Infinity, The Arcade Age

Seated atop their respective Metal Slug Tanks, both Qin Ming and O'Neill led the charge at the front lines.

Each wielding a heavy machine gun, their eyes locked in an intense stare.

The next moment, O'Neill roared and unleashed a torrent of bullets in Qin Ming's direction.

Scowling, Qin Ming wasted no time retaliating, raising his machine gun and firing back.

Flames erupted as the two men traded gunfire, neither bothering to dodge. Bullets sparked against their bodies, ricocheting off with dazzling bursts.

Beneath them, their Metal Slug Tanks joined the chaos, exchanging fierce firepower with the surrounding tanks.

Beta, manning one of Qin Ming's tanks, slammed on the accelerator, barreling toward the enemy lines while firing relentlessly.

The tanks clashed in a close-quarters melee, with both sides forming lines and passing each other in deadly, head-on confrontations.

Soldiers from both forces scrambled for cover and opened fire, the battlefield engulfed in a cacophony of machine gunfire and exploding artillery.

At the center of the chaos, a silver and an iron-gray Metal Slug Tank circled each other in a ferocious duel. Cannons roared as shells streaked past, each near-miss erupting in thunderous blasts.

When a shell did connect, it sent the tanks reeling, skidding backward with violent sparks flying.

The Metal Slug Tank had been the regular army's ace, their ultimate hope for turning the tide. Its unmatched resilience and advanced capabilities made it a pinnacle of black technology.

Ordinary tanks stood no chance against it, often crumbling in mere moments. If deployed en masse, these tanks could turn any battlefield into a nightmare.

Yet now, the regular army's most advanced weapon was locked in a brutal stalemate with its counterpart, neither able to gain the upper hand.

Above the circling tanks, Qin Ming and O'Neill, standing just meters apart, continued their relentless gunfight.

Seeing O'Neill take two full clips of bullets without flinching—his body seemingly unscathed—Qin Ming's expression shifted to one of sheer disbelief.

When he finally got a closer look at O'Neill's stats, his shock only deepened.

Name: Allen O'Neill (Metal Slug 1)

Strength: 50

Constitution: 50

Agility: 20

Spirit: 20

Skills:Super Soldier Serum (A-Rank)Firearms Mastery (B-Rank)Weapon Proficiency (B-Rank)Combat Proficiency (B-Rank)

Description: A fearsome general of the Morden Army, former high-ranking officer of the regular army, and a survivor of the regular army's gene modification project. He is undefeated in battle.

"Fifty points in both Strength and Constitution? An A-Rank physical enhancement skill?"

Qin Ming couldn't help but gape.

"In a world like this, where most people have flimsy stats, there's actually a monster like this? A walking tank!"

While Qin Ming was momentarily stunned, O'Neill, having emptied his machine gun's ammo, suddenly bellowed and hurled the weapon at him.

The gun struck Qin Ming squarely, causing him to stumble.

Seizing the moment, O'Neill leaped from his tank, pouncing on Qin Ming and yanking him off his own vehicle.

The two of them tumbled to the ground with a heavy thud.

O'Neill rolled smoothly to his feet, pulling a tactical knife from his belt. Like a raging tiger, he charged at the prone Qin Ming, aiming for a killing blow.

But before the blade could pierce him, Qin Ming performed a nimble kip-up from the ground.

Bringing his legs together, Qin Ming kicked O'Neill squarely in the chest, sending him flying backward.

Leaping to his feet, Qin Ming raised his arms and launched a countercharge.

Opposite him, O'Neill slid to a stop, quickly regaining his footing. His expression twisted with rage as he turned his tactical knife in hand and lunged forward with a rapid triple stab.

But the three strikes, delivered with astonishing speed, were all blocked by Qin Ming's golden armguards.

Sparks flew as the blade clashed with the armguards, neither side managing to gain the upper hand.

O'Neill's face darkened in shock at having his close-range attacks completely thwarted. Before he could adjust his tactics, Qin Ming delivered a devastating punch to his exposed chest, sending him hurtling backward.

White flames flickered around Qin Ming's arms as he shook his hands, his face stern as he watched O'Neill stand up again, seemingly unharmed by the blow.

O'Neill clutched his chest, his expression filled with disbelief as he stared at Qin Ming.

It was the first time O'Neill had encountered someone who could suppress him in hand-to-hand combat.

Grinding his teeth, O'Neill drew a second knife, one held in a forward grip and the other in reverse. With a furious roar, he charged again.

Qin Ming's eyes gleamed with fiery determination. Raising his fists, he stepped forward to meet the charge.

The indestructible armguards and the razor-sharp twin blades clashed violently once more.

On the chaotic battlefield, surrounded by gunfire and explosions, the metallic clang of their close-quarters combat echoed incessantly.

There was no denying O'Neill's formidable combat skills. As one of the army's top warriors, he was a true king of soldiers.

The twin military knives in his hands moved with impeccable precision, forming an impenetrable web of attacks. A single misstep could result in a deep gash or even a fatal stab.

Combined with his immense strength and near-invincible body, O'Neill was like a human tank—no, a human Gundam.

Unfortunately for him, his opponent was also a close-combat specialist.

In terms of strength, Qin Ming was on par with O'Neill.

In terms of skill, Qin Ming's A-Rank Combat Technique placed him a level above.

This led to O'Neill, despite his relentless offensive, being overpowered and kept on the defensive by Qin Ming's counterattacks.

At one point, O'Neill made a slight misstep, and Qin Ming seized the opportunity to grab his arm and sink his teeth into it.

Feeling his stamina plummet rapidly, O'Neill found himself losing even his one remaining advantage—his superior stats.

As O'Neill swung his arms in a desperate attempt to break free, Qin Ming deflected both of his knives with a powerful strike, sending them flying.

Seizing the moment, Qin Ming delivered a flying kick to O'Neill's chest, launching him several meters through the air.

Landing lightly on his feet, Qin Ming shook out his arms and raised his fists, his brow furrowed.

Though he had clearly dominated the fight, Qin Ming couldn't help feeling shocked.

He had discovered that his Dreamlike Shiranui Fire had no effect on this boss.

No—that wasn't entirely true. It had taken effect, but O'Neill's defenses had completely nullified its debuff.

O'Neill's A-Rank Skill was similar to Qin Ming's own Thick-Skinned Talent, granting him a high-level damage reduction ability.

(End of Chapter)