Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 456: Chapter 455: Judgement Ceremony (VII)

Finally... the time for a counterattack has come!

When the Half-Elf Ranger once again dodged his opponent’s attack, his body even trembled with excitement. The Half-Elf Ranger could feel that his opponent hadn’t left; instead, the attacker was still in the same spot, planning their next move to strike him. However, it was precisely because of this that he found the opportunity to strike back!

Indeed, his judgment was correct. In order to strengthen their ranged attacks, his opponent had clearly neglected other areas of proficiency. Logically speaking, even a marksman like a Ranger is only a significant threat in a mobile battle, and after several exchanges, the Half-Elf Ranger had confirmed that it seemed like the enemy was using themselves purely as a stationary artiillery!

Could it be because of that strange Magitech Cannon?

Up to this point, the Half-Elf Ranger did not know what weapon the other was using, but considering that the shots fired at him were not the familiar arrows but mini Magitech Cannon Shells, maybe the enemy’s weapon was also a type of small, fixed artillery?

If that was the case... then victory would be his as long as he could close the distance!

With that thought, the Half-Elf Ranger grew more excited, finally having pinpointed the enemy’s weakness and the path to victory!

Eight hundred meters... five hundred meters...

”Boom!!”

Another ”Magitech Cannon Shell” flew past the Half-Elf Ranger’s body and exploded behind him, scattering shards of rock that struck him. But this time, the Half-Elf Ranger wasn’t concerned, instead, he leapt forward suddenly, and the panther that had been scorched black by fire once more shapeshifted back into human form. At the same time, he drew his longbow and aimed in the direction from which the ”Magitech Cannon Shell” had come, releasing an arrow!

”Swoosh!!!”

In that moment, the true strength of the Half-Elf Ranger finally manifested. The arrow, like lightning, cut through the jungle and instantly flew toward the distant target. Simultaneously, the relentless attacks that had been coming stopped for the first time!

Indeed, he wasn’t wrong!

After a brief pause and with no attacks forthcoming, the Half-Elf Ranger grew even more excited. While sprinting on the tree branches, he gripped his longbow tightly, continuously shooting at the position he had previously locked onto. Being a Half-Elf, he could sharply sense that the enemy had entered his perception range, allowing him finally to use the plants to pinpoint the enemy’s location!

However, what puzzled the Half-Elf Ranger was that the enemy did not retreat in response to his attacks as he had expected but merely dodged within a very small area. Based on the Half-Elf Ranger’s experience, shouldn’t ordinary archers choose to widen the distance when faced with an approaching enemy?

Indeed, just as he had thought, something must have been limiting the enemy!

With this realization, the Half-Elf Ranger became even more excited. Being suppressed like this for so long was humiliating for him. Since breaking through the elite’s limit and becoming a Master Ranger, he had never faced such a situation. And now, to be made to look like this by a kid?

Not to mention, there were so many people watching the match!

Hmph, just you watch the gap between us, brat!

As he roared inwardly, the Half-Elf Ranger also rushed forward at full speed, his hands unceasingly firing arrows towards the distant target to constrain the enemy’s movements.

Three hundred meters... one hundred meters... fifty meters...

Got you!

Seeing the petite figure standing on a branch ahead, the Half-Elf Ranger leapt high, simultaneously discarding his longbow and swiftly drawing two scimitars from his waist, slashing fiercely at the small figure!

The strike was so smooth that the Half-Elf Ranger felt as if all the anger he had accrued before was vented out in this blow. Yet, the petite figure did not attempt to dodge; she seemed to be petrified by the ranger’s thunderous strike, just standing there dumbly as the sharp blade descended from the sky, chopping into her neck and shoulder, but...

There was no tactile sensation?

At the moment when the ranger thought he had struck true, he immediately sensed that something was amiss. According to the rules of the ”Judgement Ceremony,” if an opponent sustained a fatal injury, they would be teleported out instantly. However, the other party did not disappear, and more than that, the Half-Elf Ranger did not feel the touch and smell of flesh and blood.

Was this an illusion?!

”Swoosh!!”

Just as the Half-Elf Ranger realized something was wrong, he felt a piercing heat coming from behind. This made the ranger roll on the spot, falling from the tree branch, and then he saw a searing magical beam grazing by his side and flying off into the distance.

”Bang!!”

The excruciating pain made it difficult for the Half-Elf Ranger to maintain his balance, and he landed heavily on the ground, but he quickly rose again, lifting the scimitar in his hand, and then... the Half-Elf Ranger froze.

”What is this...?”

Just before him, not far away in the sky, a tiny figure emerged slowly from thin air. Tina was quietly hovering there, her bright red eyes fixed on the enemy before her. Behind her, wings shining with a dark red radiance silently unfolded, and around Tina, several objects resembling angular crystals, each encircled with a ring, were slowly revolving around her.

The girl held an odd-looking black tube in her hands, its shape reminiscent of dwarven firearms, but the Half-Elf Ranger could feel that the essence of the two was not the same.

Tina raised her sniper rifle, taking aim once more at the target before her. The Half-Elf Ranger, with a fierce grit of his teeth, leaped up, kicking off the tree trunk behind him, then tumbling through the air, his scimitar once again chopping towards the girl before him.

”Hum———!”

In the instant the Half-Elf Ranger launched his attack, Tina swiftly retreated backward. At the same time, those red angular crystals surrounding her scattered like birds in all directions, quickly aligning their tips toward the Half-Elf Ranger and unleashing beams of intense heat.

”What?!”

Seeing the beams flying toward him, the Half-Elf Ranger was taken aback, hastily waving his scimitars, forcefully positioning them before him to block all the incoming beams. But with only two hands, as the ranger was blocking the third beam, an angular crystal suddenly sped past his side, moving to the Half-Elf Ranger’s back!

”This is bad!”

Seeing this, the Half-Elf Ranger was shocked, instinctively wanting to turn around, but it was already too late. A beam emitted from the tip of the angular crystal, striking the ranger’s back directly. A burning pain surged through him, but was quickly stopped by the Magic Shield that emerged around the Half-Elf Ranger.

Phew... that was close.

It wasn’t until then that the Half-Elf Ranger finally heaved a sigh of relief, grateful for the somewhat useful items those fat cats from the Land of Wealth had given him... Huh?

But before the Half-Elf Ranger could fully relax, a dark muzzled barrel appeared right in front of him.

This was...

The ranger’s thoughts stopped there, and with the deafening blast, the next moment, his consciousness plunged into the bottomless Abyss.