Break Through (Part 2)

"Tiger I, defense 35, armor 280, artillery damage 300. Weaknesses: The top, the underbelly, the tracks."

Armor for mechanical entities was comparable to HP for beings.

This is what Keanu learned after a spiritual exploration.

"Wow!" Keanu admired, shaking his head.

A Tiger I for a formal mission was a step up from the Silver Wolf he faced during his rookie mission.

Getting hit by a tank shell meant imminent death for an adventurer given their current Vitality. Its firepower was even greater than that of a boss. On the flip side, it was significantly less agile, had a low attack rate, and numerous weak points.

The issue was their multitude.

At the moment, Keanu and Kitty were taking cover behind a small run-down house. "Three Tiger I tanks. What do we do? Our firepower can't touch them," she asked.

"I'll handle this. Watch my six," Keanu answered coldly.

"You'll handle it?" Kitty asked, surprised, just as something appeared in Keanu's hand.

"A portable anti-tank rocket launcher?" Kitty exclaimed in shock. "You've prepared pretty well too, huh? Is it the unlimited type?" she asked.

Keanu chuckled, shaking his head, "How could it be? This is the most common type. One shot, one reload, with the need for manual target correction. Moreover, the recoil is massive. Each use will cost the user 7 HP. An average person, without fortification, could kill themselves from the impact after 13 consecutive uses. However, the power isn't too shabby. Rocket attack damage is 300, with a 50 muzzle kinetic bonus, 10% penetration effect, only effective against large armored weapons, cannot attack adventurers, and damage against humans is reduced by 50%. This item is a one-time use, limited to this mission only. After the mission ends, the item will disappear."

Kitty laughed and continued observing through her telescope, "There's one at eleven o'clock, one at twelve, and one at one. Each followed by about thirty Nazi soldiers."

"I've got this," Keanu readied a rocket. "The moment I fire this, whether I hit or not, we change positions."

"Understood, I'll cover you," Kitty affirmed, swinging her light machine gun.

Keanu peered from the safety of the building, a long rocket tube aimed at a Tiger tank. A high-pitched whistle resonated as the rocket skimmed the ground and hit the tank square on, taking its toll on one of the Tigers. Several Nazi soldiers charged forth, only for Kitty to gun down a few. The rest promptly took cover.

"Run!" Keanu shouted, putting away the rocket launcher.

Together, they made a run for it.

Predictably, the remaining Tiger tanks adjusted their artillery barrels. With a single shot, they leveled the building. But by the time they did, the duo had already made their escape and hidden themselves once more.

Seeing one of the Tiger tanks destroyed, the adventurers' morale was rejuvenated. "Holy smokes, who's the loaded guy who can afford a rocket launcher?" one of them exclaimed.

"You're practically becoming an idol, can't you lay low a little?" Kitty asked Keanu.

"Lay low?" Keanu chuckled. "You're overthinking. This is a kill-or-be-killed world. Maintaining a low profile for the sake of showboating later is an asinine notion bordering on suicide. The more capable you are, the more people are drawn to follow you. To have a noteworthy presence when needed is the key to surviving well."

In the grand scheme of things, people naturally aligned with the powerful, not the weak. Relying on others to recognize your hidden potential? That's wishful thinking. Better to outshine what you've got.

A value-add was always preferable to being a savior in dire times.

If you expect to cultivate non-power-based friendships in a place like Infinity City, it's a pipe dream.

By that same logic, if Keanu hadn't revealed his prowess as a novice on par with the experienced veterans, getting the other adventurers on board with his plan to head north would have been an uphill battle.

Or would they even give him the chance to speak?

Imagine if the chubby one who forgot how to parachute had commanded everyone to charge north. Would they have listened? The likely outcome would have been everyone following suit and heading south.

Hence, Keanu was never one to shy away from showcasing his power, as long as he didn't reveal all his cards.

As if to validate Keanu's logic, they saw people starting to converge towards them, undoubtedly drawn by the rocket launcher.

And the effect was instantaneous.

"You're right," Kitty admitted. "In this world, might makes right. I was wrong to underestimate the folly of pointless modesty. Your rocket launcher is earning its keep."

Keanu chuckled, "It's not pricey. It costs only 450 CP. It's the rockets that burn through money, at 5 CP a pop."

"How many rockets did you buy?"

"Seventy, along with the launcher, landing me 800 CP in total."

No wonder none of the other adventurers had this weapon. An 800 CP consumable was a luxury most simply couldn't afford. Only Keanu, with his windfall from the newbie level, could splurge like that.

"I don't know if it'll be sufficient," Kitty said, furrowing her brows. "This is just the beginning. We'll encounter more tanks and artillery as we push forward."

Keanu's voice hit a strange note as he replied, "I don't know if it's enough, but I do know something else now."

"Oh?"

"Taking out a Tiger I tank rewards 25 CP," Keanu gestured to his emblem. Kitty was visibly thrilled.

Yet, Keanu felt that this meager reward – exclusive of any loot – exhibited unprecedented stinginess.

Official missions quite didn't yield as rich profits as the rookie levels, did they?

"Report your positions. There are still two tanks left. I'll take one, you take the other. I can lend this to you," Keanu pitched.

Kitty had a sweet smile on her face, "Thank you, you're a good man."

Keanu shivered, surprised at receiving praise from the charming police officer, especially given his top-tier fugitive status. Life was full of surprises!

With two loud explosions, they took down the Tiger tanks, fueling the adventurers' exuberant cheers. Their spirits lifted, and they resumed their charge towards the Nazi front line. ...

As the Tiger tanks were destroyed, the adventurers launched a counterattack.

Many displayed impressive skills, employing a variety of attack methods that were delightfully diverse. Some manipulated flying swords, others exploited surrounding vegetation for attack, whereas some possessed skills resembling telekinesis or elemental magic. From afar, two adventurers silently cast spells that summoned a frosty blizzard and an echoing firestorm, the mix of colors creating a spectacular sight within the enemy ranks.

Although these were mostly low-level skills with little effect on the Tiger tanks, they proved more than sufficient when it came to killing infantry.

Keanu and Kitty stayed behind the main force, using their guns as main weapons. They mowed down the German soldiers around them at intervals. A considerable number of adventurers diverged from the main group and instinctively gathered around Keanu.

An adventurer hit by several bullets, his HP dropped to a critical level, collapsed, unable to get back on his feet. He cried out, "Wait up! Someone help me!"

However, no one responded. In battle, it was every adventurer for themself. They already deemed it merciful to not seize the opportunity to kill him instead.

Understanding the grim reality of his situation, the fallen adventurer cussed out loud in frustration.

Keanu, eyeing the injured man from afar, told Kitty, "Stay put for a moment. Going to help him."

Kitty, taken aback, did not object. Nodding, she confirmed, "Alright, I'll wait here."

Braving the rain of bullets, Keanu rushed over to the injured adventurer and gravely asked, "Can you hang on?"

The injured adventurer, gritting his teeth in pain, grumbled, "I can't hang on... No money for meds, gonna die here... I want to go home..."

Keanu gave a rueful smile and placed his hand on the adventurer's wound, "Bear with me. I'll help you."

The fallen adventurer felt a surge of warmth and watched as his wound began to heal at a visible speed. The bleeding ceased, and so did the pain.

Keanu's medical spell reached level two, capable of restoring forty HP for an average gunshot wound in one go. The fallen adventurer had low vitality, merely 100 HP, and only a sliver of HP remained. But thanks to Keanu's healing, his HP instantly bounced back by half, leaving him overwhelmed with joy.

"Cooling down for a minute, then I can heal you again," Keanu advised.

With the destruction of the Tiger tanks, the adventurers each mounted their counterattack.

Seeing Keanu's healing spell, Kitty questioned, "Is this your skill?"

"Yes." He replied shortly.

Witnessing this miraculous recovery, several adventurers shouted, "That guy can heal!"

A throng of adventurers hurried over. A sturdy, diminutive adventurer bellowed at Keanu, "Are you a doctor? Do you have healing skills?"

"Yes, I do. But I ain't a doctor."

"Hey, kid, I've taken a bit of a hit. Can you patch me up?"

Keanu apprised his health with a spiritual exploration skill and shook his head, "There's no need. You've lost only around 10 HP. My healing spell has SP limitations. Don't seek my help for wounds less severe than 40 HP. It's quite a waste. And besides, I don't appreciate your manner of addressing me."

Infuriated, the adventurer snapped. He aimed his gun at Keanu and shouted, "Are you going to heal me or not?"

Keanu retorted coldly, "Here's a warning. Don't aim your gun at me."

"I've got a warning for you too, Doc. Don't mess with me. Think you're hot stuff because you got a rocket launcher?"

"I warned you. Do not call me a doctor," he said, while quickly snatching the adventurer's gun and aiming it skyward. Bullets spewed into the open sky. A series of shots from his spirit gun hit the adversary square in the chest.

The adventurer was unprepared for the attack and crumpled to the ground. Having amplified his body for strength, he survived the onslaught, but couldn't withstand the barrage of bullets. Keanu watched him writhe in pain and said coldly, "For the last time, I am not your battlefield surgeon. I am the battlefield's butcher."

Seeing this unfold, the group arriving on the scene was stumped. Keanu stomped out the flame on the fallen adventurer's chest and pointed, "Only seek my help if you suffer this kind of injury. It'll cost 30 CP for each treatment."

A burst of gunfire rang in the air as Keanu put a trio of bullets in the head of the incapacitated adventurer, finishing him off. Coolly, he added, "I make it a point not to leave unfinished business."

Everyone fell into silence. No one wanted to stick their neck out for a dead man. Especially not when the man in question was their main fighter against tanks and the only one with healing skills.

To establish authority quickly, one must demonstrate both power and audacity.