“An explorer is someone who has spiritual power that can bypass dimension boundaries. If a normal person was inserted to a world, they wouldn’t even be able to. If a normal spiritually gifted one was sent, it would be minutes before they are sent back.”
They listened to her with rapt attention which emboldened her.
“Only some people have the trait to fool the dimension. A week, a month, maybe a year, you’ll learn the spiritual skill that will allow you to stay for a time. The biggest worry you’ll have are the natives then.”
“You’re training itself will last a year and will be divided into three: Contrived Level, Freeform Level and World Dive. Contrived levels will have a simple structure that can be summarized by ‘Survive, fight, find or reach.’ Freeform objectives will be unclear and will happen in a larger field. You would need a lot of survival and awareness skills, for this level will mimic real world missions. World Dive is simplest, you would be inserted to a different dimension in teams of three. The world wouldn’t be anything too difficult but expect no handholding.”
She ordered with her mind the supplemental things to appear in their eyes.
“Now, the Nexus has thrown your world’s traditional schooling in the garbage a long time ago. So, advancement will be determined by reaching levels not with time.”
[ Requirements to pass levels:
Contrived: Effectiveness Rating= E+
Spirituality Rating= E+
G.R.E.D. Suit
Spiritual Skill Known= 1 E rating
Freeform: Effectiveness Rating= D-
Spirituality Rating= D-
Personal Battle Gear that can survive G.R.E.D.
Spiritual Skill Known= 3 E ratings or 1 D rating
World Dive: Effectiveness Rating= D+
Spirituality Rating= D+
Personal Battle Gear that can survive G.R.E.D.
Spiritual Skill Known= 5 E ratings or 2 D rating
Rating Grades Explanation:
E is destructive to individuals.
D is destructive to houses.
C is destructive to districts.
B is destructive to cities.
A is destructive to continents.
S is destructive to planets.
G.R.E.D. is an acronym for Gases, Radiation, Energy Fields and Demonic Influence. ]
“Your rating will be judged by me and so your passing will also be up to me. Know that Effectiveness Rating includes attitude, socialization and other intangibles that can affect team cohesion.”
When she said that Izo Shelley flinched a bit.
‘Uncle did say he was antisocial. Should I force him to in to leadership roles. Ah, I lost my train of thought. Just when I was feeling myself.’
“Umm. Uh. I will support you till your graduation or even if don’t want to continue to participate in the program. Whatever you do after the training however I would like to advice you.”
This room of theirs had no surveillance so she spoke bravely. Honestly, if her words were leaked, she could get into lots of trouble.
“You can join the Nexus Central Office or any of the factions’ exploring groups but don’t participate in any of the clandestine operations. You are an incredibly rare commodity to them. 260 billion people in the Nexus and only 10000 are gifted for exploring like you. You are only this many for your worlds when you connected to the Nexus. This a one-time event and peak number of Explorer candidates.”
Stolen novel; please report.
“You have a lot of say. In the of face of the benefits they will show you, know that there are plenty of less dangerous options.”
She cleared her throat. Her words of care came from her heart. The job of the scout was enticing these untouchables to do the Nexus bidding. They needed the candidates far more than the reverse so to dissuade them was counterpoint to her job’s purpose. Seeing their faces of appreciation for her honesty made it worth it.
The Nexus factions’ viewpoint of people as a resource didn’t sit well with her. Add to that, the Nexusphere’s invention that made people so malleable to the people in power.
‘There will be a great war soon. The people have forgotten it’s terror and the hate is in a sufficient violet and violent brew.’
So, the plan to build a colony was formulated. It needed to be hidden and no one would approach thus only a death field matched.
They would hide they’re for a while then come out to whatever fate.
‘I lost my train of thought again!’
“Umm, Miss Jane.”
“Yes, yes. Jane is fine. You can call me Jane everyone.”
‘What’s the next part again? I did so well at the start to only falter now.’
*
“Now on to the spiritual skills!”
Rochella had never seen her little brother in this state. He was fidgety and his voice was louder than usual. An everlasting smile that seemed to breakthrough his candidates’ hearts and being a bit too touchy was a fine try as a new scout.
Since he was assigned 50 points as a scout, he was able to recruit the best of the batch. It was his privilege as a scout backed by the Theocracy and the de Fezzan family, specifically Telo. This carried however some restrictions as he had to follow some of their directives.
He had ten candidates and 8 were humans from Cilae and Earth. This included #1 Jae, #7 Petro, #10 Nabih and #31 Svana. A lineup that other scouts could only secretly envy. For their allocation points were too little and if they still had families, they would crush the thought from their minds.
‘Just another system adapted from the skeleton of the Samar Federation.’
Each of the three factions demonize the Elves but in a completely hypocritical fashion, they benefit from all their innovations. The allocation system was meant to reward those who work hard. Their salaries depended on how many and how successful their candidates are. Nowadays, the more powerful the scion the more points thus rewarding the powerful with more power.
The common populace views the former rulers of the Nexus as savage and greedy people. The same brainwash machines were now being turned to each other.
‘As long as he’s happy for now.’
She didn’t mind dirtying herself for her brother’s days to be just like this one.
*
‘Izo, you have to hold on!’
He read Demonic Influence in the supplementary info and it must be what he’s feeling now.
Miss Jane was a bit teary eyed though she didn’t notice it. The way she waved her hands while speaking and clenched her fists at times made Izo want to pick her up and spin her in a circle.
‘Must resist.’
Inside his mind was an internal battle, his instincts warring with his intelligence.
‘To develop a syndrome or not to develop a syndrome for her. That is the question. The answer however is to wade through a sea of fire in the end.’
[ Received three skills.
Basic Mana Manipulation
Dream State Consciousness
Faith Gathering ]
“Spiritual skills and spiritual arts. Example of skills are levitating objects or spitting acid. Arts are how you control spirituality. You may browse these three arts in your own time.”
Jane reassumed her serious face and cast a different variety of charm curse on him.
“This are the most common and most successful of spiritual arts for one reason only. They have the most combination potential with other arts. You can choose not to learn them since there will be lots of options in the shop but be warned that choosing random combinations can be deadly.”
“This was one of the biggest problems in the olden times. Thankfully, in the Nexusnet are lists of compatible arts and research of when unknown arts will most likely be compatible.”
‘Incredible. Exciting.’
Sun Hee’s shoulders were shaking a bit. She had a stank face while nodding from time to time. He would say that it’s not very proper for a lady to look like this. She looked about to break out in to an evil cackle.
“Unfortunately, my skills can’t be showcased in the Nexusphere since they involve illusion and mind control. Otherwise, you would have first hand experience of a spiritual skill being done near you. It would feel like the Spiritual Network Vane, uh the giant coil thing, just milder. The arts I chose to combine, “Liar Devil” and “Spiritual Drain”, enhances my skills though it has drawbacks.”
She covered her face with her hand and giggled.
‘She actually does know demonic curses? Oh lord. This is dangerous.’
“Powerful combinations are a package with drawbacks. There is no bigger taboo to ask about the person’s and no bigger death sentence than telling others yours.”
“I think we’ve discussed most of the important topics. Any questions you have, you can ask at any point in time in the future through the Nexusnet. Sometimes, I may not be the one to personally address you since I have a team on call but know that I’ll do my best so everyone here can reach their full potential. Please, help your fellows here too.”
She approached them and stood within their midst.
“And my biggest advice is you don’t have to follow everything, I or anyone else says. Just get more powerful. Orthodox, unorthodox, just do your best!”
They exited the room in a file. Most of them were quiet and contemplating. Sun Hee was rubbing her palms together and even clapping them once in a while. If she was walking toward him in a dark street, he would shoot her once in the foot to immobilize. Check if she was a serial killer, confirm it with her behavior then shoot twice more to be sure.
[ User may stay in New Nexus City or return to training camp. ]
Remembering that socialization was an important criterion, Izo decided to initiate conversation with the other candidates here.
“Hey, guys-”
“Puha. Puhahaha!”
“…”