Their first stop was the warrior training grounds, where the Academy had a wide variety of training implements, including test weapons with impact sensors on them to more accurately gauge the force put into attacks.
That was part of how they tested the defences of the warrior classes, and that was how they would test Thor’s improvements today.
Rita addressed Thor directly. “Alright, we will be using a training sword with a damage metre on it. I will be swinging it, and my strength is at the Ascended level. The first tests will be just against your scales, without skills, to test your basic durability.”
Thor nodded his understanding, then puffed up his chest to show his readiness.
The strange sight brought a number of the warriors over, along with the professor, who had his clipboard at the ready, so he could record the numeric results of Thor’s tests.
“I hope you don’t have performance anxiety.” Alice joked as Rita prepared to begin the testing.
Thor bugled happily, and the mage laughed. Of course, he didn’t. The Lightning Cerro had whatever the opposite of performance anxiety was.
Thor focused and Rita slammed the training sword into his side, making the warriors flinch in anticipation.
But the weapon hit the scales with a grating screech, and sparks flew as the blade was dragged across the rough surfaced scales.
“Four Hundred and ten points of force.” Rita informed the other teacher.
That was near the middle of Awakened Rank attacking strength, and Rita prepared to attack again, as it was obvious that the first one did no harm to the heavily armoured Cerro.
With a crack and whistle of displaced air, the blade whipped through the air again, sending up a glorious shower of sparks as blunted steel met rough scales.
This time the attack rocked Thor to the side, and he almost stumbled before catching his balance, but he didn’t give any sign of pain past a low grunt.
“Six hundred and ninety-eight points. I didn’t think you had it in you, Sergeant.” The other professor noted as he read the display from the training weapon.
Six hundred was the cutoff for Ascended Rank physical power without a skill attached, but it would take twelve hundred to break a low ascended rank barrier in one shot.
“Alright, I’m ready. Thor, bring your barrier up, and I will attack with [Slash].” Rita informed him.
The students looked much more nervous now. The training sword was dull, so unless it broke bones, it would only leave a bruise. But Slash could cut through steel even it you attached the attack to a stick.
Thor brought up his lightning, and Rita prepared her attack before the other professor stopped her.
“Wait, I need to set up the measuring devices. That sword won’t measure the impact of your skill properly. Give me a second.” The other teacher complained.
The sensor was an energy meter of some sort, an enchanted item that attached to the hilt of the sword and read the energy signature of the attack to guess the power based on the output that flowed over it. The actual damage could vary by the skill, but the slash skill was well known, and they had a proper data set for it at all basic power levels.
“Alright, go when you’re ready.” He announced once the tools were set up.
The blade arced down at the lightning covered Cerro, while the students watched in horror. The lightning seemed to wrap around the energy of the slash attack for an instant, before being pushed away, like a stone tossed into shallow water.
The light of the blade dimmed as the lightning barrier was dispersed over the area, and a terrible noise, like fingernails on a chalkboard, screeched in the air before a metallic snap marked the end of the attack.
The blade lay in two pieces, and there was a shallow scratch on Thor’s scales, but it was already beginning to fade as the lightning pushed back over the breach.
“Combined attack thirteen hundred and forty-one points. The Lightning barrier was dispersed by the attack, indicating that it is still in the high Awakened rank, but the total defence of the Lightning Cerro known as Thor is confirmed to be above the threshold for Ascended Rank.” The warrior class teacher informed them.
Thor trumpeted in victory, singing a short tune with his voice that sounded almost exactly like the military brass band.
The warrior instructor looked over the scratch on Thor’s side, which had hardly cut through a third of a scale and hadn’t touched the thicker section, or the harder core of the defensive plating.
“Impressive. I am fairly certain that he could take that strike to his side even without his lightning barrier. If it was the harder armour of his protective ridge or his horns, it is doubtful that the attack would have much of an effect at all.” He informed the gathered students.
Most of the students sighed at the information that the Cerro was fully capable of beating them to a pulp. His barrier was also his attack skill, and if it was at the upper Awakened Rank, then it was stronger than any defensive skills that they had, while they would be completely incapable of injuring him.
“Are we going to test the others before they go to their training?” Daniel asked after giving Thor a friendly pat on the head ridge,
“We might as well. Do you have the defensive barriers for the ranged attack skills with you?” Rita asked the warrior class teacher.
“Of course. They live in the storage unit right there. Do you want me to get them set up? I thought we had already determined Thor’s ability.” He replied.
“We’ve still got to test Rae and Hawk’s attack skills. We know they’re not the most durable of monsters, and neither knows a comprehensive defensive ability, but their attack skills have been growing at a phenomenal rate.” Rita explained.
The students started to get excited. They got to see Hawk in action all the time, when he was messing with the mages on the other side of the training grounds, but very few had seen Rae at all, much less having seen her using her skills.
The teacher tasked a group to bring out the official testing gear, and gave a sad look at the broken training sword.
“Those are supposed to hold up to Ascended Rank attacks, I guess they do have an expiration date.” He sighed.
Rita shook her head. “I think it was the vibration from scraping over the scales that caused the failure, the sword was vibrating like a tuning fork in my hands when I made contact, and that is likely what shattered the blade.”
The teacher made a note and smiled. “Now that is an interesting side effect. Thor, do you mind if I test something?”
Thor made a gesture that everyone took as a shrug, and the teacher took out a long metal staff.
He simply set it on Thor’s back once the Cerro took down the lightning barrier, and then rapidly pulled it toward himself. The same screech filled the air, but at a slightly different tone that sounded much more like an angle grinder on plate steel.
Sparks showered the area, and Karl watched as the staff vibrated in the teacher’s hand. Then he turned the formerly round object over, and gave an impressed whistle as he viewed the flat underside.
Then the took out a small bag and gathered the metal filings from Thor’s scales and went back to taking notes.
“That is incredible. The scales are harder than the Chromoly alloy that we use for weapons, and the rough surface shreds them like a grinder. I am a Commander Rank warrior from the second year batch, and even I have rarely seen such an effective tool.” He informed the group.
That would make him about twenty-four, Karl noted. He looked older, but not by much, and Karl should have realized that he was one of the Divine Injection Elites.
But somehow, his mind kept associating the teachers with the rare magical warriors and mages that came before the injections.
“Alright, now that my curiosity is sated, let’s call out Rae and Hawk to see what they can do. Is a simple attack on our sensor plate enough for them, or should we get out some fancier targets?” The teacher asked.
Rita gave Karl a look that said to be happy with the official testing plates and not to get the urge to show off. But she was way behind, and both Hawk and Rae were already thinking of ways that they could upstage Thor and look more impressive for the crowd.
