Jack and Eren moved at the same time.
Jack lunged forward.
Eren slipped aside just as Jack's fist tore through the space where he had been, the impact shattering the tree behind him in half.
Midair, Eren rolled his yoyo, the thread whipping around Jack's arm. With his other hand he swung the second yoyo in a sharp arc—
Crack!
It slammed straight into Jack's face, blood dripping.
Jack grinned "not bad at all!"
Jack yanked his arm back, forcing Eren closer.
But Eren quickly unwrapped the string and slipped beneath his legs.
He's bigger than me… Eren thought. So I have the advantage in speed. But if he lands even one blow, I'm a dead man.
A smirk crossed his face.
Eren spun his yoyos and began firing them at rapid speed, the threads snapping through the air. Jack blocked each strike with his gauntlets, a grin spreading across his face.
Eren started running around him, attacking from every direction. The yoyos shot out again and again as he dashed through the trees, even springing onto trunks to strike from above.
Jack's gauntlets suddenly began to glow.
Alicia glanced at the others. "You might want to step back…"
Jack slammed his fists into the ground.
The earth erupted. Trees cracked and toppled as the forest shook violently, the shockwave ripping through the clearing.
Eren was thrown from the branches, falling from the trees.
"Damn… this guy is an absolute monster," Eren muttered.
In one swift motion, he snapped his yoyos around two nearby boulders. The strings tightened as he whipped them toward Jack, wrapping both the rocks and the threads around his massive frame.
The boulders slammed into Jack as Eren flung him into the trees. Wood splintered on impact, the stones crushing against him before the strings recoiled sharply back into Eren's hands.
Jack rose from the wreckage with a wide grin.
"You've gotta be kidding me…" Eren said under his breath.
"You're a crafty one, I'll give you that much!" Jack laughed.
He began walking toward him, then glanced over his shoulder at Alicia.
"Hey, Alicia. Give them the other crystal. I've taken a liking to this guy."
Alicia's eyes widened.
"Are you insane, you musclehead?!"
"It's not like we need two of them," Jack said casually. "Just give it to them. I respect a man who can put up a decent fight."
Alicia let out a long sigh before reluctantly handing the crystal to the girl.
9
The girl accepted it with both hands.
"By the way, my name is Vivi," she said with a grateful smile. "Thank you for your generosity."
Alicia crossed her arms.
"Don't get too comfortable. There may be other Voletiles gunning for that crystal."
Then she shot Jack a sharp glare.
"I hope you're ready to face Xeno's wrath after this."
Jack chuckled. "Relax. Xeno's cool as a cucumber."
He reached down and pulled Eren back to his feet.
"You better survive this exam," Jack said with a grin. "I want a rematch."
Eren rubbed the back of his head, letting out a small chuckle.
"To be honest… I'd rather not fight you again."
With that, the two groups parted ways, disappearing into the dark forest in opposite directions.
*****
Day two in the forest. The sun shone bright, scattering sparkles across the river's surface. Reol and Geno crouched at the water's edge, sticks tied together with frayed strings and bits of scrap metal serving as makeshift fishing rods. The line was a tangle of twine and whatever thread they could find. A few leaves floated by like mocking spectators.
Selene was still snoring a short distance away, drool glinting at the tip of her lip.
"Are you sure this is even going to work?" Geno muttered, tugging on his line. The stick bent precariously, the string slipping through his fingers. "These rods are a death trap."
Reol smirked, giving his own contraption a hopeful flick. The hook spun uselessly, catching only a passing twig. "Hey, it's all about finesse. Just… you know, finesse and patience."
He yanked again. Nothing.
"Finesse?" Geno scoffed. "We're going to starve before we even catch one fish. Look at this—my line's already knotted. How do you even manage to tangle it more?"
Reol shot him a glare. "Maybe if you didn't jerk the stick every two seconds, the fish would bite."
Geno rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you aimed anywhere near the water instead of swinging like you're fighting a Voletile, you'd catch something."
The argument escalated as sticks cracked, lines snapped, and both of them flailed more than fished. Every tug ended in failure. The river seemed to mock them, reflecting their frustration in its sparkling surface.
A quiet hum of movement drew their attention. Selene stirred, blinking sleepily at the sun. "Morning, losers," she said, yawning. Drool still drooped at the corner of her mouth.
Before Reol or Geno could protest, she picked up a stick, tied a thread with precision, and fashioned her own makeshift hook. With a single, fluid motion, she cast it into the river. The line hissed as a fish bit immediately. A tug. Another. Her scrap rod bent under the weight, yet she adjusted effortlessly.
Within moments, Selene had caught three fish, holding them triumphantly like a seasoned hunter.
Reol and Geno just stared, mouths agape.
"You… you cheated," Reol muttered, glaring at her.
Selene shrugged, smiling innocently. "I didn't cheat. I just… actually know what I'm doing."
Geno groaned, tossing his useless stick aside. "Great… and we're supposed to be the experts."
Selene smirked, effortlessly unhooking a wriggling fish. "Next time, maybe try paying attention instead of arguing."
Reol and Geno exchanged a look, silently conceding as the river's gentle murmur seemed to mock them.
Reol scratched the back of his head and glanced at Selene.
"Selene… when did you learn how to fish?"
Selene twiddled her fingers shyly. "Well… my dad used to take me fishing all the time. It was a little hobby of his, and I guess I just picked it up."
Geno's expression shifted, his tone becoming more serious.
"By the way… this whole time you haven't used your Manifesto." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Care to share your ability?"
Selene hesitated.
"Well… it's kind of hard to explain in words. Instead of manifesting weapons, my Mantra lets me create barriers."
"Mantra?" Reol blinked.
Selene and Geno both stared at him.
Geno frowned. "Wait… you don't even know what Mantra is?"
"Nope," Reol said casually.
Selene blinked in disbelief before gently explaining.
"Mantra is like life energy. Only certain people have it, and it's what allows you to create Manifestos. For each person it has a different color, which shows in the eyes when a weapon is manifested."
Geno folded his arms and shook his head.
Reol raised his hands defensively. "Hey, I'm new to this stuff. Cut me some slack!"
Geno sighed, shaking his head again.
"Oh, the ignorance."
The crystal between them gleamed softly. The nearby leaves shifted slightly in the wind.
Reol and Geno instantly raised their guards.
"Can't catch a break, can we?" Reol said with a smirk.
*****
Three days passed.
By the end of the third day, more than fifty cadets had already abandoned the exam.
Those who emerged from the forest looked like ghosts, clothes shredded, bodies bruised, eyes hollow with exhaustion.
Some were trembling. Some wouldn't speak at all. Encounters with Fledge Voletiles had a way of doing that to people.
*****
Back at the main headquarters, Terrisia watched the monitors quietly.
The forest played out across the screens—cadets running, fighting, surviving.
After a moment, she spoke.
"This exam… separates the pretenders from the real deal."
*****
Back at the Honeybadgers branch, Tyla paced up and down inside the lab, worry written across her face.
Cassidy sighed. "You're gonna drive me crazy with all that pacing, you know. Look, I know you're worried about your hubby, but he's a tough guy."
Tyla immediately shook her head. "He's not my—" She stopped herself, taking a breath before calming down slightly. "It's just… the examiner is my sister. And everyone knows her exams are deadly."
Cassidy smiled. "Look, if there's one thing I know about that boy, it's that he's a survivor. Plus, he's got Geno with him, so relax."
Tyla finally slowed her pacing. "Yeah… maybe you're right… and he's not my hubby!" Her cheeks flushed faintly.
Cassidy shrugged. "Yeah, yeah."
*****
The sixth day arrived, the one that would decide whether the cadets advanced or failed, and a large number had already died in the forest while others had dropped out. Only the toughest pressed forward, clutching their crystals, when the trees seemed to shiver as if alive. From every shadowed corner, cadets from rival branches emerged, smirking and taunting as they closed in, deliberately ganging up on Reol's group, their eyes glowing and Manifestos ready. It was no accident, they wanted these cadets to fail, unable to fathom the Honeybadgers passing the exam.
Geno and Reol exchanged a knowing smirk, their eyes shifting as they dropped into stance, Selene quietly positioning herself behind them, ready.