"Alright!" Lewer clapped his hands.
"Each of you will receive a number and a symbol. Cooperate with the staff."
-
After a while.
Aren got the number 8467 and the circle symbol.
Lewer started announcing,"Now we are going to check your vana level, please head to your room which has the same symbol as you got."
Everyone started lining up infront of their respective room and started stepping inside and checking their vana energy one by one.
Aren was waiting in the line and suddenly,
He saw him...
The blonde haired boy in the triangle symbols line unwrapping a chocolate bar.
Then.
It was the blonde-haired boy's turn.
He stepped in, a minute later...
Smoke began to leak out of the room.
The door burst open—
Staff members rushed out in panic.
Then…
He walked out.
Calm.
One hand in his pocket.
The other holding a chocolate bar.
Crunch.
A staff member came "we sincerely apologise, that our machine in this room have broken, we kindly ask you to move to the room which has the square symbol."
Everyone who had formed a line in the triangle symbol room started to go to the square symbol room.
"He broke it… just by scanning his Vana…"
"That pressure… it's insane…"
Aren stared.
"…He's on a different level…"
Suddenly, Aren Heard a voice from behind.
"Man… I thought it'd be tough for kids to get selected."
Aren turned.
A middle-aged man stood behind him, smiling.
"No offense," he added with a chuckle.
"I've got a son your age. He wanted to join too… but I didn't allow it."
Aren gave a small, awkward smile.
"I'm Belon Stir. Mind telling me your name?"
"…Aren Milen."
Belon's eyes widened—
then he laughed.
"You remind me of an old friend…"
Belon's eyes widened, and he started laughing "you remind me of an old friend of mine."
-
Lewer turned more interested in Aren.
He called one of his employee.
" Tasha."
"Yes."
"Bring me the details of that blonde-haired kid?"
Tasha nodded and went to the office room .
After a minute she returned carrying a file, " got it."
Lewer smirked "lets hear it."
Tasha didn't open the file immediately "answer me first."
Lewer glanced at her" what?"
"You don't usually get interested in candidates?"
"Why him?" She asked.
Lewer chuckled " you really want to know?"
He looked back toward the testing area.
"…Because that boy…"
"…has the potential to become the strongest."
Tasha's eyes widened.
"…Even Rika?"
Lewer smiled faintly.
"Maybe."
"…Or surpass her."
Tasha went silent for a moment… then nodded.
"Alright."
She opened the file.
"Candidate number 8468."
"Age: Fifteen."
"Origin: Nippon."
"…Name—Rorin Sential."
Lewer repeated it under his breath.
"Rorin… Sential…"
He paused.
Then suddenly—
He laughed.
Tasha frowned.
"What's so funny?"
Lewer waved his hand.
"Nothing."
"…You can go."
-
"Next." A staff called out.
It was Aren's turn to scan his vana.
He stepped inside, nervously.
It was like a laboratory inside. Big machineries all over. Wires going here and there. People wearing lab coats like they are going to do an operation.
Aren got anxious, he gulped.
Weirdly there was a huge black-shiny ball in the middle of the room.
"Please place your hand in the scanner." A staff member said.
" This black ball?" Aren asked.
"Yeah."
Aren took his hand and placed it over the ball.
"Alright. Wait about... Ten seconds." A staff said.
After ten seconds. Aren took his hand off. A huge screen turned on.
It popped the number zero and gradually started increasing.
It stopped at...
( Processing energy level )
*Candidate's vana energy level is estimated to be*
* 241*
"Oh so you belong to grade green barely scraping into grade yellow" a staff said.
Aren got confused.
"Iam new to this grading stuff..."
"...Can you explain?"
The staff shrugged and agreed.
"This machine measures how much Vana your body can store."
Aren listened closely.
"Below 250? That's Green."
"250 to 500—Yellow."
"500 to 750—Orange."
"750 to 1000—Red."
The staff paused.
"…And anything above 1000…"
"…is Black."
Aren stared at the number.
241.
His fingers tightened slightly.
"…So I'm…"
"…weak."
The door opened.
Aren stepped out.
"…241."
Someone muttered.
"Still green…"
"That' rough…"
Aren looked away.
Then he went aside and sat down on a chair. His thoughts flooding in his head. His heart started pounding. Sweating.
"If I didnt get the pass..."
"...How am I supposed to save him."
Belon walked out after his scan.
He glanced at Aren… then sat beside him.
"Why the long face, kid?"
Aren looked at him.
"…It's nothing."
Belon sighed.
"You know… talking about it might actually help."
"…So go on."
Aren hesitated.
"…I'M WEAK."
Belon went quiet for a moment.
Then he chuckled.
"…That's it?"
Aren frowned.
"You think you're the only weak one here?"
He leaned back slightly.
"Yeah… that blonde kid?"
"…He's different."
"Maybe he was born strong."
Belon turned his head toward Aren.
"But so what?"
"That just means he started ahead."
"It doesn't decide where you end up."
Aren stayed silent.
"Listen, kid…"
"Being weak isn't the problem."
"…Staying weak is."
His voice grew calmer.
"The moment you admit you're weak…"
"…that's the moment you can start changing it."
Belon smirked.
"And trust me…"
"People who know they're weak…"
"…are way more dangerous than those who think they're strong."
"Besides…"
"…monsters like him?"
"They fall the hardest."
Aren clenched his fist slightly.
"...Then I'll grow."
-
The speakers crackled to life.
Lewer's voice echoed through the entire hall.
"Alright…"
"…I believe everyone has completed their scans."
A brief pause.
"Now—"
"…we move on to Phase Two."
Aren straightened slightly.
"…The next test…"
"…will be a written exam."
Silence.
"…A written test?"
Aren muttered, confused.
Murmurs spread across the room.
"That's it?"
"After all this…?"
Some scoffed.
Some relaxed.
Lewer smiled faintly.
"…There are thirty exam halls."
"Each marked with a symbol."
"Enter the hall that matches yours."
"Your papers will be distributed shortly."
Everyone began heading to their respective halls.
Aren Stepped in to the one marked with circle symbol. He was nervous- of course. but determined.
He had to get the pass.
Finding a seat he sat down quietly, the speaker crackled once again.
"As per Yeager regulations, cheating will result in instant disqualification."
Lewer voice echoed.
" So do not try to cheat.", beep.
The speaker went silent
An examiner entered the hall.
Papers in hand.
One by one, they were distributed.
Aren's fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
Please be easy…
The paper reached him.
He exhaled…
Slowly-
He flipped it open.
…
His eyes widened.
"…What?"