*Beep Beep Beep*
"Uhhh, is it already 7:30?"
I forced myself out of my bed. I didn't want to be late arriving at the training facility. Also, since Umbra Moria was going to be there I didn't want him to form a bad opinion of me.
After cleaning myself, I went to my closet to change where there were no clothes. I was also wearing the same clothes I had been wearing since the auction. I had not taken a shower as well so I probably smelled.
'I'll buy clothes later. I hope Umbra Moria can lend me some money so I can purchase some.'
I memorized the route to Training Room 10. I soon arrived after 2 minutes, being 5 minutes early.
"Oh good, you're here. We can begin. But first, let us measure your size. You don't have any clothes and Nica insisted on getting some for you. We also need your size for the uniform for training."
Umbra was already waiting for me and already solved one of my problems. Soon a tailor came in and measured me. I was taller than the average 8-year-old. After confirming my size, he soon left.
"You haven't eaten, right? Here is a nutrient bar. Get used to taste of them, as you will be having them often, especially on missions.
He then handed me a bar. It tasted bland. Even though with only slightly bigger than my hand, it felt like I had 3 breakfasts. I was extremely full after that.
"Now that everything extra is out of the way, let's get you hooked up to the measuring device."
In front of me was a giant machine. It was unlike the other two I had seen before.
"We usually test people's talent and attributes when they are 10 or 11."
"Then why are we doing my test now?"
"The reason why we usually don't test people's mana earlier is that their mana hasn't fully stabilized. You can't determine a person's talent or attributes during this period as it fluctuates wildly. However, some people's mana fully stabilizes early like yours. It isn't even that uncommon."
After placing different equipment on me, the test was ready. It was like I was doing a medical checkup. Everybody's mana signature was different. Similar to a snowflake, no two people's mana signature was identical.
Each person's mana signature was full of information such as attributes and one's potential. The device I was linked to could transpose the information into readable data.
"Wait, if mana can only be influenced and detected by living beings, how can a machine read my mana."
"Though a machine cannot identify what mana is, it can detect the subtle changes that your mana has on the environment. However, most mana measurement devices use specific mana-sensitive plants to absorb mana from a person which elicits a reaction from a plant. It is this reaction that the machine can understand."
That's probably how my mana capacity was read by those criminals. Before long the data came back and my information was displayed.
Mana Capacity: 32.183R
Talent Potential: Above S rank
Attributes: Error
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Mana Properties: Oscillation - 9.1, Enhancement - 8.7, Reinforcement - 7.9, Restoration - 5.8, Construction - 4.9.
"What's with this generation? Once is a chance, twice is a coincidence. Where's the third?"
Umbra Moria was gobsmacked.
"Umm, sir are you ok?"
"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. I underestimated you. I had never thought you'd be on par with my granddaughter."
"Granddaughter?"
"Yes, my granddaughter Amina Moria. She is 8 years old just like you. We measured her attributes and the results were ridiculous. She wasn't just a genius. She was unfathomable. We thought she was a talent that appears once in a couple of centuries. A miracle child born from impossible odds."
"What does that have to with me?"
"You showed the same ridiculous results that she did. Within only a couple of months. You know, I once thought that Veronica was a talent that appeared once in a generation."
"Really?"
"Yeah, she has talent comparable to our current hero. She advanced to A rank this year and she's only 24. But you two blow her talent out of the water. What kind of anomalies must occur to produce you two."
'An S rank reacts like this. I am that talented? Is this the benefit of being reincarnated? But there's also another like me. Are they reincarnated as well?'
It was at that moment realized that my classmates could have also reincarnated. Maybe into this world as well. Amina Moria could also be reincarnated like me.
'I'll have to find out later.'
"Ok, that's enough of me questioning reality. Let's look at the data again."
Mana Capacity: 32.183R
Talent Potential: Above S rank
Attributes: Error
Mana Properties: Oscillation - 9.1, Enhancement - 8.7, Reinforcement - 7.9, Restoration - 5.8, Construction - 4.9.
"Do you understand what the first two measurements mean?"
"Yes."
It was obvious just by reading the titles. Mana was measured in Retz similar to how energy is measured in Joules.
"Your mana capacity is ridiculous for your age." (Go back to chapter 10 for comparisons)
I didn't know what was standard but I assumed I far surpassed it.
"Attributes means what type of magic you have an affinity to. I have never seen the data come back as an error though. At most, it just says unknown as it can't identify what you have an affinity for and experimentation is needed. But I have never seen an error come back before. It is like the machine cannot read or something is stopping it from reading your attributes. At this point, I am not even surprised."
When he was talking about attributes, it reminded me of the festival of life. When I threw my card into the air, ominous darkness that seemed to reject the universe appeared.
'Is that what my affinity is? What else could it possibly be?'
"Mana properties are the hardest to understand. Mana properties mean the form that your mana takes. Let's take a sword for example. If you apply mana to a sword with the reinforcement property, then the sword will be harder to break. However, if the oscillation property is applied, the sword becomes sharper and has more penetrating power. This usually determines what kind of mage you should be."
"I think I get it."
"Good. Obviously, when applying mana to a sword, you would apply both properties, not just one or the other. The number beside determines your talent to apply those properties varying from
0 - 10 with 10 meaning perfect while 0 meaning impossible to achieve. Here is a brief rundown of all the mana properties.
Oscillation: The power to increase the cutting/penetrating power of an object.
Reinforcement: The power to increase the hardness and toughness of an object.
Enhancement: The power to increase the capabilities of an object.
Restoration: The power to increase the regeneration of an object.
Construction: The power to form mana into solidified objects that have any properties the user wishes for.
Facilitation: The power to increase the quality and quantity of mana of in an object.
Contamination: The power to corrode the quality and quantity of mana of an object."
"Aren't you going to comment on my mana properties?"
"Are you looking for more praise? Well, you scored extremely high. You are very talented in oscillation. Practically every mage has talent in reinforcement and enhancement. Those are the most common mana properties and most can use them fairly proficiently. If a person is talented in restoration, they should be a healing mage. While those talented in contamination and facilitation should become support mages. They are a variety of combinations and how people use their talents is up to the person themselves.
I was still confused after his explanation of mana properties.
"Don't worry if you don't understand it now. You'll get it over time."
Looks like I didn't have to worry.
"Ok, you can spend the rest of the day exploring, relaxing, or whatever else you want. Training starts tomorrow. You better be here at 6:30 am. I'll personally teach you the basics of mana control for a couple of weeks before you'll join the rest of the recruits."
"Ok thank you for everything, sir."
"No problem."
I bowed and left the training centre. I went to explore the rest of SUITE Headquarters.