Chapter 23
Chapter: The Affinity Test Begins
The Vice Principal's voice boomed through the vast testing hall, echoing off towering pillars carved with flowing mana runes.
"So, without any delay, let the test begin. Miss Begonia will announce the names of the children who will come forward in group to test their affinities."
A ripple of excitement, and tension, passed through the seated children. Parents leaned forward, some with proud smiles, others with prayer-like silence.
Miss Begonia stepped gracefully into view. In her late thirties, she carried an air of calm authority, neatly tied auburn hair, a kind smile, and an aura that instantly put nervous children at ease. As she unrolled the scroll, her voice rang clearly:
"I will now call the first batch of students to the stage. Please step forward when your name is called, Arlen Dross, Mavia Lin, Rolden Gray, Sira Whit, Toma Elric, Finna Vale, Carl Morn, Jessa Tyne, Leo Bran, and Kira Wen."
Ten children stepped forward, some eager, some trembling, some walking as if their legs were made of jelly.
On the platform stood ten tall crystal pillars, each embedded with a glowing mana-sphere. The spheres were the conduits; the pillars measured the affinity.
"Place your hands gently on the sphere," Miss Begonia instructed, "close your eyes, breathe naturally, and let the mana within you respond."
They did as told.
Immediately, one by one, the spheres awakened.
A soft blue glow…
A warm red pulse…
A shimmering green flicker…
The spectators murmured.Each glow carried a story, as if the universe was manifesting its wonders, each meant a different future.
A bright light meant one had the potential to rise as a mage of different aptitude with that affinity.
A dim light… meant one might struggle for the rest of their lives.
.........…
The Bursting Star of the First Batch
Gasps filled the hall when Sira Whit's pillar erupted into vibrant emerald light. The green glow climbed up the crystal column,
Ten percent… twenty… thirty… forty… fifty.
It stopped midway.
Half the pillar.
"She's got talent!" someone whispered.
"A fifty percent wood affinity… that's elite level for a child."
Sira opened her eyes, wide, stunned, trembling. She glanced at her parents, who were crying tears of joy.
But not all children were so lucky.
Leo Bran's pillar only gave a faint cyan glow, flickering up to fifteen percent before sputtering out.
The boy stared at it. His lips trembled.
"T-That's it…?"
His mother forced a smile, clapping a little too loudly.
"It's okay, Leo! Fifteen percent is still… good!"
But the whispers spread:
"Air affinity… but so low…"
"He might not be able to cast anything above Elementary spells."
"At best, maybe a wind-runner courier."
Leo's eyes lowered. For the first time, he understood that numbers could hurt.
But this was only the first batch.
Miss Begonia called the next ten names, the children placed their hands,Lights flickered.
But the crowd's attention focused on one girl, Finna Vale.
Her sphere glowed thick, earthy yellow.
The pillar lit up.
Ten percent… twenty… thirty… forty… fifty… sixty….
Sixty percent.
"What talent!"
"That's an earth-aligned genius!"
Finna covered her mouth, eyes filling with tears of joy.
But a boy next to her stared at his own pillar, which had stopped at eight percent. He bit his lip hard, blinking rapidly as if trying not to cry.
Lower than ten percent meant one thing:
"Uncultivatable" their entire future would be ordinary.
A life without magic spell above rank 0.
A life where even simple spells might never respond.
Miss Begonia placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Do not lose heart. Affinity is only one part of one's path."
But her soft words could not soften his heartbreak.
Afterwards she called the next batch"Jackson Drew!" Miss Begonia announced.
Jackson walked forward with a slow, confident swagger. His dark hair framed cold, emotionless eyes. Another student in a hood followed behind him, silent as a ghost.
"Place your hand on the sphere," Miss Begonia said.
Jackson smirked. "Let's see what I got."
The moment his palm touched the sphere…
BOOM.
A burst of deep pitch-black light erupted within the crystal, the hall gasped.
"Darkness…!"
"A rare affinity!"
"No way, outside the noble houses?"
Even in the viewing room above, two distinguished figures leaned closer.
Duke Harry Violet stroked his chin. "It's been years since I've seen a natural darkness affinity. Below fifty percent, but still, rare. A boy like that would thrive under proper tutelage…"
An old man with bald head, small beard and calm expression, Principal Chan, shot him a glare sharper than a blade.
"Harry, if you dare try poaching my students in front of me…"
"Haha! Old man Chan, relax. I'm only teasing, Mostly."
Below, Jackson removed his hand, head high, chest puffed.
"Knew I was special," he muttered, walking off.
His glow had reached forty-four percent, a strong darkness affinity.
Children stared at him with a mix of awe… and fear.
..........
The Meaning of Percentages, And Why Children Trembled
Inside the hall, the testing pillars stood like towering judges.
For a child, those percentages meant:
1–10%: Ordinary.
11–29%: Low tier.
30–49%: Mid tier.
50–69%: High tier.
70% and above: Genius tier.
Destined for fame,Some said the heavens favored them.
And the children knew what their percentage represented.
That was why some trembled when the light only reach 10 percent.
Others cheered when their pillar shone brightly.
Some cried silently when their glow faded too fast.
Each percentage was a path.
Each path was a destiny.
At seven years old, some children already felt their dreams breaking.
........
Batch after batch passed.Some lights soared, lighting the hall with dazzling colors, others flickered pitifully.
And with each new name called, Edward Everlong's heartbeat tightened.
He swallowed hard, hands trembling slightly.
Bella gently squeezed his hand. He looked at her.
She smiled, and that one smile eased him more than a thousand words.
"We trust Kelvin," she whispered. "No matter what number shows up… he's our son."
Edward exhaled shakily.
"You're right…"
But inside his chest, a storm churned.
Because soon….
Miss Begonia would call the next name.
The name he feared and cherished more than anything.
The name that would shake his world:
"Kelvin Everlong!"