*Twang*

And one spider there. 

*Twang*

A turtle there.

*Twang*

A Draugr... tch. Forgot that arrows don't work on them. To the next.

*Twang*

They're countless. After the mirage-curtain (self-named) was broken yesterday, the Velantas Adventurers Guild went into overdrive by transporting adventurers to the front-line, meaning the eastern walls of the city. Many weapon smiths and other crafters came with them, offering their services as a logistic group for weapons, armors, and consumables.

The opposing side consists of Draugrs and Glavras-type monsters, excluding the dinosaur-types. On our side, we have the strongest walrus in history, the mob-adventurers that had joined on the Raid Quest for the Golden Skull, my team, Zelot, and the investigation team consisting of the higher-ranked adventurers, and for some reason, the scorpions I had given some frogs and advises to. They have sure grown stronger. The leader scorpion, now named Delta, has even evolved into something way stronger than what its rank says it should be. He's packed to the limit with poison-skills now. Scary.

The investigation team had some scary news: the water from the Water-Knot was been locked away in a barrier by some Magitech. And further investigation said that the water was been transported by a tunnel in the ground, made with the same type of barrier. And said tunnel lead to that Husk Forest Dungeon where the monster army comes out of.

A coincidence? Nu-uh. Especially when I saw how pale Mira turned when the investigation team mentioned the characteristics of the barrier, which is the same as the material of the Magitech that created it. Some kinda super-alloy of the following metals:

• Adamantite
• Bomdastum
• Cavorite
• Celesronze
• Abyysium
• Ethrium
• Emperiold
• Kryptorum
• Mithril
• Orichalcum
• Hihiirokane
• Kaiseki

...... Ain't this a little too much?! And the list keeps on going!

After cross-examining Mira for half a minute, she told that the list of properties of the barrier's the same as the material-list for that mechanical thump-thump Disaster. Just how much did Wayvol stuff into that heart?!

Eh, only small fragments from previous works were used? He tried to figure out a way to reuse the metal dust into something, but it melded together to a new alloy by accident when he snoozed on the job? You gotta be kidding with me!

*Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang* *Twang!!*

=====================================================================

The requirement:

• Use [Bow Arts] Arts 10 times under 10 seconds on an enemy,

is fulfilled.

The Art, Rapid Arrow, is added to [Bow Arts LV7].

=====================================================================

Wow. An Art was learned from that burst of anger. I already knew, but anger's a good source for strength. Ugh, now I remembered the Berserker again...

"Things are going smoothly here." - Leonardo

Walking up the ramp to the eastern wall surrounding the city of Velantas came Leonardo Velantas, the second-most important noble of the town. I ignored him and focused on the next turtle I saw with the scope-like telescope I had attached to my head like an eye-patch.

*Twang*

A hit straight in the eye. The turtle collapsed on the spot.

=====================================================================

SYSTEM MESSAGE

Proficiency has reached the required amount:

Skill [Archery LV9] has become [Archery LV10]

0.5 skill points obtained

=====================================================================

That's what you get for sniping monsters all day from the top of the city walls. I'm the only one who has a kill-range of over 400 meters. It's all thanks to the Bow Arts: Long-range Shot, Assassin Arts: Fatal Blow, and the [Shooting] skill. Thinnking about it, I've been training that skill for the most of my life. Maybe a sniper-assassin is my true calling?

"Nice shoot. Or is it called a headshot?" - Leonardo

...He could see where the arrow landed from that distance like it was nothing? Without any sight-increasing skills? This guy knows how to send chills up my spine.

"The latter. And what are you doing here? The heir of the city should stay in the mansion." - Garami

"Now, now. Our city is filled with skilled adventurers, so I am safe as long as I keep myself in the city. Not to mention a talented Archer-Assassin. Or maybe you would rather be called a ranger of justice?" - Leonardo

Wiseguy. But my current appearance ain't too far from that of a ranger. With a cloak over my Dark Blood-set, with several knives strapped on my belt, and holding a longbow, I'm like the front figure for a ranger or at least a hunter.

=====================================================================

Item Name: Black Spider Longbow

Rank: D+

Type: Longbow

Durability: 228/250

ATK: 130

Weight: 38

Requirements: 

• DEX of 200 or more.
• Having the Archer class.

Effects:

• Increased range: 20%
• Presence Concealment.

Description: A longbow made with Black Steel and the thread of a demonic spider-monster. It has a superior Strength for a weapon of its rank, due to the materials used to build it. It will decrease the probability for the Archer using this bow to be detected by the target they snipe at, as well as having a large kill-range, even for a longbow.

=====================================================================

This helps with leveling both the Archer class and the Assassin class, so I can't say I dislike it. More of this, and maybe I'll be able to branch off the Archer class to some Gunner class. I've yet to figure out what kinda class that is. Some of the pages in the Kigal-Note's pitch black, probably due to that nasty goddess. Even the page describing the Kur Kigal race looks like an octopus has done it in! Argh, stress relief!

*Twang*

=====================================================================

SYSTEM MESSAGE:

EXP has reached the required amount.

Garami has reached LV11

Life attributes have been recovered.

All basic attributes have increased.

0.5 skill point(s) acquired.

=====================================================================

"Nice headshot. By the way, can the leading expert on these monsters tell me more about them? I'll pay you." - Leonardo

"...Just a sec. Got one more arrow left." - Garami

As this is the last one, let's aim for one of the big guys. After covering the arrowhead with some special Hydra poison made with [Poison Synthesis], I took aim with the scope, and released the arrow with the additional boost of both my art and the skill.

The arrow flew through the air and hit the one-headed hydra turtle (actually, it's just a big turtle snake) in the eye. The monster withered in pain for a few seconds, before its long neck fell to the ground.

=====================================================================

SYSTEM MESSAGE:

EXP has reached the required amount.

Garami has reached LV12

Life attributes have been recovered.

All basic attributes have increased.

0.5 skill point(s) acquired.

 

The requirements:

• Use a [Bow Arts] Art with a poisoned arrow 100 times,
• Used an [Assassin Arts] alongside a [Bow Art] 100 times,

are fulfilled.

The Art, Coated Arrow, is added to [Assassin Arts LV29].

=====================================================================

Garami has leveled up! And I got a new Art as well. Nice, but I wanted it to be something for [Bow Arts]. It's close enough, so I guess that's fine. 

"There. What was the question again?" - Garami

"The enemy forces." - Leonardo

Oh yeah, that. There are some fellows that I recognize there, but there are some new ones as well:

• Prototype Draugr
  • The tarry-undead like not-undeads. They don't stop even if we break their bones. but if their tarry bodies take enough damage, like when exposed to large amounts of water or fire, then they suddenly die even with their massive HP.
• Glavras Aquarect
  • The rank E- spiders from the Dungeon. 
• Glavras Assaultrect
  • A rank D- spider evolution that wasn't in the Dungeon. An evolution of the spider, which focuses on speed and physical attack strength. It can't use the water gun for some reason.
• Glavras Armorrect
  • A rank D- spider that focuses on defense. Like an armored spider. Damn slow.
• Glavras Arcanerect
  • A rank D- spider that uses [Water Magic]. Damn frail, and stupid enough to go to the front-line
• Glavras Bunkkurtle
  • The rank D turtle snake from the Dungeon.
• Glavras Hydraastle
  • A rank C turtle snake that has the size of the hydra turtle, but only has one head. It has some nasty spikes on its shell.

"The spider queen or the real hydra turtle that I saw in the Dungeon ain't here, luckily for us." - Garami

"Then, only monsters of the 'grunt-level', as you would call it?" - Leonardo

"That, and the stuff in between that I haven't seen before." - Garami

I took a look over the battlefield while answering the marquise junior. Levi was rolling over Draugrs left and right, and she was even using her breaths while rolling, becoming a rolling ball of corrosion, poison, fire, or lightning, whenever she had the HP for it. It reminds me a little of that super-fast hedgehog from the videogames. Those with magician-classes helped her, as only attacks such as fire and water, the stuff that hit all of the Draugr's body, seems to do anything to it.

Mira was cutting up spiders with her new Tyrant Fang sword which was recently finished. She blocks the water blasts from the regular spiders and the magic types with a shield made of Water magic, or by simply dodging them. And, whoa! She bisected one of the armor-spiders, just like that! The spider-population in the area's going down in record-time with her in town. *shiver*

But the truly ruthless one is Carion. He's got a squadron of Dead Rock Golems at his command, mowing down the spiders and turtles alike, while using the Magma magic, Burning Earth to fry the Draugr well-done. My comrades' progress is scaring me...

Lily's aiming for the turtles, by sneaking upon them, for so grabbing them by the neck, and... eating them? No, that's [Poison Bite]. No, she's really eating them! Ah, she was thrown off. The other adventurers took over for her while she ran back to the city to get healed by the medic-team spearheaded by Zelot who I ordered to participate.

And then there was Bermuda. He's going solely after the one-headed hydra turtles and keeps on sending them flying. Like, for real. The truck-sized turtles are sent flying up in the air with each uppercut that walrus does. Is all the isekai-reincarnated protagonists' grudge behind those fists?

And me? I'm aiming for whatever bigshots that's within my killing range, meaning around 400 meters, minus a few cms. And I've been doing this all day. My fingertips hurt, and I've used up the crazy amount of arrows I had. I need to buy more if I wanna continue. Aww, I wanna have a real sniper rifle. But the arrows are doing more damage than bullets now! What the heck?! I wanna have my Gunner class!!

"Well then, here's the payment." - Leonardo

Thanks for the patronage. I'll get myself something good tonight...! Ten golds?!

"That is not only for the lecture but also for indirectly saving the town. I heard that the monsters appeared when a strong aether-reading appeared on Cactus Hill. Right when the four of you were there, according to the Grandmaster of the Adventurers Guild." - Leonardo

*GULP!*

"The [type: Glavras] monsters went into a panic due to that, which broke the concealment magic that was cast on the monster army. If not for that, we would not have noticed them before they were right in front of us." - Leonardo

So, I saved the town by opening the chest then? Yahoo! In that case, I'll gladly accept the money. 

Still, to think they recognized the aether of their unseen creator. That's some dedication. Or is it an instinct unique for the type: Glavras, as Leonardo called them?

Cause, these guys ain't from the Dungeon. They're newborn monsters created by that thump-thump. The proof for that is that they are all at LV1, even the big guys. And the same goes for their levels. Their stats are unnaturally big though.

If I'm right here, then that former baron Gregor must have used the heart in some way to steal the water from the Water-Knot. Why he did that, I've got no clue, but the point is, that water was also created by the Glavras monsters that remained in the Dungeon. If it is the Disaster of Life, then it wouldn't be impossible for it to use the small aether remains in the water to recreate the Glavras monsters. 

Gregor must have taken the bait we had laid out yesterday and tried to attack the town when "we" were away. And not only did Bermuda flashily strike back, but the illusion spell that was cast on the army broke due to me opening the chest containing Galvras' corpse. 

"It's clear that Raft Gregor is hiding in the Husk Forest. If so, then he must have some connection to that Dungeon, if he's not the Dungeon Master himself. I want to put the town guard on monster slaying duty, but we need to protect the rest of the city. We cannot even investigate the strange movements that are reported from the research district. Even if lord Galleth himself can join the battle now...*glance*" - Leonardo

You're too transparent. But whatever, this is more in my style than to shoot arrows all day. I just wanna use this baby before going.

"Did you not say you were out of arrows?" - Leonardo

"These are special." - Garami

I nocked the first arrow, a Sigil-Arrow I've made, and aimed towards the nearest hydra turtle still standing. The arrow flew towards it and exploded upon contact. Even so, the damage is pathetically low. It's just a Detonate Arrow after all.

The adventurers who heard the explosion started to back away from the targeted turtle. When they were at a safe distance, I nocked the second arrow, a special one made of magically enhanced metals. It was an expensive one, worth 5 golds, but if the target is a rank C monster, then I have no regrets!

The arrow hit the turtle, and from it came a real poison dragon, which attacked the turtle and any other living beings close to it. That's right, it's a Hydra Arrow! Needless to say, I'm damn proud of this one. 

I left behind the pale-faced Leonardo up on the top of the wall and went to find Zelot so that he could give a message to the other four, to meet me by the eastern entrance to the research district by midnight.