Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

The four-handed ogre’s arms rattled as another spell that partially bound space was partially applied following Biyemi’s continuous poison damage. The ogre couldn’t comprehend why it could move its face and feet while it couldn’t move its arms.

How does one deal with a monster with high strength but low intelligence? What was the most efficient way to catch a monster using the minimum amount of mana and minimum amount of time? They had accumulated knowledge through numerous experiences.

“Great, as expected! Alright, we won’t lose to anyone in terms of game strategy, right?! Byeolcho, chaaaaarge! Catch this and let us go catch the winged ogre on the other side!”

“If Kay does well in tanking, it will end quickly..”

“T-Tale-hyungnim!”

Kijung and the Byeolcho users did not forget to laugh even in the midst of the urgent situation. Those who survived the national war and withstood the raid by joining forces became stronger than in the past. Even though raids happened everywhere and it was burdensome, they also helped in training Byeolcho. Of course, not all people who survived the national war and raid became strong the same way. When the majority of people became stronger by fighting demons, it was only natural that someone got stronger by getting closer to demons.

Southwest of Minis, the village of Radcliffe. The village Leeha visited not too long ago was still a place where a small number of players gathered to prepare for the hunt.

“Looking for someone to catch a griffin! Looking for one healer~!”

“Buying chain teleport scroll, looking for one urgently.”

“Looking for a level 170 tank -…… oh?”

“Hmm?”

“Hmm? What’s that?”

Since it was a small village located at the entrance to the Red Mountains, the mountain ridge was visible even from the center of the city.

“Oh? It’s something like a lump of dregs…… is it a monster?”

“It’s my first time seeing it.”

It was a huge mass wriggling and slowly moving on the red-colored earth. Whether it was walking or wriggling, at first glance, something that could be believed to be a huge slime was slowly moving toward Radcliffe.

“Amazing. It is said that there’s a monster even on Fibiel these days. Did Minis also have one?”

“The one where field bosses spawn?”

“Oh, great. Should we catch it?”

Minis users gathered in groups of threes and fives. How easy would that lump be compared to a large-sized monster with several arms? The speed of the slowly approaching enemy and the fact that there were more than 50 users with a minimum level of 170 nearby gave them confidence.

“Who wants to catch that lump?”

“Me, me, me, me, me, me!”

“Invite me to your party!”

Users gathered in an instant. Even though it was rushed, the speed of users at the intermediate level or higher was able to divide the roles quickly.

Two raid groups were formed in an instant.

Grrrrrr…….

The sound of the monster coming from afar made the users’ spines turn cold. They were certain that it was a monster they had never encountered before.

“Shouldn’t we call the NPC Knights, just in case?”

“Ah, aren’t we about to leave?”

A group of people ran toward the entrance to the Red Mountains. The group equipped with shining silver armor were clearly the knights in charge of Radcliffe.

“……But why are they closing the gate?”

“Shouldn’t they go out and catch it? Let’s make a move as well.”

The users tilted their heads and moved. At some point, the lump monster came down the ridge and seemed to be moving on flatland, and it was no longer visible. Was it coming toward the entrance of Radcliffe?

“Take a detoxifying potion first! Call the priests!”

“Report to the Capital and Ezwen! Quick!”

“Okay!”

The Knights NPCs busily communicated while barricading the front gate.

“Waa…… What is this? Isn’t it a normal event?”

It was a new sight that users who did not actively participate in the national war could not experience. Beyond the admiration of the users and shouts of the NPCs, were the cries of the monster that could be heard.

Grr- Grrr…….

Grrrr, grrrr-!

“Excuse me, knight-nim, what kind of monster is that?”

“Get out of here! Get away while we stall!”

“What?”

“Sooner or later the mayor will order to close the city! Before that, hurry up and use the warp gate to escape!”

Order to close the city. The heart of the users felt like sinking at that word. What kind of monster was it that the city would be closed? So it wasn’t an event where slightly stronger field bosses would invade and players leveled up while blocking it?

There have been rumors that Fibiel was able to somewhat block it, but that was the only thing Minis users knew. That was all they knew.

“W-what is that?”

And one of Minis’ users asked the knight. At that moment, a light purple curtain was drawn over their heads.

“What’s the use of idiots who don’t even know what a chimera is?”

“Huh? Chi一”

Shwik, a cane pierced and came out of the user’s chest.

It was a speed that even the NPC knights could not respond to, so of course the users would not be able to handle it.

“What? In the village- keok!”

Swik, swik, swik.

Something moved. Even those remnants fell one by one at a speed that was hard for the eyes to follow.

“What is happening?! Why are they suddenly-” Bang- Bang- Bang-!

It wasn’t just the unknown enemy inside the village that caused an uproar. A knocking sound could be heard from the gate. An ominous sound that could be heard even inside the city. Accompanied by a rustling sound, acrid smoke leaked through the cracks in the gate. The door was not broken. It just slowly corroded and melted away!

“Grrrr!”

“Grrr, grrrrr-”

They looked too disgusting to be considered monsters.

About 30 chimeras that Leeha and Kuzgunak’sh hadn’t killed began to enter the village of Radcliffe.

“Acid fluid?! Cough, cough, the smoke is poisonous as well!”

“Waaaa, this, this is not possible!”

“Stop them! Stop them from entering the village! How about the message? Did you send the message!?”

The NPC knights asked, but the reply was in vain.

“Are you asking about this letter?”

“Who are you-”

“What’s the point of knowing now? Tsk tsk, I tried to save you if you were my taste, but you are not, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“Cough…”

Bluebeard cut the head of the leader of Radcliffe’s NPC knights. Minis users knew right away. They could neither escape using space movement nor fight against Bluebeard. They would also not be able to deal with the 30 chimeras that sprayed acid and poison all over their bodies. No matter what they choose, it would only result in death. They had no other choice but to spread what they had witnessed through screenshots, recordings, and whispers to their friends, and so on, as much as possible.

“T-The whisper is not working?!”

“Did you really think that communication would be allowed? Heuheu, that look is quite cute.”

It was as if Bluebeard did not allow it. Just as Middle Earth experts were about to use special scrolls, the Monster-Class NPC Bluebeard blocked everything from whispers to video recordings.

“Phew……. This, it’s hard to move with an old body. To think I had to take care of a friend’s pets.”

It took only about half an hour for the two raid teams, the NPC knights, and the marketplace, including the NPC mayor of Radcliffe village, to die.

The total death toll was well over 500.

“Grrrrr-”

“Right, right, eat a lot. Ah, you can’t eat alone. He needs to be fed too.”

When Bluebeard pointed with his staff, the mount that Crolang rode previously started to growl! And cried. Whether they understood Bluebeard’s words or not, the chimeras started walking around and swallowed the users’ bodies. The arms protruding out of their bodies lifted the corpses and shoved them into their mouths like conveyor belts.

Pushwiiik-!

The whole corpse started corroding and disappeared with steam

As if it was not enough The chimeras ate everything with legs except tables and thoroughly destroyed Radcliffe.

Bluebeard sat on the roof and sighed as he looked down at the scene.

“Seeing that they were not able to take care of 30 chimeras, it seems they are not here…. The ones who got in the way of my plans. I am very busy……. If you have something to say, wouldn’t it be better to come and show yourself?”

When Bluebeard raised his cane into the air, a giant man appeared in the empty space.

Kaaang-!

Two curved swords crossed each other and hit the cane that slowly stabbed at him.

“Did you destroy this city knowingly? You still have bad taste, old man.”

The man holding the curved swords had red-shaved hair. The giant man snorted and looked down at Bluebeard.

“I knew it was a dragon. I just didn’t know who. Long time no see, Kuzgunak’sh. What are you trying to do with my plans?”

“I have a favor to ask you.”

“Favor? Hmmm……. You are not to my taste. If you ask me, I don’t like muscular men-”

“Don’t make perverted jokes, old man. Unless you want to die after just waking up.”

“Ho, ho, do you think you can kill me, red idiot?”

Even while opening their mouths, the Fragment of the Demon King and the Red Dragon did not stop being wary of each other.

Kuzgunak’sh glared at Bluebeard with burning eyes.

He did not move carelessly even though he showed the momentum that he would change into dragon form at any moment and release his breath.

“We don’t lose anything to each other. I don’t want to borrow the power of an old man like you, but there’s an uninvited guest on my side.”

“An uninvited guest. Is it that dung fly Bailephus? Hmm, I’m sure there’s no other fly or mosquito more annoying than that guy. I am so tired of his justice and sun.”

If Bailephus had heard it, he would have let out a breath of white flame right away, but Kuzgunak’sh had a faint smile on his face.

Without knowing that the gold dragon, his old rival, being compared directly to a fly or a mosquito was indirectly insulting him as well.

“……There is naturally that guy.”

After the brief smile disappeared, Kuzgunak’sh opened his mouth again. What the red dragon meant was not the gold dragon.

“Then who is it?”

“……There are a lot of bothersome things.”

However, he could not tell you who it is. His dragon pride didn’t allow it.

“Wouldn’t it be fine if you chuuu~ with your breath? Hooo, I really wonder who Kuzgunak’sh wants to keep in check.”

“Noisy. If you help me, I will add my strength to your plan. Will you help?”

“You know what I am doing?”

Bluebeard looked up from his seated position at Kuzgunak’sh, who spoke as if he already knew about everything.

“Of course. If it was you, anyone with a brain would have noticed.”

Humans can’t easily move even if they notice. Aren’t they more stupid than we thought?”

“Exactly. However, it’s always the stupid ones who get in the way of a plan.”

At Kuzgunak’sh last word, the corner of Bluebeard’s mouth rose.

It was because he agreed with the red dragon’s statement, but also because he had a vague idea of who he was trying to keep in check.

“That makes sense. And I know that what’s annoying you is a human.”

The Red Dragon and Fragment of the Demon King’s thoughts aligned for the first time. Kuzgunak’sh put the curved swords on his back and held out his hands.

“Heh, would you like to hold hands, old- no, Count Le.”

“Hmmm, okay.”

Taak-!

Blue Beard stood up and took the Red Dragon’s hand. The unofficial alliance of the 2nd Human-Demon War became official 20 years later.

“But do red dragons sweat in their hands? It did not feel good because it was damp. The older you get, the more you have to take care of such trivial things. How old are you this year?”

“One more word and this alliance- hmm? There’s someone here.”

Kuzgunak’sh, who was about to get angry at Bluebeard’s joke, turned around.

Who was in the city where 30 chimeras were roaming around with no living creatures?

“Grrrr……

“Grrt- grrt- grt-!”

Someone slowly walked toward Bluebeard and Kuzgunak’sh while keeping the chimeras from approaching them. The figure dragging its tail on the floor was clearly a Lizardia.