Upon entering the next test, a new window appeared before his very eyes. Before anything else, he inspected his body for any potential injuries.
But just like the last time, the traces of his past battle had vanished without a trace, reverting him to his original state when he had first entered the test. Out of habit, he tidied his coat and the clothes underneath before scratching the back of his head.
'I guess the simple part is done with,' Haruo thought.
'The next test from here will be slightly time-consuming now…'
If Haruo had remembered clearly, he would have recalled hearing Kilian say that the verification test can take a week at most. On a grander scale, that amount seems insignificant, but each subsequent test would take 42 hours to clear.
This was because of the survey.
The survey itself was an important aspect of the test. That was because each individual had their own expertise and experiences, but one can't determine them all in just a single test. For this reason, the first stage includes six different tests, with the last four suited for the participant.
The survey helped solve this problem.
It allowed participants to reveal their skills freely and gave a proper foundation for the test. Not only did this make assigning easier, but it also allowed a proper evaluation.
But for the mandatory tests? They were the most important ones. The purpose of those two tests was to evaluate a participant's situational decision-making and coordination. While they might not be useful to a doctor or a businessman, in a world where murder and unknown dangers are common, tests like these were important.
Whether a person was extremely skillful in a profession, it wouldn't matter if they were to die. In the end of the day, you are only human, fragile to mortal danger. That is a fact known by everyone.
Although Kilian hadn't told him, it was obvious to conclude that the test wasn't only for assigning, but also for improving.
A person's weakness is everyone's advantage, so a person must improve to make it his own advantage.
Haruo only sighed inwardly, stretching his muscles as he took in the new environment. However, before he could even take a slight glance, a blue flat panel appeared on his face.
[Second test successfully evaluated! Would you like to view your results?
Yes / No]
Without a trace of hesitation, he spoke his intention, and the robotic voice followed.
[Haruo Chiharu:
Performance Evaluation:
Execution: 4000 points
Creativity: 3000 points
Coordination: 5000 points
Conclusion: 2500 points
Teammates alive: 4/4 > 4000 points
Time finished: 13 minutes > 3000 points
Overall: 21,500 / 21,500
Test ranking: 1st place.]
Witnessing his results, he felt rather satisfied and dismissed them as soon as he saw what he needed.
"That's one mediocre reaction for someone who accomplished such a feat."
Haruo flinched slightly, hearing an unknown voice echo in the room. Instinctively, he equipped his blade as he faced the room with a sharpened gaze.
However, there was no presence to be felt. It was only an empty room, devoid of any people. Amidst his cautious inspection, he hadn't even realized that his blade had disappeared from his palm completely, only when he noticed he felt a quiet chill trickling down his spine.
"It's rude to point a blade at a person, especially within their territory."
No matter how hard Haruo tried to find the unknown voice, it was futile. By blinking once, a shadow of a man occupied the empty hall before him—it was an old man.
Inspecting, he saw an old man who appeared to be in his sixties in butler's attire. The man's expression stayed firm, stern, and observant of Haruo.
"Who are you?"
Haruo hesitated in his speech, as he felt a sense of unease towards the butler—a presence similar to Kilian's.
As he expected, the butler hadn't revealed his identity that easily. Instead, he gazed at his surroundings. Observing the blue-painted walls and the curtains of the windows that displayed the open space outside, then back to Haruo.
"With how tense the atmosphere is, how about we take this conversation elsewhere?"
Without it being noticed, the butler had summoned a silver cane in his hand and tapped it twice on the stone floor. The sound that came out of the taps echoed throughout the entire room.
The walls beside Haruo fell one by one until only the floor remained. And there he was, in the middle of space, with colorful stars that shone over his platform.
"Are you just going to stand there? The tea might get cold if you don't come."
Focused on the surrounding scenery, he hadn't noticed the lone gazebo that was more than 10 feet away from him. And inside sat the unknown butler, drinking a cup of tea with his gaze focused on the white-haired boy.
Left with no choice, he steadily made his way toward the gazebo with cautious eyes.
Each step echoed as he got closer to the gazebo. While the place looked similar to outer space, he could still breathe, and there was no vacuum to deafen his steps. It wasn't long before he stood at the entrance of the gazebo, hesitant to even sit.
"I can promise you this place has no traps. So, no need to be so paranoid." The butler said, his gaze fixed forward at a window of the gazebo.
Haruo sighed inwardly as he sat in a chair parallel to the butler.
"It's rude not to accept tea given by others." The butler remarked. But seeing as he wasn't replying to his questions, the butler sharpened his gaze and said, "It's also rude to ignore people when they are initiating a conversation."
Haruo only tapped on the table as a reply, while meeting the butler's gaze.
"Who are you? Unless you give me a reason to drink this tea and reply to you properly, answer my question first."
"Sigh… Are you really Seiji's disciple, or are you Kilian's? It's been a while since a brat spoke to me this brazenly. Even Seiji didn't dare to speak to me like this."
The butler said, placing his teacup down, creating a sharp sound that made a moderate visible vibration that steadily extended outwards. At the mention of his master, Haruo's face showed a slightly tensed expression.
"Seiji was a kid filled with ambition. He had achieved many great things alongside that brat and his other friends, but then… he left. Without even saying goodbye to any of us."
Haruo listened carefully to his explanation, gazing at his reflection on his tea, before redirecting it back to meet the butler's expression.
"He was a kid who liked to craft and invent new things, even when his family forbade it. However, I would always allow him to do so under my protection. I raised him like a grandson, even if we weren't blood related." He raised and refilled his tea before staring at Haruo with nostalgia in his eyes.
"By just a single glance, you remind me of him. I can tell you both learned many things alongside each other, even if you two have distinct personalities."
"How can you tell I was his disciple?"
"How could I not when you wear his coat, use his invention, and fight exactly as he did before? I couldn't help but reminisce about Seiji through you."
The white-haired boy stood up from his seat and equipped his gun to point at the man's head. Seeing his resolute figure, the butler felt a sense of curiosity enveloping him as he took another sip of the tea.
"Just because you're chatting about Seiji doesn't mean I'm willing to listen. I'm still in a test, and I won't focus on anything else until I finish it."
Acknowledging his persistence, he felt a sigh escape his lips. Under his command, he flicked his wrist gently, dismissing the two cups of tea off the table. And continuing his rhythm, he snapped his fingers, causing Haruo's perspective to warp. In that moment, he was placed far from the gazebo, at least 200 meters away.
"Fine, if that is how you wish to continue, I won't stop you." His voice echoed in the area as his cane appeared once more. "Then I'll let you pass, only if you touch my cane. And if that isn't enough, if I were to take a single step, or even flinch, it would be your win as well."
Haruo stared at the butler who was standing just by the entrance of the gazebo, with steady eyes and both hands on his cane.
With his declaration, Haruo didn't hesitate to race his way to the cane. And for minutes, he ran towards the butler, but no matter how fast he went, he felt like he was only getting farther from his destination.
Only through his realization did he stop in his tracks and breathe quietly as he stared at the distance between them.
Then he tried once again. However, after 30 minutes of constant running, he slowly realized there was no way to get closer. So he tried other ways to close the distance.
He jumped and hoped to land closer to the gazebo, although it was futile. Then, he tried a different path and made his way around the gazebo, but again, he remained the same distance.
Soon, minutes turned to hours, and those hours turned into a whole day. It was then that he slumped down to the stone-cold floor, his breathing haggard as he glanced at the shimmering stars. He had slept peacefully, despite being on the floor.
It was day two.
Haruo rose from his lying position and placed his hand on his forehead. He let out a quiet groan before calling out to Oscar about how much time had passed. Almost instantly, a blue panel materialized from the M-13, revealing the information he desired.
[42:02:16... 7... 8...]
His face immediately soured. He clicked his tongue before setting his gaze on the ever-so-still man hundreds of meters away. In that quick moment, he inspected the butler, but to his shock, there were no abnormalities, and it was no different from yesterday, not even eye bags under his eyes.
Haruo groaned to himself, then picked himself up and began his run once more.
For the next 24 hours, he had meticulously been trying to close the gap, but to no avail—it was useless. With a tired body, he fell unconscious, and it was the third day.
The moment he woke up, Haruo positioned himself in a lotus position, prioritizing his thoughts over closing the distance.
'Two days have passed already; just how do I get closer?'
Thinking about how to execute his plans, an image of his brother landed on his head, and he stood up to try again.
Since then, he had been obsessed with the idea of trying to get closer, spending his time either resting or planning a new method, but every time, it would always get shut down immediately.
On the fourth day, he tried to go in the opposite direction, although they were on a platform—it stretched endlessly in both directions, making it seem like a possibility. After he traversed for exactly 24 hours, the platform sent him back.
The next day, which was the fifth, he lodged his blade into the stone and found it wasn't unbreakable, unlike the first two tests. So with each passing stroke, he dragged his blade further down the ground.
The ground was incredibly fragile and coarse, like dirt, so it was easy to dig. However, just like yesterday, after the 24-hour mark passed, he was returned to his original position, with his hole gone.
At the start of the sixth day, he leapt from the edge and was consumed by the dark abyss.
At that moment, he didn't know what made him willing to jump.
He clicked his tongue and realized the reason he jumped was that he had thought of the tomb and the moments when he fell many times in the abyss. And because of that, his curiosity got the better of him, and he jumped from the platform.
It wasn't his proudest idea.
With just seconds after being transported back, he purposely lay on his back and rested for the day.
During the sixth day, there wasn't anything noteworthy to mention. Of course, he tried again, but the results remained the same, and he was forced to rest the day with nothing accomplished.
Finally, it was the seventh day.
Haruo woke up with a logical mind, although it didn't seem like it. Because he had been restlessly making plans, his own brain created a new function of its own and produced plans unconsciously.
Though he concluded that the function wouldn't last long, and would most likely disappear once the test was concluded. The effects of the "new function" also seemed to have a side effect of their own—making him feel restless and fatigued throughout.
But it was a small price to pay. As long as he had passed the test, he would feel satisfied.
Haruo stared at the butler afar, and opening his mouth, he asked.
"How do I pass?"
He waited for an answer, yet not a single word came out of his mouth. Scratching his head, he sighed and stood up from his seated position.
"Your ability…"
"…!"
"… You haven't seemed to be making use of your ability this past week."
Hearing his advice, Haruo's sharpened gaze fell, and he replied in an expressionless tone.
"My ability isn't something I can use freely."
"What makes you think so?"
"When I was a kid, I tried to use it in a certain way, and I nearly froze one of my balls."
Having processed his statement, the atmosphere between the two became awkward.
"Other than that, think of the time when you used your ability in the last test. Did it not feel less burdensome?"
Haruo's eyes slightly opened, and he felt a strange feeling of awe overwhelming him.
"Both soul and body are equal, and constant forces that must always be equal." With each passing word, he slowly heard Seiji's words layering the butler's.
"Your body is weak and can't support your ability."
Suddenly, his vision and environment changed to that of a deserted snowfield, with a man parallel to him, wearing his blue coat.
The man's face was blurry, but Haruo immediately recognized the man.
"To overcome your weakness, you must sacrifice that of equal value. And that price would be your ********."
A single memory clouded his brain, constantly reminding him of that one particular sentence, as if to remind him of something. Inherently, he understood the meaning behind it.
A sense of dread overwhelmed his entire being, cold sweat pouring down his face to his neck.
He collapsed to his knees with blood trickling down his nose. With it came blue crystalline particles that swirled around the white-haired boy.
It wasn't long before the dread subsided. His breathing slowly steadied.
He took a deep breath as he felt a new sensation enveloping him—it was light.
Looking upward, the deep space that only had a darkened color—except for the stars—was coated in a layer of translucent cyan.
Haruo stepped closer and closer to his destination. That uncrossable wall he had a difficult time conquering became like a bridge for him to cross. He could now close the gap between himself and the old man.
And within just a few minutes, he was face-to-face with the butler.
In just one stretch of an arm, he touched the cane, declaring his victory.
"… Congratulations. Just like Seiji, you truly are a fast learner."
Giving his ultimate statement, the butler tapped his cane once on the flooring, and the ground below Haruo disappeared. Once he had fallen completely, the hole filled back to its original state.
"What do you think of him? Isn't he quite interesting? Well, I don't know about you, but seeing him struggle the past week was really entertaining."
Recognizing his voice, the butler couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose as he turned to look at the figure.
"It's quite rude to enter someone else's domain without permission, Kilian."
"What can I say, old habits die the hardest," Kilian chuckled. "So, what do you think?"
"He is certainly Seiji's disciple, but he was weaker than I had expected. I even had to raise his bodily structure to S-rank to even contest."
"So what if he's weak now? I'm sure he'll grow to be strong enough as his master. Anyway, I thought you only wanted to talk to him? Helping him break through an equilibrium this early will quite strain him quite a bit."
The butler scoffed. "He holds no manners when it comes to the elderly, reminds me of a certain someone… But how can I blame him when he is currently in a test?"
"Heh, you give me too much credit. Although... I didn't expect you to help him unlock a first-star equilibrium. Did you like him that much?" Kilian said, looking at the old man with a thoughtful glance.
But behind his thoughtful glance, the butler saw right through it—a serious glint behind Kilian's eyes.
"I won't question your reasons. I know you hate when I do that, but..." Kilian disappeared into the air and appeared beside the old man. "... Can you handle the consequences? Although you helped him unlock a first-star equilibrium, that star belongs in the S-tier rank. You know, people like us can't directly interact with people like them.
Additionally, he won't even be able to use this new power without receiving repercussions."
For a brief moment, they both met each other's eyes, one with careful contempt and the other filled with amusement. Sharing this silent atmosphere, Kilian sighed and redirected his vision.
"Well, whatever, you made it more interesting, anyway. Besides, it's not like I'm the one who'll receive the consequence. Sigh… His body is already so fragile; I wonder what will happen if he uses 'that' in certain situations…"
"... I wasn't the one who unlocked it for him."
Kilian fidgeted slightly as those words were being processed in his head. A chuckle escaped his lips before his lips curved into a wider smile.
"No wonder he was gone! Ha... I wonder what made him go that far. What does he see in that kid?"
***
Haruo fell onto a bed of grass, his whole body returning to its sorry state once he had exited the simulation. He looked forward and stared at the flat panel thoughtfully.
[Congratulations! You passed the first stage!]