Beth continued to bemoan the prices of the maps until she realised that she was shouting alone and not at anybody, even the Axon technology paid her no attention.
She sighed and tapped the [First grade], equipping it into her inventory.
[First grade map is now available for viewing]
Ding!
An interface appeared, after she opened the map, and spread out like a sheet, revealing the map and the extent of the boundaries it allowed her access to.
Beth viewed the map with keen eyes, analysing it but all paths led to that giant red tower ahead of her.
"Crimson Spire?" she breathed, "Seems that's the next place"
She tapped on the part of the map that highlighted the tower.
[You have chosen the location «Crimson Spire»]
[You have received the map skill «Teleport»]
A grin appeared on her face. "Yes! Finally, a skill!"
—––
MAP SKILL: «TELEPORT»
[The skill «Teleport» grants an instant travel through the world of Nexus as is accessible on your map. Except your first travel which is free, every kilometre travelled will cost you -1 EP]
—––
Beth chucked. "So if I want to use it to the fullest I have to upgrade my map and garner more mana cores. That's a bit of a task for a travel-type skill, tch."
She walked forward a few steps, "Oh well, at least my first use of it will be free."
.
.
.
Meanwhile, in the real world.
Crisis continued to rage on in the old lady's home.
The drama between the two factions was still ongoing. Stutter and Scarface on one side and Nate, Damon and the old lady on the other.
"I know I should have killed you first, Nathaniel Vance!" Scarface shouted angrily.
Scarface's mouth widened into a grin that reached his ears with his face distorted to take on a grotesque expression of satisfaction like one who had seen blood to quench his bloodlust.
The blood-craving man in black turned his attention to Nate following the event where he witnessed Stutter's body fly out through the door with sparks of electricity sizzling through his body.
"Don't underestimate an already wounded man!" Nate declared.
Nate had used the taser function of his electric wheelchair to catch Stutter off guard.
It was a combined electroshock defence and attack mechanism that Beth had installed into his vehicle, when she modified it, to help him whenever he was in trouble.
With the push of a button, a thin wire with a needled end will be fired towards the target, sending electric currents into the body of the victim.
Scarface shifted his gun from Damon and pointed it in Nate's direction.
Nate saw this but did not fret.
In fact, his countenance passed a message across to Scarface that he had found solemnity and welcomed death to come for him.
His eyes clearly spelt the message: do you worst!
But in truth, Nate was not thinking; rather it was the rush of adrenaline racing through his system that did all the talking and actions.
Stab!
Blood splattered instantly, soiling the old lady's couch.
Her aged voice shouted out in a loud cry that was drawn from extreme fear and anxiety when the blood splashed on her hands and the floor around her.
The next sound they heard was that of Scarface.
The man in black shouted in great agony and staggered around the room, trying to throw Damon off his body.
Finally succeeding to overpower Damon, Scarface threw him towards the door.
Blood was smeared all over Scarface's face as he cried out in anguish.
The part of his shades that cover his right eye was shattered and plunged into his right eye alongside the remote control that Damon was holding.
Damon took the opportunity that presented itself when Scarface wanted to shoot his brother and stabbed the man in the eye with the remote control and with enough force to burst into his eye with shards of his dark glasses piercing his sclera and sinking into his eye socket.
Scarface was in radical pain, grasping and crying out in pain, with the remote control buried in his eye socket.
Damon got up from the floor and locked eyes with his brother who spoke only a few words to him and smiled afterwards.
"Get out of here, Damon! Run!"