Matan’s Shooter

“If they were determined to destroy the Dragon Head, they should have been willing to risk their life. Undoubtedly, both of them would have died. If they intended to come back alive, Lee Jiwon should have escaped while the Holy Knight was tanking. If that were the case, it would have been impossible to destroy the Dragon Head. But achieving their goal and both returning alive? Does that make sense to you?”

“That’s―”

Leeha paused briefly.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to explain to Luger.

“So, let me explain again. When Master Kay saw the Chimera, he knew it was different from usual. The monster’s movements were clearly abnormal, so he thought that Ghibrid must be up to something and decided to look into it―”

“Hey, you bastard! Who told you to start from there! Just answer the question I asked! Damn it, why does the story always restart when I ask that question! I’m done with listening to this crap!”

“Oh? You’re not going to listen anymore?”

Luger snapped and stood up from his seat. No matter how much Leeha tried to stop him, he brusquely shook him off and stormed out of the room.

‘I don’t know either… what on earth happened.’

Even when he asked Kijung, all he did was laugh.

He didn’t explain what exact method was used and kept it a secret, fussing that Leeha had to see it next time.

Although Leeha was frustrated, he didn’t want to easily give Luger peace of mind with just a simple “I don’t know.”

It was merely a stubbornness.

‘Considering that Lee Jiwon whispered to me, it must be Kijung’s doing.’

Leeha wondered what kind of trick Lee Jiwon used, or if he realized something after dying once to Pyrot-Cocri.

Of course, he actually did use the 〈Sol Blade Reverse〉, but since neither Kijung nor Lee Jiwon talked about their secrets, Leeha didn’t know.

Furthermore, since Lee Jiwon had shifted his focus entirely to Kijung, Leeha couldn’t think much about Lee Jiwon’s secret.

―So jealous. Where did Master Kay even come from?

―What? What did he do, Lee Jiwon? Did you see what Kijung, Master Kay did?

―Totally insane.

After this brief and unsatisfactory conversation, Lee Jiwon ended the whisper.

Leeha, equally irritated, vented his frustration at Luger.

Another troubling matter was Black Bass.

―Heh, heh… how long do you intend to stay here? By midnight tomorrow, my power will dissipate.―

“I know. Dropping to 39.99% was already annoying, but staying another day would bring it down to 29.99%. What a mess…”

Fortunately, all of Kyle’s treatments were to be completed today.

No one knew how well he’d be healed or how he’d change. Naturally, opinions within the group about their next steps were divided.

‘The team wanting to go back immediately, including Browless and all the previous Three Musketeers, preferred this option.’

These NPCs argued that they should head not just to the western continent but back to the old continent entirely.

Bailephus also recommended returning, unsure about what would happen with Tiamat.

However, the users’ opinions?

‘〈Laputa〉…’

Alexander and Fernand strongly advocated for going to Laputa.

With Elizabeth, Brown, and Kyle joining, they believed no enemies would pose a threat, and suggested they could visit Laputa on the way back.

Fernand gathering information about Laputa outside was a clear demonstration of his determination to pursue this plan.

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‘Meanwhile, Kidd sided with Browless, and Luger sided with Alexander. The only one yet to express an opinion was me…’

―Ha, ha, Ha Leeha! Ha Leeha!

―Yes?

―Quickly! Come quickly! Uh, I’m at the cafe next to the hospital! Quickly! I’m here with Prince Ulrek― hurry, hurry!

The frantic voice echoed in Leeha’s mind. Fernand was urgently calling Leeha.

If the Pioneer King was in such a hurry, it was definitely something extraordinary.

―Quickly? Why? What’s going on―

―‘Laputa’! Ulrek says he’s been there and managed to strike up a conversation with gifts and friendly efforts. He says we can go there, now, immediately!

Leeha’s expression turned as if he had been struck.

When discussing Ulrek and Laputa, Leeha had checked if he’d ever been there, what it was, and what he gained from it.

He had asked about the reasons for Saur Land’s development and its origins but hadn’t asked the crucial question, ‘Can we go there now?’

―I’ll be there right away! Oh right, so they’ll send us? How, are they taking us, too?

―Well, for that… I think we need Ha Leeha! Hurry!

Fernand’s urgency was bordering on excitement.

Surely, Fernand must have asked Ulrek if they could take him, and Ulrek must have declined.

In such a situation, why did Fernand call for Leeha?

‘If it’s Ha Leeha… If Ha Leeha comes―!’

That was belief.

It was the belief that Leeha could solve this problem.

The White Reaper, who had infinite trust from the Pioneer King, was hurriedly descending the hotel stairs.

“Oh, wait, there’s an elevator here, right?”

He still had an untrustworthy face, unable to adapt to the cutting-edge modern civilization of Saur Land and the medieval fantasy setting of Middle Earth.

* * *

―What’s the matter, Lee Jiwon? Did you see it? You saw what Kijung, what Master Kay did, right?

―It was insane.

―How insane? Tell me. I’m dying to know, but Kijung won’t tell me anything― You saw it, Lee Jiwon? What happened? Was it a skill? An item?

Lee Jiwon ended the whisper as he listened to Leeha’s question. He no longer had the confidence to answer.

Lee Jiwon glanced over at Kijung.

At the new continent’s central front where the chimeras had retreated, Master Kay was being treated like a hero.

“Amazing―! What did you do? What skill did you use?! How did you defeat two Demon King’s Fragments in one hit?”

“That’s insane, really. Can I join your party? I’ve been stuck in Middle Earth too!”

“Was it you, Lee Jiwon? How can a level 288 tank deal with a Demon King’s Fragment?”

“You fool, he’s not just a tank! He’s a Holy Knight! A Cardinal! Got it!?”

Kijung clumsily smiled as he barely staved off the players flocking around him.

“Well, it wasn’t just me. Without Lee Jiwon, it wouldn’t have been possible anyway―”

―Are you there?

―Oh, yes?

Kijung, who was about to talk about Lee Jiwon while waving his hands, responded to a sudden whisper.

Lee Jiwon was quite a distance from Kijung. But it was enough for the two to confirm each other’s faces.

―Keep it a secret.

―A secret… Ah, you mean that skill?

―I won’t mention your skill either.

―Alright. Deal.

That was actually what Kijung wanted to request.

Although Lee Jiwon’s black hole-like skill utilization was certainly threatening, Kijung did not want his skill getting leaked anywhere.

Kijung nodded his head.

Lee Jiwon also nodded.

Unlike Kijung with his bright expression, Lee Jiwon had a somewhat gloomy face.

“I learned the skill, but… Sol…”

The pressure of being chased by someone who wasn’t even a top ranker. The unimaginable skill used by someone he once overlooked.

What came after the amazement and surprise was a kind of shame.

His lips turned pale as the Magic Swordsman, who had yet to complete his second transformation, experienced the pressure.

* * *

“What would you like to order?”

“Um, uh… Ah, I’ll have an iced Americano. And, can I also get a cheesecake?”

“Of course. I’ll help you with the payment.”

“Yes, yes!”

Leeha hastily took money out from his bag.

He looked around at the ‘dinosaurs’ enjoying coffee at various tables and wondered what kind of emotion he should feel.

Some dinosaurs were even dressed up, wearing glasses, reading newspapers, or deep in conversations. The snippets of conversation he overheard made him even more perplexed.

Talk of stock prices or complaining about having to work late tomorrow made it hard to recognize them as ‘dinosaurs’.

‘Are these really NPCs? It feels like a miniature version of human society, a human city.’

What was the purpose of creating such a species?

Why create a species that declared it wouldn’t interfere with the life outside the borders, only to hide them at the eastern end of the New Continent?

‘Because of Laputa… It feels a bit excessive.’

If it was because of the gateway called Laputa, there wasn’t a need to design a civilization this advanced in science.

And there was no need to show the ‘bad taste’ of giving all the members the appearance of Toon.

‘I bet there even might be a dinosaur using a smartphone.’

There were already things like cars. They looked like carriages but moved without horses.

Because of that, Leeha felt like he had truly come to a different world.

“Your iced Americano and Chicago cheesecake are ready~!”

“Wow… I was wondering, but it really is called ‘Chicago’ cheesecake.”

Leeha shook his head as he received the tray.

It was as if he was in a global franchise cafe.

“Ulrek-ssi? They said you could go to Laputa right now….”

“That’s correct.”

Ulrek nodded.

An espresso cup was dangling precariously at the tip of his claw.

Though he was a third prince, the security in Saur Land was so perfect that he didn’t even need bodyguard dinosaurs.

“Could we perhaps—”

“No.”

“—…I haven’t even asked yet.”

Leeha smiled awkwardly.

He was comfortable enough to joke lightly like this.

He couldn’t feel the initial dread when first meeting Ulrek and the dinosaurs. Perhaps because their culture and society resembled the ‘outside world’ so much.

“The only one qualified to go there is me.”

“What?”

“Only members of the royal family can go there. However, to prevent indiscriminate access by royalty, the king declared that only the head of the Department of Creation Science could go there. So, only I can go there right now.”

Leeha nodded, listening intently.

How many royals were there in Saur Land? Even Toon, who had escaped here, was a member of the royal family.

If only the royals could go, no matter how high one’s affinity or whatever gifts were given, it wouldn’t be possible.

There was nothing one could do about being from a different species.

“Then, did you go alone to investigate the relics and such? I heard the civilizations’ technology was adapted here from there…”

Compared to Leeha, Fernand was even more persistent.

His desire to go to Laputa was enough to find loopholes in Ulrek’s words.

Ulrek sipped his espresso again. Then he shook his head.

“I’m just the representative.”

“What?”

“I can gather as many researchers as I want. That has always been done by the heads of the Department of Creation Science.”

“Wow?! Then! That means we can also—”

“Human Ha Leeha.”

Though Leeha quickly came up with an idea, Ulrek called him and quietly stared at him.

“Do you still not understand the King’s words on ‘not interfering with external matters’?”

Ulrek spoke firmly.

The moment Leeha saw his gaze, he felt he could understand the grand resolve they possessed.

“…To prevent the technology or relics of ‘Laputa’ from spreading to the outside world?”

Ulrek didn’t answer. That was enough.

If they thought such firm declarations would divert the interest of ‘humans’, they were greatly mistaken.

‘What could be so amazing— that they go as far as to declare isolation just to protect it?’

Leeha and Fernand exchanged gazes. A fire was lit within their hearts.