The trial was over.
Sirens echoed through Zone 7 as drones descended, scanning the unconscious students scattered like fallen leaves. Cain stood alone at the center, his shirt torn, wristband flickering with overload warnings.
Blood dripped from his brow — not from a wound, but from the sheer toll of the fight.
He'd survived. Alone.
The instructors didn't speak as they escorted him out.
The other students? They stared in silence. Some in awe. Others in fear.
> "He's not normal."
> "They really threw him in as bait... and he won?"
> "That's not a glitch. That's a monster."
---
Back in the academy med-wing, Cain sat shirtless as a medical bot patched his bruises. A sharp sting pulsed across his side.
> "You tore three muscle groups and sprained your right wrist," the bot announced. "Recommendation: 48 hours rest."
Cain looked away. "No time for that."
The door slid open with a hiss.
Instructor Kael walked in — the one who'd given him the tracker. He was tall, dark-skinned, and always wore mirrored shades, even indoors.
> "You're a problem, Cain."
Cain didn't respond.
> "That little show in Zone 7? We broadcast it. Higher-ups saw everything."
Cain's gaze sharpened. "What do they want?"
> "They want to control it."
Kael tossed a file on the table. Cain glanced at it: "Hell Class Admission: Special Exception."
> "This is the academy's elite section. Top 1%. Students with rare Gears, bloodlines, or government backing. You've been invited."
Cain's jaw clenched. "Because I survived?"
> "Because you made the system look stupid," Kael said bluntly. "And that means they either elevate you... or erase you."
---
Meanwhile, in a dark chamber beneath the academy's main tower, a council of masked figures convened around a glowing hologram of Cain's face.
> "No Gear. No rank. Yet he dismantled 7 teams."
> "Project Valen might still be alive…"
> "Should we terminate?"
> "Not yet. Let's see how deep the glitch runs."
---
Back in his dorm, Cain stared at the Hell Class invitation. His name was printed in red.
Then, beneath it, a hand-written line:
> "If you bleed in front of wolves, they won't run. They'll bite harder. See you in Hell — Iris."
Cain smirked, folding the paper.
> "Fine. If Hell's where they want me…"
> "…then I'll make them regret building it."