Fantasy Assassin in a modern world

Chapter 85 - Martial Arts Department

When the weekend came the siblings headed to the Martial Arts Department Building of Leim City. The place was bigger than the Sekiko Academy, and Loki could sense the presence of two powerful martial artists within the building. Without the help of the library's concentrated mana, he could not accurately gauge the two martial artists' strength, but based on the feeling alone they should be near the same level as the Patriarch of the Mutou Clan. 

Loki could also vaguely smell the scent of blood in the air. This made Loki feel a bit nostalgic as this place had a similar vibe to his old world's adventurers guild.

Upon entering the building, Loki could sense numerous people at the same level as the dead head of the Yui Clan, Minato. 

'Hmm, does this mean the average level of most martial artists in this country is at rank seven?' 

...

After asking for directions and filling up a few forms, Loki decided to watch his siblings' test first. The fee for the reassessment was five hundred Zori, which was quite expensive. Still, once his siblings get registered as martial artists they will be given an allowance by the government. 

The Zothril government gave allowances to young martial artists below the age of twenty. The higher their rank the more money they would receive. Even those young unranked martial artists like Michael are given some allowance to encourage them to do better and raise their rank quickly. Once they grow older than twenty the government stops giving them allowances.

Aside from the young martial artists below the age of twenty those who have reached Grandmaster rank are also people the government gives some kind of allowance with matching benefits. The Grandmaster rank martial artists are given very special treatment by the government as they are the protectors of the country. 

...

Loki waited outside the room where Alisa and Liam's reassessment test was to be taken. Loki was not worried that they would test negative, since he used his mana to aggravate the inner energy within the two to force their inner energy out. He did this a few times and now he was sure that their inner energy has burst out of the suppression placed on them. 

After waiting for a few minutes Alisa and Liam finally came out and alongside them was a rather surprised staff member of the Martial Arts Department. Loki could already guess what happened based on the expressions on the faces of the three. 

"We've passed! We're going to be martial artists!" Liam excitedly announced.

"Big brother, is this real, are we not dreaming?"

Alisa spoke still in a daze. Seeing her like that Loki couldn't help but smile a bit. This little sister of his usually has so much confidence, but at the same time, she seems to doubt herself quite a bit. She was a paradox, but Loki found that part of her charm. 

"Do you want me to pinch you or punch you, what do you want? Maybe I should tickle you so that you know that you're awake?"

Loki jested making Alisa wake up from her dazed state to look at Loki and pout. While the siblings were having their fun conversation the person who had tested Alisa and Liam approached Loki. 

"Are you Mr. Matsuda their guardian?" 

"I am, why, is there something wrong?" 

"Please follow me inside the room, there is something I wish to discuss with you in private." Seeing the serious expression on the staff member's face, Loki nodded his head. 

"You two wait here."

After saying that Loki went inside the room where Alisa and Liam were tested for inner energy. Inside the room, there was a cracked large ball-like object in the middle of the room. Based on the previous Loki's memories that large ball-like object was the device used to determine if one had inner energy or not. 

"What is it you want to talk about?" 

"Mr. Matsuda, as you know this energy detector that we use to determine if a person has inner energy or not." 

"Yes, and?" 

"Usually, those who recently gain inner energy would emit only a tiny bit of inner energy that won't exceed a certain amount. Then that person like everyone else would need to cultivate their inner energy using the meditation techniques available to them... Your siblings have broken the inner energy device." 

"So you want me to pay for it? It's not like me or my siblings wanted to break that thing." 

"You've misunderstood Mr. Matsuda, I don't want you to pay for the device. I want you to know that your siblings seem to be special. Based on your profiles none of you have awakened inner energy when you were young. You yourself have just recently awakened your inner energy as confirmed by the Grandmaster level Martial Artist, Mutou Ryuuji. As for your siblings they didn't know they had inner energy before today. So is it safe for me to assume that the three of you have never cultivated your inner energy before, correct?" 

"I was given a basic fist technique by Captain Tang Ao of the Elite Dragon Brigade, but aside from that my siblings and I haven't cultivated inner energy before."

Loki answered with a half-truth, all of what he said was true except for the part that he hasn't cultivated inner energy. The truth was he modified his mana meditation technique to suit his inner energy. It was alright to tell them about the fist technique that Tang Ao gave him, but as for his own meditation technique, he couldn't tell them that. Well, even if he did tell them about his self-created meditation technique they wouldn't believe him and it would be hard to explain how he created it without coming from a martial arts family. 

"As I thought, your siblings really are special. Their initial inner energy readings are as strong as a rank two martial artist. They might not have the skills yet to reach that level but with their inner energy being this strong it wouldn't take too long for them to get to that level." The staff member mumbled to herself.

"If it's alright with you, can you and your siblings please wait here as I make a report to my superior?" 

"I still need to head to my own rank assessment." 

"I understand Mr. Matsuda, but this won't take too long." 

"Fine, I'll wait."