Arcane Sniper

Chapter 978

Raphaela’s eyes widened.

Not only the members of Byulcho, but even Petyr had a look of ‘what is that supposed to mean?’ However, Leeha was composed.

It was true that there was no Fragment of the God.

But weren’t there entities that assisted the God?

“I don’t know the exact name yet, but let’s see…”

Leeha rummaged through his bag. What he pulled out was a not-so-large piece of cloth.

“Ah, this is it. Kijung, could you hold this side?”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Kijung, caught off-guard, held one end of the cloth passed by Leeha.

Leeha took a few steps away from Kijung and spread the cloth wide. It was not thick, and a drawing was depicted on the thin fabric.

It was a kind of tapestry.

What was peculiar was that it was difficult to guess its origin.

“This is…”

Raphaela brought his face close enough to the fabric to clean his face with it and examined the drawing. Other users also momentarily held their breath.

Leeha glanced at her and smiled awkwardly.

“Is this satisfactory? Ah, to tell you in advance… Laputa—that is, it depicts those who received God’s power from the ‘Land where the power of God melted away’. Fernand restored the drawings from the relics found there, and through the technology of the Saurus tribe, it has been replicated once more.”

An item received from the King of Saur Land.

〈Reconstruction of the Sealed Legend―Those Who Received God’s Power〉

Description: Even the Saur Land, which managed Laputa for a long time, could not know the truth of Laputa. Who were the beings that lived in the land where the power of God melted away? The answer to this question could finally be found after the return of 『The 2782nd Laputa Expedition』, and the King of Saur Land produced this tapestry to share the joy and to swiftly cooperate for an item to be used as the key to the ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ When the right power is encountered, the tapestry will recreate the sealed legend.

Leeha read the item’s description once more.

In truth, he thought of it merely as a decoration or souvenir due to the absence of special effects. However, wasn’t it clearly written in the last line?

“Raphaela.”

“Yes?”

The right power.

It was true that he had pondered for a while over what exactly that could be.

Yet, at the time of returning from Saur Land, Leeha was so busy with all sorts of things that he had no leisure to think further.

Though it was an excuse rather than a justification, at present, he possessed a clear answer.

What is the ‘right power’ for those who received God’s power?

“Like using a skill, could you try using your divine power here?”

“Di–vine power– Ah, hold on.”

Raphaela nodded as if entranced by something. Even with a dazed look, her actions betrayed no delay.

She placed her hand on the tapestry held by Leeha and Kijung and, as if using a skill, she carefully injected her divine power, using a part of her divine force.

And at that moment, the winged entities depicted on the tapestry began to move. The truths surrounding 〈Laputa〉 and 〈Those Who Received God’s Power〉, which Saur Land had been researching, were being relayed as though they were being played out chronologically.

“Hyung, with this…”

Kijung looked at Leeha with teary eyes.

Raphaela still couldn’t tear her eyes away from the tapestry. Leeha glanced at Kijung and nodded.

“With this, you can smash the jaws of those who joke about the ‘Spiritual Symbol’, right?”

“Of course! What is this even! This is the ‘evidence’ itself! Hyung!”

“Don’t move! We still need to see more!”

Kijung managed to halt himself from running to Leeha due to Raphaela’s sharp shout.

The intricate patterns still being revealed on the tapestry left the members of Bicheol in awe.

“What on earth… What does one have to do to receive something like this? Oh, had I known, I would have joined the Eastern Expedition too!”

“Hehe, do you think you would have gotten it just by going?”

“What are you saying, Biyemi?”

“Oh, no. I mean, of course, you would have. Heh, hehe.”

As Bobae and Biyemi bickered once again, Hyein scratched the back of his head.

“Haha, but Biyemi’s words aren’t entirely wrong. Like you can’t simply understand Ha Leeha’s work with just your mind… This item, too, isn’t something you receive just by trying hard to obtain it. Isn’t that right?”

Listening to Hyein’s question, Leeha shook his head.

He wanted to say it wasn’t particularly special, but in truth, Hyein’s statement wasn’t completely wrong.

Not all users who went to Laputa received this item.

“Yes, with this, we can definitely win. The bishops won’t easily be able to refute it. Even if they continue to support the ‘Spiritual Symbol Theory’ — except for a few completely rotten members on the Parnese side… Primarily, the bishops are similar to researchers. They can’t help but be swayed by the ‘desire to verify the truth’.”

If what was inscribed on this tapestry was true, Raphaela was confident she would endure all risks necessary to transport the ‘Key of Jannate’ to the eastern part of the New Continent.

Yet, Leeha wondered why her expression wasn’t bright, and Ram Hwayeon knew the answer.

“The problem is time, isn’t it?”

“Huh, Hwayeon?”

When Leeha asked in confusion, Raphaela nodded.

“Yes. We don’t have the time to show and convince all the bishops by tonight. There’s only one item… Moreover, bishops aren’t the kind of people you can meet so easily — if they intentionally avoid or refuse to meet, it would all end without showing them.”

“Isn’t that actually fortunate?”

“Huh?”

When Raphaela asked what she meant by that, Ram Hwayeon smirked.

With a few nods of her chin, she pointed somewhere. Specifically, she gestured toward Miyaw beside Biyemi.

“Here, we have the best assassin in Middle Earth. Petyr, this request would be nothing for you, right?”

“Ah! Petyr—.”

“Buhihihi! The first mission of the ‘Midnight Circus’ leader ends with just finding Ezwen’s bishop? That can’t be. Unless it’s about taking the head of the Hwahong Guild Master!”

Despite his provocative tone, Ram Hwayeon didn’t get mad. Someone else got angrier faster than she did.

“Petyr, watch your words.”

“Wha, huh?”

“It’s a game, and even though you’re an assassin, to be saying things like that… Don’t you have many debts to the people here right now? If you keep this up, I can’t maintain a good relationship with ‘Midnight Circus’. You’re not the only assassin around.”

Leeha spoke as calmly as possible.

However, the implications in his words were far from peaceful. The warning that Petyr wasn’t the only assassin carried a significant meaning.

“Hyung, hyung.”

The reactions of Kijung and Biyemi were enough to cause bewilderment, but the users who were unaware of Leeha and Ram Hwayeon’s relationship were startled by Leeha’s firm demeanor.

Biyemi glanced at Petyr momentarily. The Miyaw’s gaze sharpened more than ever, yet he didn’t offer any rebuttal to Leeha.

A mere individual against Middle Earth’s largest assassination group? It would’ve been dismissed as an absurd joke by anyone else.

Yet, Petyr couldn’t laugh.

As an assassin, Leeha’s sniping was the type that logged you out from a distance farther than anyone else, at a timing where you couldn’t even realize you’d been hit. Petyr himself had once been the target.

Leeha made eye contact with Petyr briefly. Then he smiled.

“Well, I understand that Petyr must have his reasons. As the leader, his first mission must be like a ‘quest’, right? And the first quest should come with a special reward or something… If that’s why you can’t help, I understand. I’m merely asking you to watch your words, no need to take it too seriously. Haha! There are others who can help besides Petyr.”

He didn’t end up expressing intentions of helping Leeha, but then again, Leeha never expected his help in the first place.

Petyr’s assistance in conveying the situation when Pyrot-Cocri awoke was already more than enough.

Moreover, there was no need to make an enemy out of Petyr. Especially since there were other candidates to assist with the current task, Leeha saw no reason to cling to him.

“Yes? Ha Leeha, is there anyone else?”

“Yes. Shin Nara will help.”

Leeha answered simply to Raphaela’s question. No one fully understood Leeha’s words, not even Shin Nara, who was surprised to hear her name mentioned.

“I-I will? Of course—if it’s in the name of the Sacred Order, I can at least locate the bishops within the capital of Fibiel—but…”

“No, no. Haha… It’s not exactly that you’d be helping directly, Nara. You can log out briefly and reconnect, right?”

From Leeha’s question, Shin Nara finally understood his plan. She could contribute, but not directly; Leeha needed the person in contact with Shin Nara.

Listening to Leeha’s plan, Petyr burst out laughing and then left.

* * *

The plaza of the Vatican City was bustling since dawn. Announcements for the new members of C9, the “Council of Nine Cardinals,” needed to be prepared.

The gathering of fifty bishops in one place was as rare as a meeting of the cardinals spread across the continent.

It underscored that this event had to be far more significant and grand than something like the public debate that took place a few days earlier.

In comparison, it was considered almost as crucial as the conclave for electing a new pope.

“Will Master Kay get elected?”

“The battle of Tiamat was impressive, but who knows. They say Parnese put up a strong effort as well.”

“If only Master Kay was independent. Instead, getting involved with ‘Key of Jannate’ and the ‘Physical Substantialism’ faction—”

“Hey, let’s get it right. He wasn’t really involved! That bastard, when you were almost eaten by the chimera, it was Master Kay and the Special Guard who saved you. When you finally survived and needed healing, it was the Saintess who did it!”

“No, no! I cheer for him too! It’s just important for a player to join C9 for the first time, but the reality of it seems impractical.”

As much as NPCs held conversations here and there, users had also gathered in large numbers.

Most were affiliated with the Vatican City state or at least actively engaged in jobs related to holy power, even if from other countries.

“Anyway, one player needs to make it in so others can rise too. Man, couldn’t even level up because of the church affinity grind…”