The Game Difficulty
Went Crazy
Ten days passed.
As October arrived, the trees of the territory were dyed in red and yellow autumn colors.
Four days remained until the duel with Sir Robert.
During that time, Glen was steadily growing among the trainee knights.
Taaak—!
The wooden sword was knocked up into the air.
The tip of Glen’s wooden sword touched the defenseless trainee’s neck.
“That’s enough! The winner is Young Master Glen!”
At once, sounds of admiration burst out from the trainees watching the duel.
“Did you see that just now? How did he knock it away?”
“I had high expectations because it was Tasha… but she really can’t win even once out of nine times. He seems even stronger than when we first met him.”
“Yeah. I can’t beat him anymore.”
Amid the murmuring trainees, Glen walked up to Tasha and held out his hand.
“That was a good match, Tasha.”
“…It was a good match.”
Tasha took Glen’s hand.
Her face was expressionless, showing neither frustration nor despair.
She simply stared straight at Glen.
“Thanks to you, I learned a lot. Thank you. If it’s not rude, may I ask for another duel tomorrow as well?”
“Yeah. That’s fine.”
After bowing politely, Tasha stepped back.
This emotionless-looking girl had challenged Glen every single day for ten days straight, losing each time.
“Looks like both Bataille and Tasha were just frogs in a well.”
“Ah, this kills my motivation. No matter how hard we try, we can’t beat the blood of a sacred noble family, huh?”
The trainees who once looked at Tasha with hope were now starting to look at her with pity.
Even so, Tasha silently continued to challenge Glen without missing a single day.
Glen liked Tasha quite a lot.
Because she was someone who worked hard.
‘I heard she trains separately every night in front of the dormitory.’
Glen decided to keep an eye on Tasha in the future.
He hoped that when the demon race invaded in the near future, she would grow enough to guard at least his rear.
“Bolly and Bataille! Step forward!”
As Glen and Tasha stepped back, the next trainees moved forward.
With Gregory’s command, the duel began.
Soon, Bolly, with his fierce face and huge body, overwhelmed Bataille and subdued him.
Watching Bolly choke Bataille with bloodshot eyes, Glen smiled in satisfaction.
This was a change that came after Glen joined the training of the trainee knights.
After Glen’s duel with Bataille, the trainees began to fight using every means available, not just swordsmanship.
They had started to fight for survival, not honor, with a sense of caution.
‘This should at least lay the foundation to face the demon race’s raid.’
But Glen did not feel satisfied too soon.
Because there was still the factor called “Lunatic” that could never be ignored.
‘If my prediction is correct, the Lunatic difficulty will also apply to the demon race that invades later.’
Stronger demons, and more of them, would pour in than Glen remembered.
To survive that onslaught, not only himself but the entire Wordsworth territory needed to become stronger than it was now.
‘The trainee knights are only a part of it.’
Glen watched the trainees with firm eyes.
About ninety days remained until the demon race’s attack.
There was a lot to do.
That evening, after training ended.
After taking a shower, Glen was having evening tea with Tris.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
As he quietly drank black tea, Tris was smiling softly and staring straight at him.
“Just because.”
It was nothing new, but Tris was beautiful.
From her ash-gray eyes that curved with a smile, to the white skin visible through her pure white nightdress.
Among all the people Glen had seen throughout Seong Yohan’s and Glen’s lives, she could be called the most beautiful.
Of course, perhaps because she was his real older sister by blood, Glen did not feel much excitement.
‘Family is family, I guess.’
“Did you know, Glen?”
“Know what?”
“You seem very different these days.”
“Well… is that so.”
Tris smiled faintly once more.
“Yeah. In a really good way.”
‘I definitely have changed.’
Glen looked at the mirror placed at one side of the room.
The boy reflected in the mirror looked different from before, and even different from ten days ago.
His eyes were sharper, and his body, now with muscle, looked slightly sturdier.
‘Come to think of it, it’s already been a month since I entered this body.’
Glen opened his status window.
《Glen Wordsworth》
《Race》 : Human / 17 years old
《Stats》
§ Strength : 17 Agility : 25
§ Stamina : 21 Charm : -7
§ Holy Power : 19 Demonic Power : 14
《Unique Potential Abilities》
§ Demonic Power User
§ Favor of Blades
《Status》
§ Normal
He could clearly feel how much he had changed compared to the beginning.
Most of his stats, once single digits, were now approaching the late teens.
On top of that, he had obtained the cheat-like unique ability, “Favor of Blades.”
Glen felt satisfied knowing he had achieved all this in just one month.
Of course, without Tris’s help, none of this would have been easy.
“It’s thanks to you, Sister. Because you helped me, I was able to grow like this.”
“Glen…”
Tris pressed her lips together, looking moved.
“If you need anything in the future, just tell me. I’ll help you no matter what!”
She clenched her fist tightly, filled with determination.
Finding her 모습 quite cute, Glen smiled faintly.
“Yes. I’ll be counting on you as well.”
‘Please work hard for me from now on.’
Bang—
At that moment, the door opened and two familiar men entered.
“Edgar?”
“…Brother?”
They were Edgar Wordsworth, the eldest son of the Wordsworth family, and his escort knight, Sir Robert Jendrix.
“Good evening, Sister Tris. And my little brother.”
Surprised by Edgar’s sudden visit, Tris hurriedly reached for a teacup.
“Oh, right. Edgar, I forgot to call you. Sorry. Lucy, go bring another cup—”
“It’s fine, Sister. I was just passing by and stopped in to say hello.”
“Why don’t you sit for a while, Brother? It’s been a long time since all three siblings were together.”
Glen looked up at Edgar with a polite public smile.
‘Passing by, my ass. You came here with business.’
Only then did Edgar’s gaze turn toward Glen.
The look looking down at him was quite cold.
“I’ve heard about you. It seems you’ve been throwing your weight around quite a bit among the trainee knights.”
“Throwing my weight around? I’m just winning duels thanks to the god’s help and a bit of luck.”
As Glen smiled lightly, Edgar let out a snort.
“That fake smile of yours hasn’t changed.”
“Edgar. Glen is changing too. He’s your brother—can’t you at least encourage him?”
Tris looked at Edgar with a disappointed expression.
“I was planning to. Being outstanding among the trainees is certainly something worth praising. At least it means he’s not a complete nobody in Wordsworth.”
His words were close to mockery, but Glen did not care.
There was no need to be swayed by someone like this.
He simply kept his polite smile, hoping Edgar would quickly get to the point and leave.
“Perhaps we should tell Father and hold a party. After all, there are two happy events.”
“Two happy events?”
As Tris asked in confusion, Edgar tapped Robert’s shoulder lightly.
“Sir Robert Jendrix is quite the hard worker, isn’t he? His efforts finally paid off.”
“What do you mean?”
“He completed another Holy Ring just yesterday.”
“W-What did you say?”
Tris gasped in shock.
At that moment, as if on cue, a notification sound rang out and a system message appeared in Glen’s vision.
《Opening information on a new Lunatic factor.》
《Knight Robert Jendrix – Lunatic》
: Sir Robert Jendrix is of common birth, but possesses talent in holy power comparable to that of nobility. He is granted strength worthy of that talent.
: All stats slightly increase. Through blood-soaked effort, one more Holy Ring is added. Robert is now a 4-star Holy Knight.
‘This… makes no sense…!’
Glen’s pupils shook.
Robert, who had been 3-star, suddenly became 4-star.
And with only four days left before the duel.
Seeing Glen’s shaken expression, Edgar let out a quiet snort.
“If you want, I can cancel the duel. Of course, only if you forfeit.”
Back in his room, Glen slammed his fist onto the desk.
“This is ridiculous. Seriously!”
He never imagined that even Sir Robert would receive a Lunatic bonus.
Robert Jendrix was a knight of the Wordsworth family. After the duel, he would clearly be an ally who fought for the family.
And yet he still received a Lunatic adjustment?
‘This is basically designed just to screw me over.’
Glen bit his lip hard.
Of course, if he defeated Sir Robert like the spirit-devouring wolf before, he would receive an enormous reward.
But the situation was just as bad as last time, if not worse.
‘The difference between three Holy Rings and four is heaven and earth. Against a 4-star, I have no chance at all.’
Countless ordinary people fail to break through the wall of 4-star and end their lives as 3-star knights.
That was how difficult the 4-star realm was.
But the moment that wall was broken—
One gained power of an entirely different level.
‘Holy Armor.’
Four rings linked like chains beside the heart resonate to create armor of holy power.
It blocks any attack except those of similar or higher rank.
In other words, Glen, a mere 1-star, could never damage Holy Armor no matter what.
‘There has to be some way…!’
Grinding his teeth, Glen accelerated his thoughts.
Four days until the duel.
He thought about everything he could do in that time.
‘First, a way for me to become 2-star.’
Glen immediately shook his head.
‘No. Even if I become 2-star, I still can’t break Holy Armor.’
He thought of several other methods, but discarded them all.
No matter what, there was simply not enough time.
“Damn it!”
Anger surged at the unfair situation.
Ever since the spirit-devouring wolf, Glen had never been careless for even a moment.
As if time were running out, he trained constantly and broke his days apart thinking again and again about what lay ahead.
And yet, a Lunatic bonus appeared like this.
It was enough to drive him insane.
‘If this continues, I’ll lose.’
Of course, losing would not mean immediate death like with the spirit-devouring wolf.
As Tris said earlier, he could cancel this unreasonable duel and be done with it.
But Glen had set the condition that if he lost, he would obey Edgar’s orders unconditionally.
Forfeiting was the same.
With barely enough time to prepare for the demon invasion, becoming Edgar’s puppet was essentially game over.
‘Think. Think!’
A way to defeat a 4-star Robert within four days.
Suddenly, memories spread through Glen’s mind like a spider’s web.
Seong Yohan’s memories flashed by like a revolving lantern.
And then, a very simple and brutal method crossed Glen’s mind.
‘Four days until the duel with Sir Robert. Four days is about 96 hours…’
Glen swallowed dry saliva.
His lips, dried tight from tension, parted.
“If I start preparing now… there’s a chance.”
Glen pulled out the sword hidden under his bed.
Without hesitation, he rushed out of the room.
Through the hallway, down the stairs.
Ta—!
As he hurried toward the small training hall, a sharp light shone in Glen’s eyes.
‘Gray Eden is a game with little reliance on luck. No matter the situation, if you put in the effort, you can always get results.’
From now on, Glen planned to use every bit of the nearly 100 hours given to him, to show the absolute limit of effort.
And at the end of that effort awaited—
‘Skill.’
The only weapon that could give Glen a chance to defeat a 4-star Holy Knight, Sir Robert, at this moment.
