Chapter: 139
Sunset Approaches: James Wins the Quick Draw Duel and Clears the 6th Floor
The Gunman of the Wilderness, James, was a daunting figure for most Academy students. His powerful bullets fired without incantation and the imminent threat of instant death looming with each passing moment created pressure.
Moreover, he was mixed with gimmicky tricks.
In the desolate wasteland, tumbleweeds rolled about, and at the entry point, the sun stood high in the sky. James unleashed a variety of patterns, including gunfire raining down from the heavens and expertly thrown lassos.
Suddenly, there were time-buying patterns like herds of buffalo charging in from the far side of the map. If you weren’t positioned correctly, you’d get swept away.
As time passed, the sun hung lower and began to sink below the horizon, at which point a Western-themed BGM softly played, and instant death attacks commenced flying across the battlefield.
He was shooting the so-called Magic Bullets that would kill upon impact.
So, in other words, they needed to satisfy the so-called “damage cut” requirement.
As they advanced through various patterns, they had to decisively separate James’s head from his neck before the instant death attacks could come. Most students never made it past James. Desperation alone wouldn’t create the necessary damage.
At the very least, there had to be someone in the party at the level of myth or enough members to overwhelm him.
6th Floor: Gunman of the Wilderness James // 11 minutes (MVP: Tara)
The Bennett Party had previously passed by using Tara’s overwhelming damage.
The six members of the Tower Conquest Team huddled together and began their discussion. Envers and Luna sat together while the other four gathered. Among the four, three were practically glued to each other.
First, it was a matter of interpreting the conditions. The Tower of Trials had kindly notified players of the challenge conditions via a system message, but…
“What does ‘quick draw’ even mean, Bennett?”
– It says ‘drawing fast,’ but that can’t mean we should fight with drawing arts, right?
“Drawing fast… Hey Bennett, how about you go ahead and try drawing quickly?”
– I bet it’d be faster if we did it together, Bennett.
“… What are you guys talking about? That’s prohibited by Academy rules!”
Selvier was taken aback by the odd and erotic atmosphere between the two men. What was going on here? Were they already climbing the ladder of adulthood? Niolle… when did this happen?!
However, Bennett seemed accustomed to the pinkish vibe and replied casually.
“I think we can just ask.”
“… Ask who?”
“Of course, the Gunman of the Wilderness James.”
“I can’t quite wrap my head around that idea…”
The thought of asking the challenge target about the challenge. Yet, in a way, it made sense.
If the challenge was about granting the wishes of the tower’s inhabitants, then the one wishing would be on that side.
“Let’s hear it directly.”
“You said it was real, and I believe… the 8th floor is real as well. But the Tower of Trials could just be an illusion.”
“Even if this is an illusion, the mad wizard is simply an eccentric, rational individual. Let’s say he presents puzzles.”
From the answer succession to the tentacle maze and the various lessons that followed, there was clearly a method to conquer them as well. Thus, the Tower of Trials must be the same.
There has to be a correct answer somewhere. And if it was a term they had never heard before, it was likely they had embedded the information through a simpler method than rummaging through ancient texts in the library.
“Or, perhaps there’s a note hidden somewhere on the 6th floor.”
– Then shall we go in first? We can think about it once we’ve tried.
“Right. Let’s not dawdle.”
The party entered the Tower of Trials.
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A man wearing a cowboy hat stands on the wasteland with a cigar in his mouth, positioned awkwardly on one leg. His stance looked exposed overall, but most of his firepower came from his handgun.
So, beware of his hands. Though his posture seemed relaxed, his fingers and arm muscles tensed with alertness. He was always ready to shoot.
The moment his opponent attacked, James would start his attack as well.
This peculiar pause was consumed by the other parties with pre-emptive strikes, and Bennett did the same, but this time it was different. Bennett approached a few steps without drawing his sword. Interest flickered in James’s eyes.
Bennett confronted James, who was spinning his handgun theatrically, and bluntly asked, “What is a quick draw duel?”
“Oh, a showdown! Interested? No, you should be interested. It’s been a while since I’ve been salivating. It’s a sacred ritual of the West, you know. A duel that requires guts and skill.”
James beamed as he explained the Western duel. The two stood facing each other, aiming to hit each other with speed and precision. There’s no romance in a duel if it doesn’t end with the first shot.
Bennett listened carefully to the rules and nodded.
“Well, I’d prefer to settle this with that.”
“Oh, right! That’s the true match! A man raised in the wilderness must leave in style. Do you have a gun?”
“If you’re talking about that thunderous artifact, then no.”
“You speak like a native. Alright, my friend. I’ll lend you a gun, so let’s have some fun.”
“… … …!!”
Selvier wore a shocked expression at the easy-going turn of events. Was it possible that he could charm that grumpy dwarf with words?
“No, no. That’s not right. That’s impossible. He was too grumpy…”
Selvier shook off the lingering thoughts with the attitude of grapes that were just out of reach. And a simultaneous strike from a ballista would be deadly cool. That should be good.
James handed Bennett a pistol.
Then, he started to take off his clothes, removing the steel plates and artifacts one by one. Protective talismans, shock reduction field generators, self-recovery artifacts…
Bennett also threw off his armor and prepared for the duel. His expression was filled with delight as he indulged in his romantic fantasy. Even the mad wizard was smiling.
The rest of the group settled into their spectators’ seats on a conveniently high rock.
Tara was exasperated by the sheer amount of defensive gear pouring out of James, which was enough to almost stack up like a small tower.
“No wonder it was so annoyingly durable.”
– You did hit it rather annoyingly, didn’t you?
“Yeah, there was nothing I could grab and run away with. I had to just hit it hard! It was frustrating!”
– But it only took about ten minutes, right? You looked splendid during that time, Tara.
As Tara and Niolle shared light laughs, Selvier interjected and asked quietly, “Aren’t you… worried?”
– Oh, Selvier, worried?
“About Bennett. Sure, it’s fine to get hurt in the Tower of Trials, but I’d still be a bit on edge…”
“There’s a sense of faith in him. You said Selvier, right? We’re fine just watching from here.”
Tara pat Selvier’s shoulder lightly and adjusted her sitting position. Meanwhile, Niolle pulled out some kind of artifact. A communication device? Selvier raised an eyebrow in confusion about the situation yet decided to sit still for now.
The Western duel began.
A toy revolver rolled between Bennett and James as sand-swept winds brushed against their cloaks.
If you were a student experiencing this for the first time, you might have to die two or three times just to learn how to handle firearms. But Bennett already knew how to operate them from his experience in this world.
Of course, he wasn’t proficient at it.
Compared to James, who shot with nearly imperceptible speed, there was a huge gap in technique between the two. But that was not a problem.
“It’s because I can trust Niolle.”
– Don’t forget, Bennett! 23, 47, 59, paint, 42, 17, fire!
Intricate commands came through telepathy. Following Niolle’s orders, Bennett fired. The sounds of gunfire echoed following a slight pause.
Bang, Bbang──!!
Along with the acrid smell of gunpowder, silence fell.
Bennett clutched his side and sunk to the ground while James toppled back, a hole blown through his skull. Tara rushed to Bennett to heal him.
While the wounds would disappear once they exited the Tower, it was also an excuse to get closer to him.
Envers muttered as he watched, “… … … We could’ve done it too.”
“No.”
“We could’ve! If you had read James’s movements like Niolle did… and I shot like Bennett did…!!”
“Fool.”
Luna drew two circles of different sizes with her hands. It meant they couldn’t help but acknowledge the gap in specifications. The previous shooting didn’t appear to require physical prowess, but…
– It wasn’t a fair battle, was it?
“Yeah.”
– Bennett’s gun had less power, and James wasn’t stripped of all his defense. It seemed like a fair one-on-one duel at first glance, but the scales were tipped in James’s favor.
“Thus, the requirement for physical strength.”
Bennett’s narrative protective wish was a sword of the heart. Since he could freely summon and dismiss, he instantaneously summoned a sword to use as a shield at the moment of being hit.
And…
– I deflected James’s Magic Bullet that shot into the sky with magic. I returned it to him. He… shoots magic bullets that kill over time, so I thought he would do the same in this duel.
“So, it hit him squarely in the head. Not the forehead.”
The entire course of their sudden duel unfolded in an instant.
6th Floor of the Tower of Trials Cleared.
===============================================================
▲ Bennett
▲ Envers
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