Chapter 46: The Fight for Survival
The moment I lunged, time fractured into sharp, vivid pieces. The firelight cast Logan's shadow long across the cabin floor as I surged forward. My hands, freed by Rope Handling Mastery, shot towards his wrist—the one clutching the gun.
His eyes widened with surprise. He raised the weapon just as my left hand clamped onto his wrist. My right hand slammed into his forearm. The gun jerked upward.
Bang!
The shot shattered the tension. The recoil sent the muzzle skyward, the bullet punching a hole through the wooden ceiling. Splinters rained down like burning embers. My heart pounded in my ears as I twisted his arm, forcing the barrel away from me.
Logan roared and threw his weight into me, driving a knee into my ribs. Pain flared through my torso. The ropes had cut into my skin for hours, leaving my muscles stiff and raw. The impact knocked the air from my lungs, but my grip held.
It was because of my Endurance Boost skill, even though it wasn't designed for this, it was still passively helping me. In fact, the pain dulled just enough for me to react. I pushed against his arm, forcing the gun further upward.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gun discharged repeatedly. The flash of the muzzle painted jagged shadows across Logan's twisted expression. Bullets punched through the ceiling and windows. The rain outside hissed louder as shards of glass rained down.
His thumb shifted toward the magazine release. I saw it. Felt the tension in his tendons.
He's trying to reload.
I twisted his wrist again. Bone and tendon strained beneath my grip. He grunted and retaliated with a sharp elbow to my jaw. My head snapped sideways, vision splitting into static. My Dust Mask cracked slightly against the impact, and warm blood spattered the inside.