BXBX NOVEL Chapter 171: Do your worse [2/2]
Without being able to adjust, my eyes were blinded and my ears went deaf from the sudden sensory overload. A sound like tinnitus kept ringing in my ears, preventing me from concentrating on the fight.
"Shit! {Rewind}!"
I invoked my {Fate} and reset my condition, removing my status ailments. I immediately closed my eyes and used {Listen} to find Aki. However, the sounds came from a place I hadn\'t expected.
"The ceiling?"
The footsteps came from the ceiling, less than three meters in front of me. I raised the 1887 and pulled the trigger. But before my weapon could fire, something collided with it from the side!
Since the weapon had {Withstand}, it wasn\'t deflected and blasted upward with 10 gauge buckshots. I heard the sound of erupting flesh as I scored a hit. Opening my eyes, I tried to see Aki\'s form through the smoke.
Unexpectedly, I found a steel chain wrapped around the 1887. A powerful tug pulled the gun to the ground. Fearing a counterattack, I raised the AR-15 and let off a burst of lead.
I didn\'t know if I hit anything, but I continued to rain lead in front of me. Unfortunately, Aki once again proved how dangerous she was, a sharp pain jolted me awake as my neck began to bleed.
"What?"
Trying to reorient myself, I took a step back only to have something stab my foot. I felt something pierce my shoes, making every step painful.
\'{Code} Bullet time!\'
Time slowed again and I saw Aki\'s silhouette coming through the smoke.
"{Regen}, {Retrieve} Smoke! {Reload}!"
Immediately after my words, the white smoke was drawn to my back like a vacuum. The sudden movement of the smoke highlighted Aki\'s exact position.
Aki was less than a foot away from me, I raised the AR-15, but my opponent sliced it in two. I immediately swung the 1887 like a bat, but the ninja parried my attack and countered with an unknown weapon. I couldn\'t dodge in time and a sharp blade buried itself in my shoulder.
I dropped the broken AR-15 and grabbed Aki\'s neck with my right hand. In one quick motion, I tried to slam her to the ground. But the woman broke free of my grip and shifted her body to form an armbar.
Mercilessly, Aki pulled my arm the wrong way and I heard my elbow snap. Screaming in pain, I shoved the 1887\'s muzzle into Aki\'s back and pulled the trigger. The force of the ten-gauge bullet sent Aki flying into the air.
Suddenly, my eyes could see the ninja, her clothes soaked in blood as she struggled to stand. She was holding a sickle with a chain attached to the 1887. I removed the steel binding from my shotgun as I spin-cocked it.
"Huff, huff. Amazing, Smith-san. Truly amazing. But it\'s not enough."
"Ha. Ha. Do your worst, Aki," I replied between breaths.
Because of my careless use of {Rewind} earlier, I had to wait twenty minutes before I could use it again. Our exchange, which lasted only a few minutes, was so intense that my breathing became ragged.
"{Retrieve} Snickers."
With my now-healed right arm, I grabbed a bite before Aki started to move again.
"{Eat}. I share your {fate}, Aki. This would only be a never-ending battle."
"{Eat}. {Regen}. {Gather.} Ara, is that so? You have already lost {Rewind}. That means you no longer have a second life."
"But I still have a lot of tricks?" I joked, trying to buy some time.
When I fought Aki, I learned the limitations of the {Fates}. While {Withstand} stopped blows, it could not stop piercing attacks. Sharp edges like knives and swords still tore through my skin even without momentum.
Much like bulletproof armor, it would not be able to defend against knife attacks. Slashing attacks, piercing attacks, and bludgeoning attacks all had different strengths and weaknesses. All three had existed since the Middle Ages.
{Withstand} and {Endure} largely negated bludgeoning attacks. They were inferior to slashing attacks and useless for piercing attacks.
This was reinforced by the fact that even though Aki\'s blows were not strong enough to send me flying, my flesh was still ripped apart. Grabs and throws were also able to bypass Liv\'s {Fate}.
I didn\'t take any damage from being thrown around. However, such moves still disoriented me. Next, {Code} gave me about ten seconds of bullet time, but it took time between uses.
\'Truly, nothing gave you the most experience except real combat.\' I thought to myself.
Aki similarly used my {Fate} {Regen}, her breathing normalizing as her wounds began to close. In the short minute we stared at each other, our bodies returned to their optimal states and our stamina soared.
I threw the 1887 at Aki as I made my next move.
"{Withdraw} Smoke!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, I opened a small portal on my palm and blasted Aki with the smoke like a fire extinguisher.
I began to run away from her at full speed. {Listen} picked up objects flying towards me, so I ducked and slid on the ground as I continued to gain distance. I drew the MAC-11s from my hip holsters and fired them indiscriminately behind me.
Using the extra momentum from the shots, I ran like my ass was on fire. I tried to find a place in front of me to make my next move. {Perceive} then allowed me to see a flashing object out of the corner of my eye.
Fleeing for my life, I tried to turn my face to the left, but a sharp blade severed my right ear and sliced open my forehead. Before I could react, a foot slammed into my side. Staying in place, I swung the MAC-11\'s and rained lead on my would-be attacker.
Despite the pain of losing my ear, I continued to fight the bladed kitsune. I couldn\'t even stop for a moment, because if I did, Aki might really be the one to kill me.