Free Web NovelChapter 38: Chapter 38: The Ability Assessment
The examination hall was a massive rectangular space with a raised platform at the far end. Thirty applicants sat in rows of chairs, waiting for their names to be called. Behind the platform, three examiners sat at a long table — two Senior Teachers and one Professor, all Grand Core Realm or higher.
Lucian sat beside Clara in the third row. Ryan was two rows behind them. Rose was near the back, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
Lucian’s hand moved under the cover of his jacket. Two small pills — one pale white, one pale grey — pressed into Clara’s palm.
Clara’s fingers closed around them.
"What are these?" she murmured without looking at him.
"Rank Masking Pills. Temporarily suppresses the detectable rank of one ability by one tier. Lasts six hours." Lucian kept his eyes forward. "Take one. It’ll hide your Psychokinesis from S-rank to A-rank."
Clara’s fingers tightened around the pills. "You’re taking one too?"
"Yes. Blood Manipulation stays visible but drops from S to A. Everything else — Blood Sense, Enhanced Senses, all of it — gets completely suppressed."
"When did you buy these?"
"While you were sleeping." freewebnøvel.coɱ
Clara slipped both pills into her mouth and swallowed them dry. Lucian did the same. A faint warmth spread through his chest as the pill took effect.
╔═══════════════════════════╗
║ ⚠ PILL EFFECT ACTIVE ⚠ ║
║ Blood Manipulation: S-Rank → A-Rank (Masked)║
║ Blood Sense: SUPPRESSED ║
║ Enhanced Senses: SUPPRESSED ║
║ Eternal Regeneration: HIDDEN ║
║ Duration: 5:59:59 remaining ║
╚════════════════════════════╝
"Julian Renard."
The name echoed through the hall. Julian stood, adjusted his collar, and walked toward the platform with the confidence of a man who had never doubted himself in his life. His entourage clapped from the audience.
He stepped onto the platform and faced the examiners.
"Name, age, and cultivation base," the Professor said flatly.
"Julian Renard. Seventeen. Peak Neophyte Realm."
"Abilities?"
Julian smiled. He raised both hands, and lightning crackled between his palms — a sharp, loud display that made several applicants flinch. The smell of ozone filled the air.
"A-Rank Lightning Manipulation."
The Professor nodded and made a note. "Single ability. A-rank. Noted. Clear the platform."
Julian walked back to his seat, making eye contact with Clara as he passed. She looked through him.
Applicant after applicant went up. Most had single abilities — C-rank, D-rank, a few B-ranks. Nothing remarkable. The examiners worked through them with mechanical efficiency.
"Elena Vasquez."
The dark-haired girl stood and walked to the platform. She was quiet, her movements minimal, her eyes downcast.
"Elena Vasquez. Eighteen. Late Neophyte Realm."
"Abilities?"
She raised one hand. Shadows pooled around her fingers, forming a small sphere of darkness that absorbed the light around it.
"C-Rank Shadow Manipulation."
Noted. Cleared.
"Ryan Duncan."
Ryan stood, adjusted his glasses, and walked to the platform with the calm precision of a man who had rehearsed this moment. His eyes found the examiners and held.
"Ryan Duncan. Seventeen. Mid Neophyte Realm."
The Senior Teacher raised an eyebrow. "A-rank ability? Interesting. Continue."
"Second ability. C-Rank Critical Mind."
The three examiners exchanged glances.
"Dual awakener," the Professor said slowly. "Uncommon but not unheard of. A-rank combat ability paired with C-rank thinking ability. That’s quite the combination."
Ryan nodded and returned to his seat. He caught Lucian’s eye and gave a small nod.
"Rose Chevalier."
Rose walked to the platform, her cream-covered skin flawless in the examination lights. She stood straight despite the nervous tremor in her hands.
"Rose Chevalier. Nineteen. Peak Neophyte Realm." Peak Neophyte was above average for Year 1 applicants.
"Abilities?"
She raised both hands. A green shimmer formed around them — a barrier, translucent and strong, humming with Aegis energy.
"A-Rank Aegis."
"Single ability. Defensive type. Noted." The Professor looked at her over his glasses. "Your cultivation is at the peak Neophyte. With a purely defensive ability, you’ll be placed in the Support Department. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
Rose returned to her seat. Her hands were shaking under her folded arms.
"Clara Duncan."
Clara stood. Lucian watched her go — her back straight, her chin up, her crimson eyes deliberately dimmed to look as human as possible.
"Clara Duncan. Nineteen. Peak Neophyte Realm."
The examiners perked up.
"Abilities?"
Clara raised her right hand. Ice crystals formed in her palm, swirling into a sharp lance that hovered in the air. Beautiful. Precise. A-rank quality without question.
"Ice Control. A-Rank."
The Senior Teacher leaned forward. "Is there a second ability?"
Clara paused — just a fraction of a second — then raised her left hand.
Psychokinesis activated.
The exam table lifted with every object on it rising six inches into the air before settling back down with a soft thud.
"Psychokinesis. A-Rank."
Silence.
The three examiners stared at her. Then at each other.
"Dual A-rank abilities," the Professor said slowly. "That’s... extremely rare."
"Less than 0.01% of all awakeners," the second Senior Teacher added, consulting a tablet. "And we just had a dual awakener with an A-rank and a C-rank. Now another with two A-ranks?"
"Her mana signature is unusual," the first Senior Teacher said, frowning. "Denser than it should be for Peak Neophyte. And her body temperature is lower than standard. Circulation appears irregular."
Clara’s heart rate spiked.
"Pre-existing condition," she said smoothly. "I’ve had it since childhood."
The examiners exchanged another look. The Professor tapped his pen twice, then wrote something down.
"Dual A-rank. Noted. Clear the platform."
Clara walked back, her expression neutral.
"Lucian Grimaud."
He stood.
He stepped onto the platform and met the Professor’s gaze.
"Lucian Grimaud. Sixteen. Late Neophyte Realm."
"Abilities."
He raised his right hand. A blade of white light formed in his grip — clean, sharp, humming with contained power.
"Light Control. A-Rank."
The examiners nodded. A-rank Light Control at Late Neophyte. Impressive but not unprecedented.
"Second ability?" the Professor asked, his pen hovering.
Lucian raised his left hand.
Blood seeped from his fingertip — just a small amount, carefully controlled. It coiled into a thin crimson thread that hung in the air like a piece of silk.
"Blood Manipulation. A-Rank."
The thread dissolved.
Silence.
The same silence that had greeted Clara. But heavier this time, because it was the second time in ten minutes.
The Professor set down his pen.
"Dual A-rank abilities," he said slowly. "That makes it thre of them. In the same applicant group." He looked at his colleagues.
"Statistical anomaly or coordinated fraud?" the second Senior Teacher murmured.
"I observed their combat exams," the first said. "Both demonstrated legitimate power consistent with A-rank output. Their abilities are real."
The Professor studied Lucian for a long moment. His gaze was sharp — searching, probing, almost uncomfortable in its intensity.
"Your mana signature is also... unusual," he said carefully. "Lower body temperature. Irregular circulation pattern. Similar to the Duncan girl."
"Pre-existing condition," Lucian said. "Same thing Clara has. We grew up in the same area."
The Professor’s eyes narrowed slightly. Then he wrote something down.
"Dual A-rank abilities. Noted. Clear the platform."
Lucian walked back to his seat.
Julian was staring at him. Not with anger — with something more dangerous.
Calculation.
Behind Julian, Elena Vasquez’s dark eyes tracked Lucian from across the hall, her expression unreadable.
Lucian sat down beside Clara.
"Well?" Clara whispered.
"They’re suspicious," Lucian murmured back. "But they can’t prove anything. We’re clean. I can’t even imagine if we show S rank abilities."
The Professor stood and addressed the remaining applicants.
"That concludes the Ability Assessment. The Combat Examination will begin tomorrow morning at dawn. Report to Garden Zone 7 at 0600 hours. Bring your own weapons. Kill fifteen F-rank beasts. Four-hour time limit. Those who fail to meet the minimum will be rejected."
His gaze swept the room.
"Dismissed."
The applicants rose and began filing out. Julian walked past Lucian without a word, but his eyes said enough.
We’ll meet in the arena soon enough.
Elena Vasquez passed without looking at him. But she was thinking.
Lucian gathered with Clara, Ryan, and Rose outside the hall.
"Well," Ryan said, adjusting his glasses. "Three dual A-rank awakeners in one group. We’re going to be famous before we even start classes."
"Or targeted," Clara muttered.
"That will make the academy more fun, won’t it," Lucian said, walking toward the exit. "For now, we have more important things to worry about."
