The director of Inferno, Latvihi—a bitter smile spread on the handsome face with impressive deep eyes.

“I have to give up.”

Snot rolled down from his nose. It was the effect of the ‘runny nose every time you speak’ skin mask. The runny nose looked very funny with a serious expression, but Latvihi didn’t mind. He was the heir of a large company and his ego was strong. In the virtual reality world, a little runny nose didn’t reduce his value. He could show this appearance if he wanted.

“This is compensation for the failed commission.” Knight paid six times the down payment without a word. He boasted the highest fees in the mercenary industry so the penalty for a failed request was very large. Even so, he didn’t have any regrets. The chances of succeeding in the request went down to zero the moment the Heart of the Frost Queen entered Grid’s grip.

“Both you and I feel sorry. Sniff.”

“It is my fault for thinking too late about the possibility of Guseha being Shift.”

Things would be different if he had detected the Skin Maker’s identity a few days earlier. The reason for the failure was that he only realized Guseha’s suspiciousness when Guseha entered Reinhardt.

“You are too humble. I admire you for figuring out Guseha’s identity with only meager information. I have confirmed that your reputation isn’t a bluff, Knight. Sniff. I want to make more requests to you in the future. I hope you don’t refuse.”

The snot that hung from the runny nose...

Knight tried not to be conscious of his client’s runny nose and nodded. “I owe you for this failed request, so I will pay you back. You can ask me to do anything as long as it doesn’t involve the Overgeared Kingdom. Then I’m going...”

The hidden class ‘Death God’ was close to an assassination class, but Knight’s imposing gait as he left was reminiscent of a knight like his ID. He was a talented man who had been at the top for many years and he was a friend liked by many.

‘In Grid’s case, it was very different from the family’s discerning eye.’

Latvihi was thinking about the time when Pagma's Successor first appeared when he reeled. He blew his nose before greeting the next guest. It was the black magician, Purgis. He was one of the Yatan Servants after Rose suddenly disappeared one day.

Currently, there were three players who were the Yatan Servants. This meant that players could be deeply involved in the operation of the Yatan Church. The situation where players led the operations of the Yatan Church was helped by the system. For example, they benefited from the cash items. The Yatan Church was no longer closed off. The family judged that the current Yatan Church was a good place to invest in.

“Is it true that you will lease land for us to build temples?” Purgis shook hands with Latvihi and asked with an uneasy expression. He seemed suspicious. It was natural to have doubts.

The Yatan Church was the enemy of the public. It had always been the target of other forces. Even if the temples were built in as secret a place as possible and the identity disguised, most temples would be discovered and destroyed within months or years. The larger the temple and the longer it remained, the more benefits that were gained. The Yatan Church only received material damage before it could receive any benefits.

The biggest cause was the existence of most lands having owners. The lords thoroughly managed and supervised their territory. They regularly searched their territory for the shadows of the Yatan Church. This was the will of each kingdom’s government. No matter how lazy or incompetent the lord, they wouldn’t be able to turn a blind eye to the king’s order to search for and destroy the Yatan Church.

The Yatan Church was an object of vigilance and disgust. The temples that the Yatan Church had managed to keep for more than 10 years were less than 10 and even those were built on land without owners. However, temples couldn’t only be built on land without owners. It meant there were fewer people there. It was hard to gather the faithful or to receive offerings. There wasn’t much value.

Then they received a proposal that was tempting. It was a proposal to provide territory to build and operate a Yatan Church. It was even a proposal from Inferno, a global company.

“Why does your company want to sponsor our church? To be honest, I think it is just a trap.”

Latvihi answered, “Companies see profits and act. Sniff. We just judged that the Yatan Church could make us money.”

“Money... do you want to use our church to enter the underworld?”

“Haha, Inferno is an honest and hardworking company. We don’t want a dirty connection from the Yatan Church. We want customers. They are hundreds of millions of customers.”

Latvihi laid out a map of the West Continent. There were 17 marks on the map that his runny nose dripped on.

“There are 16 small and medium sized cities and one large city. We will help you build temples in these places. Sniff. Of course, it should be disguised so it isn’t a Yatan temple on the surface, but this is something you have always done. It should be easy, right?”

“......”

17 places? Inferno owned 17 territories? Wasn’t this on a national scale?

‘I’ve heard rumors about companies nurturing or sponsoring rankers, but is it possible to expand their forces to this extent?’ Purgis felt like he had been struck by lightning. He was surprised because he didn’t know that there was a bigger force behind Inferno.

“Rent and taxes must be paid regularly and the ‘offerings’ must be obtained from outside the territory. Additionally, all equipment and consumables supplied to the believers will be purchased from merchant groups designated by us. If the Yatan Church follows these conditions, then the lords of the 17 cities will condone all the activities of the Yatan Church and protect them from external surveillance.”

“Are there any other conditions? For example, we shouldn’t perform great demon summoning ceremonies.”

“We have no intention of intervening in the doctrines or policies of the Yatan Church. We only hope that the Yatan Church will grow its power safely and become a bigger customer. Now, please read this.” Latvihi pushed over a thick contract. It was a contract without any toxic clauses and was full of welcome conditions for the Yatan Church. To be honest, it was doubtful if Inferno could even benefit from this.

Purgis’ body trembled with excitement. “I will discuss it with the other servants and give you an answer. It won’t be too late.”

“I am looking forward to a positive answer.”

The answer arrived the next day. The deal between the Yatan Church and Inferno was naturally struck.

Latvihi reported it to his family and showed a relieved expression, “Yes, the Yatan Church has accepted it. This means that Amoract isn’t directly involved in the operations of the church. Yes, yes. The Heart of the Frost Queen... I think it is better that it is in the hands of Grid. Yes, I will keep in mind that the asteroid is approaching. Everything is for Earth.”

***

“Good.” Grid carefully considered it before deciding not to waste Item Creation. The requirements for Jishuka’s new bow were focused on no attributes and speed. He could make something good enough using the existing recipes. Item Creation was just a luxury from the moment he excluded effects like granting attributes, the hit rate, or range correction.

‘It is great.’

There was a satisfied smile on Grid’s face as he pulled the bowstring several times. It was a bow that was judged as legendary rated even though it didn’t use high quality materials such as the breaths because it didn’t require an attribute attached. The pure attack power reached the limit at the cost of abandoning additional effects such as hit rate correction.

‘The Bow Saint’s arrows will hit 100 out of 100 times anyway.’

Of course, it depended on the target, but... in the first place, the concept of hit rate was meaningless for a target that couldn’t be hit with a Bow Saint’s skills. Avoiding the arrows of the Bow Saint meant they were already in the realm of transcendence or an opponent with a power.

The pulling of the string gradually increased. Considering the time it took to load an arrow, it was at a level where two arrows per second were fired. Of course, this was Grid’s standard. Jishuka could shoot two or three times as many arrows. The downside was that the distance was short because it was a short bow. However, Jishuka had the Red Phoenix Bow. She could use the Red Phoenix Bow for long-ranged shooting.

‘I’ll make another no attributes longbow when good materials come in later.’

He searched the exchange as well as the guild’s warehouse, but there were no materials he liked. The demand for weapons called bows was so high that it was a common phenomenon.

-Jishuka.

Grid gathered up his courage and sent a whisper to Jishuka.

-Yes? What is it?

Fortunately, Jishuka’s voice was as bright as it used to be. The deeply relieved Grid shared the description of the newly created bow.

-I made a new one. Use it as a secondary weapon.

-Wow, what is this? It has more attack power than the Red Phoenix Bow? There is also quick firing?

-Isn’t this what you need now?

-Yes! Thank you! How much is it?

-It is a gift so just use it. It didn’t cost me money because it was made using materials from the guild warehouse anyway.

-Yes~ I understand. I will repay you next time.

“I’m glad she is more energetic than I thought.”

She was like the sun. Was this how plants felt after photosynthesis? Grid felt good after hearing Jishuka’s bright voice for the first time in ages and paused in his hammering. Obora’s spine lay on the anvil. The shape was quite sharp thanks to Grid forge welding and forging it in his spare time. It was getting to the point where it could be called a sword.’

‘It would be great if this has a unique rating.’

Then he could use Item Upgrade to make it legendary rated. It was enough if the Backbone Sword’s rating was legendary. The Backbone Sword was a phantom sword. It was intended to deceive rather than directly kill the enemy so it was fine for it to have a slightly lower attack power. If transformed into Greed then the attack power would be covered to a certain extent.

‘I have to give up on my greed.’

There was a high possibility of uncontrollable situations if he repeatedly tried the forge welding in an attempt to get a higher rating and attack power. It was because a possibility of failure existed in all the processes of smelting the bones, forge welding them and forging them. Grid’s blacksmithing technique was virtually a myth rating and there was almost no possibility of failure, but the more he did the forge welding, the more Grid’s insight and dexterity sent him warnings.

‘Every time I succeed in forge welding, the probability of failure for the next one increases. It is dangerous.’

Grid secretly checked the bone powder piled up around the anvil. The next two smelts were the limit for Obora’s spine being forged without damaging it. It was better not to exceed four forge welds. Grid didn’t pay attention to his concentration. He naturally entered the state of self-transcendence. The Blacksmith’s Breath came from his mouth and his fatigued muscles stopped cramping in response to Blacksmith’s Patience.

A concentration that wouldn’t shake even if the world was destroyed took over his body.

Ttaang-!

A clear hammering sound filled the smithy and extended to the outside. Mercedes, who was guarding the entrance, could tell that His Majesty’s hard work was finally over.

[Overgeared God Grid’s divine object has appeared.]

[The myth of the Overgeared God is strengthened.]

[All stats of the Overgeared God Church’s believers will permanently increase by 10 and the penalties incurred when wearing items will be slightly reduced.]

Objects that symbolized a god were rare. Just look at Rebecca’s divine objects which included Raphael’s Spear and the others of the three artifacts, the First Holy Sword, and the Source of Light that it was said she handled personally. However, it wasn’t long after Grid became a god and he was increasing the number of divine objects at a frightening pace. For the Overgeared God Church members, it was a blessing and a miracle, while it was a scam in the eyes of outsiders.

-Is there still no Overgeared God Church coin to milk the cash cows? ᄏᄏ

-Why don’t you believe in the Overgeared God? Why don’t we believe in the Overgeared God?

-On.ly God Gr.id.

On the Internet, the joys and sorrows of those who belonged to the Overgeared God Church and those who didn’t belong to it were mixed.