Arena

Chapter 10 Training

‘Well I’m already here so I might as well try shooting like 5 bullets. The lead bullets that I will use for the exam and the steel material slingshot bullets that I just ordered are of different weights. I have to become familiar with the feeling of shooting the lead bullets.

‘Let’s shoot.’

I take out a single lead bullet and put it into the chamber. And then I aim at a pine tree about 20 meters off.

‘I thought it would be uncomfortable, but loading the gun is pretty easy. You just put the bullet in the chamber and that’s it. Very simple. The modern era rifles had to hand pack gunpowder and poke it in with a stick and all this stuff. But this uses a magically shot lead bullet and not gunpowder so it was very simple.

I squat down in the ‘sit and shoot’ position and put the butt of the gun against my shoulder.

I adjust the two sights, look down the gun, and aim. I stop my breathing and then, shoot.

Toong-

And with the small sound, a heavy recoil was felt on my shoulder.

Pajik! (Tree bark breaking sound)

And the bark on the pine tree that was hit with the lead bullet got blown off.

‘The recoil on this is a lot weaker that the K2 I used in the army. I suppose that means the power is a lot weaker too.’

Of course there are advantages to this.

‘Because the gun is light and the recoil is small, even without getting into the proper position, shooting should be easier. Even the sound is small. Because it is not a gunpowder gun, it doesn’t make a loud noise either’

I get close and examine the pine tree to investigate. The impression of where the tree was hit was dug out.

If it’s this much, it should have enough power to kill.

If I aim correctly, it’s enough to kill the red ape in one shot.

“Sylph”

-Meow

I speak to the summoned Sylph.

“Pick up the bullet that I just shot.”

-Meow

Sylph quickly vanished about into the air and came back with the lead bullet in her mouth and placed it in my palm.

“Ahh of course...”

As predicted, the lead bullet was completely crumpled up. Re-using them was impossible. I definitely have to become a one shot, one kill sniper.

I step a little further away from my target pine tree.

Toong.

This time it didn’t land on the pine tree.

“Go pick it up Sylph.”

Sylph brings me the lead bullet I shot. This time, luckily, the shape of the lead bullet was fine. Seeing as how there is a lot of dirt on it, it seems it had landed on the ground.

‘Thank god. Every single shot is precious.’

“Sylph. Do you perhaps know the distance between here and the pine tree over there?”

-Meow?

Sylph shakes her head.

‘Aww. Sylph doesn’t understand meters.’

I pull out my smart phone and show Sylph the measurement app on my phone.

“Here. This is 1 centimeter and 100 centimeters is 1 meter. Get it now?”

-Meow!

With a confident reply, Sylph marked a number in the ground.

41.

Damn. It’s only 41 meters and I couldn’t hit it. I couldn’t hit that giant pine tree?

‘My aim is not very good.”

Then again, the K2 gun that I used in the army was a modern weapon that had been advanced with science. On the other hand, the magic gun that I have, at first glance, is very old school. The bullets are a round marble shape. So of course the accuracy is iffy.

I have to one shot, one kill, but the accuracy of this gun makes that a problem. The only thing left to trust now is Sylph.

“Sylph.”

-Meow?

“If I shoot the gun, can you use your power to make sure it hits the tree?”

-Meow

Sylph nods her head.

“Alright. Then I’ll just kind of shoot and you use your power to make the lead bullet hit the pine tree. Exactly where it had hit before.”

-Meow!

“Ok. I’m going to shoot.”

I placed a lead bullet into the chamber and I thoughtfully get into position. Without carefully aiming down the sights, I pull on the trigger right away.

Toong!

At the same time as the bullet came out, Sylph flew.

Puk! (Bam)

From the pine tree came another heavy sound that echoed. It hit its mark.

I ran up and checked the pine tree. Surprisingly, the bullet mark had imprinted right in the place where the first bullet had hit.

“We did it!”

About this much and that’s really good accuracy. Going forward, if I can use Sylph’s help like this, I’ll be 100 for 100. The next problem is how much of Sylph’s power was used for that shooting.

“Skill Review.”

-Spirit summon (Main skill). Lower level wind spirit is currently summoned.

*Level 1: Summons period 2 hours (Remaining time: 1 hour 29 minutes.)

When the summon time is up, you may re-summon in 10 hours.

The remaining summoning time has decreased by a lot so I ask Sylph.

“Sylph, how many minutes has it been since I’ve summoned you?”

Sylph marks the ground.

17.

That means using Sylph’s power reduced the time by 14 minutes! I’ve used too much of Sylph’s power.

‘Perhaps this is a given?’

The lead bullet that came out of the gun had flown out with extreme speed and power. It makes sense that using wind to alter the path of the powerfully shot bullet used a lot of power.

And on top of that, the distance is only 41 meters. If the length had been further, and Sylph had only used a small amount of power, the direction would have been greatly changed, however, having to move the lead bullet in a shorter distance means more power had to be used.

‘If there are only 1 or 2 creatures to fight, then this will be enough...’

Once shot is 14 minutes. Which just 8 shots, Sylph’s summon time will be up.

In a situation with multiple enemies, it isn’t that useable of a skill.

Once the summons period is over, I have to wait 10 hours to summon again, and this skill has too large a penalty.

“Is there no other way?”

I sit down and rest and go deep into thought.

The magic gun’s accuracy is not very high. How am I to fight when I can’t properly hit a large pine tree that is just 41 meters away? Sylph’s power is crucial. With no good thoughts coming to mind, I lift up the magic gun.

In my sitting position, I put a lead bullet into the chamber and aim at the pine tree.

-Meow

Sylph sat, stuck right next to me, and casually swept her tail back and forth.

Now that I think of it, a sniper always has a spotter next to them, no?

It was as if I was a sniper and Sylph was my spotter. But I’m sure there isn’t a spotter in the world that’s as cute as this one.

“Sylph, if I shoot like this, do you think it’ll hit the pine tree?”

-Meow

Sylph nods her head.

“Do you think I’ll be able to hit the spot from the first bullet?”

This time, she shakes her head back and forth.

“Then?”

Sylph flies in front of me and with her adorable front paw, moves the barrel very slightly left.

“It’ll work if I shoot like this?”

-Meow

Sylph nods her head.

‘Alright. So should we give it a go?’

In order not to deviate from the aim that Sylph had set, I monitor my heartbeat and concentrate.* Without the slightest movement, I hold my breath, and then I delicately pull the trigger.

(TN: Literally says ‘I tame my cardiovascular and concentrate.’ But I’m fairly certain the was trying to shoot between his heartbeats so the twitching doesn’t affect his aim.)

Toong-Pajik!

It shot the pine tree. As if out of happiness, Sylph was flying in circles around my head.

I run up and check out the pine tree.

“WOW!”

The dip from the first shot was even more dug out.

“This is exactly it!”

A way to use a very small amount of Sylph’s power and still shoot 100 out of 100!

“Sylph. This time, I’m going to close my eyes and shoot. The moment I pull the trigger, you adjust the barrel of the gun.”

-Meow

Far away from the pine tree, I put a lead bullet into the gun and close my eyes. I lift the gun and point in the general direction.

The moment I pull the trigger, I can feel Sylph slightly moving the barrel.

Toong-Puk!

I check and again, it’s a bull’s eye. Up till now, there is only one bullet mark in the tree. It means all my bullets have been hitting the same spot! I’ve also reduced the use of Sylph’s power.

It isn’t right to change the direction of the shot lead bullet. Just moving the barrel a small amount before shooting the gun does not use a lot of power. This is the answer.

There is no real reason for me to do the aiming!

“Let’s do it again!”

“Meow!”*

(TN: Raws have it quoted even though it has always been -Meow.)

This time, holding the gun in my hands, I run at full speed.

While running, I take out a lead bullet and put it in the barrel.

“Let’s go!”

With all my power, I jump and in midair, I turn my body and point the gun in the direction of the pine tree.

Of course, it is an awful aim, but I pull the trigger.

At that moment, Sylph accurately moves the barrel

Toong-Pajik!

Bull’s eye!

“Good!”

I raise my fists and celebrate.

And so I will be able to get 100 out of 100 no matter which way I shoot. Sylph and the gun is the best possible combination. It was like a match made in heaven.