Sniper

They managed to find a humvee in fairly good condition and drove to Ray's location.

They all got out to check on Ray's condition and administer first aid or anti-venom if needed.

"Oh, thank the good Lord, you guys are here." Ray cried out, seeing them approach.

He was sitting against a large rock being roasted by the hot sun.

"Damnit Ray, why are you always getting bitten." Archer chuckled.

"Yeah, you gotta admit, with you Ray it's always getting crippled or bitten." Lana chuckled, too.

One by one, they all started laughing with the exclusion of Black Ink and Aamir.

It seemed more like any inside joke amongst the group.

Out of nowhere, Black Ink suddenly pulled out his gun at incredible speeds and swiped it in front of Aamir Barkawi's face. When he did, as the gun was passing by Aamir's forehead, the barrel of the gun collided with something and knocked it off course into the Humvee behind.

It had been a bullet. Black Ink had interpreted a bullet that was meant to kill Aamir.

Using his [Observation Haki] which he usually keeps active around a smaller perimeter as Black Ink. He had sensed it coming and reacted fast, using the barrel of his gun to interpret it.

"Sniper!" Shouted Lana, as she went to help up Pam, who Cyril had dropped and left for death to run behind the Humvee for cover.

Archer grabbed Ray and ran for cover, and Black Ink did the same with Aamir.

When he was in his Black Ink persona, he did not allow himself to use the full capabilities of his power regardless of how dangerous it got. Because he was trying to push himself and be better, smarter, not too reliant on just his abilities.

He looked at his gun. Cracks had appeared on the barrel. That gun was ruined. Using it to block the sniper round had destroyed his gun.

Noticing that the sniper hadn't fired again in a while.

Black Ink commanded.

"I'll charge at the sniper to draw their attention. You guys take the chance to get Aamir out of here alive."

"What? No, we're not leaving you here alone with a sniper." Lana said.

"Lana, he knows what he's doing, sacrificing himself for the mission. A stupid stupid idea, but we can drink to him later." Archer said.

"No, I'm not sacrificing myself. Just drawing their attention. Our mission is Aamir. That's all that matters. Now go." Black Ink said before he jumped out of cover.

[Stride]

He charged in the direction the shot came from.

The group also cautiously got into the car and started driving away.

Black Ink's movement was erratic and fast like wild wolf. He was hunched and very close to the ground as he ran.

All of a sudden, Black Ink tilted his head. And when he did a bullet zoomed past where his head had been.

*ZOOM*

'They can keep up with me at this speed.' He thought but did not care.

He continued onwards. Running through the desert.

Suddenly, Black Ink ducked even further down, and when he did, a bullet came zipping past where his shoulder would have been.

*ZOOM*

'Humm,' He thought. Still charging, not losing any steam.

Again, Black Ink sidestepped mid run, and when he did, a bullet zoomed by where his torso would have been.

*ZOOM*

Again, he moved this time only slightly a bullet zipped by his ribcage.

*ZOOM*

'I see. This person has some quirk that allowed them to keep up with my movement, but either prolonged use strains them or my speed is put a strain on their ability. That would certainly explain the gradual drop in their accuracy. Went from headshots to bodyshots to grazing.'

Black Ink accessed.

He was rapidly approaching the sniper's location, but the sniper wasn't firing any shots.

'Did they run out of ammo? Did they leave? Could their abilities not keep up anymore?' Black Ink thought.

'No, this person fired four shots at me after missing his target. Even with the strain, the continuous use of their ability had on them. They are not likely to give up so easily. They are planning something. Only what could it possibly be?' Black Ink questioned.

A fair distance away, there was a person hiding beside a huge rock. They had taken a knee and held a sniper rifle in both hands. They had positioned themselves on high ground.

They were looking through their sniper scope.

It was following or barely following the movement of a black figure moving at incredible speeds.

"Aghm," they groaned.

Clutching their eye. The white of their eyes was almost red.

"I can't keep up with his movement. But it doesn't matter." He said before readjusting his aim. Looking through the scope, their previously hazel iris glowed, then turned blue. The veins of the hand, which rested on the trigger and the hand that held the gun steady, also glowed with a neon blue light.

But this time, the scope wasn't focused on the black figure running towards their location but at Aamir Barkawi in the Humvee, which was leaving.

'This person was capable of blocking and dodging my shots. So I don't doubt that if I take my shot at Aamir, he will block that, too. But I have the high ground.

The closer you get, the more you sink from my bullet sight to the target. The harder it will be for you to intercept.' Thought the mystery figure with a confident smile.