Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

“Don’t push!”

“I’m…I’m falling!”

“[Fly]!”

“[Levitation]!”

Even though the path where the users walked was narrow and there was risk of casualties if a crowd surged in, they didn’t heed such dangers.

They used airborne skills and somehow managed to approach Leeha, almost as if it was their primary objective.

Desperate efforts to capture a screenshot or exchange an extra word!

That was expected since if they were lucky enough to be added on Leeha’s friend list, who knew how vast the network could expand? They were all well aware of that.

Probably more than half of his popularity was due to that.

Of course, Leeha was also well aware of these aspects.

‘Should I thank Chiyou for this? She exposed my skill sets and turned me into a flashing beacon…’

She had made him the center of attention.

In that spotlight, Leeha now handled the rumor himself.

He had his skills and his connections vetted.

In Middle Earth, apart from information, prestige was quite a valuable property. Prestigious users were surrounded by skilled users, and this cycle, where they could gain further information and assets, continued.

Chiyou, who had spread the rumors, had put him on this loop, which was a reason for him to smile.

“Stop, stop, I get it! Stop pushing each other just to get closer!”

Leeha yelled at the users surrounding him, and at the ones still trying to move closer.

Leeha had attracted the attention of almost all the users in the volcanic area.

His popularity wasn’t just for capturing screenshots. He felt good, and still had things to do, didn’t he?

“I will allow screenshots for those who want them.”

“Wooooah! Leeha!”

“However!”

With Leeha holding his hand up and speaking in a loud voice, the crowd went quiet instantly. Once again, he was reminded of the life of a top-tier celebrity.

Suppressing his laughter, Leeha opened his mouth again.

He proposed a condition for the exchange.

“Only those who have information about the [Fire Flower] or [Lava Lizard] can take the screenshot.”

He announced this calmly and firmly. Caught up in Leeha’s momentum, no one even thought to take a screenshot.

‘In reality, I’m not using a screenshot prevention scroll, so it should work if they just took one.’

There was no way to prevent others from taking it regardless.

So people started to focus on what Leeha was saying.

“What’s a [Fire Flower]?”

“A lava lizard? Other than the Magma Golem, is there any other monster?”

“I’ve never seen any reptilian monsters.”

The users began talking amongst themselves upon hearing Leeha’s conditions. Although the location could range from the entrance to midway through the volcanic region, the ecosystem didn’t vary much.

Thus, if these users didn’t know…

They could significantly limit the search range.

‘It looks like it’s not near the general hunting grounds. I guess I have to go near the magma.’

Leeha peeked down at the bubbling magma flow while watching the confused users. There was hardly any space for the users to stand near the magma.

There was no special monster appearing there, nor were there any items, so there was no reason for the users to go down that far.

Unless, of course, they fell accidentally.
“……Speaking of which*…”

Leeha fiddled with his toes.

So far, his application to increase the harmonization rate in Middle Earth seemed to be left unnoticed.

That meant that he didn’t have to feel the full intensity of the heat.

Leeha swallowed his dry saliva.

“Uh, should I endure this and just go down?

If I buy a fire resistance potion, gulp it down, and hold out with a health recovery potion–” Before the 100% harmonization rate applied, he would be able to withstand the current conditions.

There were no paths going down, but that wasn’t a big problem to Leeha.

“As long as I secure a rope position, a repellent would surely be enough to descend.”

The approximate distance to where the lava flowed was about 30 meters.

With this height, he could certainly go down.

“Quickly descend about 10 meters using a repeller, use the Eagle Eye skill to look around. If you maintain three-point contact just like climbing a cliff, you can move as much as you want.” Since the users were consistently unknowledgeable, Leeha formulated an exploration plan himself. If he could go to the village one more time, he could go around looking for the Fire Flower right now.

“So, if you guys don’t know… unfortunately, I may have to postpone the screenshot till next time.”

“No, no, don’t do that〜!”

“Please just take a picture once, Leeha-ssi! Please, it’s a wish! Leeha! Leeha!”

The users were buzzing with the expectation that once pressed a bit further, with Leeha’s light rejection waving off their requests, he might give in.

“Ah, this can’t be done… hahaha-“

That was not the sound of Leeha’s laugh. Cutting off Leeha’s laughter, a vibration sound came from the inside of the volcanic region.

“……What is that?”

“What is that sound?”

The previously bustling users suddenly became tensed, and so did Leeha.

The yells sounded like wind falling, or in some way, an impossibly large laugh. What is the identity of this sound?

“Did a field boss appear? Anyone know what field boss pops up in a volcanic area?!”

“No field boss appears in a volcanic region!”

“Are you sure there’s no field boss?”

“Yes. Because-“

———-yen yen o O O———

———-yen yen haha…………..

The sound resounded again.

This time the interval was comparatively shorter.

A sound coming from the back of the winding cave-shaped volcanic region. Leeha could hear it.

Among the unidentified sounds, very small screams were mixed in.

‘Screams?! Are users fleeing? Then besides field boss-‘

For a moment, goosebumps popped up on Leeha’s back. It should be a monster that surprised the users, at least a field boss. Yet, there were no field bosses in the volcanic region.

Why wasn’t there?

‘Pi, it’s not a field boss! It’s not a field boss but-‘

There existed something stronger than a field boss.

Just at that moment, a large shadow swung around the corner visible from where Leeha and the users were gathered.

The massive wings flapping. The reason why no other field bosses could exist in the volcanic region.

“Wh, Wh- What?! That, that thing over there-“

“It’s the Red- The Red, it’s the Red!”

“It’s a red dragon———!”

“Let’s scraaaamble!”

When the red dragon appeared, Leeha was surprised and whispered to Blaugrunn.

Roaaaar-!

However, the red dragon’s spatial lock was faster.

[Hearing the gunshots, I suspected it, but it turned out to be true. Daring to show yourself right in front of my house,]

The inside of the volcanic cave region was never wide-reaching.

Despite that, the red dragon was agilely flying towards them. After all, this place was right in front of the red dragon Lair.

[So you are ‘the’ Ha Leeha.]

The red dragon recognized Leeha. The amity between Leeha and the Colored Dragon tribe stood at -150%. His infamy had thoroughly spread around, and that was a matter of course.

The yellow eyes of the red dragon accurately stared at Leeha.

“Blaugrunn-ssi, the space is closed. What do we do?”

“Wait… try waiting. If I use my summoning and Leeha-ssi’s appearance technique at the same time, the mana linkage should become stronger, so if we time it right, probably-“

“[I know that you have a Bronze Dragon attached to you. I have attached tracking mana to you. On the day you escape to Rare with the Bronze dragon, we will send all our people there.]”

Leeha, who was about to use his appearance skill, stopped and quickly whispered again.

“St… stop! Stop! Blaugrunn-ssi! Let’s halt for now!”

“Huh? What about Leeha-ssi?”

“Just wait for now. They said they attached tracking mana.”

“Ah. Then it won’t work. Absolutely not. Don’t use appearance.”

Blaugrunn’s anxious voice quickly calmed down.

He fully anticipated what the red dragons were planning with the tracking mana because he understood the implications.

“There… hey! Do you want to give up so easily?”

“Who said I’m giving up? I just meant wait, as I will figure out another way.”

Of course, Blaugrunn didn’t abandon Leeha. Leeha briefly paused his whispering and surveyed the red dragon and the surrounding situation.

The users who swarmed around Leeha like an ant crowd had already fled to a considerable distance.

The attack team for the red dragon Raid was still gathered near the entrance. ‘That’s right. There must have been almost fully prepared raid teams at the entrance. About 50 people… if these recent escapees can bring them all, it might be possible.’

The number of people who ran away just now is well over 50.

It might not tally perfectly due to randomness, but a raid team of at least 100 people could be formed.

While they start the battle, if Leeha maintains a distance and snipes the red dragon, killing it, they might have a chance to win.

What is needed now? Time.

“Uh- Hello, red dragon? There is lava in front of your house, and there’s a volcano at the back. Isn’t this just like a river behind the mount situation? I sincerely congratulate you on having such grandeur-“

“Shut up.”

“Eek.”

The red dragon’s yellow eyes burned fiercely.

However, the red dragon neither cast a magic spell on Leeha nor showed off its breath immediately.

That strange delay reassured Leeha.

‘It may not be aiming to kill me. As a chromatic dragon, it wouldn’t just hate me, right? No, it might be impressed by my reputation. After all, I have this buff.’

[Ancient Dragon Slayer’s Aura]

Description: Your aura from slaying an Ancient-grade dragon can be felt by all dragons, regardless of their metal or color.

Even the brave Adult dragons, the curious Juvenile dragons, and the ignorant Hatchling dragons will be suppressed by your aura if you take a hostile stance.

You are a slayer of the Ancient Dragon.

Effect: Adult dragon’s total ability is reduced by -40%. A Juvenile Dragon’s total ability is reduced -50%. Hatchling Dragon’s total ability is reduced -60%.

Kuzgunak’shi is slightly different.

The main characteristic is its four wide-spread wings.

But the red dragon in front of him is smaller than Kuzgunak’shi and has only two wings.

‘It must be an Adult-grade.’

In that case, the Aura of the Dragon Slayer buff should apply. If the total ability is reduced by 40%…not to mention, if I can properly utilize the mana evaporation bomb which was applied to Kuzgunak’shi as well…

I can kill it.

‘Quickly. But carefully. What’s needed is patience’.

Leeha makes eye contact with the red dragon and gives a small smile. His slowly moving right arm ensures that he wouldn’t be noticed.

The red dragon’s yellow pupils were still staring down Leeha. It was almost as if it was trying to kill him with only a glance. Its pupils only moved moments later.

“I’m taking you.”

“Huh? What-“

Leeha, who thought that his action was detected, was startled but the red dragon made no reaction. The huge hand of the dragon grasped Leeha.

Woosh-!

They disappeared from view.