Arcane Sniper

Chapter 974

With a grin that always made him appear as if he was mad, an outfit resembling a clown, and claws with durability and sharpness beyond most weapons, the miyaw seemed the same as usual.

However, there was one difference— the crescent moon shape and tent-like tattoo on his chest.

While other users couldn’t discern its meaning, Leeha immediately recognized the simply drawn tent.

“Midnight Circus… no way!”

He quickly understood why such a previously unseen pattern was engraved on his body.

“Buhihihit!”

“Kikit, it seems Petyr saw Pyrot-Cocri waking up.”

Biyemi speculated that since Pyrot-Cocri had awoken, the quests from the “Sacred Alliance” would head in that direction.

“What!?”

“You saw that? You were there at that time— you mean?”

“Biyemi! Why didn’t you mention this earlier—”

“Kikit, I wanted Ha Leeha to be present when telling this story. Petyr really hates repeating himself, you know.”

Biyemi attempted to trip Petyr’s leg, but without even looking at Biyemi’s movements, Petyr avoided it effortlessly.

“Did you summon Petyr as soon as I arrived?”

“Of course. Petyr wished to express his thanks to Ha Leeha.”

“Thanks? To me? Why?”

As soon as Leeha arrived, Biyemi must have called Petyr. This wasn’t just Biyemi’s idea; it was something Petyr had wanted too.

But why? Even Leeha himself didn’t understand. Petyr tapped the tattoo on his chest.

“Buhihihit… Thanks to that, hunting the former leader was very easy.”

He witnessed Chiyou awaken Pyrot-Cocri. And at that moment, he killed the former leader of the Midnight Circus.

“If you killed the former leader— then that pattern on your chest must be… ”

“Buhihihit!”

In other words, this meant he had become the leader of the largest, strongest, and most lethal assassin group in Middle Earth at the current time—the first “user” to lead a group with a significant reputation in Middle Earth.

“So you’ve finally become the leader of the Midnight Circus?!”

“Buhihihit… If I were to cut off everyone’s head here, I might even target the nobles of Fibiel, don’t you think?”

With crescent-shaped eyes, Petyr’s voice carried significant weight.

Although all nations of the old continent were cooperating, it was merely on the “surface”.

In Minis, there were still many who wanted to keep Fibiel’s forces in check, and most of them used the “Midnight Circus” to execute their plans.

Sending gifts to high-ranking officials or nobles in Minis to commemorate the inauguration of the new leader could become quite an event.

Moreover, an organization like the Midnight Circus could wield influence not only within Fibiel but also across the Ezwen Theocracy and the “Sacred Alliance” as a whole.

Therefore, Petyr’s words didn’t sound like a joke even to Ram Hwayeon, who was in the company of the Midnight Circus.

“Haha, what are you saying, Petyr? Your jokes are a bit too much. You don’t actually wish to die, do you?”

Leeha smiled, jokingly patting Petyr on the shoulder.

In a tense situation, Leeha’s actions caught everyone off guard.

However, it was Petyr who appeared the most bewildered by Leeha’s unexpected gesture.

“Huh? Buhihit!? Wish to die? Me? Uhahahah!”

Petyr laughed, looking at Leeha.

Leeha gazed at him without any hint of tension.

“It wouldn’t be easy, but I guess it wouldn’t be too hard either. Haha! I thought Petyr was a bit unhinged, but your sense of humor is quite good. Ah, now I see why Biyemi keeps trying to contact Petyr.”

What Leeha expressed was a form of confidence.

Can Petyr kill me? Me?

Leeha had an unwavering belief that he would not die at the hands of Petyr, which allowed him to take Petyr’s words as a joke.

Of course, there were other users who weren’t to be underestimated either.

Bobae and Shin Nara were also strong enough to fight him. But if it was an ambush? He was not a martial artist or swordsman, but an assassin.

An assassin so meticulous that he could disguise himself with others’ “clothing items.”

There was the possibility of him popping up in the street and stabbing me from behind.

Because Petyr was the strongest figure in Middle Earth who could make that possibility a reality, no one could easily deal with him.

Leeha’s words might have sounded like a taunt to Petyr.

Thus, Biyemi, who acted as a bridge between Leeha and Petyr, could not help but feel a bit tense.

“Ki, kikik… Don’t move recklessly, Petyr!”

Biyemi warned quietly.

“Buhihi! Isn’t it unreasonable to think I won’t move after hearing that?!”

Petyr replied with a laugh.

“Kikik! But you’d think it’s best not to move.”

Petyr answered Biyemi’s quiet warning with a smile. However, the expression on the Miyaw’s face, painted like a clown, held more than just laughter.

Only Biyemi could read the fiery madness in Petyr’s twisted eyes.

Leeha tilted his head, listening to their conversation.

“Hmm? What is it?” he asked.

“No, kikik. Anyway, you seem quite brave? It would be tough to handle Petyr if he got truly mad, wouldn’t it? Kikik.”

“Yes, it’s difficult, but… since I can see you. An assassin is scary when they can’t be seen.”

Biyemi nodded as if agreeing. Petyr, unable to fully understand Leeha’s words, asked further.

“Uh, huh? Buhihihit! Do you mean to say you can see me?”

“Well, yes. That’s what I’m saying.”

Leeha looked back at Petyr. There wasn’t a trace of tension in his eyes. It was not simply because he underestimated Petyr.

In essence, it was a matter of compatibility.

Leeha possessed a feature that nullified any type of stealth—the “Distorted Vision!”

Nothing could escape it.

From the moment Petyr emerged from Biyemi’s backside, Leeha had already seen him.

From Leeha’s perspective, Petyr was merely a ‘visible assassin’.

If that was the case? For a ranged attacker, he was just a stationary target. The outcome was too obvious.

No user present thought Leeha’s confident words were a lie or mere bluff.

The “White Reaper” that had been shot towards Tiamat.

Since its immense power was demonstrated, hardly anyone could gauge the depths of Leeha’s abilities.

“Indeed, there’s nothing to say but ‘Ha Leeha is Ha Leeha’. Kikik.”

“Buhihihihit! That’s right! He is the real deal.”

Petyr quickly accepted Biyemi’s words uttered like a sigh.

Even though he had some genuine intent, he couldn’t afford to turn Leeha into an enemy or instantly make the others in Byulcho his enemies.

The users were amazed again by Miyaw’s physical ability to clap with his feet three times during a short leap, but the spectacle ended there.

With Leeha’s question, Petyr’s expression changed once more.

“So… what happened? What does it mean that it became easier to kill the leader because of me?”

Petyr began to explain frantically.

***

At the moment Bahamut was just struck by the Arcane Bullet, right then, Petyr was at the northernmost point of Shazrashian.

He held holy water stained with the blood of Ahlo, acquired from Kijung with just two drops, intending to kill the undead former Ringmaster.

“Buheehee! Even as an undead, you leave no trace, do you?”

Petyr inspected the ground.

Amidst the snow-covered terrain, numerous monster corpses could be seen, but no trace of humans was present.

Though quite a few giant users had begun hunting at the northernmost point of Shazrashian, none cleaned up as meticulously as this.

One of the standout traits of an assassin was not leaving any traces!

“If it were the usual Ringmaster, he would never have done this. The best way to leave no trace is to blend it with the surroundings… Buhee!”

Ironically, because there were no traces, Petyr was able to track them easily.

Even as he pursued NPCs who had retained their habits despite becoming undead, Petyr felt assured.

Their skills remained intact.

However, a lack of flexibility and adaptability in their thinking indicated that there were gaps for Petyr to exploit.

Yet, finding the next trace in a place where all traces vanished was no simple task.

While the entire continent was in uproar, he was solely focused on his mission.

Some called Petyr a madman, but he was certainly not insane. He had chosen this place after accurately weighing what he could gain and what he might lose in the Tiamat battle.

“Considering the direction the snowfield corpses lie in and where the heads are pointing, perhaps… north―.”

Bang─────!

“―Bibit!?”

Petyr was startled and leapt up a tree.

Only then did he realize that the gunfire wasn’t too far from his location.

“… Ha Leeha?”

The gunfire brought back unpleasant memories, but Petyr shook his head.

Ha Leeha was the target of the “Midnight Circus”.

He was someone Petyr could find ‘whenever’ he set his mind to it.

At least Petyr, as the current vice-leader of Midnight Circus, knew better than anyone that Ha Leeha wasn’t near.

Yet, the ominous sound of gunfire!

Petyr thought of Luger, Kidd, and other musketeers, yet shook his head again.

There was no way long-range dealers would have left the Tiamat battle to roam such places. But did that mean someone was here anyway?

“Buheehee, interesting.”

Petyr briefly twisted his wrists and ankles before jumping from the tree. As soon as his hand touched the snowy ground, Petyr’s figure vanished.

Swimming through the snow-like stealth, he left no footprints behind.

It took Petyr less than ten minutes to reach the spot where the gunfire had been.

There, he saw a massive, ash-colored dragon.

‘Platinum Dragon!’

Though he had never seen one before, he realized immediately.

Through process of elimination, Petyr quickly calculated that the only dragon he hadn’t seen was the platinum one, and his eyes widened in surprise. Yet, as a top-grade assassin, he did not recklessly approach Bahamut’s corpse.

He had noticed the users nearby.

“Quick, melt it!”

“Whining doesn’t help, patience is required. Huuup!”

Flames burst from Pyro’s body. Unlike before, they didn’t soar skyward.

The pillar of fire shot straight and began melting the entrance of the tunnel towards City Pekro.

Chiyou watched the scene, biting her lip.

“Damn Bahamut, damn it! This tracking achievement won’t be easy to navigate.”