Chapter 3: Training day
*Beeep* *beeep* *beeep*
An ECHO alarms, its annoying sound echoing through the room.
Turning off the device, Maxwell gets up from his bed with a yawn.
Looking around the room, Maxwell's face wrinkles and he falls into bed again. His eyes roam the ceiling, trying to remember where he was.
"Damn, that's weird as hell!" Maxwell buries his face in the mattress and shouts.
Maxwell lay there for a while longer before sighing. Things weren't going to go back to normal, he only realized that when he was no longer in his old world.
"The desire to have, and the boredom of possessing." Sitting on the bed, Maxwell patted his face. "Let's start the day, anyone who works in a bed is a prostitute. "
"System, is there any difference in gaining points in physical attributes if I do calisthenics or hypertrophy?" Maxwell asks as he rubs his face to get rid of some of the sleep in his eyes, still feeling the remnants of a groggy awakening.
[Yes, there is a difference. Calisthenics will have the highest point gain in STR and DEX, with a considerable gain in END. Hypertrophy has a significant gain, albeit smaller, in the same stats. The focus, however, is on muscle gain, which results in the greatest strength gain per point in STR.]
"Let me see if I understand. When I reach my human peak my strength would be 175kg. If I remember well, a human could lift half a tonne on Earth. So if I do Hypertrophy, instead of gaining 3.5 strength by each point, I'll gain 4?"
[I apologize for the lack of further explanation. But you got it right, some pilots for example can lift a tonne with the help of stim specialized in muscle development. But I recommend against the use of such items as they remove some points from your END and slow down the rate of gain.]
"I understand, I'll follow your advice. Is there anything else I should know?"
[Don't let your STR be greater than your END, they can be equal, but never let STR be greater. If your strength is greater than your endurance, you could end up destroying your body. For example, if your stats are 50 STR and 20 END, you might be able to break through a wall, but you'll have lost your arm in the process.]
[Be aware that your body is not the famous "Gamer Body", the system has unleashed its body's potential, being able to reach human limits and even surpass them to a certain extent. If you stop training, eat too many foods that denigrate your health, or use toxic substances, you could lose stats points. Keep up a daily exercise routine and pay attention to your diet, and I don't need to mention staying away from drugs and cigarettes.]
[Your running speed or agility depends on STR, END, and DEX. Your strength decides how far you can travel with each step, obviously determining your top speed. Your stamina decides how far you can go before you get tired. Your dexterity decides your balance, and control over how fast you want to go. For statistics nerds, 1 point in STR and DEX combined equals 1 AGI point, which is worth around 0.77m/s for each point.]
"Now this is important information, I didn't realize there was a hidden AGI statistic. Thank you for your patience," with a clear goal, Maxwell takes a shower to wake up fully and eats a meal. and sets off for the day's training. "I'll do calisthenics for now, then I'll focus on gaining more muscle."
He trained for a few hours doing the calisthenic movements he remembered. With the help of Nanites, his muscles returned to full strength within a few minutes of rest, allowing him to optimize and gain strength quickly.
After doing a few push-ups and squats, Maxwell transitions into the frog stand position. His legs rise off the ground as he bends over and engages his core. Just as he prepares to transition into a handstand, he momentarily loses his balance. However, with composure, he quickly adjusts his body, preventing any potential injury in the process.
Maxwell doesn't get discouraged and completes his routine with an L-sit, pushing his abdomen to its limit until he can no longer maintain the position. Finally, he collapses to the ground, his chest heaving rapidly as sweat pools beneath him, staining the ground beneath with his exertion.
A tingling sensation began to appear in Maxwell's worn-out muscles, as the Nanites began to repair every fiber of his limbs.
As the process would take some time, Maxwell decided to accompany its growth.
_____
Name: Maxwell Williams
Regeneration: 0
[STR: 3>6] [END: 5>6] [DEX: 5>7] [INT: 9]
Skills: [Trigger Discipline lv.2]
___
Functions: [Hangar] [Quest Board]
Credits: $11
_____
"I only won one point in END? Come on, that's too little!" Maxwell couldn't believe that after several hours all he had gained was a measly point in endurance. The system's warning to him not to let STR exceed END weighed heavily on his mind.
"System, isn't there an easier way to increase END?"
[Certainly, cardio is a great alternative for a quick increase in END and a small increase in STR and DEX.]
"Hmm, let's try it out." Maxwell gets up when the Nanites have finished fixing him.
Leaving the apartment he decides to go for a short run to see how far 6 of END could take him.
After thirty seconds of running, Maxwell stopped, his body bent over while his hands were on his knees.
[END: 6>7]
"I… *huff* forgot to… *huff* warm up." Maxwell's sweaty face wrinkles as he feels his ribs ache. "I *huff* need a break."
Maxwell drags his body onto a bench and the tingling begins to grow again in his body. After a few minutes, the Nanites finished their work and Maxwell was ready for another round.
He doesn't make the same mistake and starts slowly, his walk lasting only a few minutes before the feeling of tiredness sets in. And as if he knew it, his Nanites start to work, allowing Maxwell to continue.
[END: 7>8]
Realizing he wasn't getting tired after several minutes of walking, Maxwell increased his speed. Although he had the feeling that he was getting tired, the Nanites' recovery seemed to outstrip the rate at which he got tired.
[END: 8>10]
Keeping up his running pace, Maxwell realized that his endurance seemed infinite.
"Have I *huff* just *huff* found a glitch?" Maxwell said incredulously, he had run so far that he had reached the other side of town.
*Rumble*
"I think that's a no." Maxwell felt his stomach ache, after running so much he was getting hungry, and his mouth was dry, begging for a drink of water.
Fortunately, he had spotted a snack bar across the street.
His tired countenance disappears when his nose is attacked by the smell of food in the air. Maxwell hurries into the establishment and finds a place to sit.
Raising his hand anxiously, Maxwell caught the waitress's eye. feeling relaxed only when his order was on its way.
Relaxing in his seat, Maxwell finally realized that a few people were sitting behind him, his ears perking up as he listened to the subject of the conversation.
"Bryan, my friend, how are things going in the army?"
"it could be better, but I have nothing to complain about."
"Yes, I can see, you're quite pale."
"It's the Commandant Steele's fault, she initiated a military enlistment campaign, and it's been hectic ever since."
"Which planet this time? I heard some rumors saying it would be on Eden-5."
"I wish it was Eden-5, but that woman decided to go to Pandora."
"Really? You're so fucke-"
"Here's your request." The waitress interrupted, startling Maxwell, who was quite focused on the conversation.
"Thanks, Ma'am."
Maxwell ate silently, his head spinning with the implications of the small talk. He hadn't paid much attention to the news, but now he at least knew that he was probably at the beginning of Borderlands 1.
'Fortunately, I'm at the beginning, the early Borderlands franchise doesn't have many notable villains. No Jack or the twins.' Just remembering the twins put him in a sour mood. He was going to do the universe a favor when he got strong because he recognized that although the twins were a pair of idiots, they were still Sirens and could kill him with just a touch.
Handsome Jack was avoidable, he didn't need more enemies. As someone who knew a bit about the lore of Borderlands, the real enemies were those who acted in the shadows.
He was curious, do the guardians The Watcher and The Seer know of his presence?
'System, can I be influenced by Seer? I vaguely remember that he could manipulate the people of the universe, except the Sirens.'
[It depends, the more INT points you have, the harder it is for you not to notice your change in attitude, making it impossible to manipulate you. However, the system advises you to have a Siren on your side. When you perform Regeneration, your stats reset to 10, which makes you vulnerable.]
'Continence plans are always welcome. But I think I'm safe until I do something big that puts me in the spotlight.'
Finishing his meal, Maxwell opens his wallet to pay his bill. There was only one note left, and not ironically he had seen a mosquito come out of his wallet.
It would be a good start to solving the financial problem.
It looks like Marcus will have a few more reasons to want him dead.
A few weeks later…
Maxwell's life fell into a quiet routine, sometimes he even forgot he was in the world of Borderlands. The franchise was related to everything but tranquillity.
He could attribute this to being on a planet ruled by a corporation with a firm hand. Atlas was no different from other corporations, but fortunately, it was concerned with maintaining order and peace on its planet.
_____
Name: Maxwell Williams
Regeneration: 0
[STR: 13] [END: 22] [DEX: 15] [INT: 11]
Skills: [Trigger Discipline lv.5]
___
Functions: [Hangar] [Quest Board]
Credits: $11
_____
His efforts in these weeks have been just as great as in the early days. But as his stats increased, the pace of progression slowed. It was nothing new for someone used to games, the difficulty of reaching the next level was something very common in the Borderlands franchise.
Maxwell was currently getting ready to leave, then grabbed his P2016 and left the apartment. He made his way to the shooting club. The people there had taught him many useful things that went beyond shooting. Like the tips from his teachers, telling him to polish and lubricate his gun, would prevent the gun from being damaged and lessen the chance of it jamming.
Speaking of jamming, Maxwell realized how annoying it was and how the games he played never emphasized something so crucial. If a gun goes off in the middle of a gunfight, getting hurt would be the least of the problems.
The local gunsmith, however, praised how good his P2016 was, the gun rarely jammed.
The man had asked where he had gotten such a good piece. Corporations usually sold weapons for profit, so the weapons were of poor quality on purpose. Titanfall's weapons, on the other hand, were made in the middle of a war scenario, so quality was of the utmost importance.
Maxwell said it was an inheritance his father had left him, making the man stop trying to buy his gun. But it made him realize that maybe he could do something bigger with his system. However, there was the problem of getting his idea off the ground.
The gears in Maxwell's head start turning at full throttle.
Maxwell was thinking profusely about this, it was an opportunity. It had been a while since he thought of creating his own company and army, and with his system, it wouldn't be impossible to become the IMC in Borderlands. But, starting a company from scratch would take a long time, the smartest option would be to buy one that already exists…
'Isn't it Atlas that will see its value fall when General Knoxx dies? There's also S&S Munitions, which ends up falling into the hands of the bandits in Pandora.'
"Nah, I'm still going to need a lot of money to buy a corporation."
Maxwell was almost to the gun club when he stopped in the middle of the road as if lightning had struck him.
"Wait, maybe it's not impossible," Maxwell mutters to himself as if he had just discovered an alternative. "I can't believe I'm going to do this."
"How much does a ticket to Pandora cost?" Maxwell had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, his eyes then returning to the large Atlas enlistment logos.
"I remember that Steele's departure for Pandora was announced, her division will probably need more capable people and I need a ride."
Chapter 4: Welcome to Pandora
At an outdoor training camp, a group of soldiers were lined up in order. Among them, one man stood out not only for his physical build but also for his expression.
Maxwell had managed to enlist in the Atlas army, it wasn't difficult for him, or maybe the people in charge of the tests made it easier. Not that Maxwell minded, he just wanted a free ticket to Pandora.
He laughed internally, who would be daft enough to go to Pandora willingly? But he was confident that he could get a lot of money on Pandora, no wonder the planet was always full of mercenaries hungry for an easy buck.
Maxwell can't continue his train of thought when all the soldiers move into an attention position, and of course, he does the same when he sees an officer coming.
"Congratulations on making it into the 3rd Starborne Brigade's D Company. But don't get excited, our incursion into Pandora will require you to be in impeccable physical and mental condition, you will spend the next 10 weeks in rigorous training at one of our bases in Pandora."
"All set? Then line up and follow me." A woman appeared on the scene and called out to everyone, she was holding a digital clipboard, probably the one responsible for organizing the troops.
They were taken to the ship's hangar where they stopped before a rather large ship. Sitting in his seat on the ship, Maxwell tensed as he heard the roar of the ship's engines. He watched as the horizon slowly receded, the ground becoming more and more distant.
"Countdown to hyperspace entry in three, two, one." The ship's pilot's voice warns.
Fortunately for everyone, Pandora and Promethea weren't that far apart, and after a few seconds, the ship came out of hyperspace.
Maxwell looked out of the ship's window as they approached Pandora. The planet was dry, with few bodies of water, which was obvious from this distance.
The ship began to heat up, causing sweat to drip from Maxwell's forehead; he was a little queasy. The experience of traveling through space was incredible, although it was quite nervous. He knew he had to get used to the sensation, as he would be traveling between planets in the future.
Everyone on the ship then stands up as they feel the ship land on the ground. The ship's rear door opens, letting in a cold gale.
As he leaves the ship, Maxwell covers his face because of the bright light. Narrowing his eyes, Maxwell sees what looks like radio towers, with the buildings covered in snow. A light bulb seems to switch on above his head when he remembers a place he visited in the first game.
"Crimson Enclave uh, not bad" Maxwell mutters a little breathless because the air is so thin, as Crimson Enclave was located on top of a mountain in the Salt Flats territory. The place would have been safe until the Vault was opened, he would have deserted Atlas before the events took place. For the time being, he would be enjoying his stay.
Once they were organized, they were taken to their quarters in Crimson Fastness. The place was inside the mountain, it looked like a labyrinth, so it wasn't difficult to get lost. Entering the dormitory Maxwell was not surprised to see several beds lined up, although he had never been in the army he knew a few things. Single rooms were only for important, high-status individuals.
Maxwell was then taken to the refectory, where the food was decent. He was expecting something more disgusting given his location on Pandora; the game always gave the impression that cookery was nonexistent on the planet.
At the end of the day, they are put to bed early. Tomorrow they will be starting their 10-week training program.
The next day...
A loud alarm woke Maxwell, his eyes were groggy, and he wasn't used to waking up so early.
Getting up, he prepares himself and goes to the designated place. They were taken to Crimson Enclave to practice physical exercises, which was the main focus of the first week, preparing them for the following weeks.
The week went relatively smoothly for Maxwell, he gained a few points from the exercises, although not a lot. Unfortunately, things wouldn't be so smooth in the following weeks.
"Good morning recruits, this week we'll be starting your CQC training. We'll start with something more lethal..."
To create suspicion, the instructor pulls a knife out of nowhere. The man keeps a low posture while holding the knife with a reverse grip.
"I'll be teaching you how to handle a weapon that has accompanied humans for millennia. And this is the first lesson I'm teaching you; the knife was made to be felt, not seen."
Maxwell's eyes widen; he could have sworn the man was unarmed.
"Try to find a place on your body that is easily accessible and hidden. Having the element of surprise on your side is always advisable, most people always think that only guns are a danger to them," The man struck a few blows with the knife, his movements quick and decisive. "I was one of those people until I got into a street fight with a guy. As the fight went on and the adrenaline flowed through my blood, everything was fine, until I knocked the guy out and realized there was a knife stuck in my stomach."
"After that day I always carried a knife with me, and this is where the second lesson lies," The man then lifted his shirt, showing several scars on his body, some of which were dangerously close to his heart. "Nobody 'wins' a knife fight; the loser bleeds lying in the street, the winner bleeds lying on a hospital bed."
"Unless you have a shield to protect you, you'll always end up getting cut, whether you're a complete beginner or a veteran."
"Sir, so in which scenario should I get into a knife fight?" One of the recruits asks, not understanding the instructor's point.
"Great question. That's the neat part, you don't. That's where guns are used, just don't let your enemy with a knife get close, I tell you, veterans can stab you more than a dozen times before you've squeezed the trigger."
Maxwell swallows the lump stuck in his throat, he didn't know knives were that scary.
"Now that I've given my thoughts, let's start with the basics," The instructor speaks with a smile as if he hadn't frightened all the recruits, he takes them to a table full of knives there were also some small stones near each knife. "First, you need to know how to sharpen your knife; An unsharpened knife is useless and can get you killed when you need it."
Approaching the table Maxwell picks up a knife along with a whetstone, they were all the same so it made no difference. When everyone was equipped, the instructor began to show them how to sharpen the blade correctly.
After a few minutes, everyone finishes sharpening their weapons, and the instructor focuses on helping some of the recruits who haven't done it properly, helping until the edge of the blade is decent by his standards.
Maxwell didn't need any help, he'd done it first. It would be a shame for him, with his high DEX and INT stats and the help of an instructor, not to be able to sharpen a blade. The man himself nods at the sight of Maxwell's blade, a fine piece of work for a beginner.
"Well, I think it's time we tested the blades." The man whistles, causing two soldiers to appear holding a psycho on the spot. The lunatic himself was wriggling to free himself from the clutches of his captors.
The recruits retreat in fright, not expecting the sudden arrival of a savage, most of whom had never seen a psycho until now. On the other hand, Maxwell was calm, just a psycho, the cannon fodder accompanying the skags.
To be honest, he was even a little curious about the psycho, it was interesting to see an enemy from the game in real life. The psycho seemed much more intimidated in real life, as well as smelling very bad.
"Come on, don't be shy, let's see if your knife at least breaks the skin hehehe."A sinister smile grows on the instructor, he looks at everyone, wondering who would dare to be the first.
Murmurs grew among the recruits and they pushed a young man forward. He was visibly shaking, he wanted to turn round and refuse, but when his eyes locked with the instructor's he knew there was no way back.
Reluctantly he approaches, his two hands gripping the knife so tightly that his knuckles turn white. With one thrust he lunges at the psycho, who is writhing, trying to avoid his fate.
*Puk*
"ARHHHHG!"
The psycho shakes and screams like an animal being slaughtered, his movements further aggravating the puncture in his chest and causing him even more pain. The two soldiers seemed to be having trouble holding the psycho, but this didn't last long as the movements slowed to a complete stop.
The young recruit steps back, his hands shaking, soaked in blood. He couldn't stand it any longer and vomited the contents of his stomach.
"Did he just kill the psycho? I said just to test the knife, did I not make myself clear?" Although his words were harsh, the instructor shook his head, not really caring, there were too many prisoners anyway. "Take that baby to the infirmary and bring in another prisoner."
Some soldiers appear and carelessly grab the young man by the legs and arms. The recruits watch the scene in silence.
"Next, you"
The instructor then points at Maxwell. He had seen that the man was not shaken by the appearance of the psycho earlier.
Maxwell can only curse softly, he doesn't take long and approaches. Maxwell uses the knife to make a few superficial cuts. The blade cuts through the psycho's skin easily, finding no obstruction.
The instructor nods—an acceptable result.
"Now, stab him"
Maxwell freezes for a moment. Gritting his teeth he grips the knife in a reverse grip and without hesitation lowers the knife into the psycho's arm.
"*GURK!*" A grunt came out of the psycho's mouth, this one tougher than the other.
The flesh being torn all the way to the base of the knife, the muscle contractions, the sticky feeling of the blood. He could feel it all, it was as if the knife had become a part of his body and he could feel everything that happened to it. Maxwell feels a little queasy at the sensation but resists the urge to vomit.
Slowly withdrawing the knife, a torrent of blood began to leak out, making the scene more and more disgusting for Maxwell. His face turned pale, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
"Good job, soldier. Return to your position, you can keep the knife and sharpening stone for further training." The instructor patted Maxwell on the shoulder before calling the next person. "Now, next."
Maxwell nods and returns to his seat without saying anything. He stayed there until the last recruit had been tested, some fainted and others passed, albeit with traumatized psyches.
The psycho was still the one Maxwell had attacked, he had several cuts and punctures, and some bones could be seen. The psycho sighed with relief when he realized that it was over and that he was still alive, unfortunately, Atlas doesn't pay medical bills for bandits.
The instructor pulls out his knife and with one swift movement sticks the knife into the psycho's ear hole and removes the blade without a speck of blood. The psycho's body spasms before falling to the ground dead, blood and brain matter coming out of his ear.
"That's all for today, you're dismissed."
A/N: I've just got back from my trip, here's a chapter :D
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
164 Power
stone You may also Like
Paragraph comment