24 A Child...Friend!

Crey, who came to his senses from an earlier mild-panic attack after he was administered a level 2 genetic drug, found himself on the east edge of a nameless island to start the Exam with five other students. To his shock, he was left alone by the other five as they had no interest in a student who was slumbering while they were discussing a possible plan for their subgroup in Steamboat. They had very naturally toned down their number from six students to five.

Crey had no idea whether he should feel happy or sad about being abandoned because he was in complete paralysis one hour ago and even in the steamboat he wasn't sleeping but struggling to build strength in his legs to help him at least walk. Fortunately, they hadn't realized…. yet that eliminating other participants would increase their chances of selection.

Because it wasn't written anywhere that in-fighting is prohibited, and according to speculation from past records every group of examinees would have at least five passing students. It gives a clear view of how these greenhouse students look at rules as compared to how Crey looks at them. He was sitting here on the rock while trying to slowly move his legs as his body was still half numb because of injections.

"I….am still not feeling anything in my arms. At least my legs have begun to recover, just…..a few more minutes and I would be able to at least walk. Hopefully, they will not realize my condition and come back to zero out me."

Crey began to exercise his neck and legs slowly building strength, which were still wobbling lightly. While both of his hands were lying limp on his sides, he hadn't even begun to feel anything in them which means he was far away from recovery.

Also, he sighed at the circumstances as here he was now aiming to pass the very exam, a few hours ago he was planning to fail from. All because of him…..

"Powercell, huh! The exam is not so tough if we know where to look for them particularly. Wreckage of the war, like Fallen Mechas, crumbled Exo-armors, even the large debris of mechanized vehicles or lifeless drones are the only easy locations that would be away from the center area of the island and away from active Drones' eyes. As long as students don't venture too deep in, they would be fine. I just hope that there will be enough cells so it won't end in conflict."

While Crey was grumbling to himself, slowly he got hold of his legs. He swung them a little and then smiled as he finally put them on the ground and stood up in one go.

"Ah! Good."

To his elation, he managed to stand up easily without much effort.

Crey didn't want to be a sitting duck, in any case, thus first decided to change his location before thinking about his next moves but just as he took the first step forward. His newly revived leg from the numbness of a genetic drug was not able to handle such physical exertion as he lost his stability and fell face-first onto the rough ground, helpless to even struggle with his leaden arms.

"F*ck It!....'Thump!' "

"Oi! Watch Out!"

Crey exhaled as he felt the sharp gravel on the ground stabbing onto his face and grazing a few fresh lacerations on his skin. He felt the burning of the gash and cursed the injection due to which it was all happening. But he nearly flinched away in shock hearing the words of some other man here.

He listened to the rushed footsteps to his position where he had fallen and because right now his body was kind of made of wet mud, he wasn't able to squiggle himself to the upward position to see who this man was. He patiently and helplessly waited for the man to approach him and then roll him over to let him see this new entree.

"Are you alright?"

A young face appeared in the vision of Crey, as he found the boy of hardly sixteen years, thin and small in build and overall looking extremely fragile, helping him out. He was a child!

Crey remained transfixed as he had no idea that children are too selected to undergo such harsh tests. From any angle, this fragile child doesn't seem to be a youth who could bear any amount of hardships for wanting to enter Terra Military Academy.

"Ummm...what is...?"

The boy broke the awkward silence as he couldn't hold onto this guy laying so shamelessly in his arms and staring at him with such intensity. This sentence brought Crey out of his mild surprise but other than breaking his eye contact he did nothing as he continued resting in his arms helplessly.

The young boy, named Eyas, struggled to contain his impulse of throwing away this creepy deplorable man who was still lying in his arms, which was giving him goosebumps. He quickly overcame his uneasiness and pulled the man to the sitting position as he decided to ditch this man on his feet and then run off quickly, in any case, if this elder brother is some weird pervert.

"Ok, I think you are now fine!"

Just as Eyas heaved him in a sitting position, he quickly withdrew his grip on the shoulders of the man and backed off instantly. He was about to run away but to his shock, just as he loosened his grip the man fell back on the ground with the same great force.

'Thump'..."Damn! Ouch!"

"Oh….Y-You can't move?"

Crey had closed his eyes after falling once again on gritty soil and this time hurting the back of his head from sharp pebbles. He opened them as he had finally made up his mind to take advantage of this very young and innocent-looking soul.

"Yes, as you can see I am…..in a little bit of a problem right now! So can you….."