"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Oliver had seen the remains of several Orks but never two alive and so close. There weren't many people who had had this kind of experience and survived.
Several sirens were blaring, signaling a partial evacuation.
It would take tens of minutes for any reinforcements to arrive. Oliver might not know much about this new world, but he knew what two Orks could do to a city in the meantime.
'They've never made it past the barrier alive. It has to be my luck.' Oliver thought while cursing his luck.
The two soldiers seemed nervous but understood what needed to be done. One of them ran into the truck and appeared to be retrieving two steel badges.
"Hold on, it's better to be prepared; they don't look like the ordinary ones." The second soldier spoke while throwing one of the badges to the first.
"Activate Ranger!" Both soldiers spoke.
A metallic liquid was expelled from the badges and quickly attached itself to the soldiers' bodies. The liquid continued to expand and contract until, in just a few seconds, both soldiers were fully armored.
It wasn't the first time Oliver had seen a Ranger. They were incredibly popular, appearing on holographs around the city or in shows on the Internet. However, seeing them transform was something entirely new. Despite still being scared, the boy's eyes shone, reminding him of when he was younger and what he imagined being a Ranger would be like.
The reality was a bit different. The armor was less colorful and more metallic but still worthy of a child's dream.
Armed with two Ranger Armors, the soldiers seemed more confident, but deep down, they felt cold fear, knowing it still wouldn't be enough.
"When they get within 100 meters, I want you to fire everything you've got at them. Don't let them get too close. Orks can be extremely fast." the second soldier explained. The first soldier nodded, but not with the same confidence as the other soldier.
Staying on the street would only make Oliver an easier target. He ran into the truck, hiding behind the door. Still, he tried to observe the street through the cracks.
For Oliver, the whole scene seemed to move in slow motion, his adrenaline preventing him from losing focus for even a moment. His breathing was accelerated despite not exerting any effort.
Just over 100 meters away, the two Orks were slowly approaching. Both wore similar armor, with a mix of brown and white paint, covered with sharp bones and steel. The equipment gave off a wild and brutal appearance, even though it came from a civilization capable of attacking humanity.
"Fire! Fire it all!" The second soldier screamed.
Light sparks came out of both soldiers' hands and quickly began to create a shape. After the blink of an eye, two pistols had appeared. Without wasting time, they promptly started firing energy beams. Each shot seemed to slow the Orks down but wasn't enough to cause damage.
"Shoot, and don't think of stopping!" The second soldier commanded.
One of the Orks leaped at the first soldier, hitting him with a brutal punch to the stomach. That was enough to throw the soldier against the truck, crashing through the back door and landing among the three recruits. Oliver, who was behind the door, was thrown back against the truck's side.
The second soldier didn't need to look to know the result. Things seemed too grim for him. But there was no way to run with two Orks so close. His best option was to create some space between them and keep shooting. He didn't waste time, focusing on the Ork before him and resuming to fire as he backed away.
"Jiak'll ek naj-ri. Koga katu." The Ork shouted some incomprehensible words and charged after the soldier.
Inside the truck, things weren't any better. Oliver looked at the unconscious soldier, whose armor was dismantled. One of the recruits, who had been tied up, had his bloodshot eyes pleading for release. The girl who was sleeping until now was finally awake and trying to understand what was happening.
Though they had little time, the Ork was getting closer to the truck. His weight made the ground tremble with each step.
"Clink"
It was the sharp sound of the badge hitting the floor.
Oliver's hands were trembling with fear, but upon seeing the badge, he knew it was his only chance. He needed to activate the Ranger Armor somehow. Maybe he could buy a few precious minutes; it was that or wait for certain death.
Oliver crawled across the floor in a clumsy leap and grabbed the fallen badge. He pressed it with all his might until he heard a voice inside his head.
[Artificial Ranger - Prototype 1833]
[First use, registering new user]
[User: Oliver]
[Processing …]
[User registered]
[Would you like to activate the Artifical Armor?]
Each word appeared in the left corner of Oliver's vision. He had never had the chance to see a hologram like this before, so natural and interactive. The boy had occasionally seen advertisements for holographic games and systems, but it was too expensive for a Wave Cleaner.
'Yes, activate… quickly.' Oliver thought.
Looking up, Oliver could see the Ork was too close, just some steps away. The enormous gray arm was holding the truck's rear door, and with a pull…
"CRACK"
The door was torn off with such force it dragged the truck.
[Armor activated]
[Training mode activated]
[Stats loading …]
[Boons loading …]
[Glitch loading …]
[Skills loading …]
[No means of defense found.]
[Would you like to activate your Ranger Weapon?]
[Yes / No]
As Oliver watched the Ork tear the truck door off, more information appeared in the corner of his vision.
'Yes. Fast! Please.' Oliver pleaded to hurry up.
Grayish strands of energy began to appear from the boy's hands. They started intertwining without any command until they formed an object like a pistol. However, there was no space to insert a cartridge or bullets; at the tip, a recess connected to the pistol's energy chamber. The weapon resembled the ones the soldiers were using, but the energy chamber's glow seemed stronger.
[Ranger Weapon loaded]
Oliver was surprised that he had been able to conjure the pistol. At another time, he might have thought he was hallucinating it, but the weight of the weapon was all too real. The boy questioned whether this had been his best idea. He had never used a gun in his life, and now he would have to protect not only his own life but possibly others as well.
'It can't be that hard. I just need to squeeze the trigger, right?' The boy thought.
But he didn't have to think for long. When his gaze fell upon the weapon, a surge of information flooded his brain. Oliver didn't understand what had happened, but he suddenly remembered perfectly how to use it and knew its characteristics, as if he had studied the weapon for days.
| Ranger Weapon (Class: Pawn)
| Description: The Ranger Weapon uses its user's energy to charge it.
| Mode of use: Aim and shoot.
Oliver pointed the new gun to the Ork and squeezed the trigger. Soon, a small, electrifyingly bright blue sphere formed at the weapon's tip and shot out before him.
There was no way to miss his target in the truck's confined space. However, something different happened. Before, the shots barely affected the Ork, but now each bullet seemed to hit with more impact this time.
The Ork even raised what appeared to be one of his eyebrows in a questioning look.
Without waiting to see the result, Oliver pulled the trigger multiple times, firing shot after shot. However, he gradually felt that each subsequent shot was becoming more demanding. His body seemed heavier, and his arms ached simply from holding the weapon.
"Lat're vadokan." The Ork screamed.
"Stupid Ork, no one here understands you!" Oliver screamed back at him.
The Ork didn't stop, taking each shot to the chest and continuing to advance toward the boy. When he was within reach, he struck Oliver's face with the back of his hand, sending him crashing against the side of the truck.
Seeing the boy on the ground, the monster seized his legs and dragged him out of the truck. Oliver tried to hold on and cling to the vehicle, but the Ork's strength was far superior to his, and he was quickly pulled out.
As soon as the Ork took his first step outside, he swiftly swung his arm, throwing Oliver against the ground.
"BOOM!"
Oliver's impact on the asphalt created another small crater. All the air in his lungs was expelled, and his eyes filled with tears. The boy struggled to get up or move his arm. Not only was he injured, but he was also without his weapon. Still, his will to survive kept him from giving up; he wanted to think of a solution.
But it wasn't over yet…