by Park Saenal
The pride they’d felt about belonging to the huge Kir’s Company had long been lost. Just as the Kir members sank into despair, a voice entered their ears, “Use the elves as a shield!”
It was the call of Merchant King Kir.
“Swap to ranged weapons! Those who know how to use magic, don’t save your mana potions! Push at Grid without resting! Don’t shrink back! You will be safe if you use the elves as shields!”
‘Safe.’ This one word raised the morale of the Kir members.
The members of the company hid among the thousands of elves and pulled out weapons like bows and throwing daggers. The magicians, who hadn’t been able to perform their roles due to the Magic Missiles fired by the God Hands, also started to cast magic.
A total of 32 rankers, including Boutian and Arisa, started to act as well.
“Stone Shower.” Boutian’s magic dumped a pile of stones onto Grid. Meanwhile, Arisa reached Grid’s side and swung her scimitar.
“Heh, I didn’t expect you to block it. Did you get better after the National Competition?” Arisa smiled with admiration as Grid blocked her attack. “But won’t this be more difficult?”
Quick Movements—it was the buff skill that Grid or the God Hands developed using a specific ‘dagger’ as a medium. Due to watching hundreds of Grid’s battles, Arisa knew that its duration was about to end, and it was just as she expected. While avoiding Boutian’s continuous spells, Grid avoided Arisa’s second and third attacks before being hit by her fourth one. Arisa’s scimitar fell like lightning and cut Grid’s chest as Arisa’s subordinates joined her belatedly.
“The timing is perfect.” Grid laughed with ridicule as he faced Arisa’s colleagues.
“…?” Arisa’s eyes widened in confusion after hearing Grid’s murmur.
[You have become affected by poison!]
[It is an irresistible poison!]
[You will receive 4,300 damage per second!]
‘What?’
Where had this poison fog suddenly come from? The poisoned Arisa began to panic. Her subordinates joined her one step late and bombarded Grid. The swords and spears stabbed at Grid’s body. Every time it happened, a dark green fog was released from Grid’s armor.
“Cough!”
A crazy situation unfolded as the health gauges of the dozens of people attacking Grid simultaneously started to decrease significantly.
“Isn’t this a scam? What type of reflexes is this?”
There was poison in addition to the high defense? Arisa moved backward with a frown and hurriedly drank an antidote. However, it was a foolish act. Taking a potion in front of the target without restraining their actions was no different from committing suicide.
Grid asked, “Don’t you have experience dealing with enemies much stronger than you?”
He mocked Arisa’s stupidity as his sword pierced Arisa’s chest. This was the moment when the health gauge of the level 352 ranker, Arisa, was reduced by one-fifth with a single strike.
[You have suffered 14,900 damage.]
[The durability of the Organ Armor has decreased by 20.]
“Huh?”
Why did a basic attack contain so much power? Arisa’s face hardened as she suffered great damage despite the legendary armor she wore. She sensed her impending death and closed her eyes, expecting the black flames that killed Tarma in the National Competition to engulf her.
However, the flames didn’t explode. Instead, Grid recovered his sword and quickly left this place to avoid the Earthquake spell that Boutian had used. The other rankers chased Grid. During the time in which Arisa had been taking an antidote, the rankers used all types of buffs that increased their power by 200%.
No matter how strong Grid was, the power of 30 rankers at level 300 wouldn’t be easy to handle. Therefore, he used a skill for the first time. “Pagma’s Swordsmanship.”
That’s right. So far, Grid had only been using basic attacks, and no one in Kir’s Company had noticed this` until now.
“Wave.”
“Avoid it!”
Link, Kill, Wave, Pinnacle, Transcend, and so on—most of Pagma’s Swordsmanship had been exposed to the world. As such, all the talented rankers were prepared to cope with Pagma’s Swordsmanship and were quick to respond. They hurriedly moved their bodies away from the range of Wave’s sword energy.
“Over here!” Boutian cried out as he hid among the elves like a rat and continued using magic. Arisa and the rankers rushed to his side and hid among the elves, grabbing and threatening them with blades to their necks.
“There is a limit to the power of an individual, no matter how strong.”
“I don’t know how you happened to be with the First Knight, but can you rescue all the elves?”
“`Stop fighting right now. Then we will give you a few elves as gifts. Let’s leave each other on good terms.”
The selfish members of Kir’s Company deluded themselves.
“XXX.” Grid wasn’t greatly concerned about the elves. The reason Grid didn’t use a wide area skill wasn’t because he was afraid of harming the elves. He just didn’t feel the need to use skills to handle these small fries. “Now it is annoying.”
The Kir members ignited Grid’s rage again by taking the elves as hostages, and the cost for it was disastrous. The Enlightenment Sword was filled with a red and purple energy as the Hero King’s fighting energy sublimated the power of the Undefeated King. Grid used 100,000 Army Massacre Sword—a skill which had been used against the dragon that had suddenly emerged in the National Competition.
“You—!”
The company members were astonished that such a ruthless skill was being used. Arisa hurriedly shouted, “Are you insane? Are you planning to kill all the elves?”
“What?” Grid jeered but his eyes weren’t smiling. “The elves won’t die from this.”
His sword tilted, and the intense aura around his body shone like a sun shortly before exploding.
“100,000 Army.”
Boutian was the person Grid viewed as the strongest in Kir’s Company, and that’s why he was the target. Grid’s sharp sword aimed at Boutian.
“Wait! Wouldn’t you rather use that power to help the First Knight?” Kir’s voice suddenly rang out. “I don’t know what the story is but isn’t the First Knight accompanying you right now? Her life is being threatened by the Death God.”
Grid paused the activation of the skill and spoke in a tone that was as calm as possible, “Death God?”
Then Grid’s gaze shifted and saw that Mercedes’ bright hair had lost its pigments as she was trapped in the dark curtain. A scythe held by a bone-white hand aimed for her neck.
“That player is a master of defense and has the power to deal a definitive death to the target. I am convinced that his special way of fighting is beyond the most powerful NPC…” Kir looked at Mercedes and Knight while explaining, only to close his mouth before finishing.
Mercedes suddenly unfolded bright wings of light and raised her sword. The darkness surrounding her on all sides was broken, and a pillar of gray soared up.
[Your party member Knight has died.]
“…What?” Kir approximately knew what Mercedes’ and Knight’s skills were like, so he hadn’t expected such results. Unlike what he bragged, he hadn’t thought that Knight would win, just that he would buy more time. However, what was this result?
Kir couldn’t shut his mouth as the landscape turned red. It was the aftermath of the massacre.
“100,000 Army Massacre Sword.”
There were 30 strikes in one second. The strongest energy blades poured down at a speed that couldn’t be pursued by the eyes, damaging Boutian and everyone in the area. Blood soaked the forest.
Chapter 831
Chapter 831
These elves had survived Mercedes’ and Grids’ attacks, and Beniyaru had even endured Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle. The elves had a high defense vitality, unlike their slender bodies which were covered with just a few leav
es. They were an upper-level species different from vampires.
However, could they withstand the 100,000 Army Massacre Sword?
[100,000 Army Massacre Sword (Degraded) Lv. 1]
[-Deals 60% of your attack power 30 times to everyone (can’t distinguish between friend or foe) in a 10-meter radius.]
It was impossible to confirm. Despite being degraded, the swordsmanship of the Undefeated King that ‘slaughtered’ 100,000 enemies had a power beyond Pagma’s Swordsmanship. There was even the possibility of the black flames exploding when 100,000 Army Massacre Sword was used with the +1 Enlightenment Sword.
So why? Why did Grid use the 100,000 Army Massacre Sword when he wanted to save the elves? It was because he had faith. There was a thimble on Grid’s long and thick thumb.
[Elf’s Bow Thimble (Made by Pagma)]
[Rating: Legendary
Durability: 111/111
* Bow attack speed +20% when worn (elves receive double the effect).
* Allows normal attacks or skill attacks to switch to ‘target mode’ (Three-minute cooldown. The cooldown is halved when used by an elf).
-A legendary item received from Death Knight Povia on the Behen Archipelago!]
It was a fraudulent item that transformed non-targeted skills into targeted skills. However, Grid’s brain hadn’t been in an active state when he received the thimble. He hadn’t recognized the fraudulent nature of the thimble and had only been fascinated with the 100,000 Army Swordsmanship. As such, he had naturally forgotten about the bow thimble.
Consequently, the biggest harvest Grid got from discovering the forest of the world tree was actually realizing the use of the bow thimble. Grid put on the World Tree’s Necklace and the bow thimble, then he used the skill.
“100,000 Army Massacre Sword.”
He used a wide-range skill, but only the bodies of the Kir members were blown away from where they were hiding amidst the thousands of elves. Black flames occasionally swept over the elves.
“Kyaaak!”
“Uhh…!”
The basic vitality of the elves’ was high enough for them to not die. However, the two or three successive explosions caused the elves to be seriously injured.
“Look. The elves wouldn’t die from this much.”
In the end, they would just have to endure it even if it hurt. Grid confirmed the countless gray pillars that rose into the air and used Revolve immediately after 100,000 Army Massacre Sword. Then Arisa’s scimitar which aimed at Grid ended up reversing and striking herself in the chest instead. She fell into a stunned state from receiving the great damage and cried out in a trembling voice, “What the hell is this…?”
The black flames were the instant skill which had killed Tarma instantly during the National Competition. Yet how many times did the black flames just explode in a row? Every skill had a cooldown, and the more powerful the skill, the longer the cooldown would be. Logically, this situation was completely incomprehensible.
Grid asked the confused Arisa, “What do you mean?”
That’s right. Grid didn’t understand Arisa’s question. He didn’t know that Arisa and others had misunderstood the black flames as a skill! Grid’s basic attack struck once at Arisa’s unprotected side. Then he stabbed a second time and a third time.
However, the third strike wasn’t required. Arisa was already seriously damaged from the time she was hit with Revolve, and she turned to gray after Grid’s second blow. A high-level player who couldn’t be harmed by hundreds of 200+ level players had been helpless before Grid’s nonsensical attacks.
Grid wanted to shout, ‘All existences apart from me are equal!’
Knight, who had been hired for millions of gold, and the top members that Kir had fostered were brutally killed, leaving Kir speechless. “Crazy…”
The disaster called ‘Grid’ was something that the 1st ranked merchant and so-called Merchant King was unfamiliar with. Only 34 people survived the bombardment of 100,000 Army Massacre Sword. Having lost their killing intent, they simply stood silently. No one interfered with Grid as he approached Kir.
Everything Kir had done was in vain. The army that he’d built with his hard-earned strength was made to kneel before a one-man army. Grid was an unjust existence for Kir, who lived with the power of money.
‘…Power is imperative.’ Kir realized that he shouldn’t be elated about purchasing one city. The thing he needed was the power to break through the limits of money. ‘The money I invested in a small city could’ve been spent on the emperor.’
Grid wouldn’t have dared be so hostile to him if Kir were under the aegis of the empire. While Kir was feeling regretful and remorseful, Grid arrived right in front of him and asked, “Is there a demand for elf slaves?”
“Don’t you think it is a merchant’s role to create demand? Why? Do you intend to find the slave buyers and punish them? Is that your justice?”
“I’m not that diligent. I was just wondering how many people take for granted the buying and selling of people?”
“People?” Kir doubted his ears and burst out laughing. “Are you crazy? Are you going to say that the masses of AI are actually people?”
Anger filled Kir’s eyes. “NPCs exist for the convenience and progress of us players. Only players can be called people. Have you forgotten the reality of games after marrying an NPC and giving birth to one? Or is it your wish? Are you one of those madmen who wish to become an NPC so that your wife and child are real?”
In reality, many people fell in love with anime characters television. So, it wasn’t strange that people would fall in love with NPCs who could actually converse, touch, and share emotions.
“Kukuk!” Kir could only laugh. He had been fiercely playing the game in order to fulfill his grand dream of completing his revenge against his father. Meanwhile, a famous ranker had been playing house with NPCs.
“…I can’t acknowledge it.” Kir’s anger exploded. He stared at Grid with murderous eyes and pulled out a heavy bag. Based on the sounds the bag was making, it was clearly full of money. Were there gold coins that weighed around hundreds of kilograms?
“You carry that much money with you? You are the 1st ranked merchant for a reason.” The surprised Grid scoffed. “So what? Will you give me money in order to spare you? Okay. Give it a try. I might spare you depending on the amount.”
He had succeeded in rescuing the elves, and Mercedes was wiping out the remaining members of Kir’s Company. Kir was the only one left, so Grid could afford to spare him. He didn’t have any personal grudges that made him want to kill Kir, and there was no reason to reject the offer.
However, Kir ridiculed Grid, “You talked about different things, but you are the same as the rest.”
In the end, humans wanted money. It was rare for a human to not be greedy. Kir once again remembered this fact.
“Money? If you want it then I’ll give it to you!” He shouted and swung the bag full of money toward Grid.
‘Is he crazy?’
Was this called an attack? Grid was unfamiliar with the merchant class and saw them as having no combat power. Therefore, this attack seemed meaningless. It was so lame that he couldn’t even mock it.
“…!” Grid shook his head and was too surprised when he was about to be hit by Kir’s attack. It was because he couldn’t avoid Kir’s slow move.
[The huge power of gold stimulates your greed.]
[You can’t resist. You have been attracted by the gold force.]
‘What?’ Grid felt a moment of anxiety. Then the heavy money bag struck Grid’s face.
[You have suffered 1 damage.]
[The weight of riches is a great law. You can’t bear the weight!]
[You have exited from the battlefield!]
Grid’s body flew high into the sky and disappeared.
Chapter 832
Chapter 832
“Y-Your Majesty!”
What was this? It was an unbelievable sight! Mercedes looked at the sky with
a devastated expression. Then Kir urged her, “Your Majesty? Are you referring to Grid? Then you should hurry. Isn’t it dangerous to be alone this deep in the forest?”
“Kuk!” There was nothing more important than her master’s safety. Mercedes looked at the elves and then at the ugly Kir before leaving without hesitation. She ran in the direction that Grid had flown to. It was only after she had left completely that Kir revealed his desperate situation. “Another unexpected expenditure…”
[Flying Money]
[-Hits the target and blow them away. It applies to everyone that can’t resist the smell of money, except a certain species.
It inflicts 1 damage to the target and blows the target 3 kilometers away.
Skill Resource Consumption: Gold in proportion to the target’s level and attack power will be consumed. The skill won’t activate if there isn’t enough gold.
Skill Cooldown Time: None.]
Flying Money was a survival skill that only a third advancement merchant could acquire. Since there were only two merchants who had acquired their third advancement class, there were only a few people who knew the identity of this skill. This meant people didn’t know much about the skill, and even Kir couldn’t grasp it accurately.
Why? That was because he’d never used it before! As a result, he confirmed that it was a very powerful skill that guaranteed a high survival rate.
“…430,000 gold was blown away.”
An absurd amount of money was consumed. Kir expected the spending to be great considering the effect of the skill, but he hadn’t expected it to be so big. When he saw that his number of gold had sharply decreased, Kir trembled. The operation to capture the elves had failed because of Grid, and Kir was forced to give up ownership of the world tree. This resulted in a total loss of 40.43 million gold, which was worth more than 48.5 billion won. The loss was so large that it was hard for Kir to bear.
“Dammit…! Dammit!!”
