Overgeared

The better the skill, the higher the potential. The higher the potential, the harder the application difficulty. It meant that a user’s competence was important in pulling out all the potential of a skill. Nevertheless, there were skills that couldn’t be solved with the problem of competence alone.

Super Sensitivity was a representative example of this. It was a skill to predict upcoming crises and the behavioral patterns of targets. It predicted when someone became a target of a skill already used, when to target the opponent, when they would encounter the opponent, when to move to a specific place, and so on.

The skill functioned under all conditions and was given the ‘system assistance.’ The system alerted users to the predictions through a notification window or voice message. It was hard for even a genius to handle the flood of information that came in real time. How many people would tolerate the voice guidance or notification windows in a sober manner?

As such, there were restrictions. A great swordsman’s Super Sensitivity only had a duration of a few seconds while Kraugel’s Super Sensitivity had many functions limited. Every time the stat increased, the limits of the functions would gradually unlock, giving the player time to adapt.

The same was true for the Shadow Technique that belonged to Lantier’s Methods. This top-rated skill that had to partially control the shadows and their weapons reduced the player’s burden by limiting the number of weapons and shadows that a player could raise. Previously, Faker studied the skill from Kasim, and only six shadows could be raised when the skill was level 3.

However, Kasim was different. Just as Mercedes could handle Keen Insight which was the higher version of Super Sensitivity, Kasim was able to control the shadows perfectly. It was the ability of the named-grade NPC with the setting of ‘King of Shadows.’

Hundreds of thousands of shadow troops filled the battlefield. They emerged from the feet or from the back, stabbing the imperial soldiers’ necks and backs. The basic characteristic of the Shadow Technique where the ‘power is weakened when summoning a large number of soldiers’ also applied to Kasim, and it was rare for an imperial soldier to be fatally wounded or killed by the shadows.

“Uh... Uwahh...” Still, the morale of the imperial forces sank completely. The sudden appearance of hundreds of thousands of troops was more shocking than any natural disaster.

Just one person... The center of the stage, which had been naturally created, contained the calm Drunk Duke Diworth. No, he was amused. He precisely captured Kasim’s image hiding in the darkness.

“You were a black cat survivor.”

Diworth threw Noll, who was held in his hand, to the ground. Noll coughed up blood. He was unable to recover. The unidentified alcohol absorbed into his body prevented his magic power and organs from functioning.

Tong! Diworth kicked Noll in the direction of the knights and shook his head.

“There weren’t any duty officers at headquarters at the time, so it was my job. I used my brain. Unfortunately, I was too excited and made a mistake. You will die by my hands and won’t be able to get revenge on the empire...”

“Take back those words,” Kasim interrupted Diworth in the middle of his speech. Kasim’s stealth disappeared, and his eyes shone with killing intent.

Diworth scratched his head. “What words?”

“Don’t call me black cat!”

‘Black cat’ was the name the empire used to refer to the Nero. The skin of the Nero was black and their actions were clandestine, so they were nicknamed ‘black cat’. There wasn’t a ‘demeaning’ intention behind it. Why would they demean insignificant beings? It was just easy to call them by this name.

“We aren’t black cats but the Nero! We are humans, not beasts! Humans!”

Then the empire trampled on the Nero, brutally murdering them regardless of whether they were adults or children. Only Kasim survived. Kasim’s shout rocked the battlefield. In the midst of the imperial soldiers, the shadow soldiers poured toward Diworth.

Diworth swung his hand. “Trivial things.”

weapons that flew at it. The

but he knew the King of Shadows. The empire’s intelligence network which spanned the entire continent was well aware of the fact that the King of Shadows was Lantier’s disciple and that he used shadows. “The more shadows that are dispersed, the more cloudy they become. If you intend to kill a duke of the empire and get revenge on the empire, you should’ve gathered all the shadows at one point and aimed for

fingertip and aimed at Kasim. Goosebumps appeared on the skin of

human has

split apart. A straight line of magic power pierced Kasim’s heart and didn’t stop as it disappeared beyond the desert horizon.

alive and that

voice rang out, “Teacher didn’t

lose his composure. Kasim’s fury when creating the shadow army was an act. It was a sacrifice to announce that there was a Nero survivor. He attracted Diworth’s attention and didn’t reveal that this was a falsehood. It was all for

“...?”

Knights fell from a few flashes of light as Kasim appeared

“Catch him!”

Kasim was faster than anyone else as he held Noll in his arms. The Shadow Technique combined with the Nero characteristics meant it was more covert than

“Disappeared?”

hid in the shadows, making it hard for even Duke Diworth of the

his magic power. Once his drunkenness was gone, he lost interest and handed matters

Fulbas’ gaze turned toward

earls by his side. Every one of them was more powerful than Chris. They were leaders who led hundreds of

be

It was better for him to die neatly. Kasim and Noll had escaped

next attacks without letting them capture him alive. The death of the commander would greatly reduce morale, but it was better than being

the Red Sea and form a barrier in front of the marquis and the earls. There was only one magician Chris knew who could

“Zednos!”

Zednos, former Tzedakah member and 1st ranked wind magician, sent a whisper

maintain it for three seconds! Use

easily. Zednos squeezed out all his mana, but only managed to tie up the feet of a few of the troops. One of the earls was gathering aura

-I understand!

and Yura covered him with arrows and bullets. Pon, Regas, and Peak Sword attacked the enemies while Vantner and Toban used wide-range taunt skills. His other colleagues like Zirkan and Laella were doing their best to secure the path of

“Chris! This way!”

“Run away!”

who pursued guerrilla warfare or physical strength and maximum efficient now entered the battlefield. They were trying to save Chris, just as Chris tried to

all because of Grid. It

force. Spells quickly poured out and reduced Chris’ health. If the marquis hadn’t given the order to capture him, Chris would’ve already died. Chris felt the earls approaching and shouted with all his might, “Give up on me and

“No.”

“...?”

Chris’ shadow moved. The shadow spoke,

and