Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Couldn’t even kill these bastards.

No, even if you kill them, the city won’t magically heal itself.

“Ugh… ugh, help— help me.”

“Call a priest! We’ve got an emergency patient here! Priest, heeeelp!”

“Ugh, mommmyyyy!”

“Give me a heal, please! The poison, the poison damage won’t go away. Please!”

Screams echoed from here and there, both from NPCs and players, no distinction in the clamor. This place was no longer the bustling hub city it once was.

The city lay in ruins before their eyes, devastated by the battle.

***

[Kyoo! Kyukyuu!]

The chaos that was Blaugrun a moment ago had calmed down.

He pointed his wings to where the injured were lying. The healing touch of the Bronze Dragon was directing him to help the wounded.

“Indeed, whether it’s knowledge or the ability to communicate, I’m not sure, but at least his sincerity is as steadfast as ever. Let’s go check it out!”

[Kyuut!]

Flutter, flutter—

As Blaugrun perched on Leeha’s shoulder, Leeha started running.

“Ugh…”

“Ahh, ugh—”

“My leg… my leg!”

There were NPCs missing entire forearms and NPCs with knee joints twisted 180 degrees.

Leeha bit down hard on his lips.

Facing the true horrors of the battlefield, he felt his mind go distant. It was just like a Middle Eastern city hit by bombings.

“Damn it… it’s completely…”

There was no time to lament now.

Leeha quickly pulled potions from his bag.

While he didn’t have a large quantity of emergency items, there were a few special-grade and even rare-grade items, each with extremely potent effects.

Despite knowing these high-priced luxury items were not meant to be consumed unless absolutely necessary, Leeha didn’t care.

Was an NPC worth using such valuable items?

That was not a concern for Leeha.

The sorrow he felt for the dying beings in front of him had nothing to do with the difference between humans and NPCs; it was solely rooted in the discomfort he felt in reality.

With a swift move, Leeha slid on his knees towards one of the NPCs who had collapsed.

“Look! Are you awake? Teacher, open your eyes!”

One thought dominated Leeha’s mind.

‘I need to save as many people as possible.’

What role these individuals played in City Gaza didn’t matter to Leeha.

To Leeha, the real ruler of City Gaza, they were all like family.

“Ugh…”

“Are you okay? Have this first!”

As Leeha handed over a potion bottle, the NPC, with trembling hands, managed to grab the bottle. He struggled to open it and slowly took a sip, then another.

“Here too—heree—save me too—”

“Hold on for a moment! Here, a potion.”

But Leeha couldn’t pour all his time into one person. The urgency continued as he placed the potion bottle at the lips of another wounded person while more injured sought him out.

When Leeha handed another rare-grade potion bottle, the person downed it hurriedly. Once finished, that person would undoubtedly recover completely.

“Just a little sip… sip—”

“Don’t drink it all at once!”

“Huff! W-What? Yes?”

Thus, Leeha seized the potion bottle from the person’s grasp, preventing him from drinking it all in one go.

“Don’t drink it all at once!”

“You… You came to save us…”

After consuming three sips of the rare-grade potion, the NPC, who had recovered enough to engage in conversation, looked at Leeha with an astonished expression.

However, Leeha had a valid reason as well.

“I’ve come to help! But potions are limited! We’ll start with emergency measures! Right now, let’s focus on initial aid. As soon as things stabilize a bit, I’ll summon the priests! You all know how sick you are, but please think about surviving together with those around you!”

The number of wounded individuals was beyond count.

However, there were only ten potion bottles left. Even before the NPC could respond, Leeha spoke up again.

“For those who can move even a little, please assist the nearby injured! Come here and share the potions! And for those who can manage, find some sturdy sticks and strong cloth around! We’re making splints and makeshift bandages! Hurry and move! Your actions can save your comrades and the city!”

Being a sniper didn’t mean he only knew how to shoot.

Basic first aid was a subject that Leeha had been drilled with repeatedly in boot camp.

“Damn, didn’t expect to use it like this.”

While it was unclear if this would really help with HP recovery, it was better than doing nothing.

Under Leeha’s proactive and assertive commands, NPCs began to move, one by one. It was more effective than a mere ‘dignity’ buff.

Those with minor injuries received makeshift splints and bandages, while those more severely injured were given small amounts of the potion. Once they recovered, they would help bring in the new wounded.

The newly arrived wounded, in turn, would follow Leeha’s instructions based on the severity of their injuries, creating a cycle of rescue personnel under Leeha’s guidance.

“Hey! Come here and help with this Roma granny!”

“Oh, got it. Roma granny! Snap out of it!”

“Will a stick this size work?”

“Good. Try to find ones that are tough and straight!”

“Lift them up! There’s still someone under here!”

“Find a lever! Look for something to use as a lever!”

What needed to be done, and how to do it.

While a bit forceful, Leeha’s systematic and clear instructions left no room for refusal.

In the alleyways of City Gaza, which had been filled only with groans and screams, human voices gradually spread.

“Player? Excuse me, are you a player?”

“Yes.”

“Over there… do you have an antidote potion? Or, even just that potion… my leg, it got hit by a chimera’s venom…”

A player, dragging one leg, barely approaching, started talking to Leeha. Well, at least he was trying, even though he had lost more than half of his vision, and couldn’t even see Leeha standing in front of him.

“Antidote? Well, I have… I have two potions for recovering from status abnormalities, but as for an antidote…”

Poison was a different form of attack, separate from status abnormalities.

While the player shivered in fear from the continuous HP drain, and Leeha was flustered, Blaugrun, who had been perched on Leeha’s shoulder, flapped his wings and flew away.

“Huh? Blaugrun? What’s happening—”

[Kyuuuu──!]

Whoosh!

Leeha didn’t even finish his sentence when Blaugrun, closing his eyes and trembling, fell from his perch.

The bluish-green light emanating from the Bronze Dragon’s body, a texture that seemed to wrap the poisoned area like a blanket, flashed again and then disappeared.

It was a perfect magic.

“Wow, incredible… do you have a summoner? My HP is back. What kind of pet is this? I’ve seen mounts and attack pets, but this is the first time I’ve seen a healing pet. And the healing amount is amazing! Thank you so much. Thank you!”

A magic that created 10,000 HP!

But what was more surprising than the healed player was Leeha.

“Blaugrun, are you…?”

[Kyuu! Kyu!]

Responding to Leeha’s call, Blaugrun happily and a bit wearily fluttered back to Leeha’s shoulder.

‘Can you use magic?’

However, Leeha didn’t ask. If he asked now, Blaugrun would surely pretend not to understand and tilt his head, so it was pointless.

Right now, there was something more important than checking Blaugrun’s condition.

“Thank you so much. I promise to pay you back for the potion next time—”

“No, forget about the potion payment. If you have the time, please bring the injured NPC scattered around to this place.”

“Huh? NPC? Why would I—”

The difference between ordinary players and Leeha was becoming apparent in this situation. Leeha didn’t bother explaining further.

“…It’s very important to me. Please.”

“Uh, alright! If it’s a request from a lifesaver, it’s a given.”

And so, Leeha’s emergency rescue operation, utilizing both NPCs and players, spread throughout various parts of City Gaza, naturally. Before he knew it, Leeha’s surroundings had transformed into an impromptu field hospital.

‘But these are just emergency measures. Right now, they’re barely able to move due to the newfound strength, but we need real recovery— Where the hell is the city administrator? What the hell is that guy doing?’

Several hours had passed since Leeha had been engaged in emergency rescue operations. However, people around him were still lying there, moaning in pain, like scattered gravel.

Now, there were only five bottles of potion left.

Although he had already saved over a hundred people with just about ten bottles remaining, Leeha’s ambition showed no sign of waning.

“There are survivors from the Gaza Knights over there. Should we go and help them?”

“We’ve also made contact with the Ahrlu Shrine in the neighboring city! They said they’re sending medical personnel soon!”

Of course, amidst all this, he couldn’t just complain.

NPCs who regained their energy were naturally reporting to Leeha and waiting for the next command. Everyone knew who was creating this organization and giving orders, so there was no ambiguity.

“Alright, but if too many of you go, the rescue efforts in other areas might weaken. Just four of you should go. And if the temple representatives from the neighboring city can’t meet me, tell them to start treating the wounded as soon as they arrive, and on that side— hmm?”

As Leeha was giving instructions to them, a group of people suddenly appeared on the other side.

Seeing the people rushing over, NPCs cautiously lowered their heads.

The forefront of the group consisted of a few knights with not a scratch on their shields. Following them were mages, priests, and those who carried the scent of a court official.

“W-who are you? Are you from the capital? Those idiots from Minis haven’t been able to do their jobs properly, and this is what happened! If you’re returning to the capital, please take me to the royal palace too! I never asked to be the lord of this dangerous city—”

And from the center of the guards, a robust NPC, belly bulging, burst out, complaining as he stepped forward.

Unlike the regular NPCs who were injured, it was immediately apparent who this person was by the impeccable condition of his clothes.

***

[Meow.]

“Yeah, I know.”

Blaugrun’s expression was not that innocent either.

Naturally, Leeha could understand as well. As a lord of a castle, one could never treat their own life lightly.

You could even hire guards.

You could also hide your body when a fierce battle broke out. It wasn’t necessary to step forward and take command in such dangerous situations.

“But things are different now.”

The situation had already come to an end.

It meant that you couldn’t just hide, unable to grasp the situation. Was he just going to watch, remaining hidden, because he couldn’t assess the situation?

If he was giving commands from the rear, Leeha could understand to some extent. But leaving the battlefield altogether was a different story!

“Are you the lord of City Gaza?”

Leeha asked in a calm but far from friendly tone.

Perhaps due to the effect of the dignity buff, everyone except the robust NPC, who had put on weight due to his healthy appetite, lowered their heads toward Leeha.

“Cough, yes, that’s correct. I am a cousin of Count George Rodem Almoss, the lord of Castle Almoss, and I was specially assigned by the royal palace for this. I was ordered to manage City Gaza, the most important city in the Minis territory, on behalf of the Almoss family—”

Even Undersecretary Leic lowered his head toward Leeha, but the fact that the robust NPC didn’t bow his head was surprising.