Unclassified; Zero and Still Standing

Chapter 70: The Trade.

Soraya checked her watch the moment she was released from the ground.

The screen was completely damaged from being crushed underground.

She frowned.

"Scale." Roshan said with an outstretched palm.

Soraya took one from her pocket and handed it over.

"Next member." She said.

Squad 11-B’s Earth User pried his fingers forcefully through the air, as if ripping it apart, in the direction of Carrots.

The ground loosened around her.

She pushed herself up before he finished, landing so hard on her feet the earth beneath cracked.

The boy chuckled.

She stared daggers at him before going to stand by her squad leader like a bodyguard.

Soraya handed Roshan another Scale.

Another squad member was released.

It went on this way until they were all out.

Patricia glanced around.

"See what happens when we all work together? No unnecessary violence." She said with a polite smile.

No one returned it.

Her gaze settled on Yesu. And her smile faded.

"I never knew you were a class D member." She said plainly.

Yesu studied her from head to toe.

"Never knew you’d take part in an ambush."

Patricia’s smile returned.

"Trials are really something, aren’t they?"

Yesu gave her head a tilt.

"I think I’m just about to find out."

Patricia chuckled softly.

"That’s right. You’ve just recently transferred. I can imagine Zeros wouldn’t have any need for these things where you’re from."

Yesu looked at everyone and everything around them, taking it all in. Then she faced Patricia again.

"Thank goodness they don’t."

It was more of an observation than a comeback.

Patricia raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"They?"

Her tone carried a hint of mockery.

"That’s enough." Roshan interrupted gently, eyes on Patricia. "We’ve acquired our Scales for the day."

He jingled the small pouch where he had kept all ten Scales Soraya had traded with.

"Let’s head to base." He said.

Soraya and her squad stood watching with hard expressions.

James leaned toward her.

"We can’t just let them take it." He whispered.

Soraya’s gaze never left Roshan.

"Wait." She said quietly.

Squad 11-D glanced at each other knowingly.

One or two nodded in understanding.

11-B had started leaving.

Some disappeared into the trees from which they had come while others simply walked away.

Roshan smiled cockily at Soraya one last time before facing forward.

Soraya gritted her teeth, eyes narrowed, already in fighting stance.

"Grover now."

One of her squad members took a step.

And then zoomed towards Roshan.

In the blink of an eye, the pouch containing the Scales had been snatched.

Grover vanished into the forest before the act could register.

Several Physical Class students from 11-B reacted instantly.

Leaves exploded from the treetops as they launched themselves after him.

One of them dropped from a branch and shot through the woods at frightening speed.

Roshan and Patricia turned back.

"Run." Soraya ordered without a glance at her squad.

James obeyed immediately.

Two others followed.

Farida remained frozen to the spot.

Reggie hesitated.

Carrots rolled up her sleeves. She stayed exactly where she was.

Yesu had already stepped forward. Positioning herself between them and 11-B without even seeming to realize it.

Finch stood beside her.

Soraya looked at them all. Then nodded once.

Roshan sighed.

"I never thought you could pull a stunt like that." He said. "And after all that talk of business."

Soraya smiled. Her gaze settled on Patricia.

"Trials are really something, aren’t they?" She quoted.

Patricia smiled back.

"That’s too bad. Here I was hoping we’d all skip the fighting until tomorrow." She said in reply.

Carrots cracked her knuckles.

"I know your type very well." She said. "That sweetness of yours reeks."

Roshan ignored her.

"Call Grover back." He told Soraya. "Then we won’t have to resort to other measures."

Soraya appeared to consider it.

Then she produced her walkie talkie.

Her squad members blinked.

She pressed the button.

"Grover..." freёweɓnovel.com

Silence.

Then Soraya smiled coldly.

"Keep running."

Her squad stared at her with new eyes.

"Don’t stop until I say so." Soraya’s attention remained on Roshan. "Over."

Then she lowered the device.

Roshan nodded slowly. Then shrugged.

"Seems we’re doing this."

Soraya took her stance.

Patricia looked genuinely confused. "You really want to fight us?"

Soraya didn’t answer.

Patricia straightened. "Well in that case..."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Suffer."

The word left her lips without emphasis.

Then without warning—

11-D groaned in pain.

Cries rang out.

Hands clutched heads.

Stomachs.

Legs.

Everywhere.

Farida collapsed first with a shout.

Carrots hit one knee.

Soraya folded at the waist.

Yesu dropped onto both knees and stared at her trembling hands.

They were slowly becoming steady. She folded them.

Reggie shook violently. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed in deep concentration.

Veins bulged beneath his skin.

Then he stood.

And took one step.

Then another.

And another.

Soon he was marching directly toward Patricia.

"Unfortunately for your Ability..." he said through gritted teeth. "Mine is the perfect counter."

Patricia blinked.

"Pain Resistance." Reggie was getting closer. His veins still stood out

Patricia’s eyes widened at that moment.

But not because of him.

Because of someone behind him.

Yesu.

She had risen.

Her body swayed once.

Twice.

As though shaking something loose.

Then her gaze locked onto Patricia.

And she ran.

Not jogged.

Ran.

She shot past Reggie.

Reggie halted in shock.

Patricia’s eyes widened further as she got nearer.

But before Yesu could reach her—

Roshan ripped a slab of earth from the ground.

The rock flew.

It struck Yesu squarely.

The impact launched her sideways.

She slammed into a tree with a sickening crack.

Reggie seized the opportunity.

He tackled Patricia.

Both crashed into the ground.

Her hold on the squad vanished instantly.

Finch reacted without hesitation.

A violent blast of wind erupted from his hands.

Roshan was hurled into the air.

Fire exploded from Roshan’s palms in controlled haste.

Like rocket thrusters.

He stabilized himself and landed. Then spread both arms.

A wave of flames surged forward.

Farida forced herself upright.

And fire answered fire.

Her own flames collided with Roshan’s.

But her flames were no match.

She held for only a moment before beginning to lose ground.

Finch attacked again.

A powerful gust of wind slammed sideways into Roshan.

This time he was thrown far from Patricia.

Reggie still had Patricia pinned.

And Carrots was already charging toward them. Face red with fury.

Roshan moved first.

The earth beneath Reggie and Carrots rose violently.

Both were thrown aside.

At the same moment, the ground beneath Patricia opened.

She sank instantly.

Roshan followed.

The earth swallowed him too.

Then it closed.

And they were gone.

The members of 11-D stared at the empty patch of forest.

Nobody moved for a second.

Then Finch bolted toward the tree Yesu had been hurled into.

The rock lay nearby.

Yesu lay motionless beside it.

"Yesu!" He shouted.

The squad rushed over.

Finch slid to his knees.

There was a splash of blood on her gut.

He reached behind her head and gently lifted it.

Then froze.

Slowly, he brought his hand back.

Blood.

Lots of it.

The rest behind him recoiled in shock.