Chapter 57: Enemy Sniper

The precise long-range shot kicked off the night's events.

Amidst Tatamu's astonishment, Alex calmly reloaded his rifle.

The ten or so seconds it took to reload were enough for the members of the Pointed Bull Pirates to react, each taking cover as best they could.

This was an unavoidable drawback of using a flintlock rifle.

If Alex had been using a modern firearm, he was confident he could have taken down several more targets before they could react.

"Keep an eye on your surroundings," Alex reminded his companions before focusing on his next target.

One of the drawbacks of flintlock rifles was the noticeable gunfire and smoke.

After the first shot, the sound and smoke would not only alert the enemy but also reveal the shooter's general direction.

However, it was only a general direction, so the cover the pirates sought wasn't perfect, leaving parts of their bodies exposed.

With Tatamu and Wolf Rat watching his back, Alex didn't have to worry about his immediate surroundings and could focus entirely on finding his next target.

Soon, he spotted a pirate with half his body exposed.

Alex took aim but didn't rush to pull the trigger.

He held his breath, allowing the fuzzy feeling of certainty to grow clearer.

Only then did he fire.

Another shot rang out.

On the deck of the Pointed Bull Pirate Ship, the pirate who had carelessly exposed himself was struck in the chest and collapsed, screaming in pain.

Though the shot wasn't fatal, without immediate treatment, it would be a death sentence.

The surrounding pirates, terrified, didn't dare to risk helping their fallen comrade.

Wells, the ship's sniper, ignored the wounded pirate and focused entirely on the direction of the gunfire.

After spotting the muzzle flash, he quickly set up his rifled rifle and took aim at Alex's position.

The sea breeze blew against his face, causing his eyes to water slightly.

"Damn, it's a headwind..."

Despite the unfavorable conditions, Wells fired a shot before ducking back into cover.

On Top of the Warehouse

Pfft...

The bullet struck the roof several meters away from Alex.

Wolf Rat and Tatamu immediately looked toward the impact point.

The enemy had begun to counterattack.

The fact that they had pinpointed Alex's location so quickly indicated a skilled sniper—likely Wells, one of the Pointed Bull Pirates' cadres.

But it was a pity...

Alex, unfazed, continued reloading his rifle.

Wolf Rat and Tatamu considered warning him but decided against it, not wanting to disrupt his focus.

Alex loaded his third round and calmly took aim again.

Bang!

Another pirate fell on the deck, wounded but not fatally.

After three consecutive hits, the Pointed Bull Pirates grew increasingly fearful.

They couldn't help but glance toward Wells and the other gunners, hoping their snipers would eliminate the threat quickly.

This duel between snipers left the melee fighters feeling helpless, as they could only watch and wait.

Feeling the pressure from his crewmates, Wells and the other gunners gritted their teeth and fired several shots toward Alex's position.

However, firing against the wind, even with the superior range and accuracy of their rifled rifles, made it difficult to pose a real threat to Alex.

Over the next few exchanges, four more pirates fell.

The crew began to realize that their snipers were being suppressed by a single enemy sniper.

The stark contrast between the enemy's skill and their own snipers' performance was both terrifying and demoralizing.

Gabaldon, the captain of the melee team, crouched behind the mast, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

He calmly observed Wells' frustrated expression and decided it was time to act.

"Wells, since we can't beat the enemy sniper, cover us while we move to a safer position."

"Understood," Wells replied through gritted teeth.

Wells took command, ordering the gunners to provide suppressing fire while directing the melee fighters to safer positions.

The cost of this maneuver was one of their gunners being shot in the head.

By the time the suppressing fire ended, Alex had fired ten shots, killing two pirates and seriously wounding six.

An 80% hit rate sent chills down Wells' spine.

Gabaldon, however, remained calm. He glanced toward the captain's cabin and shouted, "Captain, should we hold our ground, or should I take a team to eliminate that sniper?"

After a moment, Kazet's voice came from inside the cabin.

"Go for it."

The two short words were laced with barely contained anger.

With the captain's approval, Gabaldon signaled five crew members to follow him.

He then turned to Wells and said, "Cover us."

"Understood," Wells replied, swallowing his shame.

Under the cover of Wells and the other gunners, Gabaldon and his team disembarked and began advancing toward Alex's position.

On Top of the Warehouse

Alex, still reloading, noticed the group of pirates leaving the ship.

In front of him, a bullet hole marked the closest shot the enemy had landed.

"Wolf Rat, it's almost time," Alex reminded.

Wolf Rat nodded. "Be safe."

With that, he and Tatamu jumped down from the warehouse to intercept Gabaldon's squad.

Once Wolf Rat and Tatamu were gone, Alex finished reloading.

He set up his rifle and aimed at the deck of the Pointed Bull Pirate Ship, focusing on Wells' position.

"Found you, my dear prey," Alex murmured with a faint smile, ignoring the bullets whizzing past him.

The enemy's firing frequency had increased, but Alex knew it was a desperate attempt to suppress him while Gabaldon's team advanced.

"But I also have a qualified hitter," Alex whispered to himself.

If Tatamu counted, that made two.

Alex fired a random shot toward the deck, then moved to a new sniping position while reloading.

From now on, his only target was Wells.

Meanwhile

The gunfight had attracted the attention of several pirate groups stationed nearby.

Hidden in the shadows around the Pointed Bull Pirate Ship, scouts from various crews watched the scene unfold.

"Finally, someone's made a move..."

"Which pirate group's sniper is that? He's terrifyingly strong!"

The scouts, like sharks smelling blood, bared their fangs.

If the opportunity arose, the once-untouchable Pointed Bull Pirate Group would become a piece of delicious prey.