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Chapter 16 - Drifter Qualification Exam

072 and Norville rode the motorbike deeper into the surrounding forests until their path ended in a wide opening that looked like it had just been carved out. Creeping vines and massive trees encircled them, almost completely obscuring the dim sun overhead. Even while it was morning, everything around them stayed dark and dreary.

Several armed individuals were already present. They were not wearing Drifter uniforms, only carrying weapons and appeared to be waiting. They had odd black covering around their faces. They stirred, seeing the newcomers.

The fog here was thick; almost like liquid. 072 gasped and spluttered; there was barely any air.

"Hah, nahk…"

"Here."

Fossil carefully placed a soft, black cup over 072's mouth and nose, the same ones the other people were wearing. 072, confused, breathed in clean air. He stared, amazed and relieved to find he could breathe normally again. Fossil had a similar device but hadn't put it on yet. He didn't seem to be bothered by the lack of air.

"We'll be overseeing an exam today," he said to 072, who looked up. "There won't be anything serious abou--"

"Yo!"

A younger man eagerly approached them.

"Are you our supervisor and/or examiner?"

072 felt Fossil take a step back.

"Ye---"

"Great! It's very nice to meet you. My name is Dalton M. Lawrence---the 'M' stands for 'Mathis.' You can call me Dalton, Mathis, or Lawrence, I don't mind! I'm a recently awakened Deviant, age 19, and I submitted my application forms last month, February 2nd. This is my first time taking the Drifter Corporation entrance exam---"

"Yes, Mathis will do, thank you."

'Wow, he talks really fast. Mr. Fossil looks awkward.'

Mathis mouth blabbered rapidly. 072 watched in amusement before tugging at Fossil's clothes, hoping to prevent a conflict.

"No, no, stop it, Mathis!!" A black-haired man hurried over, hitting Mathis on the head.

"Oww!"

"Have some respect! You're taking to a Rank 7!" He turned to Fossil. "I'm so sorry, sir! He's the youngest of us; please excuse his behavior."

'Ranks are really important, huh..' 072 thought, remembering the man and woman who had cowered beneath Fossil's gaze.

Fossil nodded. "It's fine. Please gather the rest of the examinees."

"Understood, sir."

072 watched as the man scampered off and started gathering the other people.

'Examinees? Mr. Rem and Norby didn't mention anything about that when they sent me.'

What Fossil meant about 'overseeing' might be just this. 'Did they only want me to observe? Thank goodness.' He would have had no idea what to do if he were forced to fight monsters with Fossil. And besides, he still didn't know what exactly the Drifters do with their Deviant abilities.

Fossil and 072 stood before a sizable gathering of twenty-one individuals, whose curious gazes were fixed upon them. Some whispered frantically, while others grinned eagerly.

Fossil scanned the crowd, his gaze sharp and assessing.

"Alright," he began, his voice carrying over the others. "Welcome to the Drifter Corporation's qualification exam. I am Fossil, a Rank 7, and this is Bones. We will be the ones overseeing your exam."

He gestured briefly to the small child strapped to his front.

"Is that kid part of the Corps?"

"Can't be.. I doubt he's a Drifter. He looks to be about four or five."

"He's wearing the uniform, though!"

"Maybe it's his son."

The constant whispering made 072 feel uncomfortable. Being talked to, or talked about, didn't feel very nice. He decided to ignore it.

'I should just listen..'

"Your objective is simple: retrieve the designated items from within this rainforest. The map on your watches-- which will be distributed later-- will guide you. Restricted areas are also marked in it. Remember, teamwork is key, and damage to the items results in failure."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "You will be divided into three teams. Each team will receive a different starting point and a unique set of coordinates. The first team to return with their items intact within the time limit of 24 hours wins and is merited extra points. Items that are submitted after the 24 hours has finished will be disqualified-- and taking the items of different teams is not allowed."

Whispers erupted.

"So it's recoup.."

"I thought we'd just be fighting."

"So it's true they change the exam every year. What luck."

Fossil continued, "The area you are entering is known as 'The Tropics'--- a region warped by concentrated pollution, resulting in monstrously large trees and dangerous mutations of plants, animals, and organic matter. The air is toxic and oxygen is thin, so you will need to wear the provided filtration gas masks at all times. Failure to do so will result in severe health consequences, or death."

A hand shot up from the crowd. "Mutations, sir? What kind of mutations are we talking about?"

"The kind that can kill you, of course."

"...."

072 looked at the man with pity.

A few more hands shot up. Fossil pointed to a nervous-looking woman in the front.

"What kind of items are we retrieving, sir?" she asked, her voice curious.

Fossil's lips curled. "They are medium-sized packages wrapped in a rubber band, five of these for each team."

Another man spoke up. "What are the consequences of failing the exam?"

"Failure means you'll have to wait for the next qualification opportunity," Fossil replied, his tone indifferent. "Now, form your teams, with each having seven members. You have ten minutes."

A flurry of activity erupted as the examinees quickly organized themselves into groups. Mathis, still recovering from his earlier reprimand, latched onto the black-haired man who had apologized for him. 072 watched in amusement.

"Anana?"

"Yes, we'll only be watching."

Once the teams were formed, Fossil distributed the watches, reiterating the rules and starting points. With a final nod, he signaled the start of the exam;

"Three.. two.. one! Your timer starts NOW!"

The teams quickly dispersed, disappearing into the dense foliage of The Tropics.

Fossil pinched 072's cheeks, a serious expression on his face. "Stay sharp," he said quietly, stretching his arms. "We're going in as well." He put on his gas mask.

WHOOSH.

With one surprisingly swift lunge, they were off.

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