Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Could this be it?”

With each letter he followed, chills ran down his body. With a level of concentration that made it seem like he could see the letters, he could do nothing but stare blankly at the invisible wall.

I will never forget, even in death.

Until I kill all the Krabavi! For all the Pandril compatriots!

-Shimo-

“Is this a message left by the White Reaper? Was this the room where the execution was carried out before?”

He vaguely understood.

“My origin! They asked to find out if I am from Pandril! If that’s the case, it’s easy! It means that the current current ghost of the White Reaper won’t attack because it’s Pandril. Because he is of Pandril descent.”

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Perhaps Middle Earth had lured 『qualified individuals』 to this place from the beginning, just like a quest. No matter how advanced the artificial intelligence was, it was ultimately limited to NPCs. The limitations were clear even in the questions.

Leeha didn’t know at first, but at this moment, he realized that he had solved the problem himself and reached the next one.

“It was like that from the beginning. I remember the consistent ‘words’ that Mikhail, as well as the investigators who arrested and dragged me to Hamina Castle or prison, used in response to all the questions I asked here.”

Even when asked about the White Reaper, their reactions were always the same.

‘『Human hunter』. They only referred to Shimo as a Human Flesh Hunter. It wasn’t even a name, and it wasn’t White Reaper. It couldn’t be anything else! They were all –

The forever cursed past Krabavi nation and the current residents of the Krabavi region.

Weren’t they all the Giant race, the NPCs?

“Does that mean the current restless White Reaper’s Ghost is related to regional and racial discrimination issues?”

Shwoaaa…!

A hologram window appeared before him.

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『I took action. I had no choice but to-1』

Description: The Krabavi had countless opportunities to accept our goodwill. However, they insulted our brothers and sisters and committed despicable acts against weak and innocent compatriots. They would not know. How much we endured, and how. Someone must tell them, no matter who it is, even if they wear the devil’s disguise.

The deep-rooted grudge of the Pandril nation’s hero, the White Reaper, prevented his flesh from resting even in death. Meet the White Reaper’s Ghost, who acts with only one determination, to guide him to eternal rest. But remember, only those acknowledged by him can meet him.

Content: Meet the White Reaper’s Ghost and listen to his story Reward: I took action. I had no choice but to-2

Condition for Failure: Death by the White Reaper

On failure: 『Resurrected White Reaper』

Cancel, return to the original quest route-

Will you accept it?

As Leeha stared at the quest window with a heavy heart, his eyes widened.

“Huh? Wh-what, wh-what!? What! What!”

He stuttered, unable to say anything besides “what.”

The quest content was simple. However, the rewards and failure penalty caught Leeha’s attention.

The reward was a linked quest! But the failure penalty…

“Resurrected White Reaper ‘Cancellation’? Quest route restored to its original state?!”

Leeha had never received a quest called “Resurrected White Reaper.”

Moreover, the expression “quest route restored to its original state” was puzzling! Even Leeha, who had experienced Middle Earth in all its strangeness through various means, had only seen it once before.

Descendants of the Three Musketeers, 『when it hits…』

Leeha saw that test only during that time. Moreover, he had only experienced something related to resurrection once, when he used the Myth-grade item, Easter Egg, to resurrect Blaugrunn, which was only capable of completely reviving NPCs.

Leeha tried to calm his trembling body but it wasn’t easy. He had only come to find a Legendary Sniper at first. He hoped to gain some knowledge that would help him in combat since the rifle was modeled after a legendary sniper.

But this… what was this?

He still couldn’t fully comprehend everything in his mind. However, he could sense what the sequence of events was hinting at.

“This could possibly…”

Ram Hwayeon: Ha Leeha! Ha Leeha, are you there!?

Leeha: Oh, it’s Ram Hwayeon!

In that moment, a voice echoed in Leeha’s mind. When Ram Hwayeon, who usually seemed uncharacteristically excited, heard her voice, a feeling of a once dark underground prison suddenly brightening came over Leeha.

Ram Hwayeon: Hwajung! Hwajung received a quest-

Leeha: Ahh! Is that the second job advancement quest?

Ram Hwayeon: Oh, how did you know?

Leeha: Hehe, just a lucky guess. So, what’s the quest about? Oh, Ram Hwajung hasn’t logged in yet?

Seeing Ram Hwayeon’s face almost laughing made Leeha let out a chuckle. At the same time, a sense of relief washed over him.

While Leeha hadn’t directly connected Silver Dragon and Ram Hwajung, wasn’t it because of him that the two beings had met?

Leeha: You’re acting all mysterious. Like sending off a young bird from the nest—no, but it’s more embarrassing to say this when I’m weaker than Ram Hwajung.

By the time Leeha laughed, ran Hwayeon’s excitement had subsided. Although she wanted to share the good news, she checked to see if he knew first. The clueless Leeha still had a smile on his face.

Ram Hwayeon: “『Extraction of Abyssal Ice』” was the quest content, or so I’ve heard, but I don’t know the details. She fell asleep again right away. I just logged in for a moment because she asked me to tell Leeha.

Leeha: Oh, really? I guess you understand the gratitude of the one who introduced her.

Ram Hwayeon: She likes you.

Leeha: What?

Ram Hwayeon: Nothing, forget it then. I’m leaving now.

Leeha: Wait, ran Hwayeon!

Leeha called out Ram Hwayeon’s name, but she had already logged out. Leeha had no idea about the sudden coldness in his heart.

‘Why is she acting like this? Is she very busy? Anyway, tomorrow… tomorrow!? It’s already the end of the year in the real world!’

Then he realized.

That in the real world, tomorrow was indeed the end of the year. Since he logged in this morning, he still had about four days in Middlearth time, but calling it a luxury felt somewhat awkward.

“Ugh, of all times! I received a strange quest as well!”

Leeha made up his mind. With even the quest appearing before his eyes abnormally, there was no time to wastue.

Leeha: Blaugrunn-ssi.

Blaugrunn: Yes?

Leeha: Let’s go, Dragon Form.

Blaugrunnh: Understood.

With a flash—

Along with a deafening sound, the entire underground prison began to shake.

The screams from above and all sorts of chaotic noises also reached Leeha’s ears. After a while, staggering footsteps could be heard, and the area beneath the underground stairs began to glow.

“Hurry up, pitiful thing.

“Y-yes, understood!”

Being pushed by Blaugrunn, who had returned to his boy form, five giants were coming down in a hurry. In a dignified manner, Leeha stood confidently in front of the iron bars.

“Report to the Lord. I will personally take care of the White Reaper. And you will guide me to the place where the White Reaper’s Ghost comes from.”

Whether the giants were hiding something or showing off the White Reaper was not important now. What mattered was solving this quest, by any means necessary. Leeha poured all his attention into that sole purpose. The news of a Bronze Dragon appearing in a small castle in the northwest of Shazrashian had spread among the giants but soon faded into oblivion.

It was the judgment of the Shazrashian’s main giant users that it was highly unlikely to be true, as there was no dragon lair nearby, nor was it part of a dragon raid event. Of course, at the time of such rumors, Leeha was already entering the area about a 40-minute carriage ride from Hamina Castle.

“Is that the place?”

“Yes, that’s correct. That’s the area where the Human Flesh Hunter was executed and abandoned.”

The surroundings were heavily guarded, with giant scouts monitoring for any individuals or troublemakers entering the area. The high walls and steel doors were there to prevent the escape of the White Reaper’s Ghost, or perhaps to keep the residents of Panrind out. Whatever the reason, it was not important to Leeha. What mattered was that he had to enter that place now.

“Phew… Am I really going to meet the senior?”

Leeha and Blaugrunn got off the carriage. The vigilant southern giants flinched momentarily at the sight of the humans but remained silent after seeing Leeha with the other giants.

“Open the door.”

“But… We cannot enter this place. I’ve already told you.”

“I know, so open it.”

With a flash of his eyes, Leeha compelled the giant to unlock the iron door. The rusty lock creaked open. It was already known by those who had come this far – this was the secret space being concealed in Shazrashian, the place where the White Reaper’s Ghost came out. Many giants who entered to catch him had perished there. However, Leeha had to go in. To meet the White Reaper in person and resolve his grudge. Well, more accurately, to receive compensation.

The iron door closed. Leeha heard the giants outside grumbling, but he paid them no mind. Taking out the crystal ball to save the location, the search for the White Reaper began.

“Blaugrunn, always keep the shield up. Especially in the area of your Dragon Heart, double and triple it.”

As soon as Leeha stepped into the dungeon, he could feel the air change.

“What? Weren’t we here to find a human ghost anyway?”

“I doubt you’ll listen to me anyways. You might as well walk by my side.”

“Understood.”

“If it gets too dangerous, we’ll teleport right away.”

“Yes.”

Blaugrunn cast a barrier spell on Leeha and himself.

Leeha began by cautiously surveying the surroundings with slow steps. In the past, carriages used to pass through narrow paths with hills on both sides. Between the hills covered with deciduous trees in the distance, there was a fence that could have served as the outer wall of a village.

‘This must be the first point. Watching from above the hills on both sides… Isn’t that too fast?’

Unless there was a large-scale attack planned, being this close to the entrance is too risky. If Leeha were the White Reaper, they wouldn’t aim for a sniper shot from such a close range.

“Not only knights but also professions like giant mages came to collect the ghost of White Reaper. If that’s the case, aiming for a sniper shot from that location is too close. If even one mage misses, the White Reaper themselves will-”

Kaaaah———

“Ugh!”

“Ha, Leeha-nim!”

As Leeha walked while looking around, their body was thrown backwards. Blaugrunn tried to approach swiftly, but Leeha pushed him away.

“To the hill! Let’s go to the hill on the opposite side, behind the left slope!”

“What? But-”

Kaaaah———!

“… Haa!”

Blaugrunn, who had been hesitating and stepping back, shook his head vigorously. Unable to regain his balance, he ended up rolling a full circle before quickly moving towards the location Leeha had mentioned.

Leeha, still in the same position they fell in, lowered his body and hid beneath the slope on the opposite side from Blaugrunn.

“Haa, haa. Blaugrunn-ssi! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! And you, Leeha-nim? You were knocked down in a single hit!”

“I’m fine! I didn’t take any damage, so don’t worry!”

However, Leeha’s heart was racing like crazy. The pulsating heartbeats felt as if they were about to explode, a clear indicator of Leeha’s recent state.

“I would’ve died. If it weren’t for Blaugrunn’s shield, I would’ve died. And yet, it was strong enough to withstand a single blow?

The rapid heartbeat wasn’t due to the relief of surviving or the fact that they had spotted the White Reaper.

‘Where… did it come from?”

The fear of not being able to spot someone aiming for their life. That was what made Leeha’s heart race. The fear of becoming a target after always being the sniper was beyond imagination.