Reminisce | Tower of God

Chapter 10

"Regulars participating in this joint position test! Congratulations to all of you!"

Elyse kept a straight face as Lero Ro addressed his audience of regulars, herself included. Both anxiousness and anticipation had welled up within her over the past several hours as the start of the test grew closer and closer. Of course, she couldn't exactly afford to let anyone else know what she was feeling.

"This joint test is for 28 of you, excluding the ones who've already passed or failed," Lero Ro announced. "And 14 of you will form a team to take the test. The regulars should take the test in the team assigned to them."

With that, the ranker revealed the joint test team list to them. And Elyse was immediately met with both relief and disappointment. Relief that she'd been put with her brother, Hatz, and even Endorsi, and relief that somehow, some way, Rak Wraithraiser, her crocodile companion, had qualified early. But disappointment at the fact that she'd been separated from Shibisu, Laure, and, most disheartening of all, she'd been put on a different team than Khun, her now former teammate.

Another emotion, a mix of unease and shock, but also possibly a hint of content, found its way into her heart as she saw the image of one of the lightbearers placed into her team. Rachel. Perhaps she'd finally be able to confront her 'friend' about her strange, questionable behaviour.

She glanced at her brother as his expression lit up initially as he seemed to find Elyse's image beside his own in the 'wave controller' position, and then Endorsi's at the very top of the list beside the 'fisherman' position. Though it was obvious when he realized who hadn't been on his team as his face distorted into a saddened expression. It was even more obvious when he noticed Rachel's place on their team as his head and gaze whipped in the hooded girl's direction.

Looking back at the team list, she noticed that Rachel wasn't the only suspicious person on her team. It seemed ... Hoh was also one of the wave controllers on Team B.

"Teams have been fairly assigned based on the previous test results," Lero Ro stated as he watched the regulars' reactions to the team list. "There is an equal number of each position in both teams, except for one more spear bearer on Team A and one more wave controller on Team B. The teams are balanced so you can't say you were put at a disadvantage because of your team."

Elyse had to admit the ranker was right as she stared at the members of each team closely, recalling those who'd stood out to her during the previous tests.

"You will be graded individually and also as a team during this test," Lero Ro explained. "This grade will have the most impact on whether you pass or fail in the final, so please do your best."

The blond ranker glanced to the side before gesturing to their audience of rankers, otherwise known as their teachers with the addition of a certain coffee-loving Test Director, who were all sitting behind a long desk-like table.

"For your information, your position teachers will grade you individually," Lero Ro added, "and the test director will grade each team. Details about the test will be given by the Test Director. Test Director Yu?"

The ranker he addressed smiled brightly. "Hi, I'm Hansung Yu, the Test Director. Nice to meet you again. I'll now explain the test you'll be taking."

As the golden haired ranker spoke, Elyse could've sworn she heard a ripping noise coming from the box beside him, the one labelled: 'NEVER EVER TOUCH THIS.'

"The test is ... 'Hide-and-Seek," Hansung announced with an unnerving edge to his tone. He waited calmly as the regulars around her threw their questions about what 'Hide-and-Seek' entailed at him before he finally went on to explain the details of the test. "This isn't a team competition, so you won't have to battle the other team. Instead, each team will play hide-and-seek with a seeker that we've designated. And outside the window, you'll find a huge round construction. That is the stage on which you'll take the test."