19 Trial Tower. First encounter with Aliens pt. 1

Everyone stared at the progress board. While it wouldn't show what was happening inside, it contained information on the time taken and current level. The first trial was private, but afterwards students could set a merit price for spectating their trial in a livestream.

The light symbolising 1st level of trial being in progress lit up. After 30 seconds the light turned off and a battered Yur Yan exited the tower.

After 15 second score calibrarion the ranking board showed his ranking as 4100.

The seniors were visibly unnerved by the score.

- This... I hope this isn't the level of this year's elite class or we might lose our place as number one school on the planet...

- Even if there are better students, this score is really low. For someone like that to be in Elite class this year shouldn't be that good.

- I wonder how the rest will go.

Seeing Yue Yan last only 30 seconds intimidated most of class 1-E. Teacher Zhao didn't seem to care, as he urged next student inside. While the order was random, the first few people to enter were all from bottom of class ranking and lasted between 30 seconds and a minute on the first level. Finally, it was Long Tian's turn. The crowd looked in astonishment as after 15 second the level one light turned off and level two light lit up.

The upperclassmen perked up seeing that.

- Oh? That guy's combat power seems pretty good. He was only on the fourth stage of Foundation Establishment yet he got to level two so quick.

- Hmph, that's barely a proof of being competent. The first three levels have human opponents on the same level with experience levels of respectively: practitioner, expert and vereran. Their combat power in same level might differ but it's still nothing special. Only people who get past level three are worth noting, as they get first taste of real combat.

As the upper year student finished talking, the level two light turned off and level three lit up. The conversations amongst students slowly died, as they started holding their breath, hoping someone will wash their shameful display so far. Soon the light switched again and level four lit up. After a minute the light turned off and a frustrated Long Tian came out. His ranking was 2800. Intrigued, teacher Zhao asked:

- Sudent Long, why do you look so frustrated?

- Ah, teacher Zhao this is so embarrassing to talk about. I could reach level 5, but I got duped by the projection.

- Don't worry, this is why those trials exist, they build up your experience, so that in actual combat you won't get tricked.

One of the students, intrigued by the previous comments asked:

- Seniors, you mentioned only people who climb above level 3 are worth mentioning, just what is on the other levels?

The one to answer wasn't a senior student but Teacher Zhao instead:

- This tower is also know as the Alien Repository.

Within it there are projections of all 10 alien races found within Milky Way Galaxy or it's neighbourhood. Of course, they are there only to give you basic idea how the races fight, for example whether they use mandibles, claws or weapons. On the first three levels you fight against a projection of human martial artists of different experience levels, to refine your combat skills. Afterwards you face Aliens. They are automatically scaled to the lowest level that race can achieve. If we were to go by official ranks they are either civillians or juveniles of those races and posess no combat abilities besides their bodily strength and innate abilities.

The reason for level division is that some races can fight across levels because of their innate strength and even untrained most of them are equivalent to veteran human experts. Anyways, miss Rou You, please go inside.

As the students once again exploded into whispers, everyone's focus was soon attracted to the level display. First... Second... Third... Fourth.. Fifth.... Sixth... Seventh. As the light finally stopped at seventh level the upperclassmen once again started discussing:

- Seventh level. It seems there indeed is potential among first years. This score is only one level below Senior Shen Xin.

- Indeed. It's the best score a first year can achieve, unless they are a heaven-defying genius. From eighth floor onwards all aliens have cultivation level of at least Core Formation. There's almost no chance to beat them with just Foundation Establishment cultivation.

- I wonder if there are any other geniuses this year...

- Unlikely, this girl seems to be amongst the best in this year's batch of students.

The Tower's door opened and Rou You exited, looking rather wore down. Meanwhile the ranking board dinged, before displaying her ranking:

Rou You, Rank 1400.

Long Yin looked at the ranking, silently calculating. It seems that with her cultivation base and combat skills top 200 might be a realistic goal. A lot of people were rank 1 Core Formation students from upper year regular class, so if she managed to get past 8th level she might directly tie in ranking with 4th years.

As time passed more and more people entered and the number of students left dwindled. Finally only two people were left. Those two were Fatty Hao and Long Yin.

- Chen Hao enter the tower!

- Hell Yeah! Watch me, the mighty Fatty show you who's the real boss! - shouted Chen Hao before diving inside. A wave of facepalms and groans followed.

The display quickly jumped to the seventh level... before instantly turning off as Fatty Hao burst outside screaming like a little girl:

- Yiiiiiii! Bugs! BUGS! Save meeeeee.

After noticing everyone looked at him with looks questioning his mental capabilities Chen Hao stopped running and screaming and immidiately followed up:

- I mean, uh, yes, look at this Fatty. I'm so mighty, reaching level seven, a true genius. Don't you dare look down on me!

Not wanting to let Chen Hao make himself look like even more of an idiot, Teacher Zhao quickly called:

- Long Yin, Enter!

As Long Yin stepped through the entrance she arrived at the arena, and a bright blue prompt window popped up before her:

"Would you like to start the trial? "

Yin took a moment to stabilize her breathing and steeled herself before pressing "Yes".