Infinity, The Arcade Age

The river was filled with corpses, and the once-clear water had turned a deep crimson with blood.

Tarma, wielding his upgraded silver-grade light machine gun, had wrought havoc upon the enemy cavalry. Whether his original version could have achieved such devastation was debatable, but this enhanced summoned version left no doubt.

The surviving cavalry scrambled toward the riverbank in a desperate bid for safety. Yet, before they could escape, Tarma's relentless gunfire cut them down, one after another, their cries filling the air as they fell into the water.

Amidst the chaos, the lieutenant in charge of the pursuit stood frozen in the river, gripping his saber. His face was blank, his mind unable to process the scene before him: soldiers fleeing in a blind panic, their numbers rapidly dwindling, some collapsing mid-run into the bloody waters.

After several seconds, the lieutenant snapped back to reality. Abandoning his post, he sprinted toward a nearby horse, shoving aside a soldier attempting to mount it.

Spurring the horse, he galloped toward the forest in a desperate attempt to escape.

Tarma's brows furrowed as he adjusted his aim, unleashing a burst of bullets at the fleeing officer.

The shots struck both the lieutenant and his horse, eliciting a grunt from the man and a shrill cry from the beast.

Though wounded, the horse seemed to lose all sense of reason, charging wildly into the forest at an even faster pace.

Tarma hesitated, then shifted his focus back to the soldiers in the water, continuing his merciless assault.

Meanwhile, the lieutenant urged his horse onward, ignoring the pain from his injuries. His face twisted into a grimace, but as the forest loomed closer and his speed increased, a flicker of hope appeared in his eyes.

That hope was short-lived.

At the edge of the forest, a figure stood waiting, calm and unmoving. The lieutenant's blood ran cold as he recognized the man—his target.

It was Qin Ming.

The lieutenant gritted his teeth and leaned into the saddle, urging his horse to charge even faster.

The wounded animal, driven by pain and desperation, thundered toward Qin Ming at full speed.

Qin Ming watched the oncoming threat, his eyes narrowing. Lowering his stance, he raised his right hand as violent winds and flames began swirling around it.

As the horse neared, Qin Ming sidestepped at the last moment, avoiding the charge. Simultaneously, he knelt and hurled his Sonic Hand Slash.

The fiery, spinning air blade skimmed just above the ground, striking the horse's legs as it passed.

In an instant, the horse's four limbs were severed, and it crashed to the ground with a sickening thud.

The lieutenant, caught off guard, was flung from the saddle, tumbling across the ground before struggling to rise.

Before he could recover, Qin Ming stepped forward, delivering a devastating uppercut with a flaming fist.

Move: Notorious Flow: Sonic Rising Fist!

The lieutenant was launched skyward, his body jerking violently from the impact.

Qin Ming didn't stop.

Drawing on his full strength, he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks:

Left-hand Sonic Slash!

Right-hand Sonic Slash!

Dual-hand Combination Slash!

Blades of compressed air flew one after another, striking the airborne lieutenant. Each strike tore through his armor, shredded his helmet, and ripped apart his flesh, leaving him bloodied and broken.

As the lieutenant's body began its final descent, Qin Ming roared, gathering his energy for a finishing blow.

With both arms spread wide, he unleashed an enormous Sonic Hand Slash, the blade spanning over two meters.

The spinning projectile tore through the lieutenant's falling body, splitting him cleanly in two, before continuing into the forest.

The sound of splintering wood echoed as the Sonic Hand Slash carved a ten-meter path through the trees, leaving a gaping trail of destruction.

The lieutenant's severed remains fell to the ground with a sickening splat, his shattered helmet rolling to a stop at Qin Ming's feet.

Qin Ming planted a foot on the helmet, his breath ragged from the exertion.

"Damn. Even a minor boss is this tough?" Qin Ming muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "How strong is Li Dian going to be?"

Turning toward the river, Qin Ming saw that the battle there was over. Nearly 80 cavalrymen had been decimated, with fewer than 20 managing to escape.

Ghost Lady was gathering the spoils from the defeated soldiers, while Tarma strolled over, casually slinging his light machine gun over his shoulder. His mirrored sunglasses gleamed ominously in the sunlight.

Seeing Tarma, Ghost Lady froze, her eyes wide with recognition.

"Wait… isn't he one of the main characters from Metal Slug? You can summon him?!"

She turned to Qin Ming, disbelief etched on her face. "You've been hiding this? Why didn't you use him in the last world?"

Qin Ming approached her calmly, reaching into Tarma's pocket to pull out a cigarette. Lighting it with a snap of his fingers—a trick using his Notorious Flow skill—he took a long drag before replying.

"Why would I need him? Against you, I was enough."

Ghost Lady's face stiffened, her lips trembling as she struggled to find a retort.

In the end, she couldn't argue.

Qin Ming was right—he hadn't needed help to deal with her.

If Tarma had joined the fight, the outcome would have been even more lopsided. Ghost Lady realized that against the combination of a relentless close-combat monster like Qin Ming and a gun master like Tarma, she wouldn't have stood a chance.

What would you do?

If you stayed at a distance, you'd be pinned down by Tarma's overwhelming firepower.

If you closed the gap, you'd have to face Qin Ming in melee combat, where his raw strength and relentless aggression could end the fight in seconds.

Fighting both at once? It was a nightmare scenario.

Ghost Lady shivered at the thought, realizing just how terrifying the duo could be.

(End of Chapter)