Reincarnated with a lucky draw system

Chapter 416: MILITARY ASSESSMENT: PHASE 1

He moved through the crowd with purposeful strides, his boots kicking up faint dust from the packed earth, the scent of sweat and anticipation thick in the air.

Internal thoughts swirled in his mind: opportunities hidden in the chaos, ways to exploit the event for his larger goals.

"Welcome, everyone here willing to take part in the military assessment," Nick addressed the participants, standing on a flying podium made exclusively for him.

The platform hovered gracefully above the arena, gleaming with polished metal and embedded runes that hummed faintly with levitation magic.

His voice boomed through amplifiers, echoing off the high walls, commanding attention from the sea of faces below.

"Of course, this military assessment isn’t just for the sake of it, but it has a purpose," Nick continued, his posture straight and authoritative, uniform crisp under the bright lights.

"The Sovereigns have seen usefulness in my idea and have decided to hold military assessments within every filament cluster in order to select capable soldiers to bring down the thorn in the universe’s flesh—the Celestial Devourer."

Aaron listened to the announcement, his interest slowly being piqued by the revelation.

The words stirred something within him, a mix of amusement and calculation.

The assessment, in the end, was providing him a chance he could exploit, a doorway into larger conflicts where he could maneuver unseen.

He crossed his arms, shadows playing subtly at his feet, unnoticed amid the crowd’s growing excitement.

"So do your best and give this assessment your all," Nick urged, his eyes scanning the participants with a predatory gleam.

"Because from this assessment, I will choose a particular group of people to represent our filament cluster."

The crowd erupted in murmurs, a wave of determination rippling through the ranks, the air electric with competitive energy.

"Now, let the first round of the assessment begin," Nick declared, officially kicking off the first round of the military assessment.

His podium descended slightly, signaling the start, as holographic timers flickered to life above the arena.

"This should be fun," Loki smiled from his vantage point among the overseers, receiving a knowing nod from Nick.

The god’s eyes twinkled with mischief, his fingers already itching to weave his magic.

Making use of his illusion and transformation abilities, Loki altered an entire galaxy, or at least, projected the illusion of one into a battlefield with several types of terrain and visuals.

Vast forests sprang up in holographic realism, complete with towering trees rustling in simulated winds; arid deserts stretched with shifting sands that whispered underfoot; jagged mountains loomed with treacherous cliffs, fog rolling through valleys.

The air filled with the scents of pine, dust, and stone, all conjured to perfection, immersing the participants in a world of deceptive dangers.

"Only a thousand of you will qualify from the first stage," Nick announced, his voice booming over the transformed landscape.

"The rules are simple: be the last thousand within the battlefield to not be eliminated. It doesn’t matter what you do, just win." With that, he declared the official beginning of the first stage of the trial, the podium rising higher as barriers shimmered into place.

The entire participants were randomly scattered across the created battlefield.

Teleportation magic hummed, displacing them in flashes of light to various corners of the illusory galaxy, some in dense jungles where vines snaked like living traps, others on icy tundras where breath fogged the air.

In just ten seconds of the beginning of the battlefield, the number of eliminations skyrocketed.

Screams echoed through the terrains, holographic displays tracking the dwindling numbers in real-time, bursts of energy and clashes of weapons lighting up the skies.

Aaron, upon being randomly teleported, found a boulder within the battlefield and sat on it.

The rough stone felt cool and solid beneath him, overlooking a valley where distant fights already erupted like fireworks.

He didn’t bother to hide or come up with a strategy; he just remained visible for everyone who might seek to find him.

Arms crossed, he watched the chaos unfold, a faint smile playing on his lips, the thrill of impending exploitation stirring within.

Several soldiers were quick to find hidden spots that would be difficult to discover.

They crouched in shadowed crevices, behind dense foliage illusions, or buried under simulated sand dunes, their breaths shallow and controlled.

The illusory battlefield thrummed with tension, the air thick with the metallic tang of mana-infused weapons and the distant echoes of clashes already erupting like sudden storms.

The plan for the majority of the soldiers was simple: hide, conserve energy, and toward the end of the event, appear and clear out the tired weeds.

It was a strategy born of caution, whispers of it passing among allies in hushed tones before the teleportation scattered them.

They envisioned themselves as predators waiting for the perfect moment, hearts pounding with calculated patience amid the deceptive terrains, jungles where vines slithered like living snares, deserts where heat mirages danced mockingly.

That was the well-thought-out plan of the smart ones, the ones who had survived preliminary trainings by outlasting rather than outfighting.

Their minds raced with scenarios, muscles coiled but still, the faint scent of sweat mixing with the earthy aroma of Loki’s magical constructs.

But one man refused to follow that common idea.

Aaron.

Sitting on the boulder, Black Sphere resting casually by his side, he made himself a screaming target.

The rough stone pressed cool and unyielding against his thighs, overlooking a sprawling valley where holographic mists swirled lazily.

Sunlight, simulated but piercing filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled patterns across his unmoving form.

He exuded an aura of indifference, the shadows at his feet lengthening subtly as if feeding on his quiet confidence.

"This is truly poor from him," Nick said, feeling a wave of disappointment wash over him.

"He doesn’t even know the basics of hiding and waiting."

His voice carried a smug edge, eyes glued to the massive holographic display projecting the battlefield in vivid detail.

The VIP area was a luxurious enclave, elevated platforms cushioned with plush seats, the air scented with fine incense and the subtle hum of protective wards shimmering around them.

His entire focus during the event was on Aaron, the one person he wanted to observe the most.