"Looks like you've successfully obtained your first Aether Spirit. As the first batch of Real Aether Spirit players, I've been observing your game data and real-time feedback. This will help me adjust the game later on."
As the text and Giovanni appeared on the screen, the voice of the masked weirdo rang out as well.
"In such a realistic environment, obtaining your own Aether Spirit isn't an easy thing. Especially if you want a powerful Aether Spirit, it's even harder.
"Alright, enough small talk. To raise the players' enthusiasm, just like the Interastral Tournament Festival, Boss Nero and I unanimously decided to set up some competition events in this game.
"Do you still remember the name of this place? That's right, Victory Peak. Our first tournament will be held here. The strongest player will become the first overall champion.
"Of course, there's also the most important thing, the reward. Let's talk about what you care about most. If you get first place this season, then you can receive 1,200 Primogems... uh, I mean Stellar Jades. You know what I mean."
"Damn, Giovanni directly broke the fourth wall and started talking to us. What do you think, is this a Masked Fool traditional skill or something?" Siberian Duck complained while watching Giovanni speak.
[Aha's Emanator: I guarantee it, this is real. This really is our traditional skill.]
[Belobog Savage: Yeah, we all know how to do this.]
[Knight of Beauty: I have no objections.]
[I Use Pantene: Who asked you?]
[Aha Isn't Here: So what? Just tell me whether you like this reward or not. Do you like it? Do you want the 1,200 Stellar Jades or not? Do you want them?]
[Eternal Crimson Heart: If you're seriously giving them to me, then of course I want them.]
[Pom-Pom: Boss Nero is really generous, giving us Stellar Jades again.]
[Machine Soul: Wasn't this event prepared by Giovanni?]
[Pom-Pom: This is an event jointly held by Nero and Giovanni, so Nero is definitely the one paying for it.]
[Boiling Tea with Burning Snow: You really are firm in your beliefs.]
While the players discussed things, Giovanni continued speaking.
"You must be wondering how to participate. Actually, we've set up gatekeepers at the foot of Victory Peak. Defeat them, and you'll get the qualification certificate for the tournament.
"This is to filter players. Surely you don't want matches dragging on forever before you can get rewards, right?
"Alright, stop thinking about who exactly I'm saying all this to. No matter what, if you want the rewards, the first thing you need to do is train your Aether Spirits, right?"
After Giovanni finished speaking, the screen changed. A menu appeared, and then Siberian Duck followed the system instructions, clicked the menu, and saw the "Training" button.
"Alright, click the training button. I'll tell you how to raise your Aether Spirits."
"Who is he talking to? Don't you two think Mr. Giovanni is acting a little weird? Maybe we should ask Teacher Dan Heng what's going on!" March said.
"I think Dan Heng probably can't explain what's going on either," Stelle slowly said.
"Just treat it like a beginner tutorial. It's only a prerecorded message anyway," Nero casually said.
While listening to the complaints from Seven Star Fish and the other two, Siberian Duck clicked the training button, and soon the screen entered a new interface.
On the left side, she could see the currently available Aether Spirits. There was only Mimic Honey Badger.
On the right side, she could choose a trainer. At the moment, all the characters Siberian Duck owned could act as trainers.
And this time, the guide was no longer Giovanni, but Nero instead.
"Train your Aether Spirits and let them learn their skills. Choose the Aether Spirit you want to train, choose your trainer, confirm the move you want the Aether Spirit to learn, then enter battle. During battle, use the selected move, and the Aether Spirit will learn it."
"Each Aether Spirit can learn four skills. These skills can be selected freely from the trainer's normal attack (including enhanced normal attacks), skill (including enhanced skills), talent, and ultimate move (with suitable adjustments for Real Aether Spirit), and can be mixed however you want."
"Of course, if you want a different skill set later, you can also reset points, make it forget the moves it already learned, and relearn them."
Nero's instructions briefly explained the training system in Real Aether Spirit...
"First select Mimic Honey Badger, then choose Nero. We'll give her the first skill, 'Jade Dragon Becomes Profound.'"
Siberian Duck followed the instructions, entered battle, and after the battle ended, a short animation immediately played.
"So, Nero, how are you planning to train her?" March asked.
"Obviously by training her body. Stats are the foundation of everything," Nero answered.
"What about the others? Aren't you going to teach her any moves?" Stelle asked.
Nero slightly narrowed his eyes and made a thinking pose.
At the same time, heavy vibrations were coming over. The figure of Mimic Honey Badger slowly moved with difficulty. She walked upright like a human, with three enormous black boulders "pressing" down on her body.
Mimic Honey Badger slowly passed by, struggling step by step from the left side to the right side.
Then she suddenly threw away the giant rocks she was holding in both claws and also spat out the rock she had been biting in her mouth, finally revealing a relieved expression.
"My god, this isn't training at all. She seriously doesn't treat me like a living thing. Since when does basic training mean carrying three mountains while running? And this kind of thing only counts as prenatal education!"
Mimic Honey Badger was clearly complaining that Nero's training was too inhuman. Based on that, according to Honey Badger's standards, Yanqing's level might only count as baby level or teenager level.
Mimic Honey Badger's resentful voice echoed around while Nero finally opened his eyes.
The boy nodded and said, "You're right. Stat training needs time to accumulate. It's hard to achieve major breakthroughs in a short time. Some moves can increase combat power much faster instead."
After speaking, Nero turned to look at Mimic Honey Badger.
At that instant, Mimic Honey Badger's huge body trembled almost immediately. Then she looked at Nero in extreme fear.
The wary, cautious, and slightly terrified look in those black eyes practically screamed, "What other crazy ideas do you have now!?"
"To make you into a better Aether Spirit, I've decided to teach you some moves," Nero said.
Mimic Honey Badger's expression visibly changed. Her tiny eyes looked like she was questioning whether Nero had taken the wrong medicine.
Still, she had no right to refuse. She could only unwillingly walk over to Nero and wait for what would happen next.
After that, the animation showed several scenes. Basically, Nero would do something, and Mimic Honey Badger would imitate him from behind.
This included but was not limited to lifting weapons up instead using giant rocks, running, jumping high into the air, and smashing down hard, basically the so-called jumping slash.
After all of that ended, Siberian Duck received a system notification: [Mimic Honey Badger has learned Jade Dragon Becomes Profound.]