224. A perception!

[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel (Middle Row) - Friday 12:46 p.m.]

The examinees have now been running for 3 hours and 50 minutes, reaching the 21 kilometer mark, and over additional 50 of the examinees have dropped out and 560 are still running.

As for earlier, Tim and his allies, Shin and his allies all came to a conclusion that there is something wrong with this first test. The 100 kilometer mark was set done and clear however the words from their examiner made them a bit suspect, they've come to a conclusuon that there is something else they must do to when they reach 100 kilometer mark, and that solution is still not known to them, for what it will be, and for what it will be used.

Codey, Kanji and Midori have now reached the middle row, but their view of distance was still not close enough to see Tim and the rest. "This is getting so out of hand.... 440 have already dropped out..." Midori answered. "At least we're still not beneath 50% mark...." Claimed Kanji. "Yes, but if this keeps up, the 56% that we have now won't last long.... and there is still 79 kilometers to go.... let's just hope we don't fall beneath 30% to when we reach the end." Claimed Midori. "Whoa, hold up. Do you actually really think that we'll fall so far down?" Codey seemed progressive in shock. "It's challenging for people to even run 10 kilometer, and so many have dropped out, so yes, I consider it possible...." Claimed Midori. "That means there there is a chance that only 300 or less of examinees will go up to the second test?" Wondered Codey. "That's 700 examinees gone - of course, we're not guranteed, but if only thus many finish, there will still probably be people who fail the second test... this is so troublemaking...." Codey began causing drama. "Calm down, getting worried is our least of concern.... we must keep pushing forward and find a perfect solution." Answered Midori. In that moment, another two have dropped and uncovered a duo. "Hey! Guys! Look! It's Octavius and Eguchi! They are still in the run!" Called Kanji. "That's something to luck up to! Hey! You two!" Codey shouted, and both Octavius and Eguchi faced behind.

"Oh, look, it's Codey, Midori and Kanji, they are right behind us..." Claimed Octavius. "Ugh! I was hoping for them to fail by now..." Eguchi added. The three have joined up with them. "Hey! Good to see that you two are still in this challenging day." Smiled Kanji, appreciative to see some of his allies. "Yeah, and same goes for you...." Answered Octavius. "I'd love to congratulate you, but we still don't know if we're be able to make it to the end." Octavius added. "Oh! Right. Speaking about the end. We've came to an idea that the 150 kilometer mark is not actually what we must cover, in fact is really 100. But there we thought there is some kind of other solution to when we reach 100 kilometer...." Explained Kanji. "Huh? How'd you come up with that?" Wondered Octavius. "On the web it said 100 kilometer but the examiner said 150 kilometer, he mentioned death and traps, but I believe that no people will die because of stamina depletion, I think he refered to the 150 kilometer mark, that's where the trap must be let.... I think this exam is not just to make people gain licenses, in fact is life stealing, so there must be something that happens at the 100 kilometer mark, basically 150 was a hint." Explained Midori. "You explaining it to us does mean a lot to us. But, what is that solution to getting to the finish is more difficult, but that does explain to why they didn't let us use any abilities, I believe that some people would get the chance to understand this immediately, just by using their ability, and that would be a pathetic way of reaching the second test, yeah. This exam is no joke...." Explained Octavius. "So what! We'll still manage to get through this crappy and dusty tunnel..." Eguchi sighed. "You don't understand. We cannot let a single drop leave us, we must be focused at all time, this is not just a test of stamina but also intelligence and focus..." Explained Kanji. "....Tsch..." Sighed Eguchi.

"Let's be honest, not people came here with intelligence, but just to get their licenses so that they could cause ruckus over the world." Claimed Codey, shaking his head. "Nor just that. We've been moving quicker so that we could catch up to Tim and the rest, we still have to warn them, it's a high chance they won't manage to understand thiss solution." Answered Midori. Shin and Shoji were close by as well, so they joined up with the conversation. "I don't think you need to worry much about them, they've already figured out about a different solution." Explained Shin. Everybody apart from SHoji faced him. "Hm, who are you?" Codey asked. "You're that guy who was with that crazy Seki.... Yutaku, guy.... right?" Answered Midori. "Yes, that is correct. And it seems that both, him and Kazuko managed to join up forced with your allies, they figured it out before everybody else apart from the ones at the back row...." Explained Shin. "Not just that. It's Tim and Ayuka we're talking about, they know their stuff." Answered Sakami who was running with Kylin, Hideki on the left side at the front. "Whoa, you two are here as well! I'm so glad we didn't find you lying on the floor like the rest of the examinees." Smiled Kanji. "Well, you wouldn't lose us that easily. And to what you've mentioned, Hideki came up with it as well..." Kylin explained. "Huh? So you guys are aware of it too?" Of course, after Midori asked, Kylin, Sakami and Hideki nodded. "Yes, we were aware quite quickly." Explained Hideki. "Oh, and speaking about your 'allies'. Are they by any chance Spiritual Duelists? They seem to be doing just fine when it comes to losing stamina..." Asked Shoji. "We all are, are you two Spiritual Duelists as well?" Surprisingly asked Midori. "Yes, we are, so are Kazuko and Yutaku.... there are few other Spiritual Duelists ahead of us that have no trouble..." Explained Shin. "Whoa, I didn't expect so many Spiritual Duelists, you didn't come from Spiritual Realm, did you?"

"We were all born on Earth, just like every single one of you." Claimed Shin. "And each of us managed to get a Ginken. That's so advertising.... guess there is actually many more people born on Earth that have the power of Spiritual Symbolism." Answered Kylin. "Excuse me. How did you manage to figure out about Tim and the rest, that they've teamed up and are all fine?" Wondered Codey. "My Kinetic Type is Terra, this means I can share everyone's heatness through earth, I can sense what they are talking about and where they are, maximum in 600 meter mark, as I told to Shoji, this is also a reason to why I chose the middle row to run, so that I can sense everything around us...." Explained Shin. "But isn't that using a technique?" Wondered Kanji. "It is, but it doesn't harm any people so it's allowed." Claimed Shin. "Wait! Hold up! So why can I not use flight! That doesn't harm people!" Shouted Codey, jelous. "To use flight you make a small pressure, and to mover through, you create weather effects, such as wind blowing, if you were to pass by, the people around you would feel that wind, making them lose because of you. It's just unacceptable, every technique that does not involve, realasing pressure or creating elemental effects, is allowed." Answered Shin. "I wish they'd describe that better, earlier, when we began running." Codey sighed and made a jealous face. "Understandable. But then again, using such abilities uses much more stamina, so is better to just not and use them." Answered Hideki. "Yeah, exactly. But we don't need to worry about that too much, right now, we should focus to when we reach the 100 kilometer mark, if Shin isn't telling lies, we can trust Tim and the rest to find their way somehow." Answered Kylin. "Yeah, you're right. Let's not speed up too much, or we may run out of stamina too quickly...." While the conversation ended, additional 37 people have dropped out, leaving only 523 examinees still in the test.

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Examinee's Keeping - Fortune Tunnel (Front Row) - Friday 1:36 p.m.]

Examines have now been running for about 4 hours and 36 minutes. and were able to reach 25 kilometers.

"Only 75 kilometers left... hush, this is getting much more time eating than I hoped it would." Answered Tim, quite bored of the running. "Well, it's better than failing, not?" Wondered Yasu, hoping. "I agree with Yasu, we managed to come this far, so I bet we'll manage to run those additional 75 kilometers, we cannot allow ourselves to fail... or this will be for nothing." Ayuka explained. "Everybody who fails ends up with nothing, so that's weird of way of putting it. But at 25 kilometers, I've lost at least around 25% of my stamina, it's slowly becoming a bit tiring..." Tim claimed. "We've all managed to lose it this much, so we're pretty much even." Smiled Sora. "In counting, this would mean that you would lose all of your stamina as soon as you've reached the ending...." Claimed Yasu. "Yes, this is why. I'm rather worried.... I bet we'll make it there before or at midnight." Tim called. "Wait, hold on. Maybe you've got onto something. The next test is based on coordination, this means, if we finish it in perfect time.... then - we'll have to coordinate ourselves through night." Claimed Yutaku. "Yeah, for sure. But not just that. Who knows what else there will be in the coordination test... no way that there will only be night.... I bet there are additions to that test. To make it harder." Claimed Ayuka. "But what can they do to make it harder?" Wondered Yasu. "Hmmm.... we can't be sure... for now, we still need to be aware of the solution, there's gotta be an event or something that we continue...." Claimed Sora. "Ugh, this is nerve wracking as well.... I just hope that everybody behind us, or wherever they are, are going to manage, in full, I mean our allies, such as Sakami." Tim thought. "Trust in them, that's always the score." Claimed Ayuka. "Easy for you to say... but yeah, you're right..." With that Tim and others faced back ahead.

Further ahead on the front row.

"Dum-di-dum.... this test is rocking. Man, I wish I could make up a show, but I guess that won't do... apparently, music is something you cannot use either.... probably because of the loudness." Giggled a girl, with red and black hair. "But of course. I must continue, hopefully I'll manage to use my guitar when I come to the next test, this one is too easy.... it doesn't make me even worried one bit. Oh and of course, I won't fall for such an expected trick, you think I'd just follow you our dear examiner.... sorry, but that really won't work on me.... just gotta reach the 100 meter mark, perfect and all scored." Smiled the girl, estaticed and quite energetic for running 25 kilometers.

("She's on a different level than most of those fools... ah, how impressive, so great.... ah! Just how far will our lovely boys come. Can't wait to taste it all in my mouth!") Thought Kyou, licking his lips and giggling quietly. People were quite confused on Kyou. "Look at that guy... he seems to be constantly moving and not even a sweat has fallen...." Claimed an examinee. "Yeah. And that guitar girl, she is also not tired, just what are the made of?" Asked a man, breathing heavily. "This run is soon going to end, I can't continueeee!" Yelled a man, annoyed and tired. "Calm yourself down, we can do it.... these people got no idea what the hell they are doing. We'll run 150 kilometers without a sweat!" Laughed a man, but it was knowable that he was losing his stamina quicker than most of the people,

To be continued...