I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 105 – A Meta

- Oliver -

His first attempt was over.

He hadn't realized just how exhausted he was until the armored soldiers escorted him back to the entrance of the colossal arena. The adrenaline that had coursed through his veins masked the fatigue settling deep into his muscles. His body had been taut, every nerve on edge, as he expended a considerable amount of his Energy conducting the last series of experiments. Standing in the same position for what felt like hours, he was oblivious to the creeping weariness that now threatened to overtake him.

As he stepped into the corridor, Oliver noticed Katherine and Isabela still waiting in the endless line of recruits. The hum of machinery and distant echoes of other trials filled the air. Isabela was poised to be the next entrant. Katherine caught sight of him and approached, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"Nice work," Katherine said with a hint of admiration. "That was a brilliant idea. I bet you'll have plenty of people trying to replicate your strategy in the next few days."

Oliver managed a weary smile, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. "I think I'll stick with this path. Relying solely on combat might be easier for some, but I can't imagine that'll get me the best results."

Katherine tilted her head thoughtfully. "Perhaps. I suppose it depends on what Boon you've got."

Before they could delve deeper into the conversation, a loud hiss signaled the opening of the arena doors. Isabela had already entered, disappearing behind the massive metal gateway.

Oliver made his way to the opposite side of the corridor and sank down onto the floor, careful not to obstruct the flow of candidates advancing toward their trials. He reactivated the holographic interface on his gauntlet. He felt the cool touch of the floor through his uniform, grounding him amidst the swirling haze of fatigue.

Isabela had just stepped into the arena. Unlike most who chose the primary entrance, she had opted for the second entrance, adjacent to the river that wound its way behind the orchard.

"What is she planning?" Oliver wondered aloud, his gaze fixed on the live feed streaming across his gauntlet's display. Watching Isabela break from the established pattern piqued his interest.

As Isabela stepped into the arena, she swiftly moved to conceal herself behind a wooden pole in the small wooden bridge, which connected the outer perimeter to the inner area. The immediate challenge loomed ahead: two sentinel robots methodically patrolled the bridge's exit and the entrance to the inner grounds, their sensors sweeping in precise patterns.

But Isabela's eyes gleamed with unwavering confidence. She remained crouched, patiently timing the sentinels' movements. When one of the robots pivoted to scan its lateral side, she sprang into action. With a graceful fluidity, she stood and activated her Boon. At first, she hovered just above the ground, but then she began to ascend—slowly at first, then faster—rising higher and higher until she was mere meters from the arena's domed ceiling.

From this elevated vantage point, the entire arena sprawled beneath her like a complex maze. The surveillance cameras captured this breathtaking perspective: every building, every shadowed alley, every robot lurking atop rooftops. Yet, conspicuously, none of the machines looked upward. Perhaps their programming didn't account for an aerial approach, or this was an intentional oversight—a subtle allowance within the examination's design.

Without hesitation, Isabela accelerated towards the grand central house. Arms crossed before her like the prow of a ship; she became a human missile, slicing through the air with increasing speed. Her trajectory was direct, her intent clear.

Oliver noticed something subtle yet significant. Isabela had modified her armor—not to the sophisticated degree that Katherine was capable of, but a noticeable enhancement nonetheless. She had concentrated additional defensive plating along the forearms of her suit.

‘That must be consuming more Energy,’ Oliver mused. ‘Is she trying to finish this quickly?’

As Isabela continued to pick up speed, there was no sign of her decelerating. Finally, with a resounding crash that echoed throughout the arena, she slammed into the front of the house. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the structure, a cloud of dust and splintered wood erupting into the air. The cameras lost sight for a moment, the swirling debris obscuring the view. Alarms blared as robotic sentinels began converging on the epicenter from all directions.

The camera system automatically switched to thermal imaging, cutting through the haze to reveal the heat signatures. Isabela was already on the move inside the shattered remains of the house, her form darting between fallen beams and broken walls as she searched frantically for the Orb—the objective she needed to secure.

Meanwhile, the black-clad robots were mobilizing. Descending from the third floor with eerie synchronization, while others ascended from the ground level, they closed in on her position. Isabela's gaze swept the wreckage, but amidst the chaos and the settling dust, the Orb remained hidden from sight.

For a fleeting moment, one of the cameras captured a glimpse of something—a faint glow emanating from a table on the second floor. An item glowing with a yellow hue stood out against the backdrop of destruction. But Isabela, blind to this clue, pressed on, her time slipping away.

Her fate turned in that instant. The sentinels reached her before she could locate the Orb. Reacting swiftly, she engaged them, her reinforced arms absorbing and deflecting blows as she fought back. Sparks flew as metal clashed against augmented armor. Yet, Oliver knew the odds were stacked against her. The yellow robots she had bypassed earlier were classified as [Pawns], the red ones as [Knights]. These black robots were of a higher echelon entirely—[Bishops], something completely out of their level.

‘Facing opponents of this level is a whole different game,’ Oliver thought, concern etched on his face as he watched Isabela's struggle unfold on the holographic display.

‘I should have asked Nico about his ranking,’ Oliver reflected silently. ‘He's probably surpassed the [Bishops] by now. Could he be above the [Rook] level already?’

The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Isabela might have held some time if facing a single robot, but against five of them, her efforts were swiftly overwhelmed. In moments, the black robots had immobilized her, metallic limbs restraining her, as the resonant tone signaling the end of the match echoed throughout the arena.

As the exam ended, a squad of armored soldiers entered the arena. They approached Isabela and escorted her out.

"Dammit!" Isabela exclaimed, frustration evident in her voice.

Oliver rose from where he had been sitting, his eyes tracking her as she approached. He offered a reassuring smile. "You were amazing out there! If you'd found the Orb, you'd have been the first to complete the challenge—and probably the fastest, too."

Isabela took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself. "But now I'm not sure my strategy will work. With all that debris and dust, it's nearly impossible to see anything in there."

At the entrance to the arena, Katherine was already gearing up for her attempt.

"If the Orb doesn't change positions between runs, maybe you can memorize its location," Oliver suggested, his mind already working through potential solutions.

"Maybe," Isabela nodded, her expression thoughtful. "But that still doesn't solve the visibility problem."

"Or perhaps you could bring a thermal visor," Oliver mused, tapping his chin. "That way, you could see through the dust inside."

Isabela's eyes lit up. "I'd need to figure out how to integrate it with my helmet without exposing myself," she considered. "But that could work. Thanks, Oliver." She flashed him a grateful smile before turning abruptly. Without waiting another moment, she dashed toward the equipment store on the first floor.

Oliver watched her go. He didn't have much to prepare for his next attempt, so he settled back down along the corridor's edge, tuning into the live feeds to observe Katherine's trial.

Katherine's approach was more direct than both his and Isabela's previous strategies. Opting for stealth, she moved silently through the arena's periphery, her footsteps barely making a sound. She aimed to eliminate the robots quietly, one by one. At times, she used her Boon to extend her blade with blood and seamlessly slice through multiple robots.

Her agility was remarkable. Katherine weaved between patrols, her movements a blur as she advanced toward the grand house at the arena's center. However, she faced a new obstacle upon reaching her destination: four combat robots guarding the main entrance. Despite her skills, Katherine couldn't find a way to neutralize them before the alarm was triggered. The piercing sound filled the arena, and the black elite robots soon descended upon her. Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, she was swiftly overtaken.

Just as Katherine had predicted, the outcomes of their initial attempts had started to shape a new 'meta' among the recruits. Word spread quickly about the possibility of distracting the robots, and soon, others began experimenting with every element of the arena's environment. Some sought ways to isolate and eliminate the sentinels, while others searched for hidden pathways to gain easier access to the main house.

To Oliver's chagrin, he noticed Damian Nemo employing a strikingly similar strategy. Damian's Boon allowed him to summon and control Ice Goblins, drawing the robots' attention with calculated mischief. It was a perfect complement to the distraction tactics that were becoming popular.

Damian became the first to successfully breach the grand house, though he, too, was defeated by the black robots inside. Others followed suit, blending stealth with targeted strikes to eliminate the robots methodically. This approach quickly became the simplest and most accessible tactic among the recruits.

Despite this emerging trend, another strategy captured the attention of most watching the competition. On the NET, clips of another competitor were shared wildly. The audacious tactic of launching oneself directly at the target and demolishing the house resonated with viewers, who were thrilled by its sheer boldness.

They began referring to her by a new moniker: "MissileGirl." The nickname spread like wildfire, much to Isabela's annoyance.

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