The Spirit Martial

Spirit 24

“KO!!” the masked man shouted, “the third KO of Prince Wylie with the remaining time: One minute and forty-five seconds,” he added at napalunok ako. Wylie is injured but he fought the longest- 15 seconds. Ibang studyante? 10 seconds, 6 seconds, and the shortest period of time is 5 seconds. Hindi man kapaniwala-kapaniwala, pero ito ang nangyari. This is bad. Parang nasusuka ako habang iniisip ko na makakalaban ko siya mamaya.

Kahit kaninapa, wala talaga akong naririnig na palakpak galing sa audience, mapa-official students, or kami o kahit ang Reyna at Hari na nakatingin sa amin. The screen shined at nakatatak doon ang pangalan sa susunod na sasabak sa madugong entrance exam.

“Naku,” Kali said at napatingin silang tatlo sa akin. Parang gusto kong magpalamon sa lupa nang makita ang pangalan ko sa screen. “Good luck,” Kali added and he tapped my shoulder habang ako ay nanigas sa akong inuupoan.

“I’ll escort you,” Kailani added with a smile at nauna na siyang tumayo. Nakatayo lang ako ulit nang hinila niya ang kamay ko paitaas. My body won’t move but he grabbed my wrist kaya napasunod ako ng lakad. I am not sure if this fight will give me permanent damage or what.

Biglang napatigil si Kailani nang palapit na kami sa hagdanan para bumaba upang mapunta sa centro ng training grounds.

“Cygnus,” he called coldly at lahat ng kaba ko ay biglang nawala nang biglang umilaw ang dibdib ko kung nasaan ang markang binigay niya sa akin at napalingon siya sa direction ko. “I want you to endure the 2 minutes,” he added at napalunok ako.

“I don’t think I can do that. Maybe I can last for 15 seconds or so but 2 minutes? It’s hopeless. Can’t you see his magic molecules? It’s too far from me, from us exactly. Do you want me to die?” tanong ko at ngumiti siya. This is not his usual cheerful self. What’s wrong with him? He’s scaring the hell out of me.

“When I bit you,” bigla niyang sabi at kumunot ang noo ko, “I saw something inside you. Something you didn’t know and something you wouldn’t expect of having,” he added at mas nagugulohan ako.

“Anong pinagsasabi mo?!” sigaw ko.

“The previous Spirit Martial’s soul,” he added at napatigil ako. “Some of his soul is inside you and I can activate it for 2 minutes. I’m not sure if it’s gonna work but can I try? This is the perfect opportunity.” he added. “Do you trust me?” he asked me seriously. Medyo nagugulohan at nagulat ako sa mga sinabi niya pero kung iyon ang nakita niya at ang gusto niyang gawin, I guess I don’t have a choice.

“I came here with you, of course I trust you, dumbass,” I replied and this time, he gave me a cheerful smile. Bipolar ba to?

“Endure for 2 minutes, okay?” he said and tapped my back at nagsimaula na kaming maglakad pababa ng hagdan.

“I’ll try,” I replied at napatigil siya at biglang sumakit ang marka kaya napahawak ako sa dibdib ko. I glanced at him and he was looking at me coldly. His eyes turned gold at napalunok ako. Ah I hate this version of him. “I’m not asking you to endure,” he said, “Instead, I’m ordering you. Trust my activation,” he added at tumango ako.

“If it’s an order,” I said and my vision turned purple. “Then I guess I have no choice,” I added.

Nagpatuloy kami sa pagakad pababa at sinalubong kami ng isang cave structure at liwanag. We had no choice but to walked down the hallway until we reached the light. Kailani took off my cape and tapped my shoulder.

“Good luck,” he whispered and my eyes widened when he suddenly bit my neck and my blood started bursting into my veins. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko and I saw a glimpse of young man with blue hair and white highlights- kabaliktaran lang sa buhok ko, I have white hair and blue highlights after all. He was living in slumps of Gambier Island and stealing food. The next images was him bullied in school but he continued studying.

The next thing I knew, he was already standing on the bridge where I first saw Kailani and he was about to jump but another young man with black hair appeared and grabbed him away. It’s like our first meeting. The next images were both of them being the strongest Spirit Casters in mainland Agartha and the blue haired guy was praised being the Spirit Martial. Is this my father’s memories?  The next images was him dealing with a demon with three horns and a red eye. He casted himself to the demon and went straight to the hell portal with him and the moment they went inside, the first Pandora’s Box appeared.

Kailani stopped biting and I looked behind him.

“You may go now,” he whispered and the next thing I knew. My soul went out from my body but my body moved on its own with a smile. My body glanced at my direction and in just a glimpse, I saw that young blue-haired man’s soul inside my body. He reached out for me at pumasok ulit ako sa katawan ko. This time, my soul and my father’s young soul met for the first time. This is … my father?

“Allow me to interrupt for 2 minutes,” my father said at hindi man lang ako nakapagsalit. I am not from this world but I am getting emotional. Ano ba talaga ang nangyayari? Did he really abandon the Agartha? Did he really abandon the world? “I just wanna show them,” he added with a smile. “what my son;s true power is like,” he added and hearing the word son from him was music to my ears.

His soul vanished at bumalik na rin sa normal ang lahat. I was already in the arena but for some reason, I cannot move my body.

“Just watch me,” I heard and I can’t help but smile.

“Cygnus, the second strongest in this batch who got close to S Class magic molecules amount!” the masked man shouted at ngumiti ang principal namin.

“Then maybe hindi na ito boring,” he said and my body moved on its own. I smiled and I tilted my head.

“Sana hindi ka rin boring,” I said. It’s my voice but I didn’t say that!

I heard whispers from the audience and our principal nodded with a smile as if he was happy.

“I’d love to have some student who are strong-willed like you,” he said with a smile. “Sana hindi ka lang puro salita, iho,” he added.

Hindi na ako sumagot and we jumped 3 meters away from each other.

“2 minutes will start in 3,” the masked man shouted at gustohin ko mang lumunok sa kaba, hindi ko magawa. I’m one with my father right now. I couldn’t wish for more.

“2,”

“1,”

“Start!”

The Principal attacked me first. Nabigla na lang ako na ang kamay niya at nasa harap na ng mukha ko. Normally, I’m done with that attack but surprisingly, my body was able to evade and I kicked the his back. Tumilapon siya palayo at dumikit sa ding-ding. Holy s**t, how did- oh my goodness. My lips moved on its own and smiled as I landed my feet once again. The crowd gasped and the Queen stood up from her seat na para bang hindi siya naniniwala sa nakikita niya.

“First KO,” I said and I saw our principal wearing an excited smile.

“Finally,” he said coldly at tumalon siya papunta sa akin. I was surprised when once again, he was near me. “A worthy opponent!” he shouted.

I held his wrist para hindi siya maka-attake at tumalon ako para maiwasan ang attake niya mula sa paa. Bumitaw ako ang I jumped 1 meter away from him. This time, I heard claps from students. My smile didn’t vanished at parang nag-eenjoy talaga ako pero sa totoo lang, parang kinakabahan ako.

“One minute and thirty seconds remaining!” the masked man shouted.

“Tapos ka na?” I asked at kumunot ang noo ng principal. “It’s my turn,” I added.

I took one step only and the whole training grounds cracked. The next thing I knew, nandoon na ako sa harapan niya with my fist on my side. I punched him and he was able to block it with his arm but he gitted his teeth.

“You’ll regret why you didn’t put on some barrier on this,” I said and I jumped away. “I think we cannot continue this anymore,” I added and his arm suddenly dangle. I broke his arm! WHAT THE HELL!!

“I can continue fighting with this injury,” he said coldly, “A mere A class student like you cannot defeat me!” he shouted.

“Then I guess,” I added and I tilted my head with a grin. “I’d have to break all of your limbs,” I added. “There is no way an A Class like me can do that, right?” I asked and he gritted his teeth.

“You seem full of yourself, kid,” he responded and he summoned his spirit. A Fire Dragon.

“There is no way an SS Class Spirit Caster like you would unleash a spirit to an A Class Spirit Caster like me,” I replied. “What a shame,” I added and the students shouted and cheered.

“1 minute remaining!!”

Our principal’s dragon attacked me and if ako talaga ang nagdadala nitong katawan ako, tatakbo talaga ako. If ever I’ll pass, sigurado rin akong pipistohin ako ng mga studyante and teachers. What the hell is my dad thinking?

My body evaded the dragon’s attack like I was dancing. My body was just calmly walking while evading our principal’s spear made of dragon scales. The next thing I knew, the dragon was 1 meter away from us already and he roared fire. The sound echoed through the training grounds and everyone covered their ears.

The fire was too close and fast at hindi kami makaktakas nito. My body took two steps backward and I smiled.

“Weak,” I whispered and I blew. I JUST BLEW AND THE FIRE VANISHED. The crowd went silent and everyone was shocked.

“30 seconds remaining!”

“You’re kidding me,” our principal said while he stared at me.

This is how strong my father is?! This is beyond imagination!