S17 - Direct Hits

Xiaohei let the sniper round rip. Toph dragged her finger across the earth and opened small apertures in the walls. It was in the air now. She wouldn’t know if it worked until it hit something, whether that be Able or something behind him. As fast as that bullet was, the instant in which it was fired felt like an eternity. If it hit, then they might actually have a chance.

Able’s head snapped back. A sharp pulse exploded from his head as he fell backwards, nearly hitting the ground. Though he caught himself, he was clearly dazed.

“We got a hit!” said Toph. She gave Xiaohei a high five. “Keep it up!”

Xiaohei fired one more RPG round—and this one struck true. A violent explosion knocked Able back several feet, and he was on the ground. Still alive— he drove his fist into the ground and stood with an uneven stance— but that was to be expected. The important thing was that they had the initiative now.

“Another direct hit!” said Toph. “We’re doing it!”

A collective sigh of relief and excitement swept over the group—all except for one.

“We cannot do this forever,” said Scorpion. “Our ammo is limited. And his is not. From here, we do not have the means to kill him.”

A quiet sobriety fell over the group before Ryuji, whose specialty was breaking quiet sobriety, spoke up.

“So let’s just charge him,” he said. “We get there, we fight him up close, maybe Xiaohei and Toph stay behind so they can keep like, hitting him from far away, and then…” He punched his fist into his palm and exhaled. “Like that.”

- Season 17 Round 4, /u/Ragnarust