Chapter 14: Exam (2)
"It's a simple game of finding the flag, you will all be transported to a forest and you will have to find the flags. There will be four types of flags, 25 green flags, 15 yellow, 9 orange, and 1 red"
Yeah, this game, I hate this game, but because of the game itself, but because in the novel the chapters extended too much in this part, this exam took at least 30 chapters in the novel, and that was hell for me back then.
"Each flag has a time limit for you to find them, green is three days, yellow is two, orange is one, and red is 15 minutes"
I looked around and could see the looks of confusion in the participants' faces, even Ian on my side was confused, everyone probably assumed that each flag would have a level of difficulty to be found, and probably assumed that the green flags would be the easiest while the red the hardest.
"And of course, each flag will give you a different reward for you to use, the only without a reward is the green flag"
Then one of the participants raised his voice to ask, "Why is the green flag the only one without a reward if it's the one which takes more time to find?"
"All flags are being protect by a something, yellow and orange are being protected by monsters, while the green flag are not being protected"
His words raised a question, that another participant asked, "What is protecting the red flag?"
The examiner smiled before answering, "The red flag is being protect by an examiner"
After saying that many participants started to complain about the fairness of it, a bunch of idiots.
The own examiner silenced them, releasing his aura, which made everyone freeze due to the difference in power.
"You are here to be Ascenders, and let me tell you something, there's no such thing as fair or unfair in our job, we do the things we need to do even if he are not capable of doing it, this is what an Ascender is, if you don't want to, just say so, and I'll let you leave"
No one spoke another word, so the examiner continued, "Now that everything was explained, let's start"
As he said that, the tunnel ahead of us which seemed endless changed, as if it was being distorted by some unnatural force, until it broke and a light enveloped all of us. I was blinded by a second or two, and when I opened my eyes again, I was in a forest.
Everyone was dazed, the whole scenario changed in an instant.
"Well, there's at least two hundred of you, and only 50 flags scattered around this forest"
Saying that everyone became straightened up, and focused on their surroundings completely immersed into the exam.
"Good luck, the Exam begins!"
As he said that, everyone started running towards the forest, each finding their own way and path, some went ahead with friends, others went alone. Me and Ian stayed in the same place, together with the examiner.
"Won't it be better if we start searching for the flags?" Ian asked.
"No need to worry, this exam is much simple than everyone think it is"
Saying that the examiner was intrigued, "Is that so? Care to explain to me?"
"It's just a game to find a flag, it's not that difficult" I explained.
"Yeah, but if you don't hurry, the other participants will find all the flags and you and your friend will be eliminated" the examiner answered.
"They will find the orange and even the yellow flags, but they will have to fight monsters for it, and after that they will have to fight against themselves for that flag, in a few minutes the forest will be a chaos, I just need to wait a bit and then catch a flag from someone amidst the chaos"
The examiner laughed, and then said, "You're right, it's better to wait for them to get tired a fighting the monsters and the participants and then steal the flag from them, it's a good plan for someone like you, Iske Grace, but what about your friend, will he be able to find a flag as easily as you?"
His words made Ian worried, so I decided to speak, "There's no need to worry about that, since I already found his flag anyway"
Hearing that the examiner chuckled and said, "That fast, you must be quite perceptive"
"Well, it was in front of us all this time," I answered.
Each flag has a time limit to be found, green flags have three days because they are very well hidden in the forest, which the academy calculated that it would take between the beginning of the test to three days to find all the green flags, and the same logic applies to all other flags.
But the red flag has a time limit of 15 minutes. The red flag was calculated to be found within 15 minutes after the start of the exam.
"15 minutes to find the red flag, were you planning on staying here for only 15 minutes? I thought that an examiner shouldn't leave the exam grounds until it was finished"
After I said that, he took out that piece of red cloth out of his chest pocket.
"I won't leave, 15 minutes is just the time I chose, I simply thought that if no one realized after 15 minutes, then no one would later"
As he said that he showed me the red flag on his hands, then he walked towards the middle of the space that we are, the space made a perfect circle, with the forest around us.
"So, you figure it out, but will you fight me?" The examiner asked.
I took out my coat and approached Ian, I gave him the coat, touched his back and said, "I'm counting on you"
He gave me a confused look, but I only turned around and made my way towards the space. As I walked towards there I grabbed some tiny rocks and a small tree branch from the ground.
"Won't you use a sword?" he asked me.
"I don't possess any"
He frowned upon my words, "I find hard to believe that a Grace walks around without a blade"
"Believe it or not, it's true"
"If you say so" He paused for a second and then returned the flag to his pocket, but this time without folding it, leaving it completely exposed in his suit.
"I won't ask you to defeat me, all you need to do is take the flag from my chest pocket" he said with a convincing smile.
"Fine by me"
This is a great opportunity to test my powers.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone