Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

It is now about 150 yards to the wooden house. Since there were no monsters other than the wooden house on top of the cliff, he was able to concentrate quite well on the sounds that were coming through.

Fernand slowed his pace and crouched slightly.

Though he had used the skills of blending into the background and sneaking, some monsters sensitive to presence might still detect him. It was only natural to approach as stealthily as possible unless one was invisible.

‘Laughter? I hear laughter. That means it’s not a monster. Such laughter can only be made by a humanoid. Could it be a paleo?”

Could the creatures he saw during his approach, resembling a mix between Griffins and Harpies, actually be paleos?

Were these paleos, emitting sounds of human laughter, somehow merging with some flying beasts and transforming?

“No, then does that mean that place is the abode of mystical creatures? Were the flying creatures normal members of a paleo tribe?

Fernand shook his head.

It was all speculation at this point. Without confirmation, certainty was impossible.

After all, he is an ‘adventurer’, one of the players known as [Pioneering King], whose curiosity is satisfied only by seeing with his own eyes and verifying by stepping forth.

Finally, Fernand approached the outer walls of the wooden house.

The window that came into view tempted him to peek inside. However, that was a move only novice adventurers would make.”

Fernand focused on the sound instead.

-“Tonight’s dinner is~ ta-da! Griffonia roast! Children in their growing years should eat at least two legs, right?!

-“Even the hungriest person would feel sick after eating two of those.

-“Hm, honey? Did you finish speaking? You mean you don’t want to eat it, right?

-“As I’ve always said! It’s good to care for our son, but overeating won’t do any good.”

… What are they talking about?)

A woman’s and a man’s voice. Could this not be the abode of mystical creatures? Fernand wondered.

There could be two mystical creatures. A male and a female spirit living together.

‘No, wait, they just mentioned ‘honey’ and ‘son’.”

Family

Fernand was certain. This house was home to a family.

And based on the language and familial love, it definitely wasn’t a monster’s dwelling.

“The smoke from before was actual cooking. Gryphonia, could it be the creature, part Griffin part Harpy, I saw earlier?”

Fernand remembered the enormous size.

To eat ‘two legs’ of something bigger than an average horse, as the male entity suggested, one might indeed feel unwell afterwards.

“A creature with a big appetite. Could it be similar to a giant? Maybe a Gorilla paleo or Medjay paleo?”

He nodded, refocusing on the sound.

-“Oh right, honey? Haven’t got much to say?

Bang-

Fernand jolted at the sudden noise but wasn’t discovered.

‘The sound of slamming the table-‘

Immediately, an angry female voice was heard.

-“Bringing up such topics at the dinner table, ruining the meal. You want to get hit?

-“No, no! I mentioned that the [Divine Staff] was activated recently. So, that means he’s bound to come looking.

-“I don’t know, don’t know. And you know as well… there’s been no sign from our son. He’s likely to come soon. I want to leave before that happens. What do you think?

-“It would be better during the day. Even if he doesn’t come… that person is on this continent anyway. I really despise getting more involved.

-“I feel the same, sigh, if only there was a way.”

Fernand heard a sigh from the female entity following.

“They know about the [Divine Staff]. And what’s this ‘their side’? Are they our people? Waiting for a meeting with the Vatican’s men?”

For Fernand, this line of thought was only natural. Not as a monster that stumbles around, but fluently using the language, if you are aware of the recent event of the “Divine Staff” activation?

They could possibly be observers sent from the Vatican.

“But if that were the case, it’s unlikely the Pope wouldn’t have mentioned anything to me…”

The problem lies with Fernand being associated with Ezwen.

Though he always roamed around, considering Fernand’s relatively high position within the Ezwen religious nation, would this have been kept secret even from him? If it was such a significant mission, they would have rather had Fernand assist with it.

Above all, they had arrived here first.

Merely providing the geographic information of this place to Fernand could grant the Ezwen religious nation overwhelming topographical intelligence.

“So if that’s not it… Damn, I didn’t want to let out the flow of mana, but…”

Eventually, Fernand had to decide. If he can’t judge the situation solely on sound?

He needs to see.

Taking out a magnifying glass from his bag, he carefully positioned its lens against the exterior wall of a wooden house.

And whispered quietly, “[Show me the truth].”

The skill name [Show me the truth] was activated.

An additional option of the legendary item “The Magnifying Glass of Truth” that Fernand possessed, was triggered.

With a very brief casting, the skill was immediately activated.

The lens of the small magnifying glass he held soon revealed the interior beyond the wall.

“Eh, what? Real humans? Really?”

He was even more bewildered seeing through the lens. It was literally humans, not some paleo or other beings, but just- just humans! Not players, but real living humans of the year 1480s? Associated with Ezwen?

The truth was mind-boggling. The skill [Show me the truth] was not only used for seeing through walls or peering into locked places.

It reveals everything within—in-depth truths and lies, hidden identities included. Therefore, he was able to know for sure.

At least, two people were ‘completely human’.

But on this side—here lies another.

Yet, there was another person.

Seated at the table with a hood pulled over, a different aura was slowly emerging from this person.

“There’s a dark aura. But it’s not mana – those of mana have a completely dark exterior. What is this then? The figure appears human through the magnifying glass, but a dark aura is just seeping out.”

There is a clear association with the aura of mana.

However, compared to the boisterous male and the lively female figure, this one neither spoke nor acted much, making it impossible to glean more information.

“First, I’ll save the view seen through the magnifying glass. Everything viewed through this lens is capable of being saved and retrieved.”

Fernand intended to consult the Pope and the high-ranking members of the Ezwen, possibly about who was present here, to determine if they are allies or foes, hence the premonition that he must not reveal his presence just yet.

“What’s this?”

Click=

However, at that moment, Fernand made eye contact with the female figure.

As if the lens knew exactly where, from what position or angle it was observing, the woman precisely looked back at that spot! “Honey? We have an uninvited guest, right?”

“A scroll?”

Fernand hurriedly retrieved a scroll from his bag to use it. The paper ruffled noisily, but his body was not transported.

“What? There’s no spatial lock, but why-“

Thud, the door of the wooden house opened at that moment. What came out were the female figure and the arguing male figure.

Fernand prayed.

Hoping the skill to blend into the background would work on these people.

Hoping not to be discovered while blended in.

“Hahah, interesting. This guy, using insect-like techniques, huh? Honey! Come look! Some brazen guy approached our house without invisibility!”

“Gotcha! So that’s why the mana didn’t stir! Oh my, who are you? Who sent you here?”

Fernand’s prayers were ruthlessly shattered.

The male and female who came out had completely perceived Fernand.

“I don’t know how the space was locked, but I must escape. If there’s a chance, it’s in the blink of an instant, right down the cliff.”

Even though the teleport scroll didn’t work, there were several emergency escape methods. The most reliable was the way Fernand himself had come up.

Whipping to a rock and immediately jumping, burying a hacken simultaneously as the whip is retrieved, connecting it to the carabiner at his waist in an instant!”Use that as a rope and descend quickly!”

Fernand had been employing such tactics against monsters in places like cliffs. If he could fully utilize his abilities from Middle Earth, he could perform all these actions simultaneously as he jumped down. That’s what he believed himself capable of!

“Alright, let’s go-“

No sooner had Fernand finished his thought than he reached for his whip.

Or, tried to.

Three gunshots rang out in quick succession.

One bullet hit the handle of the whip, one struck Fernand’s belt, and one the brim of Fernand’s hat.

The hat was blown off, revealing his face completely, the whip was sent flying, and the belt, which held various climbing gear, was undone in the thick brush.

In the time Fernand had moved his hand from his thigh to his waist to grab the whip—

In less than 0.1 seconds, his opponent had “seen” and “reacted” to Fernand’s movement.

“Phew- playing cute, are we? Where do you think you’re going?”

“Uh-huh, you can’t even teleport here anyway. You’ve lost all your gear, so what are you going to do now? Fight us? Before that, shouldn’t you tell us who sent you and how you got here?”

The male figure blew the smoke from his gun, while the female figure, finding something amusing, continuously giggled, looking at Fernand.

Fernand, astonished, could only consider the absurd rapid-fire and the item that the female figure had effortlessly lifted.

Seeing her impossibly long weapon, Fernand thought of someone.

“Ki, Kidd… and Leeha…” Muttering their names like a groan, Fernand was reminded of items strongly associated with Kidd and Leeha.

Though it was unlikely they would come to his aid, at least he wasn’t alone in his thoughts!

Just as Fernand attempted to curse Kidd and Leeha under his breath, their demeanor changed.

“The heck? You know Kidd? Leeha’s friend, huh? Really? Yes?”

Fernand was briefly taken aback. What was this now?

The words were so friendly, he even wondered, “Could this person be Leeha’s mother?”

The male figure too shrugged and tilted his head.

“Kidd… I definitely saw him that time.”

“Yep! I didn’t see but I’ve heard of him. Browless’s apprentice, right? My hubby mentioned, said there’s an interesting guy!”

“Definitely more amusing than my dimwit dongsaeng, for sure. They still have a long way to go, though. The guy following in honey’s footsteps, that guy?”

“Yeah. That dude tried to negotiate with me, it was so thrilling!”

The female’s body shivered with excitement, her eyes gleaming.

Fernand couldn’t grasp the situation.

“You know Kidd-ssi and Leeha-ssi? Using the same weapons and ‘dongsaeng’ is… Ah- Ahh!?”

Fernand had been privy to all the stories from the Vatican.

Hence, he was aware.

Of those who had appeared at the last stronghold of evil. All humans, including Alexander and Bailephus, had tried to secure the place but were easily defeated by a third party!

“Matan’s Shooter… it was these people!”

Fernand encountered Mr. Brown and Miss Elizabeth.

Thud, thud.

Walking towards him, Brown struck Fernand’s face with his pistol.

Before he could even scream from the immense pain, his face was already covered by a thick mask.

“Uhnggh ergh.”

With a groan, Fernand barely managed to open his eyes. What had hit him? In an instant, something flashed, and his vision darkened. Soon after, a potion was forced into his mouth, gulp by gulp, slightly restoring his vision, yet the darkness persisted. A thick, light-impenetrable mask covered his head.

He was forcibly seated, bound so tightly that resistance was out of the question.

“Does it hurt? Sorry. My dear hit a bit too hard, didn’t expect it to crack that easily, kid! You look like an adventurer, but you’re too frail to roam around, aren’t you?”

Fernand chose not to open his mouth.

But there was something unmistakably ‘aunt-like’ about the way she spoke.

It was true that Bua felt irritated by such a way of expressing apology while still not being able to say sorry.

“Are you… scared?”

Fernand barely managed to ask, opening his mouth.

The laughter of the female, Elizabeth, echoed briefly inside the house.