God damn it, isn’t that ability too OP? Is there anything we can do? What was that attack?
That was a psionic ability, most likely some sort of element control. In our current state, it is rather problematic, and unfortunately it does not appear there is anything we can do.
So, every time we run up against a psionic player we’re just gonna die? Also why was everyone so cautious to face off against us if such a simple ability can completely shut me down?
Psionics users are fairly rare, with about one in a thousand users demonstrating much psionic ability at all. Fewer still possess abilities that are so combat oriented or strong. This Aurora must be incredibly talented or was taught a number of secret abilities by her mother, probably a combination of both. Additionally, many of the guild members, and some of the ones we faced, probably aren’t too heavily focused on one on one combat, and have invested their points or have classes that aren’t as relevant to these duels. In the future, we will hopefully have items or allies capable of counteracting such psionic attacks.
Suddenly, the headache from using the hypercognition mode became increasingly painful, transforming from a mild ache into a splitting, mind numbing pierce. Groaning with pain, Alan quickly deactivated the ability.
Aurora stopped before Alan, tilting her head to the side, lips pursed, examining him with a thoughtful expression. Alan could only silently stare back, feeling his cheeks turn red.
“You don’t have any psionic abilities, do you?” Aurora asked, removing the ice encapsulating his face with a wave.
“Um, no, not really,” Alan cautiously answered after a go ahead from Eve.
“Hmm, that’s too bad.” Aurora then took out her knife, and with a fluid, practiced motion, slit Alan’s throat. Shortly thereafter he died, and Aurora won the duel.
A bit demoralized after the loss, Alan left the dome in a hurry without exchanging another word with Aurora, as he had little to no reason to continue past the initial five duels. Even with the loss he still had 6350 guild points left, and he wasn’t so certain he could continue winning without his hypercognition mode available. He was starting to feel pretty tired as well. The moment Alan left the building, a message popped up before him.
Congratulations on completing the first guild trial. You now have free time to do as you please. Report to the designated simulation room at 0800 tomorrow morning Khersath Private Quadrant Rose Standard Time.
Alan began to slowly make his way back towards the rooms he had been shown earlier, but Eve stopped him.
Aren’t you forgetting something?
What?
You need to regain the abilities you lost from the death. I believe now is as good a time as any, and the training room looks like it would be useful.
Oh. All right.
Alan then headed to the training room he’d been shown earlier. This shouldn’t be too hard, right?
***
Thirty minutes later, Alan found himself running on a futuristic, omni-directional treadmill within an enclosed space about the size of a small classroom. You could run any which way, and your position would stay roughly constant, while lasers that caused an unpleasant burning sensation would randomly fire from the walls. Drenched with sweat, Alan tried to sprint onwards while dodging incoming laser fire, but couldn’t bring himself to do so, and collapsed onto the floor of the room, writhing in pain.
No abilities unlocked.
Get up. Continue working out. Reactivate hypercognition.
I’m… too tired to go on. Everything hurts. Let’s just… do this another time, Alan sent, doubling over as bile began to rise in his throat.
NO. GET UP.
But—
DO YOU WANT TO HELP THE EARTH?
YES, but—
THEN GET UP AND WORK. Do you think that any player can become powerful enough to change the course of the Game? To influence the future of an entire planet? You must give it ALL of your effort. You must SURPASS human limits. The fact that this is a GAME means that your body’s limits, the pain that you feel, are NOTHING. Push yourself. Push yourself until you cannot physically go on, or let your planet disappear and fall into unknown hands BECAUSE YOU WEREN’T WILLING TO WORK HARD ENOUGH. NOW GET UP.
Silently, Alan heaved himself off the floor, and began to run once more. He reactivated hypercognition mode, despite the mind numbing pain induced, the elongation of every torturous moment into unbearable eons. He began screaming incoherently at Eve as she continued to urge him on. He mutely continued to stagger forwards with all his might, fearful that his mind would break from the unbearable pain. And, finally, he collapsed onto the floor into blissful oblivion, accompanied by a number of messages he took no notice of.
***
In another room of the keep, six figures sat. Before them, a multitude of screens showed flashing, deadly fights, with figures wielding weapons with skill, demonstrating unique abilities seldom seen, even within the Game. But all attention was focused on another screen, one which depicted a single, foolish human, slumped over unconscious in a training room.
“Did, did he just—?”
“Yes.”
“Huh… I can see why you might want him. But still, 5000 points? What did he do, break into the Vault?”
“He escaped.”
“Well, yes, everyone escaped if that was part of the test they were given, what’s so—”
“No, you misunderstand. He escaped all pursuit and detection.”
“All?”
“Yes, he escaped even the evaluators, who the recruits weren’t even supposed to be aware of. Do you really think we’d send possible guild members somewhere as dangerous as the Undercity without proper defense measures? Well, he managed to evade those, including the tail we set on him. Then, even with the guild members deployed throughout the city, he wasn’t seen again until he reached the quest area. Then, he managed to escape not only the elite guards, but us as well, reaching the hangar without alerting a single one of the watchers we had at every Undercity exit!”
“What? But that’s impossible! And he still managed to make it back with the item? How—”
“Enough. I take it he is your choice, then?”
“Yes. Unless he completely fails tomorrow.”
“All right. Well, you all know who my choice has been from the start. The rest of you should hurry up and make your decision.”
“Of course.”
And the figures turned back to the screens, watching every movement.
***
Alan awoke on a cold, metal surface. Groaning, he rolled over, feeling nothing but the floor. He opened his eyes and glanced around him, surprised to find himself still in the same training room. He slowly sat up, wincing at the soreness spread throughout his body.
Damn, Eve, why do I feel so sore now? I wasn’t sore after that chase in the Undercity.
Most likely due to the adrenaline coursing through your system, you were able to ignore the soreness. Also you died before the next day, resetting the state of your body. I also suppressed some of your pain using the light power armor.
Great, do that now.
That is unadvised. I am currently downloading and analyzing data available to us in the Black Rose database. The resources that I would devote to easing your pain are better spent elsewhere.