We tend to take things for granted.

I never imagined my entire world could alter in a matter of seconds. It never occurred to me that the monstrosities I watched on television might be real. At that time, the prospect of becoming one of the many victims exposed in the news wasn't worth considering.

But I wasn't an exception to the norm, and when I realized my belief was just a figment of my imagination, it was already too late.

I could recall, albeit vividly, a crack on the night's horizon, swirling erratically in a cerulean abyss. It was far distant, but it nevertheless had an impact on the entire city.

Claws scratched on the concrete, casting ominous shadows as they passed by. The sickening odor of copper filled the air, and the cries of others only made matters worse. Most people expected hunters to come to their rescue, but they didn't. Our saviors never bother showing up in the first place.

Although there were casualties in each district, none compared to those in the fourth. I should have been grateful the Overflow materialized there, but couldn't bring myself to feel that way. I'm still dealing with the repercussions to this day.

We were nothing more than bystanders to a catastrophe. If you were to ask me, that's a difficult pill to swallow.

"You're already thinking about the results, aren't you?"

My surroundings unveiled into the present. Only heavy clouds could be seen in the sky, indicating that rain was on its way. It was as though I had woken up from a dream.

As I struggled to regain my grasp on the world around me, I couldn't get over just how unpleasant it was to lose track of reality.

Others passed by as they walked out of the examination halls, each of their expressions revealing an odd mix of relief and concern. That was enough to jog my memory.

Artemis' entrance exams, of course. They were finally over.

"Why do I feel like I've been talking to a doll this whole time?" he muttered, waving his palm in front of my face. "Are you even paying attention to me, Gray?"

As I thought of an answer, I cast a glance at the young man beside me. In contrast with everyone else, he seemed to be full of energy, unfazed by the difficulties the rest of us went through.

"No, Connor. I wasn't."

"That's a shame," he snapped back, scowling. "I was complimenting you."

"You weren't..."

"How would you know if that's the case when you weren't even paying attention to me? Hmm?"

I nearly rolled my eyes. That much was true; I got lost in my thoughts. For approximately a second and a half, that is.

I sighed. "Fine, I think you were talking about the physical portion of our exam."

"Isn't that just a wild guess?"

As if I'd do something like that.

I shook my head a little. "No. That's just the only thing you could talk about given our circumstances."

"The exam is divided into three halves." Connor extended three fingers. "I'm curious why you believe I'd bring up the physical aspect in particular."

"Do I have to answer?"

Magicians never share their tricks with others. Well, if I were to think about it a bit further, I'd argue I'm more of a charlatan.

"'Do I have to answer?'" he repeated indignantly. "I've been waiting for you to finish your exams, you know? Do you want to figure out what would happen if you refuse to answer?"

Since Connor finished his exams before me, he had to wait for a little so that I could wrap things up on my end. With that in mind, I decided not to mess with him anymore and just respond properly.

"First of all, there's no way you'd bring up anything related to mana when you know there's not even a trace of it in my body," I explained, recalling bitterly what happened during the assessment. There was no reaction even after I put my hand on top of the measuring device. Although I was fully aware of that fact, it was quite depressing to have it rubbed in my face (not that I was the only one that lacked mana).

My feelings aside, Connor already knew I couldn't wield mana before we even took the exam, so I didn't mind implying I failed in that regard. With that being said, I crossed one of the alternatives off the list.

"And secondly, both of us know just how much you despise studying," I continued after gathering my thoughts.

If that wasn't enough, then maybe the fact we took the exams in different facilities piqued Connor's interest. Not knowing how well I did, and because he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings (mostly his), it was obvious he could only be talking about the physical side of our exam. No way I'll tell him that, though.

"Tsk, fine. I've asked an easy question. That one's on me," he snapped his tongue. "You know me too well."

Of course, I did.

"More than I'd like to..."

We've been friends for how many years now?

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Despite the quips we were throwing at each other, I was very concerned about my performance. Even if everything went smoothly in both, the physical and academic portions of the exam, that didn't necessarily mean I'd pass. The fact I couldn't utilize any mana whatsoever will significantly lower my average grade.

"How many did you get? Monsters, I mean."

"I don't mind sharing, but you'll have to tell first," I challenged him.

Of course, the only grades we know about are those from the practical exams. The others had yet to be officially released.

"Sure. It was... hold on—" Connor paused mid-sentence before flicking his fingers. "I've got an idea."

"You've got an idea?"

"I've got an idea! A brilliant idea!"

"Damn..." I mumbled, uncertain whether to flee or be amazed. I submitted myself to my fate, albeit reluctantly. "Shoot away."

"Let's have a competition! We should be able to replicate the physical element of the exam at my place. Just a friendly rivalry amongst pals. Interested?"

"Not really."

He smiled. "C'mon. Scared you might lose?"

"I have to work later..."

Actually, I had two jobs to take care of, but that in itself was primarily an excuse. I still had a few hours to spare.

"It won't take too long, I promise!" Connor reassured me, knowing I would've shot him down if I truly had other responsibilities to attend to at the moment. "Ben's here, so let's get going!"

I came to a halt as he approached a black vehicle with smoked windows. I could tell it was pricey. Even some passersby were taken aback by its appearance.

"Can I get a cab?" I gasped and looked around. Given the rush of examinees, it wasn't surprising to find out there weren't any available for me to take.

"Get in already!" Connor smirked, taking pleasure in my obvious agony.

How mature of you... I'll keep what you did in mind, pal. If given the opportunity, I will undoubtedly return the favor.

"Fine!" I grumbled as I took a reluctant step forward.

However, being anywhere near who knows how much money still made me anxious.