Chapter Eight — Good Loot
On the first day Daniel transferred in, he tried to use one of the Summoner Spells to test it out. Before he could choose, two of them were highlighted at once. Luna told him [Daniel, you can't use Summoner Spells right now].
Daniel snapped at her (Why? Doesn't each template have two Summoner Spells you can use without conditions?)
Luna answered [Although they don't consume mana or have obvious activation requirements, they are still magical abilities, and you currently have no knowledge of magic. If you try to use them now it would be like trying to pilot a fighter jet when you don't even know how to steer a car — wait until you get a template that uses magic so you have some context for what you're using.]
[There could be a violent backlash that ends your life.]
[You also can't use rune powers, for the same reason — and runes are much harder.]
Daniel accepted that and didn't try.
---
Daniel muttered back to Luna (It doesn't matter — I have Guardian Angel, and you told me before that Exhaust is the easiest Summoner Spell to activate, right?)
He didn't wait for Luna's reply. Daredevil was already within range, so he used it on him.
Daredevil felt a huge weakness. Even though that weakness accounted for only about 40% of his total strength, being that debilitated made the whole thing much harder on his morale; if he had known it was a temporary effect that would fade in seconds, he wouldn't have reacted so badly.
The moment Daniel used Exhaust he didn't waste time — he broke free from Daredevil easily. With the rope Daredevil had used to bind his hands, the roles instantly reversed. Daniel activated E with the mana he had gathered so far, brought his metal fist close to Daredevil's face and said, "Do you want me to continue?"
Daredevil replied, "No." Then he noticed his power returning quickly.
But he also noticed the man in front of him suddenly doubling over in pain, then collapsing to the ground with blood pouring from his mouth, nose, eyes and even his ear.
Daredevil broke free of the restraints and ran to the man. "What happened to you?"
(I didn't do anything that would cause those injuries.)
For a moment light began to radiate from the masked man's body; he opened his eyes again and breathed a ragged sigh.
Both of them heard police sirens approaching in the distance. Daniel — who had surprised Daredevil by being able to get back up, since he'd been almost dead a moment ago — said to Daredevil, "We'll meet again. And sorry for what I did. I'm leaving now."
Daniel fled the scene and Daredevil departed as well, leaving the gang members sleeping scattered around the place.
After Daniel put distance between himself and the scene, he stopped and panted with a smile on his face — he had gotten everything he wanted.
He opened his personal screen to see what he'd gained that night and smiled even wider.
First, he received 10 gems for the mission to take down the gang, and let's not forget the gold he earned: 700 coins.
He also got 15 more gems because the gang had been stronger than him; he would have earned even more if not for Daredevil's appearance.
But who was he to complain about Daredevil? When Daredevil admitted defeat a short while ago, Daniel had gotten another 30 gems and, from defeating him, an additional 350 gold all to himself — which is why Daredevil attacked him in the first place.
Daniel took off his mask and changed out of his clothes, which were soaked in his own blood and the blood of those they'd killed near a main street, then went straight home. (Daredevil must be following me now. The mask is useless in front of him; if he meets me again he'll recognize me immediately.)
(It's fine if he knows where I live for now — it's a rented place, so leaving it doesn't matter. Besides, he won't come tonight; the night is almost over.)
(But I want to know who called the police.)
(It must be someone who heard the gunshots and the sounds of the fight.)
Daniel returned to his small apartment after eating a whole chicken — he had been hungry — and lay on his bed while checking his screen again.
He found that Luna had bought two Cloth Armors from the shop. Each grants 3% physical defense and they cost 600 gold.
He had about 450 gold left and used it to buy a Doran's Shield, which gives 2% extra health and 1% physical defense. The other reason Daniel bought this item: it regenerates 3% health every hour. His body was now covered in bruises and his health bar had dropped to the middle.
This battle hadn't been completely profitable for Daniel: he lost Guardian Angel, which wiped out last week's work. But given the number of gems he'd earned, it was a fair sacrifice.
After continuous work last week he'd only earned 11 gems, but tonight he got 55 full gems — a great haul for Daniel; he now had 66 gems total.
Daniel asked Luna (Is this enough for a second template?)
Luna replied [Yes, this number of gems is sufficient. But if you want a human template like the one you have...]
Daniel sighed and said, (So what is the number I need to buy a decent template?)
[I don't know either. It's completely random, 100%. But if you spend more gems, the better your chances.]
[Check the template list again.]
(The template list???)
Daniel did as Luna said and found that the template "Lee Sin the Blind" didn't have a lock like the others — just a black-and-white portrait — and it showed 120 gems beneath it.
Daniel said to Luna quickly, (So that means I can buy it, right? It's not like the others.)
[Yes.]
He thought for a moment and asked, (Is that because I defeated Daredevil in a fight?)
[It seems you have a brain. Yes, that's right. Every time you defeat certain heroes or villains, the lock on some templates similar to them breaks, which means you can buy them directly instead of waiting for them to appear randomly in the template purchase button.]
(Brain… me.)
(You're being dumb. Isn't Lee Sin's power based on chi? So Iron Fist is closer to him than Daredevil.)
[I decide who is the closest, not you.]
(I understand that — you're the one who decides which template I'll get with the random button, right?)
[There's a bug in the system. The system will be shut down temporarily to fix the issue.]
Daniel got frustrated and yelled, "Hey, don't run away now — answer my question!"
[...]
But there was no reply.
"You're ignoring me now. Fine — I want to sell an item. Open the shop."
[.......]
The day passed with Daniel talking to himself until he fell asleep.
---
Daniel woke up in a quiet, beautiful morning. He was watching TV while eating breakfast because Fisk would be appearing at a press conference this afternoon. A news anchor was currently praising the police's seriousness and continuous efforts, saying they'd arrested the gang The Rhodes yesterday, and complimenting Fisk and his associates.
Daniel sighed — he'd expected this and was annoyed, too; Fisk is human after all, how could he not be bothered to see someone steal his work?
(Luna, I want to ask you something about Guardian Angel: was I really dead? All I felt when I used Exhaust was pain that kept escalating wildly, then suddenly it stopped, and I was conscious the whole time.)
[...Honestly, I can't revive someone like in the game — that's impossible. Guardian Angel works when the host's chance of death is 100%. When you're at your last moments, an immediate, extremely fast healing kicks in to save you.]
(So it's not resurrection, but rapid healing?)
[No, it's not resurrection, but it's also not ordinary healing. If ordinary healing could be affected, this process cannot be affected at all. Even if Nasus were to lose fingers and you were the target, it wouldn't stop the healing from happening. If you wear it, it won't disappear.]
(Okay, I understand. But this isn't like the game at all, and I don't see why Guardian Angel should be destroyed permanently after one use. I'm not telling you to change this glitch to match the game, but at least unlock the Veigar template as compensation for this bug.)
A screen appeared in front of Daniel showing a face wearing glasses. The figure adjusted their glasses with a hand and said, [I can't. Rules are rules; they don't change.]
(Really? Are you doing this? I think you could unlock the Aurelion Sol template for me now, but you're not.)
And once again a pointless argument began between Daniel and Luna.