Exams Pt 2

With the crowd still buzzing from the impressive displays of power. Scarlet steps forward, "For your next test," Scarlet announces, "you will be participating in an endurance trial. You must run back and forth across the field, testing your stamina and determination. This is not just about speed, but about how long you can keep going. The last ones standing will move on to the next round." The participants murmur amongst themselves, some looking confident while others appear anxious. Jade and Omaru share a glance, their competitive spirits ignited. Omaru grins widely at Jade, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Wanna race?" Jade smirks, clenching his fist. "You're on." Scarlet raises her hand, preparing to start the test. "On your marks... get set... go!" As soon as the word leaves her lips, Jade and Omaru shoot past everyone, their feet kicking up dust as they sprint with incredible speed. They zoom past Scarlet, causing a gust of wind and a cloud of dust to envelop her. The other participants struggle to keep up, their expressions a mix of determination and exhaustion. 

Back and forth they go, their pace relentless. Jade and Omaru stay neck and neck, each pushing the other to keep going faster and harder. Meanwhile, Seraph Lucian, the noble who had earlier boasted about his status, is seen panting heavily, his once confident demeanor now replaced with exhaustion. "I can't go on... anymore," he gasps, stumbling and nearly falling over. "How do they have so much energy?" Scarlet, observing from the sidelines, watches Jade and Omaru with an appraising look. "Oh my, impressive endurance," she thinks to herself, clearly impressed by their performance. As the trial continues, more and more participants begin to drop out, unable to keep up with the grueling pace. But Jade and Omaru keep going, their determination unwavering. 

Scarlet watches Jade and Omaru with a keen eye as they continue their relentless pace, impressed by their stamina and determination. As the last participants drop out, she raises her hand, signaling the end of the trial. "Excellent endurance, both of you," Scarlet commends as Jade and Omaru catch their breath. "Now, for the final test: one-on-one battles." The participants buzz with excitement and nerves at the prospect of facing off against each other. Scarlet explains the rules, stating that the battles will be random matchups, with the winners becoming Soul Knights. As the matchups are announced, tension fills the air. Jade's name is called, and to his surprise, he is paired with Seraph Lucian. Seraph steps forward with a smug grin, "Not this guy!!" Seraph thinks to him self. "This should be an easy win for me, I mean i am from the Lucian family." Seraph says with a smug but nervous face. 

Jade clenches his fists, his eyes narrowing at Seraph's words. "Watch your words," Jade retorts, his voice firm. "I will make you eat your words." Scarlet stands at the edge of the arena, her gaze focused on the upcoming fight. As the signal is given, Jade and Seraph face off. Seraph raises both hands, manifesting a giant wave of water, which he directs toward Jade. Jade remains calm, bringing forth one hand as the water stops in its tracks, turning to ice. The stadium chills as the air freezes, shattering the wave. "What? How could this be?!" Seraph exclaims in disbelief. "He stopped my attack completely in its tracks! Me! A noble!" Jade says, "Now, it's my turn," as he jumps into the air, manifesting a giant boulder of ice that drops towards Seraph. Fear flashes in Seraph's eyes as the massive boulder descends. However, at the last moment, the boulder shatters, revealing Jade standing unharmed. "Just kidding," Jade says in a serious tone. Seraph, overwhelmed by the shock, collapses to the ground, his mouth wide open. Scarlet watches with a look of approval. "Very impressive control over his manifestation, and such speed" she remarks. The crowd erupts into cheers, impressed by Jade's skill. 

However, amidst the celebration, someone in the crowd notices something peculiar about Jade. A small crest on his clothing catches their eye, a symbol that represents the Everhart family. Whispers start to spread through the crowd as people recognize the crest. "Isn't that the Everhart crest?" one person asks. "Yes, I've heard of them. They're a prestigious family," another replies. Omaru's attention is drawn to the mention of the Everhart family. His expression shifts to one of surprise. "Everhart, huh?" Omaru's gaze drifts back to Jade. As the matches go by, the tension in the air mounts with each passing duel. The crowd is captivated by the displays of skill. Omaru's name was called, and he faced off against a girl with a slender build, pale skin, and flowing black hair. Their eyes locked, and a competitive spark ignited between them. "I won't go easy on you," Omaru declared with a confident grin as the match began. With a quick motion, Omaru clenched his fists, causing small flames to shoot out upon impact. "Come at me," he beckoned, his determination shining through. In response, the girl raised her hand, conjuring forth a swarm of spectral snakes that slithered towards Omaru. Unfazed, Omaru concentrated, manifesting a pillar of fire that incinerated the serpentine assault to ash. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, swiftly closing the distance between them. With a precise strike to the back of her neck, he skillfully incapacitated her, winning the match. The crowd erupted into cheers, impressed by Omaru's display of skill and determination.

 As the final match concluded, Scarlet stepped forward, her voice echoing throughout the stadium. "That concludes this year's exams," she announced, her gaze sweeping over the participants who had made it through. "Those of you who have succeeded, stand proud." Pride radiated from those who had passed, a mix of exhaustion and elation evident on their faces. "You will all be notified within the next two days of the squad you will be assigned to," Scarlet continued, her tone firm yet encouraging. With the exams officially over, the crowd began to disperse, their chatter filling the air. Scarlet made her way through the dispersing crowd, eventually finding herself beside Jade. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Say, Jade, you should really consider joining my squad. It's a lot of fun," she suggested, her tone playful. Jade's face flushed red as he glanced down, catching a glimpse of Scarlet's intent. Clearing his throat nervously, he replied, "Um, thanks... I'll think about it," scratching his head awkwardly. Before Scarlet could say more, a voice from the crowd called out, "Captain, that's enough! Sorry about her." Jade quickly responded, "It's fine," though his embarrassment was palpable. With a parting wink, Scarlet bid farewell. "See you later," she said, walking away, Jades cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. 

Omaru turned to Jade with a grin. "So, we both made it, huh?" Jade nodded, a smile breaking through his exhaustion. "Looks like it." "I'm looking forward to seeing what squads we get," Omaru said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's just hope you don't get Captain Scarlet's squad." He chuckled, teasing Jade. Jade laughed nervously, scratching his head. "Yeah, let's hope not." "Man, I'm hungry," Omaru said, patting his stomach. "We should go find a place to eat." As they made their way out of the stadium, the future of their journey as Soul Knights lay ahead, filled with many adventures.