2024-01-31 19:17:38Ezra wasn’t too keen on trusting strangers, but since he was scraping the bottom of the barrel here, his desperation made him seek out every light no matter how faint.
Though initially, Ezra had been blaming the eye for his condition, as he remembered the incident with the cursed hammer everything became clear. Ezra's arm was already crippled when he visited the museum, and the eye only manifested after he touched the cursed item. Everything added up, clearing all his doubts. While it was true that the eye had been feeding on his blood and consuming the healing herbs and potions to awaken from its dormant state, it no longer had any need to feed on Ezra’s life force. However, the eye and the mouth still continued absorbing a small fraction of Ezra's magic power to remain awake. Instead of hiding the truth, Gremory explained everything to Ezra and awaited his decision. “If I can’t get rid of you, I might as well use your knowledge to my advantage,” Ezra replied after a good deal of thinking. "But if you ever think about betraying me, I won't spare you, even if it costs me my arm." “You have my word, Lord Ezra. Now tell me, what is it that you desire?” Gremory asked. “I want to join my father’s clan as a Gunner,” Ezra expressed his wish with a firm resolve flashing in his eyes. “I’ll do whatever it takes to unlock my true potential. But my damn hands always get in the way. I can’t hold things properly, and I’ve tried every remedy I could think of.” “You need not worry about that. I am here now,” the Gunsmith replied. “Since you are my host, you have also unlocked the Gunsmithing talent. However, you are far from legendary. But still, there are things you can do even as an F-level Gunsmith.” Those rare individuals who possessed the Gunsmithing talent in this world were never blessed with magic, but fate had twisted things into a miraculous mess in Ezra's case. Not only had Ezra acquired the Gunsmithing talent, but also retained his magic talent and the perks that came along with it. “I shall help you craft the weapons you desire while you focus on your training. Together, we will achieve the impossible!” Gremory declared. “But what will you get out of this?” Ezra asked. “You have already given me a second chance by touching the cursed relic and binding yourself to my eye,” Gremory replied. “Let me now return the favor by helping you achieve your dreams. And if you ever wish to repay my kindness I will tell you what needs to be done. But for now, I want to see you rise to the top!” Gremory’s fiery words inspired Ezra, filling him with confidence. He had been bullied and ridiculed long enough, and now it was time for him to prove that he wasn’t a helpless cripple. “I just have a year to improve myself and reach my true potential. I will do whatever you ask, but I want to become the best Gunner in the Dragon Claw clan. And no matter what happens, I need to win the duel with Jasenki,” Ezra declared his intent with bold words. The mouth on Ezra’s arm grinned, and Gremory replied, “It is good to hear that. I will do my best to assist. Now, let us start with the basics. You have already acquired the blueprint of an enchanted weapon. And I can help you reconstruct it from the salvaged parts.” Just then, a system panel flickered open in front of Ezra. [New Gunsmithing skill acquired: Rapid Reconstruction.][New objective acquired: Reconstruct the Rodel Gray-back Six-shot revolver!][All parts successfully salvaged!] “What parts?” Ezra asked. Just then, Ezra saw an inventory panel flicker open before him. Every single part of the destroyed revolver was stored in a separate slot on his system screen. “For now, I can reconstruct the destroyed gun from its blueprint, but only simple customizations will be possible before you reach the next Gunsmithing level,” Gremory explained. “Just give me a minute to repair the components and your weapon will be ready in no time!” Before Ezra could ask any more questions, all the parts from his inventory floated in the air, and a bright white flash obscured his vision, causing him to shade his eyes with the back of his palm. [Magic Power drained!][Current Magic Power: 15%]“It is done, young Lord!” Gremory announced. Ezra slowly removed his hand and was immediately surprised by what he saw. Floating a few feet away from him was the Rodel Gray-back Six-shot revolver and there wasn’t a single scratch on it. “Since you are an F-level Gunsmith, you can reconstruct simple one-handed weapons if you have the correct components. Normally, it isn’t possible to mend all salvaged parts so easily, but it’s different in your case. I used your magic to repair every component and restore them to their original condition,” Gremory explained. “Go on. This six-shooter is all yours.” Ezra grabbed the weapon but before he could admire it, a loud knock on the door alarmed him. “What exactly are you doing locked up in your room?” Aurelia asked. “This is no time to sulk. We need to train. Your magic power isn’t going to increase on its own.” Hearing the voice, Ezra stuffed the enchanted revolver inside his jacket. He then hastily downed a minor healing potion to heal his wound. It was a simple homemade brew and tasted like a turbid mix of soap and ash, but he swallowed every last drop since he didn’t want Aurelia to notice the injury on his hand. As the healing potion took effect, Ezra removed the bandage from his hand. The bleeding had stopped, but the homemade potion wasn’t as effective as the ones available at the apothecary. A small brown blister had formed over the wounded area. Ezra rolled down his sleeves and tucked the revolver into his belt before opening the door. ***Aurelia took Ezra to the basement of their mansion where a training area had been prepared using mannequins, straw dummies, and clay pots. Ezra had been training here in secret for over a month now because he did not like being ridiculed at the shooting arenas in town. However, with such basic training facilities, he barely managed to increase his magic power by a couple of points after a whole day of shooting. “It’s pretty pointless practicing against immobile targets,” Ezra said to Aurelia. “I am never going to improve like this.” “I agree. And that’s why I have something else in mind.” Aurelia placed a green magic crystal on the ground, and Ezra noticed there was a magic circle drawn on the floor using white chalk dust. The green magic crystal sat right in the middle of the magic circle, surrounded by three ancient glyphs. “How did you—” Before Ezra could complete his sentence, Aurelia uttered an incantation that awakened the magic circle, and a portal encircled by a bright green halo appeared in front of them. “You have practiced with these household items long enough. I think it’s time to shoot something that can fight back,” Aurelia said, smiling at Ezra in a mischievous manner. “This portal leads to a level 1 training dungeon. The creatures on the other side are pretty docile when left alone, but once you start shooting, they will turn hostile. If you want to beat an E-level Gunner in a duel, you have to improve your aim and unlock all your dormant skills.”
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Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System A training dungeon
A year sounded like a long time, but Ezra knew he would not be the only one training for the duel. If what Cecilia had said was true and Jasenki had indeed reached level E, Ezra would have a tall task before him.Even though Ezra himself was at level E, he hadn’t been able to awaken two of his most powerful skills due to his crippled hands. And he desperately needed them to survive a duel with another shooter of his level.“I will do my best to improve. I promise I won’t let you all down,” Ezra whispered to himself as his recent humiliation flashed before his eyes, strengthening his resolve to prove his worth to all those who doubted him.Ezra had read about training dungeons. But he had never been inside one. These were secret magical locations infested with different kinds of magical beasts and monsters and some of them were even filled with myriads of traps.Most would have expected a crippled boy to turn back when asked to train in such a dangerous place, but Ezra was excited to fi
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System A sticky situation
Ezra stared at the objectives flashing on his system screen and smiled. Completing shooting objectives was one of the fastest ways to increase magic power and obtain special perks which boosted one’s special skills or sometimes even modified them in unique ways.“I just need to kill ten Gloops and there are twelve of them here. This should not be too difficult,” Ezra mumbled to himself as he prepared to take his first shot.The smaller Common Gloops were relatively harmless creatures and could be killed even with a slingshot. However, Ezra was mainly concerned with the two larger ones accompanying them.Bloated Gloops were the overgrown adults of the Gloop colonies and were much more resistant to normal projectile attacks. The good thing was, every Gloop variant was vulnerable to magic and Ezra had just loaded his gun with magic bullets.As Ezra tried to curl his fingers around the grip of his revolver a sharp pain flared up in his right arm, causing him to grit his teeth. “I can…do t
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System Tricks of the trade
Ezra backed away with unsteady steps as he heard the sloshing sounds getting closer. He tried to open his eyes, but the sticky slime coating his face obscured his vision. Everything in front of Ezra was a blurry mess, and while the slime wasn’t toxic, it had a rotten stench which made almost made him throw up. “I should have been more careful,” Ezra mumbled as he tried to clean the greasy mess smothering his eyes and nose. One of the Bloated Gloops stayed back and prepared to regurgitate another slimy bolus while the other one bounced across the stony ground and headed toward Ezra.After struggling for a while, Ezra finally managed to wipe away the slime covering his upper face. As he reopened his eyes, he saw the Bloated Gloop’s mouth stretched wide open, ready to pounce on him.“Magic Burst!” Ezra pointed his left palm at the Gloop and shouted.A blast of magic energy shot out from the middle of his palm and pushed the Gloop back, creating some much needed distance. Before the Gl
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System A new ability
Ezra smiled with satisfaction as he flicked open his system panel and reviewed his new stats. The enchanted firearm had made his life a whole lot easier, allowing him to complete shooting objectives with ease. Within just a few minutes, Ezra’s magic power had increased by almost 50%. It was a great start, but he knew he had ways to go before he could awaken his true potential. Having dealt with the Gloops, Ezra felt confident about facing what lay ahead. “Just need to destroy the crystal, and then I can finally get out of here,” Ezra spoke confidently as he headed down the corridor. The corrupted crystal turned a shade darker and started vibrating as Ezra walked closer. He was within a few feet from the crystal when suddenly a low droning sound caught his attention. Ezra turned around and immediately spotted the culprit. It was a peculiar creature that seemed to be a strange fusion between a bat and a mosquito. The flying menace had thin, membranous wings covered in rusty brow
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System Soul Drain
Ezra clambered back to his feet as the Stirges pulled away from him. There were claw marks and cuts all over his neck and arms, and he was bleeding from multiple orifices. But even in this weakened state, his resolve remained unshakeable. As Ezra stood up straight, the spectral wolf growled and took its position by his side. Almost immediately, a golden panel of light flashed open before his eyes. [New ability acquired: Soul Drain.] [Soul Drain (Level 1): Allows the spectral wolf’s master to directly drain the souls of low-level creatures around him in a 100-feet radius. This ability can be used once every twenty-four hours and does not expend any magic power. All souls drained from living beings are directly transferred to the master’s inventory. Caution: Soul Drain can be blocked by magic barriers and wards. It does not work against high-level creatures and the undead.] Ezra had watched his siblings use the powerful abilities granted by their Spectral Companions during training s
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System Reinforcing loyalties
The next few days passed rather peacefully, with no word from the Rodels and Lord Cornelius. People soon stopped discussing about Ezra and moved on to the next spicy gossip about the arrival of a new firearms merchant in town. Aurelia kept quiet about the incident inside the training dungeon because she knew if their father had caught wind of their secret training session, he would seal off the basement to ensure Ezra’s safety. However, she hadn’t swept the matter from her mind and was doing her best to gather information. Ezra, on the other hand, could not have asked for a better training experience. Having awakened his Spirit Companion and earned its loyalty, he felt a lot more confident. His next goal was gathering the crafting materials needed for customizing his enchanted revolver and locating a Gunsmithing workbench. Ezra spent the following two days reading about different types of enchanted firearms and the most commonly available enchanted bullets. *** A lot had changed
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System Exotic potions
As Ezra and Aurelia walked out of the mansion, they were greeted by the sight of a clear blue sky, and the gentle gaze of the autumn sun warmed their cold bodies. The town of Aranor looked as charming as a wood elf’s abode with the Dogwood and Red Maple trees donning new cloaks dyed in scarlet hues. Even the air was light and soothing as the wind carried with it the songs of distant robins. It had been quite some time since Ezra had taken a stroll down the streets. But it wasn’t because he was too lazy to walk or thought too highly of himself to mingle with the commoners. It was simply because he felt insecure with all the gossip around him. However, now that Ezra had Aurelia by his side, he felt a lot better. “I must admit father hasn’t let the years catch up with him. He is still as clever as always,” Aurelia said as she fixed her glove. Ezra had always regarded Lord Sebastian with respect, but he didn’t understand why his sister was praising him on this occasion. “What makes yo
Reincarnated in another world with a Gunsmithing System An insatiable hunger
Ezra thanked his sister, and together they left the potion store in high spirits. Aurelia was happy to see her brother finally enjoying the sun and engaging in other activities rather than pouring over his books and overthinking about his future. They were walking through the town square when suddenly Ezra felt a tingling sensation in his right arm. He understood that the cursed eye was about to manifest itself at any moment, and if anyone saw that on his hand, he would become the talk of the whole town again. Ezra knew he could not take any chances and immediately stopped in his tracks and shoved his right hand inside his pocket. “Sister!” he called out unusually loud, even though Aurelia was barely a few steps ahead of him. Startled by Ezra’s panicked voice, Aurelia turned around with an anxious expression on her face. “What is it? Are you okay, brother?” “I’m fine. It’s just that I think it’s best if you’re not seen together with me. You know how the townsfolk always think we ar
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Malodor's Fall
A Gunner with a sword was a rare sight, but Lord Sebastian had trained Ezra to use short swords and sabers at an early age. He wasn’t the best when it came to melee weapons, but the situation left him with little choice.“Please guide my hand, Goddess,” Ezra uttered a faint prayer to the Goddess of knowledge before reaching out for the flaming longsword.As Ezra grabbed its handle and wrapped his fingers around the hilt, the flames rose higher, and the runes carved on its surface pulsed with divine energy.This wasn’t just any enchanted sword, it was one of the five divine weapons wielded by the immortal deities. And right now, this blade had chosen Ezra as its new owner.[Yolen’s Blade equipped successfully!][Magic Power consumed: 5000%!]Just equipping the sword drained Ezra’s magic power by half, but that wasn’t all. Each second he held onto the blade it continued draining a portion of his magic power, draining his energy at an alarming rate.Ezra took a deep breath and grabbed th
An ever-evolving enemy
The Undead Hydra’s incredible regenerative ability amplified Ezra’s problems, leaving him in a precarious situation. In the sky above, the Crimson Maw was rapidly taking shape, forming itself into a demonic head, and Malodor was still far out of his reach.Realizing that he needed to deal with the hydra as quickly as possible, Ezra reloaded his enchanted minigun with Flame Burst Bullets and fired again, concentrating on the monster’s bloated belly.A blistering volley of fiery explosions lit up the hydra as the flaming rounds seared its dark hide, but the projectiles did not manage to punch through its toughened scales.Ezra rotated the weapon, targeting the softer spots on the hydra’s chest. This time, he succeeded in burning a patch of rotten flesh and leaving a deep scar on the monster’s body. But despite being peppered with a thousand rounds, the hydra refused to go down. Its skin molted, regrowing a new patch of flesh covered with a hardened layer of scales.“What the hell is th
Blinding Haze
Staring death in the eye had become a habitual hazard for Ezra by now, but his legs froze as he saw the Undead Hydra’s serpentine head inching toward him. “Not tonight!” Ezra tossed a Shock Grenade at the hydra and jumped back.The blast zapped the oversized head, forcing the hydra to pull its snaking neck back into the green mist and disappear once again.Although the Basilisk’s Toxic Cocoon was shielding Ezra from the hydra’s poisonous breath, he could feel his eyes burning from the smoky haze. It was as if someone had sprayed pepper on his face, and each time he squeezed his eyelids, tears trickled down his face, stinging his skin like needles.Dizzy and disoriented, Ezra looked around frantically, scanning his surroundings for any hint of movement. But everything seemed as still as death, and the hissing noises had ceased as well.“Where the hell are you hiding? Show yourself!” Suddenly, a hydra head appeared from the left and sprayed Ezra with dark fumes. He started coughing fi
Hydra's Breath
Ezra was so focused on stopping Malodor’s demonic spell that he had forgotten all about the hydra. But now that the monster had emerged from its dark lair, there was no way forward without slaying it first.“I sure am glad we aren’t fighting it inside its underwater cave,” Marlin whispered in his cold voice, his cursed eye glued to the hydra. “But it’s still going to be one hell of a battle.”The Undead Hydra glared at Ezra, its five vicious heads bobbing up and down as long forked tongues slithered out of its mouths. It was a gigantic monster covered in slimy gray scales and patches of rotting skin infested with maggots.“How the hell is that thing even alive?” Ezra questioned, unable to comprehend how this monstrosity was still standing even though its rotting flesh was covered in thousands of open wounds and deep scars.“You know they call it an Undead Hydra for a reason,” Marlin whispered back. “I am quite sure Malodor resurrected a dead hydra with his dark magic and cursed it to
The first confrontation
Cekunia’s walls had been breached, and the undead lurking in the streets had been wiped out with extreme force. A lone Gunner had led the machines through the captured city and marched straight to its heart.Malodor was impressed by Ezra’s unshakeable resolve and great leadership skills. Despite having no support from the Imperial Army or Royal Gunners, he had somehow managed to bring Cekunia to its knees, and now the port city was wide open for assault.“You did well, Lord Ezra. I must confess I never expected you to make it this far,” Malodor’s wispy voice echoed in the darkness as he manifested like a shadow, floating ten feet above the ground, his withered old frame wrapped in loose black robes. “What do you seek, my Lord? And I mean, what do you really seek?” he whispered in a cold voice, staring into Ezra’s soul.“I am here for Tanya,” Ezra replied bluntly, glaring right back at the levitating necromancer.Malodor heaved an exhausted sigh and replied softly, “That girl belongs t
Malodor's corrupted stronghold
Ezra downed a magic restoration potion and topped off with an elemental affinity potion before heading in through the destroyed wall.The Blademaster Sentries had already gone ahead and engaged the Skeletal Warriors protecting the gate. When Ezra entered Cekunia with the rest of his troops, he was shocked to see how the undead had transformed the port city and turned it into a hellscape tainted with rot and corruption.The huts and cottages were covered in black tar, and the small shacks had been demolished to create room for bone totems that went deep into the ground and tainted the city with their malign influence.The city’s only cemetery had been plundered and razed to the ground, and the feral ghouls feasting on the rotten remains of the dead had turned it into a bloody boneyard.“Damn…This was my mother’s city. This is where she was raised and educated. I remember Aurelia telling me that mother loved watching the ships sail by on a starless night. But they destroyed everything.
All becomes flesh
Marching straight into the heart of an undead city did not seem like the most prudent thing, even though Ezra had an army of Sentry Bots at his back, and Marlin was quick to dissuade him.“You don’t even know what’s on the other side. It’s not a smart idea to climb into that dark hole without a plan.”Ezra brushed off his words of caution with a dismissive shrug. “It doesn’t matter what’s on the other side. I can handle it.”But before Ezra could invade the city with his forces, a dirty green liquid oozed out of the wall and the ridges on its surface started throbbing spasmodically. A repulsive belching noise smothered the silence as the ruptured portion of the wall regurgitated half-eaten bones and wads of flesh which filled the gap, closing the hole.Ezra watched in disgust as the wall convulsed like a feverish pig that was about to vomit its last meal all over the haystacks. The sight of the wall reforming with the remains of the dead made Ezra retch hard, and he had to close his
Attack on Cekunia
As Ezra marched toward Cekunia, the Rot Cannons activated, their reddish-black barrels poking out of the holes in the battlements.“Defenders to the front!” Ezra yelled into his controller, commanding the Sentries to break formation.The Sentry Defenders rushed out of the group and marched in front of Ezra, linking their heavy shields together to form an impenetrable phalanx.All ten Rot Cannons fired at once, their swollen barrels contracting like living tissue.Slop!Splash!Blobs of rotting meat drenched in blood and slime splashed against the galvanized shields, filling the air with a putrid stench.Ezra stood behind the fortified phalanx and watched from a safe distance as the cannons fired again, launching another meaty volley of regurgitated flesh and bones.“What the hell are they even firing?” Ezra scrunched his nose in disgust as the rotting stench irritated his nostrils, making his stomach turn in disgust.“I guess you haven’t heard about slime boluses before?” Marlin pitch
Magic meets technology
Saving the town of Silver Springs from the undead attack had earned Ezra a valuable ally, and the Governor repaid his debts by sending his best mechanical warriors to aid their savior.Ezra was impressed by Milton’s passion and fierce dedication to his craft. This small-town engineer had done the unthinkable by designing not one but four different kinds of Sentry Bots with limited resources.The existence of such technology in a world where the Industrial Revolution was just beginning was surprising, to say the least, and Ezra suspected they obtained some of their modern resources from dubious sources. But none of that mattered at this point.With the army of Sentries at his back, Ezra had enough firepower to breach the walls of Cekunia and decimate Malodor’s defenses. His only concern right now was dealing with aerial troops.“Thank you for your machines. You are truly a great engineer, probably the best Valaria has produced in centuries,” Ezra said, commending Milton for his innovat
