The training center bustled with energy—students lifting weights, running drills, and testing their abilities. It was a place where sweat and mana mingled, where the noise of grunts, impacts, and the hum of machinery filled the air. In one corner, a large machine stood, an imposing steel column with a target embedded in its center, and an array of sensors and screens displaying data.
This was the power assessment machine—a tool that ranked combat power, dividing cultivators into five tiers, each split into ten stratas. To determine their tier, cultivators would strike the machine, push their limits of their speed, and run simulations to test their combat effectiveness. It was a way to take the variability of traits and abilities and reduce them to something measurable, something concrete.
Emma stood next to Aurel, her gaze fixed on the machine, her expression focused. Aurel's heart pounded in his chest, his excitement building, his senses alive with anticipation. This was what he had been waiting for—a chance to measure his power, to see how far he had come.
But as he looked at the machine, the screens flashing, the data flickering in bright lines of text, he hesitated. He had no idea how he would compare to someone like Emma—someone who had already actualized five genetic locks, whose power was on an entirely different level.
"Why don't you go first?" Aurel said, his voice casual, though there was an edge of nerves behind it. "I'd like to see what I'm up against."
Emma glanced at him, a smile tugging at her lips. She didn't seem surprised by his suggestion—if anything, she seemed amused. "Sure," she said, stepping forward, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the target.
Aurel took a step back, watching as Emma took her position. She stood there for a moment, her body relaxed, her gaze fixed on the machine. Then, in an instant, her entire aura changed. A vibrant green energy erupted around her, swirling like leaves caught in the wind, a force that seemed to radiate life itself.
The aura of nature. It was beautiful, alive, a power that seemed to pulse with its own rhythm. Aurel could feel it—the way the mana filled the air, the way it seemed to vibrate with an untamed energy. It was mesmerizing.
Emma took a breath, her expression sharpening, her eyes narrowing. And then, with a sudden burst of motion, she launched herself forward, her leg snapping out, her foot connecting with the target in a powerful kick. The impact echoed through the room, a low, resounding thud that made the entire machine shudder.
The screen flickered to life, the data processing, the numbers flashing across the display.
Tier 2, Strata 3
Aurel's eyes widened in surprise. Tier 2, Strata 3. He had heard about Emma's strength, about the fact that she had already actualized five genetic locks, but seeing it firsthand was something else. Most cultivators with five genetic locks could barely reach Tier 2, Strata 1. Emma was far beyond them, her power on an entirely different level.
She turned to Aurel, her eyes shining, a satisfied smile on her lips. "Your turn," she said, stepping aside, her gaze lingering on him, curious, expectant.
Aurel took a deep breath, stepping forward. His heart was pounding, his pulse racing, but it wasn't fear. It was excitement. Seeing Emma's strength had ignited something within him—a desire to see just how far he had come, how much he had grown.
He looked at the target, his hand clenching into a fist. He knew he didn't have a wide array of attack traits—Armour Penetration was his primary offensive trait, and even that was focused more on bypassing defense than outright power. But he had something else. He had Limit Break.
Aurel took another deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he activated the ability. He could feel it—the mana within him shifting, moving, gathering around Armour Penetration. The trait pulsed, the energy growing, intensifying, the rank increasing from rare to epic. It was like a fire igniting within him, a power that surged through his veins, filling him with strength.
The aura around him changed—dark, intense, something that radiated a raw, untamed power. He focused all his mana into his fist, his muscles coiling, his body tense, every fiber of his being centered on this one strike.
With a sharp breath, Aurel lunged forward, his fist driving into the target, the impact sending a shockwave through his arm, through his entire body. The machine shuddered, the screen flashing, the numbers processing, the data calculating.
Tier 1, Strata 5
Aurel stared at the display, his breath caught in his throat. Tier 1, Strata 5. It wasn't as high as Emma's score, but it was far beyond what he had expected. Most cultivators with two genetic locks could barely manage Tier 1, Strata 2. His growth, the power he had gained—it was unbelievable.
Emma was staring at him, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly open. For a moment, she was silent, her gaze flicking between Aurel and the display, as if trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face, her eyes softening.
"That's incredible, Aurel," she said, her voice filled with awe. "I mean, I scored higher even before the Mana Vaccine,but this... this growth is something else."
Aurel looked at her, a grin tugging at his lips. He could see the surprise in her eyes, the admiration. It was strange—seeing someone like Emma, someone so far ahead of him, looking at him like that. It made all the pain, all the struggle, worth it.
"Thanks," he said, his voice soft. "I've been working hard."
Emma nodded, her gaze lingering on him, her eyes glinting with something he couldn't quite place. For a moment, there was a faint blush on her cheeks, but she quickly turned away, her expression shifting to one of casual confidence, as if trying to hide it.