Chapter 35: EVOlink Ascension - The Test Begins

Words : 1378 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 35: EVOlink Ascension - The Test Begins An electric buzz ran through the colossal auditorium as the voice overhead echoed once more: "All candidates, proceed to the Alpha Gate." Like a rising tide, thousands of hopefuls moved in unison, converging toward the massive silver archway at the northern end of the hall. The Alpha Gate pulsed with a steady blue glow, humming softly as it reacted to the approaching surge of bodies. Staff members in sleek white uniforms, each with glowing gold accents denoting their authority, began organizing the crowd into groups. Their movements were brisk but efficient. One such figure—a stern-looking man with a trimmed beard and visor-like glasses—lifted his hand. "Cadets, follow your assigned path. You are now entering the Zenith Virtual Combat Testing Zone." The air grew dense with curiosity and anticipation. And then they saw it. An enormous chamber, bathed in vibrant, shifting hues of neon blue and violet, emerged through a layered gate. Floating just above its threshold, projected in radiant letters, read the title: EVOlink Nexus Core—The centerpiece of Zenith Academy's virtual testing facility. It was like staring into the future. Suspended walkways crisscrossed the massive dome, with glowing energy pillars shooting upward like digital trees. Hover screens floated everywhere, displaying stats, maps, and pulsing diagrams of neural links. The architecture was part machine, part dream. Gasps filled the air. Even the arrogant nobles and battle-hardened mercenaries found themselves momentarily stunned. Among them, some commoner candidates stood slack-jawed. One boy with a crooked haircut whispered, "Is this... a temple?" Another girl clutched her friend. "This looks more expensive than my entire province." One scrawny guy touched a glowing pillar and instantly yelped. "It zapped me! Is that legal?" "Bro, I can see my own heart rate. Is this thing reading my soul?" Meanwhile, the nobles stood with crossed arms, trying very hard to pretend they weren't impressed. "This is... adequate," one sneered, even as his eyes darted everywhere like a kid in a candy shop. "Father said the Academy had 'amazing facilities.' "Now I see why he said it," muttered a brown-haired heir with a twitching eyebrow. Just then, a golden glyph on the center ceiling shimmered and expanded, forming a life-sized hologram. A tall, broad-shouldered man appeared—his presence alone silencing the crowd. Head Examiner Thalos veras. His voice boomed, calm but commanding. "Welcome, Candidates... to your reckoning." A few people gulped. "Before you lies the EVOlink Nexus Core, powered by the latest in consciousness-linked combat tech. What you are about to experience is not a simulation—it is your mind, body, and soul being transported into a mirrored reality." The crowd buzzed. Thalos continued, arms folded behind his back. "This is the EVOlink Neural Combat Interface—a spatial-phased, bio-synced neural dive. When activated, it transports your actual body through a dimensional fold into an isolated combat zone." Alex's eyes narrowed. Thalos smiled faintly. "Let me be clear. You will feel pain. You will suffer defeat. You may even die." People began to murmur in shock. "But you will not perish. EVOlink's Death Recall Protocol ensures that upon 'death,' your body is instantly pulled back through the fold and re-materialized in our med-pods, perfectly safe—but with all memories and trauma intact." Alex muttered under his breath, "Damn... that's so much worse than just a game over screen." Thalos raised a hand. From behind the platform, several staff members rolled out sleek black trays containing what looked like high-tech smartwatches with glowing blue cores. "These are EVObands—your interface with the EVOlink system. They will track your vitals, mission progress, and most importantly—points. In the coming trial, you will be judged based on survival time, combat efficacy, resourcefulness, and territory control." He paused dramatically. "The test begins now." As staff moved around, handing out EVObands, Alex accepted his and slipped it onto his wrist. The moment it clicked shut, he felt it. A pulse. A small shock ran up his arm, not painful—but exhilarating. The EVOband synced with his neural signals instantly, his HUD blinking to life in the corner of his vision. He chuckled nervously. "I've seen this before in the game... but damn, this hits different." Everything looked sharper, more vivid. The way it locked onto his mana flow, heart rate, and even passive perception was leagues beyond the Mirage Core Arena. "This thing's ten times more advanced than anything I've used. Mirage Core's good for training... this is war." Nearby, Alden was flexing his fingers, adjusting to the sync rate. "Smooth interface. Feels like silk," he muttered. Seraphina stood still, watching her own readouts with a cold, assessing gaze. "They even calibrated for divine energy compatibility, This is also good for candidates from the church" she said, mildly impressed. Charlotte's EVOband flared bright pink for a moment before normalizing. "I love it already. I'm going to accessorize mine later." Nearby a noble was checking how much fit his body is from training and was repeatedly checking his abs. Charlotte amused said."Hope they help when your spine's being chewed by a simulated wyvern." The noble sputtered, "With all due respect Princess I—I'll have you know, my abs are weapon-grade!" "So is my sarcasm," Charlotte shot back with a wink. The noble got stunned into silence. Ethan, ever composed, simply nodded. "Everything's operational. Let's do this." Just like that... Lilith Noctis Bloodrose, the vampire princess, elegantly placed her EVOband on with a flick of her black-laced glove. Her crimson eyes glimmered. "Let's hope this simulation isn't too fragile," she purred, voice velvet-soft and laced with danger. "I haven't fed in days." Several candidates instinctively stepped back. Elaria Moonshade Lareth'Thalas, the elven princess, gracefully examined her interface. "Mana flow is responsive. Slight delay... but well-crafted for human design." Draven Storm Everforge, the dwarven prince, grunted with crossed arms. "This technology is... impressive—for a human empire, that is." A few candidates fainted from the pressure alone. Others began stretching, whispering nervously to their teams. Then... silence. Click. Click. Click. The heels echoed. Miss Selena stepped forward in her dark violet uniform, her curves amplified by the perfect cut of her combat-ready attire. "Now that you all look absolutely terrified," she said with a playful smirk, "allow me to remind you of one small detail again." She paused dramatically, flipping her Raven black hair. "Only two thousand of you will make it into Zenith Academy. Out of the 1 million." A collective exhale ran through the crowd. She gave them a wink. "Best of luck, my little stars. Make sure to die beautifully." And then she turned, walking away as all eyes—even those trying to act tough—followed her swaying form. "...She's too powerful," someone whispered. "Is she single?" "Shut up, Brody." Alex just shook his head with a smirk. "The things people focus on when death is a possibility." But seriously " That... ass." Alex slaps himself." Focus, Alex. Death trial. Neural dive. Life on the line. This is serious..." A deep hum echoed as the EVOlink Nexus began to activate. The dome glowed brighter, energy pulsating from the floor into the very air. "EVOlink Neural Dive initializing." The candidates' bodies began to shimmer slightly, the light growing beneath their feet. A voice rang out once more, now mechanical and godlike. "Transferring all candidates to Phase One: Desolated Isle Survival Grounds." Alex's EVOband beeped. [Sync: 100% Complete. Initiating Transfer.] The world around him blurred. He felt his body being pulled—no, ripped—through a tunnel of pure data, light, and energy. And then... Blackness. Silence. A moment later, he landed—feet first—on sand. Hot, real, shifting sand. A blazing sun bore down on him. Jungle trees towered behind him. Waves crashed at the shore. The Desolated Island exam had begun. His EVOband glowed. [LOCATION: Desolated Isle – Phase One Initiated] "Alright," he said, tightening his grip on the hilt at his hip. He glanced at the HUD. No nearby allies. No support. Just him. A second later, a blood-curdling roar echoed from the jungle. Followed by another. And another. He sighed. "Yep. Definitely not a game anymore." Then, with a grin creeping onto his face, he took a step forward. "Let's see who survives this game."

Chapter 35: EVOlink Ascension - The Test Begins

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