Ch 14

"Alright, put on the capsules. Let me assess your combat awareness first. I'd like to see who has the potential to become a swordsman."

Anne pointed towards a kid. "You first."

The kid looked confident, he walked over and secured the capsule on his head. Anne did the same, a large screen on the room lit up and displayed the virtual image. It was a plain white room, and two figures emerged facing each other.

Areth wasn't surprised to find such technology. This world was slightly more advance in its technology and even Earth has already produced virtual reality gears.

The only thing that needed improvement is the realism and smoothness of movements.

There were no features on the two figures to distinguish them from each other, only colored stripes on their uniforms, one blue, the other red. There were white letters floating above their head, with the word "Anne" floating above the red figure.

"Wow, cool!"

"I wish to have these Virtual Gears too."

"Richard, why don't you give me one?

The kids Anne gathered varies in age. The oldest was looks to be about ten and he and Anne was probably the youngest.

Areth also noticed two familiar faces whom he was acquainted with. These were his close neighbors and playmates, Rachel and Lian.

Back when he was creating the Virtual Cube, these two reacted to the fluctuations of mana. Areth judged them to be talented as Mages, but they were too young and he had no interest in teaching stuffs.

It turns out that Anne's eyes were indeed formidable to have recruited them, and even him.

"Areth, you want to be a hunter as well?"

Lian approached him and said. Without waiting for his reply, he spoke with conviction.

"I want to be a strong hunter too, but not as a swordsman. I want to become a mage, that's my dream!"

Rachel joined in and retorted. "But mage are weak and thin old guys. Sis Anne is way more cooler, I want to be like her!"

Areth's lips twitched and thought inside. 'Mages aren't weak! Don't waste your talent pursuing to be a swordsman.'

The screen reached the ten second countdown. Both players chose their weapon, Anne chose a sword and the other kid also chose sword. Not one, but two.

With his two swords, the kid assumed a cool pose. Areth looked down and face palmed. He was feeling ashamed for this kid.

The other kid was still posturing with his sword, Anne have him sufficient time to adapt.

"Why don't you give up now Anne? You will regret it once I use my ultimate move."

His voice was heard through the speaker.

Anne pummeled him easily. Even as he was yelling all sort of ultimate move names, it wasn't able to retaliate and he wasn't even able to hit Anne once before his hp bar drops to zero.

Areth watched, speechless. 'How was this a training. Isn't this just a one-sided beatdown? Shouldn't they start by jogging first or some basic stances?'

Even though Areth was not so talented with martial arts, he still knew the basic foundation building. Nevertheless, the children seem to be enjoying this, and they were excited to have a go as well.

"Kyle, you're next." Anne's voice sounded. The kid named Kyle switched with the previous kid.

Anne beat him just the same.

"Next, Sheila!"

"Next, Richard!"

"Thomas!"

Finally, it was Lian's turn to be beaten. He had watched the outcome of his peers. Some of them fought well, some looked really pathetic. Despite this, he looked confident.

It would feel great if he beat Anne, it would mean that he was the strongest guy on this group, and he was a Mage.

How cool would that be? His enemies attempting to get close to him thinking that he was squishy, only to find out he was not only a Mage, but also a fearsome martial artist!

'I'll show you the results of my training to become a War Mage!'

Lian thought as he wore the capsule.

Not even five seconds passed and they heard Anne's usual voice.

"Areth, you're next."

Areth passed by Lian who wore a gloomy look, muttering something like, 'I'm a Mage after all.'

He smiled at him and walked confidently. He turned towards Anne's avatar in the screen and thought to himself.

'You kid has even bullied your juniors. Let I, your grandfather who has participated in countless wars since the beginning of civilization, teach you some pointers.'

Areth worried that Anne might suffer some setbacks. She was talented after all, and if she was easily defeated by him, wouldn't she give up on her dreams?

'No child, you must learn that there's someone even stronger than you, one mustn't live like the frog in the well. Allow me to shatter your illusion of power and break your complacency! For your own good!'

Areth, filled with the spirit of righteousness, wore the headgear.

His eyes soon saw some image and then he found himself standing in the white room, Anne's avatar standing on the opposite side.

Areth exclaimed in wonder as he felt his body moving smoothly. It feels just like his own body in the real world.

Areth casually picked a sword as a weapon. When the countdown turned to zero, he attacked.

Soon, he was beaten to the point of not knowing north from south.

"Impossible!"

He tried to attack the girl again but was met with the same result. This time, he was truly raging.

'I can't accept it! I would have beaten her I can use magic!'

By the time his HP dropped to zero, he was forced to accept reality. His eyes looked like dead fish.

Anne's voice sounded yet again.

"Rachel, you're up."

Areth excited the game with a look much gloomier than Lian when he exited. He joined him to sit in the corner.

"Indeed, Mages do not engage in brutish physical fight. We are after all, the seeker of truth and wisdom. Why must we lower ourselves? Why must we use sticks and lump of steels to fight when we have full control of nature?"

Although Lian could not completely understand what Areth said, he felt that it sounded cool, he nodded his head.

"That's right!"

However, the crowd soon grew silent when they watched the fight between Rachel and Anne. Somehow, Rachel was able to keep up.

"Nice form! Good reflex!" Anne praised.

So far, she fared better than the boys even though she lost as well, which made the atmosphere in the room depressing.

Anne took off the headgear, looked at their faces and grinned. "How was it, fun right? Aren't I strong?"

In the end, everyone accepted her strength.

"Follow my what I teach you and you will soon become stronger than I am. Let's begin with training your body to perceive mana. This is the prerequisite to become a hunter, whether you become a Fighter, a Spiritualist or a Bender, you must first pass this hurdle."

Anne demonstrated a set of exercises as well as some stance training. Areth followed along and he sensed his mana moving along his body. It doesn't have any significant effect, but the movement of mana may enable people to sense that force within them.

When it was time to part, everyone looked exhausted.

Anne spoke to them. "Let us gather here after classes and on weekends, got it?"

"Right! I was able to sense mana in my first try!"

"Me too."

"I want to become a Fighter!"

Everyone was lively as they felt the existence of mana for the first time.

"Don't be excited just yet. This is just the beginning." Anne said.

Areth looked at the kids and thought of how formidable Anne's eyes were. Everyone of them actually sensed mana by the end of the training.

"We will resume this training until you can sense mana long enough, and until you can sense it by simply focusing on it."

The kids were reluctant to go home, some stayed behind to play games. Areth also headed out of the building.

Unbeknownst to the kids, there was a man in suit observing them from the floor above.

"Yes, they seem to be doing well. That young girl Anne, she is indeed very remarkable as you have said sir."

"Everyone of them was able to sense mana, sir."

"Yes sir, that's what the kids said."

"Yes, I will do so."

The man lowered his phone and looked at the window, to the group children walking out.

"If this plan succeed, we might just create the strongest batch of hunters ever."

He whispered.

The wind silently carried his voice to a certain someone.

Areth smiled. 'It seems like our guild's sponsor isn't just a mere wealthy man.'

---

Three months later, a significant event graced Areth's family.

His mother has given birth. Areth didn't have just one younger sibling, but two, his mother has given birth to a twin.

His father who was standing beside him was laughing in joy. "Areth, you must take care of your younger siblings okay? Look, they're so adorable."

The two were standing beside the bed. The nurses promptly handed the babies over to their mother. Despite being exhausted, her face was brimming with joy looking at her children.

Sarah then turned towards her husband. "Hendrick, you decide their name."

Hendrick did not took too long, after all, he had long thought of names for both a baby boy and a baby girl.

"This one's Jalen, and this one's Christine."

Hendrick poked their chubby cheeks, the babies seemed to be offended and they cried loudly, surprising him. Sarah glared at him.

Embarrassed, Hendrick scratched his chin and glared at Areth, muttering. 'Areth didn't seem to cry this much when he was a baby.'

"Jalen Grey and Christine Grey, welcome to the family."