‘From now on, it is the real thing.’

Kuoooooh!

The red and purple aura around Grid. Kraugel knew what it was. Sword Saint Muller was also the Hero King.

‘Fighting energy...’

Just like Grid learned about Pagma, Kraugel learned about the former Sword Saint Muller. He had a variety of Muller episodes that ordinary people didn’t know. He couldn’t be ignorant about fighting energy.

‘The power of a hero of heroes.’

Muller was said to become complete by combining fighting energy and sword energy. From the time Grid was named the Hero King, Kraugel could no longer follow Muller. Kraugel would’ve felt desperate if he had been pursuing Muller’s shadow. But Kraugel was pioneering his own way. There was no reason to be obsessed with the title of Hero King because he didn’t follow Muller. When Grid became the Hero King, Kraugel could congratulate him in a pure manner.

Clink!

It would be a tough fight that couldn’t compare to last year. Kraugel’s expression calmed down as he faced Grid’s fighting energy. But it was just a superficial appearance. His hands holding White Fang were filled with cold sweat. A tension comparable to the time when he faced Great Demon Drasion filled him. It meant that Grid’s presence was equal to or greater than a weakened great demon.

“From now on, it will be different!”

The exited Grid ran over to him. He was faster and stronger thanks to his rising fighting energy.

Jeeeeeong!

“Kuk...!”

Grid’s sword descended at the fastest speed! Kraugel gritted his teeth and defended. The weight behind Grid’s attack was like a great mountain. Kraugel’s body and mind were driven to the extreme.

Jaaeng! Jjejeong! Jjeejeeeong!

Every time he hit Kraugel’s sword, Grid’s fighting energy rose and his attack speed increased. A relentless black and red light pressed Kraugel from all directions, causing Kraugel to take several steps back.

Finally.

Tak!

Kraugel’s back ended up against an old pillar. Grid was already in the process of moving forward with his footwork.

"Pinnacle!”

It was one of the basic skills of Pagma's Sword Dance. The powerful skill that disregarded a certain amount of defense fell like a lightning bolt. Suddenly, a question popped into Kraugel’s brain. Wasn’t Pinnacle a technique that Kraugel had counterattacked twice in the past already? Every time Grid used Pinnacle, he was hit back with Tearing the Sky the sky and suffered great damage. He wouldn’t have forgotten this fact.

'Is he trying to do something else separately?’

Kraugel’s intuition told him not to use Tearing the Sky. As Grid’s sword descended, Kraugel used Sword Curtain to defend.

Then.

‘Che!’

Grid, who was preparing to use Revolve, clicked his tongue. That’s right. Grid intended to return the counter to Pinnacle, Tearing the Sky back to Kraugel using Revolve. But it was all for naught.

Jjejeong! Jjejejeok!

Kuwaaaaaang!

The collision of Pinnacle with the Sword Curtain produced a powerful shock wave. Of course, the pillar Kraugel was backed up against as well as the ones 3m to his left and right were swept away by the shock wave. The moment a corner of the castle collapsed.

Kurururung!

The collapsing roof and rising dust hid Grid and Kraugel. The commentators and viewers looked around in order to find traces of the two.

Kuuong!

Grid flew out from the smoke. A jump! He immediately raised his body and used magic.

“Magic Detection!”

[Magic Detection (Enhanced) has been used.]

Paaaat!

Mana was released from Grid’s body and scanned around him.

Name: Kraugel

Level: ???

Class: ???

Stats: ???

Race: Human

Status: Player

Since reaching level three on the East Continent, Magic Detection (Enhanced) displayed a small part of the target’s information as well as informing Grid of Kraugel’s location. It was right in front of him.

Chaeeeng!

Grid hurriedly swung his sword and it was stopped by the empty air in front of him.

Sururuk.

A full moon was floating above the high spires. Kraugel, who had hidden himself in the moonlight with White Light Steps, was revealed. His breathing was rough as he blocked Grid’s sword. The commentators, spectators and viewers who saw this series of processes were disturbed.

『 Kraugel’s condition is strange...? 』

『 Is that right? 』

Kraugel was different from Grid. He neutralized his targets with pure control rather than overwhelming them with physical stats, skills, or items. Yet his control skills weren’t highlighted when fighting Grid. Throughout the battle, he seemed to rely solely on skills like Grid.

People started to speculate.

“Is Kraugel’s control less than what it was?”

"Or maybe Grid’s control is a match for Kraugel...?”

“In any case, the situation is different from the past.”

The reason people envied Kraugel was because of his controll. If only they could move as well as him. If only they could make the same cool judgment in that situation. How many rankers could follow even half of Kraugel? People always thought like this.

But they didn’t think this when they saw the current Kraugel. Kraugel seemed to be worse than usual in the confrontation with Grid.

'Is it the aftermath of becoming a Sword Saint?’

A legendary class. Obviously, the Sword Saint was the one with the best power among them. An example was the Space Sword that split apart the world. Perhaps Kraugel had become obsessed with the power of these skills and forgot his own strength? Did his control decline because he became dependent on skills?

People who thought like this couldn’t even imagine. In fact, Kraugel was currently controlling four swords against the God Hands. It was in order to block Grid’s strength with the God Hands, which was much more proficient than last year. Kraugel was forced to disperse attention to the four swords, meaning he lacked delicacy when dealing with Grid. But people didn’t know the principles of Control Sword and couldn’t understand Kraugel’s position.

On the other hand.

‘Is it hard?’

Grid faintly guessed the situation Kraugel was in. It was natural. A delicate command system was needed in order to make high-quality movements with the God Hands, even for Pagma's Successor. It was Grid’s conjecture that Kraugel’s Control Sword would be just as hard and his thoughts were correct. Kraugel’s mental power was consumed twice as fast after using Control Sword.

‘God Hands! Continue to attack Kraugel! Don’t rest!’

Grid maximized the benefits of the God Hands. He took full advantage of the ego items that could act on their own. It was the majesty of the legendary class exclusive item that Kraugel hadn’t acquired yet.

Peng! Pepepepeng!

The God Hands set Kraugel as the target and started to launch Magic Missiles. The four swords were interfering with Mjolnir. Then Grid would rather abandon Mjolnir and have them support him from a distance.

Syuok! Syuok!

Kraugel moved in a zigzag to avoid Magic Missiles. Grid attacked the gaps that occurred at this time. Kraugel who was trying to defend himself with Super Sensitivity, stopped trying to fight back. Then a new Grid appeared behind him. It was Doppelganger Randy. It was the first time Grid summoned his pets in his three confrontations with Kraugel. It was the influence of Battlefield. Now Grid had become aware. Pets were also his skills. He realized it was wasteful to refrain from using pets in the name of fair play.

“Kill!”

At the same time, Randy was able to reproduce his master’s skill.

“Tearing the Sky.”

Kwajak! Kwajajak!

As soon as Randy appeared, he was hit by Kraugel’s counterattack and died. One of the two pets that Grid had relied on for many years vanished. But Grid wasn’t upset.

“Sorry...!” He apologizing to the grey Randy. "It was good enough!"

Grid sent encouragement.

“Pinnacle Kill!”

Then he finally completed the footwork of his fusion skill. It was something he had been unable to do through the battle due to being blocked by Kraugel. If it wasn’t for Randy pulling Kraugel’s gaze away, Grid would’ve never been able to complete it.

Kuooooh!

The ultimate slash containing killing intent. It was soon linked with a stab. The skill that Grid had trained in the process of dealing with his clone on the Behen Archipelago was devastating to the target since it ignored defense. It was the second most powerful skill in Pagma's Sword Dance.

It was a skill that Kraugel’s counterattack, Tearing the Sky couldn’t cope with. Last year, Kraugel had used Jajinmori, which instantly activated in close ranges, to block it.

‘Too late...!’

This year’s Kraugel had fallen for the bait that was Randy. Kraugel’s reaction to Pinnacle Kill was too late.

Sakak-!

The black and red sword fell in a straight line towards Kraugel.

Puok!

Then it was followed by a stab. The strongest skill that exerted a powerful force. It put a heavy burden on the user’s muscles and had a risk of causing the user to lose 4,500 health.

[You have dealt 69,300 damage to the target!]

What did 4,500 health matter compared to dealing a critical wound to Kraugel? Grid smiled with satisfaction.

Snap!

Kraugel took out a gold peach and bit it. It was the ultimate health recovery item that Kraugel gained in exchange for being Pangea’s Little Hero. The gold peach restored the user’s health to the maximum. Grid ignored the various PvP rules intended to create a ‘grand spectacle.’ It was Kraugel who positively utilized the newly applied ‘potions can be taken’ PvP rule.

“What...?”

Grid was confused when Kraugel’s health was restored to the maximum.

Kraugel pushed away from Grid using Jajinmori, then used one of the unique endgame skills of a Sword Saint, ‘Condemnation Sword.’ Unlike the wide-range Space Sword, this skill aimed at a single target and its power transcended Space Sword. It was the beginning of a full-scale counterattack.

By using Space Sword in the beginning, Kraugel deliberately had Grid consume Freely Move. He was in a position to win. Even if it was only a 1% chance, Kraugel hoped. He wished to be Grid’s goal for one more year and sincerely swung the Condemnation Sword.

But there was a saying that the heavens didn’t love short-lived geniuses. Brilliant talent came with a lethal curse.

[The True White Fang is resonating!]

[The curse ‘Bunhelier’s Gaze’ is activated!]

[Retreat!]

[Bunhelier’s Gaze]

The evil dragon Bunhelier is always watching over you.

You might be attacked on the day when Bunhelier is feeling grumpy.

Skill Activation Condition: Random

It was the curse attached to White Fang. It had never activated before and now it was activated in a match that Kraugel had dreamt about for the past year.

Kurwarwarwarwa!

With a roar that shook the earth, a huge shadow that erased the moon appeared.

“Avoid it!"

Kraugel stopped using Condemnation Sword and urgently shouted towards Grid. The worst situation was triggered due to the probability system. There was no time to blame anyone. Kraugel just didn’t want to ruin the situation. He couldn’t overlook the consequences of what would happen if Grid was trampled on by a dragon while the whole world was watching. He had to bear responsibility for the current situation.

“Freely Move!”

The condition to acquire this title was to ‘raid’ three named bosses higher in level ‘alone.’ It wasn’t Grid’s exclusive skill. It was one step behind Grid but Kraugel also obtained the title this year. Due to this, he could use Freely Move.

Supaak!

Kraugel escaped from Bunhelier’s breath, ascended the grey scales and reached its huge head. His black eyes flashed under black hair as he faced the dragon, while the world watched agape. There were only two people in the world who understood the present situation. The people who knew the options of White Fang. One of them was Grid.

"Damn lizard...!”

Appearing at this timing to obstruct the match?

Kwaduduk! A distinctively purple fighting energy rose from Grid’s body. His gaze was only following Bunhelier. He ignored Kraugel.

Then.

"100,000 Army Massacre Sword.”

The power of the Undefeated King was revealed to the public.