The two fifteen-year-olds spoke for many hours about various topics, whether it be the people they met on their adventures or the training methods they had been subjected to.
Only after the sun began to set behind the horizon, on October 15th, did Aaron stand up, stretching out wide.
"I think it's time I find a place to sleep. I don't wish to sleep in one of these chairs for an extended period of time…"
Glancing suspiciously at the furniture, he listened as Akari spoke up, a smile plastered across her face.
"Don't spend too much of my money on your room. If it costs too much, then you can always come back here and sleep on the floor. I will charge you per hour, though."
Rattling the bag of money and then throwing it to the boy, she laughed lightly, leaning back in her bed.
Her expression shifted from relaxed to sad, which Aaron noticed immediately, focusing on her next words.
"I didn't want to believe it at first. That you had lost all your memories and were some completely different person."
She paused, biting her lip slightly.
"But after talking with you over these last few days, I've come to realize that you aren't any different than you used to be with me. You might be more idiotic and stubborn than before, but other than that, no matter what has happened to you in these months, I still see the same Aaron Grimstall that I grew up with, inside of you."
There was a heavy silence that fell over the room after her words, the girl's ears turning the same vibrant red as her burns.
She was about to speak, perhaps to lighten her admission, but Aaron interrupted her calmly.
"I'll talk to the big guy upstairs about it next chance I get. He ought to know the truth about all that, so don't feel like you have to reassure me like this."
He laughed lightly and pointed to his skull, which housed one too many uninvited guests of terrifying backgrounds.
Of course, Akari had no way of knowing what lurked inside the boy's head and could only tilt her head in confusion, not understanding why the non-religious Aaron would be talking about praying to a god.
He had worded his response intentionally to make sure the voices in his head wouldn't react to his mention of gods, his tolerance of painful headaches finally at its limit.
"Aaron."
Akari called out his name as he began to turn around to leave, his eyes turning back swiftly to meet hers.
"This might be where my second mission ends, but you have to go on. Get first place for both of us, okay?"
A tender smile played at her lips as she spoke, her eyes filled with warmth she did not voice.
Without a word, he nodded, placing his hand on the door and waving with the other, finally leaving the room.
As he stood in the hallway, he closed his eyes, looking up at the ceiling and sighing deeply while thinking inwardly.
Alright. Let's get to work.
…
Yet again, the weeks passed like a small blip on the endless ebb and flow of time, the end of the second regular and special missions approaching at last.
Beginning October 30th at midnight, newspapers began to circulate all seven safe seas at once, whether it be the farthest reaches of the Sea of Dreams or the most remote isle in the Sea of Ancients.
The headline was one that had never been seen throughout the decades that the exam had run, an impossibility that had no precedent.
Aaron Grimstall, The Perfect Rookie.
When read further, one would come to find an in-depth article about everything that transpired throughout the boy's preliminary exam.
His miraculous escape from Sea Fallen was clearly documented and given eye-witness testimony by a young child claiming to be his friend.
The battle against an Apex terror at the very edge of the known world, while saving his comrade from a barbaric lone giant validated by both Camilla Buckley and Irvin Webley.
A disaster that struck close to home, where the very same hotel where he stayed was bombed by a rogue cultist.
Even the hunt and execution of one of the most wanted men in the Sea of Mystery, the unknown and elusive 'Crimson Sanctormous' of the Cult of True Earth.
His achievements on the Bay of Thorn could not be understated in any way by the newspapers, his name becoming synonymous with the term super rookie.
In the Holy Capital, the Church of True Earth held a prayer for his well-being, a testament to the thanks they owed the boy for freeing them from the influence of the cult.
At the same time as his fame rose to new heights, four other figures amassed their own renown across the world.
Falling from the third place in the first evaluation down to fifth, Raphael von Steinfeste was written about as a daring and courageous man.
Few articles spoke of his early retreat from the second mission, yet even they had to admit that, from the statement released by the Guild, there were other factors at play.
Rumors that a demon had been summoned and he had fought it to the verge of death spread throughout small circles, while others believed he had uncovered the mythical cave that was spoken of only in legends.
Raphael himself vanished from the public eye after his quest on the Bay of Thorn; however, per Alex Lispentine, the master of the Hunters' Guild, he would return for the third and final challenge.
Another participant who received everyone's attention was the favorite among the regular challengers, Ezra Flock, a boy whose history is mangled with red tape.
Similar to the top-placing challenger, Aaron Grimstall, a thick barrier around his personal information was constructed, yet not for the same reasons.
As listed in the Worldwide Privacy Charter of 3100, the families of Sea Kings are to remain outside the public eye for as long as they so wish.
Throughout the agreement's span, only the Belvedere Dynasty has opted to release documents about its history.
Ezra Flock, the fourth-place challenger, was the descendant of Javier Flock, a man who made great contributions to the construction of the late city of Sea Fallen.
It was rumored that Ezra had complete resistance to all forms of mana and magic, a rare trait garnered through his bloodline's long and arduous past.
Next, coming in third place, this young lady had two terrible disasters occur during her second mission, each out of her control.
Akari Ayaka, a childhood friend of Aaron Grimstall and one who shared the exact same birthdate and time, suffered major injuries during the exam.
To begin with, she came face to face with four terrors at once, three low-level and one mid-level, each attacking her simultaneously.
Through sheer willpower, she eliminated her foes without much struggle; however, in the end, vicious pirates attacked to steal her victory.
From a statement by Xeon Maxus, her mentor and legal guardian, he spoke about the horrors of trafficking and how she was lucky that she wasn't hurt more than she was.
However, only six hours after she left the hospital, there was a bombing at the hotel she was staying in, together with Aaron.
Akari suffered third-degree burns all around her body, which brought her second mission to a premature end, allowing her time to heal.
However, in the same speech as the one where he confirmed Raphael's participation in the third mission, Mr. Lispentine confirmed her attendance as well.
Lastly, out of all the challengers, the second-place challenger was perhaps the largest wildcard and the only one not taking the test in the Dream-Mystery region.
Alaric von Steinfeste, twin brother of Raphael von Steinfeste and heir to the Steinfeste family itself.
With a staggering fifteen quests completed in the few weeks he was given, he rightfully claimed his spot just below Aaron.
As the news about the exam spread far and wide, the Guild prepared to welcome four hundred new Officer-level recruits into the organization.
Through outstanding resolve and effort, they also planned to induct eighteen Lieutenants and three Colonels.
Worldwide participation was recorded at an all-time high of three and a half thousand, a majority dropping out on the first day for unknown reasons.
As the induction ceremonies were planned across the participating seas, the final piece of the exam had been slotted into place for the top-ranked examinees.
Aaron Grimstall, Alaric von Steinfeste, Akari Ayaka, Ezra Flock, and Raphael von Steinfeste had all been transported to the largest stadium constructed in modern times.
Located in the Sea of Mystery and built by Cauron Thorn as part of a dare by Lepaie Quinn, the stadium would host the Lispentine Tournament from November 3rd to November 10th, marking the conclusion of the fifty-eighth biennial Hunters' Exam.
Spectators had come from all over the world to watch the strongest rookies battle for the top spot and the honor of first entry into the Vault of Nautilus.
Vaelmyr Droskyn, Lepaie Quinn, Cauron Thorn, and even the elusive Camilla Buckley had all confirmed their attendance at the event.
Not only that, but the Guild President and half of the currently sitting Marshals have agreed to make appearances.
The last piece exam was about to begin soon, a monumental event that would send shockwaves throughout the world, still lying on the horizon.