Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“What?”

“What did you say?”

Luger and Kidd’s expressions turned grim. Leeha, trying to calm them down like pacifying angry beasts, gestured with his palms down, saying, “Woah, woah.”

“I’m not just an ordinary user, you know that?”

“Geez – how arrogant -“

“The hatchling has been upgraded.”

“Let’s assume that’s true. Anyway! Let’s analyze our strength first. What do you think if we proceed like that? Two dragons capable of magic. Alexander and Lee Jiwon, Pei Wu, and a considerable number of the new continent expedition members. Plus… us three. Wouldn’t that work?”

It was essentially a proposal for an all-out war.

Luger and Kidd exchanged glances briefly.

It was clear they needed some time to think, especially Kidd.

“I have something to prepare. After that, the headmaster will also go.”

“Headmaster? Headmaster Browless?”

“If the headmaster joins us in the battle along with everyone mentioned…

“It might be possible. When?”

Kidd’s meticulous calculation combined with Luger’s beastly instinct.

Even Luger, who thought victory was impossible even with two dragons and all other forces, quickly decided when Browless’ name was mentioned!

“In about 7 days… still not sure how it will turn out.”

“Alright. Prepare as you see fit. I’m leaving.”

“Luger! Luger!”

Leeha called out to Luger, but he didn’t look back, just swept up the bullets into his bag and left.

Kidd sighed and shook his head.

Although Luger had a reckless personality, dealing with a known character wasn’t a big problem.

“The basic premise is ‘I have to finish my preparations.’ Without that, the headmaster won’t join.”

“Then hurry up and go, why are you sticking around here? Huh?”

Of course, Luger was also aware of Kidd’s character, so the effect was somewhat diminished.

Luger and Kidd quickly gathered their bullets and used teleportation.

Their eagerness to leave, deeming further conversation a waste of time, was something even Leeha had to acknowledge.

‘Their confirmed participation in the battle is a big gain. I should get my bullets too.’

The more people who have faced Matan’s Shooter, the better.

It increased the chances of clearing the quest and also improved Leeha’s own survival rate.

‘If it’s Matan’s Shooter? In any chaotic situation, he would target users who can harm him first. And those likely to be targeted are ‘those who have already fought him.’

More bluntly put, Leeha had found two people to take hits for him.

“What are you giggling about? A lord shouldn’t be laughing so indecently.”

“If something’s funny, I laugh. Oh! So, how’s the scope coming along?”

Caught by Bottleneck in his mischievous (?) laughter, Leeha quickly composed himself.

“I’ve got the design draft. But… I can’t test it.”

“Because you lack materials? What do you need?”

“Finally, you’re talking like a human! I thought you were going to throw a fit about why I couldn’t make it!”

“Hey, Uncle Bottleneck. I’m not like that. Just tell me what you need, I’ll get it for you.”

“I don’t know the exact name, but I’ll tell you what functions it should have, so take notes.”

Bottleneck then listed several functionalities the material items should possess.

However, with each point, Leeha’s forehead only beaded with more sweat.

Could he find material items with these functions within just 7 days?

“I’m not facing someone who uses Matan, but someone with a regular attack range of 7 km…”

“Sigh, but with other shields like Jellypong and including Blaugrunn… As long as they don’t use Matan, I should be able to hold out. After all, my current target isn’t Mr. Brown.”

His target wasn’t Matan’s Shooter but Toon.

If other users could just distract Brown until Toon was eliminated! That was the strategy Leeha was forming.

It was then that Leeha, who was scratching his head with a pencil, suddenly received a whisper. It wasn’t from the headmaster, the Three Musketeers, or Shin Nara. At least for Leeha, it was the first time receiving a whisper from this person.

Hi there! Even if you add ‘Leeha-hyung’ to ‘Halihali,’ it’s still just ‘Halihali.’ I acknowledge the sudden chill.

…Lee Jiwon-ssi?

Not deaf, after all! Can we have a quick chat?

‘Lee Jiwon wants to talk to me?’

Leeha’s pupils shifted.

He had been wanting to talk to Lee Jiwon anyway.

Not only had Lee Jiwon encountered Matan’s Shooter, but more importantly, he was the only user who had practically fought ‘Toon.’

‘At least among the users currently connected. All others who faced Toon are dead.’

Leeha intuited that he could get valuable information about not only Matan’s Shooter but also Toon.

However, about 10 minutes later, after meeting and talking with Lee Jiwon, Leeha was shocked.

The information was so devastating it required a complete revision of his current battle plan.

It was something obvious but not considered obvious.

Another fact that neither Kidd nor Luger knew came from Lee Jiwon’s mouth.

“There are two of them.”

The burden of just three words made Leeha want to give up the quest.

Boom!

The explosion tore through the air, but Blaugrunn, standing beside Leeha, shook his head. A pebble flew up 4.5 km away.

The Brass Golem looked at its feet and tilted its head.

“You missed. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you don’t concentrate, it’s hard to hit. You know how many times you’ve missed today, right?”

“Ahem, I know.”

Leeha shook his head.

He knew, but it wasn’t easy to clear his mind.

It had been two days since he heard various stories from Lee Jiwon, but the shock still lingered.

‘Two people. Yes, of course! There had to be two people!’

Both Kidd and Luger reacted similarly, but Leeha had only thought of Brown. He naturally assumed Matan’s Shooter was Brown. But was there only one person who joined the Demon King’s Army?

‘Miss Elizabeth! There was another one, right beside Brown!’

It made sense he hadn’t thought of it.

Only Mr. Brown had shown himself to Luger and Kidd.

Lee Jiwon had awakened him to a too-obvious fact.

He described being shot at while ‘almost hidden by the dinosaur – a lucky break’ in a flustered tone, with some incoherent parts, but the gist was clear.

“[A flash from the left cliff, then almost simultaneously, another from the right cliff.

When I turned left, the person there had already vanished. I almost mistook it for one person. I followed and confirmed that there were at least two figures.]”

‘The fact that Toon was big enough to hide the targets meant they had to show themselves, and to avoid Lee Jiwon’s notice, they quickly took cover.’

It was a fact that no user had caught.

However, this time it was a misjudgment by Mr. Brown and Miss Elizabeth, given that their opponent was the second-ranked user.

Underestimating Lee Jiwon’s ability, especially in PVP, where his almost superhuman instinctive sense excels, was their biggest mistake.

Appearing, shooting, then taking cover.

Leeha was sure their actions didn’t exceed 2 seconds.

In the midst of the raging battlefield, with Toon rampaging and almost every user dead, they revealed themselves for just 2 seconds.

Yet, even in a near-death state, Lee Jiwon didn’t miss them and followed up to confirm it.

‘At times like this, he’s not just some simple high school girl…’

Leeha admired Lee Jiwon’s quick judgment and physical ability to execute it. However, that was all the admiration he could afford.

Although he had obtained information, the situation hadn’t improved. What good was knowing if you couldn’t prepare for it? If you can’t prepare, it’s as good as not knowing, isn’t it?

“Luger also mentioned rapid fire close to full auto. Maybe it wasn’t rapid fire, but two people firing alternately… If it was a situation like that?”

Luger had been hit but didn’t know exactly how. If it wasn’t rapid fire, but Brown and someone else taking turns firing?

“Both with a 7km range? No, if Elizabeth isn’t a Matan’s Shooter, then she might be even closer? It would have been hard to track the angle and sound of the shots during combat. Brown might have deliberately revealed himself to cover for her.” Kidd had mentioned it too, using dust clouds like smoke screens for close combat, a skill Leeha was aware of.

“Was each of those tactics, just to cover for Elizabeth’s existence? Which attacks were Brown’s and which were Elizabeth’s? If all of it was intentional, then Brown is indeed a type optimized for combat.”

“Damn, if I were there, I might have known a bit more… And what the hell is Toon up to-“

“Pardon?”

“No, nothing. Ah, my head hurts.”

He had anticipated difficulties, but this was beyond the expected level of challenge. He had convinced Luger and Kidd to join, only for Elizabeth to pop up as an unexpected variable!

“Ugh, it’s all doomed, doomed!”

“Did you pick up some spirit language? I can’t understand you.”

“Shh, quiet. Oh, Blaugrunn-ssi, what have you been up to lately?”

“What have I been doing? Just being there. In the lair, doing this and that-“

“Lair!”

“-Yes?”

“Lair! Blaugrunn-ssi, the lair!”

Leeha suddenly felt like dancing with joy. Yes, there was that way! A ray of hope in the seemingly unending darkness. It might not help, but to a drowning man, even a straw is a lifesaver.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Pretending not to know?! Gifts! We need to give gifts!”

“Ah…”

Blaugrunn’s face hardened.

Regretting mentioning it, but Leeha’s switch had already been flipped.

“There are many material items there, right? Surely there are, um, um. More material items than regular ones.”

Once the floodgates opened, Leeha’s thoughts raced.

Blaugrunn’s wide eyes were enough evidence.

“What basis do you have for saying that? I-“

“Of course! I remember what Blaugrunn-ssi was like as an Adult-class! You were like a complete scholar! A dragon with curiosity and focused on research would have collected more material items than equipment, right?”

More importantly, Leeha had a rational guess about the materials.

Dragons, depending on their nature and class, collect different items. He had already confirmed this in Kuzgunak’sh’s lair.

‘Although it’s a bit disappointing he’s not Adult-class yet, considering Blaugrunn’s intellectual demeanor…’

It was doubtful that the current cheeky little guy would turn into a beautiful young man, but his nature was sure.

“Let’s go! Huh?! Gifts! Gifts!”

“Sigh… Alright. A promise is a promise.”

Leeha, gleefully excited, draped his arm over the shorter Blaugrunn’s shoulder, like a man about to pop a bottle of champagne.