Two days passed, and Rafe's training routine had settled into something stable. Wake up early, stretch until his tiny muscles cried, jog in sad little circles around the yard, and let Mara criticize his form like a miniature drill instructor.
But on the third morning, something felt off.
The orphanage was… busy.
Adults were moving tables, dusting floors, arranging chairs — things they never bothered to do. Kids whispered in corners. Even the caretakers looked tense.
Rafe entered the cafeteria and immediately felt Mara slide into the seat beside him.
"They're hiding something," she whispered.
"I know," Rafe murmured. "The air smells like trouble."
She glanced around. "Should we prepare to run?"
"No," he replied softly. "Not yet."
Seconds later, the head caretaker banged a spoon against a metal tray.
"All children to the main hall! NOW!"
The shouting stirred panic, but Rafe remained calm. Mara followed him closely as they joined the crowd.
Inside the hall, a tall woman in a navy coat stood beside a table filled with strange metal devices — small orbs, crystal pads, and one larger hexagonal scanner.
Rafe swallowed.
He recognized them.
Aptitude testing tools.
The orphanage only received them once every few years, usually after government funding spikes or when an awakened family wanted to scout quietly.
Mara tugged his sleeve.
"What's happening?"
"A talent assessment," Rafe whispered. "They're going to scan everyone."
"For what?"
"For useful children."
Mara stiffened. "You mean… to take?"
"Possibly."
The caretaker clapped her hands. "Line up! Everyone will go one by one!"
Rafe's mind raced. If the scanner detected anything unusual, he'd stand out. And standing out was death.
He stepped closer to Mara.
"Listen carefully," he whispered. "When they scan you, stay calm. Don't tense up. Think of nothing."
"That's not helpful," she whispered back.
"It's all I've got."
The line moved slowly. Some kids were sent away crying. Others were dismissed immediately. The woman with the navy coat barely showed emotion as she made notes.
Finally, Rafe's turn came.
He stepped forward.
The woman glanced at the clipboard. "Rafe Hendrix. Six. No recorded family. Step into the circle."
Rafe stood on the hexagonal pad as instructed.
The orb above his head hummed softly.
A pulse of light washed over him.
His Bloodline Instinct flared, reacting instantly.
He felt nothing… and everything.The scanner probed for mana, lineage resonance, mental affinity, physical potential.
It found none.
The woman frowned, checked her device again, then scanned him a second time.
"…Zero across the board?" she muttered.
Rafe kept his face blank.
Finally she sighed. "You can go."
Rafe stepped down, heart steady. His System was invisible — a perfect shield.
Then Mara's turn came.
She stepped into the circle, jaw tight.
The orb scanned her.
The device beeped.
The woman looked at her notes, confused.
"…Low physical aptitude… mild mana sensitivity… very stable mental pattern…" She paused. "Hm. Interesting."
Rafe's pulse quickened.
"What does that mean?" Mara asked quietly.
"It means you're not hopeless," the woman replied. "Step aside."
Mara walked back to Rafe, eyes wide.
"…Was that bad?"
"No," Rafe whispered. "It means you're normal. Which is good. Normal is safe."
But he knew the truth: Mara's mental stability was unusually high for her age. If she grew properly, she would develop into a prodigy.
Just as the original novel described.
The line continued until the last kid finished.
The woman addressed the room.
"No children from this facility meet the requirements for advancement. We will file a standard report. That is all."
Sighs of relief spread through the room.
Rafe exhaled.
They were safe.
For now.
As the adults dismantled the equipment and the woman left, Mara leaned closer.
"You weren't scared at all."
Rafe smirked. "I was terrified. I just hide it well."
She stared at him a moment, then nodded.
"…That's a good skill."
"I try."
They walked back toward the yard together. The tension had dissolved; children laughed, relieved that nothing drastic had happened.
But Rafe felt something shift inside him.
DING!Quest Completed: Foundation of SurvivalReward: +1 VitalityNew Attribute Unlocked: Status Window
He blinked.
Finally.
The System hadn't given him a single stat point before this moment. But now… he could feel it. His body was slightly stronger. His breath steadier. His movements smoother.
Not much — but enough.
Mara noticed his sudden silence.
"What's wrong?"
Rafe smiled faintly.
"Nothing. Just… leveling up again."
"You're very strange."
"You'll get used to it."
She didn't argue.
They returned to training as if nothing had happened.
But inside Rafe's mind, things were changing rapidly.
If the aptitude tests were starting earlier than in the original timeline…then other events might also shift.
He needed to prepare.He needed allies.He needed a safe exit from the orphanage.
And most importantly—
He needed to protect Mara.
Because whether she realized it or not…
her future was becoming tied to his.