(Very far from the exam hall, deep within the heart of Azura City, lies the Hycher's hideout.)
Four Hychers hurried through a narrow, dimly lit corridor. Three followed closely behind with rifles drawn, while the fourth marched in front with a commanding air. Their pace quickened with every step until they encountered their leader walking toward them from the opposite direction.
The group halted and saluted instantly. The leader's expression was stone-cold, his eyes burning with a quiet fury.
"Where have you been?" the leader demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "The show started twelve minutes ago. We're stalling the audience with an E-Tier monster battle, and they are bored out of their minds. Where is the main event you promised me?"
He stared the general—the man in front—dead in the eye. The general began to stutter, his composure crumbling. "Well... you see, sir... we had the A-Tier beast from the portal secured. It was locked in our finest cage and assigned for transport immediately..." He took a long, shaky pause.
"So, what happened?" the leader asked, his patience visibly snapping.
"We were intercepted by SHIELD warriors," the general whispered. "A party of six, all ranked 500 or higher. Our men were outmatched. They had to focus on retreating before they were captured. In the chaos, those SHIELD bastards killed the trapped beast while it was still in the cage."
The general held up his hands, pleading, but the leader looked at him with nothing but pure disappointment.
"You promised me an A-Tier show. I promised the viewers at home an A-Tier show," the leader said. "Do you have any idea how much money I make from this? And you want to ruin my broadcast?"
"Please! Give me another chance! I'll make it right!" the general begged.
The leader looked at him in disgust. "You've really fallen. You aren't the legend you used to be; you're washed up. And if you knew me at all, you'd know I don't give second chances."
Right on cue, two Hychers behind the leader raised their weapons and executed the three warriors standing behind the general. The room echoed with the shots as they grabbed the general, whose face was now pale with terror.
"Toss him into a monster cell," the leader ordered. "He is no longer a Hycher. He isn't one of us."
The leader ignored the general's screams for help as his men dragged him toward the pits. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag before yelling, "Is there anyone nearby?!"
A Hycher soldier scrambled forward, bowing low before standing at attention. "Yes, sir! How may I assist you?" The soldier was trembling, his eyes darting toward the blood on the floor, but he tried his best to hide his fear.
"It's your lucky day," the leader said, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "I just lost a general. You are now my fifth. Are you ready?"
"I am honored, sir!" the soldier shouted, saluting.
"Good. I want you to find the fools who lost my package to those SHIELD members and kill them. And since we're short an A-Tier—and you lot die too easily trying to catch them—find the strongest monster we have left. Stream the fight and label it as A-Tier. Lie to them. Do whatever it takes to keep the film rolling. Now, move!"
The new general ran out, nearly colliding with another Hycher who was rushing in.
"Sir! We have a problem!" the messenger shouted, saluting breathlessly. "A SHIELD member was found in the hideout and escaped. He knows our location! We need to track him down immediately."
The leader looked at him with mounting annoyance. "Don't be stupid. Let him go."
"But sir! If he tells the Guild Masters where we are, they'll send hundreds of their best warriors—maybe even the Elites! Our operation will be shut down. we'll go to jail or be executed!"
The leader sighed heavily, looking at the man as if he were a child. "You complete fool. Let's say we do hunt this guy down. His party is still out there, and he's likely already been in contact with them. If we kill him, we won't know what his friends will do next. They'd definitely report it to the Guild then."
The messenger looked confused. "How can you be so sure he won't tell them now, sir?"
The leader leaned in, his frown deepening. "Who do I hire these days? Think! I have a bounty of one million Zeths on my head. If he reports to the Guild, they handle it themselves and he gets nothing. No, he's going to his party for backup so they can try to claim the prize themselves. And once they show up? We kill them all. Now shut up and get me a beer. I have a show to run."
With that, the leader turned and walked toward the studio to live-stream two monsters tearing each other apart for the world to see.
Meanwhile, back at the exam hall...
Ren stood in the center of the vast field, surrounded by the low hum of hundreds of voices. His gaze was fixed on the massive pillars rising ahead of him. High above, he could see a row of ten sleek, high-tech chairs encased behind reinforced glass. Above that was an open observation deck with a protective rail, allowing a clear view of the entire arena.
"This is insane," Ren muttered to himself, awestruck. "How do they even build stuff like this?"
"Ren!"
Aiko came running toward him, her breathing shallow and fast. Ren turned, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Did you actually read that agreement file?" Aiko asked, clutching her tablet. "The one the supervisors made us sign before we could step onto the field?"
Ren rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "Not really. They said we couldn't come in unless we signed it, so I just scribbled my name and kept moving. Why? Is it important?"
Aiko let out a long, weary sigh. "'Important' is an understatement. Listen to this: 'By agreeing to this competition, you acknowledge that your life may be lost should the trials exceed your capabilities. As a future SHIELD warrior, you must face death as you would a portal. Withdrawal is permitted now, but returning signifies total acceptance of risk.'" She looked up at him, her face pale. "Ren, they aren't just testing us. They're telling us they won't be responsible if we die."
Ren's eyes widened. "What? They're actually trying to kill us?"
"People are already dropping out," Aiko noted, looking at the thinning crowd. "We've lost thirty percent of the candidates and the gates haven't even been open for ten minutes. But... I signed it. If I'm going to be a warrior, I have to risk my life eventually. Might as well start now."
Ren forced a smirk, trying to shake off the chill running down his spine. "You're right. No point in backing down now. Let's face death head-on."
In a different section of the field, Zen was lost in thought. Something doesn't add up, he mused. For an exam with a death waiver, there are zero rumors online. No reviews, no leaked statements from past years. That means they are changing the rules specifically for us. But why? He looked up at the ten empty seats above the pillars. Those chairs are clearly meant for the Elite Ten. If they're here, this isn't a standard exam. Is it a new recruitment drive? Or just a bluff to mess with our heads? Thirty percent of the group is already gone, and we haven't even started. It's an effective psychological play. Zen glanced around the sea of heads. I just hope Ren is okay. He was supposed to meet me forty minutes ago. He's too stubborn to quit, so he's definitely in here somewhere.
Suddenly, a heavy mechanical thud echoed through the arena. High on the pillars, a set of grand doors hissed open. The crowd went silent as the Elite Warriors emerged.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Shock and awe rippled through the candidates. Zen narrowed his eyes, whispering to himself, "I knew it."
Aiko stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the figure at the front. "What are they doing here?" she whispered.
Ren, misinterpreting her fear for excitement, started vibrating with energy. "I don't know, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! I'm going to challenge them to a 1v1 after this. Oh my god, they're actually watching us. I have to go all out. Aiko, I'm freaking out!"
Aiko placed a steadying hand on his shoulder, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. The Elites took their seats, peering down at the tiny figures below.
"They sure are lively," Yoruma remarked, leaning back. "I'm still not sure about this plan, Raizen. It's pretty reckless."
Raizen grinned, his eyes dancing with mischief. "It's for their own good. They want to enter portals? I'm just giving them a taste of the real world."
"You're just bored and want to see a show," Akihito added bluntly.
Near the center, Kuro leaned toward Ayumu. "Sir, have you spotted your sister yet?"
Ayumu didn't speak. He simply nodded, his sharp gaze locking onto Aiko's position. For a brief second, their eyes met. Aiko quickly looked away, her heart racing, before anyone could notice where the Number One warrior was staring.
The Leader of the Exam Committee (L.E.C.) stepped onto the podium, his voice booming through the speakers. "Welcome! As you can see, we are blessed today. The Elite Ten have arrived to oversee your progress!"
The crowd erupted. To many, the Elites were living legends, the heroes they had spent their lives idolizing. Seeing them in the flesh was better than any prize. Ayumu gave a small, regal wave, sparking a wave of arguments in the crowd about who he was looking at.
"He waved at me!" one boy shouted. "No, he was looking right at me!" another yelled back.
"He was waving at everyone, I assure you," the L.E.C. interrupted, his voice cutting through the noise. "Save that energy for the field. Now, before we begin, there is something special about this year. We have a blood relative of Mr. Ayumu taking the exam alongside you today."
Aiko's blood ran cold. "No... please don't," she hissed under her breath.
Ren looked at her, beaming. "Did you hear that? Someone related to Number One! I wonder who it is!"
Suddenly, a massive spotlight swung across the field, blinding them before settling directly on Aiko.
"Give it up for Mr. Ayumu's little sister—Miss Hoshigawa Aiko!"
The crowd gasped, murmurs spreading like wildfire. Ren stood frozen, his jaw dropping as he stared at the girl next to him. "You... you never told me the Number One warrior was your brother!"
Aiko gave him a pained, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. It... must have slipped my mind?"
Up in the stands, Raizen stood up and waved wildly. "Hey, Aiko! I came to watch you!"
Kuro reached over and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sit down, you idiot," he muttered.
Aiko waved back weakly, her face turning red. "Yeah, I see you, Mr. Raizen..."
From across the field, Zen spotted the commotion. He saw Ren standing next to the girl in the spotlight. Is that Ren? Why is he with the Hoshigawa girl? He tried to move toward them, but the crowd was too dense. He sighed and stayed put, keeping his eyes on his brother.
"Alright, enough distractions," the L.E.C. shouted. "Listen carefully. External weapons are strictly forbidden. Your exam fees cover the use of official SHIELD equipment. Using your own tools is a violation and will result in immediate disqualification. You will now head to the locker rooms. Strip down and change into the provided elastic suits—they are designed to fit any body type perfectly."
The tension returned to the air. The L.E.C. checked his notes. "We started with 630 applicants. 441 are left. There will be three stages to this exam. The third is Mental Trauma. The second is Team Strength. And the first..." he paused for dramatic effect, "...is a simple written test."
Ren's face went pale. He turned to Aiko, his eyes wide with genuine terror. "Did he say... written? Like, with a pen and paper?"
Aiko giggled despite the stress. "Well, compared to 'Mental Trauma,' a paper test sounds easy, right?"
Ren shook his head violently. "No, you don't understand. I am bad. Like, catastrophically bad at written tests."
Aiko's eyes widened. "Oh... that's not good."
Somewhere in the distance, Zen began to laugh. He could already imagine Ren's face during a math problem, and the thought was the only thing keeping his own nerves in check.
"Go to the supervisors, collect your number plate, and find your matching locker," the L.E.C. commanded. "Stage One... has officially begun!"