This is My Rifle

The Soldier's Creed. This is my rifle there are many like it, but this one is mine. It's not just something from a full metal movie. It's a statement about how in a sea of conformity there is comfort in ownership. Despite the similarities to other rifles a good rifle is distinguishable only by the care given to it by the person wielding it. That's all I could think about as I held my new baby in my arms. The only difference being that there are not many like it in this world. No there is only one and it is mine.

"Hey ass clown can you fucking hear me?" I heard Veronica screech beside me. 

"Huh yeah, I can hear you," I said listlessly as I caressed my rifle. I looked around and noticed that my family was giggling at me, but there was also a look of confusion. So I decided to show them what it was all about.

[Thwump, Thwump, Thwump]

I took aim and fired at the nearest practice dummy. Three consecutive shots each making a thumping sound similar to what movies portray a silenced weapon to sound like. The projectiles moved so fast they were barely discernible, but they looked like zooming balls of tiny light. The practice dummy rag-dolled in the most beautiful of ways as each shot hit true to where I was aiming. Two in the chest and one in the head. Perfect kill. 

Everyone was speechless. It was magic unlike anything they had ever seen before, but from the blowout behind the practice dummy designed to be as strong as steel, they could tell it was deadly. I took a look at my status to determine how much I had gained and lost from those three shots. 

<Darien Lewis>

<The Adventuring System>

Level 1(0/100)

HP- 20

MP- 37/40

Strength- 2

Willpower- 5

Agility- 2

Stamina- 2

Intelligence-3

Luck- 5

<Active Skills>

Magic Gun {Level 1}(0.06%)

<Passive Skills>

Limitless Growth {Level MAX}

So it seems as though each shot is only 1 mana each. I'm not sure of my mana regeneration rate yet but I can feel in my body that the energy I used is being replaced rather quickly, but it's good to know I have forty good shots in me before needing to replenish. Something my old drill instructor used to say was if you can't finish it in one shot stop wasting bullets, and I took that personal, but looking at the level progression I could tell it was going to take a long time to fully level up. I took one more shot and then looked at that piece of my status again.

Magic Gun {Level 1}(0.10%)

That math didn't seem quite right to me so I took another shot.

Magic Gun {Level 1}(0.15%)

"It's exponential!" I shouted out loud getting weird looks from everyone around me. See if I'm doing the math right the first shot was worth .01 experience while the second one was worth .02. It grows by .01 each time. So if I'm right this next shot will make it 0.21%. Let's see I thought to myself as I took another shot.

Magic Gun {Level 1}(0.21%) 

I can't believe it! If this is how skill growth worked for everyone they could max out skills in no time! This must be the result of my Limitless Growth skill. It's exactly what a 2D protagonist needs to become truly overpowered. I thanked the gods in my head who allowed me to be born into the world I wanted with the life I wanted as I became giddy with excitement over what this world has to offer me.

"I still don't understand it, but I can tell it's pretty strong. It's no Fireball, but it seems like a weapon fit for an assassin or for multi-purpose use. I think you can find a good party with a skill like that." My Dad said with quiet contemplation. It was about what I'd come to expect from my father. Helpful and concise with just a touch of wealthy man pompousness. 

"Good job honey! I'm just happy to see you happy." My Mom said happily perfectly emulating how she earned her title as an angel. However, Veronica was a different story.

"What's this weak sauce bullshit. I figured you would get something pretty swanky for a magic skill, but I don't even know what the hell this is? How do I even train you in a skill like that? We need to find you some skill books as soon as possible for something a bit more elemental." She said with clear umbrage. 

"An original spell is nothing to sneeze at Veronica." My father chastised. He doesn't usually step in when Veronica is stepping on me, but this time I think he took it as an affront to himself because of the fact he was proud of me.

"Yes, my lord. I apologize for my behavior." Veronica said with a bow. 

"But I don't disagree we will get him some skill books to learn so that he can better learn from you. What kind of skill books would you like Dare?" My father asked.

"Hmmm." I thought about it for a moment. I've never heard of a limit to how many skills a person can have, but cost is usually the deciding factor on what someone can learn. Skill books are a very rare drop from dungeon bosses so they can be considered quite expensive, but as a Duke's son cost isn't really an issue, I still don't want to have a whole bunch to learn all at once so I narrowed my decision down to three spells I really felt were essential. 

"I'd like a healing skill, a pocket dimension skill, and a Fireball spell." I said confidently.

"Good choice son. That's a good all-rounder strategy that will serve you well in dungeons. I will secure them for you. I should have them within the month." He said with confidence. I couldn't be happier in this moment to have been born rich. A pocket dimension skill book costs hundreds of thousands of gold coins all by itself. Which if equated to American dollars would have been worth millions. 

"I can work with that," Veronica said smartly. 

"All right. I'm looking forward to it!" I said happily as I looked around feeling supported in every imaginable way. It feels nice to have what I have, and I am indeed feeling grateful for keeping the faith in Fantasarianism. If not for that I would probably be singing on a cloud playing a golden harp or some shit. Naa that just isn't for me, and since it seems to work I'll be thinking of what I want my next life to look like as well. I had a big grin on my face as I contemplated all of these things and that seemed to irk Veronica. 

"Don't be so smug ass hat. Now let's go for a run. I think six miles will be enough. Also three hundred push ups, and five hundred situps. A light training to celebrate your birthday!" She said maliciously.

"Yes Ma'am!" I shouted. That much doesn't even compare to the rigorous training. I've undergone. I could only hope she wouldn't mind when I fell behind so I could stare at that incredible dump truck as we ran. 

I saw a vein pop out on her forehead as I was thinking almost as if she could read my thoughts. Even my family was shaking their heads in bitter disappointment, but could I really blame them? I think it's perfectly clear to everyone what was going on in my head just based off of the shit eating grin on my face as I was thinking it.

"Move it! Come on let's MOVE, MOVE, MOVE." She yelled as she started flinging low-strength fireballs at me. I yelped as they singed my clothes and took off as fast as I could. Guess there won't be a show today after all.