Chapter 6: Mind Unlocked, Trigger Pulled
The system's chime rang in Alex's mind like a distant bell, pulling him from thoughts of the Batcave and Bruce's shadowed crusade. His encounter with Batman—his cousin now fully cloaked in Gotham's darkness—had triggered another reward, a surge of potential in a world growing more perilous by the day.
[Credits Earned: +2 (Contact with Hero - Batman)]
[Current Credits: 3]
Alex leaned back in his room at the Stark-Wayne estate, the interface glowing in his vision. Three credits—enough to return to the anchored Assassin's Creed sim for advanced training, but curiosity tugged him toward the re-roll option. Bruce was out there dismantling Gotham's mobs, Tony was refining the Iron Man suit, and Alex needed every edge to keep up. He selected re-roll, the menu shifting with a flicker:
[Simulation Menu]
[Available Worlds: Random Selection Based on Host Knowledge]
[Option 1: Movie - Limitless (NZ-48 Pursuit) - Cost: 1 Credit]
[Option 2: Anime - Inazuma Eleven (Soccer Prodigy) - Cost: 1 Credit]
[Option 3: Cartoon - Pink Panther (Stealth Shenanigans) - Cost: 1 Credit]
[Option 4: Game - CS:GO (Counter-Terrorist Ops) - Cost: 2 Credits]
The choices were eclectic, a reflection of his past-life binges across genres. Limitless caught his eye—NZ-48, the drug that unlocked 100% of the brain, could amplify his intellect to match Tony's or Bruce's. At one credit, it was a steal compared to CS:GO's two. He mentally selected Option 1.
[Simulation Initiated: Limitless - NZ-48 Pursuit - Level 1]
[Credit Deducted: 1]
[Entering World…]
Reality dissolved, replaced by the gritty pulse of New York City, circa 2011. Alex stood in a grimy apartment hallway, his 14-year-old body now that of a young adult, dressed in a leather jacket and jeans. The system's briefing flashed: You're a shadow operative seeking NZ-48, the drug that unlocks mental potential. Navigate Eddie Morra's path, secure the drug, and survive. Failure risks mental strain.
Alex knew the plot—Eddie Morra, a struggling writer, gets NZ-48 from Vernon Gant, only to spiral into a world of power and paranoia. He tailed Eddie to Vernon's apartment, using his Assassin's Creed skills to blend into the urban crowd, senses sharp for any threat. Eddie, disheveled and desperate, met Vernon, scored a pill, and left. Alex slipped in after, heart pounding. The apartment reeked of stale cigarettes, and Vernon lay slumped on the floor—already dead, blood pooling from a gunshot wound. Same as the movie, Alex thought, recalling the unseen killer.
He moved fast, parkour instincts guiding him to the microwave where Vernon hid his NZ-48 stash. As he grabbed the pills, miscalculating the time, the door creaked—Eddie was back. Seeing Vernon's body and Alex with the stash, Eddie's eyes widened in panic. "You killed him!" he shouted, lunging with surprising ferocity. Alex dodged effortlessly, his Assassin's Creed training making Eddie's moves telegraphed. He pivoted, ready to knock Eddie out with a precise strike, but Eddie pulled a knife, glinting in the dim light.
Instinct kicked in—years of simulated blade work took over. Alex's hand moved like a reflex, mimicking a hidden blade's arc. He didn't mean to kill; it was muscle memory, honed in Florence's alleys. The slice was clean, across Eddie's neck. Blood sprayed, and Eddie crumpled, gasping his last. Alex froze, horror gripping him. I didn't mean to… But the system didn't care.
[Simulation Complete: Limitless - NZ-48 Pursuit - Level 1]
[Plot Outcome: Altered - Eddie Morra Eliminated]
[Rewards: 100% Brain Utilization (Temporary Boosts in Real-World Cognition, Limited Duration), NZ-48 Recipe (Side-Effect-Free Variant), Free Simulation Chance (One-Time Use for Remaining World)]
[Mental Strain Applied: Moderate Guilt (Temporary)]
Alex snapped back to his room, the estate's silence deafening. His head throbbed, not from pain but from the weight of what he'd done. Simulated or not, Eddie's blood felt real. But the rewards… His mind buzzed, thoughts sharper, connections forming faster—Tony's schematics might make sense now. The NZ-48 recipe, side-effect-free, was a game-changer; he could craft it in the estate's lab. And a free sim chance? A bonus to dive deeper.
He shook off the guilt, focusing on the menu. With 2 credits left and a free chance, he considered Inazuma Eleven or Pink Panther for their low cost, but CS:GO called. High stakes, combat-focused, scalable rewards based on wins. Perfect for sharpening his edge in a world where Batman and Iron Man weren't enough. He used the free chance, saving his credits.
[Simulation Initiated: CS:GO - Counter-Terrorist Ops - Level 1]
[Free Chance Used]
[Entering World…]
Alex materialized in a dusty map—Dust II, he recognized instantly—clad in counter-terrorist gear, an M4A1 carbine in hand. The system briefed: Win matches to earn rewards. The more victories, the greater the skills gained. Survive to maximize gains. Gunfire cracked in the distance, and Alex's Assassin's Creed agility kicked in, vaulting crates, senses tracking enemy footsteps. This wasn't just a game—it was life-or-death training, and every win would forge him into something more.