Chapter-2

  The town square was packed by the time they arrived, the usual market stalls replaced by a raised platform where the testing was being conducted. A series of stone pedestals stood in a neat row, each etched with glowing runes and manned by a robed official. Families clustered around the edges, some standing tall with quiet confidence, others shifting nervously.

  Ren and Leo pushed through the crowd, weaving past groups of murmuring onlookers. A few noble children stood off to the side, their finely tailored clothes a stark contrast to the more modest attire of the commoners around them. Some watched the tests with vague disinterest, while others whispered and smirked amongst themselves.

  Leo caught Ren’s eye and smirked. “I was right. We would’ve been fine showing up late. Look at that guy—he’s actually falling asleep.” He nodded toward a bored-looking official, who barely glanced at the trembling girl placing her hand into the test basin.

  Ren huffed. “Just because they don’t care about us doesn’t mean we should make it easier for them to dismiss us.”

  As they stepped further into the square, a stern-looking clerk directed them toward a roped-off area where other commoner children were waiting their turn. A large wooden board listed the names in order of testing, with each candidate moving forward as their name was called.

  One by one, students approached the stone pedestals, dipping their hands into the testing basins. For most, the results were underwhelming—weak ripples in the water, barely perceptible flashes of mana that quickly faded. The examiners didn’t even bother recording their names, merely shaking their heads before dismissing them with a quiet, “Next.”

  The rare cases where a child showed promise were met with clipped nods or murmured notes in the officials’ ledgers. A few managed to sustain a glow within the basin, their mana stable enough to be acknowledged. But so far, none had been strong enough to truly impress.

  Beyond the testing area, separate from the rest of the crowd, a group of nobles stood on an elevated platform, watching with idle amusement. Most were representatives from various academies, sent to observe rather than recruit. None expected to find talent among commoners—but they were here, nonetheless, ensuring they didn’t miss anything exceptional.

  Ren could see a few notable figures among them. Lord Edevane, a scholar and recruiter for the Royal Academy, leaned on his cane with a disinterested expression, his attendants whispering in his ear between each test. A few representatives from smaller mage academies were also present, though they seemed far more engaged, hoping for a hidden gem among the common-born candidates.

  And then there were the noble heirs, standing in a cluster off to the side, exchanging smirks and barely veiled jabs about the pathetic displays before them.

  Ren’s gaze flicked toward Leo, who was watching the tests with a relaxed posture. He didn’t seem nervous. If anything, he looked eager.

  Then—

  “Leo Thorne.”

  Leo straightened, rolling his shoulders before stepping forward. He shot Ren a quick, lopsided grin. “Well, let’s see if I’m a lost cause or if I’m destined for greatness.”

  Ren snorted. “Try not to annoy them too much.”

  Leo only laughed as he approached the pedestal, placing his hand into the water.

  For a moment, nothing happened.

  Then—

  The entire basin shook.

  Water surged violently, overflowing onto the stone platform as the runes flared with an almost blinding light. A deep hum filled the air, a resonance that sent a shiver through the crowd.

  A collective gasp rippled through the commoners.

  The examiners, who had been going through the motions with polite disinterest, snapped to attention. One of them nearly dropped his ledger, scrambling to steady the basin. Even the bored noble spectators suddenly looked intrigued, their conversations pausing as they leaned forward.

  Leo’s grin faltered slightly as he tried to steady the water, but it pulsed in uneven bursts, shifting wildly between violent waves and eerie stillness. It was raw, unrefined power—enormous but completely untamed.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Try and control it!” the official ordered, his voice no longer carrying the usual dispassionate boredom.

  Leo exhaled sharply, his fingers twitching against the basin’s surface. He tried, but the fluctuations only grew worse.

  The whispers grew louder.

  "That output—it’s absurd. Even among noble heirs, that’s…"

  "He’s got power, but no control. A waste."

  "If a noble had that much raw mana, they’d be courted by the top academies."

  A recruiter from a smaller academy scribbled furiously into his notes, while a few of the noble heirs exchanged wary glances. Some looked irritated. Others, intrigued.

  Lord Edevane actually straightened, stroking his beard as he observed the reaction. “Fascinating… if only he had the refinement to match though that can be fixed.”

  The lead official finally raised his hand, and the runes dimmed, cutting the test short. He exhaled, shaking his head, but there was no dismissal in his gaze—only consideration.

  “A large mana pool, but poor control,” he said, his tone more measured than before. “With proper guidance, you could become a great mage. If you're willing to put in the effort, there’s real potential here.”

  The words carried weight, heavier than anything said before. For commoners, a statement like that wasn’t just encouragement—it was an opportunity.

  Leo blinked, caught off guard for the first time. Then he smirked, shaking off the water from his hand. “Guess I’ll have to work on that, then.”

  Ren watched the reaction around them—whispers, scribbling notes, assessing glances from nobles who hadn’t cared minutes ago. Even some of the noble heirs looked less amused and more… wary.

  Leo was still grinning, clearly reveling in the attention his test had drawn. “Guess I wasn’t just all talk, huh?” he said, rocking back on his heels.

  Before Ren could respond, the official cleared his throat and called out, “Ren Aldren.”

  Ren tensed at the sound of his name. The murmuring crowd, still buzzing from Leo’s shocking results, barely paid attention as he stepped forward. Compared to what they had just witnessed, no one expected anything noteworthy.

  Leo clapped him on the back, grinning. “Go get 'em' buddy.”

  Ren rolled his eyes but didn’t respond, keeping his expression neutral as he approached the test basin. His heartbeat quickened slightly, though he told himself it was just nerves. He wasn’t expecting anything. There was no point.

  He placed his hand onto the cold surface of the basin. Immediately, the runes flickered to life, casting a soft glow across his fingers. He felt something stir deep within him, like a distant pull—then the basin flared.

  A sharp, focused light surged from the runes, burning brighter than the flickering responses of the other commoners before him but nowhere near as overwhelming as Leo’s. The air crackled faintly as the mana swirled, coalescing into clear, controlled patterns.

  The examiners straightened slightly. The lead official, who had been lazily watching the proceedings, leaned in with a more discerning gaze. Unlike Leo’s untamed burst of power, Ren’s mana responded smoothly, efficiently, as if shaped by an unseen force.

  A few whispers rippled through the commoners, but it was the nobles and academy recruiters who took true notice. Their interest sharpened, eyes flicking between the controlled response of the basin and the boy standing before it.

  The lead official hummed, considering. “Not particularly large, but refined,” he murmured, almost to himself. He let the runes flare a moment longer before raising his hand. The basin dimmed, and Ren let out a slow breath.

  A few murmurs spread through the crowd, but the reaction was far more subdued compared to Leo’s. While the commoners barely registered Ren’s results, the nobles and recruiters studied him with mild interest. Though not as much as Leo’s overwhelming mana pool, Ren’s control had caught their attention—enough to make them take notice, but not enough to be truly remarkable in their eyes.

  Most of the recruiters exchanged brief glances before shifting their focus back to their ledgers, scribbling down notes. A few seemed to weigh the results in their minds before moving on.

  All except one.

  The representative from Green Zone Academy, an older man dressed in deep emerald robes embroidered with arcane symbols, leaned forward with keen interest. His sharp eyes gleamed as he observed the basin, then flicked to Ren. The academy was known for its focus on alchemy, enchanting, and magical craftsmanship—fields that required precision and control rather than raw power. And Ren’s mana, while not abundant, was astonishingly refined.

  He whispered something to his aide, who quickly jotted down notes. A silent message passed between them, and the recruiter nodded, clearly marking Ren as someone worth pursuing.

  Ren caught the look and furrowed his brows slightly. Green Zone Academy? He had read about them, but he’d never imagined they’d be the ones most interested in him.

  Just as the next name was about to be called, a voice cut through the noise, cool and unwavering.

  "Those two are mine."

  The words weren’t loud, but they carried an undeniable weight.

  The speaker was a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in navy and silver—the unmistakable colors of the Royal Academy. Unlike the other recruiters, who had been actively watching the tests, he hadn’t even looked up from his notes. His tone was calm, disinterested, as if he were merely stating a fact rather than making a claim.

  Silence fell over the gathering. Even the Green Zone recruiter frowned slightly, glancing toward the Royal Academy instructor with a hint of irritation.

  Ren’s stomach twisted. He didn’t know what unsettled him more—the sheer confidence in the man’s words or the way he hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge them directly.

  Leo let out a low whistle, nudging Ren with his elbow. “Did not see that coming when I rolled out of bed this morning.”