With his serious expression locked in place, even the boss noticed the shift in his opponent. The once jovial, joking demeanor had vanished, replaced by a cold, unyielding focus. It was a signal that this fight would no longer be a simple clash_ it was about to turn into something brutal
The boss, recognizing the change, decided to escalate. Without warning, it slammed its foot onto the ground. The impact sent a shockwave through the arena, and a massive wall of water surged toward Reever. The wave roared like a living beast, curling and swelling as it approached him. Then, in a bizarre transformation, the boss itself seemed to merge with the water. Its entire form shimmered, shifting into a radiant golden hue.
The mafia boss persona dissolved completely, leaving behind only the visage of an angry, imposing king. Even Reever, experienced and battle-hardened, felt a spike of tension. He knew that this confrontation was no longer a test of skill but a fight for survival.
Without a second wasted, the boss lunged, trident pointed like a deadly spear aimed straight for him. The movement was precise, calculated, and undeniably aggressive. Every instinct told Reever that the boss intended not only to pierce him but to trap him and savor the kill, saliva dripping in anticipation.
Reever smirked despite the gravity of the moment. "I wonder how it would react if it knew I'm full metal, no flesh inside," he quipped under his breath. With that, he charged as well, firing a flurry of standard bullets at the boss.
The boss dodged instinctively, moving with uncanny speed. That split-second movement created a small opening, which Reever immediately exploited. He switched to special bullets, each shot precise. One found its mark, severing an ear from the boss. A guttural roar of pain erupted as the boss staggered, clutching the wound, glaring at Reever with pure, murderous rage.
Reever tilted his head, beckoning with a "come at me" motion. The boss's fury only deepened. It rose to its full height, its stance shifting. The air seemed to thrum with tension as the boss began spinning its trident. Water from the surrounding ocean flowed toward the center of the weapon in a mesmerizing vortex, yet no drop spilled beyond the trident's control. Reever estimated that the gathered water could easily fill his lobby twice over and still leave some behind.
As the trident reached its spinning apex, the boss lifted it toward the sky. In an instant, the heavens darkened. The water, as if obeying an unseen force, began to rise, forming a towering, ominous column above the boss. The clouds churned, distant thunder rolling through the air, and Reever realized the scale of what was about to happen.
Acting without hesitation, he fired a single bullet aimed precisely at the boss's fingers. The shot hit true, severing one finger and disrupting the sinister ritual. The boss screamed in agony, tossing the trident toward him in retaliation. Reever barely rolled out of the way as the weapon whistled past, grazing his armor and tearing it slightly.
"Damn. This thing is sharp," Reever muttered, adjusting as his self-repairing armor regenerated instantly. "If I had more weapons than this sniper rifle, maybe I wouldn't be on the edge like this."
The boss summoned its trident once again, eyes blazing with deadly intent. It charged with lethal precision. Reever met the attack head-on, using his gun as a blade to parry the strike. Sparks flew from the impact, and he countered with a powerful shot aimed at the boss's shoulder. The boss hissed in pain and cursed in its native tongue, but Reever ignored the words, unleashing another bullet. This time, the trident intercepted it, and the boss resumed its earlier water-manipulation technique, only at a much faster pace.
Reever didn't pause to breathe; there was no time. The water in the hidden dimension above the trident surged upward once more. The sky blackened further, heavy clouds roiling as the sound of distant thunder intensified. With a swift motion, the boss swiped its trident. From its strike, a colossal spear emerged, formed seemingly from solid water yet impossibly massive. Its size defied logic, a weapon of destruction in its purest form.
Luck, as always, decided to side with Reever. The wave swept away several large containers, which miraculously landed in a protective formation around him. Using the containers as cover, he dove behind them just as the giant spear rocketed forward. The ground shook with its passage. For a moment, silence hung in the air, pregnant with tension.
Then came the explosion. The spear struck with thunderous force, creating chaos and a blinding plume of smoke. Even in a battlefield accustomed to destruction, the carnage was staggering. Reever seized the opportunity, moving with precision to a safer distance. From afar, he could see the boss raising another spear, but he knew he wasn't prepared to face it head-on with his current armor and rank.
The boss laughed, a manic, echoing sound that carried over the chaos. Spear after spear shot toward the position Reever had vacated. If the boss had heard his earlier threat—that this would be its last laugh—he didn't show it. The laughter was loud, unrestrained, and fueled by overconfidence.
Then came the shot. A bullet tore through the air, faster than even the boss could react. It struck the golden head, shattering it in an explosion of water and fragments, the impact loud enough to drown out even the rolling thunder.
"I told you that it would be your last laugh!" Reever shouted from his safe distance. His voice rang with finality, the battle's tide turning in his favor.
He approached cautiously, eyes scanning for any signs of lingering danger. The boss lay motionless, and with a pointed jab from the tip of his rifle, Reever confirmed what he already suspected. The fight was over.
"Damn, that was close. Lucky it was the last water bullet in my mag," he muttered. Relief coursed through him, though he kept his guard up, scanning the battlefield for any last tricks. For now, though, the golden figure of the boss was finally silent.