đź“Ś Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, events, and locations are purely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or entities is purely coincidental.
The atmosphere in the staging room was tense. All around, newly-formed teams stood together, exchanging wary glances. No one trusted anyone. It was natural. After all, they were competitors, not friends.
Raunak stood with his assigned team: Team 7.
Kenji Takeda, the cocky Japanese martial artist.
Alexa Morgan, the cold, confident American fighter.
Min-Joon Lee, a quiet but sharp-eyed Korean with a tactical aura.
And finally, Elena Kuznetsov, a stoic Russian woman who hadn't spoken a single word yet.
Raunak clenched his fists as the countdown reached zero.
00:00
The room shifted.
A low humming filled the air as the floor beneath them vibrated. Lights dimmed, and a holographic interface appeared mid-air.
[Simulation Initiating: Scenario Code 47A]
Objective:
Rescue the Hostages
Neutralize Enemy Combatants
Avoid Civilian Casualties
Escape within 30 Minutes
Failure Penalty:
Elimination from the Program
Medical Risk: High
The walls dissolved around them, replaced by an entirely new environment — a hyper-realistic urban battlefield. They stood in the middle of what looked like a war-torn district: crumbling buildings, abandoned vehicles, scattered debris.
Explosions echoed in the distance. Gunfire crackled faintly. Smoke billowed into the night sky.
[Mission Briefing Uploading...]
Enemy Faction: The Black Serpents (Simulation AI Combatants)
Hostages: 5 Civilians
Total Enemy Forces: 25
Difficulty Rating: B-Rank
Raunak's heart pounded. This wasn't a simple survival trial anymore — this was war.
Formation of Strategy
Alexa took charge almost immediately.
"Alright. I'll lead the team. Any objections?"
Nobody spoke.
Alexa continued, her voice sharp and efficient. "First, identify the hostages' location. Min-Joon, you scout. Kenji, stay close for backup. Raunak, you'll be our mid-range support. Elena, you're with me — we'll handle front-line suppression."
Elena gave a silent nod.
Raunak swallowed his nerves. "Got it."
His System chimed.
[Temporary Team Interface Activated]
[Team Communication Channel Opened]
[Shared Map Access Granted]
A 3D tactical map appeared on his interface, showing a rough layout of the simulation zone. Five blinking blue dots marked the civilians. Red indicators identified estimated enemy positions.
Min-Joon's eyes flickered with calm focus. "I'll move. Cover me."
Without another word, he melted into the shadows, vanishing between collapsed buildings.
Kenji grinned and twirled a combat knife in his hand. "Well, this is fun."
Alexa snapped, "Stay focused."
The First Encounter
Minutes passed in tense silence as they advanced cautiously through the ruins.
Min-Joon's voice whispered over the comms.
"Enemy patrol, four hostiles, northeast alley. Moving toward us."
Raunak's pulse quickened. His fingers tightened around the stun baton he'd been issued.
The squad slipped into cover behind an overturned bus.
Raunak whispered, "We ambush?"
Alexa nodded. "On my mark."
The enemy patrol came into view — armed soldiers dressed in dark combat gear, their AI-controlled eyes scanning for threats.
"Three… two… one. Go!"
Kenji lunged like a viper, disabling one enemy instantly with a neck strike. Elena crushed another's head against a concrete wall with terrifying force. Alexa dispatched the third with a precise roundhouse kick.
The fourth raised his weapon but never got a shot off — Raunak struck him across the face with his baton, sparks flying from the impact.
[Enemy Neutralized — +10 EXP]
[Team Efficiency Bonus: +5 EXP]
Raunak breathed heavily. That went smoother than expected.
"Nice work," Alexa whispered. "Keep moving."
Complications
As they advanced deeper, Min-Joon relayed updates.
"Three hostages are secured in Building 12. Two more guarded heavily in central plaza. Snipers positioned on rooftops."
Alexa narrowed her eyes. "We'll split into two teams."
Kenji interjected, "I want the snipers."
"Fine. Kenji and Min-Joon handle the snipers. Raunak, you're with me and Elena — we'll breach Building 12."
Raunak's nerves tensed. First serious infiltration. Don't mess up.
Building 12
The trio approached the target carefully. The building was half-collapsed, with exposed steel beams and broken glass everywhere. The hostages were being held inside a makeshift room on the second floor.
Guards patrolled the perimeter — six of them.
Alexa whispered, "Raunak, EMP grenade. Disable their optics."
Raunak nodded. He pulled a small device from his belt — one of the few items they'd been issued for the simulation.
He lobbed it underhand.
A soft pulse of blue energy burst outward.
The AI guards twitched as their sensors went dark.
"Now!"
Elena moved like a machine, slamming her fist into one soldier's chest with bone-crunching power. Alexa neutralized two more with clean neck strikes. Raunak stunned another before smashing his baton into the last one's jaw.
[All Enemies Neutralized — +30 EXP]
[Team Bonus: No Civilian Casualties — +10 EXP]
Inside, three terrified civilians huddled behind debris.
"We're here to get you out!" Alexa assured them. "Stay close."
Meanwhile — Kenji & Min-Joon
High above, Kenji crouched on one rooftop while Min-Joon flanked from another.
Two enemy snipers scanned the area, unaware.
Kenji whispered, "I'll take the left."
Min-Joon's voice was ice-calm. "Synced strike. On my mark. Three… two… one."
Both men moved simultaneously. Kenji's blade flashed across one sniper's throat while Min-Joon crushed the other's windpipe silently.
[Enemy Snipers Eliminated — +20 EXP]
[High-Risk Elimination Bonus: +10 EXP]
Kenji chuckled. "Not bad, ninja boy."
Min-Joon ignored him. "Plaza team, we're in position."
The Central Plaza — Final Challenge
The final two hostages were being held at gunpoint by six elite AI soldiers. Two heavy drones hovered above, scanning constantly.
Alexa analyzed quickly. "We can't risk a frontal assault."
Min-Joon's voice crackled over comms. "Diversion?"
Alexa nodded. "Kenji, set up a distraction. Raunak — be ready with support fire."
Kenji grinned mischievously.
Moments later, a small explosion rocked a nearby fuel container, drawing the guards' attention.
As the AI turned, Alexa and Elena stormed in from opposite flanks. Raunak targeted one drone, hurling an EMP grenade upward. The drone sparked and crashed.
The remaining soldiers opened fire.
Bullets sliced past as Raunak ducked behind a concrete barrier, heart racing. So close!
The second drone locked onto Elena. She grabbed a metal pole and, with a furious leap, impaled the hovering machine through its core.
[Drone Disabled — +15 EXP]
Alexa disarmed one guard, snapping his arm with surgical precision before delivering a knockout blow.
The last enemy aimed his rifle at the hostages.
Raunak didn't think — he moved.
[Reactive Instincts (Lv. 2) Activated]
He dove across the field, using his baton like a club, smashing the soldier's hand aside just as the rifle discharged harmlessly into the air.
Kenji arrived a heartbeat later, slashing the final guard down.
[All Enemies Neutralized — +50 EXP]
[Mission Complete — S-Rank Evaluation]
Simulation Timer:
00:02:12 Remaining
The hostages were escorted safely to the extraction point.
A final notification appeared on their Systems.
[Team 7 — Mission Complete]
[Bonus Rewards Unlocked]
[Level Up — Raunak Virk: Level 4]
[New Skill Unlocked: Adaptive Combat (Lv. 1)]
Debriefing
The simulated world dissolved, returning them to the original facility.
Agent Zero's voice echoed once more.
"Impressive performance, Team 7. Not flawless, but highly efficient under pressure. Your compatibility scores are… promising."
A translucent ranking screen appeared:
Team Evaluation Results:
Efficiency: A
Civilian Safety: S
Time Management: B+
Combat Effectiveness: A+
Overall Rating: S-Rank
Raunak's knees almost buckled in relief. We did it.
Alexa crossed her arms, clearly satisfied. Kenji simply grinned, clearly enjoying every second. Elena remained impassive, while Min-Joon calmly reviewed his system data.
Agent Zero continued.
"For the remaining candidates, your performance will determine your next placement. Some of you will be offered positions in one of the global Ranker Factions."
The word 'Factions' sent a ripple through the room. This was the real reason most had risked coming here.
"For now, rest. Tomorrow, the real initiation begins."
The candidates were escorted into a large dormitory facility, where private rooms awaited them.
Raunak collapsed onto the bed in his assigned room, exhaustion finally washing over him.
His System blinked softly.
[You have unlocked a new branch: Global Ranker Factions]
[New Information Unlocked: Faction Lore]
A list appeared, each with strange logos:
The Order of Zenith (Japan) — Elite Tactical Rankers
Crimson Talon (USA) — High-Risk Assault Division
Silent Dawn (Korea) — Stealth & Intelligence
Iron Dominion (Russia) — Heavy Combat Specialists
Lotus Veil (India) — Psionic and Support Experts
Raunak stared at the list, overwhelmed. The world was much larger than he had imagined.
"This is only the beginning."
His path as a Ranker had truly begun.
End of Chapter 4