VAREN was guided deeper into the AURELION AWAKENED COUNCIL BRANCH.
The halls widened, the ceiling rising higher the deeper he went, until they opened into a vast chamber. Rows of machines filled the space—frames of metal and glass, cables running like veins along the floor and walls. Each station was manned by staff members holding tablets, their eyes constantly shifting between screens.
"This is the evaluation hall," the guide from the reception desk said without slowing. "All newly awakened are tested here."
Varen glanced around. "All of this… just for testing?"
"For information," the man corrected. "we need to store information about Ability Awakeners. their ability type, scale.. Growth potential, their weaknesses. these are necessary to register for each new awakened, in the case of some going rogue, capturing them will be much more simple with their info."
It sounded less like an explanation and more like a warning.
Varen said nothing. The concern was unnecessary. Even though his parents had died because of a battle between an awakened criminal and the very organization that used this information base, the [OCD], he held no grudge. He only regretted not awakening earlier. After all, his case was nothing new.
At least he had awakened. Many never did.
They stopped before a marked testing zone.
"we will start a physical evaluation first," the guide said. "Please step forward."
..
The tests came one after another.
Varen stepped to a hundred meters track, testing his explosive speed.
"Begin."
When the staff signaled the start, Varen exploded forward. His speed tore through the air, leaving a faint gust in his wake. He felt like flying.
The sensors flared red.
"Time recorded," the staff calmly announced the results. "One hundred meters / Four seconds."
Varen stared at the screen. "That's… wrong."
"It isn't," the guide said from the side. "This is pretty normal, Mr. Varen. Continue."
Next came the reinforced pad machine for punch testing.
Varen stood tall, took a boxing stance, then channeled his power from his feet to his core, his shoulder snapping forward as he launched a straight punch. Varen struck the pad, making a booming sound echo in the chamber.
"Force output," the following staff unhurriedly jotted the data, at the same time announcing the results. "One thousand kilograms."
Varen had expected improvement. He had trained for two years straight. His body had already been pushed beyond normal limits long before today.
Still, the results stunned him.
Varen slowly flexed his fingers.
"That's not human," he muttered.
"No," the guide agreed this time. "It isn't."
..
Then came the reaction test.
A circular arena surrounded him. Projectors flickered to life.
"This is the advanced reaction test," a staff member explained. "Dodge the green projectiles, block the blue ones. Some are illusions—you must not touch them, no matter the color."
"Pretty simple." Varen nodded and stepped onto the platform.
Lights flashed. The test began.
Varen focused on what he called his space perception. The arena was ten meters wide—double his sensing range—but it didn't matter. He could react the moment anything entered his perception field.
Calmly facing the projectiles, he moved with precision, dodging and blocking with minimal effort.
"His ability is tailored for this test," an onlooker commented.
"It seems so. A sensory ability, useful for research," another whispered, signaling a staff member who quietly left the chamber.
"Even the illusionary ones can't escape my detection," Varen muttered.
He was learning his limits through the test. He couldn't access the second energy yet, but he felt he would someday eventually be able to harness it, that is when his true ability will manifest.
As the projectiles grew faster, he began sweating. The shots came like bullets at close range. He managed to dodge most, predict others, but eventually started missing.
"That's enough. He's at his limit," the guide said.
"Reaction time," the system announced. "Zero point zero four seconds."
Varen exhaled slowly. "That's…" He trailed off.
"Normal," the guide said.
Varen turned sharply. "Normal?"
"For awakened," the man replied. "Your ability does not enhance your body directly. This is baseline mystic energy reinforcement. only your reaction is exceptional among the new awakened"
Varen laughed once, short and disbelieving. "This is baseline?"
"Yes."
That gave him a vague idea of the world he was stepping into.
"How fascinating," he murmured.