[Tutorial Complete]
[All required objectives and optional objectives completed]
[Rating: Excellent]
Congratulations, Ray! Your Excellent performance in the tutorial has granted you the following rewards:
* You may keep all your E-ranked cards.
* Your racial trait has leveled up to Level 1.
* Your deck capacity has increased by 140.
* One Star Premium Life Insurance (E Grade): This life insurance protects all your E grade Titles as well as one E Grade item of your choice.
Additionally, you have unlocked an E-ranked title. Please choose one of the following three options:
1. Adaptive Strategist: This title allows you to quickly analyze and adapt to your surroundings, granting you increased decision-making capabilities and heightened tactical awareness in rapidly changing combat situations.
2. Resilient Survivor: With this title, you possess an innate ability to endure extreme conditions and recover more rapidly from injuries. Your overall stamina and resilience will increase, making you a formidable opponent in prolonged battles.
3. Harmonic Synchronizer: This title enhances your ability to synergize your cards, allowing you to find unique combinations and strategies in your deck. This title will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your card usage during combat.
Choose wisely, as your decision will have a lasting impact on your future battles. Good luck, Ray!
Ray grinned, it was a no brainer. Harmonic Synchronizer was the only title of the three that mentioned cards by name. The final battle left a huge impact on Ray. Personal ability mattered little in the face of D Grade cards.
Ray glanced at his updated character screen
[ER]Wanderer
Status - One Star Premium Life Insurance (Grade E)
Titles -
Harmonic Synchronizer (Grade E): This title enhances your ability to synergize your cards, allowing you to find unique combinations and strategies in your deck. This title will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your card usage during combat.
Traits - War – Rank: Racial, Lvl 1
Deck -
Stormguard Shield (Grade E)
Deck Capacity - 110/150
Inventory-
Plasma Pike (Grade E) - Cost: 100
Stormguard Shield (Grade E) - Cost: 100
Chrono Accelerator (Grade E) - Cost: 100
Deck Capacity - 150
Ray's badge communication functions were finally unlocked. His sole contact, Matterhorn, was online.
[ER]Wanderer: Hey Tom, it’s Ray. Just finished the tutorial, and wow... this game rocks, bet you regret not coming.. Card convergence is crazy.
[ER]CIA_Tom: Good to hear you're making progress, Ray. Things have been wild on Earth since the whole alien contact thing dropped. We're still adjusting, but it’s a mess. And yeah, card convergence is a big deal. Most of the people who fail the tutorial get ejected by it.
[ER]Wanderer: How's my family doing? Did you brief them?
[ER]CIA_Tom: Your family is safe and sound. We've informed them that you're part of a special project, but we haven't given them any specifics about the aliens or your involvement. Is there anything you'd like me to pass along to them?
[ER]Wanderer: Yeah, just let them know I’m good and actually having a blast. I miss them, but this game is wild.
[ER]CIA_Tom: Got it. I’ll send that message.
[ER]Wanderer: Oh, and Tom, can you break down how Deck Costs work? I've been trying to figure it out, but it's a bit confusing.
[ER]CIA_Tom: Sure thing, Ray. The total Deck Cost is calculated using this formula: Σ(Cost of individual cards * (1 + 0.1 * (number of cards)). It's the sum of each card's cost multiplied by one plus 10% of the total number of cards in your deck, even the first one. You can't just load up your deck with low-cost cards without any repercussions.
[ER]Wanderer: Got it, thx
[ER]CIA_Tom: By the way, Ray, did you receive any rewards from the tutorial? How did that turn out for you?
[ER]Wanderer: Yeah I got some E-ranked cards, my racial trait leveled up, and an E-ranked Title.
[ER]CIA_Tom: That's great to hear, Ray! All of you pioneers start out at the Pegasus Arm Nebula Forge. After getting the introduction make sure to check out the Lonely Planets Bar and find you in game handler Rick there. If you have any questions about it or need some advice, don't hesitate to message me. Keep up the good work, and stay focused on your objectives.
Ray had so many more questions, but he figures that Rick would have some better answers. Plus, “Nebula Forge” sounds pretty sick.
---
As Ray accessed the Nebula Forge, he was immediately struck by its breathtaking scale and ever-shifting structure. Nestled deep within a nebula, the station was an ancient relic of alien engineering. The very walls seemed alive, pulsating with energy, as tendrils of cosmic matter coiled and twisted around the structure, like the creative forces of the universe itself. Rays of colorful nebula light filtered through translucent panels, while the air inside thrummed with the raw, cosmic energy flowing through the nebula.
Ray watched as countless players, mercenaries, and traders navigate the chaotic floating platforms suspended in the Forge’s zero-gravity zones. Every corner of the station was a hub of activity, with forges working tirelessly to craft starship components, rare weapons, and advanced technology—everything powered by the nebula itself. It was a place where fortunes were made, and alliances were as fragile as the storms that raged outside.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
A sleek virtual guide materialized before Ray. "Welcome to the Pegasus Arm Nebula Forge, badgeholder. Here we harness Energy from the stars themselves, shaped by cosmic pillars of creation, harnessing the very forces that gave birth to the universe to create advanced technology."
The guide led Ray through a brief tour of the sprawling complex, past massive assembly lines where shimmering alloys were molded into intricate starship components. The air hummed with the energy of the nebula, and Ray could feel the raw power coursing through every piece of machinery. Workers moved in sync, guiding the process with practiced precision.
At one point, they paused to observe a particularly complex construction—a starship hull being fused with a plasma core. The guide explained the delicate balance required, mentioning how one misstep could cause catastrophic failure.
Finally, after what felt like an hour, they circled back towards where they started. Alfred smiled, clearly pleased with how the tour had gone. "This concludes our overview of the Pegasus Arm Nebula Forge. I hope you found it informative. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to ask."
Ray asked about the prices for various things
Alfred replied, "All titles, I must note, are untradable. One additional badge costs 100 Energy Credit, however they can only be used by someone who has never had a badge before.
As for card prices, individual F-ranked cards are typically worth an average of 5 to 10 EC, good prices only in massive bulk. E-ranked cards average around 1,000 EC, though there is a wide variance in pricing. D-ranked cards average at 1,000,000 EC, but they tend to be overpriced since reasonably priced ones are quickly bought up by nation-states."
Alfred then explained the various life insurance options available. "Basic Life Insurance costs 500 EC and only protects your badge and deck capacity, and makes it easier to recover lost titles. Grade E Premium Life Insurance costs 1,000 EC and protects all E grade titles. If you want to protect your Grade E items, you must add stars to your life insurance. Each additional star multiplies the price of the life insurance by three. Grade D Life Insurance starts at 1,000,000 EC and functions similarly to the E version of Premium Life Insurance, but it protects D grade titles."
“In general Stars for life insurance are not purchased, badgeholders find it cheaper to acquire and store extra cards at our trading hub.”
He also added, "Energy Credits are unique to the Nebula Forge, so they persist after death. If you plan on traveling across sectors, there are currency conversion traders who can assist you."
Alfred handed Ray a card, “For you” he smiled, “First one is free.”
Pegasus Arm Nebula Forge Integrated Suit (Grade F) - A versatile suit that integrates numerous functions, including basic defense against physical and energy attacks, environmental adaptation including 5 minute vacuum protection rating, and an Integrated communication and HUD system including a Portal Jump warning system. Cost: 5 Deck capacity
Alfred added, "A versatile integrated suit is extremely important. The more functions it has, the more card capacity you save since you can use fewer cards. A replacement costs 50 EC."
Ray equipped the suit and quickly realized why the first one was free. The Pegasus Arm Trading Hub's name and logo were prominently displayed on the chest and back. It must be free advertising.
Ray asked, "Are there any restrictions on the types of cards that can be used here?"
Alfred explained, "As a Nebula Forge, all cards are disabled in this safe zone server."
Ray and Alfred chatted a little more before he asked Alfred to lead him to the Lonely Planets Bar.
---
Ray stepped into the dimly lit Lonely Planets Bar, his eyes adjusting to the faint glow of cracked holo-screens flickering in the background. The air was thick with the scent of cheap liquor and worn metal, the hum of quiet conversations blending with the low thrum of the nebula outside. A few scattered aliens sat hunched over at small tables, their strange forms barely noticeable in the shadows.
Closer to the bar, a group of humans gathered, one of them tall and lean, his sharp hazel eyes constantly scanning the room, muscles taut beneath his casual jacket. Around him, a few others leaned against the metallic counter, more like the gamers Ray knew, but fit and battle-tested, their casual banter laced with an undercurrent of tension. The bar itself gleamed faintly under a dull light, a brief refuge for those who were far from home but never far from danger.
The hazel eyed figure made eye contact with Ray, then broke away from his group and came over.
"Hey, Rockstar," the dark brown hair man said with a smirk. "Tom told me about you."
Ray straightened up a little, caught off by the nickname. "Hey, I’m Ray."
The man extended a hand, his grip firm and steady. "Rick. I’m your handler on this side of the game. All that really means is I know a lot more than you right now since I’ve been here for a week, doing nothing but talking. Haha."
Ray exhaled, a grin creeping across his face. "Wow, I have so many questions. I’m glad I ran into you."
Rick chuckled, crossing his arms as he leaned against the bar. "Yeah, figured you might. Let’s start by going over the easy stuff, stuff that all you new pioneers want to know."
Rick ticked off on his fingers. "How do I earn Energy Credits? What’s the best way to get better cards? How dangerous is the Game? Can we actually die here? Can I go back home? Best way to get stronger? Oh, and everyone's favorite: how do I not get scammed in the market?" He smirked. "Spoiler alert—you will, at least once."
He leaned in, his voice taking on a more casual tone. "The safe and slow way to make Energy Credits is by doing odd jobs here in the safe zones. If you ever lose your life insurance, you can grind it back, but it’ll take about five months to make 500 credits. Of course, the government would rather you spend it on sending badges back to Earth instead.
You can make credits faster outside the safe zones, but it’s easy to get scammed, and let’s just say we don’t exactly have trustworthy friends out there yet.
The best way to earn cards and credits? Nebula Forge-sponsored merc contracts. Lots of fights happening—could be control points, cards, or straight-up cash. As long as it's Forge-sponsored, you won’t get scammed too badly. They make sure the issuers have enough skin in the game, so to speak.
If you die here, you’ll get ejected and find yourself back on Earth. No quick vacations, though—can’t return until you hit at least D-rank and get a title.
As for getting stronger, hit the intro missions first. They’ll boost your early deck capacity. You can check out certifications, they have no Game rewards, but some companies sponsor one-time F-ranked card rewards for specific certs."
He grinned, leaning back. "That cover everything?"
Ray let out a low whistle. "Well, that’s a lot to take in. Glad I ran into you—feels like I’d have walked straight into getting scammed otherwise."
Rick chuckled. "Yeah, sending a bunch of enlisted out here whose financial experience tops out at buying oversized trucks with no credit? Brilliant way to test the waters, right?" He shook his head, grinning.
Ray grinned. "Alright, I’ll get onto those intro missions right away. But... any chance you’ve heard of a way to get me into piloting spaceships?"
Rick let out a laugh. "You and every other new guy. I’ve heard plenty of ways not to get into piloting, though. First tip: don’t sign up as a space fighter pilot. Expected survival rate? Halfway through your first mission. And none of those fancy skills transfer anywhere useful, everyone knows the only reason a fighter pilot makes it back is sheer luck. Navies and fleet companies will try to recruit you with promises of promotion, but it turns out that 'promotion' isn’t anywhere near the bridge."
He leaned in a bit. "But hey, I’ve got a friend working on something else. Once you’ve knocked out those intro missions and a zero-g infantry combat cert, give Jace a call. He might be able to hook you up with something a little more... unconventional." Rick flashed a knowing grin.