Overgeared Chapter 365:

Chapter 365

Peok peok!

Peok peok peok!

The battle between Grid and the rabbits was coming to an end. He squeezed out his last remaining power to prevent the rabbits from attacking, evading and then succeeding in a counterattack to win.

Jjik!

Kuuong!

"Hahat!"

The rabbits made X-shaped eyes and died. Grid saw them and felt like a 10 year slump had disappeared. He had been killed by rabbits more than a dozen times in the past! He was glad to be able to erase that terrible black history that he didn't want to think about again. His mind was lightened and pleasure filled his body. 

He felt rejuvenated.

"Kuahahahat!"

Grid laughed with joy. Of course, he paid special attention to his image as lord of Reidan and master of Overgeared. He tried to laugh in as dignified a manner as possible. Sticks' face was confused as he watched Grid.

'One of the nine legends, Pagma's Descendant is fighting with rabbits?'

It couldn't be. Sticks denied reality and urged Grid.

“Grid, stop joking and start now."

This seemed like a peaceful forest, but there would certainly be a fearsome monster at the end.

‘I encountered a gourmet dragon… What if Grid encounters a light dragon or dark dragon?'

He wouldn't be deceived by Grid who was harassing 'innocent' rabbits. There was a high possibility that a rare dragon existed in this forest. In a short while, Grid would fight against the dragon.

The moment Sticks tried to maintain his tension.

Fla~sh!

A flash of light fell onto Grid's body, who was holding a wooden sword above a rabbit. It was the symbol of a level up. Sticks saw it and faced reality.

"D-Don't tell me… Does this mean hunting rabbits was really your biggest ordeal?"

No, what was this? Sticks couldn't understand it at all.

"Hum hum."

Grid turned away from the confused Sticks. He was embarrassed and had nothing to say. He just checked the notification window that appeared.

[Your level has risen.]

[10 stat points have been acquired.]

'Okay.'

The lower the level, the lower the power of the stats. The basics stats were so low that it was easy to feel strong with a new investment of stat points.

'First of all, increase agility to 10.'

The rest would be invested in strength. It was the ideal stat distribution to increase the speed of hunting for novice beginners.

[Your agility has risen.]

[Your agility has risen.]

…

[Your strength has risen.]

[Your strength…]

…

Gaining three levels was the condition to clearing the 30th island. Grid invested his stat points without any delay.

'Next is the deer.'

He faced the threat that were the thirsty deer at the lake shore.

Sneak sneak.

Grid approached the deer as sneakily as possible. Originally, the deer were difficult for level 2 beginners. The deer's physical strength and attack power was at least three times higher than rabbits.

But who was Grid?

'I am a legend!'

Grid was filled with courage as he hunted the deer. He paid attention to the deer's kick, keeping a distance favorable to him before striking the deer with the sword.

The 30th island. The worst gateway that caused a challenger's despair by 100% reproducing their worst trial…

It was the moment when 1st ranked Kraugel's place of frustration was turned into a basic training field for Grid.

***

[You have succeeded in the mission.]

[500 challenger points have been acquired.]

[Your level has returned to normal.]

Grid, who returned to the level 306 Pagma's Descendant from the level 3 beginner, was impressed.

'My body feels great.'

His body was light and boiling with power. He stretched out his hand and a sharp wave burst out. He jumped slightly and reached an explosive height.  He had perfect and delicate control over each of his 10 fingers.

This was the flesh of a legend, compared to a level 3 beginner.

'I was unaware that my body has grown to this extent.'

In other words, it meant he hadn't been using his body properly.

'Moving forward, I have to pay more attention to it.'

Grid contemplated on his past self.  He was growing in real time. Sticks wasn't aware of this and asked with a loud voice.

"…Are you really Pagma’s Descendant?"

It was a question full of distrust. Grid's appearance was shocking as he struggled with the rabbits and deers. In the end, Grid couldn't ignore him any longer and spoke honestly.

"I am dull-witted. I was always inferior to others, and went through trials that others wouldn't have experienced. Does that mean I shouldn't be a legend?"

Pride was in Grid's eyes. It was pride in himself. Sticks felt his confidence and shook his head.

“No, that isn't it. I don't have any doubts."

A dull-witted person was born again as a legend. That was even better than the genius legends. It meant he tried harder than anyone else.

“Maybe I respect you more."

Sticks smiled and spoke in a straightforward manner. Grid smiled in response and walked to the gate of the 31st island.

***

[You have entered the 31st island.]

The 31st island was uncharted territory for Sticks. He was surprised to see the scene stretched out in front of him.

"City…?"

That's right. The 31st island was a city. Hundreds of buildings were lined in four rows, and the streets were crowded with carriages and people. 'Where is this place? Why is a city recreated?' Grid's voice was heard as Sticks tried to reason it out.

"This is the fortified city of Patrian."

He couldn't forget the city that he stayed in for one year, from level 1 to level 80.

"But why was this recreated? From what I recalled, I died less than 10 times in the city."

"Huh? You died so many times within a city? Did you commit a crime that deserved the death penalty?"

"No way, that's impossible. I was just walking on the streets when I was hit by a wagon, died from a flowerpot dropped from the third floor, or was caught and killed by hoodlums."

“Your luck isn't ordinary."

As the two people talked, several notification windows popped up. Thanks to this, Grid knew what needed to be done here.

[Your level has dropped to level 23.]

[A mission will be created.]

[31st Island]

The place and situation of the quest that you failed the most number of times has been 100% created.

Overcome the trial and jump past your previous self!

Mission Clear Conditions: Succeed in the quest that you failed in the past.

First Clear Reward: 600 Challenger Points.

First Clear Reward 2: The rewards you obtain with the quest.

[The mission will start 30 minutes from now.]

“The quest I failed the most times?"

It was difficult to pinpoint what quest he failed the most number of times. A golden exclamation point appeared on one side as Grid tried to recall the memory. It was a quest window.

[Participate in the Reserve Forces Training]

Level of Difficulty: Regular quest.

Patrian is a fortified city built for the purpose of controlling the Gauss Kingdom.

Players who belong to Patrian are obliged to do a certain amount of training as part of the reserve forces.

Train under the instructor at the training ground.

Quest Clear Condition: Get a passing grade for each training course.

Quest Reward: Depends on the passing rank.

"Ah, this quest."

It was a quest that repeated once a month. They would be trapped in the barracks if they refused to do it. It was an obligatory quest that users belonging to Patrian had to perform. Of course, Grid also participated in the full time training.

However, there was a problem.

'I never got a passing score…'

He didn't know how many times he failed. It couldn't be helped. The significance of the military training was to raise usable soldiers. It was natural for Patrian to endeavor to nurture reservists to a level that could be used. The problem was that Grid didn't respond to Patrian's efforts.

'The training was too difficult.'

Patrian's reserve army training was largely divided into weapons training, formation building training, and squad training, which was very difficult.

'There were many people besides me who didn't receive a passing mark.'

In fact, there were less than 10 people, but Grid's memories showed that there were hundreds of them.

***

Name: Grid

Class: Warrior

Level: 23

Health: 1,161    Mana: 45

Strength: 187   Stamina: 40

Agility: 22     Intelligence: 15

Skills Possessed:

Beginner Sword Mastery Lv. 2, Beginner Armor Mastery Lv.2, Charge Lv. 1, Full Swing Lv. 1.

"The stats distribution is too ignorant."

The balance of stats was too bad. He wanted to curse his level 23 self.

'It's all about strength except for a little bit of stamina.'

His agility and intelligence was stagnant as the basic ability of a warrior. His attack speed and evasion were the lowest, and he didn't have the mana to use skills. Using the Charge or Full Swing skill once would deplete all his mana.

The items he had:

[Blunt Greatsword]

Attack Power: 32~71

Attack Speed: -3%

[Old Skull Helmet]

Defense: 2

[Old Orc Armor]

Defense: 13

[Old Goblin Shoes]

Defense: 2

'The items are also messed up… No, isn't it better to have set items from one type of monster?'

How had he been playing the game in the past?

'This is why I only reached level 80 despite playing the game for a whole year… No, I only got to level 79.'

He could only sigh. In his current state, it was doubtful if he could clear the quest.

'I just need to focus on the training and it will be good.'

It was a matter of technical training and sparring. He could handle the sword at a good level and was also decent with the spear due to Pon. Therefore, he was only worried about archery. He didn't have Bow Mastery and his agility was the lowest, so he wondered if he could hit the target with a single arrow.

'I am also worried about not being able to use skills properly during the spar.'

Sticks looked at Grid's anxious expression and became nervous.

“Is the difficulty of this trial so high? Don't tell me…! This time it is a dragon…!"

He was suffering under a curse from a dragon, so his dragon trauma was quite strong.

“Don’t worry. You won't meet a dragon when you are with me."

Grid reassured Sticks and took a deep breath.

'Now believe in me.'

Since becoming Pagma's Descendant, he went against many enemies that ordinary users couldn't overcome alone. Now he would overcome his past self.

"Let's go."

Grid braced himself and entered the training camp. The instructor saw him and shouted.

“There you are, Blue Falcon! You're late again! Hurry up, hurry, you **** who is weaker than a dog!"

"…!"

Blue Falcon! ()

It was an embarrassing nickname that he had erased from his memories. Grid's face distorted like a demon as he stared at the instructor. The castle's training instructor. The old man who ignored him and harassed him to death!

'I might've had no experience at that time…!'

But not anymore.

'I will make shock appear on your face!'

Grid's determination was boiling up.

OG: 

Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.

Chapter 366

Grid was well aware of the importance of drills as a former member of the South Korean army.

It was to quickly and easily control the army, for order and unity, to reduce the number of incidents, and to instill a sense of purpose. Drills were the most basic and crucial virtue of the army.

"The biggest reason why an army operates effectively is due to the formations. Imagine a large group of people. What if the shield troops were in the rear and the archers were in the vanguard? Isn't that just rubbish?"

The higher the level of training, the faster the speed of the formation. The faster the speed that a formation was formed, the higher the probability was of winning the war. Grid smiled as he watched the instructor explain why drills were so important.

'In the past, I wasn't able to concentrate.'

The reserves were brought to the training ground and given theoretical education. What type of game was this? In the past, Grid had grumbled and couldn't concentrate on learning.

“Hey, Blue Falcon.”

Instructor Kaesul  glared at Grid.

“Why is it that you doze off every time I an educating you?"

Patrian was a fortified city, so the military training was very strict. Of course, this also applied to players.

“Is my education useless? Have you already mastered this?"

The instructor shouted angrily.

"Stand up!"

Grid stood up. He knew it was wrong to laugh at the instructor, and absolute obedience was necessary to receive a passing score.

“Attention! Parade rest! Align right!"

Grid followed the simple command while the instructor smiled.

“I will teach you to smile while I'm talking."

After that, the instructor forced Grid to follow all types of actions. He tried to make it confusing and complex by making Grid move to the front, back, and right side, then he would punish Grid when he got it wrong. However…

Cheok!

Cheok cheok cheok cheok!

'Wow.'

Instructor Kaesul was puzzled when Grid didn't hesitate when following the orders.

Blue Falcon, Grid. He never received a passing grade in any training and was inferior to the other troops, so how could he follow this? Despite his weak stamina, he performed the commands perfectly without losing concentration.

There was something even more surprising.

'Did his eyes always look like this?'

Grid was famous with Instructor Kaeul and the assistants. He was dumb, not motivated, weak, and had eyes like rotten fish. Now Grid wasn't stupid, was full of desire, and concentrated enough to overcome his weak stamina.

The rotten fish eyes? They were sharp and keen, like there was a reversal. Some people would shrink back when facing it.

"…Hum hum."

When would this inferior soldier collapse? Instructor Kaesul kept giving commands and eventually gave up. He cleared his throat and spoke while avoiding Grid's gaze.

"You have mastered these drills. How hard did you practice? Go back to your spot."

"Yes!"

Grid responded vigorously and rejoined the ranks. Honestly, he didn't feel good. As the duke of a kingdom, he was being insulted by a trainer and tested on an extreme level? It was shameful. But this wasn't a situation to hold onto his pride.

'Right now, I'm only a level 23 warrior.'

Yes, this was currently the past. He had to conform to this situation in order to pass the 31st island.

"I will conduct the test from now on!"

After around three hours of training, the test was started. The result was amazing. Blue Falcon Grid was ranked number one in the test. Compared to the other reservists, he maintained his concentration and performed the drills of the instructor completely and thoroughly.

'Did he eat something wrong?'

The instructor and assistants were bewildered.

***

Camp building exercises. It was about climbing up a mountain behind the training ground and making a shelter.

“It's just shovelling."

"How hard is it to dig a pit?"

The reservists holding one shovel thought it was easy. However, Grid knew the significance of building a camp. It was to provide cover from enemy attacks and to protect their teammates.

'It isn't just digging a pit. It needs to have defensive power.'

Grid judged and looked carefully at the mountain. Then he found a place where there were vines and bushes between two trees. He approached it and started digging. The other reservists laughed at him.

'The trees and bushes will interfere with the digging action.'

'It will take a while to dig a pit.'

'Noob, no wonder why he's being ignored by the instructor.'

He would receive the lowest points. The reservists made fun of Grid and started digging at the ground. Their digging pace was incredible. It was obvious that they wanted to finish this tiresome training.

On the other hand, Grid's digging speed was slow.

'Digging too quickly is exhausting.’

Grid had served in the Korean army for more than a year, so he was used to labor. For Grid, digging was one of his few specialties.

'Digging works the heart and muscles because it leans on the upper body.'

If he didn't want to collapse from tiredness, it was more effective to do it slowly and steadily.

Puk!

His right hand grasped the handle while his left hand grasped the bottom portion of the shovel. His speed was very slow compared to others, but that only lasted for a short period of time. The speed at which Grid dug the ground was three times faster than the others. The others became exhausted while Grid maintained his pace. 

"Hah… Overcoming low stamina with know-how."

The instructor and assistants observing the reservists couldn't keep their eyes off Grid. Grid's digging skill was the best. It was enough to remind them of a professional digger. It was natural that Grid would take the first place in the camp building test.

'Good.'

Grid's face brightened as he erased a few pathetic memories from the past. His high pride after fighting with Kraugel became more robust.

***

Weapons testing.

The reservists, who learned the basic skills of handling spears, swords, and bows, stood in front of a scarecrow.

Instructor Kaesul shouted, “First is the spear!"

At the same time.

Blue, red, and green dots covered the bodies of the scarecrows in front of the reservists. The blue dots were the size of a 500 yen coin, while the red and green dots were like billiard balls.

"Over the next three minutes, the three types of dots will emerge alternately. You will get one point when striking the blue dot, 5 points for the red dot, and 10 points for the green dot. You will pass if you get at least 50 points in three minutes.”

In the past, this was a test that Grid had never succeeded in.

The dots with the three colors flashed too quickly before disappearing, and there was no regularity. In the past, Grid couldn't exert much control over the spear and wasn't able to gain 50 points in three minutes.

Now it was different.

Cheok!

Grid moved his right foot back and wielded the spear. He'd hunted with the strongest spearman Pon, and got a look at the spear techniques and movements.

More than anything, the current Grid…

'I am a person who understands the divine spear.'

Once he understood the structure of a weapon, he naturally realized how to use it.

Flash!

Grid's eyes saw the signal in front of him.

Beeeok-!

"…!"

The instructors, assistants and even reservists were surprised by the sound and turned their attention to Grid. Grid had stabbed precisely at the blue dot on the scarecrow. Everyone who saw it were shocked beyond admiration, but Grid wasn't satisfied.

'Indeed, my agility is too low.'

The speed of the spear was slow and it wasn't very precise. He tried to aim at the center of the blue dot, but it deviated to the left. Grid was complaining when he suddenly realized.

'Kraugel wouldn't complain like me.'

He would overcome the ordeal, no matter how bad his condition.

'Yes, I don't have the time for regrets.'

He concentrated harder and tried to use the spear to the best of his ability.

Peeeeeong!

The spear let out a sound again as it struck. The instructor couldn't close his mouth when he saw that Grid once again hit the blue spot.

'No, what's up with him today?'

He knew the Blue Falcon. He seemed like a completely different person.

Diririri-

After a while, Grid's scarecrow scoreboard achieved 100 points.

"What…?"

The instructor turned pale. 100 points in 1 minute and 23 seconds. Grid set a record that even the most experienced knight apprentices couldn't beat. The instructor couldn't tell if this was a dream or reality.

A notification window appeared in front of Grid.

[You have set a new record in Patrian's reserve forces training Spear Test!]

[The rare skill 'Spear Shot' has been acquired as a hidden reward.]

[Spear Shot Lv.1]

Throws a spear that deals 600% physical damage to the target. The enemy will fall down. 

* You must reclaim the spear in the thrown window. If you fail to retrieve it within 30 seconds, you will lose ownership of the spear.

Mana Consumption: 150

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 minute

"Wow."

Grid was astonished by the completely unexpected benefit.

It was a hassle to recover the thrown spear, but compared to Pagma's Swordsmanship, the skill cooldown time was very short and the damage was also good. In addition, it was a medium range skill that would be useful in many ways.

'This… Will I be able to get rare skills in the sword test and archery test?'

Grid's motivation grew even more.

OG: 

Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.

Chapter 367

'It isn't bad to have one spear.'

Spear Shot.

It was a skill that used the concept of 'throwing the spear,' so it was somewhat tricky for general warriors to use. The slightest slip meant they could lose their weapon. But Grid was different. There were many ways for him to retrieve the thrown spear using the God Hands. He was confident that he could use Spear Shot properly.

"The test has finished!"

While Grid was feeling satisfied with his new skill, all of the reservists ended their test. The average score of the reservists was 50 points, and it took a full three minutes. It was a level that was barely above the cut line. There were four people who failed.

Grid's score of 100 points in 1 minute and 23 seconds became even more outstanding.

"Hrmm… Next is the swordsmanship test."

Instructor Kaesul was still stunned. The sudden change and growth of Blue Falcon Grid was unbelievable, even when he saw it directly with his own eyes. While Instructor Kaesul was feeling confused, Grid and the reservists followed the assistants. Each of them stood in front of a new scarecrow.

The scarecrows had solid lines on them.

The instructor explained.

"If you cut along the solid red line, you will get 5 points. If you stab it, you will lose 5 points. Stabbing the green dot will earn you 5 points, cutting it will lose you 5 points. Stabbing the blue line will earn you 10 points, cutting it will lose you 10 points. You will pass if you get 50 points in three minutes."

It was a bit more complicated compared to the spearmanship test. Grid was lacking in the past and had barely gained any points from the three colored solid lines. In particular, the weapon that Grid normally used was a greatsword, and it wasn't effective when it came to stabbing. This was the biggest cause of his low score.

However, after becoming Pagma's Descendant, Grid had used Kill hundreds of times. Now he could stab with a greatsword. The continuously intersecting solid lines and dots? Compared to Piaro and Kraugel's movements, they were trivial enough to make him yawn.

"G-Grid passed…!"

100 points in 39 seconds. Grid was like one with the sword as he obtained this score. Instructor Kaesul and the assistants' mouths gaped open at the sight.

'He has the makings of a knight!'

‘He was just acting as a Blue Falcon until now!'

They didn't know why he was acting.  Anyway, they had to admit it. Grid had the best qualities. On the other hand, Grid wasn't feeling inspired at all. He had fought against countless strong enemies, so striking a scarecrow was just boring.

[You have set a new record in Patrian's reserve forces training Swordsmanship Test!]

[The rare skill 'Continuous Stab' has been acquired.]

[Continuous Stab Lv. 1]

Quickly stab the target 5 times.

Every stab that hits will deal 100%, 120%, 150%, 190%, and 240% of your attack power respectively.

Mana Consumption: 300

Skill Cooldown Time: 3 minutes.

It was a multiple hits skill. It could be defended against or avoided, but it was useful against sluggish enemies, as it was a type of skill that contained explosive power.

'Yes, it's weaker than Kill.'

It was a good substitute skill for when Kill was on cooldown.

'Good.'

In the past, he felt like it was hell. Now he was getting great rewards from the reservist training, so he wanted to dance with joy.

***

Shoot!

Grid and the reservists stood side by side with a target 10m in front of them. The archery test was about to begin.

'This test is to get 50 points with 10 arrows.'

The target was divided into 10 points, 8 points, 6 points, 4 points and 2 points.  Tension filled Grid's face.

'In the past, I couldn't even hit the target with one arrow.'

To be honest, he wasn't very confident. In the absence of Bow Mastery, the hit rate of the arrows was proportional to agility.

'But.'

He had watched Jishuka shoot for more than a year. He'd made hundreds of bows for Jishuka and the soldiers of Reidan.

'I'm not a complete newbie to archery.'

Believe in himself.

'10 meters. It is only 10 meters away. I can focus enough.'

Every time he made a bow and tested the performance, the target distance was 100 meters. Grid took a deep breath and watched the center of the round target. He was aiming for 10 points.

'I will be sure to acquire a rare skill!'

He felt hope as the distance to the target was too short. He could do it if he concentrated.

"Hmm?"

Grid was trying to reproduce Jishuka's posture when he frowned. It was because the quality of the training arrows for the test was very low.

'Did beginner level 3 or lower blacksmiths make this?'

The shaft was twisted and the weight balance was off.

'Anyway, the reservist training environment is disappointing in reality and the game.'

The shaft should be leveled and the balance between the arrowhead and shaft adjusted. The weight of the arrowheads should also be balanced. An unbalanced arrow wouldn't fly far, no matter how hard they were shot.

'A material with a heavy weight can cover it to some extent, but this arrow is made from the worst material.'

The legendary blacksmith, Grid. As Pagma's Descendant, he had made over 100,000 arrows. He might've lost the Legendary Blacksmith's Craftsmanship skill, but his eye for arrows hadn't disappeared.

'I can win, even without the power of items.'

Determination flashed in Grid's eyes.

"Grid, what is it?"

Instructor Kaesul's attitude towards Grid had toned down. He didn't call Grid 'Blue Falcon' or curse at him. Grid unabashedly demanded, “The arrows I've received are in a very bad state. Can I have a look at the ones in your hands?"

"What?"

Instructor Kaesul was very embarrassed.

"Look. The structure of the arrow is so simple that anyone can easily make it, but it doesn't just depend on the arrow when being fired. A novice who doesn't know anything touching them, of course the arrows will be bad. If the arrows are a problem, I will give you new arrows."

Instructor Kaesul gave a signal. Then an assistant brought new arrows to Grid. But the state of the arrows were just as bad.

'It might be different if I had the Bow Mastery skill.'

Grid was determined and asked again.

"Let me handle the arrows myself.”

“Geez, he isn't a blacksmith."

"It seems he's become arrogant just because he gained some skills."

The assistants complained. They were dissatisfied with Grid, who was slowing down their schedule. However, the response of Instructor Kaesul was surprisingly favorable.

“I understand. If you can, then try it."

The reason why Instructor Kaesul felt contempt towards Grid before wasn't just because he was incompetent. Grid didn't try to overcome his incompetence and had an attitude of hating everything.

Now Grid was overflowing with enthusiasm. The instructor didn't want to pour cold water on that positive change.

"Thank you."

Grid left the group of reservists. While the other reservists did the test, Grid started to repair the arrows.

'I would prefer to cut the shaft thinly and make it flatter.'

Grid currently had 0 dexterity. He wasn't able to exert his full ability just by relying on experience and theory alone.

'I could break the shaft. Forget my greed and focus on the balance.'

Grid picked up a stone that was three times smaller than the arrowhead. Then he tore a few branches and tied it to the back of the arrowhead.

'Good.'

The arrows, which were so light they couldn't go against wind resistance, now had a moderate weight. Grid smiled with delight and pulled some of the feathers behind the shaft. It was an extreme measure to balance the left and right side of the shaft.

'It's crude, but better than before.'

A notification window popped up as Grid tried to improve the curve of the shaft.

[The options of the 'Reserve Troops' Arrow' has changed.]

[Reserve Troops' Arrow]

Attack Power: 1~2   Accuracy: +2

Someone saw what was wrong with the arrow and fixed it.

The workmanship is poor, but the performance of the arrows has improved. It will fly quite far when fired well.

Weight: 0.01

"Now it purely depends on my abilities."

Grid spoke to an assistant and took deep breaths on the shooting range.

Kkirik!

He remained tense, but there was no hesitation in his actions. The bowstring was drawn back.

'Remember when I test the performance of my bows.'

He followed the posture of an expert archer. It was a posture he had seen from Jishuka since the days of the Malacus raid. He would be able to hit a target 10 meters away.

'Now!'

Grid stopped breathing and aimed the arrow tip. At that moment, the arrow burst out with a cheerful sound and flew away. It fell in a parabola and succeeded in penetrating the target. It was 6 points. He was aiming for the center, but it deviated to the right.

'Then.'

Grid aimed more to the left of the first shot. But he failed to read the wind direction in his rush. The direction of the wind changed and the arrows fell down. It was another 6 points. His opportunity to acquire a rare skill was flying away.

The Grid in the past would've cursed with irritation.

But.

'It's still okay.'

Grid was calm. The reservist training included sparring, so the level of the participants needed to be similar.  In other words, the power of the 50 reservists currently participating in the training were around level 20 like Grid. It would be difficult for them to hit the targets with all 10 arrows.

'The record will be for the level 20 reservists in the past. It's still possible.'

He couldn't give up. This time, Grid raised his concentration to the maximum, read the wind direction, and fired the arrow.

Puok!

10 points. There was no difficulty after he got it once.

Puk puk puk!

Grid completely grabbed the feeling and got 10 points eight times in a row. The result.

"Grid has 92 points!"

[You have set a new record in Patrian's reserve forces training Archery Test!]

OG: 

Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.

Chapter 368

"G-Grid has 92 points!?"

[You have set a new record in Patrian's reserve forces training Archery Test!]

[Your understanding of archery, the bow, and arrows is higher than your ability.]

[An ability correction will be applied to the hidden compensation.]

[The normal skill 'Bow Mastery' has been acquired.]

[Bow Mastery]

Beginner: Lv.1

You can handle all types of bows.

When equipped with a bow, attack power and hit rate will increase by 4%, and the probability of a critical hit will increase in proportion to agility.

Current Critical Hit Probability Increase: 0%.

'Bow Mastery!'

An archer had been described many times as a class that exerted a unique physical attack power. The reason? It was thanks to the Bow Mastery skill. Bow Mastery had the highest attack and accuracy rate of all masteries, and was the source of an archer's power.

'I never thought I would get Bow Mastery.'

Grid was strong at a distance because he had Pagma's Swordsmanship, Transcend, and Transcended Link, as well as Magic Missile. But that was a story when he had enough mana. The skill cooldown time was also a problem.

'On the other hand, a bow guarantees steady attacks if there are enough arrows.'

Grid referred to Piaro's stats distribution when increasing his agility. For him, Bow Mastery was a very good passive skill.

'If I can get Weapons Mastery as well…'

The foundation for further strengthening would be completed. Grid's body shivered as he thought about it.

***

The stats of the level 23 Grid were a mess, but the level of the reserve troops participating in the training were only level 20. Grid was at the top of the rankings and won in the sparring. He completely overpowered his opponent.

“The top graduate, Grid!"

Clap clap clap!

The training graduation ceremony. Instructor Kaesul called out his name and the assistants and reservists clapped. Grid had shown enough during the training to be respected by everyone.

'Not Pagma's Descendant…'

'Shin Youngwoo' was the one acknowledged. He was beyond thrilled by his own growth. Grid smiled and walked up to the stage. Then…

[You have taken the top position in the training of Patrian's reserve forces!]

[You have obtained the first prize 'Senior Reserve Forces Citation'.]

[Senior Reserve Forces Citation]

You have become the role model for the Patrian reservists.

I want to thank you for your enthusiasm during training.

               -Earl Ashur-

“???”

Surely that wasn't it? Grid was expecting more from the compensation, so confusion filled his face. Instructor Kaesul smiled at him and said.

“It is an honor to receive a citation from Earl Ashur, lord of Patrian, and a great magician of the continent. It is an heirloom that can be passed on to your descendants."

"This nonsense… There isn't a separate compensation?"

The moment that Grid asked this question.

[Mission success!]

[You have cleared the 31st island.]

[You have acquired 600 challenger points for the mission success.]

[Your level has returned to normal.]

[The skills Spear Shot, Continuous Stab, and Bow Mastery have been acquired.]

Shaaaaah-

The fortified city of Patrien, Instructor Kaesul, the assistants, and the reservists. The perfect reproduction of the 31st island scattered like a mirage. Grid was left alone. He changed his mind about tearing up Earl Ashur's citation and throwing it away.

“…It isn't bad to keep it as a memento."

It was the first award he received in his life. His personal feelings towards Earl Ashur had already been resolved to a certain extent, so Grid placed the citation on one side of his inventory.

***

Reidan went through a big change while Grid was away.

First of all, the monsters around the yellow mithril mine dried up. It was thanks to the great success of the knights who raised their level in Winston and returned. Reidan was now able to extract the yellow mithril in earnest. The yellow mithril caused a remarkable growth in the alchemy technology of Reidan, thanks to the fairy dust. It finally reached a level where alchemy could be combined with blacksmithing.

Secondly, the magical talents of the 'Ul Clan' that Grid rescued from the empire had blossomed from the steady education. Reidan now had 930 magicians. Among them was Princess Hwarin of the Ul Clan, whose ability was unrivalled. The unique rated passive skill, 'party's magic power increased by 30%' was a treasure for the magicians.

Thirdly, the farming area of Reidan extended to the Altes Mountains. This would increase food production by three times.

Lauel was confused, 'There is a limited number of farmers, so how has Piaro developed agriculture to this degree? Surely he didn't do all that work alone?'

Lauel wasn't yet aware that Aura Master Hurent and Pet Master Nyangmong were being held by Piaro.

Fourthly, a Rebecca Temple started to be built under Pope Damian's authority. The Rebecca Temple would give a big blessing to the city and foster healers, so the population of Reidan would increase dramatically.

Fifthly, the Rebecca's Daughters candidates brought by Damian were incorporated into Reidan. Piaro trained them to become the best farmers in the future. No, they were going to be the paladin unit.

Lauel was worried about the fifth point.

“Is this too excessive?"

Rebecca's Daughters were the absolute force of the Rebecca Church. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that without Rebecca's Daughters, there would be no Rebecca Church. The Rebecca Church wouldn't be convinced by Damian's compassion for the candidates.

“You might get kicked out of the pope position before you can finish your term. Your tenure needs to last in order to help Grid."

The power of the pope was mighty. It was best to aim for remaining pope for the rest of his life. However, Damian might lose his position just because of a few girls. Lauel felt like he was stupid.

But Damian was stubborn.

“The reason I became pope was because I hoped a second Isabel, Rin and Luna wouldn't be born. You can't imagine it. The pain of the young girls who are stuck in a facility, undergoing constant brainwashing and hard training… Being used as a weapon for all their lives, it isn't possible for me to tell you how harsh it is."

"Hrmm."

Lauel was someone who would use and slaughter players to achieve his goal. He couldn't understand Damian, who empathized with NPCs. But he tried to understand. Grid was close to NPCs like Irene, and had a child called Lord.

Lauel had a duty to take into account Damian's heart.

“…To be honest, I still don't understand you and Grid. However, I respect it. I will find a way to solidify your position that will be shaken by this incident."

Damian's nervous face relaxed.

“Thank you!”

'Contact with the vampire cities has been disconnected and the work I have to worry about is growing.' Lauel's dark circles thickened.

***

All the islands in the 30's reproduced the challenger's past trials. Situations where the challenger died a lot or failed a quest many times appeared sequentially. The rankers were armed with excellent talents and skills. For those who didn't play an easy game, the islands in the 30's were a disaster.

But Grid was different. The trials that Grid suffered in the past, he could now easily overcome. 

[You have entered the 40th island.]

[This is a save point. Do you want to save your position?]

[You have been registered. When you enter the Behen Archipelago later on, you will start from the 40th island.]

"That is amazing. It's really wonderful."

Sticks kept praising Grid. He wasn't able to overcome his trials, and he was impressed by the fact that Grid grew in real time.

"What's the big deal about catching orcs and goblins?"

Grid responded with a smile and checked the time.

'I should rest for a while.'

A total of one month had passed since he entered the Behen Archipelago. It took longer than expected, so Grid needed to manage his stamina. After six hours of game connection, he adjusted his condition by logging out, eating, and exercising.

***

'The harvest that I obtained from the islands in the 30's is great.'

Apart from Spear Shot, Continuous Strike, and Bow Mastery, he gained 7 strength and stamina, as well as 5 agility and intelligence.

The rewards earned from the quest were cumulative, demonstrating the effect of two elixirs. What were the rewards waiting for him on the remaining islands?

Behen Archipelago. There was no place more appropriate for growth.

'It would be good to use it as a training place for the guild members before it is cleansed.'

The Tzedakah Guild, Yura, and Peak Sword were skilled enough to reach the 20th island. If they could collect a few elixirs with the challenger points, Overgeared would become even stronger.

Ttiring~

Shin Youngwoo was thinking about this when a message arrived on his phone.

–A mail has arrived.

'Is it the periodic report from Lauel?'

Youngwoo stopped running and opened the mail.

The third week of September.

The alchemy facility has successfully studied yellow mithril, producing fairy dust. 

* As soon as Grid returns, be prepared to try a fusion of alchemy and blacksmithing techniques.

A magic unit has been constructed around Princess Hwarin of the Ul Clan. Piaro has expanded the farming area. … … … It is now the 24th day of Satisfy time since the vampire expedition entered the 9th city. I have lost touch with them.

"…!"

Youngwoo's expression hardened as he read the contents of the mail. Marie Rose. The name of a transcendent being penetrated his mind.

'It can't be…!'

Youngwoo rushed back along the jogging course he had just run. He was breathing roughly, but didn't easily collapse.

OG: 

Current schedule: 20 chapters a week.