed satisfied. The amount that came out was exactly what I wanted.
"You definitely do that on purpose." Reju said to me after I arrived at the back of the yard, away from the line that is still testing.
"Well, duh~." I said before sitting down on the ground, and Reju stared at me confused.
"What would be the number if you had done it normally?"
"Dunno… Last time I did it, the crystal exploded." I said nonchalantly, and Reju's face looked like he wanted to run away from me.
"So that's why father was so pissed off at you… I was wondering why I never saw the crystal ball again." Reju facepalmed after remembering, and I only laughed at him from the ground.
"Well… sorry. I think father did order a new one, but it never came."
"Never mind that. Here comes the princess." Reju pointed his finger at the line for the water origin, and I stood back up again to look closer.