Terror Infinity Side B

Chapter 7 - 2, H.O.T.D

Once I was done fearing for the worse I went back to listen to our discussion. Aqua was finally getting to the part I most wanted to hear about. How does one such as myself go about become an OP Protagonist?

Aqua: There are just too many good things you can exchange for from God in the Terminal Lobby. I haven’t even finished reading through half the list of items and possible enhancements after all this time. The exchanges have four categories. The first are Scientific, such as guns, bullet proof vests, and even some weapons that only appeared in sci-fi movies and novels, but they cost a fortune. The best stuff isn't something that I can afford, just the Auto 9 from RoboCop was all I could get and its already been very useful (You got an Unlimited Ammo version, right?). You can also exchange an unlimited ammo version of a RPG, but it cost 2000 points, but I would rather use them to enhance myself. The second are Magical items, like scrolls, Taoist charms, amulets, and magic swords and the like.

Misaki: Are those like the weapons they have in games? Are they very powerful and even real?

Aqua: As real as anything else you see here. Still, I don’t know if they are powerful or not, but magical items cost double the points of scientific items. So far I have only been exchanging magic bullets. You would use them in supernatural and fantasy based missions.

Shin: You mean like Blood+ or Blue Exorcist

Aqua: I am not familiar with them, but if they are the kinds of places you would least likely want to live in then then, your right. If there are also equivalents Manga to movies like the horror movie, The Grudge, then you would want those types of magic weapons at your side the most.

The three felt a shiver down their spines at the thought. As though there were ghosts hiding in the shadows. I couldn't say I was a fan of pure supernatural manga and Anime since I prefer magic and fantasy, but those type of missions should be feared and prepared for the most.

Aqua: Do you recall why I said a story like H.O.T.D, High School of the Dead was an easy mission? It’s because you can solve and explain everything here with science and guns. You can kill the monsters, or you can run away. As long as you’re not infected and you have a gun, you can survive no problem. The worse types of missions... are the ones where you can't use your common logic to explain. They are the worse..

Hikari: Have you've experienced one of those missions before?

Aqua: ...Yes. Back when God was assigning us horror movies. My very first mission was Halloween, and hell, it had to have a Twenty Man difficulty on top of everything else. There were even two strong veteran players as well, yet everyone but me and one other person died. That demon stalker in the movie slashed the side of my neck right before the mission was complete and I never had God erase it. It was a reminder for me to live no matter what and not to underestimate the missions. I did get my revenge in the end since the movie had sequels, so I... am pretty much over it.

Aqua then began smoking a cigarette after taking about her past experience in a past mission. She looked gloomily and filled with rage as she remembered it, and no one here could speak up to say anything. Only when Aqua was finished with her cigarette did the conversation continue.

Aqua: I mentioned earlier about bosses, right? Well, defeating that demon not only gave me a lot of points, 5000, but also a rank B reward. It was my first time seeing a B rank reward and I used it for a very nice enhancement.

Hikari: What’s a rank B rank reward? Is it important?

Aqua: A very good question. Let me explain.

Then Aqua went over the third category of things you can exchange. Support items, antidotes, drugs with healing properties, perishables like bullets, some sci-fi items like invisible cloak (Why wasn't this just added to Sci-fi?), and enhancement items. Aqua told us that she was overjoyed and couldn't believe it when she saw the enhancement items for the first time. Like the genetic mutation of Spiderman. The description said that it lets you obtain the bloodline of spiderman, increasing intelligence by 20, mental capacity by 20, cell vitality by 50, reaction speed by 100, muscle density by 100, and immunization by 150 points. and you also get the web shooter ability and the power to climb walls like a spider. There was a mention increased dexterity as well. All this for just a low, low price of 2000 points.

Hikari: Oh, my... The enhancements alone would cost over 4000 points and you would get a web shooter ability as well. It's way too cost effective.

I completely agreed with Hikari, but the reasoning behind it was explained when we got to the subject of rank rewards.

Aqua: God never makes thing easy here. If one had this genetic mutation then you won’t be in danger in missions like H.O.T.D , but this type of enhancements cost rank rewards. They are higher tier rewards for overcoming certain levels of dangers, and they have a value greater than just points. The best enhancements, weapons, and tools require rank rewards as wel as points. Rank rewards from the highest to lowest are S, A, B, C, and lastly D. A rank S reward can be reduced to three A rank rewards. An A rank reward can be reduced to three rank B rewards. Rank B can be reduced to three rank C and so forth. The lowest rank is D. I am an exception to the rule since in my first few missions I got extremely lucky, but it really isn’t something you can easily acquire. None of my former comrades ever got one.

I saw Aqua look over at me since she knows I must have one or two rank rewards, yet I held back on admitting it. Aqua's know it all look was getting on my nerves no matter how good looking her face was. It only took down her annoying ( gauge ) by 87%. Wait, isn't that a lot?

Misaki: What rank reward did your Wolverine Mutation need?

Aqua: It was the same as Spiderman. It needs a rank C reward, but there are also higher grade versions that could be exchanged for points and a B rank reward. That's what I currently have. I have also looked at a few rank D enhancements. There is battle Ki for example. A rank D reward could give you Low Level Ki, but the higher level Advance and Master Ki would require a rank B and even A rank rewards. The enhancements that start off low aren't the most powerful at first, but will eventually become the strongest if they keep ranking up. They only lack the special abilities from the get go.

Aqua also mentioned a very useful enhancement that would come in handy in High School of the Dead. The T Virus Mutation enhancement like the the main character of the Bio Hazard (Resident Evil) movies, Alice obtained. It increases intelligence by 20, mental capacity by 20, cell vitality by 50, reaction speed by 50, muscle density by 50, immunization by 100, and the evolution ability of T virus. It needs 1500 points and a rank C reward. There are different Viruses one can get from in universe that could come in handy, but that wasn't the point. The main character of the movie got it without doing anything and according to Aqua, and with the T-Virus you wouldn't be turned or mutated by any monster you could come across, zombie or otherwise.

I felt blessed and giddy all over from hearing these nice things. As someone who will have over 4000 points and rank reward to spend, it meant that once I survived through this mission I could exchange for quite a few good enhancements. Not only did I have hope for the future, the path to almightiness was coming closer and closer. Will the day I become a OP Superman like character be sooner then I originally hoped? It then became more likely a possibility once I heard the next part of Aqua's explanation.

Aqua: There are also some very high level enhancements, but they are there just to entice you and I personally won't believe them till I see them with my own eyes. I can't imagine that they actually exist. Like there is an actual bloodline of god for example. It needs a rank S reward and 50,000 points. Isn’t that exaggerating, and will it make you the next savior of man? There is also Xiuzhen (Taoist method of gaining immortality). It has less basic stats, but you gain unique skills. It needs a rank S reward and 70000 points.

Hikari and Misaki laughed at his words, yet I didn't. Wasn't that better then your average Over Powered Main character? I can become God or at the very least a member of UQ Holders. Also, how does immortal rank higher then God in points? Well, I guess I'll find out one day. That is for sure.

Hikari: And the fourth category? The first three seem to have included everything already. What more is left?

Aqua: Ah, hahaha! The fourth category has the good stuff I tell you. You know everyone will break down when they’ve been here long enough. So the last category is entertainment items. There’s tobacco, weed, heroin, which are cheap and of the best quality. One point can be separated into 1000 parts. A kilo of heroin only takes 5 parts of a point. How is that? God analyzed that a normal person only needs about 300 points in cell vitality and 350 points in immunization to inject heroin without the risk of a overdose. Crazy how you could ask such a question and get a answer back. Too bad I am only into smokes.

Shin: Just cigarettes?

Aqua: Just cigarette. The only vice I need, though the tobacco I exchange for is something you can't get on earth anymore.

Shin: What else is there?

Aqua: Other than the stuff I mentioned previously, you can also exchange for time to live in a normal world through this category. There are also music albums, movies, magazines and even men and women.

What, so I can still get my weekly.....wait what what!?

Shin: I am not interested in silicone dolls.

Aqua patted my shoulder and gave me a strange smile.

Aqua: What are you talking about, it’s real women. God can create real women! They have intelligence, they have their own personality, and even memories. When you buy a woman, man for women like Hikari and I, you can choose their face, body, age, race, every detail. You played that Artifical Girl game before least once in your life, right? This is much more detailed and enjoyable.

Both the eyes of Misaki and I were shining, while Hikari snorted with both anger and embarrassment. Well, she is a middle school girl (Although a lot of them are already bitches).

Aqua: God also said that once you get enough points to go back, you can keep your enhancements, all the items you exchanged, and this woman can go with you. I only made a man who can cook and clean since I hate that stuff, but if you want you go back to the real world you can go back and marry her. She will love you for the rest of your life with no chance of her ever cheating on you (My ideal women).

Hikari: Stop this topic men, also Aqua, have you no shame? Even, even if it isn't for that, you made a man just for chores. Whatever, just tell us about God’s Terminal Lobby. What will happen after a mission?

Aqua: Nothing special. You will go to the Terminal Lobby after the mission. God is a sphere of light floating in the center. You can communicate with it just by thinking. There are twenty rooms to the side, though they were never all filled. You will have your own room. Only people you give permission to can enter your room. Other than this, you will have ten days in the lobby between every mission. Now, that is all for this Q&A session.

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Aqua was done talking and began heading for a window. She was about to jump out into the streets. It was so sudden that we didn't know how to react, but I was the first one to recover.

Shin: Wait! Where are you going?

Aqua: Where? To go get more points of course.

Hikari: You are going out now? The mission is almost over.

Aqua: That is why this is the only time we have left to get points. Besides, we no longer have to baby sit the main characters anymore. Just look.

Aqua looked at her wrist. We followed Aqua's gaze and looked at our own watches as well. It was blank where Takashi and the other main characters names were used to be. Also, it said that objective 1 was complete.

GOD'S MISSION

HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD, 8 MAN MISSION

STORY PLOT.

MAIN QUEST:

Objective 1. Complete.

Objective 2. Survive till sunrise of the following day after reaching the apartment.

Base Survival Reward: 1000 Points.

SIDE QUEST: Bonus Points.

1. Kill the Zombies - 20 Zombies = 1 Point.

2. Kill the Rioter - 1 Rioter = 5 Points.

3. Orientation - The first player to explain to the New Players the inner workings of Missions, Exchanges and how to return home. 100 Points.

PENALTIES: Negative Points/Death.

1. New Players - Negative 1000 points for killing a New Player.

2. Spoiler - Negative 10 points per Sentence.

3. D-ZERO - Any player with 0 or negative points at the end of a mission after all calculations are finished, will be killed. No exception.

Aqua: See. We’re free to move how we like from now on. Whether you want to go out and hunt for points, or rest here it's up to you. Remember you can do anything long as it means surviving.

Shin: What about Alice Maresato? Soon the rest of the characters are about to go save her from-

Aqua: What about that little kid? She actually never came here to begin with, so we never had to save her from the beginning. We will no longer be penalized if a main character dies from here on out, so we can actually leave if we want to. I wouldn't since this is a pretty safe building after it is secured. The main characters never realized it originally, but after I took a look around, I found that this place was designed by that friend of Shizuka's to defend against intruders. The doors are incredibly solid and the windows are bullet proof. No way those undead freaks will get inside here unless you let them in.

After saying as much Aqua handed us each a phone. It was a communication device that she exchanged from God. The phones could work anywhere in the world even without satellite coverage and within a certain range we could even find each other using them. It was a very handy device that only cost 50 points. Aqua said she keeps some on hand for when she finds comrades she can trust in. That probably means that before we weren't trust worthy enough for her.

I could have really needed this when I got separated from the others, but I understood how we didn't look confident enough in her eyes to lend us a 50 point phone. Aqua then left the apartment complex through the window as to not alert the others and left. If they were to ask later, we can always tell them that she had a family member living nearby and didn't want to endanger us by getting us involved.

Hikari: Hey, do you think Aqua will be alright?

Misaki: What, you worried? I am honestly more afraid for those undead and rioters who don't know that she is coming for them, than I am for Aqua herself. That women is a damn monster with her gun and metal claws.

Shin: Misaki is right (And they are adamantium claws). Aqua is much stronger than us and she has that Auto Nine Robo Cop beretta with unlimited ammo and the genetic ability of Wolverine. Shit. If I survive this I will get my own Desert Eagle with infinite ammo and whatever superhero power I can get to keep up with her.

Hikari: Yeah, you're right. One hundred points can enhance someone’s power by a tenth. After I survive I have to ask Aqua more about the details on exchanges, not just sex toys like you guys are fantasizing about, but we don’t have time to talk about this. You should just concentrate on protecting me, Shin.

Shin: Why me?

Misaki: Why him?

Hikari: Shin seems more capable in a tough spot then you, and besides... He may be a gross otaku, but he is still better looking then you Misaki.

Misaki: In what way!?

Hikari: Do I really need to say it, you unkempt former biker punk (And in the end you said it)?

Misaki: No.

Shin: Thanks. I'll do my best, but for the love of god stop calling me names!

Fooling around like this to distract ourselves from the horror that lurked outside these walls, it was soon past midnight. So now all they needed to do from here on out was to survive till mourning sunrise. Long as nothing unexpected happens we will come out of this alive... I can only hope.

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Authors Note:

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Proofread by Deltoren.

Terminal Lobby - The place Players go after each mission ends. You can enhance yourself and use the other point exchanges there and can rest for the next ten days till the next mission.

Mission Worlds - The general term for the worlds that God bring the players to like High School of the Dead/H.O.T.D .

There was a mistake in the math of either the original source or translation about the spiderman enhancements. Lan said 3000 points, but since it take 10 points to increase one stat by 1, 440 stat points would have cost 4400 points in normal stat exchanges, not 3000.

Also, if no one has noticed I have made side quest rewards, into just rank rewards. The reason was just because I forgot the side quest part and I was too lazy to fix it. So from now on it will be just be " a rank B reward or a B rank reward". Doesn't effect the story at all, but sorry for my laziness to edit. The author of the original work did the same, so its okay.