Chapter 424:The baseline.

Chapter 424: 424:The baseline.

Training Hall C-Four was considerably larger than Silver had expected from the outside.

The main doors opened onto a rectangular training floor divided into several sections by markings embedded into the reinforced surface.

A straight fifty-meter lane occupied one side of the hall, complete with timing sensors and reaction lights, while the opposite side contained strength-testing equipment, weighted machines, endurance stations and several devices Silver didn’t immediately recognize.

Beyond those sat a shooting range separated by reinforced transparent barriers, a melee training area filled with adjustable targets and, at the very end of the building, an enormous open section surrounded by thick walls that had clearly been designed for ability demonstrations.

Peter was already waiting when Class Four entered. Several assistants stood around the different testing stations.

Silver looked at Peter, then at the distance they’d just walked.

"He teleported," he whispered to Ravenna.

She looked at him.

"You don’t know that," she whispered back.

"He left after us, it’s just impossible that we didn’t see him pass us."

"We stopped twice."

"Once."

"You kissed me on the stairs."

"That doesn’t count as stopping," he said defensively.

Ravenna’s lips curved.

"We definitely stopped."

Silver considered arguing but was interrupted.

Peter’s voice carried across the hall.

"Ruddington, Arkland, if you’ve finished investigating my transportation methods, join everyone else."

Ravenna immediately looked forward.

Silver smiled.

"Yes, sir."

They joined the others.

Peter waited until all thirty-one students stood before him.

"Leave your weapon cases against the marked wall. Do not draw anything until instructed. Personal weapons that passed academy inspection may be used during proficiency testing. Anyone carrying something that hasn’t been cleared will use academy equipment."

Students began placing cases down.

Ravenna carefully set her sword case beside the wall, followed by the rifle she’d brought as her secondary weapon.

Silver had no personal sword anymore. He had been issued an academy training sword for the assessment plus his handgun was approved.

Peter waited.

"Baseline assessment is divided into three phases. Physical evaluation first. Weapons second. Abilities and combat-role evaluation last."

A student raised his hand.

Peter nodded.

"Are the scores going to be displayed?"

"Yes."

That produced several reactions.

Peter’s expression remained unchanged.

"If that makes you uncomfortable, become comfortable."

The student lowered his hand.

"Your classmates need a basic understanding of what you can do. Eventually you’re going to train together. Hiding your primary ability from your own squad because you’re worried someone will discover you aren’t invincible is a good way to create casualties."

Silver listened carefully to the wording. Primary ability, didn’t mean everything.

Peter continued.

"That does not mean you’re required to disclose family techniques, private ability details, vulnerabilities, proprietary training methods or anything specifically restricted by academy confidentiality regulations. Demonstrate enough for us to establish your starting capabilities."

That was even better.

Silver felt Ravenna glance toward him. He looked back at her

She knew exactly what he was thinking.

Peter divided them into groups.

Silver, Ravenna and Helena ended up in different starting groups, apparently deliberately, while Shirley was placed two stations away from Ravenna.

The first section for Silver was strength. He watched several students go ahead of him.

The machine was simple enough. On had to grip, brace themselves and push.

It measured raw physical output without allowing awakened abilities unless the Contractor’s ability was permanently integrated into their physiology.

Peter stood nearby with a tablet now; apparently he did own one after all.

A broad-shouldered boy stepped forward.

"Name."

"Caleb Orson."

"Ability?"

"Stone Skin."

"Passive enhancement?"

"Partially."

"Use only your natural state. Don’t deliberately activate."

Caleb nodded.

He pushed against against it with all his natural might. The machine registered a respectable result.

Peter marked it.

Another student went, then another. Silver gradually began learning names, not all thirty, he wasn’t going to remember thirty people in one morning but some stood out.

Caleb Orson, Stone Skin, apparently suited to close-range fighting.

A smaller girl named Mina Cole had a vibration-based ability and performed poorly in raw strength but exceptionally well during reaction testing.

A dark-skinned boy named Elias Thorn used a bow as his primary weapon and possessed an ability that sharpened his eyesight and depth perception.

Silver remembered those three, then his name was called.

"Silver Ruddington."

He stepped forward.

Peter looked at him.

"Any ability affecting physical strength?"

Silver thought about Primal Strength.

It wasn’t his main awakened spatial ability that came after. It would also make it more awkward since it seems he was the only one who had integrated his second beast.

That was a problem.

"Physical enhancement."

Peter waited.

Silver added, "Passive."

"Constant?"

"Yes."

Peter marked something.

"Source?"

Silver hesitated.

"Beast-related enhancement."

Not entirely false since primal Strength had originated from the ape tattoo with the help of the system in its development.

Peter didn’t press.

"Proceed."

Silver gripped the machine.

He didn’t activate anything, there was nothing to activate since Primal Strength Lv3 was simply there.

He pushed.

The resistance increased. He leaned forward until his recovering ribs complained. He eased slightly, no reason to injure himself for a baseline score.

The machine stopped.

Several students looked at the results and a murmur spread.

Peter looked at Silver his eyes narrowing slightly.

"That considerably exceeds the expected physical baseline for your registered Contractor profile."

Silver released the handles.

"Passive enhancement."

"I heard you the first time."

He smiled.

Peter looked at his medical notation.

"You’re still recovering."

"Yes, sir."

"Then why did you stop?"

Silver’s eyes widened.

Peter looked toward the machine.

"You had more."

He realized what he meant.

"I felt the strain around my ribs."

Peter nodded once.

"Good choice."

Several students seemed confused.

Peter looked toward them.

"A baseline isn’t worth reopening an injury." He entered the score. "Ruddington’s recorded result is his safe current maximum, not projected maximum."

Silver stepped away.

Peter’s gaze followed.

"Don’t make me repeat that during endurance."

"Understood."

Ravenna was watching from the speed station.

Silver caught her eye.

She pointed subtly toward her ribs, his ribs, then narrowed her eyes.

He raised both hands slightly.

I behaved.

Ravenna smiled.

The physical assessments continued.

Silver performed exceptionally well in strength and endurance compared with what students expected from someone publicly listed at Soul Capacity seven, although Peter stopped his endurance test before Silver could push into genuine strain.

His speed was good, not extraordinary. Until the instructor asked whether his spatial ability counted toward mobility.

Silver smiled.

"Very much."

"Natural movement only for this section."

"Then this is it."

Reaction was different. The machine used lights appearing at unpredictable angles.

Silver stood in the center as he watched her.

Peter looked at his tablet.

"Spacial perception is part of your ability?"

"Yes."

"Passive?"

"Not exactly."

"Can you use it without significant energy expenditure?"

Silver nodded.

"Then use it."

He activated Spatial Sense.

[Spatial Sense Lv3 Activated]

The system didn’t create that prompt, the skill itself did. That distinction had become increasingly noticeable now that the main system remained offline.

Silver felt the room expand around him. The lights began began shifting ; moved to the left, he touched it, the right, he touched it, from behind, he turned before it fully illuminated and touched it. It moved to the upper right, lower left and behind again.

His responses became faster. The machine accelerated with each change in each reaction speed.

Students started watching.

Silver didn’t need to see each light directly when he felt movement and position.

Peter noticed.

The final light activated behind Silver. His hand moved almost immediately.

The machine stopped.

Peter checked the score.

"Spatial awareness gives you a substantial reaction advantage."

"Yes."

"Does that translate equally to moving targets?"

"Better."

Peter looked up.

"Better?" He asked.

"Lights don’t move so it’s easier to see and mainly predict."

Peter considered, then marked something.

Silver moved on.