The Reaper

Chapter 16: The Final Trial

"Welcome to the final trial, Daryl."

I stand in the middle of the square in my sparring uniform, facing Master where he stands on a podium. Seven leaders are behind me standing side by side also in sparring uniforms. In, Choi, Patty, Grace, and Michelle have all walked out of their final trial all beaten and bruised. The people are standing around the square. Half are on patios, others on the edge of the square.

"I shall tell you the same rules I told the previous five. You will be given a time limit of seven minutes. You must defeat at least your first two opponents before the time limit expires. However, if you defeat your first opponent, you will be granted a ten-second grace period, and then, you will immediately fight the next opponent. You will keep fighting until either all the opponents are defeated, or the time limit expires. If you are unable to defeat your two opponents by the time limit expires, you will fail this trial. But the more opponents you defeat, the higher the rank you will be. Do you have any questions, Daryl?"

I shake my head.

"Then let's begin – and again, Daryl, no powers...Sung-Hyup!"

Sung-Hyup Nam. A master in Muay Thai. He stands at about five feet eleven to six feet tall. I still remember when he shot that spitball at my eye. At long last, I can finally get back at him for that.

I take a few steps to the side and face Master. Sung-Hyup stands a few feet away from me. We both bow to Master, face each other, and Sung-Hyup bows to me, but I don't bow back.

"Ready!"

We're both in a fighting stance.

"Begin!"

Sung-Hyup is about to make his first move. He steps his leading foot forward and is about to use a roundhouse kick. I swiftly used a hook kick with my leading foot up to his head before he could land his first attack. He falls over. I jump right on top of him, keeping him on the ground. I draw back my fist with the middle knuckle of my middle finger sticking out. I aim for his left eye and then strike it hard. "AH!" Both of his hands are on his eye. I get back up on my feet and stomp his head hard against the ground knocking him out.

"Ten-second grace!"

James Lee grabs Sung-Hyup's ankle and drags him off the square. I stand right where I am, waiting for the next opponent.

"Sam!"

A recently graduated leader specializes in judo. We stand against each other until Master shouts, "Begin!" Sam slowly closes in until he's in reach. I kick him but he grabs my leg, I punch him but he grabs my arm. He then puts me in a suplex position throwing me down hard. I immediately get up as he gets up, performing a fake spin kick and then landing a seven-twenty spin kick to his head, knocking him out.

"Ten-second grace!"

Sam gets pulled out of the square. I take a few breaths in before Master calls the next opponent.

"Nick!"

Another newly appointed leader. Specialty in boxing. He walks in the square, posing in his fighting stance noticeably not wearing boxing gloves. "Begin!" I make the first strike but blocks and straight-punches me. I felt something painful on my nose. Son of a bitch broke it! I place my thumbs and straighten it out.

CRACK!

"ERGH...!" That hurts. Now he pissed me off.

I charge in with a kick but counters and starts throwing in a series of punches. Each of them is so powerful, that it's hard to counter without standing my ground firmly. He lands a last good right cross against my temple, forcing me to the ground. I shake off the stinging pain and get up. Nick starts attacking again. I evade and manage a good kick to the side of his knee. He starts limping as he backs away. He gets back in close as I throw a punch, he dodges and counters with a right cross against my rib. I blocked it, got in close, stomp kicked his other knee. He grunts painfully, bending over. His head is wide open, so I take the knee to his face, knocking him out.