During the assessment, a staggering 700 groups participated, with each group consisting of an impressive seven to twelve members. With an average group size of ten, an astounding total of 7000 individuals were eagerly vying for enrollment. As an equitable distribution was sought among the fourteen elite universities scattered across the fourteen mini-cities, each university was set to enroll 500 eager freshmen. This marked a significant increase compared to the previous year's intake.
It became increasingly apparent that Omicron, the enigmatic organization overseeing it all, was meticulously seeking a flawless cohort of students. It seemed as though they were preparing for an unseen catastrophe, one quietly lurking in the shadows.
In total, there were five obstacle courses: Climbing Wall, Chasm Jump, Laser Grid, Water Slider, and Zip Line. Each course became progressively more difficult and had a time limit. The entire assessment was given a duration of 15 minutes, meaning each course could only be completed in 3 minutes or less. Those who took longer to finish one course had a lower chance of completing all the courses before time ran out.
Currently, all participants had finished the Climbing Wall course, and there were individuals who showed potential for success. The results of level one were already displayed on digital and holographic billboards in every mini-city. It was now time for the second obstacle course, Chasm Jump.
The chasm jump is an exhilarating obstacle course where players must leap across a vast gap using strategically placed platforms or bouncing pads. The course adds an extra thrill with moving obstacles such as swinging pendulums, levitating boulders, and sliding platforms, which constantly challenge and test the players' agility and quick thinking. It's a thrilling adventure that keeps participants on their toes and requires precise timing and careful planning to successfully overcome the obstacles.
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-VR ass. lvl 02- Neo-Shogun -
When selecting a name for his virtual avatar, there was limited time to choose a name that both represented his artistic side and reflected his lifestyle, Vaelin felt rushed. However, he was informed that he could later modify his temporary name tags and default avatars. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of contemplation, Vaelin settled on a name inspired by the samurai system. Opting for Neo-Shogun, he aimed to portray a futuristic samurai character.
Before Vaelin was a vast scope of floating sliding platforms above a huge chasm that descended into the depths, where his eyes couldn't see. It was frightening at first glance. But that was half the difficulty. They were other incentives like swinging pendulums and levitating boulders.
"Without a shadow of doubt, this is virtual hell." Vaelin exclaimed with wide open mouth. "And tis only level two."
He takes in the scene before him for a while before making a decision to get it over with.
As Vaelin advanced towards the sliding platforms, he observed a mind-blowing sight. There were a blend of five different sliding platforms, but what worried him most was their constant shuffling. Some harmoniously synchronized, smoothly ascending and descending together in perfect unison. Others moved at fluctuating speeds but also in opposing directions, creating a disorienting and dynamic environment.
A few circulated in a circular motion, swirling around each other in an intricate dance. While some continuously altered their trajectory and velocity, making it challenging to predict their movements. The last set shifted back and forth in an erratic and unpredictable manner, each moving at its own unique pace. All these movements were in sync with each other.
"Holly crap! What do they take us for?" He asked, "gods???"
He carefully observes their pattern, and after a few attempts, he estimated the right moment to jump. Without wasting time he leaped off the starting point and headed right for the targeted platform, but as he reached the halfway, a barrage of levitating boulders materialize out of thin air, hurtling towards him with unforgiving force. They knocked him back toward the starting platform.
"Aarrgh! Fuck, That hurts," he yelped out of pain. "How on earth are we expected to complete this level, my less fair better in the next?"
Vaelin was agitated. However, he realized from the few games he had played before, that there was no health bar for the virtual assessment, and his system screen also didn't pop up with a damage message, since it wasn't a direct hit to his physical body.
"Unlimited health, yeah?" He asked inwardly. But at that moment, he started to feel sluggish, "I guess unlike my health, my Stamina is not unlimited. That makes sense, since it's part of the assessing factors."
[You are running out of time - 10 minutes remaining.]
[Reward: ???]
[Penalty: -10%]
The system notification popped up in the middle of his thoughts, reminding him of the weight of the matter.
"I know!! Don't remind me of my dir situation" Vaelin revoked, and turned his concentration back on the obstacle course before him.
He carefully timed his jump and managed to land on the first platform. Then he glanced to find the next platform a few meters away, which was stable. He then leaped to the second platform; however, began to move to the side just as he landed.
"Oops!" He exclaimed.
Realizing he misjudged the timing, he flailed his arms and legs, struggling to regain balance, but ends up falling off the side. Luckily, there was another sliding platform below, and he managed to clog himself onto it, saving himself from a costly mistake.
"Shoot! That was close." He sighed.
He quickly climbed onto it, and stood watch for his next step forward.
However, to his utter surprise a pendulum swung wildly towards him, grazing his arm. Out of instinct, Vaelin ducked and rolled out of harm's way, and ending up in a hanging position. But the wasn't the end of the obstacles.
"Oh! Give me a break, will ya?" he lamented as another pendulum swung diagonally from the top. With quick thinking, he detached one hand from the initial platform and stretched it out, latching onto the edge of the another platform. He dangled for a moment before finally pulling himself up. This platform was narrow and long, about 20 feet.
Unbeknownst to him, more levitating boulders suddenly starts flying towards him. Determined not to give up, he quickly scrambles to his feet and sped up. With each attempt to dodge the boulders, Vaelin's footing becomes more precarious, resulting in him taking a few powerful hits.
One particularly large boulder managed to whack him on the shoulder.
"Grrrr!!" he gritted his teeth and pushed onward, narrowly escaping the rest of the barrage. As if his troubles weren't enough, the moment he got to the edge of the long platform, two pendulums and a flurry of boulders all shot out simultaneously.
He was left with no other choice but to jump to the next platform without analyzing its movements. As he jumped, it suddenly changed direction, flying straight over his head. In a split-second decision, Vaelin threw himself backward and managed to grab onto a lower sliding platform that he hadn't noticed before.
"Agh! Darn it." he shouted, "I ain't sure if I can keep this up any longer."
He quickly analyzed his surroundings, "Oh! I'm at the last lap." He realized.
Without realizing it, Vaelin had gone more than halfway past the obstacle course, despite the fact that he had been hit a few times already.
But the downside in this was that he was feeling numbness all over his body. So much so that his fingers that gripped the edge of the platform threatened to give in.
He managed to tag on, analyzing then last lap where swinging pendulums obstructed the path. Levitating boulders constantly plummeting like a meteor shower and all the sliding platforms spiraled.
"How do I navigate this turmoil?" he pondered, "curious 'nuff, they simply pass through one 'nother when 'bout to collide, but when 'tis me in their sights, they lumber towards me."
"Nah! I can't rely on a platform, they move too swiftly," he murmured, glancing at the hastening platforms. "Alright, I've got an idea... 'tis crazy tho, but I pray 'twill work."
He pulled himself onto the platform he was hanging on.
"There goes nothing!" He muttered under his breath, and leaped across, not aimed for a platform this time, instead a pendulum that was swinging in the direction of the finish line. While in mid-air another swinging pendulum swung dangerously close to his face, barely missing him by inches as he managed to avoid its deadly arc
In a last-second effort, Vaelin stretched and lutched onto the pendulum, using it as a makeshift swing to propel himself forward.
It crushed into his belly, knocking the wind out of him, and slingshot him towards the finish line.
"???!" almost knocked out, Vaelin was gliding through the air, towards the end, when a total of five pendulums, battalion boulders and sliding platforms shot at him.
He could see them just was too sluggish and dazed to try something mid-air.
"I suppose I won't make it after all my toils," he mused with a wistful smile etched on his visage. "Leastwise, I gave it me utmost, apologies, system."
Right after uttering those words, he felt his body jerk weirdly into positions he wouldn't have been able to turn to.
Then all the obstacles hit him at a cardinal point.
"Aarrgghhh!!!" Vaelin screamed as pain spread along every corner of his body. Due to the sensory pads they wore on their bodies before entering the virtual reality assessment, they could feel every ounce of touch, from a normal pinch to a gunshot wound.
He felt himself slam hard on a solid surface, worsening the pain. But as he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe what he was seeing, or more correctly, where he was lying.
"Curses! I've made it," Vaelin bellowed with astonishment. "But I thought that final obstacle woulda plunged me into the abyss below."
[You're welcome!!!]
A message rung in his head, bringing his to a certain realization.
"Twas you, wasn't it?" Vaelin asked the system, feeling a mix of gratitude and bewilderment. "You manipulated my body at the last moment, into a position that would result in me getting knocked over the finish line."
He expected a reply but as usual, he didn't get any.
"Thank you!" Vaelin said, expressing his deepest gratitude.
A digital celebration erupted around Vaelin, since this obstacle course had no spectators. Vaelin basked in the glory of his narrow escape, feeling proud of his feats. That's when another realization struck.
"Wait a minute! How the hell can you control my body??!"
[??!]
***