Overgeared

by Park Saenal

  [An axe has been acquired.]

  [A long sword has been acquired.]

  [A tanto has been acquired.]

  [A short bow has been acquired.]

  [Four arrows have been acquired.]

  [A ★ backpack ★ has been acquired.]

  [★ Backpack ★]

  Hidden Item.

  Increases the maximum number of health potions and mana potions that can be held by one.

  “Oh…?”

  The French trio had taken over Caroline and hunted numerous competitors so they obtained plenty of good stuff. It was natural that Grid would see great benefits from killing them.

  Lululala~

  Grid hummed with pleasure and handed the bow and arrows to Jishuka.

  “The Red Phoenix Bow is more of a short bow than a great bow right? Use this as a replacement.”

  “Grid, you’re giving me this?”

  Jishuka had been thinking of returning the bow that she received before to Grid. It was originally Grid’s item. Grid thought she didn’t want to be in debt to him and explained with an uncomfortable expression.

  “I’m a cleric, so I can’t use the bow.”

  “Cleric?”

  “Yes.”

  “…”

  Jishuka naturally thought that Grid was a producer. Yet he was a cleric?

  “…You’re not a magician or warrior? A cleric?”

  “Yes.”

  “…”

  Grid and a cleric. Was there any combination stranger than this? Grid shrugged at the confused Jishuka.

  “I would’ve given it to you even if I could use the bow. Your archery is the best. Now drink this potion.”

  That’s right. Grid had already made up his mind.

  “Jishuka, team up with me. Survive together.”

  “Yes…!”

  Jishuka smiled and nodded vigorously. This was a terrible survival game where only three players could survive. She was relieved and happy that she could be with someone more reliable than anyone else.

  ***

  One and a half hours after Battlefield started.

  『 Now it’s hard to see a solo exhibition. 』

  Most of the 166 survivors started teaming up. It was a natural phenomenon. As the number of survivors decreased, the participants in Battlefield could be identified relatively easily. They used their connections and ideas to hold hand with people of the same purpose.

  『 Battlefield is an event designed to just every player’s abilities… It’s doubtful that the current flow is precisely what the S.A. Group wanted. 』

  It was clear that a solo exhibition had been transformed into a team game. While there were people who thought like this…

  『 Communication can also be considered to be an individual’s ability. Anyone who can get a competent and trustworthy team in this difficult situation has already proven their worth. I don’t think it’s a problem. 』

  Teaming up was also an ability. There was many people who welcomed the situation. Generally, there were more of the latter.

  -It’s a survival game of three people, so it isn’t strange to have teams of three.

  -The ability to enter a good team or not depends on personal capabilities.

  The Internet started to heat up. The 166 survivors were big names so the audience engagement increased. Who would be the last three among these strong people of each country? One person was for certain.

  ***

  The moment Battlefield started, many people escaped to the underpass. The relatively weak judged that it would be easier to defend in the dark and complex underground rather than the relatively open ground. After escaping to the underground, they picked the right terrain, hid themselves and took the ideal defense posture. It was with the belief that they would be safe for a limited time, unless the map disappeared. But it was wishful thinking.

  A disaster occurred. The identity of this disaster was Sword Saint Kraugel.

  Dark visibility and narrow, complex terrain. From a general point of view, the underpass was a disadvantage to attackers. It was beneficial to the defenders that were established first. Other people didn’t go underground but Kraugel’s interpretation was different. Kraugel determined that it was possible to complete hunting in an enclosed underground space. The defenders lost items and lost escape routes in exchange for safety. He personally descended underground in order to knock down competitors who would be a potential threat. All the people he encountered died.

  Words were lacking to express the godly talent. Therefore, he was praised as the sky above the sky. In a battlefield of control, Kraugel was invincible. While people couldn’t avoid his attacks, Kraugel neutralized attacks that came from all over the place. He was definitely beyond the category of a human. He was like an absolute figure in a movie.

  ‘Is it settled here?’

  He succeeded in defeating the hundreds of competitors in the underground. He was the only one remaining.

  Step, step.

  Kraugel was the only person to kill over one hundred of the 1,500 Battlefield participants. To be exact, it was 127 people. This was in a record one and a half hours.

  “Um.”

  Kraugel put all the usable items into his inventory and stopped as he was about to climb back up to the ground. The number of survivors had stopped at 166 for two minutes.

  ‘Are they starting to form teams?’

  Given the size of the field, it was too early to see a lull in the 166 players remaining. Kraugel instantly realized that Battlefield was no longer a solo exhibition. Therefore.

  ‘I have to wait.’

  Wariness. What did he have to be afraid of when he was invincible? It was naturally Grid.

  ‘Grid is likely to have assembled the Overgeared members.’

  Kraugel was a person who appreciated Grid’s potential from the time when Grid hadn’t yet been acknowledged by the world. He was always wary of Grid. Control, speed, and communication were all considered. As a result of this calculation, he judged that he had low chances of winning at the moment. If Grid gathered the top talents of the Overgeared Guild then even Kraugel would suffer.

  ‘I will wait.’

  Kraugel hid in the darkness of the underground. He was prepared to wait until the number of survivors decreased further. In the meantime, he would knock down anyone who came underground.

  ***

  It had been two and a half hours since Battlefield started. There were only 30 minutes left and the map had shrunk by a third compared to the beginning. The surviving 32 participants struggled while Kraugel also prepared to move from the underground.

  “My Lord…!”

  The plane containing the Mongolia representatives. As soon as he entered the Battlefield, he cast a wide area taunt and was honored to be the ‘first’… No, Huroi suffered a bitter cup of hardships. He was watching Grid on the monitor. Since joining up with Jishuka, Grid’s team had focused on securing arrows and scriptures. On the other hand, the other survivors had teams of at least three to five. Kraugel was alone, but he was an outlier.

  “My Lord is at a disadvantage…!”

  If only he was competent! When he first logged onto Battlefield, he should’ve sworn at only one person instead of using a wide range provocation.

  “If I did, I would’ve been by My Lord’s side right now! It’s an irreversible mistake!”

  “…Sigh.”

  The other Mongolian representatives sighed with relief at his words. If Hurio had survived and kept cursing, they thought that Mongolia would’ve been disgraced. They thought it was good that Huroi was eliminated early.

  ***

  [After two minutes, this space on the mini-map will disappear.]

  Beep beep!

  The intervals between the warning windows gradually shortened. The survivors found it hard to find a space to hide. The distance between each other narrowed until they could see each other among several small buildings.

  “Now the real fight will start.”
r />   “There is no party greater than ours.”

  The 32 survivors were filled with confidence. In particular, the party of Regas, Pon, and Lauel were amazing. The strongest party that combined the best brain and best control. They believed that they could fight any opponent and win. In fact, they had consecutive winning streaks until now. No one could stop their momentum.

  “Huhuhut… Even His Majesty can’t stop us.”

  Lauel gave a wicked laugh. In fact, the viewers recognized these three as candidates for the championship. They thought that even Kraugel couldn’t win. So far, the abilities that Pon, Regas, and Lauel showed were great. But they had a poison. It was Grid.

  “Everybody listen!”

  “…?”

  The survivors gazed at one side after hearing a voice. There was a duo consisting of a man and woman. The man was shouting.

  “From now on, I will make an item for anyone who surrenders!”

  “…?”

  Who was suddenly saying such nonsense? As everyone was feeling confused, Lauel paled.

  “That’s cheating…!”

  “I am the Overgeared King!”

  “…!”

  The survivors started to shake.

  Chapter 745

  Chapter 745

  28 minutes until Battlefield ended.

  The Battlefield map had undergone a lot of destruction and the only area left was ‘Trion.’

  Trion was a small town with five six-story buildings and around 40 one-story houses. The boxes and drums left in the alleys, the large fountain in the central square, and the side roads created a number of variables by serving as cover. The six-story buildings were connected with clotheslines that were exceptionally thick and sturdy.

  Like the other survivors, Grid was forced to move into a tree.

  ‘The odds are low.’

  Why? Grid had only teamed up with Jishuka, while the other survivors had at least three team members. There was even a team with five people.

  ‘Most of the people here are rankers.’

  Considering that Kraugel, Chris, and Pon would be present, Grid wasn’t convinced of his superiority. In such a situation, the numerical disadvantage was a huge burden. Above all, the biggest problem was the narrow map.

  ‘It’s hard to find a sniping point.’

  Grid was a cleric. The warrior Jishuka had to perform the role of damage dealer. She currently had a total of 136 arrows. Theoretically, it could exert sufficient attack power. However, the bow was a weapon that showed its true power when a certain distance was secured.

  ‘For Jishuka to be active here… We must enter a high building…’

  It would be easy to enter a building. However, as soon as Jishuka settled on a high floor and started shooting, it was obvious that the competitors’ aggro would be concentrated on her.

  ‘I have to guard the stairs to give Jishuka time to deal with them.’

  However, clotheslines connected buildings. People could use the clotheslines to come from the building next door. It was impossible to contain all of them at the same time.

  ‘In the first place, I don’t know if I can protect the stairs.’

  They had a numerical disadvantage and it was an environment where Jishuka couldn’t fully demonstrate her archery. In the end, he came to the conclusion that he must play passively.

  ‘I should look at the flow…’

  Even that seemed difficult. The other competitors were already paying attention to Grid and Jishuka. It was because they were alone. They were branded as relatively easy prey. As soon as the lull was over, Grid and JIshuka were destined to be chased.

  ‘Shit, these rotten bastards. Why are they pushing me to this point?’

  Now Grid was familiar with the camera. He had awareness as an influential person in society. He was inwardly complaining but had a poker face on the surface. Jishuka’s murmur was heard in his ears.

  “Indeed… Everyone who has survived to the end is skilled enough to team up. It won’t be easy.”

  “Skilled?”

  Was forming a team also a merit?

  “How can it… Ah?”

  Then Grid realized something.

  ‘That’s right, it is a skill.’

  In Battlefield, a solo exhibition wasn’t a ‘rule.’ There was no provision that they couldn’t form a team. That’s why Grid teamed up with Jishuka.

  ‘It isn’t easy to form a team.’

  How easy was it to turn competitors into teammates? It was virtually impossible to build a team here in Battlefield unless they had extraordinary competence or had a special charm. A person who didn’t have skills couldn’t get a team. Grid shook the moment he realized this.

  ‘The means of proving my skills to people is far more diverse than I thought. I don’t have to be obsessed with just showing off combat skills.’

  Proof. That’s right. Grid recognized Battlefield as a place to prove himself. It was a game where everyone else was in the same situation. Grid wanted to prove himself to people by surviving to the end. The rankers had pure talent who didn’t rely only on his items or class. Grid hoped that he would be perceived as equal to those people. Foolishly, he confined his talents to combat ability. He was compelled to show he had better control skills. But not now. A ranker’s skills weren’t just about combat ability. It was much more diverse.

  ‘I’ll show them.’

  Grid had skills. He would show everyone in the world why he could rise to this place. A smile crossed Grid’s face. He found the answer and shouted without hesitation.

  “Everybody listen! Surrender! From now on, I will make an item for anyone who surrenders!”

  “…?”

  There was awkward silence as the players in the trees tensed up. The survivors looked at each other with bewildered expressions.

  ‘What nonsense is this?’

  ‘Is he crazy?’

  “I am the Overgeared King!”

  In the confusion, Grid revealed his identity. He announced himself as the legendary blacksmith. He would take advantage of this ability to win. This was Grid’s ‘pure talent’ that he advertised to the world and it was the proof of his ‘competence.’

  “This is a rare opportunity. Why are you hesitating to surrender?”

  Grid was confident. There were few people who could resist his temptations. It was actually the case. The survivors started buzzing.

  ‘Grid?’

  ‘That bastard, pulling out something like this to win.’

  ‘But think about it. Isn’t it much better to surrender and earn items than to lose everything after failing to win an uncertain victory?’

  ‘It’s true. How easy is it to gain items that Grid produces? Doesn’t it go up to a legendary rating?’

  ‘He can even make growth rated items.’

  Gulp!

  The survivors started to realize what a wise choice it was. They bit the bait.

  『 … 』

  The commentators were silent. The atmosphere of the survivors as they looked at each other showed they were willing to surrender. Looking at it objectively, there were few reasons not to surrender.

  『 Why is this result…? 』

  One commentator broke the silence. He wanted to relay a fierce and cool final match so he didn’t welcome Grid’s position. But he couldn’t condemn it. The way that Grid caused the survivors to feel conflicted wasn’t lousy. It was a strategy that caused admiration.

  『 It’s a shame to those watching but… I have to acknowledge it. Grid is a wise person. He’s resourceful. 』

  『 I agree. I never imagined he would use his ability to make items in order to manipulate the survivors. It’s a strategy I couldn’t imagine. 』

  Currently, the survivors were playing the game called Battlefield. Wasn’t it cheating for Satisfy to intervene here? There were few people who thought this. In the end, the survivors were Satisfy players and Satisfy was the reason why they joined Battlefield. It was natural for Grid to use his influe
nce in Satisfy to survive.

  Just.

  -Nobody did this except for Grid…

  -They didn’t use it because they couldn’t. If it wasn’t Grid, who else can make the survivors surrender?

  -You’re right.

  -Really amazing. He will win without fighting.

  -I felt it from the beginning, but Grid’s wit is really great. He doesn’t have enough strength? It isn’t that either. He even beat Hao. He’s a perfect combination of intelligence and strength. He’s exceptional among the high rankers.

  -He also has the quality of an alpha, allowing him to be the first king. There seems to be a huge difference between the Grid we know and the actual Grid.

  -That’s right. We only got a few glimpses of him from videos and the National Competition. If we watch by his side…

  -…There will be a huge liking towards him. Look at the members of Overgeared. I know why the Overgeared members are so loyal to Grid now.

  -Isn’t this why Pope Damian likes Grid?

  The praise continued. They accurately saw Grid. He proved his abilities and his value to people.

  Now.

  -I don’t think there will be any more fools ignoring Grid.

  Grid was reborn as a complete existence. Just like Kraugel who Grid so envied.

  ***

  “Now, what is everyone’s choice?”

  Grid didn’t know the outside situation and was only focused on right now. He was expecting a few of the 30 survivors, apart from Jishuka, to surrender to him.

  ‘Maybe not everyone will surrender?’

  Grid was well aware of the value of his production items. Thus, he used his items as a means of transaction and diplomacy. He believed it would work again this time. He knew most of the survivors coveted his items and would surrender. But there was a problem.

  Putting aside Grid and Jishuka, 14 of the 30 survivors were Overgeared members. The Overgeared members were able to get Grid’s items even if they didn’t surrender here. This was the part that Grid overlooked. It was evidence of his still lacking intelligence.

  An achievement was an achievement. Just as Grid aspired to win, the Overgeared members also wanted to win.

  “That Grid is fake!” Lauel shouted. “There is no way to prove that he is Grid! Don’t be confused!”