[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]
- Next morning -
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Mountain - Sunday 9:00 a.m.]
The 26 examinees that made it to the end have finaly rested up, now climbing the mountain was about to begin.
"All right, I know they said the mountain is 5000 meters tall! But, oh my god, how do they expect us to climb up without getting tired. We're going to use our entire stamina climbing up. Rest didn't help much, but still." Claimed Codey confused. "That's simple. You only need around 2 hours to climb it."
"W-wait, what do you mean?" Everybody looked at Kameyo. "In earlier tests, you weren't allowed to use much of your techniques, but this is different. The first test was to test your overall stamina, this is just to climb it, it doesn't test anyone's stamina, in fact - everybody is allowed to use any kind of abilities, even the ones with flight. If somebody runs up a mountain without climbing such as Demons, since they are skilled in climbing, basic climb won't be efficient and you'll lose the sight of your target, but if it escapes, then what is the point of you chasing them. If you have the techniques that help you? Nor just that, climbing slowly is pretty useless at such events, you're going to want to use your own abilities to your advantage, this is also why this mountain is used for such tests." Explained Kameyo. "Oh my freaking god! You can't believe it, I am actually able to use anything else than my feet and arms! Finally, this should be a piece of cake!" Laughed Codey, excited. "...And now, there is us. We're here without something to our advantage." Claimed Kani, embarrassed. "You can say that for yourselves. But I'll just run up it." Ellie smiled. "How do you plan on doing that?" Questioned Kanji, seriously. "Like this." Ellie made a sturdy pose when his hair began to wave upward. "Godspeed!" Yellow electricity bursted around him and began to crack the floor when his hair magnetised. In instant, the yellow current of electricity bursted up the mountain when the rocks behind Ellie began to drop down. "Is he joking?!" Questioned Codey in surprise. In that moment, a line was seen of yellow electricity up the mountain. ".... at this cases I wish I had something like that." Claimed Kanji, surprised. "Do you mean to tell me that you haven't invented a technique that let's you move faster, even though your type is Electro?" Wondered Kylin. "Oh, come on! You're telling me you did?!" Asked Kanji, unamused.
"Yes, that's right, I did. Speed of Light." Her body was surrounded by purple electricity when Kanji instantaneously became unamused. "Tjought it's a bit different than Ellie's, I must skim between it, but it will be enough to get me up." At that moment she vanished and appeared a few meters on the wall, soon as she pressed the second step, she used her electricity current to move further up.
"They make it look so easy." Claimed Kanji, annoyed. "Oh, I forgot to mention the rules. While climbing up, you of course - are allowed to use your abilities, you are NOT allowed to push each other down, because that may come to your fault of killing somebody and you will be disqualified. Next, you can either climb up the side, or use the road that leads to the top. However, walking up the path will not make you get up in time. Remember, this is just a first step to how you'd work against a runner, now good luck, you may begin. After you reach the top, you will met your next examiner." Claimed Kameyo. And with that, the test began. "All right, well I guess we may as well start, shall we!" Smiled Tim, he crouched when opening his palm and pointed it at the floor. "The hell are you doing?" Questioned Codey. "You might wanna take a step away from me for a bit." Tim claimed, as much as the rest were confused, they did just that. Tim bursted out decent amount of fire that he used as support to his jump, he managed to use the blown fire from the floor and jump to the road a few meters above. "First time I've seen Tim used his abilities at the exam." Smiled Codey when swinging his right arm when the wind soon bursted around him. "We could just simply use Air Step, but that's boring!" Called Codey and began to use his wind, flight giving him the opportunity to move up and passed Tim away. "You know, you don't gotta show off!" Called Tim in unamusement. "Oh really? Well I did, so I'll see ya at the top!" Codey called, while movin up quite quickly. "You know, if techniques are allowed, this may take less time than what we have expected." Claimed Midori, when reaching for her wristed hooks, she began to use it as a climb to the top.
"Shin, I think you know what to do." Claimed Shoji. "Oh, did I forgot to mention, you are not allowed to help others." Claimed Kameyo. Shoji from that moment began unamused. "Well that ruined my goal..." Spoke Shoji. "Sorry, good luck, however." Shoji began to use his earth technique to provide him with a platfrom, growing from the rocks and then jumping up them. "Ugh, I wish I invented somthing like Kylin or Ellie." Sighed Kanji, but what he did, he began to use smaller gaps of electricity to jump up the wall. Sakami on the other hand seemed to have several dots above her head. "Whoa, hey! That's something you don't see every day! I guess you don't have anything to help you with?" Wondered Hideki, embarrassed. "Well, me neither, let's just climb." But without comment, both, Sakami and Hideki began to climb up. "Seriously, you two are going to climb?!" Questioned Shoji, running up the path. "What else, we don't want to waste time!" Smiled Hideki. Yutaku and Kazuko both seemed to be a bit upset, but both of them began to compete to the top. "I'll be up before you!" Shouted Yutaku. "No you won't, I'll make it there in no time!" Shouted Kazuko as they passed Shoji at full speed. "Hey, Kaori, let's go climbing." Smile Ume. "Do you really expect us to get to the top in 2 hours?" Sighed Kaori, crossed arms.
"Well, basically, the time to climb it would take 5 days, if we climb each day 1000 meters, but that's no fun! If we use some of our techniques, we'll be guranteed to climb it in an hour and 40 minutes." Giggled Ume. "So you're thinking of Vanishing Dash?" And of course, Ume confirmed. "Of course! Vanishing Dash is 10 times quicker than an average speed, so we're guranteed to get up quickly." Claimed Ume. "I suppose you're right." At that, both of the girl began to climb to the second row of path and began to run up the mountain, using Vanishing Dash.
"So. Um, Ayuka, how do we plan to climb up?" Questioned Yasu. "Can't you just use Air Step, combined with Vanishing Dash?" Questioned Ayuka. "I mean, I can. Why?" Yasu seemed to be confused. "Then do that. Our abilities won't help us much, unless you use yours identically to Tim." Claimed Ayuka. "I wish I could, but my Flame Jump is just not strong enough like his." Giggled Yasu, embarrassed. "Then follow my steps." At that, Ayuka disappeared from the spot and appeared three rows above. "Wait! What the hell?! You skipped three rows of paths?! How fast are you?" Wondered Yasu, shocked. "Your techniqes are at least average? Right? Then you should be just fine!" Claimed Ayuka, with a smile. "Yeah, I guess....." With that Yasu continued to move up. Kyou on the other hand, let go of the card and made it larger, he stepped on it. "Well, I'll see you at the top!" He rode the card as a flying carpet and flew at the top. "Show off..." Sighed Ko, he then began to summon puppets and used them as support so that he would manage to climb up, simply.
"Almost every single one of them has something to use to climb to the top, we're like sitting ducks!" Called an examinee. "Oh quiet down, just run up, you managed to run 100 kilometers, you'll manage to run up as well..." The rest of the examinees did not have much to their help, apart from feet and hands.
("It might be easy for now, you think. But trust me, once you reach 4900 meters, everything will change to massacre.") Wondered Kameyo, calmly when sitting down.
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Mountain (170 meters) - Sunday 9:09 a.m.]
"You know, this challenge is kind of interesting, we can at least have some fun!" Giggled Kanji, when jumping next to Tim. "You know, as much as I would agree, the challenge seems a bit too easy, I bet there is something going to change, the further we get up." Smiled Tim, interested. "Also, we should speed up just a little bit." From nodding, both of them began to move up quicker. "But why do you think so?" Wondered Kanji when they just passed Sakami and Hideki. ".... You know, I wish we had something useful." Spoke Hideki, a bit jealous. Sakami dugged her mouth below her scarf and hid it. "Every challenge so far had some additional activities and events, first, at 100 kilometer run, the stop point and the tiles, second, the additional Demons and loss of our guide, and the third, well - I guess that one wasn't too special." Spoke Tim while just landed up with Kanji on the next row. "Yeah, I guess you're right - And oooh! Look at that,, we've already reached 200 meters." Smiled Kanji. Tim nodded while continuing.
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Mountain (5000 meters) - Sunday 9:09 a.m.]
Ellie was already at the top when scratching his arms. "So. Uhm, is anybody here?" Wondered Ellie looking around, and not long after, Kylin joined up. Both of them looked around, when feeling a fresh wind, breezing. "I don't see anybody, for now." Claimed Kylin. Both of them stopped and froze on the spot when hearing bells. "Well, I see two of you have already made it, good day, it only took you 9 minutes to reach the top. You two must have some enhancement to your speed, eh?" Giggled a man in front of them, coming from the lookout. "Uh! Hi, you're our next examiner?" Wondered Ellie, worried. "That is correct, my name is Kanemoto Yori! I am your next examiner, but of course - we cannot start yet, the examinees are still down there, and they still have another hour and 50 minutes to come up." Smiled Yori. "So, then - what now?" Questioned Ellie, uncomofrtable. "Well, now we wait, would you lovely teens have some delicious tea, while we wait?" Wondered Yori, and giggled, swiping his palm across his long bear when his bell around the neck waved. "So - what's that bell about?" Kylin wondered. "Ah, no worries, it's just something the rest will need to worry about." That made Kylin and Ellie a bit worried. "Uh... let's just go take that offered tea... if we may, ehehehe." Spoke Ellie, worried. ("This guy creeps me out a little.") Thought Ellie but followed with Kylin.
[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Mountain (503 meters) - Sunday 9:14 a.m.]
Codey just came flying to the top when stopping for a second and landed on the path. "Man, I thought flying would take less time than what it's happening." Claimed Codey, embarrassed. "It may be just because I am not using my full speed, I want to safe some of my stamina for the next exam, if necessary." Claimed Codey, facing back down and seeing a few people climbing up. "Tim and Kanji seem to be doing well... Ayuka and Yasu as well. Midori, she's pretty well with those weird hooks of hers, and of course, Kyou, he sure has no trouble going up. Nor the puppet guy. But the ones who are climbing up or running, they seem to be a bit stuck at 80 meters.... I suppose this won't take that long after all. But if they get tired. Then for sure." Codey claimed.
To be continued...