Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 39: Chapter 35: Caged

Read chapter 39 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Chapter 35: Caged Chapter 35: Caged ANOMALY REVIEW REPORT: //ACCESS LEVEL: Administrator (Obfuscated) ‎ // REQUEST SOURCE: Internal Anomaly Monitor – Euclid ‎ // LOG CONTEXT: Progress Report in User Record #0117-A ("Alex") ‎ // STATUS: Flagged <System Trial> Integration START OF RECORD: :://Event Flag: // Den-Level Beast <Variant: [Badger Mother]> Successfully Terminated// ‎ //Combat Performance Evaluated// Tactical efficiency: 71%// Damage-to-output ratio: Low// Additional Time Remaining; Moderate// Overall Rating: Slightly Above Baseline //System Trial Evaluation//<Incomplete>// Likelihood Of Trial Success: Low// Behavioral Compliance: 49%// Encouragement Measures: Moderate <Upgraded> High// Additional Monitoring Required// :://LOG END// Alex startled awake with a stifled grunt. He sat up from where he lay on the ground, his head spun and he gagged from the taste that assaulted his mouth. He looked about blearily, unsure what was going on. He remembered the badger fights. The bodyguards, the den mother, then Holly. He remembered trying to save her, spending his points, and the pain. It was just all too much, his head hurt. Somehow he was alive, so maybe that meant Holly was too, and the others. Where were they? Alex looked at his surroundings. What is happening now? He was in a cage. Why did his team put him in a cage? Where did they even get a cage? What had he done after running away that prompted his team to put him in this? It was ridiculous. What happened? How did I get here in this... cave? He was sitting in a metal cage, inside what looked like a cave cavern. The floor and walls of the cavern were made of stone, natural, unhewn stone. The room was very poorly lit, with a few torches in sconces attached to the walls. From the dim light that they did give off, Alex was able to notice more details of his predicament. On either side of him, Alex saw other cages with more people. His friends. He saw Lance, Devon, Peter, Cole, Zach and Eric to his left down in a line of cages. Garret and Henry, he couldn't quite see, but he guessed they were further off in the darkness just beyond his vision. Allie, Holly and even Kate, were in separate cages as well on his right. It looked like the women were separated out a little. "He's awake. Guys, he's awake." Lance whispered into the cavern. "Oh thank god, Alex are you okay?" Allie whispered from his right. "Alex, yes, finally. Can he take a bath now?" Alex heard Garret off to the far left. Alex ignored him. "You alright man?" "I'm okay, I'm okay." Alex said, waving away the concerns. He really was okay after all. His head hurt and he was a bit sore, but he felt really good like one of those great days at the gym. He felt like he had an adrenaline high. He was covered in the black residue of his refinement still, which was probably what he tasted in his mouth. But besides that, he felt good. He brought up his stats and notifications. Name; Alexander Pierce Experience; 460 Core; Stage - F; Fire (0.04%) Attributes; Strength : 5 (0.2%) Agility : 5 (18.5%) Vitality : 5 (0.1%) Wisdom : 2 (0.4%) Intelligence : 2 (0.0%) Willpower : 5 (0.0%) You Have Slain Forest Badger Den Guardian! +224 Experience You Have Slain Forest Badger Den Guardian! +213 Experience Before the fight even began Alex had enough experience to push his vitality to five. Not his strength though. The royal bodyguards, or the Den Guardians as the system seemed to title them, were the kills that gave Alex enough experience to push his strength up to such a point to begin the refinement, and to pry Holly from the den mother's grasp. Alex's vitality had already been more than halfway through to five, so the remaining amount was enough to let him kick that up while he was running away. Going through two refinements at once was a crazy idea, especially if doing even one during a life or death fight was already. Alex knew his body wouldn't hold together during its strength refinement and running away at the same time, so he panick