Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

They had moved throughout the night, and not only were their stamina and physical strength depleted, but they were also mentally exhausted. However, what shocked them more was the alarm that spread through the entire system.

“S+ grade… did you say?”

“Where on earth did this come from— Damn it! S+ grade!”

“Ha, is it the quest Ha Leeha mentioned? The one where he went to take down Pyrot-Cocri?”

“… The Holy Knight. After the Cardinal…”

Kidd, Luger, Fernand, and Alexander each reacted differently to the alarm.

However, Leeha didn’t have the leisure to answer their amazement or questions.

‘Goddamn, Kijung! An S+ grade… The first S+ grade in Middle Earth!’

Leeha himself was extremely moved.

He felt like he could even shed tears.

Lying in the Middle Earth connection device, Leeha thought that tears might have actually flowed from his real body.

But the feeling of being moved did not last long.

‘That rascal, what about me? Surely he thought of me too!’

Leeha contemplated complaining to Kijung but ultimately refrained.

‘I shouldn’t ruin such a historical moment.’

Thanks to Leeha’s unintended consideration, Kijung could closely monitor accomplishments and think rationally. As a result, Leeha also earned item acquisition rights, although he was unaware of it at that moment.

“Dang it… If only I had stayed in the East! I could have claimed that achievement!”

“You, who almost received a papal access ban?”

“Shut up! That was the previous Pope! The current Pope would have recognized my skills!”

“It is indeed regrettable. Pyrot-Cocri, the Pope…”

As Luger and Kidd bickered, Alexander showed his feelings.

Even he coveted the S+ grade that he had yet to achieve.

Even if he captured Pyrot-Cocri’s duplicate again on the field, could he earn the S+ grade achievement?

‘If it’s unrelated to the Papacy, it’s impossible. Without a quest-giver… What’s left is to completely annihilate the original.’

Alexander’s calculations already came up with a ‘NO’, and thus he felt even more regretful.

Bailephus sighed as he watched the fuss made by the users.

“They are underestimating Pyrot-Cocri.”

“Hmm? What do you mean, hyung?”

“Alexander, even assuming it’s my partner, I can say for certain. The Demon King’s Fragments are not to be taken lightly.”

“I am not underestimating it. But—”

“Your minor greed… could hinder the execution of justice. The same goes for you, Luger.”

Bailephus’s sharp reprimand left Alexander and Luger speechless.

They knew very well how foolish it was to get impatient over the S+ grade achievement while struggling with just one Bluebeard, who was the ‘same kind of entity’ as Pyrot-Cocri.

“Uhm, Bailephus-nim?”

“What is it, Ha Leeha?”

“If Pyrot-Cocri is essentially awakened… and Bluebeard has regained all his strength.”

Leeha suddenly recalled something after witnessing Bailephus’s serious demeanor.

“Hm.”

“Wouldn’t that make Ghibrid the weakest of the Demon King’s Fragments?”

Leeha thought this because he had seen Pyrot-Cocri’s real form.

Though she had lost her loyal servant, if we assume Chiyou = Bathory is still alive, then Bluebeard is almost complete.

And Pyrot-Cocri?

In Leeha’s view, awakening her, who already had sufficient strength, was just a matter of time.

‘Even though Bahamut is guarding her… it would be tough if Bluebeard pulls out Tiamat Card.’

What if the metal dragon Clan could no longer guard the entrance to the city of Fecla?

The ‘near-complete’ her would awaken as she is.

Then what about the remaining Demon King’s Fragments?

What would happen to Ghibrid?

“Indeed.”

“You mean the next target is that.”

“Hoho… This time, I won’t yield to anyone. I’ll crush everything, even if it’s you guys.”

The users’ eyes sparkled once again at those words.

Despite this, Bailephus remained calm. He even had a faint smile.

“It’s a thought worthy of Ha Leeha, but it’s wrong.”

“Yes?”

“Ghibrid… you are underestimating him. His body, called 『Chimera’s Nest』… is not just an ordinary physical form.”

Bailephus’s statement brought back silence among the users.

Especially Luger’s face contorted. He was the only one among them who had seen Ghibrid’s ‘unordinary body.’

“Does he possess abilities similar to Pyrot-Cocri? She seemed to heal herself using her duplicate and the bones of the undead…”

“Ghibrid is even beyond that. In the first place, he doesn’t have the concept of duplicates and the body. He is a collective existence. All is Ghibrid and Ghibrid is all. Both physical attacks and most magic are ineffective.”

Fire attribute works against Chimeras.

Manticores possessed exceptional resistance to physical attacks, nullifying most non-piercing strikes. This implied, conversely, that they were vulnerable to piercing.

Every creature created by Ghibrid had at least one weakness.

Did this mean that Ghibrid had none?

“Then… how should we attack it?”

“You must strike Ghibrid itself—everything and one. Even our Lord struggled against the Demon King’s Fragment known as Ghibrid. Never take it lightly.”

Even Bahamut found it challenging.

Leeha felt newfound respect for the valor shown by the Stars Unit in holding back Ghibrid and the Chimeras.

“Haha, but don’t worry too much. The Lord, and all of us, will find an answer.”

“Exactly! We’ve had enough rest. Time to move! Kaztor won’t wait for us!”

Bailephus laughed to uplift the mood, and Fernand energetically declared.

While the other users mulled over their thoughts, Leeha had a hypothesis.

‘Platinum Dragon’s attacks… though varied in patterns, they were fundamentally magical in nature.’

If neither magic nor physical force worked, what method could attack it?

Damage against a being that was everything and one,

—Hehe… Ghibrid, huh.—

A low laugh echoed in Leeha’s mind.

Though the voice was full of bravado, at this moment, it brought joy to Leeha.

‘So… it is possible, right?’

—You won’t know until you try, contractor. I, too, want to taste its blood.—

Black Bass’s confident voice bolstered Leeha’s thoughts.

“Let’s go! Who knows, we might get an S+ if we catch Kaztor first? The first to catch it wins~”

Leeha laughed cheerfully and followed Fernand.

“No way, I won’t let you take it. Blowing you both away would be easier.”

“Likewise here.”

“I will be the one to judge and execute.”

They couldn’t just watch their rival take the lead.

Leeha’s presence encouraged everyone.

* * *

The New Continent Eastern Expedition set off again in the morning.

Not much happened until after noon and early afternoon.

“Kahaha! How’s that? I got this one!”

“There’s another one behind it. A different type.”

“What? Impossible!”

Luger growled at Leeha’s words. Kidd answered him.

“… Maybe you need glasses, Luger.”

“Shut up!”

New monsters appeared now and then, but Leeha, Luger, and Kidd dealt with them competitively, keeping Alexander and Fernand from being bored.

Even during Luger and Kidd’s banter, Leeha kept an eye on Black Bass.

By the afternoon, they had defeated at least three new types of monsters.

‘As expected. Common monsters don’t count.’

The charging rate remained at 49.99%.

Just as Black Bass had said, Leeha also felt that this was essentially the “real eighth quest.”

Something special.

They had to catch something even Black Bass didn’t know about.

Leeha wanted to finish off Kaztor quickly and rescue Elizabeth, Brown, and Kyle.

‘Even after obtaining the Arcane Sniper, there would still be many concerns…’

At least one thing could be certain. That his path wouldn’t be bound by Middle Earth’s system flow.

And when that time comes?

‘I’ll have to give Ghibrid a taste of its own medicine.’

Achieving a charging rate of over 50%, in other words, clearing the eighth quest.

As Leeha resolved anew, Fernand came to a halt.

—Everyone, get down!

Seeing him almost crawl on the ground, even Bailephus dropped flat.

No one mocked the Hwangryong.

—There are figures gathering up ahead. Five, I estimate.

—Five? Did you just say five?

It was Browless who first responded to Fernand’s scouting report.

As the trembling voice of their mentor resonated, Leeha, Luger, and Kidd felt an ominous foreboding.

“How could there be five?”

“There’s no way Faust could have moved faster than us. Ha Leeha also clearly said that only Kaztor and Chiyou left—”

“Stupid… or maybe it’s good after all. Five would be just right.”

“Huh? What are you talking about, Luger?”

Kaztor and Chiyou. Two people.

Then, who were the other three?

Luger whispered as if gnashing his teeth. Despite saying it was good, his face looked utterly despairing.

“Brown, Elizabeth, Arcane Sniper.”

“No, no way! Wait a minute! That doesn’t make sense! That means there are five people together!”

Leeha immediately objected.

Fernand had clearly mentioned there were five figures gathered.

How could such a combination be possible? As Luger instinctively realized, Kidd also understood everything.

Perhaps Browless’s uneasy voice was the hint.

“… Does that mean we are one step too late?”

Just as Leeha was about to oppose Kidd and Luger’s thoughts, Browless stood up, blatantly disobeying Fernand’s order.

“Oh, no, Browless!”

Fernand hurriedly stood up and tried to catch him, but it was impossible to keep up with the former 『Rapidfire』.

“Bailephus!”

“Hm!”

Alexander and Bailephus reacted immediately.

Browless shook off everyone and dashed out.

“Commander!”

Fibiel’s capital, aelstock, housed the 〈Brown Bess Musket Academy〉.

There wasn’t a trace of Browless in the academy’s name. Even at the moment of its founding, Browless had been left out.

Since then, Browless had never changed the academy’s name.

Through the times when his comrades went missing and various rumors pointed fingers at him, he maintained the name 〈Brown Bess〉.

Browless, the 『Rapidfire』, who moved strictly behind the scenes for his comrades.

Leeha, Luger, and Kidd thought they understood the desperation of one of the Three Musketeers.

But it was mere arrogance.

“Brown! Beth! You guys!”

The desperation held by one of the Three Musketeers, who had to endure over 20 years of separation, echoed in the air.

But what responded to Browless’s call was not a welcoming greeting.

Taaan─────────…!

A gunshot rang out.

Browless’s running stopped.

* * *

“Directoooor! 〈Platinum Shield〉!”

Leeha was the first to rush out. It wasn’t an act driven by emotion alone.

Was he able to block the ‘opponent’s’ attack?

No, did the opponent actually ‘attack’? He had to confirm that.

And he had to save Browless.

“Argh!”

Taking a step forward wasn’t easy.

One shot in the head, one in the heart, and one in the thigh.

────, ────, ────!

Belated gunshots made Leeha’s head spin.

Although the shield absorbed all kinetic energy, each hit felt like a blow pushing his body back.

And then,

The effect of the Platinum Shield has been nullified.

The attacks were so overwhelming that the shield was nullified with just three rounds.

“No way! This is a spell cast by Bahamut—how can it be nullified in just three shots?”

Although short-lived, this shield had withstood attacks from high-level monsters.

The Platinum Shield was supposed to be an invincible defense, one that wouldn’t leave a scratch on Leeha unless its duration expired.

With the shield gone, Leeha crawled almost on all fours towards Browless, and his comrades couldn’t just stand and watch.