13 Chapter 12
Kernaks began to get tired of the boredom that appeared on the Third Floor after the young people went to the test. Since those in the team had a well-known escort from the Edrok family, who had already passed a similar test, and a red-skinned ogre, they simply did not need to worry about their well-being.
Suddenly, one of the walls leading to the level of testing moved to the side.
- What? - The officer's head bent sideways in surprise. According to his calculations, the "kids" should not have returned yet.
"Never again ..." Ichigo was the first at the "exit". In his hands he carried Sayu, and behind him went Marek, Bloom and Poong with Mary. - Never! - He repeated again.
Kearnax frowned, completely not understanding the situation. What happened there if the subjects not only came earlier than the scheduled time, but also with such a negative mood?
"I'm glad you passed?" - the officer rumbled incredulously, feeling something was amiss.
- We, too! - The evil growled Ichigo, looking at the administrator with a menacing look. - Almost burned!
Cirnax once again examined the ascendants. He started with a girl. Her dress, burnt through in places, no longer completely covered Mary's naked body, partially showing her elastic breast and part of her abdomen.
Taking off his coat, Poong threw it on the girl's shoulders. He himself didn't look much better and if it weren't for the lights that defended his team all the way, everything could turn out even worse.
Blusom, throwing off the unusually heavy backpack at that moment from his shoulders, he landed heavily on the ground, taking out several bottles of cool water. But the guide quickly depressed, swallowing viscous saliva. Only one bottle remained in the backpack. He had already forgotten that Ichigo said to douse himself with water to reduce the effects of heat and fire on the skin.
- Here, have a drink. - Edrok handed the water bottle to Maria. - You need.
"Thank you ..." the girl wheezed open her dry lips.
- What happened? - The Floor Administrator still could not understand what happened in the labyrinth of testing.
- We met the "big red eel." Said Puong, looking suspiciously at Kurosaki, who had thrown Sayou onto the ground just a minute ago. This man was astounding. Not only was he able to fight back the "big red", he also ignored heat and fire at the same level with Marek. - Fortunately, we managed to get rid of him.
- Here's how. - The old officer nodded understandingly. Now everything fell into place. If these kids met the "big red eel", then this explains their so rapid passage through the maze. "You took them along the shortest path." - Kernaks sighed bitterly, looking reproachfully at the guide. "And you all paid for it."
- I did not force them! Edroc burst out, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Ichigo sat on the ground, straightening his legs and leaning his back against the wall of the maze. This test nearly cost his newly made life comrades, and if it were not for the poong lights protecting the group from the flame, and the instructions of Blusom, who tirelessly directed them, then he would be dust. In his world, he often heard that he was developing too fast. On the techniques that ordinary Shinigami spent years and decades, he studied in a day or two, a maximum of a week. But now he himself was convinced of this. Manipulating a shinsu was a little easier than a reatsu, at least he felt that way. To create several houses for attack and a couple more to move around in the air, and now Poong, having already opened his mouth, looks in astonishment at him.
- Your skills are amazing. - Marek spoke hard. - Use five houses at once, and even in such a strange manner. - He remembered how Ichigo jumped through the air, stepping on fragile, as is commonly believed, houses in the battle against the "big red".
"Yes, you surprised us, Ichigo." - Agreed Poong. "Why didn't you say you can create houses?" - Tu Perry looked reproachfully at the red-haired. - If we knew that you could create houses from a bus, the situation with the "big red" could have turned out differently.
- Here is how? Kurosaki snorted displeasedly. "Now is it my fault?"
- Please calm down. - Kirnaks reassuringly wedged into the conversation.
- Please. Ichigo waved his hand. "If we passed the test, can we already move to the next Floor?" - The owner of the black chinos eagerly inquired.
"Well, if your decision is supported by your team ..." the officer examined each of the team. - Good. You have passed and you can go to the next Floor. - Reluctantly, the officer surrendered, revealing the massive ones behind him. - Wish you luck.
The old man, stepping aside, skipping the team of Tu Peri, only sighed heavily. He wanted to ask them a lot more. For example, how did they manage to stay alive when they met one of the most dangerous creatures of the Tower?
***
The Safe Zone of the Fourth Floor is the entrance to the Beginners Area.
- Fuh. It was dangerous. - Exhaled Edrok, following his Mr.
- Not true! - Resented Tu Peri.
- No, the guide is right. "Agreeing with Bloom," said Marek. "You decided to fool the officer, and left the most dangerous part of your plan on Ichigo." It is, to a lesser extent, irresponsible!
- Enough for you. Tousling her red hair, Ichigo shook Sayu. He never showed signs of consciousness. - That was the situation. If the officer knew that we had violated the rules and cut a good half of the way, we might have problems. - He explained, justifying the decision of the Adept of the Light.
"But aren't you angry? .." - the brunette from the Tu Peri family halted in mid-sentence, meeting the red-haired man with a blank stare. It seems that he did not care at all that he had to uncover the fact that he controls more than three houses at the same time. "You are astounding." - Poong sighed wistfully. "You are incredibly strong in close combat, and you can control five houses at once." It inspires. Even I, the one who was trained since birth as an Adept of the Light, can control seven lights at a time. Who should you be, huh, Ichigo?
Kurosaki frowned, thinking about the answer. In the battle with the "big red eel," he relied on instincts that told him what to do. Who knew that controlling a shinduss is easier than a retsu.
- Just a lucky person? Ichigo shrugged indifferently, throwing Saiya's body onto the sofa. - We came? - He examined a large room, divided into three parts by thin walls. In the first there were two large, wide beds, several bedside tables and a pair of chairs. In the second there was a long table with chairs, a wall-mounted TV and a bar counter. The third section was a hallway with several shelves for shoes, a clothes hanger and a mirror.
- There is a restroom. - Marek stood opposite the open door in the second section. - And here ... Yes, the shower room.
"Looks like it's a living room." - suggested Poong, passing into the hall, to a small table, on which stood a vase with chocolates.
- Good afternoon! - uttered a mechanical voice.
Being near the TV, Poong twitched in surprise.
"The Fourth Floor Administrator welcomes you." - Explained the voice from the TV. - Now you are in a safe zone to go to the next Floor, you need to go to the thirteenth zone of the Floor.
Maria hesitantly sat in one of the chairs, clutching her legs to her chest and looking at the black TV screen. Unlike everyone, she looked somewhat alarmed.
- Everything related to the Floor areas can be found in our brochure on the table.
Tu Peri took a thin book modestly called a brochure.
- You can start the test at any time, but for now, relax and gain strength! - the mechanical voice gradually began to subside.
"So we can rest?" - Leaving Sayu on the couch, Ichigo fell on one of the two beds, briefly covering his eyes. - So glad. - In half a voice he said, feeling incredible fatigue in the body.
A member of a great family also did not lag behind a teammate. Having poured into an empty mug of soda, he sat in an empty chair in the hall. The guide also did not get confused, offering Marek a drink, they both retired to the bar, to calm their nerves after a couple of mugs of foam.
