I Got A Legendary Sniper Rifle - Chapter 34

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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 34
Episode 34
The day after Ihyeon’s use of the Illusion skill became apparent, revealing how he’d been evading detection all this time.
Carrie Machine Heeuwon was immediately summoned to the Management Bureau for questioning.
“Uh… what is this about?”
Heeuwon, who had never expected to face an investigation at the Management Bureau in his entire life, began reading the room carefully.
Could it be that his trolling had gotten too out of hand and someone filed a complaint?
‘I don’t think it was that serious though…’
Heeuwon hadn’t realized that multiple complaint reports had actually been filed against him.
Of course, this summons wasn’t about that.
Seongnyun eased the tension and broached the subject directly.
“This isn’t about you personally, Heeuwon. We simply heard that you’ve cleared the Tower a few times recently with Ilgyeok.”
“Ah!”
Only then did Heeuwon understand why he’d been called in.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Could you tell us about that experience?”
“Um… but I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about it freely.”
At first, Heeuwon was cautious as well.
To the lower-floor Hunters, Ilgyeok was practically a god, or perhaps an idol.
Especially since Ilgyeok was his benefactor, Heeuwon was reluctant to hastily reveal anything when he clearly didn’t want his identity exposed.
Then Seongnyun smiled and spoke.
“No, we already know who Ilgyeok is. It’s just that he’s such a passive person, we’d like to gather as much information as possible. We believe that would be more helpful to him.”
“Ah, if that’s the case…”
Heeuwon then began to open up about his experiences.
He deliberately withheld information about Minjeong, whom he firmly believed was Ilgyeok, and only recounted what he himself had experienced.
It didn’t matter to Seongnyun anyway.
He already knew perfectly well that Minjeong wasn’t Ilgyeok!
And the more Seongnyun heard Heeuwon’s account, the more convinced he became that a fifth person—someone with a rigid, stern impression—was Ilgyeok.
“Yes, thank you for your cooperation. Here, as a token of appreciation for coming all this way.”
“Oh my, what is this…”
“I’ve included some travel expenses for your journey home.”
“Well, thank you very much.”
“And you haven’t cleared the 25th Floor yet, have you?”
“Huh? Oh, someone like me on the 25th Floor?”
Heeuwon spoke in a dejected tone.
Seongnyun gently patted his shoulder and spoke.
“Don’t worry. You’ve helped us greatly with this matter, so I’ll have the Hunters from the Management Bureau come and help you clear the 25th Floor.”
“Really?! Is that true?”
Heeuwon’s eyes widened to the size of saucers.
Seongnyun nodded with a smile.
‘He’s the perfect bait to draw out Ilgyeok. I can’t give up on this.’
For reasons I couldn’t quite understand, Ilgyeok and Carrie Machine had always belonged to the same party.
Then if I form a party with Carrie Machine on the 26th Floor, wouldn’t I naturally be able to approach Ilgyeok?
Unaware of Seongnyun’s true intentions, Heeuwon bowed repeatedly and left.
After that, Seongnyun gathered the employees and began a meeting.
“What on earth is the problem with Ilgyeok?”
I’d managed to uncover roughly his true nature, but the mystery remained unsolved.
Why did Ilgyeok possess such tremendous power yet refuse to step forward, instead keeping it tightly sealed away?
Then one employee hesitantly raised his hand.
“Go ahead.”
“Well… could he be a criminal?”
“A criminal?”
“Yes, sir. You know, like in dramas or movies—a dark hero type. Maybe his past is something he’s ashamed of, or perhaps he thinks problems will arise once he becomes famous.”
“Hmm? That actually makes sense.”
The other employees nodded in agreement with the worker’s words.
Indeed, there was no other way to understand why he would hide his identity so thoroughly.
Seongnyun nodded.
“I’ve been thinking along those lines myself.”
“…”
“…Really.”
“Yes, Deputy Manager.”
A power of the Tower Administration that was rarely known or exercised, implemented out of concern for potential side effects.
It was the right to request a pardon for a Hunter.
It existed to prepare for cases where a truly important Hunter’s activities might be hindered by criminal records.
With other Hunters, there would certainly be controversy, but if it were Ilgyeok?
‘Anyone trying to create controversy would sink instead.’
Seongnyun was certain of that.
Unless Ilgyeok committed a coup or serial murder, the atmosphere was such that anyone attempting to obstruct his activities would be branded a traitor.
In other words, no matter how much authority the Defense Ministry had alongside the Tower Administration to manage Hunters, if they tried to use some pretext to bring Ilgyeok under their control?
‘The Defense Ministry might face dissolution discussions that very day.’
Even if that was an exaggeration, Seongnyun believed they would certainly face public criticism.
“What do you all think?”
It was a question with much left unsaid, but the employees, grasping Seongnyun’s intent, nodded.
“It seems quite possible.”
“I agree.”
“Perhaps he’s clearing the Gaecheon Intersection Gate and climbing the Tower diligently as a form of atonement?”
“That’s actually quite touching.”
A prediction that activating the pardon recommendation right would pose no problems.
“Alright then, let’s proceed with that and notify the Hunter inside the Tower about the pardon recommendation right…”
Just as Seongnyun was about to conclude the meeting.
Whoosh—
The winds of fortune in the Talent Search Division.
As always, it was enticing, but the employee who spouted unlucky remarks raised his hand without fail.
Seongnyun responded with a slight frown.
“So… you have a different opinion again?”
“No, it’s along similar lines.”
The employee spoke with an extremely serious expression.
At the mention of similar lines, Seongnyun felt somewhat reassured and nodded.
“What is it? Go ahead.”
“What if he awakened right before his military discharge and is trying to hide that fact?”
“….”
Everyone who heard the employee’s words fell silent as if by agreement.
But the silence was brief.
“Hahahaha!”
Seongnyun laughed loudly as if he’d heard every unfunny joke in existence.
The other employees couldn’t help but let out chuckles as well.
“Really, it’s been a while since I heard something this amusing.”
“Deputy Manager, would someone of Ilgyeok’s caliber really go to such lengths to hide their identity? What’s the military to someone of that level?”
“If they tried to drag Ilgyeok back into the military, it would probably be the Defense Ministry’s final day?”
Would someone really be so frightened by that much that they’d refuse to even hear numerous proposals and live in seclusion?
“You never know. If he’s a career soldier, he might have some trauma related to the Defense Ministry….”
“Pfahahaha! Stop making me laugh, Deputy Manager!”
“Alright, alright, we should probably stop. Anyway, if we mention pardon recommendation rights and generous benefits, wouldn’t there be some response?”
“Yes, yes. I’ll organize what we can confirm on our end and report it.”
“Good. Now things finally seem to be moving properly!”
…This was the situation hidden behind the personal message Ihyeon had received.
* * *
Back to the present.
Having casually ignored the message from the Management Bureau, I finally reached my sniping position.
There had been some commotion along the way, but it was merely that—commotion.
Now it was time to focus all my attention on clearing this floor.
Tap— tap— tap—
The wasteland of the 26th Floor had caves leading underground scattered across the plains.
And from those caves, War Kobolds equipped with armor and weapons emerged in perfect formation.
True to their nature as cave-dwelling Kobolds who worked with ore, their equipment was of considerable quality.
Befitting an S+ grade dungeon, their numbers had now easily surpassed three hundred.
To ordinary Hunters, such a formidable display of strength and numbers would be daunting even before combat began.
But to me, it made no difference whatsoever.
‘Whether there are a thousand Kobolds or ten thousand, the battle ends once I eliminate the Commander.’
The assassination of the commander.
This was the condition for victory in this war.
As a sniper, I was extremely accustomed to such situations.
I pressed my eye against the scope and slowly surveyed the battlefield.
The commander’s distinguishing feature was a helmet adorned with ornate decorations, unlike the other War Kobolds.
And.
‘Found it.’
A crimson flag standing brilliantly as if announcing the presence of a commander in this place.
Since Kobolds possessed only magic and arrows as ranged weapons, they exposed their commander so blatantly.
‘Welcome to the modern era, medieval armies.’
Though I had served in a special forces unit dealing with monsters, I had also excelled in standard sniper training, making this little more than a target on a practice range.
Meanwhile, the remaining party members.
‘Now that I’ve located Ilgyeok, I should verify that he completes this.’
They were moving toward the location where the Kobolds appeared, led by the Hunter from the Management Bureau.
However, what they witnessed was.
Boom—!
「Commander Kobolt defeated.
26th Floor cleared.
Rank: S+」
“??????”
Suddenly, the upper half of one Kobold among the countless horde vanished, and in the next instant, a clear message appeared.
The Assassin muttered in bewilderment.
“An assassination?”
He was a B-rank Hunter in his own right, hardly one who couldn’t pull his weight.
He had even carried teams a few times.
But this time, he simply couldn’t explain it.
Mages’ ranged attacks certainly boasted tremendous destructive power.
‘Is it even possible to kill so silently and without a trace…?’
To be honest, singling out and killing just one Commander Kobolt from that sea of Kobolds was impossible even for an Assassin.
He hadn’t even sensed any prelude to an attack.
“Wow, as expected of Ilgyeok! How on earth did you do that?”
Meanwhile, Heeuwon clapped his hands and asked Minjeong.
Minjeong responded with a bewildered expression.
“I’m not entirely sure either?”
“Y-yeah, as expected, Ilgyeok clearing the floor without even realizing it….”
The Assassin stared at Minjeong with an exhausted expression.
The Hunter from the Management Bureau hadn’t confirmed who Ilgyeok was, but since Heeuwon had been making such a fuss, Minjeong seemed suspicious.
‘Well, I’m not Ilgyeok, so it must be that Dark Mage.’
What was surprising was that Minjeong also wasn’t Ilgyeok….
In any case, only the Hunter from the Management Bureau was secretly glancing at my Dummy with astonished eyes.
But Ilgyeok’s attack didn’t end here.
Having cleared the first wave with a single shot, I began my work.
Tack— Tack— Tack— Tack—
Using Goblin bone rounds, I methodically eliminated the War Kobolds starting from the one at the front.
‘I need to clean them all up first.’
One shot, one death.
Thanks to the 15 ability points I’d invested in Stealth, the Goblin bone rounds now boasted nearly the same silence as black rounds.
Each time I pulled the trigger, another War Kobold fell.
Their vaunted armor, equipment, and disciplined formations meant nothing.
While my Party Members watched in a daze, the War Kobold army was annihilated.
When roughly half had fallen, the remaining creatures attempted to flee, yet they too collapsed in an unbelievable spectacle of tumbling bodies.
That overwhelming blade of death.
“Ugh….”
Even with the certainty that it wasn’t directed at them.
“What on earth…?”
It seemed to strangle everyone’s throats, binding the entire wasteland in its grip.
“I need to check on this right away.”
The Hunter from the Management Bureau approached the remains of the War Kobold army with urgent steps.
There had been special instructions from headquarters.
The so-called ‘finger bones’ that Ilgyeok fired off.
They were to verify whether it appeared this time as well.
The Hunter examined the corpses with trembling hands.
Every single body had a small hole pierced through its head.
It was a wound that couldn’t be explained without magic.
And within that wound.
‘…There it is!’
The finger bone he had seen was actually discovered.
The Hunter shuddered.
Where on earth, and how?
He hadn’t even seen the finger bones fly, yet all these War Kobolds had fallen.
What kind of terrifying magic could display such power?
His final steps led him to the corpse of the Commander Kobolt who had died first.
‘This one doesn’t have a finger bone.’
Was it because he was the target?
Only the Commander Kobolt had his upper body completely torn apart by a different magic, not a finger bone.
Only the nearby flags and the shattered helmet’s ornaments proved he had been the commander.
‘Truly a terrifying person.’

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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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