Set Items (3)
In the truck bed, I spotted the auction house loot. Not only the gear I'd been after, but even the food Snella had mentioned. Well, "food" was a stretch—it was monster carcasses...
Those are feed for growing familiars, right?
Tamers raised their tamed monsters. The food was essentially a tamer-exclusive item. It seemed meant for leveling up her drake.
Vroom-vroom-vroom!
Gunfire erupted from the building. The scavengers unleashed a hail of bullets skyward, zeroing in not on the drake but on Snella riding its back.
But Snella's skills were impressive. Whoosh! She flipped the drake, then righted it. Maneuvering in every direction, she clung to its back like they were one body, never slipping off.
Her drake piloting is top-notch.
No matter how powerful a monster you tamed, poor control made it useless. Snella handled hers beyond its level.
Whish! Boom!
"Gaaahhh!"
"Guhk!"
The drake whipped its tail as it skimmed the building, smashing the guys at the windows.
April jumped into the fray too.
Fwoosh! Boom!
Fires broke out all over the building. The scavengers were getting mopped up.
Hum.
That's when mana pulsed from the business card in my pocket. A message from Jackson.
The message was concise. Exactly what I'd been waiting for. Time to wrap this up.
But first, something to confirm with these guys.
"Get up."
I called to the guy trembling against the truck.
"Y-yes, s-sir..."
"Where'd the rest of the trucks go?"
"Th-that's..."
Hmm, yeah. No way he'd spill easily.
But I could check myself.
Slash!
No point keeping him alive if he wouldn't talk. I'd just read the memory from his weapon.
Orion's directly involved, huh.
I'd guessed Descartes, given how insane the auction raid seemed. But it was Orion itself.
The employee had demanded specific gear. Mostly heroic-grade items, all for playable characters.
Especially desperate for that mechanic engineer's spanner.
Mechanic engineer. A class that summoned machines—for healing, attacks, even support. A true hybrid.
The spanner was their basic gear, essential for skills.
And they were after it.
Are they trying to suppress user power?
Yeah, they wouldn't come unprepared. From the memory, they needed user strength to clear the twisted story. But users wouldn't comply easily, so countermeasures.
Need to verify.
Figure out why they're collecting user gear. The sites weren't far.
First, clean up here.
* * *
The scavenger hideout was cleared. I barely lifted a finger—Snella and April handled it.
April leveled up too.
She wouldn't see it, but I could: April hit level 16. Once Descartes was dealt with, time to boost her power properly.
"Phew, good thing they had it."
Crunch! Crunch!
Snella fed her drake right away. Not enough from the scavengers it ate? It gulped the food down. Changes would come slowly—bigger size, new abilities maybe.
"Got what I came for. What about you two?"
Snella stroked her drake as she asked.
"Fewer trucks than expected, so the rest must be nearby. We'll check and head back to Brockton."
"Yeah, fewer. Brockton, huh... I should visit sometime."
"Business in Brockton?"
"Nah, nothing big."
Snella tapped her goggled head.
"Lost some memories. Figure wandering might jog 'em. On a journey."
"...Memories?"
A memory-loss character? Didn't ring a bell. Can't know every NPC.
"Yeah. Sticking to the Averyum region now—no luck elsewhere."
"Wanna join us?"
I tested the waters. She'd be a huge help fighting together. But the vibe...
"Appreciate the offer. But I gotta tour Averyum. Instead..."
Yep, called it. She handed me her card. I gave mine.
...Zeus Guild.
Her card had "Zeus" emblazoned. Top guild, long-time rank 1, never dethroned. They'd tormented plenty of players too.
"If I hit Brockton, I'll ping you. Meet up if we can."
She mounted her drake with a nod and shot into the sky after a quick goodbye.
"Whoa... I want one so bad. How much?"
"Can't buy 'em. Gotta tame with magic."
"Oh? Hmm. Bummer."
April shaded her eyes, mesmerized. Flying must be tempting.
Anyway, we had to hustle. Finish quick and link with Jackson's crew.
Grab this too.
I donned the bed armor. Plate mail, black lacquer, light as promised. No mobility issues.
Clunk! Vroom!
Geared up, I slid into the driver's seat.
"Hop in."
"...You drive trucks too?"
Picked the least damaged one from theirs. Driving's the same here or real life. Got my standard license.
Clunk. Rumble!
Just like reality. Clutch in, gas on. It rolled fine toward the fork where trucks split.
The fork appeared: left or right. They'd gone right.
Maybe there.
Soon, a moss-covered building. Trucks parked out front. Jackpot.
"Window."
I led April quietly to a window. Cobwebbed, glassless—perfect view inside.
Gear crates on the floor, two men facing off: scavenger boss and Orion employee, by the look.
...Spanner's there.
Among them, one stood out—a spanner the size of a great axe. But the rest? Shoddy. Really from the auction? Mix of advanced, even normal-grade.
"What is all this?"
The young black-suited employee asked, hands in pockets. His gear showed irritation.
"What? It's what you wanted."
The boss shrugged casually. Punk hair, leather vest over bare skin—biker gang vibe back home.
"...This is what we wanted?"
"Hey, look. Spanner's right there. What you were after!"
"That's fine. But the rest? We asked for more than just that."
"Heh... You don't get it, do ya?"
The boss spat and sauntered over.
"Listen, stealing from the auction's a big deal. Got your one thing. And you're bitching about the rest?"
"You got the advance."
"That was for our lives."
"...Hoo."
The employee removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes. Fuming.
Level 31.
Like the last one. Strong accordingly.
"Bad vibes. Right? Whatcha after in there?"
April frowned from her crouch.
"Spanner in the middle. Just need that."
"Got it. Torch it?"
"Better..."
Fight won't be easy. Can't ignore scavengers either.
"Light the parked trucks."
"Yessir."
She scurried off. Obedient one. Said she had lots of bros—maybe that?
Anyway, good listener.
"Shhhrrrr..."
She whispered from afar. Could just do it. Habit, huh.
Fwoosh.
Three trucks blazed. Flames roared, black smoke billowed.
"Sniff! What's that smell?"
The boss sniffed like a dog; others followed.
"Boss, something's burning."
"Kuhuhu! That's my heart burning for you punks. My love. Kekeke."
"Aww, boss! Love ya!"
"Love ya, boss!"
"Kekekeke."
...What the hell.
No situational awareness? Bros tight, though.
"Fucking lunatics..."
Crack!
"B-boss?"
"Boss!!"
The employee smashed the boss's head one-handed. No weapon—martial artist?
He covered nose/mouth with a handkerchief, adjusting glasses.
"Don't wanna end up like that? Listen up. Rats inside—check outside now."
"..."
"No? I'll check myself. After turning you lot into paste."
"N-no sir!"
Terrified scavengers rushed out.
Boom! Boom!
Trucks exploded, shrapnel flying. No escape now.
About twenty.
I could wield thirteen weapons. Trash handled by weapons and April.
Employee's mine.
Test my growth.
"...You punks' doing?"
He adjusted glasses, voice low but menacing.
"Not talking? Kill 'em."
"Charge! Kill 'em!"
"Raaah!"
Scavengers charged on his order. I summoned weapons to counter.
Swish-swish-swish!
Weapons took one each; April torched the rest.
Fwoosh! Slash-slash!
Weapons finished the burning panickers. No issue.
Scavengers thinned; employee's face twisted.
"Hold up..."
He eyed me closely, then grinned.
"You're Damian, right?"
"..."
"Yeah... Damian for sure! Hiding here, huh?"
He recognized me. Didn't know about possession yet.
Step. Step.
He rolled up sleeves, revealing bulging forearms.
Whoosh!
Mana surged from him. Martial art skill boosting power instantly.
Think. His build?
Burst damage build?
Burst: amp power short-term, dump all damage. Weakness: short duration, bad for multi-foe.
Then.
Swish-swish-swish!
Trash cleared. April could handle remnants. Recalled weapons, sent at him.
Clang-clang-clang!
He deflected with mana-clad fists. Awakening skill boosting all stats—power and speed high.
"Rat bastard. Too early for your full power."
Thud!
He blitzed me. Speed boosted too. Insane approach.
Boom!
He axe-kicked down. Floor cratered.
This guy means to kill.
Dodged, or I'd be mush.
"...Dodged? Try this."
Bam! Bam-bam-bam!
Fists and legs mixed, pressuring. Speed, power—flawless.
Thud!
"Guh!"
Rooooar!
Took a direct punch. Shield blocked direct hit, but...
Whoosh. Boom!
"O-oppa!"
I flew into the wall. Hurts like hell... Bone break feels like this? Slight move stabs.
"Never thought I'd punch Damian myself. Won't die yet, right?"
He smoothed hair, sneering. Total underestimate.
Now it'll work.
Swish!
Two-handers swung. He thrust mana fist, expecting block.
Ting!
"Huh?"
Boom!
But he didn't know: these had power-up options, not standard two-handers.
Casual block failed; he cratered into ground.
Could've severed arm. Shame.
Stronger mana than thought. Bit weaker, it'd be gone. Need more power.
"You fucking..."
One hit pissed him; eyes bulged as he rose.
Vrooom! Vrooom!
Swing two-handers again. Learned—dodged this time.
Better than before.
Gauged against his attacks. Potent, could kill me if slipped. But winnable.
I've grown since then.
Shing.
"...Huh?"
Summmoned bowgun. Expected melee.
Twang! Twang!
"What? Why's he...!"
He dodged bolts in panic. Right as planned.
Swish-swish-swish!
Pair of scimitars prepped there slashed.
Slash-slash.
"Guhk!"
Ongoing Damage
Trapped rat. Hit with bleeding DoT.
"You...!"
His smug face crumpled. Good—can handle his level.
Now.
Test set effect.
Time to see how my power corners him. Activated set effect.
"...Fuck. What now? Damian had this?!"
He freaked. Surprised me too.
Clone—that's what it meant.