by Park Saenal
“Why are you interfering with others in the first place?”
Kir’s colleagues cried out and pulled out their weapons. Grid was still staring at Beniyaru as he waited for an answer.
“…” Beniyaru’s eyes shook. In her despair, she had just made a promise not to trust another human. Now she wasn’t convinced that she could once again believe in a human. However, Grid had pulled out the name Sticks. Furthermore, Grid hadn’t hurt her in the past despite having the opportunity to do so. In the end…
“…Help us,” Beniyaru begged. “Please! Help us!”
Her eager cries struck Grid in the heart. “Yes. I will act as the Apostle of Justice.”
“…?!”
A fist quickly hit them…? The faces of the Kir’s Company members distorted as they were hit by Unbreakable Justice.
Chapter 829
Chapter 829
Unbreakable Justice was an area of effect skill that dealt 300% of his attack power. The members of Kir’s group that were around level 250 couldn’t respond to Grid’s immediate skill and were struck by his fist.
[You have suffered 2,900 damage.]
[You have suffered 3,150 damage.]
“Kuk!”
Fast. It was an attack that they couldn’t see. However, it was bearable. While Grid might’ve been ranked first in PvP, it would still be difficult for him to kill them instantly while they were equipped with unique rated equipment. The five players attacked by Grid relied on the items that were available to them since joining Kir’s Company and attempted a counterattack. The narrow field of view of an ordinary player didn’t notice the threat coming from behind them.
[You have suffered 11,290 damage.]
[You have suffered 9,870 damage.]
“What?”
Someone else’s blade flew towards them? The players were astonished as they looked behind them and saw the spinning blade before belatedly discovering the silver thread hanging from the end of the blade. The blade flashed red and headed towards the sword in Grid’s hand as if it were being sucked into the sword, forming the Lightning Sword Born from Enlightenment and Strong Desires.
Thanks to the ancient scroll, Grid succeeded in enhancing it to +1 and the Enlightenment Sword was 5% stronger than before.
5% was an ambiguous value. If a weapon with 100 attack power was increased by 5%, wasn’t it just an increase of 5 damage? 5% wasn’t much when applied to rare-epic rated items. Despite this fact, however, people were still obsessed with this 5% figure.
There were many cases where victory in a fight was determined by a small difference in stats, let alone an attack power that was 3,780+189. The figure of 5% was too big to ignore for high-rated items with high basic stats. The additional level in enhancement for the Enlightenment Sword raised its attack power by 189 damage.
This was why Grid was very sad. ‘Shit! If I succeeded in getting it to +3 then the additional damage would be over 567!’
Why was it only +1? Grid used Quick Movements to raise his agility and speed before rushing into enemy territory without hesitation. He either avoided or blocked all attacks coming towards him with the God Hands and fought back with the Enlightenment Sword.
[You have suffered catastrophic damage!]
[You have died.]
[You have suffered catastrophic damage!]
[You have died.]
“What…?”
The faces of Kir’s group lost their color, stunned at Grid’s brutal attack power that killed their colleagues with one blow.
‘It’s different from what I saw in the video!’
It was rare for there to be any Satisfy user who hadn’t watched the videos of the National Competition. Those who missed the live broadcast would watch the reruns, and the high-profile PvP videos were watched countless times by any one person.
Kir’s Company wasn’t any different. They obtained money and items while serving Kir and dreamt about becoming rankers someday. For them, the National Competition’s PvP videos were a means for them to live vicariously, while also serving as a textbook.
From the 1st National Competition to the 3rd National Competition, they watched dozens of videos of Grid fighting and sometimes defeating famous powerhouses. They had felt confident that they saw through Grid’s way of fighting. They had the audacity to say that they could defeat Grid as long as they watched out for the black state and white state (Assimilation), as well as his ‘quick attack skill’ that instantly killed most enemies.
But what was the reality?
“Cough!”
They were gravely mistaken. Grid’s movements, which they could easily track in the video thanks to the help of high-speed cameras, were actually so fast that they couldn’t be followed with the naked eye. His attack patterns, which seemed so simple compared to Kraugel’s, were actually hard to predict in person.
Grid’s battle style of being hit and counterattacking was only expressed against opponents whose control was superior to his own.
Kir’s members couldn’t go against Grid’s ‘relatively normal control.’ They couldn’t even determine where Grid would come from and at what timing. More than anything else, though…
[You have suffered catastrophic damage!]
[You have died.]
His attack power was too strong, and they all died in a single blow.
“This is ridiculous!”
It was only 30 seconds. The faces of Kir’s Company all blanched in shock as they witnessed more than 10 of their colleagues die in a short period of time. One of them even became a frightened puppy and cowered back in fear.
Furthermore, Grid’s face didn’t show any excitement. Merchant King Kir, who was the most likely to build a kingdom after Grid and Ares. His trusty subordinates and colleagues that he was so prideful of, they were all just ordinary people to Grid as he continued the absolute slaughter without stopping.
“What should we do?”
“Give me a command.”
The magician ‘Boutian’ and the female scimitar user ‘Arisa’ approached Kir and asked.
They were colleagues who had been with Kir ever since he first discovered the forest of the world tree. They were very strong, with their levels at 349 and 351 respectively. On top of that, they were also armed with legendary items, all thanks to Kir.
“I’m still thinking.”
Kir couldn’t easily move. The two groups led by Boutian and Arisa had a total of 30 people. While they were all third advancement rankers, it was still questionable if they could go against Grid. This was due to Grid’s Knights Summoning.
‘It is also possible to summon my knights, but…’
He had left three named NPCs in his city, who should be able to handle the Overgeared members that Grid summoned. However, Piaro was the real problem at hand. Piaro was Grid’s right hand man who played an overwhelming role during the great demon raid. They couldn’t go against a named NPC who had probably already completed his growth.
‘Knights Summoning isn’t the only thing I have to be careful about.’
Kir might’ve met Grid for the first time today, but he was very impressed with Grid. Was it due to Grid’s strength? No. Kir was already familiar with Grid’s strength. He foresaw from the beginning that Knight would have to expose himself to stop Grid. Unlike this rabble, Merchant King Kir’s discerning eyes were real.
Then what caused Kir to feel surprised? It was Grid’s ‘intelligence.’
‘His brain works very quickly.’
If Grid wasn’t smart, he would’ve chosen to not save the elves. He would’ve tried to build a good relationship with the 1st ranked merchant rather than become hostile to Kir. However, Grid had saved the elves, and directly had the elves ask for his help in order to build a foundation for the future.
‘Grid saw it instantly.’
Right now he was taking a big risk, but choosing to save the elves would be a much bigger benefit for him in the long run. Grid was the first player king for a reason. The ignorant look th
at he exposed in the media over the years was just paltry acting.
‘Damn snake.’
Grid must have something else besides the Knights Summoning. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have moved to deal with 400 enemies alone. Arisa spoke confidently to Kir, who was unable to make a choice.
“What if it is just simple arrogance?”
“…?”
“He is the best in the world. It is likely that his sense of pride from beating Kraugel has ruined him. Think about it: assuming that he can even manage to summon 10 knights, that is just the maximum number of people he can summon. Would the Overgeared members be on standby 24 hours a day? Is that even possible?”
“…”
“Maybe the number of knights he can summon right now is similar to what you can summon. Even if he can call upon more people than expected, we have a lot of people here right now. Thinking too much can be poisonous.”
“…”
Kir was silent as his brain worked on overdrive. Finally, Boutian used Magic Detection and opened his mouth, “Kir, it is as you expected. Grid seems to have something else besides the Knights Summoning.”
“What is it?”
“There is a rodent hiding above our heads.”
“Just one? Are you certain?”
“Yes. In the first place, our position is too favorable. Look, Grid isn’t using any wide-area skills despite us having superior numbers.”
Why?
“He is concerned about the elves being swept away.”
“It’s meaningless even if he uses Knights Summoning. And as for the burning rain of arrows created by Jishuka? We can just use the elves as a meat shield.”
Arisa clapped her hands in excitement as she exclaimed, “Right! If Kir threatens to kill the elves, then we can fight more thoroughly.”
Trying to keep their current status would just be a disadvantage for Kir. If Kir was willing to take some damage, he would be able to win this battle that started somewhat abruptly.
“…Okay.” Kir finally made a decision and proclaimed, “I will smash Grid using our numbers advantage. Let’s show the power of Kir’s Company to the prideful Overgeared King.”
“Good!”
The flow of battle would change from now on as Boutian, Arisa, and the other top members took the stage. The high-level company members’ morale skyrocketed as they witnessed Grid running wild.
-Knight: Do you intend to give up on the elves?
Kir received a whisper from Knight, who had been watching the situation from one step away. Kir frowned. He had invested a whopping 40 million gold into this operation. The damage would be hard to recover from if he gave up on the elves.
-Kir: That is impossible.
-Knight: Then I won’t stop you. I will do my best to fight as much as I am paid. Just.
Knight wore a black robe that covered his body and pulled out a giant scythe befitting his ‘Death God’ class. He added,
-Knight: I won’t risk my life, as it isn’t worth a bit of gold. I will retreat if I feel threatened.
-Kir: …Is Grid that strong?
Kir knew about Knight’s Death God’s Sixth Sense. It was something he had to take into account. Knight replied, “It is a question mark.”
“….???”
A question mark? Kir made a confused expression.
“It means I can’t measure him. For example, there is the skill called Blackening. Grid still has room to increase his combat power, so the system can’t measure him properly. Well, he is the person who beat Kraugel. He is certainly strong. However, haven’t you determined that you can handle him? I will leave Grid to you.”
Knight thought the real problem was something else. The problem was the ‘highest risk’ rodent hidden in the trees. The giant scythe dug into the tree, smoothly felling it in one quick motion. As the tree trunk crashed onto the ground, a woman with white hair appeared: Mercedes. She ruthlessly swung her sword at Knight as soon as she fell from the tree.
Kir’s eyes widened in shock as he shouted, “The First Knight?! Why is she here?!!”
“The First Knight?”
Knight was also upset, but he didn’t retreat just yet. He believed that he should act according to what he was paid. The power of the Death God that exerted power over all targets with a finite life exploded outwards. The bushes and trees in the area wilted as a new ‘soul gauge’ was created at the bottom of Mercedes’ health bar.
“Shouldn’t you hurry if you don’t want your soul to be eaten away?”
The huge image of a death god appeared behind Knight’s back. It was something that Alexander hadn’t seen when he was easily knocked down by Knight. That’s right, Alexander was defeated without being able to bring out Knight’s entire strength.
Chapter 830
Chapter 830
It was obvious by his name, but Knight was a player who originally dreamed about becoming a knight. Since the opening of Satisfy, he had devoted himself only to training and quests to become a knight. However, that dream was unfulfilled. He even received a curse.
The knights division Knight had an apprenticeship with met an unexpected enemy and were then wiped out. He moved cities and kingdoms, but things always turned out the same way. Knight’s companions always died. This was the result.
[You have opened the power of a death god.]
[The spirit of life is perceived as an enemy.]
[The energy of death covets the soul of the target.]
Knight obtained the growth type hidden class, Death God. Compared to his original target of being a knight, this was a class with an unparalleled power. Yet Knight wasn’t pleased. It felt like the stigma of a death god was mocking him.
“12 minutes… The reputation of the First Knight is real after all. This is the first time I’ve seen such a solid soul.”
“…”
“You will die if you don’t hurt me in 12 minutes,” Knight warned Mercedes, smiling bitterly as he saw her soul gauge being consumed slowly. The dark curtain that fell over the area veiled his appearance.
***
‘These dogs aren’t strong like Immortal.’
Almost half of Immortal’s members had endured Grid’s basic blow. He had to hit them two or three times for them to die. This was despite the fact that they were necromancers. It was estimated that their high rated items and the increase in stats given by their titles were quite high. They were truly a group made of rankers.
Then what about Kir’s Company?
“Keok!”
“Ugh!”
They were one shot one kills! The members of Kir’s Company turned to gray with just one blow from Grid. They were incredibly weak compared to the Overgeared members, Valhalla, and Immortal.
‘It’s funny.’
Why did so many players nurture their characters carefully? It was because they wanted to become stronger than other people. They felt the greatest joy when boasting absolute invincibility… just like the current Grid.
[The target has died!]
[The target has died…]
[The target has…]
Grid drew a sharp line with the Enlightenment Sword, and three members of Kir’s Company turned gray simultaneously. There were also members who couldn’t approach due to the Magic Missiles being fired from the God Hands floating to the left and right of Grid.
‘The hands are good.’
Grid’s joy kept rising as he overwhelmed hundreds of enemies alone, and a smile spread across his face. However, even so…
“Now!”
“These dogs.”
He didn’t become careless. Grid maintained his extreme concentration and swung his sword without leaving a gap for the enemy to strike. So, why did he bother wasting power to defend against the trivial attacks? It was in order to hide his hidden card. Grid wanted to conceal the poison being emitted by the +1 Valhalla of Infinite Affection as much as possible.
‘There will be rankers present.’
The top rankers were like hyenas se
eking the right time to aim at him. It was inevitable that Grid would be wounded when they started to act, so he was certain the poison fog would be a significant variable at that time.
“Kuaaaack!”
Grid’s fighting energy increased gradually. Then as he became stronger during the fight, his red and purple aura rose up. His basic attacks wreaked greater havoc, and his improved agility made the cooperation between level 250 players meaningless.
“Hup!”
“Hiik!”
His flashing eyes caused the hearts of the Kir members to freeze. Grid smiled throughout the battle and realized the gap that existed between those with high strength and those with low strength.
‘It isn’t enough…’
This was beyond their imagination. The Kir members had watched Grid fight against the giants of other worlds and Great Demon Belial dozens of times on the TV and Internet, but he hadn’t been this strong. To think there was a gap of over 100 levels…?
They had thought they would be able to overcome the gap somewhat with their control skills. Now, they realized the control skills they were so proud of was at the level of an elementary school student. What about the difference in items? They had thought they would be able to overcome the gap with the various unique items they’d received after joining Kir’s Company. Now, they clearly realized that Grid’s strength wasn’t just in his items.
What about their numerical superiority? A confrontation of one person against hundreds would naturally be advantageous for them. However, now they were experiencing it. There was a limitation of having a great number of people. Hundreds of people couldn’t attack a single person at the same time. The space was too limited.
‘This won’t do.’
‘Who can win against that monster?’
It was admirable that Kraugel had been able to compete with this monster for a short time.
“What are you doing?” Grid said, suddenly appearing right in front of their noses. The members of Kir’s Company flinched.
“Why are you so absent-minded? Should I beat you like you did the elves?”
“T-That…”
There were few people who could resist the mob mentality. Once one member started to step back from Grid, the other members around him started to retreat as well. Grid took one step forward, while they took three steps back. Then he took one more step, and they fell over each other’s feet.