Chapter 318

As soon as the blue greatsword and hand plow collided, Piaro’s eyes widened.

‘Heavy!’

Grid’s swordsmanship was rough. It wasn’t outstanding. However, his high strength and agility wrecked considerable havoc.

‘How far has he come?’

Piaro had experience teaching Grid. He knew more than anyone that Grid was dull-witted. Even though he inherited the legendary skills, Piaro was confident that a rapid growth wasn’t possible for Grid.

But he was mistaken. Grid’s growth rate was comparable to the geniuses that Piaro recognized, Regas and Ibellin.

‘Now!’

The synergy between the Slaughterer’s Eye Patch and his high insight exploded. As Piaro was feeling confused, Grid’s eye flashed red and he shook the hand plow off Failure. At this point, Grid’s greatsword moved horizontally.

Chaaeng!

“Uh...!”

Piaro groaned. A powerful shock was delivered despite the defense of the plow. Blacksmith’s Rage and the buff on the pavranium meant that Grid’s attack power currently surpassed Chris. In particular, Grid’s high agility gave him wings.

Chaaeng! Jjang! Jjejeong!

In the time it took Chris to attack twice, Grid had attacked three times. Piaro was very surprised. It was surprising since Grid was predicted to be below Chris’ level. But this surprise didn’t last long.

Grid had one lacking point. It was his understanding of swordsmanship. Chris executed a trajectory that forced the enemy’s movement to slow, while Grid was just fast.

First, defend and then pierce through the gap. Piaro turned to the left, aiming his hand plow at Grid’s left shoulder. It was an attack that precisely aimed for the weak point, but something unexpected happened.

A golden blade flew and guarded Grid. Piaro blocked the attack and was amazed.

‘Indeed!’

A legendary blacksmith. Grid made up for his lack of swordsmanship with tools. However, didn’t the golden blade stiffen from one strike? Piaro didn’t consider the pavranium to be a variable. This was a natural judgment. It was too early to express this as carelessness.

But who was Grid? Once again, he was a legendary blacksmith. He transcended predictions with his items.

Peeng!

“Heok?”

Piaro had been the strongest ever since he became a great swordsman. He was considered invincible and rarely experienced a fright. The golden blade went stiff after protecting Grid’s shoulder. Then it launched Magic Missile!

“Ugh!”

It was a completely unexpected type of attack. He never imagined that magic would come from the blade. Then Grid leapt forward through that gap.

Chaaeng!

Once the attack was blocked, he took advantage of the rebound and swung Grid’s Greatsword. It was an exciting linked combo.

Puok!

“...!”

Blood dripped down Piaro’s chest. However, the damage didn’t seem to be great and there was no shaking in his posture. Grid knew how robust he was and linked the attacks without hesitation.

Slashing and a descending cut. Landing and then a horizontal slash. The subsequent counterattack was defended by Failure and then countered with Grid’s Greatsword. He succeeded in a total of five attacks with Grid’s Greatsword. Then the option of Grid’s Greatsword was activated, making the fifth attack a critical attack.

[Critical!]

[You have dealt 22,900 damage to the target.]

‘Ridiculously durable.’

The person wounded was Piaro, but Grid was the one who felt surprised. It was because Piaro’s defensive power exceeded Elfin Stone’s, despite him only wearing simple clothes. His health must be at least 300,000.

Piaro was a legendary farmer, so he now had significantly higher stats than when he was a great swordsman. In addition, he raised his level through continuous training. Piaro’s current level was 405, which was 38 levels higher than when Grid observed him with the Great Lord's Sword.

Grid was only level 301, so his attacks couldn’t deal proper damage. This was a judgment based on level that the system decided by default.

Piaro expressed his respect.

“I am proud of you.”

Had he been working hard since the day he struggled with Pagma’s doppelganger?

“I have to salute My Lord, who has done your best despite your lack of talent.”

[Piaro’s loyalty has soared to the peak.]

[The absolute trust in his lord has increased Piaro’s willingness and opened up his potential. Piaro’s stats will permanently increase by 10%.]

“Heok.”

Grid would normally be glad about the notification windows. But now was an exception.

"W-Wait a minute!"

Piaro should become stronger after the battle! He didn’t have time to put that thought in his mouth.

"Free Farming 1st Style, Sowing.”

Pa pa pa pat!

Piaro sprinkled dozens of seeds.

The pavranium responded because it was aimed at Grid.

Out of the 27 pavranium, four of the pavranium turned into blades had been mixed with the Water Clan King’s Tears. The remaining 23 were the basic form, showing a weak defense. They couldn’t fully defend against all the seeds sowed around Grid and stiffened.

[You have suffered 9,320 damage.]

“This damn thing!”

Grid was hit by a rice seed that penetrated through the stiff pavranium and screamed. In the past, a low level user in Patrian was hit by a bone and died. Now Grid was in the same position.

"Free Farming 2nd Style, Rapid Growth.”

Kwaduk! Kudududuk!

After hitting the pavranium or Grid, the seeds on the floor started growing rapidly.

‘What is this?’

Grid freaked out as he saw the rice growing.

"This is a power that only a legendary farmer can exert.”

Piaro’s will was firm. As a legendary farmer, he wasn’t incompetent. So he wanted to be acknowledged. But Grid couldn’t accept it. No matter how strong a legendary farmer, he couldn’t get rid of the idea that a sword saint was better.

“Pagma's Sword Dance, Link!”

A sword dance was quickly unfolded.

Pit! Pipipipipit!

Dozens of attacks flew out and scattered the rice plants. Grid and Piaro’s eyes met.

“Pagma's Sword Dance...!”

"Free Farming!”

Kuooooh!

The air around Grid sank heavily. The intense aura around Grid was concentrated at the end of the greatsword, making the target feel an extreme threat. It was the manifestation of Pagma's Sword Dance, Kill.

Piaro’s skill was even more amazing.

“6th Style! Flailing!”

The plow was replaced by a flail. It ruthlessly struck Grid’s Greatsword that was aiming for his chest.

Pepeok! Bam bam bam!

“Heok?”

Grid was surprised. It was because the energy of Kill was unable to bear the power of the flail and dissipated.

‘This is crazy!’

Flailing! One of his strongest skills was disabled by a farming technique. The thing that made him even more irate was that the old flail Piaro was using was a rare rated farming tool that Grid made a few months ago. In contrast, his weapon was legendary rated!

'Shit!'

It felt like he was grain hit by a flail. Piaro’s skill wasn’t just strong. It also had a tendency to break the enemy’s self-esteem. It was very powerful.

‘He might be a farmer, but a legend is a legend. This is pretty amazi... No, no.’

He couldn’t acknowledge Piaro as a farmer. Piaro should only be a sword saint. Grid barely recovered from his confusion and gave orders to four pavranium blades that contained Magic Missile.

‘Shoot from all directions!’

The pavranium only followed Grid’s will. They immediately reacted by surrounding Piaro and firing Magic Missile all at once.

‘This basic magic isn’t a threat to me!’

Piaro was caught off guard before, but not now.

Piaro demonstrated the hidden technique of Free Farming, ‘Natural State.’ Then the earth, air, trees and everything in nature gave him strength, causing his stats to rise dramatically. It was natural that his magic resistance would also increase.

But it was useless.

Pepepepeng!

“Cough!”

The Magic Missile (Enhanced) Grid received from Braham completely ignored the target’s magic resistance. Despite the use of Natural State, Piaro suffered a lot of damage.

'What is with the strength of this magic?’

Piaro had fought with Earl Ashur, one of the 10 great magicians of the continent. But Earl Ashur didn’t have magic that was this fast and powerful.

‘The magic of an artifact transcends that of a great magician...!’

His lord was truly great. Piaro felt sincere respect.

On the other hand, Grid was cursing.

‘Dammit.’

He was able to add magic to pavranium thanks to the Water Clan King’s Tears sent by Euphemina, but there was a problem. In order to deploy the Magic Missile attributed to the pavranium, Grid’s mana was consumed.

Malacus’ Cloak and the Black Quartz Earrings increased Grid’s intelligence, giving him mana close to 16,000. The mana cost of the legendary skills was very high, so it was too much to use both Pagma's Sword Dance and Magic Missile (Enhanced).

But in this situation, Piaro became even stronger.

‘Natural State...’

It amplified his stats, like Braham’s Magic Drain. It was an excellent legendary buff skill.

‘On the other hand, my Blacksmith’s Rage...’

Blacksmith's Rage was based on sympathizing with blacksmiths! It couldn’t be denied that it was a great buff that increased attack damage and attack speed, but the disadvantage was that the duration was too short. The skill at level 5 only lasted for 35 seconds. Piaro’s Natural State and Braham’s Magic Drain were undeniably better.

Pepeok! Bam bam bam!

"Ugh!"

Would Blacksmith's Rage one day be reborn to match a legendary skill? Grid’s thinking was broken by Piaro’s flail. Grid tried to defend, but it was difficult. The flail was light, its attack speed was fast and its trajectory was irregular.

‘This is a joke...!’

Piaro was very fast after using Natural State. He avoided all the Magic Missiles fired by the pavranium again. Grid was distressed about the one-sided beating.

‘If only I had two more hands...!’

He would be able to resist Piaro’s flail and also reverse the situation by using Item Combination.

‘Ah?’

Grid was struck with an epiphany.

‘Yes, hands!’

The hands of a legendary blacksmith! What if he could reproduce these great hands with the pavranium? Just imagine it! The legendary blacksmith hands that moved according to his command.

During combat, he could use multiple items, maximizing the power of his items. In addition, they could be his substitute for the long activation time of Item Combination.

‘I can make several items at the same time, so the efficiency of my work will increase!’

...Irene would also be pleased.

Grid smiled with satisfaction and called out.

“Time! Wait! Stop! I said stop!”

“...?”

Not admitting defeat in a battle, just stopping? Piaro stopped moving his flail. It was truly great loyalty. Grid shouted to him.

“Let’s fight again tomorrow!”

Grid was too careless today. Even if Piaro was a farmer, he was still a legend. Tomorrow, if Grid lost again despite his full preparations...

‘At that time, I will respect your choice.’

Grid’s eyes were filled with confidence. The reason why he felt confident despite not reducing Piaro’s health by one-tenth today was because he had absolute faith. He had faith in his items.

At this moment, a legend of the new era started to evolve. He was in the process of catching up to the legends of the previous generation and overcoming them.