Growth Items
Growth items. In Horizon, only a handful exist, yet the moment they drop they fly off the shelves at astronomical prices.
But the moment players glance at the stats, disappointment is the universal reaction.
They’re a pain to craft, and even when you manage it, the result is barely better than a mid-tier unique.
Yet the true brilliance of a growth item reveals itself only when you push the level ceiling.
“Get high-level gear at any cost.”
“Now’s the perfect time to raise your growth items.”
“This is for real lol”
“No wonder the rankers are showering growth items everywhere.”
High-level gear is practically unobtainable even with mountains of gold.
But if you’ve been raising a growth item from low levels?
You end up with the absolute best unique-tier equipment without spending a single coin.
Of course Fafnir had refused the offer several times.
Yet the lord’s will remained ironclad.
“Our family has always been mages, so this seal simply gathered dust in the vault. Now that the war with the orcs—and the salvation of our kingdom and people—draws near, you must wield it, young knight.”
“At the very least, no one will dare call you a fraud after you consume it.”
The forced capital quest was annoying, but nothing he couldn’t handle.
“The capital lies far to the north from here.”
The orc uprising event was already approaching; hesitation was unacceptable.
“Summon 1 through 3 and Bell via status window… I’ll have to level up myself.”
The perfect moment to test the team he had worked so hard to strengthen through hunting.
Fafnir also sent a private message to Hilde.
- Fafnir: Lady Hilde.
- Fafnir: Is the timing convenient?
- Hilde: What?
- Fafnir: I have to head to the capital for a quest.
- Hilde: I’ll join you right away! Are you in Byron City now?
Her reply arrived before he could even finish explaining.
‘I’m in her debt again.’
Hilde’s presence would bring peace of mind, just as it had last time.
“Then I’ll take a short…”
Fafnir activated the seal.
- Seal activated.
- Soul of Guardian Knight Penelope has been summoned.
A tall knight in shining silver armor materialized from the light, long blonde hair tied in a high ponytail.
‘Incredible.’
Fafnir’s eyes widened.
‘Not only is this a growth item, but the summoned servant can actually speak to me.’
Communication was an enormous advantage.
He could now execute complex plans and strategies without relying on guesswork.
Plus, because it was a growth item, her potential for future growth was limitless.
‘This is the jackpot of jackpots.’
Not quite as strong as with Bell, but close enough.
Penelope knelt on one knee.
“Guardian Knight Penelope swears her loyalty to her new master.”
“Ah, I’ll count on you.”
Fafnir extended his hand.
He wanted to cheer, but he kept a straight face.
That was when…
“Ugh…! A necromancer!”
Penelope’s face twisted as if she had seen a bug.
“How dare a mere necromancer claim to be my master! This is blasphemy!”
“…”
“Ahem… I beg your pardon. My tongue slipped.”
- Penelope’s affection dropped by 50.
- Penelope’s all stats dropped by 20%.
- Penelope is a pure and steadfast knight. Her unyielding virtue in defending the weak and serving the kingdom has made her intolerant of those who follow dark gods.
‘She might actually be a headache after all.’
At level 100 she was no strong knight, yet managing her would be difficult.
‘I’ll have to raise her first.’
Though only a few days had passed, Bell and 1 through 3 already felt like old companions.
Fafnir let out a long sigh.
***
North Gate of the city.
After reuniting with Hilde, they set off for the capital.
“Whoa… what is this?”
Hilde, having seen Fafnir again, was visibly startled on three counts.
“Fafnir-nim, we’re the same level now!”
First surprise: Fafnir had grown to match her level.
“The knight beside you… is he a high-level user?”
Second: the presence of the knight.
“Huh? A black mage involved in the orc event? And Vane-nim too?”
Third: she had missed everything that happened while she was offline.
“Wow… you two were off having all the fun while I was gone?”
“Sorry. I should have brought you along, but the situation escalated too quickly.”
Hilde laughed and waved away his apology.
“Haha, just kidding. You’ll introduce us later, right?”
“Of course.”
‘It might be better if she doesn’t meet them.’
That was when Penelope spoke from a distance.
“Monk of Thor, could I have a moment?”
Hilde excused herself and followed.
Penelope asked in a low voice.
“Are you close with that man?”
“What? Well… we’ve only been together for a few days.”
“…”
“Then please explain about him.”
Penelope had lived through the age of struggle, back when necromancers were humanity’s enemies and received no permission to exist.
Yet Fafnir was different.
He was supposed to be a sadistic monster, yet he was merely a lord’s errand boy.
“Still, he is the master. I need to know if he is worthy of being served.”
“Ah…”
Hilde was pure-hearted, but her words could not be sugarcoated.
If Fafnir had heard, he would have stopped it, but right now he was up ahead.
“Fafnir-nim is… well, a calculator.”
“You mean he weighs every profit and loss?”
“That and more… when hunting monsters, that’s when it gets really scary!”
“…”
“I always make sure to level up alone and never slack off, and I also help people. Just the other day he said he wiped out a bunch of orcs…”
Hilde rattled off everything she had seen.
“The orc extermination quest? I’ve never heard of the others.”
“Given how well he’s doing, I doubt you need to worry too much.”
Penelope remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slightly.
“…”
“I understand.”
Penelope returned to Fafnir at once.
“That necromancer.”
“?”
“I heard from Thor’s monk that he respects you.”
“Respects?”
“T-that’s right. Of course I have not acknowledged you as my master. You are ugly, dirty… a necromancer.”
Penelope drew a cold line in her voice.
“Still, you do not seem stained to your core by darkness. At the very least, I will listen to what you have to say.”
- Penelope’s affection rose by 2.
Fafnir tilted his head at the message.
- Fafnir: Lady Hilde.
- Fafnir: What exactly did you say?
- Hilde: Huh?
- Hilde: Ah, no! I didn’t say anything! Nothing that could cause problems! I just answered honestly when you asked…
- Fafnir: …?
The mystery grew deeper.
***
Fafnir’s party rode toward the capital.
The journey was boring—riding without rest.
Yet Fafnir stayed busy even while standing still.
- Fafnir: Since we’ve received a long quest, the three of you can hunt without waiting for me.
- Vane: Understood.
- Sihyun: Whoa, you’re going to the capital already? Did you just eat and play the whole time?
- Siyeon: Have a safe trip!
After sending messages to the others,
- All four of you stay close to me. Do not join immediately—keep a little distance and follow.
He left the Homunculus and Skeleton 1-3 behind in case Penelope went berserk.
‘This should be fine.’
The borrowed mounts gave them plenty of breathing room.
For the first time in a while, Fafnir could relax.
That was when…
“Necromancer.”
Penelope turned back.
“I hear fighting up ahead.”
“Fighting?”
“Yes. A large group is attacking a single person.”
He had not seen it himself, but the meaning was clear.
‘Time is on our side—there’s no problem.’
“Then we should go save them. Lady Hilde, you’re fine with that, right?”
“Of course! If anyone’s in trouble, we help!”
Hilde accepted without hesitation.
That was how a monk was born.
“Let’s go—where is the sound coming from?”
Fafnir called Bell and the Skeleton 1-3 as he spoke.
‘It’s better to fight with full power than to hide and play it safe.’
His instincts told him so.
“This way.”
Penelope led them to the spot.
Clang! Screams of pain echoed closer.
As they drew nearer, the battlefield came into view.
Kikikiki! Kiik!
“Take and kill!”
Kwaaak!
“Protect the employer!”
Twenty or so men and women surrounded four carriages.
Hundreds of varied goblins drooled around them.
[Greedy, bloodthirsty goblin with jagged teeth]
[Red goblin that survived a lightning strike]
All were special, title-bearing variants of normal goblins!
‘If I charge in blindly I’ll be wiped out.’
Fafnir scanned the surroundings.
A merchant in the middle raised his hand.
“P-please save us! Players! We have a quest! Help us!”
The mention of a quest confirmed he was a player.
At the same time the other merchants and guards turned toward Hilde and Fafnir.
Goblins included.
“…”
“I-It’s people!”
“Please help us! We’ll reward you handsomely!”
- Quest ‘Defeat Goblin Bandits’ has been offered.
- Do you accept the quest?
‘This is our chance.’
The goblins’ momentum halted for a moment thanks to the shout.
Now was the optimal time to strike.
“I’ll save you soon.”
Fafnir nodded.
The instant the quest was accepted…
“You vile monsters! Feel my sword!”
Penelope charged forward first.
She swung her blade and goblin after goblin fell like wheat.
Control so precise it was unheard of even among athletes or soldiers!
‘Even weakened, a knight is still a knight!’
Fafnir was surprised.
At level 100 she was weak among knights, yet she cleared sixteen goblins single-handedly.
It was even more astonishing that this was with 20% of her power reduced.
‘Growth really does make the difference.’
Fafnir was not idle either.
Summoning the Skeleton 1-3, he ordered them.
“Wipe out every goblin. Fight with the players… but do not approach that knight.”
“Understood, master.”
“Clang! Clang!”
Bell and 1 through 3 slammed their weapons together and joined the fray.
Soon the Skeleton 1-3 rose from the corpses of goblins scattered across the field.
“A mage! There’s a mage!”
“There’s a player over there!”
Ten goblins spotted Fafnir and charged.
A smart choice.
Goblins outnumbered a single weak mage ten to one.
“Fafnir-nim, run!”
Hilde blocked three, but the other seven rushed straight for him.
Grrrr!
The goblins bared their teeth.
Fafnir’s blades flashed.
Thwack.
One goblin’s head split in two.
- Experience gained.
- Health recovered through Vampire Aura.
The only thing the goblins had not expected was Fafnir’s control.
“I’ll handle these! Concentrate on the front!”
Fafnir shouted as he fell back.
Blood Explosion followed.
Watermelon-sized heads burst across the field.
Nine goblins became combat-ineffective at once.
“Hmm.”
A massive victory, yet Fafnir’s expression was not cheerful.
‘I’m at full HP but it still feels like a loss.’
If his HP had been lower, the Vampire Aura would have restored everything…
In truth he had taken no real damage, yet an uneasy feeling lingered.
‘Can’t be helped.’
As Fafnir prepared to fight again, his vision caught something foreign.
‘Huh?’
Fafnir’s eyes sharpened.
‘That monster… no way?!’