"Huff.. huff... huff.."
"Haa... gasp... haa.... gasp... haa...."
"Are you getting too tired yet?! Should I carry you?!"
"No... *gasp.. thanks.. I'm... *gasp.... fine.."
They smelled that horrible smell again and knew that that creature was nearing.
Taffeite stopped and tried to calm down his breathing, Eun-Woo noticed this and also stopped.
"That thing is nearing, let me carry you."
"Eun-Woo...huff.. don't worry, it's only virtual."
"But still! That creature deals inflicts tremendous pain!"
"Eun-Woo, calm down let's use our abilities."
Eun-Woo looked reluctant, "Are you sure? If it's tentacled hit us we would be done for, and even if that was virtual we would still feel aching pain for a few days."
Taffeite looked calm and smiled a little bit at him, "Isn't this why they put us here in the first place? To test us, so let's do our best."
Eun-Woo became silent, then nodded following Taffeite.
"Meow!!"
The creature jumped aiming at Taffeite, Eun-Woo immediately activated his Own ability and created a wall of earth to protect him.
Taffeite created a rope made of water and swung the creature away with it. He swung it again and attempted to slap the creature with it, but the creature was too fast and evaded it.
Taffeite glanced at Eun-Woo and saw the creature going towards him, "Eun-Woo!!"
Eun-Woo made a wall and protected himself, "It's too fast!!"
"Don't worry, let me handle it!"
Taffeite spread water on the ground, the creature felt a sense of danger and tried to flee, Taffeite chased it with the water.
"Eun-Woo, help me!"
Eun-Woo made walls of earth to lead the creature to the water, the creature hissed and started to attack them with it's tentacles.
A tentacle almost hit Taffeite but a small transparent shield protected him, "This is...?"
"It's my Acquired ability! Don't get hit by it's tentacles!" Eun-Woo shouted as be dodged more tentacles. He then created several walls of dirt and trapped the creature between them, the water on the ground moved fast and sharpened before entering the dirt cage. A screech was heared from inside the cage as green liquid flowed from it.
"Meeeooooooowwwwww!!!!"
They both covered their ears and felt the vibrations from the scream the creature was making.
"Why the hell does it sound so much like a cat?!!" Eun-Woo shouted.
"What?! Did you say something?!"
"What?!"
"What?!"
"Hah?!"
The sound started to quiet down and Eun-Woo started to take down the wall, "Don't take down the wall, it's pretty horrifying inside." Eun-Woo stopped and just sighed in relief. "Huuu....." He slumped down on the ground feeling exhausted.
"Do you still have some mana?"
Eun-Woo nodded, "Yeh, a lot, just tired and shaky."
"Take a rest, you will need it."
"Yeh..."
"Are you feeling sleepy?"
Eun-Woo nodded.
"Do you want to take a nap?"
He nodded again.
Taffeite put a blanket and a pillow under a tree, "Sleep here, you are very tired right now because you activated both abilities, don't worry, I'll watch over you."
He nodded and layed there, he quickly drifted off to dreamland.
Taffeite heared a loud boom sound far north ahead, then he felt a cool sensation as the wind blew strongly for a second.
'Was that Mika and Aster? I don't remember anything from the novel saying they fought together this early into the plot. Maybe they did and I just don't remember it, or maybe it's because of me and a butterfly effect happened.'
Taffeite just shrugged his shoulders and continued being vigilant while Eun-Woo rested.
†‡‡‡‡‡‡†
Mika glanced at Aster awkwardly as he handed him his outer jacket. "I-I'm really sorry.. I didn't think your upper clothes would turn into ash as soon as I casted the spell, I was careless."
Aster accepted the jacket and wore it, he looked really annoyed and just seconds away from bursting because of anger, but held it in and remained courteous and said, "There's no need to apologize, I'm also sorry for suddenly attacking you during the opening ceremony."
"Ah, no you don't have to apologise. It was my fault, I didn't think that grandpa would give me a spell like that."
Aster stared at him for a second before stating, "You're not really the principal's grandson, are you? You also seem to be quite clueless about even the basics of abilities and spells, why is that?"
Mika looked awkward and said, "Uhm, I don't think I have to amswer all of that. We are not that close and you're asking some personal questions."
Aster thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, "Well that's true, you're right, I don't have any right to question you those, but I'm really curious, so let's become close."
"Ahaha.. yeh- wait, what?" Mika was bewildered at how shamelessly Aster asked, he really didn't expect him to act like this.
"Did you not understand what I said? I want us to be friends so I can know more about you."
If it was a different situation, Mika would have been really happy but this is Aster who took a weird interest on him. Aster's words are those who want to become friends, but his attitude is one of like a curious scientist or detective who wants to explore further about their test subject.
Mika covered his chest, "Please no, I suddenly feel chills through my spine."
Aster protested, "No! Let's become friends!"
"No! I don't want to!"
"Argh! Stop being so difficult, be friends with me!"
†‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡†
'Ah, in the novel, I think Aster turned into a crazy scientist who's obssessed with his studies.'
Aster scratched his head, and shrugged. 'Maybe I'm wrong.'
†‡‡‡‡‡‡‡†
Meanwhile at the watchtower....
The teachers looked at the monitors in silence, they could see their principal's grandson being chased by their sponsor's son while magnificently killing off some virtual beasts.
"Youngsters sure have a lot of energy." A teacher, who looked to be well off on her sixties commented.,
"Maybe you're just old." A teacher who also seemed to be in his sixties and had a neat white beard said.
"You are old too."
Another teacher pointed at a monitor and then at another one and said, "Hmm~ these students have some unique abilities. They'll probably do good."
"Really? I think this one's good too."
"Nah, I'm pretty sure this one is the good you guys are looking for."
The teachers crowded the monitors pointing at random students that catch their eyes, they all complimented some of them and also trash-talked some.
"Oh, some of these students are smart, they rested for a bit before continuing every few minutes."
"This one has a good fighting technique."
"The acquired ability of this student seems useful in battle."
"Bah, this student is wasting their energy on that useless stuff."
"The student used their abilites wrong, they should have done this instead of that."
"Huh, I think I might want this student to be a part of my class."
The bunny-eared teacher clapped his hands and said, "Okay, okay, let's all calm down now. Our purpose here is to pair them up with their most compatible allies, it's not about us."
"Sir Puffs is right, we shouldn't become too excited." A teacher who was tall and big and had the appearance of a wolf came forward and spoke. "I believe we should start to the next stage to see which group we will put these students in."
The other teachers nodded and started to discuss about the matter.
The bunny-eared teacher whispered to the wolf-teacher, "Thank you, Sir Fangs. You got them to calm down."
Mr.Fangs smiled, "It's no problem."
The bunny-eared teacher took the mic and announced, [Okay, students~. Press your left palm and a map will appear, that map will show you which beasts are in your area and how powerful they are. If you want to end up in a cool class with the outstanding students, you better try your best~. Click-]
†‡‡‡‡‡‡‡†
When Mika heared this he stopped and pressed his left palm, a holographic map appeared in front of him. He saw a blue dot in the middle of the map and some red dots scattered all around.
"Is that blue dot supposed to be my location?" He wondered.
"Seems so." A familliar voice said behind him.
"Gyaaaa!!!" He swirled around and saw Aster.
"A-A-Aster!!"
Aster nodded,"Yes, it's me. I guess I scared you for being too pushy, I apologize."
"Uhh... I guess it's okay....?"
"Okay."
"So.. uhm.."
"Let's take things slow, I heared people often become friends after they fight together."
Aster dragged Mika to a direction, "So let's go and fight those beasts!!"
"Waaaahhhh!!"