Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter]

『Of course, Bahamut. I will inform the Spirit King immediately.』

“Wait a moment! Wouldn’t it be better to come up with a plan before acting? As I mentioned before, if we touch it recklessly, the main body of Pyrot Cocri might awaken—”

“It’s alright. It’s alright.”

“What?”

Bahamut interrupted the worried Ha Leeha. He then looked at Gerda and asked.

“Gerda, if it’s Lumi, would they be able to freeze all the underground spaces of what’s known as the Coldwind Mountain Range?”

Gerda, startled and surprised, showed a fierce expression upon hearing the question.

『You belittle the Spirit King with your words, leader of the metal dragon.』

“Your words are disrespectful to the Lord, top-grade spirit of snow and ice.”

Blaugrunn immediately countered the sharp remarks directed at Bahamut. Bahamut, however, just laughed heartily.

“Ha ha, it’s all right, Blaugrunn. I apologize if I upset you, Gerda.”

Ha Leeha instantly realized.

Bahamut had merely asked the question on behalf of Ha Leeha’s curiosity.

The Spirit Kings would demonstrate unimaginable power, and as Bahamut had said, there was no need to worry about it.

“I will join in as well. Rather than eliminating Pyrot Cocri immediately, it’s better to freeze all underground spaces and keep them under surveillance.”

“An extensive alarm magic, my Lord! As expected!”

Blaugrunn looked at Bahamut with excitement and admiration. Bahamut patted the spirited member of his race with a satisfied smile.

Ha Leeha tilted his head and asked.

“We’re not eliminating Pyrot Cocri?”

“Didn’t you mention it yourself? The moment you entered, it recognized your presence.”

“That’s… correct.”

“If Peklo City is perfectly implemented, I wouldn’t be able to approach it either. The moment you get close, it would notice.”

“But it hasn’t woken up yet—”

“No, that’s the trap. It hasn’t not woken up; it’s just not rising.”

“– What?”

Bahamut clicked his tongue.

It wasn’t directed at Ha Leeha.

The leader of the Metal Dragons gritted his teeth as he thought of Pyrot Cocri.

“Have you heard what it likes the most?”

“… Choices, right? Manipulating the opponent to do as it pleases—”

“Exactly. Blaugrunn told me. You communicated via messenger with Blaugrunn, and my story was included.”

“That’s correct.”

“Then it anticipated that you would summon me if you managed to get out.”

“Ah?!”

Ha Leeha made a face as if he had been struck.

Pyrot Cocri knew how to transform all the undead in Peklo City into its own form.

In that case, why didn’t it just launch a massive attack from the beginning? Why specifically deal with the trio?

‘The initial provocation was to make its opponents attack it. But that was a trap to force the choice of not fighting, and therefore we attacked it.’

It was confident because it knew as long as the crystal ball was untouched, it could be managed.

However, if even that was another twist in its complex trap?

“The moment I set foot in Peklo City, Pyrot Cocri would awaken by itself. And through the ‘Abyssal Maw’, suppose Le and Ghibrid come…?”

From Ha Leeha’s perspective, who had no idea where Bluebeard or Ghibrid were, and from Bahamut’s perspective, who couldn’t casually know other NPCs’ locations even as the highest-ranking AI, it was only natural to think cautiously like that.

“It was a trap. To lure the Lord…”

Blaugrunn looked impressed by the enemy’s cunning.

Ha Leeha was too stunned to say anything.

A monster that designs multi-layered psychological warfare and traps to capture Bahamut.

‘An enemy like Pyrot Cocri…requires thinking even beyond the battle with Chiyou.’

As all the pieces of the puzzle fit together, Ha Leeha felt his hair stand on end.

“Gerda, can you call Lumi now?”

『… Understood. But before that… Ha Leeha?』

“Yes!”

Ha Leeha responded urgently to the sudden call. The top-grade spirit of snow and ice approached Ha Leeha.

『To you, who pierced through the terror of the Undying Army… and finally accomplished the mission, I express my gratitude.』

“It’s nothing. I just did what I had to do.”

『This is a small gift I can offer in return.』

A dazzling light followed…

Ha Leeha saw the blue snowballs gathering around him and being absorbed into his body.

When the absorption of light ended, a fanfare resounded in Ha Leeha’s mind. Ba-ba-bam―!

『You have leveled up.』

『You have learned the skill ― Snow Storm.』

『You have acquired the achievement ― Spirits of Cold but Warm.』

‘Good! It’s finally over, only the last step remains!’

He didn’t even glance at the achievement or level. All that mattered to Ha Leeha was mastering the skill 〈Snow Storm〉!

He had already guessed that the next step would be 〈White Reaper〉, which only made him more anxious.

『See you at the entrance of the cave then.』

“Certainly.”

Gerda slowly began to disappear.

Ha Leeha also headed underground in the Cold Wind Mountain Range with Bahamut and Blaugrunn.

* * *

―How is it going, Ha Leeha?

―I’m continuously observing your movements, so if you deceive me even a little, I’ll kill you.

―Ah, just wait a bit. First, we’ve decided to freeze all the paths leading to Peklo City. So no one else can get in and wake them up, we’ll also set up a wide-area alarm spell.

“Freezing the path and setting up the alarm spell sounds good. If someone like you, Luger, steps forward and screws up, it would be a big problem.”

“What, what!? Who said I’d go in? Do I look that careless to you?”

Luger jumped up and down in anger, but Kidd shrugged it off.

“Hmm, but how does Ha Leeha plan to freeze everything? Although it’s known he’s related to Bahamut… Can a dragon really do that?”

“He’s not just any ordinary dragon. If he’s the leader of all metal dragons, he should be capable of that much.”

“Sss! But I have a feeling he’s hiding something. That guy always tries to do everything on his own.”

Luger’s nostrils flared as if sensing something instinctively. Even though Luger sensed something was amiss, Kidd was more interested in Ha Leeha’s current status.

“After all, he hasn’t even disclosed his second job yet. Investigating what skills Ha Leeha has learned is the priority.”

“Ha-ha, that’s the same for you. Kidd, what skill did you learn that allowed you to do ‘that’ without using the skill? To me, it sounded like you were discontent rather than showing off.”

Luger, probing if Kidd meant ‘unable to display new skills hence the dissatisfaction’, asked, and Kidd, looking displeased, pressed down on his hat.

“Ahem! Why don’t you worry about your 〈Cannoneer〉 instead.”

“I have nothing to hide! What’s the big deal in revealing everything! We can’t steal or cancel each other’s second job anyway, why hide it? You guys are just chicken-hearted―”

Ba-ba-bam―!

A fanfare resounded simultaneously in both of their minds, causing them to stop talking mid-sentence.

―Kidd! Luger! Did you also get the achievement notification? What is this?

“Damn……”

“Heh, h-haha…… Yes, this is fun; this is how it should be.”

『You have acquired the achievement: You are my Toys.』

『The two of them closely examined the new achievement that had just appeared.』

* * *

“What’s wrong, Ha Leeha-nim?”

Ha Leeha stared at the achievement window in front of him.

At the cave entrance of the Cold Wind Mountain Range, Gerda, and the Ice Spirit King, Lumi, were waiting for Ha Leeha and his group.

“No, it’s just… well… it still isn’t frozen yet, right?”

“What? The underground? Of course not. Lumi-nim has just emerged.”

As Blaugrunn tilted his head in confusion, Bahamut’s expression grew stern.

“…Is there a problem?”

“Yes, I believe… something has happened. We need to hurry! We need to seal the underground, quickly!”

Ha Leeha hurriedly ran towards the cave entrance.

Bahamut and Blaugrunn flew behind him.

At the cave entrance, Gerda and Lumi showed strange expressions as they saw Ha Leeha.

『Gerda?』

『Indeed, this is Ha Leeha, the one who discovered the existence of the Pyroth-Cocri and informed us―』

“Hurry! Hurry and block it, Pyrot Cocri is coming out!”

However, Ha Leeha had no time to acknowledge their pleased greetings.

『”No matter if you’re Ha Leeha, you should show respect! How dare you display such an attitude—”』

“Sorry, but I don’t have the time for elaborate words—please, Lumi-nim, Queen of Eyes and Ice!”

Ha Leeha couldn’t foresee what kind of penalty this might lead to, but he had to get straight to the point without beating around the bush.

『”It seems something urgent is happening. Very well. Bahamut, assist us.”』

If Gerda resembled a harsh and mature adult woman, Lumi looked more like a calm and gentle elder woman.

Lumi, the one who could be aptly described as the ‘Queen of Ice’, did not get angry with Ha Leeha, unlike Gerda.

“Haha, let’s do it, Lumi.”

Bahamut responded to Lumi as if addressing an old friend.

Despite having the leader of the Metal Dragons and a higher-tiered Spirit Queen in front of him, Ha Leeha did not even have time to marvel at them.

‘What on earth is happening!?’

〈Achievement: You are My Toy (S)〉

Impressive.

You have sparked the interest of one of the Demon King’s Fragments, Pyrot Cocri. While it may not be pleasant to congratulate you for capturing the attention of someone who kills all living things to turn them into undead, it does mean your outstanding abilities have been recognized.

Be cautious.

Even while sealed, she will pour all her strength to make you “her toy”.

All the undead in Peklo City will strive to find you.

To prevent the inevitable undeadification of yourself, here is a gift we can offer.

Reward: 25 Stat Points

Alarm function triggers if Pyrot Cocri’s avatar or any undead influenced by Pyrot Cocri is nearby.

(In case of death by the aforementioned entity, an undead monster with 120% of your death-time stats and skill grades will be created.)

You are the first registrant of the 〈You are My Toy〉 achievement.

Up to the third registrant, names will be recorded in the Hall of Fame and an additional 200% of the current effect will be applied.

Effect: 50 Stat Points

Despite gaining another S-grade achievement, Leeha could not be happy.

‘An alarm for Vampires, an alarm for Bluebeard, and now an alarm for anything related to Pyrot Cocri!? It’s not just a biological radar for the Demon King’s army, ahhh! What is this? Oh? But…’

Even in that moment, one phrase caught Ha Leeha’s eye.

‘You all?’

It was a situation that naturally elicited expletives. The phrase being plural meant…

—You are the second registrant.

—Damn it, all the undead of Peklo City will struggle to find me, not just Pyrot Cocri’s avatars?

Ha Leeha made a peculiar face as he listened to the whispers of Kidd and Luger.

—You guys achieved this too, huh? Should I be relieved about that, or be regretful about the stat points picked up?

Though he said that, there was hardly any jealousy about them catching the achievement as well. Ha Leeha was greatly relieved to share an achievement and a place in the Hall of Fame with his comrades.

—This isn’t the time to talk nonsense! What about freezing it? How did the freezing go?

—If we’re late, countless Pirate-Korkis will come pouring out. We must hurry, Ha Leeha!

Both of them urged Ha Leeha vigorously.

‘The moment I die to Pyrot Cocri—120% stats even upon death! Why does there have to be another penalty!’

Another version of himself with stats and skill levels 20% higher than what they were at the time of death?

‘Not a chance. If Undead Ha Leeha, Undead Kidd, and Undead Luger are created at the same time—’

Ha Leeha felt confident.

To defeat those three, it would be impossible with just the real three of them. If those undead ran rampant during the inaccessibility period after death penalties…

‘A decent twenty knight orders would vanish in one day.’

Therefore, sealing the cave entrance was of the utmost priority.

—Quickly block it, you… fool!

—Ah, it’s starting now! Luger, stop ranting! Will it help if you keep pushing?

Ha Leeha shouted at Luger and watched the magic of Lumi and Bahamut. Pure white mana particles endlessly poured into their bodies.

Blaugrunn and Gerda guarded the surroundings with serious expressions.

‘Peklo City’s underground is vast. But if they freeze the entire underground as it is!’

It wasn’t just about blocking the entrance with an ice wall. It meant filling the underground beneath the mountain range with ice.