Standing in the kitchen while his mother fussed over his linen shirt Chris felt anxiety well up from his chest. This was the day. The day he was to be blooded. He would soon leave for the town center to meet with 9 other children who would undergo the ritual at the same time.

It would not be a private affair, minor nobles and parents would be watching the ceremony and waiting for the test results afterward. His abilities would be categorized into 3 grades and one overall ranking, ranging from F- all the way to S+.

‘Perhaps today he would finally meet him…’ Chris supposed it was possible if he did well.

“Okay, you look presentable. I suppose we should head out dear” His mother's voice was tight, perhaps she was thinking of his future.

Their family was not poor by most standards but certainly could not afford to pay for his education at the mages academy. It would take at least 20 gold just for tutoring fees. Then there would be all of the reagents and mana crystals necessary for progress within the academy.

“Right, let's go ” Chris's voice was tight, both with anticipation and dread.

The town center has a special place where the blooding took place, just outside the guild building in a secluded part of the town. Only those with a vested interest in the participants would attend.

In the center of the 200 square meter space was a depression that led to a drain, this would allow any liquids spilled to drain away and now make the audience members dirty with blood and oil. On one side of the square were a long table that had 4 Mages setting, each with a blue-tinted sphere on the table in front of them and a stack of papers to their left.

As Chris entered the square he noticed a line of 9 other participants waiting on one side of the square on the other side of the depression. The audience was waiting on the last available site not occupied by the audience, participants or the entrance. They milled about with a sense of anticipation. A few glanced at him as he entered and looked thankful, the ceremony would begin shortly now everyone was here.

“See you in a bit darling, go stand with the other children. Don't step in the center depression unless told to and behave, don't be too loud talking to the other children and be respectful to ....” His mother rattled out in a fast and monotone voice.

“Sheesh okay mom, I won’t do anything to draw the ire of anyone relax. I'll see you in a bit” Despite his brave words his posture was tight. It was nearly time.

Chris joined the line of children waiting and noticed that underneath the table were 10 cages. Each cage held a rat that… to be put mildly was simple to big. It was the size of a small dog and including the take was about 2 feet long.

“Hey, I’m Marcus, call me Mark, what's your name?” A boy with fair brown hair and a friendly smile said from his right side in a low tone. He didn't look nervous at all.

“I-I’m Chris, Nice to meet you, Mark. Have you done this before?” Chris tries to make his voice as normal as possible but it sounded a bit forced.

“Yeah this is my second time, it's not really all its bogged up to be. It's just a bit of oil and follows the instructions of the bored-looking fellows at the table. The worst part is the cut but they heal you after so it's not too bad.” Mark said, offering his hand to Chris.

“Wow thanks, I didn't know that, so where is your nexus?” Chris said as he took Marks Hand.

“Mines just on my leg. The calf. Yeah, bit of an awkward spot to sense mana from. I didn't manage it last time so here I am. I've been practicing, I'm sure I will get it this time. Most people have their nexus on their arms or hands. I'm sure you'll be fine.” Mark was very enthusiastic in a surprisingly quiet way. A breathless excitement.

“I already found my nexus, I thought they were going to cover us in honey and it's quite embarrassing to be that wet in a crowd. Mine is in my chest just here..” Christ pointed to the center of his nexus a few inches left of his right nipple.

“Oooo, that's gonna be rough.” Mark winced and touched his chest in sympathy “Better hope they give you a small stone and you succeed today, you probably don't want to repeat today.”

“Oh its starting lets watch” Christ felt he would not want to repeat this experience but he had practiced and was sure he would succeed.

Chris watched as the oldest mage stepped out from behind the desk and approached the depression in the center of the square. He wore a long black robe that almost skimmed along the ground and held a small ledger. He looked about 40 but you could never tell with mages. He cleared his throat in a semi pompous way and opened his arms greeting them.

“Chemhem, welcome unblooded and spectating members. I'll keep this short. I am Shaper Kiran Al-Darkdrown - Branch Master of the local adventurers guild and I will be performing the ritual today. Please step forward…” He looked at a small ledger in his hand. “Mr Farlos step forward and enter the bowl”

A small ratty boy walked forward and stood in the center of the depression. The Shaper Kiran walked over to the table and took out a cage.

“[Paralysis]”, The mage cast a paralysis spell and the rat went limp unable to move its muscles.

“If you would remove your clothes now, and ready yourself.” The mage took a small knife from his pocket and an attendant walked over with a bucket of oil.

The oil was when the boy was naked, dumped straight over him and he was instructed to run it over himself. Next, the mage asked him to repeat the chant [Minor Restoration] while thinking of himself. When the boy did so the oil around his bicep began to glow a warm green. The mage lifted his hand and cast a spell.

“[Focus Magic - Purify]” The oil covering the boy steamed and boiled off him leaving him relatively dry. The mage then walked over and focused on the knife. “[Disinfect]” The knife shone for a second and became slightly shiner after the spell had completed. The mage then made a small cut at the center of where the glowing had taken place, the cut bled a lot more than it should and the mage quickly took a small blue-tinted crystal from a pouch at his waist. He inserted the crystal into the wound and the boy hissed in pain.

“[Middle Cure Wounds]” The mage then healed the boy's arm, closing the wound around the stone and sealing the skin shut.

Next, he took that giant rat out of its cage and sliced off its head with nary a second hesitation, he aimed the ray at the boy's arm like a cannon and cast a spell.

“[Boost Magic - Lions Heart]” The blood began to squirt out like a hose and within 2 seconds ran dry leaving the boy soaked with blood and looking pretty miserable. Chris could have sworn he saw the mage smirk at the boy, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

‘Well damn looks like I'm getting dirty today’ Chris thought, despite his preparation he forgot about the need for blood.

The mage then cast “[Create Water][Control Water]” and began to clean the boy of the blood and viscera. When he was blood-free he was instructed to walk over to the first Mage on the table.

“Place your hand on the orb and cast the spell and cast [Minor Restoration] try to control the amount of mana to keep it even, don't let the orb suck out more than the spell desires. The orb will measure your mana control.” The boy did as asked, a faint deeper blue hue entered the ball, the clerk noted the reading down after touching the ball and said out loud, “D+ Control.”

The boy walked to the next mage and was asked to push as much mana as rapidly as possible into the orb. The orb glowed a more vibrant blue this time at least 5 times brighter than the dull blue of the last orb. But still very dim and only in the center of the ball. Next, he was told to do the reverse suck it out as fast as possible. “Mana Output E+” Said the mage writing down the result. The next table he was told to simply feed all of his mana into the orb until he had no more. It did not take very long before the boy was done and the mage said “Mana Capacitance E” The boy cringed and looked towards that Guild Branch leader, the mage gave him a paper and said final ranking D- “

The event continued with boys and girls getting called up to the circle and being coated with blood, at least the mage cleaned them. Several more rankings were called out with 2 E Ranking, 1 E+, 2 D- and 3 D Ranked children with one special girl getting a D+. The E ranked children walked back way to the line depressed.

Now It was Chris’s turn.

Chris stood in the center of the now slightly pink depression in the square and prepared himself for the oiling nearly forgetting he already knew where his nexus was.

“Shaper Kiran Sir, I know where my nexus is. Can we skip the oil part?” Chris politely intoned to the mage.

“Very well we will just check to the spot with oil to make sure then proceed, it will save some time.” he was casting Chris a quizzical look of interest.

The mage walked up to him and offered him the oil. Chris got undressed anyway and dipped his hand in oil. Then to the mage's surprise, he wiped it on his breast. His cheeks burned and a few chuckles came from the crowd. The action was quite perverted.

‘Oh damn, this is embarrassing maybe I should have just gone the whole mile and let him coat me with oil… oh no that sounds worse than me rubbing my nipple...oh...screw it’ Chris tries to look dignified but when he saw the twinkle in the mage's eyes his cheeks just buried hotter.

“When you are ready cast [Minor Restoration] if you please” the mage intoned, mirth evident in his tone.

“[Minor Restoration]” Chris Intoned.

The oil he had smeared was far more sensitive than the homebrew mud he had made himself and practically lit up neon with light. It was magnitudes brighter than any of the other children that had come before him and left a small spot in his vision he tried to blink away. He had been too close, staring intently.

Chris looked up to see the old mage raise an eyebrow.

“Okay this may hurt considering when your nexus is located but don't worry I will heal it quickly.” the old mage sounded sincere and interested to see what results he would have. There was a low murmuring from the ground with low whispers of “has to be at C- if not C surely” and “heh boys good for light magic at least, needs some meat on his bones.”

‘Holy shit that was a lot brighter than I was expecting’ Chris thought as the mage leaned in with the knife and cast the [Disinfect] spell. He felt pain and magic sucking his blood out of the wound and then a sharp pain as a rather large crystal time size of 2 peas stuck together was inserted into his breast.

“[Middle Cure Wounds]” The mage caused the wound in Chris’ chest to close and stop bleeding. He could the mana crystal inside his chest slowly releasing mana into him. Then while he was distracted blood fountained into his chest and he jumped.

He felt the mana from the blood gravitate towards the crystal in his chest and start a reaction, sending waves of mana that clashed with his own nexus and caused some damage to it. He could feel where his mana was interacting with the foreign mana. He reached out with his mind and tried to gram the energy within him. Suddenly he could feel with another limb the mana writhed throughout his body in moderate density but at his nexus, there was a packet much larger than the rest of his body. He flexed the next limb and manipulated the energy. It felt surprisingly natural, and he could see further, much further.

Something clicked, he was seeing the world at the smallest level, the atomic level. He was manipulating energy that allowed him to interact with the very matter that constituted the universe. The knowledge that he has recently oppressed and ignored to focus on the upcoming ceremony had given this realization. He flexed a small amount of energy and willed it to impart motion to the atoms in the air above his palm.

Opening his eyes, Chris witnessed a shimmer of heat rolling off his palm, he quickly stopped looking to see if the mage had noticed but saw him preparing to clean him up. Well, he didn't have to show off just yet, there would be time for that.

When he walked up to the first mage and used [Minor Restoration] on the orb it glowed a blue slightly brighter and his chest was covered with the oil. But this time he felt the magic, the mana flowing from his nexus in an intricate pattern. It was representing his desire to affect the world his desire for the flesh to be mended pain to be soothed.

“B- Control?” The mage intoned surprise evident. Low murmuring came from the crowd.

Chris walked to the next or and touching it grabbed his mana and violently shoved it into the orb, there was a bright flash and then a steady glow of mana inside the ball. He then felt his mana inside the ball and reached for it. Violently and as fast as he could he yanked the mana back into himself. The light winked out from the ball as quickly as it had come.

“Mana Output B” This mage was even more surprised, a child having this level of instinctual control was rare, he would have a great number of willing sponsors to take him to the academy.

Chris now more confident walked over to the last or and began dumping his mana into the orb, it lasted less than 2 seconds when he felt his reserves run bone dry, his knees weekend at the sudden loss of mana and he was confused was that really all he had.

“Mana Capacity D-” The mage looked at him sympathetically and more murmuring filled the square.

“Hmm, not great but his efficiency should help make up for the poor mana capacity….. Mmmm I wonder.” Such comments and less favorable ones were being discussed by the crowd.

Chris felt disappointed at this last score but he was not to be discouraged.

“Final Rank C”