"Ding. You have learned the passive spell [Regeneration].”

Billy was jolted to consciousness by a burning sensation in his lungs. He gasped for air as if he had just resurfaced from nearly drowning. As he spluttered, taking another breath, his brain began to catch up with his situation. He’d been shot. He should be dead. He was being eaten by an ogre. “YOU ARE BEING EATEN BY AN OGRE,” his mind screamed at itself.

In a panic, he pulled his foot from the rancid, salivating mouth of the ogre and kicked as hard as he could. One of the ogre's hands loosened its grip to protect its face, allowing Billy to twist and somewhat free himself, hitting the ground and getting the knocked the wind out of him.

Before he could recover, the ogre regained its grip. Frantically searching for anything that might help, Billy found one of his thunder shot bullets. Curling his fist around it, he swung, aiming to stab the monster in the eye. Missing his target, his hand instead ended up in the ogre’s mouth, which started to bite down.

Billy tensed his muscles, trying to pull his arm free, but the ogre's bite was overwhelming. Switching tactics, he tried to relax his arm to slide it from the bite. Suddenly, a bright flash and a loud crack sounded from inside the ogre's mouth, followed by smoke billowing out. The ogre dropped Billy as it stumbled backward, then fell limply to the ground with an audible thump.

Billy scrambled to his feet, scanning the area for the best exit strategy. His thoughts were interrupted by a bell-like ding, and glowing letters appearing before his eyes:

“Ding. Congratulations, you have killed [Cycloptic Ogre].”

“You are now Level 2.”

“You have learned the spell [Lightning Bolt].”

“Uhh, what?” said Billy aloud.

After a few seconds, the words faded. Apparently, no further information was forthcoming. “Well…this ain't the weirdest thing to happen to me. It’s up there though.”

Looking around, then down at himself, he noticed that the burns on his hands and arms had healed. Flexing his fingers a few times, he felt no pain or impediment before he remembered he’d been shot. His hands moved to his chest where the exit wound should be. Instead of a gaping wound, he found intact flesh with only a hole in his shirt and a small bump beneath it, as if his body had healed around something.

“What the hell is going on?” Billy whispered to himself, turning in place trying to make sense of his situation. His boot bumped something. It was the round of lightning shot, still intact. “What? If you didn’t go off, then what happened to the ogre?”

Recalling the glowing words, he remembered: “You have learned the spell [Lightning Bolt].”

“Nah,” said Billy, giving a skeptical look to no one in particular. Ensuring no one was around to see him possibly make a fool of himself, he raised his arm and made a fist, tensing. Nothing happened.

“What did you expect, ya dipshit?” He chided himself, relaxing his arm, causing a bolt of lightning shot from his fist, striking a rock wildly.

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With a shocked expression, he tried again, tense and relax. Another bolt flew off in a random direction. Again and again, he repeated the action.

“Well shoot, ain’t that a barn burner!” He looked around at the random scorch marks he had caused. “Not very accurate though.”

Looking down at his hand, he had a ridiculous thought. “Surely this won’t work,” he chuckled to himself as he formed his hand into the shape of a gun. Aiming at a crystal on the cavern wall, he pointed, aimed, and fired. The lightning bolt shot from his fingers and directly hit his target. “That is a right hoot and a holler,” said Billy through a smile. “It’s a touch foolish though.”

“Ding. You have learned the skill [Finger Gun].” “The spell [Lightning Bolt] has transfigured to [Lightning Shot].”

The wheels in Billy's mind started spinning, trying to synthesize the fragments of information he currently had into something useful. Meanwhile, a sense of alarm tried to force its way into his attention. The image of a bullet on the ground repeatedly floated to the top.

“I had the lightning shot in my hand the first time I used a lightning bolt. I wonder if the other ammo will let me do something similar?”

Reaching for his bandolier, he realized it was missing, as were his pistols, rifle, shotgun, and all spare ammunition.

“Guess I shouldn’t be surprised those snakes robbed me as well, but still, that really cooks my corn,” said Billy through gritted teeth. Running his hand through his hair, he had a sudden, horrible realization which finally caused his temper to flare. “THEY STOLE MAH DAMN HAT!”

Up to this point, the alarm in his mind had been whispering, “You’re in danger.” With the outburst of anger over his hat, his subconscious finally made itself heard: “HEY, DUMMY, YOU’RE IN DANGER!”

The realization hit him like a kick from a mule. He was in a cave with an absurd density of crystal, in a canyon full of crystal, both of which would be attracting beasts, and although he couldn’t be sure, it must have been nearing dusk when the beasts would start to be more active.

“To top it off, I’ve got no guns,” he thought to himself before looking down at his hand. “Maybe that's not entirely true.” Casting his gaze around the cavern, he easily spotted what he was after. Walking up to a protrusion of fire crystal, he broke off a section, held it in his hand, and repeated the action he used for lightning shot. A small flame burst from his fingers, struck the wall, and exploded into a fireball.

“Ding. You have learned the spell [Fire Shot].” “YES! GEDDIT!” yelled Billy, pumping his fist before catching himself and exhaling to calm down. “Alright, make a plan, do the plan,” he muttered as he moved around the cavern, collecting different types of crystals and firing them.

“Ding. You have learned [Ice Shot].”

“Ding. You have learned [Force Shot].”

“Ding. You have learned [Thunder Shot].”

Approaching the mysterious crystal in the center of the area, he noticed that his blood was still all over it and several chunks had been broken off. Taking a bit of it, he put it in his hand and tried to shoot. Nothing happened. He tried again. And again, nothing happened. “Hmm, guess not everything can be used like a gun. Although I don’t even know what this does, so maybe I should just hold off on anything more in case one of these crystals does something bad. Gotta say I’m in dire need of more information, 'cause I am at sea with this.”

“Ding. Billy Ferguson. Level 2. Class: Not selected.

Strength: 5

Speed: 4

Intelligence: 4

Endurance: 4

Charisma: 3

Spells: [Regeneration]: passive

[Lightning Shot]

[Fire Shot]

[Ice Shot]

[Force Shot]

[Thunder Shot]

Skills: [Finger Gun]”

“How is finger gun even a skill?” he wondered aloud.

“Ding. [Finger Gun]: Forming the caster's hand into the shape of a gun allows for greater spell accuracy and speed for those proficient in the use of firearms. Spells can be changed via voice command.”

“Well, that's neat. What’s a class?”

“Ding. Class determines the types of magic you can use and how you are able to use them. Based on your current attributes, the suggested class is [Gunslinger]. Would you like to select this?”

“Uhh, sure.”

“Ding. Class [Gunslinger] has been selected.”

“I… I don't feel any different.”

“Is that it?” said Billy after waiting a few seconds with nothing happening, frowning. “Ya know, I'm still entertaining the possibility that I'm just crazier than a shithouse rat. I am doing a lot of talking to myself… nothing? Guess I might as well practice while I can then.”