The Oracle Paths Chapter 4 The Oracle System part 2

After absorbing all that information, Jake remained quiet for quite some time. It wasn't due to any difficulty grasping those stats. In the 22nd century, VR tech had advanced tremendously, and picking a solid VRMMORPG at random from any VR game shop would yield something worthwhile.

Did we ever detail how Jake, the ultimate procrastinator, made his income? Since he skipped work so often, you wouldn't have known. Truth be told, he excelled at his specialty: idling away.

It sounded overstated, yet it held a kernel of truth. Leveraging his degree in informatics and cybernetics, he secured a position at the VRGF, the Virtual Reality Games Federation. This organization stood as the pinnacle in VR gaming. Nowadays, VR games outshone traditional sports, featuring biennial international events rivaling the Olympics or the old World Cup in prestige.

Though virtual reality wasn't flawless—you still moved your actual body in the physical world—high-end gear delivered deeply immersive play. A spacious multi-directional treadmill let players stroll, sprint, or leap without spatial constraints. A sensor-laden VR suit mimicked tactile sensations to some degree. Cameras tracked positions and actions, syncing with suit feedback. Suspended by suitable ropes, one could even simulate flight and flips in-game. And the 22nd-century visuals? Absolutely stunning.

The main drawback? Cost. Many in the lower middle class could scarcely buy a VR headset, let alone a full setup. Savvy investors quickly spotted the potential, birthing VR arcade lounges.

The top-tier ones, boasting superior setups, fell under VRGF ownership. These venues typically included dozens of fully rigged VR pods plus a shop stocked with essentials. They also hosted VR tournaments and contests.

Cheating plagued VR games, perhaps more so than others. Jake could attest to this firsthand—he was, in a way, a pro at spotting cheats. No, not as a perpetrator; he preferred fair play. Yet cheaters persisted regardless.

Consider a hit battle-survival FPS today. Matches lasted around 45 minutes, during which characters dashed 4 to 6 miles. Viewed that way, contemporary VR titles served as an obesity antidote. Any couch-potato gamer glued to screens would transform unrecognizably in weeks.

This health boon and physique appeal skyrocketed VR's fame. Incidentally, the ad catchphrase 'An hour of VR daily chases fat away' still popped up in every fast-food commercial.

Obesity rates dipped for a spell, but cheaters changed that. Soon, they outnumbered legit players. Only VRGF sites guaranteed integrity, so all official events occurred there.

Frankly, cheating proved straightforward. Web guides and videos broke it down simply. Hack the cameras with looped footage. Remotely manipulate treadmills or deploy suited robots. Pricey and tricky, sure, but doable for the committed.

Thus stemmed his skinny-fat physique: sloth mixed with sore losing. Ironic, given his workplace—a VRGF center. Not the grandest, but it employed dozens like him. His role? Upkeep of VR gear and customer tips. An ideal laid-back gig.

Returning to the point, game systems felt second nature to him. What stunned him were the deeper ramifications of that data.

How did this gadget harvest every detail about him? It integrated seamlessly, like an extension of himself, but equating that to some intrusive probe prying into his every secret marked a vast gap.

[No need to dwell on it more.] The Oracle AI clarified. [We're bonded until the end. My goals align with yours. You'll grasp this fully soon enough.]

[The Oracle's functions aid your growth. If no questions, I'll cover the next Status aspect: Knowledge and Skills.]

Jake bit back his impending queries. Damn, it mimicked a game eerily. Could this Oracle sift and organize such a torrent of memories too?

'I got plenty of questions, but I'll hold off until you've finished explaining.' He resolved, face set determinedly.

[Pleased to hear that. Now, onto Knowledge and Skills.]

[This marks Status's second component. Any skill or knowledge the Oracle System judges competent enough appears in your list. Even favored topics with scant familiarity get shown.]

[Your skill list follows:]

A deluge of data flooded his thoughts once more. The unease faded quickly, but the revelations nearly turned his stomach. His skills? Absolutely his, no doubt. This Oracle was excessively thorough—privacy talks loomed after this.

[Knowledge and Skill Masteries:]

[Procrastination: 53241 points (Normal human: 28 points). Grand Master proficiency. You delay like a champion. Masterfully, you reframe priorities and defer every obligation, task, or errand.]

[Masturbating: ... Do I need to spell out the mastery peak for a girlfriend-less nerd like you?]

After countless embarrassing entries, each more pointless than the last... Finally, respectable skills and expertise emerged.

[Informatics: 76 points (Normal human: 8 points). You've surpassed Novice level.]

'...' Jake exhaled. 'You know this is basically my degree field, right?'

The AI brushed him off.

[Cyber engineering: 51 points (Normal human: 1 point). No longer a Novice.

[Communication: 4 points (Normal human: 10 points). Prolonged isolation bred social anxiety. Chatting with colleagues or patrons strains you. Your gestures and wording seldom reveal true thoughts. Lacking poise and eloquence, public speaking or presentations elude you.]

[Back-flip: 50 points (Normal human: 0 points): Impressive; you pull off crowd-pleasing tricks.]

Jake grinned at this entry. Among his few proud feats. He recalled devoting days to perfecting it on a trampoline. To wow schoolmates, he nailed one on solid earth. But one botched attempt killed his drive. A poor takeoff led to a crash-landing on the school yard before everyone, nearly snapping his neck. Shame overrode the hurt. That was his final back-flip. Who'd have thought his skill lingered so strongly!

[Fighting: 7 points (Normal people: 5 points). No martial arts training, yet a wild streak simmers within. Rules? Not your style. In a scrap, you'd zero in on groin, neck, eyes by reflex. No bravery, but no urge to bolt either.]

Odd ability. He'd never scrapped, ignoring even bullying cousins. No passive vibe, but logic ruled him. Procrastination would conjure excuses against brawling. Plus, as a geek, physical closeness—playful or hostile—shattered his confidence.

The leftover skills below covered everyday talents or standard lore for the schooled. Routine acts or honed motions typically scored 50 proficiency. Think walking or breathing basics. Yet often-used ones might lag. Take his cooking:

[Cooking: 1 point (Normal human: 4 points). You manage not to starve. Boiling pasta or grilling steak right? That's not cooking.]

Or this gem:

[Bed making: 1 point (Normal human: 5 points). Just tugging sheets doesn't count as proper bed-making. A neat bed fosters order in life. Triumph starts with a purposeful step.]

If the Oracle AI's humor—and its shadowy edge—hadn't sunk in yet, he might as well call it quits.

Now, time to uncover the final feature: 'Guidance'.