The team usually took a 1-2 week break after a mission, but due to Herman's injury, the next one was postponed for a month. And let me tell you, that month had some highlights. But let's start with the day after the mission.
When I woke up the next morning, I took some time to reflect. Why didn't I feel anything while killing people yesterday? Logically, I should have felt at least a little out of my comfort zone—but in reality, I was quite calm and acted normally. Currently, the most plausible explanation is the maximum level of Gamer's Mind. It seems it prevents me from falling into extremes and forcefully returns my emotions to baseline if negativity starts to dominate. I can still feel extreme joy, like back at the mansion when I got the quest, but depression seems to be off the table. I don't know if there's a downside to this yet.
I also noticed I was healing remarkably fast. I'd tested my limits when I first got the ability, and while it's hard to be precise without a direct comparison, based on memory, my Full Form regeneration is roughly on par with Spidey's. It's just a shame I can only maintain that for about an hour for now.
By 10:00 AM, we gathered to discuss our plans. We packed up and headed to Detroit at 1:00 PM. I didn't have much: a few changes of clothes, a pistol, 14 assault rifles (if we hadn't been recalled so fast, I would've lifted their wallets too, but alas... I only took what caught my eye), 3 bombs with unknown effects, and 2 bombs with known properties (tested on the reinforcements). I started wondering how to offload all this junk. While packing it, an idea kept scratching at the back of my mind to build something out of them, but despite my high Intelligence, I lacked the actual engineering knowledge. I'll have to fix that later.
During the drive, I decided to invest some of the points I earned. My Intuition only triggered yesterday after I saw that psycho's smile. If it weren't for my speed, I would've ended up without arms and full of internal wounds at best—or dead with pieces of me, not the rifle, scattered across the room at worst. I decided to bring it up to 50.
Name: Rain Pierce
Level: 16
Experience: 5525/6000
Stats: * Strength: 58
Agility: 56
Endurance: 63
Intelligence: 51
Intuition: 50
Stat Points: 31
Traits: "Rich Kid," "Lab Rat," "Reincarnator."
Skills: Martial Arts (Lvl 25), Shooting (Lvl 42), Polyglot (Lvl 5), Psychology (Lvl 13), Strategist (Lvl 9), Stealth (Lvl 15), Gamer's Mind (MAX), Intimidation (Lvl 5).
Powers: Time Acceleration, Lycanthropy.
Looking at my gains, I realized the fight with Thomas gave me +1 to Strength and Agility and a ton of points in Endurance—though I probably gained those while recovering. It's an effective but highly undesirable way to level up. To see if I can raise stats without lethal injuries, I'll have to ask him for a sparring match. Given the glares he gave me the whole way here, he'll definitely agree to "rearrange" my face. Heh. Arclight also agreed to help me with my combat skills; considering her power, it'll be like my training sessions with Brooks all over again.
The first few days in Detroit I was free, with training starting at the end of the week. I decided to explore the city. I was dressed to the nines in a new, expensive black suit. I looked stylish, and with a hint of my Intimidation aura active, I looked like someone who knew the underworld well. Given I look 18 or 19, people probably took me for a mob boss's son. That's why I was surprised when a girl suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Hey handsome, you want me to show you the city, don't you!" Her tone was weird. More like a command than a suggestion.
When I didn't answer immediately, she looked surprised, and her eyes began to glow.
Gamer's Mind has been activated.
Was she trying to hypnotize me?
"You want to come with me!"
Well, let's play along. I'm curious about her powers. "Yes."
"Perfect, darling. I'll be your best friend, or maybe more."
She led me to the outskirts of the city. Just as I was getting bored with the act, we reached a club. The bouncer let us in without a word, giving me a haughty look. The interior was decent; loud music was playing—I didn't recognize the track, but it was definitely above average. Sitting at a table drinking, I felt disappointed. I thought I was being led to a ritual or a robbery, but using HYPNOSIS just to get a handsome date? Pff—that's a weak use of such an ability.
After an hour of somewhat dull conversation, her interrogation ended. She asked who I was, who my parents were, etc. I lied through my teeth. I told her a story about losing my parents in an alley behind a theater, about the inheritance they left, and how I dressed this way to pick up girls because they "like bad boys." But when she accurately guessed my age down to the month, I realized her powers went beyond hypnosis.
She stepped away to talk to her friends. For a normal person, hearing them over the loud music would be impossible, but I'm not normal. Since getting Lycanthropy, my senses have been sharpening. My sight and hearing are already far beyond human. My sense of smell is lagging slightly, but not by much.
"Veronica, you brought another one?! How do you not burst after the Harvest? You drink more than three every time."
"Angela, calm down. I'm giving this one to the boss. He's a mutant."
"What?! Is he strong?"
"I don't know yet, but my mind control only worked after using full power. And his resistance to the drug is amazing. A normal person would be a giggling idiot after one glass; he's had ten!"
Well, she said she was paying, and it tastes good.
"You want to make him a Warrior?"
"Yes! You know how they get stronger after the Turning. Even a useless power can evolve into something dangerous."
Now that is interesting. They've turned mutants before. I need to find out more about this "boost."
"Darling, I'm back. Where were we?"
"I don't quite remember, but you know, I really want to sing a song for you."
"You sing too?"
"You don't even know the half of my talents." I stood up and flashed her a smile that turned into a wicked grin the second I turned away. I went to the stage and cleared it with the band. Sitting at the synth, I began my performance.
"Friends! A moment of your attention! I want to dedicate this composition to a lovely girl, and I think, to a few others in this club."
I began a cover of Twenty One Pilots — Heathens.
All my friends are heathens, take it slow
Wait for them to ask you who you know
Please don't make any sudden moves
You don't know the half of the abuse...
How quickly their condescension turned to surprise, then disbelief, then fear. The tension in the air was palpable. And seeing the smile slide off my "friend's" face? Exquisite.
Ten seconds after the song ended, they snapped out of it and began to surround me. One of the band members lunged at me. I activated Time Acceleration, dodged, and landed a body blow, but the guy barely felt it—he just slid back a meter. Plan B. I snapped off the leg of the stool I was sitting on. Seeing his pupils turn red and fangs glint in his mouth, I almost wanted to shout "LACALUT!" Damn, the drinks were working; I'm getting stupid.
Dodging his pounce, I partially transformed and drove the wooden leg into his heart. With a long shriek, he turned to ash. The crowd started screaming—likely the ones meant for the "Harvest."
I snapped off the second stool leg and yelled, "Come on! I've got something to stick into all of you!" Wait, that sounded suggestive. Surprisingly, only one band member was a vampire. The rest, seeing the mystical show, ran almost faster than me under acceleration. They didn't know the best part was just beginning. Some of the monsters turned into man-sized bats; others into large black wolves.
"Think you can surprise me?! I can do that too!" I roared, triggering Full Transformation.
Seeing my form, they faltered. The ones who turned into wolves froze. My werewolf form combined with Intimidation made them tremble instinctively. I'd won a third of the battle without even moving. Then the chaos started. Some of the bat-creatures took flight to attack from above. However, the ceiling was low, and my jump height was enough to deliver a few solid hits.
My "invincible" wooden weapon broke after the third bloodsucker, so I switched to claws. Surprisingly, they left deep wounds that didn't seem to heal. The vampires were distressed... probably... they only made screeching sounds in those forms. My ears hurt from the cacophony at first, but by the fifth minute, I'd adapted and started howling along in rhythm while shredding them.
The turning point was when I impaled one of them on my long, sharp, vampire-killing claws. Seeing that, the "brave" flying squad decided to copy their furry kin and bolted for the exit. I slaughtered the rest with a brutality that would make Blade look like a pacifist. Toward the end, I started getting winded, so I dumped ten points into Endurance without looking, continuing to skewer the children of the night like kebabs.
Once the vampires were finally dealt with, I decided they needed to pay for my moral and physical damages. They broke a rib and gave me a phobia of persistent "pretty girls"! I raided the bar for more of that healing "juice" and, since I wasn't being rushed this time, I picked their pockets thoroughly. I gathered a mountain of valuables that fit nicely into a trash bag. As I was leaving, my "inner hoarder" kicked in. I shook the ash out of their clothes and did a second lap, collecting their shoes, pants, and socks. What? They don't sweat, so it's all like new. And I, my friends, am a very poor millionaire orphan... or whatever I told her.
I carried my loot away, jumping from roof to roof. The night was just beginning...