Cupid’s arrow is known for bringing love, but most arrows bring death.
Now, death was getting ever closer for Jack…
In times like these, many screenwriters can find the perfect moment to insert a flashback, telling the life story of Jack—no, his real name was—
Ohmmm! A golden light flashed and a noble silver shield with angelic wings bloomed into existence right in between life and death!
Any chances of a flashback got shattered!
Watching the arrow bouncing off the dome-shaped barrier of light, Jack finally woke up from his near-death experience and quickly ducked back down into the stairway!
He quickly rushed down toward the curious baby while yelling, “Little missy, RUN!”
Seeing an age-old “living” skeleton archer dropping down right behind Jack, Xiao Shuling didn’t need anybody to tell her what to do a second time.
Carrying the torch, she turned tail and hopped down the stairs as fast as she could while yelling back. “Eih! Eih! Uncle, uncle! Watch out behind! Behind!”
Jack didn’t need a warning because he could hear the clickity-clack chasing after him, loud-and-clear.
Thuum!
The sound of another death warrant made him instinctively look back, just in time to see another arrow bounce off his radiant light barrier!
Saved again!
This was his awakened gift: Guardian of Light – an invincible domain that can shield against all threats!
It was a purple-grade skill and even if a TNT explodes in his face, survival wasn’t a fantasy, let alone an arrow!
But this power wasn’t something that could be activated indefinitely. It will expire after taking a few hits!
After this shot, the barrier’s light visibly dimmed! It won’t last much longer!
And in this narrow stairway leading straight down, there was nowhere to dodge any arrows coming his way!
Was he doomed?
Not quite! Jack saw the stair’s corner turn ahead. There’s a chance!
But halfway there, the sniper fired another shot over!
Thrum! Another arrow bounced off the barrier, but that same arrow was like a stick stirring still water…
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Ripples and holes appeared all over the surface of light…
A breath later, the radiance basically faded away and the skill entered cooldown!
That left his back wide open!
Behind, the skeleton nocked another arrow and clacked its jaws menacingly, as if it could smell another companion joining the ranks of the undead.
Right at this moment, a little goblin, who already escaped around the corner, poked her head back out and assessed everything at a glance. “Uncle! It’s about to shoot!”
Jack didn’t need a second warning! He braked on the spot, turned around, and tightened the grip on the ax in hand—
THRUM! Arrow flew over! The ax swung up—Deeeng!
The arrow got knocked up and the feathered tail almost gave Jack a slap in the face! But… safe!
“Wowie~ Uncle, amazing!”
Even Jack found that parry amazing!
But he knew better than to stand there like a dumbass and try playing dark souls against an aimbot!
Turn and run!
The last stretch of the stairs almost got covered by a hop and he darted around the corner like his life depended on it!
Well… it really did!
But instead of breaking out in another mad dash down the next stretch of stairs, Jack braked on the spot and his back hugged the wall right by the corner’s blindspot.
Both hands gripped the ax handle and he listened to the footsteps clickity-claking down the steps…
Clik-clak… clickity-clak… Clak-CLIK—
As soon as a bow tip peeked out, the ax sharply swung for the corner!
CLAK! The skeleton that barely stepped a foot down got chopped in the skull!
The powerful force knocked the bony monster over and even its skull almost got split into two by the axe that got embedded in it!
Even so… it wasn’t dead!
Like a zombie that would do anything to drag the living into hell with it, its bony arms still instinctively nocked an arrow into its bow!
But right on cue, a foot stomped down right on top of its bow and arrow.
The skeleton’s hollow eyes looked up and faced the grinning uncle with a scruffy beard.
“Well, I’ll be damned. That’s a nice bow you got there. Mind sparing us some arrows?”
Mr. Skelee Archer didn’t even get a chance to plead for mercy before the raised ax hacked down again!
The little cheerleader cheered from behind. “Eih! Hit it! Uncle, hit it! Hit it!”
Three hacks later, a skeleton turned into flying ashes, leaving some bones, a bow, and 8 XP orbs behind.
Seeing that the excitement was over, Xiao Shuling patted her little chest and went back to being a little innocent baby. “Fuuu~ almost scared this miss to death.”
Jack rolled his eyes and went to pick up the bow and arrow. “Little missy, wanna be the little archer of our party?”
“Hum? Me?” Xiao Shuling pointed at herself. “Uncle isn’t afraid little Ling’er will accidentally friendly fire?”
“Yeah? Friendly fire’s better than letting it sit there and rot. I prefer using the ax Steve gave me rather than a limited-ammo bow.”
“Hum, hum, since uncle insists, then this miss will become the Goddess of Hunt that will shoot down ten suns! Ehehehe~”
“Bwahaha! If you say so.”
Bow and arrow got handed over. Xiao Shuling new class acquired: archer.jpg!
The little goblin tugged on the bowstring a few times before putting the bow away in her inventory.
[Bow (Green)] [Arrow (White)]
“Eih! It’s still more fun to hold this missy’s torch!”
“Bwahaha. Whatever you feel like, little missy. Just don’t go setting things on fire with it!”
“Eih! I won’t~” The little goblin’s clever little eyes rolled around and nobody knows what bad ideas was going through her mind.
“Aight, we’re done here.” Jack glanced sensed the timer on his ability. “Wait a bit, then we’ll head up and get out of this place.”
Wait? Xiao Shuling acted like a curious baby for many things but her mind was quite sharp when it came to certain matters. “Uncle, is it dangerous up there?”
Remembering the short glimpse he got of the situation earlier, Jack turned serious. “Might be a bit tough, but I’ll get us out, little missy. Promise.”
