Alright, so now that I've knocked out one robot with a combination of my brains and a perfectly reasonable amount of luck, it's time to get back to business. And by "business," I mean showing these overgrown scrap heaps that I am the one in control here. You're welcome for the strategy lesson, by the way.

Without that stupid backpack weighing me down, I feel like I'm on cloud nine. I mean, I was already pretty good at parkour, but now? Now, I'm a freaking gazelle. Lightweight. Agile. No more heavy pack slowing me down. It's just me, the city, and some very confused robots that apparently can't keep up with the pace.

I dart between the debris, my sneakers barely making a sound against the cracked concrete. The city ahead is like a playground, every rooftop and corner just begging to be explored. My heart is racing, but it's not from fear. Oh no, it's from the thrill of movement. This is freedom—pure, unadulterated freedom.

Now, here's where it gets fun.

I spot the next group of robots—three of them this time, standing guard in front of an alleyway like they're expecting me. I roll my eyes. Please. They clearly didn't read the memo that says, "Don't mess with me."

I crouch low, using the buildings for cover as I move closer, just barely avoiding their scanning lights. Let's see how these tin cans handle a little teamwork.

I take a deep breath, analyzing the situation. It's not enough to just disable one of them. No, no. If I'm going to do this, I need to get them to work for me—literally. I need them to mess up. The more chaos I cause, the better.

I leap onto a ledge and slide down the side of a building, landing perfectly in front of the first robot. The thing tries to swing at me with one of its massive mechanical arms, but it's too slow. I roll under its attack, pushing off the ground with all my might. My feet hit the side of the next building, and I spring upward, twisting in mid-air to land gracefully behind the robot.

Perfect.

I grin. Now we're talking.

I turn and dash toward the next robot, just as it starts to spin around, its glowing eye narrowing in on me. With a flick of my wrist, I grab a loose piece of scrap metal lying on the ground and throw it at its face. The robot stumbles back, momentarily distracted, giving me the perfect opportunity to slip past it and into the next area.

Now to get the other two involved.

I hop onto the edge of a nearby wall, timing my movements with precision. One of the robots takes a step forward, while the other two shift their focus. I wait, crouched and ready, for the perfect moment. I know that, just like with the first robot, I need to manipulate their reactions to my advantage. They're programmed to react to threats—but they don't expect me to outsmart them.

The moment is here. I vault off the wall, my body a blur of motion as I spin mid-air, kicking off one of the robots' heads. It stumbles, its system trying to recalibrate, but it doesn't have time before the second robot, which had been positioned a bit too close to the first one, makes a move.

I land behind it and shove with all my might, sending it hurtling right into the first robot. Both crash to the ground in a heap of twisted metal.

I can't help but laugh under my breath. So. Much. Fun.

The third robot, still standing a few meters away, turns just in time to see its companions go down. It freezes, momentarily processing the situation. Oh, this is too good. I dash forward, leaping off a nearby dumpster and using the momentum to slide across the ground, knocking the robot's legs out from under it. With a few more swift moves, I disable its movement, taking out its power core with a quick jab of my knife.

That's three robots down, and I barely broke a sweat.

If only the other exam takers could see me now... But no, I wasn't going to let my ego get the best of me. Sure, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself at the moment, but this is just the beginning. I still have a long way to go.

Now that the robots were out of the picture, I didn't stop to rest. Instead, I took a moment to reorient myself and plan the next part of the course. Parkour and agility had given me an edge, but I wasn't dumb enough to think that was going to carry me through the whole thing. I still had to be smart about my choices.

As I moved forward, I couldn't help but smile, my mind still buzzing with excitement. This is it, I thought. This is what I've been training for. This is why I keep pushing myself.

I run up a set of stairs, leap from one rooftop to another, and twist mid-air, my body flipping effortlessly. The world around me blurs as I soar, feeling the wind whip past me. In that moment, I'm more alive than I've ever been. It's the kind of freedom you can't put into words—the pure joy of just moving, of being able to use your body in ways you never thought possible.

There's a sharp sound from behind me, the whir of motors and gears as another set of robots appears, but this time, I'm not worried. I'm too fast, too free. My movements are fluid, and the adrenaline coursing through my veins gives me an edge that none of these robots can touch.

I leap to another building, and just as I'm about to clear the gap, I spot another group of robots gathering on the street below. They're all lined up, clearly ready for action, but I'm not about to give them the satisfaction of taking me down without a fight.

Time for the next move.

I twist in mid-air and land on the roof of a smaller building, sliding across the surface to the other side. From there, I dash toward another group of robots, planning to use the rooftops to stay one step ahead. I'm not just running anymore—I'm dancing around these machines, my mind working faster than their motors can process.

By the time I've made it to the next block, I've successfully dodged every single attack, leaving behind a trail of broken robots in my wake. It's almost like I'm untouchable. And honestly, for a quirkless guy who's been told he doesn't belong more times than I can count? This? This is my moment.

And I'm not wasting it.