Matan’s Shooter

TL: xLordFifth

ED: 

To control this place would mean gaining a foothold in conquering the New Continent. It’s a hub for not only NPCs but also players carrying secret orders from various kingdoms.

“That’s why it’s somewhat awkward to form parties here.”

It’s hard to trust anyone. Especially since Fernang pinpointed an exact location. If he reaches there, he’s certain to gain a discovery achievement. Knowing the value of information on the New Continent, it’s natural to hesitate to travel with anyone other than truly trusted players. Leeha suddenly realized his own thoughts and was surprised. Even someone like him, who generally trusts people easily, was thinking this way.

‘Other players must also be highly cautious and investigative, especially in the New Continent, where only advanced players venture.’

Leeha could easily predict the strife that would soon arise from this land. But finding someone trustworthy to call or look for? That wasn’t easy either.

‘Ah, the time pressure! It’s not the 150 days that’s the issue… I have to fly to Hong Kong tomorrow!’

There was less than 24 hours left in reality!

Probably, after a day or three in Middle Earth time, he would really be facing the situation of imminent departure. Waiting for other players to clear the demon sources was too time-consuming. He had to move alone.

“What you’re muttering about is unclear, but if it’s thinking you need, you don’t have to do it alone, Leeha-ssi.”

“Eh? Haha! That’s right. I’m not alone.”

“Huh?”

No, to be precise, he wasn’t alone. Leeha smiled at Blaugrun, who looked up at him with a blank expression. Party play? He already had a reliable ally.

Leeha pulled out a magazine.

“In that case, there’s no choice. Whether it’s a demon source or not…”

Click-!

“Let’s try facing it just the two of us.” His dramatic insertion drew momentary attention from those around him, but that was all. Blaugrun used a mass teleportation as soon as Leeha gave the coordinates.

Soon, all traces of their presence were gone.

[Key to the Realm of Spirits (One-time use, then expires)]

Effect: Allows one entry into a spirit realm. 

Description: A remnant from a divine being. The spirit kings born in his abode had a profound influence on all life in Middle Earth. However, the deity always rejected unilateral influence. To allow the creatures of Middle Earth to also affect spirits, this key was crafted.

[Doors appear. Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Luck- and more than ten others. Each one leads to a spirit realm. Can I only choose one? I decide to try, leaving this book behind in case I don’t return.]

An item revealed through the records of the greatest Wood Elf spirit mage, Alren Srna, who researched all things spirit and was the first to contract with all nineteen spirit kings.

“Hmm… Blaugrun-ssi, do you know anything about the Key to the Realm of Spirits?”

“I am not a spirit.”

An unexpected reply from Blaugrun, who usually chattered away even without being asked. But when he really needed information, Blaugrun claimed ignorance.

“Then, let me rephrase the question. Do you know how many types of spirits there are? Or anything about the spirit mage Alren Srna?”

“That’s the same question.”

“Huh?”

“Alren Srna, a Wood Elf who once piqued the interest of dragons. He contracted with nineteen spirit kings and then declared there were no more natural spirits. That

was during my time as a hatchling… well, not the recent hatchling phase.”

If Blaugrun was a hatchling at that time, it meant Alren Srna, the Wood Elf, must have been an individual from at least 1,000 years ago.

‘Definitely an NPC then. After all, a spirit mage who contracted with all spirit kings would undoubtedly be a top ranker.’

Leeha briefly wondered if Srna might be a player but quickly nodded in agreement with his own thoughts.

“But you’re saying there are nineteen spirit kings?”

“According to Alren Srna’s claim. That’s something even we dragons can’t accurately determine. Magic and spirits are entirely different realms, and… Bahamut-nim doesn’t exactly have the best relationship with spirits.”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

Leeha pondered the complexity of the spirit realm and the vast number of spirits that might exist within it. It opened a whole new dimension of possibilities in Middle Earth, a world already rich with lore and magic.

“Then there are nineteen spirit types, huh?” Leeha mused. “If Alren Srna’s claim is true, it means there’s a vast, unexplored aspect of Middle Earth waiting to be discovered.”

Despite the uncertainty and the new challenges ahead, Leeha felt a spark of excitement at the prospect of delving into this unknown territory. With the Key to the Realm of Spirits in hand, he had the potential to unlock new mysteries and perhaps encounter entities beyond his current understanding.

Bahamut’s relationship with spirits could be inferred from the reaction of the Sea God Elraim, so Leeha nodded in understanding.

‘Spirits.’

Despite possessing items related to spirits, Leeha realized he knew little about them. But this was to be expected, as information on the internet was limited.

The most famous were the seven spirits, representing the four classical elements – fire, water, wind, and earth – plus electricity. There were also rumors of ‘light and darkness’ spirits, though these were not confirmed.

‘Seven spirits, with two still largely unknown.’

But were there truly 12 more unconfirmed spirits? Leeha pocketed the translucent key, tempted to use it immediately.

Just knowing the remaining types of spirits would be invaluable. Even selling this information could be lucrative.

‘But the time…’

The pressing time constraint was an issue. Using the key meant choosing one door among many, a choice that could not be undone.

“Stop!”

“Whoa!”

Blaugrun abruptly yanked on Leeha’s clothes, halting him. As a dragon beyond the hatchling stage, Blaugrun possessed considerable strength.

“Any further is dangerous. This is where it starts… the mana source.”

Pointing with his small finger, Blaugrun indicated something visible even from a distance – a structure towering high into the sky, unmistakably similar to the ‘corrupted World Trees’ Leeha had encountered before.

“Indeed… But there seem to be fewer monsters than expected-”

“There are many. You might not see them yet, Leeha-ssi.”

Leeha asked, confused, as he saw no monsters in sight.

“This source was identified by Fernand, right? Impressive for a human.”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to enter?”

“Hmm, I want to assess the situation first. According to Fernand, normally one demon source requires three raid teams for a successful operation. Five if the teams aren’t well-coordinated.”

A party typically consists of five members, and a raid team is made up of five parties. Normally, a demon source is tackled by 25 players. The two demon sources cleared so far followed this pattern.

This meant a minimum requirement of 75 players and a recommended number of around 125, all of whom should be elite players capable of handling the New Continent.

This wasn’t just a standard raid or dungeon from the Old Continent; it was a serious challenge requiring top-tier players.

“[Detect Evil].”

While Leeha was explaining, Blaugrun cast a spell without much attention to his words.

Whooooosh!

Until a moment ago, the area resembled a wasteland overrun with weeds, barren except for a lone tree in the distance, and devoid of any animals.

But now?

“Grrrrr…”

“Creeeek- Creeeek”

“We’ve got- humans here-”

Countless monsters appeared, too many to count. Not just in number, but their types were diverse as if a dungeon’s worth of monsters were squeezed into a small space.

“…Blaugrun-ssi? You heard me, right?”

“One by one, they are around level 260 to 280 in human terms. Let’s go.”

“What? Where? Wait a minute!”

“Just follow me. I’ll protect you. I know that’s what you’d want, Leeha-ssi.”

Before Leeha could react, Blaugrun began to transform, emitting a teal light.

Leeha knew immediately what it was – Dragon Form. He hadn’t seen Blaugrun in this form since he reached the Juvenile stage.

“Big- no, small?!”

Relative to his memories of an adult Blaugrun, this form was significantly smaller, though still larger than Leeha.

A fearsome sight to enemies, yet lacking the overwhelming terror of an Ancient Dragon like Bailephus, Kuzgunak’sh, or Bahamut.

Leeha felt a mix of joy and slight disappointment. Riding on Blaugrun now seemed plausible.

Kyaaaaaaaah———!

‘- And he’d probably bite my head off for suggesting it.’

Blaugrun roared, a sound filled with the assertion of his existence. This Bronze Dragon, reborn through a mythical item after a death in his Adult stage, now proudly displayed his true dragon form, despite being a Juvenile.

The roar was a testament to his achievement, and Leeha looked on with admiration. It was a different kind of pride from when he had fed Blaugrun the growth accelerator.

“Karararara——!”

“Caw- Caw——Ka!”

“Blaugrun-ssi! Flying monsters!”

But were the monsters of the New Continent similarly moved? Unlike those of the Old Continent, none of them halted at the roar of a Juvenile Dragon, which normally would have a substantial status effect.

The creatures – from four-winged crows to giant birds that were mere skeletons, even boss-level raptor monsters from Candle Castle – numbered well over fifty.

As Leeha shouted, Blaugrun twisted his long neck to look at him.

[Don’t worry, just take care of yourself.]

The dragon was smiling. In an instant, teal granules gathered before his face. Before Leeha could react, scales on Blaugrun’s chin flashed.

Electricity surged, channeled through the mana emanating from his Dragon Heart.

“Ugh!”

Leeha covered his ears.

He had to close his eyes against the blinding light but managed to catch a glimpse of the breath attack.

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