Sistem prestise Inn sudah lama terbuka, tapi nyaris tak pernah dipakai selain di tingkat pertama. Itu pun karena tingkat pertama gratis dan siapa pun yang datang ke Inn otomatis mendapatkannya.
Satu-satunya manfaat Prestige 1 adalah penggunaan kacamata khusus dengan efek Clark Kent. Siapa pun bisa memakainya dan menyembunyikan penampilan serta tanda energi mereka dengan sempurna, sehingga bisa datang ke Inn dengan penyamaran total. Ini fitur yang dimiliki semua tamu, dan mungkin fitur Inn yang paling sering dipakai.
Lalu datang Prestige 2. Seorang tamu harus menghabiskan 10.000 MP untuk membuka tingkat ini, pencapaian yang awalnya sangat sulit saat sistem Prestige pertama kali dibuka, terutama karena tak ada tempat untuk membelanjakan uangnya. Sekarang, menyewa Desa Kecil selama satu malam saja berharga 15.000 MP, yang sudah jauh melewati batas Prestige. Tapi satu-satunya manfaat tingkat ini hanyalah bisa langsung berteleportasi ke Inn sekali setahun tanpa perlu kunci emas atau pintu.
Sebenarnya ada beberapa situasi di mana fitur ini terasa berguna, misalnya jika kehabisan kunci, atau saat terjebak pertarungan sengit dan butuh kabur mendadak. Tapi di luar keadaan-keadaan khusus itu, fitur ini terasa sangat kurang.
Setelah itu ada Prestige 3. Meski fitur yang dibuka tingkat ini juga sensitif waktu, daya tariknya jelas lebih besar. Tingkat ini memungkinkan pengguna langsung bepergian ke planet yang terhubung dengan Inn sekali setiap 10 tahun. Mengingat perjalanan antarbintang bisa memakan ratusan tahun, terutama saat berpindah antargalaksi, daya tarik fitur ini cukup besar.
Sayangnya jangkauan Inn masih terbatas, tapi seiring waktu ini akan menjadi fitur yang sangat dicari. Namun meski menarik, itu hanya satu fitur. Mengingat seorang tamu harus menghabiskan 100.000 MP untuk membukanya, ini murah sekaligus mahal.
Bagi siapa pun yang perlu menempuh jarak jauh di alam Asal, harganya sangat murah. Tapi bagi yang lain, terlalu mahal. Lagi pula, bepergian ke dunia lain menimbulkan risiko besar jika tidak cukup kuat, jadi kenapa harus meninggalkan kenyamanan dan keakraban planet asal?
Fitur-fitur yang penggunaannya terbatas semacam itu membuat tingkat Prestise jadi fitur Inn yang nyaris terlupakan. Tapi kini Lex berniat menambah kegunaannya dan menetapkan fitur tertentu hanya tersedia di tingkat Prestige tertentu.
Ini bukan hanya insentif bagi tamu untuk membelanjakan lebih banyak MP, tapi bisa meningkatkan daya tarik menjadi karyawan Inn, karena mereka tak perlu Prestige untuk memakai fasilitas atau fitur apa pun.
Lagipula, meski 3 tingkat pertama mudah dicapai, dari Prestige 4 ke atas, restriksi semakin banyak. Tingkat Prestige 4 sendiri, selain mengharuskan tamu membelanjakan 10 juta MP, menuntut tamu minimal berada di tingkat kultivasi Nascent, dan sudah menyewa kamar di Inn setidaknya 1 bulan. Persyaratannya mungkin tampak sederhana, tapi semakin tinggi tingkatnya semakin sulit.
Pada saat yang sama, tingkat kesulitan itu sepadan dengan keuntungannya. Misalnya Prestige 4 yang memberi tamu diskon 5% untuk semua layanan Inn, juga memungkinkan tamu memakai fasilitas Inn mana pun sekali dari luar Inn, setiap sepuluh tahun.
Artinya mereka bisa memakai apa saja mulai dari fasilitas ruang Meditasi, pod pemulihan, ruang Kolam Air Panas, dan lain-lain, dari mana pun di alam semesta ini. Seiring Lex menambah layanan, jumlah fasilitas yang bisa mereka pakai akan terus bertambah. Misalnya, sekarang siapa pun yang mencapai Prestige 4 bisa langsung mengambil sebagian informasi dari gedung Berita tanpa harus datang ke Inn lalu mendekati gedung itu untuk informasi tertentu.
Ngomong-ngomong soal itu, Lex tiba-tiba punya ide dan mengirimkannya ke Velma. Alih-alih membagi berita menjadi dua kategori, satu untuk publik dan satu khusus staf Inn, dia bisa membuat berbagai tingkat sensitivitas dan menyediakan informasi tertentu hanya jika tamu berada di tingkat Prestige tertentu.
Ya, begitu Lex mulai berpikir seperti itu, makin banyak ide bermunculan. Dia teringat bahwa kura-kura Galactic Sovereign pernah menagih seseorang untuk menumbuhkan tanaman. Dia begitu sibuk menyembunyikan greenhouse, sampai lupa itu bisa dijadikan layanan.
Dia masih tak akan membiarkan tamu masuk ke greenhouse-nya, tapi dia membuat sebagian kecilnya tersedia untuk publik di hutan yang mengelilingi greenhouse. Lalu dia memutuskan membuat layanan yang memungkinkan tamu menyerahkan tanaman langka atau sulit ditumbuhkan, dan Inn akan menumbuhkannya untuk mereka. Atau, mereka bisa langsung menjualnya ke Inn. Lex tertarik mengoleksi tanaman langka karena ingin mengembangkan koleksinya - siapa tahu kapan dia menemukan sesuatu yang berguna.
Sesuai tingkat kesulitan, pembayaran dan tingkat Prestige akan dinaikkan. Lex menugaskan pekerjaan itu ke kura-kura, tapi karena dia ragu seberapa serius kura-kura menjalankan tugas, dia menyuruh Mary mengawasinya.
Setelah menugaskan tugas-tugas itu, Lex sudah beralih ke pekerjaan lain. Kalau dia terus memperhatikan, dia akan sadar bahwa kura-kura itu sama sekali tidak ada di dekat greenhouse - seperti biasa. Sebaliknya, dia berdiri di atas jurang yang berisi Kuil Api. Matanya bersinar fanatik saat dia menurunkan sulur ke kolam lava.
Anehnya, sulur-sulur itu tidak hangus oleh panasnya, meski tentu saja tak pernah langsung menyentuh lava. Di dekat titik tertinggi yang dicapai lava, sulur-sulur itu menembus dinding jurang dan menghilang. Tak lama kemudian, jamur berkerak hitam mulai tumbuh, hidup dari panas sekaligus pancaran ilahi Kuil.
Setelah melihat eksperimennya berhasil, kura-kura itu dengan hati-hati mengeluarkan benih lain. Benih ini salah satu dari tiga yang diberikan Lex kepadanya. Yang pertama telah tumbuh sendiri setelah Inn mengalami peningkatan tingkat Bintang, dan menjadi World Seed Lotus yang kini berada di punggung Lex.
Dia menurunkan benih itu, kali ini lebih hati-hati lagi, dan menanamnya di jurang, sedekat mungkin dengan lava tanpa benar-benar menyentuhnya. Awalnya tak terjadi apa-apa, tapi tak lama kemudian aura Kuil Api berfluktuasi karena sebagian besar tersedot. Tapi secepat lenyapnya, aura itu kembali, karena kendali Sistem atas Inn tak terbantahkan, dan cepat menyesuaikan diri dengan aura yang diserap.
Tak lama kemudian, satu batang hangus tumbuh dari dinding jurang, mengarah ke kuil. Pertumbuhannya berhenti, seolah puas hanya terpapar aura kuil, tapi kura-kura itu menggerutu. Jelas, ini bukan hasil yang diinginkannya.
Kembali di kantor Lex, dia harus menghentikan sementara perkembangan tingkat Prestige, karena sesuatu yang lebih penting menarik perhatiannya.
Marlo telah menyerahkan binder itu ke Fernanda. Lex tahu ini karena dia menyelipkan satu kartu namanya di dalamnya.
Ini bukan hanya cara bagus bagi Lex untuk menguji seberapa berguna kartu namanya, tapi juga membuatnya tahu bagaimana Fernanda bereaksi terhadap informasi ini.
Ini celah yang ditemukan Lex dalam desain sistem. Awalnya dia tak akan tahu apa pun terkait kartu itu sampai seseorang menyalurkan energi spirit ke dalamnya, mengaktifkan klon kesadarannya. Tapi saat dia duduk di kursi kantornya, koneksinya ke sistem dan Inn semakin dalam sepenuhnya. Ini termasuk, antara lain, kartu nama apa pun yang dia bagikan, karena kartu itu juga dihasilkan sistem.
Kembali ke Fernanda, yang aneh adalah Marlo menyerahkan binder itu ke proyeksi Fernanda di Bumi, tapi begitu proyeksi itu menghilang, binder ikut menghilang bersamanya. Tapi Lex tahu binder itu muncul kembali di suatu stasiun luar angkasa di mana tubuh aslinya berada.
Lex mengangkat alis. Itu keren, dia harus mengakui. Dia mengamati diam-diam dan penuh perhatian saat dia membaca binder itu, meski dia tak bisa mendeteksi perubahan apa pun di ekspresinya. Entah dia terbiasa menjaga ekspresi dingin, atau dia sudah tahu semua informasi yang dibacanya.
Yang bisa Lex lakukan hanyalah mengamati lingkungan sekitar kartu, kalau tidak dia akan mulai mempertimbangkan apakah akan mengaktifkan kartu itu. Dia benar-benar perlu merasakan bagaimana rasanya kartu kesadaran, tapi tak ada cara dia bisa memancingnya untuk menemukan kartu itu dan menyalurkan energinya ke dalamnya.
Setelah beberapa menit, dia menutup binder tanpa menemukan kartunya dan pergi. Lex tak tahu apakah dia berencana melakukan sesuatu, tapi dia akan mengawasi setiap perubahan di Bumi. Jika dia tidak melakukan apa-apa... yah, meski Pengelola Inn tidak melakukan apa-apa, Lex Williams juga kini menjadi kekuatan yang harus diperhitungkan.
The Inns prestige system had been unlocked for quite a while, but it remained mostly unused beyond the first level. Even then, it was mostly because the first level was free and anyone who arrived at the Inn would automatically get it.
The only benefit Prestige 1 availed was the use of special glasses with the Clark Kent effect. Anyone could put them on and hide their appearance and energy signature perfectly, allowing them to come to the Inn in perfect disguise. This was a feature all guests had, and was probably the most used feature that the Inn offered.
Then came Prestige 2. A guest had to spend 10,000 MP to unlock this level, a feat that was originally very difficult when the Prestige system was unlocked, mostly due to the fact that there was nowhere to spend the money. Now though, renting a Small Village for a single night costs 15,000 MP, which would put you well within the Prestige limit. But the only benefit this level offered was to be able to instantly teleport to the Inn once a year without the use of a golden key or door.
There were genuinely a few circumstances in which this feature may seem useful, for example if you ran out of keys or for example were in the middle of an intense fight and needed a sudden get away. But outside of those very special circumstances, the feature seemed very lacking.
After this came Prestige 3. Though the feature this level unlocked was also time sensitive, it was definitely more attractive. This level would allow the user to directly travel to a planet connected to the Inn once every 10 years. Considering that interstellar travel could take hundreds of years, especially while traveling between galaxies, the appeal of this feature was considerable.
It was somewhat unfortunate that the reach of the Inn was limited so far, but over time this would become an extremely sought after feature. But despite its attraction, it was just one feature. Considering a guest had to spend 100,000 MP to unlock this level, it was both cheap and expensive.
For anyone who needed to travel large distances in the Origin realm, it was dirt cheap. But for everyone else, it was too expensive. Moreover, traveling to another world would pose considerable risk if one were not strong enough, so why would they leave the comfort and familiarity of their home planet?
Such features, that were limited in their use cases, made it so the Privilege level was an almost forgotten feature of the Inn. But now Lex intended on increasing its uses and setting certain features as only available at certain Prestige levels.
Not only would this be an incentive for guests to spend more MP, it could increase the attractiveness of becoming an Inn employee, as they would not need Privilege to use any facility or feature.
After all, while the first 3 levels were simple to achieve, from Prestige 4 onwards, there were more and more restrictions. The 4th Prestige level itself, other than requiring guests to spend 10 million MP, required the guest to be minimum at the Nascent level cultivation, and have spent at least 1 month renting a room at the Inn. The requirements may seem simple, but they became progressively more difficult as the level went higher.
At the same time, the level of difficulty matched the subsequent perks for example, Prestige 4 which would allow guests to have a 5% discount on all Inn services, would also allow guests to use any Inn facility once while outside the Inn once every ten years.
This meant that they could use anything from the facility of the Meditation room, recovery pod, hot tub room etc. from anywhere in the universe. As Lex added more and more services, the number of facilities they could use would continue to expand. For example, now anyone who reached Prestige 4 could directly retrieve some information from the News building without having to come to the Inn and then approach the building for specific information.
Speaking of which, Lex suddenly had an idea and sent it towards Velma. Instead of dividing news into two categories, one available for public and one only for the Inn staff, she could create various levels of sensitivity and make certain information available only if the guest was at a certain Prestige level.
Yes, once Lex started thinking like this more and more ideas started coming to him. He recalled that the Sovereign Galactic turtle had charged someone for growing a plant. He had been so occupied with hiding the greenhouse, he forgot it could be used as a service.
He still would not let guests into his greenhouse, but he created a small portion of it available to the public in the forest that surrounded the greenhouse. He then decided to create a service which would allow guests to submit rare or difficult plants to grow, and the Inn would grow it for them. Or, they could also sell it directly to the Inn. Lex was interested in collecting rare plants as he wanted to develop his collection - who knew when he would encounter something useful.
According to the difficulty, the payment and Prestige level would be raised. Lex assigned the duty to the turtle, but since he was doubtful about how serious the turtle would take this job, had Mary keep an eye on him.
After assigning the tasks, Lex already moved onto other tasks. Had he continued to pay attention, he would have realized that the turtle was nowhere near the greenhouse - as usual. Instead, he was standing over the ravine which contained the Fire Temple. Its eyes contained a fanatic glow as it lowered vines into the lava pool.
Strangely, the vines were not incinerated by the heat, though, of course, they never directly came in contact with the lava. Near the peak of where the lava reached until, the vines drilled into the ravine walls and disappeared. A short while later, black crusted mushrooms began to grow, feeding off not only the heat, but the divine radiance of the Temple.
After watching its experiment succeed, the turtle carefully took out another seed. This seed was one of three Lex had given him. The first one had bloomed on its own after the Inn underwent an increase in Star levels, and became the World Seed Lotus that now resided on Lex's back.
He lowered the seed, this time even more carefully, and planted it in the ravine, as close as possible to the lava without actually touching it. At first nothing happened, but a short while later the aura of the Fire temple fluctuated as a majority of it was sucked away. But just as quickly as it vanished, it returned, for the system's control over the Inn was insurmountable, and it quickly adapted for the aura being absorbed.
A short while later, a single charred stem grew from the ravine wall, pointed towards the temple. Its growth stopped, as if it was satisfied with simply being exposed to the temple's aura, but the turtle grumbled. Clearly, this was not the result it wanted.
Back at Lex's office, he had to temporarily stop his growth of the Prestige level, for something else important attracted his attention.
Marlo had delivered the binder to Fernanda. The reason Lex knew this was because he had slipped one of his business cards inside it.
Not only was this a good way for Lex to experiment on how useful his business cards were, this allowed him to know how Fernanda would react to this information.
This was a loophole Lex discovered in the systems design. Originally he would not be aware of anything related to the card until someone channeled spirit energy into it, activating his consciousness clone. But when he sat in his office chair, his connection to the system and the Inn was deepened completely. This included, among other things, any business cards he had given out, since they were also generated by the system.
Returning to Fernanda, the strange thing was that Marlo handed the binder to a projection of Fernanda on Earth, but once the projection disappeared, the binder disappeared with her. But Lex knew that the binder reappeared on a space station somewhere where her real body was.
Lex raised an eyebrow. That was cool, he had to admit. He was watching silently and intently as she read the binder, though he could not detect any changes in her expression. Either she was used to maintaining a cold expression, or she already knew all the information she was reading.
All Lex could really do was observe the environment around the card, otherwise he would have started considering whether or not to activate the card. He really needed to see what a consciousness card felt like, but there was no way he could prompt her to find it and channel her energy into it.
After a few minutes, she closed the binder without finding the card and went away. Lex did not know if she planned on doing anything, but he would keep an eye out for any changes on Earth. If she did nothing... well, even if the Innkeeper did nothing, Lex Williams was also now a force to be reckoned with.
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