Talent Test

The following afternoon.

Abraham returned from Black Flame City and called Jonathan over.

"I've got the details. The church in Black Flame City holds public tests for magical talent twice a year."

"Once in April and once in October."

"If you want to take the test, you'll have to wait until two months from now. I'll go with you then."

"Thank you, Father."

Abraham smiled faintly and ruffled his hair again.

The longer he spent with Jonathan, the deeper his feelings for him grew. That was, in truth, a cardinal sin for an assassin.

Well, so be it. I've left that life behind. I'll focus on raising Jonathan from now on.

After a moment, he said, "Come on, spar with me. Let's see how much you've improved lately."

"Take off all your weights."

Jonathan didn't hesitate and did as he was told.

He held his dagger in a reverse grip, his expression turning serious.

He blurred and vanished from in front of Abraham. Abraham also held a dagger, and leaped sideways to dodge Jonathan's attack.

It was as if he'd known exactly where Jonathan would strike from.

But Jonathan's attack didn't end there. He pushed off with his toes and shot toward Abraham like an arrow.

Abraham raised his hand.

"Clang!"

Their daggers clashed, sending a spray of sparks flying.

Abraham stomped his right foot back and planted himself firmly. The impact sent Jonathan flying away.

After landing, Jonathan didn't stop. He quickly shifted position.

His speed earned a slight nod from Abraham.

For an assassin, stopping in the middle of a fight greatly increased the danger.

Using the boulders and trees around him as cover, Jonathan stepped up his assault.

Though he deliberately concealed his presence, he still seemed inexperienced to Abraham.

His hands were ruined, but his assassin's experience remained.

Abraham was exceptionally sensitive to the slightest trace of someone's presence. Jonathan couldn't fool him.

A quarter of an hour later.

After blocking Jonathan's attack, Abraham said, "That's enough. I know what you can do. We'll stop here for today. Go rest and recover your battle aura."

Jonathan let out a long breath, then went over to a nearby boulder and sat down to recover his battle aura.

Abraham watched him and thought, Jonathan's talent as a warrior is even better than I imagined. Even an ordinary third-level warrior probably wouldn't be a match for him.

He may truly have a chance of reaching the Saint Realm.

I hope he won't neglect one path for the other after the magic test!

Time flowed like water, and youth slipped away.

Before long, the day of the magical talent test at Black Flame City's church arrived.

That day, the father and son set off with a bundle on their backs before dawn.

By the time they reached Black Flame City, it was almost ten o'clock.

"That building over there is the church."

Jonathan looked toward the tall building in the distance. It rose far above all the buildings around it.

The Dark Church had built the church, and no force in Black Flame City dared show it disrespect.

A vast square stretched out in front of it, now packed with carriages. A long line had formed at the entrance.

"This is the fee for the test. Go ahead. Don't be nervous; I'll wait here."

Abraham gave him a few words of encouragement, then tucked the coins into Jonathan's pocket.

Jonathan nodded and went to join the line.

Everyone there was a boy like him. The youngest were seven, and the oldest no more than ten. They came in all shapes and sizes.

He glanced at the line ahead and estimated that at least a hundred and fifty people would be tested before him.

Most of the boys in line wore fine clothes. Few were dressed in rough homespun like Jonathan.

The boy in front of him was one of them.

"Hi, I'm Ford. I'm from Moon Mountain Town. Where are you from?"

"Jonathan. I'm from Blackstone Town, more or less."

"Blackstone Town? That's much closer. You must've just arrived today. Moon Mountain Town is far away, so I set out two days early and only got here yesterday."

"Everything in this city is so expensive. If I stay a few more days, I won't even have enough left for the test."

Jonathan gave brief replies now and then, but Ford didn't mind. He chattered on and on, as though he couldn't calm down otherwise.

"Are you nervous?" Jonathan asked.

"You can tell? I'm really nervous. My palms are sweating. Aren't you nervous?"

"Not really."

Two or three hours later, it was finally Ford's turn.

"Jonathan, I'm going in first. Wish me luck."

"Good luck."

Jonathan smiled. Ford really did have the heart of a little kid.

As soon as Ford placed his hand on the crystal ball, it blazed with a brilliant scarlet light.

The bald old man conducting the test looked surprised. Such brilliance was undoubtedly top-tier, close to the highest level of elemental affinity.

He smiled with satisfaction and wrote on a sheet of paper: "Age: eight. Elemental affinity: Fire Element, high!"

Jonathan blinked. Did my good-luck wish really work?

With elemental affinity like that, as long as his mental strength wasn't too poor, he would definitely count as a magical prodigy and draw everyone's attention.

"Boy, step into the Magic Array," the bald old man said kindly. "Remember, the longer you can hold out, the better."

Ford nodded and stepped into the Magic Array.

It contained a type of Dark Element magic that exerted pressure. Once activated, it pressed down on the soul of anyone inside.

As time passed, the pressure on the soul gradually increased. The longer someone lasted, the stronger their mental strength was.

Only those with at least eight times the mental strength of an ordinary person qualified.

A little while later.

Ford couldn't take it any longer. He dropped to his knees and braced himself with both hands.

The bald old man deactivated the Magic Array and said, "Your mental strength is twelve times that of others your age. Average."

The people around them began whispering. "That boy's pretty good. Judging by his clothes, his family seems ordinary."

"Heh, even a chicken coop can produce a phoenix now and then. Let's see about the next one. He's dressed even worse. I'll bet he fails!"

As soon as Ford left the Magic Array, recruiters from several magic academies hurried over to him.

"Next."

When the bald old man called, Jonathan stepped forward. He first bowed politely to him, then walked over to the crystal ball.

After taking a deep breath, he placed his hand on it.

In only a moment, two clusters of light appeared inside the crystal ball, one black and one yellow, both far brighter than the light from Ford's test.

One was as black as ink, like an abyss; the other was like a little yellow sun.

The bald old man looked down at the paper in his hand with trembling fingers, confirming that Jonathan was only eight years old.

Everyone else was stunned too.

Abraham included.

"Could Jonathan really have such astonishing magical talent?!"

"Jonathan. Age: eight. Elemental affinity: Earth Element and Dark Element, highest level!"

As the bald old man spoke, his heart raced. In all his decades, he had never seen talent like this.

High elemental affinity was already enough to be called a prodigy.

The highest level in two elements!

If his mental strength was also high or higher, a prodigy like this would certainly attract the attention of the Dark Church.