Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Kiruruk, Kirut—!”

“Oh! A little one shooting poison darts~? 〈Blue Hurricane〉.”

Lark ignored Shin Nara’s question and swung his sword.

The speed of the poison darts was fast, but not beyond Lark’s ability to dodge.

Moreover, Shin Nara was able to avoid them just by hearing the sound without even looking.

*Whoosh────!*

The blue mana particles that were at the tip of Lark’s sword instantly unleashed their power.

In the cave, where not even a breeze was felt, the suddenly surging blue storm tore another Guardian monster’s limbs apart.

Even Shin Nara, who had been trying to probe the meaning of Lark’s words, was momentarily speechless due to its power.

“Was it always this powerful?”

Lark couldn’t properly answer Shin Nara’s question.

He stared at his sword with a slightly emotional look, even biting his lower lip.

“Indeed… Indeed. I couldn’t tell from the usual tests, but now it’s clear.”

“Sorry?”

“Not only is its strength improved, but the casting time is also reduced. Although it consumes a bit more mana, the cooldown is shorter!”

“Oh my, does that mean—”

“Yes. At least, it means that the direction is correct! We’ve nailed it, Nara-ssi! We’ve nailed the strategy for hunting the Chromatic Dragon! With this proven Blue, we just need to kill the rest, all of them!”

Lark sheathed his sword with a lighthearted gesture and clasped Shin Nara’s hands. Moving along with Lark’s rhythm, her body swayed as well.

She didn’t try to shake off his hands.

Instead, she could only speak in a timid voice without meeting his eyes.

“My, my hand…”

“Hand? Oh, my apologies! It was improper of me to hold a lady’s hand without permission.”

Feeling more excited than ever, Lark felt slightly embarrassed. He calmed his emotions and bowed toward Shin Nara.

“I hope you will continue to join me on my journey.”

It was like the courteous gesture of a knight addressing a lady of medieval times.

Even though Shin Nara’s appearance resembled more of a knight than a lady, her heart couldn’t help but flutter.

How many people had seen her, always so rambunctious, as a ‘woman’ like this?

『There is no need to worry about that. Your journey ends here.』

“What?”

The one who responded was not Shin Nara.

“L-Lark!”

With just two steps, Shin Nara took a position beside Lark. Lark, who was showing his cool side with a bowed head, was utterly perplexed.

He had been waiting for her to recognize the seriousness hidden within his jest.

He was overjoyed to have finally begun unraveling the clues for his second job change, and he had barely mustered the courage to make his feelings known.

‘To receive a reply from a dragon, of all things. Ah, this is disappointing.’

Lifted by a weakly swinging sword, Lark’s face showed signs of fatigue.

Shin Nara tried to touch his shoulder to encourage him, but instead, she erected her sword again.

“Lark.”

“Yes?”

“It’s not just your journey. When that journey ends…”

Shin Nara began to move.

The attitude of the green dragon towards the ‘two humans’, worth less than one meal, was utterly lackadaisical.

Despite the fact that they had killed a few Guardians, he couldn’t fathom them being a real threat.

Shin Nara’s movements exploited the gap in the Adult Dragon AI’s thinking.

“〈Balestra〉, 〈Coup Droit〉!”

To Lark, it seemed as if her body had ‘stretched’.

From the tip of the sword extended by her stretched arm to the left foot stepping forward in a perfect line.

At the end of her seamless movement, her sword lightly pierced the green dragon’s ankle.

『Gyaaaaaaah—!』

The green dragon roared in response to the sudden attack.

As the wail filled the cave, Shin Nara shouted with all her might.

“It’s because my journey has to go on too!”

While more than half of her shout drowned in the din, Lark understood her words clearly.

What was certain was that the light had completely returned to his eyes.

Two colors began to merge simultaneously on the rainbow-hued sword held firmly by Lark.

“〈Green Embrace〉, 〈Blue Hurricane〉.”

It was clear that the dragon’s next target would be Shin Nara.

Lark protected her from the dragon preparing its breath attack, then used offensive magic aimed at the dragon’s right foot, which Shin Nara had injured.

They had fought a Blue Dragon only once before.

But once was enough for Shin Nara and Lark.

They knew what attack to use, where to begin unraveling the battle, and how to fight.

Shin Nara charged forward while Lark distanced himself.

Lark charged forward while Shin Nara distanced herself.

“〈Red—Sun〉.”

“〈Passe arrière〉.”

Even with just one match, they could display their best skills.

* * *

“Oh dear… This is boring, boring—”

“What’s boring about it?”

“Whoa, huh!? What’s going on, captain? How did you—wait, isn’t it—”

Pung, who was stretching, jumped up in surprise.

Shin Nara smiled at him, looking a bit tired. Lark rummaged through his bag and threw something at him.

“It took 22 minutes to deal with the guardians and 20 minutes to find the way. Phew. Just too many trap devices. Dragons are so cowardly.”

“It’s been 1 hour and 15 minutes since you went in?”

They spent 22 minutes dealing with the guardians, 20 minutes moving, totaling 42 minutes.

If they had been out for 75 minutes but spent 42 minutes on other things, how long had they been fighting the dragon?

A corner of Lark’s mouth lifted. He tossed something light and dark green to Pung.

“This—”

“It’s green dragon Skin. You can make a poison-resistant robe from it. Wear it during battle for brief periods or tan it to cover a shield. Ah! The training order we received from headquarters still has 20 hours left. Take a break in the village; I’ll give you another message within that time.”

“Huh? Huh?”

Before Pung could respond, Lark activated a crystal ball.

Pung, watching the spot where Lark had vanished amidst the violet glow, hurriedly looked at Shin Nara.

“Well, mr. Pung, we might need your cooperation a couple more times, the sooner the better.”

“Of course, dame Shin… For the advancement of relations between our countries—”

Whoosh—!

Shin Nara nodded with a smile and disappeared as well. She didn’t have the luxury to explain at length either.

The Berture Knights had only 20 hours to ‘control’ the area near the dragon’s lair.

Lark and Shin Nara aimed to deal with at least two more dragons within that time.

“Did they really catch a dragon? Or did they just bring a piece of fabric claiming it’s dragon skin—Hik!”

Pung muttered, verifying the green dragon Skin.

Lark certainly knew how to handle people.

* * *

Ram Hwajung soared into the air, extending her hand. Igor’s face twisted as he had been too preoccupied with the dragon to notice her.

“〈Jet Stream〉.”

“〈Burn Blood〉, 〈Spread Flame〉!”

The jet stream seemed like it could even sweep away a giant, but the wind couldn’t perform its full function.

Pyro used his blood as a catalyst to ignite flames and scattered them evenly.

Although the wind was saturated with cold and moisture, acting like a natural extinguisher, it couldn’t easily extinguish the magical fire.

“… Annoying fire.”

“That would be my line. If not for Burn Blood, the entire wind would’ve been snuffed out. This isn’t something an average ice flower magician can do.”

Pyro’s frown deepened.

Ram Hwajung showed no reaction to his gauging words about her condition.

At that moment, Igor finished his airborne combat and landed.

He looked at Pyro with frustration.

“Phew, while I’m fighting two dragons, you can’t even handle that bloodied wretch properly?”

“If I hadn’t saved you, you’d be dead.”

“Kakakak! What? You damn bastard—”

“Shall we do it?”

The giant and human did not avoid each other’s gaze. It was this very fact that infuriated those present.

“…… To have such composure in front of us.”

“It’s absurd.”

The eyebrows of the Silver Dragon, Arzenmacht, and the Bronze Dragon, Blaugrunn, twitched.

They were at the northernmost part of Shazrashian, near the Kalbaram Mountains, near the entrance to Peklo City.

Several vampires and large monsters launched a surprise attack, but Ram Hwajung and her party responded calmly.

“Blaugrunn! Let’s switch. I can’t handle just guarding.”

“No need. Zelreja, just block the entrance.”

Though the entrance to Peklo City was firmly sealed by the Snow and Ice Spirit Queen, they could not be certain it had blocked all enemies.

Thus, Blaugrunn insisted that at least one dragon must guard the entrance, and as a result, a dragon in human form was now crouching before it.

“Look at that human brat! Look at that sword! It looks like my tail! It ticks me off! I want to destroy it!”

Her hair, a color slightly darker than Arzenmacht’s silver, was similar. However, the color was that of an unrefined iron ore, a deeper tone than silver.

With her ponytail tied tight and her active attire, she was clearly a physical-type dragon, unlike Arzenmacht or Blaugrunn.

“How can the Steel Dragon feel bad watching a sword!”

“Hmm. Blaugrunn is right.”

Interested in all things made of iron, she was a kind of Steel Dragon known for overseeing all bladed weapons. Yet her words were much lighter than steel.

“Ugh! Just do it well! Blaugrunn, you’ve always been weak at finishing tasks! Arzenmacht, have you become too complacent partnering with that human kid? Hey, kid! Switch with me!”

Ram Hwajung did not even snort as she watched the impetuous woman shake her ponytail and spit out vehement words.

“Are you ignoring me, human?”

“…… Noisy.”

“N-noisy? Did you just call me noisy? Do you think I’ll let you off because you are a human girl!?”

“Ugh… like an older sister.”

Ram Hwajung shook her head.

Though Pyro and Igor were certainly formidable foes, neither Arzenmacht, Blaugrunn, nor Ram Hwajung was lacking in composure.

This team made a mistake in not considering the full picture.

If Leeha were here, they might have thought more deeply.

Three dragons and a top-ranking human were present, yet only Igor and Pyro showed up. Despite this, those two did not rush?

They soon found the answer to that question.

Click, click, click.

“Cluck-cluck, I agree with the girl. You’ve almost reached Ancient status, yet you’re this noisy.”

A figure with a Bluebeard walked with a staff.

Arzenmacht glared at him sharply.

“…… Le.”

Ram Hwajung also grabbed Arzenmacht’s sleeve from his side.

This place was suitable for revenge from the perpetual snow mountain, but neither moved easily.

“Le?! Le is really here? Bluebeard?”

“This is the first time someone has gotten tired of my name. Yes, my name is Le. Zelreja.”

Steel Dragon Zelreja, who had been reacting excessively, looked surprised.

As soon as Bluebeard mentioned her name, Zelreja’s expression changed instantly.

“Do I look like Zelreja to you, Le?”

────…!!!!

A flash of light burst forth.

Pyro and Igor turned their heads, hearing Bluebeard muttering curses.

“Damn. That crazy old man.”

* * *

Bluebeard lifted his hat slightly as a gesture of courtesy.

Of course, everyone knew it was just a performance devoid of sincerity.

“Do you find this amusing? Cluck-cluck, the metal dragon clan has it tough, serving an old king.”

“Why speak so harshly? It’s just a simple joke. Isn’t it better to live young?”

The Platinum Dragon Bahamut retained his composure even under Le’s provocation.

Bluebeard glanced around with slow, light movements.

To think that the one blocking the entrance to Peklo City was Bahamut. Realizing he had been deceived, anger flickered in Le’s eyes.

Bahamut smiled as he noticed this.