-1718- The killing amidst the bullets

"Whoosh—!"

The bullet pierced through the air with a sharp whistle, leaving the sound of the gunshot far behind as it tore through the atmosphere, hurtling downward.

A .50 caliber anti-materiel sniper rifle bullet, brimming with immense power, resolutely sped towards Rozen.

This bullet could penetrate the steel plating of an armored vehicle.

This bullet could shatter the bricks of a building wall.

A weapon strictly prohibited for use against humans in the real world now displayed its devastating might here.

Countless players had already fallen victim to this single shot. Even bosses weren't spared its wrath.

However, today...

It was destined to fail.

"Bang—!"

With a sound resembling an explosion, the bullet struck the ground, shattering the rock and leaving a crater the size of a human head. Dust and debris swirled in the air.

Such was the devastating power of this single shot—astonishing, to say the least.

But it missed.

The boy with the rifle had sidestepped almost casually, letting the anti-materiel sniper rifle bullet graze past his side and strike the ground, creating the scene before them.

"...!"

Through her scope, Shinon's expression shifted dramatically.

"Missed....!?"

"This can't be happening...!"

The players observing the battlefield through tactical binoculars were equally stunned.

Especially those in Dyne's squad, all of whom widened their eyes in disbelief.

"Shi...Shinon's first shot missed...?"

The group froze in shock, momentarily unable to process what had just happened.

Dyne himself was equally astonished but quickly snapped out of it.

In the next moment...

"Charge!"

Dyne's roar shattered the silence of the Marion Canyon. He raised his assault rifle and dashed out from behind cover, sprinting along the cliffside towards Rozen.

Seeing this, the others finally reacted.

"Charge!"

"Go, go, go!"

"Kill him!"

Players yelled out one after another, brandishing their various firearms as they stormed down the cliffs, advancing toward Rozen.

Among them weren't just Dyne's squad members but other players who had been lying in wait.

"Charge!!!"

In unison, the players roared as they charged in groups along the cliffs, closing in on Rozen's position.

When they reached firing range, everyone raised their weapons, pointing their muzzles at Rozen in the canyon below and pulling their triggers without hesitation.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The gunfire erupted like fireworks, echoing continuously from the cliffs on both sides.

As the players advanced while shooting, the relentless hail of bullets rained down upon Rozen.

Through the scope of her Hecate II, Shinon watched the scene unfold with a mixture of regret and frustration over her missed shot.

Her sniper round had failed.

Though the duel between her and Rozen wasn't fully resolved, it was clear that Shinon hadn't gained the upper hand in their first exchange.

It made her want to rush out with the others and open fire on Rozen.

But Shinon knew it wasn't necessary.

Since her sniper shot had missed, Rozen now faced an inevitable fate.

Surrounded by so many players in such an exposed position, Rozen had no cover and no escape route. The countless bullets would soon tear him apart.

This had always been the fate of those ambushed in this canyon.

Her battle with him would have to wait until another time.

Shinon regretted and lamented this reality.

But then...

Something happened that shattered all of Sinon's assumptions.

"Boom!"

Rozen, standing in the canyon amidst the storm of bullets, suddenly stomped his foot and surged forward instead of retreating.

He moved to meet the incoming bullet storm head-on.

His steps seemed neither overly fast nor slow, but his movements exuded an air of grace, like a gentle breeze.

Then, something unbelievable occurred.

"Whoosh!"

Rozen's figure suddenly flickered, weaving through the hail of bullets with a series of quick, fluid movements. It was as if he could predict the trajectory of each bullet.

Against the torrent of gunfire, Rozen neither fled nor succumbed. Instead, he actively advanced with a confidence that defied belief. His steps were precise, his body shifting in ways that allowed him to narrowly evade every single bullet.

It was as if the bullets veered away from him, leaving nothing but near-misses.

Then...

"Click!"

Rozen pulled the rifle from his back. As it shifted into position with a crisp sound, he raised it single-handedly while sprinting, aiming at a player on the cliff above.

"Bang!"

Without using the scope, without pausing to steady himself, Rozen fired off a single round as if it were an afterthought.

Despite the rushed, seemingly casual nature of the shot, the bullet soared through the air, unerringly finding its mark on the targeted player's forehead.

"Splurt!"

The bullet tore through flesh and bone, embedding itself deep into the player's brain.

"Ugh..."

The player's expression froze in shock, their HP bar plummeting to zero before their avatar shattered into a cascade of polygons.

The surrounding players gasped audibly.

"Quick!"

"Fire! Fire now!"

Panic-stricken, many players opened fire wildly, focusing all their efforts on Rozen as the gunfire grew even more intense.

Yet this intensified barrage, denser than ever before, was once again rendered futile against Rozen.

With every graceful step, he weaved through the onslaught, dodging every bullet as if he could see their trajectories.

Seconds later, Rozen fired again.

"Bang!"

The rifle shot echoed loudly, the bullet cutting through the air toward its next target.

The player saw the predicted trajectory line and immediately tried to back away.

But as they turned, they realized—too late—that their retreat was blocked by the other advancing players.

"No!"

The player screamed in despair.

"Splurt!"

The bullet struck their forehead mercilessly, reducing them to nothing but shattered polygons.

Rozen, as if dancing amidst the bullet storm, showcased unparalleled evasive skills. Each flash of movement allowed him to dodge bullets with precision, while every shot he fired claimed another life.

For the charging players, Rozen's bullets were inescapable. He anticipated their actions with uncanny accuracy, cornering them into unavoidable situations.

"Dammit!"

"You monster!"

"Die already!"

Anger and desperation overtook the players. Driven by rage, they continued firing recklessly at Rozen.

"Retreat! Take cover!"

"Run!"

A smaller group, terrified beyond reason, scrambled to escape.

But their attempts were futile. Rozen's bullets found them, one after another, sending them back to the spawn point.

The cliffs of the gorge, once teeming with confident hunters, were now littered with fallen players.

Shinon, still watching through her scope, witnessed everything.

Her heart wavered—not with fear, but with exhilaration.