Chapter 42
Chapter 42
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Fallen (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A black-haired woman had appeared out of nowhere.
The moment I confirmed her eyes bore the inverted gaze unique to the Fallen, I kicked off the ground and put some distance between us.
As I did, I transferred three grenades right in front of her and pulled the trigger on my rifle.
Tat-tat-tang! Kwaaaaang!
Three gunshots rang out, followed by the grenades exploding.
Since not just one but three grenades detonated right in front of her...
The shockwave lifted my body into the air and sent me flying backward.
But I welcomed it—it meant even more distance.
The instant that thought crossed my mind, my brief flight came to an end.
Thud. I hit the ground back-first.
Still, as a superhuman, a shock like that was nothing.
I sprang to my feet and scattered mines toward where the Fallen was.
Then I immediately opened my inventory and pulled out the item I'd bought along with the regular ammo.
&
- A few hours earlier.
"And that's the last one!"
The crafting instructor shouted that as she pulled out the final ammo crate.
"Whew, finally these babies are finding their way to their rightful owners."
Looking at the crates piled high in the workshop, the instructor murmured in a deeply emotional voice and lit up her pipe.
She looked just like a mother sending her children off into the world.
Well, it wasn't wrong.
All those bullets had been born from her own hands.
'Wait... does that mean I'm shooting the instructor's kids?'
That thought made me feel a bit queasy, so I edged away from the crates.
But the unease didn't last.
A sudden idea struck me, and I approached the instructor, who was still fondly caressing the crates.
I asked her straight out.
"By the way, Instructor. Do you have any special ammo?"
"Special ammo?"
She paused what she was doing and looked at me.
"Special ammo... yeah, I do have some."
"Oh, then maybe that too..."
"But you won't be able to use it with your guns."
"...Pardon?"
I couldn't make sense of her words.
It was just bullets—why would the gun matter?
Besides, my 'Holy Gun' and 'Special Modified Rifle' weren't ordinary firearms; they were B-rank items.
And she was saying they couldn't handle those bullets? Did they need to be A-rank or something?
As I stared at her with that in mind, she nodded as if confirming my guess.
"That's exactly right."
"...Seriously, A-rank minimum?"
"Yeah. The special ammo I make requires the durability of an A-rank item or higher. That's why I checked your guns—to see if they could handle it."
"What makes these special bullets so..."
"Here, take a look."
A single bullet appeared in the instructor's hand as she spoke.
"And here's the appraisal scroll."
She pulled a scroll from her subspace with her other hand and handed it to me.
I tore it open—not using the appraisal magic, but the system instead.
⚙ ITEM APPRAISAL ⚙ 【Bullet Engraved with Holy Blessing (A)】 A 9x19mm bullet crafted by a master artisan. Engraved with Cardinal Remilia's blessing. - Inflicts massive holy damage on demon-attribute enemies. ...What the hell is this?
A mere bullet, and it's A-rank?
"...Instructor, what did you make here?"
At my stunned question, she gave an awkward chuckle.
"Back then, I was in an experimental mood, so when the cardinal visited the academy, I asked her for a favor."
"...And she just went along with it?"
"Yeah, she actually seemed to think it'd be fun and did it willingly."
The instructor pulled seven more bullets from her subspace as she spoke.
All with the same effect.
"...Anything else besides these?"
"Nah, that's all the special ammo. Why?"
"They're bullets, sure, but A-rank... I don't think I can afford them."
I had 1 billion on hand, but A-rank items started at tens of billions at minimum.
Even if they were one-use bullets, they'd still cost at least hundreds of millions each.
For me, needing to stock up on regular ammo right now, they might as well have been unobtainable.
She stared at me for a moment after I said that.
Then she pressed the bullets into my hand.
"You know, on second thought, you're probably the only one who could even use these anyway."
Was she seriously just giving them to me?
"Not for free—I'll sell them to you dirt cheap. Take 'em."
...Dirt cheap, but could I even afford it with what I had?
I told her how much money I had.
She waved it off like it was nothing.
"That so? I'll price 'em to match then."
"Great for me, but... you sure that's okay?"
At my question about selling A-rank items for just 1 billion, she smirked and tapped my shoulder with her pipe.
"Nothing makes a crafter happier than seeing their work go to the right owner. Don't sweat it."
"...Then I'll gladly take them. Thank you."
"Yeah, yeah."
She nodded and headed back to her workbench.
I had one last question for her.
"Instructor, just hypothetically... what if I used these bullets in a non-A-rank item?"
She glanced at me, then down at the 'Holy Gun' in my hand.
She held up three fingers.
"Three times."
"...Three times?"
"Yeah. Three shots, and that gun's done for—permanently."
So think carefully before using them.
&
&
&
- And now.
I loaded a magazine with three 'Bullets Engraved with Holy Blessing (A)' into the 'Holy Gun'.
Three chances.
I had to neutralize or kill the Fallen within them.
Fail, and... I'd be the one dying.
"Hoo."
I exhaled a tense breath and peered into the dust cloud kicked up by the grenade shockwave.
Ready to fire the moment I glimpsed her.
Whoooosh...
Wind blew in.
The dust began to clear.
The instant her form became somewhat visible...
"...!"
A stinging sensation pricked my forehead, and I snapped my head to the side.
Something black streaked past where my head had been at blinding speed.
"Oh? Dodged that? You've got good instincts."
The Fallen emerged from the dust, chuckling as if amused.
"Then how about this one?"
She swung her hand through the air.
A sharp pain stabbed my right side.
I didn't hesitate, kicking off the ground and hurling myself backward.
While airborne, I checked the nature of the attack.
For a split second, space tore open, and a black spike shot through where my side had been.
Seeing that, I knew she had spatial skills.
To confirm, I activated Insight.
⚙ SKILL INSIGHT ⚙ [Ability: Skill] Opens space at the desired location. Very brief description.
But enough to understand.
'Space Connection.'
This skill connected spaces, like Lee Yeon-ji's or the great mage's spatial magic.
Unlike magic, though, the skill version—like mine—had range limits.
But the one using 'Space Connection' now was the Fallen.
Upon falling, physical abilities strengthened, and talents and skills warped and amplified.
So I needed to check how it had changed and its range.
But first, if I saw an opening to take her down... I'd fire the holy bullet.
With that in mind, I transferred a grenade in front of her and opened fire.
Tang! Kwaaang!
"The same old thing? Got nothing new?"
She swung her hand lazily.
Space tore open in front of her, unleashing a barrage of black spikes.
I countered by spraying bullets.
Tat-tat-tat-tat-tang!
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Gunfire echoed nonstop.
Metal impacts rang out relentlessly.
I kept my eyes darting, tracking the spikes.
All the while transferring grenades near her and slowly retreating.
BOOM!
"This is getting old!"
BOOM! KWAANG!
"...You think I'm joking?"
BOOM! KWAANG! KWAAAANG!
"I said it's getting old!"
She screamed in fury, raising both hands.
The moment I saw it, I transferred grenades to both sides of her head and detonated them.
Kwaaaang!
"...Kuh!"
Even as a Fallen, still humanoid.
She couldn't ignore point-blank shockwaves; the spike barrage halted for a moment.
Seizing the gap, I drew the 'Holy Gun' from its holster on my tactical vest and fired at her heart.
Tang!
The harsh gunshot boomed.
Whiiiiiish!
One holy bullet streaked white toward her heart.
But it didn't hit the heart.
Splooosh!
"...KyaAAAAH!"
It struck the arm blocking her heart.
"...Kyaak! KYAAAAH! You bastard! How DARE you! DARE—!"
Her arm vaporized by the holy bullet, she glared at me in agonized rage.
Crackle-crackle.
Overwhelming killing intent poured from the Fallen.
My body trembled uncontrollably against my will.
Like prey before a predator.
"I'll kill you! Kill you! KILL YOU—! KIIILLL YOOOUUUU—!!"
With that scream, massive demonic energy erupted from her body.
It began corrupting the surroundings like a main core.
Phase 2 had begun.