Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Alcohol
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"Whoa...!"
"So this is the place!"
After finishing their meal in the first-floor hall, the members of the Red and White guild all went up to the second-floor capsule experience room.
There, they found the latest capsules from Klaus Capsule Corporation, not yet released to the market. Above each capsule was a holographic screen displaying the user's real-time status.
"There are also virtual reality sports programs like bowling, golf, and baseball batting. The synchronization rate for each of those is fixed at 60%... And then there's the reaction speed test program, where there's a risk of physical impact. That one is set to 40%. This program is quite different from what other companies currently offer."
Chris grinned and placed a hand on one of the central capsules.
"The difficulty is arranged in ten levels, with the speed and angle of the projectiles increasing with each level. Right now, it's mainly used to test the reaction speeds of athletes and professional VR AOS gamers."
"What else is different?"
"Hmm... Well, this facility isn't just for our guild, and this isn't a huge secret, so I suppose I can tell you. It's actually a technology developed exclusively by Klaus Capsule Corporation that hasn't been revealed to the public yet."
Chris winked, placing an index finger to her lips, before continuing her explanation.
"With these latest capsules, most senses can operate at nearly 100% efficiency, regardless of the overall synchronization rate. It's the result of our virtual reality research team's work, myself included. Though we still have a way to go before we can bring bodily movements up to real-world levels."
"Ooooh!"
Gasps of awe erupted from the guild members.
I was surprised too.
I had heard that Chris was a researcher at Klaus Capsule Corporation, but I didn't know what she was studying. So she was researching the connection between real and virtual senses.
I'd heard that human senses are organically linked, making them difficult to separate even with the advanced technology of the future.
If you ask, "Can't you just directly link it to the brain?" the answer is that it's not particularly difficult.
However, for all senses to feel real means that the sense of pain would also feel real.
That's the biggest problem. It's why the full-body synchronization rate can't be pushed higher.
If the brain experiences intense pain, it can overload the physical body.
The prime example of that... is me, right here.
"Well, I can do the other things at home, but I've got to try the reaction speed program."
"Kuhaha! Hopkins, care for a match?"
Hopkins and Gandal, the two big guys, stepped forward boldly. They each took a capsule and got in.
The remaining guild members gathered in front of the two capsules to watch their showdown.
*Whirrr.*
"Ooh, this feels similar to Astria Online."
"I guess the international standard avatar is linked."
Their current outfits were synced in real-time as they appeared in a pristine white, cube-shaped test room.
*Beep—*
[Test Program Level 1, commencing]
Soon, a notification sounded from the screens above the capsules that everyone was watching. Balls began to shoot out from all sides of the test room, except the floor, flying toward Hopkins and Gandal.
*Whoosh, whoosh!*
"Hup!"
"Whoa!"
Letting out sharp cries, they stumbled at first. But they soon adapted without issue and began to diligently dodge the spheres.
A few spheres hit them in the beginning when they couldn't control their bodies, but it seemed they hadn't crossed the failure threshold.
[Evasion Rate: 91.0%. Pass. Proceed to Level 2 Test?]
[Evasion Rate: 89.0%. Pass. Proceed to Level 2 Test?]
- Heh, hey, Gandal. My score is a bit higher, isn't it?
- What! The winner is the one who reaches the highest level in the end!
Their competition continued.
And finally, they reached the Level 6 test.
*Thwack, thwack, thwack!*
- Ugh!
- Aaargh!
Hopkins and Gandal moved their bodies frantically, but they couldn't properly dodge the balls flying from their blind spots at high speed. They were inevitably hit by many projectiles in the Level 6 test.
[Evasion Rate: 66.8%. Fail. Retry Level 6 Test?]
[Evasion Rate: 64.1%. Fail. Retry Level 6 Test?]
- Level 6 is really tough. Still, looks like I won, right? Hahaha!
- Grr, let's go again!
*Keeee.*
Soon, the capsules opened, and the two men emerged with refreshed expressions.
*Clap, clap, clap.*
"You guys were dodging well! Is Level 6 good?"
"The record is Level 8, so for an ordinary person, it's quite high."
After them, Yeon Min-a, Dalboreum, RedHotChicken, and TopFishery used the reaction speed test program. But none of them could break past the wall of Level 6.
Then, a match unfolded between Seopseobi and Go Seung-woo, the two Rangers.
Ooooh—!
"The first to reach Level 7!"
*Thwack, whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!*
[Evasion Rate: 71.4%. Fail. Retry Level 7 Test?]
[Evasion Rate: 70.9%. Fail. Retry Level 7 Test?]
- Ugh...! By a hair's breadth!
- Hmph.
A disappointed Go Seung-woo and a victoriously smiling Seopseobi emerged from their capsules.
*Clap, clap, clap!*
"The first to reach Level 7...! The Rangers are amazing. Did you say 80% is the passing mark? With practice, they could probably reach Level 8, right?"
"As expected of the Red and White guild's Rangers. With a record like this, their reaction speed is on par with most athletes."
Chris smiled with a proud expression.
Beimerung and Cherni also failed to surpass Level 6. Currently, the only ones to have reached Level 7 were the Ranger duo.
And then, it was my turn with Death of Death.
*Whirrr.*
I moved my wheelchair in front of the capsule and tried to lift myself into it using only my arm strength.
"Hup. ...Ah."
*Lift.*
Chris's hands slipped under my arms, and she lifted me up.
I blushed slightly.
*Everyone's watching.*
"I was fine."
"Hehe."
Chris smiled warmly and placed me gently into the capsule.
Death of Death got into the capsule next to mine.
"Hmph, I've practiced with this test program often. I know you're highly adaptable to virtual reality, Rain, but this will feel different from Astria Online."
"Hehe. You think so?"
I gave Death of Death a bright smile. Soon, the capsule lid closed.
*Whirrr.*
A pristine white test room unfolded before my eyes.
"Hmm."
I moved my body slightly.
It felt like moving through water.
As expected of a 40% synchronization rate.
My 100% synchronization rate is limited to 'Astria Online'.
I had already tested this with Chris's capsule.
My avatar's virtual reality synchronization rate follows the program's set rate in other metaverses.
But in 'Astria Online,' it's fixed at 100% regardless of the capsule I use. I have no idea what the principle behind it is.
So in this reaction speed test program, I'm on the same footing as everyone else.
However.
*Beep—*
[Test Program Level 1, commencing]
I watched the walls on all sides slowly begin to open and grinned.
This capsule uses the latest technology; my sight and hearing are close to reality, she said.
This isn't a program that involves handling weapons, so my weaker physical strength won't be an issue.
My body's movements are just a little slow.
If my body reacts slowly, I just have to move in advance.
The sound of air being split, the launch position of the spheres I see with my eyes.
Accelerated thought in a split second.
I can use all of these.
Even in a body with no mana, as long as my legs can move.
*Whoosh, whoosh!*
I moved lightly, weaving through the projectiles that began to fly toward me.
[Evasion Rate: 100%. Pass. Proceed to Level 8 Test?]
[Evasion Rate: 100%. Pass. Proceed to Level 9 Test?]
[Evasion Rate: 100%. Pass. Proceed to Level 10 Test?]
[Evasion Rate: 100%. Pass. You have passed the final test]
*Keeee.*
"......?"
It was quiet all around.
Everyone was staring blankly at the 'Final Test Passed' screen above my capsule.
Even Chris was looking at me with a rare, dazed expression.
"Level 8, 78%... I broke the record, and yet...!"
Death of Death was clenching his fists, his face a mask of indignation.
Chris chuckled, then patted my head as I sat up in the capsule.
"Looks like we'll need to revise the theoretical maximum level for the reaction speed test program."
The meet-up was now stretching late into the evening. But it seemed no one was in a hurry to leave. Since we could use the rooms at the Klaus Hotel, we could just sleep it off if we got drunk.
Everyone gathered in the hall was enjoying light desserts and wine.
As expected of a meet-up for an adult game, there was a lot of alcohol.
Beer, wine, soju, and more. From high-end liquors to lighter drinks everyone could enjoy.
"Huuuuhm..."
I stared at the glass of red wine placed before me.
Of course, according to my resident registration in this world, I'm an adult.
In the faint memories of my past life, I think I'd had alcohol before.
But, was it earlier this year? I remember taking one sip of beer and immediately spitting it out.
"This body can't handle alcohol."
Of course, I'd never drunk alcohol in this body on the Astria Continent either. Back then, I was clearly a minor, so that made sense.
But it's fine now, right?
Even if I'm only an adult on paper and not in a fully adult body, it's okay to drink with other adults.
And I was surrounded by adults.
I brought the wine glass to my lips and tilted it slightly.
*Sip.*
And then I frowned.
"Ugh..."
*It tastes awful.*
I don't know if there are sweet wines, but my body rejected even the astringent taste of this one.
Disappointed, I wheeled myself around, searching for something else to drink.
And then I found it—a bottle with a fruit-shaped label.
"Oh."
*Is it juice?*
I poured it into my glass.
And then, *sip*.
"Hiyah!"
I let out a cry of delight.
*It's sweet.*
*Gulp, gulp.*
One of the few drinks in this hall that I could actually stomach.
Intoxicated by the sweetness, I sipped the 'juice' nonstop.
Dalboreum passed by me and glanced at the table with a puzzled expression.
"...Huh? I just brought this fruit soju over. Why is the bottle empty?"
"Huuuh...?"
Dalboreum's face began to waver slightly.
At the same time, I felt my body floating.
Somehow, I started to feel good.
I smiled brightly.
"Heh."