I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 92 – Kill Stealing

- Oliver -

"Alright. We have his name. Oliver Nameless," the commentator said. "But we have so little information about him."

Although Oliver heard his name mentioned, the boy kept his focus. ‘They're going to start with training robots. I need to clear my area before trying to kill-steal some more,’ he thought, jumping from the wall.

Returning to his pillar, he prepared to face the new wave of robots. With the increase in the number of adversaries, Oliver could no longer wait for them to approach; he needed to eliminate them as quickly as possible. His eyes scanned the battlefield, identifying the new threats moving toward him.

However, using the Energy Pistol was starting to become a problem. Each shot consumed part of his Energy, and the effort was beginning to take its toll. Fatigue was creeping into his muscles, and his reflexes, once precise, showed subtle signs of slowing down.

‘Although the difference in numbers isn't huge, I need to be careful not to get exhausted,’ he reflected, trying to keep control of his strategy. He couldn't afford to slow down but knew he needed to manage his resources intelligently.

The robots advanced in formation; unlike the last wave, all the robots released initially were focused on close combat. Oliver took a deep breath, concentrating. ‘I need to clear them before the mortars start coming.’

Oliver felt sweat trickling down his temple but didn't let it distract him.

While he was focused on accumulating more points, an unexpected shadow caught his attention. A colossal centipede was descending the wall of his arena. However, it didn't seem interested in attacking or preventing him from shooting. Instead, the creature was destroying the robots he sought to destroy.

"Hey fuck you! This strategy is mine!" Oliver exclaimed, frustrated by Cole's audacity.

"Oliver wasn't the only one who had the idea to steal kills. Cole sent insects to each area! The centipedes are stealing eliminations while the flies try to block the opponents' vision!" the commentator explained.

Oliver aimed at the centipede, determined to kill it quickly. Although he fired several times with his Energy Pistol, the boy soon realized that none of the shots had any effect.

"Is it resistant to lasers?" Oliver pondered, feeling his irritation grow. "Damn it."

Unable to destroy it from a distance, Oliver quickly conceived another idea. He advanced toward the field, spinning and dodging the enemy robots while continuing to shoot. His movements were fluid, a dance between offense and defense, but his goal now was clear: to reach the damn insect.

He seized the opportunity as soon as he got close enough. With surprising agility, he grabbed one of the centipede's rear legs. Using the creature's inertia against itself, Oliver swung it in the air, tracing an arc, and hurled it forcefully into another recruit's area.

The centipede landed heavily, causing chaos in the neighboring zone. The surprised competitor struggled to deal with the new threat while Oliver flashed a satisfied smile.

The commentator couldn't contain his excitement. "Excellent maneuver! Oliver not only neutralized Cole's creature but delivered it to another recruit!"

Although a smile formed on his face, Oliver knew he faced a new issue. His Energy Pistol would be almost useless at close range, and with his energy level decreasing, he needed to be careful. Deciding to conserve his strength, he dissipated the weapon in a soft glow, clenching his fists as he felt adrenaline coursing through his body.

‘It's time to put into practice what I learned in the Trial Tower,’ he thought, assuming a combat stance. With a quick and precise movement, he advanced against the nearest robot. His eyes captured every detail of the machine—from the metallic joints to the pulsating energy points. He struck squarely at the robot's chest plate with a fast punch. The force, amplified by his Artificial Ranger Armor, caused the opponent to explode in a shower of sparks and metallic fragments.

| Destroy 100 combat robots [50/100]

After dealing with the robot, Oliver realized he was surrounded by another ten, all advancing simultaneously. Without a moment's rest, he plunged into a frenetic dance of movements—spinning, attacking, and dodging with almost superhuman agility. Each blow was calculated and directed at the machines' weak points. His senses were heightened; he could hear the hum of servomotors and feel the displacement of air caused by mechanical arms trying to hit him.

‘Good thing I increased my agility’, Oliver thanked himself for the decision.

The environment around him was controlled chaos. The arena's intense lights reflected off the metal fragments flying with each impact. The ground vibrated with the weight and movement of the machines while the air filled with the smell of burnt oil.

Oliver used not only his strength but also the terrain to his advantage. He leaped over debris, and slid under the robots' legs, using broken parts as improvised weapons. His mind worked in sync with his body, anticipating the adversaries' movements.

A distant commentator's voice echoed in his ear. However, the boy was immersed in his own world, where only he and the robots existed.

| Destroy 100 combat robots [60/100]

As soon as the notification appeared in the corner of his vision—that red light blinking on his holographic gauntlet—Oliver felt his senses sharpen instantly. The world around him seemed to slow down for a brief moment. But before he could react, he heard just one word from the commentator.

"Mortar!"

A deafening explosion tore through the air, and the ground beneath his feet was obliterated in a cloud of fire and shrapnel. The shockwave threw him several meters backward, his body spinning uncontrollably before landing heavily on the metallic ground. His ears buzzed intensely, a sharp sound that muffled all other noises around. His blurred vision made it difficult to distinguish shapes as he struggled to regain his breath and balance.

Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, Oliver spotted imposing silhouettes emerging through the haze of dust and smoke.

They were the Kong Artillery Robots—relics of past waves but still formidable in destructive power. With massive structures that combined brutality and precision, each Kong was a fusion of engineering and heavy armament. Its central hull, protected by reinforced titanium plates and adorned with faded war markings, told stories of ancient battles. Two artillery towers mounted on the shoulders rotated in unison, preparing to fire more deadly projectiles.

In their operational core, a very rudimentary but fierce artificial intelligence monitored threats in real-time, executing strategies that blended military instinct and relentless logic.

"Damn it!" Oliver shouted, his voice muffled by the persistent buzzing in his ears. He pushed himself to stand, while his muscles protested against it.

Five Kongs were lined up in front of him, their artillery towers already pointed in his direction. Without giving him time to react, they began to fire a rain of missiles. The consecutive explosions transformed the battlefield into an inferno, with debris flying in all directions. The ground shook under the intensity of the attacks, and the pressure from the shockwaves made it difficult to stay on his feet. Every second counted, and the margin for error was nonexistent.

Realizing he couldn't continue like this without putting himself at serious risk, Oliver decided to resort to his ace.

[Prometheus]

A current of energy coursed through his body, concentrating in his legs. A bright, almost ethereal aura enveloped his lower limbs. This time, he took care not to channel any energy into his arms.

‘I just need speed’, the boy thought, his eyes fixed on the robots ahead.

"Interesting. The boy knows how to use this NEA technique, that’s quite rare", the commentator explained.

As soon as the energy peaked, Oliver disappeared from the robots' and spectators' view.

In an instant, Oliver reappeared beside one of the Kongs. With a precise, energy-charged kick, he struck the robot with tremendous force. The impact made the metal giant stagger, colliding with the others lined up. The chain reaction resulted in a confusion of twisted metal and sparks, temporarily incapacitating the enemies.

As quickly as he activated the technique, he interrupted the energy flow. He felt a tingling in his legs—exhaustion was beginning to manifest.

‘I'll still need them’, Oliver rationalized, aware of his body's limits.

With some of the Kongs disabled, an opening presented itself. Oliver seized the moment to advance against the remaining robots, destroying them with powerful hits to their body.

| Destroy 100 combat robots [65/100]

Although his area was clear, the battles continued in the others. Oliver quickly returned to the top of the wall. He could see that just under thirty of the sixty zones remained.

‘So many have been eliminated already?!’ Oliver thought, worried. He needed the other zones to collect more points. Without wasting time, he re-equipped his Energy Pistol and resumed stealing kills, one after another.

Focusing primarily on the training robots and ignoring the artillery robots—knowing they could be helpful to eliminate or at least damage his competitors—his score continued to grow rapidly. Until he finally reached the achievement he desired.

| Destroy 100 combat robots [100/100]

| Achievement Unlocked

| Scrap Maker

| Destroy 100 combat robots [100/100]

| [Select a boon to evolve]