Ark Chess Player.

Chapter 315 Save Me, Electric Man (4K)

"...Is this a murder scene?"

Razer looked at Natalie lying on the ground, her life hanging in the balance, and then at Gavial, who had a look of utter acceptance on his face. He wondered if he had stumbled into some famous scene.

“No, it’s electric shock. This looks like attempted murder no matter how you look at it.” Franka raised her sword hilt, ready for battle, but couldn’t help adding flirtatiously, “Although the girl lying on the ground looks like she’s about to die, judging from the rise and fall of her chest, I’m sure she’s into this!”

Franka was kicked by Razer as soon as she finished speaking.

"Don't make lewd jokes in front of your colleagues!"

Razer glanced at her, remaining vigilant as it stepped forward.

“You’re from Rhodes Island…” Razer looked at Gavial’s wrist, which was equipped with the Oripathy detection and suppression bracelet developed by Rhodes Island, and the Originium crystals on his skin that the black and blue bracelet couldn’t hide. She looked down and asked uncertainly, “A member of the Guard Squad? I’ve never seen you before.”

"I am a medical mage! A medical mage! The rest of our medical team has already joined us up ahead. I came here specifically to save Natalie."

Gavial lifted the long-handled hammer that was pressing on Natalie's abdomen... it was her Originium staff, and casually hoisted it onto his shoulder with a dull thud.

Razer instinctively stopped in her tracks. The last time she had seen someone adopt such a stance was during a mercenary mission for Blacksteel International, when she was dealing with the traitorous Kazimierz Knight, the infamous executioner Smo... That nearly three-meter-tall giant picked up a hammer, and the next second he sprinted a hundred meters and swung the hammer at her, almost knocking her and her shield flying. Razer still had a psychological trauma from that incident.

"Damn it, do I really look that unlike a medical mage?"

Gavial puffed out his cheeks in anger. "Are you serious about taking half a step back? Such a small movement, yet it causes so much damage."

She patted the unconscious, peaceful-faced Natalie and exclaimed, "Look how soundly she's sleeping under my healing! Most of her fatal wounds have healed, her life is definitely saved. As for this arm… well, that's definitely beyond my capabilities. I need to take it back to Rhodes Island quickly to have Shining treat it. My magic isn't powerful enough to regenerate flesh from bone! *Sargon curses*! You brat, just how ruthless were you?!"

Gavial turned his head angrily, but Iriet, who had been pulling upside down, had already disappeared from the spot.

Razer paused, her gaze passing over Gavial's shoulder to the ground that looked as if a meteorite had struck, and the traces of battle...

"Oh no, Franka—!"

Based on their tactical projections, skeleton soldiers will inevitably flank and attack the Rhodes Island squad! Of the skeleton soldiers' known abilities, stealth is one of them! Given their current positioning, Franka is isolated and will likely be a priority target for the enemy!

Razer thought that her ideas were still focused on how to fight tactically aware enemies, and her combat experience also leaned towards that... so she didn't expect what a runaway beast would do.

Upon hearing Razer's warning, Franka quickly drew her battered thermite sword, bracing herself for battle. She held her breath briefly, sensing the enemy's location—her forte. But soon, she frowned, tilting her head back to gaze at the sky directly ahead. A thought flashed through her mind, countless ideas rushing by, and the answer gradually became clear. Using her understanding of Razer and her own thought process, she quickly grasped the problem.

Franka cursed inwardly, "This top student, whose head is full of theoretical knowledge, just doesn't know how to be flexible!!"

"Those who are discharging electricity, cover me!"

Without hesitation, Franka channeled her spiritual energy into the already fragile thermite sword, even though she knew this might be the last time. The dark silver rapier, its cracks and patterns intertwined, once again blazed with a dazzling white light, its indestructible sharpness igniting everything it touched in the mist.

Swift strike, ultimate sharpness.

Franka exhausted her skills, maximizing her speed and explosiveness, and stomped her feet heavily on the ground as she charged towards the Thunder Serpent.

Razer saw her eyes, and their gazes met. With just one look, they understood what the other was about to do.

"it is good!"

Without hesitation, Razer raised her Shield of Light and knelt on one knee, skillfully adjusting the shield to a suitable angle for Franka.

Healed by Gavial's Regeneration and Wide-Range healing spell, Razer's arm injury gradually recovered, and she regained her strength. At least now she is confident that when she wields a one-handed gun again, she can restore her accuracy to a normal level.

Franka took a deep breath, adjusting her breathing to ensure her heart wouldn't pound so hard it would burst her chest. She moved quickly, leaping into the air in the blink of an eye, riding on the Razer's shimmering shield. Subtle currents traveled through her high heels, stimulating her motor nerves.

This familiar feeling was like Razer gently pushing her from behind, giving her a surge of soaring ambition.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Franka's swift movement speed was greatly amplified, and she thrust her sword, "Falling Goose," into the sky!

Iris's figure was outlined by the blazing white light. She couldn't understand why her concealment had been discovered, but she didn't intend to investigate. At this moment, the whites of Iris's eyes had disappeared; an evil blackness filled her entire vision. The out-of-control Iris couldn't suppress this malice.

She first escaped the predicament of her head being embedded in the foundation by floating in the air, then gathered power in the air, preparing to harden every part of her body. Then she burst down from the sky, annihilating the crowded people and eliminating the enemy who had just almost injured her.

However, Irie's plan was discovered halfway through. Franka's rich combat experience made her unlike Liskarm, who followed the rules. Her boundless imagination wasn't only used for doing good deeds with Liskarm; compared to Liskarm, her thinking might be closer to Irie's.

"Let it burn!!"

Franka shouted, unleashing a streak of light.

The next moment, a storm of sword techniques descended upon Iriet, the layers of sharpness piercing through her still-unfinished Originium armor!

"Bang bang bang bang!!"

Illie's body swayed precariously in the storm, the brilliant swordplay striking every part of her body, as if countless people were attacking her from all directions. Franka's sword blades coalesced into a net, surging towards her like a storm of sword winds, and Illie, suspended in mid-air, had no way to dodge. She could only cross her arms in front of her chest, her muscles tense, enduring it all with her hardened body.

This was Franka's all-out attack; faint electric currents coursed across her body, signifying that she was no longer fighting alone.

"Oh no, this is bad..."

Gavial frowned, her words instantly arousing Razer's revulsion as he stood up.

No one likes their partner to be looked down upon.

“Franka is very strong,” Razer said seriously.

"Is her name Franka? She's a nice person, but... her weapon is too damaged to withstand her power." Gavial pointed out incisively, "You can tell she's not a reckless person, but for some reason, even though she knew she was at a disadvantage from the start, she still resolutely rushed to the front line. Her courage is commendable, but it's a pity that her weapon was not as sturdy as it used to be."

Razer's expression changed upon hearing this, and a hint of panic appeared on her determined little face. She unconsciously raised her hand to clutch her chest—because her gun belt was hanging diagonally there! She was doing this to prepare to assist Franka, not to worry about Nai's pain and idly clutch it.

Razer isn't some pretty face in a romance novel who just sits on the sidelines and acts cute; she's Razer, one of Blacksteel International's top brands.

As Gavial had predicted, Franka's offensive was short-lived.

Franka's beloved sword, which she had fought for two long years, shattered under the heavy blow of Irie's fist with its sharp edges resembling the Origin Stone, turning into countless hot fragments that fell from the sky.

Franka felt a tightness in her chest. In the critical moment, she kept slashing to reduce Irie's power, but she was still knocked down in one move.

Just as Irithyll, pressing her advantage, was about to launch a counterattack, a deafening roar came from below as an etched bullet, crackling with lightning, struck her precisely between the eyebrows. Sparks flew across Irithyll's head as the etched bullet struck, producing a deafening metallic clang.

Razer held the gun in her right hand, her left hand resting on her shield. She activated the Originium Arts Lightning Storm, imbuing the bullets with magic. The specially modified one-handed gun roared, its muzzle flashes billowing continuously, each shot aimed at Iriet as she descended through the air! Every bullet struck the same spot—one, two, three, four, five, six!!

This magazine of etched bullets represents Razer's entire fortune; she would only use it as a last resort. She doesn't have Jessica's financial resources, who can carry a backpack full of etched bullets wherever she goes. These special bullets are not only expensive but also extremely rare. Even Blacksteel International can't provide them widely; they can only be found occasionally when purchasing supplies from Raytheon Industries. Whenever an opportunity arises to buy them, Blacksteel International always purchases them regardless of price. For mercenaries, such valuable items, capable of playing a crucial role in times of need, are priceless.

If Lin knew about this, he would definitely laugh and jokingly call Raytheon Industries "Mijia Industries" (a Chinese electronics retailer), never getting tired of this scarcity marketing tactic. Since Jessica was able to purchase a large quantity of etched bullets, it means that a production line for etched bullets does indeed exist. Raytheon Industries simply restricted sales channels to ensure scarcity and maintain hype. Perhaps Raytheon Industries will even hold limited-time flash sales from time to time, just to play along and fool people.

Irie's head was tilted back, her neck almost torn apart by the force, but the Originium material constantly solidifying on her body held her neck bones in place. A single etched bullet couldn't penetrate her hardened defenses, but even Irie found it difficult to withstand an entire magazine of bullets. Moreover, the reason Razer chose this position was because she saw a barely perceptible slanted cross between Irie's eyebrows—a clue Franka had left for her.

During Razer's training sessions with Franka, Franka would always make things difficult for her. She would draw slanted crosshairs on different parts of the target from extremely precise distances. If she hit, Franka would treat her to a meal. If she missed, Franka would treat her to pineapple.

"What time is it, and you're still here..."

Razer pulled the trigger, the gunshot drowning out the rest of her sentence.

The final etched bullet tore through the air, striking the base of the previous bullet with a deafening thud. The bullets, layered upon each other, resembled a dagger made of bullets slicing open Iriet's skull. The magically imbued bullets erupted with countless arcs of electricity, propelling the entire bullet into Iriet's brain, creating cavities. However, it couldn't penetrate the hardened back of Iriet's skull, thus stirring up a storm within her mind, utterly churning it into chaos.

In mid-air, Franka and Irie fell one after the other.

The former was lucky enough to be caught by Gavial just before it hit the ground, while the latter fell heavily into the crater and returned to its starting point.

"Ugh."

Razer pulled the bolt, removed the empty magazine, and looked with a pang of heartache at the etched bullet casings, silently collecting them in her palm. But when her gaze fell upon the barely breathing Franka, she threw away the handful of casings, and after two failed attempts to slip the pistol into the sling in front of her chest, she simply gave up.

"How is she?"

Razer asked anxiously, at this moment she believed and hoped that Gavial was a healer.

"Don't worry, her breasts are well-developed, like a built-in airbag, so her chest wasn't crushed by the hammer."

Gavial examined Franka's ample breasts in front of Razer, even pinching them to make sure they were real and not some airtight fake. Her hand moved down Franka's chest, quickly finding several wounds on her body caused by shards of thermite sword.

Before Razer could even speak, Gavial, without a word, roughly pressed down on the other end of the shard and pulled it out, leaving Razer terrified.

“It’s alright, my healing spell is still working. Didn’t you see there was no blood splattering?” Gavial said quickly, seeing that Razer was holding the gun and looking ready to start a medical dispute. “These wounds will heal quickly. If we don’t pull them out in time, it will be even more difficult to treat once the flesh and blood have fused together. It’s better to get it over with quickly than to suffer for a long time. I’m a professional doctor.”

"If you don't believe me, I'll just add another layer of buff to her next."

After saying that, Gavial laid Franka flat beside Natalie and raised the Originium staff, which resembled a bloodletting hammer spear, with his other hand.

Franka, whose consciousness was in turmoil, noticed Gavial's actions. She reached out to Liskarm and murmured, "Save me, Electric Man."

"Pause!"

Razer immediately stopped him upon hearing this.

Under Gavial's puzzled gaze, she jogged to a spot about half a meter behind Franka. After confirming that she could receive the wide-area buff from this location, she nodded to Gavial.

"That's it!"

"You electric shocker! You bastard, how dare you—Pfft!!"

A powerful healing spell struck Franka's chest, while a refreshing evening breeze ruffled the serpent's long hair.

Before her, Franka closed her eyes, a peaceful smile on her lips.

Chapter 316 Never Give Up: Crocodile Kick (4K)

"Aren't you afraid I won't be able to keep up with you, always pushing yourself so hard and always running ahead?"

Razer crouched down and patted Franka's plump, round buttocks, thinking that all this girl had done since arriving at Rhodes Island was eat. Eat, eat, eat, is the food at Rhodes Island really that delicious? Well, it is indeed quite delicious, many times better than the dry rations they carry with them, and the staff meals are also very cheap.

If this mission weren't a short-term assignment, Razer would have preferred to relax in the tranquility of Rhodes Island.

She had seen many Oripathy patients, most of whom seemed to be on the verge of death, restless and anxious, living lives of extreme anxiety. But Rhodes Island was different. Whether they were operators infected with Oripathy or patients, everyone exuded a sense of stability. It wasn't despair over a future of certain death, but rather a belief that life still held hope and that life could go on.

This atmosphere made Razer, who spent years fighting on mercenary missions, feel at ease. She enjoyed spending time in Rhodes Island's café, savoring rich, aromatic black coffee. The best coffee beans didn't need sugar or milk; adding them would only diminish their flavor. Franka, on the other hand, refused to taste any bitterness. She preferred black tea and always added strange powders to it. Each time Razer drank it, instead of feeling refreshed, she felt incredibly sleepy.

"Get some rest, Franka."

Razer pinched the fat fox's slightly rounded cheek, feeling a familiar, delicate touch between his fingers, along with a slightly unsettling, matte texture. This alerted Razer; something seemed amiss.

She focused her attention and observed carefully, and found that a wisp of mist still lingered in the air.

Razer felt a chill run down her spine. Her gaze swept towards Ariel, who lay in the crater in the distance, clutching her head as if trying to dig the etching bullet out. This wasn't an illusion; Ariel was still alive! Even with her brain ravaged by the etching bullet and the lightning storm slamming into her face, this seemingly fatal wound had only temporarily slowed her movements!

This is no longer within the realm of human beings, is it?

Even the battles we've faced in the past have never been as outrageous as today's.

Razer silently changed her magazine, her face resolute, and raised the Flash Shield that was on the ground.

Franka is now incapacitated and there is only her and a healer present. She must hold out until Amiya arrives.

Razer wasn't sure if she could hold off the powerful skeleton soldier alone, but she never considered abandoning her teammate. She knew, she knew Franka had been betrayed by her teammates, left alone in the Originium radiation field during that mission. Her hazmat suit had been tampered with, resulting in her contracting Oripathy and being given a suspended death sentence.

From then on, Franka would charge forward recklessly in every operation, no longer caring whether others could keep up with her, nor expecting them to. Because of this, Razer couldn't allow Franka to carry out missions alone; she would eventually burn herself out with this overly aggressive fighting style. Originally, Blacksteel International had only assigned Franka to this mission for Rhodes Island, believing that such a guard duty didn't require two aces, but Razer still came along. Faced with Franka's teasing, Razer stated that she just wanted to take a stroll around Lungmen and had no other intentions.

"This person absolutely cannot do without me."

In fact, these are Razer's original words when applying for a license from Blacksteel International.

Just as she had predicted, Franka absolutely couldn't function without her.

Razer raised her shield and cautiously advanced forward, but suddenly an arm appeared in front of her, its whiteness dazzling.

“Leave it to me. She’s a patient Natalie assigned me to handle; this falls under our doctor-patient dispute.” Gavial stopped Liskarm, a wide grin spreading across her face, revealing her gleaming white teeth. “I’m leaving Natalie and Franka in your care. With you there, I can be a little more serious. You have no idea how bored I’ve been at Rhodes Island. Those training dummy guys in the training room… cough cough, even heavy-armored operators can’t take a beating.”

As Gavial spoke her last words, her gaze lingered on Razer's shield before she looked up at her slightly goofy little face.

"I look forward to the opportunity to meet you in the training room," Gavial said, giving a thumbs-up in approval.

"No, no, it hurts my body."

Razer's survival instincts were kicking in; she had a bad feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

"Are you really a medic?" Razer asked, watching Gavial move his wrists and neck, twisting his slender waist from side to side, his bones cracking loudly.

"Of course, you'll get used to it. Which Rhodes Island medic hasn't learned some self-defense skills? Even the seemingly soft and cute Dr. Carter Ansel, his arm strength is enough to easily defeat most guard operators with a wrist swing. Have you ever seen him wield a sword? If he were willing to go to the front lines, Dobermann would happily invite the instructors from the Jaeger group out for drinks; she's been lusting after Ansel for a long time."

After warming up, Gavial slammed her Originium Staff into the ground. She revealed a wild smile and said boldly, "Since I came to Rhodes Island, I have always advocated that every medical operator learn some self-defense skills. After all, our battlefield is not only disease, but sometimes the host of disease itself. If Kal'tsit hadn't prevented me from being the head of the medical department, I would have wanted to have the Guard squad learn medicine. It would be so much better to use what we have on hand."

"Persuade people to study medicine, and the sky thunders."

Razer's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't dare to say what was on his mind.

She suddenly understood how much pressure the unapproachable leader of Rhodes Island was under. Not only did he have to be busy with countless tasks every day, but he also had to prevent the strong-willed operators from destroying his home, acting as both father and mother to them.

"Then, I'll take care of her."

Gavial didn't wait for Razer's response. She took a step forward, not fast, but each step exuding power. It was like a mountain range sweeping in, its imposing presence overwhelming the clouds!

The three-part parasite, Eriel, with a hideous face, convulsed. As Gavial approached, she shrieked and unleashed a towering cloud of dark red mist. This mist, composed of countless insects, surged towards Gavial, the sound of their flapping wings sending shivers down one's spine.

Razer raised its Flash Shield, shielding Natalie and Franka, and nervously watched Gavial's retreating figure. It was unclear how Gavial, caught in the storm, would cope with such a perilous situation.

Gavial raised his hand and slapped Iriet in the direction she was facing.

What appeared to be an ordinary slap created a vacuum, transforming into a shockwave that rushed towards Illie as her arm swayed.

The oncoming blood mist was reversed and flowed backward by the irresistible air wave. Illie, who self-destructed and turned into mist to get rid of the etched bullets churning in her head, was actually shattered into pieces while maintaining her ethereal state, and was almost blown away to the end.