Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

Electricity discharges scatter when hitting the ground, but what about when they hit snow?

Like releasing a current in freshwater, might it not electrocute the target?

Leeha pondered this but, as expected, did not find an easy answer.

Distance posed the greatest challenge. There was a high probability that the electricity would be discharged towards other creatures closer than the intended frozen ostrich.

“Another one is running over there.”

A different entity from the frozen ostriches Blaugrunn had detected glanced at Leeha and Blaugrunn before running off somewhere.

The distance was roughly 600 meters, the closest encounter among the entities they had met so far, but sniping was still not an option.

As soon as it started running, the snow and ice on the ground flew into the air, obstructing Leeha’s view.

“Darn it! It’s not like they’re playing with someone else! Running here and there, like training a mutt! Always running away when we try to catch them, always like a… Wait a minute.”

“What is it?”

Blaugrunn asked, but Leeha didn’t answer.

The place where Blaugrunn and Leeha were situated was the habitat of the frozen ostriches.

Since entering this area, they had mostly detected and chased after one ostrich after another.

But now?

‘Were they already out? And this close?’

Moreover, as if it had waited to be spotted by Leeha, it started running away as soon as Leeha recognized the entity.

“Ostriches live in herds.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah. Ostriches live in herds, usually around 30 or so.”

“So what?”

“So what? That one there! Looking at us with that cheeky face! Can’t you tell? Full of fear yet behaving like that?!”

“…Could it be, are you saying the ostrich is luring us?”

Ostriches live in groups.

Being cowards, they would extremely guard against any intruders into their dwelling.

So, if one of the entities, the fastest or the bravest, detects the intruders in advance and maintains a suitable distance to lead them in a different direction?

“We’ll have to verify that now. Blaugrunn, make me invisible and lift me up into the air, as high as possible!”

“Understood!”

Even if those being looked at were invisible, if they didn’t move and just ascended vertically, they likely wouldn’t feel much threatened.

Thus, Leeha soared straight up into the sky.

Having a flat terrain meant gaining a vantage point could allow for a far-reaching view.

With Leeha’s usual visibility of about 4.7km, gaining an additional 30 meters in height through Blaugrunn’s Levitation meant?

Depending on the weather and terrain curvature, but under clear weather and flat terrain, this meant achieving a visibility range of nearly 24km.

Of course, that’s the maximum range.

With the human eye, it’s impossible to recognize an object beyond 24km.

“Hehe, ‘the human eye,’ maybe, but I am not human now.”

-North-northeast, approximately at a 15-degree angle and 6.5km ahead, multiple strange light reflections detected, presumed to be a group of frozen ostriches! Please, lower me down, heading there right now!

Using the skill “Eagle’s Eye” just then, finding the frozen ostriches was a piece of cake for Leeha. Although unable to discern their appearance or the detailed environment, identifying the sparkling light clusters from their ice-covered bodies was not a problem.

Descending slowly to the ground, Leeha’s eyes sparkled with excitement.Levitation magic isn’t intense flight magic. It’s more akin to hovering in the air than flying.

Although it borrows the power of Blaugrunn, it doesn’t directly affect the offensive power either.

‘If I can just get the scope, and if Black Bass is enhanced…

I could even consider levitated sniping! In this condition, the [Join Fixation: Lower] skill is restricted, so there’s some penalty to the range increase, but if it’s not ultra-long-distance sniping, it doesn’t matter!

“Hahaha! It’s possible, isn’t it?! Blaugrunn-ssi!”

“Wow! Why are you suddenly acting like this?!”

“Why? Because it’s pretty, our walking sniping tower!”

Leeha hugged Blaugrunn tightly and rubbed his head vigorously with his cheek.

Dragons are versatile. It’s clear there’s no need to recklessly order them around with just magic.

While preparing for the Freezing Ostrich quest, Leeha finally developed the ability to properly combine the characteristics of Blaugrunn and himself as a sniper.

“Sure enough, whatever method you use, it’s clear they can perceive invisibility.”

“Hmm, I’m of juvenile rank, but that shouldn’t be the reason. I, too, want to dissect them at least once. Creatures that can detect invisibility without any special magic are unheard of.”

“Are there none on the Lope continent?”

“There are a few. Creatures that use ultrasonics to perceive their surroundings, for instance, don’t relate to invisibility because they reflect light.”

“True, that makes sense.”

However, unlike bats or dolphins, Freezing Ostriches ‘see invisible objects,’ which piqued Blaugrunn’s curiosity.

“Is it okay for them to run off in all directions like that?”

“They’re running off in different directions and making a lot of noise while they’re at it.”

Leeha cautiously surveyed the surroundings.

The freezing ostriches, having noticed the two, started running in all directions as if panicked.

Although they were still about 2km away from the initially discovered nest, the creatures seemed desperate.

‘If I didn’t know about ostriches, I would have failed chasing after each one.’

The vomiting-like cries are said to be made only by the males, meaning all those trying to lure Leeha and Blaugrunn were males from the flock.

If Leeha reached their dwelling, how would they react? Leeha proceeded solidly, dismissing the Freezing Ostriches’ ‘temptation.’

From west to north, from east to south, the number of creatures running around to surround Leeha and Blaugrunn steadily increased. Naturally, they were narrowing the distance in an effort to lead them in their direction.

‘This is precisely the hunting method of ostriches.’

Do not chase ostriches.

[Crystal of the Eye]

Description: Catching them by running after them would definitely not be easy. As always, Middle Earth had given all the hints.

‘Come on, to deduce all that from merely a word in a nearly ten-line quest description seems a bit much.’

Leeha shook his head disapprovingly.

The closer they got, the freezing ostriches approached Leeha and Blaugrunn with anxious cries.

Now, the distance to the nearest creature was merely about 500 meters.

Even the initially targeted freezing ostrich dwelling started to come into view.

“Look ahead! There, about ten or maybe thirty are living in a flock, right?”

“Hmm, hmm. Then there are about twenty around us trying hard to wag their tails. Okay, let’s go close and squash them in one go! Up to 1km ahead!”

“Understood-“

“-Hmm? Leeha-nim?”

Just as Leeha was about to run ahead with a smile, a male freezing ostrich let out a long cry.

It was a suffocating tremble, unable to either expel or swallow the sound, but it was much louder than any noise heard before.

“What’s with them, why are they like this?”

“Suddenly… the stance has changed?”

Leeha and Blaugrunn looked around. The movements meant to lure them by running around had changed.

Even the freezing ostrich, which had been far away, came running swiftly to adjust the distance with the other freezing ostriches and Leeha.”Surrounded?”

“You said you’ve studied a lot about ostriches, right? Was there never a case when these cowards attacked like this?”

When Blaugrunn began to cast his magic, a fact also emerged in Leeha’s mind.

There was one instance when the cowardly ostrich would attack a target.

“…When they’re protecting their eggs.”

That the ten or so ostriches in front were ‘protecting their eggs’ became apparent.

As soon as Leeha lifted his musket, the ice ostriches that had been surrounding them in a circle charged.

Their size was comparable to that of a real-life giraffe.

It was only natural that the frozen ground trembled and snowflakes flew about.

Overwhelmed by the rush of these formidable beasts, Leeha trembled for a moment. However, it wasn’t a tremor born of fear.

“Ah, I appreciate this. You’ve come all this way.”

“Is it okay to attack?”

“Well, those protecting their eggs wouldn’t self-destruct just because they got a bit scared, would they?”

“I think so too.”

Leeha and Blaugrunn looked at each other and smiled.

Having perfectly grasped the way to conquer the quest involving the ice ostriches and being able to perform it flawlessly, nothing could scare them anymore.

“Then let’s finish them off—-“

“Understood! Energy Wave!” The loaded musket and musket-pistol, along with the turquoise mana orbs gathered in Blaugrunn’s hands, all fired simultaneously.

With a burst and the sound of a large glass window shattering, the last ice ostrich was obliterated.

The ice ostriches that had attempted to approach Leeha, alternating between his newly purchased Kentucky musket and musket-pistol, didn’t stand a chance.

“It feels like clay shooting, quite fun.”

“Juvenile dragons still new to handling mana could also use this as good targeting practice. Their movements are complex, and they’re fast…”

“Eh? Was this practice useful for you too, Blaugrunn?”

“No. I meant the other juvenile-class dragons!”

As Blaugrunn bristled,

Leeha burst into laughter. After all, for him, who was close to adult-class, practice for mastering mana was no longer necessary.

What need was there for further practice in a situation where magic hit all the ice ostriches attempting to approach in a zigzag through the snowstorm?

“Alright, alright, no need to get worked up. Ah! Can you check over there to see something that looks like the eggs they were guarding?”

“Ch, lately you’re just teasing me. Got it!”

Muttering under his breath but efficiently following orders as always, Blaugrunn moved forth.

Leeha sent Blaugrunn towards where the female specimens’ bodies lay and headed towards the scattered bodies of the male specimens nearby.

‘So, this is what happens when they don’t self-destruct and die.’

Not the light sky-blue, semi-translucent ostriches reflecting the sunlight, but ash-gray bodies cloaked in the shadow of death were what Leeha saw as he knelt down.

“Hmm, if there’s anything to take from this-“

Though touching the ostrich bodies was cold enough to stick to the skin, Leeha carefully started cutting and peeling off anything that could be collected.

Middle Earth had a system close to semi-automatic looting, so depending on what and how one dissected, different monster parts could be collected.

After about ten minutes of meticulously dissecting the ice ostriches…

[You have acquired a special ice ostrich feather.]

[You have acquired boots with special ostrich talons.]

The special feather was a material that, when added to fabric, reduced ice attribute damage received. It was the most common material item obtained from the entire body of the ice ostriches.

‘Considering I already have Jellypong, having so many of these won’t be of any use to me.’

The boots were also fairly common, obtained from one out of every four creatures.

Being incredibly large creatures, an item had been created by cutting from the ankle to the talon area, allowing players to wear them immediately.