The day of the V.G. High School entrance exam had arrived, the air heavy with anticipation and tension. Among the sea of hopefuls, Takumi Kurata stood apart, though not by intention. His usual confidence now warred with a gnawing unease.

He replayed the events leading up to this moment in his mind, over and over. How arrogant he had been to believe that he could breeze through the practical exam with nothing but his Guin, "Dominion". A weapon that could end a life in an instant, an ability designed to strike fear into living beings. Yet, here he was, facing an exam that required him to battle against something his Guin couldn’t touch.

He clenched his fists as the words of the briefing echoed in his mind: “Simulated Battle Exam.”

This wasn’t a battle of brute strength or even one of raw instinct—it was a test of adaptability, creativity, and precision. The simulated enemies weren’t people, weren’t animals, weren’t alive. They were machines. Cold, unfeeling robots crafted to expose every weakness in an examinee’s abilities.

"Dammit," he muttered, as he entered the exam grounds.

The area was a labyrinth of towering structures, crumbled walls, and alleyways designed to mimic an urban battleground. Mechanical sentinels stalked the area, their movements accompanied by an ominous metallic hum. Examinees scattered the moment the exam began, each chasing after their own mechanical prey, desperate to rack up points.

Takumi, however, walked.

Not from laziness. Not from apathy. He was calculating, analyzing the battlefield as a whole. His mind raced, piecing together a strategy. Yet, a cold truth gnawed at him: "Dominion" was useless here.

The ability to grab the spine of any vertebrate and rip it out with terrifying ease was a weapon unparalleled against living targets. But against inorganic foes, it was powerless. He couldn’t affect machines, couldn’t even dent their metallic shells.

“No living targets… Just my luck....”

He exhaled through gritted teeth, watching as others swiftly engaged the robots, the sound of metal clashing echoing around him. His calm walk earned him side-eyes from other participants.

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"Look at him," someone whispered. "Does he even care?"

But he didn’t falter. He couldn’t afford to.

Suddenly, a deafening crash shook the ground. Takumi’s eyes darted toward the source, his instincts screaming at him. A towering mechanical monstrosity emerged from the debris, its movements heavy and deliberate. This wasn’t a point-scoring enemy—it was a *Category Zero Obstacle*, something designed to push examinees into retreat, to separate the weak from the determined.

The massive machine began moving erratically, its sheer size and unpredictability forcing examinees to flee in all directions. Amid the chaos, Takumi spotted her—a girl with white hair, sprawled on the ground directly in the machine's path.

Her eyes widened in terror as the shadow of the massive foot loomed over her. She tried to move, but her legs refused to respond. The other examinees didn’t even notice her, their focus locked on their own battles or escaping the obstacle.

“She’s going to die!”

The thought gripped him like ice. His feet moved before his brain could finish the thought.

"Wait! Don’t—!" someone shouted, but their voice was a distant echo in his ears.

Takumi sprinted toward the girl, every step a battle against time. The machine’s movements were relentless, the crushing foot descending like the hand of an unfeeling god.

His breath came in ragged gasps as the gap between him and the girl remained frustratingly vast. He cursed himself—his lack of speed, his lack of versatility, his reliance on a power that couldn’t save anyone here.

"Come to me!!" he roared, desperation fueling every ounce of his will.

It was reckless. It was stupid. And it worked.

Somehow, impossibly, he reached her in time. His hand closed around hers, and with a final burst of strength, he yanked her out of harm’s way, shoving her behind him as the massive foot descended.

And then, the world went dark.

The weight of the machine crashed down, the sound of impact silencing everything else. Dust and debris filled the air.

"Ahhhhhh!!! Nooooo!!!"

Cries of horror erupted from the examinees who had witnessed the scene.

"What just happened…?"

The girl Takumi had saved sat frozen, her mind unable to process what had occurred. Others began to gather, shock and dread etched onto their faces as they stared at the spot where Takumi had stood.

Beneath the machine’s foot, there was no sign of him.

"He… saved her," someone murmured.

"Even in the exam… He didn’t hesitate."

"Move it! We have to help him!"

Several participants rushed forward, their determination ignited by what they had seen. Together, they tried to lift the massive machine’s foot, their combined efforts yielding nothing.

Before they could summon more strength, the foot shifted on its own. The examiners had deactivated it, freeing whatever remained beneath.

The dust began to settle.

"I'm… alive..."

A voice broke the silence.

All eyes turned to the crater where the machine had stood. Takumi emerged, battered but intact, his uniform torn and his face streaked with dirt. He let out a hollow laugh, his expression a mixture of relief and self-deprecation.

The white haired girl and another boy with pink spiked hairs rushed to his side.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt!?" the boy asked, his tone urgent.

"If you need help, I’ll carry you to the infirmary!" the girl added, her voice trembling with nervousness.

Takumi waved them off, a weary smile on his face.

"I’m fine… Don’t worry about me," he said, his voice low. "I didn’t get any points anyway… You guys go and become amazing heroes!"

With those parting words, he turned away and walked out of the exam grounds...