The Crown Prince Who Raises Alt Characters

#Chapter 249 Hunter Mogers (19) - Wolf Hunt "So, you're going to pretend to be weak and make that demon let his guard down? Beast types have good senses, so it probably won't work, right?" "That would be the case if I had power but pretended to be weak. But if I'm actually weak, there shouldn't be a problem, right?" "Then you can't win, can you?" "That's where the enlightenment I gained from being sent as the demon Kron this time comes in." When the Crown Prince raised his finger, something like yellow clay dough appeared above it, changing shape as it formed various configurations. Sensing no trace of magical energy from it, Lucidra was slightly horrified. To implement the desired image three-dimensionally using only mana manipulation and attribute assignment was not just amazing but somewhat perverted. "Originally, creating a Clone is similar to making pottery with clay like this. In the clay state, you can shape it however you want, but once it's fired, the form becomes fixed. If you try to forcibly change something already fired into a bottle shape into a flat plate, the vessel would just break." "So, now it's different?" "Right. Even if you can't change the vessel's form, it's possible to apply glaze or sprinkle gold powder, or add something new anyway, isn't it? Of course, you'd have to stay within the budget limits." "In game terms, it's like a kind of free points? You're saying you'd play while keeping some of the points that should normally be used up entirely during character creation, then distribute them on the spot depending on the situation." "A fantasy demon talking about game points gives a very strange feeling. Well, if you prefer that analogy, let's go with it." The Crown Prince erased the clay shape he had created on his finger, then created several radial charts this time. Names of various Clones were written at the bottom of each chart, and with some exceptions, basically the later a Clone was created, the higher their total ability scores. However, the Clone with the name 'Mogers' written on it was at the very end but showed a low total ability score. "I'm thinking of not investing all points in this Clone initially. Since I'm going to harsh polar regions, I need enough ability to protect myself, but I'll need to adjust it so the demon doesn't feel threatened." "And when the demon lets his guard down and takes the bait, you'll invest all remaining points then? So, is it swords? Or magic?" "My, you don't know anything. When it comes to hunting wolves and demons, firearms are perfect." "...The Empire doesn't have guns, does it? Are you going to smuggle something made by the Republic?" "No, I'm thinking of making it myself. Using both mana and gunpowder. The Weapons Bureau within the Empire must be analyzing competing nations' weapons anyway, so going there and reading various things would be helpful." "You're like a madman obsessed with a concept..." *** "Hunter? A hunter, you say? You're going to hunt me with that toy? Huh?" Sneering came from Marcosius' mouth. Unlike beasts that were simply swept up in madness and devoted to devouring whatever was in front of them, his appearance as he fluently spoke human language even conveyed rich intelligence. "Whether I can do it or not, we'll see." At Mogers' calm answer, something like a smile appeared at the corners of the demon's mouth. And the next moment, without any warning, the demon charged. Thump! Sand and snowstorm scattering explosively from the aftermath of his footsteps. The attack trajectory was straightforward without any particular technique, but there was no particular problem. Not only ordinary humans, but even skilled knights wouldn't be able to react to that attack, let alone even perceive it. Indeed, Mogers didn't even flinch. To be precise, there was no need to. Because the aiming was already finished. KWAAAAANG—!!! It was a roar closer to a cannon than a gunshot. The amount of impact was enough to push away nearby dust and snowflakes just from the firing's aftermath. The moment the bullet hit the shoulder of the demon charging head-on, his massive body flew backward as is. Kwarlrlrlr! The building that collided with the demon who fell backward couldn't overcome that massive mass and collapsed. What fell down onto the debris was the demon's blood. "What is this...?" As if he couldn't believe it even after experiencing it directly, doubt flowed from the demon's mouth. Even if his body had become somewhat weakened due to insufficient sacrifices, its strength was on a different level from ordinary creatures. The thick hide and fur wouldn't even be affected by sword aura, and the tough muscle layers firmly blocked all kinds of attacks. In fact, Marcosius had experience being directly hit by a rock from a giant catapult and being perfectly fine. But that was pierced by a metal fragment smaller than a human fist at best? Toward the bewildered demon, Mogers spoke calmly. "Total length 102cm, weight 28kg. The bullets are 2-gauge 33.7mm Silver Alloy Magic Bullets. Even if I endure the recoil while using it, to achieve both portability and power with current firearms technology didn't give an answer, so I cheated a bit with magic." "What?" "Didn't you ask what this was? So I explained it to you. Even so, you're quite sturdy. It wouldn't be strange if the hit area scattered completely, but it just ended up embedded." While spouting nonsense that would have made continental technicians drop their jaws if they heard it, saying that the bullets should have been made even bigger, Mogers' hands continued moving. Click. Hisssss! Simultaneously with opening the chamber, hot air brushed past Mogers' face. On the cartridge case that popped up from the spring's elasticity, all kinds of spells were densely written in writing so fine you could believe it was engraved with a needle. Mogers took a new bullet from the magazine fixed to his belt, then pushed it deep into the smoking chamber. Marcosius didn't logically understand what that series of actions meant. But with his beast-like instincts, he intuited that it was a kind of 'attack preparation.' With a rough roar, Marcosius rose and charged. With swift movements unbelievable for someone with a large wound on his shoulder, the beast's front paw clawed at the space where Mogers was. Mogers' clothing tore as he barely rolled to the side, and blood spurting from his wounds dyed the white snow red. He avoided physical contact, but couldn't avoid the mana that ran wild like a blade cutting through the surroundings. Hidden in the demon's massive shadow, Mogers returned the gun barrel to horizontal again. The clicking sound of it engaging. Detecting this, Marcosius quickly leaped from his spot to try to avoid the attack, but Mogers aimed precisely at him as if he had predicted how the demon would move. KWAAAAANG—!!! With the second firing, this time the bullet embedded itself in the demon's side. Before the massive silver alloy mass could penetrate the hide, its overwhelming kinetic energy collapsed the demon's ribs like dominoes. The relatively soft organs compared to the front leg muscles couldn't stop the bullet, and the bullet that pierced straight through his belly exited through the opposite side, scattering a large amount of blood. "Aaaah!! This, you worm-like bastard—!!" The leisure and sneering disappeared from the eyes of Marcosius who writhed in pain. What replaced them was the beast's characteristic killing intent and madness. As ominous mana seeped into every corner of the beast's body, the already massive beast's body swelled even more. The moment the demon's front paw struck the ground with force, the earth literally shook. Rugugugugu! Buildings in the surrounding area collapsed, and their fragments were swept up and flew away from the impact. Various debris and snow scattered into the air mixed together, momentarily blocking the surrounding view. Mogers tried to somehow maintain balance even on the shaking ground, but immediately after, a black whirlwind struck him. Crack!! It was good that he avoided the bite that would have turned his entire upper body into minced meat instead of just leaving teeth marks, but he couldn't avoid the muzzle that was irritably swung afterward. Mogers' body rolled on the ground with an impact more like being hit by a giant mace than colliding with a creature. When he got up with a fall technique, intense pain was felt in his left ankle and leg. A crack. Or perhaps a fracture. It meant a fatal decrease in mobility, but Mogers didn't care. Because he had many hunter predecessors who served as examples. Facing Marcosius charging again as if he wouldn't give even the slightest opening, he calmly prepared to shoot. Loading, aiming, firing. The series of movements refined to the extreme was completed just as the beast's claws reached right before his eyes. Pababaak—!!! The moment the third bullet was fired, a roar different from before echoed. The bullet split into countless fragments instead of one mass struck the demon's upper body directly, turning his body into rags, and Mogers' body, not resisting the recoil, flew backward as if bouncing away and avoided the attack. "■■■■!!" Had one of the bullets hit his eye? Blood tears flowed from his eyes as the demon let out a scream filled with pain and rage. As if he literally couldn't see anything, he randomly smashed everything around him. A bounced fragment grazed his head, and blood flowed down Mogers' forehead. ZHFFaHg0NTVMUERqTnhDNTdpRkczUk5IOEtQallMVFJNYURwUExzN0hUdEZwRXhFSldyVmIxak1TcGRCdlBsVg 'If I had smoked a cigarette, it would have looked more convincing.' Chuckling at the thought that briefly crossed his mind, Mogers loaded the next bullet. Aim, fire. Being larger than ordinary wolves, the bullet embedded itself in his chest, which had actually become easier to target. The demon tried to attack Mogers while coughing up blood, but Mogers used the bullet's recoil like a booster and continued to evade attacks. When he tried to move in zigzag patterns to disrupt the line of fire, Mogers predicted that movement trajectory and shot him, and when he attempted wide-range attacks, Mogers used terrain features to hide then counterattacked. Perhaps his position as second-in-command of 'Savage Fang' wasn't just a title, as Marcosius tenaciously endured attacks that would have killed ordinary demons dozens of times over. If he was this strong even manifesting with insufficient sacrifices, if his main body had descended normally, it would have been impossible for a Clone to handle. However, even that had its limits. When he kept shooting bullets into the chest and heart that had been repeatedly regenerating, the burst heart could no longer recover and sagged limp. Toward Mogers, whose entire body was similarly filled with wounds, Marcosius spoke growling. "You bastard... that face, I'll remember it... Next time, I'll face you not with this fake body but with my real one...!!" "That would be frightening. If there is a next time." Doubt filled the demon's remaining eye. The current Marcosius was not his main body. His real body existed in the demon realm, and only his consciousness had been summoned here. Of course, even if it was a fake body, suffering wounds this severe wouldn't have no effect on the main body, but at least he wouldn't face death. That's how it should have been. "What? You, you bastard! What have you done! Why can't I return...!?" "I went this far to make you come out personally, so would it be useful to let you return easily?" Marcosius realized that his soul, his consciousness, could not return to his main body. Because the path leading to his main body was severed, as if blocked by a massive wall. If he faced death in this state, his body remaining in the demon realm would be reduced to an empty puppet. Mogers aimed his gun at the brow of the demon who had fallen into shock. Aiming was difficult because his left arm, which had been grazed by claws during combat, wasn't functioning properly, but if it was just a matter of bringing the muzzle right up to the target and pulling the trigger, it was possible with one arm. "Then farewell." The roar of gunpowder erased the dying words "Stop." After glancing sideways at the demon's corpse that had completely stopped breathing, he casually lay his body down on the cold ground. When he glanced to the side, he could see Morana running toward him through the scattered snowflakes. Thinking it was a rather fitting sight, the hunter closed his eyes with a smile.