A trade

(POV Cyrus)

"Do you not see the button that says 'accept'?" I hear Darius say irritably.

"What button-…oh yeah I see it now." I say in an embarrassed tone.

"…For one of the smartest people I know you're dumb as bricks sometimes." Darius said as he massaged his forehead.

"…" We stayed silent for a few moments.

"What are you waiting for dumbass?! Press the button!" He shouted at me.

"Yeah yeah, give me a second!" I say with a small smile as I accepted the contract.

<Both Parties Sentry Darius Greenwood and Sentry Cyrus Ryker have accepted the terms and conditions of contract number 29753 if the contract is to be broken both parties will be taken to the court of the contract operator Hydress Grim.> A unfamiliar voice echoed through the cavern walls.

"Is that normal!?" I shouted as my eardrums rang in pain.

"If you're talking about the voice yeah it's normal!" Darius shouted back as well.

"What?!" I shouted not hearing anything but ringing.

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(POV Lyra)

<Hey Nexus any idea why they're shouting?> I ask the necromancy system as our hosts screamed at the top of their lungs.

<No clue must be a human thing.> I hear him say with uncertainty.

<I guess they do it after a successful deal to signify a partnership.> I say with curiosity.

<Humans are weird.> I hear Nexus say with irritation as the shouting went from zero to eleven.

<That they are comrade that they are.> I agree with him.

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(POV Cyrus)

After a few minutes of excruciating ringing in my ear and back and forth banter the ringing receded.

"Can you hear me?!" I shout as the ringing stopped.

"Yes, I can! Can you hear me?!" Darius shouted at me.

"Okay good!" I shout back.

"Why are we shouting?!" I hear his plea coated with confusion.

"I have no idea?!" I reply with a shout.

"We should get back to the deal now that our eardrums aren't bleeding." I tell Darius with a serious look.

"Agreed." I hear him say with conviction.

"Well, just pay me and I'll just send you the corpse now."

"You see about that…" I hear him say in an unsure tone.

"Darius… what happened?" I ask him with seriousness and irritation.

"I don't have any Sp on me so how about I supply with you some equipment worth the price and more." He said in an embarrassed tone.

"That's fine I'm in desperate need of equipment anyways, just send me the stuff and I'll trade you the corpse." I accept the equipment with open arms.

"Ok, thanks for understanding." Darius said with gratitude as he opened up a panel and tapped it a few times.

"Nexus! Send these items to Cyrus!" He called out to Nexus.

<Done and dusted! It should be in his inbox!> Nexus said in his usual Western accent.

I followed his steps and tapped the jagras corpse icon "Lyra send the corpse to Darius please." I politely ask her.

<He should be receiving it now!> Lyra says with excitement.

"It was nice talking to you again old friend." I see Darius say with an expression filled with nostalgia.

I put on a smile as I remembered the past two days and shed a small tear "Yeah it was nice talking to you once more, once I get another monster corpse I call you all right.".

"Sure! Well got to go now I hope the stuff is to your liking." He waved as the video feed cuts off.

Once again the cave seemed to have dulled and the storm ensued and the cave filled with its thunderous call.

My eyes gleamed with greed and excitement as I opened my inventory to find something odd.

"Lyra where are the items?" I exclaimed with worry as my mind raced (Where the hell are the items? Did that bastard scam me? No that doesn't fit Darius's character but then where are they?!).

<Don't worry just open your status panel and tap the inbox.> Lyra calmed me down.

"Status!" I said with excitement.

[===

System: Beast tamer system

System host: Cyrus Ryker

Level: 0 [0 exp/50 exp]

Age: Physical 16, Mental 24

Current state: Mild fatigue

Affinities: Ice SS, Water B

HP: 28/28 G

STR: 18/20 G

DEF: 21/22 G

SPE: 28/30 E

STA: 37/50 E

INT: 500/500 SSS

ACU: 30/30 D

MANA: 63/100 G

M-DEF: 70/70 F

M-ATK: 40/40 G

Tamed beasts: None, None, None x 47

Transformation: unobtained

Skills: Cooking-4, Gun works-6, Ice magic-0.4, Herbology-5, Engineering-6, Chemistry-8, Biology-6, Close combat-5.4, Mana burst-0.6, Carpentry-5, Pain nullification-6, Water magic-0.8, Scan-1, Brain time-1

Inbox-4

Sp-110

Shop

Missions

Inventory

===]

I tapped the inbox and the status panel disappeared and was replaced with a new one.

[ ===

Inbox

2 Summoner gems- Starter pack of the beast tamer system

Telepathy scroll- Starter pack of the beast tamer system

Item crate- Darius Greenwood

===]

"Uh…Lyra did Darius send the other packages as well?" I ask Lyra with uncertainty.

<No he did not send those items. It's a starter pack I give to all my hosts.>

"Then why didn't you tell me about this?! It could have helped me before!" I shout with a sliver of rage in my betrayed tone.

<Cyrus don't misunderstand the situation. I don't wish for you to fail I want you to succeed.> I hear Lyra try to diffuse the situation.

"Then why didn't you tell me about this?" I ask with genuine confusion.

<Cause it's useless to you, for you to be able to use those items you need to be level 1 and currently your level 0.> She explained.

"I see, I'm sorry for lashing out at you Lyra." Feeling guilty I apologize.

<It's fine I should have told you beforehand, but don't worry in three hours you'll get the quest rewards and jagras exp!> I hear Lyra's tone ooze with anticipation.

"Yeah sorry once again." I pause as my expression changed from apologetic to one filled with greed.

"Now let's open the crate! Lyra!" my tone filled with excitement.

<On it!> I hear her say enthusiastically.

Then a panel leaped out my arm and high above me as it expanded to a staggering three meters.

"Damn! Just how big is this thing?" I blurt out.

Out of the black rectangle, a futuristic steel cube slowly emerged so slowly that a snail is Usain Bolt compared to it.

Suddenly the cube started coming out of the panel at a much faster rate "Yes finally!" I said with excitement.

The realization then struck me (Wait isn't it right above me- SHIT!!) as I jumped out of the way as a cube twice my size came crashing down at a dramatic speed cracking the ground below.

"That was close…" I muttered as I wiped the sweat off my brow. I walked towards the crate and circled it observing the steel box.

"Lyra how the hell am I supposed to open this thing?" I asked Lyra finding no opening.

<From the instructions Nexus left me you just place your hand on the box and try releasing some mana any amount will do.> Lyra instructed me.

I then placed my palm on the crate and tried feeling the energy that coursed through my body.

I once again felt the energy and instead of trying to think of ice or water I just focused solely on the magical energy.

Then like before I pushed most of it to my arm and let it seep out of my hand.

Then the crate glowed in a mix of blues, greens, and purple and its front slid open revealing a mannequin wearing cyberpunky armor and various futuristic weapons hung upon the walls.

I quickly strode over to the armor with fascination as I held my arm towards the armor "Scan!" I shouted and a blue screen appeared in front of me.

<:::::

-Neo malware-

Type- Armor

{Image}

Skills-

Color camo- Allows the user to change armor colors to fit the users liking or to fit the surrounding. Manual.

Repair- This armor can be repaired over time by the use of mana. Passive.

Stealth- The user's scent is repressed by 70%, the sound of the user's footsteps is repressed by 100%, and the user's presence is repressed by 40%. Passive.

Absorber- This armor can absorb certain properties of materials if it has been given a certain amount. Manual.

Adaptor- The higher the level the user is the strong the buff given by the armor is. Buff increases by times two per level. Passive.

Mana absorber- Any mana based attack is nullified by 45%. Passive.

Buffs-

STR +15

DEF +30

SPE +10

ACU +20

MANA +60

M-DEF +40

M-ATK +25

:::::>

My eyes widened to the size of a large pizza and my jaw dropped to the floor.

<" Isn't this too overpowered!?"> Me and Lyra shouted as I stumbled back in surprise.

I quickly turned towards the weapons and grabbed an axe and scanned it.

<:::::

-Draco cyberiem-

Type- Axe

{Image}

Skills-

Dual mode- This axe can split up into two axes. Manual.

Recall- This axe on command within a 100-meter radius can be recalled back to the user. Manual.

Shock- At the cost of 40 Mana this axe will convert the mana into electricity and be coated in electricity or for 50 Mana can store this energy inside the axe and heat the blade enough to cleave through stone. Electric blade 20 damage, 60% paralyze, 30% stun. Heated blade 60 Damage, lasts three minutes. Manual.

Buff-

STR +10

SPE +5

De-buff-

DEF -10

STA -5

Stats

ATK= 45

M-Atk= 35

:::::>

"…WHAT THE HELL!" I shouted as I look at the axe.

I covered my mouth as I realized my screaming could have attracted monsters.

I then started scanning all the Items in the crate.

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One hour later…

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I curled myself into a ball rocking back and forth as I looked at the status panels revolving around me.

<Welp! we aren't dying for a while!> I hear Lyra say in a semi-sarcastic and semi-serious tone.

<:::::

-Mana guns-

Type- Duel handgun

{Image}

Skills-

Mana bullet- Instead of shooting metal projectiles these guns can shoot out mana projectiles. 1 Mana per bullet. 5 damage. After 40 shots a thirty-second reload is needed. Passive

Solid bullets- shoots solidified mana projectiles. 5 Mana per bullet. 15 damage. After 10 shots a 90-second reload is needed. Manual.

Laser round- These guns can charge up mana and shoot the mana out in the form of laser beams. 20 Mana per bullet. 35 Damage. After 1 shot a 50-second reload is needed. Manual.

Buffs-

ACU +30

SPE +15

De-buffs-

DEF -5

M-DEF -5

Stats-

M-ATK= 35

Mana= 50

:::::>

<:::::

-Techno's blade-

Type- Sword

{Image}

Skills-

Heated edge- Takes 20 Mana and heats the blade to 800 degrees Celsius. 40 damage. Manual.

Aura blade- Send out a flying slash with the element the user has the highest affinity with. 60 mana. Damage depends on the element. Manual.

The blade- To enemies an immaculate presence of death and despair and to allies a serene aura of hope that boosts their adrenaline. Less effective the stronger the target. Passive.

Buffs-

STR +20

SPE +15

M-DEF +20

De-buffs-

STA -10

DEF -5

Stats-

ATK= 25

M-ATK= 20

SPE=10

:::::>

<:::::

-Neo knife-

Type= Kunai

{Image}

Skills-

Regenerator- As long as a single blade remains you can duplicate it by feeding it 20 Mana. Manual.

Explosion- At the cost of 50 Mana the user sends out a signal to all Neo knives in a 50-meter radius to explode and those within proximity of the user will not detonate. Manual.

Buffs-

ACU +30

SPE +10

Stats-

ATK= 25

:::::>

"What the hell was Darius thinking sending me this stuff?" I muttered.

<So do you want me to give it back to him?> Lyra teased me.

"Hell no! I'm just shocked he gave me this!" I instantly became protective of the items.

<I'm just joking. But you should put the armor on, you don't know when another monster will attack you.> Her tone went from teasing to severe.

"Yeah your probably right, so how do I get this off display and on me?" I say as I look at the armor and try to pry it off the mannequin.

<Just say "Equip Neo malware".> I hear Lyra say in a bored tone.

"All right then, equip Neo malware!" I shout for dramatic effect.

The armor then dissipated into the air as it turned into a dark purple mist that cackled with electricity.

The mist then lunged at me coiling around me like a snake "What the-." I blurt out as the tingling feeling of electricity flooded my senses.

Then I felt a slick and soft metallic material wrap around my body and tighten.

Once the mist disappeared I viewed everything in a faint purple hue and felt a surge of power course through my veins.

I pull my hand up to my face thinking something got stuck to my eye, only to see a metal claw like gauntlet.

I stare at the gauntlet as I notice a reflection on its shiny surface, as I look closely I see the Neo malware helmet and hood stare at me lifelessly.

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To be continued next time…