Chapter 150: Chapter 102: Tina, Home (Part 2)

His eyes, hidden beneath his hood, peered at Wei’en through the rain. "Just wanted to collect some interest before I leave..."

’Leave? Interest?’

Wei’en didn’t understand. He turned to Tina beside him and asked, "Is that him?"

"Tina, it’s him."

The white-haired girl clung to his leg, the rain soaking one side of her face and the clown doll in her hand.

’Good, as long as it’s him. I just upgraded my Magic last night. He’ll make for good practice!’

"Stay here. Don’t move."

After instructing Tina, Wei’en pulled the trigger and fired a shot.

However, from a hundred meters away, the pistol’s power was too weak to have much of an effect.

So he darted forward, closing the distance to the black-robed man, and emptied his pistol’s chamber again.

BANG! BANG, BANG...

’Trajectory Control!’

The six bullets carved different trajectories as they flew toward the black-robed man. One curved so widely it actually grazed the head of an observing sailor.

Meanwhile, the phantom double behind him watched the black-robed man, muttering an incantation: "Mens, Di."

"Oh?"

The black-robed man, holding two short daggers in a reverse grip, watched Wei’en charge him and let out a sigh of surprise. "Shadow Flash."

His body swayed slightly. The short daggers in his hands swept upward—deceptively slow, yet lightning-fast—and in an instant, his figure vanished.

CLANG, CLANG...

The bullets pierced the space where the black-robed man had been standing.

[Your phantom double’s Charm Spell has missed the target.]

’Only one notification?’

Wei’en noticed there was no notification on his panel that the gunshots had landed. Realizing something was wrong, he yelled, "Bone Wall!"

As the rune for Bone Wall (Death God) on the Ghost’s forehead flickered, it chanted, "Wol, Gans, Tar!" (Bone Wall!)

A gray Rune Array flashed on the ground beneath his feet before disappearing. Four walls, each composed of hundreds of translucent, crystalline bones, rose up and shielded him.

CRASH!

One of the Bone Walls shattered.

The black-robed man reappeared, but seeing his strike had failed, he vanished once more. "Quick reflexes... Let’s keep going!"

[Your Bone Wall Magic has blocked Endrit Wirt’s Shadow Flash. Evaluation: Speed is also a form of power. Reward: Survival Points +2.]

[...]

[Your Bone Wall Magic has blocked Endrit Wirt’s Shadow Kill... Reward: Survival Points +2.]

Seeing that the Bone Walls could block the man’s attacks, Wei’en relaxed slightly. However, he kept a close watch on their condition, immediately raising a new wall whenever one was shattered.

At the same time, he spread his spiritual perception all around him, trying his utmost to track the man’s movements.

’This guy is seriously fast.’

’Before today, I probably wouldn’t have been able to block a single one of his attacks.’

"Can you do nothing but hide in that cage?"

The black-robed man’s attacks grew faster and faster, shattering the Bone Walls with increasing frequency. It seemed he was deliberately trying to drain Wei’en’s Spiritual Power.

Wei’en focused on perceiving the subtle shifts as the man vanished and reappeared. Gradually, he began to keep pace with his opponent’s speed.

’Almost there... almost... just a little faster!’

Meanwhile, the spectating sailors were gloating. "Boss, looks like that arrogant jinx is a dead man."

Their leader, however, had noticed Wei’en’s eyes. He saw no panic or fear in them—only a chilling calm. Shaking his head, he said, "Just watch. It might not end that way."

"He can’t even fight back. How could he possibly survive?"

"Could you?"

The sailor laughed awkwardly. "No, I couldn’t."

"Then shut your mouth!"

"..."

Wei’en had no time to worry about the onlookers; his entire focus was on the black-robed man.

The Bone Walls around him shattered one after another, and the bullets he fired couldn’t even touch the man’s shadow—he was simply too fast.

In just one minute, half of his Spiritual Power was already gone.

’This can’t go on. Time to try that spell!’

Seizing the moment the black-robed man shattered another Bone Wall, the Secret Master opened its mouth and spat a Lightning Arrow. A silvery-white bolt of electricity zig-zagged through the air.

"Gena, Ji, Una!" (Lightning Arrow!)

[Your Lightning Arrow (Death God) has hit Endrit Wirt, inflicting paralysis. Evaluation: Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. Reward: Survival Points +2.]

’Now’s my chance!’

"Deep, Roko, Men!" (Shadow Snare!)

The Ghost’s expression became ferocious. Two runes emerged on its forehead, one after the other, as its twin crimson eyes rapidly tracked the black-robed man.

A massive Rune Array materialized, its countless arcane runes twisting and scattering in a black glow that enveloped a dozens-of-meters-wide area around Wei’en.

Suddenly, countless withered arms erupted from the ground.

The arms were covered in shriveled skin and rotting flesh, their finger bones gleaming and their nails long and sharp. Accompanied by a shriek from the depths of the void, they writhed and reached out.

The black-robed man clearly noticed what was happening at his feet, but it was too late. The Lightning Arrow had caused a distinct lag in his movements.

Before he could react, the arms shot out and grabbed his feet. Then, countless more swarmed up his body, as if trying to drag him down into an endless abyss.

"Damn it!"

Shocked and enraged, the black-robed man swung his daggers, hacking at the arms.

But no matter how many he severed, more arms would swarm him as if drawn by the scent of blood, clambering over his body one after another.

Long finger bones and sharp nails dug into his flesh, piercing his body and holding him fast.

’I’d already gotten away... why did I have to come back and provoke this guy?’

He looked up and saw that Wei’en was already aiming his pistol at him—

"NO!!"

’Die!’

Wei’en’s eyes grew cold. His hands became a blur, unleashing a torrent of dozens of bullets.

At this range, he didn’t even need to use Trajectory Control. The bullets slammed into the black-robed man, one after another.