At the end of the first test, only 280 participants had advanced to the next evaluation.
Terrmomix and Floch returned to the stage where they would give the instructions for the next assessment.
-"What do you think the next evaluation will be about?" Terrmomix asked.
-"I don't know, but most likely they'll want to eliminate more participants."
A teacher walked up to the stage with a calm smile.
-"Congratulations to those who made it through the first test, but now your real challenge begins."
As he listened to the instructions, Terrmomix looked around; Marco, Jhonatan, and Ben had passed, but Brandon had not.
-"The next evaluation is as follows: you will be divided into groups of ten, you must run through the forest until you reach the finish line on the other side, the last four to arrive will be eliminated."
All the participants fell silent.
-"Since there are 280 participants, there will be 28 groups. The rules are simple: as this is an assessment to measure your speed and how you adapt to the environment, fighting among yourselves or trying to slow someone down is strictly forbidden."
-"Only six will advance from each group, so doing the math, only 168 will remain in the end, meaning in the next evaluation they'll only have to eliminate 48," Floch said in a low voice for him and Terrmomix to hear.
Terrmomix looked at Floch.
-"Only 48... That's very few compared to the other evaluations, isn't it?"
-"Yes, it's a very small number."
The teacher began to announce the groups and the order in which they would go.
Upon hearing his group number, Floch stretched.
-"Alright, I'm in number 13."
-"I'm in 18," Terrmomix sighed nervously.
The group order was finalized and the guys were given ten minutes to get ready.
-"Nervous?" Floch asked while warming up his arms.
-"A little. I'm not that fast."
-"Calm down, just trust yourself and run without looking back."
-"You're right, besides... It's not the first time I've run through a forest."
Terrmomix remembered that time in that forest and everything that had happened with Cesar.
Floch smiled when he saw his sad look.
-"Do your best, okay? You have to make it through, you have potential, Terr."
-"Thanks, you have to make it too, Floch."
Confidently, Floch said:
-"Of course, I will make it through, no doubt about it."
-"So confident," a small smile formed on Terrmomix's lips.
-"That's what matters, trusting in yourself."
The ten minutes passed and the evaluation was about to begin; the first group got ready at the forest entrance, and when the shot rang out, the participants ran at full speed into the forest.
They would notify the teacher via radio once the guys had reached the finish line so she could send the next group.
-"Great! Group two, get ready!"
Floch looked nervous as he watched the groups run into the forest.
-"Terrmomix, I lied to you, I am nervous."
-"Why is that? Didn't you say the important thing was to trust yourself?"
-"Yes, but look at the rivals," he pointed discreetly at some guys who were in his group.
-"Yeah, they do look dangerous..."
Floch let out a deep sigh.
-"But it's okay, maybe they're not very fast."
-"But what if they are?"
-"Then I guess this is where I end up."
The teacher shouted firmly:
-"Group 13! Come forward!"
Floch looked at Terrmomix.
-"Well Terr, I'm off."
-"Okay, good luck."
-"I don't need it, see you on the other side," he started walking toward the forest entrance.
Floch stood on the starting line, stretched his arms, and when the shot rang out, he took off running into the forest.
Inside the forest, he ran naturally, climbing trees, dodging fallen trunks and large rocks; apparently, Floch was good at this.
For his part, Terrmomix was also getting ready when he saw Marco lining up; he looked around but didn't see Jhonatan and Ben – apparently their groups had already gone.
After group 17, Terr's time finally came; he lined up on the starting line, getting ready and trusting himself just as Floch had said, even though he was nervous inside.
He already had experience with this; that test in the forest had made this feel familiar, and that showed when he started.
Terrmomix took off at full speed – it was as if he were running across a completely clear field. He dodged the obstacles created by nature itself as if they were nothing; surely Marco and the others had done the same.
-"Being in a forest like this brings back memories..." he murmured to himself.
He kept running without stopping; he didn't know where his other rivals were but couldn't hear them nearby – maybe they had left him behind or he had pulled too far ahead.
As he kept running, at some point he stopped hearing everything around him; everything seemed to slow down, only his breathing was audible.
-"If Cesar were alive... Would he have made it? Most likely yes, if only I had..." he shook his head trying not to think about the past.
He regained awareness of his surroundings; despite being distracted, his legs kept running, his steps as if he had run there a thousand times before.
The finish line was in sight; he crossed it quickly and stopped to try to catch his breath calmly.
A water bottle was held out in front of his face.
-"Well done."
Terrmomix looked up – it was Floch, who was smiling.
-"Thanks," he took the water bottle to open it and drink.
-"Not bad Terr, you were third in your group."
Terrmomix opened his eyes in surprise.
-"Third? Who were the first two?"
Floch pointed at two guys – one looked happy with a smile on his face, while the other had a serious look.
-"Them."
-"I see, well the important thing is that I passed this evaluation."
-"I knew you would."
-"And you? Did you make it?"
Floch laughed and said proudly:
-"What kind of question is that? Of course I did – in fact, I was first in my group."
-"Really? You're amazing."
-"Yeah, I know, but Terrmomix, while you weren't here they expelled two guys for fighting."
-"Really? But why did they fight?"
Floch remembered the moment and told Terrmomix – the two guys had fought because one had cheated.
-"He was last in his group; apparently the culprit had made the other guy slow down so he would be left behind. The teachers had to step in."
-"And do you know what some of the guys were like?"
-"Hmm... Well the culprit had brown hair, scars on his arms, and was wearing a red shirt."
-"Oh... I see," Terrmomix realized the culprit was Marco and his voice was quiet.
-"Is something wrong?"
-"No, it's nothing. Let's think about what the next evaluation will be like instead."
-"You're right. I have a feeling it'll be the toughest of the three."
After an hour, all groups had finished; in the end, as Marco had said, 168 remained.
The teacher said in a relaxed voice:
-"Congratulations to those who passed the evaluation. Get ready for the final test – good luck to everyone."
Floch looked toward an empty table.
-"Come on Terrmomix, let's sit down and grab something to eat while we can."
-"Yeah, I'm hungry," despite his relaxed words, his mind was thinking about Marco and how he had been expelled.
The final test will begin soon.