A short man, his body wrapped in bandages except for his feet, wearing black pants, tapped Marco on the shoulder, startling him.

“Ah!! Gabriel!” Marco exclaimed, spinning around.

“Ha heh kekek! Got you, Marco,” Gabriel chuckled.

“Don’t scare me like that! I’m already nervous about walking on stage,” Marco said, clutching his chest.

“Calm down, Snow White,” Gabriel teased, giving Marco a cheeky grin and a thumbs-up. “You’ll do great. I believe in you.”

Marco sighed, still fidgeting with the paper in his hand. “Yeah… great. But seriously, why did Yukio put me as the examiner for the trials instead of you? You’re way more bubbly and fun. This is not my thing.”

Gabriel shrugged nonchalantly. “I tried, but Yukio had to go on a little voyage with Asher. Said it was super important or something. So, he told me to take his place until he gets back. That means I’m stuck doing his missions and everything else on his to-do list.”

“Lucky me,” Marco muttered, rolling his eyes.

“Kekek! Don’t sweat it, Marco. Just read the script and keep it together. You’ll survive,” Gabriel said with a grin.

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Marco said with a resigned sigh as he began walking toward the stage.

“Wait, Marco, here,” Gabriel called, handing him a small remote.

“What’s this for?” Marco asked, examining the device with a puzzled expression.

“For a visual presentation. You’ve got a big screen behind you to show the potential Purgers what they’re in for,” Gabriel explained with a smirk.

“Oh… thanks,” Marco replied.

The room buzzed with chatter as the potential Purgers mingled, their excitement palpable. Conversations swirled about the trials, their aspirations, and the challenges ahead.

Marco stepped onto the stage, clutching the microphone nervously. Clearing his throat, he raised the mic and called out, “Attention, everyone!”

The noise died almost instantly, the recruits falling into an anticipatory silence.

“It’s starting,” Devon whispered to Joey, sitting beside him on the bench.

“Yeah,” Joey replied.

Marco took a deep breath and steadied himself. Raising the microphone, he spoke clearly, “I am Marco Summers, Rank A Purger.”

A wave of whispers rippled through the crowd.

“He’s a Rank A Purger?” someone murmured.

“That’s super sweet,” another recruit whispered.

“You all have signed up to become humanity’s guardians,” Marco said, his voice steadying as he addressed the crowd. “For that, I want to thank each and every one of you!”

With that, he pressed the red button on the remote in his hand.

Behind him, the large screen lit up, displaying an outline of everything that would take place during the trials. The crowd’s eyes widened as they took in the detailed visuals.

On the screen, four bold titles appeared in sequence, detailing the stages of the trials:

1. The Purger Choice Trial

2. The Endurance Trial

3. The Arena Trial

4. The Demon Score Trial

Each title was accompanied by brief visuals.

Devon leaned forward, staring at the screen. “Woah, look at that,” he whispered.

Joey crossed his arms. “Yeah, this is going to be serious.”

Marco’s voice echoed across the stage. “Now, allow me to go over all four trials. The first trial is the Purger Choice. All new recruits will take a multiple-choice test before proceeding with the rest of the trials. The test will consist of 40 questions, and you must score 60% or higher to advance.”

Devon froze. A test? he thought, panic creeping in. I didn’t know there was a test! I should’ve done my research before signing up!

Marco adjusted his glasses, his tone firm. “There is one important rule for this trial: no cheating. If you are caught cheating, you will be immediately disqualified from the Purger Trials. No exceptions.”

Devon swallowed hard No cheating? he thought. Not that I planned to, but man, this just got even more stressful.

Joey glanced at Devon and smirked. “You’re sweating already. Relax, it’s just the first step.”

Devon sighed. “Easy for you to say. I didn’t know there’d be a test.”

Joey said “How didn’t you know? You could’ve looked online for the details.”

He pulled out his phone and handed it to Devon, the screen already open to a page filled with Purger test answers. “Here, study this for a while. It’s better than panicking.”

Devon’s eyes were in awe as he took the phone. “Seriously? Thanks, Joey!”

Joey nudged Devon. “Try to cram as much as you can before that test starts. You’ll need it.”

Meanwhile, Marco continued explaining the trials. “Next is the Endurance Trial. This one’s pretty simple. All new recruits have to run from Star Wide Plaza, where we are now, to Pit City District—50 miles away. That’s about 80.5 kilometers. The run typically takes 8 to 12 hours.”

The crowd erupted into murmurs, a mix of disbelief and nervousness rippling through the potential Purgers.

A recruit shouted, “We have to run for that long?”

Marco nodded, his expression serious. “Yes. The Endurance Trial is where most recruits fail. It's a test of your stamina, willpower, and mental toughness. Demons won’t wait for you to catch your breath. After that you all will have to run back to the HQ.”

Devon said “Fifty miles? That’s insane!”

Marco continued, “Next is the Arena Trial. In this trial, recruits will face off against each other in combat. This is your chance to showcase your strength, skills, and abilities in a controlled setting.”

The crowd buzzed with excitement at the mention of combat, some recruits exchanging determined glances.

Marco raised a hand to silence them. “But there are strict rules:

1. You cannot kill your opponent—only knock them out or force them out of the ring.

2. If anyone interrupts the fight, they will be immediately disqualified—and so will the opponents involved. So keep it clean and fair.”

Devon said “We have to fight each other? I don’t even know what half of these people can do.”

Joey smirked. “Well, this is your chance to find out.”

Marco continued, “The final trial is The Demon Score Trial. After enduring the earlier trials, this is where the real Purgers are made. You will all be assigned these.”

The screen behind him lit up, displaying a sleek, futuristic watch with glowing indicators.

“These are Score Watches,” Marco explained. “They track the number of demons you kill. To pass this trial, you must reach a score of 150 points by eliminating demons. Each demon’s difficulty will determine the points awarded—stronger demons give higher scores.”

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The crowd murmured in awe and apprehension.

“Wait,” someone in the crowd said, “does that mean we’re going to face real demons?”

Marco nodded. “Yes. This is no simulation. You’ll be sent into the field to fight actual demons in designated zones. This trial will test your courage, skills, and ability to adapt under pressure. But be warned—this is dangerous. Purgers don’t get second chances, and neither will you.”

Devon’s heart pounded. He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. “This is it,” he thought. “This is what I signed up for.”

Marco said, "After everything I’ve explained, let the Trials begin! The Purger Choice trial will commence shortly at 8:45 AM. Prepare yourselves.”

The crowd buzzed with anticipation as Marco stepped away from the microphone.

Devon turned to Joey, his nerves showing through his voice. "So, Joey, this is going to be hard."

Joey crossed his arms and gave a confident smirk. "Yep, but hey, we’ll make it through.

Meanwhile, Marco descended the stage stairs, letting out a sigh of relief. “Okay, that was easier than I expected. Good job, Marco,” he muttered to himself, a small smile of pride.

Joey said, "Okay, we should wait until then."

Devon nodded in agreement.

There we see a girl standing in confusion. She has long blue hair, dressed in gray pants and just a bra under a long, flowing trench coat. She rubs her head in frustration, muttering to herself, "Ah! I don’t know what I’m doing here."

Nearby, a boy with white and black hair leans against a trash can, casually sipping a soda. His outfit consists of a long white shirt paired with black pants, featuring two yellow stripes running down each leg. He grins to himself, clearly excited.

"This is going to be fun. I can finally get out of the house for a change." he said.

The time was 8:45 AM, and all the recruits were spread across various classrooms, ready to take the test. Each room had its own examiners, ensuring the process went smoothly. The rooms were numbered 300, 301, 302, 303, and so on, each with their own group of participants. Devon and Joey were in room 305, their assigned classroom for the exam.

In room 305, the atmosphere was filled with a variety of faces, each with their own determination. Spike Hammer, a burly teen with long blond hair, sat confidently with his girlfriend, Khmila Rains, whose long black hair cascaded over her shoulders.

Next to them was Xia, a boy whose eyes burned with the goal of becoming the very best Purger. His posture was straight, and there was a focused intensity about him.

The room was arranged with five rows of tables, each row seating 20 recruits. Devon and Joey sat in the fourth row, their attention divided between the task ahead and their surroundings.

Next to Devon was the girl with long blue hair, still looking a bit disoriented, rubbing her head as she tried to focus. She glanced occasionally at Devon, clearly unsure of what to expect next.

Next to Joey sat the man with white and black hair, sipping his soda with an easy grin, as if he were already in his element.

The girl being nervous and uncertain and the boy calm and casual.

Khmila leaned over toward Spike, rubbing his broad chest affectionately. "Honey, do you think we’ll become Purgers?" she asked.

Spike shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "Hell if I know. I don’t really care about this killing demons stuff," he said, leaning back casually. "I heard they pay good, though—700,000k a year. That’ll definitely help out my club. Hey, you do have the answers, right?"

Khmila smirked and discreetly pulled out a small piece of paper from her pocket, showing it to him briefly.

"Nice," Spike said with a sly grin. "Now put it away. Don’t wanna get caught, babe."

Khmila quickly tucked the paper back into her pocket, glancing around nervously to make sure none of the examiners had noticed. Spike, on the other hand, looked as relaxed as ever, completely unbothered by the risk.

Devon tapped the girl with long blue hair on the shoulder, concern written on his face. "Hey, are you okay? You're sweating badly," he said softly.

The girl flinched slightly but turned toward him with a shaky smile. "O-oh, I’m fine… Just nerves getting to me," she replied, her voice unsteady.

"Well, here," Devon said, taking out a napkin and handing it to her.

She hesitated for a moment before accepting it. "Thanks," she murmured, dabbing her forehead. "What’s your name?"

"Devon," he replied simply.

"Thanks, Devon," she said again, her smile a bit more genuine this time.

"But hey," Devon added, leaning in slightly. "What’s getting on your nerves? Are you scared you’re going to fail?"

The girl sighed, her shoulders slumping as she spoke. "Well, kinda, yeah. You see, my parents put me up to this because my sisters are Purgers, and they want me to become one too. I told them I wanted to be a baseball player, but they didn’t accept that." She glanced away, her voice trembling slightly. "So now I’m here, thinking the worst. Like, if I fail the trials, they’ll be disappointed in me. But if I actually become one... what then? I could die fighting demons, or worse, be eaten by one."

She clenched the napkin in her hands, her fear and frustration clear in her expression. "It’s just... so much pressure, you know?" she added.

Devon nodded, trying to offer some reassurance. "I get it, but look here. Maybe your parents are just thinking this would be the best career for you. I mean, I’ve heard there’s a lot of money to be made doing this. I’m sure they care for you, don’t they?"

The girl sighed deeply and said "They do... I know they love me, but..." She looked up at Devon, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "I don’t want to be here. This isn’t my dream."

Her voice softened as she continued. "I just wish they’d understand that I want something different for myself. Something that doesn’t involve risking my life every day."

Devon offered her a kind smile, leaning in slightly. "Hey, how about this? We can be friends, and I’ll make sure you’re safe. You won’t have to face this alone."

"Really, Devon?" she asked.

"Yep," Devon said confidently, grinning. "I’ll make sure you won’t have to fear for your life."

She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Well, okay then," she said softly, a small smile creeping onto her face.

Devon leaned back in his chair, trying to lighten the mood. "And maybe, after the trials, we could play some baseball. Then grab some pizza with my friend Joey."

Her smile grew wider, and a little laughter escaped her lips. "Yeah, that sounds great," she replied, her nerves visibly easing as she relaxed in her seat.

Each room had five examiners stationed strategically to ensure no recruits attempted to cheat. Among them was Cloudy. who stood near a window overlooking the training grounds.

He crossed his arms. Observing the recruits as they whispered among themselves. His attention lingered briefly on Devon, who was chatting with the girl beside him.

In his mind, Cloudy mused, Seems like Devon is getting along nicely.

A faint smirk crossed his lips before he straightened his posture, resuming his watchful demeanor.

The examiners moved methodically through the rows, passing out tests and pencils to each recruit. The room grew quiet.

"Oh, we're starting," muttered the boy with white and black hair, taking his test with an easy grin and twirling his pencil between his fingers.

Once all the tests were handed out, one of the examiners, a stern-looking woman. stepped to the front of the room. Her voice was commanding "You all will begin the test when I say 'start.' You will have 20 minutes to complete it. If you do not finish within the time limit, you will fail this trial." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "Now then... Start!"

The room immediately erupted with the sound of pencils scratching against paper as all the recruits began scribbling down their answers. Concentration etched across every face, the clock ticking away.

Devon stared at the test paper, his eyes scanning the questions quickly. He tried to recall what he had seen on Joey's phone earlier.

"Okay," he thought to himself, gripping his pencil tightly. "Answer one is A, second is C, third is D..."

His confidence faltered as he reached the fourth question. "Oh no... I forgot the fourth one!" Devon panicked internally, his mind scrambling for the answer.

"Maybe I can take a quick look at Joey’s paper," Devon thought, glancing over at his friend, who was rapidly jotting down answers with an almost unnerving speed.

"Geez, he’s going so fast," Devon muttered under his breath, leaning slightly to get a peek.

As he shifted closer, a shadow loomed over him. Devon froze. One of the examiners had silently approached, standing right behind them. Devon immediately sat back, pretending to be deep in thought, his pencil hovering over the test paper.

The examiner lingered for a moment, scanning the room, but eventually moved on without a word.

Devon let out a quiet sigh of relief. "That was way too close," he whispered to himself.

Devon leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Joey," he hissed.

Joey barely looked up from his paper. "Hm?" he mumbled, still focused on writing.

"What’s the answer to question four?" Devon asked as quietly as possible, glancing nervously around to ensure no examiners were nearby.

Joey replied under his breath, "B."

"All right," Devon whispered back, quickly marking the answer on his test.

The girl with the long blue hair stared at question 13, her pencil hovering just above the paper. She tapped the eraser against her temple, trying to coax the answer out of her brain, but nothing came. Her mind raced with possibilities.

"Okay," she thought to herself, trying to reason it out. "There are four answers: A, B, C, and D. That’s a 25% chance one of them is right... but a 75% chance I’m wrong." She frowned, biting her lip. "I can’t afford to mess this up. I don’t want to take the risk of guessing."

Her eyes darted around the room cautiously, scanning her neighbors' papers. "I... I have to cheat, but how?" she thought.

The girl with the long blue hair noticed the boy with the white and black hair casually leaning back in his chair, his arms folded behind his head. His pencil lay idle on the desk.

"He’s not writing..." she thought. "Maybe he’s already finished. If he’s done, maybe he can help me out."

She reached over and gently tapped Devon on the shoulder. "Hey, Devon," she whispered.

"Yeah?" he replied, leaning slightly toward her.

"Try to get the guy with the white and black hair. Ask him if he’s done with his test. If he is, tell him I need it," she murmured.

Devon hesitated but nodded. "Alright,"

Devon leaned toward Joey, whispering “ Hey Joey, can you ask that guy for his paper. I really need it.”

Joey nodded and shifted closer to the boy with the white and black hair, lowering his voice. "Hey, are you done with your test? If so, can you pass me your paper?"

The boy glanced at Joey, then shrugged, "Sure," and reached for his test paper.

Just as he was about to hand it over, an examiner walked by them.

"Crap," the girl with blue hair muttered quietly under her breath.