*Acknowledged, displaying parameters for the E-Class Lupas training facility.
Name: E-Class gladiatorial training facility(Manufactured with E-Class true steel and other materials, is capable of withstanding an infinite number of strikes from rank 1 beings, rank 2 beings can damage the facility but repairs are possible if materials are provided.)
Manufacturer: King Enterprises (based in Nova Galaxy, sector 93, planet Vorton, licensed under the authority of the Nova Prime.)
Area: 1000 square feet
Facilities: Gravitic runes(carved into the ceiling the runes allow the facility to be placed in a heightened gravity field equal to 5x the local gravity.)
3x virtual training rooms: Come equipped with multiple combat and training scenarios to fit virtually any need. VT Suites recreate a 100% true feeling environment, meaning that any training done in simulation is 100% true to life. Time dilation is available up to 2x speed.
E-Class sparing bot: Capable of perfectly replicating any combat style it is programmed with, perfect to prepare for specific opponents or gain insights on certain combat styles. Extremely resistant to damage and can self-repair if materials are provided. Strength is adjustable up to Rank 2 level 30.
E-Class Body strengthening suite: Comes equipped with two E-class body restriction suits and a full suite of free weights and machines with which to exercise the body.
E-Class kitchen and chef bot: Every warrior requires the proper nutrition to fuel their bodies. This bot is capable of cooking perfect nutritional meals, and the pantry and freezer are capable of storing and keeping fresh a full year's supply of food.*
Priscus was ecstatic, with a facility like this he could freely train anyone to the peak of rank one, and even a step or two into rank 2.
Once he was done reading the information he got a strange idea.
He had assumed that there were many other civilizations out there simply due to the advanced nature of the system he had.
Not to mention the several other galactic powers the imperium had already come into contact with.
The games themselves were a testament to the eternal struggle of one species against all others.
But he wondered if there were combat styles out there that would be even better than the ones found here on Earth.
With billions of years of information available to his talent, he found it hard to believe that the Veles combat style was the best spear-wielding gladiator there was.
'system, I want to run my talent again but this time run it on me as well. I want Icarus' training to be focused on becoming the perfect spear gladiator, and mine on the sword and shield.
Don't worry about sticking to earth combat styles, find the best ones available and program them into the training facility.'
*Acknowledged, reprograming Icarus' training from Veles style to Spear Sovereign. Hosts training will be programmed as Slayer style. Both are A-class combat styles suitable for humans.
Higher rated styles exist but mankind lacks the supernatural abilities required for their practice. Please note that the host's training will stagnate due to a lack of gene supplements. The intensity of the workouts will be greatly reduced to accommodate this.
Additionally, it is uncertain as to when the spark of the host's potential will ignite, allowing the host to begin to grow. Also, the class of the host's potential is a mystery at the moment. Proceed?*
'Proceed.'
Priscus was all to aware that he was now out of money, he had spent all he had on the training for Icarus to perform well in the upcoming games.
If Icarus was able to clinch a spot in even the top 10,000 he would receive a purse of 250,000 denarii.
This shouldn't come as a surprise, there were billions and billions of rank 1 beings in the galaxy. All of them were going to be participating in the upcoming games in one capacity or another.
About 70% of them were going to participate in this battle royale with special death rules. And it was expected that more than 50% of them would perish in just the first round of competitions.
This battle royale allowed the killing of ones opponents, not that it was the only way to defeat them.
For example, one could simply throw them out of the arena bounds, incapacitate them, or force them to surrender. But unlike some other Battle royals killing your opponents was encouraged in this game.
This was because every single one of them had a bounty on their heads of ten percent of the 1000 denarii admission fee. And each foe you killed added their bounty to your own.
Should you die, the bounty is transferred to whomever killed you. But should you survive the bounty is given to you as a cash fee, in addition to whatever prize purse you may have won up to the point of your exit from the game.
So it could be seen as quite a small prize to make it to the top 10,000 and only get 250,000, but remember that the prize is in addition to the possibly hundreds of thousands made in bounties for killing previous foes.
Priscus needed Icarus to do well, which is why he didn't hesitate to bet it all on the man and purchase such an advanced training program.
The problem he was having was that even if Icarus became wildly powerful, it wouldn't matter at all if Priscus himself was too weak to protect himself.
He didn't want to end up like his father after all. Far too much to live for, and far too many enemies still required recompense.
Also, the death of his father was a peculiar mystery, totally impossible if the system administrators and promoters were to be believed. But now Priscus knew better, and he wanted to be able to prevent something like that from ever happening to him.
*Acknowledged, new training plans are being produced, please stand by.*
It only took a couple of minutes for the new programs to be made and installed in the training facility AI.
Once it was done Priscus immediately had Icarus run through the familiarization protocol so that when training began in earnest the next day, he wouldn't be totally lost on what to do and how to do it.
Neither of them had ever used equipement this advanced, so having a test run was beneficial.
Priscus decided to simply watch Icarus run through it before he tried it himself. It took a full 2 hours before the AI had finished running Icarus through all of the machines and what they do.
But even just those two hours at a reduced intensity had already physically and mentally drained Icarus, far more than his normal training would.
Thankfully rest periods were built into the actual training program, otherwise, Icarus didn't know if he would survive.
But at this moment the only thing on his mind was food, so he stumbled over to the counter to order his lunch. The chef bot coming to life at the sound of his voice and then instantly springs into action to prepare the preprogrammed meal.
With Icarus preoccupied with food it was now Priscus' turn to go through the familiarization course.
It began over at the virtual reality room, where upon entry he was required to equip a full-body suit and helmet.
Once that was done a level 1 reflex course was loaded in. It continually struck at him with various attacks. Sword strikes, spears, javelins, arrows, and other things.
The speed and accuracy of the attacks continued to increase the longer Priscus was able to dodge them.
When he was unable to dodge the suit transmitted a sense of pain directly into Priscus' brain. It truly felt like getting stabbed, punched, or cut depending on the strike that he was unable to avoid.
Priscus, with his low vitality and control, was only able to last halfway through level 1 before it became too much for him. He was struck in the head with a spear thrust and was instantly removed from the simulation.
He sat with a heavy thud heaving, trying desperately to calm his raging heartbeat.
'This ain't no joke!' he cried internally, 'I've never felt anything like that before, but I suppose its better to get cut to pieces here than in the actual arena.'
He was right of course, many new gladiators have very little experience with actual injuries. The first time they suffer a true wound at the hands of the enemy the psychological shock sometimes causes them to freeze up. A death sentence in some games, and a guarantee of further injuries in all others.
But now with the virtual world bringing that pain to 100% reality, that shock would be experienced in a much more controlled way. And perhaps wouldn't manifest itself in the arena should such an injury occur.
After the simulation was done Priscus was moved on to the restrictive suits.
They were full-body suites just like the VR ones, the only visual difference was the runic patterns running throughout the fabric.
They felt smooth like silk, but far sturdier and heavy. But once Priscus put it on that weight dissipated, replaced by a cooling sensation felt all over his body.
Once the suit was done scanning him it presented him with a sliding bar on his forearm where he could set the restriction rating of the suit.
Not wanting to overwhelm himself he slid the bar to just the 10% mark and almost instantly regretted it.
The percentage bar wasn't fine-tuned enough to regulate percentage based on each individual. It was more like a power setting, and 10% power of a device designed for already ignited gladiators with at least 1.5 vitality was a huge burden on Priscus.
He struggled mightily to even walk normally, and by the time just 10 minutes went by he was soaked in sweat and panting for breath.
The training AI monitoring the situation deemed it dangerous to continue and powered off the suit to allow Priscus to exit and return it.
'This training is going to be much more brutal than I thought!' he exclaimed. 'But its necessary.' With his face set in grim determination Priscus continued on the introductory training course.
After getting brutalized by the weight machines, nearly flattened by the gravity activation, and slipping on his own sweat trying to simply walk across the floor Priscus was ready to call it quits.
'Just one last thing,' He mused exhaustedly. 'I only have to try out the sparing bot and I am done for the day.'
He had been feeling very uncomfortable for the last 45 minutes or so, it seemed like great pressure and heat were building up in his chest.
He just figured that his chest was getting tight and his blood hot because he was so far out of the shape required for this stuff he didn't pay it too much heed.
But as he stepped onto the sparing platform and stared down the E-class bot that had beaten Icarus to a pulp, that strange warmth began to spread from his chest.
It began small, no hotter than a dull candle held a few inches away from your hand. But as time went on the heat began to grow, until now at this final moment before he engaged in battle with the sparing bot, the heat had become a nearly unbearable flame.
'System what is happening to my body?!' His voice was panicked as he cried out internally for the system to intervene. But the heat never stopped.
*Don't worry host.* Came the almost sadistically happy reply. *Your potential has sparked and your genes are now becoming active.
This is a blessing host, I have never seen anyone's potential being sparked by such simple exercises especially not without a gene serum.
This can only mean one thing.*
'And what the frack is that!' Priscus was now on his knees gripping his chest tightly. The fire spreading from his heart throughout his blood stream causing intense pain.
*You have the greatest potential out of anyone I have ever seen, and now...we get to see the beginning of The Ludas King's rise!*