Alice and Ayumi stepped into the grand hall. This hall was a hub for the city's top-tier candidates gathering for an imminent test, set to commence in just 35 minutes.

As they scanned the crowded hall, a familiar voice called out, drawing their attention. A young boy, Dan, approached with hexagonally shaped goggles resting atop his dark brown hair, his striking brick-red eyes meeting theirs.

"Alice!" he exclaimed.

Concern flashed across Alice's face as she questioned Dan about his sudden disappearance. Their friendship, forged since childhood at Lumina Crest Junior High School, bound them together in this pursuit. When they initially sought out the main hall, Dan had disappeared, leaving Alice puzzled. Now, he stood before her, out of breath but finally present.

"Sorry about that, Alice. I had to use the restroom," Dan sheepishly scratched his head.

Ayumi couldn't suppress a smile. She found Dan refreshingly straightforward.

"Hey there, I'm Daniel Kuso. You go to Lumina Crest Junior High School, right?" Ayumi was taken aback but nodded. "I'm Ayumi Avens, a student there. How do you know?"

"We're in the same school. I've seen you around," Dan replied.

"Teachers mention someone named Ayumi quite often. It must be you," Alice grinned knowingly.

Ayumi simply smiled, acknowledging it without explicitly confirming, "That's right, it's probably me."

After a brief silence, Alice spoke up. "I'm feeling a bit anxious. I hope we'll all succeed," she said, biting her lower lip.

"Well, at least it's not a classroom test," Dan remarked with a shrug. "I wonder what kind of exam it could be," he pondered, rubbing his chin.

"It's probably something easy," Ayumi chimed in. "Maybe focusing on Chakra manipulation, speed, and similar skills," she suggested.

"What's this Chakra thing?" Daniel asked.

"It's surprising that you have no idea about Chakra, considering you're a metahuman. It's expected knowledge," Ayumi stated bluntly.

"Ayumi, he doesn't even know about metahumans. That's typical Dan," Alice chuckled. Dan scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed.

Ayumi sighed, thinking, "What's he doing here?" After a brief pause, she continued.

"Metahumans are humans with superpowers. Chakra is an energy generated within their bodies. It allows them to use near-magical techniques in combat-enhancing strikes, speed, agility, and even manipulating the environment by creating wind, energy thrusts, walking on vertical surfaces, and much more," Ayumi explained.

Dan nodded, grasping the concept.

"So, what's your elemental nature?" Ayumi inquired.

"Fire," he replied.

"Mine's water. What about you, Alice?"

"Wind," she replied.

With the test set to begin in 15 minutes, they chatted about various topics, passing the time until the exam commenced. As the clock ticked away, they prepared themselves for what lay ahead.

☆☆☆

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Zac was in a rush. "I'm late!" he exclaimed, hurriedly pulling on a black shirt and deciding to stick with the blue jeans.

Darrin, absorbed in a book, glanced up and remarked, "A warrior should be punctual."

"Where are my sneakers?" Zac, quickly putting on his contact lenses, asked.

"In the closet," Darrin replied, without looking away from his book.

"Who put them in there?" Zac hastily grabbed his shoes.

"Take care," Darrin called after him, but Zac, in a hurry, skipped the idea of combing his hair and dashed out of the room.

In just about 5 minutes, he reached the HQ, all thanks to his swift pace. Otherwise, the dormitory was quite a distance from the Aurora Sentinels HQ. If only his teleportation skills were perfect, he could have arrived instantly.
With the test set to start in 15 minutes, he dashed through the hallway, only to bump into someone. Stumbling, he managed to regain his balance somehow.

He didn't waste time to look at the person whom he collided with and walked past him.

"Hey, four eyes!"

Feeling a tug on his arm, Zac turned around swiftly. Before him stood a young person, around 21 years old, with vibrant violet hair, including bangs that partially covered the center of his face. His eyes perfectly matched the hue of his hair.

"Me?" Zac gestured to himself.

"Who else around here has four eyes?" The person quipped, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he glanced at Zac's glasses. This prompted Zac to realize that he was, in fact, wearing glasses.

"Where are you headed?"

"Obviously, to the exam location." He dashed off but returned within 3 seconds. "Which way should I go?"

The other person couldn't help but smile.

"Follow me."Zac simply trailed behind him.

"What's this warm feeling? It's strange, almost like a sense of familiarity... but I couldn't have met him before," Zac wondered, trying to make sense of the inexplicable sensation.

"Um, what's your name?" Zac decided to ask, hoping to shake off the peculiar feeling.

"Arashi," came the reply.

"Arashi? I feel like I've encountered that name somewhere before. But where?" Zac's mind raced, accompanied by a sudden, sharp pain in his head, as if struggling to recall a distant memory.

"Oh no... not now." He abruptly halted, clutching his head between his hands.

He dealt with a disorder marked by recurring headaches. Though doctors diagnosed it as migraines, Zac and his family disagreed with that assessment.

His vision blurred, and he felt himself faltering, but Arashi steadied him, preventing a fall.

"Are you okay?" Arashi asked, concerned.

But it appeared Zac had become impervious to any voice. Unfortunately, it was a prolonged fit this time.
"Ah!" He grimaced as he collapsed, succumbing to unconsciousness.
Perhaps, this is what fate had in store.

☆☆☆

"Attention, all candidates." A tall male with spiked white hair announced. He sported a mask concealing the lower part of his face and wore a forehead protector over his scarred left eye."I am your phase I examiner, Kakashi Hatake."
The candidates listened intently.
"Before we commence, there's a policy change this year. Only one candidate will pass this exam. The others will fail," Kakashi clarified.

"What?"

"But that's unfair."

"Who altered the policy?"

Several voices erupted in protest.

"Silence!" A girl standing beside Kakashi commanded.

"That's why we're giving you this heads-up. There's one more crucial detail," Kakashi paused.

"What is it?" Alice inquired.

"Go ahead, tell us," Ayumi encouraged, her tone indicating curiosity and readiness for the information.

"Phase I isn't a walk in the park. It simulates real combat scenarios. Many won't make it through," Kakashi explained. The candidates began to panic.

"Are we in danger of dying?" Alice's fear was evident.

"It'll be okay, Alice. I've got your back," Dan reassured her.

"Things are about to get interesting," Ayumi muttered.

"Only 2 candidates out of 44 will advance to phase II, based on my rigorous assessment criteria," Kakashi explained firmly.

"This is absurd. We won't accept it." A voice protested.

"If you don't agree, feel free to leave now," the girl beside Kakashi asserted.

Several candidates began departing, expressing discontent with the new policy.

"A bunch of quitters," Ayumi remarked sharply. She held a disdain for those who showed timidity and hesitance.
Alice felt fear but resolved to confront it head-on.
Once the departing candidates left, the door was closed, leaving only 20 candidates behind. Kakashi cleared his throat and began his announcement.
"You've all passed Phase I."

Surprise filled the room, followed by a hushed silence. "Phase I helps us identify the truly determined candidates. Recruiting those who aren't serious isn't worthwhile. You've shown dedication, you understand that fleeing won't benefit you. Congratulations on passing Phase I. Best of luck for the next phase," Kakashi clarified. Smiles spread across every face in the room.

"I can't believe it!" Alice beamed.

"See? I told you we'd pass the exam," Dan said confidently.

"I appreciate that. Now, there's not a single quitter among us," Ayumi remarked proudly.

The others nodded in agreement. With smiles exchanged, the trio felt a surge of confidence and unity as they prepared for the next phase of the exam.

☆☆☆