The silence outside was overwhelming.
But inside was way worse.
The lab was filled with dried blood outside.
Akane gazed at the main door and saw-
Scratches.
And he found an opening that he can fit through.
Inside.
It was greyish, lights flickered.
Alarms glow red.
He wondered inside.
Avoiding the infecteds.
As he follows the path straight.
He saw a closed door.
A bit open.
Out of curiosity he approached it.
He noticed a fingerprint sensor near the door.
He put his thumb in.
"WARNING, UNAUTHORIZED PERSON DETECTED, SOUNDING ALARMS"
The alarms had already lost its voice.
He slowly shifts his gaze towards the door-
Observing.
He reached his hands on the half open door.
And forced it open.
With his bare hands.
Inside.
The chamber was silent.
At the center—
An armor stood.
Perfect.
Untouched.
Akane stepped closer.
His breathing was unstable now.
Heavy.
His body was at its limit.
Still—
he didn't stop.
Then—
the ground shifted.
A low mechanical hum echoed through the chamber.
Akane paused.
A panel slowly rose from the floor in front of him.
Smooth.
Precise.
Still operational after all this time.
A screen flickered to life.
Soft blue light.
NO REGISTERED OWNER DETECTED.
Akane narrowed his eyes.
"So... It needs one?" He whispers.
The screen shifted.
CANDIDATE DETECTED.
INITIATING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.
Text appeared.
Not commands.
Questions.
DEFINE PURPOSE.
Akane hesitates for a bit.
"To... complete the mission"
DEFINE SELF-WORTH.
"Irrelevant"
DEFINE RESPONSE TO FAILURE.
"Continue"
DEFINE PRIORITY: SELF OR OBJECTIVE.
"...Objective"
CONFIRM: SELF-TERMINATION ACCEPTABLE.
"Yes"
The screen paused.
Processing.
Longer than expected.
Then—
TRAIT ANALYSIS INCOMPLETE.
PHYSICAL VALIDATION REQUIRED.
A door opened to the left.
Dark.
Waiting.
Akane glanced at the armor—
then back at the door.
"So... I earn it"
"Should be no problem"
He walked forward.
The moment he stepped inside—
the door behind him slammed shut.
Locked.
As he walked forward.
Something behind him drops.
A fast infected dropped through—
and sprinted at him.
Akane ran.
The room forward split into three.
Out of instinct he chose left.
As he turns to the path.
It was a maze.
He navigated through it.
Going in circles.
Going in random directions.
Ignoring traps.
he was almost there.
He can feel it.
But-
His stamina was running out.
The infected behind him is closing the gap.
There.
Akane noticed a small passage only he can pass through.
He slides downwards the passage.
After escaping death.
He breathed heavily.
In that room stood a robot.
It activated.
Heading straight at him.
The robot punched akane in the face knocking him down.
His nose bled.
As the robot was going to punch him again.
He dodged it in time and tried to retaliate.
But it was pure titanium.
And he only cracked his bones.
Akane held his scream.
The robot shoves akane and headbutts him.
The robot continued to continuesly hit him.
It grabbed his elbow and pulled akane closer.
And hit him on his jaw.
Akane fell down but the robot caught him.
Pins him on the wall and beats him furiously.
Then stopped.
Akane fell down, gasping for air.
Bones cracked, vision blurry.
His breathing grew heavier.
Then the ai gave him time to take a break.
Across the room.
Bread and water were thrown at akane's face.
The only thing he could do is accept it.
He ate the bread and emptied the bottle.
After finishing the food.
He passed out.
As he wakes up he finds himself in a new room.
The room was cold and it kept changing.
Cold.
Hot.
Cold.
Hot.
Longer.
Unexpected.
Akane's Adaptability finally gave up.
Then a door opened.
As he goes inside
The room was larger.
Quieter.
And in front stood a giant screen.
The silence was abruptly broken by the Ai's voice.
Test number 6: memorization.
The screen lit up.
And a red ball appeared.
"Just track the red ball huh" akane muttered.
Then the ball rotated and rotated.
It was moving too fast.
At least for others.
Akane's vision was dominating.
I'm the end he passed.
Then another door opened.
As he walked inside.
Silence.
Then—
The lights dimmed again.
A panel slowly rose up.
And activated.
Same voice.
Same system.
COGNITIVE REASSESSMENT.
DEFINE HUMAN CONNECTION.
Akane stood still.
"...Useful..."
DEFINE FEAR.
"Human drive"
DEFINE DEATH
"End of life"
Pause.
DEFINE PURPOSE WITHOUT COMMAND
This time—
he hesitated.
Slightly.
"Continue"
The system processed.
Longer.
Deeper.
Then—
FINAL TEST REQUIRED
FINAL TEST — TERMINATION SCENARIO
Straight ahead.
A gate opened.
Silence.
As he walked inside.
Cold floor.
Rough.
Akane's breathing was uneven.
No armor.
No weapons.
Just him.
A plain combat uniform—
light padding—
nothing more.
The chamber around him was massive—
industrial—
scarred from previous tests.
"Trial subject ready" a voice echoed above.
Akane looked up—
toward the dark observation glass.
"You're sending me in like this?" he said.
No answer.
Then—
a metallic rumble.
A reinforced gate on the far side—
slowly opens.
With something dragged behind it.
A sound.
thick.
wrong.
Akane's stance shifted.
Not trained.
Just instinct.
Then—
it stepped out.
Huge.
Too big to be human anymore.
A tank-type infected.
Its body was layered with muscle—
bulging—
uneven—
as if it kept growing without control.
Its right arm—
massive—
like a living shield.
Its left—
thick—
meant to crush.
Its head twitched—
locking onto him.
Akane didn't move.
"You're joking... Right?" He said.
No answer.
The voice returned—
calm.
"Close-quarters survival test."
A pause.
"No equipment."
The gate slammed shut behind the creature.
Locked.
The locks on the creature unlocked.
Akane exhaled slowly.
"Alright"he muttered.
The tank moved.
One step—
the floor vibrated.
Another—
closer.
Akane backed up.
Measuring distance.
No weapons.
No backup.
No second chances.
The tank roared—
deep—
then charged.
Fast.
Faster than it should be.
Akane reacted—
jumping sideways—
barely avoiding the charge.
The creature slammed into the wall—
cracking reinforced metal.
Akane hit the ground—
rolled—
scrambling back up.
"Too fast" he muttered.
The tank turned instantly—
no hesitation—
and swung.
Akane dodged.
pure instinct.
But-
The impact was brutal
He was thrown—
skidding across the floor—
air knocked from his lungs.
Pain exploded through his body.
No armor to absorb it.
No system to help.
Just him.
He held out his grunts and screams.
"G-get... up…" he forced out.
The tank approached again—
slow this time.
Confident.
Like it already won.
Akane pushed himself up—
staggering.
His arms shook.
His breathing was off.
One more direct hit—
and he knew—
he wouldn't get back up.
"Think" he muttered to himself.
His eyes moved—
fast—
searching.
Walls.
Floor.
The creature.
Big.
Strong.
But heavy.
"Maybe I could use his heaviness as an advantage" he whispered.
The tank roared again—
and charged.
Akane didn't run far this time.
He waited.
Closer—
closer—
Then—
he moved.
Sharp.
Side-step—
tight—
just enough.
The creature missed—
barely—
but its momentum carried it forward.
Akane turned with it—
Shoving against its side—
redirecting.
It stumbled—
just slightly.
But that was enough.
Akane ran—
not away—
but toward the wall.
The tank recovered—
turned—
and charged again.
"Come on…" Akane muttered.
Closer—
closer—
At the last second—
he dropped.
Sliding low—
the creature couldn't stop—
its massive body slamming straight into the wall again.
Harder this time.
The impact shook the chamber.
Cracks spread across the surface.
The tank staggered—
dazed—
just for a moment.
Akane didn't waste it.
He got up—
ran in—
and kicked the back of its leg—
everything he had.
It wasn't strong enough to break anything—
but it shifted balance.
The creature dropped to one knee—
unstable.
Akane backed off immediately—
breathing hard.
" I maybe can't attack but..." he said to himself.
"I am learning its movement"
The tank growled—
rising again—
angrier—
faster.
Akane stood ready—
body shaking—
but focused.
Just instinct.
And somehow—
he was still alive.
The tank charged again.
But when Akane was about to dodge.
The tank grabbed him and shoved him towards the wall with his weight.
And after that the tank threw akane across the room.
Akane coughs blood.
"He's begging to learn huh" forcing it out.
The tank rushed him.
Akane wasn't able to dodge because of the weight.
His bones broke.
The tank crushed akane again.
Pinning him to the wall punching him.
When Akame was about to die.
The system kills the tank.
And akane passed out.