- Oliver -

  As soon as the annou of the third test’s start echoed through the corridors, the entire base seemed to shift. Almost instantly, the hallways filled with a sense of purpose—footsteps quiing, voices lowered to hurried whispers, tension sparking in the air. A few visibly dejected recruits were heading out, their heads bowed and shoulders heavy, menting their failure to earn a p the stage. But for everyone else—those who remaihere was no exception: all were pressing onward to the fourth floor.

  Oliver felt a strange mixture of relief and resolve. He had earned another shot, after all. Yet, as he passed through crowds of new officials, he seheir disdainful gnces—some narrowed eyes, some dismissive smirks. An uneasy thought crossed his mind. ‘How is it possible that my reputation has mao drop even further? It is lower than it was during the Academy days.’

  Everywhere along the fourth-floor corridors, dozens of soldiers and officers directed them toward the arena. This time, instead of waiting outside for their turn, the anizers merged all the individual arenas into a colossal stadium, allowing everyoo withe trial together in one pce.

  "Keep moving forward! Upory, use yauo locate your seats!" one of the soldiers shouted nearby.

  As Oliver passed through the immense doors of the arena, he found himself inside a vast stadium. Just behind him, Katherine and Isabel also gaped in amazement at the grand structure.

  The three stood atop t bleachers with dozens of rows desding before them. Each seat was marked with a number.

  Oliver gnced down at his gau, which dispyed his ranking on the sed trial: #6121, and where that seat was.

  ‘Damn, mine is way over there,’ Oliver thought, noting his assigned spot was far from where they stood.

  "I'm going to have to head to the other side of the stadium," Oliver said to the girls, who nodded as they parted ways, each bound for separate parts of the enormous arena.

  Oliver settled into one of the highest and most distas in the massive stadium, though there were still others seated even farther away. From his vantage point, he had an unobstructed view of the entire arena. At its ter stood a ptform resembling a stage, and atop it rested an enormous crystal ball that shimmered uhe arena lights.

  Behind the crystal stood five imposing chairs, each occupied by a general. Their partially activated armor helped Oliver reize most of them from afar. The only one he had never seen was the general seated at the far end, bck armor.

  As time passed, the stadium gradually filled. Every seat was taken, the air buzzing with recruits' hushed versations and the hum of anticipation. Above them, dozens of drones hovered like meical bees, their lenses capturing every entrand exit and every expression on the faces of the high-ranking officers and generals.

  "Attention!"

  The sudden and snapped Oliver from his thoughts. His eyes darted back to the ter of the arena, where General Quinn of the Red Rangers now stood, her presenanding silence.

  "The final examination will enow," Quinn announced, her voice amplified to reach every er of the stadium. "Each of you will be called based on your ranking from the st trial. Remember, the minimum requirement to join a division is to achieve at least a 50% synization in any of them. Additionally, you only select a division if you have attai least 10% patibility with that specific division."

  Oliver recalled these instrus from the first day. Quinn's gaze swept over the assembled recruits.

  "Furthermore, be advised," she tinued. "The General of your chosen division has the authority to accept or deny your request. Should your choice be deed, you will have the opportunity to iate with another division."

  With that, Quiuro her seat, the weight of her words lingering in the air.

  A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. This st point wasn't widely known, stirring both and speong the recruits. From the ss of versation, Oliver overheard, it was rare for someoo be rejected ht. However, in instances where divisions were unbanced or had specifieeds, a didate might be turned away to prioritize another division's requirements.

  Oliver felt a flicker of unease gnawing at the back of his mind—the nagging doubt that he might not have suffit synization to be selected. But before the ay could take hold, a familiar voice whispered soothingly in his ear.

  "Don't worry about that. You have it. I know you do," Athena's voice resonated softly, her words seeping into his sciousness and steadying his nerves.

  Oliver exhaled slowly, her reassurance calming the tumult within. ‘How does she know?’ he wondered briefly, but there was no time to pohe proceedings were beginning.

  "Number One," Quinn's authoritative voice projected through the arena, sileng the lingering chatter.

  All eyes turned as a petite girl desded from the stands, moving with a grace that belied her size. Oliver reized her instantly—he'd watched her performances repeatedly during the previous tests. She possessed the remarkable ability to turn invisible and moved with extraordinary agility.

  ‘Which division is she aiming for?’ Oliver mused. ‘Maybe the Red Rangers? She'd excel ih missions. bat might not be her forte, but perhaps that wouldn't matter.’

  As she reached the ter of the arena, an officer standing beside a rge, gleaming sphere gestured for her to approach. She stepped forward, pg her hand upon the crystal surface. Instantly, the sphere pulsed with intense light. Above them, a holographic dispy flickered to life, numbers and symbols materializing slowly.

  One by ohe synization pertages appeared:

  ? Yellow Division - 11%

  ? Blue Division - 23%

  ? Red Division - 12%

  ?? Bck Division - 8%

  ? Pink Division - 4%

  As the final digits settled, a bold notification fshed across the hologram:

  | Rejected

  A stunned silenveloped the crowd. The girl's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the verdict. She turo the officer beside her, her voice rising, edged with desperation. The h drones captured every word, broadcasting her protest to the entire arena.

  "How is this possible?! I'm the top-ranked didate! This crystal must be malfuning!" she excimed, her frustration eg through the arena.

  Before the officer could respond, a palpable wave of energy rippled through the air. Oliver felt it wash over him—a formidable force that pressed him back against his seat, making it hard to breathe. He sed the generals seated behind the sphere but couldn't dis who had released the energy burst.

  ‘Almost as strong as John's... maybe even stronger. Feels like an immense weight pushing down on me,’ he thought, both awed and apprehensive.

  The girl's outburst ceased abruptly. The invisible pressure seemed to silence her, her defiance evaporating in the face of overwhelming authority. After a tense moment, she lowered her gaze and began walking toward the exit, shoulders slumped.

  Quinn's gaze swept over the assembled didates, her expression stern. "Do not dare to dey us or the others," she decred coldly. "Get your results and promptly leave the arena."

  A heavy silence followed her words, the weight of the situation sinking in for everyone present. The realization was stark—ranking first didn't guarantee acceptance.

  With the earlier demonstration still fresh in their minds, the remaining didates tihe steady procession down to the crystal. Each approached in turn, toug the gleaming sphere and watg as their results were projected above. As had been expihe approval rate hovered around 50%. Oliver was struck by how even some of the top performers from previous rounds were sistently rejected.

  Minutes slipped by, and the evaluations began to blur into monotony. Faces came a, many unfamiliar to Oliver, their outes varyiweeiion and quiet disappoi. His attention wavered—that is, until the announcer called out, "Number 178."

  Oliver's gaze snapped back to the ter of the arena. The ever-enthusiastic Isabe desded the steps with buoyant energy. Her short, curly hair danced around her face, catg the light as she hurried toward the crystal.

  'It'll turn out fine. Good luck," Oliver whispered under his breath, his heart lifting. He was both hopeful and intensely curious about his friend's results.

  Like those before her, Isabe approached the enormous crystal at the heart of the arena. She pced her hand upon its smooth surface. Immediately, the crystal began to pulsate with a rhythmic glow, its light ebbing and flowing like a heartbeat. The arena fell into a hushed silence as all eyes turo the holographic dispy materializing above.

  One by ohe synization pertages appeared beside their respective division symbols:

  ? Yellow Division - 68%

  ? Blue Division - 6%

  ? Red Division - 13%

  ?? Bck Division - 16%

  ? Pink Division - 0%

  A pause hung in the air before the final verdict fshed boldly:

  | Approved

  GCLopes