Chương 86: The Third Day of Tests – Part 10

When the group arrived at the central courtyard, most of the candidates were already gathered. The atmosphere was clearly different from the beginning of the day. Many looked tired, nervous, or simply quiet. The sun was already lower, and the cold wind from the forest was blowing harder. Master Harlan, Master Vorga, and Master Thalor stood in the center of the courtyard along with Director Valeria.

When all the candidates had taken their places, Valeria stepped forward and spoke in a firm voice: — The first test is over. Now the second begins. She paused briefly, looking at everyone. — This time, the test will be individual. Each of you will be sent to a separate arena. Inside, you will face a simulated situation where you will need to make quick decisions under pressure. There will be no creatures to fight. The goal is to survive and make the correct decisions within the time limit.

A murmur of surprise ran through the candidates. Many had expected another combat test. Valeria continued: — You will be evaluated on your reasoning ability, emotional control, and judgment. Some situations may seem simple at first, but they become more complicated as time passes. Good luck. The candidates began to be called one by one and taken to different arenas. Joker was among the first to be called. Before leaving, he looked at Harley and spoke quietly: — Take care of yourself. Harley nodded. — You too.

While Joker was being led away, Astrid watched him for a few seconds before looking away. Rina slowly wagged her tails, clearly restless. Sylvara remained silent, but her gaze was more serious than usual. Lirien and Marina exchanged a worried look. Kuroe simply stood still, observing everything with that same calm expression as always. Harley stayed where she was, arms crossed, looking in the direction Joker had been taken. After a few seconds, she murmured to herself: — He's going to be fine… right?

No one answered. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. About twenty minutes later, it was Harley's turn to be called. Before leaving, she looked at the other girls and spoke in a lighter tone than usual: — If any of you see him before I do, tell him I said not to do anything stupid. Astrid gave a low grunt. — He better listen. Rina gave a small smile. — We'll tell him. Harley seemed satisfied with the answer and followed the evaluator who had come to call her.

Meanwhile, Joker was inside one of the smaller arenas. The space was simple: a stone room with a door in front and another behind. In the center was a table with two items: an old key and a bottle containing a red liquid. A voice echoed through the arena (probably Master Thalor's): — You have 10 minutes. There are three people behind the front door. One of them is innocent, the other two are dangerous. You can only save one. Choose wisely.

Joker remained silent for a few seconds, analyzing the two items on the table. Then he gave a crooked smile and spoke out loud: — What kind of shitty test is this? He picked up the key and the bottle, put both away, and walked toward the front door without hesitation. Outside, the evaluators watched in silence. Master Thalor commented quietly: — He doesn't seem worried. Valeria replied without taking her eyes off the projection: — Let's see how he handles the situation.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, the other girls waited. Harley still hadn't returned. Astrid was sitting on a stone bench, tapping her foot impatiently on the ground. Rina paced back and forth. Sylvara sat on the ground with her back against the wall, quiet. Marina and Lirien spoke in low voices. Kuroe stood a little apart, looking at the sky. After a while, Astrid spoke, almost to herself: — He's taking longer than expected… Rina stopped walking and looked toward the arenas. — Do you think he's okay?

Kuroe, who had been silent until then, answered without looking at them: — He's fine. If something was wrong, we would already have been told. Sylvara raised her eyes and spoke in a low voice: — Even so… it's strange to stay here without knowing what's happening to him. Harley returned a few minutes later. Her face was serious. She walked straight to where the others were and sat next to Astrid, letting out a heavy sigh. — It was shit — she murmured. Astrid looked at her sideways. — What happened?

Harley stayed quiet for a few seconds before answering: — I had to choose between saving two people. One of them was a child. The other was an adult who could help more people in the future. — She paused. — I saved the child. No one said anything for a few seconds. Rina was the first to speak, her voice low: — You made the right choice. Harley shrugged, but her gaze was distant. — I don't know. The test made it seem like I had chosen wrong. Marina looked at her with a understanding expression.

— These tests are made to make you doubt yourself. Don't let them affect you too much. Harley didn't answer. She simply kept looking at the ground, still clearly bothered by what had happened inside the arena. On the other side of the courtyard, Joker finally returned. He walked with his hands in his pockets and that same lazy expression as always, as if nothing particularly important had happened. When he approached the group, Harley was the first to stand up. — So? — she asked. Joker shrugged. — I survived.

I chose to save everyone. Harley blinked, surprised. — How? Joker gave a crooked smile. — I broke both doors and let everyone out. The test didn't say I could only choose one person… it just said I could only save one. I interpreted it my way. Harley stared at him for a few seconds, then laughed quietly and shook her head. — You're impossible. Joker laughed with her. Astrid, who had been listening, gave a small smile and murmured: — Of course he would do something like that… Rina wagged her tails, looking relieved.

Sylvara looked at Joker with a softer expression. Lirien and Marina also seemed more at ease. Kuroe simply gave him a faint, almost imperceptible nod. Joker sat down next to Harley and stretched his legs. — And now? — he asked. — Is there still one more test today? Harley nodded, her face becoming serious again. — There is. And I have a feeling it's going to be the worst of the three. Joker looked at the darkening sky and replied: — Great. I was starting to think the day was too easy.

The two sat in silence for a few seconds, side by side. The third day was still far from over. And the final test promised to be the hardest of all. End of Part 10 (continues in Part 10/2)