Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Marionette’s Soul!”

The one who stood at the forefront.

The only person not wearing a clown mask quickly raised both hands. No sound came out of Granville’s mouth, and then his fingers moved.

“Puhihihih, Shogi is similar to chess! It really is! Checkmate! Checkmate! It’s over, kuuuuul-!”

The other clowns followed after him.

Are these noisy people really assassins? Besides, how were they even able to get in here? Despite his many thoughts, commander-in-chief Granville did not panic. He also expected this situation.

Most importantly, he was from the dignified country of Fibel. Even after all his ways of communication were sealed off, he pulled out his sword with dignity.

Only tension without any nervousness made his face wrinkle.

“Hurry up.”

“What an old man! Did you tremble like that because you couldn’t handle an old man?

Like the girl who saw the boogeyman, did you tremble like that?”

“……If you insult Oka-san, I will not stand still. And he’s Fibiel’s commander-in-chief, he should at least be equal to a level 280 knight user.”

“Kuhuhuhuhuk, you foul, what a fool! As long as I, and the rainbow acrobat, the best of [Midnight Circus], are here, there will never be any problem!”

What kind of expression would the users spread across the wide Fibiel camp have if they saw them?

Sasuke, Petyr, and the assassins of Midnight Circus, people who are not easy to deal with, have already infiltrated Fibiel’s camp.

They were just waiting for this moment.

“Would you like me to do a trapeze? Huh? Or will you go through a ring of fire?”

“Kuhihihihi.”

“PPuhuhuhuhu.”

“Juggling by cutting off your neck!? How can I have the most fun with this old man?

Huh? Huh? Puhihihihi!”

Petyr and the seven clowns slowly started to surround Granville. Contrary to their carefree voice, the assassins were running out of time.

They used dispel to erase any magic that might’ve existed in the tent.

They silenced Granville’s voice, sealed his skills, and used a sound-insulating scroll to prevent any sound from leaking.

Granville’s eyes searched the assassins quickly.

However, Sasuke’s preparations were obviously not simple. He knew exactly his level and seized the perfect opportunity to attack. His skill level was sure to exceed their own.

In other words, if Petyr and the clowns started dancing, Granville would die.

And when the commander-in-chief dies, the war will be over.

At least in this national war, the commander-in-chief of each country was as important as the king.

“Kishishishi, all of the Rainbow Acrobats-”

S— toooooop—!

Kwaaaang-!

With the noise, the back of the tent where Granville was in was torn. Sasuke, Petyr, and the elite assassins of Midnight Circus widened their eyes in amazement.

“Haa, haa! Guardian’s Seal!” Kijeong raised his shield.”

Shaaaa-…

A blue band connected to Granville, who was holding a sword, and Kijeong.

“Tale-hyungnim! Biyemi-nim! And all the Byeolcho members, protect the Commander-in-chief Granville!”

Yes, Sir!

When the commander-in-chief dies, the war would end. At least in this national war, it was a fact for the commander-in-chief of each country.

Leeha did not overlook this point.

This was what Leeha told the Byeolcho Special force when he gathered them at the edge of Minis.

“If it was me, I would definitely aim for assassination. If I were in the position of the “hidden advisor” over there.”

“What- are you writing a screenplay? Does that make sense? Hearing all the bad news, Fibiel will organize its formation all night, will Petyr and the assassins sneak in through all that chaos? It’s completely- aren’t you just imagining things?”

Kijeong was justifiably angry and opposed it.

According to Leeha’s instruction, they had to go back just in case. However, what about after the Byeolcho special task has returned? How would he cross the Marching Plains alone while Crowly and Faust were there?

“It’s not just my idea I asked Kidd. He said they are in the middle of reorganizing right now.”

“That’s reasonable!”

“You have to go back quickly now. It will take you at least two hours to go back. If you leave now, you should be able to barely arrive in time.”

It was around three in the morning.

It was a time when people would feel very tired. They had to leave now, around midnight, so that they could arrive just in the nick of time.

If Petyr really was going there to ‘assassinate him’, he would surely aim for the moment when the guards are loose. Leeha believed that would definitely be the case.

‘He’s truly an expert when it came to the assassination.’

Leeha was no different from an assassin. A sniper’s job is to carry out various infiltration, and assassination operations. In a way, he had a deep understanding of Petyr.

“But if that’s the case, hyung…”

“Kijeong. It’s not unusual for that person in the other camp to have thought of this. That person was the one who calculated the time of dragging out the battle on Marching Plains to this moment. They are also the person who kept the information of Igor, Kraven, and even Alexander in check. There’s no way such a guy would miss an opportunity to end the war with one assassination. Moreover, if we move now, the chance to assassinate Granville will not come-”

Kijeong was not able to disagree.

“-please.”

After looking at Leeaha’s determined eyes.

‘He… He was just speculating but……even that Sasuke bastard is here.’

It was when they were rushing back while half doubting and half worrying, when they saw the lights going out in the commander-in-chief Granville’s tent, it was then that he immediately activated his skill.

‘It’s really great, Leeha-hyung was right.’

Kijeong grabbed his shield and looked at the faces of the assassins in front of him.

Biyemi also raised his poison-coated sword and smiled at himself.

‘Kikikis, he really is not an ordinary person.’

Even Biyemi, a former assassin, did not foresee the current situation. Only after hearing Leeha’s words did he acknowledge the possibility.

The news of Alexander reaching max level, the destruction of the supply line in the Marching Plains, and the massive invasion of the Kraven on northern Fibiel was enough to occupy the minds of all the users.

“I definitely saw you leave….”

“There was someone on our side who likes to ‘surprise ~’ people more than you”.

“It won’t go your way this time either, Petyr. Kikis, the surprise you got this time isn’t really good, is it?”

Petyr’s cheeks sank.

Kijeong and the others felt the mood change when the always-giggling guy made a serious expression.

“……Where is he?”

“He’s no longer in Minis, he might be heading towards the Marching Plains alone-”

Whispered one of the clowns to Petyr.

The marking skill was unusable, but the achievement ‘Midnight Circus’ Target’ allowed them to know his approximate location. That was the reason why they were able to pursue Leeha after getting beaten in Fibiel’s royal palace.

Even in this war, they closely monitored Leeha’s position.

“Puhihihi, really ……. That’s just like Ha Leeha-kun. Maybe he chose to make the team turn around in the end.”

His cheeks rose again

Sasuke, who was wearing a mask beside him, also made contact with Kijeong, Tale, and the members of Byeolcho.

He was able to cover it up, but he couldn’t deceive at least two people

“Do you think you can stop it?”

“Sasuke- you- we didn’t expect you to be here.”

Kijeong gritted his teeth, barely holding back his anger.

He wanted to break the head of the person who betrayed him while playing with the whole guild right now, but he didn’t forget his ‘mission’.

The [Guardian’s Seal] took damage instead of the designated target.

The problem was that he could not move after the skill was activated.

“I can tell just by looking at that skill. It’s my first time seeing it. You’ve grown so much, Kay.”

“Shut up! Don’t talk like I’m a dongsaeng you know! Tale-hyungnim!!”

“Sasuke-kun!! I’ll take care of you! Fire dash.”

“Wooden Clone Technique!”

Taeil’s fiery sword was ahead of Sasuke.

The sword pierced Sasuke’s stomach, but his expression did not change.

After all, the target stabbed by the sword had turned into wood.

What was worse, two more clones of Sasuke had been added.

“Soo ran! Hamin! Saldin! Kay! Roman-nim, stop the Midnight Circus with Tale-hyungnim, the rest of you will go with Biyemi-nim!”

Yes-!

Even without Leeha, the special force was around thirty.

Even with Petyr and Sasuke, it was enough to buy time against nine enemies.

“Poison Resin!”

“Puhihihihi, I won’t get hit twice!”

“You’re not my target! Kikikis!”

One clown’s clothes were soaked with the venom that Biyemi spat out instantly. There was no way that the Byeolcho Special force, who had already worked countless times in high ground and siege battles, didn’t know the meaning of that skill.

“S-shadow assault! S-Shadow -”

It sealed skills.

Biyemi can force or restrict the movement of assassins. They tried to evade the poison, but the Byeolcho Special force’s members aimed at the location where they evaded to.

Unless they were a top-notch expert like Petyr, it would be hard to withstand the linked attacks between Biyemi and Byeolcho. Especially in this limited space.

“Cross Cut-!”

“Cruel Bash-!”

Two swords cut the space. Even as the clowns of Rainbow Acrobats, the elite group of assassins in Midnight Circus, quickly back-tumbled and dodged, the place he was going to was by a mace.

Another clown’s claw struck the mace.

Bang-!

A loud explosive sound rang out from the tent, but this time, a claymore approached. Another clown managed to block the sword with a small dagger attached from his toes, and flew toward Biyemi’s corrosive fluid.

Tsssss–!

A murderous poison exclusively for PK that would denature as soon as it penetrates the skin.

He took an antidote from his pocket and took a quick sip, but it was already too late.

While he escaped death, he was under partial anesthesia and could only make unnatural movements. Another Byeolcho’s sword had already hit the clown’s thigh.

The fierce battle continued, leaning against a quiet moonlight leaking through the gap in the tent that Ki-jung tore through.

“Kuhahaha! This is fun! Very fun!”

“……As expected, you are crazy, Petyr. Didn’t I teach you? Once the assassination failed, you have to immediately give up and run away.”

“Puhahaha, no, no! You are crazy! You! What do you know about me, Nguyen! Kyaaaaa-！”

As soon as he heard Biyemi’s words, Petyr turned around. The feet of the Miyau race, who were flexible enough to rotate their body in the air, landed on another Miyau’s neck.

“Ku-kuheok-!”

“Puhihihi, this is noble, the nobility of the circus!”

Petyr ran to another clown and shoved his claw under his chin. He was doing a team kill which bewildered Byeolcho members. Is he crazy? It was natural to be surprised.

“Did you decide to leave?”

“After I wrote ‘extra’, the ringmaster gave me permission. Kisisi.”

Only Biyemi was able to guess what it meant.

To make yourself stand out by sacrificing your own precious things. Perhaps it was in order to ‘add’ to Petyr’s life. Of course, the clowns who died at Petyr’s hands looked like they did not know about it.

“Are you ready?!”

“Done, it’s done! Today’s play is oveeeeeeeer!-

As soon as Petyr responded to Sasuke’s cry, the last clown died. There were not only two assassins left. They planned to get out before the duration of the sound-insulating scroll expired.

“Are you trying to run away!”

And Tale noticed it. It was unfortunate that Sasuke predicted that Tale would not miss that moment. They had already been together for too long.

“Thousand Shuriken! Dance!”

“Kku-waaak! Ears!”

“Don’t cover your ears and look ahead! You have to do what you can to block it-”

Swiish, swish, swish

Along with the sound that hurt the ears, countless mana shuriken poured out.

Tale’s flaming sword hit several shurikens, but the other Byeolcho members had no choice but to hide the vital spots on their bodies as much as possible.

“Kyahahaha! See you next time Nguyen, no, Biyemi! And Ha Leeha and the kids!”

While Tale, Biyemi, and the Byeolcho members were taking a defensive stance, thick smoke began to spread from the place where Sasuke and Biyemi once were.