Mad Hunter: Road of Fury (1)

Anyway, those random thoughts were just a fleeting distraction. What really mattered right now was that I'd entered the Tower and needed to throw down with that orc's buddies in a lively battle.

I lightly slapped my cheeks a couple times to snap myself out of it. For the test, I unequipped the weird truck—or whatever construction heavy machinery it was—from my equipment slot, swapped in the autocannons quick, and geared up for some fun mass slaughter.

But the moment I stepped into floor 13...

"What the hell? Why's there nothing here?"

Super weirdly, floors like this usually crawled with monsters or something. There was always something. But the actual scene inside the Tower? How to put it...

"It's so vast, man."

The words slipped out on their own. A massive plain stretched out, so wide you'd blurt that out without thinking. Not just any plain, though—dust and tumbleweeds rolling around, cacti, sand, all mixed in ambiguously like a Western movie set. That was waiting for me.

Remembering how floor 12 blatantly teased a storyline, I recalled the Orc Empire setup, of course. And thinking about those Orc Empire guys transporting supplies through the forest? A ton of questions flooded in.

But that was short-lived. Right as I was staring at this random terrain, wondering why the floor 13 entry message hadn't popped up yet...

-Clack-clack-clack-

-Screeech!!

"Sorry I'm late! No time to explain—hop ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on quick!"

"Oh."

Outta nowhere, a four-wheeled heavy wagon pulled by a sturdy horse drifts hard right in front of me. And there was Alex from floor 12, grabbing the driver's seat. Mika and Georg hopped on the wagon too.

Seeing that, I figured like Alex said, I'd hear details en route. I hopped on without hesitation.

The second I was aboard, the status window finally dinged up—like now floor 13 was officially starting.

"Long time no see, Blank. Or 'FirepowerLover' now?"

"Yeah, something like that."

Since I'd changed my ranking name from Blank to FirepowerLover, the party was calling me by nickname. Seeing the familiar faces from floor 12, I figured I'd ask what the hell was going on.

To my question, the two besides driver Alex—Mika (elf) and Georg (dwarf)—gave their versions.

"Situation's tense, so short version. We're transporting mana stones to the nearby Elf Fortress."

"To be precise, not just us—they gave wagons to other adventurers and mercenaries too. We're all racing across this plain separately, dodging orc surveillance."

"Ooh?"

"Problem is, while moving cautiously to link up with you, the orcs spotted us."

"Aha."

Yeah. Turns out floor 13's clear method was obvious from the status window objective. We haul ass across the plain in this pretty huge wagon loaded with mana stones in the cargo hold, dodge to the Elf Fortress, hand 'em off. Literal freebie event.

Hearing that far, I thought, hey, not bad at all.

But unlike me, Mika and Georg shook their heads like it wasn't that simple.

When I asked why, Mika scratched her head, face like how do I explain this—right then.

-Grrrrraaaah!!

"Damn it, orc pursuit squad's on us!"

"Gah."

"Mika! Switch!"

"R-right!"

Alex, whipping the horse outside, yells near-scream. Mika scrambles to the driver's seat. Alex jumps in, grabs his bow from the cargo, points outside, begging for help.

To his reaction, I peek out wondering what the fuss is.

-Whiiiish!

-Crack!

"Holy shit."

"They got here fast!"

I spot giant rats with four legs each side—eight total—and 2-3 orcs per rat as cavalry(?). The second I stick my head out, an orc's thrown rock smashes the wagon wall, denting solid wood deep. Yeah, not easy.

Plus, excluding that one, dozens more orc pursuit riders on those freaky beasts. No wonder Alex and the crew freaked.

And those orcs—did they somehow learn about wiping the transport squad on 12? Or a survivor? Anyway, moment they see me and my dual autocannons...

"Chiiiiiik!!"

"Chik!"

"Kyarruk!"

They ditch charging straight in, backpedal to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠keep distance.

-Whoooosh!

"Mika, left!"

"Got it!"

-Thud! Screech!

"Urk?!"

Close ones ram the wagon desperately or climb on to axe-chop our heads. Wild stuff.

Orc pursuit moves sharper than expected. My hasty cannon bursts only shred 1-2 rats and riders into sand-splattered chunks.

Rest? Pointless air or ground pockmarks. World ain't easy, huh.

Of course, "not easy" was just my standard. Plus, during Hunter Management Bureau tests, I'd absorbed dedicated mags for my 20mm and 30mm autocannons.

"Damn it, FirepowerLover, didn't you say your magic has limits on simultaneous shots?"

"Nngh... At this rate, blocking 'em will burn all our arrows and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana!"

Seeing party panic like we're doomed, I fully deploy the two autocannons—not just barrels prepped.

"Ooh? Ooooh?"

"Watch close—and don't tell a soul!"

Compared to floor 12, ammo jacked 10x and 3x+. Time for endless fun barrage.

They'd been probing with 1-20 shots, us holding fire. Orcs mistake it for ammo/mana dry, creep closer.

I unleash mindless full-auto, dumping entire mags. BRRRRAAAAAPPP!

30 seconds later, Orc Empire pursuit? All friendly hamburger scattered.