A Gunslinger’s System in a World of Magic

"Andor, mind the door," Henry said gently.

Andor looked confused but moved toward the door blocking most of the view into the inside with his large body.

"What- what is the meaning of this?" The Clerk asked with wide eyes staring at the gun pointed at the ground and glowing a green that sent shivers down his spine.

"Okay, so I'll be honest," Henry said so sweetly as his hand flexed around 'The Hydra's Sting'.

"You're right. This gun (indicates the Repeater) is probably worth quite a bit. It was made by the same person who made the one I have in my other hand. But it's not worth much Discover hidden tales at m,v l'e|m-p| y r

right now

. I'll pay what I think it's worth right now and not anymore."

"I don't accept," the Clerk said and made a reach toward something under his slab.

"Hands," Henry said with a roll of his eyes and the Clerk paused,

"What?"

"I said, place your hands where I can see them," Henry said with every word stated clearly with an edge that had the Cleek trembling as he slowly withdrew his hands out from under the slab and made them visible.

"So you're robbing me?" The Clerk asked and his eyes darted at Louis with his eyes ever-wide eyes and solemnly pursed lips. And then he glanced out the door, not really paying attention to Andor standing in front of it but trying to get a view outside. To try and catch the eye of someone who could come to his aid.

"Do you want to hear what my gun does?" Henry asked.

The Clerk said nothing and his eyes just got wider.

Henry indicated 'The Hydra's Sting' he still had pointed at the ground as he said,

"It doesn't matter where I shoot you, sorry I meant to say, It doesn't matter where I shoot someone," he smiled as he made the correction and then continued in the same beat,

"You'll still die all the same. But there's a mercy to a headshot, you see. Death is instant and the most I can do is just create a big mess of it. But what about the shoulder? What about the stomach?

Or what about the leg? It'll explode into acidic goop but you'll live. You'll be left with a wound that never quite heals with a flesh-eating acid slowly eating away at you and leaving you in a state of constant pain that makes you wish for death. It's not a happy or easy way to live the rest of your days, I think."

The Clerk trembled and then glanced at the corner before and back a few times as he tried to steel himself up,

"So you

are

threatening me?" he said.

"I haven't raised my gun." Henry pointed out.

"I can see it!" The Clerk said through gritted teeth.

"Because I feel very comfortable having it in my hand," Henry said, "We're simply having a conversation and my gun has very little to do with it."

"You can't just do this, you know," the Clerk said with his hands trembling now, "You can't just threaten me and steal from me. Especially not in broad daylight."

"Oh I'm sure that's a problem but it's more of a problem for someone who is deterred by authority," Henry said,

"Again, this is just a random conversation but you don't know who I am. For all you know, I have a great way of making an escape no matter what I do. For all you know, I know all the right people to get me off. For all you know, your life is worth less than mine.

For all you know.

You were reaching for something before and you've glanced at the corner a few times so I assume you have prepared ways to defend yourself or maybe avenge your death. But, I assure you, I could shoot you —I mean, someone—, faster than you could think to activate whatever it is you're planning to activate.

Imagine my shot hits a body part and you're left in excruciating pain but still alive. If I die when the law comes after me, you get no compensation and are left to suffer for the rest of your life, not any richer but a lot more miserable.

Is sticking so hard to an exorbitant price for a gun you can't even use and that no one would care to buy from you, so important that you'll risk death?

Killing you would cause issues for me but those will be my issues… You'll just be dead. Or at the very least, in constant pain."

"I thought you weren't threatening me?" The Clerk asked gruffly.

"I'm not. Like I said, we're just having a conversation." Henry said in a dismissive voice as he raised the Repeater,

"So what do you say?"

The Clerk went deep into thought as Louis looked nervously between him and Henry while feeling like an accomplice to a crime. And then at Andor who was trying to look steely but could not help the nervousness seeping through.

Henry, however, appeared relaxed.

He had done this many times in his past life. This situation was slightly more complicated, of course, but Henry felt he could manage it as long as he avoided preemptive shooting.

Being persuasive with gentle words mixed with threats was how he got by in the past and really, he was just excited to be able to stretch that robbing muscle again. To scratch that criminal itch.

Besides, he hadn't jumped into the threats without thinking.

He had observed. There was magic etched into the shop and the spot the Clerk had glanced at a few times had a strange crystal ball that Henry had a feeling was keeping an eye on things. He had held his gun in such a way that, at least for now, he could pass for simply holding it and not yet thinking to use it even if that wasn't entirely true.

Anyway, in a City with Fighters and Magic casters abound, the Clerk had done what many other shop owners/tenders had done; Put in security measures.

But Henry had seen the Clerk's Stat screen. He could still see it and beyond the fact that the stats were hardly a cause for concern, the 'Remarks' gave even more insight into the Clerk's personality and allowed him to decide how to nudge him to be sensible.

Sure enough, the Clerk was done deliberating.

He could have reached for the activation hidden in his slab but he didn't.

"100,000," he said.

"100,000 what?" Henry asked with narrowed eyes. If it was Gold, then this was not much better than the Clerk's earlier exorbitant request.

"Verlans," The Clerk quickly noted and shuddered at Henry's narrowed eyes.

That amounted to 500 Gold and Henry could certainly still afford that but of course, he didn't want to just leave it at that.

"50,000," he said.

The Clerk let out a sigh,

"Fine," he said, "Give it here and take the piece of junk."

"Much obliged," Henry said. After tipping an invisible hat, he sent 'The Hydra's Sting' into his Inventory and retrieved 250 Gold to pay for the Gun.

They only had to wait a minute or so for the Clerk to count and be sure he got the complete pay before they were ushered out while he mumbled at their retreating backs,

"I don't want any more trouble."

Outside, Henry led the walk away from the shop. They were turned around now and were walking back to the Lotus Inn. The walk through the City was clearly at an end.

"That was… intense," Louis eventually said many steps away from the shop.

"You're not put off?" Henry asked lightly.

"I thought you were going to kill him," Louis admitted.

"Nah," Henry said shaking his head, "Too much trouble. Good thing he probably thought I was though.

Tsk

Imagine asking for that much Gold for something he couldn't use."

"So you just threaten people to get what you want," Louis asked while Andor just walked silently.

"Sometimes, it's the best way," Henry answered.

Louis didn't say anything more and just nodded. Henry had a feeling he was taking that 'lesson' to heart.