10

Mira sat at the back of the bus, lost in the rhythm of the music blasting in her earbuds. The sun peeked through the window, casting a warm glow on her face. Suddenly, the bus lurched to a stop, and the driver's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing their arrival. Mira hastily gathered her bag and turned to Aria, who was sitting next to her.

"Let's go find Dai and Narco," Mira said, excitement evident in her voice.

Aria followed Mira down the aisle of the bus, her curiosity piqued. "Who are Dai and Narco?" she asked Mira.

"Dai and Narco are my friends," Mira replied, a smile on her face. "We met during the first stage of the Agency's Exam."

"Ah, I see," Aria nodded in understanding. "It's always great to have friends by your side, especially during a competition like this."

Mira grinned. "Yeah, it definitely makes things easier. Plus, Dai and Narco are both so funny and entertaining. You're going to love them!"

As they made their way down the aisle, Mira noticed Dai and Narco sitting a few rows ahead of them, fast asleep. Dai's head was resting on Narco's shoulder, and Mira couldn't help but smile at the sight. She took out her phone and snapped a quick picture before gently shaking the boys awake.

Aria, who had followed Mira, couldn't help but coo at the sight of the two boys. "They're so cute," she exclaimed.

Dai and Narco rubbed the sleep from their eyes and looked up at Mira, surprised to see her with a new friend. Narco, always the joker, looked at Aria and said, "Who's this old lady?"

Aria's jaw dropped in disbelief, and in a flash, she kicked Narco in the gut. Dai and Mira erupted in laughter as Narco groaned in pain.

Mira stepped in, explaining that Aria was a friend she had made on the bus. Dai before he opened his big mouth and asked, "Isn't she a bit old to be your friend?"

Aria shot daggers at Dai with her eyes, ready to pounce, but Mira saved the day with a snappy comeback. "Well, Dai, you're right. Aria is too old to be my friend, but she's just the right age to be my cool older sister."

Aria beamed with pride as Narco stumbled over to join them again. "Hey, what about me? Am I not your friend too?" he asked, rubbing his tender belly. "And why am I the only one getting kicked in the stomach? Didn't Dai say the same thing?"

Aria smirked. "Because Dai is cuter than you."

Dai let out a chuckle, and Narco gave him an annoyed look before turning his attention back to Aria. "Well, that's just unfair. I'm just as cute as he is."

Dai chuckled. "Don't worry, Narco, we don't discriminate. If anyone says something dumb, they're fair game for a kick to the gut." He patted Narco on the back, offering some measure of consolation.

Mira cracked her knuckles, eager for a chance to prove herself. "And I'm next in line," she declared, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Narco raised an eyebrow, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Oh, really? You think you can take me?" he challenged, his eyes narrowing.

Mira stood up, her posture straight and confident. "I know I can," she said, her voice firm and unwavering.

Dai shook his head in amusement. "I'll just sit back and watch the show," he said, leaning back in his seat.

Aria couldn't help but smile at the playful banter between her new friends. "You guys are crazy,"

As they all laughed and joked around, Mira couldn't help but feel grateful for her new friends. They may have been a rowdy bunch, but they were her rowdy bunch. She looked around the bus, taking in the sight of the other passengers, who were staring at them in disbelief. Despite the strange looks they were receiving, Mira felt like she was part of a secret club with Dai, Narco, and Aria.

Mira, Dai, Narco, and Aria made their way off the bus, still laughing and joking around. As they stepped outside, they saw the other contestants gathered in a circle, their eyes fixed on a man in a long coat and a flat cap.

The man stood tall and spoke with a booming voice. "Welcome, contestants, to the second stage of the Agency Exam. I am Astolfo, your examiner for this stage.”

Dai exchanged a nervous glance with his friends.

Astolfo continued, "You will form teams of two, and each team will face off against another team.”

Dai and Narco's gazes immediately connected. They were determined to do this together. They looked over and saw Mira and Aria form a duo. "I hope we don't have to go up against them," Dai sighed.

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"Same, I don't want to get them eliminated," Narco answered, his eyes scanning the rest of the competition.

"Sometimes you're way too confident, you know," Dai rolled his eyes.

Astolfo continued, his voice filling the air. "In the second stage of the Agency's exam, you will be playing games,” he said, as he received weird looks from the contestants. "You heard me right, I said games. Every round, two teams will face off against each other and play a game, the winning team passes the second stage of the Agency's exam."

As the contestants formed their teams, the tension in the air was so thick it was almost tangible. Dai and Narco shared a silent moment of determination, their minds already racing with possible scenarios and solutions. They exchanged a quick nod, silently reassuring each other of their readiness for whatever Astolfo had in store for them.

Just then, a lone girl stepped forward from the back of the group, raising her hand to speak. "Excuse me," she said, "but what kind of games are we going to play?"

Astolfo turned his gaze towards her, his expression unreadable. "We have a variety of games in store for you," he replied, his voice low and even, "ranging from playing tag all the way to the most complex puzzles."

The girl nodded, a small smile of relief crossing her face as she thanked Astolfo before stepping back into the group.

Astolfo then clapped his hands twice, signaling to his assistant, who rolled a large whiteboard covered in a pristine white cloth towards him. The wheels of the whiteboard squeaked slightly as it moved across the floor, drawing everyone's attention. Astolfo stepped forward, placing his hand on the cloth, and with a stern expression, he addressed the remaining contestants. "We started with a hundred and fifty of you, and now we are down to only a hundred and eight. That means we can form fifty-four teams in this stage. But, if we were to eliminate every team that lost, we would have to cut twenty-seven teams. The higher-ups have deemed that too drastic for only the second round, so I will give the losing teams another chance by facing off against another losing team."

With a swift motion, Astolfo pulled the cloth off the whiteboard, revealing a tournament bracket that sent shivers down the spines of the contestants. The air was tense, and the silence that followed Astolfo's statement was palpable. "That means you will have two chances to pass this stage," he said firmly. "But don't get too comfortable, because everyone here was able to make it past the first stage. So don't underestimate your opponents."

Dai and Narco exchanged a quick glance, acknowledging the importance of the moment. It was a relief to know they had another chance if they didn't make it through the first time. They both took a deep breath and steeled themselves for what was to come.

As the contestants began to murmur amongst themselves, some feeling the weight of the pressure building inside them, Astolfo continued with his instructions. "I will give you ten minutes to find your partner and register with my assistant. There, your team will be given a number. When we call your number, that means it's your turn to take on the second stage of the Agency's Exam."

Without hesitation, Dai and Narco ran towards Astolfo's assistant, determined to register as a team. But Dai suddenly stopped, pulling on Narco's sleeve. "Wait!"

Narco turned to look at Dai, a questioning look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Dai's mind was racing with strategy as he and Narco made their way towards Astolfo's assistant to register for the 2 versus 2 challenge. "If we're the first to register, we'll probably get a low number and we'll be one of the first teams to be up," Dai explained, his voice barely above a whisper. "So, let's just wait and gather as much information as possible first."

Narco was less concerned with strategy and more focused on getting the registration process over with. "So? We're gonna have to do it eventually anyway," he replied, his impatience evident in his tone.

"But..." Dai insisted, his gaze darting around the room, taking in the other teams and their potential strengths and weaknesses. "Let's see who else is signing up first. Maybe we can learn something that will give us an advantage."

Narco grumbled but gave in, and they waited for a few other teams to register before he and Dai approached Astolfo's assistant to register as a team.

As they stepped forward to register, they couldn't help but overhear the other teams talking about their strategies and potential strengths. One team was talking about their speed and agility, while another was bragging about their superior problem-solving skills. Dai took note of their strengths and weaknesses, silently calculating how they could use that information to their advantage.

After a few moments, they both nodded at each other and approached Astolfo's assistant. With a sense of determination, they registered as a team, their minds already racing with the possibilities of what was to come in the next round of the tournament.

Dai felt a rush of excitement as he high-fived Narco for getting a lucky number 13. "Yes! We'll have time to prepare and scope out the competition," he exclaimed, feeling a renewed sense of determination. Narco grinned, basking in the glory of their small victory. "I would've been fine going first though, I don't need much time to kick butt," he boasted, winking at Dai.

But their conversation was cut short when a familiar voice called out from behind them. It was Mira, with Aria by her side, looking as mischievous as ever. Dai was thrilled to see his friends, but couldn't help but feel a twinge of competitiveness. After all, they were all here to pass the Agency's Exam, and only a select few would make the cut.

Dai tried to play it cool, "Hey, what brings you guys here?" he asked, trying to hide his excitement. Aria, always ready with a retort, said, "Nothing, just trying to kill time. I hope we won't have to face you guys though," giving Dai and Narco a playful smirk.

Narco couldn't resist the opportunity to tease back, "Why? Are you scared of losing to two boys?" he said with a smug grin. But Aria wasn't fazed, and shot back with a quick-witted response, "No, I just don't want to embarrass Mira's friends in public," leaving Narco flustered and searching for a comeback.

Dai and Mira shared a knowing look, amused by their friends' banter. "Those two are way too similar," they said in unison, followed by a chuckle. It was moments like these that reminded Dai of the bonds he had forged during the Agency’s exam. Despite the tension in the air, there was a sense of camaraderie and support that he was grateful for.

Finally, after all the teams had registered, Astolfo's voice rang out once again. "Good, now that everyone has registered, let's get started with the second stage of the Agency's Exam."

Dai's heart was pounding as he looked around the at the other contestants. They were sizing each other up, trying to win a psychological battle even before the exam began.

"Team number 2 and team number 13, please make your way to the arena," Astolfo announced. "All other teams, please wait for your turn in an orderly fashion, thank you very much."

Dai looked at Narco, disbelief etched on his face. "W-we're first?"

Narco grinned, his confidence unwavering. "Let's do this."