Chapter 16: Survival of the Fittest (7)

"So, how did you get separated from your companion?" Zack asked curiously, this time, Easen answered calmly without any signs of his mood changing. "Well, you see…"

Easen recounts the past events that happened when they get transported to Harijuku Island.

***

After Han Mujin's projection had vanished, Shin scratched his head in annoyance. "Is this how Helios Handles things?" Easen lowered his head saying dejectedly, "it also seems that we got separated from Leon and Sasha…"

"Seems like it." Shin looked around his surroundings, among the candidates and there was no sign of Leon and Sasha. He then realized something. "Oh wait, it would be only Leon."

"Huh?" Easen looked confused.

"Sasha said that she wasn't participating, remember?" Shin explained patiently. Easen frowned, "but, I saw Sasha fall into the teleportation spell with us…"

"…what?" Shin paused, "that means… she'll have to stay on this island for 2 months." 

"Right… Sasha isn't a candidate so she doesn't have a slate…" Easen said with a troubled expression. "Unless Leon breaks his own slate and gets Sasha out of this island..." 

'But then Leon will be disqualified for breaking the slate.'

Would Leon be willing to break his slate for Sasha? He probably would right they're friends after all–

"He won't." Shin knew exactly what Easen was thinking and answered his unspoken question.

"Huh?"

"He won't break the slate." 

Although, they only met for a less than an hour, judging by Leon's stubborn actions of persistently insisting on taking the entrance exam despite being a privileged candidate, shows that he would never do something like breaking the slate for his trapped friend. 

After listening to Shin's explanation, Easen couldn't believe it. "No way… isn't that too… selfish?"

"Well, he is a golden child. He may not have the arrogance of a golden child, but he's certainly got the selfish trait."

Easen: "…"

That's too much.

"But. He'll definitely protect Sasha until the end of the trial."

Easen quickly raised his head, with eyes shining bright. "He will, right?!"

"Well yeah–"

Shin's words were cut short, a murderous pressure rushed like the wind alerting them. In that split second, their bodies moved on instinct, dodging the invisible attack aimed at them. The other candidates were not so lucky, many got injured.

"Argh!"

"W-what is that thing?!"

A demonic Praying Mantis about 2-feet tall stared at its prey menacingly.

"SCREEEE!" 

"Ugh!"

"My ears!!" 

The candidates who were busy trying to block the terrible screeching of the large beast did not notice the doom they'd have to face. Easen and Shin on the other hand quickly caught on. That Demonic Mantis was calling for it's comrades. Without saying anything to each other, they quickly left the place where the candidates and the demonic beast were.

"Dammit!" Shin cursed

The two ran nonstop without looking back, after a few minutes they heard the screams of demonic beasts and candidates fighting. Sweat trickled down Shin's neck. "We need to hurry before it's too late!"

"Right!" Easen shouted a reply, in the corner of his eye, he saw a three-horn demonic beast attack Shin. "Watch out!" Before the attack reached Shin, Easen covered him while at the same time summoning a magic shield. As the demonic beast's attack collided with the shield, the recoil caused both the beast, Easen and Shin to be rebounded. The boys collided against a sturdy tree, while the beast managed to keep itself from colliding against the trees behind it. 

"Ugh!" Because Easen used too much of his Mental power in a day, he felt the backlash, throbbing pain in his head was inevitable. Shin looks at him silently. "I think that we should separate."

"Uh, what? But…"

"Listen, if we keep this up we'll both get pummelled. We should split up and meet up at a later date."

"But what about you Shin?!"

Shin smiled confidently as he reassured Easen, "Hah! Don't worry about me. I'm a lot stronger than you think! Let's meet up later and find Leon and his friend!" 

***

"Since then, I've been running into a lot of demonic beasts. And I met you…" Easen scratches his head. 

"I see." Zach replied. "I on the other hand lost my companion of a brat because she just wouldn't listen!" Zach laughed lightly, trying to lighten the mood. However, this had the opposite effect, Easen quickly had a sad expression full of sympathy . Uh… what should he do? 

'It seems that he's thinking of some strange things..?'

Easen bumps his fist against his chest with a determined expression,"Don't you worry! I'll definitely help you find your lost companion!!"

"…" 

Sir. You are a little too enthusiastic…

Zach shook his head helplessly. Actually, Alana deserved what came to her. Alana is too selfish and arrogant, she never does as she's told, and always behaves recklessly. This incident should serve as a lesson to her, and let her realise that she shouldn't be so thoughtless in the future. Of course, Zach would never say this out loud. If he ever did, Alana's family would definitely chew him out.

"Let's go shall we?"

The two with similar goals move on with their journey of finding their lost companions.