novelraw Chapter 251 251: The Best Candidate
Chapter 251 251: The Best Candidate
Riven and Lyra exchanged glances at that and laughed slightly.
"Even without you analyzing the candidates, we already knew Jace was the guy for the job," Riven said
Torvan smiled at that and so did Tatehan.
"Oh?" Tatehan asked. "Why do you say so?"
"I mean, it was obvious since we were the ones who examined the candidates," Lyra said. "He just performed better than the others and he was humble too, acting like he wasn't that good when in reality he is very good."
Torvan turned his monitor toward the others, the screen displaying a detailed breakdown of Jace's performance. His fingers moved across the holographic interface, pulling up specific data points and highlighting them for emphasis.
"Alright, look at this," Torvan said, his tone professional with genuine enthusiasm. Seemingly like he was impressed with the Jace's stats.
"Jace's acceleration time is the fastest we recorded by a significant margin. He went from zero to full speed in point-seven-three seconds. The next closest was one-point-one seconds. That's a massive difference when you're talking about a scenario where every fraction of a second matters."
He swiped to another screen, this one showing a graph of balance metrics. "His balance during high-speed movement is nearly perfect. No stumbles, no overcorrections and no loss of control. He maintained stability even during sharp directional changes, which is exactly what we need if he's going to be dodging fire or navigating obstacles."
Torvan pulled up another set of data, this one showing recovery times after evasive maneuvers. "And look at this. After the roll and jump sequence, his recovery time was instantaneous. No lag and no hesitation. He came up running at full speed without missing a beat. Compare that to some of the others who took two or three seconds to regain their footing, and it's not even close."
He minimized the graphs and brought up a video feed, a recording from the glasses that showed Jace's field test from a first-person perspective. The footage played, showing the smooth, precise movements, the perfect execution of every maneuver and the complete absence of wasted motion.
"And finally," Torvan said, pausing the video, "His endurance is excellent. His heart rate barely elevated during the sprint, and his breathing remained controlled throughout the entire test. That tells me he's not just fast, he's… conditioned. He can sustain that speed over distance if he needs to, which is critical if the extraction takes longer than expected."
Torvan leaned back, crossing his arms, and looked at the others. "So yeah. Jace is the guy for the job. No question."
Riven and Lyra exchanged a satisfied glance, nodding in agreement. They had both felt it during the test, but seeing the data confirm their instincts was reassuring.
Tatehan stared at the screen, absorbing the information, and then he nodded as well. "Alright. Let's call him tomorrow and bring him in."
Torvan minimized the data displays and turned back to his workbench. "I'm going to start building a recreation of the plan. A full simulation. We need to test this before we execute it for real. I want to make sure Jace can handle the scenario under pressure, and I want to identify any weak points in the plan before we commit."
Tatehan tilted his head. "How long will that take?"
Torvan shrugged, already pulling up blueprints on his screen. "Some long hours, maybe. I'll need to set up some equipment, rig a mock force field, build a route that approximates what he'll be dealing with out there. It's not going to be perfect, but it'll be close enough to give us a realistic test."
"Good," Tatehan said. "Let's do it. We run the simulation, see how he performs, and if everything checks out, we execute the plan very soon."
Everyone nodded, the decision made.
———
Early the next morning, Torvan and Tatehan, along with several members of the Red Crest Clan, began the process of setting up the simulation outside on one of the larger training fields at the edge of the base.
The work was meticulous and time-consuming. They needed to create a mock environment that approximated the conditions Jace would face when approaching the West, which meant building a fake force field, or at least a holographic representation of one that would serve as a visual marker during the test.
Torvan directed the operation with the precision of someone who had done this kind of thing before, barking instructions to the clan members as they hauled equipment, set up projectors, and calibrated sensors.
The holographic force field took the longest to configure, a shimmering, translucent barrier that flickered into existence about fifty meters away from the starting point. It was not a real barrier, of course, just light and projection, but it looked convincing enough to serve its purpose.
They also marked out a route, designating starting points, checkpoints, and an extraction zone where Tatehan, Riven, and Lyra would be waiting in a Skyblade. The vehicle itself was parked nearby, ready to be used as part of the test.
It took quite some time. More than Tatehan had expected, actually. But after about some hours of setup, calibration, and final adjustments, they were done.
Torvan stood back, surveying the field with a critical eye, and then he nodded. "Alright. This should work. It's not perfect, but it's close enough."
Tatehan looked at the setup, impressed despite himself. The holographic force field shimmered in the distance, the route was clearly marked, and everything felt organized and deliberate. It was a good simulation.
Lyra pulled out her phone and dialed Jace's number. The line rang twice, and then a voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Jace, it's Lyra. We need you to come in today. There's something we want to test."
There was a brief pause, and then Jace's voice came back, calm but with anticipation. "I got the job, didn't I?"
Lyra smiled. "Just come in. We'll explain when you get here."
"On my way," Jace said, and the line disconnected.
Riven grinned. "He knows."
"Yeah," Lyra said, pocketing her phone. "He definitely knows."
It was obvious! He had gotten the job!
Jace arrived about thirty minutes later, walking through the gates of the Red Crest Clan base with the same calm, composed demeanor he had shown during the interview.
He was dressed simply: lightweight pants, a fitted shirt, running shoes, and his white hair caught the morning sunlight in a way that made it almost glow.
But the moment he stepped onto the training field and saw Tatehan standing there in full armor, helmet on, visor glowing faintly red, his composure cracked just slightly.
His eyes widened, and his face broke into a grin. "No way."
Tatehan turned toward him, tilting his head slightly.
Jace walked over quickly, extending his hand, and Tatehan took it. Jace shook his hand profusely, his grip firm and his voice filled with genuine excitement.
"I'm a huge fan of The Knight! Like, huge. I've seen all the footage from the battles, the Behemoth fight, the Mech takedown, all of it. You're incredible, man."
Tatehan could not help but smile behind his visor. The Knight. That was what people were calling him now. Not "the dude in knight armor," not "figure in silver suit," but The Knight. It had taken some work: Tatehan, with the help of the commander, had managed to get news channels and public broadcasts to start using the name officially, but it had stuck.
And apparently, it had worked. Jace knew exactly who he was.
"Thanks," Tatehan said, his amplified voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Appreciate it."
Jace released his hand, still grinning, and then he looked around at the setup, taking in the holographic force field, the marked route and the waiting Skyblade.
"So... this is the test?"
"Yeah," Riven said, stepping forward. "We're going to run a simulation of the mission. You'll play the role of the runner. Someone else will play the battle commander. We'll see how it goes, identify any issues, and then we'll make a final decision about whether this plan is viable."
Jace nodded, he didn't know who the battle commander they were playing was but eh….
Now his expression shifted into something more serious. "Got it. What do you need me to do?"
Lyra explained the scene to him. She didn't go into detail of what they intended to do later on and all that, she only explained the basics.
Jace nodded in understanding.
Torvan, who had been standing off to the side with his special glasses on, monitoring the equipment and preparing to record the test, raised a hand.
"Alright, everyone, take your positions. Jace, you'll be hiding in the vehicle with the stand-in battle commander. Tatehan, Riven, Lyra, get in the Skyblade and position yourselves at the extraction point."
They all moved into position. A random member of the Red Crest Clan, a lean man in his thirties who had volunteered to play the battle commander, climbed into the driver's seat of a small transport vehicle that had been marked with mock insignia to resemble one of the Obscuron's. Jace climbed into the back, crouching low to stay out of sight.
Tatehan, Riven, and Lyra boarded the Skyblade, taking their seats and waiting. Tatehan's visor tracked the field, watching as everyone settled into place.
Torvan adjusted his glasses, checked his equipment one last time, and then raised his hand.
"Begin!"