by Park Saenal
Jishuka hurried away after saying this.
‘She is quite different from usual.’
He didn’t know why. Regas shrugged and followed behind her with the bodyguards.
“Wait.”
Pon was about to enter a store with five beauties when he noticed Jishuka and Regas.
‘Are they going to level up?’
Rankings could fall quickly if a person was careless. Wouldn’t his playing time shrink significantly in Korea? Pon’s vigilance awakened as he left the beauties and followed the two people.
***
“Pant… Pant… I’ve finally arrived.”
He flew, drank potions, flew again, descended when his potion cooldown time wasn’t over, flew again and repeated until Grid reached Cork Island.
‘The good thing is that my persistence stat rose.’
He had flown for 46 hours without stopping, so his stamina had been exhausted several times. He had been tempted to rest a few times, but he didn’t want to miss Hell Gao’s spawning time. It was a hard journey that exceeded a triathlon, but he endured and was able to arrive at this place on time.
‘I feel good.’ He felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. It wasn’t a material gain, but the sense of accomplishment was comparable to making a high rated item. ‘The sense of fullness I feel when I exceed my limits… Is this the reason why people climb mountains or do a marathon? I should climb the mountain in front of my house tomorrow.’
Grid flew in the sky with a refreshed expression. He looked over the island.
“Good city.”
Cork Island was one quarter the size of Jeju Island. It wasn’t a small island and the climate was mild, so the city built in the center of the island was very developed.
‘This is a level similar to Bairan… The population of the island should be in the tens of thousands? Aren’t there a lot of useful hunting grounds and specialties?’
Grid descended to the ground and entered the city. Thanks to the Hooded Zip Up, he didn’t need to check in and could naturally emerge in the crowd. Then he stopped at a restaurant just before Hell Gao’s dungeon in order to fill up his hunger.
“Turtle and whale meat? I’ve never tried it. Is it delicious?”
The restaurant owner confidently gave Grid a recommendation.
“Of course it’s delicious. It is a delicacy to eat turtle and whale at the same time. You should try it.”
He asked NPCs questions and responded the way they wanted in order to build up affinity. The most efficient way to built up affinity with a merchant NPC was to buy a lot of their merchandise.
The warrior Grid didn’t know even these basics. He built up affinity by interacting with them for a long time. But Grid now had a strong colleague called Huroi. For the several months after the sylphid scales incident, he spent a lot of time with Huroi and learned how to build up affinity with NPCs.
“I believe in you and will try the turtle and whale meat. Please give me a plate of turtle and whale meat… Yes! Just give me the food that represents this island! Let’s eat double portions today!”
“Ohh, a broad-hearted young man! Okay, I understand! I will bring you well-cooked duck!”
Grid liked grilled dishes, stir-fried dishes, fried foods and hot pot. But most of the food in the north of the Eternal Kingdom was steamed food, which didn’t fit Grid’s taste.
‘Since I’ve moved to the north, I haven’t felt the fun of eating food for a while…’
The menu of the restaurant on Cork Island was mainly fried and grilled dishes.
‘I will eat until I’m satisfied!’
Grid drooled as he waited for food. Then the owner brought out the food. Due to Grid’s high stamina and persistence stats, his stomach was huge and he could eat a lot. The restaurant owner’s eyes widened as he saw Grid emptying the food.
“Eating enough food for three people at once… Great.”
‘In this case…’
What would Huroi do now? Grid thought before saying with a smile.
“I’m not usually like this, but your excellent cooking made me overeat.”
“Haha…”
Grid’s high dignity gave a sense of oppression to the target, but it could also inspire liking in them. Wasn’t it natural for him to give off a charming and polite atmosphere? The owner of the restaurant was instantly fascinated by Grid.
“You look like a traveller, so why did you come to Cork Island?”
‘I have succeeded.’
Grid responded to the owner’s curious and favorable eyes, “I came to see the monster who is the owner of hellfire. Can you tell me where the dungeon is located?”
“No, are you talking about Hell Gao?” The restaurant owner was aghast. “The dungeon he appears in is located in the north of the city… No, I can’t understand it. Why do you want to see him? Isn’t it an act of suicide?”
“Is he that strong?”
The restaurant owner trembled and explained.
“He is the demon who ruled this island perfectly and fed on my ancestors. Legend has it that the number of people sacrificed to him was in the thousands… One day, Muller appeared and turned his body to ashes, but Hell Gao still occasionally pops up because his soul can’t be sealed. The residents are nervous every day that he will be completely resurrected and will turn this island into a living hell.”
There were too many ambiguous words.
‘Is this the precursor to a quest? Surely he isn’t going to ask me to seal Hell Gao’s soul that even Muller couldn’t seal?’
It was ridiculous. The restaurant owner gave some advice to Grid, who was belatedly regretting it.
“The demon’s black flame is hotter than the jade flames of most demons, so you must be careful. If you go to ‘Ellen’ who lives on the south side of the city and say that I sent you, she will paint your armor with fire stone dyes… Before going to Hell Gao, I recommend that you meet Ellen Halmand to increase your fire resistance.”
“Dyes made from fire stones?”
Grid was interested and immediately rose from his spot. He asked the restaurant owner in detail for the position of Ellen’s house and headed straight there.
“Come in.”
Ellen was a kind person. She heard his situation and gladly welcomed Grid. Then she pointed to the large basin in her backyard.
“It isn’t that great, since it is a dye made from the fire stones. I just dip the fire stone in water mixed with my own recipe.”
“Ohu…”
The big basin contained one fire stone the size of a baby’s fist. But that one small fossil turned all the water in the basin red. Ellen explained to Grid, “It isn’t just a color change. Armors or clothes dyed with this will obtain increased fire resistance because they are tinted with fire.”
Grid pulled out the Holy Light armor and gloves.
“The material of the gloves are cloth, so they can be easily stained. But this armor is made of mithril, can it be dyed?”
Ellen easily nodded.
“Fire stones are the symbol of fusion… They can mix with anything.”
As expected of a rare mineral used in magic items.
‘My status immunity means I can’t be burned, but this can prevent additional damage caused by the fire itself. Braham’s Boots are black so the red color will match well with it… Good.’
Grid politely asked. “Can you please dye this armor and gloves?”
Ellen easily nodded. “I understand. I will dye it well if you pay me 500 gold.”
“…Huh?”
Grid thought that Ellen was a hidden NPC. He believed it was an opportunity to get free benefits because of his affinity with the restaurant owner. Yet she was asking for money? As Grid was feeling confused, other users started to arrive at Ellen’s house.
“Are you Grandmother Ellen? I heard about you from the grandmother at the grocery store.”
“I heard about you from the blacksmith. You can increase my fire resistance?”
Grid looked at this and quickly realized.
‘The tip that the restaurant owner gave me wasn’t special.’
Ellen wasn’t a hidden NPC. She was a mere trader, and the Cork Island residents were skilled at soliciting customers for her.
‘The world is truly tough.’
Grid pulled out 500 gold with trembling hands. It wasn’t bad to think of it as 500 gold to give extra options to two items. He couldn’t know the numerical value of the additional options.
Chapter 163
Chapter 163
“Here it is.”
Grid paid 500 gold and took out the Holy Light Armor and Holy Light Gloves from the inventory. He handed them over to Ellen and respectfully said, “Please add fire resistance to these.”
The two parts combined would have a 20% fire resistance, so this was an investment with huge benefits. Ellen smiled warmly at the expectant Grid.
“Hoho, I’ll dye it beautifully. Huh?”
Ellen was amazed as she received the armor and gloves. Her sagging eyes, that couldn’t bear the weight of the years, widened.
“How is this possible…?”
Ellen had been dying things since she was 15 years old, and she was 71 this year. Over her 56 years as a dyer, she had dyed many different types of clothes and armor of various colors. However, this was the first time she saw such a great white armor.
“A perfect harmony… I wondered if a better armor than this exists? So beautiful… The blacksmith who made this armor probably isn’t a regular person. Is this the skill of a master who surpasses dwarf craftsmen?”
Grid felt interested as he saw Ellen’s admiration.
‘This grandma’s eyes are more discerning than normal.’
Trust started to fill him. A person with this level of insight would surely dye his items well.
Ellen showed high motivation, “I will do my best not to ruin these wonderful armor and gloves.”
The Holy Light Armor covered the neck, shoulders, chest, waist and right arm. The Holy Light Gloves were several layers thick and had gold thread embroidered near the wrist. It was a glamorous embroidered pattern that looked elegant. If the embroidery was dyed red as well, the armor and gloves would become too monotonous. Therefore, she had to do this work as delicately as possible.
Chwaack. Chwaack.
Every time the white gloves were immersed in the fire stone dye, they became a pale pink. As this process repeated, the pale pink became a dark pink and then gradually became a strong red. But surprisingly, the gold embroidery was preserved because not a single drop of dye touched it.
‘Great skills.’
Grid observed the work without missing a single thing. Following the gloves, the armor was dyed.
1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours.
It took a considerable amount of time, but Grid didn’t lose focus until the end. He didn’t want to miss an opportunity to observe the craftsmanship of other fields.
[Insight has increased by 10.]
[Your dexterity has risen.]
[You have learned a little bit about how to dye cloth and paint metal.]
The Holy Light Armor and Gloves were reborn with a dark red color. Grid read the pleasant notification windows and Ellen smiled brightly.
“Please check it.”
Grid received the armor and gloves from Ellen and examined the details. Then he was delighted.
‘It’s better than I expected!’
The armor had 19% fire resistance and the gloves had 7% fire resistance. It was great that Ellen gave new options to legendary items for just 500 gold.
“I will use it well.”
Ellen was grateful to the truly delighted Grid. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to dye such an excellent armor and gloves before I die. Thanks to you, I have achieved a higher level. Now, please wear it.”
Ellen led Grid to the large full body mirror on one side. Grid didn’t delay in front of the mirror as he wore the armor and gloves. Then he marvelled at his own appearance.
‘I look much cooler.’
The Holy Light Armor was a legendary item made by Pagma. Despite the metal material, it was custom made and perfectly suited the lines of the wearer. The problem was that the color was pure white. Like many Asians, Grid had yellow skin and dark hair, so the pure white clothes didn’t suit him. The Holy Light Armor looked more awkward than cool. But now the red armor became a good match for Grid’s skin and hair.
Ellen’s eyes shone as she praised, “Very cool! I want to transfer your image to a picture frame!”
She wasn’t exaggerating. The harmonization of the black boots with the dark red armor and gloves with gold thread was a level that anyone would admire.
‘Is this really me?’
Everyone dreamed of looking nice. It was the same for Grid. However, he was despised because of his unimpressive appearance, and the shameful experiences significantly contributed to his personality.
Grid was no longer ugly.
‘…I’m not ugly.’
Grid closely observed his appearance in the mirror for a long time. Unlike the past where he always shrank back, his eyes were full of confidence and his shoulders were broad. His face had fattened, suiting the skeletal frame. From an objective point of view, he looked much better than before.
The armor looked so good that he wanted to take a photo.
‘But there is a little something missing…’
It was like a flaw in the jade. There was no gold embroidery on the lower part of his body, so it looked very monotonous. Grid thought it would look twice as nice if this part was supplemented, so he looked at Ellen. She was moving to greet the next guest.
“Pavranium.”
Grid spoke in a small voice. Then a fantastic sight was seen. Seven blades around 15cm long, 8cm wide and 3cm thick silently appeared and floated around him.
“Join together.”
Grid imagined the shape that the pavranium should form and ordered. Then the seven blades gathered together. The finished appearance was a thin sword around 1m in length. Grid made it like a wave or snake that could move to the left and right, then he fitted it onto the ring-belt that protruded near the tail of the armor.
“Kill.” The blade-like tail extending under the red armor was threatening, giving him a frightful feeling like a devil. “It is completely to my taste.”
Grid was making a happy face when he heard Toban’s voice.
–Grid, have you arrived at Cork Island? Hell Gao will appear in exactly one hour. Please take care, and I hope you find the fire stones.
Grid left Ellen’s house. He was conscious of people’s eyes as he released the armor and answered.
–Believe in me.
***
Cork Island was the largest of hundreds of islands in the Eternal Kingdom and was abundant in resources. The scenery was beautiful and countless guilds coveted the island.
The Sakura Guild was particularly ambitious. The guild considered only of Japanese right-wing extremists. They wanted to put a flag on Cork Island because it looked similar to Takeshima Island which ‘Korea was illegally occupying.’
When the war between the Alliance and the Yatan Church broke out, the Sakura Guild took this opportunity.
“We will join the Eternal Kingdom’s army and gain enough achievements in order to receive Cork Island as a reward!”
The Sakura Guild’s plan was successful. The Sakura Guild participated in the war, gained high contributions and got a chance to receive something from the king. They hoped to become the owner of Cork Island.
But forces barred their way.
It was the Silver Knights Guild, led by the 16th ranked Peak Sword. Most of the guild members, including Peak Sword, were Koreans, and they confronted the Sakura Guild because they wanted to ‘stop the insane Japanese people who can’t tell virtual reality apart from reality.’
The two guilds had similar contributions in the war, so the king couldn’t easily determine the owner of the island. Both guilds
had to fight for a long time. In the end, the Silver Knights Guild won. The average power of the Sakura Guild was higher, but thanks to the success of Peak Sword, the Silver Knights Guild could win the war and became the owner of Cork Island.
The sword and shield, which was the original symbol of the guild, changed to the three-legged raven four months ago. The Silver Knights Guild became one of the large guilds that represented Satisfy.
Their next goal was the Hell Gao raid.
‘We can grow much faster if we clear the Hell Gao raid. We can nurture Korean rankers based on items dropped by Hell Gao.’
Despite the request of the South Korean government and Yura, he didn’t participate in the National Competition this year. Peak Sword was more familiar than anyone else that South Korea couldn’t obtain a good ranking in the competition, even if he participated.
‘But it will be different starting from next year.’
He would foster Korean rankers and regain Korea’s reputation as powerhouses in games! After the extreme patriotism war with the Sakura Guild, Peak Sword resumed the Hell Gao raid that he had already failed five times.
“Over the past month, we have become stronger and invested our money wisely. Now we will surely be able to take Hell Gao. Have courage and let’s defeat Hell Gao!”
“Ohhhh!”
The 4th floor of Cork Island’s dungeon.
It was 10 minutes until Hell Gao emerged. He encouraged the morale of the 200 elite guild members, but this morale wasn’t maintained for long.
Five minutes later.
Hell Gao’s emergence was near, so tension and anxiety started to appear on everyone’s faces.
“Four minutes left!”
They clearly remembered Hell Gao’s strength. Could they really beat that monster? They couldn’t help questioning.
“Three minutes left!”
After three minutes, Hell Gao would appear and this place would turn into a sea of fire. Some of them would die just due to the flames.
“Two minutes left!”
A hot heat started to slowly fill the room.
‘Shit.’
Peak Sword wanted to encourage everyone, but he was afraid. He was clearly reminded of the overwhelming appearance of Hell Gao, who was shrouded in flames and wielded a staff.