From the moment I fired that shot, the tide of battle shifted instantaneously; I did not miss a single shot thereafter. The combat techniques imparted to me by Master Horus seamlessly melded with my marksmanship at that moment. In the eyes of a warrior, every weapon should be regarded the same; the only distinction between wielding a sword and a gun lies in their form, not in their lethality.
With my thirteenth shot, I heard a crisp sound as I struck something unknown. Those burly men, armed and firing, were transformed into ephemeral wisps of vapor, gathered by a single individual who gracefully collected them into a green card. This individual, with a gentle smile, was none other than my private instructor, Miki.
Indeed, she possessed exceptional skill. Having successfully passed the first phase of shooting training, I was now poised to embark on a more formal regimen. What should this formal training entail? The earlier display of prowess had left me in a foul mood, and I could not hide my displeasure from Miki.
Miki smiled softly, her delicate hands conjuring two short pistols as if performing magic. "Let me teach you amidst the fray," she said. "You have grasped the tactical application of shooting; now I shall impart to you the true techniques of marksmanship."
Before I could pose a question, Miki raised her twin pistols and fired—bang! Bang! Bang! In rapid succession, three bullets shot forth. My holy barrier emitted a sound akin to a bubble bursting, having already been breached by one of her shots. Though I hastily crossed my arms in defense, the force of the bullets still propelled me and my weapon back several meters.
It was merely a matter of hitting the same target three times; I could achieve that too! I felt a twinge of regret as I discarded my now-damaged Holy Cross Spear, opting instead to use a healing card. Those two short pistols were energy weapons that Juliette had procured for me at the auction on Demon Island; they had been with me for quite some time, and I had grown somewhat attached to them.
Raising my other hand, I fired three shots in quick succession, confident in my hundred percent accuracy card. As expected, my shots struck the same target—Miki's small copper mirror. The mirror's surface was peculiar; the bullets entered as if plunging into water, creating no ripples whatsoever. "With three shots hitting the same mark, your trajectory is far too predictable. Such shots are only effective against the unskilled!" Miki's form blurred as she moved swiftly, firing from three different angles.
Each shot struck my holy barrier with pinpoint precision, shattering my proud defense. Yet, due to the varied angles, the bullets only converged at the moment they pierced through my barrier, scattering fragments in three different directions. Despite my agility, I managed to evade two bullets but was struck in the shoulder by the third.
To be suppressed to such a degree by mere marksmanship, rendering my abilities futile—was this the strength of a formal member of the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps? I summoned my Platinum Glory to extract the bullet lodged in my shoulder and heal my injuries. I could no longer afford to confront Miki directly; my usual swift casting of Holy Light Bullets and various spells was outpaced by the bullets, providing her no hindrance.
As I contemplated whether to reveal my Anti-Demon Sword Box or employ the Invisible Sword Qi of the Transcendent Form, the whistling bullets forced me to evade with all my might. When I unleashed my maximum speed, though it might not match the absurd velocity of the bullets, it was sufficient to create afterimages in the eyes of ordinary people. However, Miki remained unfazed, her twin pistols covering every angle without a single blind spot, preventing me from approaching within fifty meters.
"A skilled marksman will never allow an enemy to close the distance. As long as the distance is maintained, any foe can only be at their mercy. Do you understand this principle, Wang Lin?"
"If my attack range surpasses yours, I refuse to believe you can still maintain that stance!"
"Then let us increase the distance even further." Miki executed a graceful turn, and when we faced each other again, her hands had already transformed, wielding two new pistols.
These pistols were fearsome in design; even the renowned Israeli Desert Eagle paled in comparison to the diminutive yet formidable weapons in her grasp. It was astonishing how such a delicate beauty could possess such terrifying strength.
The gunfire erupted. With the power of these bizarre handguns exceeding that of ordinary firearms by more than threefold, I was compelled to retreat once more, running at full speed without daring to pause. I had to avoid being locked onto by Miki and shot down.
"If you cannot manage your enemy with a single gun, then selecting the right weapon in battle is paramount to victory. The ability to switch firearms is essential for a proficient marksman!"
As Miki's words lingered in the air, she magically transitioned through more than a dozen firearms, some imbued with magical properties, unleashing bullets that carried explosive power, freezing effects, petrification, plague, and more. Though my holy barrier remained potent, its protective capabilities felt akin to a mere firewall—psychological comfort that could not withstand the onslaught of viruses.
I had no choice but to draw my two Death Breaths, forming a secondary defense with my intricate swordplay. Enhanced by my dynamic vision card, I struggled to track the bullets' trajectories, yet the ability of the Timekeeper allowed me to predict their landing points in advance, deftly deflecting the high-speed projectiles.
"They say that those who linger in defense will inevitably fall; being pressured by Miki like this, I am bound to face my demise. Although my hands are tied, my Holy Light Bullets have advanced to the point where they can be unleashed at the speed of thought. I need not worry about a lack of retaliation. As dozens of Holy Light Bullets materialized around me, just as I was about to fire, Miki's rapid-fire technique obliterated over seventy percent of them, leaving only a few that were hastily launched, which were swiftly dismantled before they could reach her.
Holy Light Bullets must coalesce externally to be activated; this flaw generally poses no significant issue. However, against a marksman of Miki's caliber, it proved to be a fatal defect, as the firing speed was far too slow.
Having shattered all of my Holy Light Bullets, Miki did not seize the opportunity to attack; instead, she holstered all her weapons and smiled alluringly, "Do you now understand how to wield firearms in combat?"
Having received such a vivid lesson, I found myself thoroughly impressed by Miki, the seemingly timid beauty. I would not oppose anyone who could enhance my combat prowess. I was eager to learn shooting under her guidance.
Miki was pleased with my attitude and gently remarked, "Among adventurers worldwide, many top marksmen can dismantle the powers of any supernatural being and defeat formidable warriors and sorcerers with nothing but their guns. Our mercenary corps' finest marksman, Senrog, once said—'With a gun in hand, a marksman is never alone. Trust in your weapon, and it shall be your greatest ally.'"