Chapter 386:Pressure

Chapter 386: 386:Pressure

The examiner finally stopped.

"So was it five minutes ago."

The boy froze.

"Your evaluation is complete."

Antony watched the failed candidate being directed toward the exit.

He slowly looked at Rebecca to find that she was already looking at him. The officer’s earlier words suddenly felt considerably less ceremonial now.

Your Soul Capacity got you through the application process. It will not get you through this gate.

More candidates emerged each carry emotions ranging from smiling, pale, furious and silent.

Then the display changed.

[CANDIDATE GROUPS THIRTEEN THROUGH SIXTEEN - PREPARE.]

Antony rolled his shoulders while Rebecca adjusted the strap of her spear case against her back.

An officer walked along their rows.

"Equipment check."

Antony touched his handgun, separated the magazine, checked weather the sword was secured and his candidate card visible.

The officer reached him.

"1472."

"Ready."

"Transformation ability?"

His eyes widened.

Information travelled quickly around here.

"Yes."

"You may use it when the evaluation begins. Until then, remain in your registered base configuration."

"Understood."

The officer moved on.

Rebecca looked at him.

"Transformation?"

He smiled.

"It’s a little complicated."

She glanced at him before nodding.

"That usually means unique."

"You might see it inside."

"Assuming we’re in the same sector."

Antony looked toward the opening doors.

"Assuming we both make it far enough."

The buzzer sounded.

[GROUP FOURTEEN - MOVE.]

The entire line stepped forward.

Antony walked with them.

The temperature dropped slightly when they entered the concrete structure, the doors closing behind the last candidate with a heavy metallic sound.

He looked back. For some reason, hearing that door shut made everything feel considerably more serious.

An examiner waited ahead.

"Candidates, stand on your assigned numbers."

Antony found 1472 painted onto the floor.

He stepped onto it. Transparent reinforced partitions separated the lanes activated immediately.

Targets waited ahead.

Small metal objects rested on platforms, a training rifle lay unloaded on another table, and farther ahead, he could see a narrow obstacle route.

The examiner raised a hand.

"Core monitoring begins now."

A device near Antony flashed.

[CANDIDATE 1472]

[SOUL CAPACITY: 13]

[CONTRACTOR RANK: 2]

[CORE CONDITION: STABLE]

Antony inhaled.

The air changed asPressure settled over his body. It was light at first, almost comfortable, something he had not expected.

The display above the lane activated.

[PRESSURE OUTPUT: SOUL CAPACITY EQUIVALENT - 5]

He smiled.

"That’s not so bad."

The examiner’s voice immediately came through the speaker.

"Candidate 1472."

Antony straightened.

"Yes?"

"Talking does not increase your score."

He closed his mouth. Somewhere beyond the partition, Rebecca laughed.

The examiner continued.

"Maintain controlled energy output around your body."

He focused on it. His core power moved, a thin layer settling around him.

The display began measuring fluctuations.

[CONTROL ANALYSIS ACTIVE.]

"Walk."

Antony stepped forward and the pressure followed. At Five, it was manageable, almost too easy. He crossed the first marked section.

A metal sphere rose from the platform ahead.

"Manipulate the designated object using supplied power interface."

Antony placed his hand near the control plate. His energy moved into the plate and the sphere lifted. It was simple. He guided it through the first ring, then the second and the third.

"Continue."

He did.

A buzzer sounded and the pressure increased. His shoulders became heavier.

The sphere trembled slightly.

The display changed.

[PRESSURE OUTPUT: SOUL CAPACITY EQUIVALENT - 7]

He steadied his breathing and the sphere stopped shaking.

He moved it through the final ring.

"Proceed to weapons station."

He stepped forward. The training rifle unlocked the moment he was infront of it.

The moment he picked it up, targets appeared. The pressure continued climbinh through his body. It was still manageable but no longer something he could ignore.

"Five rounds. Center mass. Fifteen seconds."

Antony raised the rifle.

Targets moved.

He fired five continuous rounds without stopping. The final target disappeared and the display registered his grouping. It wasn’t perfect but still good.

The examiner said nothing.

Antony placed the rifle down.

The next gate opened.

The moment he walked through, the pressure increased again. This time Antony felt it immediately.

His core tightened and his breathing became heavier.

The display changed.

[PRESSURE OUTPUT: SOUL CAPACITY EQUIVALENT - 9]

Someone in the lane beside him stumbled, another candidate swore and an alarm sounded farther down.

Antony kept walking.

He was now at nine, still below his thirteen he hoped to surpass or reach, but the difference between knowing a number and having pressure applied directly against his core was enormous.

He reached the next marked position.

"Maintain energy coating."

Antony circulated his power and the coating formed.

"Prepare for controlled attack."

He looked up.

A mechanical launcher unfolded from the wall. His eyes widened.

"Wait, what kind of..."

It fired directly at him prompting him to instinctively move. A padded projectile struck where he’d been standing.

"Reaction recorded."

Antony stared at the machine.

"You could have warned me."

The examiner’s voice answered.

"I did."

He opened his mouth then closed it since it was true. Another launcher appeared.

Antony lowered his stance but unfortunately for him, the pressure increased.

His core pulsed.

The display changed.

[PRESSURE OUTPUT: SOUL CAPACITY EQUIVALENT - 11]

His smile disappeared completely.

The projectile fired.

He barely managed to dodge it before another came. He blocked it this time, the impact travelling through his arm.

His energy coating fluctuated.

A warning appeared.

[CONTROL DEVIATION DETECTED.]

He gritted his teeth.

"Come on."

He stabilized it.

Around him, alarms began sounding more frequently. Candidates were reaching their limits.

It was only two below Antony’s Soul Capacity, and they weren’t finished, not remotely.

The launchers retracted and a gate ahead opened.

He stepped through. His legs felt heavier and sweat ran down his neck.

For the first time since entering, he seriously considered using his transformation. Male form was already his current configuration, strength wasn’t the problem yet but control was.

He remembered the examiner’s warning.

Don’t waste energy optimizing something that doesn’t need optimization.

He took a breath and waited.

Use it when necessary.

The display above him flickered.

The number disappeared, then the next one appeared.

[PRESSURE OUTPUT INCREASING.]

Antony felt the first wave before the final number even stabilized. His knees bent slightly, his core compressed and his breathing stopped for half a second... Then the display completed the change.

[SOUL CAPACITY EQUIVALENT - 13]

He slowly lifted his head.

His own Soul Capacity.

Across the examination sector, someone collapsed almost immediately. A medical alarm sounded, another candidate dropped to one knee, and an examiner ordered someone to stop.

Antony remained standing, barely comfortable, but standing.

Then the speaker activated.

"Candidates maintaining stable core condition at Thirteen will proceed to the final pressure stage."

His eyes narrowed.

He already knew the number.

The display above the lane confirmed it.

[NEXT PRESSURE OUTPUT: SOUL CAPACITY EQUIVALENT - 15]

Antony stared at it, then slowly exhaled.

"So that’s where you’re trying to kill us."

The examiner’s voice came through almost immediately.

"Candidate 1472."

He closed his eyes.

"I know. Talking doesn’t increase my score."

A brief pause followed.

Then, unexpectedly, the examiner answered.

"Correct."

He opened his eyes. Despite the pressure crushing down on his core, a small smile appeared.

He adjusted his stance.

Thirteen was his limit on paper but the academy apparently wanted to know what happened when the paper stopped mattering.