Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Ah, well, if you want to call them sneakers, sure… But this choice was entirely because of Lark-ssi. Only for you!”

Nara was more excited than usual. Lark had a bad feeling about this.

Situations like these are never good. If one wears such a smile in battle, it signifies full confidence, the kind only a high-ranking fighter would have. It’s not something to calculate lightly!

‘We need to end the fight quickly-‘

Just as Lark was about to charge forward, Nara tapped her right heel against her left heel lightly. Like a ballerina preparing to dance, she then opened her mouth.

“[Alter Cabaret].”

※ ※

Woosh—!

It happened in an instant, a different kind of dome formed around Lark and Nara, unlike the usual space lock.

If a space lock includes an unspecified number of people within its range, approaching the size of a soccer field, this new dome was only big enough for Lark and Nara, akin to a classroom.

This dome, with a semblance of transparency, had a shade close to cyan, making both figures within appear somewhat ghostly to the Colosseum knights outside.

“cabaret…? Are you talking about a dance hall?”

“Mm, it seems there are cabarets in your country too. The meaning might be a bit different… but yes, it’s the original word, cabare.”

“A place for dancing, a cabaret… with ‘Alter’ attached to it, a shrine for gods—ah, I see.”

“You catch on quickly. This means a place where offerings for the ancient gods outside of Ahlo dance endlessly.”

Nara’s muscles twitched. It wasn’t an attack.

It was a sophisticated move, a mere muscular movement drawing the opponent’s attack, almost like a check by a master. Lark quickly raised his sword.

Knowing he’d be at a disadvantage if Nara initiated the attack, his action was natural.

“If you insist on dancing with me in such a small space, Dame Shin, I see no reason to refuse! [Blue Hurricane]!”

His sword sparkled with a blue light.

As if gathering the stormy blue wind around it… However, Nara didn’t react at all. The more her smile widened, the more Lark’s brow furrowed.

“Oh my, what to do.

‘An offering for God’—do you think they’d use magic or skills?”

“Madness. Is it really what I think it is?”

“I think Lark-ssi is quite impressive. Fast to catch on—I’d say you’d rank in my top 10. Well then… shall we go?”

Nara nodded her head towards Lark in a modest bow.

Lark couldn’t even think to pull out an emergency teleport scroll from his bag.

Because he had perfectly understood what skill Nara had used. Her body shot forward like a cascade.

[Legendary Alter Cabare]

Description: A shrine for ancient gods existing before the supreme god Ahlo, Alter. Offerings made to the shrine were meant to endlessly dance, hoping the ancient gods would descend and ‘consume’ them. The capricious ancient gods detested offerings using tools or mana powers. So, the priests serving these gods took special measures to ensure the offerings performed their duties faithfully.

Effect: Absolute skill ban within casting range. If there is no movement within the range for more than 2 seconds, 5% of the total health is damaged.

Mana: 2,000

Duration: 5 minutes

Cooldown: 48 hours

Ka-aaaang—–!

“This is too much, isn’t it?”

Lark stumbled backward, barely managing to block Nara’s sword, but soon his body was forced to stop.

The cyan dome not only banned skills within its range but also acted as a barrier from which movements could not escape.

“What’s too much? ‘Gear dependency’ is also a skill, as someone once said?!”

“Darn it!”

Lark swung his sword vigorously. The afterimage of his sword no longer bore the [Rainbow].

Nara watched the swinging sword till the end, stepping back just two steps.

Crash—!

With a heavy thud, her expression momentarily stiffened.

“Ha-ha! Seems like you can’t avoid it either, no matter how much you try to act superior? Since Miss Shin can’t use her skills, it’s expected, I guess-”

“Touche nong balrable! It means an attack is nullified.”

Shin Nara’s complexion didn’t change in the slightest. She could dodge it if she wanted to. In other words, intercepting Lark’s blade with the ‘guard’ of her sword was a planned move. Without using a shield, it was crucial for her to perfectly understand Lark’s attack power and any additional effects his sword possessed.

“And the cross-guard is there originally for defense, you know. Seems like you need to study more, Lark-ssi?”

Observing her refreshed expression made Lark realize. Shin Nara intentionally showed an opening to gauge his skills.

“Damn. She deliberately showed a vulnerability, is she that strong? If she can block my skills… At the lowest, that’s a legendary tier shoe. Should I break it? I could if I make up my mind. But the moment I decipher this skill…”

Lark held his sword aloft and looked at Shin Nara. As Shin Nara said, Lark was exceptionally insightful and perceptive.

His decision not to recklessly attack further and instead to conceal his remaining capabilities was a reasonable action. However, this was ‘Alter Cabaret’. Soon, Lark was trembling all over and had to scream.

“Aaaargh-!”

For Lark, not knowing the specifics of a legendary item’s legendary skill because it was his first time seeing it was natural.

“Oops, didn’t I mention? Staying still for more than 2 seconds will get you in trouble…”

Shin Nara, previously maintaining a fencing stance, spoke with genuine regret. Before Lark could fully recover from the damage, she made her move first.

Whoosh!

Lark tried to raise his sword in a panic but couldn’t block her thrust, which moved through the air like a snake.

Tension-

Lark clenched his eyes shut. He knew too well that the moment Shin Nara’s blade passed through his neck or forehead, he’d wake up from the Middle Earth connector gasping for air.

“What is-”

Boom! But Lark had to open his eyes due to the sudden pain in his hand.

“… What is this?”

Even though his hand was pierced and bleeding, Lark did not cover it. His gaze was fixed on his sword that had fallen to the ground.

“You’re quick on the uptake, Lark-ssi. Why do you think I did this?”

Shin Nara quickly retrieved her sword. What she wanted was merely to neutralize Lark, showing through her demeanor that she had no further intention to attack.

“I may not know why you did it. But I’m fully aware that the skill cooldown to block my sword’s activation isn’t something as short as one or two hours. A day? Maybe even more?”

“Lies. You know exactly why I acted this way.”

Shin Nara’s smile vanished. This moment was precisely why she had come here.

Killing Lark now? That would merely result in a ten-day connection penalty. Even without Lark, the Virtue Knights might continue their [Subjugation] against the paleos.

After the ten-day penalty, once he reconnects, the [Subjugation] pace would only quicken, and by then, it would be impossible for Shin Nara to stop them. Most importantly—Lark, being swift to bring up the cooldown, wouldn’t be caught by Shin Nara’s skill a second time.

Shin Nara rummaged through her bag. The duration of this skill was a mere 5 minutes, and with already about 3 minutes elapsed, there was no room to drag out the negotiation.

“Sign it.”

“Pfft. A ‘contract’, seriously? Being too nice can sometimes be a problem. And what if I don’t sign it? Still, I don’t think Dame Shin can kill me-“

Lark was saying, shrugging his shoulders, when Shin Nara had already launched herself at him.

Her sword was aimed right at Lark’s Adam’s apple.

“I am not a regular user, but a member of the Sacred Knights. That’s why I respect you, Lark.”

“In other words, it also means it’s difficult to kill me, a knight of Minis’s Virtuous Knight Order.”

“You’re welcome to try. You know I have nothing to lose, right? I wonder what would happen if you ‘dropped’ your sword?”

Shin Nara laughed cheerfully.

Despite being cornered, Lark’s face, which had maintained its composure, contorted for the first time.

He quickly regained his usual expression, but Shin Nara did not miss it.

“One of the good things about Middle Earth is this: there may be items that can’t be traded, but there are no items that don’t drop upon death. Of course, there might be usage conditions that mean I ultimately can’t use it… But the fact that you, Lark-ssi, could never use that sword again seems like no loss to me.”

It was basic practice for Middle Earth players to stuff their bags with various items to prevent drops.

However, a 0.1% chance is still a chance! The mere possibility of dropping it is enough to unsettle anyone, a natural human psychology that Shin Nara was deftly exploiting.

“This mock battle ‘never happened.’

I’ve written it all in the contract. Officially, there was never a fight between Lark of the Virtuous Knight Order and Shin Nara of the Sacred Knights. You understand what this means, right?”

Above all, she had a history of countless push-and-pulls with members within the Sacred Knights.

“Sign it while you can. Your honor will be preserved.”

Lark burst into laughter at the carrot dangled after the stick.

Every time Shin Nara spoke, his face rapidly changed, finally settling back into calmness.

“Incredible, truly. To think you chose an item rewarded by the papacy just to capture little ol’ me. There was no way I could have been caught. Alright, I’ll sign.”

“Do you promise on the honor of a knight?”

“Pfft! I am of the Virtue Knights, but do you think I hold any honor?”

“Then-“

“I swear on my sword. I will not break the contract.”

Lark signed the contract Shin Nara had extended to him.

Though strictly enforced by Middle Earth, the contract was ‘not absolute’.

It meant if one was willing to face the penalties, unilateral termination was possible!

Shin Nara smiled brightly at Lark’s words about staking his sword and his easy signing of the contract. Whoosh…!

Just then, the glowing barrier disappeared.

“Shoot, if I had held out just one more minute, I wouldn’t have had to sign.”

Lark grumbled as he picked up his sword, but there was no notable regret on his face.

Shin Nara shook her head at him.

“…That’s why I didn’t kill you, Lark-ssi. Really, really, reall~~y bad, but you are unexpectedly fair and just.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yes. It’s subtly similar to Leeha-ssi, you know.”

“… Leeha? Me? Similar?”

Lark looked at Shin Nara with incredulity, but she said no more to him.

Instead, she simply addressed the Colosseo Knights who had been watching the duel and conversation with fascination.

If you touch the Black Crane, paleo, I will return, she stated, before disappearing with the use of a crystal.

Even as she vanished and her figure flickered with a soft rainbow light, Lark was still in a daze.

“Uh… me and Leeha… No, but why Leeha again? Why does that guy’s name keep coming up?”

Lark mumbled dazedly as a few members of the Colosseo Knights approached him.

“Sir, ‘Knight of the Rainbow’? So, we will now-“

“Ah! I think I need to leave now. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help, members of the Colosseo. Erm, you probably overheard my conversation with Dame Shin, but speaking of this ‘mock battle’ elsewhere might have consequences… It’s probably best to give up on the Black Crane paleo. Fortunately, Dame Shin didn’t mention any other paleo, so maybe you should try your luck elsewhere?”

With the Sacred Knights scattered everywhere at the moment, it wasn’t feasible for the Colosseo Knights to target another paleo. Shin Nara would quickly find them and come slicing in. Lark had foreseen this but had no further advice to offer the unhelpful knights. He quietly teleported to where the Virtue Knights were. There wouldn’t be any issue of the Virtue Knights stepping in to suppress mystical creatures for at least a month.