Trash of the Firearm Magic World

10. Engulf in flames

Hearing Loris’s words made the entire venue frozen. The crowd went silent that even a drop of pin couldn’t be heard. 

Remuel’s expression wasn’t any better. With a complicated gaze toward Loris, she loaded an enchanted bullet into the chamber of the gun and told Loris it would create an explosion once it hit him. Based on her calculation, Loris would suffer from this attack by not lower than 70%. Heck, he would be lucky to still keep the lower half of his body. 

Before she charged, she asked Loris once more to accept his defeat, giving him a last chance.

This was his last chance to save himself, Remuel thought. She was merely being considerate for having not expected a duel between her and Loris in the first place. 

But this was the last time. She had given enough chances to Loris. He should accept it to end this duel if he still wanted his full body intact. 

Yet, Loris’s response was again only one, “I refuse.” 

Remuel went silent and only stared at her opponent. Indeed, for someone like Loris who had the head of a bull, this was already an expected answer. 

“Very well. I gave you a chance and you still won’t accept defeat,” Remuel said with a cold tone. “That said, don’t blame me if you suffer greatly.” 

Loris stared at her and began to walk. In his mind, he thought: 

‘I have already suffered in different ways and degrees before. Even the humiliation I and my family have gone through was something I would never forget. What’s the worst thing that could happen after someone experiences what I did? The fears I held wouldn’t dictate the man I was and would be. 

‘Even if you hit me a hundred or thousand times, I wouldn’t move from my position. If your bullets pierce through, then pierce through they must.’  

Remuel looked at Loris who was walking towards her. Her heart started to quicken in apprehension and her palms turned sweaty in every step he took. She swallowed down, deep down feeling Loris was getting taller and bigger like a giant as he walked forward and got closer. 

Not wanting to be swallowed by her own fears, Remuel clenched her fists and silently thought of her advantages over Loris. Even if he managed to stand and face Remuel after receiving her attacks twice, she still held a greater advantage in both skills of firearm and magic. She still knew more and had practiced far better techniques than he did. 

Thinking this way, Remuel took deep breaths and pushed down her fears. Her consciousness stabilized, she gathered her power and used magic fire to activate the enchanted bullet. 

At the same time, a magic shield appeared on Loris’s hand, this time far more like a shield than the last. 

The magic power of the bulletproof and the magic power of the bullets fought fiercely in front of Loris’s body. His expression turned hard and serious, in a deep incredible focus as he directed his magic power to the magic shield to make it sturdier, abeling it to protect him in a grand scale. 

Everyone stared in awe and disbelief at Loris who kept in his position and was able to withstand the strong attack coming from Remuel. The magic radiating from that shield was truly remarkable. If he continued doing this, his chance of winning would be higher. 

All eyes on her, Loris gnashed his teeth amidst the hot, overpowering magic bullets closing in and trying to break through. He tried to put more magic, directing it to the magic shield, defending himself from Remuel’s attack. 

Everyone was amazed by Loris’s magic power. Nobody truly expected he would be able to make such a strong magic shield. At that time, people became conflicted on what to feel, with some of Loris’s antis even beginning to cheer for him in secret. 

However, just before someone from the crowd openly shouted her praise toward Loris, the magic bullet exploded. It created a loud, rumbling sound that made everyone step back. 

Arturo turned to the stage. Her heart dropped, her eyes turning wide. 

The explosion was so big that flames appeared and engulfed Loris. 

She was too late. Even with his magic shield on, he could not withstand the heat and flames. 

“No…” She whispered brokenly. Then with a panic-stricken look, she shouted, “Brother Loris!” 

Loris’s father, Gustavo Federico, looked at the stage with a shocked and pale expression. Instantly, he roared, “Stop this duel immediately!” 

His own firearms appeared in his hands and he stomped his way to his son, but before he could even reach the stairs, he was quickly stopped by a teacher from the Morne City Gunners Academy. 

“Please calm down, Mr. Federico. Remember, the duel paperwork has been signed by both parties. The rules state that whether you live or die, you should take responsibility and accept it fully.” 

The paper handed to him, Loris’s father looked down. He saw the crooked name signed by Loris and closed his eyes in pain. 

Meanwhile, Arturo looked like she had seen a ghost herself. She blamed herself for not being too quick enough. This was all her fault. She could’ve done better than this, she should’ve been faster and saved Loris. 

Trembling in pain and full of regret, tears began to flow down her cheeks. Her eyes went to and fixed on Remuel, her heart filled with anger in an instant. She glared at Remuel with intense, enraged eyes, as she clenched her hands, determined that she would kill Remuel herself. But before she could even move, suddenly, a glow of magic emerged from the smoke. 

Arturo’s tears stopped. 

Slowly, Loris’s body appeared from the smoke, his body wrapped in bulletproof magic. 

“Loris…” Loris’s father uttered softly, tears of joy on his face. 

The rest of the crowd looked at Loris in disbelief. 

This had to be a dream, otherwise, how the hell did he survive that explosion?! 

The duel master stuttered and explained to the crowd while keeping his own disbelief, “L-Loris Federico condensed magic armor. This successfully made his magic become more concentrated, thus, making the shield able to resist the magic bullets and cover himself from the explosion. There is no doubt... Only E-class gunners are able to execute this rare skill…” 

Remuel had forgotten to shoot. She could only watch as Loris, with a dead cold expression, walked up to her. 

“You lose,” he uttered.

With a huff, he raised his leg and made a high side kick.

The strong wind with magic power stayed in Remuel’s ear, striking her bones cold and making her shiver. 

Remuel’s legs went weak and sat on the ground, her face pale, completely dumbfounded and at a loss.