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Alex, still uneasy about their strategy, exits the secure fenced-in area alongside Linus. Eirini and Patricia… you better make it back, not just for your sake but for ours too, he thinks, glancing toward the direction the two women had gone.

Around them, other examinees are leaving as well, moving quickly but avoiding eye contact. The atmosphere is tense, with no one willing to draw attention to themselves. They soon split up, deciding to go in different directions.

Alex takes a moment to look back at the fenced-in area, scanning for any signs of pursuit. Looks like no one's coming after us. Good. I guess we should hurry.

Instead of walking, Alex and Linus pick up their pace, jogging toward the first location marked on their devices. The landscape around them is desolate—burnt grass, sparse trees, and no signs of life. No animals, no structures, nothing but the vast, dry savannah.

When they finally reach the first marked point on the western side of the examination area, Alex notices nothing immediately visible. He zooms in on his device until it won't zoom further, following the directions precisely. As he steps forward, his foot hits something solid, hidden in the tall grass.

Kneeling down, Alex uncovers a small metal chest. He opens it to find an assortment of unfamiliar sauces inside. The labels and brands are foreign to him, but he recognizes some of the contents—ketchup, a brown pepper sauce, soy sauce, and others he can't identify by sight alone. "Not bad! Linus, I found our bounty—just a bunch of sauces, but it's something. Let's move on."

Linus nods in approval as Alex packs the sauces into his backpack. The two quickly resume their journey to the next marked location.

Linus glances at his device and remarks, "Looks like our two girlies made it to their first point too. It was closer than ours, sure, but they're already heading to their second spot. If they keep this pace, we'll meet them at the last point in the northwest."

Alex feels a wave of relief. Not bad! The real challenge starts once you stop moving in a straight line. That's when others might catch up and ambush you. I didn't even consider the hidden way to win this exam that Shal mentioned earlier… I hope it doesn't come to that.

Linus suddenly breaks the tension with an unexpected comment. "That taller woman—what's her name again? She's exactly my type. If I pass, I might ask her out."

Alex blinks in surprise. "Patricia? I guess she could be your type, if you're into women with a rougher edge."

Linus shrugs with a small grin, unbothered by Alex's remark.

As they approach their second point, Linus suddenly raises his hand, signaling Alex to stop and stay silent. Alex halts immediately, scanning the surroundings but unsure of what Linus has noticed.

Without explanation, Linus pulls out his pistols and fires several shots into the brush ahead.

A flurry of birds erupts from the bushes, scattering into the sky. Alex watches, stunned. I didn't even see them—were they hiding in the brush? Nice spotting, Linus. Seems like I made a good call bringing this guy along.

They move cautiously toward the area where Linus fired and quickly locate his targets: two dead birds lying in the grass. They're not large, but they look edible.

"What are these things? Do you know the species?" Alex asks, kneeling to get a closer look.

"Are you not from this continent, Alex? This is a simple Juta bird," Linus responds, looking mildly surprised. "Can't believe you don't know them. Anyway, they're edible… I've even seen some restaurants serve dishes made from them. But I'm not just after the birds."

Linus begins searching the area until his eyes catch something up a dried tree. Quickly, he climbs it and comes back down holding five eggs, each with strange black dots that make them look exotic to Alex.

"Jackpot!" Linus exclaims. "Juta eggs are delicious. Just some oil and salt, and you've got tasty scrambled Juta eggs. I ate tons of these during survival training."

Alex nods, genuinely pleased. We've already got poultry and eggs to go with the sauces. That's practically one dish already! If the others can collect even a little, we might actually pass this exam without much trouble.

As they move toward their next point, Alex checks the mobile device while deep in thought. Shalnark is already at his second location, moving at an inhuman speed. He's not holding back anymore, Alex notes. Meanwhile, Eirini and Patricia are making steady progress, about halfway to their second spot. Not bad overall.

Alex and Linus continue without needing to alter their route. Everything is going better than planned, especially with the extra bounty of poultry and eggs. When they reach their second location, Alex freezes in surprise. A small lake stretches out before them, reflecting the vast savannah sky. Their devices point toward the water, suggesting there's no hidden crate—just the lake itself.

"Looks like we're going fishing," Alex says. "But I suck at it. I've got next to no experience."

"Don't worry," Linus reassures him. "I've got this covered. I've trained for situations like this, and I even brought a net. Let me dive in first to check for any dangers. You keep an eye on the mobile devices and watch out for enemies."

While Linus wades into the lake with practiced caution, Alex scouts the surrounding area. We came directly to this point, Alex reasons. I doubt anyone else has arrived before us, but I need to keep an eye on the direction of both our starting and end points.

Finding a patch of tall grass, Alex lies down, using the cover to observe his device. He notices Shalnark has already reached his third location. What the hell? This guy is insane! Meanwhile, Eirini and Patricia seem to have slowed down, which makes Alex uneasy. They might've run into trouble—or maybe they spotted something extra, like animals to hunt.

After 20 minutes of quiet observation, Alex begins to doze off slightly when his instincts snap him awake. He spots movement—three examinees approaching quickly. Shit.

Thinking fast, Alex grabs a stone he picked up earlier and hurls it into the lake, creating a loud splash. Linus, startled, looks toward Alex, who holds up three fingers and then points in the direction of the incoming group.

Linus, clearly annoyed but quick to act, leaves the water and ducks behind one of the many trees growing near the lake. Both men stay hidden, waiting to see what the newcomers will do.

Alex squints, taking a closer look at the approaching group. He sees one fairly average-looking woman and a man with a gymnast's build, dressed in typical athletic gear. But what draws his attention is the petite woman among them. Shit, it's Melody! he realizes. She probably tracked us using sound. She must've heard Linus splashing in the water. Now… do I attack her? Does she know Nen already, or will she only learn it after the exam?

Before Alex can decide, Melody shouts, her voice surprisingly loud for someone so small. "We don't intend to fight you! We just want to fish as well! If we keep this up, we're both wasting time!"

Alex glances toward Linus's position and signals him to "stay down," preparing for the worst. If they make a move, Linus can unleash a flurry of bullets. Steeling himself, Alex reveals his position.

"Okay! As long as you don't attack me, I won't attack either!" Alex yells back.

As he steps forward, his mind races. Melody… she's kind and pure in many ways, yet she works for the Nostrade Family, a mafia organization with no problems killing innocent people, enemies and acquiring various kinds of organs just to please the spoiled daughter of the boss. She probably has blood on her hands too, not at this point but in the future, all for her goal of destroying the Sonata of Darkness. He grimaces at the memory of Melody's tragic tale. That cursed piece of music killed her friend and left her crippled, even though she only heard it once. She's so fixated on her mission that she'd do anything—even kill me or anyone else in her way. I can't take her lightly.

Melody shouts again, her voice steady but still loud for someone so petite. "We don't want to fight! How about this? You and your comrade stay at the front part of the lake to fish, and we'll move to the far end. That way, we're not in each other's way."

Alex glances toward Linus's position and signals him to "stay down," preparing for the worst. If they make a move, Linus can respond quickly, he thinks, weighing his options. Finally, Alex steps forward, deciding to take the risk.

"Alright, fine!" Alex yells back. "As long as you stick to your end, we'll stay here. No funny business!"

His tone is firm but cautious as he studies Melody and her group. She's kind, but she's also someone who wouldn't hesitate to act ruthlessly if it served her goal. This could still go sideways.

Alex nods toward Linus, giving him a sign that they'll stay put for now. Linus emerges from his hiding spot reluctantly, still eyeing the newcomers with suspicion.

Melody and her team hold true to their word, moving to the far end of the lake. Alex watches them carefully as Linus resumes fishing, his grip tight on his pistols just in case.

If Melody's group doesn't make a move, this might actually work out, Alex thinks, though his guard never lowers entirely. 

Linus, after some time, returns from the lake carrying two small fish. Their strange violet color catches Alex's attention, but otherwise, they look fresh and healthy.

"No use," Linus grumbles. "I couldn't catch more. These two were the only ones big enough to be worth it. Let's leave."

Alex nods and adds, "Yeah, let's go. But something's not right—Eirini and Patricia haven't reached their second spot yet. I think something's happened. What should we do? Head toward them or go straight to the third spot?"

Linus considers for a moment. "Let's head toward them. If something's wrong, they might need help. We can skip the last point or hit it later if there's time. We've already spent nearly two hours here with the fishing—better not risk losing them now."

"Agreed," Alex says, nodding. He casts a final glance at Melody and her group before the two set off.

Ten minutes into their trek, Alex checks his device again. Eirini and Patricia haven't moved much. Damn, this isn't normal… something must have happened! His grip tightens on the device as his thoughts race. I hope they can hold on. Just a little longer…If they die we won't have a chance!

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