Storm Trial (2)

He started his second attempt.

As soon as he felt the same air and heard the booming thunder, Noah moved his right leg back turning, a bolt of lightning hit where he stood, it swiftly moved on and hit the man next to him.

The man died again.

Most of the trial was the same, so it was easy to raise your grade, it was just that the price doubled each time. The price was already expensive, even he wouldn't bother to try after his fifth attempt.

Noah pulled up his rifle and shot, moving back.

"Where are you going? Don't leave your position!"

Noah didn't answer as he ran to get the things. As he picked the same things, he picked up something else he hadn't noticed before.

The man saw Noah sitting on the canon, "We aren't authorised to use the cannon! Get off."

Sitting in the cannon seat Noah activated Overdrive and loaded the crystal.

BOOM!

"You're crazy! You'll get us killed!"

"Help me! if we do this well, we'll do significant damage and be able to get enough merits to increase our ranks. I'll shoot the canon, you take control of the ship and steer it to to the left, moving close to another ship. We'll evacuate to it later."

The man frustrated decided to trust Noah, "Fine I'll trust you!"

Noah was able to aim better than before having it done it once. He was able to have all his shots hit the exact same spot causing a crack on the crystal.

Feeling it was time to retreat Noah took out another gun from his inventory, it was a grappling hook he found downstairs. He shot to his left at the ship near them.

The man felt nervous seeing the Manifestation look in their direction, "You've grabbed its attention! How do we survive this-" the man turned around and saw Noah holding the grappling hook.

"Sorry, you shouldn't have trusted me so easily," Noah said with a guilty smile the grappling hook locked around the rail of the ship next to them and pulled him off the one he was currently on. The man watched in shock. As lightning came from behind and devoured him and destroyed the ship.

Noah trapped the railing and got on board. He took out the Mini Mana Railgun as he ran across. He activated Overdrive on both pieces of equipment in his hands. He used the grappling hook to move to another ship, while he shot with the Mini Mana Railgun.

Getting on the next one, thump, thump, thump he ran across and jumped off, grappling onto another while simultaneously shooting at the Manifestation of Storm.

The soldiers busy in their own fight didn't have time to notice Noah.

Running across all the ships he made it to the large battleship with the canon.

Grappling to it Noah threw the Mini Mana Railgun into the ocean using all its energy. He then landed on it, this one compared to the others was manned by hundreds of people.

Boom! Lightning struck a man in a gun turret causing him to fall off the ship. Noah ran to him and grabbed the keys the man was holding, letting the man fall. He then jumped into the gun turret.

[D Class Firearm Mastery has met the condition. You may use the Small Gun Turret.]

Putting the key in Noah started shooting. BRRR...!

The gun turret had two cylinders shooting dense mana bullets. It took a moment to get used to but was Noah was able to get it. He activated Overdrive and increased its powers, aiming for the Crystal. His Firearm Mastery worked, which powered up the bullets, caused the turret to shoot even faster and allowed him to even bend the path of bullets.

However, he was shooting too many at the same time so it was too difficult to use bullet rebound on each one. He was only able to make slight alterations which made sure all his bullets hit around his target.

The admiral walked out at the top, "Use Air Bubble Shield!"

Noah understood the command was directed to everyone on board. He complied.

"Resonance!"

"Combination!"

The shields combined and formed a large air bubble shield.

"Stand Our Ground!" The Admiral used another skill strengthening the shield. The Manifestation of Storm caused the all-encompassing tsunami again. The water fell on the ship but passed over. It was as if the battleship had turned into a submarine.

Noah looked around and saw that all soldiers had stopped to continue casting Air Bubble Shield. While he could still move around because of his talent.

He got out of the turret and climbed up the ship to the top with the help of mana. A man at the top released the giant railgun. It was much earlier than his last attempt, but he understood that the shots from his mini railgun and turret had caused a lot more damage bringing the final attack forward.

The Railgun was completely released just as the man got on he turned to look around sensing danger. Noah was after, he chopped at the back of his neck and caught the falling man. Laying him on the ground and taking the key Noah jumped in.

[D Class Firearm Mastery is not enough. Performance of Greater Railgun is significantly reduced.]

Overdrive! Noah felt all his mana drain as the skill failed. He drank a mana potion and tried again, succeeding. He locked in the belts as he put his hand on the trigger and controls. He started aiming the Railgun into position.

Unlike the last run, the Manifestation of Storm wouldn't be sealed. He knew that he only had one shot and needed to make sure it hit.

The water passed and the shield wore off. Noah got ready.

"You! Name yourself!" The man next to Noah woke up and pointed a silver pistol onto Noah's head as he asked.

Noah activated Cold Mind. Just because he didn't have the skill for it didn't mean he couldn't use it. Winter Style was a technique he had trained in, not something the system gave him. He felt time slow down, but the effects were as if it was his first time using it.

"Fire!" The Admiral shouted.

Noah didn't answer and pressed the button.

BAANNNGG!

The man holding the pistol looked at the aim of the gun and saw that it was off, 'No it won't kill!'

Noah naturally thought the same seeing the trajectory. In his slowed world he used Bullet Rebound, causing a single degree change in trajectory, enough for the projectile to hit the crystal and shatter it.

Cough, cough. Noah spat out blood for overusing his mana. Changing the direction of such a large high-speed projectile was too much for him.

The world turned black as he reappeared in the darkness.

[Well done human, you have completed the Trial!

You have completed the task: Stealing all the Glory

Grade: Perfect

Do you wish to proceed to the reward or try again for 200 gold? (Once the reward is taken you will not be able to enter the trial again)]

He had gotten the highest score, it was likely a Diamond rank enhancer. However, before he accepted he asked.

"System, what's the reward?"

[???]

"Okay then, have I gotten the highest grade?"

[No.]

"What?" He had just asked it casually he didn't think there was actually a higher grade.

"Show me the rewards list."

[Rewards for the Firearm Mastery-

Beyond Perfect- ???

Perfect- ???

Excellent- Bullet Storm (Gold)

Very Good- Bullet Storm (Silver)

Good- Bullet Strom (Bronze)

Average- Bullet Storm (Iron)

Failure- None]

[You have met the conditions by getting a perfect grade in your first three attempts to unlock the 'Beyond Perfect' grade. Would you like to try again for it?]

"Yes." Noah naturally wanted to get the highest grade he could get.

He changed the way to do things. He needed to figure out something that was so impressive that it was better than his last run.

This time he moved back and saved the person instead of letting him die from the lightning strike at the beginning. He then kept things normal not shooting from the canon and saved people as they sailed along. He finally left the ship and moved around helping as many soldiers and sailors as he could.

Noah appeared back in the darkness and walked out.

[The Trial is over.

You have completed task: Saving Lives

Grade: Excellent

Do you wish to proceed to the reward or try again for 400 gold? (Once the reward is taken you will not be able to enter the trial again)]

Seeing that his score hadn't reached Perfect much less Beyond Perfect. It seemed that he hadn't done the task well enough to get the score. He would probably have to save every being if he wanted Beyond Perfect and that was basically impossible. Multiple would die together he couldn't save everyone.

He went back to his old strategy and tried it again. This time he stole another Mini Mana Railgun from the nearby ship. As he travelled with the grappling hook he would switch between guns. He had gotten used to doing this with the staffs he normally had on his back.

He was able to pull it off and get double the amount of hits on to the Manifestation of Storm.

He then reached the large ship. Instead of going for the gun turret nearby, he ran to the larger gun turret at the front of the ship. The water rose from the ocean and grabbed the person manning the turret pulling them off the ship.

Just as the other one was about to fall. Noah was able to reach in time and held onto him.

"Please don't let go!"

Noah was able to hold out and save him.

"Let's get on, we need to get the hits in!" Noah shouted as he jumped in the turret. This one needed two people so he needed the man's help.

[D Class Firearm Mastery meets the requirement. You may use the Greater Gun Turret.]

The two got on and went all out. Noah used all his ability onto the turret and didn't try for the Railgun. The final shot from the railgun came and gave the finishing blow.

[Well done human, you have completed the Trial!

You have completed the task: Significant Damage

Grade: Perfect

Do you wish to proceed to the reward or try again for 800 gold? (Once the reward is taken you will not be able to enter the trial again)]

He still didn't get Beyond Perfect, he stopped and decided to come back later after thinking of another plan.

"I'm leaving."

[Exit without claiming the reward?]

"Yes."