7 The Fool

"So, it's just you and me now Mr. Examiner." I winked at him and smiled, "Please do be gentle with me."

I lowered my body and circulated my prana to re-supply my muscles with energy to compensate for the energy that I burned in the earlier fight. The examiner noticed what I was doing and chuckled.

He raised his shield and stood completely still and tracked he started tracking my movement with his eyes. It was honestly an extremely impressive defensive posture.

"It might be a little late now missy but my name is Commander Edward Miller." He slammed his shield to the ground and smirked at me, "My affinities are unimportant but at least right now, I'm acting as a tank."

He circulated his prana throughout his body and his level of control was amazing. He was obviously utilizing a large amount of prana but it was nearly discernable to the naked eye. Even the people standing around us haven't noticed anything.

People might assume that the amount of prana that seeps out of their body is a testament to their strength but that is actually true but only if you think of the opposite.

Prana emission is extremely difficult and the less efficient you are in controlling your prana, the more you give out. So, people that give out an overwhelming amount of prana are actually just extremely inefficient engines, so to say.

Commander Edward stood as straight as an arrow and he beckoned Alagarassi with a few waves of his hand.

"Words are wasted upon two warriors. Come and let your gun speak for you."

The boorish attitude he displayed earlier was nowhere in sight. At this time and place, Commander Edward Miller was nothing but a warrior. He was on a whole different level compared to everyone else inside the training center.

I knew for a fact that the petty tricks I pulled on the four idiots from earlier would not work on this man.

I smirked in approval, "Oho. So, you're pretty strong, eh?" I drew the Single Action Army and spun the cylinder and cocked the hammer in one fluid motion.

Commander Edward kept his eyes on me and a hint of surprise covered his face. A bead of sweat slowly dripped down his temple.

He gave a big shout that reinvigorated his fighting spirit as he slammed his hand on his shield like a drum.

"If you're not coming then I'll bring the fight over there to you!"

Commander Miller kicked off from the ground and launched himself at me at a speed that would normally be impossible for his size.

The air around him distorted due to the rapid emission of his prana and I could feel the land quaking beneath my feet.

I smiled at the tank rushing towards me. At the rate he was going, I knew that I would lose the moment his body hit me. I'd be lucky if I didn't die in one hit but I had a few cards up my sleeve.

As Commander Miller's body neared me, I immediately launched myself in the air and aimed the Single Action Army at his head.

[Bang!]

I watched the bullet leave the barrel of the gun and the impact pushed me back. I used the momentum to reposition myself away from his trajectory.

The scene around me slowed to a halt and I watched as the bullet neared Commander Miller's head. Right before it hit, Commander Miller instantly raised his shield and deflected the bullet elsewhere.

Commander Miller used his legs to slow his landing. He kicked into the ground and he used his sturdy legs as a makeshift emergency break and only after leaving a long line made from his feet did he stop completely.

He sneered at me as smoke rose from behind him, "That was a good try missy but let's see you do that again!"

The human-sized tank immediately jumped towards my position. He circulated mana to his body to propel himself forward at a much faster speed compared to before.

I primed the Single Action Army and held it at the ready.

"You're a pretty funny guy!" I launched myself in the air once more as I aimed towards his head. "But you're very predictable."

[Bang!]

[Bang!}

I fired two quick shots in succession while in the air. Priming the hammer and pulling the trigger only took me a fraction of a second but he blocked both shots with a single swipe of his massive shield.

I turned my body in the air with the momentum from the recoil of the two quick shots and I propelled myself directly away from his trajectory.

Commander Miller snorted, [You say that but you're predictable yourself, missy!]

He landed at my previous spot and once again used his legs to slow and eventually halt his momentum.

Smoke was rising from behind him, making him look very intimidating. He sneered at me in contempt. "Is running the only thing you're good at?" He spat at the ground, "At least use your sword. You might be able to win if you cut my head off, you know?"

I smiled at him and raised the Single Action Army to my face. I inspected the cylinder and frowned, "I've used up two bullets just now. I only have three more shots to go."

"It seems that if I fail to take you down in three more shots then I'd most certainly lose, Commander Miller." I smiled at him meaningfully.

He tilted his head in confusion, "You still have your sword, though?"

I shrugged and primed the hammer once again. I looked at the state of his shield. Good, he hasn't noticed yet.

I was sweating internally. I looked to the sidelines where his friends were recovering.

This man is definitely an excellent tank and is probably highly sought after within the Guild but it didn't make sense.

Why does he lower himself to work with trash like these four idiots? He could probably join a high-ranked party with his skills anyway.

Sensing my chaotic thoughts, Commander Miller steeled his body. "Don't let your mind wander during a fight!" He propelled himself forward, "Otherwise you wouldn't even know how you died!"

I aimed the gun at his face and launched myself backward.

He approached me at an extremely fast rate. If I had jumped just a little bit later then I might have turned into a meat patty. Hmm, if I turned into a meat patty, I should at least be a wagyu or something right?

[Bang!]

[Bang!]

I laughed at my own nonsense and pulled the trigger twice in succession.

Commander Miller grit his teeth and deflected the bullets once more with his shield. "That's never going to work, missy!"

After once again barely missing me, he landed and kicked through the ground with his feet. Training Stage F looked like a paper filled with doodles of a straight line here and there. Now that I think about it, Miller would probably be a good foot break.

A strong scent of smoke pervaded my senses. Commander Miller was standing right in front of me. I could every single detail of his face and I could even feel his breath on my face.

Standing face to face, I realized that he really was an ugly motherfucker.

"Hey Commander," I shifted my bangs away from my eyes. "Where ever did you pick up the balls to ever think you were handsome?"

A chorus of laughter exploded from the people crowding around us.

A small vein appeared on his forehead but he quickly suppressed his displeasure.

He looked me straight in the eyes and sneered, "You really don't know the ways of the world eh, Missy?"

He tapped my shoulder and smiled, "The moment a melee warrior gets inside the range of a ranged warrior is the end of the fight, you know that right?"

He lit up a cigarette as he smiled at me condescendingly. "Just admit your loss. You put a good fight." He guffawed like an idiot once more.

"Since I'm in a good mood, how about this." He inched closer and whispered to my ears. "I'll let you suck my dick in private instead of here. How about that?" He sneered obscenely as he looked at my body.

I pouted in mock disappointment, "Ara, that might be an interesting proposal Commander Miller…only.."

"Eh? Only what?"

He backed away in confusion.

I smiled at him and raised my right hand up in the air. "I don't think dead men get hard the way you would want to though."

He bellowed in half-amusement, half-frustration "What the fuck are you talking ab-"

Unfortunately, I never did hear the rest of his nonsense.

I injected prana into my right hand and I snapped my finger.

Silence permeated the venue and the only audible sources of sound were the collective gasp from the audience, the snap that I just made, and the uncomfortable sound of meat and gore hitting the floor.

"He..he exploded!"

"What the fuck just happened?!"

"Medic! Someone, please call for a medic!"

The panicked screaming of the people around me did nothing but agitate my bloodlust. Covered in blood, I wiped my face with my sleeve.

I smiled and licked my lips, "That was easy."

Commander Miller stood like a corpse in front of me. No, to be exact, he definitely was a corpse. He just hadn't realized he had died just yet.

His eyes stared at me in fear, confusion, and agitation. Blood flowed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. It was a pretty eerie sight.

I laughed at him and kindly explained, "The bullet-tipped cartridges I use are a bit special."

I opened the cylinder and removed the final bullet as I help up to him to see.

"This is my proprietary Anti-Armor Spread Round." I waved it around him like a toy and laughed. "It's more complicated than that though."

I placed the bullet back in the cylinder and primed the hammer and fired it at the ground. Upon closer inspection, the tip of the bullet burrowed itself inside the ground instead of getting stuck halfway through or even ricocheting away.

"It's a pile-driver and a bomb." I exhaled slowly, "It burrows itself inside armor and when I activate my prana, it explodes inwards. It can penetrate even prana-enhanced steel, not to mention human flesh."

I eyed Commander Miller carefully. He lost his left leg, the arm holding the shield as well as caved in a large chunk of his torso. His guts were spilling out and I bet I punctured his lungs with some shrapnel that got through.

Some of his organs spilled on the floor from the initial impact but he was still standing.

I sighed in admiration as I opened the cylinder and placed in another blue-tipped cartridge.

"I already told you." I grabbed his cigarette and placed it in my mouth. I smiled at him and took a long hit. "I feel bad about shooting an unarmed man but," I primed the hammer and aimed it at his face. "I do believe that I can get over it."

[Bang!]

Commander Miller's upper body disappeared in a mist of blood as the rest of his organs and blood spilled on the floor behind him.

With blood on my face, I walked towards Mary who was worriedly watching me from the sidelines.

I could feel the people shudder in fear as I approached them.

Stopping a few paces away from Mary, I smiled at her. Blood was dripping off my body and it started to form a small puddle on the ground.

Mary nearly fainted as she stared at me in shock and awe. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were dilated. She looked like she was fucking me with her eyes. I didn't know that Mary was into gore porn but whatever floats your boat, I say.

Whatever the case, I did pass the test. The only question now is that did I overdo it? Is killing people illegal and where do I need to go to clean myself up.

I sighed in resignation as I looked at Mary. I beamed at her and gave her the kindest smile I could muster.

"So…did I pass?"

The Fool - End