The Extra-dimensional Pioneer Of Fiction [Draft]

The BrainLink chimed with an incoming video call, Aria's stern face materializing in Arlo's vision. Her white uniform was crisp, contrasting with Arlo's rumpled morning appearance.

"You're awake," Aria stated flatly. It wasn't a question. Arlo ran a hand through his hair. "Just. I've got something important to discuss."

"Later. Meet me at the gym. One hour." The call cut off abruptly.

The residential district's train station buzzed with early morning activity. Floating trains glided silently above sleek platforms, their silver bodies reflecting the morning light. Pioneers and city residents moved with purposeful efficiency, each seemingly locked into their own digital world through their BrainLink interfaces.

Arlo entered the Pioneer Training Facility, the sterile white walls and advanced training equipment a stark contrast to his sleep-addled state.

"Ma'am," he greeted Aria respectfully.

"Final test," Aria announced without preamble. "Hit me once. That's your entire objective."

Arlo tap twice at his glabella to activate the Spirit Vision, Arlo saw Aria's Ether Body. She was encased in a blinding white aura – signaling peak health. The brightness almost overwhelmed his nascent ability, forcing him to squint. Beneath the white, subtle layers revealed themselves: a light dark color indicating underlying emotional complexity – worry, silent sorrow. 

She's carrying something heavy, Arlo realized. Something beyond this training.

They assumed fighting stances. Arlo's Danger Intuition, a new skill, his spirituality began parsing potential threat. Subtle sense impending danger, warning him milliseconds before Aria's movements, allowing micro-adjustments to potential strikes.

His first punch sailed toward Aria. She deflected it with surgical precision, her movement economic and devastating. Each subsequent strike met similar resistance – like punching a force field.

Aria's counterattack came swift and precise. Arlo's Danger Intuition screamed warnings, allowing him to dodge most strikes.

This skill is incredible, he thought. It's like having a spider-sense like spider-man.

A leg sweep met Aria's defensive knee. I'm burning energy fast, Arlo realized. I need something unexpected.

Arlo saw in his HUD, his MP is decreasing to fast

[MP: 120/150]

[MP: 105/150]

[MP: 97/150]

His Spirit Vision revealed subtle emotional fluctuations through. Aria's inner landscape showed tension, a hint of protective guardedness. She's anticipating a conventional approach.

Arlo knew conventional tactics would fail. He needed something that would break her perfect defensive rhythm – a strategy that would momentarily disrupt her impenetrable focus.

Time to get creative.

His next move would require absolute commitment and a willingness to risk everything on a single, unpredictable gambit.

The tension in the training room was palpable as Arlo faced off against Aria. Every sparring session with her had been a brutal reminder of how outclassed he was, and today was no different. Except this time, he was determined to turn the tables—no matter the cost.

Arlo's breath came in slow, measured draws as he faced off against Aria. Every inch of his body ached from their previous sparring sessions, and his pride had taken even more hits than his ribs. But this was different. He had a plan. A risky one. If this doesn't work, I'm toast, he thought grimly, activating his Analysis skill.

A faint ping echoed in his mind as the skill scanned Aria, her every movement and trait breaking down into detailed segments.

[Analysis Activated]

Target's Weakness: Emotional State

Arlo blinked, the notification catching him off guard. Her emotional state? It wasn't a weakness he'd considered before—she was always so calm and collected, a fortress of logic and precision. But if his skill said it was her weakness, he had to trust it. Still, using her emotions against her felt wrong. 

"Get it together," he muttered under his breath. He didn't have the luxury of holding back. If he failed this test, all his training would have been for nothing. Sorry, Aria. I have to try.

With that thought, he charged forward, throwing a series of quick jabs. They were sloppy—intentionally so. As expected, Aria deflected them with ease, her eyes narrowing slightly as she countered with a sharp punch. Arlo dodged, his Analysis skill chiming again.

[Update: Target's Emotional State Agitated]

Effect: Increased Distraction

"Why aren't you taking this seriously?" Arlo taunted, his voice laced with frustration he only half-faked. "What's the point of this if you're just going to give me impossible tasks?"

Aria's expression hardened, but there was a flicker of something else—annoyance, maybe. "If you think it's impossible, that's on you," she replied coldly. "A real Pioneer doesn't make excuses."

Her words stung, but Arlo pressed on. He rushed at her again, his movements more reckless this time. Predictably, she sidestepped and delivered a punch to his side. Pain shot through him, but he didn't stop. Instead, he closed the gap, provoking her further.

"Maybe you just like seeing me fail," he said, his tone sharper now. "What's your deal, Aria? Scared I might die prematurely like all other pioneers"

That did it. Her calm façade cracked, and her next punch came harder and faster than before. It connected squarely with his shoulder, sending him stumbling back. Ow, he thought, grimacing. But his Analysis skill lit up again.

[Update: Target Fully Distracted]

Perfect, Arlo thought, lunging forward. But Aria wasn't as off-balance as he'd hoped. She caught both his hands mid-strike, her grip like iron.

"Enough," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "I know what you're doing, Arlo."

For a split second, panic flickered through him. She'd caught on to his plan. But instead of backing down, he leaned into it. Literally. He surged forward, aiming a headbutt directly at her face. Aria dodged at the last moment, but the movement allowed him to twist his body mid-air and deliver a backward kick. The momentum gave the strike extra force, and she had to block it with both arms.

"You're persistent, I give that But... that's not enough" Aria muttered, her tone grudgingly impressed.

Before he could retort, her counterattack came swift and brutal. She drove her leg into his ribs, the impact stealing the breath from his lungs. Pain flared, but he gritted his teeth and grabbed her leg with both hands, holding on for dear life.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, trying to shake him off.

"Not letting go!" he managed to grunt, twisting her leg with all his strength. It didn't budge. Aria sighed in what sounded like exasperation, then swung her leg—along with him—like a hammer. The force sent him flying, and he hit the ground hard, gasping as the pain overwhelmed him.

Arlo lay there for a moment, groaning. When he looked up, Aria was inspecting Arlo still standing up, her expression unreadable. Then, to his surprise, she gave a faint smile.

"You never give up," she said, her tone almost amused. "Even you are in a hopeless situation, you still try to keep moving forward."

Arlo blinked, still catching his breath. "So… does that mean I failed?"

Aria replied, "No, because I want to see if you really have what it takes to be a pioneer and see what will you do in a hopeless situation"

"So you lied to me," Arlo complained, Aria walking to Arlo "It was a rational deception to draw out the upper limits of you abilities" 

"Wait, WHAT?!!!!!!" Arlo shouted, then he thought and said "But I still passed your test"

Aria extended a hand to help him up. "Yes. Barely. But you passed."

==================================================

After the intense training session, Arlo sat on a nearby bench, pressing a cold pack against his bruised ribs. The gym's morning light filtered through the large windows, casting long shadows across the training mats. Arlo approached Aria, his hands resting on his hips, sweat dripping from his brow. The training room was silent now, the tension from their earlier sparring session lingering in the air. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding her gaze.

"I... want to apologize," Arlo began, meeting Aria's stern gaze. "What I said during training about you wanting to see me fail and... about other pioneers. That was low of me."

To his surprise, Aria's expression softened slightly. "Your tactics were crude but effective. In real combat situations, your enemies won't fight fair. They'll use every advantage—physical, emotional, or psychological. Being prepared for that is part of survival."

Her words carried weight, and Arlo nodded, letting them sink in. "Still… I felt like a jerk for saying it." as he adjusting the cold pack. "Good," Aria said with a faint smirk. "Feeling guilty means you're not a complete monster. Just remember, when it matters, survival trumps pride."

The corner of Arlo's mouth twitched into a grin. "Noted."

As they left the training room, the conversation shifted. Aria glanced at him, her expression curious. "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

Arlo straightened up, wincing slightly. "Right. I've chosen my Job." He paused, watching her reaction.

Her reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened, and she stopped walking, turning to face him.

"You what?" she asked, her tone sharp. "When did this happen? And why didn't you tell me?"

Arlo raised his hands defensively. "I chose it yesterday. And I didn't tell you because I didn't want to argue about it. I'm confident it'll help me with my upcoming quest."

Aria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "A Job isn't just about immediate benefits, Arlo. It shapes your entire path as a Pioneer. Some specialize in frontline combat, others in reconnaissance or support roles. Take Defenders, for instance—they focus on protection and crowd control. Scouts excel in information gathering and stealth. Each role demands specific stat distributions and skill development."

Like building a character in an RPG, Arlo thought, though he kept that reference to himself.

"I didn't rush it," Arlo replied, his voice steady. "I thought it through, and I'm sure it's the right choice for me."

For a moment, Aria simply looked at him, her expression unreadable. Then, she exhaled softly. "Alright. I respect your decision. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Thanks for trusting me," Arlo said, a genuine smile on his face. "And I promise, my choice will pay off."

"Speaking of which," Aria gestured to his status window, "have you allocated your points yet?

"No, I've been waiting. Didn't want to mess it up."

Aria stopped again, her brow furrowed in thought. "That's actually smart of you," she said after a moment. "Distributing status points randomly is one of the biggest mistakes new Pioneers make. Your job dictates how you should allocate your stats. If you'd spent them without knowing your Job's requirements, you could have crippled yourself in the long run."

Arlo nodded, considering her words. He'd chosen the Seer job, which belonged to the Fool pathway—a unique role with its own quirks. One of its benefits was that leveling up added additional stats automatically.

With that in mind, he began distributing his points: Strength +3, Dexterity +4, Intelligence +9, Charisma +4, Endurance +1, Luck + 5 and Wisdom +9. Arlo pulled up his status window, added his status point.

[Status Window]

Arlo Leeroy

Job: Sequence 9: Seer

Race: Human/Beyonder

Level: 7

EXP: 240 (1280)

HP: 120/120

MP: 185/185

[Stats Info]

Strength: 7 (+3) = 10

Dexterity: 6 (+4) = 10

Intelligence: 18 (+9) = 27

Charisma: 6 (+4) = 10

Luck: 5 (+5) = 10

Endurance: 9 (+1) = 10

Wisdom: 18 (+9) = 27

Remaining Status Point: 0

The effect was immediate. His body felt lighter, more responsive—like upgrading from a bicycle to a sports car.

"Feels like I just got a full-body tune-up," he mused, flexing his fingers. He felt a noticeable shift in his body. His muscles tightened, his reflexes sharpened, and his stamina surged.

"Whoa," he muttered, flexing his fingers. "I feel like an actual athlete now."

"Those Status Points are precious," Aria warned. "The higher your level, the harder they are to obtain. Even intense training barely moves the needle at higher levels, only by leveling up can you get status point. I've seen countless Pioneers quit because they wasted points early on—like dumping everything into strength without understanding the bigger picture."

Reminds me of min-maxing gone wrong, Arlo thought, remembering countless hours spent optimizing game characters. But this wasn't a game he could restart if he made a mistake.

"Your distribution is... reasonable," Aria admitted, studying his updated stats. "Balanced enough to adapt, but still focused on your core needs. Just remember—every point counts in this line of work."

Arlo nodded, feeling the weight of his choices. He'd seen enough sci-fi and played enough games to know that power always came with a price. The real question was whether he'd be strong enough to pay it when the time came.

Looking at his stats one last time, Arlo couldn't help but smile slightly. In his old life, he'd spent countless hours theorycrafting perfect builds in games. Now here he was, literally building himself. If only his old gaming buddies could see him now.

"Ready for your next challenge?" Aria asked, already moving toward the training area.

"Hold up," Arlo protested, his body remembering every hit from their previous session. "Don't I get to rest or something?"

Aria's only response was a slight shake of her head as she took her stance. Right, Arlo thought, no easy mode in this reality.

Time to put these new stats to work.