He physically jumped. Not a jump as in like a flinch you do when someone startles you. But like a genuine jump. There was a shock on his face that didn't quite correlate with the situation—he wouldn't, no he shouldn't, be all that surprised that she's talking to him. Which meant that the shock likely originated from something else. Like, for example, finding out his skill or attribute.
And it must have been a good one.
"Thanks for your assistance." Texas was curt. No need to say more than needed.
"Huh…? Oh yeah, no need to worry about that. We were teammates…" He trailed off as if wanting to say more. "Have you opened your Mysterious Gift Box yet?"
The Bonus Scenario's reward? "No, not yet… Have you?"
"Haven't had the time with how overwhelmed," his hands moved around the air as if gesturing at a couple of things Texas couldn't see. "I am with everything."
"Mm," she offered in agreement. Exusiai played a lot of games in her free time, so Texas was banking on her offering some assistance when she finds the Angel. Until then, she'll leave things be.
If you two are done chatting…
The gremlin looking creature appeared, always with that creepy smile on its face. Despite its rather docile and harmless appearance, Texas' instincts were telling her, no screaming at her, that this creature was not to be messed with.
Please proceed out of the train. You have one day to prepare until the next Main Scenario. Wouldn't want to spend all that time cooped up in here, would you?
No she wouldn't. But one day? That should be plenty of time to find the rest of the gang and get a better grasp on everything.
But before you two do that, why don't you open that Mysterious Gift Box?
"Well, that doesn't sound suspicious at all…" Texas heard him mutter. She was inclined to agree. But she was also inclined to listen to the creature's demands because…
[Alert: Intrinsic Skill, The Scent of Prey, has been nullified.]
But that wasn't the part that scared her. It was what popped up after.
[Reason: You are the prey.]
No turning back now, here goes nothing.
"Huh…? Oh yeah, no need to worry about that. We were teammates…If possible would you like it to stay that way?" Is what I would have said had, but I faltered. "Have you opened your Mysterious Gift Box yet?" is what I said instead.
And look where that brought me. Held at essentially gunpoint, forced to open probably a trap. While no Mimic Chest, holding the Mysterious Gift Box in my hand gave off an uneasy aura.
[Notice: Ultimate Skill, Gacha Gamer, has activated.]
Huh, so does that mean I won't open some cursed object from this box? In that case…
[You have opened: Mysterious Gift Box.]
[You have received: Ichor of a Bloodless God (S)]
S grade rarity? I can't tell if it's because I'm super lucky or if it's because the Mysterious Gift Box itself drops high rarity items. I wonder what Texas got.
"You should run," was her response when I asked.
"What? Why? Did you pull a bomb or something?"
Texas shook her head.
"Then…?"
[Cursed Crown of the Goblin Queen (C): A beautifully ornamented crown—at least by Goblin standards. Attracts all male Goblins within a 15 kilometer radius. All Goblins attracted are in a crazed state of mind and become more frenzied the closer they are to the Crown and the Player holding the Crown. Item cannot be dropped.]
Yikes. Things wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for that last part.
[Item cannot be dropped.]
But things should be fine as long as we—
Well would you look at that! You've just triggered a Hidden Scenario with the item you've obtained!
[Vanquish the Goblins: Survive the neverending onslaught of Goblins.]
[Category: Hidden]
[Difficulty: C]
[Reward: Goblin Slayer (Title)]
[Penalty For Failure: Death]
Just my luck. The difficulty seemed to have increased quite a bit as well—from F to C. And why is the penalty always death?
Texas shot me an apologetic look. "Not too late to run."
I kind of get where she's coming from. It's her item and her problem. There wasn't any need in dragging innocent lives, in other words me, into the conflict. But, "We're a team aren't we? And teammates stick together."
"Order 251! Two Ice Frappuccinos!" The Barista called out. He certainly didn't look the part. With his bodybuilder build, Exusiai naturally assumed he was a security guard in disguise. Or maybe something more nefarious. When you have massive bulging muscles and arms that look capable of ripping apart steel, it's hard not to have one's imagination wander.
At the end of the day, he was but a simple Barista, and a darn good one at that.
"Hmm~" Exusiai hummed happily, browsing the internet on the phone on one hand, and greedily slurping away at her drink on the other while she waited for her Lupo partner.
"Order 252! Black coffee!"
Black coffee. Yuck. If Texas were here, she'd be scolding Exusiai and her sweet tooth. But she wasn't. And if she finished her drink fast enough…
"Here. Thanks." The man, Exusiai eyed, looked to be in his late teens. "Keep the change."
LGD Crack Down On Crime Syndicate
Special Inspection Unit Chief Ch'en is at it again, this time taking down an entire organization amidst…
The lights flicker around Exusiai, momentarily taking her attention from what she was reading.
"The power acting up?" The Barista called out in frustration, which was met with a chorus of affirmations from the customers. "Not again!"
There were a few chuckles from the crowd—from the regulars most likely. But something told Exusiai this wasn't like the common occurrences they were used to. There was something… sinister in the air.
The lights completely shut, drawing a complaint or two from a couple customers.
"Man, if this keeps up, I'm actually going somewhere else for my daily morning coffee!"
"Haha, I know you love my drinks too much to leave."
The bantering was all in good nature.
Testing, testing, one two three. Can everyone hear me?
Until it showed up. At a glance, the creature appeared cute and fuzzy, but looks can be deceiving.
Let's just jump to the chase. From this point forward, your life has changed. Everything you once knew, laws and whatnot, don't apply anymore. Nothing is free in life, so you're all going to need to start paying up. And in order for you to prove you're fit to survive in this new world, you're going to have to prove your worth… by killing someone.
What was once a lively, peaceful shop soon descended into an absolute bloodbath.
Croissant: Oi, what in tarnation is going on
Croissant: Some weird creature appeared, spouted some nonsense, and now everyone is killing each other
Sora: Idk. But the same thing's happening here
Texas: Likewise
Exusiai: Omg it's a bloodbath here
Croissant: We regroup at the usual place?
Exusiai: Ofc
Texas is typing…
Texas is typing…
…
Exusiai: Texas, you there?
[Alert: Message failed to send]
Exusiai: Hello?
[Alert: Message failed to send]
Exusiai: Guys?
[Alert: Message failed to send]
Exusiai: Fuck
[Alert: Message failed to send]
Turning her head away from her phone, Exusiai could only be met with a situation that could be described in one word: grim. Actually, scratch that, two words—grim and bloody. No wait, three words, horrific, grim and blood. Horrifically grim and blood.
…
Okay, many words.
"Arghhh! M-My arm!?"
The screams of agony snapped her into serious mode. As absurd and out of the blue it may seem, this was a life or death situation. And Exusiai was making it out alive. Loading a chamber into her firearm, she got a weird message directly in her vision. But she opted to ignore it for the time being, opting to open fire at the scenes of slaughter before her.
[Congratulations! You have completed the Main Scenario. Rewards will be distributed later.]
[Achievements Completed:]
[The Taste of Blood: Kill another human being for the first time.]
[Don't Blink: End someone's life in the blink of an eye (less than a second).]
[Multi-kill: Kill 10 or more people within 10 seconds.]
[You will be able to claim all your rewards once the Main Scenario is finished.]
Bodies dropped left and right as her firearm laid waste to the carnage in front of her. It was then, after Exusiai had emptied her clip, that she realized something. "Oops, that may have been a bit overkill…"
They weren't the usual mafia gang members she dealt with—they were just regular civilians. Even without going all out, she nearly wiped everyone out. All who remained was the guy that ordered black coffee and the Barista…
Behind her!
"Whoa there missy! I mean no harm."
Despite his hulking size, he sure did have quiet feet.
"Back off or I open fire," Exusiai warned, maintaining aim with steady hands. He may be a civilian, but she wasn't underestimating him anytime soon.
"You misunderstand me," the Barista said, holding his arms up in a placating manner. Everything about him, from his facial expression to his body language told Exusiai he didn't want to pick a fight. And yet…
Where's the other guy?
"Hah!" The teen came lunging from her blind spot, a kitchen knife in hand, and the intent to kill in mind.
With lightning fast reactions, Exusiai dodged, sidestepping to the left. "Nice try," she murmured, impressed by their coordination. It wasn't the worst of efforts, but it was nowhere near good enough to catch her off guard.
As the teen lunged past her, he left himself open. In one swift motion, Exusiai reloaded her firearm, and finished him off.
[Notice: Sufficient requirements met. Unique Skill, Firearm's Master, has been acquired.]
Another message. This time it was different from the one before. There was no doubt about it in her now—it definitely had something to do with those weird creatures and the state the world has evolved into. No point thinking about it now—there's still one last hostile in the room. Besides, she'd rather leave the thinking to Texas. Aiming the gun at the Barista, she pulled the trigger and fired.
[Alert: Intrinsic Skill, Holy Gunslinger, was ineffective.]
Wasn't too common to have enemies impervious to her firearm, but it did happen on occasions—usually because of their arts or high defense. Looking at the hulking figure of the Barista before her, she sensed it was a similar case with him. No way was that MoonCash uniform bulletproof. But maybe his skin, which at present looked hard as steel, just may be strong enough.
At least to tank a regular shot.
[Notice: Unique Skill, Firearm's Master, has activated. Switching stance to Deadeye Angel.]
[Firearm stats changed:]
[Attack Damage: Increased greatly]
[Range: Increased Greatly]
[Accuracy: Increased]
[Rate of Fire: Decreased Greatly]
"Whoa, now that's cool," Exusiai muttered to herself. In her hand, instead of her trusty Patron Firearm, was an AW50. Yet the firearm felt intensely familiar all the same.
BANG!
The shot rang loudly around the room. Judging by the gaping hole in the Barista's head, the switch worked. Wonderfully, might she add. Sure, had she shot the Barista enough times with her Vector SMG, perhaps he would have eventually succumbed to her hail of bullets, but that would be a huge waste of time. Especially with this at her disposal now.
[Notice: Unique Skill, Firearm's Master, has activated. Switching back to default stance. All stats have been reverted.]
[Achievement Completed:]
[Last Man Standing: Complete a Scenario of any type as the last Player alive.]
[The Scenario has ended. All rewards will be distributed now!]
[You have received 300 Gold.]
[You have received an additional 15,000 Gold for killing 15 players.]
[Multiple Constellations would like to form a contract with you.]
[You have unlocked the main menu. Would you like to view your Attribute?]
"15,000 Gold!?" Exusiai exclaimed out loud. Sure the currency wasn't LMD, but 15,000 was a big number. "I'm… I'm rich!"
The amount of pop up appearing in front of her was a bit overwhelming, but she managed. As an avid gamer, she adapted and learnt quickly.
[Constellation, Average Viewer, would like to form a contract with you.]
[Constellation, Notorious Nick, would like to form a contract with you.]
[Constellation, Broke But Deadly, would like to form a contract with you.]
[Constellation, Average Viewer, would like to form a contract with you.]
[Constellation, Infamous Vagrant, would like to form a contract with you.]
[Constellation, Homeless Tyrant, would like to form a contract with you.]
[Constellation, Anonymous Rich Guy, would like to form a contract with you.]
.
.
.
[Lots of Constellations would like to form a contract with you. You may only choose one to form a contract with.]
"Hey," Exusiai called out, hoping the creature was still here. "What's a Constellation?"
I'm so glad you asked!
The little fluff ball appeared out of nowhere, startling her.
You can imagine Constellations as viewers, watching you on the Starstream. Any Constellation that wants to form a contract with you has taken interest in you and your talents. Depending on the Constellation you choose to have Sponsor you, you may receive many benefits.
"Benefits? Like what?"
Why aren't you curious one? To answer your question, it can be anything from Gold to Power.
From what Exusiai could gather, these Constellations were essentially viewers, while those weird creatures who started this mess were the broadcasters. They stream this sick game of theirs to beings across whatever the Starstream is. Whoever these people were, they were powerful.
"What are the drawbacks?"
Drawbacks?
"Surely there's got to be a catch somewhere, right?" Exusiai asked. "After all, one of the first things you said was: 'nothing is free in life.'"
[A few Constellations are impressed with your deductive skills. You have received 500 Gold.]
Catch? Perhaps the fact that you can only choose one Constellation? At least for the time being.
"That's not really what I'm talking about, but thanks I guess." She was done talking—it was time to rendezvous with Texas and the rest of the team. After that, she'll make her decision on who to choose.
Why is he not dead?
Anger. The High Class Dokkaebi was fuming.
I-I don't know why it didn't work…!
He's not the only one that failed, sir. All those who transferred servers here, the Otherworlders, have survived the First Main Scenario.
I-Impossible!
I told you they'd be powerful. Any Player that can survive the transfer is no ordinary Player. They'd have bound to gain a skill or two because of it.
You! Take them back! Now!
Calm down now. Think rationally. Your viewership count has skyrocketed, no? Why eliminate the reason?
…
You just don't like not being in control, don't you?
The two High Class Dokkaebi, one from Earth, the other Terra, stood at a standoff. The other Dokkaebi, namely the one in charge of Channel 33418 watched with bated breath. He was tasked with eliminating one of the new Players who Transferred from Earth, yet all his attempts failed.
Number 33418, tell me again how he survived?
Y-Yes sir! He seems to have amazing luck. Both times he was able to outmaneuver my tampering. Both with the team selection and box opening.
So he has a powerful Skill related to luck then? A Unique Skill perhaps?
No sir. A Unique Skill wouldn't be able to override my rigging of the odds.
The High Class Dokkaebi scoffed.
Are you suggesting he has an Ultimate Skill? This early? Ha! As if.
…
You're being completely serious, aren't you?
334185 nodded. The High Class Dokkaebi cursed. Ultimate Skills were the pinnacle of Skills—exceedingly powerful in mind boggling ways.
I wouldn't put it past them.
You! Why are you still here! Go back to Earth and manage your Players!
There's still some downtime after our First Main Scenario, so I think I'll stay here a little longer. As things stand, things are pretty interesting on your end, no?
Grrr…
I… I believe I may know what Ultimate Skill he possesses.
Oh? Do tell.
Guardian Angel. It's a Skill that saves the user from guaranteed death three times a day. There's been records of players acquiring it in the past.
The High Class Dokkaebi from Earth spoke up, an inquisitive look on his face.
The server transfer puts an immense strain on the body; Many people don't survive it. Perhaps…
He trailed off, but all the occupants in the room knew what he was implying. Skills were obtained through many ways. Some were intrinsic to the player. As in, they already possessed it. Others were an extra of their Attribute or Skill. Most Skills are obtained by meeting certain unique requirements, or through unique items, or after going through unique near death experiences—maybe even a unique combination of all three.
This isn't the first Player that has undergone a server transfer. It isn't uncommon for a Player to obtain a Unique Skill after it if they survive. But an Ultimate Skill…
It's unheard of.
But we have to face reality.
That we do.
If the Ultimate Skill, Guardian Angel, only has three charges per day, then he's already used…
The High Class Dokkaebi from Terra did some calculating, arriving at a conclusion that caused his eyes to light up. Meanwhile, the High class Dokkaebi from Earth smirked, as if he knew something the other didn't.
One use for the Server Transfer. One use for the team picking. And one use for the Mysterious Gift Box draw.
An insidious smile, an ingenious plan.
334185, what would happen if a couple of high rated Goblins just happened to appear in the subway tunnels?
As per general consensus, the story will take a route with a combination of horny and normal fantasy. Probably going to end up going the Harem Route as well—pretty obvious who the first girl is going to be. Also also, if it wasn't obvious, I'm deriving a lot of my concepts from 4 fandoms: Tensei Slime, Orv, Solo levelling, and Arknights and adding some of my own twists to everything.
Anyways, thanks to all those who favorited, followed, and reviewed. Really appreciate it.