15

Dai and Narco walked out of the arena, their eyes still shining with excitement from their successful completion of the second stage of the exam. They high-fived each other, both feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment. As they made their way out of the arena, they were met by Mira and Aria, who congratulated them on their impressive teamwork.

Aria, however, couldn't help but scold Dai for his reckless actions during the exam. "You could have gotten yourself killed! You need to think before you act!"

Dai shrugged off her words, a mischievous grin on his face. "Relax, Aria. I knew Narco had my back. We make a great team."

Narco’s face turned slightly red, embarrassed by Dai’s remark. He wasn't used to being the center of attention, but he appreciated the compliment nonetheless.

Mira chimed in, her voice soft but filled with admiration. "Your teamwork was better than even Tank and Titan's. You two really do make a great team!”

Dai beamed with pride at the comparison. "I know right!"

Narco turned his face away as he couldn’t hide his embarrassment anymore. “She’s right though,” he thought, knowing that he had never made a friend like Dai before. Growing up, Narco was always with his older brother, so he regarded himself as an outcast amongst other kids. But now, he felt like he had found a true friend in Dai.

“We’re going to a café, do you guys wanna come?” Mira changed the topic.

“Hmm, no thanks, we’re going to go get some rest," Narco said. "We need to stay in good shape for the next stage of the exam." He said as Dai and Narco turned around.

Aria shook her head as she watched the two boys. "They really are cute, hm. Those two."

Mira nodded in agreement. "But they're also unstoppable when they're together."

As they parted ways, Dai and Narco headed towards the dormitory. They chatted excitedly about their plans for the next stage of the exam, discussing strategies and techniques they could use to succeed.

Dai let out a boisterous laugh as they walked away from Mira and Aria. "Man, can you believe it? We're like Tank and Titan, but better!"

Narco grinned, his eyes shining with excitement. "We make a pretty good team, huh?"

"A pretty good team?" Dai exclaimed. "We're the best team ever!"

Narco rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hide the smile on his face. “Don’t get ahead of yourself!” as he playfully punched Dai on his shoulder.

Dai’s expression softened. "But you know, I never thought I'd make a friend like you."

Narco’s smile softened, and he gave Dai another playful shove. "Hey, don't get all sappy on me.”

***

The next day, Dai and Narco woke up early and headed to the gym for their morning workout. They had to stay in top physical condition for the next stage of the exam, which was rumored to be even more challenging than the previous ones.

As they walked into the gym, they were greeted by the sound of weights clanking and the sight of other trainees working out. Dai and Narco headed straight for the weightlifting area and began their routine.

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Narco started with some warm-up stretches while Dai went straight for the weights. He grabbed a barbell and began lifting it effortlessly, his muscles bulging with each repetition. Narco watched in awe as Dai lifted the heavy weights effortlessly.

"Wow, Dai, you're a beast!" Narco exclaimed, impressed by Dai's strength.

Dai chuckled. "I have to keep up with you somehow, Narco. You're pretty strong yourself."

They continued lifting, pushing each other to go harder, each trying to outdo the other. Sweat poured down their faces as they continued lifting, their bodies working in perfect sync.

After an hour of intense weightlifting, they moved on to some cardio exercises. They ran on the treadmill, increasing the speed and incline as they went, pushing themselves to their limits.

"This is insane," Dai panted, his breaths coming out in short gasps.

"Don’t give up now, after all that heavy lifting you did," Narco encouraged him, matching his pace stride for stride.

They finished their workout with some boxing drills, using the punching bags to improve their reflexes and speed.

As they walked out of the gym, they felt exhausted but invigorated.

"That was intense," Dai said, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"But we needed it. We have to be ready for whatever comes our way," Narco replied, his voice determined.

They headed back to their room to grab a quick breakfast before going back to the arena, to see the other winners of the second chance rounds.

"So, what do you think the next stage of the exam will be?" Dai asked, biting into his toast.

Narco shrugged. "I have no idea, but we have to be prepared for anything. We’ve had a survival run, a game tournament, maybe we’ll finally do some one on one next stage,” he said with a grin on his face, revealing his love for fighting.

"Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together," Dai said, a determined look in his eyes.

Narco nodded, a grin on his face. "That's the spirit.”

***

Dai and Narco arrived at the arena, ready to see who the winners of the other second chance rounds were. They walked through the halls, hearing the sounds of cheering and excitement coming from the arena. As they made their way to the entrance, they saw a crowd of people gathered around a large screen, watching the matches taking place on the stage.

They quickly joined the crowd, eager to see who their remaining competition would be. They watched as one match after another played out on the screen, the competitors using a variety of skills and techniques to outmaneuver each other.

Dai and Narco exchanged glances, sizing up their competition. Some of the fighters looked formidable, with muscles bulging and sweat pouring down their faces. Others looked more nimble, relying on their knowledge and intelligence to win the games.

As they continued watching the matches, Dai leaned in towards Narco and whispered, "These guys are good. We'll need to be at the top of our game if we want to pass the next stage as well."

Narco nodded in agreement, a reassuring smile on his face. "Don't worry, Dai. We've trained for this. We know what we're capable of," he said.

Dai smiled, feeling reassured by Narco's confidence. "You're right, Narco. We've got this. Let's show them what we're made of."

Dai noticed how one player used a unique combination of moves to gain an advantage, while Narco took note of how another player effectively countered his opponent's attacks. They discussed these observations with each other, debating the pros and cons of different techniques and brainstorming ways to incorporate them into their own gameplay.

As the final game approached, the tension in the air grew thicker. The crowd was buzzing with excitement and anticipation, and Dai and Narco could feel their hearts pounding in their chests. When the game began, they watched with rapt attention as the two teams played an intense game of extreme tag.

The game was fierce, with both teams executing complex maneuvers and making split-second decisions. Dai and Narco watched intently, studying every move and anticipating each turn. As the game reached its climax, the tension in the crowd was palpable.

Finally, the winning move was executed, and the game came to an end. Astolfo declared the winner, and the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Dai and Narco joined in, clapping and cheering along with the rest of the audience.

As Dai and Narco walked out of the arena, they couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within them. They knew that their next challenge was just around the corner - the third stage of the Agency's Exam.

They were getting closer to the end, and they felt confident in their abilities. But they also knew that the competition would be fierce, and they would need to be at the top of their game to succeed.

As they made their way to the lounge, to meet up with Mira and Aria, they could feel the adrenaline pumping through their veins. They were ready for the next challenge, ready to take on whatever obstacles came their way. The third stage of the exam would test them like never before, but Dai and Narco were determined to come out on top. Bovenkant formulier