Chapter 365

Peok peok!

Peok peok peok!

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

Jjik!

Kuuong!

“Hahat!”

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

He felt rejuvenated.

“Kuahahahat!”

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

‘One of the nine legends, Pagma's Successor is fighting with rabbits?’

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

"Grid, stop joking and start now.”

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

'I encountered a gourmet dragon... What if Grid encounters a light dragon or dark dragon?’

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

The moment Sticks tried to maintain his tension.

Fla~sh!

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

“D-Don’t tell me... Does this mean hunting rabbits was really your biggest ordeal?”

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

“Hum hum.”

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

[Your level has risen.]

[10 stat points have been acquired.]

‘Okay.’

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

‘First of all, increase agility to 10.’

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

[Your agility has risen.]

[Your agility has risen.]

...

[Your strength has risen.]

[Your strength...]

...

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

‘Next is the deer.’

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

Sneak sneak.

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

But who was Grid?

‘I am a legend!’

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

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

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

***

[You have succeeded in the mission.]

[500 challenger points have been acquired.]

[Your level has returned to normal.]

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

‘My body feels great.’

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

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

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

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

‘Moving forward, I have to pay more attention to it.’

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

“...Are you really Pagma's Successor?”

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

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

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

"No, that isn’t it. I don’t have any doubts.”

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

"Maybe I respect you more.”

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

***

[You have entered the 31st island.]

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

“City...?”

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

“This is the fortified city of Patrian.”

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

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

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

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

"Your luck isn’t ordinary.”

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

[Your level has dropped to level 23.]

[A mission will be created.]

[31st Island]

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

Overcome the trial and jump past your previous self!

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

First Clear Reward: 600 Challenger Points.

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

[The mission will start 30 minutes from now.]

"The quest I failed the most times?”

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

[Participate in the Reserve Forces Training]

Level of Difficulty: Regular quest.

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

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

Train under the instructor at the training ground.

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

Quest Reward: Depends on the passing rank.

“Ah, this quest.”

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

However, there was a problem.

‘I never got a passing score...’

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

‘The training was too difficult.’

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

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

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

***

Name: Grid

Class: Warrior

Level: 23

Health: 1,161 Mana: 45

Strength: 187 Stamina: 40

Agility: 22 Intelligence: 15

Skills Possessed:

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

“The stats distribution is too ignorant.”

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

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

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

The items he had:

[Blunt Greatsword]

Attack Power: 32~71

Attack Speed: -3%

[Old Skull Helmet]

Defense: 2

[Old Orc Armor]

Defense: 13

[Old Goblin Shoes]

Defense: 2

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

How had he been playing the game in the past?

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Is the difficulty of this trial so high? Don’t tell me...! This time it is a dragon...!”

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

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

Grid reassured Sticks and took a deep breath.

‘Now believe in me.’

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

“Let’s go.”

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

"There you are, Blue Falcon! You’re late again! Hurry up, hurry, you bastard who is weaker than a dog!”

“...!”

Blue Falcon! (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blue_falcon)

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

‘I might’ve had no experience at that time...!’

But not anymore.

‘I will make shock appear on your face!’

Grid’s determination was boiling up.