บท 301: The Challengers

"Well, that was a lot more stressful than I had hoped for…"

Letting out a tiny sigh as he dropped his head, sitting on a lavender sofa placed within a large, open waiting room filled with the other passing participants, Ren closed his eyes. 

Patting his head gently, the azure-haired girl smiled, sitting beside him, "You did great."

"We did great." 

Valerie corrected Iris' words; though it wasn't anything smug--far from it, holding her usual, confident smile, it was clear she was actually being a team player. 

"Right." 

Returning the attitude, Ren gave a triumphant smile and thumbs-up to the draconic, crimson-haired woman. 

"I'm getting kind of worried though…"

"Hongse, right?"

"Mm."

Nodding her head in response to Ren's question, Valerie held a worried look in her usually feisty eyes, biting impatiently on the metal of her gauntlet. 

"Don't worry--he'll back it through."