Lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling, I realized that I'm a fucking idiot, I realized as I stared at the "filter" portion of the War Points store. As it turns out, the displayed items and artifacts were set to 'Tools of War', which meant I'd only be seeing cool guns and battle-stuff, but none of the utility things one would expect from whatever futuristic society Warhammer 40k happened to be. And, ya know, one would think that a sci-fi civilization would have plenty of little things that their citizens mostly ignored but would dramatically alter the 21st century, like holograms and shit.

In any case, there were two other filters. One was called 'Civilian Utility' and the other was called 'Miscellaneous', both of which had a massive variety of things I could purchase with War Points very cheaply, like canned food that had enough calories to feed a man for an entire week, some kind of super antibiotic pill, alien body parts and organs, and all sorts of things that were below or within my current price range of 450 War Points.

There were trillions of things here, a catalog so freakishly huge that I couldn't possibly browse through all of them in a single lifetime, unless I spent every waking moment just looking through every single one. But I didn't want to do that, because – future or not – I literally wasn't interested in a cool lampshade that didn't need to be turned off or a hover chair, which I admit was pretty cool.

There was, however, a neat little feature that basically said, 'For You', like in the damn Steam Client, wherein items were pretty much prepared for me by some kind of AI – I guess. Whatever the case, the things here were interesting to me. I wasn't planning on buying any of them, however, since I didn't need them for now, but they were definitely useful. One such item was something called a [Miracure], developed by a group known as the Magi Biologis, essentially a super antibiotic that could pretty much cleanse the whole body of any viral or bacterial infection at the cost of the subject becoming comatose for a whole day. This thing could be the cure for AIDS and tons of other diseases that didn't have immediate cures. It could literally change the world and for a measly cost of only 100 War Points.

Intrigued, I continued to browse through the 'For You' section, marveling at the sheer variety and creativity of the items listed, and these were just the ones that might immediately interest me. And, even then, there were literally thousands of items here, which was still plenty, but not nearly as overwhelming as a trillion options would've been if I'd browsed unfiltered.

[Nano-Weave Blanket]: A self-cleaning, temperature-regulating blanket that adjusts to your body heat, ensuring you are always comfortable, whether it's a scorching summer day or a freezing winter night. Designed by the Auretian Technocracy. Costs 50 War Points.

[Hover Disk]: A personal transportation device that hovers a few inches off the ground. It can reach speeds of up to 30 mph and has a range of 20 miles on a single charge, before needing to be recharged in sunlight for an hour. Designed by Terran Scientists from before the Cybernetic Revolt to be used by children. Costs 200 War Points.

[Aether Lantern]: A lantern that doesn't require fuel or electricity, drawing its power from the ambient aetheric energy around it. It can light up an entire room with a soft, warm glow and never needs to be turned off. Warning: prolonged use may result in strange and ominous whispers and haunting voices. Designed by Terran Scientists from before the Cybernetic Revolt. Costs 30 War Points.

[Medicae Patch]: A small adhesive patch that can be placed on wounds to instantly sterilize, disinfect, and promote rapid healing on a localized area. Useful for minor cuts and scrapes, and can be of use during serious emergencies. Costs 30 War Points.

[Purity Seal]: This small, red wax seal, infused with prayers and litanies, grants lesser anti-corruption and anti-magical properties to any object its attached to. Crafted by faithful servants of the God Emperor of Mankind. Costs 75 War Points.

[Stasis Cube]: A small container that can halt the passage of time for anything placed inside it. Perfect for preserving food or other perishables indefinitely. It can hold up to one metric ton of mass. Created by Necron Crypteks. Costs 300 War Points.

[Grav-Assist Boots]: Boots that provide enhanced stability and balance, making it easier to walk or run on uneven terrain. They can also slightly increase the user's jump height, but this function requires precise timing. Crafted by the Leagues of Votunn to be used in the low gravity terrain inside giant asteroids. Costs 150 War Points.

[Bio-Gel Pack]: A multi-purpose gel that could be used for a variety of purposes, from sealing wounds to becoming emergency rations. Can also be used as a fire retardant in emergency situations. Costs 50 War Points per pack.

And those were just the first eight of them.

The possibilities were endless, and each item was a pretty good reminder of the fact that I was now connected to a futuristic universe with technological wonders that'd make anything on earth look like a caveman's stick portrait. I bookmarked several items for future consideration, knowing they could come in handy eventually. I wasn't foolish enough to think that my future enemies, whoever and whatever they may be, would die if I shoot them enough times with the Laspistol. No, a part of me knew that, soon enough, I'd find myself beset on all sides by inhuman enemies.

I had to be ready.

So, despite the temptation, I refrained from making any purchases. As useful as these items were, I needed to conserve my War Points for more critical needs. Besides, it was clear that while these tools could make life easier, my immediate focus should be on improving my physical stats and completing quests to gather more points.

I closed the interface and sat up, stretching my arms. I turned my gaze to the clock; it was 5:30 in the afternoon. The day was still somewhat young, and I had plenty to do. My next steps were clear: keep training, complete my daily quests, and look out for hidden opportunities to earn more points. I had no idea how much time I had to keep grinding, but – until something big happened – then I was just going to keep on doing it. I was going to become so powerful that by the time I encountered something supernatural, I'd be so far above humanity that it wouldn't even be funny. For that, however, I'd need time.

And, considering everything thus far, it seemed like I had plenty of it. I could waste my time playing video games and watching movies, and I could even attend the rave my friends were attending tonight, yet again, but... nah. Not important. Instead, I was going to spend my time doing burpees. By my reckoning, burpees were the perfect in-between that balanced out the growth of all three stats; it required dexterity to maintain fluidity of movement, strength to do the push ups and squats, and vitality to fucking keep going. My plan, therefore, was to keep doing burpees until I no longer benefited from it. Besides, I wasn't so tired from this morning's exercise that I couldn't do, at the very least, a hundred reps of the stuff.

Yeah, personal goal: a hundred burpees before falling asleep.

STR – 5(+2)
DEX – 4(+2)
VIT – 6(+1)

I got out of bed and stripped down to my underwear. I was alone in the house anyway. Mom wouldn't arrive until about 9:00 pm and dad wouldn't get home until maybe 12:00 am. And neither of them were the type to barge into my room for whatever reason. So, I had all the time to myself. So, after stretching every single one of my muscles, I began the long and arduous process of exercising to make myself stronger.

Helena Stolas, a High-Class Devil of House Stolas, one of the 72 Pillars of Devilkind, frowned as she stepped out of the portal from the Underworld and into the Human World, Earth. Her eyes narrowed and her nose wrinkled as she breathed in the night air. She hated coming to the Human World, but when a Stray Devil from House Stolas broke free and started running amok and making a mess of things, then it was her job to deal with them, even when the very air of the Human World made her want to tear her nose off.

Three stray devils who escaped from House Stolas; two were given extermination orders and one was to be brought back alive for some reason. Helena didn't care. She had a job to do and nothing would stand in her way, which was honestly quite a refreshing thing, since the Earth was partitioned between so many supernatural factions that almost became difficult to keep track of which parcel of land belonged to who.

Maine, at the very least, was considered a neutral zone in America, which meant she wouldn't be up to her ass in paperwork just to step onto an open street. Technically, Maine was the territory of the Shamans, but the Spirit-Walkers liked to keep to themselves, living in the woods and doing whatever hippy shit they got going on. And so the actual cities, where most of the population actually gathered, like Portland, became something of a neutral ground.

She was lucky, at least, that the strays hadn't run off to New York, which belonged to the Vampires. And those stuckup undead little shits definitely wouldn't let her anywhere near their beloved city. And, being a member of House Stolas meant Helena could break no law – the Bloodline Curse that plagued each and every member of the clan.

Whatever the case, Helena mused as she walked forth and cast a glamour spell over herself, her clothes shifting traditional clothes of nobility to a simple white shirt and jeans, both of which hugged her toned, but otherwise curvy body perfectly. She brought no weapon with her. There was no need for it. The cawing, crimson-eyed ravens of House Stolas accompanied her wherever she went. A few passersby sent her odd looks; the men, mostly, outright gawked at her. Helena allowed herself a simple smile; humans were so easily enthralled by physical beauty that it was honestly pathetic. Then again, she was proud of her looks, like any Devil should be, and so she enjoyed the attention, however fleeting. Beauty wasn't everything. And, unlike those among her kind who favored the art of seduction, Helena honestly didn't care much about it.

"Now, where are those fools?" Her ravens, hundreds of them, each one as black as midnight, and imbued with demonic magic, scattered across the city, searching for their prey. The three strays were, unfortunately, just about clever enough to cast a spell over themselves that shielded them from most physical perception, which meant the only way she'd find them was through the detection of their magical presence, which couldn't be hidden – at least, not from her ravens. Her uncle might say that this whole affair would've been over far quicker if she had a peerage.

She didn't want one. The mere idea of having to babysit a bunch of humans-turned-devils made her head hurt. No thanks.

She walked through the streets, the city's nightlife just beginning to stir. Bars and clubs started to fill with people looking to unwind from their day's work. Helena's lips curled in distaste as she passed a particularly loud establishment, the pulsing music grating on her ears. Annoying. A part of her wanted to just blow up the club. It wouldn't even be difficult. Unfortunately, the laws that governed her actions said no. And so she couldn't.

Helena sighed, shaking her head and wringing her thoughts back onto her mission.

Her raven familiars were adept at searching, but there was always the possibility of interference. The thought of the Shamans' involvement crossed her mind briefly, but she dismissed it. They rarely intervened in the affairs of devils unless provoked. No, this was a straightforward mission – find the strays, deal with them, and return to the Underworld.

A particularly bold raven returned to her, landing gracefully on her shoulder. Its beady red eyes gleamed with the knowledge it had gathered.

"Found something?" she asked it softly.

The raven cawed once, a mixture of triumph, caution, and happiness in its avian voice. Helena nodded, understanding the message. The strays were close, hiding within the shadows of the city – somewhere to the north, close to the woods, perhaps. She could sense the faint ripples of their magical presence now that she knew where to look. They were on the move, but they didn't seem to be in any particular hurry; that would cost them. They couldn't hide from her forever.

"Good. Lead the way."

The raven took off, and Helena followed, her pace quickening as she moved through the streets with the grace and speed of a hellborn predator, moving faster than humans could possibly perceive. The hunt was on, and she would not stop until the strays were dealt with.