I Use my Cheat Ability from the Game even In Real Life! Chapter 3:The Shadow Market

Chapter 3: The Shadow Market

The next morning, Hiroki awoke with a renewed sense of purpose. He had the dagger, a valuable weapon that would give him a significant advantage in any encounter. He also had the Deception skill, which he could use to navigate the treacherous social landscape of the city.

He decided to venture into the heart of the city, to the infamous Shadow Market. It was said to be the center of trade for the Scavengers, a place where anything could be bought and sold, from stolen goods to forbidden knowledge.

He approached the market cautiously, keeping to the shadows and observing the activity from a distance. The market was a chaotic scene, a cacophony of shouts, bargaining, and laughter.

Scavengers, their faces hardened by years of hardship, haggled over scraps of metal, broken electronics, and even human organs.

Hiroki, using his Observe skill, scanned the crowd. He identified potential threats: a hulking brute with a spiked club, a nimble thief with eyes like a hawk, and a group of women with unsettlingly calm eyes, likely skilled assassins.

He needed to blend in, to become invisible. He activated his Deception skill, focusing on his appearance. His clothes, already tattered, were further dirtied with soot and grime. He slouched his shoulders, adopting a hunched posture, and let his hair fall over his face, obscuring his features.

He moved through the crowd, mimicking the movements and mannerisms of the other Scavengers. He watched how they interacted, how they spoke, how they assessed each other. He learned their slang, their gestures, their unspoken rules.

He soon discovered that the Shadow Market was more than just a place for buying and selling goods. It was also a place for information exchange, a hub for rumors and whispers. He overheard conversations about hidden caches of supplies, about rival Scavenger gangs, about a mysterious figure known only as "The Broker," a shadowy figure who dealt in forbidden technologies.

He decided to try his luck. He approached a grizzled old Scavenger, his face etched with a thousand wrinkles.

"Excuse me," Hiroki mumbled, his voice roughened by his best attempt at a Scavenger accent, "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find some... you know... those glowsticks?"

The old Scavenger eyed him suspiciously.

"Glowsticks? What you need those for?"

"Just... just for fun," Hiroki mumbled, avoiding the old man's gaze.

The old Scavenger chuckled, a dry, rasping sound. "Fun, huh? You young'uns and your silly games. Try lookin' for 'em around the Bone Yard. That's where the junkies hang out."

Hiroki thanked the old man and slipped away, his heart pounding. The Bone Yard. Another dangerous location, but potentially a valuable source of information.

He spent the rest of the day navigating the labyrinthine streets of the city, gathering information. He learned about hidden tunnels beneath the city, about a network of safe houses used by the Scavengers, and about a rumored uprising against the oppressive regime that controlled the city.

As the sun began to set, he found a secluded alleyway, a haven of relative peace in the chaotic city. He activated the Game Master System.

"[Experience Points: 40]"

"[Level Up!]"

"[Status: Weak]"

"[Available Skills: Observe (Level 4), Foraging (Level 3), Deception (Level 2), Stealth]"

"[Stealth: Move silently and undetected. Initial Level: 1]"

Hiroki grinned. The Stealth skill was a valuable asset. It would allow him to move through the city with greater ease, to avoid detection, to become a ghost in the shadows.

He felt a surge of excitement. He was getting stronger, more cunning, more resourceful. He was becoming a true survivor in this harsh new world.

He had a long way to go, but he was no longer just a pawn in this game of life. He was a player, a contender, a force to be reckoned with. And he would not stop until he reached the top.

The Bone Yard was a desolate wasteland, a graveyard of discarded machinery and abandoned vehicles. Rusting cars, twisted metal, and crumbling concrete littered the landscape, creating a surreal and eerie atmosphere.

Hiroki, using his Stealth skill, moved through the wreckage with the grace of a shadow. He crouched low, his senses heightened, his ears straining for any sound. He saw groups of Scavengers huddled around fires, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames. He saw drug deals being made, weapons being traded, and bodies being disposed of.

He was looking for information, for any clues about the glowsticks, but also for any weaknesses, any vulnerabilities he could exploit.

He overheard a conversation between two Scavengers, their voices low and conspiratorial.

"Heard the Broker's lookin' for recruits," one Scavenger whispered, his eyes darting around nervously. "Said he's got something big planned, something that could change everything."

"The Broker?" the other Scavenger scoffed.

"That crazy old man? I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him."

"But the rewards..." the first Scavenger trailed off, his voice filled with greed.

Hiroki's ears perked up. The Broker. The mysterious figure who dealt in forbidden technologies. This could be a valuable lead.

He continued to observe, gathering information, piecing together the puzzle of the Shadow Market. He learned about the rivalries between the different Scavenger gangs, about the hierarchy of power, about the dangers that lurked in every shadow.

He also discovered that the glowsticks were not just for fun. They were a valuable commodity, used to mark territory, to signal danger, and even to communicate coded messages.

He decided to try his luck. He approached a group of young Scavengers, their faces painted with crude symbols.

"Hey," he said, his voice casual, "You guys wouldn't happen to know where I could score some glowsticks, would ya?"

The Scavengers eyed him suspiciously. "You new around here, punk?" one of them sneered.

"Just lookin' to have some fun," Hiroki replied, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Fun, huh?" the same Scavenger chuckled.

"Well, fun ain't free, kid. You gotta earn it."

Hiroki knew what that meant. He would have to prove himself, to demonstrate his worth to the Scavengers. He would have to fight.

He activated the Game Master System.

"[New Quest: Prove Yourself to the Scavengers. Reward: Unknown]"

Hiroki accepted the quest, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. This was his chance to prove himself, to rise above the shadows, to become a true player in this dangerous game.

He squared his shoulders, the dagger clutched tightly in his hand. He was ready.

The fight was brutal. Hiroki, despite his newfound skills, was no match for the experienced Scavengers. They were bigger, stronger, more ruthless. He was outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and outclassed.

He was battered and bruised, his body aching, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He felt the sting of defeat, the bitter taste of failure.

But then, something unexpected happened. He remembered the words of the Game Master System: "This world is now your game."

He activated his Observe skill, focusing on his opponents.

"[Scavenger 1: Exhausted, distracted. Weakness: Right shoulder injury.]"

"[Scavenger 2: Overconfident, reckless. Weakness: Left leg weakness.]"

"[Scavenger 3: Panicked, unpredictable. Weakness: Fear of fire.]"

He saw the opportunities, the chinks in their armor. He used his Deception skill, feigning weakness, luring them into a false sense of security. He used his Stealth skill, moving silently and swiftly through the shadows.

He fought with a newfound ferocity, a desperate will to survive. He used the dagger with deadly precision, exploiting the weaknesses he had observed.

One by one, his opponents fell. The first, a hulking brute, succumbed to a well-placed strike to his injured shoulder. The second, overconfident and reckless, tripped over a piece of debris and landed heavily on his injured leg.

The third, panicked and terrified, cowered in fear as Hiroki ignited a small fire, the flames licking at the edge of his tattered clothes.

He emerged victorious, battered but unbroken.

The other Scavengers watched him with a mixture of awe and respect. They had witnessed his courage, his cunning, his unwavering will to survive.

He had proven himself.

The Scavengers, still wary but impressed, finally agreed to sell him a few glowsticks.

As he walked away, he activated the Game Master System.

"[Quest Completed: Prove Yourself to the Scavengers]"

"[Reward: 50 Experience Points]"

"[Level Up!]"

"[Status: Weak]"

"[Available Skills: Observe (Level 5), Foraging (Level 4), Deception (Level 3), Stealth (Level 2), Combat]"

*"[Combat: Engage in hand-to-hand combat effectively. Initial Level:???]"*.