NICO'S POV

The final day for redemption arrived. I stood upright at my venue alongside four other girls. I did not pay them much attention. Instructor Kousaka stood in front of us to bear witness if we have the ability to become soldiers. A crowd of trainees looked at us.

"This is your final chance!! Make it count!!"

I am not alone. Five other people are beside me, so that makes us six in total. I don't know them very well since I never got to meet them in person. I only know names, just the names, of two out of the other four: Leah Kazuma and Sarah Kazuma. Both of them looked really nervous.

As the bars pulled me up, I focused on trying to acheive balance as much as I could. I raised my arms and legs in the most efficient way I could think of.

Moments later, as soon as I felt like I have nothing touching below me, I lost my balance and hit my head to the ground. Oh no.

"You failed......Ms. Yazawa......", said the Instructor as I kept trying to deny the results of all my hard work.

"Sorry, but I believe you are not cut out for this."

I refuse to accept it.

"No....no....no, sir!!! Please.....give me another....", before I continued to beg Instructor Kousaka for another chance, he said:

"Look beside you. You are not the only one who failed. Those girls over there will meet the same fate as you will be soon."

I looked to my right and saw the other girls. All of them were weeping.....I realized that they too had failed the balancing test.

"Believe me. You have potential just like them. But sometimes this world doesn't give people chances. Just accept that being a soldier will not do for you."

"But.....", I said whilst he knelt down and faced me eye to eye.

"Your loss is also mine. I hoped that mankind would have five more soldiers. I consider it a loss too."

The instructor went towards the other five girls. After giving each of them his last words, he returned to the position he was at before when he looked at us.

"ALL OF YOU FAILED THE TEST! I AM SORRY, BUT I BID YOU ALL FAREWELL. YOU MAY GO AND FIND ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY SOMEPLACE ELSE!!"

Damn. All six of us failed the test. How humiliating.

"Opportunity, my ass.....", I heard someone whispering those words, but I did not know who said that.

I was depressed. Suddenly, I felt like I just died. The purpose I wanted died. I did not imagine any other opportunity other than this. It hurted me so much.

"Nico....we apologise for our failure to help you enough.", said Mari.

I returned to my cabin to find Mari and Dia expressing their concerns. They feel obligated to apologise.

"Don't blame yourselves, guys. I should only be blaming myself and no one else."

"But still...I really hoped that you passed and all. I would've really wanted to train alongside you! Patriotic people are hard to come by."

"Same as I, Dia. I also hoped I could have a princess as my partner. You have knowledge that I probably would have loved to learn about. But in the end, all we did was hope for the best."

I readied my bag, the only thing I carried with me here at the camp. After double checking things, I said something to those two.

"Dia, Mari. Promise you will risk your lives to defend mankind no matter what. I know I should not demand you that but it is what everyone needs right now. Mankind needs soldiers right away. The Alpacas can return anytime."

I packed up my things and headed to the carts that will take us to the landfills. The others who failed alongside me also headed for the carts. There were people who looked at us as we left.

Kanan is one of those people. She briefly walked up to me and said:

"I feel sorry for you. I thought you had enough possential to pass since I saw how much you struggled to win."

"I dunno myself why I still loss."

"Sigh...well, good luck for you though. I believe something better will happen to you next time.")

Kanan waved at me afterwards. I know she felt bad about my failure too. I continued to walk towards the exit; the other five followed me there too.

However, just before I left, I turned around and faced the crowd that looked at us.

"All of you....I wanna say something before I leave."

I turned to the crowd and delivered my last words. Everyone is surprised.

"I congratulate you all for graduating. But please....be great soldiers and fight for mankind! I know you all think I am stupid to be saying this, someone like me who failed the test. But I tell you all that being a soldier is stupid if you do not fulfill the purpose of being a soldier!"

The crowd payed attention to what I said. But it seemed they did not care what I say. After all, who am I to tell them what to do.

"I want to remind you all that we need to fight the Alpacas!! You must fight the Alpacas now that you have proven yourselves to be worthy enough to fight! The Walls will not last forever, train yourselves and prepare to give your lives for humanity!!!"

The crowd remained silent. Leah and Sarah Kazuma both listened to me but they did not care much.

"That is all I have to say. I hope anyone of you listened to me."

I ended my speech. It looked like no one seemed convinced.

"Nico....I do not think your speech will inspire anybody here. Everyone came here for different reasons. Sorry.....I pray you can help mankind somehow too.", Kanan thought as I turned away and rode on the cart.

I finally left the boot camp. I sat down with a temptation to give up. Being a soldier is what I wanted to be all this time yet I already failed it before I even got started.

As the cart carried us away, I felt nothing but depression. Nothing awaits me when I return home - I don't know what I will do with the rest of my life. More so, I have a dad back at an inn at Otonokizaka - he won't expect me to come home this early since I would spend the next years at the dorms.

When he sees me then, he will know I failed. I don't like that but I can't do anything about it.

"Sis.....where will we end up now? Being in the Military is our only shot to get inside Wall Suzuko....", a weeping Leah sat somewhere near me asking for answers.

"I dunno, Leah....as usual, we will need to focus on surviving till we find out where we will end up...."

"I hate this world, sis...."

"Then don't waste your time complaining about it at least."

Her sister, Sarah, comforted her physically and verbally. I can't help but be reminded of my siblings. It sucks.

I remember it clearly until now. Three years ago, me and my siblings were abducted by thugs and slave traders. Cocoro found a way to negotiate with one of the thugs to set me free. It was a bittersweet miracle - I was free, but they remained captive. Until now, I have no idea where they are now. The thugs might have still owned them or perhaps they have been bought by other people by now. I really want to stop thinking about it. It hurts too much if I try to imagine.

Becoming a soldier is what I promised to become for mom, dad, Cocoro, Cocoa, and Cotaro. And perhaps even to that thug, Jason, who set me free. Now.....I just let them all down. What the hell.....

I kept thinking all these stressful thoughts without noticing that another girl in the cart is staring at me.

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A/N: I am wondering if you guys expected she passed the test. This passage is meant to undermine your expectations as something different is gonna happen in later chapters.

Also, this might be the last chapter where you guys will be seeing or hearing about the Kazuma sisters (aka Saint Snow). You will hear about them in later volumes (if you are motivated enough to keep reading) since they are late-game characters - as in you will feel their importance/impact in later events.

Next chapter is coming up.