Sensing imminent danger, I leap into the air. Below me, the skeleton wielding the claymore swings wide, aiming to slice through where I had just been.

As I'm mid-air, the spear-wielding skeleton hurls its spear directly at me.

[Gravity's Gambit]

I angle both guns to the side and fire.

Gravity's Gambit is a technique from the Gun Arts Manual that leverages the recoil of guns to enhance physical strikes. The fighter integrates gunshots with punches or elbow strikes, using the momentum for added force. This blends the impact of bullets with physical power, and the recoil can also be used to launch the fighter, increasing mobility.

-Bang!

The force of the recoil nudges me sideways, narrowly evading the spear. But gravity takes over, and I begin to plummet.

I hadn't planned for the landing.

I brace for impact, closing my eyes tight.

-Thud!

The landing is surprisingly soft.

Right—everything around here is made out of clouds.

I quickly get to my feet and refocus on the remaining skeletons.

The skeleton seems less threatening without its spear, leaving the claymore wielder as my primary concern.

It's time to switch tactics to offense.

[Vanguard Volley]

Vanguard Volley is a technique from the Gun Arts Manual. It involves a strategic movement where the fighter advances with a series of quick, controlled steps, firing in a disciplined rhythm. This technique balances mobility and offensive pressure, keeping enemies on their back foot.

Aiming both guns at the Claymore wielder, I unleash a flurry of bullets.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I advance, firing relentlessly. The skeleton tries to block the bullets with its claymore, but the sheer volume of fire causes it to stagger.

This is my chance.

I continue the assault, not giving it a moment's respite.

As I close the distance, I leap, using its claymore as a springboard to vault over it. Mid-air, I aim downwards.

-Bang! Bang!

Two more shots find their target, striking the skeleton from behind. It collapses, disintegrating into the now-familiar pink clouds.

One more down.

I then look at the skeleton that used to have a spear.

Without hesitation, I aim the guns at it.

-Bang!

Like the others, the skeleton collapses and turns into pink clouds.

“Hah…hah….”

Strength (+2)

Endurance (+2)

Agility (+2)

Speed (+2)

Breathing hard from the effort, I notice my stats improve again after fighting those skeletons.

Now that I've beaten the three skeletons, it's time to keep going.

I wonder how André feels about it.

I look back and see him giving me a smile and a nod.

Nice.

Looking ahead, I see pink clouds rising like stairs.

I need to jump to get up there since there's nothing else around.

Curiously, I walk to the edge of the cloud I'm on and peer down.

Below are spikes with skeletons stuck on them.

I swallow hard at the sight.

Those skeletons must be from others who tried and failed here.

"Let's do this."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I take a few steps back to get a running start.

"Hah!"

I shout as I sprint forward and leap.

"Oof!"

I barely grab the edge of the following cloud.

Catching my breath, I pull myself up.

Now, standing, I see six more clouds to jump.

"You've got to be kidding me."

I'm not going to lie; this is quite exhausting. But I must do it to earn my rewards from the quest.

-Crackle!

There's that noise again.

I spin around to see a skeleton armed with a sword.

-Crackle!

And now, behind me, another skeleton with a shield.

Great, a sword and shield duo. This is going to be tough.

The sword-wielding skeleton charges at me.

I sidestep its attack and aim my guns at it.

-Bang! Bang!

But the one with the shield jumps in front, blocking my shots.

-Clank! Clank!

I am shocked. The shield skeleton was behind me just a second ago. Did it sprint?

The sword skeleton darts to the side and comes at me.

I dodge its swing and aim right at its head.

-Bang!

But the skeleton dodges by ducking its head to the side.

It then lunges at me with its sword.

I leap back to dodge the thrust.

-Clang!

"Gah!"

I don't see the shield skeleton rushing at me, and it slams into me.

I tumble across the ground but quickly get back up. Despite being just bones, these skeletons pack a punch.

Now, they are both coming at me fast, with the one holding the shield leading and the one with the sword right behind.

I aim my guns straight at them.

[Vanguard Volley]

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

-Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!

The skeleton with the shield halts and blocks all my shots.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I keep firing as I charge towards the shield-bearer.

The skeleton with the sword leaps over its buddy, swinging its blade at me.

I hit the deck, rolling, and aim my guns at the shield-bearer.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

It stops dead in its tracks.

Getting close, I use its shield as a springboard, jumping over it.

Mid-air, I spin and target the shield-bearers back.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The shield-bearer falls apart into pink clouds.

But shockingly, the shield stays intact.

I land on the ground running.

The sword skeleton rushes me, picking up the shield as it charges.

I aim with my guns again.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

-Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!

It stands firm, blocking my shots with the newly acquired shield.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I keep running at it as I fire my guns.

I will use the same strategy—run toward it as I keep shooting, use the shield to jump over the skeleton, turn back mid-air, and shoot at its back.

As I near it, I use the shield to jump over the skeleton.

I turn around mid-air, and to my surprise, the skeleton throws its sword at me.

[Centurion's Guard]

With a grunt, I roll mid-air, dodging the sword.

I then land on the cloud, regain my stance, and stare at the skeleton, armed only with a shield.

"You shouldn't have thrown your sword," I taunt, though I doubt it can understand.

Given its earlier armament, I expected a tough fight. But now, I have the upper hand.

Aiming my guns, I prepare to end the encounter.

-Bang! Bang!

To my astonishment, the shield morphs into a pair of knives.

-Swish! Swish!

The skeleton, with unexpected agility, deflects my bullets.

Stunned, I can only watch.

"You've got to be kidding."

Charging, the skeleton aims its knives at me.

I fire again, disbelief mixing with determination.

-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

-Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

It cuts through the air, slicing each bullet with precision as it advances.

Then, leaping with knives aimed at me, I dodge, rolling to safety.

The skeleton's relentless attacks give me no moment's peace.

-Clang!

I block one knife with my gun, aiming the other at its skull.

-Clang!

But it deflects the gun, too, with its second knife.

Seeing it aim a kick at me, I roll back, barely escaping its reach.

Again, it charges relentlessly.

I aim my guns again, hoping to find a gap in its defense.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

-Swack! Swack! Swack!

But it simply slices through the bullets unharmed.

At this moment, I realized I was dealing with no ordinary foe. This skeleton wasn't just a pile of bones; it was a skilled warrior capable of anticipating and countering my every move.

I fake a shot to the left in a split-second decision, hoping to draw its knives away.

As predicted, it moves to intercept.

-Bang! Bang!

But the feint leaves it open, just for a moment. I seize the chance, aiming directly at its skull with my other gun.

-Bang!

Yet, in a move I don't foresee, the skeleton spins, its knife striking true. The blade sinks into my side.

"Argh!"

The pain is sharp, a burning sensation spreading from the wound.

I stagger back, clutching my side, feeling the warm trickle of blood between my fingers. The skeleton, seeming almost to smirk with its hollow eye sockets, advances.

Pain clouds my vision, but it also clears my mind. This isn't just about trading shots and blows; it's about survival, about using my head.

With the skeleton closing in, I know I have to act fast. My guns, for all their power, aren't enough alone.

I need to use the environment and my smarts.

I back away, leading the skeleton on, making it think I'm retreating in defeat. My back hits a solid yet soft cloud, and I glance up, an idea forming.

Just as the skeleton lunges, knives poised to finish me, I duck and roll forward, feeling the air from its missed strike above me.

Pushing through the pain, I spring to my feet and kick hard into the cloud beneath me. To my surprise, the action sends a puff of dense cloud matter into the skeleton's path.

The skeleton, momentarily blinded, slashes wildly, its accuracy gone. I don't waste a second.

I close in, my movement fueled by adrenaline and determination.

Quickly, I grab its arm, twisting and turning the skeleton's momentum against it. Its knife, guided by my hand, plunges into its ribcage.

There's a moment of silence, a pause in the battle as if the world holds its breath.

Then, the skeleton falls apart, its bones clattering against the cloud, turning into pink mist like the others.

“Hah…hah…”

Breathing heavily, I pull the knife from my side, wincing at the pain. The fight is over, but its toll is evident.

I look around, the clouds now peaceful once more, the immediate threat gone. But the stab wound is a stark reminder of the danger that still lies ahead.

“Hah…hah…”

I stand, panting, the victory marred by the pain of my wound.

Quickly, I fashion a makeshift bandage from my shirt, pressing it against the stab wound to stem the bleeding.

Glancing up, I see more clouds to conquer. Despite the victory, the challenge is far from over.

"Hah!"

With a heavy sigh, I steel myself for the next leap.

"Let's keep going."

I murmur, determined not to let this injury slow me down. The quest is far from complete, and I will keep going.

I kept jumping and after thirty minutes, I finally made it to the last cloud.

“Hah…hah…” I hold my knees.

Surprisingly, I did not encounter any monsters when I jumped the four remaining clouds, which is good since it saved me some stamina.

I then look up and see what appears to be a pink cloud castle.

"This must be where the Alpha of this Stargate resides."