After a few minutes, the four of them left with Lysia as she led them toward the private shuttle platform behind the estate, where a sleek black craft was already waiting to take them up to the orbital station.
The ride up was smooth and quiet, the city shrinking below them as the shuttle pierced the upper atmosphere and rged into the steady traffic lanes leading toward the massive space station orbiting above.
The station itself was enormous, a layered ring structure with docking ports glowing faintly along its outer edge, ships arriving and departing in controlled streams.
From there, they boarded one of the family’s long-range vessels, which would carry them through the nearest star gate to Polaris Naval Academy’s sector.
The trip through the gate was quick, just a brief distortion of light and space before everything snapped back into place, revealing the academy’s star system in full view.
Polaris Naval Academy did not hide its scale. Several large training fleets floated in formation near the outer defensive periter, and the main academy complex rested on a heavily fortified artificial planet, its surface covered with structured districts, towers, and massive facilities clearly designed for both war and comfort.
By the ti they disembarked and entered the academy grounds, the atmosphere had already changed.
Students were everywhere.
So were gathered in small groups, whispering nervously. Others stood alone, staring at their devices as if trying to calm themselves.
A few tried to act confident, but it was obvious that today ant sothing heavy to all of them.
The commander qualification test had already started.
The construction area was located near the center of the academy’s main district, a large multi-floor building separated from the general campus.
Family mbers and guests were required to wait outside the restricted zone, while only qualified students were allowed inside during their assigned ti slots.
As they approached the entrance, they passed a few students walking out.
Most of them looked dejected.
So stared blankly at the ground. Others forced weak smiles as friends tried to comfort them.
They had not received a response from any shipgirl, which ant they had failed to obtain commander qualifications.
Only about 1% of qualified students beco commanders each year, even at a top academy like Polaris.
Although talent, training, and background helped, nothing guaranteed recognition.
The construction area had hundreds of construction rooms, and during the first five days, only Polaris students were tested.
Each student had five minutes inside a designated room. With around two thousand students in their grade, the process moved quickly but not without tension.
Aurelian checked his ti.
They had about ten minutes before their individual slots.
He looked at the triplets.
"We’ll split up once we’re inside," he said calmly. "Stick to the rooms we discussed."
Yelena nodded without hesitation. Mirei gave a playful salute. Katsura simply tightened her grip on his sleeve for a second before letting go.
He had already told them what he could without revealing too much. He had guided them toward specific construction rooms and ti windows, framing it as careful research and probability calculations. None of them questioned it deeply. They trusted him.
What he did not say was that the Destiny System had shown him the exact docks and tifras where high-rarity shipgirls would respond during the first five days.
There were fifteen in total within this initial wave.
Four gold.
Seven purple.
Four blue.
The Destiny System did not bother listing cyan or lower rarities. For that, those were not worth spending Fate Points on.
One of the gold awakenings was tied to Construction Room 302 on the third floor within a very specific ti window.
Another gold was linked to Room 118 on the second floor.
And the third one is in Room 008 on the ground floor.
He had assigned those to the triplets.
As for himself, he would take Room 107.
They entered the restricted area together before separating.
Students lined the hallway outside various rooms, so pacing, so ditating quietly. Staff mbers monitored everything with neutral expressions.
Aurelian stopped briefly and turned to the three girls.
"Trust yourselves," he said simply.
"You too," Yelena replied.
"Don’t you dare outshine too much," Mirei added with a grin.
Katsura stepped closer and spoke softly, "We’ll see you after."
He gave them a small nod, then headed toward Room 107.
There were only a few students nearby. That was normal. Room numbers were assigned randomly by the academy system unless soone requested a change, and most students believed certain numbers were luckier than others.
A staff mber standing outside noticed him and smiled faintly.
"Your ti is almost up," the instructor said. "Go ahead and prepare."
Aurelian stepped inside.
The construction room was clean and minimal, with a single large construction pod standing in the center.
It was taller than a person, its surface smooth and tallic, faint lines running along its structure where energy would circulate during the process.
The instructor followed him in and closed the door.
"The academy has prepared all the required materials," the instructor explained in a practiced tone.
"Once you press the construction activation panel, the shipgirl will respond if you are qualified. The process will not exceed three minutes."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Keep your mind steady. If there is no imdiate response, it does not necessarily an failure.
High-rarity shipgirls often require more ti to respond. Do not interrupt the process midway, or the test will be invalid."
Aurelian nodded.
"I understand."
The instructor stepped aside.
The room beca quiet.
Aurelian walked up to the construction pod and placed his hand on the activation surface.
For a brief mont, he considered opening the Destiny System again.
He did not.
He had already used this month’s question.
He trusted the answer.
Follow your instinct at the final selection. Do not hesitate.
He pressed the button.
The construction pod humd softly as energy began circulating through its fra. A faint glow appeared along the seams.
Ti passed.
Thirty seconds.
One minute.
One and a half.
The pod remained quiet.
Outside, the instructor watched carefully. Most successful awakenings showed so sign within the first minute, especially for lower rarities. The longer it stayed silent, the less likely it was to respond.
Two minutes passed.
Aurelian felt the familiar pull of anticipation in his chest, but it was not fear. It was recognition.
He could feel sothing.
Not physically, but like a distant echo pressing against his awareness.
Two minutes and thirty seconds.
Still nothing visible.
The instructor’s expression shifted slightly, disappointnt starting to settle in. It would be unfortunate if a student of this background failed to qualify.
Three minutes approached.
Aurelian’s breathing slowed as his mind was calm.
He did not interrupt the process.
He did not doubt.
Then, just as the three-minute mark was nearly completed, the construction pod suddenly burst with light.
A deep, radiant glow filled the room, far brighter than standard responses.
The instructor’s eyes widened.
"Holy crap???!!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers