-1750- Alright, let's begin

"Out of ammo?"

A resigned Yamikaze had also realized this, and his spirits were instantly lifted.

Thinking carefully, this was only natural.

After all, the bullets Rozen used were high-explosive rounds, not ordinary ones.

While high-explosive rounds boasted incredible power, their cost was equally exorbitant, rivaling specialized rounds like electromagnetic shock rounds. Additionally, being much heavier than standard bullets, carrying a significant amount would certainly be a burden. Even someone with immense wealth wouldn't likely stockpile them in bulk.

Yet Rozen had been firing these rounds as if money were papers, bombarding relentlessly from the start of the battle. The sheer extravagance was astonishing. Given this, how could his supply not eventually run dry?

He must be out of bullets now; that's why he stopped sniping.

In other words...

"The opportunity has arrived!"

Yamikaze became acutely aware of this.

Without any hesitation, he accelerated sharply.

In that moment, Yamikaze pushed his speed to the limit, transforming into a black whirlwind. With a roar that seemed to split the air, he charged toward the building where Rozen was stationed.

With no more high-explosive bombardments or sniping to impede him, Yamikaze closed the 500-meter gap in no time.

Thus, Yamikaze managed to storm into the building effortlessly.

"We've won!"

"This is victory!"

"Haha! Finally!"

The players watching the battle unfold live in GGO (Gun Gale Online) erupted into cheers.

"That's what you get for being so wasteful, blasting away high-explosive rounds like confetti."

"Exactly. Now you've faced the consequences."

"Serves you right!"

Those who bet on Yamikaze or bore grudges against Rozen celebrated enthusiastically.

However, players who had bet on Rozen weren't as thrilled.

"What a letdown."

"I thought he'd win."

"Couldn't he have saved a few high-explosive rounds?"

Complaints poured in from these disappointed players.

Everyone assumed that once Yamikaze entered the building, Rozen was finished.

After all, Rozen wouldn't be able to snipe inside the building. Close combat was Yamikaze's specialty, and with his unparalleled speed, Rozen was practically doomed.

But some observant viewers noticed something unusual.

"Look!"

"What is he planning?"

These players were bewildered.

Rozen, having ceased his sniping, was now calmly standing up. Sitting atop a desk, he faced the door with a cheerful smile, showing no signs of fear or nervousness. There was no attempt to relocate, retreat, or even hide.

"What... What's going on?"

"Is Rozen seriously planning to face Yamikaze head-on?"

"That's a little too confident, isn't it?"

The players were abuzz with curiosity.

Just what was Rozen planning?

Many watched in eager anticipation.

---

"Bang!"

After an indeterminate amount of time, the office door was violently kicked open.

Yamikaze, holding his M900A, pointed it into the office as he slowly walked inside.

"You've arrived."

Rozen, still seated at the desk, neither held his sniper rifle nor reached for his revolver. Instead, he sat there with a calm smile, watching Yamikaze enter.

"...I thought you'd immediately change position and hide somewhere else. I didn't expect you'd still be here, boldly waiting to welcome me, even unarmed."

Yamikaze paused for a moment before speaking cautiously.

"What are you scheming?"

It was clear that Yamikaze believed Rozen's demeanor suggested he had some trap laid out, brimming with confidence.

But Rozen appeared utterly unperturbed.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to see your real fighting style."

Rozen's words were straightforward.

"You want to see my real fighting style?"

Yamikaze was momentarily taken aback.

But that was exactly what Rozen had in mind.

"Aren't you known as the Devil of Run-and-Gun?" Rozen smiled faintly. "If I had shot you down on the way, before you could showcase those tactics, it wouldn't have been satisfying at all, would it?"

His words left Yamikaze speechless.

So, that's what this was about?

"You're deliberately staying here to challenge me head-on?"

Yamikaze spoke grimly.

"That's one way to put it." Rozen nodded with a smile. "After all, this might be my only visit to GGO. Once I finish my business here, I probably won't return. So, before that, facing off against the game's strongest player one-on-one seems worth it, doesn't it?"

This was a spur-of-the-moment decision on Rozen's part.

As he said, since he wouldn't likely return to GGO after completing his current task, a direct showdown with the server's strongest player seemed like an unmissable opportunity.

However, Yamikaze clearly didn't understand Rozen's reasoning.

"Finish your business?"

Yamikaze didn't grasp what Rozen meant.

But he didn't dwell on it and coldly responded, "I'm not the strongest player on the server. I was only the runner-up in the last BoB (Bullet of Bullets) tournament. The current strongest player should be the champion from that tournament..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Rozen cut him off.

"No, you are the strongest player right now." Rozen declared confidently. "Even if the one who beat you has better skills, they're not here anymore. That makes you the current strongest player in GGO."

"Wha... What?" Yamikaze was stunned, unable to comprehend Rozen's meaning.

Rozen had no interest in explaining further.

"Alright, let's begin."

Jumping off the desk, Rozen fixed his gaze on Yamikaze and smiled.

"Otherwise, it would've been a waste to let you come all this way."

With that, Rozen casually tossed a pile of bullets onto the ground.

Seeing the scattered rounds, Yamikaze's pupils contracted.

Because those bullets were high-explosive rounds.

Rozen's high-explosive rounds hadn't run out at all.

In other words, he had deliberately allowed Yamikaze to enter the building and confront him face-to-face.

"You...!"

Yamikaze's expression twisted slightly, his eyes filling with humiliation.

The opportunity he thought he had seized was nothing more than his opponent's deliberate setup. This realization left him feeling utterly belittled.

"I'll make you regret this!"

Yamikaze raised his M900A, pointing it at Rozen and pulling the trigger without hesitation.

"...!"

The ultra-light submachine gun spat out a torrent of bullets, raining them down on Rozen's position like a storm.

But Rozen had already vanished.

He leapt straight up toward the ceiling.

"...!"

Yamikaze immediately aimed upward, redirecting his bullets toward the ceiling.

But after reaching the ceiling, Rozen flipped mid-air. Head down, feet up, he planted his foot against the ceiling and propelled himself sideways, leaving behind nothing but a blur. The bullets missed their mark, punching charred holes into the ceiling.

"Shing..."

A barely audible sound rang out.

It was the sound of Rozen drawing a military knife strapped to his thigh.