Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Molting?”

He had thought lizardia was dead, only to find that what had fallen to the ground was merely a shell in lizardia’s shape.

“Ha! Did he molt in the meantime?”

What Biyemi had obtained from the Serpentine paleon tribe wasn’t just acidic venom.

She had also learned another secret technique that utilized lizardia’s racial traits.

Bluebeard couldn’t help but burst into laughter, kicking at Biyemi’s shed skin on the ground.

He knew all too well how futile it was to chase a chameleon in the darkness.

“You said your name was Chiyou.”

“It’s my first time meeting you, Count, despite these circumstances.”

Chiyou maintained her composure despite the extreme pain she was in.

“Ah, it’s hard to say we’re meeting with me looking like this.”

It was her first chance to converse with Bluebeard. She was prepared to face death for this opportunity.

‘Curse that damn chameleon. Can’t see a thing.’

What expression was Bluebeard wearing? How would he view her act of protecting the jar?

She wanted to check, but it was hard to find a way.

Despite consuming a huge amount of healing potions, her vision remained dark and didn’t clear up.

Her vision wasn’t just dimming due to fatigue; Biyemi’s acidic venom had completely destroyed her eyes.

“Making such a greeting despite your eyes being ruined? You have more guts than most men.”

“Thank you, I appre- Ah?!”

Whoooosh!

As soon as Bluebeard’s hand touched Chiyou’s face, the corrosion and poisoning effects of the acidic venom stopped.

Her dead eyes did not return to life, but it was still a gesture of goodwill.

Chiyou felt unexpectedly good about Bluebeard’s excessive friendliness.

“Thank you, Count.”

“No, I should thank you. Even in this situation, you protected it. Let me check the others first.”

That was all Chiyou heard.

With a whoosh, she could no longer sense any presence of Bluebeard.

[Where are you, you bastard―――!]

All that echoed was the roar of the dinosaur that stirred up the entire fortress.

The cry, as if to tear down the fortress, vibrated through the air, resonating for a long time.

“So noisy, you pathetic creature.”

[My Lord, the Count.]

Though the figure was as small as Toon’s eyeballs, Bluebeard’s words were enough to shut Toon up.

“tsk tsk… to think you couldn’t prepare for even this.”

[I’m sorry.]

Toon bowed deeply, almost touching the ground with his head, in apology.

Bluebeard didn’t spare Toon a glance, instead surveying the devastated fortress.

Igor and Faust twitched every time their eyes met with Bluebeard’s, but they were too busy hiding their own forms, indicating they had not fully grasped the situation.

“That woman must have a hard time leading these fools… Are they still on about that? The gunslinger has been gone for a long time.”

“Are you saying… Leeha has left…”

Faust stepped forward, deactivating his shield in front of Bluebeard.

Bluebeard’s eyes suddenly filled with a murderous intent, but he lightly swung his staff, playfully knocking on the white head of lizardia.

However, at that moment, Faust felt the presence of death.

Seeing Faust trembling, Igor and Czar adopted a defensive stance, but Bluebeard was not bothered in the least.

“Kukukuku… Looks like you’ve become quite perceptive.”

He stared blankly at the roof of the fortress, the spot where Leeha had just been.

“If it were the old times, you would’ve stayed to kill me. Have you grown smarter… Or is it something else-“Bluebeard smacked his lips, but the swift disappearance of Leeha and Pietro was not solely due to Viyemi’s whisperings. Leeha had wanted to land a deadly blow, even if a kill was out of the question. Unsatisfied with having destroyed only three pots, he had resolved to take down at least one more pot before leaving, or possibly eliminate more than two key players.

“Is there a problem?” Like a murmur from Bluebeard, Leeha’s plans dissolved into nothingness in an instant, starting the moment Toon entered his scope.

“Why on earth…” The place Leeha fled to was not Juma City. Without even saying a proper goodbye to Viyemi and Pietro, he had moved to Blaugrunn’s lair. “Are you alright, Leeha-nim?” Blaugrunn asked, looking at Leeha with concern, but Leeha couldn’t find the words to respond.

I’m fine. I wasn’t attacked. I haven’t been affected by any kind of magic, including status ailments. But… can I really say I’m okay?

“Haah… Haah…” Leeha removed his finger from the trigger of Black Bass. His index finger was trembling.

“Leeha-nim?” Never before, not before his enlistment, nor after the incident in the military, and not even throughout all his gameplay in Middle Earth, had he been filled with such terror of sniping.

‘Why am I like this!’ Leeha looked down at his still-trembling finger.

‘It’s just a game.’ “Toon! How many souls are left?”

“Well… only about two pots full, roughly 20,000-”

“No, no.” Bluebeard, who had been looking at the fortress roof, turned around and floated toward Toon, pointing his staff at him. “Including those inside.”

Toon’s pupils dilated momentarily. The souls transferred into pots amounted to roughly 20,000, but the number Toon absorbed during this third wave far exceeded that.

[There should be at least 15,000 inside me currently.]

“All together that’s 40,000?” Bluebeard smacked his lips.

“Dammit, it’s not enough, but it can’t be helped. Let’s go.”

[Excuse me?]

“Don’t make me repeat myself, you dense dino-brained bastard. I’m not in the best of moods.”

[I-I’m sorry, Count.]

Toon immediately slammed his head to the ground, causing a shock akin to a minor earthquake to the surrounding players.

Bluebeard climbed onto Toon’s shoulder, and just as Toon was raising his head, Bluebeard, as if he suddenly remembered something, called out toward an alley. “Ah, and – Chiyou!”

As if she had been waiting for the call, Chiyou walked out from the alley. Although the situation had not worsened, her treatment wasn’t completely finished either. Some players frowned at her gruesomely disfigured face, but Chiyou herself seemed not to care.

“Yes, Count.”

“You’re coming too.”

“It’s an honor.”

Chiyou bowed her head slightly. She had finally seized the opportunity to form a connection with an NPC who was arguably the strongest entity in the Middle Earth saga. For her, the current situation was the best possible outcome she could have orchestrated.

Chiyou discreetly issued commands to Faust, Igor, and the other players. It was a straightforward order: wait and defend the fortress, as this was in everyone’s best interest to survive. And no player dared to disobey.

Perched on Toon’s shoulder beside Bluebeard, Chiyou’s presence was a clear testament to who held the highest power at this location.”Then, my friends. Until we meet again.”

Bluebeard swung his staff, poking Toon’s shoulder lightly. That simple action, requiring no casting at all, made both the giant Toon and their existence vanish in an instant.

Chiyou, still unable to see, had no idea where she was.

But one thing was certain.

Ba-bam!

[Achievement: Suppressed Vitality for 20 Years (S-)]

You have set foot in the darkest place of the Erika continent for the first time.

This place, known as ‘Demon’s Core,’ has never before been entered by someone devoid of demonic energy. All life in Middle Earth awaits your wise choice in coming here.

Reward: Strength +7, Agility +7, Intelligence +7, Holy Resistance +10%

[Suppressed Vitality for 20 Years]

You are the first to register this achievement.

The first three registrants of the achievement will be recorded in the Hall of Fame, and the original effects will be increased by 200%.

Effects: Strength +14, Agility +14, Intelligence +14, Holy Resistance +20%

This space has never been visited by any user.

Even blinded, Chiyou suppressed a laugh as she viewed the system window.

‘Demon’s Core’, indeed… And 20 years at that. This place is certainly-

Ordered by Bluebeard, why did Toon collect souls?

Chiyou had a vague idea of his purpose, and naturally, she had predicted their current location as well.

[This place is…!]

“Ah, yes, Toon. It’s been a while since we’ve seen this guy.”

Toon stared ahead with wide eyes.

Despite clearly being underground, a corner of the spacious area, large enough to accommodate Toon’s massive physique, housed a bright red crystal attracting the gaze like that of a dinosaur.

[Yes.]

Chiyou found the situation unbearable.

Judging by Toon’s low voice, definitely one of ‘those things’ was in front of her!

Damned lizard! Did Bluebeard bring me here just to torment me? Shouldn’t you let me know what’s going on too!”

She felt so frustrated that she wanted to stomp her feet, but Chiyou maintained her composure as much as possible. Right now, the most important thing was to ‘make her presence felt.’

Chiyou did not want to ruin her image by asking frivolous questions during her first meeting with Bluebeard.

“Let’s wake this guy up first.”

[But the number of souls-]

“It’s fine, it’s fine. He was always a glutton, wasn’t he? Having thirty, forty thousand souls should be enough to open his eyes a bit. Though fully regaining consciousness might take a bit longer…

[-Understood. Chiyou, the jar.]

“Yes,”

Chiyou carefully set down the jar she had been clutching. Bluebeard looked at her fondly and nodded.

“Silent, I like that. Not like that idiot Faust.”

“Thank you.”

“But there’s a difference between keeping quiet because you know something and having nothing to say because you’re ignorant. Do you know where you are?” Suddenly, Bluebeard, who had been conversing with Toon, threw a question at Chiyou.

She knew this must be some kind of test. Why else would she have been so quiet up till now if not to answer this moment? “Yes.”

“Hah, you know?”

“I can’t see right now, so I’m not exactly sure, but I guess it’s one of ‘two places.’”

“Ha-ha-ha! Good. Wait here. Toon, do your job.”

[Understood, Count.]

Moments later, Chiyou could hear the gurgling effect sound from Toon.

The task must surely be to extract all the souls within.

‘Toon said without the jar, the souls wouldn’t last more than 3 hours.’

The jars for housing souls aren’t something you can just find anywhere in the Old Continent.

Even Chiyou, who had managed to acquire one from the royal palace’s treasury after roasting Minis’s magi squad, knew it was difficult to obtain more.

Neither Toon nor Bluebeard could be unaware of its rarity.

Meaning, even if a wave came, keeping more than 20,000 souls would be difficult.

‘So is that why try now?’

What was that ‘try’?

Chiyou waited quietly. Bluebeard, who had completely vanished, was suddenly in front of her again.