Chapter 122 - Combat Experience

[IDLE Points +150]

[IDLE Points +150]

[IDLE Points +150]

Aldrin watched as he racked up IDLE points on the current battlefield where he's only providing support fire using his Metadome's firearms. Even if it wasn't a direct kill, points would still be credited to him once anyone in his group finished the creature.

Once he realized that he found another exploit for points even with minimum effort on his part, Aldrin would always fire once to the creatures or even throw a rock or anything he could use as a projectile to injure the hyenas.

And even if his aim was only to put in even a little damage on the hyenas, he's timing it so that it would look like he's assisting them to prevent any injury.

Despite being a Level 20, a peak Ordinary Rank creature or something clearly stronger even against a peak Stage 1 Energy Refiner, the green-spotted hyenas provided little challenge against Aldrin and the group of trainees operating their Metadomes.

Compared to the five-meter-tall Metadomes, the hyenas weren't even taller than a human. They might be bigger than the normal hyenas that could be only be found now in ancient era's books but against the giant mechanical constructs that were powered by Dimensional Energy, it would be hard for them to take down one unless a whole pack focused on one to bite through the thick resilient alloy used to forge a Metadome.

Through this battle, Aldrin and the others confirmed the fact that Metadomes became the cheat of humanity against their threat, and that led the migrated population to prosper for years to come.

Nonetheless, mysteries about Dimensional Rifts remained unanswered. At least for the uninformed majority.

Twenty minutes later, the last of the green-spotted hyena had its head blown by Aldrin's blaster.

Thankfully, the automatic transference to the Idle Storage wasn't applied to him or it would puzzle everyone with him to explain where the corpses disappeared to.

"We're finished! Oh boy… I almost froze when I got jumped by three of them. Thank you for the assist, leader!"

With the threat on their side controlled and the tension of their first battle released, almost everyone breathed out a sigh of relief. 

The one who spoke those words was Emerson. He's someone that's fairly similar to Frederic. Instead of using a blaster or any long-range firearms from their Metadomes, he liked being at the forefront, slugging it out.

But because the hyenas were agile and smaller than the Metadomes, more often than not, those creatures could jump and land an attack on him.

Surely, if they're fighting with only their battlesuits, the battle would be over quickly. As for the result, it would be their loss.

"No problem. Take a rest and use a kit to repair your Metadome. Chel and Rex, you two take a rest as well. Once you're done, gather the corpses and return to our camp. Keep your communication line open so that the sentry can alert you if there's danger. Don't risk it."

"U-understood! What about you, leader? Are you going back?"

"You can still hear it, right? Faye's group is still in combat. I'll bring Frederic and the others to provide aid. Or do any of you want to rest first?" Aldrin answered and then addressed the four he mentioned.

He observed their complexions. Apart from how Irina and Frederic appeared excited about two different things, the four weren't as tired as the three. They did remember what Aldrin drilled into them two days ago after all.

From that recent battle, Frederic took the vanguard position by charging right in the middle of them, his Metadome that had slightly bulkier limbs thanks to the module he installed to it brought about a qualitative improvement in his melee combat. Further, he didn't go too far out, allowing Caroline to eventually catch up to him, protecting both his front and back with either her yellow-painted Metadome with its large round shield or her Barrier Concept.

Irina, who's operating her purple-colored Metadome, picked out the hyenas that had their backs turned to her using her curved swords. The module she added on her Metadome was the same as what Aldrin picked; the Maneuver Assistance. It allowed her to freely run around the battlefield. Clark, who surprisingly still stuck to their group despite the heartbreak he's experiencing, assisted Irina. Using his spear as well as his Spear Concept, he's preventing the hyena's snuck up behind her.

'They can definitely survive by themselves even when I'm not here directing them.' Aldrin judged after recalling it. 'Although I also cannot dismiss that the other groups knew teamwork. The other three were from different groups. They just volunteered to be in the combat group for the duration of the Base Building where we have to work together.'

"Let's go quickly! I'm still pumped up!" Frederic almost howled in excitement. His berserker trait was always prevailing.

"I don't mind. I can't leave you alone, can I?" Irina winked while still flashing her pleasant smile. Even though everyone can see that gesture through their holographic monitors, it's easily understood that it's directed to Aldrin.

Clark scowled at that and didn't answer while Caroline just nodded while fixing her glasses.

"Alright then, let's get moving."

-

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If they defended the left side of the hill, the other group was on the right side. Despite coming from different directions, they're all the same species.

It would take them around ten minutes to reach it. That's why while they're on the way, Aldrin gathered and reorganized his thoughts.

The hyenas that showed up were a lot higher than the sentries estimated. Fortunately, their group was efficient with their teamwork. But if they got a higher number of enemies, there's also a possibility that the same happened to the other group.

Aldrin was worried, true. But he believed that with Metadomes, that kind of threat wasn't enough to defeat them. That's unless they got scared.

Like them, that should be the other trainees' first battle.

'Hopefully, I'm wrong and they're just not as efficient as us.'

Following that, he then evaluated himself.

'After the 17,000 earlier. I'm way past 125,000 converted IDLE Points placing me at late Stage 1… I can certainly feel that if I willed it, a Minor Aura Veil would cover me. But that's enough to overcome someone as strong as Carlos… If I went with the trend, reaching the peak Stage 1 needed at least 625,000. That's a huge difference from 1000 to awaken as an Energy Refiner…'

Despite advancing quietly once more, not only he was not satisfied because of his recent loss, but he also got depressed thinking about how many IDLE Points he needed to earn next.

Nonetheless, if someone heard his thoughts and saw his expression, for example, Janet, he'd be beaten by her for being too cocky.

He achieved what some could deem an impossible feat after all… Mila and Yunlong Xin were like most other trainees, they awakened as an Energy Refiner for more than a month, or months already. For them to reach late Stage 1, it's fairly acceptable.

What about Aldrin? Counting the days that passed, it's not even one month yet!

Perhaps once the training camp finished, his feared attention would surely drop on his head. His only saving grace was his spherical Energy Quintessence.. That could somehow mask his current attainment but against monsters like the Association Head or Commander Yun, he'd probably be seen through if they fixed their eyes on him.