Chapter 610

A single gunshot, faint enough to seem almost pitiful.

A massive bullet slicing through the air.

Boom-!

That bullet struck Kenneth right in the head.

It produced a thunderous sound as it hit Kenneth’s head, exploding without penetrating it. The magic on Kenneth’s head was powerful enough to block the distant sniper shot, successfully forming some sort of reverse field to deflect the bullet. Upon hitting the reverse field, the bullet shattered like a water balloon colliding with a solid wall, bursting and disappearing without achieving its initial goal of piercing his skull.

“Gah….”

But there was no way to avoid damage entirely.

While the magic he had set up in advance might have blocked the sniper shot, it couldn’t completely negate the bullet’s momentum upon hitting the reverse field. The shock from the high-speed bullet striking that field was sufficient to jolt Kenneth’s head.

Especially considering his frail and aged body, it was no easy feat to shake off; Kenneth had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure the shock.

Fortunately, Kenneth was a shaman.

A capable person forced to become accustomed to pain.

While there was nothing he could do about his physical frailty, he was far more adept at tolerating and enduring pain than countless others. Thus, Kenneth could quickly overcome the shock of the sniper shot and regain his composure.

However, during that brief moment, the environment had rapidly changed.

Rustle.

With the sound of rustling, countless shapes surrounded Kenneth.

Rustle.

Those shapes approached, making the same rustling sound as they drew near. Each step against the autumn leaves scattered on the ground produced a noise as irritating as if they were stomping on grass or moving between trees.

Yet, the rustling sound didn’t come from their outfits or their steps.

Their shapes resembled humans, standing a common height, wielding bizarre firearms that seemed to be made from metal pipes and improvised stocks, unmistakably intelligent beings capable of using tools.

But their skin was composed of brown and black hues, poorly formed, with patches of their surface peeling off and dragging fragments along the ground.

This was indeed proof that God had molded men from clay.

Look, oh disbeliever.

This is a person shaped from mud, your ancestor.

Look, oh faithful ones.

This is your ancestor; are you not just like this?

“Mud dolls… Haha. What a cute revenge.”

As Kenneth gazed at the mud dolls encircling him, he recalled one person.

The shaman he had attacked not long ago.

At that time, he had also sent forth a figure molded from clay… If he was thinking about that while sending these mud dolls, then it could be rightly called a cute revenge.

Doesn’t it feel like the kind of thing children do when they return a hit with a punch?

As those thoughts drifted in, a nostalgic feeling washed over him—

In that feeling, his mind seemed to clear a bit.

It was as if the oddly mismatched sounds and visuals suddenly aligned perfectly.

How to describe this sensation, he didn’t quite know—

Yes. It felt like the dissonance between body and mind was, for a brief moment, perfectly in sync…

And thus, Kenneth could smile even as he spotted the metal pipe aimed at him.

Just for a fleeting moment.

*

America boasts countless firearms.

Among these firearms, there are some truly unique creations.

Firearms shaped like swords, firing bullets, or rifles made specifically for bayonet combat during the Civil War, even handguns disguised as handbags designed for women’s self-defense…

The variety of bizarre guns knows no bounds.

When considering bizarre firearms crafted through illegal modifications, it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish between those genuinely intended for practical use and those made as toys just based on the concept of firearms. Or perhaps, it might be closer to the truth that they’re played with like toys.

Thinking back to the recent discovery of a bolt-action-modified AK47 on the market, it’s undoubtedly the latter.

So, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the emergence of such a shotgun resembling a metal pipe with a stock attached.

And the fact that this shoddily constructed shotgun lacks a trigger and requires the extraction of the body-like metal pipe to reload isn’t peculiar either.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Click.

…

…

…

The mud dolls moved in perfect sync, starting to load bullets into the crude shotgun made from the metal pipe and stock. They awkwardly thrust bullets into the hollow of the metal pipe, which dropped specks of mud along with the rustling noise and reattached the loaded pipe to the shotgun.

And again, they readied the makeshift shotgun, aiming it at Kenneth.

Bang-!

Bang-!

Bang-!

Bang-!

…

…

…

They pulled the body-like metal pipe to fire the gun.

As they pulled the metal pipe, the air and bullets collided, and the shotgun shell containing ‘special poison’ erupted with a thunderous sound, engulfing Kenneth.

All around him, numerous mud dolls fired their shotguns simultaneously!

It was both a spectacle and a threatening scene reminiscent of a disaster.

Considering that the shotgun shells surely contained cesium along with radioactive waste, it could indeed be called a disaster.

Yet, despite the fervor, it was surprisingly ineffectual.

Kenneth’s pre-cast magic blocked it all.

The shotgun shells were either deflected or exploded upon impact with the reverse field, with none finding a place in Kenneth’s body.

Moreover, unlike the sniper rifle that had delivered a shock Kenneth couldn’t easily dismiss, these shells did not disturb him or force him to clench his teeth.

However, Kenneth couldn’t afford to overlook their assaults.

If he were to use different magic or divine objects, he could easily withstand the shock from the shotgun, but considering what was inside those shells—if it was indeed something like that which a human figure had dispersed, or another poison—it would undoubtedly pose a serious threat.

“The Lord’s angel encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them. He said, ‘I saw the wicked fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to tread upon snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’ Oh, truly, His glory radiates everywhere, leading me to understand there’s nothing to fear!”

Thus, Kenneth took out a divine object and invoked an incantation.

Not simply to block physical impacts, but to cast a proper protective magic that could defend him from external threats.

Was it due to his clear mind?

His movements held no hesitation or mistakes.

With grace like flowing water, he grasped the divine object, and the invocation flowed effortlessly from his lips.

Just like when he had taught college students back in the day.

The clear-headed magic activated without a hitch, and an illusion of light feathers swept around his body and vanished. It was a sign that the guardian angel had come down to protect him, signaling that he was enveloped in warm wings, safe from external dangers.

Moreover, it meant that during the ongoing effects of the magic against whatever toxin was in the bullets fired by the mud dolls, he could easily endure.

Click.

Click.

Click.

…

…

…

No matter what they fired from that metal pipe shotgun, or even what poison they dispersed in the bullets, it didn’t matter.

These clumsy mud dolls had only one certain future.

Swish.

Kenneth, ready to smash the mud doll attacking him, let the rosary wrapped around his arm flutter like a whip. The cross serving as a weight began to swirl slowly in the air, and soon, it picked up speed, generating sound.

Then, it carved a trajectory—

Boom-!

With a massive crack, one mud doll’s head flew off.

Thus began the whip’s rampage across the crude battlefield.

Boom-!

With each resounding crack, a head would fly.

Boom-!

The cross of the rosary added its weight, which became a massive impact, shattering heads to bits.

Boom-!

As though a colossal hammer was crashing down, the heads of the mud dolls were sent flying, and the bodies, having lost their heads, stumbled for a moment before collapsing to the ground lifelessly.

Boom-!

Boom-!

Boom-!

Thus, soldiers wielding metal pipe shotguns fell with astonishing ease.

Although they bore human shapes, they were far too weak, meeting their ends in such a way.

The bodies, having lost their heads, fell to the ground just as they had encircled one person, suggesting an effortlessly pathetic end indeed.

This was akin to children charging at warriors wielding wooden skewers, calling them spears.

It wasn’t surprising for them to fall so easily.