by Park Saenal
“Did you receive support from the emperor?”
“Um, yes. He sent five Black Knights and one Red Knight.
Pascal’s face twisted.
‘Only one Red Knight…’
The Red Knights were called the strongest group on the continent. But not long ago, didn’t Grid take down Kamiyan with one blow? He was skeptical about sending only one Red Knight as support.
“What is the number of the knight?”
“The 19th knight.”
“…!”
Pascal’s eyes widened with surprise. The disappointment and anxiety on his face disappeared.
‘A knight in the 10’s was sent!’
The number attached to the knight was a measure of strength. The 30th knight was called a 100 man army, while the 20th knight was called a 1,000 man army. The 10th knight? They were at a level that could cope with five people with the strength of the 20th knight alone. The 19th knight was dozens of times stronger than the 30th knight, Kamiyan.
‘The emperor truly cares about me!’
Pascal trembled with excitement when Earl Chirita asked him.
“But why did you ask for support?”
“A fly is bothering me.”
Pascal had seen Grid as a disaster just a while ago. But not anymore. Now that the 19th knight came, Grid was just a fly.
‘My hair loss will soon disappear.’
Pascal’s forehead had become exposed in just a few days, but now he had a wide smile on his face.
***
“There will be a fuss.”
The Vatican was fully crowded. Grid frowned as he watched the surging crowd.
‘OGC Station?’
Broadcast cameras were installed throughout the Vatican. Choi Hyeyoung, an OGC announcer was rehearsing in front of the fountain.
‘It will be annoying.’
The public’s interest in the pope election seemed to be much higher than expected. If they saw him here, he would be flooded with interview requests. In order to avoid this, Grid wore the Slaughterer’s mask and eye patch. His face and ID were hidden.
‘It’s easier these days.’
Damian and Huroi approached the relieved Grid. Isabel was with them. Then Grid handed Lifael’s Spear to her.
“White Transformation was sealed. It won’t eat at your health anymore.”
“Thank you… Thank you very much.”
Isabel was thrilled to tears. Thanks to Grid, she was saved from a hellish life and she liked Grid more than before. To her, Grid and Damian were bright lights from Goddess Rebecca. Meanwhile, Huroi was sighing with relief.
‘I was worried that My Lord would try to take some of the materials and receive a divine punishment…’
Fortunately, it seemed like he didn’t do anything to the divine weapon.
‘Not becoming greedy when seeing such a great item… My Lord has grown further. It’s really commendable.’
Huroi gave Grid a thumbs up.
‘Why is he doing that?’ Grid was bewildered.
Meanwhile, there were eyes closely watching him.
Chapter 273
Chapter 273
OGC Station’s PD, Park Jongsoo. He entered Satisfy directly and watched Damian.
“He’s the pope candidate?”
“Yes, the audience ratings will become 15% due to him. Stick seven cameras to him.”
“That’s the rumored Isabel who is a Rebecca’s Daughter? She’s prettier than the rumors say.”
“That’s right. Put two cameras on her.”
Her beauty will increase the number of male viewers. It was an indispensable element in broadcasting.
“I understand. Eh? That person…?” Park PD was looking at Damian and Isabel, when he became excited at the sight of an Asian man. “Huroi! The person next to Damian is Huroi!”
“Huroi? The first ranked orator, Huroi?”
“Yes! Overgeared!”
“The person closest to Grid?”
“It’s certain!”
“Hoh? What is this?”
Someone close to Grid was attached to a pope candidate? The eyes of the director shone.
‘Is Grid related to this election?’
Grid. He was the first to obtain a legendary class and South Korea’s pride. He was involved in a variety of events, and now he was intervening in the Rebecca Church?
“Maybe this… Perhaps we might obtain a scoop?”
Of course, regardless of Grid, Huroi could be doing a personal activity.
“But we need to keep an eye out. We need to find out what type of relationship pope candidate Damian and Grid have. Put two cameras on Huroi as well.”
“Yes, I understand. Then what about that man?”
The man wore a bizarre half mask that had a curious symmetry between crying and smiling. His face and ID couldn’t be seen. He seemed to be close with Damian’s group.
“Put one camera on him.”
The courtyard that Huroi was in. Park PD agreed with the director’s command to observe the man more thoroughly.
***
Grid’s current insight stat exceeded 1,400. He could feel the attention of two low level users from 50m away.
‘They are the station officials.’
As soon as they logged out, the cameras would start to roll. Grid was able to grasp their exact distance, despite not seeing them.
‘It’s too annoying, which is why I hid my identity.’
Grid scoffed. He didn’t find the cameras particularly intrusive. It would be easy to escape them.
Damian asked him, “You have sealed Lifael’s Spear, so are you returning to Reidan?”
Both Damian and Isabel looked regretful. Grid shook his head.
“No. I still have something to do.”
Pascal finally recognized Grid as an enemy. It was what he wanted. The moment that Pascal attacked him…
‘I will get experience.’
Damian spoke to Grid who was smiling wickedly. “Then please watch over me. I will do my best. I will tell everyone why I must become pope. I believe it is the reward for your infinite grace.”
Damian had been making speeches with Huroi, so his eyes were filled with confidence. Grid nodded as he saw the imposing gaze.
“I’ll trust you.”
“Thank you. Then go and get ready.”
“Grid, you must tell me before you leave. Don’t leave without telling me. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Damian and Isabel left for the venue, leaving Grid and Huroi alone. Isabel looked back a few times, like she was worried that Grid might disappear, but Damian just looked ahead and vowed again.
‘I have to work hard today to build a foundation that will allow me to become pope.’
Grid saved Isabel-chan. Huroi also helped Damian gain the trust of the church’s members. Damian was desperate to give back to those who hadn’t been able to hunt for two weeks because they were stuck in the Vatican.
‘I need to gain the ability to repay them. And in order to defend Isabel, I must become pope.’
Damian looked like he was heading to the battlefield. After a moment. Huroi asked carefully after he was left alone with Grid.
“Can I ask what it is you still have to do?”
“Hunting.”
“Hunting… What are you saying?”
“Yes, apart from Ruby and Sexy Schoolgirl, aren’t you and I the only ones who haven’t reached level 300? Since we came all the way here, shouldn’t we get some levels?”
The Vatican was an area with no monsters. It meant there was nothing to hunt.
“What are you going to catch to level up…? Can I ask about your plan?”
He had some idea. But he wanted his prediction to be wrong, so he asked out loud. Grid laughed at Huroi. “Elders.”
Pascal and the elders. They were trash who despised the weak and were a huge barrier to Damian. What would they do if Damian gave a good speech? He could never become pope with Pascal in the way. Grid had to
take care of Pascal.
“And.”
Grid’s gaze shifted behind Huroi.
“There is a bonus of seven knights.”
“…!”
Huroi hurriedly looked back. There were two knights in red armor and five knights in black armor.
“Grid, I will pay back that disgrace.”
Grid welcomed Kamiyan, “You came.”
He was relaxed. According to his own experience, the Black Knights and Red Knights were weak, unlike the rumors. The rumors must be exaggerated. Grid judged that he could take care of two Red Knights and the Black Knights in an instant.
At that moment.
[The pope candidate’s speech event will begin soon. For the sake of safety, all outsiders are prohibited from possessing weapons.]
[All weapons in your inventory will be disabled.]
“…Eh?”
“Huh?”
The bewildered Grid and Huroi cried out. Kamiyan laughed at them and pulled out his sword. Kamiyan received the warning from Pascal ahead of time and registered the knights with the Rebecca Church. It was an effective temporary measure. Unlike Grid and Huroi, they could use weapons.
“This will be your grave.”
‘Ah, really.’
It had been a really long time since he stepped in shit. As Kamiyan approached, Grid retreated behind Huroi and said.
“We should leave here for now.”
“Good decision!” Huroi immediately summoned his drake. “Descend! Lord of the Skies above the Grasslands!”
“…”
There was only silence. Grid’s expression stiffened.
“Why isn’t your drake coming?”
“T-That…” Huroi started sweating. “My pet summoning doesn’t work.”
“That joke isn’t funny in a situation like this.”
Grid tried to summon Noe and Randy.
[Goddess Rebecca is watching the pope candidates. Due to the extreme divine power concentrated on the Vatican, non-human existences can’t enter.]
[Pet summoning has failed.]
“There really is a variety of things.”
The relaxation disappeared from Grid’s face as he grumbled.
***
“The problem with the Rebecca Church is that it is divided into several factions. Unity must be achieved in order to properly go against the Yatan Church…”
The speeches from the pope candidates began. They were free to speak as they liked. It caused drowsiness.
OGC Station. The employees had dark expressions. It was because the rating for the live broadcast didn’t meet their expectations.
“Did you spread the information that a user is appearing among the pope candidates?”
“The candidate’s speeches are more boring than expected. There isn’t enough to make the viewers stick around.
“Try to focus on Damian more than the speeches of the other pope candidates. Keep filming the people I mentioned.”
“I understand.”
Out of the dozens of monitors, the most notable one was Isabel’s beautiful face.
“This?”
The director was biting his fingernails out of nervousness, when his eyes suddenly widened. Something was happening on a small monitor at the bottom.
“Number 19! Look at monitor number 19!”
***
–This is boring.
–Why am I watching this broadcast?
–Isabel is really pretty.
The netizens, who came to the OGC web channel after hearing that there was a user among the pope candidates, started complaining. The chat window was bombarded with curses.
–No fun. No fun.
–Guys, is the pope going to be decided today?
–Nope. The pope election is in one month. This is just publicity for the pope candidates.
-What? Then I don’t need to watch this.
–I know who the pope candidate is, so I will be going.
–The PvP tournament is live on another channel right now. There is more benefit to watching that.
–I should go see. There’s no point watching this broadcast.
Thus. There was a quick reduction in the number of viewers on the OGC web channel. Suddenly, knights in red armor and black armor filled the screen that previously contained Isabel’s face and the boring pope candidates.
–Huh? Red Knights?
-Wow! Red Knights and Black Knights?
–This isn’t fake?
–It’s real if you look at the pattern on the armor.
-The Saharan Empire’s strongest knights!
Their unannounced appearance excited the viewers.
-But why are the Red Knights and Blacks Knights in the Vatican?
–Who are they fighting?
The attention of the audience focused on the people that the enemy knights were attacking. The opponents were two users. One was an unidentified masked man and the other was the first ranked orator, Huroi.
–Why are users fighting knights…?
–Huroi will die.
–Even if he is part of the Overgeared Guild, he still can’t beat a knight ~ ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ
–It will be the first time the Overgeared Guild is defeated.
–Who is the masked man?
-Who cares? It won’t last long.
It was a one-sided battle. The knight called Kamiyan was driving back the man in the mask, while five Black Knights were surrounding Huroi. They wielded swords, while the masked man and Huroi could only evade and defend without any weapons.
Why weren’t they holding weapons? As the viewers started to question it, subtitles rose that explained the current situation.
[Non-Rebecca Church members are prohibited from using weapons.]
Who was the man in the mask? Why and how were they under attack by the Red Knights and Black Knights? The viewers wondered. But they quickly realized that their questions wouldn’t be resolved.
–It’s over.
–Boring.
This fight will soon be over.
The man in the mask and Huroi would soon be pierced by the swords and turned to ashes, then the screen would once again show the boring speeches of the pope candidates. The viewers were sure of it, but the man in the video didn’t allow the obvious development.
“You disgraceful bastards are really cheap.”
The man in the mask cursed…
This voice was familiar?
–Eh???
-Grid?
–God Grid!
The comments in the chat window and the ratings started to rise exponentially. OGC’s director was startled. As everyone’s attention was focused on the screen…
“Lifael’s Spear.”
Grid pulled out a gold spear. It was the pavranium that used to be divided into seven blades in the past. Now it exerted an overwhelming attack power, causing blood to spray from Kamiyan’s chest. Earlier, the director said that Damian would cause the ratings to rise to 15%.
“We are unable to measure the audience ratings!!!”
The call to raise the advertising shook OGC Station.
Chapter 274
Chapter 274
Detecting the target. Predicting the risks. These were phrases that described the insight stat. Before meeting Piaro, Grid had only used insight to measure combat power. But in fact, insight was an absolute factor that could elevate his combat power.
In other words, he could predict risks.
“You rat bastards!”
He could read the enemy’s movements. Grid didn’t easily allow Kamiyan to attack him. He evaded or defended, then linked a counterattack. These were movements that Piaro had taught him several times.
“Keok!”
The efficient movements helped him draw out 100% of his abilities. Grid dealt a strong punch.
“K-Kuaaack! You bastard!”
Kamiyan couldn’t believe it. Rather than overwhelming an opponent who didn’t have a weapon, he was receiving damage.
‘The dif
ference between me and this guy is so large? Something is wrong…! It can’t be!’
Kamiyan believed that the empire was the whole world. He was indifferent to the happenings of small kingdoms. Therefore, he had no idea about Grid. He only knew about the first time Grid came to the Vatican. Grid was just someone who ‘barely’ defeated ex-pope Drevigo.
But what was the truth? Grid had experience raiding bosses much more powerful than Drevigo. Under the guidance of Piaro, he had fought Pagma’s clone 83 times. To be exact, Grid studied under Piaro, who was once the captain of the Red Knights. He wasn’t an opponent that the 30th knight Kamiyan could go against.
Grid provoked Kamiyan. “Is your sword just a decoration? Isn’t it disgraceful that you can’t even subdue a bare handed opponent?”
“Shut up!”
Kamiyan lost his composure, then a gold spear suddenly flew and stabbed his chest. It was because his movements had become bigger after falling for Grid’s provocation. This gave an advantage to Grid. The ‘Vital Spot Detection’ of the Slaughterer’s Eye Patch combined with his high insight to create an explosive synergy. At this moment, Grid was the person controlling the puppet called Kamiyan.
Peok! Peeeeok!
The strongest martial artist, Regas. It might be awkward, but Grid could follow his movements. Sometimes short, sometimes cool, his powerful fists stretched out nonstop. The attacks that tenaciously aimed at the seams of his armor confused Kamiyan.
‘Another five…!’
When Grid punched once, his gloves intermittently emitted light. Once that happened, Kamiyan felt like he was struck five times. It was the effect of the ‘5 Joint Attacks’ attached to Holy Light Gloves.
That’s right. Grid was actively relying on his items as always.
Swaeek!
Puk!
Lifael’s Spear shot like a bullet every time there was a gap. This was the pinnacle of the power of items, a reproduction of a divine weapon made of pavranium. Unlike Grid’s bare hands, it dealt damage to Kamiyan that couldn’t be ignored.
[You have dealt 3,830 damage to the target.]
‘Okay, this time it struck properly.’
[Lifael’s Spear (Reproduction)]
Rating: Unique
Durability: None
Attack Power: 101~730
* Divine Power +200
* Fixed damage of +1,500 on each attack.
* There is a low probability of activating the ‘Light Wheel’ skill.