Chapter 363: The Society's Daily Life Returns (2)
Chapter 363: The Society's Daily Life Returns (2)
The duel began with Meteor’s opening move.
She fired a shot at me while simultaneously leaping backward. If an ordinary Hero had attempted such a feat, I would have dismissed it as mere posturing—a flashy, impractical stance that ignored recoil control.
But Meteor was an entity who existed far beyond the realm of ordinary marksmen.
To put it bluntly, she was the only one permitted to use techniques that no one else should ever try to replicate. If Danger Rifle—that is, Chong So-rim—had pulled a stunt like that, I would have given her a piece of my mind even if she wasn't my disciple. I’d tell her to stop showboating with her guns like she was in a movie and focus on maintaining distance and escaping, especially as a sniper.
However, such logic didn't apply to Meteor.
Even while suspended in mid-air, her muzzle didn't waver in the slightest, and her gaze never strayed from me. On the contrary, she looked at me and smirked, appearing as composed as if she were standing firmly on the ground.
It was a mocking curl of the lips.
‘What, are you not going to chase me?’
That smile felt as if she were taunting me with those very words. It was behavior completely unlike any previous incarnation of Meteor I had known. Usually, Meteor maintained a stoic, expressionless face even in the heat of battle.
But this generation’s Meteor was provocatively goading me with a distinctly twisted grin.
Fine, I’ll bite.
True to my hot-tempered nature, I walked right into her provocation. I had intended to leap toward her regardless of whether there was a trap, but it felt a bit grating to realize I’d been swayed by that punchable face. Still, that wasn't a major issue.
Boom!
The moment I kicked off the ground.
Whiz!
A sharp bullet grazed my ear.
…That wasn't a paint round.
Was that a standard, unenhanced live round?
This brat is playing for keeps.
I wouldn't die even if I were hit, and live rounds were common in the duels of the old days, but back then, we always had a dedicated healer Hero on standby. It seemed Meteor was nursing a petty grudge over me hitting her with a car.
How did the once-magnanimous Meteor end up like this?
Well, I knew the reason. Even if it was the same "Meteor," her personality changed with every new body. So, I suppose a petty Meteor was bound to turn up eventually.
In that case, what should I do with this petty version of her?
First, looking at her appearance, this current vessel was relatively young—young enough that even Baek Si-hyun and Han A-bin occasionally forgot to use formal speech with her. Putting it all together, it meant that as an adult, I had to "correct" Meteor’s childish personality.
Having awakened to my mission, I fixed my gaze on Meteor.
Thud.
I landed right in front of her while she was still in the middle of her backward leap.
In terms of power, we were similar in that both of us relied mostly on physical enhancement, but in terms of pure physical performance, I was overwhelmingly superior. Having reached my enemy's range, I immediately began to swing The Hammer trailing behind my back.
Whoosh!
The Hammer swung toward Meteor, the air whistling in its wake.
“Heh.”
She laughed as she watched it come. It was as if she had anticipated this from the very beginning.
It’s a bluff. Based on the cards I know Meteor holds, there’s no way to block this. No matter what she pulls out, I’ll just smash through it. At this distance, her only options are a quick-draw pistol or swinging an enhanced gun as a blunt weapon.
With that thought, I pressed forward without halting my body or my weapon.
Meteor watched The Hammer swing toward her with wide eyes, then pulled back the front of her coat and spoke.
“Guess what this is~?”
Inside, there was something I hadn't expected at all.
Three matte plastic blocks, shaped like lunchboxes, were lined up inside her coat.
…Claymores?
Is this crazy brat serious?
Being hit by those wouldn't kill me. However, it would undoubtedly hurt like hell, and given the nature of a duel, even if I won by powering through them, people would definitely have something to say about it.
I immediately aborted my attack and leaped backward to minimize the impact area.
“Bang.”
The moment Meteor’s voice rang out, a much smaller explosion than expected reached my ears.
Thwack! Splat!
As I leaped back, my body was hit by an impact far weaker than I had anticipated. A red liquid began to stream down my entire body.
But it wasn't blood. What was inside those blocks was completely different from what I had imagined.
“…Paint rounds?”
“Correct.”
Meteor tossed the spent fake Claymores from her coat and quickly fled from me. I didn't chase her; I just stared blankly. It was just too absurd.
…What is this?
She used live rounds earlier, and now suddenly paint? She knew from the start that I’d dodge the first shot, so she used an explosive she was certain would hit me?
Drip.
Perhaps she had intentionally increased the amount of paint inside; the red liquid, which should have just stained my skin, was flowing heavily down my body. I reflexively licked the paint that reached my lips, and an intense bitterness spread through my mouth.
“Ha. Ha. Ha.”
This is ridiculous. Unbelievable.
I would have been more understanding if I’d been hit by shotgun pellets. That’s a common Meteor tactic—throwing a grenade at close range despite the risk of self-injury to create distance. Because of that, I assumed she was willing to take the blast of the Claymores just to hit me.
But it was paint.
She pulled this stunt while taking almost no damage herself.
Stay calm, Lee Ha-ram. This is a duel. Don't get mad. It’s my fault for being fooled. Act like an adult…
“Oh, by the way, that’s oil-based. It won’t wash off!”
“METEOR, YOU LITTLE BRAT!”
I let out a roar and charged.
To hell with the duel; today is that brat’s funeral. Even if I have to write a mountain of apology letters, I’m going to wreck her.
I sprinted toward the distant Meteor, but the situation only grew stranger.
The closer I got to her, the more explosions went off under my feet. She must have prepared meticulously; paint rounds erupted from the ground, fake mines made loud noises with weak blasts, and when something popped up with a phut sound making me think it was a bouncing betty, it turned out to be a flashbang that detonated right in front of my face.
“Dammit! My eyes!”
“If your eyes are only good for causing car accidents, you might as well not have them!”
Through my temporary blindness, I heard that obnoxious voice.
My blood began to boil. I tried to soothe myself, telling myself it was just a duel, but the surging rage was heating up my entire body.
“Even my patience has a limit…”
To keep myself from crossing that limit, I spoke to Meteor as if to caution myself.
Ting.
With the sound of clinking metal, something rolled to my feet.
Dammit. What now?
I looked down.
Pshhh.
With a soft hiss, thick smoke began to pour out. A Smoke Grenade.
Something is coming.
The moment my brain recognized the threat, I naturally heightened my non-visual senses. My anger made fine control difficult, but this was something I could do as easily as breathing. I stood still for a moment, sharpening all my senses.
The white smoke surrounding me was so thick it was impossible to see even an inch ahead—likely magically enhanced—and it cast a silence that seemed to block out all sound.
Click.
A tiny sound echoed from somewhere within the fog. It was so faint that even with my heightened senses, I might have mistaken it for a hallucination.
However, my heated body reacted instantly. I immediately caught a flash of light from beyond the white haze.
“THERE YOU ARE!”
Boom!
I stomped hard and leaped toward the flash. A single streak of light had appeared from the same spot as the sound. It was a clear sign of a gunshot.
The fact that the smoke didn't dissipate even from the force of my leap confirmed it was magically treated, but that didn't matter. I just had to catch the person herself.
As I leaped, I felt something. A small object cutting through the concentrated airflow inside the magical smoke. Certain it was a bullet, I tilted my head.
Swish!
The sound of cutting air grazed my ear. Then, along with more flashes, several more followed. I moved my body to dodge each one.
The shots were too predictable. Aimed fire targeting vital points. Seeing the aim waver as I closed in on the sniper's position, it was clear Meteor was panicking. Previous Meteors wouldn't have faltered even in this situation.
But this Meteor was a temperamental brat; it made sense she’d panic when things didn't go her way. Seeing her continue to fire instead of running, she must think she can land at least one hit. Not a chance.
After dodging the seventh shot, I leaped and raised my hammer. At this distance, I could reach her before the next bullet came. Certain of this, I lunged toward the expected location.
Through the fog, I spotted a humanoid figure huddled there.
“DIE!”
Despite the harsh words, I delivered a measured strike intended to cause about two months of recovery time.
Crunch.
I felt the impact through my hands. The sensation of smashing something.
But it wasn't the sensation of hitting a person. Now that I was close enough to bury my hammer into The Enemy, I could see through the smoke what I had actually destroyed.
It was a pile of stones draped in a fluttering coat. A sniper rifle lay in front of it, but it wasn't Meteor who had fired it. It was an automated firing system with a suspicious mechanical device attached to the trigger.
…Uh-oh.
In my momentary confusion, I shook my head.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Explosions rang out from all directions, and a barrage of spheres flew toward me. Rubber bullets, paint rounds, and Steel Marbles mixed in between. Perhaps because actual Steel Marbles were included this time, pain flared through my body.
Rage surged. Rage at Meteor for fighting so shamelessly in what was supposed to be a duel.
I tried to hold it back, but the pain and unpleasantness piercing my body finally made it impossible to suppress.
“DAMMIT ALL!”
Boom!
A shockwave erupted along with my shout. Everything in the vicinity was blown away—the magical smoke, the numerous traps, even the innocent roadside trees.
And in the space where everything had been cleared, only Meteor and I remained. She stood there holding pistols in both hands, striking a pose.
Her face was now set in a stoic, expressionless mask, with not a hint of a smile left.
“Out of toys now, aren't you?”
Since they’ve all been blown away.
“And you’re out of guns, too!”
You’ve got pistols in your hands, but your main weapon is that sniper rifle lying over there.
In that case…
“It’s time for a real lesson, you brat!”
I charged, venting my fury.
The exchange continued. Meteor kept firing bullets at me, but my rage-enhanced body reacted and evaded them all.
Clang!
My swinging hammer struck Meteor’s body, as she was unable to even attempt an evasive maneuver. Although she managed to block the attack with her enhanced pistols, the cost was the total destruction of her firearms.
The barrels were twisted, and internal components scattered in every direction. Now, only one pistol remained in Meteor’s left hand.
It’s over.
With that thought, I lowered my stance and lunged.
Four months of recovery. Four months of recovery. Compound fractures. Compound fractures.
In reality, she’d heal quickly with the Bureau’s treatment, but I leaped forward with the intent to inflict that much pain.
Meteor leaped backward, spraying the last of her pistol rounds at me. Of course, such an attack meant nothing. The bullets didn't touch me.
The moment she tried to swap her empty magazine, I was already upon her, swinging my hammer into her body.
Crack.
This time was for real. Meteor’s left arm and part of her torso were shattered. I felt the sensation travel up my arm.
With this, the duel was over. Meteor wouldn't be able to stand after this impact; she was sent flying through the air.
It might have been a bit much, but…
…Wait, something’s wrong.
Why is she flying like that? Did I hit her that hard?
The moment that doubt surfaced.
Click-clack.
The sound of metal echoed in my ears. It was the sound of Meteor, who was supposed to be flying away from my attack, snatching the sniper rifle from the ground mid-air and reloading it while still in flight.
The duel wasn't over yet.
As I rushed forward with that thought, a small flash entered my vision.
A shot was fired. A single bullet fired from mid-air. I had dodged every bullet so far, so this would be no different. This was just Meteor’s final struggle.
With that thought, I snapped my head back.
Thud.
With a dull sound, pain radiated through me.
What?
The question was answered immediately. The pain was in my forehead. And my consciousness began to fade.
…Special non-lethal rounds.
Designed for sleep or stunning. Combined with bullet acceleration or spatial jumping.
It should have been obvious. It’s only natural for a gun user to use Special Ammunition.
But I had overlooked it. Was it because I was blinded by rage, or because Meteor had kept using standard rounds until then?
…I lost.
The moment I accepted it, my anger rapidly subsided. Through the haze, I heard Meteor’s voice.
“I’m glad I looked like this this time. It was the perfect appearance to provoke you.”
“….”
It was an act…? It didn't look like one to me.
Despite my thoughts, Meteor’s cold, rational voice continued to reach my ears.
“I had a thought after reading your recent combat reports, Lee Ha-ram.”
“….”
The voice wasn't the sharp, childish one that had been mocking me. Though it was the voice of a woman with a youthful edge, it was the cold, analytical voice of the Meteor I knew well.
“Right now, you are being swayed too much by your emotions. So, cool your head.”
“….”
That’s… some great advice. If only it weren't for that face… it would be perfect.
With that final thought, I closed my eyes.