BXBX NOVEL Chapter 110: What?!
Alvin got close to one of the Star Rays, ready to flee if it tried to call its friends. Yet, it was as if the Star Ray couldn't even see him. He slowly approached its back, and after touching the Yellow Magic Token, it disappeared while a point was added to his score. "Could it be this little guy is sick?" He couldn't help but wonder.
Alvin slowly got away from the Star Ray and found another one that had a few others not too far from it. This one was also a lot bigger and moved faster, so Alvin had to increase his speed. Fortunately, Linfel didn't slack when it came to Alvin's physical training. Linfel used his Magic Energy to improve Alvin's body while putting him under tremendous stress.
Ultimately, Alvin became very fit over time, and he definitely surpassed his peers in physical strength alone... although he wasn't aware of this yet. Alvin could move as fast as a Level One Magus even without using a single iota of Magic Energy.
Alvin caught up to the Star Ray and touched its back. This time, however, Alvin was surprised. Not only did the Star Ray not respond, but it also had a Blue Token on its back. Just like that, another ten points were added to Alvin's score. 'So that's why there were more Star Rays around this one; it was a Level Two Star Ray. They were this guy's followers!
Yet... they still can't see me somehow.'
Alvin then looked around, looking for another magus or familiar nearby. It wasn't hard to find one since there were so many. However, the guy he saw was already running away while quite a few Star Rays pursued him. Naturally, the Star Rays were seeing that guy without a problem. 'This makes no sense... Did Linfel do something to the Star Rays around me without anyone noticing?'
Alvin tried it a few more times, and the same thing happened, so his score continued to increase. Finally, Alvin's confusion reached his limit, and he turned around to ask Linfel in the distance. Yet, when he saw Linfel, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Alright, now sit!" Linfel commanded.
A group of around fifty Star Rays all fell to the ground, only slightly lifting the front part of their bodies.
"Good! Now, turn!" Linfel ordered again.
All the Star Rays around him made a full 360 before ending in the same position.
"Hahaha!" Linfel felt quite happy. "Alvin, look! This is quite funny. So that's how you humans feel when you teach your dogs a few tricks. It also reminds me of when you manage to complete the training I give you. So satisfying..."
"Dogs..." Alvin wanted to cry. Now, Alvin was being compared to a dog. No, even worse, there were five Star Rays in Linfel's group that were as big as the one he just touched. They were all Level Two Star Rays, but they still followed every command from Linfel... just like dogs indeed.
"Ahem..." Alvin tried to recover from his hurt ego. "Linfel, I'm managing to take the tokens. But how come the Star Rays can't see me? They simply ignore my existence. There was even one who passed by me and went away, running after another Magus."
"Hum?" Linfel looked back at Alvin like he was looking at an idiot. He then released the Star Rays, allowing them to return to space and clearing the area around Linfel and Alvin. "Isn't that obvious? There is pretty much no Magic Energy escaping from your body. That's called Magic Energy Control, you know? Mosie commented about it back in the spaceships before the test.
If there is no Magic Energy, how can the Star Rays see you? They don't have eyes."
Linfel then pointed at another Magus not too far away. "Look at that magus there. He is focusing all his attention on controlling his Magic Energy. Can you see any Star Rays closing on him?"
A few Star Rays seemed to get close to the guy, but after a few seconds floating around the Magus, they left, seemingly uninterested. Still, Alvin could see beds of sweat running down from the guy's face. No doubt he was having to do his best just to keep that condition. "So that's how it is..."
It was then that Alvin noticed. "Wait, I know that guy. He was one of the Level Four Magus who climbed the same Elevator as me. How come he is struggling so much?"
"Because he is terrible at controlling Magic Energy," Linfel explained. "Could it be you still haven't understood?"
"Understood what?" Alvin asked back?
"This test is not just to see who can score more points. It is also a trial by fire to teach the future prospects of the Ventis Sect about how important Magic Energy Control is," Linfel shrugged. "If you manage to survive and score points, you will leave this place with a huge advantage for your future.
Even if you don't get into the top 1%, just this experience alone will prove invaluable in the places they came from."
Suddenly, a familiar ran in Alvin and Linfel's direction, seeing that there were no Star Rays near them. He wanted to use Linfel and Alvin to bait the Star Rays that were pursuing him.
Alvin couldn't help but turn around. There were at least thirty Star Rays after that Familiar. However, Linfel held him back. "Magic Energy Control. Don't forget it."
Alvin swallowed hard and nodded, feeling his body tense.
The Familiar flashed past Linfel and Alvin. However, when it looked back, all the Star Rays pursuing it didn't stop. They passed by Linfel and Alvin as if they didn't exist and continued to pursue. "What? Fuck!" In the end, it had to use more Magic Energy to continue its escapade. Linfel and Alvin didn't know, but this Familiar was taken away by the Star Rays a few minutes later.
Linfel faintly smiled and released his Magic Energy again. Immediately, a few Star Rays noticed his presence and came after him. When they tried to pull Linfel through his Magic Energy, Linfel used that connection to take control of their bodies. He touched their backs, took the points, and suppressed his Magic Energy again before ordering the Star Rays to go away. "I quite like the Ventis Sect.
Their tests are very thorough. They know very well what they are looking for and what to do to get the expected results."
Alvin sighed. He got more impressed with himself and Linfel's methods by the day. "Then I'm going out to score a few more points."
"Sure, but don't drop your guard. You need to control your Magic Energy like that for 40 Clicks or a little bit over 40 hours. It will be quite tiresome," Linfel warned. "Also, you can check the scoreboard with your MCOM if you are interested."
Alvin scratched the back of his head. Just how many Maguses and Familiars on this asteroid even had the time to care about their MCOMs? Seems like Linfel did... and so did Alvin. "Okay..."
It was then that Alvin remembered something. "Wait! How is Milia doing?"
"Milia?" Linfel pointed in another direction. "That girl with a flame sword in the distance is probably her. Oh! The Star Rays are bringing her away. Guess she will become food soon." Linfel spoke as if it had nothing to do with him.
"I see..." Alvin nodded and turned around to go collect more tokens... Then, he froze. "WHAT?!"