Overgeared

“At first, it was unclear, but... your nature has changed.”

The training ground in the inner courtyard of the Overgeared Palace. In the past, Lord liked to use it very much. Recently, it was a place Irene liked to use and now Grid and Braham were facing each other here.

“Your energy is a bit more suited to using magic.”

Braham’s words were meaningful. He transcended the level of just feeling the magic of all things. He could read and intervene. This was why many of his magics had an extremely fast casting speed. When using simple magic (from his perspective), there was no need to accumulate and express magic power. He was able to intervene and transform the magic power floating in the atmosphere, creating magic entirely from it. Braham’s world was completely different from the world that ordinary people saw. His perspective when observing people was naturally different and he could instantly see the changes in Grid.

‘Is it suitable for using magic?’

Grid speculated what was going on.Overgeared God Grid’s Techniques—he thought that the skill that made it possible to give magic to items had raised his magical temperament itself.

“Two.” Braham opened the door to his mental world and pulled out two books from there. They were magic books. “Now you can learn these two magics.”

“Finally, Meteor...?!”

“......?”

“...I’m just speaking.”

Grid had just been joking in anticipation, but he hadn’t expected Braham to look at him with this type of gaze. Two magic books flew to the embarrassed Grid.

[The ‘Braham Enhanced Support Magic Book: Magic Power Cohesion’ has been acquired.]

[The ‘Braham Enhanced Support Magic Book: Magic Spray’ has been acquired.]

“...Is this a joke?” Grid’s eyes had been shining so brightly that it gave the illusion of starlight. Now it quickly turned into rotten fish eyes. The black eyes lost their light and what was expressed was ‘nothingness.’ Even the Sword Saint wouldn’t be able to fight and win against the current Grid because he wouldn’t be able to read the intentions and predict the moves.

Braham had this thought before clicking his tongue.

‘Even if I covered my eyes with a bean pod, I covered it too firmly.’ [1]

At this point, no matter what Grid did, it would be meaningful and great. Of course, he deserved to be treated like that, but...

Braham made his expression cold and asked Grid, “Which part makes you think it is a joke?”

“They are two support magics.”

He had to kill the demonic creatures and great demons in hell, clear his class quest, etc.

Over the past six months, Grid’s level had risen so fast that it was comparable to his prime. Grid was now level 455. Ever since breaking through level 399, which was called the Wailing Wall, there had been no great change in the amount of experience needed to level up and this played a big role in it.

In any case, Grid’s intelligence was 5,303 points. It was 2,000 points higher than Zednos who was constantly 1st or 2nd place on the magician rankings. Of course, it wasn’t intentionally raised. The impact of Duke of Wisdom was great. Grid received 18 stat points every time he leveled up and 8 points were forcibly invested in the intelligence stat due to Duke of Wisdom. Additionally, there were the effects from his titles that added up to 50, effects from his items, bonus stats obtained whenever making myth rated items, stats he earned from the Black Tortoise’s Shell, and so on. It all added up to 5,303. If it was simply based on the intelligence stat, Grid would be the 1st ranked magician and also have the status of great magician.

To be honest, Grid had been looking forward to learning pretty good magic. Braham thought that Grid’s energy had become suitable for learning magic. Didn’t he just say it? So how could Grid not feel expectant?

“I thought I would at least learn Giga Lightning or Explosion...”

Grid revealed his thoughts. Now that he could give magic to the items he made, he didn’t hide his desire to learn attack magic. However, Braham’s attitude didn’t change.

“Is it possible to attach magic without extra materials? It is an incredible development. It might be the result of the knowledge of Duke of Wisdom combined with Pagma’s techniques.”

“So I want to learn as much magic as possible. I need to optimize the effect of the magic enchantment.”

“No, it is even more reason to learn these magics.”

Rumble.

Braham used Stone Wall to set up a rock barrier 10 meters ahead of them. It was a distance where the power of Magic Missile was fully preserved.

“I know that your intelligence is considerable. It might be a bit better than that Patrian novice.”

He was speaking of Great Magician Ashur. One of the 10 great magicians of the continent was still a novice to Braham.

“It is just that intelligence isn’t proportional to magic skills. Think of how you are different from Reinhardt’s blacksmith craftsmen. Are your skills superior to them just because of dexterity?”

“...That isn’t the case.”

“Magic is the same. Intelligence isn’t the only factor that determines magic power, speed, hit rate, and form. It has to be backed up by technique.”

Certainly, Grid lacked the passive skills and titles that enhanced the power of magic. Even if he learned and used the same magic as Zednos, the overall power or utility was likely to be inferior. The intelligence stat only affected the magic attack power. The overall completeness of the magic required assistance from other passive skills.

“Ah...!” Grid realized it. This was why Braham was emphasizing the importance of support magic. Braham had accurately seen and figured out how to supplement what Grid was lacking. It meant he was always watching Grid.

“Look.”

White magic power gathered at the end of Braham’s hand that was aiming at the rock barrier. It was the precursor to Enhanced Magic Missile that Grid was familiar with. There was nothing special about it. Soon, the change began. Two seconds after the light gathered, the color of the light became subtly thicker. By the third second, the volume had expanded.

“This is Cohesion. During the magic casting time, the magic power in the atmosphere is gathered to the magic and the power is increased. That is why your Magic Missile is like dog poop while mine is like Meteor.”

“......”

Dog poop...? Did he lose his affinity? The reason why Braham didn’t teach him good magic was actually to bully him. Grid doubted it, but it was only for a moment. It was because he saw the hidden affinity in Braham’s red eyes that shone as coldly as jewels.

“Normal Magic Power Cohesion slows magic casting time by up to two times and amplifies the power of the magic by 1.5 times. Meanwhile, my enhanced Cohesion can delay casting time by up to three times and amplifies the power by four times.”

For example, the casting time of Magic Missile (Enhanced) was one second. If he increased casting time to three seconds using Cohesion, the power would quadruple. Magic Missile flew to the rock wall and struck, causing cracks to form on the rock wall. It was Magic Missile used by Braham and it was Braham who made the rock barrier. The rock barrier was the superior magic. Originally, Magic Missile shouldn’t have scratched the barrier, but the power was significantly enhanced by Cohesion.

“Next is Spray.”

Braham once again used Magic Missile. Once again, there was the three seconds casting process and the power of Magic Missile was maximized. Then it split into 10 shots and fired. It was like watching raindrops shooting along a straight line. If targeted, a transcendent might be forced to use their world of transcendence. 10 scratches formed on the rock wall that was hit.

“Spray spreads attack magic by up to 10. It increases the hit rate and range, but this isn’t universal. It splits up the magic so the power is weakened. Still, the utility is very high.”

“...It is like this.”

A skill that changed a single target magic into wide area magic. The higher the intelligence, the more likely it could kill the target. Fortunately, Grid had high intelligence. Braham had a reason for presenting these two magics to Grid. Braham was looking at Grid’s future, not his present. Rather than teaching magic with strong attack power right now, he aimed to teach magic that could strengthen weak magic first before growing it step by step.

‘I especially like the Cohesion one.’

If he attached Magic Missile with its power quadrupled to items... it would fall short of the Giga Lightning and Explosion he had been looking forward to, but it would still be useful. It might be more efficient. It was because the cooldown time was dozens of times shorter than Giga Lightning or Explosion.

“Thank you and I’ll learn well.”

Grid was touched by Braham’s teachings and opened the magic books to acquire two new magics. Then he pulled out a portable furnace, made an item and attached Magic Missile that was affected by Cohesion. In just eight minutes, a one-handed sword with a level limit of 400 was created. If he created a dagger with a level limit of 300, then it would’ve taken less than five minutes.

[Sword Hiding Its Teeth]

[Rating: Unique

Attack Power: 1,830 Durability: 890/890

* One of the Overgeared God’s magics has been granted to the weapon. The weapon’s attack power is increased by an additional 10.6%.

* Fires a powerful Magic Missile when attacking. Cooldown Time: 5 seconds. Mana Consumption: 600. Can be activated and disabled.

A sword created by the Overgeared God.

Every time the sword is full of pure white magic, it will launch the Magic Missile enhanced by Magic Power Cohesion.

Conditions of Use: Advanced Sword Mastery, Level: 400]

‘The cooldown time is the same as Magic Missile.’

Cohesion increased the power by four times, but the cooldown was no different. The mana consumption was only 200 higher than normal Magic Missiles. It was because the mana cost of Magic Cohesion was 200.

‘Overgeared God’s Techniques is really a scam.’

Grid noticed the effect of increasing the weapon’s attack power rather than the power of Magic Missile.

Granting magic. The logic of ‘the Overgeared God’s magic power has been injected’ increased the potential of the sword. It was a very fundamental element that strengthened the intrinsic performance of the item.

‘My intelligence is currently 5,300 and I get an extra 10.6% attack power from granting magic... will 10,000 intelligence increase it by 20%? This is also based on the standard of Magic Missile. The higher the quality of the magic granted, the more likely it is that the intelligence-based attack power will increase.’

Additionally, there was room for this attack power to jump if magic could be stacked two or three times. He had often been annoyed by his stat points being forcibly invested in intelligence, but now it wasn’t a waste. Braham delivered more good news to the delighted Grid.

“You just need to raise your intelligence a little bit and you can learn one more new magic. I think it is good to focus on growth for the time being.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Just a little bit more. He probably needed to raise his intelligence to 5,500. Grid left his spot with anticipation while inwardly shouting ‘Meteor.’

He wanted to leave for hell immediately but he first thought about securing Galgunos’ remains. The loot brought by Jishuka and Euphemina—he planned to buy it and try to strengthen the Overgeared Skeletons.

‘Additionally, Galgunos’ core.’

Maybe it would be the beginning of the Overgeared Skeletons’ evolution into liches.

‘Communication is possible once they become a lich. Hopefully, I can read Madra’s diary.’

It was a diary written by Madra who had lost his reason in his later years as a death knight. Thinking about it rationally, it was unlikely that the swordsmanship teachings would be left behind. However, the growth of the Overgeared Skeletons was essential in many ways.

1. Based on the idiom about putting on/covering your eyes with a bean pod where the meaning = being blinded by love.