Test for survival

Chapter 6: Test For Survival

***Four weeks later***

The academy grounds buzzed with energy that Saturday morning, the tension was evident in the air as the students prepared for the biggest event of their lives, the military test. Groups of students crowded together, scrambling to form teams. Everyone knew the stakes: out of the one million participants that will becoming from various parts of the universe, only twenty from each planet would be admitted to the two top military academies.

Caden stood apart from the crowd, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. His calm demeanor drew curious glances, but he ignored them, focusing on the system interface only he could see.

**[Mission: Become the Number One Recruit]**

Reward: ???

Failure: System degradation

His lips twitched upward in a faint smile. He had a plan, and scrambling to join a group in his class wasn't part of it.

"Look who decided to show up," a sneering voice cut through the noise, breaking Caden's focus.

Caden turned to see Ryan striding toward him, flanked by a couple of his lackeys. Ryan's smug expression was enough to annoy anyone, but Caden remained expressionless.

"I honestly thought you'd back out," Ryan continued, loud enough for the surrounding students to hear. "I mean, with your father's record, you're probably better off hiding under a rock and besides you don't even have an ability."

Several heads turned, whispers spreading like wildfire. Caden's father had been a traitor to humanity, a fact Ryan loved to exploit at every opportunity.

Caden's expression didn't change. "Are you done?" he asked calmly, his tone void of any emotion.

Ryan's face turned red from embarrassment, but he quickly recovered. "What's the matter? Too scared to defend yourself?"

Before Ryan could even get the chance to laugh Caden already moved and slammed his hand on Ryan's face, and Ryan fell to his knees with a broken nose.

Ryan felt up his now before he looked at his hand and saw it bloodied and Ryan face twisted in anger "How dare you" Ryan hollered but Caden already walked away

Ryan's face reddened as he looked around and saw the way people looked at him "What are you fools staring at" He shouted at them and they all looked at another direction.

Soon a space battleship landed in front of them soundlessly while floating a few meters above the ground and a loud announcement was heard from the ship "Everyone who is participating in the test are to step forward now"

Everyone looked confused as they didn't know how to get into the battleship and Ryan walked forward with swagger and he stood directly under the battleship and then a hole opened up and took Ryan up by changing the direction of the gravity acting on Ryan's body.

Soon everyone in the school who will be participating in the military test boarded the aircraft and at light speed the battle ship soared into space and they looked outside the battleship through the Windows and they saw countless ships like theirs heading towards a huge big destroyer sized ship.

All the students marvelled at the beauty of space while Caden closed his eyes and remained silent. Everyone who looked at him thought he was serious but they would be shocked if the heard what was going on in his head.

**Are you saying there is ferrosteel alloy, nano-thread and a photon core located on this ship** Caden asked the system as he internally vibrated with excited. **[Yes, the whole ship was built using those.]** the system confirmed with it's monotonous voice

**What part of the ship can I easily cut off without damaging the ship a lot** Caden asked grinning from ear to ear internally. **[Every part of the ship is highly important for your survival while still in space and besides it will take the host to much energy to do that]** the system replied and Caden sighed disappointed

**I guess I'll just have to cut it off when I get to the planet then** Caden said to himself and the system didn't reply soon they arrived on an entirely different planet.

"Where are we" The students whispered to themselves in confusion

The battleship's engines hummed softly as it touched down on the rocky surface of Proxima. The boarding ramp extended, revealing a harsh, alien landscape. The sky above was an ominous shade of crimson, with jagged, dark mountains looming in the distance. The students filed out in silence, their footsteps crunching against the brittle, metallic sand beneath them.

A towering figure in a military commander's uniform waited at the base of the ramp. Her sharp, piercing eyes scanned the students with a level of authority that made even the most confident recruits lower their gazes. The emblem on her shoulder identified her as a high-ranking officer and as someone whose orders were absolute.

"Welcome to Proxima," the commander began, her voice amplified through a wrist-mounted device. "You are standing on one of the least hospitable planets in the galaxy. This is your battlefield and the test began since you got on the battleship."

Murmurs erupted among the students as they exchanged uneasy glances.

The commander raised her hand, silencing them. "Your mission is simple: survive and eliminate as many Proximars as you can. These creatures are not intelligent, but they are fast, resilient, and highly radioactive. Your protective suits will shield you, but don't count on them for long if you're careless. Fail to adapt, and you will not leave this planet alive."

A massive screen emerged from the side of the battleship, displaying holograms of the Proximars. The creatures resembled monstrous humanoids with glowing cracks running along their bodies, emitting dangerous levels of radiation. Their eyes burned like molten lava, and their clawed hands looked capable of ripping through steel.

"These are your targets," the commander continued. "However, this test is not just about killing Proximars. It's about teamwork, strategy, and efficiency. To participate, you must first form teams of four. You have fifteen minutes to do so."

Panic erupted almost immediately as students began scrambling to form alliances. Groups formed quickly, with everyone wanting to join the strongest candidates. The air was filled with frantic whispers, hurried negotiations, and even heated arguments.

Caden, however, stood apart from the chaos, observing silently. His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the desperation around him, and it didn't go unnoticed.

A tall, striking girl with dark green hair and piercing blue eyes made her way toward him. She wore an advanced protective suit that gleamed faintly under the red sky, and a quiver of high-tech arrows was strapped to her back. Her confident stride and commanding presence parted the crowd as she approached Caden.

"Why are not even making effort to find a team," she said, her voice filled with curiosity.

Caden glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Didn't feel the need to and besides I'll go with whatever team I see"

The girl raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Interesting. Most people are fighting to join the strongest groups, yet you're just standing here like you've already passed the test."

"Maybe I have, I alone I'm enough" Caden replied with a faint smirk.

The girl studied him for a moment before nodding. "I'm Ava, from Titan Colony. I'm putting together a team, and I want you in it."

The statement drew gasps from nearby students. Ava was widely recognized as the strongest recruit from her planet, known for her psychic abilities and deadly accuracy with her arrows. Her invitation to someone like Caden who didn't even has no record of possessing an ability was shocking.

"Are you serious?" a familiar, angry voice interrupted.

Ryan pushed his way through the crowd, his face still bruised from their last encounter. His tone sounding irritated as he addressed Ava. "Do you even know who this guy is? He's nobody. His father was a traitor, and he doesn't even have an ability!"

Ava turned to Ryan with an unimpressed look. "And who are you?"

"I'm Ryan, the number one student from Earth's Eastern Division," he declared, puffing out his chest. "If you're looking for strong teammates, I'm the obvious choice. Not him."

Ava crossed her arms, her expression icy. "You sound like a lapdog trying to sell himself. I don't need someone who talks big. I need someone who can deliver. And I have a feeling Caden can."

Ryan's face turned an angry shade of red. "You'll regret this," he hissed before storming off.

Ava turned back to Caden, unfazed. "So? Are you in?"

Caden shrugged. "Sure."

As they walked toward the assembly point, two more recruits joined them. The first was a stocky boy named Darius from Europa, his thick arms and confident smirk hinting at his unique ability. "I can harden my skin into steel and shapeshift," he explained, cracking his knuckles. "I figured you'd need someone who can take a hit."

The second was a petite girl with short silver hair and a quiet demeanor. She introduced herself simply as Mira. When asked about her ability, she remained tight-lipped. "You'll see when the time comes," she said softly, her gaze distant.

With the team assembled, Ava looked at each of them. "We've got what we need. Let's show everyone what we're capable of."

The commander's voice cut through the air again. "Team formation is now complete. The test begins in five minutes. Prepare yourselves."

As the timer counted down, Caden felt a familiar surge of determination. Soon a military personnel walked towards Caden before passing him a human length box

"Your father Marcus asked me to give this to you" the military personnel said before he disappeared and Caden opened the box and he was shocked by what he saw

In the box laid a Katana hidden in its sheath and a red mask with the word devil written on it. It was long enough to reach his shoulders and Caden brought it out of the box before he strapped it to his back and he wore the mask and Caden felt more determined than ever.

The crimson sky seemed to darken as the five-minute countdown ticked on. Caden had his new katana, resting snugly against his back

The other students fidgeted nervously, adjusting their gear, whispering strategies, or throwing uneasy glances at the alien wilderness surrounding them. In contrast, Caden stood still, his mask concealing his face but amplifying his enigmatic presence. Beside him, Ava checked her arrows, each one gleaming faintly with a psychic aura.

Darius broke the silence. "So, anyone else think the military's throwing us to the wolves? I mean, Proximars? Really?"

Mira, still distant, simply replied, "If you're scared, you shouldn't have come."

Darius laughed nervously, but his eyes darted to Ava, who smirked. "Relax," she said. "This is a test, not an execution. The Proximars are manageable, if you don't panic and besides they are like the lowest in humanity list of threats"

Caden's voice cut through their conversation, calm and unbothered. "They wouldn't have sent us here if they thought we'd all die. Use your heads."

Darius nodded, though he couldn't hide the slight tension in his stance.

The commander's amplified voice shattered the quiet. "Attention, recruits. The test begins now. You have 168 hours to prove yourselves. Good luck. And remember failure here means failure for humanity."

A deafening horn blared as the ships moved up into space as the sound of the horn echoed across the alien terrain, and then chaos.

The Proximars attacked almost immediately, emerging from fissures in the ground and shadows of the jagged rocks. Their hulking forms glowed with pulsating cracks of radiation, their molten eyes fixed on the students. They moved with terrifying speed, their claws slicing through the air as if challenging the human recruits to either fight or flee.

Ava was the first to react. Her psychic-enhanced arrows flew through the air, each one finding its mark with precision. A Proximar collapsed, its glowing cracks dimming as it disintegrated into ash.

"Stay close!" Ava barked to her team, her commanding presence undeniable.

Caden unsheathed his katana, its blade gleaming faintly as he funneled a portion of his stored energy into it. The first Proximar that lunged at him was met with a precise slash, the energy extending from the blade like a luminous arc. The creature disintegrated, but not before releasing a burst of radiation that Caden absorbed instinctively.

Darius transformed, his skin hardening into a metallic sheen as he charged at a group of Proximars. His fists slammed into them with bone-crushing force, sending shards of alien flesh and radiation scattering.

Mira, still quiet, finally revealed her ability. With a subtle gesture, she immobilized three charging Proximars, freezing them in place as if time itself had stopped. "Take them out!" she called as she shot out plasma bullets from her guns as her voice resounded her voice calm.

Ava's arrows and Caden's katana made quick work of the immobilized enemies.

But the Proximars weren't the only challenge. The other students were scattered, their disorganized efforts making them easy targets. Some screamed in panic as the creatures overwhelmed them and their protective suits failing to keep the radiation at bay.

Caden noticed a group of recruits struggling nearby. He turned to Ava. "We need to help them."

She hesitated, her eyes scanning their immediate surroundings. "Fine. But stay together."

The team moved as one, cutting through the Proximars with a combination of precision and brute force. Caden's katana flashed in arcs of energy, Ava's arrows never missed, Darius shielded them with his steel-like body, and Mira's immobilizing power gave them crucial openings.

As the battle raged on, Caden felt something was odd as he looked at his surroundings. The students has been divided into various part as the already ran and some with speed related abilities were now scattered all over the planet. Soon only Caden and his team where left standing where they were.

{A/N: Hey everyone, I really took my time and energy to make this chapter very interesting and I also introduced new characters all and a love interest

Try guessing who the love interest is

Ava

Or

Mira}