Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

With a sound, Leeha closed his eyes tightly after removing the cork stopper.

‘If my intuition is correct, no, since it’s the Middles Earth, they must have aimed for that. The White Reaper, and the Black Plague-like pun, the White Plague!’

Then, he put the mouth of the flask to his lips and took a mouthful of the white potion.

At that moment, a system notification window popped up in front of Leeha. Bap-bam!

“Huh?!”

An achievement notification sound?

[Abnormal Condition: Inflicted with White Plague.]

[Ice Resistance increased by 80%.]

[1% of total HP will decrease every 1 minute for 100 minutes.]

[All Ice-related buffs will be removed.]

[Recovery skills and potion effects will not apply.]

[Cooldown time after curing White Plague is 1 hour.]

Of course, what Leeha saw first was not an achievement, but a notification of an abnormal condition.

“What is this?!”

Raising my Ice resistance significantly is good. But losing 1% of my HP every minute for 100 minutes?

It meant death in 100 minutes!

“O-Only 100 minutes…? Even if you sprint with all your might, it’s impossible to reach in 100 minutes, right?”

And what are these cruel additional options that even prevent healing?

After taking a sip and regaining 837 HP, the meticulousness of setting the cooldown time to avoid drinking again!

“This crazy Middle Earth, seriously!”

Leeha muttered, looking flustered, and Blaugrunn asked if he was okay.

-No! How can I be okay! Damn it, it’s already started, so let’s chase after them first. The time limit is 100 minutes!

“Yes? 100 minutes?”

“Mm! Mm!”

Swish!

Leeha clenched Black Bass and quickly started climbing.

Leeha: Come with me.

Ram Hwajung also followed his steps with short strides. The two were already climbing up the part where the mountain path turned into ice-covered rocks and pebbles.

Blaugrunn, with a sigh, glanced at Arzenmacht.

“Are you okay, Arzenmacht-nim? There might be a battle, and this place is closely related to the Demon King. If you get involved for no reason, it’s best to retreat.”

“It’s interesting.”

“Yes? A battle?”

“No, that human.”

“That human? Oh, Leeha! Are you speaking about Ha Leeha?”

While Blaugrunn looked pleased, blushing as if he had received a compliment, Arzenmacht remained silent.

Step by step, the Silver Dragon began to ascend, with the Bronze Dragon quickly following behind.

“Let’s go together, Arzenmacht-nim!”

“Roar!”

Faster, everyone!

With an exhilarating(?) shout, Leeha boosted morale and put strength into his thighs.

Fortunately in misfortune, Leeha was pursuing Chiyou. It was a significant advantage not to have to worry about attacks from behind.

“Alright, let’s first confirm things beforehand-”

Leeha had plenty of leisure to briefly check the achievements board.

[Achievement: Inheritor of the Whiter Reaper’s Small Estate (A+)]

Congratulations! You have acquired and used the possessions of the human hunter known as the Whiter Reaper, “Shimo.”

You believe in the words he left and actually used them! Have you ever considered that it might be poison?

Your unusual courage is commendable. Most of all, your courage has led to the whereabouts of other items left by the Whiter Reaper!

Reward: 18 Skill PointsIce Resistance +10%

A map showing the location of the Whiter Reaper’s possessionsYou are the first registrant of the achievement “Inheritor of the Whiter Reaper’s Short Estate.”

The first three registrants of the achievement will be recorded in the Hall of Fame, and an additional 200% of the existing effects will be applied.

Effect: 36 Skill Points, ice Resistance +20%

“Hmm? Puff-“

Leeha quickly covered his mouth with his palm.

He scolded himself for almost wasting the precious potion, and reread the achievement’s description with a smile that couldn’t be hidden.

‘As expected… the Whiter Reaper, killed 542 men…. The motif was a Finnish soldier. The name is similar to mine, too.’Legendary sniper, shimo Haewi.

In pursuit of Chiyou, risking high risk for high return, he had only picked up a potion, but to gain this ‘treat’.

‘No, I haven’t gained anything yet. Haven’t you thought that this might be poison? In reality, this is just as good as poison! Until I kill Chiyou and safely empty this potion in my mouth, I haven’t gained anything at all.’

With a determined mindset, Leeha erased his faltering smile and put the map neatly into his bag. Leeha, with an Ice Resistance of 110%, finally revealed the whereabouts of the Eternal Ice.

And at that moment, snowballs started flying in from a distance.

“Eu- Roar-!”

“Stop acting like a frozen ostrich when I’m watching! First, I’ll-”

“[Ice Spear: Mana Charge]”

“[Ice Blast]”

Crashhh…!

Two ice spells tore through the air faster than Blaugrunn’s casting. Considering size, weight, and speed, one can only wonder about the destructive power of snowballs.

However, Ram Hwajung and Arzenmacht were not the type to calculate such things. First, the gigantic ice spear that was launched by Ram Hwajung showed its resistance by piercing through the snowball, and the flying ice bomb exploded towards that location!

The solid structure, more akin to chunks of ice rather than soft snow, shattered into pieces in mid-air.

“Uh… heh. It’s not an exaggeration to say it feels like a container box is flying towards us, but it turned into a hailstorm.”

Of course, even Blaugrunn couldn’t help but keep his mouth shut while watching the frozen penalties exchanged between the two.

“Arzenmacht- no, not only Arzenmacht…”

“Blast. Right.”

“Mm. Mana charge.”

Ram Hwajung and Arzenmacht exchanged glances for a moment before nodding their heads. The onlookers couldn’t properly determine whether it was a conversation, encouragement, or praise.

“If you’re happy, at least show it a little. Your lack of expression is making me wonder…”

Mumbling to himself silently, but in reality, it was Leeha who was smiling, although mentally he felt secure. Having obtained resistance to the ice attribute and the requirement to defeat incoming ice chunks, there was nothing more to fear.

“Eom! Umumum!”

The opponents might not have gained much speed yet. All they needed to do was chase after them!

“Ha, Ha Leeha! Over there!”

The opening mouth was barely closed by Leeha.

There were no long-range attackers on the enemy’s side. There might be a few among Yamato’s troops, but wasn’t a blizzard akin to a perpetual snowstorm sweeping through the Eternal Snow Mountain?

In an environment where even targeting was impossible, Leeha calculated that there would be no significant opposition. However, it was underestimating the enemy too much.

“Ice Golem.”

“Unlucky.”

Arzenmacht murmured quietly, while Ram Hwajung frowned. An ice golem of Krauli that they had encountered before!

The difference was that, unlike the hastily created one back then, this one had a higher level of completion.

“Approximately 8 in number, a total of 12 entities.”

Kuaaaah…!

Before Blaugrunn’s words could finish, Leeha’s shot was fired fiercely. While it was enough to shatter the ice golem’s chest, the howling blizzard seemed to fill the gap as if to mend it, and the fragmented chest was instantly restored.

Indeed, it’s not going to be easy. Seems like we need to dig deeper into this. Leeha wanted to observe Chiyou’ group beyond the golem, but it was impossible.

Being very well-versed in long-range attacks, Chiyou had already started scaling the incline the moment Leeha’s team came into view, as their line of sight had a significant difference at the moment.

Pulling out his magazine from his Black Bass, Leeha stood in front a short boy.

“Ha-Ha Leeha, it’s the basics of basics. That’s a golem! And if it’s a golem, we have to destroy the ‘High-Density Mana Core,’ right?”

“Mhm, mhm!”

I already know that!

Blaugrunn seemed to enjoy not being able to hear Leeha’s excuses, smiling. Leeha’s heart fluttered as he saw the turquoise mana coursing through his body. Ice? And electricity? … Yeah. It’s not seawater. If it’s not seawater, electricity flows. Unless the part with the high-density mana bead is covered with a different material.

“The limits of human alchemy. Moreover, in such high altitudes, a golem with such a tall stature clustered closely together like that? It’s the worst in a situation where clouds are gathering due to a blizzard.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

Even just by looking at Leeha’s expression, did Blaugrunn already know what question Leeha was going to ask? He smiled and raised his right index finger towards the sky.

“Hah, that’s what I mean. [Nimbus: Call Lightning]!”

Snap!

Sparks flew from Blaugrunn’s fingertip. Without a chance to blink, the electricity flowed into the storm clouds piled up in the sky.

Rumble rumble rumble…! Crackle crackle…

Leeha: No way…

Blaugrunn: A great dragon must always know how to make use of the environment they are given.

Leeha looked up at the sky. The clouds continuously spewing out blizzards without faltering must be artificial. Presumably, something imbued with magical energy created it in the sky! Will Leeha stimulate that place and transform his weapon into it!?

“Much more impressive than I thought—”

Zap! Zap!

Leeha suddenly sat down, startled by the sudden barrage of lightning bolts. Lightning struck randomly, hitting various places including mountaintops. If it’s like this here, what would happen if there were objects higher up, even higher than that…?

“Conductive Effect!”

Flash! Flash! Flash! -! -! -!

Whenever the sound of thunder reached Leeha’s ears, the ice golems crumbled one by one as if following a beat.

“You’ve grown.”

“Thank you, Arzenmacht-nim.”

Arzenmacht complimented the smiling Blaugrunn.

It seemed like even Ram Hwajung wanted to say something and muttered, “Impressive. Little dragon.”

Without giving Leeha a chance to be surprised, veins bulged on Blaugrunn’s forehead.

“… I won’t tolerate being called that by you, human, not twice.”

“Careful.”

In that moment, a small crevasse appeared between them, causing them to fall downwards. Ignoring the anger, Blaugrunn and Leeha got flustered.

“Oops! Omeoom!”

Leeha: I told you to watch out for the crevasse.

But the two soon floated up again.

“Levitation can be used at any time.”

Arzenmacht cast a spell, and not even Ram Hwajung showed any change in expression.

Feeling disappointed, Leeha continued climbing.

“Wow, what sudden lightning!?”

“Everyone, crouch down! It’s dangerous if you keep your head up!”

“[Aerial Shield]!”

The lightning didn’t just eliminate the ice golems.

It also had a dual effect of tying Chiyou’s group’s feet as they climbed higher.

“Tsk, Prea! How’s the situation below?”

Following Chiyou’s command, Prea used an ice elemental to scout below.

“Uh, um- Just a moment- W-well, the lightning melted all the golems! Can you believe it? Instead of shooting lightning bolts, they guided the lightning from the sky-“

“Save the admiration for later!”

“Oops, sorry!”

After silencing Prea, Chiyou glared at Crowley with a somewhat angry expression.

“What’s going on, Crowley? If you said that with 12 ice golems, we could tie them up for at least 30 minutes!”

“Like that’s e-e-ekk!! I wouldn’t be struck by lightning! It’s n-not in my sight!”

“Tsk, we’ll talk about your contract later. First-“

“Uh, snowballs ahead, snowballs! Three of them coming this time!”