They didn’t order them to do anything special except wait. It seemed that one can’t stay inside the Nexusphere for too long. Otherwise, dizziness was the least of one’s worry.

When they were ejected from the New Nexus City, there was no colorful tunnel or amazing view. His senses suddenly fed him the view of their ramshackle camp. Only the large coil/computer was the most significant change.

‘It’s really jarring to go back from spacer technology to this.’

They ate their dinner and got ready for sleep. Exhaustion filled them from more than one matter but for Izo it was mostly mental. Throughout the whole day, he was in disbelief and trying to accommodate the information.

‘Is this what would happen if I taught a caveman thermodynamics?’

Petro looked tired, staying a few meters away from them. He gazed over his ‘hut’ mates with an inquisitive look then with a sigh, laid down on his own sleeping spot. He slept a with a bit more space from them than yesterday.

Izo planned to asked about this but snoring came out from the man. Interacting with the Nexus high society the whole time, the man or vampire must have felt great pressure.

In the opposite metric however, Sung Soo and Sun Hee were still energetically discussing their findings. He doesn’t know where the old man went the whole day. Only that the new notebook was now halfway filled with words and sketches.

“Quiet, their sleeping! Keep it low.”

“Ok.”

“So, they, the three biggest faction uses their own technology. See this? A Rage tank from the Theocracy powered by faith. It said that the more death and violence around it the more powerful its cannon. Well, that what the Church of War told me. This is a Mana Suit made of elirium used to channel the mages Mana. I know that in our fantasy, wizards and magi are long range expert. Don’t let them hit you with a mana fist. This is the Dynasty’s Possesion Scope, allows one to control a sleeping enemy but also makes one feel lethargic. Highly specialized and needs care when used. Apparently they have shamans that can bestow powers to items.”

Izo’s eyes shot up. He minded their neighbors and scooted to their direction.

“Mr. Lee where did you even go to get in touch with this?”

“Young man, military knows military.”

“?”

“I just strolled to their bases and rubbed shoulders.”

“Really?”

“No. Rules of the trade.”

“What was even your career when you were younger?”

“Fufufu. I was-”

I slap to the head hit the old man.

“Not so loud.”

“Young man we can talk later. Ufufufu. You’re going to have to pay however.”

All talk stopped and they prepared to sleep. He didn’t see the sketches Sung Soo made but he could imagine how cool they probably are. He was scared of the future but now also excited. Maybe, he daresay, that whatever challenges there will be he’ll overcome them.

‘If they have a giant mech, I’m in. No questions.’

*

He woke up later than yesterday but better than last time. Sun Hee didn’t assault him in his dreams.

‘Wait, a minute. I haven’t a single dream or nightmare since I was here.’

The sample data was still too small for now so he didn’t make any wild guesses.

‘Very curious. What’s the nature of spirituality? How does it connect with dreams and the Nexus. This is my real body here.’

[ 1:00 hour till meeting with scouts. Today will be the day you can choose whether to continue bravely or become an honorary guest instead. Good luck! ]

“Finally, awake. Jeez, you really snore so loudly.”

“Huh. It’s called musical meditation while sleeping. And I find myself talented in art of sleep.”

“Ehhhh. I see, I see. You were practicing the “Celestial Too Loud Breathing technique”, as expected of a chosen one.”

“You were practicing “Kept Fidgeting While Sleeping Waking Up Others”? I was so confused why I had trouble breathing. How could I not when I had someone’s thigh on my face? Is this how a lady acts?”

“I didn’t mean to!”

“How perverted. Having desires for someone such as I, enough so that a lady immorally barricades my face with her limb.”

“One, two. One, two.”

Petro and Sung Soo arrived sweaty. They had just jogged it seemed. Their arrival stopped their arguing. Sun Hee definitely doesn’t want to quarrel in front of her father but for Izo it was more of fear. The old man had only seen them from afar. Since then, his eyes darted to him. Even when there were obstacles on the way he and he had to turn, his side eyed Izo.

“Young man, want to exercise with us?”

“Uh, sure?”

“Sun Hee. I know you skip your exercise routine every once in a while, but since we’re here in situation were will need to be highly active, you can’t be lazy.”

Her face scrunched up and she stared at Izo. Even though she was a head taller than him, he made sure to puff up his chest and showed no fear.

“All right, just keep up with me.”

Sung Soo began working out so Izo just followed what he did. Only the man didn’t care for his progress.

“Aaah!”

A warcry would come out when pushed up. Veins were visible when he they ran.

The only time he payed attention to Izo was when he couldn’t a workout so he stopped to teach him a modified version. Then he would do the exercise in front of him.

By the 30-minute mark, Izo was sucking in air and his lungs were burning. The last serious workout he had was five years ago when he was 13 and that was to show off. Every time after that was just to hang out.

The only thing that pushed him forward was Sun Hee. She was sweating but not even nearly winded. This pissed him off especially since she taunts him every once in a while, while snickering over Sung Soo’s shoulder. A hidden power burst from within until a minute later where he instantly regrets pushing himself.

He “lost” convincingly. There was no declaration of competition for there was no need. There was just a feeling in one’s soul.

‘Am I a competitive person?’

Izo had never really felt like entering contest. Middling grades was fine too at school. Only, something about Sun Hee’s attitude made him irrationally angry.

After the workout, they rested and took a bath. His faintly aching muscles that will surely be sore tomorrow were ready for whatever will happen when he meets the scout.

*

The same loud sounds came out of the coil. Izo suppressed the innate fear through breathing in out.

‘If every person that entered New Nexus city felt this way, how much sales could they have?’

This was not a fun feeling and he felt like a rat circled by a snake.

A heartbeat and a moment they were once more in Nexus Central Hotel in the Nexusphere.

[ Proceed to Room XXXX ]

“I guess we’ll have to part here guys.”

“Yeah.”

Petro responded. He was a bit more taciturn than yesterday changing his priest attire to casual clothes and he had shaved too. Handsome and muscled, it was a total transformation from vagrant to hunk.

Perhaps Sung Soo and Petro hung out the longest, they were the closest between the four.

“Don’t let the pressure get to you. I know you feel deeply about your “race”. Don’t worry too much. As far as I can tell vampire or whatever, a good person is what I see.”

“Thanks, Sir Sung Soo.”

Izo nodded and agreed with the sentiments. He’s not sure why his vampire identity worries Petro. He only had one gauge, ‘Can we play multiplayer video games together?’

One must not underestimate this metric. If both of you had fun and no rage were felt through the course of 3 hours of gaming, you’re best friends. No question.

Petro forms a cross from his forehead to his navel. Even releasing a deep breath from his belly.

“Blessings and good luck to all of us.”

In Izo’s retina, a glowing pathway that led to the meeting room appeared. All the candidates each went their way. Sung Soo and Petro went to complete opposite side of his destination.

‘Me and Sun Hee are in the same direction. Fufufu. Let’s see who has the better scout.’

While he was thinking so and doing his best not to bump other candidates, Sun Hee overtakes him.

‘How juvenile.’

No one was rushing around them. So, he figured this was a childish attempt to one up him. He was loath to stoop to the same level and instead decided to win through maturity.

After a short walk, he arrived at the specified door. He entered and found 7 people. 5 Cilae people, 1 Mining robot and another Earthling.

‘You?’

It was Sun Hee. Before they could say anything more, a woman entered the room.

“Now that everyone is here, shall we start?”

It was a tall beautiful human woman dressed in white formal attire. Aggressive lines yet professional. Fashionable yet comfy. It slightly hid her curves but it only made her charm more dangerous.

‘Be professional. Keep calm.’

Not an easy task since she also wore glasses, making her equally cute yet sexy. The oval ornament rode her soft eyebrows, complimenting her long hair and bangs.

‘No, me. Have respect.’

His own mental talk was having an effect at least and he looked like he was constipated, which is better than ogling the scout.

‘Just avoid. Look at the floor and appreciate the engineering, the geometry.’

*

‘Is he not feeling well? Oh, he returned to normal.’

Izo Shelley, one of the candidates her uncle told her to pay attention to was acting weirdly. She’ll have to talk to him later if there was a problem. It was fairly common to be sick from one’s consciousness being fed to the Nexusphere.

Milyaa cleared her throat and prepared her commanding/caring voice that she practiced.

“I’m Jane Fishbrook and I start with the words to ignore the rankings and the media. For good and bad, your training will be watched. You may have had a feeling yesterday but explorers don’t only battle and dimension travel. They are also heroes, celebrities and status symbols.

“Forget all this. Focus on your own development and if you so want to anything is achievable after that.”

Her voice held steady. Her hands that have barely done any work before was hidden behind her back. The fact that school and life had always been responsibility free, she threw to the far side of her brain.

“If you work hard, maybe not anything is possible. But miracles can happen.”