Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Brown indeed had shown how to open and close the scope cap. But perhaps Elizabeth does not need a scope at all.

“Ah! Scope! Yeah, right!” She clapped her hands and laughed out loud.

As Leeha reacted with surprise, she pointed to Black Bass while chuckling.

“Looks like she hasn’t unlocked the seals after the fifth! You won’t be needing a scope anymore. Don’t you know why [Bullseye] is so accurate?”

“What does that mean-”

“This name isn’t just because we hit faraway targets well! Oops, well, it won’t be fun if I tell you everything. Do you have any other questions? Oh! You should answer my previous question. How’s Browless? That man seems like he lacks business acumen. The Academy must be a maelstrom by now. Who taught you [Pierce] and [Bullseye]?”

Elizabeth’s words poured out like machine gunfire.

Switching from one topic to another, one reaction to another. Leeha had difficulty keeping up with the conversation.

But one point was especially important.

‘Doesn’t need a scope? The reason for the accuracy?’

These were things that he could never hear from Browless.

Wasn’t the reason it was named [Bullseye] because it had the ability to hit a far-off target well?

‘[Eagle’s Eye] version upgrade…?’ The only possibility he could think of was that. He gathered his thoughts for the time being.

“The headmaster said he will be coming here soon.”

“Really?! Really? Oh no, it’s too late.”

Elizabeth looked really disappointed.

“What do you mean it’s too late-“

“You, trying to get various information from me and watch the situation to snipe down Toon, right?”

Listening to her words, Leeha felt a sting of regret.

Leeha hadn’t revealed his camouflage for no reason. Because he had enough scenarios and plans for various situations, he was able to take such a risk.

Reveal himself, converse, and when her guard is down, subdue her or shoot Toon down.

Because he had considered everything, including an escape using Blaugrunn, he was able to reveal himself.

“Your double decoy using the piece of meat was quite impressive. From then on, I knew. Ah! My dongsaeng is a cunning one! A guy like you wouldn’t just reveal yourself in a situation like this.”

But all Leeha’s shrewd tricks were read by Elizabeth.

As Leeha stood silent, she grinned once again.

“How could I read your thoughts?”

“…..If you were in my situation, you would come up with the same plan.”

Elizabeth nodded at his reply.

But her actions contained a slightly different nuance.

Saying it was late because he had his thoughts read, it surely meant something is really late.

“It’s time for me to go. I’ll answer one last thing for you, my cute dongsaeng.”

Time to go?

Leeha looked towards Toon.

There was no sign of the roaring dinosaur letting up. Leaving in this situation? Why?

Leeha quickly sorted out the questions in his head. What should he ask her now?

Should he ask why she did not kill him?

Should he ask why she directed herself to the Matan Army?

Should he ask what the fifth seal of Black Bass is?

Leeha shook his head.

He could see a storm gathering in the distance. Leeha calmly, but quickly organized his thoughts and shook his head.

There was only one thing Leeha would ask.

In a single question, he had to cover all his curiosities. There was only one question that could do that.

“Who is the ‘Matan’s Shooter’?”

With Leeha’s question, Elizabeth smiled thinly. She stood up from her seat.

“Interesting. See you next time, dongsaeng. It will be nice if we meet with that villain, Browless.”

Even while smiling, her expression seemed somewhat melancholy.

“No, wait- the answer-”

Woosh-!

With a single leap, she disappeared from Leeha’s gaze.

A musketeer doing such a movement? Not even an assassin character should be able to leap like that, he thought.

The movement itself was beyond what a player could emulate.

“…What? What does she mean? She promised to answer, that lying old woman-“

Leeha turned his head.From the side where Kidd and Luger were, no more explosions or cloud of dust were happening.

Just like how Elizabeth left, Brown had also departed.

“No, this isn’t the time.”

Leehaaack-! Leeha spun his body and instantly took a stance, ready to fire a knee shot.

Without Elizabeth and Brown? That meant the opportunity was right now!

The target was already set. Toon, with his huge actions, didn’t move a lot from his spot and there was no need to adjust minor settings.

Distance OK

Direction OK

Wind direction and speed OK

Interference check OK

There was no need to calculate anymore. All he needed now was the courage to pull the trigger.

“Multi-Warhead Shot!”

Talcak, Leeha cast his most powerful skill and pulled the trigger of the Black Bass.

Kwakwa———————

Along with the noise and shockwave, 35 bullets headed towards Toon.

A thick cloud approaching in the distance filled the entire area of ‘The Desolate Land’.

More than a raindrop or two falling, Leeha’s multi-bullet was like sweet rain for the users!

“Ha, it’s Leeha!”

“What the, those missiles?!”

“Tie down Toon! Mages!”

“Mages isn’t working! Even if it costs my life, I’ll hold onto him!”

Kijung roared for the last time.

Toon looked at the lethal attack flying towards him. It was too late to move.

The speed of the bullet was faster than Toon’s movements.

The bullet was flying correctly. However, Leeha’s heart was throbbing.

Wasn’t it Elizabeth who predicted all of his movements? Would she have not anticipated this situation?

“No… She must have predicted it. Then why did she leave me alone?”

She told Leeha several times, “It’s too late, you have to go.” Why did Elizabeth turn back at this moment?

“-Because someone who could replace her arrived here.”

Just when the multi-bullet was about to hit Toon, the shoulder of a gigantic dinosaur, towering 33m in height, distorted, and someone appeared out of thin air.

“Oh-o-o-ooh!”

Matching the strange shout he let out, the sound rang out over and over.

The English gentleman-like Top hat, black suit and cane. He effortlessly swung his cane, blocking the bullets.

The figure that even Toon didn’t stop was a guy all users present in the desolate land knew.

Blue, blue, Bluebeard! Le!

He was one piece of the Demon King causing the users to flock to the new continent.

Bailephus was the first to rush in.

He who was no longer restrained from long-distance attacks seemed to rush out as if ready to let out all his frustrations.

“You’re revealing yourself, Le! Looks like you’ve a death wish!”

“Oh dear, oh dear. I’ve nothing to talk with you, lizard.”

Bluebeard swung his cane briskly, again and again.

A blue beam spilled out from the end of his cane. It was more than a few, it continued for a while.

The impact of defending against Bluebeard’s attack was akin to the sound of welding. It was similar but stronger than the previous bell-like impact sound.

Witnessing Bluebeard’s capability of eroding and melting even mana-made barriers, Bailephus’ momentum briefly faltered.

Bluebeard did not miss that moment.

“I didn’t come here to play with you fellows today. There are ones who play more interesting games than before…but even if it’s me, I can’t afford to have my time stolen here.”

Bluebeard looked in the direction of Leeha.

Through his scope, he made eye contact with Leeha, who was looking at him.

As if even an az of distance meant nothing, he pointed at Leeha’s exact position.

“Toon.”

“Yes, Master.”

“No matter how much you haven’t recovered, this is too little. How long were you planning to play with these insects?”

[“I’m sorry.”]

With genuine regret, Toon apologized to the Bluebeard creature the size of one of his molars, which was perched on his shoulder.

The Bluebeard chided reproachfully, clicking his tongue, and brought out his staff once again.

All of this was observed by Leeha. And finally, he understood Brown and Elizabeth’s intentions in that moment.

[It’s too late.]

“St-stop—”

“No! Stop it!”

But Leeha’s outcry didn’t reach them.

In the moment when the users were dumbfounded by Bluebeard’s sudden appearance, his staff thrust into Toon’s body.

Toon was still in a state where he hadn’t recovered his strength.

For what reason had Bluebeard appeared in this place?

There was only one answer.

“Your ‘Soul Collection Ability’ is quite useful. I’ll give you one more chance.”

[Tha-Thank Y-You…]

Toon’s body began to convulse.

His veins bulged as though they were about to burst and his muscles stretched as if they were being torn apart.

Toon swelled irregularly, to the point where he couldn’t even construct the words to convey his gratitude properly.

At the brink of an explosive transformation, the users had to momentarily retreat. They were uncertain about the meaning behind this act that looked suspiciously like a suicidal attack.

“Damn it!”

Burst———!

Leeha launched an attack.

But, as always, Bluebeard casually deflected Leeha’s bullet with his staff.

“Um-hum, indeed. This attack. You are quite an annoying one.”

And then Bluebeard inspected his staff.

Despite the end of the staff, which Leeha had once destroyed, being in a restored state, it reminded him of past events.

[“Alexander, stop Le!”]

“Split Buster!”

Alexander’s spear technique, which had torn Luger’s attack to shreds, couldn’t even touch Bluebeard.

Bluebeard easily evaded the attack, even while remaining on Toon’s shoulder.

“Oh-ho-ho, I’m sorry! I have to leave now! If you want to play with ‘Toon who regained his full power’, you’re welcome too. The more you die, the better it is for me.”

With a few jumps towards the dark clouds, he was already floating in the air.

His presence had stolen their attention for just barely 10 seconds.

[Huuuuuuh———…]

Toon’s swelling physique had returned to normal. But the beast that was 33m tall had turned into a monster exceeding 45m. It was like hell itself for the players.

Not just Leeha, but all the players who had encountered Toon up until now were able to understand the current situation.

The quest was a failure.

The odds of clearing the Demon’s Base Quest had dropped abysmally close to zero.

Suddenly, iridescent splendor flashed across someone’s body.

That was the beginning of the players’ mass retreat from the front lines.

Someone foolishly tried to stand their ground and fight Toon to the very end, yet the outcome for all remained the same: death.

Standing alone amidst the barren land, Toon let out a long and piercing roar.

This bellow was a mix of pride for having successfully defended their base, which had been seized six times already, and the fighting spirit of a beast that had awakened from its slumber and regained all its power.

The report card of the second round of attacks spread across the front-line communities three hours later.

[Common Quest: ‘If you beat the grass, the snake will emerge’ Quest has ended.]

[Measuring the completion rate now.]

[Among the seven demon bases, six were successfully defended with a 30% completion rate.]

[Final Quest Verdict: Failure]

[Common Quest: ‘If you beat the grass, the snake will emerge’ Quest has failed.]

[Dinosaur ‘Toon’ has regained his full strength.]

[The remaining demon sites have begun to link up.]

[You have failed the ‘Prevent anything from blooming’ quest.]

It felt like stirring the grass needlessly had only succeeded in summoning a snake. One of the powers of the demon had bloomed flawlessly on the barren land.