Universal Power System

*Peep!* *Peep!* Peep!*

Mako's alarm pierced through the silence of his room, jolting him awake. His eyelids fluttered open, and for a moment, he lay still, groggy and disoriented, his mind catching up with reality.

It took him a second to remember the significance of today, the military display. The thought sent a surge of excitement through him, instantly chasing away any remaining remnants of sleep.

He rolled out of bed despite the lingering soreness in his muscles. Although his body still ached from the intense fight with Alexi, the rest had done wonders. His energy levels were starting to replenish, although they were not fully restored yet.

He stretched his arms wide, feeling the tension release from his limbs before he got ready in his usual military uniform.

After freshening up, he glanced at the clock and was happy to see that he was just in time to meet his friends before the display officially opened. With his heart racing in anticipation, he left his dorm and made his way towards the center of the military complex.

As he approached the main hall, the once quiet and imposing building had come alive. Hundreds of cadets anxiously waited outside the main gate for the official opening of the military display.

The military display was set up in the largest building within the military complex, the main hall. This enormous open floor was now filled with stalls, tents, and demonstration areas, each buzzing with energy.

His friends Erin, Nathan, Leon, and the others were all already waiting for him at the entrance.

"Hey, Mako! You ready for this?" Leon called out, waving enthusiastically.

Mako nodded with a grin. "As ready as I'll ever be."

It wasn't long after that, and soon, the military display was open for all of the students from all three classes.

The group made their way into the military display, which was awe-inspiring in its sheer magnitude. The whole floor was divided into sections, each brimming with different stalls, vendors, and military personnel demonstrating cutting-edge technology.

The atmosphere was electric, with the hum of chatter, the clanging of metal, and the occasional roar of machinery filling the air.

To their left, rows of stalls displayed a variety of survival gear. Vendors showcased high-tech backpacks with built-in energy shields, camouflage suits that could adapt to any environment and provide great stealth, and proper heat-resistant and cold-resistant suits that could also adapt to different gravities and air pressures.

One booth featured portable energy generators capable of providing power in remote locations and oxygen filtration masks, perfect for extreme environments or toxic atmospheres. The gear was built for versatility and endurance and was clearly aimed at soldiers and adventurers alike.

Next to the survival gear were the medical supply stalls, offering everything from advanced healing pills and medkits with nanobot technology to fully automated surgical drones capable of performing field operations. The technology was cutting-edge, and staff eagerly explained how their products could accelerate recovery, minimize downtime, and even bring soldiers back from near-fatal injuries.

Healing pills were great for patching up regular muscle injuries; however, they weren't great for fatal hits and injuries that couldn't simply be healed.

Commander Malik had taught the students a number of very important and crucial medical techniques and procedures so that every cadet would know the basics of how to treat each kind of wound and injury on the battlefield and reduce their reliance on healing pills, which weren't very popular at the higher level of the military to begin with considering there weren't many high tier healing pills produced and that healing pills lose their effectiveness on a body that had consumed a lot of them already.

The largest section, however, was dedicated to weaponry and armor. Mako's eyes widened as he saw the sheer variety of weapons on display. There were sleek energy rifles, plasma pistols, and shockwave cannons, all designed for ranged combat. Their power was demonstrated by virtual shooting galleries set up nearby.

Weapon developers were showcasing the latest advancements in projectile mechanics, explaining how the new generation of firearms had become lighter yet more devastating than ever before.

Firearms were strictly forbidden to be used by the general public, and even law enforcement as the level of destruction they were now capable of causing was at a whole other level. This was why, even while dealing with gangs of Emerald City, Mako hadn't run into any firearms, as they were very strictly regulated, and only the military and very high-level organizations that had special privileges had access to them.

Various melee weapons, including blades, knives, shields, spears, and large blunt weapons, were also on display near the firearms. Each weapon possessed unique passive and active skills.

Not far from the weaponry were the armor stalls. Here, vendors displayed sleek exo-suits designed to augment strength and speed, as well as more traditional battle armor made from various materials and power cores to be strong enough to withstand energy blasts and heavy impacts.

The more expensive models even possessed unique passive and active skills that offered elemental resistance, enhanced boosts, and temporary status buffs. Force-field generators could be embedded into the armor, creating an energy shield around the wearer for an extra layer of protection.

In one corner of the display, there was a demonstration area where military personnel showcased combat drones and autonomous defense systems.

Sleek, deadly-looking machines zipped through obstacle courses, dodging attacks and returning fire with precision. One particularly impressive drone hovered silently in mid-air, its turrets whirring as it targeted and disabled enemy drones in a live demonstration.

"These drones are insane," Nathan said, his eyes wide as he watched the demonstration. "They practically think for themselves."

Further down the display were transport and vehicle stalls, showcasing everything from armored personnel carriers to hoverbikes designed for rapid deployment. One vendor offered tours of a stealth transport that could become invisible to the naked eye, while another booth displayed energy-efficient engines for long-distance missions.

Mako's group moved from stall to stall, each mentally calculating what they needed most. With so many items on display, it was clear they'd have to prioritize their purchases carefully, especially since some of the gear had hefty price tags. But it was exciting to see the possibilities, the tools that could give them an edge in their mission.

Mako understood that this display was not just meant to showcase items for the cadets to buy but also to give them a peek into the military's developments and advances. This would entice them to strive to serve the military after graduation so that they could freely use these amazing items.

"This is incredible," Mako said, scanning the rows of gear. "We need to make sure we get the right combination of weapons and support tech."

Erin nodded. "No kidding. But we'll have to compare prices before making any big decisions."

There were just so many items that the group had a field day browsing through everything, each picking out something that they liked.

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

Alexi couldn't help but admire a particular set of dual short swords that were perfect for his fighting style. They gleamed with a light green metallic finish and were infused with unique power cores that allowed the user to manipulate the air around the blades to make them even sharper, greatly increasing the strength of the slash.

"Look at this," Alexi muttered, picking one up and testing its weight. "These could be handy."

Similarly, Nathan was having a field day browsing the dozens of blaster options in the firearms section. Maybe it was the Hack ability inside of him but Nathan felt an odd connection to the high-tech firearms, which were filled to the brim with different components and all powered by special energy cells.

Leon and Mako were immersed in the armor section. They were both blown away by the large number of different armor sets on sale, each with different effects and skills that could greatly complement its user in various ways.

One, in particular, was very eye-catching for Leon. It was labeled "The Speed Demon Armor Set," which, by its name alone, hooked him. It was an advanced-tier armor set consisting of four parts, each forged from the crystals of a beast called the Steel Leg Cheetah. The set provided insane stamina and agility stats, which was an absolute dream for a speedster-class fighter like Leon.

Bella showed great interest in the survival gear on display, especially the camouflage items that could make a person almost invisible. These items would be very handy if they had to sneak around a dangerous area or hide in plain sight from a powerful enemy.

Erin was still preoccupied with Andrew and appeared a bit zoned out as she traveled with her friends. She showed no great interest in any items and just agreed with what the team said as they checked out different items.

They spent the next two hours browsing, asking questions, and taking note of everything they'd need. Each of them was focused on their individual strengths and the gear that would complement their abilities, but as a team, they understood the importance of covering all bases.

After a lengthy session of reviewing items, they regrouped at the entrance of the military display to discuss and plan out everything they would need. This would allow them to make the most effective purchases and ensure that they would complete their mission without problems.

The group gathered at the entrance of the military display, and now came the hard part which was figuring out how to get the best combination of gear without blowing their budget.

Mako started jotting down potential purchases on a small notepad, his brow furrowed as he considered the options. "We've got 6,000 tokens to work with," he said to his group, glancing at Alexi and Erin. "We need to prioritize Survival gear, essential supplies, and medical supplies first, Weapons and armor come after that. We also have to consider that each of us has different abilities, so we need gear that complements them."

The group nodded as Mako began listing down items in order from things that had the highest priority.

First and Foremost, Mako jotted down the three sets of the two different kinds of protection suits, one for extreme heat and one for extreme cold which cost 250 tokens each, totaling up to 1500 tokens for the three of them.