by L. M. Kerr
However, this Abnormal seemed to be taking it worse than even regular Morenkai would be. Instead of shrugging the attack off, it remained stunned, unmoving.
'I was right! It's an Abnormal with a weakness in the skull!'
As he saw this, he smiled. This was exactly what he wanted!
Without hesitating, he focused on the Abnormal that was just a couple dozen meters away, ignoring the thronging Morenkai that were rushing him. He took a deep breath…
WHOOSH
And vanished, teleporting.
He found himself, an instant later, down on the street level. The nearby area was mostly clear of other Morenkai, at the moment, due to all of them rushing towards where Shin had been. This gave him a clear field as he ran over to where the downed Abnormal was.
"Sorry buddy, you'd do the same to me." He said out loud as he aimed his rifle precisely.
BANG
A second bullet blasted from the rifle, the recoil jerking back against him and his shoulder, almost making him fall over. He'd positioned himself carefully, managing to stay steady and absorb the impact. The smell of gunfire stung in the air as the bullet shot forward and slammed into the head of the downed Abnormal.
thud
The body of the creature slid and splayed out on the ground, black blood falling from it as it lay still.
..
—- Points Obtained —-
104
..
Shin smiled.
thud
thud
thud
Behind him, the echoes of Morenkai feet on pavement rang out as the black-skinned creatures seemingly realized they'd been tricked and sprinted back towards him.
Shin didn't give them even a hope of catching him as he immediately ran away from the body and jumped up in the air, his eyes focusing on the skyscraper next to him.
WHOOSH
He teleported away again.
"Ah." He muttered out loud as he fell down, finding himself inside a closed off room on the 4th floor of a building. The usual bed, desk, and connecting bathroom could be seen, all unoccupied.
WHOOSH
In relatively quick succession, Shin teleported twice more, as fast as his Ability would allow. He quickly found himself on the 12th floor, well above the thronging Morenkai down below.
'Whew.' He took several deep breaths, smiling.
'I've finally got enough Points!' His eyes flashed as he opened his status.
.
— - Status — -
Name: Shin Hopefell
Points: 65,031
Race: Human
Age: 18
- Stats -
Strength - 18
Endurance -14
Recovery - 12
Soul - 12
Abilities - (2/7)
Warping Phaser
Ki Cultivator (Mortal Tier - Early)
.
'With 65,000 Points, I can finally afford the Ability Micheal wanted me to get!' He pulled the Ability up in the shop, checking it over.
..
Magic Swell - 65,000 (9/10)
..
'There's only 1 left… there were 2 left the last time I checked.' He frowned slightly as he saw this, thinking it over.
The Magic Swell Ability allowed one to temporarily increases the size of anything within a certain range for a short period of time. Micheal's original plan had been for Shin to become the same berserker warrior and use the Ability to enhance the size of his sword.
The unique magic of this Ability allowed the force applied to a smaller object to be multiplied when added to a bigger object. That meant if he swung a sword that was about the size of his arm, but applied the Ability and made the sword the size of his body, the sword would fly through the air at the same speed, but the impact would be much greater and stronger. The sword's weight, density, and other qualities would have increased by large margins.
It would be as if he became monstrously strong, able to swing such a large sword with ease. An extremely powerful Ability for a warrior that focused on melee combat and overwhelming strength.
'I'm still going to go my own route, though, that uses my teleporting powers best.' Shin had fully committed himself to the role of a sharpshooter, a skirmisher, and an assassin. He knew that there were many routes he could take, but that if he didn't specialize in something, he would become a jack of all trades, master of none.
'However…' As he looked over the Ability, an idea stayed with him that he couldn't shake.
'The Ability should activate instantly, the expansion not taking any time at all. That means it would take far less than a fraction of a second to use.' According to its rough description and what Micheal had hurriedly told him, this understanding should be correct.
'…'
'What would happen if I fired a bullet, but then expanded its size?' His eyes flashed,
'If I transform a .375 H&H Magnum round right after I fire it, making it swell to say, the size of a bowling ball…'
'Wouldn't that be the same thing as firing a literal cannon?'
A deep-seated eagerness filled his heart as he considered this. This unique Ability contained an awe-defying synergy. That was, if he could use it correctly. He wouldn't know fully unless he tested it.
'With an attack like that, I should be able to obliterate Morenkai left and right. I would definitely be able to help Micheal out, now, and in the future!' He smiled.
And then, without hesitation, selected the Ability.
'Purchase!'
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Far above Shin, on the roof of the skyscraper he was within, a man that looked to be in his mid-60s could be seen standing on the edge. He had a bushy greying beard and tanned, weathered skin, giving him the appearance of a sailor. He wore a pair of stark white pants, an open white vest, and had an enormous metal anchor strapped to his back.
He practically looked like a ship, in and of himself.
"So the runt is down here, huh?" The man's voice was rough as he spoke, his nose, one that had clearly been broken before, wrinkling. His short, greying brown hair and dark grey eyes contributed to his wizened appearance.
"Yes sir, Admiral!" A young lady spoke up, her voice quivering slightly as she walked up next to the aging man. She had long red hair and wore a prim purple dress, covering her body from neck to toe, though her pretty face remained revealed. Her eyes were green, glowing lightly in the dying afternoon light.
"He's been hunting all over the Cluster, but only attacked Morenkai. He hasn't harmed any innocents and has even gone out of his way to help several smaller teams when they looked like they were in trouble." As she spoke, her eyes glowed a little brighter, as if she was seeing a vision.
"Huh." The old man crossed his arms, a smile appearing,
"The old man's Seer said there was a chance we'd find a link to curing Cameron in this Cluster, but we've had no luck in that regard." He spoke out loud to himself, his voice gruff as he weighed his options.
If Micheal was here, his eyes would've popped as he recognized the speaker.
It was none other than Admiral Cardell, one of the 6 Executives of the Godfather Organization.
A man considered the strongest Ranker under S Rank.
A man that, in the original timeline, would go on to eventually become an S Ranker after the Godfather Organization's Head, Cameron, perished due to a seemingly incurable poison.
It was because of his sheer force of will that the Godfather Organization managed to survive following Cameron's death, though only after tens of thousands of its members died.
"A young man like him has the potential to fit in just right with the other Executives, if he makes use of that teleporting Type Ability properly and picks up a few strong Abilities." Admiral Cardell's eyes narrowed as he made a decision,
"Let's go talk to him before we force the Great Bridge open again."
.
Chapter 59: Suit
Micheal looked into the mirror, his eyes co
ol.
A man wearing a sharp looking black suit and coat, with a light blue undershirt and a dark blue tie, looked back. The coat was midnight black, matching his dark slacks. A set of black dress shoes completed the outfit, shining ever so faintly.
Micheal adjusted the edge of his coat, pulling it tight. He then checked the size of his slacks, nodding.
"Looking sharp." Micheal smiled.
Through the Shop, one could find a variety of things. In the Miscellaneous Earth Objects section, it was possible to find large selections of clothing, much of it customizable. It was even possible to purchase clothes that specifically fit one's proportions.
Of course, the cost of customized clothes was not cheap. The clothes might've been produced and enhanced by the Shop, but they did not provide any special effects or powers.
The suit Micheal was looking at looked professionally made and had cost him several hundred Points.
He had winced at the expenditure when he looked it up, but had gone through with it in the end.
Appearances were extremely important to some people in the 7 Layers. Some groups put a great deal of opinion into first impressions, and one's physical look could contribute to that.
'Especially with the Godfather Organization.' His eyes gleamed as he nodded, finished looking himself over.
While the suit was tight and looked stylish, it was also very comfortable. He could easily move around in it. It didn't restrict him and wouldn't slow him down in combat.
He checked on the sheath he had added to his waist. It was golden colored and inlaid with detailed descriptions of some type of king fighting off monsters. His Steelborn Sword rested in it, fitting perfectly.
'Keeping my sword in a Spatial Ring isn't a bad strategy, but there are some Abilities that interfere with Spatial Storage objects.' He nodded as he confirmed his plan,
'Better to have it out already than get stuck in a fight swordless.'
He finished any other last-minute preparations and left the bathroom he had been standing in, making his way into the hallway. He glanced up and down it before wandering over towards the adjacent room.
He raised his hand to knock and then lowered it, smiling slightly.
'I'll wait.'
A few more minutes passed while he waited patiently. He practiced drawing and sheathing his blade in quick succession, getting used to the feel of a sheath again.
Finally, Micheal sensed footsteps. A moment later, the door he was waiting near opened up, revealing a beautiful girl.
Sophia was wearing a tight green dress that showed off her figure, her shoulder-length brown hair curled. She carried herself with a pristine aura, looking every bit a princess from some mythical fairy tale.
Micheal smiled.
"Looking sharp, girly! Ready to go?"
Sophia smiled back, giving him a thumbs up. Her eyes wavered slightly, however, betraying her nervousness.
"Let's go!"
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Micheal and Sophia made fast progress as they moved across the Cluster. After leaving the Open Market and taking out Xavier, they were already decently close to the location of the Godfather Organization's HQ.
'It's still afternoon.' Micheal glanced up at the sky briefly, noting the time. Most organizations ceased hunting at night due to the increased danger. The dark-skinned Morenkai blended into the night unnaturally well, making it an even more dangerous world.
They had opted to ditch their masks for now. Right now, their Heron and Crane identities were compromised to some degree, though it was doubtful word would've spread yet. Ultimately, the identities were easily discarded if necessary, though Micheal liked the idea of keeping them around for now. He was considering using them as a cover when he was in the Main Cluster, pretending to be a part of one of the major organizations.
'They likely don't know they were hit with Sophia's Fairy Eyes. Her illusions created a myriad of images, none of them will remember the pink glow she gave off.' The unsuspecting attack would've had a great impact on the psyche of the team they'd ambushed.
In no time at all, they entered the region controlled by the Godfather Organization.
Along the way, they had been attacked by only a single shambling Morenkai. Micheal had made short work of it, killing it with ease as they moved forward. They luckily didn't encounter any active teams, though they did spot a few fighting against Morenkai on neighboring skyscrapers.
As they entered the zone controlled by the Godfather Organization, Micheal spotted several armed scouts on patrol, keeping watch for enemies. The Godfather Organization was territorial, like many of the other big forces, not letting small teams butt into their hunting ground.
'Well, they have more of an excuse for it.' The organization helped train younger teens and cared for those too young to take care of themselves. Of all the major powers in his Cluster, this was the only one he truly respected.
"Hold up!" Finally, as they moved onto one particular bridge, a pair of men walked up to the other end from one of the sheds up top. Each man wielded a rifle in their hands with handguns slung on their waist.
"This is the territory of the Godfather Organization. State your name and purpose!" The leading guard was slightly overweight and looked to be in his 40s, wearing a set of jeans and a grey shirt. The second guard looked to be around the same age, wearing similar gear. They both had greying brown hair and short beards, looking almost like brothers.
"My name is Micheal and this is Sophia. We're both Irregulars that have yet to join any team and are here to request a meeting with Boss Shigun." He directly, and openly, stated their purpose.
Sneaking around and subterfuge were useful tools, but sometimes being honest was a tool in its own right. Micheal intended to establish a relationship with the Godfather Organization. If he opened up by lying about their identity, it would absolutely set them on the wrong foot.
"You are- hold on, come again?" The first speaker blinked as he looked from Micheal to Sophia, his face scrunched up. The other guard's eyes opened wide as he stared at them, nervously fingering his gun.
"We are both Irregulars that have not joined any team. We are requesting a meeting with Boss Shigun." He replied, his voice calm.
"Ah, alright. Okay. Uh, stay right here, let me phone that in." After a moment's thought, the man nodded and stepped back. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a rather large and clunky looking phone. The Godfather Organization, just like the Saru Group, had their own short-wave radio communications network.
Micheal and Sophia waited patiently, watching as this all went down.
After a few moments, the man returned, still holding the clunky phone in his hand.
"What do you want to meet the Head for? The Officers know of both of you." His voice held a hint of respect as he spoke, recognizing that both of them were far stronger than him.
"Before you answer, however, they requested that you prove your identity." The guard pointed to Sophia, his voice polite,
"You can make your eyes glow pink, right?"
Sophia nodded demurely, her eyes flicking to look at Micheal for a moment.
"Yes." She activated her Fairy Eyes. The air around them dropped in temperature, though she didn't target anyone in particular.
The guard nodded when he saw this, holding his hands up.
"Thanks, thanks, that's enough." He held the phone up to his head, talking into it briefly before he repeated his earlier question,
"So, why do you two want to meet the Head?" He looked at them sternly,
"Even if you are unsigned Irregulars, not just anyone can meet the Head." Despite his politeness, his voice contained steel as he stated this, his eyes flaring. The Godfather Organization was renowned for the loyalty of its members.
Micheal smiled,
'They've taken the bait.'
.
Chapter 60: Revelation
"It's nothing harmful. Tell your Officers that I have a proposition to make, one that will bring a large
number of benefits to the Godfather Organization. Something that will vastly enhance their power, and the power of every human in the Cluster." He directly led with a tantalizing tease, knowing the carrot, rather than the stick, was the best way to draw them forward.
'I'll warn them about the Black Flag Pirates once we get in.' He nodded to himself.
"Alright." The guard stepped back again, talking into the clunky phone. Micheal couldn't hear what he was saying from this distance, but could read his lips and see that he was essentially repeating what Micheal had said.
After a few moments, the guard finished and waited patiently. He nodded his head several times as he heard a response back, eventually turning to look at Michael and Sophia.
"Alright, you guys can come through. Larry, take 'em to the HQ, send Marvin up here on the way to replace you till you come back." The speaker waved them onward and motioned for the other guard to accompany him.
"Yes, sir!" The second guard, despite looking the same age, barked out his acquiescence respectfully, turning to look at Michael and Sophia.
"This way!"
Micheal and Sophia exchanged glances and then moved forward.
They followed the guard across the skyscraper and through several long bridges. On the way, they passed several large groups of armed guards. Some of them were training groups of younger teens or children while others seemed to be moving about on patrol.
If nothing else, the Godfather Organization's territory was some of the most heavily protected in the entire Cluster.
Soon, they found themselves outside one particularly large skyscraper. A black behemoth that towered over the nearby ones, the location the Godfather Organization had taken as their headquarters.
The guard, Larry, led them all the way to the bridge that connected to this skyscraper, where they were met by a small receiving team. Four armed guards that nodded respectfully at them, all dressed in black slacks and nice white shirts. The guards of the HQ held themselves to a strict dress code, far more so than the guards in the outer areas.
Michael tugged slightly at his tie, ensuring it was properly placed as they followed the new guards into the bowels of the skyscraper. They were led down several flights till they reached a floor 8 stories down. They followed the guards onto the floor and forward into a well-lit hallway.
