"Undo… of shift." Sue groaned.
Huh?
Nerves in my head pounded audibly, a piercing current spread across my jaw as I felt my teeth loosen with a burning pain. My nose burst as blood gushed out from it, unable to breathe in air any more.
The next second, every part of my brain began bleeding uncontrollably. The incomprehensible pain of being hit with something heavy and flat, repeatedly, took over.
I winced and pumped all the blood in my upper chest to my head with everything I had. If I hadn't drunk Alya's blood, this damage… It would've killed me.
…
My pupils healed enough to see a blurred view of a man in a white robe. Sue was standing with a straight back and a smile that showed all thirty-two of his teeth.
Tap! Tap!
He crouched down close to me, picking back his golden revolver. "…You will die." He completed his sentence.
I couldn't move. The entire world spun around as I fell on my back, my face blank.
[All from one] instinctively turned on for a better view. He was aiming right at my heart. The revolver's cold barrel pressed further on my skin there, and thick sweat covered my entire back as my breath hastened.
Recovering an organ like the heart will be a very long process, if not an instant kill. Long enough to be caught again.
As I observed his face longer, I realised what I was suspecting. He had no flat nose, and not even a drop of blood, but mine… It looked exactly like his from just moments ago.
H–He… Transferred all damage to me. My body shook as I comprehended that thought.
"I expected nothing less from your brutish species. It indeed was very painful. Wonder if you were getting back at me… Hehe, it would only be fair to see how I can get back at you, won't it?"
Sue placed a single finger on his lower lip before noticing how I had fallen exactly in front of the wooden barrel, like I was trying to protect its contents.
He extracted the revolver before walking past me, pointing it at the wooden barrel, right at Alya's heart. She won't recover from that in her condition… My tongue went dry as a hollow feeling grew in my chest.
My mind raced with countless thoughts and emotions, trying to find any way to intervene. I couldn't think of much. It was hard.
Of course it wasn't that easy! Why was I so sure of my smash plan? This is not a video game… This was real life.
Even after seeing the brutality of this world, I still managed to not make a proper judgment. My body shivered, my fingers scratching my palm over and over again till they were covered in blood.
Sue's finger hovered over the trigger, pressure building up in his finger.
I have to move!
But if I hit him again, it will just injure me.
…What if I killed him in one hit? But nothing can guarantee that!
And, if he stayed even a tiny bit conscious (That you do, even after literal decapitation), he could just transfer that much damage to me…
Alya wasn't in perfect health, so I didn't drink enough blood to completely get back to my prime… I am not invincible… I thought I was.
Can I even defeat something this invincible?
Looking at him about to kill Alya, I realised, I will have to. There isn't an option.
With a deep breath, I pushed all the blood in my torso to my right leg.
Bang!
The bullet left the revolver, piercing through the air at blinding speeds towards Alya's heart. But before it could enter the barrel…
"Ahh!"
I cried in pain as blood splattered across the room and Sue's face as the bullet stopped inside my calf's thick muscles, strengthened by blood.
[Vitality: 17… 16…/80]
I inhaled short breaths as my eyes widened.
"Wow." He clapped suddenly.
"You even took a bullet for her? I vividly remember your use of her as a meat shield just three days ago. What gives this change of heart?" He asked, pressing my raised leg around the barrel down with his leather boot, aiming again.
[Vitality: 15/80]
By now, my brain had completely healed. I could think clearly even as my facial features were still regenerating.
He hasn't realised that because of that, my face was still just a shattered skull covered in mushy flesh, and rapidly flowing dark red blood.
Tham!
Before he could even place his finger on the trigger, I pushed my hips against the ground and leapt at him.
In an instant, I was hugging him tight, squeezing his chest and arms as hard as I possibly could.
His pupils dilated, his grip loosening on the revolver to just barely holding it.
I bit my lips as my leg balanced on the ground again. Trying to stand on that bleeding leg with a long bullet inside was another level of torture.
"L-let go…" Sue's face tightened as he struggled, nudging his elbow in my stomach, then smashing my injured calf with his foot, repeatedly.
It made me stumble, but I didn't let go of the hug, tightening my grip ever further. Careful not to hurt his lungs or organs.
If that kind of damage got transferred right now, he will definitely be able to slip out.
I was clearly much stronger than him. I can't hurt him, so the only other option was to restrain.
"You're not a trained fighter, gladly." I chuckled, smacking his large belly as his face grew ugly with embarrassment. He was just kind of a good investigator, but his fighting skills were meh.
This guy was just purely relying on that revolver, his signature skill and apparently belly fat.
"Guards will reach soon…. Just give up. How long do you think you can do this on that broken leg? You can't hurt me!" With a deep breath, he stabilised his footing against me, his face filled with confidence.
"Shut up," I said, noticing the blood red translucent screen suddenly appearing.
[Daily quest: Kill Sue Saffron, and drink every drop of his blood. Rewards also include Newbie Giftpack, so it's advised not to skip as you will not get that chance again.]
"…" How the hell is my luck that bad?
"I provide you… I provide twenty million gold pounds, and sit quietly in the corner as you get out. Also, I can tell you something you really desire to know. About your mother! You're free to add anything else you want. I will give! Please…be rational." Noticing my complete nonchalance, Sue's so-called confidence vanished.
Even though he knew he couldn't be hurt, he still didn't want to risk anything.
"Um… I am a brutish species, sir."
His offer was pretty good, I guess. Anyone who needed money or that information would accept.
But I would hate that, even if money or info were needed. To leave him alive knowing what he did?
He was the kind of scum I hate the most. It would be a shame to still just chase money with these amazing powers and the freedom I got. I would be killing that freedom myself if I did that.
Err… Maybe I could pretend to agree, accept the money and info, pocket it, and then kill him right away?
Perhaps, if I get the time to. But not killing him wasn't even a choice. I need to find a way, now!
…