After flying through the night away from the Tedramira River, he was getting ready for his Advancement when Frenzied Sword dropped offline.
A player going offline is akin to disappearing. That gave the pilot a shock. Seeing that Han Xiao’s expression had remained unchanged, he suppressed his shock.
Different players had different peculiarities. Although the world had all kinds of Espers that made everyone well accustomed to abnormalities, over time, more and more people would realize the peculiar nature of the players’ community, and there would definitely be some interesting developments. Han Xiao could not wait to see this happening. Then he could validate some of his guesses.
Putting aside these thoughts, Han Xiao focused his attention on the interface—the requirements for advancement had been met, so a level-up would mean an Advancement.
He looked at the EXP that he had accumulated over the past two months. Minus the EXP that he had used up for skills improvement and integration of blueprints, he still had a full 6.1 million EXP left!
Finally, a second Advancement! Han Xiao was secretly leaping in joy. His progress had been as fast as a rocket, especially since he had gotten a huge channel to reap EXP after the players appeared!
After this Advancement, he would officially become the top figure on Aquamarine, and this was only the beginning. This meant that he could set foot in areas that he had previously found to be too dangerous, to acquire those rare Abilities and Skills. Quests that could trigger dangerous situations, Abilities, Skills, and Equipment—all that would have a huge impact on his combat capability.
He was already halfway there to becoming someone like Bennett and Hila who could take on BOSS Level Quests with their template Abilities.
Advancement!
Han Xiao entered his EXP.
_____________________
[Mechanic (Trainee)] Level-Up LV 5
+50 Energy, +1 Dexterity, +1 Endurance, +4 Intelligence!
Attained 3 points Unassigned stat points!
Attained 1 Talent Point!
_____________________
You have completed your second Advancement.
Endurance and Health points ratio increased to 1:20!
Chapter 146 - Skyrocketed!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After the Advancement, Han Xiao’s health point conversion ratio increased from 1:15 to 1:20. It was obvious to him that his body was stronger. He could feel a ball of energy down in his abdomen, invigorating him.
This second Advancement did not unlock as many skills as his first Advancement did. His first Advancement had felt like a complete rebirth, while this second Advancement was way smoother a process than his first one.
Though not explicit as a description on the interface, Han Xiao noticed that his perception had become more acute. The world was more vivid in his eyes.
If he had to describe how the Advancement felt, it would be ‘natural’. He could feel the breeze flowing around his limbs and smell the mix of particles in the air. His senses were amplified by several notches.
The second Advancement was a prerequisite to unlock many skills, and of course, the most obvious benefit was that he could upgrade to LV 60.
He had plenty of EXP on his interface, so he need not stay at his current level to accumulate EXP. He could first take [Night Stalker], which was at Lv.6, to its highest level. This would bring him a total of 30 Dexterity, 20 Strength, 10 Mystery, as well as 10 Talent points and 20 Unassigned Stats points.
Han Xiao then assigned his EXP to [Mechanic (Trainee)], a main class with an upper limit of Lv.15. As he progressed, it took more and more EXP for a level-up. He had used up a significant amount of EXP to level it up from Lv.5 to Lv.10.
His level skyrocketed by tens of level and rose directly to LV 50!
As his Energy exceeded one thousand points and reached Energy Level 6, Han Xiao received additional milestone rewards.
_____________________
+6 STR, +8 DEX, +6 END, +10 INT, +400 Max. Stamina, +8% Machinery Quality, +8% Production Speed, Energy Stats Strengthened
_____________________
As one’s Energy Level grew higher, the bonus addition became more significant. Levelling up to Lv. 6 was a significant milestone. He could receive a new bonus addition of Energy Stats Strengthened that made the benefits of his attributes more prominent. To a Mechanic, Energy with magnetic properties could be used for producing and utilizing machinery. He could increase the speed, improve the quality, and amplify the power more easily. The actual effect would be far more useful than the numbers on the interface looked.
Mechanics were not like Pugilists or Espers who would require huge amount of Energy. In the beginning, additional Energy might not be very useful to Mechanics, but once he had the ability to utilize his Energy in this manner, his strength as a Mechanic would be more apparent.
[Mechanic (Trainee)] reached Lv. 10. To level up further, Han Xiao would need 800,000 EXP. Han Xiao had around 1,300,000 EXP left on his interface. He decided to save half of it as a backup to integrate blueprints and upgrade other skills.
In the last two months, he had occasionally upgraded some important skills, such as [Sniper], [Moving Snipe], [Continuous Gliding Shots]. Not forgetting his blueprints, his core [Magnetically Controlled Retractable Armor]was already at Lv 5. He was already donning on a new set of armor where his Stats were strengthened. He had also upgraded blueprints like[Ranger Robot], [Low Level Smart Chip]. These blueprints were the ones that were relatively useful.
Han Xiao took a look at the Skill List and entered his EXP into [Flaming Will]and[Fine Intensive Modification]. These two Skills had better value for EXP. After his EXP dropped to half of its initial level, Han Xiao stopped the upgrading process. These two skills were each upgraded by two or three levels.
He had accumulated thirty-eight unassigned stat points, and he threw all of them into his Intelligence stat. That was the crude yet simple manner in which Mechanics upgraded themselves.
After all this was done, his combat effectiveness soared. Without even relying on his equipment, his Energy Rank reached the standard of 12,000 Ona!
_____________________
Level: 50
Attributes: 69 STR, 94 DEX, 82 END, 200 INT, 11 MYS, 6 CHA, 1 LUK
Health: 2,970
Energy: 1,230 [Lv. 6]
Power Level: 1213 Ona
Grade: D
[Take on your equipment. You can be a Boss level figure on this planet if you work hard.]
_____________________
Han Xiao was very satisfied with the growth in his strength. Intelligence had become his strongest stat—it had reached two hundred points! He could be way more productive when he utilized his machinery now.
With the speed at which he was gaining EXP, he would rise to LV 60 in a very short period of time. This was the upper limit for a second Advancement; he was at the top among the version 1.0 players.
My combat capability now, combined with my mechanical equipment, means that I am among the top few fighters in Aquamarine.
Even at LV 50, my Stats are very strong. That is partly because of my expertise and partly because my main vocation is at a high level. This means I can take care of most superhumans without too much difficulty.
I can count on my machinery to help me win, but my expertise and skills are too limited. I’m just too far off from someone like Bennett.
Han Xiao had been busy harvesting EXP from players, and he would continue doing so, accumulating EXP and gaining exposure to increase his popularity. He would be travelling to the novice villages beyond Andrea to teach the novice players basic skills first, and after that, he could proceed to teaching the [Energy Forging Technique]. Through this, he would accumulate a great deal of EXP. With this, he was confident that he would be able to invest in rare skills and abilities very soon.
Two months’ worth of EXP was just wiped out in an instant. It would not have been so easy if he was still his old sel
f. He would have wanted to level up the moment he had gotten some EXP. Now, Han Xiao was not too worried about how he could get more EXP.
Players, they were the biggest market!
[Energy Forging Technique] was his trump card. Once he let the news out, it would trigger a frenzy. In fact, any player that had been through their first Advancement would eventually awaken this skill. But most players are unaware of this. As long as he imparted this skill to a player below LV 20, he would be able to harvest a huge amount of EXP.
But there was a condition; he needed to raise his profile so that more players could get to know him.
There are two ways. I could take the initiative to find players or create opportunities for players to find me…
Han Xiao stroked his stubble and was deep in thought.
If he chose to look for players proactively, it would be a trip like his recent trip to Big Horn Village. Other than the novice grounds beyond Andrea Mainland, he could go to the Southern Continent, the Western Continent, and the Northern Continent to harvest some EXP.
It did not seem like he had much of an opportunity to get players to come to him on their own. He could release more tasks after his Advancement, but it was still a drop in the ocean if he looked at the entire player community. There was no way he could attract all the players. He had made a good start at Big Horn Village—quite a number of players thought that Black Phantom could trigger secret quests. But that was far from getting enough players to come to him. He needed a more concrete plan.
After the battle, the Germinal Organization had withdrawn its forces from the three continents and gone into hiding. For the time being, the global situation would remain stable. At the very least, there would be no public declaration of war for some time. The tide had changed. Germinal would not declare war. However, on a second thought, the power had now come to the hands of the Six Nations. It might just bring the eminent war to an earlier date. This was not his original intention.
Resigning to his fate, he could only shake his head.
Nonetheless, the situation was not too bad. If the Six Nations went ahead to start a war and destroyed the Germinal Organization, it would not bring any harm to him. With this thought in mind, Han Xiao was relieved. After all, he was not an egotistical person; he had never felt like he could control everyone. What he had always wanted to do was to make full use of his extraordinary foresight to reap benefits from the power struggles between the different forces.
Even though the situation had deviated from its original track, war was still not avoidable. Han Xiao could not help but sigh. He was powerless as an individual to try to revert the situation. Instead, he was embroiled into the maelstrom. However, precisely because he was whirled into the situation, he could seize opportunities that came his way. This was really energizing for Han Xiao.
For any player to reach LV 20, they will take roughly two months… But now, two months is just nice for me to run a trip to all the novice villages, Han Xiao thought to himself with a smirk.
Having hammered out his next plan of action. Han Xiao began to think about another issue—his own strength.
After his Advancement, he was able to move closer to the upper limit of version 1.0. Of course, there was no real upper limit for him. He was more concerned about his combat capability. Ranks were only a part of his combat capabilities. His capabilities would be more dependent on his skills, expertise, and mechanical equipment. It went without saying that Mechanics were more dependent on their equipment than other classes.
Han Xiao was using his sniper without a hitch. Naturally, he did not want to give up on his sniper. However, he felt that it was time to develop a second combat style to deal with the increasingly complex situations that he would be going in to.
Chapter 147 - Inspiration for Lightweight Mecha
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Mechanics were known for having a wide range of tactics. Just like how saints would never fall for the same trick again, mechanics would never rely on a single set of tactics. To develop new tactics, one would only need to develop new tactics centered around a core gadget, just like how the core of Lurker Sniper Flow was the sniper itself. Using additional tools like electromagnetic skating shoes, special ammunition, stealth ability, and so on could further strengthen one’s prowess.
To a mechanic, developing a new battle tactic was a challenging yet fun task. Brainstorming on new ideas and then being able to bring it to life enabled one to achieve a sense of fulfilment, just like role-playing games.
I have quite a few choices, Rovers, Portable Batteries, self-created Mechas. However, the rovers’ attributes and intelligence are weak on their own, and besides, due to their large sizes, they cannot be easily carried around.
Moreover, even if the only model is placed into the robot troop, the outcome will still be unsatisfactory. They are way too expensive.
As for the battery… Even though there is a ‘Portable’ in the name, the pedestal disc is still too large. If I cannot assemble it within seconds, I can’t use it with the flamethrower style. Perhaps, I can only use it as a trap ambush…
There’s also the self-created Mechas…
Han Xiao had a lot of blueprints that he could use for the armor suit, such as K600 Endoskeleton, Smart Chip, Exoskeleton limbs, Electromagnetic Hover Boots, Basic Storage Cube, and other modules. In addition, he had acquired all the basic knowledges, including Bio-engineering, Mechanical dynamics, Assembly, and Energetics. He had already fulfilled the criteria for creating his own armor.
This was not a bad idea; however, some problems might still arise. For instance, to equip the Mecha, he would first need a support vehicle that could repair and replenish the materials. Prolonged battling could weaken the attack power, just like a problem every guy would face.
Besides, he did not want to run around wearing a tin can, and it would be best if he could fly. He did actually develop a jetpack, but it still needed some adjustments. When activated, the jetpack would fly away without the pilot. If the jetpack was secured tightly, one could experience what a hundred times the speed of a Ferris wheel would feel like. Han Xiao did not want to try that for the second time, and as such, apart from the small drone, none of his other machines had a flying ability.
Medium scale and large scale Mechas required advance knowledge of [Heavy Machine Modification], and he was only capable of modifying light Mechas. Nano-Muscle Suits were more classic but required advance knowledge of [Miniature Machine Modification].
Suddenly, Han Xiao had a eureka moment and came up with a new idea.
Almost made a grave mistake. Actually, I do not need armor as my tactic core. I can start from the assisting type of light armor, neglecting the firepower and focusing on my personal attributes…
He had an idea. As he recalled the armor he had used or seen before, he thought that basic light armor looked reliable and would be easy to replicate one.
As for robots and turrets, he decided to give up on them since they were inconvenient to bring around, and it was impossible to always bring along a truck. Even with airdrop support, there must be a transport aircraft, and then there was the money… No planes could fly in a country’s airspace. Even Fabian Company’s planes, which had licenses, had to follow a fixed route, and they were not allowed to fly wherever they liked. It would be alright to fly into the wild, but there would not be stable supply stations in the vicinity, and it would be difficult for airdrops.
As the night faded away, the golden glow of the sun reappeared, turning the sky from pitch black to a light blue.
Han Xiao stretched his neck, and from his collar bones came a cracking sound. He was re-energized and full of enthusiasm, ready for the fresh day. He felt like he could puncture the sky with just one punch.
Of course, that was just an illusion due to his overflowing energy. His senses, after becoming stronger, were also sharper. Han Xiao felt his vision, hearing, and sense of smell had all improved. As such, he was even a
ble to see the details on the rough surface of a tree trunk from afar.
Han Xiao boarded the helicopter and ordered the pilot to take flight.
…
Han Xiao travelled on Dark Net’s helicopter and finally arrived at another new village on the Southern Continent after landing several times in between to refill the fuel. This village was also a place where Vagrant Warlords gathered, and it was called Green Valley Ville.
There was a total of nineteen beginner towns for new players’ on Planet Aquamarine: five in the Southern Continent, four in the Western Continent, four in the Northern Continent, and six on Andrea Mainland.
Green Valley Ville was a land controlled by the Vagrant Warlords and belonged to the Alumera family.
Alumera, a well-known Vagrant Warlord force with family style management, were headquartered on the Southern Continent. They also had a land on the North continent. In addition, they were in partnership with Theseus. The chief in command was called Darryl Alumera. Anyone with the same last name would be his immediate family member. His other top commanders were all strong players that he had been headhunted to join him, like Second Leader Xiao Jin, Third Leader Bi Qi, and so on. The force was formed by surviving members of various extinct states, and hence, they were a diverse people.
The Vagrant Warlords called themselves different names, including ‘Family’, ‘Group’, ‘Financial Group’, ‘General’, and so on. They believed that if they formed groups, they were less likely to be bullied or threatened. When the force eventually became stronger, Alumera took control of the military and became an authority in the wild. Many Vagrant Warlords chose to join them, as after all, the Aquamarine wild was not a safe place for most.
All Han Xiao wanted now was to continue searching for players and earning experience through them. Time was limited; hence, he did not stop after the battles but immediately proceed to new villages to search for players.
The Legendary Mechanic c1-1385 Page 84
