[Gunslinging: Master (100/100). Upgrade?]

[Upgrade.]

[Congratulations, your Gunslinging skill has been upgraded to Expert. Effect: When using any firearm, your accuracy is increased to 100%.]

[Note: Expert-level Gunslinging is equivalent to 1,000,000 rounds of shooting practice.]

[Congratulations, you have acquired an Expert-level skill and unlocked the Specialty Slot. Special Reward: Survival Points +5, Resilience Level +2, Spirit Level +2.]

[Congratulations, you have acquired the Gunslinging Specialty—Ballistic Control. Special Reward: Survival Points +3, Resilience Level +1, Spirit Level +1.]

[Note 1: Ballistic Control—The ability to modify or control the trajectory of a firearm’s projectile. This includes, but is not limited to, altering the trajectory path and adjusting the bullet’s flight speed, making shots more precise and flexible.]

[Note 2: Only System Skills can unlock Specialties.]

[Note 3: A single System Skill can unlock multiple Specialties, based on one’s understanding of the system’s fundamental theories and applications.]

’A specialty?’

’The Gunslinging Specialty—Ballistic Control?’

Wei’en muttered, "So bullets really can curve, huh?"

He could already imagine future battle scenes...

As for the other System Skills, it probably referred to things like the Gonzalez language, Runology, and Alchemy.

Only those skills had tiers like Novice, Adept, Master, and Expert.

’Does that mean that once I raise these System Skills to the Expert level, I can get other specialties? And more than one?’

Before he could dwell on it, a massive amount of knowledge about gunslinging flooded his mind.

The experience of one million rounds of practice, firearm fabrication and modification, the comprehension and application of [Ballistic Control]...

Then, Wei’en’s vision blurred, and he found himself in an unfamiliar place.

It was a vast grassland. A gentle breeze blew under a sky dotted with countless stars. A giant, silvery-white moon cast a faint glow, illuminating the plains before him.

Everything seemed so peaceful.

’Huh?’

Wei’en was startled to see another person standing not far away, who had also noticed him.

The two sized each other up.

Strangely, Wei’en couldn’t see the other person’s face, only a pair of blood-red eyes.

The gaze was calm, like a pool of stagnant water.

He wore a suit of tight, black leather armor that accentuated his slender frame. A black cape with silver patterns was fastened to his back, swaying gently.

What was most eye-catching was the strange, heavy firearm he held in both hands.

Its body was nearly a meter long, resembling a mechanical rifle. A few runes were carved into its black frame, shimmering with a faint, dark light.

Around his waist was a wide leather belt laden with various ammunition and utility pouches. Even his leggings were stuffed with bullets.

Standing there, he looked like a soldier about to charge into battle, exuding an air of murderous intent.

Just as Wei’en was about to speak, the man raised his gun, aimed in his direction, and pulled the trigger.

BANG.

A bullet grazed his cheek, making him feel a sting of pain.

"ROAR!"

Before he could react, a piercing roar erupted from behind him.

Ignoring the pain in his cheek, Wei’en spun around.

He saw a grotesquely twisted monster hovering in mid-air. Its entire body was covered in long hair that stretched for dozens of meters, and its two round eyes were nothing but pitch-black voids.

BANG.

Another shot rang out, and black liquid spurted from the monster’s eyes.

With a final, wretched cry, the monster vanished completely.

’Wait, he’s not fighting me?’

Wei’en turned to look at the man with the heavy firearm. His eyes were calm and focused, yet held a faint trace of disdain.

’As if to say, what makes you think you’re worthy of a gunfight with me?’

Just then, he saw the hairy monsters appear out of thin air, one after another.

Their long hair tangled together, forming a wall that encircled the Gunman.

"ROOOAR—"

Immediately after, Wei’en saw the monsters shriek as they all charged the Gunman in the center.

BANG! BANG!...

The Gunman’s firearm spat an unending stream of fire. A barrage of bullets tore through the air, spraying toward the monsters.

One by one, the monsters were hit in their vitals, screaming as they disappeared.

But like fearless undead, they only grew more ferocious, pouncing on the Gunman while shooting out their hairs like projectiles.

The Gunman’s reflexes were sharp. His body was exceptionally agile, and he dodged the monsters’ attacks with ease.

Even now, his eyes remained calm, as if he paid the monsters no mind. His weapon fired relentlessly, reaping their lives.

As the battle reached a stalemate, the monsters changed their formation. They split into two groups, front and back. The front rank absorbed the bullets while the back rank used them as cover, launching countless strands of hair in attack.

"Oh?"

The Gunman seemed somewhat surprised, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

His body then blurred into an afterimage, moving erratically. He jumped and shifted up, down, left, and right, constantly changing his angle and elevation.

As bullets poured from his firearm, a curtain of projectiles formed around him, spreading out in all directions.

It was as if each bullet had come to life, curving through the air the moment it left the muzzle.

This time, not only were the front-rank monsters hit, but the curving bullets even bypassed several creatures to strike the vitals of those in the back.

The monsters were struck down one by one, their numbers dwindling rapidly. Pain and despair filled their pitch-black eyes as they shrieked and vanished.

Finally, the battlefield fell silent...

The man shouldered his long rifle and calmly scanned the area. His gaze landed on Wei’en, and a hint of a smile touched his lips. He mouthed one word: "Bang."

"Bang."

Wei’en knew the man was greeting him. After a moment of silence, he raised his hand, formed a gun with two fingers, and replied, "Bang."

As the sound faded, the entire space shattered, and he found himself back in his workshop.

"Tsk, I really got schooled just now..."

Wei’en rubbed his cheek. A faint, phantom pain still lingered there—a shadow left by the bullet that had grazed him.

He knew that what he had just seen was a practical demonstration of [Ballistic Control], shown to him by the system panel after his gunslinging skill reached the Expert level.

He had to admit, the Gunman’s combat style was as magnificent as it was shocking.

Setting aside the uncanny curves created by [Ballistic Control], the man’s agile footwork and his composure in the face of monsters were far beyond what Wei’en could currently achieve.

That man was simply too calm, too confident, too agile, and too skilled!

Wei’en knew he was still a long way from reaching that level of power. "It’s fine. Sooner or later, I’ll reach that height, too."

He refused to believe that even with the same Expert-level Gunslinging, he could be so thoroughly outclassed.

PS: Thank you to the big shots Ping Sheng and Old Technician from No. 18 Backstreet for the tips. Thank you.

One more Chapter coming before 1:00.

I suggest not staying up late; it’s not too late to read it tomorrow.

I’ll be adding an extra Chapter to the updates for tomorrow and the day after to thank all you big shots for your support.