The Grand Duelist

"What is it?!"

Ezreal turned to look at Joseph and said: "Does master still remember the reason why we came here? I think that only by acquiring what master needs can he become the true Grand Duelist."

Joseph turned silent for a moment, but then his eyes widened in shock due to an epiphany.

"So that's the case!" He hurriedly opened his [Quest Menu] and tapped on the ongoing class-specific quest that he had.

[The Grand Duelist's Vestige II(Class-Specific Quest) 

Quest Difficulty: ??? 

You managed to convince the Great Wandering Bard about your identity but the rewards that should belong to you from the Great Wandering Bard were lost and given to others. You were indignant about this change.

You requested something else as a reward and received a piece of vital information for hastening your process of becoming the true Grand Duelist.  

The Grand Duelist never blames his tools but there is a particular weapon that thoroughly suits the Grand Duelist.  

Only by using that particular weapon, could you possibly show the world the true power of your Mythical Class. 

You found out that the one who has the capability of creating the weapon that you desire, the one and only current Legendary Blacksmith within the world of Victory is currently imprisoned within the Underground Penitentiary For Heinous Crimes of the Kingdom of Nether. 

Only a few knew about the Legendary Blacksmith's innocence and one of them is you... 

Release the Legendary Blacksmith from his prison through any means within seven days, and you will acquire greater rewards than what you have lost from the previous quest! 

Note: Once seven days have passed, the one and only current Legendary Blacksmith of Victory will be executed by the Kingdom, vassal to the empire. Once executed, the gods will mourn for a while and you will receive great penalties for not being capable enough of rescuing a legend! 

Quest Clear Conditions: Rescue the Legendary Blacksmith, Krid from the Underground Penitentiary for Heinous Crimes within seven days after quest acceptance. 

Quest Rewards: ???(Guaranteed) 

Quest Failure: Your Divinity Stat will be temporarily locked.  

You will be demoted back to Level One.  

You will not be able to show the world the true power of the Grand Duelist for no one currently has the ability to make your personal weapon as the Grand Duelist.  

Reputation Stat will be temporarily locked, your affinity towards Ezreal will decrease. ] 

'Hastening the process of becoming the true Grand Duelist... Only by using that particular weapon could I show the world the true power of your Mythical Class...' Joseph inwardly mumbled, before he suddenly exclaimed.

"This is it!" 

His shout turned Krid's eyes towards him.

"What do you mean? You now know about how to complete the process of becoming the true Grand Duelist?" Curiosity could be heard within Krid's voice.

But you couldn't really blame him for being curious about this. After all, he was someone like Ezreal who also worshipped the Grand Duelist.

"Yes! I know the answer to that question now, but unfortunately. It requires your cooperation, sir..."

Joseph stared at Krid with a bitter smile on his face. It was clear on his expression that he was in conflict with himself.

"I need your cooperation so that you can become the true Grand Duelist? Why would I refuse to do something like that? Let's do it! Tell me and I will surely assist you!" Krid exclaimed in excitement and Joseph looked like he couldn't believe what Krid had said.

'He agreed so easily?' He thought to himself. His understanding of Krid told him that Krid shouldn't be the type of person that would easily agree to something, especially if it required effort from his part.

But right now, Krid actually agreed.

And without even batting an eye?

What was going on?

Joseph stared suspiciously at Krid, and when the latter felt his cautious gaze...

He laughed out loud before explaining.

"If my guess is right, the method of becoming the true Grand Duelist that you realized is by getting a Rapier created by me."

Joseph nodded his head like chicken pecking rice. Although he didn't understand how Krid easily guessed his intentions, he wouldn't deny what he was saying since it was correct.

"But do you really think that it is that simple? I mean, I have already given you a weapon that I created. Why is it that you still hasn't become the true Grand Duelist?" Krid asked with a smile and Joseph's eyes widened in shock.

'That's right! This Rapier is made by senior Krid, the Legendary Blacksmith. But why am I still not a true Grand Duelist? Is there something missing?' He fell into deep contemplation for a moment before he exclaimed.

"Ah!"

"What if the weapon that can let me ascend to greater heights needs to be made with real materials? I mean... Senior Krid made this weapon out of nothingness, right? If you made me a weapon that is made out of real, tangible materials... That could be the answer!"

Krid nodded his head upon hearing what Joseph said.

"That does sound reasonable, but there's still something wrong there. I doubt that you can ascend if I made you a Rapier made out of common materials, right?"

What Krid said made sense so Joseph and Ezreal nodded their heads.

A smile lifted on Krid's lips as he continued: "In other words, incredibly rare and precious materials are necessary for the creation of the Rapier that would let you ascend to greater heights..."

"Only through the use of such materials could the weapon be considered as worthy to be wielded by the one and only Grand Duelist of the current generation."

Ezreal and Joseph nodded their heads in understanding.

Although they were trying their best on suppressing the shock coursing through their veins. It was clear that they failed, for in their eyes, astonishment, and surprise could be still be seen.

"Then... Does Senior have those precious materials?" Joseph asked while awkwardly scratching his head.

"What do you mean? So, you want me to make a Rapier for you? Okay, that will not be a problem for me. But there's no such thing as free lunches in this world..."

"Before I make something for you, you must agree to my conditions." Krid went straight to the point and when he reached the end of his sentence, a sly smile appeared on his lips.

Joseph's knowledge when it came to reading a person's body language gave him warning signals that he should temporarily retreat for now before agreeing to anything. But since Krid's help wasn't optional for the sake of becoming the true Grand Duelist.

Joseph had no other choice but to nod and say.

"I will do it, Senior. No matter what you want me to do. For as long as it doesn't violate basic morality and my principles... I will do whatever you want me to do." Joseph clasped his hands together and bowed as a sign of respect.

"M-master..." Ezreal turned to look at Joseph in astonishment.

But Krid laughed out loud.

"Hahaha! This is really too funny. To think that such a day would come in my life where the Grand Duelist of the current generation is bowing while asking for my help!" He exclaimed rambunctiously. 

Ezreal's astonishment turned into a frown. But Joseph didn't mind what Krid was doing.

Instead, he just calmly stood there in front of Krid, awaiting his reply.

After a short moment, Krid finally calmed himself down.

"Since you really want me to make that Rapier of yours that will make you ascend to greater heights to the extent that you would bow your head to me. Then, the two of us shall cooperate." His expression turned serious as he handed over a bead, the size of a single almond towards Joseph.

[You received: Bead of ???]

Joseph received the bead in a mechanical manner, he was astonished when he saw question marks next in the name of the bead. But before he could even ask any further, Krid was already explaining.

"That bead is called, the Bead of Absolute Escape."

"Once crushed, that bead will tear a hole in space that would let anyone escape wherever they are in the continent of Victory. However, that bead can only help two people escape..."

"Once you crushed that bead and entered the void that it made, you will enter the safehouse that I have within the Forbidden Region of the Kingdom of Nether..."

"That safehouse of mine is completely safe and apart from me and my disciple, Alice. No one knows about its existence nor its exact location."

[Item Information about the Bead of ??? has been updated.]

[Bead of Absolute Escape]

[Created by the one and only Legendary Blacksmith Krid through the use of unknown, yet incredibly precious materials. If crushed, it will tear a hole in space and create a portal that leads to a place depending on the coordinates set prior to the creation of the Bead of Absolute Escape.]

"Why are you handing this over to me, Senior?" Joseph asked in confusion.

Ezreal also looked baffled.

Items that could tear holes in space were extremely valuable and incredibly hard to create, even for a Legendary Blacksmith.

That was why Ezreal couldn't understand why Krid would casually hand such a valuable item over.

But Krid swept his gaze at the two before he sighed.

"The two of you already knew about my circumstances, right?"

Ezreal and Joseph nodded their heads.

"Both of you also know that I am scheduled to be publicly executed. Two days from now on, right?"

The two simultaneously nodded once again.

"Like what I said to the two of you earlier. I want both of your help for the sake of my disciple. That bastard Duke Heathrow still probably do not know that I already knew that he has my disciple..."

"I am pretty sure that the so-called public execution of mine is just a pretense so that they would force me to cooperate with them."

Krid revealed a bitter smile on his face when he said these words. Even though Krid knew about the core of Duke Heathrow's plans. He really couldn't do anything about it since his daughter was afflicted with the Heart Binding Worm.

"But Senior... Didn't you say that your disciple has the Heart Binding Worm?" Joseph cautiously said. Although he didn't know what the Heart Binding Worm was...

From the context of what he heard earlier.

The Heart Binding Worm felt like it was something that would enable someone to kill another with a single thought.

Krid nodded his head towards what Joseph said, and he promptly explained: "The Heart Binding Worm can definitely kill anyone. But even though death is instantaneous if the Heart Binding Worm self-destructed while it's within your heart."

"Its self-destruction cannot be done instantaneously and there are a few seconds that can be considered as a grace window before the destruction of the worm and the death of the host."

Ezreal agreed with Krid's explanation: "That's right, master. The Heart Binding Worm is also called Walo-walo..."

"In vernacular, it means eight..."

"So, in other words. After receiving the command to self-destruct. The Heart Binding Worm will still take about eight seconds before it could die and explode, killing itself and the host."

"But the Heart Binding Worm also has a great weakness, master. It will hibernate once it's out of range from its other pair. Enough Divine Energy can also kill it, since it is considered as something evil and affiliated with darkness."

Krid supported what Ezreal had said: "That is true. At the other end of the Bead of Absolute Escape is my safehouse where I placed dozens of formations that would instantly kill those affiliated with darkness."

Joseph finally understood Krid's plans.

Krid wanted Joseph's help on rescuing his disciple through the use of the Bead of Absolute Escape.

At the other end of the portal made by the Bead of Absolute Escape was Krid's safehouse that contained dozens of formations that would instantly kill those affiliated with evil in it...

Since the Heart Binding Worm was considered evil, it would be instantly destroyed by those formations.

Joseph nodded.

Although he still didn't know about how he would go about rescuing Krid's disciple from the hands of that so-called Duke Heathrow. Joseph was now gradually changing.

From someone who didn't like to do something without any proper plans, Joseph now felt confident that he could take some risks for greater rewards.

All of these were thanks to Krid so, he didn't mind being in danger as long as he could achieve the former's request.

Such a mindset could be said to be deeply ingrained within the hearts of Filipinos like Joseph. After all, most Filipinos considered debt of gratitude as paramount and incredibly hard to repay.

Now that Joseph was presented with a choice to pay such a debt. Why would he not do it?

Joseph turned to look at Krid and said: "I'll do it, senior."

Krid gave a smile of appreciation towards Joseph's decision.

Even Ezreal wore a smile on his face when he heard Joseph's reply.

"But senior, this Bead of Absolute Escape should be something incredibly valuable. According to what you said to me, only two people can possibly enter the portal created by this Bead of Absolute Escape..."

"In that case, what will happen to you, Senior? Once I rescued your disciple, you will be left with Ezreal. Well, with Senior and Ezreal's strength. I think that the two of you can escape whenever the two of you wanted. But I don't really think that we should underestimate the Kingdom..."

"So... Senior, do you still have another bead, right?"

Krid paused for a moment.

He surreptitiously glanced at Ezreal before replying with a smile: "Of course, I have one! Just do what you must, and I will follow suit once my disciple is safe."

Joseph stared at Krid's expression before nodding: "In that case then I will just do what senior commands me to do." A smile spread on Joseph's lips as he clasped his hands together before saying: "Senior, it is getting quite late so the two of us shall retreat for now."

Krid didn't stop them.

"Go on and rest..."

"But the two of you should return here tomorrow since we still have a lot to talk about."

Joseph chuckled: "A lot to talk about? Or could it be that senior just feels too lonely being alone in here?" 

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, just go." Krid shooed them away and the two didn't disturb him anymore as they retreated towards the exit of the sealed room.

But just as the two of them exited the room...

Joseph turned to look at Ezreal with a stern expression on his face.

Ezreal looked confused, but when Joseph whispered some information to him...

His eyes widened in shock as he exclaimed.

"Is that true, master?!"

Joseph nodded his head but he didn't say anything.

"But, master. I really can't blame him for that. The roots of this Kingdom is too deep, I'm afraid that not even a legend is enough to suppress their firepower..."

"But if I really do what master wants me to do, what will happen to master?" Ezreal asked in concern.

"You don't have to worry about me, Ezreal. Just trust me and do what you must." Joseph declared.

He handed over something to Ezreal of which the latter obediently accepted.

"Yes... master."

Ezreal agreed and he didn't say anything anymore.