Chapter 15 : Freshman Training – 3

Naturally, this world’s VR was perfectly equipped with full-dive technology.

“Wow…”

Clenching and unclenching my hand, I marveled at the sensation in the virtual world.
Then, Karen tapped my shoulder and spoke.

“What’ve you been doing with your life to never try VR?”

“Haha, yeah…”

Even in Rat Town, overflowing with vagrants, my case seemed pretty rare.

Fair enough.
In this high-tech world, brain chip implantation surgeries were cheaper than a loaf of bread.

Actually, you don’t even need to visit a VR arcade.
With a memory card, you can connect to the virtual world anywhere via brain chip.

This place was more like a VR memory card rental shop.

The empty, pure-white space felt unsettlingly foreign.
Like a vivid, lucid dream world I was fully aware of.

“Let’s get serious.”

Instantly, the white space transformed.
This must be the VR map Hilda was asked to set up.

“A gym?”

I blinked at the unexpectedly realistic setting.
I’d hoped for a far more fantastical world.

“From now on, you’ll train to become a proper Ace.
As a Stoner, you need to master your Stone-enhanced body.
But in reality, using a Stone for that is less training and more suicide, right?”

Her logical explanation let me guess why she brought me here.

“So, we’re training with an enhanced body in the virtual world.”

“Perfect.
But regular VR maps can’t do that.”

“Huh?
Why not?”

“Normally, that level of physical enhancement is blocked by the system.
Something about risking brain overload.”

I tilted my head at the rising confusion.
Then why bother coming to a VR arcade to connect?

“That’s why we modded this map.
We unlocked the physical enhancement limit for Stoner training.
Theoretically, you can get infinitely stronger here.
Pretty cool, huh?”

“So… you illegally hacked it?”

“What?
Guilty conscience?”

After all the worse stuff you’ve done?
Her implied question shut me up.

“Anyway, enough chit-chat.
Let’s start.
Open the settings menu.”

Since VR was linked to brainwaves, I didn’t need to do anything—just think, and a translucent interface popped up in my vision.

The sleek settings menu let me fine-tune which physical abilities to boost and by how much.

“Do you know how much your Stone enhances you compared to your normal state?”

“Uh, no?
No clue.”

“That’s normal at first.
With experience, you’ll get a feel for it, and eventually, you’ll control exactly how much to enhance.
Especially with your ring’s connector quality—you can tweak it to insane precision.”

Her words sparked guilt again.
I still couldn’t believe it—a connector, not even the Stone, worth 100 million.

“Why’d you entrust something that valuable to Marco?
And why’d Marco pass the errand to me…?”

If it were me, I’d be too nervous to delegate.
What if a cocky 16-year-old kid messed with my Stone?

Karen tilted her head as if my question was weird.

“Obviously.
What reckless idiot would dare touch a Stone?
Most freak out and avoid it entirely.”

“Oh.”

“You seem to think of Stones as precious gems.
Wake up.
They’re not jewels—they’re carcinogens.
The worst Grade 0 carcinogens that kill people in the most gruesome way.”

“…”

“Plus, if anyone touches my stuff, they’re toast.
No one wants to pss off* a Stoner.”

“But I didn’t get toasted.”

She grinned and said,

“That starts now.”

Even in VR, Karen had a cigarette in her mouth.
Claiming it’s to counter Stone side effects felt like an excuse—she looked addicted.

I won’t end up like that, right?
I absolutely refuse.

“Let’s start light—2x enhancement.”

“Okay.”

Setting my physical abilities to 2x, my body felt noticeably lighter.
But it still felt heavier than when using my Stone.

“Honestly, this level could easily overpower most normals.
Master the basics, and you could go pro as a fighter.”

It’s not just strength and speed doubled.
All physical abilities—dynamic vision, endurance, etc.—boosted, so combat power surged several times over.

“Come at me.”

“Alright, here I go!”

No hesitation.
With everything on the line, I charged full-force.

Taking a stance, I sprang forward.
Karen easily dodged my left-hand jab.
Undeterred, I lunged with a shoulder tackle.

“Not bad.
For now, lean into brawling over technique.”

But she was way too calm.
Grabbing my waist, she spun me around, lifted me, and slammed me down—the gap was massive.

“Urgh…!!”

“Don’t whine.
Pain’s capped here, so no matter how bad it hurts, you won’t die.”

So it can hurt like death?!

I tried attacking several more times, but the results barely changed.
Realizing rushing in gave me no chance, I raised my guard and went defensive—only to get hit harder.

“That’s the dumbest move.
To use your strengths, always go aggressive.
Even with Stone enhancement, you’re still human—wounds weaken you.
Instead of blocking, dodge everything.”

Dodge everything?
Easy to say, but how?

“Now, 3x.”

“Ugh…!”

“Get used to it.
Stone use is even more intense.”

After boosting to 3x, I realized the VR training’s flaw.

This gym, no matter how realistic, is just a virtual world in my brain.
No matter how strong I get here, my brain stays the same.

Physical enhancement doesn’t include the brain.
It doesn’t raise IQ or sharpen mental clarity.
Nor does it bolster the mental fortitude to handle skyrocketing physical abilities.

So, past 3x, it felt less like getting stronger and more like being penalized.

My speed was insane, but my judgment couldn’t keep up.
My strength was immense, but lack of control amplified recoil.

“How’s it feel?”

“Like I’m gonna puke…”

“3x is inhuman territory.
Think of cyberware-plated cyborgs or combat androids at this level.”

Karen dropped her cigarette, crushing it under her foot, and said,

“And us Stoners?
Our average is 3.5x—a step above.”

“More than this?
When I used my Stone, it wasn’t this hard…”

“That’s cause this is just a fake mimicking a Stone.
Real Stone enhancement is leagues beyond this child’s play.”

She let out a dry laugh.

“Now you get why we’re doomed to die?
In VR, past 3.5x, your brain overloads and burns out.
But a Stone grants that power in reality.”

Using my Stone didn’t feel like this.
It was electrifying, my body flooded with ecstatic pleasure, like I was a god.

The reason’s simple.
Unlike VR, Power Stones affect the brain too.
They grant a divine mind to handle an enhanced body.

Of course, it’s no free miracle.
The more you use a Stone, the more your body—including your brain—gets tainted by Stone energy.

Like a drug addict’s body craving drugs, once you touch a Stone, your body craves it while dying from its side effects.

Begging you to use the Stone again.
To feel that perfect, limitless state once more.

What a vile thing.
It feels like a trap designed to cruelly destroy a person.

‘But…’

I’m different.
That conviction swirled in my mind.

Childish arrogance?
Maybe.
But my strong gut feeling wouldn’t fade.

Everything—falling into this world, becoming Ruby’s sister, using a Stone—felt like fate.

“Let’s try 3.5x.”

“…No.
Too dangerous for a beginner.
Your mind won’t handle it.”

“I’m fine.
I can do it.”

Meeting my gaze, she saw my unyielding resolve, sighed, and shook her head.

“Stubborn damn rookie…”

Realizing it was permission, I smiled.

I need to get stronger faster.
For Ruby’s sake.