"Well, since it'll be a rather long wait until the other kids reach this place, why don't we play a game to make the time pass a little bit faster?" Elder White "suggested" with a playful gleam in her eyes.
Being the highest ranked person in our little group of three, of course we had to agree.
"Sure, Elder White, let's play a game." Veronica Wu agreed readily.
"Yes, Elder White!" I agreed as well.
"This game is called 'Catch the finger'." Elder White said. "I will place my finger vertically on your open palm. Your goal is to catch my finger and my goal is to avoid being caught. We both only have one try at catching and escaping. If I escape before you make a move, I lose. It's very simple. Veronica, why not you and I have a go first and let the little kid take a look."
"Why not?" Veronica Wu's eyes flashed eagerly as her competitive spirit began to burn.
She opened her right palm and Elder White placed her right index finger pointing vertically down in the center of Veronica's palm.
"Ready when you are." Elder White said and focused on Veronica's hand.
Whoosh!
Veronica Wu jerked her hand and clenched her fist so fast that I could hear the sound of the wind when her fingers moved.
However, Elder White was much too fast for her. Veronica Wu lost!
"Alright. Justin, your turn. Try and catch my finger. If you can catch it, I will give you a reward!" Elder White said.
"Reward? I'm game!" I thought to myself.
I quickly stretched out my left hand and Elder White got her finger in position.
"Ready when you are." Elder White said.
Knowing that Elder White was watching my arm and hand muscles like a hawk to get an indication of when I wanted to make my move, I tensed my arm muscle slightly, and caused Elder White's finger to twitch.
I tensed my arm muscles again, and Elder White's finger twitched again.
Veronica Wu giggled lightly.
I repeated that for two more times before finally making a move right when Elder White's finger was twitching. In addition, I also moved my hand up while my fingers were closing.
"GOTCHA!!!" I shouted excitedly.
"WELL DONE!" Veronica Wu shouted and leapt up while pumping her fist. "YES!!!"
Elder White looked at her finger which was undeniably caught in my hand in shock. She definitely did not expect to be played and defeated by a mere ten year old.
"Well done." She finally said. "Did you already know that the only way to succeed is to move your hand up while closing your fist the way you did earlier?"
"Ah, not really. I sort of did that by instinct." I said.
"Absurdly fit and strong, cunning, sneaky and able to understand the unsaid." She nodded in approval. "The Whitefrost Clan really got their hands on a gem this time."
She took a little box from her pocket and tossed it to me. "Your reward, as promised. You can use it or sell it for academy credits, up to you."
"Thank you, Elder White!" I said gratefully as I caught the little box.
"Last game before I go." Elder White continued. "This is called avoid my staff."
"Huh?" I immediately had a really strong premonition that something bad was about to happen.
I was right.
Whoosh!
Her staff came swinging towards my head!
I quickly ducked, rolled away and got up. Just in time to parry her staff which was swinging towards me at a much higher speed than before!
Ding! The staff hit my prosthetic right arm.
However, that was as far as I managed. Her next three strikes came so fast and in such weird angles that I couldn't even react.
"Really bad combat skills though." Elder White sighed deeply. "I guess you couldn't be too greedy and expect to have everything in one package."
It was then I realized that Elder White was merely testing me!
"Talk about being cunning and sneaky." I grumbled to myself.
But still, I got a "small" reward out of it, so I guess I had nothing to complain about.
"Continue to do your best in the following segments of the entrance test. I will be keeping tabs on you, so don't disappoint me!" Elder White said before leaving in her white mecha.
After her mecha disappeared over the horizon, I went back to sit down next to Veronica.
"What was that really about, Miss Veronica?" I glanced at Veronica Wu questioningly.
"Those three old fogeys are from three different factions." She explained. "They came to take a look at the record breaker and to get advance information to report to their faction leaders."
"I see. What are factions?" I asked curiously.
"You'll get a full explanation later on." She said mysteriously as she stood up. "For now, we have to greet our second placed student! What a year this year is turning out to be! Two physical freaks!"
I turned my head in surprise to look at the newcomer. It was a girl. A short haired, freckled little girl with beautiful eyes and a pretty smile. The only thing was, she wasn't alone.
"Make that three freaks!" Veronica Wu exclaimed happily. "Welcome to the peak and congratulations on getting second and third place!"
"What? There's already someone here?! Oh nooo..." The girl groaned. "Sheera! It's all your fault! Slow down slow down slow down! See? All your nagging made me lose the record!"
The first girl turned around and nagged at another girl who collapsed next to her once she reached the peak. She was so tired that she couldn't reply to her friend's nagging.
Veronica Wu appeared before them and handed them both a small bottle of water. "Here! Have a drink! I am not supposed to give any of the participants anything, but just for the few of you who broke the previous record by such a huge margin, I am making a special exception! What are your names, little girls?"
"My name is Sherry Lin! This is my stupid cousin, Sheera Lin!" The first girl accepted the small bottle without a word of thanks and proceeded to pour its contents on Sheera's face!
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