Zeph returo base, geared up, and healed up. Now, he was more than ready to defend Bot.

  Though, it’s not like I’ll o do much. He thought. I’m sure that scrub gonna run away like a pussy the moment I get over there.

  “I’mma scare him away real quick, then I’ll join y’all in Top,” Zeph informed.

  “Sounds good,” Raymond approved. “Just be careful.”

  “Huh? Careful with what?”

  “Don’t uimate Gunz,” Raymond warned. “He’s a league above everybody else in Stratus when it es to fights.”

  “Wait, are you telling me he gonna stay and fight?”

  “It’s possible. That entire split-push is a very aggressive py. I won’t surprise me if they try to keep it going even with you there.”

  “So basically, ya tellihey gonna uimating me.” Zeph grinned. “Fine by me. If he stays, I’mma freakiroy him!”

  “Didn’t I just ask you to be careful?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be careful,” Zeph promised. Man, Ray is so pushy this game. It’s like he’s actually ag like a captain for once. I wish he was like this back when Brud the gang were causing mayhem. Taurus could’ve had such a strong team of seniors. Oh well.

  This was no time to cry over spilled milk. Zeph had to things up in Bot so he could join the offense in Top.

  We gonna win this game soon, I feel it. So, I wanhere when it happens.

  Just a few more pushes and Stratus will crumble, and Zeph definitely was going to take a part in making that happen. But, before that, he had to deal with this pesky Gunslinger.

  “Hey look, he’s running away,” Zeph said.

  The Gunslinger was bag away, no doubt pnning to flee the se. But, then he just stopped, right outside the Golem’s area. He didn’t escape any farther. The guy straight up stopped there and waited.

  “Okay, maybe he’s staying after all,” Zeph grimaced. For the better or the worse, Raymond’s worries came true. This bastard is totally looking down on me, isn’t he? Time to teach that scrub a lesson!

  Zeph dashed forth. He ighe enemy minions invading the Golem’s area a straight for the big fish. This Gunslinger gon his arrogance! He’s dead meat!

  e over here! Zeph hurled his axe. O ects, he’ll pull the bad drag that arrogant Gunslinger into the Golem’s area. One ezpz kill ing right up!

  “Nope!” Lars rolled aside while staying ihe Golem’s area.

  “Damn, making me work for it…” Zeph clicked his tongue.

  This would have been a great time to bee Berserk and go all out on that Gunslinger’s ass, but Zeph didn’t have enough Rage meter for that. He spent almost all of it during the ret fight in Top.

  All these minions are almost dead too, so I ’t farm much Rage from them. Zeph couldn’t find any shortcuts for turning Berserk. So, he had no choice but to fight as a regur bruiser, without the explosive strength of Berserk mode.

  Meh, it’s fine. I got the Golem on my side. Zeph fearlessly charged at his oppo. If you ain’t gonna leave peacefully, then I gonna make you leave! Dead or alive, your choice.

  But, no matter how intimidating Zeph sidered himself to be in this situation, his oppo didn’t flutter.

  Okay, here it es. Lars took a deep breath and sharpened his senses. His py will be critical. It gonna expose what kind of pyer Lars was today.

  Was he still the reckless brat who didn’t know how to gauge risk? The kind of fool whom the enemy baited into every little trap? Or, did he grow up sihen?

  I’m not the same I used to be and I’mma prove it, here and now! Lars moved along the outer ring of the Golem area, maintaining as much distance as possible from his foe. All the while, he tinued firing at the Golem.

  All his shots were locked onto the Golem’s forehead, he didn’t spare a single bullet for the Berserker. But, it’s not like he didn’t want to front his oppo, it’s just that he couldn’t. If he hit DragonMaster even ohe Golem dude would go bonkers. Let’s not do that.

  And so, Lars avoided direct frontation and tinued running in circles around the Golem’s area. But, that couldn’t st forever.

  “Gotcha!” Zeph finally ered his foe.

  The damn Gunslinger has been running away the entire damn time, yet he insisted to stay ihe Golem’s area and keep shooting the Golem. That’s taking coess to a whole new level.

  But, I finally caught up. Zeph grinned. It’s your own damn fault you didn’t scram while you had the ce.

  Now, Gunz had no choice but to retreat from the Golem area and start running for his life. At least, that’s what any sane pyer would do...

  “What the-!?” Zeph excimed. Instead of evacuating the premises, Gunz tinued moving around the border and shooting the Golem without a single care in the world. It’s as if Zeph was air for him.

  “You piece of...!” Zeph darted at the guy. You think you’re a big shot because you used to be on StormBlitz or something? You gon this one big time!

  Zeph darted at his foe, axe at the ready. He gohat bastard’s whole career! But, the oppo was more than ready.

  Here es! Lars grinned. , don’t be shy. e at me, yo!

  The Berserker caught up with Lars and stretched his arm. A swing was ing! So, it was time. bat Roll!

  Lars rolled out of the Golem area right before the axe sliced through him. But, he didn’t roll too far. Rather than rolling away, he rolled in parallel to the ining attading just barely outside the Golem area.

  Did he mess up his roll? Zeph wondered as he brought down his arm. His swing whiffed, but Gunz just barely got away from it. The guy’s rea speed was impressive, but the roll itself was garbage. He could’ve rolled way farther than that.

  Looks like you panicked, kid. Zeph cracked a ugh. That’s what you get for ag cocky. Karma, bitch. And, now you’re dead!

  Zeph had every iion to chase this clumsy oppo. The roll barely got Gunz outside the Golem area, so the guy was still very much within reach.

  I still whack this guy real hard. Zeph was vinced. Maybe I’ll eve a kill here!

  That should make up for the embarrassih he suffered earlier this game, and for his overall ckluster performaoday. This one kill right here would be as good as sealing the fate of this decisive final game!

  “Here I e!” Zeph darted tunz, fully io strike down the fleeing foe. Or, at least, that foe should have been fleeing. But, for some reason, Gunz just stood there and spun the hammer of his revolver.

  “Huh?” Zeph bliwice. Wasn’t that...?

  “It’s showdown, yoooooo!” Lars activated Fan the Hammer, which just came out of cooldown. He finished spinning the hammer of the revolver and took aim at the Berserker’s head. “Let’s do this!”

  BAM! Headshot. Critical damage! It was a hit. And, thanks to all the Physical Power and Critical Damage in his built, a single headshot deleted 15% of the bruiser’s HP.

  “What the-!? You’re shooting!? In this situation!?” Zeph couldn’t believe the bullshit he was seeing right now.

  He, an aggressive bruiser, was about to ram into a squishy marksman. Ahe marksman just stood there without a single care in the world. Even worse, the bastard was actively shooting Zeph, right in the face!

  “Boi, you’re SO dead!”

  “Stop it, Zeph. You better re-”

  “You wanna go!?” Zeph roared. “THE’S GO!” He charged forth and closed the distan just a couple of steps.

  BAM! The revolver fired relentlessly. Iime it took Zeph to get close, the revolver already fired a sed time.

  CRITICAL

  The red letters popped on the s. This was the sed critical in a row, and each of them dealt nasty damage. Even against a bruiser, these criticals hit like a truck.

  Meh, it’s just a flesh wound. Zeph wasn’t too ed. Berserker was no squishy wuss, he could soak some damage.

  All that mattered was that Zeph finally got close enough. Now, it was time to wreck the cocky Gunsliime for Barbarian Sm!

  Zeph lifted both axes high into the air. He would’ve liked to crash these bad bois on the Gunslinger’s right away, but it was best to charge up the attack first.

  After 1.2 seds pass, Barbarian Sm will power up and gain a stun effect. That’s when it’ll be over for real-

  BAM! Anunshot.

  Damn, this broken ass shit fires like a maegun. Zeph had just lifted his axes and already ate a bullet to the face.

  BAM!CRITICAL

  Another headshot!? Damn, not bad. Zeph thought. Landing secutive headshots during Fan the Hammer was hard as heck, he khat from experience.

  Bruce held a dumb test in the club, in which everybody peted to score the highest number of secutive headshots with Fan the Hammer. And, Zeph’s performance was embarrassing beyond belief.

  It was so bad, it single-handedly made him not want to py any marksmen for the rest of his life. So, enemy or not, anybody who could nail these headshots deserved some respect. That shit was cool, no question about it.

  Especially, nding three headshots in a row was nasty. If the Gunslinger pulled it ht after bat Roll, then it also applied a stun… wait.

  Three headshots? After a roll!? Zeph turned pale. The Berserker’s arms turned limp just as the realization hit him.

  His Barbarian Sm tly celed, but that wasn’t all. He couldn’t move at all. The third headshot stunned him!

  “Fuuuuuuuu!” Zeph cried out. How did I miss that!? God, I’m such a dumbass! I let this fucker tilt me!

  BAM! Naturally, it was another critical hit. Anybody who dared to py Gunslinger had to be able to firm headshots from point-bnk, especially on immobile targets. So, of course, Gunz wouldn’t whiff shots like that.

  But, it’s okay. Zeph tried to vince himself. Everything is okay. I’m still alive and I’m a bruiser. I’m tough enough to eat headshots like this all day long.

  The stun was going to end at any moment and then Zeph will strike back. Any moment now. Aaaaaaany moment.

  , let me out already! Zeph started spamming the spacebar. Dodge Roll. Dodge Roll. DODGE ROLL. , lemme out! End this damn stun!

  BAM! Another headshot, another 15% HP deleted. Zeph was already down to 25% HP.

  Yeah, that’s right. A full HP bruiser reduced to 25% in a matter of seds. #BancedGame

  But, it’s okay. I’m still alive. Zeph took a deep breath. I’m right o the Golem. I at least make it out alive. This stupid stun just gotta end, then I’ll be rolling the heck outta here!

  As if to answer his plea, the stu go of him before the Gunsgliner’s shot. Fan the Hammer ended, so Gunz fell back to using basic attacks, with an Attack Speed that was nothing to write home about.

  Yes! Freedom! I’m out! Zeph hit the spacebar once more. This time, it was gon him outta here! Or, so he thought. What the-!? The butto do jack shit!

  Then, he realized the disheartening truth. There was a red cross pstered over his Dodge Roll skill i. The utility skill was sealed. He couldn’t roll.

  Oh, fuck me. The cripple, I fot. Zeph hung his head i. He pletely fot about the other part of the bat Roll + Fan the Hammer synergy.

  inally, the CC that bat Roll granted wasn’t a stun but rather a cripple. The stun was just a bonus for three headshots in a row.

  Being inflicted with crippled while stunned didn’t do much siun was the stronger yway. But, with each headshot, Gunz tinued piling up the cripple effe Zeph aending its duration. And, in the end, the cripple effect outsted the stun and stuck around even after the stun was already over.

  Thus, even after Zeph finally made it out of the stun, the cripple still haunted him. It sealed all his mobility skills, including Dodge Roll. In other words, it was impossible to quickly get away!

  BAM! Another headshot from behind. Even though Zeph was in the middle of running, Gunz he headshot without batting an eye.

  W-What’s with this guy? Zeph gulped. Is he using an aimbot or some shit? That’s way too many headshots, damn it!

  Zeph’s life was hanging by a thread. One more headshot and he’ll die.

  B-But, I already made it all the way over here. Zeph forced a smile. He had already escaped all the way to the Golem, and he was about to reach the base. So, he could definitely still make it out-

  BAM. CRITICAL.

  You have been killed!

  “You gotta be shitting me...” Zeph’s Berserker bent over and crashed into the ground like a lifeless saeat. He was dead. pletely, utterly, and thhly dead.

  How did it even happen...? Zeph ughed at the absurdity in front of him. He came here to defend, his job was easy. He was just supposed to scare the Gunslinger away, that’s all. It was a simple task anybody could handle.

  A, Zeph found himself here, kissing the ground. One moment, everything was going his way ahought he might eve a kill. The moment, he was freakin’ dead.

  “I told you to retreat,” Raymond scolded.

  “Ah, welp...” Zeph felt a lump stu his throat. Yep, cap sure warned me. I think he also told me to retreat when I was about to charge in. He k all, but I didn’t listen like a dang idiot. This one is on me.

  Zeph was naive. He should’ve already known that the ex-StormBlitz pyers were monsters. He reized Chessmaster as pro-level material after fighting the guy in ne for fames straight, so he should’ve assumed Gunz was the same way.

  I guess I just didn’t want to believe it. Zeph smiled wryly.

  To think that Stratus had not one, but TWO monsters of this caliber. Was that kind of shit even legal? How was anybody supposed to keep up with these guys? They were ihat’s no middle-school level.

  “I just made one mistake...” Zeph cracked a dry ugh.

  Yeah, just one mistake. Zeph only fudged up once, but it cost him everything. If he just realized soohat the third headshot was deadly and that he had to dodge it, thee would’ve pletely different.

  “I feel you,” Jaiden spoke out of the blue. “Earlier, I tried to take on Gunz. I mispyed just ond he almost ate me alive. If not for Rio, I would’ve been dead for sure. This guy is a savage.”

  “Yeah, no joke.” Zeph sighed i. So, it’s not just me. He was disgusted with himself for feeling relieved over this fact, but he couldn’t help it.

  Even though Gunz just thhly destroyed him, Zeph felt a little better knowing it wasn’t just him being trash. Gunz was just too godlike. The only mistake Zeph itted was challenging this meical god as if they were equals.

  “Sorry, Ray. I fucked up,” Zeph apologized. “Looks like they gonna take the Golem.”

  “No, they won’t,” Raymond stated matter-of-factly.

  “Oh? You’re already here!?” Zeph excimed. He didn’t have any time to check the rest of the map during the chaotic situation, so he didn’t even notice. At some point, Raymond made it back to the base. What’s more, the cap was already about to intercept Gunz!

  How did he get back so fast? Zeph wondered. Did he recall as soon as he saw me pick a fight? Yeah, it sounds like something Raymond would do. So, he basically gave up on me right away, haha…

  It stung a little, but he couldn’t bme Raymond for this. For those who knew of Gunz’s strength, Zeph’s ballsy as looked like suicide. It was frustrating, but it was the truth.

  Fortunately, not all was lost. The captain was about to save the day from StromBlitz’s monster!

  I’m sure Ray hahis way better, if anything because he won’t uimate Gunz like I did. Zeph pced all his faith in the captain sihat’s all he could from beyond the grave.

  If the enemy cims the Golem this push, it’ll all be Zeph’s fault. So, he prayed from the bottom of his heart that Raymond will be able to put a stop to this critical push...

  DarkestCymore