[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]
[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Street - Tuesday 4:01 p.m.]
"So for the dueling exam, all we must do is to sign up, but do you know where exactly?" Tim who was walking next to Codey was thinking hard. "I think you can sign up at Umi City's Exam Sign Up. It's somewhere nearby Umi Mountain." Tim explained while having his arms in pockets. "Shouldn't we then sign up before it gets full?" Asked Codey. "That's true, but we still cannot be sure if Ayuka's recovery will be complete by the beginning of the exam." Tim explained with a sigh. "Look, I believe her. If she says she is fine, she'll be all right. And if not, we're all there to help her out." Codey claimed, as Tim faced at the sky. "That's true as well... all right, you're right. Inform the rest to gather at the Umi City's Exam Sign Up." Tim explained. "Yeah, all right."
[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Umi City's Exam Sign Up - Tuesday 4:30 p.m.]
Finally Tim and Codey came to the Umi City's Exam Sign Up and met up with Sakami, Kanji, Kylin and Ayuka, even Kishi came to sign up. "Hey! We're here!" Codey called, raising his arm, Tim following uo with a gentle raise of arm. The rest returned the waves. "Hm? Kishi, you're entering too?" Wondered Tim looking at her. "Well yeah. I'm a Spiritual Duelist, so of course. I'll go take on the exam. And there isn't an answer to being a 'no'." Explained Kishi, calm. "Well, all right. Just don't get left behind." Tim giggled. "Of course I won't!" Kishi called, crossing her arms.
"I can't believe you still are worried about my health. You were unconscious as well, and you were just fine. So what's the big deal with me?" Ayuka asked a bit confused. "You were overdone by those fools, torchered. Unconscious for a month. What do you think?" Tim asked, pointing with his palm. With a sigh, Ayuka added. "Whatever you say..." She claimed. "So, is she your girlfriend, or what?" Kishi asked, looking at Ayuka. "W-what?! No, what are you talking about?" Ayuka asked, embarrassed and shy. "Then why are you so heated up as I asked?" Questioned Kishi. "Wh-who wouldn't be, after such a private question?" Ayuka asked. "Somewhat a point there..." Kishi added.
"So. Many people are here...." Codey spoke, looking at the area. "Yeah, kind if weird if you ask me. But I guess many people want to become Duelists. So many come, but so many fail...." Tim sighed. "They spoke something about Demon Hunting, correct?" Asked Kishi. "Yeah." "Don't you think that's a bit much, for only an exam?" She question, quite curious. "Yeah, but dueling means, getting rid of Demons, luckly, lately there haven't been much around us, however, I'm sure there is no end to them yet." Explained Kylin, calmly. "Hm.... seven events of tests.... which are they again?" Wondered Kishi.
"Right, let me count them down again, first one up is;
- 100 Kilometer run
- Second one up is: Coordination Test
- Third one up is: Cooking Techniques
- Fourth one up is: Climbing a 5000 meter mountain
- Fifth one up is: Scout of Nature
- Sixth one up is: Team cooperation
and finally, sevent one up is: Dueling Test."
Explain Kanji. "Wait, did you say 'climbing a 5000 meter mountain'?" In that instant Codey nodded. Kishi dropped onto her feet. "I am so not used to climbing that high!" She called. "Hm, have you never climbed a mountain?" Codey wondered, quite confused. "Of course I didn't! There were no such tall mountains as the one at the Dueling Exam!" Annoyingly called Kishi, estaticed but worried of what might happen. The next person finally signed up, and a girl with black hair was up. "Hello young miss. Would you like to sign up for Dueling Exam?" Wondered woman at the reception desk. "Yes, pretty please." Spoke the girl, but in that moment, the men surrounded the girl. "Hah! You're planning to sign up? You must be joking! You're just a mere teenager who has nothing to do at Dueling Exam! You should grow up a little and then come back to take on the exam in 7 years!" Laughed a man, simmilar to the rest. "Do you have problems with me being a girl, just look around, there are other girls as well, so don't bother my instincts. Besides, some people like you will never manage to get to the end of the exam..." Explained the girl. "Oh! You're saying you're better than us? How can you prove it to us?!" Laughed the other man, standing around her. "That's exactly what I am saying." The girl claimed and was showing seriousness and intimidation. "Hah! Fight me at the battlefield! I'll enjoy tearing you down!" Laughed the man. "Yeah, no way you can beat Roger! He is king in weapon arts!" Laughed his supports. ".... you really want to fight me? I warn you, when I say yes, you still may decline, but if you do not, then I'll make sure, your beating won't be forgiven." Explained the girl. "Fine! When this sign up is finished, we'll go duel! Just to show you that you are hopeless to take on the exam!" The man laughed.
[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Battlefield - Tuesday 5:50 p.m.]
The first wave of signing up was finished, Tim and the rest did not yet manage to sign up, but there was always tomorrow.
"This was dumb, they finished at 5:30. And we never got the chance to sign up!" Codey spoke, in annoyance. "Oh, don't worry. We'll go tomorrow morning, just don't forget!" Claimed Kanji with a smile. But in that instant, they've noticed the same girl at the sign up, facing the man who challenged her. "Hey. Look, it's that girl." Tim answered, each and every single one of them faced at the battlefield and decided to spectate. "Yeah, you're right. Are they about to fight?" Questioned Codey, interested. "Seems so, yes." Answered Kylin, calmly and rather interested into the duel. "We may as well see, how this ends." Ayuka stepped forward and began watching when the crowd of people joined around them. "People sure seem to be taking these dueling systems rather casually lately." Ayuka was inspired by the people. "Yeah. Ever since they meeting of Spiritual Duelists, many people started to become like them, duel, learn weapon arts and even study other duelists." With explanation that Tim involved, the rest seemed to be quite amazed. "Then again, this world is becoming somewhat simmilar to Spiritual Realm. So many people wanted to become so skilled, guess their inspiration is at the top." Kylin explained. True. But that guy. I don't see him winning, do you guys sense that girl's Spiritual Symbolisms. It's higher than a normal human, high enough that could even surpass Sakami's." Tim claimed, but the rest confirmed. "Yeah, she's not just a Duelist, she must be a 'Spiritual Duelist'." Claimed Kylin.
"All right you girl! Do you really accept this challenge of mine? If you do, it won't end up great for you!" Laughed the man, when he stepped toward the weaponry wall. "Pick your weapon." Claimed the referee. "I'll just take this adorable, yet killing machine axe." Smiled the man, swinging the arm up, throwing the axe for it to spin, ending up with catching it. "Then, which pick are you going to make?" Questioned the man. The girl stepped toward the weaponry wall and picked a spear. "Seriously? A spear! Hah! This weapon is going to be so ineffective. But you picked, no switching!" Both, the girl and the man stepped on different sides, and the two prepared for a duel.
"When the countdown reached 0! You may fight! I'll give both of you 10 minutes, so good luck and let the best duelist win!" The referee called. The girl spun her spear and swung it behind her back, pointing it upward. "Show off!" Laughed the man, and in 3 seconds, the countdown finally reached 0. "You're done for!" Laughed the man, made a stomp and cracked the floor, after dashing at the girl. "Whoa! He's actually tough!" Called Codey, amazed at the man's strength. The man swung his axe from above his head, down toward the girl's shoulder. The girl made a step to the side and quickly slipped behind him in a circulated landing. The man was in grin, when he stomped with his left foot behind his back, and forced his upper body to turn around, swinging his axe toward the girl. The girl managed to position herself to the side and made a small bounce to the side, avoiding the swinging axe. Once she managed to do that, she quickly continued with a swung with her spear and as soon as she came in contact with the man, disappeared. In instant, her body came landing from above the man and the girl stabbed downward, cutting his back and even continuing with a followed up strike. The man did feel pain, however he was estaticed. "Damn, you're a fast girl, aren't you!" The man spun when releasing his axe. The girl quickly leaped backward when avoiding. Her hair dropped and covered the right side of the eye.
By blowing her hair to the side to gain sight back on her opponent. She realized that the man has already swung in an uppercut. She leaned her body backward and noticed how the axe missed her front. She then quickly kicked into the man's arm, causing him to lose grip of his axe and disarming him. In that instant she continued with the next strike and kicked with her knee into the man's stomach. In that moment, her body moved ahead, and stabbed with the spear, she followed up with a spin, and cutting the man into his stomach. In that moment, she kicked backward, up, when knocking the axe back in the air and then turning her body from that position into a strong kick. The man managed to blocked in crossed arms, but he left his back unguarded, so the girl managed to appeared behind him and cut into his back. She then quickly made a leap when seeing an elbow striking at her, made a flip and a roll in midair and ending with a smash of her feet into the man's face, knocking him toward the line. In that moment, she continued her dealdy strikes, when her handle of the spear smashed into the man's back, knocking him further toward the line and finally, the girl vanished, appearing in front of the man's stomach and kneeling him, stretching her leg, releasing pressure and knocking the man high up in the air, outside of the line. She dropped her foot and spun the spear as the end to their duel came. "The winner of this duel is Shiro Kazuko!" Called the referee, finishing the duel at 9 minutes and 28 seconds.
"No lies, that girl can move." Answered Codey, surprised. "She was so flexible and agile. Hm, no wonders the guy lost such a duel, her movements were just to accurate, sharp and quick enough so that the man could barely react." Explained Kylin, thinking how skilled Shiro actually was. "She's going to take on the exam. I think she'll manage to get to the end." By enthusiasm, Tim smiled. "Whoa! Are you actually cheering for her?" Wondered Codey, jealous. "Well, yes. More Duelists we have, the world will be much safer!" Tim explain. "That's good point. But still! You barely cheer me! Jerk!" With jealousy and annoyance, Codey turned away and crossed his arms. "Well. Uh, I know you'll make it, so I don't need to cheer you. You'll have no trouble getting to the end, in fact, I bet none of us will have any proper trouble!" Tim smiled, with a giggle. "That's a bit better." In that moment, both of the duelists, Shiro and the man, leaned the two weapons back on the wall. "All right. Guess you weren't kidding. I'm proud to have fought you, good luck at the exam." Claimed the man. "Thank you....." Shiro returned her gratitude and then walked back to Umi City's side.
"Maybe the 'Dueling Exam' won't be that boring at all." Smiled Tim.
To be continued...