RE: Reality Smuggler (R-18)

SMASH*

{Gained 0.501 Basic Energy}

{Gained 0.1 Evolution Energy A}

{Gained 0.101 Enhancement Energy A}

 

After killing the mob and offering its crystal, marking my 14th kill since I left the pharmacy, I stored my brand-new ax.

Yeah, I already visited a luckily busted-open tool shop and got some good-quality hardware. I Snagged five fire axes and a sledgehammer. There were also futuristic stuff and probably other good things, but I didn't take them. I didn't need them right now.

 

"Okay... So, it should be around here, right?" - I asked myself while opening the tourist map I got in the hardware store.

As for where I am?

No, fucking, idea.

The map only says I am in Arbington County, Butterpond town. As for the state? It read Tawheque. I have not the slightest clue where this state is located, either. This is not my reality, that's for sure.

Luckily, they seem to speak and write in English, or I wouldn't even be able to read the map.

Looking at the map, I made a small comparison and soon spotted the place I wanted near a corner at a T section.

A small shop with a sign with a picture of uncle sam that read: "Patriot Guns and Ammo, Sticking to Traditions for 150 years."

"Perfect." - I smiled and walked to the shop.

I then circled the shop to check for any entrance points, but there were none, so I had to go to the only entrance, the storefront.

Despite this world being a futuristic alternate reality over 100 years in the future, many things appear in a mish-mash of futuristic and modern, perhaps because it is a small town.

For example, the gun shop front didn't have futuristic protection mechanisms. It only had thick burglar bars covering a surprisingly intact laminated glass.

It appeared to be the simple type of bars that a human can't break with brute force but can be cut open or smashed given enough time and the right tools. However, all those solutions are also noisy and dangerous in this environment.

Luckily, I have an easy solution to that.

Cheating.

Holding my ax tightly, I walked closer to the window, just enough to see the interior.

Seeing that the coast was clear, I chanted in my mind.

"Teleport."

And then, easy as that, for the price of 0.1 Basic Energy, I entered the secure gun shop that would have taken me a ton of time and effort to break into.

I was prepared to face some ambush by fuck knows what, but my worries were for naught.

The building only had two floors and a basement. The ground floor is the store, and the second floor has a storeroom, an office, a bathroom+shower, and even a double bedroom. As for the basement? A gunsmith workshop. They also have a flat rooftop that could be climbed up using a ladder in the storeroom.

In the bedroom, I found a skeleton handcuffed to the bed, a bullet hole in its head, making a mark on the wall behind it. I saw signs of great struggle before death, with many claw marks marring the cozy bed.

In the office, I saw a skeleton sitting on a chair, a hole in its temple, and a revolver dropped on the floor. The table had a bottle of whiskey and a bloodstained picture frame facing the skeleton. It was a wedding picture of a couple.

"Rest in peace, you poor bastards." - I gave a prayer and returned to the first floor.

The place was empty of life...

But full of GUNS, BABY!!!!

"Jackpot!" - I smiled like a Cheshire cat.

Guns, guns, and more guns. There were also customizable parts, too.

Oh, and ammo, lots of it.

Did I mention GUNS?!

Rifles, Shotguns, Revolvers, and Pistols. All hung up and displayed openly for me to select on the walls and racks.

Since the shop was closed and windows were unbroken, the guns were not exposed to the elements, making them immediately usable even after a few years of not being oiled.

Some people even claim they can last for 50+ years without being oiled as long as they are not exposed.

Works for me!

Rubbing my eager hands together, I started my looting time.

 

"Semi-auto assault rifle? Classic!"

"Hunting Rifle with night vision scope, bipod, and silencers? Deal!"

"Semi-auto shotgun with an extended 40-shell drum? Yoink!"

"Magnums?! Both 357 AND 44? SOLD!"

"9mm pistols with silencers?! A frigin 50 cal desert eagle?! GIMME!"

"Full metal jacket rounds? Good."

"Hollow points? Can blow some brains."

"Soft points? Even better!!!"

"Armor penetration?! Nice! Good against the boss."

"A stash of incendiary and AP incendiary .308 rounds in a safety box?! Is this Christmas?!"

 

...

 

After 20 minutes...

I finished storing all the guns, mags, and bullets, including the ones stored in safety boxes in the storeroom. I opened them thanks to a pair of keys in the office.

I didn't count yet, but I probably got 50,000+ bullets from this fiasco. It might seem like a lot, but considering around 10+ billion are produced in the US, and this gun shop caters to an entire small town, it isn't a lot.

Most common bullets were stored inside large 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 bulk boxes stacked inside the storeroom. The rest were the 10, 20, and 50 packs and boxes on the shelves on the ground floor.

As for how can I possibly fit 50,000 bullets inside a one cubic meter area? Let's do a bit of math.

Your average 9mm bullet is 0.03m long and with a diameter of about 0.01m. If those bullets are perfectly stacked, I can store over 330,000 rounds. Even if I assume the average bullet size is double, I can keep 150,000 easily.

I am keeping around a third of that, so the space I took is only a third.

However, it should be noted that I am running out of space now. Those additional supplies and guns are taking the bulk of my Storage.

Thinking about it for a moment, I suddenly had an idea.

"Right! There's that. Maybe it can solve this problem." - I said and activated the power I didn't test yet.

"Enhancement." - I thought.

 

{Power: Enhancement has been triggered.}

{Enhancement: Enhances the Divine fragment of I̵͔̍̀͐c̷̢̝̖̺̤͌͝'̶̳̞͇̎̎̌́t̶̼̍ḧ̸̳́̕̚o̴̯͉̚͝͠ẗ̸̛̩́͛̈́ḷ̶̀̓'̷̢̄͜ï̴̡̘̟͋̄̕t̴̳̼̮̘́ṙ̵͈̣̦̾o̸̱͎͕̾̔̈́̎̕d̸̘̙̫͂͝'s existing Powers or unlocks new Powers through special energies.}

{Please select the desired option: Enhance existing Powers, Unlock new Powers.}

 

"Oh, shit! I can get new powers?! I should check it later. For now..." - I thought and selected the desired option.

 

{Enhance existing Powers has been selected}

{Please select a Power to enhance.}

Powers:

1. Dark Offering
2. Camouflage(Self)
3. Storage
4. Teleport
5. Reality Travel
6. Evolution
7. Enhancement

 

Without any hesitation, I chose Storage.

 

Storage: The Divine fragment of I̵͔̍̀͐c̷̢̝̖̺̤͌͝'̶̳̞͇̎̎̌́t̶̼̍ḧ̸̳́̕̚o̴̯͉̚͝͠ẗ̸̛̩́͛̈́ḷ̶̀̓'̷̢̄͜ï̴̡̘̟͋̄̕t̴̳̼̮̘́ṙ̵͈̣̦̾o̸̱͎͕̾̔̈́̎̕d̸̘̙̫͂͝ has an internal storage space with no gravity. The owner can freely store or retrieve items inside.
Size: 1m^3.
Energy cost: None.
Limits: Cannot place inside - Objects the owner cannot hold and lift; Living Creatures; Objects of immense power; Other objects containing a folded space.

{Please choose an enhancement option.}

Enhancement options:

1. Increase Storage size 1.
2. Add function.

 

"Add function? Cool, but not now." - I said and selected the first option.

 

{Increase Storage size 1: Increase the size of the Storage space from 1m^3 to 8m^3. Cost: 10 Enhancement Energy A.}

 

"10 points for seven cubic meters!? WORTH! BUY!" - I widened my eyes and immediately bought it.

Storage doesn't cost energy and is the most convenient power I have. I can't go wrong with enhancing it. Besides, seven cubic meters for 10 points is a steal!

 

{Enhancement complete.}

{Enhancement Energy A: 38.6 -> 28.6}

Storage: The Divine fragment of I̵͔̍̀͐c̷̢̝̖̺̤͌͝'̶̳̞͇̎̎̌́t̶̼̍ḧ̸̳́̕̚o̴̯͉̚͝͠ẗ̸̛̩́͛̈́ḷ̶̀̓'̷̢̄͜ï̴̡̘̟͋̄̕t̴̳̼̮̘́ṙ̵͈̣̦̾o̸̱͎͕̾̔̈́̎̕d̸̘̙̫͂͝ has an internal storage space with no gravity. The owner can freely store or retrieve items inside.
Size: 1m^3 -> 8m^3
Energy cost: None.
Limits: Cannot place inside - Objects the owner cannot hold and lift; Living Creatures; Objects of immense power; Other objects containing a folded space.

 

Feeling the Storage space, I sensed it visibly expanding.

Its length, width, and height extended by 1 meter, octupling the space.

I can now store eight times as many things as before. I won't need to worry about not having space for now.

"So, axes, check. Guns, check. Storage, check. That leaves the shelter, but..." - I looked around the room.

It was a secure and locked shop, with no signs of break-ins or anything else.

Not only did it have burglar bars, but also laminated glass. And it even had a flat roof above that I could use for escaping and shooting stupid monsters.

It's even located near a T-section, allowing for an excellent view. 

It is an ideal temporary safe house.

"Hm... Fine. Your it." - I decided.

That said, I now face a dilemma.

"What should I do now? Should I wait here until I can go back home? Should I go hunting mobs and accumulate points? Should I go around and get items?" - I wondered.

However, after thinking about it, I decided.

"Hunting! I should go out and hunt! If I kill everything in town, I will have both points and the town!" - My eyes lit up with greed.

Points are a no-brainer. I can not only evolve myself but can also enhance the amulet, granting me new powers.

As for the town? I can loot the place freely, giving me access to many things that can make me dirty-rich.

"In daylight, I should hunt. In the nighttime, I should rest and prepare."

With that decided, I was about to leave but then stopped myself.

"Oh, right. I should check the rest first, shouldn't I?" - I said and chanted.

"Enhancement."

 

{Power: Enhancement has been triggered.}

{Please select the desired option: Enhance existing Powers, Unlock new Powers.}

 

"Enhance existing Powers."

 

{Enhance existing Powers has been selected}

{Please select a Power to enhance.}

Powers:

1. Dark Offering
2. Camouflage(Self)
3. Storage
4. Teleport
5. Reality Travel
6. Evolution
7. Enhancement

 

"Teleport." - I chose.

It is my life-saving trump card, after all.

 

Teleport: The Divine fragment of I̵͔̍̀͐c̷̢̝̖̺̤͌͝'̶̳̞͇̎̎̌́t̶̼̍ḧ̸̳́̕̚o̴̯͉̚͝͠ẗ̸̛̩́͛̈́ḷ̶̀̓'̷̢̄͜ï̴̡̘̟͋̄̕t̴̳̼̮̘́ṙ̵͈̣̦̾o̸̱͎͕̾̔̈́̎̕d̸̘̙̫͂͝ bestows upon the owner the ability to teleport himself to a location he can sense.
Range: 3m.
Energy cost: 0.1 Basic Energy for each meter traveled(Replaceable with mental energy).
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Limits: Cannot teleport with an object the owner can't lift. Cannot teleport with a living creature. Can only teleport to a location filled with air, dust particles, or a body of liquid. Some energies can repel teleportation.

{Please choose an enhancement option.}

Enhancement options:

1. Increase Range 1.
2. Reduce Cost 1.
3. Reduce Cooldown 1.
4. Add function.

 

I looked at the four options before silently choosing to increase the range.

Teleport is a trump card, not a regular power. There is no point in decreasing the cooldown and cost for now.

 

{Increase Range 1. Increases the maximum teleportation range from 3m to 10m. Cost: 25 Enhancement Energy A.}

 

"Yeesh! That's a steep price... But I'll take it!" - I said with gritted teeth.

Increasing the range from 3m to 10m is a power spike! A three-story roof is only 10 meters tall. This means I can teleport to the ceiling of a three-story building at a whim!

If I meet another bullshit boss, I can teleport to one of the nearby roofs and even shoot until it's dead.

 

{Enhancement complete.}

{Enhancement Energy A: 28.6 -> 3.6}

Teleport: The Divine fragment of I̵͔̍̀͐c̷̢̝̖̺̤͌͝'̶̳̞͇̎̎̌́t̶̼̍ḧ̸̳́̕̚o̴̯͉̚͝͠ẗ̸̛̩́͛̈́ḷ̶̀̓'̷̢̄͜ï̴̡̘̟͋̄̕t̴̳̼̮̘́ṙ̵͈̣̦̾o̸̱͎͕̾̔̈́̎̕d̸̘̙̫͂͝ bestows upon the owner the ability to teleport himself to a location he can sense.
Range: 3m -> 10m
Energy cost: 0.1 Basic Energy for each meter traveled(Replaceable with mental energy).
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Limits: Cannot teleport with an object the owner can't lift. Cannot teleport with a living creature. Can only teleport to a location filled with air, dust particles, or a body of liquid. Some energies can repel teleportation.

 

I then looked at my remaining points.

 

Basic Energy: 16.05

Evolution Energy A: 26.1

Enhancement Energy A: 3.6

 

"Ugh... Great-grandpa was right. Earning money is so much harder than spending it." - I said with a cringe and rubbed my head, having a headache.

"Well, time to continue my Gory Quest!" - I declared with a bloodthirsty glint in my eyes.

"But first, lunch." - I said and walked to the counter, taking my ready-made meal from my Storage, still a bit warm.

I can't do a quest on an empty stomach.

Bon Appétit!

 

...

 

Two hours later...

Clack* Clack* Clack*

"And... Done. That's mag number 73 down." - I said and put the loaded mag inside the Storage.

"Gah..." - A mob growled as it approached me.

"I know, I know. It's your turn now." - I said while taking my ax from Storage.

Then, I swung it at the suicidal mob.

HACK*

{Gained 0.5 Basic Energy}

With but a swing, its upper head was hacked into pieces, brain matter spilling all over, revealing a black crystal. Without any hesitation, I picked up the crystal and offered it.

{Gained 0.099 Evolution Energy A}

{Gained 0.1 Enhancement Energy A}

"Sigh... Mobs. Never learn." - I shook my head and started loading another mag while walking.

Instead of running around and wasting my energy, I walked while loading mags. When the mobs came close enough, I killed them, looted them, and continued loading another mag.

In this way, I loaded over half of the mags in the Storage and killed a few dozen mobs. I stopped counting the mobs after 30 and focused on the mags.

"That reminds me, I walked so far, yet I didn't see any new hoard or boss. Where are they?" - I wondered while loading the mag.

As I loaded the third buckshot shell...

Tap* Tap* Tap* Tap*

A soft but rapid tapping noise sounded.

Suddenly, all the hairs on my body stood on end! I didn't hesitate for a moment.

"TELEPORT!!!"

I teleported 10 meters ahead, and at the same time...

CHIIIIII*

The sound of something scratching the asphalt sounded as I turned around.

Its humanoid body was dark green, had compact muscles on its thin long-limbed body, and was armed with long claws that could split the asphalt. Its bald dark-green head had no visible features except two dot-like golden eyes and a long slit for a mouth. At the back of its head, I saw an onyx crystal glinting in the sun.

It stared at me with surprise and bewilderment, probably wondering how I escaped its sure-kill move.

"Me and my big mouth..." - I cursed myself and took out a semi-auto shotgun loaded with a 40-round drum full of buckshot shells.

The creature visibly flinched when it saw me pulling a shotgun from thin air before scrambling away to a nearby wrecked car.

Of course, I wouldn't let it do that.

BANG* BANG* BANG*

Unafraid of wasting ammo or missing, I became trigger-happy while shooting three shots per second. The recoil that once made my joints cry in agony felt like nothing as I remained firm while shooting.

After it sustained three out of eight shots to the chest, it collapsed on the ground and writhed in agony.

"CREEE!!!*" - It opened its slit-like mouth, revealing its predatory teeth, and shrieked sharply.

It almost sounded like someone was scratching a chalkboard or piece of glass.

"Shut the fuck up, you cowardly boss!" - I walked toward it while firing.

BANG* BANG* BANG*

This time, since it was only squirming on the ground, all my shots more or less hit the target, its body covered in bone-deep wounds.

"Gahg... Gurgle*" - The boss soon cried and gurgled weakly.

After firing ten more shells, its body was missing chunks of meat, and many bones were broken. Its sharp screaming was replaced with gurgling.

Without remorse, I got two meters from the collapsed boss and pointed my gun at its head. Its dot-like golden eyes stared at me in pain and unwillingness, being bested by a cheat-like existence it couldn't comprehend. It struggled to raise a hand at me as if pleading for mercy.

"Goodbye, Cowardly Boss. At least you were better than the Bullshit Boss." - I said and pulled the trigger.

BANG* SPLAT*

{Gained 5 Basic Energy}

After being shot, its brain was splattered all over the asphalt, and its hand dropped to the ground, leaving behind an onyx crystal like the Bullshit Boss.

I picked up the crystal and offered it.

 

{Dark Offering has been triggered.}

{Absorbed Unknown Viral Energy Body B.}

{Seperating and purifying useable energies and discarding the dregs... Success.}

{Gained 1.3 Evolution Energy A}

{Gained 1.31 Enhancement Energy A}

{A new complete evolutionary strand compatible with the host's human genome has been detected.}

{Extracting... Success.}

{Optimizing... Success.}

{Unlocked new Evolutionary Route: Stalker.}

 

"Oh? A new evolutionary route? Stalker? Sounds about right. It did look and act like a Stalker." - I nodded and checked the new route.

 

Currently available evolutionary routes:

1. Standard. Cost: 10 Evolution Energy A. 100 Basic Energy. Estimated Time: 4 hours and 21 minutes.
2. Soldier. Cost: 13 Evolution Energy A. 130 Basic Energy. Estimated Time: 5 hours and 44 minutes.
3. Stalker. Cost: 13 Evolution Energy A. 130 Basic Energy. Estimated Time: 5 hours and 44 minutes.

 

"Seriously? It's worth as much as the bullshit boss?" - I looked at it strangely.

But after giving it a bit of thought, I understood the reason.

A Soldier is probably considered a strongman and tank, while the Stalker is a stealthy hunter and assassin. One focuses on brute strength and toughness, while another focuses on explosive force and agility.

They both have advantages and disadvantages.

While thinking about that, I noticed that mobs were starting to gather here, probably because of the noise or the smell of the dead cowardly boss.

"Well, time for another bumper harvest." - I smiled evilly and switched to an assault rifle.

BANG*