The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel-Chapter 39

-How laughable!
Rumakas scoffed, but before he knew it, a bullet—no, an aura—was embedded in his body.
The scales that even a Sword Master's Aura Blade couldn't scratch had been pierced.
-Th-this can't be…
A clear sense of bewilderment could be felt in his voice.
On the other hand, the corners of Arthur's mouth curled up.
The feeling when he pulled the trigger, the recoil transmitted to his arm as the bullet fired.
It was the same feeling he had always felt.
It was as if the one he had on Earth had been brought over through dimensional travel.
“Incredible.”
Moreover, his question about Rumakas was also answered.
What he saw before him was merely a statue; it was clear that, like Teheran or Kanmurasas, this being had also made arrangements with magic.
He no longer had to be afraid of him.
“Shall we do some testing?”
Arthur looked around and targeted a stalactite hanging like an icicle from the cave ceiling.
“First, 50 meters.”
Arthur aligned the front and rear sights and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The stalactite shattered.
There was no need to zero the sights.
“Then, this time, a hundred meters.”
He moved the muzzle toward the 5 o'clock direction and soon pulled the trigger.
Bang!
It was the same this time.
Arthur, with a deep smile on his lips, moved the muzzle toward the 7 o'clock direction.
It was the final target.
It was half the size of the previous stalactites he'd hit, and at roughly 200 meters, it was the farthest away.
If his skills hadn't rusted, there was no way he'd miss at this distance.
As soon as he had the target in his sights, Arthur pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang!
A direct hit.
“As expected, this suits me better than a sword.”
-So this is a weapon used on Earth.
“What are your thoughts after watching?”
-It seems similar to a Lightning Bolt, but its speed and destructive power seem far superior.
“It would have been better if I had my other ones, but this is satisfying enough. It's much better than having nothing.”
Arthur gave a meaningful smile and aimed the muzzle at Rumakas's head.
-What are you doing?
“I wonder if your head will shatter like a stalactite?”
-Have you forgotten who I am? I am the lord of the great dragons. You cannot do anything to me with such a trivial weapon.
“Then shall we make a bet?”
-What are you talking about all of a sudden?
Curiosity was evident in Rumakas's voice.
While conversing with Rumakas, Arthur had figured out his personality.
He was supremely self-important, intensely curious, and would never do anything unless he wanted to.
Since he was in a situation where he needed his help, he proposed a bet.
Of course, it was one he was one hundred percent sure he could win.
“I know everything. What I see before me is just a shell, and your voice is an arrangement made with magic.”
-So?
“If I shatter your head, I'll take everything in this place.”
-As expected, human greed knows no bounds. You're making something I had to do anyway more interesting.
“Something you had to do anyway?”
Arthur's brow furrowed.
-If you want to leave this place, you must defeat me with that weapon. It is a way to be freed from my confinement and, at the same time, a sort of gateway to see if you can face the Demon King.
“What did you say?”
-If you fail, you will become my attendant and have to stay here, trapped with me, until you die.
“That won't happen.”
-Foolish boy. Even a Grand Master's Aura Blade couldn't cut me, and you think you can shatter me with a mere weapon like that?
“We'll see about that.”
Arthur gave a sardonic smile and, as soon as he aimed the muzzle at Rumakas's face, pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The aura flew like a bullet and embedded itself between Rumakas's eyes.
However, far from shattering, it didn't even make a crack.
-With that much power, you won't even be able to leave this place, let alone fight the Demon King.
“It's not over yet.”
Arthur pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The aura struck the same spot where the last one had hit. He continued to pull the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The aura rounds continued to hit the exact same spot without the slightest deviation.
The dragon's face was still intact, but a hairline crack had appeared where there was none before.
-So that's it…
He finally realized that the impacts had been accumulating without him noticing.
“If it had been the CheyTac, it would have been over in one shot. It's a bit of a hassle since this is what I have, but it'll be over soon.”
-It is a great miscalculation to think I will fall to such a petty scheme.
The cracked parts began to mend as if by magic.
Far from being flustered, Arthur grinned.
“Using cheap tricks, are we? I'm not one to be fooled by such sleight of hand.”
Arthur sneered and pulled the trigger.
The aura fired from the muzzle flew like a flash of lightning and hit the deeply indented spot squarely.
KABOOOM!
The dragon's face shattered into pieces.
-No, this can't be!
Arthur defended himself by shooting down all the fragments falling from above his head.
The large chunks of stone shattered and fell around him.
After blasting away all the fragments, Arthur looked at the remaining body of the dragon and grinned.
“It's over.”
As his fighting intent faded, the gun melted like ice and disappeared into his palm.
-How was that possible?
Rumakas was extremely bewildered by the fact that he had been defeated by an attack he could never have imagined.
“Was that something to be so surprised about?”
At Arthur's nonchalant reply, Rumakas roared.
-Answer me!
“I simply thought of the best way to defeat my opponent.”
-Is that all?
“Why would anything else be necessary?”
-Hmm…
Rumakas let out a low groan and seemed to fall silent for a moment, then a somewhat more generous voice was heard.
-This is the first time. The first time I've met a human who could think in such an unconventional way as to surprise me, a dragon.
“So, do you admit you lost the bet?”
-Using aura in such a way would be a great threat to your enemies. I admit my defeat.
“Then everything here is mine.”
Arthur walked over to where the gold and jewels were piled up and carefully examined what was there.
In the place where gold and all sorts of treasures were piled like a mountain, there were not only very precious-looking weapons but also a host of rare items and magic books.
He planned to take all the weapons back to the castle and distribute them to those who needed them, and he thought Millerf and Aild would be happy if he gave them the magic books.
By the way, since he had to climb back up the cliff, he was worried about how to carry all this out.
“Hmm, what should I do?”
Just as Arthur was about to fall into thought, there was an object that was shining particularly brightly.
Something was inside a bottle the size of a beer bottle, and it was shining with great transparency.
He was drawn to the noble light, like that of an emerald jewel, without realizing it.
‘What is this?’
Arthur stepped on a gold ingot, climbed up, and picked up the bottle.
Just by looking at it, it seemed like a very precious item.
“What is this?”
-It is an Elixir.
“What?”
Arthur's eyes widened.
He looked even more surprised than when he had gotten the gun. He had never imagined that the legendary panacea would be here.
-That's a relief. It has fallen into the hands of someone who knows its value.
“There is someone who desperately needs this.”
-It is powerful enough to bring even the dead back to life. Use it on someone worthy.
“Just as Kanmurasas helped Teheran in the past, this is a person who will be of great help to me in the future.”
-If it's a mage from the Count's family, they must be a disciple of my attendant, or a disciple of that disciple. I wonder what kind of person they are.
“He's a good person.”
Arthur grinned and looked at the pile of gold and jewels.
“Is there any way for me to take all of this by myself without mobilizing people?”
-You can store it in the helmet you are wearing. The helmet has a Subspace function.
“What is a Subspace?”
-To explain it, it is a place like an independent dimensional plane, often used to store items.
“How do I use it?”
-It's simple. Go in front of the item you want to store, raise your mana, and think about it.
“It's really simple.”
Arthur did as he was told, looking at the gold and jewels and raising his mana.
Then, as Rumakas had instructed, he thought about moving it into the Subspace.
At that, the mountain-like pile in front of him vanished in an instant.
Simultaneously, the things that had disappeared could be seen in great detail in his mind, as if he were looking at them with his own eyes.
“Oh~ amazing.”
-When you want to retrieve an item, you just need to think of it in your head. And from now on, you are the master of this place, so you can come and go as you please.
“I don't know if I'll have a reason to come here again.”
-A time will come when you cannot control your power. Come to this place then.
“Can I control the power in this place?”
-A Dragon's Lair is enchanted with magic that calms mana to prevent it from running rampant.
“Ah~.”
-And that weapon you obtained today has immense potential. As you grow stronger, it will grow stronger with you.
“I'll be sure to remember that. I think it's time for me to go back. There are many people waiting for me.”
Arthur, who was smiling, suddenly had a question.
“Can I know the real reason you told Teheran to send the one who inherited his legacy here?”
-The appearance of the one who inherited the legacy means the Demon King has appeared. That bastard is the one who annihilated our race. I wanted to empower someone for the sake of revenge.
“I see.”
This too seemed to be a part of the power he would come to possess.
“How long have you waited?”
-About a hundred years? There was a part of me that hoped I would never wake up. Because that would mean the Demon King had been annihilated.
Hearing that he had waited for a hundred years, Arthur suddenly felt a sense of pity.
On one hand, it was to prepare for the Demon King's reappearance, but he could also feel that within it was a heart that worried for the House of Count Julius.
So he wanted to do something for him.
“If you have a favor to ask, tell me.”
-Why the sudden change? Ah, you feel pity for me. Well, a hundred years is a long time for humans.
“Consider it a reward for thinking of the House of Count Julius.”
-Interesting.
Rumakas answered with a grin and then continued.
-When the time comes, someone will come looking for you. Just tell them I am sorry about what happened then.
“Anything else?”
-That is all. It is the only regret in my perfect life, so I hope you will bring it to a good conclusion.
“Understood.”
-Lastly, I have something to tell you. I don't know when it will be, but you will obtain power comparable to a god.
“So that's why you reacted that way.”
Arthur finally understood why he had been annoyed when he was about to unlock his power.
It must have been because of the hidden potential in the gun.
But no matter how strong the Sig Sauer became, it was still just a pistol.
It couldn't possess power beyond that.
But to say it was power that surpassed a dragon's, he was very curious what he had seen to make such a claim.
“What is your reason for saying that?”
-This is as far as I will tell you. I hope you do not follow in the Demon King's footsteps.
“What does that mean?”
Arthur asked again in surprise.
“The Demon King was human?”
-Now, I go to meet my eternal rest. Be sure to face the Demon King only after you have achieved the 9th star.*
The pure white light appeared before his eyes and then disappeared into his helmet.
Simultaneously, Rumakas's profound voice was heard.
-May the dragon's blessing be with you.
“Hmm…”
Arthur's face was full of questions.
Rumakas's statue turned into grains of sand, then formed a whirlwind and shot up toward the ceiling.
Watching the scene as it turned into golden smoke and disappeared, he said.
“Rest well.”
A moment later.
The whirlwind gradually weakened, and golden dust descended.
The golden dust fell to the ground, and then from within the earth, a sword rose up, shining as brightly as the sun.
From the hilt to the blade, the sword shone with a golden light, and it had an extraordinary shape, as if the sword were emerging from a dragon's maw.
Just looking at it, one could feel an immense power.
As Arthur walked forward and grabbed the sword's hilt, he felt a powerful resistance.
“What?”
As he stepped back in surprise, red letters appeared on the blade.
[Sovereign Sword]
Simultaneously, Rumakas's voice was heard.
-It is your sword.