Chương 35: Weaponry

Hekter turned his attention toward me, his lone tooth catching the flickering light as he beamed with the kind of joy usually reserved for people who just won the lottery.

"And what about you, my most esteemed and valuable patron?" Hekter chirped, leaning over the counter so far I thought his bald head might actually slide off.

"Tell me what specific instruments of destiny you seek! My vaults are overflowing with every conceivable treasure you could possibly desire." I cleared my throat and tried to look like a guy who knew exactly what he was doing, even though I was currently surrounded by more rust than a shipwreck.

"I am in the market for a bit of firepower," I said, ticking the items off on my fingers.

"I need a Musket, a Blunderbuss, a Flintlock, and a Hand Mortar. Basically, if it goes boom and makes a lot of smoke, I want it." Hekter let out a sharp crack of a clap that sent a fresh cloud of dust into the air, and his smile expanded to such an alarming degree that I was worried for his jaw.

"Aha! A Gunner!" he exclaimed, sounding like he'd just discovered a long lost relative.

"Truly, the Gunner is a master of the battlefield! One of the most flexible and cunning paths a soul can walk. You have the heart of a strategist, young man! Rest easy, for I have exactly the right tools to turn your enemies into distant memories." The old man didn't even wait for a response. He dove into the chaotic mess behind the counter with the energy of a badger digging for grubs.

He started rummaging through the piles, tossing aside bits of scrap metal and ancient leather straps as he hunted for my future arsenal. One by one, he began thumping heavy, metal objects onto the wooden counter. Each piece arrived with a satisfying clatter, accompanied by a fresh puff of grit, as he laid out the basic building blocks of my explosive new career.

Once he had finished his aggressive excavation of the junk piles, Hekter stepped back and gave a grand, sweeping wave of his hand toward the metallic buffet now resting on the wooden counter.

"There they are, my sharp eyed friend! The very finest of my collection, waiting for a master to breathe life into their barrels!" Hekter chirped, his single tooth practically glowing with pride. I stepped up to the counter, trying to look like an expert appraising fine art instead of a guy wondering if these things were more likely to explode in my hands than at the enemy. I reached out and wrapped my fingers around the first item, the Standard Issue Matchlock.

••••• Name: Standard Issue Matchlock This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Type: Musket Tier: 0 Level Requirement: 0 Stats: None Quality: Standard. Special Effect: Steady Grip – The wooden stock is slightly grooved, making it a little easier to hold the aim steady while crouched. Description: A mass-produced infantry rifle. It isn't flashy and the wood is prone to splinters, but the barrel is straight enough to reliably hit targets at long range.

••••• The wood felt a bit thirsty, like it hadn't seen a drop of oil since the turn of the century, and I could already tell it was a splinter hazard waiting to happen. But as I brought the musket up to my shoulder and peered down the straight iron barrel, I noticed the subtle, grooved stock. It fit against my shoulder with a surprising amount of stability. Next, I swapped the long rifle for the Practice Piece flintlock.

••••• Name: Practice Piece Type: Flintlock Tier: 0 Level Requirement: 0 Stats: None Quality: Standard. Special Effect: Smooth Trigger – The trigger has been worn down from use, making it slightly easier to pull without jerking the aim. Description: A common training pistol found in most firing ranges. It's a bit scuffed and the flint needs frequent adjusting, but it provides a consistent enough blast to handle basic threats at mid-range.

••••• It was scuffed and looked like it had been dropped down a flight of stone stairs a few dozen times, but the weight was balanced enough. I gave the trigger a test pull and felt it glide back with a buttery smoothness that the rest of its beaten up body didn't suggest. It was a training pistol with a bit of soul left in it. Setting the pistol down, I moved on to the heavy hitter of the group: the Deck Sweeper blunderbuss.

••••• Name: Deck Sweeper Type: Blunderbuss Tier: 0 Level Requirement: 0 Stats: None Quality: Standard Special Effect: Heavy Stock – The base of the weapon is reinforced with a simple iron band, making it slightly more durable when used to block a stray melee strike. Description: A rugged, short-ranged firearm commonly found on merchant ships. Its construction is plain and the spread is somewhat unpredictable, but it delivers the necessary impact to push back a small group of attackers at point-blank range.

••••• This thing was a beast. It had a flared muzzle that looked like a very angry metal funnel. I gripped the thick handle and felt the simple iron band reinforcing the stock. It felt less like a firearm and more like a club that just happened to fire lead. If something got close enough to try and bite me, I could probably just use the heavy base of the gun to give it a very permanent headache. Finally, I reached for the Field Lobber.

••••• Name: Field Lobber Type: Hand Mortar Tier: 0 Level Requirement: 0 Stats: None Quality: Standard Special Effect: Deep Cup – The barrel is slightly deeper than usual, keeping the explosive charge a bit more stable while the user is moving. Description: A heavy, cumbersome tube mounted on a basic handle. It's a primitive design that fires low-yield canisters; while it struggles to dent metal armor, it provides just enough of a blast to scatter small crowds of light enemies.

••••• The hand mortar was basically a primitive metal tube attached to a handle, looking like a oversized, lethal soup ladle. It was cumbersome and heavy, but as I tilted the deep cup of the barrel, I could see how the design would keep an explosive charge from rolling out while I was busy running for my life. It was a primitive little chunk of artillery, but it had a certain "I'm going to make a very big mess" charm to it.

I stood there for a second, surrounded by the smell of gun oil and ancient dust, feeling my inner gun nut starting to do a little victory dance. I had the long range poke, the mid range backup, the close quarters insurance, and the "scatter the crowd" special. It was the bargain bin starter pack of my dreams.