Dear Journal,
It's been roughly three or so days since JD let me sleep in his guest room while I'm in town and I am grateful. It's been nice to sleep on a bed again but I feel awkward imposing on his hospitality for much longer so I'm trying to figure out my path forward.
On the other hand, these three days have been fun. With JD's help I've pretty much gotten the basics for all the instruments he has in his studio with a focus on piano, drums and guitar. He can't always be here with me as he still has to run his business so I try to fill the time recreating the music I have on my scroll which the two of us go over and record when he gets back. The first day we got way to into it churning out songs and Jewel, the waitress, had to come in and drag him back to work.
I always thought getting dragged out by your ear was just a trope but this world likes to prove me wrong.
Anyways I've progressed enough that I've become and actual Musician, which is different from a Bard as in its actually a job, not that it would change my current one.
There's none of the more overt benefits but I've seen a small rise in my Charisma and self-confidence. Other than the various instruments JD did manage to teach me vocal exercises and how to Manipulate voice to make it sound different.
Really helps with impressions.
He also taught me about stage presence, The ability to Dance and move around the stage to truly make the most of your performance. Though most of what he knew was from watching his former band members it was still a valuable and fun experience.
Oh! We also managed to finish my first album this morning! Or rather I have enough songs to make an album…part of an album. We have four songs and I'm about to finish a fifth. JD showed me how to use the equipment and the sound editing software to put it all together after the first song was made, and after he was dragged to work I had a good look at the programming behind it. It's beginning to make sense but I know that Programming is difficult to learn.
Although with this I believe that I have a solution to my money problem. You see I have a variety of content on my scroll that I can sell and distribute. What I need is a platform to distribute it. It's a work in progress since I don't have the skills yet to make a media website nor the processing power on my scroll to put it into motion.
Just something to think about.
X
I put down the pen and closed the journal. It was something that I decided to buy on a whim and had to donate some of my time in the bar washing dishes to afford it. On the bright side I got that burger I wanted and JD was kind enough to show me a few things behind the grill and bar, earning me the [Cooking] and [Mixology] skills.
I felt my scroll vibrate in my pocket.
I pulled it out, finding that I had a response to an email I had sent a few days ago. I recognized the address and opening it I couldn't help but smile as I read each sentence.
A few days ago, while I was going over my money problems a thought occurred to me. Why should I only do music? I had other things on my scroll that I could use, other forms of media that could be submitted and I didn't have to be constrained to do so. So, using some of the free time that I had when JD wasn't around, I picked up my scroll and began searching the net for any publishing companies on Remnant, specifically the ones that deal with manga and comics.
It took a while but eventually I found the business email and number of the office of JUMPChain publishing, one of the top publishing firms in all of Mistral and the leader in manga distribution worldwide.
Or at least what accounts for Remnant's version of manga.
Anyways after a call with a publisher using my voice manipulation to sound older, I sent a few chapters of the One Piece manga from my scroll, using the Pen name Oda-Sensei, for review on if they would pick up the series.
They gave me an estimate of one week for a response but it seems they barely even needed to think about it.
The publishers made it no secret in the email that they were wishing to make a deal with me over the series, offering 250,000 Lien with room for negotiation depending on the popularity of the series after a year. Which would net me $25,000 a year if my conversion is right, which is actually pretty generous of a salary for a starting author. A person might not think it's a lot but having $500 a week with room for an increase was pretty good since One Piece is more than a thousand chapters and I will be submitting a chapter every week. That and I don't really have much in the way of expenses since I don't pay taxes and the like.
I didn't immediately respond, taking time to read through everything because there's always a clause or so that might screw me over. It took me a few hours and numerous searches online just to translate all the legalese but I think I got a redone contract that they could agree to.
It was generally the same contract with minor adjustments so that I remained the authority on the chance they distribute through other media. Meaning that if they decide to turn One Piece into an anime, they need my approval for a variety of things like voice actors and such.
"Kane! You ready!?" The voice of JD pierced through the walls of his home as I pressed the send button on my revision of the contract which they will hopefully except.
"Yeah! I'll be right there!" I called back, getting up from the seat that I was in and walked back into the recording studio and into the booth. JD was sitting in his special ergonomic chair in front of the recording equipment, changing a few things as well as prepping to record it.
"Ten songs in four days, I think that's some kind of record." He spoke into the mic and I heard his voice in the booth.
"Yeah, well it's not like I have anything better to do while you're gone." I responded as I put the headphones on. "Besides, nobody ever managed to change the world by sitting on their ass."
JD let out a bark of a laugh. "No, they didn't! Alright let's get this rolling. Take #7 of 'Burning Love' is a go."
The recording light lit up and I felt my heart begin to race.
Music: Burning Love
From: Elvis Presley
Lord Almighty
Feel my temperature rising
Higher, higher
It's burning through to my soul
Girl, girl, girl, girl
You gonna set me on fire
My brain is flaming
I don't know which way to go
Your kisses lift me higher
Like the sweet song of a choir
You light my morning sky
With burning love
I feel my temperature rising
Help me, I'm flaming
I must be a hundred and nine
Burning, burning, burning
And nothing can cool me
I just might turn into smoke
But I feel fine
'Cause your kisses lift me higher
Like a sweet song of a choir
And you light my morning sky
With burning love
It's coming closer
The flames are now licking my body
Won't you help me
Feel like I'm slipping away
It's hard to breath
And my chest is a-heaving
Lord, have mercy
Burning the hole where I lay
Your kisses lift me higher
Like the sweet song of a choir
You light my morning sky
With burning love
With burning love
I'm just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
"Alright I think that's good." JD commented as the recording light flicked off. "Though I have to question the accent you add to it."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I deny playfully as I removed the headset. Of course, during a few of the takes I used the southern drawl that Elvis was known for, which in my opinion only made the song better.
"Yeaahh." JD drawled, continuing the banter. "Especially 'when ya burnin' highya' like that." JD drawled with a horrid southern accent, twisting his body and legs in some kind of mock version of the same leg movements that Elvis did during his performances.
"Ugh, don't do that again or I'm pretty sure you'll break something old man," He scoffed though it sounded like a laugh. "Besides, what's wrong with adding a little something to the lyrics?"
"Nothing, you do you kid." JD shook his head as he typed away on his equipment. I exited the booth and walked up behind him as he was finishing up the rest of the editing on one of the first songs that we completed. Due to the fact that it was just the two of us we had to get a little liberal with the entire process, editing the instrumentals from my scroll followed by my singing. We did record some instrumentals that JD thought would add to the songs but it wasn't a lot. It quickened the normally lengthy process and probably seems cheap and easy but since I already have the full sheet music and recordings for each song, I was going to use it. It cuts down on a lot of necessary steps, especially since JD's a professional so he doesn't mess up when putting everything together. "All right it's sent."
My scroll vibrates as I got another email, this time about the fact that my first song was just posted to a website for paid download while the videos of me performing, with my face out of shot, in the booth to the music were uploaded to WatchTower, all under my own brand new accounts.
"Sweet!" I grinned at the notification. I turned to look at the older man with a grateful smile. "Thanks so much JD, honestly you've been such an amazing help these last few days." And I meant it. Without him none of this would have happened, and I'd be a real piece of shit if I didn't thank him properly.
"Don't worry about it." The musician waved off. "It's been a long time but honestly I can't even remember the last time I was so excited to record something new."
"Yeah…" I respond quietly. It has been fun staying here with JD but I do feel like I need to get going at some point, sooner rather than later. The problem is that I don't know how to bring that up! I'm thirteen! How am I supposed to convince him to just let me go!? To leave the safety of the village for a life on the road!?
"You know there's an upcoming festival happening up in Mistral." JD speaks up, drawing me from my internal spiral of convolutions. "It's a traditional summer festival that the kingdom throws every year with a major part of it being the music contest that they hold for amateur bands to get their names out. Its even recorded and broadcast to the other kingdoms and a great way for people to get their name out there. And there's a caravan passing through tomorrow morning going to Mistral.
OK…where was he going with this? Don't get me wrong, hopping onto the caravan would save me the effort of walking.
"I think you should participate in the contest." Ah, that's where he was goin-WAIT WHAT?!
"Y-You want me to participate?!" I say,my voice a mixture of shock and insecurity about performing in front of people. He just nods eagerly. "In a festival concert broadcasted around the world?" JD once again nods eagerly, flashing me what I guess was supposed to be a reassuring grin. "No. No way. There is no way I would even be able to do that." I denied but it didn't seem to do anything to diminish the mans confidence.
"Come on I think you'd do great. I did say that this was supposed to be for amateurs, right?" He encouraged, missing my point.
"Yeah, but amateurs usually mean bands that are already established, not kids that look like they should join their school's talent contest." I explain though it probably sounds like a rant. "Besides I'm just one person, I can't play all the instruments at once, and even if I could I'm not nearly good enough." And isn't that the truth. My singing is great but I'm not even close to being at the level of instrumentals that I can perform in front of a crowd!
"The events will have backup musicians on the case that some one needs filling in." JD just waves off my concern before hardening his face with the look of a man that was convinced of something and wouldn't let anyone tell him otherwise. "But Kane," Even his voice was as unbending. "In the span of four days you have progressed remarkably, far faster than anyone I have ever met. You went from barely getting the correct cords and keys to keeping pace with me with minimal need for corrections. The festival is in little over a week but I believe that you will be able to perform exceptionally well if you dedicate the time."
He…wasn't wrong. After learning so many different instruments over these last few days the different skills all merged together into the combined skill [Instrumentals], a skill that allows me a basic understanding and skill of any musical instrument that I pick up, and with JD's tutelage the exp gain increased drastically to the point that its already at the adept rank. If I dedicated a week to it and [Singing], I could probably be at the level of a professional performer…hopefully.
"Yeah, well, as glowing of a review of my skills that is there's no way they would let me perform." Which I wasn't wrong about since I'm still a child.
But it seems JD thought I would say that as he dug through a cabinet of files and papers before closing it and handing me an envelope with a business card on top with golden lettering. "In there is a personal recommendation written by me. You just need to get there and give it to the coordinator, a Wynonna Marin. You speak to her and she'll find you a place."
"I…" I couldn't find the words for a brief moment. JD and I had only known each other for a few days yet he was going to such lengths just to help me. It honestly made me feel good inside just to know that someone cared. "You're really trying to get rid of me aren't you." I said, choosing to joke to at least get something out.
"Damn straight. You've been eating all my food." He shot back before reaching into a different cabinet and tossing me a bundle of fabric. "And besides If you go on stage, I get free publicity."
I didn't realize what he meant until I unfolded the cloth to reveal that it was a t-shirt with his bar's logo on it. The same logo that was used by his band when they still played. A fanged crescent moon looked at me with a cocky smirk with the name Lunego Bar and Grill under it.
That got a laugh out of me as I held it up to my torso to compare. It was a bit bigger than what I was currently wearing, most likely so I could grow into it. "Sure, I don't mind being your billboard. You want me to spin a sign as well?"
"Nah, you just knock them on their asses with one of your songs." JD stood up and stretched. It was late enough and I knew that he had to get up early to open shop. He stopped at the door giving me a goodnight before turning in.
I couldn't help but smile myself as I pulled out my scroll. If i was really going to do this then i would need to learn a bit more about this festival.
X
The morning was crisp and cool yet held an undertone of warmth provided by lazy sun the peeked through the clouds. I had everything packed up in my pack and was merely waiting. Just like JD had said, a caravan had stopped by the town early in the morning to unload supplies to the residents.
I managed to get them to agree to let me ride with them if I helped move some of their merchandise for them. Nothing too hard and I got more than a few shocked looks when I picked up boxes that even the older men were having trouble with. Their faces were pretty funny.
I also managed to catch a glimpse of the huntsman who lives in town.
Shant Hailton LVL – 82
HP: 990/990
AP: 19,450/19,450
STR – 47
VIT – 40
AGI – 38
INT – 30
WIS – 51
CHA – 24
LUK – 17
The numbers definitely took me by surprise. The only one with stats like that was the head guard but he was a mountain of a man focused on strength over his other physical stats and while the huntsman was a rather tall and built man he wasn't nearly as huge.
The only explanation I can think of would have to do with the passive regeneration that unlocked aura supplies. Muscles are broken down and put back together faster than a normal person's body could do normally leading to bigger, or in this case denser muscles.
"Kane!" I looked up from my phone and saw JD waving me down with something strapped to his back.
"Hey JD." I responded. I expected him to drop by to see me off. "How'd you manage to convince Jewel to let you out?"
"Didn't need to. I'd be in much bigger trouble if I didn't see you off." He smirked. "I got you something as well. A parting gift." He reached back and pulled the large case off his shoulder and opened it up. Inside was a new looking acoustic guitar along with two boxes and some cables.
I took it from him and carefully held the instrument in my hands, noticing the fine work for what it was, and plucked a few cords. Each string was perfectly in tune and the box, which turned out was a speaker looked new. I then looked at the second box which had a large number of pads on it with buttons on the top.
"It's a portable sound board and some microphones." JD elaborated when I didn't say anything. "Much better than working on your Scroll. Just plug it into your Scroll and run whatever sounds you want through it. Saves the hassle of carrying an entire trailers worth of equipment, though it doesn't have the same touch as the genuine thing of you want my opinion."
"JD…I." I curse my lack of social skills beyond sarcasm and humor. This was a genuine gift given to me by a man that less than a week ago was a total stranger. "Thank you."
"Don't worry about it kid. I never use that box anyways and I've got plenty of guitars."
I gave him a raised brow along with a smile. "Is this the part where you walk off without telling me it's your wife's guitar or something?"
JD scoffed with amusement. "Don't give yourself so much credit ain't some kinda story book. I like ya, but not nearly enough for that. It's just one of the spares I keep around."
"Just thought I'd point it out." I reply with a shrug.
"All right! Get ready to move out!" The sound of the caravan leader's voice interjected into our conversation and carried over the entire area causing the travelers to begin filling the vehicles.
JD's grin faltered and his eyes could no longer meet mine. He hesitated for a moment before gathering himself enough to speak. "Ah. Look. I was never really good at saying goodbyes. These last few days have been great doing music and food and…alcohol." His words were awkward, like he tried to memorize a speech before hand but forgot half the words. It still didn't detract from the feeling of genuineness that i felt coming from him. "Look what I'm trying to say is don't be a stranger. You ever in the area these doors are open to you just so you know."
"Thanks. I'll remember that when I become famous and come back for a drink." I didn't really want to say bye while I was leaving. It always seemed so final, like it closed the door on the relationship and I had to open it again, so I didn't. I'd leave that door open and I'd see him again.
"Become famous he says." JD mutters in amusement. "Whatever just get on up there before your ride leaves you behind."
Without another word I nod and pull the guitar case and everything in it over my shoulder and walk over to the nearest truck. The bed was still open and had a few people sitting in the back, either using the cargo or the bed as a seat. As the engine started and the trucks left one by one, I waved one last farewell to JD.
X
12 hours later
I sat in the back of the truck with my headphones on, idly listening to the music playing while I converted it to finger styles on my new guitar. Earlier I was actually trying to progress my [Programming] skill and managed to make some progress all the way from level 5 to 21. It took me hours to get to that level before I hit a block. Not a block in my experience gain but rather in how long i could work on something without losing my mind from prolonged boredom of a tedious task. I'm not really that close to putting together a website but I do know how to write basic programs and the like and set one up to send a chapter of One Piece to the publishers once a week.
One thing I did notice was that there was a decrease in the amount of experience I was earning from playing the guitar. There was a real decrease when all the instrument skills were combined into the [Instrumentals] skill but that was because it was multiple skills combined into one, but this was a bigger decrease than before.
I think it's because JD is no longer teaching me, and having a teacher be a part of the process must increase the experience gained. Having someone actually teach and explain the concepts behind something makes the leveling process easier. Much easier than trying to learn something from nothing.
+ 1 WIS
Don't you just love validation.
Though now that I think about it, I wonder what else counts as a teacher? Maybe I could watch a few video tutorials or possibly find a book on something in a book store, though that's only if skill books are actual books and not manifested items. What else I would I learn first? Maybe sleight of hand tricks? I've always wanted to learn magic.
Danger!
What?
Before I knew what was going on the truck suddenly jerked to the side violently, sending me into one of the cargo boxes. I managed to pull my new guitar away, avoiding any potential damage to it though it came with the cost of me hitting my elbow on the edge of the box. Right onto my funny bone.
Fuck! It felt like ants were crawling under my skin.
I sat rubbing my limb to get feeling back into it and looked over at the other passengers, all of which who look unscathed.
Clang. Clank. "Hey!? What are you doing?" One of the other passengers, a girl with dark blonde hair, hit the metal next to the thick glass that separated us from cab of the truck. No one responded but the truck suddenly accelerated, nearly throwing everyone over as it practically jumped over a bump. One of the boxes tipped and nearly fell on the man closest to me but I was quick enough to stop it before it could.
"What's going on?" A shorter man with buzzed brown hair asked as he swayed around, doing his best to stay up right as he grabbed one of the cargo boxes.
The guy I saved, who didn't see what I did, just began to curse as he tried to push the boxes back into position, an ultimately fruitless effort with how much we were swerving but it at least kept them from falling around us.
I opened my mouth to say something but stopped as a noise filtered into my ears. None of the others seemed notice it but it just didn't go away. I had grown used to the sounds the trucks made, the squeaks of the suspension and the deep rumble of the engines but this was different. Lighter, unorganized, and far more numerous.
I edged to the back opening and leaned out over the back gate. I held onto the metal poles and canvas that made for the walls and ceiling of the truck bed and leaned out so I could get a good look. There was nothing behind us so I leaned out more to see what was going on ahead. We were the last truck in the line and there were three others ahead of us so whatever was going on was happening up ahead.
I leaned out further despite the dangers and looked ahead.
Huh.
Surrounding the front trucks were a variety of motorbikes and vehicles that each looked like they were cobbled together with whatever spare parts they could find in a junkyard. Hell, the hood on one of the cars looked like it was ripped in half and someone decided to just weld a piece of metal to it rather than replace it entirely.
Every single one of them was ugly to my eyes and I had the urge to dismantle them all to spare each machine of the indignity.
But there were more important things.
"Hey guys!" I called to the others with me, though I didn't look away from the swarming vehicles. "I think we're being raided."
The sound of scrambling and cursing intensifies behind me. "Can you identify them?" The girl asks me as she was looking through one of the boxes. "Any markings?"
Other than looking like Mad Max rejects there wasn't anything distinguishing about them. They wore torn cloth and leather clothing with various spikes attached to them as they hollered like wild animals. One of the Faunus even howled. "Well, they look like everything they own came from the trash, including their vehicles."
The girl muttered something. "Ok, but is there a banner or symbol?" She clarified.
Looking out again I tried to find something that tied them all together but I couldn't really see anything from my angle—wait. "Does some kind of Rodent with a hammer mean anything to you?" I asked.
The shorter guy loudly cried 'FUCK!' before the taller one smacked him on the arm. The woman turned to look at me as she held a rifle, I could tell it was semi-automatic, in her arms. "The JunkRats." She grimaced. "One of the groups of bandits that run around Mistral. They're known for riding around in vehicles and hitting supply lines and, unfortunately for us, cargo trucks. They must have moved recently because this is farther out than their usual turf."
JunkRats? Seriously? "Are they really that dangerous?" I asked. I have no idea on what levels the criminals in Mistral operate outside of the fact that Malachite and the Branwen's sit at the top.
"Not particularly," The lanky guy spoke up as he shoved a magazine into a handgun. "They are a smaller group compared to the larger, more notorious bandit tribes but they make up for it with their surprising mechanical skills. They are the most mobile bandits in the kingdom and are hard to track down because they can pack up and move very quickly." He reached behind him as he spoke, then turned around to hand me a handgun and an extra clip. "Do you know how to use this?"
"Leith! What are you doing?" The shorter man hissed as he held his own rifle. "Don't hand him a gun, he's just a kid."
The now named Leith gave the shorter man a glare as he pulled the gun away when the shorter man tried to reach for it. "We're being attacked by bandits. If the kid knows how to use the damn gun, I'm letting him use the damn gun." He practically hissed. "We can't be picky anyways. Besides, he's already at the age must huntsman start their serious training anyways." Without another word he held the gun and an extra clip of ammo out to me. "You have thirty rounds total. Don't waste them."
Acquired!
Halken 19 Handgun (Common) [Rank – C]
X3 Crit Damage
Durability 120/120
A normal handgun and the closest this world has to a Glock.
30x (Low Quality) Standard Dust rounds
I grimaced at the description of 'low quality' for the ammunition as the fact that ammunition had a level of quality here never occurred to me, but it was all that I was given. I easily slide the magazine into the gun and pull back the slide to check if the bullet was loaded before undoing the safety. It wasn't the smoothest movement but it at least showed that I knew how to handle myself. Though it was interesting to see how different the handgun was to my regular weapons. In exchange for the strength modifier, it increased the crit damage, though I guess that's to be expected considering you can't apply a stat multiplier to a bullet, it fires the same no matter who pulls the trigger.
"Get ready! They are coming!" Leith called out as he unbuttoned a section of the canvas that was the wall, creating a small window to see from.
Quest Alert!
[Outlaw Country!]
Objective: Protect the trucks from the bandits.
Bonus Objective: ?
Reward: 1500 Lien, 200 Credits, 1000 EXP
Bonus Reward: ?
I didn't need him to tell me as I could hear the sound of the engines and the hollering getting closer. The others began to fire out of the cloth openings, their guns not actually being very loud which through me for a loop. I have vague memories of firing guns from my previous life and those were much louder than the guns the others were using.
"WWHHHOOOO YEAH!" Two off road buggies swerved from both sides to get behind the truck. There were two and three people in each vehicle with the ones not driving making a show of loading their guns. One of them even licked the barrel, which couldn't have been sanitary as it left a long black line on the guy's face.
A quick thought had me reach over and stash my belongings into my inventory. If we were going to get into a fire fight, I wasn't going let my stuff be damaged.
Bang! Bang!
[Handgun Mastery] leveled up!
[Handgun Master] (LVL 2/25)
Increases Handgun damage by 4%
[Weapons Master] level up!
I didn't hesitate and opened fire on the two vehicles, shooting a bullet at both of them. The first shot went to low, hitting the ground, while the second pinged uselessly off the hood of the other vehicle, not coming close to any of the occupants.
"Ha! Nice aim you little shit!"
2%
Ok so sound wasn't the only fucking difference between dust and gunpowder based ammunition. The recoil on this thing was practically nonexistent so my attempt to compensate ended up screwing me over. That and the apparent fact that the bullets are slower, still faster than normal person would be able to react to, but still slower than the same caliber ammunition back on Earth.
I should have honestly expected that 'not' magic based ammunition would fuck with the laws of physics.
Still, a gun was a gun and if it could put a hole through these assholes than I wasn't going to complain. I'd just have to adapt.
Compensating for the new factors I fired two more bullets onto the closest buggy, nearly hitting the passenger and forcing the jackass to duck behind the dashboard or gain a new orifice.
The second vehicles took exception to that and the two passengers opened fire while the driver yelled obscenities. The one in the passenger seat one handed what looked like a sub-machine gun and opened fire, liberally spraying bullets far more accurately than what I would have liked, and if to add to the ridiculousness, doing so while holding the gun horizontally like some kind of two bit gangster. The one in the backseat had something that looked cobbled together from Fallout that apparently is a shotgun!
The bullets failed to penetrate the metal tailgate of the truck, but I did freak out a little when I notice some slight bumps appear next to me.
I rose from behind my cover but ducked back when the second car returned and opened fire. I didn't get away unscathed as one of the bullets grazed my shoulder, dealing 54 damage. I saw in the corner of my vision a bleed debuff that cut my regen by 50 % for a split second before disappearing.
"At least I didn't learn about it while dying." I muttered, feeling equal amounts of worried and grateful at learning about such a thing now as opposed to during something imminently life threatening.
I let loose three more bullets, barely aiming, but once again they only dented the hood and made small cracks in the windshields. Annoying for the drivers but not really helpful, the gun was just too low caliber to deal any real damage to the junkyard vehicles which were most likely reinforced with scrap metal and other things.
I was tempted to ask one of the others for their guns because they looked like they fired higher calibers but from the cursing I doubted that they would be willing to trade.
There was a sudden loud crash and the two buggies swerved to avoid a totaled motorcycle and a body that went right past them. I could practically hear the jeers and outrage from the bandits, insulting the guy who crashed and throwing curses at whoever put him down.
I used that distraction to put out three shots on our chasers, not really bothering to aim as the gun was too weak to actually punch through the armor of the cars. There was also the problem that I could barely do shit without getting hit since every time I popped up at least one of them would open fire, their numbers allowing them to alternate. My [Handgun Mastery] leveled up again but I ignored it, instead trying to come up with a plan. There had to be something that I could do to get these guys off us.
I rolled over to the other side of where I was hiding and snapped up, managing to squeeze off two shots before my danger sense flared and I ducked, narrowly avoiding getting a hole in my head. I peeked up from behind my barrier to see where they were and—Oh fuck that doesn't look good.
The guy with the junker shotgun was loading a rather vibrant red round into his gun. Seeing it I instinctively focus on the ammo and observe.
(Medium Quality) Fire Dust Slug Shot
I felt a sick anticipation in my gut. "BRACE!" I shouted as I dove behind one of the cargo boxes for safety and not a moment latter the rear of the truck exploded. I actually felt the truck jerk forward from the sheer explosive force of the fire dust slug, though at this point calling it a bullet didn't do it justice. It was more like a grenade was launched at us.
6%
I peaked out from my hiding spot and saw that the entire tailgate was practically hanging off a hinge, being dragged behind us while leaving us entirely without cover against their bullets. A factor that they took full advantage of and started unloading their ammo into the now unprotected truck bed. I dove behind the cargo boxes as it happened and was spared, but one of the others wasn't so lucky as they cried out in pain.
I stuck my arm out from where I was hiding and opened fire to get them to back off only to hear a series of clicks after the fifth shot. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I cursed as I pulled back and replaced the now empty magazine. I forgot to count my shots and now I was down half my ammo with nothing good to come from it.
10%
I looked around, trying to find something to turn the tides but all I found were boxes. Boxes that I knew nothing about. Heavy boxes.
"Oi! Blondie!" I shouted over the gunfire, bracing my self as the truck made a turn. "What's in the boxes!?"
"What?!" She looked confused as she stood up from behind her box and fired off a shot from her rifle into the pursuing buggies. "Why does that matter!?"
"Is there anything important in them!?" I shouted again, rephrasing the question.
"Its just empty canisters and shit! "She screamed back, but that was all I needed to know.
I rose and grabbed a nearby box and lifted. It was heavy, probably around fifty pounds if not a little more. For a normal person there would be no way for them to lift and wield the large container in any real capacity, however I wasn't a normal person. My strength alone was on the level of an Olympian weight lifter. Fifty pounds was nothing to lift.
Stepping out from behind cover I heaved the box over my shoulder and threw it out the back of the truck like an awkward shotput. I could practically see the widening of the bandit's eyes as they jerked their steering wheels though it was to late for my target. The container crashed into the windshield, not fully going through but getting caught in the glass and turning the entire glass structure into a shattered mess. The buggy swerved wildly and veered off the dirt road where it ran in to a large rock and flipped over.
"YEAH, FUCK YOU!" I shouted only to jump back behind cover as a bullet whizzed past my head. I dropped down onto my back and pressed my legs to the larger container I was using as cover and pushed with all my strength, practically launching it out of the truck and at the other buggy and forcing them to swerve.
I reached out behind me to continue, to throw another box but—
Danger!
I hit the deck as a line of holes tore through the side of the canvas wall. The truck swerved violently and I felt myself get thrown to the side and into the boxes. I once again heard the sound of screeching metal, a sign that another bandit vehicle bit the dust, but ignored it as the air in my lungs was briefly driven out of me and I felt a sharp pain in my side before it faded to nothing.
I pulled myself up off the floor only to watch as the bandit laughed as he loaded another slug into his gun.
Fear and worry dripped down my spine like ice cold water as my mind seemed to go into overdrive. I had already thrown the nearby boxes around me and I knew I wouldn't have the time to move one of the larger ones behind me as a barrier. If that round hit anything I had no doubt that it would probably kill the three others that were here with me, and I honestly wasn't all that confident I could come out unscathed.
Broken bones and burns were one thing but destroyed limbs and organs were something else. I still have no idea what level of strength my Regen is at so I as going to put off trying to figure out if I could regrow an arm as long as possible.
There was no time to think of a plan, nothing that I could use was available.
So, I just let my body react.
15%
{Partial racial trait unlocked}
[Instinct] (B)
A skill from the Nasuverse that acts as a sixth sense for danger that borders just beneath actual precognition and halves visual and auditory penalties. Exists at B rank.
[Mind's Eye (False)] (C)
A skill from the Nasuverse that implies a natural talent to forsee/sense danger based on intuition or a 6th sense and deduce the appropriate course of action based on analysis of battle conditions. Due to lack of experience this exists at rank C.
My grip tightened on the gun in my hand and I brought it up, the sights leveled on the bandit. I don't know if it was real but the world seemed to slow down slightly as I aimed down the sight. My nerves faded and my mind cleared and inside me something just clicked.
[Focus Shot]!
The gun kicked with minimal recoil as the bullet was shot just before the bandit could even pull the trigger. For the first time I saw blood bloom from my enemy as the projectile tore through their shoulder and the bandit screamed in pain as he was knocked back from the force of the bullet. His aim was screwed up and the slug fired away from the confined cargo bed that I was in and into the rear wheels of the truck itself.
The explosion plus the lose of the back tires caused the vehicle swerve and leap as the rubber was no longer present to protect the suspension from every rock and bump in the road. Boxes were shifting around while the others held themselves against anything heavy enough to be stable.
I had no such stability as I had thrown my boxes at the bandits and was kneeling dead center in the bed. The erratic movements threw me to the floor and dragged me along as I had nothing to grab until I was practically hanging out of the truck bed, with the broken tailgate having long since fallen away.
"OH SHIT!" I cried out as I desperately held on for dear life, my entire torso hanging off the edge. It was already hard enough holding myself up with one arm so I stashed my gun in my inventory, not caring if anyone saw just so I could stabalize myself with my other hand, but I wasn't safe yet as one push was all that was needed and I would go face first into the dirt road at who knows how many miles or kilometers per hour.
"Kid!" I heard the voice of the shorter man call out along with some shuffling but with how the truck was swerving he was making slow progress. I could barely hold on as I was using nothing but my hands to grip the edge and my spread legs to keep myself stable.
"Ram the little bastard!" I heard the furious shout followed by the roar of an engine. I could barely get my eyes up to see the bandit buggy speed up, the jackass I shot pressing the driver to ram the back of the truck and crushing me between the two vehicles in the process.
There was no time for me to pull myself up, not with the leverage I had so that left me with one other option.
A rather stupid and dangerous option.
As the bandit vehicle burned rubber, coming closer to ram me with its full force, I applied every ounce of my strength that I could to push myself up. For a normal person this kind of maneuver would be impossible as they wouldn't have the strength to pull it off, but I was a child that probably weighed 100 pounds (45 kg) and had the strength of a man that could lift five times that easily.
My body went up as the vehicle rammed into the back of the truck with a loud crash of metal on metal and I flew for a moment before dropping down onto the hood of the buggy as they were pulling back.
There was a brief moment as the bandits and I stared wide eyed at each other, none of us really expecting that to actually happen, before they started to scream and shout at me from behind the windshield.
"Get your own ride you little shit!"
"Get the fuck off!"
"Get off ma ride!"
The driver jerked the wheel and I held on for dear life as they tried to throw me off.
"Fuck! Fuck! Sweet hell this was a stupid idea!" I practically screamed through grit teeth as I held my death grip on the hood. My legs were practically flailing through the air with how sharp their turns were and more than a few times did I feel like I was going to be thrown off.
It was only in the dungeon that I felt this level of fear for my life, the feeling of my heart beating against my ribs as I fought through the situation. But just like in the dungeon that fear was tainted with excitement, the feeling of adrenaline pumping through my veins.
19%
I pulled myself forward enough until one of my feet managed to find purchase on the hood, and from there I pushed off. I didn't vault, so much as crawled my way over their windshield and into the open seats of the vehicle with the three bandits, bowling them over in the process and probably kicking the driver in the head while I was at it until I was sitting in the back seats.
"Hah! Stupid move ya idjiot." The one in the back with me mocked and going on how he spoke like a country hick I didn't even need to observe him to know that his INT and WIS were probably very low. "Now yer stuck here!"
"I'mma break those arms of yours for what ya did to my shoulder." Never mind, there were all probably idiot hicks.
The driver didn't say anything though, instead focusing on driving the buggy.
"Here's the thing about that…" I leave the sentence hanging as I looked between the two of them. Neither made a move, more likely from expectation rather than actual wariness, but good for me all the same.
I explode into motion and leapt backwards, driving an elbow into the guy's chest and pushing him back into the seats. The one up front reached out to grab me but couldn't catch me because of the passenger seat getting in the way. I kicked out at the bandit up front but only hit the passenger seat as he leaned back. I lunged after him and his awkward position made it easy to press him against the dashboard as I stepped in between the passenger and drivers' seats, my smaller size making manuvering much easier.
I laid punch after punch on him, hitting random parts of his body. Sometimes I got him in the face and other times I hit his chest or arm when he twisted his body. My punches were sloppy and I was relying more on my strength advantage than any actual technique, but that was expected with only 12—
[Hand to Hand Mastery] leveled up!
13 levels in hand to hand combat.
My fist collided with the bandits wounded shoulder when I felt a presence behind me and I felt something grab my shoulder. I was forcefully turned around and tried to retaliate with a kick but was stopped as a fist collided with my jaw…
-72 HP
Then my stomach…
-77 HP
The some of the air was driven from my lungs but I didn't let it stop me. I lashed out with a right hook but the bandit just stepped back, taking advantage of my shorter reach to avoid getting hit before coming back in with a wide haymaker.
I leaned back, avoiding the blow but falling right into the guy behind me who wrapped his arm around my neck in a half-baked chokehold. It wasn't truly strangling me but it was limiting the amount of air that I was taking in whilst restraining me.
Two more punches struck me in the face and I started to taste blood as my health dropped by 174 HP. My regen was already healing the damage but I doubted I needed to lose health to be knocked out.
When the bandit came in for the third punch, I lifted my lower body up and used both legs to dropkick him hard in the chest while also pushing my captor into the dash. I see the guy in the back curling in on himself but the guy holding me hadn't loosened his grip in the slightest. I tried to struggle but I was splayed out awkwardly over the seats so I couldn't hit him. With some quick thinking I let instinct take over and I opened my mouth wide and bit down on his forearm.
I don't know what species I was but I knew my fangs were sharp. A human mouth with the exception of four large pointy canines that when I had first seen them, I was reminded of Himiko Toga from Boku no Hero.
The bandit screamed as they pierced deep into flesh, drawing out a thick stream of blood that for some reason was surprisingly tasty.
Not an addicting kind of tasty but more of a pleasant treat yourself kind of tasty.
-165 HP
FUCK! Pain spread across my cheek as the butt of a gun came down a second time.
-144 HP
I let go of the arm to avoid another hit to the face and moved as it came down. My foot snapped out at the weapon and the force slammed it into his face. Going by the crunch and the excessive amount of blood I probably broke his nose. My elbow dug into the guy behind me and I heard a sharp wheeze followed by a shove to my back that pushed me into the driver. The sudden collision forced the driver to sharply jerk the wheel and nearly send us off the road.
"Get the fuck off me!" The guy yelled as he tried to push me away with one arm while keeping his focus on the road.
I didn't try to hit him and just turned back to the other two. After all, everyone knows that you don't attack the driver.
The guy in the back had managed to pull himself together though his nose looked like it had been flattened to one side of his face. I could see the apprehension in his eyes but I didn't care as I lunged at him like a wild animal, using pure ferocity to push him back against the door. He was blocking and throwing random jabs, using his superior reach to keep me at bay as best he could but I could block to and continued to corner him.
Danger!
The warning flashed once again through my body and I moved out of the way as the guy in the passenger seat tried to hit me over the head with a wrench that he got from somewhere only to miss and fall onto his friend. Their injuries and exhaustion were catching up to them as they were now moving more sluggishly than before.
I still needed to get rid of them and I needed to do it quickly.
I front kicked the one on top as he rose right in the ass, sending his face into the vehicle door and back on top of the other bandit. I moved forward and practically leapt on top of the two of them and reached out to open the door. My small body making it harder to reach but I managed it after punching the guy in the back of the head to keep him down.
They soon found themselves in a similar position as I was mere moments ago, hanging out of their vehicle with only their arms to hold them.
Their eyes were pleading as they looked back at me, practically begging me not too.
24%
Their pleas went ignored as I kicked the two of them out of the vehicle with a newly developed [Front Kick].
Acquired!
8x (Low Quality) 12 gauge Standard Dust shells
1x (Medium Quality) Fire dust Slug shot
Sweet. Beating up people actually gives me useful drops.
Looking down I inventoried the shotgun that the bandit dropped during the fight and later tried to bash my face in with, though now that I had a good look at it became clear that it was triple barrel shotgun, though how it worked despite being made of junk I didn't know.
I would have to get a closer look later.
Now though I could bask in the satisfying feeling of kicking ass, like I was in an action movie, which now that I think about it as actually true as I'm in the middle of a vehicular fight! I can add that to my list of accomplishments!
Later though. I was still in a fight.
I turned to the driver and reached behind my back and summoned the handgun I stored and held it to his head. "All right shit stain out of the car." I demanded as I pressed the barrel into his head for emphasis.
"Or what? You'll shoot me!?" He barked out a challenging laugh as he gripped the wheel tighter. His voice wavered only slightly but there was still enough defiance that he didn't believe me.
I however had the perfect response. One filled with well thought out wit and guile.
Bang!
"GAAHHH! My Leg! You crazy sonnuva bitch!" I had to give him credit, the car barely swerved despite the new hole in his leg.
"Am I gonna have ask again!?" I put emphasis on the 'again' as I asked. "Because it's gonna be a lot easier to shove a corpse out of here if you refuse to cooperate."
"You're fucking insane!" He screamed at me as his knuckles turned white from gripping the wheel, whether from fear or stubbornness I didn't know.
"Says the man riding around this trash heap!" I shouted back.
"Ma-I'm a woman!"
…
…
"I am so sorry."
"Don't you fucking apolo—HEY! WAIT STOP!" She screamed as I kicked her out of the car. She at least had the common sense to tuck and roll as she hit the dirt road.
I then maneuvered myself into the drivers seat quickly and had to stretch my leg to reach the pedal in order to avoid any major loss of speed. It was awkward fiddling with the seat but I managed to pull it forward enough that I could drive comfortably.
I also put my seat belt on because safety is important.
I left one hand on the wheel and summoned the shotgun into my lap, placing it between my legs, then summoned the shells into my free hand, reloading it quickly and efficiently, like I had done it numerous times before shutting it with a quick flick of the wrist. I made sure that my handgun was situated beneath my leg where I could easily grab it to shoot and so it wouldn't jostle around.
My guns were loaded and I could feel my [Riding] skill gain a level. Once I was settled, I looked forward and spotted Leith staring at me with a wide eyed expression. He was still holding his arm where he was shot but otherwise looked fine. I just gave him a grin and a thumbs up as I put the pedal to the metal and swerved to get on the right side of the truck.
I accelerated straight into the first motorcycle that I saw.
The guy didn't even see it coming as I slammed into his back wheel, sending him on a one way trip to the ground. I probably should have felt bad but unlike the ones in the cars, the cyclists were at least wearing padding and helmets.
I was spotted by a bandit riding tandem with a cyclist on a one person bike but it was futile as I slammed into them as well, making full use of the buggy's bigger size to force them into the forest.
ClangClangClang!
I flinched a little as I heard bullets pinging off my stolen ride with one of them hitting the windshield, leaving a small break on the passenger seat side.
One of the motorcycles up front saw me and slowed down enough to fire a few shots and was quickly followed by others.
On the bright side I managed to clear a few of the trucks of their attackers.
On the shitty side however, I am now being shot at on all sides.
I pressed the break and felt the buggy lurch forward with a horrible screech as I quickly decelerated, pulling behind the truck before resuming speed. I grabbed my pistol and waited for the moment that I could feel was coming up.
I was proven right as one of the motorcyclists drove right in front of me in an attempt to follow. I couldn't see his face from under the helmet but I could imagine the wide eyed expression as I ran him over. My pistol whipped out of the window and I opened fire on the other cyclist before they could shoot me first.
I got lucky and the first shot hit the guy in the side knocking him off the bike. The second one opened fire forcing me to duck behind the door. I turned the wheel and cut between the two trucks right to the motorcycle as it continued to fire though he managed to pull away at the last second, avoiding the crash. I pulled out my pistol to shoot him but the biker grabbed my hand just as I fired, redirecting the shot into open air.
I tried to pull my arm back but the biker just followed along, stubborn sticking close to my vehicle. Neither of us could attack each other at that moment but unlike me he wasn't alone.
Thinking quickly, I raised my knee and lodged it against the wheel to hold it steady. My other leg pressed the pedal to the max, forcing the jeep to accelerate and the biker to accelerate along with it. We passed the third truck and were gaining on the second at rapid pace. Using my knee to steer I reached over and opened the door with my free hand. Pushing along with my gun hand I pushed the door open with force, shoving the biker away far enough that I could aim and put a bullet in both the gas tank and biker's leg and causing him to crash.
I then snapped my gaze in different directions looking for anyone else. "Is that all?" I asked as I looked around. The completion tune didn't go off so that meant that I wasn't done but I couldn't see—
Bang!"
"Whoa!" The front of the buggy dipped as I heard the front wheel explode. There was another bang and I had to duck as the passenger side mirror exploded as well.
A buggy then appeared from behind the second truck and swerved right into me, nearly running me off the road only to pull away, but I could tell that they were going to come back for another pass. The guy in the passenger seat stood up to shoot and I pulled out my pistol to return fire but was beat to it by the people in the second truck.
The two groups opened fire on each other with the bandits quickly proving to have the edge due to their possession of automatic weaponry. They people of the second truck tried to fire back but were suppressed by the superior number of bullets being shot.
"Tch." I stowed my pistol in the passenger seat and grabbed the shotgun. I jerked the wheel, forcing to buggy to turn despite the destroyed wheel into the other vehicle. The surprised looks on their faces was replaced by fear as I aimed the shotgun right at them and pulled the trigger twice. The buckshot at such close range practically tore the driver's side apart while the second one shredded their tire.
The buggy swerved wildly from the loss of their driver and wheel and veered off the side and into a tree.
I scanned my surroundings as I opened up the shotgun and replaced the depleted shells. It was difficult to do while trying to keep my own vehicle steady with the busted wheel but I managed. The people in the second truck waved to me as I passed by, a gesture that I returned.
"Alright where's the rest of you?" I looked around to find the other bandits. I had no idea how many of them were apart of this but that couldn't be the last of—"
Quest Complete!
[Outlaw Country!]
Objective: Protect the trucks from the bandits. (Complete)
Bonus Objective: Steal one of the bandits' cars. (Complete)
Reward: 1000 EXP, 1500 Lien, 200 Credits
Bonus Reward: 1000 EXP, 1000 Lien, 1 Gatcha token
Was that really the last of them? Are we safe? I couldn't help but ask as i continued to scan the horizons before sighing in relief. Then as if waiting for the fighting to stop...
Klank! Krrrrrrh!
"Oh, that's not good." The weird sounds coming from the engine drew my attention away from my search and with each passing moment I could feel the vehicle decelerate more and more. "Shit! Come on don't die on me now!"
I knew that it was futile but I tried to get it to keep going only for smoke to start coming out of the engine. I didn't need my own ingrained mechanical knowledge to understand what was happening, I could tell the engine was shot, both literally and figuratively.
Luckily (or unluckily) I wasn't the only one dealing with mechanical problems as the rest of the trucks began to slow down along with me, no doubt to set up camp for repairs though I hope it doesn't take too long as I needed to get to Mistral for the festival. Though it would help me progress some of my job masteries by fixing up these vehicles.
I looked down at the buggy, seeing all the holes and damage it accumulated from the battle.
"I wonder if there's more of these wrecked nearby that I can scavenge?"
X
Back in the Lunego Bar and Grill JD maneuvered through his back room with well-practiced movements, dodging storage boxes and kegs alike without even having to look as he made his way to his destination with heavy cargo.
Running a restaurant wasn't easy, especially this far out from the kingdom, but it was a place that he built with his wife with the money they saved and he enjoyed every second of it. Though he would admit that there were a few chores that he would freely admit to disliking.
The current task came to mind.
The aged musician wheezed and groaned as he lifted and carried the heavy canister of dust with him. Living this far out meant that his restaurant wasn't connected to the power grids unlike the larger towns that were closer to the main city and thus had to rely on other methods to power all their appliances, and a business like JD's required a large barrel of energy Dust to power everything for a month, maybe a week of two more if things were rationed.
Puling up to the insertion chamber JD knelt down and opened it up to exchange one of the empty containers for the new ones except—
"Hey Jewel!?" JD shouted to the lead waitress of his business, and someone who helps run the entire place. "Did you change the canisters!?"
"What!?"
"The energy canister!?" He shouted even more loudly. "Did you change them!?"
Jewel poked her head into the back room and shook her head. "Haven't touched them and no one else has been here either."
"That's strange." JD rubbed his bearded chin as he looked at the completely FULL canisters that sat in the insertion chamber The canisters themselves hadn't themselves been changed but rather the dust inside had been. What was once grey and lifeless dust was now a glowing cyan, indicating a fully charged dust canister. "You know Ms. Delia across the street was saying that all her dust canisters were refilled as well."
"I think I heard a bunch of the patrons talking about that earlier." Jewel added. "They weren't all full but they all made it sound like someone snuck into their homes just to refill the used dust canisters, which is crazy because you need some kind of equipment to open these things."
"Weird." JD murmured. The idea that someone managed to refill an entire towns dust supply the hard way without anyone noticing was definitely concerning, but on the other hand…
"Ah well." JD just shrugged. "We got an entire orders worth of free dust. I'm not complaining."
"That's one way to look at it." Jewel snorted.
"Yeah, now seeing as you're here could you—" JD began to ask before Jewel looked away.
"Oh, I think I just heard some glass shatteringIbettergocheckthat!" She practically ran out of the of the door, leaving JD alone to lift and carry the dust container back to where they were stored.
"Yeah, figures."