Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

[Becoming the Ultimate Dragon]

Description: “Just put a mana tracker on it and send it to me. If you find the Fire Flower, bring it to me first. If you fail to deliver it… I will pursue you in the name of the chromatic dragons. And I will kill you.”

Onyx, the elder of the chromatic dragons and the black dragon, wants to consume the Fire Flower. A spell of his has already been placed on your bag. If you don’t deliver the Fire Flower to Onyx within 24 hours of it entering your bag, the chromatic dragons will hunt you down.

Let’s not imagine the outcome.

Contents: Deliver the Fire Flower to Onyx within 24 hours of obtaining it.

Reward:

+50% intimacy with the chromatic dragons

+100% intimacy with the white dragon, Shoblanc

+100% intimacy with the green dragon, Greenvogel

+100% intimacy with the black dragon, Onyx

Failure Condition: Failure to obtain the Fire Flower, missing the deadline after obtaining the Fire Flower

Penalty upon Failure: Attack and pursuit by 30 adult-level chromatic dragons, including Onyx

‘Using even the bargaining skill, the only reward I can get is intimacy. These quests are becoming quite rogue.’

Initially, there was no reward at all.

They dared to offer sparing my life on the spot as a reward!

Only because Leeha had shown the best negotiating skills in the history of Middle Earth, using his bargaining skill, did he manage to obtain at least some intimacy as a reward.

Still, the quest became quite valuable when conditions changed.

The intimacy with the chromatic dragons is currently around -150%.

If this quest was successful?

‘Shoblanc and Greenvogel are just barely adult-level. Although these kids can be excused…’

The intimacy with the elder Onyx would be reset to 0%.

Though the other chromatic dragons would still be at -100%, if I can get to the ‘big head’, the elder’s good graces, won’t I be able to bear with the rest?

The structure of the chromatic dragons, as confirmed by Leeha, was not as absolute as that of the metal dragons.

‘The problem is what the Fire Flower is… I know there’s a hint on the new continent…

There was doubt from the title of the quest.

[Becoming the Ultimate Dragon]

As if Onyx would become the ultimate dragon once he gets the Fire Flower, doesn’t it sound like that?

“What are you going to do?!”

“What do you mean? Blaugrunn, have you ever heard of something like this?”

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

“Attack if attacked.”

“What?”

“Let’s go, to the new continent. We’re going to be busy for a while. The deadline given by Ifrit was only 30 days in the first place. Hurry! Teleport go go!”

Leeha got up from his seat and helped Blaugrunn to stand.

Fortunately, Blaugrunn had already explored a considerable part of the new continent.

Having narrowed down the areas with volcanoes and potential lava flows, Leeha immediately set out for the new continent with him.

‘But if the Fire Flower is only one item, what should we do? If it’s like the crazy World Tree fruit…

Should I give it to Koma to upgrade, as per Ifrit’s requisition? But, if I do that, I’ll be under total attack from Onyx and more 30 chromatic dragons.

Or should I deliver it to Onyx?

[Eye for an Eye]

Failure consequence: Termination of the contract with the spirit of fire

50% increased chance that the soulmate will not respond to the Soul Link skill.

Then Koma will no longer have the effect of the ‘fire bear,’ and the skill success rate of the soul link will be reduced by 50%.

‘This Middle Earth is getting harder as the level increases. Isn’t it normal for the game to get easier?’

Swoosh~!

Even at the moment of teleporting to the new continent, Leeha’s mind was still in turmoil.

“Are you really okay being alone?”

“Of course! You’ve done enough bringing me this far.”

“But without me, in sudden situations…”

“Stop right there! It’s not polite to say such things to an adult.”

Leeha laughed as he ruffled Blaugrunn’s head.

Seeing Blaugrunn’s genuinely anxious expression, Leeha found himself filled with conflicting emotions.

He understood that despite them being ‘partners’, he hadn’t given Blaugrunn full trust. Simultaneously, he felt the warmth of Blaugrunn’s concern.

“Don’t worry. If it gets dangerous, I’ll run away. In the worst case scenario, I’ll contact you separately.”

“Okay. If Leeha-nim is confident then…

“Oh, come on! Don’t worry too much! Besides, shouldn’t Blaugrunn be somewhere else so I can make an appearance anytime? If it seems really dangerous, I’ll contact you right away. So stop worrying.”

At Leeha’s laugh, Blaugrunn nodded his head. Thinking about it, Leeha’s proposition was more rational.

“Understood. Then I…

“Yes, I’m counting on you.”

“Alright. Please don’t let me experience the dreadful event of losing a partner.”

Blaugrunn shivered for a moment before saying goodbye to Leeha and teleporting away.

“Huh, it’s scarier than just saying don’t die.”

Standing alone on the new continent, Leeha looked at the towering mountain in the distance.

Despite being quite far away, its prominent size boasted an immense majesty compared to the surrounding mountains.

‘A strong candidate for a volcano. South of the World Tree’s forest. A place I’ve never been before.’

Walking towards the mountain, Leeha pulled out a cartridge.

No one was around yet, but he couldn’t let his guard down.

Clang-!

He couldn’t even call Koma, and Blaugrunn wasn’t there to help.

He had to rely solely on himself.

[Monmon? Mongdongmon!]

“Ah, ah? I have Jellypong too? Sorry, I’m sorry.”

Perhaps it knew what he was thinking. A translucent arm stretched out from Leeha’s vest, pressing itself to show its existence.

‘The climate itself is different. It’s much hotter and humid than the plains where the Redwoods and Gorilla paleos were.’

It was like a tropical area.

The excessively grown forest and the slightly sticky soil that was stepped on here and there felt like they had entered a jungle.

Roar… Roar…

Occasionally, the beasts’ cries could be heard.

Monkeys? Or tropical birds?

Each time these sounds only heard in zoos echoed, Leeha tensed up.

He knew what to be most careful of in such a jungle situation.

‘Camouflage.’

The Vietnam War was frequently cited in Leeha’s learned combat textbooks.

The tactics and strategies of the guerillas hiding in the jungle were so intensely studied and tested.

‘While I was in the military, Korea didn’t have any deployment into jungle terrains, so I wondered why we had to learn this, but surprisingly, it’s helping now…

Roar.

Leeha quickly lowered his posture. That noise just now, something had moved the grass.

‘Someone is here.’

Quietly, very slowly, Leeha looked around, pulling back the bolt.

As soon as it completes loading, a metallic sound would echo, which would be hard to hear in the jungle.

Since his location could be exposed, he shouldn’t rush when loading a bolt action gun.

There was no need for a scope at such a close distance where foot sounds could be heard.

Leeha was looking for the source of the noise, only with his eyes.

‘Do they know about me too?’ It was definitely the sound of footsteps.

However, after one time, there was no sound at all. In this case, two possibilities can be suspected.

The first is that he misheard, the second is that it’s not a creature moving carelessly.

Leeha thought it was the latter.

Whatever it was, it clearly had its sights on Leeha, and it was clear that once Leeha hid his presence, it couldn’t move on the other side.”Intelligent movement. And this kind of terrain… probably a paleolithic creature who lives in the jungle.”

A pattern somewhat different from the monsters of one-way attacks.

He’s certain it’s a paleo. And if it’s a paleo? It’s an NPC he’d rather not encounter.

“All paleos of the new continent of Erika, with no existing affinity, will become hostile towards the player.”

‘The common quest’s failure penalty is shackling like this.’

Regretfully, he slowly started moving again. A step forward in a duck walk, then another step…

His steps quickened with each stride.

However, making noise three times was a good thing for him!

“Hands up, you will get shot if you move!”

He immediately pointed his gun towards the sound. The time it took to go from an awkward duck walk pose to a standing shooting position was less than a second.

“Huh?”

In that one second, he had to feel absurd.

“Haha, you’re still good at surprising people. What’s Halihali-nim doing here?”

“..That’s what I want to ask? What are you doing here, Biyemi?”

What appeared before his eyes was Lizardia user, Biyemi of the Byulcho.

“There’s a new continent, and a jungle. Isn’t it natural to have lizards?”

Biyemi revealed her teeth grinning.

Her words seemed persuasive, but isn’t this new continent too big to just pass by?

‘This far? No, I’ve heard that the users’ movements have become active after the common quest ended.’

Where is this? Blaugrunn’s terrain was a place in the new continent he hadn’t visited even once, a place he could come only because Blaugrunn found it.

And there was already a user who set foot there.

He took a careful look at Biyemi.

His item configuration had changed a bit, so he could tell she had grown to some extent, but what especially caught his eyes was her color.

Biyemi’s scales, which were almost dark green, had turned a little darker.

‘Black- Not quite… Purple? Violet? Would it become like this if mixed with green?’

Biyemi seemed to have noticed his observation and opened her mouth again, disrupting his focus.

“Just so you know, there are monkey and snake paleos here. Chuckle, you might like the monkey paleo, but be careful with the snake.”

“Oh, snake? There’s a snake paleo as well?”

“Yes. Very… very nice ones.”

Nice ones? He had just said to be careful. He tilted his head at Biyemi’s words.

She pointed in two directions, indicating where the monkey paleo’s tribe and the snake paleo’s tribe were located.

“I don’t know where you’re going, but if you find something good, share it. Hehe. Not just me, but also Guild Master.”

“Guild Master? I always take care of Guild Master.”

“Does a person who always look after him even have to be here? People from the Byulcho Guild cannot sleep because they heard that the first wave will hit Juma soon.”

“Ah…!”

One of the failure penalties of the common quest.

For a certain period, a certain probability that a monster wave will hit Juma, the only Union Village in the new continent, frequented by all his acquaintances.

This event was a great opportunity to assess the ability of Byulcho and to raise its reputation, so Guild Master wouldn’t miss it.

“Then Biyemi…”

“I have to go now. The bastard here doesn’t seem to be coming anyway. Right? Chuckle.”

“That, there’s something…”

Biyemi’s ability to subtly criticize was still unchanged.

He wanted to support Guild Master, but the fire on his feet was more urgent. Biyemi seemed to know it, gave a nod, and finally bade him farewell.

“Then see you next time.”

“Yes, Biyemi, be careful and see you next time-“

Crunch crunch…

“Huh?”