The northern snowfields were very cold. A person who didn’t wear winter clothing would get the flu in a matter of minutes and eventually become a frozen statue. However, Grid’s current cold resistance was 60% after equipping the Giant Brown Bear Leather set.

“Hahaha! Cool!”

In the midst of a raging snowstorm, Grid was like a man standing in front of an air conditioner in summer. The effect of the Giant Brown Bear Leather set was great.

"I see it.”

After crossing the snowstorm, Grid found the village of the frostlight orcs and equipped the Ideal Dagger.

[Ideal Dagger]

Rating: Unique

Durability: 168/168

Attack Power: 242~264

Attack Speed: +11%

* There is a rare chance of instantaneously killing the target.

* Agility +20

* The skill ‘Wind Blast’ is generated.

* The skill ‘Quick Movements’ is generated.

A dagger created by a craftsman with great skills and potential, but lacks experience and reputation. It was made with the renowned blacksmith Khan.

There is nothing special about the materials or method used, but the craftsman’s skill and the co-operation with Khan has created an ideal dagger.

User Restriction: Level 180 or higher. More than 450 agility. Advanced Dagger Mastery.

[Wind Blast]

Shoots a blade-like wind in front of you. The wind will exert 60% of your current attack power.

Skill Mana Cost: 100

Skill Cooldown Time: 40 seconds

[Quick Movements]

Increases evasion rate by 30% and doubles agility for 1 minute.

Skill Mana Cost: 80

Skill Cooldown Time: 100 seconds

"Orcs, this weapon is enough to take care of you.” Grid thought it was easy, so he confidently marched towards the frostlight orc village.

“Come on orcs! Give me the sylphid scales! Otherwise, there will be a bloody feast here!” Grid screamed in a loud voice, like he was in a cartoon.

The orcs on the watchtower were dismayed as they noticed him.

"Kuwik, kuweek? (What, who is that human in leather?)”

"Weukikukkikuok. Kururukuweeek. (Maybe he’s a crazy human. He dares enter our village with no fear.)”

"Ururukak! Kiukekik! (There’s no time to converse! Get rid of him quickly!)”

The two watchtowers built at the entrance of the village! The sentry orcs were armed with bows and pulled them in Grid’s direction without any warning.

“Huh?”

Grid heard a sharp sound from the watchtower and a small light flashed. He was horrified to see they were arrows.

“Hiik! A-Arrow? Quick Movements!”

[Quick Movements has been activated. Your agility and evasion rate will increase significantly for 1 minute.]

Grid reflexively used the skill and could barely avoid the arrows. He felt an eerie feeling as arrows struck where he had been standing.

"Orcs can use bows?”

Orcs also had intelligence. They had their own language and lived in villages but they had no dexterity. They only had three fingers in the first place, so it was said that they couldn’t handle delicate weapons like a bow. However, the frostlight orcs were using bows.

“The orcs are firing from 10 meters away, yet they are so accurate?”

Grid looked at the watchtower and recalled Khan’s advice.

‘The frostlight orcs are monsters inhabiting the snowy north. They have blue skin, unlike the regular orcs with green skin, more intelligence, and are 1.5 times greater in size. They are extremely strong against the cold, but their weakness is fire.’

‘Hey Grid, stay alert. As I mentioned, the frostlight orcs are different from common orcs. They are very powerful. If you don’t aim at their weakness well, you won’t be able to injure them.’

Grid had an ominous feeling. "Should I have listened? No, no. Even if they can use bows, orcs are still orcs. It will be okay.”

As Grid tried to soothe his anxiety, one orc descended from a watchtower.

"Kuk, kueeek! Kugura!? (Hey, leather covered human! Why are you here!?)"

The blue-skinned orc, that was over 2m tall, shouted at him. Grid couldn’t understand the language of orcs, but he had a rough grasp of the meaning.

“Stop talking and give me the sylphid scales.”

It was the scene of Grid coming to a peaceful village and threatening them for their goods. The angry orc pulled back the bowstring again.

"Kuruk! Kueeeruruk! (Crazy! I will get rid of you!)”

Syuk!

The arrow pierced through the snowstorm. The ability to fire the bow quickly and accurately while ignoring the wind resistance was evidence of the orc’s arm strength and high archery level. Grid avoided the arrow thanks to Quick Movements and immediately counterattacked.

“Wind Blast!”

A sharp blade of wind hit the frostlight orc.

Hwiririk!

It was the skill that severely wounded armored NPC soldiers in one blow! It hit the chest of the frostlight orc and blue blood the same color of its skin emerged. But the cut wasn’t deep. This meant that the defense of the frostlight orcs was much higher than the soldiers.

"I don’t know what type of defense... How thick is its leather?”

The enraged orc shouted at the astonished Grid.

"Kuruk... kuweeek! (This bastard... it hurts!)”

The orc dropped the bow, took out a hand axe, and ran towards him. Then the axe descended towards Grid’s face. Grid defended with the Ideal Dagger.

Kaaang!

“Ugh!”

Grid’s eyes narrowed. The orc was so powerful that his arm became numb. It was a sensation similar to when he blocked the sword of Leo, the Northern Nova.

‘Strong!’

Now Grid acknowledged it. The frostlight orcs were strong! It was natural.

Grid didn’t know it, but the frostlight orcs were level 120. Their agility might be lacking, but their attack power and stamina was far superior to their level. Originally, the level 45 Grid wouldn’t be an opponent for the frostlight orcs. It was normal for him to die in one blow.

However, Grid’s status was equal to a mid-100s user thanks to the superior stats of Pagma's Successor, performing all types of quests and creating items. He was able to face the frostlight orc head on.

"Come, orc!”

Bbaek!

Grid kicked the orc in the stomach while quickly thinking.

‘What should I do? Should I run away? No, no! I can’t return empty handed after coming here! Besides, it will be difficult to enter Kesan Canyon if I don’t get the sylphid scales!’

Grid was frustrated.

“I will give it a try. If I take advantage of my skills...!”

Originally, a blacksmith had no combat skills. But Grid was different. Since becoming Pagma's Successor, he’d completed all types of quests and armed himself with the Ideal Dagger, meaning he now had a couple of combat skills.

[Blacksmith’s Rage]

Lv. 1

Increases attack power by 10% and attack speed by 30% for 20 seconds.

Skill Mana Cost: 50

Skill Cooldown Time: 60 seconds

[Unbreakable Justice]

Lv. 1

Deals 300% of your attack power.

Skill Mana Cost: 350

Skill Cooldown Time: 100 seconds

“Blacksmith’s Rage!”

[Blacksmith’s Rage has been activated. Your attack power and attack speed will increase significantly for 20 seconds.]

Grid felt strength boiling inside him. Then he stood firmly in front of the frostlight orc.

“Wind Blast!”

"Kuwek!"

Thanks to the 10% increase in attack power, Wind Blast did a little more damage than before. Grid broke through the gap while the frostlight orc was in pain and stabbed the orc’s neck with the Ideal Dagger. This was the moment when his experience of hunting monsters as a warrior showed.

[Critical!]

[You have dealt 923 damage to the target.]

[A bleeding effect is applied because you aimed precisely at the target. The target will receive continuous damage.]

“Kuweeeeek!”

The frostlight orc shook with pain as blue blood emerged from its thick neck. Due to the heat from the flowing blood, steam occurred and covered its eyes. But even in the midst of this, the orc continued swinging its axe.

[You have suffered 807 damage.]

[You have suffered 1,005 damage.]

“It hurts! Damn! It hurts, you orc bastard.”

The frostlight orc’s attack power was very high. Grid suffered enormous damage even with the defense from his set items. Nevertheless, Grid kept up his spirit and fought back. He counterattacked every time he was hit. It was a dogfight between Grid and the orc to see who would die first.

[You have dealt 501 damage to the target.]

[You have suffered 1,051 damage.]

[You have dealt 607 damage to the target.]

[You have suffered 988 damage.]

[You have taken an intermediate health potion. 1,500 health will recover.]

[You have dealt 700 damage to the target.]

[You have suffered 890 damage.]

Who would die first? Red and blue blood dripped as the fight between Grid and the frostlight orc continued. Due to the heat, a blue and red fog spread around the area. Grid was the one who was in a crisis first. His health was low and his potion was still on cooldown.

‘This!’

Grid tried to buy some time for the potion cooldown to finish but the frostlight orc persistently chased after Grid.

[You have suffered 929 damage.]

“Kuk!”

In the end, Grid allowed an attack and his health fell under 10%.

[The Apostle of Justice’s bravery is unmatched.]

This was the passive effect of the ‘Apostle of Justice’ title that Grid hadn’t experienced yet.

[The Apostle of Justice is in a crisis. You won’t easily collapse in front of the enemies.]

[All stats will increase by 30%.]

Grid smiled widely.

‘I can’t resent Huroi anymore, since he gave me this! The title Apostle of Justice has an excellent feature like this!’

Kwajak!

[You have dealt 1,100 damage to the target.]

"Kueeeek! Kuwek! Uweeek! (Aaack! You! You became stronger all of a sudden!)”

The screams of the frostlight orc changed drastically. The faces of the orcs watching from the watchtower gradually distorted.

"Kuruk...ikku? Kururuk... (What...that human? Strong...)”

"Iwukeek purukurururk! (He became stronger all of a sudden!)”

“Kururukuk! Eiokku! (We can’t just watch! We will also join!)”

The orcs descended the watchtower in order to help their colleague. They were astonished when they entered the bloody mist. Their colleague was turning into a grey light on the floor, while the human wearing bear skin turned towards them while covered in blue blood.

“Ruurek? (How is this possible?)”

The orcs’ eyes widened.

"Rekrekpukeoke! (He didn’t even get hurt!)

The orcs clearly saw how fiercely the bear skin covered human fought with their colleague. The human must be severely injured. However, they weren’t able to find one wound on the human’s body. Why was Grid fine? The reason was because he raised his level.

[You have defeated a frostlight orc.]

[7 gold have been acquired.]

[Frostlight orc leather has been acquired.]

[Crude Hand Axe has been acquired.]

[266,000 experience has been acquired.]

[Your level has risen.]

Satisfy employed the system where health and mana were restored when a user levelled up. Thanks to the level up, all of Grid’s wounds from the struggle with the orc recovered. In this bloody fog, Grid grasped the appearance of the two newly arrived orcs and smiled happily.

“It’s great... experience!”

Thanks to the fight, Grid determined that the frostlight orcs were strong, but they weren’t bad opponents. If he used the Unbreakable Justice skill, he might be able to deal with two orcs at once.

“Ahahahat!”

Grid was excited. He gained a level from hunting just one orc, so they gave a lot of experience. To Grid, the frostlight orcs were now his prey.

“I will raise my level a bit more! Unbreakable Justice!”

Kwaaaaang!

Grid was able to fight two orcs at the same time by using Unbreakable Justice. In the middle of the fight, an option of the Ideal Dagger was luckily activated.

[Critical!]

[The Ideal Dagger’s option effect is activated, instantaneously killing the target.]

“Kuweeeeek!”

Thanks to the use of a wide area skill and the dagger’s option, two orcs died instantly.

[You have defeated a frostlight orc.]

[8 gold have been acquired.]

[Frostlight orc leather has been acquired.]

[Your level has risen.]

[You have defeated a frostlight orc.]

[10 gold have been acquired.]

[Your level has risen.]

“Kuk...! Kukukuk! Kuahahaha!" Grid laughed like crazy. His hunting instincts woke up at this moment.

“Today I will kill all of you! Ignorant orcs!”

He tasted the pleasure of hunting after a long time! Grid forgot his original purpose of obtaining the sylphid scales as he ran into the village.

***

Huroi always visited Khan’s smithy after he finished his hunting. It was the same today. After staying at the hunting ground for four days, he returned to the village and immediately stopped at Khan’s smithy.

“Where is the person I want to meet?”

“Oh, aren’t you Huroi?”

Huroi greeted Khan politely, then he asked. “My Liege... no, have you seen Grid? Can you tell me where he is?”

“He left for the northern snowfields three days ago.”

"Northern snowfields? Why there...?”

“He’s hunting the frostlight orcs.”

"Frostlight orcs?”

The frostlight orcs were monsters not known to ordinary users. But Huroi happened to encounter one while carrying out a quest in the past. He had trembled at its strength.

“No, why is Grid after the frostlight orcs all of a sudden?”

"He wants to gain materials.”

"So stupid!"

Huroi had witnessed Grid overwhelm the knights despite being a blacksmith. But even so, he couldn’t help being worried.

‘The frostlight orcs are well organized. They will be dangerous opponents for Grid!’

Huroi equipped the longsword and shield that he purchased from Khan’s smithy a while ago. Originally, an orator couldn’t use a sword or shield. Huroi was able to use it only after obtaining the second class, Apostle of Justice’s Partner.

“I will go and help Grid!”

"Oh, how reassuring! Please go safely.”

Huroi said farewell to Khan and stopped by the general store before heading to the village of frostlight orcs. He purchased 50 firebombs from the general store. He was aware that frostlight orcs were incredibly vulnerable to fire.

“My Liege! I’m coming now!”

Huroi left for the northern snowfields. A few hours later, he was able to arrive at the village of frostlight orcs.

“What?”

Huroi couldn’t shake off a sense of strangeness. There were no frostlight orcs, and the village was as quiet as dead mice. Huroi was worried it might be a trap and moved carefully, but then he heard an orc screaming not far away.

“My Liege!”

He instinctively grasped that Grid was there and ran over. Then he saw it.

“Kuwek! Kuweeek!! Kirarurarak! (This guy! This evil bastard! He is destroying our village!)”

“Kuruek! Kuweeeek! (I will resent him even after death!)”

Grid was easily dealing with the frostlight orcs.

“As expected from My Liege... I worried for nothing...”

As he watched Grid overwhelming the frostlight orcs with a dagger that pierced the thick leather, Huroi wondered how to return the firebombs to the owner of the general store.