"Nicely done. None of you were eliminated in this test. That's rare." The old man commented while scratching his beard. "We will need to go to another facility; we will have the final test there."
The group continued advancing through the research and development building corridors, once again passing various closed rooms or some more with darkened windows.
As they walked, Oliver and Isabela moved closer to Alan.
"Amazing! Good work, Mr. Bishop," Oliver remarked. "Amazing indeed. Only you and that other girl had such a grade," Isabela added while patting Alan's shoulder.
Alan's face flushed slightly from the recognition of his peers. He was usually very outgoing, but he had a weakness for compliments.
Oliver was glad his two transport truck buddies were doing well. Perhaps the life-or-death experience, combined with the unknown adventure, had connected the three and created a small bond of friendship, fragile as it was.
The group continued walking until they reached a staircase that led to the building's basement. As they descended, the lights turned on, revealing a large hall. It resembled a sports court, but in the center was an arena. It was hexagonal, with barred walls and a floor covered in rubberized material.
"This is our weapons testing room. Usually, we use it for something more potent, but it also serves to test you," the officer commented.
"The strength test will be a bit different. Strength goes beyond how much you can lift on a bench press. We want to know how much you can apply in real combat."
Inside the arena, a person was leaning against one of the walls. A Hispanic boy looked coldly at the group. With his gaze, he assessed each recruit.
"Each of you will have 3 minutes in the arena to face our challenger. Santiago is in his second year at the Ranger Academy and is expected to become the Black Ranger. His specialty is hand-to-hand combat." The old officer explained.
The group took their turn to analyze Santiago. For some, he didn't seem very intimidating. He was shorter than what they expected from a Ranger. However, for those who understood the power of a Ranger, this seemed like an absurd test. But among everyone, only Oliver was worried: "I have no idea how to fight him!"
Living on the streets of New San Francisco for the past few years forced Oliver to learn how to fight. However, it's entirely different to face some petty thief who wanted money to buy Vapor than to fight against someone who is trained.
"Your evaluation will be automatic again. Surviving the full 3 minutes won't guarantee your approval. You must give your best to gain entry into the Academy!" The officer shouted at the recruits.
The officer approached the arena. Near the entrance was a small table. Passing it, he picked up one of the items and showed it to the recruits.
"During this fight, you will be allowed to use an Artificial Ranger Armor, while Santiago will not use a Black Ranger Armor. I hope that by the end of this combat, you will clearly understand the difference between what you are now and what you can become," the officer concluded, pointing at Santiago.
Some recruits breathed a sigh of relief, but the situation didn't improve for Oliver. The officer continued presenting the Ranger Badge.
"If you've never used it before, just hold it in your hand and think 'Activate.' The Z Crystal will handle the rest of the process."
As soon as the officer finished explaining, grayish goo was expelled from the badge. Initially covering only his arms, small pieces of metal expanded until they covered his entire body, forming armor.
Oliver recognized it as the same one used by the soldiers. However, something caught his attention. The design was completely different. The helmet appeared to be more sophisticated, with more details on the visor, while the arm and leg defenses seemed much more reduced.
'Could it be new technology?' the boy wondered.
The first to enter the arena was a boy. Oliver didn't know who he was, or at least he hadn't paid enough attention to remember.
The cadet grabbed the badge and stepped into the arena. As soon as he took his first steps, the liquid metal expanded, transforming into armor. Once again, Oliver was surprised. Unlike the officer's armor, this one had sharp spikes on the shoulders and elbows, along with reinforced gloves.
After the armor finished forming, the cadet lifted his visor and gave a thumbs-up.
On the other side of the arena, Santiago wore a standard military outfit. However, he had metal gauntlets on both arms. But one detail that didn't go unnoticed was his armband. In the center of it was a shining black crystal that emanated energy powerful enough to be felt even from a distance.
[Test will begin in …]
[3… 2… 1…]
[Test initiated]
As the fight began, Santiago raised both arms and assumed a guard position, observing what the recruit would do.
The boy tried to anticipate Santiago's next move, charging at his opponent to attempt a sucker punch. However, he did not surprise him. Santiago raised one hand to block the punch, and before the recruit could return to his position, the offensive began.
Taking advantage while the recruit was still close, Santiago delivered a cross to the ribs. Without giving space for recovery, he followed with an uppercut using the same hand and finished with a straight punch to the helmet's center. The movements were so quick that many recruits couldn't see what was happening.
The boy fell to his knees and passed out.
[Test completed]
[Failed]
Some had expected the Ranger to win, but not so quickly and decisively. Again, two officers in white uniforms appeared promptly in the arena and removed the injured recruit.
"Next…" The Ranger said, looking at the rest of the group.
Oliver was grumbling inwardly. "Damn, why did I have to be second in line?"
However, he felt that more time wouldn't help at all. Oliver hadn't been able to follow the fight and didn't know how to fight against a Ranger. Perhaps being one of the last to fight would allow him to face a tired opponent. Yet, given the speed of the previous fight, it would be difficult for that to change the outcome.
Oliver grabbed the Ranger Badge, still deep in thought. "Will this be enough to help me? I need to surprise him somehow." The boy was strategizing, trying to make the most of the remaining seconds.
The arena seemed much smaller from the inside. Additionally, he could see his opponent from every angle, making him even more nervous. As he activated the armor, he heard that pleasant voice again.
[Hello recruit Oliver!]
[Are you ready for your next test?]
As the armor finished enveloping Oliver, he noticed that it had the same design as the one he had used against the Orks.
'Is the armor unique to each person? Or am I doing something wrong?' the boy wondered, lost in thought.
At the same time, the announcement echoed outside his helmet.
[Test will begin in …]
[3… 2… 1…]
[Test initiated]
Oliver needed more time to consider his next moves. As the match began, he backed away from his opponent, trying to formulate a strategy.
[Boon loaded…]
[Glitch loaded…]
[Skills loaded…]
[No combat forms among your skills.]
[No crystal weapons among your items.]
[You have a skill with Ranger Weapons.]
[Skill: Ranger Weapon (Pawn)]
[Would you like to load your Ranger Weapon?]
[Yes / No]
On the other side, Santiago understood Oliver's actions but wouldn't let the boy gain time. He advanced to the center of the hexagon, raising his guard and taking quick steps. However, these few seconds of advancing allowed Oliver to change his position, moving closer to the walls.
Now, in the center of the hexagon, Santiago had a clear line to his opponent, but Oliver responded before he could close the gap. In his hand, a standard energy pistol for Artifical Rangers was pointed at Santiago. A series of shots was fired, aiming to push him back. But what Santiago didn't expect was the impact of each energy shot.
After four shots, Santiago continued to block with his guard. After the initial shock, he knew Oliver's energy would soon run out. But he didn't want to wait that long. As Oliver took a breath between shots, Santiago leaped to close the distance between them.
Oliver looked around, searching for a place to run and keep shooting. However, his body was already too tired. The previous tests had taken a toll on him, and with the energy spent on firing, his body couldn't take much more. He tried to force himself to move, but his legs wouldn't respond.
This was the opening Santiago needed. As he approached, he used his left arm to block an energy shot and delivered a punch to Oliver's stomach. The punch's impact made Oliver lose his last bit of strength, causing him to drop the pistol. Santiago didn't give Oliver a chance to recover and continued with powerful strikes, taking down the competitor.
[Test completed]
[Evaluated status: Strength]
[Grade: Pawn]