The Heliosbane family convoy cruised down the highway without a hitch. Traffic officers moved swiftly to control the flow of vehicles, clearing the way for the striking convoy. Without any prior notice, every officer understood - not even the slightest mistake could be tolerated when dealing with the distinctive holy knight jeeps of the Heliosbane family cruising leisurely by.
After half an hour's drive, the convoy finally arrived before the towering edifice of the Central Magic Association.
"No matter how many times I see it, the building's robust architecture never fails to amaze me," Raiden muttered softly, gazing at the association building through the limousine's window.
Two female holy knights descended from the escort jeep, opening the doors for Raiden, his mother, and aunt. Seraphina followed, approaching Raiden while carrying a curved saber entirely wrapped in silver.
"Young master, please use this saber as your temporary weapon," Seraphina said with an elegant gesture while presenting the weapon.
Raiden smiled warmly, accepting the silver saber with sincere gratitude before hanging it on his right hip.
Dozens of female holy knights moved swiftly to secure the area. Their sharp gazes swept the surroundings, monitoring any suspicious individuals. Anyone who dared make a suspicious move would face extreme measures without mercy - all to protect the VVIPs under their escort.
This conspicuous treatment created an uncomfortable atmosphere. Yet no one dared speak up when it came to the Heliosbane family's security. The slightest injury to Raiden, his mother, or aunt could trigger massive chaos that could potentially escalate into a national disaster.
On the association building's first floor, they were greeted by the Director General - a tall, well-built middle-aged man with neatly styled short white hair. Beside him stood his personal secretary, a young woman with gleaming golden hair and eyes.
"Welcome to our humble magic association," the director greeted with a deep, authoritative voice. Though without hostility, a strong pressuring aura emanated from his presence - attempting to shake anyone's composure before him.
Raiden, his mother, aunt, and Seraphina remained completely unfazed. However, ordinary magic users might have collapsed to their knees facing such pressure.
Slightly annoyed, Raiden activated Ethereal Sight. Magical energy surged into both eyes. His sapphire blue irises glowed brightly, manifesting a perfect eight-clover silver star symbol at their center.
With sharp focus, waves of silvery-blue Dread Aura radiated powerfully, targeting the director general.
Feeling his mental fortitude and willpower shaken by the mysterious aura waves from Raiden's strange eyes, the director frowned. He struggled hard to maintain consciousness amidst that oppressive power. His body trembled violently, drenched in cold sweat, gradually stiffening until paralyzed in place.
Refusing to submit to Raiden's Dread Aura dominance, he was forced to channel almost all his magical energy at maximum potential - creating dark energy waves to expel the Dread Aura's influence from his body.
"Uarrgghh!!" The director's loud scream shattered the silence when he finally managed to break free from the Dread Aura's grip after several moments.
"Director, are you alright?!" the secretary cried out in panic, her golden eyes trembling in fear. Never had she witnessed her superior react so intensely.
The director's breath was ragged, his face deathly pale with a disheveled expression. Shame enveloped him - his current condition was utterly unbecoming for the proud Director General of the Magic Association.
'How could this brat possess such overwhelming power?!' he wondered internally. 'With power like this, the Heliosbane Family's hegemony is truly unshakeable!'.
A subtle smile graced Raiden's face as he stood before the Magic Association's Director General. His eyes sparkled with hidden arrogance, yet remained perfectly controlled within the bounds of proper etiquette. A delicate game played by the young heir.
Like a perfectly fitted mask, his calm expression betrayed no significant emotion as he stepped forward to shake the Director's hand. His friendliness was calibrated with precision, even when greeting the gorgeous golden-haired secretary before offering her an equally warm handshake.
In the corner of the room, his aunt and mother could barely contain their stifled laughter. They perfectly understood that this young Heliosbane heir was playing his game of social dominance. As the successor to a legendary family name, such social dances were an inevitable necessity.
The Director General, after collecting his composure, donned his professional persona with the characteristic smile of a seasoned businessman. With an inviting gesture, he welcomed Raiden and his entourage - mother, aunt, and Seraphina - into the specially prepared VVIP room. His secretary was promptly instructed to coordinate with the finest chefs in serving exceptional dishes.
Moments later, five servants entered the room carrying various pitchers of premium beverages. Seraphina, with stunning grace and efficiency, poured premium green tea for the Matriarch, steaming espresso for the Young Master, and fresh orange juice for Calista. The three Heliosbane family members nodded in satisfaction at Seraphina's competence, while the Director received service from his personal secretary.
"Allow me to introduce my beloved granddaughter," the Director broke the comfortable silence between them.
The stunning young woman with golden hair bowed gracefully, creating a captivating formal gesture. "My respects, Matriarch, Young Master, and Mistress. Please allow me to introduce myself, Claudia Duskbringer. I'm currently pursuing professional learning by serving as my grandfather's secretary." Every word that flowed from her lips sounded formal yet flowed with natural elegance.
"It's truly delightful to see such a dedicated young lady. Auntie greatly appreciates such spirit," Lysandra offered genuine praise, her eyes sparkling with pure appreciation.
Calista nodded in agreement, giving Claudia a rare warm smile.
Although these two Heliosbane women were known for their cold aura towards outsiders, they held special appreciation for young souls who showed gentleness and dedication.
Raiden, on the other hand, only responded with a charming smile and a measured brief handshake. Though the young secretary's charm undeniably caught his attention, he maintained perfect dignity and self-control in front of the elders.
"Based on our email correspondence, Young Master Raiden has successfully awakened his magical potential and is ready for comprehensive evaluation," the Director confirmed, bringing the conversation to the meeting's main purpose. "If you're willing, we can proceed directly with the series of tests without going through the standard queue procedure."
"Ah, of course. That's a very wise proposal. The sooner this process begins, the better the results will be," Lysandra welcomed the offer with controlled enthusiasm.
The group of six then moved towards the magnificent stadium located in the Association building's back complex. In the center of the vast arena, various advanced equipment for testing magical talent had been perfectly prepared, waiting to reveal the hidden potential of the Heliosbane heir.
Claudia, with efficient grace, guided them to a sophisticated magical energy capacity measuring machine. This cutting-edge device featured an impressive square hologram display and digital scanner with special magical sensors. Ancient rune carvings adorned every surface corner, creating a complex network connecting all vital components.
"Let's begin the first phase by measuring your magical energy capacity, Young Master," Claudia said in her melodious soft voice, creating a calming professional atmosphere.
Following Claudia's meticulous guidance, Raiden positioned his right palm over the high-tech scanner's surface. With unwavering confidence, he activated his extraordinary ability—Life Force Transmutation—a unique skill that allowed him to regenerate and maximize his magical energy to its absolute limit by transmuting the boundless life force from his Immortal body.
Within seconds, an awe-inspiring phenomenon unfolded. A spectacular silver-blue aura radiated from every pore of his body, creating a mesmerizing spectacle that signified his magical potential had reached perfect resonance. The advanced scanner reacted instantly, its sensor systems swiftly detecting the extraordinary transformation occurring in the subject under examination.
On the hologram display, rows of numbers moved at nearly imperceptible speeds. Fantastic values passed like an uncontrollable numerical storm. Tens of millions were surpassed in heart-stopping seconds until finally settling on a mind-blowing figure: 555,779,691.
The Magic Association's Director and Secretary stood frozen with incredulous expressions, as if witnessing an impossible miracle. Throughout their institution's centuries-long history, not a single individual had ever achieved such a phenomenal level of magical energy in their initial measurement.
In stark contrast to the officials' reactions, Raiden's closest family—his beloved mother, dignified aunt, and the elegant Seraphina—merely displayed knowing smiles. For those long familiar with the young man's extraordinary potential, this impressive achievement was merely an anticipated routine.
"Truly... this exceeds all expectations!" The Director finally regained his voice that had vanished in amazement. "Even the most genius magic users with the rarest talents have never approached such fantastic numbers during their first magical energy awakening!"
Raiden concealed a meaningful smirk in his mind. 'Fortunately, they remain unaware of the secret behind my innate Life Force Transmutation skill.'
After the thrilling measurement ceremony, Claudia escorted Raiden to the next area. Before them stood a magnificent Mecha—a colossal combat robot in milk-white, adorned with intricate golden ornaments, creating a stunning fusion of aesthetics and technology in every anatomical curve.
"This is the manifestation of the Association's peak technological achievement," Claudia adjusted her glasses with her signature elegant gesture. "A next-generation Mecha that can be controlled through precise magical energy manipulation, equipped with cutting-edge combat modules that will shock opponents on the battlefield."
Raiden remained transfixed in admiration, his eyes tracing every majestic detail of the towering Mecha before him. After moments lost in contemplation, he turned to Claudia with eyes full of determination. "So, this next phase of testing relates to magical energy control, correct?".
Claudia confirmed Raiden's suspicion with a subtle nod. A faint smile graced her features as she extended a silver gauntlet adorned with intricate high-tech rune engravings.
"With this gauntlet, you'll have complete control over the robot," she explained enthusiastically. "Each module can be activated through precisely controlled streams of magical energy."
Her slender fingers reached for a sterile box from the nearest table. With practiced efficiency, she donned medical-grade rubber gloves. "There's one more thing you need to utilize."
Claudia retrieved a pair of specialized contact lenses from within the box. "These lenses will connect you to the robot's visual system. You can monitor all parameters and receive direct feeds from the installed cameras, all in an interactive display projected onto your eyes."
With meticulous care, the woman placed the contact lenses into Raiden's eyes. Technology and magic merged into a sophisticated device that now served as an extension of the user's consciousness.