"The time has finally come"
After training for two months under Raj and Yuki, while working under them and also studying to prepare in order to fulfill his oath. The day which decided Hiro's future had finally come. He travelled to Weiss district in the 'district transport train' and then used public transport to go the examination center.
The people realizing that Hiro was a lower-class person, gave him stares. Some, sneered at him, some tried to mock him but Hiro didn't bat them an eye. All Hiro could focus was on the the examination which would take place.
He had applied for the the exam a month before and his application was accepted. He reached the examination center and saw many other people there. He was really tensed to be there. His legs were trembling with fear. He had a backpack on, which Yuki gave him. Hiro reached the the examination hall at 8:30 am.
The candidates would be called inside the center at 8:45 am and the examination would start at 9 am sharp. Hiro looked at the backpack which Yuki gave him. He looked inside the backpack checking whether there was any edible food which Yuki had kept in the bag.
He looked inside the bag, there was a box packed with food inside. He saw that there were other stuff like supplements, glucose powder, etc., then, he came across a paper folded inside. He opened the paper and read it.
The paper said, "Good luck, Hiro. No matter whether you fail or pass, we will always look after you. From Raj & Yuki."
Hiro smiled and looked upwards. He was brimming with happiness and confidence.
"I must pass this, no matter what."
Then, the announcement came, "All candidates, please assemble within five minutes. Also, please submit any belongings to the main office before entering the examination hall. They will returned to you after the written examination. The physical examination will take place at after noon one o' clock. Please move into the examination hall in a queue and maintain discipline. No matter who the person is, everybody must take the examination in designated places. End of announcement."
Hiro was given the stares by many other noble students that had come there. It seemed as though they wanted to ostracize Hiro but they had to maintain discipline. There were other commoners and peasants as well but Hiro couldn't find the time to chat with them. All the people who came to write the examination, irrespective of class were made to sit in a single and a large examination hall.
There were about 300 students in total. There was a holographic screen on the table. The invigilator had come and announced, "You will begin your exam within five minutes."
The distance between each bench was about the average width of of about fifty centimeters.
The clock was ticking and the hand had reached to 10:50 am.
"NOW", an announcement came from the speakers which were attached to the top of the four walls which made up the room.
Then from the ground, they came. The ground opened up at a width of ten centimeters from the the gap of fifty centimeters for each and every student surrounding them from the four sides.
The holographic projection then came in front of every student vertically and displayed the questions with the blueprint and parts of MECHA in a small projection beside it.
Hiro, zoomed in the parts of the MECHA. Hiro felt as if he's seen this before.
"I feel like I've seen this before. But..... This wasn't in the reference material."
"All of the people, giving the exam you will be eligible to write the answers at 9 am. The time now is 8:55. Please refer to the question paper if you want to. The exam will run for three hours without any breaks in between. Students will be let out of the examination at twelve o' clock in the afternoon, even if they have completed their examinations. Thank you for your cooperation."
The announcement had come. Hiro was surprised at how formal the announcement was and how the normal behaviour of Nobles would be towards commoners.
The clock hit ten. The announcement to start the exam had come. They all started it.
"These questions, they are just the same questions which were just twisted and exaggerated. It is easy. But I have this odd feeling. I feel like I have seen the projection of MECHA somewhere in the past.", Hiro muttered in his mind.
He attempted all the questions he could.
"What is this?", Hiro wondered looking at a question.
The question stated, "What was the reason behind the existence of class-system in Kreiss Monarchy?"
Many students were confused, some didn't know the right answer. Some typed, "It existed due to Kreiss having the class system since its founding."
Many noble people who looked at the question typed, "It is due to us belonging to Noble blood, that we have it."
Hiro was slightly confused but in the spur of the moment he remembered what Raj and Yuki had told about the reason for its existance.
"The class-system exists because of the following reason.", He typed and continued his typing in various points.
"Lower-class people are immigrants from other countries which were destroyed due to RIORS. These people had come to Kreiss seeking asylum. Kreiss offered them protection for their service. The people of Kreiss believed in being pure-blood, so the immigrants who had come were segregated from them and thus, the class system was put into motion. A notion, which many noblemen believe."
He typed the answer into the the sheet and the examiner who was observing their answers was impressed by his answer. He then zoomed into the holographic projection of MECHA which showed its parts in three-dimension with the ability to rotate it in 360° from any side and direction. He could feel as if he was becoming one with it.
He realized one thing, the questions involving the structure and modification of MECHA, they would be easy for him. He looked at the question was quite amused and surprised. He smiled like a creep looking at the questions.
Three hours had passed, the examiners gave everything they could. It was sharp twelve when the holographic projection stopped taking answers from the students. They were blocked from typing anything or picking any sort of option.
The exam had ended and everyone dispersed. They all went to various parts in the examination centre except for the area which were restricted. Hiro, sat down in the lawn under a tree and took out the box which was packed with food. He took out the box to see that it was packed with about four sandwiches. He started eating it.
Soon, a person no, two people came in front of him and looked at him in disgust.
One of those two came up and spoke, "What's a pig like you doing here?"
"Eating.", Hiro replied.
The one who tried to mock him was stupefied.
"This isn't a place for a person like you."
"Think twice about your class before thinking of qualifying."
Hiro then stood up to them both and spoke, "If I qualify then, would you lick my feet?"
"What impudence..", the person who tried to mock him had held his collar.
"You three, what are you doing there?", the disciplinary incharge who was kept there yelled at them.
"Nothing, Sir. It seems as though they are trying to inflict violence upon me for being a commoner. To satisfy their useless ego.", he replied.
"How dare you,", the one who held his collar tried to punch him but he stopped by the incharge.
"What?.. Why stop me? That commoner disobeyed me."
"You are in the wrong. There is no rule that he should obey you. He is a human after all. You won't look at him that way."
"Commoners are just things that exist for the comfort of the nobles.", the guy beside him spoke.
"No they aren't.", the disciplinary incharge spoke.
Among all those arrogant nobles, the incharge who had spoken those words seemed like a saint or a great person.
The ones who tried to mock him had left.
The incharge looked at Hiro and said, "It was just the environment which has made to have those feelings. Personally, being a noble or commoner has a single difference, it is the values they are thought."
"Actually, Thank you for your help, Sir."
The disciplinary incharge was impressed with his manners. He cleared his throat and said, "It seems as though the class system cannot show who are truly mannered."
He left after saying those words.
The announcement came, "Please, assemble in the practical examination hall after the lunch break ends."
The lunch break was over. Everyone who had finished had gathered in the practical examination hall. They revolved around various exercises like, weight-lifting, measuring flexibility, measuring grip-strength and the regular exercises any person could do. Running twenty laps on the perimeter on the examination center might've been the toughest.
The final test in the physical examination was to spar with an instructor. It would be toughest for them. Only a few unlucky ones would be selected to go spar with an instructor. The rest would be excused after the few spars were over. It was like a form of entertainment for them.
It had a few rules:
1. Any type of fighting style, without having any sort of weapon is allowed.
2.Any sort of gear is allowed, except for those which are lethal to the competitors.
3.The round will begin with two competitors with no time limits.
4.If a competitor accepts defeat or passes out. The latter is declared winner.
5.To declare whether a match is a 'draw' is decided by the referee.
6.No sort of external agent except for glucose, water or energy drink is allowed as supplement.
7.Competitors will be sent to the ring for the fight.
"Candidate S-05, please come forward.", the announcement had come.
It was Hiro's identification number given to him for the examination. Hiro went to the check where he was checked to be under influence and he got a negative. He safe and was guided to the stage properly.
Hiro was called on the stage where the fight would take place. It was an octagonal stage with audience surrounding on the four sides having a barrier, not allowing anyone outside or inside before the fight ends.
Hiro changed into his track suit, given to him by Yuki. He tied wraps to his hands and got onto the stage. Then the one he was supposed to spar with had come.
"So, you're the peasant scum I'll be fighting with huh...", the latter one spoke to him.
The audience cheered to him in joy.
"Show that scum his place."
"That peasant should think twice before he could even think of joining the academy."
"Show him that we are their masters."
Hiro didn't utter anything. He felt annoyed by the spectators' cheers. Hiro sighed and looked at the opponent with a pitiful look.
"You know, scum is scum. It doesn't matter whether they belong to the higher-class or lower-class."
"What do you mean?"
"All I mean is that you're scum."
"You call me, the great Julian scum!?"
"You calling yourself 'great' makes you look even more scum,"
Upon hearing Hiro's words, the opponent called 'Julian' was pissed off.
"Just wait for the match to begin."
The referee had come. The competitors went inside their ring. It was freestyle fighting, so the competitors could wear anything. Hiro, wore a tracksuit with wraps tied to his hands. Julian was on a tank top with shorts and wore boxing gloves with armament.
They both were facing each other. Both of them got into a fighting stance to show that they were ready.
"Now, Begin!", the referee said after whistling.
Julian was the first to take the offensive. It was on personal notion. He tried to deal a blow to Hiro's face directly but Hiro dodged it. Julian smiled and pulled another punch to Hiro with his left hand, revealing that it was a feint. A strong blow was struck to his abdomen from the right.
Hiro immediately jumped back. Hiro could feel pain. Hiro was trembling, he realized that he was being scared of the guy in front of him. Hiro breathed heavily and aimed for his neck. His hand was blocked by Julian arm and then Hiro flipped to left side, dealing a kick to his forehead but the head protector gave less of an impact.
Julian was pissed off, he tried punching him but this time dodged it swiftly.
"Remember Hiro, a person's ego is their greatest demerit."
Raj spoke these words to Hiro, while he was in training.
"Anger might make a person many times stronger than now. But if you take advantage of your opponent's anger and your anger. You will be the true victor."
Julian was skilled in martial arts, but he was arrogant like many other nobles. Hiro understood it from the way he talked and the he directed towards Hiro. That single line, showed that he looked down on Hiro.
"Really, oh so great noble you are.", Hiro taunted him.
"Mind your words, you scum.", Julian replied.
"Make me."
Julian got more and more provoked at his words. He moved towards Hiro and tried to deal a left hook to his head. Hiro took advantage of the momentum and dodged the blow by spinning and gave a straight jab to his left cheek. This gave a sort of impact on his face, not heavy but it would still hurt.
Hiro understood that his punch infuriated Julian. He had to make a total gamble. Julian was slightly shaking on his footwork. Julian tried to give a lower-kick to Hiro's calf but he was unsuccessful. Hiro gave a sweep to his leg, making Julian fall down. Julian rolled backwards to lessen the impact and stood up.
"This gravel..", he thought in his mind.
At that moment, he felt more antagonist towards Hiro. He went for a straight jab towards Hiro's face which was soon countered by Hiro's lead uppercut to his chin to which he spat out his mouth guard. Hiro taking advantage of that second, dealt another blow directly into his abdomen to which went backwards and took a heavy breather.
He smiled arrogantly saying, "Do you think I would let some scum like you become a MECHA pilot?"
He then took a syringe from his pocket and said, "You are cattle, nothing more."
Hiro and Julian both were breathing heavily. Julian said to him, "Livestock like you, should exist only for us and our convenience. Don't think about being an equal to us."
He stabbed the syringe in his neck and he the liquid inside it was flowing into him. He could realize that he was flowing with energy. His pupils seemed to have dilated. He was breathing heavily. His nerves on the arms and neck along with the shoulder and other parts, started bulging out. It seemed as though he was under the influence of the drug.
Other instructors who were spectating the fight immediately ordered to end the fight and the headmaster of the academy of was watching didn't utter a word. The referee ordered to seize the fight but Julian had already become a slave to his instinct. His only feeling was to destroy the opponent in front.
He pulled a straight punch from upwards and Julian being taller than Hiro, would've landed something stronger. Even the way how Julian looks would intimidate any average man who feared his life. Hiro dodged his punch flipping but Julian gave a straight roundhouse punch but rotating to the left.
Hiro took it and to bear the impact, he flipped backwards. The referee and other staff members tried to open the forcefield which blocked anyone from going out and entering in. But it was to no avail. Hiro and Julian were trapped inside it.
"Only one of us can get out of here alive.", a drugged Julian told him and ran towards while Hiro was distracted and gave him a right hook to his face, to which Hiro went backwards. Hiro could feel his vision spinning and getting blurry. The impact from the punch had affected him a lot.
"Hiro, when all the odds are against you. You know one single trick to use."
Yuki told him those words, while training.
"Remember, whether it might be the blade or the fist. It can make anyone invulnerable. It just needs a simple trick to it."
"Yeah, remember Mrs. Yuki's words.", Hiro said to himself slowly and took a fighting stance.
Hiro clenched both of his fists as Julian charged towards him in rage. He pulled a straight jab at Hiro's abdomen but he rotated slightly to the left, dodging it and hit the left side of his neck.
"What the hell was that for?", Julian muttered as gave a roundhouse kick to Hiro's back, which sent him flying.
Hiro rolled to lessen the impact of the fall and stood back up. But he was trembling. Julian pulled another jab at him but Hiro blocked it. He started to continuously punch Hiro, pushing him back. Hiro, blocking his punches from his face started moving backwards to reduce the impact of the blows which Julian.
To be brief, Hiro was in a tough spot. He couldn't counter or anything but he seems to have something in mind. He kept his calm despite the pain he was facing.
"I'll just end it here.", Julian told him as he punched him in the abdomen again. This dealt a lot of impact to Hiro as he spat out blood. Hiro fell down from his impact, spitting out saliva.
"You should've thought twice before coming to write the exam itself."
"Remember Hiro, that one skill"
Yuki's voice echoed to him in his head.
Hiro immediately got up and punched to the left of Julian's neck strongly, moving to the back of Julian.
"The one way you can defeat any opponent is Deception."
Hiro, who was at the back of Julian caught his arm, bent his knee, pushing him downwards and smashed his head to the ground, continuously. Hiro, smashed it on and on ruthlessly with a smile, which scared the audience and the spectating instructors.
The headmaster who was watching this, smiled.
The effects of the drug which Julian took, seemed to have worn down. He was slowly weakening. Hiro, after smashing his face for the last time, making it swell, got up and stretched his body. Julian immediately passed out.
The mechanisms which had been controlling the forcefield were destroyed by the staff. The medical team immediately rushed there and took Julian away in a stretcher. The referee who saw Hiro, who taken a few injuries, kneeled down to him and stood up beside him. Raising his hand, to show who was the victor of the fight.
It was called 'sparring' but it had turned into a fight but due to irrational ego and hatred.
The commoners who were in the audience cheered to him, while the nobles who were there hated the outcome.
They cried, "Die, you cheater."
"Animals like you should die in the middle of nowhere."
"Fuck off, you pig."
"This realm isn't for pigs."
Hiro, becoming immediately pissed, screamed, "LISTEN, YOU ARROGANT PIECES OF SHIT!"
And continued, "That guy, literally took a drug in front of everyone and you call me a cheater?"
"Mind your words, commoner.", a noble in the crowd cried.
"No I won't. You guys are just justifying cheating by your stupid and irrational hatred towards commoners and peasants."
"You're just livestock", another one yelled.
"No we aren't. We are proper humans. We have feelings. We eat and drink to live through the day. We feel tired, we have feelings like you people also do. We get killed by the same diseases and weapons as you do. We get healed by the same medicine as you people do. We feel happy when we love and feel sad when we lose our loved ones. We just live in different environment and luxury. We commoners, in the end are just living like you guys!"
"Living like you guys!"
The last line echoed throughout the entire stadium, making the audience and spectating instructors silent. The headmaster, who listened to his entire speech, smiled. He started clapping to his speech. It was accompanied by the commoners in the crowd and other few instructors and teachers who were beside him.
"No wonder, Mr. Brown tried to get him into this academy.", the headmaster muttered slowly which was heard by the teachers beside him.
"Hiro, was it. A name worthy to remember.", the headmaster said.
"What do you think of him, Sir?", the examiner who had invigilated the written exam asked him.
"What do you mean?", headmaster asked her
"He was the only one who gave the right answer to the question which no noble-child was able to answer.", she replied and continued, "He is more than worthy to become a MECHA pilot."
"I see, but a single question doesn't show his capability."
"He is a commoner isn't he.", another teacher beside him spoke.
"If we were to do lenient correction in his paper, he would've gotten full marks within the written examination."
"Stop joking. No one has even gotten closer to eighty percentage till now.", the other teacher told her.
"You two, stop calling it 'written examination', it is called 'technical examination'.", the headmaster told them.
"You're more worried about that?", the both of them thought.
The other teacher who was biased asked the examiner, "How much would he have gotten, if the correction was strict?"
"More than ninety percent.", she replied.
The headmaster and the other teacher were shocked.
"Quit lying!"
"The correction was done by the A.I."
"There must be a fault in the system."
"No, there isn't."
"You two, silence.", the headmaster ordered them.
"Yes, sir.", the both of them fell silent.
"Elise, what is the date today?", the headmaster asked her.
"9th month, 14th day, C626", she replied.
"So, it seems.", he replied.
The headmaster connected his voice to the speakers through a small mic attached to collar of his shirt with his announcement.
"9th month, 14th day, C619. For the first time, a commoner defeated a noble in public."