Chapter 157: An Assassin’s Favourite Gun

Immediately, a cluster of little girls who had been watching with wide eyes perked up.

They wanted to help. They wanted to be part of whatever Luca was doing.

They scampered over to the indicated case, but the moment the first girl tried to lift it, she stumbled.

“Whoa! It’s heavy!”

Two more girls rushed to help, grabbing handles on either side. Even with three of them, it was a struggle. A fourth joined. Then a fifth.

Soon, a whole gaggle of little elves were carrying the long case together, giggling and calling out directions to each other.

“Left! Go left!”

“No, right! There’s a rock!”

“Lift higher on your side!”

“We’re trying!”

They staggered and wobbled but eventually managed to transport the case to the table where the other guns rested.

With a collective grunt, they hoisted it up and set it down with a solid THUNK.

Luca chuckled and patted each of their heads in turn.

“Good job, little warriors. Excellent teamwork.”

The girls beamed with pride, practically glowing from the praise before scampering back to their mothers.

Under everyone’s rapt attention, Luca flipped the latches and opened the case.

When he reached inside and pulled out its contents, the crowd gasped louder than they had for any previous weapon.

This gun was…long.

Longer than any they had seen. Long and narrow and sleek, with a strange cylindrical device mounted on top and a shape that seemed almost skeletal in its efficiency.

It looked dangerous in a way that was different from the others—not brutish like the shotgun, not rapid like the Tommy gun, but something else entirely.

Something precise. Something calculated.

Something that promised death from so far away you’d never see it coming.

Luca checked the weapon methodically—inspecting the scope, cycling the bolt, ensuring everything was in perfect working order.

His movements were practiced like he had some the same too many times to even count.

When he was satisfied, he lifted the gun to his shoulder.

And aimed it directly at the clearing where the young elves were still running.

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

“What?! Is he going to shoot them?!”

“Those are our girls!”

But just as she said that—another elf smacked the first on the shoulder.

“Of course not, you idiot! Why would he do that? He’s obviously going to shoot the planks on their heads!”

“But—but that’s even worse!” A third elf protested. “If he misses, even a little—the bullet could hit them!”

Panic rippled through the crowd.

But then a calmer voice cut through.

“Have you seen what the Hero has done so far?” An older elf shook her head firmly. “Doubting him now is ridiculous. He’s performed miracle after miracle. I trust him completely.”

Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd.

The initial panic subsided, replaced by something closer to faith.

Luca had done nothing but help them since he arrived. He had taught them, provided for them, protected them.

If he was aiming at the running girls, he had a reason.

Even Leona wasn’t as tense as she was before.

And yet—

One of the elves squinted toward the field.

“First of all…can he even see them? They’re so far away now! I can barely make them out!”

It was true. The runners had covered an impressive distance.

They were tiny specks against the grass, still moving, still running hard.

“They’ve gone too far.” Another agreed. “We should call them back. There’s no way he can hit anything at that range.”

“He’ll miss for sure.”

“The bullet could go anywhere.”

“I don’t believe it’s possible.”

The whispers of doubt returned.

The distance was just too great.

Even with their sharp elf eyesight, the runners were becoming difficult to track.

How could anyone shoot accurately at such a range?

But Luca ignored them all.

He aimed.

Adjusted.

Breathed.

And—

BOOM!

The shot echoed across the clearing, sending birds exploding from nearby trees.

Everyone immediately looked toward the runners.

And waited.

Waited.

Waited.

Waited.

But—

Nothing happened.

The tiny figures kept running, seemingly oblivious.

No plank exploded. No one stumbled. They just kept going.

A ripple of knowing smiles passed through the crowd.

“See? I told you.”

“Too far. Even for him.”

“Should we call them back?”

But before anyone could act, Luca spoke without lowering the gun.

“Calm your horses, guys.” His voice was relaxed, almost amused. “That was just a test shot. Stabilizing the scope. Adjusting for distance.”

He made a tiny adjustment to the attachment on top and aimed once more.

“Now it’s perfectly aligned.”

And immediately he pressed the trigger.

Boom!

Another thunderous crack.

This time, some elves rolled their eyes.

They thought Luca was saving face, pretending the first miss had been intentional.

But then—

Ivy, one of the runners, suddenly jumped as if startled.

The plank above her head exploded—the top portion shattering into splinters that rained gently down around her—almost as if Luca had intentionally shot the outside to reduce any debris.

Ivy herself froze, staring up at where the wood had been moments ago, now holding nothing but jagged edges, while the elves watching were gobsmacked.

“He…HE HIT IT!”

“THERE’S NO WAY!”

“THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!”

“SHE’S SO FAR AWAY!”

“HOW CAN HE EVEN SEE THAT FAR?!”

Luca didn’t respond. He simply shifted his aim slightly and shot again.

BOOM!

Another runner’s plank exploded.

BOOM!

A third.

BOOM!

A fourth.

One by one, the planks above the runners’ heads were being shot apart.

The young elves sprinting across the field were terrified—they couldn’t see what was happening, only hear the distant cracks and feel the sudden impact above them.

Luna, at the front of the pack, risked a glance back.

Her eyes widened.

Behind her, the others were still running, but their planks were disappearing one by one. Ivy’s was gone. Alia’s was gone. Selma’s exploded as she watched.

“We’re being hunted!” She screamed.

Lulu, beside her, pumped her legs faster.

“RUN! JUST RUN! I DON’T KNOW HOW HE’S DOING THIS BUT RUN!”

They pumped their legs harder, desperate to reach…somewhere. Anywhere.

But unfortunately for them—

BOOM!

Lulu’s plank exploded above her head.

BOOM!

Luna felt the impact vibrate through her arms as her own plank shattered into pieces.

And then—

Silence.

All seven planks. All seven runners. Every single piece of wood they had been carrying was destroyed.

And finally—the village erupted.

“HE DID IT!”

“ALL SEVEN!”

“HE DIDN’T MISS A SINGLE ONE!”

“HOW?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!”

“THEY WERE SO FAR AWAY!”

“HE DIDN’T EVEN SEEM TO STRUGGLE!”

“IT WAS SO EFFORTLESS!”

Luca lowered the rifle, a satisfied smirk on his face.

He watched as the runners—now plankless—turned and sprinted back toward the group at full speed, desperate to understand what had just happened.

Luna reached him first, breathless, eyes wild.

“What was that?! Luca, what was that?! What kind of gun did you just use?!”

Lulu stumbled up behind her, nodding frantically.

“I thought we were safe! I thought there was no way you could hit us from that far! But you—you just—”

She gestured helplessly at the distant field.

Luna on the other hand, grabbed Luca’s arm, staring at the rifle with something between awe and terror.

“What is this holy weapon? Is it a gift from the gods? What’s it called?”

All around, elves pressed closer, eager to hear.

Even those who had been skeptical now looked at the long gun with new eyes—eyes filled with wonder and fear in equal measure.

Luca held up the rifle, letting them get a good look.

“This is a sniper rifle.”

He gestured at the other guns on the table as he explained,

“The pistol is for close range. The shotgun is for hunting—birds, small game, anything in close quarters. The automatic rifle is versatile, useful for both short and medium ranges.”

“But this?”

He tapped the scope on top of the sniper rifle.

“This is specifically designed for long range. Extreme distance. The kind of range where your target can’t even see you, can’t hear you, can’t possibly know you’re there.”

His eyes grew dark.

“This is a weapon for assassins. For shadows. For operators who hide in distant places and eliminate targets without ever being detected.”

Hearing this, one elf raised a trembling hand with a doubt in mind.

“So…you’re saying that someone could just…hide somewhere? And shoot someone so far away that they’d never know where it came from?”

“Exactly.” Luca nodded. “And with a silencer—a device that muffles the sound—they could do it in complete silence.”

“The only warning might be a glint of light off the scope. If they’re careful, even that can be avoided.”

Horror rippled through the crowd.

“So anyone could be assassinated? Just like that?”

“Kings. Queens. Generals. Anyone.”

“But what about bodyguards? Shields? Protection?”

Luca shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter how many bodyguards you have.”

“It doesn’t matter how strong you are, or how well defended.”

“All it takes is one person with one sniper rifle, waiting for the perfect moment. One shot. And you’re gone.”

The implications sank in like stones in dark water.

They thought that the previous guns were already scary, but this sniper rifle seemed to be even more terrifying then the others.

While the other elves were thinking that the world Luca came from was a brutal and hellish place, Leona stepped forward, as she had doubt in mind.

“But surely…a weapon that can shoot that far…the person using it must have tremendous skill. It can’t be easy, right?”

“You’re absolutely right, Leona.”

Luca nodded approvingly before glancing down at the rifle.

“Not just anyone can use a sniper rifle effectively. It takes immense patience, incredible focus.”

“You have to control your heartbeat, your breathing.”

“You have to account for wind, distance, temperature and find a stable place to mount the gun.”

“Most snipers work in teams—one to shoot, one to spot, using advanced equipment to calculate every variable.”

He paused, then added with a smug grin,

“But me? I don’t need all that. Give me a basic rifle and I’ll still get the same results.”

Leona’s eyes narrowed, but not with annoyance at his arrogance. But with something else.

Interest.

She had been so certain she wouldn’t care about guns.

Bows were her domain after all. Archery was her art.

She had dismissed these weapons as crude, inelegant, beneath her notice.

But this…

Something that could reach out across impossible distances and touch a target with perfect precision?

Something that required patience, skill, control?

Something that felt almost like…archery?

Nyx, watching her sister’s face, couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Oh my.” She purred, sidling up to Leona. “Does someone want to try the scary sniper rifle? I could ask the hero for you~”

Leona’s face flushed. She looked away sharply. ”

No. Not at all. I was simply contemplating how dangerous such a weapon is. Nothing more.”

But it was obvious. Painfully obvious.

Leona wanted to shoot that gun.

Meanwhile, Luca set the sniper rifle down on the table and addressed the crowd once more.

“This type of gun represents a completely different kind of danger.”

“Think about it—you could be running away from danger, carrying your family, thinking you’re finally safe because you’ve put enough distance between you and your enemies. And then—”

He snapped his fingers.

“One shot from a weapon like this, and it’s over. There is no escape. There is no hiding. If someone wants you dead, and they have one of these, distance means nothing.”

The elves shivered collectively.

“This is why guns cannot come to this world. Not yet. Not for a very, very long time. The chaos they would create, the imbalance would be catastrophic.”

Nods of agreement rippled through the crowd.

And yet…

Despite their fear, despite their logical agreement with Leona’s stance, there was something else in their eyes.

Something that looked almost like longing.

They were elves. Archers. Hunters. People who had spent their lives mastering the art of sending projectiles toward distant targets.

And here was a weapon that could do the same thing—but farther, faster, more precisely than any bow ever could.

Nyx was practically vibrating with desire.

Leona was trying to hide it but failing miserably.

Luna and Lulu were bouncing in giddiness.

Even the little ones were looking at the guns with stars in their eyes.

They wanted to try it.

Every single one of them.

But none dared ask.

Luca looked at them all.

He sighed, obviously knowing what they wanted to do right now.

Then he smiled.

“You know what?”

He crossed his arms, surveying the eager faces.

“I said I wouldn’t give you guns. I said I wouldn’t let them enter this world. And I meant that.”

The faces fell slightly.

“But I never said I wouldn’t let you shoot them.”

Hope rekindled like a wildfire.

“It’s obvious everyone wants to try. Everyone wants to know what it feels like, just once. And honestly?”

He shrugged.

“After all we’ve been through today? You’ve earned it.”

Cheers erupted. But before they could go full swing, he raised his hand and said in a rather strict manner,

“I’ll let everyone who wants to try fire a gun today. Under supervision. With strict safety rules. And absolutely no taking anything back to your homes.”

He pointed at Nyx specifically.

“That means you.”

Nyx grinned unrepentantly.

“But yes.” He smiled once again. “Today only. Here and now. You can experience what it feels like to shoot.”

The clearing exploded with joy.

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