Kaito's CPI scanner flickered to life in his eye, revealing a number so absurd he had to double-check if the damn thing was broken.
Valentina: 725,000 CPI
"725,000 base CPI…?! That's insane… Who in the stars is this chick?" He thought to himself as a bead of sweat rolled slowly down the side of his face.
Before he could process anything further, Rikona unlatched herself off his back, sprinting toward the mysterious elf woman with arms spread wide open. Tears and snot flowed like a river down her cheeks.
"Valentinaaa!!" She wailed, hurling herself forward expecting a comforting embrace.
Instead, she received a fist to the top of her head.
BOW!
Beep.
"What in the stars do you think you're doing you little idiot genius?! Didn't you hear the robo-bitch earlier?! Touching someone steals time!" Valentina barked furiously.
Rikona, still seeing stars from the punch, tried to mutter an incoherent apology, but was snatched up from the ground. Valentina picked her up by her blue hoodie, bringing their faces together.
Beep.
"Give me back my precious seconds, you tiny thief!" She demanded as she shook her like a ragdoll.
Rikona called out for Kaito's help, but her words sounded like unintelligible noise.
"You're a pain in my ass, you know that! Didn't I tell you to stay glued to my side!? You owe me big time you little two for one bastard!"
A safe distance away, Kaito scratched his head awkwardly.
"Should…should I help her?"
Not long after, the three of them sat along the banks of the pale green river, several meters from the charred and unconscious examinees.
Valentina glanced around impatiently, crossing her arms.
"Rikona—where's that lanky blue idiot? Did Zeek get eliminated already?"
Rikona shook her head nervously, ears drooping.
"I—I don't know. I lost him during the freefall…"
Valentina scoffed, rubbing her temples.
"Wonderful. How in the stars are we supposed to get home now?" Her sharp gaze suddenly snapped onto Kaito.
"Hey, round-eared elf brat—can you fly a starship?"
Kaito blinked in surprise, caught off guard by her bluntness.
"Uh, no. And also, I'm not an elf—I'm a human."
Valentina tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she stepped into Kaito's personal space, examining him closely as if he were an unknown specimen. She grabbed his arm, lifted it up, and poked his chest repeatedly.
"Human, huh?" She murmured skeptically, her eyes scanning him up and down.
"That's odd. The Accord's descriptions always painted humans as these monstrous, barbaric creatures… But you just look like an elf. Kinda disappointing, to be honest…"
Kaito's eyes widened slightly.
"Wait—you actually know about humans?"
Valentina scoffed lightly.
"Of course we do. You really think every civilization blindly believes the Accord's propaganda? Sure, majority do, but a few worlds like ours and Zeek's included—don't fall for that garbage. Zeek's people are obsessed with your kind's culture, buying scraps of human media off the black market since the day your world… well. You know."
Kaito's chest tightened with unexpected emotion, his voice wavering slightly.
"I…I had no idea. I thought every civilization in the galaxy…no, the entire known universe, hated my humans."
Valentina's tough expression just a bit, after seeing a spark of hope in his eyes.
"Many might, but not everyone. A handful of worlds see through the Accord's lies. Hell, our own homeworld is still—"
Her voice trailed off, replaced by silence that was clearly holding something back. Rikona's demeanor visibly changed at her words, her lavender eyes overcoming with sadness. The awkward quiet lingered for a bit until Kaito spoke softly.
"Is…everything alright with your worlds?"
Valentina quickly shook her head, abruptly regaining her fiery composure.
"Enough sentimental talk. We've wasted enough time as it is." She raised her wristband, eyeing the timer anxiously.
"Listen up, round-ear. Why don't we team up? Rikona and I could use someone who can actually hold his own in a fight."
Kaito looked at his wristband and nodded.
"Sure, sounds good… but before that."
He lifted a fist in their direction, offering a fist bump. Valentina stared blankly at his hand, arching an eyebrow.
"What in the stars is that?" She asked bluntly, as if she was almost offended.
He chuckled lightly.
"It's called a fist bump. Where us round-ears are from, it means I've got your back, no matter what happens."
Valentina exchanged glances with Rikona, their expressions softening with understanding. Simultaneously, they both raised their fists and bumped them gently against Kaito's.
Rikona smiled timidly, before pulling her hand back and opening her backpack, pulling out a handful of marble-sized metallic orbs. With toss into the air, each orb unfolded into a sleek robotic insect, buzzing upwards into the sky above.
"It'll take a moment, but these scout drones will give us a detailed map of the area and warn us if anyone's nearby." She explained, pulling out a tablet from her bag.
As she focused, Valentina turned back to Kaito.
"Anyway, I owe you one for saving this little genius idiot. Think carefully about what you want as payment, but you better decide before the exams are over or my offer's off the table."
She turned away, allowing him the opportunity to think of something before turning back.
"And no, you can't fuck me. A man's filthy touch isn't deserving of this flawless body."
Kaito's expression immediately soured slightly.
"Uhh…I definitely wasn't thinking nor considering that. Seriously, I'm good."
Valentina chuckled lightly, unconvinced.
"Lie to yourself all you want, round-ear, but I heard how you star travelers get down. You can't fool me."
"No seriously, I'm good." He repeated flatly with a deadpan expression.
Valentina scoffed playfully before calling out impatiently to Rikona.
"Hey genius, are you done yet?"
Rikona's eyes flicked rapidly across her tablet.
"Almost! Just a few more seconds!" She replied without looking up.
Kaito glanced thoughtfully at the pile of unconscious examinees scattered across the clearing, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes.
"Well, while we wait—how about we stock up on some time?"
Elsewhere in a rugged, bush-filled area dotted with jagged rocks, Nara, Finn, and Sylas were walking side by side talking.
"Wait, wait—are you telling me your captain is the legendary S-ranked captain, Elara the Destroyer? The Eldarian elf, Elara?!" Sylas asked, his typically stoic demeanor nearly shattering instantly from fanboying too hard.
Nara nodded smugly, puffing out her chest with pride with a subtle smirk.
"Uh-huh! And even better—she's my sensei."
Sylas' eyes widened as he leaned closer, his composed facade now completely replaced by one of a true Elara-stan.
"By the stars, are you serious!? The great Elara trained you personally? My older brother attended the same academy as her—he was a cycle ahead, but he always talked about how she and her terrifying best friend dominated the academy. He said her strength was unheard of—her skills so profound even the elder councils of the core races feared her… and that was precisely why they exiled her."
Nara's confident grin vanished instantly, replaced by shock and confusion. Finn shared the same feeling once he heard what was said.
"Hold on—exiled? What do you mea—"
But before Nara could finish, Sylas's arm swiftly shot out in front of her, stopping her abruptly in her tracks.
Finn stumbled slightly before stopping.
"What's wrong, Sylas?" He asked cautiously.
Sylas remained quiet, black and yellow eyes scanning the surroundings.
There was nothing.
Finn tilted his head slightly.
"Sylas, is everyth—"
"Answer me, betalites…" Sylas interrupted him, his voice calm yet authoritative.
"You've surrounded us, yet you remain hidden. You await the perfect moment, yet you hesitate. Why?"
Finn and Nara exchanged glances, their eyes darting around the seemingly empty bushes and rocky formations. There was nothing visible, nothing audible… nothing.
Sylas continued, his tone slightly condescending, almost as if he was scolding his children who were hiding from their parents after doing something bad.
"Allow me to answer for you, then. It's a primal instinct common to all beings across the universe. When confronted with something truly daunting, your mind and body freeze, paralyzed by the reality of inevitable defeat. This paralysis is nothing but proof of your weakness."
There was more silence after his words, the air heavy with anticipation… until, the thick brown and red bushes rustled violently.
Dozens of examinees of varying alien races slowly emerged from their hiding spots.
One of them, an enormous muscular alien with long spiked horns and with violet scales, stepped forward aggressively, his deep voice dripping with disdain.
"You're dead wrong, you arrogant little elf brat."
Sylas didn't flinch one bit at his words or intimidation, instead, he chuckled softly.
"Oh, am I?" He questioned gently, gesturing towards the group behind the large alien.
"Perhaps you should ask your friends how they feel first."
The alien scoffed, rolling his eyes as he turned around to address his fellow examinees. But his cocky expression shattered into bewildered horror as he witnessed every single one of his allies collapsed on the ground, sprawled motionless.
"W–W–What…!? How? What did you do ?" He muttered, his voice trembling.
Before he could fully grasp the situation, an immense pressure suddenly bore down upon him, forcing him to his knees. His muscular arms trembled violently as he struggled to resist the overwhelming force.
"What kind of—trick is this?!" He groaned out, confusion and panic overtaking his previously arrogant demeanor.
Sylas calmly walked over to him, his demeanor as relaxed and unbothered as ever.
"This isn't a trick… Look around."
Using all of his might, the massive alien raised his head, sweat pouring down his scaly forehead, only to see Sylas, Finn, and Nara standing effortlessly—completely unaffected by whatever oppressive force had forced him down.
"How?!" He spat out, fear seeping into his voice.
"You're… you're smaller, weaker! Even that little elf runt there! How are you standing?! What are you doing to me?!"
Sylas casually knelt down, meeting his fearful gaze eye to eye.
"You're confused, yet your body knows exactly what's happening. This is no special trick or cheap ability." He leaned in closer, his voice lowering.
"It simply means… you're weak."
The alien's eyes widened, realization dawning too late before consciousness abandoned him, his body collapsing into the dirt.
Sylas stood up and calmly turned to Finn and Nara behind him.
"This should be enough time for each of us, right?"