Hori laid on the floor once more. The surface, hard, rough earth, unlike the smooth obsidian floor from trial one.
She slowly stood up scratching her head looking around. 'Are they going to knock us out for every trial?' Hori thought, annoyed. Her nose caught a whif scent of industrial paint, similar to those used for houses and such.
She glanced below and behold. Her Sabbath Exams uniform was now white! Both the upper jersey and the pants, their dark red color were gone.
"W—what the?!" She staggered back, surprised. When did they change their color.
Hori glanced around the location she was in. It was an obstacle course. With multiple machineries halted, not yet active. A huge ominous white gate stood about 3 miles away, what seemed to be the end of the obstacle course.
Before she could further admire the scenery of such constructions. She saw a familiar face.
She blinked twice to make sure she was certain before calling out.
"Why hello there!" Hori said to the person who was staring at the walls. The black American boy with bushy brown hair bowed his head to return her greeting.
He hadn't spoken since, but had entered information about his self on the sight.
Hori asked Narrator for more details about him.
Narrator: Name - Hobie Jones. Age - 16. The same as Haruki. He's a boy from New York that travelled to Japan last month.
The informative voice replied, quite the helpful entity to always inform our protagonist.
'Hobie Jones.' Hori mentally parroted. She noticed that his uniform as well was white. Easing her mind that this was just part of Trial 2.
The announcer, Bishop number 5 Tadashi Shiba spoke.
Hori and Hobie immediately paid attention.
He paused.
Mr Shiba concluded.
Hori brimmed with excitement, this trial sounded extremely simple. Hobie as well had a face of relief.
The announcer continued.
Hori gasped, a watch was indeed on her wrist, one not there during trial one. She paused for a bit, wondering how to turn it on. She finally tapped it and read. [Total Points: 52]
She looked quite satisfied, 52 was an average out of 100 points for each trial, but at least it wasn't lower than half.
Narrator - The reduction in points must have been because you took so much time finishing Trial one, thanks to a certain psychopath.
Narrator said. Hori looked slightly frustrated then glanced at Hobie's watch to see his points. It read;
[Total Points: 97]
Her eyes widened. 97 points out of 100 was an exceptional score. Hobie however didn't show the slightest bit of emotion, that and the multiple brown bangs that shielded his eyes made his face unreadable.
Hori thought to herself.
'This Hobie fellow must be skilled. But if he scored so high, Haruki who finished trial 1 first must have scored even higher!' This made Hori smile with determination. She needed to do better in this trial.
"I guess it's just the 2 of us huh?"
Hori said to Hobie to which he nodded. The two participants were in a black room, not infinite in size but large for a complicated obstacle course. SHO must have paired participants in two for this trial.
Hori and Hobie walked towards where the obstacle course started from. A bold yellow line drawn on the floor.
Mr Shiba said, Hori and Hobie took a sprinting stance.
They both leaped forward. Immediately as their legs stepped on the starting line, the machines came to life. And were suddenly doused in rainbow paint from the ceiling!
The entire obstacle course was now covered in color.
'So this was what Uncle Shiba meant by don't get stained!' Hori confirmed. She just needed to reach the finish line without getting dirty. Simple enough.
--------------------
10 minutes earlier, in another black room with 2 other participants. Tensai Suika arose and glanced around the area.
'What the hell?'
She furrowed her brows while yawning through her black nose masks. She checked her uniform and saw it was white. Not much of a reaction from her tho.
Suika turned her head to her left and saw another participant. A girl as well, skin white as snow with glass like hair, beautiful white.
A lovely physique despite wearing a track suit. Her long lashes swayed according to her breathing, with her soft lips glistening from gloss.
Suika paused upon seeing the beauty, then leaned in closer. Her eyes immediately widened.
"S— Shizuka?!"
The chunibyio's tone turned serious.
Upon hearing her name the sleeping beauty rose up. She stretched her eyes staring at who called out to her. She furrowed her brows then rubbed her eye lids.
"Eh?! Suika?!" She yelled with shock, her voice as lovely as her beauty.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
They both cried out in unison, echoing through the black room.
"Oh my God it's been so long!!"
Suika burst into tears as she gave Shizuka a hug. "I didn't expect you here at all!" Shizuka replied excitedly.
Narrator - Utsukushi Shizuka, child hood friend of Tensai Suika. The two haven't seen each other in 5 years after the latter moved to Tokyo from Osaka.
"Oh yeah! Shizuka, did you see Friday here?!" Suika chirped.
"I did! The coincidence is way too much! Like, the three of us!!!" Shizuka squealed. They must have known Friday Adams as well. Rumoured brother of Arch Bishop Eric Adams.
Mr Shiba the announcer cut the girls reunion and explained the rules. This was done only once, with a speaker playing it simultaneously across every room.
"Okay, we'll catch up later. Let's pass trial 2 first!" Shizuka said heading to the starting point leaving Suika impressed. She remembered her as more of a devil may care kind of girl. She shrugged and walked to the starting point as well.
Definitely not the slightest bit athletic, but this chunibyio wanted to impress her child hood friend.
--------------------
Back to Hori's room.
"Arrrggghhh!!!" She screamed as she ran, guns that shot paint balls like bullets chased Hori and her partner. Her now white uniform, slightly stained with color, mostly at the rolled up feets and sleeves.
The speed of the liquid projectiles shot was slow, but their numbers extreme.
They skillfully dodge, making sure not to slip and get dirty. Finally done with that part they run into a new portion of the obstacle course.
"Contestant Hobie! We have to time this just right!" Hobie nodded as she ordered, the two were faced with twin wrecking balls that swayed with left-right motion. They were as well covered in paint, meaning one hit from them would cause serious stain. Greatly reducing their points amassed for Trial 2.
Hori and her partner leaned in back, then jumped when an opening presented itself.
Just at the edge of the two wrecking they successfully passed, their legs carefully touched the floor to land. Unfortunately, Hobie slipped on spilled paint on the lane they jumped to!
He staggered forward, about to fall head first towards the colored floor. This would mean immediate disqualification as his entire front would be stained.
As if second to nature, Hori instinctively grabbed his back collar with her right hand, while holding a colored pole to support with her left. She quickly dragged him up.
"Contestant Hobie! Are you alright?!"
She asked leaning in seeing him panting with fear. Hobie faced her and bowed repeatedly to express his gratitude.
Hori smiled and said they should continue. The finish line was almost there.
Hobie proceeded to walk but nearly tripped again. His ankle was slightly sprained.
"Oh no...!" Hori rushed to him to help. Hobie was bigger than her so she couldn't piggy back him without tripping on the paint.
Mr Shiba, still observing from the lavish lounge was intrigued.
'What is she doing? Contestant Inori knows she did poorly in trial one. Clearing the second quickly should increase her points.'
He pondered, seeing Hori shouldering Hobie as they staggered towards the final section of the obstacle course.
"Don't worry, were almost there!"
Hori encouraged Hobie who was left silently staring at her. He didn't know what to do, relying on a girl younger than him for help.
They arrived at what seemed to be the end. The large white gate stood above, casting a shadow against the 2 contestants.
Hori used common sense to push the gate open.
Its large frame was heavy, but Hori's strength would suffice. With her single right hand she pushed the gate open.
A white light stretched as the entrance gave way. Behold. The final stretch of this rainbow hell was a maze.
Her mouth gaped in awe. Hori looked at Hobie, he too was also shocked. They both thought they had already finished this trial, only to stumble on a stupidly long new problem.
Hori let out a long sigh, annoyed. She had just ran about 3 miles under a very short time. The obstacle course was quite difficult.
Her omniscient friend tried encouraging her.
Narrator: Don't look so down Hori, it's not like the trials have some time limit.
As if reminded, Mr Shiba announced.
Hori frowned at Narrator.
They both pass the gate and enter the maze.
Hobie leaped from Hori and bowed in appreciation. He was able of walking by himself again.
"Good thing your leg is better, we'll need to sprint through this given our little time!"
Hori told Hobie, still silent he nodded in agreement.
Without wasting any time they both jogged forward.