Chapter 3: The Strength Test

The students gathered in the Strength Test Chamber, their eyes fixed on the glowing machine in the center of the room. Sergeant Harrison then stood in front of the students explaining the rules that each student had to punch the machine with all their might, and the harder they punched the brighter the glow of the machine will be.

"The machine will measure your strength, each test will be testing your capabilities and the result will determine you're starting rank in the academy" the sergeant added with a cold calculating look as he lit a cigarette waved for the students to begin.

One by one, the students stepped forward, each with their own unique specialty. Some had elemental powers ranging from water to wind manipulation. Others had physical abilities, like muscle control, super strength or speed. A few had mysterious powers that seemed to defy explanation.

"Holy shit! Is that Elara Khaos" a student shouted as a tall and busty girl with long red hair and piercing red eyes walked toward the machine. Her figure had curves in all the right places, and her confident stride commanded attention. She then cut her palm and the blood that came out began glowing as it engulfed her fist, she then punched the machine and a crimson light engulfed the room.

Kael, a muscular boy with black hair that seemed to match the darkness walked towards the machine. As he walked pass Elara, a smile crept unto his face, suddenly the temperature in the room started to increase, his hair that was once black changed into a bright orange color, his eyed glowed an intense orange color as he punched toward the machine with bright orange flames engulfing his arm, immediately his arm hit the machine, flames danced across the machines surface causing to glow bright orange color reflecting his inner strength.

"That was the Pyrox family ability right"

"Yeah! All the big names keep popping out"

Lirien, who looked like a quiet guy came out his golden hair shining in the darkness, no one noticed when he reached the machine, and they only heard a loud boom before the hall was engulfed in a soft, ethereal light.

"Sigh! And now another one has popped up"

"Did you just say sigh as a word?" his neighbor looked at him with a raised eyebrowAs the test continued, the machine glowed brighter and brighter, the light pulsing with the student's inner powers. Some students struggled to make an impact, their punches barely registering on the machine. Others seemed to effortlessly send the machine into overdrive.

Soon, Aria walked forward with his long white hair dancing in the wind, his piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into the souls of the girls around him, and his chiseled features made him a standout among the other students. His cold calculating gaze was attractive yet strangely attractive. Even though his face was dirty it couldn't hide his own glow. As he walked towards the machine a terrifying crimson aura engulfing him and spread outwards affecting some of the students and causing them to faint due to the pressure.

'I guess I will have to use 10 % in this'

He then punched towards the machine with a precision that seemed cruel, and the machine responded with a burst of a bright crimson light

'Damn this guy is going all out huh' Kael thought to himself with an awkward smile plastered on his face. The sergeant's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Aria's aura. 'This boy's aura is strangely familiar…like that of a krillian almost.'

Aria walked towards the students once more except they looked at him with more respect

As the test ended, the students gathered around the machine, their eyes fixed on the glowing results. Elara's score was impressive, her strength and power evident in the bright crimson light. Kael's score was equally impressive, his flames burning hot and fierce. Lirien's score was more subdued, but his ethereal light seemed to pulse with a gentle power.

Aria's score, however, was a mystery. His aura flared to life around him, the crimson light pulsing with an otherworldly energy. But his actual score was hidden, the machine seeming to malfunction whenever anyone tried to access it.

The sergeant's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Aria. "It seems we have a mystery on our hands," he said, his voice low and calculating. "Aria, your strength is impressive, but your specialty… is unknown."

"Hah! I knew that was all just a light show… a nobody like him could never achieve such result." A recruit shouted with an annoying expression on his face.

Aria, who was standing at the corner not even bothered by what the sergeant said, opened his eyes, his piercing blue eyes glowed in the dull room. His gaze was calculating as he stared at the recruit which sent shivers down his spine as the gaze seemed to pierce through his soul.

"wh..Who do you think you are to stare at me like that…do you know who my father is" the recruit said with visible sweat running down his face. Aria, seemingly unbothered closed back his eyes and went back to his solidary meditation.

"Ok that is enough" the sergeant said, his voice overbearing and domineering. "The next test is about to begin, let me see who will still have the mouth to talk after this test.