Shinon could feel his heart pounding as the remaining five raiders closed in on him. The sound of their guns clicking as they readied their weapons filled the air, sending goosebumps down Shinon's body.
Back in his time on earth, he could have taken a bullet to the head from point-blank range and not bat an eye. But now, things were different. Five gunmen could quickly riddle him with bullets in a matter of seconds, which meant he had to act fast.
Shinon darted to the side, narrowly dodging a hail of bullets while blocking some with shadow tentacles that spurted out of the ground. He drew his sword and charged towards the nearest raider, his blade glinting in the dim light of the settlement.
The raider raised his gun to fire, but Shinon was too quick. He swung his sword, slicing through the raider's weapon and embedding the blade in his shoulder.
The raider screamed in pain, dropping his gun as he stumbled back. Shinon didn't wait to see if he would recover; he pulled his sword free and lunged at the next raider.
This time, the raider was ready. He dodged Shinon's attack and fired his gun, the bullet whizzing past Shinon's ear. Shinon reacted quickly, using his shadowmancer abilities to create a shield of darkness around himself. The bullet ricocheted harmlessly off the shield, and Shinon used the distraction to close in on the raider.
The two engaged in a vicious dance of blades and bullets, each trying to gain the upper hand. Shinon's sword sliced through the air while the raider's gun spat out the deadly lead.
Shinon could feel the heat of the bullets as they whizzed past him, but he remained focused. He was determined to protect the survivors at all costs.
Finally, Shinon saw an opening. The raider's gun jammed, and he fumbled to clear the blockage. Shinon seized the opportunity and lunged forward, his sword piercing the raider's chest. The raider gasped and collapsed, dead before he hit the ground.
However, Shinon didn't have time to revel in his victory. He whirled around, facing the remaining three gun-holding raiders. They were closing in on him, their guns raised and ready to fire. While the other two rushed to call for backup.
Before they could get far, both of them were impaled by shadow swords. The remaining raiders saw the scene and charged at Shinon without a second thought.
Shinon took a deep breath and charged forward, his sword leading the way. The raiders fired, but Shinon was too quick. He twisted and turned, his shadowmancer abilities allowing him to dodge the bullets easily... or so he thought.
"Fuck!"
As he closed in on the first raider, Shinon felt a sudden pain in his side. He stumbled, his sword arm dropping as he gasped for air. One of the raiders had managed to land a shot.
Shinon gritted his teeth, refusing to let the pain slow him down. He swung his sword with his good arm, the blade slicing through the raider's gun and embedding itself in his chest.
The remaining two raiders hesitated after witnessing Shinon's vicious side, their guns shaking in their hands. Shinon took advantage of their momentary fear and lunged at them. His sword whistled through the air, and both raiders fell to the ground, dead before they hit the dirt.
Shinon collapsed to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground beside him. He could feel blood trickling down his side, but he didn't care. He had done what he had to, and the raiders were dead.
"At least... this confirms i'm not immune to gunfire anymore..." Shinon mumbled before taking out the last vial of Level-up potion he had. "The thought of wasting the potion like this hurts more than the damned bullet."
Level-up potions weren't meant to be used as the replacement for healing potions, but since it was all Shinon had on him, he had no choice but to use it to heal himself as levelling up took care of healing injuries and other not-so-sever ailments.
He uncorked the vial and gulped its contents down. The liquid tasted bitter and foul, but the effect was almost instantaneous. He felt a surge of energy coursing through his veins, numbing the pain of the gunshot wound.
As he caught his breath, Shinon looked around. The settlement was in ruins, but the survivors were alive. He could see them emerging from their hiding places, staring at him wide-eyed.
They had run for the woods the moment Shinon shot the raider's leader. But now that he had taken care of the raiders, they slowly walked out of their hiding places.
"Right... forget about the part where you were not supposed to stay back."
Shinon shook his head, but then, something caught his attention. A glint of light coming from the raider leader's pocket. Shinon crawled towards him, ignoring the pain in his side. He fished out a small, shiny object - a key.
Shinon didn't know what the key was for, but he knew it had to be important. He tucked it into his shadow inventory and stood up, wincing at the pain in his side.
Shinon moved through the aftermath of the fight, his eyes scanning the bodies of the fallen raiders. He was a lone warrior and knew the value of scavenging what he could from his enemies.
The raiders had carried pistols and machetes, and Shinon knew he could use them well.
He approached the nearest raider, a man whose chest had been pierced by his sword. The raider's pistol was still clutched in his hand, and Shinon pried it loose, examining it with a practised eye. It was a crude weapon, but it would serve his purposes after he reinforced it.
Shinon moved on to the next raider, bending down to take the machete that lay at the man's side. The blade was rusty and dull, but Shinon could sharpen it. He pushed it into his shadow and moved on.
As he scavenged the bodies, Shinon's mind drifted back to the fight. He had been lucky to come out alive, and he knew he owed it to his quick reflexes and shadowmancer abilities. But he also knew that he couldn't rely on luck forever, and he needed to be better prepared.
"I should probably craft an armour next. Fighting in these clothes wouldn't take me far."
He finished scouring the last raider, picking up a few loose bullets and a small medkit and started to make his way back to the survivors. As he walked, he examined the pistol, checking to see if it was loaded and in working order. Satisfied that it was, he tucked it into his shadow.
He had always preferred his sword to guns, but he knew he couldn't be picky in this harsh world. He needed every advantage he could get.