After securing the Umbral Gentleman's Attire, Ren walked deeper into the weapon section of the vault. The rows of armaments stretched before him like a museum of warfare—each piece carefully displayed and radiating its own distinct aura of power. Swords that hummed with energy, staves topped with crystalline formations that pulsed with inner light, and firearms that looked like they belonged in both ancient armories and futuristic battlefields.
What I lack now is a ranged attack that's actually normal, Ren mused as he examined the options. His tentacles could extend, but only to a certain length, maybe 10 meter at most. And his Body of Pure Horror effect required physical contact to work; he had to touch his targets to trigger the fear-inducing transformation.
I have to fix that somehow. Can I just spit at them? Would that work?
The thought made him grimace internally. The idea of a doctor spitting at monsters is stupid as hell. Not counting the fact that his mask will stop the spit…
He paused in front of a display case filled with various bows and crossbows. Maybe I should use a bow? I have tentacles for that.
But even as the thought formed, he shook his head. What am I thinking? The bow is a stupid idea. I'd have to refill arrows constantly, right?
"Brother Ren."
Lu Changcheng's voice interrupted his internal debate. Ren turned to see the guild master approaching with Lucy walking beside him, her professional demeanor unchanged despite the impressive surroundings.
"The smartphone arrived, Brother Ren," Lu announced with a pleased expression.
Lu looked at Lucy and made a subtle gesture. Understanding immediately, she stepped forward and presented Ren with a sleek device that looked top of the line in every aspect. The phone was larger than what he remembered from his previous life, with a screen that seemed to shimmer with more clarity than should have been possible.
"Please check the banking app to see if the money came in," Lu instructed.
"Just open the app and use the camera to scan your hunter ID."
Ren followed the instructions, pointing the phone's camera at the iridescent card Evan had given him earlier. The device recognized the hunter ID immediately, and the banking application opened to reveal his account balance.
Fifty million dollars.
The number seemed almost surreal, more money than most people would see in several lifetimes, all sitting in an account that belonged to him. For a moment, he just stared at the screen, processing the reality of his new financial situation.
"Okay, now I'm convinced. If the Director goes back on his word, I may have to pay him a visit," Master Lu said with a dark chuckle.
Lu Changcheng laughed, but there was something in his expression that suggested he found the threat more amusing than concerning.
"Brother Lu is scary," Ren thought, noting the casual way the guild master accepted such statements.
"By the way, nice suit, Brother Ren. You have good taste," Lu observed, his eyes taking in how the Umbral Gentleman's Attire fit Ren's frame.
"Thanks."
"So what are you looking for now?"
"Brother Lu, I'm looking for some ranged weapons."
"There are a lot right here, though," Lu replied, gesturing at the extensive weapon displays surrounding them.
Ren explained his situation the limitations of his current abilities, the need for ranged attacks that didn't require physical contact, and his concerns about ammunition dependent weapons. Lu listened thoughtfully, nodding as he understood the tactical requirements.
"Hmm, ah, wait a bit," Lu said, then walked deeper into the ranged weapon section.
He returned carrying two items that immediately caught Ren's attention. The first was a massive Gatling gun that looked like it had been forged in the depths of some technological hell. The second was a revolver that seemed to absorb light around it, creating an aura of menace that was palpable even at a distance.
"These fit you perfectly," Lu announced with confidence.
The information for the first weapon materialized in Ren's vision:
[Item: Mana Gatling]Rank: SType: Eldritch Relic – Weapon (Heavy Firearm)Slot: Primary Weapon
Description: A towering six-barrel Gatling gun crafted of blackened steel laced with glowing mana veins. Its rear chamber houses a unique Imprint Cartridge, designed not for bullets, but to absorb the essence of a skill and replicate its destructive nature. When fired, the barrels rotate with a shrieking hum, unleashing torrents of mana shells.
Stats & Effects:
Base Damage: S-Rank (scales with user's Mana stat)Rate of Fire: 600 rounds/minute (mana projectiles)
Unique Mechanic – Imprint Cartridge:
The Mana Gatling does not use ammoInstead, the Imprint Cartridge records the damage type of one skill the wielder uses while holding the weaponOnce imprinted, the Gatling fires mana bullets infused with that damage type (fire, lightning, necrotic, eldritch, etc.)Damage scales with the rank of the original skillCartridge can only store one damage type at a time. Imprinting a new one overwrites the old
Abilities:
Endless Barrage: Consumes 1 Mana per shot. Continuous fire as long as Mana holds. Rate of fire doubles after 10 seconds of uninterrupted firingRetribution Cycle: If the wielder is struck by damage of the same type currently stored in the cartridge, the Gatling's output is amplified by 50% for 5 secondsOverdrive (Cooldown: 10 minutes): Consumes 100 Mana instantly. For 15 seconds, the Gatling fires at triple fire rate, and each shot explodes on impact for AoE damage
The second weapon's details were equally impressive:
[Item: Pale Death Revolver]Rank: SType: Eldritch Relic – Weapon (Revolver)Slot: Secondary Weapon
Description: A long-barreled revolver of ivory bone and black steel, its grip cold as a corpse's hand. The cylinder does not load bullets—instead, it forms ammunition from the wielder's own blood, each round glowing a faint, sickly crimson before being fired. When shot, the revolver roars like a funeral bell, and the recoil feels less like metal and more like a heart skipping a beat.
Stats & Effects:
Base Damage: A-Rank (scales with user's Strength & Mana)Cost: 1% of wielder's current HP per shot (converts blood into ammo)
Core Effects:
Hemorrhage Ammunition: Every shot consumes the wielder's blood, forming a crimson bullet. Cannot be reloaded—only the wielder's vitality fuels itCritical Executioner: 80% chance for each bullet to strike a critical area of the enemy (head, heart, core)Bloodburst Rounds: Bullets explode on impact, dealing AoE damage equal to 50% of the base shot
Additional Effects:
Blood Price Resonance: Damage increases as the wielder's health decreases. At 50% HP or lower, bullets gain +50% power. At 20% HP or lower, every shot becomes guaranteed critical
Ren stared at both weapons, his mind racing through the tactical possibilities they represented. The Mana Gatling solved his ammunition problem completely while allowing him to imprint his eldritch abilities into the weapon's output. He could fire tentacle-based attacks, fear effects, or whatever other horrors his abilities could produce, all at a rate of 600 rounds per minute.
The Pale Death Revolver was equally impressive, though in a different way. It matched his aesthetic perfectly—the bone and steel construction, the blood-based ammunition system, the funeral bell sound when fired. It was a weapon that screamed cosmic horror while providing devastating single-target damage.
Both weapons eliminated the need for conventional ammunition while scaling with his own power. The Mana Gatling provided suppressive fire and area denial, while the revolver offered precision strikes with increasing lethality as battles wore on. Together, they would give him ranged options that complemented his close-combat tentacle abilities perfectly.
The aesthetic match was almost too perfect to be coincidental. Both weapons looked like they belonged in the hands of someone who walked the line between medicine and monstrosity, between healing and horror. They were tools that would enhance not just his combat effectiveness but his entire persona as the Hollow Doctor.
"Fuck, Brother Lu, I love you," Ren said with genuine enthusiasm, his usual composure cracking in the face of such perfect equipment selections.
Lu Changcheng's smile widened at the reaction. He had chosen well, matching weapons not just to Ren's tactical needs but to his developing identity. The Mana Gatling and Pale Death Revolver would become extensions of the Nox persona, tools that would help establish his reputation and effectiveness in equal measure.
With these weapons, Ren would no longer be limited to close-range combat. He could engage enemies at any distance, using his eldritch abilities through the Mana Gatling or picking off targets with the precision and increasing lethality of the Pale Death Revolver. The combination gave him options for any tactical situation he might encounter.
The selection process was proving more successful than he had hoped. The Umbral Gentleman's Attire provided protection and style, while these weapons gave him the ranged capabilities he desperately needed. With one more item and one skill still to choose, Ren was building a loadout that would make Nox the Hollow Doctor a force to be reckoned with in this dangerous new world.