A Vengeful Retribution

Chapter 28: Tests

3rd POV

One day, during another self-study session, came one of the real thing. The practicals."Alright, people. This is no joke. We've been through this multiple times. Goal here isn't to set a world record or impress the teachers. So try to minimize any stupid stunts. Or those that are 'cool' in your heads." He looked especially at personal IS pilots, deadpan. "Point is, follow the course accordingly, try not to panic, and don't activate that boost of yours. I've seen it happen before I enrolled as a student here, being Miss Orimura's PA and all. Let me tell you, you'll see at least 10 each time. Yeap. At least 10."

The self-study room went quiet as Yap Haruto's voice cut through the low hum of chatter. His tone wasn't loud, but it carried, the weight of experience anchoring every word.

Outside, the practice field had already been set up with a mock obstacle course — an assortment of floating platforms, narrow turning points, simulated anti-IS projectile turrets, and intermittent terrain effects like crosswinds and sudden gravity shifts. The practical exam was simple on paper: "Traverse the course with maximum efficiency and tactical awareness." But the IS Academy's version of "simple" usually came with hidden surprises.

Yap stood near the starting line, arms crossed, visor clipped to his side, SoVR not deployed — yet. He was only supervising this round, but his presence alone was enough to keep even the cockiest students a little more grounded.

"Let's not forget," he added, his eyes sweeping over the class, "if you try a barrel roll through the grav-field gap, the system will not save you. And if you fall, the only thing catching you is your pride slamming into the ground."

His gaze momentarily locked onto one of the first-years fiddling with her IS startup interface, excitement gleaming in her eyes.

He sighed. "You. Minami. If I see even a spark of that boost module flaring in the launch zone, I will personally override your unit mid-air. Understood?"

She stiffened. "Y-Yes, senpai!"

Ichika scratched his head. "You've seen this happen before?"

Yap gave him a look. "Ten times. Per practical. At least. One kid even tried to 'drift' around a wind funnel using their shields as stabilizers. Result? System error, face-planted, broke a tooth. The medics laughed before they patched her up."

Houki muttered under her breath, "And people say I'm intense..."

Charlotte leaned toward Cecilia. "Honestly though, he's right. Last year's spring exam, there was literally a girl who tried to surf the powerline. And you know how that ended."

"Her hair still hasn't grown back properly," Cecilia whispered, wincing.

Laura, who was already in her IS and calibrating her sensors, simply nodded. "Discipline. Focus. Yap Haruto is correct. Victory lies not in flair, but in control."

"Thank you, Laura," Yap replied, surprisingly sincerely. "Couldn't've said it better myself."

The first round was called. Four students took to the skies, their IS units humming to life, instructors and other support staff monitoring from nearby stations. The rest of the class lined up in observation zones, screens flickering to life with readouts and pilot vitals.

As the countdown began, Yap stood silently, watching.

3... 2... 1...

The launch began — and immediately, the first student misjudged their exit trajectory.

Yap didn't even flinch. "And we have our first 'cool stunt' casualty."

The student spiraled into the wind trap and was promptly ejected from the safety zone by the system. Alarms blared lightly for dramatic effect.