Hati was carefully scrutinizing the 5 transported in front of her. She was a representative of one of the great academies in Azalaze. She activated her magical circuit which opened up a holographic screen in front of her. With a few clicks, the display in the screen changed. It was not of her own information but it was one of the transported in front of her. Like the rest of the representatives with her, she was also given a high level of access with the central machine which allowed her to check the information of the other inhabitants.

"Carl? Is that your name?" Hati asked, staring at one of the transported, carefully scrutinizing him.

"Yes ma'am!" Carl answered, straightly looking at her. He did not look anything special. He was not the most physically fit and he was neither that tall nor big. Still, he seemed calm.

"Seems confident are we," Hati smirked. "So do you already have an idea of what is your awakening?"

"I can feel the strength accumulating in my hands and arms." Carl said, clenching his right hand into a fist.

"Is that so?" Hati looked behind her and signaled something with her finger. "Bring it here. Let's start with that one first."

Other than the representatives sitting behind the long table, there were also a few people standing around them. One of those people entered another room hidden behind them then brought back 3 metallic spheres and a safety mat. He then placed the mat on the ground and orderly placed the sphere with consistent space between them.

"Why don't you try lifting the first one?" Hati said, pointing at the light blue colored sphere.

Carl stepped forward and lifted the sphere without any complications.

"Not bad! You can now put it down. Let's try the next one."

Carl then moved to the next sphere with a darker blue color. This time, he needed to put some effort before being able to lift it on the level of his chest.

Bahaar was nodding his head. He was also a representative of one of the great academies and he has the most striking appearance of all the people in the room with his large physique and his long dark red hair. "Go try the last one!" He said with a deep voice.

Carl failed his initial try on the third sphere but with a lot more effort, he was finally able to lift it on the level of his waist.

"Was it really that heavy? I also felt power in my whole body earlier. Maybe I could also lift that now?" Kron thought to himself.

"We'll sponsor him." Bahaar said, crossing his arms on his chest. "He will fit just right in our academy."

"Calm down. Let's see if he has other abilities first." Parvula said, sweeping the room with his eyes. He was the man sitting in the middle of the table. "And don't you want to wait first if there is someone even more fit from them."

"Hmph! Fine." Bahaar reluctantly agreed.

"Look, the rest of them seem eager to also try it." Hati smirked. "Why don't we also give them a chance."

The next man to Carl tried it and so is the girl after but both of them failed. Kron's turn came next. Like the other two before him, he also failed lifting it on even just the first sphere.

"It was actually this heavy? Am I also going to be a weakling in this world? No! I can't accept this." Kron thought. He was feeling the pressure in both his arms and mind. He didn't want to be weak again.

With all the strength he could muster, Kron was finally able to lift it but it only reached near his waist.

"So this is the limit to my strength... at least for now." Kron whispered.

It was now Ichika's turn. Kron observed her as she walked to the front. She seemed neither scared nor nervous. Her first try was also a failure. But when she lifted it again, it went smoothly as it reached her chest, albeit slow. She was then made to lift the next sphere. She didn't seem so troubled but she was only able to lift it until her knees before dropping it again.

Kron noticed that the representatives are looking at her weirdly. Bahaar's forehead were creased. Hati seemed to want to say something but closed her mouth. It was like there was some kind of rule preventing them to speak their mind. Ichika quickly returned to her place and avoided everyone's gaze.

"It seems Carl is the only one we could place on the superhuman category as of now." Parvula suddenly said, breaking the silence. "Why don't we move on to the next test?"

"I agree but let's start with her." Hati looked at Ichika, smiling. "You should be Ichika Kaneko?"

"Uh yes.." Ichika seemingly become uncomfortable hearing Hati call her name.

The assistants removed the metallic spheres and took out another group of spheres. This time, there were 7 glass spheres which contained colored swirling energies. They were placed on the long table that the representatives use.

"These are elemental spheres which are used to test if you are attuned to a certain element." Parvula said, touching the sphere with a brown swirl. The brown swirl of energy solidified and formed a rock. The moment that he removed his hand, the rock dispersed and formed a brown swirl again. "You just need to insert a bit of your energy inside it."

"Usually people would have an affinity for two elements." Hati nonchalantly said as the rest of the representatives looked at her but didn't say anything. "Why don't you try now Ms. Ichika."

Ichika seemed to have calmed down after what Hati said. She first touched the red sphere. The swirling red energy transformed into flame and heat can be felt emanating from the sphere. All the representatives nodded. She then moved to the second sphere which was blue in color. The swirl then liquified and turned to water. The representatives' eyes opened wide for a second which would only be noticed if you are heavily observing them. As for Ichika, it seemed that she noticed the representatives reactions. She then touched the yellow sphere. The swirl started to rotate slowly, producing a spark so small that it was hard to notice; But then the rotation stopped and the yellow swirl returned to its chaotic movement. As for the rest of the spheres, the swirl only rotated a bit but nothing significant really happened.

Hati was smirking all the time as she looked at Ichika, clapping her hands. "You did great. You can now go back to your place. Mr. Kron. Why don't you go next?"

Ichika returned to her place with her head down.

"That was really impressive." Kron whispered to Ichika as they passed each other.

Ichika twitched. She seemed surprised of the sudden praise. "Uh.. Thank you."

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Kron started holding the first sphere. The swirl was spinning fast but nothing has happened. The same scenario repeated for the 6 other spheres.

"Not even just one!" Kron clenched his hands into a fist due to frustration. Dejection started to fill his emotions.

"You seem to have a great amount of raw energy-" Pavo commented, shaking his head. He was the man sitting on the rightmost chair and wears a cloak and a mask that hides his face. "Unfortunately, you are not attuned. At least to the common elements."

Ichika was looking at Kron with conflicted eyes but she didn't know what to say to him so she just kept quiet. She then tried to look at Hati who was still smiling at her.

"Its your turn again Ms. Ruth." Hati said.

Ruth started touching the spheres and the spheres didn't also seem to react until the last one. The last one shone brightly before turning back to a sphere of swirling white energy.

"Not bad. Light is one of the elements that a few Attuned are able to get." Pavo nodded, smiling at Ruth.

The last two were also not Attuned like Kron. Ichika was now sure that she was duped by Hati. Two elements are not common at all.

"Are two elements really the average?" Carl asked as he was the last one to be given the test.

"That's not true. Not all awakened are attuned and most attuned have only one element. Hati lied to you." Pavo explained.

"Don't get angry at me. I just want you guys to do your best." Hati interjected, making an excuse but it was obvious that she was targeting Ichika.

Kron seemed to have relaxed a bit but he was still not happy with his results.

"Let's move on!" Parvula shouted.

The assistants cleaned up the spheres like before. Parvula then took out a jar of candies and placed them in front of him.

"Take one and swallow it." Parvula ordered.

"What is that?" Ruth asked, frowning at the jar of candies.

"Don't worry, Its not poisonous." Parvula assured.

The 5 took one each and swallowed it. Nothing really happened to the other 4 but one of them started grumbling by himself.

"It seems to have an effect on this Aman brat." Bahaar commented.

Aman felt pain on his arms then the color of the skin on his arms started to change. They were hardening and forming some kind of a carapace. Finally, his two arms are now colored green with a pattern like a turtle's shell.

"What is this? What happened to my arms and hands?" Aman shouted, fear and confusion filled his eyes.

"Calm down. It just means that you are a mutated or a mutant. You have an ability to change form or at least a part of you." Parvula explained. "Why don't you show him Bahaar?"

"Why me? Why not this guy," Bahaar pointed with his thumb on the guy sitting beside him who still hasn't talked. "but fine. I'll show them." Bahaar's right arm suddenly grew larger and its skin become dark red like his hair. After a few seconds it reverted back to his usual arms. "Will that suffice?"

"Why don't you try reverting your arms?" Parvula said, looking at Aman. "Just try calming down."

Aman focused on his arms and kept still. Soon, they reverted back to his usual arms. "I did it!"

"Very Good." Parvula exclaimed. "Why don't we proceed to the last exam?"

Parvula pulled out a scroll then opened it, revealing a painting of some sort of space. It was like a galaxy full of stars. With enough imagination, you will be able to make shapes with them like constellations.

"Focus on it. Extend your consciousness!" Parvula continued.

The 5 focused greatly at the painting but nothing was happening. They don't even know what they are supposed to be looking at.

"Nothing? Nothing? Well, I guess you all failed this test." Parvula said, rolling back the painting into a scroll. "Let's finish this then. Is there anyone of you who still have something to show?"

Ichika looked at Kron, frowning. She wanted to say something but decided against it.

"Well. If there is no one else." Parvula turned to Carl. "Carl! Step forward." He then asked the others if there are any other schools that want to take him but it seems that no one else wants to take him aside from Bahaar.

"Do you accept the sponsorship from Santalum Training Grounds?" Bahaar asked.

"Yes sir!" Carl confirmed.

Aman came next. Both Parvula and Bahaar have given him a choice on whether he wants to join the Oryza Institute of Learning or the Santalum Training Grounds. Oryza promised him a broader view of the world while Santalum promised that he would grow in strength and be able to use his abilities more effectively in combat. In the end, he accepted Parvula because it seems that the Santalum Training Grounds focused more on just fighting which he is afraid to do.

On Ruth's turn, she was given the choice to either join Hati and the Anthurium Conservatoire or Pavo and the Acanthus Academy. Acanthus Academy boasted about the best curriculum when it comes to the Attuned. Still, she chose Anthurium Conservatoire because there are more women there like her and there are more artistic paths like music and arts.

Kron's time came. No one seemed to want to sponsor him.

"Is this why the others are dejected when they came out? Why can't I do even one thing." Kron felt really bad for himself. He really wanted to change himself but he feels like the world is against him.

Suddenly, one of the assistants bended his body and whispered something towards one of the representatives. Kron was not able to recognize the assistant but it was the person with the large man that saved him against the forest creatures.

"We will sponsor him. I guess no one is against it?" Aves asked, inspecting the other representatives. He was the representative sitting beside Bahaar that hasn't talked yet.

"Not a Superhuman, not an Attuned, not a Mutated and not an Invoker." Hati sniggered. "Are you sure about that?"

"We all have limited quota to accept students. Don't waste a slot." Bahaar added, looking disappointed.

"How are you sure that he is not really a superhuman. Maybe he is but not in the body. It could be the mind. He could also be an attuned but on the other rarer elements that we can't test." Aves argued. "In fact, he could still be a gifted or unique."

"Do you really believe what you are saying?" Pavo irritatingly said. He could feel that Aves' words contained no conviction. "The chances of that are too small."

"Well, let's let him be. Even if Aves is wrong. This kid could still be a scholar or an engineer." Parvula said, he then turned to Kron. "What do you say?"

Each word that the representatives said are like a needle to the heart for Kron. He knew that everyone was looking down on him. Even some of the transported are sneering at him. It might be possible that he would get bullied again but he really had no choice but to move on.

"Do you accept my invitation for you to study in Dracanae Institute?" Aves asked. He didn't sound proud or hateful. He just seemed curious.

"I accept." Kron accepted. He was not happy but he was still at least a bit grateful for the opportunity. He knew that the representative does not seem to really value him that much.

Finally, it was Ichika's turn and as expected, everyone gave her an invite. Every representative except for Aves was so enthusiastic to show off their specialty, capability and technology. As for the rest of the transported, you could see the jealousy and bitterness in their face. They were thinking that she was either really lucky or that they could do better with enough time. Ichika looked at everyone's faces and the uneasiness in her started to grow until she saw Kron. He looked downhearted but smiled at her when their eyes met.

"May I join Dracanae Institute too?" Ichika sincerely asked.

"What? We have the best environment especially for women. I guarantee that you will be carefully groomed." Hati said, looking surprised that Ichika would pick Dracanae.

"You seem to have a bright future! We can expand your potential even more! Try to think again." Bahaar insisted, projecting his voice across the room.

"Potential? We have more knowledge when it comes to the elements." Pavo turned to Ichika. "That includes fire and water which you are attuned with."

"More knowledgeable? I beg to differ." Parvula interjected. "We have special privileges on the largest library inside this country."

"Are you all looking down on our institute?" Aves finally talked, looking pissed. "We have the most number of students and teachers if you forgot."

"That doesn't matter. What-" Pavo shouted before being interrupted.

Someone suddenly entered the room. He then pointed at his arm as if signaling about the time then he left.

"Let's stop. We have been wasting too much time and we need to respect her choice." Parvula ordered as he does have the highest authority in the room. He then looked at Aves.

"So you wish to join our school?" Aves asked.

"Yes. Please!" Ichika bowed her head.

"Alright! Welcome to Dracanae Institute." Aves smiled. The look he gave her was so different compared to when he accepted Kron.

"Before you all leave, I would like to remind you that the school you joined are not permanent. If you think that it doesn't fit you then you could change schools." Parvula said but he was mainly looking at Ichika.

The five transported finally was asked to leave the room.

"Very good Aves! Very good!" Bahaar sarcastically said, slapping the table hard.

"So that is why you accepted that good for nothing guy! You know that you would be able to make her join you!" Hati's eyes was full of displeasure as she looked at Aves.

"Good for nothing is too much Hati-" Pavo said before looking at Aves, shaking his head. "But you really are clever."

"I just hope that you give her good education." Parvula sighed.

Aves ignored what the other four said but he was smiling inside.