Preview of Exalted, Chapter 3 because DOT and Exalted are taking ages to finish the latest chapter.

Tuore’s senses were well into overdrive, any sudden movements- be it a rustle in the bushes, the crackling of dry leaves-, were immediately picked up. Without warning, Tuore’s sixth sense of danger prickled violently.

“Break away!” Tuore shoved Syelle away from him while simultaneously utilising the Dash skill to explode in the opposite direction.

A split-second later, the area they were previously occupied was smashed to smithereens by a sudden barrage of projectiles. The projectiles were bananas, to be exact.

Comical as it may sound, the bananas that Zombie Lupins and ordinary Lupins used were completely different from normal bananas. The saliva of the Lupins hardened the normally soft flesh of the fruit, imbuing it with the hardened quality of stone. When Zombie Lupins arised, their saliva was even deadlier, thus making the bananas even more dangerous.

“Stay close and cover my six!” Tuore bellowed, dashing towards the origin of the attack.

“What?”

“Just follow me and cover my back damnit!”

Tuore grimaced. He was not skilled enough to fight efficiently while protecting the girl. He would just have to cross his fingers that Syelle could fend for herself.
“Invisible Shot!” Tuore leapt onto a branch, simultaneously squeezing the trigger multiple times, as Razor unloaded 3 bullets which rammed deep into the chest of a pair of Zombie Lupins, transforming it into ashes.

His bullet time bristled slightly, and Tuore took a flying leap off the branch that he previously stood. It exploded into shreds as bananas tore it apart mere moments later.

Riding his momentum, Tuore soared through the air, while consciously suppressing the animal instinct that radiated fear within him. Angling his body, he caught sight of a Zombie Lupin far away- high up in the canopy layer of trees-, raising its arm and getting ready to fling a banana at him.

“Double Shot!” It was without hesitation that Tuore unleashed two bullets imbued with arcane energy towards the Lupin. By injecting his arcane energy into the bullets – as he had previously done with Invisible Shot-, Tuore granted his bullets the additional power that was needed to tear through enemies with relative ease. Fusing technology with ancient arts of magic proved to have a more than satisfactory outcome- with elemental bullets for an example-, and various other perks.

The first bullet hit the Zombie Lupin’s left wrist- the one that was holding onto the banana- with such force that the bones shattered. The second mercilessly blew its chin into gruesome bits of flesh and blood.

With slight room to breathe, Tuore dared to shoot a glance at Syelle.

“Holy…Arrow!” Her Fairy Wand sprouted strands of glowing white light that formed the general shape of a bow. A holy arrow materialized, nocked to the bow, strongly emanating power. Syelle’s nimble fingers momentarily held the pent-up tension, before releasing it. The transient projectile ejected from the bow, spearing through the head of a Zombie Lupin.

Instead of stopping there, the holy arrow, assisted with the extra power Syelle had invested into it, actually riding its own momentum, passed through the hardened undead skull. It buried itself into the heart of a separate Zombie Lupin that was inches away from the arrow’s first victim. Both creatures sprawled to the floor, death claiming them before they could make a single sound.

Satisfied with her performance, Tuore directed his attention to self-preservation.
A Zombie Lupin tried to spring a surprise on Tuore, emerging from behind him and vehemently flinging a banana at him.

Tuore saw the projectile, and tried to dodge it by using a quick dash to the side. However, he felt the sharp pain of contact as he felt the banana smash his right wrist- the one wielding Razor.

Razor was sent spiraling downwards, and Tuore allowed himself to fall off the branch in pursuit of it. His arms spread wide like an eagle, he plummeted towards the ground.

As he predicted, the Zombie Lupin chased him aggressively, mimicking his actions- diving down-, in order to finish Tuore off.

Without a trace of panic or fear, he calmly stretched out his left arm, grasping for Razor. Remaining serene in the face of a tumultuous situation was something that required immense self-discipline.

The Zombie Lupin was nearing. With his Bullet Time in overdrive, Tuore felt the creature’s presence draw ever closer.

And then he saw the dreaded undead show up in his sights; it was sadistically grinning at him. At the same moment, Tuore’s fingers hooked onto the trigger of Razor.

With a swift, precise motion, Tuore drew Razor up slightly, while still preserving its ninety degrees angle towards the ground. Simultaneously, Tuore locked his teeth in a painful grimace as his right arm shot out, grabbing the Zombie Lupin by the throat and shoving it right into the path of Razor.

“Recoil Shot.” Tuore ordered without emotion, as the undead’s delighted expression warped to one of shock.

A bullet packed with his innermost arcane energy erupted from the gun barrel of Razor, and shattered the Zombie Lupin’s skull by going through the dead centre of its forehead.

Meanwhile, Tuore steadied himself. He knew what was going to come next.