The sterile air of the Citadel corridor was a shock to Axel's senses.
The woman in black, who introduced herself simply as Commander Lyr, stood impassively as the heavy steel door hissed shut, sealing them off from the brutal world of the surface.
"Get your gear squared away," Commander Lyr ordered, her voice cutting through the ringing in Axel's ears.
"You have twenty minutes before the Assessment Trial begins. Zaya, Kael, you will escort him to the preparation station."
Axel, still reeling from the adrenaline and the mental overload of his recent Level Ups, nodded numbly. The exhaustion was setting in, but the glow of his [System] interface kept his mind sharp.
As they walked down the immaculate corridor, leaving muddy footprints on the polished synth-steel floor, the world shifted from a fight for survival to structured preparation.
"That was quite the stunt, Axel," Zaya admitted, a rare hint of approval in her voice. "The Golem takedown. The grid theory. I still want to know where a 'scavenger' learned to manage a power network like that, but for now, well done."
Kael simply clapped him on the shoulder, the force of it nearly making Axel stumble. "Welcome, kid. You earned it. Now get ready. The 'Assessment Trial' is a proper beatdown. They need to know what they've got."
They reached a small, clean room equipped with a decontamination shower and a simple steel bench. The first thing Axel did was focus on the bright, insistent notification on his System interface: [INVENTORY]
UNLOCKED!
He willed the tab open. Instead of a physical list, a clear, holographic storage grid materialized in his vision, overlaid on the real world.
> [INVENTORY]
> * Salvaged Relay Chip (Rarity: Common)
> * Description: A fractured, but still viable, power relay chip from the Factory Complex's main substation.
> * Effect: Used for basic crafting. Can be Sold for 50 Credits.
> * Security Golem Power Core (Rarity: Rare)
> * Description: The unstable, still-pulsating power core of the Internal Security Golem. Heavily damaged, but contains high-density energy material.
> * Effect: Required for Advanced Skill Crafting (TBD). Can be Sold for 500 Credits.
> * Empty Slot
> * Empty Slot
> * Empty Slot
> [CURRENT CREDITS: 0]
>
"Woah," Axel breathed. The Golem core, in particular, was exciting. It was the physical representation of the massive robot he had just taken down, and it was marked as a key component for future skills.
"You have five minutes," Zaya warned, watching him check his watch. "Don't just stare at the wall."
Axel quickly minimized the [INVENTORY] and focused on the more immediate task: the 10 Stat Points glowing under his [STATUS] tab.
Strategic Allocation: Preparing for Trial
The Assessment Trial would be a controlled environment, likely against human or simulated opponents, designed to push him to his limits. Pure analytical power (INT) had got him here, but a physical test would demand more.
His current stats were:
* STR (Strength): 21
* VIT (Vitality): 19
* AGI (Agility): 15
* INT (Intelligence): 13
* WIS (Wisdom): 10
Strength (STR) and Vitality (VIT) were high, allowing him to deliver the powerful Kinetic Punch and shrug off damage. Intelligence (INT) was now sufficient for tactical analysis and expanding his Energy Pool (EP).
The glaring weaknesses were AGI and WIS.
* AGI dictates movement speed, reaction time, and, critically, Energy Point (EP) expenditure efficiency for movement and evasion. An immobile, slow target, no matter how strong, is an easy target.
Axel analyzed the situation. The trial would be fast-paced. He needed to be able to move and recover.
He decided on a balanced approach, prioritizing mobility and sustain:
* Invest 5 points into WISDOM (WIS). This would dramatically increase his EP regeneration rate, ensuring that a single Kinetic Punch wouldn't cripple his offensive capabilities and allowing him to use future, more complex skills more often.
He focused his will, distributing the points.
> [AGI +5. AGILITY: 20]
> [HOST'S MOVEMENT SPEED AND REACTION TIME SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED.]
> [WIS +5. WISDOM: 15]
> [HOST'S ENERGY POINT REGENERATION RATE INCREASED. MENTAL RESISTANCE STRENGTHENED.]
>
The change was immediate. The exhaustion he felt a moment ago seemed to dissipate. His body felt lighter, capable of moving faster than his brain could even consciously command.
The new WIS boost gave him a sense of centered calm—a quiet humming deep within his System, a promise of faster power recovery.
His updated stats flashed on the screen:
| STAT | BASE | BONUS | TOTAL |
| STR | 21 | - | 21 |
| VIT | 19 | - | 19 |
| AGI | 15 + 5 | - | 20 |
| INT | 13 | - | 13 |
| WIS | 10 + 5 | - | 15 |
Axel was now a powerhouse in three attributes—Strength, Vitality, and Agility—while maintaining strong analytical and sustainability capabilities.
He was a complete, well-rounded combatant.
"Time's up," Commander Lyr announced, appearing silently at the doorway. She seemed to be waiting for an answer to a question Axel hadn't realized she had posed.
"Clean and ready, Commander," Kael stated, grabbing his rifle.
Lyr's eyes scanned Axel, lingering for a fraction of a second on the intensity in his gaze, a product of his boosted WIS.
"The trial's purpose is simple: To determine your rank, your potential, and the speed of your learning curve. You are a System-Born; you will be held to a higher standard. Your opponent will be a non-lethal, high-speed kinetic projection unit. You will be penalized for taking too long or for excessive damage sustained."
She turned and began to walk, expecting them to follow.
"Remember, Marble. This Academy is a training facility, but it is also a meat grinder. Fail to adapt, and you'll be washed out and sent back to the surface. Your System can't save you if you can't learn to use it under pressure."
They followed her down a pristine white corridor that opened into a vast, circular training arena. The floor was a complex grid of light panels, and the air crackled with contained energy. Zaya and Kael moved to the observation deck.
Axel stepped onto the grid, feeling the smooth, cool synth-steel beneath his boots. He took a deep, steady breath. The scent of ozone and the quiet hum of power systems filled the air.
I'm not going back, he thought, his new AGI making his stance feel incredibly balanced, his boosted WIS steadying his racing heart.
On the far side of the arena, a metallic cylinder rose out of the floor. It unfolded with alarming speed, revealing a sleek, black humanoid machine, its joints whirring silently. It held no weapons, relying only on kinetic force and speed.
> [TRIAL INITIATED: ASSESSMENT]
> OPPONENT: Kinetic Projection Unit Alpha
> OBJECTIVE: Defeat the Unit.
> PENALTY THRESHOLD: 60 Seconds or 50% HP Lost.
>
Commander Lyr's voice echoed over the intercom. "Begin."
The Unit moved instantly. It was a blur, faster than anything Axel had faced before, a true test of his newly acquired AGI 20. It closed the distance in a single, silent leap.
Axel reacted on instinct.
The machine's punch was aimed at his head. Instead of blocking with his arm and absorbing the damage (VIT), he allowed his newfound Agility to take over. He didn't just step back; he slid to the side, the Unit's fist passing a hair's breadth from his ear.
It's fast, but predictable, his INT 13 whispered.
The Unit spun, attempting a low sweeping kick. Axel leaped high, effortlessly clearing the attack, and brought his own counter down—a brutal Kinetic Punch focused on the machine's back.
\text{Kinetic Damage} \propto (\text{STR} + \text{Bonus})^2
The strike hit with a metallic CRACK! The Unit stumbled, its internal systems sputtering. A flash of red light registered where the blow landed.
It recovered instantly, however, and launched a continuous, overwhelming barrage of rapid strikes. Axel was forced onto the defensive, dodging, weaving, and parrying with a speed that would have been impossible just twenty minutes ago.
He was a hurricane of motion, constantly repositioning, utilizing his AGI 20 to minimize contact and wear down the Unit.
I need to hit the core again. The power source, Axel realized.
He waited, letting the Unit overextend. When it committed to a high-powered overhead strike, Axel ducked under it, pivoted on his heel, and slammed a second, full-force Kinetic Punch directly into the Unit's now-exposed chest plate.
The metal groaned, warping inward. Sparks flew. The Unit staggered, then froze, collapsing onto the grid floor, its internal systems finally failing.
TRIAL TIME: 28 Seconds.
> [KINETIC PROJECTION UNIT ALPHA ELIMINATED!]
> [ASSESSMENT TRIAL SUCCESS: CRITICAL RANK ACHIEVED.]
> [REWARD ACQUIRED: 500 EXP.]
> [LEVEL UP! AXEL MARBLE HAS REACHED LEVEL 9!]
> [STAT POINTS ACQUIRED: 5]
>
Axel stood over the wreckage, breathing heavily but steadily, his EP already starting its slow, steady climb thanks to his WIS boost.
Commander Lyr's voice was devoid of emotion, yet carried a definite weight.
"Trial Complete. Axel Marble, Rank: System-Born (CRITICAL). Your training begins now."
Axel is now Level 9 with a controlled channel .