Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

[The failure penalty will be applied after 21 hours.]

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!” The moment the quest notification appeared, used his crystal ball.

He then went to a different destination than most other users.

While a majority of the players returned to ‘Juma’, the joint-administrative village on the new continent, Leeha headed towards where the World Tree was located.

‘This is similar to the previous King’s Assassination Protection Quest. The quest forcefully ends at an unspecified point in time!’

There was still time left for the quest.

So, what does it mean to forcefully terminate the quest?

‘It means there’s no reason to continue the quest. In other words, the main goal of the common quest…
It wasn’t to purify all the tens of thousands of demon bases.

It was to completely neutralize and put to Toon to sleep, Le’s second-in-command sleeping somewhere in the demon stronghold!

In other words, the ultimate goal was to assassinate Toon.
The proof was in the progress rate. Although they had cleared six out of seven demon bases, the quest progress rate according to the Middle Earth system was only 30%.
One must infer that the one place where Toon was, accounted for 70% and was such an important location.

‘Then! At least! They should have given a hint!’

Maybe someone received one. Among the users who frequently visited the Vatican, it was possible someone received a hint from important NPCs, including the Pope.

But if that person did not share widely? If they did not share the content of the quest?
In such situations like these, one can only sigh at the pitiful state of Middle Earth.
Leeha sorted out the points quickly flowing in his head.

He had to explain to the people who had arrived at the place he did.

“What- what happened?”

“Did you neutralize Toon?”

“…I’m sorry. We failed.”

The faces of the top-grade Earth Spirit Noeanen and the top-grade Wind Spirit Celestine went pale.

“So…what happened?”

“What do you mean by failure? Can you explain in detail?”

“We almost neutralized him… but Le showed up there. And he breathed his energy into Toon.”

“You mean-“

“Toon has perfectly resurrected. He has regained all his lost power,” Leeha pointed out.

“I’m sorry.” Leeha appeared less confident.

Toon had just regained his strength, and since the Bluebeard Le disappeared somewhere, Bailephus thought it was worthwhile to at least fight. That was the case when Toon was alone. Alexander and Lee Jiwon’s request for a charge was also refused by Bailephus for another reason.

[However, as the ‘Matan’s Shooter’ pursues me. I can’t be reckless against the High-ranking snipers and the Matan’s Shooter. If you approach Toon hard here, I will die, unconditionally. One bullet would be enough.]

‘Bailephus knows too. If the Matan’s Shooter really uses the “Matan”, no creature can withstand it.’

The word came directly from the dragon’s mouth. Alexander knew about it, but this was new information for the top rangers like Lee Jiwon and Pei Wu, who were close to Toon.

Let alone, they even claimed that an Ancient Gold Dragon, despite using all defensive skills, can be killed with a single bullet… It was only natural that the eyes of some users brightened amidst the frantic retreat.

“Is this how it is? Is the world tree now extinct in this realm?”

“We can’t help it.”

Celestine comforted Noeanen, who was murmuring in frustration.

The top-grade spirits did not blame or curse Leeha. As if they knew something like this would happen someday, they looked resigned.”It’s… too wasteful to give up.”

Leeha spoke, suppressing his overwhelming emotions. These words were also meant for himself, who had failed the quest.

He couldn’t just sit and watch the World Tree go extinct.

It’s too wasteful to give up.

“We’ve been here since this forest was created. Don’t we know better how precious it is?”

“There are five fruits. If we scatter them in a safe place and manage them well, wouldn’t it work somehow?”

“Do you believe there exists a safe place in this land? We must preserve the fruits of the World Tree. Even just for the future day when we could replant it in a fully polished land… We have to take it to the Spirit Realm.”

“There is! There is a safe place!”

The expressions of Celestine and Noeanen changed. Leeha didn’t just blurt out his words without thinking.

“There is?”

“Yes, yes! There is! Not in this continent of Erika… But over there, in the Lope Continent!”

“Huh, interesting. And you claim there exists safe land over there… A world tree doesn’t just grow anywhere you plant it. It’s better to accumulate power in the Spirit Realm. If you gather power there and plant in this land, it grows much faster. A rate of about 1,000 times higher.”

Noeanen scoffed.

At the mention of the Spirit Realm, Leeha tilted his head.
It grows more than 1,000 times faster? Then why don’t they do that? Wouldn’t it complete in just below ten months instead of 800 years?

Seeing Leeha’s puzzled face, Celestine continued.

“However, the fruits of a World Tree grown that way have only one seed. Even if it grows rapidly, the importance goes no further than preserving one seed. Only by absorbing the energy of this realm can the fruits have two seeds.”

“I see.”

Even if it grows fast and is brought to this realm, there will be no chance of reproduction. Even if the growth was fast due to the energy of the Spirit Realm, there would only be one seed from the fruits it bore. Unless it was grown for ornamental purposes, it was impossible to create a World Tree forest for the purification of demonic energy, as the Spirits desired.

Hearing the sighs of Noeanen and Celestine, Leeha hesitated and spoke.

“Still… What I mentioned earlier is not a false claim. There certainly is a safe land in the Lope Continent.”

“Where? You suggest planting it in the bustling city center?”

“Not in the center! I will take responsibility and plant the seed myself!”

“You, and who are you to say so?”

Noeanen looked a bit angry. Leeha, who was remarkably persistent, was becoming annoying.
Furthermore, with the world’s energy being exchanged, the World Tree forest would quickly become polluted. Leeha was now restraining them, who must quickly return to the Spirit Realm with the World Tree fruits.
However, Leeha had a case.

And who was he?

“I am the Lord who manages a city. The area of the city I manage is far wider than this World Tree forest! And there are no monsters around. I manage it with perfect security. If I plant a seed there, what if I do? Take four of the fruits to the Spirit Realm, but please give one to me. I will certainly plant one with responsibility. I will manage it more thoroughly than anyone else.”

“Ha, you think you can do that? How would we trust and leave it to you?”

Leeha quickly opened his bag. The last item that would appeal to the spirits, if this didn’t pass, he would have to back down for real.

“This is the ‘Key to the Spirit Realm’. If I fail, I will use this key to find you and accept my punishment. If we have such a promise-“

“That, that, the Key to the Spirit Realm!”

“Key to the Spirit Realm!? Impossible! How could you – a non-Spirit Apostle- “

” …Huh?”

Leeha held the key with a serious face, but he had to make a somewhat absurd face.
Why are they reacting like this?

‘Come to think of it… They said this was very precious. Drake was very surprised too…’
Could this key have been a free pass card to befriend the high-ranking spirits?!

Leeha recalled his memories of doing everything possible to gain their intimacy. He nodded and lowered his head.

“It’s unjust to think of,” the narrator voiced, resonating an undertone of loss.

“If Middle Earth continues to think this way, we will be unable to continue playing,” he continued gloomily.
Noeanen and Celestine stared intently at the key of the spirit realm. They then turned to face each other.

“If that’s the case, Noeanen…”

“Hm…If I inform Gnoas-nim, I reckon we can actually verify whether the seed has been planted.”

Noeanen nodded in agreement and Celestine swiftly soared into the sky.
When she returned shortly after, she bore in her hands five fruits, each the size of a clenched fist.

“Can we place our trust in you, Leeha?”

“Indeed, you can.”

“We are about to vanish. However, Gnoas-nim will verify everything. In the case of deception-“

“I assure you, one seed will certainly be planted. I will be careful to honor that promise. Or else, as I stated before, I will personally take a hit with this key.”

Upon hearing Leeha’s light-toned response, they displayed expressions of disbelief. Despite this, they could not contradict the power held within the[Key of the Spirit Realm]that they held in their hands.

“We request your help. For the sake of the Hyun-kye (the present world).”

“Do your best〜! If you can’t grow it properly, we will reprimand you with our sylphs!”

“Thank you. Don’t worry.”

Noeanen received the fruit from Celestine and handed it to Leeha. The moment Leeha accepted it, they began to fade away.
［You have obtained the Fruit of the World Tree.］

［The intimacy with the spirits of the Earth increases by 20%.

［The intimacy with the spirits of Wind increases by 20%］

“For all the living beings of all the continents-“

And just like that, the supreme spirits vanished. It was almost akin to the spirits committing suicide.

“… Looks like it ended with a conditional success.” The quest had failed.

However, Leeha received the desired rewards.

Would this be considered a success or a failure?

“Success feels somewhat inappropriate to say, considering the nature of the reward, half-hearted at best.”

However, they could not make full use of the single fruit. They had to plant at least one of the two seeds contained within it into the ground. If only to uphold their promise to the spirits.

Despite obtaining the much-coveted Fruit of the World Tree, which he had been longing for, Leeha didn’t feel particularly fulfilled.

The familiarity with the spirits was the same. The only thing that swirled in his mind was the bitterness of the quest’s failure.

‘Toon… Bluebeard…and-‘ the Three Guardians of Matan.
The phrase, “The Guardians of Matan,” brought three people to Leeha’s mind: Mr. Brown, Miss Elizabeth, and their child.

‘Elizabeth never gave a definite answer. But based on what was revealed-‘

It was highly probable that Brown was not the one.

It was likely to be either Elizabeth or her son.

Leeha remembered the gun that Elizabeth had held. It was a gun of a shape he had never seen before.
If it could shoot Matan, it needed to be of that level of sophistication.

‘Anyway, there is no way other than quickly enhancing my skills.’

Leeha, with the determination to repay the frustration and anger of the day, teleported to the Lair of Bahamut.
About 5 hours after Leeha disappeared, the land where the Forest of the World Tree was located started to darken.

“Oh, oh… They truly saved it!”

“Well, it doesn’t feel much like a rescue. Anyway, I have returned, Lord Bahamut.”

“Give it here. I’ll quickly create the growth accelerator you desire.”

While observing Bahamut grinning like a playful elderly man, Leeha shook his head. Blaugrunn, who had followed Leeha’s movement, stared at him.