Arcane Sniper

Chapter 992

“Please consider it being cautious.”

Leeha never had the occasion to see his own body. He couldn’t even test his skills by observing his reflection in water.

Mana Clairvoyance did not encompass reflected visions; it would merely reveal the underwater world. Opting for an easy approach might have been anticipated by Black Bass.

Additionally, being targeted by the “Reservoir Dogs” while approaching fighting dinosaurs posed a risk.

If his skill dissipated faster than Leeha expected, the Three Musketeers themselves might find their lives threatened, jeopardizing the feasibility of all current strategies.

“Hmm, Ha Leeha, since your point is valid, I’ll overlook it. Now, following the second step, once we’ve confirmed Black Bass’s location, I’ll drive the dinosaur in that direction using my musket-pistol and ‘black powder’—”

“Exactly. We only need to make noise. You don’t have to use Luger’s or my musket, Kidd. Just set up the powder charges in the trees nearby, aligned in the right direction, and ignite them while running. Luger will also need a musket to play his role properly.”

“So where will you put your musket?”

“Right in front of where I’ll hide. I’ll cover it with some leaves first.”

“This is exactly the issue. If Black Bass hasn’t lifted the ‘Mana Clairvoyance,’ you’ll be immediately detected.”

“No, Black Bass will not be able to see me.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because…… they would never imagine where I’ll be.”

Leeha turned toward the dinosaurs. The Three Musketeers turned their heads with him. Disguised as Leeha, Luger’s role was to hide and run among the dinosaurs.

But where would Leeha himself hide?

“Is there a place to hide there? I feel like I could blow up your head faster than anyone.”

“I agree with Luger. As I said earlier, even if you hide, with ‘Mana Clairvoyance’ still active, you’ll be—”

“Ha, trust me. If I hide there, Black Bass will never spot me. It’s over there.”

Leeha pointed at the place where the dinosaurs roamed.

Kidd and Luger tilted their heads for a moment. It was an approach that hadn’t occurred to anyone before.

Closest to Black Bass’s vantage point was the lake. However, lurking by the lakeside would make him easily detectable by Black Bass, who hadn’t lifted the ‘Mana Clairvoyance.’

He would be the first one discovered.

“Remember my trip to the dragon palace?”

“…… Ah!”

“Damn it.”

But if it was 『under the lake』?

‘Just stay at the deepest part of the lake. Then, when the dinosaurs begin to run rampant—’

Kidd could whisper the signal.

At the moment Black Bass lifted the ‘Mana Clairvoyance.’

Did it mean taking a reckless dive when they didn’t know when Black Bass would arrive? Certainly not.

Leeha was staring at the skill name on one side of the skill window for the first time in a while.

〈Mermaid Transformation〉

With Jellypong as the first decoy, the dummy as the second, and Luger for the third, Leeha planned to hide in a place unfathomable by ordinary means.

Black Bass falling for it was not a coincidence.

“Heh, hahaha… I see. Despite the overwhelming difference in firepower, I’ve seen the effort the Hunter made to overcome it.”

“Haha, so, is the test over or not? Does it truly end only after pulling the trigger? If you don’t finish quickly, dead Luger might kick up a fuss.”

The only casualty in this test was Luger. Just thinking of Luger’s name made Leeha chuckle.

How flustered must he have been?

Yet, when he heard Leeha’s plan and realized there was no other choice, he bravely resolved his own death. His response was so bold and swift.

‘Kidd has a way with details. And Luger… said he dodged a bullet for real.’

Evading a sniper shot once thought possible only for Bluebeard.

Though confined to when Leeha was the sniper, Luger did manage to achieve it.

If one managed to do something once, there was no reason they couldn’t do it twice.

Moreover, if a shield skill surpassed the “Force Barrier”, it implied that one could endure not just a single shot, but multiple ones.

“Pull the trigger.”

However, that was the truth until now.

There was a possibility that once the trigger was pulled, a weapon that no shield could defend against would be born.

“Uh, well, I mean, I’m a bit concerned about that too. Why does it look exactly like my face?”

“Hehehe… Don’t you know that only those who surpass their past can move forward into the future? I am merely a Bearer of the past.”

“Ah, no, I get that too! Just stop laughing like that; it’s creepy!”

The “Anthropomorphized Black Bass” had not only inherited Leeha’s sniping patterns and habits.

The reason Leeha trembled when he saw the Anthropomorphized Black Bass up close was that it perfectly replicated his own appearance.

“Pull the trigger. With that, the Bearer’s trial will come to an end.”

“Okay. Huuu…”

Leeha took a deep breath.

He wondered why an inexplicable sense of burden was creeping in.

He recalled the phrase that great power comes with great responsibility, but he soon shook his head.

‘It’s not yet great power. For the sake of even greater power…’

The Black Bass was merely a “residue” born where Zamiel was created and the Demon King’s Fragment fell.

It was a stretch to say they had become stronger after passing this quest. There were still many much stronger beings around.

These thoughts were something to worry about later.

What mattered now was to become even stronger, to focus solely on that.

“Haaa… See you outside, black.”

Click.

Leeha pulled the trigger. No gunshot rang out.

Light began to emanate from Black Bass, who had taken on a human form.

The background surrounding Leeha was melting away.

As he watched the artificially created environment reconstituting his memories of the Palaeozoic era disappear, Leeha felt a new sense of regret.

‘Before the continent was divided into Lope and Erika… I could have practiced a bit more exploration here.’

What kind of environment awaited in the eastern part of the New Continent that they would need to move to?

Wouldn’t it have been better to practice survival a bit longer here in preparation for that place?

While he thought about such things, the background had already disappeared. In the blank white space, Leeha couldn’t see either Black Bass or Jellypong.

Once he couldn’t even see his own body properly, Leeha blinked.

“Huh?”

“Spit it out, if you say you failed, I’ll smash your head. Damn, it’s been a while since I died from a gunshot—.”

Leeha found himself standing in the Bottleneck’s Smithy.

Luger, aiming a Cobalt Blue Python at him, and Kidd, slumping onto a table while sighing. And another person.

No, to be precise, a dwarf was looking at him.

“So… so the ‘Shining Hammer’ sealed it, did they.”

The NPC that had accompanied him inside Black Bass’s memories closed its eyes, full of emotion.

“Bottleneck-ajussi! Where have you been—.”

Ba-bam—!

There was no time to talk. Fanfare rang in Leeha’s head.

More important than the fanfare was the system window.

『Escape from the Abyss』

Quest completed.

Level increased.

You have gained the achievement 『In Myth』.

Recognized by the rifle 〈Black Bass〉.

Successfully integrated with the rifle 〈Black Bass〉.

Skill—surpassed the limits of the White Reaper.

All restrictions of the said skill are lifted.

Leeha had completed all the quests for the rifle known as “Black Bass!”

The seal of the legendary dwarf had been fully released.

You have gained the achievement 『Final Warning of Shining Hammer』.

Leeha had stood dumbfounded, staring at the system window. Unconsciously, a single word slipped from his lips.

“Wow…”

A level-up and two achievements? Such things didn’t even register in his mind.

He had finally accomplished the unification with Black Bass. It was akin to possessing the unlimited usage potential of the skill “White Reaper.”

How much mana would be consumed during separation? What if it consumed none at all?

Considering the expanded casting range of “Snow Storm” through Shimo’s message achievements, Leeha would, quite literally, carry destructive power equivalent to a walking nuclear weapon.

And to top it all off, the completion of every quest related to Black Bass had led to the complete release of the seal placed by the legendary dwarf.

“Heehee, what’s this—what is this! Hahaha! What on earth is this! Kidd! Luger!”

Leeha looked at them with excitement.

A white light was fading away from Kidd. This also meant he had leveled up as a reward for the “Escape from the Abyss” quest.

Luger, as well, seemed to be examining his reward with a blank expression.

With joy in his heart, Leeha sought to first check his own status.

*Shwaaah…*

At that moment, another system window appeared before Leeha’s eyes. Black Bass had been perfected. At least from the standpoint of viewing Black Bass as an individual entity, it was complete.

『Revenge Beyond Ages』

Description: “I wish to devour my origin. I wish to inflict endless torment, eternal and immortal, within my being. With the power of the Cobalt Blue Python and the Crimson Geckos, and the power of the Bearer I acknowledge… it should certainly be possible. But remember, failing to draw out its ego means merely striking the object it resides in won’t end things!”

Black Bass sought to absorb its origin.

Content: Eliminate Zamiel

Reward: ?

Condition for Failure: Death caused by Zamiel

Upon Failure: ?

Do you accept?

Upon realizing how Black Bass was created, Leeha understood that merely ending these trials and releasing all seals wouldn’t satisfy Black Bass.

‘Is it a test to make sure I can be relied upon for even more dangerous battles ahead?’ he thought.

What could be vaguely assumed back then had now been completely unveiled to Leeha.

Black Bass yearned for only one thing: Zamiel’s assassination. In other words, the removal of “Arcane Bullet”.

Leeha furrowed his brows.

Eliminate Arcane Bullet, assassinate Zamiel. It was certainly something Leeha desired.

However, what prerequisites were needed for such an endeavor?

They were conceptual entities. Only those possessing the rifle imbued with Zamiel could even perceive them.

Thus, a command to eliminate Arcane Bullet and assassinate Zamiel was no different from demanding a human capable of wielding it to take action.

“Kill the Arcane Sniper.”

“Does that mean… I have to kill Kyle?”

The quest, implying the killing of Elizabeth and Brown’s son, flickered before Leeha’s eyes.

* * *

“Heh, heehee… Seeing such a reaction from the ‘Cobalt Blue Python’ for the first time. Although I hate to admit it, it’s certainly influenced by ‘Black Bass’.”

“Hmm? Did Luger also receive a quest?”

“That’s how it connects. The ‘Crimson Geckos’ and the Cobalt Blue Python are offspring of ‘Black Bass’. Now that Black Bass has fully awakened, it’s more unusual that they wouldn’t react. Luger, you heard this as well?”

“Ugh, as annoying as it sounds, it’s not wrong. These damned firearms acknowledged us, yet we haven’t managed to awaken them all, not yet.”

Though neither of them answered Leeha’s question, their conversation provided him with enough clues to discern the situation.