Overgeared

by Park Saenal

  Tears filled Khan’s eyes.

  “The pain of losing a son is incredibly big. It has been 10 years since he died, but I still miss him and feel regret towards his death. If possible, I would revive him, even if I needed to sacrifice my own life.”

  I didn’t know what to say. It was impossible for me to understand the mind of a parent who lost their child. I stood there with an awkward expression, and the tearful Khan suddenly laughed.

  “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “…”

  “Every day, every day… I couldn’t work properly because of nostalgia and despair. But ever since meeting you, I have felt surprised and excited. Didn’t I stop drinking because of you? Now, please say hello to my son.”

  Khan stood straight in front of his son’s gravestone. Then he spoke towards the gravestone.

  “Son, this is Pagma’s Descendant, who I told you about every night. Isn’t it great to meet him? Are you surprised? Isn’t it great? Are you wondering why such a person is with your father?”

  “Khan…”

  Khan started crying again. He finally sank to his knees, hugging the gravestone while exclaiming. “Don’t worry! Don’t worry! Your father is doing well, so don’t worry! This great person is taking care of your father! He promised to take care of the smithy! So relax and don’t worry. Rest in peace… Sob…sob sob.”

  “…”

  Countless NPCs existed in Satisfy. Every one of them were alive with stories and feelings like this. Amazing. I truly admired Satisfy’s technology.

  “… Damn, they should do it moderately.”

  My vision was cloudy from the dust in my eyes. I moved my gaze to the sky due to a lump in my throat. Then I promised. “Your father is my most precious friend. I will treat him well. I’ll also make the smithy the best. So… as you father said, rest in peace.”

  Then a notification window popped up.

  [The bond between you and Khan has deepened.]

  [The souls of Khan’s ancestors are thrilled by your emotions towards Khan and emerge from underground.]

  “…Eh?”

  10 blue lights in the shape of people appeared in front of me. Then they spoke simultaneously towards me.

  “It is good to meet you, Pagma’s Descendant. Friend of our descendant.”

  “W-Wait…!”

  Weren’t these souls ghosts?

  I hurriedly called out to Khan, “K-Khan. Khan!”

  “Drrrong! Drrrong!”

  “Did you go crazy?”

  Khan was sleeping while hugging his son’s gravestone. No, how could he fall asleep in such a short amount of time? I realized that I was the only one facing these ghosts, and formed tight fists.

  “C-Come on! You evil ghosts! I will survive to the end of the horror movie!”

  …Yes, to be honest, I was a little frightened of ghosts. No, to be honest, I really hated ghosts. It was because I had actually encountered a ghost during my elementary school days. Of course, I might’ve been seeing things, now that I thought about it… Anyway, the intense fear of that time was still deeply engraved in my mind, causing a ghost allergy.

  The blue souls floating in the air were confused when I told them to fight, and they didn’t say anything. I didn’t feel any hostility from them, so I asked carefully.

  “You… are you really ghosts…?”

  “You could say that.”

  The answer made me feel despair.

  “Unbelievable! No way! How can ghosts exist in this world? I might’ve seen it when I was a child, but it wasn’t really a ghost!”

  The ghosts laughed.

  “Hahaha, what doesn’t exist in this world? Yet you think it’s strange that there are ghosts?”

  “…Ah.”

  I belatedly realized. I forgot for a while, but this was Satisfy, not reality. It was an artificial world created by human hands! Not just ghosts, but living bones, talking beasts and even fire beasts existed. People could fly and shoot magic. Yes, it wasn’t strange for ghosts to exist in this world.

  I asked them. “S-So what? Why did you emerge?”

  They answered. “We are thrilled that you showed a true heart to our descendants, so we have come to give you a reward.”

  “… Reward?”

  Was it money? As I was feeling expectant, the biggest one came forward and introduced himself.

  “I am the person who witnessed Pagma’s swordsmanship 130 years ago.”

  “…!”

  Pagma’s swordsmanship! I discovered a clue to the class quest, which had been delayed because I didn’t know how to proceed.

  “130 years ago… I witnessed the beauty of Pagma’s swordsmanship that pierced the sky, and was so fascinated that I ran to Kesan Canyon. Then I drew a picture of Pagma’s swordsmanship, which was clearly imprinted in my mind, on a north cliff of the canyon. I was so excited that I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if I didn’t do that.”

  I obtained a clue for Pagma’s swordsmanship, which I had no idea how to find or learn.

  “The painting will probably help you learn Pagma’s swordsmanship.”

  [The quest ‘Pagma’s Descendant’ has been updated.]

  [Pagma’s Descendant]

  Difficulty: Class quest.

  You have certainly been given Pagma’s blacksmith skills.

  But do you know exactly who Pagma is? Can you proudly carry out his will?

  Who is Pagma? If he was simply a blacksmith with good skills, his legends wouldn’t be scattered across the continent.

  First, start with the clue of the swordsmanship that pierced the sky, and follow Pagma’s legend. If you can collect all of the legends, you will truly understand Pagma and succeed his will.

  At that moment, a new legend will be born.

  * There is no time limit for this class quest.

  * If you accept the class quest of a legendary class, you can’t change your class again.

  * The legendary class quest has the power to transform Satisfy’s world, according to the results.

  Class Quest Clear Conditions: Complete all linked quests successfully.

  Class Quest Clear Reward: Unknown.

  * First Class Quest: [Pagma’s Swordsmanship.]

  The person who witnessed Pagma’s swordsmanship 130 years ago has showed up and given you a clue.

  If you head to Kesan Canyon that is to the south of Winston, you will find a clue to Pagma’s swordsmanship carved on a northern cliff.

  * First Class Quest Clear Condition: Learn Pagma’s swordsmanship.

  First Class Quest Clear Reward: Dainsleif (Reproduction).

  After confirming the newly emerged quest information window, the souls said farewell.

  “Pagma’s Descendant is a friend of our descendant. We pray that you will become greater than Pagma. Now, we should be returning to where we were.”

  The souls disappeared one by one in front of me. One soul remained until the end and spoke softly.

  “Thank you for looking after my father.”

  Suuuuoh…

  We came to this place at dusk and it was now night. The remnants of the souls disappearing scattered a blue light like falling stars, and then Khan woke up.

  “Umm…? Did I fall asleep? Is it already night?”

  “Old Man, you have a habit of sleeping everywhere, but it isn’t good for your health.”

  “Hmm… I was never like this… Huh? Heok! Y-You! Why is the part around your crotch damp?”

  “…Be quiet.”

  ***

  40 days had passed since Huroi cleared the ‘Wait’ quest.

  Afterwards, he accepted the S.A. Group’s proposal to thoroughly check his health in the hospital, then spent another week answering S.A Group’s questions and agreed to let them announce his identity as the first second class in Satisfy. Then he spent the next 23 days riding a horse around Mongolia in order to satisfy his nomadic nature. Finally, he returned to Satisfy three days ago and improved his understanding of the newly acquired sec
ond class.

  And today! Huroi arrived at Khan’s smithy. It was to meet Grid, whom he had sworn to serve.

  ‘Will he be pleased to see me? Or will he ask why I only came now?’

  Huroi was incredibly tense. He couldn’t help gulping. As he hesitantly stood in front of the smithy, the door opened from the inside. Grid exited from the open door. Did he noticed that Huroi was here and came out to meet him?

  “M-My Liege!”

  The thrilled Huroi shouted. But Grid didn’t even look at him. He didn’t think that the title of ‘liege’ applied to him. Huroi shouted again.

  “Mr. Grid!”

  “Eh?”

  Grid finally turned towards Huroi. The two people made eye contact. Huroi ran forward and bent to one knee in front of Grid, like a knight before a monarch.

  “Have you been well in the meantime? I’m sorry for not making any contact with you until now!”

  “…Huroi?”

  “Yes, My Liege. I am Huroi.”

  In the dungeon, Huroi had sacrificed himself to allow Grid to escape the four knights. Huroi knew that Grid would be worried. Then…

  “This bastard!”

  Grid glared and abruptly grabbed Huroi’s neck. Then he let out a stream of curses at Huroi.

  “Hey, you son of a bitch! You, I know you? I don’t! I don’t know why the knights associated you with me, but I was disqualified from the item making game and forced to accept a ridiculous quest! Huh? I was trapped in solitary confinement with my mouth gagged, then I had to fight someone called the Northern Nova. Can you imagine how much I suffered?”

  “…”

  Huroi was at a loss for words. Grid’s attitude was completely different from what he imagined. He couldn’t understand why Grid was angry, but he sincerely apologized.

  “I’m sorry. I was wrong! My Liege!”

  His master was his sky! His master was angry due to the actions of his subordinates.

  Grid became rather confused at Huroi’s apology. Grid frowned.

  ‘This guy, he seemed perfectly fine and smart when I first met him. He seems to have become a complete freak since being stuck in prison. Was he severely tortured?’

  Anyway, he didn’t want to be with this disgusting guy. Grid let go of Huroi and waved his hand. “Hey, hey, that’s it. I understand already, so you should leave.”

  Huroi was baffled.

  “Go where?”

  “Go wherever.”

  “My path is with My Liege!”

  Huroi had already vowed to follow Grid. The descendants of the Blue Wolf didn’t forsake their oaths. He would follow Grid for the rest of his life. Thanks to his second class, ‘Apostle of Justice’s Partner,’ he practically needed to stay at Grid’s side because all his stats increased by 20% when he was with the Apostle of Justice.

  “T-This crazy…”

  Huroi didn’t notice Grid’s irritation as he asked.

  “My Liege, are you part of a guild? If you have a guild then please let me join. Isn’t it better for me to be in the same guild as you?”

  “Guild? I don’t have one. So please leave.”

  “Ohh! Good! Are you planning to make your own guild? If My Liege makes a guild, many people will follow you. I will assist you!”

  Prior to going to Kesan Canyon, Grid was going to get minerals to make armor for his own use. Grid wanted to leave quickly instead of listening to Huroi’s delirious chatter.

  “Hey, stop talking nonsense and move out of the way. Yes? I’m going.”

  In the end, Grid left towards his destination. Well, it seemed like Grid disliked him, so Huroi was forced to follow Grid secretly. Obstacles appeared on a flat road. As soon as he created a fire to cook meat, a sudden shower poured down from a clear sky, meeting bandits at places famous for being peaceful, etc. While watching, Huroi realized that Grid was a person of bad luck. If Grid fell asleep, he was sure to break his nose.

  Huroi felt a burning sense of duty.

  ‘I must protect him!’

  The Apostle of Justice’s Partner needed to be with the Apostle of Justice. Huroi didn’t doubt it.

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 66

  [Quest success!]

  [Obtained the status of ‘Eighth Servant.’]

  [ The skill ‘Infinite Faith’ will be created.

  [The skill ‘Teaching Doctrines’ will be created.]

  [The skill ‘Divine Punishment’ will be created.]

  Having travelled all over the north of the Eternal Kingdom, Yura succeeded in rescuing 300 believers and eventually cleared the quest. As a result, the Seven Servants changed into the Eight Servants, and the power of the Yatan Church became more powerful.

  Yura checked the details of the newly acquired skills.

  [Infinite Faith]

  The growth rate of your faith will double.

  Passive skill.

  [Teaching Doctrines]

  Lv. 1

  Preach the doctrines of the Yatan Church and cover a single target with the property of darkness. The dark property will prevent the use of divine spells for 4 seconds, and will deal 1.5 times the damage for 2 seconds.

  Mana Consumption: 800

  Skill Cooldown Time: 100 seconds

  [Divine Punishment]

  Summons a lightning bolt that deals 15,000~23,000 damage within 10 metres.

  Range of Damage: 3m radius around the target.

  * If you use this skill to kill an enemy, your faith will rise by 50 points for each killed enemy.

  Mana Consumption: 4,00

  Skill Cooldown Time: 1,200 seconds

  The biggest drawback of a black magician was that they were far inferior in attack power compared to other magicians. But after being reborn as the Eighth Servant, Yura overcame this disadvantage with the skills she acquired.

  For all users of Satisfy, the following notification windows rose simultaneously.

  [The Eighth Servant of God Yatan was born. The believers of Yatan who witnessed the power of God Yatan will have their faith deepened.]

  [The influence of the Yatan Church will increase throughout the continent.]

  [The minimum level for the Yatan believers has risen from 160 to 170.]

  [Players who are part of the Yatan Church will benefit from a 20% increase in experience for the next 72 hours.]

  [If the Yatan Church continues growing like this, their forces will become strong enough to form one nation.]

  It was an emergency. Dozens of countries that existed in Satisfy declared that they would subjugate the Yatan Church. It was because they couldn’t condone the strengthening of a religion that harmed others in the name of sacrifices to their god.

  The users were bombarded with quests relating to the Yatan Church subjugation. It was no different in the Eternal Kingdom. In particular, Earl Steim in the north declared a large-scale expedition.

  “This time, I will get rid of all the seeds of the Yatan Church in the north!”

  All over the north, the Yatan subjugation quest was given. The users cooperated and searched for the Yatan Temple.

  The Yatan Church also resisted. “This is an opportunity! Show the pagans the greatness of God Yatan! Dye the continent with the color of God Yatan!”

  The First Servant and bishop of the Yatan Church, the continent’s strongest black magician, Tallos! After he declared war, the millions of users belonging to the Yatan Church received numerous war related quests.

  The Alliance VS the Yatan Church! The large-scale episode that would have a great influence on the landscape of the continent had started. Since it was the biggest event since Satisfy was first started, the attention of the whole world focused on it.

  『Will the alliance be able to stop the Yatan Church? 』

  『 If the Yatan Church wins and sets up a nation, I would be curious about what type of story would develop… 』

  『The Yatan Church is evil! Evil! Users must cooperate and wipe them out!』

  『As you know, the cause of these e
vents is the Eighth Servant. There is a rumor going around that the Eighth Servant is a user, not an NPC. If the Eighth Servant is really a user, there is only one person who can be the candidate… 』

  『5th place on the unified rankings! Blood Witch Yura! The world must pay attention to her! 』

  The media treated this as a huge issue, even more than when the second class appeared. Any news related to the Yatan Church would catch the attention of all the media; however, Grid was in a different world.

  “I need to complete my class quest…”

  Grid had produced various sets of armor for the past 10 days, resulting in him being fully equipped in rare and epic equipment. But!

  “Uhh… Kesan Canyon is still difficult despite being armed to this degree…”

  Kesan Canyon! It was considered one of the worst areas in the north.

  The terrain of the sinuous canyon was hard to move in, and the cliffs on both sides were so high that they gave the impression that the sky was covered, causing an ominous and fearful atmosphere.

  The real problem was the hundreds and thousands of large and small caves that existed in the canyon. The monsters and mysterious creatures hidden in the caves were at least level 160, and they immediately popped out when they discovered a traveller. If he didn’t move carefully, he would be like a rat in a trap. How risky was it to become one of the five forbidden areas in the Winston Kingdom?

  He had gone to Kesan Canyon to find a clue for Earl Ashur’s quest, and died more than 10 times.

  “I am different from before… My stats are superior to when I was a warrior, and I have great items. Don’t lose courage so easily…kuock!”

  Grid didn’t dare enter Kesan Canyon, as he knew for sure that he would die within a few minutes. In the end, he started blaming Khan’s ancestor.

  “No, why would that insane ghost draw the picture in Kesan Canyon…?”

  But his resentment didn’t matter. He needed to enter Kesan Canyon to complete the class quest. Reality wouldn’t change, no matter who he blamed.

  “For the time being, should I stop making items and raise my level from hunting? If I increase my level to 150, I should be able to fight the monsters in Kesan Canyon… No, dammit. I can raise my level at any time! I need to pay off the debt. But if I don’t postpone the quest, I can obtain Dainsleif quicker. Kuoh! Isn’t there something good I can try? Ah…!”