The Final Trial of Stage One: The Mechanical Guardian

The battlefield trembled as the colossal mechanical guardian rose from the ground, its towering frame adorned with glowing red sigils. Its metallic body reflected the chaotic landscape half jungle, half tundra, and half molten rock.

A voice echoed through the battlefield:

“This is your final challenge. Survive or be eliminated!”

The remaining twelve teams immediately sprang into action.

Fujikawa Academy’s Strategy

Haruto, Kai Takahashi, and Rin Takahashi (the siblings) positioned themselves cautiously.

Ami, monitoring from the sidelines, clenched her fists. “I don’t know how he’s doing it, but Haruto is keeping up…”

Kai cracked his knuckles. “What’s the plan, Haruto?”

Rin, his younger sister, adjusted her gloves. “This thing’s a walking fortress. No weak points visible.”

Haruto stared at the machine. His instincts screamed at him. If I go all out, everyone will know…

But he had to act.

The Guardian’s Wrath

The mechanical titan lifted its colossal hand, releasing a shockwave pulse that sent weaker teams flying off the battlefield.

Three teams were instantly eliminated.

The survivors regrouped.

 • Kagutsuchi Academy’s team launched fire bombardments, but the titan’s armor absorbed the heat.

 • Tenma Academy’s team tried freezing its joints, but it adapted quickly.

 • Satsuki Jr. (Tenshou Academy) observed with a smirk. “I see… it learns from its opponents.”

Haruto’s Silent Strength

Rin leaped forward, aiming a reinforced punch at the guardian’s knee joint.

CRACK!

Nothing.

Instead, the guardian retaliated with a laser blast—a direct hit would end her.

“Rin!” Kai dashed in, grabbing her mid-air before the laser struck.

The explosion sent them tumbling, but Haruto was already moving.

He landed behind the guardian’s leg and, for the first time, his right eye flickered—a glimpse of hidden power.

In an instant, Haruto analyzed the guardian’s movements.

 • It prioritizes strong attacks.

 • It adapts instantly to abilities.

 • Its core is not in the chest… but in the back of the head.

“If I attack it outright, they’ll know I’m not normal…”

Haruto took a breath. Instead of attacking, he whispered to Kai and Rin:

“Distract it. The core is behind the head.”

Kai grinned. “Finally, some direction!”

Breaking the Guardian

 • Kai acted as bait, throwing earth-shattering punches at its arms.

 • Rin used light speed-enhanced kicks, confusing its sensors.

 • Haruto moved in the shadows.

As the guardian adjusted, Haruto leaped above it—moving too fast for normal eyes to track.

Before anyone could process his movement, he delivered a single precise strike—right to the core.

BOOM!

The guardian collapsed, its systems overloading.

Silence.

Then, an announcement:

“Stage One… Complete. Survivors will move on to the next stage after a day of rest.”

Haruto exhaled. That was close…

The Monitoring Room – Watching the Truth

In a dark control room, the top students of all six academies sat in silence. They had watched everything live.

 • Ami Sakuragi (Student Council President, Fujikawa Academy)

 • Satsuki Araragi (Senior, Tenshou Academy)

 • Takahiro Fushiguro (Kagutsuchi Academy)

 • Reina Hoshigaki (Hoshiyama Academy)

Ami leaned forward. “Haruto Kisaragi… He is doing better than I thought.”

Satsuki Senior adjusted his glasses. “No. He’s just a lucky dude, that’s all.”

The screen rewound, showing Haruto’s untraceable speed and perfectly executed strike.

Satsuki Senior narrowed his eyes. “That wasn’t normal movement. That was level combat instinct.”

Ami remained silent.

She had always doubted Haruto’s abilities. But after today, she wasn’t sure anymore.

Haruto’s Growing Mystery

As the competitors rested, whispers spread across the academy.

 • “How did Haruto survive?”

 • “He took down the guardian with a single hit.”

 • “Was it luck? Or something else?”

Even Haruto’s own team had questions.

Kai leaned against a wall. “Hey, Haruto, you were a little too fast back there.”

Rin raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, and your attack was too precise.”

Haruto gave a small laugh. “I guess I put up too hard, My bad!”

But Ami, watching from afar from the screen, smiled.

Haruto Kisaragi wasn’t just lucky.

He is making an effort at his best.

And the tournament had just begun.

……..