Overgeared

There was no blood on Khan’s wrinkled face. His skin was pale all the way to his fingertips. His body was a mess. It was hard to fathom his pain as he kept coughing up black blood.

“I... Take me to the smithy.”

“...”

Faker wanted Khan to relax. His chances of survival were likely to increase if he was stable until Sticks came back. But Faker quickly got rid of that idea. He recalled that Khan had been working for most of his 80 years of life. Khan would feel alive when striking metal in front of a hot furnace.

"I understand.”

Doing blacksmithing would help Khan became stable. Faker believed this and helped Khan. Khan leaned on his shoulder and smiled gently.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

Faker’s heart ached. Since when had Khan become so small? Where did his big and hard hands go, leaving only the faded hands of an old man? Time was truly cruel. Faker recalled the bond with Khan since the days of the Tzedakah Guild and worried about Grid above all else.

He knew that the sadness Grid felt would be huge compared to what Faker was feeling now.

***

Unlike usual, the air was cold.

“...”

Khan was tearful as he returned to the empty smithy. This place had been filled with young blacksmiths just a few hours ago. One day, they disappeared into a handful of ashes, shouting that they also wanted to support King Grid. Khan was filled with great sadness at the loss of their dreams and futures.

“Should we go back?”

Faker caught Khan’s trembling body and asked with a concerned look. Khan shook his head.

"It’s nothing. I will be okay.”

He had a final work to do. He would go directly to the souls of the young blacksmiths and comfort them. Khan thought this and walked up to the furnace. Faker piled up hundreds of potions beside him.

“I will bring the Saintess. Don’t forget to drink a potion whenever it’s time.”

Nod.

Faker confirmed Khan’s answer and immediately logged out. Then he tried to contact Saintess Ruby using the emergency network. However, it was currently the moment when the PvP was over and Grid was receiving the gold medal. She couldn’t be reached.

The urgent Faker tried to contact the other Overgeared members. But he couldn’t get in touch with them either. Everyone was thrilled with Grid’s victory and preoccupied with the celebration.

Kwang!

Faker slammed his fist against the wall. He continued to do this a few times until his fists were bleeding.

“...Dammit.”

Faker was furious with himself. He was going to defend the Overgeared Kingdom? How could he when he couldn’t even protect one elderly man?

‘Why didn’t I try harder?’

He realized the limits of a normal class. He knew that there were many monstrous players in the world that he didn’t know yet. Nevertheless, he was satisfied and complacent with this reality. It was a terrible arrogance. He was mistaken after winning the battle against Black. A little more, he had to do a little more.

moment that Faker held his head and sank

Yiing.

rang. His face turned rosy as he

***

“Grandfather Khan!”

Taang, taang.

on the calm night was lonely today. Ruby breathed heavily as

"Grandfather...”

our princess

the person standing in front of the flames? Khan’s color was completely white as he

“G-Grandfather...”

her and took care of her like a granddaughter. To Ruby, he was like a grandfather. She believed he would love her forever and planned to always see him. But what was this haggard appearance? It seemed that they couldn’t be together anymore. Ruby’s chest ached as she saw Khan try to hide his pain with a cheerful

“Hope! Benevolent Light! Purification!”

Khan’s pain. After hurriedly using heal,

have healed the

old. His body has reached

effect isn’t applied

detoxification effect isn’t applied

"...!"

more people in the future and give them happiness. Yet she

“P-Purif... Purification! Purification!”

concept of NPCs. She couldn’t accept reality and continued

"Please calm down.”

“G-Grandfather...”

giving pain to our princess

“Uh...!”

always hot body was exceptionally cold today. Khan patted her trembling

adult and king. Princess Ruby, who was just a girl, is becoming a respectable adult. It’s time for this old

"Grandfather...! Grandfather! Wahh!”

gentle and calm appearance because she was conscious of her great responsibility as

should leave

gauge dropped dramatically. His symptoms of

“Grandfather!”

as Ruby was crying out in shock. He brought the priests who had just returned

the

to

healing spell Light Prayer, where 17 or more Rebecca priests chanted a prayer.

said

We have to save him for the next four

be faster. The sage’s wisdom would surely save Khan. The priest quietly turned away from Faker’s eyes, which were full of firm belief. It was an attitude that said he believed Faker’s faith was

I still have work to

no visible gaps for a sword or spear to pierce. The gold rings and

“Just a bit more...”

“...”

Taang, taang, taang.

hinges, connect the rings, and do it again. Khan looked at his armor with warm eyes and diligently

"...He’s a true craftsman.”

“I admire...”

trembling voices. Their attitude towards Khan was just as reverent as when

“Hu...huhu.”