Armed swimming was just the beginning.
After they used various methods to cross the rushing river and successfully reached Brand, they were met with a new round of physical limit assessments.
Earth Element - Mountains.
The assessment content was simple: just climb to the mountaintop to succeed.
However, the environment for this climb was something they had never experienced before.
"How can this be? My body is so heavy."
"Me too, it feels like something is pressing down on me.
What is this?"
"Look up there, isn't that... the King's Dragon?"
A massive figure could be vaguely seen on the mountaintop.
Everyone in Piltover now knew one thing: their King kept a Dragon.
As fantasy creatures, Dragons had always existed in various fantasy works, whether as villains to contrast the Hero or as allies of justice, they were always embodiments of power.
For thousands of years, this Sea had been based on the kingdom system.
The country belonged to the royal family, and the royal family's possessions could also represent the country, which was a quite common concept here.
Their own King kept a Dragon, and most people felt this was something to be proud of.
"Is this feeling of heaviness caused by the King's Dragon?"
In fact, it was exactly so.
The assessment content for the Earth Element was a gravity field.
The young Mountain Drake controlled earth element magic, one of which was gravity.
Now, these people climbing the mountain were all advancing while enduring Terra's gravity.
Although it was only double gravity, for them, who had just completed armed swimming, it was an enormous burden.
This wasn't simply carrying heavy objects.
Under this kind of gravity field, even a single hair was heavier than before.
It was a comprehensive challenge to their physical limits.
Even if someone's strength failed and they fell, the familiar Kuma was waiting for them.
Today, Kuma's duty seemed to be safety officer, also serving as the referee.
After passing the first two items, the third item was not as difficult as they had imagined, and could even be considered a tourist activity.
On the mountaintop, several large baskets had already been arranged, and there were also several balloons on the ground nearby.
Wind Element - Freedom of Height.
During the design process of the mechs, there was a special design for aerial deployment.
Even the most basic exoskeletons had a function for hard landings, which required the pilot to have absolutely no fear of heights.
Climbing a mountain didn't represent much, after all, during the process of climbing upwards, they rarely looked down.
So this third item was just a simple test.
Whoosh~
The burner was ignited, air began to flow under the influence of heat, the balloon gradually filled with gas, and carried the basket towards the sky.
The equipment on the mountaintop was nothing else but the simplest hot air balloons, and the assessment content was also very simple: ride the hot air balloon to the Royal City and observe below along the way.
The examiner's reason was that someone would specifically ask questions after landing, and if they kept shrinking inside the basket, they would also be considered out.
"It's flying, this thing can actually fly?!"
"Isn't that to be expected?
The King's inventions are definitely usable.
I can't believe a balloon can do this."
As the fire burned, the hot air balloon's altitude gradually increased, and under the piloting of the androids, it drifted towards the Royal City.
The principle of hot air balloons is not complicated; they fly by using heated air to generate buoyancy, and the direction of flight is basically determined by the wind direction.
But things at the technological level are just that peculiar; it's like a sheet of paper covering a window – once you poke through it, the view behind the window is completely visible.
But without help, many people, and even countries, might never poke through this paper for generations.
Navigation in the Grand Line relies mainly on ships.
Flying a hot air balloon, equipment not even equipped with a rudder, in the Grand Line is basically equivalent to suicide.
The harsh and changeable weather can render the flying machine useless.
Before Oran came here, the people of Firefly Island had never imagined that flying could be such a simple thing.
After eliminating a few acrophobic individuals, the remaining people successfully arrived at the Royal City and welcomed the final assessment - Mech Practical Operation.
It was also the last of the four assessments - Fire Element.
"Young men, congratulations on passing the previous tests and successfully arriving here.
Your mechs are ready."
Oran personally served as the examiner for the final item.
At this time, 120 exoskeletons were neatly arranged behind him, waiting for their pilots.
"Without a doubt, you are all excellent police officers, but the number of mechs is limited.
Therefore, only truly outstanding individuals can have their names left on the mechs.
If you are ready, then set off!"
Turning the theoretical knowledge learned before into practice, wearing exoskeletons and passing through the training ground under artillery fire, the people with the best performance would be the pilots of the first batch of exoskeleton mechs, while the rest could only temporarily serve as reserves.
The previous training was not in vain.
Through practice on the training mechs, these people had already skillfully mastered the wearing process and entered the training ground in batches.
"So this is what it feels like inside a formal mech?
No wonder Captain Brand always wears his set.
This feeling is amazing."
The training mechs were just empty frames.
Although the operation mode was similar, the feeling of wearing them was vastly different.
"The Vice-Captain's is the more advanced Imperial Guard model, but this is enough for now.
We'll definitely have a chance to use better mechs in the future."
"Yeah, if I ever get a chance to pilot that steel giant, I'll be able to brag about it for the rest of my life!"
"People should be content.
Isn't this set quite good too?
If we had this back then, those Pirates definitely wouldn't have been able to get onto this island!"
Excellent equipment brought them more confidence.
Having passed the first three stages, the final practical section had no difficulty to speak of; it was merely competition among themselves.
And this selection also became a special tradition, not only becoming an assessment item for every batch of newcomers but even evolving into a regular sports event on Firefly Island, albeit a weakened version.
After finishing the Special Operations Team's affairs, Oran re-planned his recent development strategy and then led people to Punk Hazard.
Some time later, in Punk Hazard, Oran, this "uninvited guest," arrived.
At least for some people, he was indeed an uninvited guest, like Caesar.
"Shurorororo, Sidilier, you would actually come here.
What, did you change your mind and plan to accept the World Government's recruitment?
Too bad, if you come now, you can only be the third in command."
Seeing Oran appear here, Caesar seemed a bit proud, but Oran made Caesar break out in a cold sweat with just one sentence.
"Oh my, the third in command?
Then I'm truly honored.
Do you need my help settling the recent accounts?
My dear second in command?"