Athena in Tower Defense Game! [LitRPG]

Chapter 150: Black Friday Sniper

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Chapter 150: Black Friday Sniper

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Mikmik hadn’t sustained any injuries during the battle, but the bump on his head upon returning had left him more rattled than he would care to admit. Dazed and disoriented, it still tried to pick a fight with Prince and Princess, only to find itself scooped up by Athena and carried back to the shelter.

Athena, unperturbed, questioned him thoroughly. Through his vague gestures and somewhat abstract scribbles made with a charcoal pencil, Athena pieced together an idea of the individuals involved.

In a bid for recognition, Mikmik skillfully omitted the part where he had been discovered, focusing instead on how he had deliberately left clues to throw the enemy off his trail. He hoped to receive praise for his efforts.

Athena, however, merely smiled gently, understanding far more than Mikmik had let on. She knew it had likely been discovered after toying with the adversaries a little too much, probably leading to a hasty retreat.

Ignoring Mikmik’s attempt at seeking credit, she warned, “Next time you pull a stunt like that, you’ll be sleeping in the vegetable garden.”

...

Meanwhile, Ebony Veil and Azure Dew, locked in another argument, finally saw Azure emerge victorious. Together, they had chosen to follow the direction Mikmik had intentionally led them toward—right in the path of Athena's shelter.

“If we head the other way, we’ll avoid trouble,” Azure Dew suggested confidently. “These monsters will only attract more creatures. Once tonight passes, I’ll find something to fix the car tomorrow, and we’ll leave this cursed place.”

Ebony Veil’s face darkened at the suggestion, recalling how similar promises had been made when they first arrived. Luck had not been kind to him since teaming up with such a reckless companion.

“Are we really not going after that cat?” Ebony Veil asked again, suspicion lingering in his voice.

Azure Dew, for once, grew serious. “You know something’s off, so why pursue it? With your strength, you struggle to take me on!”

“Struggle to take you on? I was going easy on you!” Ebony Veil retorted.

Their intentions may have been noble, but as fate would have it, they continued heading straight toward Athena’s territory.

As for Mikmik, the threat of being banished to the vegetable garden sent a chill through its body. Not daring to hide the truth any longer, it confessed everything in painstaking detail, even throwing in some self-reflection for good measure.

However, its indulgence in snacks was curtailed for the week. Watching helplessly as its fruit was handed over to the luckless Paopao, Mikmik’s spirits sank.

Athena, gazing out the window, seemed lost in thought before heading upstairs. Agile as ever, she vaulted from the second-floor balcony, landing on the rooftop with the grace of a butterfly.

There, she quickly assembled her jewel-encrusted sniper. Despite never having used it before, her mastery over firearms ensured her actions were swift and precise.

Based on Mikmik’s description, one of the two men seemed aggressive, while the other appeared more intelligent. Mikmik’s tricks weren’t exactly subtle—perhaps they’d seen through the ruse and were now headed straight for the shelter.

The sniper rifle, capable of reaching up to 1200 meters, had its range extended by the system to 1600 meters. However, the darkness posed a significant obstacle, limiting visibility to only the additional 600 meters provided by the system.

The two men were originally over three kilometers away. If they truly were headed in her direction, they would now be within two kilometers.

Assuming no delays along the way, they would enter her range within thirty minutes, given an average walking pace.

Lying still on the rooftop, Athena focused her attention on the distant landscape. Her fingers curled around the cold metal of her sleek sniper rifle. Through the scope, her gaze was sharp, missing no detail.

The scenery stretched out before her, but her attention remained fixed on identifying her targets. She waited patiently, like a predator stalking its prey.

It wasn’t long—perhaps ten minutes—before she spotted them. Ebony Veil and Azure Dew.

Her first reaction was to recall the haphazard sketches Mikmik had made of the pair. The resemblance? Let’s just say the drawings had no bearing on reality.

Adjusting her position, Athena prepared to pull the trigger.

Ebony Veil and Azure Dew, with their limited vision in the dark, had their attention drawn to the shelter’s glowing barrier. It was unmistakable from a distance.

Their initial response was excitement. It seemed luck had finally turned in their favor—a shelter in this forsaken land? The owner must be having an awful day.

However, that excitement quickly morphed into wariness. As they drew closer, they recognized the shelter as a level four stronghold.

The owner of a shelter like this was no amateur, and the defensive towers surrounding it were another formidable deterrent. They were standing on the enemy’s turf, which gave them little advantage.

“This place isn’t worth the trouble. Let’s just treat it like a campsite and move on,” Azure Dew suggested.

“Agreed,” Ebony Veil replied, for once not offering a rebuttal. They didn’t even consider approaching Athena for assistance.

Ebony Veil knew well enough that targeting a shelter of this caliber was unwise.

Then, a sudden gust of wind lifted his hair, sending a chill down his spine. Instinctively, he shoved Azure Dew aside and threw himself backwards, narrowly dodging a bullet that tore through the air between them.

The Black Friday rifle was notorious for its high hit probability, particularly when aiming for vital areas. However, it required minute adjustments to land a critical shot.

Dodging the first bullet had rendered it ineffective.

Ebony Veil barely had time to celebrate before another terrifying presence locked onto them.

Athena, calm and unshaken, knew for certain that her targets hadn’t sensed anything before the shot. The man in the black hoodie had a disturbingly strong intuition and had reacted with alarming speed.

Her emotions remained undisturbed, as if nothing could disrupt her. She methodically adjusted the sniper’s aim, her gaze steady and resolute.

This time, her target was the long-haired man lying on the ground.

He hadn’t yet recovered from the shove and was blissfully unaware of the imminent danger. Her finger brushed the trigger, waiting for the perfect angle.

She squeezed the trigger, and the bullet shot forward.

With a sharp crack, the bullet soared through the air, swift and deadly, tearing through the sky toward its target.

At this distance, Ebony Veil had no chance of pushing his companion out of the way again. He could feel his entire body tense, every instinct screaming at him to flee.

“Move!” he bellowed, his voice hoarse with desperation, just as the gunshot echoed through the night...