Chapter 71 | One Test Down, One to Go

The tablets came to life simultaneously. The first question appeared on my screen:

"A civilian with an active Flux-type Aspect loses control during a panic attack in a crowded mall. Their transformation causes structural damage and minor injuries to bystanders. As first Hero on scene, your priority is:"

Four options appeared below.

I smiled. This was literally a video game dialogue choice. I’d been training for this my entire first life.

I worked through the questions methodically, drawing on what I’d learned from the Fitzgerald household and my own research. The Hero Law section covered licensure requirements, liability scenarios, and jurisdictional conflicts. Crisis Ethics presented moral dilemmas about resource allocation during disasters. Tactical Reasoning tested battlefield assessment and threat prioritization.

When I reached the Aspect Theory section, I encountered questions about classification systems, Core vulnerabilities, and power scaling mechanics.

"An Aspect user with temperature manipulation capabilities registers consistent power increases when exposed to emotional stimuli. This phenomenon is best classified as:"

I selected "Resonant Empowerment," recalling an article I’d read about how emotional states could serve as Aspect catalysts.

By the three-hour mark, I’d completed all sections and was reviewing my answers. My upgraded Intelligence made the process feel almost trivial—information connected faster, patterns emerged clearly, and recall happened without effort.

〘 ORACLE FEED: ESTIMATED SCORE BASED ON CURRENT ANSWERS: 94.7%. THIS PLACES YOU WITHIN TOP 3% OF PROJECTED OUTCOMES. 〙

Well, that was encouraging. I made a few adjustments to answers I was uncertain about, then submitted my exam with forty minutes to spare.

The tablet displayed a confirmation message: "Examination complete. You may leave the auditorium quietly. Proceed to the central plaza for refreshments before the practical assessment."

As I stood to leave, I noticed the green-haired girl, Jana, looking stressed as she worked through what appeared to be the Tactical Reasoning section. Most other applicants were still working too.

I made my way out of the auditorium feeling cautiously optimistic. The written portion seemed to be in the bag. The hard part would be the practical assessment—actually demonstrating my abilities in whatever test they’d designed.

In the hallway, I checked my phone and found a text from Sloane:

"Finished yet? Meet me by the fountain in the central plaza. I need to complain about whoever wrote this test."

I smiled and headed toward the exit, following signs to the central plaza. The morning sun was a welcome warmth on my skin after hours in the auditorium’s sterile, refrigerated air. The plaza buzzed with a low murmur of anxious chatter, punctuated by the rhythmic splash of the central fountain.

The air smelled of cut grass and ozone, with a faint, greasy hint of whatever the food stands were frying up for the anxious applicants.

Sloane wasn’t there yet, so I bought a bottle of water and found a spot near the fountain to wait. Other early finishers gathered in small groups, comparing answers and debating questions.

〘 QUEST UPDATE: "ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE" OBJECTIVE COMPLETE. PROBABILITY OF ACHIEVING TOP 15% SCORE: 99.8%. PROBABILITY OF ACHIEVING TOP 5% SCORE: 97.3%. REWARDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AFTER OFFICIAL RESULTS ARE CONFIRMED. 〙

That was a relief. One hurdle down, one more to go.

I spotted Sloane entering the plaza, her pink hair unmistakable even from a distance. Her expression was a mixture of frustration and confidence—classic Sloane after any challenge. She scanned the area, spotted me, and marched directly over.

"That," she declared, dropping onto the bench beside me, "was the most unnecessarily complicated ethics scenario I’ve ever seen. ’If a villain holds a school bus hostage but claims they’re acting to prevent a greater tragedy, how do you respond?’ What kind of question is that?"

"The kind that tests whether you can think beyond immediate threat response?"

She glared at me. "You aced it, didn’t you?"

I shrugged. "I think I did okay."

"I hate you right now." She snatched my water bottle and took a long drink. "The guy next to me spent twenty minutes on one question. I could hear him breathing through his mouth the entire time."

"So much for separate testing rooms preventing distractions."

"How was your verification?"

I hesitated. "Weird. The doctor seemed to think I might have stolen my Aspect or had it implanted."

Sloane choked on the water. "What? That’s insane!"

"Apparently it happens. People desperate to get in resort to black market Aspect transfers."

"But you’ve been living with us. When would you even have time to get an illegal Aspect transplant?"

"That’s basically what I told him."

She handed my water back. "What did he say?"

"He cleared me for the exam, so I guess I convinced him."

Sloane leaned back and closed her eyes, letting the sun warm her face. "Great. So now we just have to survive the practical assessment. The physical part I’m not worried about. It’s the psychological screening that’s tricky."

"Psychological screening?"

"Mom says they record everything—not just what you do, but how you react under pressure. They’re looking for people who make the right calls for the right reasons."

I nodded, thinking about what that meant for my strategy. I’d been planning to use Spectral Reach for most challenges, keeping Blitz as a backup. But if they were measuring psychological responses, I’d need to be careful about when and how I used my abilities.

"Any tips?" I asked.

"Don’t overthink it. React naturally." Sloane opened her eyes and looked at me. "You’ve got good instincts, Lukas. Trust them."

Coming from her, that was high praise.

More applicants streamed into the plaza as the four-hour window closed. The energy shifted from nervous anticipation to a mixture of relief and dread. The written part was over, but the practical test—the one that truly mattered—was about to begin.

A staff member with a megaphone appeared at the edge of the plaza.

"Attention, applicants! The practical assessment will begin in one hour. Please check your badges for your assigned testing field. Refreshments are available until then."

I glanced at my badge. Field 3.

"Which field did you get?" I asked Sloane.

She checked her badge. "Field 5. We’re separated again."

"Deliberately, I’m guessing. They want to see how we perform without familiar faces around."

Sloane nodded, then suddenly gripped my arm. "Hey. You’re going to do great. Remember everything we practiced."

"I will."

"And don’t do anything stupid like try to show off."

"I would never."

"Liar." She smiled. "If we both pass, we’re getting dinner at that fancy place downtown to celebrate."

"And if we don’t?"

Her expression hardened. "Not an option."

I couldn’t help but smile at her absolute confidence. "Deal."

〘⚡ SIDE QUEST UNLOCKED 〙

Quest:

First Impressions

Description:

You are about to walk into a field full of the most promising young Aspect-users in the country. They have trained their entire lives for this moment. They have pedigrees, mentors, agency endorsements, and Aspects that could level city blocks. They have everything you are supposed to not have.

Make them remember your name anyway.

Primary Objective:

Demonstrate your abilities effectively during the practical assessment without revealing your true power level.

Secondary Objective [SCUMBAG CONDITION]:

Publicly outperform at least two (2) applicants who outrank you on paper. Make it look easy.

Bonus Objective:

Impress at least one (1) examiner enough to mark your file for advanced tracking.

Trash Talk Condition [OPTIONAL]:

Deliver at least one (1) unsolicited piece of commentary to a rival applicant before, during, or after the assessment. It must be accurate enough to sting and casual enough to be plausibly deniable as an insult.

Time Limit:

Practical Assessment Duration

Rewards:

300 Scumbag Points

Increased Faculty Interest

Secondary Objective Rewards:

200 Scumbag Points

Permanent notation added to rival applicant files:

Outperformed by Unmarked candidate at entrance examination

Bonus Objective Reward:

One (1) Random Skill Book

Examiner flagged as

Potential Ally: Advanced Track

Trash Talk Condition Reward:

150 Scumbag Points

Temporary buff:

Rattled

applied to target applicant for remainder of assessment duration

Failure Penalty:

-50 Reputation with Halloran Faculty

System notation:

Host failed to capitalize on optimal humiliation window. Disappointing.

I dismissed the notification as another announcement came over the megaphone.

"Applicants for Fields 1 through 3, please begin making your way to the assessment auditorium now. Follow the yellow line from the north exit of the plaza."

Sloane stood up. "That’s your cue."

"Looks like it." I got to my feet, suddenly feeling the weight of what came next.

She pulled me into a quick, fierce hug. "Kick ass. I’ll see you after."

"Count on it."