chapter 2 - The sync test
Outside the combat training arena was quiet—until the massive steel door groaned open.
Kaede, Ellura, and Asami stepped into a circular dome lined with reinforced walls. Dozens of cameras floated in the air above them, capturing every angle for review.
Waiting in the center was a combat testing unit. A sleek, humanoid machine glowing faintly with internal energy. Its limbs twitched in anticipation. Towering over 10 feet tall.
"Team Seven," the instructor's voice boomed over the intercom, "your sync test begins now. Objective: disable the unit. Scoring based on teamwork, efficiency, and time."
Kaede's amber eyes locked on the bot. Her muscles tensed, but she didn't move. Not yet.
The robot powered on—fully. Red eyes flashing.
START
Ellura vanished.
Not from speed—from sight. Her form split into multiple copies, each darting around the battlefield: her, two illusions of herself, a burning pillar of fire, a floating blade, a collapsing building, and…
Kaede blinked intensely. "Did she just… make a kaiju?"
The bot flinched. It couldn't calculate what was real. It swung its arms in a desperate attempt to hit something.
Then one Ellura phased through its strike, becoming intangible, allowing the real Ellura to strike, landing a solid spinning elbow to its back. Metal cracked.
Another illusion exploded behind it—pure misdirection.
The bot reeled, recalibrating—
—but Ellura didn't give it time. She spun beneath its legs, landing two more strikes before its arm shot out and grabbed her mid-roll.
It slammed her into the ground.
Hard.
Kaede stepped forward.
"I got her," Asami said.
She pressed her hands together. A pulse of light flowed from her body and hit Ellura mid-air.
Ellura's skin shimmered—reinforced.
The next slam didn't even faze her. She grinned, twisted in the bot's grip, and headbutted it.
"Durability buff active," Asami smirked.
"Don't overdo it!" Asami said, warning Ellura.
The room tore open with a whistle — three missiles, spiraling toward kaede and asami in perfect formation.
Asami - "shit"
Kaede stepped forward
The missiles entered her range — and suddenly froze mid-air.
Their force, their motion, It had… — vanished.
The metal casings clattered to the ground like empty cans.
She exhaled, a faint shimmer rippling down her arms.
Power surged through Kaede's veins. Her skin rippled with tension as every muscle in her body adjusted.
Her fingers buzzed—vibrated—at supersonic speed.
Transferring every ounce of kinetic energy to her hand.
She dashed forward, vaulted off a debris pile, and launched herself into the air.
In the distance Ellura noticed a red blur zooming towards the robot, the slight glance alerted the robot. It began to turn around.
However.
The bot turned too late. The distance was already closed.
Kaede pulled her middle finger back.
Flick.
The finger, making contact with the robot, transferred the kinetic energy.
A wave of stolen energy.
The air cracked like thunder.
The robot's entire upper body crumpled inward and exploded upward, scrap metal raining down like confetti.
Then the instructor's voice echoed again.
"Congratulations, Test complete. Team Seven: 91% compatibility. Time: 1 minute, 47 seconds."
The girls walked out smiling. Ellura was impressed.
Asami looked over at Kaede's hand, still. "Remind me not to piss you off."
Kaede just grinned.
Outside the simulation room, a digital scoreboard updated with recent results. Dozens of students gathered to check the scores.
"Yo…" someone muttered. "Look at that."
Team Seven's compatibility score: 91%.
Impressive. It was the highest compatibility rating so far.
DING! the board had updated
another number caught their attention.
Team Eleven – Completion Time: 0:29 seconds.
Compatibility: 37%.
"…They cleared the bot in under 30 seconds?" Ellura blinked.
Kaede leaned in. "Team eleven…?"
A photo popped up.
One was familiar, it was the tall boy from the exam room. The one who had fallen asleep.
The other two, unfamiliar. Quiet. No flash.
Just… ordinary-looking kids.
"They don't look like anything special to me" Asami said.
Then the match-up chart flashed and displayed
Tier One Match – Highlighted.
Team 7 vs. Team 11.
24 Hours till the fight begins.
A hush fell over the room.
Another screen flickered. Current Rankings Uploaded.
1.Ellura kiryuu (team 7)
2.Gin Harrow (team 11)
3.Yuto Shimizu (team 11)
4.Kaede Arakawa (team 7)
5.Tatsuki Ren (team 14)
In this school, rankings mean everything
The crowd stirred. Kaedes eyes narrowed. "Gin… Yuto… These two are labelled under Team number eleven."
Kaede's fists clenched, not out of fear, but anticipation.
This wasn't just a test anymore. Their first battle loomed just less than 24 hours away.