Chapter 21

Chapter 2

Sacrifice

A Replicator who analyzes and replicates others' skills and can use the replicated skills without any conditions!

Depending on the skills replicated, a Replicator can enjoy the benefits of various professions. They can become anything they desire. It would not be an exaggeration to say that among all the professions in Satisfy, the Replicator is the most versatile.

They are also specialists in combat.

Depending on the combination of skills, they can solo a boss raid, become the strongest assassin, or even wage war against an entire army alone.

The Replicator is the closest to being the "strongest" existence.

However, the Replicator also has a fatal flaw.

First, they can only replicate three skills per day.

Second, the replicated skills can only be used once.

Third, they only have a total of nine basic skills, none of which are combat skills.

Fourth, their basic physical abilities are as weak as a mage's.

In other words, while Yufemina, with many replicated skills, can be considered the strongest, she becomes the weakest when she has few replicated skills.

And currently, Yufemina was in her weakest mode.

"I'm done for."

Yufemina's face was haggard.

After Grid left alone for the fourth floor, she was left alone on the third floor.

She had killed hundreds of soldiers who kept appearing, but in doing so, she had used all her skills.

To be precise, she still had three fire magic spells left, but using them here would likely cause an explosion that could harm her as well, so she couldn't use them recklessly.

And in such a situation, four knights surrounded her as if they had been waiting for this moment.

"I'm done for..."

Grid showed no sign of returning.

A massive explosion had occurred on the fourth floor, shaking the entire underground area. Perhaps Grid had died then, and she was considering the worst-case scenario.

'Even if he managed to rescue Froi and return safely, can I guarantee that he will come back here?'

Perhaps Grid had already escaped the prison alone.

The knights aimed their swords at Yufemina, who stood there like a soulless person.

"To think a woman could kill over 500 soldiers alone... You must be ridiculously strong. Do you have the title of Grand Mage?"

Fortunately, the knights were not attacking Yufemina recklessly.

Given that she had killed hundreds of soldiers alone, even the knights were afraid of her.

However, the standoff did not last long.

"Now, the only remaining troops in the castle are the lord's personal guards. Without forces to block the escape route, Grid could escape while we are tied up here."

"Is that even possible? Didn't Leo go down to the fourth floor? He must have already caught the guy. It would be fortunate if he didn't kill him."

"This is a matter of the lord's safety. We cannot be complacent. We must consider the worst-case scenario and take precautions."

"Right... Then let's hurry. This isn't the time to worry about honor. It's embarrassing, but let's attack together."

The four knights, having made their decision, rushed at Yufemina simultaneously.

With the situation at hand, Yufemina had no choice but to make a decision.

'I can't just stand here and take it.'

Yufemina took out a golden die from her pocket.

She intended to use the skill "Roll the Die," which she had obtained as a reward for winning the item-making contest with Grid.

<Roll the Die>

Roll a six-sided die, and different phenomena occur depending on the number that comes up.

*If the target is yourself or an ally: If the die shows a number 4 or higher, a beneficial effect occurs. If the die shows a number 3 or lower, a harmful effect occurs.

*If the target is an enemy: If the die shows a number 3 or lower, a beneficial effect occurs. If the die shows a number 4 or higher, a harmful effect occurs.

Skill Mana Cost: 1,000

Skill Cooldown: 3,000 seconds

What if the situation worsens after rolling the die?

'If it comes to that, I'll have to use the fire magic.'

Yufemina, who would rather die than die alone!

She was still resenting Grid, who showed no sign of returning.

It was unimaginable how she would take her revenge on Grid in the future.

But then!

"Calling yourselves knights and ganging up on a... well, not exactly weak, but a woman? You're no different from street thugs."

"Th... Grid?"

Yufemina and the knights turned their gaze toward the direction of the voice.

There stood Grid and Froi side by side.

"Ah...!"

Yufemina's face brightened rapidly upon seeing Grid, who had appeared at the perfect moment. She had thought he was a human trash who didn't know gratitude, but he wasn't as bad as she had feared. After all, he had returned as promised.

'He really is handsome.'

Yufemina, smiling brightly, looked like a fully bloomed flower, and Grid couldn't help but feel his heart race.

'Don't be fooled by his appearance. This woman is beautiful on the outside but has a terrible temper! So, don't act recklessly, heart!'

The knights glared at Grid, trying to maintain their composure.

"How did you get here, you scum? Could it be that Leo, the Northern Saint, was defeated by someone like you?!"

"I don't know about the Northern Saint, but I did take down a worthless dog named Leo. We fought one-on-one, and I won fair and square. Hehehe!"

"Damn you!!"

The knights' faces twisted like demons upon hearing the news of their comrade's defeat.

Grid felt no fear in the face of their hostility, for he had a reason to be confident.

"What can you do, scum like you? Do you think you can even touch me?"

"Grgh!"

The knights flinched.

Now that they thought about it, Grid must be an exceptional fighter to have defeated Leo.

They had momentarily let their guard down due to his shabby appearance, but he was not someone to be taken lightly.

The knights began to back away from Grid, and Yufemina was impressed.

'To make these knights retreat with just a few words... How high must his level be?'

Monsters and NPCs tend to instinctively shrink back from beings 30 levels higher than themselves.

So, Yufemina mistakenly assumed that Grid was much higher in level than the knights based on this brief scene.

Meanwhile, Grid continued to approach the knights, speaking confidently.

"Hey, if you don't want to die like that dog Leo, step aside. This is your only chance to escape."

"This guy is so arrogant...!"

One of the knights, with a fiery temper, rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward. But the other knights stopped him.

"Don't fall for his provocation. His confidence suggests he has a reason to be. We might fall into a trap."

"Isn't that overreacting? Think about it! His profession is a blacksmith! A blacksmith can't be that strong!"

"But Leo hasn't returned. We can't be sure if this guy is a powerful fighter or not, but he is definitely someone to be wary of."

"Grgh...!"

The knights, having overthought the situation, remained tense, and Grid continued to walk forward.

With each step Grid took, the knights retreated.

Witnessing Grid's overwhelming presence, which intimidated four knights, Froi was moved.

'He truly is remarkable... Despite his shabby appearance, he must be an incredibly high-level character to make these knights tremble with fear. I feel ashamed of my judgment for treating him like a comedian in the blacksmith's shop.'

Yufemina, Froi, and the knights were all greatly mistaken about Grid at this moment, but Grid was smiling confidently.

'With Yufemina's skills, she can take care of these knights anytime.'

Indeed.

The reason Grid could be so confident was solely because Yufemina was by his side.

Grid firmly believed that Yufemina would handle any knights who attacked.

Thump, thump.

Grid walked forward without hesitation, and the more time passed, the more arrogant he became. The knights, growing increasingly anxious, continued to retreat.

Eventually, they reached the stairs leading to the second floor.

The knights finally came to their senses.

'What are we doing? We are honorable knights, yet we are afraid of a mere escapee. This is a disgrace!'

'If we let these prisoners go, they might harm the lord. We must defend this place to protect the lord.'

'It doesn't matter if this guy is a blacksmith or a fighter stronger than Leo. This is a matter of pride. We will not retreat any further.'

'Leo was alone, but we are four. We cannot lose.'

The knights, having made their decision, stopped retreating. Grid, unable to advance further, snorted.

"What? You're actually going to fight? You'll regret it."

The knights, aiming their swords at Grid, shouted.

"This isn't a fight; it's an execution! We cannot allow the escape of traitors!"

"...Traitors? Bullshit. You're all crazy."

Grid was truly furious.

Thinking about it, he had been falsely accused and wrongfully imprisoned despite being innocent. Instead of enjoying a good night's sleep after winning the blacksmithing contest and receiving his prize, he was suffering in prison!

Enraged, Grid shouted.

"Yufemina! Show these guys what you're made of! Use your magic to take them out with a bang!!"

Yufemina looked uncomfortable.

"Um... Not now... Can't you handle it yourself?"

"What? That's impossible."

"Stop joking. With your skills, you can easily defeat them."

"What are you talking about? It's you, not me."

"No, I can't do it right now."

"I can't beat them."

"Stop lying! You said you took down a knight like Leo alone!"

"No, that's different..."

The conversation was going in a strange direction.

Grid and Yufemina's expressions gradually hardened, and the knights, having overcome their hesitation, launched their attack.

"...Damn it!"

It was as if they had teleported.

One of the knights, Rouper, used their signature skill "Dash" and suddenly appeared at Grid's side, thrusting his sword.

Grid, completely unprepared, could not react, and his side was about to be pierced.

Just as Rouper's sword was about to reach Grid, Froi lunged forward, pushing Grid aside and taking the sword in his abdomen.

"..."

Everyone instantly realized Froi was about to die.

After all, Froi was already emaciated and was not wearing any armor.

But something incredible happened.

"What...? Ugh!"

Rouper was shocked.

His sword, which should have pierced Froi's abdomen, was stopped by it.

It felt as if he had stabbed steel, and his wrist broke.

Meanwhile, Froi was completely unharmed.

The attacker was injured, but the one attacked was fine.

Yufemina, beyond confused, asked.

"Who is this guy? What is his identity that he can block a knight's sword with his bare body?"

Grid couldn't answer.

"I don't know... I have no idea who he is..."

"You always answer so casually! You risked your life to save someone you don't know? Stop making ridiculous jokes and tell the truth for once!"

"No... I really don't know..."

High-level martial artists have a defensive skill called "Indestructible Body." However, even Indestructible Body couldn't block a knight's sword with bare hands.

Froi must have had a defensive ability beyond Indestructible Body.

In the silence, Froi spoke.

"I will hold them back. You two, escape while you can."

The reason Froi could block the knight's sword with his bare body!

It was due to the skill he gained when he obtained the title "Overcomer of Trials."

<Steadfast Will>

For 10 seconds after using the skill, resist any attack once.

Skill Mana Cost: 200

Skill Cooldown: 9,000 seconds

Despite the 1.5-hour cooldown, the performance was truly remarkable.

A valuable skill earned after enduring and overcoming hellish trials.

And Grid was the great benefactor who had saved Froi from hell! Froi had already sworn to repay his debt of gratitude for life.

Now, Froi was willing to sacrifice himself for Grid. He hoped Grid would escape safely while the knights were stunned.

"Froi..."

Ordinary people might have hesitated to leave a comrade behind, but...

"Since we're here, try to hold them off as long as possible. That way, we can escape safely."

"See you next time, if we meet again."

Grid and Yufemina were not the type to appeal to emotions.

They followed Froi's advice and immediately left, leaving him behind.

"Damn it!"

The knights tried to chase after Grid, who had gone up to the second floor, but Froi blocked their path.

With a stern expression, determined to protect Grid, Froi spoke.

"I have no intention of letting you pass, you #*&!($#@ scum. Such despicable [email protected]$# scum."

"..."

Froi, with an expression reminiscent of a virtuous ruler in a historical drama, spewed out profanities that couldn't even be repeated.

The knights, who had never heard such insulting words in their lives, suffered a severe psychological blow.

Froi, the eloquent speaker, had used his "Sarcasm" skill.

Feeling confused and with all their abilities lowered, the knights faced Froi's punch.

"Unbreakable Justice!!"

One of the two skills he gained when obtaining his second job, the partner of the Paladin of Justice!

A top-tier attack skill that deals 300% physical damage in an area.

Boom!!

Froi's punch hit Rouper's face, and the shockwave spread to the other knights standing nearby.

The massive impact echoed through the deep underground, and the knights reflexively screamed in pain.

"Kyaah!"

But it was just a reflex!

"..."

The knights strangely felt no pain.

It was a natural phenomenon.

The Orator profession had weak physical abilities, and Froi was currently unarmed.

Even with a 300% increase in attack power, Froi's bare fists couldn't even scratch the knights' armor. It was like a fly landing on them.

Froi was embarrassed.

"I suspected it, but as expected, this skill is useless for me."

"..."

Shortly after, the knights, realizing that Froi's resistance was just a fluke, quickly overpowered and re-imprisoned him.

But Froi felt relieved.

He had been unable to log out for over 50 hours in real time, and he was mentally and physically exhausted. He wanted to log out and rest.

Since he had completed the quest, there would be no penalty for logging out.

'Judging by the situation, the lord of Winston will likely be finished soon... If I log out now, I can easily escape from the prison when I log back in. Then, I wish you good luck, Lord Grid.'

With that, Froi logged out.

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