Hugo's score on the first test still astonished most people, but that did not stop them from completing the rest of their tests without hindrance. Not only did they not get demotivated most of them even got fired up after what Hugo did.
'A bunch of musclebound idiots. But why is my hand feeling super hot, and why is my blood boiling?'
Even Raoul who normally tried to distinguish himself by going against the majority felt fired up after Hugo's display. A lot of the less... prominent characters from before also rose up from the shadows.
"Next, Raoul Sutherland!"
"30,000 Jin. Pass!"
"Next, Aplha2!"
"45,000 Jin. Pass!"
Alpha2 was a scrawny Greek kid with shaggy brownish-blonde hair that covered his left eye. He had a short stature and looked about 14 years old, but many reckoned he was also much older than that. He wore a dark leather battle suit with the greek alphabet for Alpha and the number two on it.
For fuck's sake, what was that?!
At this point, Loudmouth had gotten tired of gawking. This kid who looked even more brittle than the Smithson kid got as high as that? Was there even any point to this exam? Why not just pass everyone and get it over with?
"Next, Hyena!"
Hyena was the candidate that bumped into Hugo when he first arrived, yes that was him, the man who claimed he would kill anyone if they tried to get in his way. It was a surprise this man still looked calm and collected after all that happened.
'I am not one to go against my word. If anyone tries to get in my way during the period of this exam, I'll kill them. And as for the Smithson kid, I'll have a little chat with him later.'
No one could have guessed that Hyena was having such thoughts underneath his cool exterior.
Hyena pulled his arm back, and a grey glow bathed the arm for a brief second. However, just as he was about to punch, a bunch of the people who failed yelled at him.
"Hey, you can't do that! It's against the rules!"
"Yeah!": The others echoed out for various reasons.
Hyena looked at them like he was looking at garbage.
"Bunch of imbeciles. They said to make the power of the blow up to 10,000 Jin otherwise you won't get past the first test of the first exam. That was all, there was never any mention of the usage of only sheer physical strength. You can use your goddamn Awakenings too!"
"70,000 Jin. Pass!"
Hyena didn't even finish the last sentence before punching out. This test was like fucking beans! Easy to chew up and swallow!
. . .
"ALL RIGHT! Out of the ten thousand of you who joined this testing in hopes of becoming Skydancers, only seven thousand made it past the first stage of the first exam. The number of people will become even lower from here on out. So watch out, for the next test will be a... SPEED TEST!"
Loudmouth who was used to getting a reaction from the crowd realized that they hadn't provided him with sufficient reactions.
'Hehe, wait till they see what we have in store.'
"So, without further ado, we shall begin the second stage of the first exam."
. . .
They knew he said speed test. But... this was, this had to be in violation of human rights!
"Yes, you heard me right. You all will test your speed on this body of water simulated just for this stage!"
'Body of water' was absolute rubbish. There's a goddamn ocean inside the freaking headquarters. And they were supposed to cross the ocean to the other side in order to pass the speed test. This so-called physical test was bullshit.
"F*ck this shit. I'm outta here!"
One of the 'musclebound idiots from before lost all fighting will and quit before Loudmouth gave the 'Quit if you can't' speech.
A lot of others whose powers did nothing much in situations like this left. But that was only about thirty people, the rest of the seven thousand candidates stayed.
Once the quitters left, the go-ahead was given, and the test started without delay.
At first, people were stumped, but someone thought to apply the logic Hyena used in the first stage. And in conclusion pretty much just flew above the ocean and dove into the sea.
It seemed really clever, or so they thought.
'Nice strategy. But there is a limit to your abilities. Not to mention that the people who can do this little are ever so limited. The people will be cut down, eventually. Hehe, wait till they see the last stage.
"Huh? Look over there, what is that guy doing?"
Someone who had still not gotten across the ocean yet yelled and pointed in a direction... where Hyena stood, trying to cross the ocean... on all fours. No special trick to it, he was only trying to walk on the friggin water!
"Haha, where's all that big talk now?"
"Haha, Imbecile do you think you're Jesus?"
"Fucktard!"
Some people who loved to find joy in misery taunted Hyena till they couldn't stand straight anymore.
"Whoosh!"
The sounds of water swirling echoed in the artificial habitat, the candidates looked up, down and right, left, but didn't find anything, until...
"Wha-"
Loudmouth was never used to giving out reactions, but today, he just reacted more than he had ever done in three whole months. But could you blame him, this was just too much!
If one could use words to describe this scene, their minds would immediately move to the Bible or Qur'an. The sea fucking parted! But the wind made by God or something like that did not cause this. It was someone controlling the water, they could not see who was on the dry path for some reason though.
They could not see.
'So she's here as well...' Hugo saw the person that caused it and nodded in her direction
"There's no time to waste. Black Matter Conjuring: Jet Black Wings!"
Hugo yelled out in his heart. Using every inch of his uncertain life to call out these words, not knowing whether the next breath would be his last, and with his voice came his power. From the depths of his soul, something within responded to the loud and anxious call coming from his heart.
That thing was the curse...