I Became the Academy’s Munchkin Sniper

Tap. Tap.

“Wow! I bought them at a good price.”

As I spread out metal tools and various household items on the table, a sense of satisfaction welled up in me like a tide. 

Though they were slightly worn and had some signs of use, they were half the price of new ones. Half.

“It was a steal.”

I was not someone who used tools so vigorously that they wore down in durability. And regardless if they are new or second-hand, anything made of ‘metal’ can easily be used for a few years. 

Since people tend to prefer new items, I managed to haggle and buy these tools, which had become leftover stock, for a cheap price. 

The merchant was happy to finally dispose of this unsellable stock in one go. He handed over everything for 30 silver coins, bowing all the while. 

Although my plan was to spend all my silver on tools and reinforcement materials, I ended up with left over money. 

I intended to repay the remaining 20 silver coins to Lien later, and today, I planned to use those tools to make something I needed. 

Since tomorrow was the entrance ceremony, classes would start immediately after. 

Busy. Busy. 

I rolled up my sleeves.

“Let’s get started.”

First, I intended to make two drying racks. One for cooking and the other for daily use. 

The former, as you know, was for drying and smoking meat, while the latter was to address the clothing concerns that have been bothering me lately. 

“There’s too much dust and too many wrinkles.”

Since there wasn’t a proper place to dry clothes, I would hang them just anywhere—on the fishing rod stand inside the house, on rocks, or on tree branches. But the problem was that dust would cling to the clothes in those places, and they wouldn’t dry evenly, leaving them completely wrinkled. 

So, I decided to make one rack for smoke and another for drying clothes at the same time. 

“First, the wood.”

I grabbed a axe and went deep into the forest. Thick branches that I couldn’t usually manage were jutting out here and there, reaching for the sky. 

Since they were going to serve as the frame, they couldn’t be too thick, so I cut down a few suitable branches one by one. 

After cutting about ten branches, sweat was trickling down my face. 

Was this the limit of having a strength stat of 16? 

Due to the physical strain, I hugged the branches and carried them back home. 

Just in case, I set a spot and stood the branches side by side, laying them out to see how they would fit. 

Crack. 

“Not good. Tsk.”

It all collapsed, failing miserably. I needed something to secure them. 

I thought about tying them with grass, but I shook my head. 

“They need to be firmly held together.”

Since it would hold both food and clothes, it couldn’t be loose. If it collapsed, it would be a disaster, requiring more effort to set it up again. 

I decided to use a ‘mortise and tenon’ technique to secure the branches. 

One by one, I peeled off the bark from the areas to be fixed using a carving knife. 

Since working on all of it would take too long, I only cleaned the parts where the grooves would be made. 

The next step was carving grooves of the same diameter. 

It’s said to be a skill only artisans can pull off, but I had clairvoyance. 

Infusing my eyes with magic, dotted lines revealed where I needed to carve. 

I slowly carved along those lines, and after finishing all six other branches, it took almost three hours.

However, once the grooves were carved, the mortise and tenon technique made assembly a breeze. 

I began to assemble the branches, and as I tapped them gently with the back of the hand axe, they fit perfectly.

And with that, it was complete.

[Wooden Drying Rack]  

Grade: Common  

A structure that can be used as both a smoking rack and a drying rack. 

Due to the mortise and tenon technique, it is sturdier and more stable than typical drying racks.  

[Passive Skill ‘Crafting’ has been unlocked.]

“It actually showed up?”

This skill was usually awarded when you go to a specific blacksmith’s workshop to craft equipment, but I unlocked it here. 

As the grade of this skill goes up, crafting speed increased. Since it saved time, I guess the only way was to craft more often. 

Well, I had plenty to make in the future, so it was not immediate concern.

“More than that, it’s great to see the item I made being acknowledged.”

Being recognized as decent by the status window gave me a different kind of satisfaction. 

Now, I just had to use it.

To secure the branches to the ground, I dug up the fire pit area with a shovel. Then, I placed the completed smoking racks side by side, covered them with soil, and firmly stomped them down with my foot. 

Now, even if the wind blew, they wouldn’t be blown away. 

I took embers from the fire pit to start a flame. 

Whoosh—

The grass, bushes, and the branches I had cut down in large quantities started burning, sending clouds of smoke rising into the air. 

Since the wind was blowing towards me, I moved to the opposite side to check the situation. The smoking racks were perfectly catching the smoke. 

“Good.”

It was a complete success. I assembled the remaining drying rack, then went back to the house and brought out a dead rabbit.

[Passive Skill ‘Butchery’ has been unlocked.]

So, I guess you get this skill when you handle animals. I didn’t know until now because I’d only grilled fish before.

Using a butchery knife, I skinned the rabbit and threw its innards into the stream. Soaking the meat in water to remove the blood left it looking like the boiled chicken you’d typically see in the market. 

Since it was my first time doing this, I might have wasted quite a bit of meat, but as long as it tastes good, it was fine. 

“Now, the last preparations.”

I took a pickaxe and knife and headed back into the forest. This time, I cut some vines and followed the stream to an eastern coastal cave to gather rock salt.

By the time I returned home, it was night. Wow, how many hours did I spend on all this?

“Phew, not easy…”

Sitting by the fire, I skewered the rabbit meat onto the vines. Normally, I would have cured the meat, but I just seasoned it evenly with rock salt and hung it on a thick branch.

Sizzle—

The smoke rose, and the smoking process began. To make smoked meat, you need to wait at least ten hours to see results.

For now, since I was hungry, I placed the remaining rabbit meat on some straw and grilled it to eat.

“Huff, huff.”

The rich taste of fatty meat that I had almost forgotten until now. 

Trembling in bliss, I savored the meat. It appeared like my household preparations were pretty much complete for now.

From thoroughly cleaning the house to setting up fish nets and more—there were still some details left to handle. But there’s a sequence to things.

I raised the ten tiny mana particles in my hand. Sitting on a tree stump, I placed a sniper rifle on my knee.

“They said I can upgrade the weapon, right?”

The conditions were: mana, 10 karma, and 10 lower-tier mana stones. 

It took me three days, but I finally gathered them all.

[Beginner’s Long Rifle]  

Grade: Unique  

A weapon that grows depending on the user’s effort. It can contain all elements, fires using mana, and is bound exclusively to the user. 

Each shot can consume up to 1,000 mana.  

Next evolution: Requires a certain amount of mana, 10 low-grade mana stones, and 10 Karma.

Right now, it looks quite shabby.  

“I wonder how it will change when it evolves?”

The status window bluntly stated that it looked shabby. However, with my special ability, I was able to one-shot kill level 50 and level 35 beasts.

If I enhanced this sniper rifle, who knows how much stronger it would become.

“I guess I’ll find out once I try.”

Woom—

As I concentrated my magic power into my fingertips, a sphere formed at the tip of my finger.

When I brought it to the sniper rifle, a message appeared.

[Do you wish to evolve the weapon?]

Since I had enough mana, the message popped up right away. Well, considering that the weapon was at its lowest grade, it didn’t require much.

“Yes.”

I answered as I placed the lower-tier mana stones and my mana into the sniper rifle.

At that moment, light burst forth.

[The Beginner’s Long Rifle is evolving into Silent Eclipse.]

[The evolution stage of the firearm can be transformed at any time.]

“…!”

Finally, when the evolved sniper rifle revealed its form, I let out a gasp.

Before, it had the shape of a standard firearm, but now it had become more modern. Basically, it looked sleek and stylish. 

It even had a scope, and that long attachment on the muzzle… Could it be a silencer?

The name was ‘Silent Eclipse.’ I guess I could have high expectations?

“Really?”

With trembling hands, I reached for the sniper rifle. In that instant, information flooded into my eyes.

[Silent Eclipse]  

Grade: Unique  

Serial Name: 1  

Quieter than the whisper of the night and more sneaky than the movement of the mist. Pierces the enemy’s heart without breaking the silence, the invisible harbinger of death.  

The first of the four rifles to serve its role.  

The rest was the same as the basic stats.

“A silencer-specialized version…?”

And what’s this about a serial name? 

Does this mean it can evolve three more times?

If that was true, then this was no ordinary weapon. 

Especially since the note mentioned the evolution stage can be changed at any time, which implied that other versions could be utilized as well.

It was like having four copies of a unique weapon.

“Should I try firing it…?”

Unable to suppress my curiosity, I lifted the sniper rifle. 

And then—

“Oh.”

I realized that I had run out of mana.

———

The next morning.

The entrance ceremony took place. All the students, regardless of their faculty, gathered on the sports field. 

The crowd was easily over a thousand people.

Their gazes were fixed on one place.

The northern prodigy who broke records at the threshold of the Magic Department.

Ciel Dunhart.

The noble Princess Elena Valencia, who stood above all others.

And lastly, the rising star and great merchant Lien Lodran.

Since these three were all gathered in the Magic Department at Artena Academy, it was only natural that they attracted attention.

The students chattered excitedly.

“Look over there! It’s Ciel Dunhart in the flesh! For real!”

“Princess Elena Valencia is so graceful. She practically shines!”

“They say the Loren Trading Company is the latest trend these days!”

“Yeah! It’s incredible!”

Amidst the students’ commotion, Trin observed the conversations around him. He wanted to join in, but he hadn’t made any friends before the entrance ceremony. 

Still, if he could find something in common with others, he might make a friend. 

“Amazing!”

So, he awkwardly tried to echo their enthusiasm, all while cautiously gauging their reactions… Until he suddenly noticed the student sitting next to him. 

That student was huddled close to the ground, his head bowed. He mumbled words in awe. 

[Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!]

At a glance, he appeared crazy.

Is he… Okay?

Trin cautiously spoke to him,

“Are you… Okay?”

His response came quickly.

[Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…? Okay…?]

It was then that Trin saw his face. The voice, the tone, the mannerisms—it was all just an imitation. 

The man was looking right at him, wearing an unsettling smile that was close to a maniacal grin.