by Park Saenal
“… But I doubt that I can be loyal to you.”
“You don’t have to force yourself to be loyal. You don’t have to pledge to be a knight if you’re unwilling. Stay as my guest. You can decide for yourself if you want to follow me.”
Grid didn’t want to miss Piaro, so he eventually took a step back. Therefore, Piaro had no choice but to accept Grid’s proposal.
On that day, Grid left the city where he lived for a year and eight months after he became Pagma’s Descendant. It was the moment when the legend shifted to a new stage.
Chapter 210
Chapter 210
Most of the magic formulas used by magicians today were established by Braham. Thanks to Braham, the science of magic was able to develop and the authority of magicians rose. For magicians, Braham was a teacher and object of respect.
But what was the truth? Braham’s achievements that people knew about actually belonged to Mumud. The person who simplified complicated magic formulas, made it easier for training, and spread it into the world was Mumud, not Braham.
Then why was Mumud unknown, and Braham praised by the world? Braham was the only one who knew.
The Golem’s Labyrinths.
[You ignored my warning. Pagma’s Descendant, you are the first person to make me so angry after Mumud.]
Braham was furious at Grid, who didn’t respond to his message. His 28 souls twisted like they were flames in front of the wind.
[I will make you regret it.]
In the past, Mumud was Braham’s best disciple. Mumud’s talents grew day by day and would eventually transcend him. Braham couldn’t tolerate it. He couldn’t let his top position be taken by his disciple, so he monitored Mumud’s every move.
That’s how the ‘Eyes of Surveillance’ magic was attached to Mumud’s Orb.
[I will find out your weakness.]
Grid had reproduced Mumud’s Orb for Euphemina, allowing him to be watched. The day would come when Grid would eventually move according to Braham’s will.
***
Deep in the forest.
“You’re finally here.”
A man with matted hair was waiting when Grid logged in. It was Great Swordsman Piaro. He was seated in front of a campfire and Grid greeted him.
“Good morning. Have you eaten?”
Grid’s attitude towards Piaro was very friendly. It was much more favorable than when he dealt with beautiful people like Yura and Jishuka. But Piaro was unfriendly.
“I ate. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
Grid’s smile didn’t go away. He was happy at the thought of having the strongest swordsman as his colleague.
‘If Piaro becomes a sword saint…’
He would have unsurpassed power. He didn’t need to be afraid of demons like Hell Gao anymore. Maybe he could try raiding a dragon.
‘It is enough for now.’
Strength, stamina, agility. If these three combat related stats were combined, Piaro had higher stats than Grid. Piaro also had the strongest skills as well. It was very reassuring to Grid. But there was one drawback.
‘His appearance is deplorable.’
It might be due to his sickness of the heart. Piaro looked so old that it was hard to believe he was 29 years old. It was more believable if he was 50 years old.
‘It’s a matter of style.’
His shabby attire and shaggy hair made him look like a homeless person. He had a scruffy beard and he stank.
‘Appearance is important.’
Grid once had the worst appearance, so he knew the importance of appearance better than anyone else. Wasn’t he despised by other people just because he was ugly or because of his clothes? Grid determined that it wasn’t good to leave Piaro as he was and pulled clothes out of his inventory. It was noble clothing that he received from Irene. Grid was hesitant because it was an item worth 50 gold, but he closed his eyes and handed it to Piaro.
“Put this on. And why don’t you cut or tie your hair up?”
Piaro refused. “I don’t care about my appearance.”
“I’m embarrassed to go around with you.”
It was something his sister often said to him. Grid felt a flash of understanding.
‘This is how Sehee felt.’
Grid smiled bitterly as Piaro responded bluntly.
“You have to endure it if you want me to come with you.”
“Ah…”
Piaro’s nerves were sharp. Anger was the only thing that could be seen in both eyes. It was because he was obsessed with revenge. As stated in the status window, Piaro was currently suffering from a sickness of the heart and lost his original nature.
Grid felt the need to take care of him. Rather than forcing or persuading him, Grid would let him do as he wanted. It was the best and smartest choice for Grid, who had little experience with building up relationships with people.
Grrr.
A pair of twin ogres appeared in front of the two people who had been walking for half a day. They were powerful level 260 monsters, but they were nothing more than puppies in front of the legendary Grid and Great Swordsman Piaro.
Seokeok!
It only took Piaro a matter of seconds.
Peeeeok!
Grid took around one minute to destroy his twin ogre.
Piaro asked him.
“I felt it when we fought the other day, but your basics are terrible. You can implement Pagma’s wonderful techniques, but you haven’t mastered the sword.”
Grid had been using a greatsword as a weapon since Satisfy began. He might not be the best, but he was confident that he knew the basics. However, considering his experience and level, it was true that he lacked skill.
Grid became aware of it because of Piaro and gave an excuse. “I don’t care about swordsmanship. Anyway, I am armed with excellent weapons and armor. If I rely on my equipment, I can overpower my opponent.”
“That is wrong for warriors. Moreover, it’s bad to just rely on equipment if your equipment isn’t suitable.” Piaro pointed to Braham’s Boots. “If you really want to rely on equipment, you should change those shoes first.”
“Why?”
The defense of Braham’s Boots were outstanding considering they had a level 240 limit. Moreover, it was light and comfortable to wear, speeding up movement speed. It was nothing compared to Failure or the Holy Light set, but it was a worthy item because Fly was attached to it.
Grid sent him a glance stating ‘you don’t know anything,’ so Piaro explained.
“The greatsword emphasizes power over swiftness. In order to put as much weight as possible behind your strikes, you should wear sturdy shoes that can withstand the weight.
‘What is this?’
Grid wasn’t smart. If he heard an explanation when he wasn’t prepared in advance, he was slow to understand. Piaro gave him a more direct explanation.
“If you wear heavy boots, it is easier to concentrate your weight and you can gain more power behind your strikes. So I recommend heavy boots.”
‘So… Wearing heavy boots will increase the attack power of the greatsword?’ Grid was delighted after successfully interpreting it. ‘I found a hidden system!’
Grid was thrilled about finding a hidden system that most people didn’t know about. Named NPCs could give all sorts of specific advice. His liking towards Piaro increased.
‘I will be able to get ahead of others.’
Grid didn’t know.
If a heavy weapon user was armed with heavy boots, the system would given additional attack power. This was already common sense to most users. It showed that Grid was still ignorant when it came to overall game knowledge.
***
“Is this Patrian?”
“Yes.”
After a three day journey, Grid and Piaro arrived at Patrian. The fortified city, Patrian. It was a strategic point at the border of the Gauss Kingdom, while also establishing the boundary that separated the western and northern parts of the Eternal Kingd
om.
In addition, it was Grid’s starting city.
‘I lived here for nearly a year…’
Grid not only hunted countless orcs and goblins around Patrian, he also cleared all types of quests. Thanks to that, he was able to maximize his affinity with all the residents of Patrian, and received Earl Ashur’s quest, where he eventually became Pagma’s Descendant.
“That bastard Ashur…”
Grid gritted his teeth as he once again recalled Earl Ashur. He was forced to become Pagma’s Descendant due to Earl Ashur, and he trembled as he recalled his days as a minus level.
‘…I vowed that I would get revenge once I became stronger.’
Grid had been filled with fury towards Earl Ashur for a while. But that was the past. Due to his relationship with Earl Ashur, he ended up benefiting.
“We will stay here today and leave tomorrow.”
At this speed, they could arrive in Reidan in four days. The relaxed Grid entered Patrian with Piaro. At that moment, Earl Ashur’s magic detected Grid’s presence. He checked Grid’s identity through the magic spheres he installed throughout Patrian and rose to his feet.
“He isn’t afraid of this place…!”
Earl Ashur had dreamt about getting revenge on Grid, after losing Pagma’s Rare Book in front of his eyes. He immediately summoned his knights.
“We’re going hunting.”
It was a great opportunity to repay the grudge. Earl Ashur was overcome with joy, despite being aware of Grid’s importance. He knew that Grid had become a duke, but he didn’t care.
***
“This meal tastes terrible.”
Patrian was a fortified city, not a tourist one. Therefore, it didn’t have a system designed to care for outsiders. The accommodations they found didn’t have proper facilities. Piaro looked at Grid, who was complaining about the cheap inn’s poor meal, and asked.
“Why are you hiding your identity?”
Grid said he was a duke of the kingdom. If this was true, he should be treated with great hospitality by the owner of the city. Yet Grid hid his identity with a hat before entering the city. It was like he was a wanted person, rather than a duke.
Grid explained to the suspicious Piaro. “We are only staying overnight, and I don’t want to be bothered.”
“Hrmm…”
Well, Grid’s actions didn’t matter. Piaro only cared about his revenge. Piaro thought so and tilted his glass. It was cheap alcohol, but this was the first time he could drink in two years. On the other hand, the users were looking at Grid and Piaro with strange expressions.
“It’s a strange combination.”
“Why are those two together?”
Grid was dressed in his beginners clothing to conceal his identity, while Piaro seemed like a beggar. People recognized Grid as a beginner, and Piaro as a beggar NPC. They were puzzled about why an NPC would be with a beginner.
“No matter how cheap the food here is, it would be somewhat burdensome for a beginner to afford… How can he buy drinks as well?”
“The smell is too much.”
“Really annoying. What is that?”
The female users found the odor coming from Piaro annoying. The male users saw the female users’ reactions and came forward.
“Hey, Beggar. I don’t know why a poor person is trying to get drunk, but can you stop disturbing the other guests with your rancid smell?”
“The ladies have lost their appetite because of you. Get lost.”
In the first place, users didn’t care about NPCs. It was natural for the treatment to be worse when the NPC was a beggar. Piaro ignored them. Grid didn’t care. The two men weren’t worth dealing with, so he just enjoyed his food and drink.
“The steamed lizardmen tails are good to eat. They’re similar to pig trotters.”
“What are pig trotters? I’ve tasted all types of delicacies in the empire, but I’ve never heard of such a dish.
“It is delicious pig’s feet.”
“Hah~ the beggar is ignoring us.”
The level 109 Coke became angry at being ignored by the beggar and eventually committed a mistake. His hand moved like he was about to do something. Piaro didn’t allow it. He spat out the bone of the lizardman tail that he was eating.
“Eek.”
[You have suffered 3,190 damage.]
Coke’s eyes widened as he screamed. It was because he was hit in the forehead by a bone and lost more than a third of his health.
Chapter 211
Chapter 211
Coke was confused.
‘What is this?’
He lost more than a third of his health when hit by a bone thrown by a beggar?
‘A bug?’
It was a reasonable guess. A bug made more sense than a high level user like him being so damaged by a bone.
Who was he?
Less than half a year after starting Satisfy, he reached level 109 and was one of the best known players in Patrian. He also had a chance to hunt one of the most notorious monsters near Patrian, the orc captain, alone.
‘I will be a god in the future, so I can’t be hurt by a bone…!’
Coke’s goal was Grid. It was his desire to be called God Coke on the world stage, just like Grid. He had such a lofty goal that today’s experience was even more humiliating.
“You hit me so, I’ll hit you back!”
Coke rolled up his sleeves. Then he swung his hand at Piaro’s head.
“Keok.”
[You have suffered 3,140 damage.]
This time, it was a bean. It wasn’t even a big kidney bean, but a small pea. He was shocked as a pea flew out and hit him.
‘Unbelievable! It wasn’t a bug?’
Jeurereuk.
Blood poured from Coke’s mouth as he finally figured out the situation. He was able to realize that Piaro wasn’t a beggar, but a tremendously high level NPC.
‘I didn’t understand the subject!’
Satisfy was famous for never having a bug since it opened. It was rumored that the creator, Lim Cheolho, was a god. Coke belatedly tried to change his attitude. He attempted to avoid a situation by apologizing to Piaro. But it was still a crisis because the other users didn’t understand the atmosphere.
“That guy is throwing food! Coke! Smash him!”
“Teach that beginner and NPC a lesson!”
The users didn’t know that Coke was already half dead!
“Coke! Coke! Coke!”
“Get rid of that beggar!”
Coke was upset because of their cheers and fighting atmosphere.
‘Please figure out the atmosphere!’
He didn’t want to be killed by bones and peas in front of Patrian’s users, who looked up to him. Coke nervously looked at Piaro, but Piaro had no interest in him. He dismissed Coke at the level of a flying insect.
Grid felt admiration.
“What did you just do? It looks like you dealt big damage with the bone and pea?”
The user with the ID of Coke, based on the items he wore, he had a minimum level of 100. In addition, his armor had at least a rare rating. It was amazing that Coke coughed up blood after being hit by a bean.
Piaro explained to Grid. “I used qi. I can maximize my power by injecting qi into an object. In my hands, even a feather can become a sharp sword.”
“It is like a wuxia master.”
“Wuxia? What is that?”
“Strong people like you who transform the world.”
Grid and Piaro didn’t care about the other people making a fuss. The users became increasingly furious.
“That beggar is ignoring us until the end…!”
Coke didn’t take action, so the level 78th monk called Pitu and the level 85 berserker Dais rose from their seats. As they were approaching Piaro, the door of the inn suddenly opened.
“Sir Dio is coming!”
Dozens of soldiers rushed into the narrow inn. They stood and saluted as a white armored knight entered. The young man had p
articularly noticeable blonde eyelashes. He looked around the inn with narrowed eyes.
“It stinks. Are people eating worse than pigs? It’s incredibly stinky.” Dio held a blue rose in one hand and raised it to his nose. He smelled it and asked. “Has anyone here seen Duke Grid?”
“Duke Grid?”
“Is he talking about God Grid?”
There were no high level monsters near Patrian. It was because the knights and soldiers of Patrian used the monsters to train.
“Why would they be looking for a high level user in Patrian?”
“No. Why would God Grid come to this type of place?”
“You really don’t know.” In the end, Dio started to examine the users’ faces for Grid. “You’re not it. You also aren’t it. You as well. Um…?”
Dio’s gaze went to a corner. There was a beginner adventurer sitting next to a beggar.
“Take your hat off. Heok?”
Dio approached Grid and commanded, only to become terrified. It was because of an enormous stench that spread.
“Dirty guy…!”
Dio was a noble and a knight, so he had an unusually obsessive temperament about being clean. He became furious at Piaro, who hadn’t taken a bath for at least a month.
“How dare you go around in such a disgusting manner! What a shameless bastard! My nose will become paralyzed because of you! Don’t make me nauseous and go away!”
“Ohh!”
The users annoyed by Piaro thought this was a cool remark.
“Let’s go.”
Grid rose from his seat. He judged that it would be better to leave because Earl Ashur seemed to have noticed him.
‘I don’t want to delay the time.’
The big city Reidan. He had tremendous expectations about his city. He wanted to arrive quickly and check how much taxes he would get. Dio caught up with Grid who was trying to leave.
“Didn’t I tell you to take off your hat?”
“…The boat might’ve already sailed.” Grid grinned at Dio and asked. “Do you really think that I am Duke Grid?”
Dio bluntly replied.
“That’s right. I received a tip that Duke Grid was here.”