Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

90 Chapter 21.2 - First Hunt

What is the biggest advantage of guns in this world?

The answer to that is simple. Not high firepower as bows, but high attacking speed thanks to guns' mechanism.

However, there is one other thing that is advantageous.

When an archer is trying to attack someone, they will cover their arrows with mana by gathering them around the arrow, increasing its firepower.

And, if they are not that proficient and high-ranking marksman, the place where they attack from will still be in the range of the target's senses, and this will reveal their location.

However, because gun base firepower is high even without mana, and most of the time, the mana is hardly used to increase a gun's firepower, they don't have this negative advantage.

And this was exactly why I was able to hide in my tracks while still attacking constantly.

The silencer of my pistol and the small amounts of mana I was using were making it impossible to trace it.

"Cough…..Come out, coward! Show yourself!"

Fred's frustration grew with each gunshot, and his efforts to locate me became increasingly frantic. The misty forest played tricks on his senses, and his pain was slowly sapping his strength.

"You can't hide forever!" he roared, his voice echoing through the woods.

'I can. You don't need to worry.'

Thanks to shadows, I was even able to escape from the senses of Kaya Hartley, and I could certainly hide myself from Fred.

And hide I did, moving stealthily from tree to tree, my gun trained on him.

I knew I couldn't let up, couldn't give him a chance to retaliate.

'Keen Eye.'

My keen eye showed me the weak points of his body that were now slowly eroding thanks to the demonic mana that he was using to sustain his wounds.

PIU! PIU! PIU!

I continued to fire, my shots calculated and precise, targeting him in vulnerable spots. The bullets found their mark, causing him to cough up more blood and weaken his defenses.

Fred's breathing grew ragged, and he staggered, struggling to maintain his balance. He was on the brink of exhaustion, and I could see the fear in his eyes.

"Kurghk-!"

Blood flowed from his mouth as he coughed constantly. Like an injured soldier, he was trying his best to stay on his foot, but that was proving more and more hard.

"You won't... break me," he gasped between ragged breaths.

But then, his tone shifted, and he spoke with a sense of regret. "I didn't want... to use this."

I watched the scene as the aura around him changed.

THUMP

My heart rate increased with each passing time as the demonic energy around me increased.

The pressure emanating from Fred transformed, becoming darker, more menacing. It was as if he was tapping into a well of power he had been keeping in reserve.

His body contorted as he forced a transformation, and the air grew thick with an oppressive energy. Fred's eyes gleamed with an eerie, crimson light as his appearance shifted.

'You finally used the capsule.'

He had become a half-demon.

There was a reason why demon contractors were annoying to deal with. It was because they could use this capsule and force themselves to become a half-demon with the price of losing their strength for a while.

It worked like an overdrive.

Fred's voice dripped with hate as he spat out his words. "You think you've won? You think you can take me down like some common Hunter?"

'It is coming.'

And, as the mana surged around his body, I could see the eerie crimson light in his eyes intensifying.

ROAR!

He threw his head back with a maniacal roar. The sound was deafening, and as he roared, an onslaught of dark mana surged from his body, lashing out at the surrounding trees and ground.

The very air seemed to tremble under the force of his unleashed power. The ground shook violently, and trees were uprooted as the torrent of mana raged out of control.

SWOOSH

This was one of the skills that he would use as the boss in the future parts, where he would simply attack everything in the close proximity.

[Roar of Catastrophe]

SWOOSH

Activating my skill [Dash], I immediately increased the distance to get out of his attacking range.

Unless one had an artifact that defended themselves, it was impossible to evade this skill unless you were out of range.

Fred had turned into a destructive force of nature, and I knew the ways of destroying his figure.

After all, I was the one who knew his characteristics as a Demon and was prepared for this case.

In the midst of the chaos, I spotted Fred's form, now distorted and grotesque, as he embraced his demonic side.

THUMP

His laughter echoed through the forest, a chilling sound that sent shivers down my spine, thanks to the pressure emanating from him.

'But this is nothing compared to that time.'

However, I knew how it felt to be in the presence of someone strong, and Fred was not one of them. I forcefully calmed my body down as my mind cooled down.

"You can't escape, Astron!" he taunted, his voice carrying a twisted glee. "I'm going to tear you apart, piece by piece!"

At this point, it seemed he understood it was me who was aiming for his life, but it didn't matter at all.

"Escape? Why should I?"

I mumbled, looking at the bastard.

"In the end, you fell for it."

His wounds healed one by one thanks to his newly revealed half-demon form. His physical capabilities were top-notch and higher than any human could be at his rank.

However, in this world, everything has a price. If you are strong and big, you are going to be slower.

If you are fast and agile, your attacks won't hit as strong.

This was a world that was based on a game; thus, everything that could be targeted as an enemy had a weakness.

And Fred, who was the future boss of the <Chapter 7- Act 3>, also did.

'Weakness to attribute of light.'

Not all the demons are weak to Light Attribute, different from how their reputation worked. No, rather, there are even some demons that can use the magic attribute Light.

However, some of them do have the weakness of light magic.

'Vitalisanguis Clan.'

A clan that has a very high regeneration power uses the dark and demonic psions around the environment to increase the efficiency of their body circuits.

And, because they are utilizing dark mana, when they are attacked by light attribute psions, their body circuits will be interrupted, resulting in them not being able to regenerate as much as they did before.

'All of this….Just to kill one bastard…'

I grabbed the capsule that I bought from the academy. A special type of capsule that is filled with Light-Attribute mana and the size of the bullet for my gun.

I specifically ordered this capsule in this size just to make sure that I would be able to use it with it. It cost 10 thousand Valer to buy it, quite a lot.

But I didn't care. Since, just by grabbing the things this guy had, I could simply make it worth it, and even if it didn't, as long as I erased on more demon contractors, I was fine with it.

Putting it into the special thrower for that capsule, and raising my gun, I started getting ready.

"WHERE ARE YOU BASTARD!"

I could hear Fred's shouts from far away.

I reached into my bracelet and pulled out a small vial containing a shimmering potion labeled "Potion of Strength." Without hesitation, I uncorked it and downed the potion in a single gulp.

The surge of power from the Potion of Strength coursed through me. At this point, my bullets won't even damage his body thanks to his regeneration; thus, using the same tactic won't work.

However, he was still physically stronger, and his demonic abilities made him a formidable adversary. And since the capsule wasn't a bullet, I needed to use it from a closed distance.

'Dash.'

I activated my skill, and once again, I felt the surge of energy coursing through me.

SWOOSH

As I closed the distance, Fred's eyes widened, and a smirk appeared on his face.

"So, you finally decided to show yourself."

SWOOSH

Fred's attack came swiftly, a powerful right hook aimed directly at my face. He put his full force behind it, leveraging his immense strength to deliver a bone-crushing blow.

However, I had anticipated this move.

SWOOSH

With newfound agility and strength, I dodged his punch with a hair's breadth, feeling the rush of air as his fist narrowly missed my face.

"Grr…..I will kill you, as the price….You fucker!"

SWOOSH SWOOSH

Fred didn't miss a beat. He followed up with a sweeping low kick, aiming to knock me off balance. His leg moved like a blur, targeting my ankles with precision.

But, once again. Fred was still not a fighter but rather a worm that simply hid himself.

His movements were too easy to read, and my eyes immediately analyzed his muscles that were clenched. Normally, it would still be impossible for me to dodge his moves, but the potion was just around the range that made it possible.

SWISH

I was ready. I leaped over his leg, narrowly avoiding the sweep. Even the wind that was cursing through made me stagger backward slightly.

'I am going to die if I get hit even once.'

It was the dance of battle and death.

THUD

In mid-air, I spun around and delivered a swift kick to his back, using the momentum to create some distance between us, as well as to disrupt his balance.

And that worked just as I intended.

Fred staggered forward, clearly caught off guard by my agility that he hadn't observed before, and I was flying over him in the sky.

"You….You were hiding yo-"

And that wasn't the end, as I raised my gun and channeled as much mana I could to my gun, using [Lunar Enigma].

BANG!

The sound of a gunshot echoed, but this time, I had already taken the muzzle off to increase the power of my gun. I didn't want to take any risk.

THUD SPURT

The bullet pierced through Fred's chest, and blood spurted from the wound. But that was still not the end.

'Keen Eye.'

Raising the thrower of the Capsule, I aimed it right at the point where my bullet had pierced. The wound was already regenerating, and Fred was about to pick himself up.

PUF!

As I fired the capsule, it immediately pushed through the narrow opening that my bullet momentarily created.

BAM!

And exploded inside his body.

SPURT!

Blood spurted from his insides as the yellow-colored light shone through the wound.

THUD

With a smooth thud sound, I landed on the ground as I looked at my product.

"AH!

And for the first time after Fred had transformed, he screamed as if he was in pain.

"H-how….."

He staggered as his body circuits were being interrupted from inside. The power of regeneration didn't work as he wished.

"This whole time, Fred Nilsen…..No, should I say Fred Nickleson…The thousand faced…..'

I spoke, slowly approaching as my gun was raised.

"You were playing in my hand."

"Grr…..Huk!....."

Constantly, blood poured from his mouth and his wound as his body convulsed. The light attribute mana was spreading into his body like the cells of cancer, eating him from the inside.

"I WILL KILL YOU!"

SWOOSH

With a loud shout, he tried to grab me. But I was already expecting that.

THUD

Evading his attack just as before, I smashed his face with my feet, stepping on his head.

"One bullet, Fred Nickleson….."

I grabbed my gun and pointed it at his head.

"This is all it takes…."

And pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Those were the last words he heard before losing his life.

SPURT