15 Chapter 15: Fight Like Hell!
[Tavish POV]
I arrived on the scene to see the Skitarii already quarantining the area.
The All-Foods factory had been abandoned not that long ago by the All-Foods corporation in a mostly deserted area of Watson. The facility had since been taken over by Maelstrom.
And I was about to burn it to the ground.
A transport truck pulled up and opened to off-load another batch of Skitarii troops and a Battle-Automata.
Locating a Tech-priest overseeing the deployment, I was brought up to speed on our activities. It had been one hour since I ordered full mobilization of our forces to contain the incursion.
Since then several screams and some gunfire had been heard from within the depths of the factory.
Exterior scans confirmed several of the gangsters had already been converted into demons. They were now patrolling the interior of the facility.
Several other demon types were detected throughout the factory in addition to an outpouring of argent energy towards the center of the structure.
A perimeter was set up around the entrance as we prepared to breach. I was leading the first squad of Skitarii troops.
A mix of rangers and ruststalkers would help clear the entry and allow for more units to enter, while I would push in to attempt to shut down the portal.
Pulling my Heavy Assault Cannon from my inventory, I brace as the Skitarii finish cutting the lock to the entrance, allowing for the heavy shutter door to roll open revealing an Imp.
Not hesitating, I blow its head off and charge through the entrance, the Skitarii close behind.
I recognize the gory remains of a couple of Maelstromers as we push deeper into the facility. Defenses once setup as a deterrent against intruders had been taken over by hell's energies, resulting in turrets made of flesh and blood, mines hidden amongst the gore coating the floor, and possessed Maelstromers hanging around the posts they once guarded.
Switching to my Chaingun, I opened fire on the demonic soldiers blocking our path while the Skitarii dismantled the defenses going up into the main building.
The turrets fired blasts of argent at us causing me to deploy the Chaingun's energy shield, providing cover while a ranger melted the defenses to slag with a plasma weapon. This allowed us to advance further into the facility.
The hallway opened up to the main production facility. The remains of the conveyors scattered throughout the room, replaced with the fleshy mass that represented parts of hell's corruption.
Imps and Gargoyles started flowing out of the various cracks and crevices throughout the room. Our entire group opened fire on the demons as they started launching fireballs at us. Bigger demons started teleporting into this room, the barrels of my Super Shotgun launching their deadly payload into the face of a Whiplash, its serpentine body flailing helplessly as I blew its head off.
The sudden influx of demons causes us to be pushed back slightly before we are joined by additional Skitarii troops. This second squad was designated a "Melta" squad and were thus armed to the teeth with a variety of melta weaponry.
The "Melta" squad burned through the hordes of demonic beings and torched the corruption produced by the incursion. This opened up a new path previously concealed by the fleshy mass the demons had created, opening up to a warehouse area.
A glowing red axe swung at my face causing me to duck. The axe took out one of the Skitarii following me into the room.
Not missing a beat, I fired the Super Shotgun into the gut of the Marauder, causing him to reel back. I continued my assault firing two ballista shots into his face and closed the distance between us. Grabbing him by his horns, I break them off and ram them through his lungs, pinning him to the floor. I pick up his axe and bury it in his skull to finish him off.
Looking up from my latest kill, I observe the glowing red portal in the center of the room maintained by the fleshy growth next to it. Around it were the various bodies of Maelstromers not yet ripped apart by demons.
I was able to identify Royce among the Possessed standing throughout the room. His head snapped up and he started wandering towards me. The possession had twisted his face, mutating his chrome into the hellish abomination.
Putting him out of his misery was the kindest thing I could do.
Walking up to the growth, I plunge my hand into its heart, ripping it out and crushing it in my hand, causing the growth to wither and die. The portal however, did not dissipate.
Iris, what's going on?
[The Portal has stabilized on this side.]
[You're going to have to go through to the other side to shut it down.]
Will I be able to get back if I do that?
[It should be simple to just open a portal on the other side.]
[But you need to hurry!]
[I don't know what the defenses will be like on the other side.]
"Alright you lot! Set up a perimeter around the portal and give the authorization to start purging the remainder of the facility of demonic presence. I have to go through and shut things down on that side!" I explain, getting a nod of affirmation from the Skitarii.
With a deep breath, I step through the portal to hell.
[Time Skip]
[Thirty-six hours since the incursion]
Blood drenched my fists as I glared down at the remains of a hell knight. A fireball glances off my shoulder and I whip out my shotgun to blow away the Imp. Spring boarding off the remains of the Imp, I slam Hellbreaker down on the head of a Mancubus, obliterating its head.
My fight has been non-stop since entering hell.
The demons guarding the portal were no match for me so I was easily able to shut down the portal. What I didn't count on was how agitated hell would become due to my presence.
Thousands of demons had assaulted my position only to meet my fury as I sliced, stabbed and shot my way through the legions of hell, leaving a pile of corpses trailing behind me.
My soul well continued to grow larger and larger as a result of the onslaught, increasing my strength exponentially as I continued to kill into the tens of thousands, each new perk increasing the rate at which I slew demons.
New Perks Added
[The Only Thing They Fear Is You (Demons)]
[Until It is Done]
The limits of your rage have been removed allowing you to push past the limitations of your stamina and mana.
[Forged in the Fires of Hell]
Your Praetor Suit is recognized as a armor worthy of the slayer, further protecting you from attacks by an additional 50%.
[Quenched with blood]
You no longer require sleep, food or water as long as you have killed something within the last twenty-four hours.
[Atlan]
Atlans were enormous bipedal war machines used by the Night Sentinels in their war against the forces of Hell. It was thought no fully-functional Atlan is known to have survived the demonic conquest of Argent D'Nur, however it appears yours did. This perk enables the slayer to summon their Atlan. Armed with twin rail cannons, and a massive argent pole-arm, this mighty machine is ready to march to war once more.
Iris informed me that I needed to slay the boss demon of the area before I could head home, but I was truly confused as to what that boss is.
I had killed several Arch-vile's already, and Barons of hell had become so commonplace in my killings that I lost track after forty-five. Doom hunters littered the battlefield, their cybernetics sparking in the remains of the demons, and several cyber demons had lost their lives to my unrelenting assault.
As I drove my doom blade through the skull of another possessed, I heard a massive roar that shook the earth. Two massive Titan demons came into view, their teeth bared as they lumber towards me
They might have been the boss monsters, they might not. The most important thing here however, is that I get to test out my new perks!
Perk Activated!
[Atlan]
In a flash of sentinel energy, I was encased in the huge machine. Its systems powering up as I prepare for battle.
The shoulder mounted rail cannons charge up and release the first shots in the confrontation, the shots causing shockwaves to spread out from the point of impact. The two Titans stagger and then roar out a challenge, their chests blown open by the initial shots. The flesh surrounding the gaping holes was sizzling from the aftermath of the Atlan's rail cannons.
The Titans conjure giant fireballs in their hands, throwing them at the Atlan, impacting the armored giant and glancing off its armor.
I drew the massive argent polearm holstered on the back and ignited the axe and spear heads as I charged toward the Titans. We met in the remains of the field in a mighty clash, neither side ready to give an inch.
Spinning out of the titan's grip, the spearhead rakes through the stomach of the first monster spilling its innards across the battlefield below.
The second titan grabbed the arm of the Atlan, trying to pry the weapon from the grip of the machine, causing the metal hand holding the spear to groan as the metal was stressed.
Grabbing the titans face with my other hand, I trigger an energy blast from the hand itself, torching the flesh from its skull. The titan attempted to escape from the intense pain releasing the pole-arm as it tried to push the hand away that had grabbed its face.
Releasing him and pushing him onto his back to writhe in pain. The blast had burned its eyes out of its head, and left its skull exposed. I turned to the titan I had just gutted.
Despite the fact that his guts were spilled out all over the ground, the titan gamely fought on, pure argent wreathing its claws, enabling it to leave deep gouges in the armor.
I ram the spear head into his throat in retaliation, hoisting him up into the air and impaling him into the ground.
Ripping the spear out of his throat, I bring the axe down on the other titans' neck, severing the head from the body. I booted the head across the battlefield so I could finish dealing with its sibling.
The rail cannons charge up once more, and blow an additional two craters in the titans' chest, burning out its lungs.
Both Titans continue to twitch weakly on the ground, so I hit them with a quick observe to check their stats
Titan Brother Sulgrin
Lvl – 340
Hp - 0/500,000 (Death condition not met)
Titan Brother Elroran
Lvl – 343
Hp – 0/501,000 (Death condition not met)
As I continued to watch, I saw that their Hp gradually started to regenerate at a glacially slow rate. If I left them alone, they would definitely return to the battlefield at some point. Good thing I had the tools to prevent that.
Deactivating the [Atlan] perk, I walk over to the headless demon and draw the [Crucible]
Igniting the blade, I stab it into the titans chest and snap off the blade. Blue lines grow out from the snapped off blade, forcing the titan to gradually turn to ash.
The second titans' eyes widen in fear as I approach it, igniting the blade once more and leaping toward it.
Driving the blade into its exposed heart the titan lets out one last defiant roar, before it too succumbs to the power of the crucible.
I finally got a notification from Iris.
[Boss Monsters Defeated.]
[Opening Portal.]
A blue portal opens up next to me and I walk through to the other side, leaving the hellscape behind me.
[Time Skip]
Landing on the ground outside of the clinic, I was bombarded by challenge completion messages.
[Congratulations!]
[You have fought off your first demonic incursion!]
[This is an event that can randomly occur in the current world you are in.]
[This is a high stakes event that could give out high rewards, or totally destroy the world.]
[Would you like to keep this event enabled?]
[Y/N]
Sure. Why not, I always needed an extra level of panic in my life.
[Demonic Incursions Enabled.]
[This can be adjusted at any time through the settings.]
Challenge Completed
Objective: Fight off the Demonic Incursion.
Rewards: 10 x Perk Tokens (Common), New Perk Awarded, 10 x Gacha Tokens (Rare), 5 x Class Tokens (Common), 40,000,000,000 Xp
New Perk Unlocked
[Aspect of Nature]
Your defense of the Earth and its ecosystems has been recognized. Your recent defense against the incursion allowed you to meet the prerequisites for this perk. A new kernel of power has been added to grow alongside the Aspect of the Storm. Grants the owner affinities for Earth and Nature.
Cool?
This new perk made me curious if their were any other "aspects" out there. What was an aspect anyway? Was it a blessing? Do the individual powers of the earth have enough sentience to gift power to people? Did gods exist in this universe?
The mysteries of this universe continue to grow.
I'll have to leave it for another time to figure it out I guess. In truth, I was more curious about the class tokens. They were an anomaly that I hadn't seen before.
[Class Token's] (Common)
Grant's access to a random class from across the Omniverse. You must meet the prerequisite to take a new class before leveling your new class.
Kind of neat. I have been ready to select a new class for a while now, so maybe this is the prompt from the system to continue leveling?
I was trying to hold off selecting new classes till the next world, but I guess I can look at that now.
[Fighter] [Mage] [Rouge] [Support] [Prestige]
I already picked out a class from the fighter and the Support classes, maybe it was time to Pick out a magic class.
[Elementalist]
[Necromancer]
[Wizard]
[Spell sword]
[Warlock]
[Druid]
[Shaman]
[Sage]
[Sorcerer]
[Illusionist]
. . .
The list continued on, going on to detail little nuances between the various types of mages. I wanted to grab a necromancer, but It wouldn't honestly suit my playstyle at the moment.
More than anything, I just wanted to understand magic. I had a grasp on a primitive form of it, able to throw around bolts of lighting, maybe the occasional gout of fire, and I accomplished this by molding my mana to my desire.
I narrowed down my selection to two classes, Elementalist, and Sage.
The Elementalist class would allow me to use my aspect powers much easier, plus I could get a general understanding of elemental magics.
The Sage class however, is a class dedicated to intensive study of magic and all things linked to it. I would be able to learn and study all that I would ever need about magic. The only problem with this class was that this was a world where there was apparently no magic. Nothing to study, at least at the moment anyway. The Aspect of Nature has given me reason to doubt the validity of that statement.
I select the Elementalist class and I can feel as if something has unlocked inside me.
New Class Activated
[Elementalist] (1/100) +5 to INT and WIS per Lvl
Harness the powers that shaped the world around you. Raging forest fires, mighty tsunami's, the shifting of the earth, the crack of lightning, and many other powers are now within your grasp. Proficiency in this class is gained by mastering the elements.
It felt like my senses were open to my surroundings for the first time. I detected the water flowing in the nearby river, its pollution giving off a filthy feeling to it. I could detect the emerging plant life around the outskirts of the city, and I could sense the electricity flowing through the body of Night City.
Ability discovered
[Elemental Sense]
You can use your mana to feel out the different elements in your environment. The higher your affinity, the easier it is to sense.
I effectively gained energy manipulation, where the surrounding environment is the energy that needs manipulating.
Looking around to check that I was alone, I cupped my hands and focused in the feeling of fire. Its burning sensation, its heat, its energy.
A small ball of fire coalesces into existence in my hand, shining brightly as I fed mana to it.
Cutting off the flow of mana, it fizzles out into nothingness, leaving me in the dark outside of my clinic.
Deciding that this would be best figured out another day, I open the door to the clinic and head up to go to sleep.
[Time Skip]
V, Beth, and Elise all expressed their discontent with me being gone so long. Unlike previous challenges, this didn't take place in a different world, so time flowed at the standard rate, meaning that I was gone for over thirty-six hours.
V got worried when I wasn't responding to calls so she came to ask where I was. On discovering that the Skitarii had torched the All-Foods Plant, and that I was nowhere to be found, she decided to wait with the sisters.
I managed to come up with a feasible excuse for V to avoid explaining the demons. I was on the fence about explaining to V about my dimension hopping adventures. On one hand, she is my output, and this is a fairly big secret to keep from your significant other. But on the other hand, I truthfully didn't know how she would react to a secret like this.
Once I had satisfied V and promised to take her out on a date later, I was able to explain the truth to Beth and Elise once V had left.
They requested that I stay in this dimension for a bit and rest up so I went to the Afterlife to relax.
Once I was in my office in the back, I was able to start a personal project I had been working on.
Prerequisites Met!
New Ability Created!
[Nano Clone] (1/100)
Your nanomachines are able to create a duplicate that is an extension of your will. They are capable of your physical abilities, but not your magical ones. You can currently create one duplicate.
Using my nanobots, I was able to create an exact duplicate of myself which could share memories and information back and forth. He wasn't particularly strong, but it did allow me more freedom to get around to doing various projects or going to meetings.
Hopefully, prolonged usage will level it up so I can have more clones, but for now, lets stick to these baby steps.
I dismissed the clone causing the nanomachines to recede into my body.
My phone pings and I can see a text from Rogue pop up.
"Are you with a patient?" She asked.
"No, just sorting through forms at the moment." I sent it back.
Moments later I hear a knock on the door.
"Come in." I prompted, and Rogue walked in and sat down at one of the chairs.
"I've taken notice of a particular crew that you've been running with in your downtime." She started off.
"Jackie and V?" I ask, prompting her to nod.
"Yeah. Those two have become a couple of top notch merc's in the time you've been running with them, and I wanted to know your honest opinion of them." She questioned, resting her head on her hand.
"Jackie is a competent solo. He's quick on his feet and has a hell of a right hook, his adaptability giving him the edge in almost any close quarters encounter. He's a bit of a talker, but he can usually back it up."
"V compliments Jackie with both her competency as a runner, and her ability as a techie. She's the stealthier of the two, often sneaking into places while Jackie provides a distraction of some sort."
"Both are a crack shot with both a rifle and a pistol, making them well rounded for most encounters." I finish
"So could they do jobs without you there?" Rogue asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Without a doubt." I state, causing her to nod thoughtfully.
"Would you be open to taking on another student?" She questioned, causing my thought process to halt as I mull over her request.
"Depends on who it is." I state warily.
I wasn't going to go around teaching everyone that asked. I only taught Jackie and V as a favor to them. I actually happened to like Jackie and V so their survival was to my benefit.
"A nomad girl that started working for me recently. I paired her with a Raffen named Nash as a test, but she is failing that test miserably. I need you to be able to get her up to snuff as a merc, or convince her to return to her family before she ends up dead in a ditch somewhere." Rouge requested.
"Panam Palmer, right? Let me guess, someone in the Aldecaldos noticed that she was hanging with a bad crowd, so they put the request through to you because I'm a friendly face with the family." I said with a grin, prompting a smile to twitch at the corner of her mouth.
"Mitch to be precise. You're starting to think like a fixer. Angling for my job now?" She said jokingly, prompting a laugh from me.
"Hell no. I have too much on my plate already. Just because I can read between the lines better, doesn't mean I want to do it. I learned how by necessity." I return, earning a chuckle from Rogue.
"Fair enough so will you do it?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"Alright, I'll do it. But you seriously owe me for this, I know how headstrong she is." I replied.
"I'll pass that along. I have reassigned her as your partner for the near future. She and Nash were supposed to pick up a shipment of drugs to deliver to 6th Street. They should be by in a bit to pick you up from the Afterlife directly." Rouge informed before heading back to her alcove.
Judging by the time frame, I'm pretty sure that my presence and actions had stopped the Relic theft in its tracks. I heard that Yorinobu had rescheduled his trip plans for the sole purpose of meeting me, which meant that he hadn't swiped the relic from the local facility yet. This caused a domino effect changing many events throughout Night City.
The Demonic incursion kicked things off course even further by killing Royce and who knows how many Maelstromers. I don't even know if they had the chance to hit the convoy yet to get the Flathead.
Admittedly, I felt a sense of accomplishment at how much I fucked up the original time line. After this job, literally anything could happen. I could not rely on cannon knowledge anymore. Some events may be similar, but this is a brand-new world. Jackie is alive and becoming a legend in his own right, V is happily living life without a ticking time bomb in her head, and I am left staring into the unknown.
And I am excited!
[Time Skip]
I stood in the parking lot as Panam's truck "Warhorse" pulled into the parking lot.
The window rolls down and Panam leans out waving me over.
"Hey. You're Tavish right?" She asked as I approached.
"That's right. Hell of a rig you have there." I state admiring the nomad modified vehicle.
+10 Rep with Panam Palmer
"Damn straight. She's my baby." Panam replied, dotting on her truck a little before motioning me in to the back seat; "Hop in, I'll fill you in on the way."
Once I open the door, I can see why I was directed to the back seat.
Nash Bane
Wraith
Lvl-200
"I wasn't aware we were working with a plus one." I comment observing Nash, causing him to fidget nervously.
I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that he is the reason that there are so many Raffen Shiv attacks on the Aldecaldos. Panam keeps going back there for supplies, why wouldn't she bring her partner with her?
"He was already slotted for this job, so Rogue shouldn't mind if he finishes it out and earns some eddies along the way, right?" Panam returns, driving out onto the street.
"Fair enough. So, what are the deets." I ask.
"Simple cargo pick-up along the border. I honestly was surprised when Rogue told me we would be working together. Isn't a job like this a little beneath you?" Panam questioned.
"I'm not overly fussy on a lot of the jobs that Rogue sends me on. When she sends me, it usually is because of a complication that she is not sure will happen or not. She also sends me as a ride along to evaluate skill levels of mercs. It helps her determine if she would be willing to risk sending you to higher paying jobs." I inform, causing Panam to nod.
"Is that why you've been on a crew with those new mercs?" She asked.
"Jackie and V are chooms of mine. They asked me to show 'em the ropes, and help them become better merc's. They can take their own big jobs now so I mostly hang out with them for fun these days." I replied.
We continue the chit-chat for a while as we drive closer to the border. Nash maintained his silence the entire drive, nervously glancing back at me whenever he thought I wasn't looking.
Panam finally called him out on it when we reached the Badlands.
"Alright, what the hell is wrong with you Nash. You keep looking back at him like he's going to eat you, and he's been maintaining a perfectly reasonable conversation." She snapped at Nash, causing him to jump in his seat.
"I don't know if you're aware of Panam, but this is the guy who killed over three thousand people in the space of a week for pissing him off. And he regularly goes on killing sprees around Night City." Nash shot back angrily.
"Oy! First of all, get your facts straight. It was well over four thousand people and you know it. Secondly, I don't go on killing sprees. I go Scav hunting. It's perfectly legal because they have unilaterally decided that they don't want to act like people."
"So unless you plan on threatening me, or you're secretly a Wraith, you should be perfectly fine. After all, we're just here to do a job right?" I state, putting extra emphasis on the word wraith.
It was hilarious watching his face pale.
"N-nope. No plans on threatening. Just here for the job." He stuttered.
"Excellent! How far out are we Panam?" I ask about switching the subject.
"About an hour. Hell Tavish, over four thousand people! What the hell did they do to piss you off so much?" Panam redirected to the previous topic.
"The now defunct Tyger Claws though it was a good idea to kill some of my patients and then display them in front of my clinic. When I called them out on it, they attempted to extort me. So I systematically killed Tygers until they surrendered to me." I replied cheerfully.
"So your why the Tyger's don't exist in Night City anymore?" Panam asked in amazement.
"Yup. It was part of our agreement. If they tried to resume any of their previous activities, the stay of execution would be lifted and I would resume hunting. I got a massive fucking gift basket from the NCPD for my trouble." I said, drawing a laugh from Panam.
The conversation returns back to normal as we continued our drive.
[Time Skip]
The pickup went off without a hitch.
We got the cargo from a nomad group, meeting them as they crossed the border, before heading back across the desert.
Nash had requested that we make a detour from our planned route to "shake any possible pursuers."
Panam agreed so now we were driving on a back road back to town.
The whole thing stank of an ambush long before I saw it. The route dropped us down into a canyon-like area with the walls rising up on both sides. It was when the cars pulled in behind us that I drew Tempest from my jacket.
More cars pulled in front of us, forcing Panam to stop. Nash attempts to get out of the car but I grab him by the scruff and haul him back into the vehicle, jamming Tempest into the side of his head.
The Wraiths outside the vehicle freeze when they see me holding their leader hostage.
"Tavish! What the hell are you doing?!" Panam said angrily.
"I'm just curious to see what these Raffen's would do if I held their boss hostage." I state nonchalantly, tightening my grip on Nash.
"Nash isn't a Raffen Tavish, right Nash? Pam stated confidently.
"Rule one of being a merc Panam; do a background check on everyone you work with, especially anyone you plan on working with. You never know when they may be using you for their own ends." I state gesturing to the motionless Raffen's outside the vehicle.
"Nash, what do you want us to do?" One of the Wraiths called out.
"Let me think!" Nash called back, causing Panam's face to twist into an expression of fury.
"Nash you bastard! How could you?!" she yelled, drawing a pistol from a holster in the driver door.
"Can you spot how many there are Pam?" I ask, I had a pretty good idea but I needed a direction so that I could come out on top with Panam alive.
"Seven in front, and what looks to be roughly eleven behind, maybe more." She returned, checking the mirror.
"Alright, let's get creative. Keep an eye on Nash, this part's going to be tricky." I state, cracking the window and releasing a cloud of nanomachines to blanket the area.
[Fireflies]
"What the fuck is thaaaaaargh" The Raffen's scream was cut off as the nano machines in front of the truck ignited, turning the Wraiths to ash in a burst of fire.
Popping open the door and dragging Nash out with me, I saw the horrified faces of the bandits behind the truck, the corpses of their friends burning merrily behind me.
"Y-you fucking monster!" Nash whimpered.
"How many of your victims said the exact same thing to you scum. Rogue doesn't take kindly to the fact you tried to steal from her and kill one of her merc's." I replied, blowing off the head of one of the Wraiths.
Using Nash as a shield, I continue advancing forward, killing any Raffen dumb enough to poke their head out, Tempest's loud bark signifying the end of another life.
Killing the last of the ambushers with a burst of Fireflies, I slam Nash into the canyon wall.
"Hey Panam, your free to come out." I call, causing her to open the door, storm over and punch Nash in the face. She continued whaling on Nash for a few minutes, leaving him a barely conscious wreak.
"You need him for anything else?" I ask watching Pam try to come down from her towering rage.
"No. She growled, glaring down at his swollen face.
"Good." I state, ripping all of his stored data from his cybernetics, killing him as his synapses burn out; "Let's move these cars then we can leave."
[Time Skip]
Once we were back on the road and heading to the meeting point, Pam started asking questions.
"Why are you really here Tavish?" She asked.
"Same reason I told you before. It's not uncommon for someone to turn away from a Raffen lifestyle and attempt to become a merc. Rogue heard whispers that he was about to do something, so I was sent to back you up in case he would have tried to sell you out." I explained.
"So she knew he was Raffen and didn't tell me?!" She snarled.
"Of course she did, it's her job to know. But since other Raffen's had turned a new leaf, she thought he would as well. He requested to leave his past private, which all merc's can request when signing up for jobs. I was here as a safety net in case he decided to screw you over, and to provide you a partner." I stated, placating her.
+20 Rep with Panam Palmer (30/100)
"Well thanks for that, I guess. What was that cloud you released out the window?" She asked, switching topics.
"I have a nanomachine hive installed among the cybernetics in my body. I just released a cloud of them into the air and they superheated to incinerate the bandits." I explained.
"You've created nanomachines that advanced? What do they do in your body when you're not using them?" She questioned.
Nanomachines are very much a common thing in Night City. However, their primary use is for repairing vehicles, minor cyberware damage and a host of other tasks around the city.
"The machines optimize my body, reconfigure cyberware, augment my strength, and a host of other things." I list off, drawing an impressed look from Pam.
"Nice! Any drawbacks?" She asked.
"None so far. They learn as I encounter new things around Night City, and sometimes they will request to be supplemented with material, but other than that, they are a good investment." I reply.
The conversation relaxes more as we make our way towards the meeting point.
[Time Skip]
It was getting dark by the time we arrived at the hotel where the exchange was taking place. I could see the 6th street gangers were already here and waiting, including a familiar face I dealt with before.
"Hey Mike! How're things?" I ask stepping out of the passenger seat of Warhorse.
"Doc! Good to see you. Wasn't expecting you to be doing a run like this." He replied back cheerfully.
"Well, I have to stretch my legs occasionally, otherwise the Tygers might think I'm getting lazy." I throw back cheerfully, prompting a laugh from all three of the gangers.
"Heaven forbid a defunct gang think you're going soft. Now Ms. Palmer, I believe you have a package for us?" The man standing next to Mike interjected, steering the conversation back on track.
"Sure thing Boz." Panam spoke up, walking over and passing him the box we picked up.
The now named Boz popped the lid on the package, and after verifying everything was there, closed the lid with a snap.
"Just send you your eddies. Just have one last thing to take care of." He stated turning to me, causing Panam to tense up.
"What would it take to actually purchase some Unity from you?" He asked, causing Pam to relax.
"You can have it included in the cost of an appointment when you get treated at a Horizon facility, or I sell them by the crate at roughly $200 eddies a dose. You can order it through Rogue for that rate, or from myself at the same rate, I'll cover her fees." I reply.
"We'll talk later." He states with a grin, as the 6th Street gangers climb into a vehicle to leave.
Panam and I watch them drive off.
"Want to grab a drink? I have some stuff I want to discuss with you." I offer gesturing over to the hotel bar.
"Yeah, I could use a drink after today." Pam said, her depression evident.
I guess Nash selling her out hit harder than I thought.
We head up to the bar and grab a few beers before sitting down at a table.
I let here finish her first beer before speaking up; "So, today went to hell in a handbasket fairly quickly."
"Yeah. I thought that doing a few jobs together would be enough to trust someone, but I guess not." Panam growled, leaning back.
"You wouldn't be wrong under normal circumstances. But Wraiths are conniving little fuckers. Most mercs would trust those relationships that are built up over jobs. It's all we have when we are supposed to be loyal to the person paying the eddies. Its one of the few unspoken rules we have is you never sell out your chooms."
"Granted, it still happens, so that forces you to make contingencies for your contingencies incase the worst should happen." I explain relaxing in my seat.
Panam looked at me for a long moment before grabbing another beer and cracking it open, taking a deep swig.
"Why are you here then? The jobs complete, so shouldn't you be off to your next job." She questioned.
"To be honest, it's 'cause Mitch wanted a friend to check in on you." I reveal, causing her head to snap up in surprise.
"You know Mitch?" She asked in shock.
"I know quite a few of the Aldecaldos. Got well acquainted with them when they hired a doctor to fix up some of the problems they have. Mitch requested me specifically, and I agreed to do a favor for a friend." I reply, causing her to chuckle.
"Mitch, still looking out for me even when I'm no longer part of the family." She said in exasperation.
"They don't see it that way Panam. You weren't banished, and you left in good standing with the family. The Aldecaldos see you as one of their own, and you're not going to change their minds anytime soon." I return, causing her to adopt a thoughtful look.
"They just want to make sure that this is what you want to do. I'm just here to maybe teach you a thing or two before you come to any sort of final decision. I've been around Night City, and I know the importance of the connections you make could result in huge pay-offs, or dying in a ditch somewhere."
"So what do you say Pam, want to partner up for a bit?" I finish, watching her reaction.
She finished off her beer and sat there for a moment mulling over my offer.
"Well shoot, if theirs anything that I could rely on, its Mitch's judgment. Alright Tavish, we'll do a few jobs together. But make no mistake, if you try to sell me out like Nash, I'll gut you myself." She threatened, despite the smile forming on her face.
"Oi! That's the thanks I get for helping you out!?" I protest jokingly.
We end up talking late into the evening about the finer points of our new partnership.
[Time Skip]
I walked into the old mining tunnel that was in the middle of the Badlands. This used to be the Raffen base used by Nash and his crew. The guards left behind were the lazy and incompetent among the Wraith clan so they were easily dispatched.
Searching through the Wraith loot turned up very little in the way of interesting items with a few notable exceptions.
[Widow Maker] (Iconic) (Epic)
Widow Maker is the signature weapon of Nash. It is a blueish version of the Achilles, with light blue accenting and a Wraiths decal on the its receiver.
It has the unique effect to fire two projectiles per shot and deals additional Chemical damage that has an increased chance to apply the Poison status effect. It also has the unique modification to let Charged Shots deal more damage.
This was the first time that I had seen the tag "Iconic" on a weapon or item that I have acquired. Why hasn't it shown up on any of the Gacha rolls Iris?
[The tag "Iconic" shows up when you retrieve a specific item from a specified location.]
[For instance; The Malorian 3516 you received from the Gacha is just a similar model to the one used by Johnny Silverhand.]
[If you wish for the "iconic" variant, you'll have to go retrieve it from whoever has it now.]
That explains a lot. I do remember a lot of Iconic weapons and their locations. Maybe I should check in on them to see if they are still there and swipe them for myself. I don't particularly need them, but it would be nice to start acquiring the set.
Speaking of locations . . . .
While I had plans of converting this hideout into yet another Cauldron entrance. I had to check on something first. I wandered further down the tunnel past the hideout until I discovered another opening in the rock walls of the tunnel, a sealed cargo container resting in it.
Popping open the front, I am treated to the sight of a Rayfield Caliburn, its black paintjob glinting as the light falls on it. Walking past it to the small workshop behind the hypercars, I shuffle through the drawers until I find its key.
I take it and walk back towards the car, its door sliding open smoothly and presenting its white interior. Sitting down in its seats, I realize how much more comfortable it is compared to driving around in my Quadra.
The engine purrs as I drive the car out of the shipping container and speed down the tunnel. Daylight hits the car and once I hit the highway, I really open it up, its 1,660 horse power engine roaring across the asphalt.
I speed past a pack of Lancehorn's working near the road, their protectors lurking nearby.
This is definitely going to become one of my favorite vehicles. I relax further into the seat and let the navigational computer take control, adjusting back to a street legal speed. I checked the registration and it isn't registered to anyone yet, so I went ahead and registered the vehicle to me.
Leaning the seat back, I decide to take a nap as the car leisurely makes its way back to the Afterlife.
[Time Skip]
[Horizon M.D. Clinic]
I finally took the leap and used my companion gem for Harley Quinn. I desperately needed to hire a psychologist to start studying cyberpsychosis and I am hoping that the gem summons a "relatively" sane version of her.
However, sane and Harley Quinn aren't exactly on the best of terms right now.
The maniacal grin and the white face paint are good indicators of that.
"Hey cutie! Would you mind pointing me in the direction of Ivy before I crack your skull like an egg!" She offered in an overly excited manner. This was contradicted by the comically large sledge hammer.
Looks like I caught her in the rebound phase after either leaving the Joker, or after his death. I always get the story mixed up.
She kind of looks like one of the new 52 variations with the skimpy outfit and undyed hair, but even if I knew, I'm not entirely sure of her whole backstory. In hindsight, I probably should have done more research before attempting to summon her. I just assumed that with the gem being labeled Harleen Quinzel I would have got her doctor variation, before she joined the insane clown posse so to speak.
"I apologize Ms. Quinn, I'm unable to summon Poison Ivy at this moment in time. I actually have a job offer for you if you're amiable." I offer tentatively, fully prepared to dodge a mallet swing. The last thing I need is her flying off the handle and attempting to beat my head in.
She looks to be debating for a second, taking a quick look around the office, before her vision locked on the window, or more specifically, the city skyline that we could see, its AV's zooming past the towering buildings.
"I'm gonna take a wild swing in the dark and guess we aren't in Gotham anymore?" She asked, fascinated by the neon lights of Night City.
"You're right. This is Night City, California. The year is 2077." I reply, sitting down in one of the chairs in the room.
"We're in the future?! That's so cool! Did I become a famous hero? Or a Villain? Did I get that pony I always wanted? Oh wait! I bet Batman's an old guy now. Let's go find him and push him out of his wheelchair!" She said excitedly, jumping from topic to topic.
"Believe it or not, this is a universe where Batman doesn't exist, or any superheroes for that matter." I inform, causing her to freeze.
"So, I don't have a record here?" She asked.
"Nope."
"No Joker?"
"None."
"Superman?"
"A possible being of fiction."
"Robin?"
"Doesn't exist."
"Wow."
She sat down in one of the nearby chairs lost in thought. I let her have a bit of time to process this series of groundbreaking revelations before hitting her with anymore.
After about fifteen minutes of silence, she finally asked a question; "What did you want from me?"
"I wanted to ask if you were interested in using your skills as a psychiatrist once more." I ask, watching her expression closely.
"You can summon people from other universes and you chose an ex-villain? Why me?" She asked skeptically.
"I don't get to choose my options for summoning. It's a random choice that's not always clear when it gives you the option to summon someone. The gem that I used to summon you was labeled as "Harleen Quinzel" but it didn't specify which variation of you. I know of at least ten different variations of Harley Quinn, and those are only the ones that I know of! You just happened to be the one that was selected by the power." I state, shrugging.
"What would I be doing specifically if I accept the job?" She asked, relaxing a bit.
"I want you to study a condition known as cyberpsychosis. People in this universe like to augment themselves with cybernetics called cyberware. It's used as both a status symbol, a fashion choice, and sometimes a requirement for where you work."
"However, when they install cyberware, they run the risk of going berserk and harming anyone around them. I want you to Identify if there are any specific causes that would prompt the condition to occur, and possibly find a way to reverse it." I finished.
"Jeez, you don't ask for anything small, do you? More importantly, what's in it for me?" Harley asked.
"A solid job, money, fame and renown if you succeed, opportunity to hop to another dimension if you get bored. What exactly do you want, Harley Quinn?" I questioned her.
"And you're just doing all this out of the goodness of your heart? What do you get out of it?" She returned impishly.
"I needed to hire a psychiatrist, so it would be very convenient if you agreed to work for my company." I supply.
"And?" She prompted, striking a more provocative pose.
"Fine, the idea of Harley Quinn working at my office was very appealing. Apologies that I can't go further than that. I'm not sure my girlfriend is into threesomes." I admit, prompting a laugh from Harley.
"At least you're honest about it. Who knows? Maybe you'd be fulfilling her secret fantasy." She offered suggestively.
+25 Rep with Harley Quinn for being loyal. (25/100)
"Alright, I'll accept your offer, but I have a few conditions." She said, relaxing back into her chair.
"Let's hear it." I reply.
"Number one, I want to see Ivy again." She listed.
"Iris?" I questioned her.
[Her Poison Ivy's companion gem will cost roughly $3,500,000,000.]
[I would start saving up if I were you.]
Why the hell does she cost so much?!
Scratch that, I know why she costs so much.
Its because every gamer wanted their own version of Poison Ivy.
Perverts a lot of them.
To be fair, I am also now trying to get my own version of Poison Ivy, something that I actually had no qualms with doing. She was probably one of my favorite DC villains, plus her help would be invaluable to project zero dawn. So maybe it's just because of market value?
"Alright, so good news and bad news. I can summon your version of Ivy, but It is going to cost an insane amount of cash to do so." I explain to Harley.
"Like, how much are we talkin'? Cause I can just go rob a bank if that will make a difference." She asked.
"Three and a half billion dollars." I state, causing her to freeze at the size of the figure.
"Wait, why the hell does it cost money to summon someone?" She questioned.
"I'm not the only person in the universe that summons people. Poison Ivy is considered a highly valuable summons if you can convince her to work for you. The cost of her summon gem increases when I specify the exact variation of Ivy." I explain, causing her to wilt at the new information.
I wave it off as I continue; "I'm not saying I can't summon her, it's just that it's going to take a bit to get that kind of funding together. Probably a few weeks to a month at the very least. Did you have any other requests?"
She brightened up considerably at the prospect that I could bring Ivy here; "I'd like to actually complete my Doctorate and work at a normal doctors office." She added.
"Why?" I ask.
"This is probably the only real chance I'll get to actually "go straight" so to speak. I tried a couple of times before, but I always ended up getting dragged back into the cape world one way or another. No one wants to hire an ex-supervillain, so it was hard to hold down any sort of a job that could be considered normal." She returned, sighing wistfully.
"Easily doable. I run a clinic downstairs and I also know a few people around town who are also looking for extra doctors." I replied.
"Finally, if you are able to summon Joker, I want to kill him!" She states, a bloodthirsty grin forming on her face.
"Alright." I shrug. I had no use for Joker. If she wanted to kill him a couple of times, who am I to judge?
She blinked in surprise at my casual agreement; "You're fine with it? No problems with me wanting to kill the same man over and over?"
"Harley, I'm the last person to talk to about revenge killing. If that's what you want to do, then so be it. I have no use for Joker, and you have a vendetta to settle. I like to think I have a decent moral compass, but I am pretty far from a goody two shoes."
+30 Rep with Harley Quinn for agreeing to her request. (55/100)
Her smile grew to her usual excited expression; "Then I guess you could consider me in your employ Mr. ?" She enquiries.
"Tavish Byrne, head doctor of Horizon M.D." I supply, shaking her hand.
"Great. Now could you kindly tell a girl about the new universe you whisked her away to?" She prompted, her Brooklyn accent seeping into her voice.
I chuckle and start explaining more about the universe we currently reside in.
[Time Skip]
Tavish Byrne
Level – 201
Class – Elementalist – Lvl 1/100 [28%]
Prestige Class – Technomancer – Lvl 100/100 [Max]
Production Class – Alchemist – Lvl 100/100 [Max]
Race – Transcendent Human
Alignment – Chaotic Good
HP- 13,850 [2770 per minute]
MP- 20,450 [3,090 per 30 seconds]
SP- 13,850 [2770 per 30 seconds]
Soul Well (1,630/51,200)
STR-1410
END-1385
DEX-1640
INT-2045
WIS-1545
CHA-300
LCK-740
Mana Regen = WIS X 2
MP = INT X 10
SP/Health Regen = END X 2
Health = END X 10
SP = END X 10
Stat points (1,155)
My crafting class and my prestige class finally maxed out.
I was ready to select a new crafting class, but I don't know if I was ready to select a new prestige class. The only one I have available at the moment is the [White Mage] class. I could always use my class tokens to see what I get, but those don't guarantee any sort of prestige class.
Ah hell, may as well snap a few. No Idea what I'll get, but I don't have to take the class if I don't want to.
New Classes available!
[Bardbarian] (Legendary) (Prestige) +5 to Cha and Tou
Channel your rage into song, inspire allies, and terrify your enemies. Let the heavy metal intensify!
[Monster Tamer] (Rare) +5 to Cha per Lvl
People see monsters as predators and interferences in their daily lives. But not you! Learn to tame and harness the power of these creatures for your own purposes.
[Journeyman] (Rare) (Prestige) +25% to skills
You never wanted to focus on just one thing, you wanted to learn all of the things! This is a class that enhances the ability to learn new skills by 25% when equipped.
[Foodgician] (Epic) (Prestige) +5 to Cha and Luck
When Gordon Ramsey asks for the Lamb Sauce, you have a viable answer! This is a path of magic that focuses on culinary arts, and using magic to improve your cooking!
[Artificer] (Common) (Crafting)
You are able to craft magical devices and contraptions. Requires at least one magic class.
I will never doubt the class tokens again.
These are some truly astounding choices to pick from, but there is one that Stand's out from the rest.
Class [Foodgician] activated (1/100)
New Skills
[Cooking Utensil Proficiency] (1/100)
Displays your ability to handle tools in the kitchen.
[Aroma Sense] (1/100)
Enables you to smell food at great distances.
[Cooking Grimoire] (1/100)
Enables you to keep track of all of your magical meals.
Attempting to cook once again, I was blown away by the result.
My meals were good! When I cooked, it was like a skill tree laid out in my head. Certain actions and ingredients pushed my dish down the paths of the skill tree until I got to my final result. Plus, whoever ate my food could receive a random bonus!
[Blueberry Muffin] (Rare)
A delicious muffin made by Tavish Byrne. Has an intense blueberry flavor and provides a +10 to a random stat for six hours.
I was so excited that I spent the rest of the day cooking.
Jackie came by while I was making the muffins, and loudly voiced his approval after trying one. So I sent him home with a basket of muffins for Mama Welles and Misty.
Harley absconded with a tray of muffins at some point with Beth and Elise. While the sisters were surprised by the appearance of their new house mate, it didn't take long for them to warm up to Harley's bubbly personality.
I remember a time when I struggled to make the most basic of food. I spent a fucking week in the fortress attempting to make palatable eggs. Now? I was able to make a decent meal without lighting half the kitchen on fire. But most importantly, I could stop buying prepack and eating out for every meal. Granted, that was the expected lifestyle for most of Night City, but I was sick of always eating out.
For my crafting class I selected [Artificer].
This class seems to be heavily dependent on what kinds of magic you know. Right now, any magical tools I make had to be elemental based in some way. I could attempt some types of magic with alchemy, but I didn't always get the desired result.
The restriction could just be because of its low level, but we'll have to wait and see.
So far, I have been able to make one or two household items.
[Hotpot] (Common)
A pot infused with the element of fire, enabling its user to cook in it without a secondary heat source. Requires mana to interface.
[Water Bottle] (Rare)
A bottle that refills itself over time with cool refreshing water.
The hotpot required a magic user to use properly, but the water bottle was able to continue functioning as long as it could absorb ambient magic. It surprised me when I could draw ambient magic from this world, but I didn't let my surprise stop me.
I watched as the water bottle continued to provide a steady trickle of water in the sink. If I bought a gallon of water from the store, it would cost roughly $100 eurodollars. It took roughly ten minutes for this water bottle to fill a gallon jug.
My little experiment with artificing may have unintentionally created another lucrative enterprise to expand into. From what I could tell, the bottle refilled itself from ambient water particles while cleaning and purifying the water. So if I set up an automated service for this, and sold the water, I could be raking in quite a tidy sum to offset the cost of Pacifica and the summoning of Poison Ivy.
I would then have to set up infrastructure and security so no one would find out that I was making drinkable water with magic, come up with an excuse for this company move, prepare for assassination attempts to intensify from other interested parties.
Sighing, I lean back and rub my eyes. I need a break from Night City. A chance to look back and regroup, and just a general break from the constant rat race that was company life.
[If you want a break from this world, you're going to need the Relic.]
[That is the prerequisite for leaving and ensuring a bypass of the original story.]
I no longer felt as proud as I did for fucking up the original time line.
[Interlude: The Adventures of B.O.B.]
Tavish tended to give me a lot of free time.
I used to guard Beth and Elise while they were getting used to Night City, but since then, Tavish has basically asked what I wanted to do.
The question left me puzzled; What did I want to do? It wasn't really a topic that I had contemplated before.
I had always been part of one group or another, it was in my name after all.
Badass. Omnic. Butler. Or B.O.B. for short.
So when asked what I actually wanted to do I had to sit down and think.
During my time working for Tavish, it was very much a whimsical adventure. He set a goal, and went out and did it. I was there to watch his back. He always involved me in his various adventures, enabling me to see all the sights of Night City and the surrounding area.
While the days off he gave me were nice, I think what I enjoyed the most was the traveling.
Every time Tavish went somewhere, I discovered something new. Every day was a new adventure to him, something new to see, do, or experience was always around the corner.
And I was content.
I was always given the option to participate in activities, but I just as often preferred observing them.
Observing this adventure turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. So I continue to hold off answering Tavish as his journeys continue.
His newest summon, was a curious individual. Unlike the somewhat posh upbringing of Beth and Elise, this "Harley" had a more down to earth feel despite her "crazy" vibe. She kind of reminds me of Ashe if she was raised as a street kid.
While she is starting to adjust to Night City, I'm still having to run interference while she was acclimating herself.
Helping a stranger find their lost puppy was one of the few instances that I ran interference.
While I'm sure she would have been fine, I didn't feel like helping Tavish burn the evidence of any "mess" that she may have left after she was done with them.
Maybe I should introduce her to Rita, that might distract her for a while.
[Interlude 2: Chip In/ N54 News]
"Hey all its me Karina Lee, and welcome back to Chip In."
"Everyone is talking about the new game in town. Horizon has been making wave after wave with its rapid growth and expansion."
"And let me tell you, they have earned that right and then some ladies and gents. Their cyberware line is out of this world."
"Their "Simple Cybernetics" are so cost effective and durable, that its hard to look at any other price tag."
"The title of the line says it all. They're simple replacement parts for your day-to-day life. From replacement organs to limbs, Horizon's got your back. With no part too big and no problem too small, the line even covers job specific cyberware, enabling you to get back to chasing your dreams instead of working off your mistakes."
"Cyberware isn't the only area that Horizon is dabbling in. Everyone has seen the machines out in the Badlands. But not everyone has had the chance to see their capabilities. We were lucky enough to pickup some footage of one of the herds as it goes about its day cleaning up the Badlands. As you can see in the video, this Lancehorn machine spends probably half a day sifting through the soil before returning to a Horizon facility to drop off any useful materials."
"It's the in-between period that gets exciting! Various groups are interested in acquiring these machines, so they figure the best time to hit them, is while they're in transit."
"But these herds aren't without defenses of their own. Introducing the Ravager! They peel away from the heard and engage the Wraiths that try to attack the herd, and boy do they pay for it!"
"Those are plasma cannons on-top of those machines friends. A couple of shots, and the wraith vehicles are disabled, allowing the Ravagers to move in for the kill."
"Horizon was clearly thinking of the meaning of terror when adding the chainsaw-like teeth to these bad boys. Wraiths never stood a chance against these apex predators."
"While we are done with our first Horizon highlight ladies and gents, I urge you to stay tuned. We have a hell of a lot of tech to review for Horizon and while you may be skeptical of this review, maybe you'll find something in our next review to chip in!
