[You are now level 1. Your stats, which were fixed to a minimum due to the minus level penalty, have been restored to their normal state.] 

[The basic stats of Pagma's Successor have been applied.] 

These were phrases that made Grid’s heart pound in anticipation.

Dugun dugun!

His heart was beating so fast that he felt like the sound was coming up to his ears. Grid was extremely excited and hurriedly opened the status window.

[Name: Grid 

Level: 1 (45/100)

Class: Pagma's Successor

* The probability of adding additional options when making items will increase.

* The probability of item enhancement will increase. 

* All equipment items can be worn unconditionally. However, there will be a penalty depending on the rating of the item. 

Title: One who Became a Legend

* Abnormal conditions don’t work well on you.

* You won’t die when health is at the minimum.

* Easily acknowledged.

Health: 280/280   Mana: 75/75

Strength: 20 + 5   Stamina: 18   Agility: 12   Intelligence: 25 

Dexterity: 50   Persistence: 16

Composure: 10   Indomitable: 11   Dignity: 10   Insight: 10

Stat Points: 40

Weight: 3,035/820

* The weight limit exceeds 200%, so movement speed is reduced by 100%.

 The body is heavy and cannot exert any power properly. 

The probability of receiving the ‘weakened’ state has become really high.] 

“A dream?”

Was it a dream?

Grid didn’t panic. If he were in reality, he would’ve pinched himself. However, he just calmly logged out of the game.

Then Shin Youngwoo lay in the capsule in his room and stared into space for a few moments.

“I was sleeping without knowing it.”

This was a good possibility because he didn’t have the capsule switched to sleep mode. 

He went to the bathroom to resolve his bodily needs, poured cold water over his head, and returned to the capsule. Then he logged in again.

Just like in his dream, he was standing in the smithy.

“Was it not a dream...? No, I shouldn’t anticipate anything.”

If an unlucky person like him started expecting things, the wounds on his heart would also grow.

Grid opened the status window without any inspiration and literally froze.

“...An amazing jackpot.”

There were no changes to the contents of the status window. It wasn’t a dream. His heart started beating quickly again.

“Wow...”

The basic stats of a level 1 character were 6 strength, 7 stamina, 4 agility, and 5 intelligence. In other words, the total number of stats for a level 1 character was 22 points.

However, the basic stats of Pagma's Successor added up to 165 points in total. In addition, there were the 16 points in persistence that he developed as well as 1 point in indomitable, making a huge total of 182 points. Using simple calculations, his stats were higher than level 15 users, which meant that he had an overwhelming advantage. Grid realized the greatness of a legendary profession.

Besides...

‘These are just the basic stats, but...’

He paid attention to the extra 40 stat points he had.

‘Why was I given stat points?’

Stat points were increased by 10 points every time someone gained a level, so he should have 0 points at level 1. Therefore, he pondered upon the reason why he was given 40 points. There were many theories, but there was only one hypothesis that was persuasive.

‘Perhaps... are stat points obtained every time you level up, even at the minus level?’

From level -3, he had leveled up four times in order to reach level 1. This was the only reason he could think of for the 40 stat points.

Grid rubbed his eyes, but the 40 stat points didn’t disappear. He was so thrilled that he starting shaking.

‘My experience in the minus level wasn’t in vain!’

All of his struggles were meaningful. Maybe he wasn’t as unlucky as he thought.

“Kuk! Kukuk...!”

Was there a language in this world that could express this joy? Grid could only laugh.

“Puhahahahahat ~ ~ ~ ~!!!”

The sound of his laughter was proportional to his joy. The people in the smithy left as Grid laughed so loudly that his belly hurt. However, he just couldn’t stop.

After a while...

“He! Keke! Puha...! Urghh...”

As he stared at Grid while he laughed through the pain, Smith raised his thumb. “This is a hero’s excited laugh! You are such an outstanding figure that I don’t know how I mistook your identity yesterday. My vision was lacking. I am ashamed and embarrassed.”

Grid laughed like a madman, but Smith still saw him as a hero?

This meant that Smith’s affinity with Grid was at the maximum. While it was true that Grid had escaped from the minus level, raised his affinity with two quests, and earned a reputation in Bairan Village of over 200, Smith’s attitude toward him was still overly flattering.

‘Even if my title has the attribute of being easily acknowledged...’

Grid’s eyes met Smith’s, causing the latter to lower his gaze. This was the attitude of a student in the presence of his master!

‘Is this the effect of the dignity stat? It’s only at 10 points at the moment, but is it already having an effect?’ 

It was possible, considering that Smith’s level wasn’t very high.

‘It might be different with high-ranking NPCs. However, dignity seems to have an effect on normal NPCs, even if the number of points in it isn’t high.’

Grid never imagined that Smith’s attitude would change so much in a day. It gave Grid a level of excitement beyond his current excitement.

‘...First, let’s calm down. Let’s calm down and try to figure out how the stat points work.’

He worried about it for a moment. Over the past few days, hadn’t he acted in an impromptu manner without thinking deeply? Now that the situation was getting better, he needed to be more cautious. It felt like numerous threads were tangled in front of him that could be ruined with his rash behavior.

‘I already have a lot of stats at level 1, so there is absolutely no reason to distribute my stat points hastily.’

Grid thought about the most important thing to him right now. It was...

“Money!”

Yes, money. He needed to make enough money in order to pay for the carriage to move between villages.

Smith flinched when Grid suddenly shouted. 

Grid cut straight to the point, “Didn’t I say it when I first visited your smithy? I want to make and sell high-demand items that will make me as much profit as possible. What is the most appropriate item?”

Smith pointed to a place where arrows were displayed. “This one.”

‘An arrow?’ Grid thought.

Unlike other equipment, arrows were consumables, so the price of it was naturally cheaper. No matter how profitable it was, if the sale price was low, it meant that he had to sell a lot of volume. His spirit soon deflated.

Smith read Grid expression and explained, “This isn’t an ordinary arrow. It is a special arrow made by mixing a small amount of jaffa with steel, allowing it to ignore some of the enemy’s defense and cause damage.”

The defense could be ignored!

For archers who participated in the Guardian of the Forest raise, these arrows were essential. No, even if it were for players not participating in the raid, the demand would be high considering there were many golems living in the Grey Forest.

“Jaffa...” Grid muttered.

Seeing that Grid was interested, Smith brought out a light purple mineral from the warehouse. “Jaffa is a mineral with a low oxygen content, making it easy to smelt. It is also remarkably superior to iron. Its weaknesses lie in its durability and strength, making it unsuitable to create weapons with jaffa. However, when mixed with steel, the durability increases and the penetration power is maximized. It is normal for cavalry troops to be armed with jaffa-tipped spears.” 

“It must be expensive.”

“It is two gold per kilogram. Even top-tier iron ore is just cheap stone in front of jaffa.”

“Expensive... Then, how can you produce dozens of jaffa arrows?”

“No, it isn’t expensive. Only a small amount of jaffa is needed to create the arrow. The production cost of a single jaffa arrow is three silver, but the sales price is fixed at six silver. It is double the profit. In addition, this village has a high demand for jaffa arrows. How about it? Do you want to learn how to make this?”

If this were yesterday, Grid would’ve nodded since he could gain a quick understanding through the appraisal skill. However, he wasn’t the same now. After receiving a recommendation for a suitable item, he needed to learn how to make it himself.

“Show me the arrow for a moment,” Grid said.

Smith handed over the arrow, and Grid used the appraisal skill.

[Jaffa Arrow] 

[Rating: Normal

Attack Power: 20~26

An arrow made by mixing a small amount of jaffa with steel. 

Due to the effect of combining jaffa with steel, it has extremely high penetration and ignores some of the enemy’s defense. 

Weight: 0.1] 

[A hidden function doesn’t exist.]

[You have grasped the Jaffa Arrow’s material composition, production method, and intentions of its creator.]

[Your understanding of the Jaffa Arrow is now at 89%. You will be able to use the Jaffa Arrow skillfully.]

“......”

Unfortunately, Grid couldn’t reach 100% understanding after using appraisal on the Jaffa Arrow. Therefore, the production method wasn’t added.

‘This arrow...’ Grid murmured inwardly.

Smith looked at Grid staring at the arrow and asked again, “Do you want to learn how to make the Jaffa Arrow?”

‘If I use the item disassembly skill, I might be able to raise the remaining 11%... But one arrow is six silver?’ Grid would need to pay six silver if he wanted to disassemble it. He couldn’t afford that type of luxury. ‘It isn’t too bad to learn how to make it on my own.’

He nodded in agreement. “I will learn how to make it.”

Smith was happy. “I thought so. First, shall we learn how to smelt the mineral?”

Smith began with the structure of the old furnace commonly used by all blacksmiths in Satisfy, explaining in detail the elements necessary for the smelting process and the principles behind the process. Blacksmith jargon and chemical terms sometimes popped up, but Grid didn’t feel confused.

While Satisfy pursued realism, it was still a game, so the barrier wasn’t set high in order to allow more people to enjoy it. The blacksmith knowledge required by Satisfy was as easy to understand as the other classes. In addition, Grid had come prepared. He had been unable to connect after receiving a penalty for dying twice in one day, so he had used the spare time to research blacksmithing. Smith’s lecture wasn’t much different from the smelting method Grid had read about. Thus, it was easier to understand.

Grid realized the effect of preparation and review. It was fortunate that one of his friends from middle school had taught him the ‘preparation and review’ method.

‘But that guy wasn’t able to escape the second-place ranking all through high school.’

His friend was a pitiful guy who maintained his second rank in high school, never being able to cross the wall of a classmate who claimed to ‘only study in class’. On the day the results of the second-semester final examinations were released, he could understand the feelings of his friend who stood on the rooftop and yelled, ‘Why did a genius have to be born in the same year as me?’

There were many talented people that he could never catch up to, no matter how hard he tried.

‘But now things are different.’

He got a legendary class. This time, he would be an outstanding person. He would achieve as much as possible.