Outcome

"Ack...!" The boy crawled away bleeding profusely from his mouth. "Rrgh."

He puked out some more blood.

STEP

Crea stepped over him.

"Get away from me!" He cried in fear.

Crea looked like something out of a low-budget horror film.

She turned him over.

"S-Stop!"

She plucked a badge out of his garb, pinning it on hers, before walking away. Soon after, an announcement drew everybody's attention.

"The second round of the entrance exam has come to an end." The proctor announced.

All the applicants paused. Some sighed in relief, some broke out in celebration. But most were disappointed.

"Huff..." Mana exhaled, trying to compose herself as she tended to her broken jaw.

"Fuck!" Max cursed as he gently caressed his broken ribs. "We're disqualified."

His expression grew more severe as he thought about Rui. "He's gonna be disappointed in us."

Mana shook her head. "Not unless we didn't give it our best. The ones who are truly disappointed should be... us."