Infinity, The Arcade Age

After slashing through the wall with a single attack, Qin Ming followed up by firing two more Sonic Hand Chops. However, by the time the second attack landed, he found himself panting slightly.

"Whew! These B-level skills pack a punch, but they sure drain a lot of energy!" Qin Ming thought. Each attack cost him 1 point of Spirit, a stat that he'd always neglected. With only 5 points in Spirit, his lowest base attribute, the continuous use of abilities was taking its toll.

"Seems like it's time to start upgrading my Spirit stat when I return to the real world," he mused, already planning for the future.

After testing out his newly acquired skills on the goons, Qin Ming whipped his trench coat dramatically and drew his revolver from his waist, starting to pick off enemies one by one.

Sure, the Sonic Hand Chop was flashy and effective, but when it came to practicality? Nothing beat a good ol' gun.

Amidst the sound of gunfire, Qin Ming quickly took down several more of the casino thugs. Then, with a single powerful kick, he burst through a door and charged into the main hall. His eyes narrowed as he instinctively swiveled to his left, gun drawn.

At the exact same moment, a large man in a black outfit emblazoned with a skull emblem, who had been pummeling a thug, reflexively turned as well, drawing his own handgun and aiming it at Qin Ming.

In an instant, the two were locked in a tense standoff, silently staring at one another, their weapons poised but unmoving.

A sudden scream broke the silence, and a panicked thug with a baseball bat charged at Qin Ming.

Without breaking his focus on the man with the skull emblem, Qin Ming raised his free arm to block the bat. The wooden weapon snapped in two with a loud crack, and before the thug could process what had happened, Qin Ming grabbed him by the neck and hurled him into a nearby arcade machine. The thug's body smashed into the machine, rendering both man and machine useless.

As Qin Ming casually dispatched the thug, he lowered his gun slightly, his gaze fixed on the man in front of him—the unmistakable Punisher. Adjusting his glasses slightly, Qin Ming activated his Dinosaur Glasses to analyze the man before him.

Name: Frank Castle, The Punisher

Strength: 30

Constitution: 30

Agility: 30

Spirit: 30

Skills: Blade Kick (C-rank), Flying Kick (D-rank), Over-the-Shoulder Throw (D-rank), Human Windmill Toss (B-rank), Air Slash (B-rank)

Description: Frank Castle, better known as The Punisher, is a ruthless anti-hero feared by criminals worldwide. Behind his cold and brutal exterior lies a heart scarred by tragedy.

The Punisher's attributes were perfectly balanced, and he had five combat skills. Compared to any other protagonist Qin Ming had encountered, this man was by far the strongest—and he had access to guns and grenades.

Qin Ming's lips twitched as he thought, "Great... a protagonist who knows how to use grenades. Could this get any worse?"

As The Punisher noticed Qin Ming lowering his weapon, he too relaxed and holstered his gun. Without exchanging a single word, the two men went back to killing the remaining casino thugs in silence.

The chaos soon drew the attention of the casino's owner, Bruno.

The casino's front doors swung open, and Bruno, dressed in a sharp suit with a tie, stormed in with his remaining goons.

Upon spotting The Punisher, Bruno froze in fear. He recognized the vigilante immediately—this was the man who had been wreaking havoc recently, the one seeking vengeance for his family. Panic set in, and without a second thought, Bruno turned to flee.

Seeing this, The Punisher's expression hardened. With a swift, low kick, he swept the legs out from under the surrounding thugs, spinning in place and slashing through their limbs with a brutal kick imbued with sharp energy. The thugs dropped to the ground, clutching their severed legs in agony.

As the path cleared, The Punisher leaped into the air, simultaneously drawing his gun. His shots rang out, taking down more goons as he moved.

On the other side of the room, Qin Ming also spotted Bruno fleeing. Without hesitation, he aimed his revolver and began firing in quick succession.

If The Punisher's gunplay was precise, focusing on headshots and body shots, Qin Ming's style was raw power. His revolver packed so much punch that every shot blasted a thug back, causing catastrophic injuries.

Together, the two men unleashed a hail of bullets, decimating the group of goons protecting Bruno.

The remaining thugs scrambled to retaliate, and though some managed to return fire, The Punisher quickly ducked behind cover, dodging their shots with ease.

Qin Ming, on the other hand, didn't bother with cover. His thick skin and the protective clothing he wore allowed him to shrug off most of the damage. With one arm shielding his face, he continued advancing toward the thugs, taking them out one by one. In moments, he had forced the enemy back to the entrance.

Out of ammo, Qin Ming let out a roar and charged headfirst into the fray. His massive body crashed into the thugs like a battering ram, knocking them down like bowling pins.

Seeing this, The Punisher vaulted over a nearby table and kicked his way into the fight, landing a powerful kick on a thug as he joined Qin Ming in the brawl.

Meanwhile, outside the casino, Bruno's escape was cut off by a group of adventurers.

They had been waiting for him, and now that he was without many of his henchmen, they closed in with weapons drawn.

Bruno, his face pale, nearly gave in to despair.

Just then, two vintage cars screeched around the corner, barreling straight toward the adventurers. Two of them managed to dodge, but the third wasn't fast enough and was sent flying by the speeding car.

As the car doors swung open, more gunmen piled out, immediately opening fire on the adventurers. Among the gunmen were two individuals dressed in trench coats and hats, each wielding submachine guns. Their suppressive fire forced the adventurers into cover.

With this new wave of reinforcements, Bruno saw his chance and made a run for it.

Back inside the casino, the doors were suddenly blown open by an explosion. Several thugs were sent flying as a hand grenade detonated.

The Punisher stepped out of the smoke, cold and calculated as ever, and began firing wildly at the remaining enemies in the street. Qin Ming followed, standing beside him as they unleashed a barrage of bullets.

The thugs hiding behind cars and makeshift barricades tried to return fire, but their cover was no match for Qin Ming's high-powered revolver. With each shot, car doors were blasted apart, and obstacles were shattered, leaving the thugs vulnerable.

Any thug foolish enough to peek out was immediately picked off by The Punisher, whose aim was deadly precise.

One of the surviving adventurers, seeing that the fight was finally dying down, tried to seize the moment. Sprinting from his cover, he waved his arms and called out to The Punisher.

"Punisher! Punisher! Bruno is running that way! He's getting into a car! Hurry and stop him!"

Bang!

Before he could finish, a gunshot rang out.

This adventurer had clearly forgotten one crucial fact: The Punisher was no traditional superhero. He was an anti-hero, a man who didn't follow the rules. And in the eyes of the Punisher, anyone who approached unannounced was a potential threat.

The Punisher's bullet struck the adventurer in the leg, stopping him in his tracks. It wasn't a fatal shot, but it was enough to incapacitate him.

But there was one thing The Punisher didn't account for—Qin Ming.

Standing right next to the vigilante, Qin Ming had reacted on instinct. He saw a figure running toward them and, without thinking, pulled the trigger.

His revolver, unlike The Punisher's handgun, didn't just injure—it annihilated.

Bang!

The shot was perfectly aimed, and the adventurer's head exploded on impact.

Another adventurer down.

(End of Chapter)