章 227: 227. Examiner's impostorous sensation.
[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Top - Friday 11:59 p.m.]
The most of the examinees from the earlier's stop point managed to get to the top, exactly 5% of the people who were examinees reached the peak of the tunnel, but for now, Ayuka and the rest await patiently for Tim, Hideki and Midori's arrival.
"Do you... do you think they made it?" Yasu, horribly worried, waiting outside in front of the forest with the rest of the examinees. "They must of have." Claimed Codey, facing ahead. "Yeah... but.... our calculations.... if they don't arrive in the next minute.... they won't be able to continue...." Kanji, hoping that they made it stared at the down staircase, subtle and as quiet as it could be. "Hmm... I guess only 5% of us made it... guess we just gotta wait for our next examiner to provide us with information to move." Claimed an examinee. ("How - interesting... would they really befall right at the end gap.... ah.... to bad, guess I won't believe much. Althought..... I don't think I must worry to lose my sight on them.... so - on turning.") Smiled Kyou, thinking aloud in his mind. "How convenient exaclty 50 of us made it.... so, perfect, I may as well taste the end...." Giggled the red hair girl. "Don't swarm too much about.... we're still not finished, few might still come to top." There was another adult femenine, red hair but quite long. "Ah, and who must you be?" Wondered the girl. "I am Kusomoto Kaori. A Spiritual Duelist.... and you are?" Kaori wondered, confused. "Ah! Of course, such precious name. Oh, but to your question. I am Yamasaki Ume, pleasure to meet you." Smiled Ume, holding her guitar on the back. "But do tell me please. What makes you believe there will be any more of the examinees passing by?" Ume wondered, leaning herself backward. "I believe that a few of those duelists are precisely well skilled, I believe at least another one will make it." Explained Kaori.
"Only one more? Hmm.... but there is only 30 seconds....." Giggled Ume. "Don't let the time bother you.... in fact, make sure to never underestimate your opponents or allies, they might end up above you in some cases, that I have witnessed to my own likings..." Explained Kaori. "Yet again, you speak about something I couldn't care less.... either way - if you're so sure of some coming through, what do you think they carry? Something, special, potential? Or something that just makes you hope for their arrival?" Ume thought. "None of those. However, I did manage to figure out some people who might be coming through this doorway and second now.... despite that, you can see, everybody is waiting patiently, seem like they have higher hopes than they'd like. It's just instinctive thoughts, I believe-" Explained Kaori. "Oh all right then, let it be.... but 20 seconds remain..." Ume finally faced back toward the doorway, waiting for others to come.
"I don't think. I don't think they made it...." Kanji thought, worried. "Oh, screw you and your muttering! I know they made it, you just wait, they'll come up in perfect moment, you just watch!" Claimed Codey, annoyed and facing to the side. "....15.... seconds remaining..." Kylin quietly spoke. "Come on, they promised us, all of us will make it!" Ayuka called, and so the 11 seconds came by.
Down the stairs, three shadows hurled forward, the light from the tunnel bestowed upon the team, when Ayuka, Kanji, Kylin, Octavius, Eguchi, Codey, Sakami, Yasu, Shin, Shoji, Yutaku, Kazuko, Kyou all made a smile. ("Ah, there they are... cool and great...)" Sora thought and smiled. "There they are!" Called Codey, waving with his arms up and down. "Tim, Hideki, Midori!" Kanji smiled and soon the three of them made a precious smile, waving their palm and stepping outside of the tunnel. "Guess it was all worth it, eh?" Laughed Hideki and soon the examiner, waiting in the distance smiled and crossed his arms. "See, just as I told you, at least one will still come..." Claimed Kaori to which Ume smiled. "Oh well... Guess 53 is still a decent number." Giggled Ume, scratching the top of her head. ("As I expected.....") Kyou licked his lips ready and waiting for the examiner to explain himself.
"Hey! Good to see you again!" Smiled Midori. As Tim and the other two faced them, they noticed and claimed surprise. "That's less than 60.... I guess the end of the first test, really screwed them over, huh?!" Tim asked, scratching his head. "Yeah. But what matters is that you've made it to the second test!" Ayuka smiled. "But of course, I never break promises, unless it's forceful." Tim smiled, being quiet happy to when another man tried to come out. "I'm there! I'm out!" Shouted the man, but the rest of the examinees faced and as the man was about to exit, the wall shut and his eyes widened, he was slammed and trapped at mere end. "That's so dumb... he was right at the end and they just didn't let him pass through...." Tim said, quite annoyed and disppointed at what they've witnessed.
The examiner stood before the crowd watching forward. "53.... that's more than we expected...." Claimed examiner when the successfuly examinees faced through. "Well then. I guess there is no time for a break. Let me introduce myself first. I am your next examiner and my name is Kudora Kichiro. I will be your guide on the next test." However, Kyou seemed to be a bit suspect of the guy, smiling. ("Kudora Kichiro? Hm.... that's something....") He thought, while the rest continued to think.
"On the number that I counted, neither of us from examiners could expect over 3% of examinees to pass, but I guess, that's quite high - duo to how many people have wandered into a wrong direction.... you see, the examiner guided them to a dead zone, it's where most of the people die. Everybody here who successfuly reached this point - I'm quite aware you got what it takes to be awarded Dueling Licenses, yet however, you knew that the next test is coordination, pretty much orientation. So, to be successful, we prepared two of the paths, left and the right, as you're all pretty much aware, coordination test, tests your orientation without a guide, so to make you prepared for this, we put a small test, simmilar to our current one, in the first test, the 100 kilometer run. To the ones who've read correct, the website claimed and explained that there is 100 kilometers to run by, however, the examiner who brought people to the wrong direction, told you about 150 kilometers, the 50 kilometer mark is where the dead zone is. As you know, those who have will of knowledge, power and intelligence, they are the ones who may pass, the ones who do not trust their instincts do not have rights to call themselves a Duelist, especially not a Spiritual Duelist." Explained Kichiro.
"So, now that you know, let me explain the rules about this second test. This test will efficiently test your orientiation as we've said many of times. The goal to finish this test is to simply find your way through the Fortune Forest, you must reach the Fortune Keeping Point, that's where the next test will await you. As before, you are not allowed to kill each other, but you are allowed to use any types of techniques... as for flight, that is not allowed." Soon as Kichiro spoke so, Codey became unamused. "Can I please get a challenge to where I am ABLE to use my abilities?" He boringly spoke. "While in Fortune Forest, you will be put into the darkness and mist, that's what you will see, for your targets, there won't be any, but there will be foes that will try to attack you. Because we do not have any control on these exorcists.... we won't be able to help you - to make it a bit 'safer' I'll be a guide and you'll have to follow me as far as you may... but do be aware, once you get lost, you're all on your own." Claimed Kichiro. "So, whenever you're ready... please, let us begin." Spoke Kichiro, however, just then.
"Ah! Before we begin, may I support a few questions for others?" Wondered Kyou, stepping in front. "...The hell is he up to now...?" Tim wondered. "What's your questions?" "Ah, not much - it's about you and our examiner." In that moment, the rest became confused. "What the hell is he talking about?" An examinee asked. "You said your name was Kudora Kichiro, correct? And your introduction to rules, it was quite simplified..... to when I was reading some amazing and immersive chat loggings on the web, I've came to a web to where all 7 examiners were introduced.... but on the second test, there was no name that goes with Kudora Kichiro...." Claimed Kyou, reaching for his cards. ("Are those cards? Seriously, what Ginken is he actually using?") Tim wondered, quite confused. "So what is your point, examinee?" Wondered Kichiro. "One more mistake.... usually, when an examiner talks to a singular examinee, they call them by their numbers... you just called me an examinee, not by my number, which is clearly seen to be 25.... right here, you see..." Smiled Kyou. Kichiro fell to a worry. "Who the hell are you, an examinee should not bother in such contacts, please if you stop giving ideas to the rest and stop, we must get to the third test." Answered Kichiro, rather intimidating. "Now, now... no need to be so rushy.... let me give you another heads up.... when claiming and making sure about our examiners, the only name that was simmilar to yours, was Kudora Kichira, but you call yourself with an 'O'. And I believe, nobody should have trouble pronouncing their own names, am I right?" From that moment, Kichiro became more and more worried, stressed. "Next, an examiner doesn't wear merely daily clothes, in fact is job-minded clothes.... even your teammate, what should I call him... ahh our first examiner.... he too did not fear a proper suit.... in fact, a proper examiner was not supposed to let examinees into a trap? What would be the point of this test if over hundreds of lives were lost. Your partners and you, and who knows, additional examiners might be trying to get rid of us.... you're worried that we will hunt you down, isn't that right, Demon?" At that moment, Kichiro became shocked. "Oh yeah. Now that he mentions it... there was no name that went by Kudora Kichiro...." Claimed Kaori becoming more serious.
"However, if some of the examinees were to pass through your first trap, you awaited here, ready to stall them and bring them to another death zone, and there is many of them in this misty forest.... and when the first examiner spoke about 150 kilometer instead of 100 kilometer, an examiner has no rights to lie about it... so this answers my thoughts, you two were not actually examiners, but were a bunch of 'Demons' who have the will and power, to transform their bodies." "No! That's not right! Don't go lying to other examiners you moron!" Yelled Kichiro. "All to what you've said is pure lie! Who do you think you are, trying to put others with lies?!" It was clear that Kichiro was lying. "If it's not true to what I say, why are you sweating?" Kyou smiled, opening his palm and showing cards between his fingers. "That's just because...." However no comment. "No action taking, eh? Ah, how defenseless.... may your service be of failure.... now, Demon, we shall eliminate you, all right." Claimed Kyou. "Is he actually serious? Does two were not correct examiners???" Worryingly asked Kanji, gulping. "You searched deep into it and you never read examiner's names? How dumb of you!" Called Codey, complaining. "S-sorry, I didn't think we'd need to look, I believed their introduction would be merely uneeded for us to know, apart from when they introduce themselves." Kanji thought.
"You must be kidding! Are you just going to believe this insolent?!" Asked Kichiro walking back. "Wait. Who are you anyway?" Wondered Kichiro. "My name is Muto Kyou.... that's as far as you'll get my introduction..."
"Wait... Kyou, who you call yourself.... if this is a fake examiner, where is the proper one?" Kaori wondered. "Ah, about that.... I believe he's quite resty at the moment..." Kyou claimed, facing at the rocky wall, the moment he faced it, Kichiro became worried. "That rock wall? Are you kidding?" Wondered Ume, gigglish. "Go check it...." Smiled Kyou, when he spoke, Shin stepped forward and used his Terra Abilities to create a hole of smaller rubbles, discovering a human, tied up and taped around his mouth. The examinees became quite shocked. The guy was screaming, trying to talk, when another examinee pulled off the tape. "He's an impostor, hurry up and get rid of him!" Shouted the examiner. "Damn you! No way! He is an imposto-" But before Kichiro called, Kyou threw the sharp cards into the Examiner's face, killing the impostor, as he dropped down. Kaori and a couple of other examinees untied the Kichira. "I suppose our lovely foe and ally at the same time, knew just exactly what was going on...." Claimed Shin, thoughtful. "Who'd knew we were following an impostor this entire time... so this means those traps were not set by the real examiners....." Kylin spoke, quite concerned.
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Top - Saturday 12:05 a.m.]
"I am quite gratefuly to your information, lending to the rest examiness...." Claimed Kichira, fixing his clothes. "I am sorry that you were all put into such horrible events...." Answered Kichira. "Ah, no problem'o. But may I ask. How were you knocked down, aren't you one of most skilled duelists on this Planet?" Wondered Kyou, quite interested. "They caught us while off our guards.... they put these chains on us that did not allow us to use any of our techniques.... well, that was for me.... I believe, the rest of the examiners are fine...." Explained Kichira.
"....Of course.... that describes that feeling in the morning.... that dark aura that the examiner released at us..... this is why so many were put to fear..." Tim claimed.
"Oh.... right.... only the ones who have an isolated spirit of darkness, or any type of shadow in them, may provide such power....."
Codey thought, when the nods were put.... but finally..
53 examinees successfuly completed the first trial and test....
To be continued...
クリエイターの想い 
Obb_Verse
Obb_Verse Arc: The Dueling Exam: 11
- Character Biology -
Name: Kusomoto Kaori
Age: 19
Height: 172 centimeters
Race: Spiritual Duelist (1)
Ginken stages: 0 (currently known)
Hair color: Red
Eye color: Orange
Kinetic Type: Pyro (Fire)
Spiritual Control: Emission
[NEXT: Chapter 228: ???]