Matan’s Shooter

“Am I not saying it now?”

“Pardon?”

Leeha was flustered and couldn’t grasp the meaning behind his words. Ulrek chuckled and elaborated.

“I, Ulrek, third prince of Saur Land and head of the Department of Creation Science, am one of the dinosaurs who has been there.”

Leeha was so shocked he almost fell off his chair.

“Is it really true?”

“It is, I’m telling you. Ulrek was the most recent one to visit, and a few others had gone before him.”

Leeha spoke excitedly.

The group had gathered in a hotel room that was suite-level, listening to Leeha’s story.

“Department of Creation Science… What an absurd name. Does their advanced civilization mean actual science? I was uneasy from the moment I saw the elevator.”

“Well, it’s not entirely like that. Luger, your point makes sense. But the important thing isn’t just science; it’s ‘creation’ science. Doesn’t that ring any bells?”

“Are you talking about creationism?”

“At least in the Middle Earth worldview, it’s a fitting term.”

Kidd immediately understood what Leeha was saying.

Fernand, who was listening nearby, asked Leeha a question.

“Does that mean it’s science developed based on the power of gods?”

“Probably. There are no living beings in Laputa, but there are ruins. It seems like the Saurus have been studying advanced civilization there since ancient times, and used that research to build their current civilization.”

“Ha, those dinosaur heads. They act all high and mighty, but in the end, it’s all stolen, isn’t it?”

“Not exactly. Just breaching the barrier of Laputa is proof they have a strong foundation.”

Luger wanted to downplay the Saurus, but no one agreed with him.

The Three Musketeers, who had been grumbling, now shut their mouths.

Those who were most curious about Laputa were finally about to speak.

“But a land without living beings… that’s utterly absurd. How could that land, that island, even function? Using magic across the entire island that’s undetectable by mana scans…”

“The barrier is also hard to comprehend. Umm, they said only the ‘worthy’ can enter. So, we thought there might be someone checking for eligibility.”

Bailephus and Fernand crossed their arms and shook their heads simultaneously.

Their points were fundamental and unavoidable questions for anyone who had seen Laputa.

Laputa had no living beings inside it.

“What Ulrek said is probably true. He has no reason to lie to me now.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Affinity. Alexander-ssi, you know that if the affinity level is high enough, NPCs might not answer but they won’t lie, right?”

“Hmm…”

Ulrek had shared a wealth of information with Leeha.

Leeha had listened to all of it and had deeply pondered the extent of that sharing.

However, it wasn’t just Leeha who had heard this information; Elizabeth, Brown, and Browless were also present.

While it might have been good to keep the information secret if he were alone, Leeha thought it was better to disclose and contemplate it with more people, as the information would soon come to light anyway.

“So, does that mean the island is meaningless?”

“No, I don’t think so. There were traces of life, he said.”

“Traces of life? What did he say was there?”

“Those who received the power of God. That’s what Ulrek said.”

“Received? Angels?”

Luger instinctively sensed the word and asked. His gaze was fixed on Bailephus.

Bailephus, holding the most knowledge among the NPCs present, shook his head despite his status as an Ancient Gold Dragon.

“I don’t know if they are angels, but Ulrek described that place as ‘the land where the power of God has melted.’ It’s supposedly the only place with a device that can reach God.”

Listening to Leeha’s words, everyone sank into thought.

The land where the power of God had melted. The place where those who received the power of God lived. The place with traces of the civilization of those who built it.

What could be in Laputa?

What does it mean to reach God?

Alexander and Fernand began to align their thoughts with the Pope of Ezwen.

The first to react was Kidd.

He lifted the brim of his hat and looked at Leeha.

Leeha did not avoid his gaze. A faint smile lingered on Leeha’s lips.

“Could it be… the power of a God-”

Kidd could not finish his sentence and turned his gaze away from Leeha. His focus shifted towards Luger.

Luger did not miss the small voice Kidd uttered. Naturally, his eyes widened as well.

“The power of a God, that- that!?”

“Possibly!”

Luger and Leeha spoke in turn.

Although Alexander, Fernand, and Bailephus still did not understand, at least the Three Musketeers could grasp something.

“The one that can stop the Arcane Bullet, is it that?”

“Not certain. But at this point, it’s the most likely.”

“Hah, haha… good, Ha Leeha. Very good. You’ve brought me excellent information, mutt.”

Luger looked at Leeha with a meaningful smile.

Of course, there was a reason Leeha could share such things without hesitation.

“You think you can enter Laputa without me?”

“Uh, what?”

“Make sure you know who is the only one capable of exerting influence in Saur Land… Luger.”

The only method to obtain information from Ulrek was through Leeha. What if Leeha had already heard the way to enter Laputa? And if he was hiding it?

“Y-you bastard!”

Luger, who lunged at Leeha with furrowed brows, halted when their eyes met.

“Aren’t you feeling thirsty?”

“Puhaha! Ahem, let’s see… bring me a glass of cold water with two floating ice cubes.”

This meant Leeha had control over the situation.

Kidd shook his head as he watched Luger change his attitude in an instant.

“At least, Ha Leeha, without you, nothing here would have been possible.”

“Your praise is too weak, weak.”

Leeha waved his hand at Kidd.

Stronger! Give stronger stimulation!

However, Kidd did not offer more praise. Instead, he merely smiled lightly.

“Hmpf. I see. If it’s weak, there’s nothing I can do.”

His response was sincere.

Kidd did not aim to impress Leeha. Rather, recalling Leeha’s past deeds, he felt genuine admiration.

If Leeha had not killed Toon?

If he had used the loot from his vocal cords and skin differently?

If he hadn’t gained a hint about vocal cords from Kaztor?

If he hadn’t known about Francis and Zamiel?

‘No, even if he did, not everyone could have acted that way.’

His ability to draw results from such information. Even with the same materials, very few users would have been able to overturn the decision of Saur Land’s king and successfully treat Kyle.

Leeha, unaware of Kidd’s thoughts, simply booed at him.

“Boo, Kidd you’re disqualified!”

“Khaha! That’s right! You’re disqualified! Now, cold water with floating ice!”

Watching Luger hand Leeha a cup, Kidd laughed.

“Haha, anyway… you all never change.”

The strange feeling Kidd had numerous times on his way here, others started to feel it too.

Not only users like Alexander and Fernand but even NPCs admired Leeha’s insight.

“Indeed. Without Leeha here… Kyle wouldn’t have entered here.”

“Right, right! Just endure for three more days and Kyle can get better! How could I possibly repay this favor—”

Elizabeth could not hide her flowing tears.

Kyle, who was not present at this location, was currently admitted to a hospital in Saur Land.

After a detailed examination, the time required for his treatment was determined to be three days.

Ulrek had given precise treatment instructions, and only after confirming that Elizabeth and Brown had begun the treatment process did they leave the hospital.

“Oh please, it’s an honor to be of help to you seniors. I still have so much to learn from you.”

Leeha smiled sheepishly.

Browless also watched Leeha and his comrades with a satisfied expression.

The next three days.

The belief that they could spend warm and peaceful days without any special worries gently spread within the room.

* * *

“Manticore is to be handled by Bobae and Hyein hyung! Start dealing with the Chimera line first! Healers, focus your healing on the paladins holding the line and me!”

Kijung, along with Byulcho and the paladins, was overseeing the defense wall at the border between the west and east of the New Continent.

Fortunately, the number of Manticores was not large.

When Hyein immobilized them by manipulating gravity or temporarily locking space, Bobae’s heavy arrows would pierce through their wing membranes, making it sufficient to keep them in check.

The Chimeras, however, were the main problem.

‘There are too many. We might be overrun.’

The sheer scale of their numbers made sweat drip down Kijung’s back!

To make matters worse, this wasn’t all the enemy’s Chimeras.

Chimeras kept pouring towards the Corrupted World Tree Forest, enough to fill the distant eastern plains.

“Phew, Kay! Do you feel it?”

“Of course, Tale hyung. It’s as if…”

Kijung stopped speaking and swallowed.

It was hard to say it aloud. Was there no other monster or life form in the eastern part of the New Continent?

‘All of them… turned into Chimeras? But according to Leeha hyung, there are still many monsters left.’

Yet, how could there be so many Chimeras?

“〈Fire: Advancing Sword〉! We do our duty!”

Whoosh―!

Tale’s sword burst into flames.

Swinging his now more fiercely burning sword, Tale sliced through the Chimeras.

Watching him, Kijung shouted.

“Absolutely! We have one final move left! Haap!”

Pushing back a Chimera’s tentacles with his shield, he lightly swung his sword. In response to his shout, another voice echoed.

“That ‘final move’! It’s me, isn’t it!?”

From the rear, her voice reached Kijung clearly. Unable to hide his delight, he turned to see her.

“Rapha—no, saintess!”

Saintess Raphaela was already casting wide-area healing spells across various fronts as she made her entrance.

She was laying down ‘healing zones’, typically reserved for raids, and another familiar user was alongside her.

―The count of Chimera entities has been completed. About 10 Manticores are on standby at the rear, but they are not moving… If they were planning a full-scale war, they would’ve approached much earlier. It seems like they’re trying to hide something with their actions. From the brief, fleeting moment on my map, it seemed like there was a huge entity they were attempting to conceal—

―Ghibrid! No, I apologize, Rubini! You mean Ghibrid, right!?

Kijung was so delighted that his words got jumbled.

‘I knew it! There was something unusual today! Chimeras have never shown such movements before!’

Listening to Rubini’s words, Kijung felt assured. There was no room for doubt.

Given that Rubini’s map-reading capabilities had significantly improved after the Pyrot-Cocri incident, his insights provided Kijung with enough empirical evidence to be confident.

Unlike the past when they had to be in close proximity to detect them, Rubini could now identify the Demon King’s fragments from a considerable distance.

Thus, the observations made by Byulcho’s guild master, who had guarded the border between the west and east of the New Continent, indicated one clear fact through Rubini’s guidance.

“The Saintess is here!”

“Don’t worry about your health! She will save anything as long as you’re not dead!”

Tankers on the frontlines shouted with morale high.

Raphaela, the person in question, smirked but her eyes were smiling.

“I’m done with the ‘Saintess’ image! I’m going to change to a cooler one! 〈All-Seeing Eye of Ahlo〉!”

It wasn’t just Rubini who had grown after the Pyrot-Cocri doppelgänger extermination. A gigantic eye began forming above Raphaela’s head.