God Simulator: The Goddesses In The Simulation Are All Real

Dr. Kerr hesitated, glancing at Linsley with a mix of hope and caution. "They briefed me on your… Unlimited Gun Works gift. I won't lie; it's unconventional, and frankly, it feels like a last resort. But we're out of options."

"If there's any way your gift can target the virus directly, bypassing its defenses, it could be our best shot. The desperation here is... considerable."

Linsley weighed the information, his gaze shifting between Dr. Kerr and the infected.

The situation was more dire than he'd expected, and the uncertainty in the researcher's voice underscored the severity of it all.

Dr. Kerr led him down another hallway, eventually bringing him to a lab filled with high-resolution screens and scanning equipment.

On the largest monitor, microscopic visuals of the virus were displayed, each magnified image revealing an intricate, unusual structure.

The virus seemed almost... aware. Its movement wasn't random, and its shape shifted subtly, as though it could sense the scrutiny.

The researchers had collected data showing that it didn't behave like any other known virus, and the evidence hinted at something deeply unnatural—a faint, unsettling sense of sentience.

Linsley studied the visuals, his gaze narrowing. 'This isn't just an infection. It's... guided,' he thought, a familiar chill creeping up his spine.

Others might not know what this virus was, but he, who had confronted the Outer Gods three times already, could feel a sliver of that same vile energy clinging to it. It was subtle, yet disturbingly familiar.

The patterns, the way it animated the dead—it all felt uncomfortably close to their methods, as if the virus was channeling a fragment of their power.

Still, he kept this realization to himself. He didn't want to jump to conclusions and preferred to wait and observe further.

"Can I examine one of the infected up close?" Linsley asked, breaking his silence.

Dr. Kerr hesitated, but after a brief moment, he nodded.

"I was told by the higher-ups that you have full clearance," Dr. Kerr replied. "They've authorized you to take over if needed." Discover hidden tales at empire

Without further delay, Linsley was led to one of the quarantined rooms.

The moment he stepped inside, the infected—a man with sunken eyes and ash-colored skin—lunged toward him, moving with unnatural speed.

Unfazed, Linsley raised his hand, activating Unlimited Gun Works as he envisioned a handgun.

The weapon materialized in his grip, and he fired a single shot at the infected. The bullet struck, but no visible damage marred the infected's body. Instead, the bullet vanished upon impact, sinking into the man's body, and the effect was immediate.

The infected's limbs seized up, his body going rigid as if frozen in place. The paralysis was so severe that, if used on a human, it would stop their heart and halt their breathing.

But Linsley already knew, from Dr. Kerr's briefing, that these infected didn't need to breathe, nor did their hearts beat. Oxygen and blood were meaningless to them; it was only the virus animating them, pushing them forward in a grotesque imitation of life.

Linsley took a step back, letting the paralyzed infected stand frozen in place, its body rigid and unresponsive.

He unsummoned the handgun in his grip, and in its place, he summoned a different model—this one fitted with a large, complex scope that gleamed ominously.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Through his gift's power, the scope wasn't just for standard sight; it acted like a microscope with X-ray capabilities, allowing him to lock onto the virus directly inside the infected's body without needing to extract a sample.

Raising the scoped handgun to eye level, Linsley peered through the lens. His vision sharpened, piercing layers of flesh until he could see the infected cells up close, each one teeming with the virus.

The scope provided him with a view so detailed it was almost surreal: the virus pulsed and shifted in its host, a writhing network of energy and dark tendrils, visibly integrated within the infected's cellular structure. It moved as if sensing his gaze, coiling and uncoiling in patterns that felt disturbingly deliberate.

'There it is,' he thought, steadying his grip.

Through the scope, he could feel that familiar, twisted energy—a faint echo of the Outer Gods, their malevolent influence embedded within each viral strand.

The infection was no mere accident; it was deliberate, perhaps even a seed of something greater, buried in the fabric of this virus.

Considering his Real Fantasy gift's potential, Linsley weighed his options. He could easily conjure a specialized weapon—a purification bullet, perhaps—that would target the virus directly without harming the host.

His Real Fantasy gift, even in its disguised form as Unlimited Gun Works, had the flexibility to create such tools. This was an opportunity to test just how effective his creation could be against a virus of this type, a twisted, sentient infection.

Yet, there was another side to his power: his SSS-rank Annihilation gift, which he had chosen not to reveal in his false persona. It wasn't part of his fabricated profile here, and his superiors had no knowledge of it.

This ability alone could annihilate the virus entirely, no matter its resilience. While the infected held a fragment of an Outer God's influence, it was still a mere fragment.

Other overlords might struggle against it, but his Level 9.9 power, combined with the destructive force of Annihilation, could easily deal with it.

But showing that level of power wasn't an option. Officially, he was listed as a Level 9.4 Overlord. His true strength—and the depth of his gifts—were hidden to keep unwanted eyes away.

With a small shake of his head, he put on an air of resignation and feigned ignorance, saying, "If I were a Level 9.8 Overlord, I might be able to eliminate this virus entirely, purifying the host without any risk. But as it stands, with my current power, I'm not there yet."

"And that's only if the virus stays as it is. If it evolves, then even a Level 9.8 wouldn't be enough; it would take a full Level 9.9 Overlord to handle it safely."

Dr. Kerr looked at him thoughtfully, brow furrowed. "But if you were to simply destroy the virus without concern for the host's life—could you do it with your current abilities?"