The Dome. Relative silence.
The hostess gave a signal. The cheers for Grann gradually died down, replaced by an electric anticipation. A small podium and a microphone stood in the center of the arena, illuminated by a single spotlight.
"Good! We can BEGIN!" she announced, her amplified voice resonating with authority. "Today, as in every Acolyte Tournament that has come before, there are only three fundamental trials!"
She counted on her fingers under the gaze of the 60,000 spectators and cameras from around the world.
"Number ONE: THE SPEECH! A true hunter must have clear motivations. We do this job to kill Demons, yes. But we are human. We all have a story, a wound, a hope that pushes us here. Show us what burns inside you!"
"Number TWO: THE RESCUE! A good hunter must save civilians in ALL circumstances. Even under rubble, even in the midst of chaos. The instinct to protect comes before everything else."
"Number THREE: THE COMBAT! To face Demons. You will have to show your skills, your composure, your strength."
She made a dramatic pause.
"Let the Tournament… of the Acolytes… BEGIN!"
The first name flashed on the giant screens.
"PINKY".
Without hesitation, the young girl stepped forward. She adjusted her pink jacket, took a breath, and grasped the microphone. Her father, somewhere in the VIP stands, must have been watching her. She could feel it.
"My name is Pinky. I am here to… surpass myself. They tell me I'm too young, too impulsive, too sheltered. They tell me to aim low. But I didn't come to aim. I came to hit the mark. Like my mother. I don't want to live in her shadow. I want to stand by her side. Not as her daughter. As her… equal."
She handed back the microphone, chin held high, under polite applause and a few mocking whistles.
The candidates filed past.
KOTOBE walked, his asymmetrical face exposed to all. He did not lower his eyes.
"I, I am here to remind you of one thing," he said in a surprisingly calm voice. "We are all equal. Beautiful or ugly. Rich or poor. Strong or weak. Before a Demon, it doesn't matter. Before death, we all have the same value. I want to be a hero for those whom no one looks at."
There was a silence, then a wave of warm applause. He had struck a chord.
GRANN stepped forward with the grace of a prince. Not a hair was out of place.
"Honor," he began, a perfect smile on his lips. "Is the cloak a hero wears. Elegance, is the weapon with which he wages his fight. I am here to restore a standard. Demon hunting is not butchery. It is an art. An art… necessarily magnificent One is not born a hero but becomes one and to represent this ideal."
The crowd, especially the women, screamed in admiration.
Then came ONE. He scratched his head, looking lost. He took the microphone, looked at it as if it were a strange object.
"Uh… Yeah. Mmmh. Me… I like sandwiches."
A deathly silence fell over the Dome. You could hear a fly buzzing. Then a nervous laugh, then a wave of general hilarity. One, imperturbable, handed back the microphone and returned to the line, looking satisfied. Kotobe hid his face in his hands.
The hostess, slightly disconcerted, moved on quickly.
"RIGHT… next!"
1. Lena, a girl with visible scars: "My parents died in the North Bridge Attack in City J. I hunt so there will be no more orphans."
2. Axel, muscular and scarred: "Strength is a responsibility. I have it, I use it. Period."
3. Mika, small and shy, speaking in an amplified whisper: "I'm afraid of everything. So I want to face the most frightening thing, so that nothing else matters anymore."
4. Rogan, in an impeccable suit: "It's a question of investment. Saving lives is the ultimate ROI (Return on Investment)."
5. Sora, dreamy-eyed: "I want to see if there can be beauty even in chaos. Demons destroy, but our resistance… can be beautiful."
6. Brick, colossal, spoke in an surprisingly gentle voice: "To protect my little sister's smiles. Nothing more."
7. Viper, with a piercing gaze: "I'm a bounty hunter. Demons have a bounty on their heads. Logic. You delude yourselves with illusions, dressing chic, investment, surpassing yourself… all that is nonsense. A true hunter must forget these ideals We are weapons the last barrier against the atrocities of this world we cannot afford to slack off and dream we must hunt, period," He threw a look at Pinky, who had felt hurt by his speech.
8. Chloe, with technician glasses: "I want to analyze Demons. To understand them is to eliminate them better. Science in the service of salvation."
9. Dante, looking bored: "Hunting is a family tradition. I'm the 12th. The pressure, can you imagine?"
10. Jin, agile, speaking quickly: "For the adrenaline! Nothing spikes it like a Class B Demon on your tail!"
11. Terra, hands covered in earth: "They defile the earth. I'm here to clean it."
12. Zane, electric, hair standing on end: "I want to be the fastest. To save people before they even get scared."
13. Luna, pale and mysterious: "The night belongs to Demons. I want to take it back from them."
14. Kai, with an eyepatch: "I lost an eye. I want to take everything from them."
15. Mira, persuasive: "A hero must also be a leader. I want to unite, not just strike."
16. Bo, silent, wrote on a slate: "I do not speak. My actions will shout for me."
17. Nova, radiant: "To bring light into the darkness they spread!"
18. Rex, who almost roared into the mic: "FOR GLORY! AND GOLD! (Mostly the gold)."
19. Ivy, with climbing plants on her armor: "Life always finds a way. Even through the death they sow."
20. Orion, looking towards the sky: "My destiny is written in the stars. It leads me here."
21. Fang, with prominent canines: "Because the best defense is to have fangs bigger than theirs."
22. Cleo, aristocratic: "The blood of heroes flows in my veins. It is my duty to prove it."
23. Jet, in an aerodynamic suit: "To fly higher and faster than them."
24. Gaia, barefoot on the ground: "I feel their vibrations in the earth. I am the guardian of the soil."
25. Ash, covered in soot: "I come from a city that burned. I am what remains of the ashes. And I must do everything to repair this injustice it is my duty."
26. Blink, who seemed to teleport to the mic: "Because being slow is being dead."
27. Echo, whose voice echoed strangely: "I will repeat the last Demon's cry of pain until the end of time."
28. Rook, massive and immobile like a fortress: "To hold the line. Nothing will pass. Never."
The last speech finished, a heavy silence settled in. The hostess spoke again, but her smile was forced.
"Varied… motivations!" she called out. "Now, on to the TRUTH! Trial number TWO: THE RESCUE, The candidates position themselves one by one, The TRIAL begins in TEN seconds!"
The giant screens displayed a giant countdown: 10… 9… 8…
The arena floor began to tremble. Panels sank, others rose. In a few seconds, the scenery was transformed: a field of simulated ruins appeared, with collapsed papier-mâché buildings, overturned cars, pre-recorded civilian screams blaring from hidden speakers.
7… 6… 5…
Mannequins, representing wounded civilians, were visible under the rubble, hanging from beams, trapped in vehicles.
4… 3… 2…
The candidates scattered, eyes wide, looking for a plan.
1…
A siren wailed.
"THE RUBBLE IS UNSTABLE!" boomed the voice of Captain Man over the speakers, playing the role of commander. "THERE ARE SURVIVORS! CLEAR THE ACCESS AND EXTRACT THEM IN 10 MINUTES! EVERY LIFE SAVED EARNS YOU POINTS! EVERY LIFE LOST… COSTS YOU!"
GO!
Controlled chaos exploded. Pinky rushed towards a pile of rubble. Kotobe, clumsy, tripped over a cable. One looked around, seeming to search for a soda machine. And Grann, with his tranquil smile, remained still for a moment, observing the general panic, like a spectator at a play.
Then he moved. Not by running. By walking. Directly towards the most collapsed area, where the cries seemed most desperate.
The real test had begun.