NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: The Status Screen
Micah's thoughts raced as he tried to process the priest's words. Why are we even here? What's this old guy talking about? Heroes? This isn't some video game… right?
Before he could voice his confusion, Scarlett stepped forward, her hands on her hips. "Excuse me, Mr. Priest," she said, her tone sharp but curious. "What do you mean by 'save the world'? How can we possibly do that?"
The priest, High Priest Alden, looked at her kindly. "You are the heroes summoned from another world to save ours. Each of you has been chosen for your potential, and as summoned heroes, you will receive powers to aid in this mission."
Chase, standing tall, crossed his arms. "Powers? What kind of powers?"
Alden smiled faintly and tapped his staff on the ground. "Say the words 'Status Screen.' It will display your details—your abilities, skills, and everything about your hero potential."
The room buzzed with murmurs, students exchanging nervous and excited glances.
Scarlett was the first to break the silence. "Fine. Status Screen!"
In an instant, a glowing pink screen appeared in front of her, its light casting a soft glow on her stunned face. Rows of detailed text filled the screen, listing every aspect of her hero stats.
The students gasped, their fear momentarily replaced by awe.
"No way," someone whispered.
"This is insane!"
Micah crossed his arms, rolling his eyes at the spectacle. "Whatever," he muttered under his breath. Still, curiosity got the better of him. "Status Screen."
A vibrant blue screen popped up in front of him. Micah's jaw dropped as he stared at it, the overwhelming amount of information making his head spin.
He began reading:
Name: Micah Vale
• Age: 17
• Species: Human
• Gender: Male
• Level: 1
• Class: Magic Gunman
• Occupation: Student
• Nickname: "Blue Flame"
• Health Points (HP): 100/100
• Magic Points (MP): 200/200
• Strength: 10
• Agility: 12
• Attack: 15
• Speed: 14
• Luck: 8
• Intelligence: 18
Normal Skills:
• Basic Shooting: Perform a precise shot with minimal MP cost. Deals physical damage.
• Dodge Roll: Quickly evade an attack with a swift roll, increasing dodge rate by 25% for 2 seconds.
• Quick Reload: Reduce reload time for all weapons by 50%.
Ability Skills:
• Magic Bullet: Infuse bullets with magical energy, dealing additional magic damage on hit. (Cost: 10 MP)
• Elemental Shot (Fire): Fire a flaming bullet that explodes on impact, dealing fire damage to a small area. (Cost: 15 MP)
• Elemental Shot (Ice): Fire an ice bullet that slows enemies by 30% for 5 seconds. (Cost: 15 MP)
• Ricochet Shot: Fire a bullet that can bounce off up to 3 surfaces, striking multiple enemies. (Cost: 20 MP)
• Burst Barrage: Unleash a rapid series of five magic bullets, each dealing moderate damage. (Cost: 25 MP)
Magic Skills:
• Mana Burst: Create a shockwave of pure magical energy around you, pushing enemies back and dealing damage. (Cost: 30 MP)
• Magic Shield: Summon a barrier that absorbs 50% of incoming damage for 10 seconds. (Cost: 25 MP)
• Arcane Shot: Fire a concentrated beam of arcane energy, dealing massive magic damage to a single target. (Cost: 40 MP)
• Elemental Barrage: Unleash a volley of elemental bullets (fire, ice, and lightning) in rapid succession, damaging all enemies in a cone. (Cost: 50 MP)
• Teleport Shot: Fire a bullet and teleport to its location instantly. (Cost: 35 MP)
Unique Skills:
• Unlimited Ammo (Passive): Ammo count is infinite for all weapons. Reloading is still required.
• Mana Regeneration (Passive): Regenerate 5 MP per second outside of combat and 2 MP per second in combat.
• Bulletstorm: Enter a heightened state of concentration, doubling attack speed and magic damage for 15 seconds. (Cost: 50 MP, Cooldown: 3 minutes)
• Phantom Shot: Fire an invisible, undetectable bullet that ignores all shields and barriers. (Cost: 50 MP, Cooldown: 2 minutes)
Weapons:
• Beginner's Magic Gun: A basic weapon capable of firing both physical and magical bullets. Upgradable.
• Weapons Slot (Locked): Additional weapon slots will unlock as level increases.
Items:
• Health Potion (x3): Restores 50 HP.
• Mana Potion (x3): Restores 50 MP.
• Teleport Crystal (x1): Instantly return to a safe location. One-time use.
Micah blinked, rereading the information as disbelief settled in. "Magic Gunman?" he muttered. "That's… my class?"
His heart raced as he stared at the screen. This was real. The words in front of him weren't part of some video game—it was his actual stats.
Scarlett glanced at him, noting his stunned expression. "What's wrong, Micah? Don't tell me you got something lame," she teased.
Micah shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "No… I didn't. It's… magic gunman."
Scarlett smirked, though her eyes were still filled with curiosity. "Magic gunman, huh? Sounds oddly fitting for you, doesn't it?"
Micah didn't respond, his eyes fixed on his status screen. The realization hit him like a freight train: this wasn't just some prank or dream. This was his new reality.
Here's the updated chapter, where the focus shifts after Scarlett reveals her class, and Micah asks her about it:
Micah stared at his glowing status screen, still reeling from what he'd just read. His thoughts raced as he looked at the words "Magic Gunman" over and over again. Slowly, he extended his hand, palm facing upward, and closed his eyes.
If this is real…
He focused his thoughts, his voice barely above a whisper. "Come to me… my magic gun."
The air around him shimmered, and a swirling light materialized in his hand. The glow intensified, and within moments, a sleek, silver-and-blue weapon appeared, fitting perfectly in his grip.
Micah's eyes snapped open, widening as he felt the weight and power of the weapon in his hand. He held it up, marveling at its intricate design—runic engravings glowed faintly along its barrel, and the grip felt like it was made just for him.
"I… I'm really a Magic Gunman," he said, his voice filled with shock and awe.
Scarlett, standing nearby, smiled and crossed her arms. "Not bad, Micah," she said, her tone teasing. "Want to know what my class is?"
Micah glanced at her, still distracted by the weapon in his hand. "Yeah, sure. What is it?"
"Enchanted Duelist," she said proudly, her smirk widening.
Micah paused, lowering his gun slightly. "Enchanted Duelist? What does that even mean?"
Scarlett grinned, clearly enjoying her explanation. "It's a hybrid class. I can use enchanted melee weapons like swords or daggers while combining them with powerful magic spells. I'm designed for close combat and tactical casting. Basically, I'm versatile and ridiculously strong."
Micah blinked, taking it in. "So… basically, you're an OP school princess."
Scarlett stuck her tongue out at him. "Shut up, nerd. At least my class has style."
Micah grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Style's overrated. I'd rather just blow things up from a distance."
The conversation was interrupted as the rest of the class began checking their own status screens, loudly announcing their results.
"Chase," the golden-haired popular guy, stepped forward confidently, puffing out his chest. "My class is Sword Hero," he declared, his emerald eyes glinting with pride.
Micah let out a dry laugh, barely hiding his amusement. "Of course it is. The golden boy gets the golden class."
Chase shot him a glare, but before anyone could comment further, Scarlett turned back to Micah. Her sharp eyes narrowed as she caught the faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Micah…" she said in a warning tone. "What are you thinking about doing?"
Micah's grin widened as he lifted his magic gun, pointing it toward the far wall. "This. Let's test something. Magic Bullet!"
The weapon hummed as blue mana began to charge in the barrel, crackling with energy.
"Micah, wait—" Scarlett started, but it was already too late.
"Go!" Micah shouted, pulling the trigger.
BANG!
The sound was deafening, and the blue magic bullet shot forward like a streak of light, slamming into the stone wall with explosive force. A massive, smoking hole appeared where the bullet hit, the debris scattering across the floor.
The room fell silent as everyone stared, mouths agape. Even the High Priest Alden looked stunned, gripping his staff tightly.
Micah lowered his gun, staring at the destruction with wide eyes. Then a grin spread across his face, and he laughed. "Hell yeah! Hahaha! That was awesome!"
But his celebration was short-lived.
A heavy, ominous aura loomed behind him, and Micah froze. He turned slowly, already knowing who it was.
"Scarlett?" he stuttered.
Scarlett stood there, her expression dark and terrifying. "Micah, you idiot!" she growled, her hands clenched into fists.
Micah began backing up, waving his free hand defensively. "H-hey, Scarlett, the beauty princess! Let's not overreact here, okay? Please don't hurt me!"
Scarlett cracked her knuckles, her scary aura intensifying. "Suffer the consequences!"
"Noooo!" Micah screamed, but it was too late.
WHACK!
Scarlett bonked him on the head so hard that smoke seemed to rise from his blue hair.
"OW!" Micah groaned, clutching his head. "Scarlett, you're a monster!"
Scarlett dusted her hands off, glaring down at him. "And you're a reckless idiot."
Micah sighed, rubbing his head as the class erupted into laughter. Despite the chaos, a small smile crept onto his face. If nothing else, this new world was already turning out to be one hell of an adventure.