The warehouse was a mess of unconscious thugs and scattered weapons by the time the last body hit the ground. Daredevil vanished into the shadows to check the perimeter, while I looked at the gear I auto-looted from the Lieutenant and the rest of the random thugs
.[Inventory]
2000
$Pistol x8
Knife x3
Reinforced Knuckle Dusters (+5 STR when equipped, can be stacked with Strength-Boosting Gloves)
Knuckle Dusters x2
Supercomputer
Minigun
Phone x4
Drugs x5
Wristwatch x2
Jackpot. I slipped them on, and I felt an increase in my strength immediately. It's not a lot, but good enough for now.
I spotted the cache, a series of locked containers with Fisk's mark burned into the metal. Daredevil reappeared."Explosives?"
"Maybe, but do we just leave them to the cops? Fisk might already have them on his payroll."
"Wait, actually never mind, I have an idea." With quick thought, I pull it into my inventory. "Don't ask."
"Now let's get out of here before more show up."
But as if I summoned them, more footsteps echoed across the pier. A fresh wave of Fisk's men emerged, guns raised. Before I could groan, Daredevil hurled his billy club, disarming the first shooter with perfect aim."Ready?" he asked."No," I said, cracking my knuckles. "But when has the world ever cared about that?"
The fight was brutal, but with my new knuckle dusters, Clockbreak, and Brutal Momentum, every punch dropped a thug like a sack of bricks. Daredevil flowed through them with surgical precision, his movements almost mesmerizing.
Finally, the last thug hit the ground. Silence fell, broken only by the sound of waves against the pier. The System dinged.[Quest Completed: Ally with Daredevil.]Reward: 1500 EXP + Strength-Boosting Gloves.[Item Acquired: Strength-Boosting Gloves (+7 STR when equipped)]
[Quest Completed: Create a diversion.]Reward: 300 EXP.
[Random Thugs defeated x25 +1000]
[Level Up! Lv 9 → Lv 12]
[Basic Combat Leveled Up Lv 5: 50% more damage]
[Observe Leveled Up Lv 6: can now see up to 30 levels above you]
[Clockbreak Leveled Up Lv 3: Duration now 6 seconds]
[Gravity Crush Leveled Up Lv 3: Cost now 40 MP to activate, 25 MP per second after 4 seconds]
[Brutal Momentum Leveled Up Lv 2: now increases STR by 4 every hit]
[Predator's Instinct Leveled Up Lv 2: range now 6 meters]
"Nice, more levels," I said, putting on the gloves instantly. [STR: 41]
Daredevil straightened, breathing steadily. "Fisk will be furious. This was only the beginning."
"Cool. Can I sleep for, like, a week first?"
He gave me a rare, faint smile. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we plan our next move."
As he vanished into the night, the System pinged again.[New Main Quest: Bring Down the Kingpin pt1.]Objective: Work with Daredevil to dismantle Fisk's operations.Reward: ???
I stared at the glowing text. "Yeah, no pressure."
Tying the gang members up quickly and making a call to the police, I dipped back to my run-down apartment."Well, I need a better apartment, but I'm still broke. Just enough to buy one for a few days if I'm lucky. I'll ask Daredevil about it tomorrow; he is a lawyer, he should know some good people."
[Reminder: You have unused stat points.]"Okay, show me my stats."
Name: Liam ValeLevel: 12 (450/1200)
HP: 290/290
MP: 290/290
STR: 29+12
DEX: 32
VIT: 29
INT: 29
WIS: 22
CHA: 21
Points: 20
Skills:Gamer's Mind (Passive)
Gamer's Body (Passive)
Basic Combat (Passive Lv 5)
Forget Me Why? Because I Wanted (Passive)
Predator's Instinct (Passive Lv 2)
Limit Break (Passive Lv 1)
Brutal Momentum (Passive Lv 2)
Stealth (Active, Lv 3)
Observe (Active, Lv 6)
Clockbreak (Active, Lv 3)
Gravity Crush (Active Lv 3)
Inventory
Shop: Locked
Quests: 2 Active
"Add 3 to WIS, 4 to CHA, 1 to INT, VIT, and STR. I'll save the rest."
Name:
Liam Vale
Level: 12 (450/1200)
HP: 300/300 (+30 every min)
MP: 300/300 (+30 every min)
STR: 30+12
DEX: 32
VIT: 30
INT: 30
WIS: 25
CHA: 25
Points: 10
[New Skill – Adaptive Thinking (Passive)]Description: Learn from enemy patterns mid-fight, reducing their effectiveness against you.
[New Skill – Manipulator's Web (Passive)]Description: Set up long-term influence, causing enemies or allies to unknowingly serve your goals.
[Reminder: Liam, you still have a skill upgrade token.]"What would I use that on? While I got good skills, they are low levels, so it's better to hold off."
[Fair, Liam, but I will tell you now the upgrade token can be used to get a skill past Lv 10, which is the max for most.]"Wake me up tomorrow, okay?"[Of course, Liam.]
The next morning started with me sprawled out on my mattress, which was less "bed" and more "heap of springs plotting my death." The System woke me up with its usual cheerful tone.[Good morning, Liam. Ready to almost die again?]"Yeah, thanks, System. Real motivational."
I groaned, pulling myself up and rubbing my eyes. My body still felt the phantom pain from last night's fight, though thanks to Gamer's Body, the pain was gone, but I could still feel—think?—about the pain.
The reinforced knuckle dusters were sitting pretty on my hands, and the strength-boosting gloves added a nice boost to my stats. My STR was sitting at a beautiful 42 with all bonuses."Okay, plan for today: talk to Daredevil, figure out Fisk's next move, and maybe find a place to live where rats don't hold house meetings in my kitchen while I can actually take a shower."
While thanks to Gamer's Body I don't smell, it would be nice to wash my clothes and feel clean.
I headed out. The streets of Queens were their usual mix of suspicious characters, honking cars, and the smell of cheap coffee. Predator's Instinct pulsed faintly, warning me of some thug tailing me.
I turned into an alley, waited until he got close, and—bam—spun around with a punch to the jaw. He crumpled instantly.[+20 EXP. Minor Threat Neutralized.]
"Not even worth looting," I muttered, stepping over him.
"Now where to find Daredevil? Do I just stand on top of a building aura farming?" I think for a second and shrug, and after a 30-minute walk to Hell's Kitchen and climbing up a tall building, I stand there with my hands in my pockets, looking down at the random people like some main character.
Predator's Instinct activated. I feel someone behind me."Daredevil?"
"You're early," he said from behind me.
"Trying to impress you. Is it working?"
"No."
"Rude."
He ignored me and handed over a file."Fisk's next shipment is going through a hidden tunnel under the old docks. It's heavily guarded."
"Cool, love heavily guarded death traps. Any good news?"
"There are access points through the sewers. I'll handle the main entrance while you slip in and sabotage the shipment from inside."
"Wait, wait. You get the door while I crawl through literal crap? This partnership is feeling real one-sided."
"Do you want to stop Fisk or not?" he said flatly.
I sighed. "Fine. But if I die from sewer-rat rabies, it's on you."
Night came faster than I wanted. Standing at the sewer entrance, I pinched my nose."Here goes nothing."
The tunnels were dark, damp, and smelled worse than death itself. I activated Stealth, slipping past rats the size of cats and avoiding tripwires scattered by Fisk's men, grabbing each of them into my inventory. Each step echoed like a drumbeat, but Predator's Instinct kept me on edge.
Finally, I reached a ladder leading up to the underground dock. I climbed silently, peeking through the grate. Above, dozens of thugs moved crates marked with Fisk's insignia. Perfect."Alright, Liam," I whispered, "time to blow up some bad guys' toys."
(1272 words)