NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3 – Unlucky 3.33% Chance
Chapter 3 – Unlucky 3.33% Chance
Present Day.
I take a deep breath, my gaze flicking to Myrrh across the room. It’s no use crying over spilled milk, so I straighten my shoulders. Every morning might be a test of patience with her sitting beside me, but I won’t let her ruin my entire day. Not again.
The professor, a thin man with a polished bald head and square-framed glasses, taps a button on his remote. A holographic screen materializes above him, casting a soft glow over the room. The words "Orbital Technology Applied Kinetics University" shimmer in bold letters before fading into a slick promotional video.
"Welcome to Orientation 101," Professor Chen announces, his voice steady and clear. "I’m here to introduce you to the basics of our university. At Orbital Tech, we don’t just prepare you for exams—we train Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Units, or WAIFUs, to be battle-ready against the Cosmic Beasts. And for those who support them, we offer training as Weaponry Enhanced Engineering Bios, or WEEBs."
The video shifts to the school grounds, where a battalion of girls stand in formation, each clutching a sleek, glowing device. With a synchronized motion, they lift the devices high, their bodies suddenly engulfed in pillars of light. The transformation is immediate and powerful—within moments, the girls are replaced by towering robots, their backpack thrusters igniting as they launch into the endless depths of space.
The video shifted, showing male students with devices strapped to their wrists—too large for watches, almost like miniature tablets. Their earpieces glowed faintly as they communicated with the WAIFUs, guiding them through a complex star map.
I recognized the scene immediately. It was the same advertisement that played during every primetime slot on Earth, urging girls to become WAIFUs and boys to enlist as their support units.
Professor Chen’s voice broke through my thoughts. "You are the chosen few who will shape the future of the stars," he declared. "The girls here have the ability to transform into Frame Units, while the boys are equipped with the WEEB system to aid them in battle. Camaraderie between WAIFUs and WEEBs is crucial, and it’s something you’ll start building from day one."
With a quick tap on the hologram, a list of names appeared, split into two columns—one for girls, one for boys. Each name was paired with a number, ranging from one to thirty.
"For the midterms, you’ll be grouped randomly," Professor Chen continued. "Your grades will be shared with your partner, covering quizzes, assignments, and exams. Your combined scores will determine your overall grade. Now, find your name and your partner on the list."
My eyes scanned the list, searching for my name, feeling a mix of anticipation and dread.
My eyes darted down the list, searching for my name. When I reached number twelve, there it was—Zaft Callahan. Right beside it was my WAIFU partner’s name.
I froze.
“N-No way…” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Across the table, a familiar voice echoed my disbelief. "This must be a joke…"
My heart sank as the reality set in. My partner for the midterm was… Myrrh Alicent.
A loud thud snapped me out of my thoughts. Myrrh had slammed both hands on the table, standing up so abruptly that her chest jiggled from the force. She looked like she was ready to fight, and for once, I was glad someone was about to complain on my behalf.
"P-Professor!" Myrrh's voice cut through the murmurs in the room.
"Y-Yes?" Professor Chen responded, taken aback by her outburst.
"This must be some kind of mistake!" Myrrh’s finger shot out, pointing directly at me. "There’s no way I’m partnering with a good-for-nothing pervert hooligan like him!"
"Wow! Rude much?" I shot back, incredulous.
"The pairings are randomly generated by the university AI," Professor Chen explained calmly, though his eyes showed a hint of amusement. "I assure you, this isn’t a mistake. This will be an excellent opportunity for WAIFUs to adapt to their support units. In actual operations, you’ll never know who your partner will be."
"But… But… I’ll fail every test and activity if I’m stuck with him!" Myrrh protested, her voice edging on desperation.
I felt a surge of irritation rise in my chest. "Stop downplaying me, you sogging cow!" I snapped, standing up to meet her glare.
“If you two have complaints, feel free to submit them to the toilet,” Professor Chen quipped, his tone dismissive.
“Hnnnngh!” Myrrh pouted, her frustration evident as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest. Her blue eyes flicked toward me for a brief, icy glance before she turned away with a huff. "Hmph!"
She sat down, still fuming, while I forced a smile and followed suit. The absurdity of the situation was almost too much to process. Out of all thirty WAIFUs in the class, I had to be paired with her. According to ChatGPT, the odds of this happening were only 3.33%. In a gacha game, this would be like pulling an SSR character or weapon—except instead of a prize, I got stuck with this obnoxious partner. Just my luck.
“Now, find your partners and sit together. That will be your seating arrangement for the whole term,” Professor Chen instructed.
Around us, students began to shuffle about, excitedly finding their partners. Their faces lit up with smiles and laughter as they introduced themselves to new classmates.
Meanwhile, Myrrh and I remained rooted in our seats. We were already sitting together, so there was no need to move—not that Myrrh would have, anyway. She sat rigidly, her anger still simmering, while I leaned my chin on my hand and sighed.
This was beyond awkward. It was only the first day, but I could already picture myself getting expelled before the term was over.
As the room settled, Professor Chen tapped the hologram board, and a 3D display of the smartwatch-like device used by the support units appeared. The lesson was about to begin, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in my gut.
“This isn’t just any smartwatch,” Professor Chen began, his voice brimming with pride. “It’s a state-of-the-art mini computer that utilizes the Weaponry Enhancement Engineering Bios to control your WAIFU’s loadout. Each of you support unit students will receive one, courtesy of the school.”
As if on cue, the desks in the classroom shimmered with light, and the smartwatch-like devices began to materialize before us. The technology of Xyraxis never ceased to amaze me. It felt almost magical—the way these devices appeared out of thin air, accompanied by the smooth holographic projections. It was a far cry from anything we had back on Earth.
I noticed some students eagerly strapping on their devices, so I followed suit. As soon as I slipped it onto my left wrist, the band tightened, molding itself to my arm. A sharp, fleeting sting shot through my skin, almost like an ant bite. Then, the screen flickered to life.
[Weaponry Enhancement Engineering Bios]
[Successfully Installed]
[Subject: Zaft Callahan]
[Clearance: Level 3]
I couldn’t help but marvel at the device. It was incredibly lightweight, barely noticeable against my skin. I turned my wrist, inspecting it from every angle, impressed by its sleek design and advanced architecture. It was hard to believe something so small could wield so much power.
“This is kind of neat,” I muttered, admiring the device on my wrist.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Myrrh watching me, her curiosity piqued. Her gaze followed the subtle movements of my wrist, but I ignored her, focusing on the device.
Professor Chen tapped the hologram board again, and the display shifted to reveal a sleek, screenless device—similar to the ones used by the WAIFUs in the earlier video.
“For the WAIFUs,” the professor continued, “the school will provide you with these morphers. These devices will enable you to switch into your Frame Unit modes.”
As he spoke, the morphers began to materialize on the desks of every female student, including Myrrh’s. The device in front of her was a pristine white, but as soon as she touched it, it began to shift, transforming into a blend of white and gold with intricate blue circuit lines tracing its surface.
“This is… my morpher?” Myrrh’s voice was soft, almost disbelieving. She held the device close to her chest, whispering words that only I could hear. “Mother… I’m truly a WAIFU now.”