219. Dueling Exam! Begin!

[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel - Friday 8:30 a.m.]

990 people have already entered the entrance to the exam, the area was extremely enormous so people had quite decent amount of space for them to stand.

"There is another 30 minutes before we begin and only 10 more people before the exam is full. The 'Dueling Exam'. Hm.... I see that now... it might actually be a bit difficult, I might have changed my mind. But I believe we should manage to get to the end." Answered Codey, thinking out loud. "You do realize you're thinking out loud and everybody can hear you?" Questioned Kishi, looking at Codey who instantaneously began unamused. ("Either way. I wonder how long it will take to finish all the tests....") Sighed Codey, still thinking. And finally in the next 10 minutes, the 10 examinees finally entered, for the last man of being number 1000.

"1000 people.... each of them wanting to take on the 'Dueling Exam' just so that they can do missions on Earth. But what they really don't know is how difficult this exam is. A mere human can barely run 100 kilometer at same paste..... furthermore, a human body loses stamina extremely quick, to as how much pressure and strength he uses, so even if people do finish the frist test.... their next tests will be far more difficult, meaning most of them will for sure fail at the third round of test, nor just that. If people will be too tired for the second test already..." Claimed Kanji talking to others. "100 kilometer run, I don't think we'll have trouble doing it, none of us for sure." Tim claimed, however when they looked at Codey, moving like a robot and a zombie, they all made confused and unamused expression. "100..... kilometers......... I barely managed to contain 50% of my disappeared stamina in a fight against Kodama..... and I didn't need to move at the same pace! I'm so doomed!" Codey cried, dropping on the floor, question marks appeared above other's head.

"I think you misjudged the 'none of us' part." Ayuka added, when facing at Codey, pressed on the floor. "Don't give a sweat, you'll make it. Besides, we're there to help out, y'know." Laughed Kanji making a single step, but Codey just stood up and faced into Kanji's face, leaning him back. "You're telling me that you'll help me out in the run? And how do you plan on doing that?" Codey sighed, interested and curious. "Erm...." "Are you gonna hold me, are you gonna kick me like a ball, are you gonna throw me like a rock, or are you going to-" But at that Kanji pressed his palm into Codey's face. "Just use your 'wind' thingy, use it to fly or something...." Sighed Kanji, in that moment Codey made opened eyes, and though. "THAT'S RIGHT! Oh my god! You're a saviour! Thank you ,thank you, thank you so much!" From the excitement, Codey smooched Kanji on the cheek when cheering up in the air. Kanji and the rest made a confused expression with a sweat dripping down their foreheads. "He.... sure is - interesting today...." Spoke Kylin. "What the hell man!" Kanji shouted, but others just laughed.

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel - Friday 8:55 a.m.]

The examiner was already arriving to the front of the entire crowd of examinees. "That must be the guide, well.... the examiner..." Kishi claimed. "Yes, it is him. Besides, he is known to be one of the most successful Spiritual Duelists from this world, that not many people kenw about before latest days." Explained Ikehara, smiling. "Huh? You're telling me that he is one of the greatest Spiritual Duelist on Planet Earth?" Wondered Kanai, interested. The rest joined up to look at Ikehara. "Yes. His name is Jin Kou.... a Spiritual Duelist, experienced in using 'Spiritual Control' at its max limit." Explained Ikehara. "Can I fight him?!" Codey came sliding in front of Ikehara, covering his front body. Ikehara reached for Codey's left side of the face and pushed him to the side. "No, unless you wish to get killed. By the 'Slaughter Team'. And trust me, you might see yourself as strong, but they are as strong as Tim, but there is five of them.... so be patient and don't go fighting him, he might even be able to put you down for good by himself." Explained Ikehara. "He doesn't seem that tough to me.... really...." Claimed Kishi.

"....Will you all just devote him below you? Believe me, I've fought Tim, and Jin.... he is 5x stronger than Tim within his basic power.... so please, don't argue with him and so on..." Sighed Ikehara. "I mean, if Codey wishes, I'll help to put that guy down..." Giggled Kanai. Ikehara quickly slipped in front of Kanai's face on the right side. "Seriously..... what can you do?" Ikehara questioned, almost laughing. Kanai immediately became unamused at him as she smashed her fist into Ikehara's face. "Hey! That actually hurt!" Shouted Ikehara. "Then shut up...." Spoke Kanai. "So are you fellows trying to compete with us or just enjoy and help out?" Asked Ayuka, looking at Octavius, Tsukiya, Ikehara and Kanai. "Why of course we're here to help if necessary.... but for those two, I can't tell." Octavius pointed his look at Kanai and Ikehara. "To be honest, I'll do whatever I want, help or not help, but do be aware that I am not your enemy." Explained Kanai, smiling. "Yeah, me neither." By holding his nose, Ikehara spoke when a sweat dripped down his face. "To actually have some new allies, that's one thing I did not expect to happen at the exam..." Claimed Kylin, calm.

On the opposite side of Tim and the rest's view, Seki, Toyama, Chino and Shiro continued to wait for the beginning of the exam.

"Like I said, nobody here interests me in power..." Laughed Seki, acting tough. "Would you stop seeing yourself as an alpha, you're probably beneath 20% of people here...." Shiro answered. "HEY! Don't you dare insult me like that! I am much tougher than your ugly ass! Want me to prove you?!" Shiro shouted. "There they go again..." Chino answered, Toyama looked ahead. "Instead of focusing on arguing, these two should really focus on the 1 minute remaining, that's when the rules and the exam begins." Sighed Toyama with his long brown pony tail waving behind. "I'll admit, these two. I don't know how they plan on getting through the first test, if they keep arguing, and if they end up in cooperation, these two will just fail instantaneously...." Chino closed his palms and faced back to the front to where Jin stood.

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel - Friday 9:00 a.m.]

The time finally reached 9 am.

"Everyone!!!" A loud shout combusted through the area when everybody began feeling terrified, Jin's energy was bursting in heat temperature, invisible but terrifying most of the examinees. "What the hell is this pressure? It's so, devestating!" Called Seki, surprised. "It's a way for the examiner to stop everybody's speech. It's called 'Kyōfu'. In english it means 'Terrify'. The user of this techniques unleashes a pulse of invisible pressure from his body, in 500 meter mark plus. This automatically terrifies any duelists. That's been used before but other people, such that have a 'Spirit' that involves any kind of darkness in it.... and because I am an expertee in these kind of things, I can tell that at least 10 of these examinees have such sufficient technique that may come out at any moment..." Explained Toyama, the first two people he looked at, were Codey and Tim, who seemed to be acting quite normal.

"Quiet down now! My name is Jin Kou! I will be your examiner for the first test and I have already achieved my own 'Dueling Licenses'. For beginning I will explain the rules to the first test that you will partake in. So let us begin!

The 150 kilometer run will take part in a narrow tunnel, that is reaching to your next destination. While you partake in the run you are not allowed to fight each other, you are not allowed to kill each other and you are not allowed to use any type of techniques, this means, flying or using your 'Spiritual Symbolism' to move, it must be a basic run. While running, everybody who cannot continue or drops on the floor are considered to fail and will be left down here, if these people cannot continue to walk out or return, they will suffer in the tunnel and no rescuing team will arrive, everybody who ends up dying because of overwhelming stamina loss, that is not our priority to help as an examiner, in fact, it was you who had decided to partake in this exam. For short, only the greatest and the worthy duelists may consider them as human with potential, so this is your last chance to retreat, you have 20 seconds to decide, if you do not decide in time, you will have to partake in this first test and proceed." Shouted Jin, explainaing, as the door behind them opened. "Quickly now, if you fail to decide, the door will close in the next 20 seconds...." Called Jin.

In that moment people began talking to each other, scared of who will continue and who will not. People soon started walking out. "Whoa, this many people are scared to continue? They really are something we did not expect, right, Codey... um... Codey.." Sighed Kanji, each and every one of them looked at them. "....150 kilometer... what do you mean? No allowance to use my wind! This is so not fair! How am I supposed to continue. The website said 100 and so have you, how are you still in this mode to continue?" Codey asked with a fear of failing. "Look, I'm sure you'll manage, just don't begin underestimating yourself. I suppose, they've decided to raise the number, for what specific reason, I cannot tell...." Tim spoke, as people continued to walk by.

"150.... what is this joke! Is he trying to terrify me! Hah, no way!" Shouted Seki, crossing his arms. "Would you just shut up complaining? If you want to be a 'Spiritual Duelist' than this is what you will do, you fool...." Claimed Shiro, moment after, Seki immediately looked at her with seriousness. "All right you girl, then we'll see how you'll fail and I will not..." Shouted Seki. At the end only 900 participants stayed, finally the door shut.

"Very well! The ones who have stayed here! You are willing to put your life line to an end! No more retreats! We will take on, as soon as the door behind me opens." Shouted Jin, turning toward the door, and those 900 examinees who have stayed behind, waited, many of them however were worried.

Muto was quite estaticed and calm, waiting for the exam to begin. ("Ah, I wonder, just how well you'll do..") Thought Muto, giving a look at Tim and Codey. ("You're both filled with such a tough, juciy liquid of power, you may not fail.... just how on turning!") Thought Muto, once again, making a creepy smile. "Tim... that guy, I don't like his sight...." Spoke Codey, worried. A sweat dripped down Tim's forehead. "Yeah, I know...." Tim seemed to be calming himself by focusing his goal to finish the exam.

And in that instant, the door bursted out and opened, it rasied up when Jin made a smile, he began to run forward quite differently than a normal human. "Hey! What the hell! He's almost walking and running at the same! How does this make any sense?!" Asked a examinee, but as he asked, each and every single one of them ran behind the guy. "This is not that fast for start.... I'm glad..." Codey spoke.

"Yeah, but don't think this is all. I bet he'll speed up at some point." Explained Tim, but 900 participans continued to move.

"I wonder if 150 kilometers is actually the correct length...." Sakami thought, quite suspect.

To be continued...