The trial began when the first agent swung his fist towards Hazel, fortunately, it didn't hit her. She found it a bit weird since she knew that she wasn't able to dodge it properly. A moment after, she felt a sting of pain on her cheek that made her hiss from the sudden sensation. She touched the wound in her face then stared at him with confusion. She saw the agent with no weapon start clenching his fist again, it made her wonder what was going on.
On the other hand, the second agent—without giving Emma a second chance to prepare—immediately went to charge at her and it made Emma subconsciously cover her face using her forearms. When his fist finally hit her, she easily went flying as she screamed from the shooting pain whereas the agent stood there as if it was nothing.
She continued screaming and looked at the small holes of wounds she got. Her eyes silently shrill in terror then she slowly gazed at the agent's hands shifting into needles which gave her a chill down her spine as she trembled in fear.
Hazel who was still in the state of confusion snapped herself back, she quickly took her spear then positioned the weapon towards the agent. The agent blankly stared at her, not a moment longer he launched an attack and this time Hazel managed to defend herself using her spear as she shut her eyes close to prepare herself from the twinge of pain. On the contrary to what she expected, she felt nothing at all so she opened her eyes then she saw the distance between her weapon and his fist.
Although she managed to find out what caused her injury, it slipped from her mind that her opponent's other hand was free thus she failed to protect herself. He punched her on the side as she was sent flying, she tried to stand up while coughing some blood. She groaned because some of her ribs were broken and she had never felt such intense pain like this that small tears managed to escape from her eyes. She quickly wiped it off then positioned herself again for defense.
The Heads above them continued watching the battle as they started thinking for the evaluation. Sheryl started rolling her fingers and began feeling anxious seeing Hazel coughed some blood. She tried to peek at Head Asher and Head Benjamin's reaction but ended up regretting it because of the gruesome and menacing aura they were displaying.
Sheryl most likely knew whose anger they're having it to that she shivered because of the fear she is experiencing right now. It seems that Head Audeth noticed the horrifying aura they were protruding that made her slightly gaze at them as she crossed her arms then focused her attention back to the people's ongoing trial.
"Just to remind you, this is a trial. You are not justifiable nor bona fide to disobey the order. And it is most especially not an excuse for you to use your pair to harm Hans." Head Audeth warned them.
"We weren't informed that this will be the kind of training they will be facing!" Head Benjamin nearly snapped.
"Why are they taking the final test already?" Head Asher asked.
Head Asher remained composed but they couldn't ignore the fact that in spite of him trying to compose himself, his tone of speech clearly states that he is not one bit pleased about the trial. Truth to be told, he knew well that Hans didn't do this out of personal grudging or anything.
However, seeing his pair suffer so much just right after her recovery pisses him off. He completely understood that Hans has so much work in his hand. He knew that too well… but despite his willpower of trying to convince himself and think rationally, he couldn't help, wanting to snap his head off of his neck.
As for Head Benjamin, he's struggling to remain composed and think rationally. He cared so much for his pair and he knows that Hans knew well how the girl suffered before she found them. And yet, he made her go through such a ridiculous and traumatic test first hand.
He clenched his fists and most likely Head Kelly noticed. Without giving a second thought, she held Head Benjamin's arm and injected some medicine to calm him down which is exclusively made for him. It didn't take long and he eventually managed to calm down as he closed his eyes and exhaled in relief.
"Calm down, will you?" Head Kelly said in slight panic.
"Thanks." Head Benjamin gratefully thanked her.
"You're welcome. And I don't want you to end up killing Hansy."
Head Kelly almost bawled by the thought of him going rampage and watched him snapping Hans into pieces. She couldn't imagine living in hell the moment Dir. Melvis knew what happened to his one and only apprentice if they ever ended up killing him.
'This is why Hans requested that they shouldn't attend their pair's trial. If Hans had told them earlier about this trial then surely, they would be against it. Then they would have killed him even before this test started. Imagining it gives a shiver down my spine.' Head Kelly thought.
'Oh well, if they ever try to harm him then I'll just have to poison them in return. Fair and square.' She thought mischievously.
Their attention averted when Head Asher and Head Audeth started bickering.
"So, you're saying that, it's fine for them to take this after what happened to them back then? You're just digging up the trauma they had just experienced not too long ago!" Head Asher argued harshly.
"That's not what I meant. What I mean is for you to calm yourself and stop thinking of harming Hans. Because surely, none of us can bear the consequences if something bad happens to him." She reminded him again.
"For Pete's sake, my pair is hurt!" he argued again.
"Everybody is and will experience that. Remember, you will not always be there for them in times of danger. It's time for them to learn to protect themselves. Us, Female Bloods, experienced so many hardships either throughout our 16th years or more without being able to protect the people we cared for and even ourselves. So, don't interfere the chance that is given to them to become stronger." Head Audeth rebated back.
"Remember, we all experienced the same thing way before this task was handed down to Hans. He only did what his master taught him to do. You are not accountable to question his ways of testing and training new agents… You should know from how Head Kelly and I foolishly challenged him before. Even a mere human like him is stronger than most of us here. And if you truly have faith in your pairs then prove it." She reminded them nonchalantly.
This time Sheryl asked to spoke out her opinion, "U-uhmmm… May I give my opinion?"
"Go ahead." Head Kelly offered.
"Even I hate to admit it but Head Audeth is right. You may not know this but I accidentally found out that Hans had been helping the Female Bloods and hunters–whether they passed or failed–recover after the trial. And from time to time he checks on them even until now. He had been doing that before the Director passed down this task to him." She concluded.
Both Head Asher and Head Benjamin flickered in annoyance since what Head Audeth and Sheryl said was entirely true and when they just recently found out his good deeds he had been doing without them knowing is even more making them feel a slight guilt for judging them too quickly. They all focused themselves again as they silently watched the two Female Bloods being beaten to death.
The battle went on and on for 10 minutes and Hans could no longer fathom the fact that this isn't going anywhere as it is.
"You're not getting anywhere as it is." He declared.
"This guy!... Kughk!... Kyahh!... Ha… Ha… I-i don't know his a-ability… But one thing's f-for s-sure is that his body turns into sharp objects." Emma analyzes.
"You're right! Just as you said, his body allows him to change into sharp objects. His role is a combat-offensive type. Mark's ability is known as Sharpening." Hans explained.
"Ah!... Urghh… coughs(5x) …A-and my o-opponent. He creates distance between us and I couldn't even see it! Which is very! And t-truly! UNFAIR!" Hazel complaint.
"Ah, I see. It is truly unfair and another unfair thing is that as you get closer, you get slower. In addition—" Hans was cut off by Hazel's sudden exclamation.
"There's more?!" Hazel asked in disbelief.
"Yes, there's more. To continue, Aiden's ability is called Infinity. Both offense and defense. He can also manipulate his infinity which explains why you're full of bruises and wounds right now." He continued.
"And is also the reason as to why I particularly choose your opponent based on your ability." He concluded.
"W-wait… Y-you… ha…ha…already know… our ability?" Hazel questioned which Hans hummed in response.
"Then, why do we… arghh… s-still need to do… all this?" Emma asked in confusion.
"Sigh… As I already said, it is to test you. And to make things clear, I'm not the one who identified your abilities." Hans announced.
"Ha… Ha… Ha… You're not?" Emma asked in confusion.
"Yes. I'm a human, remember?" He reminded them.
"That's news to me!" Hazel pronounced.
"Then now you know." Hans calmly said.
"If you're n-not the o-one who identified our a-abilities…" Emma stated.
"T-then who?" Hazel asked.
"I did."
An unknown voice proclaimed that made the entire people in the training ground as the voice approached them with glee...