Chapter 7: Minor Villains, Major Profits
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: INVASION INTENSITY DECREASING. OPPORTUNITY FOR TARGET DIVERSIFICATION NARROWING. SUGGESTION: SEEK LESS CONSPICUOUS KILLERS.]
"Less conspicuous killers? System, have you seen this city? Everyone's either a super-soldier, an alien invasion force, or a traumatized civilian," I mused, picking my way through a street littered with burning cars and overturned ATMs. "Not exactly a thriving market for 'subtle assassins' right now. Unless you count pigeons with an attitude problem."
The Chitauri invasion was definitely winding down. The portals were closing, the Leviathans were crashing, and the remaining Chitauri were being systematically rounded up or taken out by the Avengers. My window for "accidental" deaths by alien forces was rapidly closing. I had to act fast.
Eleven unique deaths. Nine more needed for that glorious first upgrade. I still needed to find a few more high-value Chitauri types. And then, it was time to move on to the less savory elements of New York. The criminal underworld. They always had interesting ways of ending lives. And interesting skills to go with it.
"Okay, Adam, think. What kind of Chitauri haven't I met yet? There's the big scary ones. The ones with the weird guns. The ones that look like they're in charge. Time to find a few more specialized deaths."*
My "Advanced Tactical Awareness" was now practically screaming at me, highlighting remaining Chitauri strongholds and pockets of resistance. I focused on a particularly large, armored Chitauri, a "Berserker" type, rampaging through a department store, smashing mannequins with surprising ferocity. It was clearly a brute, relying on sheer strength. Perfect.
I made my way towards the department store, my "Wall-Crawling" allowing me to scale buildings and avoid ground-level chaos. I found the Berserker inside, roaring and tearing apart the already ruined interior. I decided on a direct approach. No subtlety here. Just pure, unadulterated annoyance.
"Hey, ugly!" I yelled, throwing a stray shoe at its armored head. It probably didn't even feel it, but it certainly got its attention. "Having a bad day? Did your spaceship get towed? Or did you just realize that neon lighting doesn't really go with your metallic scales?"
It turned, its glowing eyes fixing on me. It roared, a guttural sound that vibrated through the crumbling building, and charged. This was it. Pure, brute force.
I stood my ground, my "Gamma Absorption" and "Lightning Resistance" making me feel a tiny bit more confident about taking a hit. I didn't try to dodge. I just braced myself, a slightly manic grin on my face.
"Come on, big boy. Give me that strength. Or at least, the ability to open a really stubborn pickle jar. That would be equally useful."*
The Berserker's massive, clawed fist slammed into me. The impact was immense, crushing, far more powerful than anything I'd felt before. My world went dark in an instant.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: DEATH DETECTED. KILLER: CHITAURI BERSERKER (IDENTIFICATION: UNIT 88-GAMMA). SKILL ACQUIRED: BASIC ENHANCED STRENGTH (TEMPORARY).]
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: IMMORTAL SYSTEM ACTIVATED. YOU HAVE 1 LIFE REMAINING AGAINST CHITAURI BERSERKER UNIT 88-GAMMA.]
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: 12 UNIQUE DEATHS RECORDED. CURRENT PROGRESS TO UPGRADE 1: 12/20.]
I gasped back to life, muscles twitching, a strange surge of power flowing through my limbs. Basic Enhanced Strength (Temporary)? Okay, now that was a good one! It wasn't permanent, but it was a start. I could feel a subtle buzz, like I'd just chugged five energy drinks and then lifted a small car. Or at least, felt like I could lift a small car.
"Temporary? Of course it's temporary. The universe just doesn't want me to have too much fun. Still, enough to smash a few things. Or open those stubborn pickle jars. This is going to be great for my upper body strength."*
The Berserker was still rampaging, completely unaware of my resurrection. I quickly moved on, feeling the fading buzz of my new strength. Twelve deaths. Eight more. I needed to focus on the monetary aspect now too. The system had said "$50 million." That was a lot of money for a guy who used to debate the merits of a good burrito.
My "Advanced Tactical Awareness" shifted focus, now scanning for anomalies, for things out of place, for leftover alien tech that hadn't been vaporized or collected by SHIELD. The Chitauri themselves were often carrying valuable components, especially the higher-ranking ones.
I spotted a downed Chitauri command vessel, partially buried in a building. It was smoking, but not fully destroyed. And there were no Avengers or SHIELD agents around it. A treasure trove.
"Alright, Adam, time to put that future knowledge to use. What's valuable? Energy cores, advanced weaponry, communication devices. Anything that looks expensive and vaguely alien. And ideally, not about to explode."*
I carefully approached the crash site, using my "Wall-Crawling" to navigate the unstable debris. The stench of burnt metal and ozone was overwhelming. Inside the wreckage, I saw flickering lights and sparks. Not good. But also, potentially, very, very good.
I found a few intact Chitauri energy cells, pulsating with a faint blue glow. They looked like oversized batteries, but I knew their true worth. These things were compact power sources, highly sought after by anyone looking to reverse-engineer alien tech. Jackpot.
As I began to extract one, a stray Chitauri patrol, clearly survivors from the downed vessel, emerged from the wreckage, weapons raised. Three of them. Standard grunts.
"Well, this is convenient. More deaths. And a chance to test out this 'Basic Enhanced Strength' before it fades completely. Though, I'm pretty sure it's already mostly gone. Oh well. YOLO. Except for the 'You Only Live Once' part, obviously."*
I didn't even bother with a witty remark this time. I charged, relying on my "Basic Combat Training" and a healthy dose of desperation. I managed to land a surprisingly solid punch on one of them, sending it stumbling back, before the other two opened fire. The energy blasts tore through me. My brief surge of strength flickered, then vanished, as darkness claimed me.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: DEATH DETECTED. KILLER: CHITAURI PATROL LEADER (IDENTIFICATION: UNIT 09-EPSILON). SKILL ACQUIRED: BASIC SCAVENGING INSTINCT.]
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: IMMORTAL SYSTEM ACTIVATED. YOU HAVE 1 LIFE REMAINING AGAINST CHITAURI PATROL LEADER UNIT 09-EPSILON.]
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: 13 UNIQUE DEATHS RECORDED. CURRENT PROGRESS TO UPGRADE 1: 13/20.]
I gasped back to life, lying on the floor next to the Chitauri energy cell. Basic Scavenging Instinct? That was actually perfect for what I was doing! My eyes immediately darted around, my gaze subtly drawn to hidden pockets of value in the debris. It was like I had a mental metal detector, but for alien junk.
"Okay, System, you're officially starting to get my vibe. Scavenging Instinct? This is exactly what I need right now. Now if only you could give me 'Basic Accounting Proficiency,' I'd be all set."*
I quickly gathered the energy cells, my new instinct guiding me to a few more hidden caches. This was going to be my ticket to wealth. Alien tech. It was the new gold. Or, more accurately, the new vibranium. And I was going to be the guy who cornered the market.
Thirteen deaths. Seven more. The Chitauri were becoming scarce. It was time to venture into the darker corners of New York, where the humans were just as dangerous, if not more so, than the aliens. Because even during an invasion, some people just saw opportunity. And I was about to become one of them. A very rich one.