— YOU WENT CRAZY, CAPTAIN!? — Yelled Clay.
The number of shots of the soldiers increased gradually.
They prepare their weapons, making sure they are unlocked and fully loaded.
Suddenly, Roy pulled a submachine gun out of his suit, which was quite small compared to Slezzy and Clay's.
— So, tell me... what's the plan, Commander — you provoked Roy by staring at young Slezzy.
— "Commander"? — he replied, surprised.
— You've been notoriously leading the squad since the first day of training..., it's not going to be my military job that's going to stop that.
Slezzy smiled. Soon after, he whispered his plan to the others.
The holographic soldiers advanced towards the pentagon, without ceasing for even a second the shooting against the shields, taking turns intelligently reloading the magazines of their weapons, so that they would not stop shooting at any time.
Unexpectedly, in the middle of the pentagon came a big smoke. From the same place were thrown several grenades towards the ceiling of the room, which there bounced and plummeted around the shields.
Before the grenades met the ground, they were activated in a matter of seconds, in mid—air, smokin all the surroundings of the pentagon.
Without vision, the soldiers lost control of the room. Soon, numerous steps surrounded the extensive smoke. Roy and the others had just moved.
The squad used that ruse to split around the room. They tried to conquer as much space as possible, to ambush each of their opponents.
That strategy had never been used by the squadron, which impressed Captain Roy.
As much as the soldiers were not real and super technological, none of them saw through the smoke and, due to this, they shot without any focus or science of the position of any of the candidates.
Suddenly, Clay, Jean and Kine emerged from the smoke, in a single corner of the room, surprising a good part of the soldiers, who had no reaction to being hit by the boys' weapons.
On the other side of the room, Slezzy and Roy did the same, confronting another wave of soldiers who, like the others, had no reaction either.
The smoke gas that was already dominating the room was slowly disappearing. Soon, some columns were already visible, and only a single wave of soldiers remained.
The soldiers who made up this wave were heavily armed with a specific weapon: the AK—47. All painted black, like their clothes.
After the smoke cleared, the last wave fired all possible projectiles in the direction of the squad, between the columns.
— Yuki, you bastard! — commented Roy while laughing. — He really knows how to build a tech army!
— YUKI? WHO IS THIS GUY? — cried Slezzy, so Roy could hear him amid the noise of the holographic soldiers' shots.
The two hid between the columns farthest from the room.
— He is the "head" of all the technology in this sector. In fact, I did not remember how much the soldiers of the final exam had evolved!
"With the number of soldiers drastically reduced, a single wave would not be able to maintain the projectile bursts steadily. Then, when it reaches this point, we will do as on the first day of training: we will take advantage of the gap!" It was the final words of Slezzy's plan, said a few minutes ago, that were running through Roy's mind at that time.
When the soldiers discarded their magazines to reload their weapons, the squad did not hesitate to advance.
Soon after, at zero distance, the candidates exterminated the last wave.
Upon falling from the last soldier, the black screens returned to the ceiling. The final test had been completed.
Slezzy sighed heavily.
Roy did not change his stance, still watching closely around him, between the columns, with a not pleasant look.
Before they celebrated, a holographic soldier emerged from the white pillars behind Clay.
— EI! — cried Roy, scared, making a shot towards the holographic soldier's head. However, before his projectile pierced him, the soldier fired a single shot at the boy in front of him.
The captain's shot was accurate and fatal.
The rest of the squad, frightened, began to watch Clay.
The boy's shoulder had been pierced by the holographic soldier's projectile and, upon realizing it, it collapsed on the ground, screaming in pain.
In the same second, Kine took his first aid kit, which he had never used throughout the training, and ran to the boy's fallen body.
— You hit the jackpot! — commented Roy, holding the gun in one of the pockets of his white suit. — He had aimed at his heart!
Clay grumbled, begging for help, in a dramatic way:
— DAMN it, CALL SOME DOCTOR HERE, CAPTAIN!
— Calm down! A shot to the shoulder is not that serious!
— Han? What the fuck are you talking about? — Slezzy said. — He just got shot! That's fucking serious!
— He'll hold out long enough... while I announce the results of the training!
— Are you serious, Captain? Right now? — grumbled the boy shot.
— Of course! There is no better time!
Roy repositioned himself and proceeded to speak calmly:
— Initially, I want to wish my congratulations for having completed all the stages of this challenge... almost without any death. Anyway, I promise to be direct — The Captain has gained everyone's attention. — The recruits who will continue to provide their services to the FMA will be... Jean Trindade and Kine Lee!
Slezzy lifted his gaze, opening a slight ironic smile, laughing soon after.
Jean and Kine were at each other's throats, while Clay was still mumbling.
— No... no... what... did you say? ... — confronted Slezzy.
— Each of you was very close in the scoring system, however... will not be simple numbers that will impact the final result! — complemented the Captain, walking to Slezzy.
Kine was surprised, but at the same time disagreed, as was Jean.
A disturbing silence dominated the room. Everyone stared.
— Why? — whispered Slezzy.
Once again, the room sank into a deep silence.
However, when Roy was about to speak, in order to answer him, he was interrupted by the sound of a large siren, which was emitted on every floor of the building. That forced the boys to cover their ears.
— Attention! Code red! I repeat, Code red! — These were Laura's words, transmitted through a small radio that Roy carried in one of his pockets.
Roy pulled out the same brace and pressed one of his buttons:
— What's going on!?
— The Central Bank is suffering a terrorist attack! We have the information that the criminals have entered the place and are already with hostages! All military units... move immediately to the Central Bank! That's an order! I repeat! Move to the Central Bank!
Roy stored the radio in his suit and ran to the exit of the White Room, filled with a little despair.
The boys were disorderly. Even so, the girl took control:
— What should we do, Captain? — he asked before Roy abandoned them for good.
Roy momentarily interrupted her walk and replied:
— Take Clay to the medical section, on the fourth floor! And then... I don't know... go up to the twenty—third! Just... don't fuck up, boys! Stay in the building!
The Captain left the room in a hurry and with a hot head, typing the phone furiously.