Neutralizing the Threat

"A cyclops you say?" Vincent repeated. He had heard of Cyclops before in fantasy movies. They looked just like that, they had this strong physique with immense power and often carried rudimentary weapons like clubs or tree trunks.

Luminova nodded, her eyes still wide with concern. "Yes, a Cyclops. They are usually solitary creatures, but they are incredibly dangerous. Only B-rank adventurers and above in the group can deal with them."

"Okay…anything that we need to know about Cyclops, please share with us," Vincent urged.

Luminova took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "Cyclops are known for their brute strength and tough skin. Their single eye is their biggest weakness, but it's also their most protected part. They have a keen sense of smell and can detect movement from a distance. If it's alone, it might be foraging or patrolling its territory."

"Big eyes as its weakness huh?" Vincent mused, as he just had a perfect plan to deal with the Cyclops. "Very well, thank you Luminova. You may now return to the truck."

"Return? Are you going to deal with the Cyclops?" 

Vincent nodded. "Yes…and I think we can deal with them pretty much easily," he finished confidently.

"But sir..." Luminova was about to protest but remembered how he had dealt with the bandits before alone. She sighed, trusting his judgment. "Alright, please be careful."

Vincent nodded, turning to his special forces team. "Well according to the lady, the weakness of the Cyclops is its eye. We just have to shoot at it. However, I don't think our small arms would be effective. We can try but if it's something that can't be pierced easily, then we'd regret it because it will rush towards us. So what I'm going to do is fire at the eye using the 50 cal." 

"That could work," one of the special forces soldiers, a seasoned marksman, nodded. "The .50 caliber round should be powerful enough to penetrate its eye and do significant damage." 

With that agreement from his team, Vincent opened his system went to the weapon's tab, and browsed for anti-material weapons. He quickly found and selected a Barrett M82, a powerful .50 caliber sniper rifle known for its accuracy and stopping power. 

To give you an idea of how powerful the Barrett M82 is, consider this: the Barrett M82, also known as the M107, is a semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle designed to destroy sensitive enemy equipment from long distances. The .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) round it fires can penetrate thick steel plates, disable armored vehicles, and even bring down low-flying aircraft.

The sheer power of the Barrett M82 is why it has been used by military forces worldwide for anti-material and counter-sniper roles. Its high-velocity rounds can reach targets over a mile away, delivering devastating impact and accuracy.

Vincent knew this was the perfect weapon to take down the Cyclops. The cost of it was 2,000 gold coins and 100 gold for each round. He bought the sniper and two rounds of ammunition, bringing his balance to 31,800 gold coins.

The sniper he purchased was swiftly transferred to his inventory. He opened the inventory tab and saw the glowing icon of the Barrett M82. Before pulling it out, Vincent ensured that there would be no unwanted eyes on him, especially from the girls in the truck. To make sure no one would see him except his soldiers, he positioned himself in front of the Oshkosh M-ATV, which blocked their view.

With the view blocked, Vincent pulled the Barrett M82 out of his inventory. The weapon materialized in his hands. It felt heavy, solid, and powerful—exactly what he needed for the job. 

With the sniper in his hand, Vincent vaulted over the M-ATV and scanned the area for the perfect vantage point. He spotted a small rise in the terrain, offering a clear line of sight to the cyclops without any obstructions.

"This should do," Vincent murmured to himself. "I'll handle this, you all stay back," he instructed his team. The soldiers nodded, forming a protective perimeter to ensure Vincent could focus on his task without any disturbances.

Vincent lay prone, positioning the Barrett M82 on its bipod and sighting through the scope. The cyclops was still in the same area, now seemingly agitated and sniffing the air. Its massive tree trunk weapon rested on its shoulder, ready to strike at any perceived threat.

He steadied his breathing, aligning the crosshairs with the cyclops's single eye. The creature's head turned slightly, giving Vincent a perfect shot. He took a deep breath, held it, and squeezed the trigger.

The Barrett M82 roared to life, the powerful .50 caliber round slicing through the air at a speed of nearly 2,800 feet per second. The bullet struck the Cyclops's eye dead center, causing an explosion of blood and tissue. The cyclops let out an earth-shattering roar of pain, its massive body staggering backward.

Vincent quickly chambered another round, keeping his aim steady on the Cyclops. The creature thrashed wildly, swinging its tree trunk weapon in a blind frenzy.

"Hold steady," Vincent murmured to himself, realigning the crosshairs with the cyclops's now mangled eye. He took another deep breath and squeezed the trigger once more.

The second round hit its mark, driving deep into the already damaged eye socket. The cyclops's roar was cut short as its body convulsed and then collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash. The forest fell silent, the only sound the distant echoes of the creature's fall.

[You have killed a Cyclops!]

[You received 15,000 gold coins and 1500 experience points!] 

[Gold: 46,800 gold coins.]

[Experience points: 5800/8,693]

"Target neutralized," Vincent declared, lowering the Barrett M82 and handing it to one of the special forces. He stood up and signaled to his team. "Let's resume our journey."

"Yes sir!" 

The special forces saluted before boarding the M-ATV Oshkosh. Meanwhile, before boarding to the passenger seat, Vincent went over to the back of the M939 trucks where the slightly frightened Luminova asked him.

"What was that noise, Sir Vincent?"

"It's just one of our weapons. I killed the Cyclops," Vincent announced.

"You killed a Cyclops?!" Luminova, Elinalese, and the rest of the maids exclaimed in unison.

"Why do you all look surprised?" Vincent chuckled.

"Because that's a Cyclops. You can't just kill it so easily!" Luminova exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Vincent smiled reassuringly. "Well, sometimes having the right tools makes all the difference. Now, we should keep moving. We don't want to stay in one place for too long."

"I see…in that case, you should bring proof back to the Kingdom of Eldoria that you killed the Cyclops," Luminova said.

"For what?" 

"For rewards," Luminova answered.

Vincent hummed thoughtfully. "We'll pass by the carcass on our way back. I'll make sure to bring proof."

With everyone settled and the immediate danger neutralized, Vincent gave the signal for the convoy to resume their journey. The engines roared back to life, and the vehicles moved steadily through the forest.