The moment Rose saw the viruses, she was already prepared. Normally, she thought it was going to be one, but instead there were many. They covered the whole arena, so many that even Rose couldn't keep count. The air seemed to thicken with their presence, like the field itself was shrinking around her. Mr. Flowers told her she might be given this kind of exam, but he had said one.
Rose stared at the Director and his secretary. Were they planning to eliminate her? Or what was the reason for this? The question lingered in her mind as she studied their faces through the glass wall. Nate looked calm, almost bored, while Ms. Hale stood stiff, hands gripping the rail as if she wasn't sure what would happen next.
But she didn't let her guard down. She put her focus on the creatures like a predator studying its prey. She controlled her breathing, letting it flow quietly through her nose. The smell of rot hit her first, thick, sour, almost clogging the back of her throat. Their bodies twitched and shifted with every uncertain step they took. It was impossible to tell if they were hunting or simply reacting.
She slammed the viruses one by one, going straight for their heads, but they had similar features to her. They could regenerate too. Every one she ripped apart grew back. The process was slow enough for her to tear into the others, but fast enough to keep the arena from ever emptying. The floor grew slick with gray liquid and scattered limbs that dissolved and reformed like melting candle wax.
This went on for a long time. Even Rose lost count of how many times she had ripped them apart over and over. Time started to blur into a dull rhythm, grab, crush, tear, toss like she had slipped into a loop with no exit. But Ms. Hale and Director Nate kept time. This had been going on for an hour and twenty-eight minutes.
Rose was untouched. She didn't give them a chance to tear her or even lay a finger on her skin. She moved in sharp, controlled bursts, every step calculated. She was avoiding something.
How long will this keep going on?
The thought rang in Rose's mind again and again. The more she fought, the more obvious the pattern became. They weren't trying to push her to her limit. They were waiting.
The more she thought about it, the more she understood.
This wasn't an exam but a confirmation.
The Director was testing something else.
Mr. Flowers must have told him about the other one inside her.
This was all about seeing her other form.
But Rose didn't want it to come out. They were total opposites. Whenever Mr. Flowers told her to bring it out, she always refused until he forced her by reminding her of the deal she made with him. To have a better life, she had to obey his commands.
Growing up in the orphanage wasn't easy for someone like Rose. She was different, the kind of child nobody wanted around. They called her a cursed child and locked her away in a small room with no air and no food. Even the girls her age bullied her. The memory returned to her in flashes cold floors, dark walls, the sound of whispers on the other side of the door.
One time, she used a fork to rip out one of the girl's eyes. That was when everyone finally became afraid of her. But what terrified them more was that she ate the eye right in front of them.
She was hungry, it was she was deprived of food.
And what else could she do?
That was the first time she had ever tasted flesh, all they ever fed them was bread and water and nothing else. She was going to rip out the other eye too, but they locked her away again.
That was also when she discovered she could regenerate.
When she was hungry enough, and couldn't bear the hunger inside of her, she started eating her own flesh, and her skin grew back instantly. The pain didn't matter back then. Hunger was worse than the pain she felt.
It was the only thing that kept her alive in that awful place, until that night.
The fight continued around her, viruses screeching and collapsing at her feet. Rose didn't react to the noise or the mess. Her thoughts were louder than the chaos in the arena.
Seven hours had passed now, and Director Nate had been watching Rose and the viruses like a replay. It was the same thing over and over again, she ripped them apart, and they regenerated.Rose hadn't been touched, but he could see the potential she had. She was stronger than anyone here in the school even without bringing out the other one.
He was sure that Mr. Flowers must have given her instructions not to show it. Flowers had a reason for bringing her here, and Nate knew it. But if she was as powerful as he claimed, then why didn't he keep her for himself? That question kept spinning in Nate's mind as he continued watching.
The arena lights hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the glass barrier. Ms. Hale shifted uncomfortably beside him, checking her tablet every few seconds. Nate didn't blink.
Now he was getting bored of what Rose was doing. It was repetitive, predictable, almost tiring to watch. Finally, he gave up, she wasn't going to bring the other one out.
"Put her among the Lower Dark Stars," he said at last.
The Lower Dark Stars were the second most powerful group after the Upper Dark Stars. They were ten in number and easily replaceable, unlike the Upper Dark Stars, who had been the same since the beginning. Anyone could overpower the lower group and take their rank in combat. It was an opportunity for ambitious students to climb.
The Upper Dark Stars didn't even bother battling the lower ones because they viewed them as weaker versions of themselves.
At least Rose didn't have to battle one of the Lower Dark Stars to take a position. She didn't just get the admission but she also got a path straight to the top. Now it would be easy for her to challenge one of the Upper Dark Stars and take their place.
"Putting a smile on that face of yours would actually do you good, you know. If you want to make friends or relate with others in this academy, you should show some expression," Ms. Hale said as she escorted Rose to her dorm. Rose had already changed into the academy uniform. Classes were over, and most students were already in their estate, some in the library, some training in the school yard. Ms. Hale was leading Rose to the place she would be staying from now on.
She brought Rose to an estate-like building. It was the hostel for the LDS short for the Lower Dark Stars. She stopped at the entrance, then the door opened and a robot, one that resembled a cyborg appeared.
"Good day, Jakob. I bring you a new student," Ms. Hale said. Jakob was the matron of the Lower Dark Stars.
"Oh? Does that mean someone has to go again?" Jakob said with a sad expression, then suddenly brightened. "Great. Now I know who I get to kick out."
He made a loud sound, and the entire estate heard him. He didn't need a microphone, he had an inbuilt one that connected to every room in the Lower Dark Stars estate.
"Number Ten, you have seven minutes to say your goodbyes and evacuate this estate. You are no longer a LDS. You have been demoted," he announced. Ms. Hale handed Rose over to him and walked away.
"Welcome, Number ten. What is your certificate name?" Jakob asked as Rose stared at him.
"Rose Flowers," she answered.
"Oh, you're a descendant of Mr Flowers? But I thought he didn't have any offspring. So how exactly did you come to life?" Jakob asked, but Rose wasn't interested in answering.
"Can you show me my room, please? I've had a very long day and I need to rest," Rose said.
"Oh, you'll get to your room soon. But first a tour." he said with a cheerful expression.
He showed Rose the map of the estate.They didn't have to walk anywhere, he simply displayed everything on the screen and expected her to memorize it. Rose did. Another one of her skills, flawless memory and a mind that held images like photographs.
Finally, they stood in front of her room. The door had the numbers Nine and Ten on it, meaning she would be sharing a room with whoever Number nine was. Before she could touch the door, it slid open automatically, and a boy around her age stepped out. He handed her a card key and gave her a cold look.
"I don't know how you managed to get my number, but tomorrow I'll be getting it back. Don't touch any of my stuff while I'm gone," he said, glaring at her with a clear promise of revenge.
Normally, to leave the LDS estate, someone had to challenge you and win.
But no challenge had happened.
Rose wasn't bothered by his threat.
He wasn't her target.
But if he really did come to challenge her tomorrow like he said…
then he had chosen the wrong person to fight.