After resting for a few hours, Yana decided to talk to the Aruha inside the box.
"What? Are you crazy? What if we lose our powers if he absorbs them?" one of the Aruha protested, making the other Aruha think.
"That's right, we would lose our powers? That's madness." added another.
The entire area became noisy with different opinions from the Aruha about Yana's plan for Kenro to absorb their powers to break the wall of the box so they could escape.
Meanwhile, the Princess and the two noble siblings, her guests, were amused by the commotion among the Aruha inside the Princess's power box.
"It seems they won't easily convince the Aruha. What will the Chosen One do?" asked Noble Hilda curiously as they watched.
"Now she needs to come up with a way. Those Aruha have a point; what if they lose their powers? Tsk, it looks like this Chosen One is disappointing me. I don't think she deserves it." remarked the Princess.
"Just wait, they might have another way." said Noble Rufino. Noble Estifon nodded in agreement with Noble Rufino's statement.
They fell silent again and focused on watching the participants and the Chosen One to see what they would do next. The Princess's eyes were almost ablaze as she watched, entertained by the unfolding events and eager to see what the Chosen One and the two Aruha with unique powers would do next.
Yana couldn't answer immediately; she remained deep in thought. The Aruha's concerns were valid. She hadn't considered that possibility, so she wasn't prepared for it and now wasn't sure if her plan was still viable. Then Kenro stepped in.
"Wait, before you all get into a frenzy, listen to me first." Kenro said.
"You probably just want to steal our powers." said one of the Aruha.
"Tsk, I haven't thought about that. I can barely control my own power, so why would I want to steal someone else's?" Kenro said, shaking his head with a smirk. The Aruha he was speaking to frowned.
"I won't absorb all your power. With so many of you, even just one percent from each should be enough to break the wall of the box, as long as we combine it and I attack with a single powerful strike." Kenro explained.
The Aruha's opinions and discussions were divided again. Yana looked at Kenro, realizing he was right. She secretly felt pleased and smiled, seeing there was another way after all.
"How can we be sure you're telling the truth? What if you're just tricking us?" one Aruha objected.
"I'll start by taking power from my friend Qrolo. If he can show you that he still has his powers after I take one percent, then you shouldn't have anything to worry about." Kenro replied.
With Kenro's words, many trusted him, but a few remained doubtful. Kenro continued to demonstrate the truth. In front of the Aruha, he unwrapped the bandage from his hand, held his palm out towards Qrolo, closed his eyes tightly, and soon, a light emanated from Qrolo's body and flowed into Kenro's palm. After a few seconds, Kenro quickly covered his palm to stop absorbing Qrolo's power.
The Aruha were visibly amazed by Kenro's unique power.
"Now, show them, Qrolo, that your power hasn't completely disappeared." Kenro ordered Qrolo.
So, Qrolo used his power as a Somnomancer to demonstrate his ability to create and control things in the dream world, known as Somnial Artifice. He successfully showed the Aruha present that his power remained intact despite Kenro absorbing one percent of it.
Finally, they gained the trust of the participating Aruha inside the box. One by one, the hundreds of Aruha participants lined up and agreed to Kenro's plan. This meant that if Kenro succeeded in breaking the box's wall, they would all pass the princess's first trial.
The power absorption took several hours. Night had fallen, but the trial continued. The Princess and the three noble siblings didn't feel the passage of time due to their immense entertainment from the events of the first trial.
"Not only did those two Aruha display physical strength and unique powers, but they also showed intelligence, especially the Chosen One who first thought of this method." remarked Noble Rufino.
"It's too early to celebrate. They haven't succeeded yet for you to be too impressed with them." commented Noble Hilda.
"True, let's see if their plan is effective." replied Noble Rufino.
Meanwhile, Noble Estifon and the Princess watched seriously, anticipating the next events of the first trial.
Power absorption continued for several hours. Even as night fell and darkness surrounded them, the trial went on. The Princess and the three noble siblings seemed unaware of the passage of time due to their intense fascination with the events of the first trial.
"Not only physical strength and extraordinary power were demonstrated by those two Aruhas, but they also showed intelligence. And the chosen one, because he was the first to think of such a method." commented Noble Rufino.
"It's too early to celebrate; they haven't succeeded yet for you to be so impressed by them." remarked Noble Hilda.
"Well, let's see if their method proves effective." responded Noble Rufino.
Meanwhile, Noble Estifon and the Royal Princess watched seriously, anticipating the upcoming events in the first trial.
After absorbing one percent of the power of the Aruha participants, Kenro rested briefly, feeling his body.
"Kenro, tell me how you feel. Are you alright?" asked Yana with concern.
"Yes, I'm fine. If I can use their power and release it, I think it won't have any adverse effects on me. I think my body can handle it." replied Kenro.
"Are you just going to rest there? Hurry up so we can finish this first trial; it's getting boring." said an impatient Aruha participant.
"Hey, I don't like your tone... can you let Kenro rest, and don't be so eager." Qrolo retorted angrily.
"Tsk, your temper is too hot." the participant replied to Qrolo and walked away, seemingly afraid to argue further with Qrolo since they had all witnessed the extraordinary power and strength of the Aruha friends, Qrolo and Kenro.
Kenro sat with his eyes closed for a few minutes, as if he were regaining his strength and gathering power. Yana admired the determination, dedication, and unique strengths and abilities of Kenro and Qrolo, feeling like she was in a fantasy world she had only seen in anime and fantasy movies. Now, experiencing it for real, she was still amazed and found it hard to believe.
After a while, Kenro opened his eyes and gradually stood up from his sitting position.
"Kenro, are you ready?" Qrolo asked seriously.
"Yes, I'm ready." Kenro replied.
The Aruhas gathered around them.
"Don't let us down; you might just be wasting our time." said one Aruha.
"Could you please just be quiet for a moment and watch what my friend is going to do before you start saying pointless things." Qrolo responded irritably, defending his friend Kenro.
"Kenro, we believe in you, that you can do this and succeed. Especially me, I believe in your abilities." Yana said to Kenro.
Kenro looked at Yana, and her words were enough to boost his confidence that he could break down the wall of the box and that they would all pass the princess's first test. The belief in him from his friends Qrolo and Yana strengthened his resolve and self-confidence.
Kenro slowly approached the wall of the box, which was enveloped by the powerful magic of the Princess. All the Aruhas watched him intently, observing his every move. Meanwhile, the Princess's excitement and curiosity grew as she watched what Kenro was about to do. She had used all her strength and power to seal that box.
If Kenro managed to break the wall of the box, the Princess would undoubtedly be amazed. She also felt a deep sense of concern at the thought that an Aruha might surpass her power and outsmart her. The cooperation and ingenuity of the participants to find a way out made the Princess hold her breath as she watched the first trial she had given them.
The noble siblings were also excited to see if the participants would succeed in their plan. They watched with intense focus, not wanting to miss a single detail of that crucial and intense moment.
Kenro began unwrapping the bandage from his left palm. Once he completely removed the bandage, he tossed it to Qrolo, who caught it. Then, with a serious expression, Kenro positioned himself in front of the wall of the box.
He raised his left palm towards the wall, while his right hand firmly gripped his left wrist. The atmosphere around them grew increasingly intense, with everyone watching closely and feeling nervous about what was about to happen.
Kenro closed his eyes tightly. After a few seconds, he opened them, revealing that they had turned red, with an aura of smoke emanating from his both eyes.
"DIVINE GRIP!!!"
he shouted loudly, his voice echoing around the box and throughout the palace where the trials were held.
With his shout, a powerful force of energy emanated from his palm. This force was so strong that it sent chills down the spines of the Aruhas present. The energy that emerged from his palm was a mix of black and blue, and it struck the wall of the box directly.
The Aruhas watching were astonished and gaped in awe. Even the noble siblings and the princess were amazed...
Will Kenro succeed? Stay tuned for the next chapter.