"Backlash," she advised. "Zero-Zero-Double-D. Named after the rather touchy recoil it has. This is a two-stage saboted gyrojet round tipped with super-compressed tektite. Just like the columns on board the Souja."

I know nothing about that material. Is it like depleted uranium? The way I remember it, there was a comment tossed out during the fight with Kagato that implied it was supposed to be absurdly strong.

"It has a muzzle velocity of one thousand meters per second, but will reach maximum speed at three hundred meters, going about two thousand meters per second. Hunters used this against the Doduos, since it allowed them to hunt at standoff ranges of about a kilometer without being too heavy. Trust me, you want to be at least that far away when hunting something like a Doduos."

[...]

"Backlash," she continued.

I chambered the black round. This time the next figure looking like Clay appeared quite some distance away. I took aim, intending to try out the sights.

"Wait," Washu interrupted. "Set your strength enhancement up to Two-X."

I looked at her once confused, but followed instructions before taking aim again. As I learned into my aim and started to squeeze the trigger, I wondered. Just how much extra recoil did the-?

'BA-BAM!'

"Holy-" I stumbled backwards before falling flat on my ass. "What the hell?"

"BACKLASH," Washu pointed out. "You think they named it that because it sounded cool? You need to brace correctly when firing that round. Plant and lock your rear leg. Lean in to just before where you would lose balance. Rest your cheek on the stock; cradle the weapon more. It's like having a much larger rifle, and it's going to kick like one."

"No kidding," I replied, stopping to rub my cheek where the stock had slapped me. "With a kick like that, I doubt anything on the receiving end will survive."

"See for yourself..." Washu picked up the binoculars I'd forgotten I'd packed and handed them to me.

"Ouch," I commented once I adjusted them for focus. What was left of the 'Clay' was not much. The 'upper torso' section was gone, leaving only a scattering of debris all around it. Over penetration would be an issue too.