Second Test [The Passageway]

"Welcome."

The voice echoed through the air, disembodied and hollow, sending ripples of tension across the group. Heads turned in unison, searching for its source, but the room offered nothing... no figure, no speaker, just an empty expanse of white light and sterile silence.

Tess's gaze remained steady. A faint, knowing smile flickered across her lips, quickly concealed. She recognized that voice. Palvi 2.0, she thought. The Academy's AI overseer. Her grip on reality tightened. The second test is about to begin.

"Welcome, recruits, to the Apocalypse Academy of Zone 4," Palvi 2.0's voice continued, its tone metallic and strangely cheerful. "The second test will commence shortly. Please move forward from where you are and keep walking. I will tell you when to stop."

Murmurs broke out among the recruits, a cacophony of confusion and hesitation. Tess glanced around discreetly, observing their unease. Most seemed paralyzed, glancing nervously at each other. They were trapped in an empty room with no visible path forward.

Tess exhaled softly, keeping her stance neutral. She didn't want to draw attention to herself. Let them panic. It'll only help me stay unnoticed.

Without warning, the floor shuddered beneath their feet. A faint hum filled the air as the room shifted. Walls stretched and twisted, reshaping themselves into a narrow passageway bathed in flickering, dim light.

Gasps echoed from a few recruits, their fear evident, but Tess didn't react. She merely began walking, her steps steady, blending into the moving crowd.

The passageway was very quiet, save for the soft hum of machinery and the faint sound of footsteps. The dim light above flickered erratically, casting unsettling shadows on the walls. Tess felt the tension thick in the air, every recruit waiting for something to happen.

It didn't take long.

A sharp crack sliced through the silence. A blur of light shot out from the wall, striking a recruit in the chest.

The recruit collapsed instantly, their body dissolving into shimmering particles.

[RECRUIT_006][DIED]

The notification hung in the air like a grim reminder. The passageway erupted into chaos.

Some recruits froze, their fear locking them in place. Others screamed, their voices shrill and panicked. Tess, however, didn't stop. Her steps quickened, her eyes scanning for traps. She knew what this was... knew the nature of this test.

Another shot.

[RECRUIT_009][DIED]

Tess weaved to the side as a laser burned past her shoulder, the heat searing the air. Her muscles tensed, but her movements remained fluid. She wasn't here to panic.. she was here to survive.

They've put us in a virtual reality simulation without warning. Tess thought, her mind racing as she dodged another trap. Mental resilience, adaptability… they're testing it all. She ducked under a spinning blade that whirred to life from the wall.

The uniform she wore.. a plain white T-shirt and black-and-blue knickers... moved with her body, light and breathable. At least they thought of that, she mused grimly.

Ahead of her, a female recruit caught her attention. She had jet-black hair tied loosely, and dull green eyes that seemed devoid of emotion, almost lifeless. The girl slid down on her knees with practiced precision, narrowly avoiding a spinning cutter that shot out of the floor.

Tess's eyes narrowed. She's good.

She sped up, her body moving instinctively as she mirrored the girl's movements. The cutter swung toward her, but Tess ran up the wall, twisting mid-air to avoid the deadly blade. Her landing was flawless, her breathing steady.

The girl ahead of her didn't glance back. If anything, she increased her pace. Tess pushed herself harder, her muscles burning as she tried to keep up.

In the distance, she saw it.. a shimmering hologram that marked the finish line. Relief flickered briefly in her chest, but she didn't let her guard down. Lasers crisscrossed the air, and mechanical traps sprang from the walls relentlessly.

Tess darted to the side, her reflexes sharp as a spinning blade nearly grazed her. The heat of a laser seared past her face, close enough to feel. She didn't falter.

With one final burst of speed, she crossed the finish line.

The world around her shattered like glass, the simulation dissolving into fragments. For a moment, everything was silent, her breathing the only sound in the void. Then, reality snapped back into place.

She landed on solid ground, her shoes clicking against the floor. The room she was in now was vastly different from the passageway. It was vast, metallic, and illuminated by a pale blue glow. Rows of weapons lined the walls, each one displayed with almost reverent care.

Sci-fi firearms, blades humming with energy, and experimental tech she couldn't begin to identify. The sight was both overwhelming and exhilarating.

A screen flickered to life in front of her, its message simple:

[PICK A WEAPON TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL]

Tess didn't hesitate. She strode toward the display, her eyes scanning the options. She knew better than to pick something flashy or heavy. Unlike the game, weight matters now. Overburden yourself, and you're dead.

Her hand closed around a sleek cyber blade. Its hilt hummed softly in her grip, the edge sheathed but radiating power. Next, she grabbed a laser revolver, the weapon fitting snugly into her palm.

She tested its weight, raising it slightly to aim before holstering it. The revolver came with a matching holster, which she secured to her side. The cyber blade remained in her hand, its sheathed form light and unassuming.

These will do. She had used similar weapons in the game before and knew their capabilities well. They were efficient, reliable, and... most importantly light enough not to slow her down.

"Is that all you want to carry?"

The voice startled her. Tess spun around, her muscles coiled in anticipation.

A figure stood behind her, shrouded in the faint glow of the room.