Chapter 10- Entrance Exam Final Part

I opened the lunchbox lola gave to me earlier. There was 2 sandwhiches inside, an apple, tapos may maliit na jug na may orange juice, I think?

I ate the sandwhich, egg sandwhich na may celery and bacon sa loob. Tapos tinoast ‘yung tinapay.

Masarap, grabe. I also drank the orange juice.

Nakita kong may cafeteria malapit ditto, kaya napag-pasyahan kong mag-punta roon.

I saw Axie entering the cafeteria as well, she probably noticed me too she turned to my direction and clung onto my arm. Yeah, I’m not a touchy person. I carefully took her hands down. “Ay sorry! Uncomfy ka yata hehe! Sayang ‘di tayo magkasama kanina! Kopya sana ako! Char!”

“Anyways, punta ka din café? Tara, sabay tayo.” Yaya niya, tumango nalang ako bilang tugon.

We went inside the café. And I was shocked by how spacious it was. Well-ventilated rin, at maganda ang environment.

Maraming estudyante ang nasa loob ng cafeteria, kakaunti naman ang mga applicants.

Ang gaganda at gu-gwapo ng mga students dito, omg. Pero hindi ako naparito dahil diyan.

Umupo kami ni Axie sa isang available na table. “Oorder ka?” Tanong niya sa ‘kin. I want to try their foods here so I nodded.

Sabay kaming nag-punta sa mga stalls. “I’m gonna try these creampuffs.” Saad ko sa kaniya. “Okay, doon ako sa may siomai.”

Nagpunta ako doon sa stall na nagtitinda ng creampuffs. Hindi ko alam kung ano ‘yon, basta creampuffs nakalagay sa board sa itaas nung stall.

“Hi, how much ‘yung creampuffs?” I asked the person sa stall. “5 silvers for 10 creampuffs! It’s a promo.” She said with a smile. Oh, great deal. I took out the pouch of silvers and took 6, 1 silver as a tip.

“Thanks.” Saad ko nang makuha ko na ang order ko. Hindi ko muna ‘yon tinikman at bumili ng frapuccino sa katabing stall. Um-order ako ng chocolate chip cream frappe na nagka-halagang 10 silvers.

After ko bumili ay bumalik na ‘ko sa seat namin, nandoon na si Axie. Nakain ng siomai at shawarma. “Saan mo nabili shawarma?” Tanong ko.

“Gusto mo? Wait, bilhan kita.” Susundan ko sana siya kaso biglang tumakbo si Axie kaya ‘di ko na nahabol. Ako nalang sana ang bibili.

Umupo nalang ako sa upuan ng table namin at hinintay siya.

I peacefully ate my creampuffs when suddenly 3 students suddenly stopped beside me.

“Bro, dali na kasi. Ikaw na mag-sabi, upuan natin ‘yan oh! Huhu, dali na!” Rinig kong saad ng isang lalaki. Oh this was their spot? Sorry nalang, nauna kami.

I don’t think they can see my face, I covered it with my hair.

“Hayaan mo na ‘yang girl, she looks lonely, pagbigyan nalang natin!” Maarteng tugon naman ng isang babae.

Ramdam ko ang pag-alis nila. At saktong dumating naman si Axie. Bitbit ang isang shawarma bowl.

“Magkano? I’ll pay you.”

Ibinigay niya na sa ‘kin ‘yung shawarma, “Nako, no need. Libre ko na ‘yan sa ‘yo, ano ka ba?”

 --

Pagkatapos kumain ay ipinatawag na kaming muli sa auditorium kaya sabay na kaming pumunta ni Axie papunta doon. Sakto, dahil hindi pa nags-start magsalita ‘yung speaker.

Nagka-hiwalay kami ni Axie nung kailangang by group nanaman ang pila.

“I hope y’all have already eaten and took from our 1-hour break, dahil medyo kailangan niyo ng energy para sa 2^nd and final level ng entrance exam.” He paused, “For our final level ng exam. You’ll be using your ability para umatake sa 500 dummies. Every dummy contains 50-150 points, may ranking ito, at ang ranking ay hanggang 30 lang. Ang makakapasok sa 30 rank na ‘yon ang siyang tatanggapin ng academy. So you better take this seriously kung gusto mong matanggap dito sa Quire Academy. Before we start, Q students, please inject the serum.” 30?! Eh wala pa sa kalahati niyan ang participants dito!

“You’ll be teleported sa area kung saan gaganapin ang 2^nd level. Goodluck.”

The students in front of us walked toward us. “Your arm, please.” A girl walked to me, and asked for my arm.

What’s this thing? Ano ‘tong ituturok nila sa ‘min?

“Don’t worry. Para ‘to sa 2^nd level. The effect will come off after the activity.” She said to comfort myself being hesitant.

Alright then. I pulled up my sleeves, showing my bare arm. She lifted a syringe with a blue substance inside. She injected it through me, medyo sumakit braso ko. Pero nawala rin.

“The serums will help you sa 2^nd level ng entrance exam. Goodluck everyone!”

--

“What-“ I spat, shocked because of the sudden change in the surrounding.

We’re teleported in a forest. What the hell?

Mag-isa lang ako dito. Nasaan ang iba?

“KYAAAA!” Speaking of.

Ang sigaw na ‘yon ay sinundan ng mga pagsabog.

I heard loud thumpings from my right. I stayed attentive to my surroundings.

I threw my ability at a certain direction from my right, feel ko kasi may tatalon sa ‘kin mula doon. “Immobilize.”

I carefully walked towards the right direction and saw a huge robot, and it wasn’t moving. Black veins covering its leg. Ito ba ‘yung dummy na sinasabi nila?

Wala akong magamit para ipatumba ‘tong du-

Nevermind, I saw a whip, a glowing one. Nasa paa ng dummy.

I ran to get it, and immediately whipped the dummy. Natumba ito, I guess I did it?

Nagulat ako nang biglang kumirot kaunti ang wrist ko. Tinignan ko ito at may nakasulat na ’50 pts.’, kulay asul at umiilaw. So this is what that blue-substance is for.

Ramdam kong may susugod nanaman sa likod ko. I ran toward the opposite direction. Lumagpas ito sa ‘kin, I looked at it, and it was an earth ball?

“Tch.” I heard someone. I subconsciously lifted an eyebrow when I saw a man, coming out from the direction where the earth ball came from. Was that his ability?

Kulay hazel brown ang buhok niya, at kulay silver ang mata, matangkad, at kakaiba ang pananamit, parang cosplayer na ewan.

Hindi ko na siya pinansin dahil may paparating nanaman.

2 dummies.

I’ll use the whip for now to save my ability, saka ko nalang gagamitin kapag kailangang kailangan na.

“That’s yours, this is mine.” He suddenly said and began to pour earth balls sa isang dummy. Okay then.

I controlled the whip’s movement, and lashed it on the dummy’s feet, causing it to fall and create a loud noise.

I jumped over it, tapos ay ipinulupot ko ang thong ng whip sa ulo ng dummy saka ito hinugot with full force. Ayon, pugot ulo. Sumakit muli ang pala-pulsuhan ko. 200 pts ang nakalagay, meaning that dummy has 150 points.

Hindi ko alam kung anong rank na ‘ko, pero alam kong hindi pa sapat ang points na ‘to.

I left the guy there, and searched for more dummies.

--

“Ha… Ha.. Ha..” Hinihingal akong napaupo sa ilalim ng isang puno. Pagod na ‘ko. Madami na rin ang mga napatay kong dummies. 750 pts na ang nakukuha ko. I won’t stop, paabutin ko ‘to ng 1,000.

Marami din akong nakabungguan na participants, nang-aagaw ng points. Pero siyempre hindi ako papatalo.

Another loud footsteps was coming to my direction.

Inunahan ko na ito at pinabulusukan ng veins, “Irve.” Yeah, I’m used it, for the second time.

A sudden strain to my arm made my situation worse. It’s fine. I looked at my wrist and saw my points rising. I gained 150 points, making it at 900 points.

Isang dummy nalang ang kailangan ko.

I decided to take a rest muna dito sa puno, medyo pagod na rin ang mga paa ko kaka-takbo, pati na ang mga kamay ko mula sa pagla-latigo sa mga dummies.

Ilang minuto ang lumipas, at kumalma na ang paligid. Tapos na ba?

No, hindi pa. Nandito pa ako.

Nagsimula na akong maglakad muli at maghanap ng isang dummy.

I came across a lake. I bent down and scooped some water using my hands, and drank it. Hindi naman siya mukhang marumi, so I guess it’s fine.

After drinking, I went back on my track.

“Nice.” I murmured when I heard a loud thumping noise, I’m certain it’s a dummy.

I went to its direction, carefully but swiftly. But when I arrived at its spot. May dalawang nang nandoon.

So I just stood there and watched, ayokong mang-agaw kung may nauna na.

Mukhang hindi naman nila ako napansin dahil naka-focus lang sila doon sa dummy. They are both girls and both looked exhausted. “Go, take the points.” The girl with silver hair said, parang anytime babagsak na siya pero ayaw niya pa ring kunin ‘yung points.

Hindi nagalaw ‘yung dummy, so I guess final hit nalang ang kailangan.

The other girl positioned herself in front of the dummy. But something went wrong. The dummy began to wobble and changed it’s direction na babagsakan.

“Shit.” She was about to be crushed by the gigantic dummy, and kita kong gulat siya at hindi alam ang gagawin so I hurriedly went toward her at nagpabulusok ng black veins sa dummy, “IRVE!” I shouted out of panic. I pushed her on the other direction, then my body fell sa spot niya kanina, ang dumi na ng damit ko.

The dummy fell into ashes.

A strain on my left leg came, It’s fine, I’m okay, I can still move. na pala ako doon sa babae. Nakita ko ang wrist niya, 350 points lang ang meron siya. While my score turned into 1,050.

“You okay? I’m sorry I took the points, but I-” I concernedly asked, I looked at her, she needs medical attention. Mukhang magc-collapse na siya.

“T-Thank you..” She weakly said.

Bigla kaming na-teleport sa auditorium. Nakita kong marami rin ang sugatan.

“Hey, what’s your name?” I asked her, she looked at me, “Lionelle. L-Let’s meet again after I recove-“ She collapsed.

I lifted up her body, buti nalang medyo magaan lang siya. I ran toward the medical team. “Help, here!” I yelled, catching their attention and quickly took her. “Liel!” I heard a man’s voice behind me, I turned and saw the guy I bumped into, ‘yung may silver na mata.

Umalis na ‘ko doon at nagpunta sa kabilang side na may medical team rin. I showed them my bruised arm. May strain  pa din akong nararamdaman sa braso at binti ko, “May strain ho, dito, tsaka dito.”

--

“Congratulations from surviving the 2^nd level of the exam! Now, here we have the rankings of the participants who excelled on the activity.

May biglang lumutang na words, the rankings starting from 30.

I saw Axie’s name at the 15^th rank. She passed.

Wala pa rin ang pangalan ko sa listahan.

I was praying on my mind when it reached the top 10.

“Top 8 – Erika Velasco

  Top 7 – Yohan Jive”

Sobra ang kaba na nararamdaman ko ngayon. I held my chest, what if hindi ako nakapasa?

“And that concludes our ranking! Para sa mga below 30 ang rank, I’m sorry but you didn’t pass. For the 30 participants who won, WELCOME TO QUIRE ACADEMY!”

What the-

Napatakip ako sa bibig.

I can’t believe it.

Nasa 5^th place ako.

Ma, Pa, I passed.