Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

[What, what—]

Leeha came rushing down from the edge of the platform, offering the most potent aid he could.

“Wake up! If such a brainless brute is the next leader of the red dragon, then ‘Kuzgunak’sh in hell would weep, he would weep!”

As he flew towards the face of the red dragon, countering the fiery breath hurled at him, he swung a musket-pistol, held upside down.

Thaaak-!

A satisfying sound emitted as the muzzle of the musket-pistol collided against the red dragon’s scaly maw.

[What’s going…?]

[How…how can a human resist the Breath without any trace of magic?]

Ravarule expressed his perplexity with interrupted breaths. The surrounding Chromatic Dragons were equally astonished.

In contrast, only Leeha and Onyx maintained their unchanged expressions.

[You bastard…!]

“The Fire Flower is quite nifty, isn’t it, Onyx?” Leeha exclaimed with a smile aimed at Onyx.

Out of them all, only Onyx had a clear understanding of Leeha’s situation.

After consuming the Fire Flower, Leeha had changed. His total resistance against flames had shot up to a staggering 125%.

Put simply, no external environment or attack made of fire could harm Leeha anymore.

Leeha glanced briefly at Onyx before alternately considering Ravarule and the other dragons.

“Think carefully, Red. Not just Red, all you Colors. Who is your true enemy…”

[A brash human, jabbering away just because he has a mouth.]

“I’m not just talking because I have a mouth. I have ears to hear, a head to think, black dragon.”

[Well, that’s fortunate.]

“Pardon?”

Flap- Flap- Flap

The black dragon, Onyx, took flight with slow flaps of his wings.

Having a strange exterior mixed with feathers and scales, the elder Chromatic Dragon made all surrounding dragons retreat.

[I’ll slowly dissolve your limbs with my Acid Breath, leaving only that ‘head’ of yours to go on living. I will make sure you can’t die until the location of the Fire Flower is burnt.]

“You fool, I told you earlier that I researched everything.”

[Huh?]

“I know you have Acid Breath. I also know that Fire Flowers can’t block that. But do you think I would still come unprepared?”

[What nonsense are you-]

“You’ll find out shortly whether it’s nonsense or not. Summon: Partner!”

A cyan flash dazzled beside Leeha.

A small boy, much smaller than Leeha, appeared. Still, there was no dragon present who did not know the bold-faced lad.

[A Bronze?]

[If he has summoned Bronze here-]

Only then did the sense of unease begin to circulate among the Chromatic Dragons. This place was used mainly by the Chromatic Dragons for their large-scale meetings.

Until now, they had kept it a secret from their enemies.

“Heh, you thought you could kidnap Leeha-nim of our metal dragon clan and keep this place a secret?”

The reason to summon Leeha here was partly due to the geographical advantage. However, it also meant revealing their location to the ‘enemy.’

Blaugrunn raised his hands towards the sky.

The turquoise beam fired with the force to reach the outer atmosphere signified something that Onyx knew.

[How dare you, such a juvenile and a human…]

Onyx spat out his Acid Breath. At that moment, a brilliant light that could blind all dragons started to pour out from Leeha’s side.

Shaaa—–

The colorless and odorless gas formed from the Acid Breath was shot towards the light, but it failed to inflict any damage on Leeha and Blaugrunn.With every touch of the acidic breath in the brilliant light, the surrounding scent of flowers only grew stronger.

“Uh, what is that? An Acacia scent?”

By the time it had become so strong that Leeha enjoyed smelling it, the dragons could finally scent it too.

[A conversion magic?]

[Well, if there is any being who can transform the Elder’s breath into a flower scent -]

There is only one in this continent.

“It has been a while, Onyx.”

A smile spread across the face of a single elderly man wearing a wizard’s hat and holding a staff, standing next to Leeha.

[…Bahamut.]

[Bahamut!]

[The lord of metal dragons-]

[Protect the Elder!]

The chaos that ensued wasn’t because a dragon appeared in its dragon form. It was entirely because a single being in the form of a human appeared. Even so, the surrounding chromatic dragons were thrown into chaos. Among them, the one who showed the least surprise was the dragons’ elder.

[Can everyone just stop!]

At the heavy words of Onyx, the chromatic dragons ceased their movement.

[What a lousy bunch.]

There was a smirk on Bahamut’s face.

“Your abrasive voice is still unpleasant to listen to.”

[Enough jesting, filthy platinum. What is your purpose for daring to stick your head in here?]

“You, be more respectful now that you’re old. Tsk-tsk! How can a nobleman who’s risen to the elder of the chromatic dragons have such a foul mouth?”

[I told you to stop jesting.] A ferocious aura emanated from Onyx’s eyes. At that, those rather tense became Leeha and Blaugrunn.

Leeha: Did, did Bahamut really understand our situation?

Blaugrunn: Of course! The Lord wouldn’t not know!

Leeha: But why is he poking the lion’s nose like that?

Even if it is Bahamut, how many chromatic dragons are around?

What if a fight broke out here?

‘The entire Middle Earth community would be upside down. No, not just the community, just…

The continent would be completely devastated.’

Not knowing Leeha’s worries, Bahamut burst out in hearty laughter.

“Hehe, if I don’t play a joke, then who will?”

[What are you talking about?]

As Onyx asked, Bahamut’s aura shifted.

“If I don’t play a joke… either Metal or Chromatic would be extinct here. Should I still not jest?”

Bahamut still had a smiling face.

But the atmosphere was completely different from the lively laughter earlier.

This is the Platinum Dragon, who alone among all the metal dragons can reach. The king of the metal dragons, and therefore, the ‘Queen’ of the Chromatic Dragons, Tiamat.

Onyx, the strongest Chromatic Dragon and elder, didn’t quite match Bahamut in hierarchy.

[…Nonsense.]

The proof of that was that Onyx’s momentum began to waver a little.

“Whether it’s come to an end, or not… perhaps our children should know better.”

Aaaah…!Bahamut flicked his finger, and with a sound that echoed like a reverberation, multicolored radiant light flashed around Leeha and Bahamut even before the echo subsided.

A silver-haired wizard, a blonde warrior with wavy hair, a woman with matte gray hair and an unexpressive face… Dozens of people appeared around him in a blink of an eye.

Among them, some faces were familiar to Leeha.

They were members of the metal dragon clan, who he once met at Bahamut’s lair.

Leeha: Wooow! Blaugrunn-ssi!

Blaugrunn: Heheh, we’ve had so much trouble for this! We’ve successfully captured a bunch of metal dragons including Lord Bahamut!

Blaugrunn proudly raised his thumb next to Leeha.

While Leeha was having a hard time in the New Continent, Blaugrunn was accomplishing this mission in the Old Continent.

To persuade metal dragons of adult class or above who could stand against the Chromatic Dragons!

It wasn’t an ordinary task to persuade the metal dragons who mainly have individualistic character.

This was because there were many metal dragons who opposed the confrontation with the Chromatic Dragons despite having captured Bahamut, and some Dragons were not happy with the idea of helping humans, even though they were recognized as clan members.

However, despite all these objections.

The number of adult class Dragons who came to help Leeha exceeded twenty.

Leeha felt proud, thinking that he was loved by the Metal Clan.

[How dare these Metal bastards come here!]

[Elder! Give the order!]

The Chromatic Dragons roared and flew backward to create distance.

Despite their threatening appearances as if they would spew all kinds of breaths at any moment, no one made a move easily.

This was for the very same reason that Onyx couldn’t move easily.

“You can do it if you want.”

At Bahamut’s words, the Chromatic Dragons couldn’t even urge for order to attack anymore.

“You know what kind of result you can get from this. Because we have experience with Kuzgunak’sh, that crazy one, so our kids are angry too.”

If at this point all those metal dragons really transform, a grand dragon battle would take place.

If so…. as he said, one of the two races would face genocide.

“Onyx.”

[…]

“Don’t touch Ha Leeha any more.” Bahamut asserted to Onyx with his arm around Leeha’s shoulder. It was a warning more than just a simple statement.

[Is that human so important?]

“Hum… If you ask if he’s important, not really.”

“…What? What did you say-”

“Hehe, but it’s my promise. No matter how much I love joking around, I can’t just watch my promise being broken, can I?”

Leeha was stunned for a moment, but even before he could say anything, Bahamut spoke first. Still not satisfied, he shrugged his shoulders towards Onyx, who had shut his mouth.

“And Onyx, the guy you’re trying to kill isn’t easily killed. Just try bullying him later if you dare. But let me tell you something clearly. The day you do, the elder of the chromatic clan might change. Especially, you don’t know if Ifrit will appear in your dream and torment you all day long.”

[…You Metal leader. Don’t provoke me anymore.]

Leeha was ready to use the platinum shield at any moment.

As soon as Bahamut started teasing Onyx, he could see mana particles gathering inside Onyx.

If it was before, he could never have discovered it.

‘Is 100% synchronization capable of seeing this as well?’

Is the feeling of using a skill suddenly without casting all similar to this? More importantly….

Do the Dragons know Onyx is preparing something?

‘But how does Ifrit know that? Really this Bahamut guy…

There was no chance for Blaugrunn to report in the meantime.

But he knows about the incident with the Fire Flower, ‘just now’!

It made Leeha think that Bahamut might be the NPC with the most access to information in Middle Earth.

“I know, I know. For now, I’ll consider we had a promise and back off. Right?”

[I will officially protest about today’s event soon. Haven’t you forgotten the promise we made not to infringe on each other’s territory?]

“…Well, do that.”

Blaugrunn lifted his hat and lightly saluted. As he saw Blaugrunn raising his staff, Leeha opened his mouth last.
“The red dragon before! Lavartel! Remember well, you guys! If the Fire Flower had fallen into Onyx’s hands, the Red clan like you could never have reached the position of the elder fo-“

Zap.As Bahamut struck the ground with his staff, all of the metal dragon clan, starting with Leeha, had their presence disappear.

“[…Elder, what shall we do?]

[Get lost. I don’t want to see you.]”

At the word of Onyx, the Chromatic Dragons immediately returned to their lair.

The red dragon, Lavartel, whom Leeha had mentioned till the end, stayed watching Onyx for the longest time.

“Thank you for your aid, Lord.”

He had heard that it wasn’t much of an issue earlier… such words came to the tip of his tongue, but Leeha barely swallowed them.

As Leeha politely bowed his head, Bahamut laughed cheerfully.

“It’s only natural for me to take care of my own kin. If you want to express thanks, do it to the other dragons.”

“I’m grateful to you all too.”

“Do not mention it. I owe you a great deal for saving Blaugrunn.”

“Even elder Bailephus likes Leeha-nim. Naturally, we also do.”

“By the way, I heard you went to get the Fire Flower, did you really get it? Where is it?”

“Could you lend me the water element you’re wearing for a few days? I would love to dissect it as a Silver clan member-“

[Meoow, Mongmong!]

The metal dragons appreciated Leeha for their own reasons and circumstances.

Leeha, who had obtained the Fire Flower and ‘cleared’ Onyx’s quest without handing it over to Onyx, had other matters waiting.

Kijung: Hyung! They say there’s an 80% chance of a second wave a week from now, you’re going to be there, right?

Toon’s plan was slowly but surely progressing.