So far, student climbers weren’t allowed to go beyond the floor above them, so if the test did take place on an even higher floor, they would all be entering completely foreign and unknown territory.

“They all look so nervous,” said one of the D-rank examiners as they stood in front of the teleporter and let the students go up to the next floor first.

“Wouldn’t you be?” said another. “During our year, more than half of the class failed the midterms and thereby lost their place at the academy.”

Max gulped.

They’re doing this to scare us, thought Max. They’re trying to make us panic. When the actual exam commences they want our composure to be down straightaway.

Max took a deep breath.

I can’t let that happen, he thought to himself. I need to stay focused.

Max walked into the teleporter and ascended to the floor above.

He blinked and he was in the endless forest along with the rest of the class, including the instructor.

The other examiners followed suit, appearing one by one in the forest floor.

Two E-rankers, not part of the exam, stood by the teleporter. These were the climbers who’d replaced the other two who the Reckless Brothers had killed.

Max felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Those two innocent climbers were hurt because the Reckless Brothers had been coming after him. He clenched his fist and felt no remorse for the deaths that had come to that family.

“All here?” said their instructor, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Okay, follow me then!”

They moved through the forest as a group and it became clear where they were going pretty quickly. They’d taken this route before. The signs carved into the trees also told them where they were going.

They were heading for the departure teleporter.

The mid-term exam wasn’t being conducted on this floor, but on one of the floors above.

Max’s realization slowly began to dawn on the other student climbers as they traversed further into the endless forest towards the floor’s departure teleporter.

Different groups of students whispered and spoke in hushed tones, sharing the information they were picking up on.

Max felt a nudge in his ribs.

It was Casey. She covered her mouth with her hand as she spoke, “Don’t tell anyone but I think we’re going to another floor.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” grinned Max.

She blinked before going red in the face. “If you had figured it out, why hadn’t you told me!?”

“Shh,” said Max, not wanting any of their competition to hear them on the off-chance that they’d still not figured it out. “I didn’t think knowing mattered. At least, not presently. What do you know about the floors above?”