Preliminary Rounds (Part 3)

It never made sense to Theo from the start.

'Why create such a risky scenario? A diminishing maximum capacity that can cause everyone to fail if the contestants are above the number… How absurd!' However, with no empirical way of justifying his skepticism, Theo could do nothing but silently observe as the fights went on.

He observed both platforms—running numbers through his head to determine the rate at which the maximum capacity would be falling, if it was falling at all. He couldn't get a positive figure, but he assumed it had to be on a low end.

However, after his brief conversation with the proctor and gaining some insights into his character, it all made sense to Theo. He still had no accurate way of determining his suspicion to be true, but he knew it deep within himself…

'This whole thing is a sham!'

Claudius simply wanted the participants to eliminate as many of their fellow applicants as possible so the 'herd' could be 'thinned.' And he relished this process, watching people who didn't know any better deprive their neighbor of their dreams. It was an utterly disgusting thing to do, but Theo could not whine about it like a child.

He knew people like this existed in the world, and there was nothing he could do to them.

They were the ones in positions of power.

And at the moment, he had no substantial power to call his own. But, using the minuscule amount that he possessed, he called out the man responsible for the tragedy that had just taken place in the hall.

"… Or am I wrong, dear proctor?"

Silence pervaded the room for a minute, and Claudius stared at Theo in wonder—a mix of surprise and amusement. He didn't remain quiet for too long, though.

"I wonder…" He shrugged shamelessly. "You could be correct… or you could be wrong."

At this point, the people in the left platform began to get agitated, all of them glaring at their proctor. Even the purple-haired boy stopped his actions of throwing people off the platform, solely interested in what the truth was.

"Say you're right in your assumption; that means there is no need to fight any longer. You are all safe. But, consider this… what if you are wrong?"

Claudius alternated glances between the right and left platform, his smile broadening.

"If you're wrong, Theo, you will still be safe. Because no matter how cruel the method of elimination is, it can't be cruel enough to require the elimination of over seventy percent of contestants—which your platform has already achieved." 

A cold sensation suddenly coursed through Theo's body as his eyes widened upon realizing what the proctor was trying to do. "But what about your friends over there? The people on the left? They haven't even eliminated up to half of their initial number, and if they choose to take you at your word… then there's a chance they will all fail."

"…."

"If that happens… will you be able to take responsibility for all of them?"

Theo shuddered silently, a bead of sweat forming on his face as he glanced at the people on the left. He was certain this man was playing games with them, and there was no real ultimatum, but the absence of proof on his part and the mere possibility of him being wrong prevented him from offering a proper rebuttal.

All he could do was silently glare at the man as he spoke.

"Three minutes more."

At this point, the participants on the left stared at one another, looking at the green lights that shone from their platform. Uncertainty was etched on their faces, and they alternated stares between the right platform—which had been confirmed to be safe—the proctor, who chose to remain vague, and one another.

While still processing what to do, who to believe, and how to proceed with the inconsistent information they had, a terrible noise broke the silence.

"A-arghhh!" A man fell—pushed off the platform by someone who breathed heavily, desperation clearly written on his hardened face. 

"I can't take that chance!"

Before anyone could say anything, he charged at another person, sending a flurry of blows at them before shoving them to the edge and then kicking them over so they also descended to the platform's base.

This single act sent neurons firing in the minds of everyone who watched, and before anyone could offer any voice of reason, pandemonium resumed on the left platform. The fights continued—this time fiercer than ever. The fact that time was nearly up, and they could be eliminated at any moment, forced them to take even more extreme measures in securing their positions.

Theo watched this happen with suppressed rage, helplessness coursing through his veins as his anger could only be seen in his bright amber eyes. 

"Do you see now? This is human nature for you." Claudius' voice visited Theo's ears, forcing him to look at the proctor. "This is life."

Theo looked at the man, silent for a few seconds.

He sighed, letting go of his unnecessary anger before shaking his head and turning way.

"Not my life."

Claudius shrugged, almost as if he knew Theo was only a child and would soon grow out of his naive outlook on the world. He relaxed on his chair and enjoyed the chaos, while Theo turned to the purple-haired boy.

"Gonna continue?"

"No." He responded. "It's no longer necessary since I've received confirmation that my position on this platform is secure."

"I see…"

After a brief moment of silence, the boy in the suit sighed as he stared straight into Theo's eyes and whispered words to him. "You're not necessarily wrong in your analysis, but when confronting an overwhelming authority… it's best to compromise and gather your strength. Wait, lay low… and stoop to conquer."

"Is that how you choose to live your life?" Theo asked him with narrowed eyes.

The boy smiled for the first time, casually shrugging as he turned away, walking towards the edge of the platform to look at the many people he caused to be disqualified. He silently stood there for a while, refusing to respond to Theo until the last minute.

"It's how I have to."

"TIME UP!" Claudius jumped to his feet, clapping his hands in order to put an end to the disaster that was taking place in the left platform. "Congratulations! You've scaled through the second round. Now, it's time for the last and final round."

Most people were beyond exhausted, so their eyes widened and they groaned in sheer disbelief after hearing that there was yet another round to complete.

"Don't worry! This one is the easiest. All you have to do is walk forward and receive your serial number for the Combat Evaluation Exams." Claudius smiled sweetly, his eyes focusing in Theo's direction.

"Why don't we start with the right platform."

At this point, Theo could already see what the proctor was up to. After trying his best to preserve the qualifications of those who fell unconscious on the platform, this new round was going to make those efforts useless.

"It's over." The boy with purple hair said as he walked past Theo and stepped off the platform.

Theo clenched his fists, staring at all the unconscious people as he attempted to think a loophole that would allow them to pass. However, after coming up with nothing he could use, he let the matter go and also stepped off the platform.

"Arlet Bouli'jer… Number 1."

Theo heard the name of the boy with purple hair, watching as he walked away from Claudius while he stepped forward.

"Theo… Number 2."

He walked away from Claudius, not bothering to spare the proctor another look. His eyes were now dark brown, and his expression was completely calm—still as an undisturbed body of clear water.

Even when Claudius said "To make things fair and save our time, if no one in the right platform comes up, I'll have to move on to the left," Theo remained unperturbed. He simply stood where the female subordinates of the proctor directed the final winners to stay, both hands in his pockets while he waited for the end of the round.

He said nothing else, and simply observed for the rest of the third and final round.

Until finally—

"Congratulations! A total of thirty-two contestants passed this screening procedure."

Less than ten percent of the applicants who walked into the hall at the start of the screening made it until the end. It was, beyond any doubt, a horrific pass rate.

And the worst part?

The Evaluation Exams were yet to begin!

"The Evaluation Exams, also known as the Recruitment Event, lasts for a whole week, but the Combat Exams specifically happen in the first three days. In those three days, starting from the first day, you'll be fighting one-on-one fights in rounds… advancing up until the final round." Claudius began to explain to the thirty-two before him. "The winner of the final round gets to be a rank above everyone else who is considered qualified enough to pass the Recruitment Event."

"B-but… who gets to pass? How is it judged?" Someone in the audience asked.

"Think of it like an exhibition of sorts… or an interview. Just because you fall short and lose to your opponent doesn't necessarily mean you won't be selected. The important thing is showing your skills."

"Will Shen Ak'ashi be at the event?" The one who asked this question was not Theo.

It was a lanky man with hardened eyes, having a scar on the right side of his face. He was the same person who had previously asked if it was okay to kill fellow participants to get them off the platform.

Claudius heard the question and gave his answer with a smile.

"Yes. Lord Shen Ak'ashi will personally be there to watch every fight, and he will be the one who ultimately gets to decide who will pass the exams."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise—many displaying pleasant shock and glee, their faces brightening up with anticipation. A small smile even tugged at Theo's face, and the mood of a lot of people were elevated as a result of the news.

As for the man who asked the question, a warped smile formed on his disfigured face.

He, too, was excited.

"That concludes your orientation. Do be punctual and remember to prepare adequately for the challenge of the exams." Claudius finalized his speech, bowing one final time as he showed everyone the exit.

"Enjoy the rest of your day."