[Chapter 54] Hope – Clay Donnaster

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“What’s going on?” Hope demanded.

“There’s someone you must meet.” Light answered as he pulled her away. She followed both irritated and curiosious. They arrived by a man leaning against a wall holding a glass of champagne. He wore a cowboy hat, and she glimpsed a holster under his poncho. It couldn’t be…?

“Meet Clay Donnaster. Now I’ll leave you two alone.” Light darted into the crowd. Thanks and damn you. What am I to ask without warning?

“So you’re Hope Skyfell, Jenna’s double.” Clay took a sip. “Stories have reached me of a gunslinging ninja. That’d be you?”

“Yes,” She confirmed, mind racing.

“May I see your bullets?”

“Sure,” She offered a recoil bullet. Glad I took everything except the grenade launcher.

Analyzing it, Clay grinned, “You’re using these as projectile and propulsion.”

“Is that wrong?” She answered nervously.

“Not at all, but eventually you’ll want teleportation bullets. Nothing beats their mobility.”

“How do I do that?” She demanded. They sound awesome.

Clay shook his head, “It’s too early. Even with perfect materials, you must be a peak-level saint to weave that spell. Just keep the notion in mind.”

“Any other advice for a budding gunslinger?” Hope relaxed.

“Hmm…” Clay considered. “Have you enchanted unearthly metals?”

“Yes, mithril bullets.” Hope nodded happily. “They’re wonderful.”

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“I see.” Clay said. “And did you forge this mithril yourself?”

Hope’s eyes went wide, “No, I didn’t… Is that a problem?”

“It is.” The man nodded. “You’re wielding over-powered munitions not fully fashioned by yourself. Your achievements will be discounted. I wasted months before discovering this…”

“Should I stop?” She winced at the prospect.

“It depends. To accumulate renown, then yes, refrain as much as possible. However, never hold back when it’s a matter of survival. Long term, you should learn to meld unearthly materials yourself. That’s what I did.”

This is so useful. Hope asked about something that’d been bugging her a while, “You might have heard my brother received the Necronomicon from Nero Ebonwood. Wouldn’t such a legendary artifact be considered a ‘cheat’?”

Clay chucked, “Ah, the impossibly nuanced inner workings of the renown system. You’ll struggle with it your entire life, but let me offer what wisdom I can. No, the Necronomicon will not diminish your brother’s deeds. I count three reasons off the top of my head. First, that book is undoubtedly a ‘high-skill’ instrument. Second, rightfully inherited items fall in the same category as self-made ones. Lastly, non-consumable weapons are partly considered an extension of their owner. They’re fundamentally different from bullets, grenades, and single-use charms.”

“By that logic,” Hope said slowly. “If you bequeathed your guns to me, I’d get full credit for anything I did with them?”

“Correct.” Clay smiled. “As a reward for your cheekiness, I’ll reveal another layer of complexity. The HEAVENLY DAO grades events on a narrative, case-by-case basis. Depending on the circumstance, you might even get recognition for a magic bullet you didn’t create. One such exception is the ‘trump card’.”

The man drew out a necklace on which a series of bullets hung spaced-out. He pulled one off.

“I call this ‘certain death’. Composed of indestructible black Mithril, it’s enchanted with the simplest of magics…”

“First, it’ll fly straight. Wind, water, gravity, obstacles… No force will alter its course. It’ll tear through blessings as though they didn’t exist. Second, once fired, its weight increases to one ton. This isn’t something which can be deflected or blocked. If you hit the right spot, it’ll take down anything.”

“Now some warnings. Your target will feel this coming a mile away. If not immobilized, they’ll dodge. Remember it travels straight, so adjust your aim. Finally, this will keep going long after hitting its mark. Don’t shoot towards cities.”

“Those caveats aside, it’s the real deal.” Clay held out his hand.

Hope examined the gift. Oh, god. The magic packed within was so dense her senses couldn’t penetrate. With Agata, I could at least see the enchantments. So this is what an immortal is capable of…

“Why are you giving me this?” Hope was bewildered.

“Call it an investment in a promising enchantress. I’m sure you’ll return the favor one day.” With that, Clay tipped his hat and walked away, leaving her staring at the black metal in her palm.