Arcane Sniper

Chapter 991

In that moment, spinning around and twirling in place, they could see everything attached to the shoulders and backs of others.

For Black Bass, equipped even with a scope, distinguishing between a dummy and a human was as easy as pie.

The Three Musketeers also quickly grasped the situation.

True to their instincts, something leaped off the back of the carnivorous dinosaur that most resembled a T-rex.

“Damn it, black Besssss!”

Securing his musket’s straps tightly in a cross pattern, Leeha ran frantically.

His voice sounded slightly flustered, but his actions were swift and agile.

The regret, however, lay in the fact that the dinosaurs hadn’t fully reached the lake, and from where the dinosaurs charged, reaching Black Bass required a detour around the lake.

“Heh heh heh… So, Bearer, is this the best you can do after setting up numerous devices? If you can’t handle my firepower alone, how do you plan to face that ‘Arcane Bullet’ and the Demon King’s Fragment?”

Black Bass chuckled bitterly as he moved his gun barrel.

Leeha was running, gasping for breath, his figure so conspicuous it didn’t need a scope to locate.

With a direct distance of about 1.5 km remaining, circumventing the lakeside meant much more movement ahead.

Moreover, Black Bass precisely aimed at Leeha’s chest amidst the visible running, allowing more than enough time.

“Hmm?”

*Boom!*

As the trigger was pulled, Black Bass saw it.

Before the gunshot rang out, a fleeting green light shimmered for a moment.

The green glow that appeared to envelop Leeha as he ran vanished swiftly.

“Damn, damn, I won’t go down easily, you vile bastard!”

Leeha yelled as he resumed his sprint.

The bullet, which he thought was heading straight for his chest, was evaded by Leeha!

To be precise, it wasn’t merely dodged by movement alone.

To react, they needed to slow the bullet’s speed by at least 0.1 seconds, indicating that the recent green glow had created something.

And Black Bass, who had been closely observing Leeha, knew the reason.

“〈Force Barrier〉. Ha ha, an amusing little trick.”

〈Expert’s Force Barrier〉

A meager shield skill pinned on the ring bought Leeha a few mere seconds of life.

The unfortunate part was that the extension of life was only for a few brief seconds.

Black Bass pulled back the bolt, reloaded another bullet, and aimed at Leeha once more.

“It is unfortunate, Bearer. The Bearers of Cobalt Blue Python and the Crimson Geckos cannot defeat me… No, the Crimson Geckos isn’t even approaching this direction. Making the hidden Cobalt Blue Python face me alone.”

Though he had narrowed the distance considerably within those few seconds of panic, now he was just nearing the end of circumventing the lakeside.

More time was necessary to ascend this elevated place.

“In the end, I must endure another era of eternity, awaiting the next Bearer.”

Despite the regret in its voice, Black Bass remained unwavering.

The one who truly sensed the weight of this trial was none other than Black Bass, the quest-giving AI itself.

It quietly pulled the trigger.

*Boom!*

Leeha, who had been running, staggered and fell as if a plastic bag were fluttering in the wind.

A small hole was in Leeha’s chest, but the wound on his back was large enough to fit two fists.

Yet, the expression on Black Bass’s face was peculiar.

It wasn’t the face of someone regretfully hitting Leeha nor the victor of the trial.

“Hmm?”

This was because it could sense it as the moment unfolded.

The one whose chest was punctured was undoubtedly Leeha. Or rather, someone who had been Leeha.

“…… This taste… Hehe, I see.”

Black Bass could strike at the essence itself. It was capable of distinguishing the taste of the blood of a creature pierced by a projectile, which was part of Black Bass itself.

Thus, it could be both surprised and unfazed at the same time.

“It wasn’t the Bearer! In that case—!”

As it watched the human lying sprawled on the ground slowly transform into Luger, it tried to swing the muzzle of its gun.

If a trap was used, surely it had to be hidden in a way he could not anticipate, and it was obvious they would approach in the midst of this commotion.

“―Kkut?!”

However, its body did not move easily.

When Black Bass finally realized its ‘condition’ and barely managed to swing its gun, what it saw before its eyes was something between a translucent liquid and a solid.

『Myong Myong?』

Black Bass was startled.

Had Jellypong come to the only location where it felt a presence?

“―Jelly…pong? But using you to kill me wouldn’t be a true test of meaning—”

『Myong Myong!』

Jellypong quickly vanished from Black Bass’s sight. Just as Black Bass attempted to rise, something touched the back of its head.

Tick.

What stopped its movement was a thin and sharp metallic sound.

It was distinctly different from the loading of a bolt-action rifle, the sound of cocking a musket’s hammer.

“Huuu… I’ve caught you, Black Bass. By doing this, I pass the test in the truest sense, right?”

“Hehe… Where exactly… how were you hiding?”

In a half-risen, awkward position, droplets of water dripped down onto the head of Black Bass. Yet, it could not turn around.

Caught in a ‘Burn Out’ state, his anthropomorphized body reacted sluggishly. It was Leeha’s insurance, keeping intense focus until the final moment.

“It’s darkest under the lamp.”

“Under the lamp?”

Black Bass asked. Leeha quietly smiled.

* * *

“Do you think that even makes sense?”

“It’s inevitable. Black Bass is, you could say, me! And as you all know better, I won’t be fooled by a plan that’s been twisted twice!”

“…… Never in my life have I seen someone so capable of boasting about himself.”

Upon hearing Leeha’s plan, Kidd shook his head.

Leeha passionately argued to convince him, yet it only reinforced Luger’s hostility.

Nevertheless, Kidd and Luger had nothing much to say besides expressing concern or worry.

“And I’m embarrassed to say it too!? Anyway, with just one or two decoys, he won’t be fooled. The first goal is to disable 〈Mana Clairvoyance〉.”

Leeha’s words, though risky, flowed in a reasonable direction.

“So you’re saying to attach decoys behind the dinosaurs to mislead him?”

“That’s the best approach. Emphasize, ‘We’re hiding behind the dinosaurs! You won’t see us with 〈Mana Clairvoyance〉 on.'”

“But even if the guy is deceived, then what? Jump off the dinosaurs and start running? Black Bass might be as dumb as you, but that’s not likely—”

“Yeah, it’s not likely. So we have to trick him once more. To make sure Black Bass focuses only on you, Luger.”

“There’s a way—?”

“There is. Here.”

Leeha rummaged through his bag. Kidd instantly knew what it was.

“Ugh… Is that the 〈Kojobu’s Spyglass〉?”

“Specifically, it’s the 〈Heroic Spyglass of Kojobu〉! If you just call it Kojobu’s Spyglass, they sound like a toy.”

“What is this ridiculous item?”

『Heroic Spyglass of Kojobu』

Leeha quickly unequipped it and handed it over to Luger. Luger accepted it with a doubtful expression, and as he swiftly checked the item description window, his face hardened.

“Where in the world did you find such an item?”

“I can’t tell you that. Anyway, after turning off ‘Mana Clairvoyance’, when you put it on and run, it’ll be effective in tying up Black Bass’s vision. Oh, and take this too, just in case.”

Leeha removed his own ring and gave it to Luger, who, in a moment of confusion, slipped it onto his finger. The fact that it ended up on the ring finger of his left hand was problematic, and Kidd let out a faint hum.

“There’s no need to propose in such a manner.”

“Dammit, putting it on in such an unpleasant way—”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Leeha jumped in protest. There wasn’t much time for jokes.

Luger also studied the item description as he figured out its usage.

Being expert-level skill, it wouldn’t completely block Black Bass’s bullets. However, if it could delay it by even a fraction of a second…

“Luger… with your instincts, you can manage it, right? The sniper’s firing timing, when Black Bass zeroes in on you as you’re running. You can read it, can’t you?”

“You crazy bastard, you think I’m some kind of psychic. But if Black Bass really has the same habit of patterns as you, Ha Leeha—”

Luger clicked his tongue.

Helping Leeha to this extent wasn’t part of his original plan. Moreover, the Three Musketeers were not just simple comrades but rivals at heart.

To become Arcane Sniper one day, they would need to aim guns at each other, and Luger had been preparing for that moment all along.

“—It’s not impossible. I can dodge it once, at least.”

This meant he had already mastered the timing of Leeha’s sniping. Human habits aren’t easily erased, and Luger had ample experience with the habits of Leeha by his side.

The fact that he used ‘Force Barrier’ during Black Bass’s firing timing wasn’t just a coincidence.

Kidd looked at Luger.

The expressions on Luger and Leeha’s faces signaled that there was no avoiding the execution of this plan.

If there wasn’t time for another strategy, Kidd insisted that they perfect even the most detailed aspects.

“First. I understand the plan to locate Black Bass using Jellypong.”

“Yes, Kidd’s role is crucial. The most Black Bass can fire is two shots. Maybe the first shot will take off Jellypong’s head—”

『Myong, myong!』

“—Don’t worry. Just make sure not to fill your head area with tendrils and use branches or leaves to fill it as much as you can. Jellypong, just let your arms and legs dangle to keep a humanoid shape and use trees and fruit for the head. Black Bass will surely aim for the head with the first shot, without a doubt.”

『Myong.』

Leeha comforted Jellypong.

Once discovered, Black Bass would shoot anywhere, including the torso. However, if Black Bass was like Leeha, a sniper whose position was yet undiscovered would aim only at the head. That ensured Jellypong could be safeguarded.

Jellypong’s role might be considered the most dangerous in this operation, hence ensuring they had a perfect grasp of the plan was essential.

Kidd paused to allow their conversation a moment before summarizing Leeha’s plan again.

“Second. Though I’m not entirely sure, understanding the plan involves using skills to incite a fight among the dinosaurs, then having Ha Leeha approach unseen and attach decoys to their bodies.”

“It would be troublesome if dinosaurs killed each other, but it probably won’t go that far. After all, this skill doesn’t last long—and those dinosaurs are level 250, no, likely over level 270.”

Necessary for inciting dinosaur battles would be ‘Reservoir Dogs’. For a stealthy approach, he needed ‘Melding Breath’.

The danger was welcoming the fact that the stronger the enemy, the shorter the skill’s duration. Leeha showcased a slightly self-deprecating smile.

If the skill’s power were strong, the dinosaurs would have chewed each other up, and the operation would have failed from the start.

“Crap, it’s a ridiculous stealth skill that even ordinary mana detection can’t pick up, so why exclude using it to approach Black Bass? It wouldn’t be detected by ‘Mana Clairvoyance’ either.”

Luger grumbled upon hearing about Leeha’s skill. However, Leeha wasn’t willing to take such an ‘apparent gamble.’

“Can’t tell.”

“What?”

“‘Mana Clairvoyance’ and ‘Melding Breath’ are my skills. No one else possesses them. Do you get it? With ‘Mana Clairvoyance’, I couldn’t verify whether ‘Melding Breath’ was visible or not.”

“…… Avoiding untested areas, eh, coward.”

TL’s Corner:
Leeha nerfed himself by not using Melding Breath. Coward.