The reason players loved and respected rankers, such as Grid, was because they gained a lot from the rankers. Even if they were one of the so-called geniuses of the century, their talent would be useless if there was no basic knowledge.Even historical geniuses used the knowledge of others as a foundation and guide to develop their own knowledge. The talents of a genius shone even more brightly due to the inherited knowledge.

The same was true for players. For players, pioneers like Grid and Kraugel were like living textbooks. They watched these people play, learning and developing themselves. Resh was one of them.

‘I’m glad it is a pattern in my memory.’

The dark elves’ shooting was very threatening. The arrows, covered with stealth and tracking magic, were shot from a distance that couldn’t be identified with the eyes and boasted a nearly 100% hit rate. Fortunately, Resh succeeded in hitting the arrow. He got the idea from Jishuka’s PvP during the National Competition. He referred to the weakness of her invisible arrows and the battles of the high rankers who attacked her to narrowly avoid the shot. It was an expression of brilliant talent.

“Uwack!”

“Cough!”

Unlike Resh, the circumstances of ordinary soldiers were disastrous. They were hit in their vital points without detecting the arrows and turned to gray ash. The problem was that the number of arrows was too high. Invisible arrows poured down like rain. The soldiers simply weren’t at a level to cope.

‘Shit!’

At the entrance of the World Tree’s Forest...

Resh and the knights arrived at the forest without taking a break, only to sense the strange energy that suddenly spread through the forest and they stopped the troops. They saw that there was an ambush and tried to regroup the ranks. However, the enemies didn’t give them time. This was the result now as a baptism of arrows were fired from a ridiculous distance.

“Retreat! Step back while holding the formation!”

Resh—he was once the knight of Prince Dulandal. Then Dulandal reconciled with Basara and his affiliation changed to the Red Knights. The prestige of the Red Knights wasn’t as good as before, but he was the first player to join the best knights division on the continent. It was once a big topic and he was spotlighted. His outstanding skills were made known and he built an international reputation.

He played as if he hadn’t gained this fame in vain. He swapped weapons from a sword to a spear to block as much of the rain of arrows as possible. Meanwhile, he commanded the soldiers to retreat outside the range of the sniping.

The dark elves responded as expected. They stopped shooting arrows and dropped a great deal of magic toward the head of the shield soldiers. Resh didn’t panic. It was relatively common for archers and magicians to form this combination in a war. This strategy was also demonstrated in the Overgeared Guild, which had the best archers and magicians. Resh predicted it and had the means to respond to it.

“Open Armor.” The red armor, linked to Empress Basara’s red energy, howled. A flame-like red energy formed a spherical wall to prevent the magic bombardment. Red energy had the power to intervene in and control substances. The functions differed according to the characteristics of the user. Resh’s Red Armor combined powerful dispel effects along with physical defense. It seemed to reflect his life as he lived as a knight.

“Enter now!” Resh was at the forefront and the soldiers soon gathered their motivation. There were other Red Knights behind the bold wedge formation assault. Resh led the soldiers to endure the bombardment of the dark elves, while his seniors sneaked into the forest.

The forest vibrated and chain explosions were occurring.

‘Good! No?’ Resh, who entered the forest with the soldiers, stiffened like a stone statue. It was because the situation in the forest had already been cleaned up when he expected a long battle. The 6th Knight, 11th Knight, and dozens of Black Knights were all over the ground, covered in blood. Dark elementals were eating their bodies.

Dark elves—they had the elves’ flexible muscles and archery while their corrupted elementals had demonic energy. They were once elves, but they weren’t protected by the forest like the elves. Still, they could use explosive magic power and strengthen their bodies in conjunction with the elementals. They were much more powerful than imagined. They were elves specializing in combat.

“Sir... Resh... lead your troops and leave,” the 6th Knight gave an order as he barely shook off the elemental and stood up. Resh had a hunch that it was his last order.

The single digit knights, a symbol of the empire, were particularly shabby today. Nevertheless, their nobility felt sublime. The Red Knights reorganized by Empress Basara were different from those led by Duke Limit. They followed the chivalric code at all times and under any circumstances. They prioritized it even over the empress’ orders.

It was because this was what the empress wanted. The knights that Empress Basara wanted weren’t knives to be used as needed. They were the watchdog and adviser to keep the empire, or empress, from going on the wrong track. Perhaps it was due to that that the present Red Knights were considered the weakest in history. It was natural since the first priority for selection wasn’t strength. Even so, they were more noble and sublime than anyone else. They weren’t something that others could disparage and ridicule.

“The Red Knights aren’t a big deal. It wasn’t a rumor, but a fact. It is true that the empire isn’t as good as it used to be.”

“Those high-nosed women chose incompetent human males over us. It is deplorable.”

The dark elves on the giant trees mocked while laughing.

Resh swallowed down his anger and asked them, “Have you already occupied the world tree?”

It was a question from someone who was going to die anyway. The dark elves shrugged and answered like it was a gift. “Our revenge hasn’t even begun.”

‘Indeed...’ Empress Basara was competent. She wouldn’t participate in a fight that was obviously disadvantageous. It didn’t mean that unfavorable fights would be avoided. Some fights meant deploying combat power in order to give the empire an advantage.

It was the same this time. Despite the lack of troops due to the demonic humans all over the empire, the empire sent enough support to help the elves and win the battle.

The problem was that the reinforcements were supposed to join the elves. The dark elves had launched a surprise attack on the World Tree’s Forest. It was thought that the dark elves would advance to the world tree before setting up their battle lines. It was hard to predict that they would abandon the advantage of a surprise attack and wait here.

‘I never thought we would be hit separately. It would be nice if the elves joined us, but that probably isn’t possible.’

They might’ve noticed the unusual situation here, but they wouldn’t be able to leave the world tree without hesitation. The most important mission for elves was to protect the world tree.

“...I don’t think I can follow your order.” Resh stood by the 6th Knight. He put away his spear and pulled out his sword and shield as he gazed at the hundreds of dark elves on the old trees. “Lord Phoil, lead the troops out while I hold them back.”

There were four reasons to make the sacrifice. First, Resh’s Red Armor specialized in neutralizing enemy attacks. If the purpose was to simply hold out and buy time, his efficiency wasn’t bad compared to the 6th Knight. Second, Resh was a player and could resurrect after death. The other knights and soldiers were different. For them, death was the end.

Third, it would be a great benefit in the long run if the single digit knights and troops could be saved in return for sacrificing his life once. It was highly likely the empress would praise his meritorious achievement. He didn’t know what hidden rewards would be waiting. Fourth, Resh didn’t want to lose any colleagues.

“Hurry,” Resh pushed the back of the 6th Knight and urged him. However, Phoil didn’t budge.

“I know that your death is different from ours. Then what if I sacrifice you for that reason? Should we rely on you and avoid our responsibilities as a senior every time there is a crisis?”

“Now isn’t the time to be saying such depressing words.”

“What a bunch of bullshit.”

Resh and Phoil’s conversation broke down.

The dark elves, who had been watching silently, suddenly laughed. In particular, the dark elf with the golden name above his head laughed blatantly. “Do you think you can live just because you want to? You will all die here. You just don’t know it.”

A chill occurred around the dark elf king and the forest started to freeze.

Deep shadows appeared on Resh and Phoil’s faces. They noticed that this dark elf’s strength was in a different dimension. They realized they couldn’t survive here. The soldiers gathered around them and lined up. It was a protective formation. It was the last tribute to the two knights who tried to save the soldiers at the expense of themselves. Resh and Phoil felt the soldiers’ determination to die and smiled bitterly.

Phoil shouted. Even if this was to be their tomb, he encouraged the soldiers to take one more enemy with them as a companion.

Then the dark elf king caused a tidal wave of ice. The soldiers shrank back in an instant. The wave of ice soared above the old trees and covered their field of view, causing them to despair and lose their fighting spirit.

‘Super named...’

It happened as Resh sensed his vain end...

“It is great.” Before he could feel frustrated, the voice of a stranger was heard.

Blond hair fluttered. Red petals were spreading. Resh, the knights, and the soldiers smelt a clear floral scent. Time seemed to have stopped. In the face of the wave of ice covering the sky, the blond man pulled out his sword. They didn’t see his swinging action, but they saw his still back. It wasn’t only after a late flash of lightning that cut the wave in half that they became aware of the passage of time again.

“You will be a great knight,” the man spoke with pride as he turned his head.

Resh and the knights recognized the face that contained a sad smile. “Sir Asmophel...!”

The fragments of the cracked tidal wave poured toward the ground, causing earthquakes. The dark elves on the swaying big trees started shouting and pouring magic and arrows toward Asmophel. However, not a single magic or arrow reached Asmophel. It was because the best Red Knights in history, who arrived a step late, neutralized all attacks with their swords, spears, and shields.

Asmophel was always invincible when he was with his colleagues. Anytime, anywhere, it was a victory for their nation. It was originally an honor that he would never get back.

“The vice-captain is always so fast.”

Yet Asmophel managed to regain that honor. It wasn’t a result that he dared to want for himself. His colleagues gave him a chance. They told him to survive like it was hell and to atone for a bit longer.

“You know, I don’t forgive you. I can't forgive you!” Singuled roared as he shot past Asmophel. His powerful weapon fell on the giant tree in the middle of the enemy camp. Every time he moved, he released a sharp airwave that started to tear at the flexible and tough muscles of the dark elves.

Amelda and Kentrick passed by Asmophel without speaking. Dante squeezed Asmophel’s quivering shoulder slightly as he passed. Piaro stood next to Asmophel and changed the terrain of the forest, causing all the big trees to fall. He forbade the enemies from using them as cover. Amelda, Kentrick, and Dante initiated the massacre.

It was an overwhelming sight. The knights and soldiers saw how the empire could’ve reigned as ruler of the continent and was thrilled.

‘If Grid hadn’t helped them reconcile, history would’ve been different.’

The remnants of the empire that would’ve eventually drifted into ghosts. How did Grid embrace them? It wouldn’t have been possible with just power and force.

Resh realized Grid’s greatness as he wielded his sword with a powerful shout. He blocked the dark elf king’s ice that targeted Asmophel. A battle alongside historical figures would be an invaluable experience for him.

***

Grid was a person. He seemed to leave no gaps in everything, but it wasn’t that he didn’t feel fatigue. He just endured it with his mind. It meant he needed a break from time to time. That was why he decided to activate auto production after coming back from beating Michael and working in the smithy again for quite some time.

‘Let’s check again.’

The items made with auto production had their limitations. They were less likely to have higher effects compared to manually crafted items that took a relatively long time. However, there was no disadvantage in the rating. Grid wanted to at least create items for the knights.

The knights of the Overgeared Kingdom weren’t simple. Take the senior knight, Royman. She was good enough to be called the ‘first sword’ in any other nation. She consistently trained under Piaro and Asmophel and gained the title of great swordsman a few years ago. Her talent was particularly outstanding among her colleagues, but in addition to her, the level of the Overgeared knights was also very good. The top 30 were similar to the Red Knights of the empire.

Of course, they weren’t equal to the Red Knights in their prime. The Red Knights of the golden generation had geniuses such as Piaro, Asmophel, Winfred, Singuled, and Dante. The next generation of Red Knights, regarded as the last golden age, had a monster called Mercedes.

In any case, Grid was making weapons and armor for the knights himself. He felt a strong sense of fatigue in the process. Therefore, he activated auto production in order to rest and once again confirmed the information of the Rune of Gluttony.

[★ The power engraved in the rune can be used as a resource to enhance your mental world.]

A line of explanation was added. The rune had changed after absorbing Michael’s power. The mental world of the Overgeared God was indirectly embodied in the Storm of the Fire God. It meant there was a means to grow his mental world, which was far inferior compared to Braham or Hayate’s mental world.