Gabriella had always prided herself on being a fast learner, but the sheer amount of things a "phone" could do was overwhelming. 

It could serve as a map. It could do basic and advanced math for her. If she was confused at all about something she could simply ask it for an explanation. It could contact people from halfway across the city, and so on. 

"Ah, so that is what an 'elevator' is," Gabriella murmured to herself as she looked at the definition. "Alright. Guns, bullets. What are those things?" 

Gabriella committed it all to memory but she couldn't help but be impressed at the complexity of the object. It was as though she was holding a miniature planet. 

For now, though, aside from doing casual research, she was only interested in one use. 

[Star Civilian,] Gabriella read the app's name. [An app that allows you to view the bounties on wanted criminals. Let's see what we've got.] 

Lillith had advised her to start small. Going after people who were "important", whatever that could mean for a criminal, could bring the wrong kind of attention, according to her. 

[Alright, Lillith gave me 100 credits last night. One bit of breakfast cost 22. Knowing that... Maybe we should aim for 1000? 5000? 10000?] 

Thus, Gabriella began to look through the list. 

Gabriella began to scroll through the digital list of wanted criminals, each profile accompanied by a brief description of their abilities, affiliations, and the crimes they were accused of. This glimpse into Eden's underworld was a mosaic of intrigue, with a myriad of people boasting unique skills and connections, though Gabriella wasn't sure what much of it meant in the grand scheme of things. Who was more important than who, for instance. 

One profile stood out for its detailed description.

A man named "Jackal". Notorious for, as the app describes, a massive amount of cybernetic enhancements to the point where he barely looked human.

He was a high-ranking member of a gang called the Slicks. The list of crimes that they were apparently guilty of ranged from assault to armed robbery, and outright murder. 

Which led Gabriella to one, simple question. 

[Why hasn't anyone just killed him?] 

His bounty was 12500 credits. 

Another entry caught Gabriella's eye.

"Oiltongue," a con artist with a penchant for manipulating minds through neural hacking, whatever that was. His affiliations were unclear, but his smooth talk and deceptive nature had made him a slippery target for the authorities. He didn't even have an image attached to his profile as, apparently, he used some sort of illusion magic (or technology, as the app called it) to obscure his features. 

His bounty was 15000 credits. 

[I suppose this assumes that a rather sneaky criminal is more dangerous than one who actively harms others out in the open? Or maybe his list of crimes is just longer, though this does not say so.] 

As Gabriella delved deeper into the criminal profiles, the intricate web of relationships and rivalries became apparent as some of the profiles talked about groups fighting each other. 

[Slicks, Red Panthers, Reapers, Gearheads... All of which regularly have violent skirmishes seemingly at random, all throughout the day. What a lively place, this is.] 

Suddenly, Gabriella had to wonder just how much exactly was happening beneath the surface all around her. 

[Well,] she shrugged, [it's not my world to fix. If this was Gelmora, I'd have all these peoples' heads on spikes before my evening tea. But, since I only just got here, I'll settle for making a bit of money.] 

Now, before Gabriella headed out, she wanted to know her skills' exact limits. 

Using her {Technomancy}, Gabriella tapped into the electricity all around her. Pulling it toward her, she concentrated it into a sphere, electricity hovering before her. 

Finally, she launched it forward. 

A prompt appeared. 

Technomancy - Quick Bolt

{Launch a small bolt of lightning, gathered from nearby tech.} 

Nodding herself, she moved to her next skill. 

Psychokinesis. 

Spotting a nearby crate, she focused on it, gauging the extent of her ability to manipulate matter.

The crate trembled as Gabriella's psychic energy enveloped it. Slowly, it lifted into the air, responding to her mental command. She experimented, rotating it gently before lowering it back to the ground.

Then, she saw one of those bulky, metallic vehicles called "cars" and tried to do the same with it, but failed.

[Alright... That should prove to be a decent estimate. But, what about using Psychokinesis on myself?] 

She reached out through the power of her mind, focusing on her own form as she stood in that solitary space. She tried to do the same as she had with the crate, attempting to pull herself up. 

It felt as though it was working at first, with Gabriella feeling her feet not touching the ground anymore. But, she wasn't able to hold it for long and came back to the floor almost instantly. 

[Ah, curses. Well, perhaps I need only work on it in the future. For now, though, let's go pay this "Jackal" a visit.] 

Gabriella moved through the crowded thoroughfares, her eyes darting between the vibrant holographic advertisements and the array of odd-looking individuals that populated the area.

[They're all wearing so many colors... It's an assault on my eyes.] 

With Lillith's phone guiding her, Gabriella eventually reached the destination, a dimly lit warehouse nestled between high towers.

The surroundings were eerie, with shadows playing tricks on the edges of her vision. As she approached the entrance, the distant hum of machinery and muted voices emanated from within.

She found two of those objects from before perched atop nearby walls. Red lights beeped rhythmically on them as they gazed upon her. 

[I take it these things serve a purpose but I have no idea what it is.] 

Nonchalantly, Gabriella went to open the door. 

It was locked. 

She tried a little harder. 

[Fine.] 

With a hard kick, she broke it open instead, entering the premises. 

The warehouse sprawled across a vast expanse, its interior veiled in shadows cast by towering stacks of crates and machinery.

The air hung heavy with the scent of metal, while the distant hum of electronic devices merged with the rhythmic pulse of machinery. Dim, flickering lights dotted the ceiling, casting sporadic pools of illumination amid the vast darkness.

Crates, some marked with cryptic symbols and others worn by time, were stacked to the ceiling, forming makeshift walls that obscured sightlines. Narrow pathways snaked through the maze, inviting a cautious exploration.

As she made her way through, looking like anyone who resembled the image she saw, Gabriella ran into a group of four individuals in a circle, playing some sort of game. 

Three men and one woman. They stopped as one noticed her, pointing at Gabriella and quickly making their way over to her. 

Gabriella scanned them. 

[Level 6, Level 10, Level 5, Level 2... Stronger, but this is still boring.]

Approaching with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, the three men and one woman circled around Gabriella. One of them, a man with cybernetic enhancements and a glint of arrogance in his eyes, took a step forward.

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?" he demanded, his tone a blend of hostility and curiosity. His voice was rough in a way that Gabriella hadn't heard up until now. There was an unnatural edge to it. 

Gabriella met his gaze with an enigmatic calmness, her expression revealing nothing of her intentions.

In response, she offered a nonchalant shrug. The criminals exchanged puzzled glances, their guard momentarily lowered.

Without uttering a word, Gabriella swiftly went on the attack.

In a blur of motion, she unleashed a barrage of calculated strikes and precise movements. Her hands moved with deadly intent, dispatching each criminal with ruthless efficiency.

As a sorceress, fighting with her bare hands had never been her strong suit, but with her attributes, she could still brute force her way through a battle. 

The first fell to a swift kick to the chest, staggering backward into the waiting arms of another assailant.

"W-WAIT, SHIT!" One of them pulled out a gun and fired. Gabriella was standing in front of him long before he had a chance to pull the trigger. 

A rapid series of blows landed on his chest, liver, and chin, leaving the second criminal incapacitated on the cold, metallic floor.

The third, realizing the impending threat, attempted to draw his own concealed weapon. However, before he could react, Gabriella's agile form closed the distance, disarming him with a fluid motion that left him bewildered and defenseless before she picked him up and slammed him into the ground. 

The final criminal, a woman with a cybernetic eye glinting in the dim light, hesitated for a moment.

"Get the fuck away from me!" 

In that brief respite, Gabriella seized the opportunity, delivering a precise strike to the back of her head that knocked her out.

As quickly as the confrontation began, it ended.

The criminals lay subdued on the warehouse floor. Those who were still conscious were groaning in pain and nursing their injuries. Gabriella stood amidst the aftermath, her demeanor unchanged. 

[Meh, I could ask them where Jackal is, but I kinda just wanna walk around for now. Stretch my legs a little. I'll find him eventually.] 

As Gabriella leisurely continued her exploration of the warehouse, the air suddenly filled with the blaring wail of an alarm.

[They're ringing the bells, I see. Hopefully, someone strong will show up soon.] 

Without warning, a group of criminals emerged, responding to the alarm with swift determination.

These were not the small-time players she had encountered earlier; their attire and weaponry marked them as a more formidable force. Clad in dark, shimmering gear, they brandished guns that looked longer and heavier than any Gabriella had seen thus far.

[Level 12, Level 10, Level 14, Level 16]

Gabriella sighed. 

[I hate it.] 

Gabriella faced the approaching adversaries with an air of indifference, her gaze unwavering.

The criminals, emboldened by the reinforcements, spread out strategically, surrounding her with calculated precision.

Tension hung in the air as the standoff intensified, the ambient lighting casting eerie shadows on the cold, metallic surfaces.

With the alarm still blaring in the background, the criminals hesitated for a moment, sizing up the enigmatic intruder. A tense silence fell upon the warehouse as Gabriella gazed upon them. 

[I just don't get it. Why would people this weak feel so confident in putting targets on their backs?] 

Gabriella put a hand up. 

Then, they opened fire. 

Countless bullets poured out from those black chambers. They all stopped in the air, though. 

Gabriella nearly screamed as her mind was almost split in half. 

[AGH! Too... many...]

Her head pounded as the number of objects being manipulated increased multiplicatively with every second. 

Gritting her teeth, Gabriella managed to keep herself from being touched by the projectiles but her brain felt like it was tearing itself apart. 

Soon, the criminals finally noticed that nothing they did reached her and stopped. 

[... I hadn't taken into account that there'd be a limitation in terms of how many items I could manipulate at once, not just the weight. That was a mistake. Noted.] 

Naturally, they began to whisper amongst themselves. 

"A-An Executioner?" 

"Why are you here!?" 

"SOMEONE TELL SARGE!" 

Their puzzled exclamations did clue Gabriella in on something. 

[Lillith had said the Executioners were like bounty hunters... Then, why would their being here be considered strange? Shouldn't they have expected this?] 

She'd need to gather some information about that. 

Maybe one of these fine individuals would be glad to enlighten her.