Atbolde paused slightly, then he turned to look at Colin and sought his opinion with a glance.
Talent quality wasn't information that needed to be kept very secretive, it was similar in nature to a Wizard's affinity for Magic Power.
It was the specific effects of Talent that had to be kept as secret as possible.
In fact, given Larrel's status, even if he wasn't observing from the sidelines now, he could know Colin's specific Talent quality from the archives later if he wished.
Despite that, Atbolde didn't have the habit of making decisions for others, so he directly threw the question to Colin.
"I have no objection, Lord Larrel," Colin responded after pondering for a moment.
"Mhm." Larrel nodded and walked with them towards the special Talent testing room deep inside Black Castle.
Soon, the on-duty Wizard led them to a thick, black door,
the surface of which was smooth and had a matte texture, making it impossible to discern the material.
Upon entering through the door, the first thing that caught their eye was the tall white stone platform situated in the very middle.
The platform was squarely shaped, a perfect rectangular prism. If not for its jade-like white appearance, it would have looked just like an enlarged brick.
Apart from the stone platform, there was nothing else in the entire room.
The surrounding walls, floor, and door were made of the same material, all black, and there were no windows either.
Now, as the door sealed tightly shut, they seemed to be enveloped in the darkness of the night.
The only light... Colin looked around and didn't spot any traces of Bright Crystals or other sources of illumination.
The stone platform didn't emit any light either.
Realizing this, he couldn't hide his surprise.
Although the room was all black, it was brilliantly lit, as though it was broad daylight.
"Open your Supersensitive Vision and take another look," Atbolde, noticing his actions, said with a smile.
Supersensitive Vision?
Colin nodded, and as Atbolde had suggested, with a quick thought, he activated his Supersensitive Vision.
White.
White—
Contrary to reality, the room's colors abruptly switched in the Supersensitive Vision.
What was once black walls, black floor, and black door were now pure white.
And the whites rectangular stone platform suddenly turned black, an ink-like black.
If it weren't for the Tainted babbling that, though sparse, still floated through the air, unseen for ages, the platform would have been the only black in the room.
"This is a special object called the Blood Pattern Giant Stone," Atbolde explained,
"There are a known total of 102 Blood Pattern Giant Stones in the Wizard World, and their sole purpose is to test the quality of a Wizard's Talent."
While Colin was observing the room, Larrel was observing him.
Supersensitive Vision, although an essential Skill for every Official Wizard, wasn't something that every Wizard could master shortly after advancing.
Moreover, observing the state of Wizards under Supersensitive Vision could offer a glimpse into their resistance to Tainted babbling.
Such resistance was very important for a Wizard.
A moment later, Larrel shifted his gaze away, having gauged Colin's resistance and feeling increasingly regretful.
Let's see what his actual Talent is...
At this moment, Atbolde's speech also came to a close.
"There are still many mysteries about the Blood Pattern Giant Stone that remain unsolved... Perhaps, it has other effects as well."
"But as far as the effects that have been discerned so far, the only effect of the Blood Pattern Giant Stone is to test the Talent quality of Wizards, and it is limited to First Rank Wizards."
"The cost it requires is minimal, just a wisp of Magic Power."
After Atbolde finished speaking, the on-duty Wizard timely asked them:
"Sir, shall we begin the Talent testing now?"
"Indeed."
After both Larrel and Atbolde nodded, he turned to Colin and beckoned:
"Your Grace, come this way."
He led Colin to the front of the stone platform.
Lifting his gaze slightly, Colin only then realized the immensity of the platform, and now, as he approached, he could no longer see the top of it.
"The Talent test is very simple, Your Grace. You only need to place your palm on the Blood Pattern Giant Stone and input Magic Power... There is no specific requirement for the amount of Magic Power, anything from a thread to the full amount is fine, and the result will not be altered."
"Alright." Colin nodded, took a deep breath, and without further hesitation, placed his hand on the Blood Pattern Giant Stone in front of him.
A sensation of cool hardness was transmitted to his hand.
He began to slowly input Magic Power, roughly a thread more than the smallest amount.
A moment later, before he could even react, the on-duty Wizard said:
"That's enough, Your Grace."
Colin slightly furrowed his brow, looking at the still unchanged Blood Pattern Giant Stone in confusion.
The next second, as if realizing something, he activated his Supersensitive Vision.
But immediately thereafter, the confusion in his heart did not diminish but grew even greater.
Through his Supersensitive Vision, there was still no change in the Blood Pattern Giant Stone, just pitch darkness.
But...
Larrel and the others nearby could no longer contain the surprise in their hearts, their astonishment was clearly etched on their faces!
"First Class Talent..." whispered Lillian, who stood at the back.
"What a pity." Larrel finally couldn't help but sigh out loud.
Although the Blood Pattern Giant Stone could test an Apprentice's Talent, it could only make a rough judgment, with a precision that is approximately divided into nine levels.
First Class was the best among them... but obviously, there were differences within First Class.
Without using Alus, Colin's Talent after Advancement was able to reach First Class; if he were to use Alus...
Atbolde beside him also realized this point and felt an increasing sense of guilt.
"You're Colin, right?" Larrel suddenly spoke, asking him, "Have you considered changing mentors?"
'Change mentors...' Colin was taken aback and looked reflexively at Atbolde.
To his surprise, there was no sign of anger on Atbolde's face.
The very next second, Atbolde took the initiative to say:
"Larrel Sir is a powerful Third Rank Wizard, think it over carefully, Colin."
Lillian remained silent.
With a thought, Colin quickly inferred the reason, and his heart inevitably warmed.
Having Atbolde as a mentor... was his fortune.
Exhaling a heavy breath, Colin shook his head and declined Larrel:
"I'm sorry, Lord Larrel, I have no intention to change mentors."
Larrel was taken aback, silent for a moment, and said nothing further.
As a Third Rank Wizard, such a request... Colin deserved only one such offer.
On the other side, Atbolde's aged face broke into a smile.
Even after so much experience, upon hearing Colin's response, he couldn't help but feel content.
"Alright, it's now time for you to choose your Talent Witchcraft." After a moment, he spoke again.