บท 3: Episode 3 - Sage Said Survive (Part 1)
"Life is too short to always be quiet. Every challenge is an opportunity to loudly show what you're made of!" - Ryuu Takahashi
Aki and the other participants had arrived at their accommodation. The next trial would once again test their strength and skill, making rest more necessary than ever. The accommodation was like a large hotel. Each participant had their own room, and there was a spacious common area where they could interact with one another. Entering another participant's room was forbidden, but Aki didn't mind, as the common area served that purpose anyway. The next trial was scheduled to begin at noon—one hour after lunch. The boy glanced briefly at the clock, realizing it was already almost eleven o'clock. "Oh, is it lunchtime already?" he asked himself, surprised. Hungry, the module bearer made his way to the common area.
Once there, Aki took a seat between Ryoko and Ryuu at the dining table. Ryoko gave him a silent wave, while Ryuu, in stark contrast, called out loudly, "Hey, Aki! You really put on a show during the trial, hahaha!" Aki quietly responded, "Aha..." before turning away again. Despite Ryoko not saying much, they had become good friends. "One talks too much, the other too little..." he thought as he withdrew into himself once more. After all, he had always been a loner. Shortly afterward, Viktor entered the room. Behind him, three staff members wheeled in carts laden with every conceivable type of Japanese dish. The sight of the food made every participant's mouth water. The green-haired examiner then spoke up, "This food is all for you. In an hour, the next trial begins, but for now, let's put that aside and celebrate your success in the first test!" The entire hall erupted in cheers. Since the start of the entrance exam, the atmosphere had never been as good as it was now.
Everyone seemed extremely excited and motivated—everyone except Aki. The boy was suspicious of the lunch. "What if the food is poisoned? After all, we shouldn't trust anyone." With this thought, Aki noticed Seiji trying to say something to him. It seemed Seiji had already picked up on Aki's distrust. When Aki turned to him, Seiji said, "It might sound strange, but I'm one of the few who can already control their module. I met someone who taught me, and then I was brought to Kenkai. What I wanted to say is that this food isn't poisoned. The ability of my module is to get any information I want. That's how I know the food is safe. Plus, it's a good idea to eat something now." After hearing Seiji's advice, Aki thanked him and glanced at the food cart. Most of the fighters had already gotten their food and returned to their seats. So Aki seized the moment as well. He took a portion of sushi and returned to his seat. There, Aki looked over at Ryoko, noticing that only a few Sakura Mochi* were on her plate. "Mochi? Are a few sweets really enough for you?" Ryoko nodded and replied with a smile, "Yes, I've never eaten much, really. Besides, I like sweets, so it's all good."
*Sakura Mochi: A traditional Japanese sweet made of rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste, often wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf.
Once again, their conversation was interrupted by Ryuu, who shouted, "HAH, THIS IS SO GOOD!" as he slurped his ramen. He had chosen the largest portion of all and didn't seem to regret it. Seiji, sitting one seat away from Ryuu, was eating a plate of tempura*. Today, everyone seemed to be digging into their meals with gusto. Across from them sat Tatsuo and another girl. Tatsuo was eating natto**, while the girl only had an onigiri***. As Aki watched Tatsuo devour his food in less than a minute, he almost felt sick. It wasn't because he disliked natto—in fact, he initially hated it, but it soon became his favorite dish. The nauseating feeling came from his dislike of people eating large amounts of food all at once. But before he could dwell on it any further, he witnessed a troubling situation unfold.
*Tempura: A Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep-fried.
**Natto: A traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, known for its strong flavor and sticky texture.
***Onigiri: A Japanese rice ball, often wrapped in seaweed and filled with ingredients such as pickled plum, salted salmon, or tuna with mayonnaise.
It was clear that Tatsuo and the girl beside him knew each other, but suddenly, Tatsuo laughed, snatched her half-eaten rice ball, and stuffed the entire thing into his mouth. After swallowing it all, he laughed again. "Thanks for the food. And in the next trial, you're going to give up just for me, got it? Hahaha!!" What Aki had just witnessed disgusted him more than anything. The poor girl had barely eaten to begin with, and then Tatsuo just took half of it away from her. When Aki saw the disappointed and sad expression on the girl's face, one thing became clear to him: in the next trial, he would make sure to knock Tatsuo off his high horse and teach him a lesson.
Before Aki could think more about it, they were interrupted by Viktor, who had returned. "Hello, candidates! I hope you enjoyed your meal while I was briefly away. Those who haven't finished yet are, of course, welcome to continue eating while I speak. The second trial will begin in half an hour, so I ask you to listen carefully. In this test, your survival skills will be evaluated, as missions could potentially involve survival scenarios. However, since the four hours you'll have aren't enough to create a real survival situation, drones will monitor you the entire time, and we will assess you based on points. This means you'll earn points for just about anything that demonstrates your survival skills."
After Viktor finished, he added, "So then, see you in half an hour in front of the accommodation," and left the room. Aki decided to spend the remaining half-hour in the common area, as it wouldn't be worth going back to sleep just for that short time.
The half-hour had passed. Aki had spent the entire time sitting on a sofa in the common area, engrossed in a manga. At around 11:55, he stood up and left the room. To his surprise, all the other participants were already gathered in front of the accommodation—even Tatsuo. They were all staring ahead in amazement. When Aki finally got a look at what had captured everyone's attention, he was equally astonished. Three large helicopters, each easily capable of holding all fifty members, were right in front of them. The pilots were also present. One of the three men began to speak: "So, Yamato is in the control room and will also be helping with the point distribution. We, the helicopter team, will first give you some safety instructions on how to behave in my helicopter and show you how to use the parachutes. After that, we'll fly over the entire area, and you can jump out whenever you want. Now, let's start with the safety briefing." Aki, like the others, listened attentively, realizing that this next part of the trial was going to be unlike anything they had experienced before. The stakes felt higher, and the anticipation in the air was palpable as they prepared for what was to come.
The participants were divided into three groups, each assigned to a different helicopter. By chance, Aki found himself in the same group as Ryoko, Tatsuo, and the girl from earlier. After receiving the safety instructions and training on how to use the parachutes, all the participants were ready for the challenge ahead. One by one, they boarded the helicopters, prepared to take on the second trial. Moments later, the doors closed, and the helicopter lifted off the ground. This marked the official beginning of the second trial. As the helicopter ascended, the reality of the situation began to sink in for Aki and his group. The hum of the rotor blades filled the air, and the landscape below started to shrink away. The anticipation was palpable; everyone knew that soon, they would have to make critical decisions that could determine their success or failure in this high-stakes test of survival skills.
Moonfang Arc
Sentinel Entrance Exam
Chapter 3 - Sage Said Survive (Teil 1)
About ten minutes had passed. The three helicopters had reached their destination—a vast, fenced-in forest area. The helicopter continued to fly, but the doors suddenly opened. The pilot's voice came through the loudspeakers: "We have now arrived at the location of the second trial. I will continue to fly over the area until the last of you has jumped out. There is a button on your safety belt. If you press it, one of us will come to rescue you, but you will be disqualified. Please jump out one by one." Shortly after the pilot finished speaking, Ryuu shouted, "COME ON, SEIJI, LET'S JUMP!" The more composed Seiji responded, "Good idea." With that, the excited youth leaped out of the helicopter, followed by the calm, intelligent Seiji. But to Aki's surprise, a third person also jumped out. It was another blond boy, but unlike Seiji, this one reminded Aki of lightning. His movements were quick and sharp, and the name on the badge attached to his safety belt read boldly: "Mirio."
Aki watched as the three figures disappeared into the dense forest below, their parachutes opening in quick succession. The reality of the trial set in even more as he realized it would soon be his turn to jump. The stakes were high, and the forest below held unknown challenges that each participant would have to face alone—or perhaps not so alone, depending on how things played out.
After Ryuu, Seiji, and Mirio had jumped, a few minutes passed before the next participant gathered enough courage to leap out of the helicopter. Aki had planned to jump later, taking his time to scout the area below for the best landing spot. However, he noticed Tatsuo ordering the girl who was always with him to jump. When she hesitated out of fear, Tatsuo simply shoved her out of the helicopter and then jumped after her. "That bastard... I'll deal with him later," Aki thought angrily as he watched more people leap out.
Ryoko had intended to jump with Aki, but the crowd of people moving towards the exit pushed her too close to the door, causing her to be forced out prematurely. "RYOKO!" Aki shouted as he watched her fall, relief washing over him when he saw her parachute open successfully. "Thank goodness..." he thought, before letting others take their turn to jump.
Aki knew that, at first, he would be on his own, though he intended to reach Ryoko as soon as possible. After all, surviving together was better than going it alone. As he waited for the right moment, he steeled himself for the challenge ahead, knowing that every decision from this point on could determine not just his success, but his survival in the trial.
A few minutes passed. By now, Aki was the only one left in the helicopter. Once the last participant before him had jumped, Aki saw his opportunity. Calmly, he positioned himself at the door of the aircraft, surveying the landscape below until he spotted a river. "This might be where Ryoko jumped..." he thought. The large river offered a source of fish, which would earn him valuable points. Nearby, he noticed a small cave that could serve as a temporary shelter. The ground at the riverbank, right next to the cave, was covered with pebbles, perfect for building a fire. This spot was undoubtedly the best option.
With his plan set, Aki finally leaped out of the helicopter, ready to tackle the second trial. While in mid-air, he skillfully pulled the ripcord, deploying his parachute. He descended carefully, landing safely in front of the cave. "Alright, let's get started," he said to himself, determined to make the most of the resources around him and succeed in this survival challenge.
The first thing Aki wanted to take care of was the fire. He arranged a circle of stones on the pebble-covered ground near the riverbank and placed dry grass, sticks, and other tinder inside. He also built a small rack over the fire pit, where he could place items and food to cook. With that task completed, Aki wanted to get a sense of how much time he had left. He drove a wooden stick into the ground on the grassy area beside the fire pit.
Next, he ventured briefly into the forest and examined a tree, eventually finding some moss. "Exactly what I was looking for..." he murmured. He observed that the moss grew in one direction. "Aha, so this is north..." Using this information, he tilted the stick in the ground so that it now pointed in the direction of the moss, indicating north. Knowing it was approximately 12:30 PM, he was able to mark this time on his makeshift sundial. From there, he marked the other times, and soon, he had a functional sundial.
With the trial set to end at 4:00 PM, Aki realized he had about 3.5 hours remaining. As he finished setting up, his digital wristband, given to him at the start of the first trial, briefly displayed a message indicating how many points he had earned. [+1000 for Aki] Satisfied with his progress, Aki knew that he was off to a strong start, but there was still much to do if he wanted to secure his success in the trial.
As Aki noticed birds suddenly flying out of the forest, a thought crossed his mind. "Oh right, Tatsuo also jumped near this area. I should find Ryoko and form an alliance with her." This realization prompted him to get up and start walking along the river. After all, Ryoko had also landed near the river, and there was a good chance she was trying to fish to earn points. Before setting off, Aki spotted some vines hanging from the trees. "It seems this dimension isn't exactly like my home…" he mused, but then an idea struck him. He gathered some of the vines and wove them together into a net, which he then laid on the ground, covering it with leaves. He secured the four corners of the net in such a way that it could trap and hoist up anyone or anything that stepped on it, creating a perfect snare.
With the trap set and hidden, Aki felt confident it would serve as a useful safeguard. He then truly set off to find Ryoko, hoping to unite their strengths against the challenges ahead. As he began his search, another message flashed on his wristband, showing he had earned more points. [+800 for Aki] Determined and now even more focused, Aki moved swiftly along the riverbank, keeping an eye out for any sign of Ryoko or potential dangers lurking nearby.
Meanwhile, Ryoko had also found a good spot. She had crafted a fishing rod [+300 for Ryoko] and a small basket [+100 for Ryoko]. As Aki had suspected, she was trying to earn points by fishing, but so far, her efforts hadn't been very successful. "Damn, why isn't anything biting... Something must be missing..." she thought as she stared at her fishing rod in frustration. Suddenly, she was interrupted by a voice behind her. "How do you expect to catch anything without bait?" Surprised, Ryoko turned around. "Aki!" Standing behind her, leaning against a tree, was the young man she had befriended. "I figured you'd be fishing, especially since we're right by a river," he remarked.
Just as Ryoko thought Aki was going to help her fish, he took her fishing rod and started walking away. "Um… Where are you going?" she asked, puzzled. Aki turned back to her. "Let's head to the small camp I set up. While fishing is useful in this situation, you're relying on the fish to bite. In a scenario like ours, where we need to catch many fish in a short amount of time, it's not the most efficient method." As the young girl with glasses stood up and followed him, she asked, "So, what do you suggest we do instead?" Aki replied with a slight smile, "In situations like this, we have to be creative." Ryoko was a bit confused and didn't fully understand what her companion meant, but she had a feeling that his plan would soon become clear. As they walked towards Aki's camp, she couldn't help but wonder what unconventional strategy he had in mind to catch fish more effectively.
About five minutes later, the two arrived at Aki's camp. Ryoko was extremely confused as she took in the sight of Aki's prepared fire pit, the sundial, and the trap net that had yet to catch anything. "Did you do all this by yourself?" she asked, astonished as she looked at the young survivalist. Aki, slightly embarrassed, replied, "Let's just say I have some experience with survival." This piqued Ryoko's curiosity. "And where did you get that experience? Were you a Boy Scout or something?" Aki responded with a slightly pained expression, "Well, I had strict parents who often took me camping without many supplies from a young age. Later, they'd punish me by leaving me in a forest for a week if I did something wrong, but that's a story for another time. Let's focus on the trial instead."
Ryoko was quite concerned about what Aki had just shared, but she decided not to press the issue. Shortly after, Aki spoke up again, "So, Ryoko, do you want to form a team?" He extended his hand, fist clenched. Ryoko nodded, smiling, and they bumped their fists together in a gesture similar to a high-five. Moments later, they noticed the numbers on their wristbands changing. "W-What's happening?!" Ryoko exclaimed, but Aki already had a hunch. Meanwhile, in the monitoring room, Viktor smiled. "So, they've figured it out. I was planning to deduct points for getting help from others, but Yamato convinced me otherwise. In a survival situation, cooperating with others is always the best strategy."
As Aki and Ryoko watched, they saw that both of their scores had now risen to 2,200 points—the combined total of their individual points. This had to be the result of forming a team. They both realized that, at least in terms of points, they were now in a secure position.
However, Aki and Ryoko were far from having the highest score. Deep in the forest, Ryuu, Seiji, and Mirio had teamed up right from the start. All the points they earned were distributed equally among their three accounts, allowing them to accumulate an incredibly high score. Their teamwork made them nearly unbeatable. Seiji's vast knowledge provided them with all the necessary information, tips, and strategies. Ryuu's physical resilience and strength enabled him to lift the heaviest logs, and Mirio's endurance and speed were perfect for transporting items or scouting the landscape.
By now, they had constructed a shelter, a fire pit, crafted their own spears and axes, set up a sundial, a static compass, and much more. When Mirio brought them a freshly caught fish, their score increased from 4,900 to 5,000 points. Along with this number, a new message appeared on their wristbands: "Congratulations, you have just maximized your score." Ryuu grinned widely, instantly understanding what it meant. "WE DID IT!" he shouted, throwing his arms around the shoulders of his teammates. This trio was the first team to complete the trial and secure their spot in the next test.
Aki and Ryoko were resting in the meantime. The girl found some washed-up plastic bottles along the shore. This gave Aki a good opportunity to put his survival skills to the test. Earlier, he had brought back some strange stones from the cave. Now, it was time to finally use these seemingly important materials. "What kind of stones are those?" the girl asked. Aki replied, "This is flint and marcasite. These two stones are good for making fire." He then struck the flint against the marcasite, and the sparks fell onto a separate piece of tinder. As the dry grass began to burn, he quickly placed it in the fire pit and blew on it until it caught fire [+500 for Aki and Ryoko]. "Wow, you made a fire!" the girl exclaimed, amazed. But it didn't stop there. Aki filled the bottles with water and placed them by the fire. "This water will now be boiled and soon safe to drink," he explained. They were happy with their progress, but they still had quite a bit to do. After all, they only had about 1.5 hours left, as they had taken quite a few breaks. "I'm going to head out and gather some resources," Aki said, and with those words, he walked into the forest. However, this excursion wasn't really for resource gathering but to follow a voice he had heard earlier. To his dismay, that voice sounded very familiar.
"Did you make all of this yourself?!" Tatsuo was astonished at how the girl had crafted entire clothing pieces from just a few vines and lianas. Her point total reflected her hard work—4,700 points. "Yep, just one more, and I'll have 5,000. Pretty great, right?" The girl had just finished making the last skirt from lianas and was about to place it on the stack with the other clothing items to register the points. But then Tatsuo did something unthinkable. He snatched the skirt from her hand, placed it on the pile himself, and stood protectively in front of it. "These clothes are mine!" he shouted as he watched her points transfer to his account. Moments later, he received the notification of reaching the maximum score. "That bastard..." Viktor muttered to himself as he observed the scene but knew there was nothing he could do about it. After all, theft was a possibility in a real survival situation—though certainly not an honorable one.
Before Tatsuo could say anything more, a voice rang out behind him. "Hey, jerk, why don't you pick on someone your own size!" Aki stood behind Tatsuo. "I've had my eye on you since lunch, and I don't like the way you've been treating her. You want to prove how tough and strong you are? Then prove it now." Aki assumed a clear fighting stance. Tatsuo's lips curled into a smug grin as he mirrored Aki's stance, ready for the challenge. "You want a beating? You got it. I've got nothing left to lose now!" Tatsuo sneered, his voice dripping with confidence as he prepared to face Aki. The tension between them was palpable, each knowing that this confrontation would settle more than just their scores—it was about proving who was stronger, who was right. Aki tightened his fists, ready for whatever Tatsuo might throw at him, determined to put an end to his bullying once and for all.
Hey! Thanks for reading the third chapter of Akuma!
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