"HELLO MISS, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU REGARDING YOUR CAR'S EXTENDED WARRANTY!"
Saying that, Rowayne leapt sideways.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Screech~
Crash~
The car narrowly missed the student.
"No need to thank me, but you are welcome."
"Umm…" the girl was still processing what just happened.
After all, it's not every day that you see a bird become a girl and try to scam a rash driver, because that's how she remembered it happening just now.
Rowayne continued, seemingly unaware of her inner turmoil.
"You shouldn't stand like an idio— a frightened cat when someone's trying to run over you though. After all, it's not every day that some dazzling knight without armour—"
She said the next part in a low voice, "like me."
Then continued in her normal tone, "—swoops in and saves the day."
"I wasn't standing there like an idiot," the girl tried to retort, just to be cut off by Rowayne.
"I was waiting for the moment it gets close enough for me to jump on it and then throw the driver after climbing onto the car's roof or something similar?"
"How… how did you know?"
"Because that's exactly what an idiot would do," she added a second later. "Try to climb up a car running at approx. 23-ish km/h."
"It's doable."
"Only if you get the timing right."
Saying that, she turned and started walking away.
According to Aracnav (very original name), the academy's official navigation app, there was a parking lot ahead.
"There should be some vehicles left."
"Why exactly are you following me?"
"You said it yourself, didn't you? I might not find another dazzling knight without armour."
She shrugged.
"So might as well stick with the one I got."
"And how do you know I won't kill you?"
"You could have killed me back then."
"Flawed logic, but fair enough," Rowayne said, and resumed walking.
The girl then asked curiously, "And how do you know I wouldn't kill you?"
"I don't, but—"
She let the words hang in the air before adding seriously, "If you do stab me in the back, I will simply think you got no balls to face me head-on and no honour for stabbing your benefactor."
"...Did anyone ever tell you that you are too full of yourself?"
"My lady, I am a loner. I don't have friends."
They reached the parking lot silently after that.
"So mind telling me what your passive is? I mean, you saw mine, and if you intend to follow, it's better to know each other a bit."
Asked Rowayne curiously, mostly curious about what kind of gift passive effect would give someone confidence to try to climb a speeding car.
"Sure, my passive lets me regenerate myself and heal minor injuries of anyone who makes direct physical contact with me."
"So a healer, huh. Useful."
"Anyway, get on."
Rowayne said, pulling out a motorbike.
"Also keep navigation on. I'd rather not get lost in this labyrinth of roads and alleyways."
Vroom~ vroom~
"Take left."
"Into the alleyway?"
"Seems like it."
"Now a right."
"Okay."
As Rowayne and the girl navigated through the streets and alleyways, they eventually had to stop, because right in front of them was a huge wall. The wall was smooth, with no foothold for climbing.
"So the only option left is to find a gate."
"Where is the entrance?"
"Apparently, the wall encases the whole area, and the only way to get in is to semicircle the area since the gate is on the other side. We can travel via the six-lane road that runs alongside the walls."
"Hmm."
Rowayne sped up, joining the road.
All around him were vehicles of different sizes racing towards the same destination.
As time passed, it became progressively chaotic. It was hard to hear anything but horns of various vehicles; trucks were naturally the loudest.
There were some students driving in zig-zag motion, but it was unknown whether it was by choice or poor driving skills.
Many people could be seen crashing here and there. Rowayne had so far skillfully manoeuvred past them, but for how long she could continue to do so remained to be seen.
"FUCK IT! Hey, can you drive?"
"Probably? I mean, I did get a good score on simulations."
"Okay, good. Now let's switch."
"Huh?"
Saying that, Rowayne leapt sideways, slamming onto the hood of a car that was coming towards them.
The driver tried to wave Rowayne off, but she held on and punched the windshield.
BANG.
Once.
Bang.
Twice.
Bang bang bang bang bang.
She kept punching.
"It's not working."
So she changed the approach, trying to climb the rooftop.
The car had somehow still stayed on the road; it did, however, cause many other vehicles to destabilise by bumping into them hazardously.
Rowayne climbed onto the roof. The driver had changed tactics from simply waving to speeding.
Rowayne crawled towards the driver's side window and—
Bang.
Punched once.
Bang bang bang bang.
"Well, this isn't working either."
So she simply punched the roof.
This time there was a small dent. Combined effort of her body weight and the punch—it wasn't big, but it made the driver panic and crash into another car.
Throwing Rowayne off.
[Form Shift]
This small scuffle had lasted for the last 400 meters, meaning they were already at their destination.
But car hitting the car caused a chain reaction which led to accidents, in which—
The girl got caught.
Boom.
A few cars exploded; the black smoke caused by the explosion made it hard to see things.
Rowayne saw some silhouettes blur past her, probably instructors ensuring the safety of crash participants.
Then she saw the girl coming out of the explosion, her burnt skin healing at an explosive rate.
She ran to the girl to ask if she was alright.
"I am fine."
"Are you sure? You tanked an explosion almost at point blank."
"YES, and thank you for reminding me that I TANKED that explosion. You see, I was too busy being burnt alive to notice."
"You didn't tell me your healing was that strong."
"Because it isn't. This is a second effect that takes a whole month to recharge, and thanks to the chaos a certain someone created, I lost it in the very first phase of the examination."
"Haha," laughed Rowayne nervously.
Now that she was healed, Rowayne looked at her—I mean, really looked at her, not the precursory glance she gave people.
She had silver-gold hair and bright emerald eyes.
"Hey, what's your name, if you don't mind me asking?"
The girl hesitated for a second before answering, "Annie. And yours?"
"Rowayne."
"What kind of name is that?"
"A made-up one. Came up with it myself."
She made an "O" shape with her mouth.
"Anyway, let's go. We only have about two minutes left and fifty meters to cover."
"Right."
They both turned towards the massive gate.
But right as they took a single step inside the gate, they felt different.
The most noticeable change from within—
Thump~ thump~ thump~
The sound of heartbeat could be heard; it came from their own chests.
The air was different. It felt like it was tickling the nerves.
Their bodies wouldn't move, as if the ground they were standing on was made of mud.