Piercing the King Gargoyle
Six-pyeong one-room apartment.
Well, actually a bit larger than six pyeong now, for some reason.
"Huff. Huff."
I was panting heavily...
Not because I'd worked hard, but because I'd forgotten to breathe.
Keep thinking about exhaling and forget to inhale every time.
I wiped my sweaty palms on the blanket, tense as hell.
Three down so far.
Only the ones crawling around scarily close, but still.
No matter how much training, the tension in real life is a whole different beast.
Now I was worried the next shots might go astray.
Luckily, all three hit somehow, no issues.
But from here on, I had to stay sharp.
Over there. Definitely farther, on top of that high-rise.
Hunters were fighting desperately on the rooftop battlefield.
About twenty or thirty gargoyles.
If I sweep those, no gargoyles nearby threaten me right away.
Plus, more kills mean more gold and XP.
- Rattle. Rattle.
I maxed out the scope magnification and aimed at the rooftop.
"Damn."
Up close like this, I could see what the hunters were doing.
Keeping the gargoyles from going downstairs.
To minimize civilian damage? Then they must be licensed hunters.
Good people.
Not everyone is, but these folks especially can't get hurt. They're the good guys protecting my life.
"I'll help you out too."
Still, I aimed at gargoyles away from the hunters.
Just in case I miss and hit a good hunter by accident—that'd be disaster.
I picked the safest target, far as possible,
"Fuuuuh."
Exhaled completely.
One thing from sniper training: loosen your body tension as much as possible.
Especially for distant targets—total focus needed.
One. Nail one first, check the shot grouping.
Finger barely squeezing the trigger,
Slowly, slowly pulling...
So slow you don't know when it'll fire...
- Pfshut...!
Fired!
But
- Splaaaat!
"Ah, damn it!"
Too far after all. Missed my target, hit a random gargoyle.
Whew, lucky. Hit a gargoyle, not a person.
Then,
"!!!"
The hit gargoyle's lower body shredded, crashing onto the rooftop.
"Almost fucked up for real...!"
A person right next to it.
Mage-looking outfit,
"Nearly killed an innocent..."
Tension locked my body instantly.
Sniping ain't easy.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
Shot landed left-down diagonal from aim point.
Too late to zero now—pre-aim from the start.
Direction with no people. Miss okay, just not people.
I aimed top of the building, fewer gargoyles but away from people.
"Fuuuuh."
Fire.
- Pfshuuut...!
- Splaaaat!
"Aaaah! Why! Why again!"
Bullet went near that mage again.
Luckily no person hit—a gargoyle nearby took it lucky and fell.
Mage and an archer guy there, shaking in rage.
Almost killed two at once by accident.
Damn.
Hard to believe 100% hit rate so far.
Beginner level.
Gargoyles flying wildly helped by hitting themselves.
Still, same left-down grouping.
This won't do.
- Click. Click.
Set rifle down briefly, adjusted the click a few times.
This should cut the error.
Would need re-zero for other ranges later.
For now, most gargoyles up there.
"Firing again."
Error smaller now. Still people-free direction,
Pull!
- Pfshuuut!
- Splaaaat!
"Yes!!!"
Hit my aimed gargoyle. Too far to know exact spot,
But critical damage anyway!
Confidence back.
Meaning, all doomed.
[Attack] [Penetration]
Bullets pierce 3 enemies for 1 minute.
(Cooldown: 3 minutes)
※ 30% damage reduction per penetration
I'd tested this in the training ground—not bad at all.
Perfect for swarms flying like flies.
"People-free direction, hit two or three however."
Legendary to time overlaps far off— just hit one solid.
- Clack!
Bolt-action hassle reloading every shot, but clears mind, not bad.
Going...
Aimed people-impossible direction.
- Pfshut!
Fired air bullet with Penetration,
- Splatter!
Two kills!
Nice! Two at once.
Hm?
Weird. Hunters on roof suddenly huddling, not moving.
Something up?
I'm far, none of my business,
Stay put—suits me fine.
"Yeah. Good. Stay still, it's dangerous."
Whatever reason, lowers friendly-fire odds—welcome.
"Fuuuuh."
Max shots now. Annoying if they move.
Hurry.
- Clack!
Quick bolt pull,
- Pfshut...!
Swift but careful, embedding each in gargoyles.
Penetration still active—lucky doubles sometimes.
"How many down?"
Two left.
One more.
- Click.
"Ah, damn."
20-round mag empty. Already 20?
Hastily loaded 2 air bullets,
Chambered one, back to gargoyle shooting.
Now nail it for real.
Exhale max, body limp as jelly.
Imagine body as hard rock to stop micro-tremors,
Lead aim ahead of gargoyle's path, wait.
Flight path says it'll come here.
Near arrival, pull trigger.
Coming. Coming. Coming!
Luckily matched prediction, hit my lead point,
Pull.
- Pfshut!
- Splaaat!
"Success!"
A thrill hit me unbidden.
First time 100% skill on this level target?
More confident, same on last one.
- Splaaat!
Slight miss. But hit.
Damage did the job anyway.
"All down!"
Plenty more far off, but I sniped a ton personally.
How's that? Helped proper. Super grateful, right?
Scoped the rooftop hunters. But
Expressions too grim.
Frozen stiff awhile now.
What's up?
No clue.
Then,
- Kieeeek!
"What the fuck!"
Far-off King Gargoyle rocketed this way.
Toward the rooftop I'd blasted.
Subordinates dead?
Fast kills shifted battle, or blood rage,
Definitely heading here.
One more problem:
Gargoyles following!
Like formation behind King, roared and flapped—others swarmed after orderly.
No way to my place, right?
Unlikely. No reason.
Indeed, slowing near building.
Wait, this.
Actually gain?
Too far before, now incoming—perfect for my zeroed range.
Keep blasting.
Filled mag with air bullets.
Penetration cooldown exactly 3 min—ready.
[Attack] [Penetration] (00:59...)
Go.
They fought hard too—following gargoyles about 20.
But now different.
Flying in formation, single file.
Fed one each to normals beside King.
- Splatter!
- Splatter!
Got 'em!
Same spot/range familiarized—accuracy up.
One pierced 3, next 2.
Your turn.
Full feel now,
Proper one-shot to King Gargoyle.
Head target.
Aim [Critical Hit!]
Might not one-shot, rage-straight here trouble.
"Fuuuuh..."
Ultra focus.
Clack!
Bolt, chamber.
One eye shut, scope vision locked.
▶ [4] Looks fucking scary,,, you're done for,,,
⋅ ⋅
▷ [3]
⋅ ⋅
▷ [2]
⋅ ⋅
▷ [1]
Pulled trigger steady
- Pfshut!
Fired Penetration air bullet at King Gargoyle's head.
And
- Splaaatter!
No critical.
Missed head, hit torso.
- Kieeeek!
Worried damage low? Needless—torso pierced clean through, back visible.
But,
"???"
I just,
saw something.
"Ah! Damn it!"
King kill joy gone—shocked silly.
Saw it. Saw me. Damn.
If real,
Fucked up bad.
Mistake.
Bullet had Penetration,
Behind King Gargoyle torso... clearly
a 'person'.
Too fast blink, just vague shape flashed,
But definitely hit by my piercing bullet, flung far.
Please hallucination.
Want to believe overexcited, saw ghost.
King flying sky-high—person behind?
No way person mid-air.
Y-yeah. Must be wrong?
Desperately wanted to believe.
Korea's Rank 1.
World Rank 3.
S-rank Awakener.
Job: none other than [Hero].
His name: Cheon Seung-hyuk.
Took half a day to kill Gangneung's top gate boss, [Imoogi]. Even with other high-rankers, no easy foe.
Could 1v1 mid-gate bosses in minutes.
But top-grade? Gap immense.
Must refine more. Gate averages rising.
His instinct said so.
Post-Imoogi, bolted Seoul fastest.
Legendary Skill – Air Step for hyper-speed.
Reason: [Mid-High Gate] – [Gargoyle Wave]
Ignorance excuse, but knowing? No slacking.
En route, Hunter Bureau Team 1 Leader Kim Chun-gyu system commed.
Unregistered supernova hunter appeared, defended Seoul from Minotaur.
Focused on Imoogi, missed whole Minotaur crisis.
Unregistered whatever ignored, Minotaur judgment stuck.
Now mid-high Gargoyle Wave too.
Seoul fucked.
High-rankers all in Gangneung—city struggling now.
Almost there. Hold on.
Kill King Gargoyle quick, sweep rest.
Cleanup his job.
- Whoooosh!
Air-slicing speed audible.
Cheon arrived absurdly fast,
There.
Lucky—front: red huge King Gargoyle back view.
Flying somewhere.
Boss. Kill now.
Boss first, minions after.
Cheon charged without slowing, acceleration for one-shot.
- Whoooosh!
Instant close range.
Raised holy sword in right hand,
Aim single downslash bisect—
Then.
!!!
Rank 1 instinct.
Something dangerous.
Transcendent pressure. Murderous intent beyond.
Cheon reflexed—canceled attack, defense stance,
- Splaaatter!
"!!!"
Front King Gargoyle torso exploded gruesome,
Then immense shock hit Cheon.
"Kuhhh!"
- Boommm!
Unknown knockout shockwave.
Cheon blasted back origin path.
"Guhhh... what the!"
Flew far, gravity-planted into building.
- Crasssh!
- Rumblleee...
Building rubble buried him,
"Shit!"
- Whoom!
Irritated arm swing air burst, shook off filth, stood.
What the hell?
Imoogi never this damage.
Just now, proper guard—still massive shock. Flew far.
Not all.
- Crack.
"!!!"
Astronomically expensive Hero's Armor half-shattered.
Even damaged from Imoogi,
"Unbelievable."
One shot pierced his guard,
Heavy as high-rank tank body flung far,
Half-destroyed Hero's Armor.
"Who the hell."
Wanted face now.
Sat on apartment bed, wiped cold sweat.
"No. Pretty sure hit a person."
Uneasy lingers...