chapter ten

"If only I had a bow and arrows..."

The moment this thought crossed John's mind, he felt a strange energy surge through his body. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he saw something forming between his hands. In the blink of an eye, he was holding a bow made of sleek, black material and a sharp arrow pulsating with energy.

He stared at the weapon that had appeared out of nowhere, feeling as if it had been crafted just for him. The grip was perfect, the string was taut exactly as he liked. This wasn't just any bow—it was an extension of his inner power, responding to his desire in a way he couldn't explain.

But there was no time to dwell on it now.

He quickly raised his head, seeing the moving targets flickering in and out of existence as if challenging his aim. He didn't hesitate—he pulled the string back, loosed an arrow… and hit the target dead-on, scoring his first point in the trial.

"Well, that was easy."

But his words had barely left his lips when a deep mechanical voice echoed behind him.

"Devil Emulator has detected you."

John spun around, eyes widening as he saw the monstrous machine heading straight for him. It moved with terrifying speed, its glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness, and its mechanical arm raising a rifle with a blazing muzzle.

"Damn it!"

John dashed forward, rolling through a narrow passage just as a shot was fired. The energy blast struck a reflective wall, ricocheting into another corner before dissipating. He knew he couldn't keep running forever.

On the other side of the maze, Greed watched everything unfold from a distance.

With his cybernetic arm, he unleashed a series of shots, hitting the targets with deadly precision. He never needed to reload—his arm functioned with ruthless efficiency.

But he wasn't oblivious to John, who was desperately evading the Devil Emulator.

"That idiot needs help," Greed muttered to himself.

He wasn't the type to cooperate, but he knew that taking down the targets alone wouldn't be enough. This maze required something else: strategy.

He sprinted toward John as the machine fired again.

"Hey, you! Jump!"

John didn't hesitate. He propelled himself upward, and as he was mid-air, Greed fired a shot at the ground beneath him, using the force of the explosion to push John away from the line of fire.

John landed on his feet, barely believing he was still alive. He looked at Greed, who stood firmly in front of him, his cybernetic arm aimed at the Devil Emulator.

Without taking his eyes off the target, Greed said, "You're a good shot, but you're not fast enough. How about we team up?"

John took a deep breath, realizing that Greed had managed to distract the Devil Emulator for just a moment. He didn't have a better option.

"Deal. I'll take out the targets, you cover me."

Greed smirked confidently. "Agreed."

In the next moment, the two of them dashed through the maze, working as a team for the first time. John focused on landing precise shots on the targets, while Greed used his cybernetic arm not just to hit targets, but also to shield John from sudden attacks by the Devil Emulator.

"Right side!" Greed shouted.

John moved swiftly, dodging a stray shot before loosing an arrow that struck a fast-moving target.

"Ahead! Three targets in a row!" John called out.

Greed didn't hesitate. He raised his arm and fired three consecutive shots, hitting all three targets in a flash.

With every passing second, they racked up more points, drawing closer and closer to the required score. But they both knew…

The real danger was far from over.

Because the Devil Emulator was only the beginning.