Riches and Bitches: I have a gate to an isekai and leveling-up system!

"Would you like to give it a try?"

Those words echoed within Banjay's mind.

On their own, they weren't something he would normally pay much of his attention to.

There were all sorts of inventors, even within the patriarchate itself, who continued to come up with new designs, new schematics, and new ideas. Most of them were just poorly concealed attempts at making use of the patriarchate's dire states and desperation to earn themselves some money.

Sure, there were some designs that worked on a theoretical basis… But no matter what, there was always some sort of problem that prevented those working weapons from being implemented in the military.

Someone came up with a design for a repetitive crossbow, able to shoot whole four bolts before needing to recharge. A concept great in its simplicity, a concept that allowing to turn even a newbie soldier or a simple conscript into a formidable opponent, especially with the advantages of being a defender.

It was a great weapon… as long as one refused to delve into the paperwork, refused to take the scale of the military into account and the budgetary means of the Patriarchate.

Sure, the weapon was great. But the cost of manufacturing the special bolts, bolts that this crossbow absolutely needed to work, would make the prize of outfitting a single Barda pretty much equal to half of Darda, unit two levels above Barda.

And that was with only enough bolts to provide all the soldiers of that specific Darda with a measly twenty shots in total.

There were some designs of the small crossbow, a weapon one could reload on the go or even on horseback, a perfect tool to create a mobile cavalry capable of showering the enemy with bolts at close range…

But who would risk cavalry, the most expensive type of troop within the Patriarchate's military, by turning them into skirmishers?

There were expendable pikes, projectiles that would shatter upon impact and send thousands of its sharp shards to reap the bloody harvest amidst the enemy units, machines capable of firing hundreds of arrows at the same time…

But there always was something, a seemingly small problem, that made those weapons either too expensive, too complicated to make, or simply impractical.

That's why, when looking down at the strange set of metal pipes glistering in the sun of the early morning, Banjay couldn't help but feel… doubtful.

'Well, there's nothing wrong with giving it a shot,' Banjay thought, heaving a small sigh as he got down onto his knees in the very same spot Peter was at just before.

"How do I…" keeping his hands off the weapon, Banjay turned his head over to look at Peter. Yet, in doing so, he couldn't help but notice the weird expressions of the two of the man's companions.

That beautiful wife of his didn't seem to care about what was happening at all, too busy caressing the slight bulge of her stomach. Yet, when her eyes moved over the gun… A slight, bloodthirsty smile flashed on her face.

Claudy, on the other hand, stared at the weapon with a blank look on his face. And right as Banjay looked over, he saw the man swallow his spit and look away, as if those scraps of metal brought him some really nasty memories.

"First, let's get rid of the scope to make it easier," Peter suggested, already reaching out and grabbing at one of the pipes… Only to then jerk it forward, easily detaching the part from the small rail it was mounted on. "Now, do you see those two parts?"

Peter's finger jumped from a tiny metal plate with a rift in its middle and a small, protruding part at the very front of this strange weapon.

'Is this… some sort of aiming mechanism?'

Banjay didn't need the explanation to figure out at least that much.

The small thingy at the front of the weapon seemed to be in just the right shape and size to fit the gap within the small, protruding metal plate that replaced whatever pipe Peter just removed.

"This weapon is extremely easy to use," Peter started to elaborate with a proud smile on his lips, seemingly unaffected by the countless imperials making their way over the killing zone of the ramp and already starting to climb the walls.

By now, it was a manner of mere moments before they would reach the top of the walls, putting pressure on those defending them and thus stopping them from engaging their companions on the ramp at range.

"First, you need to align the gap in this part with the protrusion over here," Peter slowly explained, taking his time to speak of the things Banjay already figured out.

'Well, I can't expect him to know what goes through my mind, can I?' he thought. In theory, he could point out that he already figured the trick out… but interrupting the explanation at this point would only introduce an unnecessary delay.

And with the imperial legionaries swarming up the walls, they didn't have the time to waste on even the smallest delays!

'Still, I can't help but wonder,' Banjay thought, looking up from the weapon and at Peter's face. 'How can be so calm?'

"Your goal is to align the gap in this plate, the protrusion… and whatever you want to shoot at. Right now, it should be accurate on a range between two and three hundred paces."

Banjay diligently listened to the explanation, struggling not to cast some worried looks over at the other parts of the wall where the imperials already engaged the few men who managed to reach their stations atop the wall's terrace.

"How do I use this thing, though?" Clinging to hope that those strange people could somehow turn the situation around, Banjay looked up and asked.

"Oh, just two more things and we will all be set," Peter replied with a relaxed smile, seemingly unbothered by the bloody clash taking place a mere twenty steps behind him where some imperials managed to cut through the defenses and were now defending the spot where they climbed up, all for the sake of allowing more and more of their companions to pour to the walls' terrace.

"First, let's switch it to a full auto," Peter muttered, more to himself than to anyone else, as he reached down and fiddled with some sort of circular switch on the side of the weapon. "And now…" Peter turned his head and stared at Salicious for a second only to move his eyes even further and lock them on Isera. "Come closer, and stand behind his back."

'What the hell…?'

Confused beyond belief, Banjay had to resist the desire to pull out his sword, hack at this stupid weapon, and then rush to join the fight, hoping to pay for his failed strategy with his own blood.

"Okay…?"

Contrary to Banjay's thoughts, Isera didn't seem to doubt those strangers even a tiny little bit. She hastily walked over and stood behind Banjay's back before raising her eyes and questioningly looking up at Peter. "And now…?"

"Put your hands on his back, brace yourself, and help him to stay in place," Peter ordered before taking a step away from the weapon and taking a quick look to ensure no patriarchate's soldiers were lined up with the front of this strange, complicated weapon.

"As for you, all you need to do now is pull on those two triggers," Peter's finger moved over to point at a specific part embedded within both of the weapon's wide handles.

With that, Peter turned silent. And no matter how much Banjay looked up to the man, expecting some further instructions, he obstinately refused to say another word.

'Wait, after all of that… that's it?' he thought, alternating his eyes between the strange foreigner from the south and the even stranger weapon he provided. 'Well, if that's all, then I might as well give it a try.'

Banjay felt Isera's hands fall down and then prompt up against his back, slightly below the blades of his shoulders. By pulling and pushing on the handles, he easily brought the gapped metal plate, the protrusion, and the soldiers at the foot of the wall into a single line.

And then, just like it was explained, he pulled on both of the small levers within the handles.

BOOM!

God's judgment descended upon the face of the world… Or at least, that's what Banjay heard when everything clicked together.

The weapon violently shook in his hands, as if trying to wrestle itself free from his grasp and stand upright to praise whatever god just made its fury known. If not for Isera's hands blocking Banjay's shoulder blades, he, in a moment of surprise, couldn't really hope to keep this devilish weapon in check!

But that wasn't all!

As if determined to wrestle itself free from the hands of the inexperienced soldier, the weapon's legs slid on the stones of the wall's terrace, smoothened from hundreds of years of wear and tear. And once again, if not for Isera bracing him from behind, that would be the end of it.

Still, if there was one thing that was clearly even more important than all the problems Banjay witnessed…

It was the silence and stillness that ensued all over the battle, as soldiers of both sides either looked up and ahead or down and over the walls' edge, their stares fixated on a bloody trail of shredded corpses creating a long, bloody line at where the imperial legionaries were amassing to climb up the walls.

"Now that you felt the kickback, try to compensate for it and keep the triggers for a little bit longer," paying no mind to the sanctified moment of peace, Peter suggested with a wicked smile on his lips.

'Brace yourself and do it for longer, you say?' Banjay thought, struggling to connect what the man was talking about with the reality displayed before his eyes. Still, turning his eyes away from the man and looking at the trail of death again, Banjay couldn't help but gulp down his saliva.

'If that's what happens from just a momentary use that I fucked up half-way through, then what if…'

The silence continued. Not a single man on the battlefield dared to move, scared that doing so would bring the retribution of the wrathful god directly upon them.

The only exception to that rule was the three foreigners… And Banjay, who fixed his grip on the weapon's handle before repeating all the instructions Peter provided him with.

"And now," Peter muttered, a strangely different smile to all the others he showcased before suddenly emerging on his face, "open fire."

Banjay blinked, forced out of his zone to look up at the man and squint his eyes.

He didn't even voice his question. He simply stared at the man with a baffled look on his face. And that alone proved sufficient as Peter sighed and shook his head.

"Just kill them all already."