Ascension: Rune Evolution System

Its exterior consisted primarily of dark metal and some glass-like material, with several unfamiliar writings above the entrance. People entered and exited regularly, and Frost immediately noticed that many of them carried weapons.

There were even a few people carrying weapons that looked suspiciously like guns.

’This must be it.’

The doors slid apart automatically as Samuel approached. Cool air immediately washed over Frost as they stepped inside.

He almost moaned in satisfaction.

’Air conditioning!’

Civilisation.

The interior was spacious and considerably more advanced than anything in the slums. Translucent interfaces floated beside several counters, unfamiliar devices lined the walls, and Evolvers of several different races moved throughout the building.

Frost spotted pointed ears, a few horns, and different tails. He even spotted someone whose exposed forearms appeared to be covered in dark scales.

By now, he was slowly becoming accustomed to that particular madness.

Samuel continued without stopping, leading them deeper into the building until they eventually reached a quieter corridor.

Harod was waiting for them.

The lanky man stood near a large sealed door with his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes moved over the group as they approached.

”Eleven.” Jennifer nodded. ”The other five aren’t ready yet.”

”I see.”

Harod didn’t appear particularly surprised.

”That’s understandable.” He looked across the ten of them once more. ”So you’ve decided to pursue Evolution?”

There were several nods.

Frost remained silent, but his answer hadn’t changed.

Harod’s gaze lingered on them for another moment before he turned toward the sealed door.

”Very well.”

He placed his palm against a glowing panel.

Several symbols flashed.

Hissss...

The door separated down the middle and slid apart. Frost instinctively leaned slightly to the side, trying to see inside.

Harod stepped through.

”Come.”

The group followed.

Beyond the doorway was a large circular chamber filled with unfamiliar equipment. Several translucent screens hovered throughout the room, while strange metallic devices surrounded a raised platform positioned directly at its centre.

Frost’s heartbeat quickened.

Whatever exhaustion he’d been feeling disappeared remarkably quickly.

Harod walked toward the platform before turning to face them.

”This assessment will measure several factors relevant to your potential as Evolvers, including your innate energy, Rune affinity, and the general condition of your Soul Scripts.”

Frost stared at the machinery.

So this was it.

Yesterday, they had been ordinary college students, and today, they were about to find out whether they actually possessed the talent to become something more.

Despite himself, Frost felt his lips slowly curl upward.

’Alright, then. Let’s see what I’ve got!’

Harod allowed them a few moments to look around before walking toward one of the translucent interfaces beside the raised platform.

”Before we begin, I should explain how your results will be classified.”

Harod tapped the interface, and nine glowing stars appeared in the air beside him, arranged vertically from one at the bottom to nine at the top.

”Evolver talent is generally classified across nine ranks, ranging from One-Star to Nine-Star.”

Frost stared at the projection.

’Of course it’s stars.’

At this point, he was beginning to wonder whether the universe had deliberately designed itself to resemble a game.

”Four- and five-Stars are considered the average among those capable of properly pursuing Evolution.” Harod continued. ”One- through three-Star fall below that standard to varying degrees, while Six-Star and above are considered increasingly talented.”

His finger moved upward.

”Seven-Star talents are rare. Eight-Star talents are exceptionally rare, and Nine-Star...” Harod paused briefly. ”You needn’t concern yourselves with that rank for now.”

Frost’s eyebrow twitched.

’Information is valuable. Yeah, yeah.’

”Another thing you should understand is that the Stars themselves are broad classifications. There are differences even between two people of the same rank. Someone at the upper limits of Five-Star may possess noticeably greater potential than someone who has only barely crossed into it.”

Jennifer nodded thoughtfully.

”So the ranking isn’t exact?”

”It is exact enough for its intended purpose,” Harod replied. ”But reducing something as complicated as an individual’s potential for Evolution to a single number would be foolish.”

Fair enough.

Harod gestured toward the platform.

”We will first determine your general talent ranking. Afterwards, we can examine Rune affinities and other relevant factors in greater detail.”

One by one, they were called forward.

The process itself was surprisingly simple.

The first of the three additions stepped onto the platform. Light swept across his body several times while the surrounding machinery hummed, and a collection of symbols rapidly appeared across the floating interfaces.

A few seconds later, two stars illuminated above the platform.

[Talent Assessment: Two-Star]

Harod’s expression remained neutral, but the young man’s did not. His shoulders visibly dropped.

”Do not despair; there is more to life than becoming an evolver.”

’That must be his way of saying there is no hope for you...’

It certainly irked Frost, and it simply made him look forward to his own assessment, but dread it even more.

The person went next, a girl this time, though Frost couldn’t quite remember her name. The thing that stood out most about her was her freckles.

Once again, two stars.

[Talent Assessment: Two-Star]

’Ouch.’

Things were not looking very bright.

Neither result prevented them from becoming Evolvers, but after Harod’s explanation, nobody needed to be told what Two-Star meant.

Cassie went next.

Five stars appeared.

[Talent Assessment: Five-Star]

”Average,” Harod said. ”A perfectly serviceable foundation. You would do well as an evolver.”

Cassie seemed neither thrilled nor disappointed.

Ryder followed.

Frost’s heart was beating wildly in his chest now. He could have gone next, but he wanted to see what some of the others would get first, and compare it with his own.

[Talent Assessment: Five-Star]

”Ha.” Ryder grinned. ”I’ll take it.”

Adam went up next.

[Talent Assessment: Six-Star]

Ryder’s grin faded. Adam stared at the result before looking toward Harod.

”That’s... good?”

”Above average,” Harod answered. ”You possess respectable potential.”

Adam smiled.

Naomi stepped up shortly afterwards.

Six stars again.

[Talent Assessment: Six-Star]

”Yes!”

Naomi immediately clenched a fist before seemingly remembering where she was and lowering it with an embarrassed cough.

Frost snickered.

And then he realised that everyone was looking at him. There was no one in front of him now. His smile faded.

’Well, shit.’

Frost stepped onto the platform. Standing there suddenly felt considerably different from watching everyone else do it.

A faint vibration travelled beneath his feet.

Light swept upward from his shoes, passing over his legs, torso, arms, and finally his head. Several interfaces around the room exploded with information.

Frost couldn’t understand any of it, but his heartbeat quickened.

One star appeared.

Then two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

The sixth almost lit up, momentarily spiking Frost’s excitement, but then it stopped. It couldn’t go any higher.

[Talent Assessment: Five-Star]

Perfectly, spectacularly... Average.

Harod glanced at the information.

”Five-Star.”

Frost stepped down.

’Well.’

He wasn’t sure what he had expected.

Some hidden Nine-Star talent?

A machine exploding because his potential was too magnificent to measure?

Perhaps a mysterious old man appearing from nowhere and announcing that Frost possessed some legendary constitution unseen in ten thousand years?

He almost laughed.

’Too many fucking NovelPhoenixs.’

Five-Star wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either.

Harod had explicitly called it a perfectly serviceable foundation.

Still...

Frost would be lying if he said there wasn’t a tiny part of him that felt disappointed. He had been looking forward to this after all.