Matan’s Shooter

TL: xLordFifth

ED: 

“Good job, Luger.”

“I didn’t go through all this trouble to hear that kind of compliment from you.”

Kidd patted Luger’s shoulder, but Luger just grumbled and didn’t remove his hand.

Kidd smiled and extended his hand.

“Aren’t you going to shake it?”

“…Damn it.”

Snap!

The joy wasn’t exclusive to them. Pei Wu and Bald Panda, and Taoist Baeju and Taoist Mu embraced each other. 

Even Petyr, with laughter, extended his hand to Biyemi. Of course, Biyemi didn’t reciprocate the gesture, raising her tail in response to Petyr’s attempt to act friendly. Pirate users and Giant users alike gathered for screenshots or started recording without any reservations. In that moment of shared happiness, a shadow came running towards Leeha.

“Oppa!”

Her blue hair shimmered in the moonlight. Leeha recalled some past nightmares, but Ram Hwajung, disregarding it all, rushed into Leeha’s embrace.

“Agh! Ram Hwajung-ssi! Another tackle like this-“

“Leeha-nim!”

“Rubini-nim, are you okay? My arm… my arm!”

Even with Ram Hwajung tightly held in her arms, Rubini was also tightly gripping one of Leeha’s arms. Meanwhile, Leeha glanced at Shin Nara from a distance, who was holding her fist and walking around, seemingly avoiding eye contact with Leeha. Leeha couldn’t understand. Just before Leeha looked at Shin Nara, she had been gazing at him but diverted her gaze.

“We finally made it, we really made it!”

“Oppa, we did it.”

“It’s not something I could have done alone, but… thank you all for your hard work.”

Shaaai—

At that moment, the appearance of Blaugrun, who appeared above Leeha’s head, added to the joy with its cheerful cries. Even in the midst of this, there were a few users who couldn’t smile. The radiant glow of leveling up, the meaning of which was emanating from the entire expedition to the new continent, was something else. While other users were rejoicing, Lee Jiwon felt a complex emotion to the extent that he ignored the fact that he had leveled up.

“Is Alexander really level 300 for real?”

Alexander, the first player in Middle Earth to reach the maximum level, had leveled up as well.

At the ranker level, a difference of 1 stat point is a tremendous difference. Depending on the situation, the efficiency of stat point investment can be as high as tenfold compared to low levels! This is because the efficiency of stat investment is not set to be the same as in low levels.

“Ah… I see. Alexander also leveled up…”

Since the Phase 3 announcement, he hadn’t responded to anyone, including Leeha, who asked, but he couldn’t hide the level-up effect.

“It seems the wall has finally broken.”

“Congratulations. Partner.”

“Thank you, Bailiphus. With this, I won’t be lacking in our future endeavors together.”

“I’m grateful just for the determination to enforce justice.”

Alexander exchanged a firm handshake with Bailiphus, who had a somewhat touched expression. Somehow, Leeha’s nose felt itchy.

“Even if you are not overflowing with joy, I thought that there would be something like a hug of gratitude.”

“Well, it does feel like Alexander after all.”

“That’s right. Still, it’s fortunate that we know the secret of Phase 3. Hmm, when will I hit level 300?”

“Bobae-ssi, you leveled up too, so it’s fine. Your experience should be around 50% by now, right?”

“Well then, what can I say? Leveling up from here is like hell. I have no idea when I can fill the remaining experience points.”

Leeha, Ram Hwajung, and Rubini were surrounded by Byulcho guild members, watching Alexander’s figure. The event of the first-place ranker reaching the maximum level was a moment dominated by a kind of reverence, where even jealousy wasn’t present.

“Everyone! Everyone! It’s amazing to be so happy! We’ve only taken the first small step! To truly take the ‘great first step’!”

Fernand, clapping his hands, induced the concentration of users. And when everyone’s gaze focused, he pointed at the still-docked New Serpent and Blue Marlin.

“We need to build a mana relay tower! Let’s divide the manpower and resources needed to operate the ships. Hyein and Bailiphus, please help with the teleport. Others, let’s find a place to build the mana relay tower!”

“Right decision, Fernand.”

“Of course, I’m an explorer and an adventurer! We’ve grown this much with the discovery experience, but what about completing the quest? I can’t even imagine!”

Fernand trembled with joy. In this joyous situation, he was more excited than usual, and even Alexander chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. The members of the New Continent Expeditionary Force did not need to wait for Fernand’s additional instructions.

Since each knew what they had to do, immediate action would be more helpful.

The moment Fernand jumped onto the boat with excitement,

“Okay, then everyone, let’s move—”

“Le—t’s Go—! Hwaaaaaaaak———-!”

“Uwaa!? What’s this?!”

“Ah, my eyes!”

Behind the sand dunes, from the middle of the towering pillars of trees that seemed to pierce the sky, a burst of red light erupted. Other users hastily covered their eyes due to the sudden outpouring of light, but Leeha was different.

He recognized this voice, this light; he had experienced it for real!

‘Red goats!’

Was that what they were called? No, considering the timing and the location where they used that ‘transformation’ skill!

“Go back! To your land! This is not a warning!”

The voice of the goats echoed as they collided with the thick pillars of wood.

Beyond the deafening noise, through the rustling wind, Leeha heard a sound.

“Everyone, defend! Lord Bailiphus!”

“Extra Barrier!”

The Gold Dragon used a magic spell without hesitation to encompass all the surrounding users.

Most of the users who were either celebrating the arrival of the New Continent or making noise were included in it.

“Wait, over there—”

However, one person couldn’t get inside. Someone who didn’t want to be with anyone, no, tried not to be. Shin Nara, with her sword drawn, stared at the incoming ranged attacks. Bobae became contemplative, and Kijung shouted. But Shin Nara didn’t hear it. No, even if she did, it was already too late. The ranged attacks thrown by the red goats caught fire in mid-air.

It was like a wall of fire created in the enclosed forest, a fire rain.

“Ah, ah…”

Shin Nara tried to block it. If it were just simple arrow-ranged attacks, they wouldn’t dare to strike her. However, the giant forest was not far from the sandy plain, and there were too many and fast-fire arrows directed at her. Shin Nara’s pupils shook. Was she to die so meaninglessly, just after arriving at the New Continent? She shook her head unconsciously. She couldn’t afford to be bewildered. She had to do everything to survive!

“No—”

Swish—!

Just before she tried to fend off the attacks, a silhouette suddenly appeared in front of her. The silhouette hugged her tightly.

“Of course, you should hate it! That’s how you should be, Shin Nara-ssi!”

-Swirl-

The first step had begun.

Pa-pa———————!

Dozens of fiery arrows poured down on Leeha’s back as he held Shin Nara.

“Leeha-hyung———-!”

Kijung screamed. From the moment the red light burst forth along with the cry of the Red Goats, Leeha’s thoughts accelerated rapidly.

‘I was too careless. I should have kept Rubini’s skill activated!’

In the euphoria of finally stepping on the land of the New Continent, all tension had dissipated. He knew that the New World, even with Rubini’s skill, was always ready to target them at any moment! However, regret came too late, and the echoes were already audible.

“Go back! To your land! This is not a warning!”

The thunderous shout confused the members of the New Continent Expedition, but even within that chaos, some found their tasks. Pei Wu counted the number of Red Goats on the wooden pillars and beneath Elmi, summoned creatures were slowly rising. Just because they suffered a surprise attack didn’t mean their weapons and skills disappeared. Members of the New Continent Expedition quickly calculated their own and the ‘enemy’s’ strengths.

“We have to attack!”

“If it’s red, there’s a high probability of fire-type skills. Cast with a focus on neutralizing attributes—”

“No! Don’t do it!”

Despite the beginning of a background battle with Raphaela’s barrier, during this moment, Leeha’s thoughts were going in a different direction.

“Hyung?!”

“What are you saying at this point?” 

Kijung, who was about to raise his shield and take the lead, hesitated. Leeha didn’t have time to explain. On the tree, an unidentified ranged attack was already being attempted!

“Everyone, don’t do anything! Absolutely do not counterattack! Focus on defense! Bailephus-nim, use Extra Barrier!”

The users had some confidence in facing an unknown enemy, and one of the reasons was the presence of the Ancient Gold Dragon Bailephus. However, Leeha blocked even Bailephus’s attempt to attack verbally. Moreover, Bailephus cast a wide-area defense magic at Leeha’s command. If it weren’t for Leeha’s intimacy with Bailephus, it would have been an unimaginable ‘order.’ Alexander frowned, trying to stop Leeha’s sudden action, but everyone’s attention was on the figure outside of Bailephus’s barrier.

“Wait, over there—”

Bobae’s shout pointed towards Shin Nara. Leeha rushed out without hesitation.

Flurr-!

The ranged attacks that came flying ignited in flames. The surroundings seemed brighter due to the fiery rain directed at Shin Nara.

“Come back right now, Ha Leeha.! What do you think you can do by going out like that?”

“Oppa!”

It was such a threatening attack. Kidd and Ram Hwajung shouted at Leeha, but he didn’t even look back.

‘If Ha Leeha dies now—’

‘It’s troublesome. He shouldn’t disappear yet.’

‘And what does it mean not to retaliate? What was he thinking?’

‘If he wants to die, he should at least say so!’

Other users had similar thoughts, though unspoken. Regardless of the strategic value, Ha Leeha’s impact on the New Continent Expedition was greater than that of the 6th-ranked Fencer Shin Nara. However, Leeha ignored all such considerations. Originally, he wasn’t the type to build relationships based on practical considerations. In his mind, only Shin Nara’s death existed, and his instincts were too powerful to consider it rationally.

‘Damn it! I hate things like fire and explosions! Is this going to paralyze my lower body?’

Even in the midst of being thrown away, such thoughts crossed his mind—a self-deprecating joke to release tension. Of course, there was a reason to turn his condition into a joke, as it was a thought that arose from a self-imposed standpoint.

This was Middle Earth, and Leeha had one corner of trust in this place.

“I hate—”

Leeha blocked her way.

“Of course, you should hate it! That’s how you should be, Shin Nara-ssi!”

“-Leeha-ssi.”

Then he embraced her.

“Please, Jellypong! And, [Titanium Shield]!”

A thud, the sound seemed like it would never end.

As if it would tear Leeha’s back to shreds.

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