Matan’s Shooter

Bahamut gazed at Leeha momentarily.

He did not lose his smile.

“‘Laputa’ is somewhere even I haven’t been. It seems to be quite astonishing.”

“Is that so? I happen to have the authorization to go there. Eventually—when I return to that place, it would be great if the Lord could accompany me.”

“Hoho, indeed. That would be wonderful.”

A floating teacup tilted slightly towards Bahamut’s lips. After wetting his throat, he spoke again.

“You probably already know.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that Tiamat has awakened.”

“Can the Lord sense that?”

Kijung had completely crushed one of the dragon heads.

Yet, Tiamat had risen like this?

Leeha heard about it through Blaugrunn’s whispers and numerous times from Bailephus.

Still, Leeha wanted to confirm, and Bahamut nodded.

“Although it’s practically the first time I’ve sensed Tiamat in my entire existence, I can tell. She has awakened. However… something must have gone wrong.”

“Could it be during the summoning phase… or rather, the unsealing phase? If the dragon head used in that phase got damaged, could that be possible?”

“Mm? Ah, yes. That human called Holy Knight damaged Kuzgunak’sh’s head, right?”

“Yes! That’s what I heard.”

“Since I don’t know the extent of the damage, I can’t answer definitively. If it had been broken into two or three pieces, I’d be certain but…”

Leeha also couldn’t provide an answer.

He heard that Kijung smashed the dragon head with a shield.

The brain inside would have been sufficiently destroyed, but it likely wouldn’t be shattered into two or three pieces.

“The important thing is that she has already awakened, and the Chromatic Dragon tribe is trying to compensate for that incompleteness.”

“Pardon?”

Leeha then understood why Alexander and Bailephus left as soon as they arrived.

“Onyx is rallying the Chromatic clan. He himself is personally leading them.”

The black dragon Onyx, a type of Chromatic Dragon.

If the current elder of the Chromatic Dragons is rallying them!

It was almost certain that the Chromatic Dragons would gather soon.

“Pardon? Onyx is?”

However, Leeha couldn’t believe it. That could only be known by those who had met Onyx.

He was a devious creature who wanted to become the king of the Chromatic Dragons.

* * *

“I found it strange as well. That guy should be the one most relieved that Tiamat hasn’t become whole.”

“Exactly. That desire—or perhaps an instinct—is there? Some sort of primal urge that all dragons must serve their king—”

“They would sense that Tiamat has awakened. But instinct only takes them that far. Following or not is each dragon’s freedom.”

“So―”

“Rational dragons naturally follow the strongest.”

There was no compulsion.

However, the strength of the beings born as ‘kings’ of each dragon type was on a different level from ordinary dragons.

Thus, serving those qualified as kings. In this regard, metal and Chromatic Dragons were no different.

“Then, might there not be another reason for Onyx to rally the Chromatic Dragons?”

Leeha pointed out something that even Bahamut found odd.

“Exactly. Assuming he intends to kill Tiamat and remain the leader of the Chromatic Dragons makes more sense. In other words, he would subdue the Chromatic Dragons by force and then cross the sea with them. By killing their incomplete king himself, proving his own qualifications as the true leader.” ℞�

“That’s good! It would be favorable for us if they fought amongst themselves—”

“No.”

Leeha surmised that the scenario Bahamut’s AI couldn’t predict probably didn’t exist. Instead, Bahamut might have anticipated scenarios even beyond those Leeha could imagine.

“Think about who Tiamat is with right now.”

Would all the chromatic dragons really cross the sea? If so, what would happen?

“… It’s Bluebeard.”

“And there’s also Ghibrid and the Vampire Queen. I want to point to them as one of the reasons Tiamat isn’t whole.”

Leeha listened to Bahamut’s words and bit his lower lip.

Indeed, wasn’t Faust capable of commanding a significant number of Lich Dragons?

If Bluebeard and Ghibrid worked together on what Igor, Pyro, and Faust had accomplished, how much more could they achieve?

‘Labatt… That dragon had become as strong as Bailephus. Just by being with Faust. If an Onyx-level dragon turned into a Lich Dragon, coupled with Faust’s mana—’

Even among Ancients of the same rank, the difference was considerable.

Faust alone could bridge the gap between the red dragon Labatt and the Gold Dragon Bailephus.

Then, what could become of an Onyx dragon, which was originally stronger than Bailephus?

“That’s why Bailephus hurriedly left, right? Judging by the warm mana still lingering…”

Blaugrunn, too, looked around gravely.

Leeha thought the faint remnant he sensed with his 〈Perceptive Eyes〉 was indeed Bailephus’s mana.

Bahamut looked at Leeha with a satisfied expression.

“Ha, ha, that’s right, Blaugrunn. Your ability to read mana has become almost as good as before.”

“Of course! As the Lord instructed— I learned hand-to-hand combat directly from Zelreja-nim.”

Blaugrunn, who never once defied Bahamut in her life, complained about the rigorous training she underwent.

Leeha realized that there was definitely something wrong with Bahamut’s body.

“Active movement accelerates physical growth. While you possess Adult-level knowledge and magic application skills, your mana and bodily development lag behind. That’s why I entrusted you to Zelreja.”

“Lo-Lord!”

Blaugrunn was in awe of Bahamut’s concern for her growth, but for Leeha, it was different.

‘So directly? No. Middle Earth doesn’t give such straightforward hints. There are no such explanations or guided growth. This feels almost like…’

It seemed like they were in a hurry. Why?

There could only be one reason: lacking the strength to face the enemy.

Bahamut essentially admitted officially they were at a disadvantage.

‘If it were just that, it would be fortunate, but maybe—’

Could Bahamut be foreseeing another future?

Leeha shook his head vigorously, stopping the worst possible scenario in his mind. That must never happen.

‘I must prevent Bahamut’s death.’

“So, what should we do?!”

Leeha asked urgently.

“There are two options. One is to kill the incomplete Tiamat first.”

Bahamut responded.

Leeha could faintly guess what the remaining option might be.

“The other is to stop the unification of the chromatic dragons.”

“Killing the Onyx is essential, at the very least.”

If they killed the Onyx, the chromatic dragons might still congregate, but they wouldn’t try to cross the sea to the New Continent first.

Due to their extreme reluctance to leave their lairs, the dragons would likely wait for Tiamat to come and prove her strength.

This way, they could avoid variables like Bluebeard and Ghibrid.

Though they would still ultimately have to face Tiamat, at least they could rule out the problems the Onyx could cause.

“What about Alexander and Bailephus…?”

“They have gone to the territory of the chromatic dragons. They said they would take the chance to kill the Onyx amid the gathering of more than fifteen chromatic dragons.”

“Fifteen…”

Leeha sighed.

No matter the method, it wouldn’t be an easy task.

‘Wait a minute. Come to think of it.’

Did Lark know that Tiamat had awakened?

The fact that he was moving with Shin Nara was also known to Leeha. However, to what extent had they acquired information, and how much had Lark grown?

Leeha opened the friends list, but both of them were logged out.

So, who should he seek out at this point?

“Bahamut-nim, then I will go as well.”

Leeha hastily slung the Black Bass over his shoulder.

Blaugrunn, who had been deep in thought, looked at Leeha with a puzzled expression.

“A path where neither judgment can be said to be correct. Think carefully.”

“Yes. If it is a path without a correct answer, it means that ‘any path’ can be the correct answer.”

Bahamut spoke with a worried face. It was a rare expression for someone usually so playful.

Leeha gripped the Black Bass, thinking of the familiar and grandfatherly Bahamut of the past.

If there was no way?

“Even if it’s the third path.”

Create a way.

Listening to Leeha’s words, Bahamut nodded. Leeha teleported immediately with Blaugrunn.

Their destination was the New Continent.

“Ha Leeha?”

A red-haired woman opened her eyes wide upon seeing Leeha. He gave her a light nod before speaking.

“Ram Hwayeon! I need to ask―”

“When are you leaving? Still in the game?”

“―Huh?”

No, he tried to.

If only Leeha hadn’t forgotten something as significant as his life in Middle Earth.

“The wedding is the day after tomorrow!”

“Oh, ah!?”

It wasn’t just about Ram Hwayeon but the upcoming Ram Long Family wedding, which was prominently invited under the name of Ram Long Group.

With less than two full days remaining, Leeha had only one option.

“I’ll leave now! We’ll talk over the phone!”

The information needed by Ram Hwayeon?

It could only be asked in Hong Kong.

Leeha hastily teleported to Gaza City.

Blaugrunn was faithfully following behind but didn’t complain.

Watching the dragon, who had been assisting him until the end without a word of complaint, Leeha felt somewhat guilty. He had been too busy moving around without even a proper conversation.

“Blaugrunn, I’m really sorry. I need to log out for a moment.”

Blaugrunn looked up at Leeha with a dejected expression, like a puppy left alone at home.

“It will take a few days again, right? If Ha Leeha-nim isn’t around, I can’t even come up with an excuse to avoid Zelreja-nim’s sparring practice….”

“So until then― um, here!”

Leeha rummaged through his bag and pulled out a small glass bottle. It seemed to be there, yet it wasn’t. Like an optical illusion, it appeared when you moved your gaze but disappeared when you tried to look directly.

“A Laputa gift! I was waiting to receive―”

“Research with this. Will that do?”

The item he had prepared to give as a gift!

Although he wanted to give it in a more relaxed situation, there was no time for that now. Besides, it was clear that Blaugrunn didn’t mind waiting.

“Yes! Of course! Absolutely! As expected!”

Watching Blaugrunn jump around, Leeha felt an inexplicable fatherly affection. Then, he was embarrassed.

“How old would I need to be to have such an adult child?”

Moreover, Blaugrunn was modeled to be thousands of years old.

Leeha chuckled to himself as he prepared to log out.