The world hung still. All the color in the world desaturated in response to Sheep’s words. We had just been called overachievers. Praised, but… It didn’t feel like praise.

  “But… I suppose I should have expected that from a bunch of rabbits. Always going down the first hole they find, regardless of the consequences!”

  Sheep’s words continued.

  “I will admit, you did do something, and you should be rewarded for defeating a low-rank gold tier monster… To think you’d be able to come together and do that! Baa!~ Baa!~ Baa!~”

  Sheep gave their, and I was quickly becoming familiar with, iconic laughter that sounded like a bleating sheep.

  “So, each of you participants that helped slay the creature will be given enough coins to reach the top ten, at minimum. Also, with the defeat of the heart, we’ll be transitioning to the second and final act of this event!!! STAY TUNED!”

  Color bled back. Time resumed. As did the sounds of groaning metal from above. It seemed, even with the death of the heart, the freakish creatures from the sewers were still attempting to break in…

  Unfortunately… Mm?

  A river of stars shot out of the dead heart, and the countless undead. It swirled and formed a cocoon around me, and the others. Wounds hissed and healed. Cracked bones sealed and all at once, I felt whole, better. My hearing snapped back into existence.

  I was healed, though, I was still stiff. Some ice clung to my frame still. Even my own spent energy seemed recovered. Not entirely, but by a fair margin.

  I didn’t have long to contemplate that before I felt something. Another pulse just in front of my face. Energy swirled before me, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. Everyone did.

  The energy swirled, and a blinding gold light pierced through the very fabric of the universe seemingly, a singular beacon that blazed on like a lighthouse on a dark night. The light faded to reveal a gold coin.

  The coin floated, just before my face. Hesitantly I took it in my hand. Looked it over. It was hefty. Oddly weighty in hand. As if it wasn’t just gold, but something more, like an existential weight had been added to it that made just holding it, notable in some way.

  I rubbed my fingers along the face of the coin. Letting my fingers run along the etched image of a fox on the face. The backside of the coin had a simple star etched into it. The coin was warm and pulsed in my hand. Looking at it, I couldn’t help but think of the sheep coin because this coin too, looked like a casino coin. A gold body and face, with a sparkling white and gold edge.

  Enthralled by the coin, I didn’t notice that the world had once again stopped. A singular light, like a spotlight was shining on me. The rest of world was near black.

  Finally noting the oddity, I looked up and saw a familiar figure.

  “Usagi.” I muttered. The rabbit’s ears twitched in response to me calling its name.

  “That’s my name, Pyon, Pyon! Don’t wear it out, Pyon!”

  I sighed and leaned back. “Why are you even here?” I asked.

  “Simple, Pyon! You just received your first gold coin, Pyon!”

  “Oh? Does that mean you plan to explain what this is for?” I raised the coin up. In some ways, it looked like a casino chip. It glinted oddly as if there was a light in the center of the coin.

  “Indeed, I am, Pyon! You’re always quick on the uptake, Pyon! It makes me so proud, Pyon!”

  “Can we just continue, please?” Just listening to them was… draining… I just wanted this to end.

  “Sure thing, Pyon! A gold coin is a literal wish, simply ask and you shall receive, Pyon! The potential is near limitless, Pyon!”

  A wish?

  “Then, could I go home with this?” I asked and for a moment, the light above flickered.

  “Unfortunately, not, Pyon! To return home, you would need a platinum coin, Pyon, Pyon! What you can do with this coin is call someone to this world, someone you know, Pyon. You can also increase your power, gain another sub affinity or even a whole new magic entirely, Pyon! Or… You could even regain your old body, Pyon.”

  My old body?

  My fist clenched. My entire being went taut. The idea of becoming a man again was, without a doubt, tempting.

  “Wouldn’t they ask questions?”

  “Nope, Pyon! Some of your fellows might notice a difference, but they’ll think it’s natural, Pyon. Outside, in the city proper your work colleagues won’t think anything different of you, Pyon!”

  That… that was a terrifying thought actually. However, I wasn’t sure if that was the best choice right now. Not with the gate above about to fall and I had no idea what was coming next…

  “What do you suggest I get, Usagi?” So, I pivoted and asked.

  Usagi tilted their head. Ears twitched. “I would suggest you first get a weapon and possibly a uniform before you make other wishes, Pyon.”

  “Uniform?”

  “Indeed, a uniform, Pyon!”

  …right. Not getting an answer there.

  “Fine then, what makes the weapon so special?”

  Not that I thought the idea of having a weapon was a bad one. Just, why couldn’t I just bring my own?

  “A magical girl’s weapon and uniform are critical to their existence!”

  That… that really wasn’t an answer. “I’m not sure what you’re referring too… I’m not exactly young enough to be called a girl, nor do I feel particularly magical right now.”

  Parts of my body still ached despite the recent healing.

  “A magical girl can be of any age, size, or even gender, Pyon! It’s a whole new world. Pyon, Pyon!”

  That sounded like corporate speak, but… I wasn’t going to argue. Honestly, having a weapon would be great. Even if it felt like I was being grifted.

  “Fine… give me a weapon.” The moment I said that, the coin in my hand vibrated.

  “Wonderful, Pyon! What kind of weapon, Pyon, Pyon!? A sword, a spear, gauntlets, Pyon!”

  Usagi’s eyes were sparkling. While my own mind churned. A sword? Spear? Gauntlets? Why would I get any of those? In the words of my shishou, ‘If you want to win a fight, don’t learn martial arts, buy a gun.’.

  “A gun, if you would.”

  The light in their eyes dimmed briefly before coming back, even more resplendent.

  “A gun it is, Pyon!” The moment they spoke, the coin in my hand exploded into motes of light. The motes of light then swirled and converged on me.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Once the light faded, I gasped. Yet… I felt something new. Like something had been molded onto my soul. It felt foreign but with each passing second, I could feel it further connecting with me until it not only became natural, but indistinguishable from my very being. With a touch, like flipping a switch, it called to that part of me.

  Ice crackled into existence. A block of it extended from my hand. Then it cracked, it snapped, and it exploded into countless shards of ice to reveal… a weapon. A gun.

  The stock was in my hand, my finger around the trigger. The gun itself looked like a bolt action rifle. The main body looked and felt like ivory. It was soft to the touch, and strangely warm. Shimmering light blue swirls covered the surface of it. The metal parts were silver. They gave off a sense of purity, purpose. Along with it, was a white leather strap with silver buckles. The belt was threaded near the end of the barrel, and buckled to the bottom of the stock, making it easy to carry.

  Almost reverentially I reached for the bolt and pulled it back, revealing the in-built magazine. With a thought… With a small pulse of power, a bullet made of ice formed in my hand. I put it inside, closed and pushed forward the bolt.

  I pointed forward and squeezed the trigger. A loud, Ting! Echoed out, the sound almost musical. The bullet sang out with crystalline song. It hit the opposite wall, the song cutting off abruptly.

  More bullets were loaded, more were shot. It felt mechanical and precise. Like I had spent decades with his weapon in hand. It felt like it was a part of me.

  “So, how is it, Pyon?”

  “Wonderful.” I said, meaning every word. No, just saying it was wonderful was an understatement. Running my fingers along the stock sent shivers down my spine. Every squeeze of the trigger and the following ting had me enthralled. This weapon felt like a masterpiece. A piece of art that I was completely unworthy of holding in my hand. Yet, it felt wholly and uniquely mine.

  “Glad you like it, Pyon! Now, be prepared, once I leave, the world will pick back up and Sheep will make the next announcement, stay safe, Pyon!”

  Before I could reply, Usagi vanished. The light above faded, and all that surrounded me was the long circular shaft we were in. I had to look around and take everything in. Everyone here was stirring. The gate above shook and creaked. Slowly giving way to the onslaught.

  Just when I opened my mouth to speak, a siren roared out. It echoed in our ears. The siren, sounded like one of those air raid sirens.

  “ATTENTION!!!” Sheep’s voice cut through the loud droning siren. “All event goers need to evacuate the city, immediately! Please do so through the suburbs where an extraction unit is waiting, don’t dilly dally!”

  Then, the voice went silent, but the siren continued on.

  Just when I thought that would be it. The shaft we were in quaked. A deep thrumming beat echoed out from deep below in the abyss. A foul wind came from below, that same sweet smell that had pervaded the lower sewers came wafting from below.

  I didn’t think. I didn’t have too. The thrumming beat was all the warning we needed. We all bolted up the steps. Hurrying past the inert bodies of zombies and zombie variants. The path was treacherous, bodies crunching under my feet. Behind, the rock girl worked to bulldoze a path. Her work, notably cleaner and more precise.

  The voice girl followed in my wake, like me, she had something new. In her hand was a microphone, a wire connected the microphone to an old-style cassette radio that was clipped to her waist. I didn’t question it and merely focused on my own weapon. I conjured more bullets, sliding them into the magazine, until it was full. A full five bullets were inside, I pulled back the bolt to chamber a round and prepared for what was to come.

  In our ascent, I saw the girl with a letterman jacket, in her hands was no longer a pipe, but an aluminum bat. Further up, was the young man that shot lasers, he seemed unchanged, but small spheres of glowing energy slowly circled around him as he went up.

  In our ascent, we passed by the barred gates. The enchanted metal was bent out of shape, with long hands scraping at the edges. It groaned and squealed as they pushed their way through.

  We hurried. The lights illuminating the shaft flickered ominously. Many of the lights had gone dark, or were destroyed in the fight, but those left valiantly tried to do their duty.

  Far above, there was a doorway. A large pair of metal doors appeared to be swung open, offering no resistance.

  Halfway up though, the gate below finally gave way. Creatures rushed out, pushing their kin over the edge and down into the abyss. Their inhuman screams echoed endlessly as they fell. They moved far too fast, almost like someone had shot them with adrenaline. Their maws slavering, claws clambering at the walls.

  They scrabbled at stone, climbing the stairs with terrifying efficiency. Quickly they approached, but a barrage of black spheres crashed down, and exploded on impact. Destroying that portion of stairs and sending many of the creatures down into the abyss below.

  Still, more came charging. Leaping over the gap or crawling along the walls. Not all of the creatures had fallen into the abyss either, some had managed to dig their long fingers into the stone or grasp the stone stairs below and were rapidly climbing up to cut us off.

  Those climbing were cut off by the rock girl, she sent large chunks of rocks directly towards them, ripping them off the wall and down into the abyss. Notably, they seemed far sturdier than before.

  Occasionally, the girl with the aluminum bat would swing out, and in the blink of an eye, her bat would expand out, and impact one of the creatures climbing up the wall and send them flying away and down into the abyss or skittering into the opposite wall where they scrabbled for purchase, only to fall into the abyss, taking others with them in the process.

  The voice girl kept moving forward. Her hands clutched to the microphone in hand. Her eyes flicking about, her lips pursed. I held my weapon close and continued to run up.

  Even with all the interference, they were quickly gaining. I slowed a beat, pushing the voice girl and the rock girl forward and aimed my weapon at the oncoming horde. With a pull of the trigger, the gun kicked, and a bullet sang its crystalline song before crunching into the leg of a creature, blowing out its knee. It fell forward, its scrabbling hands took with it another of its kind into the abyss.

  I ejected the spent casing by pulling back the bolt, it impacted the stone beside my feet with a light tink, and I chambered the next round and fired. With mechanical efficiency I aimed and fired. Every shot hitting my intended target, slowing the encroaching entities.

  At this rate, we might make it.

  I emptied the magazine and continued my ascent, prepared to conjure more bullets, when… another thrumming beat ripped through the shaft. It shook everything. The very earth quaked. Lights flickered ominously. Many creatures lost grip and fell. Those rushing up the steps lost their footing and fell over the edge into the abyss.

  All of us were pushed up against the wall from the force. Slowing our ascent. The ice running through my body protected me from the impact, but the others not so much. Even then, they stood and readied to resume our retreat, when we heard it.

  A loud scream. The sounds of countless claws digging into earth. The shaft into the abyss was massive. As if it went to the very core of the world, and perhaps it did. On the stairs, as far down as we could see. Stark white figures began to crawl up with incredible speed. Along the walls, larger ones with multiple limbs began to climb, their heads like flowers, exposing viscous maws filled with teeth and flailing razor tongues. Just behind all of that, was a thick red mist that only seemed to frenzy the creatures, pushing them to even greater feats.

  We ran. It was all we could do. Those behind us were quickly gaining, and those below were quickly ascending. Our attacks grew more fevered. I’d load a bullet and fire, doing my best not to stop.

  Quickly it became clear, normal bullets just weren’t cutting it. It could blow out joints, or ruin footing if I shoot them in the feet. Most were hunched over, moving forward like dogs. Their heads following every movement as they sought to close the distance.

  I needed something else. I felt the stock of my weapon, and I felt a confirmation, and answer back to my desire, my need.

  I could make other types of munitions. With a thought, I conjured the new bullet. It took a bit more energy to manifest. The bullet was unlike the others, having a flat tip. I loaded it and about faced, pointing the rifle at the mess of entities.

  I pulled the trigger.

  A new, lower song came out. It sounded oddly resonant, like numerous chimes coming together in a symphony. The flat bullet went flying, then exploded. Sending sharp, crystalline shards of ice into the mass of entities, sending out a puff of crimson mist from where they had been hit.

  The entire writhing mass stuttered. Those behind pushed forward, those at the front tried to correct. All it did was make the entire mass tip over and into the abyss in a tangle of bodies. With more breathing room, I continued my ascent. I conjured more of those scattershot bullets into the magazine. With every shot, the line pushed back, their numbers reduced.

  I quickly approached empty; a single round left. I aimed down the sight made of silver, when I saw something else. The creatures from below had caught up. One particular creature led at the front. Its arms placed in front of it oddly like a shield. Uncaring for its comrades, it bulldozed through. Sending its kin down into the abyss as it climbed.

  I aimed at it and fired. Expecting my shot to do something, the crystalline shards stuck into the shield made of hardened flesh and hit with enough force to briefly push back the shield bearer, but little else. They ran on bow-legged legs. Pushing with ever greater speed. Throwing aside all in its path.

  I needed another answer and again, my gun answered. A new bullet type.

  With a thought, I conjured it. Forming it out of ice. The bullet was thinner; the tip covered in etchings like a screw. I fit it in, and readied.

  I waited, tensed. Ice keeping my form still like a statue. I didn’t even breathe.

  The moment it winded around, coming straight on. I fired. It whistled. The bullet came out with a monstrous spin and a shrill song that echoed down the shaft. The air around it seemed to swirl. It hit the creatures shield head on. Sparks and blood kicked out on contact, ice went flying, but after a momentary delay, it punched right through, just like a screw would.

  It pierced through the shield followed by the creature’s head just behind and carried on into the mass. It went limp, fell to the ground. The obstacle slowed the oncoming onslaught, I conjured a scattershot and fired again, sending the mass to the abyss and continued my ascent.

  The top wasn’t much further ahead. Surely, we’d make it…