Arriving late at the scene, Marco and Tony stood outside the now surrounded building, swarmed by law enforcement conducting a thorough sweep of each floor to ensure the premises were secure before proceeding with further action.
"Do you think they managed to hold it down ?" Tony asked, seeking Marco's insight. Despite not witnessing the events firsthand, Marco harbored a sinking certainty that his stuff was gone. His fruitless attempts to reach Carlos and the crew only reinforced his grim conclusion.
"There's no point in staying here. Let's go," Marco declared, resigned to the loss and aware of the imminent police presence that enveloped the location following the eruption of gunfire.
"Did Carlos ever tell you who it was?" As they made their way back to the car, Tony, trailing behind, probed Marco about Carlos's revelations. Marco, his expression taut, remained silent until they were seated in the vehicle.
"Nope. The bastard got to him before he could say who it was," Marco replied bitterly, his knuckles rap-tap-tapping on the steering wheel. Staring straight ahead, a steely resolve settled in as Marco's anger boiled over.
"I'll hunt him down. Whoever's responsible, I'll ensure they pay with their life," Marco vowed before gunning the engine and speeding away from the scene, a tempest of vengeance fueling his every move.
==================
Back at Arslan's apartment, the two rested and collected their haul from the apartment, assembling the illicit goods in the center of the room. A hush fell over them as they contemplated their next move, the weight of their newfound possessions heavy in the air.
"We can forget about the cash for now. How are we going to move all this product?" Ryder asked with an idea in his mind he didn't want to be the one to say it. He was eyeing the sizable stash of drugs before them, a mixture of snow and Cannabis bags that weighed over 10 kg.
Arslan met Ryder's gaze, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. The prospect of cutting and distributing such quantities was a hard task that they knew nothing about, let alone navigating the streets with it.
"We can wholesale it, take the safe route and be done with it," Arslan suggested, but Ryder, cognizant of the potential losses as he knew how much it was worth on the street. He shook his head, dismissing the idea immediately.
After a moment of contemplation, Arslan who knew exactly what his friend wanted sighed before he proposed an alternative, pushing the goods toward Ryder as he spoke, "You've been eager to make moves like this for Elijah. Why not use this to kickstart your own crew?"
Ryder's face lit up with excitement at the suggestion. "That's what I'm talking about! I'll start scouting for recruits once we're done here. We'll be in business by tomorrow," he declared eagerly.
Arslan interjected, tempering Ryder's enthusiasm, "Please don't do that. We just pulled off a heist. Let's lay low for a while before diving into sales." Ryder acquiesced, refocusing on packing the narcotics into the duffle bag.
"What about the cash?" Ryder inquired, eyeing the substantial sum before them. "It's nearly 100k. That's a lot to handle."
Arslan swiftly retrieved a bundle of cash, approximately 10k, and passed it to Ryder. "Use this to recruit some people who know their way around. Building a reliable team is a must," Arslan instructed, watching as Ryder set the money aside, a look of determination in his eyes.
"I'll count the remaining and split it evenly. Drop by tomorrow to take your half," Arslan informed Ryder, who acknowledged the arrangement with a silent nod, a bond of unspoken trust between them.
Surveying the wealth before them, Ryder contemplated their future prospects. "With this kind of cash and stuff, we'll need our own stash soon," he remarked, preparing to depart.
"True," Arslan replied, engrossed in counting the money. "Change your clothes before you go. You can use main if you want," he offered as Ryder hastened to switch outfits, eager to blend in before leaving the sanctuary of Arslan's apartment. With a final nod of gratitude, Ryder exited, closing the door behind him as he ventured out into the night.
Alone in the apartment, Arslan's expression transformed into a wide grin as he counted the substantial sum before him, envisioning the wealth that awaited him through these dangerous jobs he carried.
Initially hesitant about delving into such illicit activities, he had stuck to the familiarity of combat, deeming it safer for him. However, the temptation of the rewards now heightened, promising a swift escape from the clutches of the Moyah Family's debt that weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Lost in contemplation of his newfound potential, Arslan was snatched away from his thoughts by a sudden remembering of a notification he had received earlier regarding the system's features.
Setting aside the money, he accessed his status window, eager to explore the enhancements and capabilities it offered beyond mere stats and skills.
As the window materialized before him, Arslan's eyes widened in astonishment, the possibilities unfolding before him like a treasure trove waiting to be unlocked.
= [Status] =
[Name: Arslan]
[Job: Underground Fighter]*
[Level: 15]
[EXP: 950 - 30,000]
[Mana: 288/288]
[Strength: 15]
[Stamina: 14]
[Agility: 19]
[Intelligence: 18]
[Luck: 4]
[Reputation: 15]
[Unused Stat Points: 45]
= [Skills] = 4 of 5 =
[Kickboxing: Passive - Lvl: 3]
You learned the fundamentals of Kickboxing, you're able to perform the basic skills easily.
[Full Power: Active - Lvl: 4]
This skill allows you to double your attack's power for the next 2 minutes.
[Cooldown: 1 Hour]
[Healing Hands: Active - Lvl: 7]
This skill allows you to heal wounds and injuries.
[Cooldown: 5 minutes]
[Locked on Target: Active - Lvl: 1]
This skill allows you to see your target's weak points.
[Cooldown: 10 minutes]
= [Shop] =
Available Items for Purchase:
[Health Potions] - Restores 50 HP.
Price: 1000$
[Stamina Elixir] - Restores 30 Stamina.
Price: 900$
[Training Manual] - Increases a skill level by 1.
Price: 10000$
[Combat Gear] - Increases Strength and Agility by 2.
Price: 10000$
[Street Intel] - Reveals information about rival gangs or upcoming fights.
Price: 500$
[Energy Drink] - Increase your stamina +10 for 30 seconds
Price: 1000$
= [Wanted Level] =
Current Wanted Level: 0/9
Level 0: Innocent
Effects:
No police attention; safe to move freely.
Positive reputation among citizens.
Access to public services without suspicion
Upon discovering the new features unlocked by the system, Arslan's focus honed in on the newly available skills that had manifested following his level-up. However, his excitement was tinged with confusion as he noted that only three skills were accessible to him, a puzzling discrepancy from the expected nine skills that should have been bestowed upon him at his current level.
===========================================
Grappling Techniques (Active - Level 1)
- Description: Mastery of grappling allows you to control opponents effectively in close combat.Effect: Enables you to immobilize an opponent, preventing them from attacking or escaping. Can be used to set up for a finishing move.Cooldown: 3 minutes.
Street Smarts (Passive - Level 1)
- Description: Instinctual understanding of the urban environment and criminal networks.Effect: Increases awareness of surroundings, granting a +5 bonus to Agility in urban settings. Provides a chance to avoid ambushes and traps.
Threat Assessment (Active - Level 1)
- Description: Quickly evaluates opponents during a confrontation to identify powers and weaknesses.Effect: Reveals the target's vulnerabilities, giving you a +10% damage boost against that opponent for the next 3 attacks.Cooldown: 4 minutes.
*Note: skill slots will open every 10 levels from now
===========================================
Upon realizing the recent unfavorable changes to the system, Arslan's enthusiasm waned as he grappled with the increased difficulty in leveling up. The prospect of having to grind through ten levels to achieve what once took merely two levels left a sour taste in his mouth, but there's nothing he could've done about it.
Contemplating the three skills before him, Arslan deliberated quietly, weighing the potential benefits of each. Ultimately, he settled on the Street Smarts skill, foreseeing its utility in his inevitable future entanglements with criminal activities as this wasn't his last time.
Having made his choice, Arslan awaited some sign of activation or guidance, yet only silence surrounded him.
"Maybe I need to be outside for it to kick in. I can give it a try later." With a shrug, he closed the status window and returned to the comforting familiarity of counting the money that was spread out before him.