Chapter 812 (1/2)

Chapter 812

They were the people who were praised as ‘pillars’ for supporting the empire. However, Mercedes and most of the empire didn’t acknowledge the Five Pillars. No, to be precise, they couldn’t acknowledge the Five Pillars. It was because the Five Pillars didn’t have anything to show. They were strong, but they hadn’t achieved any particular feat.

Well, it could be said that they strengthened the emperor by protecting the emperor’s side, maintaining the empire’s balance as a result. However, on the other hand, what about the former pillars called Piaro and Asmophel? They had defeated countless enemies and protected countless people. They were a paragon of the people and the nobles, saving the empire whenever it was in a crisis and giving courage to the imperialists.

Piaro and Asmophel were great people.

“...A farmer.”

‘Don’t joke around.’ Mercedes couldn’t speak her wishes and hopes. It was because her insight was telling her that it was real and not a trick. Piaro’s farming power had indeed created a new field in an instant.

“Why...” Mercedes was pale as she bit her trembling lips. She wanted this moment to be a nightmare. However, this was reality. It was terrible.

“Why are you a farmer?”

The occupation of a farmer was exclusive to the peasants.

Mercedes cared for the people but she was still a noble. She had been taught that there was dignity in every profession, and she acknowledged it. However, Mercedes was nobler than anyone. She couldn’t understand or acknowledge that the Piaro she had long admired was now a humble farmer.

Piaro understood her feelings as he was also from the nobility. However, now Piaro realized that… “I like being a farmer better than a great swordsman.”

Piaro held the pitchfork and pulled out a flail. It was a tool used to thrash grain. “There is no job that is better than another. If we have to discuss it, a farmer is nobler than a great swordsman or Sword Saint. Without a farmer, there is no food for daily use. If there was no delicious food, humanity couldn’t have developed this much and be happy.”

“...”

After all, if there was no hunter, meat or leather couldn’t be gathered. Mercedes rejected Piaro’s extreme remarks and felt a sense of duty instead. During the past 12 years, she had felt a sense of duty to help the ‘broken’ Piaro recover from his hellish life.

“There isn’t the time for questions and answers.”

Her torn silver wings shone brilliantly again.

Kuooooh!

Mercedes’ two swords started to glow. The pure brilliance filled the darkness of the night and swallowed up the moon.

“Piaro! Regain your mind!”

Mercedes’ attacks were exceptional. The white light attacks created numerous wounds on Piaro’s body. Piaro was only wearing thin cloth clothes and couldn’t resist Mercedes’ sharp attacks. However, there was a bigger problem. Mercedes started to swap weapons. She accumulated damage on Piaro without giving him time to rest and opened the distance to avoid a counterattack.

Of course, Piaro was persistent. He used his rapid growth ability to create a barrier of plants and cut off ranged attacks. Rice, wheat, potatoes, and cabbages flew in the air.

“...!” Mercedes withdrew. The grains and vegetables contracted like they were going to explode. However, this time they didn’t explode. They struck her body instead. Piaro linked this attack with the Free Farming 6th Style. It became a barrage of attacks!

Mercedes shook as the flail hit her back. Her defense was quite weak since she was only wearing old leather armor, so she felt great pain. It was more painful than when she was stabbed by a sword or spear. For a noble knight to be beaten by a farmer... Her mental suffering was incomparable.

“How about it? This is the power of a farmer! I am much stronger and healthier than I was during my days of a great swordsman. I can bring happiness to more people! This is it!”

“Kuk...!”

“This is my new path!”

The earth was in turmoil. The effects produced by two legends fighting was gorgeous enough to be compared to the raid of a great demon. It was on a different scale as all the farmland in the path of the two people disappeared. Grid watched the two people fighting from a distance and gulped. “A dragon and tiger fighting...!”

A dragon and tiger...

However, that wasn’t Grid’s problem right now. He was too busy feeling in awe.

‘Was Piaro always this strong?’

The grains exploded without a break. Crops rose from the ground and stretched around Mercedes’ body. Mercedes’ actions were severely restricted as her wrists and ankles were caught by the crops that kept growing. Mercedes’ perfect balance of swapping between all types of weapons—sword, axe, bow, shield, spear, and so on—on a case by case basis collapsed before the crops.

In the end, was this another nerf? Had Mercedes weakened the moment she became his ally? No, that wasn’t it. Mercedes was still strong. It was just that Piaro was stronger than her.

Grid noticed belatedly, “The farmland...”

These were the fields that Piaro had been working on for years. This place...

“It is Piaro’s field...!”

Piaro was already beyond the standards of an NPC. The legendary Piaro was now a boss monster. Grid’s heart beat excitedly as he had great confidence in Piaro who always showed overwhelming strength. He felt that he could infinitely count on Piaro.

As for the regret that he felt about Piaro becoming a farmer? That had blown away. It would be strange if Grid felt regretful about it. After all, Piaro was now fighting several times better than Sword Saint Kraugel!

“Piaro!” Grid’s cry resonated in the farmland. “Show me the power of the strongest!”

His shout echoed. It pierced through the sound of the hand plow and sword colliding in the air and into Piaro’s ears. Piaro’s hands trembled as he held the farming equipment. “If this is Your Majesty’s wish...!”