[Location: Island of Death]
After a long journey that felt as though it would never end, the train finally came to a halt in the afternoon.
The metallic body of the train gleamed beneath the sun. Its mirror-like surface reflected the golden rays in every direction, scattering flashes of light across the surrounding landscape. The cool breeze of the morning had long faded, replaced by a warm, gentle wind that carried loose leaves through the air as they drifted across the tracks.
A professional male voice suddenly echoed through loudspeakers hidden somewhere deep within the jungle.
The sound rolled across the forest and reached every cabin of the train.
The remaining candidates were instructed to leave their compartments, signaling the end of the second trial and the beginning of the third.
One by one, people poured out of the long metallic vehicle.
The number was surprisingly small.
Barely twenty-five candidates remained.
Most of the cabins stood empty, a silent reminder that many participants had either died or become lost during the previous trial.
The candidates scattered around the area.
Some chatted casually.
Some looked nervous.
Others appeared excited.
Yet all of them stood beneath the same vast canopy of trees.
"Form a line."
The command rang out clearly above the chatter.
Everyone immediately turned toward the source.
A young woman in her mid-twenties stood before them, dressed in professional attire. The candidates hurriedly organized themselves, quickly forming four orderly rows.
The woman nodded once the noise died down.
"As you all know, this marks the end of the second trial and the beginning of the third."
Her voice was calm yet authoritative.
"It is also the final examination that will determine whether you are truely worthy of entering the organisation"
She paused briefly.
"So, are you ready?"
"YESSSS!"
The response exploded from the candidates like a military unit answering its commander.
The woman continued.
"When we reach the edge of this island, ships will be waiting for you. These vessels will be operated by professionals."
She clasped her hands behind her back.
"The objective is simple."
"There are hitmen aboard who will actively hunt you down while you search for bombs hidden within the ships."
A ripple of tension spread through the crowd.
"There are a total of eight bombs. Each candidate will be provided with a key. Those who successfully deactivate a bomb first will pass the examination."
Her eyes swept across the rows.
"Those who fail may return home."
"Understood?"
"YES, MA'AM!"
The area echoed with their voices.
Among the rows, Hikaru remained silent.
His face carried the same flat, unreadable expression as always.
Standing behind him, Sayuri nervously raised a question.
"So... that means only sixteen people will make it?"
Hikaru answered without turning around.
"No."
His calm voice immediately caught her attention.
"There are eight ships in total. Only two are here. The remaining six are likely spread across other islands where the same examination is taking place."
Hikaru continued.
"When I arrived, there were four planes transporting candidates."
His eyes remained fixed forward.
"If my assumption is correct, approximately sixty-four people can pass the examination."
He paused.
"Of course, that's assuming they survive."
Sayuri swallowed nervously.
"Because many of them will either be hunted down by the hitmen aboard the ships....or be blown apart when the bombs reach zero."
The explanation instantly made her even more nervous.
Her body stiffened,shoulders trembled while legs seemed to lose a little strength.
"Oh my God..."
She looked up toward the sky with a comically horrified expression.
"I didn't know it would be this difficult."
She pressed her hands together dramatically.
"Please save me, Mother Earth."
The exaggerated plea contrasted so heavily with the deadly atmosphere that a few nearby candidates couldn't help but glance at her strangely.
After a moment, the four rows of candidates began following the woman as she led them forward.
Most of them were filled with anticipation. Just thinking about the final trial was enough to send adrenaline rushing through their veins.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Hikaru walked with his usual expressionless face, showing no excitement whatsoever.
Meanwhile, Sayuri followed behind while repeatedly taking long breaths through her nose, desperately trying to calm herself down.
"Inhale..."
"Exhale..."
"Inhale..."
"Exhale..."
She looked more like someone preparing for a surgery than a final examination.
Several minutes passed as they continued walking through the jungle.
Gradually, the dense forest began to thin out.
The towering trees disappeared one after another until the group finally emerged into an open field covered with gravel and sand.
A vast ocean stretched before them.
The endless blue surface extended far beyond what the human eye could see. Sunlight danced across the water, creating countless shimmering reflections as gentle waves rolled toward the shore.
Floating upon the ocean were two enormous ships.
Their massive structures stood proudly above the water, stable and unmoving despite the waves beneath them.
The candidates barely had time to appreciate the scenery.
Near the bridges connecting the shore to the ships stood several staff members responsible for distributing keys used to deactivate the bombs.
One by one, candidates received their keys and boarded the vessels.
As Sayuri approached the bridge behind Hikaru, she was suddenly stopped.
"Hey, what are you doing?" she asked.
One of the staff members pointed toward the other ship.
"Ma'am, you're assigned to the second ship, not this one. Please head over there."
Before she could say anything else, another staff member gently but firmly guided her away.
The moment reality sank in—
Her eyes instantly filled with tears.
Large droplets rolled down her cheeks like tiny waterfalls.
She rubbed her eyes dramatically as if a great tragedy had suddenly struck her life.
"I only made one friend in my entire life!"
Her voice trembled with exaggerated sadness.
"Sure, he doesn't talk much..."
She pointed toward Hikaru.
"But he's so cool!"
"Please let me stay with him!"
Several nearby candidates as well as staff members stared at her.
Even Hikaru turned around.
Looking at her tearful face, a thought crossed his mind.
"When did I ever accept her as a friend?"
After a brief pause, he reached a conclusion.
"Really weird girl."
Unfortunately for Sayuri, the staff showed no mercy.
The ship assignments remained unchanged.
In the end, Hikaru boarded one ship while Sayuri was forced onto the other.
Still—
That wasn't the most memorable part of the situation.
The truly unforgettable thing was watching Sayuri's devastated expression as she continued sobbing dramatically while being escorted away.
It looked so absurdly tragic that even a few candidates struggled to hold back their laughter.