‘I can use Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle more often!’

Then perhaps Grid could link up to six sword techniques!

‘Will a completely new sword technique like Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle be born?’

If he used Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle and another skill in sequence, perhaps a new skill called Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle could be expressed as a true fusion skill.

“Umm.” Yet Grid felt uncomfortable.

After all, didn’t the four fusion sword dance show a power that caused a backlash among the gods? Additionally, the five fusion sword dance had caused Yura to die in one blow. So, it was obvious that the six fusion sword dance would obviously show off an extreme power.

It was at this point that Grid had a question. Would the system even recognize a six sword fusion sword dance? Would the S.A Group allow the six fusion sword dance to exist at all due to wanting to maintain the balance?

‘How uncomfortable.’

Grid reminded himself that it was rare for expectations to become reality. That’s right. Most of the benefits Grid had gotten so far had been products of ‘chance.’ It was rare for him to gain things intentionally. Nonetheless, these chances were the result of effort, of course.

‘...No, let’s not worry too much. I don’t even know if a six fusion sword dance exists.’

A five fusion sword dance certainly existed. The clone had proved its existence.

‘I should be able to make a five fusion sword dance. Then I’ll be much stronger than I am now.’

Furthermore, there was the extremely tempting performance of the enhanced Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle. In particular, the cooldown time going from three hours to 30 minutes was a big attraction.

‘Honestly, a cooldown time of three hours is too long.’

Even if he wanted to keep it as a trump card, he couldn’t use it at the usual hunting grounds. How could it be an ultimate skill with a cooldown time of three hours? What ultimate technique had the penalty of such a long cooldown time?

‘The cooldown time for an attack skill should be shorter.’

It was truly right to enhance Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle. Grid made a decision only to suddenly feel doubtful.

‘No, do I need to use it on an attack skill?’

Pagma's Successor was a blacksmith, so enhancing the blacksmithing side could be better.

‘Who knows? Perhaps the probability of making myth rated items will rise?’

The greatest strength of Pagma's Successor was that he could wear all items! Grid imagined himself wearing all myth rated items.

‘What if I had a helmet, armor, shoes, gloves, a cloak, and a crown like the Enlightenment Sword?’

Wouldn’t he be much stronger even without the five fusion skill?

‘Overgeared...’

Yes, the core of a game was items. A skill? In the end, it was below items. The stronger the items, the stronger the skill. The stronger the item, the less damage he received when he was hit by a skill! Grid thought about it and confirmed what would happen if he enhanced the Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill.

[Genuine - (Seeing the Gods’ Techniques) Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill Lv. 8]

[The production button is now enabled. and the time it takes to make an item has been greatly reduced.

A minimum of epic rated items will be produced. There is a somewhat high probability of producing unique rated items. There is a certain probability of producing legendary rated items. If certain conditions are met, there is a rare probability of making a myth reproduction or myth rated item.

* All stats of a production item will increase by 30%.

* When myth rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +20 and reputation throughout the continent will rise by +1,000.

* Something special will occur with every three myth rated items created. (Currently 2/3)

* The enhanced skill is fixed at master level.]

“Hah?” Grid was speechless. The production button was activated! Like ordinary blacksmiths, he would be able to create items automatically and the time it took to make items was significantly reduced. The items he created would have a minimum of an ‘epic’ rating! It meant he didn’t have to worry about normal or rare rated items appearing in the future!

‘The probability of making unique, legendary, and myth rated items also increased!’

This wasn’t the end though. Originally, the stats of any items Grid produced would increase by 21%. That alone was tremendous. If a normal longsword dealt 100 damage, the longsword produced by Grid would deal 21 more damage, meaning it could be treated as a higher-rated item. Now, the enhancement blacksmithing skill would increase the stats of all items Grid made by 30%. If he produced a weapon with 2,000 attack power, he would get an additional 600 attack power.

‘Furthermore, every time I make a myth rated item, all stats will increase by 20 instead of 10...!’

Grid’s eyes shook as he gulped. Should he enhance Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle or blacksmithing? It wasn’t easy to decide.

‘Maybe I don’t need to consider this so seriously...’

Through this incident, Grid once again realized that there was a clear limit to the power of an individual. What could he do by becoming stronger alone? Ultimately he was only one body. He wasn’t Hong Gildong, and he couldn’t save everyone. Enhancing the blacksmithing skill and using it to strengthen his colleagues and subordinates would be a much greater help in the future.

‘It is certain. There are many advantages to enhancing blacksmithing.’

Moreover, enhancing the blacksmithing skill didn’t mean that Grid himself would weaken. Grid would also become stronger if his items were enhanced.

‘There just isn’t as dramatic an increase in strength compared to enhancing the sword dance. It also requires a considerable amount of time and luck...’

Grid frowned as he stood at the crossroads of choice. His face would never be extremely handsome due to his high nose and angular jaw, but lately, he was looking more mature than he should at his age. The greater his strength and the higher his position, the more things he needed to protect and worry about.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Why did you ask to meet me?”

How much time had passed by? Grid had been thinking for a long time when he was reminded of Damian beside him. Damian watched Grid with an awkward smile and bowed his head. “First, I want to say thank you.”

Without Grid’s help, Damian wouldn’t have been able to clear the Vatican quest so smoothly. He guessed that it was a quest that could surely be cleared even without Grid, but he was grateful for Grid's help in making Irene and Lord safe. Irene and Lord would’ve been in danger if Grid hadn’t come. Damian didn’t want to think about it. Irene’s and Lord’s death would have a huge negative effect on Grid. He wondered how Satisfy would be ruined by Grid’s rampage if they had died.

Moreover, how sad would Damian be at the death of his cute and loving student, Lord? Damian’s chest throbbed just thinking about it. Then he said, “I actually have a problem.”

“A problem?”

What problem was there when all the Yatan members had been killed or captured? Damian handed a shining sword over to Grid. It was a sword covered in a gold color—the first holy sword.

“Ah…!” Grid couldn’t help exclaiming. Amazingly, he couldn’t tell what the holy sword was made of even with Pagma’s knowledge. It wasn’t gold, adamantium, or even pavranium. If he looked closely, it seemed like glass, and there was a clear sound when he hit it. It felt like a metal that could break easily, but Grid had witnessed the power of the sword firsthand. He already knew that this unknown golden substance was hard and sharp, unlike the surface features.

“What’s wrong with it? Ah!” Grid belatedly noticed the problem. There were small grey spots all over the holy sword. He rubbed the surface of the grey spots and found a rough surface. It was stone—a sign of petrification.

Damian explained, “The curse of the original sin is affecting the sword again. If this continues, the holy sword will be sealed in the Stone of Original Sin and the divine power will be lost.”

“What is the Stone of Original Sin?”

“It is said to be the curse of the seven malignant saints who tried to bring the gods down to Earth and become new gods. The curse has the ability to neutralize ‘all types of divine power.’ It is a corrupted power that denies the gods.”

“Hrmm.”

Was it really appropriate to call it a corrupted power? Grid was already suspicious of the relationship between the gods and the seven malignant saints, so he couldn’t accept it easily. However, he didn’t express this. Pope Damian had absolute trust in Goddess Rebecca. Grid didn’t want to question him in front of Goddess Rebecca and cause doubts or confusion.

‘I don’t have any certainty yet. Now isn’t the time.’

Damian had the position of pope, and Grid was the one who cast him in this role. He couldn’t create any confusion without clear evidence. Grid barely held back the doubting words that rose in his throat. Then Damian said, “I received a divine message from the goddess.”

“...?”

Damian handed the sword to Grid. “Please make the first holy sword complete.”

Ttiring~

[The new quest ‘Cleanse the First Holy Sword’ has been created.]

[Cleanse the First Holy Sword]

[Difficulty: Class quest.

Your blacksmithing skills have already reached the level of a god.

Prove it to the gods!

Your blacksmithing skills are now comparable to Pagma!

Completely cleanse the First Holy Sword and escape from his shadow!

Quest Clear Conditions: Cleanse the First Holy Sword

Quest Clear Reward: Unlock a new Pagma story and a new Pagma's Sword Dance technique. The goddess’ blessing.]

“...!?” Grid’s breathing was blocked suddenly. What was this new class quest? This was a chance to learn a new Pagma story and get a new swordsmanship technique! It had been a few years since he had gotten a new sword dance.

Duguen! Duguen! Duguen!

Grid’s eyes shone like lanterns, and his heart beat faster. He was very excited about the goddess’ blessing on the rewards list.

‘I might be able to enhance both Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle and blacksmithing!’

***

(“Is the light so bright that you have to close your eyes? A half-god isn’t any better than a blind man.”

A bitter smile spread on the face of the mocking Clown King. The Clown King sympathized with the seven good people.)

“...” The young man was calm as he stared at the writing on the slab.

However, the middle-aged man standing by his side was extremely confused. “C-Clown? Seven good people? What type of sophistry was this? Yes, it’s clearly just manipulation! It is a wicked trick of the seven malignant people to get between future generations and the gods!”

Kusar was a pilgrim who traveled all over the continent to understand the true nature of the gods. The writing on the slab was completely different from what he knew about the story of the Clown King and the seven malignant people. This slab was definitely wrong. It was a big problem since the person who wrote about the time of the Clown King marked the seven malignant saints as good people.

“Put that stone slab down! The great demon is laughing at us while hiding somewhere!” Kusar fiercely denied it and turned away from the stone.

‘...This is it.’ The black-haired Kraugel gazed at the slab without being disturbed by the truth. He sensed it. ‘Grid, Haster, Agnus... and me... Sooner or later, everyone will be together in one place.’

Some people would try to do good while others would remain evil.

“...” The illusion of a wing flickering back and forth between white and black appeared on Kraugel’s back.

Grid, Agnus, and Haster had all succeeded in acquiring one of the seven malignant saints’ skills. The freaked out Kusar exclaimed, “You are a great demon...!!”

“No, we don’t know that yet.”