I wake up to a voice over the speakers saying, "Sorry for the delay, we will arrive at the 3rd exam phase shortly." I rub my eyes and look around at Leorio, Kurapika, and Nicholas, all of us staring out the window. We approach a massive round mesa with a tall, circular tower on top. Our blimp ascends, taking us all the way to the top of the tower, where we finally come to a stop. The doors open, and we're ushered out.
Mr. Beans stands in front of us, giving his usual calm, steady speech. "Everyone, the third phase of the exams will begin here, at the top of Trick Tower. To pass, you must make it to the bottom of the tower's base alive. You have 72 hours. With that, the third phase begins. I wish you all luck!"
I create a shadow watch counting from 72 hours down to 0. Since it's made from shadows I hide it under my sleeve so even in bright light it won't dissipate. The blimp flies off into the distance, and Mr. Beans' voice crackles over the speakers again, "Everyone, please do your best!"
It's a long way down. One of the other participants number 86 tries to climb down the tower's outer walls, but I watch as he's attacked by enormous, six-legged creatures. Their narrow eyes and razor-sharp teeth make them look funny as well as the fact they look like flying babies. they quickly tear number 86 apart. The creatures can fly, so anyone trying to climb down from the outside doesn't stand a chance.
While I'm walking with the others the floor beneath me gives way, and I fall landing in a brick room. A voice crackles through the speakers as I land on the floor.
"Hello, my name is Lippo. I am the warden here as well as the examiner for the third phase. There are multiple routes through this tower. You've chosen the path of Natural Selection. This path will determine if you're the fittest of the bunch or the runt of the litter. The key to passing this phase is being both strong and smart. Best of luck!"
The door to my right opens, and I cautiously step through. As soon as I enter, the door slams shut behind me, and the voice comes on again.
"This is the first of your route's five tests, called the Test of Adaptation. It takes place in this room, the Everchanging Nexus, where everything is constantly shifting. Temperature, environment, air density, gravity, pressure you name it, this room can simulate it. To move on to the next test, you'll have to adapt to the changing environments and find the exit."
The chamber is massive, a vast, circular room. Its edges disappear into shadows, and the walls aren't solid they seem like a woven mist, constantly shifting and morphing. I can't see any windows or doors, just an endless expanse of misty walls.
Suddenly, a gust of hot, dry wind blows through the room, carrying the scent of sand and dust. The temperature skyrockets, and the floor beneath me cracks, turning uneven as the space transforms into a desert wasteland. I look up, and the room's ceiling brightens, blinding me for a second. The sand gets into my nose and throat, making it hard to breathe.
I quickly create a mask around my mouth using my shadow, trying to block out the sand. But the sunlight is so intense that my shadow starts to dissipate the moment it touches my face. I have to find cover. So, I bury myself in the sand, creating a dome of shadow around me for shelter.
Just as I settle in, the environment shifts again. The dry desert air gives way to thick, humid fog, and the temperature drops dramatically. The sand sprouts roots and towering trees begin to grow out of nowhere. Eventually, the sand turns into grass, wet with what seems like morning dew.
This is more manageable. I start exploring, trying to find the exit, but after about ten minutes, the room shifts again. Gravity seems to pull harder, and the air feels thicker. The ground beneath me trembles and then becomes smooth, almost like I'm underwater. The trees and grass vanish, and the air turns into water.
The pressure is intense, and it's hard to breathe. I can hold my breath longer than most—my personal record is 1 minute and 23 seconds but with the water here, I wonder if I might need to use domain of possibilities to survive. I could probably stretch it to 10 minutes if I keep my En restricted to just a small bubble around my body. But before I can even start to consider that, the room shifts again.
The water disappears, and the pressure returns to normal. For a moment, I think I might get a break. But then the temperature plummets and the air becomes thick with the stench of sulfur, as if the entire room has turned into the inside of a volcano.
The ground beneath me becomes jagged, with blackened stone shards jutting up like spikes. Volcanic ash begins to fall from the ceiling, making it hard to see. The air crackles with faint electric currents, sending sparks through the ash and lighting up the room in sudden bursts of light.
The heat is intense, but it's not anything I can't handle. I've trained myself to withstand lightning's heat, which can be as hot as the sun's surface. The problem, however, is the brightness of the lava. My shadow manipulation works best in dim conditions, but in such intense light, my control is weak. If I try to control my shadow here, it would disperse immediately.
I keep walking, trying to find a way out. I walk for what feels like hours until I finally find a massive stone structure carved directly into the volcanic rock. It looks like a door, but the area around it fluctuates wildly between extreme heat and cold. The temperature goes from -65°F to over 250°F in an instant.
Luckily, my training has prepared me for this. I coat my body with a thin layer of nen, just enough to protect myself from any heat or freeze burns. I push open the door and enter a new hallway this one is filled with a long set of stairs that descend into darkness. The time left is 70:37