Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 94 - ERROR

Chapter 94 - ERROR

I cast my eyes across the vast, echoing coliseum, letting them linger on every detail—the towering steel walls, the cold, rigid pillars, the glint of overhead lights bouncing off metallic surfaces. 

The rows upon rows of audience seats stood mostly vacant, with only a sparse cluster of students—my classmates—filling about ten percent of the arena. The rest was silence and empty space. It was safe to say this place was a ghost town now.

The last time I stepped foot in here was during the Licensure Examinations Tournament. Back then, I fought alongside Myrrh. Now, the thought that I'd be fighting her felt surreal, like a glitch in the story.

I turned my gaze to my current opponent. Myrrh stood confidently, posture flawless, hands resting on her hips like she was born to dominate arenas. Her chin was tilted up, soaked in arrogance, and her eyes—icy blue and dancing with anticipation—sparkled like twin blades in the sun. Beside her, her support partner Kian, handsome and as smug as ever, wore a casual smile, like he already knew the outcome.

"I'm sorry, darling," Myrrh cooed, her voice dripping with smug superiority. "I'm pretty sure I've got this in the bag. But hey, if you want—I can give you a handicap. Want me to go easy?"

Her cockiness scraped every nerve in my body raw. In that moment, the near-perfect image I had of her shattered into glass. I was such a fool for ever feeling even a flicker of infatuation for this smug little menace. I'd forgotten how much she infuriated me when she wasn't on my side.

"'WaNt mE tO gO eAsY?'" I echoed, contorting her words with a mocking tone, practically spitting them back at her. "Please. This'll be easy-peasy for me and Fei."

"Ohoho!" Myrrh laughed—softly, sweetly, like a proper lady at tea. It would've been charming if it didn't sound so loaded. Behind that dainty chuckle, I could see it—her sharp, simmering intent. Her playful smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Alright then," she said, the corners of her mouth curling. "Just remember—you asked for it. This'll be your funeral."

"Oh, this will be a funeral, alright," I snapped back, my voice low and sharp. "You're going to die a second time."

Myrrh rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated hmph, flicking her long greenish-blonde hair over her shoulder like a diva walking off a runway. "Beating up a hooligan like you?" she said, lips curling in a condescending smirk. "Please. That's just a basic skill. Like breathing."

In the background, Fei and Kian—exchanged weary glances. Both wore the kind of stiff, polite smiles reserved for bystanders caught in a domestic disaster. I caught Fei muttering under her breath, barely audible.

"I hope we're not caught in the middle of their private love quarrel..."

Kian gave a dry chuckle in response, murmuring just loud enough for me to hear, "Yeah. These two lovebirds seriously need to chill."

Lovebirds? The word hit me like a slap to the face. I wanted to scream, We are not lovers. Never were. Never will be. I'd rather be exiled to the moon than be romantically linked with Myrrh and her overinflated ego. No—what I wanted was simple: to see her pride shatter, to watch her crack, even just a little. Maybe cry. Maybe realize that she wasn't untouchable.

A sharp voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"Okay, kids." Professor Chaldeas strode forward, finally interrupting the silent war between me and Myrrh. His coffee cup was empty now—dangerous. His tone had gone from sleepy to fully caffeinated drill sergeant. "Now, WAIFUs, step up to the red starting line. Support Units, onto the platforms."