First Mecha Experience

"Alright! Time's up!" The librarian banged on the door forcefully, announcing to everyone inside. "Everybody out! And you, the boy in the green shirt, take that book out from under your shirt. Don't think I didn't see that!"

The lights in the Restricted Section suddenly went out. Yuka noticed the bookshelves on either side starting to close in towards the center. She quickly put down her notes and walked out, grabbing her opticomputer from the table and giving one last glance at the slowly closing door.

Inside, all the bookshelves had merged into a tight wooden cube, sealing away both the real and the fictional secrets, waiting to be rediscovered.

Toru, back to his usual shy self, awkwardly apologized to Yuka and the others, "I'm really sorry, I was just too eager to get up here and read. I was a bit rude to you guys."

Yuka replied, "No worries."

Toru and Ayoi exchanged names, and Alex realized that Toru seemed to know Yuka.

Yuka smiled, "Just a coincidence."

Toru nodded at Alex, "Yes, it's all fate. Oh, I should have told you that this section is only open once every three months. By that calculation, the next opening will be in December, right around our final exams. We can only come here twice a semester."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Toru asked.

Yuka nodded.

"Great. I've got a class now, so I'll head off. See you," Toru waved goodbye.

After Toru left, Yuka and her friends slowly went down the stairs.

Alex said, "I only found a science book on Mutant Insectoids. It was never officially published, full of the author's wild speculations about insect mutations, but nothing like what we saw last night."

"I just found a children's picture book," Ayoi grumbled, "Is that even suitable for kids? What was the artist thinking, drawing a human-insectoid romance, and in the end, the human gets eaten by the mantis insectoid? It's gory... Nothing useful in there."

Yuka pursed her lips, "I found... a notebook, recorded by someone from the Alliance Science Academy."

Alex and Ayoi's eyes lit up.

"It documents the growth process of a Queen from egg to adult," Yuka whispered, "And what we saw last night looks very much like the larval stage of the Queen Insectoid."

Ayoi and Alex's eyes widened.

Ayoi couldn't help but blurt out, "But how can that be? A Queen Insectoid?"

"The Queen Insectoid was eradicated by the Alliance Army a hundred years ago," Alex frowned, turning to Yuka, "When was this notebook written?"

"Stardate 209," Yuka answered.

Alex's frown deepened, "That makes even less sense. Each generation of insectoids has only one Queen. When the Alliance discovered the Queen and the insectoids started attacking humans, the Queen was already an mature one. This notebook was written almost a hundred years after the Queen first appeared. How could it possibly know what the larval form of the Queen looked like?"

"Unless…" he trailed off.

Yuka picked up his thought, "Unless someone was breeding a Queen Bug, the owner of the notebook, perhaps."

The three fell into a heavy silence.

They left the library in silence until Ayoi forced a dry laugh, "Let's not think like that. Maybe the notebook was just made up."

'Impossible.' Yuka thought about Nori, a carefree person but extremely serious about scientific research. As her home tutor, he would spend hours criticizing her for a single punctuation error. So, he wouldn't write a notebook full of fabrications.

Yet, Yuka didn't contradict Ayoi. She muttered softly with downcast eyes, "Ayoi might be right. If someone could breed a Queen Bug, letting the insectoids re-emerge, they wouldn't be so careless as to let a larva parasitize a student and expose the Queen so openly."

After a pause, she added another thought: What if the perpetrator wanted to reveal the existence of the Queen, throw the Alliance into chaos again?

However, Ayoi didn't seem to consider these possibilities. She perked up, taking Yuka's hand, saying, "Exactly, none of this makes sense. We must be mistaken. Maybe it was just like the news department said, some new type of bomb planted by pirates."

Alex, feigning ease, shrugged in agreement, "Yeah, must be."

With these thoughts, the three parted ways at the library entrance, each heading in different directions. Ayoi went off to find her brothers, and Yuka walked back alone. Some people seemed interested in striking up a conversation with her, but upon seeing her Combat Department uniform, they lost interest.

Yuka was glad to be left alone, walking while trying to dredge up every detail about Nori from her memory.

Nori had come to her house when she was five. 

At that time, Yuka was of age to start elementary school. However, having transmigrated with an adult soul in a five-year-old's body, she didn't want to attend class with actual children. Plus, she didn't want to give up the luxurious lifestyle at home, so she convinced Hideki to hire her a home tutor.

But this home tutor, Nori, was far from a typical teacher. He had a volatile temper and lacked patience, even for a child as adorable as Yuka. He often sarcastically mocked her intelligence, showing no regard for her young and fragile mind.

With Hideki often away on business, Yuka had no one to complain to. Enduring it as long as she could, she eventually couldn't hold back and started to talk back and even physically fight with Nori. 

Incredibly, Nori, that jerk, didn't hesitate to fight back, even against a five-year-old. After their fights, they would take a day to recover and then resume their quarrels. In Yuka's memory, they never had a harmonious moment, let alone a warm one.

However, whenever Hideki returned, she and Nori would silently pretend as if nothing had happened. Yuka remained the cute and obedient student, and Nori, the strict but good teacher.

Despite her dislike for Nori, Yuka had to admit, among the geniuses she had encountered, he was the most formidable. He seemed to have no weaknesses, excelling in physical strength, psychic power, and intelligence.

His practical skills were also impressive; he created the butler all by himself.

Nori had taught her for three years before leaving without a trace or leaving any contact information.

Suddenly, Yuka realized that during those three years, she never asked about Nori's background or his future plans.

Then, it hit her. The day before school started, she had the butler send a message to her father about Nori being a wanted man, yet her father showed no surprise at the revelation that his daughter's tutor was an outlaw!

Yuka stopped in her tracks and called out to the butler, "Call my dad."

The butler retrieved Hideki's contact from the opticomputer's directory and dialed.

"Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in the service area."

No signal.

The butler reminded her, "Master, your father mentioned he was visiting a newly developed planet for inspection. It's normal not to have a signal. Is it urgent? Do you need to leave a message?"

Yuka shook her head, "No need."

"I want to know," Yuka asked seriously, "what do you know about Nori?"

The butler shrank slightly, "He is my creator."

Yuka, "That's it?"

"That's it," the butler replied quietly.

Expecting more questions, the butler was surprised when Yuka didn't continue the conversation. Instead, she headed to the cafeteria, had a simple lunch, and then left the school.

Once outside, Yuka swiftly entered a nearby public restroom, changed out of her uniform, and tossed it into her space button. She then pulled out a set of sportswear and changed into it.

Yuka opened another space button given to her with her new Lev, taking out the helmet and putting it on before exiting the restroom. She found a Lev taxi on the street and traveled to the Central Square of Capital Octoxis.

Finding a quiet spot, Yuka sat down on a bench at the roadside. As she fiddled with her opticomputer, occasionally checking the time and map, the butler asked, "Master, where are we going?"

"To the black market," Yuka replied.

The butler instantly became alert, almost yelling, "The underground illegal market with lots of bad people? Master, a lady shouldn't…"

"I'm going to buy information about Nori," Yuka interrupted.

The butler fell silent.

Yuka scrolled to the bottom of her contacts, selecting a number with a black avatar and no information. She sent her coordinates to the contact, "Come pick me up."

In about fifteen minutes, a low-profile black Lev car stopped in front of her. The door opened, and a boy wearing a black mask peeked out, smiling at Yuka, "Our first offline meeting, Phyxier."

Yuka got into the car, sitting next to him.

The boy in the mask chattered away, "Hey, do you remember when we first met online? You kept raising the price, shooting that necklace's price up to fifty million astracredits. Everyone else was too intimidated to continue."

"I didn't know the rules then," Yuka admitted.

"Right, right," he said, "It was obvious, but man, you're really loaded. By the way, how did you find out about the black market's online auction site?"

"Saw it from someone else," she answered.

She had accidentally discovered it while using Nori's opticomputer after he left. One afternoon, Yuka remembered the website, logged in, and named herself Phyxier, inadvertently entering the black market auction.

Even online, the black market was cautious.

The actual auction item was a pink diamond necklace, but the seller posted a picture of a cute toy bear wearing the necklace, which at first glance appeared to be plastic.

Yuka assumed they were auctioning the toy bear.

She watched the price start at five million and casually clicked to raise it by one million. The other buyers, taken aback by the newcomer's aggressive bidding, followed suit.

Yuka didn't pay attention to their bids, always clicking one million more than the highest offer.

Eventually, Yuka won the necklace for fifty million, but when the middleman, the boy with the black mask, came to deliver, Yuka told him she didn't want the necklace anymore.

The boy was initially startled by her change of mind, but then Yuka messaged, "Keep the necklace to sell. Hold onto the bear for me. If I ever want to visit the black market in Capital Octoxis again, give it to me when you come to pick me up."

He asked, "What if you never come?"

Yuka didn't reply.

That was how Yuka secured her black market membership and the boy's on-call service for fifty million astracredits.

The boy in the black mask picked up a box from the seat beside him and handed Yuka the bear inside, "Here, your bear."

Yuka took the soft, squishy bear, hugging and rubbing it, "Thanks."

He stretched his legs out, "Actually, when I agreed to your terms back then, I was quite nervous. I hate dealing with troublesome clients. Luckily, you're contacting me for the first time in years… By the way, call me 'Black One'. I'm not just a delivery guy anymore. My status in the black market has risen. Whatever you need, just let me know."

Yuka replied indifferently, "Oh, I want to buy Queen Insectoid eggs."

Black One swerved, hitting his head on the back of the front seat, his voice changing, "You want to buy what?!"

"Just kidding," Yuka also stretched her legs, blocking out the butler's voice, "I want to buy unpublished research records from the Alliance Science Academy."

Black One's smile faded, "Although our principle is to not care about what our clients want to buy or sell, whether it's dead or alive, as we only facilitate transactions, I still have to warn you, given our years of acquaintance. The Academy is deep waters. Don't wade into this mess."

Yuka shrugged, "Got it."

Seeing she wasn't taking his advice seriously, Black One stopped persuading.

The two fell silent.

The car's windows were sealed from the inside and blackened, completely obscuring the outside view. Yuka knew this was to hide the location of the black market and avoid trouble.

After another ten minutes, the car slowed down and finally stopped. Black One stepped out, opening the door for Yuka, placing his left hand between his stomach and ribs, bowing, "Your way, please."

His frivolous demeanor in the car was replaced by solemnity. Yuka glanced at him and then turned to look at the building in front of her.

It was a large, all-black building with a Gothic, spire-like structure that looked ominous and sinister.

People passing by all wore masks. Yuka adjusted her helmet and said to Black One, "Let's go."

Following half a step behind Yuka, Black One explained, "There are signal jammers here; no interstellarnet, opticomputers won't work either. The main hall is for free trading, nothing too expensive. The second floor is for first-level auctions, with a cap of ten million astracredits; the third floor goes up to one hundred million, and the fourth floor to five hundred million…"

"And if I want to buy something specific that's not available here, where should I go?" Yuka asked.

"You'd go to the sixth floor. Only members with a Black Card can enter there," Black One replied.

Yuka looked at him.

Biting his lip, Black One muttered, "Consider it a favor you owe me." He pulled out a black card from his pocket and discreetly handed it to Yuka. "Take it. But I suggest you first check the main hall. If you don't find what you need, then see today's auction list. If all else fails, go to the sixth floor. That place is cutthroat. I've never seen anyone come out of there happy."

Entering the main hall, Black One distanced himself from Yuka, bowing with a smile. "Enjoy your shopping."

As he disappeared onto the second floor, Yuka, holding her bear, began searching for what she wanted in the main hall.

The hall was crowded with buyers and sellers, most without much money, avoiding the high-stakes auctions and haggling over deals, trying to outsmart each other.

Not finding anything of interest, Yuka was about to leave when she felt someone tug at her bear.

"Little girl, do you like this piggy toy?" asked a stall owner wearing an yellow mask, surrounded by plush toys.

Yuka shook her head, "No, I don't."

She felt indifferent to all toys. Her home was filled with plush toys, gifts from Hideki as compensation for his frequent absences. As a child, he compensated with toys; as she grew, it turned to astracredits.

Yuka figured this was why Hideki never really understood her, still believing she was a lady who loved pink and plush toys.

The stall owner smacked his lips, "Not this one? How about this one?" He pulled out an old doll from a box, its dress faded.

Leaning closer, he whispered, "This, you see, was meant to be a gift from the former queen to her child. But before she could give it, she died in a car accident. This doll has had a rough journey to get here."

He held up three fingers, "Only three hundred thousand astracredits. What do you think?"

"How do I know what you're saying is true?" Yuka challenged.

"Ah, first time at the black market, huh?" The stall owner chuckled, pointing towards a long table in the center of the hall. "See that worker with the black mask? He specializes in authenticating goods. If you pay him enough, he can verify anything."

"But the authentication fee is quite expensive," the stall owner added. "Young lady, if you trust me, just take it. Thirty thousand astracredits is already the lowest price. It's genuine, you won't regret it."

"Let's get it authenticated," Yuka said.

The stall owner, seeing Yuka's insistence, reluctantly got up and followed her to the authentication table, muttering, "Why bother…"

The worker, wearing white gloves, asked Yuka, "Authentication fees are to be borne by the buyer. Are you sure?"

Yuka nodded, "Yes, I'm sure."

The stall owner quickly added, "It's selling for thirty thousand astracredits."

He looked at Yuka nervously, hoping she wouldn't change her mind. It's rare to come across such an easy target.

Yuka waited quietly as the worker authenticated the doll.

After a few minutes, the worker declared, "It's genuine. The authentication fee is ten thousand astracredits."

Yuka pulled out her card, swiped it on the machine to cover both the authentication fee and the price of the doll, then put the doll into her space button.

The stall owner, initially elated about duping Yuka, regretted not asking for more upon seeing her space button. He lamented inwardly: 'She really is loaded!'

Yuka wasn't worried about being scammed by the seller and the black market. Despite its name, the black market guaranteed authenticity in its transactions, never risking its reputation.

Ignoring the stall owner's attempts to sell her more toys, Yuka headed straight for the elevator and went up to the sixth floor.

At the entrance, two burly guards blocked her path. Yuka produced the Black Card, and another worker wearing a black mask came over, checked the card, and, finding it valid, handed it back to her.

"Please follow me."

Holding her bear, Yuka walked at a measured pace, observing the room's layout. The decor resembled that of the medieval period in the former universe era, with paintings of the Madonna and Child on the walls. Yuka even noticed a knight's sword placed next to an umbrella.

"Please come in," the worker said, bowing.

Yuka faced a heavy wooden door. She pushed it open and stepped inside.

The reception room was styled in medieval decor, with porcelain adorning the table and a few tea leaves floating in a teacup.

Behind a thick red curtain, Yuka heard a woman's raspy voice, "Please have a seat, dear. Would you like some tea?"

Yuka sat down but didn't touch the teacup. 

The woman asked from behind the curtain, "What would you like to purchase?"

Yuka responded, "Unpublished research data and notes from the Alliance Science Academy."

There was a pause before the woman replied, "That won't be cheap. Which field?"

"Insectoid research," Yuka stated.

This time the woman took longer to respond. She laughed softly, "Starting price is one billion astracredits. Don't find it too expensive. These things are hard to come by and worth the price."

"Should I pay now?" Yuka pulled out her card. "You just find the goods; I have the money."

The woman chuckled, "My, aren't you bold, not afraid of being overcharged."

"Smart people don't ruin their own reputation," Yuka leaned back, touching the bear's ears. "Can you find it?"

The woman spoke softly, "I can't be certain. You'll need to pay a deposit first. Once the goods are available, I'll have Black One inform you."

Yuka thought of Black One's proud demeanor, unaware his boss knew all his tricks, and almost laughed.

"Okay," Yuka asked, "How much for the deposit?"

"I quite like you," the woman said. "Let's not talk money… Give me something solid, something to make me happy."

Her words were laden with implication, but Yuka acted as if she didn't understand. She reached into her pocket, used her psychic power to soften the butler's spherical body, and plucked out a piece of Oniyon the size of a fingernail, then placed it on the table.

The butler: :(

"Is this much Oniyon enough?" Yuka asked.

A noise came from behind the curtain, as if someone had fallen off their chair. After a moment, the woman's husky voice said, "Enough, it's enough."

Yuka nodded, standing up, "Also, if you come across any information about a person named Konda Nori, please let me know."

The woman cheerfully agreed, "Of course. We always strive to satisfy our esteemed clients. You won't be disappointed."

Her attitude had warmed considerably, "Take care, and we look forward to your next visit."

Yuka waved her hand and left. The worker who had originally escorted her in handed her another card, saying, "Miss, this is a higher-grade Platinum Card."

Yuka handed over her Black Card and received the Platinum Card in return. Then she boarded the exclusive vehicle reserved for Black Gold clients. She lifted the block on the butler, who immediately started complaining tearfully, "You used my body to make deals with that wicked woman!"

Yuka was at a loss for words. The butler's complaints sounded almost like it had been involved in some sexual trade.

While wiping its tears, the butler added, "That bad woman, she put a listening device in the things she gave."

Yuka examined the Platinum Card, finding the spot the butler mentioned. She gently bent the card, cracking the hidden listening device inside. The woman behind the curtain jolted as her earpiece exploded, causing her to fling it to the ground in pain.

After regaining her composure, the woman chuckled softly, "So quick to discover?" She rubbed her temples and instructed a man in a black mask to check Yuka's card records.

Minutes later, the man returned, reporting, "We couldn't find anything. Her account has the highest protection level; we dare not intrude into the Alliance Bank's customer system."

The woman murmured in surprise, "Able to casually produce Oniyon, and with such a protected account... Could she be royalty? Or maybe from the Alliance Army?"

Meanwhile, Yuka, neither royalty nor from the Alliance Army, returned to the central square. She changed her outfit in a restroom and slipped out in a different dress, evading her followers and taking a taxi back to school.

In the dorm, Ayoi was watching a movie. Seeing Yuka, she asked, "Did you go out, Yuka?"

"Yeah," Yuka replied, showing Ayoi the bear she bought, "I went out to buy this toy."

"That bear is so cute," Ayoi complimented.

Yuka put the bear into the smart washing machine and asked Ayoi, "I'm going to grab dinner. Want to come?"

Ayoi shook her head, "I've already eaten."

Yuka smiled, changed into her uniform, and went out. She mailed the doll from the school's postal station, then bought some snacks and returned to her dorm.

In the boys' dorm next door, Alex received a call from the delivery service. Confused, he said, "But I didn't order anything."

The delivery guy said, "There's no sender, but you're the recipient. Just accept it, what's the harm?"

So, Alex took the box to his room, opening it with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.

The moment he saw the contents, his eyes welled up with tears. Trembling, he picked up the doll from the box, finding a printed note at the bottom:

Alex:

This the gift your mother couldn't give you.

Yuka's dislike for Thursdays stemmed from the mecha practical class scheduled on that day. The class, held in the annex building of the Network Security Institute, was specifically designed for mecha specialization students and was always crowded. The Combat Department's three specializations converged here, and Yuka, indifferent to the front seats, settled in the last row with Ayoi.

Kenji, the instructor, arrived half an hour early and was pleased to see no latecomers. "Good, everyone's on time. Although this is a practical class, you must grasp the theoretical aspects before handling real mechas. You'll undergo specialized simulation training on the interstellarnet. Only those who pass can pilot real mechas."

After distributing a theoretical document to everyone, Kenji casually asked if anyone was unfamiliar with the principles of mechas, to which the class responded in unison, "Yes!"

Yuka, however, was bewildered.

The class then moved to a different room filled with simulation pods, each connected to advanced computers, enabling access to the mecha simulation training environment. The pods, about human-sized and bristling with cables, awaited their occupants.

Kenji instructed them to choose a pod, emphasizing orderliness to avoid crowding. Ayoi dragged Yuka to a pod, where she hesitantly sat down, observing others eagerly lying in their pods, ready for training.

When Kenji noticed Yuka sitting idle, he approached and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm reviewing the theory," Yuka replied.

Kenji, in disbelief, questioned, "You haven't studied mecha theory?"

Yuka looked at him innocently, "No."

Kenji, rubbing his forehead, said, "You should go through it first. Once you're done, I'll guide you into the training simulation."

Yuka nodded and began reading the basics of mecha theory on her opticomputer.

Essentially, modern mechas, mostly composed of Oniyon, had evolved into compact and lightweight models. Those with high psychic power could control Oniyon—and by extension, the mechas—seamlessly, performing complex maneuvers and maximizing their combat potential.

Mechas typically came equipped with firepower, fueled by advanced fuels. Pilots could also transform parts of their mechas into cold weapons for melee attacks.

Simulation pods allowed users to connect to the system and enter a simulated training environment. In this virtual space, one's physical and psychic powers were nearly identical to reality, with less than 0.001 deviation, making it an ideal setting for mecha pilot training. The simulation offered various modes and maps, including solo practice, team modes, and combat simulations.

Hearing Kenji's voice above her, Yuka confirmed she had finished reading.

Before she could finish her sentence, Kenji pushed her into the simulation pod. As the barrier closed, she heard him instruct, "Close your eyes, establish a mental connection with the system, then select the Training Mode."

Following his directions, Yuka soon found herself standing on a grassy field upon reopening her eyes. Ayoi excitedly rushed over, "Yuka, you're finally here!"

Yuka touched the grass, surprised by its realistic feel. "Isn't it amazing?" Ayoi beamed.

Yuka nodded, standing beside Ayoi and looking towards Kenji, who stood by a small red flag.

Kenji addressed the class, "The final grade for my course is the average of each session's score. Today is a basic operation lesson. You just need to adapt to the mecha and walk in a straight line."

"For those with lower psychic power, don't worry. Your initial rating is 'A', though those with higher power will show their true rating. But remember, you're being assessed on your control of psychic power and the mecha, not the power itself."

Pointing to a small red flag, he explained, "Start from my position and walk to that flag."

As he spoke, a one-meter-wide red line appeared between the two flags.

"Just walk along this line. When you think you're ready, come and walk it. Everyone gets one chance, and all must complete it before the class ends."

"Let's begin."

Yuka, upon hearing a gasp from the side, turned to see a two-meter-tall silver mecha materialize on the grass.

Kenji explained to the class, "This is the most common type of mecha for beginners. Look at your right hand. You'll find two buttons: [Summon] and [Dismiss]. You know what to do, right?"

Only then did Yuka notice a blue dot on her right hand. She pressed the summon mecha button and instantly felt her perspective shift higher. She found herself sitting inside the mecha's cockpit, with a transparent protective barrier allowing clear visibility. In front of the pilot's seat was a small control panel, primarily for firepower commands.

Yuka covered the entire mecha with her psychic power, standing steadily in place. It was a peculiar sensation, as if her body had suddenly gained an extra part that she could feel and control instinctively.

A loud crash nearby drew her attention. Two mechas were tangled up on the ground, twitching as their pilots struggled to regain control. The limbs of the mechas flailed uncontrollably, creating a chaotic scene.

The other students chuckled at the spectacle, but their amusement was short-lived as they soon realized their own struggles. The new "body parts" they had acquired didn't respond as expected, leading to widespread disarray.

Students who had managed to stand were quickly caught up in the commotion, resulting in a field scattered with fallen mechas.

Yuka stood alone on the grass. A mecha, which seemed to be Ayoi's, had toppled towards her. Reacting instinctively, Yuka stepped aside, watching Ayoi's mecha fall face down.

Feeling Kenji's gaze, Yuka pondered for a moment and then gracefully crouched down, lying on the ground in an attempt to blend in.

Kenji summoned his mecha, smoothly and swiftly approaching the struggling students. He kicked the mecha responsible for causing the most falls, mockingly commenting, "What's wrong? Can't walk?"

"Can't get up, huh?" He circled the bouncing mechas, remarking disdainfully, "Seems like a bunch of weaklings to me. There's an hour and twenty minutes left before class ends. Let's see how many of you can stand up."

Kenji's challenge echoed among the students as they scrambled to gain control over their mechas.

Kenji, steering his mecha back to the red flag, shook his head and sighed, "Alright, I'll shorten the distance. A few more falls and you should reach the end. If anyone still can't make it across this short distance, I'll have to sadly admit to outsiders that I can't teach UUA's Combat Department students because they can't even walk."

His words, heavy with sarcasm, spurred everyone into action. They began to wriggle and struggle on the ground, desperately trying to stand.

Three minutes later, someone staggered to their feet. Alex, panting and focusing hard to maintain balance, cautiously took a step forward. Under the watchful eyes of his peers, his mecha wobbled precariously in the air, its body swaying alarmingly. But he managed to stabilize and complete the step, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

Someone shouted, "This is one small step for Alex, but one giant leap for the whole Combat Department!"

Yuka, recognizing Alex's face through his protective shield, smiled genuinely.

Fred, consumed with anger and envy at his brother's success, found the strength to stand up in his mecha and began pursuing Alex.

One by one, others also mastered the technique, rising to practice in open spaces.

When most of the students had walked, Yuka slowly got up from the ground. As she took a step forward and noticed Kenji looking at her, she pretended to lose balance and fell back to her original position.

Confused, the butler asked, "Master, what are you doing?"

Yuka responded, "I've decided to score zero."

The butler was left puzzled by her decision.