Chapter 12: The scavenger hunt exam pt.2
As Katsuto, Hiroto, uragiri, and Taisuke run toward the dimly lit tunnels, Uragiri commands all of them to stop running. They stop running with confusion on their faces.
"Why'd you stop, Are you tired already?", Katsuto says in a playful and mocking tone.
"No, you ruffian. I just want to declare something to all of you", Uragiri says with pride.
"And what is it?" Hiroto asks with an expression of curiosity and seriousness.
"I would like to declare that the obvious leader of this exam should be me," Uragiri says with certainty.
The aura of the room becomes silent as Uragiri's statement is said. They all burst into laughter and Uragiri is left in confusion and frustration.
"May I ask why you are all laughing?" Uragiri says as he tries to hide his grin in frustration.
They all ignore Uragiri and are still laughing at Uragiri's statement. Katsuto slowly stops laughing and begins to explain. "As if we would like you to be the leader of this exam, please don't make me laugh more".
"I demand silence from the rest of you" Uragiri commands Hiroto and Taisuke
Hiroto and Taisuke slowly but surely stop laughing. Uragiri lets out a deep sigh before speaking, "Thank you, I think that I should be the leader of this exam because I simply am of a higher status than the rest of you, and I possess greater leadership skills".
"Higher status does not mean anything to me and I highly doubt that you have great leadership skills. You probably just going to order us around." Katsuto replies
"Yes I will order you people like the slaves you portray yourselves as" Uragiri insults all of them
Taisuke is angered by Uragiri's statement and violently grabs his purple blazer with the intention of hitting him. "Listen here kid, I am older than you so I demand respect. Just because you're of a higher status does not give you the right to speak to me like that.
"Whatever you say slave" Uragiri continues to insult him
"I'm not playing around kid, If you insult me again so help me", taisuke's pupils glow a vibrant yellow color as he threatens uragiri.
Uragiri is left unphased as Taisuke lets go of his blazer. "You can threaten me all you want but we both know what I said is true", Uragiri says with certainty.
"If you wanna be leader that's up to you but I'm not going to follow your orders", Katsuto refers to Uragiri as he continues to walk forward. They look at katsuto with confused and empty expressions.
Katsuto looks at his back and says "Are you all coming or are you just going to stand there? The scavenger is not going to complete on its own. Uragiri tries to let go of his pride and says" For the record, I am moving forward only because I have a goal of completing this exam, not because he said so". Hiroto and Taisuke begin to walk forward.
Meanwhile, Mitsuki, Megumi, and Sugoi are fighting an elemental beast in a large room with torches on the wall. The elemental beast is 2X larger than them and has lion-like features and red crystals around its light orange fur. It shoots streams of fire directly at Megumi however she counters by summoning water pressure from her hands which causes a collision between fire and water causing steam around the room.
"Nice work, the beast cannot see us with this much steam," Sugoi says stoically
Sugoi stands in front of the beast without any fear or worry. Mitsuki curiously asks "What are you doing Sugoi, you'll get blasted". Sugoi ignores her and says "CHI RELEASE: UNDISPUTED FORCE.
Sugoi releases a near-translucent yellow force from his whole body that directly hits the elemental beast off-balance. Mitsuki and Megumi are left flabbergasted of sugoi's power.
They walk towards him with surprised faces. "How did you do that, I have never seen elemental power like that before," Mitsuki asks out of curiosity. "Yeah it seemed like some kind of force," Megumi says fascinated.
"I'm a chi releaser," Sugoi says stoically
"Chi releaser?, What is that" Mitsuki asks curiously
"Well, it is a rare kind of elemental with the ability to only manipulate and channel natural chi energy. What I just showcased was an example of that natural chi energy", Sugoi explains stoically.
"So you're not capable of harnessing real elements?" Mitsuki asks
"Yes but enough questions, we only managed to complete this first exam and we need to move forward," Sugoi says stoically
"Yeah your right", Mitsuki says as she quickly realizes that she is wasting time and the next door opens to a passage. They all walk through that door.
Meanwhile, katsuto and the rest finish walking through the tunnel pathway and are met with a room with lava as the floors and parkour-like platforms leading to a door upwards. Hiroto then sees a note on the side of the tunnel pathway.
"For a first level, this looks quite difficult", Taisuke says nonchalantly
"Don't tell me you're afraid slave" Uragiri taunts Taisuke
"Wait guys I found a note on the wall," Hiroto says while concentrating on the note.
"What are you waiting for, read it slave", Uragiri commands Hiroto in a disrespectful manner
"First of all watch the way you speak to me, Anyways the note says that to complete this parkour obstacle you will have to use your element. For whoever does not use their element will most likely fail because physical prowess will not be enough", Hiroto reads the note
"Damn, what am I going to do? I definitely can't complete this obstacle without using my element" Katsuto speaks in his thoughts with stress.
"Does the note say anything about working as a team?" Uragiri asks with a devious smile on his face.
"No actually" Hiroto replies
"Perfect, then I won't have to work with you possible dead-weights," Uragiri says gladly
"Who wants to go first?" Hiroto asks
"I'll go," Taisuke says with certainty
Taisuke walks by Katsuto before he attempts the obstacle to deliver a message. "This the perfect place to reveal your secret, I highly doubt you can complete this without using your element", Taisuke whispers to Katsuto. Katsuto grunts in frustration.
Taisuke transforms himself into his wolf beast form but a smaller version of it to allow him to be agile. He jumps over those parkour-like platforms at impressive speeds and transforms into human form once he gets to the door. "Lightwork" Taisuke says arrogantly.
"Looks like your not a useless slave after all!" Uragiri rudely compliments him
"I'll come down over there if you call me a slave one more time" Taisuke threatens Uragiri
"Now it's my turn," Uragiri says proudly
Uragiri looks at the parkour-like platforms with disgust. "As if I'm going to jump on this platform like a monkey, like hell" Uragiri generates water pressure from his hands to propel himself to the open door. "As if I wasn't going to complete it," Uragiri says as he puts his tie in the right place
"You two better finish we're waiting," Taisuke says impatiently and gives Katsuto a sinister eye.
"So Katsuto how are you going to complete this when you don't have any elemental ability" Hiroto curiously asks
"I don't really know at this point," Katsuto says hopelessly
"I can help you get up there cause the note did not say anything about not helping your teammate," Hiroto says courteously
"Really you would do that?" Katsuto says hopeful
"Yeah why not, I mean we are teammates", Hiroto says
"Ok so how is it going to work" Katsuto curiously asks
"Let me get up there first and then I'll help you," Hiroto says with a smirk on his face that leaves Katsuto confused.
Hiroto arches his legs and leaps towards the open door leaving a small crater at the tunnel. Uragiri and Taisuke are left flabbergasted by Hiroto's ability. "You just did that without the use of your element", Uragiri states with his eyes widened in surprise. "Now let me help you Katsuto!" Hiroto exclaims at Katsuto.
Hiroto summons a rock staircase for Katsuto to walk on. "What are you doing helping him", Taisuke says frustrated. "I'm helping a teammate" Hiroto confidently says
Katsuto looks at the staircase with hesitation to walk on it. "What's taking so long Katsuto?!, This staircase is not going to stay here forever," Hiroto asks rushingly
"You don't need to help me anymore Hiroto, I rather do this myself," Katsuto says with bravery
"Are you retarded or something, Do you think you can complete this obstacle without any element", Uragiri rudely asks a rhetorical question.
Katsuto ignores the question and gives a smile. He takes a step and jumps blindly without any sort of plan. Hiroto quickly reacts and creates a long earth gauntlet from his hands to grab Katsuto mid-air towards the open door. Katsuto is on the ground with a small smile on his face.
"What the hell was that Katsuto, Are asking to die in the lava," Hiroto asks with an agitated expression
"Nah I wasn't gonna die cause that's not real lava," Katsuto says with a laid-back tone
"What do you mean ruffian" Uragiri asks rudely
"Well when I jumped and looked down at the lava, I felt no heat," Katsuto says
"And to you, that's concrete proof it's not real lava, Not only are you a ruffian but a fool as well" Uragiri insults Katsuto
"Yeah I know it was a bad idea but I had no other choice," Katsuto says casually as if nothing happened
"What do you mean ruffian, the big slave right here offered to help you," Uragiri says frustrated
"Yeah I just wanted to do it myself though," Katsuto says
"Honestly don't know why I'm teammates with you," Uragiri says nodding his head as he walks toward the next obstacle.
Taisuke is left frustrated and also walks forward leaving Katsuto and Hiroto. "Guess we should start moving too," Hiroto says.
TO BE CONTINUED.....