Helena was the only one who could stop them...

Kube made this judgment and started avoiding the territory of the sanju. He didn’t take any risks and led Grid to the colony of the half-draconians. As a result, Grid’s group ushered in big changes. They didn’t waste time wandering around and focused solely on hunting, resulting in more than three times the amount of experience earned. The difference was so huge that Chris, who originally gained 0.2% experience in four hours, actually gained 0.5% in two hours.

“Braham, thank you.”

At level 397, Chris’ average experience gain in a week was only 5-6%. It was possible because he left the position of lord and hunted in the Galgunos Temple. He occasionally gained extra experience when he got a hidden quest but it was only a story for when he was lucky.

Chris felt deep gratitude and liking toward Braham. He wondered when he would enjoy being on such a luxurious bus again. Braham responded coldly to his thanks, “Just don’t hold Grid back.”

Braham’s favor for the 10 meritorious retainers was ultimately an act for Grid. Grid wanted the growth of the 10 meritorious retainers so he was helping them hunt. He wasn’t doing it as a favor for the 10 meritorious retainers.

Chris smiled at Braham’s clear attitude of drawing a line between them. He wondered how much effort and time Grid had invested to make such a cold person his own. Chris once again realized how monstrous Grid was for taking care of his surroundings while maintaining his first place ranking, unlike Chris who resigned as the lord to raise his level.

Grid frowned from where he was in the lead.

‘The experience gain isn’t great.’

The secret to the high amount of experience gained by Grid was the sanju raid. Since the process of raiding a mythical beast itself gave experience, he accumulated more experience than killing hundreds or thousands of miscellaneous monsters. The average method of hunting meant he had a slower experience gain than Chris. Thanks to the Enlightenment Sword and Nefelina’s blessing, the passive increase in the amount of experience acquired from enlightenment was overshadowed.

Well, it was natural considering the level difference. He just couldn’t understand why the efficiency gap between ordinary hunting and raids was so large...

‘...No, wait. Isn’t this actually good?’

Ever since the enlightenment system awakened, raids were many times more efficient than hunting. This was good news for Grid. Originally, Grid leveled up with raids rather than hunting. Unlike others, he was capable of solo raids. Grid, who mainly raised his level using raids, was able to take advantage of the enlightenment system.

‘Maybe this...’

His growth rate in the future might exceed expectations. The average user would be caught in the 300s for the next two years while he might be looking at level 500.

‘That is when the level gap with named NPCs will be greatly narrowed.’

If the opportunity to kill the expelled gods came...

Grid thought up to here and increased the speed of his breakthrough. The half-draconian encounter on the second ridge could happen again so he started to overuse his sword dances. Of course, the sword dances with long cooldowns were excluded. He stuck to using single sword dances.

“...!”

All the actions of the 10 meritorious retainers stopped. The monsters of the fifth ridge—they were exposed to Braham’s debuffs and Huroi’s curses and were weakened. The average time it took to kill them was around 15 seconds. The monsters were a huge level 430. The 10 meritorious retainers saw they were much stronger than the past and their pride soared into the sky.

However, Grid shattered the pride of the 10 meritorious retainers in an instant. The 10 meritorious retainers watched Grid killing the monsters with a single blow and realized a new fact.

‘Had he been using only basic attacks until now?’

A little while ago, Grid killed monsters at an average speed of one every five seconds. It was three times faster than the 10 meritorious retainers. From the viewpoint of the 10 meritorious retainers, it was believed that Grid was mixing in skills. They were mistaken. It was an illusion caused by Grid decreasing the habit of calling out the skill name after Pagma’s Sword Dance changed to Grid’s Sword Dance.

“...It is the effect of basic attacks.”

There was a brief break when the single sword dances were on cooldown. The 10 meritorious retainers couldn’t keep their mouths shut as they watched Grid start using only basic attacks again. Exploding flames, lightning, soaring thorns, and fiery fighting energy. Grid’s status was enhanced with all the effects of his items and titles so the performance of his basic attacks were worthy of being someone’s ultimate techniques. It was strange to think that they were basic attacks, not skills.

“...It seems we’re about to reach our destination.”

Grid aimed precisely at the wings of a level 470 pterosaur with Magic Missile, forcing it to crash. Then Grid used Kill, trampled on its huge head, and wiped away his sweat. The monsters he just killed were turning into gray ash from left to right. This meant that he killed new monsters even before the death animations of the previous monsters were over.

The 10 meritorious retainers were busy admiring Grid while his knights stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, we’ll take the lead from here.”

The monsters of the sixth ridge were in their early 400s. However, monsters in the late 400s were appearing. It was proof that they had reached the depths of the mountains. Unless Kube’s words were false, the home of the half-draconians would be nearby.

‘It would be ridiculous if the half-draconians have built their home on the seventh ridge.’

Grid was fully aware of the power of the half-draconians. The level of the senior warriors he was wary of were below the Seven Dukes. Based on the overall level, they couldn’t survive the seventh ridge.

‘The level of the leader is obviously high but it will be similar to Teruchan... trying to dominate Frontier with only this much power? Foolish guys.’

They didn’t understand their targets at all. This was Grid’s evaluation of the half-draconians. It was a very wrong evaluation. A single digit Red Knight could conquer a small kingdom alone...

Originally, this was common sense on the West Continent. Helena’s power, along with intermediate warriors comparable to single digit Red Knights, and the five senior warriors beyond them, was a power that could dominate a single kingdom. It was just that the Overgeared Kingdom was special. The reason why the half-draconians didn’t conquer Frontier wasn’t because they were weak. It was because the Overgeared Kingdom was strong.

“...!”

The half-draconian Kube walking with Grid flinched. He had already witnessed the power of the farmers, the little vampire, and the knights. Apart from Jude who looked incompetent, all of them were powerful people comparable to Grid. Kube felt great anxiety as they took the lead. He felt that it would be hard for even Helena to handle their combined attacks.

‘Helena, you need to deal with these useless ones first before you have a chance to win.’

Kube was glancing at the 10 meritorious retainers in the rear with regret.

“Attack.”

Then Kube heard a familiar voice. Grid’s gaze turned in the direction of the voice. A gap in a steep hillside that seemed impossible for anyone to stand on. Black rays were being fired from there.

“Retreat!”

The Breath of the half-draconians—the five rays of power that had never been seen before were aimed precisely at the 10 meritorious retainers in the rear. This meant the half-draconian had an accurate understanding of who was weak and who was strong in Grid’s group.

Grid hurriedly flew and grabbed Yura and Jishuka. Thanks to the Holy Light Shield, which he made as a spare, he was able to feel the power of the Breath weakening rapidly after it collided with the shield. Grid changed the angle of the shield to twist the trajectory of the Breath and looked around.

Meanwhile, Mercedes, Asmophel, and Noll acted like Grid and protected the other members of the 10 meritorious retainers. Their swords, shields, and magic twisted or destroyed the Breaths’ trajectory. Just one person...

“Cough!”

Piaro was still struggling to shake off the Breath. The two bean trees that he planted were tightly intertwined together to block the Breath but they didn’t seem able to handle it based on the way they shook and cracked.

“Piaro!”

“Sir Piaro!”

Grid, Mercedes, and Asmophel flew over. They supported the two bean trees and Piaro by standing behind his shaking back, empowering him. Then their eyes widened at the same time. The power of the Breath was beyond imagination. Grid, Mercedes, and Asmophel shook as they supported Piaro’s back with their hands.

“Cough!”

Asmophel was the first to cough up blood. He had an internal injury and his complexion was bluish-white. However, he never let go of the hand supporting Piaro’s back. This made him the first target.

“What courage do you have to come all this way when you can’t even hold out against the Breath?”

Glowing orange hair disturbed their vision.

Mercedes—the first one to respond—swung her sword. However, she was unable to use her full power due to her other hand supporting Piaro. Did the female half-draconian notice it? She didn’t guard against Mercedes’ sword. The scales on the shoulders of the female half-draconians fell after being slashed by Mercedes’ sword.

The claws of the female half-draconian easily pierced Asmophel’s abdomen.

“Asmophel...!” Grid’s anger soared sharply when he witnessed his colleague’s crisis. However, he couldn’t move. He couldn’t disregard the enemy who tied up Piaro with a single Breath while reducing Asmophel’s health by one-third with one blow. Grid remained calm instead of being carried away by his anger. It was only after confirming that the energy of the Breath aimed at Piaro was fading away that Grid released the hand supporting Piaro’s back and rushed at the female half-draconian.

0.5 seconds. The eyes of the female half-draconian turned from observing others toward Grid. Then the Breath shot from her bewitching mouth flew at Grid.

‘It is serious!’

“...?!”

A chill went down Grid’s spine as he pulled out the Holy Light Shield and blocked the Breath. The half-draconian’s Breath didn’t disappear after colliding with the shield and caused all types of debuffs.

[You have been exposed to the evil spirit of the evil dragon. The powerful strength of the Breath has suppressed your body. You won’t be able to move for 5 seconds until the Breath disappears.]

[Resistance has failed.]

[The evil dragon’s evil spirit will rot your body from the inside. The ‘poisoned,’ ‘bleeding,’ and ‘internal injuries’ abnormal statuses have occurred.]

[You have resisted.]

[The evil dragon’s evil spirit has cursed you. For the next 10 seconds, skills and magic casting speed is reduced by two times while dodge rate and hit rate are reduced by 80% for 5 seconds.]

[Resistance has failed.]

The ability to ignore resistances to abnormal statuses—it was usually the sole possession of absolute beings, and it crippled Grid for a while. Grid’s trembling gaze was fixed on the top of the head of the female half-draconian. Helena—her brightly colored name was exceptionally dazzling.