Chapter 225: 225. A trick up the sleeve!
[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel (Middle Row) - Friday 3:05 p.m.]
Another 84 have dropped out, continuing the run with with 435 examinees.
"Great, we've reached around 35 kilometers. But so many people have given up.... what can the rest of such people to to whenever they reach the second test." Wondered Hideki, confused. "Well certainly many people will fall for the trap, if we look at the state now, we were probably correct in assuming that 70% of people will already drop out in the first test. However, we should be ready and precise, we're almost at 40 kilometers mark, from there onward, things might even get tougher, that's at least the way for us to safely assume..." Claimed Midori, running next to the rest. "Wouldn't it be more understandable that 50 kilometer mark is when something else might come in our way, as an obstacle or something?" Kanji believed and was quite sturdy with his stamina. "Yes, it's expected, but we'll have to figure it our for ourselves...." Claimed Kylin, calm and ready for the next obstacles that might be dropped on them. "Shin, any luck on how many people are still ahead of us, ready to continue and don't seem to be somewhat tired?" Wondered Codey, worried that Tim and others are going to be put in danger for the upcoming obstacle that Hideki believes there to be.
"They are doing just fine, your allies. There are a couple hundreds ahead of us still, they seem to be doing it pretty well. Then again, many of them are slowly going to drop out and we'll soon reach them. Just look, the tunnel is not as crowded as before, so we're safe to assume that we'll come in view with your friends in at least 300 meter radius...." Explained Shin, being quite aware of the surroundings. "I mean, nobody thought about traps, only the ones at the front are pretty much aware about such illusions that are seeable merely by a few hundreds. Despite that, I still am worried that Tim and the rest will proceed to the incorrect solution. We should push ourselves to catch up, of course. But maybe we might come a bit closer...." Sighed Codey, scared. "Well. Yes, but then again, just look how much far we must go.... we're slowly getting quite tired, nor just that, speeding up will just make us get stressed more and we might never be even able to reach the front or the end.... we have to keep our stamina higher than we think, I don't think there will be any breaks after the first test, so we should keep as much stamina as possible, or one of us, if not more - will for sure drop out...."
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel (Front Row) - Friday 3:10 p.m.]
"35 kilometers. another 65 kilometers and we'll be finished....." Smiled Yasu, happy to understand that there might soon be an end. "Don't get too excited. We're almost at 50 kilometer mark, another 14 and we'll probably get something that might stop us, once again." Explained Ayuka, focused on their length, to how far they've come. "What? Are you really that desperate that there will be something different at 50 kilometer mark?" Wondered Yasu. "Just what the hell are you talking about?" Yutaku wondered, a bit worried. "I never said I'm desperate that it may come true. But, to how we're moving right now. It's a bit weird and confusing. The examiner, he's constantly moving at the same pace, people are waiting for him to speed up, but there has yet been a moment for him to speed up." Ayuka believed. "Sometimes, you think into these stuff too deep, I know you're concerned for the upcoming event, but how can you think that there is going to be something wrong or different at 50 kilometer mark. And that's just by looking at how fast he's been moving...?" Tim wondered, looking at Ayuka. "It's quite simple. Demons tend to be quite fast, definetly superior to an average human speed, we're bound to hunt down Demons and erase them, if a Demon is forced to run, it won't slow down.... remember, the next test is coordination test. And what's a bit suspicious about it.... I mean, it could just be convenience. But don't you think they'd look and thing further into this exam. Look at the lineups." Claimed Ayuka and the rest have listened.
"As we know, the first test is running, we're underground, correct? Well, the second one is coordination test, to when we'll probably be put out on the opened and an outside area. To get there, we're following examiner, however, if the coordination tests is up to us, I bet we'll have to do it ourselves, why would we continue to follow him if the test is called 'corrdination'. Then, third test, is cooking. I believe the test will provide us with information to what we cook, however - who would we cook for, for none other than another examiner or somebone. Furthermore, the cooking test is probably something that involves coordination, we won't just get free ingiridents to cook, but we'll probably need to hunt for something. Then, as soon as we're finished with cooking, it's the mountain exam. It's probably most understandable that we won't go climbin on an empty stomach, fifth is the scout of nature, once we climb the mountain, we're at hight grounds, we'll probably have a massive lookout over nature, once we're done with the scout test, there is a team cooperation test, we'll probably get a reason to of why we'll need to cooperate with each other, and once we're done with that, the final one is, dueling exam..... now, for the last thought and high expectations, I believe and are safe to assume, we might not even be let to eat, the exam is probably going to take for at least 3 days plus. Hunting down means, focusing on your target, for until you don't catch it, so there won't be much food time to organize ourselves with...." Explained Ayuka.
"So, to be perfectly sure - you're trying to tell us that this exam is build like a tower, progress one floor, move to the second one. So basically a chain that is build the way that people will have perfect understandings. Creatfuly, continuing to the top and the end, and so that this test is organized.... it does make sense... hm....." Tim wondered, looking ahead. "Yes, a chain is a great way to describe it, they are not trying to kill us at all, but they won't help us either, if we're on the verge of death, either falling off a mountain or getting eaten by a Demon. But, I don't perfectly understand the Demon part..... would they just capture many Demons to use them as for their exam?" Tim wondered. "No, I believe those Demons are wild and examiners have no control over them, that's what coordination test is pretty much a survival test, it described it as 'survival test' on the web, that's how Kanji claimed." Answered Ayuka. "That's something. However, to when you've said about the 'obstacle' at 50 kilometer mark, more or less... do you believe that..." Ayuka entered before he finished. "Yes. That the 50 kilometer stop point, or less, might have something to do with survival and coordination, just preparations." Explained Ayuka, carefuly and clearly. "Man, this crap is getting all over my perfect brains. But seriously, why do they make such a stupid test if people will just continue following the examiner?" Wondered Yutaku, annoyed and disappointed. "Examiners won't always be around us and people, we'll be put to be alone. What happens to us, after exam, that's one of their buisness. We die, it's our fault. We get injured. It's our fault. After all, after the exam, we're alone, going solo, if you understand. They won't be there to support us, basically..... they are testing our orientation, either we can believe the examiner, or we follow our own instincts....." To when Ayuka explained, others agreed to it as well.
"Yes..... and as for now.... everything seems fine...." Answered Tim.
- A couple of minutes has passed -
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel (Middle Row) - Friday 3:46 p.m.]
Everybody has reached 40 kilometer mark by now, and another 36 people have dropped out from the short time it passed.
"And we've just dropped below 400 examinees. Only 399 of us are still left....." Annoyingly thought Kanji, worried. "It only passed around 35 minutes. It feels as if every minute, 1 or 2 have fallen.... and there doesn't seem to be any other obstacles just yet, so we're safe to assume, that it will come at 50 kilometer point..." Claimed Kylin. "It sure seems so..." Midori sighed. "Are we really that worried about one obstacle?" Annoyingly wondered Eguchi. "Man, you're constantly complaining. Assassins sure are dumb as hell." Codey spoke. "Oh yeah? Just look at you, you killer Demon!" Yelled Eguchi annoyed. "I'm not a Demon, besides... if I was merely a Demon. I'd already go attack you! As you can see, I am a human morstly!" Codey shouted in anger. "Who the hell cares! You're still dumb and pitiful, tsch...." Yelled Eguchi. "Man, this 'assassin' is going to get on my nerves, why have you brought him with you, Octavius?" Wondered Codey, annnoyed in anger. ".... I guess I was hoping that he would not be such a coward..." "Who are you calling a coward, Octavius!" Shouted Eguchi, facing back to the front. "Watch ahead...." When Sakami spoke, Eguchi noticed a man lying on the floor, as he jumped over. "See, you'd trip if she didn't warn you...." Sighed Octavius. "What does that got to do anything with coward?" But no comment or answer was brought. "Tsch... whatever, hell... I'll just focus on running..."
- 1 hour later -
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel (Front Row) - Friday 5:03 p.m.]
The front row has already reached 50 kilometer and not long for them to be caught by an obstacle.
"Haven't we just reached 50 kilometers? I don't see any stupid obstacles!" Worriyingly asked Yutaku. "Yeah, and what's more surprising, the examiner has sped up by a decent amount! Another 48 people have dropped out, just because of how slow they are!" Yelled Yasu, worriyingly and everybody was becoming extremely tired. "This is not safe at all.... another 50 kilometers with this pace? Are you joking? Even a Spiritual Duelist can barely handle this!" Yelled Yutaku, breathing. "Stop complaining and run! Unless of course, you wish to fail the exam and try it next year." Tim called, he seemed to be keeping his stamina sturdy. "How the hell are you keeping your stamina at such a low depletion? Where is logic in that?! We're running at around 9 kilometer per hour!!" Called Yutaku, confused. "That's because I'm not constantly bragging about how far and how much there is yet to withstand! Besides! As you can see, we have other problems ahead!" Tim called. The rest of them faced at to where he pointed, when each of them becane shocked. "Two directions?! Are you joking? But an examiner is only one!!" Annoyingly asked Yutaku. "Like I told you an hour ago! Examiner is there just to lead us, but no clue if he is leading us to the finish line or to the trap!" Called Ayuka, annoyingly. "Still! How are we supposed to know which direction to go???" Kazuko added, worried and a bit suspect. "The opposite of where the examiner is going." Tim sighed. "What! We're gonna end up lost! How the hell do you know if there are any other obstacles on the opposite path that examiner is going to go?!"
"I don't! But this is preparations to see, either we trust our instincts, or do we trust a man, who we not know!" Tim waited and multiple examinees continued to complain. "Everybody is on a massive massacre. They got no idea what's going to happen!" Yasu added. "Well, additionally. I would probably follow this examiner if I wasn't thinking straight.... but I know, he's probably trying to trick people, they might indeed test how people act." Claimed Tim. "But what if he is trying to trick is in multiple ways? What if he's actually wanting us to believe that he is going the wrong way, but he isn't?" Wondered Yutaku. "Then we're probably going to die. But, if I must trust, either him or myself... I'm going with myself.... you do whatever you want." Shouted Tim, when going right, for the other people, the rest of them continued to follow examiner on the left. Yutaku stopped and was trying to think while people were running past them, left. "This is so unbearable! What am I suppose to do!" Wondered Yutaku, crying out loud. Kazuko passed him by. "Go after examiner if you wish to die! I think I'm going with Tim on this one, loser!" Kazuko yelled and ran right, after Tim, Ayuka and Yasu. "Aw come on! Fine, you bitch! But if I die because of a guy like him, then screw everything!" Shouted Yutaku and ran right.
"I really hope this is the right way, Tim." Spoke Yasu, worried. "Don't worry. You can trust me, this must be the wy, no doubt about it...."
To be continued...
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Obb_Verse
Obb_Verse Arc: The Dueling Exam: 11
- Character Biology -
Name: Ikehara Hideki
Age: 17
Height: 175 centimeters
Race: Spiritual Duelist (1)
Ginken stages: 1 (currently known)
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Beige
Kinetic Type: Hydro (Water)
Spiritual Control: Manipulation
[NEXT: Chapter 226: ???]