Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“I’ve even told the adventurer from Ezwen about it. I can’t speak of it.”

The reference to Fernand as the ‘adventurer from Ezwen’ didn’t even register in Leeha’s mind.

It was because of the question he had just asked, and Elizabeth’s response.

It made him think that this was their most significant piece of information and secret.

“I can’t speak of it… It doesn’t just feel like a secret that can’t be told. I can’t. Not allowed to.”

The nuances between the two phrases were subtly different, and Leeha focused on that difference.

If the former felt more personal and intrinsic, then the latter?

“External… pressure from outside. Is there something, or someone, influencing this? Her expression was indeed stiffer than usual.”

However, Leeha didn’t voice the thought that had suddenly occurred to him.

There was still plenty of time.

He needed to slowly unravel the issue by involving Elizabeth and even Brown in other ordinary conversations.

“Well, there are only 38 hours left until my first successful curve shot, so there’s not much time.”

Feeling the relative flow of time for conversation and quest practice, Leeha first organized his thoughts.

“Ah, you mentioned manipulating mana earlier, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Think of it as embedding your mana into the bullet at the moment of shooting. Uh, imagine curving the trajectory of the bullet and grabbing its center with mana. Do you get it?”

The expression that had been rigid just moments earlier was gone.

Seeing Elizabeth attempt to demonstrate the flow of mana with her playful gestures, Leeha nodded, though it certainly didn’t mean he understood her explanation.

Listening to more would only add to the confusion, so it seemed wiser not to press further.

“You really need to have handled mana before, as clearly stated for musketeers. But what need does a musketeer have to use mana?”

From a musketeer’s perspective, simply repeating the skill name and 40 being deducted for the skill to activate was all there was to it.

In essence, Leeha had virtually no sense of how to manipulate mana.

“No, that’s right. It’s because I haven’t handled mana before-“

What would someone who has handled mana say if they saw Leeha now?

Perhaps, like Elizabeth, they might question why he is struggling with something so simple.

Leeha quickly opened his friend window. After all, wasn’t he acquainted with the most famous prodigy in Middle Earth when it comes to utilizing mana? Someone who, despite each skill requiring 407, manages to activate skills with just enough mana and can maximize a skill’s effectiveness by infusing all their mana?

Leeha: Ram Hwajung-ssi, are you busy?”

Ram Hwajung: Not too busy.”

Leeha smiled at the prompt response.

He felt one step closer to mastering the curve shot.

“Approximately 600m to the northwest… It’s coming.”

“Damn it! No need to ask who. Ahhh… Everyone, get ready! That cursed man is coming again!”

Kijung shouted as he swung his sword. The Paladins and the personnel from Byulcho didn’t respond separately.

How many times had it been? They were already too accustomed to it.

“How many are there, Rubini-nim?”

“As usual. Lark-nim is probably at the very rear, with about ten knights of Virtue behind him. And chasing them, at least eight hundred paleo.”

Rubini responded to Kijung’s question. Since Leeha had connected them, Rubini had been moving together with the Byulcho personnel.

As expected, her skills had been of tremendous help to Kijung. The number of people hunting monsters meant that they couldn’t exactly say experience points were divided. Furthermore, the items dropped were mostly junk, so there was little to no profit for Rubini in doing this.

Yet, she was offering help that was almost akin to volunteering!

Kijung was so moved that he had once attempted to raid the guild’s treasury, as she seemed to want nothing in return.

Of course, the reason she wanted nothing wasn’t because of the guild’s personnel or Kijung’s quests. That was something they didn’t know.

“When will Leeha-ssi arrive?”

“Leeha-ssi? Hmm, he seems to be busy with some quest right now. But when the paleo’s openly challenge us, he’ll definitely come.”

“Hope so… He’ll come then.”

Rubini whispered softly, bowing her head.

Her eyes were unseen due to the large eyepatch she wore, so Kijung couldn’t decipher the expression on her face.

“Kijung! We’ve almost cleared all the monsters!”

“Phew, Miss Rubini, where should we head next?”

After subduing a group of demonic beasts, Bobae and Hyein approached. Rubini then launched a holographic map, scanning the vicinity.

“The closest cluster of monsters is about 110m to the true north. We might encounter ‘them’ on the way there.”

The ‘them’ Rubini referred to included Lark and other troublemakers. Kijung frowned.

He rather wished to flee to Juma City.

Since he couldn’t kill Lark or engage in an all-out battle with the paleo’s, avoidance seemed like the only option.

“Our completion rate is 49.7%… I think killing one more group should get us to 50%.”

But retreating to Juma City meant?

Lesser chances to encounter moving groups of demonic beasts. Kijung’s ambition to kill even one more beast was understandable.

“Let’s turn here… Just one last group before we go.”

No one opposed the Guild Master’s decision.

The paladins from Azure and the personnel from Stellar Corps were ready to move immediately.

“Miss Rubini, what about that direction?”

“No change in direction. They’re heading southwest as usual.”

“Okay, then let’s hurry. Everyone, move quickly!”

Kijung swiftly led the personnel.

Rubini, monitoring the holographic map, adeptly guided them.

After Rubini joined Kijung’s group, the quest completion rate for the Holy Knight advancement soared steeply.

They were not just wandering around; they could pinpoint and target only where monsters were, which was expectedly effective. Moreover, Kijung has noticed a pattern in the monsters’ movement.

“Okay, if we don’t run into those guys… this should be pattern 17. It’s not on Miss Rubini’s map yet, but there should be a few more clusters of monsters nearby.”

The gathering spots for monsters preparing for the fourth wave always changed. Occasionally, some patterns emerged, allowing them to block paths, but those days didn’t last more than a couple.

However, the current direction and number of demons moving were evidently familiar.

“About 20 minutes after dealing with these guys, another group of monsters will show up in the same place.

If we take down both groups, reaching 50% is certain. But there’s still more to catch…”)

It could be said that progress was relatively smooth, at least smoother than Kijung had anticipated.

Of course, this was solely Kijung’s opinion, already leading the overwhelming force of a small elite group named Stellar.

Moreover, with extensive experience in leading group battles, he was capable of efficiently deploying three hundred paladins, even introducing rotation concepts to provide the 1480’s appropriate rest, enabling continuous combat.

Above all, Kijung’s own abilities!

Possessing “insane tanking” capabilities, where he could single-handedly fend off the charges of giant monsters that could instantly wipe out a dozen players of his level in the New Continent, made everything seem manageable. An utterly average user would still have a single-digit success rate if they undertook the quest.

“Oh, I see it, I see it! The dust is visi-“

“Enemy sharp turn! Lark and the Virtue Knights are changing direction towards us!”

“-Huh? What??

When the horde of monsters finally came into Kijung’s view, an urgent report came from Rubini.

On the holographic map, the white dots, previously moving in a different direction, started heading towards where the Kijungs were.

“Hmm? How did they find out about us?”

“Hehe, luck aside, it turns out the [Virtue Knights] indeed have the talent.”

Tale and Biyemi grimaced. But the one more surprised was Bobae, who felt no sign of Lark and the paleo despite looking in the direction they were likely to be.

“No way, we’re not in a position visible to observation skills. How can they recognize us in such a terrain with severe undulations? We’ve already used the mana detection blocking scroll…”

It was something she couldn’t understand.

Regardless of her understanding, Lark was indeed leading a group of paleos towards Kijung.

“Kay. It’s still okay to turn back now,”

Hyein said, holding the staff and standing at Kijung’s side. Kijung pondered.

If Lark came running, the fight would have to stop immediately and they’d return. That was the most common and certain choice. As it has always been. For days on end.

“No. Let’s head towards the monsters first.”

And so, Kijung decided not to avoid them. At least, not this time.

Having always instantly fled upon seeing them without even proper communication, Kijung could no longer bear it.

Without hindrance from Lark or the Virtue, they surely would have achieved more than 60% by now.

“Without the giant beasts, you can hunt enough without me. I’ll block Lark and the paleos, so during that time, please take care of the monster horde. Even if Lark or the Virtue Knights lock the space, Hyein hyung can still escape. Right? Rubini-ssi, how far are they?”

“The monster horde is about 1500m away, Lark and the others are at a distance of 270m.”

Fortunately, Lark and the group were heading for a ‘pre-movement’ location, so they were further away.

“Let’s go back, quickly!”

Kijung didn’t hesitate.

Byulcho and the Paladins ran towards the monster horde.

The monstrous horde, making strange noises, also spotted Byulcho and the Paladins.

“Bobae! Start with seizing the initiative! We need to wrap this up as quickly as possible-“

“Really now, Kijung-ssi! Do you think so little of me? I know that much without you saying it! [Spiral Arrow]!”

Bobae pulled back her bowstring.

The fired arrow was spinning like a bullet due to the rotational force.

The monstrous ‘penetration power’ went without saying.

A two-headed ogre at the forefront of the monster horde was hit by just one arrow and fell backward. Koooh Uuung…! With that impact sound as the signal, the battle commenced. Only after moving everyone forward did Kijung turn around.

“Lark…”

From a distance, Lark’s figure started to become visible, followed by the tremendous dust cloud kicked up by the paleos.

※ ※

“Waaaah, Master Kay, please help me! The paleos are trying to kill me!”

“Drop the lame act, Lark-ssi.”

Kijung gritted his teeth. Seeing Lark’s face unchanged and panicking, anger boiled inside him.

“Why, why are you getting angry again?! We came here to kill the monster horde too! Are these paleo guys my sworn enemies? They’re always chasing after me-“

“Why are you doing this?”

“Why? To stop the 4th wave, isn’t that obvious? I’m also a knight of Dominus! Of course, I have to fulfill the Vatican’s mission!”

Lark’s claim was always the same.

‘For the same reason as you,’ he had come to subdue the monster horde, but somehow, the paleos always ended up chasing him.