~ Chapter 4 ~

Zero glared at the pile of clothing that everyone had received. It was as bad as he had imagined. These clothes were fancy and nothing like the hunters brash and hard exterior. The black pants were pressed to perfection and the white shirt was a crisp white. A black suit jacket finished it all together with a pair of white gloves. His major concern was whether they would be able to move in these clothes or not. Yagari seemed to notice everyone's displeasure and began to explain how the big day was going to turn out.

"First the Prince will be coronated indoors, witnessed by a selected few. TV crews are going to broadcast it in real time as this is something that concerns the whole nation. Kuran will have his speech to the people afterwards and this will take place on a small platform. We will have people on the inside during the coronation and of course during the speech where the Prince is the most vulnerable."

Yagari took a breathing pause and motioned for everyone to look at their clothes.

"You all have different clothing depending on position. Those behind the view of the camera have been given a finer battle wear while those of you that are close to public and might be shown on TV has an official suit-like clothing."

Zero connected the dots quickly and understood that he had drawn the lucky card once more. He frowned and shifted a little in his seat.

"The distribution has been decided by the Prince based on our first mission. Most of you have the same positions." Yagari continued to inform the group. "We will have extra fysiotraining the coming days before the coronation to ensure that everyone is fit for fight. Any sicknesses are needed to be reported to me. We can't have anyone half decent out on the field; also respect each other during training to minimize any unnecessary injuries."

The meeting ended and everyone split up to focus on the coronation. In Zero's and Kaito's case, they would have their examination today and now when the hours where closing in, Zero felt a little bit nervous. You only got one chance to pass and if you were to fail, desk and boring paperwork would be what you would be doing for the rest of your life. Zero had trained and bled enough on countless missions to even come to this day. He would pass and show them.

His shishou ruffled his hair and consequently destroyed his hairstyle as he passed him. "Don't be nervous stupid apprentice."

"Tch, I'm not!" Zero ground out while fixing his hair.

"Yes you are." Kaito teased.

"I could at least eat my breakfast this morning and not just stare at it."

"Okay, both of you girls are nervous. As you should be, fail and I'll kick your behinds to the next year." Their shishou half joked. Both Kaito and Zero knew that they would get in deep trouble if they didn't pass.

A few hours later, they stood behind the legendary oak doors where many famous hunters had gone through to get their proof of knowledge. Zero thought that he was nervous before, that had been a joke compared to this, hell his knees almost trembled. Kaito wasn't faring better; Zero could smell his nervous breath clearly. Yagari was already on the other side, probably sitting in the observing area. As one of the top hunters he usually took part of the examination himself but this time he had to stand aside. The doors opened and they stepped inside.

The lighting was bright, almost enough to make Zero want to shield his eyes and many hunters had come to watch them. The president sat in a throne looking chair to which they went down on a knee in front to bow and show their respect.

"I wish you good luck on your examinations; you have my approval to begin." The president said and Zero could almost hear the smugness in his voice.

They would be evaluated one by one and how they could work together. Many missions the hunters had were in group and it was just as important as working alone. A hunter, about Touga's age stepped out in view. Dee was as an elite hunter too but Zero had never interacted with the man before, only seen him on distance at the Association. Rumors said that he was ruthless on missions.

"Apprentices, you may stand." Dee spoke out in the thick silence. He looked at them with hard eyes, all serious business. "We will start with the individual tests first. Takamiya you will take the lead."

"Yes, Sir."

They broke out in a one on one fight where Dee attacked Kaito in any possible way. Zero could quickly see that their examiner varied his attacks to force Kaito to use different spells, both to attack and to protect himself. The idea was to make as many points as possible by using different spells and techniques during a set time. The faux fight continued a while longer before it was blown off. Zero was up next.

Zero breathed out slowly as he watched how Dee shifted around where he stood. The man's body language was hard to read and he barely moved his lips when saying the incarnations. The first where thrown at him, and he paired with a protecting spell, only to quickly throw one back at Dee to show that he wasn't afraid of the man. Kaito had been more on the careful side at the beginning where he only had protected himself, though it can be a good path to see what you opponent was like. Zero on the other hand had a lot to prove and wasn't afraid to show it. His opponent saw this and didn't hold back. Attack after attack was thrown and Zero met them expertly. Before he even saw it, the fight was over.

He tried to catch his breath, the spar had been intense and he could feel a small burn from a spell on his cheek. Both had completed the first part of the examination and Dee motioned for them to follow. The second part was always different since it was a way to test their abilities to adapt as well as working together. To pass the spell fight was a given, to pass the final test was the real deal to find out if you got what it take.

Zero and Kaito looked at each other, they knew instantly that this was going to be difficult. It looked to be some kind of wide area with a lot of dark corners to hide in. Zero's vampire senses kicked it instantly and he could already feel presence of at least four vampires in there. What the fuck. Had the Association really gone so far to capture Level E's to the tests? It wouldn't surprise him but it still did. He had always believed that it would be other hunters to test them in the group challenge. How wrong he had been. Kaito looked at him with skeptical eyes to which Zero confirmed with a short nod. Then they went inside.

It was quiet, almost too quiet. Both walked with drawn weapons after Zero had informed Kaito of the number of vampires. They walked around carefully to try to get a perspective of the area. It was as big as expected and it seemed to have built in rooms. The set was supposed to look like a floor in a house or a story building Zero realized. He crinkled his nose, the smell from the creatures was strong and that could only mean one thing, that they were close.

"Kaito, one at ten o'clock." Zero spoke low. Their focus went to the vampire in hiding. Zero's hearing picked up shifting of feet and he aimed his gun towards the noise. Kaito had noticed something too and fired his gun when he detected movement. The vampire hissed and fled to their disappointment. After being certain that the vampire had fled, Kaito walked closer to the area while Zero watched his back. He found splattered blood as a sign that his bullet had hit its mark. That was good, blood they could always trace and easily judge how old it was and how fast the E was running judged by the spreading of it.

Slowly they followed the trace of blood on the floor. It went inside a room and they took cover against the wall beside the door post. "What would you guess?" Kaito whispered. "6-8 of them?" Zero nodded. They did a hand sign to go inside, Zero went first and immediately a E came into view which he quickly shot down. Kaito had his back and took one to the left. They got a moment to breathe and take in the huge room that had more hiding space for the E´s than themselves. Zero could guess a good reason why, usually the level E had the upper hand when it came to be able to hide and not to have it in the examination would be strange.

The rustle of something further back drew their attention. They still had more than the half of the vampires left and they still didn't know if the E´s worked in a group or single handedly. Since the two had come for them almost immediately chances were that they moved in groups. Both Zero and Kaito moved together, scanning every possible surface as they went. Out of nowhere one vampire jumped down on Zero before he had the chance to sense it properly. It grasped at his shoulders to get him to loose his footing but Kaito was quick on his feet and pulled the E down on the ground to let Zero shot it point blank. Zero was a little surprised that he had been jumped on that easily, luckily enough the E hadn't done any damage more than startle him. He was more concerned over the vampire he had shot at before, it was nowhere to be seen. A wounded E was a hungry one.

Zero sensed something in the back of his mind. It was like a little itch. He looked around to see if he could see what he was sensing. Kaito poked his shoulder and pointed at the floor a little further away. There was blood on the floor. A good sign that they hadn't lost track of the wounded E. Zero took the lead hunched down to hide as much as possible. The blood was heavier and fresher the further they went. Then suddenly the blood splatter thinned out and it probably meant that the E had jumped up on something. Zero looked up and motioned to Kaito to do the same. He lit up the area with his flashlight and couldn't believe his eyes.

Five set of red eyes stared down at them.

Out of instinct both separated in different directions. Zero peeked out from behind a big box and noticed that Kaito was in the same position. The E´s hade moved, of course, and Zero could only see one way that they had fled. Quietly, he crawled around hunched down to not be noticed. He had managed to move around them and had a perfect visual of the back of a head. Zero aimed and shot, fully aware that it would reveal his position. The bullet hit, and the E turned to dust. Another one did the same thanks to Kaito. Everything turned to chaos when the remaining three realized that the hunters had them covered. Zero took his chance with the feeling that it was now or never. He rushed forward to attack the rest of the E´s but as soon as he stood in front of his hiding place he couldn't move.

At first, he got panicked. Why couldn't he move? The E´s looked at him with predatory gazes and smiled widely when he couldn't go further. Zero noticed then that they stood a bit further away compared to the two they just shot down. It had been a trap.

Zero looked down on his feet, nothing special could be seen on the floor. It made him even more confused as he wasn't trapped physically. An idea popped up in his head. It was a long shot, but he had a suspicion of what it could be. He said the incarnation quietly and the floor lit up in a faint blue. A hunter spell had been put on this spot and the E´s had known about it. Naturally, Zero tried to unlock it with a charm but the blue light turned red and sent a shot of electricity in his body. He grit his teeth against the pain. Kaito noticed his position and tried to do the same sending another electric shock in his body.

"What the fuck." He hissed when the worst was over.

"Sorry!" Kaito said and looked worriedly on the three E´s that still was very much alive.

"You will need to cover me while I try to get out of this." Zero said obviously.

Kaito nodded and Zero got to business. The one that had cast the incarnation on the floor was probably the only one to be able to undo it. It was a little difficult when it was none of their team. The E´s attacked and Kaito shot at them but missed one. Zero found himself quickly trapped behind the E´s arm. He struggled to get away from the horrid stench. It made the E not that pleased and it delivered a blow to his chest with razor sharp talons. Zero´s blood dripped down his front and he could feel the hated blood lust creeping in a little. He breathed hard and the grip around his weapon shook. He was in a little pinch and he had no idea how he could get out of it. Even if Kaito managed to shoot the vampire holding him he would either get attacked by the others that still was alive despite their injuries or the E holding Zero would kill him before the bullet hit.

…Kill? Zero thought. He remembered something vaguely form his books.

"Kaito shot me!" He shouted.

The other apprentice looked at him like he was kidding. "Do it, we don´t have time!"

"I can´t fucking shot you with a antivampire weapon, it will kill you!" He argued.

"The fuck do as I say or else we both get our asses killed!" Zero shouted back. Of all times Kaito decided that it was good opportunity to think and use his brain was now.

Kaito aimed his weapon at him, it was shaking a little. "I hope you´re right Zero." He muttered before shooting him in the side.

When the bullet hit, Zero couldn´t breathe. A fire spread in his veins and it was unlike anything he had felt before. He was used to a little hunter poison, but not like this and not directly into his blood stream. The E holding him had moved away and was hit by the bullet as it had thankfully exited his body. The spell weakened a little and Zero could grasp his side to try and stop the blood flow. Kaito sent another shot and killed the E that had been holding Zero. The dust covered him, and he coughed a little. He aimed his bloody rose at the vampires still standing and efficiently sending a shot at each and everyone of them. All the E´s where finally gone. Both Zero and Kaito could breathe out.

The hunter spell disappeared and Zero fell to the ground exhausted. The lights were turned on and Dee stepped out looking all serious. That they survived the second part of the examination didn't mean that they had aced the tests. Despite the weariness in his body, Zero stood up and followed Kaito and Dee to the observation area where the first part had taken place. His side stung and the hunger clawed at him a little in the back of his mind. He probably looked as terrible as he felt.

Touga had a smug look on his face, their master was at least happy with their accomplishment. Zero looked up at the president and as Dee, he was stone faced.

"We will discuss this examination and notify you." The president said.

What? Weren't they supposed to get the results now? Zero looked at Kaito who was as surprised as he was.

They gathered outside and Yagari motioned them to follow him. Zero tired to keep up and looked down as much as possible if his eyes would show any redness. It wasn't until the door in his office closed that they could finally relax and Zero could finally show a little bit of weakness.

"Idiot apprentice, was it necessary to make Kaito shoot you? Do you realize how bad it could had turned?!"

Zero sighed. "Yes and yes. But it was the only way to do it, they had me trapped in a hunter spell. Fucking cheap."

"Yeah, I know." Touga said low and held out a case of blood pills.

Zero took it with shaky hands and chewed a few to still the hunger. Everything would have been great if it wasn't that they came straight up again. He coughed a little and blood trickled down his chin. His body was done with the day, that was sure. He took a seat on a chair nearby as the pain was to much for him right now. His body was trying to keep up with the poison and the wound. A few breaths were taken to ease the pain but to much avail.

Touga lifted his jacket a little and inspected the wound. His brow lifted when he realized that the shot Zero had taken was more fatal than he first had thought. They hadn't had the time to dress it either and the blood had been flowing freely the entire time.

"You are going to the med ward."

"No, I'm not." Zero wheezed.

"Yes, you are."

"It will heal."

"And the poison…?"

"Do you really think that they would help me with drawing out hunter made poison? It goes a little against their culture. It's still no. Help me home at least after I dress this properly."

Touga sighed and Kaito rubbed his temples. "I need rest, that's all. Don't worry."

"I don't worry." Touga answered in an uncharismatic manner.

Kaito who had been quiet the entire time had gone to get gauze and antiseptic wipes. Zero took them with gratefulness and began to dress the shot wound. Kaito stared at it and couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Zero coughed a little as he tied the gauze hard around his torso. It hurt like a bitch.

"Let's get you home before you fall asleep in my office."

"Yeah, it would be difficult to bring any ladies here if he did." Kaito joked.

"Like I would care about that." Touga responded with no care.

"Master, euw."