"This is so stupid.
Yeah, well, we're called samurai, mental image, right? Code of Bushido, lots of honor in battle, some etiquette and respect. Maybe have tea with some idiot before you chop his head off. ha.
This has been studied in depth. Personally, I think running around in a ghost mask is tasteless, but whatever. The fact is, when there are aliens around, you are at war, and in war, honor has no place. "
——Tee
Lyfe Mag’s Street Interview Three Strikes! August 2045
***
The door opened, only three or four inches wide, enough to reveal the enemies I had shot, six dead and partially burned bodies. I aimed at the ones that were still moving, and after locking my arms in place as best I could, I fired.
I'm becoming more and more fond of flaming weapons. Probably I saw a red-hot hole punched into the side of the alien, and then a stream of flames spurted out from inside...
My trencher clicked empty, all shot, ha. The elevator door slams shut.
"How much?" I asked.
Five! You are getting better!
Target eliminated!
Reward... 50 points
"Good," I said, leaning against the wall. The doorway was a mess of green blood that smelled a bit like a mixture of mold and freshly cut grass. Some of the No. 3 monsters were almost slipping in, but Miles' door was faster than them.
It's not that I thought the door would last very long. They already have an annoying dent and now squeal a little when opening and closing.
“Try it again, and then we’ll have to actually fix the problem,” I said.
Getting the empty magazine out of my gun was just as tricky as the first time, especially with the barrel super hot. There was no way I was going to be able to tuck it under my arm. I ended up emptying the gun by sandwiching it between my sneakers and then stuffed another magazine inside.
You have reached less than a hundred points.
"Should I go shopping?" I asked.
Nothing wrong with the autoloader. Or maybe a replacement for your lost arm. There are also some unmistakable utilities such as clothing or armor, additional perception systems, scanners, and of course more optimized weapons.
I picked up my trench machine, the gun now much more comfortable in my hand than it had been an hour ago. "I don't know. Where do you think I should start?"
It's entirely up to you. How you fight, how you decide in life, what you think is more important. I have a profile of you as a Pioneer, but it is not complete enough to determine which purchases will be most satisfying and suitable for you.
I shifted into a position where I could easily hold the gun and braced myself. "What does your profile say so far?" I asked.
You are not averse to taking risks, and although you enjoy the company of others, you do not enjoy working with them. This is not uncommon among drafted Vanguards. You like to stay close to your opponents but shy away from physical confrontation and prefer to remain undetected. You also enjoy big explosions and your opponents dying in interesting ways. Have fun, beauty!
"Uh," I said. "I guess that's fair."
If I were to make recommendations now, I would push you to undergo drastic body modifications to address your weaknesses. Since these weapons and equipment are expensive, forget it, I also encourage a focus on stealth weapons and equipment. Most vanguards are quite loud, but there is always a need for those who can move undetected and undisturbed. Also, I would encourage you to use a variety of explosive techniques. Disposable items are somewhat cheap compared to other items. Essentially, it allows you to punch more than your body weight.
I dropped the trench machine. I was tempted, ha. But I was really tempted. "How many points do I have?" I asked.
167
It's too little. When will it be tens of thousands?
"How much does a grenade cost?" I asked.
Let's say you want a weapon that won't kill you at short range. Category I Esoteric is a one-time activation of 50 points. Five or ten points if you can clear the room on the other side of the door.
I blinked. There were about six aliens left there, maybe more. Plus, I want to blow them all up. strength!
Class I Esoteric Disposable Explosive Gadget Unlocked!
Points reduced to... 117
Congratulations! Would you like me to highlight some of the equipment in the catalog?
The elevator door roared, and something big hit it. "How about you give me something to clean up the mess we've made, and then we get down to business?"
good idea! I can recommend Ma
k ID resonator? It uses resonant frequencies to melt surrounding organic materials.
"Like...noise?" I asked. Sounds great.
indeed. One unit costs 5 cents. As you can imagine, it is not reusable. Also, it's quite loud, but it should be fine in the elevator.
"At least give it a try, ha" I said.
New Purchase: Class I Resonator Marking ID
Points reduced to... 112
A small square cylindrical object appeared at my feet. It was shaped like a cylinder and was so big that it was hard for my hands to hold it. A piece of plastic on the top goes through a hole in a thumb switch.
I tucked my trench machine into the back of my pants—safety on first—and picked up the unit and twisted it around. It's mostly gray metal with some silver discs around it that look like little parts inside the speaker. The faucet says "Pull to Start" in large letters.
There's a small dial next to the upper button, which is currently set to 5, but looks like it can be moved up or down with a flick of your thumb.
Pull the tab to release the trigger and prime the grenade. You can also set the time. The second dial below allows you to select the target material. By default, it is set to the opposite physical body. That big red button...well, I guess I don't need to explain that button.
"Very good," I said. I peeled the label off with my teeth, spit it to the side, and moved it to the side of the door. "Can you open the door when I say go?" I asked.
Get to your places!
I grinned, thumbed the grenade's trigger, and shouted. "go!"
The door slid open a crack. A pair of long black claws reached into the elevator, like a cat searching for a mouse in a hole.
I dropped the dynamite on my paw and heard a dull sound outside.
Please cover your ears. This will be very loud.
I covered my left ear with one hand and pressed myself against the wall. A thud... sound. . . .
The world is filled with wails of pain that grow and then disappear like waves of pain. I covered one ear hard with my hand and crouched down to hide from the noise. Maybe playing with weird bombs isn't the best. snort!
