In that fleeting silence, Huai Shi saw it.
The hail of bullets screaming toward him.
Crisscrossing in a steady rhythm, sealing off every avenue of escape while mercilessly striking at his vital points. Numbered Curse Bullets waited in the chambers, poised to fire.
They were about to hit him head-on.
Foresight.
He had already foreseen it all less than a tenth of a second ago.
Though rather than foresight, it was more like reading—more like listening. Within his altered visual perception, he could "see" the guns, scopes, triggers, springs, screws, combat knives, radios... every piece of metal the enemies had brought into the room. The structures and mechanisms they formed eagerly described and displayed the changes about to occur.
I will turn. I will compress. I will erupt. I will ignite the blaze!
Thus, they showed the King of Forging the work they were about to begin!
Their ringing was so solemn, so devout, as though iron itself were praying to its god—
To him!
How... interesting!
Huai Shi grinned and stepped forward, toward the sixteen gun barrels locked onto him.
At that moment, even the insensate metal seemed to welcome unprecedented joy and happiness. It trembled and rang beneath the gaze of that eye.
The god neither stopped them nor praised them.
He merely watched.
And told them—
—I will bear witness!
The instant the attackers pulled their triggers, fleeting brilliant light burst from the gun barrels amid thunderous roars.
The rhythmic sound of three-round bursts rang out at the same instant.
The two rows of intruders fired in alternating volleys as they advanced, showing no carelessness despite having only one enemy. Even after the thin figure convulsed and danced beneath the bullet storm before falling backward, they continued firing and advancing in turns.
Only after passing through the