Gunshots rang out as Lawlet fired at the dummies, the impact sending two of them flying as his mana-infused bullets tore through them. Smoke trailed from the barrel as he let out a deep breath, his shoulders heaving.
"Damn… I'm exhausted!" Lawlet gasped, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He was practically drowning in fatigue, his body aching from the strain of forcing mana into each shot.
"Come on, Lawlet, you can do better than that!" Bruce called out from the side, arms crossed with an unimpressed expression. "That was only two bullets!"
Lawlet shot him an irritated glare. "It's easier said than done, dumbass!"
Bruce snorted. "Nah, I think you're just weak."
Before Lawlet could come up with a proper insult, Julius casually strolled over. Without a word, he snatched one of Lawlet's guns right out of his hand.
"Oi—!"
Julius ignored the protest and aimed at the remaining dummies. In the blink of an eye—BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG—five shots fired in rapid succession. Each bullet was perfectly infused with mana, hitting their targets dead center. The dummies crumbled instantly.
Lawlet's jaw nearly hit the floor.
Bruce let out a whistle. "Damn. That was sexy."
Julius twirled the gun once before handing it back to a still-stunned Lawlet. "See what I did there?"
Lawlet finally managed to pick his jaw up from the ground. "How the hell did you—?"
"You're pouring too much mana into a single bullet," Julius explained, patting Lawlet's shoulder hard enough to make him stumble. "Sure, it packs a bigger punch, but it drains you way too fast. Instead, control the flow. Just enough to form the bullet—no more, no less. That way, you can keep shooting without turning into a wheezing mess."
Lawlet stared at his gun, realization dawning on him. "So… I've been going about it the hard way this whole time?"
"Pretty much."
Bruce grinned. "Man, you were making it look like some life-or-death situation, when really, you were just being dumb."
Lawlet shot him a glare. "Say that again, and I swear I'll test a bullet on your skull."
Julius chuckled. "Alright, alright. Less bickering, more training. Try again, and this time, don't overdo it."
Lawlet gritted his teeth but nodded, lifting his gun again.
This time, he wouldn't screw it up.
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Remi took a deep breath, focusing her mana as it coursed through her hands, glowing faintly with a warm golden hue. She placed her palms on Bruce's and Yulli's shoulders, sending the energy surging into their bodies. The moment the buff settled, both of them felt lighter, stronger—like an invisible force was enhancing their every movement.
"Alright, boys," Remi grinned, her voice brimming with confidence. "Go crazy!"
"Yes!" they all shouted in unison, their bodies radiating with newfound strength as they charged at Julius, who stood there yawning, entirely unfazed by the impending onslaught.
Bruce was the first to strike, swinging his massive sword down with enough force to shake the ground on impact. Julius sidestepped effortlessly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Predictable," he muttered—only to realize a split second later that Bruce was smirking too.
Using the momentum of his failed attack, Bruce rotated his entire left side, his muscles tensing as he twisted his body. His arm shot out like a battering ram, slamming into Julius's side and forcing him backward.
"Oh?" Julius raised a brow in amusement. "He decided to use his hand this time… interesting."
Gunshots rang out, echoing through the training field as Lawlet fired round after round. Julius weaved between the bullets effortlessly, barely sparing them a glance. Just as he dodged another shot, Yulli suddenly appeared at his flank, sword raised for a strike.
Julius blocked the blade with a flick of his wrist, his arm barely moving from its relaxed position. But before he could counter, Bruce was already behind him, his weapon poised for a surprise attack.
"Good teamwork," Julius praised. "But still—too predictable."
With a swift, calculated motion, he swept Yulli's legs out from under him, sending the boy tumbling to the ground. At the same time, he caught Bruce's blade with his bare hand, gripping it firmly.
Bruce's eyes widened. "Ugh! You blocked that… with your hand?!"
Julius grinned, unbothered by the weapon pressing against his palm. Without a hint of struggle, he yanked Bruce forward and tossed him aside like a ragdoll. Bruce hit the ground with a grunt just as Lawlet fired another desperate barrage of bullets, his panic evident in the erratic shots.
Julius ducked, sidestepped, and weaved through them all, his movements so fluid it was as if he saw the bullets before they were even fired. Lawlet, now visibly frustrated, poured all of his remaining mana into one final shot—a desperate attempt to land a hit.
"Panicked," Julius observed.
With a single, precise movement, he spun around and swept Lawlet's legs out from under him. The gunner crashed to the ground, groaning in frustration.
That left only Remi.
Julius turned his attention to her, advancing toward the support mage. Her heart pounded in her chest as he closed the distance. She raised her arms defensively, her mind racing for a countermeasure—but the moment he was close, she squeezed her eyes shut instinctively.
Nothing happened.
Cautiously, she opened one eye, only to find Julius standing right in front of her, arms crossed, shaking his head.
"The moment you close your eyes," he said, voice firm but not unkind, "is the moment you die. You can't just rely on support magic alone. Try to develop some offensive skills to stay on the battlefield longer."
Remi swallowed hard, nodding as she clenched her fists.
Julius let out a sigh, looking over the group sprawled across the ground, panting and exhausted.
"Not bad," he admitted. "Still sloppy, though."
Bruce groaned from where he lay. "Oh, screw off."