Madrid's morning sun bathed the city in a golden hue as Alejandro, Lucía, and Alba walked along the wide sidewalk leading to the imposing structure of the Spanish Hunter Association Headquarters.
Despite the rising tension across the globe, the capital pulsed with purpose—especially in the Hunter district. Armed guards watched from the front gate, their expressions sharp, while others patrolled the perimeter discreetly. It was clear that after the spires' emergence, no one was taking chances.
Alejandro, dressed in a black fitted jacket over a dark grey shirt, walked calmly, hands in his pockets. Beside him, Lucía and Alba mirrored his poise. Both wore minimalist attire that still hinted at elegance—Lucía with her sleek dark red coat, Alba in muted silver. Their confident steps turned a few heads, though most onlookers assumed they were simply high-potential Hunters.
As they passed through security, Alejandro flashed his ID. The scanner blinked green.
"Alejandro Vargas. Re-evaluation scheduled. Welcome back," said the receptionist.
He handed over a card. "This is for them," he added. "Evaluation fee. Paid in full."
The woman behind the desk blinked at the names, then nodded, logging them in.
Lucía Navarro – New Applicant – Evaluation Level: Unknown
Alba Serrano – New Applicant – Evaluation Level: Unknown
Soon after, two separate attendants approached, one for each woman. "We'll take it from here, Mr. Vargas. Their testing will begin shortly."
Alejandro gave them a nod. "Do your best," he said to the girls.
Lucía smirked. "We'll try not to terrify the sensors."
Alba simply smiled. "Enjoy your test."
As the two were led away for their initial scans and combat simulations, Alejandro was taken deeper into the facility—toward Room 14A, a reinforced chamber where mana readings were conducted.
Inside, a sleek arc-shaped device sat against the wall, pulsing faintly.
"Please stand in the middle, Mr. Vargas," the technician instructed.
Alejandro stepped into position and exhaled slowly as the machine hummed to life. Glowing runes flickered along the base while a vertical line of light scanned from head to toe.
[Mana Capacity Detected: A+]
[Stability: Excellent]
[Reactivity: High]
The screen lit up with approval, and murmurs could be heard from the observing staff behind the glass.
"That's on par with some of the top A-ranks," someone whispered.
The technician nodded. "We'll forward the results to the evaluation committee. Follow me, please—your combat trial is next."
—
The practical room was a different beast altogether.
Unlike the training arenas outfitted with environmental customization, this was bare steel and stone—a rectangular arena built purely for 1-on-1 evaluations.
Across from Alejandro stood the summoned opponent, an A-rank troll hologram, nearly four meters tall, its skin a leathery grayish-green and arms thick as barrels. In its hand, it held a massive tree trunk, stripped of bark and roughly carved into a brutal club.
"This will be a simulated combat scenario," the voice crackled through the overhead speakers. "Disable the target or render it unable to fight."
The troll let out a roar before stomping forward, raising its makeshift weapon.
Alejandro didn't move. He merely rolled his shoulders, his hands reaching for the daggers provide by the association. This don't have any magic conductivity due to not channelling Alejandro's mana earlier.
Combat Parameters: Recording Initiated.
And above, behind thick one-way glass, a team of analysts and officials watched in silence.
"This is the one who showed A+ mana levels?" one asked. "Let's see if he fights like it."
---------------------------------
Elsewhere in the massive complex, Lucía stood calmly within the humming circle of the Mana Analyzer, her arms crossed, eyes half-lidded in indifference.
The machine, a highly sensitive construct designed to measure even the slightest fluctuations in magical energy, began its scan. Lines of light flickered across her body, absorbing, translating, interpreting.
The moment the reading began to climb past the usual A-rank threshold, the technician blinked.
"Wait... something's wrong."
"No," murmured the lead analyst. "It's not wrong. It's rising."
The numbers on the interface surged upward—faster than anyone expected.
Mana Capacity: S-Rank Confirmed
Mana Type: Holy
The technician leaned back, his hands trembling. "Another one..."
Barely minutes later, in the next chamber, Alba stood barefoot on the polished platform, arms at her side. Her face was serene, but the golden shimmer in her eyes told of something deeper.
The machine began again.
"Couldn't be another..." someone muttered.
But it was.
Mana Capacity: S-Rank Confirmed
Mana Type: Holy
By the time both girls had completed their mana and combat simulations, word had already spread like wildfire across the building. From hushed whispers among receptionists to the high chambers of the administration floor, the phrase echoed over and over:
"Spain just got two more S-Ranks."
—
Back in the main hall, Alejandro waited on one of the long marble benches near the fountain. His evaluation had gone well—maybe too well, if the looks from the nearby staff were anything to go by.
Lucía and Alba approached a moment later, calm as ever despite the curious stares that followed their steps like shadows.
"Well?" Alejandro asked with a slight grin.
"S-Rank," said Lucía simply, flicking her hair back.
Alba sat down beside him. "Same. I think we broke a few hearts upstairs."
He chuckled. "I'm sure they'll get over it."
Their light conversation was interrupted by the sound of polished shoes tapping against the floor.
A man in a tailored navy-blue suit, with neatly combed dark hair and sharp brown eyes, approached them with purpose. His aura was heavy—not magical, but political.
He extended a hand. "Iván Calderón, special attaché to the President of the Spanish Hunter Association. A pleasure."
Alejandro shook it firmly. "We were expecting the attention, but not quite this fast."
Iván smiled, professional and unreadable. "We'd like a word. Privately. The President would prefer a more... direct conversation with Spain's newest high-level assets."
Lucía arched a brow, but didn't argue. Alba was already rising to her feet.
Alejandro shrugged. "Lead the way."
Without another word, Iván turned and guided them through a side corridor, far from the central administrative area—toward the inner conference suites used only for matters of national relevance.