I Got A Legendary Sniper Rifle - Chapter 331

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 331
Ep. 331
Once the appearances of the Duogsinis became sparse, I had focused on deploying the Knights to give the Nomads rest. Now that the situation had stabilized somewhat, I ordered the expedition to resume.
A few Squad Members advanced ahead for reconnaissance, with the main force following behind them.
‘No matter how vast the scale of the 90s floors might be, I doubt this will drag on much longer.’
I pondered this while surveying my surroundings from atop Purung.
Though I had skipped ahead, I had already spent more than a week on the 93rd floor.
Whether I was searching for Elsie or the Bishop, it was time for the serious stages of conquest to begin revealing themselves.
And before that thought had even finished forming—
“My Lord!! We’ve found something!!”
One of the Squad Members I had sent for reconnaissance came galloping back frantically on a Ghost Horse, driving it like a madman.
“What have you found?”
The Vice Captain assisting me stepped forward and spoke.
The Squad Member shouted urgently.
“Nomads! A group of Nomads is moving ahead of us!”
This was the domain of the Duogsinis, where a powerful Bishop held dominion.
There was only one group of Nomads that would be wandering about in such a place.
They were precisely those being led by the Goddess—or perhaps the Seeker.
I sent about ten Knights ahead first, then led the Warriors in swift pursuit.
After riding quite a distance, I could indeed see a group of Nomads moving urgently in the distance.
Their pace quickened upon seeing the Knights approaching, apparently mistaking the dark-clad Members for Duogsinis.
‘Well, that’s hardly surprising.’
The Nomads under my command had grown accustomed to the sight of Knights, but—
The steppe dwellers had no concept of knights to begin with.
Dark, massive figures riding strange beasts charging toward them was certainly cause for misunderstanding.
The voices of the fleeing Nomads reached me faintly.
“A-are those new Duogsinis?”
“Damn it! You wretched creatures! How much longer will you torment us!”
“Wretches like you don’t deserve even hell! Wander the steppes forever, stripped of reason, until you crumble to dust and vanish!”
‘…Even so, isn’t that language a bit harsh?’
These were actually the more refined ones I had carefully selected.
Most of them spewed raw curses and hexes so vulgar they were embarrassing to hear.
Given what the Duogsinis had done to them, I couldn’t entirely blame them.
“Ugh… We’re trying to save you, but your words are too harsh.”
“Though we are Undead, we’ve been living righteously lately.”
Even the One-Strike Knight Order, who had endured all manner of hardship, found their spirits nearly broken by such vicious language.
Still, I couldn’t abandon the Nomads I had finally found and go elsewhere.
“Once you meet our Goddess, you’ll just go—bang!”
“Please be assured… We have not come to harm you.”
“Huh? The Duogsinis can speak?”
“Seems that’s how Duogsinis are these days.”
“No, they’re not even Duogsinis in the first place….”
The Knights slowed their pace and attempted communication from a distance to reassure the Nomads.
Fortunately, once it became clear the other side could understand them, the Nomads refrained from hurling further curses.
“You should have spoken sooner. We’re sorry for the trouble.”
…Among them was a Nomad who felt genuinely remorseful about the vulgar insults he’d unleashed.
In any case, though communication had been established, the Knights’ approach remained fraught.
This group also had a Shaman among them.
“It appears you are those who defy the flow of life and death.”
“What do you mean by that, Shaman?”
“Those fellows are the dead. They’re not Duogsinis, but that doesn’t mean they’re not unsettling either.”
“!!!”
Remarkably, he had seen through the One-Strike Knight Order’s true nature in an instant.
The People listened to his words with expressions brimming with reverence for the Shaman, while remaining vigilant toward the Knights.
Ihyeon, who had been approaching slowly from behind, glanced back toward our Shaman Elder.
“Ahem! Why, why are you looking at me?”
“It’s nothing at all.”
The Shaman Elder seemed somewhat embarrassed for some reason.
As the People sent wary glances again, one of the Squad Members stepped forward and spoke.
“There’s a method the Vice Captain taught us for times like this.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“He said when things aren’t going well, sell the Lord’s name freely.”
“…But we’re inside the tower. Would something like that even work, you fool?”
“Rest assured! We serve Ilgyeok. Ilgyeok himself is coming from behind.”
“Oh! Ilgyeok? Ilgyeok came all the way here?”
“My goodness, is that really true?”
Why did that work?
The Squad Member who had stepped forward wore a smug expression of triumph, while the other Members exchanged puzzled glances.
So all problems truly are solved by merely selling the Lord’s name?
“I, I heard that Ilgyeok defeated a Bishop in the west… is that true?”
“Hehehehe, it’s the truth, I tell you. Not long ago, we ourselves captured and killed another Bishop.”
“Wow! So those rumors were actually true?!”
“And they say Ilgyeok commands those terrifying black ghostly Warriors!”
Only then did the Nomads fully recognize the One-Strike Knight Order, and each displayed excited reactions.
They managed to survive on this withered steppe somehow, but truthfully, every night was perilous and fraught with anxiety.
In reality, when night fell, People were abducted by Duogsinis time and again without number.
It was simply that the Goddess they followed didn’t care for them with particular devotion.
But if Ilgyeok—whose name had become known even in this cursed land—had come here, there was reason to harbor hope.
Ihyeon’s arrival came around that moment.
The People recognized him at once and gasped in wonder.
“Wow! Look at that enormous horse!”
“…Is that actually a horse?”
“Just look at it!”
“I heard he’d only recently passed his coming-of-age ceremony, but he carries himself with such confidence!”
Among the nomads, the horse one rode was a symbol of authority.
Purung, who appeared twice as large as the other horses, left a striking impression on the nomads.
Moreover, since Kaez’s appearance was identical to my actual form, he hardly looked like a boy who had just come of age.
Jia, whose striking beauty stood out even in this world, also earned considerable favor among the nomads.
I responded to the nomads’ expectations with a smile, then asked them a question.
“We’ve come to meet the Goddess you all follow. Is she nearby, by any chance?”
“Ah… Well, the Goddess tends to wander about as she pleases.”
“She did head off in that direction a moment ago.”
The nomads pointed in the direction they had been originally heading, their tone tinged with slight disappointment.
“Truth be told, we’re rather afraid to approach the Goddess too closely.”
“She barely speaks a word….”
“Yes, thank you. Anyone who wishes to travel with us should speak to those in black armor here. Jia, handle that for me, would you? I’ll be back shortly.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Ah!”
Only then did the nomads break into bright smiles.
They had worried that perhaps I would meet only with the Goddess and abandon them, but he had instantly dispelled those fears.
“Let’s go.”
Purung—!
I spurred Purung forward, galloping across the grassland in a single burst.
Elsie’s mobility was certainly impressive, but it was nothing compared to Purung, who dashed freely in and out of the tower.
Before long, I spotted a small figure running across the grassland.
She wore clothes similar to the nomads’, but with a distinctive straw hat on her head and flowing crimson hair streaming behind her that she hadn’t managed to contain.
I let out a soft chuckle.
“It’s definitely Elsie.”
I hadn’t been certain until I saw her with my own eyes, but now I was sure.
I had finally found one of the two spirits I had lost.
But then.
Whoooooosh————!!!!
“…Isn’t that a bit too fast?”
Looking at it more carefully, Elsie’s speed was violently fast—I couldn’t fathom how she was keeping pace with Purung.
Without even riding a horse, she was already far ahead, as if she were using some space-folding technique.
‘Did she actually master true martial arts through the Swordsman trait or something?’
The last time I’d seen her, she definitely wasn’t at this level.
I tried to pull up Elsie’s status window just in case.
「The item ‘Legendary Sword’ is currently outside your control.
Status window cannot be opened.」
That won’t work either.
But it’s not as though the distributed stat points divided themselves on their own.
‘Elsie became this strong all by herself?’
Just then.
Kieee—!
A grotesquely-shaped Duobuxini spotted Elsie and came charging at her like a madman.
I decided this was a good opportunity to observe Elsie in action.
Her movements might not have revealed her true capabilities until now, since she’d been matching my pace all this time.
Once we entered actual combat, I’d surely get a clearer sense of her strength.
Elsie didn’t avoid the Duobuxini.
She immediately changed direction and charged straight toward the shrieking creature.
A familiar claymore was already gripped in her hand.
‘Will she strike first with dokkaebi fire? Based on how she normally fights, that seems likely.’
Elsie’s combat style was originally characterized by flashy techniques and graceful movements.
The various skills she’d gained from capturing a dokkaebi had elevated those qualities even further.
Just as I was anticipating seeing Elsie fight again after so long.
Swish—!
“????”
Elsie drew her blade and simply passed through the Duobuxini.
But the result was anything but a simple pass.
Kee—
The arm aimed at Elsie slashed through empty air.
The Duobuxini, using the height where Elsie’s claymore had been as a reference point.
Saaack——
Was cleanly bisected.
“….”
I couldn’t hide my astonishment and my jaw dropped.
Of course, Elsie’s swordsmanship was already remarkable.
Though I’d always joked about it, the reputation of the Legendary Sword wasn’t earned lightly.
But this was clearly the 90s floors.
Duobuxini were no easy opponents.
To cleave one in two with a single stroke so cleanly?
‘She’s definitely grown stronger.’
Something had happened during this time that couldn’t be explained away as something I simply hadn’t noticed.
And the reason was surely the Swordsman trait from the enhancement stone I’d used not long before entering the 90s floors.
Fortunately, Elsie, having split the Duobuxini in half, stood in place as if contemplating something.
I urged Purung forward and rode straight toward Elsie.
“Elsie!”
Hidden beneath the wide hat, yet her presence was precious simply from being reunited.
I dismounted from Purung and called out to Elsie with a bright voice.
Whoosh—
As Elsie lifted her head, I caught the glimmer of her eyes beneath the oversized straw hat that seemed disproportionate to her frame.
Flinch—
But something felt different about her presence.
‘Elsie is… intelligent?’
One could discern much about a person simply by observing the light in their eyes.
Whatever had happened to the once-reckless and tomboyish Elsie, her gaze now carried what I could only describe as profound mystery.
It was utterly incongruous!
In any case, it was indeed Elsie, so I attempted to engage her in conversation once more.
The shock of first acquiring the Swordsman trait had been considerable, and prolonged exposure to its influence would only intensify that effect.
“You do remember me, don’t you?”
“….”
Elsie gazed up at me for a moment, then nodded and spoke.
“I do.”
Good heavens!
I felt tears welling up, but I barely managed to restrain them through sheer force of will—the pride of a former special agent and current member of the One-Strike Knight Order.
‘This girl’s become rather taciturn, hasn’t she?’
Though she had spent a long time alone, I hadn’t deliberately sent her away, and circumstances had been beyond my control!
But then I realized something important.
‘She was always like this, wasn’t she?’
Even without the influence of the Swordsman trait, Elsie had always been somewhat reserved with her words.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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