Chapter 84

Chapter 14 - Episode 10

It was Lee Gukrae, the director of OGC Broadcasting, and PD Park Jongsoo.

They had logged into Satisfy themselves for a site visit and were keeping an eye on Damian.

"Is that guy a papal candidate?"

"Yeah, he's a 15 percent ratings draw. Attach seven cameras to him."

"Is this lady Isabelle? Rebecca's daughter? She's even prettier than the rumors suggest?"

"Indeed. It would be good to attach two cameras to her as well."

Beauty can instantly boost the momentary ratings of male viewers. It was an indispensable element of broadcasting.

"Understood. Eh? Who is that...?"

While checking Damian and Isabelle, PD Park got excited upon recognizing an Eastern user.

"Froy! The person next to Damian is Froy!"

"Froy? The top-ranked orator Froy?"

"Yes! From Temball!"

"Grid's closest confidant?"

"Absolutely!"

"Wow! Look at this?"

A close confidant of the papal candidate is by Grid's side?

Director Lee's eyes sparkled.

'Is Grid involved in this election?'

Grid.

The pride of South Korea, the first user to achieve Legendary Class and a dukedom.

Has he, who has shown numerous feats in various events and incidents, now become involved with the Rebecca Sect?

"This might... be a scoop we didn't plan for?"

Of course, Froy could be conducting personal activities unrelated to Grid.

"But we need to keep a close eye on it. We should investigate any connection between papal candidate Damian and Grid, and attach two cameras to Froy as well."

"Understood. What about that man?"

A man with a half-mask, where his eyes seemed to be crying and his mouth seemed to be smiling, creating a strange symmetry.

His face, covered with a blindfold, and his ID were unidentifiable.

He seemed to be close to Damian's group, which made Director Lee and PD Park strangely nervous.

"Let's attach one camera to him for now."

With Froy's appearance, Director Lee, who wanted to observe more thoroughly, gave the order, and PD Park agreed.

***

Grid's current Insight exceeds 1,400. He had long sensed the gaze of two low-level users spying on the group from over 50 meters away.

'Were they from the broadcasting station?'

As soon as they logged out, the recording magic devices began to circle the area.

They maintained a certain distance to avoid being noticed, but Grid could accurately detect them.

'I went to the trouble of hiding my identity to avoid being a nuisance.'

Grid sneered.

He didn't particularly mind the recording magic devices because he could easily evade them if he wanted to.

Damian asked him.

"Since you've sealed Raphael's Spear, are you now returning to Raiden?"

Both Damian and Isabelle wore expressions of regret.

Grid shook his head.

"No. I still have business to attend to."

Pascal has finally recognized me as an enemy. He will soon take action.

The moment that bastard attacks me,

'I need to level up.'

Grid, with a wicked smile, made Damian, who was delighted, say:

"If so, please watch over me. I will do my best today. I will explain why I must become the pope in a way that everyone can understand. I believe this is my way of repaying your infinite grace."

Damian, who had built up his oratory skills with Froy, was brimming with confidence.

Grid, seeing his determined gaze, nodded.

"I believe in you and will support you."

"Thank you. Then, I'll go prepare now."

"Grid, you must tell me before you leave. You can't just disappear without a word. Got it?"

"Sure."

Leaving Grid and Froy behind, Damian and Isabelle headed to the event venue.

Isabelle looked back several times, worried that Grid might disappear, while Damian, looking only forward, reaffirmed his resolve.

'I must perform well today to lay the foundation for becoming the pope.'

Lord Grid saved Isabelle. And Lord Froy helped me gain the trust of the believers.

Trapped in the papal palace for nearly two weeks without hunting, Damian wanted to repay them for their efforts on his behalf.

'To gain the ability to repay them. And to protect Isabelle, I must become the pope.'

Damian's expression was as solemn as a general heading to the battlefield.

A little while later.

Froy, left alone with Grid, asked cautiously.

"May I ask what the remaining business is?"

"Hunting."

"Hunting...?"

"Yes, among the Temball members, only you and I haven't reached level 300 yet. Since we're here, shouldn't we power level a bit?"

The papal palace is a no-monster zone, meaning there are no hunting targets.

"What exactly do you plan to hunt to level up...? May I ask your plan?"

I have an idea, but I'm asking in the hope that I'm wrong.

Froy, showing signs of anxiety, received a smile from Grid.

"Clerics."

Pascal and the elders.

Those who despise the weak are a significant barrier for Damian.

No matter how well Damian speaks, what good does it do?

As long as Pascal is around, he can never become the pope. Grid must eliminate Pascal.

"And."

Grid's left eye, glowing red, pierced Froy's back.

"Seven knights as a bonus."

"......!"

Froy, belatedly sensing the presence, quickly turned his gaze.

Two knights in red armor and five in black armor were visible.

"Grid, I'll avenge the humiliation we've suffered."

Camiang, grinding his teeth, was welcomed by Grid.

"Welcome."

Relaxed.

From his experience, the red knights and black knights, contrary to rumors, were weak. The rumors were exaggerated.

Just two red knights and black knights, Grid judged, could be dispatched in an instant.

Then.

[The papal candidate speech event is about to begin. To ensure safety, external weapons are prohibited.]

[All weapons in your inventory are set to unusable.]

"......?"

"Wow."

Grid and Froy, taken aback, were speechless.

Camiang, laughing loudly at their reaction, brandished his sword.

Camiang and his group, warned by Pascal about the current situation, had registered as Rebecca's knights in advance.

An effective temporary measure. They, unlike Grid and Froy, could use their weapons.

"This is your grave."

'Oh, really.'

I've stepped in it after a long time.

As Camiang approached, Grid, stepping back, nudged Froy's side.

"Let's make a run for it."

"An excellent decision!"

Froy, delighted, immediately summoned his Wyvern.

"Descend! O king of the skies above the plains!"

"..."

No roar of the Wyvern, only silence.

Grid's face hardened.

"Why isn't the Wyvern coming?"

"That... it..."

Froy was sweating profusely.

"Pet summoning isn't working."

"In this situation, that's not a funny joke."

Out of hope, Grid also tried to summon Noe and Randy.

[The Goddess Rebecca is watching the papal candidates. The papal palace is saturated with divine power, preventing non-human entities from entering.]

[Pet summoning failed.]

"Great."

Grid's face, which had been relaxed, lost its ease.

***

"The chronic problem of the Rebecca Sect is that it is divided into several factions. Without unity, the Yatan Sect can act freely..."

The speeches of the papal candidates were all formulaic. They were as boring as a teacher's lecture, inducing sleep.

At OGC Broadcasting.

Director Lee Gukrae's expression was dark.

The live broadcast's ratings were not meeting expectations.

"Even with the information that a user is among the papal candidates, it's come to this?"

"The candidates' speeches are more boring than expected. There's no appeal to keep the viewers who are tuning in."

"Focus more on Damian. Keep showing the profile we investigated."

"Understood."

Among the dozens of monitors, the only notable part was Isabelle's beautiful face.

"What's this?"

Director Lee, biting his nails in anxiety, widened his eyes.

He had detected an unexpected change on a small monitor at the bottom.

"Number 19! Bring up monitor 19!"

***

-So boring.

-Why am I watching this?

-But Isabelle is really pretty.

Netizens who had come to OGC's web channel upon hearing the rumor of a user among the papal candidates expressed their dissatisfaction.

The chat window was flooded with curses.

-No fun. Absolutely no fun.

-Guys, is the pope being decided today?

-No, the election is a month away. Now, the candidates are just doing PR.

-What, then there's no point in watching.

-Now, there's a PvP tournament live on another channel. That's a better choice.

-I'll go watch that. I wouldn't watch this even if you paid me, damn it.

Thus,

As the number of viewers on OGC's web channel rapidly decreased, the boring broadcast showing only the faces of the papal candidates and Isabelle suddenly featured knights in red and black armor.

-What? Red knights?

-Wow! They are red knights and black knights!

-Are they fake?

-No, the armor and emblems are real.

The strongest knights of the Saharan Empire!

Their unexpected appearance excited the viewers.

-But why are red knights and black knights in the papal palace?

-Who are they fighting?

The viewers' attention focused on the figures being attacked by the red and black knights.

Surprisingly, they were users.

An unknown masked man and the top-ranked orator, Froy.

-How can users handle red knights?

-Froy is in trouble.

-No matter how strong Temball is, they're still no match for the Red Knights, lol.

-This will be the first defeat for Temball.

-Who is the masked man?

-Who else, a noob.

The battle was one-sided.

The red knight named Camiang was pushing the masked man, and five black knights had surrounded Froy.

While they were fiercely swinging their swords, the masked man and Froy were desperately evading and defending without weapons.

Why aren't they using weapons?

The viewers' curiosity grew, and a subtitle appeared.

[Non-Rebecca Sect users are prohibited from using weapons.]

Who is the masked man? Why are he and Froy being attacked by the red and black knights?

The viewers were curious about many things.

But they soon realized that their curiosity would not be satisfied.

-It's over.

-Boring.

This mysterious video is about to end.

The masked man and Froy will turn gray from the knights' swords, and the video will return to the boring speeches of the papal candidates.

The viewers were certain, but the masked man in the video did not want a predictable ending.

"Damn, they're really being underhanded."

The masked man cursed.

But his voice seemed strangely familiar?

-What?

-Grid?

-It's God Grid!

The chat update speed and ratings began to skyrocket.

Director Lee Gukrae of OGC Broadcasting was flabbergasted.

With everyone's attention focused,

"Raphael's Spear blade."

A golden spear blade shot out from Grid's possession.

Phabranius, which used to be separated into seven blades and served as a secondary weapon, now displayed overwhelming offensive power, causing blood to spurt from Camiang's chest.

Director Lee, who had previously called Damian a "15 percent ratings draw," shouted.

"Ratings can't be measured!!!"

The cry to raise advertising fees shook OGC Broadcasting.