Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Leeha clenched his eyes shut and quickly closed his mouth.

Opening his eyes in seawater was painful enough, but in a stream of lava? Even if it’s just a game, no one would want to endure the torment of their eyeballs burning in lava.

Ding, Ding-!

Despite the confusion, the system alert sounded.

Thankfully, in Middle Earth, one could see even with their eyes closed.

‘Dammit, someone died in the lava, of all the unfortunate-‘

[You have resisted the abnormal status ‘Extreme Heat.’]

[You have resisted the abnormal status ‘Burn Injury.’]

[You have resisted the abnormal status ‘Real Name.’]

[You have resisted the abnormal status ‘Fear.’]

‘- Going to… Huh?’

Immersed in the thick lava, Leeha suddenly felt a strange sensation. Not only had he resisted the abnormal conditions, but he hadn’t felt any particular sensations since falling into the lava.

‘It… it’s not hot?’

He wondered if he just hadn’t.felt the heat because he had just fallen in. But that wasn’t it. Time had passed as normal, even the effects related to abnormal conditions had been applied.

However, the fact that it still wasn’t hot struck Leeha as peculiar.

‘What’s going on?’

Leeha slowly opened his eyes.

A scarlet world, a stark contrast to the blue world seen from under the sea, filled Leeha’s view.

The only exception in this scarlet world was the blue aura enveloping his body.

“Jellypong!”

[Myong, myong-]

“Damn, this feature existed too?” The water spirit, created from the essence of the Sea God, was wrapped tightly around Leeha’s body.

When attacked, it surrounded Leeha’s body, not only absorbing the damage but also providing heat resistance?

[Myong, myong!]

Jellypong’s arm sprouted out and gave a playful wink. Leeha was suddenly filled with an overwhelming emotion.

“Jellypong…Thank-“

[Myong myong myong!]

“-woawwwww?!”

Before his admiration could fully register, Jellypong’s arm began to rotate like a propeller behind Leeha.

In an area where the [Mermaid Transformation] couldn’t be used, he had a feature that could mimic its effects.

Shooo….

Leeha swam through the lava as if he was in a tiny submarine.

The Lava Lizards, who had been waiting for Leeha, began to sway their tails and paddle through the lava again.

‘Middle Earth really gives you all sorts of experiences. This feels even more miraculous than when I was going to the Dragon Palace.’

Is this what it feels like to move through a marsh?

The Lava Lizards swam a good distance through the bubbling lava before they began to rise to the surface again.

‘It’s about a 30-minute journey from that place. Can’t quite figure out the direction though.’

Lava is a term specifically referring to magma that has fully erupted and is flowing.

But since he was completely submerged in lava and unable to see the outside,

Leeha had no way of knowing whether he was in the inner parts of the volcano where the magma was, or if he had just followed the flow of the lava.

In essence, this place was no different from the secret area of the “Lonely Volcano”.

When Leeha finally set foot in the chamber inside the volcano, a place that couldn’t be entered by any player and even the paleos of the New Continent,

Ta-dah-! Ta-dah-! An unexpected achievement fanfare played.

[Achievement: Guardian of the Lonely Volcano(S-)]

Congratulations! You have successfully entered the interior of Erika’s only volcano, the “Lonely Volcano”. Many creatures will be curious about this habitat, previously undiscovered. The abilities of the Lava Lizards to manage and control the flow of magma inside the earth were once thought to only exist in legends.

Reward: Strength +7, Dexterity +7, Intelligence +7, Reputation Across the Continent of Erika +20

You are the first to register for the [Guardian of the Lonely Volcano] achievement.

The first three registrants will enter the Hall of Fame with an additional 200% of the original effect.

Effect: Strength +14, Dexterity +14, Intelligence +14, Reputation Across the Continent of Erika +40

‘So this is where the Lava Lizards dwell… it has been undiscovered up till now.’

The existence of the Lava Lizards was known to the bonobo of the Lava Jungle. However, it meant that even they had never reached the Lizard’s habitat.

In other words, I became the first and unique discoverer of the new continent, including NPC.

‘Ha, Fernand would be surprised. And to get here-‘

[Achievement: Lava? Isn’t That a Hot Spring? (A+)]

Congratulations! You have managed to survive in the lava for more than 30 minutes. You have not only resistance against fire but also a patience that others can hardly imagine! So, where would you like your next onsen trip to be? You will need a small gift from Middle Earth if you are daring face hell’s inferno.

Reward: Fire Resistance +10%

You are the second to register for the [Lava? Isn’t That a Hot Spring?] achievement.

The first three registrations will enter the Hall of Fame with an additional 200% of the original effect.

Effect: Fire Resistance +20%

‘-You need such an achievement. It’s not a place anyone can reach- huh? What’s this?’

He couldn’t help but grin at the realization that he alone held an achievement that even Fernand couldn’t match. However, seeing the next achievement made him stumble a bit.

Your name is the second listed in the Hall of Fame of achievements, which demand a 30-minute immersion in lava.

‘I can’t believe it… Who’s the nutcase? I barely survived thanks to Jellypong, but…

Jellypong had not merely endured. It had withstood by consuming all of its health. Not long ago, Leeha saw that Jellypong’s health had almost drained.

In other words, Jellypong barely withstood about 30 minutes by absorbing the damage that I was to receive. If the habitat of the Lava Lizards was further away, my life would not have been guaranteed.

‘Since I was the first to discover this place, it means someone took a 30-minute bath in the lava on the old continent.’

I shook my head after a brief thought about who could have been crazy enough to do that. It’s not like I didn’t know there were all kinds of people in Middle Earth.

“Skink, follow me.”

“Ah, okay.”

The space is expansive, even where we climbed up from the lava.

The scorching heat was still felt as Jellypong could no longer cover me.

Thanks to the recent achievement, however, I didn’t have a problem holding up.

“There’s no constructed building in the interior of the volcano…

Wide spaces throughout have holes, each likely a home for individual Lava Lizards.

‘Well, it would be a task to bring construction materials to a place like this.’

If the only pathway is through the lava, as I followed the Lava Lizards onto the pathway, it’s unlikely anyone can bring anything here.

“Skink, report to the Guardian Deity. Tell him/her that we’ve brought the one who killed the Fuel Bat.”

“The one who killed the Fuel Bat? Skink?”

One of the Lava Lizard hurriedly ran off after looking at us. I could quickly guess what the largest hole in the room meant.

‘The Guardian Deity probably inhabits there.’ Lava Lizards all around peeped out their heads from the holes to observe me. It was surprising for me that there were no humanoid entities in this place too.

‘Perhaps, it would be tough to live in a place like this in a humanoid form.’

Even I, someone with 45% fire resistance, could feel the heat quite a bit. How could a normal human survive here?

Unlike the paleo monkeys, due to different reasons, the Lava Lizard would always need to stay transformed.

I followed the Lava Lizards into a huge hole. The brightness inside, which was presumed to be a village, was much brighter than the outside.

“Skink, Guardian Deity I’ve returned.”

Skink!

All surrounding Lava Lizards, who had surrounded me, kneeled. I then realized why they needed such a massive hole.

It wasn’t to showcase the majesty of the Guardian, the clan’s sacred entity. Instead, it was simply because a place was needed for the ‘enormous lizard’ to sit.

“First, let me greet you. My name is Ha Leeha..”Leeha bowed his head toward the massive face in front of him.

“……You killed all the fuel bats? And you said you would repay it.”

There was no cordial self-introduction.

The guardian deity of the Lava Lizards and a monstrous lizard flicked its tongue.

Considering the size of its tongue was close to Leeha’s entire body, it was more like dealing with an enormous reptile, even larger than an ancient-grade dragon.

“Yes. That’s correct. If there’s something I can help with-”

“Even if you burned yourself up, it would be insufficient to generate thermal energy.”

“-Pardon?”

“We’ve been using the waste of the bats you killed as fuel so far. Do you know what that means?”

“Of…course.”

Leeha nodded, not quite understanding but going along.

He knew that in cold regions, dried cow dung is used as firewood.

But bat droppings?

Though the bats were as vast as large dogs, would their waste be enough to be used as fuel?

Moreover, with magma everywhere,

Why would creatures with even their skin made of magma need fire?

Leeha had his questions but kept them to himself.

Nevertheless, the giant lizard opened its mouth as if it knew what Leeha was thinking just by looking at his expression.

“You probably don’t know…… If you do not continuously heat the magma, allowing it to circulate within the Earth, terrible things happen. Magma would erupt not just from volcanoes but everywhere. If all the magma inside erupts, the continent might sink. Are you ignoring the potential destruction of this land?”

The lizard’s vertical pupils glared at Leeha.

“Bat… dung is used to heat the magma? I thought magma is heated merely by the internal pressure and temperature of the planet-“

“Don’t spout nonsense. We are the ones managing all the magma beneath the surface. To keep it consistently heated, their droppings were necessary. In other words, a lump of dung from a single fuel bat is far more valuable than your most precious treasure, even more so than your insignificant life.”

The lizard’s head moved closer to Leeha.

Leeha was momentarily stunned by the lizard’s words, which were different from what he knew, but after all, this is Middle Earth.

If the game setting is as such, so be it. Leeha remembered why he was here. Perhaps this was a good thing. If he knew what they wanted,

he would have a significant advantage when building familiarity.

‘Knowing about magma so much, it’s a foregone conclusion that a《Fire Flower》can be found here…… Now, shall I try to butter them up a bit? 《Bargaining》”

All that remained was for Leeha to showcase his skills at manipulating the negotiations.

“I understand. Your efforts to maintain not only this area but also the entire world as a balanced environment. I risked coming here to confirm that.”

Leeha smiled with a hundred percent affinity, looking at the giant lizard. However, he has assumed too easily this time.

The lizard’s eyes bulged out.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I have no interest in relying on someone who already killed our fuel bats.”

“Eh? What?”

“Kill him.”

Common quest affinity penalties could be compensated for by Leeha’s high reputation on the New Continent.

But now was a different story!

It was Leeha himself who had slaughtered their ‘property’ and ‘treasure,’ the fuel bats! Even if Leeha were confident and asked for a favor, they wouldn’t agree.

“Hold on, that’s not what I-” All the Lava Lizards stood, hearing the lizard’s words.

Despite having no particular weapons, their entire bodies, made of magma, were weapons in themselves.

‘I don’t even have the stamina from my previous life! If it’s now, I’m really gonna be beaten!’

Leeha stepped back from the charging Lizards,

but only met the gaping mouth of the massive lizard behind him.

‘Damn it，damn it，was 《Bargaining》 only possible if the other party was willing to listen in the first place.’

Just like with the Onyx, Leeha had to provoke their interest.

Without such a keyword, no matter how eloquent, it was futile. In a situation like this where they have absolutely no interest in Leeha, there’s no opportunity for bargaining.

“Skink，Skink-“

“Resistance only brings more suffering, Skink.”

There’s no way to counter them now. If he showed even a hint of aggression, he might never be able to get the 《Fire Flower》.