After collecting her gear, Carly exited the Stadium main gate and activated the message which had been blinking for a couple of minutes, it popped up in front of her vision. With a mental flick, she spun it behind her and proceeded to read it while walking down the stairs to the Hub proper.

Congratulations on qualifying

MT27347

You have been successful in winning your Free-For-All bout. As such, you have qualified to participate in the next and final event. This event will comprise of the 10,000 martial trainees successful in winning their bouts. The top 2000 male and female ladder ranked trainees and all beta testers who arrived from beta on Monday. This is a special, once ever, exclusive, event will be used to rank allocate the in-world Unique Identification Number (UIN) in order of the second events performance.

The event, is a very special Loop Elimination, as a participant your presence will be required at the Secondary Stadium in the Hub, prior to 8:00 am, Monday 18/11/2120, a short presentation will precede the event.

Good luck, participant.

Richard Isaccs Shrodastower

Walking from the Stadium across the flat paved ground that was the hub towards the portal area was mostly quiet at such an awful hour. Yet surprisingly, there was a small gathering of people around the Loop center. Intrigued about the fuss, Carly swung by to check out what was up.

The group was comprised of several beta testers talking about their experience in Powered1. Sitting and listening were around forty trainees, easily identifiable in their common attire. With a sigh, Carly moved closer, she didn't want to miss gathering possible information despite being weary from the event. Listening to the tester for a bit Carly gleamed the guy was talking about one of the adventures a group he was with had while exploring. It was interesting enough but sounded fairly standard to the experiences she was familiar with from other RPG's. What the story didn't provide was vital information, classes, skills, mechanics, equipment, and so on. It was just a story about some people that unknowingly did some stuff, got in trouble and had to fight their way out. It was all very exciting and completely lacking the details Carly would have stayed for.

A few minutes later when the tail ended, Carly sighed again and got up ready to leave. One of the other testers called out. “You just got here and your already leaving?” That got everyone's attention focused on her.

Carly paused, dropped her head and shoulders visibly displaying another sigh to all onlookers, she always avoided drawing attention to her self, but this guy. She looked over the shoulder her backpack was slung upon. The guy who asked was a tall fellow, Asian origins, not unattractive if you're into the lanky type with perfectly styled hair. “You guys are just telling stories like that?”

He gave a hair flapping nod and smile to the affirmative, Carly sighed. “Then I'm leaving. I just got out of the Stadium, so I need to take care of some stuff. See ya round, welcome to the Hub,” and walked off.

A few moments later, to Carly's regret, lanky guy pulled up alongside her. When she looked up at him he smiled. She kept walking. “So how come you don't want to hear stories about our time in P-1?”

“Aren't you being rude not doing a formal introduction?”

“Aah, yeah, but I feel if I took the time you will be leaving me a few steps behind.”

“Perceptive.”

“What didn't you like about the story? Maybe I can tell you some things you would find more interesting? If I know what you're looking for, that is.”

“Kid, are you hitting on me?”

“Kid? Look at us, there is hardly any difference in age.”

Carly sighed again, she was still another five minutes walk away from the portal area. “That's right kid, we are basically the same age, and I have more important things to think about than hearing about dumb fun in the beta world.”

“Really, not interested in anything we did, at all?”

Carly smiled up to lanky. “Sure there is, but I have a question for you first.” Carly didn't bother waiting for any sort of confirmation. “You are with the beta group, you automatically gain access to the Loop competition. So, why are you not inside the Loop practicing?”

Lanky gave the back of his head a scratch of embarrassment. “I am not much of a combat person. I have been into the Loop over 40 times already. I usually die in the first hour.”

Carly couldn't help but release a burst of scoff at that. “Wow, the first hour, what level?”

“One,” lanky said rather quietly.

Carly stopped walking and took a look at this guy again. “You must suck in all kinds of amazing ways. How the hell does someone like that get into beta then?”

“My specialties of course.”

“Your the one chasing me, now you're being all coy?” Carly started walking again.

Lanky took a couple of strides to catch up. “I'm a strategist and city builder pro-gamer.”

“That's nice, and?”

“And when we arrived in beta there was nothing in the start area. Well, apart from the paved area on the side of a hill that we all ported in on.”

“See, now that is a bit more interesting, so tell me, aren't you lot still under Non-Disclosure Agreement until the world goes live?

“Not at all, if we were talking to someone with access to the outside, then sure, I imagine there would be an NDA would still be in effect. Since we are not, there is no problem talking to our future colleagues so they can get a leg up. It was encouraged that we interact with trainees, telling stories of our adventures and so on.”

“Well, if you can give me insight into the world, important insight, useful stuff, not fun times with Rocky and Bullwinkle. Then, I will humor you for a while. I'm Carly by the way,” Carly held out her hand.

“Bai Mal-Chin, pleased to meet you Carly...,” Mal-Chin bowed then shook Carly's hand.

“Hmm, too bad we can't go to my TME. Let's go to the cafeteria Mr. Bai Mal-Chin, I wanted to get some decent hot food, but I'll settle. Do I stink by the way?” Carly took a whiff of her armpit, shrugged and started walking. “Five days in the Stadium stands will do that to a person.”

“Don't worry about it. We didn't have any modern amenities for two years. Five days is nothing. Call me Mal-Chin please, no Mr required.”

“You trying to be friendly there?”

“Of course, I'm a friendly guy.”

“Well then Mal, where I'm from we like to chop our friend's names short. How do you feel about that?”

“That is, fine..., Car?”

“Don't push it, kid.”

“Sorry, but what is with this kid thing?”

“Don't worry about it. Let's get moving. I want to beat the rush and get a private booth.”

“The rush? It's 5.17 am.”

“Exactly, the fewer eyes, the better.”

After another few minutes walk, the two reached the cafeteria building. At this hour there wasn't much of a buffet selection. Eventually, Carly settled for some chicken noodles, black bean and rice, and fried rice. Mal-Chin grabbed some pumpkin soup with two bread rolls and chicken noodles. Carly grabbed a large bottled water, and Mal-Chin took a sarsaparilla can. When Carly noticed it she couldn't help but give a snort of amusement.

“What?”

Carly just shook her head and headed up the stairs to the privacy booth section. Once inside the enclosed booth she accessed some cube device which enabled spying countermeasures Ross had provided back in the early days. She never used the thing, but, when opportunity knocks.

Once Carly was satisfied no one could eavesdrop on the conversation, she motioned to Mal-Chin. “Spill!”

“What, no small talk, just straight to business? That's not very accommodating.”

“Mal, dear,” she said coolly. “You spill, now. I will decide a level of assistance I will owe you in the new world. Depending, on the usefulness of the information. I am not offering anything other than assistance in the new world. Do not expect anything more. If you try anything handsy, I will owe you... in the new world. You do not want me owing you in that way. If you get my drift. Now, you started in the beta, and there was nothing there. Proceed!”

For three hours Mal-Chin and Carly talked about how the beta group progressed building the first town and moving further out to create a larger town nearer to better quality resources. Some of his fighting experience and progress, along with how skills were obtained, and able to be advanced. Describing the wide range of materials that could be collected and utilised for crafting. He further recounted his experiences towards the end of the beta pushing hard for experience to progress. Finally culminating in creating the first environmental control core and how versatile it was.

Carly was more than pleased with all the insights she gained from Mal-Chin. Before they left, she asked if there was anything else interesting they did. Mal-Chin told her about the experience he had on the second last day of beta. With that, Carly and Mal-Chin started discussing what such interactions meant. She deeply enquired about the process of turning an NPC into what he called a simulacrum. From the beta experience, she learned one of the converted NPC's, of which there were only three, had died. Unlike regular NPC's who when they died, died permanently or became undead, this particular one respawned, just like a regular player. The beta team did not explore this incident further, that specific scenario was never on the test list. The testers were always time constrained, pushing hard to hit their milestones on time, but it was interesting. With such a large amount of information to ruminate Carly got Mal-Chin's Beta Identification Number (BIN), just in case she wanted to ask more questions.

“Well Mal, if even some of this information pans out in the live world, I think I will be owing you a decent sort of assist. I hope, you will be satisfied,

with that?”

“I get it,” Mal-Chin held his hands up in innocence. “I'm an honorable person, and you made yourself clear at the start.”

“Good, also, what we discussed, no need to be spreading it around,” Carly stared deadpan at Mal-Chin. “To anyone, right?”

“We just chatted about movies, music, and martial arts.”

“That sounds like a great chat we had,” she held her hand out to Mal-Chin. “Mal, it's been a pleasure.” After a quick shake of hands, Carly got up, pocketed her privacy cube and headed out leaving Mal-Chin still seated in the booth.

Now, almost 9.30am Mal-Chin noticed just how many people were hanging out in the cafeteria. For four hours, it felt like it was only the two of them. What a hottie.

* * *

Carly stepped into the portal, there was a momentary whiting out of sight and lurching of body. All senses were lost then exploded back into being as she stepped from Hub portal platform to portal barn floor. She stepped out from the small barn beside the house and walked over to the barn proper, looking for Roy or Anne, her AI, simulacrum? What a stupid name. They would probably be working around the place somewhere at this time of day. Making sure everything was running smoothly as clockwork, like always. The horses were about in the paddock beside the barn, when she walked past two of the three trotted over for a pat and a treat. She couldn't supply the treat but gave each a good face rub.

Moving on, the pigs were alone, same for the cows. She headed over to the chickens and found them both mucking out the coop. “Hey,” Carly greeted with a smile.

“You're finally back,” Anne commented. “So, how did you do?”

“I made it through. It was a tough bout with a couple of quality ranked trainees. One ranked 1,208 and another at 4,625.”

“Where are you ranked currently, dear?”

“A bit lower ranked than them, 13,122.”

“Don't you think it's bad to win when you're so much lower ranked? You're not worried about giving yourself away?”

“Not really, it was pretty chaotic, after the first few hours on that first day people realised they could work together and eliminate higher ranked opponents. When that new tactic started getting used by everyone PURG announced the top 2000 women and men would go through automatically to the next event. Playing favorites, much!”

“Anyways, the fight was pretty chaotic, three were out in maybe the first thirty seconds. I did have to duel a Spanish woman, she was the one ranked 4,625. Then the lowest ranked decided to add in after sitting out the first big scrap and managed to help me accidentally to take down the Spaniard. She was pretty much already defeated by me, it just looked more like right place right time, I believe. The last competitor was ranked 26,616 and was easily defeated. Three minutes and job, done. If only I didn't have to wait around for so damn long. That was the real test,” Carly proclaimed.

Roy, who had come out of the coop to also listen, nodded in satisfaction. “Just like I told you Anne, it worked out just fine.”

“Yes Roy, you told me,” Anne replied, rolling her eyes to Carly. “Being away for so long, what do you want to do right now?”

“Shower,” Carly smiled. “I smell a bit.”

“Not as bad as the coop though,” Roy joked.

“Well thanks Roy, that makes me feel so much better,” Carly laughed.

She started heading over to the house when Anne asked. “What do you want to eat? When you come out of the shower, I'll have something ready for you, Carly?”

“I am good. I ate at the cafeteria earlier.”

The response kind of shocked Anne and Roy, shown instantly by the look the gave each other. Carly almost never ate at the cafeteria, certainly never for breakfast. “Wow, she must have been, really hungry, if she couldn't wait until she got home,” Roy spoke wonderingly.

* * *

After a long hot shower, Carly was feeling more like her usual self. Coming down the stairs, Anne and Roy were waiting for her, seated at the dining room table after cleaning up themselves.

“So you won, and fast. You were there for five days though,” Anne asked indirectly.

“Yeah, it sure took a while for my ID to come up in the matches. Could have been worse though, I don't think they will finish until late Monday most likely.”

“When is the second event?”

“Monday week from now. Here,” Carly brought up the message she received after her victory and forwarded copies to both Anne and Roy. “See for yourselves.”

The AI pair read the message, looking at Carly once done, Anne asked. “What are you going to do until then? How can we assist you?”

“I acquired some important information this morning during breakfast, I am going to spend some time assessing the information, old and new. I need to work out some strategy, maximise benefits to effort and all that.”

“How did you get the new information this morning Carly?” Roy asked.

“I had breakfast with one of the beta testers. He was nice and provided a great deal of interesting information from his beta experience.”

“Is Carly going to be less of a shut-in now?” With a giggle, Anne asked.

“You both know I am not a loner by choice, come on. I do this for my protection and yours. Hopefully, that will end when the world goes live in a month and a half. Hopefully, Ross can tee something up, and the both of you can come across along with everyone else from the farm. I would really love you all to join me in the new world. Knowing you are nearby would lighten my heart.”

“We hope to join you also Carly, otherwise...,” Roy trailed off with the unspoken worry they may just be turned off and forgotten, dead.

“What can we do for you to help for the second event?” Anne unsuccessfully tried to cover up for Roy's concerns.

“The second event being a Loop elimination, I will just have a quick run through each day for a few hours to keep myself in top fighting form. Not much for either of you to do except take care of the farm, business as usual and all that. No need to be reactionary to these events. The effort has been made, all I need to do is execute to the best of my ability.

Don't get me wrong, I want the top prize, that power, Life Points, Personal Boosts, and that special prize for the top performance. I want it, so I will push myself as hard as I can during the event. As long as I do that I must be satisfied with whatever result I get. I do desperately want to place my hands on as much as I can get.”

“Carly know this, Roy and I have complete trust in your skill, work ethic, and character under duress. You will do well no matter the challenge.”

“Thank you, both of you. It means a lot.”

The pair of AI nodded their understanding.

“Well I had better get started reviewing my breakfast conversation, a lot of information was disclosed to me. Being able to team up early with beta testers with advanced knowledge of the mechanics of the world will be incredibly useful. Not being a burden to them will be crucial to lucrative collaborations,” Carly said with a greedy grin.

* * *

The rest of the morning was dedicated to a gentle workout, some running, stretching, moving into a light gymnastics session, finishing with a run through her parkour field before hitting lunch.

After enjoying lasagna and salad, Carly took the stairs to her study. Pulling out the cube, she began listening to the conversation recorded between Bae Mal-Chin and herself, taking notes as information came up. Two-thirds of the way through it was already dinner time, she ate but paid little attention as she contemplated some of the more interesting aspects of the world experienced by the beta testers.

It was interesting there was a lack of currency experienced by the beta cohort. They didn't have much experience with humanoids, but the after killing several hundreds of goblins and a few ogres on their last day they never found any form of coinage on a single corpse. Further, the ogres Mal-Chin talked to seemed to wish to gain more spells and dwarf weapons through trading quality materials. So in part, the world traded using a barter system?

There were mana crystals and the use of ECC's that required an injection of mana to fuel them. The two small wild dungeons the beta team came across needed very substantial mana injections to gain access. So mana could be considered a form of currency.

Then there was experience, it could also be traded between people. Mal-Chin said the craftspeople would be charging experience for their efforts in establishing towns and items to fuel their own growth. It was too much of a struggle during the early stages of the beta and took far too long to establish the minimal skills needed to build the first town.

This time infrastructure development would be several times more efficient with the aid of the other beta testers. If the MDP people assisted also, then the PURG starting zone would definitely be the front-runner for progress, compared to the rest of the world.