Overgeared (WN KR)

A game surely had an end. It was because the story had an ending, or the content was depleted. It wasn’t just single player games, but also online games enjoyed by multiple users. The developers added new content every time, but it didn’t mean much. It was easy to remember that even movies made by hundreds of the best people in each field with hundreds of billions of capital behind them were often ruined.

People in the gaming industry weren’t gods. They weren’t always successful in developing content that satisfied the majority. On the contrary, the more updates that were done, the more the game received a backlash. In the end, every game tended to have fewer users as the service period continued and they would eventually disappear into history.

Online games with a PvP system had a particularly short lifespan. It was because PvP naturally had winners and losers. The winner got the better reward, so as time passed, they entered their own league.

What were some ways to extend the lifespan of the game? This was the biggest challenge the gaming industry had been contemplating for a long time.

The answer was in seasons. It gave new stimulus to users by resetting the game environment after a certain period of time passed. It wasn’t at the level of simply resetting the rankings like in chess-type games or games like AoS, FPS, etc. In the case of MMORPGs, the story and levels were completely reset. This way, people could start the game on an equal footing again from the beginning.

Of course, the proper line was kept. In order to reduce the feeling of deprivation to existing users, the classes and items acquired in the previous season were partially inherited. On the other hand, variations were added to the content of quests, hidden pieces, and information of hunting grounds and dungeons, etc, to render existing knowledge meaningless. The intention was to ensure that the winners, who monopolized a lot of information from the previous season, would start from the beginning like the average person.

So far, this was a very simple example. The game companies used the seasonal system in their own way. They used several innovative methods to satisfy the winners and losers of the previous season, and both existing and new users. As a result, most of the games that introduced a season system were well received.

The difference in lifespan between games that introduced the seasonal system and games that didn’t introduce the seasonal system was quite large. Of course, by now, most of the games except for Satisfy had been destroyed.

“Grid has gone beyond an empire and created a divine world. In this way, Grid’s power will grow uncontrollably... I’m not using a leap of logic to talk about the seasonal system. Who doubts Grid these days? Grid isn’t someone who harms others just because he becomes stronger. Rather, he has a style of feeling responsibility. He is a great man. We all know that.”

The professor, who was voicing the need to introduce a seasonal system, inserted a neutral gear along the way. It was proof that he was conscious that the absolute majority of public opinion liked Grid. At the same time, it was a move to appeal that his opinion had objective value.

“Moreover, it is clear that hell and heaven have become the enemy of the players. For humanity, which has to rally around Grid, there is no news as good as the birth of the Overgeared World. Isn’t there a statistic that less than 20% of people perceive Satisfy as a simple role-playing game? Research shows that most players enjoy Satisfy for a variety of everyday reasons, whether it is simply to decorate their home or garden, spend time with their family or lover, enjoy leisure activities such as fishing or exercise, or simply using it for work purposes.”

The professor drank water while avoiding Huroi’s bloody gaze and continued his words.

“I’m just talking about the future. It should be noted that when Grid and the rankers have subjugated hell and heaven and the story is over, or when the failure prevents people’s daily lives from being maintained, we need to note that we have to start Satisfy again in a new environment.”

“What will happen to the NPCs if the world is reset?” Huroi, who didn’t get a chance to come forward because the professor praised Grid every time he said something, finally interrupted at the right moment. He pointed out the fundamental problem.

The professor fixed his glasses. “The NPCs? Is that a matter to worry about? Once the world is reset, it means the system is reset. So the NPCs will be reset as well, right?”

“I was asking how the NPCs are going to make sense of the world starting over, but you are thinking about killing them. You are trying to teach people when you are a potential killer. The world is going to the dogs.”

“Killer...? What are you now...?”

The professor panicked. From then on, Huroi’s criticism began. He even took advantage of the fact that the professor was part of triplets to curse him. A convincing logic wasn’t presented. It was because the professor didn’t consider Grid’s position at all.

Reset the NPCs? What type of crazy nonsense was this?

Huroi, who only thought and worked around Grid, had plenty of reasons to insult the professor. He didn’t need any logic to curse...

“Uh... Um... We will come back after this .” The host couldn’t control the executive of the Overgeared Guild he painstakingly worked hard to recruit and barely took over.

The survey results confirmed that people were negative about the seasonal system. It was a natural result. Satisfy was different from usual games. The vast majority of people recognized and utilized it as another world rather than a game. Progressing through quests, killing monsters, leveling up, competing with others, and increasing their power... this was only a small part of Satisfy.

It was why so many people were cheering for Grid and the Overgeared Guild. People just wanted peace. They dismissed the argument that a seasonal system should be introduced to reset the environment they had adapted to the best, the relationships they built, etc.

The same was true of the S.A Group. What type of seasonal system would be introduced when the company didn’t even update the game in order to avoid intervening in the game?

The common opinion of the people was that the professor was cheap and he was cursed at.

***

The symbol of the Overgeared Empire was once blacksmiths. Tens of thousands of blacksmiths, led by Grid, filled the nation. Naturally, industry developed and technicians from many fields flowed in. As the nation prospered, the technicians gained a variety of experiences and became craftsmen, producing new technicians through apprenticeship training. It was a land of craftsmen.

“Perhaps—”

The lake at the place where three temples were facing—the great lake built by Garion and Piaro was beautifully decorated by craftsmen. Flowers and trees of various colors were planted around the lake. White gravel was laid on the ground and it didn’t look awkward even though it was in the middle of the city. The lake itself was where Lars would reside, so the statues and portraits of Lars were arranged around the lake. It felt like an exhibition hall in nature.

The overall scale was much larger than Grid’s temple. It was built large in the hopes that the size of the Overgeared World would be directly proportional to the size of the temples. It was fine even if it wasn’t proportional. In the future, the Overgeared World was planned to be developed around the lake. Therefore, it was decided that the lake would only be beneficial if it was large.

“Do you know the Undefeated King?”

This was a question that arose from the time he heard that Lars died and became a god.

Undefeated King Madra—during the time when he was alive, he alone cut down the empire’s great army to defend his homeland. Then he became a death knight and defended the Behen Archipelago. Unfortunately, the Great Human and Demon War in the Behen Archipelago didn’t go down in history.

However, his homeland Lubana existed until relatively recently. The empire might’ve deliberately concealed the name of the Undefeated King, but this would have its limitations. The people of Lubana might’ve longed for the Undefeated King for at least a few decades after the death of the Undefeated King and offered sacrifices. It meant they would’ve worshiped him.

“Madra, of course I know him.”

Debirion and Lars shook their heads, but Garion knew about the Undefeated King. She nodded with an inquiring expression.

“Ah...” Grid remembered the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship and started sweating. There was no way Garion couldn’t know Madra. Madra must’ve smashed the land quite a lot.

“You must be wondering if he also became a human god.”

“Yes... in any case.”

He didn’t really have high expectations. Madra’s body and soul were defiled. He was reduced to an undead by Pagma and stayed in the Behen Archipelago until recently. Existing as a death knight and becoming a human god? The possibility that a separate ego from the death knight would become a god wasn’t impossible, but it wasn’t realistic.

In the first place, Madra was a legend. He was outstanding even among the legends. His position was different from Lars, who was an ordinary boy. It was more likely that he would be chosen as an angel before he became a god. After becoming an angel, he couldn’t become a god even if he was worshiped.

‘Please, I hope my guess is wrong.’ Grid was aware that his predictions were quite often wrong. This was why he was eagerly hoping that this prediction was also wrong.

“He can’t be a god. As you know, he has fallen to the level of becoming an undead.”

“......”

This time, his prediction was corrected.

A shadow fell over Garion’s beautiful face. “He is likely to have become a slave to Baal. I heard that Baal’s favorite souls are unfortunate souls, both alive or dead. It is a shame.”

Did he become a slave to Baal?

It happened as Grid sighed, feeling gloomy after his unnecessary curiosity...

“The warp gate is ready.”

One of the knights prostrated himself and announced.

‘Why do they bow every time?’

A God Hand pulled up the knight. However, it was useless. The knight fell to his knees again. It was because Grid’s red robes fluttered and his sunset-colored divinity spread. It was a sight that made one feel awe.

***

He soon arrived in front of the warp gate and found the apostles, except for Braham and Sariel, waiting.

“Uh...”

Nefelina’s complexion was pale. The restless appearance meant she didn’t look like a great hatchling, but it was very familiar to Grid. To be honest, Grid couldn’t picture Nefelina’s future in his head. A dragon that would show off her magnificent stature and act as an absolute? This child?

“You don’t have to go with me,” Grid said while stroking Nefelina’s head. From a certain point on, he naturally treated Nefelina like a daughter after she treated him as a parent. She also seemed to have become quite close to Lord. It was absurd that Lord seemed to have taken on the role of an older brother.

“No, I will go. I really want to see him.”

The gray dragon Xenon—he might not be a child of an old dragon, but it was said that an adult dragon had made an exchange with Grid. It had been a long time since it turned out to be true. However, Nefelina didn’t feel like it was real. It was impossible to believe that a dignified dragon interacted with another species. She wanted to see it with her own eyes.

‘Perhaps he is suffering from madness.’

That dragon called Xenon was likely experiencing the same symptoms as her father. It meant that he was ridiculously dangerous. It was necessary to find out what plot he had in mind when approaching Grid.

‘If I am lucky, I might get a hint to improve my father’s symptoms...’

Somehow, the gravity of the matter seemed to be reversed, but in any case, Nefelina took the risk. She chose to accompany Grid despite knowing she could be a target for Xenon.

“Let’s go.”

Grid respected her choice. He was the first to enter the warp gate, followed by Mercedes, Piaro, Zik, and Nefelina.

The apostles were all wearing the same clothes as Grid. It was a thin robe made from woven silk. The hem went down to the knees and the sleeves were wide. It was gorgeous. It fluttered every time they moved, making the appearance of the gods and apostles even more mysterious.

***

[I think they have become more devoted since we haven’t seen them.]

Reidan was full of people. It was to watch the ‘descent of a dragon,’ which was now famous.

A dragon—an absolute species that was considered to be something they would never see in their lifetime just last year. The people who were mesmerized by his splendid appearance turned their gazes in the direction of the warp gate.

Grid was there.

The attitude of the dragon who found him and made eye contact was unusual. The sight of him stretching his neck down like he was bowing caused a turmoil among the people.

‘He is far crazier than I expected.’

Xenon’s polite attitude made Nefelina feel shocked.