I felt my energy slowly returning as I stepped out of the house. The streets stretched before me, littered with debris from fights, broken crates, and scattered furniture. Shouts and the clanging of punches echoed throughout the arena. Only two robots remained on the roads, motionless and waiting for someone foolish enough to approach. I shook my head, focusing. Robots weren't my priority right now; Examinees would give me more points—and faster.
Scanning the streets, my eyes caught the back of a guy with short red hair wandering aimlessly. He looked skinny, weak, and completely oblivious. Perfect, I thought. He would be my first target in this section. I sprinted toward him, adrenaline sharpening every movement.
As I got close, he abruptly turned. His small frame seemed to ripple, muscles bulging and expanding in an instant. He wasn't weak at all—he'd transformed into a super buff monster in the blink of an eye. Panic threatened to flare, but I forced it down. Stay calm, strategize.
I threw a punch instinctively, but he was faster than expected. A sharp, brutal punch connected with my face. Pain exploded through my skull, and I flew back several meters, spitting out a little blood. Compared to what I had endured earlier, it was minor, but it was enough to remind me that I couldn't underestimate anyone.
Then an idea hit me. As he charged at me again, I created a portal beneath him. Gravity did its work, and his body fell through the black void. I shrank the portal just enough to trap him without causing fatal harm, holding him suspended and immobilized.
"I guess I really am a genius," I muttered, feeling a small rush of pride.
I approached carefully, then drew my leg back and kicked his head like a soccer ball. A small trickle of blood ran down his nose, but he didn't yield. Frustration flared, and I rained down blows on his face, punch after punch until his body finally went limp. Satisfied, I expanded the portal, sending him through another I had positioned above, leaving him unconscious on his stomach.
"One down, six more to go," I murmured, scanning the streets.
I realized quickly that handling one opponent at a time was inefficient. I needed to hit multiple targets at once to conserve my portals and maximize my points. I spotted two girls cornering a lone guy, their attacks wild and sloppy. They were exhausted from fighting, perfect for my plan.
I sprinted toward them and positioned myself strategically. One portal beneath the two girls, one above. They fell through the portals, tumbling uncontrollably before hitting the ground with groans of pain. Simultaneously, I moved to the lone guy, already weakened from his fight. A couple of precise punches, and he crumpled to the ground, defeated.
With the two girls still dazed, I released the portals, letting them collapse to the street. They groaned and whimpered, maybe with broken bones—but I chose to show mercy. Why waste more time? They weren't a threat anymore.
"Hey, ladies," I called out, standing over them like a king surveying subjects. "Admit defeat, or it's round two for both of you."
After a moment of groaning and struggling to catch their breath, they nodded in unison. "Fine… we admit defeat," they said, pain and nausea evident on their faces. Their hands covered their mouths as though they might vomit. I smirked, satisfied.
Counting in my head, I realized I was closing in on the points I needed. Three more to go, I thought, just as the female announcer's voice rang out across the arena.
"Dachi Hokuto, you have qualified. Please make yourself into the qualifier's gate."
My ears perked up. My heart jumped. I had done it. One of the remaining spots was mine—but the voice added a reminder that sharpened the stakes.
"Participants of Zone number 3, only one spot is remaining."
I froze for a moment, letting the weight of the announcement sink in. Only one spot left. Every movement, every portal, every punch I had executed was leading to this moment. The final stretch. The last challenge before I could secure my place in the next round.
I looked around. The streets were carnage. Examinees sprawled on the ground, groaning and recovering from fights. Robots, though few, still loomed silently, but my focus was on humans now—points, strategy, and survival.
I clenched my fists, feeling my determination sharpen. The next opponent could be stronger than anything I had faced yet. But I had my portals, my training, and my experience from countless loops, from repeated deaths and recoveries. I wasn't the same person who had entered this arena hours ago.
"Time to finish this," I whispered to myself. I had three portals left. My mind was calculating, ready to adapt to anything. I started moving, eyes scanning, feet light on the debris-strewn streets, every sense attuned to the smallest motion.
This final spot wasn't going to be easy, but I was ready. Each step I took brought me closer to victory, closer to passing this brutal exam. The last fight was ahead, and I was prepared to face it head-on.