An Elf Girl and a Blaster

The first impression upon holding the shooting weapon called Blaster Rifle was,

…light.

That’s all there is to it.

It looks like a metallic product, but it must be made of a different material…
Compared to the bow Ente usually uses, this one is even lighter.

If one were to ask whether it’s fragile… that’s not the case.
Of course, she didn’t throw it around or bang it against her knee…
The feeling when tapping it is solid all the way through, and indeed, when handling it, it firmly absorbs Ente’s power and doesn’t let go in the slightest.

Ente operates the safety device and holds it as she was taught.

She gulps down her saliva nervously.

The place is the archery range set up within the village.
The distance to the target is about fifty meters.
If Ente were using a bow, it would be a guaranteed hit.

Then, what will happen if she uses this weapon…?

Ente peered through a part that seemed like a scope, similar to a telescope.

“…It’s close!”

She unintentionally shouted after taking a look.
Out of habit as an archer, Ente inadvertently kept both eyes open while looking through the scope, but… She closed her right eye against it.
The view through her left eye was normal, capturing the familiar distance of the target.
So, what if she tried the opposite…?

It felt like the target was right in front of her, within arm’s reach.
Ente was under such an illusion.
Moreover, the view through the scope was crystal clear, in great contrast to a telescope obtained from humans.

No, there was another… something different from a telescope.
Through the scope, there was a red dot in the center of the view.
Currently, it was moving slightly up and down in sync with Ente’s breathing…
If she pulled the part called the trigger on the handle, a beam of light would apparently be emitted towards that red dot.

Recalling the previous battle, Ente trembled involuntarily.
As a response, the red dot started moving vigorously.
When presented objectively like this, she realized how intensely her muscles were moving.

To control this, Ente pressed the rifle stock firmly against her right shoulder.
She felt overwhelming reassurance as if this foreign shooting weapon and she were connected by bones…

There were no unnecessary muscle movements anymore…
The red dot just flickered, influenced by the breathing.

Ente opened both eyes again…
Without being taught, she instinctively held her breath.
With this, the girl and the rifle achieved perfect unity…
In the archery range, an Elf was born who only aimed and shot.

Finger on the trigger - and pull it!

*Pew!*

A somewhat silly sound echoed, but…
The destructive power is indescribable in words.

A simple target made of spare wood…
In the center of it was a small blackened hole.
This is the result of being hit by the light beam fired from the rifle.

“Can it hit so easily like this?”

Releasing her finger from the trigger, Ente muttered blankly while pointing the rifle down.
No need to consider wind direction or anything.
The light beam went straight towards the red dot…
Penetrating it with a speed and power that even a composite bow made from monster materials couldn’t achieve.

Comparing it to bows and arrows would be ridiculous.
This is clearly in a different dimension as a shooting weapon.

“Haaaah!”

Ente immediately held her breath again and aimed the rifle once more.
And this time, she fired three shots in quick succession.

*Pew!*

*Pew!*

*Pew!*

Without delay, three beams are fired, and they hit exactly where she aimed.

“Moreover… I can shoot continuously like this.”

Ente, the best archer among the elves in the autonomous district - the girl who prides herself as the kingdom’s top archer, was astounded by this fact once again.

Take the arrow…

Nock it…

Draw the bowstring tight…

And release the arrow…

Even if aiming is done in an instant, using a bow and arrow requires this many movements just to shoot.

But with this weapon… all it takes is moving your index finger.
At this point, judging solely by simplicity in aiming and power is no longer possible.

This is, in a sense - the power to suppress!

When an elf holds this, they can face at least ten… or, if they’re skilled, twenty or thirty monsters.

No, it’s pointless to condition it with ‘if skilled.’

As mentioned earlier, this weapon can be handled easily… almost too easily.
Equip this, and even a child younger than her - although there are no elves in the autonomous district like that - could take down a huge beast that would challenge a few hunters.

“…Amazing.”

Ente lowers the rifle once again and lets out a simple voice of admiration.
Truly moving moments are those where not even decent words come out for both humans and elves alike.

Watching Ente like that…
The Elven soldiers who had gathered to watch suddenly rushed towards the beastmen soldiers.
At the spot where the beastmen soldiers were waiting, there were also floating… platforms.
And within them were Blaster Rifles brought from that airship ‘Mamiya’ fully loaded.

The Elven soldiers picked up the rifles one by one and lined up at the archery range.
And with each one… who tried shooting, they let out cries of amazement.

“Seems like you’re pleased, Ente-dono?”

When did he approach…?
The leader of the beastmen, named Asuru, smiled satisfactorily at Ente.

“Just call me by my name… I don’t like formality.
Instead, I’ll call you by your name too.
Is that okay?”

“Sure.
To be honest, I’m not good at having polite conversations either.”

Asuru shrugged while saying that.

“Asuru! I need your help!”

“What’s up? Tell me.”

Feeling patronized wasn’t to his liking…
But Asuru switched to a tone like a big brother talking to a child and expressed his request.

“Give me that!”

Asuru then smiled and said this.

“Nope.
I’ll just lend it to you until we drive away the monsters.”

Ente pouted in response to this.