Matan’s Shooter - Chapter 738

[Acquired the achievement “Bluebeard’s Great Ire”.]

[Because it is a duplicate achievement, the effect will not apply.]

[Acquired the achievement “Discovering the Everlasting Bloodline”.]

[Acquired the achievement “Insulting the Pride of the Blood Maiden”.]

[Acquired the achievement “Nightmare of the Setting Sun”.]

“Did I just obtain four achievements in one go—oh, and on top of that, the achievement with Bluebeard’s Great Ire overlapped?”

Leeha’s eyes widened. At the same time, Leeha could roughly grasp the situation from a while ago.

The sudden explosion-like disappearance of Bathory’s body and the significant change in Chiyou’s appearance.

Above all, despite killing ‘Chiyou’, only achievements related to ‘Bathory’ were appearing.

“I didn’t get the Ranker Hunting achievement. I thought I killed Chiyou for sure. She didn’t turn into light, but the bullet hit her body. So, if she’s dead, doesn’t that mean the achievement should show up?”

“Why isn’t the Ranker Hunting achievement popping up? Is she dead or not?”

What does that mean? At this point, Leeha couldn’t know for sure. The only certainty was that he had obtained clues on what had happened to Chiyou and Bathory.

[Achievement: Discovering the Everlasting Bloodline(S-)]

Congratulations! You have discovered a bloodline that shares blood and confirmed their existence! Referred to as vampires or blood ghouls, they sustain their power and life by absorbing the blood of other species and distributing it among their kind. Despite appearing as intelligent beings with magical abilities, they, too, could not escape the fairness of fate. With the exception of one individual at the top of the bloodline hierarchy, all vampires cannot move when the sun is up. Even for the advancement of archaeology and human knowledge, you must seize the moment when the sun is up.

Be cautious! The moment the sun sets, they will see you only as prey!

Reward: 18 Star Points

Additional 10% damage dealt when hit by a vampire

Additional 5% damage when attacking a vampire

You are the second registrant of the achievement “Discovering the Everlasting Bloodline.”

The first three registrants will be recorded in the Hall of Fame, and the existing effect will be applied an additional 200%.

Effect: 36 Stat Points

Additional 20% damage dealt when hit by a vampire

Additional 10% damage when attacking a vampire

Leeha vividly remembered the moment when Bathory bit Chiyou’s neck.

“So, I thought it was a vampire.”

It’s not bloodsucking but blood-giving. Turning bloodsucking into blood-giving, guided by Chiyou, the conversation was too difficult for Leeha to comprehend clearly due to the venomous needle.

“They sustain their power and life by distributing blood…”

If so? Could it be that Chiyou herself transformed into a vampire?

That would be a more favorable outcome to consider.

“In the worst case scenario…”

Leeha’s jaw trembled. However, the “worst-case scenario” was entirely within the realm of possibility.

“It’s not just within the realm of possibilities.”

With Bathory’s disappearance, now it seemed even more likely to lean towards the “worst-case scenario.”

“Did Chiyou become Bathory? No, it’s not that Chiyou’s existence disappeared, but rather… I feel like she inherited Bathory’s power.”

In that case, in Chiyou’s case, she would have to be considered promoted to essentially the second-in-command of Bluebeard’s Army, a mid-level unit under the Demon King’s Army.

He lowered his head.

“Chiyou was trying to prevent Bathory from awakening. But what is this!? A more formidable enemy has emerged-“

“Ha Leeha.”

A voice that sounded as if it could dig into his palm with its fingernails woke him up as he was about to clench his fist.

“Ah! Blaugrunn, are you okay?”

Blaugrunn was leaning against Arzenmacht, wearing a robe stained with blood, barely standing.

“I’m fine.”

“Phew… I’m not okay, but if you’re fine, I guess that’s good.”

“And Leeha?”

Blaugrunn asked with a forced smile, looking at him.

A being who puts others first even in such difficult situations. He regained his composure as he looked at Blaugrunn. It wasn’t a time to lament over missed opportunities like thinking of the fish that got away.

“You seem to have enough energy to joke around. Thank goodness. I thought something was wrong.”

“If- cough, there was. I thought I had fully recovered the power from when I was an Adult-class… Seems like it’s still not enough for Le.”

Blaugrunn shivered as he looked in the direction where Le vanished. Leeeha could feel that it was driven by anger.

He wasn’t the only one feeling dejected.

“Was there a ‘Blood Maiden’ inside the fortress?”

“Yes.”

“What about her children?”

“What?!”

“Were there any children.”

Arzenmacht asked bluntly. He smirked as he saw Leeha hesitate for a moment.

“Children… Well, I can’t say for sure since we didn’t thoroughly search the interior. But if they were there, wouldn’t they have come out to fight?”

“There was no statue.”

“No…?”

Leeha’s expression stiffened as he spoke. Blaugrunn’s eyes widened.

“Oops! Ha Leeha-nim! The offspring of the vampire clan Bathory cannot move when the sun is up! Except for Bathory, the other vampires can-“

“Oppa, now.”

“-move only when the sun has set!”

Ram Hwajung pointed beyond the snowy mountains.

There was still a hint of sunset glow. However, the sun was no longer in the sky.

At that moment, Leeha understood everything as well.

The countless statues Leeha had seen on the way to Bathory, the highest-ranking vampire. What did that mean?

“Oh, damn it! That thing mentioned in the achievements-“

Except for the individual at the top of the vampire lineage, all vampires cannot move when the sun is up. That one line explained everything.

Chiyou, who ran away when the sun was up, was not an ordinary vampire.

It meant that she had become “it,” which represented the highest-ranking vampire, that was, Bathory!

And now that the sun has set, what will happen?

Leeha felt the impending explosion of the final moment. If there had been no explosion, there would have been only one main gate as an escape route.

In that case, they could have easily burned everything with flamethrowers.

“Ha Leeha-nim! Inside the castle-“

“I know! Ram Hwajung-ssi! Arzenmacht-nim! Don’t let them escape, we need to kill even one more! [Multi-Warhead Shot]!”

Countless bats were flying above the top floor of the hole-ridden Bransylvania Castle.

Leeha frantically fired rounds of Multi-Warhead Shot towards the bats, followed by-

“[Ice Age].”

Ram Hwajung also successfully cast the spell quickly. At the same time, a huge presence emerged from behind.

Roarrrr!

In this place where there was no longer any interference of mana, there was no power to stop the dragons.

The imposing figures of a silver dragon and a bronze dragon caught their eyes, but by the time they thought about it, they were already soaring into the sky. A mass of white mana gathered in front of Arzenmacht-nim and a cluster of turquoise mana particles converged around Blaugrunn.

–

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

Leeha and Ram Hwajung couldn’t even look straight at it. In a moment, they had to close their eyes. The magnificent light that felt like it would pierce through their eyelids and touch their retinas soon disappeared. Though it was regrettable not to witness the moment when the silver dragon’s breath and the bronze dragon’s lightning magic intertwined, Leeha couldn’t muster such feelings.

“Where did all the bats go?”

“They’re all dead.”

A white steam emerged from Blaugrunn’s nose.

Hearing the tone that seemed to say, “What’s the big deal,” Leeha felt a renewed sense of determination.

“… Impressive. Ice. Breath.”

[Technically, it was just spraying a refrigerant in order to link to Blaugrunn’s mana.]

“Yeah, got it.”

Ram Hwajung also looked up at Arzenmacht with sparkling eyes. Leeha thought it was funny how the Silver Dragon seemed embarrassed.

Among the hundreds of vampires who attempted to escape from the Bransylvania Castle, only three survived.

“Um, are you really okay, Ram Hwajung-ssi?”

“Are you sure, Arzenmacht?”

“The power is strong.”

‘Therefore, this action is necessary.’

With that additional reasoning, Arzenmacht’s words were valid. Seeing the two people who even resembled each other in their conversational style, Leeha and Blaugrunn couldn’t help but look anxious.

After completing the search inside the Bransylvania Castle, they quickly descended from the mountains via dragon flight and were now preparing to part ways.

Just as Leeha was subtly trying to request for help and exchange information about Batorina vampires and Bluebeard, Ram Hwajung’s bombshell statement cut her off.

Me, really… cooperation? This isn’t even the concept of a ‘partner,’ what is this? Although I had some hope of becoming partners…

Ram Hwajung had asked to learn from Arzenmacht and – whether that was the request or not, Leeha couldn’t tell – Arzenmacht had agreed under the condition of residing in his lair.

Leeha: What happens in that case? Shouldn’t she go to Bahamut and, you know, form another partnership?

Blaugrunn: I don’t know either. They say there were cases when dragons imparted teachings to humans long ago, but those are stories from over a hundred years ago.’

“It means no one has experienced it as a user.”

To witness something that had only been in the settings of Middle Earth, even amidst the absurdity, Leeha found comfort.

Ram Hwajung: Unni, it’s me.

“Oh, yeah. Please contact Ram Hwayeon. I will talk to her too.”

Ram Hwajung showed a bashful smile. For Leeha, witnessing such a smile from her was quite a heartwarming moment in reality.

“Arzenmacht, please take care.”

“No problem. Shall we go?”

Arzenmacht extended his hand towards Ram Hwajung.

Ram Hwajung took Arzenmacht’s hand with her delicate hand.

Ssshhhh—!

Watching the two figures vanish through teleportation, Leeha rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Oddly enough, they seem to fit well together. Like a father and daughter vibe.”

“Considering the human’s age is around mid-teens, so Arzenmacht may have a daughter around 490 years old,” Blaugrunn pondered.

“Speaking of which,” he continued, “Blaugrunn still has a long way to go, for real.”

“No, just kidding! I learned all this from Ha Leeha-nim!”

Blaugrunn exclaimed as his hair was tousled by Leeha playfully.

Despite the exhausting battle they had just gone through, being able to laugh was a welcome relief.

“So, what are you going to do now? You need to report to the human’s Pope and-”

“Oh, right. I have to make arrangements to report to Kijung… and I have my own tasks to attend to as well.”

“Tasks?”

Leeha rummaged through his bag while glancing at Blaugrunn with a mischievous smile. After a moment, he pulled out a rolled-up parchment.

“A map?”

“Yes, but not your typical map.”

“Oh really?”

“It’s a map showing the house where Ha Hae-nim, a High-Hand who lived in Middle Earth, resided.”

“Ha Hae-nim? Ha Hae-nim had a house?”

“Haha, not me!”

“What do you mean?”

For Leeha, the real-life model of the White Reaper was undoubtedly Simo Häyhä. However, a more familiar figure named ‘Hayha’ existed as a model within Middle Earth. According to records, the White Reaper must have already perished by the executioner’s blade.

However, he left behind a map. And a potion he created.

“If he had the same profession as in reality…”

Leeha trailed off, “The ‘White Reaper’ who killed 542 people in 100 days with [whatever weapon]. It’s turning into a vampire just by itself, right?”

“Ahhh!”

“Why scream out of the blue like that?”

“I’m frustrated! When you’re frustrated, you gotta let it all out with a scream! You have to get stronger quickly!”

Leeha brandished his crystal ball, hitting Blaugrunn on the back enthusiastically.

“Let’s go, Blaugrunn! Off to Gaza City! Let’s gooooo!”

Blaugrunn looked utterly puzzled, unable to comprehend his partner’s mood.

“I invested in stamina to prepare for the White Plague, not anticipating this relentless drain on my hp. It was a waste to invest in stamina.”

Leeha muttered to himself as they headed towards the bottle-necked forge of Gaza City, reflecting on his recent battle.

Leeha assessed his battle before it began: was his decision rational, were there any deficiencies in his choices or actions during the fight? The first thing that came to mind was the issue related to stamina.

What about the White Plague? A vicious state ailment that relentlessly drained 1% of one’s total stamina every minute, no matter how much stamina a person had.