Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Decision Time
Reflecting on the morning's conversation with my parents, I felt the weight of their expectations pressing on me. Mr. Harrington's presentation had thrust my desire to become a player into the spotlight, making it clear that serious decisions about my future were looming.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the presentation and the start of our next class. I gathered my things and prepared to head to math, but my mind was still tangled with thoughts about the tower and the Hunter University. My recent experience with the enhancement pod had left me feeling both empowered and frustrated by the limitations of the system.
As I walked to class, I overheard snippets of conversations from my peers. Some were already discussing strategies for the entrance exams, while others were contemplating their chances of getting into the Hunter University. A few seemed intent on making their mark on the tower independently, without the support of a university.
"Did you hear what he said about the entrance exams?" asked kyle, one of my close friends. "It sounds like getting into a Hunter University is no joke. It's going to be incredibly competitive."
"I know," I replied. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. Should I give the university a try or not?"
"Definitely, dude. If you want to convince your parents, you need the university more than anyone else."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Joe, tomorrow is your birthday. Are you excited for the tattoo?" I asked, trying to shift the mood.
"i just hope i get it"
"dont worry you will get it and we will enter the university together."
"the final exams is in one month are you all prepried for it"
"I just hope I get it," Joe replied unsertanity.
"Don't worry, you'll get it," kyle said, offering a comforting smile. "And we'll enter the university together."
"Sigh, To give the university a try, you'll at least need to pass the finals."
"Fuck," kyle muttered.
"Hey, Alex," kyle said, trying to sound encouraging. "You're doing pretty well on class tests lately. Please, tell me, I don't want to fail, dude."
"No, there are no tricks," I said, shaking my head.
"Come on, dude, tell us! Please!" Kyle pleaded, desperation creeping into his voices.
After being pestered for what felt like an eternity...
"Okay, okay, there is a trick"
"How long have you been doing your regular training for entering the tower?" I asked
"One and a half months," kyle and joe said.
"Can't you see these muscles?" Kyle flexed his biceps with a show-off grin.
"It looks the same to me," I said, trying to keep a straight face but failing.
"Leave it," I said, "It's time to enter the tower. Book the training facility with the starter fund you receive from the tower. There, you can learn many basic skills. The best ones to get are basic hand-to-hand combat, evasion tactics, and basic battle focus. These will help you climb the first floor of the tower safely."
"And the battle focus skill is special," I continued. "It doesn't just help you during battles; it also improves your concentration. Using it, your learning speed will double or triple."
"Really, dude? That would be awesome," Kyle said, his eyes wide with amazement.
"Wait a minute," Joe interrupted, still processing. "I understand the skills you learned from the training facility, but you're talking about it like you've already completed the first floor of the tower."
"Yeah, I have completed the first floor"
"What?!" they shouted in disbelief, their voices rising as they drew everyone's attention.
"And when were you going to tell us?" kyle demanded, with shock in his voice.
"Shh! Keep it quiet, everyone is looking at us," I hissed, clearly not liking anybody finding about it.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"But seriously, when did you do it?" joe asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Just a few days ago," I said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
"Have you increased your stats?"kyle asked.
"Yeah," I replied, nodding. "But there's a limit to how much one can increase the stats at a time."
"What?" they said confusion and surprise evident in their eyes.
"Yeah, only ten stat points can be increased at a time. I've increased strength, agility, and endurance. I'm going to increase ten more stat points today,"
"since you've completed the first floor, give us the strategy, bro," Kyle said eagerly, his eyes shining.
"Yeah, tell us," Joe also chimed in.
"Not right now," I said, holding up a hand. "First, get those skills and get them to a decent level. Only then."
"It's a deal," Kyle and Joe agreed in unison, their voices filled with resolve.
"So, what was your evaluation?" they asked with exitment.
I hesitated, considering how to phrase my response. If I said 'S' I'd have to share a strategy that could help them achieve the same result.
"I got an A," I finally said.
"What?!" They erupted again, drawing attention from everyone around.
"Shh, quiet down!" I hissed.
"Sorry about that again," Joe said, his face reddening.
"How did you do it, dude?" Kyle asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"I told you I'd tell you. Get the skills first," I said.
"By the way, when are the university exams going to be?" Joe asked, shifting topics.
"In under a month. When the final results are announced, registration will be online," I explained, trying to stay calm.
"That means after 2 months," Kyle said, doing the math in his head.
"Yeah," I confirmed.
"That means you should get those skills and climb the first floor at least. It will give you a better chance," I said.
"But Before that, I need to convince my parents," I said, a hint of worry creeping in.
"You can do it, Alex. I know it," Kyle said with a supportive smile.
"What about you two?" I asked, turning to my friends.
"I've convinced them," Kyle said with a nod of satisfaction.
"What about you, Joe?" I asked, feeling a mix of hope and concern.
"I'll think about it tomorrow," Joe said, his tone uncertain.
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