3 Chapter 3: Seven Months and Beta Test
Min returned to the cage and was greeted by Gin's imposing figure. The gate closed behind him as Gin opened the door to the arming room.
"You will have two hours of rest before your next fight. Rest up and make yourself presentable."
Min acknowledged Gin with a listless nod before entering the arming room. He sat on a bench and opened the Interface, inputting the 180- wait. It was 174 now? This change brightened Min up a little as he leveled his main class.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
[Internal Energy Control] has been raised to Lv. 2
+10 Energy, +1 INT, +1 STR
+2 Unassigned Attribute points
+1 Potential point
—-----------------------------------------------------------
'It seems like the discount is 13% now. Is this because I gained Exp? That's a crazy growth rate! Maybe I can make it out of here after all… Let's think about our plan. My stats aren't the best now, but I have 4 free attribute points. I shouldn't consider Potential Points since those must be saved for knowledges. If I have to use them in an emergency, though, I will. Given my situation, I think two in STR and two in END would be for the best. I'll have to carefully plan when and where to level up if I want to stay alive.'
A wave of energy surged through his body. Leveling up once didn't give much of a revitalizing effect, but it still brought relief to Min. He smiled to himself slightly as he checked his [Character Information Interface]. Seeing some progress made him more hopeful.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Meng Min
Model: NPC (Countdown to Version 1.0 launch: 356 days, 18 hours.)
Level: 3
Main Class(es): { [Basic-class Internal Energy Control] - Lv. 2 (0/348), [Everlasting Journey] - Exp discount: 13% }
Subclass: Civilian Lvl. 1 (0/44)
Race: Halmet Galaxy Elf
Attributes: 7 STR, 4 DEX, 6 END, 5 INT, 2 MYS, 2 CHA, 1 LUK
Free Attribute Points: 0
Potential Points: 2
Health: 60/60
Stamina: 92/92
Energy: 20 [Lv. 1]
[Lv1 Energy Bonus Stats: STR +1, DEX +1, END +1, Max Stamina +20]
Energy Rank: 7-8 Ona
Grade: F
Abilities: None
Skills:
[Wisdom of the Road]: As the User gains Exp, the Exp (or Potential Point) requirement for leveling up Talents, Abilities, Knowledge, Classes, and Skills decreases. Current discount: 13%. Upper limit: Unknown.
[Wisdom Partition]: The User can increase the level of another entity's Talents, Abilities, Classes, and Skills at the cost of Exp. Current discount: 13%. Upper limit: 20%.
[Basic Internal Circulation lvl. 1(0/348)]: The user can circulate energy through their body, increasing their physical stats by 5-30%. The energy cost scales based on what bonus the user chooses.
[Basic Energy Force lvl. 1 (0/522)]: The user can project their internal energy across their body, increasing the temperature of the selected area.
Energy cost: 5/s
Class Knowledge: None
Racial Talent(s): None
Influence: 0
Reputation: 0
Equipment: None
END:Health conversion: 1:10
Esper Ability Description(s):
[Everlasting Journey] (Expand/collapse)
[Internal Energy Control] (Expand/collapse)
Remark:
[Congratulations! You are slightly stronger than the average person and will still be stomped by someone naturally large. Did you think you would get a real commendation? Dream on!]
—-----------------------------------------------------------
'Looks like the discount remains even after I spend Exp. Also, do you think I care, Little Interface? I learned the art of shamelessness from our dear friend Han Xiao. Your words will never hurt me.'
As he explored the interface further, someone entered the room and shoved a plate of brown rice and beans into his hands before leaving. 'These bastards are cheap. At least I got some beans with the rice… Thinking about it, I should be grateful they spared me some food.'
Min shrugged before digging in. The portion size was small by American standards, but it was just enough to replenish the energy he lost from the last fight. Though the brown rice tasted much like instant brown rice, it wasn't as if he could file a complaint.
He set the plate to the side before inspecting the dagger he took from Hei. He was always the sentimental type, so after some consideration, he stuck it under the bench. Soon, another person entered the Arming Room. She was clearly in the same boat as him and did not enjoy it.
She motioned for Min to stand up, and given his situation, he was forced to comply. She took his finished plate before leading him out of the room.
"I will show you to the shower room. Clean yourself well, or don't…"
Min suppressed his annoyance at her resigned tone. While he didn't look like much now, he had real martial skills from his upbringing on Earth. Everyone here saw him as a spoiled rich kid.
The two soon came upon a basic communal showering room. It was primitive by galactic standards, but basically normal by his. So this is the benefit of growing up primitive! Min felt a little smug but realized the negative of growing up primitive- likely enslavement.
After a short tour, the woman left the shower room. Min changed out of his clothes and put them on a bench before stepping into the open shower area. He went under one of the showerheads and turned a nob before lukewarm water sprayed onto his body. The shower's water gave him a healing buff, but the Interface didn't tell him if it was based in magic or technology.
Thus, he wasn't certain if this Halmetistan was a magical or technological one just yet. He wasn't sure if he was even in Halmetistan. Min wasn't certain of many things, actually. All he knew was that here, much of what he learned from the book was useless.
…
Sparks flew as two weapons clashed, one a longsword and the other a rapier. After a short exchange, the two fighters retreated a few meters to recover. Both heaved heavy breaths while watching the other. After 3 seconds of rest, one fighter, a dark-blonde elf with scars adorning his body, flipped his longsword and charged at his opponent.
An announcer's voice boomed through the small, divided stadium. The Arena typically had two fights going at once, so they had multiple announcers. "The Cockroach makes another play! Despite his aggression these past three rounds, he still has stamina to spare. The real question is whether or not The Cockroach and handle another one of Dr. Spike's attacks!"
Dr. Spike, the bug fighter wielding a rapier, held his weapon in a certain position and focused on The Cockroach's advance. As the Cockroach was about to strike, the sound of ringing metal stopped him. The rapier's blade had pierced through the cloth armor right next to his neck.
An almost comedic frown of horror appeared on The Cockroach's face as he yelled out, "I yield!"
"And The Cockroach yields! This has truly been an exhilarating battle. To those who feel that they lost out on their bets, don't forget about the upcoming Deathmatch! If you keep your bets on The Cockroach, you could win double your investment!"
As the announcer waffled, Dr. Spike withdrew his rapier from the elf's armor and nodded solemnly, his translator whirring as he spoke. "Good fight, Meng Min."
Min extended a hand with a smile. "Likewise, Du Hangulfish."
The two shook hands before turning around and walking out their respective gates. Min rubbed the hole in his armor with a frown.
'Looks like I'll have to level up again. I've been on a bit of a losing streak recently, and with the upcoming Deathmatch, it's quite needed. I'm running out of things to upgrade, so escape is more necessary than ever.'
As Min put his gear into a certain cabinet in the Arming Room, he received a mission completion notification. His pool of Exp grew by 1.2k, now reaching around 350,000. While smiling at the high of seeing a big number grow even bigger, Min set a path to the shower room. Even though his wounds weren't that bad, it was best to be at full HP.
A few others were using the shower room. Since it was a communal place, privacy was never guaranteed, so Min had gotten used to this. After removing his clothes, he went under a shower head and turned it on. While he showered, he leveled up his main class, eager to see the advancement mission.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
[Internal Energy Control] has been raised to Lv. 10
+10 Energy, +1 INT, +1 STR
+2 Unassigned Attribute points
+1 Potential point
You have reached Level 20! You must complete a Class Advancement Mission before you can level up again.
Lv. 20 Advancement Mission:
Learn all Esper basic knowledge of any knowledge tree.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
"Really?"
Min realized he said that out loud and coughed, returning to his thoughts.
'The system is a rat bastard. If it thinks they'll give me any knowledge here, it's out of its damn mind!'
He sighed before pulling up his stat sheet. Now was not the time to invest the free attribute points since, in an emergency, they could save his life. At this stage of power, a bit of extra health, speed, or power could be incredibly influential. At least, this is what Min learned when considering how Han Xiao escaped from the Germinal Organization.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Meng Min
Model: NPC (Countdown to Version 1.0 launch: 130 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes.)
Level: 20 (Can proceed with advancement)
Main Class(es): { [Basic-class Internal Energy Control] - Lv. 10/10 (Class Advancement ready), [Everlasting Journey] - Exp discount: 16% }
Subclass:
Civilian Lv. 1/20 (0/42)
Arena Fighter Lv. 9/10 (0/21,000)
Race: Halmet Galaxy Elf
Attributes: 31 STR, 19 DEX, 28 END, 19 INT, 2 MYS, 7 CHA, 1 LUK
Free Attribute Points: 2
Potential Points: 21
Health: 320/320
Stamina: 520/520
Energy: 120 [Lv. 3]
[Lvl. 3 Energy bonus stats: +3 STR, +3 DEX, +3 END, +100 Stamina Limit]
Energy Rank: 58-65 Ona
Grade: F
Abilities:
Lesser Willpower - +3 focus
Insignificant Sword Experience - +2 DEX when using swords
Skills:
[Everlasting Journey]
[Wisdom of the Road]: As the User gains Exp, the Exp (or Potential Point) requirement for leveling up Talents, Abilities, Knowledge, Classes, and Skills decreases. Current discount: 16%. Upper limit: Unknown.
[Wisdom Partition]: The User can increase the level of another entity's Talents, Abilities, Classes, and Skills at the cost of Exp. Current discount: 16%. Upper limit: 20%.
[Internal Energy Control]
[Basic Internal Circulation lvl. 10]: The user can circulate energy through their body, increasing their physical stats by 10-50%. The energy cost scales based on what bonus the user chooses.
Energy cost (10%): 1%/s. Energy cost (50%): 5%/s.
[Basic Energy Force lvl. 1(0/540)]: The user can project their internal energy across their body, increasing the temperature of the selected area.
Energy cost: 5/s
[Arena Fighter]
[Basic Armed Combat Lv. 4(0/10,080)] - +4% damage when fighting with bladed weapons
[Basic Reflection Lv. 6 (0/13,440)] - +6% parry
[Basic Movement Technique Lv.1 (0/2,520) - +3% dodge chance,
[Grueling Conditioning Lv. 4 (0/10,080)] - +40 Health.
Class Knowledge: None
Racial Talent(s): None
Influence: 0
Reputation:
[Grand Garden Underground Arena] - 20/1000 (Neutral)
Equipment: None
END:Health conversion: 1:10
Esper Ability Description(s):
[Everlasting Journey] (Expand/collapse)
[Internal Energy Control] (Expand/collapse)
Remark:
[To the weakest superhuman… You are a slightly huge ant!]
—-----------------------------------------------------------
'Ah, yes, that subclass. It's actually a pretty good one all things considered, but improving my Esper ability increases my hidden strength, giving me a better chance of escape if an opportunity is revealed.'
He had tested this ability in private and it appeared to turn any part of his body into a high-temperature burner. Turning your hands into an oven was obviously useful, but it was very energy-intensive. With his current energy reserves, he'd have to keep it as a trump card. He wasn't sure if the energy usage would go down as he leveled it, but it'd be best to keep his hopes low. Min found it better to expect the worst so one could appreciate the good.
As for his escape plan, it had been stalled for months. He had been looking for any and all openings he could to escape, but he hadn't found a pattern yet. Though there were many ways out, they all had security cameras or were guarded. This place was too secure!
Maybe he could find a good escape plan eventually, but that would take much more time and observation. On the bright side, he had memorized the layout of every area he could enter.
The Goddess of Luck was smiling on him in one aspect, though- he hadn't lost any limbs yet. He had been through around seven hundred battles and only ended up with a body covered in scars. This was acceptable in his book since they did not hinder his survivability. They only occasionally ached and made his previously smooth(er) skin far rougher.
As Min was going to consider other things, a notification appeared in his Interface.
—-----------------------------------------------------------
Beta testing has been scheduled.
Retrieving information….
Retrieval complete.
Beta Test Period: 12 days.
NPC Functions unlocked!
Discussion Board unlocked!
—-----------------------------------------------------------
'Beta testing? Oh, that reminds me- I'm so far behind Han Xiao! He's already escaped the Germinal Organization's lab at this point and finished his first class advancement. He's also going to come into contact with the players soon, specifically Frenzied Sword. My advantage in knowing how the NPC model works will be squandered. I even have an advantage with [Everlasting Journey], as it is a god-tier tool for leek farming.'
Min tapped the top left corner of the Interface and was greeted with a blank forum. There was a small profile area in the top right, but the name was greyed out and the profile picture was a bland, humanoid figure. Min knew that the NPC model was restricted to a guest account on the forum.
'Right now, Han Xiao should be looking at this empty forum. This feels so romantic…'
Min giggled like a schoolgirl before taking his almost prune-like body out of the shower and redressing. Fighters had a two-hour break in between battles to rest, and he actually had somewhere to lounge around for that break.
As he almost turned the corner to the hall where his room was, he heard some guards speaking. Since gossip was crucial to gathering intelligence, Min stopped and eavesdropped on these fellas.
"Family's been good, but I heard my brother's wife got a job in one of Baluk City's floating bureaucracy centers. I just hope she doesn't get taken advantage of by one of those Halmet bastards. Even though we don't live in Halmetistan, Hal Taifeng's "unity" propaganda really gets on my nerves."
"I know what you mean. A celebrity should just stay out of politics, especially when he's that prejudiced. I hate having to argue with people online about him- just because he doesn't show it overtly doesn't mean he isn't a racist! Actions speak louder than words."
"Try to not attract too much attention to this operation. The Boss found out about Juan's online posts and got him arrested to take the heat off of us."
After listening for a few minutes, Min learned nothing new, so he continued on his path. The guards stopped talking as he walked by, giving him a paranoid look. Walking down a hall with tens of curtain doors, he stopped at one and stepped through. To his left was a small TV and to his right a small bed. Between the TV and bed was only enough room for him to stand. He took off his shoes, plopped down on the bed, and opened the forum.
Like in TLM, the forum was divided between the different novice planets, like different servers. Since the players of each 'server' were separated by entire star fields, this was a sensible thing. Min was automatically connected to the Planet Brighton forum, meaning that the Ancient Star Desert's novice planet was Planet Brighton.
According to his memory, Planet Brighton's main storyline was the Arcane Tide. Additionally, he remembered that it was described as having a floating magical city and being one of the more difficult planets. This knowledge wasn't very useful since it was probably quite obvious to the residents of Brighton.
Min continued to read the forum for the next hour and forty minutes, trying to take in as much information as possible. Due to the overwhelming presence of pro players in the beta test, there were not many posts, so Min had to switch between the different forums to maximize his information gathering.
Right before getting up and warming up for his next match, someone entered his shabby little closet-like room. It was Fae!
"I come bearing gifts, Little Min~"
Fae pushed a woman wearing unkempt clothing into the room. She was a Galactic Human of mixed ethnicity. Her skin was a light shade of brown, and her appearance could be considered average.
Min was a little surprised at how much of every ethnicity he could see on her face, but he had seen other Galactic Humans before. This was a standard mixture in the galactic age. She also had brown hair, dark brown eyes, and stood at around 1.67 meters.
"I bring you your very own slave, Little Min!"
Min looked at Fae, dumbfounded. Why would you give a slave a slave?! This chick had to be joking!
