“So, how should we do this?” Life Runner asked. They had gone back to near the hideout. They were back into hiding inside the shrubbery next to the shack.
“You stay here with that Hide skill of yours. Wait until I lure all the outlaws out and give you a signal, then you go inside and destroy that hideout core.”
“What if you die?” Life Runner asked.
“I won’t die,” Jack replied.
“What if?” Life Runner insisted.
“You really have no confidence in me. I will forgive you since you don’t know me yet. If I die, you can just go home then.”
“All right.”
Jack felt like grumbling for that off-hand remark, but he decided that action spoke louder than words. He stood up and said, “Prepare to be amazed!”
He then ran out into the open. There were two outlaws not far away who were walking over in their patrol. They soon noticed Jack and rushed over to attack. At the same time, one of those patrolling outlaws took out a whistle and blew it. It caused a shrill sound that could be heard far away. Jack then heard movements from within the shack. Just like with Monster Settlements and Bandit Outposts, attacked one of the patrols, all its occupants came rushing out.
The two incoming outlaws were melee type using tomahawk for a weapon. Jack brandished his sword and magic staff then used Charge, engaging them directly in close combat.
‘Why is that guy using magic staff on his left hand?’ Life Runner who was observing the fight thought. He was then shocked when he saw Jack’s magic staff formed Magic Shield. ‘He can use warrior and Mage’s skills? Damn! I really am amazed.’
Then he saw more patrols came joining, some using bows, most used tomahawks. The shack door opened and more came up upon Jack. Life Runner was ready to bolt by then, but then he saw Jack was still weaving in between the crowd of outlaws. Although he had seen other players with more impressive martial capability, Jack’s was pretty good himself, but the way he utilized his skills and spells was more impressive. There were no missed executions, every skill was used with precision at the most appropriate situations and targets.
The outlaws were getting more and more crowded at that place. Although Jack seemed to still hold on, Life Runner was not sure how long he could hold on. There were too many outlaws there. Suddenly Jack disappeared. No, not disappear, he simply moved away with a very fast speed. Life Runner saw him some distance away, leaving the crowd of Outlaws in his original place. All of a sudden, multiple large balls of lightning appeared around him before they shot towards the group of outlaws.
Each ball detonated into an impressive blast of electricity. Life Runner could feel the wind of the blast even from so far away and his skin pricked as he felt the electrical residue from the explosion. After the explosion subsided, he saw only scatter remains of coins and items at the center of the explosion. The archers which were slightly far away did not receive the combined blast from all the lightning balls, but they were still wounded from a few balls. Jack rushed at them and started dispatching them one by one.
Life Runner was so enthralled by the fight that he forgot that he was supposed to sneak into the shack.
“Amazed?” Peniel’s voice snapped him back. She was still there by his side.
“I will be damned. It will be a lie if I’m not. Perhaps joining his guild is not so bad after all. Why did he need me anyway? He could simply kill them all and then destroy the hideout core by himself.”
“He can, but the target is to destroy the hideout core without killing the boss.”
“Why doesn’t he want to kill the boss? I thought at first he needs my help because he was not confident in winning the fight against these outlaws.”
“Guild stuff,” Peniel simply replied. “The boss should come out any second now.”
Just as Peniel’s words ended, a figure came out from the shack. It was a man wearing a long coat covering most of his body and a large round hat. Just like the Lizardman Chief in Lizardman Encampment, the boss didn’t come out with the cronies. They stayed inside with the core, only until all their underlings were wiped out that they came out. At this time, the last archer had fallen under Jack’s feet.
Jack stayed at his place as he drank a healing potion to recover his lost HP. He waited for the boss to come to him, in order to allow Life Runner the chance to sneak in. The boss did not disappoint. It walked slowly and with poise towards Jack.
‘Damn! This boss got style,’ Jack thought. As a show of respect, he also assumed a pose that he thought was stylish. He stood sideways with folded arms and a sideway glance waiting for the boss.
“He could also be an idiot sometimes,” Peniel said to Life Runner after seeing Jack’s last theatrics.
With the boss out, the shack was now empty. His radar also confirmed it, Jack sent a go message to Life Runner. With that cue, Peniel put some distance from Life Runner so he could activate his Hide skill. He then ran to the shack while being invisible. Peniel gave him some time before she flew over to the shack as well.
Jack inspected the boss as he walked over.
Fast Hand Triggerman (Special Elite Boss, Human), level 31
HP: 58,000
Triggerman? Jack was still wondering about the boss’ name when it used its two arms to swipe its coat wide open, revealing two revolvers inside holsters strapped to both sides of its waist.
Jack was still stunned by the weapons revelation when the revolvers disappeared from both holsters. By the time he realized it, the revolvers were already in the boss’ hands, pointing at him.
Jack instinctively raised Magic Shield when the two revolvers flared to life. Almost at the same instant, he felt a strong impact on his shield.
He snapped out of his daze and immediately dashed to the side. The boss’ revolvers never stopped firing. Jack ran sideways as he continued to put his Magic Shield facing the boss. Despite his fast movement speed, he still got hit one out of three shots.
Peniel did mention that there was a gunner class in this world, so the existence of guns was not strange. But still, he didn’t expect to see one so early.
Shot fired from a gun was completely different from bows or crossbows. With his speed and reflex, he could still see the arrow or bolt and make the dodge. Bullets from a gun could be said to have arrived once it was fired. Unless he had already moved before the shot was fired, he won’t be able to dodge the shot, all he could do was block it. That’s why Jack never stopped moving.
Jack circled around the boss until his back was facing the shack, before he lunged straight towards the boss. His magic shield was put at his front, he planned to tank his way to a melee fight with this Triggerman.
Unfortunately, the boss didn’t simply let him carry out his plan. It made an abrupt six rapid shots from both guns, totaling twelve shots that were so fast it was as if they were shot simultaneously. The twelve bullets slammed onto Jack’s magic shield.
The first four bullets caused Jack’s advance to stop. The second four forced his body back. The last four shattered his magic shield and caused him to tumbled back. He looked at his magic staff in consternation, he tried to cast the Magic Shield again but nothing appeared.
‘If the Magic Shield is destroyed, it will take some time before the skill can be used again,’ he heard Peniel’s voice in his mind. ‘try to endure, we have found the core.’
Life Runner must have started hitting the hideout core inside the shack. Because at this time, the boss seemed to realize something and looked in the direction of the shack.
It ran towards the shack at the same time as Jack rose and blocked his path. Jack had Superior Body Recovery that allowed his body to have some small healing even during combat, but he still drank a basic healing potion and a basic regeneration potion. This boss’ gun attack was too difficult to dodge, with his magic shield gone, he would most likely be hit more often.
He didn’t dare to slack, he activated Life Burning Art to increase his speed even more. He threw out a skill or a spell every three seconds to make full use of his Speed Fury Chausses’ passive ability. He constantly moved as he used Flash Step from time to time to make it hard for the boss to hit him. He also cast Barrier for protection now that his Magic Shield was no more.
The boss being a ranged class, didn’t dare to let Jack approach. It kept on shooting at Jack as it tried to find an opportunity to went past Jack so it could run to the shack, but Jack’s maneuvering forced it to continue to retreat away from the shack. Unless it was willing to risk a melee confrontation with Jack, it would be hard for it to reach the shack.
