Chapter 21
'Should I consume the pill now?' Fai asked himself, his gaze drifting towards the small, spherical object clutched in his hand.
The reason for his contemplation was strategic: he wanted to use the pill as an element of surprise during a more critical moment of the assessment, something that would provide a significant, unexpected boost to his strength.
He didn't want to simply expend its power here. Furthermore, there was an inherent chance that the boost in strength might not be permanent; perhaps it would only last for a few hours.
If that were the case, he wanted to conserve it for when it was truly necessary.
But was it genuinely necessary right now? That was the pressing question weighing on his mind. 'I think it's better I see the others perform first; it might give me a clearer idea of what I should do,' Fai thought to himself, a flicker of focused intent in his eyes.
He had settled on the idea of observing others' performances before making his own decision, which was undoubtedly the right, if not the best, choice.
Witnessing the others perform would not only give him a better understanding of what he should do but would also provide insight into how difficult it was to achieve a hit number up to thirty .
Moreover, by watching, he would be able to identify those who were genuinely powerful and those he needed to look out for, especially since he was the only one whose watch was still glowing red, signaling that he was still human.... , or rather... , that he wasn't a mutant.
After the bald man had clearly explained what the first stage of the assessment entailed , the rules and the penalties , the students were then randomly divided into groups.
This time, by a stroke of fate, Johnson and Fai ended up in the same group, and, to their realisation , the person in charge of them was none other than the bald man himself.
The bald man was feared by most of the students, each for different, yet equally compelling reasons. Some respected him deeply, witnessing how every military personnel on the field treated him with unwavering deference.
Others were simply awestruck by the sheer, raw strength he had just demonstrated.
For those who came from the city of Veridia, these reasons were merely an addition to their main source of fear.
From the first moment they had seen the bald man, they had already constructed a formidable image of him in their minds: a man who followed the rules no matter what, a man who wasn't even afraid of any sort of powerful backing, a man to whom no one was above the law.
So, when the students realized that he was the one in charge of their specific group, they couldn't help but swallow up saliver nervously.
Fai even wondered if he should wait any longer before swallowing the pill. He was strongly considering swallowing it now, but he fought against the impulse, relying on his initial plan.
"Damn it, man, that guy gives me the creeps! Did it have to be him?" Johnson muttered under his breath, his usually cheerful demeanor momentarily replaced by a genuine fear of the bald man.
He wasn't the kind of person to keep his thoughts to himself; he preferred to voice them out, no matter how apprehensive they made him feel.
Standing before them, the bald man then called out the first name. "Sarah Adwin," he announced, his voice echoing through the hall.
From the crowd of students, a young girl with bright, fiery red hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and piercing green eyes, stepped forward.
Fai immediately recognized her "Sarah" he said underneath his breath.
it was Sarah, the one who had courageously saved him in the forest from Keal's merciless group.
She was as beautiful as ever, the vibrant color of her bright red hair drawing attention not only from the boys but from the girls as well, a striking beacon in the subdued crowd.
Sarah had not only helped Fai in the forest but was, in fact, the only one who had consistently helped him when he was still in high school.
She would actively intervene, stopping bullies who tried to torment him whenever she witnessed their cruel acts.
Back then, Fai, in his youthful naivety, had thought that perhaps there was a deeper, personal reason for her kindness, maybe… but he was wrong.
She didn't just help him; she extended her protection to everyone who was bullied in the school, to the point that she was even revered as a savior and had been bestowed with the inspiring title of "the Red Angel."
Now here she was, ready to take on the first stage of the assessment, the crucial first step towards becoming a Mutated Hunter.
She then moved forward, with a confident yet respectful stride, until she stood directly before the bald man.
"That's me, sir," she said, her voice clear and steady, as she gave the bald man a respectful bow.
"OK now, I'm assuming you know what to do, and you know the rules, right?" the bald man asked, his gaze fully on her.
To this, she replied with a firm nod, her green eyes unwavering. "Then show us what you got," the bald man commanded.
Hearing this, Sarah positioned herself in front of the machine. Now that she stood before it, she realized that it was even taller and more imposing than it had seemed from afar.
She then took some deliberate steps back, three to be precise, creating ample space for her movement.
She took a moment to breathe, a slow, controlled exhalation, then positioned herself squarely in front of the heavy, bag-like machine, her focus absolute.
Her stance was basic but firm: her left foot forward, right foot slightly back, heels raised to allow for balance and fluidity. Her knees were bent just enough to give a bounce and kinetic potential.
Both of her fists were raised, forming a tight guard. With unwavering focus, she exhaled slowly through her nose, a breath of pure concentration.
She then skillfully shifted her weight to her rear leg, expertly twisting her hips. At that exact moment, she snapped her right fist forward in a clean, straight line, a blur of motion.
Her shoulder followed through naturally, adding power to the strike, while her left hand stayed up, protecting her face as if she were in an actual combat situation—she was being both offensive and defensive simultaneously.
Bang!
The sound resonated, a sharp crack, but it wasn't as earth-shattering as the bald man's own demonstration.