“It’s as I told you the first time,” said the clerk. “And I went through all the files a second and third time just to satisfy you. None of the climber squads reported a B-ranked monster breaking through the defense lines and heading towards the wall.”

“How can that be though?” said Sakura. “I saw one. I fought it. It almost killed me and a sixteen-year-old boy.”

The clerk shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you, Sakura. I’m going by what the report says. It’s possible one of the squads is lying in their report, but that’s a very grave offence in itself. I don’t have enough seniority to question other climbers on the validity of their reports, perhaps you can though. Still, I’d approach this with caution.”

Damn, said Sakura. Still no explanation for that minotaur’s appearance.

“Okay, thanks,” said Sakura. “Let me know if anything else comes up, or if you hear anything. Like I said earlier: this stays between us, yeah?”

The clerk nodded his head.

With her enquiry done, Sakura left the department and started heading back to the training area.

* * *

Max stared at the book. It was now perfectly balanced on his fingertip. He had been looking at it with glee for over two hours now.

Shortly after Sakura had left him, he had figured out he’d been going about the exercise all wrong.

The test wasn’t about strength or endurance.

No.

It was about mana affinity.

Sakura had explained to him that there were over four hundred mana meridians and channels in his body. He’d already intuitively manipulated mana before under duress. First, during his fight with the minotaur and then again, during the climber academy’s preliminary test. Both times with the help of his trait, he was able to manipulate his mana to replicate the powers he’d interacted with. Presumably, then, he should be able to use his generic internal mana with even more ease.

It took him a couple of tries to get it. Eventually, he had stopped trying to do it with the book and simply focused on his one finger.

He focused and concentrated with all his might. Then after a minute of extreme concentration, a silver glow emanated around his finger.

Aha!

Through extreme concentration, he had figured out he could manipulate the flow of mana inside of himself, redirecting the excess mana towards his one index finger.

He then planted the book on his finger once more and tried again. This time he would have the aid of his internal mana to help keep the book balanced on his finger.

The book hadn’t fallen since.