"What's all those commotion, it's like an intruder just arrived" Kazuko thought as she stood up and surrounded herself with wind, after seeing Kenji land in front of the contestants.
Once she arrived she saw Gildart and Kenji quarreling and then she heard what Kenji said, "Those two don't need this exam, they're already better than some rookies, plus, they completely annihilated all the beast in the hidden room. They should be applying to be apprentices not some rookie hunters"
"What!?" Kazuko said silently while everyone screamed as she then looked at Natsu and Yami with a thought in her mind, "With Yami it's possible, but why do I feel like it's that kid's fault"
"That explains why we weren't attacked by any beast and saw only weird magic seals" Kagahma said as everyone related to it, except Kazuko.
"We could barely defeat one and yet this boys defeated a lot of them, just how strong are this two to defeat all those beasts" Koda thought as he immediately felt like he shouldn't piss them off and stay on their good side by any means necessary.
"Congrats Natsu, even though I came out first it looks like you won again" Kazuko said with a death piercing look as Natsu became scared.
"Damnit, what should I say to her, she's way more scary than Jin" Natsu thought as he laughed awkwardly and said, "Well it's all Yami's doing, I couldn't have gone that far without him"
"What're you saying kid! You're basically the reason you and your friend are still alive" Kenji said as he looked at them confused.
"Thank you Mister, thank you for trying to kill me" Natsu thought as Kenji continued, "I won't lie, Yami is pretty powerful for his age. I don't think I've ever seen anyone with that kind of raw power at that age, but who shocked me the most was Natsu. Even though he's not that strong, he has crazy strategies, and something tells me you're the one that guided the both of you through the secret passage"
"Not exactly! Yami found some hidden passages and so did I, although, the only reason we're alive right now is because of Yami's quick thinking and cautiousness." Natsu said as he tried to smile with the pain.
"Yeah but I won't say I'm the major reason, I mean we basically escaped because of your plans, so yeah, let's say it's a team effort" Yami said as he tried to laugh, although, he realized that Kazuko wasn't smiling at all and immediately stopped.
"Come on Kazuko, why are you upset with those two, they basically came last in the exams" Asahu said as she replied, "Do you really think so"
"Well..." Asahu said as Kazuko took a deep breath and asked, "In the beginning, during the race to exam center, who won that race"
"Well it was you..."
"Wrong, it was mister Gildart, I came second"
"Yeah, but I was one of the last people to reach there" Natsu said as Kazuko replied, "And I'm sure you did it cause of the attention"
"Let's not forget that during the fight with the sea serpent, you came first and attracted attention to yourself. You also got to the hide out where we would recover before any of us, including mister Gildart, and again attracted attention to yourself. You even took the adventurers exam and still had enough energy to do the hunters own, and yet you made Mister Gildart to complement you because of your fight there by taking the lead again. And now, even though I finished first, that guy left me to battle you and again making you to take the spot light. You've basically been dominating the exams and I'm sure you're mocking us cause even though we think we beat you, you basically dominate the exam!" Kazuko said as everyone went silent while she spoke.
"I don't like that girl" Kenji whispered to Gildart as he replied, "Join the club!"
"Don't think you'll win me again, I'll make sure I beat you in the remaining exams" Kazuko said as she took a deep breathe and flew to a different place.
"Wait Kazuko..." Yami said as he saw her leaving but couldn't go after her because of the pains.
"You two are lucky, you made it 10 seconds before your time was up." Gildart said as Natsu and Yami thought, "Wow, we're so lucky"
"We'll soon be leaving for your next exam so get prepared" Gildart continued as Kenji looked at the kids and said, "Wait, aren't you guys going to attend to them. Those two are basically at deaths door, where's the person that's meant to heal them"
"Those two ain't getting any medical care so don't think too much about it" Gildart replied as he was moving.
"I'm sorry but you'll have to take care of them, I didn't treat them like contestants so basically it's a miracle that they haven't gone unconscious."
"Yeah but it's their punishment so don't stress over it"
"I don't care about that! I want those kids in their best performance ASAP"
Gildart smirked as he replied, "Do you think that's going to happen, they're under a punishment, they should've been more careful during the exams" Gildart said as him and Kenji began emitting murderous aura, which scared the kids as Damian screamed, "Enough! The both of you! You're scaring the kids."
Gildart and Kenji were pissed off with each other but calmed down as Damian thanked them.
"At least they should get first aid. Those two won't make it pass the next exam like that." Kenji said as Gildart replied, "No!"
"I'm sorry but I agree with Kenji on this one, the least those two deserve is a first aid, besides, you guys don't have a justified reason for punishing them" Damian said as Gildart became pissed off but then took a deep breath and told Dr Mayumi to treat them.
Dr Mayumi understood that at this point there was nothing for her or Gildart to do so she healed them.
"I didn't fully heal them since they're still serving their punishment, but I closed their injuries and reduce their pains a little" Dr Mayumi said as Damian replied, "It's all right, at least they're much better"
Kenji wanted to voice his opinion but Mr Damian shut him before he could say anything, "Don't push your luck, you know how Gildart is so don't make things worst"
Kenji held his tongue as he understood what Damian meant.
Not long after, their stage 4 instructor showed up as she made a grand entrance and landed dramatically as she said, "Sorry I'm late, hope I didn't keep you waiting too long"
Kenji and Gildart felt irritated as they both said, "I can't believe she thinks that'll make us to forgive her"
"Those two might fight a lot but they're awfully similar" Damian thought as he sighed.
Their stage 4 instructor was a woman with pink long hair, nice body structure and wore a purple gown that hogged her body which showed her curves.
"Damian, long time no see. How're you doing?" She asked as he replied, "I'm good, it's been a while Hayami."
"Yeah, they brought miss monster into the frame" Kenji said as she replied angrily, "What did you just say!"
"Nothing sir!" Kenji said as him and Gildart flinched when she screamed.
"She's more of a monster than those two" Yami whispered as Natsu nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay, all the contestants should gather up, I'll explain the stage 4 of the Exams" Hayami said as Koda asked surprisingly, "I thought it was mister Gildart who normally does that"
"You got a problem kid!" Hayami said with a cold expression.
"No sir!" Koda replied immediately as fear gripped his body.
Everyone looked at her and thought the same thing, "Why are most of our instructors heartless creatures?"
"Are this all the contestants who made it pass the stage 3 exams?" She asked as Dr Mayumi replied, "Yeah"
"Few of them are strong but some are extremely weak. Hmmm! Oh well, at least they have a high chance of surviving the stage 4 exams" she thought as she looked through the crowd and then got to Natsu and Yami.
"Huhhh, those two are in bad shape, they'll die if they go to the next exam!" Hayami thought as she said, "Those two ain't joining us, they don't have what it takes to pass the exams, especially the boy with the black hair"
"I object" Kenji said as Gildart replied, "Yeah, they have more potential than the rest of these contestants!"
That statement snapped a nerve in Kazuko as she immediately became pissed off but tried to hold herself.
"Mayumi, please help me tell them how badly unstable those boys body are. They'll believe a doctors statement than mine" Hayami said as she replied, "Don't mind that, that's there punishment so move on"
"Hold up, even Dr Mayumi is on this!" Hayami thought as she said, "Please, explain it to me cause I'm lost! What do you mean by punishment"
"Oh the boy with black hair was punishment by Dr Mayumi and I punished the other one" Gildart replied as Hayami looking confused making Damian to explain, "Basically those two boys aren't allowed to have any medical care till they finished the exams"
"Isn't that cruel. How do you expect them to pass the exams when they're in bad shape?" Hayami asked as Damian replied in relief, "I'm happy I'm not the only one who thinks that"
"Don't worry about them Hayami, they'll be just fine, you can fight them and see!" Gildart said, which made Natsu and Yami to freeze as Kenji supported Gildart by replying, "Yeah, you'll be so shocked by their abilities"
Natsu and Yami felt like they were dead as Hayami replied, "You know what, I'll do that, that'll prove these two are unqualified to go for the next exam in that condition. Alright boys, which of you want to go first"
The both looked at each other as she immediately pointed at Natsu, "You with the black hair, you're first"
Natsu gulped as he went closer to her.
"Okay kid, the rules are easy, if you can land a hit on me within a minute, you win. Okay, begin!" She said as Gildart said, "Hold up, how are we going to know if they hit you"
Hayami became speechless as Kenji looked at Gildart as the both understood themselves while smiling, "Hey boys, make sure you rub lots of dirt on your hands so that it'll show on her clothes, got it"
"Okay sir" Natsu and Yami said as Natsu tried to cover his hands with dirt. Once he was done he stood up and acted like he couldn't move properly while he went towards her to fight.
He pretended to be in so much pain that it looked like he was doing his best to run towards her using all his energy.
He threw a fake punch towards her which she dodged as she went to his side and hit his neck.
"You're too slow, you can't even move properly and they believe you could participate in the other exam." She said as Natsu fell down.
She immediately turned towards Yami and said, "Your turn kid"
Yami acted like Natsu but as she tried to attack, Yami dodged it and appeared at her back as he threw a light punch at her.
"That settles it, they're both going participating in the next exam" Gildart smiled as Kenji tried to hold his laugh.
"What do you mean, the other kid lost" she said as Gildart held his mouth trying to stop himself from laughing.
"Sorry I deceived you ma'am but I got a lot at stake, I can't loose this exam" Natsu said as she surprisingly turned towards him and thought, "I thought I knocked him out cold"
Gildart and Kenji burst out as they began laughing.
"This is priceless" Gildart said as he was laughing.
"Yeah, I mean she was acting all tough but got humbled by some kids" Kenji replied in the same manner as they both laughed their hearts out.
"Did I miss something?" Hayami thought as Natsu then gave her belt back to her.
"Hold up, are you telling me he initially targeted my belt" Hayami thought as she replayed the scene in her mind.
Natsu ran towards her and acted like he wanted to hit her on her belly but as she dodged it, Natsu used his other hand to loose her fancy bow belt before she tried knocking him out cold.
"I see now, so you're a crook aren't you" Hayami said as some of the contestants tried not to laugh.
"Hey, what's so funny!" Hayami asked upset as Dr Mayumi replied, "The kids didn't just lay their hands on you, they left their hand prints on your lower body"
Damian tried comporting himself as he looked weird holding the laugh in but couldn't and began laughing at her as she looked at herself and became embarrassed but angry at the same time.
Even her assistants where laughing as Dr Mayumi said, "Now you see why they're punished"
"Yeah I understand, those two aren't getting any equipment for their next exam" Hayami said which made her assistants to stop laughing as one of the male assistant said, "Please reconsider ma'am, they're just kids, there's no way they'll survive without any equipments"
Everyone stopped laughing as the assistant said that.
"I don't care. I told them to hit me not violate me. This is their punishment for violating me" she replied as Gildart then asked, "What's the next exam all about?"
"Surviving sir, they're meant to survive in a forest." The assistant replied, as the other one said, "Just say it's a field experience, they're basically meant to survive in a place field with dangerous beast and unpredictable circumstances while trying to get to the other side"
This made Gildart, Damian and Kenji to be worried cause when going for those kind of adventures, you really need camping equipment or basic survival tools.