“I am planning to increase the number of subordinate guilds under the Overgeared Guild. The leader of the guild should be one of Grid’s close aides.”

They were lacking talents.

Lauel habitually grumbled about this, but it was from the blind perspective of someone at the top. The Overgeared Guild was full of people. It was no longer possible to maintain only two guilds because they had reached the maximum capacity of each guild. Just as large companies had affiliates, it was time for them to separate their guilds.

“It is a prudent matter, and I plan to implement it gradually. But I need to set up the Shadows group as soon as possible. Today would be good. As you know, it is the busiest organization, and it is urgent to recruit people...”

“Do you want me to take care of it?”

“That’s correct. Can you do it?” Lauel’s attitude was cautious.

Currently, the members of Overgeared Guild One were treated as ‘knights’ under Piaro, and they received a compensation effect to their stats. Their stats would drop the moment they left Overgeared Guild One. Now, Lauel was forced to sacrifice Faker, who had been with them since the time of the Tzedakah Guild. Lauel felt sorry about this, and his heart was heavy.

Faker nodded with a calm expression. “I understand.”

“...”

He didn’t present any conditions or show that he was upset. In fact, he would do anything for Grid and the guild. This was Faker. Faker’s cool answer made Lauel feel more like a sinner. “I’d rather you be angry.”

Guilds had levels. The Overgeared Guild One, where Grid was the leader, had reached the max level. In addition to the knight buffs, all sorts of conveniences were provided. On the other hand, the Overgeared Shadows Guild would start at level one and wouldn’t have any conveniences. The disadvantages Faker would face weren’t just to do with the loss of stats.

Yet he responded like this? Lauel had expected it, but once it actually happened, he couldn’t help scratching his head. Faker kept speaking with his blank expression, “I was prepared to do this one day. Additionally...”

Was Lauel mistaken about Faker’s lips curving upward? Lauel rubbed his eyes as he heard Faker’s words.

“In my grandfather’s country, there is a saying that a dog who attends Seodang (private schools for teaching Chinese classics) for three years will be able to recite Chinese scrolls. I am confident that I can develop and run a guild. Believe in me.”

As the shadow of the Overgeared Guild, Faker had been working with Lauel for many years. He had observed Lauel more closely than anyone else had done and naturally learned many things.

“Thank you.”

On this day, Faker left Overgeared Guild One and established the Overgeared Shadows Guild. All the assassin players belonging to Overgeared Guild One moved to the Overgeared Shadows, while some of those on the waiting list started with the Overgeared Shadows.

The largest ever assassin guild was created. They were a knife just for Grid and the Overgeared Kingdom.

***

“Damn these guys. Kids, stop aggravating him,” Grid begged, but the Overgeared Skeletons’ Ridicule didn’t stop.

Grid felt like a nasty villain.

‘If I think of the person called Galgunos...’

Galgunos was just trying to send away the people invading his house, only for the crazy robbers to keep mocking him without knowing how to be grateful. It was enough to cause a discussion on morality.

“...Well, people are villains. There is no need to think about the monster. Yes, this is it. Overgeared Skeletons, laugh to your hearts’ content. Keep going. His name is Galgunos. I will give him the nickname of Galgu.”

The sound of the walls breaking apart got nearer. It meant that the ‘martial god follower who learned two secret techniques’ was narrowing the distance. Now, it was unavoidable. Grid was filled with an eerie sense of excitement as he held the Enlightenment Sword with the Blade Aiming at the Gods and light elemental floating beside him.

‘What is the level of the real intermediate boss?’

According to Lauel’s report, the Overgeared members had explored the Temple of Shadows and Galgunos’ Temple. They found that the ‘intermediate boss’ who appeared on the first floor of the temple was ‘martial god follower who escaped from the grave.’

This ‘intermediate boss’ was dangerous. Their attack power and agility were comparable to Grid’s, their defense was similar to Vantner’s, and they had a health of at least nine million. They even possessed the skill of unconditional counterattack. It was one skill, but the skill was too fraudulent. The basic specs were also high, so it was advised to avoid a one-on-one fight.

Yes, Lauel and the Overgeared members misunderstood that the martial god followers who escaped from the grave were the intermediate bosses because of how strong they were. In fact, they were also a threat to Grid.

Then what was the truth? This powerful boss monster wasn’t the intermediate boss. Based on the number that appeared, they were elite monsters. They were below the second-grade martial god follower who was called by Galgunos. In other words, it was unknown how powerful the true intermediate boss was.

‘I can get a hint from the name.’ Grid’s thoughts accelerated. ‘They can use two skills. The followers who escaped from the grave only have the counterattack, but the one approaching right now has another difficulty.

‘In normal dungeons, the difference between elite monsters and the intermediate boss is at least 30–60 levels. A monster’s stats scale up by level, meaning the difference with the player’s stats will be significant.

‘Now, the most important thing is health. It will be really hard if they have twice the health. If the combo of Blackening, Blacksmith’s Rage, Flash, and Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle doesn’t kill it, I have to be prepared to die.’

His accelerated thoughts didn’t lead him to an answer. If everything could be solved by thinking, there would be no war or hunger in the world.

“Damn. I’ll find out soon.”

Grid currently didn’t have any information. He didn’t know if the martial god follower who had learned two secret techniques was undead or alive like the martial god followers who escaped from the grave. Its secret techniques were also unknown. Basically, Grid didn’t know anything, and it was meaningless to think.

In this sort of situation, he knew from experience that it was better to just empty his head. Grid wasn’t prideful or arrogant. He was a veteran who hadn’t stopped playing Satisfy since the day he started Satisfy.

“Blackening. Quick Movements. Blacksmith’s Rage.”

The wall in front of Grid collapsed, and a zombie in an old cloak appeared over the wall. The martial god follower who had learned two secret techniques was also an undead. Grid responded calmly. He struck the martial god follower with a basic attack from his sword. After doing so, he didn’t get a notice that the durability of the sword was reduced, that his health was lost, or that a fracture had occurred. Fortunately, it meant that the attack power of the intermediate boss was equal or lower than Grid’s attack power.

However, he couldn’t be relieved for long. Grid swung his sword at the martial god followers continuously. As a result...

[You have suffered 7,930 damage.]

[The target has received 9,950 damage.]

[You have been counterattacked by a mysterious technique. You have suffered 9,950 damage.]

In two seconds, Grid dealt one attack and was hit by one. He was able to get a glimpse of the attack power and speed of the martial god follower. The problem was the counterattack skill possessed by the martial god followers. The martial god followers responded to Grid at a transcendent speed once they registered that they were hit. They returned the same amount of damage that Grid had dealt.

‘Up to here is like the martial god follower who escaped from the grave.’

The health was still difficult to gauge. Only 10,000 damage was dealt, so the health gauge of the martial god follower didn’t go down. Grid’s brain worked more fiercely. ‘What will be the other skill?’

He would be at a disadvantage if this went on longer. It was the same with dealing with the martial god follower who escaped from the grave. The damn followers of the martial god were monsters who boasted the same specs as Grid’s buff state. This meant the fight had to be decided while his buffs were still maintained.

‘No, I have a bit more time to spare.’

Grid unleashed fierce blows toward the martial god follower while turning his gaze toward his still dazed companions. These people who would wake up after 45 seconds were solid insurance for Grid.

‘I’m not alone.’

Grid’s eyes flashed fiercely. He had many questions. The lich Galgunos was a servant of a great demon. Who was the great demon that he served? Where did he get the bodies of the martial god followers from, and why was he using the martial god followers as experimental bodies? The followers of the martial god were looking for the Sword Grave. What was waiting in the Sword Grave?

Grid had to pursue victory if he wanted to find the answer to all these questions.

“Ah.” Grid, who longed for victory and had a passion for combat, noticed that it was time for a new challenge. He used the ‘illusion’ ability of Belial’s Power that he had ignored so far. Grid hadn’t used it because he thought it was out of the range of his ability. Now seemed like the right time.

A new resolution and a spirit of challenge were required in order to reach a higher place. Grid didn’t want to stagnate. He had to challenge it, especially when thinking of the demon king subjugation. Grid suffered every time the martial god follower counterattacked. The martial god follower’s health gauge was fine, while Grid’s health had fallen by half. Grid even started feeling gratitude for the +8 defense that his inner underwear gave him. He was that desperate.

“Belial’s Power.”

Thus, he used the power he had been ignoring. No, he ‘challenged’ the power.

[The power of the great demon Belial summoned in the Rune of Darkness has been opened!]

[It is impossible for a human to digest all three of Belial’s powers.]

[You are in a half-demon state. Your body has endured the pressure of immense power. However, it is still impossible for a human to digest all three of Belial’s powers at the same time.]

[You can use one of Belial’s three powers of: Darkness, fire, or illusion.]

[You have chosen the power of illusion!]

[The passive skill ‘Queen of Mocking and Violation’ will be maintained for 2 minutes, and Queen’s Distortion is now activated. Another magic will be activated if your intelligence exceeds 4,000.]

[Your intelligence is low. It is difficult to control Queen’s Distortion.]

“Grid...?”

One minute had passed since Grid alone endured the attacks of the martial god follower who had learned two secret techniques. It was time for Chris, Pon, and Regas to regain their minds. However, the three of them weren’t fully aware that the negative states had been lifted.

It was because they saw five Grids, not one. They were confused like they had been drugged.