Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 116 - Beast Transformation

Chapter 116 - Beast Transformation

The aftermath of the raid against the Neo Terrestrial Reich left me utterly drained—physically, mentally, and even emotionally. It felt as though I had pawned off every last drop of energy just to survive that harrowing night. The following weekend, I didn't even bother pretending to be productive. 

I stayed in bed the entire time, wrapped in my blanket like a cocoon, letting the hours pass in a blur. The only reason I ever got up was to join Neil for meals—though he looked just as worn down, barely able to lift his chopsticks. The apartment was eerily quiet, as if the silence itself were trying to help us recover. Nothing eventful happened. No emergencies. No surprises. Just long, heavy stillness.

So, it was no wonder that Monday crept up on us unnoticed, like a thief in the night. We didn't even realize it was already a week before the Finals until we were inside the simulation room for our Level 10 Clearance under the Weaponry Enhancement Engineering Bios System.

The simulation room was massive—an industrial cathedral of steel, wires, and glowing panels. Rows of students stood at attention, the hum of machinery pulsing beneath our boots. Professor Bao's voice cut through the ambient buzz, commanding attention.

"This will be your final lecture for this subject," he declared, hands behind his back. "Next week will be the Final Examination. However, unlike our previous clearances, today's Level 10 will not involve any practical trials. The Finals will be purely written."

A wave of relief washed over me. I clenched my fist in a small, subtle pump, trying not to draw too much attention.

"Alright!" I whispered under my breath.

"Yes!" Fei Xian, my WAIFU partner, mirrored my motion with perfect timing.

Our eyes met—hers shimmering with quiet joy, mine likely just as gleaming—and we both let out a soft scoff. It was a shared moment of mutual understanding, a spark of synchronicity that made the exhaustion of the past week feel a little more bearable. As if, even for a fleeting second, we were thinking the exact same thing.

The truth is, Fei and I were terrible at practical examinations. Put us in a sparring simulation and we'd probably trip over each other before even engaging the enemy. But hand us a test sheet with theoretical schematics, equations, or weapon design philosophies? We were unstoppable—an academic tag team of destruction. Our synergy in combat may have been subpar at best, but in a written exam setting, we were the undisputed champions. If this Final was going to be all on paper, then our grades were basically saved.

I shifted my gaze to the front of the assembly line, where Myrrh stood—my old WAIFU partner during midterms. She was scratching her head with such intensity, it looked like she was trying to sandpaper her scalp off. I could almost see the stress oozing from her pores. 

Unlike Fei, Myrrh thrived in hands-on combat drills and practicals. But when it came to written exams, especially advanced calculus, she was a disaster in a frilly dress. I'd bet anything she'd pull a single-digit score again—possibly in the negatives if our terror professor was feeling spicy.

If only we had been paired up again, with me running support and her doing the frontline stuff, like during midterms. We would've crushed every requirement, no question. But alas, not every day is Xyraxian X-mas, and reality doesn't gift-wrap miracles.

A deliberate cough snapped us all to attention. Professor Bao stood tall at the center of the simulation room, her authoritative presence silencing the low murmurs and shuffles of students. She cleared her throat once more before addressing us with her usual no-nonsense tone.

"For your Level 10 Clearance," she began, eyes scanning across the rows of cadets, "you will be testing a different kind of weapon today. Your curriculum is only the second batch to receive this special upgrade. Usually, you have to be second years to have this special clearance, but the new curriculum has changed everything."