Chapter 26 - Ostrich’s Egg

[Examination Start]

The piercing whistle echoed, signaling the start of the Weaponry Basics Test. Myrrh, encased in her white-and-gold, colossal mech armor, stood poised in the starting zone, her figure gleaming under the stark lights of the simulation room. Around us, a sprawling metropolis materialized, its streets, skyscrapers, and overpasses casting long, shadowed lines, replicating the urban warfare environment she was about to navigate.

I glanced at the holographic minimap, a glowing grid pulsating with destination points, and set the first marker. “Go to the first position!”

With a surge, Myrrh ignited her boosters, the soft hum building into a roar as she rocketed forward. She angled expertly toward a squat building, its sign flashing “1st” in bright, neon letters. In one fluid motion, Myrrh vaulted over the building’s edge, landing with a resonant clang that echoed through the simulated city streets. She pressed on, zeroing in on the dummy ahead.

“Laser Sword, equip!” I commanded, tapping the controls on the WEEB System. Beside Myrrh, a cybernetic ring flared into existence, swirling with bright blue energy. Without hesitation, she reached through, withdrawing the gleaming Laser Sword, its edge humming with power. In a swift, arcing slash, she cleaved the dummy cleanly in half, sparks flickering as it split and fell.

“Second position, go!” I called, my voice ringing across the comm.

Myrrh charged onward, sprinting toward the elevated highway where the next target awaited. She skidded to a halt within a red circle marked “2nd” as her scanners detected another dummy, hidden partially by the looming skyscrapers, positioned six hundred meters downrange.

“Beam Rifle, equip!” I commanded again, pressing firmly on the Bios control. Another cybernetic ring materialized at Myrrh’s side, and in one fluid motion, she holstered the Laser Sword and drew the Beam Rifle. Steadying her aim, she lined up the shot with deadly precision, pulling the trigger. A searing green laser shot across the distance, striking the dummy squarely in the head, disintegrating it in an instant.

“Third position, on the east side!” I directed, my adrenaline spiking as she prepared to move.

Myrrh sprinted ahead, her mechanical limbs pounding against the pavement as she raced through the city simulation. Suddenly, a streak of color shot across her vision—paintballs hurtling toward her in quick succession. She twisted, narrowly evading the barrage, and ducked behind a low-rise building for cover, the splatter of paint from missed shots marking her path.

“Light Shield, equip!” I commanded, tapping the WEEB System.

A glowing cybernetic circle flared to life beside Myrrh, and with swift precision, she reached through, pulling out a diamond-shaped metal shield. She braced it in her left hand, its polished surface gleaming as she charged forward, the incoming paintballs splattering harmlessly against it in a shower of neon colors. With her Laser Sword at the ready in her other hand, she closed the distance and slashed downward, splitting the paintball-firing dummy in a single, fluid motion.

“Fourth position, through the ramp!” I directed, feeling the thrill of her momentum as she raced ahead.

Myrrh’s gaze locked onto an upslope bridge—a sleek, metal ramp stretching up into the air. She broke into a sprint, mechanical joints and boosters combining to give her speed and stability as she powered up the incline. As she ascended, I tapped the controls again to queue up her next equipment.

“Jetpack, equip!” I called out, activating the command.

Another cybernetic circle shimmered into existence, this time behind her. A backpack with jet-like wings materialized onto her armor, the engines whirring to life. With a powerful roar, the jets activated, lifting her just as she reached the peak of the bridge. She soared upward, gaining height with each burst, ready to tackle whatever lay ahead in the test.

Three hundred meters above, three floating dummies with quadcopter wings hovered in formation, positioning themselves in a triangular trap around Myrrh. They buzzed, circling her like predatory drones, each one drifting into a slightly different vantage point. Myrrh didn’t waste a second. With a precise throw, she launched her Light Shield, which spiraled through the air, colliding with the first dummy in a loud crash that sent it spiraling downward. Without pausing, she hurled her Laser Sword toward the next, the blade slicing through it in a radiant arc of energy. For the final dummy, she raised her Beam Rifle, steadied her aim, and fired, the green laser piercing the target in a clean hit.

“Final position, to the north!” I shouted over the comm.

Myrrh responded immediately, angling her jetpack wings northward, then activating the boosters to surge forward in a powerful, sweeping glide. As the finish line—a bright red marker across the simulated street—came into view, she released the jetpack wings midair to save time, letting herself freefall. She landed with a dramatic roll, like an action star, finally coming to a stop directly on the red line as the dust settled around her.

The sharp sound of the whistle rang out.

[Examination Finished]

“Well done, Myrrh Alicent and Zaft Callahan!” Professor Bang’s voice boomed over the speaker system. “You’ve set the highest record for the first-years. But don’t get comfortable; it’s not hard to improve on garbage, so keep working on it.”

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I raised an eyebrow, wondering if Professor Bang’s comment was meant as praise or insult. Either way, we had aced the practical exam yet again.

“Myrrh, great job!” Our classmate Cindy ran over, pulling her into a hug. Then Fei joined, beaming with pride, and soon the rest of the WAIFU batch surrounded her, all congratulating her enthusiastically.

“You aced it again!” Fei grinned, squeezing her in excitement.

“It’s just basic skill,” Myrrh replied with a smug flick of her long, lime-green hair, her mouth curved in a playful smirk.

Meanwhile, my best friend Neil approached me, clapping me on the shoulder with a warm smile. “Even with your daily lover’s spat, you two have amazing teamwork. You’re pretty compatible with each other.”

“It’s just basic skill,” I replied, mimicking Myrrh’s signature line with a grin.

“Haha. You know, with Myrrh, it sounded okay since she’s basically a Mary Sue. But you? You just sound like an arrogant thug.” Remuel’s voice cut through the noise as he sidled up beside me, his smirk making his comment almost a tease.

Remuel Parsley was a small guy with a warm brown complexion and a mop of ginger hair that seemed to catch every bit of light in the room. With his junior cadet uniform and compact stature, he had a certain charm, almost like a midget cosplayer pulled straight out of a military-themed anime. I’d met him by chance after we both showed up to campus way too early last Tuesday, and we’d ended up chatting about everything from action movies to martial arts, making him a pretty easy person to get along with.

I gave him a sly grin, resting my hands on my hips and lifting my chin in mock arrogance. “Hey, I’m just sharing the arrogance with my partner—it’s a team effort.”

“Fine, fine, Mister Ace,” he replied, rolling his eyes but grinning anyway.

My gaze drifted over to where Myrrh stood in the center of the crowd, her green hair flowing down her back as she basked in her well-earned praise. I caught a flash of movement, and maybe it was coincidence, but I saw her blue eyes twinkling as she looked back at me. She raised her hand in a casual wave, a slight smile gracing her face.

I raised my hand in return, a small smile creeping onto my face. Moments like these were rare, but they made me feel like Myrrh was finally growing on me. Or maybe I was just getting immune to her often trashy personality. Either way, she wasn’t half bad when you looked past the attitude. Knowing her a little better now, I realized there was more to her than just bravado and perfection—something that made me almost glad to be her partner.

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As the next class began, Professor Chen took the front of the room, activating the hologram display. The room dimmed, and shimmering images of Cosmic Beasts appeared, each one cycling across the screen in vivid detail. Lions with blazing eyes, gorillas with muscles rippling under cosmic armor, eagles with wings as vast as mountain ranges, and Sphinx-like creatures with enigmatic faces—all these monstrous forms floated before us, casting an eerie glow across the room.

“Cosmic Beasts are entities from dimensions beyond our current comprehension,” Professor Chen began, his tone both reverent and cautionary. “Some theorize that they originate from alternate universes. They traverse the cosmos by assuming the form of celestial bodies, most often as meteors, appearing like distant stars before crashing onto our worlds. These creatures were worshipped as gods by ancient civilizations—the Aztecs, the Egyptians. Yet, when Christianity rose, they were rebranded as devils: Beelzebub, Focalors, even the beast of 666 is theorized to be a Cosmic Beast.”

The hologram shifted, revealing a grotesque Cosmic Beast—a giant fly with hundreds of writhing tentacles emerging from its multi-faceted eyes. It was followed by another—a twisted half-lion, half-human form with decayed, leathery wings and a snarling, feral face. The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence as Professor Chen’s voice echoed.

“These beings wield powers that defy logic: reality alteration, apparent immortality. They are impervious to conventional weaponry, regenerating faster than we can damage them. Only weapons created by the WEEB system—specifically designed for WAIFU use—are effective against them, as they inhibit these creatures’ regeneration abilities. Does anyone know why this is?” His gaze scanned the room and landed on a student slumped over his desk. “Mister Orbeus?”

Neil Orbeus, clearly mid-nap, hadn’t even stirred at the sound of his name. His partner, Fei Xian, shifted in her seat, visibly panicking as she tried to nudge him awake. Beside me, I could sense Myrrh growing irritated, her brows knitting together in annoyance as Neil snored softly, oblivious to the entire class.

With a swift, practiced motion, Myrrh stretched out her foot and kicked the leg of Neil’s chair, sending a jolt through it that nearly toppled him. He snapped awake, his eyes wide as he glanced around, disoriented, while Professor Chen raised an eyebrow in expectation.

“Woah! Ah! I didn’t eat the sour cream puffs!” Neil blurted out, shooting up from his seat, his eyes wide with panic.

Professor Chen’s unimpressed gaze settled on him. “Mister Orbeus, are you listening to the lecture?”

Neil froze, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Ah, y-yes! Of course!”

Professor Chen folded his arms. “Then perhaps you can answer my question?”

Beads of sweat began streaming down Neil’s face, practically pouring off him as he scanned the room, desperate. His gaze landed on Fei, who, despite her loyalty, was equally lost—having been half-asleep, probably daydreaming herself through the cosmic horrors on display.

“Zaft, help me out!” Neil hissed under his breath, barely concealing his panic. “What was the question?”

I sighed, glancing quickly at Professor Chen, who remained focused on Neil. Seated behind him, I was safely out of sight. Leaning forward, I whispered just loud enough for Neil to catch.

“What’s the largest bird?” I whispered, unable to resist smirking as I watched Neil’s face light up, oblivious to the trap I’d set.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Myrrh frowning, her blue eyes narrowing in an icy stare that seemed to say, Really?

“A-Ah, yes!” Neil finally said, his voice carrying through the room. “The answer is an ostrich!”

Professor Chen’s face contorted, disbelief giving way to frustration. “Wrong! What on earth kind of question are you answering?” he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls. “My question was ‘Why are the weapons created by the Weaponry Enhancement Engineering Bios effective against Cosmic Beasts?’ And the correct answer, Mister Orbeus, is that the weapons carry cybermystic codes specifically programmed to neutralize the regenerative properties of Cosmic Beasts!”

Neil turned around and shot me a glare that could melt steel. “You’ll pay for this, Zaft!”

I simply returned his look with a smug grin, knowing full well the chaos I’d caused.

Professor Chen wasn’t done yet, though. “Listen up, Mister Orbeus!” he barked. “Since you seem so confident in your ‘ostrich’ answer, imagine that ostrich laying a nice, big egg—because that’s what you’ll receive for your grade in this recitation!”

The room erupted into muffled laughter, while Neil slumped into his chair, muttering something under his breath. Meanwhile, Myrrh gave me a final disapproving shake of her head, though I caught the faintest hint of a smirk before she looked away.