Chapter 323
Piaro allowed Grid to deal a deadly attack.
He realized it.
‘My use of the farming equipment is wrong!’
He had already mastered swordsmanship. Therefore, he used it as the base for his farming techniques. He was following its principles.
‘This is an obvious mistake!’
Farming and swordsmanship were completely different. Wasn’t farming equipment a tool for life, while a sword was a tool for death? The farming equipment could be enhanced by the sword techniques, but they were fundamentally different. It was right to change his approach.
‘Discard swordsmanship!’
There was no reason to use swordsmanship with farming techniques. It was poison from the beginning, since he should use swordsmanship with a sword. Piaro’s awareness drastically changed. He seemed to be another person.
The hands gripping the farming equipment loosened, and he now had a free and relaxed attitude. He stood like a farmer.
Flash!
Piaro’s body was surrounded by light. A quest window appeared in front of the confused Grid.
[Lord’s Confidence]
★ Hidden Quest �
Piaro has gained new enlightenment and awakened as a true farmer.
He has completely forsaken the sword.
At this moment, he wants to be acknowledged by you.
Spar with Piaro!
Please experience Piaro’s skills and acknowledge him!
Depending on the results, Piaro will grow even more!
Quest Clear Conditions: Win or lose in a spar with Piaro.
Defeat in a spar with Piaro: Piaro will gain great pride as a farmer. Piaro’s stats and skills will significantly rise.
Victory in a spar with Piaro: Piaro will feel skeptical and once again walk on the path of the sword again. The stats that rose as a result of Piaro becoming a legend will be destroyed.
[Hidden Quest ‘Lord’s Confidence’ will proceed.]
[Now you and Piaro have entered sparring mode.]
[The spar will continue until the health of one person reaches the minimum.]
[You won’t die in sparring mode.]
Lord’s Confidence. This was a type of bonus quest. Grid was the lord, so being defeated by Piaro would raise Piaro’s morale and allow him to grow. It would be a huge benefit and Piaro would be able to become even stronger.
If Grid was a conventional lord, he would be happy and dancing while thanking the heavens. However, Grid was hoping that Piaro would become a sword saint. Grid was paying attention to the result of his victory, not his defeat.
‘Walk the path of the sword again?’
It was confusing. He would either make Piaro definitely stronger as a farmer, or make him walk the path of the sword again.
‘If he walks the path of the sword, he can develop into a sword saint.’
Of course, he couldn’t be certain of this. No matter how great Piaro was, it wasn’t certain that he would become a sword saint. It was also disconcerting that Piaro’s current abilities would fall.
‘Is it right to lose?’
No, no.
Kkuok!
Grid strongly grasped Iyarugt.
‘I will do my best.’
Lose on purpose? Piaro wouldn’t want such a method.
‘If you want to prove the value of a farmer, beat me.’
If he couldn’t beat Grid, take up the sword again. Pioneer your path with your own strength!
Teong!
Grid jumped forward at that thought. There was still 30 seconds left of Quick Movements. Grid meant to win during that time.
“Blacksmith’s Rage!”
[Attack power will increase by 25% and attack speed will increase by 40%.] This effect will last for 35 seconds.]
Grid’s strength reached the peak. He approached Piaro and excitedly attacked him. He wasn’t just fast. The trajectory was the best because he attacked along the path that Iyarugt was telling him.
However, Piaro avoided it. It was an unexpected move. He bent over and squatted down?
[This guy’s talent suddenly became low!]
Iyarugt was disappointed. It meant he didn’t understand Piaro’s intention, and was proof that Piaro was far beyond Iyarugt.
Puok!
Piaro squatted and hit the ground hard with the hand plow. Water shot up in an instant.
“What…?”
The problem was that the gushing water interrupted his field of view. Grid was confused and in this gap, Piaro quickly sprinkled seeds all over the land. At the same time, something incredible happened.
The whole area was quickly transformed into a field. Numerous wheat tinged with gold grew around Grid.
‘This is nonsense!’
A wheat field just before harvest was created in just an instant? It was just as spectacular as the magic that Braham showed. No, in a sense, it was more amazing. Piaro started doing PR to the disbelieving Grid.
“Imagine it. What if a legendary farmer is marching with an army and circumstances lead to a food shortage? I can immediately clear a field and feed the soldiers!”
“Heok!”
It was amazing to hear. There would be no food shortages with an army led by Piaro. Grid was about to be persuaded when he asked a question.
“What if there is no water?”
“Use the water from nearby rivers or have magicians summon water.”
“What if there are no rivers or magicians?”
“…It will rain.”
“If it doesn’t rain?”
“Free Farming 5th Style, Harvest!”
The time for questions was over. At this moment, Piaro gained a new enlightenment again and wielded the sickle. A sharp qi was projected and the wheat was cut.
“Ack!”
Grid immediately bowed to avoid it and cried out. There were thousands, tens of thousands of wheat scattered everywhere. It was a dizzying sight.
‘This is too unnecessary!’
It happened when Grid was nervously brushing away the wheat in front of him.
Pepeng! Pepepepeok!
The many wheat exploded without notice.
“Kuaaaaak!”
Grid screamed as the entire field was engulfed in an explosion. If it hadn’t been for the God Hand covering him, Grid would’ve suffered so much damage it wouldn’t be strange for his health to fall to the minimum.
“Kuk…! Ugh! Cough! Cough!”
The harvested wheat exploded?
“How is there such a process in farming!?”
Grid shouted as he was covered with scorched flour. Piaro bluntly replied.
“It is polishing.”
“What polishing!?”
Polishing referred to the process of removing the surface of the grain to make it clean and white, not turning it into ashes. Grid was about to reply when he suddenly realized.
‘I lost my composure. I was too shaken because of the wheat field.’
Grid barely managed to focus his mind. In order to gain the momentum again, he decided to use Pagma’s Swordsmanship, Transcended Link.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!
Dozens of dark energy blades overpowered Piaro. It contained a fierce momentum worthy of one of the best skills.
Grid didn’t stay still either.
He moved forward, planning to attack when Piaro was distracted defending against the energy blades. It was an excellent plan. But the opponent was too strong. Piaro used Natural State and overwhelmed Grid’s speed.
Teteteteng!
The flail flew forward. Like a feather duster, it moved without hesitation towards Grid. It scattered something with every move, reminiscent of dust.
“Ugh! Kkuk! Keok! Kek!”
This dust. Grid kept moaning. His health gauge fell in an instant. Iyarugt was astonished.
[I can’t read the trajectory!]
‘Useless!’
In fact, he wasn’t in a position to blame others. Grid felt helpless. Piaro was really strong. He used all types of items and skills to win, but he couldn’t narrow the gap. Yes, it felt like he was facing a wall that couldn’t be overcome.
However, Grid didn’t give up. He still had a trump card remaining!
“Piaro…! I’m not backing down yet!”
What were the God Hands doing now while Grid was being beaten by the flail? Why didn’t they come and protect their master? Piaro saw Grid’s confident face and suddenly found the four hands hammering at an anvil behind Grid.
‘What is going on?’
Piaro was alert.
[You have succeeded in combining Failure and Grid’s Greatsword!]
Grid smiled. The God Hands flew quickly and handed the greatsword to Grid. The combination of Grid’s Greatsword and Failure was truly transcendent. This wasn’t the end. In the center of the merged greatsword, the Darkness Rune was installed. Then an explosion demonic energy was emitted from the greatsword, making it a perfect match with the blackened Grid.
But it didn’t work against Piaro.
Peok!
“Ugh.”
So what if he had the strongest weapon in hand? He couldn’t even swing it! The duration of Quick Movements was over, so Grid could overcome Piaro’s speed in the Natural State. He allowed attacks and in the end, he was forced to admit it.
“You as a farmer…! Farmer! Ugh! I will recognize your path as a farmer!”
At the same time.
[Your health has fallen to a minimum, so sparring mode is finished!]
[The hidden quest ‘Lord’s Confidence’ has been completed.]
[Piaro’s stats and skills will significantly rise.]
As a result of today, Piaro was able to be reborn as a true legend. His level was still low compared to the previous legends, but all other aspects were comparable. Then Grid…
“Damn! I’m also a legend, but why am I in this shape?”
The great demons, Braham, Marie Rose and now Piaro. There were too many mountains to overcome. Grid was eager to become stronger. He didn’t want to feel this helpless again, or experience failure.
‘In order to become stronger.’
Increasing his control and agility was a top priority. The means that could help both grow at the same time was naturally hunting.
‘Level up!’
But before that, there was something Grid had to do. It was to create a set of farming equipment.
Ttang! Ttang!
As the best weapons (?) used by his top subordinate, Grid devoted a few days to making it. Thanks to that, even Piaro was equipped with the power of items. In short, a monstrous scam was born.
“Okay.”
Grid was barely satisfied with his work and headed towards the vampire cities. He joined the Pavranium Expedition and hunted until the experience and item acquisition buff was over. By the time he reached level 305 and returned, there was less than a month left before Irene gave birth.
***
Epilogue
“Huh?”
Chris and the Five Captains were bewildered as they plowed the fields. It was because Piaro had six sheaths hanging at his waist. He normally wore farming equipment there, so why were there sheaths?
‘No, is he holding a knife?’
‘There are six of them…’
Were they going crazy?
Piaro cleared his throat as he approached Chris and the Five Captains. Then he proudly straightened and pulled out the knife from the sheath… No, it was farming equipment. That’s right. The luxurious sheaths at Piaro’s waist were actually for farming equipment. It was the work that Grid had carefully made for Piaro.
“Wow.”
Chris was filled with a strong desire to possess them. He also wanted to have such nice storage places for farming equipment. Chris was third on the unified rankings.