After the speed and reaction test, Kons led them away from the forest and back into the large building, where they entered a room. A large block of tal was embedded into the opposite wall.
Kons turned to address them.
"The next test is strength, young lord. Just strike the tal over there."
"...Understood."
The young heir nodded and stepped toward the tal.
Kons watched him carefully as he closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. Then he lowered his stance slightly, pulling his arm back.
The next mont, Zephyrion’s fist shot forward like a harpoon, slamming into the tal with an explosive burst of force.
The tal trembled faintly, then stilled.
Kons’ eyes widened.
’This...’
The young heir’s technique was far too perfect to belong to a child. He hadn’t noticed a single imperfection. From the stance to the strike, every part of his body had been utilized in that punch.
Kons gulped. Even he doubted he could replicate sothing like that.
He exhaled, quickly moving to assess his strength.
’Also mark three...’
Throwing a baffled glance at Zephyrion, he gestured toward Lumi. The petite girl adopted a firm expression as she stepped before the tal.
She mirrored Zephyrion’s stance, then drove her fist forward. A loud boom echoed as her tiny fist struck the tal. Clearly, her small fra was deceptive. This little girl was a monster.
Shaking his head, Kons hastily approached the tal and confird that it was also mark three strength.
Leaving the room for a few monts, Kons returned with a round ball of tal.
"The next test is control, young lord. We’ll be assessing your Resonance."
Kons gestured toward the tal ball resting on his arm.
"This sphere was forged by a Mark seven Vessel... try to move it."
"...Alright."
Kons nodded and set the ball down before Zephyrion, then stepped back. His eyes remained fixed on him, watching closely.
’Let’s see how he fares in this one.’
A tal ball created by a Mark seven was the standard for testing the Resonance level of other Vessels.
The higher the rank of the one who created the tal, the harder it was for those of lower ranks to control it. Though how well one could control it still depended on their mark and resonance level.
’He should at least be able to make it roll.’
Kons felt his conclusion was certain. While Zephyrion’s performance had already shocked him, there was no doubt that his strength and speed pointed to him being at Mark three of the Vessel rank.
He ca out of his thoughts as Zephyrion stretched out his arm toward the ball, his eyes closing.
Kons frowned at the silence.
’Why can’t I hear the hum?’
Any connection with the WorldPulse always birthed a hum that could be sensed by other Ascendants.
His frown deepened.
’Could his resonance be that high?’
Resonance level was simply the degree to which one’s existence aligned with the WorldPulse. It determined how easily one could sense it, and how strongly and fast it responded in return. It was innate and fixed at birth.
Those with low resonance tended to emit a loud hum when connecting to the WorldPulse, while the higher the resonance, the fainter that hum beca.
Zephyrion was clearly attempting to move the tal, which ant he was already connected to the WorldPulse... yet Kons couldn’t hear a single thing.
A tense mont of silence passed, then Kons’ eyes narrowed as the ball began to tremble.
’It’s moving!’
The next mont, it shot straight into Zephyrion’s grip.
Kons’ heart lurched.
’He lifted it!?’
But that wasn’t all.
The young heir opened his eyes and stared at the round ball intently. The ball trembled violently, then began to lose its shape.
Kons felt his body tremble.
’What in the Iron Father...’
He was shaping it. A Mark three Vessel was shaping a tal created by a Mark seven!
Kons had overseen this test for nurous geniuses and prodigies, youths who had reached Mark five, and all they had managed to do was make it roll. How on earth could a Mark three shape it!?
’So it wasn’t a fluke.’
He hadn’t heard a single hum throughout the entire process. A chill ran down his spine as he stared at Zephyrion.
’What the hell is he?’
He couldn’t begin to imagine how overwhelming the young heir’s resonance with the WorldPulse had to be to achieve sothing like this.
Eventually, the young heir stopped, having ford the tal into a pole. He turned, fixing Kons with a calm, steady gaze.
"Is that enough?"
"Y-yes... that’s... that’s more than enough."
"...Mm."
Zephyrion gave a nod, then reverted the tal back into its ball form and placed it down.
Kons gulped.
’How is he still calm?’
It was as though the young heir had no understanding of the significance of what he had just done.
Eventually, it was Lumi’s turn. Though Kons had been certain nothing could shock him again, he was quickly proven wrong when the petite girl lifted the tal with ease.
However, unlike Zephyrion, Kons could hear a hum, faint, almost imperceptible, and easily missed if one wasn’t paying attention.
In the end, she had only managed to slightly deform the ball. Yet even that was enough for Kons to stare at her in disbelief.
As Lumi scurried back to Zephyrion with a bright smile, Kons stared at the pair as though he were looking at a pair of monsters.
After a mont, he forced himself out of his shock and spoke.
"...It’s ti for the next test."
Combat.
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