Chapter 1001

Sky King Rigal’s class was a rider, and his main weapon was a large bow. His archery skills were like a reaper’s scythe as he climbed onto his ancient wyvern Allentica and fired from an altitude of 800 meters. Anybody targeted by Rigal would die, but now the situation was different.

Currently, Rigal was on the ground. He couldn’t take advantage of the rider class, and the whip in his hand was normally used to train his wyvern. Jude’s fist fell like a rock, and thunder rose from the ground. Every time Jude wielded his fist, a shockwave would stir up the ground. It was as if Jude’s fist contained the greatest disaster that humans could suffer. The imperial forces gulped, and the Overgeared members had hope.

One hit... Jude’s fist struck Rigal’s face once, and it seemed the tide would turn.

“My Lord, I will cover you.” In the end, a subordinate couldn’t hide his anxiety and immediately wanted to give the entire army a boarding order.

Earl Baron, who was Rigal’s right-hand man and commander of the air force, shook his head though. “Let him enjoy it. He seems to want to peek at the potential of that wild boar.”

The conversation of the two people continued. During this time, Rigal carefully avoided all the attacks and wielded his whip while being wary of Jude’s left hand.

“Urgh!”

A single whip tied up Jude’s left right while he struck Jude’s right hand at the same time. The small pendulum at the end of the whip contained more weight than expected, and Jude’s hand instantly became swollen.

“This whip is an artifact that delivers shock through the scales and skin of a wyvern. If you are an ordinary person, you would’ve felt a pain that was unbearable.” The corners of Rigal’s lips curved up. “Yet you are enduring it. The more I look, the more I like you.”

“Die!” Jude was like a wounded beast. His flesh couldn’t feel anything as he pulled the whip around his left hand toward him. Simultaneously, Jude swung his fist.

“Haha, where... Hup?!” Rigal was like a frightened child as the whip was pulled tight. It was because he couldn’t handle the strength of Jude’s left hand and was dragged over. In Rigal’s field of view, the landscape of the world moved at a high speed. He was suddenly right before Jude’s nose. Jude’s right fist struck Rigal’s face.

“...!!”

It was an unreal sight! One of the Seven Dukes, the symbol of the authority and strength of the empire, was being overwhelmed by an obscure knight...? Rigal’s soldiers were shocked by the unimaginable situation, but it was only temporary. The moment Jude’s fist hit Rigal’s face, it sounded like a rock being hit by a sledgehammer. Nevertheless, there wasn’t a single drop of blood on Rigal’s face, and he wasn’t hurt. Rigal’s body was hard enough to overcome Jude’s offensive power.

“Ohhh...!”

“As expected from My Lord...!”

The soldiers cheered, but the euphoria didn’t last long. Suddenly, Jude’s left hand—which was bound by the whip— Rigal’s abdomen.

“Kuek...!” Rigal groaned first. His face even twisted up with pain. The Gold Dragon Armor that symbolized the Sky King seemed colorless. 

“You! Die!” Jude’s killing intent rose further. His left hand, which was restored and strengthened by the will of his thoughts, darkened and was becoming as hard as metal. One blow, two blows, three blows, four blows!

 “Cough!” Dark blood finally flowed from Rigal’s mouth.

“This is ridiculous!” Earl Baron, who had been calm the whole time, was now embarrassed and ordered the entire army to board.

The international community was in an uproar. 

-Wow... What is Jude’s left hand? Just his left hand is terrifying.

-It is really incredible. I heard that even the high rankers can’t fight against the seven dukes of the empire, but Grid’s subordinate is doing it.

-It is being overgeared~

-Was one of the NPCs in the four heavenly kings in the Demon King’s Subjugation named Jude?

-It seems like it.

-It seems like it? ㅋㅋHow does it seem like it? ㅋㅋ Jude is a fighter while the four heavenly kings were a fisherman, a swordsman, a knight, and a tank.

-Wow, really? Then Jude isn’t one of the four heavenly kings? Yet he can hit one of the seven dukes?

-It is the power of overgeared. What the hell is he wearing on his left hand?

-I’m going to apply to naturalize to the Overgeared Kingdom right now. If I help out in the war with the empire, can I join the Overgeared Kingdom? I’ll sign up and ask Grid to make me items.

-By the way, you guys... How can I get a NPC knight like that? What should I do to get him as a subordinate? I can’t get a subordinate even when raising my affinity to the maximum. Do I have to feed him like a pet?

-Give gifts, not food... However, in order to make the NPC your subordinate, you must have some degree of status and you need to meet the target NPC’s situation. It is just luck.

-What luck... The insight to correctly tell the situation is important.

-The method to seduce a named NPC?

-It is a real luck system.

-Hah~ this is a real game of luck.

-Overgeared King Grid...

12 times—this was the number of times Jude’s fist struck Rigal in a few seconds. Strengthened by Frustration Raises a Man (SS), Jude’s left hand was currently above Jude’s original stats. Its power threatened Rigal, who was one of the strongest NPCs on the continent.

“Cough, cough! Kuweek!” Rigal completely lost the dignity of a duke who ruled over 13 kingdoms. Blood poured out from him. It didn’t suit the dignity of the Sky King Rigal.

“You!”

An army consisting of 5,000 griffons and 300 wyverns. Suddenly, the air force soldiers boarded their mounts and aimed at Jude. Their weapons, magic, and wyvern breaths wanted to render Jude into powder. However, Jude didn’t shrink back. Jude’s idea was only to kill Rigal. He didn’t care about his own safety.

“Ohhhh!”

All sensations from his left hand had disappeared a long time ago. His hand felt like it wasn’t his hand, but he didn’t think too much. Jude shouted as he used all his strength to aim at Rigal. However...

“...?” Something strange happened, and Jude cocked his head. The moment his fist was going to reach Rigal, something grabbed his neck and pulled him back. A normal person would turn his head and check the situation. Yet Jude wielded his fist at Rigal without thinking. Jude’s strikes only hit air. 

The existence holding onto his neck was a wyvern. It was a wyvern so big that it could be mistaken as a dragon. The wyvern’s name was a shining gold. It was the ancient wyvern Allentica who had been passed down through generations in the Gelder family. He had been disciplined for 200 years, and his magic abilities, flesh, and wisdom transcended those of ordinary wyverns.

“Jude! It is dangerous!”

“Look back, you idiot!”

The Overgeared members’ shouts were useless. Jude still glared at Rigal and swung his fists through the air. Rigal laughed as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth. “You are brave and ignorant. The first person to wound me on the battlefield is such a fool.”

As Jude’s left hand struck the air, Rigal suggested, “Jude, I will give you one last chance. Serve me. I’ll give you strength if you don’t need wealth.”

“...Strength!” Jude stopped. He now verified the snout of the wyvern holding his neck. “Jude. Strength. Is needed. I want to be. Strong.” 

Rigal’s mouth curved upward. It was rewarding to go down to Jude’s eye level. Rigal knew how to obtain this stupid guy who had muscles as a brain but he failed to anticipate the next reaction.

“...?”

“You. Die.” 

The ancient wyvern Allentica was thrown to the ground. It was the result of Jude grabbing the wyvern’s snout with his left hand. The people affected by the artificial earthquake fell down. The 5,300 strong air force took off instantly to avoid the aftermath. The air force took control of the sky with furious screams.

“I can’t stand it anymore.” Rigal abandoned his lingering feelings. “I’ll give you up.” 

He would show mercy. “If I can’t have you, I will kill you.”

Rigal wielded this whip.

 “Allentica!” Rigal cried out, and the wyvern rose from the ground with a roar. His flames knocked over Jude who was coming at Rigal. Jude jumped to his feet in the flames. Rigal mounted Allentica and pulled the bow that was nearly two meters long.

“The only advantage is your ignorant power. I thought it was cute, but you don’t know your limit.”

He raised his aura. An incredibly large arrow the size of a small spear shot through the swirling currents and reached Jude. Jude had all his equipment taken when he was captured, so his bare body was pierced by the arrow. Against the backdrop of the sunset, the giant silhouette with an arrow in his chest collapsing was like the ending of a movie.

“Ah...” The trapped Overgeared members were trapped and couldn’t give any help as Jude struggled. They were suffering from guilt and discomfort as they sensed it intuitively. Jude would die. He was dying. However—

『 No one can help. 』

『 The Overgeared members guarding Bairan aren’t Agnus. What can they do when they have no power? 』

『 It is a pity. The last fire of Bairan will be put out. 』

Bairan was a city that had already been occupied. Then Jude suddenly counterattacked, and the war was revived. It was a 5,301-against-1 war. The result was predictable, but many viewers around the world had predicted a reversal. Jude’s momentum was so intense that they kept sweating anxiously as they watched the situation. 

However, there was no reversal. Jude seemed to be doing well, but he couldn’t even cut Rigal’s health by one-tenth. On the other hand, he fell into a critical condition after being hit by one arrow. Sure, Jude might be wearing no equipment, but one of the seven dukes was strong. According to rumors, Rigal was one of the strongest people in existence—an existence that players didn’t dare meet at the present time, the sky above the sky.

『 Look. This is a rough estimate of the damages that the Overgeared Kingdom will face when Bairan is occupied. 』

『 Huh, it is the worst. Reidan’s situation is also bad. The Overgeared Kingdom is in a great crisis. 』

『 The power of the Saharan Empire is too strong. This proves why the empire is the master of the continent. 』

『 The result of the war is obvious. The Overgeared Kingdom will be defeated and lose a lot of territories. 』

Rigal’s altitude increased, and he once again drew his bow. This time, he aimed exactly at Jude’s heart.

“Watch this place burn in hell.”

There was no delay. Just like before, the arrow that was fired flew to Jude. The arrow hit. The location precisely matched the direction Rigal initially aimed at but Jude wasn’t there. There was only bare ground in the place where Jude’s heart was supposed to be.

“...?”

Rigal’s eyes could miss the movement...?

...At this altitude? Rigal’s expression changed in the sky. It was a much more serious expression than when he was unexpectedly pulled by Jude’s fist earlier.

“...Overgeared King?”

A bigshot appeared. There was a surge of magic power. Rigal moved his gaze and saw the Overgeared King appear through Mass Teleport. Jude disappearing like a lie was probably due to the king’s call.

Rigal smiled darkly as he aimed his bow at Grid. He was on a huge wyvern with 5,300 air force members behind him. In fact, they were all captured in Grid’s vision.

Rigal fired his bow. He couldn’t pass up this opportunity to take the head of the enemy leader. The arrow flew across one kilometer and hit its target.

[You have suffered 10,990 damage.]

[You are currently in a war.]

[In a war, the king’s death can lead to the worst situation.]

[Be careful. If killed during a war, the king and kingdom will receive a large penalty.]

[There will be an increase in the experience loss rate, an increase in the item drop rate, the army morale will drop, the facilities level will drop, national security will decrease, reputation will decrease, the chance of a rebellion will increase, and so on.]

All types of warnings rose when Grid failed to evade and the arrow pierced his shoulder. Yet Grid wasn’t daunted by them. From the moment the war began, he was already walking on thin ice. He was determined enough. Grid didn’t think he could win easily against the top power of the empire.

“Blacksmith's Rage. Blackening.”

Yes...

“Pagma’s Swordsmanship.”

Nevertheless, he would win.

“Transcended Link Flower.”

[Transcended Link Flower]

[Three sword dances have been sublimated into a single field.

Fire 40 swords with 200% physical attack power, leaving a mark on all visible enemies.

Two additional sword energy will be generated per mark and the added sword energy will aim at their targets. Any marked target hit by the sword energy will receive 122 physical damage + 20% magic damage.

Every two hits by the sword energy will create an additional mark. A maximum of five marks can be stacked up.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 300

Skill Cooldown Time: 20 minutes.]

10,000 petals bloomed in the night sky. The appearance of the blue petals fluttering was beautiful enough to cause one to lose their soul. The viewers, as well as Rigal’s air force, were briefly captivated. It was deadly. The 40 energy blades that passed through the scattering petals became a signal when they hit Rigal. The petals in the sky started to reveal their nature. Like they were blown by a gust of wind, they made contact with the soldiers and exploded.

“Keuk!”

“Kuaaaaak!”

Rigal groaned, and the soldiers screamed. The griffons and wyverns who were also targets of the petals shuddered. The skill damage coefficient might be low, but it was meaningless when Grid’s attack power was so high.

“100,000 Army.” Grid, who had narrowed the distance to Rigal while using Transcended Link Flower, retreated again. He placed them all in his field of view and wielded the sword. “Blockade Sword!”

The reason why Grid created the three fused sword dance Transcended Link Flower was to maximize his skills linkage. 100,000 Army Blockade Sword gave a small blow to all targets in his sight and also gave the ‘blocked’ effect. Approximately one-third of the air force was unable to resist. They were prevented from moving or using skills and magic.

Then new marks were placed on the air force members, including Rigal. Grid reached Rigal. Rigal’s ability to fly 800 meters above sea level was useless in front of Grid who could use Braham’s Boots to fly.

“You!” Rigal once again fired at Grid who had already been pierced with four arrows. The arrows which were fired this time were different. They were fired using Ultimatum, a blow that could kill anyone shot. The arrows contained the mana of Sky King Rigal and the essence of the techniques passed down through generations. Yet it was pointless if they didn’t reach.

“Revolve.” Grid rotated and returned Ultimatum to Rigal. Another mark was placed on Rigal’s body, and he was subjected to a shock powerful enough to damage his Gold Dragon Armor. Grid was still rushing toward Rigal.

 “Kill.” It was a series of catastrophic damage. Rigal shot arrows with explosive properties in an attempt to shake off Grid. Nevertheless, Grid stood firm. He didn’t care about the explosion and narrowed the distance toward Rigal.

“Linked Kill Flower Pinnacle.”

Five markers were imprinted on Rigal’s body, and the death penalty dropped. Grid didn’t send an ultimatum. He just aimed to kill the opponent.