“Then, please stop trying to kill me through the 『Midnight Circus』.”
“Buhit?!”
If Leeha were to be killed by a member of the 『Midnight Circus』, he would lose a significant number of stats.
Leeha did not forget this conditional achievement that he had accomplished.
“K-Kiki… Anyway, Ha Leeha-ssi, you really don’t miss anything.”
Biyemi spoke in a tone that implied defeat, but Petyr didn’t accept it so easily. Nevertheless, after a long push and pull, Petyr had no choice but to give up.
What Leeha obtained was a conditional negotiation.
― They wouldn’t attack on the New Continent.
‘Even just this much is enough.’
Just lifting the burden of having to worry about assassins from the 『Midnight Circus』 in outrageous places was a significant gain.
As soon as they settled all discussions, the three teleported immediately and infiltrated Chiyou’s fortress in advance.
About twenty minutes after they positioned themselves in a spot overlooking the fortress plaza, Igor’s and Faust’s group arrived. Ten minutes later, Chiyou and Toon returned to the fortress.
― See? I was right, kit-Kit.
― …… That time when you mentioned paleo and the snake… you had already found this place?
― Well, I’m Rejardia, and I stick to my promises like a knife. Vietnamese people’s grudges are usually strong, you see.
― Unbelievable. Well, it would’ve been better than showing my dealings with Petyr.
― Actually, I hid it because Petyr was trying to kill Ha Leeha-ssi. Kit-Kit, you should think of me as your lifesaver.
― Whoa… It was a stroke of luck that I negotiated that condition earlier.
Recalling the day he met Biyemi in the jungle, Leeha shook his head. He understood now what was being hidden.
Shaking his head in disbelief, Sasuke finally brought out the jar.
Even without further words from Biyemi or Petyr, Leeha instantly recognized the jar.
‘Five of them. I just need to break those.’
The distance was also close.
At a mere 600 meters, he could snipe without any skill adjustments using the lowest scope magnification.
‘Blaugrunn is also waiting in Juma City.’
He had prepared for the possibility of spatial locking.
Using Blaugrunn’s summoning magic and Leeha’s emergence skill in tandem, they could break through most levels of spatial locks.
‘Because it’s a skill that even has the possibility to break through the spatial lock of red dragon Lavatel. I won’t have to worry about dying. So, all I have to do is shoot, right?’
This might put Biyemi and Petyr at risk, but in the worst-case scenario, every man for himself, right?
Leeha quickly adjusted the clicks and aimed at the jar.
At the lowest magnification, not only the jar but also the users around it and Toon’s large body came into focus.
He had no intention of targeting Igor, Faust, or Prea.
The same went for Chiyou.
Just like Biyemi, Leeha knew that the greatest damage to Chiyou wouldn’t come from killing her at this moment.
‘I’ll make her jump out of her skin. The target is simple. It’s not something moving or alive.’
Huuu…
Haaa…
Leeha’s breathing grew a bit more rapid.
No one noticed his movements.
There was nothing to be anxious about. However, Toon’s figure captured in the scope was weighing on Leeha’s mind.
‘Damn it! Why am I like this?’
Even when every preparation was complete, sniping was scary.
But wasn’t that something he already knew? Not only knew, he had overcome it many times.
‘Hey, why are you like this, fingers… Why now?’
Blaming his hands that wouldn’t move, Leeha focused on the scope.
The tension, excitement, and trembling he felt when looking at Toon through the scope during the third wave were all back.
That was the case, even though he wasn’t looking at Toon’s face right now.
― Ha Leeha-ssi? What are you doing? Hurry!
― Buhihit, is this heartbeat also a surprise?
‘Damn it, I want to shoot too!’
He sniped with serious determination and serious equipment. He even hit his target. However, Toon had once survived Leeha’s sniper shot.
Was it because the memories from that time still lingered and created a sense of fear? However, when he saw the Toons during the second wave, it hadn’t affected him at all.
“Of course, back then I didn’t see them through a scope, just from a distance…”
Was it different when viewing through a scope? Was the shock from that failed day resurfacing because he saw through a scope?
“Damn it, is this some kind of PTSD… No, this isn’t enough to… I can shoot. I can do it. Steady your breath. Stay calm.”
Even though his mind was intact enough to assess his condition coldly, his body wouldn’t obey.
All ‘syndromes’ almost describe the separation of mind and body.
Knowing something didn’t mean he could avoid it.
“―Leeha-ssi, hurry! We are already filling the fifth jar!”
“―Wait… Just wait! Stop rushing me a bit!”
Leeha was equally frustrated.
The target was inanimate. It was a jar. But if he broke the jar? Would he be able to get out alive? What if the Toons charged at him?
Even though he had prepared an emergency escape route with Blaugrunn, he was still terrified!
He absolutely did not want to experience his limbs being ripped apart by Toon in a synchronization rate of 100%.
“Damn it, you, crazy fingers, listen to me, listen!”
His fingers, which always moved in sync with his mind, were now petrified as if under a stone spell.
The dinosaur’s fear paralyzed Leeha.
His breathing, which needed to be regulated, became more rapid and the gun muzzle, which shouldn’t have a single tremor, slightly shook.
This was because Leeha’s body was trembling.
“If I don’t see the Toons… and aim accurately… and shoot with my eyes closed… No! That’s ridiculous. If a sniper shoots with closed eyes, they should strip off their rank and discharge themselves! Stay calm. Stay calm, Leeha.”
But he didn’t calm down.
Instead, Leeha thought of another method. If the cause was the Toons, and if it was difficult to overcome the current situation, then he just needed not to see the Toons.
Usually, he would have to close his eyes to not see, but what about now?
“My target is only the jar.”
Leeha adjusted the magnification of the scope.
To an even higher magnification.
Literally, so that nothing but the jar appeared inside the scope!
“―Leeha-ssi! It’s already full, it’s full! Are you going to take responsibility if they escape?”
“―Buhi, there’s something thrilling about this tension!”
“―Damn it, if you don’t shoot in 3 seconds, I’ll just run out there! 3!”
While two beastmen were jumping around whispering in his ear, Toon finally disappeared completely from Leeha’s sight.
It was a moment both happy and sad.
The shaking stopped as if it were a lie.
He was glad he could now snipe, but it confirmed that the cause of his physical abnormality was indeed the Toons.
“―2, 1…”
“Shooting.”
He started with the first jar on the far left.
Clang────!
A clear sound of destruction was followed by a gunshot that seemed to tear through the air.
Leeha immediately turned the muzzle. Even though the close distance made aiming somewhat challenging due to the vastly increased magnification, he didn’t need to worry about accuracy as long as the Toons weren’t in sight.
Boom─────!
By the time the gunshot echoed through Chiyou’s secret fortress, the second jar had already shattered.
* * *
“Block it! Stop it with your body if you have to!”
Who? Where? How? Why?
He didn’t think about such questions.
This sound, this situation! The only scenario that came to mind required only one thing to do!
Chiyou was the first to yell and charge forward.
Responding was more important than identifying the cause!
Thanks to her sharp shout, other users who were in chaos hurriedly rushed in.
Sasuke and a member of the Shinobigumi threw themselves to guard the third jar with their bodies.
However, with their mortal bodies, they couldn’t block Leeha’s bullets.
Boom!
Two corpses and a shattered jar sprawled across the floor.
『How dare you…….』
“What the!? Which idiot followed us here!?”
“It’s dangerous, Igor!”
“〈Bone Shield〉! All zombies, surround me!”
Faust covered himself using skills and summoned undead creatures.
Igor also raised the broad side of his serrated sword to guard himself. Users from Czar quickly rushed to surround Igor.
The users knew that the one powerful enough to pierce through two bodies and break a jar was Leeha. The only one familiar with the sound of that gun was Ha Leeha.
Users who had faced Leeha before instinctively shielded their bodies first.
Prea’s legs trembled momentarily, but she didn’t summon any spirits.
Unlike Igor and Faust, who were entirely gripped by fear, she still had the presence of mind to think.
‘The person who broke the jar wouldn’t now start sniping people. The objective is clear from the beginning.’
The prediction was obvious: until all the jars were broken, they wouldn’t aim their gun at the users! But Prea wasn’t the only one with this insight.
『Grooooo!』
“Grr, quickly… protect us, Toon! 〈Dance of Communion〉!”
Chiyou, who was guarding the jar, saw the bullet piercing through her stomach.
She leaped sideways, hugging the jar, and rolled on the ground, sending a cloud of dust rising.
Even rolling on the ground offered no respite.
Now, a yellow bullet was aimed at her chest. Chiyou swiftly dodged as soon as she got up.
Even with foresight, evading bullets shot from such a short distance in a moment was an impressive feat.
『Who is it! Brown? Elizabeth? How dare you repay the Count’s grace in this manner!』
Toon firmly planted his foot in front of the jar.
Since the direction of the bullet had been roughly identified, now all that was left was to block it. Toon’s thick ankles were more than enough to cover the entire jar.
“I don’t know who it is, but it’s not them! It’s Ha Leeha! The one who targeted you before, Toon!”
『Indeed, impertinent human! To think you could thwart the Count’s plans with such an attack!』
One jar was shielded by Chiyou, and the other by Toon.
It was no longer easy for Leeha to continue targeting them.
“Toon, up ahead! He’s on the fortress roof!”
Barely escaping Leeha’s attack range, Chiyou quickly pinpointed Leeha’s location using 〈Dance of Vibration〉.
As Toon started moving towards the fortress with a thud, Chiyou sensed another unusual vibration through 〈Dance of Vibration〉.
“N-No way… What is… What is this!”
Splash!
Suddenly, a small quantity of liquid was thrown onto her face from the shadows.
The liquid began corroding her skin on contact. Unable to open her eyes properly and unable to wipe it off, she screamed in agony.
“Ahhh!”
Instinctively, Chiyou reached into her bag, fumbling to pour healing potions onto her wounds and down her throat.
Blindly, she couldn’t see.
A green-scaled lizardman lurking in the alley shadows, watching her struggle, holding a small water balloon-like pouch.
“Kikik, I told you I’d repay you.”
“That voice… Biyemi!?”
“Die, you bitch.”
Thrust!
Biyemi drove his dagger into Chiyou’s stomach, or so he thought.
But at that moment!
“Ugh!”
Biyemi saw a protruding object piercing through his own back and emerging from his chest.
“How on earth…”
It was he who was stabbed.
“Good grief, letting something like soul retrieval make things this messy… Should I first deal with this nuisance?”
Although Chiyou couldn’t see the face, she knew who it was.
Even in the grip of near-death, Biyemi didn’t miss the whispered words.
—Run away… Bluebeard…
Bluebeard had appeared.