Luke expanded his navigational map, a holographic projection shimmering in the dim light of the cockpit. He retrieved a worn notebook from a side drawer, flipping through pages filled with handwritten coordinates and resource notations. "Hmm… where are we now?" he muttered to himself. "High 10.5. Next to us is Low 4.3, then Mid 6.7. All surrounded by other Mid and Low designations." He tapped a finger on the map. "No wonder the Space Engineer faction is thick in this sector. This area is rich in rare minerals and exotics. Hence the High 10.5 rating."He zoomed in on a specific asteroid cluster, marking two adjacent Mid-level resource locations. "There," he said, pointing at the projection. "Two Mids close together. I must have missed marking this spot. High probability of a High-level resource node nearby. Might as well check it out." He calculated the distance. "Fifty AU's. Sublight drive it is. Hopefully, the fuel cost is worth it."He did the mental math. "Every 100 AU's of sublight travel burns 25% of one fuel cell. I have fifteen in storage. Each of those costs 575 VC. That's 8,625 VC. A hefty investment." He paused, considering the potential return. "But the ore I mined in High 10.5 should net me at least 5,000 VC with my small gunship. If I save up to 150,000 VC, I can afford a base-variant mining corvette. Add a drone sensor module for another 4,000 VC, and I'll have an early warning system against pirates or other opportunistic players." You can't trust anyone out here when mining alone.That's why I carry so much fuel. He thought. If I need to make a quick getaway, I don't want to be stranded and vulnerable to pirates. They usually target large mining fleets, but it's not worth the risk."Okay, let's get this show on the road," Luke said, stretching his arms and cracking his knuckles. He flicked a series of switches on the control panel. A mechanical whirring sound filled the cockpit as the sublight drive began to spool up. The display indicated 10%, then, after a few seconds, it reached 100%. Luke pushed the lever forward.The asteroids and distant stars outside the viewport blurred into streaks of light. He gripped his seat tightly. The ship, a design of his own making, shuddered violently. He hadn't fully accounted for the outdated hardware of the salvaged sublight module. Of course, who wouldn't jump at an affordable sublight module? An average sublight module on the market would set him back 50,000 VC, but he'd picked this one up for a mere 2,500 VC. He'd spent additional VC on salvaged parts and had to reprogram its software to interface with the ship's updated navigation systems. The shaking and rattling was a constant reminder of his cost-cutting measures. But it gets the job done, he reminded himself. Hopefully.The ship lurched to a halt above the designated asteroid field. Luke, having momentarily forgotten to fasten his seatbelt, was thrown forward by the sudden deceleration. "FUCK me," he muttered, stumbling as he regained his footing. "That's why seatbelts, boys," he said to the empty cockpit, a wry grin on his face.He tapped a few buttons on the console. The holographic screen transitioned from the navigational map to his custom-built asteroid scanner interface. He activated a series of short radar bursts. The scanner's data flooded the screen, revealing the potential mineral composition of the surrounding asteroids. The scans identified several common resources: starflint, a dense, carbon-based mineral ideal for tools and ship hulls; ironicite, a metallic ore similar to iron but lighter and more corrosion-resistant. He also noted some less common finds: tektium, a glass-like material formed from asteroid impacts, and zircanium, a lightweight alloy used for high-speed vehicles.Then the scanner highlighted the rarer finds, the real prizes of this sector. Magnarite, a highly magnetic mineral used in advanced propulsion systems, showed up in promising quantities. Exonite, a pulsing red mineral that amplified kinetic energy, was also present. The scans also indicated traces of arkanium, a dark blue ore with strong radiation shielding properties.But then, a small, shimmering node appeared on the scan. "A SMALL TRACE OF ECLIPTIUM!?" Luke exclaimed, his voice laced with excitement. Ecliptium. A shifting, multi-colored mineral used in warp drives. These bad boys could fetch anywhere from 600 to 1000 VC per unit on the open market. Luke laughed, a genuine, delighted sound, as he looked at the overview pie chart generated by the scan. The chart visually represented the distribution of the various minerals, the small sliver of ecliptium standing out brightly against the more common ores. This trip might just pay for itself, and then some.Luke maneuvered his ship closer to the largest asteroid in the cluster, performing a full 360-degree scan. The resulting data painted a detailed picture of the asteroid's internal composition, highlighting the concentration and distribution of each mineral. "Okay, let's make this worth it," he muttered, initiating a slow descent towards the asteroid's surface.He re-donned his EVO suit, the familiar hiss of the seals locking into place a comforting sensation. Tapping a few commands on the console, he transferred the scan data from the ship's systems to his EVO helmet. An interface lit up within his visor, overlaying the real-world view with detailed information about the surrounding terrain and the location of the various minerals. He grabbed his trusty handheld miner, a compact but powerful tool with a rotating drill head. He also collected ten explosive drill rods, small charges designed to fracture rock and make mining easier.Before exiting the ship, Luke activated his custom-built landing system. Four reinforced rods, each attached to a heavy-duty cable, shot out from the ship's hull, embedding themselves deep into the asteroid's surface. In low gravity, even slight movements could send a ship drifting off into the void. Better safe than sorry, he thought.He pressed another button on the console. A small panel on the side of the ship opened, revealing a robotic arm and a miniature camera. The camera activated, providing a live feed of the area around the ship. This allowed him to monitor the ship's status while he was mining. Luke then walked towards the airlock.As the airlock door hissed open, the artificial gravity within the ship gave way to the asteroid's weak pull. Luke pushed off the frame, launching himself out into the near-zero gravity. He descended slowly towards the surface, the void stretching out below him. As his boots made contact with the rocky surface, small spikes automatically deployed from the soles, anchoring him firmly in place. The magnetic boots engaged with a soft thump, preventing him from drifting away. He was ready to begin.Luke retrieved two explosive drill rods from his suit's storage compartment. He activated them, and with a soft hiss, the rods began to drill into the asteroid's surface, automatically boring down to a depth of 127 centimeters. Luke hurriedly moved away from the area, using the low gravity to his advantage, pushing off the asteroid surface with a gentle kick. Even in near-zero gravity, shrapnel from an explosion could travel a considerable distance. The rods were programmed to detonate after a 30-second delay, and he wanted to be at a safe distance when they did. He found a relatively stable outcropping a short distance away and waited.Two muffled thumps echoed through the asteroid, followed by a shower of small rock fragments that drifted lazily outwards. Luke waited a few moments for the debris to settle before cautiously returning to the blast site. The explosions had effectively fractured the rock face, revealing veins of the various minerals. He retrieved his handheld miner from his back, the tool clicking into his gloved hand.Hours passed. Luke focused on selective mining, prioritizing the rarer minerals. He carefully extracted the magnarite, exonite, and arkanium, but his main focus was on the ecliptium. The initial scans had only indicated a small trace, but he'd hoped the explosions would reveal more. He managed to extract twelve units of ecliptium, a decent haul considering the initial scan data. Better not be greedy, he thought to himself, resisting the urge to keep digging. Overworking a promising vein could lead to instability and even collapse.Once he had collected what he deemed a sufficient amount, Luke transferred the mined ores to his ship's cargo hold using the robotic arms. He then made his way back to the airlock, carefully navigating the low-gravity environment. After securing himself inside the ship, he accessed the landing system controls. With a few taps on the console, he released the magnetic cables from the anchoring rods. The ship was now free to depart.Luke activated the ship's engines. A quick check of the cargo hold confirmed it was filled to capacity. He marked the location of the asteroid field on his navigational map. I'll be back, he thought. The familiar green holographic interface appeared.[ Quest Complete, Mine 20,000 units worth of ores ]
Reward: 20 LP, 1,000 EXP
[ Quest Complete, Mine 10 Epic Tier Mineral ]
Reward 150 LP, 10,000 EXP
[ You have leveled up to 3 ]
[ You are now Level 9 ]
"Yes!" Luke pumped his fist in the air. "Finally. It was worth mining for a whole damn week. I'm closer now. When I'm level 10, I can finally unlock the skills section."A month ago, during a routine mining run, he'd found a strange crystal, pulsating with green and white light. It didn't register as any known mineral in VGO's database. Suddenly, the crystal disintegrated, the energy flowing into him. That was when the system appeared, as if it was waiting for that specific moment. He'd logged off immediately, frantically researching the phenomenon, but found nothing. No forum posts, no official VGO announcements, nothing. He decided to keep it a secret, attributing it to a bug or a hidden easter egg.The system was straightforward, almost like a separate game interface overlaid on VGO. It displayed his profile, stats, and a locked skills section. There was also a skill tree, but it required level 10 to unlock. The system provided three daily quests, tailored to his most frequent activities. Since his primary focus was mining, the quests were usually related to resource gathering. He could accept up to three quests simultaneously.Luke leaned back in his seat and sighed. "Status," he said aloud.The holographic screen transitioned to his profile:[ Legacy of the Fallen ]Name: Luke Rennelheart
Age: 24
Level: 9
Legacy Points: 174
Strength: 19 + (LP Cost to Increase = 5)
Agility: 16 + (LP Cost to Increase = 5)
Endurance: 14 + (LP Cost to Increase = 5)
Vitality: 21 + (LP Cost to Increase = 10)
Intelligence: 9 + (LP Cost to Increase = 50)
Skills:
Skill Tree: Level 10 Required
Luke sighed heavily. "After a week's worth of mining, this is what I get?" he muttered. Anyway, might as well invest my points and save some for when the skill tree is unlocked.He allocated his Legacy Points, increasing his Strength from 19 to 21, Agility from 16 to 19, and Endurance from 14 to 15. The cost to increase Intelligence was significantly higher, but he decided to invest one point, raising it from 9 to 10. Watching his LP dwindle from 174 to 74 left him feeling a little deflated.Then, a new notification popped up on the screen:[ You have unlocked a hidden function: Traits (Intelligence Required: 10) ]Luke's face lit up. "Hahah! Yes! I was right! I'm so smart, baby! Wohoo!" He jumped up and down in the cramped cockpit, momentarily forgetting the low gravity. "Let's check you out." He tapped the newly appeared "Traits" function.[ Traits Shop ]Rerolls every 1 in-game days or Reroll for 10 LP
Pickaxe Picasso - Gain +1 EXP and +0.05 LP for every unit of ore mined
"Turning every rock into a masterpiece of experience and points"
Price - 20 LP (Discounted 80%)
Ore-ganized Worker - Mining tools consume 15% less energy
"Because nothing says efficient like squeezing every last nugget from a rock."
Price - 50 LP
Beep Boop Rock Snooper - Improves ore scanner range and accuracy by 25%
"If it glows, it goes in the cargo."
Price - 50 LP
"What the hell are these names?" Luke chuckled. "Hmm… I'm definitely going with that 80% discount and this 'Beep Boop' thing." He selected "Pickaxe Picasso" and "Beep Boop Rock Snooper."