"How do you see Raynold my friend?"
"Well I can only say he has talent. But does he have the resolve?"
"What do you mean?"
At a distance from where the new recruits were having there first training, two old men can be seen floating in the air right above the forest Pearce and the others previously passed through.
The first old man has gray long hair which flutters with the wind. He wore a black military suit which shows he's surprisingly robust appearance. While the other old man was completely bald as he has dark eye pupils which has the gaze of someone who can see the whole world from where he stood.
Unlike the gray haired man, this old man wore a white robe which has dark linen on it as it clearly draws the face of a dragon.
"What I meant is can he sacrifice himself in other to save the lifes' of normal citizens against those creatures lurking in the dark?" Said the old man that wears a robe.
"Well I don't know for now but we will find out soon enough" the military old veteran replied in a respectful tone.
Back in the training area, the second group has already started their training. In the group, there are currently three boys and a girl in it. The girl in the group is actually Roselle who wields two strangely made pistols as she fends off the attacks coming out of the river.
'Why is he like this?' Pearce thought while looking at Drake who was staring at Roselle in a dazed expression. But before he could ask him, he suddenly heard a voice inside his head.
«That blonde haired kid from earlier ain't bad»
«How can you see the outside world from inside me?» Pearce thoight with his eyes closed while having a surprised look on his face.
«Am inside you doesn't mean I can't see the outside with our eyes» Replied Pearce's replica in an obvious tone.
«That seems reasonable enough» Pearce said after pondering on what his replica just said for some seconds.
‹Are you really helping the boy or you are just punishing me› Pearce's replica thought with a helpless look on his face.
«So what were you saying before?» Pearce eventually asked after being quiet for some seconds.
«Nothing, just get ready to give me total control over the body» Pearce's replica said while waving his right hand in a shooing manner.
«Alright!» Pearce exclaimed as he withdrew out of his mind to see what was going on the training area.
"Roselle Barnes has been eliminated, She has stayed in the river for 9 minutes 20 seconds. The one who stayed the longest in group 2 is Phillip Max" Stevens announced with his usual expressionless face.
"Can I help?" Max said as soon as he appeared beside Roselle with his right hand stretched out towards her.
Max physical appearance is a bit unique among his peers since he is the only tanned human among them. He also has black dreadlocks which partially covers his dark eyes. His body figure is described as being perfect among the boys in the new recruits.
"Thanks but I don't need it" Roselle bluntly replied as she quickly stood up and walked towards the recruits at Stevens left hand side.
'It seems I was right about her' Max thought as a strange smile came on his face while following Roselle towards the same destination.
"Next group quickly proceed to the river" Stevens quickly announced with removing his gaze from the river.
"I hope they could put up a defensive barrier this time" Alex suddenly muttered beside Pearce. But when Pearce heard him, he wore a confused expression on his face as he asked.
"Why should they do that"
"Because of him" Alex quickly replied while staring at a hooded person at the back of Caroline as they both got into the river. But he quickly continued as soon as Pearce looked at the hooded boy.
"That boys' name is Thomas Powell. Although he is regarded as a genius in our generation, his qi is black which should make our school to expell him or rather dispose of him"
When Pearce heard what Alex said, he face quickly turned into disbelief as he exclaimed.
"What!?"
"Quiet down Pearce, you don't want to arouse trouble from our superior" Alex quickly whispered while holding Pearce mouth. After some seconds, he released Pearce as the later said.
"Sorry for my impulse"
"There no need for the apology. Just keep what I told you completely a secret" Alex replied with a serious face.
"Ok" Pearce said as he turned his gaze back at the river. But he failed to notice the his replica inside him was radiating a faint killing intent as he thought.
‹So this is where you hid yourself›
"Now that everyone is in the river, let the training begin" Steven announced as his gaze flickered a little before coming back to normal.
As soon as Steven announced the beginning of group 3 training phase, attacks began shooting out of the river towards the group 3 new recruits.
'Such a beauty' Pearce thought as he stared at Caroline who was easily fending off those attacks in a dazed expression.
«Hey kid!, Stop staring like a moron and see what is happening around that hooded boy» Pearce replica suddenly shouted.
«Who are you calling a moron!?» Pearce said inside him as he had a angry look ok his face.
«Ok look am sorry, but you have to see what is going on around that hooded kid» Pearce replica said in a calm voice.
After calming down for some minutes, Pearce opened his eyes as he looked towards where the hooded boy was located. But when he finally saw what was going on around Powell, he wore a confused expression on his face as he asked.
"How is he doing that?"
Powell is currently standing motionlessly on the river as a faint dark qi surrounds his entire body. What is even more surprising is that no attack has come towards him since the beginning of the training.
Although Pearce was completely confused by the scene he was currently looking at, his expression quickly turned into curiosity when he heard the answer for that odd scene.
«He is currently using a spell» Pearce replica said calmly.
«A spell? What is that?» Pearce quickly asked with a curious expression still on his face.
‹This kid is really dumb› Pearce replica thought while slightly shaking his head, but he quickly casted that away as he began to explain.
«A spell is an act of using the qi inside you to perform a specific task in your surroundings. There are a variety of spells which are in many different levels in this world so it's pretty hard for me to explains the ranks for you properly»
«So do you know what kind of spell he is using now?» Pearce suddenly asked as he had a rare serious expression on his face.
«Decay Zone» Pearce replica replied with his left hand up.
«And what does this spell do?» Pearce asked as curiosity took over his face again.
«What decay zone does is it makes everything that tries to attack him to stop working if it below his level» The replica said calmly with his two hand being wrapped together at his back.
«Well that is quite a frightening spell» Pearce thought with an anxious expression on his face. But what his replica said next aroused his curiosity back to his face.
«Yes but there is a down side to this frightening spell»