Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Luger’s steps quickened as he loaded his rifle.

He immediately opened the teleport skill window of the Three Musketeers. Kidd’s location was a small village, Deadwood, located at the southern end of Libiel.

“There must be something. Kidd wasn’t the type to waste time. He was one of the users who could plan the optimal route better than anyone else. Isn’t Kidd the one who restrains Luger the most from leaking his route? A guy like that wouldn’t waste time in a town he had never even heard of. Not to mention, if there was something called Lugermon…”

Wouldn’t Kidd want to fight again?

Luger vaguely knew of Kidd’s hidden competitive spirit. Retreating was not in his style at all.

“Leeha, who played tough like that, would log out like this.”

Was he devastated by the disastrous result of the legendary rifle synthesis failure? Luger shook his head.

“If Leeha was the kind of guy who would fall apart because of that, he wouldn’t have made it this far.”

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Luger was completely clueless. He didn’t know that Igor and Faust were causing chaos, nor did he have any guesses about why Kidd was there or what happened to Chiyou. His information was so scarce that he couldn’t even speculate.

But, as acknowledged by Leeha and Kidd, his intuition was close to that of a beast.

“What’s happening. These bastards are up to something when I’m not around.”

He couldn’t know. Luger suspected that the other two of the Three Musketeers had acquired specific information, but he didn’t know that this information would bring about very significant changes.

However, he could feel it. Above all, he could smell what he needed to do in the future, where he needed to target his steps. That was Luger’s fear.

Shwaaah…!

Luger immediately teleported.

“Oh my, Luger?”

“Haha, you almost fell over in surprise.”

He had moved to the center of the New Continent, the Corrupted World Tree Forest…

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“Are those Byulcho’s minions here? What are they doing here?”

Many of the Ezwen Paladins, including Byulcho, were spread out in various places, standing guard in all directions. Watching them vigilantly monitoring the movements of the Gryphon and Chimera legions, Luger furrowed his brows.

They were defending this place to keep an eye on the Gryphon and Chimera legions. Of course, besides this place, the Paladins were lined up along the long defensive line, keeping watch day and night without rest.

“Watch your tongue, scrappy one. Ugh, if it weren’t for Kijung and Leeha being friends with you, I would’ve…”

Luger muttered irritably, finding the most boring part about guard duty being interrupted by Bobae’s sharp tongue. Bobae grumbled seriously, and for two reasons, Luger was taken aback.

“Whose friend am I supposed to be!? Nonsense. And if not a friend… what can you possibly mean to me?”

He was puzzled by being referred to as Leeha’s ‘friend’. And if not a friend? What was the point of it?

“Um, excuse me, Bobae-nim?”

“Ahem, I understand what you’re trying to say, and I agree with your opinion, but provocation is not a good idea, Bobae-yang.”

Trying to lighten the sudden seriousness in the air created by Jin Gonggong and Tale, who suddenly became grave, Bobae didn’t even glance at them.

“Let me help fix your arrogant jerk habits~ This kind of thing. Hehe. Interested?”

As Bobae glared with a drawn bow, Luger immediately raised his Cobalt Blue Python.

“Come on, lady.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t come?”

“Well, just a mom- just a moment! If Hyein-nim isn’t here, and even Bobae-nim is going to do this- Ah!”

The Giant Jin Gonggong was pushed back by the half-sized Bobae walking confidently towards Luger. Everyone was astonished as they watched Bobae approach Luger fearlessly. At that moment, only one Lizardia was baring his teeth.

“Ki, keke… This should be interesting… things are heating up.”

It was unanimously agreed that this was no ordinary situation.

“Always bragging about being in the top ten rankings isn’t always a good idea. Today is the day to thoroughly teach who is superior,” Luger said.

“You’re joking. Let’s be honest here, everyone’s just avoiding you because it’s a hassle to deal with, who actually thinks they lost to you? And what’s so funny about ranking 11th? It’s not much different from being in the top ten, right?!”

Bobae answered back.

“This girl… 9th place?”

Luger no longer waited. The moment he raised his rifle was imminent. Something landed on his back.

His rifle was quickly aimed back at the ground.

“Ahem – Ah, as much as I’d love to watch the two of you fight, it doesn’t seem like the right time for that.”

In his left hand, a pocket that expanded like a water balloon was present, with a small dagger wrapped around his tail.

“Back off, lizard.”

“Step aside, Biyemi. They say I need to give this guy a hard time.”

Luger and Bobae seemed to be communicating with each other, both making an effort to conceal their surprise. In an instant, rushing between them, Biyemi placing her foot on Luger’s back, her presence was impossible to ignore.

“Why do these guys keep popping up in a guild of fewer than 20 members? This kid seemed to have a magic background. Was he a Venom Mage or something?”

“Come to think of it, Biyemi’s previous character was an assassin…”

Luger and Bobae exchanged glances, pondering Biyemi. Of course, Biyemi had no intention of overpowering both of them simultaneously, nor did she have the confidence. She simply had a sense of the two’s personalities and acted accordingly.

“Hehehe, if a fight breaks out, I’ll step in too. Then it won’t be a fair fight anyway. So let’s just refrain from shedding blood between us for no reason. If something happens, how will we face the guild leader later?”

It was obvious that if Biyemi swung his sword, it would be towards Luger.

And the moment he intervened, the outcome would become meaningless.

The same goes for Bobae. Since the topic of surrender was brought up, it was difficult for her to engage in combat recklessly. And if Biyemi intervened, there would be no honor to gain in the first place.

“How boring. Spend your life shooting arrows from behind a lizard.”

Luger let out a fart strong enough to blow sand off the floor before turning around.

“What, what is it? You really-”

“Alright, enough. I don’t want to see Bobae in this state either.”

“Ugh, Tale-oppa!”

Despite the attempts of Biyemi, Bobae, and Jin Gonggong to stop them, Bobae shouted at Luger.

“Luger! You better be ready to die next time we meet!”

However, despite raising her voice in frustration, Luger quietly distanced himself from Bobae. He simply added a motion of extending his right index finger and flicking it back.

“Seriously! That unlucky guy! May he stumble upon a pile of crap! Let him be humiliated by Lugermon!”

Bobae went crazy, but he couldn’t push away Biyemi, Tale, and Jin Gonggong. As Bobae’s cries reverberated through the tainted Forest of the World Tree for a while, Luger ventured into a point where spatial movement was impossible. His destination was the eastern part of the new continent.

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Luger’s expression was not particularly bright. Though he pretended to coolly brush off Bobae’s provocation, it was because Bobae hit the nail on the head about why he had come here.

“Damn it, that woman! I came here exactly to find that.”

Manticore-Luger.

Following Kidd’s activity and the discovery of Kijung, the existence that started spreading under the name “『Lugermon』.”

The reason for Luger’s arrival in the new continent was simple.

Was it to take responsibility for his mistake? Rather, it was a more personal and narrow-minded reason, but the goal itself was not significantly different.

“I can’t just let that kind of thing roam around.”

What Luger desired was the death of Lugermon. However, he couldn’t recklessly wander around. If he encountered Gibrid and Chimera legions, there was a high probability he would be defeated again. Should he consider this place a limit in the end?

Luger looked around sadly before turning back. Although quite far, the tainted Forest of the World Tree came into view at the edge of his sightline. In other words, the only option Luger could choose was to patrol primarily in high places with a secure view in all directions and not too far from the tainted forest.

Part of the blame for provoking Bobae lay with Luger as well. He didn’t want to ask Bobae to search the area while he waited, as he didn’t like it even if he died, and he didn’t think this plan would succeed without Bobae’s help.

Luger is one of the people in Middle Earth who most acknowledges Bobae’s abilities, except for Ha Leeha, Shin Nara, and Lark.

From the beginning, provoking Bobae was intended to understand their purpose and movements.

Sitting at the top of the hill, Luger let go of the Cobalt Blue Python. The wind felt refreshing, but his mind was uneasy. He wanted to thoroughly uncover everything, including Kidd’s actions and below.

“White Reaper… another sniper, someone like that. No, that guy had white feathers. Whatever it was, it’s not my concern.”

The important point is what Ha Leeha discovered and did.

What legendary rifle did Ha Leeha find?

Luger’s gaze moved toward the Cobalt Blue Python.

So far, only three 『legendary firearms』 have been revealed. However, during the short time he was logged out, did he discover another legendary rifle and attempt a synthesis with Black Bass?

“Synthesis… that guy is crazy.”

Luger turned his head and spat on the ground, but he was still smiling. Leeha seemed to be attempting something. But what if he had failed?

“Now it’s my turn. If that Leeha bastard could do what he did, then surely I can do it too. Kidd, that sneaky bastard, couldn’t have missed that,” Luger thought aloud.

Luger checked Kidd’s position. He was still lingering in Deadwood. Luger judged that Kidd, being quick-witted, would know a fact that even a newcomer in Gaza City could discern.

“Hmm… But to go to a small town of Fibiel to find a legendary rifle? Isn’t that too foolish?”

Luger chuckled to himself.

As he contemplated, Luger deduced that Leeha and Kidd were currently striving to obtain a 『legendary-grade weapon』 for synthesis! In other words, in Luger’s opinion, Leeha had failed, and Kidd was in the process of success!

With this realization, Luger felt a bit relieved. His presence on the new continent stemmed from a simple and instinctive action, but if judged by the outcome of his decision, it was remarkably accurate.

“A 『legendary-grade rifle』? To find that, you naturally have to start from here. If they created monsters targeting me…”

Luger mused. What kind of rifle was being wielded by Manticore-Luger, aka 『Lugermon』?

“That’s precisely the legendary-grade one. And…”

he trailed off.

Luger continued to use a skill to enhance his vision, gazing at a specific point in the sky before raising his Cobalt Blue Python.

“God is on my side. You’ve arrived, Manticore!”

As soon as he lifted the barrel, he quickly began to reload, and his gun was already accurately aimed at the Manticore.

At the distance of 1.2 kilometers, there was no problem at all! Especially at such an ambiguous altitude – 『Artillery Enhancement: Flat Cannon』, and… a time fuse. There’s no need to elevate the angle. No need to penetrate it.

What’s needed now is just to make his presence known!

“Go call your friends, you damn baldy.”

Whoosh!

A backblast poured out behind Luger.

Of course, what shot out even faster was the shell from the Cobalt Blue Python.

“Grawwr?”

The Manticore turned its head toward something flying at it. There was no time to dodge.