The next day. 6 Days until the Reverse Mountain.
"Are you going to keep stealing my shirts?" Dud asked his newest crewmate as he entered the galley.
"Do you want me to walk around naked?! You pervert!" she responded with fake outrage.
Dud rolled his eyes and opened a portal to the clearing near Lvneel the same one he practiced Blood manipulation in.
"We can always go shopping, or I can open a portal to your ship, and you can transfer your wardrobe." Dud pointed out.
"Hm..." she said, making a show of thinking it over. "No, I like your shirts," she said with a grin. Ever since she joined the crew and found out about the contract (which was a few hours ago), her demeanor had changed; she was freer or less burdened.
"Now look who wants to spend all their time nearly naked?" Dud accused as he realized that she was wearing nothing underneath.
She made a face at him, to which he responded in kind, and they both burst out laughing.
"Where on the ship can you open a portal to?" she asked after their laughter died down.
"Anywhere I have been to," Dud answered.
"Remember the room where you got slimed?" Dud nodded in response.
"I will let you know when, so open a portal to that room."
"Any preference for breakfast?" Dud asked as he wore an apron.
"I will have a lightly toasted omelet sandwich seasoned with stinging nettles with a glass of baneberry wine," she ordered as she leaned into the backrest of her seat.
Dud stared at her with a stony expression, and she met his gaze with the calm authority of a princess of a tyrannical mad scientist's kingdom.
Dud relented with a sigh.
"Please add whatever wine you want with your clothes along with seeds/saplings of whatever plants you want me to use as seasonings." He told her only to get a bemused grin from the only human female on board.
"You are getting a normal omelet sandwich, and Herbie, please call Vorstin and Fredric for breakfast and start converting the last spare room into a greenhouse." Dud said as he got preparing breakfast for the crew and received a confirming beep.
Vorstin and Fredric joined them in the galley, and after a round of greetings, Fredric and Reiju started discussing something with Vorstin settling in Reiju's lap as she got pets from the poisonous human.
Dud soon had everyone's preferred breakfast prepared and served.
"You are going to have a bounty on you soon," said Reiju as she continued to eat as if she hadn't delivered shocking news. Dud's eyes flickered iridescent for a moment, unnoticed by all.
"What!?" asked Fredric, echoing the mood of the human males in the room.
"You did not think you could make that much of a ruckus and not get a bounty, did you?" she asked Dud rhetorically.
"How much is my head worth? Wait, don't tell me. I want to find out from my poster." Dud said with excitement.
"Is it marine-issued or German-issued?" asked Fredric.
"It is Germa-issued," answered Reiju, causing Fredric to give a relieved sigh.
"Is there a difference?" asked Dud curiously.
"If it is a Marine-issued bounty, you can't use any of their facilities, and the Marines hunt you down, but that is not the case with a local bounty, and you have to claim it at the kingdom that issued it." Fredric explained.
"Huh, neat." With that, the ragtag crew returned to comfortable silence as they finished their breakfast.
"What is the ranking in the bridge for?" asked Reiju as Dud carried the dishes to the dishwasher.
Reiju was startled as Vorstin gave the woman her undivided attention and pointed to Fredric with an authoritative honk, causing the sniper to sigh.
"Fredric, you can introduce her to it; I am going to be on lookout," informed Dud as he went to the bridge and sat behind the wheel, and immediately the Gacha got his attention.
"Herbie, keep the track away from the bridge, please," requested Dud and received an affirmative beep. Dud bought up the notifications as he heard the bridge door lock.
{Achievement: Encounter the 'false' kingdom of evil.
1X Silver Ticket}
{Achievement: Meet a named character.
1X Gold Ticket}
{Achievement: Defeat a named character.
1X Gold Ticket}
{Achievement: One-man army.
1X Gold Ticket}
{Achievement: Recruit a named character as a crew mate.
1X Platinum Ticket}
{Achievement: Cause and sort of correct a ripple in fate.
2X Platinum Ticket}
"Named in what?" he asked aloud, receiving no answer, and initiated the spins.
Silver:
[Dimensional Courier]
|Uncommon Item|
A phone with a singular phone number dialed into it. By dialing the number and calling, you can contact the Dimensional Courier. The Courier can buy anything in your stead from anywhere you have been to, and it is something that can be bought by a civilian with money, even across realities and dimensions. The courier will come with you to deliver your delivery within 8 hours at most. But they will take 10% commission for whatever you buy.
Gold:
[Sanctus - Dark souls]
|Uncommon Item|
Dark Souls - A legendary shield of the Way of White, granted to an Undead paladin long ago. Once blessed with the protection of a white flame, its power has all but faded, so now all that remains of it is providing its wielder slight regeneration.
[Ripper Mode]
|Elite Ability|
{Metal Gear}—"Let 'er rip!" Allows you to unleash all of your rage and repressed killing intent. When activated, you will enter a battle-trance-like state, massively increasing your perception to the point where the world looks slowed down and unlocking your latent power, allowing you to unleash 100% of your power regardless of the damage it does to your body. Overuse may cause damage to your body, and it consumes energy to remain active.
[Voracity]
|Rare Trait|
You are a voraciously hungry one. You digest anything you eat with extreme efficiency, being able to draw out more nutrients and energy from them, allowing you to recover energy and health faster from what you eat. In addition, your stomach is 50x bigger. You will also never experience digestive issues.
Platinum:
[Light of Glory]
|Rare Ability|
The light of victory and glory shines down from the heavens and bolsters your allies. Bright light shines down from above, slightly increasing all physical stats, increased mental resistance, vigor, and courage for everyone touched by its rays.
[Super Regeneration]
|Epic Ability|
Gives you an unimaginable healing factor on par with someone like the Wolverine minus the immortality. As long as it doesn't instantly kill you, chances are you will survive, as long as you have energy, that is. You can further speed up healing by expending energy.
[Streetcleaners]
|Uncommon Familiar|
{Ultrakill} - "Do not ask them for maid work." Streetcleaners are human-sized lesser machines that specialize in incineration. Their bodies are decently durable, enough to withstand most regular gunfire, and they are quite skilled in combat. They all carry a flamethrower and a fuel tank that replenishes every 24 hours. As lesser machines, Streetcleaners need blood as fuel rather than electricity or any other source. You start with 3 Streetcleaners and get more as you get stronger.
Dud clutched his stomach as overwhelming hunger made itself known again. Thankfully, this time he had infinite food in the form of [2008 Menu #4 Cheese and Vegetable Omelets], which, while unpalatable, was unexpectedly full of nutrients.
Dud read through the list again and grinned as he realized the massive benefit [Voracity] granted him even if he had to eat like Pac Man. He also felt the 5th ability slot unlock and went through his list of abilities and frowned.
He needed to organize and prioritize and decide on a style.
"I need a pistol or a gun. " Dud decided as he realized he preferred mid-range combat and acting more like support. Dud spent the next few minutes finalizing his primary combat and went about his day.