Pets had different ratings. Of course, the higher the rating, the more valuable the pet.

So how was this value calculated? Was it based on stats and skills? That’s right. Even appearance was added. A pretty, nice, and cute pet was rated higher than an ugly pet. However, the more important thing than abilities and appearance was their intelligence.

Pets that could only understand the follow the commands of attack, defense, movement, etc. were low rated, even if they had excellent stats and were pretty. They were difficult to utilize effectively. On the other hand, intelligent pets were different.

They fully understood their master’s words and thoughts and were able to carry out higher rated orders. Thus, they had a higher rating despite their stats being somewhat lower. They were much more useful than the low intelligence pets. This was why wyverns reigned as the ‘best pet’ for many years.

Wyverns had high stats and enough intelligence to understand their master’s thoughts. In order to achieve their master’s purpose, a wyvern always did their best and was very helpful to a player. The value of wyverns was high enough that all players in the world dreamt of becoming the master of a wyvern.

But now people didn’t call wyverns the best. Pets more excellent than a wyvern had emerged. They were Noe and Randy. As it happened, both of them were Grid’s pets.

“Nyahahat! Master told me to help! Nyang!”

Noe flew on small wings, causing Regas’ face to brighten.

“Noe...! Thank you!”

His opponent was a very strong martial artist who freely used her weight while fighting. Asura Regas was the only one capable of going against her and even he was now at his limits. He was just about to die, so Regas was relieved to see Noe. Noe placed his pink soles on Regas’ wounded shoulders and cried out.

“The strongest demonic beast in hell isn’t someone who will help humans. Nyang! But Master told me to help you! Nyang!”

"Hahat, you are a good kid who listens to your master.”

“Nyahahat!”

Noe danced because of the praise. Regas stroked his chin and requested.

"Take away her stats.”

"I understand! Nyang!”

Originally, a pet’s skill activation was based on their master’s command. They couldn’t use a skill if they didn’t receive a command. However, Noe was a pet intelligent enough to communicate with players. He judged the situation himself and used his skills.

Noe flew towards White and opened his mouth wide. He planned to swallow White in one go. But White was an agile person with brilliant control. She stepped back, avoiding Noe’s mouth. Then she raised a finger and accurately stabbed Noe’s throat. Noe’s eyes widened as he fell to the floor in pain.

"Ah... Hurts nyong.”

"...”

Regas’ face filled with dark clouds again.

***

[You have been overwhelmed by an enormous energy.]

[Resistance has failed. Retreating from the source of the energy.]

[You have suffered 34,720 damage.]

Black was surprised by the sudden attack. The laughing face that she had throughout her entire fight with Euphemina hardened for the first time.

“Hi...ik?”

Almost 35,000 of her health had been consumed? It was from just one attack? It made it through all her legendary rated items?

‘Who?’

A blue-black greatsword was penetrating her chest. Black stared at the man with trembling eyes.

‘Grid...!’

That’s right. It was rare for someone to be able to do this much damage to her. Black recalled that Grid was the head of Overgeared and swung her arms. It was a quick but exquisite gesture. The sharp line of her tachi accurately aimed at Grid’s face.

Suuk.

Grid retrieved his greatsword and withdrew. He was surprised that Black was relatively fine after being hit by Kill.

“Your leather armor is quite durable... Eh?”

Shake.

“...Shaking?”

Was it bigger than Jishuka’s?

‘The armor design is a bikini?’

It was completely to his tastes. Instinct was a force that couldn’t be denied! Grid unintentionally became dazed by certain parts of Black’s body and Euphemina shouted urgently.

“Recover your mind!”

Was it because of jealousy that her accent increased? Euphemina denied it. She believed that her accent increased because she was worried about Grid. It was natural to be worried. Every moment was crucial in a battle. Losing your judgement for one second was a gap that the enemy could exploit. Moreover, 0.1 seconds was important in a battle between strong people. How could Grid be safe when he lost concentration?

“Hihit!”

Black laughed and used Screw Sword. When it hit the target, the attack reduced the healing effect of the target and damaged the item (the item effect decreased). The effects were intimidating, forcing the target to feel worried. Black’s speciality was using footwork to gain control of the opponent’s rear.

Jjejejeok!

Indeed. Black moved and the confused Grid barely blocked the attack. Then Black appeared behind Grid in this gap and linked a new strike.

“Grid!”

Euphemina’s voice echoed through the deserted area of Siren. Euphemina was worried for Grid, but Grid was still calm. At attack that he couldn’t react to?

‘It is fine.’

Puok!

Black’s taichi pierced Grid’s back. It was the skill Pierce Sword, which pierced the body of the target deeply and induced a definite critical hit. The damage coefficient was very high and normal people couldn’t endure this attack. But Grid was fine.

“Hi...?”

It didn’t even do 10,000 damage? Black was surprised by Grid’s abnormally high defense and tried to reclaim her sword. However, the barbs in Grid’s armor didn’t make it easy, greatly decreasing the durability of the sword during this process. Black’s body was struck by a flash of bloody light.

After swapping to Iyarugt, Grid’s attack speed was slightly faster than it was in the National Competition. Black had close to 3,000 agility, but even she was astonished by Grid’s attack speed. She hurriedly raised the small shield worn on her left wrist and tried to defend.

Jjeejeeeong!

“...!”

Black’s body shook after she collided with Iyarugt. Her strength and stamina stats were relatively low and she couldn’t withstand Grid’s overwhelming attack power. Her upper body tilted and Black fell to the ground. Grid pursued her as she drew back. He prepared to link another attack, but Black had already restored her posture and succeeded in avoiding it. She was like an acrobat.

“Hihit!”

Black didn’t shrink back despite the fact that her opponent was the runner-up in the National Competition’s PvP event. She laughed at Grid. She was confident that she had the advantage in agility and control. However, physical abilities wasn’t the only important factor in combat.

“The power of items.”

“...!”

Black’s dark eyes shook. It was because something cool and solid came flying and restrained her wrists and ankles. The famous God Hands.

“Hiik!”

Grid whispered to Black, who was struggling to shake off the God Hands.

"I don’t see a woman.”

This was a gender equal society!

Puk!

Black’s body was stabbed by Iyarugt.

“Hiik! Hik! Kyaak!”

Black had already suffered a great deal of damage from Kill, so she died after allowing a few more hits.

“Well.”

Grid felt disappointed at not getting to see Black’s large chest anymore. He stretched out a hand towards Euphemina.

"You endured well.”

Euphemina’s eyes were bigger than usual.

“You... Haven’t you become stronger?”

"It turned out this way.”

Grid didn’t say it, but he had suffered a lot of trials while Euphemina was away. The battles against the vampires Earl Elfin Stone and Baron Tiramet improved his battle skills, while his intelligence was forced to develop in the Behen Archipelago. In addition, he overcame his own limitations.

The peak was the National Competition. Grid saw and learned a lot from fighting the strongest people who represented each country. In particular, he made another breakthrough during the confrontation with Kraugel.

"By the way, that girl called Black isn’t your opponent. How did you end up in danger?”

Grid’s eyes were quite discerning compared to the old days. Euphemina laughed and explained, “She is like a cockroach. She has resurrected three times already. I became disadvantaged as more time passed.”

“Resurrected? She dies and comes back again?”

"Yes, I don’t know if it is a class specific skill or the effect of an item...”

Euphemina’s face hardened as she spoke.

“Hiit! Yihihihit!

Black. She once again appeared with a perfectly fine appearance.

“Heok.”

Euphemina started to explain her thoughts to the dumbfounded Grid.

“It doesn’t seem to be a skill with a limited number of uses. If the number of resurrections was limited, she wouldn’t come at me so hard.”

“Right.”

“But it doesn’t fit that such a fraudulent resurrection skill wouldn’t have any penalties. Perhaps the Black in front of us is just a renewable clone and the real body is hiding someplace else. But I refuse to believe there’s such a strong clone.”

“Um... It’s plausible. I will set up video shooting mode."

“Oh my.”

Euphemina smiled. Grid’s action of recording a video of a fight against someone strong. It showed he was much wiser than before.

‘It will be replayed a few times.’

He was always ready to study. Euphemina was feeling glad when she suddenly frowned.

“Hehe.”

It was because she belatedly noticed that Grid’s gaze was fixed on Black’s chest.

“It’s low-grade.”

Euphemina muttered while looking at her own chest. Then Black used ‘magic.’

“What’s this...?”

Euphemina watched the flying flames and fell into confusion. Wasn’t Black an assassin class? Then how could she use magic?

"Don’t tell me, it’s possible to change classes?”

Euphemina panicked.

"Aha, my physical resistance is high, so you’re trying magic?”

Grid swapped his armor to the Holy Light set and was hit by Black’s magic. It was a way to show off his overwhelming power difference. The effect was large. Black confirmed that Grid had only lost as much health as a rat dropping and lost control.