A bad premonition

Have you held a gun before?

No, not a toy gun or airsoft, but a real gun. Because I did.

It's heavy, it's powerful, and you need to have the responsibility to only use it in certain moments indicated by the law, or else the law will go after you.

But have you tried controlling a drone?

What about a drone with a gun? Wouldn't that be fun?

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*Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*

I can hear it in the speakers paired in my helmet with the controls that the drone is currently in its VTOL mode, hovering quite a distance from the ground. I had it follow them in this manner while the rain dampened the sound of its motor because their actions seem...interesting. It's convenient to fly this thing around due to its sophisticated system embedded in it.

The drone after all was the one that chases you at the start of the game trying to kill you. It has an onboard scanner that can allow you to scan objects while the controller itself is aware, with the drone to accompany me on my journeys it should prove useful.

Its accuracy with the gun is good, however the fire rate suck. Despite having great firepower, the plasma drone can only let its gun shoot plasma rounds at a rate of 10 per 5 seconds, after that a short cooldown of 5 seconds would come. To compensate I could team it up to 5 drones with the controller, since I can convert them into a drone flock, and solo if I wanted to. But doing so would increase the noise, making them noticeable even in this weather.

[.......what are they supposed to be doing?] I peered at the screen and observed as they make their way to the opposite side of the mountain where I am.

I'm currently still holed in the same cave opening, sitting ducks in the cold stony cavern watching this console, spying on these men.

Am I doing something bad perhaps? But I can't ignore that these men were hostile to me, and probably hostile to others as well. They were equipped with bladed and stringed weapons, staffs, and probably wands as I saw some of them looked to be carrying way too lightly.

Baggage carries at the rear, archers after that, next are spear men, and then swordsmen and shield users. Wow, what a formation, at least I can commend them for doing that.

[Sour] While doing so, I was eating the 3 berries that I got on the way here. To be honest, they were edible, but they were too sour for consumption. It tasted like I ate pure citric acid tablets.

The rain seems to persist as it showed no signs of stopping any minute by now, but with that, I continued what I was doing.

.....

....

[Should I also make a move right now?] Minutes passed, and the men were still walking and walking. Their source of light are metal lamps fueled with some kind of oil, or perhaps magic tools commonly used in this world. It's bright enough to illuminate the road for about 5 meters away from each of those holding it.

However, They are clearly heading to this side. I should move to another place for now.

[Ah...they stopped] Hmmmm??? Oh?

The drone's camera visibility is not that good when it comes to weather like this, but using the thermal camera made it easier to see. There is another entrance far from here, which was the one they slowly entered one by one. It's a small opening, only enough for one person to go through, but looking at where they entered made me feel suspicious that something is off in this location. I had the drone peer over the area, inspecting its layout as well as vegetation.

{SCANNING AREA...}

[........] And my suspicions were correct.

{A SECRET HIDEOUT HAS BEEN LOCATED. SETTING A MARKER ON THE MAP}

*Ping!*

A [!] marker then appeared, seemingly placed at the exact spot where the drone was aiming its crosshair. The number of people then slowly diminish as they were almost done entering the place, the baggage carriers however were left outside.

[What?! You're leaving us here by ourselves?!] (??) Oh? I can hear some sort of complaint in the group, so I had the drone hover above them again to hear their conversation.

[We won't be long in the hideout, we're just going to get the goods] (??) One of them pushed the baggage carrier into where he used to stand. Dejected, he returned and sat at a nearby tree.

Goods? What goods?

{TITAN GAUGE: 90%, REMAINING TIME TILL DEPLOYMENT IS 20 MINUTES}

I have a bad feeling with this. My senses and intuition tells me that these guys are about to do something really nasty.

[NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! STOPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!] (????) And so here it was, 4 voices were heard by the Plasma drone's microphone, relaying it to the internal speakers within the pilot helmet.

Well shit, what is more worse with "you can't do anything" other than "you can help, but you didn't do anything".

*Shlickt* *Kt*

{DRONE ON STATIONARY VTOL}

I cocked the machine gun and stored the controller back to the INVENTORY before bolting out under the cover of strong rain in the night.

Why am I reacting like this? Because I hated sex crimes.

{VOICE SCANNING COMPLETE, 5 VOICES WERE ALL FROM HUMAN FEMALES}

[You damned mother fuckers] I held my breath as I jumped boulder to boulder, sprinting as I held a 10 light machine gun in my arm. The adrenaline rush reached my head as I wanted to save whoever they are.

"Jack always remember this, no matter how much a bitch a girl is, they are still girls and you have to protect them. They needed a man even if they say they don't need one, just like me, I needed your father, and here he is beside me"

"Dear I think you diverted at what you wanted to say to our son. Okay, listen here, what your mum wanted to tell is that just go and save girls, no matter who they are, just let it not be the bad guys, for the rest just turn your backs at them"

Ugh...why did that memory resurfaced just now. Mum, dad, wonder how you're doing by now. Your son here is the middle of a mission to save whoever I need to save.

=======================

The POV of a certain city girl........

My name is Luka, an ordinary girl who is dreaming of something big in life. I want to enter the great magic Academy in the Empire.

My wish however is far from getting into because I am a commoner, what is a commoner you might ask? We are a social class of people who are just within the boundary between a serif and a merchant. Merchants are higher than us........above that are nobles, and then the royalties at the last.

My family is just composed of farmers, and then there's me, a shop caretaker.

*Kliiing~!*

The shop's door bells chimed as the usual clients came in, a party of 5 people.

[Luka, I need 5 medium grade mana potions and 3 high grade stamina recovery potions] (Will) Our regular patron, Will, along with his team mates that composed the adventuring party "Deimos" came around this evening. The rain outside was still pouring heavily, so they came inside with their wet rain cloaks.

[Okay, I am on it] This is the usual purchase, these guys after all are dungeon divers. Professional people who can dive into those death towers that contain fortune for the lucky ones, and death for the others.

[Still, the talk in the town about some adventurers spotting something weird in the death mountain is spread] (Will)

[You mean "that" as well as the recent disappearance of maidens around these parts?] (??) While inspecting the

[Yeah, the guild told us to investigate about it if we're free. Since it was raining I cancelled it because the trip to the forest near it makes it dangerous on this kind of weather] (Will)

[As expected of our leader, but do you think that organization is behind this again?] (??)

[I don't know, but Luka be careful when walking in the night okay? News and talks about girls and women alike disappearing within the month have been widespread] (Will) He faced me as I placed the potions on the basket in the table.

Abductions? Disappearance, talk about reasons not to go outside anymore.

[I'm a recluse anyway, as if I'd have any motivation to go outside]

[Kahahahah! As expected of the bookworm, cellar dweller Luka-chan] (??) Mou.....

I may be a recluse, but I am a girl okay. But hearing about that news just makes me feel worried about other people.

Will we be alright? Is everything going to be fine?

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In the Adventurer's Guild Office, Miruzo City's Branch...

Rain poured violently outside, occasional lightning strikes outside causing the air to shake, however the office was warm because a few warming magic tools were spread.

[You already know why I called you here, right?] (??) A tall, bearded, buff man that looks like a bear sat in the office chair while looking at the report given at him. Large piles of papers containing various reports that lead to one group.

[It seems "that" organization made a move again, talk about spreading bullshit again] (??) A woman with red hair, red eyes, and a large sword spear on her back sat at the chair and then placed her foot at the table.

[Come on now you twerp! I just wiped that down!] (??)

[Hmph, that was just a few specks of mud, what's worse anyway?. Anyway are you telling me to investigate about this matter again? You know that the organization we're talking about are too good in covering their tracks right?] (??) Taking a lollipop from her breast pocket, she then puts it at her mouth and then crossed her arms.

[Argh...fine, yes they do, but what I want you to do is to help defer their actions until the council manages to track their base. It's been years since those fuckers started their infamy, now, it needs to be stop] (??) The bear looking man sighed as he wipes the muddy edge of the table.

Black Vipers, a logo of an Ominous looking black Viper coiling around a severed arm was drawn on the parchment of paper. Along with it are names that appeared which seems to have a connection with the organization.

[Tsk, and here I thought I will have my long-awaited vacation] (??) She placed her other foot on the table.

[Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!! I just wiped that down recently!!! You vixen!] (??)

[Fufufufufufufu, at least you now have work to do. Well see you tomorrow chief~ bye~] (Rynia) She walked off swaying her hips.

The guild master can only look at her exit with frustration as he wipes at the muddy table again, his horror increased further when he saw that the office carpet itself........was also stained with mud.

[That bitch!!!!] (??)

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I arrived. And boy am I so muddy right now, that it became my advantage. I am just having the weird feeling that something heavy was covering my body, but that does not matter right now.

[So these lackies are watchmen huh] I gripped at a stone and threw it at a tree nearby the closest guy.

[Huh?! What was that?!] (??)

[Go check it out for yourself nimrod] (??)

[You fucker] (??) Two of them remained as watchmen, while the one who noticed the noise investigated.

Just as planned.

The drone was still hovering above us as I can see its green outline in my helmet.

{SWITCHING TO USER CONTROL}

I took the controller out a while ago, now, show time has began.

*Pisha!*

Under the noise of the heavy rainfall, whatever that was, was never heard by the guy who distanced himself from the group.

A blue light just passed by his chest, blasting a hole in it.

{YOU KILLED A BLACK VIPER MEMBER [HUMAN] X1}

{NO EXP HAS BEEN EARNED}

Huh. So killing humans does not add any experience whatsoever....that is new, I will take note of that.

The two lackies left in the vicinity of the cave opening did not even cared that one of them disappeared. Proving that they are quite in a discord within their group. No cooperation, no plan, and no security whatsoever. What the fuck are they then? Ordinary mobs? Goons? Surely they are not right?

And what the fuck is a black viper organization?

Wasn't that the mercenary group that the MC has to defeat in the single player campaign in the 2nd game? Apex Predators bullshits? No shit sherlock, I ain't got time for that.

[I guess these guys can go sleep then] Without further ado, I did what was the humane thing to do when dealing with dangerous people, to kill them painlessly.

Surprise mother fucker.

[ah--] (??) Using the CLOAK, I made myself almost invisible and then got closer to one of them. I noticed that there was a sword in the rucksack that was protruding from it so I took that out and slit the guy's neck.

{YOU KILLED A BLACK VIPER MEMBER [HUMAN] X1}

{NO EXP HAS BEEN EARNED}

No voice escaped his mouth, so the other guy was left alone....I guess that settles it then.

[Did this guy really had the audacity to sleep in the rain?] I looked at the last guy I left behind. He's just dozing on a tree while leaning on the baggages left behind by their group.

Surely, the ones that entered the cave hasn't come out yet.

I left the last one untouched, but I placed the bloody sword beside him. He was asleep as I passed by him...what the fuck were you supposed to be anyway?

[Cavern hallway clear, one guy left at the entrance though] I slowly approached and entered the entrance.

The MAP is useful when it comes to exploring tight spaces like this, I had an outline of the entire area, but the hostiles were not visible unlike if I was outside. That is a bugger, but it's better than none.

Slowly I moved in the dark path within the cave, my only illumination is none for I am guided by the night vision feature of the pilot helmet. The place is full of stalagmites and stalactites so I have to be very careful with my movements. A single mistake and my location will be given at any time.

Just thinking of a fight in the cave, it's just difficult to do. The gun has a length of 1 yard, about 90 cm if I am correct, and moving the gun here and there is difficult. I even had to go and switch it with the Hammond P2022 just to be efficient in this kind of closed space.

[A few meters ahead?] I looked at the Expanded MAP which showed me a holographic 3D image of the cave's layout which was about 50 meters deep, I found out where the voice was located.

It was just in the corner not far from me