My Test (1)

Time seemed to have come to a halt as we kept a steady stare going. The moment I senselessly took a step back, the ferocious creature leapt from the bushes and charged my way, almost as if it was waiting for my first move.

A yelp somehow escaped my clogged throat, "Ahhhh!"

Those glowing golden eyes belonged to a fierce saber-tooth tiger. It's dark orange coat - almost brown, shone under the spilling moonlight. The long fangs were enough to send a shivering chill down my spine and break into a cold sweat.

And to make matters worse, strangely enough, the entire forest was enveloped in the time of night. I wasn't sure if it was an illusion or some sort of real superpower at play. The only thing I knew was that it really hard to know where to step foot in due to the darkness, but nonetheless, I had to escape!

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It wasn't long until my legs decided to run with the saber-toothed tiger right on my tail.

(How in the world-- Aren't they supposed to be extinct?! Plus, how can I win against that?!)

While I was running, some tiny, delicate specks suddenly materialized to form a big ball of light that shone in front of me. I was relieved to have any source of light to guide my path at this point. A few seconds later, a picture of a very familiar person began to take shape in the shiny orb.

"Gaahhh, I can't believe that even the lowest level of beast is enough to scare her... She's utterly, most definitely useless!"

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Yup. It was him...

As expected, Sadashige sensei greeted by dropping in insults as soon as he examined my state. Raizo and the others were also behind him, watching me with concern - contradictory to their advisor.

"Asuna will overcome this, just watch." Mizore spoke reassuringly.

(Mizore... I really can't! I am so scared right now that I don't even know what to do...! Mmmph, let alone think straight...!!!)

My body being overwhelmed by my frenzied mind, my legs were soon running slower and slower until I stopped in a huff to catch my breath. I could still hear the crunching of grass a few miles away from me along with the tiger's muffled growl. It wouldn't be long until it catches up to where I was kneeling beside the levitating orb.

"Come on Asuna! We're all watching you so kick that beast's butt!" Raizo cheered after butting in between Mizore and Sadashige sensei.

"Yeah, you can do it!" Natsuno's voice joined in from behind.

"I... I can't! That beast is going to get me! A-And I'll done for--I 'm going to die right here...!"

I started panicking as the worst-case scenario surfaced in my mind's eye, so much so that I began to hug my arms and shivering in fear.

"...Tch. What a waste..." Yuichi murmured as he exposed his back and walked away.

"Hmph! I have wasted enough of my time dealing with this human... I'm out!" Sadashige sensei, too, took off.

"Come on Asuna. I know you can do this! Why else did we all recommend you to join? Don't give up yet! Look, if you don't wanna deal with the beast head-on, just think of a way to lose it!" Raizo's voice sounded so sincere that it actually put me at ease, even if just a little.

"A-Are you sure? Is that even allowed...?" I was slowly coming back to my senses.

"Sure it is, escaping in a battle where you think you can't win is basically a victory in itself. It won't be cowardly of you at all. On the contrary, it's probably the wise choice right now." A calm expression on his features, Raizo explained in a firm voice.

I would be lying if I said I didn't admit to his option, but simply fleeing felt pretty incomplete. I would also be submitting to Sadashige sensei's depiction on humans as well if I didn't do something here. Maybe... just maybe... If I concentrate hard enough, perhaps I'll also find something new about myself here. Something I didn't know I possessed, if any dormant power at all was coursing through me like the others.

"No... Not now. Running away does seem like a reasonable response right now, but...! Maybe I can do it too if I try hard enough!"

Everyone was wide-eyed at my reformed determination. But soon after, they all gave a returning nod. Even Yuichi, who was supposed to have been gone by now, looked at me from over his shoulder with a steady gaze as if he was also in agreement.

(That's right dummy! If they all still believe in me, then I should also believe in myself...! I'm not alone here!)

After a firm pumping up, I hid behind some nearby bushes and waited for the tiger to appear in sight. The scrunching noise soon got louder and louder. The beast was here at last. As expected, it let out a roar before sniffing and searching for me.

(Just wait for an opening...)

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As soon as I deduced that it was distracted from some fallen close by twigs, I plunged for the tiger and gave it a big kick on the side. It fell straight on the bark of a tree with a hard bump.

"I did it! I really did hit it! Oh my gosh, did you all see that?!" I squeaked as I jumped up and down with happiness.

The others applauded in return. I was so into celebrating my victory, however, that I didn't even hear the tiger get up until Nikki alerted, "Look out Asu-nee!"

"Huh?"

*WHOOSH* *BAM*

I didn't have time to react.

Before my very eyes, the tiger's body was on me, trying hard to bite my face off despite me trying to maintain a safe distance with my arms in an attempt to hold it back. Its saliva was slobbering on my cheeks.

(Oof.... ewww......!)

"Oh no! Asu-nee is in danger! This is bad!" Natsuno tugged on Mizore while Raizo was simply looking at me with a worried look.

(No...! I... I can't give up yet! I will show them that I'm not JUST a human! I'm more...!)

"Yaaahhh!"

With a yell, I kicked the tiger near the abdomen from my knee.

*Welp*

I then twisted my hand around its paws and threw the tiger on the ground while grabbing them. It winced in pain from the impact.

(Phew... Looks like I'm not that rusty after all! Who knew all those martial arts lesson would actually be put to use like this?)

Just as I released a strained breath, a shiny, silver sword appeared before me followed by the voice of Sadashige sensei, "Finish it with the sword."

When I looked at the sphere, everyone was wearing serious expressions.

(S-Should I really kill it?)

I gripped the sword with my shaky hands and faced the fallen tiger struggling to support itself.

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"...You don't have to kill it if you not up to it..." Yuichi finally spoke after being silent the entire time.

"Huh? Is that okay?"

He gave a faint nod before continuing, "...Wasn't getting out of this forest your main objective...?"

"Oh, right! It was!"

I let the saber-toothed tiger stagger away in shame before running with the sword, for some reason, still in my hands along with the sphere following me wherever I went.

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It felt like forever that I was running around the same looking forest and passing the identical trees over and over again as if ensnared in some repeating loop.

"Haaa... Haaa... How many hours passed ever since that tiger encounter...?"

"About thirty minutes..." Raizo replied in a whisper.

"Whaaat?! You're joking, right?! It feels like I've been running since forever!"

I heard Sadashige sensei snicker from behind the popping heads.

"Is there something you'd like to say...?" I asked with squinted, suspicious eyes.

"Oh, did I forget to mention something? Well, I hope it's not the piece about there being an enchanted spell cast on this eerie forest~ The one that tampers with a person's mind into thinking that he or she has been staying in this forest forever which, apparently, has made a lot of people go insane, mind you. That's also precisely why this forest is enveloped in the darkness of night - since the first caster did so at night... Thus, Time never runs here. *chuckle* .......So, what ARE you going to do?"

Sadashige sensei's tone was as cold and chaff as ever as he 'informed'. This was such a critical information that he purposely omitted after I agreed to this test. Had I known, I probably would have declined or thought of another way...

"That's... I..." I halted in my tracks.

"Asu-nee? Are you okay?" Natsuno sounded concerned.

I stood there rooted, my head hung low.

"You know what...? ...I still won't give up! No matter what it takes, I will get out of here and prove that even a human can survive in such a place!" I clenched my fists with determination as I replied. As soon as I said so, everyone looked at me with smiles on their faces, but Sadashige sensei just looked vexed.

I then continued down the uneven path as fast as I could, this time slaying the few wild beasts with the sword.

(What is this feeling of thrill? It's like... I've been used to fighting since a long time...)

Shaking away the remotely familiar feeling, I set my sights forward.

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Up ahead, the forest was starting to get foggy. Really, REALLY foggy.

(Perhaps I am going the right way? Things like this is always a sign...)

My confidence flared when that thought crossed my mind.

"Way to go Asuna! You're on the right track!" Raizo cheered.

(Great, I knew it!)

I ran as fast as my legs could take me until I reached a densely murky looking water body.

"Hm? What now?"

"Oh no... Sadashige sensei, you never told that this water place was still running! How could you put her life in danger like that?!" Mizore scolded upon realizing the unknown, but Sadashige sensei just shrugged it off with a wave.

Okay, it's official. He is clearly against the idea of me joining the club, I mean, it is JUST a club! Why does he have to be so stuck-up on the fact that I'm just a human anyway?! Just as I was contemplating on my next task, a loud, rumbling sound rang through my ears followed by the immense shaking of the ground.

"W-W-What's happening?!"

I lost my balance and fell on my knees.

"Asuna, be careful! This might get ugly...!" Raizo shot from ahead.

"...Don't give up. ...Not now." Yuichi added.

"*gasp* It's here!" Nikki shouted as she pointed in front of me through the sphere.

I followed her trailing gaze and saw something surfacing from the water. No sooner had I known what it was that a head of a mythical creature popped out.

"That's--!"

"A LOCH NESS MONSTER, THE 5th LEVEL CREATURE!" Everyone blurted out in perfect sync.

"Ahahahahaaa! Let's see you get out of here now!" Sadashige sensei boomed with a sinister laugh.

"Are you crazy?! What kind of a teacher are you?!" I retorted in confusion, but he didn't even care to acknowledge it.

Once the Loch Ness monster emerged out, its sharp, cool blue eyes got glued in my direction at once. I was paralyzed in place, not wanting to move a muscle. It then screeched so loud I thought my ears would explode.

"You can take it down Asuna, right? Don't give up just yet! Killing it will be your ticket out!" Raizo seemed to encourage desperately.

I looked at their direction with fear written all over my face.

"Can I REALLY beat something like that?! Those beasts were one thing, but this... this humungous..."

Yuichi nodded immediately. Everyone did.

"You may not know it, but you've slowly unleashed your dormant power though it's still locked away in an unbreakable shell." Mizore explained calmly.

"What...?"

(What does she mean by that? Power? I'm not like them all, am I...?)

"Mhmm, all those agile moves back there, didn't you feel anything change inside?"

I couldn't believe my ears. Was that why I was getting that exhilarating feeling? Was that why it felt awfully familiar, like I've had it all along? While I was lost in my own thoughts, the monster flung in my direction without any prior signal.

"*Gasp*"

(What should I do?!)

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