Assassin at Range: The Sniper's Lethal Power

Chapter 24 24: The Hidden Questline

Upon receiving Blackshade's message, Drake was left with mixed emotions.

On one hand, he was thrilled.

Blackshade's casual tone made it clear—any equipment he couldn't use would likely be sold to Drake first.

This meant a huge advantage for Iron Fist Alliance, accelerating their rise and giving them a solid chance at claiming the title of ExoGenesis' top guild.

On the other hand, he was utterly stunned by Blackshade's composure.

ExoGenesis was a virtual reality game with fixed first-person perspective for realism.

Facing a 20-meter-tall giant in this immersive environment would be a nerve-wracking experience for anyone.

Drake imagined himself in Blackshade's position:

The overwhelming presence of such a colossal creature, combined with the helpless feeling of being unable to dodge a flying boulder, would leave anyone panicked.

Yet Blackshade was utterly calm, as if it were just another routine task.@@@@

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Drake responded quickly:

"I've got at least a small fortune ready. Just say the word, and I'll transfer it immediately."

Blackshade's reply came back almost instantly:

"No need for that much. These are just level-10 items—you won't even be able to use them for now."

Hearing this, Drake panicked slightly.

"Don't worry about that! I'll grind levels as hard as I can. Just let me know when you've got gear for me—I'll buy it all, no questions asked."

Tristan, now multitasking between dodging Jerobi's boulders and maintaining his attack rhythm, sent back a simple reply:

"Alright."

From the shadows, Tristan observed Jerobi's powerless rage with quiet satisfaction.

"All that power and defense... but it's useless if you can't hit your target."

His Shadow Assassin build, with its unique ranged capabilities, was proving to be a nightmare for the Obsidian Lord.

"If I'd picked a standard archer class instead, I'd probably be the one scrambling for my life right now."

He smirked, reassured by his decision to choose Shadow Assassin.

As his mind wandered, Tristan allowed himself a brief moment of fantasy.

"If Damien Arrow reappears in the future and gets hit by one of my daggers... I'd love to see the look on his face."

Of course, such thoughts were premature.

Right now, he hadn't even left the novice village, let alone encountered Damien.

Enraged, Jerobi slammed its fists into the ground, causing massive tremors.

But Tristan was already out of range, completely unharmed.

While Tristan danced in and out of the shadows, other players weren't nearly as fortunate.

News of the Silver Grade boss had spread like wildfire, drawing countless players to the Granite Hills.

Some were optimistic about landing a lucky hit.

Others came simply to spectate the spectacle.

But rational players, upon hearing that Blackshade was present, turned back immediately.

"No point wasting my time. If Blackshade's involved, this boss is as good as his."

Of course, there were always the reckless few who believed in defying the odds.

Most didn't even make it past the wild boars or Granite Giants on the way.

Those who reached the boss didn't fare much better, getting pulverized by Jerobi's devastating attacks.

Ten minutes later, Jerobi's health had dropped below 50%.

Ninety-nine percent of the damage had come from Tristan alone, securing him exclusive rights to the loot.

Drake, observing from a safe distance, heaved a sigh of relief.

The gear was practically in the bag.

With Jerobi's attributes, it was almost guaranteed to drop some defensive equipment.

Though Drake couldn't use it yet, reaching level 10 would solve that problem.

Glancing at his companions, Drake puffed out his chest smugly.

"If I hadn't insisted we grind at the wild boar plains, we'd have never met Blackshade. And now look at us—on the verge of getting Silver Grade gear!"

He waited expectantly for his team's praise, even tilting his head upward for dramatic effect.

The archer and assassin, long familiar with Drake's antics, exchanged tired looks and remained silent.

Only Sophie, ever the diplomat, played along.

"Boss, you're truly a visionary."

Drake burst into laughter, clapping his hands.

"Excellent! Sophie, remind me to have the finance team give you a two-month bonus!"

The archer and assassin, unwilling to be outdone, quickly chimed in unison:

"Boss, you're the best!"