"But I uh ha cknefnf3oibf231flb21nop2v3ijvfelhb3ir?!" Ella stammars.
Grover's face remains blank.
"But…how did we all pass?! We didn't get enough points, and we didn't even beat you?!" I cry.
"Trust me, you did," Haraki sighs. "Both sides were out of Cursed Power, yet you three still had the strength to stand up and face me in the end. You three have balls, and I can admire that. The only thing I love more than ruining the dreams of rookies, is finding rookies who have the guts to stand up for those dreams."
"But…do I really deserve to pass?" Ella timidly standards. "I mean…I barely did anything."
"Are ya' kidding? Do you really think that this kid could break through my scales without your strength boost?!" Hakari cackles as she jams her thumb in my direction, hurting my pride. "And besides, if you didn't help Luis and Grover stand up in the end, I might not have passed you three, if ya' just gave up so easily."
Ella blushes.
"Hey, Ella, thanks for convincing us to stand up back there!" Grover laughs as he slings an arm around Ella's shoulder. An embarrassed, goofy grin spreads across Ella's face.
"The teamwork between you three and the trust placed in one another was unparalleled, you three truly fought as a synchronized unit and will no doubt be a powerful trio and a great asset in the war against the demon race in the future," Haraki continues, causing the three of us to smile giddily.
"Grover Bradshaw!" Haraki continues as she turns towards Grover. "Since your hands are occupied when creating wormholes you mastered kicking, but where you excel in speed, you still lack power. You also have a great sense of battle, and were able to come up with decent strategies to beat me. You're Knife Storm demonstrates your skills at wielding your Cursed Ability. Using your Cursed Power to reinforce your kick and break through my scales was an outstanding move, one that truly demonstrates skills of Cursed Power. But it drained too much of your Cursed Power to use that attack, you're great for a rookie but still have much more training to do!"
"Right!" Grover replies. He looks ecstatic to be receiving comments from a Pro Slayer.
"Ella Calia!" Haraki continues, turning to Ella this time. I suppose that we'll all be getting comments. "You have an amazingly valuable Cursed Ability, and with most people out there wanting offensive based Cursed Ability rather than support abilities, you're incredibly useful. But you're just too scared to use it. If you weren't as timid, I know that Luis and Grover could have broken through my scales with ease."
"R-right…" Ella replies as she turns away, looking ashamed.
"Luis Tramonatana!" Haraki says as she turns to face me. I perk up upon hearing my name. "You're weak, very weak. You're not that strong, or fast, or battle- smart, and you seem to know almost nothing about Cursed Power, shy from having a decent control over wind. But, you have incredible explosive power, which you demonstrated with your Sky God's Katana as well as your final attack against me. Learn to wield Cursed Power better, and you'll become a terrifying fighter one day."
At first, I felt glum after being chewed out by Slayer Haraki, but hearing her high note at the end, I can't help but to smile. "Right!" I reply. "Thank you!"
Haraki then claps her hands together. "The Slayer Exams end in about an hour, but since you three already passed, a team of Medical Slayers will come escort you out of the Exam Site, and tend to your wounds," she says.
"And you may have a special visitor waiting for you," Haraki says as she turns to me. Nick, I'm guessing.
"Well then, I'm beat," Haraki yawns as she stretches. "As much as I'd love to go pick on some new rookies, a Cursed Power-wielding toddler could take me out at this point. So I'll be off." Haraki then slinks back into the woods, leaving a trail of blood dripping behind her.
***
As Slayer Haraki said, a team of Pro Slayers in nurse uniforms swarmed Ella, Grover, and I, in the woods. The three of us laughed as we were escorted out of the exam site on stretchers, we felt like royalty. Eventually, Ella, Grover, and I were brought to the infirmary in the Slayer Organization Headquarters, which was riddled with examinees. Some who've passed, most who haven't. After being laid down on the cots, our wounds were tended to. Ella had lost a lot of blood from the strain placed on her body from overusing her Cursed Ability, and needed a blood transplant. Grover's legs were put in casts after he apparently repeatedly slammed them into a girl made of iron, as well as Slayer Haraki's scales. Grover's body was also littered with small holes, most from Haraki's scales, and a hole in his right hand, where he was shot earlier.
And now…there's me.
My chest and right shoulder were torn to shreds from those dino-demons, and I couldn't even move my right arm anymore. On top of that, my eardrums were ruptured from Haraki's sound attack, and I had a couple of broken ribs from when the dino-demons pounced on me. Out of the three of us, I was by far the most messed up.
Fortunately, the Medical Slayers with their healing Cursed Abilities and the doctors were able to treat us, and Ella, Grover, and I had no permanent injuries, shy from a crap ton of fresh new scars.
Of course, Ella, Grover, and I aren't carried very far before we pass out.
***
"No…"
Everything is pitch black. Why is it so dark? The only thing that I can make out in this darkness is a man a figure hundred feet in front of me, slowly marching farther and farther away.
"Why…are you walking away…?"
I stretch my hand out to the figure.
"Please…don't go…not again…"
But the figure just keeps on marching, not even stopping to listen to my voice.
"DON'T GO!" I scream as I catapult forwards in bed. When I open my eyes, I find that I'm staring at an unfamiliar white wall in front of me, with my hand outstretched towards it. Towards the man who was walking away.
"L-Luis, are you okay?!" Ella stammers.
"Where are we?" I ask, dodging the question.
"Infirmary," Ella answers.
"BWAHAHA, he's probably having a nightmare from Lizard Slayer's beating!" Grover blurts out.
"Sh-shuddup!" I snap with a blush. "I was just…dreaming, that's all."
"About what?" Ella asks.
"N-none of your business…" I stammer as I turn away from Ella.
"C'mon, buddy!" Grover teases. "We can't be best friends if you don't tell us what's got your undies all bunched up!"
"Who said we were best friends?!" I snap as I turn to face Grover, causing Ella to flinch. "Sorry…" I then say with a sigh as I pinch the bridge of my nose. "It's just…I had a dream about my father, again. I get these once in a while. And everytime I do, I wake up irritated."
"Daddy issues, eh?" Grover asks.
"Yeah, no kidding," I snort. "Don't even remember his face. The only memory I have of him is him leaving me. Maybe that's why his back's always turned to me in my dreams. There's nothing in front of it…"
"Y-you know, we all have our own issues," Ella stammers, causing me to look up at her. "You know, my dad-"
But before Ella finishes, a familiar man bursts into the room. "Hey, kid, how's it hanging?" Nick asks as he enters our room. "Damn, it feels like a funeral here…" Nick then adds upon sensing the dull mood. "Even though you guys didn't die. But anyway, I heard you passed the exam, congratulations! And by taking out Haraki, no less!"
Nick then grabs a chair and pulls it over to my bedside, squatting down on it backwards.
"Yeah, I'm doing pretty solid," I ironically answer, while being hooked up to both a blood donation and plasma transfusion machine, and having both an arm and a leg hung up in a cast.
"Ohmigodohmigodohmigod," Grover stammars as he watches Nick enter the room. "The strongest Pro Slayer is here to congratulate me on passing the exams!"
"I think he's here for Luis," Ella replies with a nervous chuckle, but Grover ignores her. He only hears what he wants to hear. Grover is often in his own world.
"Oh, yeah, uhh…Grason, right? Congrats on passing too," Nick awkwardly says, but Grover looks ecstatic.
"Thank you, sir!" He cries. "And it's Grover!"
"I'm just here to tell you three that hey, I've just transferred into the Squad Captain Branch of the Slayer Organization and is in need of a squad, so who knows, you three may be in it," Nick laughs.
"THE STRONGEST PRO SLAYER WANTS ME IN HIS SQUAD?!" Grover exclaims. "I'M SO HAPPY THAT I COULD DIE!"
"Yes, well, if I'm going to be training Luis, then I may as well grab his two buddies while I'm at it," Nick replies. "You three were a great team, but I'm sure Haraki already told you that."
"Squad Captain Branch?" I ask.
"Newbie Slayers such as you guys are assigned to work in teams of three to six people until you grow stronger, cultivate your Cursed Abilities, and figure out what kind of job you want to do in the Organization, such as being a Medical Slayer, or an Exam Proctor Slayer," Nick explains. "Each team, called a "Squad," is led by a Squad Captain Pro Slayer. A squad consists of an even mix of Attackers, Shooters, and Supporters. Attackers, who stand on the frontlines of combat, who use melee Cursed Abilities. Shooters, who stand at the back of combat, using long ranged Cursed Abilities to provide cover fire and snipe opponents. And Supporters, who stand in the middle of combat and use support and defensive Cursed Abilities to aid both the Attackers and Supporters. "
"But aren't you already a Field Patrol Slayer? I thought Pro Slayers usually don't switch jobs?" Grover asks.
"Not usually," Nick answers. "But I have some connections within this organization. And besides, being a Field Patrol Slayer isn't my original job."
"Man, you really don't know anything about the Slayer Organization!" Grover laughs.
"No, not really," I apathetically answer. "Just remember our deal, Nick!" I then boom.
"Either way, I've got things to do," Nick says as he pops back off his chair and spins around. "I'll see you three later. And I mean that." And so, with a small wave and a smirk, Nick exits our infirmary room.
After being told to return to the Slayer Organization Headquarters in a week for an orientation to honor the new recruits into the ranks of the Slayer Organization, and having our wounds fully tended to, Ella, Grover, and I, were discharged from the infirmary at last, that evening. The three of us chat and laugh on our way home, talking about everything crazy to us that happened today, our Cursed Abilities, our lives, everything. It was an amazing day. Eventually, Ella, Grover, and I return from back home from the city, going our separate ways, but no before vowing to meet back up together at the Slayer Organization in one week from today.