The mechanized puppets loomed over the fifteen students, their metallic frames casting shadows that swallowed the arena. A few flinched, breath hitching at the sheer presence of the machines. Arms folded, Asuka smirked, her voice cutting through the tense air.
"These," she announced, "are your sparring partners for the final stage. I trust you remember the objective?"
Rikuya muttered under his breath to the two beside him, "Endure and adapt. Immobilization for more than ten seconds—or being knocked out—means elimination." Their gazes hardened with resolve.
Aoi's eyes darted across the machines—small, hulking, fast, towering. Two, three… seven… ten in total. Her fists clenched as the floor quaked beneath their sudden charge.
"Run!" someone shouted, and chaos erupted. Students scattered as a colossal foot slammed down, shattering the arena's reinforced flooring.
"Oh, and one more thing!" Asuka's voice boomed over the turmoil. "This exam runs ten minutes. The clock's already ticking—you've got seven left!" Her smirk widened. "Those puppets carry points. Small ones are worth three, large ones five. Immobilize them before they do the same to you."
"You expect us to fight those?!" a boy from the first team cried, dodging an incoming strike.
"While staying safe!" Asuka called back, cupping her mouth with one hand. "And don't forget—you're down to six minutes!"
Aoi flipped back, narrowly dodging the sweep of a massive puppet's arm. Ayane rolled sideways, landing in a crouch, while Setsuna slid to a stop beside them.
"Damn it, these things are hard to get close to!" Ayane hissed.
"We'll have to find a way—" Setsuna started, only to break off as a boy from the first team charged recklessly at one of the machines. His roar was cut short when the puppet lifted its leg to stomp him flat. Gasping, the blond darted aside—the machine's arc missed him and smashed into another puppet instead. Sparks flew as both powered down.
"Yes! Six points!" he shouted, pumping a fist toward his distant teammates.
"Nice one!" they hollered back.
Setsuna chuckled nervously, sweat dripping down her temple. "Guess we'd better score ours too…"
Ayane puffed her cheeks, pouting. "Hmph."
A thunderous crash drew all three girls' eyes across the arena. Nakano stood over the wreckage of a toppled machine, brushing the dust from her hands.
"Easy as pie," she said with a smug grin.
"At least that's five more points," her teammate Ken noted.
Nakano shot him a withering look. "Don't get the wrong idea. I don't need dead weight slowing me down." Scoffing, she walked off, leaving Ken fuming while their third teammate stared in silence.
"Showoff," Aoi muttered under her breath, unimpressed.
Ayane suddenly bolted forward. "We can't just sit here!" Setsuna followed close behind.
Aoi lingered, eyes flicking from the machines to the other teams charging in. Her gaze dropped to the floor, then to Asuka watching from above. Her fists clenched tighter.
So that's how it is…
From the sidelines, Misora's slate-blue eyes narrowed, arms folding tighter across her chest.
"I think she's starting to understand," she said quietly, drawing Jin's attention.
"Huh?" he muttered, turning to her.
"The point of these exams," she clarified, her eyes still fixed on the arena. Down below, Raito vaulted over a machine, sending it off balance. Rikuya was quick to slam a metal rod into its head, toppling it with a loud crash.
"It was already falling, you know," Mitsuru called, smiling wryly.
"Yeah, yeah, details," Rikuya laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still counts for five points, right?"
"Sure does," Raito replied, though his gaze was already shifting back to the chaos.
"Right side, Setsuna!" Ayame shouted. Setsuna spun away just as a puppet's arm tore through the space she'd been standing.
"Thanks! Wait, where's—?!" Setsuna froze as both she and Ayame spotted Aoi darting between two towering machines. Their massive arms reached for her at once, but she slipped past in a blur.
The puppets' momentum carried them into each other—an earsplitting clang echoed as their heads collided, both collapsing in showers of sparks. She landed lightly, her hair swaying with the impact's breeze. She didn't even glance back, continuing forward as if the destruction behind her was nothing.
"Whoa… that was insane," Ayane breathed, eyes wide.
"Two large ones… that's ten points right there," Setsuna said, equally stunned.
Aoi gave a small shrug. "We need to pass, don't we? Guess I got lucky." Her nonchalance earned a pair of sweat-dropped looks from the other two.
That wasn't luck, Ayane and Setsuna thought at once, exchanging nervous smiles as sweat trailed down their temples.
Then—thud. Heavy footsteps reverberated through the arena. One after another, louder, closer, shaking the ground until even the proctors glanced around in alarm.
"What the hell is that sound?" Asuka muttered, her smirk fading. The vibration rattled the platform beneath her feet.
"Uh… Asuka! We've got a problem!" a proctor at the monitors shouted. She strode over, eyes narrowing at the screen—then widening in disbelief.
"…No. It can't be." Her voice cracked into a whisper. A deafening crash tore through the room. The reinforced wall below them split apart, concrete and steel exploding outward.
Dust and debris filled the air as students shielded their faces, coughing through the haze. Through the smoke, a colossal silhouette emerged—towering even higher than the five-point machines.
Shino's breath caught. "No way…"
One of the proctors staggered back, pale. "That's—"
"Project Xero," Asuka finished grimly. The monstrous machine raised its massive arm, the shadow alone engulfing the students. With a roar of metal, it swung downward, forcing the first-years to scatter. Asuka's lips pressed into a tight line, a low growl escaping her throat as she turned sharply to the proctors, Shino tense at her side.
"I thought Project Xero wasn't even finished!" Asuka barked.
"It's not!" Shino shot back.
"Then who the hell authorized its launch?!" Her glare snapped between the proctors.
They exchanged bewildered looks. "Wait… it wasn't you?" Shino asked, his voice faltering.
"Me?!" Asuka's eyes widened. "I don't even know where the damn activation switch is!" She threw her hands up, then whipped her gaze down to the arena. Students were scattering, terror on their faces.
Damn it—this isn't a test anymore. Those kids are in real danger!
"This is bad," Jin muttered, his hand tightening on his sword hilt, ready to jump in.
"Wait." Misora's voice was quiet, steady, arms still folded.
Jin shot her a sharp look. "What? We can't just—"
"Wait a little longer," she said firmly, tone calm as stone.
Below, panic spread like wildfire. "Is this part of the exam?!" a boy from the first team shouted, barely ducking under a smaller puppet's strike.
Rikuya's eyes swept the arena—proctors scattering, alarms blaring. "I've got a bad feeling about this…" he muttered as Mitsuru skidded in beside him.
"Ya think?" Mitsuru shot back, raising a brow.
"Everyone, this way!" a female proctor shouted, waving the first-years toward a side passage. They sprinted after her, but Project Xero's gaze locked on them. With a thunderous charge, it drove its fist down toward the crowd.
"Look out!" someone screamed. The ground split under the impact—but at the last second, a sharp kick deflected its arm, the strike veering into the floor instead. Dust billowed. Through the haze, Aoi emerged—dodging a smaller puppet's strike and jamming a metal rod into its path.
"Run!" she barked, bracing herself as the students scrambled past.
Nakano shoved her teammates aside, sneering. "Out of my way!" She bolted forward as the others snapped out of their daze and followed.
"That's it! Keep moving!" the proctor urged, ushering them through.
Ayane slowed, breath hitching. She spun around. "Wait—where's Setsuna?" Her gaze shot back across the arena. Aoi was still fighting, but a few feet away—Setsuna lay trapped, her right leg pinned beneath a slab of rubble. She clawed at it desperately; her face twisted in pain.
"Setsuna!" Ayane screamed, lunging forward—only for a pair of arms to seize her from behind.
"Stop! You can't go back there!" a male proctor barked, holding her tight.
"She's my teammate! I can't just leave her!" Ayane thrashed against his grip, tears stinging her eyes. "Setsuna!!"
Ayane's cry carried across the chaos, reaching to Aoi. Her head snapped toward Setsuna—still pinned, clawing at the rubble around her leg.
"Setsuna!" Aoi shouted—only to see the colossal machine looming above. Its massive hand clutched a boulder, which it hurled straight at the injured girl.
Damn it! I won't make it—! Aoi's eyes widened, time seeming to slow. Setsuna squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact— But the blow never landed. Instead, a sharp crack split the air as the boulder shattered mid-flight.
Dust sprayed across the arena, revealing a silver-haired girl standing protectively before Setsuna. Her stance was flawless—feet grounded, left palm extended, right fist tight at her side—a kung-fu guard as graceful as it was unyielding.
Setsuna gasped; eyes wide. The girl looked back at her with a small, reassuring smile before moving forward, slipping effortlessly into motion. In one smooth motion, she hooked Setsuna's arm around her shoulders, lifting her up with quiet strength.
"Come on." She leapt lightly away, carrying Setsuna until a proctor rushed to take her weight.
"Th-thank you…" Setsuna whispered, breathless. The silver-haired girl only smiled again before bounding back toward her own team.
"Setsuna! Are you okay?!" Ayane rushed to her side as the proctor eased her down. She tore open a bandage from her jacket, fumbling with trembling hands.
"Y-Yeah…" Setsuna winced, forcing a faint smile. Aoi exhaled sharply in relief. Her grip on the rod tightened, her gaze burning as she turned back to the machines. She rammed the rod into the nearest puppet, sparks flashing as it collapsed.
Then she raised her eyes to the giant. Project Xero's gaze locked on her, recognition—or targeting—glinting in its optics. It hefted another boulder and hurled it with brutal force.
Aoi sprinted forward, weaving through the barrage. Each throw crushed smaller machines in its path, sparks and debris flying until only the behemoth remained. She closed the gap—just as its fist slammed down, shattering the floor and ripping a scar through the concrete.
"Aoi!" Ayane's voice rang with worry as the dust settled, unveiling her friend standing by the wall, away from the machine.
"Doesn't she know she can't win against that thing?" Someone muttered.
"What does she think she's doing? She's going to get herself killed for sure," another said, their eyes still fixed on her figure.
Aoi's face remained unreadable as her gaze swept the wreckage. She stooped to grab a broken metal pipe, then a splintered staff lying nearby. Spotting the remains of two training belts and a chunk of armor plating from a fallen machine, she muttered, "These will do," before setting to work with swift precision.
"No way…" A female proctor muttered.
"W-What is she doing?" another asked.
"She's using the metal pipe as a core base, wrapping the belts around the center, attaching the broken spear tip and armor shard to either end with only those few pieces of junk?" A male proctor marveled, parroting her exact actions as she stood upright, the equipment in her right hand.
"She made a bo staff within seconds?!!" They all exclaimed.
Aoi twirled the makeshift spear around her fingers before lunging forward, sliding under the machine's crushing fist with practiced ease. She flipped up, striking its joint with a precise jab, forcing it to stagger back. The machine swung wildly, but she kept weaving in and out of its reach, darting from angle to angle, her strikes hammering into hidden gaps.
She's dodging each attack, aiming for the weak points while running back and forth at full speed to slow it down?! They all mused, their eyes and mouths wide with shock. Is she playing Whack-a-Mole with that machine?!
Aoi backflipped away just in time, dodging another swing as she switched to the armor-blade end, using it to deflect the dummy's hammer like a makeshift shovel parry, redirecting the force. The machine swung and swung again, but missed, causing Aoi to strike with precision.
The dummy's movements were sluggish, its systems rattling. She gripped the staff tighter in her hold, running forward with a high spin, and hurled it with pinpoint precision, straight into the dummy's chest core. The force jolted it backward.
Seizing her chance, she dashed forward, grabbed its fist mid-swing, pivoted, and with her strength, slammed the towering machine flat on its back. In mid-air, she spun forward, reeling her left hand with the staff backward, then, with a grunt, threw it across the room.
The staff went flying as it hit a red button switch, close to the door, right below the upper floor where Asuka and the others stood. The machine powered down, and everywhere became silent.
The students froze, stunned into silence as Aoi touched down without a stumble. A few traded bewildered glances, unsure if they'd really just witnessed what they thought they had.
"If a switch turned this thing on, then logic says a switch can turn it off," Aoi declared, lifting her gaze toward the second-years watching from above.
"You've gotta be joking…" one of them muttered, disbelief etched across his face.
"She forged a weapon out of scraps and turned a combat machine into a practice dummy… What kind of street-schooled monster is this girl?"
"Is that even possible?" someone whispered.
Ken exhaled in awe. "Unbelievable…"
"She's amazing," another first-year added under his breath.
"Well, how about that?" Jin chuckled, arms folded and a smirk tugging at his lips. "That girl's got some serious skill."
Beside him, Misora only hummed, her eyes never leaving Aoi. She really is strong… isn't she, Reina?
"W-Well done, everyone. Especially you, Aoi." Asuka finally broke the silence with a relieved smile. She signaled to Shino, who pressed a button, and the doors slid open with a mechanical hiss.
Ayane and the others glanced over just as the students who had failed the earlier trials walked in, confusion painted across their faces.
"Uh… what's going on?" Mitsuru frowned.
"I don't know," Rikuya muttered, pushing up his glasses. Nearby, Raito's fists clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowing.
"Now then," Asuka's voice rang clear, drawing all attention back to her. She stood above them with a warm smile, calm yet commanding.
"Once again, thank you all for participating in these exams," Asuka announced. "The results will now be displayed. The names of those who passed will appear on the screen."
"The ones who passed…?" a boy echoed in disbelief.
"What's that supposed to mean? We didn't even finish the first round," another muttered as anxious whispers rippled through the hall. At her signal, a proctor powered on the large screen. Rows of names lit up, drawing a chorus of sharp gasps from the students.
"No way…" a girl whispered, frozen in shock.
"It can't be…" another breathed, eyes widening. Yet the truth blazed across the screen—eighty names filled the list.
"Our names are there!" someone shouted in triumph.
"Raito! You're second, man!" Mitsuru exclaimed, yanking his stunned friend into a crushing side hug.
"H-Hey, cut it out!" Raito protested, trying to shove him off.
"It seems we passed as well," Rikuya noted calmly, adjusting his glasses as he spotted his and Mitsuru's names. "Although… a total of eighty-one students applied. That means only one didn't make it."
"We… we did it…" Setsuna whispered, a trembling smile breaking across her face as she saw her team listed too.
"Aoi…" Ayane's breath hitched, her eyes widening at the screen. There it was— Aoi Sakuraba: Rank One. Her gaze shifted to the blue-haired girl, chest heaving from exhaustion, sweat dripping down her brow.
Aoi's tired eyes lifted toward the glowing board, landing on her own name at the very top.
"…I did it." Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper. Her eyes lowered again, spotting Ayane and Setsuna's names in fourth and fifth place. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she exhaled in relief.
"Wait just a damn second!!" The room jolted at the shrill cry. Heads snapped toward Nakano, fists balled tight, jaw locked with rage.
"Why the hell isn't my name on that list?! What kind of twisted joke are you pulling?!" she spat, glaring up at the platform.
Asuka leaned lazily against the railing, a crooked smirk tugging her mouth. "Looks simple enough to me—you didn't pass."
Nakano's voice cracked with fury. "Bullshit! I cleared all three stages—I beat a five-point machine! My pathetic teammates contributed nothing, yet their names are there! Even failures from stage one got listed—so why the hell am I the only one left out?!"
Asuka's smirk never wavered, her hands sliding into her pockets. "Tell me, Nakano… do you really think what you did was enough to prove yourself?"
Nakano stiffened, eyes flaring. "The hell are you saying?!"
"The point of this exam was never just to scrape through the stages. From the very beginning, we told you—failure at any stage meant disqualification. But that rule?" Asuka's grin deepened. "It was bait… to see what you were really worth."
"Our true worth?" Ayane muttered under her breath.
Asuka folded her arms, smirking. "These trials weren't just about winning matches. They tested how fast you could read the battlefield, how flexible you were in different situations, whether you kept your head under pressure, and how strong you were in a fight. But what mattered most was your spirit—the drive to keep going, and the teamwork you showed."
"Huh…?" the first-years echoed, unsure.
"Exactly," Asuka continued, "it's that grit and determination that prove you deserve to be Sayonaki High students."
Rikuya adjusted his glasses, unimpressed. "And that… oversized death machine that nearly crushed us? Was that part of the plan too?"
Asuka flinched. "Uhhh… actually… no. That was… a surprise to us too. Project Xero wasn't supposed to even activate."
"You mean that was a real life-or-death crisis?!" the blond-haired boy yelped, his voice cracking.
Asuka waved her hands frantically. "H-Hey, don't sweat it! Nobody died, right? Everyone's fine! Totally fine… eheh…" She laughed nervously, sweat dripping as the first-years gave her flat, unamused stares.
Misora face-palmed, shaking her head, "Asuka…" she groaned gently, while Jin let out a soft chuckle beside her.
With a reassuring smile, the red-haired girl tucked her hands into her pockets and went on… "The fact that some of you looked out for one another, even beyond your own squads, revealed your true strength. I witnessed it from the very first stage to the last. That spirit of teamwork is what we as—"
"Oh, cut that bullshit crap!!" Nakano snapped, her voice slicing through the air. Eyes turned to her in shock. "You think all that talk about teamwork means anything in a real fight? Power! Power! That's what matters. The strongest rise to the top, and the weak? Dead weight. Nothing but baggage. And you're all too blind to see it."
"Hey now…" Someone from the crowd warned.
"You think you'd all survive with that idiotic mindset of yours?! No matter what you say, I'm also supposed to be among those who passed!" she shouted.
As Nakano's ranted, Jin could sense a simmering fury radiating from Misora. When he glanced at her, her eyes were hidden beneath a dark shadow, her face composed yet radiating danger—a look he knew all too well.
"Uh… Misora…" he began, hand half-extended, but she didn't wait—vaulting over the railing to the ground floor. Jin sighed, rubbing his temple. "Always in a hurry…"
"I get it now," Nakano laughed, the sound low and twisted, eyes gleaming with mania. "You're all fools—blind to real power! I pushed myself beyond limits and yet—" Her tirade cut short as a figure dropped before her.
A sharp crack split the air, a hand meeting her cheek with brutal force. She flew sideways, hitting the floor and rolling across the ground. Gasps rippled through the room; all eyes frozen on the sudden strike.
"What the hell?!! What was that for?!!" Nakano slowly pushed herself upright, her hand pressed to the burning sting on her cheek.
When her gaze lifted, she found the girl standing over her, slate-blue eyes glinting coldly. The weight of that look made Nakano's breath hitch, a shiver crawling down her spine.
"I've heard enough of your nonsense. You think I'd just idly stand by while I listen as you tarnish our school's standards?" Misora said, her voice steady but laced with steel.
Aoi's eyes widened slightly, her gaze on the older girl. That girl from yesterday… she mused.
"What?" Nakano muttered under her breath, Misora's unwavering eyes still pinned to her.
"You still don't get it, do you? Everything Asuka laid out for you only shows how childish you are. Since the exams began, you've done nothing but complain, boast, and parade around. Strength alone won't carry you. Your selfishness in the second and final stages only proved you're unfit for this."
Everyone's eyes locked on Misora as she went on, her voice steady as a blade. "The way you treated your teammates says it all—you don't value teamwork. You shut down their ideas in the second stage, nearly dooming your own group until the very last moment. And in the final stage? Instead of protecting them, you abandoned them for your own survival. With a behavior like that… is it any wonder you're the same girl who set Project Xero into motion?"
Everyone gasped at the revelation, eyes widening in shock, including Nakano's.
"W-What do you mean?! I never activated it! I didn't even know it existed!" Nakano argued back in defense.
"Of course you'll deny it," Misora replied, sliding one hand into her pocket as she looked down at her. "But during the second phase, you forced yourself into the role of leader for Team Three—barking orders, never once considering your teammates. And while you were scrambling to escape your opponent, you struck the wall's rock switch. That was the activation trigger."
"So, that's where it was," Asuka huffed, crossing her arms.
Nakano's eyes flew wide, her body trembling as Misora's words cut deeper. "If you'd worked with your team instead of trying to shine alone, Project Xero never would've triggered. None of that chaos would've happened."
Nakano's gaze dropped to the floor, her breaths sharp and uneven. Misora crouched to meet her at eye level, her voice low and unrelenting.
"All you cared about during those stages was looking good in front of others. Not their safety, not the mission. Just yourself. Tell me—do you really think you can survive danger alone without your team?"
Misora straightened, her gaze sweeping over the first-years, her tone firm yet steady. "When we designed these exams, the goal was never just survival. It was to uncover what truly defines a leader. Perseverance. Strength. And above all—teamwork. Those of you who understood that… are the ones who endured."
Aoi's breath caught as she watched Misora. This warmth… it's strange, but familiar. Her eyes lingered on Misora's figure—only for Misora to meet her gaze briefly, then shift her attention back to Nakano, still on the ground.
With a swift tug, she stripped the Sayonaki jacket from Nakano with effortless force, holding it loosely at her side as she stepped back, the girl left in nothing but her black undershirt and pants.
"You aren't fit to become a student here… or a Nightingale." She tilted her chin high, her gaze cutting down at her. "Get out."
Nakano's face burned red; her trembling eyes narrowed into fury as she shoved herself to her feet.
"Fine! Who'd want to waste their time in this dump of a school anyway?! You'll pay for this!" she spat before storming off, her retreat dripping with humiliation.
"You won't be seeing her again. I don't have time for people like that," Misora muttered, walking away with the jacket in her hand.
Big sister… Ayane mused, her eyes trailing after the older girl.
Asuka cleared her throat before speaking again, "That's all for today. You did well. Tomorrow's the opening ceremony, so be sure to get some rest and show up on time. Your class placements will be revealed then. Until tomorrow, take care."
The first-years erupted into cheers, some throwing their arms around each other with tears streaming down their faces.
"We did it! We're officially Sayonaki High students!" a black-haired boy shouted, pulling one friend into a side hug before another eagerly joined in. Asuka's lips curved into a small, satisfied smile before she turned and walked off, the others trailing behind her.
Exhaling deeply, Aoi lowered herself until she sat on the ground, shutting her eyes as she drew in steady breaths. When she glanced back, Ayane and Setsuna were waiting with warm smiles, Ayane waving at her with unrestrained excitement.
Aoi let out a quiet huff, tilting her gaze up toward the ceiling. Finally… that's over. she thought.