The crimson number "—2136" blinked above Motorola's head as the Blue Ice Guardian's claws struck him down, leaving him barely conscious on the ground with only a few HP remaining. Without hesitation, Edward raised his gun, aiming for the creature's abdomen.
At first glance, the boss appeared to be composed entirely of translucent blue ice. However, a closer look revealed a small, pale area near its heart—a potential weak point, obscured by the swirling fog of the icy night. Steeling himself, Edward pulled the trigger.
"—913!" A miss.
"Bang!" Another shot fired.
"—909!" Still off target.
The small size of the heart made hitting it from this distance nearly impossible. The Blue Ice Guardian, in pain, turned its attention from Motorola to Edward, preparing to attack.
"Here it comes," Motorola weakly warned.
Edward maintained his stance, his eyes shining with determination. This was a chance that could cost him his life, far more dangerous than previous encounters. Yet, he would not surrender at the slightest glimmer of hope.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"—909, —908, —910…"
"Be careful!" Motorola's frustration was palpable; he wished he could do more.
With a swift rush, the Blue Ice Guardian leaped forward, its crimson blades carving a deadly arc through the air. In that moment, Motorola felt his heart nearly stop, breath hitching—Edward was in serious danger.
What Motorola didn't realize was that Edward's greatest skills lay not just in quick reflexes, but in learning rapidly, calculating precisely, and making accurate judgments.
As the blades flew towards him, Edward executed a perfect evasion, arching his body and dropping to the ground just in time. The deadly blades narrowly missed him and sliced through the air above.
"—2292!" The blow from the Guardian's claw struck him squarely, leaving him with only 72 HP.
"Damn it!" Edward roared, his finger tightening on the trigger.
"Bang—" The last bullet fired, the final shot in the chamber, and also the decisive blow.
"Thud—" The AE round pierced the Blue Ice Guardian's heart.
In theory, shooting from a prone position at such a distance would yield nearly zero accuracy. But Edward activated "Focus Shot," a skill that allowed him to channel all his energy into his aim, achieving a state of calm where man and gun became one, significantly boosting both range and accuracy.
Against all odds, he hit the weak spot.
"—6666!"
A deafening explosion erupted as the Blue Ice Guardian burst apart, shards of ice flying like fireworks, a stunning display of destruction raining down like icy confetti.
The ground was littered with crystals, potions, metal scraps, and several glowing pieces of equipment.
Edward finally exhaled, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders. With only 23 HP left, he lay there, exhausted, his gun slipping from his grasp.
Motorola, in shock, stared at Edward for a long moment before giving him a thumbs up. "You're my idol!"
The system chimed:
"Player 'Explosive Madness' has defeated the level 33 Blue Ice Guardian, successfully exploring the southern region of Dream Star City's Ice Creek Path. Exploration progress: 1/3. Experience gained: 50,000 points. Merit points: +2. Charisma points: +1."
Edward couldn't help but smile; he had leveled up to 16 and received valuable merit points—each worth three attribute points—along with a charisma boost that could lower item prices in NPC trades.
"Today was a windfall," he remarked, "what a stroke of luck."
Motorola, recovering quickly, replenished his HP with a potion and then hurried over to help Edward with another one.
"Honestly, you could have easily finished me off and taken all the loot," Edward joked.
Motorola, with a serious expression, replied, "I could never do that."
Edward smiled knowingly. "I knew you wouldn't. From the first moment I saw you, I could tell you're not that kind of person."
As Motorola helped Edward up, their hands clasped tightly, a silent bond of friendship formed between them—gratitude unnecessary after sharing life-and-death moments together.
While Motorola took the majority of the loot, including five A-grade ice crystals intended for Flying MM as compensation, Edward kept only a hexagonal metal helmet—a rare red item likely meant for psychics. He felt no greed; today's bounty was already more than enough. Without the brother-sister duo, he would have faced dire consequences against that small boss.
By the time they returned to the city, it was around 9 PM. Outside the "Qimen" company, a crowd had gathered, anxious for their return.
As Edward and Motorola stepped out of the taxi, people rushed forward. The first to approach was Flying MM, who, without hesitation, was met with a resounding slap from Motorola, leaving Edward stunned.
Her cheek reddened instantly as she burst into tears.
"How can you hit her?" Motorola shouted, fuming. "If it weren't for Explosive Madness, we'd all be dead!"
"Motorola, what are you doing?" A tall, slender woman stepped forward, pulling the sobbing Flying MM close.
Edward's eyes widened; the woman was stunning, radiating a grace that surpassed even the most beautiful NPCs. In an age where revealing a little skin defined beauty, this woman defied convention with her poised presence in a professional outfit, long hair cascading down her back, exuding elegance.
"I'll introduce you," Motorola said, ignoring the woman's irritation. "This is my cousin, Tiana, the CEO of Qimen. This is Explosive Madness; we owe our lives to him."
Tiana regarded Edward with a cool glance. "You all look exhausted; come inside and talk."
Edward leaned in. "You're all part of Qimen?"
Motorola nodded. "Yeah, what's up?"
Edward silently gave a thumbs-up. "Impressive!"