Golden Aptitude

"A test?" Ace stared at Mr White blankly.

"Of course! I wouldn't take a student without knowing their aptitude for the element they have!" Mr White declared.

'Oh, I see!'

Aiden widened his eyes in realization. When Mr White told Ace to take a test, he became confused and he thought that maybe Mr White didn't want Ace at all. However, after hearing Mt White's words, he couldn't help but nod in agreement. Just like how any student could choose a teacher, a teacher could also choose a student.

Even so, teachers don't go around just taking in students. The students they take in have to be of quality and not quantity. And what other way was used to know the quality of a student? A Test!

A test was the best way for knowing the quality of the student you have picked and even though Aiden had no idea about what test Mr White was going to give Ace, he was sure it was something related to being a mage.

"Em... okay," Ace said meekly after hearing Mr White's words.

"Good!"

Seeing that Ace accepted his request almost immediately, a smile formed on Mr White's. Shaking his hand a little, a metallic orb appeared in his hand.

'How did he do that?'

Aiden mumbled in shock as he saw Mr White take out the orb from seemingly nowhere. Even though he had seen it himself, he found it inconceivable. Turning his head towards Ace to see his reaction, he realized that Ace was also shocked as him and he was showing it without hiding it at all.

Thinking that Aiden was shocked by the ability that Mr white displayed, Aiden lightly tapped Ace's shoulder trying to snap him out of the daze he was in. However, the next moment, he heard the quivering voice of his friend.

"That is a Magic Test Orb! Can you see that Aiden? This is a Magic Test Orb!"

"A Magic Test Orb?"

Aiden's eyes widened in astonishment as he moved his attention towards the orb that Mr White was holding.

'It is indeed a Magic Test Orb!'

Aiden's breathing increased. He knew of the Magic Test Orb or a Test Orb for short. According to the information he received last week from the internet last week, the Test Orb was an incredibly rare orb that was used to test one's affinity to his or her awakened power.

It was like a metre to check the affinity one had with the power they awakened. The more you get on the metre, the stronger and more talented, you are, and the less you get, the weaker and less talented you are.

It was an instrument that was just used for measuring how talented a person was however It was super expensive. It was in fact, really, really expensive and rare to come across. Perhaps in the entire Pheonix City, only Mr White and the mayor could take one out!

********

"Yes! It is indeed a Magic Test Orb!" Mr White said.

"It can't be that you are going to use this to test the child are you?"

Just as Mr White spoke, a voice suddenly came from behind them. It was from Mr Hodge who was walking towards them at this moment.

"Of course I am. Even though this orb is indeed rare and difficult to come about, it is useless if it can't be used. Moreover, It isn't a consumable, so what is there to worry about?" Mr White asked.

"There is indeed nothing to worry about. However, I am surprised that you chose to use it on a new student when you refused to use it on him!" Mr Hodge said.

"Hm..."

Turning back to Ace, Mr White continued, absolutely ignoring Mr Hodge's comments.

"Anyways, I will give you this orb in the next moment. I will activate it and it would try to suck some mana from you. However, don't panic! It is needed for the test. Let it do as it wants!"

"Yes!"

Ace nodded his head firmly as he briefly glanced at Mr Hodge only to see him seething in fury. He tried his best to hide it but Ace could tell that he was angry that Mr White ignored him.

"Hm, good!" Mr White nodded in appreciation. He then placed the orb into Ace's hands before pointing a finger at it.

*Weng!*

A sound vibrated through the air as a thin thread-like substance flew into the orb.

'Incredible!'

Seeing this, Aiden couldn't help but be shocked. What Mr White did was an application of mana condensation. Mana condensation was just as its name suggest the ability to condense mana so much that it appears in a liquid or solid form.

From what Aiden knew, only mid-ranked mages had the ability to do this and even so, only the truly talented ones could in the early stages. Didn't this mean that Mr White was at least a mid-ranked mage? That was indeed fearsome.

"Mhm?!"

As the thread-like mana entered the orb, the orb seems to have jumped to life and Ace immediately turned pale. His eyes showed great pain and it seemed like he would faint at any moment from now.

"Mr White?"

Seeing this, Aiden couldn't help but turn to Mr White trying to understand what was going on.

"Don't worry, everything is fine."

Mr White said.

"Hmm... okay," Aiden nodded.

A few seconds later, a colour started to appear in the orb. it was a small golden light but soon, it started to grow brighter and brighter until everyone almost got blinded.

After sometime, the light slowly diminished and Ace started to pant loudly. Rushing towards Ace, Aiden asked him worriedly,

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I am alright!" Ace answered.

"What happened? How did you need up this way?" Aiden asked with a frown.

This whole thing had started as a test so how did he get so tired just holding the orb? Something definitely happened!

"Yeah, the orb absorbed the majority of the mana to access me. However, since I had small mana I nearly passed out!" Ace explained with an embarrassed expression on his face.

"Don't worry, let's ask Mr White for the result. I believe that the golden color definitely signals high aptitude for the given element!" Aiden reassured his friend.

"We shouldn't get our hopes up!" Ace said as he turned to Mr White but the next moment, a powerful hand grabbed Aiden and pulled him to the side.

"You should...!" Aiden was about complain about being pushed when he heard the suprised voice of Mr White.

"Y-You have a golden aptitude! How is this possible?"

"Golden aptitude?" Aiden mumbled in confusion.