Hugo woke up to the sound of his alarm, blinking groggily before realizing he wasn't late for once.
He sat up, stretching out his sore muscles. "Guess the dungeon was enough to knock the bad habits out of me." he muttered, running a hand through his messy blue hair.
After getting ready, Hugo left his room and met up with Yuno and Shine in the hallway. Yuno was yawning, his blonde hair sticking up in random places. "This better be worth getting up early for."
"Speak for yourself." Shine said cheerfully, already looking wide awake. "I'm just glad I didn't oversleep after yesterday."
The three made their way to the assembly hall, the atmosphere tense with the murmurs of other candidates.
The room was enormous, the high ceilings making their footsteps echo as they entered.
A large platform dominated the front of the hall, where Instructor Everhart stood tall and imposing, his stern black-haired presence commanding the attention of everyone in the room.
The trio moved to their assigned spots among the crowd, each of them feeling the weight of anticipation.
Yuno crossed his arms, whispering, "Why does he always look like he's about to announce the end of the world?"
"Maybe he is." Shine replied quietly, earning a chuckle from Hugo.
Instructor Everhart stood tall on the platform. The candidates quieted down as his commanding presence alone demanded attention.
His stern eyes scanned the room, lingering on several individuals as if he could see through them.
"Candidates." he began, his voice sharp and authoritative. "bring out your screen cards."
The hall erupted with the sounds of rustling clothing and murmurs as everyone scrambled to pull out their cards.
Hugo, Yuno, and Shine each hesitated for a moment before retrieving theirs.
"This is it." Hugo muttered, feeling the weight of the moment.
Everhart continued, his tone as cold as ever. "The point requirement to pass the second trial is... 325."
The words hung in the air like a hammer poised to strike. The silence was deafening as the candidates processed the number.
The trio glanced at their screen card simultaneously.
"328..." Hugo read aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.
For a moment, the three of them stared blankly at the screen before their expressions twisted into exaggerated disbelief.
"328?!" Yuno exclaimed, grabbing Hugo's shoulder. "That's three points above the requirement! Three!"
"We were one misstep away from failing!" Shine groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I can't believe it!"
"Calm down!" Hugo said, though his voice betrayed his own relief. "We made it. That's what matters."
Before the trio could fully process their narrow victory, Everhart's sharp voice cut through the tension. "Pay attention."
The instructor raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the screen cards across the hall flickered. The single word Pass or Fail appeared in bold letters.
The moment was short-lived. Half the hall erupted into chaos.
"What?! How is this possible?!" shouted one candidate, staring at their card in disbelief. "I had 340 points!"
"Yeah, same here! I'm way above 325!" another candidate chimed in angrily. "What kind of nonsense is this?!"
The room descended into chaos as candidates protested. Some waved their screen cards in frustration, demanding answers.
Others stood frozen, staring at the word Fail as though it had physically struck them.
Meanwhile, Hugo, Yuno, and Shine glanced at their own card, which proudly displayed Pass.
"We made it..." Yuno said, letting out a long breath.
"Barely, but what is going on?" Shine muttered, still shaken by how close they had been to failure.
Everhart, unfazed by the growing uproar, raised a hand. His steely gaze silenced the room instantly.
"Enough!" he barked, his voice booming with authority. The hall fell quiet, though the tension was palpable.
He glared at the room with a cold, calculating expression. "You are all Hunters-in-training, yet you've already proven yourselves incapable of understanding the rules of survival."
The candidates exchanged confused looks, unsure of what he meant.
Everhart continued, his voice laced with disappointment. "At the start of the first trial—the survival trial—it was not merely an objective to retrieve a badge. It was a test of character. With no rules in place, you were observed."
"Your actions, decisions, and teamwork were analyzed. Those of you who demonstrated dishonorable behavior had your scores penalized during the second trial—the conqueror trial."
Gasps filled the room as realization dawned on the candidates.
"Your survival instincts were tested.." Everhart explained, his tone as sharp as a blade. "Those who abandoned their allies, resorted to sabotage, or acted purely out of selfishness revealed their true colors. This Academy has no place for those who lack integrity, discipline, and teamwork."
"But that's not fair!" someone shouted. "The rules never said anything about that!"
Everhart's icy glare silenced the protester immediately. "Life is not fair." he said coldly. "A Hunter's duty is to protect others, not to step over them for personal gain. Those of you who failed may have succeeded in the second trial, but you were already disqualified during the first. You have no one to blame but yourselves."
The hall was silent now, the weight of his words sinking in.
Those who failed looked down at their cards in shame, while the ones who passed wore expressions of relief or in the trio's case, was sheer exhaustion.
Instructor Everhart stood tall on the platform, his sharp eyes scanning the remaining candidates. The tension in the room was palpable, the weight of the previous elimination still heavy in the air.
Then, in a rare moment, his voice took on a different tone—not warm, but acknowledging.
"Congratulations." he said, his words precise and firm. "Out of all the candidates who entered this entrance exam, only 163 of you remain. You have proven yourselves through both trials, but do not think for a second that your journey is over."
A brief murmur spread through the crowd, but Everhart wasn't finished.
Without another word, he turned away from the successful candidates, his expression darkening as his gaze landed on those who had failed.
His glare was cold, his stance unyielding. It was not one of disappointment but of sheer indifference, an unsympathetic reminder that there was no place for weakness in this academy.
"Leave." he commanded, his voice sharp like a blade.
There was no room for argument. The failed candidates hesitated, their faces twisting with frustration, bitterness, and regret. Some clenched their fists, others gritted their teeth, but in the end, none dared to challenge the order.
One by one, they turned and walked away, some with their heads held high, others dragging their feet in defeat.
The room felt emptier now, but the air remained heavy.
Everhart turned back to the remaining candidates, his expression unreadable.
"The final trial begins today." he announced, his voice carrying through the hall. "It is called the Knowledge Trial."
A few candidates visibly relaxed at the name, assuming it would be easier than the previous two trials. However, Everhart's next move immediately shattered that assumption.
He folded his arms, his cold gaze sweeping across the room. "It will be a paper exam."
Confusion spread among the candidates. Some whispered to one another, questioning what kind of test this could be. After all, an academic exam seemed out of place in a Hunter entrance exam.
Everhart didn't elaborate. Instead, his eyes narrowed slightly, his expression giving away just the faintest hint of something, an unspoken warning.
It was as if he were daring them to underestimate this trial.
Hugo and Shine exchanged glances. None of them could shake the feeling that this was no ordinary written test.
The moment the words "paper exam" left Instructor Everhart's mouth, Yuno's expression twisted into something that could only be described as sheer panic.
His eyes widened, his jaw dropped slightly, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"P-paper… exam?!" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper as if saying it any louder would solidify his doom.
Hugo side-eyed him, raising an eyebrow. "What's with the face?"
Yuno's head whipped toward him, his face a mix of dread and despair. "You don't get it, man! My brain isn't built for paper exams!"
He dramatically pointed to his head. "It's all muscle! Muscle! My whole strategy in life is punch first, think later!"
Shine, standing on the other side, tried to stifle a chuckle but failed miserably. "Yuno, I'm pretty sure you'll survive. It's just a written test. You know, like the ones we used to have in school?"
Yuno grabbed Shine by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Don't say that so casually! Those were nightmares for me! My teacher used to call me 'The Walking F Grade!'"
"Did you… actually study back then?" Hugo asked, folding his arms.
"Of course, I didn't!" Yuno groaned, throwing his hands in the air. "That's why I said I'm screwed! This is my natural predator! numbers, letters, and long paragraphs!"
"Relax." Hugo said, rolling his eyes. "It might not even be a standard exam. Everhart's expression pretty much screamed, 'You have no idea what's coming.'"
"That doesn't help!" Yuno wailed, slumping forward like the weight of the world had just been dumped on his back.
Shine patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, at least it's not a physical trial. Your muscles get to take a break for once."
"My muscles don't want a break! They're the only thing that's ever worked for me!" Yuno retorted, clutching his head in despair.
Hugo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's just focus on getting through it. Complaining isn't going to change anything."
As Everhart began giving further instructions, Yuno stood there, visibly trembling. To him, the Knowledge Trial was shaping up to be the most terrifying challenge yet.
Continue...