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She can hear their cheers outside
The woman walked around the table and peered down the streets, where people are forming into crowds. Her eyes narrowed
Through the window, red banners with decorative black crosses embalmed in the center flew proudly in the air. Like droplets of blood amidst the white of snow they stood, screaming to the world of their allegiance to their queen
"Glory to Atlas!"
"Long live the Queen!"
A cross, she reckoned. A symbol of divine interference and spirituality on Mistral, and a representation of a good luck charm to Vale and Mistral.
Not to Atlas.
Just like the Arc's to their shields, the floating Kingdom perceive the four-point shape as a symbol of bravery, honor, and military achievements in one's career. Its origin date back to the founding of Atlas, when the first stone was placed. It has been a tradition across Eastern settlements that this symbol is an object of respect, only worn by those who fought to defend their country from the encroaching darkness.
Of knights whose minds are forged from the coldest of ice, who fearlesly sacrificed themselves in battle for peace of the Kingdom
Of commanders who made great advancement in their career, charismatic individuals whose legendary conquests are made to songs
Of hunters who slayed the strongest of Grimm, proof of their skills and valor as the supreme predator of the battlefield
For a moment, a fond smile crossed Cinder Fall's face
She still remember as a child, children in her village would happily displays the little crosses forged from iron on their shirt as a gift from their parents, in the well wish that they would grow up as strong as the heroes who worn them.
How ironic that the same cross is now associated with a nation instigating world wide conflicts in the shadow. Is it a mere coincidence, or an intentional delivery from her Queen to mock those Kingdoms clinging to their fragile peace?
Her attention was soon interrupted by the knocking of her office's door, a female voice echoing from outside
"Commander Cinder, great leader Salem wants to meet you at her office!"
"Danke, Emerald. Tell her I'm coming shortly" She put on her hat and made way outside. Her uniform is of a light gray-white color, with an armband the color red wrapped around her left arm when on duty
The standard Atlesian army uniform has underwent extensive change after the Kingdom's split, foregoing the traditional blue-white for a darker shade and material change in fabric. It is partly to contrast their opposition, and partly to enhance the uniform's ability to blend in with the environment around them
As doctor Watts used to say with gusto: "Atlesian engineering is the finest in the world!". The helmets certainly could have used some flair in her opinion
Pickelhaube. The young woman frowned. It needs more Pickelhaube
Cinder's footstep echoed in the silent space. Outside, the raging snow and the people's cheers can still be heard
The corridor was lined with the finest soldiers of the country as she began her descend. Men born and trained through blood, ready to die for this farce of a Kingdom in the belief of patriotism, their face set in absolute stone-cold expressions as she passed by
Aura (43%). Calculating aproximation of damage resistance...
Calculation completed. You have been promoted to rank: [Elite First Class]
[Damage Reduction] has been unlocked
[Damage Reduction]: For as long as your Aura remains, the damage you received will be reduced by a fixed perccentage. Taking damage depletes your Aura, which require time to refill
- Damage received from handguns reduced by 50%
- Damage received from melee weapons reduced by 30%
- Damage received from assault rifles reduced by 20%
- Damage received from shotguns reduced by 20%
- Damage received from LMGs/SMGs reduced by 20%
- Damage received from sniper rifles reduced by 10%
- Damage received from poisonous gas reduced by 5%
"Posonous...gas?" I frowned.
Has the military started resorting to chemical weapons to weed out those on the frontline? If so that is troublesome new indeed
From what i've seem to figure out from the codex, Aura is a force field from the soul. Its exact mechanism correlates to blunting out external damage while serving to enhance organ operations, reducing chance of failure or any mishaps in their movement. The benefits provided by Aura is entirely physical to its user, not just something that would protect them from all harm
That means people with high level of Aura still have a weakness. Attacks that aim at damaging their internal body or those that does not necessarily equate to physical damage, such as poison and fatigue, are more capable of breaking through their anatomy at a rapid pace with no way to counter them
Why? Because fatigue is a necessary phenomenon, this it does not register as "damage" to the body, merely "something that happened naturally, helping one to preserve optimal operations on the field". "Pain" is another thing that Aura doesn't protect you from. Pain is necessary. The body deem it not to be harmful, so they cannot protect you from it
If I remember right, gas masks are equippable at the cost of one item slot for every class. Maybe I should starts putting them there just in case
[Enhanced Combat Capability] has been unlocked
- Maximum movement speed increased by 30%
- Maximum observe distance increased by 30%
- Firearm precision increased by 30%
- Firearm recoil reduced by 20%
I unslung my gun and fired off a few shots at a nearby tree
True to form the shots seems to be clustered together much tighter. With the pistol my aim was steady, and the amount of time it took to stabilize between each shots is reduced due to the lack of kickback felt
"Hm. And then there's the elite classes I just recently unlocked"
[Commander]: Trained leaders with experience in leading tactical raids. Though their arsenal is limited, commanders proved most efficient when in charge of leading soldiers in battle, providing a vital role in the positioning of his teams
Equipments are only pistols with rounds that deal moderate stopping power. Skill seems to be focused on buffing teammates. Since it's not combat-focused, most likely I won't be using it soon unless I rejoin the army
[Aviators]: The beasts of the sky. Riding in flying machines designed for tactical warfare, Aviators took control of a variety of airborne vehicles - ranking from armored Bullheads, supersonic jet, to even outdated bipedal plane in combat to rain death upon their enemies
Could be useful if I find enough point to purchase a plane. Airborne engagement has never been my strong point, however
Briefly, I wondered if a Kamikaze charge on Salem's headquarter is going to be worth it
[Sentry]: The walking fury with heavy-duty machine guns, Sentry class soldiers are equipped with thick armor platings that reduce incoming damage. Though their movement speed and precision are low, these juggernauts had proven to be extramely durable on the field of wars
Hard counter to infantry waves. I'm not a fan of tanking bullets out in the open, but a mobile machine gunner might help change the tide of battles. Suppressive fire will assist nearby unit in timing and positioning, or to secure a strategic location we are tasked with taking
Coupled with Aura and immortality I would even be able to act as a permanent vanguard for them
[Trench Raider]: They go in the shadow, and leave in a sea of fire. The trench raiders are stealth unit specilizing in disruption of enemy stronghold and the destruction/capture of high profile targets nestling behind the frontline. It is for that reason their kits mainly consists of a melee weapon, a standard sidearm, and extra explosives, but no other ranged armaments
Technically I already did trench raiding before receiving this job class. I wonder how more efficient I am now that I have got the boost
Extra explosives...hm
[Infiltrator]: He could be you, he could be me, he could be anyone of us. Infiltrators move swiftly behind enemy line to relay information to teammate, as well as playing a crucial role in the mapping of key strategic locations unseen from hostile zones. In combat, they and the Scouts works best as a unit due to their individual abilities
A class specilizing in the locating of targets rather than eliminating them. I suppose the high evasion rate is going to be useful, but otherwise working solo on the field would make this class obsolete to their brethren
Nonetheless, I file it for later uses. Not everything combat-related is necesarily useful than the rest. What matter is the situations you choose to use them in
[Bounty Hunter]: Dangerous predators roaming the battlefield. Clad in experimental gears and wielding technology deemed too unsafe for the generalized use of military personnels, the bounty hunters works not on the principal of duty nor fame, but that of money. Increased points earned from killing targets
Increased...points?
Amittedly I've seen some rather advantagous skills that can be overpowered once used correctly, and all of them are resonably powerful with their own weakness to be taken into consideration
However, this is the cherry on top
The cream of the crop
The best of the drops.
Nothing can top it off
Points is a currency required to purchase new features from the system. New class, skills, perks, armors, weapons, equipments, vehivles, consumables, and everything in between. To provide an increased income on points would be asking me to abuse it
So I did
Currently, I am equipped with the bounty hunter class loadout. My outfit is less standardized than other official elites within military ranks. A discolored grey vest, topped with a red cloak that covered my mouth and shoulder, making me look more like an outlaw from a cyberpunk version of the wild west rather than an actual combat unit
"I need to think of my next plan of action" I sat down beside my horse. The animal lied down next to me. We both enjoyed the shade provided from the tall tree behind us as it swayed from the wind.
Amidst the peaceful silence, I sank into deep thought
Currently, Remnant is at war
Not a civil war, not a war between two individual Kingdoms, but a full blown world war. The first time it happened Remnant's culture was vastly changed. But this time, with the addition of firearms and more, only destruction will come out of it
There is an old quote, "war is the ultimate realization of modern technology". When faced with threats to their survival, human tends to have the ability to surpass their own limit, both morally and mentally, to achieve a new level of destruction.
Call it survival instinct or anything you want, but the largest inventions in modern time were born in warfare, partly due to the large amount of money invested in this field and the innate mentality that if they can out-destroy whatever was thrown at them, eventually there'll be nothing left, and peace will be restored
It will not be long before technology advance enough, as is typical of them in times of war, for the Kingdoms to resort to more destructive weaponry in an effort to gain an upper hand
I was at the trench. I have seen how much destructions an artillery barrage can cause. The deafening explosions, followed afterward by the incessant ringings in my ears that almost took a minute for me to recover form, and, occasionally, the corpse of the person I was just conversing with two seconds before
Since they are hard to set up and mostly lacking in precision, artillery rarely ever get a direct hit on our side. But what if they are modified? Leaps in technology could lead to precision-guided projectiles that hits true on all shot. Modification of their frame to increase mobility can be done, thus ensuring a constant presence on the battlefield
It may not happen. but this is Remant, the same world that invented Bullhead, a floating arena, and combat droids fit for combat. Their manufacturing potential far succeeds that of those from Earth purely due to the multiple properties the materials they work with possess
For a brief moment, an unpleasant image flashed across my mind. That of Salem getting her hand on a nuke
That would not end well
"What can I do to stop this war?" I swayed back and forth, hitting the tree trunk behind me "I'm currently an escapee from the army due to charge of betrayal, therefore I cannot register in any official task force on the frontline without justifying myself. Becoming a politician is out of the question. Right now I'm stranded on the outskirt of Vale being absolutely useless because I'm stuck not doing anything"
Let's see, people who can fight without ID on the frontline are either terrorists or mercenary. Both are blanks who fights for their own cause and not tied down by the restriction imposed on by their allegiance to a Kingdom
Become a merc is always a choice, but first I'll have to set up a reputation.
I spent a minute thinking about the idea
That is not a problem for me. If I can kill myself out of the frontline and back I certaily am capable of raising my own name among the cutthroat business of killing for hire
After that, I can anonymously works as a lone gunman, lending my aid to governments who are reluctant to sacrifice their own troops. Deny all contracts that came from Atlas's Red Army while partaking in operations woking against them, thus slowly turning the tides of war without revealing my identity nor power to the public
Yes. That sounds like a viable plan
The sound of another window popping up snapped me out of my muse
Having decided on a course of action, you took up arms with a new purpose in mind
[Campaign] has been unlocked
[Contracts] has been unlocked
Huh, well that's convenient
[Campaign]: Operations related to the proceeding of Remnat's global conflict. Taking place in key battles and vital campaign across multiple Kingdoms, every decisions you made, every person you kill or spare, will ultimately influence the flow of the war, either to your favor or vice versa
- [Going Dark] (Vale)
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
- ?
Mark me down as scared and unprepared
7 campaigns. 7 fucking campaigns. Who the fuck do you think I am? Mr. Worldwide?
If anyone's been with me for more than a minute, they would know I'm not the type of person who would rush to any new element without proper understandings of how they operate. My prudence is borderline corardice, which is why I'll tackle this slowly
Each of these must be completed in a chronological order, which means they operate on a cause-and-effect mechanism. Assuming I complete all of them with minimal casualties and flawless handling, the world should be able to achieve temporary world peace
But I'm just one man. A soldier among countless of his brethren participating in a manslaughter disguised as a war. Though I am immortal, there are certain things outside of my limit, such as changing the tides of battle that scales with tens of thousands of others participating in it
How would the action of a single soldier change the result of a war? There lies the question
[Contracts]: Short mercenary missions with no apparent consequences that you can do on your free time. Completing merc contracts gives you Infamy bonus
- Alpha: Assault missions
- Beta: Sentinel missions.
- Charlie: Stealth mission.
- Delta: Escort missions.
- Echo: Co-op missions
*Merc contracts can only be completed on the region you're at. Since you are in Vale and had not unlocked the campaigns for other Kingdoms, all your contracts will be situated in Vale
*Each contracts have a 48h cooldown
"Right. I think I know what to do" I nodded
I stood up. My horse followed suit, following its master's action
"Before tacking the main campaign, we will farm more points with the Merc contracts. That is, we anonymously carry out missions, receive the reward, upgrade our skills, get on with this whole hero bullshit of bringing peace to a war-torn world, and put a bullet between their god's head"
'Then hopefully after all this is over, I'll get to live my life in peace'
The wind blew. I closed the window with a push of the buttom
Having finalized the details of my plan, I slung the rifle on my shoulder and got on the horse. The sun set behind our back as we made way to somewhere where we could spend the night
In my mind, it is the best course of action. Contracts can be duped, but campaigns cannot be failed considering there's no "restart system" for me to exploit. Thus, if I improve my abilities the chance for a screwup will be lowered, and in return the results will be more favorable
It was supposed to be a foolproof plan
There's one thing (Y/n) (L/n) had smoothed over, however
Just because there aren't any apparent consequences...doesn't mean there won't be one
The ripples spreads far and wide, no matter how insignificant they may be
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Game Loading....
Tip: An effective way to kill enemies is to shoot them until they die
There are a few things that crossed me off when it comes to video game
Like how the characters are sometime too unreasonably powerful. Like how undeniably brainless the loading screen tips would be. Like how ridiculous some of the plots are included in the storyline. Like how most companies could get away with anything as long as they pander to the mass's political correctness culture
Battlefield V called lootboxes, microtransanctions, and female ethnic characters with prosthetics in a world war setting as 'historically accurate' and get away with it
Call of duty Modern Warfare had a minor slip-up with making Gaz black, and still got away with it. Though they did state it was a reboot, but...why? What does racial identity have to do with a game where you can massacre Russians at an airport?
Some games are not pleasant, but having your life turned into one can be even more unpleasant
I had realized it is now no longer needed for me to sleep
And for me to drink. Or eat, or piss, or blink, or even breathe for that matter
It is convenient and it saves time. I should have been glad I can alway operate at optimal efficiency 24/7, but at the same time I felt like I just lost an important part of myself from that exchange
Well. If a good sleep is unnecessary, I should get on with doing something
I dismissed my horse, leaving him to wander around and feed on some grass under the night sky, and opened the menu again. A few quick taps led me to the Ops window
You have chosen contract Alpha-03901.
- An abandoned outpost has became the nestling place for regional Grimm. Though they are now far less aggressive than their historic counterpart, most Grimm can retain a ferocious stance when provoked or crossed
The army is unwilling to expend precious manpower to clear out this place. Luckily, a lone contractor is willing to help them out with their problem, with a price of course....
For convenience purpose, fast travel is unlocked when doing contracts to save time
Accept mission? [Yes]/[No]
So, I need to clear out a Grimm nest. Since my opponent wasn't human I could take this easy.
I pressed the yes button
My surrounding become pitch black. For a moment it seems as though everything blurred away, leaving me in a state of weightlessness. At the edge of my vision I could see the fabric of space being torn away like pixels on a computer screen, making me closed my eyes
Data progression completed
Then suddenly it returned to normal just moments later. When I opened my eyes, it was to a different scenery than the one I last saw
Green vegetations swarmed my vision, grass, bushes, trees, more trees. I carefully remained still and obseerved my surrounding. The stars above shone bright, bringing with it natural illumination that allowed me to see in the dark
Trees surrounded me, their leaves hiding my figure as I moved around, gently swatting the branches to the side so as to
Feeling footstep, I crouched down, taking out a knife in preparation
After a bit of careful scouting a Grimm came into view. It has wolf-like features, with sharp fang, tuff of tail sticking out their hips, and crimson eyes that is a passive red at the moment. The creature prowled through the bushes, unaware of my presence behind him
I sprung, stabbing the blade into its neck
To my surprise, the animal managed to get free of my grip as it lashed out with its claw. I dashed back and threw the knife at it, hitting the Beowolf in the eye just as it turned around. That put it down for good
The corpse disintegrated, leaving behind a small file that I put in my inventory
[Codex Entry: Grimm] gained
I ignored the notification in favor of searching around. After a few more minutes and a few downed Grimm, I found myself nearing nowhere. Climbing up to a nearby tree reveals nothing but the forest of Vale below me
Could it be this mission is to clear out the Grimm in this entire area?
"It would be best if I equipped the Scout class for this"
I stabbed the knife into my neck.It was a clean slice, made to end a person in the swiftest, most painless manner possible - something I'd picked up after a few times of repeatedly dying.
Only, something was wrong
"What the-" I looked down at the place where I stabbed myself. My eyes widened "Son of a bitch"
Right. Aura. Passive shield, reduced damage from bullets and kinetic attacks in general. What should have been a lethal strike only managed to graze a thin line of blood on my throat
If I rememebered right, the system gives me the ability to freely switch class the moment Raven unlocked my Aura. Due to my exhaustion at that time I haven't bothered to look at it before closing the window, something that is to blame on my part
Within moments my gears was switched, in my hand the pistol was replaced with a sniper rifle. I took aim atop the tree,
"I wonder if that skill works with Grimm" A thought came to me, and i mentally recalled the menu for skill purchases
Scout 2nd skill: [Thermal Scope]
- For sniper rifles, player gain the ability to see target's body heat when aiming down sight at the cost of limited range
1,200 points to unlock
You have purchased skill
As I took aim again, I realized I can now see different dots of color dotting the forest line. Some of them big, some small, but most of them carry the distinct shape of their respective Grimm type. Furthermore, at where the infrared light are captured and processed, their 'body heat' are non-existent
Rather than having the iconic red or green color for living organism, theirs was an inky blackness not unsimilar to an abyss in place of the Grimm. Briefly I got distracted staring at them
'No, focus. Let's eliminate the ones outside first'
I pulled the trigger. As the first shot impacted the Beowolf's head I reared back the bolt and immediately fired at a Nevermore flying in the sky. The sound of gunshot drew the Grimm's attention as a few of them perked up, growling in my direction
The night is still young, and the Grimm still many
What is a lone merc do, but to kill them all?
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