The Wastelander

by Tipsy Wanderer

  The two elite captains stood back-to-back. Grizzly lifted his blood-stained boxing gloves up high, while Wulf raised his snow-bright saber.

  “Careful.”

  “You too!”

  There was no need for men like them to waste words. The two had battled side by side for countless years and had long since reached a tacit understanding. Neither felt any hesitation at all in letting the other provide cover from behind. As dozens of sweeper thugs and a number of maneaters surrounded them, the other elite guards quickly came to reinforce them as well, bogging both sides down in a miserable fight.

  Grizzly battled furiously for his life. He let out a furious roar, “Tartarus, are you guys gonna just sit and watch? Are you seriously gonna wait until all of us are dead?”

  The sinister-faced fat man’s beady little eyes rolled with crafty amusement. To be honest, he was indeed considering just this. If the elite squad was wiped out, Tartarus’s status in the outpost would instantly skyrocket. This result was a good thing, not a bad thing! Both the sweepers and elite guards were formidable foes. This battle wouldn’t come to an end that quickly!

  “Hey. Hey! HEY! Why the hell aren’t you helping? This is crazy!” Cloudhawk was filled with utter contempt towards the fat man. “The outpost is on the verge of being wiped out and the only thing in your mind is how to profit from it?”

  Slyfox gave Cloudhawk a hard look. “Stop fuckin’ jabberin’ and just stand clear!”

  “If you guys won’t go, I will!” A resolute look was on Cloudhawk’s face. “We’ll all die anyways. I’d rather die fighting!”

  “You talk too much, you punk-ass kid!” But when Slyfox remembered how Tartarus did seem to owe Grizzly a favor, he turned to cast a glance at the still-unmoving leader of the sweeper battalion. He felt a tinge of regret in his heart. The real reason why he hadn’t been willing to get involved was primarily because he still didn’t know enough about this foe.

  Although Slyfox didn’t have Cloudhawk’s animal-like instincts, he did have analytical skills. In truth, judging from the actual number of sweepers involved, this battle wasn’t necessarily one which Blackflag Outpost could not win. The greatest unknown variable was that cloaked figure in the back.

  Slyfox wanted to wait for the cloaked figure to act first so that he would be able to analyze the man’s abilities, but the dirty, mysterious man still didn’t seem the slightest bit inclined to join the fight. It was true that Slyfox couldn’t just keep standing by on the sidelines, and so he gestured with his hand. “Let’s join the fight!”

  Were they finally going to enter the fray? Cloudhawk immediately hoisted his shotgun, preparing to join the fight.

  “Stay back for now, rookies.” Mad Dog’s entire body rippled with built-up energy and the ugly scars on his face began to twist and turn. The veins on his muscles began writhing like worms as he flexed his muscles. He looked as tense as a fully drawn bowstring. “I’ll go first!”

  His feet left a small crater in the earth as he shot out like a cannon ball. A howling wind blew past the other mercenaries as Mad Dog all but disappeared from in front of them.

  Mad Dog was incredibly fast! He wasn’t an agility metahuman, but when he unleashed all of his formidable physical might and focused it on speed, he was every bit as fast as any agility metahuman.

  Two of the sweeper thugs sought to impede the rapidly-approaching Mad Dog, but he didn’t even slow down. In fact, he bellowed as he actually accelerated towards them! His furious posture and snarling face were such that anyone who saw him would feel certain that even if a mountain stood in his path, he would still be able to ram it aside. The sweeper thugs had never encountered such a crazy human, but they were only startled for a brief instant before they lifted their war-axes high and sent them chopping down towards Mad Dog.

  CRACK! CRACK!

  Slyfox didn’t even aim his pistols; he seemed to have simply swung his arms forward carelessly. Two plumes of smoke burst out of the barrels of his pistols and those two sweeper thugs immediately fell back.

  While running past those two sweepers, Mad Dog grabbed the war-axes from their now-unsteady hands as he leapt into the air. His feet landed on their heads, crushing their necks as he used them to propel himself over six meters into the air. Those two great war-axes flashed with a dazzling cold light in his hands as he soared straight towards a maneater and chopped down at him.

  This maneuver was an extremely risky aerial vault, because not even the most powerful of men could dodge well midair. The sweepers here were all veterans of many battles; there was naturally no way they would ignore such a perfect opportunity! Two of the sweepers hurriedly drew their bows, preparing to shoot the airborne Mad Dog with their steel-tipped arrows.

  But right at this moment, two more pistol cracks sounded out!

  Two bullets zipped through the grouped sweepers and humans with inhuman accuracy and instantly exploded into the heads of those two archers. They didn’t even have a chance to react or fully draw their bows before they fell to the ground, dead.

  From start to finish, Mad Dog ignored everyone and everything save his target. He roared more furiously than any wild animal and his roar was far more terrifying. CLANK! His two thick war-axes descended as he himself did, slamming straight into the maneater’s head. The war-axes, the maneater helmet, the maneater’s head… all three instantly exploded into tiny pieces!

  The incredibly massive form of the maneater was actually knocked into the air by the force of this blow. It “somersaulted” through the air, spraying blood and brain matter everywhere before it finally slammed into the ground with the force of a mountain.

  Mad Dog had a rictus of insanity on his face. The dual-strike he used to slay the maneater had been so heavy that the skin between his thumb and forefinger had split apart, but he felt no pain at all. He pulled his snow-white machetes from their sheaths by his waist and then cut through the shields, war-axes, armor, and helmets of multiple nearby thugs as though he were chopping through rotten wood, reducing their flesh and bones to piles of sliced meat.

  Such incredible power! Both the two captains of the elite guards as well as these two captains of the Tartarus mercenaries were simply stunning. So long as such powerful humans were on their side, the outpost might just stand a chance of survival!

  But Cloudhawk could sense a bone-chilling aura sweep across the region. Although he wasn’t the target of this murderous intent, it was so chilling and so violent that he felt as though he were thrust from a position beneath the blazing sun into an icy pit. He felt as though every single cell in his body had been frozen… and this murderous intent was coming from the cloaked figure, the one who had yet to make a move.

  Cloudhawk called out in warning, “Careful, Slyfox! That guy is about to attack!”

  Slyfox was slightly startled. “Oh, is he now?”

  The mysterious figure produced a pair of long, straight knives from his sleeves and whispered a few words that sounded like the hissing of a viper. His dark eyes were as black as the endless depths of the sea, but waves of murderous intent could be seen within them.

  He didn’t “run” forward so much as he “shot” out like a bullet from a gun, an arrow from a bow, a javelin from its thrower. The way he moved seemed to violate the laws of physics! A moment ago, he had been completely still. Now, he was somehow in full motion! There had been no process of acceleration, but he was now moving at a terrifying, incomprehensible speed. His graceful movements seemed to suggest that he was able to ignore the effects of gravity itself, and the ragged cape fluttering in the wind behind him seemed almost like a demon stretching out its black, infernal wings.

  He was attacking! Finally, he was attacking!

  25 The Experts of the Wastelands

  As soon as the mysterious man began moving, Slyfox moved as well. Even if Cloudhawk hadn’t issued a warning, Slyfox wouldn’t have relaxed his vigil. He knew exactly who the most dangerous person on this battlefield was and exactly who he needed to keep a
n eye on. His twin customized pistols spun in beautiful intersecting arcs in front of him as spurts of flame erupted from the barrels. He had shot four times in an instant!

  Slyfox was a truly accomplished control metahuman and his gunnery skills were top-notch in Blackflag Outpost. He could instantly lock onto and shoot even a falcon flying at top speed, and was able to shoot a sparrow from thirty meters away as easily as shooting an elephant. Even though the mysterious man was faster than anyone Slyfox had ever met, could he move faster than a bullet?

  Slyfox was highly experienced and a true master marksman. These four shots completely sealed off the space around the mysterious man, ensuring that no matter where he dodged, he would still be struck by at least two bullets. There was no way he would be able to escape unscathed! In addition, Slyfox had just used some of his own custom-made, hand-crafted specialty bullets. These bullets were so powerful that they would cripple and slay their target so long as they hit any part of him.

  The mysterious man’s eyes were pitch-black, like a mirroring pool of darkness. These eyes saw and recorded all of Slyfox’s movements, up to the point when he pulled the trigger.

  Impressive! This gunner hidden within the outpost was definitely the most formidable marksman the mysterious man had ever met. Both his timing and aim were impeccable. The mysterious man had virtually no avenues of escape at all.

  However, the emphasis was on the word “virtually”. It wasn’t an absolute statement!

  The mysterious man’s powerful ocular abilities allowed him to track all four of Slyfox’s shots and he instantaneously was able to predict the trajectory of the bullets. He could tell that it was impossible to dodge all of them; at most, he would be able to dodge two.

  But two was enough! The mysterious man dodged to one side, avoiding two of the shots. At the same time, his two arms streaked through the air like meteors through the night sky, bringing the blades of his knives in front of the other two bullets.

  Sparks flew everywhere as an ear-piercing screech sounded out. The knives had actually split the two bullets into four pieces. The cut was so perfect that if you used a scale or ruler to measure the pieces, you would find that in size and shape, the four bullet-halves were absolutely identical.

  For the first time, a look of astonishment appeared on Slyfox’s face. “No way. That’s impossible.” How could you use a knife to cut bullets in flight? It required perfect accuracy and control, instantaneous reflexes, and better vision than an eagle’s. This feat was simply unbelievable! Only someone who had multiple high-level metapowers over agility, control, and more would be able to accomplish such a task. Less than one in a million wastelanders would have the required powers and each would be considered among the truly supreme combatants. As for Blackflag Outpost, it had no such figures!

  Who the hell was this guy?!

  Cloudhawk clenched his shotgun in his hands. Several times now, he had planned to fire the weapon, but gave up the notion in the end. He knew his own limitations and knew that he was far from being a match for Slyfox. If not even Slyfox could kill this man, how could he possibly succeed? In addition, shotgun pellets were sprayed over a very wide area. If he were to fire from such a great distance, he might even hit some of his allies.

  Calm! He had to stay calm! This was what Cloudhawk told himself repeatedly. He couldn’t waste any opportunities. If he wasn’t certain of success, he shouldn’t attack at all. Otherwise, he would draw that terrifying man’s attention and his life would be snuffed out like a candle.

  The mysterious man’s dark gaze, as fathomless as the depths of the sea, now locked onto Slyfox. The other experts didn’t pose a threat to him, but this exceptional marksman did. The mysterious man knew who his real enemy in this fight was. He had to first get rid of this troublesome marksman!

  The mysterious man didn’t even stop, continuing his headlong charge. Three members of the elite guards were in his path so he ended up disposing of them along the way. The three guards didn’t even have a chance to see how he attacked; they just saw the light of his knives pierce through their bodies. As they collapsed into pools of their own blood, the last thing they saw was his cloaked figure disappearing past them, not hesitating in the slightest.

  “Damn him!” The second captain of the elite guards, Wulf, was enraged! He was an agility metahuman, which meant that in speed at least, he wasn’t significantly inferior to the mysterious man. If the members of the outpost had to choose one person who was barely capable of keeping up with the mysterious man, they would definitely choose Wulf!

  Wulf tossed away his saber and pulled out a pair of short knives. Short weapons were more agile and carried more punching power. They also were advantageous in fast-paced battles. In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged four or five blows! Knife-light flickered repeatedly as these two incredibly fast experts clashed against each other in close combat.

  Almost as soon as Wulf engaged the man in combat, he realized that he’d made a mistake! First of all, the man’s metapowers were clearly higher-level than his own; although the man used a pair of long knives, he was able to wield them with just as much speed and agility as Wulf wielding his short knives. Even worse, the mysterious man’s attacks were so accurate, it was as though he had measured them to the millimeter in advance. With each attack, he was able to strike at one of Wulf’s weak spots, using a small amount of force to blunt Wulf’s strength and then unleash counter-attacks of incredible power.

  Although Wulf was a very experienced combatant, he still had the occasional flaw in his offense. The mysterious man attacked as though his moves had all been calculated countless times in advance by a computer; not only did he display no weaknesses, his attacks were precise to the extreme. After just a few exchanged blows, Wulf was cast into a greatly disadvantageous position.

  Wulf wanted to retreat, but it was far too late. A long knife came howling through the air towards him!

  The mysterious man’s knife sheared through half of Wulf’s head. The blood didn’t even have a chance to spurt out before the man turned and once more continued his charge towards Slyfox. This entire time, he’d shown no hesitation and made no wasted movements at all. It was as though he hadn’t been fighting one of the outpost’s supreme fighters but rather was merely disposing of a nameless pawn. The difference in skill between the two was extremely apparent!

  Grizzly let out an enraged howl. “WULF!”

  Slyfox didn’t let this affect his mental state. He suddenly reached out, grabbed an outpost warrior, and spun the warrior to stand in front of him.

  “W-what are you…” The outpost warrior had yet to catch his bearings when a pair of ice-cold gun barrels pressed against his back. A crafty look flashed through the mysterious man’s pitch-black eyes and he immediately moved to dodge.

  CRACK! CRACK! A pair of gunshots rang out as a pair of bullets blasted through the body of that unfortunate outpost warrior, missing the mysterious man by just a hair.

  Slyfox cursed in frustration. The man was able to lock onto his movements and dodge the instant Slyfox pulled the triggers on his pistols. As a result, Slyfox had decided to block the man’s line of vision and shoot at him through a human screen. Who would’ve thought that the man was still able to dodge with incredible precision and an almost preternatural sixth sense!

  The mysterious man had perfect control over his own body, had no wasted movements, and made no errors in judgment. He also had that absolutely stifling level of speed and a keen sense for danger that was almost animalistic in its accuracy. He truly was an expert the likes of which were rarely seen in the wastelands.

  The two were now extremely close to each other. Slyfox could almost see the specter of death reaching out for him! The mysterious figure was clearly determined to kill him no matter the cost. Mad Dog was at the front lines, tied down by a host of thugs. The other mercenaries weren’t even close to being a match for the mysterious man; in fact, they weren’t even strong enough to slow him down. What to do?


  A cold light suddenly flickered through Slyfox’s narrowed eyes. His normal, beaming countenance had completely disappeared. It was as though he had transformed into a completely different person, one who was incredibly cold and calm. This mindset was formed through countless life-and-death battles. The more dangerous the situation was, the calmer he had to be.

  His fat body suddenly began to move with an agility and grace which belied his size. His two customized pistols began to bark and spit out flames repeatedly as multiple bullets howled past the outpost warriors and towards the mysterious man. One bullet actually went straight through an outpost warrior’s neck, spraying forth a bloody mist as it continued onwards.

  So what if he accidentally killed a few people on his own side? Hell, so what if he killed a few of them on purpose? Slyfox was not the kind, benevolent type to begin with. He knew exactly how difficult it would be to hit this man so he was willing to pay any price and do anything necessary to increase the odds. In comparison, sacrificing a few of the outpost guards was absolutely nothing. He didn’t have much time left; every single shot, every single opportunity, was incomparably priceless.

  But it was all useless!

  The mysterious man’s night-black eyes remained as calm as a tranquil pool of ink, and his gaze didn’t change in the slightest. His movements fluctuated as randomly and unpredictably as a viper’s, avoiding the large majority of Slyfox’s bullets while using his knives to block the bullets he couldn’t dodge. He advanced incredibly quickly, and everyone who got in his way (by accident or by design) was met with his flashing knife. All those who barred his path were sliced apart with ease.

  He was about to reach Slyfox! Slyfox only had a single bullet left in each of his pistols and the enemy was so close and so fast that he only had enough time for one shot anyhow. If he missed this next shot… well, one could imagine what would happen to a gunner assaulted in close combat by a knife-fighter like the mysterious man.