26 Initial assessment

"What is your ability though?"

Eyas smiled sadly as he answered this often asked question,

"I have a high learning intellect and photocopy memory albeit not like those superior intelligent scientists. But you can say that I lie awkwardly somewhere in between those high-level scientists and an intelligent civilian."

As expected by Crey, like an innocent child he truthfully blurted out his ability in front of a stranger without any guard up. Crey had already predicted that he would be unsuitable for the Military Academy but this was….

Unaware of Crey's thoughts he continued honestly,

"Therefore, I can neither excel in the research field as I don't have competitive intelligence and insight level to them. If I went there I would remain an assistant for my whole life to some heavy fame Scientist. "

Eyas halted in his speech as suddenly sparks emerged in his eyes as he went on with his answer. For a moment, Crey thought that he must have been waiting for this exact moment from start,

"But...Because I was able to discern my weakness and strength at an early age, I devised a perfect route to excel in my interest. "

Crey who had no other choice, took a break from his thoughts of doubting boy, and asked straight from the script,

"So what do you think you 'have' to excel in the military academy?"

Eyas smiled brilliantly, a complete shift around from his earlier gloomy mood as he answered,

"As I knew that, I began to learn AI and Soft-tech from a young age. And I am now hundred percent sure that if you give me some time and access, I can confidently hack any robot or drone out there. And for this exam…..hehe I am basically a black horse."

As an amateur machinist, Crey raised his eyebrow in apparent doubt as things couldn't possibly be so simple. Though he didn't want to be one to douse his flaming spirits because his very bold claim was directly related to his own hope of effortlessly completing the exam,

So he asked with almost imperceptible hope in his question,

"Can you hack a mech?"

The smile dropped down from the face of Eyas as quickly as it had emerged.

"Ummm, actually Mechs are military tech and because I *gulping* have had no access to study about them till now. But..I, Ummm *sigh*

Honestly - no, I can't..."

Crey narrowed his eyes in some thought. While Eyas felt a little guilty for bragging without limit as he meekly added in a barely audible whisper,

"....and also military robots and drones. But they wouldn't be so different from casual ones. I thin..nnnnk I can crack them if I try hard."

As both of these confused souls were interacting with each other, the invigilators who were watching the movement of every student through cameras unenthusiastically gave them the label of - lazy weirdos. Because instead of getting into the thick of work like the rest of the examinees, these two were talking and supporting each other while one was…..half disabled?

Fortunately, they could only watch the students and not hear them, thus very soon they were forgotten as invigilators began to focus on other exciting students. Because they have already presumed them failing the test and as long as they don't approach the inner side, they could outlive the duration of one night for this field exam.

In the parts of the island, the other students were beginning to interact with the island defense systems. Some of the daring folks ventured straight into either Viz or Oracle base straight away earning the label of - 'Daring' from their invigilators. They were more interested in their capabilities and power than their thinking of safe play.

Some of the 'Apprehensive' ones began to plan to take down those active drones and defense robots to search for their luck in finding power cells through them. Or if worst comes to worst, at least salvage workable cells from their bodies if they could succeed in extracting them before drone or robot self districts as usually programmed in the war machines.

All the Student groups were acting in tandem or corporation till now, especially the other four of Crey's group. They have surprisingly decided the safe strategy to salvage for fallen or destroyed mechas or other robot parts to fish out workable power cells. But still, it wasn't completely effortless as there they had to be ready to face traps of salvage or diggers set for their competitors. They were too successful to earn tag - 'Good Judgement' from the watching invigilators from the seas.

But all these aside, One group which had currently all the attention of invigilators was a group of five who were aiming to go straight into the heart of the 'Viz' depot where the non-functioning and brand new unused military tech was stored. Along with non-active tons of robots and drones, that area in fact has a lot of brand new power cells stored too. It means they were going straight for 'Exam Merit' if they could secure even one cell from that location.

The confusing and mindblowing part was that such a depot is usually built-in extreme secrecy and with utmost security measures. Thus, how this group came to know about its location since only invigilators themselves knew because of information from the Company itself. And thus, this particular group had stolen the limelight in this extensively hard exam from the start.

Because nighttime was much shorter in this part of the earth, The test was moving at its usual pace before actual sunset with just eight hours to go for the next day and the end of the exam. These students facing the hardest exam of decades were trying to overcome through their own means and intellect.

When the Academy has provided them with no weapons, no defense, or any other support. At this moment, it was their creative mind and ability to scour resources for themselves which could help them achieve their goals. This bitter exam was one of its kind to be taken by Terra Academy, though it wasn't easy for it to get approval from all higher-ups.