Dimension Tower, Director Meeting Room:
"This is the report that just came in," Nua stated before sending the files to everybody. All the directors spent the next few hours reviewing the footage and finished their report. Finally, Lord Drakken broke the silence: "Is everybody ready?"
"Give me three more minutes," Zat — a Mysell Troll and Director of Latin America said.
"Slow as always."
Zate looked at the speaker and growled. His light purple skin shone with a luster. His red hair floated with the wind, and his magic robe started to billow.
"Control your mana," Lord Drakken warned, instantly calming Zat's raging emotion. The Grand Archmage shifted his eyes to the group, "While he's finishing, send me your list of High Potential Individuals." Each region selected 10 individuals with talent who performed well in the trials.
The Dimension Tower divided Earth Dimension into 17 World Region based on history, geography, and politics: North America, Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, West Africa, East Africa, North Africa, South Africa, Central Africa, East Asia, West Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. Each region had only 10 spots for a High Potential Target, which are updated with every dimensional shift.
Drakken sifts through every name and its information, and eventually reaches the North America Region.
[Zane Kwame Skylar]
[Tower ID: 878 ***]
[Potential Magic Talent: S+]
[Shaman Talent: Unknown]
[Titles: 2 Light Blue Titles, 2 White Titles]
[Comment: High IQ individual with a strategic mind, highly adaptable, ambitious, and comfortable using violence as a solution. Performs well under high-stress environments and shows signs of possessing great luck. Distrustful of others due to past history, which could make working in a team an issue. Has not yet displayed any leadership skills.]
[Recommended Training Direction: Special Operations.]
Lord Drakken read through the file, checked on a few other things — including Zane's title — before agreeing for him to be labeled as a High Potential Trainee. Without wasting another second, he moved on to another target, continuing this practice until he reviewed all 170 individuals. Not everybody was accepted; Drakken filled the spot with the people he had selected earlier, then continued the meeting by sharing the final selection with everyone.
"As expected, no SS-Talent," Sarifika, the Western Europe Director, stated.
"What did you expect?" Dhazan, the Middle East Director, sneered, an act which appeared quite comical with his tusks. However, who would dare mock this mighty orc, who is highly accomplished in Elemental Magic?
"Can't a girl dream of miracles?" Sarifika sighed. Without an established magical civilization, this world can't give birth to an SS-Class Magical Talent or higher — unless, as she said, a miracle occurred. However, in the endless dimensions full of countless terrifying beings, miracles are often not miracles, but the machinations of something else at play.
"Sir, there are 3 SS-Class Shaman talents. Can we use this to ask headquarters for a Divine Shaman for our team?" Oriavos — a satyr and the Director of West Asia — asked.
"Send it in," Drakken calmly stated.
"As you wish," Nuo nodded. A new file or application appeared in front of her, and she used her mind to file it and send it.
"During this month, observe and give additional care to these high-potential individuals," Drakken ordered, and the directors nodded. "What else is there?"
"Our energy usage has increased even more this time because of the Earthling's technology. Should we ban them?" Nua asked.
"We'll continue the plan as before and ban after the third shift," Drakken stated. He didn't want these Earthlings to rely too much on technology — even at the weaker stages of their training, when it's the most effective. As such, he chose to give them a period of adaptation, and soon, they will also receive a wakeup call.
"They will soon have an interdimensional bag; that should help," someone else added.
Nuo didn't say another word. If it were up to her, she wouldn't be such a miser, nagging everybody every chance she has. However, they had limited resources for this world, and as the one managing the energy reserves, she had to pinch every penny, as the Earthlings say.
"How about the second-generation trainees? When are we choosing them?"
"We've just started. There is no need, right? Not to mention the casualties are not nearly enough for that."
"This dimension has a large population, so we can probably be more liberal with how many people we select."
"That would be true if we had enough resources," Nua sneered.
"True."
"I suggest we summon the second generation only after this group reaches the first tier."
"That's not about the idea."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
Most people agreed with this selection, and since the lord did not object, the decision was made. A few people brought up other topics, and everyone reviewed each proposition before addressing it.
"Has the mage's course been prepared?" Drakken asked, and everybody sent in their reports; they had long decided the curriculum.
"I must, once again, insist that these mages receive pro —"
"We all know you disagree with our approach; there is no need to bring it up." Talice Gallaer — a drow and Oceania Director — stated. Keldithas coldly stared at the woman dressed in scandalous light armor with two scimitar-like weapons on her side, before finishing his words. No matter what the situation, he insisted on his ideologies.
"The plan will continue," Drakken stated. "However, after a few shifts, you can create a class for all the best mages." Keldithas might be an arrogant, prideful, and pedantic mage, but Drakken still appreciated his value and contribution to the team. In terms of teaching fundamental theories of magic, no one is better than him. Unfortunately, his methods usually result in training a bunch of pure theorists — which are crucial to a peaceful civilization but useless to Earth's current situation.
"That's all I wanted to hear," Keldithas nodded.
"If there is nothing else, let's discuss what to do for the third shift."
…
Zane recognized his current location: the place where the director had told them the three rules to follow. As he glanced at his surroundings, Zane noticed all the other trainees, most of whom had tattered, dirty clothes and smelled horribly. How he wished he did not have an elevated sense of smell. Without much of a choice, Zane was forced to breathe through his mouth to survive.
Luckily for him, listening to these people's experiences was a great way to gather information. Soon, he found a commonality between these people's experiences: first, they were in a forest or environment full of a foreign race. Second, they had another individual take the test with them, typically as part of a team of a knight and a mage, or a mage and a rune warrior. Thirdly, at one point or another, everybody faced a magical beast.
"So, I didn't have to kill that tiger alone?" Zane thought with a wry smile. One of the worst experiences in the world is when death is near, lurking in the shadows and ready to reap. Zane thought he would never have a similar experience after leaving prison, but over a year later, his world suddenly collapsed, and his life became uncertain. Well, at least, he received some compensation in the form of a Light Blue Title.
More than half an hour late, a portal manifested in the sky, and the indifferent elf floated into the room. Director Keldithas coldly glanced at the group and stated, "I'm glad so many of you survived." His voice spread to every corner of the room, just like a loudspeaker.
"No spell?" Zane thought after not seeing any magical circle. "Can the director cast a spell without any runes? Or was that just an application of channeling?" Since channeling mana into the eyes can increase eyesight, Zane theorized it may be used to amplify voices.
"In this program, life is precious, so you should all cherish it," Keldithas continued. His words put a smile on many trainees, some of whom even cried tears of joy. "Cry if you must. Celebrate all you want today. But tomorrow, steel your resolve to continue your path. The two-dimensional shifts you've experienced are nothing but the training wheel. Starting from now on, the gloves are off. The true hell will begin."
Zane exhaled deeply. He had barely killed that one magical creature, but compared to the Demon Army shown by Lord Drakken during the World Announcement, that tiger is not even considered cannon fodder. Without even more intense training, there is no hope for Earth, and there will be no opportunity for him to display his talent and be recruited by the tower.
"I have two things to announce," Director Keldithas continued after everybody had reigned in their emotions. "Firstly, there will be a mandatory class for all mages. You have five days to register. Do not miss the deadline. If I don't see every mage in class on August 6th, be prepared to suffer my wrath."
A chill ran down these trainees' spines as the elf scrutinized the crowd. No one with their damn mind still intact would dare miss the deadline. The issue is that no one knows how to sign up for this class. Do they have to use the DT Corporation website? Everybody wanted more information, but the director didn't look like he was going to explain.
"Knights and Warriors can also register for classes, but they are not mandatory or free. Your basic training is over, so from now on, you must earn every ounce of improvement," Keldithas continued, but he did not pause to allow these knights to process these words.
"The last thing is that the next shift will be in one month, on September 1st. I recommend you use this brief break to improve yourself as much as possible. Now, go."
With a wave of his hand, a white light enveloped everybody. When Zane opened his eyes, he found himself back in his room, and without pausing, he rushed to his computer to check the time. "Just like last time, only a few minutes had passed," he thought. The ability to manipulate time is something he truly yearned for. Sadly, he doesn't think he'll have such power any time soon.