by Park Saenal
Hurent was a famous ranker, but he didn’t have much experience with named NPCs. Acquiring named NPCs as subordinates? He never even imagined it. Named NPCs had a strong influence on Satisfy’s world and each one had a distinct personality, making it hard to become friends with them.
Hurent was admiring Grid when Asmophel urged him.
“Aren’t you going to leave?”
“Hrmm.”
Hurent didn’t want to step back. He wanted to peek at the skills of the man in the straw hat.
“Can’t I just watch a little bit?”
Asmophel glanced coldly at Hurent.
“Why should I do such a favor for an outsider?”
He disliked repeating the same words. Hurent shrank back at his pressure. A heat spread through his body.
‘When did I become an aura master?’
After being defeated by Grid in the 1st National Competition in five seconds, he hunted and trained repeatedly, raising his aura to the unique rating. He believed he was the strongest. He was sure he could beat the famous Kraugel and Agnus. His confidence soared into the sky.
However, his confidence crashed down after he met Piaro. A legendary farmer had oppressed him with three blows from a hand plow, so he had to question his own abilities.
Therefore.
“I will back off…”
Hurent decided to retreat. This was the first time in his life that he had acted as a mild sheep. Hurent swallowed down his shame and left the training ground. He couldn’t help wondering. He had always reigned as the strongest except for the 5 second event, so why was he so weak here?
This Reidan, it was extraordinary. It felt like Alice in Wonderland.
***
Saintess Ruby.
Grid’s sister and a high school student. Her goal was to aim for a prestigious university, so there was little time to play the game. She played for 30 minutes a day. That’s why her level was still low, despite changing to a hidden class alongside Yerim. She was a real light user.
But she had changed recently. It was since Lord was born. He might be a child in the game, but he was her cute and pretty nephew. Ruby looked at Lord and became fascinated by him. She recently spent more than an hour a day connecting to Satisfy and spending time with Lord.
It was the same today. She was enjoying a peaceful time while holding Lord in her arms. Lord was very happy to spend time with his beautiful aunt. He enjoyed his aunt’s soft and nice scent. But there was a limit for babies.
“Hrmm.”
Lord started to yawn. It was the signal that it was nap time.
“I must go back now.”
It was time to return to reality. It happened when Ruby was about to leave the training ground and log out.
Chaaeng!
Kraugel and Piaro clashed with each other.
“Abu?”
The sleepiness suddenly fled from Lord’s eyes.
“Abu! Abuuuu!”
Lord shouted excitedly, waving his short arms. His blue eyes shone as he watched the confrontation between Kraugel and Piaro. Asmophel was astonished when he saw it.
‘The young lord…!’
He didn’t see Reidan’s soldiers as ‘poor’ because he didn’t have the ability to see martial arts.
‘It is because his vision was too high!’
The man in the straw hat wielded his sword at Piaro. And the legendary Piaro. The two people caught Lord’s interest. Asmophel trembled. It was difficult for him to figure out what Lord’s character would grow into later on.
“Abuoo-!”
Lord was touched by the confrontation between the two people and gradually grew. The child could instinctively feel it. The fact that one of his future seven mentors was in front of him.
Chapter 349
Chapter 349
Four months ago in Satisfy time.
Kraugel had spent one month with Piaro. He watched Piaro’s every move and they sparred together 30 times. He personally witnessed when Piaro became a legendary farmer. Thus, Kraugel knew Piaro’s strength better than anyone.
‘The basic level difference is huge.’
At the time of separation, Piaro was level 380. This wasn’t mere speculation. It was calculated using all types of indicators, so Kraugel was convinced that it was accurate. He trusted his understanding of the game.
‘And now.’
Kraugel calculated that Piaro should be level 385~386. It was the conclusion he came to after studying the experience values required to level up and the growth rate of named NPCs. On the other hand, what was Kraugel’s level?
326.
‘There are 60 levels between us.’
It meant he dealt 30% less damage and would receive 30% more damage. It was a big penalty, considering there was such a big difference in the basic stats of normal classes and legendary classes. But Kraugel didn’t shrink back.
‘The odds are good enough.’
Kraugel had maintained the 1st ranking since Satisfy opened. He was the first in all types of fields, gobbling up achievements and titles. This could cover the gap in level and class.
‘Also.’
Piaro’s farming technique was based on the sword. Plow, sickle, hand plow, flail etc. It was unusual since farming equipment were used as weapons, but it was still in the form of swordsmanship.
‘It is ideal to use swordsmanship with a sword.’
Using swordsmanship with farming equipment? It was meaningless and the only fatal weakness of the ‘farmer’ Piaro. This was the decisive reason why Kraugel thought he had a chance of winning.
‘I only have to be careful of the instant kill skill.’
It was Fated to Perish, which logged Zibal out in a single blow.
‘I can’t allow him to use it.’
The recent broadcast of ‘Polishing’ had caused a stir, but Kraugel felt more appreciation for ‘Fated to Perish.’
Clink.
Kraugel took out White Fang. It was the legendary sword that he acquired from one of the great demons Drasion, who was defeated by Sword Saint Muller.
“Can you give me a chance to attack first?”
In a duel, attacking first was important. It was a means of ensuring a definite advantage for a short time. That’s right. Now Kraugel was asking Piaro to concede something. He weighed up all the penalties and decided that this advantage wasn’t too much to ask for.
Of course, Piaro should reject. But who was Piaro? He was a person who had always been called the strongest. He showed off a confident figure.
“I’ll accept.”
It was as Kraugel expected. Piaro gave Kraugel a chance to win and Kraugel had no intention of missing it.
‘The opponent is a legend. The difference in stamina is overwhelming, so it will become disadvantageous to me in the long run. I have to finish it quickly.’
Pahat!
It was a time when the sun was shining overhead. Under intense sunlight or moonlight, this footwork gave off a stealth function around Kraugel’s body. White Light Steps. In the past, Piaro hadn’t been able to see through Kraugel’s stealth.
But now he was different. He was quick to respond to Kraugel’s movements, blocking White Fang that aimed for his left side.
Chaaeng!
‘Indeed, the gap in level is too big.’
The stealth was useless. If he couldn’t lean on White Light Steps, his odds would fall by 1%.
‘It is still within the permitted range.’
Kraugel was still calm. He wasn’t shaken even when faced with the worst situation. It was the attitude of someone at the top. On the other hand, Piaro blocked White Fang with a hand plow in his left hand and wielded a sickle with his right hand.
It was a diagonal attack. It was fast enough to exceed Kraugel’s predicted range.
‘What?’
How could Piaro’s agility be far beyond the assumed level? Kraugel was surprised, but he responded without making a mistake.
Chaaeng! Chaeng!
Chaaeng!
; In a 0.1 second gap, Kraugel avoided Piaro’s strike and counterattacked. He didn’t need to go through a process of decision making to respond. He used his experience and reflexes developed from countless battles. Of course, the help of ‘Keen Senses’ was also great.
Chaaeng!
“Kuk!”
Kraugel let out a groan. He blocked the hand plow and sickle with White Fang, but was baffled by the strength behind them. A normal person would’ve felt sure of their defeat the moment they felt this gap in strength. But Kraugel saw an opportunity in the crisis.
“Tearing the Sky.”
Kwajak! Kwajajajak!
One of the ultimate skills of a White Swordsman was revealed. A beast’s claws clashed with Piaro’s equipment.
Chaaeng!
There was a slight crack in the hand plow and sickle as blood flowed from Piaro’s chest.
‘The equipment that My Lord made…!’
Piaro was startled. He couldn’t help being surprised that the farming equipment made by a legendary blacksmith was damaged by the blow. However, Kraugel was even more surprised.
‘There wasn’t a lot of damage?’
The damage formula for Tearing the Sky was difficult to calculate because it was utilized as a counterattack and the orbit was limited, while also taking into account the user’s attack power + attack power of the enemy.
Kraugel had predicted that Piaro would receive at least 40,000 damage. However, the damage was only 7,000, making Kraugel realize.
‘Piaro must be over level 400.’
This was bad. The level difference was too large for the damage formula to be properly applied. The fourth stats awakening was a wall that couldn’t be overcome by the effects of different titles.
‘How? How did Brother grow so quickly?’
Kraugel didn’t know it, but this was all due to Chris, other high level players, and Grid. Kraugel didn’t know that Piaro was constantly turning high level rankers who visited Reidan into farmers and training them, as well as achieving rapid growth through his spar with Grid.
It was a pity.
Swaeek!
Kraugel was hit by a flail while trying to regain his composure. His eyes widened as he was about to read the orbit.
‘It isn’t swordsmanship?’
Piaro had changed from swordsmanship to farming techniques. It was an entirely new form. It was the moment when the strength of ‘Sword Saint Candidate’ Kraugel to see through numerous swordsmanship techniques was neutralized.
Peeeeok!
“Ugh!”
Kraugel wasn’t able to react and was hit hard, causing his shoulders to shake. The right arm holding White Fang fell into a paralysis state. Piaro read this and thought.
‘Counterattacking is impossible.’
Kraugel would absolutely take an evasive action. It was likely to be the footwork called White Light Steps. Piaro determined this and swung the flail.
Suuk.
Far from Kraugel avoiding it, he clung to Piaro. It was an approach that applied a footwork different to the White Light Steps. Kraugel used brilliant footwork to come close, making it difficult for Piaro to attack.
It was the precursor of ‘Hwimori.’
Peok! Pepeok!
Pepepepeok!
Kraugel was able to reach the East Continent with the help of the sage, Sticks. Before he changed to a white swordsman, he explored the place that imitated the culture of the east and reproduced the fast and odd footwork of someone he met. Piaro felt like he was possessed by a ghost as he was kicked.
But.
“It’s just a tickle!”
Piaro had been hit by Tearing the Sky, so the kick couldn’t do much damage to him. Piaro accepted all of Kraugel’s kicks, but he was fine. He pushed Kraugel with his shoulder, withdrew the flail that stretched forward, while at the same time, taking out a plow with his other hand.
“Free Farming 4th Style, Plowing the Field.”
Sururuk.
Kraugel stumbled and the ground around him was cleared in an instant. Piaro was about to sow seeds when he stopped. It was due to the storm caused by Hwimori.
Puk. Puk puk!
Puuoooook!
The kicks were fast and light, but were weak. Piaro’s body seemed to be affected by the technique.
“Cough!”
Piaro coughed out black blood. At this point, Kraugel overcame the paralysis in his right hand.
“Storm Sword.”
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
The light blade tore Piaro’s old clothes to shreds. Piaro’s health gauge was decreasing little by little as he allowed successive attacks. However, he wasn’t upset at all. Rather, his momentum increased.
“Fun!!!!”
Kraugel had a different type of power from Grid. It was the first time in ages that an opponent made Piaro so excited. The excited Piaro dug at a vein of water.
Peeng!
A pillar of water shot up and crashed into Kraugel’s body. Piaro linked Sowing and Rapid Growth together.
Kwarururung!
‘Legendary skills…!’
Kraugel paled as he witnessed the thorns growing rapidly in the field. He escaped through the air with White Light Steps and restored the posture of White Fang. It was the manifestation of ‘Meteor Sword.’
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
The whole area was scorched. The meteor blades that feel from Kraugel’s sword went through the thorny vines. At the center of the field, Kraugel’s White Fang and Piaro’s hand plow collided head on.
‘Blocking Meteor Sword…!’
Even the composed Kraugel couldn’t stay calm. He launched a nervous onslaught, causing a thunderous sound to ring out every time it was stopped by Piaro’s farming equipment. Piaro was amazed.
‘He has already penetrated through my farming techniques!’
Kraugel’s vision surpassed Piaro’s. Kraugel subsequently crushed the seven farming tools used by Piaro, increasing the number of wounds on Piaro’s body. It was based on pure control ability and battle senses.
But his level was a problem.
Piaro still had more than two-thirds of his health left despite allowing successive attacks, while Kraugel avoided most attacks but his health fell to less than half. His movements were relatively high compared to Piaro, so he was consuming stamina quickly.
‘White Light Sword isn’t a match.’
After blinding the opponent, he could link his top skills. But Piaro was a legend and immune to status conditions. It meant that the opponent was someone he couldn’t unleash 100% of the white swordsman’s power against.
‘No, those are all excuses.’
He had encountered numerous opponents immune to CC and he had beaten them all. He always overcame his lacking areas with his control. However, his skills weren’t prevailing against Piaro.
The moment that Kraugel thought this.
“I guess I should use all my power.”
Piaro barely escaped from a nasty wound, spoke meaningful words and used Natural State. At the same time, his amplified stats overturned the situation. Now Kraugel was the one allowing attacks.
Piaro’s speed and power, enhanced by Natural State, started to overwhelm Kraugel. Most of his health was lost in an instant, causing Kraugel’s eyes to flash.
“Super Sensitivity.”
[Super Sensitivity has been used.]
[100% of your mana has been consumed.]
[For the next six seconds, all senses transcend cognition.]
[Agility is increased by 20% and you can 100% predict the behavior of all objects within 10 meters.]
[This will be exhausted in six seconds.]
Kraugel’s strength wasn’t due to skills or title effects. Kraugel himself had natural abilities. The moment Super Sensitivity was used, Kraugel was reborn.
Seokeok!
It was enough to overcome Piaro’s enhanced speed and deal a deadly blow.
‘What?’
This was an unfamiliar experience to Piaro. Wa
s it because he received a deadly wound? No, this wasn’t something new. Piaro was always injured when he fought. The problem was his instincts. His instincts were shouting that it was dangerous. It warned him not to confront Kraugel.
‘Does it want me to run away?’
Piaro’s fighting spirit peaked. The moment he lost his dignity as the strongest person, he showed a technique that he didn’t use against Grid.
“Free Farming Peak Style!”
‘This!’
Kraugel entered the transcendent realm thanks to Super Sensitivity. He tried to escape the moment Piaro spoke with a serious look on his face. It was because he perceived the danger that couldn’t be resisted. However, it was already too late.
“Pounding Mortar!”
Kuwaaaaaang!
It was a disaster. Something fell from the sky and dug into the ground, like a mortar. At the same time, Reidan shook. It was like a great earthquake.
Chapter 350
Chapter 350
“Pounding Mortar!”
The moment that Piaro took out his peak technique.
Kurururu!
A tremendous sound was heard from the ground. Thunder? No. It was a more threatening and artificial feeling.
Kuooooh!
The larger the shadow cast became, the heavier the atmosphere.
Jjirak. Jjirak.
Kraugel’s body was filled with an instinctive fear.
‘Unbelievable.’
Kraugel stood on turbulent ground. He looked up at the sky and faced a disaster. It was as big as a house. It was falling down at a fast speed.
Kuwaaaaaah!
“…!”
Kraugel couldn’t even scream. The enormous mortar caused infinite suffering and fear as the mind and body crumbled. It was a pressure that could kill someone.
***
[You have been hit by a lethal blow!]
[The durability of the Plain Straw Hat (Normal) has been completely lost and is permanently destroyed.]
[The durability of the White Clouds Clothing (Unique) has decreased by 128.]
[The durability of the White Clouds Footwear (Unique) has decreased by 150.]
[The durability of the White Clouds Gloves (Unique) has decreased by 163. There is a risk of damage.]
[The durability of the White Fang (Legendary) has decreased by 61.]
[You won’t die in sparring mode. Your health has fallen to a minimum, so sparring mode is finished!]