Chapter 39: Sniper

By displaying the attributes of the four knowledge spheres, David could see clearly that these were essentially the abilities those four mercenaries had specialized in. What surprised him was that among them, sword mastery had reached an 80% proficiency level, while spear mastery was at an astonishing 99%. There was no doubt that the sword mastery (80% proficiency) belonged to Commander Frohman, and the spear mastery (99% proficiency) was possessed by the mercenary Kroc.

Even though David knew little about Armored Warriors, he could still surmise that Kroc must have harbored many secrets—secrets now lost with his death. Nevertheless, from these two abilities, David could also glimpse the terrifying power of Garen. Two formidable warriors, each with mastery-level combat skills, had been as helpless as infants before Garen, slain with ease.

David couldn’t help but recall Commander Frohman’s dying words—“Extraordinary”—though Frohman hadn’t had the chance to finish what he wanted to say. Even so, this left David with his own speculations about what lay beyond Armored Warriors.

“These things are still a long way off for me,” he muttered.

It had been a day since he last fused a knowledge sphere, and now he could absorb and merge a new one. This time, he had many more options; the various weapon masteries covered nearly all the common arms used by Armored Warriors. Especially now, with two Tier-2 longswords in his possession, he was deeply tempted by the sword mastery (80% proficiency).

Ultimately, though, he decided to absorb and merge Sniping (20% proficiency) today. For close combat, he already had 83% proficiency in warhammer mastery, which was sufficient for melee; sniping, on the other hand, was a long-range combat skill he had always coveted.

Safe, efficient, powerful—this was the essence of the Sniper Warrior.

A sniper removed from the chaos of the battlefield was death incarnate for the enemy, but a guardian angel to his own comrades.

In David’s memories, his former self had always had a special fondness for Sniper Warriors. From his current perspective, he realized this came from his father, Hans, who was himself a Sniper Warrior. Because his former self had complicated feelings toward his father, he had transferred his affection onto the profession of Sniper Warrior.

His former self had intended to test for sniping aptitude after entering university, but before that could happen, he was killed.

Besides, these last few days, no matter which knowledge sphere he fused, he hadn’t had time to practice; all his time had been consumed by training in Storm Warhammer Technique.

David took a deep breath, steadying his mind, and then directed the Shadow Servant to move the Sniping (20% proficiency) sphere into his body.

In an instant, he found himself lying at the edge of a battlefield, prone atop a large rock. Before him lay an ultra-long sniper rifle, its barrel extending over four meters.

Having experienced several fusions with combat knowledge spheres, David was accustomed to this state of not being able to control his body, yet perceiving every sensation in it—including tactical judgments and analytical processes.

On the battlefield, five Armored Warriors formed a combat squad. At the front, two defensive warriors used large shields to hold the line, battering the advancing Spined Claw Bugs to keep them at bay.

David recalled the description from the illustrated manual: besides two sharp foreclaws, the Spined Claw Bug had six venomous tendrils on its back, capable of rapid, short-range thrusts. Its combat power was above average among Tier-1 Zerg.

There were five Spined Claw Bugs—a scenario where, without defensive support, five warriors facing five such bugs would almost certainly end in defeat.

The only uncertainty was the Sniper Warrior lying in wait on the distant rock.

Behind the defensive line, two warhammer-wielding warriors leapt from cover, unleashing a barrage of powerful attacks on the Spined Claw Bugs. Judging by their skill, David estimated both had at least 50% proficiency in warhammer mastery.

Sadly, they only managed to drive the bugs back, not kill them. This was expected; with five Spined Claw Bugs, the warhammer warriors dared not stray far from their shielded allies.

After their assault, the warhammer warriors retreated behind the shield wall. Then, the spearman stepped forward, halting the next advancing bug.

Though the battle appeared balanced, the Spined Claw Bugs had not yet deployed their six venomous stingers. They seemed to be toying with their prey.

At that moment, David’s normal vision was replaced by the sight through a sniper scope—one he recognized as the “T3 Sniper Assist Device.” Mounted on the ultra-long sniper rifle, the T3 device displayed even more data than he was used to.

Instantly, David absorbed the analytical process of a Sniper Warrior: assessing air temperature, humidity, wind direction, distance, and more.

The Sniper Warrior’s hand moved deftly on the rifle—David understood this as switching ammunition.

A Sniper Warrior could use silent regular rounds to lure distant Zerg, allowing the squad to face only one at a time and increasing the team’s efficiency and survival rate.

But when it came time for lethal attacks, special ammunition was required. For a Tier-1 Zerg like the Spined Claw Bug, the sniper needed at least Tier-1 bullets. These prized rounds were expensive—lighter than Tier-1 weapons but still too precious to waste.

Snipers rarely got the chance for a shot; attacking Spined Claw Bugs meant disabling the suppressor. The suppressor muted gunfire, but it also greatly reduced damage.

David heard a round chamber with a crisp click—a new knowledge point entered his mind. Experienced snipers could identify the type of round just by the sound it made sliding into the chamber.

In the T3 Assist Device’s display, a shield warrior was knocked back a step by a bug’s charge, creating a gap in the once-solid formation.

The Spined Claw Bugs seemed to lose interest in their game. In that instant, as the formation opened, one bug’s six venomous stingers contracted, ready to strike.

At that precise moment, the sniper rifle roared. A Tier-1 round blazed from the barrel, fire and thunder.

David felt the massive recoil travel through the weapon—fortunately, the exoskeleton armor absorbed most of it, the rest suppressed by the sniper’s powerful physique.

He sensed the Sniper Warrior’s state—absolute control, refusing even a millimeter of deviation, suppressing the recoil to the point of breathlessness.

Even so, the sniper deftly chambered another Tier-1 round for a second shot.

This was not a simple doubling of force; two consecutive shots meant the sniper’s body endured a shock rivaling direct blows from Zerg in melee.

To deal a fatal blow to a Tier-1 Zerg like the Spined Claw Bug, the sniper’s attack had to exceed the bug’s shell defense by a wide margin and strike a vital spot.

The first Tier-1 round slipped through the shield’s gap and struck a pale spot beneath the bug’s head.

Another piece of knowledge surfaced in David’s mind: the white spot beneath the bug’s head marked the location of its heart, usually protected by thick head armor and only exposed when the bug attacked.

The bullet covered five hundred meters in a blink, striking the weak point just as the gun thundered. Green ichor sprayed from the wound, followed by the bug’s agonized scream.

The second Tier-1 round, fired less than half a second later, again threaded the shield gap and hit another bug charging the defense. This time, the shot struck its eye—black fluid spurted as the bug howled in pain, grievously wounded.

In just one second, the tide of battle turned. The terror of a Sniper Warrior was on full display.