Matan’s Shooter

TL: xLordFifth

ED:

“Am I crazy? Was it too obvious?” Shin Nara’s quick departure seemed to reflect her inner turmoil. Her focus was narrowed, barely aware of where she was walking.

“Suddenly saying that! Was it deliberate, a test? Maybe… Maybe he does have some feelings for me. Yes, that must be it.”

“Dame Shin, have you finished your business?”

Lost in thought, she barely registered someone calling her. Was that one sentence from Leeha so shocking? It was unprecedented for her to hear such a direct expression of feelings from him.

“Dame Shin?”

“Ah, ah! Sir Syndergaard. Yes? Yes?”

“What were you thinking about? You seem so preoccupied.”

“No, just…” Her train of thought was interrupted by another member of the Sacred Knights, Sir Syndergaard, who had just emerged from the headquarters.

“It looked like you visited Lord Ha Leeha. From your expression, it seems things went well.”

“What?! Ah… Yes, it seems to have gone well. We might see each other soon.”

“Really?”

“No, no, no. What am I even saying…”

Shin Nara was flustered, and Sir Syndergaard smiled knowingly. Given his and Leeha’s 100% affinity with the Sacred Knights, it was impossible for him not to remember Leeha.

“That Lord Ha Leeha, once riding a bear and causing a stir, is now the lord of a city. It’s surprising. He seems to meet the King often too.”

“Yes, Lord Ha Leeha is certainly no ordinary person.”

Shin Nara nodded at Syndergaard, her bright eyes conveying her sincerity even to an NPC.

“I’ll continue my patrol, Dame Shin.”

“Take care, Sir Syndergaard.”

After Syndergaard left, Shin Nara entered the headquarters of the Sacred Knights, her heart fluttering with anticipation. “I wonder when we’ll meet. Maybe next weekend? I should contact him first.”

Unbeknownst to Shin Nara, Leeha and Kijung would be departing somewhere else during ‘that week.’ For now, she only looked at the world with a hopeful, happy gaze.

[kyuu kyuu!]

“Did you find it?!”

[kyuu, kyuu!]

“Where, where?”

Clank, clank!

Leeha kicked aside gold coins as he rushed to Blaugrunn.

They had been in the royal treasury for over an hour and twenty minutes. Despite having a clear target, finding the desired item in the disorganized pile was challenging.

[kyuu…]

Blaugrunn grunted, pulling out an item and flying towards Leeha. Considering Blaugrunn’s assistance, it would have taken much longer to find the item without it. The item in Blaugrunn’s small hand was a long glove that could cover the entire forearm. It was made of dark brown leather, somewhat stiff to the touch.

“Yet, the fingers are different. The thickness and finishing are distinct.”

It was evidently a high-quality item, even without reading the description. Leeha took it from Blaugrunn.

[kyuu kyuu?]

“Yes, well done. Good job.”

Leeha petted Blaugrunn, who seemed to ask, ‘Did I do well?’ He then opened the item’s detail window.

[Legendary Gloves of the Firewisp Tree]

Defense: 1,600

Effects: Agility +27, Skill – Joint Fixation: Upper Limb

Requirements: Strength 100 or more, Agility 2,000 or more

Description: Gloves once worn by a legendary archer. Known for shooting an apple off his son’s head from 1km away. His unwavering posture, like a great tree, fascinated the continent. Witnesses claimed to have seen branches and leaves sprouting from his knees, ankles, elbows, shoulders, supporting him, but no evidence was found.

“Ha, ha, ha… Perfect.”

The gloves’ defense was slightly lower than the boots, but the added agility was two points higher. Not that these stats mattered.

“What matters is that I got them! I don’t care if the defense is zero or if it only adds one point of agility! This is what I needed!”

Leeha sought this item for one reason: the [Joint Fixation: Upper Limb] skill!

[Joint Fixation: Upper Limb]

Description: “Draw mana from the earth, feel it crossing your shoulders and arms… Now’s the time.”

Effect: Increases shooting range by 25%, Mana: 250

Duration: Until released, Cooldown: 30 minutes

“Hmm?! Ouch…”

[kyuu kyuu?]

“No, it’s good. Just thought the penalty might be around 30%.”

Wearing the gloves and checking the skill window, Leeha wasn’t entirely satisfied. The “Joint Fixation: Lower Limb” skill provided a massive 30% increase in range, but at the cost of immobility – a harsh penalty. However, the gloves didn’t have any such drawbacks.

In Middle Earth, where every action has a reaction, it’s impossible to have an incredible effect without some penalty. “Still, even without any penalty, a 25% increase seems overpowered… but I can’t help feeling a bit disappointed.”

[kyuu…]

“No, no. Actually, this is more than enough. Maybe there’s another item that increases range somewhere. Upgrading the Sniper skill is crucial too. I’m still at level 9 of the Sniper’s skill; just one more level up to Expert should make a big difference.”

Leeha remembered when his Sniper skill reached the Skilled level, increasing the range percentage. Now, just one more level-up to Expert would boost the maximum percentage again.

“If Skilled level gave 40%, Expert should offer at least 50%, right? Plus, 30% from Joint Fixation: Lower and 25% from Upper…”

As he did the simple math, Leeha’s smile grew. “Not enough? Far from it!”

“Ahaha! I was disappointed I couldn’t level up my Sniper skill during the voyage to the New Continent. I need to focus on leveling up the skill for a while. Shall we go, Blaugrunn?”

[kyuu kyuu!]

Blaugrunn’s mood improved with Leeha’s smile. Leeha confirmed his item choice with Lerik and left the Fibiel Royal Treasury.

Next was testing the new gloves. Leeha thought of a large, noticeable monster that came to mind. “Ugh, Jellypong! Stretch over that rock for me.”

SWOOSH-

An arm extended from Leeha’s vest, grabbing onto a rock and pulling him up. “Should have climbed this way from the start.”

[kyuu kyuu!]

“You say that because you can fly, Blaugrunn. I’m agile and have a bracelet that increases my jump, but climbing is still hard.”

Leeha grumbled, looking at Blaugrunn, who seemed to be mocking him. But it was no easy feat. What Leeha was doing wasn’t mere climbing; it was more akin to rock climbing a steep and rugged mountain without any safety gear.

“Of course, it’s hard. They designed the mountain to complicate things, especially since no other monsters appear here. It’s a challenging spot, meant to slow down players’ movements.”

Reaching the top of the mountain, where three men could barely stand, Leeha settled into a kneeling position – the best stance for precision in such a cramped space. He attached a stabilizer and finally used the skills.

“Joint Fixation: Lower Limb and Upper Limb.”

Rustle, rustle, rustle…

Dark brown or greenish mana roots sprouted from his shoes and gloves, wrapping around his body. Blaugrunn looked on in surprise.

[kyuu?!]

“It’s okay.”

Mana vines rooted his legs to the ground, wrapping around his knees, calves, and ankles, and his elbows, shoulders, and wrists, making it look like they were trying to fill up his armpits too. The sight of Leeha, covered in mana vines except for his head, was quite solemn.

[kyuu kyuu kyuu!]

“Don’t laugh!”

Though the sight was somewhat comical, Leeha focused on the task. He raised Black Bass to his eye, peering through the scope at a distant, wriggling gray mass. The moving targets were stone golems, challenging to identify due to their protective color blending with the surroundings.

Leeha knew that even with the scope at maximum magnification, it only felt like observing with the naked eye from a distance of 130-140 meters. “Hitting a human-sized target from here would be near impossible unless it’s stationary. Moving targets? Out of the question.”

But then he thought of an NPC capable of such a feat, the “Matan’s Shooter.” He wondered about Luger, who had gone to find this NPC.

“Hope he doesn’t get his head blown off. What was he thinking?”

Leeha took a deep breath and focused. It was time to see the full potential of his new skills and equipment.

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