Chapter 139: A Friend
Linfel's group spent the next two days just relaxing... except Linfel himself. His Soul Power training was difficult, but it wasn't something that made him tired. It was like making an easy and boring job but that you only got good after many years of practice. So, instead of staying still with Alvin, Milia, and Nori, Linfel went out on his own, saying he would be back before the day of the test.
Two days later, in the morning, Alvin's group left for the Magic Control test.
"No news about Linfel?" Milia couldn't help but ask.
Alvin shook his head. "He only sent a message yesterday that he would meet us at the test site. As to what he was doing, I have no idea."
"I just hope he didn't do anything idiotic. That guy has a very peculiar train of thought," Nori commented.
Milia and Alvin looked at each other. They, too, had the same fear.
They took the public transportation available in the city, which brought them to the city center. There, one could find the Ventis Sect building where they would take the test.
Obviously, they weren't the only ones there. Several queues already began to form as various Maguses and Familiars at Level Three, Four, and Five joined it. Most of them were returners, while just a few, mostly from the last batch of disciples accepted, were here for the first time.
Alvin joined the same Queue with Milia, while Nori had to leave and join another queue for Familiars.
"What time does it start?" Asked someone on the side.
"At midday sharp," someone else answered. "Until then, we have to wait to even enter the building."
Milia looked at her MCOM, seeing there were still an hour to go, so she had a conversation with Alvin in the meantime. Nori, on the other hand, just talked with the Familiars near him, asking about their experiences.
The queues increased, and at least a few thousand Maguses and Familiars were now waiting. Finally, the clock marked the right time, and the building opened its doors. Until now, Linfel still hasn't appeared. Alvin tried to contact him, but the wisp seemed to be out of reach.
Experience tales at m-vl-e-mpyr
At first, the building didn't seem that big, with just a few floors when you looked from the outside. However, once inside, things changed completely. The space extended several hundred meters in all directions, and that was only the first floor. The insides definitely didn't seem to fit the size from the outside.
"Spatial Magic Arrays..." Alvin commented.
Milia nodded, feeling just as impressed. They knew about arrays capable to control space, but those things were extremely expensive. A planet like Serfen, from where they came, probably didn't have more than a handful of places that used it. Neither Milia nor Alvin had ever seen it at work before.
Reaching the terminal, they put their hands on the receptors, confirming their Magic Energy signatures. That allowed them to enter the next room, which was also also manipulated with Spatial Magic Arrays.
"Hey, aren't you Alvin?" Suddenly, someone called Alvin from behind.
Alvin and Milia turned around, looking at the Magus that had just arrived. Yet, their expression turned weird. They truly couldn't remember that person at all. "Errr... do I know you, friend?" Alvin asked in the end.
"Come on. Don't you even remember me?" The guy asked. "I was one of the Maguses that passed the last exam. I was literally in the same batch of Maguses and Familiars that came down to the planet."
Alvin scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry... I don't remember most of the people that came with us. We all went our separate ways after we landed, after all. And I don't think you ever tried to talk to me back there either."
"Sigh..." The guy could only introduce himself. "I'm Zandel Dorin, a Level Four Magus."
Only then did Milia remember. "Oh! I saw your name in the rankings. You were one of the first Maguses to reach the necessary score with your Familiar during the Asteroid Test."
Let's not forget you could take your test alone or with your Familiar. Back then, Linfel and Alvin took their test alone, while Milia and Nori took it together. Naturally, she paid more attention to the score of Magus Familiar Duos than the individual scores that Linfel and Alvin were part of.
Zandel finally showed a smile of appreciation. "THANK YOU! Geez, and here I thought I was some kind of ghost already. By the way, I also saw you. Milia, right? You took the Asteroid test with your Familiar.
I was really impressed you made it through at your Level."
Milia nodded. "It wasn't easy, but it is good we both made it."
Zandel then turned to Alvin. "So, Alvin, I called you because I saw your Magic Output Score. I'm not from the same planet as you, but I did check all the Maguses and Familiars who entered the Ventis Sect with me. I was truly impressed by your score. I was planning to call you eventually to ask about how you did that. Fortunately, I met you here.
It seems like you also managed to earn some Ventis Credits despite all the difficulties."
Alvin finally understood. Indeed, his Magic Energy Output score, the one calculated before climbing the towers, was very high. "Yeah, the Ventis Sect truly made it so that you will have to put your life on the line to make a living. As for my Magic Output Score, it was all due to training. You will eventually get there. After all, Magic Energy Output is part of one Magic Energy Control.
The better you can control, the more you can release at once."
Zandel was happy to hear that. "No wonder the Ventis Sect insists we must pass the Magic Energy Control test before we can do leveling again. Would you mind telling me more about your training methods? I don't mind paying some Ventis Credits for it."
"Well, I would need t-" Alvin began to talk, but a voice suddenly cut in.
-Attention all participants. The Magic Control Test will start in five minutes. Proceed to the center of the room where the Magic Array is located. A supervisor will explain the test shortly.-
Alvin sighed. "Well, let's just exchange MCOM numbers. We can talk more after this test is over."
Zandel saw no problems with that. "Sure."
After giving each other their numbers, the three Maguses went to the center of the room. Finally, a door opened on the back, and the supervisor of the exam moved to the center of the Magic Array. "Ahem... Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Magic Control Test. This is my first time doing this job, so take it easy on me."
Alvin and Milia's mouths twitched when they heard that voice. When they turned their heads in the direction of the supervisor, a certain... wisp... was there, talking to everyone.
The supervisor this time around... was none other than Linfel!