novellhall Chapter 141: Bonding [1]
Chapter 141: Bonding [1]
"Oh? What do you mean by that?" President Marron asked, stopping in his tracks to look back over his shoulder.
Elenaria paused a step ahead of them, turning around with her tablet resting against her forearm, her expression cool but attentive.
Soren cleared his throat, trying to adopt the casual tone he had practiced in his head. "Well, actually... I managed to break through recently. My skills improved a bit as well, so the parameters in the report might be slightly off."
"Oh, is that so?" Marron gave a slow, knowing nod, a familiar glint appearing in his eyes. He glanced at the elven director. "Elenaria, show him what you’re looking at."
The director complied with a brief nod, stepping forward to hand the digital tablet directly to Soren.
Soren took the device, his eyes scanning the document, and immediately went entirely still. He stared at the screen, completely dumbfounded. Right there on the display, his estimated cultivation threshold was already flagged at the 3rd Circle, accompanied by a detailed breakdown projecting high mana capacity and purity.
The analysis report explicitly tied this explosive growth to the residual energy of the Golden Gate. Below that, his estimated hunter rank had already been adjusted to D-rank, while his projected ceiling was listed as High S-rank.
’They... they already know everything,’ he realized, a small chill settling in his chest.
Looking closer, he noticed the file wasn’t a definitive log of his actual stats, but rather a collection of highly accurate conclusions and predictions based on his recent movements and combat records.
Then again, given the Bureau’s vast data network and decades of experience tracking Awakened, it really shouldn’t be that surprising that they had connected the dots so quickly.
Soren raised his head, only to find the President grinning broadly at him, clearly enjoying the look on his face.
"What’s wrong?" Marron chuckled, crossing his arms. "Tell me what’s inaccurate, and I will have it corrected right now."
"N-nothing is wrong," Soren muttered, quickly handing the tablet back to Elenaria. He swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. "In fact, your team might have overdone the estimates a little."
"Oh, come on, there’s no need to be humble around here," Marron teased, giving Soren’s shoulder a firm pat before leading the way once more. "Let’s focus on the task at hand and get this wrapped up. I have a few other appointments to catch later on."
"Oh, of course," Soren nodded, falling back into step behind the two mages.
As they walked, his mind raced with a newfound sense of urgency. The sheer accuracy of the Bureau’s predictive analytics was a massive wake-up call. If he wanted to keep his strength hidden from the world, he needed to learn and master the Pebble Among the Stars technique as soon as possible.
The corridor ended at a pair of massive, reinforced blast doors forged from a dark, lusterless alloy. Elenaria stepped forward, pressing her palm against a glowing biometric scanner embedded in the wall. The mechanisms unlocked with a deep click, and the heavy doors parted to reveal a sprawling, cathedral-like vault that left Soren temporarily breathless.
Sleek monitoring terminals ringed the perimeter, manned by a dozen specialized researchers in crisp uniforms.
In the middle of the room, a circular platform made of polished obsidian sat slightly elevated, completely encircled by concentric rings of silver runes. Directly above the platform, a complex array of crystalline focusing lenses hung from the high ceiling, catching the ambient light and fracturing it into pale blue beams.
"We are here," Elenaria announced, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space.
She stepped toward the primary console, her demeanor shifting entirely into that of a precise, seasoned professional.
"This is the Resonance Chamber," she began, gesturing toward the central stage. "It is a highly specialized environment designed to bridge the gap between human mana and the instinctual nature of magic beasts. Before we can introduce you to any potential companions, we must first map your specific spiritual frequency and mana alignment."
Soren stepped fully into the room, his eyes scanning the intricate setup as he listened attentively. He had read about basic taming methods before, but the sheer scale of the magitech infrastructure before him was on an entirely different level.
"The logic behind it is simple," the director continued, turning to face him directly. "Every living being possesses a unique energetic signature. Once you take your place on the platform, the chamber will isolate your mana profile and project a localized, completely harmless pulse throughout the sanctuary’s nursery vaults. Magic beasts are highly instinctual creatures, meaning those whose bloodlines naturally harmonize with your specific frequency will respond to the wave. Our system will log the strength and nature of those reactions, filtering out the best possible candidates for a bond."
Soren gave a focused nod, absorbing the explanation. The system relied on raw magical compatibility to narrow down the choices instantly, saving him from blindly wandering through thousands of beasts hoping for a random connection.
Elenaria turned back to her terminal, her slender fingers tapping rapidly across the interface as she addressed her staff. "Initialize the containment barriers and calibrate the resonance arrays to standard parameters. Prepare for a baseline sweep."
"Matrix online, Director," a technician replied promptly, monitoring a cascading wall of data. "Awaiting the subject."
"Step onto the platform, Mr. Soren," Elenaria instructed smoothly. "Sit cross-legged at the dead center, clear your mind, and wait for my signal. Once the containment barrier activates, simply release your mana naturally."
Taking a slow breath to calm his racing thoughts, Soren walked past the terminals and stepped onto the smooth obsidian surface. The air within the circle felt noticeably heavy, tight with a quiet power that made his skin prickle with anticipation.
He settled into a cross-legged position right over the central focal rune, resting his hands lightly on his knees.
Closing his eyes, he tuned out the soft murmurs of the researchers. He focused inward, regulating his breathing and gathering his mana.
’Huf...’
As he cleared his mind of all distractions, he focused entirely on the depths of the sanctuary, waiting to see what kind of entity would answer his call.
"...Start."