I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 138 – A New Power

- Oliver -

"This weapon will suit you better," Cernunnos remarked with a sly smile.

Yet the words seemed to drift away like echoes from a fading dream.

Oliver's senses snapped back to reality as waves of pain coursed through his body. His knee threatened to give way beneath him, throbbing with each attempt to stand firm. His arms ached from parrying the relentless attacks he'd endured. Around him, the guttural shouts of the Red Ork resounded—a barrage of taunts and insults aimed squarely at him.

But his focus was elsewhere. A new notification pulsed insistently on his HUD.

| Would you like to activate your Green Crystal?

| [Yes] [No]

"He accepted!" Oliver celebrated silently, a flicker of hope igniting within.

He glanced up at the Red Ork advancing steadily toward him, its savage grin revealing jagged teeth. Without hesitation, Oliver selected.

[Yes]

He braced himself, expecting his Blue Armor to dissolve and be replaced by a new suit, perhaps materializing in a flash of light. But nothing happened—at least, not outwardly.

First came a bitter, metallic taste coating his mouth, followed by a crushing pressure in his chest.

'It's consuming all my strength just to activate,' Oliver thought anxiously, unsure if he could sustain whatever was coming.

Then, excruciating pain surged through him. It felt as if thorns were piercing his hands, legs, and back. Every nerve ending screamed in agony. Merely keeping the armor active was akin to enduring relentless torture.

A timer appeared on his display.

| 10:00

| 09:59

When Oliver finally reopened his eyes, the world around him seemed sharper, more vivid. He looked down and caught his breath—the armor had transformed as if it had evolved to a higher form. It was immaculate, gleaming as though untouched by any prior battle. The suit fitted perfectly to his body, every piece in seamless alignment.

Though it retained a sleek and futuristic design, the armor now bore the elegance of knightly regalia. Constructed from a deep, shimmering green metal, it reflected light in an almost supernatural way, each plate appearing as if polished by magic. Intricate gold filigree traced along the edges, forming symbols and elegant curves that hinted at markings that perhaps only Cernunnos could decipher.

The helmet featured a sharp, opaque visor that concealed his face entirely, giving an aura of mystery. It also conveniently adhered to the Sovereign's requirement for his anonymity. Flowing behind him was a cape of lighter green. Pointed pauldrons and intricately designed gauntlets exuded raw power. Every detail of the armor was meticulously crafted for both protection and style.

"You screamed so much just to change the color of your armor?" the Red Ork sneered, mocking him with a guttural chuckle.

Oliver met the Ork's gaze, his voice steady and low. "There's one last thing I'd like to test," he murmured to himself.

| Twin Daggers: Activate

When Oliver raised his hands, the air around him began to subtly vibrate, charged with a latent energy waiting to burst forth. Suddenly, minute particles of Energy started to coalesce before him, forming a shimmering emerald light. Gradually, two daggers materialized. The black metal of the blades emerged like solid shadows, adorned with brilliant green energy that cascaded like flames along their razor-sharp edges.

The daggers' design was aggressive, a fusion of lethal weaponry and mystical artifacts. Each blade was long and slightly curved, exuding a sinister elegance. The hilts seemed molded perfectly to his hands, adorned with sharp, thorn-like details. A faint green mist emanated from the weapons as if they were overflowing with raw power.

As he gripped them, Oliver felt an immediate and profound connection. Unlike the Energy Pistol, he had struggled to grasp, these daggers felt as if they were made for him, obedient and utterly attuned to his will.

‘Let's just do a test,’ Oliver thought, reluctant to unleash his full strength. Partly because he was still learning to maneuver in the new armor and partly because every movement within it brought an almost unbearable pain.

Gritting his teeth, he made a slight movement—a mere impulse—but it was a surprise to both him and the Red Ork. He had become immensely faster; a single step was enough to cover the distance between them.

The Ork hastily raised both hands, attempting to block the boy's attack. Oliver slightly moved with his daggers, slicing downward in a swift, fluid arc. It was enough to sever both of the Red Ork's arms.

"RUARGH!" The Red Ork roared, a guttural mix of agony and fury.

Oliver's eyes widened at the stark difference in power provided by the new armor. Without wasting a moment, he lifted his leg and delivered a powerful kick to the Ork's abdomen, sending the massive creature hurtling into one of the base's walls. The impact shattered the structure, exploding into a cloud of rubble and smoke.

"Interesting," Oliver commented as he continued advancing. The Ork appeared to have lost consciousness from the attack, but this was no time for remorse or pity. With a flick of one dagger, he swiftly decapitated the fallen foe.

"I told you you were dreaming," Oliver said coldly.

The remaining Orks turned to run, unwilling to continue fighting. They ran and stumbled over their own feet, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Oliver.

‘That's right, run!’ Oliver thought as he lacked the stamina to speak the words.

However, he couldn't let the Orks escape knowing his identity. As quickly as he had eliminated the Red Ork, with each step, he seemed to teleport beside the Orks and sliced them in two with a flick of his dagger.

Moments later, no one except Oliver and the elves were left alive in the hangar.

Finally, exhaustion washed over him, but he stood firm. The new armor had pushed his abilities to unforeseen heights, yet the searing pain it inflicted was a constant reminder of its cost. He knew he couldn't maintain this power for long.

Yet Oliver allowed himself a brief respite, contemplating the path ahead.

‘Let’s rest just for a while.’ Oliver concluded.

[Deactivate]

| You have 09:21 remaining before recharging.

Upon realizing he could expend the remainder of his charge before needing to recharge, Oliver felt a surge of relief. His armor began to disintegrate, the shimmering plates dissolving into the air like mist. Without its support, he collapsed onto the cold, hard ground. Gritting his teeth, he began to crawl toward the nearest wall, each movement sending jolts of agony through his battered body.

Wherever he moved, blood trails marked his path—a stark crimson contrast against the stone floor. His arms and legs were slick with it as if his very pores were leaking blood.

‘Is this just the effect of using the armor?’ Oliver wondered, pressing his back against the rough stone wall.

He closed his eyes momentarily, attempting to steady his ragged breathing. Suddenly, his HUD flickered with new notifications, pulling his attention back.

| New Achievement Completed

| New Achievement Completed

| Oh! You survived?!

| Defeat a Red Ork

| [Click to Redeem]

| Cernunnos is AWAKE!

| Awaken that who sleeps

| [New System Unlocked]

| Synchronization System Unlocked

| Monitor how your synchronization evolves with each of your Crystals.

His gaze sharpened at the last message. Synchronization Status flashed before him.

| Synchronization Status

| 🟦84% [Excelent]

| 🟩1% [Critical]

Underneath, more details appeared.

| Low Synchronization Effects

| - It will increase the cost of using a Crystal.

| - It will make it painful or impossible to wear a Ranger Armor.

| - You cannot extract the maximum power from that crystal.

Oliver's eyes widened at the grim statistics regarding his synchronization with the Green Crystal. "Right. Cernunnos explained that using it would be hard since I'm not an Elf. I just didn't expect that much." he spoke aloud, a knot forming in his stomach.

He tapped on the [Critical] indicator, prompting additional information.

| 🟩1% [CRITICAL]

| To improve synchronization with the Green Crystal, you must:

| - Grow;

| - Evolve;

| - Improve your Energy Control proficiency;

‘Well, at least those are things I need to do anyway,’ Oliver thought, trying to find a silver lining.

Just then, three more notifications lit up his HUD.

| You got a new Glitch

| You got a new Glitch

| You got a new Glitch

"Damn it! Three new glitches," Oliver cursed under his breath.

He accessed the glitches menu, and the details unfolded before him.

| Glitches

| [Too Much Information]

| [As long as I see]

| [A Timed Power] - [Only when using the Green Crystal]

| You can only use your Green Crystal for 10 minutes.

| You can pause its use, but recharging is impossible while any charge remains.

| [Our Secret] - [Only when using the Green Crystal]

| No other Human or Ork must discover that a human is using a Green Crystal.

| Penalty: Destruction of the Green Crystal.

| [Oliver the Battery] - [Only when using the Green Crystal]

| Upon depleting your Green Crystal, you must invest 168 hours of your Energy production to recharge it.

Oliver let his head rest against the stone wall, finally allowing himself a moment to process the barrage of new information. Every inch of his body screamed in protest, muscles aching, wounds searing.

“Great,” he muttered sarcastically. “As if things weren't hard enough.”

Footsteps echoed softly. With effort, Oliver lifted his gaze to see four Elves approaching cautiously. Their once-brilliant attire was tattered, their faces etched with deep scars. The eldest among them stepped forward, his movements slow and deliberate. He sank down beside Oliver, lowering his head until it nearly touched the ground, tears welling in his eyes.

"Thank you, thank you so much," the Elf whispered, his voice laden with emotion. "I thought I would die in the Orks' prison. We've been imprisoned for decades."

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