I’ll be the Red Ranger

- Oliver -

Oliver gripped the control sticks firmly, feeling the responsive tension beneath his hands. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his nerves. "Here goes nothing," Oliver muttered under his breath.

As soon as he twisted one of them, the mecha lurched forward. Small bursts of energy erupted behind the wheels embedded in its feet, propelling it across the tilted surface. The building was leaning dangerously, and Oliver used that to his advantage, sliding the machine toward the massive glass facade that encircled the upper floors.

"Let's go! Hold on tight!" he shouted into the comm system, hoping that Hector could hear him over the hum of the engines and the creaking of the failing structure.

Oliver glanced at the unfamiliar array of controls, buttons, and switches. "Weapons, where are the weapons?" he mumbled, frustration evident in his voice. But the unique interface offered no quick answers, and time was running out. Resolute, he thrust the mecha's arms forward, bracing for the imminent impact.

The Atlas smashed through the expansive window, the reinforced glass shattering into a storm of glittering shards. Suddenly, they were in free fall. The weightless sensation gripped Oliver's stomach as the cityscape blurred past. Quickly, he activated every external camera feed, screens flickering to life around him. His eyes darted across the displays until he found Hector clinging desperately to the mecha's exterior, his face pressed against the cold metal, mouth open in a silent scream.

Oliver's heart pounded as he fixed his gaze on the altimeter, the numbers dwindling at a terrifying pace. He waited, his fingers hovering over a row of switches. Five hundred meters. With swift precision, he began flipping them, igniting the thrusters. The first burst of propulsion jolted the machine, and he felt the deceleration as a heavy pressure pushed him against his seat.

The ground rushed up to meet them. Despite the thrusters firing at full capacity, the Atlas was too massive to achieve a controlled hover. They continued to descend, albeit more slowly, the thrusters fighting against gravity in a strained effort.

With a final, earth-shaking thud, the mecha landed. Its reinforced legs absorbed the impact, and the hydraulic systems hissed as they took the brunt of the force. Inside the cockpit, the landing felt almost gentle. Oliver exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

He completely powered down the thrusters and triggered the cockpit release. The hatch above his seat hissed open, letting in a rush of cool air. Climbing out onto the exterior platform, he spotted Hector struggling to navigate the ladder, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

"I'll help you," Oliver called out, making his way toward him. He extended a steady hand.

Hector looked up, his eyes wide with relief and lingering fear. "Th-thank you, Cassius. Thank you so much. You've saved my company and now my life. I don't know how to repay you for all this," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't thank me yet. We're far from finished," Oliver said firmly, his eyes scanning the horizon where plumes of smoke marred the skyline.

"W-what do you intend to do?" Hector stammered, his voice trembling as much as his hands.

"I can't just walk away," Oliver replied. "If you allow me to use the Atlas, I plan to go back into the building and help others."

Hector hesitated for a moment before accepting. "Be my guest. But I can't guarantee it will help much," he admitted. "If you encounter any Orks, remember it doesn't have weaponry. Just some explosives and the drills that can be activated on the arms."

"I noticed," Oliver said with a faint smile. "That's not a problem. I'll avoid combat if I can. Oh, by the way, the Atlas is impressive, but you should consider resetting the UI to the standard configuration or making it as simple as possible. It would help anyone who needs to learn to operate it quickly."

"Noted," Hector replied, appreciating the feedback.

"You should head toward the teleportation station," Oliver suggested. "They should be sending reinforcements soon."

As if on cue, two Ork ships screamed overhead, skimming dangerously low. They unleashed a barrage of missiles that streaked across the sky before slamming into nearby buildings. Explosions erupted, sending shockwaves that rattled the ground beneath them. Shattered glass and debris rained down, filling the air with dust and smoke.

"Go, now!" Oliver shouted, urgency sharpening his tone. Without another word, he sprinted back to the Atlas, his boots pounding against the cracked pavement.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

He leaped onto the mecha's leg and climbed swiftly to the cockpit. The canopy sealed shut behind him with a pneumatic hiss and the clunk of locking mechanisms. Inside, the cockpit glowed with the lights of countless controls and readouts. Oliver's fingers danced over the panels as he brought the Atlas back to life.

He glanced at the panoramic display screens, which showed multiple camera angles of the chaotic cityscape. He had to reach the upper floors of the collapsing building to rescue any remaining survivors. But he knew the Atlas's thrusters weren't powerful enough to lift its massive frame vertically.

An idea sparked. Gripping the control sticks, he propelled the Atlas forward, accelerating down the rubble-strewn avenue. He needed distance, a run-up to gain enough speed. Buildings blurred past as he pushed the mecha to its limits. Once he reached several hundred meters away, he swung the Atlas around to face the towering structure he had just escaped.

"Let's hope this works," he muttered to himself.

Oliver engaged the thrusters to maximum power and charged toward the building. The ground quaked beneath the colossal machine. As he closed the distance, he diverted energy to the shock absorbers, preparing for the critical moment.

Just meters from the building's base, he initiated the jump. The Atlas's reinforced legs compressed and then released, catapulting the mecha upward. The added force from the thrusters propelled it even higher. For a machine of such weight and limitations, it soared impressively, ascending dozens of floors into the sky.

The wind whipped past as the Atlas climbed, but gravity soon began to reclaim its hold. Oliver braced himself as the mecha arced toward the building's exterior. With a shuddering impact, the Atlas crashed against the side of the skyscraper, the collision sending spiderweb cracks through the glass and steel facade.

"Hold together," Oliver urged, gripping the controls tightly.

He activated the reinforced arms, extending them to grip the building's surface. The mechanical drills at the ends of the arms whirred to life, their tungsten tips biting into concrete and metal. The Atlas clung to the side of the skyscraper like a metallic insect.

Slowly, methodically, Oliver began to climb. He raised one arm, the drill anchoring into the structure above, then lifted a leg to find purchase against a ledge or girder. The mecha groaned with the strain, but it responded to his commands. Floor by floor, they ascended, the city dropping away beneath them.

Using the altimeter, Oliver estimated his position within the towering skyscraper. However, his radar and signal detectors remained stubbornly silent, offering no clues about the whereabouts of any humans.

At least Oliver was finally alone, being able to use [Prometheus] without being identified. He quickly activated and deactivated the Boon in his eyes to visualize what was emitting Energy.

As flames flickered across his field of vision, the world transformed. Walls and barriers melted away, replaced by the ethereal glow of Energy signatures. He could see through the mecha's armor, through the very walls of the building itself.

Below him, dozens of beings glowed brightly. Some had crystals embedded in their arms. "They don't need my help," Oliver mused, recognizing them as capable of handling themselves.

Looking a bit higher, he could see several points, entirely still in the same room.

"Let's hope they're humans," Oliver thought, aware that he might encounter Orks instead.

Gripping the control sticks, he directed the mecha's massive arms and resumed scaling the side of the building. The reinforced fingers dug into concrete as he ascended toward what he believed was the ninetieth floor, the same floor where the auction had taken place.

"Maybe a little higher," he considered. "Now, I need to get inside."

Without hesitation, he activated the drills mounted on the mecha's wrists. The high-powered bits spun to life with a deafening whir, sparks flying as they bit into the building's exterior. Glass shattered, and metal screeched as he bored a hole.

Bursting through, Olver found himself at the end of a long corridor. The mecha’s head nearly touched the ceiling. The mecha used its wheels to slide across the ground, yet it was still enough to cause tremors.

‘This must be the storage area,’ Oliver thought, maneuvering past rows of crates and display cases. Artifacts, weapons, and exotic items filled the space, many of them undoubtedly treasures auctioned off earlier.

A violent quake shook the building, nearly knocking the mecha off balance. Distant screams echoed through the corridors, and Oliver's heart quickened. He followed the sound, guiding the Atlas toward a set of grand double doors at the end of the hall.

"Hang on, I'm coming," he muttered.

He pushed the doors open, the mecha's arms making easy work of the heavy wood. Inside was a vast hall, now marred by cracks and falling debris. He ducked the mecha's head to enter, bits of plaster raining down as he did.

"Hello! Is anyone here? I'm part of the rescue team!" Oliver's voice boomed through the mecha's external speakers.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, without warning, something slammed into the side of the mecha with explosive force. Alarms blared as the Atlas was hurled against a pillar, the impact denting armor plates and sending a shockwave through the cockpit.

"What the hell?" Oliver exclaimed, regaining his grip on the controls.

The smoke cleared, and he saw them. A dozen terrified civilians knelt on the marble floor, their faces pale and eyes wide with fear. Surrounding them were Gray Orks, the very ones auctioned off earlier. They had broken free from their bindings.

However they weren’t the real problem. The issue was the ones that had released them.

Three Red Orks, larger and more imposing than their gray counterparts, stood between Oliver and the civilians. They brandished brutal weapons that hummed ominously.

"Just perfect," Oliver muttered.