NOVEL NEXT Chapter 396: Virtual Universe, January
--
A massive swirl of energies rampaged within Cedric's body.
The amount contained within him was enough to completely drown Prime Earth with a bit of excess. It's pretty hard to imagine someone having that much energy running rampant within their body, but it's the truth.
Despite the roaring waves his energy was creating, it was perfectly contained within. No amount of activity they made caused him any discomfort or pain. In fact, this was just their natural active state, signifying how vibrant and dense his energies were.
The flood of energies coursed through his body, warming and nourishing every square inch of his existence. If Cedric ever so wished, he could immediately tap into this massive well of energy to reach his desired outcome. He won't experience any form of rejection either because he has complete control of every ounce of energy he has.
Cedric had always preferred quality over quantity. He never slacked off when circulating and purifying his enegies while cultivating; this was the secret behind his immaculate control over it. And due to his diligence and fortunes, the quantity of his energies also increased over time.
It had been troublesome to get them to his desired standard since it needed a tedious amount of purification, but Cedric would much rather spend time doing the boring task of cultivation to purify his energies rather than having it run murky within him.
Out of the many characteristics that a life evolver must have, focus and diligence were things Cedric never lacked. Sure, he gets tired and bored every now and then, but then again, who doesn't? Even life evolvers need rest and relaxation from time to time.
Cedric always knew that he had to prove something. He spent years of hard work just to prove himself worthy of the eyes he inherited, and after so long, he finally felt like he deserved it.
He has already achieved so many things in his life. He had become the strongest existence in his home world, had not only one but three wives, ventured beyond what he thought was the norm, and learned about the existence of a much wider and more prosperous civilization out there.
Cedric made contact with them, experienced the difference, and has managed to join them lately. Hell, he even recently became the first governor of his Solaris Prime, which boosted his status even more.
To others, this much achievement was something nearly impossible to replicate. Some could spend thousands of years and still wouldn't be able to do as much as Cedric has done not only for himself but for his people and his home as well.
So now that Cedric has fulfilled most of his plans to secure the safety and security of his home, He figured that he could afford to focus on himself some more. His arrangements for his home were enough to occupy his people for a good while.
Ever since making contact with the alliance, a yearning was born within Cedric. It was something that he didn't dare to think about too much because he had a lot on his plate, but it never disappeared.
He wanted to explore the prosperity of the alliance. He wanted to visit worlds and experience things that he had never seen before. And most importantly, he wanted to become strong enough to traverse and see all the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm could offer.
Now that he had settled his home, he figured that he could afford to pursue his personal interests for a bit.
And his journey starts by visiting the virtual universe first...
**
All new members of the alliance are given a headpiece or visor that allows them to access the virtual universe. This was because, usually, most of the new members belong to a distant world and race.
The Virtual Universe existed to bridge the gap between worlds, making it possible for new and senior members of the alliance to socialize and discover opportunities that could elevate their status within the alliance.
It's to be expected that the virtual universe was massive. It does, after all, mimic the actual size of the alliance's physical location.
Upon activating the visor, Cedric found a piece of his consciousness being pulled to a virtual reality. When his vision restored, he discovered that he's standing on a vast and empty white space.
He found himself naked the day he was born. His face and body shape remained the same as the one he had in reality, though.
[Welcome to the Virtual Universe, Citizen 96-009874.]
[I am your friendly advisory AI—January, and my task is to give you introductions on the things you can do within the Virtual Universe. But first, may I please know how to address you?]
[Note: codenames or aliases are fine. You may also tweak the appearance of your VU avatar later, but only for a little bit.]
Cedric blinked upon hearing the voice of the AI. This setting reminds him so much of the first time he arrived at the tower. Back then, the tower AI also asked for his alias.
"Call me Dawnbringer, then. Nice to meet you, January," he replied.
[Alias; 'Dawnbringer' has been set. This will be your alias in the Virtual Universe from now on. Aside from personal and private transactions where your true name is required, others will only know you and refer to you as such.]
Nice to meet you, Dawnbringer! Are you ready to start your introductory lessons about the Virtual Universe?]
"Sure, let's begin."
And thus, the extensive introduction about all functions the virtual universe could offer began.
Cedric listened carefully and captured all the information the AI provided him. He would ask questions or have the AI clarify things for him at times just to ensure that he's understanding everything clearly.
He didn't know that January, the introductory AI advisor, was actually pleased and rather surprised that Cedric was having an active role in this.
This AI had introduced the virtual universe to millions of people by now. The majority of them came from distant worlds outside the alliance, so when they first arrived here, they were either too shocked and/or speechless to think carefully. The AI could tell that whatever the introductory lessons just passed through one of their hearing organs and exits on the next.
January couldn't be bothered to call them out since they probably won't talk to each other again anyway.
Cedric, on the other hand, was attentive. January could tell that he's paying close attention to every single word said in the introduction. He would raise questions, ask clarifications, and say things he's curious about. January responded to all of them, of course, since it was programmed to do so. But having somebody pay attention to its work made the AI really pleased.
As for Cedric himself, he had no idea that the AI actually enjoyed his behavior. He's more focused on learning everything he can about the virtual universe instead.
And so far, his initial impression of the virtual universe was 'convenient'.
When they said that they're bridging distance and time for new members, they actually meant it.
For starters, there's this thing called the Virtual Hub (V-Hub) at every known world, secret realm, pocket dimension, etc. within the Virtual Universe.
V-hubs are like checkpoints that can be used as means of transportation. Members can use these hubs to set a location and be teleported there in an instant, allowing for ease and convenience in traversing the vast expanse of the virtual universe.
New members, depending on their initial status, will be given a home somewhere within the virtual universe. There are actually a few planets designated for this purpose. They're like planet-sized condominiums or apartment complexes. They are scattered all over the virtual universe, each having their own motif and charm.
And since distance was defined to never be a problem within the virtual universe, anybody could live wherever they choose and apply for work at the opposite end of the realm without the fear of being punished for being late since they could just use the V-hub's for instant teleportation to their desired location.
Yet that also means that tardiness at work will be punished heavily since there is literally little to no reason for anybody to be late.
Cedric will be given the option to pick where he wants his starting home to be after the introduction is over.
Aside from introducing the V-hubs and living areas to Cedric, January also introduced the common lifestyle of new members to him. The AI also gave him some advice that it doesn't typically bother to inform others all due to the simple reason that Cedric was attentive to their conversation.
Of course, the most important part of this introduction was the method to upgrade his citizenship to unlock more privileges and benefits for himself.
Cedric and Januray talked for what seemed like days. This was probably the longest discussion the AI ever had with someone, but it's also one that it enjoyed the most.
After concluding their conversation, January helped Cedric find a suitable home. Once they're done with that, the AI leaves Cedric to his own because its role ends there.
Now, Cedric must begin familiarizing himself with his new environment on his own.