Zero to Hero

Chapter 25. Trials of Power

"It's one ounce of silver to have your abilities tested if you didn't pay the entrance fee for the tournament," the staffer announced, his voice cutting through the air and halting Candace mid-sentence, just as she was about to demonstrate her magic.

"Do you fancy a go at it, Abigail?" I inquired, sliding a coin across to the staffer.

"Nah, I'm not much of a fighter. My abilities aren't exactly top-tier material. I'm just hoping to find a dependable man who can look after me and my family," Abigail replied with a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

"EWWW! Putting all your chips on a man? You'll just end up like my sister - disappointed," Tina chimed in with a sneer.

"Is she truly disappointed though? It's unfair to project your own feelings onto your sister," Abigail countered.

"Of course she's disappointed! Imagine your lover vanishing without a trace for years. How could she not be?" Tina snapped back.

The conversation once again veered into disparaging remarks directed at me, but I chose to remain silent, letting the storm of words subside. Finally, with a collective sigh, the trio settled enough to proceed with the testing.

"Do I really have to undergo all these tests? I simply want to gauge how my ice magic stacks up against Zishell's," I queried the staffer.

"Unfortunately, for the tournament participants, we require comprehensive data to ensure fair ranking and bidding odds," the staffer explained apologetically.

"Fair enough," I conceded, joining Candace and Tina to have my abilities assessed, a process I hadn't undergone since my years at the academy.

As we progressed through the tests, Tina's results were intriguing. While her elemental magic was typical of most beastmen, her mastery of physical enhancement was remarkable, particularly considering she lacked formal training. It was a testament to her innate talent and dedication.

"I can't believe you are at master level on all your physical enhancements. Lovetta was barely at expert level when she was your age," I marveled, genuinely impressed by Tina's prowess.

"Watch me, Ken! I'm about to unleash my extra-powerful fire attack!" Candace interjected, eager to divert my attention towards her.

In stark contrast, Candace possessed only moderate physical enhancement abilities but displayed a commendable mastery of not just fire magic, but also the other three basic elements.

"I had no idea you were advanced in water, earth, and air magic as well. Why do you only use fire magic then?" I inquired, genuinely curious about her choice.

"Ugh! It's frustrating that my fire magic is barely at master level! I'm a FIRE fairy, for goodness sake! Naturally, I'll focus on my fire magic," Candace replied, her reasoning leaving much to be desired.

"It seems you two are evenly matched in your enhancement abilities," I observed.

"But she's older! This homewrecker is way older than me. By the time I reach her age, I'll surely be at holy level," Candace retorted, with a hint of defiance.

"I don't have a father who's a super-strong chieftain or a gifted sister to train with. Besides, the real measure of our strength lies in how we compare to the heroes. This test doesn't hold much significance," Candace argued, raising valid points that Tina chose to dismiss.

With the testing for the two girls completed, all eyes turned to me, anticipating my performance on the traditional tests, which, as expected, aligned precisely with my predictions.

"Wow! Holy level in every single area! You must be one of the blessed ones to possess such formidable abilities," the staffer exclaimed, clearly impressed by my skills.