Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Thinking back to the face of President Shazrashian that he had seen from a distance during the secret conference of the Vatican, he suddenly remembered Karelin’s face.

However, since all NPC Guard Giants he had seen up to this point had faces covered by helmets, it was not easy to determine. When it comes to Giants, one might think that they all have the same round bodies with great muscles.

“Also, Mini’s side is a problem, and Lotzak… They were probably not paying much attention to Shazrashian figures during that time, as they were too distracted by Kaztor and the Kraven individuals.” he thought to himself.

“Oh, right, I need to tell Blaugrunn.”

Leeha: Are you busy? You knew I was coming but didn’t say anything.

Blaugrunn: You were told me to contact you. Going somewhere alone-

Leeha: Haha, that’s over. I met the White Reaper’s Ghost. It didn’t feel as intense as I expected. It was more sacred-

Blaugrunn: Really!? Leeha-nim! You should have called me back then!”

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Blaugrunn complained while laughing awkwardly. Hearing his urgent tone, something about it made Leeha smile involuntarily.

Leeha: Right. When we were talking earlier, I should have also called Blaugrunn.

Blaugrunn: And you’re only bringing this up now! If you were going to call me back then!

Leeha: I was going to call, I was going to call. But, what if calling Blaugrunn makes the White Reaper angry and unleashes their wrath? I’m not sure if I can handle it.

Blaugrunn: Are you seriously thinking that I would fall for such a thing?

Leeha: You did last time.

With a light tone, Leeha’s teasing remark triggered a defiant response from Blaugrunn. Ignoring his words, Leeha burst into laughter.

“There’s a certain joy in teasing, after all.”

Judging by the fact that he hadn’t shot a cold stare or tried to scare off Leeha, it seemed there was no issue. Despite knowing this, Leeha wanted to tease Blaugrunn. While Leeha was getting carried away with his playful mood, Karelin diligently reported everything Leeha had said to the president.

“There is a human who subdued the Human Flesh Hunter, his name is Ha Leeha. His demands are as follows: a brief and concise report.”

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It was a clean report that left nothing to be questioned, as expected of Leeha.

“Karelin Representative. No, investigator Karelin?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

However, the voice of President Shazrashian of the Shazrashian Federation was far from friendly. Ranked 12th among users, Karelin quickly and succinctly responded without letting his guard down.

While leaning against the wooden table with both arms, the president stared at Karelin with raised eyebrows.

“That… thing you mentioned.”

“Yes, yes?”

Although Karelin briefly met the president’s gaze, he quickly averted his eyes upon noticing the twitching of the president’s eyelids.

“We are already hiring regardless of background. Just the fact that you are not from Krabavi is enough differentiator, isn’t it?”

“That, that’s- of course, yes.”

“While you were at it, understood the meaning of legally mandating to treat all ethnicities in the federation equally without discrimination? Do you understand what that means?”

“Uh, well, that means-”

Leeha and Karelin are players enjoying Middle Earth. Both of them are simply people carrying out their own quests.

“Interfering in internal affairs. At the same time, acknowledging that such a phrase did not exist until now in Shazrashian. Therefore, coming up with such a concept wasn’t an easy task.”

Karelin’s pupils dilated. The president continued speaking.

“Even if the King of Quiviel comes and asks, I can’t listen to such words. Let alone… a mere lord, a person in charge, coming and saying that? Ha, the one who subdued the Human Flesh Hunter comes and says that… So, whose intention do you think that is?”

“Probably the Human Flesh Hunter’-”

“It means the remnants of bad-blooded Paldrin. Understand?”

The president of Shazrashian stood up from his seat and walked towards Karelin.

Karelin possesses a much bulkier and larger stature than an average Giant. As a user who chose the Human race, he belongs to the category of users classified as ‘large races’ who are strong enough to use ground skills against Trolls in the game.

However, as the 12th-ranked wrestler, he couldn’t meet the eyes of the president of Shazrashian properly.

“Where are we, Karelin.”

“It’s Shazrashian.”

“We are different from other barbaric kingdoms. We are ahead in abolishing class distinctions, including all aspects of national operating systems and political methods… than those guys.”

“I know.”

“What do you think is the reason we can do that?”

Shazrashian has a presidential system. In other words, compared to other kingdoms with kings and classes, it means that a ‘democratic system’ is established.

Can both monarchy and republicanism coexist?

That is impossible.

As Karelin remained silent, the president of Shazrashian answered himself.

“The logic of power. We have a complete logic of power. Because the one who has power is justice, and in front of the one who has power, institutions like systems don’t matter at all.”

Shazrashian advocates for a republic. There are representatives and voting. However, it’s not all through democratic means.

It could rather be seen as an authoritarian republic.

Since they didn’t feel much difference between the way their kingdom operated compared to other countries, they didn’t overly self-aggrandize.

In some sense, it was more thorough than other countries operating as monarchies, in that it mimicked and mocked ordinary citizens, giving everyone their rights but blatantly ignoring them, making it no different than a nation governed by the most brutal logic of power.

“That, that’s correct.”

Karelin remembered. The incident that unfolded on the day when three battalions, including himself, and five guilds rushed out to face the President.

In other words, the President of Shazrashian is the strongest Giant in Shazrashian. A figure who boasts resilience to the extent of being unfazed even when Kaztor caused chaos in the Vatican, akin to the Federal Armed Forces’ top authority.

“If a Human Flesh Hunter has been subdued by someone, then surely there must be such talent in our Shazrashian as well.”

The President of Shazrashian turned around and looked out through the window. Then, he quietly mentioned the failure conditions of the quest.

“Did you say Ha Leeha? Convey this to that human. I have no intention of negotiating with a mere Human Flesh Hunter. Furthermore, legally and ritually detain Leeha. Also… mobilize all forces to subdue the area where the Human Flesh Hunter’ soul resides. There is no need to fulfill the demands of the weak.”

In front of the most powerful figure wielding military, authority, and wealth, carolin could no longer contain words of refusal.

“Understood.”

***

At that moment, a system notification window appeared before Leeha. It was an incredibly early time to be so surreal.

Leeha: You should have seen that scene, shouldn’t you? I used my Curve Shot, and the bullet just bent like a snake –

『I took action. That was the only way – Quest 2 failed.』

“Huh?”

Leeha, who had been boasting to Blaugrunn in excitement, fell silent. He blinked several times, finding it difficult to grasp the notification window before him.

‘… What’s going on? A sudden failure out of nowhere?’

Quest failed? All of a sudden?

It had only been 20 minutes since Karelin had left his room. Could it be a failure so abruptly when he had barely been gone for long, wondering if he had even met the President?

“What, what’s happening? I was supposed to be called soon and then talk with the President – wasn’t that the plan?”

Blaugrunn: So what happened? What’s going on?

Leeha: Blaugrunn-ssi! I’ll contact you in a bit, but more importantly…

Leeha’s senses began to sharpen. The relaxed figure that had been sprawled on the plush sofa until now was nowhere to be found. Something was wrong.

Leeha: Prepare for battle…

Blaugrunn: Yes? All of a sudden?

Leeha: What we need right now is troops.

Without even having a chance to grasp the situation, orders were given to Blaugrunn, followed by a call to Karelin.

Leeha: Karelin? What’s going on?

… Knowing right away, it must have been a quest.

“Of course!”

Did the president reject the request? No, more importantly… Shazrashian has a parliament, right?

“I thought Karelin was also a member! Why? Why on earth-”

Before the time when it could have been discussed in the parliament, the quest ended. There was no time or situation to explain everything, but Leeha clearly knew.

The failure condition of the quest is ‘rejection by the Shazrashian Federation government.’

“The words ‘rejection’ or ‘approval’ are clearly terms used when an issue is discussed in the parliament, right? So… is this implying that… the President could decide alone?”

“Something… seems different from what I know. No, is it saying that when the approval by the parliament triggers the President’s veto power, it ends!? Then, what’s the point of the parliament’s existence? I may not know much about the political system, but this is strange, isn’t it!?”

Feeling something was off was natural. This was Shazrashian – a republic ruled by the logic of power, a concept unheard of by Leeha.

“Apologies, but could you stay there for the time being?”

“What? Where? Is it where the White Reaper are?”

“… Please avoid that place if possible. We would appreciate it if you could stay in our Remlin palace. We will prepare a guest room for you and you can enjoy dinner for a couple of days. Would that be acceptable?”

Karelin’s voice was gentle and peaceful.

Yet, he couldn’t hide the underlying sadness in his tone. Hence, Leeha quickly understood the situation.

This situation must have progressed in a way Karelin didn’t intend. And for some reason, Karelin intends to ‘confine’ Leeha. Though he mentioned a guest room and dinner, if it had come to this extent?

“Damn it, this is not just a little trouble. It’s completely messed up.”

Leeha caught on.

They would keep his confined here and most likely rush into where the White Reaper were aimlessly. Until now, the White Reaper have never been attacked. But now? Leeha had a glimpse of what might happen.

“Damn it! And to top it off, Karelin saw that scene!”

Karelin must have seen how the White Reaper could be attacked. It might not be the same method Leeha used, but he would find another way to attack, like using magic or mobilizing people intermittently.

Above all, because he had defeated the White Reaper himself…

“The White Reaper will be different from before.”

“Shoo-ahh!”

In an instant, another hologram window appeared before Leeha. Karelin understood that Leeha not responding to his meant something.

『The White Reaper Quest has been initiated.』

『The Shazrashian Federation giants are the quest targets.』

『No chaotic value applied during Shazrashian Federation giants’ attacks.』

『No penalties applied between each other.』

『Meet the White Reaper within 1 hour.』

『Remaining time: 00:59:59.』

“The quest has been forcibly started! It’s definitely something different.”

This was not a reward for completing the quest. It was a failure penalty, meaning acceptance or rejection was not an option but would be forcibly imposed!

“What the hell, what are the giants’ quest targets!? I can’t understand a single thing!”

Leeha immediately took out a modification scroll. And at that moment.

『Abnormal status: Mana barrier (enhanced) triggered.』

『Cannot leave the restricted area for 50 minutes.』

(Breaking the barrier is possible with higher-level ability than the caster)

『Abnormal status: Spatial confinement (enhanced) triggered.』

『All spatial movements within a range are restricted for 30 minutes.』

『Abnormal status: Communication interference (enhanced) triggered.』

『All group chats, including whispers, are prohibited for 30 minutes.』

This nonsensical exclamation left Leeha speechless except for one gasp.

Should he have initiated Shazrashian national level operations from the beginning and proceeded with the quest? Or should he have captured Karelin or other Shazrashian representatives for 80 players? It wasn’t so easy to undo discrimination. Various thoughts raced through his mind, but the only thing that mattered now was one thing.

“I must survive.”

In the capital city of the Giant race, the primary species, where the supreme leader of the Giant race resided in the palace.

He had to survive and escape. With no Soul Link skill and unable to call Bahamut, it was a dire situation.