Chapter 52
[David's POV]
I sat on the couch, staying quiet while everything settled in my head. In a way, I felt a bit relieved. I could just live, grow, and survive.
But still, something didn't feel right.
A small doubt stayed in the back of my mind.
Was that really the whole truth?
Things like this never happened without a cost. Everything in life had some kind of price. Even if I ended up here by accident, there had to be something behind it.
"System," I said softly but clearly, "Is there really nothing more? No secret reason? No catch?"
[Further access requires system upgrade. Level 2 authorization is needed to unlock higher-tier information.]
Of course.
I let out a long breath and leaned my head against the back of the sofa.
"Figures," I mumbled.
No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't come up with an answer. But I had a feeling—I would find out the truth one day.
After rubbing my face, I decided to check something else. I opened my Inventory tab.
[INVENTORY]
Weapons: Glock 17, Knuckle Dusters, Luce & Ombra, Senbons, Elucidator & Dark Repulsor, Yubashiri, Grapnel Gun, Hellsing ARMS Casull, Nichirin Blade, Slaughter Demon, Kasaka's Venom Fang.
Vehicles: "Monster" Ford Mustang GT, ISIS Yacht, C-147B Paladin, C-1.
Items: $6.75M Cash, Full Potion x3, Minor Healing Potion x5, Holy Water of Life x6, Red Dust x10, Night Blood Serum x2, Truth Serum x5, Fear Toxin, Venom (Bane), Neuralyzer Set, Power Cells – T-800 x10, Zero Point Energy Gloves, Espresso Machine, Background Customization Card x5, Weakness Removal Card x3, Power Amplification Card x3, Contracts x5, Card Shredder x1, Darkwear, Sneakers, Alex Mercer's Jacket.
Characters: Harold Allnut, Hal Emmerich, Peter Gambi, Allison Argent, Simon "Ghost" Riley, Marco Rossi, Agent 6, Agent Whiskey, Robert DuBois, Tahani, Thomas de Carneillon, Rosarita Cisneros, Shin, Charon, C. Viper, Chris Redfield, Loid Forger.
The new categorized layout caught my eye.
Much better than before.
Everything was easier to find now. No more scrolling endlessly to spot a weapon or digging around for a specific potion. It felt less like a messy hoard and more like an actual organized arsenal.
It felt... efficient.
Then a thought came to me.
"System," I asked, "What does it actually mean when I summon a character? Last time you said they're bound by a soul contract. But what does that truly mean? Do they just follow me blindly? Or is it more about loyalty and secrecy?"
[Summoned characters are real people. They retain all their memories, skills, and personalities. The soul contract ensures their loyalty—specifically, they will not betray you, nor will they reveal anything about your system or your abilities. But they are not puppets. Treat them with respect, as you would any companion.]
I nodded slowly.
So they weren't just tools. They were allies. Real ones. People with thoughts, feelings, and lives.
I had to be careful with who I brought into this world.
It was already midnight, but I couldn't sleep.
The truth about the system, the soul contract, the reality of how I ended up in this world—it all kept spinning in my head. But beyond that, I had a mission to finish. The Iron Serpent gang had dragged on too long. I had been cautious, methodical. But with everything I had now—my own skills, the characters I had assimilated, the ones I could summon—I was ready to end this.
No more delay.
I changed into a fresh black outfit and slipped on my jacket. My mind was clear. Focused.
The warehouse was quiet when I arrived. The steel shutters opened for me, and I stepped inside.
"Gideon," I said, my voice steady.
Her voice came through the speakers. "Yes, David?"
"Where are Emilio Delgado and Victor Ruiz right now?"
"Emilio Delgado is currently in a private lounge at the Nightshade Club in Queens. Victor Ruiz is in an apartment above a bar in Brooklyn. Both locations are under passive surveillance."
I paused before heading downstairs.
"And what about the others? Javier Morales and Carlos Estevez?"
Gideon responded without delay. "Javier Morales is currently at a fortified townhouse in Harlem. Two armed guards are present, and additional gang members are rotating shifts. Carlos Estevez is at a storage dock near the East River. He's overseeing a shipment transfer."
So that was it. All three key targets were spread out:
Queens – Emilio Delgado
Brooklyn – Victor Ruiz
Harlem – Javier Morales
East River Dock – Carlos Estevez
"Gideon," I said as I stood near the main console. "Keep watching Carlos Estevez. When I give the word, send his location to the cops."
"Understood," she replied.
Carlos wasn't my main concern. He was in hiding, and I could deal with him without getting my hands dirty. But the other three—Emilio Delgado, Victor Ruiz, and Javier Morales—needed to be handled at the same time.
I needed to move quickly. Morales was the leader, but honestly, I didn't care what happened to him. Delgado was the money man. I needed him alive so I could drain every cent out of the gang's operations. Ruiz was personal. He was part of the reason I was dragged into this mess, and I wasn't going to let him escape.
If I wanted this to work, I needed to hit all three targets at the same time.
That meant calling for allies, the ones I could summon. And I needed a few of them now.
Before anything else, I moved two characters into the assimilation process. Loid Forger and Agent Whiskey.
Character Assimilation:
1. Ezio Auditore da Firenze – 90%
2. Richard Drakunovski – 55%
3. Loid Forger - 50%
4. Agent Whiskey - 60%
I walked over to the center of the warehouse.
"Gideon," I said, "Activate the other two sparring bots. Take control of them and keep them on standby."
"Sure David."
The three bots moved into position. They stood in a triangle, one on each far end of the warehouse. Their presence was silent but strong. I felt like I was preparing for war.
I took a breath and opened the Characters Inventory.
Now came the question I had to answer: who should I summon?
After some deliberation I decided to test this.
For that I made my choice.
"System," I said. "Summon Shin."
As soon as I said the words, lights began to gather in the center of the warehouse. Tiny orbs of light floated in the air, swirling slowly, as if the very fabric of space was pulling them together.
But then they stopped. A keyboard and a digital screen appeared before me, with a countdown timer in the top right corner reading: 10 minutes.
[Do you wish to customize the background of the character?]
[Y/N]
I clicked "Yes".
[One Background Customization Card will be used.]
I nodded. There was already some information about Shin from his world, but I could add more.
I typed quickly:
- Second-generation American immigrant.
- Used to work as a bodyguard and mercenary.
- Recently settled near Chinatown.
- Planning to open a small bar, currently under renovation.
- Basic knowledge of this world.
I tried adding more, like giving him a superpower or a history in a secret super-soldier program—but the system rejected those changes.
Time was running out, so I clicked Confirm.
The orbs of light moved again. They came together fast, forming a human shape. Muscle, skin, and clothes filled out the form. Then, with a soft glow, Shin stood in front of me.
I stayed silent.
He looked around, his eyes scanning the warehouse. Then his gaze met mine.
"Is this the afterlife?" he asked.
Before I could respond, he suddenly grunted and fell to his knees, holding his head.
"System, what's happening?" I asked quickly.
[The background information is integrating into his memory. Please stand by.]
I stood ready, alert but calm. A few moments later, he relaxed. His breathing settled, and he slowly stood back up.
He blinked and looked at me again. "Okay... that was a lot. But I think I'm good now."
I gave a small nod. "How do you feel? What do you last remember?"
Shin paused and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know. Everything feels hazy. A little groggy."
Then he frowned and looked directly at me. "Who are you?"
I smiled a little. "Just a guy with powers."
He stared for a second like I was joking.
I didn't mind and repeated, "What do you remember? Think carefully."
There was a long silence. His gaze dropped slightly, and then he answered. "I remember helping... a guy. We were under attack. I got shot in the back. That's how I died. Then... nothing. Just darkness. Then some kind of light pulled me out... and I woke up here."
His voice was quiet. His face showed a bit of pain and confusion.
We stood in silence.
Then he asked, "So... what is it you want?"
"I will tell you more soon, so just wait for a bit," I said. "You'll be getting some company soon—people like you."
Shin raised an eyebrow but didn't ask anything. He looked calm, but I could tell he was still trying to make sense of everything.
I reached into my inventory and pulled out a cold bottle of water, then tossed it to him.
He caught it with both hands, but his eyes widened in confusion. "Where... where did this come from?"
"Let's just say I have my ways," I replied with a small smirk. "Have some water. You can sit if you want." I pointed to the nearby metal chair next to one of the workbenches.
He glanced between the bottle and the chair, then walked over and sat down slowly. He twisted the cap open and took a sip, still watching me carefully.
I didn't waste any more time. I turned my focus back to the system and prepared to summon the next character.
Just like before, I selected the summoning option. This time, I chose Rosarita Cisneros—also known as Roberta from Black Lagoon.
The same light-based summoning process began again. Before her body could form, the timer started counting down from ten minutes, and a floating keyboard appeared in front of me with the background customization prompt.
The system asked, "Do you wish to customize the background of the summoned character?"
I confirmed. Basic background info was already filled, but I added a few details:
She was an ex-FARC guerrilla and a former mercenary turned maid, but in this version, she had moved to New York. She was running a small, tightly operated security agency as a front. Her agency had no known ties to gangs or governments. She also had basic knowledge about this world and general life skills relevant to blending in.
I tried to add enhanced physical abilities or some experimental upgrades to her body, but those were rejected by the system.
With seconds remaining, I hit confirm.
The floating orbs of light started to swirl and move, slowly coming together in the middle of the warehouse floor. I stepped back slightly and waited.
Another figure began to form in the glow.
As her body took full form, I quickly noticed something was off. Her eyes burned with fury.
She moved fast.
Before I could say anything, she launched herself at me.
I was already on full alert. My body moved on instinct.
I dodged her strike, grabbed her arm, and twisted her body mid-motion. I slammed her face-first into the concrete floor.
She thrashed under me with surprising strength. I gritted my teeth, holding her down with all my weight.
Shin watched with a dumbfounded expression from his seat. "What the hell is happening?!"
"Who are you?! Where is the young master?! What is this place?! Where is he?!" she yelled rapidly, struggling beneath me.
"Calm down, will you?" I growled as I pinned Roberta tighter.
Her strength was becoming harder to contain. I quickly reached into my inventory, pulled out three knockout syringes, and jabbed them into her neck.
Even then she continued to struggle while she struggled, then few minutes later, her body went limp.
I stood up and dusted off my hands with a sigh.
Shin walked over, eyes wide. "What was that? Why did she react like that?"
"Who knows. She might not have died peacefully," I replied, though my mind was already drawing conclusions. I needed to hear the full story from her mouth.
I turned my head toward one of the sparring bots Gideon was controlling.
"Keep an eye on her," I ordered.
The bot nodded silently.
I took a few steps forward to reset my focus.
Shin glanced between me and the bot. "What are those things?"
"Highly advanced robots," I answered. "For now, they're my assistants and bodyguards."
Then I turned my attention to the next summon.
To Be Continued...