I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 116 – Pallas

- Oliver -

"We are approaching the station. Prepare for disembarkation," one of the officers on the ship announced.

In the distance, Oliver could see the enormous structure drifting against the backdrop of stars. Pallas was not just any space station; it was the pinnacle of human technology, orbiting silently at coordinates known only to the Blue Rangers.

The station was a massive rotating ring designed to simulate artificial gravity, with miles of suspended cities, lush forests, and crystalline rivers winding beneath glass domes. Inside, the inhabitants lived with a singular purpose: to develop new technologies and produce weapons and defenses for the human race.

The ship swiftly passed through an ionized barrier that separated the station from the void of space beyond.

As the vessel docked, the newly selected Rangers were summoned to follow the officers—except for Oliver. In his case, a specific officer was assigned to escort him.

The other rookie Rangers' gazes were a mix of surprise, admiration, and envy at the attention he was receiving.

Stepping onto the station, Oliver was able to take in the grandeur of Pallas more fully. The entire city was adorned with hanging gardens and buildings of minimalist architecture. The officer enthusiastically pointed out each district and structure as they moved along until they finally arrived at a neighborhood of houses reminiscent of a suburban area in a grand city.

"This is where you'll be staying," the officer explained.

"Will I be sharing the house?" Oliver asked.

"No, your situation is unique. Usually, new Rangers are assigned to an officer for training and begin by living in the common dormitory. However, your officer is a bit special. He prefers that you reside close to him, which is why you'll stay in this house," the officer said.

"This whole house is just for me?" Oliver asked, his eyes widening.

"Yes, but don't get too comfortable just yet. You'll find that your training will be even more demanding," the officer replied, already preparing to depart.

Oliver nodded, walking through the expansive garden before entering the house. It looked very much like a typical suburban home, with a living room connected to a kitchen. A small staircase led to the second floor, where there were two bedrooms and two bathrooms. At the back of the house, there was a large garden.

After spending a few minutes exploring, Oliver sat down in the backyard. Looking up at the "sky," he could see the other side of the station, as well as the vastness of space beyond. The curve of the ring-shaped habitat arced overhead, lights from distant windows twinkling like stars themselves.

Taking advantage of the few minutes he had before his commanding officer's arrival, Oliver opened the chat function on his gauntlet. The holographic interface flickered to life, displaying his recent conversations.

---

Channels

- Exam1Group [4] [Private]

Exam1Group

[OliverKR]: Just arrived at the Blue Rangers' base. ■■■■■■ is incredible.

[OliverKR]: ■■■■■■.

[OliverKR]: WTF! Looks like I can't mention the name of the base in the chat.

[KathSaysHi]: It must be some kind of security measure. From what they've said, the Blue Ranger base is the only one with no records of its location since it's where humanity's principal research happens.

[BellaRedFanGirl]: But even the name?!

[BellaRedFanGirl]: I'll only arrive at the base tomorrow; I'm still on the ship. ?

---

Oliver sighed, realizing he wouldn't have as long a journey as Isabela. His gaze drifted over the list of group members in the chat. Alan's name was still there, but his status icon remained gray, indicating his absence.

‘We will find a cure,’ Oliver thought before closing the chat.

With some time to spare, Oliver decided to review his status. Accessing the data on his gauntlet, he surveyed the experience points he obtained. Unfortunately, it wasn't much. He'd used a significant portion during the first exam, and in the second, he hadn't faced many robots—opting instead for strategies that caused accidents or evading them.

| Status Page

| User: Oliver [Nameless]

| Level: 4 [Knight]

| Experience: [202/800]

| Credits: 11.260

|

| Stats

| Strength: 7 [Pawn] [Buy for 400 Exp]

| Agility: 19 [Knight] [Buy for 200 Exp]

| Constitution: 6 [Pawn] [Buy for 400 Exp]

| Energy: 17 [Knight] [Buy for 1600 Exp]

|

| Boons

| Insight [Knight][Growth]

| [Use 800 Experience Points to Upgrade]

|

| Observation [Pawn][Growth]

| [Use 200 Experience Points to Upgrade]

|

| Left Eye of Learning [Knight]

|

| Right Eye of Secrets [Knight]

|

| Glitches

| [Too Much Information]

| [As long as I see]

|

| Skills

| Ranger Weapon Handling [Knight]

| Robot Maintenance [Pawn]

| Mecha Repairing [Pawn]

| Mecha Piloting [Pawn]

| Energy Perception [Pawn]

|

| Technique

| [Language] Orkish

| Progress: 10.59%

| [Combat] New Earth Army Style

| Progress: 10.51%

|

| Ranger Weapon

| Energy Pistol

His skills had increased considerably, especially after battling numerous robots and mechas. He'd been able to utilize his [Insight] boon more extensively, gaining valuable information during each exam.

‘Too bad I can't use it as much against Orks—it would be really useful,’ Oliver mused.

But there was one more thing that required his attention.

| Maze Master

| Complete the maze in under 1 minute

| [Locked Reward - Become a Ranger to unlock]

‘I've become a Ranger—do I just need to activate it?’ Oliver wondered.

He tapped on the achievement icon repeatedly, but the reward remained inaccessible despite his efforts. The status hadn't changed.

‘Is something still missing?’ he pondered. ‘Maybe the Z Crystal?’

As he contemplated, the sunlight—or rather, the artificial illumination simulating sunlight—cast a warm glow over the garden. The leaves rustled softly in the breeze.

Lost in his thoughts, Oliver almost didn't notice the doorbell chime echoing through the house. Startled, he glanced up.

‘That must be the officer,’ he thought, hurrying to answer the door.

Oliver opened it, expecting to see a standard envoy. Instead, standing on his doorstep was one of the last people he expected to see. An elderly man with snow-white hair and deep-set eyes regarded him intently. He wore semi-activated blue armor that hummed softly, faint traces of energy pulsing.

"Getting accustomed to your accommodations, young man?" General Wiz asked, stepping past Oliver into the house with the familiarity of someone who had been there countless times.

"Ge-General Wiz! It's good to see you again," Oliver stammered, snapping back to reality as he closed the door behind them.

"Indeed," Wiz replied with a faint smile. "And you'll be seeing much more of me. You'll be under my tutelage."

Oliver blinked in surprise. "What do you mean, sir? My commanding officer is going to be a General?"

"Normally, I would assign you to another officer," Wiz admitted, strolling through the living area and casting an appraising eye over the minimalist décor. "But given that I have only two years to analyze you, it's better to keep you close. I need to understand why you have such a remarkable connection to the Blue Crystal."

Oliver nodded slowly, the weight of the General's words sinking in. "I see," he replied. "That makes sense."

"Furthermore," Wiz continued, turning to face him, "I don't intend to train you in the same manner as the others. Many recruits struggle even to activate the crystal, but with your level of synchronization, it should be quite effortless. Therefore, I'll assign you to missions that align more with my... particular interests."

"Understood," Oliver said, straightening his posture. "When do we begin?"

"Right now," Wiz declared, his eyes glinting with curiosity and determination. "But first, it's time to replace that crystal."

He gestured toward the gauntlet on Oliver's wrist. The standard-issue device housed an artificial crystal.

From within a concealed compartment of his armor, Wiz produced a crystal that immediately drew Oliver's gaze. It resembled a sapphire, its facets shimmering with a radiant blue glow that seemed to dance with an inner light. Waves of energy pulsed within it like the flow of a cosmic tide.

Oliver's fingers brushed against the small crystal, and an immediate surge of energy coursed through him. It was as if the crystal pulsed with a heartbeat of its own, each throb resonating with his inner self. Compared to his artificial crystal, this one was massively denser; its weight was surprising for its size. Yet, it wasn't just the physical heft that struck him—the unique sensation that flowed into him upon contact, an otherworldly connection he couldn't quite fathom.

“Just click on this button,” Wiz explained how to open the crystal repository.

A compartment opened in the lower section of the gauntlet, revealing where its Artificial Crystal was resting. However, there were still five other slots available to add additional Z Crystals. Oliver extended his hand to embed the blue crystal in his gauntlet, intent on examining this newfound marvel further. Just then, the General's voice interrupted his thoughts. "How about we put it to the test?" he suggested, a hint of excitement underlying his stoic demeanor.

Oliver looked up, confusion flickering across his face. ‘Test it? Here and now?’ But the General had already turned away, striding purposefully toward the staircase at the room's far end. Instead of ascending, he descended into the lower levels of the house.

"We can experiment with it here."