I had officially completed two years of training in the school's Combat Division. I had grown taller, but still remained skinny. It was strange, no matter how much I ate, it seemed only my height increased, while my frame stayed thin and frail.
Meanwhile, in a meeting room, Teacher Song Ran and Teacher Man Li were in discussion with other instructors and the principal, reviewing the students' performance over the past year.
The principal glanced around the table and asked, "Teachers, do we have any particularly outstanding students this year?"
Man Li raised her hand first, smiling as she replied, "In the Infantry Division, we have a student with a one-hundred percent accuracy rate in shooting."
Song Ran followed immediately: "In the Mecha Division, we also have a student with one-hundred percent synchronization."
The principal was slightly taken aback. "One hundred percent? That's extremely rare."
Song Ran nodded. "Yes. And the B-class mecha is already clearly unable to keep up with her potential. I'd like to request an A-class mecha for her."
The principal paused to think, then smiled. "Perfect timing. Recently, the Wang family sponsored a batch of A-class mecha. We can allocate them to support students with priority potential."
He fell silent for a moment, then his expression hardened, his voice sinking low.
"In that case, everyone who has endured to this point deserves to receive their true war machines. Other than a few students who may be granted access to A-class mecha, the rest will be assigned their own B-class units. From here on, training will no longer be simulations, it will be real combat, with life and death on the line."
He paused, his tone sharp as a blade.
"Tomorrow, we will hold the armor ceremony in the training ground. Every surviving student will formally receive their mecha. For most, that will mean B-class. For a select few, A-class."
The room fell silent. All the teachers understood, this was not just a reward, but a declaration: from tomorrow onward, these students would no longer be mere recruits. They would be thrust into blood and fire, into true battle.
The next day, rows of silver-gray B-class mecha stood neatly on the plaza, their metallic shells glinting coldly beneath the morning sun. The twenty surviving students lined up, their faces filled with a mix of excitement and tension.
As the principal announced the start of the ceremony, the instructors called names in turn. Students stepped forward, touched their assigned mecha, entered the cockpits, and completed the binding process. The roar of activating engines thundered across the square, merging into a warrior's symphony.
At the very front, however, stood a single A-class mecha. Silver-blue, sleek in design, it towered over the B-class units, standing out like a crane among chickens. Inevitably, all eyes were drawn to it, filled with longing and envy.
"That's the A-class? No wonder it looks so different from ours…""Hmph. Obviously for the priority students. The rest of us don't stand a chance.""I heard it's for Aurora. Is that true? She looks so small…""Accuracy one hundred percent. Synchronization one hundred percent. Who else could it be?""Damn it. I've trained an entire year, and I can't even touch the edge of an A-class."
Whispers rippled through the crowd, some full of awe, others tinged with jealousy and bitterness. Bai Tou sneered openly, arms crossed, his gaze full of naked contempt.
I stood quietly, feeling the heat of countless stares. Deep down, I knew, the A-class mecha was waiting for me.
Just then, my wristband vibrated.
[Did you like the surprise?]
It was a message from Wang Mian.
I froze for a second, then realized: this A-class mecha… had been sponsored by his family.
Another message followed:[By the way, I'm doing well in the Leadership Division. Also, my S-rank just advanced to S+. I hope you'll catch up to me soon.]
Staring at the message, I felt a surge of mixed emotions, gratitude, and at the same time, a spark of competitive fire.
I lifted my gaze, staring once again at the A-class mecha. The fighting spirit burning within me drowned out even Wang Mian's teasing provocation.
Under Teacher Song Ran's guidance, I stepped forward. The entire training ground fell silent, all eyes fixed on me. Some were full of envy; others waited to see if the rumor of "synchronization 100%" was true.
The hatch slowly opened, releasing a rush of cold mechanical air. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The alloy walls sealed behind me, and the cockpit lit up with holographic displays. Blue light enveloped me entirely.
Compared to the B-class, the A-class interior was more intricate, the neural interfaces sharper and more responsive. I placed my hand lightly on the control lever, releasing my mental energy. Instantly, a powerful surge of connection engulfed me, as though my entire being fused with the machine.
Boom!
The core engine roared to life, rattling my chest. Yet unlike the sharp pain of piloting the B-class, this time there was only seamless harmony, fluid, natural, like moving my own body.
"Synchronization complete: 100%."
The mechanical voice echoed through the cockpit.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
A faint smile tugged at my lips. I raised the mecha's arm and executed a crisp, flawless salute. The heavy metal moved with precision, steady and unwavering.
In that moment, I felt as though I had been reborn.
Applause and murmurs filled the plaza. Teacher Song Ran's eyes gleamed with approval as he called out: "Good. Next, Bai Tou, step forward."
Bai Tou's expression was dark, a cold smirk on his face as he strode toward the A-class mecha. His steps carried exaggerated bravado, as if to declare that my success had been mere luck.
The hatch sealed, and the mecha powered on. At first, his movements seemed acceptable, lifting an arm, stepping forward with some weight and pressure. A few onlookers even gasped in admiration.
But then...
The mecha suddenly faltered, stumbling as if it might collapse onto its knees.
Inside the cockpit, Bai Tou gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his forehead as he struggled to maintain control. Yet no matter how hard he tried, the mecha's actions remained sluggish, its responses dulled, as though bound by invisible chains.
"Synchronization complete: 50%."
The cold voice resounded through the plaza.
Instantly, silence fell.
Fifty, such a sharp contrast against my one hundred.
I raised an eyebrow, smirking faintly as my gaze swept over the cockpit. Even without seeing his face, I could imagine Bai Tou's expression turning ashen.
Students whispered under their breath:
"Only half? That's terrible…""The difference is way too big.""No wonder he kept provoking Aurora. Turns out, he wasn't even close."
Bai Tou finally stepped out of the mecha, his face twisted with fury, eyes burning with hatred as he glared at me as though he wanted to tear me apart.
I only smiled faintly and tossed him a casual remark:"Don't rush. Not everyone is cut out to handle a mecha."
The students erupted into laughter, the mood entirely shifted to my side.
Bai Tou's face turned an ugly shade, his glare still locked on me, but the more desperate he looked, the more pathetic he appeared.
Teacher Song Ran cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "Mm… fifty percent. Barely usable."
His words were polite, but everyone knew the truth, such a level was practically a death sentence in an A-class machine.
The whispers grew, all comparing Bai Tou and me, one at one hundred percent, the other at fifty. Worlds apart.
From the viewing platform, the principal stood with hands clasped behind his back, his face unreadable. But if one looked closely, there was a glimmer of light in his eyes.
"One hundred percent synchronization… something not seen in a century," he murmured.
Beside him, Teacher Man Li nodded gently. "And in shooting, her accuracy is also one hundred percent."
Song Ran's tone was resolute. "She must be cultivated as a top priority. The A-class mecha is only the beginning. If she continues to grow, one day she might even qualify for an S-class."
As he spoke, his hand unconsciously brushed the black metal key hanging from his neck. It gleamed coldly under the lights, hinting at some hidden secret.
The principal's eyes flickered, briefly meeting Song Ran's, but he said nothing.
After a moment's thought, his lips curved into a thin smile. "Very well. From this day on, Aurora will be placed on the priority list. She will receive full resource allocation and first priority in training."
"Yes!"
The instructors responded in unison, their eyes once more drawn to the figure standing in the training ground, me, encased in the silver-blue glow of the A-class mecha, with expectation and burning anticipation shining in their gaze.