07

Under the cover of night, Reed moved cautiously through the streets, scanning for a clothing store. The faint glow of distant lanterns provided just enough light to navigate without drawing attention. 

In the distance, Reed spots a closed clothing shop. After a quick glance around to ensure no one is watching, he approaches the door and uses sharp bamboo to break the hinges.

Reed props the door back in place, using bamboo to hold it steady, making it appear intact despite the broken hinges.

Reed exhales a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He begins searching the counter for any spare money but keeps his main focus on finding comfortable clothes for both himself and Jack.

Finding no money at the counter, Reed speculates it's because the shop owner likely cleared it out for the night. Shifting his focus, he starts searching for clothes he and Jack can use.

He walks around the shop, scanning the racks for decent clothes, muttering to himself, "That one's too big."

"Too small," he mutters again, sifting through the options. Finally, his eyes land on a set of clothing that looks just right. It's decent enough to blend in with the people of this world without drawing attention. "Perfect," he says softly.

He puts on the clothes and steps in front of a nearby mirror. "Nice," he says, examining his reflection. The white T-shirt and blue pants fit well enough. "It doesn't look as good as I'd like, but it's good enough for now," he mutters, giving himself a small nod of approval.

He begins searching for clothes for Jack, keeping his choices minimal. After some deliberation, he picks out a single pair. "One each should be enough," he mutters, reasoning that carrying too much would only hinder his mobility. Satisfied with his decision, he prepares to leave the shop.

Reed's heart skips a beat when he hears a shout, "Hey!" His instincts kick in, and he bolts into a sprint, trying to get away. "Thief! Call the police force!" the voice shouts after him. Panic surges through him, but he doesn't look back. He runs faster, weaving through the dark streets, his mind focused on one thing: getting back to the ship before he's caught.

Reed realizes that trying to climb the wall again will only slow him down, so he heads straight for the gate. The sound of footsteps pounding behind him tells him that the police are closing in. He glances over his shoulder and sees them, with some heading toward the gate while others are still on his trail. His heart races as he pushes himself harder, knowing that time is running out.

Reed sees the gate ahead and pushes himself to run faster, but as he nears it, he realizes the police forces are almost there. Without wasting another moment, he activates his [Bamboo Impale] move, causing sharp bamboo to burst from the ground, blocking the closer officers and forcing some of them to stumble back. 

However, it's not enough to stop the entire force. Officers further away quickly draw their guns and begin shooting at Reed. The sound of gunfire rings out as bullets narrowly miss him. With his heart pounding, Reed doesn't slow down, hoping the bamboo will give him the time he needs to escape through the gate.

Reed continues to use [Bamboo Impale] as soon as the cooldown is up, even though he knows it will drain his energy faster. Every time the bamboo bursts from the ground, it blocks the bullets and forces the officers to keep their distance. He's getting closer to the gate, but as he runs, he sees the massive doors slowly beginning to close. Panic sets in as he realizes the police will trap him in if he doesn't make it in time. He pushes himself harder, his mind racing for a way to make it through before the gates shut completely.

Reed spots the man closing the door and takes a brief moment to line up a shot. He fires a basic attack, hitting the man squarely and stopping the door from closing. But as the door halts, Reed feels a sharp pain in his back. A bullet from one of the officers who had managed to get closer finds its mark, and Reed stumbles, his body aching from the impact. He grits his teeth, knowing that every second counts as the door continues to inch shut.

Reed sprints with all his remaining strength, ignoring the pain from the bullets piercing his body. He leaves the bag of clothes behind, realizing that escaping with his life is far more important than the stolen goods. His heart pounds as the sound of gunshots echoes in the night, the officers still pursuing him. Despite the increasing pain from the wounds, he pushes himself harder, finally making it past the gate and into the dark streets beyond.

When he finally escapes, breathless and battered, he collapses against a nearby building, his body aching from the gunshots. He's left in the quiet aftermath of the chaos, knowing he just barely made it out alive.

Reed breathes a sigh of relief, silently thanking himself for investing those points into Defense. It was the only thing that kept him from collapsing entirely, cushioning the impact of the bullets just enough to allow him to escape. 

Now, hidden in the shadowed corners of Grey Terminal, his body aches from the strain, but the adrenaline still pumps through his veins. He rests, taking slow, shallow breaths, hoping the police don't realize where he's gone. He needs a moment to recover, but even as he rests, he can't shake the thought that things have gotten far more complicated than he'd planned.

Reed, startled by the sight of his wounds healing quickly, rationalizes that his increased Defense is likely the cause. He remembers Jack mentioning how higher Defense leads to more [HP] in the game. As long as his [HP] isn't zero, he figures he'll be fine.

Reed lets out a deep breath, looking at his clothes now riddled with holes. He sighs and mutters to himself, "So much for that."

After a few minutes of rest, Reed stands up and scans the area for a green marker. Spotting it in the distance, he recognizes it as Jack's marker. He begins heading that way, knowing that since they are allied, Jack is over there and so it the ship.

Reed finally steps out of Grey Terminal, letting out a sigh of relief as he feels like he's out of immediate danger. He begins making his way toward the ship, his pace slow at first. However, after a few minutes, he looks up and notices the sun rising on the horizon. Realizing the time, he quickens his steps, eager to get back to the safety of the ship.

When Reed arrived back at the ship, he saw Jack already awake. What puzzled him, though, was that Jack's clothes appeared perfectly intact, unlike Reed's, which were torn and riddled with holes.

Jack notices Reed's torn clothes as they exchange a look. Reed, still confused, asks, "How are your clothes fixed?"

Jack removes his gaze from his system, turns to Reed, and says, "I leveled up, and it fixed it."

(Jack)

Melee - 4 » 9

Defense - 3 » 8

Sword - 0

Gun - 0

Devil Fruit - 8 » 13

Reed's eye twitches, feeling like all his efforts from last night were in vain. He sighs, then asks, "What level are you?"

Jack answers quickly, "Level 6. By the way, where were you?"

Reed, seeing that Jack isn't acting depressed anymore, answers with excitement, "I went to try to get clothes." He then begins to retell Jack what he did, describing his daring escapades, breaking into the shop, and the close call with the police forces. His voice becomes more animated as he recalls the adrenaline-filled moments. "It was intense, but I got some clothes for us!"

Reed shrugs with a slight grin. "Yeah, but in the end, I had to ditch the bag. The police were too close, and I couldn't risk getting caught." He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "So much for that plan." 

Jack raises an eyebrow, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Sounds like you had a fun night," he says, voice tinged with sarcasm. 

Reed nods, his grin widening. "Fun... definitely one way to put it."

Reed asks, "So, how'd you level up?"

Jack pauses before answering, "I hunted some animals, they give a bit of EXP... but killing humans gives more..."

Reed pauses, then replies, "Alright..." The silence lingers between them.

Reed breaks the silence, saying, "Let's take our minds off that." He walks up to Jack, grabs him by the arm, and pulls him into the forest, adding, "Help me level up."

In the middle of the forest, they come across a large tiger caught in sticky rice and surrounded by bamboo spikes. Reed, eyes eager, says, "Let me! I want to see if I can level up with this."

Reed sends a sharp bamboo stalk straight into the tiger, ending its life. He stands there for a moment, feeling strangely unaffected. "Why do I feel like nothing happened?" he mutters, looking at Jack.

Jack, unbothered, replies, "Check your system."

Reed nods, looking satisfied. "I see, it granted me 50 EXP points. I need 50 more for level 2." 

 Reed [lv. 1] (50/100)

Jack grins, his thoughts already turning to the next hunt. "Let's find more then." He thinks to himself, 'So a dangerous enough enemy grants more EXP... Good.'

They both prepare to move deeper into the forest, the thrill of gaining experience motivating them forward.

After a while, they spot a wild boar. "Finally," Reed mutters, then turns to Jack. "Alright, trap it."

Jack nods and quickly sets up his [Sticky Grain Trap] around the boar. Reed shoots a bamboo stalk towards the boar, scaring it directly into the traps. He then finishes it off with a swift strike, killing it instantly.

Reed, noticing that the boar barely gave any EXP, wonders how Jack managed to reach level 6 so quickly. He shrugs it off and continues hunting, determined to level up faster himself.

After a while, Reed reaches [lv. 1] (90/100). Jack, noticing his exhaustion, says, "Alright, I'm tired. I haven't slept since last night."

Reed quickly responds, "Just one more!" His determination clear as he pushes for one more hunt.

Jack sighs and nods. "One last."

Reed's excitement bubbles up as he exclaims, "Great!" He can't wait to finish leveling up and see what happens next.

After a quick search with no success, Jack says, "Maybe I got too much last night..."

Reed raises an eyebrow and replies "Really now? Oh well, let's head back."

On their way back, they spot a fairly large snake. Reed, noticing it immediately, attacks, sending a bamboo spike towards the snake. The spike hits, but the snake retaliates, attacking Reed in response. Jack, seeing Reed in trouble, rushes to his side to provide support.

Reed is sent flying by the snake's tail, crashing into a tree. Jack, seeing Reed down, quickly retaliates by sending a [Rice Fist] towards the snake. As the fist connects, the snake becomes enraged, charging straight toward Jack. Jack, prepared for the attack, hastily sets up [Sticky Grain Trap] around the area in an attempt to slow the snake down.

The snake crashes through the [Sticky Grain Trap], tearing through the rice with ease, seemingly unaffected by it. Reed, still feeling the impact of the blow from earlier, forces himself to his feet. He quickly focuses and uses [Bamboo Impale], sending sharp bamboo spears toward the snake in an attempt to slow it down. The sudden attack momentarily distracts the snake, giving Jack just enough time to back off and reassess their situation.

Jack steps back as the snake is momentarily distracted by the bamboo spikes erupting from the ground. He quickly fires more [Rice Fist], trying to weaken the snake further. Realizing that the [Sticky Grain Trap] is ineffective, he decides to focus on offensive moves. Reed, not wanting to fall behind, shoots more sharp bamboo stalks at the snake, hoping to land a decisive hit. However, the bamboo only embeds itself shallowly in the snake's tough hide, frustrating Reed. The snake, now even more enraged, begins to lash out violently.

Jack, getting too close to the snake, is struck hard, sending him flying backward. However, he quickly uses [Rice Fist] to cushion his fall, rolling to minimize the impact. Reed, seeing Jack getting hit, reacts swiftly by using his [Bamboo Impale] to create a makeshift wall of bamboo in front of him. The spikes shoot up from the ground, forming a temporary barrier to protect him from the snake's next attack. He braces himself, ready to strike back as the snake roars in frustration.

The snake, undeterred by the bamboo wall, barrels through it with an intense force. Jack, now back on his feet, launches more [Rice Fist] toward the snake, trying to wear it down. Reed, following up with a barrage of sharp bamboo spikes, successfully strikes the creature, but is knocked back once again. As he hits the ground, he groans and mutters, almost to himself, "Why did I even attack it in the first place?" The adrenaline from the fight causes his mind to race, but he knows they need to finish this quickly before they end up overwhelmed.

Jack, realizing that rushing in blindly isn't working, takes a step back and adopts a more cautious approach. He stays at a distance, shooting more [Rice Fist] at the snake while retreating every time it gets close. Despite his efforts, the snake's speed still catches him off guard, and he ends up taking a few hits. He grits his teeth, frustration building, but continues to fire, trying to wear the creature down while avoiding being knocked back again. Meanwhile, Reed struggles to get back up, wondering how much longer they can keep this up.

Reed, now following Jack's lead, stays at a distance, firing off sharp bamboo spikes at the snake whenever he has the chance. The battle continues, with both of them carefully maintaining their distance, trying to outlast the creature. After a few more tense minutes, the snake finally succumbs to its injuries, collapsing as the bamboo impales it deeper, its body trembling before going still.

Reed exhales in relief, wiping sweat from his brow. "Finally," he mutters under his breath. Jack, still catching his breath, glances over at Reed. They both know that victory came at a cost, but for now, they've managed to survive another dangerous encounter.

Reed and Jack exchange a glance, both noticing their torn clothes slowly repairing themselves. They freeze for a moment, surprised by the effect. Jack is the first to react, quickly checking his level, his eyes scanning the screen. Reed, still a bit confused, mimics Jack and checks his own level.

Jack [lv. 7] (150/600)

Reed [lv. 4] (120/200)

{A/N: I made up the numbers don't try to calculate that}

Jack turns to Reed and says, "Let's head back to the ship for now."

Reed nods, too tired to argue, and follows Jack as they make their way back. He decides to set his stats later, too worn out from the events to think about them now. The quiet journey back is a welcome relief after the chaos of the hunt, and both of them are eager to rest.

When they arrive back at the ship, Jack wastes no time. He creates a rice ball and settles down, using it as a makeshift headrest before falling asleep almost instantly. Reed, equally exhausted, doesn't bother with anything fancy. He just walks into the ship, drops to the floor, and falls asleep right there. Both of them finally find some rest after the long day.

When Reed wakes up, the sun is already setting. He stretches and walks out of the ship, noticing Jack eating some rice balls by himself. With a smirk, Reed walks up to him and playfully asks, "Are we night owls now?"

"Pretty much," Jack replies with a grin. After a brief pause, he hands Reed some rice balls and adds, "Don't forget to claim the daily mission. I already got mine."

Reed nods, taking a bite of the rice balls, then pulls up his system to claim his mission as well.

(Jack) 3000 » 4500

(Reed) 2500 » 4000

Reed asks, "Did you set up your stat points yet?" Jack replies with a simple "no."

"I'm gonna do mine real quick," Reed says.

Jack nods, "I'm going to do mine as well." They both open their respective systems.

(Reed)

Melee - 4 » 5

Defense - 4 » 8

Sword - 0

Gun - 0

Devil Fruit - 4 » 8

(Jack)

Melee - 9 » 10

Defense - 8 » 10

Sword - 0

Gun - 0

Devil Fruit - 13

Jack sighs and says, "That was a tough fight." 

Reed quickly responds with a sharp, "Yup!" popping the P.

Jack looks at Reed, his eyes thoughtful. "Now what? Do we stay here and kill more wild animals or move on?"

Reed thinks for a moment before responding, "We best leave this island. We caused too much trouble here."

Jack nods in agreement, then says, "Let's go tomorrow. For now, I don't want to move."

Reed replies, "Alright," and lays down, ready to rest for the night.

Jack, noticing Reed preparing to rest, asks, "Didn't you just wake up? And don't you have a new move to try out?"

Reed, settling down, glances at Jack and replies, "Yeah, I just woke up... but I'm not in the mood for more action tonight. As for the new move, I did unlock one, but I'll figure it out tomorrow. I want to rest my body first."

Jack raises an eyebrow, "Fair enough. Rest up, then."

End of Chapter.