Matan’s Shooter

“Damn it, damn it! 〈Acht-Acht〉! Kidd! Provide cover!”

“…”

Luger immediately raised his Cobalt Python.

He intended to use his skills right away and bombard the direction where the gunfire was coming from, but his attack needed preparation time. Therefore, he needed someone to support his attack, but the “Rapidfire” did not comply with Luger’s words.

“Kidd! Provide cover—”

—, —, —, —, —, —, —…

“—Argh! That bastard! He’s not even shooting at me!”

Instead of providing cover, he began to engage in clear counter-fire. Kidd scrambled from his position while shooting continuously.

If Luger’s and Leeha’s reactions were intense, how would the true successor of 『Rapidfire』, who particularly followed Browless, have felt?

“Director─────────!”

Kidd’s voice was calling out to Browless, but his determination was directed toward those who had shot Browless.

At least, it was clear that Kidd was different from usual.

His voice carried a killing intent.

“Wait, please! You can’t just rush out like that!”

“Bailephus! Prepare!”

“No, Alexander. First, we save the human.”

“Hmm?”

Bailephus chose a different course of action.

Meanwhile, Leeha finally managed to reach Browless’s side.

The fortunate thing was that the attacks aimed at Leeha had stopped. Even though his posture was lowered, the firing angle surely existed.

Nevertheless, they did not attack?

Even in such a hurried moment, Leeha didn’t overlook this fact.

“Director! Director! Are you alright?”

“… How could this be…?”

“Director! Are you hurt anywhere?”

Leeha hastily raised a potion, but there were no signs of injury on Browless’s body.

“I used a shield! But it broke in one hit, indicating that the 『enemy』s attack is not trivial. Bring the human here immediately, Ha Leeha!”

“In such a short span—”

“This is troublesome. I intervened unnecessarily! Speak quickly, golden lizard!”

It was thanks to Bailephus’s reflexive action just before Browless moved. The Three Musketeers became awkwardly silent, but the die was already cast.

The moment Browless exposed himself, the opponents would have recognized their presence; hiding further would not have much meaning.

“Kaztor and all, then let’s fire the first shot—”

“No! No, Luger!”

“Whoa! Director!?”

Browless, barely supported by Leeha, intervened just as Luger was about to fire.

As Luger’s body wavered, the “Acht-Acht” that had enveloped the Cobalt Python weakened and soon disappeared.

“What are you doing!”

“Not yet. It’s not time yet. Brown and Bess are on that side. We can’t attack now!”

“They are the ones who shot at the director.”

“No, no. That’s impossible.”

Both Luger and Kidd, who had been spitting fire from Crimson Gecko, had arrived, but Browless shook his head urgently.

“Director… but it’s the truth. They broke through Bailephus’s shield with a strong attack. You know this is not possible without someone at Brown or Elizabeth’s level.”

Leeha shared the same frustration. It was true they had attacked.

Given the numbers, Kaztor, Chiyou, and their group had shot at Browless and himself.

But why would they do that?

And why did they stop attacking after the shield was gone?

“… There’s a reason. There definitely is.”

Browless addressed the very point that Leeha had been pondering.

Alexander, who was about to move with Bailephus, also came back to Browless’s side immediately.

No matter the reason for them being together, once they were, Browless’s leadership was necessary.

“Any good ideas?”

“Dragon, you need to distract them. And… if our disciples can divert Kaztor and the Vampire Queen’s attention… I’ll try to persuade them. Then, they won’t shoot at you, dragon.”

“The battle that took place at the Demon King’s hideout was different. And remember, among them… is a Dark Elf.”

Even though Browless made a desperate request, Bailephus remained somewhat skeptical.

During the previous battle when Toon was resurrecting, they had faced interference from Brown, Elizabeth, and Kyle at the Demon King’s hideout.

All present knew that with shields, barriers, and evasion maneuvers of a considerable level, they could hold out for a while.

However, Bailephus referred to the last person as the crucial problem.

“Kaztor being with him… The ‘Arcane Bullet’ might be coming at us.”

It was possible to speculate that Kyle had some issue preventing him from using Arcane Bullet. However, wasn’t that a problem only when Kyle was alone?

What if Kaztor helped him?

Kaztor was the very person who turned Kyle into Arcane Sniper and threatened Elizabeth and Brown.

“Damn it, if they fire Arcane Bullet, there’s no answer.”

“It’s highly likely. No matter how ancient gold the dragon is… it can’t dodge it.”

It was at that moment when Leeha’s eyes lit up amid the whispers of Luger and Kidd.

“Let’s do it.”

“What did you say?”

“Let’s follow the Headmaster’s plan. Bailephus and Alexander should draw the shooters’ attention over there. And Kidd, Luger, you two focus on Chiyou. Fernand, keep tracking the location and relay instructions through whispers.”

“… So, you’re saying you’ll block Kaztor alone.”

“No need to block him forever, right? Just until Director gets near Elizabeth and Brown…”

It was an operation requiring a precise plan.

If the timing or positions of their appearances overlapped, everyone could be in danger.

But with the possibility of Kaztor and the targets disappearing if they delayed further, there was no more time to waste.

Click.

Leeha inserted a magazine into the Black Bass.

Watching this, Browless pulled his hat down firmly.

“Let’s do this.”

Browless’s one sentence was enough.

They quickly dispersed.

***

“Impressive, impressive! To incapacitate that Browless with just three shots!”

Chiyou trembled.

She wasn’t surprised even when Browless came running out shouting from afar.

She had already received all reports from Faust.

“Alexander and the dragon, Kidd, Luger, Fernand, and the NPC that fires guns. I already figured out it was Browless… but that fool, how could he miss Ha Leeha?”

But it was different when Ha Leeha came out to rescue Browless. She opened the friend window and checked Faust’s login status.

“If he did that just to mess with me… let’s see.”

He was alive.

As Alexander feared, he used the ‘Play Dead’ skill to escape undetected by all NPCs.

Chiyou, who had just broken through the Platinum Shield and awaited Leeha’s death, heard no more gunshots.

Yet, she couldn’t afford to shout, urging them to shoot quickly. In that place, she was the ‘lowest authority’.

The ‘highest authority’, who currently dominated the situation, opened his mouth.

“What’s going on? I clearly told you to shoot those two.”

“… You said to incapacitate them. I shot both Leeha and Browless. They won’t come at us anymore.”

“Hah! Ridiculous. Are you confident with just those bullets?”

At Kaztor’s words, Elizabeth lightly lowered her head. It was not Elizabeth who refuted him.

“Because Lisa’s heart would be in it.”

“Heart?”

Brown, resting his hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder, glared at Kaztor.

No longer using sweet nicknames like ‘Honey’. Brown’s determination was reflected in the nickname for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looked at Brown’s face.

Brown continued speaking.

“It’s our wish… that you don’t come any closer and just go back… Browless would’ve understood.”

The old camaraderie of the Three Musketeers made them this tightly knit. Chiyou pondered about the settings of NPCs for a moment.

And then, she thought of the cunning dark elf who was set not to be swayed by ‘this atmosphere’.

“You’re talking nonsense. If you don’t shoot, there’s another way.”

“Stop it!”

No matter what they said, Kaztor immediately turned around.

Brown hastily grabbed his shoulder, but Kaztor just frowned back at him.

“…Caught?”

“Kuh, ugh, I will let go. But stop. Don’t touch Kyle.”

“You must already know that there’s nothing you can touch or do. Soon, your children will become uncontrollable. Soon… ha, yes, soon. That’s how it will be.”

“No! That’s not true.”

“Well, well. You came near Saur Land but couldn’t go in and roamed around here… It means Toon’s kind didn’t accept you. You know well that everything ended at that moment.”

Kaztor said very kindly.

Hearing his sarcastic words, Brown clenched his fists tightly. However, this time, Elizabeth stopped him.

“We’ll surely find a way. We’ll break free from your wretched curse.”

“It’s not a curse, Elizabeth… it’s a blessing.”

Kaztor didn’t back down even a single word.

Chiyou was watching this entire conversation and scene.

From the moment Kaztor had first discovered Elizabeth, Brown, and Kyle until now.

Perhaps at this point, Chiyou knew the most about Kyle, the ‘Arcane Sniper’, even more than Leeha and the Three Musketeers.

She was so immersed in ecstasy that she could no longer maintain her expression.

‘Just one word… with just one word, he suppressed everyone. I’ve been entranced by this thing called Arcane Bullet, but the NPCs here are no joke either. In this case… what should I do?’

As she quickly scanned the NPCs around her, Chiyou’s brain whirred like it was on fire.

She had only one mission given by Bluebeard.

‘Secure Arcane Sniper. As long as I am the Vampire Queen… I cannot defy the will of Bluebeard.’

But performing Bluebeard’s mission was also problematic.

Could she secure Arcane Sniper in this situation?

Perhaps she could coax Kaztor and Kyle sufficiently, take them to Bluebeard, and in the meantime, turn Kyle into a vampire?

‘No, no… that’s not right.’

This must be what Bluebeard thought.

Since Chiyou had deduced the NPC’s plan, she had gained the leisure to think over his strategy.

‘What if I team up with Kaztor instead…? Dethrone Bluebeard… Kuhuhu, uhuhut!’

Enjoying a laugh she couldn’t voice out loud, Chiyou was suddenly poked in the side by Kaztor.

“Cut!”

“Is this situation funny? What are you laughing at?”

“Ah, nothing, Kaztor-nim. I was just slightly impressed by your ingenious strategy.”

“Hah, such flattery… Get a grip. As long as those guys are following us, especially that ‘Ha Leeha’, it’s not going to be easy to shake them off—Craah!”

Before Kaztor could finish his words, golden light exploded.

『Kyaaaaaaahhh—!』

“So, they’re coming out like that. Hey, prepare yourselves!”

Bailephus’s roar echoed widely.

Elizabeth and Brown could no longer defy the enraged Kaztor.

Not yet able to fully utilize her abilities in broad daylight, Chiyou had no choice but to obey Kaztor’s orders.

* * *

『〈Absolute Barrier〉, 〈Protect from Normal Missiles〉!』

After casting barrier magic with a relatively short duration and increasing resistance to all physical long-range attacks, Bailephus, with its immense base defense of dragon scales, still didn’t let his guard down.

———, ———, ———!

He had to be that cautious.

『Ugh, be careful, Alexander!』

At the initial acceleration stage, the speed was not yet stable.

But it wasn’t exactly slow either, and knowing their shooting skills, they were deliberately performing evasion maneuvers like rolling, yet Elizabeth and Brown didn’t miss their “gnats.”

Alexander also clung flat against Bailephus’s body, surveying the ground.

“Hmm. Perhaps… this is the best opportunity to test it out, friend.”

He grasped his spear.

The motion carried his will to sweep away the enemies on the ground right away, but Bailephus restrained him.

『… Not yet. At least, it’s better if we link up with Ha Leeha’s strategy before we proceed.』

“Of course. I am merely preparing for the worst.”

They shouldn’t act recklessly.

Above all, their current goal wasn’t to assassinate Brown, Elizabeth, or Kyle.