More Secrets
"Four nodes in half an hour and light element..." The sergeant muttered, his words exuding emotion.
The others waited for him to calm down, looking at Kayden as if he were a monster.
"Good, now I will explain to you the reason for the test, which is seeing each person's potential." He began by saying.
'Seeing their reactions, it seems it was a good idea to hide one of my elements.' Kayden thought, not expecting them to be so surprised.
The sergeant continued speaking, "First of all, depending on the number of nodes unlocked before advancing, the person will get a different talent grade."
"What grades are there?" Will asked.
"Five. Common, Noble, King, Emperor, and Sage." The sergeant uttered.
"And how is your grade decided?" Charles questioned curiously.
"Common Grade, from 50 to 69 nodes. Noble, 70 to 79. King, 80 to 89. Emperor, 90 to 99. Sage, all 100 nodes unlocked." He recited.
"Wait, How do you know that there are exactly a hundred nodes?" Audrey asked, frowning.
The sergeant laughed and answered, "Didn't I tell you before that much data is missing in your text? The fact that humans have a hundred nodes is common knowledge out there in the universe."
"And why was the test time half an hour, is there a special reason?"
"It seems that nearly everyone who can't even unlock their first node within half an hour will never be able to advance to the next stage." The sergeant said.
"Why is that?" Kayden asked.
"Simply because every node unlocking takes more than the previous one so if they can't do that in half an hour, unlocking fifty nodes will take them years."
Kayden thought for a second before asking again, "And what about pain resistance? Didn't you highlight its importance?"
"Of course, it's truly important since, even if you manage to unlock your nodes fast, if you can't handle the pain your future is destined for mediocrity." He explained.
A gentle breeze passed as the sergeant continued the explanation.
"To go far, both an exceptional ability to perceive mana and great mental fortitude are necessary. And that's the reason why you are here."
"What do you mean?" Audrey questioned, a skeptical look in her eyes.
"You simply can't imagine how hard is to become a Noble Grade talent and further. There could be none in ten thousand people. That's why the government has created a department with the duty of finding potential talents."
"Not one in a thousand, isn't that exaggerated?" Kayden asked stunned.
"It isn't. And for better talents, there might be a single King Grade in over a million people and an Emperor Grade in over a hundred million." He explained, leaving them speechless.
Realizing that the sergeant hadn't mentioned Sage Grade, Kayden asked, "What about Sage Grade then?"
"Heh, Sage Grade? There might not be a single one on the entire planet."
The four of them took a deep breath after the sergeant's answer.
"Back on topic, the department has a special division for those with the most talent, those with possibilities to become a Noble Grade talent or more." He said.
"What advantages will we have in comparison to ordinary members?" Will asked.
"Mainly knowledge that you would struggle a lot to get otherwise. An example of this is what I've been explaining about talent grades?"
Charles cleared his throat and asked, "Can you tell us what things you will explain to us if we accept?"
"Although you'll be able to access much more knowledge in the future, for now, you can learn about the different stages and the consequences they entail. This includes destructive power, reputation, and lifespan."
Charles' eyes sparkled when he heard the last word.
"Last but not least, we'll tell you information about the first Trial and its awards at the same time we help you with your training." He concluded.
"How long can lifespan be?" Charles instantly asked.
"It depends on your stage, so I will have to explain that first. Let me sit down first." The sergeant commented, before sitting down on a plastic chair.
Meanwhile, Kayden thought, 'I wonder what stage representative Thasal is at.'
"There are five stages in mana cultivation, which are Nodes Unlocking, Mana Warrior, Mana Master, Mana Sovereign, and Mana Ascension. Besides that, every person that cultivates mana is considered a cultivator."
"How important is a Mana Warrior in the Pilux Kingdom?" Charles asked curiously.
'The Pilux Kingdom?' Kayden was confused for a moment before remembering it was the kingdom that ruled over the Earth's territory, according to representative Thasal.
"How importance?" The sergeant chuckled before replying, "It's as good as nothing." His answer surprised the four of them.
"How is that possible? Doesn't a Mana Warrior have power that can be considered superhuman?" Charles asked puzzled.
"You aren't wrong. However, in the vastness of the Pilux Kingdom, an ordinary Mana Warrior could simply be a mercenary or a watchman, obviously in the case his background isn't big enough." He said.
"And what about the lifespan?" Insisted Charles.
"Sorry, I forgot about that. A Mana Warrior can normally live around three or four centuries. That is, of course, if he isn't killed first."
They all took a deep breath when they heard his answer.
'Three or four centuries, and this is only the second stage…' Kayden thought stunned.
"But that's only the beginning." Sergeant Lee continued, "In the later stages, mana cultivators can live for tens of thousands of years." He explained in a casual tone.
Meanwhile, Charles looked euphoric as he murmured over and over again, "Tens of thousands of years, I might be able to live for tens of thousands of years…"
"What about representative Thasal? What is his stage?" Kayden asked.
"Lord Thasal? I don't know. However, if I had to say something, it would be that his power is beyond Mana Ascension cultivators." He solemnly declared.
"Beyond Mana Ascension? Didn't you say that Mana Ascension is the last stage?"
For the first time, Sergeant Lee replied nervously, "I don't know either. Why else do you think all high-ranking officials refer to him as Lord Thasal?"
Feeling chills, Kayden realized it made sense. The power Lord Thasal had shown in his statement was beyond his comprehension.
The four of them seemed to have realized this at the same time.
"And what about the Trial?" Will asked.
"I will tell you later since there is still a lot of time left."
The sergeant got up from his chair and picked up the last box on the table, taking out for badges.
"Well, That's enough for today! You can go now to your rooms, tomorrow we will leave for the department's base." He announced, giving each one a badge.
Unlike the monotonous gray badges that had been handed out earlier, these were White with detailed gold edges.
Kayden kept his and headed into the building, eager to train after everything the sergeant had told them.