Chapter 293: Taking the Tests Together with Lucky Lilac
The two of them quickly double-checked together, carefully comparing the densely packed lists on the notice board and repeatedly reviewing the notes in Almond Eye's notebook.
After some effort, they confirmed that, just as Almond Eye had said, aside from the mock race—which would be grouped by drawing lots on-site—the rest of their test batches were exactly the same.
"What a coincidence!"
Lucky Lilac couldn't help but exclaim, her eyes full of delight.
"I didn't expect to take so many tests together with you. It makes me feel a lot more reassured."
Her cheeks flushed slightly with excitement, like cherry blossoms in spring.
Almond Eye also couldn't hide her happiness and nodded firmly.
"Yeah, what a coincidence. Let's do our best together and try to perform at our best in every event!"
As she spoke, she raised her hand in a cheering gesture.
Lucky Lilac understood immediately and raised her hand as well, lightly clapping Almond Eye's.
"Alright, let's do our best together!"
The crisp sound of their high-five rang out clearly amid the surrounding noise, like a signal of their challenge to the exam.
After completing physical measurements such as height, weight, and lung capacity, the two chatted about their results as they walked side by side toward the first test event—the standing long jump.
At the field, clear takeoff lines and distance markings were drawn on the ground.
Several examinees were already waiting in line—some stretching their ankles, others taking deep breaths to steady themselves.
"I'm a little nervous…" Lucky Lilac murmured softly, biting her lip.
Almond Eye patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry. Just follow the rhythm we use in training. Look, everyone's nervous, but as long as we perform to our ability, it'll be fine."
Hearing this, Lucky Lilac glanced around and realized Almond Eye was right. Many of the examinees were preparing seriously, but most of them looked tense.
By comparison, Almond Eye seemed a bit calmer—though only slightly.
Lucky Lilac noticed that her new friend's arms hung by her sides, her small fists clenched tightly.
She's nervous too… and yet she's still comforting me.
A warmth spread through Lucky Lilac's heart, and at the same time, she felt herself calm down.
Soon, it was Lucky Lilac's turn.
She stood at the takeoff line, took a deep breath, bent her knees slightly, and leaned forward.
At the signal, she sprang forward like an arrow, tracing a beautiful arc through the air before landing steadily.
"Wow, that's far!"
Watching the distance Lucky Lilac had jumped, Almond Eye couldn't help but praise her, clapping enthusiastically.
Hearing the praise and applause, Lucky Lilac smiled shyly as she walked back.
"I rushed a bit just now… I could've gone a little farther. But Almond Eye, you'll probably do even better, right?"
Just as Lucky Lilac had noticed, once the actual exam began, Almond Eye did feel nervous.
But hearing the question, a spark of determination ignited within her, and she nodded firmly.
"I'll definitely give it everything I've got! Ah, it's my turn."
The examiner had already called out Almond Eye's number and name. After exchanging a nod with Lucky Lilac, she stepped up to the starting line and jumped with confidence.
The moment she landed, a wave of surprised murmurs and applause rose from around them.
Lucky Lilac's jump had already been impressive, but Almond Eye's result was just a little farther, equally outstanding.
Far from feeling discouraged after being surpassed by Almond Eye, Lucky Lilac instead clapped enthusiastically and exclaimed:
"Almond Eye, you're amazing!"
Almond Eye had been feeling a little proud from the praise and applause around her, but hearing Lucky Lilac's words made her a bit embarrassed.
"I did say I'd give it my all… so jumping that far should be… pretty normal, right?"
Trying to sound modest, she quickly changed the subject:
"Anyway, time's tight—let's head to the next event."
Lucky Lilac smiled inwardly at Almond Eye's somewhat awkward modesty, sensing that her new friend probably had quite a strong competitive spirit.
But she didn't say anything, simply following along as they moved to the next test.
Next was the vertical jump test.
A tall measuring pole stood at the center of the field, marked with height indicators.
Once again, Lucky Lilac went first. She stood beneath the pole, bent her knees slightly, then leaped upward powerfully, stretching her arm high and tapping a notably high mark with her fingertips.
"Wow!" the surrounding examinees exclaimed in admiration.
Not to be outdone, when it was Almond Eye's turn, she loosened her wrists and ankles, adjusted her breathing, and then jumped with full force.
Her form was light and agile—at the peak of her leap, she seemed as if she might break through the sky itself. The height she reached was just as impressive as Lucky Lilac's.
The two exchanged smiles, their eyes reflecting mutual recognition.
Next came the barbell squat test.
The barbell was placed on a specialized rack, with adjustable weights based on each examinee's condition.
Lucky Lilac stepped forward, firmly gripping the bar with both hands and lowering herself into a squat. Every movement was precise and smooth.
Her leg muscles were taut, showcasing her strength.
Almond Eye watched carefully from the side, nodding occasionally. When it was her turn, she stepped up, took a deep breath, recalled her training, and lifted the barbell onto her shoulders.
Though it felt difficult at first, she quickly applied the techniques taught by Makoto and Kitasan Black, pushing through to complete the required repetitions.
As she strained through it, Lucky Lilac kept cheering her on:
"Almond Eye, you can do it! Keep going! You've got this!"
During the plank endurance test, both of them demonstrated remarkable stamina.
They held themselves off the ground using their elbows and feet, maintaining straight body lines.
As time ticked by, other examinees began to give out one after another—but Almond Eye and Lucky Lilac continued to grit their teeth and endure.
Sweat dripped from their foreheads onto the ground, yet their eyes remained unwavering.
In the end, both achieved excellent results. They glanced at each other, seeing both exhaustion and pride reflected in each other's eyes.
In the pull-up test, Lucky Lilac gripped the horizontal bar tightly and pulled herself up repeatedly.
Though not particularly fast, each repetition was perfectly executed.
Watching her, Almond Eye silently encouraged herself.
When it was her turn, she leaped up, grabbed the bar, and began her own pull-ups with effort.
It was difficult at first, but thinking of Lucky Lilac's performance, she clenched her teeth and pushed through, eventually achieving a solid count.
Finally came the sit-and-reach test, which measured flexibility.
Lucky Lilac sat before the apparatus, legs extended straight, bending forward gradually and reaching as far as she could to push the measuring slider.
Her flexibility was exceptional—the slider reached an astonishing distance.
Almond Eye was no less impressive. Taking a deep breath, she slowly leaned forward, extending her hands little by little, ultimately achieving an equally excellent result.
One by one, the tests came to an end.
And after each event, the two of them couldn't help but marvel at each other's outstanding performances.