Grid was watching TV when the raid began. He wasn't planning on getting involved since he had just made new equipment and was in the middle of resting. But then, he saw a broadcast on the screen, and his attention was immediately drawn to it. His sister was there and was about to be attacked, but at the last moment, another player saved her.
"Phew... fortunately," Grid sighed in relief, but he quickly felt the urge to log in and join the battle, if only to protect his sister.
Grid immediately contacted Lauel, Huroi, and Euphemia to rush to the battlefield. They used a mass teleportation spell, and within moments, they arrived. But as they watched the scene unfold, Euphemia, along with the others, couldn't help but notice how unusual this raid was.
The other players were fighting the golems, but most were simply watching. They were observing a single player fighting against seven massive golems. This player moved like a butterfly, dodging and striking, with his weapons changing forms as he fought.
"A single player is fighting those minibosses with such speed and precision," Lauel commented, his voice full of disbelief. "That person is using several different weapons, and they're almost impossible to keep track of."
"This guy is insane!" Huroi added. "He's switching weapons so fast... it's like watching an entire army fight."
"Wait..." Euphemia's eyes widened. "That weapon in his hand... that's Black Knight's weapon! I can see the insignia clearly now—he's wielding it. Could it be? The Black Knight? It's like he's mastering every weapon in his hands with ease."
Lauel nodded but then added seriously, "We need him. If he joins our guild, no one will be able to stop us."
Grid was silent for a moment, observing. Despite his initial hesitation, he realized that if this player continued on this path, he would become a legend. The war class, or whatever it was, and the way he fought were extraordinary.
"How about you, Grid?" Euphemia asked, her voice almost teasing as she noticed his reaction. "Are you going to let him join us?"
Grid, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "I've matured... I know when to back off," he said with a slight chuckle. "But you're right. We need him. He's something else."
He couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy. This new player, Michael, had just arrived and already garnered so much attention, while he had spent two years creating five legendary items and still wasn't getting the same recognition. Grid knew when to recognize strength in others. If Michael joined their side, their team would become nearly unstoppable.
"But would he?" Huroi asked as they discussed whether Michael would join them.
"Don't forget who I am. Pagma's Successor class, a legendary class, and the only one who can make legendary equipment. Even right now, his weapon is just a Unique-tier weapon."
"The allure of Legendary weapons will attract him to us. Soon, he'll be working with us for my items," Grid said confidently, with a smile. Lauel nodded in agreement, and Euphemia did the same. They all knew how powerful these items were, after all.
***
"Viktor!" he called out.
Viktor nodded. "Understood."
The axe shifted.
Its blade elongated, becoming jagged and serrated, its weight doubling in an instant. The War Cleaver—a weapon built purely for devastation—was now in his hands.
[Skill: Cleave – Activated]
Michael swung. A shockwave tore through the battlefield. The sheer force of the strike split the ground apart, sending one of the Ancient Weapons stumbling as a deep gash appeared across its metallic body. The spectators gasped as the explosion of dust and force nearly knocked some off their feet.
"Unbelievable! He's not just strong—he's an executioner!" one noble whispered in shock.
Michael didn't stop. The ten-strike rule was absolute. Each weapon had to serve its purpose before he moved on.
One. Two. Three… Every single swing shattered the air, sending waves of raw destruction outward. The Ancient Weapons tried to counter, but their swords bounced uselessly off his Battle Saint-enhanced aura.
Ten.
"Viktor! Next!"
The moment the tenth strike landed, Viktor's magic activated. The weapon shifted again.
From a cleaver into a heavy, spiked mace.
[Skill: Skull Crusher – Activated]
Michael jumped, raising the mace high. With all his force, he brought it down on an Ancient Weapon's head. A deafening BOOM rang out as the metal caved in, sending a spiderweb of cracks rippling through its armor.
Another noble clutched his chest in shock. "He's… he's fighting like a demon! No, not a demon—a God of War!"
The chat was going wild.
[World Chat]
SilverWolf: "I CAN'T BREATHE! HE'S USING EVERY WEAPON IMAGINABLE!!"
KnightLord: "Mace? AXE? WHAT'S NEXT, A WHIP?!"
BloodEdge: "He's literally cycling through an arsenal mid-fight. Is this even humanly possible?!"
DivineHunter: "Is he an NPC? A hidden boss? NO PLAYER CAN FIGHT LIKE THIS!"
TyrantKing: "If he's a player… then we have a new king in Satisfy."
Michael didn't even register their words. He was fully immersed in battle.
Ten strikes.
"Viktor! Again!"
The mace shimmered, shifting shape—a long metal chain unraveled, turning into a whip.
[Skill: Serpent Lash – Activated]
The whip snapped forward, coiling around the arm of an Ancient Weapon, constricting it like a viper ready to devour its prey. With a single, powerful yank, Michael pulled it off balance—just in time to deliver a devastating kick to its core, sending it flying.
He was untouchable. Unrelenting. An overwhelming force.
The shield hummed with energy as it absorbed the blows, each impact strengthening Michael's resolve. He could feel the power of the Battle Saint buff coursing through him, the aura around him glowing brighter with each passing second. The remaining Ancient Weapons hesitated for a moment, recognizing the overwhelming power that Michael had summoned. They seemed to calculate their next moves, but it was already too late.
Michael's grip tightened on the shield, and with a powerful roar, he thrust it forward. The energy built up from the blocked strikes erupted outward, sending a shockwave that staggered the nearby Ancient Weapons. At that exact moment, he switched again, the shield dissolving into a massive mace in his hands.