Chapter 46

Alex who noticed a close range gun fight was useless, distanced himself from Lyner and started shooting at long range . Lyner who saw Alex changing tactics smiled, shooting at the same time as Alex . It was then that Alex saw something he has never seen before happen, right before his very eyes, the bullet he shot was deflected by another bullet . Alex was bewildered at what he had witnessed, but only for a moment and continued shooting . In a battle one mustn't lose concentration even for a second . Alex started to analyze how Lyner was able to deflect bullets with bullets . When Alex finally came to a conclusion, he tried shooting and deflecting Lyner's bullets as well .

Lyner seeing Alex copy his technique was getting even more excited, this was truly the fight he hoped for, a fight were the stench of death surrounded them . The fight with guns at hand felt endless, but even though the two's stamina could last longer than most, their bullets couldn't . The two had finally used up all their bullets .

"It seems like our marksmanship is about the same . Truly I'm surprised Alex, you're practically at my level . Most probably the only reason you haven't gotten to SS rank yet is because you're too young and lack the experience . . . " Lyner started to ponder while facing Alex, as if showing he had room to spare . Alex didn't really care for this gesture, this was clearly an act to lure him in .

"I don't really care about that right now . How about you just admit defeat and become our adviser . " Alex calmly asked Lyner .

"And miss out on all this fun!?" Lyner attacked Alex while laughing joyfully .

Alex and Lyner started fighting but this time with their fists . The fight between the two made other hand to hand combat specialists look like they were just exercising . A punch, a kick, evading, deflecting, all there movements were precise, and left no room for mistakes .

Alex finally noticed that this old man called Lyner, is an equal to him in both speed and technique . If they fought like this it would take hours, and Alex would eventually lose the game of tag by default .

'It doesn't seem like plan B will work either, time to initiate plan C . ' When Alex was about to change strategies, something from the distance flashed, it darted pass Lyner .

BANG!

Lyner who was having the time of his life, while fighting Alex, finally noticed that a bullet had grazed his right shoulder . Between a fight of individuals with similar abilities, a moment's distraction was fatal . Alex who saw an opening reacted quickly and was able to hit Lyner at his chin .

Lyner who was too slow to react smiled as his consciousness faded . 'I forgot what it felt like to lose . . . It really isn't that bad . ' After that thought pass his mind Lyner fainted .

Alex looked at the direction where the shot came from, there he saw Oliver leaving the premise . He was at the sniping position Alex was at . 'Oliver must've found my gun and waited for the perfect moment to shoot . As expected of him clean and efficient'

Alex saluted at Olvier .

. . .

Oliver was shocked that the gun was real . When he first saw it, he simply thought that it might be a replica, but when he pulled the trigger the recoil was too great to be a fake, and an actual bullet came out . He looked at where he fired the rifle at, there he saw Alex and Lyner, it seems like no one got hit . Oliver placed the rifle aside and retreated . As long as no one saw him it was alright he was safe, that's what he thought . Oliver quickly left the rooftop, to escape the scene of the crime, but little did he know Alex already saw him .

. . .

Alex looked at the fallen Lyner and felt like the ending of this battle was a little bit anticlimactic . It wasn't like Lyner was weak, in fact he was the strongest opponent he has ever faced, but he felt like a SS rank merc should have more to offer than this . When he was about to approach Lyner to pick him up, the unconscious Lyner stood up .

Lyner stood up as if he didn't receive any damage from Alex's strike, which made Alex's perpetual poker face break a bit, it was seen by the widening of his eyes .

"Well that was fun . . . I guess I lost . . . Hm fine then, your group does interest me a great deal, so I don't really mind being your adviser . " Lyner who started yawning told Alex his decision . Alex looked at Lyner a bit dumbfounded at how quickly he recovered .

"Sir . Lyner did you go easy on me?" Alex asked Lyner since this surely wasn't all a Rank SS merc could do .

Lyner hearing Alex's question shrugged his shoulders . "To tell you the truth, I haven't had a real battle in ten years . The moment I became a Rank SS merc, I became something like a national treasure, so I couldn't fight those of the same rank as freely anymore . A merc is suppose to do what he wants when he wants to, but the moment your rank increases you become like those boring soldiers, you gain shackles called your country . I haven't been to the battlefield in a long time . Our fight is the first decent fight I had in years, so maybe I'm a bit rusty . "

'I see this was Sir . Lyner at his weakest state . . . Well I wasn't really in my best state as well but the difference in experience is clear for anyone to see . . . So this is a Rank SS merc, I truly became too arrogant . . . What 100% completion rate? What youngest S class mercenary? . . . I guess I'll need to retrain my techniques and go back to the basics . ' Alex solemnly swore to himself to become stronger . For some reason the faces of the members of the Mercenary Club, pass through his mind when he thought of becoming stronger .

Alex didn't know why he thought of their faces, but for some reason Alex felt even more motivated now .