Chapter 13: "Teamwork is the dreamwork"

After Katsuto and the gang finish their first obstacle, they move on to the next obstacle. They are met with a vast vacant room with candles on the walls that dimly light the room. Uragiri sees a note on the left side of the tunnel wall that says "Stay on your feet haha".

"This note states to stay on your feet but it also says haha," Uragiri says confused

"But it's just an empty room and the door is right there at the end", Katsuto replies while he points his finger at the door

"Well I don't have time to waste so let's just go.," Taisuke says blindly

Taisuke transforms into his wolf beast form and runs into the room. As he runs, a miniature explosion emits from the ground he stepped on and is blasted to the wall. Once he gets blasted to the wall, another explosion is sent that blasts him to the other side of the wall, leaving him on the ground confused.

Uragiri begins to laugh hysterically. "Ha!, I should have known that this obstacle course could not be that easy to complete. That's what you get for being so rash."

"I guess this room is filled with hidden bombs then." Katsuto states

"Yeah, I'm guessing those bombs are made using chi 'cause there are no signs of a solid bomb there." Hiroto speculates

"Hmm, it seems you slaves are not stupid after all." Uragiri rudely compliments Katsuto and Hiroto.

"The thing is how do we go to the other room when we don't know where these hidden chi bombs are?" Katsuto asks

"The answer is visible ruffian, all we have to do is sense where these bombs are with chi-sensing. I'm hoping that all of you know how to do that" Uragiri explains

"Don't forget I can't do that cause I'm a non-elemental" Katsuto reminds Hiroto and Uragiri

"We'll figure that out later Katsuto but the important thing is how we sense these hidden chi bombs when they're too small to detect," Hiroto asks curiously

Uragiri faces his head to the side as a result of knowing his plan will not be successful. Katsuto thinks to himself and proceeds to point his finger in the air saying "Ha!, I got an idea but it's quite risky". Hiroto and Uragiri begin to take a big sigh.

Meanwhile back in the room where all the tunnels were introduced. The team in the third tunnel begins to walk out with a feminine doll in their hands perfectly intact. A door opens on the opposite side of the tunnels and it is no other than the announcer.

"Wow the first team already," The announcer says a little surprised

"Yeah this exam was pretty easy if you ask me", a random boy says proudly

"Well, you guys managed to bring back the doll intact so meaning you passed this exam, congratulations," The announcer says in his more professional tone.

Meanwhile, Mitsuki, Megumi, and Sugoi are in their last obstacle fighting three elemental beasts in a very vast room and the doll is in a small chamber behind the beasts. They each agreed to fight one elemental beast each.

Mitsuki is battling a giant frost beast with bear-like features, Megumi is battling a giant flame beast with tiger-like features and Sugoi is battling a giant frost and flame hybrid beast with panther-like features.

"WHITE DEATH ALIGHT!" Mitsuki exclaims as she summons her elemental weapon as the beast charges at her head-first. Mitsuki flies high above the giant frost beast and summons a huge amount of air pressure, she then sends that air pressure to the beast which does not affect the beast.

The frost beast forms several blue crystals from its back and projects it towards Mitsuki, leaving cuts on her. She then lands on the ground feeling pain.

"Damn it," Mitsuki says frustrated

The frost beast begins to growl and lets out a big roar. An ice blast charges in the mouth of the beast. Mitsuki responds by spinning her white death staff in different directions, a wind ball slowly begins to form in front of her. The frost beast releases its charged ice blast at her and Mitsuki releases her Windball. The ice blast and the windball collide, and both blasts are evenly matched but the ice blast slowly absorbs  Mitsuki's windball.

As the ice blast absorbs Mitsuki's windball, the ice blast increases in size and projects toward Mitsuki at great speed. However, Sugoi appears in front of Mitsuki and releases chi pressure from his body without a lift of a finger. The chi pressure deflects the ice blast back to the frost beast, knocking it off balance and unconscious.

"Woah, You saved my butt there Sugoi," Mitsuki says relieved after she sighs

"How careless", Sugoi says stoically and jumps back to his fight.

Mitsuki is left frustrated and disappointed in herself due to showcasing her weaknesses to herself and Sugoi.

Meanwhile, Sugoi just stands in front of the panther beast while it growls at him. He shows fearlessness towards the panther beast and cracks a small smile. Sugoi rushes to the beast faster than the human eye can comprehend and then proceeds to release punch barrages on the panther beast's face, which sends it to a wall. The panther beast still keeps its guard up and repeatedly projects fireballs from its mouth however Sugoi creates a chi-pressure field around him that absorbs the fireballs.

"Thanks for the chi" Sugoi stoically says

"CHI RELEASE: UNDISPUTED FORCE" Sugoi stoically says as he charges a huge amount of chi and releases his translucent energy through the ground sending the panther beast in the air. Sugoi jumps higher than the beast in the air.

"CHI RELEASE: UNDISPUTED JUDGEMENT" Sugoi stoically says as near-translucent bullet-shaped chi blasts are behind him and releases them directly to the beast leaving it unconscious.

"Lightwork" Sugoi stoically says

Meanwhile, Megumi is struggling against the tiger flame beast. She attempts to summon her weapon but the tiger beast rushes to her at great speed and knocks her off balance with its head. The beast then glows an orange color as if it's going to explode however a translucent chi blast is sent to its head knocking it unconscious.

Megumi is left confused on the floor and looks to Sugoi pointing his hand at the beast's direction. "Hey why did you do that, I could have handled that", Megumi says angrily

"Well it looked to me like that elemental beast was overwhelming you" Sugoi stoically says

"Yeah well I still could have handled it", Megumi says angrily

"No Megumi he's right, you were clearly overpowered by that beast and you needed help", Mitsuki says as she walks towards Megumi to help her get up on her feet.

"Sorry to be rude but it needs to be said, Both of you are weak. You were both gifted the power of air and water by the elemental god and you both just used it disgracefully. If I had the power of real elements like yours I would destroy this beast in a matter of seconds" Sugoi stoically says

"You know you may be right but that was not necessary to say," Mitsuki says angrily

"Yet another thing that makes you remain weak is you cannot accept critique" Sugoi stoically says

Mitsuki remains a quiet cause of the knowledge that Sugoi is right. "Let me remain quiet cause we have to get back to the main room, but think about what I said", Sugoi stoically says

Mitsuki, Megumi, and Sugoi manage to unlock the chamber and retrieve the doll safely back to the main room

Meanwhile, Katsuto tells Uragiri and Hiroto about his plan. "So can you handle that Hiroto?" Katsuto asks

"Yeah it should be no problem" Hiroto confidently says

Hiroto takes a step into the room and a miniature explosion occurs on the tiles he steps on, leaving a scratch on Hiroto's leg that hurts him a bit. He steps on the second tile but another miniature explosion occurs. He feels the pain but continues to walk in a straight line before he finally goes diagonal.

When Hiroto gets to the first tile on the diagonal route on his right side, no explosion occurs. "Yes first tile with no explosion," Hiroto says relieved

"Good one Hiroto!, Now you gotta keep moving! You're halfway there!" Katsuto exclaims so Hiroto can hear him.

"Ok, so you're making him go through the pain of walking through these explosive floors just still he steps on the desired tiles without explosions for a path for us to cross?." Uragiri curiously asks

"Yeah smart huh" Katsuto proudly states

"It's a standard plan that I could have also thought about" Uragiri arrogantly says as he rolls his eyes

Hiroto continues to walk diagonally but explosions continue to occur leaving him in constant pain. "This is more painful than I thought it was," Hiroto says in his thoughts while struggling in pain.

"Are you good there Hiroto?!" Katsuto worriedly asks

"Yeah, I'm ok!" Hiroto exclaims from the middle of the room

Hiroto continues to walk but chooses to walk straight and no explosions occur for three tiles. He continues to walk but goes diagonally left and still no explosions occur.

"You're on a roll now Hiroto!" Katsuto motivates Hiroto

"Even if he's creating pathways for us, How will you remember the ones without any explosions occurring ruffian?" Uragiri rudely asks

"Well it's a good thing I have a photographic memory

Hiroto finally makes it to the end and is left with five tiles. "I don't feel like feeling any more pain so I'm going to jump over this five," Hiroto says in his thoughts

Hiroto takes a big leap over the five tiles and gets to the next passage. "Yeah, guys I made it!" Hiroto says proudly to himself

"Great job Hiroto!" Katsuto appreciates Hiroto

"Now we can walk on the pathway," Uragiri says seriously

"Yeah but I'm going first since I know where he stepped on," Katsuto says seriously

Katsuto jumps on the tiles with no explosions and makes it to the end. Katsuto then guides Uragiri on the tiles he should step on and he makes it to the end.

"Great job but we're forgetting someone" Hiroto reminds Katsuto and Uragiri

They all sigh while Taisuke is struggling on the ground in his wolf beast form. "Hey slave you better get up and come here," Uragiri says angrily

"You're feeling on the top of the world now huh, I'll come there and shut you up" Taisuke provokes Uragiri

"Oh you're free to do that cause the floors are non-explosive now" Uragiri lies

Taisuke believes Uragiri and attempts to run but an explosion occurs that knocks toward the wall on Uragiri's left side.

"Of course, You believed, what a gullible slave" Uragiri insults Taisuke

"Hey This is not the time to be playing around, we need to get to the next obstacle," Katsuto says annoyed

"Alright as much as I hate saying this, you're right," Uragiri says as he lets go of his pride

Time passes and Katsuto guides Taisuke through the tiles he should step on and he finally gets to the end. Taisuke transforms back into human form and passes by Katsuto saying, "This means nothing".

"We need to get going to the next obstacle" Hiroto commands

TO BE CONTINUED...