12

Dai and Narco made their way out of the arena and into the bustling hallways of the exam venue. The noise of the crowds and the scent of various foods wafted through the air, and Dai couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for what was to come.

"So, where do we start?" Narco asked, looking around at the sea of people passing by them.

"Hmm, how about we go to the stands and study the other contestants," Dai suggested. "That way, we can see how our potential opponents fight and what challenges they faced."

"Good idea," Narco agreed, falling in step beside him.

They made their way through the crowds, dodging vendors and groups of other contestants. Finally, they reached the stands overlooking the arena, which was already packed with people. Dai scanned the area and spotted an open spot near the front, gesturing for Narco to follow him.

Once they settled in, they began watching the previous matches intently. Dai observed the different techniques and abilities used by the other contestants, taking mental notes on each one. Narco leaned over to him, pointing out various details and asking questions about the competitors' strengths and weaknesses.

Dai and Narco were fixed on the match in front of them, studying the movements of the contestants with intense focus. Suddenly, a voice behind them broke their concentration. "Hey, aren’t you the two contestants from the previous round, team 13 right?" Dai and Narco turned to find a young man with short, brown hair and a friendly smile standing behind them.

"Uh, yeah, that's us," Dai replied hesitantly, eyeing the stranger warily.

“I’m Rowan Neferta, nice to meet you,” Rowan introduced himself, extending his hand. Dai and Narco exchanged a quick glance before returning the gesture. “I’m Dai,” Dai said, shaking Rowan's hand. “And I’m Narco,” Narco added.

“Man you guys got really unlucky that round,” Rowan said sympathetically. “Your opponent had such good control over his grace,” he continued, his face falling.

Dai's eyes widened. "Grace?" he repeated to himself. "Is that what that power was called?"

Narco caught onto Dai's confusion and quickly spoke up. "Grace? You mean that strange power that Malachi was using?" he asked, turning to Rowan.

Dai and Narco noticed a surprised expression on Rowan’s face. "Y-you don’t know about grace?" he asked in disbelief, furrowing his brows.

They shook their heads in unison, feeling a bit embarrassed for not knowing what seemed like a crucial element in the exam.

“But you were able to see it?” Rowan asked, his interest piqued.

“Not really. I just sensed something supernatural about him as I was fighting him, but I wasn’t able to see anything,” Dai explained, recalling the intense feeling of being in a battle against an invisible force.

Rowan's eyes widened in surprise. "You sensed it? Even though you've never heard of grace before?" he asked, leaning in closer.

Dai nodded. "It was more like a gut feeling," he said. "I had a similar experience before, and this fight reminded me of it, so I just figured he was using supernatural powers."

“But… That doesn’t make any sense! How were you able to react to his double if you couldn’t see his grace?” Rowan said, clearly intrigued by their insights.

“So he really had a double…” Narco said under his breath, surprised by the revelation.

Rowan’s face looked even more shocked. “You realized?” he asked, amazed.

Dai and Narco’s gaze met once again. “It just didn’t feel like I was fighting against just one person, so I just guessed," Narco explained, recalling the strange sensation of being outnumbered during the battle.

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Rowan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Unbelievable," he said. "I’ve never heard of anyone who was able to sense grace without knowing what it is.”

Dai and Narco exchanged a look of excitement as they heard the mention of supernatural powers. "Wait, so what is this 'grace' you keep talking about? Can we learn it?" Dai asked, his curiosity piqued.

Rowan hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "To be honest, I don't know much about it myself. But it’s basically just your spiritual energy, everyone has it. But after years of training, you can awaken this power, and learn to manipulate your spiritual energy. Awakened spiritual energy is also called grace, people who can use grace are also able to see and sense other people’s grace.”

“So you can use grace?” Dai said.

“I’m still a beginner, and my teacher suggested I better not use it until I have a better understanding and mastery of my grace,” Rowan explained.

“Do you think we can learn to use grace?” Narco came in.

“Probably, the fact that you can both sense it and can grasp its existence, probably means you’re both already close to awakening,” Rowan answered.

Dai and Narco's eyes sparkled with excitement as they heard about the possibility of awakening their spiritual energy. Dai leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Wow, that's incredible! So if we awaken our grace, we can manipulate our spiritual energy and sense other people's grace too?" he asked.

Rowan nodded, a small smile on his lips. "Yes, that's right. But as I said, I'm still a beginner myself and don't know much about it. It's a complex concept that requires years of training and practice," he replied, with a worried look.

Narco's expression turned thoughtful. "Do you have any advice on how we can start learning about grace?" he asked, his tone eager.

Rowan thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. "Well, I would recommend finding a teacher who is knowledgeable about grace. Someone who can guide you through the process and teach you the necessary skills and techniques," he said slowly.

Dai and Narco looked at each other and nodded, setting a new goal for themselves.

"Are there any other contestants in this exam with this ability?" Dai asked, hoping to learn more about this mysterious power.

"I'm not sure," Rowan replied. "It's not something people advertise, so it's hard to say. But from what I've heard, there might be a few others who possess it."

Dai and Narco exchanged another look, excitement brimming in their eyes. The possibility of encountering others with this ability only fueled their desire to learn more.

"Thanks for telling us about this, Rowan," Narco said gratefully. "We'll definitely keep an eye out for anyone who might be able to help us."

Rowan smiled warmly. "No problem. Just remember, mastering grace is a long and difficult journey. But with dedication and hard work, it's achievable."

Dai and Narco nodded again, determined to begin their journey toward awakening their spiritual energy and unlocking their grace. With that, they bid Rowan farewell and went off in search of a teacher who could help them achieve their goals.

As the sun began to set, Rowan checked his watch and stood up. "I should head back for my match," he said apologetically. "It was great chatting with you both."

Dai and Narco thanked him for the insightful conversation and watched as he made his way down to the arena. As he disappeared from their sight, Dai couldn't help but feel a sense of determination wash over him. He was on the right path to discovering more about the power called grace.

Narco's stomach rumbled loudly as he stretched his arms and legs. "All this information made me hungry, let's go get snacks before the next round starts," he suggested, looking at Dai expectantly.

Dai's face lit up with excitement. "Good idea!" he exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.

The two friends made their way over to the snack stand, their mouths watering as they looked over the options. They decided on a bag of popcorn and a large soda to share and then headed back to their seats just as Rowan was making his way into the arena.

The examiner's voice boomed through the loudspeakers, "Ladies and gentlemen, the next round will be a game of 2 versus 2 tag! The goal is to tag both opponents, first team out loses. Let the games begin!"

Dai and Narco exchanged excited glances as they settled back into their seats, eagerly anticipating Rowan's performance. The atmosphere in the arena was electric as the competitors took their positions, and the countdown began.

Rowan moved with incredible speed and agility, dodging and weaving his opponents with ease. Dai watched in amazement as Rowan made a series of quick turns and evasions, narrowly avoiding being tagged. His movements were so fluid and graceful that Dai couldn't help but be mesmerized.

Narco leaned over to Dai and whispered, "He's really good."

Dai nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of admiration for Rowan. "I didn't expect anything less from him," he answered proudly.

As the round continued, Rowan's agility and teamwork with his partner proved to be his greatest assets, allowing them to outmaneuver their opponents and come out victorious. Dai and Narco cheered along with the rest of the crowd as Rowan took his leave from the arena.

"That was amazing!" Narco exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

Dai nodded, feeling energized and inspired. "Yeah, it was. Watching him in action just reminds me of how much we still have to learn."

Narco gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry, we'll get there. We just need to keep practicing and working together."

Dai smiled, feeling grateful for having Narco by his side. Watching Rowan had been an incredible experience, and it only fueled their determination to continue their journey toward understanding the power of grace.