I’ll be the Red Ranger
Chapter 96 – Mordred

- Oliver -

"And on the other side, we have Mordred Lot, the first heir of Enceladus."

Oliver was impressed by the transformation of Mordred's Artificial Ranger Armor. The smooth and functional lines had been replaced by an aggressive and lethal design.

"No doubt about it, if I had to put my money on someone, I'd say one of these two will be the winner of this arena," the commentator said excitedly.

Meanwhile, in the combat zones, the recruits prepared for the imminent battle. Some adjusted their equipment; others did brief warm-ups. However, Mordred stood out among them. Instead of concentrating, he casually waved at the drone cameras flying around him, capturing every detail for the live broadcast.

Despite the smile he wore, something was unsettling about Mordred. Though directed at the lenses, his eyes lacked any sparkle or emotion. They were like empty abysses, reflecting a disturbing coldness.

Oliver felt a chill run down his spine as he watched him. There was something deeply dehumanized in that gaze.

"Who is that boy?" Oliver murmured to himself.

Soon, just like in Arena 23, the gates began to rise with a heavy mechanical noise. The lights intensified, and the sound of mechanisms echoed through the metallic structure. Twenty training robots emerged, advancing in an organized formation. Their electronic eyes glowed red, and the hum of their motors filled the air.

Katherine wasted no time. With an elegant movement, she drew her sword. Her posture was impeccable, and each step seemed part of a calculated dance. The robots advanced toward her, but she faced them with skill. She dodged attacks gracefully and responded with precise thrusts, disabling one robot after another.

Meanwhile, Mordred remained still, his arms relaxed at his sides. The robots approached rapidly, but he showed no sign of concern. When the automatons were about to strike him at the last moment, a dense and nebulous shadow formed around the boy.

The shadows formed, materializing into dark tentacles that whipped through the air. In the blink of an eye, the robots were grabbed and crushed with brutal force. Sparks and debris flew in all directions while Mordred remained motionless, with a slight smile on his lips.

The commentator almost choked in surprise. "Amazing! We're witnessing one of the most powerful Boons among the Great Houses. The Shadow Control is passed down through the main Lot’s lineage. What a display of raw power!"

Oliver watched the scene with wide eyes. The ease with which Mordred eliminated the robots was disconcerting. It wasn't just the power itself but the cold indifference with which he did it. There was a nonchalance that no other recruit could demonstrate, as if, for him, all of this wasn't even a challenge.

The battle continued in all zones. Other recruits fought fiercely, showcasing their skills and techniques. Energy explosions, plasma shots, and hand-to-hand combat occurred simultaneously, creating a fascinating, chaotic spectacle.

As expected, Katherine moved gracefully, as if she had predicted every movement, in addition to impeccable control over her weapon. In no time, she had destroyed all the robots in her zone.

Oliver could see the girl walking calmly to the front of her pillar and sitting on the ground while she waited for the round to end.

"Katherine was one of those who eliminated the robots the fastest without revealing her Boon," the commentator explained.

The second round was not much different. Katherine quickly cleared the field with her Ranger Weapon while Mordred once again used the shadows to create tentacles that shredded the robots. Perhaps the main difference from Oliver's arena was that many more recruits were still participating. Of the sixty who had started, fifty were still in the game.

Another minor difference was that none of them seemed interested in attacking or harming each other.

‘Maybe they're afraid of becoming Katherine or Mordred targets,’ Oliver theorized.

The siren sounded again, signaling the start of the third round. As soon as the enormous gate opened, three mini-mechas entered the arena before the recruits had time to prepare and began flying a few meters off the ground.

Oliver had a hard time tracking the mini-mechas that moved in the air as swiftly as hummingbirds. He had studied these models; they were among those he hoped never to encounter in the field, as they would eliminate his speed advantage.

In the skies, where speed is the difference between life and death, the AV-12, nicknamed Skyblade, reigns supreme.

‘This is certainly not a training mini-mecha; they're taking these recruits seriously,’ Oliver thought. ‘Maybe the difficulty is adjusted according to the number of remaining recruits?’

Developed for high-speed aerial missions and maneuverability, this mini-mecha was a fusion of elegance and lethality. Its aerodynamic design, marked by vibrant shades of orange and deep blue, is optimized to slice through the air efficiently, allowing it to perform movements impossible for larger mechas.

Equipped with retractable wings mounted on the shoulders, the Skyblade uses advanced micro-turbine propulsion. It is designed for short—and medium-distance flights. Its wings are multifunctional, serving both as stabilizers and sharp blades in close-range aerial combat.

It didn't take long for them to be put into action. As soon as the combat was initiated, Oliver saw that all three tried to attack Katherine with their blades. However, the girl was alert.

While using her sword in one hand to quickly fend off two opponents, she activated her Boon with the other hand, creating a blade of blood that she wielded against the third AV-12.

It was evident how much the mini-mechas were taxing the girl's concentration; with each rapid attack, she needed to react in milliseconds to ensure her safety. However, as soon as one of them needed to land, exhausting its thruster charge, she went on the offensive, putting pressure on the pilots.

When one of them missed a move and let its blade swing wide, Katherine used her Boon to fire blood spikes against the mini-mecha, solidifying every drop of blood that had entered its turbines. Repeating this with each opponent, the three pilots quickly lost their greatest advantage: speed. Then, it was simply a few more quick attacks with her swords, and the three mini-mechas were defeated.

"It's absurd how easily Katherine York is dominating her opponents. If Mordred Lot weren't in this arena, she would undoubtedly be in first place," the commentator explained.

Unfortunately, Oliver had to agree. The difference in power between them was striking.

While Katherine's fight was quick, it still took a few minutes.

As for Mordred, mere seconds. As the pilots advanced against the boy, he created several shadows over his zone. From within the shadows emerged gigantic hands that grabbed each mini-mecha and promptly crushed the machines' chassis.

The attack was so brutal that the rescue team had to enter immediately to save the pilots trapped inside the machines. All this while, Mordred sat on one of the broken robots, yawning.

Even the commentator was left speechless at the brutality everyone had to witness, quickly switching the cameras to other zones.

"Of the fifty recruits who started the third round, thirty will proceed to the final round. It's impressive how this arena is deviating from the norm," the commentator changed the subject as they awaited the signal to start the last round.

As usual, soldiers entered the field to extract the pilots while the gate rose to let the mecha enter.

Oliver didn't need to use [Insight] to know which Mecha it was or how it operated. This was one of the most iconic. The IS-3000, affectionately nicknamed Jelly Bean by its pilots, is a legend of invulnerability. The mecha was designed as a mobile fortress, capable of withstanding direct heavy artillery attacks and continuing its relentless march.

With a bulky and rounded structure, the IS-3000 was built to prioritize resilience over agility. Its multilayered armored hull is practically impenetrable, even by projectiles or lasers. The central cabin, similar to a traditional tank, features a rotating turret equipped with a medium-range cannon and auxiliary machine guns, making it a versatile threat in defensive combat.

Oliver was glued to the hologram, watching every second and movement in the arena; however, he was paying more attention to Katherine's zone. The girl charged toward the enormous mecha as soon as the combat signal was given.

‘What will her strategy be?’ the boy wondered.

But as quickly as Katherine's run began, the signal for the end of the match sounded.

Everyone on the field was surprised and did not understand what had happened; even Katherine looked at the soldiers entering the field, unaware of what was happening.

Oliver and the spectators had witnessed it.

As soon as the signal was given, Mordred extended one of his hands, creating a thin shadow stretching from his hand to the end of the zone, splitting the area in two.

The moment he lowered his hand, a blade made of his shadow rose rapidly, slicing the mecha and the pilot inside it in half.

Everyone was in shock as the medical team entered the field, trying to save the pilot's life.

Oliver was still stunned, watching the scene of the pilot's rescue, when Mordred disappeared and reappeared in Katherine's zone. The boy quickly knelt, leaving the princess surprised, and briefly kissed her hand.

As swiftly as he had arrived, he disappeared again. This time, with the replay, the boy could be seen being swallowed by the shadows beneath his feet.