The two basic tests concluded, and everyone was brought into another room.
"The final potential assessment," Gray said, pointing to several metal chairs in the center of the room. "Memory and concentration. First, we will conduct the instantaneous memory matrix test."
Several teenagers sat down together. On a black crystal board in front of the metal chairs, a complex image flashed for a split second.
The image consisted of fifteen completely unfamiliar Runes arranged in a matrix of three rows and five columns. It appeared for exactly three seconds before vanishing without a trace.
"Begin replicating," Gray ordered.
The first teenager scratched his head, his face flushing red. In the end, he only managed to scribble three or four twisted, nonsensical marks on the drawing board, all in completely wrong positions.
"Fail, Rank C."
Among the remaining few, the best performer only barely managed to draw seven Runes, and even those were riddled with errors. This was simply not a task a mortal could accomplish.
Finally, it was Allen's turn. He sat calmly in the chair, his gaze fixed on the black crystal board.
"Ready."
Just a moment before the image flashed, a command was issued silently in Allen's mind: "DSeek, activate image capture. Conduct full data analysis."
BUZZ.
The matrix of fifteen Runes flashed across the crystal board.
In the eyes of ordinary people, it was merely three seconds of chaotic light and shadows. But in Allen's field of vision, time slowed to an infinite crawl. Those three seconds were broken down into three hundred independent static frames. Every stroke, every turn, and every node of each Rune was clearly frozen, magnified, and analyzed.
[DSeek: Image capture complete. Total of 15 independent patterns. Structural analysis complete. Matrix structure recorded. Available for retrieval at any time.]
"Replicate," Gray's voice rang out.
Allen picked up the drawing tool on the table—a metal pen that flowed with energy ink. He did not hesitate for a second.
With a perfectly steady wrist that lacked even the slightest tremor, the pen tip moved rapidly across the drawing board. Lines of energy were precisely outlined, forming complex, arcane Runes. His speed was astonishing; it looked as if he weren't recalling the image from memory at all, but rather tracing over an invisible template.
The first, the second... the fifth...
There was no pause, no hesitation. His movements were as smooth as flowing water, completed in one continuous motion. The snickering around him ceased. Everyone's eyes widened, staring at the teenager as if he were a monster effortlessly writing out a divine script from memory.
Ten... thirteen... fifteen!
When the final stroke of the last Rune landed, the entire matrix was perfectly displayed on the drawing board. Fifteen Runes—no more, no less. Their positions and even the structure of every single stroke were completely identical to the image that had flashed earlier.
It was a one hundred percent perfect replication.
Gray, the gray-robed Wizard, stared blankly at Allen's drawing board. For the first time, an emotion called "shock" appeared on his face.
"Memory... Rating..." He swallowed hard. "Rank S! Perfect score!"
The black-robed Wizard, who had been silent the entire time, also lifted his head. From beneath the shadow of his hood, a sharp gaze firmly locked onto Allen.
Next was the concentration test.
Allen was placed inside an Array filled with noise and illusions, simultaneously required to track sixteen light dots moving at high speeds along different trajectories. To anyone else, this would be a torturous experience straight out of Hell. But for Allen, who possessed an artificial intelligence, it was nothing more than basic multi-threading.
"DSeek, establish sixteen independent tracking threads and mark the targets," he commanded inwardly. "Block invalid noise from the audio channel. Filter out interference from the visual channel."
His brain transformed into a calmly operating computer. The external chaos was stripped away by layers of filters, leaving only the core data stream.
The final result was unsurprising.
"Concentration Rating: Rank S."
Two consecutive S-Ranks caused everyone in the testing hall to look at Allen like he was a freak of nature, whispering frantically among themselves.
About two hours later, the testing finally concluded.
Gray stood in front of the crowd, a piece of parchment appearing in his hand. Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the list of names. It was as if it wasn't a mere sheet of paper, but a verdict dictating their passage to heaven.
Gray flicked the parchment, his gaze sweeping over the pale and hopeful faces below the stage.
"The tabulation is complete," Gray announced. "Out of the three hundred and fifty-two examinees in this batch, ninety-eight have passed the comprehensive assessment. These individuals possess the potential to become Wizards and can pursue advanced studies. As for the rest, you will find your own path in front of the Star Gate tomorrow. You may enter the workshops or join certain small Wizard Organizations entirely on your own volition. If you want to return home, earn your own boat fare."
Suppressed sobs echoed through the crowd. With a two-thirds elimination rate, reality proved far crueler than the rumors. The teenagers who had failed to meet the passing mark instantly turned ashen-faced, as if their spines had been ripped out.
"Among those who passed, thirty-six possess Rank A talent."
Hearing the term "Rank A," the tense crowd relaxed slightly. Thirty-six names were read out in succession. Most of the teenagers whose names were called let out long sighs of relief, unable to conceal the joy on their faces. It was said that in the Wizarding world, a Rank A was already something worth bragging about.
The teenager who had previously drawn seven Runes straightened his back and cast a provocative glance at his surroundings, clearly feeling that he was now at the top of the pecking order.
That was until Gray's voice rang out again, carrying a touch of profound meaning.
"Rank S... two people."
The proud teenager stiffened, turning his head to steal a glance at Allen.
"Vera," Gray read the first name.
From the corner of the crowd, a girl with virtually zero presence who had kept her head down the entire time slowly stepped forward.
"And..." Gray paused, his gaze landing on Allen, who was leaning against a porthole. "Allen. Memory S, Concentration S. Dual top-tier."
A collective gasp swept through the room. If Vera's S-Rank sparked envy, Allen's results were simply unbelievable.
The few who had just been feeling smug about their Rank A now wore varying expressions. They had fought tooth and nail just to barely scrape the threshold of Rank A, yet this guy sat there as if strolling through his backyard and easily took home two S-Ranks?
"This isn't fair," someone muttered softly, their tone sour enough to rot teeth. "Is his brain wired completely differently from ours?"
Allen turned a deaf ear to it all. On his retinas, a stream of pale blue data was refreshing. He glanced at the girl named Vera. Sensing something, she turned her head. Their eyes met in midair for a brief second before they both looked away.
"Silence."
The black-robed Wizard, who had remained seated in the shadows, stood up. A bone-chilling aura instantly swept across the hall, and all the noise vanished in a flash.
He walked to the front of the stage. His eyes, glowing with an eerie blue light from beneath his hood, scanned the crowd of scheming youths.
"Talent is merely an admission ticket. How far you go depends entirely on your own capabilities," the black-robed Wizard said, his voice hoarse. "Bring your belongings and gather in the hall tomorrow morning to disembark."
The crowd began to disperse. The reports in Gray's hands were handed out until only one remained.
He personally handed the final parchment report to Allen. His attitude was no longer the indifference of one looking down on ants, but carried a hint of warmth.
"Allen Wesren. Your comprehensive assessment is 'Exceptional'. Take this and go back to rest. Congratulations. Tomorrow, you will have the privilege to choose."
Allen accepted the report, bowed politely in acknowledgment, and turned to leave.
Behind him, Wizard Gray held the test data, staring at Allen's ratings in long silence.
Magic Power affinity Rank A; Meditation Talent Rank B.
This indicated that his innate soul talent was only excellent, far from top-tier. Yet his memory and concentration had both maxed out, reaching the theoretical limit of Rank S.
This was illogical.
Mental strength and resilience were closely tied to the essence of the soul. A person with a Rank B Meditation Talent could never sustain two Rank S evaluations.
Unless...
Victor muttered to himself, his voice so low that only he could hear it.
"Such exceptional memory and concentration, yet his soul fluctuations possess a subtle dissonance with this young physical body...
"Is it a soul descended from another world? Or... some kind of ancient inheritance?"
He picked up a pen and lightly drew a symbol next to Allen's name.
A bright red, dangerous question mark.