I'm sorry if I repeat certain things about the weapons or armoury. I'll only post the stats of the weapons if something changes, like Gerhard creating a new rank of them and they are better than the last ones. And if they appear for the first time.
_______
Gerhard moved deeper into a tunnel lined with rusted pipes and collapsed metal plating. He followed his relatively untrained, but not untested instincts. And he needed them right away.
Something moved ahead.
It wasn't an Ork. For that, its stature was too small. He immediately used [Observe].
A blue window appeared.
[Scavvy Raider – Lv.15]
HP: 820
MP: 5
A degenerated human scavenger living in the Underhive.
Often mutated due to toxins and radiation.
Survives by raiding, cannibalism and ambush.
Usually armed with crude weapons.
-
[Plague Zombie - Lv.12]
HP: 900
MP: 0
An undead, mindlessly devoted victim of the Zombie Plague. Used by Scavvies and pushed towards their enemies.
-
Gerhard's eyes narrowed.
Scavvies, sometimes called scawies or scabbies, were outcasts who lived in the lowest and most abandoned parts of Hive Cities. They were made up of fugitives, refugees, exiles, and other people rejected by society, including individuals who were shunned even by the gangs of the undercity.
Many Scavvies suffered from disease, mutation, or extreme poverty, which was why they were often associated with sores and scabs.
They inhabit the dead and decaying zones of the hive, such as abandoned factories, ruined hab levels, shanty settlements, and the toxic sump layers deep beneath the city, which was why Gerhard now met one of them.
In these forgotten places, they survive by scavenging anything of value, scrap metal, machines, raw materials, or other useful items. These finds were traded with other groups or clans that recycled and reused them, allowing scavvies to obtain food, weapons, or, occasionally, more advanced equipment.
Scavvies were generally savage fighters but poor marksmen, relying mostly on crude, improvised weapons along with whatever equipment they could capture or trade for. Their culture placed great value on scavenging skills, stealth, and theft, and they fiercely defended valuable scavenging grounds.
They were dangerous, but this one was alone. Well, mostly. In a way, the Plague Zombie was even more dangerous.
Plague Zombies were victims of a horrific infection known as the Zombie Plague, sometimes called the Curse of Unbelief, a disease spread by the followers of the Chaos God Nurgle, the deity of decay and disease.
Those afflicted by the plague first died from the infection, but their bodies did not remain dead. Instead, they rose again as undead creatures, driven by a mindless urge to spread the plague and turn others into zombies like themselves.
The Zombie Plague was both a physical and spiritual corruption. It was not only a disease of the body but also a contagion of Chaos, said to affect those who lack absolute faith. There were many strains of the plague, and each slowly degraded the infected body.
Even after death, however, a fragment of the victim's life essence remained trapped within the corpse, allowing it to move and function in a crude, unnatural way.
.
The scavvy stepped into the flickering light. It looked like a half-starved man with grey, diseased skin. One eye was clouded white while the other darted around in a frenzy. A crude rebreather tube had been grafted into its throat with scrap wire.
Its body was wrapped in torn cloth and bolted scrap plates. In one hand, it held a rusted autogun. With the other, it dragged a chain attached to the Plague Zombie, making sure it wasn't ever getting close to him.
The Plague Zombie shambled forward.
Gerhard exhaled slowly. There was no time to lose his shit, despite him feeling like he was going to. He had to kill these two; that was the law of the Underhive. Only the strong survived.
"Well… that's disgusting."
The scavvy sniffed the air. Then its single bloodshot eye locked onto Gerhard.
"MEAT!"
The word sounded wrong, as if the vocal cords had been bathed in corrosive fluids, which wasn't that far off. The scavvy fired immediately, after pointing its autogun at Gerhard.
Gerhard reacted before the shot was heard.
[Mana Shield]
The beautiful blue barrier snapped into existence around him and was there when the bullet struck the shield and ricocheted away.
MP –30
The scavvy howled in some way and yanked the chain forward. The plague zombie stumbled but followed, lurching toward Gerhard. Gerhard raised his hand calmly.
[Spinning Mana Arrow]
Two glowing spinning arrows formed above his palm, the new and more powerful version of the simple Mana Arrow, which Gerhard developed. They shot forward instantly.
THUNK x2
The first arrow pierced through the zombie's chest, and the second cut through its shoulder.
HP: 900 → 640
The creature staggered, but plague zombies did not feel pain. So it continued forward anyway. Gerhard frowned slightly. He had wanted to try his Mana Arrows to test their effectiveness and strength. All of it served as data.
"Tougher than the dungeon ones."
The scavvy hadn't remained motionless and fired again. The bullet struck Gerhard's shield and sparked away harmlessly, but that wasn't the only one. The Autogun was a rapid-firing automatic rifle. The Scavvy pulled the trigger and let it rip.
Gerhard switched tactics instantly, diving into cover, so that his Mana Shield would not be broken. The lasgun was raised and aimed at the two enemies.
A red beam tore through the darkness. The shot punched through the plague zombie's upper thorax, not quite hitting the head as he had intended.
HP: 640 → 310
Still, the creature kept coming, and the Scavvy kept shooting. Gerhard stepped forward instead of retreating, but kept some distance between himself and the bullets. He aimed at the Scavvy and fired.
He missed narrowly, but graced him. This caused the scavvy to be surprised and jump out of the way, way too late. But this gave Gerhard enough time. He still had the Mana Shield up, which he could do now for a few minutes, thanks to his larger Mana pool.
He reached for his sword at his waist and stormed forward. The sword flashed through the air and hit the plague zombie.
The blade carved through the zombie's neck and killed him right then. The corpse collapsed to the ground. But unlike in the instant dungeon, it didn't dissolve into black smoke.
The scavvy froze for a split second, but Gerhard was already moving, firing his lasgun again, while moving behind a metal wall.
The beam hit and burned through the scavvy's shoulder.
HP: 820 → 540
"Aaaahhh...uuuuhhh!!"
The mutant screamed and charged at him with a big, broken power cleaver raised. Gerhard calmly formed another Mana Arrow. Two arrows appeared and fired instantly.
One pierced the scavvy's thigh, while the other buried itself in its chest.
HP: 540 → 110
Still, the creature lunged forward, despite the massive amounts of blood leaking from its body. Gerhard moved back out of the range of the scavvy that seemed to have lost its mind.
He raised his lasgun and fired. The red beam burnt through the scavvy's skull and killed him right away.
...
Blue windows appeared in front of him.
[Scavvy Raider defeated]
[ +380 EXP]
[Plague Zombie defeated]
[ +440 EXP]
[Firearms Mastery has levelled up]
Lv6 → Lv7
[Sword Mastery has levelled up]
Lv8 → Lv9
Gerhard looked down. Two objects were on the ground.
[Scrap Metal x4]
[Mutated Bone – Crafting Material]
Gerhard picked them up and smiled. This was exactly why the Gamer ability was so absurdly powerful. Not only enemies inside illusion barriers, but also real-life creatures were affected and would generate real materials and resources when defeated.
But that wasn't the only thing that Gerhard was gifted with.
-
[Scavvy Autogun (Worn) - Rank: Average]
A crude but functional automatic rifle used by Scavvies, gangers, hive scum, and other low-grade fighters of the Underhive.
Unlike a lasgun, the autogun fires solid projectile rounds and relies on cheap, widely available ammunition rather than charge packs. It is less accurate, less reliable, and less sophisticated than an Imperial lasgun, but it is easy to maintain, easy to feed, and deadly enough at close to medium range.
This particular weapon has seen extensive use. The barrel jacket is scratched, the firing mechanism is dirty, and several outer components have been replaced with mismatched scrap parts. Despite this, it remains operational.
Durability: 61/100
Damage: 20
Critical Chance: 3%
Magazine Capacity: 27/30
Rate of Fire: High
Effective Range: 80 m
Accuracy: Low
Recoil: Moderate
-
[Power Cleaver - Rank: Broken| Type: Meele Weapon]
A crude chopping blade used by Underhive Scavvies. Initially a large Power Weapon, designated as a Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon by Imperial standards, this cleaver has been broken down, roughly maintained with improvised sharpening tools, and wrapped in cloth and wire to improve its grip. Though crude, its heavy blade can inflict brutal wounds in close combat if you have enough strength to lift it.
Damage: 320
Attack Speed: Slow
Critical Chance: 4%
Durability: 58 / 100
Effective Range: Melee
Required STR: 50
Effects:
Heavy Blade
- The thick metal blade delivers powerful chopping strikes.
- +10% damage against unarmoured targets
Crude Construction
- The blade is uneven and poorly balanced.
- −5% accuracy
Jagged Edge
- Improvised serrations and damage to the blade can tear flesh.
- Small chance to inflict Bleeding
.
Gerhard moved on. He had used the Mini Map to scout ahead, another very useful trait of the Gamer system. The tunnels widened into a large dome filled with broken structures, with some toxic fluids running down the sides.
Then his Danger Sense flared. The warning came a split second too late. A massive shape dropped from above, almost crushing Gerhard.
He managed to roll away instinctively, feeling the pressure of the moment. A large figure landed where he had stood.
[Underhive Mutant – Lv.22]
HP: 1250
MP: 10
A human warped by radiation and chemical waste. Much stronger and faster than normal humans. Often hunts scavengers and lone travellers.
-
The creature was large and deformed. One arm was twice the size of the other. Its skin was covered in tumours and thick scar tissue, and drool dripped from broken teeth.
Gerhard frowned. He quickly evaluated his options and possible approaches as he raised his hand and created two Spinning Mana Arrows, but waited for a second. The charge on his power pack was not limitless, so he had to be smart.
The mutant, who had lost all its sanity, roared and charged. Gerhard fired instantly, releasing the Mana Arrows.
[Spinning Mana Arrow]
Two arrows launched through the air and hit the mutant's torso. Unlike the scavvy before, though, it didn't punch through; it only damaged the hide. But a second set followed right after.
HP: 1250 -> 1120
HP: 1120 -> 950
The creature barely slowed and swiped its massive arm at Gerhard. Moving back, Gerhard fired the lasgun repeatedly, not holding back.
Three beams struck the side of the head and the abdomen of the mutant.
HP: 950 → 670
HP: 670 → 590
The mutant slammed into him. Gerhard, having chosen to take the chances for a sure heavy damage set, had activated his shield.
[Mana Shield]
MP -30
The creature's claws hit the barrier and almost broke it with the first attack. The mutant roared again, seeing his prey not being dead already. Gerhard used this chance and stepped inside its reach. The close proximity prevented the deformed, tumorous arm from being used effectively.
He raised the sword and used a skill with the slash.
[Power Strike]
The sword cut into the mutant's knee, causing the bone to snap.
HP: 590 → 400
The monster collapsed to one knee, lowering its head. Gerhard didn't hesitate.
[Spinning Mana Arrow]
[Spinning Mana Arrow]
He pointed the lasgun right at the Mutant's head and pulled the trigger.
...
[Underhive Mutant defeated]
[EXP +920]
[LEVEL UP]
LV6 → LV7
Blunt Weapon Mastery Lv1 → Lv2
Power Strike Lv1 → Lv2
Firearms Mastery Lv5 -> Lv6
Spinning Mana Arrow Lv3 → Lv4
Danger Sense Lv3 → Lv4
Gerhard wanted to take a moment to breathe, but couldn't since he was still in theoretical danger. But it was good EXP.
------------------
|Name: Gerhard
|Class: The Gamer
|Level: LV7
------------------
|HP: 650/650
|MP: 350/350
------------------
STR: 30
VIT: 21
DEX: 18
INT: 35
WIS: 16
LUK: 2
------------------
|Points: 5
|Money: 0
------------------
His HP increased thanks to higher VIT, and his DEX had also risen. Gerhard looked around the dome, thinking about what he had gained in these few hours of being out. The Underhive wasn't empty, like he might have thought initially. Or hoped...
Scavvies, Mutants, possibly even gang remnants and far above… wiated the Orks.
Despite his situation, Gerhard smiled lightly. His mentality had changed gradually and was continuing to do so. The Underhive was the perfect hunting ground. Enemies everywhere, resources everywhere and EXP everywhere.
And yet, Gerhard didn't move in deeper, choosing to go back to his HQ, which was that one room he had chosen. He had gained resources and two new weapons. It was time to grind again. No need to take unnecessary risks.