章 3: Chapter 3
"Exam contestants, we will soon arrive at the Gordeau Desert. I hope you are all prepared because once you set foot there, you will not be allowed to stop." In the lobby inside the Zeppelin, the Examiner told the Hunter contestants that they should prepare themselves.
Among the crowds, Ives and Biscuit's figures were visible.
After scanning his memory, he found no familiar images of this Examiner. This was the 246th exam, and it was still 1958. Some of the characters he knew had not yet been born, so it's kind of expected that there were many unfamiliar figures.
"We will be landing soon. Please pay attention to your steps and follow the instructions of the designated Examiner."
As far as the eye could see, coming down from the Zeppelin was a barren expanse of desert. Ives didn't know what kind of test would be held here, but he could vaguely guess.
"Welcome to the First Stage of the Hunter Exam. My name is Ragnar; please follow my lead." After welcoming the examinees, the Examiner briefly introduced himself and gave simple instructions.
Some participants became confused when they saw the Examiner start running. When they saw many other participants follow after the Examiner, they all joined.
Yes, this test is none other than a running test. Ives guessed that this running test is mandatory, either this year or in the years to come.
"As I thought." Ives sighed.
"Hmm? So you already knew about this?" Biscuit jogged near Ives as she asked.
"More or less." Ives nodded. "This is going to be a very long run. But we are lucky that this exam is held at night. Compared to the day's heat, I would much rather be hit by the cold night air."
"How far?"
"At least a few dozen kilometers, depending on our destination."
"Running for a few hours won't be a problem. I'm confident in my stamina." Biscuit smiled brightly. She had trained so hard that running a marathon didn't worry her.
An hour passed quickly, and several participants had already collapsed on the way. Of the participants still holding on, some were running while holding back shivers, some were sweating profusely, and some seemed completely unaffected.
Along the way, they continued following the Examiner running in front. At first, the Examiner was just jogging slowly, but gradually, his speed increased.
In this first hour, both Ives and Biscuit could easily hold their own.
Another three hours passed, and like a monster, the Examiner was still running without a hitch. Ives was already sweating; Biscuit was the same.
"It shouldn't be long before we arrive." If his estimates were correct, they should arrive at the Second Stage of the Trial soon.
"I hope you're right. My body is starting to get sweaty and sticky, egh!" Biscuit wiped her sweat as she continued running.
Six hours later, Ives realized that his prediction was completely wrong. His body was soaked with sweat, and even his clothes seemed to have been dipped in water. His lungs were burning, and he could barely breathe. He wouldn't be like this if he had just jogged, but the Examiner was so brutal. Sprinting for several hours? Even a monster like Biscuit was panting!
"We will go through the underwater tunnel." The Examiner, who had been silent for several hours, finally spoke while wiping his sweat. Wait, was he also feeling tired?
"Grr! When will we arrive?" Biscuit kept running fast while gritting her teeth. It had been seven hours, seven hours since she and the other participants started running! Out of the hundreds of participants who had joined, now only two digits remained!
Another thirty minutes passed. Unlike the first hour, these thirty minutes felt like hours! The participants who were initially ahead and relaxed now looked like Biscuit, gritting their teeth while holding their in-pain-chests.
A ten-meter-high large gate was visible a few dozen meters ahead of them. The gate led downwards, and it must have been the underwater tunnel Ragnar had been referring to.
After descending, Ives, Biscuit, and the other participants were greeted with a breathtaking underwater view. Their tiredness and fatigue seemed to disappear momentarily, replaced by a sense of awe at the sight.
The roof of the underwater tunnel was made of thick glass, and bright lights lighted the entire way. Even though it was still night, they could see all the fish swimming around.
Ives was amazed, even finding some fish that looked very alien to him because of their monstrous size!
"Fuck! My chest hurts again!" One of the examinees screamed in pain.
"Damn, how much longer do we have to run?!" Another participant chimed in.
Everyone was frustrated and exhausted. This was probably the most extreme run they had ever done in their lives.
"We've been running for almost nine hours, damn it!"
While the others complained, Ives remained silent and focused forward. He was tired and angry, too, but screaming his lungs out wouldn't relieve his fatigue; it would only make him lose his breath even more.
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