Chapter 49 Squad Leaders Return (1/2)
180,000 experience—45,000 from the Black Spider mission, and the rest mostly accumulated from Han Xiao's efforts in tirelessly crafting Retractable Knives and Highly Explosive Gunpowder. Currently, both blueprints were at Lv. 2 and Lv. 3 respectively. As they were cheap and easy to craft, they were much easier to level up in contrast to other blueprints like the Lightweight Mecha Arm, or the Rover.
A month had passed since Han Xiao arrived at the Western Capital. Since then, Han Xiao had earned an overall amount of 200,000 experience, which was equal to a third of what he had earned back in his 6-month stint with the Germinal Organization. Now, with over $1,500,000 in his possession, finances were the least of Han Xiao's concern.
The first-class advancement was the biggest game changer as it granted the player an energy attribute.
Han Xiao lightly pressed his thumb towards his index finger. As soon as he did so, his index was enveloped by a sort of invisible air. It felt similar to a weak current, and Han Xiao could discern that it was magnetism. Magnetism was one of the attributes that a Mechanic could specialize in. Combat-wise, it was not as powerful as the destructive attributes of fire or lightning. Instead, its main use was in strengthening the Machinery Affinity of a Mechanic. It would eventually allow for automated crafting.
Energy Attributes were not limited to just the natural elements. Instead, they could be thought of more as 'concepts' of how each class uses energy. For example, the energy attribute for Psychics is [Spirit]. Furthermore, energy attributes could also be nurtured and changed. For example, a Pugilist who cultivated various techniques would be able to grasp the speed of wind, power of fire, or hardness of iron, etc.
[Abstract Thinking] and [Intermediate Machinery Affinity] were self-explanatory, while [Strafe] was an active defensive skill.
If Han Xiao had chosen the path of Cannonmaster, he would have gained three new skills. However, he only gained one: [Strafe], a defensive skill. Han Xiao was by no means a coward who did not dare to face the enemy head-on, but he did indeed prefer a dual-natured skill like this that could be used both offensively and defensively to other flashy and high-damage ones. Furthermore, gaining unlimited ammo, even if temporary, could prove to be useful.
[Energy Training Technique] was a common skill acquired after the first advancement.
It was a special type of 'growth' skill that did not have a level system. Instead, its effects could be improved through repeated usage/practice that expended experience, and each use increased the character's energy, up until the skill's set usage limit. The user's energy attribute played an important part in the training effectiveness.
Most energy-related training techniques utilized such a growth system.
Energy was indeed an integral part of Superhumans. It largely decided a character's grade and power level. The early levels of energy stages are as follows:
Lv. 1 -10
Lv. 2 - 50
Lv. 3 - 100
Lv. 4 - 200
Lv. 5 - 400
Lv. 6 - 1000
...
Not only did reaching the next energy level give each player bonus stats, there were also extra benefits that could be unlocked upon reaching certain levels.
Lv. 1 was the bare benchmark, and while Hila was only Lv. 30, her energy level had already reached 500 ouna, roughly five times more than Han Xiao's. One of the reasons for this was the Energy Training Technique system.
Platinum Alloy was a new material-type blueprint acquired through [Advanced Material Composition]. The alloy itself was green in color, and it was well-suited for making armor due to its sturdiness. Its crafting requirement was Lv. 5 Novice Refining.
Of the 180,000 experience at hand, Han Xiao decided to spend 25,000 to reach Lv. 10 Agent. This gave him a number of stats (+2 STR, +2 DEX, +3 END, +1 CHA), as well as 1 talent point and 1 assignable stat point.
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Advancement detected! Delete [Civilian] Class?
Y/N
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The [Civilian] class was simply one of the default starting classes for new characters. It functioned as a tutorial class that could be deleted upon the first advancement. The experience that a player put into the [Civilian] class would be refunded upon deletion, unless the unknowing player had maxed it out.
”Delete, I guess,” mumbled Han Xiao to himself. There was nothing to lose from deleting it.
The [Civilian] class subsequently disappeared from the information window, leaving it to reflect only a max level [Agent], as well as Han Xiao's character level of 21.
Next, Han Xiao inputted another 45,000 experience points to raise [Basic Shooting] to Lv. 10, which gave him 10% Accuracy, +2 DEX, and another talent point.
In short, Han Xiao had just spent 70,000 experience points, but he still needed to save 64,000 for the [Energy Training Technique], leaving him with... yup, give me a second...
47,000 more experience points!
”I'll keep them for now,” muttered Han Xiao, lamenting how quickly the experience points vanished.
Fortunately for him, there was still the High-explosive Gunpowder that he had been stocking up on. It would ensure a steady stream of experience ahead.
...
When the time was up, Gu Hui promptly escorted Han Xiao back upstairs, where Feng Jun had been waiting.
Suddenly, Han Xiao remembered something.
”Oh right. I heard that it was a guy called Korat who stirred up this incident. Help me get word out that I won't be selling anything to this person.”
Feng Jun grimaced.
”Do you think I'm a messenger or something?”
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow.
”Aren't you?”