Chapter 22: Outer Heaven
The sound of waves gently breaking on the sand echoed along the entire stretch of the beach. Maxwell, shirtless, ran across the soft sand. The salty wind tousled his hair as he accelerated, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"*Huuf* *Hiiss* *Huuf*"
His physique was more robust, and he had grown taller. It had been three weeks since he arrived on the island, and he was conditioning his body. This time, he focused on gaining muscle mass, which resulted in each point gained in strength increasing by 6.75 kg.
During his runs, he always took the opportunity to pass by the graves of his former squad. He wondered how Benjamin was doing and if he managed to get off Pandora.
[END: 42 > 43]
[New milestone reached!]
Free Bird: Cover 250/520/975 Kilometers running
1 - Adrenaline Transfusion
2 - ???
3 - ???
[(Augments) Adrenaline Transfusion: Pilot is permanently Stimmed, allowing for quicker movement speed, longer jumps, and faster regeneration. On the other hand, there is a high risk of addiction, loss of sensitivity and health problems.]
'Damn, these stims are dangerous.' Maxwell had chosen not to install the implant; he already had one that could be activated and deactivated at any time, even though it was a weaker version.
Feeling that his gains were good enough, Maxwell veered off onto a trail that led to the heart of the island, an old road now turned into a natural path, where the leafy tops of palm trees cast a pleasant shade against the island's harsh, hot sun.
After a few minutes of running, he finally arrived at the provisional settlement: the old apartment complex where the lumberjacks lived while working for Jakobs.
Spyglass was standing at the entrance, waiting for him with a towel folded in one metallic hand and a bottle of water in the other.
Maxwell stopped in front of Spyglass, panting but with a slight smile on his face. He grabbed the towel, wiping the sweat from his forehead before taking a long sip of water.
"Report," Maxwell said as he checked his status.
_____
Name: [Maxwell Willians]
Regeneration: 1
[STR: 17] [END: 43] [DEX: 29] [INT: 21]
Skills: [Trigger Discipline lv.23] [Blade Mastery lv. 49] [Mithridatism Constituion lv.12] [Assassin's Instinct lv.60] [Fast Learner lv.1] [Neurolink Lv.4]
—
Functions: [Hangar] [Questboard] [Most Wanted List]
Credits: 279
_____
'It seems Regeneration purged the Skag disease from my body.' That was one less concern, and although he wouldn't tell anyone, the craving for human flesh had disappeared along with the disease.
Spyglass responded while displaying a map of the island. "The Marvins have completed the installation of the ECHOnet server. All communication vehicles on the planet are stable. We've received some calls, which were promptly declined, and we've blocked distress signals sent by the Atlas troops to HQ on Promethea. As for the corpses… all have been incinerated as requested."
Spyglass continued, with a slight change in tone: "Dr. Tannis, however, wasn't pleased with your decision to prevent the collection of a corpse for study. She expressed her dissatisfaction rather... emphatically."
"She locked herself in the room where VoidTech is?" Maxwell chuckled softly, picturing the eccentric scientist grumbling somewhere. He tried to keep regular conversations with her, but she preferred staying alone, recording logs on her ECHO.
"Affirmative."
"She'll get over it," Maxwell said mockingly. "Our priority now is stabilizing this place and ensuring we have a safe haven on this abandoned planet. Soon I'll head to Badlands and bring back a few subjects for testing."
"Additionally," Spyglass continued, shifting topics, "the water purification process has been successfully completed. The Marvin team managed to isolate and eliminate all the pathogens found in the island's aquifers with Dr. Tannis' help. The water is now safe for consumption and has been properly distributed throughout the base. We've also implemented a continuous filtration system to ensure no future contamination."
Clean water had been one of the main concerns since their arrival on Dead Island, now named Outer Heaven, as it was a paradise compared to the rest of Pandora. Although the island looked like a paradise, its water system had been compromised by the remnants of the undead that had infiltrated nearly every aspect of the environment. Food wasn't a problem, since only he and Tannis were human on the island, so consumption was minimal, but the creation of crops had already been planned.
"Good work," Maxwell nodded, satisfied. "For now, I'll prepare for my little incursion. Keep the base running in my absence."
"As you command."
Maxwell left Spyglass to continue managing the base and headed to his room. The space was simple, a bed in the corner, a wardrobe, and a small desk. Just the essentials, but luxurious considering they were all made of wood, a rare resource on Pandora.
Before putting on his pilot suit, Maxwell decided to take care of something he'd been postponing.
The rudimentary nanites still circulating in his body. Maxwell had delayed replacing them, but he could no longer ignore the vulnerability they posed to magnetism. The longer he kept them, the more he was gambling his life with the death, and as always, the house would eventually win.
(Gear) Nanites MK7: Small robots that help heal wounds quickly, can also recover severed limbs, as long as they are not already decomposing. Keep the host's body in shape even without exercising, by making small daily stimulations to the muscles. 120[C]
-120[C]
159[C]
Maxwell grabbed the syringe and injected it into his exposed forearm. For a moment, the veins in Maxwell's arm turned black as the nanites coursed through his body like snakes.
He took a deep breath as a slight tingling sensation spread through his muscles, replacing the old nanites with the new ones.
With the process complete, Maxwell turned toward the wardrobe. Without rushing, he began to dress, pulling on the combat suit and adjusting each part for a comfortable fit. Putting on his helmet, his eyes focused on the data feed visible on the visor.
"Max," Angel's voice chimed in his head with a slightly curious tone. "What are you doing in the Badlands? Seems a bit overkill to gear up this much just to catch a few psychos..."
Angel and Maxwell had grown more familiar over the past weeks, exchanging lighter comments. But Angel always felt that Maxwell was still full of secrets, especially after that unsettling encounter with a teenage version of Maxwell following his conversation with her father.
Of course, she didn't bring up the elephant in the room, since Maxwell had never pressured her to reveal her own secrets. So she didn't feel it was right to question him directly.
Finding no anomalies in his body or implants, Maxwell finished adjusting his helmet, the visor illuminating his face for a moment.
"Of course, I'm doing more than just catching a few psychos. I was thinking of stopping by the Underdome. Grab a few drinks, have some fun, and see if Moxxi is as beautiful as people say." He replied mentally.
There was a brief silence on the other side of the communication, followed by a low, slightly irritated murmur.
"Pervert, degenerate, shameless."
Maxwell chuckled as he stored some ammunition boxes in his ECHO. He couldn't resist teasing her.
"You know, Angel, I'm not a cold block of stone," he laughed, grabbing the Kraber and slinging it over his back. "But are you jealous? No need to worry, there's always room for more in my heart."
Angel audibly huffed, clearly embarrassed by how open Maxwell was about a subject that made her blush like a tomato.
"Uh... anyway. I've finished the modifications to the island's Fast Travel system." Angel quickly changed the subject. "It's now a 'ghost' device. You can use it to access any other Fast Travel point on the network, but no one can access this one. It's invisible to the rest of the system."
Maxwell raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Invisible, huh? And what's the catch?"
"The catch," Angel continued, "is that it's a one-way trip. If you leave using it, you'll have to find another way to get back to the island. The Fast Travel here will be locked until you manually return."
Maxwell nodded. "Got it. Thanks, Angel. Always looking out for me."
"Try not to overdo it… more than usual, at least," she retorted with a slight hint of concern.
"I'll try, but I think Moxxi has enough experience to deal with my roughness."
"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT, DAMN IT!" Angel shouted before the mental link abruptly cut off.
Maxwell burst out laughing—it was nice to see the shy girl opening up, but soon he refocused on the system screen. He knew it wouldn't be wise to do this alone. Some reinforcements would come in handy to assist him.
(Robots) Spectre: Autonomous combat robots that conduct patrols and support combat forces. They are capable of performing reconnaissance and combat tasks, making them effective in combat situations. 50[C]
-100[C]
59[C]
The Spectres took position in front of him and saluted with a military gesture. Unfortunately, they came with no equipment.
Knowing this, Maxwell needed something reliable, without any excess. He scrolled through the list of weapons until he stopped at the R-201 Carbine, a well-balanced assault rifle. It didn't have any standout strengths, but also no weaknesses.
(Weapons) R-201 Carbine: A fully automatic gun, Its magazine can hold 24 bullets and 30 with the extended magazine. An improved Irondot reticule and an upgraded internal CPU core that regulates barrel temperature, weapon malfunctions and ballistics. 23[C]
-46[C]
13[C]
Handing a weapon to each Spectre, they were finally ready to go.
.
..
...
Maxwell wondered what was the best way to earn credits. He believed it was through system missions, but they were quite rare, and Regeneration took too long.
However, there was something he had forgotten, given that he had only used it once. Due to the fact that there was only one criminal on Dead Island.
[Most Wanted List]
This function granted him rewards if he, or one of his allies, killed a figure with a criminal profile.
The issue was that only now did Maxwell understand the implications of this function. After escaping Dead Island for the first time, he had received a COLOSSAL number of criminal profiles, including even the Vault Hunters.
He hadn't told anyone, but the main reason for his return to the Badlands was for just one reason...
*BAANG*
+19[C]
The sharp crack of the Kraber roared like thunder, and the bolt was pulled back quickly. The bullet casing spun through the air, softly landing on the ground, while Maxwell watched his target fall dead on the horizon. He adjusted the angle and aimed at the next one, ignoring the distant screams and gunfire sounds echoing from the psycho camp, 3.5 km away.
*BAANG*
+4[C]
He preferred to be cautious as he had no shield and let the Spectres enter CQC while he stayed well away.
*BAANG*
+1[C]
Maxwell kept shooting until a robotic voice contacted him through the ECHO communication.
("Sir, all possible threats have been eliminated. We've captured some psychos and the clan leader of these savages, awaiting orders.")
("I'm not taking prisoners, just execute them.")
("Understood...")
+2[C]
+8[C]
+4[C]
+18[C]
+50[C] + EVA-8 Shotgun
"I guess Jack better hurry, or there won't be any bandits left on Pandora by the time he gets here, heh," Maxwell gave orders to the Spectres. ("Before you return, take a vehicle from the camp. We're moving.")
Maxwell looked up at the orange sky. It was almost dusk.
He had decided to leave his Samson behind on this mission, a strategic choice. Many people had already seen the vehicle alongside his Lancer forces, and Maxwell preferred to keep a lower profile this time.
("Noted, we're on the way,") replied the robotic voice.
Chapter 23: Want to hear a joke?
Maxwell was sitting in the passenger seat of a car that had clearly seen better days. The vehicle was a Bandit Technical, patched together and riddled with bullet holes in the doors. It was a miracle it could still run.
The Spectre at the wheel kept his focus on the road. On top, another Spectre sat in the mounted machine gun seat, its ocular lenses scanning for any suspicious movement.
Maxwell, however, was relaxed. With his face resting on his hand, he gazed up at the night sky. The stars shone brightly against Pandora's vast desert, creating a hypnotic contrast, but that wasn't what he was focusing on.
<Driving lv.3>
Sunday Driver: Has a basic understanding of operating land and air vehicles. Improving gear shifting and vehicle handling.
'I hope this works on Titans, although I think it'll be a while before the next Regeneration.'
The cold, sandy wind hit his face, causing slight discomfort. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling each grain of sand, but it didn't bother him. Strangely, it gave him a sense of peace, reminding him he was no longer on Earth. Pandora's days were long and scorching, easily surpassing 104°F, while its nights were freezing. No wonder in the game, you'd jump from a snowy area to a desert in an instant.
From time to time, the car would bounce due to the rough terrain, making his body sway in the seat. Despite that, his eyelids began to grow heavy. Maxwell allowed sleep to overtake him, deciding to take a nap during the trip.
...
Sometime later, he felt a metallic hand lightly press his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Maxwell blinked a few times, adjusting to the dim light. They had arrived at their destination.
"Well, we're here. Moxxi's Red Light." Maxwell stretched slightly and nodded, hopping out of the car.
As he stepped down, he adjusted the pilot helmet on his head. The Red Light bar was nearby, but the car would have to be left behind. The street leading to the location was littered with obstacles: fallen walls, metal crates, and barrels blocking the way for any larger vehicle.
With a sigh, he signaled for the Spectres to follow him on foot.
Upon reaching the entrance, Maxwell was greeted by an immense, muscular man, clearly the bouncer. The guy looked him up and down before raising his hand.
"Hold up, son," said the man, nodding toward the sign at the entrance. "House rules."
Weapons aren't allowed outside of the ECHO Storage Deck.
Maxwell narrowed his eyes for a moment. Not wanting to cause trouble, he stored his Kraber and EVA-8, along with the Spectres' weapons.
As they entered the bar, Maxwell murmured under his breath. "I feel kinda naked without my weapons, but... if everyone's at the same disadvantage, the chances of something bad happening are slim."
The bouncer gave a small nod, allowing Maxwell inside. As he crossed the doorway, he was immediately enveloped by the Red Light's atmosphere. The bar was dark and moderately large. Dim lights flickered on the walls, while soft music played in the background. A few young women, dressed in short, provocative outfits, served the mercenaries and bandits crowding the tables. The air was thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and cigarettes, mixed with occasional murmurs and laughter.
Maxwell's eyes scanned the place, his system displaying every dirty crime they had committed. After some quick calculations, there was a total of 1,438 credits in that bar.
Fortunately for them, Maxwell wouldn't be killing them inside the bar...
He'd be killing them outside of it, of course.
Maxwell took a seat at the counter, his two Spectres standing motionless behind him. As he settled in, the woman he was looking for finally approached. Maxwell's eyes locked onto her hips swaying side to side, like a snake smoothly undulating across the floor. His gaze slowly traveled upward, drawn to the two "bouncing personalities" as she walked.
At moments like this, he thanked his helmet for hiding the trajectory of his eyes.
"Oh my, looks like Pandora's got a new face. What should I call you?" Moxxi asked, leaning casually and putting more weight on her left leg. Maybe she was trying to emphasize her hips, or maybe it was just a bad habit. Maxwell wasn't sure, but both scenarios seemed possible.
"Maxwell Williams, but you can call me Max, Miss Moxxi." He calmly removed his helmet, placing it on the counter beside him. His deep navy-blue eyes met Moxxi's bright blue ones, her long lashes fluttering for a second.
She stared at him for a moment, and although her white makeup made her look like she'd just been crying, a faint trace of surprise was visible. However, Moxxi quickly regained her characteristic smile.
"What brings you to my humble establishment, sugar?" Moxxi propped her elbows on the counter while resting her chin on her hands. Bringing her face dangerously close to Maxwell's, letting him catch a whiff of her sweet, enchanting perfume.
"I came to check out the Underdome when I heard about the prize... and a date with the owner of the Underdome. But now that I'm here, I realize the date's the real deal." Maxwell leaned in a little more, a mischievous grin growing on his face as he winked at her. "Oh, and to try some drinks too."
If not for the makeup, a slight blush might have appeared on Moxxi's face. Sensually licking her red lips, she turned and bent over to grab a bottle from the shelf, her hips swaying softly. "Well, Max, then I suppose I should satisfy you with my best."
Maxwell watched the curve of her back for a moment. She had a naturally guitar-shaped figure, almost hypnotic. But resisting the temptation, he shifted his gaze to a jar on the counter, containing only a few crumpled bills.
"Maliwan Black Label, this beauty here is exclusive to Promethea." she began, sliding a glass in front of Maxwell before filling it with the dark, thick liquid.
"So, Max, think you can handle it?"
"With a lovely lady serving me? All night long!" said Maxwell, tilting the glass and letting the dark liquid slide down his throat. The first sip surprised him with its robust malt flavor and spicy notes, followed by a sophisticated bitterness and a warm sensation in his chest.
"Thought Pandora's finest would be a bit better than skag piss. A pleasant surprise, though," Maxwell commented, licking his lips and savoring the aftertaste. "But I reckon this stuff costs a fortune?"
"I'd say Maliwan Black Label isn't for just anyone, sugar. But you seem to be handling it just fine." Moxxi smiled with satisfaction, leaning forward, letting her cleavage spill slightly over the counter, giving a clear view of her heart-shaped tattoo.
Moxxi looked at Maxwell for a moment, her blue eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement. "I'd love to stay longer, sugar, but I've got to go start the Underdome for tonight. One of my girls will take care of you while I'm gone." She gave him a teasing smile, nodding toward one of the young waitresses.
"Many competitors tonight?" Maxwell, not wanting to let her go that easily, crossed his arms and threw her a playful look. "I've heard rumors you've already slept with nearly everyone on Pandora."
Moxxi paused mid-step, her eyebrow twitching for a moment, but she quickly recovered, her usual smile returning. She walked back and grabbed another beer, filling Maxwell's glass before leaning in close again.
"Want to hear a joke, Max?" she asked casually but didn't wait for a response before starting.
"See this bar?" She made a sweeping gesture, referring to the establishment. "I built this bar myself. Gathered the stones, the best stones from the Badlands brought them here, set everything up, made it look as beautiful as it is."
She paused, looking Maxwell straight in the eyes.
"But do you think people call me Mad Moxxi, the bar builder?"
"No." She shook her head slowly, a sarcastic smile on her lips.
Moxxi then pointed to the window, at the outrunner outside with its shiny paint and sleek design.
"See that outrunner out there? I designed and built that car. Researched the best engines, picked the right tires, the chassis. Assembled it, piece by piece."
"But do you think people call me Mad Moxxi, the car builder?"
"No, they don't." Another slow shake of the head, her tone a bit more bitter this time.
Maxwell stayed quiet, his smile slowly fading. He began to wonder if he'd crossed a line.
Moxxi then pointed toward the large entrance leading to the underground Underdome.
"Ever seen the Underdome?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I built that too. Stone by stone, cement, steel, everything assembled and structured. I gave more love to building that coliseum than I gave to raising my own children."
She stepped closer, now just inches from Maxwell. "But do you think people call me Mad Moxxi, the coliseum builder?"
Maxwell remained silent, watching as she shook her head for the third time.
"No, they don't."
Suddenly, she leaned in even closer, her lips just a breath away from Maxwell's ear, and whispered with gritted teeth.
"But you are fucked by one psycho…"
Moxxi pulled away abruptly, the heels of her boots echoing loudly through the bar. Her cold gaze pierced him for a brief moment before she finally turned her back and walked out.
One of the young staff quickly came over to serve him, smiling sympathetically. Maxwell glanced at his glass, and suddenly, the beer that had once tasted so pleasant now seemed strangely bitter.
"Max... you're an asshole." A female voice echoes in Maxwell's mind.
"You were listening, no wait! Where did you learn that word, girl?!" Maxwell exclaims mentally.
"..."
"*Sigh*"
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
164 Power
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