Terror Infinity - Side B

Chapter 4 - 2, Btooom

Our target for another NPC Chip right before noon was troublesome.

Like with the others we found the NPC, a women in her late 20's who was setting up a camp with Hikari's laptop that she had used to hack into Tyrannos Japan's system. The female NPC was unaware of us at first, or so we thought.

I went in first to distract her while Hikari lies in wait, choosing to continue with our current battle strategy that has been working so far. When I was close enough to to kill her with either BIM or a gun, but didn't at first because I wanted Hikari to get the NPC's chip... That was my first mistake.

I should have killed her immediately and then failing to do so immediately after noticing that the women NPC had two cases for BIM was my second mistake. This NPC has already experienced killing, so just like Hikari and I, she had adapted to this death game called Btooom fast.

The women NPC must have been on the edge emotionally, so her senses were extremely sharp. The moment I accidentally stepped on a tree branch, not even considering the possibility that it was a wild animal, the NPC activated her radar and found me.

- *PING*!

Shin: Shit!

I was about to shoot her where she stood, but it was too late as I had lost the timing. The NPC swiftly activated a switch on her wrist before I could even aim it at her.

- *BEEP*!

A few feet from where I stood, I heard something turn on to my right and instinctively I immediately jumped away. Less then a second later a large explosion occurred where I once was stood.

- *EXPLOSION*!

Remote Control BIM.

The Remote Control BIM wasn't a BIM that was thrown, but set beforehand like a landmine amd one that could be detonated from a distance. It was useless if completely avoid or spotted early, but it's weakness were easily made up with it's destructive power far exceeding any of the BIMs that I've seen so far on the island

The explosion was so powerful that I shouldn't have been able to jump away like that unharmed, but just like the incident with Hikari, I was able to escape safety thanks to my increased Stats and Ki.

Shin: ( Maybe I should thank Hikari after all for earlier ( Not ). If not for that incident I wouldn't have been on guard against against explosives of all kind ).

Still, it wasn't that I was safe.

Right after the hidden BIM went off, the NPC sent out a radar scan and then a BIM came flying my way. Once again with legs strengthened by Ki I jumped away, this time up a tree hanging on a sturdy tree branch. Then right below me an explosion occurred the moment the BIM hit the ground.

- *EXPLOSION*!

Shin: ( Hahaha, detonating right away and that circular shape... A Cracker BIM! ).

The Cracker BIM was the most common BIM that just explodes on impact. Normally such a BIM wouldn't be a problem with my reflexes, yet...

Shin: Only god, not our sadistic God, knows how many Remote BIM that are hidden in the area, so I just can't carelessly jump anywhere. I also can't let Hikari come near this minefield either.

NPC: Where is he... Up in the trees! Is he a monkey? Die!!

With another radar scan the NPC found me up the tree and threw another Cracker BIM towards me. To avoid, I kicked off the tree quickly, avoiding the explosion. Then once I landed, I pulled out my gun and began firing like mad at the NPC.

The NPC was surprised that I had a gun, but it didn't reverse the situation that I was in. None of my shots hit her. She was outside my effective shooting range where I can rely on my Stats to insure a hit. Within that range, thanks to my increased reflexes and sight it is near 100% accuracy, but outside that scope I was forced back to the novice marksman that I was.

The NPC saw that I was a bad shot and ran in the dense jungle knowing my chances of shooting her within there was near zero. She believed that she had me beat, and she would have if she was my first opponent that I met on the island.

By killing two of her fellow NPCs, not only did I gain two additional chips I acquired two cases of BIM as well. The cases of unused BIM were both Timers. Half set to explode immediately after one second and the other half kept with their counters unset.

Running out of grenades early on, on the gangster looking NPC, I finally had my chance to play Btooom, the life and death game where we only fought with BIM.

I couldn't see the woman NPC with her hiding in the jungle, but I didn't need to or use my own radar that reveals that I am looking for her, and so she puts her guard up. After my Ghoul and Ki enhancements all my senses had increased leaps and bounds.

Within sight, I could see a pin drop across the rooom. Hearing was more difficult to master, but I learned from Aqua how to focus on specific sounds and shut the others out. I was unable to completely shut out the many sounds of the world, but I could find the one thing I trained the most on being able to find no matter the chaos of the battle field... Breathing!

Shin: ...From seven o'clock that sounds like Hikari breathing, staying still waiting in position. So that leaves the haggard breathing from three o'clock... There!

In that direction I threw one of the 1 second Timer BIM with full force. At the speed that I could throw the BIM, that in itself was a deadly weapon. Unfortunately I didn't get a direct hit, yet...

- *Explosion*!

NPC: What the hell!? Why does he have guns and BIM as well!?

Shin: Your the second to ask that today, so you can do the same as him and go die!

I could see the NPC now running away from the first fiery explosion of the Timer BIM that I threw , and I now threw another BIM at her. The second didn't kill her, but she was definitely effected. While running away from the second explosion, the resulting shock wave blew her off her feet and hit a tree head first when she slammed into one. She kept going despite it all bravely, but she was obviously dizzy.

Either from the explosion or hitting her head, that didn't matter much. This was a chance

Shin: Hikari! She is coming towards you. Take her out!

NPC: Like I would fall for that obvious lie! Go burn to death!

Then with the watch on her wrist the NPC activated the rest of her Remote Control BIM that she had hidden in the area. Shin wasn't directly hit, but the repeating explosions kept him from following her. She really believed that she was in the clear... Up to the Moment that small, black ball like object that came flying and hit her face.

It was the very same type of BIM that was used to corner Shin just in a previous fight and and Hikari gained possession of after killing an NPC, the Homing BIM. From the moment that she registered the BIM, it hit her face and the women NPC knew her fate.

- *Explosion*!!

All that was left was a fiery, smoking, headless corpse of NPC that fell to Hikari's newest BIM

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After our latest battle for chips, Hikari and I decided to take a break. It was already around noon time, so it was perfect, but our greatest reason was simply that we were tired.

I may possess great stamina, but that doesn't change the fact that physically and mentally, I have have experienced four life and death battles in less then eight hours. Hikari who had fought three such battles after meeting up with me didn't even have my stats. Both physically and especially mentally, she was worn out. More so than I. It was definitely the right time to stop for a break.

Hikari set up her newly acquired and few Remote Control BIM around our make shift campsite and I made sure to be on the look out for anyone attempting to sneak up on us with my enhanced senses.

It wasn't completely a relaxing time as we would have wished for, yet we both knew better to not let our guard down. In fact, it was because the two of us were now murders who specialized in catching other off guard and killing them that we didn't.

It at this time that Hikari asked about our current situation.

Hikari: So how is our progress in your opinion, Shin?

Shin: I think we are doing very well so far. We both have enough chips for tonight's midnight execution and plenty of BIM at our disposal.

Both Shin and Hikari were really were doing very well so far. Not even half a day has gone by and they were in a favorable position

Shin was in the possession of three chips towards the main quest to collect 8 chips and had also acquired a large number of Timer BIM×14 by defeating two NPCs. Shin hadn't reached the half way mark in his chip collection, yet he had a good number of a single type of BIM.

Shin: ( Well, this is good enough for now. As for Hikari she is doing even better then me ).

Hikari was in the possession of four chips towards the main quest to collect 8 Chips and has gained a wide variety of BIM after defeating two NPCs. Remote Control×3, Cracker×3 and Homing×3.

Her collection of BIMS were less then Shin's, but she had gained a wider variety of BIM and had reached the halfway mark for in her chip collection.

Shin: How fortunate for you Hikari. Because that last NPC women had already killed a NPC or Player, she had an additional Chip on her. Defeating her has now given you a total of 4 Chips, so you're now at the halfway mark on the very first day.

Hikari: Hmm, praise me as much as you like, but I won't share any of my Chips with you. In fact, shouldn't you feel frustrated that I, a girl with few enhancements has surpassed you, the creepy Otaku with high end enhancements? You tool ( How am I a tool? )?

Shin: Oh, I recall that I did much of the leg work to get all of our Chips if you remember? And by legs work, I mean shooting down BIMs and literary using my legs to jump away from fiery deaths! Should I get a thanks, and also, you already used your five insults for the day. That last one was against our promise.

Hikari: Really? I don't count the one for when we were still back in the Terminal Lobby, so that last insult I used was still good... Creep.

Shin: ... ( This girl... Absolutely, middle school girls ARE THE WORST! Adult women like Aqua are definitely 10,000 times better... I wonder how she is doing ).

But whatever the case, I am glad that Hikari had a positive recovery from these last few battles ( Little too well if she has the strength to insult me ).

Then as Shin was about to bring up what they should do for the rest of the day, they heard loud sound from above. Shin was already on alert and activated his radar, yet nothing was picked up by the scan. Then the Shin and Hikari looked up and found the cause for the the loud rumbling in the air.

It was a plane.

Hikari: It looks similar to the plane that brought us here to the island. Could it be...

Shin: Yeah, I believe it is. I know we just started our break, but we can't let this chance slip by. Let's go Hikari!

The two quickly packed up their supplies that they took out and quickly retrieved Hikari's Remote Control BIM that she spread around the area as they left in a hurry as fast as they could. The reason was that both Shin and Hikari knew what the plane above them meant.

They recognized it as the plane in Btooom that will drop down supplies by parachute for the players to have. Thus, another stage of the real world Btooom game and God's mission began.

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Tyrannos Japan: Game Planner Gemu Shusaisha's Report 5.

Real World Btooom Game, Hard Mode - Day 1.

12:01 P.M

Players Alive: 13/15.

NPCs Alive: 126/150.

Btooom Soldiers Inactive: 25/25.

Btooom Commanders Inactive: 5/5.

Ryota Sakamoto, Btooom Lord Inactive: 1/1.

Daily Minutes -

1. More battles have been starting all around the island.

2. More bugs have been found in the program.

3. As planned, the first supply drop will being at noon. More battle, more battles and more bloodshed! Hahahahahahaa!!

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Authors Note:

Rate/Follow/Favorite/Comment.

I have been experimenting with first and third person, but I absolutely feel that it is becoming awkward. From now on, battles will almost be completely third person since I feel that the story moves faster and reads better. We are about to start the real manga like battles soon, so I don't want to disappoint.

Hikari meant that Shin was a Tool because in the Terminal Lobby, Shin followed Aqua around everyday and did whatever she asked. Hikari juat says this because she was jealous.

Also, as I was editing this I realized an error that I just wanted to correct. If an NPC kills a Player, then that Player's Blue Player Chip becomes an NPC Chip. It isn't that important to the overall story, but just wanted to point this out before any of my fans do.