Squad 8 gathered at Lyn's house to discuss about their illusions and their battle strategy for the next round.

"Captain is sick! A little more and I'd have failed! What kind of illusion was that!" Beryl yelled and ranted.

"You can't blame him though." John said with a smile.

"I hate to say this but we are weak. Even our new techniques might not work." Lyn said in a matter of factly tone.

"Don't say this in a matter of factly tone!" Erza yelled at Lyn.

"This next round might be tough. The way captain said that some of us might die." Barry's face became grim at the thought of death and the others were quiet too.

"Barry." Barry heard Luke call his name and got what his brother's message without him talking that brought a little hope to his eyes.

"Anyway, don't waste kekai unnecessarily, be vigilant and check for any anomalies." John advised

"Let's go." Erza the squad leader led them out as they prepared for the exam at the winter woods.

*-*-*-*
After a fifty three minute drive, they finally reached the winter woods.

In an open space large enough in the winter woods, two hundred students gathered to take the worst exam of their life.

"This place is beautiful but cold." Erza said amidst her shivers.

'The winter woods. It is said that the kekai in the atmosphere here precipitates due to the naturally low temperature thus making it snow all year round. This place is almost perfect but would my plants be able to grow? That's the problem.' Tyler thought to him self before he was interrupted by an all to familiar voice.

"Hello children." The students recognized that voice and sure enough it was their chemistry and part history teacher. Ethan.

'This is not good. Why him of all people?' Ethel panicked internally at the sight of Ethan so Yuki suspected it was because of her mission and maybe she had a run in with him once or twice.

Upon seeing Ethan, Beryl remembered. the warning of her seniors that she trained with for the exams.
______________________________________

"There are many teachers to look out for but if Mr Ethan is your proctor, forget passing that year." The first senior senior who is a SSU warned.

"Why? And was that suppose to be a warning?" Beryl's question was not only directed to the first but to the second also.

"It is a warning. His kekai is like poison so strong, evil and blood lusted that to the extent that it kills upon contact. It breaks both you and your will. I've even heard rumors that it his kekai that is used as poison during top notch assassinations." The female senior who is also a SSU spoke.

Deep down in her heart Beryl was relieved that he only relies on his kekai so that must means he's weak at other sectors.

"Let me read your mind. 'Get past his kekai and I'm safe. No biggie then.' Is what you're thinking right?" The male senior knew his guess was correct it was shown on Beryl's face.

'Word for word.' Beryl said internally. Realising there's more to her chemistry teacher than just his kekai made her gulp internally.

"If you end up facing him and think his kekai is all that he has, you'll die."

"Thanks for the advice. Senior Beth, senior Alex.".
______________________________________

Only Beryl and the senzaikyo that knew Ethan's true ability so nobody took him serious because he taught them all chemistry.

But what surprised them more was the fact that he has taught all two hundred students from all over the country.

"Hello are you listening?" Ethan asked the crowd to get their attention but they ignored him.

"By the way, why the hell are you here? If you serve no use get your fucking bullshit out of here." Flynn's teammate Ryder spoke out from the crowd.

"I'm the procto..." The boy didn't let Ethan finish talking before talking back.

"Are you a knight?" The boy asked.

"The exam will tell." Ethan answered.

"Fuck off." Flynn sighed at Ryder's foul mouth but he had a point. They have an exam to prepare for.

The students continued their matters completely forgetting about Ethan until they felt a very strong and evil kekai filled with bloodlust for a split second. It was strong enough to send shivers down everyone's spine. Even the senzaikyo.

It was then the students knew that he was a knight.

'Shit.' Beryl cursed internally.

The kekai came again but this time instead of lasting for a split second, it went on for much longer.

The white and beautiful snow which was beautifully falling turned black due to the precipitation of Ethan's kekai. The kekai was so strong that just by feeling it some of the students started vomiting and some were so over whelmed by the pressure of his kekai to the extent that they passed out.

Upon contact with the kekai Joan fell on her knees shivering in fear and not long after tears began falling from her eyes against her will.

*-*-*-*

"Oh that woman has started." Mia Joan's scroll spirit said with a sigh.

"Ok let's turn this into a contest! The host that gets the highest rating in the exam wins."Rugun suggested with an hyper tone contrary to his calm and scary tone.

"What's gotten into you?"Dan asked.

"Boredom." Rugun stated truthfully which made the other spirits laugh.

"I never thought you'll say these words Rugun." Matabi Erza's scroll spirit said within chuckles.

"Well then, We accept. May the best host win."

*-*-*-*

John placed his shivering hand on his sisters shoulder. It was obvious he was scared but nevertheless he kept on standing. That was more than enough to motivate Joan and give her a reason to stand.

Wiping her tears away Joan thanked her brother and took her stand against their teacher's kekai.

"So Mrs frost was a chicken." Luke's voice popped up behind them but compared to the rest he seems unfazed by the kekai.

"Shut up. And why the Mrs?" Joan yelled at Luke who just smiled.

"Why aren't you shaking?" Joan asked.

"Applied kekai." Was Luke's answer.

Joan felt like she didn't need to pry further into his technique.

"Beautiful. Today your exercise will be to face me in combat. Depending on how well you do, I'll award points per person. Anyone with 98 to 100 passes and below that fails. So keep your points in your head." Ethan explained then put out his kekai.

Several students wheezed for air as they tried to get their breath back.

"I give up!!" Yells were heard from the participants amidst their wheezes.

"Ok walk out." The people who gave up went out and the second round of the JSU began.

"Be alert. Don't let your concentration weaver. Don't fear death but also hold unto life. If you're facing me then you have to be strong." Ethan was clearly looking down on the students much to Ryder's displeasure.

"What is that you bastard?!" Ryder yelled in a rude manner.

Ethan chuckled and answered in calm tone.

"Arrogance. The arrogance only the strong has." In a flash Ethan was above Ryder. Before the foul mouthed boy could react, he was pinned to the ground and was held in an arm lock.

Seeing this Barry threw a teleportation jar at Ethan who dodged the jar.

'Good.' Barry instantly teleported to the jar behind Ethan forcing him to jump away.

"Are you ok?" Barry asked Ryder. 

"You shouldn't be worrying about others now. Should you?" Ethan appeared behind Barry directing a punch at Barry's face.

Using the electric impulses of his element to enhance his reflexes, Barry sensed the blow coming and was able to react in time to dodge the blow. Taking hold of the jar on the ground, Barry threw it up in the air and appeared up in the sky.

"Scroll art: Basic elemental technique four; sengan." A purple ball of lightning formed on Barry's hand.

'The sengan. Hmm.' Ethan thought about how he'll counter the technique but was stopped in his tracks when the the purple orb of lightning turned into a black orb.

'That is!' Ethan solidified his kekai and used it to form a shield in front of himself but unfortunately for him, the black haired boy had seen through the ploy.

At the moment before impact, Barry created another sengan at his feet and other hand and used it to maneuver his mid air motion giving him the advantage as he was able move to Ethan's blind spot.

Barry hit Ethan with the sengan at his side causing him to go tumbling and crashing into the tree.

"I won't make any excuses you got me there Bartholomew Kirk. 10 points for you." Ethan released his kekai again but was surprised that his kekai couldn't flow and the fact that he couldn't breathe.

Flynn and Gerald used the opportunity to rush over to Ryder.

"Are you ok?" They both asked their teammate.

"Get the fuck out of here." With his answer his teammates knew he was more than ok.

Ethan smiled at the look in Ryder's eyes, that was the resolve he was looking for. He had already found out the secret to Flynn's vacuum bit decided to stay put till Ryder finishes his prayer.

"Ethan I'll kill you! Inori! Shisha no sekitsui!" Using his initial P for The Prayer, Ryder began his prayer.

"One body, one soul, one spirit, one heart. The soul of the wicked shall not rest. A heart of malice shall suffer. Be purified by the pain I pray thee that thy soul may rest..." Ryder stopped his prayer when he felt Ethan's evil kekai for again for a split second.

"A prayer without faith is just empty words." Ethan smiled.

Flynn lashed his head to the side wondering when Ethan broke free from the vacuum chamber. Ethan paid no attention to Flynn he was only focused on Ryder at the moment.

"Let me show you a real prayer. Kekai is a scroll user's breath. The technique is their release. Purified through nature. May their souls be at rest. Through the mist."

"That's just the scroll user's chant! You are just ..." Ryder wasn't allowed to continue his speech.

"It isn't just a chant. It's a prayer. Think about it and pray with your initial. Now let me move. You have five points Ryder." Ethan vanished from their sight and went into the middle of the crowd and began knocking contestants out.

'I know Cole dropped their numbers a lot, but two hundred out of seven hundred is really bad, he held back too much. No, seven hundred children registering is too much.' Ethan was lost in thought and let Joan's rod touch his left arm. Almost immediately his arm began freezing.

*-*-*-*

Since the JSU exams hasn't been held in three years it was aired on the television channel Scroll User Weekly (SUweekly) and the video cameras were equipped with a special lens that enabled viewers to see kekai. Even humans were allowed to watch it on their TV.

In the meeting room of the knights,  two knights Jeremy and Negro Aldorado a wielder of one of Aldorado's sacred weapons murete de via.

"Master Nergo what is Master Captain Ethan's technique?" Jeremy asked.

"Don't add master to everything." Nergo scolded. Not lifting his hand from the television he spoke.

"He doesn't have any, all he has is kekai. But he has a point grade of 98.3 out of hundred in applied kekai." Nergo paused waiting for Jeremy to ask his question.

"Then he shouldn't be that strong. Right?"

"Truthfully he is overrated but I'd say he deserves it. He's strong not because of his kekai but because he is smart." Nergo still didn't lift his eyes from the television.

"Smart? Master Nergo explain." Jeremy was purely struck with confusion he was expecting something flashier but just smart that was what he didn't get.

Nergo laughed a bit before talking. "You haven't seen it yet but right now any JSU and above can tell that they are fighting on the palm of his hand." 

"Wow! Master Captain is awesome!" Jeremy proclaimed with awe.

"You are like a newborn child. Awe struck at every little thing." Nergo laughed again. "Come on now watch."

"Yes master Nergo." Jeremy saluted before focusing his eyes on the television.

*-*-*-*

'I see. That rod is made of highly compressed and cold ice. From the pain I am feeling I can say it below 0°' Ethan calmly analysed the situation for a while and finally decided to take action before it's to late him to save his arm.

Pulling out a knife from his pocket Ethan decided to cut his arm off much to Joan's displeasure.

"Kyaa!! How are you going to get that arm back?!" Ethan covered one of his ear with his right hand and his other ear with his left shoulder at the sound of Joan's yell and opened them after a minutes.

"Quiet down." Almost immediately after Ethan cut his arm off another one grew back.

Joan's eyes widened in shock and awe. 'This isn't rapid cellular division. He created an exact replica of the cells in his arm and made it seem like he regenerated. But it eats a lot of kekai and it looks like it is starting to wear down on him'

Ethan vanished from sight once again and continued eliminating people from the exams.

Using his space jumping technique Barry transported the people who were knocked out from the reach of the chemistry teacher's kekai.

"Bartholomew Kirk. You get ten points making twenty. The rest get ten." Barry punched the air in joy. He was happy not because of the points but because he was making progress slowly but surely.

"We are left with forty out of two hundred." For the first time in a while, Peter spoke.

"Kyaa! So you were here all along." Erza's yell caused a mischievous smile to crawl up Peter's face.

"Now. Let's get down to the tacks of brass.

To be continued
______________________________________

PREVIEW

*Ethan is shocked seeing Barry use other elements that aren't his.
*John is promoted to the rank of a JSU.
*Joan reveals her trump card against Ethan.
______________________________________

Thank you for reading.

Olasijibomi.

🍇grapes🍇