Chapter 227

[Grid’s Boots]

Rating: Unique

Durability: 477/477 Defense: 483

Movement Speed: -10%

Evasion Rate: -7%

* Increases defense by 12% against attacks from the bottom.

* When using a dashing skill, there is a 25% chance of failure.

* Defense will increase by 15% in dark places.

Weight: 1,930

“Good, good. It wasn’t an epic rating.”

In the past four months, Grid had produced over 630 items, but he hadn’t produced one legendary item. However, he produced five unique rated items, so he was very pleased.

‘Five unique items out of 630 items... It’s so rare that I was lucky. And honestly, I am reluctant to make any more legendary items.’

Grid had made eight legendary items after becoming Pagma's Successor. If he produced two more, a ‘special event’ was likely to occur that would make him feel sick. He would rather make unique items.

‘The unique rated items aren’t greatly lacking compared to legendary items.’

The 30 young blacksmiths approached Grid who was grinning with satisfaction. They admired Grid’s Boots.

“Duke Grid, this is a work of art!”

“The degree of completion can’t be described in words!”

"Such elegance hidden inside a primitive design...! It truly is high quality!”

It was practically impossible for inferior blacksmiths to understand the work of the legendary blacksmith Grid. They just felt like it was great. But unlike their current appearance, their potential for development was enormous.

Grid had searched the 20,000 people of Reidan and selected those with excellent qualities, then Khan taught them. The ability of Grid and Khan to closely observe their skills exceeded common sense.

‘At least eight of them are going to become advanced blacksmiths. I will raise new blacksmiths around them.’

They were people who might’ve become advanced blacksmiths in another city. Grid had the Blacksmith’s Affection skill, so he wasn’t exaggerating.

[Blacksmith’s Affection]

Appreciation of the NPC, which is the maximum skill level of the blacksmith, a minimum of 1 and a maximum of up to 5 randomly.

The blacksmith who received your teachings will be loyal to you for life and will share with you every time they learn new item production methods.

'Anyway, next is the enhancement...’

Grid had a passive skill that ‘increased the probability of item enhancement.’ He enhanced Dainsleif to +8 and Failure to +9, so Grid wanted to try strengthening these boots to at least +8.

‘I’m aiming to use the Grid set for a long time, so I want to try enhancement...’

To do this, he needed enhancement stones. But the price of the enhancement stones was rising. At the present time, the price of a general enhancement stone was 180 gold and a blessed enhancement stone was 2,500 gold. Given his previous experience and the current price of the enhancement stones, he would need at least 500,000 gold to enhance one piece of equipment to +8.

‘Dammit, why does the price of the enhancement stones keep climbing? In the old days, the price of the enhancement stones were 100 gold and the blessed enhancement stones were 1,200 gold.’

It was because the overall level of the users had risen. The higher the level, the longer it took to get out of that level section. Therefore, users felt the need to enhance their current items. As demand grew, the price of the enhancement stones also grew. There was no reason for the price of the enhancement stones to go down, unless the S.A. Group significantly increased the drop rate.

However, the S.A. Group wasn’t able to raise the drop rate of the enhancement stones. In order to maintain game service for a long time, the minimum requirement was to avoid gold inflation.

However, Grid couldn’t think of such complex things. He just lamented and sighed.

“Huh?”

Grid suddenly became confused. It was because the 30 blacksmiths admiring Grid’s Boots were now depressed.

"What’s wrong?” Grid questioned and the blacksmiths started explaining.

“Lauel commanded us to produce boots and gauntlets to supply the soldiers. We’re working hard on the boots and gauntlets, but...”

“After seeing Duke Grid’s work, the boots and gauntlets that we produced are too insignificant.”

"We know that it isn’t possible to make items at the same level as Duke Grid, but can you teach us so that we can at least mimic it?”

Khan had already passed on the boots production method to them. However, they were hoping for Grid to teach them instead of Khan.

'I feel sorry...’

Grid watched Khan. But Khan just smiled.

“I don’t mind. Their desire to learn from you is very natural.”

A legendary blacksmith was on a different dimension from an advanced blacksmith. Khan knew this better than anyone. Grid saw his heart and nodded. Then he started smelting four pieces of iron ore in front of the 30 blacksmiths.

“It is very simple to make boots. Watch and learn.”

"Yes!"

'I can receive the teachings of the great Duke Grid!’

The 30 blacksmiths’ eyes shone as they watched Grid. Grid made the boots while adding brief explanations, then...

[The experience of the Legendary Blacksmith’s Breath Skill Lv. 4 has increased by 9%.]

[The experience of (Witness of God’s Weapon) Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill Lv. 5 has increased by 19%.]

[When legendary rated items are produced, all stats will permanently rise by +10.]

[Reputation throughout the continent will rise by +500.]

"...”

Grid made legendary rated level 80 steel boots, shortening the time to the ‘special event.’

“Wah! Really amazing boots!”

“You can easily produce such a great piece!”

“Indeed, Duke Grid is a legend!”

“Damn...”

Grid shed tears. If Grid’s Boots were made with the legendary rating, he wouldn’t have felt so bad. Now one more legendary item remained until the special event happened.

“Hah...”

Grid could only sigh as he left the smithy. He couldn’t let go of his unhappiness at completing boots for a soldier with a legendary rating.

“Sigh...”

Trudge trudge.

He had no strength in his steps. Grid staggered like a man who had lost his country. The people who saw him started to worry.

"Duke Grid is always proud and dignified, yet now he is having a hard time...”

“Surely a crisis isn’t approaching Reidan?”

“Maybe it’s a large monster invasion...?”

Originally, it was a law that bad rumors spread faster. The security rating that was maintained at a stable figure thanks to Jude and the soldier’s efforts dropped dramatically. Jude and the Overgeared members were confused when they found out that the cause was Grid, but Grid didn’t even know about it.

***

Reidan Castle.

‘According to Piaro, Asmophel’s escorts are very strong...’

Grid was unable to abandon enhancing the boots and searched the guild’s warehouse. He hoped to find enhancement stones inside. However, the guild’s warehouse only had a few minerals and sylphid scales that were supplied by Jishuka in Bairan.

"In the end, I’ll have to buy them.”

Grid checked his inventory. He currently had 20,000 gold. It was the money he acquired from disposing of the loot dropped by monsters that he hunted on the way here. What about the 5.5 million gold acquired from the golem invasion? Five million gold was used as the guild’s funds, while the remaining 500,000 was converted to Korean money.

Grid currently didn’t have enough money.

“With this much money, I can only enhance it to +5 if I’m lucky.”

More money was needed. Grid went to his private warehouse. But there wasn’t a single item in his warehouse that was worth money. A few months ago, he disposed of most of his items to acquire the money for his land and building in reality.

“Shit...”

He was a duke! Why did he have to be the owner of a big city?

“Huh?”

Grid was grumbling that Reidan was a poor city when he suddenly found an item in a corner of the warehouse. It was a glass bottle the size of his little finger. There was golden liquid in the glass bottle.

‘Maybe this will make me some money?’

[Goddess' Essence]

Weight: 0.1

It was an item he acquired from the Pope Drevigo raid. However, even the Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal skill didn’t have an explanation, so he didn’t know where to use it.

‘The pope wouldn’t drop a cheap item...’

Pope Drevigo was the one who dropped the Holy Light Battle Gear, which was the strongest armor set. Grid thought that the Goddess' Essence dropped by Drevigo was bound to have considerable value. But it was just a vague expectation. It was difficult to gauge the value because he didn’t know where to use it.

‘What should I do? Ah!’

It was a mysterious item that couldn’t be determined with the eyes of a blacksmith. Then a well-informed person was needed to figure out the identity. And he had such a person nearby.

It was Rabbit.

‘He has handled many goods, so won’t he be able to recognize the value of this?’

Please let it be a valuable item, as he expected. Grid eagerly looked for Rabbit.

***

Rabbit’s office had documents stacked up like a mountain.

“I don’t know.” Rabbit observed the Goddess' Essence a few times before giving up.

Grid panicked at the unexpected result. “There’s something you can’t grasp with your insight?”

"I know that is is liquid that contains the divine power of Goddess Rebecca. But it is hard to tell what the effect will be.”

"It can’t be sold?”

“Be cautious.” The always calm Rabbit raised his voice. "This liquid contains the divine power of Goddess Rebecca. You will regret it someday if you decide to sell it. You should treasure it for now.”

"I need a quick source of money.”

“Why?”

“I need enhancement stones.”

“Enhancement stones...”

Rabbit unfolded a gigantic map of the western part of the kingdom. During the past four months, the Overgeared members had adventured and completed this map.