Chapter 6: 1 Point in Physical!
After Sumir left, the sound of the explosive push still echoed through the training room. A crowd of support workers and wealthy heirs gathered around the strength testing machine, staring in awe at the golden text on the screen.
"Wait, what? 1 point in Strength?"
"Corning, you're insane!"
"Man, you were really holding back during the sparring earlier, weren't you? If you'd gone all out, we'd all be knocked out cold with one punch!"
"Corning, you're invincible now!"
"Reaching 1 point in Physical before 21? That's rare talent, even in New Los Angeles!"
The crowd erupted into a chorus of admiration. Even the wealthy heirs, who usually looked down on others, couldn't hide the flicker of respect in their eyes.
No matter Corning's past or status, at just over 20 years old and already achieving 1 point in Strength, it was almost guaranteed he'd eventually reach 1 point in Physical. That meant a high chance of becoming a full-fledged player.
Who would dare not take him seriously now?
But the more Corning listened to their praise, the more bitter his expression became.
Damn it, if only it were me!
It wasn't him. Worse, it was Sumir, someone he openly disliked!
And to make it even worse...
No one had mentioned it outright, but Corning suddenly remembered—Sumir wasn't even 18 yet.
Just how terrifying was Sumir's potential?!
…
Meanwhile, Sumir stood in the agility testing room, preparing himself.
He glanced ahead, where numerous black gun barrels pointed directly at him.
The agility test was simple:
The participant stood in the center of the room, surrounded by automated guns that continuously fired rubber bullets from all directions.
The bullets weren't especially fast, but the frequency of shots was incredibly high.
If the participant managed to avoid getting hit for 30 seconds, they would achieve 1 point in Agility.
Sumir stood still, awaiting the machine's activation, mentally preparing himself for the challenge.
What he didn't notice was a shadowy figure creeping just outside the testing room.
It was Corning!
A while ago, Corning had laughed off questions, pretending not to know who had achieved the 1-ton push on the strength test machine.
"I don't know." he had said with a nonchalant shrug. "It wasn't me, but whoever it was… damn impressive, right?"
A few people had noticed Sumir lingering near the machine earlier and connected the dots.
"Hah, Sumir must have seen that crazy 1-ton record and just stood there in shock!"
That explanation made perfect sense to them.
Of course, Corning hadn't bothered to correct their assumptions. Instead, he had quietly followed Sumir, his mind racing with new schemes.
Could it really be that kid who's reached a ton of strength?
Unable to find the mysterious powerhouse, the club members dispersed, though Corning, ever the opportunist, discreetly followed Sumir.
He watched as Sumir entered the agility testing room.
A cold sneer formed at the corner of Corning's lips.
"I heard this kid got a bunch of Physical Enhancement Diluents after being picked up by Medis?"
"Could this stuff really be so effective it caused his strength to skyrocket?"
"But those diluents mostly boost strength. He can't seriously think his agility would skyrocket too, can he?"
Corning's thoughts solidified.
If the enhancement diluent could significantly boost all three physical attributes, it wouldn't be sold for the relatively low price of 5,000 dollars.
This drug primarily enhanced strength, with minor improvements to overall physical stats—but it had no effect on agility.
"Well, then. This'll be fun to watch."
Corning smirked in anticipation. The agility testing room's rubber bullets weren't too dangerous, but they hurt when they hit, leaving nasty welts. Worse, the bullets were filled with dye, splattering vividly on contact to show just how many hits the participant had taken.
Anyone lacking sufficient agility was bound to leave the room in a humiliating state—bruised, sore, and covered head to toe in colorful stains.
The machine activated.
A storm of rubber bullets rained down like an unrelenting deluge.
Daka-daka-daka-daka!
Inside the room, Sumir moved—bursting with speed that even caught himself by surprise.
Though Sumir wasn't yet fully accustomed to his enhanced body, dodging bullets didn't require finesse.
It was all about raw speed.
And he had it in spades.
Sumir ducked and weaved like a butterfly in a gale. His awkward movements might have looked chaotic, but his agility ensured he avoided every single shot.
The bullets thudded harmlessly against the walls, paint exploding in bright splatters, while not a single one touched Sumir.
…
Five seconds passed.
"This... isn't right."
Corning's smug confidence began to waver.
Ten seconds passed.
"What the hell is that speed?"
Twenty seconds passed.
Corning stared, numb with disbelief, but held on to a shred of hope.
"His movements are all over the place! He must be running out of steam!"
He tried to convince himself.
What Corning didn't realize, however, was that Sumir's flailing movements weren't from exhaustion—it was just inexperience. He had the stats but lacked the techniques, resulting in clumsy but ultimately effective dodging.
Despite the chaos of his motions, Sumir was perfectly in control.
…
The rubber bullets continued to fly, but Sumir danced through them with ease, narrowly avoiding every single one.
Corning's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the scene.
One second.
Two seconds.
Suddenly, a loud beep echoed through the room.
Sumir's movements stopped.
Corning's face lit up with a flicker of hope.
"Did his stamina finally give out?"
But then, the machine's automated voice rang out:
"Test complete. Total bullet hits: zero. Your current agility attribute has reached 1 point."
As the mechanical voice echoed through the room, Corning suddenly realized…
It wasn't that Sumir had failed the test.
It was over.
He had actually achieved 1 point in agility!
Wait—if Sumir's strength and agility had both reached 1 point, then his constitution couldn't possibly lag behind.
The three base stats were deeply interconnected.
A person with low constitution could never exert such immense strength or speed!
Which meant…
Even if Sumir's constitution hadn't quite hit 1 point, it had to be at least 0.8 or higher!
Which means… all this time, I've been antagonizing someone who might become a player at the peak age of 18—an absolute prodigy?!
"Ugh…"
Corning felt his chest tighten and his vision dim. His knees buckled, and he nearly fainted on the spot.
…
After a while, Sumir calmly walked out of the agility testing room, only to spot Corning sprawled on the ground nearby.
"What's he doing?"
"Lying down here to sleep? Seriously?"
He paid no further attention and left.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Sumir had no idea that someone had been planning to "teach him a lesson."
…
The next test was for constitution.
Sumir arrived at the designated area, excitement flashing in his eyes.
After completing the first two tests, he realized something incredible—unlike typical physical enhancement drugs that focused on improving either strength, constitution, or agility, the physical crystal offered all-around enhancement.
His strength and agility hadn't just reached 1 point; they had even slightly exceeded it.
At the strength testing machine, he could still push the valve further, though the machine maxed out at 1 ton.
During the agility test, Sumir felt like he could have dodged even faster projectiles, but the club's equipment simply couldn't accelerate the bullets any further.
So, when it came to constitution?
There was no doubt in his mind—it would likely slightly exceed 1 point as well.
…
Sumir entered a wide, open space with several massive hammers suspended in midair.
The constitution test was straightforward and brutal: see how many blows you could withstand from the hammers.
Since constitution provided exponentially higher defense as it increased, the difficulty scaled rapidly:
8 constitution: endure 4 hammer strikes.9 constitution: endure 9 hammer strikes.0 constitution: endure 17 hammer strikes!
Without hesitation, Sumir stepped into the center of the field and pressed the start button.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The hammers descended, slamming into him with terrifying force.
Sumir felt his body absorbing the impact like tough leather. It looked brutal, but in truth, he was completely fine.
In his mind, he counted silently:
One hit, two hits…
Finally, after enduring 17 consecutive hammer strikes, the machine came to a halt, accompanied by a loud mechanical hum.
Sumir dropped to one knee, panting heavily, his chest heaving as waves of exhaustion and pain swept over him. His muscles were red and swollen, his body aching from the relentless blows, yet he was certain—he could have taken a few more hits if necessary.
"My constitution broke through to 1 as well!"
His voice carried a mix of pain and exhilaration.
Who would have thought that just a day ago, Sumir hadn't even reached 0.5 physical?
And now, thanks to the synthesized result of just 8 bottles of Physical Enhancement Diluent, he had skyrocketed to the level of a reserve player!
1 point of physical!
I'm flying high now!
He had reached the threshold to touch the world of players.
It was probably for the best that Corning was still in a daze over at the agility testing room. If Corning had seen this, his mental state might've completely collapsed!
"Once you hit 1 physical, it's all smooth sailing from here." Sumir thought to himself.
Originally, he'd planned to use the connections of the wealthy club members—or even Medis—to buy more Physical Enhancement Diluent.
But now? There's no need.
Just a day ago, he had been an ordinary person, barely noticeable. But today, Sumir was a reserve player.
At just 18 years old, having reached 1 physical, his chances of passing the Player Trial were sky-high!
Even if he failed this time, countless guilds and even official factions would line up to sponsor him next year, offering resources and opportunities.
And as for that student loan debt? Completely irrelevant now.
With 1 physical, he'd be in high demand even as a simple support worker. Earning enough to pay off his debts would just be a matter of time!