I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 179 – Wolmi Theme Park

- Oliver -

The man inclined his head, his gaze fixated on Oliver. His eyes glinted beneath the shadow of his hood, a subtle blend of curiosity and authority. "Welcome," he said, his voice resonating with a confident timbre that carried across the dimly lit chamber. "You're in the right place. Welcome to the Children of the Past."

Oliver chose not to respond verbally. Instead, he offered a slight nod. He preferred to keep a low profile, especially in unfamiliar territory. Casually, he drifted away from the center of attention, weaving through the scattered clusters of people until he reached one of the pillars supporting the structure. The cold stone pressed against his back as he leaned into it.

Around him, a diverse assembly had gathered. Drifters in tattered attire, tech-augmented individuals with subtle glows emanating from beneath their skin, and stern-faced figures whose bearing hinted at military backgrounds. A murmur of hushed conversations filled the air.

The two members of the Children of the Past stood near the center of the room, their attention divided between the crowd and the gauntlets. Oliver noticed how their eyes frequently darted to the displays silently monitoring the time.

| 17:55

"Excellent. We can start," the girl announced, her voice cutting through the ambient noise. She was slender, with sharp features partially obscured by a mask that covered the lower half of her face.

"All of you are candidates," declared the man beside her. His face was concealed beneath a hood, shadows obscuring it except for the glint of his eyes. “This will be our final selection. Our grand mission is approaching its culmination. We need reinforcements to help us change the empire forever."

A ripple of whispers swept through the assemblage. Some exchanged glances laden with skepticism; others nodded subtly, eyes gleaming with anticipation. The air grew thick with a blend of excitement and apprehension.

"Unfortunately," the man continued, "we cannot yet reveal the specifics of what lies ahead. But know this: for those who pass this stage, you will be instrumental in shaping the future."

He spoke with a fervor that bordered on zealotry, his words carefully crafted to inspire yet shroud the true intent. To Oliver, it echoed the rhetoric he'd heard from organizations like the NEA.

The girl stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I can't disclose much about your test," she said, her tone measured. "But keep your metallic card with you at all times. It will serve as your means of communication."

Oliver reached into his pocket and retrieved the metallic card.

He held the card closer, scrutinizing it under the faint light. He recalled the previous card he'd encountered, the one that had vanished after reading and discarding.

‘Isn't there a ten-kilometer limit to teleport this?’ Oliver mused silently. ‘Or is it a different boon this time?’

"Your sole mission is to survive. After that, read the cards," the man declared, his voice echoing ominously. Before Oliver could fully process the instruction, a brilliant flash enveloped him, and everything around him blinked out of existence.

It was an unsettling sensation. Unlike the familiar pull of teleportation, Oliver felt as though he hadn't moved at all, yet his surroundings had entirely shifted. No sensation of acceleration, no disorientation, just a sudden change from one reality to another.

As the intense light dissipated, Oliver found himself suspended in mid-air, the ground rushing up to meet him. Instinctively, he braced for impact. The drop was only a few meters, not enough to cause serious injury, but its abruptness sent adrenaline surging through his veins. He landed awkwardly, his knees bending to absorb the shock.

Dazed, he quickly scanned his environment. The unfamiliarity of the place heightened his alertness. Gone was the shadowy enclave he'd been standing in moments before. Instead, he was surrounded by low-rise buildings and towering walls that boxed in the area from all sides. The architecture was stark and utilitarian, a blend of concrete and steel that spoke of military efficiency.

Nine others were around him, recovering from similar falls, their expressions mirroring his confusion and alarm. The early morning sun was beginning to illuminate the sky, a stark contrast to the afternoon in New San Francisco.

"Where am I?" Oliver muttered under his breath, unease gnawing at him. The distant wail of sirens reached his ears, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps and shouted commands.

"Alert! Intruders!" a voice blared over a loudspeaker.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Seal the gates!" another ordered.

Soldiers poured into view from multiple directions, their movements swift and coordinated. Clad in the crisp uniforms of the NEA, their insignias were unmistakable.

‘Fuck! Did they bring us to one of the NEA bases?’ Oliver cursed. The idea seemed absurd, yet the evidence was right before his eyes.

As soon as his feet were firmly on the ground, Oliver didn't wait to find out more. His survival instincts kicked in, and he bolted toward the nearest section of the wall. The rough terrain underfoot threatened to trip him, but he pushed forward, every muscle primed with urgency.

"Open fire!" a commanding voice barked.

The sharp retort of gunfire erupted behind him, bullets whizzing past with deadly intent. An explosion blasted the ground just ahead, showering him with dirt and debris. The shockwave threw Oliver off balance, but he regained his footing, adrenaline numbing the sting of small cuts.

"They're the Children of the Past! They're attacking the base!" shouted another soldier.

"Deploy the Mechas! Don't let anyone escape!" came the urgent reply.

Oliver raised a hand instinctively to shield himself from the barrage of debris hurled by the explosion. Fragments of concrete and asphalt whizzed past him, the shrapnel cutting through the air and obscuring his vision with a haze of dust and smoke. The acrid scent of burning materials filled his nostrils. Around him, chaos erupted; gunfire crackled from all directions, a sound of sharp reports echoing off the structures. He wasn't the only one making a run to escape.

‘If only I could use my armor,’ Oliver thought bitterly, ducking behind supply boxes for cover. ‘With two jumps, I'd be out of this base.’ But there was no time to dwell on what he couldn't do. He had to act with what he had.

Emerging from his brief shelter, he sprinted, legs pumping as he headed toward the base's main gate. His boots pounded against the cracked pavement, each step fueled by adrenaline. Bullets zipped past, one grazing his arm, a sharp sting but not a showstopper.

As he closed in on the towering, iron-barred gate, Oliver's heart sank. The problem became glaringly obvious. Beyond the gate stood several mechs, their hulking silhouettes stark against the smoky horizon. Unlike the Atlas-M, these were designed solely for combat; sleek armored giants bristling with weaponry, their metallic exteriors casting a cold, ruthless sheen.

Oliver couldn’t hesitate. ‘Not now!’ He thought.

He channeled his Energy into his fists, feeling the power build. Activating the [Prometheus], he unleashed a concentrated blast. Even without his Ranger Armor, the sheer force was enough. The gate exploded as the Energy tore through it, the iron bars twisting and snapping like brittle twigs.

"He's escaping!" a voice shouted from behind, panic threading through the command.

"Mechs, engage! Don't let him get away!"

Two of the mechs sprang into action, their engines roaring to life as they accelerated toward him, ground trembling beneath their massive feet.

Oliver veered sharply to the left, refusing to confront the behemoths directly. His eyes scanned the area, locking onto a maritime dock a few hundred meters away. The maze of shipping containers and cranes could provide cover or at least buy him some time.

Gunfire erupted anew, and missiles streaked across the sky, their trails of smoke slicing through the air. Explosions detonated around him, heat washing over his back as he sprinted. Oliver risked a glance over his shoulder, the mechs were relentless, closing the distance with terrifying speed.

"Not good," he muttered, chest heaving as he pushed himself harder. His mind raced, searching for a way to shake his pursuers.

An idea sparked. Skidding to a halt, he turned to face the mechs, energy crackling around his clenched fists. But instead of aiming at the metal titans, he directed his focus downward. Slamming his fists into the ground, he released a powerful blast of Energy into the asphalt.

The earth erupted before him, chunks of stone and clouds of dust billowing upward, forming a thick, obscuring screen. The sudden disruption forced the mechs to slow, their sensors momentarily confounded by the debris.

Seizing the moment, Oliver dashed toward the edge of the dock and leaped without hesitation. The world seemed to pause as he hung in midair, the dark expanse of water beneath him, then gravity reclaimed its hold, and he plunged into the cold depths.

The shock of the frigid sea engulfed him, stealing his breath. Oliver fought the urge to gasp, clamping his mouth shut as he submerged. The water muted the sounds of the battle above, leaving only the distant echoes of muffled explosions and his own heartbeat thrumming in his ears.

Wanting to avoid detection, Oliver swam toward the shadowed underside of the dock. He concentrated on suppressing any sound and his Energy.

Seconds ticked by, stretching into agonizing minutes. His lungs burned, muscles screaming for oxygen. Oliver counted silently to steady himself, forcing calm. When he could endure no more, he cautiously broke the surface, taking in shallow breaths. Only his eyes and nose breached the waterline as he scanned the area.

The docks were eerily quiet. No mechs were waiting for him. It seemed his ruse had worked.

‘Maybe I lost them,’ Oliver thought, a flicker of relief easing the tension in his chest.

He waited a few minutes longer to be sure. Finally, satisfied that the immediate danger had passed, Oliver hauled himself onto the dock.

Dripping and disoriented, Oliver began walking toward the city, taking care not to be spotted. He could see some destroyed buildings, with only a few houses still standing. But as he looked around, something felt off; there was a strange sense of familiarity in the place.

He turned and froze, his eyes locking onto a massive billboard looming a short distance away. Bold letters adorned its surface, and vibrant colors faded but were still legible.

[Wolmi Theme Park]

Confusion surged through him. Oliver rubbed his eyes, reading and rereading the sign. "Wolmi Theme Park?" he whispered. "Isn't that in Incheon?"

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