Description
Shin Youngwoo has had an unfortunate life and is now stuck carrying bricks on construction sites. He even had to do labor in the VR game, Satisfy!
However, luck would soon enter his hapless life. His character, ‘Grid’, would discover the Northern End Cave for a quest, and in that place, he would find ‘Pagma’s Rare Book’ and become a legendary class player…
The name is basically a Korean gaming slang term used to put down users who rely on items for strength instead of skill. It’s hard to find an English equivalent to this term, especially when used in many different situations and contexts throughout the novel. I have decided to go with Overgeared for the title and for when it is used as a noun, etc. a guild name. However, I will go with ‘item effect’, the most accurate meaning, for when it is used in a sentence.
This is a vrmmorpg novel and while it has some of the obvious stereotypes and unrealistic parts, it also does some things differently. People might get annoyed with the mc’s character in the first few hundred chapters, but he does get a lot of character development. In fact, some of the fun of reading the novel is seeing the MC’s character grow. You can check out the brief overview I translated from a Korean site on the table of contents for more information I think that people who are fans of VR novels like Legendary Moonlight Sculptor and Rebirth of the Thief will enjoy this novel.
Overgeared
Prologue
“Five minutes left!”
Eight of the top-ranked players were gathered in one place on the 4th floor of Cokro Island’s dungeon. The highest-ranked among them was Peak Sword, who was 16th on the overall unified rankings. Behind them were 200 elite members of the Silver Knights Guild.
It was a spectacular sight—a gathering of users with the combined power to capture a small fortress. However, tension and anxiety filled everyone’s face.
“Four minutes left!”
As time counted down, the nervousness of the guild members reached the peak. They were restlessly shaking their legs and biting their nails. Peak Sword gazed around with dark eyes. His hands which held his sword were soaked with sweat. ‘I can’t calm down.’
Cokro Island’s dungeon was fully controlled by the Silver Knights Guild, and the boss monster, Hell Gao, appeared on the 4th floor every two weeks. Hell Gao was stronger than expected and had a variety of patterns, so they had been unable to succeed in any of their five attempts so far.
During the last month, Peak Sword and the elites of the Silver Knights strengthened their items with money, all with the intention of succeeding next time. They were definitely stronger after all the investments, but those who knew of Hell Gao’s power couldn’t garner any confidence.
“Three minutes left!”
After three minutes, Hell Gao would appear, and this place would turn into a sea of fire. Some of them would even get killed just by the flames alone.
“Two minutes left!”
A heatwave started to slowly permeate throughout the room.
‘Shit.’ Peak Sword wanted to encourage everyone, but he was afraid.
He was clearly reminded of the overwhelming appearance of Hell Gao, the staff-wielding boss monster enshrouded in flames.
‘Are we still lacking the power to defeat him?’
It might be different if the power of the top 10 rankers were added, but he couldn’t help thinking that this expedition would fail with their current strength. However, the guild’s best ranker couldn’t show his weakness, so Peak Sword endured it.
‘Do it. We can do it. We are strong!’
Peak Sword steadied his heart and took various buffing potions, with the others following him. It was at this moment that…
“One minute left… Eh? Intruder! There is an intruder!!”
“What?”
All of the guild members’ eyes turned toward the entrance. A young man had entered. It was unusual because he was covered by a cloak, with no armor or weapons visible.
‘Did he break through the defensive troops downstairs?’
Was he a highly trained assassin? No, an assassin wouldn’t openly reveal their presence in a place like this. Peak Sword pondered on the name above the head of the black-haired youth. However, no matter how much he searched through his memory, Peak Sword still found it to be an unfamiliar name.
‘He isn’t a ranker?’ Peak Sword glanced at his companions, but they all shook their heads.
‘A non-ranker coming all the way here. Pathetic.’ Peak Sword came to this conclusion and warned the youth with a frown, “This is an area controlled by the Silver Knights Guild. I don’t know how you managed to reach this point, but if you don’t want to die, go back.”
The young man ignored Peak Sword’s warning and threw off his cloak as he talked to himself. “My stealth suddenly disappeared. Was it because I was detected by Hell Gao?”
“Ohh!” There were exclamations from every direction.
The appearance of armor rapidly being equipped on the body of the youth was quite cool. Despite being made of metal, it seemed to be custom fit for the wearer, and its smooth surface was so reflective it was like a mirror. The armor was an elegant blend of red, black, and gold. The particularly unique point was the one-meter long tail that stretched from the vicinity of the tail bone. It was sharp like a blade, and amazingly, it was moving on its own.
“W-What’s with that armor?”
“It’s terrific… Unique grade?”
It was the first time they had seen such armor, so the guild members struggled to hide their interest.
Peak Sword raised his voice, “That isn’t important right now! Why aren’t you throwing him out right now?”
Hell Gao would soon appear, then nobody would be able to escape from the dungeon. They had to deal with the outsider before that. The moment that the guild members, who were interested in the armor, tried to carry out Peak Sword’s order…
Roaaaaar!!!
[Hell Gao, the master of Hellfire, has appeared.]
[Hell Gao’s roar has applied fear, chaos, and debilitating effects.]
[Hell Gao’s fire reduces heat resistance by 50%.]
[Fire pillars have risen to cover you.]
“Kuack!”
“Hiiik!”
Due to the silent flames that surrounded the whole body, half of the guild members either fell into a dying state or burned to the point where they couldn’t even be recognized. Barely half of the people standing were able to hang on.
Peak Sword was surprised at the notification window that popped up.
‘I raised my fire resistance to 86%, but for me to still receive this degree of damage…!’
They would certainly fail again. As Peak Sword despaired, he suddenly doubted his eyes. While the others were surrounded by flames, the young man alone was moving forward, moving freely like he wasn’t affected.
“H-How… Heok?” Peak Sword fell silent as he witnessed a ridiculous scene.
As Hell Gao ran amok and slaughtered the guild members, the young man pulled out a pickaxe, headed to the wall… and started swinging the pickaxe…?
Kaaang! Kaaang!
The young man swung it with good form and complained as he wiped off the sweat, “Ugh, hot! Isn’t the labor getting more intense? Why does the mineral only appear when the boss mob is present? Based on this, I might have to visit a dragon’s lair with my pickaxe!”
At that moment, a hot wind emerged from the staff that Hell Gao waved and hit the young man. Peak Sword expected the young man to receive huge damage and collapse. Yet unbelievably, the young man only suffered minor injuries.
“Excuse me, Mister,” the youth said, stopping his pickaxe for the first time and turning his attention toward Peak Sword. He asked with an irate expression, “Why are you just standing there blankly? It’s hot now, but it will only just get hotter.”
‘What am I seeing now?’ Peak Sword thought.
Then he belatedly regained his spirit and asked, “How can you be fine?”
The young man replied like it was obvious, “It’s the item effect.”
Chaaeng! Chaeng!
The tail on the young man’s armor moved by itself and fought against Hell Gao’s staff. Peak Sword couldn’t close his mouth as he gaped at the unbelievable sight.
Chapter 1
After entering the ‘Northern End Cave’ at the end of a three months journey, Grid was able to witness the overwhelming sight of all types of battle gear piled up like a mountain.
“Wow, what is this?”
The names of the brilliant battle gear were in a colorful mix of green, yellow, and purple. If he took only a few of these, he would become a rich man! He wanted to take all the battle gear, but it was impossible.
[This item can’t be obtained.]
“How stingy and dirty.”
There were items that couldn’t be acquired despite them being right in front of him! When Grid put it in his bag, it would return to its original spot like a mirage. This situation was like that of a pie in the sky or a woman who was already married. No, a married woman was still different from a pie in the sky, as one could still obtain a married woman if one tried hard enough.
In the end, Grid could only stare at the items with longing and regret.
‘Indeed… If a user could obtain all of these, Satisfy’s economic balance might crumble. Unfortunately, I understand.’
In the first place, he didn’t come here for the battle gear. Grid soothed his mind and turned his attention away from the pile of battle gear. There was an old book placed on a shiny gold table.
“Finally…”
All the hardships he experienced while coming here passed through his mind. Laughter emerged from his mouth as his nose became runny and tears dripped down from his eyes. Thankfully, Grid had patience and tenacity. Otherwise, he would’ve quit the game because of the terrible difficulty of the quest. He felt great pride at the thought of clearing this quest.
“Kukuk… Puhahahat!! I finally found it!! Oh, yehhhhhh!”
It was a damn S-grade quest that was impossible to give up! Incidentally, how many deaths had he experienced on this solo quest? How many items had been destroyed due to having no more durability?!
Pagma, a human blacksmith who transcended the skills of a dwarf, had achieved the culmination of god-like techniques!
The face of Earl Ashur, who made Grid visit one of the Eternal Kingdom’s five forbidden zones, popped into Grid’s head.
“If I bring this to him, can I get the Sun Sword? Once I get it, no one can match me for the rest of my life, you bastards! I will make you pay for hitting me!”
Pleasure surged like a tide as Grid picked up the book.
[You have acquired the legendary craftsman’s rare book!]
[It isn’t in a proper state. You can check the details using the Eye of Pallalian.]
[Do you want to use the Eye of Pallalian?]
“Eye of Pallalian? A high-end appraisal item is needed to check the item?”
Eye of Pallalian was the most expensive among the existing appraisal items. Six months ago, Grid had bought it just in case he got a jackpot. Sadly, he couldn’t use it, and it was left in his inventory.
“I don’t want to miss a golden opportunity…”
Grid put the appraisal on hold and examined the golden table. He wondered if there was a way to take this gold away, but it wouldn’t budge. Kicking, pulling, and even biting it was useless.
Like the battle gear, it was an item that users couldn’t own.
“Ah, I really can’t salvage anything because of this effective system. The price of my three months of work is very high.”
He gazed at the book in his hand.
‘I have to give Ashur the item, so do I really need to use an expensive item to appraise it?’
Grid struggled for a moment before pulling out the Eye of Pallalian. It was natural to wonder about the source of his three months of suffering.
“Appraisal.”
[Pagma’s Rare Book]
[Rating: Legendary
This is a book that contains the techniques of Pagma, the blacksmith who transcended human limits. The person who opens the book can become a legendary blacksmith.
Effects: Become Pagma’s Successor.
Conditions: None.
* The level and stats will change when used.]
[A legendary item has been found!]
[Reputation will rise by 500 across the continent.]
Grid’s body started trembling.
“Whoa… Jackpot…”
This was a legendary item! Grid’s reputation rose by 500 across the continent just because he discovered it! It was an amazing harvest, given that it was difficult for a player to raise their reputation by 100 just in one city.
‘Reputation is reputation, but…’
Grid wondered if he had seen it wrongly, so he read the item description again. However, there was no change in the contents.
“Jack~~pot!!”
He wasn’t hallucinating. Grid was extremely excited and could hear his heart beating wildly. He had thought it was just a skill book, but it was actually for a class change. Furthermore, it was legendary grade! This meant it was the strongest class in the world!
“Moreover, there is no condition to use it…”
Tears flowed down from his eyes. During the past year, he had to pay the interest on his loan and the fee for his Satisfy account, and he also took a leave of absence from school. His friends left him one by one. The alumni of his school laughed at him. People thought he was lazy…
His original plan was to sell the items he gained during the game and turn it into cash so that he could pay off his loan, account, and tuition. Nevertheless, Satisfy wasn’t such a fair world. It was hard to earn money, and he could barely obtain equipment for himself, let alone ones he could sell.
However, it was different now. A thrill went through his body as he shivered.
“It is over… I can say farewell to this nightmarish life!”
This was a legendary class change item! If he registered it as an auction item on the item trading site, it was clear that the transaction price would be worth tens of millions of won.
No, it was an item that gave the best class among two billion users, so would it only be worth tens of millions of won? Grid could be sure that it was worth at least hundreds of millions of won. He might be able to get his hands on an astronomical amount that he never even imagined!
“Puhahahahat!! Mother! Father! This freeloader finally made it! Now it’s time to leave the game and forget about finding employment! My parents can quit feeling ashamed of their son in front of the neighbors! Sehee! Oppa finally did it! Now you don’t have to be embarrassed every time you meet me on the street! When my friends want to come and play at my house, I don’t have to refuse and make all sorts of excuses! And my friends! Alumni! They can’t ignore me anymore as a pathetic game loser! I will become a success with a game! I have taken a few steps ahead of you guys in society! Puhahahat!!”
He had paid 10 million won to purchase a capsule, and his loan interest rose by hundreds of thousands of won every month.
“Ahyoung is still pretty…’
He imagined attending his high school alumni meeting for the first time in two years in a foreign car. The successful alumni wouldn’t be able to ignore him anymore. Then he blushed as the face of his first love, Ahyoung, came to mind.
“Okay, let’s go and sell it!”
Quest? Grid didn’t care about that right now. Obviously, while the reward was a weapon that belonged to the epic rating, it was nothing in comparison to the price of this book. His affinity with Earl Ashur would fall, and it would probably end up with him not receiving any more quests from him. Despite this, there was no reason to be afraid when there were hundreds of millions of won in front of him.
“Logout!” He exclaimed confidently.
Then a notification window flashed in front of his eyes.
[You can’t log out of the game here.]
[Earl Ashur has appeared.]
“……?”
While Grid was struggling to understand what was going on, dozens of knights jumped into the cave. Then the familiar Earl Ashur appeared. Grid panicked when Earl Ashur found him.
The earl’s expression became distorted. “Foolish traveler, you all have the same greed.”
[The quest ‘Earl Ashur’s Secret Request’ (S) has changed to ‘Earl Ashur’s Anger’ (SS).]
[Earl Ashur’s Anger]
[Difficulty Level: SS
Earl Ashur chose you due to your average abilities, your stupidity, and because you are easy to exploit. He entrusted you with the task of finding Pagma’s rare book that he wasn’t even sure existed.
He put a watcher on you and came urgently as soon as he heard that you entered the ‘Northern End Cave’. Earl Ashur has witnessed you become blinded by greed over Pagma’s rare book and has no intention of forgiving you. He intends to kill you and take away Pagma’s rare book.
* Affinity with Earl Ashur has fallen by 100.
* Due to your actions, all of the fame you have built in Patrian has disappeared, and you have now become infamous. The affinity of Patrian’s residents has fallen by 40. They will look at you and call you a thief.
Quest Clear Conditions: The deaths of Earl Ashur and his escort knights.
Clear Reward: Obtain the title ‘Noble Killer.’
* Noble Killer: Intelligence -50.
All nobles in the kingdom will despise and oppress you. Your jobs will be limited. The affinity of some commoners and royalty will rise.
Quest Failure: Level -2.
You will no longer be able to enter Patrian.
Any Patrian soldiers will kill you on sight.]
Patrian was the starter city where Grid first created his character.
He had built up a considerable amount of reputation while completing quests in Patrian from level 1 to the present, and his affinity with the residents was at its maximum. All merchants gave him a 20% discount when he bought goods, and the goods he sold were purchased at 15% above their value. There were also residents who gave him hidden quests when he approached them. All these achievements automatically flew away the moment this quest updated.
“…Ah, I— This is shit,” a curse naturally emerged from Grid’s mouth. “Earl Ashur… No, you bastard! This goddamn bastard forced me onto a quest where I wasn’t sure if I could find the item or not!! If Pagma’s rare book was something that didn’t exist, I would’ve struggled for months in vain! You are the one who lied in the first place, yet you want to make me notorious in Patrian? Filthy jerk!”
Hearing their master getting cursed at, the hot-headed knights immediately pulled out their swords.
Earl Ashur restrained them and then said coldly to Grid, “You already decided to betray me before you knew you were deceived. Even so, you are still acting so proudly.”
“Is it greedy to want a reasonable reward after the hardships of my journey? My betrayal wasn’t certain!” Grid countered.
Earl Ashur sneered at Grid’s words, “Didn’t I already promise to give you a reward in return? We entered into a contract, but you have trespassed against my good faith out of greed.”
This wasn’t something that Grid could handle with words.
As Grid fell mute, Earl Ashur’s momentum increased as he continued to chatter, “You are truly a poor man. The more I watch, the more I can feel it. But there are times when you can do extraordinary things, as I honestly did not expect you to find this cave that had disappeared from history. I will punish you for your ignorance, but as a reward for your patience, I will kill you as painlessly as possible.”
Chapter 2
‘This bastard!’ Grid wanted to stab his sword in Ashur’s mouth right now, but it was an impossible task.
The man’s level was 300, and he was also a great magician who had completed his third class change. Additionally, his escort knights had an average of level 180.
On the other hand, Grid was only at level 73 and didn’t even have a chance against the youngest knight who was serving as a bread shuttle. (Bread shuttle – Usually used at school, where one student is picked on and/or bullied to do the errands for people who are higher on the social ladder than the shuttles are.)
However, look at the quest clear conditions.
He had to kill them.
Still—!
Even if he cleared the quest, wasn’t the quest compensation garbage?
‘My intelligence will be -50? Fuck, right now I have 30 intelligence, so won’t I be an idiot if I’m at -50? And all of the kingdom’s nobles would hate me? Where’s my exit route?? Why is there a quest like this? Ahhh!!’
There was only one choice. Grid should just die. He would drop two levels, but he couldn’t succeed anyway. Besides, what was the point of succeeding with such a nasty quest?
“Hu…” Grid was resigned.
The pressure from the knights was no joke.
‘This means I will lose eight levels just from this quest… Ashur… One day, I will reach a high level and get my revenge. Definitely.’
Grid stared at Ashur and vowed to seek revenge. He looked at the menacing swords in the knights’ hands and then closed his eyes.
Then suddenly, Grid remembered Pagma’s book in his hand.
‘Wait, what about this?’
Would it remain in Grid’s inventory after he died if he put it in there before his death? This wasn’t a general quest item, so he couldn’t be certain of the situation.
What was Ashur’s purpose in the first place? Pagma’s rare book… The reason he wanted to kill Grid was to take the book away. In order for the story to go smoothly, if Earl Ashur killed Grid, it was likely that Pagma’s book would disappear from Grid’s inventory and fall into the earl’s hands.
“Shit!”
If he was going to lose Pagma’s book anyway, he might as well use it instead of selling! A new option emerged. Grid could use Pagma’s rare book.
However, he hesitated. He hated production-related classes. Wasn’t the point of a game to enjoy the thrill of battle? Yet, if he became a blacksmith, he would have to sweat as he hammered at iron in front of a fire. It might even be necessary to carry pickaxes while searching for mines to collect the necessary materials.
It was indeed…
‘La-bor.’
At that moment, a chill went down Grid’s spine. He was doing brick and shovel work at construction sites in real life, and now he needed to do labor in a game as well! Just imagining it made him feel terribly dizzy.
“Kuock…”
Grid wanted to remain as a warrior. It was his dream to swing his sword at enemies and someday become an army general. Nonetheless, it was now time to give up on that dream. Otherwise, an item worth hundreds of millions of won would be taken away by an NPC—that bastard Ashur!
‘It’s better to use it than to lose it to him!’ Grid tearfully opened Pagma’s book.
The shocked Ashur hurriedly stretched out a hand and chanted a spell.
“It’s too late, you jerk,” Grid ridiculed the earl before falling silent while checking the notification windows appearing one by one.
[You have become Pagma’s Successor.]
[Your level has dropped.]
[You are now level 1.]
[All skills and stats have been reset.]
“……?”
Grid couldn’t believe his eyes. Weren’t class changes supposed to help you get stronger by strengthening your existing level, stats, and skills? Therefore, he couldn’t understand why his level, stats, and skills were reset instead of maintained.
“What is this?”
While he was confused by the unknown situation, new notification windows emerged.
[Dexterity stat has opened.]
[Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship skill has been created.]
[Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship skill has been mastered.]
[Blacksmith’s Appraisal skill has been created.]
[Blacksmith’s Appraisal skill has been mastered.]
[Blacksmith’s Patience has been created.]
[Blacksmith’s Patience has been mastered.]
[Blacksmith’s Disassembly skill has been created.]
[Blacksmith’s Disassembly skill has been mastered.]
[Blacksmith’s Repair skill has been created.]
[Blacksmith’s Repair skill has been mastered.]
[All blacksmith skills have been mastered to the level of the Pinnacle, and the skills of the legendary blacksmith have been opened.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Discernment skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Patience skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Repair skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Disassembly skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Breath skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Blessing skill has been created.]
[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Creation skill has been created.]
[Title, ‘One who Became a Legend’, has been acquired.]
[Composure stat has opened.]
[Indomitable stat has opened.]
[Dignity stat has opened.]
[Insight stat has opened.]
In the case of dexterity, it was a basic stat possessed by all users with a production-related class.
However, the Composure, Indomitable, Dignity, and Insight stats were all unfamiliar.
Was this a good thing?
“Not good!”
Grid was desperate. There were 15 passive skills and 22 active skills that he had learned as a warrior. However, he completely lost all his abilities as a warrior. Due to the effect of the class change, he had completely become a laborer.
Furthermore, he was level one. The levels that he barely built up over the past year had been completely reset, and he now needed to start over…? He had to restart the damn level-up grind from the beginning?!
“Why is there a quest like this? Fuc*!@….~#@….$@….^%$!!”
Grid combined several Korean curses together as a knight’s sword rapidly headed toward him.
[You have been hit by a blow!]
[You have died.]
The level 1’s low health dropped to 0 with a single hit from a level 180 knight.
[Quest failed!]
[You will no longer be able to enter Patrian.]
[Any Patrian soldiers will kill you on sight.]
[Your level has dropped by 2.]
[You are now level -1.]
[There is no registered residence. Do you want to resurrect at the nearest temple?]
“……?” Grid saw his level and lost it. “Negative? My level is negative??”
He was certain that he had been cursed by the gods for some fault in a previous life. Grid barely got here after three months of hardship only to get this result…? He didn’t want to play the game anymore. So, he chose to log out instead of resurrecting.
Once Grid quit the game, he immediately connected to the Internet and searched through all of the Satisfy related forums in Korea to look for information about a negative level. Despite that, he couldn’t get any information, so he wrote his question directly on the forum.
[Title: I am currently level -1.
Contents: I have been doing a quest for three months and received a legendary old book. However, I failed, and my level strangely dropped to -1. Why??? Has this ever happened before???????]
He pressed the OK button to post and completely emerged from the capsule. A quick glance in the mirror revealed someone who looked like an emaciated patient with an incurable disease. It was the aftermath of not sleeping for three months while doing the quest. Yet the only thing Shin Youngwoo received in return was a loss of hundreds of millions of won and a level in the negative.
“My three months of work have gone flying away… Three months of hard work. Hahaha…”
He could’ve gone and taken up some hard labor jobs, but he ended up shoveling air. No, it was a loss of time and level. Shin Youngwoo lost his energy and flopped to the ground. He was sad, empty, grumpy, and resentful. All types of negative emotions were pouring in, giving him a tremendous sense of helplessness. If he were a weaker person, he was sure that he would’ve committed suicide.
“…I need to take a shit.”
Shin Youngwoo had been connected to the game for a long time, so he headed to the bathroom after receiving a physiological signal. It was three in the morning. All his family members were sleeping. If he woke up his parents, they might curse at him.
He stealthily crossed the living room, quietly did his business in the bathroom, and washed up. Then he moved back to the kitchen and took out a side dish from the fridge. After barely managing to find a spoon in the darkness, he returned to his room with a bowl of rice.
“Oh, it’s sausage fried rice.”
It was the taste of a meat processed product! As he ate the delicious food and filled up his stomach, he relaxed and began to think soberly.
“How did my level become negative?”
Shin Youngwoo thought about it before sitting in the capsule to check the question he posted on the Internet.
“What?”
In the meantime, the number of views on his posts had gone over 10,000. The number of comments was more than 2,000!
“D-Don’t tell me?”
He couldn’t find the information, but was the negative level actually famous among users? So the users were excited because it gave tremendous benefits?
Shin Youngwoo’s dream was destroyed when he checked the comments.
[-Iksl **’s answer: If there is a negative level, a ghost will appear before me at night.
-Eksk **’s answer: Wow ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I am level -5 ^.^ We are low-level comrades.
-Tutu **’s answer: Did you find a legendary book as well? ㅋㅋ Do you have an attention sickness?
-cm3s **’s answer: He should be brought to a mental hospital. Take this post down.
-7r14 **’s answer: Legendary book… negative level… These days… ㄸㄹㅇ Really, some people…
-jk12 **-1’s answer: Wouldn’t -1 be last place in the rankings? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I would quit the gameㅋ
-Kkks **’s answer: Something this unique that hasn’t appeared yet, what nonsense.
-Qkr8 **’s answer: Is it excessive drinking?
-Gjte **’s answer: Wow, negative level… I pay homage to your imagination. You should be a fiction writer. ㄷ ㄷ ]
“……”
There were 2,000 comments like these. He felt like an idiot.
‘It seems that information about negative levels hasn’t been revealed at all… Am I the first person?’
Satisfy’s system was configured to allow users to discover and develop themselves. There was no such thing as a customer service center like in other more traditional online games. As a result, Satisfy’s two billion users had been developing the world during the past year by pioneering and exchanging information on their own.
However, in such a vast world, there was still a lot of information that hadn’t been revealed, such as the negative level that Shin Youngwoo was experiencing now.
Swaaah.
It was raining outside the window. According to the weather forecast, it was going to rain all day. It wouldn’t be easy to get a labor job if he went out looking today. Instead, he ate the last of the rice and logged into the game again.
Chapter 3
Lim Cheolho was the core of the team of 33 scientists who built the virtual reality system and was the person who led the development of Satisfy by establishing the S.A Group.
He had many titles: the one with the knowledge of a god, the creator of the virtual reality system, the person who changed the world, the father of Satisfy, the wealthiest person in the nation, one of the most influential figures in the world, a person who received requests for naturalization dozens of times a year from all over the world, the pride of South Korea, and so on.
His countless titles meant that he received the spotlight every time he attended international events, and his influence transcended the American president, making him the world’s envy.
Yet in fact, his life wasn’t as flashy as discussed in the media. He was the head of Satisfy’s development team as well as head of the S.A Group, so he slept less than four hours a day on average. Despite that, was he unhappy? No, it was something he wanted for himself. Lim Cheolho was proud and enthusiastic about Satisfy, which had captured the hearts of two billion people.
“Umm.”
Lim Cheolho was woken up by the sound of his phone ringing. He checked the time and saw that it was 2:50 a.m. It had only been 20 minutes since he went to sleep. The accumulated fatigue from a month’s worth of late nights crushed Lim Cheolho’s ability to think.
His voice was rather sharp when he spoke into the phone, “What is going on? What?”
An urgent voice came through the phone.
Lim Cheolho immediately woke up. “I’m going immediately! Be prepared to give me the report as soon as I arrive!”
Then he got dressed and entered the elevator, heading to the underground floor of his house. In the underground parking lot, limited edition cars from expensive brands were parked in order by type. He climbed into a sports car with butterfly style doors and drove to the company at full speed.
Lim Cheolho ran into Satisfy’s Operations Office and asked without recovering his breathing, “What happened?”
Yoon Nahee, the head of the operations team, bowed to Lim Cheolho and adjusted her orange horn-rimmed glasses. “It happened five minutes ago.”
“How interesting!” The excited Lim Cheolho sat down and turned his gaze to the huge monitor on the wall.
The paused video started playing. The main character of the video was a level 73 warrior. The Asian youth found a cave at the northern end of an island. He got a hold of Pagma’s rare book and used it.
The staff handed two documents to Lim Cheolho as he watched the video.
Lim Cheolho read it and rubbed his chin. “In reality, as well as in Satisfy, he is a normal person with no outstanding traits. After being exposed to Satisfy, he suffered from a lack of self-control, resulting in the lowest level of life. How did this person find the cave at the north end that was concealed by a complex algorithm? Does he have an exploration talent that he doesn’t know about?”
According to the analysis from the development team’s supercomputer ‘Morpheus’, the North End Cave was supposed to be found by users in one year and ten months. In other words, it meant that the appearance of the legendary book, Pagma’s Rare Book, was originally supposed to be one year and ten months later.
One young man broke everyone’s expectations and hastened the timing.The number of users who had done their 2nd class change was less than 100, and he was now the sole legendary class in the game.
Lim Cheolho was greatly interested in the user who gave him a great surprise.
However, Yoon Nahee didn’t think of the young man as anything special. “It was merely a product of coincidence and obsession that he discovered the North End Cave.”
“I see,” Lim Cheolho said.
The young man named Shin Youngwoo, whose player name was Grid, had stayed in only one city for a year and accumulated more than 8,000 reputation in that city. His intelligence stat was also less than 50.
This completed the conditions needed to receive Earl Ashur’s quest. He explored areas infested with monsters higher than level 200 for three months without giving up, even though he was lower than level 80 and tasted death several times.
The most impressive thing about him was his discovery of the North End Cave. He found the quest item and was blinded by greed. By choosing to log out, he met the requirements for the linked quest to possess the legendary book.
‘There are many ways to meet the activation requirements, but the most extreme one is logging out,’ Lim Cheolho thought.
Anyway, as Yoon Nahee said, this chain was the result of coincidence and a stubborn personality. However, the young man proved that when coincidences overlapped several times, it could create a positive cloud. It also reminded Lim Cheolho of how valuable patience and hard work were.
‘Luck and persistence are also great abilities,’ he remarked inwardly.
Yoon Nahee asked a question to Lim Cheolho, who was watching the young man on the monitor with sparkling eyes. “How does the negative level work?”
“That is also a cloud of luck.”
“Huh?”
‘A scientist is talking about luck?’ Lim Cheolho laughed and explained, “As you know, users below level 10 get the beginner bonus, so their experience won’t decrease even if they die. This means that they don’t suffer from the level drop phenomenon. But in fact, a hidden system exists. Level reduction due to quest failure will be enforced regardless of the beginner benefits. However, there is no way for a beginner to receive a quest that will cause a level decrease, so it was likely to remain a hidden system forever.”
He took a moment to enjoy the fragrance of the coffee that a staff member passed him and then continued explaining. “The team predicted that if this quest followed the normal course, the one who received ‘Earl Ashur’s Secret Request’ quest would be at a minimum of level 350. If the user is over level 350, they will have a high chance of clearing the ‘Earl Ashur’s Anger’ quest and become Pagma’s Successor. In other words, they wouldn’t be lacking in ability like that young man, and they wouldn’t have failed the quest. Only this young man was able to find the hidden system through this quest.”
Yoon Nahee summarized it succinctly in her mind. Grid made an extreme choice during the quest because he was afraid of losing his hard-earned item. At this point, the penalty of falling to level 1 after becoming a legendary class was applied. Due to the beginner bonus, users under level 10 wouldn’t experience a drop in experience even if they died, but there were no exceptions to a failed quest’s penalty. Grid was forced to lose two levels due to the quest failure even though he was level 1, and as a result, he was now stuck at level -1. This was why Lim Cheolho called it a cloud of luck…
“Then can a negative level gain experience in the normal way and earn stat points for every level gained?” She asked.
Lim Cheolho nodded. “Right. He is currently level -1 and will have to gain two levels to reach level 1, where he will then have 20 stat points.”
“…This means his base stats will be 20 points higher than a character of the same level.”
“That’s right. That young man received a benefit that wouldn’t have been possible if he were a player capable of clearing Earl Ashur’s quest. He is a really lucky guy.”
The expressions of the employees grew serious.
Yoon Nahee asked Lim Cheolho, “A legendary class has appeared two years sooner than expected. A legendary class is already very powerful… So if he has 20 more stat points than others at his level, won’t the balance be broken?”
Lim Cheolho showed her the papers listing Shin Youngwoo’s information. “This graph shows that his level was quite low in proportion to the amount of time he spent hunting. He was a foolish person who stayed in one city for a year without leaving to find adventures or a more pleasant environment. I don’t think he has great talent for the game like the rankers. You don’t have to worry.”
“Is it really okay? In the eyes of other users, it might be enough to make him look special.”
“What can we do even if it isn’t okay? We have a policy of not directly interfering in the game, so think positively. Isn’t it a good thing that an ordinary user, instead of a ranker, obtained it? Besides, Pagma’s Successor is relatively weak in combat compared to the other legendary classes…” Lim Cheolho, who was watching the young man on the monitor, suddenly flinched and fell silent.
He shook his head at Yoon Nahee’s puzzled expression. “No, it isn’t a big deal. I will be going now. You have suffered a lot from the late nights of work. I will give you a bonus soon, so please suffer for a bit longer.”
The atmosphere of the employees became excited at the word ‘bonus’.
Lim Cheolho smiled and left the office.
‘Why all of a sudden?’ Only Yoon Nahee was silent among the raucous staff. She felt nervous as she thought about Lim Cheolho’s surprised look.
Meanwhile, Lim Cheolho’s expression changed subtly in the elevator as he muttered Shin Youngwoo’s name.
***
Grid lost his place of residence because he was expelled from Patrian. Therefore, he resurrected at a temple near his place of death, which actually turned out to be a temple for the god of darkness, Yatan.
Dark energy hung around the dark room, while robed black magicians wandered around with gloomy expressions.
People were shouting and pounding their chests around an altar. It was too creepy to watch.
“Kiyaaaaak!” The sharp scream of a woman in pain came from underground.
“…Well, it is nothing compared to that notorious place,” Grid muttered.
He had already finished his military service. If someone had been next to him, then they would’ve felt the generally oppressive atmosphere of a horror movie. Furthermore, Grid wasn’t a female user, so he felt no fear at the Yatan Temple.
“S-S-Status window.” His voice was shaking, but he tried not to let it affect him. He ignored his surroundings as much as possible and concentrated on the status window in front of him.
[Name: Grid
Level: -1 (0/20)
Class: Pagma’s Successor
* The probability of adding additional options when making items will increase.
* The probability of item enhancement will increase.
* All equipment items can be worn unconditionally. However, the is a penalty depending on the rating of the item.
Title: One who Became a Legend
* Abnormal conditions don’t work well on you.
* You won’t die when health is at the minimum.
* Easily acknowledged.
Health: 14/14 Mana: 3/3
Strength: 1 Stamina: 1 Agility: 1 Intelligence: 1 Dexterity: 1
Composure: 1 Indomitable: 1 Dignity: 1 Insight: 1
Stat Points: 0
Weight: 3,035/20
* The weight limit exceeds 200%, so movement speed is reduced by 100%.
The body is heavy and cannot exert any power properly.
The probability of receiving the ‘weakened’ state has become really high.]
A flood of emotions filled Grid’s head.
The negative level was something he couldn’t understand, and the abilities that didn’t allow him to win a fight even against a rabbit made him angry. However, the special functions given by the title and profession overwhelmed him.
Chapter 4
‘The negative level isn’t a bug.’
The numbers in parentheses beside the level indicated Grid’s current experience and the amount of experience required to reach the next level. The existence of this experience figure meant that he could level up. In the worst-case scenario, he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to level up because he was bugged.
‘I’m glad it isn’t a bug…’
Grid still felt upset. That was not surprising. After all, his level was originally over 70, but now he was lower than even new players who had just created their characters.
‘I have to endure this.’
He braced himself. It might take time, but he could raise his level again. The reason for this positive thinking was due to the qualities of his profession and title. Grid didn’t know anything about item creation, so he couldn’t comment on the probability of adding additional options. Nevertheless, it was still something good to have.
‘The odds of enhancement will increase.’
In Satisfy, items could be enhanced up to +10. However, the price of the materials needed for enhancement was expensive. In addition, the higher the enhancement number and item rating, the lower the probability of the enhancement succeeding. Furthermore, if the enhancement was successful, the enhancement value would be +1. However, if it failed, it would be -3. Consequently, the price for items with an enhancement of +6 would rise exponentially.
‘I don’t know how much the probability has risen, but can’t I feel hope for a large amount of money?’
Both of the class characteristics that were mentioned were quite attractive. However, Grid’s bigger interest was placed on the characteristic that all items could be worn unconditionally. This was an unreasonable merit. Depending on the penalties that were applied, this attribute could disrupt the balance of the game.
’Isn’t this a fraudulent class attribute?’
Most of the equipment items in Satisfy had conditions of use attached to them. If the conditions weren’t met, the item couldn’t be worn. For that reason, every level had strong limitations. Yet that didn’t apply to Grid due to the nature of his class.
‘Really?’
Grid opened his inventory.
[Mamon’s Greatsword]
[Rating: Epic
Durability: 88/204 Attack Power: 178~301 Attack Speed: -16%
-Additional water damage will be added to all critical attacks.
This is the greatsword patronized by the guardian of Lake Pamian, Mamon. Due to the influence of the lake, this sword has the strong aura of water.
Conditions of Use: Level 65 or higher, more than 260 strength, more than 150 stamina.
Weight: 1,050]
[Mengel’s Plate Armor]
[Rating: Rare
Durability: 51/180 Defense: 165 Movement Speed: -2%
* Strength +10
This is a work made by the blacksmith Mengel in the fortified city of Patrian. With it, the defense is improved and the weight lowered. The wearer of this work can feel Mengel’s strong willpower that remained behind.
Conditions of Use: Level 60 or higher, more than 180 strength.
Weight: 1,203]
Grid’s current stats didn’t meet the conditions of use attached to Mamon’s Greatsword or Mengel’s Plate Armor. In other words, a normal person wouldn’t be able to wear both items. Grid was an exception.
[Due to your class characteristics, you have equipped Mamon’s Greatsword.]
[A penalty is applied because the item conditions are not met.]
[Attack power of Mamon’s Greatsword will decrease by 30%. Only half of the option effects will be applied.]
[The penalties will be reduced if your understanding of Mamon’s Greatsword increases.]
[Due to your class characteristics, you have equipped Mengel’s Plate Armor.]
[A penalty is applied because the item conditions are not met.]
[Defense of Mengel’s Plate Armor will decrease by 20%. Only half of the option effects will be applied.]
[The penalties will be reduced if your understanding of Mengel’s Plate Armor’ increases.]
“Amazing…”
Satisfy rarely had items with no usage conditions. Grid recalled a set of beginner items that were representative of having no conditions. He didn’t remember it exactly, but in the case of the beginner’s gear he received at level 1, the greatsword’s attack power was 5 to 13 while the armor’s defense was 7. However, Grid could now use a weapon capable of at least 124 to 210 attack power and 132 defense at level one.
‘Won’t it be surprisingly easy to recover my level?’
No matter how low his level was, Grid could hunt monsters around level 20 with just the attack power of Mamon’s Greatsword. Additionally, thanks to Mengel’s Plate Armor, he wouldn’t receive any damage from low-level monsters. In other words, Grid would be able to hunt monsters much more quickly and easily than other users at the same level thanks to the item effect. This would be directly linked to leveling up at the speed of light.
‘The basic penalties system is that rare items have a drop of 20% in the basic abilities, while epic items have a 30% drop. Only half of the item effects are applied…’
The penalties were surprisingly small. Unique and legendary ranked items would be subjected to more penalties, but at this point, it was a sufficiently fraudulent ability.
“This is a legendary class…! But what is understanding?”
Due to his excitement, Grid belatedly noticed the bit about ‘understanding’ that appeared in the notification windows. Then he checked the detailed information.
[Item Understanding]
[Pagma’s Successor can understand the materials and principles of the item by using, disassembling, or repairing the equipment items. The higher the level of understanding, the more efficiently one can handle the items. If you have a 100% understanding, you can learn how to make that item.]
“Ohu~”
The higher his level of understanding, the fewer penalties there would be.
“Then I’ll get the production method? Wow…”
Ordinary production users had to pay a large amount of money or complete hard quests to get production methods. Yet Grid could get it for free, as long as he increased his understanding.
‘The repair skill is available and my item durability is low, so I will try and repair it later.’
Then he looked at the title attributes. In combat, the one thing players had to be most cautious of was an abnormal status. This was due to its ability to often reverse the state of a battle. By the way, Grid’s title lowered the probability of being affected by abnormal statuses. It also said that he wouldn’t die when his health was at the minimum, so he could be immortal temporarily.
‘Easily acknowledged—does that mean my affinity with NPCs can be easily increased?’
“Puhuhut…”
Grid was happy. He was so happy that he couldn’t stop laughing. The class and title attributes alone gave him the feeling of being ahead of other regular users. He had become special. This felt like proper compensation for his three months of suffering.
“But…”
Still, Grid would’ve enjoyed a much greater pleasure if he could’ve sold the book for money.
“I missed out on the opportunity to get rid of my creditors and to drive a foreign car!”
He suddenly went from feeling good to feeling bad.
“~#@….!^%*@…. Ashur!!”
Grid pounded the floor with frustration and resentment while pouring all out types of profanities toward Ashur. Gradually, his heart was soothed. It was due to an unfamiliar stat, so he decided to check it.
[Composure]
[The probability of being affected by an abnormal state is lowered. If affected by an abnormal condition, you will recover quickly.
* The higher the number, the higher the effect.
* Stat points can’t be distributed to this stat.]
[Indomitable]
[Has a certain probability of invalidating a portion of the incoming damage. The lower the health, the higher the probability.
* The higher the number, the higher the effect.
* Stat points can’t be distributed to this stat.]
[Dignity]
[Can’t be pushed down by others. There is a rare chance of making the enemy submit to you.
* The higher the number, the higher the effect.
* Stat points can’t be distributed to this stat.]
[Insight]
[Discover the target. Predict risks.
* The higher the number, the higher the probability.
* Stat points can’t be distributed to this stat.]
Every stat had a great effect.
‘By the way, how am I going to raise the stat’s number if I can’t distribute points to it?’
The explanation made the stats seem great, but they might be stats without much practical use.
At the moment that Grid was about to open the skills window…
“Aack!” He screamed with fear as something had suddenly touched his back. Then he belatedly recalled that he was in a Yatan Temple.
“W-What?!!!” Grid hurriedly turned around and reflexively wielded Mamon’s Greatsword.
The man behind Grid dodged Grid’s attack and raised both his hands. “Hey, calm down. Do you want to kill a person?”
The one who spoke was a Caucasian-looking man who seemed to have an assassin-type class due to his light equipment and agile body.
‘His finger poked my back.’
It might’ve been okay if it was a sword, but it was embarrassing to scream just because of a finger.
“What is it?” Grid asked.
The man shrugged. “How depressing. Shouldn’t you apologize after trying to kill a person?”
His smile looked like a smirk.
Grid disliked this type of person. ‘This person is speaking so impolitely at our first meeting.’
Certainly, the man looked older than Grid and, at first glance, seemed to be in his mid-30s. However, Grid’s one year of experience in the game was enough to let him know how deceptive appearances were. He had once called someone ‘Younger Brother’, only to find out they were seven years older than him.
‘This bastard… He looked like he was in his 30s, but…’
“Cough.” Grid’s fists trembled, barely managing to calm himself as he remembered his shameful past. “I’m sorry about that. But shouldn’t you apologize for poking me without notice and surprising me?”
The man laughed and reached out for a handshake. “Young man, I called out to you. However, you were so engrossed in thinking that you didn’t hear me. That is why I poked you. I’m sorry.”
Refusing to shake hands with the man, Grid asked instead, “So why did you call me?”
The man scratched his head and shrugged. “As you know, the Yatan Temple is filled with evil energy. Ordinary people will become afraid if they stay here for a while. But I observed you, and you’re fine despite all the time that passed. In addition, you can even manage to laugh alone. You… You actually have great abilities, don’t you?”
‘Perhaps this is…’ As Grid got a hunch, he checked the name above the man’s head.
The man’s eyes shone. “My name is Doran. I am a shadow who secretly protects Earl Steim. One or two days after I went on vacation, the Earl’s esteemed daughter was kidnapped. I tracked her and found out that she was trapped in the basement of this temple. Won’t you lend me your strength? I will give you remuneration for the request.”
“I don’t…” Grid had thought the man was a user, but it turned out that he was actually an NPC.
Due to the perfect artificial intelligence, the distinction between users and NPCs was ambiguous, and this mistake sometimes occurred. However, the name above the man’s head was green, symbolizing he was indeed an NPC.
Then a notification window about a quest popped up.
[Rescue the Earl’s Esteemed Daughter]
[Difficulty: S
Irene, the only daughter of Earl Steim, is a beautiful and innocent virgin. The elders of Yatan had kidnapped Irene in order to sacrifice her for her virgin blood.
Quest Clear Conditions: Rescue Irene within one hour after accepting the quest.
Clear Reward: 3,000 gold, a low probability of becoming the earl’s son-in-law.
* Earl’s son-in-law: Nobility stat will open, all stats +20.
You will be treated as a viscount after marrying the earl’s esteemed daughter. Power and honor will rise. You can advance into the social circle of the nobles. You will receive a monthly salary. This can be a shortcut to becoming a high-ranking official or lord.
Quest Failure: Level -2.]
[Would you like to accept the quest?]
This was crazy.
Chapter 5
It was a completely unwelcome quest. Was it because Grid didn’t like the rewards? That was impossible!
‘The rewards are really good…’
3,000 gold was worth around 3,600,000 won when converted into real cash, which was close to 40 days of revenue for him if he worked without any rest. Yet the best thing was the title of ‘Earl’s Son-in-Law’.
All his stats would receive a boost of +20! Grid currently had nine stats in total: strength, stamina, agility, intelligence, dexterity, composure, indomitable, dignity, and insight. If he added the nobility stat, that would equal 10 in total.
If all of these stats were given 20 points, it would be a total of 200 stat points. He obtained 10 stat points every time he gained a level, so 200 stat points were worth 20 levels. Additionally, it would be wonderful for him to have a beautiful aristocratic lady as his bride.
‘The road is open, but…’
However, there was a reason why the rewards were so good. It was an S grade quest!
‘Earl Ashur’s Fury was an S grade quest.’
At the time of the quest, Grid was level 79, but he couldn’t cope with the difficulty level. He was killed many times during the quest and dropped down to level 73. In addition, the time he spent on it was three months!
He was currently level -1, so he had no means of clearing an S grade quest with a time limit. Why would he accept a quest that would obviously fail?
‘Furthermore, my level will fall by two if I fail.’
Grid’s body trembled with fear and anger at the thought of his level dropping to -3.
‘But why on earth is it an S grade quest again?’
S grade quests were never common quests. Even the top-level rankers who were above level 200 could count the number of times that they had received an S grade quest on just one hand. However, Grid wasn’t a high-level user and was currently at level -1.
He recalled what Doran said: “As you know, the Yatan Temple is filled with evil energy. Ordinary people will become afraid if they stay here for a while. But I observed you, and you’re fine despite all the time that passed. In addition, you can even manage to laugh alone. You… You actually have great abilities, don’t you?”
There were hints in these words. The quest seemed to be generated by staying in the Yatan Temple for a certain period of time without falling into the ‘fear’ state. This was because Grid’s title and Composure stat lowered his chances of falling under an abnormal condition.
Was it good? Did he like it?
‘Won’t I be screwed if this is a forced quest? The attributes of this title are crazy, but it’s like this game is trying to make me quit.’
Grid replied unhesitatingly, “I can’t do it. Ask someone else.”
[The quest was refused.]
Although Grid refused the quest, Doran didn’t quit.
He pleaded, “You are the only unusual person, so please help me. A precious person’s life is involved!”
[Doran is desperate. Do you understand his sad circumstances and accept the quest?]
The concept of the notification window was lost. Did it think Grid was in a position to take care of others right now? Grid immediately swiped the window away and said, “You are mistaken. I am weak and incompetent, so I won’t be able to help you. It would be better for you to take care of it alone.”
[The quest was refused.]
“As you know, the believers of Yatan use powerful black magic! I can’t rescue the young lady from them alone! Please don’t turn away, lend me your strength!”
[Doran hasn’t given up. Would you like to accept the quest?]
“No, first of all, I don’t have the ability to do it…”
[The quest was refused.]
“You are too modest! Don’t you know that the power to ignore their fear isn’t common?”
[Doran can only depend on you. Would you like to accept the quest?]
Sometimes, there were quest NPCs who would persist like this as they had their own desperate situations. Yes, Grid could understand Doran’s feelings. If Doran returned without rescuing his master’s daughter, his head would go flying off. Still, what about Grid? What if he failed and his level dropped again?
Why should he go through such terrible things because of Doran? Grid was more important to himself than a complete stranger! The biggest problem was that he didn’t have the ability to help Doran in the first place.
“Please help! I am begging you!” Doran fell to his knees.
Grid looked at him. This man—all the words Grid said to him were entering one ear and leaving the other… Or maybe he thought Grid was lying.
‘It’s probably the latter. Is it so great that I don’t feel fear while staying in the Yatan Temple? I haven’t been here before, so I don’t even know what I’m supposed to feel.’
Grid faced Doran head on and explained with a more serious attitude, “I’m really sorry, but I truly don’t have the strength to help you. Don’t waste your time on me. Call the earl and ask for his help.”
[The quest was refused.]
“Every hour is urgent! The young lady’s life might be in danger while I go to ask the earl for help! You are the only person I can rely on! This is a request!”
[Doran is hoping for a helping hand. Would you like to accept the quest?]
The limits of patience.
“Ah, this is frustrating! Do you really need my help? I don’t want to look at you anymore, so go away!”
“Please give mercy for the sake of her life!”
“What? No! Damn. Yes, I should leave. I am going now!” Grid once again refused the quest and turned away from Doran.
This was a terrible quest that would cause his level to drop by two upon failure, so Grid wanted to avoid it. However, unlike his thoughts, his feet didn’t move quickly. He was 200% over the weight limit, so his movement speed was reduced by 100%.
Seeing Grid move as slowly as a turtle, Doran misunderstood and teared up. “You act so intimidatingly, but you are actually conflicted… You really do want to help me…”
“……”
“Stop feeling conflicted and help me!”
[Doran feels hopeful again. Would you like to accept the quest?]
“Bullshit! I won’t help!”
[The quest was refused.]
Grid ignored Doran and hastened his steps, but once again, his speed was slow.
This only deepened Doran’s misunderstanding. “Maybe you’re conflicted because your life is busy, but the life of a person is more important! This is a request!!”
“I can’t! It isn’t possible!”
“Don’t deceive yourself! In fact, you are suffering as well! You can’t leave this place immediately, which is why there is such hesitation in your step!”
“There is no hesitation! I’m not walking slowly! My baggage is heavy, that’s all!”
Doran continued chasing after Grid, and Grid’s slow pace couldn’t get rid of him.
[Would you like to accept the quest?]
[Would you like to accept the quest?]
[Would you like…]
‘What a stupid jerk!’ The notification windows kept popping up no matter how much Grid refused. He had to make a drastic decision. ‘I can’t carry on like this. Yes, I have to refuse, even if I develop a hostile relationship with him. He isn’t a NPC I need to build up a relationship with, so it won’t hurt if he is my enemy.’
Grid pulled out Mamon’s greatsword and glared at Doran. “I definitely can’t help you. If you don’t get away right now, I am prepared to hurt you.”
Doran grasped the atmosphere and took one step back. Then he slowly opened his mouth, “I really wish you would help me…”
[Doran is asking for the last time. Would you like to accept the quest?]
Swipe!
‘How many times do I have to see this damn notification window?’
“I won’t help! Even if I can help, I don’t want to! I won’t help!”
Grid’s stress went over the threshold, and he could no longer suppress his anger. In the end, he yelled and swung Mamon’s greatsword, expressing his intent not to talk to Doran anymore.
Then…
Kwajak!
“Kaaack!”
The sensation of hitting something was transmitted through Grid’s fingertips as a scream rang out at the same time.
Grid turned his gaze to the side of the greatsword and saw what had just occurred. A believer wearing the robe of Yatan had collapsed with Mamon’s greatsword in his neck.
An ominous chill ran down Grid’s spine. “I was aiming at the crazy guy, so why did the person next to him…”
As Grid stared at the dying believer, a new notification window popped up.
[Your relationship with the Yatan Church has become hostile.]
[You won’t be able to receive Yatan’s blessings.]
[The followers of Yatan will try to kill you when they find you.]
The atmosphere of the temple changed.
While Grid was getting surrounded by dozens of Yatan’s believers, Doran got up and placed a hand on Grid’s shoulder before crying out, “Thank you!!”
“Eh?”
[Rescue the Earl’s Esteemed Daughter]
[Difficulty: S
Irene, the only daughter of Earl Steim, is a beautiful and innocent virgin. The elders of Yatan had kidnapped Irene in order to sacrifice her for her virgin blood.
You can’t tolerate the evil deeds of Yatan’s followers. You must surely rescue Irene.
Quest Clear Conditions: Rescue Irene within one hour after accepting the quest.
Clear Reward: 3,000 gold, a low probability of becoming the earl’s son-in-law.
* Earl’s son-in-law: Nobility stat will open, all stats +20.
You will be treated as a viscount after marrying the earl’s esteemed daughter. Power and honor will rise. You can advance into the social circle of the nobles. You will receive a monthly salary. This can be a shortcut to becoming a high-ranking official or lord.
Quest Failure: Level -2.]
[The quest has been accepted.]
“Wow,” Grid muttered.
Due to his hostile relationship with the Yatan Church, the ‘Rescue the Earl’s Esteemed Daughter’ quest was forced upon him.
“Huhuhu…”
Some might say this was unlucky. No, it was more accurate to say that Grid had no luck.
‘Failure once again… it will be level -3!’
At any rate, Grid had no luck. Perhaps he sold a country in his previous life.
“Who dares hurt Yatan’s believers! Aren’t you afraid of the curse of God Yatan?”
“God Yatan is almighty! God Yatan has already noticed your sin! You won’t be safe for the rest of your life!”
“You will pay a heavy price for your blasphemy!”
The angry voices of the Yatan followers clamored around Grid. Their crazy eyes were filled with absolute hostility.
‘Will I die now?’ Grid thought.
The followers of Yatan were black magicians. Black magicians had strong curse abilities, so they were difficult to deal with.
Edited and proofread by audiowuxia.
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