The Return Of The God Level Assassin

Chapter 1223: YUNYUE VS CELESTIALS (VII)

DUAN YU skidded to a stop in front of Song Liuli, eyes scanning her for injuries. ”Are you alright, Lili?”

She waved off his concern with a grin. ”Yeah, Iʼm fine. That pixie nearly blew me up like... twice? But Iʼm still in one piece.”

Duan Yu studied Liuliʼs face carefully. She showed no signs of stress or worry - only relief and happiness at seeing him. That told him everything he needed to know: Liuli wasnʼt the designated target for their team. That left just two possibilities - Li Xu Min or Qiu Ming. For their teamʼs sake, he really hoped it would be Qiu Ming.

Qiu Ming was most likely fighting White Marsh right now, and against that opponent, he stood a decent chance of winning. But Li Xu Min? He was up against YUN at this very moment. And everyone knew how dangerous YUN could be in a one-on-one fight.

If their target was stuck battling YUN, their chances of winning dropped dramatically. But if it was Qiu Ming facing White Marsh? That was a fight they could actually win.

Duan Yu wasnʼt underestimating White Marsh - he just knew how the other fought. White Marsh was the type to charge straight in without overthinking things. As long as Qiu Ming kept his cool and fought smart, he had this in the bag.

Anyway, the gnome was still out there and would probably show up any second now. They should deal with that problem first.

Duan Yu shot Liuli a quick glance, his voice low but steady. ”Lili, when that gnome shows up spraying bullets everywhere, just focus on keeping yourself safe and tossing me buffs. Iʼll take care of all the fighting.”

Song Liuli gave a firm nod. With Duan Yu here, she could concentrate completely on doing what she did best.

Just after she agreed, bullets screamed through the cavern without warning.

Song Liuliʼs immediately raised her staff, her barrier erupting into existence just as the first rounds impacted. The shimmering dome shook violently, cracks splintering across its surface with each hit, protecting her and Duan Yu both.

The attacks came in measured bursts. Three shots, a pause, then five more. Precise and relentless. There was no sound of gunfire beyond the bullets themselves cutting through the air. It was obvious that the gnome was firing from a distance. And since the bullets came from one direction, itʼs easy to guess where he was. Itʼs the direction where Duan Yu came from and also where Morganite met her ʼendʼ.

He narrowed his eyes in that direction. So, the other didnʼt follow him and decided to attack from there. The gnome must have quite a lot of confidence in his aiming skill.

Song Liuli quickly used [Adrenaline Surge] and [Ironhide], golden light wrapping around Duan Yu, sharpening his reflexes and hardening his skin. The buffs settled just as her barrier collapsed under the onslaught.

Duan Yu moved.

He used [Phantom Step]. His body becoming a streak of black as he zigzagged across the area. Bullets chased him, but he was faster now because of the buffs he received. A bullet clipped his arm, the [Ironhide] buff turning a lethal shot into a simple graze. So, it didnʼt stop his movement.

Song Liuli wasnʼt idle either. Her staff glowed as she layered another barrier around herself.

Duan Yu sprinted, eyes locked on the general direction the bullets came from. He had no target. No enemy in sight. Just the certainty that the gnome was somewhere in that direction.

Song Liuliʼs [Sanctuary Pulse] erupted across the area, the golden wave sealing Duan Yuʼs wounds and washing over her own injuries. The moment the healing light faded, another volley tore through the air, forcing her to drop into a roll. Thankfully, she managed to hide behind a huge rock formation.

Duan Yu changed tactics. Instead of charging blindly, he began moving in a wide arc, using the bullet impacts to triangulate the gnomeʼs position. Each shot gave him data—angle, trajectory, timing. The gnome was disciplined. No wasted shots. No wild firing. But every trigger pull was a clue.

He didnʼt need to see the gnome to know his location. The bullets were his guide.

Song Liuliʼs barrier intercepted a fresh barrage of bullets. The impacts came faster now, as if the gnome sensed their growing awareness. She gritted her teeth. That Gunslinger must be burning through his MP if he could continue firing shots like this. But that must be why he was firing at a distance, away from their line of vision. So, he could drink Mana potion without any interference. If they werenʼt the direct target, Song Liuli would admit that it was a damn good strategy.

”Lili, just stay there and keep the barrier around yourself!” he shouted and then his whole body blurred.

Duan Yu used [Phantom Step], the skill combining with Liuliʼs buffs to push his movement speed beyond normal limits. His avatar became a streak of shadow, dodging the bullets and rushing to where the gnome was.

Then the bullets started to chase him. All were focused on his twisting form. That was fine. Better they come for him than risk hitting Liuli by accident. Each shot that missed proved he was getting closer, the attacks growing more frantic as he advanced.

After a while, amidst all the gun smoke, Duan Yu finally saw the figure of the gnome. Unlike earlier, the other was wearing some kind of glasses. He had a feeling that those glasses were the reason how the other managed to attack them so accurately despite the distance.

The other didnʼt seem faze. Instead, he calmly raised his gun—not at Duan Yu, but toward the cavern ceiling. Duan Yu narrowed his eyes. That posture, the gnome must be planning to use one of his most powerful AoE skills.

Duan Yu charged forward, his dagger gleaming as he infused a skill in it. He couldnʼt let that skill go off.

He was just a few steps away from reaching the other when a system notification flashed across Duan Yuʼs vision.

[Jophiel has been eliminated.]