546Disclaimer: Its probably not mine if you recognise it
I head into the all-consuming darkness, the air in the cave is dank and humid, a faint smell of mould and mildew coming from other parts of the cave. I follow the first path, making sure not to follow any of the offshoots that may get me lost. It is strange not relying on sight, but its nigh impossible to make out anything due to the lack of light, blindsight truly is a blessing in this regard. The tunnel opens into a large cavern; the sound of rats and a strange barking growl come from deeper within. Ducking behind a stalagmite I peer out, inside are a half dozen kobolds, surrounding a strange pen like structure, made from what seems to be wood, bone and stretched out animal hide. Inside the pen are several dozen rats, the size of hogs, I wrinkle my nose as the foul smell of offal, piss and shit wafts over.
I pick up a small pebble and throw it back through the tunnel I came from, a pair of the kobolds break away and start walking over, I extend the middle claw, marvelling at the ease I can do so, and wait for them to pass the stalagmite I've chosen as my hiding place. They head back into the tunnel and I follow, the creatures are tiny, barely topping 3ft tall, and I tower over them at 6'6". I stab one in the back of its head and as the other turns around, I slash its throat, the pair dying without even being able to alert any other being in the cave. As the bodies hit the cave floor, they shatter into fragments, like a porcelain statue, then even the shards were gone.
Looking where the pair of corpses used to lie, I find a small silver bar, which I quickly stuff into my inventory. "Hey Game, do you have some sort of auto-collect for loot," I say this as quietly as possible, but even so my voice bounces of the walls.
Auto-Collect Active
I head back into the cavern, drawing my gun as I do, and bring it up to fire. A couple of shots drop another pair of the little lizard men. The last two turn to me, and while they draw the small knifes, they look like they want nothing more to flee. Before they get the chance to, I surge forward, stabbing each of them with my tanto. Once the biggest threats, and I use that term loosely, are dealt with I then move over to the animal pen, the giant rats move towards the crude fence as I stand beside it, thinking over what to do with them. I could kill them for experience, which considering their numbers, could be a decent idea, or I leave them, and I save time, allowing me to clear this fucking place out already.
I shrug before hopping over the fence and starting a massacre, the rats have no chance against me, their blood soaking through my clothes and running down my arms as claws shred though flesh and bone. It takes a few minutes but eventually the rats stop coming, and the pen is filled with their unmoving bodies. They shatter before sinking into the ground as I stride out the pen, a feral grin on my face, that was exhilarating. I don't care why I feel this way, I just need more of it.
Level Up x2
For Hitting LVL 10 in [Gunslinger], you gain these rewards;
[Battle Suit]
What every modern assassin need, a suit, shirt, tie and shoes ensemble, but with a few additions.
10% Physical Damage Reduction whilst it is being worn
CHA increases by 10
[Quick Reload]
Never worry about finishing a magazine again, when you can reload one in an instant.
Can instantly reload any ranged weapon when the magazine is empty.
My blood lust is quelled in an instant. I'm level 10, what. Stats.
Arhain Dravenson
Lvl – 10
Title - Unkillable
Class – Gunslinger – LVL 10/100 [30%]
Race – Human
Rank – Mortal
HP – 600 [250HP/Second]
MP – 100 [20MP/30 Seconds]
SP – 600 [20SP/30 Seconds]
STR – 35
END – 60
DEX – 89
INT – 10
WIS – 10
CHA – 10
LCK – 46
MP Regen = WIS X2
MP = INT X10
SP Regen = ENDX2
HP Regen = 250/second
HP = END X10
SP = END X10
I blink a couple of times in shock, I never realised that I had levelled up so much. Although I probably want to hurry up and max this class out to try and gain one that gives END, because my health pool is abysmal. Waving away the pop up I head deeper into the cave system, my gun held out in front of me ready to shoot anything that moves. A loud grunt catches my attention, following it I find a small cave, a pair of ogres with chains around their necks fastening them to the wall and a small chest lying inconspicuously behind them.
I stride in bring up I shoot the one on the right in the head twice, blood spurting out of the new holes as it slumps down, shattering into nothing, the other strains against its chain, drawing it taunt in its struggle to reach me. A small smirk graces my lips as I shoot it in the chest multiple time, just waiting for it to fall. As it does, I check my magazine for bullet count, 6 left and 1 in the chamber. I go over to the chest and just fling the whole thing into my inventory, no sense in putting things in individually.
Time to clear the rest of the dungeon.
I officially hate dungeon crawling now, it's so boring, and nothing in here causes me any trouble, the only thing that was annoying was all the fucking traps, stupid kobolds and their trap making skills. On the plus side I got another two chests of loot. I sigh as I wipe the blood off my tanto with a scrap of cloth, it's strange, the bodies don't last but the blood does. I'm stood before a massive ornate door, depicting war scenes of an army against a dragon, that's comforting, not. I run my fingers through my fringe, a dragon is going to be tough, honestly, it is kinda enough to make me want to leave right now. I have already gained another 5 levels putting me up to 15, but a dragon, that's going to have money, and a metric shit tonne of exp.
I square my shoulders and tighten my grasp on my weapons, no over-grown lizard is gonna get between me and that sweet loot. I push open the doors and…
ZAP! A surge of lightning blasts into my chest flinging me into the cave wall behind the door.
-150HP
Ow, Ow, Ow, fucking electricity, Game, can you give me a HUD with health bar, minimap, the works.
I thought you would never ask
As soon as it appears, I notice I'm back to full health, heh, thank you Wolverine regen. I press myself against the door frame, gun in hand, getting close will be a pain, and the lightning breathe will suck. A grind the heel of my palm into my face as I remember something vital. I'm A Fucking Rogue, stealth is key to kill. I keep to the shadows, slinking round the door and into the outskirts of the room. The dragon inside is massive, its scales a brilliant cobalt, its single horn on its nose sparking with electricity as it opens its mouth and speaks, "Who dares disturb my slumber, hmm, come out little mortal, and you death may be swift." Its voice reverberated through me as it rumbled like thunder. Yeah, no thanks, I like living.
Keeping to the edges and moving slowly around the cavern, I realise that is resting on a truly massive pile of treasures, if I can pull it off then it will be a very, very profitable time. Bringing my gun up I aim for the back of the head, and fire. The bullet flies out and flattens against its scales, the dragon freezes before spinning around and lunging for me, mouth wide. I attempt to dodge but it manages to catch my left arm at the shoulder. It bites down with a vicious smirk and swallows the appendage whole as I watch.
-500HP
I flee, not waiting to give it another chance to attack and don't stop until I'm far out the room. Bringing my remaining hand up to the stump, it was already beginning to heal, and there was a small nub that could be a new arm that's going to regrow. I notice that my health isn't going up and begin to panic, "Hey Game, why aren't I healing?"
Your arm takes precedence for healing, that's why your HP isn't increasing
I slump against the wall, so I'm fucked and need to wait for a full arm to regrow before I can heal, and none of my usable weapons can actually hurt the boss. I sigh and get ready for a long wait. Hang on, why aren't I having a panic attack or hyperventilating from losing an arm, and where is the pain?
I am using Gamers Mind to prevent these from driving you insane.
Okay, that makes some sense, thank you, I guess. I squirm against the cave wall, trying to find some comfort as I wait.
It takes four fucking hours for my arm to grow back, and in that time, I realised, this boss isn't beatable as I am currently. Like, how am I supposed to defeat a dragon with a shitty little handgun and bone claws? Game, do I need to kill the boss to leave the dungeon.
You do not, and congratulation on realising this is an impossible task for your level.
Several Gamers before yourself threw themselves at the dragon, overconfident in their abilities and thus died.
You mean that this was some sort of test, which I could have died for. Sighing I shake my head, honestly, I can't bring my-self to care, seeing my arm ripped off and then swallowed whole by the dragon made me have one goal in mind, gain power and kill it. Game send me back.
The substation appears back in my vision and the first thing I notice is its pitch black. I surge forward and get into the room where the fuse box is, and hide, hoping to hell that there weren't any Volatiles nearby. Thump. Something large just landed on the ceiling of the building, and begins walking across is, an eerie growl filtering down from above. Of course, a fucking Volatile just had to be nearby when I was put back. Fuck, I thought my LCK would mitigate that.
A Higher LCK stat also increases the chance for Random Encounters, both good and bad.
Okay, that makes sense in a twisted sort of way, right so my options are to bunker down here and hope it doesn't make its way in, until dawn, or go out, rush it and hope I can kill it before it infects me. Yeah that's an easy choice to make. I sit down, leaning against the wall of the small back room, and bring out the suit I gained in the dungeon. Putting it on I stretch, feeling the ease in which, the fabric moves. This is actually really nice, and the damage reduction while wearing it is great as well.
Thinking over I know I'm close to a safezone I can use to sleep through the night, but I need to get past the Volatile first, then make it over there without getting seen any more volatiles, clear out the safezone and activate the power. That might, just might, be possible, but there is also the extremely high possibility that I could attract the attention of several Volatiles, Virals as well as the regular infected, and since the infection mutates things at a rapid rate, I would rather not see what happens when it comes into contact with my regeneration.
I snooze for a while until I can hear the sound of burning flesh, a pained screech as the Volatile runs to escape the sun. Stretching languidly, like a big cat, I leave the building, squinting as the first rays of the day warm my face. I begin to make my way over towards the safehouse, climbing onto train cars and buildings, avoiding the ground as much as possible, eventually making my way up to it. Two zombies were on the roof, but they were easily taken care of with a small slash of my tanto. Dropping down to the actual safe house I surge in, taking out the two zombies inside. Once all the undead were dealt with I go over to the fuse box and fit in new fuses that were on top of it.
Objective – Kill Infected – 0018/2500
Actually, making safehouses safe sounds like a really good idea, easy exp, makes it easier for me in the long run. Nodding to myself, I bring out the treasure chests I got from the dungeon and burst them open, checking over the loot. From killing the trash mobs I got another Gatcha Token, which I fling back into my inventory, saving it for a rainy day, the chests together didn't really have much, a basic healing potion, a seven copper coins, sixteen silver coins, one hundred and twenty one gold coins, fifteen bags of nails, and two magic items. One was an Everburning Torch, which is handy I suppose, and the other is this.
[Class Change Crystal]
Allows for the user to change their class, without the need to max out their previous
I immediately use it, taking the [Martial Artist] Fighter subclass because it plays in well with my current build.
Skill Gained:
[Martial Arts Novice]
You have a basic understanding of how to fight unarmed
All Unarmed attacks do (1/4STR) Bludgeoning Damage
Skill Gained:
[Grapple]
Allows for you to pin an opponent in combat, providing you can overpower them
Bringing up the map I find the nearest safehouse, that drug store where they made all that fake antizin, could probably use that to make the Tower like me more. I head off, heading there as fast as possible, I fly over the rooftops, barely touching down on one before jumping over to the next one. I easily make my way over to the building across from the drug store. Standing on the balcony area were a pair of the bandits. I use observe on the pair while they are just standing there, oblivious to my presence.
Bandit
LVL – 5
Race – Human
HP – 150
MP – 000
Thoughts About You – Doesn't know you exist
These guys aren't even a challenge, I snap off two shots killing each quickly before they have a chance to raise alarm. I take a few steps back before running over and jump over to it. The rest of the group are down in the small fenced in yard, as I use observe on them, they all have the same stats as each other, making this far too easy. I bring up my gun and shoot, two of the bandits fall by the time their friends realise what's happening. I drop down and draw my tanto, the remaining three spread out in a loose semi-circle around me, wielding a hodgepodge of makeshift weapons, a hammer, and a couple of pipes.
My legs tense as I jump towards the centre man, stabbing him in the chest and shooting him twice finishes him easily enough. A sharp pain lances across my back as one of the remaining two hits me with his pipe, I straighten up and fix him with the fiercest glare I could muster, he backs away nervously as I bring up my gun and fire into his torso three times. I spin around to the last guy and shoot him a couple of times, before he dies.
Level Up x10
For hitting LVL 10 in [Martial Artist], you gain these rewards
Skill Gained:
[Stunning Strike] – Active
100 SP to Use
Every time you perform a melee attack, you can activate for your target to become stunned for a short period of time
Skill Gained:
[Deflect Missiles] – Active
250 SP to Use
Providing you see a ranged attack occurring you can use a weapon to deflect the projectile away from yourself
So, not only were those guys piss easy to beat, but they levelled me up ten times already, nice.
Checking my inventory, I notice there was now 15 throwing knifes from the dead guys, I shrug and bring a few out, looping them in my belt, never know when they come in handy. I also bring out my radio and call the tower, "Hey Rahim, just cleared out a safehouse, the drugstore, bunch of folk were using it to make counterfeit Antizin, looks like they sold some of it, might want to check you stock make sure none of it was sold to one of your guys." It wasn't Rahims voice that came over the radio but Breckens, "Thanks for the tip, you're that mercenary that Rahim told me about right, look, we have a small job for you, and have something we are willing to trade, come to the Tower when you can and we can talk." The radio cuts off, as I process that, I mean, I guess I could do something for the twats in the Tower if I get something for it.
+15 Reputation with the Tower (15/100)
For Warning them about the Antizin.
I wave away the pop-up, and leave the compound, making my way towards the tower. It doesn't take long, and I'm making my way up the elevator to room Brecken, Jade, Rahim and Lena are all stood together arguing about something, I cough to get their attention, Brecken turns to me and his shoulders slump in relief.
"Thank God you're here, was starting to think a zombie was munching on your corpse by now. Look, the last drop, was a bust, no Antizin in it, and we are running dangerously low, one of the bigger communities, The Fisherman Village, has offered us some of their Antizin they get, but the undead got into the gates, and the guys are trapped. Unless someone helps them, they will die and we will have only one option to get Antizin, to make a deal with the devil himself, Rais. So, will you help us."
I shrug at this, "You said you have something to give me, I don't do work for free, so pay up." Brecken smiles morosely at this and brings out a long, wrapped object, and a small leather pouch, "We found this a few weeks ago in an old police van, none of our guys are good enough to use it, but I have a feeling you might be." Unwrapping it reveals a rifle of some kind, an observes reveals much more about it.
[Barrett M95 .50 Calibre]
Deals (125 + 1/4DEX) Piercing Damage per hit
I have to force myself not to drool as I lift the rifle reverently, this is it, with this I may actually be able to kill that fucking wank-stain of a dragon and claim my revenge. "How many bullets do you have for it," I ask, turning to Brecken as he holds out the leather pouch. "17, that's all that was in the van, and we haven't come across anymore." I nod and take the bag, stuffing it in my pocket. "I'll do it, gimme a few days to do so and I'll radio you when it's done."
I turn on my heels and leave, not stopping the quick march until I'm out the Tower, I fling my new toy into my inventory and head off towards the Safehouse. Its odd, usually by this point in game you go off to make a deal with Rais for the Antizin, have I really changed the plot that much already. I mindlessly jump over buildings and across gaps, my body on autopilot as I contemplate how many other changes I have already brought along just for existing.
A brutal roar catches my attention and I notice the radio tower where you first meet the Toad just ahead atop a hill, I'm pretty sure that there is also a safehouse so might as well. I run up the hill at a sprint, hopping onto the roof of the building and dropkicking the Toad off, as I hit it there is a sickening squelch as my shoe sinks into its flesh, it flops down like a wet rag, and doesn't get back up. The goon roars and swings his rebar around, hitting a pair of undead, knocking them away, I snap off a shot, killing it, before I hop down and activate the circuit breaker inside the building.
Objective – Kill Infected – 0020/2500
Level Up
I run down the stairs leading to Infamy Bridge, before running along the small path that heads towards the Village. I dodge the grabbing arms of the undead as I sprint into the Village, spinning around in a fluid motion, grabbing the handle of the gate and sliding it shut. A viral runs at me, sliding to the side I dodge it attack and fling a fire cracker into the centre, its head snaps round and sprints over to it. The noise draws out the rest of the undead, 15 in total, 1 Bomber, 3 Virals and 11 regular infected. I bring up my pistol and shoot the Bomber, its torso exploding in a splatter of gore and bone, killing most of the zombies, leaving only the virals and a pair of infected that were far enough away from the blast. I climb up the guard tower, bringing out the pipe. One of the buggers tries to climb up, but a swift whack cracks its neck back, killing it. The other seems to be more cautious, not going for a mad dash towards me like most other undead, it stalks forward, legs tensing before is leaps up, only to meet my pipe as I splatter its brains across the ground. A pair of shots finish of the remaining zombies as I begin to call out to the inhabitants of the place.
Objective – Kill Infected – 0035/2500
Level Up
A couple of cautious head poke out of the various buildings, as they come out of hiding. The old man, Gursel, walks over to me. "You the one Bracken sent, eh, good thing you came when you did, people were getting antsy. So, thank you. We'll sent the Antizin along to the Tower as soon as we have cleaned up the place." There is a slight grimace, and a narrowing of his lips as he looks around over the corpses. "It was one of Rais' men that did this, came in the night, opened the gate and killed one of our guards. It seems he caught wind of our trade deal, and disapproved. But one of the other nearby settlements, have seen where he went after he opened the gates, swam over to the bridge, and climbed up to the safehouse that's up top. Thing is he's still there."
AN: Bit of sappiness here, but thank you all for giving this story a chance, its really fucking cool of you all. And that goes double for Shiro who gave me a shoutout and is most likely responsible for the majority of people finding my story.
Now, quick question, would you like for me to post a detailed version of Arhains character sheet, in a similar manner to the way The Dark Wolf Shiro does, or do you want basic stats and new perks and skills in the AN at the end of the chapter