I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 89 – The First Exam

- Oliver -

His game only ended when he heard the AI speaking. "Level 15 completed."

Oliver finally stopped moving. The environment around him was saturated with a fine mist due to the agility training. His heart was pounding, but his breathing remained controlled, a testament to his intense training.

As he exited the room, Oliver was met by a barrage of screams and murmurs from the recruits gathered outside.

"Level 15! Impossible, someone broke the record," exclaimed one of them, disbelief etched on his face.

"Damn it! I lost my bet," lamented another, shaking his head in frustration.

Katherine awaited him near the entrance, observing with a serene smile as the gazes of the other recruits grew increasingly skeptical. To those watching, it seemed as if he predicted the shots before they were even fired, dodging with an almost superhuman skill.

Oliver appeared to evade each bullet or ricochet before it even left the gun.

"Well done," praised Katherine as he approached. She had opted not to take the test; seeing the speed with which Oliver moved, she knew she might match him but wondered if she could surpass him.

What had been a few dozen people had now transformed into a crowd of hundreds, with more continuing to arrive, drawn by the news of the new record.

"I'm next," proclaimed a recruit, stepping forward decisively.

"I'll try in the other room," said another, hurrying so as not to be left behind.

The race to surpass Level 15 had begun. However, neither Oliver nor Katherine were interested anymore. The boy had used it merely to calm himself, and Katherine found it an interesting pastime.

Oliver seized the opportunity when they were disputing who would be next to blend into the crowd. With a discreet gesture, he approached Katherine and took her hand, leading her away from the crowd and avoiding being followed.

"Let's go up a bit," he whispered, indicating the stairs that led to the fourth floor.

They climbed quickly, leaving behind the noisy third floor. On the fourth floor, silence reigned. It was the area designated for evaluation rooms, which were empty and inaccessible at that moment. The soft lights created an almost serene environment, contrasting with the bustle of the levels below.

"I think we lost them," commented Oliver, glancing back.

"Seems like it," replied Katherine, smiling. "Eventful night, isn't it?"

She let out a little laugh, and he couldn't help but join in.

They strolled along the empty corridor, allowing themselves a moment of tranquility. The large windows offered a panoramic view of the desert that stretched beyond the base. Distant mountains punctuated the horizon, their silhouettes outlined against the starry sky.

Oliver paused for a moment, admiring the starry sky. Glancing at his gauntlet, he realized it was already late at night. Time had passed without them noticing.

"Sorry, our walk ended up taking your whole evening," Oliver said, turning to Katherine with a slightly embarrassed smile.

She looked at him, her eyes reflecting the sparkle of the stars.

"Don't worry, it was quite pleasant," she replied, turning her gaze back to the panoramic view. "I usually don't have much freedom to walk around like this, window-shop, or even make friends. It's always a game of who pulls the rug from under whom. Having these lighter moments is something rare for me."

Oliver could see the genuine happiness she was feeling on her face. There was a softness in her expression, a temporary relief from the responsibilities she usually carried. He felt a pang of empathy, understanding a bit more about her world.

The two continued walking; the silence between them was comfortable, filled only by the soft sound of their footsteps echoing along the corridor. They found another staircase and began to descend, the lights adjusting automatically as they moved. They slowly returned to the second floor, where the dormitories were located.

Katherine stifled a discreet yawn, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Looks like sleep is coming," observed Oliver with a smile.

"I think so," she admitted. "It was a long day."

"I'm still going to take a look at the information I received on the gauntlet," he commented.

As they both reached their beds in the dormitory, Katherine wished, "See you tomorrow. Good luck to us."

--

--

Oliver woke abruptly to the shrill sound of the siren announcing the start of the day at Base 45. The dormitory's soft lights began to intensify gradually. Blinking his eyes to adjust to the increasing brightness, he raised his arm and consulted his holographic gauntlet. It was precisely seven o'clock sharp.

| Exams will begin in one hour

The boy sighed, dragging himself out of bed. He had stayed up late the previous night, immersed in data about the types of robots he would face and analyzing every detail of the combat arena. The information pulsed in his mind, mingling with the nervousness that was now beginning to manifest.

Between yawns, Oliver got up. The metallic floors of the lodging reflected the artificial light, and the distant murmur of other recruits preparing echoed through the corridors. Quickly, he donned the Academy uniform—the attire automatically adjusted to his body, adapting to his movements.

He met up with Katherine and Isabela in the corridor. Isabela seemed a bit sleepy; she had arrived later after meeting with Astrid. The three of them made their way to the first floor, where the main cafeteria was situated.

Upon arriving, they were greeted by an effervescent environment. The first floor was packed, a sea of recruits from different colonies and academies, all immersed in their own worlds. Advertising holograms floated above, displaying ads for military equipment and motivational messages from the NEA.

The various shops offered an abundance of gastronomic options, from exotic dishes from distant planets to traditional Earth meals. However, Oliver opted for something simple: eggs, fresh bread, and juice.

As they sat at one of the tables near the panoramic window, they could observe the frenetic movement around them. On each recruit's face, the same expression of apprehension and expectation. Many had their eyes fixed on their gauntlets, fingers sliding quickly over the holographic interfaces, reviewing information about the exam, combat strategies, or opponent statistics.

"It seems everyone is trying to find some last-minute advantage," Katherine commented, observing a nearby group that was animatedly discussing.

"There's not much more to do besides being prepared," Oliver replied. "We've already analyzed all the available data."

Isabela took a sip of her coffee and sighed.

"Even so, the waiting is the worst part."

For Oliver, breakfast passed in the blink of an eye. The mix of anxiety and adrenaline made time seem distorted. As quickly as they had descended to the first floor, they were already returning to the dormitories.

Back in the room, Isabela and Oliver paced back and forth, the restlessness evident in their movements. The metallic walls reflected their silhouettes, and the silence was broken only by the subtle hum of the life support systems.

On the other hand, Katherine was stretched out on the bed, appearing calm in contrast to her friends' tension. With a smooth gesture, she adjusted her gauntlet and began calculating probabilities.

"You know it will take at least four days just for this first event," she said, her eyes fixed on the data floating above her wrist. "The chance of us being called in the first round is one in two hundred and seventy-seven."

She hoped the information would help calm them, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. Oliver and Isabela exchanged worried glances.

Suddenly, a sound notification interrupted the silence.

| Exams will begin.

The message captured everyone's attention, including Katherine, who had just suggested they relax. They held their breath, anxiously awaiting a second alert indicating their calling. Seconds passed, but no other notification appeared on their gauntlets.

Instead, a girl lying near the door stood up abruptly, her eyes wide as she checked her device.

"I've been called!" the girl exclaimed before hurriedly leaving the corridor.

Oliver exhaled, feeling a mix of relief and frustration.

"The first groups have been called," he said, more to himself than to the others.

"Maybe it's better this way; at least we can watch the others' competition before ours," Isabela said, turning on the hologram of her gauntlet and searching for the NEA channel.

"Maybe." Oliver also sat on his bed and turned on the channel.

He switched from channel to channel to see how each of the thirty-six tests was arranged. Each room had sixty pillars in a circular formation, each with a recruit in front of it.

A small metal wall separated each recruit's area; however, it wasn't high enough to prevent someone from crossing into another arena.

Several recruits were already positioned in the arena. Some were stretching, and others were doing light exercises. Oliver was flipping through the channels until someone caught his attention.

One of the boys in arena fifteen—he was short and skinny. A deep scar ran across his face from one eye to the other. He was preparing to use a long whip in the competition.

"Damian?"