Chapter 128
The Judar Church, Dominion Church and Rebecca Church.
The three religions weren't in conflict. Rather, their relationship was very good. The Rebecca Church was like a parent to the Judar and Dominion churches. The god of health and wisdom, Judar, and the god of war, Dominion, were the sons of the goddess of light, Rebecca.
Among all three religions, Goddess Rebecca was recognized as supreme. The difference was that the Dominion Church had strong armed forces, the Judar Church worshipped health and wisdom, and the Rebecca Church sought justice.
However, the leader of the Judar Church had great ambitions.
“5th Pope Franz was originally from our church. At the time, the Rebecca Church didn't have anyone to become pope so they took him from our church and placed him in the seat of the pope."
It was true. The 5th Pope Franz was actually the head of the Judar Church. But the Rebecca Church lacked talent and elected him to become the pope.
"Look at the present Pope Drevigo. He is someone who isn't suitable for the status of pope. Everybody has been keeping it quiet, but the Rebecca Church is becoming corrupt due to Drevigo. He should resign and a new person must become pope. It's natural for the new person to be me."
The 11th leader of the Judar Church, Pascal! He was a prominent figure claiming to be the descendant of 5th Pope Franz. Thanks to his sincerity and outstanding talent, he became the head of the Judar Church, and now he was dreaming of becoming the Rebecca Church's pope.
“The 5th Pope and my ancestor set the precedent. It wouldn't be strange if I became a pope candidate."
The introduction was too long. A black haired man, who had been listening silently for a while, wanted to cut to the chase.
"So… What do I need to do for the sake of you and the church?"
The identity of the black man was Toban. He was 1st on the paladin rankings and the chief of staff for the Tzedakah Guild. Pascal ordered him as a paladin of the Judar Church, “The Rebecca Church is keeping the battle gear that Franz used during his lifetime. The Holy Light Crown, Armor and Gloves. I want you to take them back for me."
[A quest has been created.]
[Franz’ Descendant]
Difficulty Level: SS
The most respected pope was 5th Pope Franz. It isn't an exaggeration to say that his reign helped the Rebecca Church become what it is today.
Pascal is dreaming of becoming the 14th pope! He wants to prove to the Rebecca Church that he is Franz' descendant. If he can prove it, there is a possibility that the forces against the corrupt Pope Drevigo will support Pascal to become the pope!
Use any means and methods to reclaim the Holy Light Crown, Armor and Gloves!
Pascal plans to prove his identity by wearing the pieces known only to be wearable by Franz.
Quest Clear Conditions: Reclaim the Holy Light Crown, Armor and Gloves.
Quest Clear Reward: Level +5. The Sword of Wisdom.
Quest Failure: Pascal's plan to become pope will be wasted. You will be hated by Pascal.
'Amazing!'
The rankings for the top rankers could fluctuate with just 1% difference in experience. Gaining five levels was a huge reward for Toban, who was currently level 232 and 68th on the unified rankings.
'I spend an average of 8-10 days gaining one level… If I clear this quest, I can gain at least 40 days of effort instantly. I will also jump in the rankings! But that isn't all…'
Toban felt joy as he confirmed the details of the Sword of Wisdom.
[Sword of Wisdom]
Rating: Legendary
Durability: 500/500 Attack Power: 385 Attack Speed: +3%
* When attacking normally, there is a chance to reset the skill's cooldown time.
* Intelligence +250
A divine artifact of the Judar Church.
In the past, the head of the church only gave it to the person they most trusted.
Conditions of Use: The best paladin of the Judar Church.
Weight: 450
‘I want to have this sword!'
The Sword of Wisdom's attack power was ordinary compared to unique level 230 one-handed swords. It seemed lacking compared to the legendary rating. But the option attached to it was a scam. When attacking normally, there was a chance to reset the skill's cooldown time. If he used it with items that increased attack speed, the synergy could explode.
'As long as I have this sword, I can level like Pon and Ibellin!'
Due to the events of the Guardian of the Forest raid, Grid ordered that Toban would be last on the production list. He could only watch Pon and Ibellin with envy, so the reward for this quest was literally a ray of light.
[Would you like to accept the quest?]
“…”
The penalty was terrible if he failed the quest. He didn't know what he would suffer if his affinity with the head of the Judar Church fell. Since the degree of difficulty was so high, it was a quest with a low probability of success. But even with all of this, Toban wanted to do the quest because he coveted the rewards.
“I, Toban, will head to the Rebecca Church immediately!"
[The quest has been accepted.]
Pascal was very pleased with his aggressiveness.
"As our best paladin, I look forward to your performance. If you meet up with the spy I planted in the Vatican, he will tell you where the treasures are hidden. Act according to his guidance and bring back the treasures."
"Yes!"
Toban didn't delay any longer. He immediately set off towards the Vatican. On the way, he asked the guild for assistance.
{Guys! I received an SS-grade quest!!}
{Wow~ you finally received an SS-grade quest? Ohh, when will I have such good luck?}
{ㅊㅋㅊㅋ What are the rewards?}
{A legendary sword. -_-v}
{A legendary item as a reward? Jackpot ㄷㄷ}
{But Toban, isn't a SS-grade quest really difficult? Can you clear it alone?}
{I think it will be hard on my own. Does anyone have time to come and help me? I will be sure to reciprocate later.}
{What are the contents of the quest?}
{Break into the Rebecca Vatican and steal three treasures.}
{The Vatican…?}
The atmosphere of the chat window changed. Everybody was confused.
{Aren't Rebecca's Daughters living in the Vatican? Do you have to fight them?}
{That… Isn't it better than Malacus? ;;;}
{Aren't there three of them? ㅡ,ㅡ;}
{Um… Toban, I’m sorry but I can’t help you. If something goes wrong, I will die.}
{Me too… The risk is too big. I'm sorry.}
{Maybe it is better to give up on this quest. ~ _ ~;;}
"…These guys.'
To a ranker, death was fatal. It was difficult to gain one level, so anyone would shed tears of blood if they died. What would happen if they dropped items? It was terrible to even imagine. It wasn't a matter of loyalty. Realistically, no one was willing to accept such a high risk quest for one man.
But Toban still had hope. It was Regas. Regas was someone who would help others in any situation! Wasn't his nickname Volunteer?
Toban sent a whisper to him. However…
[The other person has blocked all whispers.]
"Dammit!"
Toban muttered grouchily. Regas would occasionally block the guild chat and whispers when training, and now seemed to be one of those times. He wouldn't be reachable for at least a week. It seemed like Toban would have to proceed on this quest alone.
"I guess it can't be helped… I have to proceed cautiously to avoid getting caught by Rebecca's Daughters."
Toban was trying to figure out a way to clear the quest alone when he received a whisper.
–Chief, if you don't mind, can I help you?
'Box?'
Box was one of the six new rankers who joined the Tzedakah Guild. His class was a linker! It linked magic to objects to control them, or connect objects together to form magic shapes that gave beneficial or harmful effects.
It was a class that required high judgment and magic power control, so the difficulty belonged in the highest level. However, Box was 1st ranked among the linker rankings. He was only 230th on the unified rankings, the lowest in the Tzedakah Guild, but the guild had great expectations towards him.
Toban felt relieved that he was willing to help.
–Oh? I’m very thankful! But is it okay? You might need to deal with Rebecca's Daughters?
–I don't mind the risk. In addition, Black Teddy and Asuka are willing to help you as well. If the three of us and Chief combine our strengths, can't we deal with Rebecca's Daughters or escape unharmed?
Black Teddy and Asuka were also part of the six new people who joined. In particular, Asuka was in the 20s on the unified rankings. Toban noticed that they wanted something.
–Do you want something in exchange for your help?
-Yes, please let us meet Bone Helmet.
“…”
The six new rankers all joined for a common reason. They hoped to meet Grid. Based on their attitudes, they joined the guild only to meet Grid. They seemed interested in what Grid's class was supposed to be, since they assumed it was a hidden class.
Toban refused them.
–I've said it many times, but I can't reveal his identity until I fully trust you.
–I swear that we just want to talk to him… Well, okay. You don't have to tell us who he is right now. I will help Chief as a favor?
-Um?
–Isn't this the process of building trust? In order to build trust, shouldn't we build up our camaraderie?
–The bottom line is, you want to build up trust quickly in order to discover his identity?
–Haha, yes.
–So relentless… Your intentions are impure, but thank you anyway. I need your help. Please.
He had to rendezvous with the spy near the Vatican. Toban told Box the time and place of the meeting and promised to meet them there.
Then two days later.
Toban arrived at the meeting place. But Box's group still hadn't arrived yet. The church's spy approached Toban who was standing alone. Then he received shocking news.
"Pope Drevigo was killed. He lost his life to one who was blessed by the gods, like you."
"What…?"
Blessed by the gods was a term NPCs used to refer to users. A user managed to defeat the pope, one of the currently strongest NPCs? Toban doubted his ears and asked for details.
“His ID… No, what was his name? How could he defeat the pope alone?"
“I was hiding in the distance, so I couldn't confirm his name. Anyway, he is very strong. He overwhelmed the pope with excellent swordsmanship."
"…I can't imagine it. There's such a strong user?"
Maybe it was the 1st ranked Kraugel that Pon often talked about? According to Pon, Kraugel's strength was beyond the limits of a user. Pon predicated that he wouldn't be able to compete with Kraugel, even if Pon joined forces with Regas and Jishuka. If it was him, he might be able to beat the pope alone.
‘Even if it isn't him, the world is wide. There are over two billion users in Satisfy. It isn't strange that there are hidden people we don't know about. In fact, wasn't Faker completely defeated by the unknown girl called Euphemina a few months ago?'
But now matter how strong a user was, the pope should have the protection of Rebecca's Daughters. The user managed to face the pope and Rebecca's Daughters alone?
"What about Rebecca's Daughters? Did they also suffer with him?"
The man shook his head, “Rebecca’s Daughters are safe."
"What? They're safe while the pope is dead?"
“The recent pope was severely controlling Rebecca's Daughters. In Rin's case, she was on the verge of being discarded. Therefore, they didn't help the pope."
“The pope was rash."
In the first place, the pope wasn't Toban's goal. It didn't matter what happened with the pope. He just wanted Franz' treasures. Toban asked about his original purpose, "The result is good. The Vatican will be in chaos and security will be relatively poor, making it easy to steal Franz' treasures. Where are Franz' treasures hidden?"
"That…" The spy looked uncertain.
Toban had an ominous feeling as he laughed awkwardly, “Don't tell me that the person who defeated the pope picked up Franz' treasures?"
“…That is literally what happened."
Toban exclaimed. “No, what about Rebecca's Daughters? Aren't Franz' treasures precious to the Rebecca Church? They just let that guy take his treasures?"
"Yes… They felt sorry that they couldn't reward him more."
"Crazy!"
It was a strange twist. In Toban's experience, unpredictable things were always the worst.
"Ominous… It is ominous."
Box's group arrived while Toban was feeling nervous.
OG:
Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.
Chapter 129
Box discovered Toban and greeted him with a smile, “You've already arrived."
Box was an extremely handsome man. He had clear skin, a flattering jawline, and eyes that were sharp enough to capture a woman's heart. He had long black hair tied up, and the harmony of his appearance and hairstyle made him seem like a young master in the oriental paintings.
But there was a saying to look beyond face value. He played around too much with women. His nickname was Octopus Prince. There were rumors that he had several women on the hook at the same time. So many women had a grudge against him that female users launched a group called 'Box Killing Group.'
“You're on time."
Toban, who was nervous after talking to the spy, welcomed Box. Then he greeted Black Teddy and Asuka as well. But they lacked sociability, unlike Box. They ignored Toban's greeting and urged immediately.
"Let's go."
Black Teddy was a man in his 40's who was around 2m tall. Not only did he have a good physique, but he also gave off a tough impression with his eyes. However, he always carried a cute teddy bear in his arms that didn't fit his appearance or age. Toban had met him several times, but it was still difficult to adapt.
'That teddy bear…'
To be honest, it was hard to look at. A large hairy hand was touching the bear's head. The mole whispered to Toban, who was frowning.
"Toban, the person who knocked down the pope… He's wearing the Holy Light Armor. I think it's right to punish him, for the sake of our church."
[The contents of the quest 'Franz’ Descendant' has changed.]
"This."
Toban's expression changed as he confirmed the new contents of the quest. He explained the situation to Box's group, “The treasures I have to recover are no longer in the Vatican. A user has intercepted them, so we have track him down."
Box looked troubled. "User? Ah, I'm sure it'll cost a lot of money. I don't know who he is, but nobody will give away quest items for free. He will likely ask for a lot of money."
Toban shook his head, "Money isn't a problem. We must fight that person. The altered quest is telling me to kill him. It seems like the treasures will drop if he is killed."
Box's color returned.
"Really? It's good that it's so simple."
The four people gathered here were top rankers. With their combined strength, it would be easy to defeat a user.
“I'll track him down quickly."
Box was confident. Black Teddy and Asuka were sniffing like this was trivial. Toban felt the need to make them more cautious.
“Despite the quest contents being changed to fight a user, the difficulty is still SS. This means the opponent is strong, so we should be alert. Share the quest information."
Toban's quest information appeared in front of the three of them.
[Franz’ Descendant (2)]
Difficulty Level: SS
According to the information from a spy, an enigmatic figure killed the pope alone and obtained Franz' treasures.
Unfortunately, he seems to be wearing Franz' treasures.
Only Franz' descendant can wear his treasures, so Pascal's plan to prove his authenticity is slowly fading away.
Track him down and kill him!
Then take away Franz' treasures!
Quest Clear Conditions: Kill the enigmatic figure and reclaim the Holy Light Crown, Armor and Gloves.
Quest Clear Reward: Level +5. The Sword of Wisdom.
Quest Failure: Pascal's plan to become pope will be wasted. You will be hated by Pascal.
"…?"
Box's expression stiffened. Black Teddy also hesitated while stroking the teddy bear. There was a moment of silence. Then Asuka opened her mouth for the first time.
“Even I can't kill the pope alone."
Asuka was 28th on the unified rankings. The guild often compared her combat capabilities to Pon or Regas. In fact, she had the experience of killing a boss monster in the low 200's by herself. But according to the information they had, the pope was at least level 330.
She would never dare try to kill him alone. But the enigmatic figure described in the quest contents was said to kill the pope alone.
“Someone capable enough to defeat the pope… They must be at least in the top 10 of the unified rankings and have a hidden class. Perhaps it was Agnus?"
7th on the unified rankings, Agnus! He was one of the three epic hidden classes. He had countless unbelievable sagas.
Box sounded excited, "If it's him, this will be fun. It's a chance to figure out what his hidden class might be."
But Black Teddy disagreed, "Isn't the opponent too strong? Maybe we'll all die."
Asuka hissed at him. “If you are scared then leave. I will fight."
"Young Lady…"
Asuka was the daughter of the chairman of a global conglomerate. And Black Teddy was her attendant. Black Teddy started Satisfy due to her command. Asuka needed an attendant in Satisfy and chose Black Teddy.
At first, Black Teddy didn't know the game he was supposed to play. But as he played Satisfy with Asuka, he became a ranker. Now, as a genuine gamer, there were times when he forgot his duty.
“Then I'm out. I don't want to lose experience… It's hard to gain levels…"
"Ah, is that so? Will you really leave? I understand. Instead, you’re fired. I don't need an attendant who doesn't follow their master."
“It was a joke. I will fight with you."
Black Teddy was the main breadwinner who supported his old parents and his terminally ill brother. He needed Asuka's huge paycheck for the cost of living as well as his brother's medical bills. So, he couldn't leave her. In fact, it wasn't just because of money. He had been around Asuka since she was five years old, so he was attached to her.
“If you're determined, let's depart."
The group to hunt the enigmatic figure who killed the pope was formed. They received the guidance of the spy and started to track the path of the enigmatic figure.
Then after three hours? In the dark woods that were like night, thanks to the thick trees blocking the sunlight, Toban was able to find a single man walking.
"Shh!"
Toban signalled his companions to stop. Then they hid as much as possible in the bushes.
“Is that him?" Box asked as he watched the black-haired man walking approximately 100m in front of them.
Toban nodded, “That’s right. The system is telling me that it is him."
Box was puzzled.
"What is he doing with a shabby cloak like that? Doesn't he look too poor? Is he really the target?"
Toban replied, "High level users don't always arm themselves with the best items. Some don't like to be noticed."
The cloak the black-haired man was wearing was somewhat familiar to Toban. But the cloak didn't have any special design on it. Therefore, he didn't think much about it. Asuka silently glanced at Black Teddy. Black Teddy had served her for nearly 20 years, so he could read the meaning in her eyes.
"I understand. I will test his skills." Then Black Teddy used a skill. "Summon Black Bear."
Kwaaaaah!
The largest bear on Earth was the grizzly bear. The males had a body length that was around 3m and weighed more than 600kg. They were like a compact car. The black bear that Black Teddy summoned was around 1.5 times bigger and heavier than a grizzly bear.
The bear roared and started charging towards the black-haired man.
"…?"
The man who was peacefully humming stopped at the commotion. Then he turned his head. As soon as his face was revealed, the ID 'Grid' appeared over his head. Toban's eyes widened.
'Eh? Grid?'
Kwaaaaah!
While Toban was feeling confused, the black bear swung its front paw precisely at Grid's face. Toban belatedly recovered his spirit and cried out urgently.
"S-Stop! Stop that bear now!"
“What? What are you saying all of a sudden?"
The moment that Black Teddy was feeling puzzled.
Pipit! Pipipipit!
The huge black bear's body was hacked by dozens of sharp slashes. Then it turned into grey light.
“…Strong!"
Box admired it.
The black-haired man held a small dagger and took care of a level 200 summons in the blink of an eye. Tremendous damage. Box knew of only two people who could exert such physical damage, Jishuka and the one in the skull helmet.
'Yes, he is strong enough to defeat the pope. But I am unfamiliar with anyone called Grid…'
He wasn't a ranker? How could he be so strong without being a ranker?
'Does he have a hidden class?'
While Box was making guesses, Black Teddy was furious.
"You mean bastard…! How dare you cut the cute bear without even a change in expression!"
"H-Hey! Just wait a minute!"
Toban tried to calm the situation down, but it was useless. Black Teddy loved bears, and once his rage was out of control, only Asuka could control him. But Asuka let him rampage.
"Summon Brown Bear Knights!"
Three browns bears, twice as small as the black bear, but armed with helmets, armor, swords and shields were summoned. They were level 240! Black Teddy commanded them, "Get revenge on the slaughterer of your own kind!"
Kuwaaah!
The bears were influenced by their master's psychological state and angrily flocked to Grid. They started to put pressure on Grid with their swordsmanship. But their momentum was brief. Grid avoided the brown bears' attacks and countered by stabbing his dagger in a gap of a brown bear's armor. However, summons didn't know pain. They kept swinging their swords at Grid, despite suffering from huge injuries.
Grid clicked his tongue. "Why are you so strong?"
Pepepeng!
Grid threw a dart at a bear knight. Then poison mist emerged from the dart.
Kwaaaaah!
The poisoned knights started to bleed and stumble. Grid used this gap to deal the fatal blows, then turned his gaze towards the forest where Toban's group was hiding.
“What are these bears? Did they come from the circus?"
Toban realized as he looked at Grid.
'It isn't a system error… Grid really did defeat the pope.'
Black Teddy was 1st on the summoner rankings. In the guild membership test, he summoned the bear knights and showed great skills against Faker. Now those powerful bear knights were taken care of by Grid in just two minutes.
'When did he become this strong?'
Grid was presumed to have a legendary hidden class. It was the strongest class rating that could be obtained in Satisfy. But Grid's level was still low. When he checked the guild information window two weeks ago, Grid was only in the low 100's.
‘Anyway, it's good.'
Toban had many questions, but he could ask them slowly. Toban would ask Grid to cooperate with his quest.
But the situation went wrong.
"Hey Grid…"
"I won't forgive you!"
The moment Toban was able to raise his body to say hello to Grid! Black Teddy pushed his way out of the bushes and summoned new pets. In addition, Asuka was exchanging blows with Grid.
Toban made a mistake. Come to think of it, Grid had never met the new guild members. So they didn't know each other. They might've seen each other's IDs in the guild information window or chat window, but they might've forgotten it since it was insignificant.
"Hey, all of you wait a minute… We are part of the same guild…"
Toban tried to calm the situation down, but it was useless. Due to Black Teddy and Asuka's pincer attack, Grid had pulled out his greatsword.
"Isn't this a pretty interesting situation?"
Box figured out Grid's identity after seeing the greatsword and smiled meaningfully. Then he used the puppet magic that was the symbol of linkers and started to control Toban's body. The situation was worsening.
Toban felt like crying.
OG:
Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.
Chapter 130
After knocking down the pope. Grid left the Vatican once his quest ended and was prepared for a new adventure. But before that, he needed time to recharge.
"Logout."
Grid returned to being Shin Youngwoo. He left the capsule and immediately searched for food.
"I'm hungry."
He distractedly yanked his boxers up his hips as he opened the refrigerator door. Inside were ham and egg rolls, meat and all types of dishes. On the table was a note from his mother.
‘Son. Don’t forget to eat meals regularly! It's good to make money, but don't play the game too much and exercise as well. ^^'
His beloved mother. In the past, the debt-ridden Shin Youngwoo was always worried at home. He often had to listen to his parents nagging. But now he was different. Shin Youngwoo succeeded in the game and paid off his debt, as well as his father's. Now he was promoted to the trustworthy eldest son, not the pathetic son they had to worry about.
"I will work harder."
Youngwoo didn't want to worry his parents anymore. He didn't want to see the two of them depressed again. He wanted them to be as happy as they were now. So he reminded himself. Satisfy wasn't a simple game, it was his work! He would quickly finish this quest and turn to making items, earning more money and making his family happier.
He finished his meal. Shin Youngwoo took a break for a while and watched TV. Then he changed to a Satisfy-related channel and started to doze off.
On the news, there were reports that the pope of the Rebecca Church had been killed by an unidentified person. The news enthusiastically analyzed who the person was that killed the pope and who would be elected as the new pope. But Shin Youngwoo didn't see the news due to falling asleep.
30 minutes later. Shin Youngwoo woke up and turned off the TV. He stretched before going back to the capsule to access Satisfy.
"I am in the best condition."
He had a delicious lunch and plenty of rest. Grid walked vigorously towards his destination. Thanks to the clean air, he hummed as he walked through the forest. But he was attacked by someone along the way.
At first, bears appeared and attacked, then people popped out. Their IDs were Black Teddy and Asuka. The IDs were somewhat familiar, but Grid couldn't recall who they were. Then a battle started without him knowing why.
Kuwaaah!
“What are these bears?"
The summons followed the summoner's taste. In general, male summoners preferred pretty women, while female summoners preferred handsome men. There was also a strong tendency to summon monsters that were intimidating to the opponent.
But these bears? Of course, there were quite a few users who liked animal-shaped pets like Black Teddy. However, it wasn't to the extent of Black Teddy. It wasn't just one or two bears. Like a bear fanatic, all of his pets were bears.
“Summon White Bear Warriors!"
Grid had already defeated different types of bears. Now Black Teddy summoned a white bear. It wore a red cloak with black sunglasses. Somehow, it seemed stupid. The bear who had a serious expression with folded arms seemed quite laughable.
'Isn't it kind of cute?'
Grid lost his tension and was caught off guard. The white bear warrior didn't miss this chance. It jumped through the air at the speed of lightning and dealt an uppercut.
Peeok!
[You have suffered 2,550 damage.]
[The effect of Doran's Ring has been activated.]
[1,275 health has been restored.]
"Kuk!"
Fast and strong. Then Asuka approached the surprised Grid. She wielded the double swords at the same time.
Chaaeng! Chaeng!
Chukak.
[You have suffered 2,900 damage.]
"Girl…!"
He was quickly wounded. It was difficult to defend against the two swords that attacked different parts.
‘These two, they are good.'
He had defeated the pope alone. He thought that maybe he was the strongest? That idea was quickly removed as Grid became alert. Then he observed Black Teddy and Asuka. He used his high insight to grasp their combat power.
'What?'
Grid was startled. Asuka had 18,000 combat power while Black Teddy only had 9,000, but that increased to 20,000 with his summons.
'Their IDs are familiar. Are they top rankers?'
Grid hurriedly opened his inventory. Then he took out the Holy Light set that was so gorgeous it was burdensome to wear.
[You have equipped the Holy Light Battle Gear set.]
[The additional effects of defense +500 and health +6,000 have been received.]
The pure white armor with gold thread and the gloves gleamed. In addition, the small silver crown emanated dignity.
'Now he seems like a high level user. That scruffy appearance was just a gimmick.’ The moment that Black Teddy thought so. The person with the ID of Grid put away the dagger and pulled out a giant black greatsword.
"That sword…!"
Asuka's eyes widened with surprise.
What was the reason she joined the Tzedakah Guild? It was because she wanted to know the class of the helmeted person who displayed overwhelming skills at Winston and slaughtered the Giant Guild members.
She wanted to figure out all of the hidden classes.
As a second generation heir of a conglomerate, she came in contact with traders every day, and sometimes these traders sold her information about hidden classes. But she couldn't change into just any hidden class. There were countless types of hidden classes, so she needed a lot of information to make the best choice. She had to meet with as many hidden classes as possible.
But the Tzedakah Guild hid the man in the skull helmet and didn't let her meet him. It was annoying because she couldn't fulfill her original intention of joining the guild, but now she happen to come across him in an unexpected situation.
"You are the Psychopath Butcher right?" Asuka didn't conceal her friendly tone as she asked.
Grid wanted to snap at her.
The Frostlight Orc Chief's Helmet was destroyed by the pope! He appeared like a prince in a manhwa thanks to the silver crown, yet he was still being called psychopath.
'They know it's me due to Dainsleif, even if the Frostlight Orc Chief's Helmet is gone. Rather, shouldn't she be attracted to my appearance?'
The Holy Light Battle Gear set had a very beautiful appearance. He was confident that it was cooler than any existing battle gear set. Grid was expecting girls to think he looked cool when wearing this set.
However, he was mistaken. The completion of fashion relied on the face! Grid had a somewhat average appearance so he would only cause resentment when he tried to dress gorgeously.
"What happened to the skull helmet? I think I preferred it when you wore the skull helmet." Asuka talked randomly.
Then Grid's anger reached its peak.
“This girl… Not even introducing yourself before attacking someone… No, it's even a personal attack?"
Grid wasn't the type to become nice to someone because they were a woman. Asuka had a considerable beauty, but it wasn't enough to weaken Grid's mind.
"You'll be sorry!" Grid gritted his teeth and replied.
Then he started his sword dance. A sharp killing intent was concentrated on the greatsword and the air around it started to vibrate.
"Kill!"
A powerful attack flew towards Asuka's heart. The surprised Black Teddy commanded the white bear warrior.
"Defend the young lady!"
Kuwaaah!
The white bear warrior was level 280. Among Black Teddy's pets, it was the one with the strongest combat ability. It was stronger than a ranker. The bear swung and fist and stood up to the greatsword wrapped in darkness.
Kwaang!
The two collided. It seemed close at first glance, but that only lasted for a moment. The balance quickly broke as Grid's Kill tore the mighty flesh of the white bear. Then the greatsword went through the thick body of the white bear warrior.
Grrr!
The white bear's health was decreased by 1/3rd with one strike. Asuka would've fallen into a critical condition if hit by that. But the biggest advantage of a pet was that it didn't know pain. The bear didn't shrink back despite suffering massive damage. Instead, it counterattacked.
Peeok!
The head of the white bear warrior hit Grid's chest. But it didn't do much damage. Previously, Grid only wore boots and a cloak, so he was low in defense. Now he showed a high defense due to the Holy Light battle gear set. He didn't feel any pain at all from the headbutt.
Then the option of the Holy Light Gloves activated and 'Counterattack' was used, dealing great damage to the white bear warrior. In the end, Black Teddy had to interfere.
“Berserk!"
Summoners had dozens of passive and active skills that enhanced a pet's abilities. Among them, Berserk was a skill that only second advancement summoners could use. It gave pets a status conditions immune effect and temporarily doubled all of a pet's stats.
Kyaooooh!
The white bear cried out and swung its paws. Grid became on the defensive due to the fast and powerful onslaught. He would be subjected to terrible damage if he allowed the attack.
‘What is this all of a sudden?'
He was confused for a moment. Grid had a lot of combat experience so he quickly figured out the situation.
'Is it a temporary buff? The abilities are raised to this level, so the duration must be short.’
Grid triggered Pagma's Swordsmanship, Restraint. Then the white bear hesitated and retreated from Grid.
Black Teddy was nervous, ‘What is this all of a sudden? My commands aren't going through!'
The duration of Berserk was only 10 seconds. Every second spent retreating was valuable for Black Teddy. Grid triggered Blacksmith’s Rage in this gap and rushed towards Asuka.
Kaaang!
Asuka crossed her double swords and tried to fight back. But Grid took the lead with his fast pace, forcing her on the defensive without a chance to fight back.
'Strange.'
Asuka was filled with doubts after fighting Grid. The greatsword that Grid was using was over 3m in length and seemed extremely heavy. Then what was this attack speed?
'Isn't it normal for the attack speed to be slow?'
It was a stereotype. Dainsleif was very light, despite being a greatsword. It was a sword made by Albatino, who was called the best blacksmith before Pagma, and was made of black iron, which was harder than steel, but twice as light. Dainsleif was a weapon that minimized the disadvantages of a greatsword.
Chaaeng! Chaaeng!
At first glance, Asuka seemed to be on the defensive against Grid's ruthless strikes. But Asuka still had some room. In particular, this was her forte. Her class was a berserker. She became stronger as the battle continued. Asuka was able to adapt to Grid's attack speed and she finally started her counterattack.
"Sword Frenzy!"
Flash!
Asuka's blue eyes turned red the moment she activated a skill Then Asuka's double swords started to dance in a dazzling manner.
Chaeeeeeng!
It was the berserker's representative skill that attacked a target nine times, Sword Frenzy. Grid succeeded in defending against six strikes, but was unable to prevent the remaining three and was hurt.
[You have suffered 1,700 damage.]
[You have suffered 1,650 damage.]
[You have suffered 1,810 damage.]
Asuka provoked Grid, "Certainly, your defense has increased since you equipped the armor. But isn't it just high defense? You can't catch up with the speed of my double swords and will just be a sandbag."
Grid scoffed.
"Pagma's Swordsmanship, Link!"
Papat! Pa pa pa pa!
"…?!"
Black energy swords were generated at a tremendous rate and hit Asuka. The confused Asuka once again triggered Sword Frenzy, but it was useless. Sword Frenzy might attack 9 times, but Pagma's Swordsmanship, Link, attacked a total of 17 times. Sword Frenzy couldn't completely offset it and Asuka's body became covered with wounds.
Then Grid pointed his sword at Asuka's neck.
“What is your purpose for attacking me?"
On the other hand…
[Magic power has started to manipulate your body. It is hard to reject.]
[You will become the puppet of 'Box' for three seconds.]
'This!'
Toban couldn't move his body according to his will. He was the 1st ranked paladin with high magic resistance, so how could he be manipulated so easily? Toban thought it was ridiculous.
'I still have a long way to go.'
It hurt his reputation. It was an insult that couldn't be washed away. Toban trembled. However, the person who was really shocked was Box, not Toban.
'I can only control him for three seconds?'
Puppet magic was the ultimate magic for a linker. It was a powerful magic that sent magic power into the body of the target in order to manipulate it. And Box's ability to control magic power was by far the best among the linkers. If Box used the puppet spell, he could manipulate a monster for up to 5 minutes and a user for 30 seconds.
Yet Toban was only three seconds?
'The higher the level and magic resistance of the target, the lower the manipulation time. But… Isn't it guaranteed at least 10 seconds, even if the opponent has a higher level than me?'
Toban's magic resistance seemed to be different from all the opponents he met so far. Box admired it.
'This is the dignity of the 1st ranked paladin. The Tzedakah Guild is filled with monsters.'
Puppet had a cooldown time of two hours. It was a skill that could only be used once every two hours, so it was a waste to control a person for only three seconds. Box sighed and started to control the magic power connected to Toban.
"Chief, go and help Asuka."
"H-Hey! Stop!”
Toban begged but it was no use. His body suddenly moved into the gap between Grid and Asuka. Then he used a shield to deflect the greatsword pointing at Asuka's neck.
"…Toban?" Grid's eyes widened.
Toban laughed awkwardly, "Ah, hello?"
The puppet magic was released. Toban could move freely so he tried to explain the matter, but Box interrupted. “I am glad to meet you for the first time, Grid."
"Who are you?"
Grid felt instinctive dislike whenever he met a handsome man. So his expression darkened the moment Box appeared. Then Box said to him. “The three of us joined the guild a while ago. Right now, we are helping Chief with a quest. The quest requires us to kill you."
"Eh?"
Grid doubted his ears and looked at Toban. The panicked Toban explained the situation.
“Grid, it is a misunderstanding. I didn't know that you were the target of the quest. This is…"
Kyaooooh!
The white bear warrior was released from the influence of Restraint. Then it ran to Grid, who was listening to Toban, and smacked Grid on the head.
[You have suffered 3,200 damage.]
Jeurereuk.
Grid spoke softly while bleeding from the head, "Are you talking to keep my attention so that someone else can attack…? Toban, are you really going to be like this?"
It was a huge misunderstanding. Toban panicked. At this rate, Grid might not make an item for him at all. He couldn't push Grid. Therefore, he had to get rid of this misunderstanding.
“Black Teddy! What are you doing? Can't you understand the atmosphere? Grid is a fellow guild member! Stop attacking!"
Toban shouted but Black Teddy just stroked his teddy bear and pretended not to know anything. In the end, Grid's anger exploded.
"Toban… You must've held a tremendous grudge after saying that I would make you item last. Right? So now you want revenge?"
Toban shouted, "That isn't the case! Right now, I am doing a quest to kill the mysterious person who kill the pope and took the treasures! I didn't know that the person would be you!"
“Didn't you attack me after knowing the truth? You know that I am the enigmatic person, so this is a great opportunity to proceed with the quest? Right?"
“No! Listen to my explanation! We don't have to fight! Sell me the treasures! I just need the treasures!"
“…You just need the treasures?"
Grid started to understand the situation. A relieved Toban pointed to the items that Grid was wearing.
"The Holy Light set. That’s what I need."
Grid frowned, "Are you crazy? I won't sell."
"H-Hey, Grid. I'll give you a lot of money. Please do this for me just once. Yes?"
Toban begged. In fact, Grid was inwardly delighted. He was thinking that it wouldn't be possible to sell these items due to the limited usage conditions. Grid started acting as he asked.
"Sigh… I will consider agreeing to the favor since we are part of the same guild. How much will you buy it for?"
“2,000 gold each, for a total of 6,000 gold?"
Toban didn't know the features of the Holy Light set. He regarded it as simple quest items when he set the price. He was confident that he set a high price, but Grid was annoyed.
Even if it had a system of exclusive use, the Holy Light set still had a legendary rating. He thought he would get at least two million gold for each piece. But Toban wanted to buy it for 2,000 gold each? He must be joking.
“Are you playing with me right now?"
Wasn't this reaction strange? Toban changed the value.
"Then 2,200 gold each…?"
“Get lost.”
“How much do you want?"
"Two million gold each."
"What?"
Grid was adamant. The Holy Light set was excellent, so it was better to use it himself unless it was sold for two million gold each. He wouldn't sell it for any less than that. But from Toban's perspective, the Holy Light set were simple quest items and Grid seemed like a scammer.
“Hey, this is honestly too much… I received my first SS-grade quest so please help me clear it…"
Box whispered to Toban who had a grim expression on his face.
–Chief, we want to fight with Grid to see his strength. We will kill him and obtain the items for you. Okay?
It was the temptation of the devil. Toban asked Grid one last time, "Grid, these items… Do you really intend to sell it for two million gold each? It isn't a joke?"
“I'm being serious. I'm not joking."
The negotiations broke down. Toban closed his eyes. And he whispered to Box.
–Pretend to use magic on me!
“…?”
Box was puzzled but acted according to Toban's request. He used a spell to enchant Toban. Then Toban suddenly disappeared. He shouted and sat down. Then he started acting.
"No? What is this? I can't move one finger freely. This is the ultimate linker magic that controls the target at will. I have been hit by Puppet! Oh my! This is serious! I can no longer stop them from attacking. Grid! It's dangerous!"
“…”
OG:
Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.