Chapter 15: Survival of the Fittest (6)

In another part of the island. Zach was startled by the sudden disturbance. 'What was that..?' 

"Sigh"

It must be some candidate who ran into a monster this time. Zach deeply regretted allowing Alana to tag along with him. 'I should've refused her and sent her back home.' If something happened to Alana, how would he be able to face her family? 

'I need to find her as soon as possible…!'

Zach looked up at the tall trees, it would be best to travel on the trees than the ground. It would decrease his chances of running into those Monstrous creatures.

'What were they called again..?' 

Thinking deeply, Zach finally remembered, they were called demonic beasts. He had heard the Turganev Patriarch talk about it once during a family meeting once when he was 10 years old.

***

"It seems that some demonic beasts have broken into the safe zone."

"What?! Patriarch if that's true…"

"The authorities have asked for my assistance in subjugating them before they harm any innocents."

The Patriarch took a sip of his tea before continuing. "I'll leave the family's affairs over to you Noguchi." 

"... As you wish, Patriarch."

***

"..."

Demonic beasts… What are they? Why don't the public know about them? What were the government and the authorities hiding? Zach couldn't put his finger around it, why did Helios Academy send them here as an exam? Was there a meaning behind it? So many unanswered questions were bottled up in his mind. He could only temporarily put those thoughts away. Maybe he'll find the answer to his questions after passing the entrance exam. 

As he raised his head, he saw a red jaguar with three horns attached to its head 10 metres away from him.

'Crap!' 

He was so lost in thought that he had forgotten that he didn't notice anything approaching him. The demonic beast growled and sprinted lunging its body preparing to bite Zach to death. Fortunately, Zach managed to dodge its attack. Only a part of his jumper on his shoulder was ripped.

"..." 

If his reaction speed was a second later, a chunk of his flesh would be in that beast's mouth by now. Without a second thought, Zach ran, in turn, the demonic jaguar chased after him. It's speed was astonishing, no matter how fast Zach ran, he couldn't get rid of the Jaguar. He hadn't learnt how to manipulate mana so he couldn't use it to aid his escape. If he knew something like this would happen, he would have begged his father to teach him! 

The Demonic beast soon closed the distance between them. Zach was almost out of breath. The Demonic Jaguar pounced at him, Zach recklessly released a surge of mana which hit the Demonic Jaguar in the abdomen causing it to fall on the ground. 

 "Agh!" Zach groaned in pain, the hand that he used to draw out mana became paralysed. 

"That idiot!" On the other side of the screen in the monitor room Cassara cursed. 

"Oh my." Anthea covered her mouth, "it seems that he drew in the mana particles from his surroundings and released it at the demonic beast."

"What kind of ignorant fool does that?!" Cassara glowered, "he's lucky that his arm is still intact!" 

"Now, now." Elmar steps forward and placates Cassara. "The situation was dire. If he didn't do that, he'd be in that Jaguar's stomach by now." 

Cassara couldn't retort back at Elmar, so she kept silent begrudgingly. Anthea glances at Cassara curiously asking, "but Cassara, why're you here?" Wasn't she supposed to be overseeing the exam of group B?

"To keep an eye on Han Mujin." Cassara answered crudely. "That bastard chose a crazy topic like this, if something happens to these candidates, the Academy is going to be held responsible for it." 

"But even so. You can't just abandon your post like that."

"Someone else is taking my place, so there's no need for you to worry!"

No matter how Anthea tried to persuade her, Cassara turned deaf to her words. No-one could change her mind. She will definitely oversee this exam!

***

Zach's stamina eventually depleted, it became increasingly difficult to dodge the Jaguar's attacks.  His stamina really took a hit after he drew in raw mana to attack the demonic jaguar earlier. Not paying attention to his surroundings, Zach lost his balance. The Demonic Beast took this opportunity and went for the kill. Zach had no energy left so he could only watch as those sharp razor claws dangerously approached him. Just as he was about to accept his inevitable fate, the Demonic jaguar was caught on fire. It's miserable cries as it was burnt to a crisp unnerved Zach. 

The sound of someone approaching was heard, alerted, Zach tensely shifted his sight on the figure stepping towards him. "Ah… I accidentally turned it into charcoal. What should I do? I only meant to burn it a bit…" a young man with a pure looking face and dark blonde hair walked out from the shadows. Zach stared at him with a stunned expression. "W-who are you?"

"Eh?" The boy gaped at Zach, then his expression turned teary in the next second. 

Zach: "?!"

What the hell?! Why is he crying? I'm the one who should be in tears, not you!

Before Zach had time to react, The Young boy immediately kowtowed onto the ground. "I'M SO SORRY!!"

Shocked, Zach screamed, "what's wrong with you?!"

"W-well, I almost burnt you too…"

Zach turned silent. "... I didn't get burnt. In fact you saved me."

"B-but the fact that I almost ended up killing a fellow candidate –"

"Ugh! Just stop already..!"

"I-I'm sorry…"

"..."

They weren't getting anywhere, Zach irritably tried to calm himself. After taking a few breaths, he spoke, "you still haven't introduced yourself yet."

"O-oh." The boy lifted his head up and answered timidly, "I-It's Easen. Easen McLauney." 

"My name is Zach Ivanov." Zach glazed at the timid looking Easen, "again thanks again for saving me earlier." flustered by Zach, Easen blushed embarrassedly, "no,no. It was nothing..!" 

'He's a shy one huh?' 

After a few moments of awkwardness, Easen straightens his face. "Oh right, have you by any chance seen a guy with light blonde hair?"

"No, I haven't run into a single person since I was separated from my companion." Zach replied honestly, Easen's originally eager face switched to a depressed one in less than a second.

Zach: "..."

'It's interesting how his expressions change so quickly.'#

'Not hear either… what am I going to do?' tears quickly overflow on Easen's face, shocking Zach greatly. 

"E-Eh?! What's wrong?!" Zach became flustered after witnessing Easen cry so suddenly. Trying his best to calm Easen down, he clumsily says, "Don't worry about it! I'm sure you'll find your companion!" 

Easen only cried harder when he heard that sentence which made Easen panic.

Ah! Ah! Ah! Why is this guy such a crybaby?!!

"Aaah! Don't cry, I'll help you find him!!!" At his wits end he blurted out that he'd help him even though his situation wasn't exactly 'good'. 

Easen slowly stopped crying as he glanced at Zach with swollen eyes, "really..?"

"Really!"

So stop crying!

Zach was extremely weak to people crying in front of him, it was also this reason that he always fell for Alana's guilt traps multiple times when they were kids.#

Easen grabbed onto Zach's hand, his eyes gleaming ecstatically, "you're such a good person!"

"..." why does he feel like he got conned?

Well since it came to this, he too should get something out of this. He definitely wouldn't allow himself to get taken advantage of! Looking away from his sparkling eyes, Zach quickly composes himself.

"I have a condition though. You also need to help me find my companion!"

"You lost your companion too?"

"Uh, yeah. Something like that."

The only difference was that she willingly walked into danger herself.

Easen stared at Zack with pity, then clenched his fists with a fire of determination in his eyes. "I'll definitely help you find your companion to the best of my abilities!!"

"Uh, ok?" Zack strangely looked at Easen, is this guy alright? His mood swings were simply amazing!