Roy's heart beat rapidly as he crouched behind the counter of the abandoned coffee shop.
Whereas Abraham was as calm as a spring lake. He inspected the rifle in his hand and flipped the axe, getting a feel for it.
"Abysshounds can be quite annoying. If you want to get your exp, run to whatever one I'm done with, and shoot it at point-blank range," Abraham said to Roy, who nodded frantically.
The first howling beast before the shop waited for two more to join it before charging forward, all growling to the point drool fell from their horrid and crooked row of teeth.
They were furless, with high shoulders and a slanted back. Their skin was so grey and pale that one could even see bulging black veins running across their body. Their heads were quite flattened, but had wide jaws full of serrated, protruding molars.
As soon as the first abysshound entered the coffee shop through the broken open door, Abraham stood up and threw the axe!
Roy watched the axe fly to the wall above the entrance and lodge somewhere in the cracks. He didn't have time to ridicule his master for his off-the-mark throw as the executioner had already begun shooting at the doglike creature.
The abysshound jumped to the left to avoid the bullets, but its foot landed on something hidden underneath the rubble that instantly clamped together, chopping off a hindlimb!
'When did he set a trap like that?!' Roy lampooned inwardly.
The abysshound howled in agony close by, and Roy raised his hand over the counter, pointing the pistol directly at it and…
Bang! Bang!
The first bullet lodged itself in the beast's neck, and the second settled the case. Roy found himself easily withstanding the recoil, primarily due to his increased physicality.
The monotone voice sang in his ear.
[You have slain the weak beast, Veinback Ripper.]
[+20 EXP.]
Roy didn't have time to note the system announcement.
Just then, the second and third abyss hounds entered the coffee shop too, but right then, the weakened wall above the entrance crashed down on them!
Large pieces of cement landed on their bodies, while dust filled the air. However, due to their agile nature, this only served to slow them down.
Drr! Drrr!
Abraham shot at them, and they split apart from each other, one taking the left, with the other coming from the right.
The skilled executioner didn't stop shooting until the two abysshounds had gotten closer and leapt into the air, aiming to land behind the counter where their meal hid.
Suddenly, Roy saw a black halo spread out from Abraham, forcing everything in the vicinity to slow down in a split second as the latter declared in a low tone:
"Circle of Order."
The third abysshound, coming from the right, was already a metre away from Roy when everything slowed down. He was still trying to retreat, but only moved half an inch per second.
Abraham was similarly slow, too, but he was clearly faster than all the others within the circle. His left hand reached for the chainsword fastened to his back. And immediately he held its handle, there was only a flash.
In the next second, the abysshound that was mid-air came crashing down behind the counter with them, but there was a gaping slash in its neck, and its dark blood pooled out!
Whereas, the abysshound closer to Roy was missing its forelimbs!
Right then, the black halo receded into Abraham, and Roy gritted his teeth, and…
Bang! Bang!
Dark blood splattered on his face, and instantly, the system voice rang out in his mind, making him feel a bit queasy in addition to the putrid stench emanating from the vile blood.
[You have slain the weak beast, Veinback Ripper.]
[+20 EXP.]
[You have slain the weak beast, Veinback Ripper.]
[+20 EXP.]
Abraham wasted no time. He took out three round objects from his utility belt and threw them across the counter.
With a small explosion in the enclosed area, the space was filled with smoke.
Four extra abysshounds arrived and ran into the smoky area when red darts pierced each of their necks.
They charged forward, aiming for the humans behind the counter, but their movements were already sluggish and uncoordinated, as though they were dizzy.
As they arrived behind the counter one by one, gunshots resounded in the area.
When the smoke died down, at the sight of the dead abyssals, Roy took off the mask Abraham had handed him before the smoke bombs went off and threw up what he had for breakfast.
"Urgh… why do they smell so bad?" he voiced, still retching his guts out.
"Pick yourself up. We're not done yet," Abraham said, taking Roy's pistol and reloading it.
The counter was now crowded, so they couldn't stay here any longer. Abraham jumped over to the other side.
A second in, and Roy simply cleaned his mouth and copied Abraham's movements.
A bold, beastly howl was heard, and the six remaining abysshound appeared outside.
Behind them was a significantly larger Veinback Ripper, with stronger muscles, bones, a small black fur above its back, and a fiercer gaze.
The entire battle was fierce and rapid. So far, the time between the waves of the abysshounds was not more than five seconds tops.
"Stay extremely close to me and be smart. You might not be able to reload, so make sure to switch to your dagger," Abraham coldly said and threw another set of small bombs at the charging abysshounds.
Boom! Boom!
It exploded on their faces, but they dodged and continued their charge.
One lunged at Abraham with a gaping maw, and he let it bite his forearm. His electrically charged black gauntlet shocked the abysshound and stunned it.
"Roy!" Abraham screamed, but the kid was already close.
Bang!
The insides of the abysshound splattered in the opposite direction. Roy had shot it from its underbelly!
[You have slain the weak beast, Veinback Ripper.]
[+20 EXP.]