Chapter 10: System Upgrade: Double the Deaths
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: USER ADAM RICHTER. NEW OBJECTIVE: ACCUMULATE 20 UNIQUE DEATHS FOR SYSTEM UPGRADE LVL 1. CURRENT PROGRESS: 9/20. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT: 10,000,000 JENNY. CURRENT JENNY: [CLASSIFIED]. ** ]
The journey to Heavens Arena was a blur of train rides, cheap motels, and Adam's increasingly desperate (and often ill-advised) attempts to earn money. He tried a card trick using 'Minor Illusion' in a train carriage, only for the illusion to glitch, making the queen of hearts look like a bewildered badger. He tried to sell "authentic Hunter Exam survival kits" (a handful of suspiciously dirty rocks) to unsuspecting tourists. He was a walking, talking financial disaster.
" Seriously, 10 million Jenny? That's like, a lifetime supply of instant ramen! I'm going to have to become a professional, multi-dimensional con artist at this rate. Or just marry into a rich family. Though, knowing my luck, I'd marry a Zoldyck. Which would be awkward, given my previous attempts to get killed by their butlers. "
By the time they arrived at Heavens Arena, Adam was mentally exhausted from his financial woes. But then, he remembered the prize money. The sheer, glorious, life-changing Jenny that awaited winners. And then, it hit him. He had 9 unique deaths. He still needed 11 more. But he had a target. The upgrade was closer than he thought.
He pooled all his meager earnings with Gon and Killua's. Gon, being Gon, had found some incredibly rare edible plants on their journey, selling them for a surprising sum. Killua, being Killua, had simply 'acquired' a large sum from a corrupt merchant (Adam wisely didn't ask for details). Together, their combined funds sat at a rather impressive… 9.8 million Jenny.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Adam exclaimed, staring at the pile of money. "We're… we're almost there! Just two hundred thousand more! What do we do?! Do we sell Leorio's briefcase? Because I'm pretty sure it's worth at least that much in sentimental value alone!"
Leorio sputtered, "My briefcase is not for sale, you menace!"
"Alright, fine!" Adam threw his hands up. "Then I'll just have to do something truly drastic! Something insane! Something… financially irresponsible yet morally justifiable!"
He had an idea. A risky, but potentially rewarding, idea. He knew that the original street mugger from Dolle Harbor, the one who gave him 'Basic Knife Proficiency', was a low-level criminal. If he could find him, he could use his new 'Death Tolerance' perk to get killed by him again, proving the perk worked, and hopefully not permanently. He needed a few more deaths, and this would be a safe test.
He excused himself from the group, concocting a flimsy excuse about needing to "scout out the local noodle shops." He then spent the next few hours (using his 'Enhanced Sense of Smell' to track the man's distinct body odor) finding the scrawny mugger . The man was still skulking in alleys, looking just as pathetic as before.
"Hey, buddy!" Adam called out, approaching him with a wide, slightly insane grin. "Remember me? The kid you stabbed? Good times, good times."
The mugger's eyes widened in fear. "Y-you! How are you…?! I saw you die!"
"Oh, that? Just a minor inconvenience," Adam waved his hand dismissively. "Think of it as a… temporary vacation. But I'm back! And I have a proposition for you." Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of Jenny. It was 200,000 Jenny, all of it. "See this? It's all yours. If… you do me a favor."
The mugger stared at the money, his eyes gleaming with greed. "What kind of favor, kid?"
"Simple," Adam said, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. "I need you to kill me again."
The mugger blinked. "What?!"
"You heard me," Adam insisted. "Stab me. Again. Same spot, even. Just… be gentle. Ish. Think of it as a highly unusual, extremely well-paying performance art piece. And I'm the performance."
The mugger was clearly freaked out, but the lure of the money was too strong. He stammered, "Are you crazy?!"
"Probably!" Adam chirped. "But I'm also rich! Or at least, I'm about to be. So, what do you say? One more stab for old times' sake? And a whole lot of Jenny?"
With a hesitant, trembling hand, the mugger took his rusty knife. He still looked terrified, convinced this was some kind of elaborate trap.
"Alright, here we go!" Adam cheered, puffing out his chest. "Second time's the charm! Or the permanent death, depending on who you ask! Wish me luck, System!"
The rusty knife plunged into his gut, exactly where it had before. The pain was just as sharp, just as blinding. He gasped, his eyes wide, feeling the cold rush of approaching oblivion.
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: SECOND DEATH TO UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL DETECTED. ** ]
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: DEATH TOLERANCE LVL 1 ACTIVATED. REVIVAL IN PROGRESS. ** ]
Adam gasped, sitting bolt upright in his inn room. The first thing he did was frantically check his gut. Nothing. Not a mark. He was alive. He was actually alive, after dying a second time to the same person. A wild, almost hysterical laugh escaped him.
"IT WORKED! IT BLOODY WORKED!" Adam yelled at the ceiling. "Death Tolerance! You magnificent, morbid, beautifully cynical system, you delivered!"
[ ** SYSTEM MESSAGE: DEATH COUNT: 10/20. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT MET. ** ]
[ ** SYSTEM UPGRADE UNLOCKED: LVL 1 - DEATH TOLERANCE. ** ]
A shimmering, ethereal notification appeared in his mind. He focused on it.
[ ** SYSTEM UPGRADE COMPLETE: DEATH TOLERANCE LVL 1 ACTIVATED. USER CAN NOW DIE TO THE SAME INDIVIDUAL TWICE BEFORE PERMANENT CESSATION OF EXISTENCE. ** ]
Adam jumped off the bed, practically vibrating with excitement. He had the money, he had the deaths, and he had the upgrade! He was at 10 unique deaths now, and he could die twice to each of them! This opened up so many new possibilities! He could provoke, test, and survive! He was truly immortal… for a little while longer.
He quickly rushed back to Gon and Killua, Leorio and Kurapika. "Guys! Guys! You won't believe it! I did it! I got the money! And something else! Something… magical!" He practically bounced off the walls. "We're rich! Well, I'm rich enough for an upgrade! And I can die more! Isn't that great?!"
Leorio looked utterly bewildered. "You can die more?! What kind of insane talk is that?!"
"It's the talk of a man who just leveled up his 'not dying permanently' game!" Adam declared proudly. He knew explaining it fully was pointless, but he couldn't contain his excitement. He had secured his first major system advantage. Heavens Arena, here he came. He was ready to fight, to learn Nen, and to die. Again and again, for power and for profit. The chaos was only just beginning.
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