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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The Corrupted Valley
Killing the undead had become almost like a habit for Ezra. He could wipe out a horde of ghouls or skeletal warriors even with his eyes closed. However, the corrupted elves presented a different kind of challenge.On the one hand, there was the moral implication of committing genocide against the last elven tribes, while on the other, it was another needless waste of time and resources.Ezra knew that he could not command the Imperial Army to fight the elves, or their already dwindling morale would take a greater hit. Besides, he still hadn’t figured out what kind of magic was flowing out of the Wandering Stones.“Alright, here is the plan. We are going to handle things quietly in here. Our goal is to get close to the Wandering Stones and try to disrupt the spell cast by Vorus,” he whispered to Aurelia while keeping his eyes on the elven congregation. “I will try to distract the elves. But you need to be my eyes on the ground. If you can use your spectral angel to purify the Wandering
The Vale of Lost Scribes
Ezra and Aurelia traveled on horseback and soon arrived at the Fist of the Forefathers: an ancient stone structure shaped by the winds. The Vale of Lost Scribes was a mile away. All they needed to do was follow the dirt road.Aurelia glanced at her pocket watch as they stopped to survey their surroundings. It was almost half past five, and the sky still looked as gloomy as before.The winter sun never appeared on the horizon, even as the minutes rolled by in a hurry.“I thought we disrupted the dark spells. Why is the sun still not out?” Aurelia whispered, sticking close to her brother.Ezra looked at the sky, and something in the distance caught his attention. It was a beam of crimson light shooting into the sky and spearing through the dark clouds.“I think that might be the answer to your question. Look over there, sis,” Ezra said, gesturing at the blood-red aura leaking into the darkness.“What the hell is going on here? Is that another dark spell?” Aurelia asked, staring at the c
Envoy to the elven tribes
The last human envoy sent to the free elves of the valley had never returned to civilization. Some spies claimed the messenger was ambushed by the Wind Runners and captured as a prisoner, while other sources said the Thousand Arrows assassinated him on his way back.Although none could verify the claims or substantiate the rumors with hard evidence, the courtiers had unanimously decided to leave the free elves alone and stay clear of their homes.In his previous life as a high school student, Ezra was fond of nature documentaries and spent a considerable amount of time watching videos of uncontacted tribes. While things were a bit different in this world, he was convinced these elves living so far away from civilization would have their own primitive customs and traditions.“I wish we knew someone who has actually spent time among these tribal elves,” Ezra said, pouring over the map.“Well, there are plenty of elves living in Magaravia. But I doubt anyone would know much about the fre
Golems to the rescue
Despite losing many men to Lorelai's blood magic, Marquis Desmond had entered Ignar with a sizeable force. However, the sudden appearance of the Plague Bearer had dealt a crippling blow to their forces.Those who had come into direct contact with the infected scouts or their belongings had contracted the Rotting Plague and died within minutes of each. Meanwhile, the troops who drank the contaminated water were suffering from necrotic rot and black fever.Marquis Desmond had a dismal look on his face. He knew that with their current forces, they barely had enough strength to attack a small village, let alone lay siege to a modern city like Stonewell.“I am sorry, but our forces are stretched too thin. We entered Ignar with three thousand soldiers, but now only a thousand are in marching condition. The rest are either dead or sick with black fever. There is no way they can fight,” Marquis Desmond informed Ezra and Aurelia. “Did you consult the healers and priests?” Aurelia asked.“I di
Death is a mercy
Ezra’s whole world crumbled before his eyes as Aurelia’s words shook the ground beneath his feet. He had already lost her once and promised himself that he would never let any harm befall her under his watch again.“Leave me and go!” Aurelia insisted, her voice turning raspier with each passing second. She looked old and haggard now. It was as if someone had heaped their twilight years upon her and compelled her to carry the burdens of their past.“Don’t just stand there, brother. Get back…to Ignar.” Aurelia’s words sounded groggy and mangled this time. She was trying her best to fight the corruption, but the Plague Bearer’s spores had already started germinating within her and poisoning her mind.Looking at his sister, Ezra was reminded of his father’s death. Even back then he was forced to watch as a silent spectator while they shot Lord Sebastian.“Listen to…me,” Aurelia whimpered, holding on to the last remnant of her humanity. “I don’t have much time. Once…the seeds germinate wi
Progeny of the Plague
Ezra heaved a sigh of relief as the Plague Bearer’s curse was lifted and he was able to access his skills again. His magic power peaked at its threshold as his body absorbed the magic energy from the fallen enemy.The grueling encounter had finally ended, but Aurelia was still missing.Ezra put his musket away and equipped his damned shotgun in one hand, and pulled out a Dark Sight potion with the other.The overhanging canopy of dark leaves blocked all moonlight, turning the heart of the forest into a pit of darkness. Despite the potion empowering his sight, Ezra could only hazily make out the shapes standing in the distance.“Aurelia, can you hear me?” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Where are you, sister?”But instead of any replies, only his own voice echoed back.Ezra trudged through the darkness, blasting his way through the tangled mass of Rot Vines and withered branches blocking his path. Even though the Plague Bearer was dead, the forest was still suffering from rot.Clu
The Plague Bearer (3)
The Plague Bearer thumped across the forest, belching and spreading its filth all around it. The forest reeked like a morgue and the air was heavy with the stench of rotting leaves.Ezra knew he had to play his cards right if he wanted to have any chance of surviving this encounter.The only thing preventing Ezra from turning into a disease-ridden corpse was the Elder Blood potion he had just consumed. But with his magic power completely drained, he had very few options at his disposal.The Bile Pods clustered behind the log cabin blocked Ezra’s path. If he tried to run through them, they would burst open, delivering a fatal dose of necro spores.Standing behind the cabin seemed like a safer choice for now, but the Rot Vines creeping along the forest floor were sure to latch onto him if he stayed there for too long.Ezra thought on his feet and decided to do something unexpected.As the Plague Bearing trudged across the forest with killing intent, Ezra peeked from the opposite corner
The Plague Bearer (2)
A Gunner without magic was nothing more than an ordinary gunslinger. Despite having access to some of the most powerful enchanted firearms, Ezra had no way to fire enchanted bullets without using magic power.The Plague Bearer towered over Ezra, its branch-like arms hanging loosely by its side as a slimy green liquid dripped incessantly from its mouth. Ezra knew he could not rely on his damned shotgun any longer since he was all out of magic power, so he quickly switched to his father’s enchanted musket.Equipping the Gremlin Silver-barreled Musket, Ezra fired a steel pellet at the Plague Bearer. The round pierced its chest, puncturing one of its many swollen blisters.A stream of putrid yellow bile oozed from the Plague Bearer’s bullet wound as it grumbled like an ancient troll. But the shot had barely scratched the surface.Raising its enormous arms, the Plague Bearer let out a hollow growl. As its guttural cry echoed through the forest, it attracted all the wrong kind of attention
The Plague Bearer
Ezra pulled out his damned shotgun and set out on the snaking path, guided by Aurelia’s spectral angel. Her holy aura pushed back the shadows, illuminating the surroundings, but the distant trees still remained in complete darkness.The shadow Ezra had spotted amidst the trees had disappeared without a trace, but the trail of decay lingered on, helping them track their elusive prey.Hunting a Plague Bearer in the dead of the night in the middle of a rotting forest was a fool’s gambit, but for Ezra and Aurelia, there was no alternative. Since the Plague Bearer had already started corrupting the lands around Ignar and infected so many beasts and birds nearby, it was dangerous to let the creature roam free for too long.Three scouts and an unwitting physician had already died from the Rotting Plague, and there was no telling how many more would get infected if things were not handled at once.The deeper they ventured into the forest, the gloomier it got, and the air reeked of rotting fl
