Kapitel 9: Last Chance
The bandits were growing desperate now, their attacks more reckless. Caelum used it to his advantage, his agility allowing him to dodge their strikes with inches to spare.
He saw an opening and took it, moving in close to one of the thieves. He struck with the sword, hitting him squarely in the chest. The thief gasped, his eyes going wide as he stumbled back, collapsing to the ground.
Caelum didn't pause, moving onto the next bandit with relentless precision. He could feel the thrill of the battle, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. But he quelled it, remaining as cold and calculative as he had been in his past life.
The bandits were faltering now, their confidence shattered. They had never seen anything like this before, a boy who moved like a shadow, who wielded a weapon they couldn't comprehend.
Caelum felt the sting of a dagger grazing his side, a quick reminder that he wasn't invincible. He gritted his teeth, feeling the warm trickle of blood seeping through his clothes. He couldn't let this distraction sway him. His focus had to be unbreakable.
He saw another bandit lunging at him, dagger poised to strike. With a swift movement Caelum sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blade. His broken sword came down hard on the bandit's arm, eliciting a yelp of pain as the bamboo tube made contact. The bandit staggered back, clutching his injured limb.
The room was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and the scuffle of boots on stone. Caelum's senses were heightened, his eyes darting between the bandits as he calculated his next move. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not for a second.
His body moved with a practiced grace, each movement fluid yet precise. He ducked under a wild swing, feeling the air shift as the blade passed inches from his head. He retaliated with a swift strike to the bandit's side, his broken sword serving as an extension of his arm. The bandit crumpled to the ground, momentarily incapacitated.
Caelum felt the adrenaline surging through his veins, but he pushed it down, maintaining his cold, calculative demeanor. He had been in situations like this before, as Eclipse, and he knew that losing control could mean the difference between life and death.
Another bandit came at him, dagger raised. Caelum's agility kicked in once again, his body moving with a speed that seemed almost unnatural. He dodged, turned, and struck, all in one fluid motion. The bandit fell, joining his companions on the ground.
But in that moment of triumph, Caelum felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He had let his guard down for just a fraction of a second, and another bandit had taken advantage. Caelum gritted his teeth, feeling the warm blood flow down his arm. He couldn't let this stop him.
He moved, his body responding to his will despite the pain. He struck out with his sword, hitting the bandit in the face. The man staggered back, surprised and fatally injured.
Caelum didn't waste any time. He needed to end this now. He lunged forward, his sword poised at the last standing bandit. The man tried to defend himself, but Caelum was too quick, too precise. The edge of the sword struck true, and the bandit fell to the ground, dead.
Caelum took a moment to catch his breath, his body aching from the effort. He could feel the blood soaking through his clothes, the pain a constant reminder of the battle he had just faced. He knew he needed to tend to his wounds, but there was no time. The sounds of footsteps were growing louder, and he knew more bandits would be upon him soon.
Caelum barely had time to register the danger before it struck. Out of nowhere, a sword pierced through the air, aimed straight at his back. Reacting on instinct, he twisted his body, managing to evade a fatal blow. However, the blade still managed to pierce through his arm, leaving a deep cut. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to stay focused. Turning around, he saw the Bandit Leader standing there, bleeding profusely but still very much alive, with the hairpin Caelum had shot earlier embedded in his chest.
"How the fuck are you alive?" Caelum uttered, disbelief evident in his voice.
The Bandit Leader, his chest stained with his own blood, the hairpin still protruding from it, managed a cruel smirk. "It takes more than a child's toy to kill me."
Caelum quickly assessed the situation. The new bandits had arrived, and they were closing in fast, their weapons drawn and faces filled with rage. He was surrounded, with no clear way out. The Bandit Leader in front of him and the other bandits at the entrance; he was trapped.
Desperation crept into Caelum's mind. 'Seems like I will die a little after I was transmigrated to this life. I wasted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, literally,' he thought bitterly.
His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan, but options were limited. He was injured, outnumbered, and outclassed in terms of weaponry. His makeshift gun was a one-shot wonder, and now that it was used up, he was left with just his agility and intelligence.
The Bandit Leader, despite his injuries, moved with surprising speed, lunging at Caelum with a roar. Caelum, his body fueled by adrenaline and pain, managed to dodge, but just barely. He could feel the wind as the sword missed him by mere inches.
The bandits from the entrance were now just a few feet away, their daggers ready to strike. Caelum knew he couldn't fend them off and deal with the Bandit Leader at the same time. His agility was his only advantage, but even that had its limits.
As the dire reality of his situation set in, Caelum's mind raced. He was injured, outnumbered, and had seemingly no way out. In a fleeting moment of desperation, he called out to the Gunslinger System within his mind, "System, if you have a way to save me, it is time."
To his surprise, the system responded, breaking its usual silence.
[56 Notifications. You killed 54 Bandits. You killed an Umbrawolf. You created your first weapon. Total XP gained, 595. Leveled up, 5 times. You are now level 6.]
Caelum, his focus momentarily shifted, listened as the system continued.
[You can select a skill from the following; Error. Skills from past life detected. Following skills had been added to the skill list; Bullet Time, Marksmanship, Ricocheting Shots, Quick Draw, Gun Kata, Ammo Efficiency, Weapon Mastery, Disarmament, Gun Maintenance, Trick Shots.}
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein