After a brief moment of spiritual confusion, Krillin realized he was no longer sitting by the campfire in the wild. Instead, he found himself in a very clean room, about fifty square meters in size. There was no bed, no table, not a single decoration—utterly bare and minimalistic.
Krillin blinked and muttered to himself, "This… is the Virtual Earth Network? Jarvis? Are you there, Jarvis?" Looking down, he noticed that his clothes had changed to a plain gray outfit. More importantly, the necklace on his chest had disappeared. He panicked instantly.
"I'm here." A glowing orb of light appeared beside him, speaking in Jarvis's voice.
"So this is what you look like?" Seeing Jarvis materialize, Krillin let out a breath of relief, though Jarvis didn't respond to the comment. Krillin repeated, "So this is the Virtual Earth Network?"
"Without a doubt, yes. You're in a residence within Muten City on the Virtual Earth Network. The room is currently in its default state. You can later change the area, layout, and more as you wish. Step outside and I'll explain some of the basic concepts of the Virtual Earth Network," the orb floated silently next to Krillin.
"I guess I'll take a look outside first." Krillin glanced around the barren room and located the door. He walked over and pushed it open. Light immediately spilled in from outside, slightly brighter than before.
The little bald monk froze in place. What lay before him was a street scene remarkably similar to a bustling modern metropolis. Wide and smooth roads were packed with people coming and going, indistinguishable from real humans. Most wore comfortable, loose-fitting outfits suited for movement and martial arts. Many bore the marks of different martial arts schools.
Men and women were both present, though men were the majority. But they all shared one trait: every single one of them was a martial artist! Though Krillin had lived at Orin Temple for over eleven years, he had ventured down the mountain a few times and met martial artists, so he could somewhat recognize them.
"This… this looks way too real…"
Krillin stood dazed in the doorway. Just moments ago, he had been under the starry sky by a wild campfire, and now, in the blink of an eye, he was in another "real" world. He looked up—it was nighttime here too, with a crescent moon and glittering stars overhead. Yet on the street below, there was plenty of light, lacking the gloom of night.
"The realism level of the Virtual Earth Network exceeds 90%. With normal human senses, it's basically impossible to distinguish between the real world and the network," Jarvis explained, floating beside him.
"But this is too real... What if I can't tell what's real or not?" Krillin muttered, then stepped onto the street, feeling a mix of curiosity, excitement, and nervousness. He turned back for a look and saw the building he'd come out of—it was just a simple, ordinary detached house. From the outside, it didn't match the interior at all.
"Everyone in the Virtual Earth Network has their own room. When you log in, you'll appear there. Room size and space can be adjusted based on your permissions. Those with higher privileges can even purchase private floating islands within the main city to live on."
"Live here? You mean sleep and do everything in here too?" Krillin curled his lips. From Jarvis's explanation, he realized that money brought convenience even in the Virtual Earth Network. He looked up and, sure enough, saw floating islands in the sky. Under the night sky, a few black dots could be seen moving between them—probably aircraft of some sort. Must be nice to be rich.
"By the way, Jarvis, didn't you say… I think you did… that this so-called 'Muten City' belongs to the Martial Arts Association? So everyone here is part of it?"
"Of course, including you."
"Eh? I'm already a member of the Martial Arts Association?"
"Yes. You passed the three-year self-training evaluation and now officially qualify as a member. When you logged into Muten City on the Virtual Earth Network, I registered your data into the Martial Arts Association database. From now on, you can verify your identity as a member using your DNA at any Martial Arts Association branch in the real world."
Krillin's jaw dropped slightly. As he wandered the street aimlessly, he asked Jarvis questions in a low voice. Jarvis advised him to communicate using his thoughts instead, and sure enough, he found it more discreet—no need to worry about being overheard.
He soon noticed that people on the street were occasionally glancing at him. Confused, Krillin wondered if it was his bald head drawing attention. When he asked Jarvis, he got this answer: "The clothing you're wearing is the default outfit for first-time users of the Virtual Earth Network…"
Krillin blushed. Remembering Jarvis's earlier comment about adjusting things, he asked if it could help him change clothes. Initially, he wanted his usual monk robe, but when he spoke, it came out as: "Can you change it to… hmm… something like the Muten School uniform?"
Even Krillin had heard the legendary reputation of the Muten School.
"In Muten City, uniforms from a specific school can only be worn by its disciples," Jarvis replied.
"Ah… then what about Goku's outfit?"
"That's allowed. Would you like to make changes?"
"Uh, just switch the colors of the top and bottom…" Krillin thought for a moment. Instantly, his outfit transformed from the newbie's gray robe to a light yellow top, white sash and wrist guards, blue pants, and black cloth shoes.
He stamped his feet and realized it felt no different than wearing clothes in real life. He was amazed.
Wandering around Muten City with no particular goal, Krillin noticed that after changing his outfit, fewer people were paying attention to him, which was a relief. Being a newbie under everyone's curious stares was really stressful.
"I almost forgot—what's this 'Martial Arts Association Points' system? Do I have any? How do I check it? How do I earn points?" Krillin excitedly fired off a string of questions.
"Every member of the Martial Arts Association has points. You currently have zero. Points can be earned by accepting tasks from the association, by performing heroic deeds that are recorded by Babata or other assistive devices, through sparring in the 'Dueling Arena' within the Virtual Earth Network, or by participating in real-world events and competitions held by the association…"
"As for spending points, depending on your permissions, they can be exchanged for martial arts techniques and secret manuals within the association. In Muten City, you can also use them to hire experts who have enabled the 'guidance' feature to teach you martial arts. Additionally, the 'Muten Tower' is currently the most popular place among members for spending points."
"Muten Tower? What's that?" Krillin paused when he heard the term, suddenly recalling something he'd seen earlier. He turned his head. At the far eastern edge of Muten City, he could vaguely make out an ancient tower, dozens of floors tall, standing majestically.
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