Matan’s Shooter

“Its rank is marked as ‘beginner’, but you can’t raise its level… Does this mean that it can’t be raised through experience and effort? Anyway, it could mean that it is still possible to raise the rank.” 

After checking the skill, Leeha felt a little relieved.

There was a huge difference between being able and not being able to meet again.

“Haha, little kid. Grow up well! It’s big, so it should do well.”

Leeha shouted at the forest and walked back to the capital. Of course, he didn’t know what the bear cub would do and how it could get bigger.

He only arrived at the capital after a full day.

It was time to focus on himself again.

-Kijeong!

-Yes, hyung. I’m hunting.

-Ok. I think I will arrive at the south gate of Aelstock by noon tomorrow.

-Okay. Tomorrow, I will wait for you in front of the South Gate. By the way, did  something exciting happen to you? Would you like to tell me? 

Leeha just laughed.

-What is it? I was thinking of getting something for you.

-It’s okay, hyung. Get to level 15 or so. That way, you can proceed with the quest right from the Musket Academy. Probably the next level will be level 20. Do you want me to help you?

-15? 20?

-Yes. It’s hard, but it’s doable! I will continue to hunt too.

Tuk, the ringing in Leeha’s head stopped.

Due to the nature of Middle Earth, it was difficult to whisper while on a party hunt.

“Level 15… What level did he think I was at?”

Leeha should have said that he was already at level 24.

“I have to raise my level to 25 while passing the time.”

Level 25 has a nice ring to it. Leeha opened his bag. There were roughly more than 60 sets of gunpowder and bullets remaining. There would be no problem with raising one more level.

“I just got separated from the bear cub and now I am going to hunt bears again, I’m like a psychopath.”

Rather than that, talking to himself and giggling made him look more like a psychopath, but Leeha didn’t know that.

A musketeer with a coat, boots and hunting cap made of leather from Field Boss Agonia Oso.

When he leaned on the ground, covered by dark red leather, a camouflage effect appeared as if Leeha was one with the ground.

Now a fairly seasoned bear hunter, Ha Leeha aimed at a bear walking on the other side of the forest where he released the kid.

—

Kkuuu–.

The kid knew that no one would take care of him in the future.

Its intelligence was not high, but it knew that it was different from the human and they couldn’t  continue to be together.

Kkuu, kuu.

Fortunately, their souls were connected in the end, so they would be able to see each other again. The bear cub was as lonely as Leeha right now.

He kept walking into the forest without humans.

Ordinary bears ignored snakes even when they saw them, but the bear cub strangely hated those green strips.

Kkua!

Sss?

The bear cub popped the snake’s head that dared to pass by it. Was it because he remembered being asked by his soulmate one day?

Or was it because it tasted the meat of the snake at that time?

The bear cub picked up the dead snake and bit it.

Kuong, kuong.

If someone saw it, they would think that it was chewing bubble gum.

Kau, Kuo!

Kwi, Kwi.

And it saw several bears in the distance. Bears did not live in groups like wolves, but they moved as a family unit.

Daddy bear, mommy bear, and baby bear?

Daddy Bear wasn’t fat, and Mommy Bear wasn’t slim.

And of course, even if it was a baby bear, it had no problem with beating humans before and after level 20.

In the eyes of the bear cub, it was nice to have colleagues.

Kku! Kkuuong!

Kukuku, Kukuku. The bear family turned their heads towards the bear cub who suddenly started running toward them.

Kuo, Kuu!

Kku?

And they naturally had boundaries.

Since they did not live in a group, the boundaries they had would inevitably be severe. The kid who grew up with Leeha since childhood did not know it, but the bear family recognized him as an enemy. 

Kku, kku!

Ku-!

Kku, kkuong!

The bear cub gave out the snake he had chewed. It must have meant that it wanted to become friends, but the bear family just looked at the bear cub with absurd eyes.

The bear family surrounded the bear cub and smelled it. It smelled mildly human, but they didn’t care about it.

Because they noticed a bloody odor from the kid’s body.

Ku… Ku…

Kuu…

The smell that made the bear family bow their heads. The King’s Scent.

The king of bears to rule them all. They smelled the king’s scent from it. But the bear family  clearly knew.

The bears’ throne is currently vacant, and a bloody fight was about to happen in order to take the vacant throne.

In the midst of that, a bear cub appeared with the king’s scent.

Kkung?

Kuu, kuu-

The bear cub listened to the bear family. For a long time, after the cries of bears rang, the bear cub scrunched its nose.

The king of bears…

And thought.

The smell came from his own soulmate.

If its soulmate smelled like the king of bears, it thought that it had to qualify as well.

Kkuuong–!

The kid stood up on both feet.

It seemed that it was bigger than the trees around it, as it stood up. What’s more, was it gave an overbearing feeling.

The bear family trembled as they saw how enormous the bear cub was.

The bear cub’s last kkuung, perhaps what it meant was…

“Guide me.”

—

-Kijeong-ah, where are you?

-I am at the south gate… Have you arrived?

-Yes. You?

-I’ve been here since morning. I am chatting with my guildmates.

-Where? Can’t you see me?

Leeha looked around.

“Where are you? 

Even after a day, the southern gateway of the capital was still crowded with people. He couldn’t find Kijeong and his guildmates when they had been there since morning.

“Let’s go catch the Kobolds, level 30 needed. Will only talk to those who know the location of the hunting ground.”

“Looking for a bear hunting party! I’m a level 28 tank, please take me!” 

“Looking for a person who will go to Orenu village together!”

The capital was  wide. It was only natural that people were crowded at the exit close to the hunting ground, rather than seeking party members in the central square like in Candle Castle.

‘I know what needs to be floating above my head.’

Just like in old online games, if you hover your mouse to a character, its ID or something like that will pop up, in order to recognize who it was .

All that was  around were humans and sometimes giants. Occasionally, Wood Elves and female users could  be noticed, but they did not have much significance.

Anyway, it wasn’t  easy to meet without landmarks in a huge area.

“Is he coming?”

“Yes. He will come here. Probably arriving soon.”

“It’s my first time seeing a Musketeer in a very long time. Can he arrive safely? He didn’t get killed by a bear, right?”

“My hyung has good senses. His job is a little peculiar, but he will be fine. When enters our guild, he will unconditionally be an asset.”

“Well, but it’s difficult for users around level 10 to enter the guild.…”

“Ah, where is your hyung? Just look for him and introduce us.”

A small voice could  be heard in Leeha’s ear, who was wandering around. He couldn’t see them, but it was clear.

“Kijeong-ah! Master K! Where are you!”

“Well? Oh, hyung! Here!”

Someone raised his hand.

Leeha ran to meet Kijeong. Leeha and Kijeong saw each other. The two finally met in Middle Earth.

They were both embarrassed and lost for words.

“Is this him?”

It was a group that Leeha found as soon as he arrived at the southern gate of Aelstock.

Those who really shine even among people who are hardworking.

There was nothing to say about the incredibly luxurious equipment, and it was even more noticeable because they were wearing a pair of matching dark blue cloaks.

No way this was Kijeong.

Of course, he thought it would be a certain level.

But what is this? Even if Kijeong said that he was a Sacred Knight like the ones he met yesterday, Leeha would believe it.

Someone in full-plate mail, one in half-plate mail, one in tanned leather, and even one in a robe embroidered with all kinds of shapes.

He was wondering why these experts were sitting here…

‘Are they the guildmates of Kijeong?’ 

However, they also thought the same thing.

“Amazing… What are those clothes? Where did you get it?”

Kijeong imagined that Leeha was a desperate, beggar-like beginner who just finished the golden eagle and walked to the south gate of the capital city.

He even saw Leeha’s back before.

Since there was such a difference between expectation and reality, they were not able to see each other.

A long coat made of dark red leather? He had never seen such a color. By the way, the shoes and hat must be from the same leather? 

Although he had a warrior-type job, and he didn’t wear leather clothes, he knew for sure.

These items were not sold in the Tailor shop.

In other words, it can only be obtained by hunting.

“Hyung… What? What is this? Who gave it to you? Did you steal it?”

“What’s the fuss? I got it by hunting.”

“What did you hunt? Aren’t you level 13? This is a wild boar’s color, there is no way.”

Of course you can’t catch a bear. It was a foregone conclusion that he would have luckily caught a boar near the Candle Castle, and it was a realistic guess.

“Is this your hyung?”

“Ah yes…”

Kijeong and Leeha were confused as they looked at each other. It was the same for Kijeong’s guildmates, who found it absurd, but one person spoke first.

A person wearing an embroidered robe reached his hand out to Leeha.

“Hello. I heard a lot from Kay. I’m Hyein.”

“Ke… Oh, yes, yes. Hello. I am Ha Leeha. I don’t think you’ll hear anything, but I guess you’ve only seen strange things.”

Hyein was a scholar type with a soft, pure impression that would fit even if he was wearing glasses.

His tone was as soft as that.

‘It’s different because he’s called Kay. His ID was Master K.’

Why was he called Kay? It seemed like a sudden laughter came out.

“Nice to meet you. Army sergeant, sniper-turned-musketeer. Kijeong won’t stop praising you for having tremendous potential. He called us all, saying we had to meet you today.”

“My, when did I, Guild master-hyung? Don’t say such  weird things.”

“That’s right! You said it just a moment ago.”

Kijeong’s face turned red and he waved his hand. Although he strongly denied it, Leeha was grateful to Kijeong. Yes, he was such a nice guy.

“Haha, thank you, Kijeong-ah.”

“No, I really didn’t. Anyway… what are those clothes really?”

“Isn’t that the field boss’s clothes? If I remember correctly, it’s Brown Bear… What was its name? Anyway, it seems like these items drop when you catch the bear boss. I remember seeing it at an auction house before.”

A man dressed in black leather snuck in.

Perhaps this person’s silhouette couldn’t be found at night when the moonlight was weak.