[The final reward is now being calculated!] As Luca sat perched at the ship’s highest point, gazing down at the chaotic tableau below, the system’s dispassionate voice suddenly echoed in his ears.
The majority of the Titanic’s hull had already slipped beneath the waves.
In mere moments, this vessel would join history’s trajectory, a wreck scattered across the icy Atlantic floor.
The deck had descended into pandemonium.
Passengers scrambled for lifeboats, humanity’s basest instincts on full display.
Order and civility had evaporated entirely.
The original film depicted crowds facing death with noble courage—largely cinematic.
Yes, figures like the captain and chief designer genuinely chose to go down with the ship.
But expecting similar heroism from everyone?
Laughable.
Even ants struggle to survive.
Human beings are no different.
Watching the screaming, sobbing masses below, Luca silently tipped his glass, letting red wine cascade into the void.
Consider it a toast in their honor.
Rose and Caledon had already escaped on the first lifeboat, thanks to his warning.
The others?
He couldn’t save everyone.
After all, they weren’t exactly close acquaintances.
[Main Task: Sink the Titanic – COMPLETED.] [Completion rate: 85%.
Rating: EXCELLENT.] [Reward: 3 Free Attribute Points.] [Hidden Side Mission: Establish intimate contact with heroine Rose DeWitt Bukater – COMPLETED.] [Reward: Title unlocked.] [Now drawing Newcomer Mission Skill Reward] Luca’s eyebrows shot upward at the hidden reward notification.
That qualified for a reward?
This system seemed…
less than entirely serious.
[Newcomer Mission completion rating: EXCELLENT] [Basic Demolition Proficiency automatically upgraded to DEMOLITIONS EXPERT.] [Mission complete.
Immediate return to origin world?] “Can I continue staying in this world?” Luca asked, genuinely curious.
He’d assumed the system would yank him back instantly upon mission completion.
The option to linger came as a pleasant surprise.
If he’d known, he might have arranged a more…
thorough farewell with Rose.
They’d barely explored two positions, so many techniques remained untested!
[Host may remain in this world for two additional hours.
Forced return will occur automatically after time elapses.] Two hours.
Useless for anything substantial.
This wreck would fully submerge within minutes anyway.
No point lingering.
“Return.” Clutching the frame in one hand and a bronze artifact in the other, Luca silently uttered the command.
✦••┈┈••✦••┈┈••✦ In an instant, he transferred from the sinking ship’s peak to his modest room in Sokovia.
He glanced at the wall clock.
The hands remained frozen at the precise moment before his departure.
Time in the real world, it seemed, stood still while he traversed other plot worlds.
Examining the frame in his left hand, exactly as expected, the painting had accompanied him across dimensions.
The bronze piece in his right hand, however, hadn’t made the journey.
Too heavy, perhaps or lacking sufficient ‘narrative weight’ to transport.
During those days aboard the ship, while not occupied with explosives manufacturing and steel compromising, he’d quietly accumulated certain valuables.
That frame he’d just retrieved?
An authentic Picasso, a gift from Rose.
The bronze came from some wealthy passenger he’d charmed into selling.
A pity it hadn’t made the return trip, that piece would command a handsome price from the right collector.
Thinking of acquisitions, Luca reached casually into his pocket.
The Heart of the Ocean.
This magnificent dark blue gem, so central to the original plot, now rested in his palm.
He’d…
acquired it while Rose slept in his room.
A momentary impulse, nothing more.
Heaven as his witness, he’d simply thought, this object qualifies as an important plot item.
Surely it might trigger some reward.
He entertained no other motivations whatsoever.
Various legends spoke of this gem as a cursed stone, possessing strange magical properties.
Yet holding it now, feeling its weight and cool surface, he sensed nothing remarkable.
Just a beautiful jewel, lovely to behold but otherwise ordinary.
Ah well.
It would serve nicely as a souvenir.
After emptying his pockets and properly storing his acquisitions, Luca turned his attention to counting mission rewards.
Three free attribute points… straightforward enough.
Anyone who’d read infinite stream novels knew how those worked.
But uncertain about optimal allocation, he decided to hold them in reserve for now.
The remaining rewards comprised one title and one skill.
Name: Luca Quinn Species: Terrestrial Male Strength: 4 (5) Agility: 5 (5) Physique: 5 (5) Spirit: 8 (5) Free Attributes: 3 Title: The Neighbor From Down the Street Skill: Demolition Expert [The Neighbor From Down the Street: When this title is equipped during interactions with married women, there exists a certain probability of triggering the title’s passive enhancement effect.] Luca nearly choked reading the system’s description.
This damn system had to be deliberately malicious!
Slandering an upright gentleman like himself with such an absurd, inappropriate title, it was practically character assassination!
Besides, during the entire Titanic voyage, he’d been entirely passive.
Well…
mostly passive.
He was definitely the victim here!
“Luca, are you still there?” Before he could lodge a complaint with customer service, Pietro’s panicked shout echoed from above.
What had gotten into those two kids?
Luca scrambled up through the floor’s central gap in two quick moves, finding both children huddled in a corner, trembling visibly.
“What’s wrong?” He found their behavior peculiar.
Normally, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver possessed psychological resilience far exceeding ordinary children.
They shouldn’t be this terrified simply from not seeing him for two minutes.
DING-DING-DING-DING— The sound from behind answered his question before they could.
He turned to see the missile’s warning lights flashing an ominous red.
“Damn it!” Luca swore violently.
This plot wasn’t following the script at all!
Wasn’t this missile supposed to sit here for two days without detonating?
Those flashing lights suggested something had gone terribly wrong.
He lunged forward to grab both children and run, then stopped mid-stride, pivoting back toward the threat.
The moment his eyes fell on the missile, its entire structural design materialized in his mind.
[Demolitions Expert: You possess comprehensive knowledge of most explosive devices.
You can construct bombs using materials ordinary people would never consider, and you can make them detonate in ways ordinary people cannot comprehend.] This Stark Industries product is qualified as advanced technology by most standards.
With his current skill level, confronting Iron Man directly would end badly.
But this particular weapon?
A military product manufactured by Tony Stark a decade ago.
Technologically primitive by current standards.
In that instant of realization, Luca made his decision.