"Can I get two handguns with faith-infused bullets, please?" a voice rang out, startling everyone present.
A wave of curiosity swept through the room. Who would dare to speak first? All eyes turned towards the source of the voice.
Standing there was a striking young man, his handsome features accentuated by a pristine white suit. His hair, even whiter than his attire, framed piercing blue eyes, creating an aura of captivating beauty. Everyone recognized him as Candidate 127, the one who, despite eliciting a reaction from the nine statues, had been branded with a trash level talent.
The crowd buzzed with astonishment. No one expected him to be the first to step forward. Even Major Gareth couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise. He had anticipated Frederick, with his confident demeanor and powerful lineage, to take the lead.
"Of course," Major Gareth responded, snapping his fingers. In an instant, a vast array of weapons materialized on the ground. Guns of various shapes and sizes, gleaming swords, sturdy spears, menacing clubs, and even laser guns filled the space.
Kyoji, without uttering a word, strode towards the arsenal. He meticulously examined the weapons, his gaze sharp and focused, before bending down to pick up two handguns.
Major Gareth's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Kyoji had chosen the Titan XV, one of the most powerful handguns available, specifically designed for taking down mutated creatures. The Major knew that such immense firepower came at a cost—brutal recoil. He had serious doubts whether a sixteen-year-old like Kyoji could handle it.
"Are you sure those are the handguns you want?" Major Gareth asked, his forehead creased with concern.
"Yes," Kyoji responded calmly, his voice betraying no hint of uncertainty.
"Do you even know what those are?" Major Gareth pressed, suspecting the boy might be swayed by the weapon's imposing appearance rather than its functionality.
"Yes, they're Titan XVs," Kyoji replied instantly, his tone unwavering.
Major Gareth realized then that Kyoji was not acting out of ignorance. The Titan XV was a restricted military weapon, its existence barely known outside those circles. Its power was enough to obliterate even an Aberrant mutant, and even a Divine level chosen would be vulnerable without protective measures. Concern gnawed at Major Gareth—could this young man truly handle such a force?
"Are you certain you can use them?" Major Gareth questioned, his voice heavy with concern.
Kyoji didn't reply. Instead, he abruptly turned towards a nearby student, aiming one of the handguns directly at her.
Gasps filled the room. Everyone watched in stunned silence. Was Kyoji going to harm another student just to prove a point? The same chilling thought echoed in everyone's minds.
Even Major Gareth was taken aback by this sudden, aggressive action. He was about to intervene when Kyoji's voice, cold and sharp, pierced the tense atmosphere.
"Duck," he commanded, his gaze fixed on the terrified girl.
Her clothes, worn and patched, hinted at a life without the privileges of wealth and status. It was likely she had never received proper combat or survival training. Frozen in fear, she stood paralyzed, unable to move even with a gun pointed at her head.
"I SAID DUCK NOW!" Kyoji roared, his voice booming through the temple.
The force of his command seemed to jolt the girl back to her senses. In a flash, she dropped to the ground, just as a deafening blast echoed through the room.
BAAM!
Every eye followed the trajectory of the bullet, but all they saw was the shadowy recesses of the temple.
Just as confusion began to ripple through the crowd, two more shots rang out.
BAAM! BAAM!
The echoes of the gunshots reverberated off the temple walls, followed by a guttural roar of pain. A monstrous form, hit by the bullets, crashed onto the ground from the shadows, writhing in agony. Two bullet holes marred its temple, oozing blood that stained the stone floor.
Everyone stared in shock at the fallen creature, then turned back to Kyoji, their faces etched with disbelief and newfound respect.
What Kyoji had just done defied logic. It surpassed the abilities of even seasoned gunmen. It was a display of instinct so sharp, so refined, that it bordered on the supernatural.
Not only had he detected the mutant's stealthy approach before anyone else—including experienced Chosen like Miss Anna and Major Gareth—but he had also executed a flawless attack, taking it down in an instant.
Major Gareth stared at the lifeless creature, his face etched with disbelief.
'How can his instincts be so sharp?' he wondered, his mind struggling to comprehend. Even though the Major had been preoccupied with organizing the students, he was a seasoned Chosen, his senses honed from years of combat. It was unsettling that Kyoji, a teenager, had sensed the threat before him.
Meanwhile, amidst the stunned silence of the crowd, Kyoji sighed, his gaze fixed on the two bullet holes in the mutant's head.
'Since when did my aim become this pathetic?' he berated himself.
Only two of his shots had found their mark. The third had gone astray. But the fault didn't lie with his accuracy. It was his current body—weak, underdeveloped, unable to handle the Titan XV's powerful recoil.
'Pathetic body,' Kyoji thought again, his grip tightening on the gun as he fired a final shot, ensuring the mutant was truly dead.
[Your FE has increased.]
A notification flashed on the HUD screen before him. Ignoring it, Kyoji turned towards the stunned crowd, his voice cold and sharp as he addressed them.
"What are you all staring at?" he snapped.
"Don't you see the mutant horde is already here? Grab your weapons and get ready to fight!"
His words broke through their shock, jolting them into action. They scrambled towards the piles of weapons, most gravitating towards the guns loaded with faith-infused bullets – the only kind effective against the mutants' regenerative abilities. Mutants were notoriously difficult to kill, their vitality allowing them to heal from almost any wound. Only weapons imbued with faith energy could truly end their corrupted lives.
Kyoji's display of skill, the effortless way he had dispatched the mutant, seemed to bolster their courage. If he could do it, maybe they could too.
After a few tense moments, everyone was armed. Some of the students from elite families, trained from a young age, unholstered weapons stored within their spatial equipment. They stood ready, a mix of apprehension and newfound determination on their faces.
As if on cue, the beast horde descended. Claws tore through the temple roof, sending shards of stone raining down as grotesque forms crashed onto the floor. The air crackled with chaotic energy, a palpable wave of terror washing over the students. The mutants were a terrifying sight, their bodies twisted and warped, their eyes burning with a primal hunger.
"Formations! Prepare to fight!" Major Gareth's command cut through the panic. He charged forward, meeting the onrush of creatures head-on.
Miss Anna followed close behind, her expression grim but resolute.
"Hold the line!" she called out.
"Anything that gets past Major Gareth and me is your responsibility!"
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the students.
Kyoji, however, didn't share their optimism. He knew Major Gareth and Miss Anna were outmatched. They could hold off the horde for a while, but they wouldn't be able to stop them. He was counting on reinforcements, but until then, survival was paramount.
Gripping his gun, he mentally prepared for the fight ahead.
"Nice shot back there," a voice said from beside him.
"I'm impressed."
Kyoji turned to find Frederick standing next to him, a hint of admiration in his eyes.
"Hmm," Kyoji replied nonchalantly.
Frederick chuckled.
"That was a compliment, you know."
"That was a reply, you know" Kyoji shot back.