The large monitor flickered to life, demanding the crowd’s attention.


    ALL’s eerie, shifting form filled the screen, its featureless face twisting like liquid light.


    Its voice slithered through the stadium, smooth yet unsettling.


    "Now, kiddos! The festivities have begun, and it’s time for the real fun!"


    The air buzzed with tension as ALL’s voice took on a playful lilt.


    "You’ll now participate in a series of trials I’ve designed just for you. These little tests will determine your rank, so do your best, okay?"


    Then, without warning, the monitor sank into the ground, and the floor beneath us rumbled. A massive maze unfolded before our eyes.


    Its walls were crystal clear, stretching high above us, making the entire course visible—almost like a twisted game for the spectators.


    At the far end of the maze, a small, metallic robot twitched to life, its eyes blinking as it scanned the surroundings.


    ALL’s voice boomed again, dripping with excitement.


    "This first test is my personal favorite! It’s simple: capture the little robot before it escapes. Sounds easy, right?"


    Some students shifted, exchanging wary glances. There had to be a catch.


    "This isn’t just about speed—" ALL continued, drawing out the words. "—but also teamwork and strategy. If you can’t adapt, you’re going to fail. But don’t worry! Failure just means... well, you’ll find out soon enough."


    The crowd erupted into cheers, eager to watch the chaos unfold.


    I swallowed hard.


    This was it. The Ranking had begun.


    <hr>


    Observing the Competition


    One by one, groups of ten-year-olds rushed into the maze, scrambling after the bot like wild animals chasing prey.


    Some noble kids charged straight at it, overconfident and reckless, while street rats showed surprising agility, weaving through the obstacles with ease.


    Sometimes, they were even on the same team—forced to cooperate despite their differences.


    Most trials ended fast—the bot was either cornered immediately or slipped past them, darting to freedom.


    Some teams struggled longer, chasing the machine in circles, barely keeping it trapped as it zipped unpredictably between their legs.


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    Vera, Rath, and I stood silently, watching. Learning.


    By the time it was our turn, we had a plan.


    <hr>


    The Trial Begins


    Vera and I stepped into the maze, moving fast but calculated. We each took separate paths to box in the bot from different angles.


    Meanwhile, Rath remained at the entrance.


    At first, I thought he was being stubborn—refusing to play the game like everyone else.


    But as soon as Vera and I closed in on the target, I realized the truth.


    He wasn’t avoiding the chase—he was guarding the exit.


    <hr>


    The Capture


    The small, round bot twitched, its metallic shell gleaming under the maze’s bright lights.


    I lunged, wrapping my arms around it, pinning it down with all my strength.


    For a second, I thought we had won.


    Then—I heard the beep.


    A jolt of electricity ripped through my arms.


    I bit back a curse, muscles locking from the shock.


    "Oh, come on!" I hissed, shaking off the lingering numbness.


    I should’ve known these trials weren’t fair. Of course, the bot could fight back—conveniently for us, but not for the noble kids.


    The machine broke free, whirling toward the exit.


    "Hurry, or it’ll escape!" Vera shouted, already sprinting after it.


    I pushed myself forward, legs burning.


    The bot had no idea what was coming.


    It darted toward the exit, its tiny wheels spinning frantically.


    And waiting for it, standing motionless, was Rath.


    <hr>


    Rath’s Counterattack


    Rath didn’t move.


    Didn’t react.


    Didn’t even flinch.


    The moment the bot was inches from escaping, he pounced.


    His new feline reflexes kicked in—his body was a blur, muscles tensing like a coiled spring before snatching the bot mid-roll.


    The machine buzzed violently, sparks flying as it tried to break free.


    But Rath didn’t let go.


    Instead, he squeezed.


    Metal groaned under his grip. Sparks fizzled.


    With a final, agonizing screech, the bot’s round form buckled inward, crumpling like paper in his claws.


    It was over.


    <hr>


    Aftermath


    Vera let out a breathless laugh. “That was brutal.”


    I smirked, shaking out the last of the numbness in my arm. “Remind me never to get on that cat’s bad side.”


    Rath grinned, fangs glinting under the bright arena lights.


    He looked... satisfied.


    Then, the ground rumbled again.


    The hidden monitor shot back up, flickering to life with a static hum.


    ALL’s twisted, shifting face appeared once more.


    “Oh goody! You all did better than I expected!”


    His voice oozed delight, but something about it made my stomach turn.


    The screen glitched, lines of text warping, flickering in and out of focus.


    For a moment, I swore it froze—locked onto my name—before correcting itself.


    Then, ALL chuckled.


    "Now, please look at the rankings to see how well you performed."


    I held my breath.


    Something told me these next two trials wouldn’t be as easy.


    The screen flickered again—just for a second.


    Then, through the static, in a voice so faint it was almost imagined:


    “Elias... I’m watching you.”


    The words dragged, glitching in and out, like the voice itself was unraveling.


    A shiver crawled up my spine.


    For a split second, I thought I saw something—a shadow behind the screen, a shape that shouldn’t be there.


    Then—just like that—the monitor snapped back to normal, the rankings flashing into place.


    I exhaled slowly.


    There was no turning back now.