Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Toon gnashed his teeth in frustration, causing Chiyou, who was perched on his shoulder, to flinch at the intensity of his anger.

“It’s fortunate we found it now, at least.”

[“Hmm. Thanks to you.”]

Toon’s voice softened. [“Finding the location so quickly, and the intelligence being accurate… well done.”]

“Don’t mention it.”

Chiyou replied haughtily.

“After all, we’re in the same boat, working under the count. It was only natural.”

Chiyou smiled pleasantly at Toon, looking straight into his eyes.

Despite those eyes belonging to a creature much larger than herself, she showed no fear.

As Toon had pointed out, it was Chiyou who had inquired about the Divine Staff and had accurately identified this location.

‘Though it was thanks to what Bluebeard mentioned. Nonetheless, did it score me some points?’

Her identification of this place was all thanks to her insight.

Even with the Shinobi-Gumi and the entire information network of the Old Continent, it would have been difficult for her to learn about this operation. It was conducted with extreme secrecy, and from the beginning, Leeha had not disclosed the location.

Yet, the reason he could pinpoint the Divine Staff’s location was precisely because of a remark Bluebeard made at Ghibrid’s resting place.

-“Manticore is dead?”

‘A manticore that used to fly around so well, suddenly dead? Didn’t he say there were no signs of anyone around where the manticore was?’

The manticore wasn’t just a creator of chimeras but also served as Ghibrid’s eyes and ears!

Thus, the information just before its death was relayed to Ghibrid, which Bluebeard heard from him.

‘I’m not sure how those guys communicate, but… Anyway, that’s not important. An ambush where no one is detected, resulting in death from a single strike. Only a few in Middle Earth could achieve that.’

Leeha.

Chiyou was convinced that Leeha was the one who had killed the Manticore.

From that point, she began mapping and tracking the source of the demonic essence closest to the Manticore’s death, eventually arriving here with Toon with the help of Bluebeard and Ghibrid.

It was a task that would take even the most astute users more than a day, yet she accomplished it in mere hours with her incredible drive, naturally, raising her standing in the eyes of Toon, Bluebeard, and others.

“Hey there~ Lady Chiyou! So, what should I do now?”

A voice interrupted Chiyou’s scheming about what else they could exploit from their arrangement.

Looking down from Toon’s shoulder, Chiyou saw Prea, the white-haired spirit summoner, clinging tightly to Toon’s ankle, looking up at her.

‘Tch, the one I wanted to keep out… However, with Leeha around, her power is indispensable.’

After Prea showed her true colors, Chiyou had kept her distance. But Prea, seemingly more eager, began to treat Chiyou more affectionately.

‘I’ve heard there’s a shadow spirit. I don’t know its name, but if its existence is confirmed, what better place to increase familiarity than where the demonic beings dwell?’

Chiyou was roughly aware of Prea’s ulterior motives.

She was dissatisfied with Prea gaining more power, but there was no helping it.

After all, to neutralize one of Leeha’s key forces, the ‘Burning Bear,’ Prea’s power was vital.

“Can you ensure that humans are unable to approach the Divine Staff?”

Chiyou asked, hiding her emotions.

“Approach it?”

Prea replied, still wearing a somewhat dull expression.

“Hmm… Preventing access? That shouldn’t be too difficult, right?”

The white-haired spirit summoner scratched Toon’s thick ankle with her finger as she spoke.

Though it seemed like she was talking to herself, Chiyou knew that wasn’t the case. There were spirits listening to her words.

“Noeanean. Can you surround that area for me?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the ground around the Divine Staff began to shake.

[An earthquake? Is it an Earthquake?]

“Prea?”

“Yes?”

“Is, is this your doing?”

“Yes, as you requested. They won’t be able to approach now.”

Prea made a ‘V’ with her fingers, looking at Chiyou. Chiyou couldn’t believe what was happening. How had they managed to do it?

Was it really possible to use such a powerful skill with just a single spirit?

“A rock sorcerer… Even that guy couldn’t use such powerful magic!”

Chiyou quickly regained her calm expression, but Prea was already smiling.

Chiyou looked ahead once more.

“Although Noeas is great, at times like this, I miss those fellows of the lower rank who’d go ‘Woo~’.”

With a playful voice, Prea gently poked the shoulder of the spirit next to her.

[If you wish, I’ll call them immediately.]

“No, no, it’s okay. It’s going to be a continual rise from here, right?”

[As you wish.]

When the high-class earth spirit Noeas bowed its head, the ground near the Divine Staff twisted in a circular shape and rose.

She already knew the reason she was summoned.

To check the bear spewing fire. Although Chiyou didn’t say anything in particular, she had done more than what Chiyou had hoped for.

“Heheh, first, we have to set it like this—”

While Prea smiled contentedly, something flashed from the opposite side.

“Huh? What is that—”

Just when it seemed like an explosion occurred in mid-air, Prea saw nothing.

[They are powerful energy projectiles. Even one could be dangerous.]

The high-class earth spirit Noeas shielded Prea.

THUD THUD THUD—!

When the loud sound was heard, a considerable number of flying monsters had already started to fall to the ground.

“It’s not just a single attack… Multiple attacks like this are possible? No, noeas! Protect yourself first!”

[Do not worry.]

Rocks and gravel around where Toon’s foot touched gathered and perfectly shielded Noeas and Prea.

Prea vividly remembered the time the high-class fire spirit was returned to the spirit world by a single hit.

It was practically a nightmare for her.

She had thought of it as ‘the strongest attack skill possessed by Leeha,’ so it was natural for her to be amazed by the current attack.

‘Incredible! A summoner who has a contract with a fire spirit… And there are also items related to water spirits, not to mention dragons?’

Prea tried to calm her pounding heart and sneaked a peek, but Chiyou had already disappeared from her view.

It wasn’t just Prea who had shrunk from the attack.

Chiyou, who had been on Toon’s shoulder, had already hidden behind Toon’s neck after the loud sound.

Knowing Chiyou was gone, Prea visualized the Divine Staff and what lay beyond it in front of her.

“Phew, it seems we’ve made an initial greeting! If there’s something urgent—”

Leeha, who had fired the MIRV, immediately started sending whispers.

The unfamiliar loud sound startled all members of the knight order, but when they saw the falling monsters, their astonishment turned into excitement and admiration.

A skill capable of boosting morale with a single attack!

That was Black Bass’s MIRV.

“OOOOOH—!”

“We will secure the Divine Staff—! Don’t be late!”

“Don’t fear; Leeha is behind us! Charge forward!”

The coalition of knights mainly battled monsters on the ground, being predominantly close-combat classes fitting the name of their order.

The flying monsters were left to guilds made up of users.

“Bobae, the sky—”

Shhhhh—!

Before Kijung could even shout, Bobae had already drawn her bow.

Leeha’s MIRV seemed ordinary, yet a single arrow carried multiple mana arrows that spread around it.

“Seikraid Order, all units take flight! We’ll handle the flying monsters in formation!”

The eyes of the advanced order of knights who could use magic were also fixed above.

The monsters on the ground were mostly types encountered during waves! Therefore, the primary targets that needed to be kept in check were naturally those that could fly.

“Priority targets are the manticore! Monsters that generate chimeras are your first priority! Be careful not to get stung by the tail—”

Boommm—!

“What—?!”

An enormous explosion interrupted the commanding Shin Nara, startling her into silence. Simultaneously, a manticore that had been flying towards us from the far side of the Divine Staff began to plummet to the ground. Yeol turned towards the direction where Leeha was, flashing a confident smile, knowing that Leeha must be watching her.

“We must not die. But we also cannot let them have the Divine Staff. There is only one thing we must do,” Shin Nara swung her sword through the air, declaring, “Secure the Divine Staff, complete the mission without fail, and return to the capital! Do you understand?”

Yes, Dame!

As soon as the cry of allegiance to the Dame was uttered, the Sacred Knights moved towards the Divine Staff as if flying. It was not the best strategy. Acting without coordinating with the other knight orders only made them easier targets for the monsters. However, now was not the time to be choosy. With the imposing Toon and the giant monsters approaching, whoever could reach the Divine Staff first must do so, by any means possible.

Watching the Sacred Knights fly off, Leeha immediately turned and asked, “Cardinal! How do we secure it!? Just anyone goes for it?”

“Of course not. I must reach it myself.”

“Damn it! Then it’s no use for that knight order to go—!”

A curse slipped from Leeha’s lips. The original plan had been for the knight orders to clear out the monsters before moving together with the cardinal. But how could they clear the monsters in this situation? Especially now that Toon had appeared. For the group trying to secure the Divine Staff, it was the worst-case scenario.

“Damn it, this is when the top rankers should all be together! Why are they nowhere to be seen when they’re needed most?”

Having Alexander or Lee Jiwon there would have been enough to distract the monsters and buy some time!

Leeha had to make a decision. Normally, he would have backed off, but now there was no backing down. The specific powers of the Divine Staff were unknown, but if Toon managed to take it, wouldn’t everything be lost?

“Ah, no choice!”

Leeha shouted.

“Blaugrunn! Bring Koma over! Teleport me and the cardinal to the Divine Staff, quick!”

“Map! I remember the coordinates from before!”

Leeha quickly whispered this. Koma, who had only about ten minutes left, wouldn’t be able to play a significant role if he remained nearby. So, what was the remaining option? Besides the flying Sacred Knights, who else could protect the Divine Staff? Fortunately, Leeha knew. The strongest spatial magician in the Middle Earth user community.

“Hyein! Pull as many as you can from Byulcho to the Divine Staff! I’ll talk to Kijung!”

“Eh, what? It’s hard to specify the coordinates—No, no! Just come! If Hyein doesn’t bring Byulcho, we’re all dead!”

Amidst the sound of Hyein’s babbling whispers, Leeha could not hear her as Blaugrunn had already returned with Koma to Leeha’s side. The sudden appearance of a dragon startled the bishop NPC, but Cardinal Romero simply nodded, having anticipated this.

“Let’s go.”

“Are you ready, highness?”

“Yes, let’s! First, the five paladins here, me, Blaugrunn, and Koma. Eight of us will secure the Divine Staff!”

“Understood! Confirming coordinates, mana synchronization—” Blaugrunn looked off into the distance at the Divine Staff. A teal mana entered his body for a brief moment.

“[Mass Teleport]!”

When a violet light flashed from the very back of the Divine Staff securing team, eight humans and a dragon, along with a bear, arrived in front of the Divine Staff.

“Cardinal! How much time do we have?”

“Ten minutes should do it. We ought to make our Lord once again take interest in the creatures and lands of…”