The Race
Two days had passed, and the time for the physical test had arrived.
Rangga had spent the past two days rigorously preparing his body and strategy.
With Sora's analytical assistance, he had devised a plan for today's challenge.
That morning, Rangga wore his white training uniform, trimmed with blue stripes, and headed towards the spaceship.
He arrived simultaneously with seven other cadets, all in white uniforms with various colored stripes.
At the end of the line stood a beautiful girl in a tight-fitting white uniform with red stripes, accentuating her figure—Song Hae In.
While the other cadet candidates focused on their preparations, Rangga remained equally determined.
At the spaceship entrance, an attendant instructed each participant to select their weapon of choice.
Some chose swords, others opted for daggers or bows and arrows.
Song Hae In picked a long, slender sword that seemed perfectly suited to her.
Rangga, sticking to his plan, chose a traditional swordsman's sword and a shield.
His choice of a shield drew curious glances from the other participants.
They, being well-prepared and informed on how to excel in the cadet tests, knew that speed was the priority.
Carrying two weapons, especially a shield, was seen as ineffective and slowed the movement.
However, the other cadets quickly dismissed Rangga from their minds, assuming he wasn't a serious contender and posed no threat to their ambitions.
---
The day before the physical test, all the candidates were gathered for a briefing.
The test instructor stood before them, a stern figure with a clipboard, ready to divulge crucial details about the challenge that lay ahead.
"To all candidates," the instructor began, his voice echoing through the spacious briefing room, "your task is to navigate through the terrarium forest and reach the designated target point.
There is no time limit, but failure to reach the goal or pressing the surrender button on your wrist monitor will result in disqualification."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle in.
"Inside the forest, you will encounter low-tier alien-type monsters that regenerate annually.
Stronger monsters, which regenerate over several years, are already handled by Dome Rangers, ensuring the safety."
The instructor's eyes swept across the room, meeting each candidate's gaze.
"You can choose to avoid or eliminate the monsters.
Your score will be based solely on how quickly you reach the target, so, no armor is needed for this test.
The area will be monitored by drones, and each of you will wear a digital wristband that tracks your progress.
If you need to surrender, press the button on the band, and a Dome Ranger will extract you."
A holographic map of the terrarium flickered to life, displaying the dense jungle terrain with a prominent hill at its center.
"The terrarium spans a ten-kilometer radius, and your goal is the hill in the middle.
There are multiple routes: a direct path filled with treacherous obstacles like cliffs and walls requiring high agility and strength, or a longer, safer route that curves around the hill but passes through nests of giant grasshoppers, metal-clawed squirrels, and spiny foxes.
Each monster poses unique threats—giant grasshoppers can leap swiftly and slash with their spiked limbs, metal-clawed squirrels ambush from the treetops, and spiny foxes shoot quills up to 100 meters."
---
Back to the spaceship, the eight candidates now were inside the portal.
For Rangga, this was his first glimpse of the terrarium—a breathtakingly detailed forest ecosystem.
As he stepped through the portal, the lush greenery enveloped him, and in the distance, he could see the imposing silhouette of a mountain, the target in the heart of the terrarium.
The eight participants lined up, each absorbed in their thoughts.
Five instructors were bustling around, finalizing the preparations for the physical test. Rangga stood quietly, contemplating his next move.
The responsibility of his newfound powers weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he had to pass the test, but he also needed to do it without drawing too much attention to himself.
His gaze shifted from the distant mountain to the forest path ahead. "I'll aim for an average score. That should be enough."
Sora's voice, calm and analytical, echoed in his mind. "Understood, Sir. I'll calculate the optimal safety trajectory."
At precisely 10:00 am, the test began.
The eight participants surged into the forest with such speed that they blurred, invisible to an ordinary human eye.
Rangga moved along a more conventional path, accompanied by six others who chose to take the longer, eastward route around the hill.
In stark contrast, Song Hae-in shot straight ahead, opting for the shorter, more direct route.
Rangga focused intently on his movements, striving to match the pace of the six participants ahead of him.
As he ran, Sora constantly scanned their surroundings, mapping out the safest route.
Several minutes into the race, Sora's voice sounded in his mind.
"Sir, a colony of winged giant ants has been detected ahead.
I recommend turning left towards 10 o'clock to avoid contact."
Sure enough, the participants soon encountered the swarming ants.
The monsters, sensing the intruders, began to flap their wings menacingly.
The two frontrunners halted abruptly, forced into a defensive stance against the aggressive insects.
Another participant veered right, leaping into a nearby river to evade the threat.
Rangga and the remaining two participants reacted instantly, pivoting to the left and bounding over rocky terrain with a steep incline.
The adrenaline surged through Rangga's veins as he leaped from rock to rock, the landscape blurring around him.
"Stay focused," Sora advised. "The incline will give you a brief advantage in speed and evasion."
The monstrous ants buzzed angrily behind them, their wings creating a deafening hum.
Rangga stole a glance back, witnessing the chaos of his competitors struggling against the swarm.
He felt a pang of relief mixed with urgency—he had to keep moving, had to maintain his pace.
The terrain shifted beneath his feet as he followed Sora's guidance, the path growing steeper and the forest denser.
The leaves and branches whipped past him, creating a green blur as he ascended.
His breath came in steady, controlled bursts, every muscle in his body finely tuned to the task at hand.
Up ahead, the two other participants who had taken the left path were also moving quickly, their movements synchronized and efficient.
Rangga adjusted his speed to match theirs, calculating every step with precision.
He could feel the strain in his legs and the burn in his lungs, but he pushed through, driven by the determination to succeed.
As they reached a plateau, the immediate danger seemed to lessen.
Rangga took a moment to assess his surroundings, his eyes scanning for any sign of the next obstacle.
The forest ahead was thick, the path winding and uncertain.
"Maintain this direction," Sora instructed. "We are on track for an optimal balance between speed and safety."
Rangga nodded to himself, feeling a surge of confidence.
He had avoided the first major threat and was still in the race.
The goal was within reach, and with Sora's help, he felt prepared for whatever lay ahead.
---
Rangga continued running, following the eastward path around the terrarium, before veering north and beginning the ascent into the hilly terrain.
Two other participants, both in white training uniforms with blue stripes, moved parallel but separate from him, heading in the same direction.
The vegetation transitioned from dense underbrush to towering acacia trees.
As he ran, Sora's voice chimed in, issuing a warning.
"Sir, there is only one viable route ahead, and it intersects with the territory of a white monkey colony."
The previous night, Rangga and Sora had spent hours researching potential monster encounters within the terrarium.
Out of all the possibilities, Rangga had chosen his shield specifically for its defensive capabilities against ranged attacks.
White monkeys, similar to their earthly counterparts but far more intelligent and agile, made their homes in the branches of these massive trees.
They defended their territory with an arsenal of stones, attacking any intruders who ventured too close.
Rangga's heart rate quickened, but he remained composed.
He knew what to expect and felt ready to face the challenge.
The path ahead narrowed, flanked by the gnarled roots of ancient trees and the loose rocks that littered the ground.
As he approached, the two participants ahead of him slowed, evidently aware of the imminent danger.
"Prepare yourself," Sora advised. "They're likely to attack as soon as they spot movement."
Rangga tightened his grip on his shield, feeling the reassuring weight of it in his hand.
He glanced up, spotting the telltale signs of the monkeys: white fur blending with the dappled sunlight, the occasional rustle of leaves, and the small, sharp eyes watching from above.
Suddenly, a shower of rocks came pelting down from the treetops.
The two participants ahead of Rangga raised their arms defensively, one of them narrowly dodging a particularly large stone.
Rangga lifted his shield, deflecting the projectiles with practiced ease.
He surged forward, using the shield to cover his head and torso as he advanced.
The white monkeys shrieked in frustration, their agile forms darting from branch to branch.
Despite their fury, Rangga kept his focus, moving steadily through the gauntlet of stones.
He could see the path starting to clear ahead, signaling the end of the monkey's territory.
To his right, one of the participants stumbled, a stone striking their shoulder and causing them to falter.
Rangga considered helping but knew that stopping could jeopardize his own progress.
He pressed on, heart pounding, muscles burning, but determined to push through.
"Sora, analyze the best route to exit their territory quickly," Rangga muttered.
"Go left, towards 11 o'clock," Sora instructed. "The density of the monkeys is lower in that direction."
Rangga shifted his course slightly, following Sora's guidance.
The barrage of stones lessened, and he saw an opening ahead—a gap between the trees that promised safety.
With a final burst of speed, Rangga broke through the edge of the monkeys' territory, emerging onto a rocky slope leading further up the hill.
He paused to catch his breath, glancing back to see the remaining participants still battling their way through.
The two in blue-striped uniforms were making headway, though one lagged slightly behind.
The others were scattered, some still struggling against the relentless monkeys.
"Well done, Sir," Sora remarked. "We've successfully navigated the most challenging part of this route."
Rangga nodded, feeling a surge of confidence.
He adjusted his grip on the shield and continued his ascent, every step bringing him closer to the finish line and the goal that awaited at the top of the hill.
The race was far from over, but he felt prepared for whatever lay ahead.
--end chapter--