Rising of the Running God

Welcome to the Yearly Explorer Exam!

"...Ugh."

Once again, Vayne's head was filled with a pain that was enough to almost cause him to cry. It wasn't as bad as whenever he used his Blessing, of course— that was a different kind of pain.

He forgets the pain immediately since he always either faints or blacks out whenever he uses his Blessing, but now that his mind was slowly getting used to it, he could finally explain the feeling.

It was almost as if someone was grazing a corrugated stick into his nostrils, then leaving some bits and pieces inside it.

"..."

It would seem like that was his favorite thing to do now— pass out.

Well, at least this time, he wasn't alone. He was surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of people that were passed out— lined in a single straight file in a way that Vayne could almost not even see the end; he seemed to be near the end of the line, but it was hard to see due to the dark.

Considering they were organized this way… maybe the others were actually dead and they were preparing to bury them?

"...pft," Vayne wanted to force a chuckle, but it felt like something was blocking his chest— a feeling heavier than his head.

Just… how strong was the smoke they let out earlier? It was obvious that it was some sort of tranquilizer agent, but for him to still feel it in his chest until now.

No— he was the odd one here. The fact that he was the last to be knocked out and the first to wake up means it didn't affect him as much as the others.

His Blessing… just what other things did it do to his body?

"..." Vayne then started to look around him, only to find that they were already in a different location— outside.

No, that wasn't exactly right. The ground beneath them was a sea of grass— the ceiling, however, was still similar to the musky old hall they were in earlier.

They were still… underground? Is the basement of the Explorer Association the entire area of Termont?

"..." Vayne wanted to try and explore the vast darkness they were confined in, but in the end chose not to do so— they were all neatly placed in a line for a reason, and he didn't want to be the odd one out.

And so, once again, he just decided to sit and wait.

A second.

A minute.

An hour.

3 hours. It took 3 hours before the others finally also woke up; some, later than others. But still, it did not help the orchestra of groans and struggling whimpers to echo out in the vast hall.

And it would seem most of the others had the same idea as him, as they didn't also move from their spot as soon as they noticed they were lined up.

"Psst."

"..."

"Psst!"

"..." Vayne then turned his head to his left, only to see a woman looking at him,

"Hey."

"...Yes?" Vayne slightly squinted his eyes to get a better view of the woman, but it was too dark to even know what color of hair she was wearing.

"Can you call the man beside you? I think he's my brother," the woman whispered.

"..." Vayne then turned to his other side, only to see a man already facing him.

"Is that my sister on the other side?"

"I… think so?" Vayne could really only raise his eyebrows.

"Can you ask her if she's alright?" The man whispered.

"..." Vayne then once again turned his head to the woman, delivering her brother's message.

"Tell him I'm okay, can you ask him if he's alright?"

"..." And as soon as Vayne heard that, he just decided to sit back on the ground.

"Where did you go!?"

"Sister, is that you!?"

"Ssh, don't shout. Just whisper!"

"O… okay, are you alright?"

"What was that? Did you say something?"

"Huh? What?"

"..." Vayne, who tried avoiding the antics of the siblings, could not help but cover his face from what he was hearing. He wanted to not get caught up with the two, but alas… with both of them whispering like cats, he couldn't really concentrate on anything else.

And so, after a few minutes of… this nonsense, Vayne finally gave in and tried to help the two.

It would have been alright… but the two were just doing small talk. But finally, they started to settle down.

"I'm Mathilda, my brother's name is Mattheus."

"...My name is Vayne."

"Vayne? That's a girl's name."

"Don't be rude, Mat. He might be identifying as a woman."

"...That's a thing?"

"Wait…" Vayne started to furrow his eyebrows as he looked back and forth between the two, "...I thought the two of you can't hear each other?"

"Pft, we're just messing with you," Mattheus let out a small chuckle.

"...No, we're not," Mathilda let out a small sigh, "We weren't really able to hear each other— but now we got used to it."

"She's lying, don't believe a word she says."

"What? You're the one lying. You little piece of—"

And finally, Vayne found an escape to this madness as the darkness that once filled the vast hall disappeared— replaced by a light that almost seemed to simulate the rays of the sun.

And once again, groans could be heard as this violent light bombarded all of their unsuspecting eyes.

"Ack, my beautiful eyes!"

"..." Vayne could really only blink a couple of times as he finally got a look at the siblings. Both of them had green hair; their skin, slightly dark.

"Oh, I'm number 20 this time."

And while Mathilda was still groveling on the floor and trying to adjust her eyes, Vayne turned to her brother as he spoke, only to see him looking at a tag that was on his shirt.

"..." Vayne then turned to look if he had one as well— and there it was, Number 21.

"What—"

[Greetings, examiners.]

And before the groans of the people could continue, an even brighter light shone in front of all of them— and there, 5 people revealed stood.

[Let me be the first to welcome you all to the Explorer Association Yearly examination.]

The man that was speaking was the shortest amongst the 5; but for some reason, it almost feels like he was towering over them.

His hair was red, almost like the violent color of the setting sun; reaching all the way to his waist.

His coat that reaches his ankles, also the color of blood.

"Isn't that…"

"That's… that's the Prince of Explorers!"

"Valerion Valentine!"

"!!!" And while the rest of the examiners all roared and cheered, letting out gasps of shock and awe… Vayne once again sat on the ground, making sure that his face wasn't being seen as he adjusted his hood.

What… what was his father doing here!? Vayne thought.

"...You alright?" Mathilda raised an eyebrow as she saw Vayne suddenly dropping to the ground again,

"Could it be you still haven't recovered from the gas?"

"Y… yeah," Vayne said; his eyes, taking a peek from time to time towards his father.

[All of you might be wondering why I have presented myself in all of you,] Valerion then stretched his hands to the side as he welcomed all the cheers coming his way,

[That is because my son is also partaking in the exam!]

"...What?" Vayne blinked his eyes a couple of times. How… how did he know that—

[Vale Valentine, No. 503!]

"...Oh," Vayne could really only stare at nothing as he heard his father's words,

"...Of course."