Infinity, The Arcade Age

While Kasamoto Eri was patrolling the forest, hunting down any escaping enemies and ruthlessly finishing them off, a confrontation was unfolding aboard the massive pirate ship.

Qin Ming, the current Peter Pan, stood face-to-face with Captain Hook, the former Peter Pan turned villain.

With a weathered face that looked at least fifty years old, Captain Hook gazed coldly at Qin Ming.

When his eyes fell on Tinker Bell, the tiny fairy peeking out from Qin Ming's collar, his voice turned icy.

"Boy, fairies are fickle creatures. They may be innocent, but they are also cruel. To them, everything in the world is just a toy, including you and me. Your trust in her will ultimately be repaid with betrayal and abandonment."

Hearing this, Qin Ming couldn't help but chuckle, his expression laced with mockery.

"If she sees me as a toy, who's to say I don't see her the same way? Maybe she's just a toy to me, too."

At these words, Tinker Bell turned to look at Qin Ming, her tiny face filled with shock.

Some… less-than-wholesome images flashed through her mind, and with a startled squeak, she shot back into Qin Ming's clothes.

"I'm not a toy!"

Both Qin Ming and Captain Hook froze, their expressions equally baffled.

After a long moment, they looked up and locked eyes.

"You… what did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything! She's tiny, what could I possibly do?"

"Then why isn't she furious with you? Normally, a fairy would have been throwing a tantrum by now."

"Really? I didn't know that. Maybe my fairy just has a good temper."

At these words, Captain Hook's face darkened.

He silently drew his rapier from his belt and began advancing toward Qin Ming with a menacing aura.

"On the day I killed my fairy, I swore to kill every Peter Pan—without exception. And you… you chose the wrong profession!"

Watching Captain Hook approach with his rapier drawn, Qin Ming unsheathed his own rapier in response.

"Oh, really? But weren't you also Peter Pan? At least once? Would you kill yourself, too?"

"…Peter Pan died forty years ago!"

With a loud whoosh, a gleaming sword strike flashed toward Qin Ming.

Captain Hook was clearly a master fencer. His thrust was swift and precise.

But while Captain Hook was skilled, Qin Ming's own combat abilities were nothing to scoff at.

He parried the strike with precision, engaging Captain Hook in a fierce duel.

As someone with B-rank combat skills, Qin Ming's fighting prowess was formidable.

However, he wasn't facing an ordinary boss. He was facing Captain Hook, the final antagonist of the sixth act—a super boss.

Captain Hook's fencing skills were at an A-rank—far beyond Qin Ming's.

After dozens of exchanges, a metallic clang rang out as Qin Ming's rapier was disarmed and sent flying.

Seizing the opening, Captain Hook lunged forward, his rapier thrusting straight at Qin Ming's throat.

But instead of piercing flesh, a sharp metallic sound echoed.

The rapier's tip pressed against Qin Ming's neck… but it couldn't penetrate.

Surprised, Captain Hook hesitated. But before he could press harder, Qin Ming, now weaponless, swatted the blade aside and charged forward with a furious roar.

"Tinker Bell! Buff me!"

From within Qin Ming's chest pocket, Tinker Bell quickly chanted a spell.

Fairy's Blessing—Agility Enhancement!

A surge of magic washed over Qin Ming, and his speed doubled instantly.

With his arms moving like a furious windmill, Qin Ming kept slapping away Captain Hook's rapier, sparks flying in every direction.

The sharp blade glanced off Qin Ming's armored gauntlets, unable to leave even a scratch.

Forced backward by the relentless assault, Captain Hook realized he couldn't keep up and jumped back to create distance.

In one smooth motion, he discarded his rapier and drew a flintlock pistol from his belt.

With a loud bang, he fired straight at Qin Ming.

The impact sent Qin Ming skidding backward six or seven steps before he finally managed to stabilize himself.

A deformed iron bullet clinked onto the deck.

Raising his smoking gauntlets, Qin Ming lowered his arms and stared coldly at Captain Hook.

The two locked eyes again across the deck, the tension thick in the air.

Captain Hook, sneering, reached up and pulled off his heavy coat.

Beneath it was a tight-fitting green leather armor, and around his waist hung a small glass bottle.

Inside the bottle was a glowing fairy corpse, its delicate wings faintly luminescent.

Tapping the glass gently, Captain Hook's body began to glow with the same magical light that had buffed Qin Ming earlier.

But Captain Hook's glow was even more intense.

As Qin Ming's eyes widened in shock, Captain Hook grinned wickedly.

"Don't think you're the only one with a fairy's blessing. I have mine, too!"

Fairy's Blessing—Agility (+30 Agility)!

"RAAAH!"

With a furious roar, Captain Hook snatched up his rapier and charged again.

This time, his speed was nearly double what it had been before.

Caught off guard, Qin Ming barely managed to block the first two strikes before the third one pierced into his shoulder.

Blood spurted from the wound as he grunted in pain.

The Captain Hook before him, this final boss, was both weaker and stronger than Qin Ming had expected.

Name: Captain Hook (Sixth Act Final Boss)

Strength: 40

Constitution: 40

Agility: 40 (+30)

Spirit: 40

Skills: …

(End of Chapter)