Tsugi No Level

Chapter 9: First Test Completed

Demo sits in the corner and turns the black sphere into a giant glass cube. The transformation is smooth so smooth that it catches the eyes of some of the pupils in the gym. Once the cube is finished, he asks for it to be checked. Eight who was watching, walks over and checks the cube. He nods with a face of consignment and signals with his hand for Demo to continue. Demo starts going down the list of items he has to make at a pace that baffles all those in the gym. They are no longer doing their exercises or focusing on their breathing instead they are watching Demo.

After each item he clears, the murmurs and chatter increase.

"He has to be cheating."

"Is someone helping him?"

"There is no way this is real."

Once Demo got to the end of the list, and the item was checked. Eight stood there with a blank look on his face as if he had just seen a miracle. Demo, confused at all the confusion surrounding him decided to ask Eight what the problem was.

"Why is everyone looking at me?"

Eight looked at him with a face that showed he was unsure whether to revere or hate Demo. He opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

"..."

Demo looks at him as if he is still waiting for the answer. Eight finally gathers his thoughts and answers.

"Every time you turn something into something else a little bit of the original is lost in translation. If the sphere was 100 then the glass cube would be 90. A copy or a remake is never as good as the original. But yours were equal to if not better."

Demo looks slightly surprised as his eyebrows go up.

"I just did what the old man told me to do."

Eight looks at Demo with an expression that is both bewilderment and surprise.

"The last step is to turn it back into a black sphere."

Demo nods and places his hand on the item and turns it into a sphere. Once completed the sphere is the exact size and smoothness as the one Demo started with. Eight looks at the sphere with his mouth open. This has never happened to him before. The rest of the pupils all talk amongst each other as they also can't believe it. Eight looks at Demo and closes his mouth.

"Ok, you finished your first test early. Are you ready for the final part?"

Demo smiles and with an enthusiastic face, he replies.

"Yes."

Eight turns around and gestures with his head for Demo to follow him. They walk to the center of the gym and then Eight points down and lowers his head to signal Demo to stand right there. Then Eight looks around and points at 5 random pupils. The 5 chosen ones line up side to side in front of Demo and smile with an almost evil grin. Eight moves so that he is standing in front of Demo in front of the 5 pupils.

"The last stage of the first trial for XX is simple. You will match the power of each pupil. They will punch you and then you reply with the same amount of force. Each pupil will punch you 5 times."

Demo's eyes light up as his smile goes from ear to ear. His smile can be seen through his mask and it kind of creeps a few of the pupils out. But the first pupil is ready to punch Demo and steps forward. He was also impressed by the ability shown by Demo. But he never liked people who stood out more than him, and he figures that if he punches Demo out cold his position in the mind of others will rise.

Demo stands still waiting for the pupil's punch. The pupil takes a martial arts-trained fighting stance. He then keeps his pose still as he starts whispering a math chant. Eight quickly recognizes the pupil's intent and goes to stop him. But the pupil used a chant that was only meant to strengthen his fist and kinetic energy which means it was concluded quickly. Demo can sense the blood lust coming from the pupil's fist and his eyes start to glow red.