Chapter 13: Mana Detection Test

Two hours had passed since Lake had attempted the strength test.

Since then he has already completed the Speed, Reflex and Endurance Tests that the association had prepared.

All of his scores so far were above one, completely shocking everyone in the facility.

Lake was currently standing by himself as he awaited the final test that the association had prepared. At this point in the qualifiers, only four out of the forty something students had passed.

Everyone was standing apart from one another but they all kept their eyes on Lake. Kate was also staring him down as well. In fact, she had never once taken her eyes off Lake since he finished the strength test. She only took her eyes off him for the period of time when she took her tests.

Her gaze was the most bothersome to Lake as she stared with her cold eyes and frown. If it wasn't for the fact that Lake knew better from reading her past, he would have assumed she was into him.

Instructor Derek stood in front of everyone as he observed the remaining examinees.

"Alright everyone, this would be the final test that you will be taking. I will also say that the results of this test do not affect your final result and that you all have already passed the qualifiers. A week from now, you are required to return to the association at the same time as today in order to partake in the actual exam." Derek said.

"If that's the case, there is no reason for us to take this test." One of the students pointed out.

"Indeed, there is no reason for you to take this test as it is purely for research data." Derek explained, "If anyone does not wish to take part in this test, say now and you will be escorted outside of the association."

After considering for a short period of time, one of the students decided to not partake in the test, leaving only Lake, Kate and Allen, the first student to pass the Strength Test.

After that student had left, Derek said to the remaining three students, "Alright, you three have decided to partake in the final test. Follow me."

Derek turned around after speaking before leading the three of them to the final test. After a short walk, the group arrived in front of a strange capsule-like machine. The capsule was shaped like a cocoon with a seat inside.

"The final test is the Mana Detection Test. Its purpose is to find out if you have any mana inside your body or not and the strength of it. The process is quick and will only take a few seconds per student. Allen, you're up first. All you have to do is sit inside the capsule and relax."

Allen nodded his head, before walking up to the capsule and taking a seat inside. Soon, Derek pressed a button on the capsule, closing the capsule door.

Lake watched on with interest as he was extremely curious about this mystical energy known as mana. Lake had always been curious about mana and the power it held, and this curiosity was deeply enhanced after he had witnessed the battle between Romero and Don.

As Lake watched, he saw a blue light go through the capsule as it scanned Allen's body. After a few seconds of this, the light faded as a message appeared on a screen near the capsule.

[No Mana Detected. Mana Rating - 0]

Soon the capsule door opened and Allen stepped out. Looking at his results, Allen only sighed but didn't say anything.

After Allen walked to the side, Derek nodded his head before looking at Kate, "Your Next."

Kate didn't say anything as she entered the capsule. After the capsule finished scanning her, the results appeared on the screen.

[Trace of Mana Has Been Detected. Mana Rating - 0.15]

Seeing the results, Derek spoke, "0.15, not bad for a newbie. Now for the last person, Lake, get in."

Lake nodded before walking up to the capsule. Considering what his status showed him, Lake already knew the results that were going to show up but didn't say anything and just went with it.

While Lake was entering the capsule, everyone else was anticipating his results, especially Kate and Derek who wanted to see how high his Mana Rating was going to be.

As Lake entered the capsule, Derek quickly closed the door and began the scanning process. Lake felt a tingling sensation as the blue light scanned through his body. The feeling only lasted a few seconds before it disappeared, ending the test .

As Lake exited the capsule he took a glance at his results.

[No Mana Detected. Mana Rating - 0]

Seeing that his results were as expected, Lake only shrugged his shoulders before turning his gaze back to the rest of the group.

He soon noticed that the group seemed to be stunned as they stared in disbelief at the result screen.

Kate and Derek were the most shocked as they stared with wide eyes at the result.

"T-that's impossible…" Derek murmured under his breath as he looked at the results.

Kate also felt the same as Derek as she never expected this result.

"Sir, can I leave now?" Lake asked as he looked at Derek.

"Ah, y-yes. You can all leave now." Derek spoke as he called for someone to guide the group out.

…

Lake stretched as he exited the association building. Through this qualifier test, Lake was able to figure out a few things about the system and himself.

First of all, the system uses the same rating system as the Martial Arts Association to rate stats. This made it easier for Lake to figure out his strength and power compared to other martial artists.

Second, it seems that the agility stat represents both his reflex and speed combined and is used as an overall rating.

Third, the number in the system status screen, represents his base stat and does not account for the enhancement of any technique or ability. This was the reason his strength index had surpassed the value represented by the system as he had used the basic punching technique he learned before the system.

There were a couple other small things Lake managed to figure out as well, but he wasn't a hundred percent sure about them so he kept them in the back of his head.

As Lake was stretching, Kate, who had been watching him all this time, walked up to him.

"Hey, how did you do that?" She asked.

"Hm, what do you mean?" Lake asked with a confused expression.

"Don't play dumb, how did you manage to hide your Mana." Kate asked with a slightly annoyed tone, "It's impossible without Mana to surpass the human limit, yet you managed to get scores far higher than mine, someone with Mana, without it? Do you think that makes sense?"

"Huh?" Lake looked on with a slightly shocked expression. Although Lake could read through the past of someone, the process takes a while if he wanted to learn everything that they knew. When he usually reads through someone's past, he only looks at the events that caught his interest in detail, so when heard Kate's words, he was genuinely shocked.

However, Lake wasn't shocked, because of the fact that his stat surpassed the limits without mana, as that could have been explained with the Steel Body Martial Art. What left him shocked was the fact that he clearly remembered what his stats were before he gained the Steel Body Martial Arts. Both his Strength and Agility index had already surpassed the limits of man! If Lake was to believe what Kate was telling him, that would mean he had surpassed the limits of man with only the basic self taught martial arts he had learned!

Lake didn't dwell on the matter for too long however, as he quickly calmed himself down.

Looking at Kate, Lake said, "It's not that I hid my Mana but I seriously don't have any Mana."

Kate's face immediately turned dark as she spoke, "Are you trying to mess with me?"

"Not at all, but if you don't want to believe me, there is nothing I can do." Lake said.

"Fine if you don't wish to tell me, don't!" Kate said before turning around and walking away towards a black sedan car where a man in a black suit was waiting. As Kate approached, he opened the door for her to enter.

Seeing this, Lake only shook his head before turning and walking away.

As he walked away however, the man in the black suit was staring at Lake's face as if he had recognized it.

"Hey, Kane, are we leaving or not?" Kate asked in an annoyed tone, snapping him back to reality.

"It was my mistake, Young Miss. We will be leaving immediately." As Kane spoke he entered the driver seat of the car and began to drive away.

"Young Miss, may I ask who was that boy you were interacting with a few moments ago?" Kane asked.

"Hmph, just some nobody with a little martial talent." Kate said as she looked out the window.

"Martial talent? Is that boy also partaking in the Martial Arts Course Exam?"

"Yes, but enough about him. Just focus on driving." Kate said.

"Very well." Kane replied as he put his focus on driving, however, in his head he was still thinking about the young man.

"It seems that I will need to report this to the Master and Madam." Kane silently thought to himself.