Sterl achieved an instant kill against a Level 10 elite, marking his debut as a tenderfoot player.
He has the potential to join the Spark Project!
What excited Mister, the commander of Base 5677, even more was that the base and its leader responsible for discovering a player capable of joining the Spark Project would receive a substantial reward!
The commander decided to immediately report the information about this genius player, Sterl, putting aside all other matters.
What about the other talents he had been focusing on from various bases? They no longer mattered!
Those come by the batch every year! In low-level bases, they are treasured; in mid-level bases with four-digit codes, they are like leeks in the ground, cut and regrown in cycles; and in three-digit numbered bases, they are even less valuable...
On the contrary, Sterl is the new hope for the entire Val Administrative Region and the human race on Earth!
...
Sterl was naturally unaware of the stir he had caused.
With his previous status, he wasn't even qualified to hear about the "Spark Project."
For now, he was calmly pondering in his mind—
The assessment for exploration players is organized jointly by multiple bases, and the leaders of mid-level four-digit coded bases are responsible for the review. After my instant kill of the genetically modified werewolf, I'll probably be given some special training, right?
Sterl's strategy was to keep a low profile and hide his trump card, but there was no benefit to being high-profile either. Like in this exploration player assessment, showing some capabilities and attributing it to his physical talent was all benefit and no harm...
As he was contemplating, the announcement came again.
"All players who have passed the test and chosen to participate in the exploration mission, please proceed to Gate 7."
"All players..."
Hearing this, Sterl stood up without hesitation and headed towards Gate 7, following the map inside the hall.
His actions caused another stir in Test Room 3. Many players looked at him with complicated eyes, some admiring, others filled with jealousy and malice.
"Don't think you're amazing just because you can kill a Level 10 elite. The exploration mission is not that simple!"
"I bet 20,000 credit points this kid won't complete the mission."
"I bet 30,000 points he'll die in the exploration task!"
...
After Sterl left, many people continued to talk. They were just jealous!
Why should someone who just became a player be so powerful?
...
Upon arriving at Gate 7, Sterl found that it actually led directly outside the base.
Two figures in robes, presumably NPCs, were waiting with a crystal each, with a teleportation circle inscribed with mysterious magical runes in front of them.
Sterl waited for two hours, and gradually, people arrived.
Perhaps due to the high difficulty of the basic test or maybe the fear of the exploration mission itself... In the end, including Sterl, only eight players appeared at Gate 7.
Ding...Ding...
Accompanied by mechanical sounds, a skinny old man wearing a silk long coat descended to the ground on a device resembling an elevator.
Everyone, including Sterl, bowed respectfully and greeted, "Commander."
The newcomer was the chief in charge of Base 73192!
A Level 50 professional!
The elderly man appeared friendly, "Gentlemen, by coming here, I assume you are already mentally prepared."
"This exploration mission requires a high level of secrecy. If anyone wishes to withdraw, now is your last chance."
His words were met with silence.
The eight players present, already aware of the mission's high difficulty, dared to accept the challenge and naturally would not give up at the last moment.
After waiting a few seconds, the commander smiled,
"Congratulations! An opportunity to change your fate lies before you."
"I'll keep it brief."
"This mission requires you to challenge an instance."
Upon hearing this, all players except Sterl showed a change in their expressions!
Sterl, noticing this, also pretended to look shocked and uneasy to blend in.
An instance, in the world of "Transcend," is a vital source of resources. Completing an instance might reward players with items that could trigger hidden quests, equipment, skill books, and a large amount of money...
The strong players in "Transcend" continuously grow stronger through numerous instance runs.
However, the difficulty of instances is also extremely high.
Firstly, unlike the rare elite boss monsters in the wild, an instance will definitely contain more than two elite monsters and at least one boss!
The strength of elite monsters goes without saying. From the combat power of the genetically modified werewolf, it's clear that unless one possesses an extremely resilient talent, players of the same level absolutely cannot defeat them.
Or, after reaching Level 20 and choosing a powerful profession with high bonuses, players might stand a chance in solo combat.
And bosses are even more exaggerated. Generally, bosses of the same level have more terrifying attributes, more skills, more health, and additional bonuses. It usually takes a team of twenty to thirty players to have a chance at defeating them.
Therefore, the player mortality rate in instances is far higher than in the wild!
Especially for players who haven't chosen a profession, without attribute bonuses and profession-specific skills, entering an instance is akin to seeking death!
The eight players, including Sterl, were extremely uneasy.
"Are you joking, us, challenge an instance?"
"Isn't that certain death??"
"Can the mission proceed normally? What if people from other bases are reluctant to go, what then? Can we skip the instance?"
"Why wasn't this mentioned before? Can't I opt out now?"
...
Panic ensued among the players!
This exploration mission was too absurd!
Facing a boss, players who hadn't chosen a profession had no hope of survival!
Fortunately, the base commander continued, "On the outskirts of Base 70471, two second-stage professionals discovered an instance limited to players below Level 20."
"The instance is named [Starfall Wasteland]. According to the intelligence from the tasks completed by the two professionals, this instance... produces [Pets]!"
"This is also why the difficulty of this basic test was so high. The slots for [Starfall Wasteland] are limited to 100 players per month. We cannot afford to waste them; we must select the elite for the challenge!"
With the commander's words, everyone's breathing grew heavier, including Sterl, who was also taken aback.
Pets!
This is something all players in "Transcend" dream of having!
Simply put, pets, just like players, can carry equipment, learn skills, and wear titles.
Moreover, pets are like having an additional profession, receiving fixed attribute bonuses with each level up, and under certain conditions, can even learn exclusive skills.
The only flaw is that pets have a potential limit, restricting them to a certain maximum level.
For example, a pet that can reach Level 20 would have the combat power equivalent to a Level 20 professional!
This would be a significant boost for any player!
However, pets can only be obtained from instances and some hidden quests, making them almost impossible to acquire through normal means.
For the players present, if this instance hadn't spawned near Base 70471, giving them early access due to proximity, and if it wasn't limited to players below Level 20, they wouldn't have had the chance to challenge [Starfall Wasteland]!
This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
This might be the only chance in their entire gaming careers to obtain a pet.
For everyone present, this opportunity came with both risks and rewards! Go big or go home.
Immediately, the morale, which had been at rock bottom, began to rise!
Sterl was even more thrilled. An instance limited to players below Level 20? Even if there were bosses, he wouldn't be afraid!
With his dual SSS-tier talents, Flame Storm, and even a backup hidden power like the Bloody Diamond, he could use the power of blood to transform into a shield or output damage at critical moments.
Sterl had no need to worry about safety.
Instead, this was a great opportunity for him to get a pet!
This time, coming for the player assessment was the right choice!
He thought excitedly.
And at that moment, seeing the players gradually gaining courage, the commander took a step back.
"Now, you can enter the teleportation formation to go to Base 5677, and join other players who have passed the assessment from different bases to challenge the instance."
The eight players present didn't hesitate and stepped into the teleportation formation, with Sterl being the last one.
He only felt a flash of bright light before his eyes, followed by a moment of dizziness...