Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Yes. At 20 meters per second, even walking becomes difficult. Those who aren’t strong enough might just collapse.”

“At around 30 meters per second, even large trees can be bent over. You’ve seen it a lot on TV, right? They get completely uprooted.”

“……I know. Up to that point, at least…….”

Weather observations and examples of damage from different weather conditions were part of the basic training for snipers.

However, the training Ha Leeha received was based strictly on ‘Korean’ standards, where typhoon wind speeds were deemed to be up to 30 meters per second.

“But 40 meters per second…… ha ha, truly, a legendary sniper is indeed legendary. Hitting a target through a 47 meters per second wind? Damn it! Tell him I want a match with him next time!”

Sergeant Kim tried to lighten the mood intentionally, but Ha Leeha did not take it so easily.

He had suddenly realized the terror of winds at 40 meters per second.

‘Yes, I know this in theory. However, I’ve never shot in such conditions… Or perhaps, because of the Harpy’s Hat, I may have underestimated it until now.’

Hadn’t he hit targets even through the blizzard in the perpetual snow mountains?

Having that memory, did he subconsciously lower the quest’s difficulty?

Or was it a simple thought that a bullet with a muzzle velocity of 830 meters per second could easily pierce through a 40 meters per second wind?

“Phew… Above all, the unfortunate part is that there’s nowhere to test such conditions. As you know, we rarely experience typhoons or cyclones of that magnitude. Even if we practice a lot, we never know the outcome, and we can’t exactly create a typhoon.”

Sergeant Kim’s words mirrored Ha Leeha’s thoughts as he observed Ha Leeha’s serious expression.

Ha Leeha nodded in agreement with him.

“Yes, there is someone who can freely use a skill called Blizzard… but that causes snowstorms and ice blocks to fly around, which would obstruct the bullets. As for a profession like Windcaster, I don’t know anyone who can create a typhoon…”

Muttering, Ha Leeha’s eyes widened as he scanned his friend list.

“What is it? What’s up?”

“There is.”

“What is?”

“There is someone who can create those massive wind phenomena like typhoons, storms, cyclones, hurricanes, and tornados.”

Sergeant Kim’s expression mirrored Ha Leeha’s as he began chuckling.

“Haha, see, that’s why this game is interesting! So, who can create such things? It must be someone pretty impressive in this game world, right?”

“Yes, you’re right.”

Ha Leeha nodded.

“So, who is it?”

In response to Sergeant Kim’s query, Ha Leeha extended his finger and pointed at himself.

“Me.”

“Huh?”

Ha Leeha stood up.

As he moved, his coat fluttered.

Immediately activating the crystal ball, mana particles started converging.

“The clothes I’m wearing—or rather, there’s someone better than what I’m using! Whether they’re a person or a fish, it’s hard to say! Hahaha, sergeant, I need to go now!”

“You, you rascal! Hey! At least tell me who—no, what am I supposed to do for leveling up now? Give me some tips before you go!”

Sergeant Kim jumped up in surprise and tried to grab Ha Leeha’s coat, but Ha Leeha coldly shook off his hand.

“Sergeant, come on. Where are there tips for a sniper? You’ve always told me! Repeated training, mastery, until it comes out in my dreams, until it springs out as a spinal reflex, just practice and repeat practice! So, here I go!”

“You, you little rascal, getting revenge like this…! Hey! Hey! Ha Leeha!”

Swooosh…!

Sergeant Kim shouted Ha Leeha’s name until his voice cracked, but Ha Leeha was already gone.

Only the words that Sergeant Kim had drilled into Ha Leeha’s ears like a nail echoed back like a boomerang.

“… Damn kid. Finding the answer so quickly leaves no fun in teaching. Tch.”

Despite his grumbling, his face was bright.

He slung his musket over his shoulder and headed inside the academy.

“Hey, chief! What’s the next task you’re going to have me do?”

The 47-year-old, youthful-looking miyaw, called out to Browless with a hearty, middle-aged demeanor.

—

“You don’t have to be so conscious of it. It makes me more uncomfortable, really.”

“No, sir! Just failing to recognize you, sir Ha Leeha, one of the pioneers of the New Continent navigation, is already a disgrace. We will do our utmost to ensure your security while you are here!”

“That’s… what’s making me uncomfortable…”

Ha Leeha mumbled in a low voice, but the Fibiel knights remained unfazed.

The place he immediately flew to using the crystal sphere was the center of the Sea of Dawn.

It was near the mana relay tower floating on a “buoy”.

It was a place that NPC knights from various nations monitored vigorously 24/7, and because Ha Leeha appeared so suddenly, there was a brief commotion as they perceived him as a threat.

“I’m glad to see your dedication to your duties. With such zeal, Kaztor would not be able to get through.”

“Of course! We maintain strict vigilance, fully aware that we represent Fibiel, ensuring we never―”

“Oh, is he finally here?”

Ha Leeha lightly got up from the rock he was sitting on. The NPC knight, who had been answering loudly, clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

While one reason they strictly guarded this area was to protect the mana relay tower, another significant reason was to keep an eye out for the still-unfound Kaztor.

After the event where Kaztor assassinated the Pope, the surveillance force had increased more than fivefold, which made the latter reason even more critical.

‘Anyway, unless it’s stored in a crystal sphere, it’s impossible to reach the New Continent without passing through here. Everyone assumed Kaztor would inevitably pass through here… Was that a miscalculation? Does that mean he’s still hiding in the Old Continent?’

Ha Leeha tilted his head in doubt.

Before long, violent spray from the sea near the buoy started to rise. At the same time, the surrounding NPCs became frantic, shouting and moving around.

“Everyone, prepare for battle! Battle positions―”

“There’s an attack coming from the sea! Prepare magical casting―”

“No, no. As I told you earlier, someone I know is arriving, so there’s no need for that.”

Ha Leeha quieted them down.

Soon after, two pillars rose up from the sea in front of the buoy.

The white and black pillars shone brilliantly. However, it wasn’t the surface of the pillars that made the knights wary but the fierce eyes at the tops of the pillars.

“Wow, they always look amazing. Was it Svalt and Hvit? Ah, it’s been a while! Captain Drake!”

“……Do you still call me Captain?”

“Ha Leeha! Ha Leeha!”

“Oh, anderson! Your attire has changed, hasn’t it?!”

The two emerging pillars were the White and Black Serpents.

The one riding them was Drake, who used to be in the Dragon Palace and had now spent considerable time as part of the Sea God’s Guard.

Ha Leeha waved cheerfully at the merfolk NPCs he hadn’t seen in a long time.

The serpents raised Drake onto the buoy, resting him on their heads.

Unlike the other merfolk, drake, who had legs, stood proudly on the buoy.

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed. I couldn’t keep in touch. Have you been well?”

“As long as the purification pool is safe, we are always doing well. The new exchanges with the Water Essences you introduced us to are also becoming more active.”

“Water— Oh! Golden Carp, Shiore. Haha, it’s great to hear good news. By the way, the reason I contacted you is…”

After exchanging brief greetings with Drake, Ha Leeha took off his coat.

“—so, over there, make sure the buoy remains unaffected while creating a typhoon exceeding 40 meters per second. You can do it, right?”

“……You say that after handing me your coat?”

Drake responded curtly, but he didn’t seem displeased. He would certainly grant Ha Leeha’s request, and besides, seeing the coat again after a long time made him happy.

Furthermore, the more detailed appearance of Jellypong, who revealed itself as Ha Leeha took off his coat, was enough to catch Drake’s attention.

“The meta— Water Spirit seems to have grown a lot.”

“Ah, Jellypong? Yes. We’ve been through all sorts of adventures together.”

『Meong!』

When Drake reached out, Jellypong’s hand— which always seemed grotesque to Ha Leeha— grew out from Ha Leeha’s neck to clasp Drake’s hand.

Drake, for a moment, wore the face of an adult holding a baby’s fingers, then turned his body.

“Anderson!”

“Yes, Prince!”

“I’ll allow it. Stay here and assist Ha Leeha until he’s satisfied.”

“Understood!”

Anderson leaped from the serpent’s back into the sea. Ha Leeha quickly approached Drake and whispered,

“Captain? Uh— It’s great if Anderson helps, but, you see, to create a typhoon of 40 meters per second…”

Considerable mana was required.

The skill determined the intensity and size of the storm based on the amount of mana infused.

The reason Ha Leeha called Drake instead of doing it himself was to save mana and for continuous practice.

Ha Leeha assumed Anderson hadn’t reached that level yet, but Drake just smiled.

“He always said he wished he could have been of help back then.”

“Pardon?”

“Although he remains clumsy, it might be you, Ha Leeha, who awakened his mana talent.”

Shhhhhh……!

A spray of water erupted as someone leapt onto the shore.

Just moments ago, andersson had been whipping his fish-like lower body, swimming through the sea, but now he stood on the ground with sturdy legs.

“…Merman transformation― no, should I say human transformation?”

Ha Leeha’s eyes widened in surprise as Drake tapped his shoulder a couple of times.

“In terms of mana skills alone, he’s right after Seabream among the Sea God’s Royal Guard.”

Who was Seabream? He was the very captain of the Sea God’s Royal Guard. And Andersson had mana skills second only to his? That too, enough for Drake to assert it?

Hearing that quiet praise, Ha Leeha felt a thrilling sensation for some reason.

The little kid who once collapsed, pleading to save the Dragon Palace, was no longer there.

“Anderson! I’m counting on you!”

Anderson still looked awkward even after receiving Drake’s coat. His relatively small stature didn’t balance well with it, but even Ha Leeha could sense the tremendous mana particles concentrated around Andersson.

“Then, I’ll create it as per your conditions right away. 〈Perfect Storm〉!”

Rumble───────…!

The sea not too far from the buoy began to churn with dark clouds looming overhead.

“The mana settings imply a typhoon with a wind speed of around 41m per second. Although the intensity is high, I’ve minimized the size, keeping it close to the buoy with a fixed position. But since it’s still a typhoon, it can’t be too small… This should hold for three days and nights.”

“Whoa…”

Even an NPC merman with as much mana finesse as Ram Hwajung was smiling brightly at Ha Leeha.

The point where the eye of the typhoon formed was about 3km from the buoy.

The typhoon, accompanied by winds of 41m per second, had an eye with a radius of merely 2.5km.

In other words, the distance from the buoy where Ha Leeha stood to the boundary satisfying the quest condition was only 500m.

“I guess I can just practice shooting from here…”

Ha Leeha’s hair fluttered in the wind.

He took out the Black Bass, inserted a magazine, and quickly fired a shot.

Bang────────!!

“Wow, what the heck is that?!”

Ha Leeha shouted as he watched the bullet fly.

The bullet twisted in flight in a way that was hilariously absurd.

‘Three days and nights… That’s ten days until the Pandrils gather.’

Ha Leeha’s aim was to complete as many quests as possible within that time. However, the current situation wasn’t something to be overly ambitious about.

‘Just this one. Finish it perfectly.’

Now wasn’t the time to use the Animal Soul Stone for real combat. He needed to first enhance his ability to read the wind.

When he could read the gaps in the wind and guide his bullets through them.

‘Then, the quest will be complete.’

The solo quest, 〈White Reaper〉, one that could never be solved by one person alone, was about to begin its serious progression.