Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“[Sigh… What did Ha Leeha-nim tell me again?]”

“Avoid collisions as much as possible… right?” The reason was obvious.

For Leeha, the existence of the Bronze Dragon Blaugrun was akin to a secret weapon.

His hatchling form had been seen by many, including members of the New Continent Expedition and a considerable number of people from Byeolcho, as well as visitors to the city of Gaza.

Back then, it didn’t matter if Blaugrun was exposed since he wasn’t of much use (?).

But now?

‘Even at the Juvenile stage, his power is immense. Well, he is almost at the Adult stage anyway…

With him, I could wipe out a demon’s base along with Leeha.

Leeha judged that it was best to keep Blaugrun’s existence hidden for future use.

[Right. So, as Ha Leeha-nim asked, I’ve only been flying above the clouds, so I hardly saw the landscape below.]

Blaugrun spoke with a tone that seemed somewhat smug.

He found it amusingly ironic that he couldn’t fulfill what Leeha wanted.

‘Ah, I see.’

However, Leeha couldn’t express his regret.

He had complied with what he was asked, and he had indeed located the [World Tree].

[Radical Growth’s Light and Shadow-2]

Objective: Obtain the ‘World Tree’s Fruit’ within 150 days and deliver it to Bahamut (Remaining time: 84 days)

Without Blaugrun, the World Tree quest, with its 150-day deadline, would likely have failed.

There was no point in expressing regret to Blaugrun, who was still upset.

‘Besides, the direction we’re heading now… I’m not sure. I can only catch glimpses of the ground through the clouds, and it’s a place in the New Continent I’ve never been to.’

The plains where the gorillas of Redwood or the Undercity used to appear were long past. Leeha peered at the ground visible through gaps in the clouds.

‘Initially, the landing site of the New Continent Expedition should be considered the western coast of the entire continent.’

Judging by the direction of the sun, they were now heading east.

That meant the land Leeha saw through the clouds was ‘north.’

The ground there was dark.

It resembled the ashen land left after a fire, as seen in the RUSH Guild’s videos.

‘Not just the north, but the south too…

The emerald land where the Paleo appears,

It was a bit southeast from the Redwood on the west coast.

Considering the whole continent, the emerald mountains would be somewhere on the southwest edge.

The rugged mountain range connected to it also didn’t give off a bright vibe.

“Umm… if I have to survey all this on the ground- Ah, wait?”

[Naturally, it will take a long time.]

“No, wait- hold on. I thought I saw something over there just now?”

[Do you mean a Paleo village?]

“Not Paleo… What is it? A village- no, something like a fortress…”

Leeha quickly brought his eye to the scope of Black Bass.

However, he couldn’t make a clear confirmation as they were already passing by at tremendous speed and the clouds obscured his view.

[It could be a fortress of monsters. Oh, I should tell you in advance. The area around the World Tree is all contaminated.]

“Contaminated? Like a contaminated World Tree?”

[No. The World Tree itself is fine. But its surroundings… The demonic energy is unusually strong. It’s surprising that the World Tree hasn’t been contaminated yet.]

“Ugh, I see. It probably means that the World Tree will get contaminated once the quest deadline is up.”

Leeha nodded, thinking of the game system in Middle Earth.

The essence obtained from the sea had a purity maintenance period of 150 days. The quest deadline was set because of that.

‘But if the surroundings of the World Tree are all contaminated…’

After 150 days, there is a possibility that the World Tree too could become contaminated and disappear. That’s the kind of game Middle Earth is.

“I’ll increase the speed.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Though Blaugrun had been teasing Leeha, sensing his anxiety, he increased the speed on his own initiative.

Swoosh o]——-!

‘Was it a Paleo village…?

Or really a monster fortress?’

However, neither option sat well with Leeha.

He would have preferred to go back and check, but he couldn’t afford that luxury right now.

“Look there. That’s the World Tree.”

“Ah…

He had discovered a forest soaring up through the clouds, exhibiting an aura far different from the contaminated World Tree.

“Amazing… Such a forest – no, to call it a forest -“

“The number of trees is too few. Each one is huge, so it looks like a forest.”

Even after landing, Leeha couldn’t come to his senses. There were only enough trees to be counted as the World Tree.

At most, there would not be more than a hundred.

Yet, just a hundred of these World Trees together appeared like a forest, so immense were they.

“If we just get the from here, finally! Hehe, finally!”

“But it won’t be easy.”

“Huh? Why not?”

Blaugrun, in his form of a human child, plopped down on a tree stump. He seemed unwilling to go any further, despite being right in front of the World Tree’s forest.

“Because of those.”

“Those…?”

Leeha tilted his head, looking in the direction of the World Tree forest.

There didn’t seem to be anything special where Blaugrun was pointing. A few rock-like objects were protruding from the uneven ground.

“I don’t see anything?”

“That makes sense. About 5 meters from where Ha Leeha is standing? If you get a little closer, they will react.”

“Ah! Are there guardians or something?” But what does it matter? Are there guardians protecting the World Tree? Just clear them out!

Leeha guessed that it would be no problem compared to when they raided the demon base. Blaugrun stood up, having read Leeha’s thoughts.

“If you’re really curious, just walk 5 more meters.”

“Um, that does make me a bit nervous but…”

Leeha carefully stepped forward, heeding Blaugrun’s words. For an adult man, it would be about five and a half steps.

One, two, three, four, five. And just as he was extending the half step…

Bam-!

A fanfare sounded in Leeha’s head. But an even greater change was the vibration.

“Whoa! Blaugrun-ssi?!”

The ground shook as if the world was turning upside down.

Leeha couldn’t stand properly and crouched down, placing his hands on the ground. Besides the sound of the moving earth, another noise caught Leeha’s attention.

“It’s not just that. Look ahead.”

“Ahead? If you mean ahead-“

Hearing Blaugrun’s voice, Leeha barely managed to lift his head.

Like a flock of birds taking flight from the forest, the branches of the World Tree swayed and rustled.

And when a sharp, refreshing breeze brushed Leeha’s hair, his eyes finally caught ‘them.’

It was as if the world itself was reacting.

“What, what is that-“

“Let’s get out of here first.”

Blaugrun had already approached Leeha, grabbing him and casting a flying spell.

The rocks that had seemed inert until just now stood up, ready for battle.

But Blaugrun didn’t use the flying spell because he was scared of the rock-like beings with arms and legs. He knew what those things creating a ruckus inside the World Tree forest were.

The World Tree’s leaves created a sound like waves, and something translucent was being shot towards where Blaugrun and Leeha were.

“What is that? Something translucent is-”

“The spirits of the wind. And naturally, the rocks are earth spirits.”

Leeha seemed to hear giggling laughter and chattering voices but couldn’t understand them.

He only felt a slight blurring of the background behind ‘something’ passing through the air.

He knew something was there but couldn’t see these beings properly. These were the wind spirits.

In other words, the wind spirits in the air and the earth spirits on the ground were perfectly blocking any outsiders from entering!

‘Crazy… This must be Bahamut’s doing.’ Blaugrun only came down to the ground with Leeha after retreating a good distance and watching the spirits return to their original places.

“Ugh, ugh! It doesn’t seem easy at all!”

“If you think about how the Lord got the ‘essence of the world’… it’s to be expected.”

When creating the growth accelerator for the first time, Bahamut had almost ‘snatched’ it from the King of Water Spirits.

Wouldn’t it be similar for the World Tree’s fruit?

Leeha sighed and opened his system window.

“Sigh… At least there’s some achievement fanfare-“

〈Achievement: The Source of Life Sustaining the Erika Continent (s-)〉

Congratulations! You have discovered the [Forest of the World Tree], which supplies the life energy to the entire Erika Continent. Feel the overflowing vitality in this place, blocking the spreading demonic energy!

Reward: Health +21

You are the first to register the 〈Source of Life Sustaining the Erika Continent〉 achievement.

Up to the third registrant will be recorded in the Hall of Fame, and the existing effects will be applied additionally at 200%.

Effect: Health +42

“S-grade? Jackpot!”

Leeha looked at the hologram window with a surprised expression.

This was definitely an ‘achievement for discovering a place’. Considering he was the first, it meant even Fernand hadn’t reached it yet!

However, he couldn’t be entirely happy.

He knew too well what it meant for an achievement to boost his health by over 60 points.

‘It’s going to be tough. Especially since the wind and earth spirits are aggressively attacking me, who has affinity with all spirits.’

In this place teeming with wind and earth spirits, obtaining the World Tree’s fruit would definitely not be easy.

* * *

“…Is that so.”

“Yes.”

Only two people were in the dark room.

The people, similar in their hats, coats, and even their voices, spoke in low tones without turning on the light in the room.

“Brown… And… Elizabeth.”

Kidd repeated the names of a woman in his mind, a name that even Browless couldn’t bring himself to say.

Although the incident in the New Continent was a thing of the past, Kidd had not been able to easily return to the Academy.

The impact of the 《Matan’s Shooter》, powerful enough to shatter the balance of Middle Earth even considering its over-technology, had been too great.

“He told me to come in person.”

“It’s dangerous.”

“Indeed. It’s been a while since I saw him… While I was rotting in this attic, he must have been playing with the Demon Army there.”

Browless’s voice rose slightly.

It wasn’t just mixed feelings or disappointment. It was different from anger too.

There was a hint of positive nuances like joy or anticipation of meeting an old friend again.

“Will you go?”

“My friend called me, how can I not?”

“He’s not your friend.”

“He is a friend. Even if he became something like Matan’s Shooter… He’s a friend. Besides, it’s not even clear if he’s still Matan’s Shooter.”

“Regardless of what he is, his attacks will be ruthless. Even if you’re the headmaster.”

Browless slightly lifted his hat brim. A troubled smile was on his face.

“Kidd.”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

“Do you think I’ll get hit?”

Seeing one corner of the mouth of the headmaster of Musket Academy rise, Kidd felt a shiver.