Song Ran stood in the center of the training ground, eyes narrowing at my machine. The instant he saw the modified frame, his brows twitched, as if this sight should have been impossible.
"…You altered it?" He stepped forward, knuckles rapping against the armor.
With a low hum, my mecha powered up. Cold light pulsed between its seams. Joints rolled smooth and precise, no wasted motion. Song Ran immediately pulled up a data feed, scanning in silence.
Seconds later, his eyes widened."Power output—twelve percent higher? Latency reduced to near zero? Even inertia chaining recalibrated?"
I nodded once."I rebuilt it myself."
His head snapped up. For the first time, he looked at me as if truly seeing me."Half a year. You've only had this A-class for half a year, and you already—" He cut himself off, disbelief hardening his tone. "This isn't patchwork. This is a structural rewrite. Stabilizers, energy ports, combat tuning… these are weaponsmith domains."
He circled the frame, muttering, "Joint seals seamless… articulation fluid… even limb architecture redesigned. Impossible for a novice…"
Then he stopped, fixing me with a stare like a blade."Tell me the truth. Who taught you? Do you have a master? Or… did you really teach yourself?"
"I did it myself."
Silence.
Song Ran held my gaze, trying to pierce through me. He found no lie. Slowly, he exhaled."…Unbelievable. A lone pilot, no engineering background, yet in half a year you've reforged an A-class into this. There's only one word, genius."
His fingers brushed the black-iron key at his throat. In his eyes flickered something dangerous, interest.
"Then let me see… how far your monster can go."
He twisted the key.
The ground rumbled. Metal plates split open with heavy clanks. From the depths rose a mecha shrouded in black steel, larger than mine by a full head. Cold runes glowed along its frame. Its presence pressed the air flat, suffocating. On its shoulder burned an insignia: S.
My breath caught."An… S-class."
Song Ran smirked, leaping into the cockpit."Show me, Aurora. Show me if your creation can withstand a true predator."
Match start!
My thrusters roared. The mecha lunged low like a beast breaking leash, whip cracking out like a silver serpent.
Crack!
Sparks exploded as the strike slammed into his joint, only to meet an armored block. His machine didn't even flinch.
"Good strike," Song Ran's voice rang, cool and sharp. "But far too light."
Flames erupted from his thrusters. His mecha blurred. A black shadow filled my vision.
Boom!
A fist like a hammer struck my chest. Metal screamed. I was hurled across the arena, crashing against the steel wall. Warning klaxons shrieked in my cockpit.
Teeth gritted, I forced the frame upright. With a sharp hiss, the chest bay popped open. The meteor dagger shot into my grip.
"Hidden bay, engage. Dagger, out!"
I slid in low, dagger flashing, stabbing for the seam at his waist.
Clang!
A black energy blade ignited, intercepting in a shower of sparks. The shock rattled my arms. My dagger nearly flew free.
"You have guts. And creativity. But your machine is still too young." Song Ran's voice cut cold.
His mecha's back split open. Black wings unfurled wide, thrusters howling like predators screaming. The S-class dove from above, a hawk of steel descending.
My pulse spiked. I lashed the whip, coiling his arm, yanking with all my strength.
"…Interesting." He chuckled. His thrusters roared harder. Instead of being pulled, he dragged me upward, body and frame lifted helplessly into the air.
Alarms wailed."Damn it!"
In a split-second gamble, I let the dagger fly. Blade and whip crossed in midair. The dagger tore through the jetstream.
Slash!
A conduit burst. Gas roared out in a fiery blast.
Boom!
Song Ran's machine faltered.
I ripped free, slamming down to the floor, my frame kneeling hard, vents screaming.
The battlefield froze.
His S-class still towered, but for the first time, shock flickered in his eyes."…Half a year, and you can push an A-class this far. Unreal."
He retracted the blade. The wings folded back, locking into armor."That's far enough."
The words were soft, but heavy. The arena fell silent, the hum of machinery pressing in.
I stared back. I knew, he hadn't used his full strength. Not his thrusters, not his blade. He had been measuring me.
"Half a year…" His voice came low, tinged with a strange smile. "Aurora… you are not simple."
I said nothing, whip retracting with a hiss. My breath still came ragged.
Even through steel, I could feel his eyes. Not suspicion. Appraisal. The gaze of a predator weighing prey, or a master choosing a disciple.
His fingers brushed the iron key. He murmured almost to himself,"Perhaps I should keep you closer… and watch carefully."
Then he turned, leaving me standing alone in the center of the arena.
I had not lost. But I had not won either.
What stayed with me was the fire in his eyes.
Not surprise.Not doubt.
Interest.