Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 99: Games x Strategy - King of Games!

As Alex grips the gun, the attendant addresses him. "Are you ready, participant No. 777?"

"Just one second, please," Alex replies, taking a moment to familiarize himself with the weapon, even switching magazines a few times to get a better feel for it. Reloading isn't exactly easy, but I think I've got the hang of it now. Just needed a minute to adjust to this type of gun and magazine, he thinks confidently. I also have a feel for the waves of approaching balloons. There are some minor differences each time, but the patterns are similar—the slow start and chaotic shifts near the end. Only the exact locations vary slightly.

"Participant No. 777?" the attendant prompts him again.

"Sorry, I'm ready!" Alex responds, lifting his gun and focusing on the target area, prepared to start shooting.

The attendant shouts, "Get ready in 3, 2, 1—START!"

Alex immediately spots the direction of the first balloon, aligns his aim, and shoots it down accurately, pulling his gun back to the center and bracing for the next target. He maintains steady control, hitting each balloon as it enters his line of sight. But as his magazine nears empty, he realizes he hasn't found a good moment to reload. He keeps shooting, mostly hitting the balloons, until he suddenly hears the dreaded click of an empty chamber. Quickly, he reloads, but he misses several balloons during the process. Desperately, he tries to catch up, but a few balloons slip by again, and the last one disappears from the target area before he can fire.

"Shit!" Alex mutters in frustration.

"Congratulations, participant No. 777! You hit 17 targets. Here's your prize of 10 golden coins—not bad at all!" the attendant announces, handing Alex his reward.

You received Golden Coin x10

Realizing exactly where he went wrong, Alex feels a renewed determination to try again. He turns to join the line but notices that the stand is completely empty, except for the soldier who's been spectating.

"Nobody's here, so let me go again!" Alex demands, slightly disappointed in himself.

"Oh, are you sure, participant No. 777?" the attendant replies with a sugary tone. "If you wish, you're welcome to try two more times. I always appreciate enthusiasts like yourself!"

Ignoring the attendant's overly sweet words, Alex hands him another silver coin and receives two magazines in return. This time, he loads the gun with a sharp, practiced motion, feeling more prepared than before.

The attendant raises his voice to announce the start of another round. "Get ready in 3, 2, 1—START!"

Alex launches into action, following the same approach as last time, hitting the first few targets with pinpoint accuracy. After ten successful hits, he decides to reload early, with 10 shots still left in his magazine. Just as he finishes reloading, he spots a new wave of three balloons sweeping in from the right side. With barely a second to react, he regains his focus, quickly aiming and shooting all three balloons before they disappear to the left.

As the pace intensifies, Alex chooses to skip a few balloons, instead focusing on those that appear in clusters, aiming at targets that are closer together. Finally, he nails the last balloon and breaks into a satisfied smile, confident in his adjustments and pleased with the outcome.

"My my, color me surprised! Congratulations, participant No. 777! You hit 21 targets. Here's your prize of 20 golden coins—aren't you a quick study?" the attendant remarks, handing Alex his reward, double what he earned before.

"I wanna go again!" Alex replies confidently. The attendant's smile shifts ever so slightly into one of mild irritation. "Perhaps you'd like to let others try their hand at this game? Don't be greedy!" he says, his friendly tone slipping just a bit.