Pro Slayer Exams, Part 2

"I was waiting to meet you again one day, Slayer Hachi, but I meant to do it when I was stronger!" Grover then interrupts as he points towards Nick.

"Oh? Have we met before?" Nick asks.

"I don't know why, but ever since I was little, I've always had Cursed Power, and this Cursed Ability that I was born with. Because of that, demons were always attracted to me. And one day, when I thought that I was going to die, you came to rescue me. My goal was to get strong, strong enough to meet you again, but now as the two of us stand here, face to face, my goal hasn't changed. I'M GOING TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE SLAYER ORGANIZATION, AND I'M GOING TO SAVE EVERYONE JUST LIKE YOU SAVED ME!" Grover booms. I can't help but admire his goal.

Nick smirks at Grover. "You talk a pretty big game, kid. I'm glad that I was able to inspire a whole new generation of heroes, it makes me happy, truly. But let's see how you fare in the Slayer Exams first." Nick then spreads his arms out to the sides. "Show me that you have the strength to read your dreams!" He booms.

"Aye, sir!" Grover cheers back. Boy, the two of them sure are loud.

"Alright, you three better sign in before it's too late. I won't be in the exams, but I'll be watching with a close eye, you three especially," Nick then says as he turns around and stuffs his hands in the pockets of his dress pants and begins strutting away. "Oh, Luis?" Nick then pauses.

"Yeah?" I ask.

Nick turns and looks over his shoulder at me, and smirks. "Remember our deal," he says.

I smirk back. "I'm going to pass these exams, and then, you'll teach me everything you know about Cursed Power!" I shout.

Nick throws his head back in laughter. "I'll see you three soon!" He says, before walking away for good.

I feel a pair of eyes staring at me, and I turn to see Grover, star-struck yet again. "You have that kind of deal with the strongest Pro Slayer?!" He cries.

"Yeah, we made it after Nick saved me from a demon last week. Sort of like you," I answer.

"Aw man! If only I had the foresight to make a deal with Slayer Hachi!" Grover pouts.

"You can talk about your goals all you want, but if we don't go sign in now, none of that will matter. Ccme on, let's go!" Ella says as she ushers Grover and I over to the receptionist counter.

The three of us say that we want to sign in, and we're handed some paperwork. We have to fill out the standard stuff, like our height, our weight, our blood type, I suppose it's for if we get injured during the exam and need medical treatment. And then, I get to the bottom of the page, which reads: "I, ______, hereby consent to the International Professional Slayer Organization Exams, and understand that the Professional Slayer Organization isn't liable for any injuries or death sustained during the exams, and I, nor my family, will not press charges if injuries or death do so occur.."

I take a deep breath in...then out.

And then, I sign the paper, Luis Tramontana.

"You guys done?" Grover asks, and I look over to see that he's long since submitted his paperwork.

"Uhh…yeah," I nervously reply.

"Me too," Ella meekly adds, as she struggles to sign the bottom of the page with her shaking hands.

Ella and I then hand in our paperwork, and after being given instructions from the receptionists, the three of us head towards the exam suit. Ella, Grover, and I, have to go up and down numerous elevators and staircases, and through so many doors, that by the end, I don't know if we're levitating hundreds of feet off of the ground, or burrowing towards the core of the Earth.

Until eventually, the three of us find ourselves outdoors again, standing outside what looks to be a mountainous region with a forest at its bassin, roughly the size of ten football fields, and surrounded by a giant metal cage. Along the metal cage, are large double doors at the bottom. Surrounding the metal cage are rows and rows of bleachers. Although not many people are sitting in them. I'm assuming they're Pro Slayers watching the exam.

"Exam Sight Four, Entrance J…" Grover says as he reads off a sign hanging next to the double doors in front of us.

Grover's reading is interrupted when a voice blares over the loudspeakers: "All participants please report to your designated entrance before the exam begins. I repeat, all participants please report to your designated entrance before the exam begins. The doors will open and the exam will begin at 9:30 sharp. Thank you, and good luck."

I check my phone, seeing that the three of us made it here with only a few minutes to spare.

"Alright, here we go," I sigh.

"I…don't want to die…" Ella squeals.

"Oh man…I'm so excited!" Grover giddily cheers as he hops up and down.

A new voice then begins to talk over the loudspeakers. "This is your Chairman speaking, welcome, everyone, contestants, and audience members, and people watching from home, and Pro Slayers, alike, to 476th Biannual International Professional Slayer Exams!" The voice says. Wait…people are watching from home?! What is this, a sporting event?!

"The rules of this exam are simple. Kill or be killed," the Chairman continues. Ella yelps, Grover swoons.

"But not each other!" The Chairman then booms. "You are to spend the next few hours hunting the demons that we've set up in the arena for you to face, your fellow contestants, or even the Pro Slayers that we've placed for this exam. Killing a demon will result in one point. Beating a fellow contestant in a fight -which can be done so by rendering them unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to fight any longer in any way- will result in two points. Beating a Pro Slayer results in automatic victory. These demons are the lowest ranking we can find, they lack basic intelligence and have been bred to be weak. But be aware, they are filled with rage and have an insatiable hunger for human flesh."

"Hah hah…looks like I don't have to kill you guys!" Grover laughs as he folds his arms behind his head. Ella and I exchange nervous glances.

"Just remember, you are only allowed to kill demons. Killing a fellow contestant or a Pro Slayer is a crime punishable for death. And I can assure you, no one here wants that. You can work alone or with as big of a group as you desire, but if you do work with a group, your points will be split amongst yourselves. If you work with a partner and kill a demon, you will each be rewarded with half a point. If you work with a partner and beat a contestant, you will both be rewarded with one point. So on and so forth. Beating a Pro Slayer results in automatic victory, regardless of how many contestants you team up with," the Chairman explains.

"As for one final note: remember the paperwork that you signed right before the exams. If you die or get injured in the exams, the International Professional Slayer Organization is not liable. Now…good luck, everyone. LET THE 476th BIANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SLAYER EXAMS…BEGIN!"

A bull horn blares through the exam site, and then, the double doors before Ella, Grover, and I, fly open! And with that, our exams have begun!

Grover peers to his left, towards Ella. "Ready?" He asks.

"Ready," Ella meekly answers. Although she looks even paler than before.

Grover then turns to his right, towards me. "Ready?" He asks me.

I take a deep breath in. Before me, lays the first step to becoming strong. If I can pass these exams, then I'd no longer have to fear for my life, or more importantly, the life of my family, ever again. They'd always have some by their side to protect them. A Pro Slayer.

"I'll see you at the exam site, Luis!" That is what Nick said to me. If I can muster up every last bit of courage in my body to step through those doors and face Nick…then I'm good. I'll just have to borrow every last drop of courage that future me has and use it in this very moment.

Finally…I take a deep breath out. "Ready!"

Grover turns back towards the entrance to the exam site and smiles, before clearing his throat again. "LOOK OUT, WORLD, BECAUSE HERE COMES THE DEBUT OF THE NEXT SLAYER ORGANIZATION CHAIRMAN, GROVER BRADSHAW!!!" Grover booms as he throws his fists in the air.

Grover then sprints into the exam site. I smile and run after Grover, with Ella tailing between. The double doors ominously slam shut behind us.

At the time, five points seemed to be so little. But looking back at it, after the exam started, I could tell. If you alone take out one Pro Slayer or five demons, then you deserve to pass the exams.