Common sense was usually an immutable truth. Common sense was born from the knowledge and experience of predecessors and it was never easily reversed.
“...!”
The low-grade warrior Kube had common sense. In his common sense, the senior warriors were the best talents representing the half-draconians. They developed at the moment of crisis, were never easily defeated, and could create reversals in bad situations. The senior warriors seemed like those who monopolized all the blessings in the world.
“Kuaaaack!"
Kube couldn’t believe it despite witnessing the senior warrior Caspar being slaughtered like livestock. Reality started to feel like a dream.
“H-Hahaha...! I see! I was dreaming!”
When had this dream started? Was it from when Praba had been defeated by an unknown knight of this city on the outskirts? Was it from the moment Jad died? Or was it when he was caught as a slave to humans? No, unfortunately, these things were reality. The beginning of the dream obviously started recently. The dream must’ve started from when the people walking behind him were three people only to suddenly increase to 16.
From the moment he saw the sanju being killed, his sense of reality was completely gone. Yes, it was a dream. If it wasn’t a dream then a great senior warrior wouldn’t have been killed in a single magic blow.
“Kuahahahat!”
Kube grabbed his belly and started laughing. He struggled to wake up from this dream. Yet no matter how loudly he laughed or how hard he slapped his cheeks, he couldn’t wake up from his dream. Soon after, Grid’s group gathered in one place while ignoring Kube who had collapsed with despair.
“I broke my arm.”
Vantner had blood staining his red forehead and stuck out his arms. He pointed to his colleagues, who had both big and small wounds, and questioned Braham, “Are you crazy? Why would you summon people in the air? We can’t fly like you or Grid! We can’t fly! Do I have to tell you a few times for you to understand?”
“It is pathetic to see you bragging about your incompetence.”
“This bulls.h.i.+t...! I’m not a magician. I can’t do it!”
“Grid isn’t a magician.”
“It is the power of items!”
“Yes, then you can solve it with items.”
“How is it easy to get such items?”
“Then learn magic.”
“...?!”
Among the 10 meritorious retainers...
Vantner, who was famous for his baldness in the Overgeared Guild, wasn’t picky about people. He gave them the same respect regardless of their status, age, gender, or race. If the other party didn’t respect him then he would curse them. He was equal to everyone and was honest about his feelings without any pretenses. Surprisingly, Braham liked him.
Everyone else in the Overgeared Guild distanced themselves from him out of fear or respect. Meanwhile, Vantner screamed at him like a fearless puppy and he found it cute. Braham felt a sense of trust because Vantner’s personality meant he wouldn’t deceive anyone.
“C-Can I learn magic?”
“The enhanced magic is hard but normal low-grade magic is easy to learn as long as it is supported by intelligence. Of course, you need me to be your teacher.”
Braham was a genius among geniuses and had gone beyond a legend to reach the realm of pursuing becoming a myth. He had the confidence to teach magic without caring about cla.s.ses. His words were shocking. Vantner and the other members of the 10 meritorious retainers were excited when they imagined the Overgeared members using magic in the future. There was just one problem: According to Braham’s standards, most of the people in the world were idiots. Braham had to know—it was a fact that Grid’s intelligence (stat) belonged to the very high side.
“...You can’t even understand this formula?” Braham questioned.
“...?”
Vantner was fl.u.s.tered by Braham’s question after understanding after only one minute. He didn’t hide his eyes that wondered ‘Is this person crazy?’.
Braham sighed, left him behind, and approached Grid. Grid was checking the condition of the leather left behind by the sanju. His expression didn’t look very good.
“This is also cursed.”
Satisfy often had cursed items. In the case of cursed equipment, if they were worn then they couldn’t be removed again. Meanwhile, cursed consumables caused a disease. Finally, the cursed materials couldn’t be used as material items so they were actually trash.
However, the sanju only dropped cursed items. If it was a good equipment item then it could be sold to someone who would use it for their lifetime. However, the sanju only dropped worthless material items.
“I’ll keep it in my warehouse.”
Grid collected the sanju’s cursed leather and put it in his inventory. It seemed like the half-draconian Caspar hadn’t dropped any items but no one was arguing about it. It was a long tradition when hunting with Grid that the Overgeared members would let Grid take all the loot.
“What experience percentage did you get?”
The 10 meritorious retainers only cared about their level. The members of the 10 meritorious retainers answered Jishuka’s question sequentially.
“I got 1.8%.”
“I got 1.74.”
Vantner and Huroi were only in their late 380s and they gained nearly 2% experience.
“I got 0.78%.”
“I am around the same.”
Pon, Regas, Jishuka, and Faker were around level 390 and they got an average of 0.8% experience.
“I am 0.5%.”
“I’m the same.”
“Me too.”
Katz, Euphemina, and Yura were in the mid 399s and they gained exactly 0.5%.
“I got 0.2%.’
This was Chris’ answer. It was an unprecedented achievement. In just four hours, the 10 meritorious retainers had gained a lot of experience. On the first ridge, the majority of monsters were below level 200 so the hunting only officially started from the third ridge. Considering the long time it took to cross the mountains, the actual hunting time was very small.
It meant the Chaos Mountains were a better hunting ground than the Galgunos Temple. Braham’s care also helped. The fact that Braham was over level 500 meant he got no experience from the monsters on the third ridge. Thus, he used magic to trap the monsters and allowed the 10 meritorious retainers to kill them.
This was the secret behind the hunting speed of the 10 meritorious retainers doubling.
“Youngwoo-ssi?” Yura asked carefully.
Grid was partying with the 10 meritorious retainers despite being level 408. He also took a lot of time to repair the items of his companions. Yura was worried that Grid alone would fall behind while trying to help his companions. Grid replied as he checked the contents of the t.i.tle ‘Myth Usurper’ that he gained from killing the sanju.
“I got 2.3%.”
“...?”
“...?”
There was a moment of silence. Grid explained to the 10 meritorious retainers who doubted their ears.
“Ah, it is thanks to the enlightenment effect. My experience increases when repairing items and it also increases in the process of raiding the boss. Therefore, my growth rate has increased significantly.”
“Enlightenment? Is it similar to the Enlightenment Sword?”
The Lightning Sword Born from Enlightenment and Strong Desires—it was the sword that Grid had favored for many years and it had the skill ‘Enlightenment’ attached to it. It increased character experience and skill experience acquisition by 10%, and accuracy and evasion by 20%.
Grid nodded.
“It is one of the reasons for the increase in experience. However, the enlightenment I’m talking about is different.”
Grid started to describe the fourth advancement (awakening) public system. The 10 meritorious retainers were greatly impacted by the realization that they could gain experience through continuous combat or activities related to their cla.s.s.
“So the conclusion is that you will grow faster starting from level 400. In particular, levels 397 to 399 is h.e.l.l so you have to be prepared.”
An average player would enjoy enlightenment as soon as they reached level 400 while Grid only enjoyed it after reaching level 408. It was really disgusting for Grid. However, Grid didn’t tell this hidden story. He didn’t want to seem stupid in front of Yura and Jishuka.
Now Grid was very conscious of the two people. They were two of the most beautiful people in the world, regardless of whether it was in game or in reality. It was natural for him to be conscious of it. Thanks to this, the 10 meritorious retainers were greatly mistaken.
‘It is because of enlightenment that Grid grew rapidly on the East Continent.’
‘I thought the beginning of true h.e.l.l was level 400 but it is actually the beginning of spring.’
‘The level 300s is a gateway process. It is a trial to be a true ranker.’
In fact, Grid would’ve been above level 420 by now if he visited the Tower of Wisdom before the East Continent. The only person in the world who knew the sad truth was Grid.
‘...No, the operators also know.’
Grid blushed at the thought of the operators laughing while monitoring his foolishness. His enthusiasm was fueled by great anger.
“We should move on to the next ridge.”
“Yes!”
“Go!”
[Myth Usurper]
[* You have defeated the sanju, who has taken part in a myth, and engraved your name onto the myth the sanju appeared in. (the mythical sanju has the formula ‘later beaten by Grid’.)
* Attack power and magical attack power will significantly increase during battles with mythical monsters.
* If you encounter a mythical presence, there is a normal probability of overwhelming them.]
Myth Usurper—it was a t.i.tle that Grid, Grid’s knights, and the 10 meritorious retainers gained from killing the sanju. It was the same t.i.tle as Braham’s Myth Usurper but the details and effects were different. The main difference was:
[* You are qualified to upgrade your cla.s.s rating to ‘myth.’
* The special stat ‘Deity’ is opened.]
It was that these two special effects were excluded. The sanju was only part of ‘one’ myth while the hydra was part of ‘many’ myths. The sanju might be mythical beings like the hydra but their influence was different. It was very disappointing from Grid’s position.
How good would it have been if Piaro, Mercedes, Asmophel, Jude, and the 10 meritorious retainers were qualified to become myths? Still, the 10 meritorious retainers didn’t know the details and were just excited about gaining a new t.i.tle. Grid had no intention of wrecking this atmosphere.
‘I should think positively.’
Myth Usurper had enough value in its present state alone. It was one of the few t.i.tles that could threaten mythical existences. If they could use this t.i.tle to defeat a myth on the level of the hydra or a real G.o.d, they might one day qualify to become a myth.
Grid soothed his heart and ordered the dazed Kube, “Lead the way.”
“U-Understood.”
Kube felt it since the first time he saw this human but it was a really strong sense of pressure. Kube gulped and walked in a hurry. This time, he didn’t dare invade the area of the sanju. He had learned that the sanju couldn’t hurt them. Originally, the plan was to laugh and enjoy as these humans were eaten by the sanju but instead, the sanju was eaten...
Now that he learned the senior warriors were no match for them, Kube had only one person he could rely on: Helena, the half-draconian princess who should’ve originally been the lord.