Chapter 619

Arcane Sniper [Matan’s Shooter] Chapter 619

In reality, the individual who was overseeing the New Continent’s diocese and mediating the minor conflicts within Juma City was none other than the Bishop NPC right before their eyes. Initially, despite Leeha’s [Dignity] buff, he treated them with a certain level of disdain, but now, he was cautious enough to speak formally. This change was all due to the incredible accomplishments Leeha had shown. Along with the slaying of a manticore, the fact that key figures from various knight orders were trying to get on Leeha’s good side had shifted the Bishop NPC’s system recognition.

“Surely, it’s not like there aren’t concerns, but now’s not the time to voice them.”

Realizing this, Leeha nodded with a smile.

“It’s alright, don’t worry.”

“Y-Yes?”

“After all, the five Paladins that came with Cardinal Romero are among the elite.”

Leeha glanced at the five knights surrounding Cardinal Romero. Responding to Leeha’s words, the knights brought their swords to their chests as a salute. Leeha, seeing this, smiled contentedly and then cocked the hammer of Black Bass.

“And then...”

Click!

The sound of a bullet being chambered made the Bishop NPC flinch.

“With me here, no enemy will come close enough to bother us, so don’t worry.”

“It’s not that we doubt you, but... Should anything happen to the Cardinal, our theocracy—”

Boom!

A Two-Headed Ogre’s chest vanished with a loud explosion.

“What was that? I didn’t catch it.”

Click!

The sound of the gun being reloaded.

“No, nothing at all.”

The Bishop NPC’s anxious expression had vanished. Leeha returned his focus to the scope.

“It seems handling the monsters won’t be much of an issue. Koma and Blaugrunn are also giving their all... Should be done in under three hours?”

While all showcased impressive skills, Leeha noticed discernible differences in combat ability among the groups.

“Hmm, as expected of Sacred Knights.”

Their white glowing halos and pure white cloaks. Their cloaks seemed unstained by blood. Led by Shin Nara, the Sacred Knights, Fibiel’s Capital Defense Knights, were overwhelmingly pushing back large monsters.

“Kay, Hyein, and Bobae’s combination seems pretty good lately. Kijung might be a bit jealous.”

Next, there was Byulcho.

Their past focus on elite numbers shone through at moments like this. Since the guild was well-coordinated, their division of members and link-up play were impeccable. Among them, Hyein and Bobae caught Leeha’s attention.

With Mass Blink, Hyein could instantly move close to targets, and Bobae, from any position, could precisely shoot arrows to their destination. Teleporting to a good vantage point to target the nape of large monsters, Bobae would swiftly fill it with various arrows, quickly eliminating nearby monsters.

Then there were Kijung, Tale, Biyemi, and Jin Gonggong, none of whom were ordinary.

“Kijung, that guy, not even sharing his ‘Strengthening’ results. But he’s definitely improved.”

While typical knights of knight orders and their tank NPCs would generally avoid monsters’ attacks as much as possible, within Leeha’s scope, Kijung alone was withstanding attacks from five huge monsters.

Without dodging, facing them head-on, holding only his shield.

Once he successfully drew the aggro, Biyemi’s debuff skills hit the mark! Tale, grabbed by Jin Gonggong transformed into a Golden Eagle, was bombing from the air.

The added velocity of Tale’s flaming sword thrust was perfectly aimed, exploiting the monsters’ weak points flawlessly from their blind spots.

“And then... it’s them, isn’t it?”

While other knight orders were certainly strong and spectacular, there was one group that caught Leeha’s eye. Not for the cleanliness of the Sacred Knights or the ingenious efficiency of Byulcho, but for their sheer ‘brilliance’, a knight order that in no way fell short.

“Anyway, since I don’t fully understand swordsmanship or knight skills, I guess I’ll never really know. But what in the world is that?”At least, Leeha was familiar with styles that involved cutting down an adversary with brute strength or swiftly slicing through them in an instant with a rapid blade.

However, the movements before him seemed to have no relation to either speed or power, leaving him at a loss for words.

The only sensation Leeha could ascertain was that it was ‘spectacular’.

Every swing of the sword left a vivid afterimage, and the fact that these afterimages were rainbow-colored seemed almost expected.

“The ‘Knight of the Rainbow’... just as literal as it gets. Even their knights’ skills are quite formidable.”

Lark had just slashed through a Two-Headed Ogre’s heads in a single swing.

As soon as he landed, he was about to launch another attack when his head whipped back, looking up at the sky.

“Huh?”

Lark pointed towards the sky.

His mouth moved, saying something, but Leeha couldn’t hear it from where he was.

However, at his shout, all the nearby knights looked up as well.

“What’s happening, all of a sudden?”

“Ah, aaaah... That- Those are surely not...”

Leeha, who had been focused solely on the world through his scope, was naturally the last to notice them.

It was only after hearing the bishop’s scornful voice that Leeha took his eye off the scope.

“Leeha-nim. Enemies are approaching. You have about 20 minutes left.”

“Hyung!? Hyung! What’s that!? Can it be that?”

“Leeha-ssi! In the sky! Up in the air!”

“Leeha-nim? The path to the Divine Staff is twisting! Something is here!”

Kijung, Shin Nara, and Fernand, who had been moving to find an alternative route just in case, all messages came in simultaneously.

But Leeha couldn’t focus clearly on those voices.

“This is insane...”

Divine Staff might have been beyond his scope, but it was visible enough through it.

Those darkening the sky as they flew. Those shaking the ground as they ran.

They were unmistakably minions of demons.

When the ground started to shake slightly, as if a minor earthquake had occurred, making the land near the Divine Staff tremble, their leader had already entered Leeha’s scope.

“...Toon...!”

A host of Manticore among other flying monsters, and a horde of massive beasts. Leading them was Toon.

The distance between the vanguard engaged in combat and the Divine Staff was about 400 meters. The distance from the Divine Staff to Toon and the others was roughly 1,000 meters.

“My Lord... Haven’t You led us to the Divine Staff?”

The bishop NPC knelt, trembling.

Even the NPCs who had prayed during every wave were scared enough of the might of these enemies.

“Leeha-nim, what will you do?”

“Huh?”

“Including myself, the guidance to this Divine Staff is now entirely left to Guide Leeha. Even His Holiness has said to prioritize your judgement above all.”

Cardinal Romero asked Leeha.

This was an unusual way of speaking to Leeha. The fact that they were leaving it to his judgement didn’t feel like a mere shirking of responsibility.

It was a genuinely earnest question.

Was there ever such a kindly grandfatherly NPC before?

‘Especially compared to Bahamut,’ Leeha thought, as he wiped his nose.

“Tsk, when you put it like that, there’s only one answer, isn’t there? And if the Divine Staff is gone-”

Then he pulled the trigger with a smile.

“Ghibrid will awaken. Why don’t you go ahead and pray? We need to reach the Divine Staff before those creatures.”

Click-!

The preparations for battle were complete.

All that was left was to see who would reach it first.