Chapter 390:Second test.

Chapter 390: 390:Second test.

Antony glanced at his hands.

His ability had always seemed straightforward, male meant stronger while female meant faster. It was simple, useful and fun, occasionally.

The first examination had forced him to think about it differently. Every transformation had a cost.

It was not enormous, but repeated unnecessary changes would drain his core just as surely as repeatedly using any other ability.

He’d spent weeks learning what the transformation could do. The academy had needed less than an hour to point out what he was doing wrong.

That annoyed him but it also made him want to stay.

A speaker activated above the recovery yard.

"Candidates, twenty minutes remaining before second-evaluation briefing."

Antony looked at the half-finished meal.

"Twenty?"

Rebecca glanced toward him.

"You spent too long talking."

"I was recovering socially, there’s a difference."

"Eat."

He obeyed.

Around them, the remaining candidates were doing the same. Some stretched. Others sat with their eyes closed, concentrating on restoring their core energy as much as possible. A few discussed the first examination in quiet groups.

Antony occasionally heard one name.

Dillian.

Apparently being among the first on the performance board made people remember you quickly.

He spotted him once across the recovery area, sitting with the same three women he’d seen earlier. He looked ordinary enough from this distance.

Antony wondered briefly what kind of ability he had.

Then the thought disappeared. There were more than twelve hundred candidates left, one talented stranger wasn’t Antony’s problem; not yet, anyway.

The forty-five-minute recovery period disappeared much faster than he wanted. When the warning buzzer sounded, candidates began standing.

Academy personnel moved through the yard.

"Candidate cards visible. Weapons remain secured until briefing concludes."

Antony clipped his card properly.

Rebecca stood.

"You ready?"

"No."

She raised an eyebrow.

He smiled.

"But I’m going anyway."

They followed their assigned groups toward another assembly area overlooking the combat district. From here, Antony could finally appreciate its scale.

Calling it an artificial district almost felt dishonest, it was enormous.

Several square kilometers of controlled urban terrain stretched below them. Streets intersected between damaged concrete buildings. Some structures stood nearly intact while others had been deliberately collapsed. Abandoned vehicles blocked roads. Alleyways disappeared between buildings. Elevated walkways connected certain sections. Drainage channels and underground entrances were visible at street level.

Smoke rose from somewhere in the distance.

He stared in shock.

"Is that real fire?"

An academy assistant standing nearby answered without looking at him.

"Controlled."

"That wasn’t the reassuring word you thought it was."

The assistant ignored him.

He leaned slightly toward Rebecca.

"I think the entire academy has been trained not to encourage me."

"Probably for the best."

Far beyond the ruined district, Antony could see several tall structures marked with enormous letters.

Alpha.

Bravo.

Charlie.

Delta.

Checkpoint Delta stood somewhere near the far end.

The academy officer from earlier stepped onto a raised platform. The candidates became quiet.

"Second evaluation. Combat Course."

A massive screen activated behind him. A map appeared, then most of it disappeared almost immediately. Only the starting zones and final checkpoint remained visible.

He frowned.

So much for memorizing the route.

"Your objective is simple."

The screen changed.

[PRIMARY OBJECTIVE]

[REACH CHECKPOINT DELTA.]

[TIME LIMIT: 40 MINUTES.]

That was all.

Antony waited for more but the officer didn’t continue. Several candidates exchanged confused looks.

Someone finally raised a hand.

The officer pointed toward him.

"Question."

"Sir, what are the scoring conditions?"

"Classified until completion."

The candidate frowned.

"How are we supposed to maximize our score if we don’t know what earns points?"

The officer looked at him.

"That’s part of the examination."

Antony smiled slightly.

Another hand rose.

"What beasts are inside?"

"Primarily Tier One."

Relief moved through the crowd then the officer continued.

"Controlled Tier Two and three specimens are present in designated sectors."

The relief vanished.

Antony rubbed his forehead.

Of course.

"Beasts have been fitted with tracking implants and containment failsafes. Academy response teams are positioned throughout the district. That does not make them harmless." The officer’s gaze hardened. "If you treat them as training dummies, you will be injured."

Nobody spoke.

"Candidates enter individually at staggered intervals. Some routes may cause candidates to cross paths. Cooperation is permitted. Deliberately attacking another candidate is not."

Antony listened carefully.

"Simulated civilians may be present."

Several people glanced at each other.

The officer didn’t explain further.

"Automated hostile systems may be active."

Again, nothing else.

"Certain structures are unstable."

Still nothing.

"Underground sections are accessible."

Antony waited but no clarification came.

The officer looked across them.

"Forty minutes."

A candidate raised her hand.

"Sir, are we required to engage every beast encountered?"

The officer’s expression didn’t change.

"Your objective is displayed behind me."

Antony looked at the screen.

REACH CHECKPOINT DELTA.

The girl tried again.

"So we aren’t required to kill them?"

"I did not say that."

Confusion spread among the group.

The officer continued.

"I also did not say you are required to kill them."

Antony slowly smiled.

There it was, the point of the test, maybe.

The officer stepped aside.

"Your decisions are your responsibility. Instructors will not correct you during the evaluation unless safety intervention becomes necessary."

Another academy representative approached.

"Firearm users will receive standardized ammunition based on registered weapon category. Personal ammunition is prohibited during the course."

Antony collected his allocated magazines when his number was called.

The rounds were real, he checked one.

"Definitely not rubber."

The equipment officer looked at him.

"The beasts aren’t pretending."

"Okay."

Antony loaded his handgun. His sword remained at his hip. He checked the edge to make sure it was good before storing it.

His candidate card flashed red.

[1472 - ENTRY ZONE C-19]

Rebecca checked hers.

"Different zone."

Antony looked.

"C-07."

"So we’re separating."

"Looks like it."

Antony held out his hand.

Rebecca stared at it confusion marring her face.

"What?"

"If one of us fails, we can pretend we never met."

She looked at his hand, then shook it.

"Try not to get eaten."

"That’s my primary strategy."

They separated.