~~~
"So," Jin said, looking up at Bobby with his most innocent expression, "about that ammunition... I'm thinking I'll need quite a bit."
Bobby's laugh boomed through the shop. "Kid, after seeing what you're packing, I think you're gonna need more than ammo. You're gonna need a license to carry that thing legally."
Jin's smile turned cold. "Or I could just make sure nobody's left alive to report it."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then Bobby exploded into laughter again, slapping the counter hard enough to make the display cases rattle.
"Gods above, Jin! Don't say shit like that! You almost gave me a heart attack!" He wiped tears from his eyes. "For a second there, you sounded like one of those crazy military types."
If only you knew how crazy this is about to get.
"Just kidding, Bobby. But seriously—how much ammo can I get for, say, 50,000 Zens?"
"For that gun? With those enchantments?" Bobby consulted his tablet, scrolling through options. "I can get you about 200 rounds of standard enchanted 9mm. But if you want the really good stuff—armor-piercing, explosive-tip, essence-disruption rounds—you're looking at maybe 50 rounds total."
200 standard rounds should be enough for the first wave of cultists.
But I'll need the armor-piercing rounds for whatever comes crawling out of the underground compound.
"Give me 150 standard and 25 armor-piercing," Jin decided. "That should cover most situations I'm likely to encounter."
Famous last words, but it's a good start.
Bobby nodded approvingly. "Smart distribution. The armor-piercing rounds will punch through most defensive enchantments, and the standard rounds have enough stopping power for anything human-sized."
"Perfect. When can you have everything ready?"
"Give me five minutes to pull everything together and run your payment," Bobby said, already moving toward his inventory system. "Dorian, help me gather Jin's order. And kid?"
He turned back to Jin with a serious expression. "Be careful out there. You sure don't want any armor?"
"You bet, if the card doesn't max out with all the purchases."
Bobby chuckled. "Hahaha, that's true."
And I need to save some funds for rations. Lots of rations. Ninety-one days is a long time to stay fed.
"Oh, and Bobby, could you throw in something that would solve my water needs? On the house if possible?"
"Hmm... Sure, those aren't that expensive, and considering you're a cherished patron... how can I say no?"
"Thanks, Bobby. You're saving my life here."
Literally.
As Bobby and Dorian bustled around gathering his supplies, Jin found himself staring out the shop's front window at the darkening Vienna sky. The veils were almost complete now, and it looked like night was falling unnaturally fast.
"Hey Jin?" Dorian called out. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Jin turned back with a grin that was all teeth and determination.
"Just excited to test out all this new gear. You could say I'm dying to see how it all works out."
Literally. But unlike everyone else in this city, I'm planning to do a lot more living than dying.
Bobby settled back in his chair. "Remember, Jin—safety comes first. Don't try to be a hero."
"I know, Bobby. Heroes die first in stories like these."
The trick is being the smart bastard who survives while everyone else plays hero.
Jin smiled as he settled the bill and got everything stored in his spatial pendant. The convenience of having everything just disappear into a small piece of jewelry was still mind-blowing. Then he froze, slapping his forehead.
"Hey Bobby? One last thing?"
The man sat up straight, matching Jin's gaze. "Sure... need something else?"
"Yeah... I was hoping to buy a skill imprinting core."
Bobby's expression turned serious. He leaned forward, all traces of his earlier jovial demeanor vanishing.
"Those are very expensive, Jin... very, very expensive. And dangerous as hell if you mess up the imprinting."
Jin shook his head with a small smile. "Yeah, but I need the [Appraise] skill core."
"Huh? [Appraise]? That's unexpected..." Bobby's eyebrows climbed toward his receding hairline. "Here, I thought you would want one of those flashy attack types. [Fireball] or [Lightning Strike] or something."
"Nah... For me, [Appraise] is one of the best skills. You got it?"
And not to mention, with my future knowledge, I know just how busted [Appraise] can be with the right tweaks and training.
"You do know that imprinted skills can't be easily removed without damaging yourself, right? This isn't like changing your mind about a weapon purchase."
"I'm aware. As I mentioned before, my Mantle leans more towards the support and utility types, and having Appraise would be invaluable. Plus, I should be able to afford it."
Bobby gazed into Jin's eyes for almost a minute, his expression unreadable. Jin had the uncomfortable feeling he was being evaluated, weighed, and measured by someone with decades of experience reading people.
"Hmph... fine, if you say so. Your future is in your hands—how you decide to shape it is up to you."
He stood slowly, joints creaking. "Wait here."
Jin watched as Bobby disappeared into the back of the shop. The big man returned a minute later, settling back into his chair with something hidden in his hands.
Sitting back in his chair with a smile, he passed a small, ornate box to Jin.
"Hmm?"
"What 'hmm'? Don't 'hmm' me, brat... here, open it!" Bobby scoffed with a smile.
Jin opened the small box with careful fingers, treating it like it might explode.
Inside lay a clear amethyst crystal, perfectly transparent yet filled with the most breathtaking pattern he'd ever seen. Solidessence formed intricate runes within the stone, swirling like captured starlight frozen in time.
It was a skill imprinting core, no doubt.
Seeing it for the first time... the love I had for this world, all the beautiful things the author described, it's all real.
The crystal seemed to pulse with inner light, responding to his proximity like it recognized something in him.
Bobby, seeing Jin staring with such emotions of joy, longing, and amazement, was reminded of his own childhood—seeing all these marvels for the first time.
"It's beautiful," Jin whispered, genuinely awed. "How does something like this even exist?"
"Crystallized skill essence," Bobby explained quietly. "Takes months to create, requires specific conditions, and expensive materials. Each one is unique."
Jin broke his gaze from the crystal and looked at Bobby. "How much, Bobby?"
Bobby crossed his arms and smiled. "It's a gift from me on your successful awakening, Jin."
Before Jin could protest, Bobby shook his head firmly.
"Jin, cherish your Mantle even if it isn't combat-related. Cherish your life more. Too many kids your age think they're invincible just because they awakened."
Jin saw the look on the man's face and was reminded of Ren. They were similar in some ways—that protective instinct, that genuine care hidden behind gruff exteriors.
"I'll put it to good use. I promise."
"Good! Go ahead and use it. I'll make sure the process goes smoothly."
"Understood."
This is it... my first step on the path to not just surviving, but thriving in this nightmare.
Jin breathed deeply and clenched the stone. The crystal felt warm against his palm, almost alive.
"Regulate your breathing," Bobby's voice guided him, suddenly professional. "In and out. Think and focus on being one with the skill core. Don't fight it—let it merge with your essence naturally."
"Got it."
Giving a nod, Jin called up his essence. A cool sensation grew stronger in his heart, and with his mental command, the essence flowed throughout his body toward his right hand, merging with the core.
Strange. This should be difficult—controlling essence in the initial stages is always portrayed as challenging in the novels. Even the main leads had trouble just sensing its presence.
But my essence flows like it's always been under my control. Like I was born to do this.
His essence pulled on the skill core, and it melted away into him like sugar dissolving in water. A sharp pain flashed through his skull for an instant before something appeared in his vision.
[APPRAISE] SKILL CORE SUCCESSFULLY IMPRINTED
[APPRAISE] SKILL IS NOW TETHERED TO YOUR MANTLE.
"You did it?"
Jin let out a sigh of relief when he heard Bobby's shaky voice, tinged with disbelief.
"Hmm? Something the matter, Bobby? I think it took me some time, but I got the skill."
Wait, why does he sound so surprised? It felt pretty straightforward to me.
"Took time? You brat! It's only been a few seconds!"
"So?"
"Brat, skill imprinting usually takes at least ten to fifteen minutes for beginners. Some people need hours! And you just—" Bobby gestured wildly at the empty box. "You absorbed that core like it was water!"
Jin blinked, processing this information. That's... not normal, is it?
Could I be some kind of genius? Or is there something about this body, this Jin Winters, that I don't know about?
"Is that... bad?"
"Bad?" Bobby's voice cracked. "Kid, that's either incredibly good or incredibly terrifying…" He trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence.
The lights in the shop suddenly flickered.
Everyone froze.
A chill swept through the air, raising goosebumps along Jin's arms despite the shop's warmth. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees in the space between heartbeats.
Oh, fuck. Are we getting attacked already? I thought I had time!
The front door creaked open with agonizing slowness, the sound unnaturally loud in the sudden silence.
A figure stepped inside—tall, pale, wearing an expensive black coat that seemed to absorb the fluorescent lighting. Hismovements were too smooth, too controlled, like he was gliding rather than walking.
But it was the eyes that made Jin's blood turn to ice water.
Crimson. Glowing faintly in the artificial light. And that smile—too wide, showing too many teeth that looked too sharp.
"Well, well," the stranger said, his voice carrying an odd accent Jin couldn't place, melodious but wrong somehow. "I was here for some light shopping, didn't think I would witness something so... grand."
His gaze swept the shop before settling on Jin with predatory focus.
Meanwhile, Jin was having an existential crisis.
Pale complexion... check.
Crimson eyes... check.
Tall and gaunt... check.
Creepy as hell smile... check.
This guy is definitely one of the cultists, or I'm about to be very embarrassed for being racist toward pale people.
I gotta be careful, one wrong move and it'll be over before I know it.
~~~