The next morning, Narasha, Nevil, and Ashan made their way to the National Rankers Registration Department, a towering structure of steel and glass. Its vast halls bustling with awakeners, officials, and quietly observing figures dressed far too well to be ordinary civilians. The air itself felt tense, thick with ambition and competition.
Following Ashan's careful instructions, Narasha wore a mask and cap to obscure her striking features as much as possible, dulling her presence and allowing her to blend into the crowd.
Ashan and Nevil, on the other hand, dressed casually, their relaxed attire standing out in subtle contrast to the crisp suits and uniforms dominating the building.
Their appointments were already scheduled, and they joined the waiting line without incident. Three others stood ahead of them. One nervously tapping his foot, another scrolling endlessly through a device, and the third staring blankly at the far wall as if preparing for judgment.
Ashan's eyes swept across the waiting area with practiced ease. He took note of the sharply dressed individuals stationed around the hall. some pretending to converse, others quietly observing, their gazes lingering a fraction too long on promising candidates.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips before he deliberately looked away.
'As expected,' Ashan thought. 'The competition between every association in this country is vicious. They really don't waste time, sending agents to scout and recruit fresh talent the moment it ripens.'
His gaze flicked briefly toward the line. 'Aside from us, there's only one genuine C-ranker here in the line. The rest? Planted observers. Waiting to pounce.'
'Narasha and I agreed to suppress our mana and cap it at B-rank to avoid unnecessary attention. Nevil's legitimately a B-ranker now, so there's no need for him to hold back.'
Ashan exhaled softly. 'B-rank is the sweet spot, high enough to be valuable, low enough not to cause panic. High-rankers rarely mingle openly in society. Still… I bet those agents will pull out every trick they have. Offers, bribes… maybe even quiet threats.'
The wait stretched on for nearly an hour and a half. The hall buzzed with low murmurs, occasional device beeps, and the faint hum of mana-detection equipment running in the background. Subtle glances were exchanged. Silent evaluations were made.
Finally, their turn arrived.
The three of them entered the testing room together.
Inside, a woman wearing spectacles worked briskly across several computer screens, her fingers flying across keyboards with mechanical precision. Beside her stood a friendly-looking man in a white coat, his posture relaxed and his smile practiced but genuine.
"The appointment indicates this young lady is newly awakened," he said, glancing at his tablet, "and the two of you are here to renew your ranks."
Ashan and Nevil nodded simultaneously.
The man gestured toward a nearby cube glowing with a soft, pale blue light.
"Then please come here one by one and pour all of your mana into this cube. It will measure your mana capacity and density so we can officially approve your ranks."
Ashan gently placed a hand on Narasha's shoulder and leaned in, whispering quietly while pointing toward the cube.
"You go first. Remember, do exactly as we agreed. Hold back and show only that amount."
"Alright, alright. I'll go," Narasha replied, her voice slightly muffled by the mask, though her tone carried no hint of nervousness.
She stepped forward, the instructor following closely behind.
"Place both hands on the cube and channel your mana into it," he instructed. "Make sure you drain everything."
Narasha complied, pressing her palms against the cube. Her mana flowed smoothly into it, and the cube immediately shifted from blue to a deep, ominous red, pulsing rhythmically as energy surged through it. A few nearby monitors flickered in response.
After several tense seconds, she pulled her hands away.
The woman at the console adjusted her glasses, eyes narrowing as she read the data.
"9350 mana units. Density: 5.1." She paused briefly before continuing. "Narasha Corwin, you are officially registered as a B-ranker, very close to the plus range."
A subtle ripple passed through the room. The instructor let out a low whistle of appreciation as he recorded the data. Even he couldn't hide his surprise.
Next, Nevil stepped forward with steady confidence. He placed his hands on the cube, releasing his mana without hesitation. The cube shifted to a dark yellow hue, its glow stable and controlled.
"7910 mana units. Density: 4.0," the woman announced. "Nevil Arashahn, official B-ranker."
Nevil relaxed slightly, a satisfied smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Finally, Ashan approached.
He placed his hands on the cube, carefully regulating the flow of mana. The cube responded with a calm green glow.
"8879 mana units. Density: 5.5," she read aloud. "Ashan Ashvale, official B-ranker."
The instructor's smile widened as he input the final numbers.
"Three B-rankers, and one already brushing the plus range. That's an impressive lineup. It's rare to see this much potential gathered in one group."
He straightened and gestured toward a nearby door.
"Next, we'll assess your abilities to determine suitable career paths. Please follow me."
The room beyond was massive, far larger than the previous one, lined with cameras, mana sensors, and monitoring devices embedded into the walls and ceiling. Everything about it radiated cold, clinical scrutiny.
The instructor gave them a short period to steady themselves and recover enough mana before proceeding.
"Alright," the instructor said. "Let's begin. Ms. Corwin, what abilities do you possess?"
Narasha glanced briefly at Ashan before answering.
"I have telekinesis. I mainly use it for offensive purposes."
The instructor's eyebrows shot up. "Telekinesis? That's quite rare among awakeners." He hesitated, then pointed toward a rack filled with daggers and swords. "May I use those for demonstration?"
Narasha didn't answer verbally. She simply extended her hand.
In the next instant, the weapons lifted into the air, rising smoothly before spinning into formation above the instructor's head. Dozens of blades hovered in a tight circle, all tips angled downward, gleaming menacingly under the lights.
"Is this enough?" she asked calmly.
The instructor froze, eyes wide behind his glasses. A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
'This level of control… from a newly awakened B-ranker?' His heart skipped. 'This rivals an A-ranker. If the recruiters outside catch even a whisper of this…'
He nodded quickly and stepped back.
Turning to Nevil, he cleared his throat.
"Mr. Arashahn, according to the database, you possess Power Punch, Double Slash, and Threat Detection. I assume these abilities have strengthened since your re-awakening. Any new developments?"
"Yes," Nevil replied. "Aside from overall improvements, I've gained a new ability that reduces the chance of losing weapons or shields during combat. It's fairly developed, but it only activates in battle, so I can't demonstrate it here."
"I see," the instructor nodded. "That's a common but valuable enhancement." He logged it without further comment.
Finally, his attention shifted to Ashan.
"Mr. Ashvale," he said, tone curious, "the database lists healing abilities and fire magic. Have you developed anything new?"
Ashan stepped forward, smiling faintly. He formed several hand seals with practiced ease before clenching his fist.
[Chidori]
Blue lightning erupted around his hand, crackling violently and filling the air with sharp, shrill sounds reminiscent of chirping birds. He deliberately released a portion of his mana, careful to keep the display impressive yet restrained, avoiding any hint of suspicion.
The instructor froze mid-step. "What… what kind of ability is that? Electrical?"
Ashan nodded. "Yes. I gained it after my awakening. I can coat my fist with it and deliver a blow strong enough to shatter a wall."
Narasha watched him intently.
'Another strange ability… Can he really create skills like he said? He's completely abnormal.'
Nevil was stunned, though unlike the others, he understood just how deep Ashan's power truly ran.
The instructor leaned closer, eyes shining with excitement.
"Incredible. This suggests a battle mage evolution. Normally, lightning-type abilities require weapons as conduits. I've never seen someone channel it directly through their body."
He pressed a switch.
With a loud mechanical whir, an imposing iron wall rose from the floor.
"That wall is designed to test physical-based attacks. It'll calculate damage output and attack power. Go ahead."
Ashan stepped forward, positioning himself squarely before the wall. His lightning-wreathed fist moved in a blur.
Boom…!
The impact echoed like thunder. His fist punched cleanly into the iron wall, metal screeching as it twisted violently around his embedded arm. Fragments fell to the floor as a gaping hole formed in the center.
The display above the wall flickered, then locked onto a number.
'150,345'
The instructor's breath caught in his throat.
'What the hell…? I expected vibration, maybe a dent. But he punched straight through it.'
His gaze slowly lifted to Ashan, disbelief battling in his expression.
'Unbelievable. A B-ranker wielding an A-rank level ability? Not only that, it appears to be a unique, one-of-a-kind. The instant this information is uploaded, every association will scramble to recruit him.
'What an amazing discovery.'