NOT JUST A TOP SCORER

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CERYS' POV

Napabuntong hininga ako nang masaksihan ko ang kabuuan ng pinasok kong pinto. The woody smell slips in my nose, green and brown makes up the color of the place, and tall veiny-rooted trees stand next to each other.

It's the forest.

I don't like forests that much because of the messy leaves that keep falling or branches that block the way pero mas okay na ito kaysa sa modern city kung saan mainit ang panahon because the setting is most like South Fornacis which is known as the Summer City. I hate heat. Being raised in a snow city and someone with ice manipulation cannot probably deal with heat.

Nagsitakbuhan na ang mga tao na nauna sa akin, wanting to finish the exam fast dahil tatlong oras lang ang exam na 'to. I don't really have to rush things but I want to finish first too, so that I get that titleꟷ house representative.

Napataas naman ang kilay ko nang mapansin ko ang isang superspeed user sprinting faster than us behind. I smirk, super speed, huh? It must be convenient dahil pabilisan ang labanan dito but he should not forget that being fast enough is not the only way, after all this school prepared obstacles.

Thrilled to see a super speed user, I tap the ground with the heel of my right leg boot turning the brown dusty land into an ice floor. Nakita ko ang pagkagulat sa mukha ng mga tao sa ginawa ko, may mga napamura at tiningnan ako ng masama, probably because of the slippery floor.

"I'm sorry, I just have to," I show an apologetic smile yet fiery glares stared back at me.

The heels of my boots turned into rollers causing another smirk to my lips. Mukha man akong rarampa pero ang tunay na dahilan kung bakit ako naka-boots ay dahil pwede itong maging skating shoes.

I sprint like a light above the product of my creation. I am from the cold city of North Fornacis, this type of equipment is my expertise.

Ang mga nasa unahan sa pila kanina sa pinto ay nalampasan ko na. I am surprised that even the super speed user was tricked, nadudulas ito sa yelo. It looks like he just happened to have a convenient ability but not impressive, how disappointing.

Ilang skate pa ang ginawa ko hanggang sa makarating ako sa unang obstacle. Five wolves, huh.

Five wolves at once. That's kind of cruel.

Nagmelt na ang ice floor na ginawa ko because I only set its freezing time to three minutes para naman hindi mahuli yung ibang tao. Guilt will eat me if I am the only one who passes the exam from this area.

"Hello, babies," a smirk makes it way to my face as I stare at the five wolves circling me.

I love wolves. There are plenty of wolves in North Fornacis and whenever I want to train, my wolf is one of my opponents. It doesn't transform into human but it is well-trained. Aw, I miss Evon (her pet's name).

The wolves growl at me at mukhang handa na silang sunggaban ako.

Perfect.

Tinapik muli ng aking kanang sapatos ang sahig dahilan kung bakit lumitaw ang tila gumagapang na kuryente patungo sa kinaroroonan ng mga lobo. The growls grew louder like a pained cry at ilan sa mga ito ay nangisay sa matinding boltahe ng elektrisidad sa kanilang katawan.

xxx

THIRD PERSON'S POV

"What's with that girl?" Hindi makapaniwalang komento ng isang guro na nanonood ngayon sa entrance exam ng mga high school graduate.

"She is indeed an Evgenis. Defeating five wolves in a mere five seconds. She has good abilities and those strategies are perfect for speed competition," komento pa ng isa pang guro.

"She has... four abilities," gulat na sabi ng isa pang guro.

"That's a McIntyre for you, Max."

Umismid lamang ang lalaking tinawag na Max ng isang guro. Titig na titig ang ang mga manonood sa isang babaeꟷ Cerys McIntyre.

Hindi maipagkakaila na kakaiba nga sa ibang enrollees si Cerys dahil bukod sa matalino niyang pag-iisip ay napakaganda rin ng kaniyang mga abilidad. Cerys McIntyre has four abilities tulad ng sabi ng isang guro. She is an all-rounder having ice manipulation as her main ability that she can also integrate with electricity manipulation o ang tinatawag na ability synergy. What makes her even more formidable ay ang abilidad niyang palakasin o pahinain ang kaniyang ability o ability ng iba na tinatawag namang ability augmentation. And lastly, what makes her an all-rounder is probably because she has the psychic shiled. She can withstand any ability that is based mentally like mind control.

Napahinto naman si Cerys nang sumalubong naman sa kaniya ngayon ang three-headed monster called Cerberus.

"Wow, I'm surprised Cerberus is only on second level," nakangiti itong napailing, hinihintay ang Cerberus sa posibleng pag-atake nito. She has to fight it by her own because the others are all left behind with the wolves.

"Damn, I cannot use electricity because this dog is too wild. I don't like Cerberus," she hisses.

Mabilis pa rin itong nagpakawala nang mga giant cryo-electrical spikes (ice with electricity spikes) upang walang kawala ang Cerberus sa matutulis na dulo ng spikes ngunit sa kaniyang pagkagulat ay walang hirap na binasag ng Cerberus ang mga nagyeyelong spikes.

"Damn this illusion," she curses under her breathe and she steps back when the Cerberus advances nearer at her.

Ice walls suddenly run to block the way of the Cerberus coming to her but the monster destroys it in a mere second.

Cerys decides to mold a cryo-electrical scythe, a really firm sculpted ice that the tip can cut a flesh even if it just slight touches a skin. Mabilis itong umatake sa harap ng halimaw, aiming to slash the right head of the monster. With a full force swing, the head got ripped off.

"Hmm, she's doubling her moves. So interesting," napangiti ang isang guro habang nanonood kay Cerys.

Habang may hawak na scythe ang kanang kamay ni Cerys ay nagpapakawala rin ito ng mga cryo-electric spikes sa kaliwa nitong kamay dahilan ng pagkalito ng Cerberus.

The Cerberus is a large monster but in just a few minutes of shooting spikes and slashing its flesh with a scythe, it transforms into smoothing like freshly slice pork.

Cerys couldn't help but to smirk. She has always encounter Cerberus in her trainings too that's why it's not that hard to defeat it in this exam.

"Geez," she hisses when her periphery catches a sight of the super speed user who's slightly catching up at her direction kaya naman mabilis na siyang nagskate sa bagong gawa niyang ice floor upang pumunta sa susunod na obstacle.

"Hmm, this boy is also interesting," komento ng gurong bumati kanina sa mahusay na performance ni Cerys sa exam.Nakuha ng atensiyon ng ilang mga manonood ang isang lalaki na may kulay kapeng buhok.

Isang brown-haired guy ang nakatayo ngayon sa harapan ng cerberus sa modern city area. Di tulad sa gubat kung saan si Cerys na kakahuyan ang sagabal, dito naman sa modern city ay mga building at bahay lang ngunit mas malawak ang field na 'to, dahilan nang pagkakawatak-watak ng mga enrollee.

The brown-haired guy saw a boy struggling to fight wolves on the other side of the road, sands rising to a point and spits it at the five hungry wolves. He subtly smirk as he watches how the boy do it before facing the cerberus again, now raising his right hand simultaneous to the sand that's floating on the air now. When enough sand has garnered, he throws it to the cerberus' body. Ikinuyom niya ang kaniyang kanang kamao dahilan ng pagbalot ng buhangin sa katawan ng cerberus. The cerberus went wild for a few second but the next thing that happened, hindi na ito gumalaw pa.

"What a nice ability. Pain inducement and sand manipulation?" Hindi siguradong saad ng guro habang inoobserbahan ang lalaking nakatalo sa cerberus ng ilang Segundo lamang.

"Yes, and his agility is good. Super speed? Cerys McIntyre is not the only one talented here," namamanghang komento rin ng isa pang guro.

"No, he has more than that," ang gurong tinawag na Max ay nagsalita na din sa wakas. His lips form a smirk. "And it's not super speed. It's just his physical skills," dagdag nito.

"Look, this is the son of General Falstof. He is, wow, on the lead," napatingin naman ang ibang manonood sa screen kung saan ipinakikita ang kalagayan ni Lennon Falstof na nasa isang isla.

Lennon Falstof has a frown on his face as he runs under the blazing heat of the sun; being a North Fornacian probably makes them hate the heat because snow is everything in their city. He is being chased by wolves ngunit sa isang iglap lang ay napahinto ang mga ito dahil sa mga buhangin at tubig na tumangay sa mga ito nang itinaas niya ang kaniyang kamay at ikinumpas ito kasabay ng alon tungo sa direksyon ng mga lobo.

Lennon Falstof can control almost everything. He has one of the rarest abilities, close to the meta-abilities or omni-type powers o sa ibang salita ang mga kapangyarihan na masasabing pinakamalalakas sapagkat ang mga ito ay kayang kontrolin ang lahat ng bagay at wala nang makakapigil dito. He wields a scientific abilityꟷ similarly to Cerys' ability synergy in which he can control the physical and chemical properties of thingsꟷ called chemical physics manipulation.

"Woah, he is already on the fourth stage," napatango-tango ang isang guro habang titig na titig ito kay Lennon Falstof.

"There are so many candidates for the freshmen class representative this year," nakangiting sambit ni Theodore Langston habang ang kaniyang mga mata ay nagpalipat-lipat sa magkakaibang monitor ng apat na area.

Napahinto si Lennon nang mapansin niyang may mga halimaw na papalapit sa kaniyang kaliwa, kanan, likod at harap using another ability of his: multiple eyes. Oops, he is cornered.

"As if you can stop me," he sighs before he taps the sand making it rise (by minimizing the sand's gravitational pull). He raises his right hand too, balling his palms tightly as he controls the bodies of the monsters,

"I've stucked you on inertia, hang in there for ten minutes," he sighs again, boringness in his voice before he twists his foot in turn to make a step closer to the last stage.

Ngunit napaigtad ito nang biglang may biglang nagbukas ng portal sa harapan niya at lumabas ang isang lalaki na may kulot na buhok.

"Sorry, I have to use your location," he bows his head, shy to make contact with the blonde before he sprints.

How? Lennon wonders for a few seconds before he snaps back and glances at the curly-haired sprinting in the sandy beaches.

Not bothering to know the reason, Lennon runs toward the same direction, eyes intently looking at the guy's moving body before he mumbles. "Stop," as soon as he spits the words, the portal maker slowly loses the ability to run.

Gulat na gulat ang lalaking gumawa ng portal sa ginawa ni Lennon kaya naman napabuntong hininga ito at saka ipinikit ang mga mata. "I have to use my ability then," he murmurs before his eyes glow in their green color at naging black ang paningin nito. "I see, his abilities are chemical physics manipulation, tracking evasion and multiple eyes," he adds.

"Damn that boy, now I also have to use tracking evasion," Lennon exhales in exhaustion because of using his abilities at once.

Napagtanto ni Lennon na kaya siyang abutan ng portal maker hangga't nakikita nito ang kinaroroonan niya. Para hindi ito mangyari, kailangan niyang gamitin ang isa pa niyang abilidad na tinatawag na tracking evasion o ang abilidad na mawala sa paningin ng tao upang hindi ito ma-track.

Evgenises can have multiple abilities. Lennon has three: chemical physics manipulation, tracking evasion and multiple just like how Cerys has also three: ability synergy, ability augmentation and psychic shield. Evgenises are on a different level, making them specials.

"Oh, Falstof can also use multiple abilities at once. As expected of North Academy, the number one secondary educational institution in Fornax," one of the teachers praise the two Evgenises' school.

"But the portal maker is also good, it looks like he knows a lot about the location."

"Maaring galing siya sa West Fornacis," tugon naman ng isa pang guro.

"Hindi ikaw ang tinatrack ko, chem-physics manipulator. I just know this place so much; the West Fornacis," the portal maker whispers before he opens another portal to teleport on the last station.

Gulat na gulat si Lennon sapagkat nasa unahan na ang lalaki. The last station is a little bit far at hindi niya magagamit ang kaniyang physics manipulation because it takes a toll on his body, using his abilities simultaneously. He notices that the portal maker is struggling with his final opponent though.

"A sea creature?" Napalunok si Lennon pero napangiti rin. This is my chance, he tells himself.

He cancels his tracking evasion before he focuses in accelerating his speed as he sprints towards the last stage but to his surprise, a monster suddenly appears in front of him.

"Falstof and this unknown boy are already on the final stage but the got stucked, huh." The man named Max comments.

"Hmmm, Cerys is doing great," nabaling ult ang atensyon ng mga tao kay Cerys McIntyre.

Si Cerys ay nasa panghuling stage na rin ng exam kung saan anim na halimaw ngayon ang umaatake sa kaniya. She is just throwing her hands, causing shallow ice freezes the monsters.

"Ah, ang mga halimaw na yan ay nagreregenerate. The best thing that she should do is to lock them up in ice cubes," a teacher comments. "But I wonder if she is capable of that."

Napakunot ang mga manonood habang pinagmamasdan si Cerys because it looks like she is just playing around as her hands randomly sway to freeze the monsters. When the freezing finally takes effect on the monsters' bodies turning them into ice, she gathers them in one place.

"What is she doing?" nakakunot noo ang mga tao habang pinapanood si Cerys na tinitipon ang mga halimaw at nang maglakad ito papalayo sa mga halimaw.

Pumikit muna si Cerys at itinaas kaunti ang kaniyang kamay. Napalibutan ng malamig na usok ang tinipon niyang mga halimaw at kinalaunan ay mabilis na umakyat ang mga ice walls enclosing and forming a large ice cube. Now, the monsters are being locked up in a large ice cage and Cerys smirks. Her plan is to freeze the monsters and after locking them up in an ice cube, she will be activating the frozen ice on their body as electric bolts (ice to electricity transformation technique).

"Sorry guys, I have to lock you up in a 25 meter thick ice cube and sen you bodies ten billion watts. I'm really sorry!" Cerys folded her fingers to make a peace sign before making ice floor to skate again.

"This is the best stunt I've seen in this entrance exam. Wow," pumalakpak si Theodore Edevane sa pagkamangha kay Cerys.

"So, that was the last stage?" Cerys scoffs before shaking her head, not believing that it's finished as she eyes at the changing of the place. A part of her expects more... more thrilling than that.

She looks up, judging a sharply-pointed bricks building in front of her that has a big clock on its upper part. Twenty minutes, she comments before her eyes scan the surroundings only to stop at a woman wearing a brown cloak silently walking towards her direction.

The cloaked woman smiles at her. "Wow, this year's freshmen are so interesting. Hello, Cerys Lucien Almira Devereaux Scharvin McIntyre. Congratulations for being one of the top scorers. I am Loire Cynna Avery Hillary Madilyn," nakangiting wika nito.

"Excuse me? One of the top scorers?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Cerys.

Bago pa man makapagsalita si Loire Madilyn ay nakarinig sila ng mga yabag ng mga paa.

The clock ticks slowly in Cerys' point of view as she turns around to face the other top scorer that has matched her level. Her crystal blue eyes are cold upon meeting another pair of eyes but in a color of hazel eyes.

Someone really did finish at the same time as me? Same time as me?

Cerys is in total chaos in her insides. Hindi niya aakalaing may makakapantay sa kaniya. She was confident enough that she is the fastest in her generation. But her dream to meet people who can go eye-to-eye with her is finally happening. But with an unknowingly annoying messy-haired guy. She should be happy but she is not. Someone who totally looks like he-don't-give-a-fuck-about-this-world just matched her time.

"Don't worry, top scorers. May written exam pa naman kaya madedetermine pa kung sino sa inyo ang class representative ng first year Scholars," nakangiting sabi ni Loire.

Aalis na sana sila ng biglang huminto sa paglalakad si Loire.

"Wait there are two more top scorers coming our way," Loire says in awe. She has an inner eye that can see things from distant places.

"Two?" nanlaki ang mga mata ni Cerys nang marinig niya ito. What?

"So, twenty minutes is slow," mahina namang sabi ng top scorer na lalaki na kasama nina Cerys.

"Sorry for the wait, Miss Loire," dumating ang isang lalaki na nakabrown cloak din at kasama niya ang dalawang lalaki mula sa island: Lennon at ang portal maker.

"Lennon," Cerys mutters in a cold tone as her eyes meet her bestfriend's.

Lennon only returns a smile.

"No enrollees, let's proceed to the written examination," Miss Loire utters before they walk towards the building in front.

"Hmm, apat ang top scorers ngayong taon. So interesting," ngumiti ng malapad ang Headmaster ng Fornax Proficient School, Douglas Solomon Jack Arkin Maguire Kepper.

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