Chapter 40

**The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1, Chapter 40**

**15. Alone in First Place (2)**

The four-person squad 'Monday is Good' was a clan made up of users who had returned after a long absence. Among them, 'KkanpungSquid,' who was responsible for sniping, was a formidable player who had once reached Diamond rank. However, after taking a break for about a year due to real-life pressures, his rank had been reset. Fortunately, the game hadn't changed much. A few new items had been added, and a couple of new maps had been introduced, but if they chose the classic map they were used to, his old skills would still be effective.

"This rating is a piece of cake. Whatever."

But that was a mistake.

Two of his teammates, who were advancing, fell almost simultaneously, hit by something from the sky. Meanwhile, the enemy on the rooftop didn't even show their face.

"What the hell is that? What did they get hit by?"

At that moment, KkanpungSquid should have realized that this game was no longer the one he remembered.

* * *

"Huh. Did it hit?"

Almond was still leaning against the rooftop wall. He couldn't even confirm if his arrow had hit the target, as he had shot it from behind.

He knew one of them had died from the kill log.

- Wow man.

- This is insane. It's not human.

- Just a glitch, right?

- Wow...ddd

- Really impressive ㅠㅠㅠ

A smirk formed on Almond's lips, amused by the chat window's reactions. Their excessive enthusiasm was funny.

'This one is a bit special.'

Indeed, his shot looked different from the archery he usually displayed. He had shot the arrow backward and hit the target without seeing it. To Almond, it was just an advanced version of the fancy reactions he used to do.

'Glad I tried all those weird things when I was young.'

During his archery days, he and his teammates used to perform all sorts of circus-like tricks. Like shooting arrows into the sky and making them land in the desired direction, or shooting an arrow and hitting it again mid-air. It was almost like a circus.

Back then, the coach always scolded them for breaking the bows, but now he was glad he had done those things. Who knew they would come in handy here?

While lost in these memories—

—Bang.

The door opened. One of the assault team members had only been injured and managed to enter the house.

'They'll come through the rooftop door.'

There was only one entrance to the rooftop, and he just needed to watch that spot. Fortunately, from where Almond was positioned, he could see it clearly and guard the door without being shot at.

However—

'They have guns.'

Almond had a bow. In a one-on-one confrontation, the difference in projectile speed was incomparable. Even with a powerful compound bow, it couldn't match a gun.

Tap, tap...

The sound of someone climbing up to the rooftop grew closer. Almond readied his arrow. He had to face the enemy; there was no other way. Moving from his position would make him an easy target for the sniper.

Dodging bullets was theoretically impossible. He could only hope the enemy missed.

Almond didn't like relying on others for his fate.

'I'll overcome it.'

He would rely on his own abilities. His archery skills were what he trusted the most in the world.

'They're coming.'

Thud...

The sound of the last step and the handle of the rooftop door being grabbed echoed.

Click.

'I need to focus.'

Almond's concentration was at an unprecedented level. It felt like he had cut himself off from the world and his own consciousness.

His breathing was loud, and his heartbeat was annoying.

He was in his own world.

He pulled the bowstring.

Squeak—

"!"

He released the bowstring.

—Bang!

-???

-?

-It didn't open...

The door hadn't opened yet, but he had already released the arrow.

Creak...

The door started to open.

Through the small gap, a swift wind passed.

Thud.

"Choke..."

Creak...

The door opened. Not by hand, but by the body of the fallen enemy.

The arrow Almond had shot was embedded in the enemy's abdomen.

-Did he time it with the door opening!?

-This is insane...

-Almond. Is he a god?

-If he's this good, he must be a veteran.

-He even shot low in case the enemy crouched. Amazing.

-This is something only pros can do...

-Wow... Is this his first time today?

Timing the shot with the door opening and firing through the gap was a highly skilled play, something only a seasoned veteran could pull off.

"It was just good timing."

Almond, popping a painkiller, answered calmly. But it wasn't that easy. It required incredible senses and focus.

-Ab—surd

-We lose money in stocks because we can't time it right!

-LOL ㅠㅠ Why are my eyes watering...

-Oh, it's just timing!

The viewers thought his response was mocking or deceiving them. The play was that precise.

The enemy, SpongeBob, who had just died, felt wronged. KkanpungSquid, reading SpongeBob's message, was flabbergasted.

"Not kill...? What confidence does he have?"

Not killing SpongeBob meant he wanted to lure them in, believing he could handle them even if they came.

"Let's just go. Let SpongeBob respawn. If he really shot with timing, he's a pro."

"Are you serious?"

"Obviously, it's a trap. Let's just leave SpongeBob."

"..."

"Are you serious? Do you have no pride? Do you know what this rating is? Even a new player can get caught here, and you want to run?"

'Why is he so serious?'

Starfish, who was covering with suppressive fire, couldn't understand KkanpungSquid's seriousness. It's just a game.

"He's openly provoking us."

"Right. So we should go."

"What? We said we'd get back to Diamond rank when we returned!"

"Running won't lower our rank... Crayfish..."

"My pride will be shattered."

KkanpungSquid, saying this, started to disassemble his sniper rifle.

Click. Click.

He was preparing to move forward.

"Wait, are you really going? I'll go. You cover me. You're the sniper."

"What if you get hurt while healing?"

"Ah..."

That's why it's difficult.

If one person is injured, not only does the team lose a member, but they also need someone to rescue and protect them.

"Fine. Let's go."

Starfish and KkanpungSquid abandoned their advantageous high ground and headed to rescue SpongeBob. They saw the body of Crabby on the way.

"Poor Crabby..."

"He's fine. His username predicted his fate."

They walked down the hill toward their still-living teammate.

Thud. Thud.

"Shouldn't we run?"

"Shut up. Fatso. I need to aim to keep him from moving."

"Ah..."

Starfish followed KkanpungSquid, aiming at the building's third-floor rooftop. The aim was a bit shaky, but it was a decent tactic.

"There he is. He's waiting by the first-floor door."

"Ugh... What a creep."

They kept their eyes on the scope while talking.

"We need to keep moving until the angle from the rooftop is gone."

"Okay."

When they got close to the building, the angle from the rooftop would be lost.

Thud. Thud.

They slowly closed the gap, and the rooftop angle became less effective.

At that moment, they relaxed a bit. A fleeting thought crossed their minds.

Whoosh—

A sound of something splitting the air. An arrow flying through the sky.

'Ah. The top of the head!'

'The top of the head!'

Chills ran down their spines as they realized the arrow's parabolic trajectory was aimed at their heads.

They had seen how their teammates were hit earlier.

They knew they had to act fast.

They dropped their aim and immediately leaped. But they didn't leap forward, as that was too predictable. They had to choose left, right, or back, which would take them away from the path to rescue SpongeBob. But they had no choice.

If they were hit, their helmets would be crushed, and their health would drop below half.

"Ugh!"

"Grk!"

They rolled in different directions.

Boom!

The arrow embedded itself in the sand.

They had dodged successfully.

"Dodged—"

They didn't know.

The moment they relaxed in relief was exactly what Almond had aimed for.

Thud!

"—What?"

An arrow was embedded in Starfish's eye.

"Are you kidding?!"

KkanpungSquid was confused. What had just happened?

'There's no way an arrow could come from that angle!'

The answer was the shadow that loomed over them.

Almond's shadow.

KkanpungSquid, looking up at the source of the shadow, had a look of pure terror, worthy of a horror movie poster.

'What a lunatic.'

Curses slipped from his open mouth.

Almond, holding a bow, was falling from the sky.

Since the angle from the rooftop was lost when the enemy got too close, he had jumped to create the angle. The previous arrow was a decoy to prevent them from seeing him fall from the rooftop.

"Quick—"

KkanpungSquid, shocked, tried to raise his gun, but there was no time to aim the heavy sniper rifle.

—Thud!

The arrow pierced between his eyes. His helmet, a 'normal' grade that only covered his forehead, offered no protection.

—Thud.

With the enemy's death, Almond's body hit the ground.

"Ugh!"

It was quite a height.

Almond felt a searing pain, almost dizzy. He clutched his head and said,

"Phew... Glad I took the painkiller."

Without the painkiller, he might have felt the excruciating pain of broken bones.

Now, only 26 players remained out of 100.

Almond searched the enemy's body for medical supplies, then moved on.

- dddd

- This is insane.

- Is this even possible!?

- It's like an action movie...

- He planned to shoot while falling from the rooftop... ddd

- Amazing

The chat window was filled with admiration, and the donation window with money.