Universal Power System

With these training plans concocted by Mako, the group would have a better chance at surviving on whatever planet they would be sent to.

Of course, since they were only students, they wouldn't send them to just any planet, but those that would fall under certain criteria of conditions that the cadets of that class could withstand.

Professor Curtis didn't mention any of the tiny details so there was a lot of guessing involved. However, it didn't really matter as only two days after the entire incident, all cadets were called back to their classrooms by their homeroom teachers for a special announcement in the middle of the day.

All other classes were canceled for the day and the cadets were advised to use their free time efficiently after the announcement was over and to not waste it.

As expected, the announcement was about an upcoming special exam that will determine the future that each cadet will have in the military.

Thanks to rich parents and influential people, every year there are many cadets who are placed in a class that they don't actually qualify for nor deserve thanks to receiving overpowered weapons, armor, and abilities that anyone could use to easily clear the recruitment test but actually lack the knowledge and skill about how to use them properly.

This was the reason why the military issued a special exam only after 3 months of the cadets living inside the military school complex.

3 months was enough time for the military to train the cadets on every basic aspect of fighting and survival as well as collect crucial data on their performances.

Now with the cadets trained enough to take care of themselves and the data to sort them properly, the military would issue another exam to truly test the cadets and assign them their proper classes.

****************

As the cadets settled into their seats, a hush fell over the room. Angela, Mako's homeroom teacher, stood at the front of the classroom, her expression serious yet calm. She glanced around the room, ensuring she had everyone's attention before beginning.

"Good afternoon, cadets. As you may have heard, a special exam is approaching that will determine your future roles within the military. This exam is designed to assess your abilities, knowledge, and survival skills under real-world conditions. Today, I will explain the rules and procedures of this exam."

Angela activated a holographic display that projected a list of rules and guidelines.

"First, each of you will be called to the front of the class one by one. You will receive a specific planet assignment where you will undertake your exam. These planets have been categorized into three tiers based on their conditions and challenges: low-tier, medium-tier, and high- tier planets. Your assignment will be determined by your performance data collected over the past three months."

She paused, allowing the information to sink in.

"Low-tier planets are relatively stable environments with minimal hazards. They are suitable for those who have shown basic proficiency and potential..." Angela began to explain as she basically gave all the information that Professor Curtis had already given to the group.

The cadets exchanged nervous glances, the weight of the upcoming exam sinking in as no one had expected to face an exam so early in the semester. They had only just begun perfecting their basic training moves and skills and thought that they were nowhere close to being ready for an exam.

Some cadets on the hand were extremely pissed off at the military for throwing an unexpected monkey wrench into their plans and to the surprise of absolutely no one, almost all of these cadets belonged to rich and influential backgrounds.

With all communications cut off, these cadets had no way of contacting their parents or loved ones for more support and would have to face the test with whatever they had on hand.

However, their world was about to get rocked even further as Angela explained another critical rule of the special exam.

"Cadets will not be allowed to bring any items with them for the special exam, which includes power weapons, power armor, healing pills, advanced tools and devices for survival, etc," Angela announced to the whole class.

This was the final straw that broke the camel's back as the class was outraged by the ridiculous rule. Several cadets began shouting at the unfairness of it all while others just chattered among themselves, resounding their worry in a more controlled manner.

There were only a handful of students who didn't react to the rule immediately as they had already understood that Angela wasn't done speaking and one of them was Mako who sat calmly in his seat, thinking about what kind of twist the military would add to level the playing field.

In an instant, the atmosphere of the room completely changed as Angela began to release her aura openly, the pressure being too much for some cadets that they ended up falling back into their seats.

"This rule has been made to counteract the influx of high-level gear and items that some cadets have access to prior to starting their journey in the military school, giving them an unfair advantage," Angela announced with a slight hint of annoyance in her tone.

After all, she wasn't even meant to be a teacher but was just getting punished for breaking protocol and helping Mako during their first mission together. It was clear to Mako that handling a bunch of children was not one of her strong suits and it was taking a significant amount of willpower for her to stop herself from fully releasing her aura and exerting an insane amount of pressure on these helpless rowdy students.

As soon as the students had quickly settled down, Angela retracted her aura and the atmosphere of the room returned back to normal.

"In order to make it fair for all cadets, each cadet will receive special tokens which vary in amount based on the tier of the planet you have been assigned, and before your departure for your exam, the military will hold a massive display in the main hall where there will be a ton of different shops which will sell you weapons, armor, healing pills, and whatever else you might need in exchange for your tokens," Angela explained.

After Mako had heard that, he was honestly quite surprised and even impressed to see the military go to such lengths to make sure that this exam was fair for everyone.

He also enjoyed the fact that he wouldn't be able to take any of his items with him and would have to shop with a limited amount of money for everything he would need for the exam.

It felt like the system had become his actual reality for a moment and he was actually excited to see the variety of different items that could be for sale during the military display. "If you are assigned to the low-tier planet, you will receive 500 special tokens to spend on gear. Similarly, if you are assigned to the medium-tier planet, you will receive 1000 special tokens and lastly, if you are assigned to the high-tier planet, you will receive 2000 special tokens." Angela explained.

"All items that you will purchase for this exam are exclusive only for this exam and will be confiscated on your return."

"During the exam, you will be required to complete a series of objectives specific to your assigned planet. These objectives will test your combat skills, survival instincts, and ability to work under pressure. You will have a limited amount of resources, and teamwork will be crucial. Remember, this exam is not just about individual performance but also how well you can cooperate with your peers as well."

"You have the option of forming your own groups with the max number of cadets per group being three. If you are unable to form your own groups, you will be automatically placed into a random group with other cadets who also didn't form a group."

Angela paused as she looked around the room, her eyes meeting each cadet's with the tension in the air at an all-time high.

"There will be no supervision during this special exam which means that you and on your own and can only rely on your group if you want to survive and return back," Angela stated. The room was once again shaken with the student's unease visible on their faces; however, this time there was no outburst as the students could still feel their hearts pounding after withstanding the pressure generated by Angela's aura and they didn't want a repeat of that so

soon.

Mako was also a bit surprised as this was the first piece of information that conflicted with the information that Professor Curtis had shared with them as he said that the cadets would be supervised from a distance and that their interference meant failure.

However, he quickly realized that by not revealing this information to the cadets and making

them believe that they could actually die during the exam was so that they could see the cadets give their 100% as the fear of death was the greatest motivator for improvement and unlocking one's hidden potential.

"The exam will last for 7 days. Within this timeframe, you must complete all designated objectives and signal for extraction. Failure to complete the objectives within the allotted time will result in a failed exam, and you will be dismissed from the program." Angela

continued.

The cadets shifted uneasily in their seats. Angela's voice softened slightly, but her message remained firm.

"This exam is a test of everything you've learned here. It's designed to push you to your limits

and beyond. However, it is also an opportunity to prove your worth and secure your future in the military. Trust in your training, trust in your teammates, and most importantly, trust in

yourselves."

She glanced down at her tablet, then back up at the class.

"Now, I will begin calling your names. Please come to the front when you are called to receive

your planet assignment."

With that, she picked up a tablet and started reading the names aloud, one by one. The cadets, some with determination and others with apprehension approached the front to learn their

fate.