템빨

The Sword Saint of the previous generation and the teacher of Sword Saint Muller—
Biban was one of the greatest figures in history. Not only did he play an active part
individually, but he also taught the strongest Sword Saint of all time. He exerted a
great deal of influence even before he became a tower member. He saved countless
lives, either directly or indirectly. Those who knew him even a little bit respected
him unconditionally.

This was until Braham put a strange framework around him. It was the framework of
‘you were overtaken by your student because you were incompetent’…

Suspicions started to sprout in the hearts of the people after Braham harshly
criticized Biban. There was the suspicion that Biban might be less great than what
was known to the public. In the first place, a Sword Saint wasn’t invincible.
Coincidentally, Kraugel proved it. Many people had the opinion that Muller might’ve
been special among the Sword Saints.

Yes, Biban might be weaker than they thought. It was understandable considering
that most of the fame he built up was due to his disciple, Muller. Therefore, this was a
crisis.

“Hmm, I was waiting for the Overgeared God.”

A deformed being with a human head on the body of a lion—the beast that licked his
mane with his long tongue as he slowly rose up was terribly huge. He would be
several times larger even when placed beside an elephant, but the head was the size
of a human. It was more bizarre than funny. It was all the more so because the dark
mane fluttering in the demonic energy looked like a living snake.

The 6th Great Demon, Valefor—the force of the great demon who overwhelmed
Biban from his size was terrible. The ground rumbled and thunder struck in the sky
with every step.

“Uwah…”

People were at a loss for words. They recalled the strength of the 4th Great Demon,
Gamigin.

Gamigin, who fought evenly with Braham. Gamigin might’ve been slain and killed by
the late joining Grid, but by that time, she was already suffering from many wounds.
Besides, they had to take into account that it was on the surface. The demons were
weakened by several times when on the surface. The 6th Great Demon in hell could
be more powerful than the 4th Great Demon on the surface.

It meant that Biban had met the wrong person. The situation of the other tower
members and apostles who were isolated by Baal’s henchmen looked better.
Fortunately, there was a large gap in strength among Baal’s henchmen. However, the
ones who got the title of a great demon were named and had more than the basics. If
it was a single digit great demon, then it was right to call him one of the main forces
of hell.

“You were waiting for Grid? Why? Are the two of you friends?”

“What…? Do humans play with words in this way? It isn’t funny. It is just unpleasant.”

“Then you aren’t friendly?”

“It is a natural thing…”

“Then why did you wait for Grid if you aren’t friendly?”

“Maybe it is because you are used to those who use Dragon Words. You have a knack
for words based on the way I feel irritated and frustrated every time you talk.”

Valefor frowned and swung his front paw. The size of one paw was larger than
Biban’s body. It stretched out into several branches and it felt like a huge iron grate
was approaching Biban. It felt like his body would be split into several equal parts
once he was locked up.

Was he unable to find a way to escape? Biban remained still.

It was a scene that made the viewers feel dizzy. It happened when they started to
close their eyes…

Eventually, a terrible exploding sound burst out. It sounded like Biban’s body
exploded to pieces. Someone’s scream permeated the ears of those who couldn’t
open their eyes.

Kiyaaaaak!

It was clearly the voice of a demon. It was the scream of the 6th Great Demon,
Valefor.

People’s eyes shifted to the sky again. They looked at one of the many hellish
landscapes filling the sky. They saw the figure of Valefor, who was trembling while
holding onto one of his severed paws.

“What would you do if you met Grid?”

Biban persistently repeated the same question. Valefor’s eyes that stared at him
were filled with confusion rather than irritation and anger.

“What is this?”

Valefor’s paws were harder and sharper than any weapon. Yet it was cut. It was by a
single sword that left afterimages like it was split into dozens. It was a very strange
swordsmanship. Biban only swung his sword once, but he actually struck Valefor’s
paw dozens of times. It vibrated, gradually dug in, and cut it off. It was also different
from the famous Matchless Swordsmanship in the past.

“Isn’t it very different from Muller’s swordsmanship that I heard about through
rumors?” Valefor, who completely regenerated his front paw, growled out. His voice
had already stopped trembling.

“Of course, it has to be different,” Biban kindly explained, “Just as Muller developed
my swordsmanship, I developed my own swordsmanship.”

The method of vibrating the blade through the high-speed operation of sword
energy—this was a technique that was only possible in theory. However, Grid made
it possible. It was because the dragon weapon Grid gave him could withstand the
ferocity of the sword energy.

“Now, tell me.”

The landscape of hell slowly changed. Tens of thousands of silver sword energy in
the form of swords moved across the ground and the sky, clearing away the
darkness. Each sword energy was causing a slight vibration. As a result, silver ripples
were created layer by layer.

“What…?”

The mental world of a Sword Saint—Valefor felt that every single one of these sword
energies had a mighty power and he stiffened. It was foolish to fight in this place. He
needed to change places. He made a quick judgment and activated the teleportation,
but the process wasn’t completed. The ripples of the silver sword energies
interfered.

“Che…!” Valefor became a bit more nervous and started to run on all fours. He moved
his heavy body like a gale and approached the end of the mental world. However, he
was forced to stop along the way.

A greatsword that was bigger than a mountain—it was hard to tell if the greatsword
came down from the sky or rose from the ground, but it blocked Valefor’s path.
Valefor was startled and immediately changed course, but another greatsword
appeared in front of him. Four greatswords appeared in succession. It was only a
short time before they formed a wall and imprisoned Valefor.

It was the moment when Valefor, who was several times larger than an elephant,
seemed smaller than a pea. Valefor reflexively raised his head. It was a gesture to
confirm the only way out. However, that place was already occupied by Biban. He
stood on a sword that floated in the air and spoke with his back to the silver sky,
“What would you do if you met Grid?”

“This senile old man… why do you keep asking useless things? I naturally would’ve
killed him. It is in order to prove that I’m better than Gamigin…”

“Why are you only saying this now?”

“……?”

“I misunderstood that you wanted to be Grid’s subordinate or something.”

“Crazy guy!”

Valefor spread out his wings with demonic energy and flew up. He crossed the cliff
surrounded by swords in an instant and swung his paws at Biban. The power was
unstoppable. The wind pressure caused by the outstretched movement of the paw
caused the five greatswords to shake violently.

Nevertheless, Biban wasn’t agitated. “It is pitiful compared to dragons.”

The reason why the sky behind Biban was silver was due to the tens of thousands of
sword energies gathered behind him. It was all aimed at Valefor.

The dragons—Biban’s mental world was designed to bind and peel off the scales of
the strongest beings who were hard to confront. It wasn’t a power that a single great
demon could bear.

Valefor’s consciousness as he hastily crossed his arms blurred for a moment. He

admitted that he couldn’t win in this state after experiencing the baptism of the
dragon weapon that cut off his paw and the sword energies that dug into his flesh
and peeled at his skin.

He quickly compressed his body, which had been inflated enormously. It was so long
ago that he couldn’t remember any longer. He recovered the body he used to have
when in a humanoid form. It was only now that the balance of his body was right. His
face, which used to be too small for his body, was relaxed. He entered phase two.

“I will take everything away from you.”

Valefor was the demon of thievery. It didn’t matter whether it was an item, ability,
appearance, or lifespan. It was easy to steal as long as it belonged to someone else. It
didn’t matter if the target was stronger than himself.

“……?”

Biban, who passed through a phase by putting the great demon into crisis in just a
few minutes without taking even a single wound—his expression changed for the
first time. It was a look of astonishment as Valefor broke through the baptism of
sword energies and barely put a hand on Biban’s cheek.

Valefor made a creepy smile. “It’s done.”

Just then—

“……!”
Light wrinkles started to appear around the corners of Valefor’s eyes. The bridge of
his nose rose and the tip came down nicely. His chin became angular and his hair
shortened and turned gray. His back widened and he grew taller. His earlobes, eyes,
and even the shape of his muscles changed. In short, he resembled Biban.

On the other hand, Biban became a bit ugly. His hair became sparse and dry skin
cracked. The bridge of the nose sank like it was collapsing and the tip became turned
up. His eyes sagged and his jaw widened. His lips were swollen and his eyebrows
elongated. His height became smaller. He lost his muscles.

The handsome, middle-aged figure disappeared all of a sudden. It was the aftermath
of it being taken away by Valefor. Now Biban had become Valefor.

“Hahat! What wonderful omnipotence! Is this the world that an Absolute sees?”
Valefor shouted after taking away even Biban’s clothes and sword. He laughed with a
loot of ecstasy. The good news was that Biban’s mental world hadn’t been taken
away.

Tens of thousands of silver sword energies pressed Valefor violently as if telling him
to return the things to their master. However, Valefor had stolen Biban’s
swordsmanship. Every swing of the sword crushed hundreds of sword energies. The
mental world quickly collapsed. Eventually, the five greatswords that stood tall
started to fall one by one and countless sword energies dissipated without a trace.

‘I stepped on poo.’

It was the first time he had fought a high ranking great demon, so he wasn’t wary of
the great demon’s powers. He had received advice many times that the great demons
each had their own special nature and he shouldn’t take them lightly. Then once the
situation really arrived, he forgot. It was a defeat that came naturally because he kept
the senses that were based off of fighting a dragon.

The moment that Biban readily admitted defeat, his mental world completely
collapsed. Hell regained its original landscape.

The red light from the hell moon dimly colored the night sky. It was a red night.

“I finally found you.”

A certain figure quickly passed by Biban’s side. Even Biban recognized it one step
late.

How many beings in the world could deceive the senses of the tower members? The
number was even more limited if it was a human. There was only one person Biban
could think of immediately.

A thief who stole from the Tower of Wisdom despite the hundreds of barriers around
it.

The Great Robber of the Red Night—he broke into the scene and stole Valefor’s
heart. It was as if to prove that he was the best thief in the world.
On the surface, a red night was rare. Just because it was a red night didn’t mean that
‘he’ would always appear.

The Great Robber of the Red Night—ever since Satisfy opened, there had been only
three sightings of him among the players. Few people found it strange. It would be
funny if a thief was seen stealing.

People weren’t conscious of him. It was even more so because there were very few
mentions of the Great Robber of the Red Night in the quests related to the thief
profession. He was someone who had little weight on the worldview due to his
profession of a thief. No, he was dismissed as a title rather than a person. It was
because the name of the Great Robber of the Red Night had been recorded in history
from a very long time ago. Of course, he didn’t just appear in the official history, but
also in the behind the scenes history that could be glimpsed through hidden quests.

In any case, he was portrayed as existing in almost every era, so they had to accept it
as an inherited name like Lantier. There were many people who didn’t acknowledge
his existence until rumors started to spread that he was linked to Grid. At this
moment, he appeared in front of everyone. Additionally —

“You…! Youu…!!”

It was an appearance that left a strong impression. He took away the heart of the
great demon, who had taken away the appearance and power of a Sword Saint. He
seemed to prove it. It was proof that he was the greatest thief on the surface and in
hell.

“You have the same habits as a golden goblin, the petty thieves, so I can take them
away. Tsk tsk.”

The heart in the hands of the Great Robber of the Red Night was different from the
normal organ. It was an open circle like it was a passage to somewhere and the
inside was black. It was a warehouse. It was a treasure trove full of the items and
concepts that Valefor had stolen throughout his life. Therefore, it could be the target
of the Great Robber of the Red Night.
“Give it to me! Give it to me!”

“You are begging without trying to steal it back? It is right for you to spread out a mat
and beg.”

“Ahh…! Uwaah…!!”

Valefor’s screams grew louder. The sharp scream was like the cry of a dying beast. It
was an obvious noise. The faces of those who closed their eyes and frowned soon
relaxed. It was because Valefor’s appearance gradually became disgusting again,
while Biban regained his original splendor.

A handsome, middle-aged man was eye candy for everyone, regardless of age or
gender. The Great Robber of the Red Night stood beside him and had an expression
like he was eating poo.

“Tsk… What guts do you have to face the 6th place alone?”

“There is only one case where a swordsman avoids fighting. We have to keep our
beliefs.”

“Your words are showy.”

Biban had plunged Valefor into a crisis in an instant. It was purely because he
opened up his mental world and this was proof to anyone that he was nervous.
Opening up the mental world was an act that revealed the user’s origin. It was one of
the trump cards that shouldn’t be used carelessly. It was because there was a high
possibility the user’s weakness would be discovered if they didn’t kill their
opponent.

However, Biban opened up his mental world from the beginning. It was naturally
because he received penalties in hell. The tower members were affected by the
penalties of hell, unlike the apostles who raided Hell Gao several times and bypassed
them. Of course, they resisted it somewhat due to their high status, but they were
much weaker than when they were on the surface. It was the reason why Biban
couldn’t easily cut Valefor and why he allowed Valefor’s approach.

Of course, Biban had no intention of making excuses. Valefor’s reserve force that
allowed him to close his distance with all his might was incredible. Additionally, he
exerted immense pressure. He was an opponent who couldn’t be easily defeated
even in a perfect state. A single digit great demon in hell was that powerful.

“…To be honest, I saw him as easy.”

“There is a big flaw in your judgment, but yes.”

“If you want me to help you and to not be scolded, shut up. I am holding it in a lot.”

“I’m already very troubled trying to resist wanting to steal your sword.”

The Great Robber of the Red Night was an individual, not an inherited name. He was
a legend and a transcendent who had lived for hundreds of years. Biban vaguely
noticed this fact, so he had some respect for the Great Robber of the Red Night,
despite this person being the thief who robbed the tower.

It was the same for the Great Robber of the Red Night. He perceived the tower
members as being essential to the world. He would rob them whenever necessary,
but apart from his personal greed, he had no intention of letting them die. The thing
the Great Robber of the Red Night wanted was peace. It was the development and
revival of humanity. This way, he would have many things to steal.

“Give… it… back…!!”

Valefor started to run rampant. The treasure trove in the heart that was driven by
absurd greed. The moment he was deprived of the power he had hidden inside it, he
relentlessly released pure demonic energy. The body was transformed back into the
shape of a monster. It was the sight of a giant beast running wild. It almost felt like he
was unable to control his power. It was clear that he had lost his sense of reason.

“I feel sorry for that hideous thing.”

“He looks like a baby compared to a dragon, but don’t take him lightly.”

“How can I take him lightly after seeing how you were beaten?”

A great demon—his power was clearly confirmed. Biban took a deep breath and
focused. He stood side by side with the Great Robber of the Red Night. He intended
to use a pincer attack in response to the movement, but the Great Robber of the Red
Night took a step back.
“You want to fight with me?”

“Then do you want to fight separately here?”

“You have to fight alone. Isn’t it weird to want a thief to fight with you?”

“……??”

“I have nothing to see here any longer, so I will go back.”

“What nonsense is this? You can’t get out of hell… don’t you know about the rule that
Baal has established?”

“It is a trade secret.”

The Great Robber of the Red Night put his hand into Valefor’s heart and soon pulled
out a bottle of potion.

“This is a debt. I will come back one day to get it back by several dozen times.”

“……?”

Biban received the bottle of liquid thrown at him and cocked his head.

A pink potion—it was properly sealed, but a faint scent leaked out. It was a fragrance
that cleared and calmed the mind.

“This is a stimulant made by Judar.”

The god of health and wisdom—Judar was one of Rebecca’s two sons and a chief god.
If it was the vitality agent he made, then it must be an all-rounder elixir.

“It isn’t a big deal. It simply makes you feel like you are back in perfect condition. It
clears the mind and helps you make the right judgment.”

“It doesn’t have the effect of overcoming the pressures of hell?”

“It is just a stimulant.”

“……”
Biban frowned. It was a potion made by the god of health and wisdom, yet the effect
was insignificant? No, why give him something like this in the first place? He thought
it was too cheap after this person stole all the treasures that Valefor had collected
throughout his life.

“You could easily steal his heart thanks to this, but I owe you a debt with just this?
Aren’t you an evil-minded thief?”

“It is like you are asking me to give you a package after I saved you. I am going now.”

The Great Robber of the Red Night clicked his tongue and turned around. This was
the end. He disappeared from the scene. This time, Biban dimly read the traces.

‘That’s right. Was it secretive because he operated magic power in that way…? Next
time, I won’t easily allow access.’

Biban nodded and drank the potion. It was surprisingly sticky and didn’t match its
transparent appearance. The texture that swept through his esophagus made him
feel like he was swallowing saliva. Perhaps…?

Biban was imagining terrible things when Valefor rushed right in front of his nose.

“Give it back!!”

There was an overwhelming momentum, unlike just a while ago. Valefor had nothing
more to lose and cut off his own path. He concentrated all his strength and skills into
breaking through and killing the target. In response, his frenzied demonic energy
crushed everything it could touch and eroded it into darkness.

It was like a black sun. The moment the orbit was the same as the hell moon, the red
light disappeared from the world. It was completely dark. It caused an eclipse. The
collection of physical strength, magical strength, and demonic energy had the
momentum to extinguish everything.

People were surprised by the fierce momentum of the ferocious demonic energy that
eroded Biban’s cloak as soon as it touched it and they lamented.

“Hmm.” On the other hand, Biban was calm. He swung his sword at a distance that he
thought was sufficient. It just seemed like a flash of light in people’s eyes.
Click.

It was already at its destination by the time the sound of the sword was heard.

“……!”

Valefor’s huge body was split apart along with the demonic energy.

A sword that cut anything—the sword of Sword Saint Biban overcame the penalties
of hell and slashed the 6th Great Demon with one blow. Judar’s spit… no, the
stimulant helped. After taking the stimulant and awakening his consciousness, Biban
showed his ‘close to perfect’ ability by calming his mind that was shaken due to the
lack of wisdom. That was simply it. It wasn’t that he overcame the penalties of hell or
received any buffs. Biban simply showed off his original skills.

In the distance, the Great Robber of the Red Night read the energy and sighed.

“He is destined not to live…”

Biban was using sword energy to the limit. Not only was it the sharpest energy in the
world, but it constantly maintained the non-stop vibrating energy both inside and
outside his body. This made it impossible to keep his mind intact. Biban himself was
probably most aware that his judgment and memory were fading day by day. No,
maybe it had reached a point where he wasn’t aware of it.

What made the hero so obsessed and sick? It was naturally the dragons. It was clear
that achieving the dragon killing sword was behind the choice in Biban making
himself sick.

At this moment, the formidable swordsmanship that was developed was integrated
with the wisdom that had awakened at some point. A dragon’s head would fall and
Biban would face his end…

“Don’t die until you pay off your debt.”

The eclipse lifted with Valefor’s death. A dark shadow was cast over the wrinkled
face of the great robber as he looked at the scenery of hell that regained the red
night.

***
“It is a dilemma.”

Agnus frowned as he was caught in the random teleportation and separated from the
group. He was concerned about the group that wouldn’t be free from the penalties of
hell. He wasn’t worried because he liked them. He just determined that all their
power was needed to destroy the dimensional magic operating through the hell
moon.

Step, step.

Agnus walked relentlessly through hell. The stench, heat, and nightmarish scenes
spread endlessly, but he was familiar with it like it was his own home.

“……??”

The demonic creatures encountered along the way passed by Agnus with uncertain
expressions. Ironically, this was the advantage of the undead. The method that
demonic creatures with no intelligence used to determine enemies was the presence
or absence of demonic energy. Therefore, they didn’t recognize Agnus as an enemy
unless he showed a special reaction.

“……!”

The memphis—they were the demonic creatures that Baal raised. They were tied up
by magical chains and abused repeatedly, so that poison accumulated and they grew
properly. Perhaps it was due to this influence, but there were several of them who
grew up very viciously.

One of their cages was in his vicinity. He had to kill them before they were released
from the chains. Agnus was moving forward while revisiting his memories with such
thoughts, only to stop in place with surprise. Hundreds of huge eyes were clinging to
the barren canyon. They were wriggling horribly… upon closer inspection, they were
eggs, not eyes.

The epidermis, which he thought were the whites of the eyes, glistened with mucus.
They were like a frog’s eggs…

Just then, a girl’s voice was heard behind the puzzled Agnus. “Those things. They are
Chepardea’s eggs.”
It was the tower member, Betty. The strange girl who had been watching Agnus from
the moment they met.

“I don’t know how many times Chepardea has died.”

“……”

Chepardea didn’t die easily. Baal’s closer subordinate was so tenacious that it was
said even Demon Slayer Alex couldn’t kill him. Who could kill such a being over and
over again? Only one person came to mind…

Agnus understood what she meant and closed his mouth. It was to suppress the urge
to vomit.
Hundreds of thousands of eggs wriggled like slime. Agnus looked at the eggs, each
one bigger than himself, and remembered the conversations he had with Chepardea.
In fact, these were the words that Chepardea used to say.

His Highness Baal is great. I believe only in His Highness Baal. Even if I am
abandoned by him, I will sing hymns for him.

What was the scope of the ‘abandonment’ he was talking about? Being murdered,
having the memory of being murdered erased, being resurrected, living as a
plaything, being killed again, forgetting, resurrected, killed…

Could Chepardea accept even this terrible reincarnation with a happy heart? He was
sure this wasn’t the case.

“Crazy bastard…”

Agnus stopped breathing for a moment before letting out a curse. He wasn’t feeling
compassion for Chepardea. He was a demon who shouldn’t be sympathized with. In
the first place, Agnus had no loyalty to Chepardea. It was just that Baal was too
disgusting.

He imagined it spontaneously in his mind. The moment when Chepardea was in his
most important phase.

Baal, who came to him as if he had been waiting, suddenly violently attacked him
and slowly and painfully killed him while telling him the truth. Baal would speak
very slowly while savoring it.

You have been betrayed in various ways by me. How many times have you been
killed? You will be born again and forget this moment.

Then it would repeat again from the beginning. The reason? There was no need to
think about anything like that. It was because giving meaning to Baal’s choices and
actions was the most meaningless thing in the world. He was merely seeking
pleasure and the form of pleasure he desired was usually cruel.
That was all. It was like the ordinary neighbors who bullied the weak.

“It is Baal. He is going to keep killing Chepardea.”

“That’s right.”

Betty confirmed Agnus’ conclusion. What was Chepardea that he hatched and
resurrected endlessly? Why did he lose his memory, what exactly was his
relationship with Baal, etc.

Agnus had many questions, but he didn’t bother to express them. It wasn’t good for
his mental health to be curious about Baal’s affairs. The one thing he did want to
confirm was none other than Betty’s identity.

“You… who are you? Why do you know about this place?”

The road leading to the cages where the memphis were trapped—it was also the
place where Chepardea’s eggs were stored and it was a very secret area even in hell.
Yet Agnus and Betty, who would’ve been teleported elsewhere, showed up here. She
also knew about the relationship between Chepardea and Baal. The implications
were great.

“Are you perhaps a former Baal’s Contractor?”

The girl who hadn’t taken her eyes off him from the first moment they met—Agnus
asked while feeling it was a possibility and Betty nodded gently.

“That’s right.”

An abandoned toy. A failure who wasn’t interesting.

Just then, Betty took off the robe she was wearing. Her bare body was immediately
seen. It was a body with severe ossification from below her clavicle to her pelvis. Her
condition was more serious than Agnus’ one.

“I am your senior.”

“…You are bragging.”

Agnus looked at Betty with a confused expression for a moment before clicking his
tongue.

Betty was as expressionless as usual as she threw away the robe she had taken off.
She took for granted the reaction of people who showed their displeasure with this
disgusting body. She just chose a quick and effective method of delivering
information. She was picking up her clothes when her round eyes widened slightly.

“Are you crazy? Why is a girl so badly dressed…?” It was because she heard Agnus’
dissatisfied complaints. The tone was quite harsh, but it resembled that reaction that
Grid had shown. He perceived her as a human being, not a hideous monster.

She thought she knew his nature. As expected, there was a reason he was abandoned
by Baal.

Betty’s heart was at ease and she was convinced that she could pass her knowledge
onto Agnus.

“You are my successor.”

“What? What nonsense are you saying with no notice…?”

“Baal is cruel and thorough.”

“Who doesn’t know this…?”

“It is more than you know.”

“……”

“We have to keep in mind that the moment the contract with Baal is broken, it is the
soul, not the body, that has been captured.”

A body that lost its soul was nothing more than a shell. The reason why Agnus
suffered from the ossification was that his soul was slowly escaping from his body. It
was a phenomenon caused by the loss of life in the process of his soul departing.

“Even at this moment, your soul is seeping into Baal. You will completely enter Baal’s
grasp one day and your body won’t belong to you.”

They would start to be controlled by Baal. They would be used regardless of their
will. In the case of a player like Agnus, it would be in the form of forced quests. They
were quests that would give a large penalty if they weren’t completed within a
certain period of time.

“It isn’t like you have to be a priest. You just have to inherit my knowledge. Then you
can stop your soul from leaving.”

A fated encounter—the moment that every player dreamed of came to Agnus.

Anyone would welcome it with open arms. However, Agnus wasn’t pleased at all and
showed wariness.

“Why look at me?”

Agnus wasn’t doubting Betty, he was doubting himself. He had been wandering for
many years after his twist of fate with Baal and he clearly recognized how pathetic a
human being he was. He was afraid he would repeat the same mistake again after
recklessly relying on someone else’s helping hand.

Betty cocked her head. Her messy, short hair matched her innocent expression well.
“You were abandoned by Baal.”

Wasn’t this enough? Agnus read the meaning of Betty’s words and fell silent.

“I will find you later.”

Betty made a promise about the next time before moving forward. There wasn’t
much point to getting rid of Chepardea’s eggs, so she just passed by them and
headed into the depths of the canyon. It was the direction where the memphis were.

‘As expected, my judgment is right.’

The most effective way to weaken Baal’s power was to kill the memphis. The
memphis was a very powerful and demanding demonic creature with the fraudulent
movement skill of Fluidization, the ability to steal the target’s stats, and the ability to
release a barrier of electricity. The memphis were monsters who lost their sense of
reason after being abused by Baal. They were much more aggressive and able to
withstand pain compared to Noe. Their damage to their side would increase if Baal
released them in all directions.

“……”
Betty took the lead and Agnus walked behind her. Agnus thought that Betty’s steps
seemed heavy. Younglings who had suffered from the moment they were born—it
must be painful to know she would have to hurt the memphis.

“My steps aren’t heavy.”

“……?”

“You are projecting your heart into my steps,” Betty spoke while looking at Agnus’
face that was reflected in the obsidian.

“Stop talking nonsense.” Agnus was inwardly startled before turning his head away.
He was unable to meet Betty’s gaze through the obsidian and avoided it.

Then silence came again. They walked along the obsidian rock wall for some time
before arriving at a large dungeon. The structure was like a labyrinth. There were
heavily intricate, intertwined paths that caused disorientation. There seemed to be
some magical power.

Agnus was confused even though it was a place he had followed Baal to a few years
ago. There was a foggy sensation in his mind. Agnus hesitated a few times, but Betty
just moved forward. “It isn’t that you don’t know the way. Your heart is hesitating.”

She was still talking nonsense…

It happened as Agnus was ignoring her—

“Nyaaaaong!”

The sharp cry of a cat quickly approached. Was it a memphis that escaped?

Agnus had a shaky expression on his face as he made a shield out of bone. He
couldn’t quite understand himself why he made a shield instead of a sword.

The memphis came all the way to in front of his nose before stopping. It was because
his head was caught in Betty’s small hands, which was an amazing sight given that
the memphis was in the Fluidization state.

‘Did she attach magic to her body?’

Agnus admired it slightly before tilting his head. The memphis’ fur was fluffy. There
wasn’t even a small scar on his pretty, round face. Every single memphis abused by
Baal looked horrible, while this one was completely fine. It was obvious. The
memphis currently captured by Betty was Noe, not the memphis captured by Baal.

“Don’t harm my people, nyang!”

The memphis’ hometown was hell. It was only in hell that they exerted full power
and their authority to be free of any restraints was strengthened. This meant they
could act independently and away from their masters.

Noe, who met a good master and acted without much restrictions, gained even
greater freedom in hell. It was when he arrived in hell and was affected by the
teleportation. He overheard the sad cries of his kin and flew all the way here. Grid
naturally allowed it.

“G-Go back, nyang! You can’t go any further, nyang!”

Noe was terribly frightened of Betty, who had decorated her room with an
anatomical specimen of a memphis. Even so, he somehow squeezed out the courage.
He trembled while showing signs of transforming into an adult. It was the
willingness to fight. Betty stroked his round forehead. “Don’t worry. I’m here to help.”

“……!”

Noe and Agnus flinched.

They thought that Betty was naturally going to hurt the memphis. In fact, there was
no answer other than this. The memphis who had been trapped here for a long time
had long lost their minds. It was not beneficial to release them. It was more likely
that this would grab them in the ankle later.

Betty explained to the two of them who were puzzled, “I can save them thanks to the
sacrifice of another child.”

The child naturally meant the memphis in Betty’s laboratory. The memphis became a
specimen of dissection. Through that child, Betty gained a lot of knowledge and
information. She figured out how to calm the frenzy of the memphis trapped in the
cages and restore their sense of reason.
“Huu, nyang…”

Noe was moved to the point of tears. He wasn’t aware of it, but he had grown
tremendously.

A demonic creature who rebelled against instinct and overcame fear—in the future,
he would be able to endure it a bit better even if he met a dragon. Just then, Betty
reached a certain location. She chanted a spell and the door to the stone chamber
opened.

The huge communal landscape… it didn't enter their eyes properly. It was too dark. A
stench filled the dark space without a single point of light. They wondered if it would
be like this if meat was rotting, but the sight they saw when they gradually adapted
to the darkness told them the truth.

The flesh of the memphis who were trapped in iron bars were rotting in many
places. They could see one who was dried up like a mummy and the two eyeballs
that were plucked out were rotting. There were some who were literally hanging
from the iron cage they were in because their mouth and limbs were tied.

A youngling without a few limbs was a normal thing. Younglings with arms and legs
of other creatures connected to their ears or necks couldn’t even rest properly
because these limbs wriggled against their will.

“……”

“It will be okay,” Betty whispered to Noe, who had forgotten what to say and was
trembling in the air.
‘Dammit.’

It was ever since being disqualified as Baal’s Contractor. Agnus adapted to a peaceful
life and believed that his world would change. He thought he would no longer face
cruel sights. Therefore, he let down his guard.

[You have changed the presentation level to ‘weak.’]

Agnus hurriedly changed the game options and let out the breath he had been
holding back. His face was still white. The memphis in the iron cages were now
depicted as having band-aids on their cute faces or bandages on their bodies, but
this didn’t mean he had forgotten what he just saw. It was so horrible that it was
intensely imprinted on his mind.

“……”

In his opinion, Agnus was crueler than anyone else during his time as Baal’s
Contractor. He harmed numerous civilians. There were many cases where it was
unavoidable due to Baal’s forced quests, but in the end, he was the one who chose to
execute them. He wouldn’t have become Baal’s Contractor if he didn’t have the
intention of harming others in the first place.

It was during the time when his activities were possible only when the presentation
level was set as weak. He saw so much blood and tears.

Agnus realized it once again. He was no different from Baal. Those who had lost their
lives or family members to him were like the memphis trapped in the iron cages. He
was a demon to them.

“That’s right. We must not forget our sins.”

“……”

“I haven’t forgotten either.”

Betty’s appearance was definitely that of a girl. However, she read his inner thoughts
like an old man who lived for a long time and Agnus couldn’t adapt to it.

“Baal just gave us the strength and authority to sin. The sin is what we committed
ourselves.”

She took away even the excuses that remained like small embers. The name Baal,
which he wrapped around his heart like a shield, slowly faded away and Agnus felt
dizzy. However, he endured it, acknowledged it, and accepted it. Then he felt more at
ease. He felt his already cracked heart being completely smashed and then put back
together.

“We have to atone for the rest of our lives. That is our responsibility.”

So be my successor.

Betty took the opportunity to persuade him. Agnus stared at her and abandoned his
stubbornness. “I understand.”

Don’t just stop at hating my past self.

Just like the woman caressing the memphis she is taking out of the iron cage, I also
have many responsibilities to bear.

So I have to move forward.

“Is it really okay…?”

Noe’s face was still full of anxiety as he hovered by Betty’s side. He saw the skinny
bodies of his wounded kin and hid his bulging belly with his front paws out of
shame. Of course, there was no way he could cover it up. The belly that protruded
from between the round paws that seemed to be wearing white gloves was eye-
catching…

“Grrrung…”

“Kyaaaack!”

The memphis had long lost their words. They were unable to bear the pain of their
wounds and just groaned or cried like an animal. It sounded heartbreaking.
Deep sadness and anger were felt. They hated the bodies that Baal had damaged.
They hated the world they were born into. They were like Agnus in the distant past.
Or perhaps they harbored only despair, just like the people Agnus had harmed.

“Yes, it is okay.”

Agnus’ face stiffened while Betty smiled. It was the first change in facial expression
of a person who seemed to have lost her emotions. It was purely an effort to reassure
the memphis. She might not want to smile, but she was smiling for others.

Agnus watched silently from the side. He was touched when thinking about what
Betty’s actions meant. It was to learn the attitude toward life that needed to be
changed in the future.

His senior—she was right.

“Let’s do surgery.”

She was an undead, so she was used to the structure of bones. She researched,
experimented, and gained experience with numerous creatures. It was time to put
her research into practice. She held the fiercely resistant memphis in her arms and
started to pull out all sorts of tools and medicines. The sounds of bones being
crushed came from her chest and waist, but she didn’t shake in the slightest.

She turned a blind eye to the pain she felt because the suffering of the memphis who
experienced this type of thing would be much greater. She wasn’t in a position to
express her pain in front of them.

“You, the arm…”

Agnus couldn’t just watch and intervened. It was because Betty’s arm shook like it
was about to fall after she was bitten in the arm by the memphis.

Betty confessed, “I brought the parents of these children here.”

It was hundreds of years ago. She followed Baal’s orders. She captured the memphis
of hell and locked them up here. The sight of the memphis being tortured after that…
it was the second of the 17 nightmares she had every night. It was infinitely repeated
even though she became an undead who couldn’t fall asleep. She was tormented for
hundreds of years by the nightmares that emerged from her subconscious even
though her eyes were open every night.

“This is what I am responsible for.”

It wasn’t to end her nightmares.

“It is my duty.”

“……”

***

The people who watched the landscape of hell in the sky was a small number
compared to the total population. Most people still couldn’t raise their heads as they
walked around. It was highly likely that anyone watching the events in hell was a
player and even then, they only watched the scenes with Grid, an apostle, or a tower
member.

The rest of the scenes… they understandably turned away from them. It was because
there was no benefit to looking. Was there anything to be gained by seeing people
being horribly hunted by demons and demonic creatures other than feeling anxiety.

“Ken…? Is he the strongest one among the tower members?”

The fighter, Ken—he was one of the tower members and he produced particularly
bizarre situations. The demons and demonic creatures blocking his way all had their
heads exploded before they died. They exploded like a bomb had originally been
installed. It was a sight they couldn’t understand with their eyes.

In the end, analysis videos were uploaded throughout the communities. It had to be
played hundreds of times slower before there were blurry traces.

The fighter, Ken, appeared to have ‘struck’ the demons with his feet or fists. It
seemed he had a passive skill that added tremendous acceleration the more he
linked his movements and it was assumed that the movements included even the
most meaningless actions, such as small chin gestures. This explained how a
constant speed was maintained.

“I think those giants are a lot stronger.”

At first, people thought Abellio was the strongest. A person who fought by
manifesting Grid and Hayate through his paintings—the number of people who
changed class to a painter grew exponentially and public awareness of Picasso
increased dramatically in just a few hours. The world’s leading companies that were
excited about the future of Picasso competed to offer sponsorships. Abellio was so
great that he created a social phenomenon in a matter of seconds.

However, he had a clear weakness. There was a limit to the power that resided in a
painting and the bigger problem was that it wouldn’t exert much power if the act of
painting itself was blocked. The evidence was that he suffered a setback once he
started being sniped by the 8th Great Demon, Barbatos.

On the other hand, the giant brothers always boasted overwhelming strength.
Radwolf boarded a super-large magic machine that was nearly 15 meters tall and
remotely controlled 10 separate magic machines. It was literally a legion of robots.
The demons couldn’t exert any power over him. They even turned their backs and
ran away. It was natural. It was because before the expedition to hell, Radwolf
optimized the magic machine to be an anti-evil weapon rather than an anti-dragon
weapon.

There was nothing to say about Fronzaltz. The seats of the Tower of Wisdom weren’t
in order of skill, but the 2nd Seat was the exception. The reason Fronzaltz was the
2nd Seat was because he had the right to represent Hayate. Recently, he regained
almost all his strength thanks to Grid.

God’s Circle—the strongest artifact of all time that symbolized perfection and led the
ancient giants in their prime. It was Fronzaltz who inherited the will of the fallen
giants. It would be a sin if he wasn’t strong.

“I’m glad things are going well overall. There is a real chance of winning.”

The power that Baal showed was overwhelming. They were convinced that Grid and
the apostles wouldn’t be able to deal with him even if they fought together. However,
the secret society they never knew about was giving strength to Grid. The members
of the Tower of Wisdom led by Dragon Slayer Hayate—they were strong as one.

Hope that never existed started to sprout. If there was just one unexpected
problem…
“I’m a bit worried that Grid is struggling.”

It was the existence of the 20th Great Demon, Eligos. Now people weren’t stupid.
They immediately recognized that Eligos possessed a strength unrelated to his rank.
He fought fiercely against Grid. He was a powerful being who easily transcended a
single digit great demon.

The cause seemed to lie in a special power. It was the ability to control the trajectory.
For example, let’s assume that Eligos was standing in a huge room. The size of the
room was irrelevant. Eligos would launch any ball flying at him to the trajectory he
wanted and hit it toward the desired point. Eligos also directed the direction the ball
would bounce in.

Infinite trajectories—Eligos endlessly received Grid’s attacks and shifted them,

allowing him to maintain a favorable situation at all times. He counterattacked
against Grid without receiving much damage. The still intact Grid seemed like a
much scarier monster than Eligos, but in any case, Grid’s feet were tied up.

Grid’s first goal was to rescue the people trapped in hell, so he would be under
psychological pressure. People were worried, but…

‘It will be okay. Time is on my side.’

However, Grid wasn’t anxious. He regarded the situation positively.

First of all, most of the people currently trapped in hell were players.

Secondly, a small handful of NPCs, including the different species kings, were
conducting rescue operations as the top priority with Zik. The moment they fell into
the magic trap, Zik had told him not to worry, so he had faith.

Third, it was Mercedes’ role to find the location of the hell moon anyway. It was a
position where they had to wait until she accurately captured the location of the
moon.

Fourth, the God Hands were growing rapidly. The number of God Hands had risen to
100 and they partially offset Eligos’ strength by spreading the artificial senses and
using Tai Chi. At first, it was difficult to respond properly, but there was gradually a
clear sense of adaptation. It was like watching and learning from Eligos.
‘This is an experience that will be hard to meet again.’

Taang, taang, taang.

Grid, who had the artificial senses broken and allowed the incoming spear to hit,
laughed as he repaired his armor with a hammer.

Eligos… he was getting tired. An armor that couldn’t be pierced no matter how hard
the stab—he tried hard to crack it, but it was immediately repaired. Therefore, he
had no answer about what to do…

At the same time, the surface…

“……?”

A chill went down the spines of those walking on the surface while looking at the
ground. It was because a large, dark shadow covered the earth and gave the illusion
that night had come. It was evidence that something ridiculously large had appeared
above them. There was only one existence they could think of unless the floating
castle in the legends was real.

Kurarararara!

A dragon.

[The Evil Dragon, Bunhelier, has appeared!]

It was a world message with only one line, but the ripple effect was enormous. It was
even more than Grid’s epics. The minds of all the people on the surface became
blank.
Almost every player would think of Bunhelier when it came to their perception of
dragons.

The first dragon to make a direct appearance was Bunhelier. It was even in the
National Competition watched by billions of people. His absolute stats and
destructiveness were revealed to the public and the world was filled with
astonishment. Perhaps that was the quietest day on Earth since the birth of
humanity.

“Hiik!”

“It’s over! It is the end!!”

“I need to log out and organize the stocks first.”

People learned that dragons were extremely powerful and ferocious. It was due to
Bunhelier. Now at this moment, Bunhelier appeared again. The ripple effect was
different from when he invaded the server of the National Competition. A significant
number of players fled to the most hidden places they knew or logged out without
hesitation.

Very few players stayed in place. They were people who had responsibilities to bear
and people who were stubborn.

“The number of viewers is a jackpot.”

“This is a scoop.”

On the other hand, those who made broadcasting their business chased after the
shadow of Bunhelier.

“Don’t worry. Father will protect you.”

NPCs and people who had families stayed by the side of their families and protected
them.
“Take out all the dragon harpoons in the warehouse.”

“It is a war! Issue an emergency conscription notice right now!”

Knights or those with aristocratic titles led the soldiers with a more powerful voice
than usual. In the sky, Bunhelier could see all the conditions of the ground with his
eyes. He didn’t feel sorry for the bugs who saw him and ran away, nor did he become
angry with the attitude of the bugs who held the idea of resisting him. He could
annihilate them at any time with one breath.

The thing that Bunhelier wanted was a deeper anxiety. He was only slowly crossing
the continent, but he expected the bugs to be crushed by themselves. There was
plenty of time. If it didn’t break, flap his wings several times until it broke.

The moment the atmosphere was at its most ripe, he intended to go down and choke
their necks. He would tell them to offer 1,000 males and 1,000 females each. Then he
would eat them slowly while they were still alive in front of the watching bugs and
despair and fear would spread. Once he finished eating them, he would ask the bugs
to increase the number of offerings by two times the next day. It would be quite
funny to see those who dreamed of the future in exchange for the sacrifices of their
fellow people once again fall into despair.

In the end, Nevartan would wake up by the time the bugs finally chose to resist, so it
wouldn’t be a bad idea to leave the finishing touches to him. He wouldn’t even give a
chance to the bugs who squeezed out their courage to fight against him. Despair and
fear would be mixed with anger and the chaos would be completed.

Grrrrr…

Demonic energy flowed from the gap in Bunhelier’s snout as he twitched. Each
particle had a destructive power that crushed magic power and sword energy, and
extinguished the spark of life. The dark sky, where the scenery of hell was
intertwined, turned yellow.

One century ago—would a nation’s night sky be like this when there were no means
to clean up air pollution?

“What is he doing?”

“He doesn’t seem to want to attack…?”

Bunhelier was an Evil Dragon. They might’ve never experienced it themselves, but he
was likely to be a villain in the setting. Many people speculated that he was the final
boss in the worldview, so they naturally worried that the surface would become a
sea of fire after seeing the message of his appearance.

However, it was so quiet. Bunhelier simply kept flying and took no action other than
that. If there was one characteristic, it was that he was very fast…

By the time a whisper arrived saying a sight of him had been captured over Reidan,
he had already been seen over Reinhardt. It was speculated that the time it would
take him to cross the continent would be in minutes. If Bunhelier had just slightly
lowered his trajectory as he flew, the ground would be devastated from the
shockwaves of the sonic boom he generated.

He was literally a creature from another dimension—a disaster to be avoided, not

something to fight against.

Those who stayed in place remembered the level and stats of Bunhelier that were
revealed during the National Competition and chills went down their spines. They
lost the willpower to resist. This was even though Bunhelier was just flying. The
absence of Grid and the apostles played a major role. People once again realized how
much they relied on Grid.

Kurarararara!

Bunhelier’s roar was heard from a great height. The sound of the echo was like
laughter. It was close to the feeling of laughing at them right now. Of course, this was
just a delusion of persecution. There was no way Bunhelier could examine their
complexions from so far away.

Moreover, the human population was in the billions. The population might’ve
decreased significantly in the aftermath of the Great Human and Demon War, but it
wasn’t a number that Bunhelier could see with one glance. It meant it was physically
impossible to read and laugh at their overall mood.

Of course, this was all based on human common sense. Bunhelier was too great to be
bound by the common sense of insignificant humans. His senses spread across the
continent. It was more closely intertwined than a spider’s web and Bunhelier felt in
real-time the reactions and expressions of all beings on the surface that was clearly
transmitted through it.

He took it all as information and acted more effectively. For example, when passing
over the sea, he deliberately raised waves to attack the nation of the water clan or he
carried the smell of human flesh on the wind as he passed over the huge Chaos
Mountains, causing the monsters to become frenzied.

He made people living in hot regions sick by inducing the transfer of cold, while
people living in cold areas were forced to take off their clothes due to the transfer of
heat. He even moved the Arctic icebergs or desert sand to the middle of the city. No
magic was used. It was a confusion caused solely through the act of ‘flying.’

In the midst of humanity’s growing unrest and confusion…

[……]

Bunhelier stopped flapping his wings for the first time since he appeared. The sword
energy that rose past the tip of his nose stood tall like a pillar and gradually collected
the demonic energy scattered around. Rather than being eroded by Bunhelier’s
demonic energy and disappearing, the sword energy instead reversed it. It was the
only Dragon Killing Sword in the world.

[Dragon Slayer.]

Bunhelier’s dark pupil’s grew slightly bigger. It was so huge that it felt like seeing a
thumbnail of the expansion of the universe. This was the case when being directly in
front of him. There was a transcendent feeling felt through a simple change in the
pupils and all this created a sense of pressure. Maybe Hayate’s voice would tremble.

Hayate’s figure, as he stood silently with concern, was elegant. He didn’t look like
someone who was trying hard not to show his fear. Therefore, Bunhelier smiled
when looking at him.

[A thousand years isn’t too short for me. Yet you, who have lived in hiding for longer
than that, now dare to stand in front of me?]

Contrary to Hayate’s thoughts, the old dragons weren’t very interested in Hayate. To
be precise, they gave up long ago. It was because the sword of the Dragon Slayer
acted as a dragon’s unique incompatibility. The seals over the tower, built by Hayate
and the tower members, weren’t something the dragons could handle.
The most accurate way of describing it was that they couldn’t identify it because they
were dragons. Putting aside their desire to eat him to nourish themselves, it meant it
was impossible to search for Hayate. Now he boldly blocked the path himself.

[You seem to have something you believe in. Did you even wake up Nevartan?]

Nevartan was obsessed with Bunhelier. The cause of Nevartan’s madness was
Bunhelier’s betrayal. Even after losing his sense of reason, faint remnants of memory
remained and he seemed unable to forget Bunhelier. It meant Nevartan was one of
the few beings who could threaten Bunhelier.

[It is quite a pity.]

Bunhelier’s voice was mixed with harsh breathing. It was a reverberating breath. The
nervous Hayate focused on why this phenomenon was occurring and barely figured
it out.

‘Rage.’

There was no precursor to the activation of Dragon Rage, but Hayate guessed it and
trusted his judgment. He blocked Bunhelier’s tail, which rushed in like a huge dam,
and was vigilant as he prepared in advance for the shockwaves that would overlap.
As expected, it was Dragon Rage.

Bunhelier just swung his tail once, but a total of five shockwaves occurred in a row
and struck Hayate. There was no time difference at all. Hayate failed to absorb the
fourth and fifth attacks properly. It was because the dragons he fought so far could
only stack a maximum of three attacks. He hadn’t expected five overlapping attacks.

The same Dragon Rage exerted a greater effect when used by an old dragon. Hayate
immediately wiped the blood flowing down the corners of his mouth with sword
energy and endured it without revealing pain. He managed to repair the organs in
his body that were crushed by the shock and let out a small breath.

Hayata was the only one seen in Bunhelier’s elongated pupils, which had become
smaller again. It was the aftermath of erasing the landscapes of hell that filled the
surrounding sky with his power.

[Certainly, it is worth it if it is you.]

Bunhelier did the calculations. Should he avoid Nevartan’s pursuit and create chaos
according to his original purpose? Or should he cling to the Dragon Slayer in front of
him and risk getting caught by Nevartan? His judgment should be fast. After waking
up, the time it would take for Nevartan to appear in front of him would be extremely
short.

[I need to eat you.]

The Dragon Slayer’s achievements were unique in the world. The value to be gained
from killing him was comparable to the value he would get when collecting millions
of chaos. Moreover, he could gather chaos at any time, but he didn’t know when he
would meet Hayate again. It was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

[You will die to me.]

The Dragon Words became a prophecy. He approached with an irresistible fate and
put great pressure on Hayate. Hayate was able to resist with the will of a Dragon
Slayer, but he couldn’t get rid of it completely due to the constant pressure. He had to
be constantly focused in order to endure, and the mental power consumed here was
intense.

Hayate’s expression stiffened as he had a hunch that he wouldn’t last long. He would
die before the search magic machine he sent to wake Nevartan up from hibernation
would pay off. The question to consider here was what goal to set.

How much of a blow could he inflict on Bunhelier? How long must he endure in
order for the world to be safe when Grid and the tower members returned from
destroying the hell moon.

The waves of the Dragon Killing Sword, that adorned the night sky more brilliantly
than hundreds of constellations, started to gather at a single point. It aimed at
Bunhelier’s heart in response to Hayate’s will.

The destruction of the dragon heart. He never dreamed of a complete destruction.

The goal was to inflict enough damage to put Bunhelier into a deep sleep. The price
would be Hayate’s life. It was a goal that couldn’t be achieved without this much
sacrifice.

Kurarararara!
Bunhelier read Hayate’s intentions and reacted sensitively. Perhaps his self-esteem
was hurt, but he roared and cast hundreds of magic at the same time. In an instant,
the Dragon Breath overlapped five times and was fired, blocking any evasion paths.

Hayate’s expression darkened sharply as he slashed the Breath with the Dragon
Killing Sword. The surprisingly cunning Bunhelier used human magic. Some of the
magic cast simultaneously had a structure that was difficult to cut with the Dragon
Killing Sword.

Through the gap in the black Breath that split apart like the Red Sea, all types of
magic bombardments poured out. Only two of them constrained Hayate’s
movements. It was magic that worked through incompatibility. It forced him to use
magic power separate from the Dragon Killing Sword, but Hayate couldn’t easily
generate any magic power. It was because old dragons interpreted and absorbed all
energy other than that of the Dragon Killing Sword. They reversed the power that
their prey used to resist them and became more powerful in an instant.

He hesitated because he couldn’t overlook this. However, fleeting hesitation in a fight

between Absolutes was a deadly poison. The tail that seemed to stay on the horizon
was now right in front of his eyes. The area was so large that evasion was impossible.

Bunhelier’s eyes flashed from the bottom of Hayate’s field of view as he was forced to
raise his sword. The long neck that had fallen down now swelled up to the fullest. It
was a precursor to a Breath…

It was precisely aimed at a situation where it was hard to dodge. Hayate was
preparing for a serious injury when someone’s voice entered his ears.

The reinforcement who just arrived at the scene—he gave off a sensation that Hayate
was familiar with. The Sword Saint of the present age awakened the swordsmanship
of cutting the wind and cut off the Breath. It was a divine skill he gained after cutting
down the Elemental King of Wind.

[The target’s skill casting has been canceled.]

All the magic and Breath of the breathless Bunhelier stopped working for a moment.
Hayate managed to take a breath thanks to this.

Kraugel told him, “I’m going to confess this honestly in case you expect too much of
me, but all I can do is assist in this way.”
The opponent was too bad. He never expected to meet a dragon at the stage where
he came back after experiencing growth.

Kraugel obediently cleared his mind. However, he was aware of one truth—Hayate
couldn’t die. He was one of the few hopes of the world along with Grid.

“Look for an opportunity and run away.”

Hayate was always in a position to show his back. Yet at this moment, he saw the
back of another person. It was Kraugel who followed after Grid.

The descendants of a distant age were guarding the Absolute.

The dragon heart spun and the refined magic power was shot out into a breath that
caused certain phenomena. This was a Breath. It was why it had powerful attributes.

Heart and breathing—the operation of the Dragon Breath included two concepts
that were regarded as the source of life and this source was usually an attribute.

[You are a Sword Saint. However, your disposition is different from the idiot in the
tower.]

There was a rumor that Biban cut the already fired Breath with physical force. On the
other hand, Kraugel cut at his breathing, so this stopped the Breath itself. It meant
the exercise of his willpower was blocked in advance. It was a humiliation never
experienced before by the great old dragon, who had existed since the beginning.

The wavelength was huge. Kraugel’s achievement that was beyond a legend caused
his status to rise in real time.

However, Bunhelier didn’t show any signs of uneasiness. He pleasantly evaluated the
human being who developed using himself as a stepping stone.

[You are different from Muller. You forged your own path even though you had a
predecessor to watch and learn from.]

“……”

Bunhelier’s attitude shook Hayate. The fact that an arrogant old dragon—it was even
the Evil Dragon—showed interest in a human was an astounding event. He even
mentioned Muller’s name. However, it wasn’t a favorable attitude at all when Hayate
recalled the story that some of the old dragons treated Muller as a mutant and hated
him.

Bunhelier was obviously chatting pleasantly on the surface, but he was obviously
hiding a lot of killing intent in his heart.

[It isn’t a very good variable. It would be better for your talent to disappear.]
Grruk, grruuk…

Bunhelier’s voice spread along with his rough breathing and it shook the entire
continent. A tsunami occurred in the sea, lava erupted from a volcano, and the
ground where Garion was missing from had consecutive earthquakes, causing
canyons to form on the plains. The voice of the Evil Dragon and the demonic energy,
which contained blatant killing intent, spread and it became a disaster in itself.

The biggest victim was Kraugel. He suffered from all sorts of abnormal conditions.
Among them was the most fatal abnormal condition.

[Bunhelier’s Dragon Words have extinguished your talent.]

[Most passive skills are temporarily sealed.]

His passive skills were sealed. Kraugel was crushed by the sheer pressure and
recalled the situation a little while ago. He hadn’t been able to discern Bunhelier’s
huge body until Hayate stopped Bunhelier’s tail and caused him to stiffen for a
moment. It was due to his speed. Even though Bunhelier was in view from a distance,
he kept losing sight of the movement. The limit was just faintly catching a glimpse of
him using the assistance of super sensitivity. Additionally, the super sensitivity of the
Sword Saint was a stat, not a passive.

Not yet—he could still fight.

“I don’t think I will be as helpful as I thought. Please take that into consideration.”

It was true that his status has increased after cutting off Bunhelier’s Breath once.
However, for Kraugel, transcending status was a concept he had long been used to.

He fought against the half-gods of the East Continent; defeated the Elemental King of
Wind and succeed in purifying a dimension; returned to the surface and was chased
by a blind swordsman who claimed to be a disciple of a master swordsman; went to
war with the subordinates of the leaders of the No Offspring Tomb, who controlled
what was believed to be Muller’s tomb; and finally, he climbed Grenier for a class
quest and had to go through the trials of the Mountain King.

Kraugel had experienced and resolved major incidents one after another and had
built up his own status several times. It meant he understood that rapid growth
wouldn’t happen just because his status rose by one level.
Irresistible—Kraugel clearly realized this fact as the presence of the Evil Dragon
Bunhelier grew, and he lowered his goal. Rather than just assisting Hayate, he
instead urged him to retreat immediately, “It seems wisest for you to step back while
I buy some time.”

Hayate shook his head. “I must not back down.”

He was the only Dragon Slayer in the world. It was his obligation to stand up to the
Evil Dragon that had started to run wild. Even if he had encountered this situation in
the past when he was hiding out of a fear of death, he still most likely would’ve done
the same as now.

Kraugel stared at Hayate’s determined expression and nodded. “Do as you wish.”

It was a few months ago—by the time he cut down the Elemental King of Wind,
Kraugel was in a situation he didn’t understand. The Pioneer’s qualifications, which
should’ve belonged to Grid, were transferred to him. He thought there must be a
reason, and now he realized why.

“However, please be sure to survive. I will die on your behalf.”

A sacrifice—it was the role that Grid should’ve originally played. It was just that Grid
had taken on too much responsibility, so he was chosen as the next best one.

Kraugel, who grasped the situation, didn’t resent it. Instead, he took it as an honor.
He was willing to share Grid’s responsibility.

Hayate expressed his gratitude with a nod and explained, “I am going to aim for the
dragon heart. This is the only way to kill the dragon’s momentum.”

One of the decisive reasons for the cause of Fire Dragon Ifrit’s death was the
overlapping of multiple Breaths. She wasn’t an old dragon, so she was in a different
position from Bunhelier, who stacked up five Breaths when using Dragon Rage. The
burden every time a Breath was overlapped caused the dragon heart to be
overloaded. She lost her horn and suffered irreversible fatal injuries in her weak
state. It was safe to say that she was virtually dead by the time she arrived at the lair
of Fire Dragon Trauka.

What if a direct blow was inflicted on a dragon heart? Even an old dragon would
have to devote decades to recovery. Of course, they could be active forever without
worrying about their wounds, but… an old dragon’s competitor was an old dragon.
They didn’t want to become a target of another old dragon in their incomplete state
and experience a crisis.

[Aiming for my heart?]

There was no particular reason why Hayate spoke openly about his aim. The Dragon
Killing Sword that looked like a galaxy condensed into a straight line. It was Hayate’s
sword energy and willpower. According to Hayate’s intention, the direction of the
blade changed in real time and it explicitly pointed at Bunhelier’s heart.

This meant that Bunhelier couldn’t be unaware of Hayate’s intentions.

[Then why don’t you give it a try?]

The smiling Bunhelier openly displayed his chest proudly. It was as if a wall had
spread out in the sky.

[My heart is here.]

Just as Hayate didn’t hide his thoughts, Bunhelier had no intention of hiding his
heart. It was because he was strong. It was to the extent when he could thoroughly
trample on Hayate’s willpower.

[……!]

Bunhelier had been talking confidently, but now his expression stiffened for a
moment. It was due to the sharp blade that pierced his skull and gave him the
sensation that his brain matter was being stirred.

The Heart Sword—Sword Saint Kraugel’s ultimate technique. It inflicted damage

proportional to the target’s maximum health. Of course, it didn’t have a significant
effect on targets who had a higher status than him. In fact, the sensation that
Bunhelier felt when he was hit by the Heart Sword was more an awareness of a
foreign object, not any pain.

However, that was enough. The agitation that lasted only 0.001 seconds—there was
a man who was skilled enough to take advantage of that gap.

“……”
Kraugel was fascinated. The polluted night sky had transformed into space. It was
bigger than the universe in Bunhelier’s pupils. Celestial bodies existed everywhere in
his field of view, all of which were the waves of Hayate’s sword energy. It was a wave
caused by the aftermath of slashing the dragon’s chest.

By the time Kraugel recognized the changed landscape, the results had already
occurred. Hayate was still standing behind Kraugel, but the Dragon Killing Sword
had already split apart the chest of Bunhelier, who was hundreds of meters in front
of him. It was a mystery, not swordsmanship. It seemed that the only technique that
could be compared to it was the Heart Sword.

‘The Dragon Slayer… ’

There was no record of a dragon’s skin and scale being cut by Muller. Of course, it
had to be taken into account that most of the records about Muller had been lost.
However, it was common sense from the beginning that a dragon’s skin and scales
couldn’t be pierced by anything. Yet today, it was terribly split apart.

Black demonic energy poured out like blood from the cut that stretched from
Bunhelier’s shoulder to his abdomen. The amount was so great that it seemed like
the rivers on the ground would flood.

“……?”

It was an overwhelming sight that he might never see again in his lifetime. Kraugel
stared blankly at Bunhelier’s body, which was tilting at an angle, only to become
stunned.

His vision turned a few laps. He was drawn to Hayate. The shoulder caught in
Hayate’s hand couldn’t be leaned back, so his body rotated like a spinning top. He
couldn’t react even with his super sensitivity. He didn’t feel any signs at all.

Kraugel became desperately aware of the gap he had with an Absolute, but he only
focused on the situation in front of him. He recalled the role he had promised Hayate
and predicted the reach of his body that was spinning. He drew his sword and raised
it.

At this moment, Kraugel was Hayate’s shield. He was used like this. He protected
Hayate from the attack of the long-haired man who emerged from the dragon’s torn
stomach.
‘Keuk.’

He had to swallow back his screams. The shock delivered through the White Tiger
Sword after it collided with the man’s fist penetrated deep into his bones. The sound
of wrist bones being crushed was much louder than the sound of grinding teeth. He
might’ve managed to block it, but he lost nearly half his health.

[You have suffered the ‘fracture’ abnormal condition.]

[However, a Sword Saint can handle the sword perfectly in any circumstances.]

[The demonic energy of the Evil Dragon Bunhelier has penetrated into your body.]

[The health lost to Bunhelier can’t be restored until the end of the battle.]

“Hahahaha! Using a human as a shield? As expected of a guy who has been hiding for
over a thousand years!”

The unidentified man—Kraugel couldn’t accept the identity of the laughing

handsome man with black hair reaching his pelvis. He was dumbfounded even after
checking the name floating above the man’s head.

“It is Polymorph.”

Hayate’s voice echoed in his ears. It felt more like he was talking to himself than
explaining to Kraugel.

Kraugel understood the situation. Bunhelier gave Hayate his chest as if to be cut and
Hayate aimed at his carelessness. He fired a blow with all his strength. It was a trap.
Bunhelier used Polymorph to reduce the size of his body, so the position of his heart
changed dramatically. The thing that Hayate cut was just the remnant of Polymorph,
not Bunhelier’s heart.

‘He is cunning.’

Not only was Bunhelier strong, but he also knew how to use tricks. Wouldn’t he be
the biggest challenge for Grid, who had a slightly simpler side?

Kraugel was suddenly worried. Kraugel put all his strength into his trembling hands.
He felt that Hayate, who managed to take a breath while he was the shield, was still
behind him.

“You must achieve your purpose. He is someone who shouldn’t meet with Grid.”

“I agree.”

“……!”

Kraugel re-measured the distance to Bunhelier, who had transformed into a human,
and became startled. It was because Bunhelier’s hand suddenly appeared in front of
him and quickly became huge. It made all his calculations useless.

Bunhelier, who used Polymorph to change to a human form—he acted by replacing

part of his body with a dragon’s body. It was virtually impossible to respond when he
turned his outstretched fist into a dragon’s claw. The forelimb, which looked
infinitely small when in the form of a dragon, became abnormally large on a human
body. The range of the attack was so wide that there was no way to avoid it.

Kraugel’s body was pushed back as he was about to recite the poetry that praises the
sword. Once again, he was drawn back to Hayate. He was grabbed by the nape of his
neck and felt Hayate’s hand gently pressing on his back. Kraugel understood the
other person’s intentions and pointed his sword forward.

This time, he was Hayate’s sword. Kraugel’s sword sneaked through the gap in
Bunhelier’s claws. He couldn’t get through the skin, but he managed to widen the
gap. It was in the realm of his calculations. It was the result of Hayate moving
Kraugel, who couldn’t show his skills in a fight between Absolutes.

The Dragon Killing Sword dug in through the gap. The startled Bunhelier returned
his arm to human form. The feet he raised were in dragon form. It rushed like a great
mountain.

The Dragon Killing Sword lost its target and immediately changed its trajectory. It
blocked the dragon’s massive feet. The wave from the Dragon Killing Sword caused
Bunhelier’s actions to stiffen for a moment, but it didn’t have a great effect.

Bunhelier’s feet seemed to become smaller again and before he knew it, the five
stacked Breathes flooded in front of him. It was shot when Kraugel couldn’t read it,
so he couldn’t stop the breathing.
“I understood it at the end of my admiration.”

Kraugel used Poetry that Praises the Sword. He was convinced that Hayate couldn’t
use Shunpo. At present, Bunhelier’s senses were spread all over the world. There
was a high probability that the path of Shunpo would be read and he would be hit by
a fatal counter.

As expected, Hayate didn’t use Shunpo. He left the Breath to Kraugel as if he had
anticipated Kraugel’s judgment. At the same time, the Dragon Killing Sword was in
the form of a ring. There were a total of eight rings. Each and every one gave off
intense waves.

[A legend doesn’t die easily.]

Poetry that Praises the Sword was practically invincible. He replaced his defense and
health with the sword’s attack and durability, ignoring damage and abnormal
statuses in return for the sword being consumed. However, there wasn’t much of an
effect on Bunhelier.

Kraugel sacrificed dozens of swords but could endure only one Breath. Meanwhile,
Bunhelier’s stacked up five Breaths without a time difference. It completely turned
Kraugel to rags. However, he managed to save Hayate. Kraugel’s eyes shone even
after consuming his immortality. He believed in the power of Poetry that Praises the
Sword and swung the White Tiger Sword sharply.

“Space Sword.”

[The effect of Poetry that Praises the Sword has increased the skill’s attack power by
15 times.]

Was it pity after seeing him being trampled on all the time? After a long time, a
jackpot occurred.

“……!”

Bunhelier’s eyes widened slightly. Blood flowed down his cheek as he tilted his head
to avoid the sword attack. His smile disappeared from his beautiful face for the first
time. Bunhelier’s expression crumpled like a piece of paper and his gaze as he glared
at Kraugel was unusual.
‘It is over.’

Even if it was a stab, it was a stab that hit the world’s strongest monster. Kraugel
might really have to quit the game if things went badly here.

Kraugel’s expression stiffened as he clicked his tongue. He watched as the ringed

Dragon Killing Sword occupied all directions around Bunhelier. They were the same
Dragon Killing Sword, but they each took a different form. Some of the rings became
Bunhelier’s tails, claws, and legs, while others were shot with a flash like they were a
Breath.

He implemented some of the deadly moves that Bunhelier showed in the last few
seconds. This was the power of a Dragon Slayer. It took the dragon as its prey and
completed the analysis of the prey.

“Where did your roots go? Dirty bastard with no honor.”

How dare you try to reproduce me?

The shaking Bunhelier became huge. He sensed that his state of absolute defense
was intermittently nullified by the waves from the Dragon Killing Sword and
abandoned his human form. He once again put on his scales. Bunhelier’s massive
body shook as he allowed simultaneous blows. This was followed by a series of
thunderous explosions.

It was only then that people saw Bunhelier’s image properly. It was only a few dozen
seconds after he first appeared. He moved at a speed that the naked eye couldn’t
keep up with and caused all types of disasters. Now that shadow stayed in place for
more than one second for the first time. Exclamations burst out everywhere.

Bunhelier—it was the aftermath of discovering the Dragon Slayer fighting the
monster, who had embedded great fear and anxiety in people’s hearts ever since he
appeared in the National Competition’s server. Gradually, more and more people
clenched their fists and chanted Hayate’s name.

However, silence soon fell again. The burning hot atmosphere cooled down like it
had been a lie.

The world that the Space Sword split in half slowly collapsed. It was the greatest ever
trolling. Garion’s vacant spot was painfully realized. As people glared at Kraugel, who
was caught by Hayate and being swung back and forth, the situation of the battle
changed in real time.

Bunhelier used Dragon Fear and blew up all the images of what seemed to be a silver
dragon attacking him. Then he started a counterattack. The appearance of the
dragon and Hayate once again became indistinguishable. Lights flashed throughout
the battlefield where the entire sky was the stage. It looked like a scene of
constellations being formed.

Rainwater fell on someone’s face. The person wiped it with curiosity and found it
was blood. It was the commonly known dark red blood. It was definitely human
blood. It was the blood that Hayate and Kraugel shed.

It happened as people’s anxiety was growing again…

A shadow appeared that blocked the blood. It was with a gorgeous black parasol
with blue decorations.

“Not bad.” A woman wiped the blood off the parasol with her thin fingers and smiled
softly. It was a beauty that transcended imagination. Could it be that the red eyes
that were like rubies contained some type of magic power?

The people present were fascinated, regardless of their age or gender.

[Vampire Duke ‘Marie Rose’ has appeared.]

The act of absorbing blood wasn’t inherently a means of survival. The vampires who
coveted the blood of other species to live were just defective products. The proof was
that Braham’s actions weren’t disrupted despite not partaking in the absorption of
blood. He regained the power of a direct descendant and became a vampire again,
but he didn’t covet the blood of other species. It was because there was no need for
it.

“Not bad.”

The blood wiped away by slender fingers—the dark red blood that poured from the
sky happened to be Hayate’s blood. It implied that the Dragon Slayer, the last bastion
of humanity, was struggling. However, no one knew it. They couldn’t properly watch
the battle between Hayate and Bunhelier.

There were some people who even saw it as a game of go. They perceived the
polluted sky as a scene of the black and white stones trying to surround each other.
It was because their movement was so fast that the figures could only be
distinguished by color.

Bunhelier was black, while Hayate was a silver that resembled white. The series of
processes where the colors chasing each other formed lines and dots, repeatedly
uniting and spreading out, seemed like the process of creating constellations. At first
glance, it was beautiful. They wouldn’t have hesitated to enjoy it if it wasn’t for the
loud explosions that occurred one after another.

Every time the color and color, or light and light, appeared dozens of times, the roar
that followed was so loud that it was incomparably greater than thunder. The echoes
were sent through the crumbling ground and caused a bigger earthquake.

People were afraid. It felt like the world was on the verge of the end. They would’ve
fallen into great anxiety if they discovered that Hayate, their support, was suffering
serious injuries one after another.

However, the situation was rather good for Marie Rose. Unlike Braham, she inherited
all of their mother’s abilities and knew how to truly utilize the deed of blood
absorption. Marie Rose brought her bloody finger to her lips. Her red lips shone in a
bewitching manner and attracted people’s attention. Her beauty caused a serious
problem.

It made those who were thinking about the end of the world forget the crisis and fall
into a trance. Therefore, it could be used for the purpose of leading people to
euthanasia. It felt more like a curse than a blessing. In particular, it seemed to be a
great curse for the person concerned.

The people who were fascinated by Marie Rose felt sorry for her. They quickly
imagined that she could never truly communicate with anyone because she was so
beautiful. The complicated impression she gave of being dignified yet pitiful and
bewitching yet innocent naturally aroused a lot of their imagination.

Marie Rose didn’t care. She was accustomed to having the eyes of others on her and
just savored the blood of a Dragon Slayer.

‘It isn’t as sweet as my dear husband’s.’

The taste was like perfume. It wasn’t that it was on the level of being bad. Based on
the memories of her mother that remained in her mind, it was said that the blood of
a high status being was sweet. Yet strangely, it didn’t taste good. Maybe it was the
aftermath of tasting Grid’s blood first. She became accustomed to the taste of Grid, so
she became dissatisfied with the other tastes.

‘Ahh.’ Marie Rose’s eyes curved while her white cheeks turned red. She felt complete
restraint. She was chasing Grid from her mind and spirit to her body, so she felt
completely dominated. Up to now, countless beings were obsessed with her and
tried to control her, but Grid, who avoided her, was the one who dominated her. It
was obvious that a certain pope, who turned his back on the faith he built up all his
life and locked his soul in a coffin, would lament after knowing this.

“Eh…?” The people who had been staring blankly at Marie Rose suddenly came to
their senses. It was because her collar fluttered and silver waves occurred that were
centered around her. It was reminiscent of the aura of a Dragon Slayer, who was
fighting fiercely high in the sky.

People’s bodies started tilting. The people who fell to the ground eventually realized
that the spot where Marie Rose had just been standing had formed a pit. It was like
the surface of the moon. A huge crater was created.

Did the aftermath of the black dragon’s Breath that cut the sky in half manage to
reach this far? People were filled with worries and doubts, only to realize the strange
sight a moment later. A closed parasol lay neatly in the center of the crater. There
were no signs of it being swept away by any explosion.

***

Bunhelier had reigned since the beginning. He swallowed the demonic energy of hell
and developed even further, becoming an almighty being. In addition to his high
magic power, he was able to utilize all types of evil energies. Therefore, he believed
he was invincible and had no doubts. Of course, he had no intention of fighting with
other old dragons, but he was confident that he could easily escape a crisis even
when faced with an unavoidable situation.

That’s right—most of the crises that Bunhelier imagined came from beings in the
same level as him. He wasn’t particularly conscious of anyone unless they were an
old dragon or god of the beginning.

The Dragon Slayer? The only Absolute among the human beings? He believed he
could easily trample on the Dragon Slayer once they met.

However, the actual situation was very different from his beliefs. This human wasn’t
an easy opponent to trample on. The wounds on his body would increase if he didn’t
maintain the proper tension. It was very unpleasant.

The absolute defense—he often felt naked when the innate power that protected
him in most situations became powerless. There was a slight sense of crisis when the
skin and scales that were covered by this defense were cut.

The Dragon Slayer was just as intimidating as his crazy name. It was to the extent
that Bunhelier became a bit annoyed at meeting him.

‘It should’ve been someone other than me who dealt with this guy.’

It would’ve been a very interesting sight. He would’ve enjoyed watching it. However,
he was reduced to being the spectacle. His anger soared when he thought about the
other old dragons who would be watching the situation in their sleep right now. His
composure was shaken by the thought that they might be laughing at him.
It was a side effect of hell’s demonic energy. The source of demonic energy was chaos
that was mixed with anger, hatred, sadness, and confusion. Bunhelier had been
eating chaos as food for quite some time and couldn’t easily control his emotions
compared to other old dragons. It was a completely different situation from Trauka,
who enjoyed the overt expression of emotions.

Unlike Bunhelier, who only claimed to be invincible after absorbing the demonic
energy of hell and built up the confidence to escape any crisis, Trauka was crazy. He
believed himself to be invincible from the moment he was born. He didn’t foresee
that a crisis would arise during his existence. At the same time, he was unexpectedly
cautious, so he seemed to be bluffing… in any case, Bunhelier couldn’t even afford to
bluff.

He was often immersed in his emotions. It was a weakness that he was aware of
himself. This was the reason why he was extremely reluctant to associate with the
Insane Dragon Nevartan.

‘Calm down. There is no reason to be anxious.’

Bunhelier controlled his heart. He struggled to stay calm even though he suffered
humiliation several times by the Dragon Slayer, who dared to act recklessly. He was
confident that he could get rid of Hayate before Nevartan broke into the scene.
Hayate had surprisingly good skills, but he didn’t post a real threat to Bunhelier. This
was the case until a moment ago.

[……?!]

He just needed to maintain a speed that Kraugel couldn’t recognize and Kraugel
wouldn’t be able to interrupt his activation of the Breath—Bunhelier was aware of
this part and flew at the speed of light while releasing a Breath. Then he came to a
sudden stop.

The Breath’s trajectory wasn’t completed in the aftermath of the high-speed

movement, so the momentum weakened even further and it was split into branches.
It wasn’t something he could care about.

Bunhelier’s senses were all directed downwards. Another Dragon Slayer was
heading toward him. It wasn’t an illusion. It was real.

[You—what is this?]
It was a situation where his absolute defense and scales alone couldn’t promise
complete protection. Bunhelier endured the humiliation and surrounded himself
with a magic power barrier. Then he stared at Hayate as if he was going to eat this
human.

This was how shocking the situation was. There were two Dragon Slayers, not one.
This person had deceived the world…

Bunhelier had no choice but to think this way. It was hard to believe that no one had
ever noticed the truth, so he had to be very vigilant.

That’s right—Bunhelier didn’t feel Marie Rose’s aura at all. It was only after she
drank Hayate’s blood and reproduced some of the power of the Dragon Slayer that
he noticed she was nearby. It was the aftermath of accepting the demonic energy of
hell. The Three Evils of the Beginning, who were in the position of dominating
demonic energy, had a natural antipathy to him. The secret shackles that Baal placed
on Bunhelier were working in Marie Rose’s favor at this moment.

The wave of silver light flowing around the delicate hands pierced through
Bunhelier’s barrier from below. It was the Dragon Killing Sword, but it was different
from the Dragon Killing Sword. It wasn’t in the shape of a sword, but took the form of
five claws. At the same time, it tore apart the magic power and the weak parts of the
body.

Bunhelier’s demonic energy was disturbed. The barrier of black magic power had no
effect and was shattered.

[You…!]

Bunhelier trembled when he saw the face of the uninvited guest who appeared at
eye level with him.

Long black hair and red eyes—the pointed fangs that gradually appeared as the
corners of her mouth rose revealed her true identity.

[Beriache’s…!]

Just then, the real Dragon Killing Sword fell down and cut Bunhelier’s scales. It was
aimed at the nape of the neck, but it ended up grazing the shoulder. It was because
Bunhelier tilted his head back and his neck swelled up greatly. It was the precursor
to a Breath. It was an angle that aimed at both Hayate and Marie Rose, who attacked
at the same time.

A dopo fluttered behind Hayate’s back as the sword that had been lowered
diagonally was raised. It belonged to Kraugel.

[The target’s skill casting has been canceled.]

It was the moment when the sword that cut the breathing finally came into effect.
Marie Rose’s unexpected intrusion presented a big opportunity.

“Hmm.” The smile on Marie Rose’s mouth grew even deeper. She saw Hayate rushing
forward without worrying about the precursor of the Breath, so she also moved
forward without hesitation. Then a human did a great job. It was a familiar person.
He was the human who was most active after Grid, so she had heard a lot of rumors
here and there.

“Sword Saint. You aren’t bad either.”

Roars occurred in succession. Hayate’s Dragon Killing Sword took the lead and
slashed Bunhelier. Thanks to this, Kraugel’s ultimate skill was also slightly effective.

Marie Rose assisted. She used the magic power borrowed from the Dragon Slayer’s
energy and more effectively suppressed Bunhelier’s demonic energy. This made the
attacks of the two men even more powerful.

[……!]

The evil dragon Bunhelier swallowed his scream. It wasn’t just an effort to save face.
It was because he was conscious of Nevartan. He deduced that Nevartan would
arrive even quicker if the turmoil increased beyond this. He avoided the Dragon
Killing Sword that aimed at his heart using Polymorph.

He used the details of the human body to launch a counterattack. However, a

satisfactory result wasn’t obtained. The demonic energy that was mixed with magic
power wasn’t controlled. Rather, it was fatal because it responded to Marie Rose’s
will.

In effect, his magic was sealed and the movements of his body became dull.
[Baal…!!]

The more he became aware of his condition, the more Bunhelier resented Baal, not
the enemies in front of him. He developed a grudge against Baal.

In hell, Baal laughed.

The absolute nature of a dragon was innate. They rightfully reigned with their innate
body, magic, and powers.

Then what if that innate absoluteness became useless?

‘It is annoying.’

First of all, his freedom was suppressed. He couldn’t show the speed of crossing the
continent with just a few flaps of his wings.

Hayate responded. The Dragon Killing Sword not only often neutralized his absolute
defense, but also blocked his movement. The waves contained in the blades that
pierced that scales caused the body to stiffen. It was safe to say that Hayate’s very
existence was a contradiction to the dragons.

Rumors were usually exaggerated, but in his case, it was the complete opposite. The
rumors were far short of his actual skills.

Then what about Marie Rose, who broke in one step later? She was the rightful
successor of Beriache. She had an ability with a low chance of mutating, blood
absorption, and was equivalent to the Three Evils of the Beginning, but she suffered
no penalties on the surface. This was extremely threatening.

Did she consume some of the blood that Hayate shed to embody some of the power
of a Dragon Slayer? There seemed to be no exaggeration to the rumor that Beriache
exerted the power of 10,000 demons alone when she fought against Baal for
supremacy of hell.

Marie Rose’s intervention made Bunhelier feel like he was dealing with two Dragon
Slayers. His movements were blocked more easily and his absolute defense and
scales became neutralized more often. He used a Breath to try and reverse the
situation, but even the result of that was disappointing. The influence exerted by the
Sword Saint, who was still a child, was slightly annoying.

Was his name Kraugel? He interacted with Hayate’s sword energy and read Hayate’s
intentions. It was like a sword that moved on its own. He was a person that Hayate
wielded along with the Dragon Killing Sword.

The performance of the one who cut at Bunhelier’s breathing at every moment and
stopped the activation of the Breath was fatal when combined with the
performances of Hayate and Marie Rose. There weren’t many means Bunhelier could
rely on to escape this frustrating situation.

First, magic. Dragons could cast multiple spells that they understood without any
restrictions. It was a talent with a very good compatibility with Bunhelier, who was
an old dragon and liked planning. By studying the magic of species inferior to him,
Bunhelier could cast hundreds of thousands of spells simultaneously. He used this
ability to easily put Hayate into danger.

However, Marie Rose’s presence put limits on his magic. The magic power that was
mixed with demonic energy failed to disobey Marie Rose’s will and rebelled against
Bunhelier. He couldn’t complete the magic.

Second, physical strength. An old dragon was huge and fast. It was safe to say that
there was no limit to the power exerted by a body that reached up to several
hundred meters, including the tail. Additionally, he was like an immortal creature
and had the ability to regenerate at high speed. It meant that there was no problem
even if his absolute defense and scales were pierced and he got hurt. A natural
disaster would occur if he wielded this invincible body and the enemy would
naturally be killed.

It was only a story of when the attack hit. It had a large attack area, so the dragon’s
hit rate was practically close to 100%. It was just that the opponents were too bad
this time. Both Hayate, who had advanced to the point of facing Martial God Zeratul
head-on, and Marie Rose, who controlled the flow of magic power, didn’t easily allow
any attacks.

‘They are like flies.’

The winged beast thought while spitting. In the end, there was only one answer.

Dragon Words—he had to reverse all the disadvantageous situations with the
strongest of a dragon’s powers. Of course, it wasn’t easy. If Bunhelier could use
powerful Dragon Words like other old dragons, then the situation wouldn’t be so
disadvantageous.

Unfortunately, there was a flaw in Bunhelier’s Dragon Words. It was even worse than
the Dragon Words of some of the top dragons. It was natural. As Cranbel had said,
Dragon Words were something tempered through the fulfillment of the covenant.

It was the only power among all the powers that a dragon was born with that needed
training. Bunhelier had enough problems with his heart to the point of degenerating
to an evil dragon, so the number of times he fulfilled a covenant was naturally small.
This meant his Dragon Words didn’t grow properly.

‘I have to train it this time.’

Bunhelier saw the crisis as an opportunity. He vowed to use today’s humiliation as a

stepping stone for transcendence.

[I will kill 10,000 humans.]

It was sudden nonsense. The moment Bunhelier spoke, Hayate’s group felt their
bodies becoming light. They realized that the pressure of the Dragon Words that had
been crushing them was gone.

“……!”

“Hmm.”

Marie Rose, Hayate, and Kraugel immediately noticed Bunhelier’s intentions. Their
level of understanding was the same, regardless of the level of their skills. It was
their reaction that was different. Marie Rose just yawned, while Hayate immediately
descended to the ground. Kraugel…

He broke the White Tiger Sword. The ultimate in growth-type items that was made
with Grid—he permanently lost the myth-rated item that had developed with him
over the years. It was in order to protect Hayate.

The reason why Bunhelier failed to maintain the speed of light was the Dragon
Killing Sword. He was only temporarily slowed down before he became stiff
whenever he collided with the Dragon Killing Sword. Outside of the range of the
Dragon Killing Sword, Bunhelier was still free. The speed of the bastard who aimed
at a place without Hayate couldn’t be perceived by the civilians at all.
“……?”

It felt like the black dots that flashed in a dizzying manner and embroidered the sky
became slightly larger. By the time the humans on the ground had this thought,
Bunhelier’s shadow was already covering the ground.

The sight of the giant dragon just in front of them frightened people. However, the
speed of the storm was much faster than their screams. It was a storm created by
Bunhelier who simply ‘moved.’ It swept away the crowd before people could even
scream. It contained a destructive power that could easily tear apart human flesh
and bones. It happened as people’s skins were cracking and blood flowed…

Hayate chased after Bunhelier and landed among the crowd. He enveloped the
people with the waves of the Dragon Killing Sword that was split into particles and
spread. The people were protected thanks to this.

However, Hayate revealed a gap. From the perspective of Bunhelier, who was simply
trying to strengthen his Dragon Words by fulfilling the covenant, it was an
unexpected windfall.

Killing 10 thousand human beings—his Dragon Words wouldn’t grow dramatically

even if he fulfilled this covenant. In a situation that was unfortunate for him, Hayate’s
actions became self-defeating. This was a great fortune for Bunhelier.

He immediately slammed his foot down toward Hayate. He accurately grasped that
Hayate had weakened in the aftermath of dispersing the waves of the Dragon Killing
Sword and he quickly targeted it.

However, the attack failed. Fragments of something that was as transparent as glass
combined with Hayate’s strong self-defense. The fragments of the White Tiger Sword
filled up the gaps in the sword energy.

Sword’s Sacrifice—sacrifice a sword to protect a target. The utilization was low due
to the restriction that the target needed to have sword energy, but the stronger the
rating and power of the sacrificed sword, the greater the effect. Thanks to this,
Hayate was able to hold on for a long time even after being trampled by Bunhelier’s
huge foot.

“There is no one normal among the old dragons.”

“……”

People couldn’t close their mouths. The dragon’s foot that was bigger than a house—
they stared blankly at the back of the Absolute, who lifted something that should’ve
crushed him like he was an ant.

The scattered Dragon Killing Sword gathered again and took the form of a sword. It
was held in Hayate’s hand and dug into the sole of Bunhelier’s foot little by little.

“You don’t even know honor. It is disappointing.”

[A rat who has been hiding for over 1,000 years is talking about honor?]

Bunhelier reacted emotionally. It was proof that he had little room for relaxation in
his mind. It was because the senses he spread across the continent noticed Nevartan
waking up. That guy was coming soon. It was impossible to get rid of everyone in
front of him.

However, simply retreating was a serious problem. There were too many witnesses.
The act of fleeing would become the achievement of those who participated in the
battle and he would suffer a great deal of damage to his status. He could even
regress.

The point was simple. It was enough if he didn’t seem to be running away.

[I will punish you.]

Bunhelier spoke with rough breathing before his momentum changed in an instant.
It was the result of focusing all his senses that he had spread across the continent.
Hayate, who had been pushing Bunhelier away little by little, became startled and
stepped back. Then Bunhelier’s gaze shifted upward.

He caught sight of Marie Rose, who had become quiet at a certain point, dozing off.
Bunhelier tried to ignore it. He stared at Kraugel, who had become ragged and
couldn’t even breathe properly.

“……!”

Hayate read Bunhelier’s aim and was about to jump out in a hurry, only to stop. It
was because Bunhelier utilized the magic power that had been freed after Marie
Rose was struck by the Curse of Sloth. Hundreds of thousands of spells were cast at
the same time and aimed at humans. Hayate couldn’t ignore them.

In the sky, Kraugel was smiling. It was as if he was saying not to worry about him.

A dark pillar soared. The Dragon Breath turned Kraugel’s body into ashes. At that
same time, Hayate screamed in a desperate manner as he cut down the magic shot at
the humans.

It was the moment when the winner and the loser were decided. The people who
hadn’t been able to read the flow of the battle in the first place perceived the winner
as Bunhelier due to this moment.

[Look forward to the next punishment.]

Bunhelier turned his back, spread open his wings, and left. He was clearly running
away, but in the eyes of the people, it became glorified as the winner’s leisure.

Hayate couldn’t chase after him. The Dragon Killing Sword might have a superior
advantage over a dragon, but Hayate’s body was weak when compared to Bunhelier’s
body. Every time he collided with Bunhelier, he felt pain as if his bones and flesh
were separating and his physical strength was rapidly consumed. Even if a human
transcended and became an Absolute, how could they compare to an old dragon?

Just as Bunhelier was nervous due to being conscious of Nevartan, Hayate was
nervous because he knew his physical strength was limited. He realized that he
couldn’t buy enough time if he chased after Bunhelier in his current state.

‘I would’ve pursued him if the vampire duke was with me.’

Unfortunately, he couldn’t expect anything from her, who was already half asleep.
Hopefully, Nevartan would succeed in chasing Bunhelier and they would deal
devastating blows to each other.

Hayate’s face was full of remorse as he stood still and looked at the horizon.

Kraugel—the present day Sword Saint and Pioneer. Hayate lamented that Kraugel
sacrificed himself for Hayate while helping, rather than being able to rely on Hayate.

“I am fine. It is enough as long as you are safe.”

“……”

Kraugel quickly returned to the scene thanks to the close resurrection spot and
cooled the atmosphere for a moment, but there were no major problems. Hayate
understood the characteristics of the players.

In any case, Kraugel’s expression wasn’t bad. He might’ve lost his sword and more
than half his experience bar, but he gained a higher status and a title. It was a right
that he earned by fighting an old dragon to defend Hayate. It was safe to say that it
would be a benefit in the long run. Of course, this was the story when trying to
interpret it positively. Unlike his outward appearance, Kraugel’s insides were
burning.

‘My sword… ’

It was the ideal sword that Grid had made according to his wishes. It was a sword
that developed together with him from the normal rating and was reborn as his soul
companion. It meant he had lost his most precious treasure.

Kraugel was comforted by the fact that he helped Hayate, but it was hard for him to
be in a normal mental state…
People believed that Hayate was the strongest. He might be a character who only
recently appeared and had never played an active role, but he was naturally
recognized as the strongest. There was no doubt about it.

Dragon Slayer—the only Absolute in human history. Who would question his ability?

There was a section of Grid’s 18th epic that portrayed Hayate as a frightened hermit,
but people didn’t care. They understood the solitude and fear of the Absolute, while
naturally looking forward to the power of the Absolute. They purely welcomed
Hayate and cheered for him, who relied on Grid to come out into the world.

It could be interpreted that Hayate’s performance today was a response to their

support. He bravely faced a dragon that caused a disaster with a single flap of the
wings and in the end, he managed to protect the people. He fulfilled the
responsibilities of Grid and the apostles while they were away from the surface.

“…Uwaaaaahhhhh!"

The place where the dragon left—it was only after Hayate put away his dazzling
sword that people started cheering. They finally realized that the hellish battle was
over. They surrounded Hayate as he roughly wiped away the blood on his body that
had almost been torn to shreds. It was to the extent where they seemed like they
would toss him up.

There was the sound of an explosion coming from the direction Bunhelier had left in
and it was quite loud. However, the noise was only heard in Kraugel’s ears. People
didn’t sense it and were excited. For them, the outcome of winning or losing didn’t
matter. The fact that they survived was the important thing.

“……”

Hayate’s expression was as calm as always. He was very calm as a noble aristocrat.
However, he was inwardly very puzzled. He had been fighting alone for over a
thousand years, so he was very unfamiliar with the cheers of people. He might be in
a daze, but his heart was tickled.
He was happy… he thought this expression could be used. Suddenly, he had a certain
wish. He hoped that his colleagues who were fighting in hell would be able to feel the
same way he was feeling right now.

‘Please come back safely.’

Now they could stand proudly in front of people. A world had arrived where Biban
didn’t need to be in charge of cleaning the bathroom even if he went around the
neighborhood and talked about his identity. It had already happened so they should
enjoy it.

A series of explosions were heard from further away than before. It was the sound
coming from the fight between Bunhelier and Nevartan, who had encountered each
other. Fortunately, the battle took place in a remote location. It was according to
Hayate’s calculations. The dragons were instinctively drawn toward the forest where
the magical remnants of the dead myth predator were drifting.

“It is you who defeated the Gale of the Great Forest,” Hayate spoke to Marie Rose,
who had just descended to the ground.

Marie Rose didn’t answer. Her eyes were half closed as she picked up her parasol and
opened it. It was even though it was late at night now. It was a sight that proved her
parasol wasn’t intended to block the sun. It was meant to cover up her beauty.

People were easily making this guess when Marie Rose merged with the darkness
and disappeared. She didn’t even look at Hayate and Kraugel. She didn’t seem to feel
anything even though they stopped the invasion of the old dragon together.

Hayate and Kraugel had expected her attitude. From the moment she fought
Bunhelier to the present, Marie Rose’s gaze had often been turned to one direction of
the sky. It was the direction where Grid was being shown. Her only concern was for
Grid. They were impressed by the way she smiled brightly and looked back at Grid
every time she did something, like a child longing for praise.

“I am worried about Grid,” Hayate stated after he stared at the spot where Marie
Rose had disappeared. The people at the scene didn’t hear him. It was because they
were all bedazzled by their fascination with Marie Rose and were crazy.

On the other hand, Kraugel wasn’t distracted and cocked his head in a puzzled
manner. “Is there a need to worry? Putting aside her mature appearance, she is a
woman with a pure side. I don’t think she will harm Grid.”

Kraugel was the player after Grid who had built up the most affinity with NPCs. As
the former 1st ranked player, he changed his words and deeds according to the
nature or circumstances of the subject. It meant he tailored his style so that he could
easily get the affinity of the other person. Therefore, he spoke more politely than
usual. It went well with the appearance of his dopo. He seemed like he was shooting
a historical drama with Hayate.

Meanwhile, the people came to their senses and focused on the conversation
between the two of them.

“You misunderstood. I am worried about Grid’s attitude, not Marie Rose.”

“What is Grid’s attitude…”

“There are so many women by his side.”

“……”

“The momentum is enough for him to have at least 10 people.”

People listened even more intently. Grid’s colorful love life with women had been
famous for a long time. People expected that Hayate, who had lived for over a
thousand years, to criticize Grid’s attitude. They took the old tales as an example and
believed that the more a person was a hero, the more they should give mature
advice, such as to watch out for beauties or to be single-minded. They were already
inwardly feeling refreshed.

However, Hayate’s next words were very unexpected. “They come from various
backgrounds. All their bloodlines are unusual, so it is expected that there will be a
fierce battle for succession. In order to prevent a great disaster, it is necessary to
hold the center so that the wives can get closer. However, he goes out too often.”

“……”

“Of course, the world is also at fault for not leaving him alone, but Marie Rose isn’t
weaker than Grid. It isn’t a problem to always have her with him wherever he goes. I
can’t easily understand why he is neglecting her.”
Hayate was a nobleman from a thousand years ago. He might reject the custom of a
man having multiple wives, but he didn’t criticize it. Perhaps he had the most open
mind in the modern world.

‘Shit… ’

‘Grid is the worst man. Right?’

The moment that Hayate said something completely different from their
expectations, the disappointed people trembled with jealousy. It was proof that their
daily life, which had collapsed overnight, was faintly returning.

***

In the background of the people of the surface gradually regaining a bit of their daily
lives, there was naturally the activities of the hell expedition. The situation in hell
flowed in real time even as Hayate and Kraugel were fighting fiercely against a
dragon.

The Overgeared Guild, the apostles, and the tower members operating in various
parts of hell were gradually reducing the number of demons. There was hope in a
situation where there had been nothing but despair.

That was just a little while ago.

‘Ugh.’ Mercedes swallowed back a groan. She discovered the location of the body of
the hell moon with her Keen Insight and unexpectedly pierced the ground rather
than the sky. Then she found a great deal of demons blocking her path. They were
different from the great demons or Baal’s henchmen and were closer to the original
demons.

The closer she got to the hell moon and the deeper she headed underground, the
more often the old demons appeared. They had gray hair and their skin was full of
wrinkles. Their age could be felt just by looking at them. Maybe that was the reason
they all had strong skills. It reached the point where the legs of the steadily
advancing Mercedes came to a complete stop.

“”This place… can’t be reached… with that much… status…”"

How long had it been since they opened their mouths? The dry voice that cracked
every time they spoke gave her goosebumps.

Mercedes’ expression became even more serious. Her face, which had hardened
since discovering that the identity of the hell moon was a creature made of countless
souls, suddenly cooled down. “What exactly is being done in this place?”

““You… aren’t qualified… to hear it.””

Sword energy surged every time the demons waved their dry hands. It took the form
of a clear sword and the color was green like the shade of a tree.

A forest of swords literally bloomed.

Mercedes’ eyes twitched. Her transparent pupils became cloudy and tears of blood
flowed down.

‘This?’

The souls of the demons were overlapped. To be precise, it felt like another soul
resided in the bodies of the demons. However, the souls were very similar to
someone.

Biban.

‘Sword Saint?’

It was the Matchless Swordsmanship, but it was a bit different from Biban’s
swordsmanship. This swordsmanship was being embodied at the fingertips of the
demons.

The sword energy that formed the forest swept forward like a gust of wind as they
responded to the demons’ swords and Mercedes’ blood scattered. Mercedes’ body
was pierced in its vital points and she was pushed back greatly. She barely managed
to stop in place by sticking the bottom of her shield into the ground. Then she glared
at the demons as if she was going to kill them.

She realized that the armor Grid had made for her with great care had become a
mess. The fact that the black engraving next to her left shoulder had been erased
made her angry. It was because Grid’s initials there had been erased.
“It seems you have been experimenting with transplanting the souls of legends.”

On the ‘day’ she fell asleep while looking at the magnificent view of the Chaos
Mountains, which had been stained red with the blood of monsters, Mercedes had
heard a story while being hugged in Grid’s arms. It was a story about the Behen
Archipelago. It was a great story, but Grid’s expression was very gloomy. He seemed
concerned that Pagma, who contracted with Baal, used the souls of the previous
legends to create the death knights.

“It is an experiment based on the experience of the contractor.”

“”The order… is wrong. It is… a trivial reasoning.””

Shadows came. Mercedes responded by spreading out her silver wings and made the
contrast clear. She read the path of the assassin rising from her shadow and stabbed
her sword. However, she couldn’t pierce the dark shadow. The fluttering cloth dulled
the blade of her sword. It was surprisingly heavy. Mercedes grasped the material of
the cloth with Keen Insight and was a bit flustered. It was because it was a metal
fabric.

A stab resembling Grid’s sword dance dug into Mercedes’ side. At this point, the
people on the surface also noticed what the old demons of this dark and deep crypt
were doing. They were embodying the legends of human beings.

“”Don’t… overlook that… we are just… gatekeepers.””

They pretended to be kind, but a demon was a demon.

Seven demons completely surrounded Mercedes. They seemed to have no intention

of letting her leave smoothly.

The situation of Mercedes, who was surrounded by seven legends, was serious.

“…Sigh.” Mercedes’ deep breathing stimulated the demons’ sensitive senses.

The demons attacked Mercedes almost reflexively. The sight of the seven demons
simultaneously using seven types of techniques that belonged to legends was
overwhelming. It felt like the greatest moments of human history were being
recreated simultaneously.
This sight was clearly captured in Mercedes’ transparent eyes.

Keen Insight—the talent that even the gods were wary of fully bloomed and
destroyed the legendary techniques, slashing at the demons’ throats.
An ordinary person wouldn’t know about Keen Insight. Even though Mercedes’ blue
eyes sometimes shone transparently, they just thought it was beautiful rather than
giving a special meaning to it. They thought of it as an optical illusion that changed
depending on the angle of light. This was why they didn’t understand it.

A forest of sword energy in a narrow and long tunnel—shadow soldiers soared from
the shaded space of the forest. A metal cloth that fluttered in a dizzying manner and
narrowed the field of view and space. A noble sword dance that was as invisible as a
demon’s dance and the arrows that were shot silently.

They couldn’t understand Mercedes’ ability to avoid and counterattack all the
techniques that symbolized the legends of humanity.

It was natural. Her evasive movement was like a flowing stream. She didn’t use
Shunpo, so it wasn’t fast. Hayate’s movements when fighting the dragon a little while
ago were perceived as flashing lights, while her movements could be vaguely read in
people’s eyes.

Nevertheless, not a single attack reached her body. It was an incomprehensible

realm. It seemed like she was something beyond a legend. People dared to question
if she had become a protagonist of a myth like Grid or Braham, or had reached the
realm of the Absolutes.

Surprisingly, it was the same for the demons.

“”What type of trick is this…?””

The red moon that was projected not only to the sky of hell, but also the sky of the
surface—its body that was covered with countless eyes was sleeping here
underground. If the river of reincarnation was a place associated with the essence of
hell, then this was a place that contained the secrets of the corrupted hell. It meant
that it was more important than the river of reincarnation for Baal.

It was the reason why the old demons were placed as gatekeepers. They had been
living since close to the beginning and they were very powerful. It was to the extent
that they gained Baal’s trust, so they were asked to guard this place. In return,
fragments of souls had been transplanted to them.

As the years passed, they became stronger and those who could be their enemies
were rare. However, there was only one human being active. She was an existence
who made the weight of the years accumulated by the seven demons become
worthless. A woman with no wrinkles on her face read and blocked the thousands of
years of experience and wisdom contained in each movement of the old monsters.
She looked like a monster even in the eyes of these old monsters.

“”It is a human, right…? Recite the genealogy of your bloodline.””

“”I’m curious about the depth of the lineage.””

She wasn’t an ordinary human. There was no way her lineage could’ve originated
from the surface. She was most likely related to hell or heaven.

Mercedes asked the speculating demons, “Do demons know about genealogy?”

It was an attitude of dealing with an unfounded, miscellaneous thing. It wasn’t

particularly demeaning, but that made them even more upset.

“”The fact that Baal is the son of God Yatan… it must be common sense that even
humans know about… why do you think there would be no genealogy?””

“”Are you an idiot who lacks common sense…? It is understandable. You were born
with the talent to go against the heavens in this human body… you can’t handle it…””

Was it because they were demons who had lived for a long time? They seemed
particularly obsessed with bloodlines. She wondered if they were the ancestors of a
great family of hell.

Mercedes couldn’t understand it. “Baal betrayed Yatan. I don’t know why demons
who serve such an immoral being as their master are obsessed with lineage. You are
the same immoral being, so you shouldn’t care about lineage.”

“Immoral…? Breaking the right path? The right path is a concept that only applies to
human beings…””

“You are talking about lineage without knowing about following the right path?”
Braham, Huroi, Pon, Vantner, etcetera—there were many people who spoke very
harsh words next to Grid. There were also many people with a very strong ego like
Lauel, Damian, and Regas. It was difficult to develop the habit of being considerate
when conversing with others.

Mercedes was also affected. In the beginning, she had been the number one knight of
the Saharan Empire. The first time she met Grid, she had quickly given him an order
to get down on his knees. She didn’t bother to consider the other person’s feelings
before speaking. Of course, she was kind to those she liked, but she was indifferent
and cold toward her enemies.

The wrinkles on the faces of the old demons twitched ferociously.

“”You are from hell.””

“……?”

Just like that? Mercedes cocked her head as the demons came to an absurd
conclusion. She had a confused expression on her face when her hair became
disturbed like a gentle wave and there was the roar of an explosion.

A demon, who was silently shooting a bow from the back, attempted to openly snipe
her. An arrow with an immensely powerful air wave was fired at an unprecedented
speed and reached the middle of Mercedes’ forehead. However, it only skimmed
against the skin.

Mercedes triggered Keen Insight and dodged. The arrow flew into a wall and caused
the tunnel to shake. Then the forest of green sword energy rushed like a tsunami.

From a third person perspective, the scene was chaos itself. All types of energies and
techniques intertwined. The ground rose up and down as explosions occurred and
the ceiling collapsed. It was clear that Mercedes’ vision would be as dizzying as
riding a roller coaster.

Even so, Mercedes didn’t lose her balance. Even in the midst of the chaos that twisted
left and right and reversed up and down, her movements were neat and tidy. She
sharply operated the sword with the breath of Matchless Heart Technique and raised
a huge shield like a wall to block the attacks of the demons.

It was a shield filled with Grid’s care. The diagonal lines at the top of the shield
weren’t just for decoration, but were for the purpose of obtaining visibility. It was
used by Mercedes to observe the enemy beyond the shield. The diagonal lines in the
middle of the shield were intended to give an opportunity for a reversal.

Mercedes’s sword protruded through the diagonal gap and pierced the abdomen of
the demon who had been narrowing the distance.

That alone wasn’t enough. Mercedes was a legendary knight who grew stronger
every time she wrote a chivalric code. She was also an apostle of the Overgeared God
who became stronger every time she armed herself with an item created by Grid. It
was just that the profession of knight itself was inherently limited.

Her offense and defense balance was perfect, but there was nothing special about it.
Mercedes could further increase her offensive and defensive capabilities according
to the situation by using Keen Insight. However, it was difficult for her to show a
distinct strength against an opponent in a higher basic weight class than her. In the
first place, having a good balance only acted as a strength when overwhelming a
weaker opponent. In order to defeat an enemy stronger than herself, she had to
abandon her balance and deal a finishing blow.

However, Mercedes didn’t have that. All her stats were equal and there was none that
was extraordinary. This was why she couldn’t win against the old demons. She could
just hold on in a stable manner. This was both her strength and her weakness.

If only there were the other apostles or Grid by her side at this time. No, if there were
the elite members of the Overgeared Guild present, then the battle would’ve changed
greatly. They would’ve taken down the demons one by one while she read and
stopped the offensive of the demons.

There was just little she could do alone. She couldn’t move forward.

‘It is hard in this state.’

Mercedes’ mission was to find a way to destroy the hell moon. She was the only one
who could analyze the principles that it used to project hell to the sky of the surface
and come up with a solution. Now she was on the verge of stumbling right before the
threshold. She would be able to get some clues if she went in a bit further, but she
was overwhelmed by the lack of strength. In the end, it meant she lacked skills.

She felt a tremendous gap between her ideals and reality. Why did she openly reveal
her killing intent toward Martial God Zeratul? She wanted to punish Zeratul for
daring to insult Grid. Yet the reality of this moment was telling her how arrogant she
was at the time.

She definitely realized it. She had the power to observe abnormalities in herself. In
other words, she didn’t have the ability to cut down Grid’s enemies.

The level of the enemies rose abruptly. It felt like Grid’s extraordinary growth rate,
which overshadowed the years, raised the level of the world. The reason why Baal
suddenly opened up the Asura Road must be because he was conscious of Grid. She
also needed to make drastic changes to adapt to the accelerated world flow…

[Your apostle ‘Mercedes’ has created a new chivalric code.]

Nothing changed as the wounds on Mercedes’ body increased. However, a change

occurred when Mercedes’ sword failed to increase the wounds on the demons’ body.
It was a dramatic and continuous change.

First of all, Mercedes’ sword energy that formed her silver wings, changed. The
feathers dispersed and became blade fragments. They rotated like a wheel and
wrapped around Mercedes’ body or sword. If they wrapped around her body, they
exerted the power to reflect the enemy’s attack. If they wrapped around her sword,
they exerted the power to destroy the enemy’s defenses.

The silver wings used to assist Mercedes with acceleration and agility had achieved
an aggressive evolution. Mercedes’ swordsmanship also changed. A sword trajectory
wasn’t followed by the shield, but another sword trajectory. Every time she wielded
her sword, the shield that used to pressure the enemy or guard her side was now
being used as a foothold. It was appropriate to say that it was being used as a
topographic feature.

The position of the shield was constantly changing dynamically and it added
anomalies to her swordsmanship. The shield itself was so large and strong that it
had the role of blocking the enemy’s movement.

“”……””

The expressions of the demons changed. They had been quite surprised by the
performance of Keen Insight, but slowly regained their composure after confirming
there would be no change to the final result of them winning. Now shock slowly
appeared on their calm faces.

It was evidence that Mercedes had achieved a dramatic rise. She was different from
before.

First of all, her mindset had changed. It was different from the awareness that she
had to break through these gatekeeper demons. It wasn’t due to the mission she was
doing now. The reason she had to cut them to death was because they were beings
who might be a threat to her master one day in the future…

“A dramatic victory.”

Defeat the enemy and win the battle—the declaration that contained Mercedes’ new
mindset was embodied as a substantial force. The sword started to emit a brilliance
as it rapidly became huge. Then it devastated the forest of sword energy. It stretched
out, disturbed the demons’ camp, and slammed deep into the tunnel. The entire
underground area was shaken.

Mercedes’ transparent eyes as she descended from the collapsed ceiling gradually
turned red. It was the aftermath of the red thing lurking in the darkness.
The god of war—Ares was very fond of his alias.

It wasn’t because he was obsessed with the title of ‘god,’ but because he purely liked
the word ‘war.’

He admired generals from an early age and watched all the movies where soldiers
were active. Then he came across the classic Korean movie, The General’s Son. He
was fascinated by the street fighting and couldn’t take his eyes off it for a while, but…

Eventually, he shifted his attention back to the world of generals commanding an

army. He looked away for a while, so he realized the value and was even more
fascinated.

This was when Satisfy was released. It was set in an era of war where the focus was
on actual combat and not a button to launch nuclear missiles. He was naturally
interested. In order to become a ‘general’ that didn’t exist in the class column
introduced by the S.A Group, he believed in Satisfy’s high degree of freedom and
enlisted in the military.

He might’ve started out as the lowest ranked soldier, but he dreamed of becoming an
incomparable general. He didn’t outwardly express his dreams. He didn’t want to be
put into the same category as the ordinary military enthusiasts. He pretended to be
indifferent on the surface and acted like an uncle who lived according to the flow.

However, he worked harder than anyone else, earned the alias of a god of war, and
eventually became the founding king of a kingdom. He recalled the time when he was
at war with the Saharan Empire.

It was a time when Valhalla’s elite 5th army was repeatedly defeated by an army led
by the Red Knights. The atmosphere in Valhalla at the time wasn’t bad. In particular,
he judged the empire to be a much easier opponent than the Overgeared Kingdom. It
was because he discerned the capabilities of the 1st knight, who was in control of the
military power of the eastern part of the empire, a fierce battlefield at the time.

Mercedes—she possessed a powerful swordsmanship as rumored and was a death

god in the battlefield. The incident where the 1,000 elite troops led by Scott and Luck
were defeated by her alone was still talked about as a nightmare in Valhalla. Yes, it
was just one person. The commander-in-chief, Mercedes, drove away thousands of
troops without using any of her own troops. She took the lead and crushed the
enemies with pure force.

It was at this point that Ares realized that Mercedes wasn’t a good general. It was
due to her own tendencies, not because she had flaws in her ability to move the
troops or her strategies. She was a warrior based on overwhelming martial talent.
For her, there was little reason to use the army and Ares properly penetrated her
psychology.

He reduced the scope of the battlefield. He led the eastern army of the empire to take
her orders on the same battlefield as her. As expected, the enemy’s active force was
reduced and the Valhalla Army performed better than expected. They might have
been eventually defeated, but it bought enough time to fully grasp the empire’s
strength and gave them the opportunity to pursue the next step. In any case, the
conclusion was—

“This is her essence,” Ares insisted as he lay in the hammock and looked up at the
sky. It was a sky that showed the violent image of Mercedes smashing everything
around her with a giant sword of light.

“It is in her nature to get rid of a crisis before it happens, rather than sitting still and
responding to a crisis.”

There was no sense of crisis in his amused expression as he sipped on a cola-

flavored drink. It was in a situation where the Asura Road opened by Baal caused
chaos on the surface and the hell expedition repeatedly struggled. He had a relaxed
attitude even after hearing the news that a dragon appeared and nearly destroyed
the world.

It was because the rumored Dragon Slayer handled the dragon and he believed in
Grid and Mercedes when it came to the hell situation. They had fought together as
enemies or colleagues, so he was confident that he knew the strength of this couple
better than anyone.

“Can I call them a married couple?”

“Isn’t it okay as long as you are careful in front of Empress Irene and Empress
Basara?”

“Haha, yes. I don’t want to seem hateful to the other wives, so I have to be careful.”

Ares crushed the 22 ounce iron cup with one hand and stood up. The cup crumpled
like a wad of tissue paper and fell onto the sandy beach. Ares’ eyes caught something
‘running on the sea’ as he started to make his way to the shore.

“There are 300 people who have mastered the water walking light footwork
technique.”

The followers of the Martial God—those who had been training in the East Continent
started a large-scale activity. They crossed the Red Sea toward the West Continent
and seemed to be moving under Zeratul’s oracle.

It was unfortunate. A god who threatened the human world by taking advantage of
the chaos caused by the worst demon called Baal.

‘There is no one who is right. After this, the only god who can be trusted is Grid.’

If Grid hadn’t advanced to the myth rating—

If there were fewer opportunities to get a glimpse into the reality of the gods who
didn’t feel a sense of crisis—

The 2 billion players would’ve been in a great crisis even after winning the war
against hell. It was highly likely that the gods, who hid their essence, would take
advantage of them. They would be divided into those who doubted the gods and
those who didn’t. Simply put, they would’ve been hit hard by the stab in the back and
fall into a desperate situation. They would’ve only noticed the reality of the gods
after losing most of their strength to resist.

“That friend, Grid, he is really amazing.”

“So suddenly?”

The sandy beach started to shake as Ares reached the shore. It was the aftermath of
tens of thousands of horses lining up behind him. It was the continent’s strongest
cavalry, armed with the Overgeared Empire’s weapons and armor. They radiated the
same energy like they were one. Their momentum was so great that it made the
followers of the martial god hesitate for a moment.

The moment the 300 followers stopped moving unexpectedly, a tsunami occurred.
Waves that soared like walls rushed toward the shore.

Ares and the mounted soldiers weren’t bewildered. They stared at the rapidly
approaching waves without any fear. The followers showed off the water walking
light footwork technique again and were getting closer on the waves.

“Are they surfers?” Ares burst out laughing before giving a command, “All forces,
annihilate.”

There was one reason why Ares went to the front himself the moment he heard
about the massive advance of the followers of the martial god. It was in order to win.

The army he directly commanded was four times stronger than usual. A huge 13
buffs were stacked up. Additionally, the name of one of these buffs was none other
than Peerless General.

Ares made his dream come true.

***

“”Catch her…!””

A demon who had been implanted with the soul of the Sword Saint—he noticed that
Mercedes’s sword energy had changed. No, it wasn’t appropriate to say that it had
simply changed. It felt closer to uncovering what had been hidden. It felt like they
opened a box that shouldn’t have been opened.

“”Is it right to chase? Wouldn’t it hate it if we invaded its territory?””

The chatter of the old demons gradually grew faster. It could be that their vocal
cords, which had hardened due to long years of silence, were finally loosened, or it
could be because the situation was tense.

“”It isn’t the time to argue about that. It is a conflict, so it is right to cooperate.””

The more the demon with the transplanted soul of the Sword Saint spoke, the more
the expressions of the other demons shook. It was a bizarre reaction. It had to be so.
The thing that lurked beneath them was a monster. It was a monster made up of
millions of souls. It wasn’t in the realm of understanding, so it couldn’t be opposed.
Then what did it mean by a conflict?

“”Che.””

The demon with the soul of the Sword Saint eventually went out alone. He left
behind the demons who weren’t ready to rush forward and jumped underground.
Was it because he had a strong sense of duty alone? No. His soul was hoping for a
fight with Mercedes. It was an instinctive attraction.

***

Duguen, dugeun, dugeun!

At the deepest underground of hell…

A red sphere lurking in the darkness was pulsating. It was like the heart of
something. However, it couldn’t be. It was ridiculously huge. It would be hundreds of
times larger than a dragon heart.

How long had she been falling? The moment that Mercedes landed on the ground, a
shockwave shook the entire underground. She was as small as an ant as she stood in
front of the red sphere. Her gaze failed to capture the sphere with the strange eyes. It
wasn’t a problem. Even though she knew this would be the case, she got closer. Her
Keen Insight had already finished the analysis of the sphere.

‘The hell moon.’

This was the original form of the hell moon. Like the moon that shone on the surface,
this red sphere was being projected onto the skies of the surface and hell. It was
something artificially created, unlike the real moon in space.

‘It is a huge chunk of flesh.’

It was at the moment Mercedes defined the identity of that something… A faint light
started to appear all over the chunk of flesh. It was a red light that flowed like blood.
In the sky, an infinite number of bloodshot eyes were visible. Each one was
someone’s soul. Was it depicted as bloodshot eyes because there was a strong
resentment?

Mercedes was thinking with a heavy heart when a red light shot at her. It was filled
with a very threatening force.

Mercedes remained silent. There was no evasion or defense. It was because she
knew there was no need for it.

Kyaaaak!

The light shot was the soul of a woman. The memory of a woman who lost her child
screamed and pierced through Mercedes without causing any damage.

“It is a low-grade trick,” Mercedes spoke coldly.

A trick—the previous attack was just a deception. If the person wasn’t Mercedes, it
was highly likely that this would’ve been perceived and reacted to as a powerful
threat before being subjected to some type of linked attack. The red flesh was
discreet and cunning in a way that didn’t fit the huge mass.

Duguen, dugeun, dugeun!

Did it understand her words?

The flesh pulsated even more violently after hearing Mercedes’ accusation and shot
out multiple lights this time. It was seen as a baptism of red beams in the eyes of the
people. However, each light was perceived differently with Mercedes’ Keen Insight.
The wave of an innocent child, the killing technique of a cruel murderer, the
awkward swordsmanship of a nameless soldier, the hand plow of a farmer, the magic
of a magician, the embrace of an old man who missed his children, etc. Some were
threatening, some were warm, and some were sad.

Mercedes was generally expressionless except in front of Grid, but now her
expression was changing every moment. She accepted the light with a faint smile
and frowned slightly when it cut off. It was a scene that couldn’t be understood at all
from the perspective of a third party.

“”This monstrous person.””

Then a sword rose from below Mercedes’ feet. The demon with the soul of the Sword
Saint had arrived at the scene.

“”Let’s fight fairly with swordsmanship,”” the demon spoke with a cracked voice and
his sword energy raged fiercely.

It was a swordsmanship with a trick that made it difficult for Mercedes earlier. There
were thousands of possibilities for the sword, so it was difficult to respond even after
she read it with Keen Insight. It was because it was a swordsmanship that
transformed in real time as soon as it was read with Keen Insight.

Mercedes’ giant sword, which still contained a huge light, cut that swordsmanship in
an instant and disrupted it. It was an unchallenged force, an overwhelming violence.

“Get lost.”

There was nothing awkward about the harsh words that flowed from her lips. It was
surprisingly well suited to her noble face—the demon had this thought as he leaned
slightly to the side and kicked off against the ground. He lost one shoulder from
being cut by a sword and shot out faster than an arrow. The two hilts held in one
hand stood out. He used skillful hand movements and crossed the two swords like
scissors. It seemed to have the momentum to work properly.

However, was it really a threat? Mercedes, who was habitually wary of any
swordsmanship she had never seen before, suddenly got rid of her vigilance. It was a
law that everything was relative. No matter how strange and threatening the
swordsmanship, it was enough for her to suppress it with greater force.

It was a belief instilled by the conquering sword energy of a dramatic victory.

Mercedes recovered her sword and swung it again. Then her sword energy cut the
space horizontally this time. It cut the demon’s sword energy from above and below
in half and reached the demon’s neck.

The demon hurriedly tilted his body to avoid it and was forced to pull out his secret
technique.

“”Space Sword.””
“”Space Sword.””

It had to be tolerated even if this space was destroyed and ‘that’ was touched. It was
urgent to get rid of the monster wearing a human mask and who grasped the reality
of that…

The demon who received the soul of the Sword Saint made a decision. There was just
something he had overlooked. It was that Mercedes had witnessed the complete
Space Sword several times. It was Sword Saint Kraugel’s Space Sword. The Space
Sword he was using could be more powerful than Kraugel’s one, but it couldn’t be
perfect. The demonic energy that had accumulated in the demon who lived since
close to the beginning was strong, but the soul transplanted into him was nothing
more than a fake.

‘It isn’t Muller.’

Then why did he believe that Muller’s soul was transplanted in him?

Mercedes threw the shield and plugged it into the wall. Then she used the handle as
a rod. She held it in one hand and turned her body to dodge the Space Sword. It was
a feat that happened in an instant. The entire backdrop behind her was split in half,
making it even more gorgeous.

People cheered and the demon’s face crumpled.

“”You avoided it?””

The Sword Saint had to cut the target. The representative technique for proving this
law was Space Sword. It was an ultra-wide range technique that cut down the center
of the world by taking the target as the vanishing point rather than the ultimate
target. The moment the world was cut apart, it was natural for the target to be cut
with it.

However, it was avoided. The demon belatedly noticed it—the world wasn’t exactly
split in half, it was split diagonally.
‘I got the vanishing point wrong.’

How could he make this mistake?

Mercedes spoke to the demon who was criticizing himself, “It is natural that you
can’t do it right.”

““……?””

“You’re not a Sword Saint.”

“”That… this is something I know myself. It doesn’t make sense as a provocation.”

He had been transplanted with only a very small part of the soul of Sword Saint
Muller. He could only understand and use the techniques of the Sword Saint. He
wasn’t actually a Sword Saint.

‘This is why it is impossible to be perfect and it is natural to make mistakes.’

How he dealt with the mistakes was important…

The demon sublimated the enemy’s provocation into enlightenment and smiled with
satisfaction. He calmed his mind and heart. Then his composure was broken right
away.

“The soul you have been transplanted with isn’t the Sword Saint.”

““…What?””

The demon’s eyes shook. The colors of his pupils, which were half blue and half red,
gradually turned red all over. Blue seemed to symbolize intelligence and red seemed
to symbolize anger.

“”Once again, it is pointless. It is useless no matter how much you provoke me…””

“The Sword Saint cutting the world isn’t an abstract expression. It is real.”

Mercedes stomped her feet lightly. It was a gesture that indicated to the land that
had been split by the demon’s sword.
“It isn’t scribbles like this.”

“”Scribbles? How insolent.””

The demon knew—the trajectory of the sword he just used went around all of hell. It
really cut the world. It wasn’t at a level that could be disparaged as scribbles.
Eventually, the blue color completely disappeared from the demon’s eyes. The way
he roared and rushed like a beast made him seem like an ordinary demon.

The rumors buried in his memories were messing with his mind. They were the
rumors that Muller was still alive. It was a rumor that shouldn’t be true. If Muller was
still alive, then the fragment of the soul transplanted into the demon wouldn’t really
belong to Muller.

There was a series of nervous noises. It was a scream that emerged every time the
demon’s sword collided with Mercedes’ White Tiger Sword. The quality of the
weapons themselves was different. Moreover, the current White Tiger Sword was
filled with the dramatic victory sword energy, thus the demon couldn’t bear it
completely. The more he couldn’t overwhelm her in swordsmanship and the more
the wounds on his body grew, the stronger the doubts that arose in the demon’s
mind.

“”If it isn’t the Sword Saint… what is it?””

What was this in his soul…? The demon was unable to bear the fear and finally asked
this question, only to become stunned.

Mercedes’ transparent eyes were turned to the huge piece of flesh behind him. That
was her answer.

“”This… it can’t be…! Absolutely not!”

The demon acknowledged that Mercedes’ eyes could see through the soul. In fact,
she wasn’t deceived by the soul bombardment of this chunk of flesh. Therefore, he
couldn’t deny Mercedes’ answer. He just refused to believe it.

“”My life shouldn’t be insignificant…!””

The demon lived in the Age of Mythology. It was the era when Yatan stayed in hell. At
that time, hell was a shelter for the dead who hadn’t ascended to heaven. The demon
sympathized and cared for the dead according to the will of God. This was until God
disappeared all of a sudden one day.

Eventually, around the time when Beriache was expelled and hell was deformed, the
demon entered seclusion. He denied the new hell. Even so, the reason he accepted
Baal’s request to protect this place was for the sake of the future. In order to fight on
the side of his God who would one day return, he coveted the power that Baal had
given him in return for fulfilling the request.

In silence, he cut off communication with Baal and worked hard to train his strength.
Yet that power was fake? Then the years he endured were meaningless…

“”Kuek…””

A dark shade appeared on the wrinkled demon’s face. It was a total defeat. The fact
that he was unable to subdue a swordsman with swordsmanship further increased
the suspicion that filled his mind. He had long lost his composure. He wasn’t able to
fully demonstrate his incomplete skills.

Mercedes added a cruel truth to him, “That chunk of flesh can fuse souls.”

The souls fired earlier when the flesh attacked were independent individuals.
However, Mercedes saw traces left in those souls. They were like traces left on torn
paper. No, to be more precise, they were traces that had stuck to something and then
came off.

“The soul implanted into you is also a work that was made.”

Perhaps the souls of the swordsmen who were killed by a Sword Saint were fused
with the souls of unnamed great swordsmen? This was why it could create a soul
that remembered the techniques of the Sword Saint and vaguely imitate it. It was
scary and horrible.

“That is why I have to get rid of it,” Mercedes persuaded the demon. It was a situation
where even a little bit of help might not be enough to win, so she felt a certain sense
of betrayal when she saw the demon’s inner thoughts.

“”……””

The demon couldn’t easily answer. Despite feeling the same sense of horror as
Mercedes, as well as a terrible sense of desolation, he didn’t have the courage to
antagonize this chunk of flesh. It was because he knew the truth that Mercedes didn’t
know.

“”That… it is better not to touch it. It is because that thing is probably a god.””

“A god?”

“”I noticed at first sight that it resembled Demon God Sitri.””

Demon God Sitri—a god who screamed and wandered, created by the accumulation
of souls who lost their place.

“”If it was Baal who made it… the usage of it would definitely be dangerous. Maybe it
is linked to Demon God Sitri. The moment you harm it, the pain and anger might be
transferred to Sitri. This can be an opportunity to awaken Sitri into a cruel being.
Then hell would really be over.””

The demon didn’t think that Baal would use it to make himself a god. It meant he
understood Baal’s personality very well.

“It could be a vessel for creating a completely new god. Then I have to get rid of it.”

“”A new god… isn’t that impossible even for Baal?””

Baal was a direct descendant of God Yatan and the ruler of hell. He wielded great
power, but he wasn’t omnipotent. If even the heavenly gods weren’t omnipotent, how
could the child of a god be omnipotent? It was the demon’s idea that it was
impossible to create an entirely new god.

However, he couldn’t convince Mercedes.

“I think I have to get rid of it now.”

Now wasn’t the time to drag things out. No matter the reality of this thing, it was true
that it was currently performing the role of a hell moon. It was the culprit that
turned the surface into an Asura Road. This was the overriding goal of this
expedition and Mercedes had an obligation to get rid of it. To be honest, she didn’t
care what happened to hell.
““…You aren’t a character who needs a conversation.””

The demon clicked his tongue and stepped to the side. He had lost the will to fight
Mercedes. Originally, his anger and resentment had been directed at Baal for many
years. He had just turned away while waiting for the right time, but now he couldn’t
turn away any longer.

“”You should hurry. Five of the six demons above have long become Baal’s
henchmen.””

The ones with the souls of human legends like himself. No, the old demons who had
been transplanted with false, fused souls. They also longed for the hell of the past
and held a deep resentment toward Baal. However, this had changed over the years.
They were intoxicated by the easily acquired power and forgot about the past. They
would never be as easily persuaded as himself…

The demon advised and Mercedes nodded. She was no longer hindered and ran
toward the chunk of flesh. The chunk of flesh fired the souls to resist, but it didn’t
stop her. It was cut by the sharp and huge sword, and writhed bizarrely. It was
incompatible with Keen Insight, which distinguished between souls. It happened as
Mercedes was gaining momentum…

[Do it, in moderation.]

One of the cut pieces of flesh took a human form and attacked Mercedes. Mercedes
immediately sensed killing intent and twisted the trajectory of her sword to fight
back. However, the latecomer’s technique wasn’t easily blocked. In exchange for
acting first, she was cut first and flew far away with her shield.

“……”

Mercedes’ expression hardened as she got up and wiped the blood from her mouth.
It was because the human figure formed from the chunk of flesh resembled Grid at
first glance. However, he had fangs that came down, white skin, and red eyes. It was a
deceitful and demonic figure. It was the blackened Grid who once roamed through
hell.

[Killing intent. I, kill you.]

“……!”
Mercedes hurriedly extended her sword. She was wary of the layers of souls around
the blackened Grid’s body. It was undoubtedly powerful. He used not only
swordsmanship, but also magic. It was noticed that at least dozens of souls of great
swordsmen and great magicians were accumulated and attached to him. He showed
a martial power that transcended legends.

‘Ugh.’ It was the moment when Mercedes swallowed down a groan after being hit
and coughed up blood again…

“…Let’s end this.”

Grid’s eyes sank coldly as he floated above the river of reincarnation. The Sanctuary
of Metal was unfolded. The 100 God Hands that were moving dizzily stopped in
unison and grabbed swords. It was a spectacle that couldn’t be seen anywhere else.

The already tired Eligos felt shock. To be honest, he was fascinated. Grid’s high
charm and dignity stats combined with the situation to exert a powerful effect.
However, Eligos didn’t show it. He asked in a calm tone, “Why are you in a hurry to
win all of a sudden?”

“I have a place to go to.”

“…Then just go. I will let you go.”

“You want to hit me in the back of the head, but it won’t work.”

“You can sign a contract with me if you don’t believe me. You know that a demon
bound by a contract can’t lie.”

“……?”

At the Dog’s Mouth that connected hell and the surface…

Eligos, the Black Knight who guarded the river of reincarnation where souls were
bound—one of the strongest beings in hell and who overshadowed the concept of
hierarchy was now requesting a contract from Grid.

It was a crazy situation that even Baal couldn’t have predicted.

There was one reason why Black Knight Eligos was ranked 20th—it was due to the
belief that the right to protect the 20th Hell, Dog’s Mouth, lay only with himself. He
was concerned about another demon other than himself taking care of Dog’s Mouth.
He feared that the doorway between hell and the surface would open and close on a
petty whim, turning hell into a cheap marketplace.

Therefore, he didn’t yield his position or seek ascension. He just stayed in place with
Cerberus.

Why did he have to put in such effort? It was because Eligos was surprisingly a
worshiper of hell. Hell was the source of a great being like himself. He had a very
strong sense of pride. Yet at some point, he became fascinated by Grid.

The ability to control the trajectory—Eligos’ power to neutralize all the enemy’s
tactics while exerting his own armed might as an absolute law was beyond the
natural course of things. His innate talent was so outstanding that he was
exceptional enough to be counted on one hand among all those in hell. Even Baal and
Amoract respected him.

Those Eligos himself considered to be his enemies were rare. Apart from undefeated
beings like Baal, Amoract, and Leraje, and some unknown beings, he believed he was
close to invincible. However, he had the feeling that the Grid he encountered today
was more in line with the word ‘invincible.’

The one who wore dragon scales as armor wasn’t easily cut. Even if it was barely cut,
it quickly recovered again and again and exhausted Eligos in reverse. It was both
mentally and physically.

Eligos glimpsed the 100 black-gold hands that moved non-stop while using Grid as
the source.

Metal that never broke—the world’s most powerful substance that could be subdued
and restrained, but couldn’t be bent or broken.

That’s right—in Eligos’ eyes, Grid looked like metal, not a living being. There was a
corner of him that found it futile to resist. The problem wasn’t the armed might, but
the difference in thought that fighting against such an opponent itself was a loss.

At this time, Grid seemed to be in a hurry to win, showing that his heart was urgent.
The question of whether he needed to fight spread like inspiration in Eligos’ mind.

“…Make a contract?”

“Yes.”

Usually, when it came to a contract with a demon, there was a strong perception that
the soul had to be sacrificed. However, it was completely different in reality. Based on
what was shown in the relationship between Yura and the red demon, it was more
common for a demon’s contract to be conducted in a more simplified way. Usually,
when a demon offered a contract to a human, it was because they were in a bad
position.

How shameful would it be to ask for a soul when they had given up their pride and
offered a contract? The rumor that a contract with a demon required a soul was a
type of prejudice spread by incompetent black magicians.

“Perhaps the urgency has something to do with the moon.”

Grid was communicating with his apostles in real time. Mercedes was Grid’s knight,
lover, and family. The environment of hell and the distance from here were
interfering with communication, but he vaguely noticed the situation she was in. It
was the same logic as that.

Eligos, one of the monarchs of hell, was faintly aware of the events taking place
somewhere in hell at this moment. He put himself in Grid’s position.

“If you want to leave, I will let you go. I will sign a contract, so you can trust my
promise, and the content of the contract is simple. I won’t harm you unless you
harbor the intention of harming my territory. As an added bonus, I will send you to
the place you want to go in a single breath.”

“Isn’t that one-sidedly advantageous to me?”

Grid’s vigilance grew even deeper. The content of the contract could be interpreted
as a favor to him and it was very suspicious.
“I'm afraid of you,” Eligos told him honestly.

“……?”

“…I also feel sorry for Cerberus who is groaning.”

Yip, yiip…

The huge Cerberus, who was almost like a dragon based on the size of his body,
made a groaning sound. He turned his three heads and looked at Eligos with
resentment. It was as if he was scolding Eligos to not talk nonsense. Eligos ignored it.
Eligos stroked his neck and urged, “Isn’t it convincing? How long are you going to
hesitate when it is so urgent?”

“Yes, I will accept the offer.” Grid didn’t hesitate for long. He nodded the moment he
confirmed there were no problems with the contents of the ‘Contract with Eligos’
that appeared in front of him.

“It is a great choice.” A smile spread across Eligos’ face.

All of this was being recorded in the Overgeared God’s epic.

Cerberus, the mythical monster who had been guarding the entrance of hell for eons,
was frightened by the majesty of the Overgeared God and withdrew…

An extraordinary passage was added to the 20th epic that was hard for anyone to
believe unless they witnessed the situation themselves.

***

The more she exchanged blows with the blackened Grid, the more the sword energy
of dramatic victory shook like it was going to be extinguished. The remnants of the
scattered sword energy couldn’t gather again and dissipated. The sword energy that
soared up for tens of meters was reduced to the level of just covering the White Tiger
Sword. In a series of successive battles, an unexpected and formidable enemy
appeared and Mercedes’s physical strength soon reached her limit.

[It wasn’t, wise.]

The blackened Grid spoke as if to rebuke Mercedes. He seemed worried. Of course,

this couldn’t be the case.

Mercedes deflected the sword of the blackened Grid and was filled with doubts.
‘That’s right. It wasn’t wise.’

Mercedes’ original purpose was to locate the hell moon. It was right to report it to
Grid the moment she found out where it was. Dealing with the moon was something
that could be done after Grid and the apostles joined. However, Mercedes wasn't
satisfied with just finding the location of the moon. She dared to go underground,
and in the end, she tried to get rid of the chunk of flesh herself.

It wasn’t a big problem until she went underground. Until then, Mercedes had been
acting on the basis of rational thinking. It was because she was the only one who
could grasp the horrible identity of this chunk of flesh. Mercedes felt the need to
pinpoint this accurately before bringing Grid and the apostles here.

The problem happened after that. Mercedes became obsessed with the chunk of
flesh. She was overcome with the anxiety that she needed to get rid of that red chunk
of flesh right away. She lost her composure without being aware of it. It had to be so.

I’m scared… Sad… Help me… It hurts… I’m cold… Save me…

The baptism of souls shot by the chunk of flesh wasn’t easy to avoid. It was because it
was very fast and the number rushing at her at the same time was in the tens and
hundreds. The best Mercedes could do was to distinguish between the dangerous
and non-dangerous souls and avoid the attacks of the dangerous souls.

Souls that didn’t harm people—the souls with no aggression and simply harbored a
grudge were accepted without being avoided. It was obviously the best solution. This
best solution was the problem.

Mercedes unknowingly fell under the influence of the souls. The pain, anger, and
sorrow of these souls were engraved onto her soul and she developed a grudge
against hell and this chunk of flesh. It gave her the strong willpower to get rid of it.

The pincer attacks of the blackened Grid and the chunk of flesh were very
threatening. The armor that Grid had made and put on her was repeatedly torn
apart. The flesh that was revealed through the cracks in the armor was red, not
white.
Mercedes was already covered in blood, but she was more concerned about Grid
than her own situation.‘My Liege, this—it is dangerous.’

It wasn’t an object that could be targeted by distinguishing the forms of the rushing
souls. No matter what form it took, the baptism of souls from the chunk of flesh was
equally threatening in the end. During the battle, damage was bound to accumulate.
Even Grid and the apostles wouldn’t be able to withstand the mental blow.

Additionally, the more the chunk of flesh was cut, the more enemies there would be.
The chunk of flesh was able to use the flesh that had fallen from its body to realize
the master of the soul.

…Wait, master of the soul?

Mercedes’ expression was filled with surprise as she blocked the sword of the
blackened Grid and exchanged looks with him. She watched the eyes of the
blackened Grid shake when they had previously only seemed cold.

[You should have, run away.]

“……!”

The blackened Grid was a byproduct of Grid. It was just a trace of Grid’s clone that
had blackened and wandered through hell without perishing. However, he was
gradually getting smarter. His years of wandering through hell grew longer and he
started to question his own existence. He tried to perceive himself as ‘I’ and not
someone else’s byproduct.

Did he have a soul since then?

The blackened Grid raised his knees to Mercedes’ abdomen as she was feeling
shocked by the realization. Then he wrapped his arms around her neck. He squeezed
her neck tight and whispered.

[Mercedes, I saw you, through the eyes, of the moon.]

The soul of the blackened Grid who had been killed by Grid and fell back to hell—his
soul was held by that chunk of flesh and he often peeked at the surface. Every day
that the hell moon remained on the surface, he kept his eye on the life of the main
body that was his origin.
What that guy hated and what he loved—he watched with jealousy all the time but
he sometimes felt empathy.

[I love, you.]

Chill.

[After this, you will, be mine.]

Mercedes felt the hair all over her body stand up. She struggled as she felt the
twisted emotions of the blackened Grid, who tightened his grip around her neck like
a giant snake. However, the blackened Grid’s obsession was beyond her imagination.

[For, ever.]

Die.

Die…! Die!!

Your soul will be with me, trapped in that eternity…!

It was around the time when the cry of the blackened Grid, tinged with madness,
gradually grew louder…

““You?””

She heard the scream of the demon who believed that he had been transplanted with
the soul of the Sword Saint. He had lived for a very long time, so he shouldn’t be
surprised by anything. Therefore, this astonished response was strange.

Mercedes was gradually losing consciousness without grasping the situation when
her body suddenly floated in the air. A breath of the thick air of hell flowed into her
lungs. She came to her senses and took a falling posture. She landed on the ground as
gracefully as a butterfly, regardless of her wounds.

Then she saw it. The appearance of two Grids confronting each other.

“Good job, Mers.”

Grid’s breathing was a bit rough as he spoke with his back to Mercedes. It was proof
that he was quite tired. On the other hand, the distorted face of the blackened Grid
was full of relaxation. The red chunk of flesh was giving him more souls.

[Grid, I glimpsed, your life.]

Gasp.

Some of the fragments of flesh that had been cut by Mercedes earlier flew and were
caught in the hands of the blackened Grid. They quickly took on the shape of sword
and armor. It was a form that closely resembled the equipment Grid was currently
armed with.

[The stronger you became, the stronger I became.]

A black energy started to spread around the blackened Grid. It looked like demonic
energy at first glance, but it wasn’t.

“”Divinity…!””

In the midst of the astonishment of the witnesses—

[I deserve, to take away, your life.]

The Sanctuary of Metal was opened. A canyon where there was a chill rather than
heat, where there was despair rather than majesty—it was the mental world of the
blackened Grid.
He was born unwanted. He didn’t know who he was and he didn’t learn how to live.
He had no choice but to be shocked when he barely reached the surface after
wandering aimlessly through the hell filled with violence and malice.

Society, culture, nature, and affection. Things that weren’t in hell. The surface was
overflowing with concepts that he had never learned or experienced.

It was unfair. Anger boiled up on its own and burst out.

In the end, he was killed. It was the end of the filth that emerged from nothingness. It
was a life he never wanted to go through again.

However, the world was cruel to him. He had a soul. Due to that, his death wasn’t the
end. He was once again stuck in hell. He was swallowed by the ball of red flesh. He
lost the sense of self that was his only comfort and became a part of the chunk of
flesh rather than ‘I.’ This caused him to develop greater resentment and anger.

It was at that time that the Great Human and Demon War broke out. He became one
of the eyes projected on the surface’s moon and was able to observe Grid’s life. A
perfect life that he couldn’t even imagine. He envied Grid.

[I will, take away your life.]

The Sanctuary of Metal used by the blackened Grid was red. The canyon, which
seemed to have been built out of hardened blood rather than metal, spread out
everywhere. There was no straight path. The hundreds of thousands of paths that
stretched out like blood vessels were all precarious slopes. A vast majority were cut
off along the way, while others were blocked by the walls of the canyon.

It was different from Grid’s sanctuary, where there was a path that passed through
the canyon rising to the left and right. Grid had firm convictions, so he knew the path
to go. Meanwhile, the blackened Grid was going through chaos. He was blocking his
own infinite possibilities.

“That… he is inferior.”
It was on a road that was too cramped for even one person to stand upright.
Mercedes stood with her back to Grid and spoke calmly. She was releasing pressure
that was howling like a beast and it seemed like she would curse, but her breathing
had calmed down. She barely persevered.

How dare this person imitate her liege’s mental world and divinity, defiling her
liege’s life? It felt like her ears would rot at the heinous declaration of the blackened
Grid and she wanted to spit out curses that told him that he was trash. The problem
was that Grid was nearby. She put up with it because she wanted to look innocent as
much as possible in front of Grid…

‘She is cute.’

Grid stared at the back of the trembling Mercedes and smiled. Now, he was close to
being sensitive even in relation to the opposite sex. He was able to see through
Mercedes’ inner thoughts because he had experienced it with Yura, whose eyes
shone on rides even though she tried not to show it outwardly.

Grid took a step forward. He stood boldly on the crumbling slope that couldn’t even
withstand the weight of light steps.

“You tried hard.”

“……?”

[……?]

Both Mercedes and the blackened Grid looked bewildered. It was because the person
that Grid praised was the blackened Grid. In this moment of silence, Grid reviewed
Mercedes’ report again. It was information relayed through sound transmission as
soon as he arrived at the scene.

First of all, this mass of red flesh was the body of the hell moon. It was projected onto
the moon through some magic, while the souls held in the chunk of flesh acted as
eyes that looked all over the surface. It seemed that the souls used their instincts to
chase after the memories of their lives. It wasn’t known if the hell moon was like this
from the beginning, or whether it took away the role of the hell moon from a certain
point onward.

Additionally, there was a type of inconsistency in the type of soul caught by the flesh.
From infants with a weak self-consciousness to famous, great figures in history, all
types of human souls were trapped in the mass of flesh.

Why use an unspecified number of souls instead of selecting the souls of powerful
beings? It was easy to guess. It was simply to gain the ‘eyes’ to look at a wider variety
of places. Thinking a little deeper, it would be to build up divinity. The reason why
the blackened Grid had divinity after separating from the chunk of flesh was because
it was highly likely to be worshiped by those souls.

The blackened Grid was simply a being derived from Grid and the concept of divinity
wasn’t something that could be easily built up. Therefore, Grid could tell that the
blackened Grid had been working hard on its own.

“You… you must’ve tried to become like me while observing me. The other souls
worshiped you because they witnessed you acting like that.”

What effort could be done while in a soul state? Mental discipline? Did he make Grid
a virtual enemy and repeated the shadow boxing? In any case, it wouldn’t have been
an ordinary effort. He must’ve been worshiped as a hope and an example to the
other souls.

‘If you resemble me, then you deserve it.’

Grid was feeling a strange sense of pride when the blackened Grid growled out
toward him.

[Don’t talk, nonsense.]

The blackened Grid didn’t seem to know his condition. He didn’t understand the
essence of divinity, so it was natural that he didn’t know it. He seemed to believe that
everything he had came from Grid. It was like denying himself.

“It is bittersweet.”

Grid drew his sword. He stared at the red chunk of flesh that was behind the
blackened Grid.

‘How many gods are inside it?’

There wouldn’t be much of a reason behind the fragments of the chunk of flesh
turning into the blackened Grid. It wasn’t that it watched the blackened Grid
carefully and gave him a chance. It was closer to the feeling of simply taking out a
card that suited the situation. Grid made a guess while feeling the mental world of
the terribly indifferent chunk of flesh and used Item Combination.

The blackened Grid responded immediately. Swords made from fragments of the
chunk of flesh—they were put together one by one and looked exactly like Grid’s
divine swords. The sight of a bunch of veins protruding from the swords that
intertwined with each other and wriggling at the end of the sword was bizarre.

[You, are smiling.]

Did he have the awareness that this was nothing more than trivial imitation? The
complexion of the blackened Grid became even paler. It was as if he couldn’t bear the
shame. Yet soon, his eyes sharpened like a knife. Unlike his fierce air, the hand
holding the hilt loosened. The posture of standing quietly with relaxed shoulders
seemed good for performing a sword dance at any time.

Grid didn’t feel any dislike toward him. When they met in the past, Grid was
displeased with the way this person looked like him, while also feeling sympathy and
disgust for the way the clone resented him. Now the blackened Grid was just pitiful.
The fact that he had become a god in some form was also a bit praiseworthy.

“For your sake as well, I will surely purify hell.”

There were countless souls who hadn’t been reincarnated and were bound to hell. It
wasn’t just Pagma and Alex. The vast majority of those Grid knew directly or
indirectly were suffering the same pain as the blackened Grid. The soldiers who had
fought alongside Grid, and also their families, were screaming as they were trapped
in this chunk of flesh or the river of reincarnation. The existence of the blackened
Grid harshly showed that reality.

“Sky,” Grid declared himself as the sky.

He rode the Breath that was shot backwards and rushed toward the blackened Grid.
He took the lead using the Serve sword dance, which depicted the sacrifice of the
Overgeared God. It was a sword dance he only recently learned, so it was unfamiliar
to the blackened Grid.

Grid seemed like he was stumbling, so when the blackened Grid saw Grid
approaching, he responded with surprise. He also used the Sky sword dance before
starting to unfold Pinnacle. He lowered his sword with all his might, while hoping to
make Grid regret the distance he had given up.

However, his sword couldn’t reach Grid. He was overwhelmed by this secret
technique and froze for a moment. Then he was pushed back. The Pinnacle sword
dance was canceled at the casting stage.

Grid ascended. He pushed his shoulder forward against the blackened Grid’s solar
plexus and at the same time, he swung the sword in the opposite hand from the
bottom up. The great power of the dragon weapon, which couldn’t be replicated even
by the red chunk of flesh that produced divinity on its own, combined with the
Dragon sword dance to erode at the dark energy of the blackened Grid.

He was soon cut.

[……!]

The blackened Grid became dizzy. It was the sense that its existence was cut off after
being denied. It was the pain he felt when his divinity was damaged.

Grid had always endured. It was from the moment he became the Overgeared God to
the present. There were few moments that were comfortable for him, who fought
until he was ragged every time. The luck that others saw as being easily obtained
was actually gained because he endured such pains.

Therefore, only Grid could understand the blackened Grid. Had all the souls caught
the red chunk of flesh developed like the soul of the blackened Grid? He was certain
it was a no. It would only be a fraction of the blackened Grid. This guy deserved
respect.

“I will let you ascend to heaven later, so stay dead until then.”

[You…!!]

The canyon melted away. The blood that was flooding it changed into hundreds of
thousands of weapons. They all aimed at Grid and fired. It targeted the rear of the
defenseless Grid, who was exchanging blows in real time with the blackened Grid.

Of course, Grid was in a state where he had spread out his artificial senses in all
directions. He was using the God Hands orbiting around him to operate the particles
of silver thread in real time. He felt the traces of the approaching weapons. He
grasped the form, trajectory, and intent behind them.

The blackened Grid also knew it, so he swung his sword more and more. He used the
Revolve sword dance to buy as much time as possible. He forced Grid to focus on
him. He calculated the fact that Grid had a total of 30 God Hands.

Divine objects that couldn’t be realized even with the Sanctuary of Metal—no matter
how freely they moved, how could they handle the heavy rain of weapons, which was
dozens of times more than them? It was physically impossible.

‘I can inflict heavy damage or cause him to consume the rain of battle gear.’

That’s right—the blackened Grid was inducing a war of attrition. He planned to take
advantage of the fact that his physical strength was infinite as long as he had the red
chunk of flesh behind him. There was just something he overlooked.

[……?!]

It was that Greed multiplied infinitely. The mass of Greed that Grid always floated
above him was enough to make a flying ship, so depending on the altitude, it could
appear as a black sun. Yet in order to get a flying ship, it was better to receive help
from the giant brothers. It had to be set as a long-term project.

Therefore, Grid consumed the surplus Greed in a different manner. An additional 70

God Hands were produced. Now there were a total of 100 God Hands that Grid
possessed, including the God Hands spreading out the artificial senses. The sight of
them spinning at the same time and releasing a sword dance… it was spectacular.

The blackened Grid seemed to see the power of a ‘ruler,’ which was different from
that of transcendents or Absolutes. It was overwhelming.

[Re, ign…]

Thousands of swords were stabbed into the body of the blackened Grid, who was
watching the sight with wide eyes. The sight of him being stabbed like a hedgehog by
the weapons he made in his own mental world proved that his mental world was
imperfect.
However, in the end, he didn’t fall. It was because the source of the blackened Grid
was Grid. He was filled with persistence. He started a five fusion sword dance with
his pierced bodies and Grid told him in response, “One day, start over as ‘you.’”

[Shut… up! I…! You will be…!]

They were the same. If they fought with the same sword dance, then Grid wasn’t a
match for him. The opportunity would come to him, who had the upper hand in
recovery. It happened the moment when the blackened Grid noticed that the strides
and sword path of Grid were the same as his own and completed the sword dance
with hope…

Step.

Grid took a further half a step.

[……!]

Grid’s six fusion sword dance swallowed up the blackened Grid’s five fusion sword
dance, splitting apart the dark divinity and cutting the red canyon in half.

A glowing sunset divinity flooded the world.

[Cough…! Kuaaaack!]

The blackened Grid was swept away by the storm of the six fusion sword dance and
let out a sharp scream. Due to the help of the red chunk of flesh, his torn body was
being repaired in real time. Thanks to this, he could at least let out a scream.

He didn’t feel thankful at all. It was because this terrible pain was being repeated. He
would’ve been happier to die immediately.

‘It is terrible.’

Grid’s heart sank even further. The red chunk of flesh was forcibly holding onto the
souls of the dead and wielding the souls to its heart’s content. It used the souls as
constant eyes, while producing weapons like the blackened Grid, and ultimately,
using it as a tool to produce faith.

In many ways, it was a villain. Grid wanted to explode it right away and kill it. Putting
his personal feelings aside, he felt an obligation to get rid of it.

‘But… ’

The situation wasn’t favorable. That was a ‘world.’ It was to the extent where it made
the captured souls the inhabitants of the world to produce faith. This meant Grid
wasn’t confident about handling it alone. He couldn’t attack recklessly even if he
glimpsed some odds of winning. It created weapons like the blackened Grid from its
cut off flesh. He didn’t know what type of monsters would appear after the
blackened Grid.

It was a situation where the six fusion sword dance was consumed to defeat the
blackened Grid alone. Then what if more monsters popped out? Just imagining it was
terrifying…

“We have to step back first. I alone can’t offer much help to Your Majesty,” Mercedes
insisted. Her closed lips and long eyelashes trembled slightly. She looked like she was
trying to hide her anger.
“All I can do is distinguish between the types of souls that it shoots out, but even that
doesn’t mean much…”

Even a non-threatening soul caused damage to accumulate every time it touched the
body. Mercedes had experienced it for herself. She still vividly remembered the
sensation of the resentment of the souls gradually encroaching on her. It was an
emptiness that she didn’t want to go through twice.

The premise of waging a long-term battle against this red chunk of flesh was to not
allow a single soul to shoot at them. It was impossible for Grid who was operating
100 God Hands. It was because the number of souls held in the flesh was
immeasurable. Even if only some of them were fired at the same time, they contained
the principle of ‘always hitting the target.’

It wasn’t just Grid and the apostles. The tower members and Overgeared Guild
members needed to gather together to have any hope of resisting it. Grid would be
freed when there were more shields to receive the souls instead.

“Um… Does this thing have a weakness?”

“The soul that becomes the core is the weakness.”

It was a place where a soul like the blackened Grid was born. The red chunk of flesh
naturally had a soul. It was the root of the chunk of flesh that set it apart from the
souls forcibly captured. However, it was difficult to track it even with Keen Insight
because it changed the location in real time and erased its traces by repeatedly
fusing with other souls.

[The blackened Grid has been defeated.]

[The five fusion sword dance performed by others will inspire you…]

[The possibility of creating a sword dance has opened up.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has ri…]

……
…

At the same time, the blackened Grid died. It wasn’t annihilation. The body was
erased, but the dark soul remained. He was absorbed into the chunk of flesh again. It
was unfortunate seeing him trying to resist. Then the fragments of flesh that made
up the body and weapons of the blackened Grid fell to the ground. The way they
moved and were drawn to each other in a wriggling motion resembled the
regeneration process of slimes.

“”That…?””

The demon who believed he had received the soul of a Sword Saint—he had a
bewildered expression on his face ever since Grid broke in. He had stiffened without
being able to shut his mouth when he saw Grid using the six fusion sword dance.

Now he suddenly came to his senses. He pointed at the pieces of flesh that started to
unite as one.

“”Sword Saint…! It is the Sword Saint!””

Since when could anyone be called a Sword Saint? Grid thought that Biban and
Kraugel would be very offended. It was the same for Muller, who would be
underground…

‘…No, is it true that Muller is dead?’

Grid suddenly had doubts. At this point, he wondered if it was right to believe that
Muller was alive. According to Chreshler, the reason that Muller wanted death was
because he wanted ‘rest.’ However, death wasn’t rest. Hell was degraded by Baal and
the reincarnation of souls was blocked.

Did Muller not know about this? It was impossible. It would make no sense if the
person who saved a myth predator that civilians didn’t know about wouldn’t know
what was lurking after death. Muller must’ve realized it at some point—the fact that
being dead was worse than being alive.

Should he ascend to heaven with no memory and become a soldier of the gods, or fall
to hell while retaining his memories and suffer for eternity? Would he have accepted
death easily if he knew these were the only options available after death?
‘Many of Muller’s records were lost, but in the end, Muller wasn’t forgotten.’

It was true that in the distant past, Muller had prepared for death. The evidence was
that a large number of records related to him were erased. Nevertheless, Muller
wasn’t forgotten. This was evidence that at some point, Muller had rejected death. Of
course, this was just speculation.

However, Grid could be sure that the owner of the new body that the flesh was
creating wasn’t Muller. It was because Muller wasn’t cheap enough to make an
appearance in the world through this type of process.

“”S-Sword Saint…! Muller?!””

The demon’s thoughts were different. He kept making a fuss. Contrary to his serious
appearance, he was quite a thoughtless guy.

There was a flash of light in Grid’s eyes as he was clicking his tongue. It felt like
lightning speed. At first glance, it resembled Mercedes’ Keen Insight, but it was
completely different. It was far from mysterious and very daunting. It was
Overgeared God’s Observation.

[Once you check the target item, your understanding of the item will increase greatly.
You can confirm the stats value and options and copy them.

However, in order to copy the item, you must use an item that you have created
yourself as the material.

Additionally, the difference in rating of the target item and the item used as the
material must be within one grade and the item used as the material can’t be
recovered.]

Etc, etc.

At first glance, it was Pagma’s Eyes with just a name change. However, the effect was
strengthened a bit. The cooldown time was drastically reduced and the applications
had become more extensive. The name of a god was included in the skill name, so
evolution was inevitable.

[You have failed to contemplate the target.]

‘As expected, it didn’t work.’

He was inspired by the fact that the fragments of flesh had formed weapons. He tried
to see if he could contemplate the chunk of flesh itself, but it failed like he was trying
to eat for free. It happened the moment Grid was feeling regret…

[You have succeeded in contemplating the target.]

It was when the flesh had fully taken a human form. The information of the armor
and sword that this person was equipped with was dug out in detail using
Overgeared God's Observation.

‘Elder’s Falchion’ and ‘Elder’s Armor’—they were legendary items with very high
performances. They were somewhat inferior to what Grid made himself, but they
were much better than the items that were dropped by bosses. Grid didn’t feel much
excitement about the performance itself. However, the problem was in their item
information. They were described as the sword and armor used by a Sword Saint
Killer.

‘A Sword Saint Killer?’

Was a Sword Saint actually a punching bag? The only special ones were Muller, said
to be the strongest Sword Saint; his teacher, Biban; and Kraugel, a genius who Grid
admired. In fact, a Sword Saint wasn’t much different from normal legends.

Elder rushed toward the thinking Grid. He greatly tilted his upper body and the
sword that was launched was extremely fast.

Blood oozed from Grid’s eyes. It was the feeling of being cut at the same time that he
read the sword with the artificial senses. Grid would’ve suffered a serious injury if he
hadn’t read the information of Elder’s sword in advance. It was the information that
it ‘increased in length’ in the event of an attack.

Elder’s face was pierced. He believed in the function of the weapon and showed a
loophole where his upper body was tilted when the distance wasn’t enough. This
meant he allowed Grid’s Kill sword dance that was used when Grid moved forward
with Shunpo. The narrowed distance turned Elder’s elongated sword into a
weakness. It didn’t advance enough and only the lower part of the sword barely
touched the corner of Grid’s eye.
‘Immortality.’

Elder didn’t die even though his face was partially damaged. It was a respite
obtained by immortality. It was evidence of a legend from a long time ago. The red
chunk of flesh quickly healed his wounds.

Elder staggered while bleeding and his movement of recovering the sword itself
acted as a threatening swordsmanship. It grazed Grid’s side, but it was somewhat
lacking in power. It wasn’t enough to penetrate the dragon armor.

Grid’s large hand covered Elder’s face. Elder was slammed into the ground on his
back. Grid looked up as he completely suppressed Elder with his knee. Then he
stared at the red chunk of flesh. Some of the 100 God Hands were restraining Elder’s
limbs. Exactly five seconds later, the struggling Elder was beheaded.

A simple legend couldn’t go against the Overgeared God at all. The legends of the
distant past were being forgotten in the era where the standards were rapidly rising.

““Uh…? Uhh?””

The demon, who read Elder’s sword energy and believed him to be a Sword Saint,
was now completely dumbfounded. Grid’s overwhelming force was unrealistic for
him. It was like this when he thought of the myth of the Overgeared God that he
vaguely heard.

‘Is this the level of someone who became a god just a few years ago?’

The sight of the 100 black-gold hands using swordsmanship just a little while ago
was replayed in the demon’s mind. Unknowingly, he felt awe toward Grid and his
feelings were recorded in the Overgeared God’s 20th epic.

“Let’s retreat. We’ll have to join our other colleagues,” Grid looked away from the
chunk of flesh and urged Mercedes while barely enduring it. In his heart, he wanted
to wage an all-out battle with the chunk of flesh right away. It was a situation where
the hell moon that was being projected to the surface could only be eliminated by
destroying the chunk of flesh. He naturally had to fight it and get rid of it.

Grid’s wish was to get rid of it as soon as possible to make Irene and the people, who
were still suffering at this moment, feel comfortable. Yet as stated before, there was
only a small possibility of winning on his own. It was also a problem that he already
consumed one of the six fusion sword dances. He needed to proceed a bit more
calmly…

“Yes.” Mercedes nodded. She witnessed Grid, who was cold with anger for the first
time in ages, and her heart pounded in a manner that didn’t match the situation.

‘Are they both crazy?’

The demon read the pink airflow with his keen senses and clicked his tongue.
Meanwhile, the red chunk of flesh took back Elder’s soul and was once again taking
on the form of another human being. Thousands of souls were being scattered like a
torrential rain, as if the chunk of flesh was yelling that it wouldn’t let them go. It was
blocked by the God Hands using the Revolve sword dance.

Every time the cooldown ended, they joined together and raised a barrier. They even
used Tai Chi as a last resort when their barrier was pierced and it was often useful
due to the nature of the soul. The souls with an aggressive nature were subdued by
the softness. A soul was a spiritual concept, not a physical one. Meanwhile, the God
Hands themselves resembled Grid and were surrounded by divinity. They could
interfere with any concept.

‘Will I get an offer to appear in a martial arts movie like this?’

Grid went beyond the level of implementing Satisfy’s techniques in reality and
started to implement the techniques of reality in Satisfy. There was no controversy
over him. It was because many players had already shown such changes.
Grid’s apostles had a common characteristic—they showed greater value in team
play. It wasn’t because their character was suitable for assisting others. It was simply
that their abilities were extraordinary.

The energy of nature ruled by Piaro energized his allies, while Mercedes’ shield skills
and chivalric code instilled a firm belief while protecting them. Braham’s very
existence benefited all allies who used magic power while being a disaster for his
enemies. Sariel’s divinity erased the fear of their allies, while Nefelina…

…In any case, among the apostles, the one who harmonized the most with their allies
was Zik.

The time when he was Zikfrector, not Zik—in other words, from the days when he
was just the ‘incarnation’ of the seven malignant saints, he mastered all types of
martial arts and magic and was praised as the grandmaster. He basically boasted
extensive knowledge.

He had a wisdom that could see through providence and could perfectly understand
the structure and psychology of human beings. On this basis, he provided a buff
suitable for each of his allies. He even adapted to the changing situation in real time.
As a result, the Overgeared members who were in a party with Zik experienced a
miracle.

[The meaning of the rune written on you has changed.]

[The attack power increase buff is released and your evasion rate has increased.]

“……!”

The buffs that changed in real time were also a type of hint. The Overgeared
members could perceive what type of situation they were in based on the contents of
the changed buffs. It was the same for Peak Sword. He had cut the body of the demon
who got close to him before hurriedly bending down, preparing to draw his sword
again. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he rolled forward first before
taking a look. There was a feeling that he looked somewhat unseemly.
-In any case, it doesn’t matter because you already don’t know dignity.

He was angry from Iyarugt’s scolding, but in any case, Peak Sword trusted Zik. He
knew that the buff Zik gave him was based on a clear idea.

It was as expected. A magic bombardment fell on the place where Peak Sword had
just been. The problem was that the direction in which Peak Sword rolled was
included in the bombardment range. Fortunately, the evasion rate increase buff
meant he avoided a fatal injury. However, Peak Sword’s face turned deep red.

‘I shouldn’t have rolled.’

If he was going to get hit anyway, he would’ve rather stayed still or cocked his head
to the side. Then he would’ve looked as cool as Grid or Kraugel.

“Cool!”

Contrary to Peak Sword’s concerns, the reactions of the others were good. It was
because from the perspective of a third person, it seemed like Peak Sword had rolled
and escaped the magic. Thanks to Ruby, who healed him while praising him, Peak
Sword calmed his anger.

He widened his stride and took a lower posture. Iyarugt was drawn from the sheath.
Blood swirled around the transparent red sword.

It had already cut. The swiftly drawn sword split one side of the battlefield in half.
The target demon’s body was split from side to side and the demons around him
turned to gray ash as they ran. The buff applied to Peak Sword also returned to the
attack power increase buff right away.

Peak Sword gave a thumbs up to Zik in the distance. “Hey! You are the best! You are
really the best!”

Would this cry be heard? The battlefield was very noisy and the distance between
Peak Sword and Zik was too far.

Zik’s gaze was to the front, not the side. From the beginning until now, he had been
advancing while staring at the toad at the end of the enemy’s formation.
Nevertheless, he constantly gave new buffs to all the Overgeared members scattered
throughout the battlefield. It was as if he had eyes attached to each and every
Overgeared member.

At this point, they wondered if he had the same vision as Jishuka. It was a vision that
could see the entire battlefield.

Just then, arrows fell. As if shot from the clouds, the baptism of arrows fell in a
straight line, not a parabola, and was like a torrential rain.

A faint smile appeared on Zik’s face as he made his way along the path that was
opened.

‘It is comfortable.’

He remembered the days when he roamed the battlefield with his six companions
before he received the stigma of the seven malignant saints. His companions always
paved the way for Zik and with their help, Zik was able to defeat many of his
enemies.

In retrospect, the enemies were all innocent. It was because the war that Zik and his
companions fought was by no means a holy war. It was nothing more than lowly
violence that was wielded to fill the god’s stomachs.

Therefore, Zik didn’t deny the moniker of Seven Malignant Saints. He wielded
enormous power in the days when he was behind the Saharan Empire, but he didn’t
change the history associated with the Seven Malignant Saints. It was because they
committed too many sins to claim that the Seven Malignant Saints were wrongly
framed.

That’s right—Zik’s ultimate goal wasn’t to appease the vengeful spirits of his
colleagues. It was just an incidental wish. His real purpose was pure, just as he stated
before Hanul. It was to condemn the despicable gods and create a world that was
more beneficial to humans.

Therefore, he was a hero. A great hero was supporting Grid. A god who didn’t put the
words ‘holy war’ in his mouth and existed solely for the sake of humanity—Zik
hoped the Overgeared World would cover the entire world.

“Croak…! Your arrogance is skyrocketing!” Chepardea exclaimed ferociously. One of

the human beings he should be most vigilant about—while he acknowledged Zik’s
skills as one of the Seven Malignant Saints, it wasn't the same when it came to Zik’s
ideas.

“I’ve seen countless human beings with the same eyes as yours! They are the eyes of
a fanatic! Croak!”

He saw it at the Yatan Church. The humans who served Yatan, the one who
abandoned hell a long time ago, rather than the great Baal, the new master and only
king of hell. The people who were completely misled by Amoract had no answers.
They didn’t argue about right or wrong and only blindly believed in Yatan. That was
the case with ZIk now.

The upright look in his eyes without a single doubt was so annoying that it made his
stomach ache. Zik spoke as he finally succeeded in narrowing the distance with the
one who reacted more sensitively than necessary, “You have doubts.”

“What nonsense…?! Croak!”

Chepardea’s long, thick tongue moved downwards. It smashed and dug into the hard
ground. Shortly thereafter, it soared up from Zik’s feet.

A pus-like mucus was emerging from the bumpy skin on his large face. It was a
mucus with a strong toxicity. Not a single drop touched Zik. It was because one of the
many runes surrounding him had the meaning of immunity.

“What type of alienation do you feel in your relationship with Baal?”

Zik moved his sword and cut off Chepardea’s tongue. The blood that gushed out like
a fountain turned into a foggy mist and was sprayed. It was a bloody fog that blocked
the enemy’s vision and senses, poisoning them.

Chepardea’s body was made entirely of poison. Ordinary people would die just by
breathing in the same space.

However, Zik knew that Chepardea had crossed the continent with Agnus, Baal’s
former contractor. Originally, every path that he walked should be filled with human
corpses, but this wasn’t the case. Calling him Baal’s right arm was a bit mild.

“Or are your instincts starting to reject Baal?”

“Stop talking nonsense, croak!”

Chepardea couldn’t understand it.

On what grounds does this person use to sever my relationship with Baal?

Baal is great. Only Baal can claim to be the master of hell and deserve my allegiance. I
am ready to dedicate everything to him.

…Wait? So what is the difference between that fanatic and I?

Chepardea’s big eyes fluttered as he felt great doubts. There was a worry that he
would explode from the way his body was bulging and rolling around.

“Do not serve a deceiver.”

Even the heavenly gods had deceived humans. Would the master of hell be any
different? Considering Baal’s disposition, there was a high probability that most of
Baal’s close associates were in a miserable position like the Seven Malignant Saints
of the past.

This was what he thought and expressed in words. He didn’t have expectations that
Chepardea was a good being. This advice just came from a simple sense of similarity.
However, his hands didn’t show any mercy. Zik had a golden opportunity to catch
and kill Baal’s closest subordinate, which Zik couldn’t miss.

Of course, Chepardea’s resistance was also intense. He used the mucus that
surrounded his body to cause Zik’s sword to slip off. He immediately regenerated the
severed tongue and spread open a net. It was used so that even one attack from the
demons could reach Zik. He even summoned three great demons skilled in magic in
an attempt to destroy ZIk’s runes.

At first glance, he saw through Zik’s tactics, which seemed invincible. This was why it
was hard to ignore old beings. The experience and wisdom accumulated from a long
life couldn’t be ignored.

“……”

Zik was worried that the time would be delayed when he suddenly made eye contact
with Yura.

Nod.
There was no need for any conversation. The two of them weren’t particularly
acquainted, but they knew each other well. Zik noticed the relationship between
Grid and Yura and had been keeping an eye on her. Yura had heard a lot about Zik
from Grid. It wasn’t difficult to guess what the other was thinking as long as they
were on the same battlefield.

Zik’s sword pierced Yura’s abdomen.

“……?!”

“……!!”

It was a completely incomprehensible situation. It wasn’t just the Overgeared

members. Chepardea and the great demons were astonished as well.

‘Black magic…! Yes, he must’ve been subjected to black magic! His Highness Baal has
helped! Croak!’

It happened as Chepardea interpreted it as positively as possible…

Zik’s sword, which had just pierced Yura’s abdomen, ended up piercing Chepardea’s
large back. It contained immense power. Runes were wrapped around the Saharan
Sword, Zik’s sword that pierced Chepardea. They were runes that made up
destructive words. Not only was Chepardea’s mucus easily destroyed, but his skin
and bones were split apart like tofu. Even the regenerative power was suppressed.

“Cowardly, bastard…” Chepardea barely managed to speak as he coughed up blood.

He belatedly discovered that there was a black hole opened in front of Yura’s
abdomen. It was the application of the Hell Leap skill. Zik’s sword, which he thought
had pierced Yura, had actually only been swallowed up by the Hell Leap where the
destination was Chepardea’s back.

From the standpoint of the victim, it was a perfect collaboration that could only elicit
curses. It was cowardly even from the perspective of a demon.

“I can see why my god likes you.”

“I understand why you are trusted.”

Zik and Yura’s swords crossed with Chepardea in the center as they praised each
other. It happened the moment when Chepardea’s eyes were turned upside down as
he was cut into three parts…

“Wait.”

A hand protruded from a crevice in Chepardea’s severed body.

Duguen!

The atmosphere of the battlefield changed. The bodies of all the Overgeared
members and the kings of the different species, stiffened like stone statues.

Zik’s eyes narrowed. Who should be protected? A single word filled his mind as he
contemplated Yura, Jishuka, and Ruby at the same time—annihilation.

[The 1st Great Demon, Baal, has appeared.]

Shock and horror—the Absolute of hell, who appeared while tearing apart
Chepardea’s flesh, made everyone lose their minds. However, Baal wasn’t interested
in the invaders. He only put his fingers into the head of Chepardea, who was smiling
at him even at the moment of death, and wriggled around in his brain.

“It is no fun if you die like this.”

“Ugh…? Baal…! Baaaal!!” Chepardea’s eyes had lost their light and were dying, but
now they suddenly widened. His gaze filled with anger and hatred was directed at
Baal, not Zik. “You…! To God Yatan…!”

The memories he had forgotten filled his mind. It was along with the memories of
being ridiculed and murdered hundreds of thousands of times by Baal. However,
Chepardea felt more desperate and angry about the insults that his master had
suffered than the pain he had suffered. He hated himself for cursing and forgetting
his true master.

Baal’s expression hardened. “It doesn’t change no matter how many times it is
repeated.”

This was the end. Baal, who trampled on Chepardea’s efforts, dragged his body to the
ground and burned it with the flames of hell. Then he disappeared without a trace.
“That bastard is ignoring us now…! Oof oof!”

Vantner was shouting in a thunderous voice when he was suddenly silenced.

[The meaning of the rune written on you has changed.]

[The abnormal status resistance buff has changed to the ‘silence’ state.]

Surprisingly, it was done by Zik.

“……!”

The dumbfounded Vantner tried to argue with Zik, only to stop. He noticed the cold
sweat that was pouring down Zik’s body like rain. It was even more shocking
because he knew Zik’s strength. Baal felt like a wall that was endlessly high.
The tower member, Betty, succeeded in healing the wounded memphis. Later, she
encountered Chepardea while escaping with Agnus and Noe. It reemerged right after
his death was confirmed, so they wondered if it was a setting where they were
brothers. However, based on the consistency of his abilities and habits, they
confirmed it was the same individual.

The appearance of Chepardea, who scoffed at Agnus and Betty for being ‘broken
toys,’ was different from his miserable appearance just before he died. He showed a
strange appearance of praising Baal, who killed him a little while ago, before being
killed by Betty and Agnus.

Meanwhile, the tower member, Abellio, joined the tower member, Ken, by chance.
The great demons avoided Ken and the demons who advanced without hesitation
were annihilated every time Abellio made a stroke with his brush. Looking at the
movement path, it was estimated that they would soon encounter Grid’s group in the
south.

Meanwhile, the tower member, Jessica, was in pursuit of the great demon Barbatos.
Barbatos, who was sniping at Abellio, fled shortly after Jessica appeared and showed
a weakness in his sniping ability. It seemed that an effect of Echo Magic acted as a
counter.

The tower member, Radwolf, succeeded in taking over the sky. The magic power
bombs from the army of magic machines covered the dark sky of hell with a pure
white light… all types of flying demons folded their wings and died. A total of three
great demons set out to intercept Radwolf, but they failed. The instantaneous
acceleration ability of the magic machine that Radwolf was boarding was at the level
of a transcendent and he was presumably using Shunpo. Additionally, based on the
level and firepower of the armor, there was no disagreement in the assessment that
it was an anti-dragon weapon.

The tower member, Fronzaltz, killed the 9th Great Demon. He stayed in the 9th Hell
and searched the area. It looked like he wanted something…
Several demon armies rushed out to suppress him, but he didn’t care. Several experts
agreed that Fronzaltz’ strength was likely to be the second highest among the tower
members.

The tower member, Jurene, was having a long conversation with the great demons in
the 20s. The conversation couldn’t be listened to, but it had a very friendly
atmosphere that didn’t fit the bloody landscape of hell.

The tower member, Biban, continued to wander around the remote regions. He was
personally proving that there were many different types of landscapes in hell and
didn’t show any battles for a long time. It couldn’t be confirmed if the demons were
avoiding him or if he was avoiding the demons.

The apostle of the Overgeared God, Zik, joined the Overgeared members and
succeeded in ensuring the safety of the crystal castle. The atmosphere that cooled
down after Baal’s brief appearance was restored (?) quickly due to Vantner and Peak
Sword.

Huroi spread propaganda through Euphemina’s magic and succeeded in

communicating the situation to the people. Players who were hiding all over hell
started to move to the crystal castle in droves.

The Overgeared God’s apostle, Nefelina, was lurking in a corner of hell. Her location
was similar to the location where players were hiding, so it seemed her intention
was to help people escape…? Maybe it was due to the Dragon Fear that the hatchling
could release imperfectly, but the demons didn’t come near her.

The Overgeared God’s apostle, Piaro, was engaged in farming in hell… There were
already four areas of hell filled with golden wheat fields and acted as milestones for
players. It was confirmed that one of the trees he planted was exceptionally large
and had a red fruit that demons were obsessed with.

The Overgeared God’s apostle, Braham, had an encounter with the great demon,
Leraje. He wasn’t at all intimidated by Leraje, who proclaimed to be the Supreme
King. In the face of an unpredictable and fierce battle that was expected, Leraje
instead guided Braham to her palace. Her expression of ecstasy and submission after
placing Braham on the throne made her look quite silly. Of course, the experts
argued that there might be some other hidden setting, but it was difficult to be
convincing because they couldn’t provide any evidence.
Overgeared God Grid and the apostle, Mercedes, succeeded in escaping back up to
the ground after a great battle underground. It seemed that the raid of something
huge and red would be saved for a later date. The demon swordsman who had a
close battle with Mercedes followed Grid, so it seemed that Grid had succeeded in
taming another monster.

…This was the current situation in hell. It was due to this that the shock and horror
that Baal brought to people after he briefly appeared soon calmed down. The overall
situation was good, except for the fact that Baal was too strong and the red chunk of
flesh was too sinister.

The performances of the apostles and tower members were great. There wouldn’t be
any major problems as long as they didn’t run into Baal. Yes, unless they
encountered Baal…

However, was that really a normal wish? The master of hell was Baal. He was the goal
of Grid’s party. No, humanity’s end goal would eventually come down to defeating
Baal. So why assume that they wouldn’t encounter Baal? It was too… maybe it was
due to this vague wish?

The victory announcements repeatedly rang out, but on the contrary, people’s
anxiety grew. This couldn’t continue.

“We will join the war.”

Large crowds started to be attracted to Reinhardt. The rankers and players who
were going to use the hell elevator rushed in like a tsunami at the last minute. The
Overgeared Guild didn’t stop them. Why would they refuse volunteers to fight with
them?

The fact that Grid’s group didn’t intend to fight Baal right now wasn’t particularly
important. Those in hell needed help right away. They needed manpower so that
players could safely evacuate to the crystal castle. The latecomers had stayed on the
surface and closely watched the situation in hell so they could perceive the players’
current positions and situations. It meant they could plan enough to know how to
evacuate them.

“However, please keep this in mind. At best, you who are going as reinforcements
shouldn’t die.”
Laella, the master of the Overgeared Magic Tower—she was Reinhardt’s acting lord
and cautioned the people.

“Your death will create a stronger demon.”

Contrary to her worried expression, Laella’s magic power was burning like a flame. It
was as if she was going to burn and kill them if they went to help, died, and made
things worse. It was actually a threat. Was it because she was an idol? There was a
perception that Laella was almost the only kind person among the Overgeared
members. Maybe it was just people’s wishes.

Laella was also a member of the Overgeared Guild. She was even part of the former
Tzedakah Guild. She also had a temperament of ruling by force. If she was kind and
gentle like her external image, then she wouldn’t have been able to become a ranker
in the first place, nor would she be able to mix in with the rough Tzedakah Guild.

The people realized it again and hurriedly nodded.

Laella smiled gently at them and gave them one more piece of advice, “I am going to
hand out anti-magic seals from the Reidan Alchemy Facility. The effect is strong, but
it only lasts for 0.2 seconds. Use it the moment the elevator arrives in hell and the
doors open. Then you won’t be forcibly transferred.”

They wouldn’t be forcibly transferred… there was no certainty about this. The anti-
magic seal created by the Reidan Alchemy Facility and the Overgeared Magic Tower
was very powerful in return for being very restricted, but there was no guarantee
that it would perform perfectly in hell. There was no forced teleportation during the
time Laella was with the hell expedition, so there was no room for experimentation.

‘If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have come back first.’

Just before Baal came to the surface, Laella had returned there first. It was because
the workload of the magic tower was so heavy that she couldn’t be away for a long
time. The reason she participated in the first place was to secure resources she
needed for an experiment. It was a well-known fact that there were quite a few types
of resources that could only be obtained in hell.

In particular, it was estimated that there were many beneficial resources for
magicians. It was obvious from the constantly appearing magic tower quests where
they could study new magic if they secured a certain resource. Among them, the
‘fruit of good and evil’ stood out in particular. Despite being a material item, it was
classified as myth rated. It was said that the fruit was very red at night and green
during the day…

Wouldn’t it resemble that one?

“…Eh?”

Laella’s eyes widened as she looked up at the sky again after putting the new
volunteers into the elevator. Her eyes were drawn to a particularly large tree in the
video of Piaro. It was a tree that was half as large as the world tree. At first glance,
the great tree that seemed to support the sky had only one fruit. It was very red. She
saw the demons rolling their eyes and rushing at the fruit. It was even though they
knew they would be Piaro’s prey the moment they stepped into the surrounding
wheat fields.

“T-That…!”

“C-Crazy!!”

Laella was feeling astonished when the screams and groans of people rang out.
Laella was surprised by the intense reactions and noticed it one step late.

A dragon appeared in hell. It was the Evil Dragon Bunhelier. One of his wings and his
tail had been ripped off. The appearance of an Absolute that he had shown during his
fight against Hayate had faded away.

Kurarararara!

“……!”

“……!”

The faces of Laella and the people turned pale.

“God!” Sariel screamed out a prayer while clasping her hands together. The place
where the dragon appeared was above Grid’s head. The dragon even fired a Breath at
Grid’s group the moment he appeared. It was such a quick surprise attack that they
were worried if Grid would even be aware of it.
Grid’s party was swept away by the Breath. The faint smoke completely obscured the
screen.

The situation was worse than people thought.

[Baal…!]

It was because Baal appeared in the spot where Bunhelier had emerged. He seemed
to have rushed over after reading Bunhelier’s energy. It was shortly after killing
Chepardea. It revealed why he ignored Zik and the Overgeared members on the
scene and left in a hurry.

“You are a very unlucky guy.” Baal laughed when he found Grid, who had been hit by
the Breath and turned into rags. He seemed to be enjoying the situation itself.

Grid’s response wasn’t much different. Grid hadn’t been able to hide his fear during
his previous encounter with Baal on the surface, yet now he was smiling in this
desperate situation.

“Let’s see who is the unlucky one?”

He was grateful for his high luck stat. Grid shook off the dust and raised his body.
Then he tapped on his armor with a hammer. Mercedes and the demon swordsman
weren’t by his side. They had left the scene with the God Hands the moment
Bunhelier appeared.

“I’ve been thinking about it ever since I heard the words ‘Crazy God and Crazy
Dragon.’”

The sight of Grid pulling out two dragon weapons and holding them caught the
attention of Baal and Bunhelier at the same time. No matter how weak he might be,
the figure armed with dragon weapons and armor was bound to shine in a special
way.

“The most suitable dragons for the tale of the ‘Crazy God and Crazy Dragon’ are
Nevartan and Bunhelier, the craziest dragon and the second craziest dragon. Isn’t
that right?”

Grid’s gaze shifted to Bunhelier in the sky. Bunhelier’s eyes, which had been filled
with anger and killing intent, slowly stabilized.
[I can’t deny it.]
The hell moon was always a full moon. It was because it was just artificially overlaid.
The sight of the moon changing to a waning moon and waxing moon every time
Bunhelier moved was unfamiliar.

“There are some people who will be quite surprised.”

Bunhelier was covered with obsidian-like black scales. From a distance, Baal
admired the unrealistic appearance of the old dragon, which could be seen as a
shadow covering the moon. It wasn’t an overwhelmed look. Not the slightest bit of
tension could be seen. It was an abnormal reaction.

Grid speculated more closely about the relationship between Baal and Bunhelier.

‘Is Baal superior?’

Grid hadn’t logged out ever since arriving in hell. It was because it wasn’t the
promised time. He didn’t know the situation outside. It meant he hadn’t heard the
news that Bunhelier suffered a great defeat by Marie Rose and that Baal was the
reason for her fatal effect against Bunhelier.

Nevertheless, he had a vague guess. It was through the resentment, anger, and killing
intent that Bunhelier was emitting toward Baal. Bunhelier had a clear hatred of Baal.

He wondered if Bunhelier had been hit hard in the back of the head and if it had
something to do with the episode where Bunhelier was reborn as an evil dragon in
hell.

‘I’m certain. In the process, Baal put some type of shackles on Bunhelier.’

This was the only way he could understand Bunhelier’s anger. Then Baal’s relaxed
attitude even in front of an old dragon was understandable…

A huge shadow was cast around the thinking Grid. It was a shadow that grew as
Bunhelier got closer.
[Baal, this guy played an insignificant trick. I knew from the beginning that you didn’t
take anyone in your eyes, but is it the point of deceiving an old dragon that existed
from the beginning? Do you have ten lives?]

Bunhelier was agitated. Unlike the gourmet dragon and other top dragons, who were
aloof and awe-inspiring, he clearly expressed his emotions. This attitude didn’t feel
cheap. It was purely overbearing. Grid became dizzy from the messages of his
transcendent senses that reacted every time Bunhelier let out a breath.

Bunhelier’s small actions and words were making his transcendent senses feel a
sense of crisis in real time. Baal’s expression as he accepted the killing intent
directed at him was still calm.

“That is a strange question. Did you forget the insane dragon? I have been deceiving
you for a long time.”

Baal was the size of an ordinary human, unlike when he appeared on the surface not
so long ago. It was said that he had a different appearance depending on the viewer’s
mind. His pale, smooth-looking skin gradually became as hard as stone. The three
horns on his head soared high and his body also grew huge. He wasn’t inferior even
standing side by side with Bunhelier.

Grid was watching him with an astonished look, only to become startled. He
suddenly realized that the ‘fear’ abnormal status had been applied to him and gritted
his teeth.

‘Don’t be scared.’

There was Bunhelier by his side. It was an old dragon with the momentum to kill
Baal immediately. This was a golden opportunity to ride an old dragon as part of the
‘Crazy God and Crazy Dragon’ tale. It was a truly unexpected opportunity.
Unexpectedly, a Baal raid might be possible.

He tried to control his mind several times, but it was useless. The fear that Grid felt
toward Baal was a systemic problem. A source of evil that threatened even the
transcendents and gods. Therefore, he couldn’t help being afraid…

Besides, it was difficult to trust Bunhelier. Bunhelier read and responded to Grid’s
intentions, but this didn’t translate directly to favor. This meant he could change his
mind at any time depending on the situation.
First of all, he was an evil dragon. Simply put, he was a villain. He wasn’t someone he
could build up a trusting relationship with.

‘Yet from my current perspective, he is the only one I can rely on.’

Bunhelier’s position wasn’t much different.

[Overgeared God… don’t even think about betraying me. If you betray me, I will take
everything away from you.]

Bunhelier landed right next to Grid and gave a clear warning. He also didn’t trust
Grid. However, he had no other option, so he slowly leaned his head forward while
showing his dislike. It was so that Grid could climb onto the nape of his neck.

That’s right—the contents of the Crazy God and Crazy Dragon story were also known
to Bunhelier. It was the same for the other old dragons. However, there would be no
old dragon other than Bunhelier who felt the need to become the main character of
Crazy God and Crazy Dragon at this moment and in the future.

This fact brought Bunhelier a great deal of shame and skepticism. Still, what could he
do? The moment he arrived in hell, Baal came to him as if Baal had been waiting.
This meant it was an event within the scope of Baal’s prediction. Bunhelier needed a
variable that would make Baal’s predictions go awry and that was Grid here.

This one who helped Ifrit deal a big blow to her father. Grid endured the Breath he
shot as a test, as if this wasn’t a falsehood. He didn’t weaken the Breath’s aura like
Hayate, but endured it. It was more than a Dragon Slayer in terms of being tough. To
be honest, this was the first time he had seen such a person. It would surely be
helpful…

“I won’t betray you,” Grid declared.

Black blood spilled out every time he opened his mouth due to the aftermath of
being hit by the Breath, but his expression was serious. It was a god’s promise. It was
to an old dragon who could fully understand the weight of it.

[I won’t betray you this time either.]

Bunhelier read Grid’s sincerity and also made a pledge. Would it be kept and
sublimated into Dragon Words, or would it be scattered and reduced to a worthless
thing as always…? Even Bunhelier himself couldn’t predict it. He didn’t mean to brag,
but he himself didn’t know in which direction his vicious heart would be shaken.

[One of the world’s greatest and most monstrous dragons has bowed his head in
front of the Overgeared God.]

All these scenes were being recorded in the 20th epic. Naturally, most of the scenes
were interpreted in Grid’s favor. Bunhelier simply bowed his head to let Grid board,
but in the epic, it was portrayed as if he had submitted.

Grid felt embarrassed, but he acted brazen-faced.

‘I’m not deliberately distorting it.’

Just as God wasn’t the author of the Bible, the myths were originally written by
humans. It would be funny if Grid directly corrected the contents. He didn’t even
have the authority to correct it in the first place.

[I will surely destroy humanity one day…]

Bunhelier noticed the situation and uttered scary words. Grid felt almost thankful
that Baal made a surprise attack just in time to disperse Bunhelier’s attention.

“Keuk.”

He failed to get on Bunhelier’s neck and crashed. It was difficult for him to control
his body properly due to the fear abnormal status, so he was properly hit by Baal’s
surprise attack.

‘Is swordsmanship the main force?’

Baal was similar to Hayate. Just like Hayata made the Dragon Killing Sword with
energy, Baal crafted a black sword with demonic energy. It possessed an
unchallenged power. The more he approached a subject that was beyond being
powerful, the more status abnormalities that would occur. It was literally a demonic
sword.

The most threatening aspect of the demonic sword was the debuff ‘destruction of the
status immunity.’ The status immunity that he enjoyed and took for granted ever
since becoming Pagma's Successor was gone and most of his immunity functions
became weak.

‘I knew this day would come eventually.’

It would be weird if one of the final bosses didn’t do this much. He had a duty to
overcome this trial. Stay calm. There was no need to despair. It was just the same
conditions that most people felt.

It happened as Grid was controlling his mind…

Baal recovered the sword that had been swung sideways and struck at Bunhelier’s
Breath. Then he reached out his other hand and fired magic. Dozens of magic circles
were unexpectedly created. It was impossible to destroy all of them with the effects
of Duke of Wisdom and the Castration Eye.

Damage accumulated again to the falling Grid and Baal’s offensive didn’t stop there.
He slammed down a huge heel and struck the top of Grid’s head. Suddenly, his
fingers, which were resting on Grid’s shoulder, were tearing apart the dragon armor
like it was a sheet of paper.

In the aftermath of the impact, his collarbone and shoulder blade were fractured.
Grid’s body leaned forward as his abdomen was torn apart by the demonic sword.
Grid’s mind went blank. It wasn’t just due to the pain. It was because there was no
time to think about anything.

Baal’s unstoppable offensive was so swift and complicated. He mastered all areas of
swordsmanship, martial arts, and magic, like Zik, but his power was beyond Zik’s.

‘What is this demon bastard?’

It was no wonder that the Absolute of hell was strong. Grid just hadn’t expected that
he would even know all these techniques? In the first place, wasn’t the demon a
being who neglected learning and depended on their innate power? Most of them
were like this with the exception of a few special cases like Dantalion and Iyarugt. It
was hard to understand why Baal would learn and train in something when he
pursued pleasure.

Baal read Grid’s eyes, which were filled with confusion and consternation, and
explained, “Most of the history of humanity that remains on the surface are records
of the winners. Many things were lost. On the other hand, hell covers the history of
all the dead. It means I am more familiar with the knowledge and skills that humans
have accumulated than you human beings.”

He seemed to find it pleasant. There wasn’t a single flaw in Baal’s movements. It

continued non-stop. He seemed to be a creature that lived in a single breath that
lasted forever as he linked all sorts of techniques together without a time difference.
He also appeared to have no joints.

All the attacks were coming from completely unpredictable trajectories. Grid
wouldn’t have been able to avoid a single one if it wasn’t for his artificial senses and
his transcendence.

[What are you doing?]

The ferocious looking Bunhelier frowned. Then Grid abruptly came to his senses. His
urgency to stop the attacks meant his distance with Bunhelier imperceptibly
widened. He felt a sense of strangeness.

Baal’s body had become so huge that it was comparable to Bunhelier. His
outstretched hands and feet reached a distance of several dozens of meters.
Considering that Grid’s location was initially beside Bunhelier, Baal’s attack range
should’ve included Bunhelier as well, not just Grid. Yet Baal’s attacks only touched
Grid.

Grid focused. He carefully observed the scene happening in front of him. Baal’s
massive body overlapped with Bunhelier’s body every time he moved. Even so,
Bunhelier didn’t react to it. In fact, Baal’s arms and legs were going through
Bunhelier’s body like ghosts without any physical force.

Did Bunhelier use any fluidization technique? No. Baal’s huge body was just a fake.

Grid recalled it. The reason why Baal looked huge was because Grid was afraid of
him. Baal’s actual body wasn’t as huge as Bunhelier’s.

‘Don’t be fooled… first of all, I have to measure the distance properly.’

Taang, taang, tatang, tatatang…

Grid noticed the intervals in the impacts to his artificial senses. At first glance, it
seemed to occur simultaneously. It was because Baal’s arms were much longer than
the range of his artificial senses.

Baal waved his arm just once and it felt like it had passed through the whole area of
his artificial senses. The truth was different. There were a very small number of gaps.
He only barely noticed it when he raised his concentration to the extreme. It was
simply fast.

‘3 meters, 1 meter… ’

Grid estimated Baal’s actual size and the length of the demonic sword based on the
transmission speed of the impacts and tilted his head to the left. His command
values were reversed due to the aftermath of the confusion abnormal status. His
head tilted to the right.

Visually, it was suicide. It seemed like he was sticking out his head toward the
demonic sword wielded by Baal. However, the blade couldn’t cut or pierce Grid’s
neck. It passed by like an illusion. In fact, Baal’s blade still wasn’t in a position to
reach Grid. It had just reached his earlobe.

He felt like he was in an environment where the ping bounced randomly while his
body was moving contrary to his thoughts. Putting aside Baal’s blows and attacks
that penetrated his absolute defense, causing tens of thousands of damage, the
difficulty and fatigue of the battle were too high.

Then for the first time, Grid’s sword and Baal’s sword interlocked. The demonic
sword failed to cut Grid and was blocked by the dragon weapon.

“…The adaptation is fairly fast?”

Baal’s eyes were half open. He obscured some of his pupils with his eyelids so they
couldn’t be seen. It was a habit unique to Baal. It was a reaction he showed when
admiring something, but no one knew it. It was because he didn’t usually feel
admiration.

‘How much strength does he have?’

Grid clicked his tongue. It was because he witnessed that the dragon weapon’s body
was slightly white. His loudly convulsing arms were an added bonus. He was
laughing at the absurdity when Bunhelier appeared behind him. Hell was currently
operating a magic that blocked most movement techniques, but the teleportation of
an old dragon couldn’t be sealed.

[Get on!]

Bunhelier urged. His voice was quite mild, unlike the beginning. Baal wasn’t the only
one who admired Grid’s fighting abilities.

Grid leapt up. First of all, activating the Dragon Knight effect was the urgent priority.

“Where are you going?”

Baal caught up. He pressed the dragon weapon, still engaged with the demonic
sword, with force and created a close-range battle. The magic and skills fired from a
close distance approached Grid as an unstoppable threat.

Baal’s smiling face, which showed his sharp teeth, approached right in front of Grid’s
nose. Then a Breath was shot from Grid’s mouth.
A disaster was encountered and there was no chance of survival—this was the
common idea of everyone. The dragon that appeared suddenly fired a Breath, Grid
coughed up blood after being hit by the Breath, and Baal attacked. People watched
the series of events that took place in an instant and naturally predicted Grid’s death.
The Evil Dragon Bunhelier, who overwhelmed Hayate, Marie Rose, and Kraugel and
left leisurely.

Baal, the ruler of hell and the source of evil. Expecting Grid to survive when he was
surrounded by the strongest in the worldview was something that even an
Overgeared God Church believer couldn’t do. In other words, it was a wish with no
conscience.

Of course, Grid deviated from people’s expectations as usual. He was hit by the
Breath and attacked by Baal, but was still alive five seconds later. It meant he hadn’t
consumed his immortality yet. Bunhelier even bowed his head as if to pay homage to
him. Finally, a beam shot from Grid’s mouth. This…

By this point, he was already the protagonist of a courageous work…

No, what was this?! As people were feeling astonished, an explosion occurred around
Baal’s head. There was a cloud of dust. The effect was intense as a Breath was fired
right in front of him. It would be a convincing sight even if Baal’s head had been
blown away.

However, there was a strong energy contained in Baal’s demonic sword that was still
interlocked with the dragon weapon. It didn’t waver at all as it endured all the power
that Grid had built up over the years, as firm as a great mountain. It was natural. Baal
was one of the first beings created by the Gods of the Beginning. He was the ruler of
hell, the last world where all living things would reach after they died. No matter
what attack was tried, he wasn’t an opponent to prevail against.

Grid knew it as well. He just didn’t want to admit it. It was because he wasn’t an
individual. He had the hopes and fates of many people behind him. There was a
sense that he shouldn’t be denied in such a vain manner.
“…Ohhhhh!” Grid shouted. It was a reflexive reaction. It was an effort to encourage
himself and to shake off his vague fears. He used the full buffs right away. He
screamed and squeezed out all his strength, but he couldn’t shake off Baal’s demonic
sword. He crossed the two swords held with both hands and pushed. It was just that
Baal’s demonic sword didn’t move like it was nailed to the air. Little by little, it slowly
dug into Grid’s chest.

[The durability of Valhalla of Infinite Affection has decreased by 470.]

[The durability of Valhalla of Infinite Affection has decreased by 399.]

[The durability of Valhalla of Infinite Affection has decreased by…]

Sparks flew up noisily from Grid’s chest. They were the tears pouring out of the
armor that finally started to be cut and torn apart by the demonic sword. The
choking smoke caused by the aftermath of the Breath’s explosion was dissipating.

Soon, Baal’s intact face was revealed.

“……”

His eyes were still half open. The man, who covered three small pupils with his
lowered eyelids and revealed only one pupil like a human, stared at Grid. He had only
Grid in his dark eyes.

Grid trembled. The fact that the ruler of hell was fully conscious of him. He felt a
certain sense of fulfillment even in this urgent situation.

‘He is conscious of me.’

Grid recalled Baal’s behavior. This guy wanted stimulation. The greater the stimulus
that threatened him, the more joy and excitement he would receive. Such a person
was blocking Grid’s path several times as if to prevent Grid from riding that dragon.
The meaning was great.

[You have suffered 49,580 damage.]

[You have received the ‘poisoned’ and ‘bleeding’ abnormal statuses. Your health will
continuously decrease and your weak points are easily exposed.]
In the end, the demonic sword opened up the armor and started to cut Grid’s chest
apart. It was precisely where the heart was. Fortunately, Grid was able to buy some
time thanks to Skin of Transcendence.

Grid tilted his head back as much as possible. He ignored the screams coming from
his broken bones and bent his waist more than 90 degrees. Baal was persistent. His
demonic sword was still crushing the two swords that Grid had crossed in front of
his chest. It dug deeper into Grid’s flesh.

Grid didn’t use Revolve carelessly. He considered the level of the skills that Baal used,
the background from which he acquired the skills, and the fact that Pagma’s soul was
now in Baal’s hands.

‘This guy might also be able to use Revolve.’

The reason it was hard to react to a counterattack skill was because it was a sharp
counter. Then what about a counterattack against a counterattack? It would be really
hard to react to. It was an unpredictable trajectory even for the party who
counterattacked the counterattack. Not only did it make the attack out of control, but
it also added tremendous acceleration.

It was a systemic decision. A counterattack was precious for a reason. Moreover, the
current Grid was experiencing the confused status condition. If he tried to move his
body to the left, he would end up moving to the right. Even his senses such as
hearing and vision would be perceived as opposites. If the average person was
confused, then it would be difficult for them to even walk.

If Revolve was counterattacked in this state… Grid was convinced that he would
receive a fatal wound regardless of his level of transcendence or his artificial senses.

“You are refusing to yield.” It had to be shaken off with pure force. He endured with
such a judgment. Then in the end, his back bent at a strange angle and Baal ridiculed
Grid, “I don’t think it is the time to hide this and that. Try to be a little bit more
certain.”

Grid didn’t mean to just fight ignorantly. He naturally used the God Hands and magic.
However, the God Hands couldn’t approach Baal after a certain distance. The
demonic energy surrounding Baal’s body became tangible like the demonic sword
and shook off the God Hands.
It was the same with magic. It had no effect and disappeared. The demonic energy
worn by Baal thoroughly neutralized the lower level concepts. It was impossible to
harm Baal with the God Hands that only had 30% of Grid’s stats and low to
intermediate level magic.

[Che.]

A man with long, black hair broke in between the two of them. It was Bunhelier,
polymorphed into human form. Grid could be swept up if he attacked with a dragon’s
body or a Breath, so Bunhelier reduced the size of his body. It was the flow that Baal
had forced. This bastard’s behavior that overlapped closely with Grid constrained
Bunhelier in many ways.

“Are you really going to cooperate?” Baal was kicked away from Grid’s abdomen and
left his spot.

Bunhelier’s hand, which swept through the afterimages of Baal’s movement, quickly
turned into a dragon’s hand. In an instant, he narrowed the distance to the far away
Baal. A loud roar burst out. It was an explosion that occurred the moment Baal’s
demonic sword blocked Bunhelier’s hand, which tried to dig at his chest.

All the oxygen around the explosion point was burned. The air was crushed by the
pressure of the explosion and pushed to the periphery in a series of shock waves.
Even Grid had to build a barrier out of the God Hands in order to handle the
aftermath. The fireball soared high and died down while the area entered a vacuum
state. The surrounding air rushed to fill in this void, causing an airflow that created a
mushroom cloud.

‘This is crazy… ’ Grid’s pupils shook as he exhaled the breath that had been blocked.
It was a clash of pure strength against strength, magic power against magic power.
This alone caused a phenomenon that was like a nuclear explosion? Maybe he should
say goodbye to the souls of Pagma and Alex forever…

Grid was feeling seriously troubled when Bunhelier shouted toward him.

[Avoid it!]

It was Bunhelier who had a black magic power at the tip of each of its six claws. The
moment these spheres collided with Baal’s demonic sword, they caused an explosion
that created the mushroom cloud. However, it was Bunhelier who suffered a lot of
damage.

Baal, who appeared through the clouds, had only a line of blood flowing from his
forehead while Bunhelier had one hand blown away. Baal’s strength and magic
power didn’t only overwhelm Grid. It also clearly transcended Bunhelier. Of course, it
had to be taken into account that Bunhelier wasn’t in a perfect state. Not only was
Bunhelier at a disadvantage against Baal, but he was also seriously injured by
Nevartan. Nevertheless, it was true that he was better than Grid.

No one thought that Grid, whose armor hadn’t been fully repaired, would be safe
from Baal’s next attack. Millions of people watching the scene from the surface
groaned or screamed. There were many who couldn’t open their tightly closed eyes.

‘There will be a celebration.’

Beijing, China.

Hao frowned as he watched the situation through the news. Unlike most countries
that gave Grid absolute favor, China still tended to be hostile to Grid. It was because
there was a sense of damage due to China’s reputation being tarnished because of
Grid.

Was it because they were robbed of a medal every time they met Grid in the National
Competition? This was a very minor issue. The shameful thing for China was that a
significant number of Chinese people changed to an orc and became Grid’s people.
Additionally, diplomatic damage was suffered.

In fact, the expression ‘damage’ was funny. They just failed when trying to forcibly
undermine South Korea’s sovereignty. In any case, the Communist Party wasn’t very
fond of Grid. This had been the case since South Korea became known as Grid’s
nation and exerted a great influence in the international community.

The people were also bound to be affected. There were still many people who hated
Grid. If it was just a few days ago, cheers would be heard all over Beijing’s city center.
They would’ve felt a lot of fun watching Grid who was about to die. However, not
anymore.

“……?”

Surprisingly, groans erupted all over the streets. There were many people who felt
pity for Grid’s plight and supported him. It was the power of Tai Chi. Grid, who
learned Chinese martial arts one day and preached its greatness, won even the
hearts of the Chinese anti-fans.

“I see… Grid, you thought this far and actively used Tai Chi.”

Was it for the unity of humanity?

How far ahead did you look, Grid?

“He is truly a great man. I have no choice but to respect you.”

It was at a time when people all over the world, including China, were cheering for
Grid with one heart and one mind.

“……!” Baal’s eyes were half open again. The demonic sword, which collided with the
two dragon weapons, couldn’t suppress Grid like before. It bounced off in a normal
manner.

“Bunhelier!” Grid broke through Baal and shouted fiercely. He was biting a lollipop in
his mouth. It was the greatest item in the reputation store that could only be used
five times per account. It was the Sweet Candy. It increased all stats by 30% for 5
minutes.

Bunhelier responded. He instantly regained his dragon appearance and flew toward
Grid. Baal’s baptism of magic struck Grid’s back dozens of times. The ragged armor
was completely removed. It wasn’t destroyed. Grid took it off on his own along the
way. He swapped to the Holy Light Armor to minimize the damage caused by the
magic.

The price was harsh. He was cut by Baal’s sword, who had been approaching since
the time he shot the magic, and lost hundreds of thousands of health. Grid fired a
Breath from the hands that stretched out backwards. The Small Breath didn’t hurt
Baal, but it gave Grid some momentum.

He quickly closed the distance to Bunhelier, who wasn’t far away. Baal was
persistent. He moved one step faster than Grid and blocked Grid’s way. This was
predicted. From the time he fired the Small Breath backwards, Grid was already
performing the Serve sword dance.
A sword dance depicting the sacrifice of the Overgeared God. The dreams and wishes
of countless people and the splendid determination of the wounded god who carried
their fate caused even Baal to stiffen for a moment.

“……!”

It was only 0.2 seconds. Baal only flinched for this moment. However, even 0.1
seconds was an endlessly long time for Absolutes, who split it into dozens of units.

[You have boarded the Evil Dragon Bunhelier.]

[The effect of the only one title in the world, ‘Dragon Knight,’ is activated.]

[All your stats are increased by three times and your status is increased…]

[……!]

[……!!]

[……!!!]

[…The target you are riding is an old dragon!]

[Your status has greatly increased!]

[Resist all status abnormalities that you are currently experiencing!]

“…Crazy God and Crazy Dragon.”

An evil dragon joining forces with a god, a god who joined forces with an evil dragon.
There were two guys here who were as crazy as he was. Baal laughed like it was
ridiculous as one of his arms flew away. He was cut by the sword of Grid, who was
riding on Bunhelier.

The earth shook.

The popular opinion was that it was rare for Baal to have any opponents. It was easy
to guess based on Satisfy’s worldview. The hundred of billions of souls caught in hell.
No, he was perhaps a being that held and controlled more souls than this in his
grasp.

Baal’s importance was different from that of Martial God Zeratul, who simply had the
setting of ‘powerful.’ If there was a day when Baal’s death came, this would be proof
that Satisfy’s story was moving toward the end. He could never be an easy opponent
and the real Baal was as powerful as people expected.

He was literally invincible. It was a level where he overwhelmed Grid and Bunhelier
alone. It seemed impossible to defeat him even if the apostles, tower members,
Hayate, and Marie Rose joined.

That had been the thought until just now. Blood rose like a fountain from Baal’s right
shoulder. His long arm was cut off along with the demonic sword in his hand and
hovered in the air. It was done by Grid. To be exact, it was by Grid who climbed onto
the neck of a giant dragon.

“…He is riding a dragon?”

People were shocked. Their response was the same, regardless of age, gender, or
position. Shouting cheers was just the basics. A lot of them shot up or stomped their
feet and a New York Times reporter even used the phrase that the earth was shaken.
It was a truly shocking sight.

Hayate, Marie Rose, and Kraugel joined forces and barely managed to tie up the feet
of the Evil Dragon Bunhelier. Grid was riding the transcendent being as powerful as
the stats that were revealed in a previous National Competition. It wasn’t at the level
of fighting and winning. It was a concept far higher than victory and it was a shock.
The expression that it was ‘beyond imagination’ was a cliche.

“Crazy. This is seriously crazy…”

Dragon Knight—the emergence of an only one title equal to Dragon Slayer showed a
tremendous ripple effect. At this moment, Grid’s appearance was nailed to the minds
of everyone. The mythical figure scattering orange divinity on the neck of a dragon
who was scattering black demonic energy.

People sensed it. They would never forget Grid’s appearance that they saw just now.
From now on, they would be plagued for the rest of their lives by the desire to
resemble Grid.

『 This… isn’t this more than a Dragon Slayer? 』

The commentators from different countries, who were mesmerized for a while,
spoke very carefully. It was a question that denied Hayate, the Dragon Slayer who
was believed to be the strongest human being. They would accept any criticism.
However, no one criticized them. It was because everyone had the same thoughts.
One who killed a dragon and one who ruled over a dragon. To put it bluntly, the latter
would naturally be superior.

At this moment, Grid wasn’t the Overgeared God.

Dragon Knight—people called Grid a new name. In fact, it didn’t matter what he was
called.

Blacksmith, emperor, god, dragon riding knight. No matter what, it was a name that
meant Grid in the end. The present reached by an ordinary young man—in the end,
he was Grid.

“Baaaal!”

Bunhelier’s high speed flight. Grid completely controlled the speed that even Hayate
barely reacted to. It wasn’t possible just because his stats increased by three times.
Grid was communicating with Bunhelier. They read each other’s will and meaning.

Bunhelier responded immediately every time he felt that Grid’s intentions were
plausible. He flew in the direction that Grid desired. Thanks to this, Grid was able to
quickly approach Baal. He safely pierced through the magic bombardment that
swept in from all directions and slashed his two swords horizontally and vertically. It
was a sword dance that was used on the dragon’s body rather than the ground.

[The Dragon sword dance is newly interpreted.]

It was in the process of using Drop Dragon Pinnacle Link Kill Wave. It was
immediately after neutralizing Baal’s guard, who was using his severed arm like a
sword while drawing dozens of magic circles, using the Dragon Breath. The moment
he danced the Dragon sword dance after Drop, a notification window flashed in
Grid’s point of view. It came like a flash of lightning.

The new Dragon sword dance. Grid felt an obvious change. He had a feeling that he
had to do the sword dance from the beginning again. Therefore, he retracted his
sword.

[This monkey-like guy…!]

Bunhelier’s rant followed. He fired the Breath according to the timing of the sword
dance, but that guy Grid suddenly took back the sword. He thought this human was
quite useful from the moment Grid got on his neck, but it was a misjudgment. He was
ignorant like a god of insignificant human origin. He thought that missing this
opportunity was like a monkey falling from the tree.

Grid ignored him and took the posture of the sword dance again. He forced Bunhelier
to move forward once again. Bunhelier was forced to respond. Baal had recovered
from his wound.

In the short time when Grid took back his sword, Baal stuck the severed arm to his
shoulder while asking, “Are you still not in sync?”

Bunhelier took a deep breath and regained his composure while thinking that this
guy was really unlucky. Once again, a Breath was fired according to the timing of the
activation of Grid’s sword dance. However, Baal didn’t suffer from it twice. He
previously confirmed that the Breath couldn’t be weakened even after using all types
of barriers and sealing techniques. Therefore, he slashed at the Breath this time by
wielding the sword itself.

The trajectory of the dark sword changed dozens of times in the air. It was to
repeatedly suppress, cut, and deflect the momentum of the Breath that was stacked
five times. It was like watching a potter cutting pottery. It was enough to feel the
spirit of craftsmanship.

In the end, the Breath’s trajectory was completely twisted. It was divided into five
stems and scattered in all directions without reaching Baal. In the eyes of people, it
seemed like the laser that stretched out in a straight line was dispersed
spontaneously just before it touched Baal. It meant they couldn’t even properly see
the sight of Baal wielding the sword.

Grid wasn’t much different. If it wasn’t for his transcendent senses recognizing Baal’s
sword energy as a threat or if his artificial senses hadn’t read the flow of the wind,
Grid would’ve also missed Baal’s sword. Nevertheless, it was okay even if he missed
it.

Grid had predicted that Bunhelier’s Breath wouldn’t have much effect. He anticipated
it and was prepared from the moment Baal’s arm was restored.

“……!”

Baal was astonished. It was because a Breath that was the same as the one had just
faced was right in front of him.

[What?]

Bunhelier was also surprised. ‘His Breath’ was shot from Grid’s mouth, so it was
natural to be surprised. Of course, the power wasn’t perfect. However, it was a
reproduction of an old dragon’s Breath. Even if it wasn’t perfect, it had a destructive
power that was on a different level than the Breath that Grid had shot earlier.

It happened as Baal wielded his sword and cut the Breath again…

Bunhelier crouched down greatly. The nape of his neck that Grid was riding was
angled toward the top of Baal’s head. Grid had the top of Baal’s head in his sight as
he swung the two dragon weapons. Once again, it was a six fusion sword dance. It
was just that the action was different from before.

To be precise, the Dragon sword dance had changed. It was completely different from
the old Dragon sword dance, which tried to simply reproduce a dragon’s momentum,
or Pagma’s Dragon, which admired the noble appearance of the blue dragon. This
was the sword dance of Grid cooperating with an old dragon.

[The Dragon sword dance has evolved into the sword dance of the evil dragon.]

Evil Dragon Bunhelier—one of the old dragons that had existed since the beginning
of time. At this moment, his very existence that was communicating with Grid at the
same level was an inspiration to Grid. It was suitable to be used as the source for the
new sword dance.

[Dragon – Bunhelier]

[A sword dance that recreates the power and momentum of the evil, old dragon,
Bunhelier.

It causes his ‘madness.’

Charges at the designated target, causing 20,000% physical attack and inflicting at
least two status abnormalities. The status abnormalities that will occur are random.

If the target’s status is low, then there is a 99% of instantly killing the target.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 800

Skill Mana Cost: 50,000

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 hour.]

“……!!”

People were dumbfounded. It wasn’t because they witnessed Grid’s twisted smile.
Their attention was attracted by the sight of the orange divinity being dyed black and
spreading like dragon wings, so they had no time to pay attention to the change in
Grid’s expression.

[What is this guy?]

Bunhelier’s big eyes shook as well. He was evil, so he was sensitive to divinity. From
the moment he first saw Grid, he was able to clearly define what type of god Grid
was.

A god who existed solely for humanity. He was a noble and upright god, unlike the
heavenly gods. Thus, Bunhelier felt an instinctive disgust. He was forced to work
with Grid to kill Baal, but he could assert that Grid was the second most hated
existence after Baal…

Yet at this moment, it changed. He felt a great sense of unity and sameness, as if he
was looking in a mirror. Then Baal’s voice was heard.

“I recognized it from the beginning.”

That you aren’t normal.

The talking Baal fell down. He couldn’t fully withstand the force of the evil dragon
that Grid had reproduced.

Jingle…

The sound of bells was heard.

“What is your potential?” Baal smiled softly as he asked a question. It was in the
same falling position as he was hit by the six fusion sword dance.

Ultimate Martial Art—it was often mistaken for Chiyou’s favor, but its identity was
far from a favor. The potential that would one day blossom. In other words, it was the
future.

Baal was curious. What type of future would the person in front of him have to reach
this point even though Grid couldn’t even handle a part of his consciousness just a
few years ago?

Grid and Baal’s swords intertwined in a dizzying manner. It was so dazzling that
people wondered if it would be like this if color was added to the flowing wind.

“Baaaal!”

Grid didn’t answer Baal’s question. He had no intention of responding to the

conversation. Only his anger grew. It was so pure that it could be called the influence
of exaltation or madness.

Yes. Grid purely hated Baal. He had been dreaming for a long time about the moment
when he would catch and kill Baal. Now—

Now he got a golden opportunity that might not come twice and felt an obligation to
get rid of Baal. Wounds started to appear on both Grid and Baal’s bodies. It was
caused by the shock waves that occurred every time their swords collided. They
weren’t fatal to Grid. It was bearable. Baal’s wounds were even more trivial. They
were just scratches. However, these scratches were serious to Baal.

[Ultimate Martial Art has been triggered!]

Grid’s ultimate move caused Baal to fall into a stunned state.

“…Hat!”

[The target has received 503,691,044 damage.]

Two dragon weapons pierced and tore at the chest of Baal, who was smiling with his
eyes half open. It was Grid’s six fusion sword dance, which had the effect of Dragon
Knight behind him and showed the sword dance of the evil dragon. It only hit Baal at
the end, but it exerted a formidable power on its own.
Hayate’s Dragon Killing Sword was a weapon crafted by gathering sword energy.
Baal’s demonic sword was similar.Baal’s magic power wasn’t just a medium for using
magic, but also the medium that made matter real. It was a type of energy that came
from a mental image. It was a technique that was also a symbol of an Absolute.

Couldn’t he make armor if he could make a sword?

The black light that shot out in all directions as Baal was facing Drop Dragon
Pinnacle Link Kill Wave was a sign of the destruction of the armor that wrapped
around his body in real time. It was armor made from the mental image of a strong
self-defense. It was the mental image of the Absolute of hell. Yet it was pierced. It was
torn apart.

“……”

Baal’s original body had a different weight from his fragments of consciousness. He
didn’t show any ugliness like coughing up blood. He slowly raised his body while
swallowing the gushing blood.

The wide field of view spread out in front, behind, to the left, and to the right as he
confirmed that his fingertips were slightly trembling. He looked again at the senses
that were spread throughout hell and found that this trembling was real, not false. It
had been a long time since he had seen his heart personally.

Baal stared at the wounds on his chest that were recovering quickly with the power
of super fast regeneration and immediately smiled.

“Finally.”

Baal felt a joy that was more intense than the fires of the hell river. It was because the
tension he had been longing for had finally arrived after so many years.

“I found the right toy.”

Baal had witnessed more deaths than anyone else. In a contradictory manner, he
dreamed of death as he watched every being, who died and fell into hell, yearning for
a new life. Didn’t even these insignificant beings realize that life was precious after
dying?

He naturally developed a curiosity about death. The unfulfilled curiosity degenerated

into twisted desire. Baal wanted to die. If he couldn’t die, he wanted to feel a near-
death crisis once again. For example, like when he confronted Beriache. It was in
order to realize that he was alive.

[It is nasty nonsense.]

Bunhelier heard Baal’s story and made an expression like his ears were going to rot.
Grid didn’t even respond. From the beginning, he didn’t have the expectation that
Baal would have a special story. It was because Baal was pure evil. It was different
from the situations of three-dimensional characters who had detailed stories. It was
just garbage. He had to be erased.

Would Baal’s death accelerate Satisfy’s ending? The ending…

Where was the ending? Did the world he live in have an ending?

“…The world.”

“?”

“It is a world without you!!”

The yelling Grid once again unfolded a sword dance. From a single sword dance to a
five fusion sword dance, he almost went on a rampage. He was influenced by the
madness and gained the debuff ‘unable to identify the enemy.' Even so, he
consciously avoided the use of Revolve in the midst of the confusion.

[What is this guy doing?]

Bunhelier struggled in a startled manner. It was because Grid’s sword was stuck in
the middle of his forehead. That’s right. Grid couldn’t distinguish between Baal and
Bunhelier. He even forgot that he was enjoying the effects of Dragon Knight and
mistakenly thought that the existence he was standing on was also an enemy. It was
the influence of the madness.
Grid felt like he was fighting two Baals. He couldn’t tell what was real, so he just
attacked and tested it randomly. Whether it was because of the madness of Baal’s
craftiness, Grid had no way of knowing.

“You have done something crazy like embodying demonic energy with divinity, so it
can’t be helped. It is a situation where you should be considered lucky that you didn’t
degenerate into a demon god.”

The sword dance that reproduced the power and characteristics of an old dragon—it
was powerful, but the side effects were too great.

Baal clicked his tongue and moved his fingers. Long fingernails rubbed against each
other, releasing frost-like fragments. A chill filled the area. A bone-chilling cold came
unknowingly. It was a temperature that was hard to experience in hell where a river
of hot fire flowed. The master of hell was denying the ecosystem of hell.

“It is still too early. Come when you are a little bit better.”

Among the legends, the reason why Sword Saint Muller was so highly regarded
wasn’t because his swordsmanship had reached the realm of being unsurpassed. The
perfection of technique was something that ordinary humans, so-called craftsmen,
could do. The biggest existence in hell that lost to Muller was Hell Gao, the 9th Great
Demon, but the reason why they couldn’t forget and feared Muller was purely due to
the ‘Heart Sword.’

Heart Instant Kill—the realm of cutting the target as soon as they made up their
mind. In other words, Muller was someone who completed the mental image. It was
like the Absolutes such as Baal and Hayate.

“……!”

Black ice trapped Grid. Grid froze without even being able to scream. His breathing
stopped and the loss of health was uncontrollably fast. The items he was equipped
with stopped functioning altogether. The dragon armor was no exception. Even the
items made of Greed, which had infinite durability, stopped functioning due to the
frozen effect.

It was Baal’s mental image.

[Hey…! Hey!! Wake up!!]

Bunhelier, who had been struggling while swearing at Grid for going on a rampage,
glided. He shouted at the frozen Grid a few times. However, it was useless. Grid
couldn’t shake off the ice of death wrapped around him. It was even after becoming a
knight of an old dragon and raising his status by several levels.

I lent you the back of this body, but you are hit by something like this?

Bunhelier was offended and felt like his own value had been decreased. His ego was
so hurt that he gritted his teeth badly. However, he couldn’t swear at Grid.

‘It is natural.’

Grid—this guy was a lot younger than a hatchling. He was young even for a human
being and had only been a god for a few years. In fact, it was fortunate that he didn’t
make a crying sound like a newborn.

Was I relying on this guy?

Bunhelier realized it again and laughed at the absurdity. Then he uttered Dragon
Words.

[You are great.]

He didn’t make a promise he wouldn’t keep. He also didn’t attempt to increase his
self-world by demeaning others.

Bunhelier—an evil dragon who was unable to train his Dragon Words because he
broke the oath of the covenant every time. For the first time, his Dragon Words were
used for the benefit of others. It was quite strange. Awkward and unpleasant
emotions welled up, but it wasn’t particularly difficult. Bunhelier merely
acknowledged Grid. It didn’t take any effort to do this.

The effect appeared immediately. The truth acknowledged by an old dragon, who
had existed since the beginning, became providence. Cracks started to appear on the
surface of the ice that froze Grid. They were cracks that cut off death.

“You did something pointless.”

Baal frowned for the first time. He didn’t like Bunhelier’s intervention. He had
predicted Grid was at his limit.
It was understandable. The candy that Grid was biting in his mouth had melted away
and his consciousness wasn’t intact. During the rampage, his wounds had increased
quite significantly. It was minor compared to the wounds Baal had suffered, but it
had to be taken into account that Grid’s body was weak compared to Baal.

Baal’s skin was as hard as dragon scales. Instead of absolute defense, he had the
ability to recover and proliferate at a very fast speed. On the other hand, Grid was a
human being. His physical condition wasn’t significantly different from humans at
the transcendent level.

Yet he was in a ragged state. He was a toy on the verge of breaking. It was impossible
for Bunhelier, who forced Grid to move, to look good.

“Bunhelier, don’t overlook the reason why I am keeping you alive…” Baal took a step
back as he spoke coldly. No, he accelerated two and then three steps. He gradually
moved back and replaced 80% of the magic circles he was creating with defensive
technique.

A rain of battle gear fell toward him. Each one had the power of a mental image.
Then the high canyon rising to his left and right caught his attention. It was the
Sanctuary of Metal. It was the mental world opened by Grid, who came to his senses
thanks to Bunhelier’s Dragon Words. He had suppressed it due to the thought that it
would’ve been useless before he received the effects of the Dragon Knight, but now it
was different. He believed in the elevated status from riding an old dragon.

In fact, Baal failed to block Grid’s mental world.

“A canyon of black iron…”

Is this your mental world? It is a world of lifeless metal. You are more desolate than
me.

Baal had a surprised expression on his face, only to notice it one step late. The
energy that rose from the center of the canyon—it was the energy released by the
heart of the Red Phoenix.

Grid’s mental world was warm. It was different from Baal’s mental world that was
frozen cold.

“Haha… Kuhaha!” Baal finally burst out laughing. He felt a certain fate with this toy
he expected to be in a position to confront him. It was so much fun that he was
ecstatic.

“However, it is too early.”

Baal stopped laughing and made a serious expression.

The canyon of black iron—black iron alone couldn’t do much harm to him. This
person obviously needed more time. Baal was convinced again and extended the
hand holding the demonic sword. Baal made sure his field of view captured Grid,
who was restoring his breathing while staring at him, and the stupid old dragon
carrying Grid on his back.

“One Million Army Massacre Sword.”

Undefeated King Madra—a human being who was expected to be chosen as an

archangel. Yet surprisingly, he didn’t ascend to heaven. Perhaps it was due to
lingering regrets, but the soul that remained on the surface for some reason was
captured by Pagma.

Thanks to this, his soul ended up in the depths of hell and the knowledge and skills
he accumulated during his lifetime belonged to Baal. The sword energy with
supreme power stretched out. It was a sword energy that would cut everything that
entered Baal’s field of view in a single breath. The canyon of black iron was cut
without being able to resist, exposing a cross-section. The canyon turned into a plain.

Bunhelier’s absolute defense, magic, and scales were also cut helplessly. Bunhelier
looked at the sword energy heading toward his neck and glimpsed death. It was Grid
who protected him.

Valhalla of Infinite Affection—this was the form the cut black iron canyon took.
Hundreds of thousands of copies of Valhalla rose in front of Grid and Bunhelier,
protecting them from the sword energy. Every time they were cut and broken, they
were reshaped and protected the two of them.

‘Khan, I actually knew it.’

I realized that your armor is gradually becoming useless. The bigger the world I lived
in, the stronger the enemies. The increasingly difficult reality forced me to take off
your armor. The reason I couldn’t make new armor and wrapped myself in your
armor is probably because I want to rely on you.

The first friend I ever made. The family member who only cared about my safety
until the moment you lost your breath. Your affection and kindness still sustain me.

“…What?”

There shouldn’t be anything that couldn’t be destroyed. This was the Undefeated
King’s swordsmanship. Yet the armors that made up Grid’s mental world weren’t
easily cut. Even if they were destroyed, they immediately reformed.

Baal noticed it. The fact that this was the source of the mental world that Grid relied
on the most.

Grid shot through the fragments of armor that were broken and assembled
repeatedly. He gained acceleration due to the Breath he fired from his hands. He
moved in front of Baal, whose movement was restricted in the aftermath of using
One Million Army Massacre Sword.

“Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link.”

This time, Baal was cut from the beginning.

There was a sense from the hand when fighting. Most of the time, it was a sensation
that was accompanied by the sentiment such as ‘this attack has properly hit.’ It could
be felt in classic games that used a keyboard or mouse. Even without knowing the
exact specs of the opponent, they could often have a hunch that the target was about
to fall. Most of these sensations were based on the experience accumulated.

In that sense, Grid’s foundation was very solid. It was because he had fought
countless enemies.

Why did others use the phrase ‘he overshadows the years’ when evaluating Grid?
There was nothing wrong with it. It was thanks to the fact that he gained a lot of
experience in a short period of time. Grid’s one year was more valuable than
someone else’s 10 years or 100 years. This was the greatest strength of those who
used persistence as a weapon.

Grid met many enemies stronger than himself even after becoming a god.
Nevertheless, he didn’t fall into a sense of collapse or frustration. As always, he
resisted without knowing how to give up. This all became experience.

‘It isn’t enough.’

Therefore, he felt it. Even as he tore Baal’s body to shreds, he noticed that Baal
wouldn’t die. Baal’s health gauge was depleted in a single breath, but this amplified
his anxiety instead.

‘This… something is definitely wrong.’

The current Grid was in a full buffed state. Except for the Sweet Candy that had just
melted, all the other enhancement effects were stacked on top of each other. It was
from the active skills such as Duke of Amplification to enhancement potions
manufactured at the Reidan Alchemy Facility. Additionally, his status had risen
significantly due to the effects of Dragon Knight. This meant he could activate all four
hidden symbols attached to Cranbel’s Horn.

The Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link that tore Baal’s body to shreds could be
called the strongest sword dance ever. There was a high probability that it would be
the strongest sword dance of all time. This would be the first and last time he
boarded an old dragon. But…

Was it enough to kill Baal with a single blow? Grid was convinced this wasn’t the
case. He declared that Baal was unnecessary to this world, but he didn’t deny Baal’s
power.

[The target has received 33,333,333,333 damage!]

At the same time, the total amount of damage inflicted emerged in the notification
window. A chill went down Grid’s spine. It was because he came up with a keyword
that pierced Baal’s essence based on the numerical figure that shouldn’t come out:
Deception.

Baal had betrayed even the god who created him. From the standpoint of the
existence who deceived his sister, Beriache, who was born on the same day, and his
closest subordinates who trusted him, it wasn’t strange for him to deceive others.

“Did you notice? I wanted to see you rejoice. It is a pity,” Baal’s flesh, which had been
torn to tens of thousands of pierces, squirmed and spoke with a ‘mouth.’ The
sneering laughter that emerged had a terrible pitch.

Grid frowned. The messages indicating that most of his buff effects were over or
coming to an end were filling one side of his field of view.

Bunhelier grasped Grid’s state and stopped flapping his wings. He slowly retreated
from Baal.

“Was it a mimicry?” Grid asked this question when he recalled how Amoract had
been obsessed with Yura and relentlessly sent a mimicry until Baal established a
new law in hell. Then Baal’s ridiculing laugh grew louder.

“I have already confessed my desire to experience death.”

He was afraid of death, so he put forward a mimicry. Baal’s squirming and giggling
flesh quickly gathered at a single point. Then it took shape again. The sight of Baal
being resurrected without a single wound made Bunhelier groan. Baal shrugged and
swept back the hair flowing past his horns, neatly arranging it. “There is no need to
be discouraged. It is because a while ago, you definitely killed me. It just doesn’t
mean much.”

[Don’t talk to him.]

Bunhelier hastily interrupted Baal’s words. He was concerned that Grid would fall
into despair and cause a greater upheaval.

Bunhelier recognized Grid as someone with a shared fate. He understood that if

something went wrong with Grid, it would go wrong with him as well. He was
seriously injured due to Nevartan and recognized the fact that he was being pushed
by Baal. It was already overwhelming enough to endure the pressure of the entire
hell that seemed to reject him. He hoped that Grid would buy time, at least until his
wounds were fully healed.

“Does it have anything to do with why people perceive you differently?” In fact, Grid
was calm. Far from being frustrated, he showed no signs of agitation at all. It was
because he predicted the current development from the time he cut at Baal.

Bunhelier found it strange, but Baal laughed as if he was satisfied. “That is it. As long
as you fear me, I won’t die.”

Baal had appeared in history in all sorts of ways. Grid had also encountered him
several times. It wasn’t the real Baal, but the fragments of Baal’s ego. In other words,
it was only a small part of him. Even so, it came as a great fear to humans. Human
fear turned into something that made up a part of Baal. It was also intertwined with
his ability of proliferation. It was the cause behind people perceiving Baal differently.
Baal became one, but also many.

[As expected, humanity must perish.]

Bunhelier murmured as he immediately understood the reality of Baal. It wasn’t

nonsense. It was serious. He thought it would be good to be cruel to humanity who
interpreted his attitude at will.

‘I won’t die with Baal.’

Grid’s expression as he stared intently at Bunhelier was gradually becoming calmer.

Baal’s head cocked at an angle. “You aren’t acting. You aren’t agitated at all.
Surprisingly, do you have a personality that gives up quickly?”
Baal’s pupils were repeating a slow rotation to the left and right, only to suddenly
stop. They slightly expanded to represent his mood. He was excited. The reaction
that was hard for even an Absolute to understand was interesting and enjoyable in
itself. Grid raised the sword and gripped it.

[The duration of Overgeared God’s Rage has ended.]

[The cooldown time of Duke of Amplification hasn’t ended.]

[The duration of Belial’s Power…]

[The duration of Berith’s Power…]

……

It felt like he was weakening in real time. Naturally, Baal also felt it. Absolutes were,
in other words, top predators. In Baal’s case in particular, he easily recognized beings
other than himself as prey. Hunters were sensitive to changes in their prey.

“No. I was desperate.”

Had Grid lost his dreams and hopes? Baal had expected him to be a great toy, but he
ended up following the same path as others.

“It is a real pity.”

This halfway power became poison.

If only he didn’t have the power to kill me yet.

If he hadn’t realized my infinite power, he would’ve struggled while feeling hope.

“I missed an interesting sight…”

Baal suddenly shut his mouth as he was speaking. It was because he found the
divinity around Grid to be unpleasant. Since when did it become so dazzling? Wasn’t
it just as precarious as a lantern in front of the wind? It was just trying not to be
swallowed up by the demonic energy of Baal and Bunhelier…
[In the end, God punished the king of the demons.]

“If one of your sources is the fear of human beings—”

“What…?”

One step, another step.

Baal started to step back. Was the rain of battle gear pouring down again? No, the
sky of hell was quiet. There wasn’t a single star and there was only the red moon in
the dark sky. The reason that Baal took a step back was simply psychological
pressure.

“It is enough to erase the fear.”

[The king of the demons trembled and turned away from God.]

“…It is a scam. This is an obvious distortion.”

Baal had only lost his body once. He quickly restored it and obviously put pressure
on the Overgeared God. Grid was on the verge of falling into the abyss of despair.
However, the humans on the surface who witnessed the situation with their own
eyes didn’t accept reality and instead distorted it.

They worshiped the Overgeared God just because he killed Baal once. They shook off
a great deal of the fear they had harbored.

This… it was clearly wrong. It felt like the whole world was working together to scam
him.

Bunhelier’s voice permeated the bewildered Baal’s ears.

[Certainly. He deserves to shine so much in the eyes of human beings. Grid is the one
who got the approval of I, the great old dragon, Bunhelier. He climbed onto my neck
and cut you down. From this point on, it doesn’t matter what the outcome is.]

The Grid reflected in the eyes of human beings must have been infinitely holy. He
would’ve shown a brilliant future even if he was defeated by Baal in the end.
However, Baal didn’t kill Grid right away. Far from killing Grid, he stood there and
spoke to Grid. This allowed humans to interpret the results in the way they wished.
The aftermath was great. Baal’s status was damaged in real time. His life, which
would’ve reached infinity, would’ve also been greatly reduced.

[You said you wanted to die, so you tightened your own noose.]

“Stupid dragon.” Baal finally had a serious expression. He was agitated to bring out
his usual radical thoughts in front of the party involved. At this moment, Baal was
different from usual. He didn’t enjoy the situation that was happening and regarded
it unpleasantly. It wasn’t because he was afraid of death, but because it was too
absurd. Honestly, he was flustered.

…It was a mistake. He was sure there would be people who misunderstood him as
someone with all bark and no bite, like Bunhelier. The unimaginable shame made
Baal’s face redden.

Baal’s demonic sword was swung hard. It was a manifestation. The sword rotated
wildly and the area quickly expanded. Baal was in the center of a storm. It was a
storm of black frost.

“Get lost.”

Baal was the ruler of hell. Just as Grid grew stronger in the Overgeared World, Baal’s
demonic energy and mental world were strengthened in hell. It exerted an influence
that was close to perfect. The moment Baal created the great frost storm, all the
invaders except for Bunhelier froze in place.

Fortunately, the targets frozen by Baal’s mental world couldn’t be interfered with by
anything other than Baal. The tower members, apostles, Overgeared members, and
players active in all areas of hell, escaped the fate of dying immediately. They didn’t
lose their health, unlike Grid who had been frozen earlier.

No matter how great Baal’s mental world was, it couldn’t kill targets that were
hundreds of thousands of kilometers away. If that was possible, he would’ve been
proclaimed to be ‘omniscient and omnipotent,’ which even the gods of the beginning
were reluctant to mention. It was like those heavenly fools.

“I will admit my mistake this time.”

“……!”
The people looking up at the sky from the surface, as well as the viewers watching
the scene from outside the game through the media, felt a chill go down their spines.
Baal’s gaze seemed to be looking at ‘me.’ Then the storm that Baal wielded again
blew away the frozen bodies of the invaders

It was a gesture to banish them from hell. He had the power to detain them in hell, so
why shouldn’t he have the authority to banish them?

[Kuock…!]

Bunhelier’s hastily outstretched tail wrapped around the block of ice containing
Grid. He also intended to be expelled. He knew what type of harassment he would
face if he was left here alone.

[Baal! It will be different the next time we meet!]

Baal looked at Grid, not Bunhelier, as if he wasn’t the one talking. Trapped in the ice,
Grid’s eyes were staring straight at Baal. His eyes were as sharp and ferocious as the
eyes of a raptor aiming for prey.

[The Asura Road has been closed.]

The hell moon, which was projected into the sky of the surface, closed its numerous
eyes. The landscapes of hell scattered and vanished.

Irene’s face lit up as she put her hands together with Lord’s while praying. The
heroes returned one by one and a huge shadow colored Reinhardt black. It was the
shadow of a dragon. The dragon returned with Grid on the back of his neck.

The wide-eyed people were dumbfounded. They were the people who didn’t know
about Grid’s actions because they were active in hell. In particular, the king of the
half-draconians, Bunsdel, passed out with his mouth foaming.
“It is ordinary.”

Those who were active in hell were burdened with all sorts of restrictions. They
couldn’t escape, they couldn’t use movement skills, they couldn’t communicate over
a distance, etc. The tower members even experienced the debuff where their stats
dropped dramatically. They suddenly entered hell, so they didn’t have a chance to
raid Hell Gao. They weren’t in a perfect condition. Therefore—

“Hell is no big deal. It is rather trivial compared to the surface where transcendents
and dragons roam,” Biban muttered nonsense.

It was around the time when the Asura Road was closed and the heroes returned one
by one. In the midst of those who felt relieved, delighted, or moved, Biban alone
spoke indifferently.

Jessica poked him in the side to make him notice, but it was useless.

“T-That…”

The king of the half-draconians, Bunsdel, frowned. Biban’s dismissive attitude, which
was unlike everyone else who was covered in wounds or burns, was very unpleasant.
The hell expedition was active, no matter how big or small. Some of them might be
relatively less active, but they shouldn’t be blamed. It might be a small performance,
but it was true that it was definitely helpful. Additionally, they all suffered the same
risk to their lives.

Bunsdel had been with them in hell, so he knew it well.

Half-draconians, a species with the lineage of Evil Dragon Bunhelier—Bunsdel was

their king and recognized humans as an inferior species, but he respected those in
the hell expedition. He couldn’t get over the nonsense of Biban, who seemed to deny
their hardships.

“I heard that there are many humans who become senile when they get old. This is
exactly the case with you. How pitiful your life is for you to grow old with no shame.”
“What?”

Biban’s eyes widened when he heard the sudden harsh words. In fact, Biban was also
dejected in his own way. He had thrown himself into hell with the determination to
die for humanity, but he couldn’t even properly meet a demonic creature, let alone a
demon. The hell he experienced was a surprisingly calm and peaceful world. It was
after properly killing the 6th Great Demon, Valefor, who had interfered.

It was because there was no one blocking his path in hell. It was natural. For the
demons and demonic creatures of hell, the Sword Saint was one of the few objects of
fear. Wasn’t Biban the teacher of Muller? The demons heard rumors that he killed
Valefor and deliberately avoided him. They ran away with the thought that they
would die as soon as they encountered him.

This was why Biban wandered around without meeting demons. After overcoming
one crisis, he only enjoyed peace and had no choice but to misunderstand hell. Of
course, he would’ve doubted the situation if he was a person capable of normal
things, but there were some flaws in Biban’s wisdom.

“Now I can see that you are a half-draconian. Your founder and I are in the same
hierarchy, but you don’t recognize people and are presumptuous. Even if you have
the madness that resembles your founder, you are definitely crazy.”

“Do you know who my founder is to talk nonsense like this? He is the evil dragon,
Bunhelier. Don’t you dare insult him. He is wicked, but he isn’t as crazy as you.”

It was an explosive situation. It was while they were returning home in glory. As
people warmly welcomed and cheered for the hell expedition that returned
unharmed, the two Absolutes cooled the atmosphere. That’s right. From the
perspective of the general public, Biban and Bunsdel were Absolutes. They were god-
like beings who could kill or save a person with a single, careless gesture. Many
people wouldn’t be able to bear it if they fought in the middle of the city.

“I beg you, please calm down the Sword Saint…” Lauel politely requested of the
tower member near him. It was the 6th Seat. It was the fighter, Ken, who had the
most aggressiveness among the tower members.

“Why? All those who have inherited Bunhelier’s blood deserve to die anyway.”

“Not necessarily…”
“Huh? What is that on your wrist? Why do traces of a dragon repeatedly appear and
disappear?”

“Ah, that is the black flame dragon that is sealed in my soul…”

“I need to interrogate you.”

“Wait. Wait a moment. I was joking.”

The people enthusiastically cheering for the return of the heroes, Biban and Bunsdel
who were ready to fight right away, Nefelina who was terrified for some reason, the
frightened Lauel, Jurene who absurdly appeared with great demons, the dozens of
memphis that Betty brought with her, etc.

The scene was a mess. It didn’t calm down at all and the commotion only grew. It
wasn’t much different from when the Asura Road was opened. Just then—

Kuwooooh!

A huge shadow appeared over Reinhardt. It was the shadow of a black dragon.

"Waaahhhhhhhh!"

It was finally the return of the protagonist. The people who had witnessed the
performance of Grid and Bunhelier from the surface cheered and welcomed them. So
much blind faith and affection poured out that it was reminiscent of a gathering of
fanatics.

The wide-eyed expedition members were dumbfounded. They suffered from the hell
penalty of being unable to communicate across a distance, so they weren’t exposed
to Grid’s epic. Their position was different from Grid, the protagonist of the epic.

“Bunhelier…!”

Apart from Fronzaltz, the other tower members screamed and took a battle stance.
Somehow, the great demons who stood by Jurene’s side also prepared to fight in
response to Jurene’s will. They had trembling expressions on their faces, but they
couldn’t refuse.

“Calm down.” Fronzaltz, the highest ranked tower member with the exception of
Hayate—thanks to God’s Circle, he denied some of Baal’s laws and was exposed to
Grid’s epic. Therefore, he tried to calm down the tower members. It was just that
they couldn’t be easily calmed down.

It was the appearance of an old dragon. It was also the old dragon Bunhelier, who
was considered the second most dangerous after Nevartan. Bunhelier’s atrocities
were famous among the tower members. He wasn’t communicative like the gourmet
dragon, nor did he value his dignity like the fire dragon. He was no different from the
insane dragon.

“Founder…! Our founder has appeared to punish the ignorant!”

Bunsdel was trembling. Who in the history of the half-draconians had faced their
founder? Based on what Bunsdel knew, they were the first. He was greatly moved by
the sight of the founder who appeared the moment the madman insulted the half-
draconians. However, this only lasted a moment.

‘Will he harm human beings?’

A moment later, Bunsdel’s face turned white as he remembered that Reinhardt

would become a sea of fire and the Overgeared Empire would perish in history. He
didn’t want to see the people he had defended die. He was also afraid of the
Overgeared God's rage. Confusion grew inside Bunsdel.

Then Prime Minister Lauel suddenly fell to his knees and bowed his head while
hundreds of knights raised their swords in unison. The people and soldiers who
filled the city bowed in a near-fierce manner. It was like they were receiving the
Overgeared God.

It was understandable. They saw a great dragon. Bunsdel was both proud and
concerned about the response from the humans.

‘Please think of them in a good manner…?’ Bunsdel was bowing his head in a prayer
when he stopped.

In the solemn atmosphere, the murmurs of the tower members were growing louder.
Bunsdel and the tower members had to see it. The person riding on the neck of
Bunhelier, who was gradually getting closer.

It was Grid.
“……”

Bunsdel was shocked in many ways and literally fainted. The half-draconians rushed
to him and wrapped around him to support him, but they were one step late.
Everyone witnessed the ugliness of the king of the half-draconians fainting with a
foaming mouth. Even so, few people cared.

It was because everyone’s attention was focused on the Crazy God and Crazy Dragon.
There was no way their attention would be distracted just because the king of the
half-draconians showed an ugly appearance.

“Now he is riding an old dragon…”

“It is also Bunhelier.”

The tower members grasped the situation and laughed. Their gaze toward Grid
resembled when they looked at Hayate. Their eyes were filled with infinite respect.
Age wasn’t an important concept when it came to respecting someone.

A very warm atmosphere was being created.

“T-Traitor!” Then Nefelina shouted with her small fists clenched. There was
resentment in her voice.

It was a natural reaction. To her, Bunhelier was the enemy who made her father
insane. From the moment she was born, her purpose was to kill Bunhelier. Yet Grid,
who was believed to be her only companion, returned while riding on Bunhelier’s
neck. An overwhelming sense of sadness and betrayal came over her…

Her mind was so dizzy that her vision became hazy.

“……”

People looked at Nefelina with bewildered expressions. It was shocking to see a

hatchling shed tears like chicken poop. There were many people who sighed with
pity at the sight of the big, round eyes filled with tears. It was because Nefelina’s
appearance was that of a small, cute girl.

Now most people knew who she was, but they still dared to feel sorry for her.
“Nefelina, you misunderstood.”

Grid jumped down from Bunhelier’s neck, approached Nefelina, and comforted her.

“It is true that I worked together with Bunhelier, but we didn’t become friends. So
let’s kill him together later. Yes?”

“Kuek… Uwaah!”

Was she relieved? Nefelina lost her dignity and started to cry as she hugged Grid
tightly. It was definitely a father-daughter relationship.

As people were feeling moved by the friendship that transcended species,

Bunhelier’s expression had become rotten.

[As expected, I have to kill everyone here…]

This was Bunhelier, who felt the need to wipe out humanity. Yet a death notice was
issued in his presence. The existence of the tower members also offended him.
Initially, the cooperative relationship with Grid was temporary. At this point, he felt it
was right to kill them all.

[……!]

Bunhelier was alone in the midst of humans when his expression suddenly
hardened. It was because he read the form of the still weak magic power contained
in Nefelina’s heart.

[You—Nevartan’s child…?]

It happened at the same time as his realization…

Bunhelier spread out his wings and hurriedly flew up.

Flash!

Just then, a light that appeared in the distance caught the attention of the people.
Some transcendents noticed the wavelengths that the light produced. They felt the
shockwaves that shook the clear sky, which regained its blueness after the hell moon
disappeared, drawing nearer.
“A Breath…!”

The tower members had a lot of experience fighting dragons. They soon felt the
presence of the Breath and dispersed. Yet along the way, they changed their behavior.
It was because they remembered the faces of the countless people at the scene. In
the end, they changed their direction and ran toward the Breath.

All the magic that existed in the world was unfolded throughout Reinhardt. They
were the magics that the tower members cast to stop the Breath and the magic that
the apostles and Overgeared members cast to protect the people.

[Insane Dragon Nevartan has appeared!]

It was the worst case scenario.

The faces of the tower members paled. They had just returned from hell and were in
an exhausted state. There was no one who wasn’t nervous about an enemy that was
difficult to deal with appearing at this time.

Grid’s tension was the greatest. The person who consumed the most strength was
none other than Grid.

In the midst of the turmoil—

“Father!” Nefelina screamed.

The body of a giant dragon that was bigger than Bunhelier appeared there.
People didn’t know much about dragons. They couldn’t afford to study and
understand the transcendent species that could destroy human civilization with a
single flap of their wings. This had a huge impact on players as well. The information
about dragons depicted in literature and quests that players could access was
limited.

However, everyone knew about the Insane Dragon. An incredibly ferocious and
powerful dragon. In other words, it was the Insane Dragon Nevartan who made up
the image of a dragon that was passed down to people.

Nevartan’s recognition was unique among the dragons. Neither the Fire Dragon
Trauka, who occupied the dwarf city of Talima, nor the Gourmet Dragon Raiders,
who was known to enjoy human food, were Nevartan’s opponents in terms of
awareness.

It was because Nevartan’s activity level was the highest among the dragons. It was
only a few activities in a hundred years, but it was many times more than other
dragons. He caused all types of incidents, but the content was inconsistent. In some
cases, the people at the scene weren’t all wiped out. This was the reason why many
dragon records, which were only a few in human history, used Nevartan as the main
protagonist.

“This… what should we do…?”

The hundreds of thousands of people who gathered to welcome the return of the
heroes all panicked in unison. Apart from a very small number of people, they
couldn’t keep their sanity. The madness was contagious.

People started to mistake their colleagues, friends, and family as the demons and
monsters they feared and attacked them. If it hadn’t been for Sariel hurriedly
scattering their divinity to calm them down, an unprecedented situation would’ve
occurred where fratricide would cause the capital to collapse.

‘What is his condition?’

Grid quickly searched Nevartan’s large body, which seemed to overlap with the
distant hills. He recalled the fact that Bunhelier was seriously injured when he fell to
hell. It was right after Bunhelier had fought against Nevartan. Based on the fact that
Bunhelier’s condition was much worse than it seemed, there was no way Nevartan
could be fine. Both sides must’ve been seriously injured in the aftermath of the
battle.

“…He is fine?”

Grid was so flustered that he let out a shrill noise. Contrary to his expectations, he
couldn’t find any wounds on Nevartan. He almost wanted to argue with Bunhelier.
Grid turned his head to the other side and found Bunhelier, who had become just a
dot.

Did Bunhelier feel the gaze? Bunhelier’s voice was directly transmitted to Grid’s
mind.

[What?]

It was an imposing attitude like he felt no shame at all.

Grid couldn’t reveal his feelings to Bunhelier, who questioned him. The one in the
unfortunate position now was Grid.

“Great old dragon, Bunhelier! I need your help!” Grid’s voice rang out loudly. He had
obtained the reward for the 20th epic he wrote in hell and his status had risen by a
huge four levels. Grid, who had risen in status to a level comparable to when he was
riding a top dragon, praised Bunhelier in front of the humans who served him and
asked for help. It was even next to the Overgeared World. He had qualifications of the
chief god.

The aftermath was great.

Bunhelier trembled. He felt the sensation of his status rising a level, just like when he
absorbed the demonic energy of hell and became an Evil Dragon. Of course, from
Bunhelier’s perspective, it was a reward he deserved. How hard had he struggled in
hell with this human on his back?

[You are crazy.]

They were words that Bunhelier had heard the most in his life. He never thought he
would be saying this to someone else. Bunhelier frowned at the emotion he felt and
blamed Grid.

[Asking for help when you just announced that you would kill me? Do you have no
such thing as shame?]

“……”

[In the first place, I have no reason to help you. Keep in mind that our alliance was
only temporary.]

The flapping of Bunhelier’s wings didn’t stop as he snorted. He moved away in real
time. He didn’t use any magic like teleportation. He wanted to avoid grabbing
Nevartan’s attention.

‘I am lucky. I can’t miss this opportunity.’

It was shortly after arriving on the surface. Bunhelier was stunned when he felt
Nevartan’s presence rapidly approaching. He, who had existed since the beginning,
had to face the crisis of death three times in one day. It was once to Nevartan, once to
Baal, and once to Nevartan again. He felt more skeptical than ashamed. He was
naturally afraid at the thought of losing the eternity he had enjoyed.

Nevertheless, he survived. To be exact, he was saved.

‘He became distracted after knowing about his child.’

Nevartan’s child. A dark smile spread across Bunhelier’s face. It was because he
thought he had great luck in exchange for losing his honor. The luck naturally
referred to Nefelina.

‘A child… it is a child. There must be plenty of ways to take advantage of it.’

Nevartan’s mind inherently fluctuated. He was always crazy, but there were
occasionally times when he overcame it and became sane. Was it a coincidence that
he came to his senses the moment he met his daughter? There was no way. The
affection he had for his daughter was real.

It happened at the time when Bunhelier’s evil smile was growing deeper…
“Isn’t this a chance for you?”

[……!]

The flapping of Bunhelier’s wings stopped. It was to avoid being swept away by the
wavelengths that occurred right in front of him. The gray light that rose like a haze
gradually became solid. It took the shape of a sword. It was a sword imbued with the
will to kill a dragon.

[Dragon Slayer ‘Hayate’ has appeared.]

“Why don’t we join forces to seal Nevartan?”

He didn’t say to kill. He avoided empty words as much as possible. He showed his
sanity in order to persuade Bunhelier. Bunhelier’s breathing became rough.

[Judging from your attitude, it seems that the time has come for the world to perish.
A Dragon Slayer is asking the dragon to cooperate? The one who was hiding not long
ago isn’t ashamed and is able to act proud…]

“I gained courage from Grid. Additionally, Grid is here as well.”

[……]

“You can’t be unaware that this is a chance that will never come again.”

The Tower of Wisdom tried to curb the proliferation of the insane dragon iron. It was
because they were wary of situations that would happen when the Insane Dragon’s
energy was revealed to the world.

Nevartan was a common target of the old dragons and they were attracted by the
energy of the Insane Dragon. The longer Nevartan was active, the more likely it was
that a war of dragons would take place. This would result in a disaster of continental
proportions.

The Insane Dragon… it was right to return him to his lair as soon as possible. It was
especially noteworthy that he was still unharmed even though he had often been
attacked over the past several hundred years.

‘Nevartan must be the strongest among the old dragons.’

This was how he ended up unharmed. Now that Nefelina was drawing his attention,
it was an opportunity.

Was it due to a desire to recreate a dragon’s death throes? The Dragon Killing Sword
was crying out viciously. Bunhelier stared at it in disgust and quickly shook his head.

[It can’t be done.]

“……?”

It was an unexpected answer. Wasn’t it Bunhelier, not anyone else, who most wanted
Nevartan to be sealed? It was Bunhelier who drove Nevartan to hell and drove him
insane. Based on this grudge, he was chased by Nevartan for hundreds of years.

Then why was he rejecting this great opportunity? The reason was simple.

[I don’t want to admit it, but that guy’s level is a bit higher than mine. The difference
is like a sheet of paper. It was because of the black dragon’s innate power that uses
all attributes skillfully and uses it as the law. Even the madness is accepted as a
power. He is a very cunning guy.]

A berserker—Nevartan became stronger the more he was hurt and he recovered

faster. It was a structure where he was forced to suffer damage when fighting. The
one who was already superior had evolved even further…

[Besides, he doesn’t have any appreciation for the arts, just like most dragons. It
means he is very different from me, who silently watches your cute actions and
enjoys it as a joke.]

Cute actions? Joke? Wasn’t it pretty desperate to put it this way?

Bunhelier swung his tail at Hayate, who was feeling puzzled as he recalled the
moment he fought against Bunhelier

[Get lost.]

“……”

Hayate’s well-groomed eyebrows twitched slightly. It was because Bunhelier’s tail

literally pushed him away. It was a far cry from a murderous attack. It wasn’t
something that the Evil Dragon Hayate had seen and heard about would do. He
couldn’t believe it even after experiencing it himself.

“Was the time you spent with Grid special to you?”

Hayate noticed the change in Bunhelier. The realization that he had been used by
Baal would’ve played a major role. The experience of him and Grid relying on each
other while feeling a sense of crisis about how to survive this difficult world must’ve
been great learning.

[……]

Bunhelier made a subtle expression. In fact, he was just tired. He wanted to get away
from Nevartan and take a break. However, this made Hayate misunderstand him. He
judged that this was the only way he could quickly leave this place without having to
collide with Hayate.

It was as expected.

Flap.

Hayate no longer stopped Bunhelier’s flapping wings. He was a hero who tried to
protect even one more person, so struggling to win the favor of an Evil Dragon was
like grasping at a straw.

Bunhelier wanted to laugh at Hayate but for some reason, laughter didn’t come out.
He quietly left the scene.

“……”

Hayate’s attention focused on the ground after Bunhelier left. Nevartan’s condition
wasn’t like his usual self. The time he stayed sane was much longer than expected.

***

It happened as Hayate was trying to persuade Bunhelier after sensing the

appearance of the old dragon…

“Father…”
On the ground, Nefelina and Nevartan were enjoying their reunion. In fact, it was too
subtle to express it as a reunion. The Nefelina that Nevartan remembered was an egg
that had yet to hatch. To be honest, the father and daughter met for the first time
today. However, Nevartan recognized instantly that Nefelina was his own flesh and
blood.

[Poriorderporonopitonojiodebe.]

“……!”

“……!”

The people who were watching their situation held their breaths. Nevartan didn’t
show any signs of aggression after shooting the Breath when he appeared. However,
people didn’t forget that he was insane. They were wary after he chanted a strange
spell and prepared a defensive posture.

It was the same with Grid. He ran straight to Irene and wrapped himself around her.

Toddle.

Then a life-sized kid wearing sunglasses made of ether came forward. It was the king
of the evil eyes. “As expected of the one who reigns supreme even among dragons,
you learn the principles of the world as soon as you are born. Do you know me, an
evil eye?”

“……”

Grid stiffened as he took back the barrier he made with the God Hands.

Poriorderporonopitonojiodebe—he remembered that it wasn’t some spell, but the

name of the evil eyes king. It was a name he hadn’t heard in a few years, so he had
forgotten about it.

…To be more precise, he didn’t forget it. It was that he didn’t remember it in the first
place. His name that appeared in the status window of the evil eyes king was ‘king of
the evil eyes.’ The real name was missing due to the limit on the number of
characters in the name field.

Grid only heard the name when the king of the evil eyes first introduced himself and
at that time, Grid didn’t have a very good memory. Thus, he couldn’t remember the
name in the first place. He usually used the words ‘hey’ or ‘friend’ rather than the
name, so he had less chances to remember…

“You just have to remember it from now on.”

Irene said with a smile after reading Grid’s uncomfortable expression and
understanding the situation. She held Grid’s hand tightly as if comforting him not to
be so disappointed, but her fingertips were trembling slightly. She tried not to show
it, but unfortunately, she couldn’t fool Grid’s senses.

Grid gently wrapped his hand over her little hand. He adored her strong heart that
pretended to be fine in order to reassure the people. The conversation between
Nevartan and the evil eyes king was continuing.

[I have watched from afar as you searched for my egg.]

“…Why did you keep me alive?”

[I knew your purpose. I thought you were the right people to protect my egg and I
was right.]

Nevartan slowly raised his arm. A long, large finger, that was around the same size as
two spires of the Overgeared Castle put together, was carefully placed on top of
Nefelina’s small head.

[I’m glad you hatched safely.]

“Father…”

[I don’t like this name because I feel a sense of distance. Call me Papa.]

“P-Papa…” Nefelina’s tears finally flowed down like a waterfall. Contrary to her
worries, the father she had long imagined was kind and warm, so she was happy.
There were many things she wanted to say. She wanted this moment to last forever.
However, reality was cruel. Nevartan immediately prepared for the goodbye.

[Beware of Trauka. Unlike Bunhelier, he isn’t stupid and he is also very obsessed
with power. The moment you become an adult dragon, he will try to eat you. Try to
hunt before that.]
A voice as warm as Sariel’s divinity spread throughout Reinhardt. The appearance of
a father caring for his daughter. The position of the father, who was forced to leave
soon due to his madness, made people’s eyes redden.

[It isn’t easy to keep you by my side, so you must be careful with yourself.]

“Yes…”

[But there must be limits. Unfortunately, you aren’t likely to lay my eggs. If I think
you are really in danger, I will eat you before you become an adult dragon. Until that
day comes, try to increase your strength as much as possible so that there is less
inferiority.]

“…??”

“…???”

This was a bit…

Did they hear it incorrectly? People doubted their ears.

Meanwhile, Nefelina wasn’t flustered at all. She slowly nodded like she had foreseen
it. “I understand. If that is for the best. I will work hard.”

[Yes, that is good. I love you.]

Nevartan’s giant claws stroked his daughter’s head again. However, Nefelina could no
longer smile. Then a dark shadow fell on the little girl’s face. There was a hand
pulling at her.

“Stop the nonsense.”

It was naturally Grid’s hand.

[You…]

Nevartan looked at Grid for the first time and responded like it was difficult to
understand.

[Why are you intervening?]

“It is a family matter.”

[Family…? My daughter? Ahh, are you dreaming of being the founder of a new
species, like the human females who were with Bunhelier? Forget it. The dragon god
species is an inferior product that isn’t much different from the half-draconians.
Besides, my daughter won’t have any reproductive capacity until she becomes an
adult.]

Don’t listen.

Grid whispered and blocked Nefelina’s ears with both hands while staring at
Nevartan.

“Are you saying this because you are crazy?” he asked in a cold voice. It was while
pondering on Braham’s words that there was a chance of winning if he lured
Nevartan to the Overgeared World.

Nevartan’s golden eyes slowly darkened.

[My dear daughter. Stay as far away as you can. I wasted my time on a fool and my
madness is about to take over. It seems that this place will disappear today.]

The death sentence was dropped.

It was a touching father-daughter reunion. The sight of Nefelina crying emotionally
at the sight of her father made Grid’s nose feel clogged.

Nevartan’s will to overcome his madness for a while also made Grid become solemn.
A curse placed through the cooperation between the Absolute of hell and the
heavenly gods. He overcame the most powerful curse in the world with his
determination to talk to his daughter. It was the willpower of a father that deserved
to be respected by everyone.

That’s right—Grid clearly felt the love and affection between blood and flesh. He
forgot about the precarious situation for a moment and cheered for Nefelina with a
happy heart.

Thus, he tried not to see it. The desire that slowly filled Nevartan’s eyes as he
scanned his daughter.

Grid pretended not to hear. The sophistry of eating his daughter, who was unable to
bear his eggs.

Grid believed it wasn’t sincere. Wasn’t this right after showing true affection? He
thought that Nevartan was affected by the madness and was speaking nonsense
against his will. Then Grid saw Nefelina’s expression and was forced to admit it.
Nevartan hadn’t fallen to madness yet. He was uttering disgusting nonsense with a
normal mind.

Grid felt a boiling rage. Of course, he didn’t show it outwardly. He was reminded that
dragons were a different species from humans. He tried to understand because he
knew that the common sense and morality of humans shouldn’t be enforced on
them.

He realized that provoking Nevartan would endanger tens of millions of people and
their loved ones. He even considered the fact that he wasn’t confident what Nefelina
would face hundreds of years in the future. It meant he was thinking very
realistically.
“Stop the nonsense.” However, he couldn’t stand it. He pulled Nefelina to his side
because she looked so sad and distressed.

Grid remembered. Nefelina had lived with humans from the moment she was born. It
wasn’t just him. Irene and Lord also treated her as family. The Overgeared members
were her friends. A dragon’s standards shouldn’t be placed on her.

Would she suffer pain in the future that would come hundreds of years from now?
Was it at a time when he didn’t exist? This didn’t give him a reason to turn away from
her. He felt a duty to take responsibility for her to the end since she lived a human
life because of him. Additionally—

-How long are you going to just watch? Why don’t you try to win when there is a
chance?

Braham was urging him to kill a dragon. The Overgeared World was located in the
heart of Reinhardt—in that place, Grid and the apostles were rapidly strengthened.
It might be a bit inferior to Baal, who showed off his invincible majesty in hell, but
there were also the tower members here.

-Make the tower members your believers. If you make them inhabitants of the
Overgeared World and you fight together, killing a dragon isn’t a dream…

Braham’s eyes as he persuaded Grid again were filled with anger rather than the
desire to kill a dragon. Before he met Grid, the only one he loved and admired in the
world was his mother, Beriache. Therefore, he understood and sympathized with
Nefelina’s pain. It was because he also had the experience of being abandoned by his
mother. Of course, she had good reasons behind her abandonment. He was exiled
due to the tragedy of killing his kin.

On the other hand, Nefelina did nothing wrong. She was forced to make sacrifices
simply because she was a child. The heart that dreamed about revenge for her father
was thoroughly trampled on. She was miserable.

For the first time, Braham felt pity for the hatchling who only ate all the time.

[It seems that this place will disappear today.]

Nevartan looked at Grid’s provocative gaze like it was hard to understand, before
suddenly making this declaration.
The heart of the empire—it was a declaration that he would destroy this place full of
the history and connections that Grid had built up.

Grid shouted, “You don’t understand Nefelina’s feelings!”

[Understanding my child’s feelings? It is an unnecessary act. I gave birth to that child,

so she belongs to me. It is my right to treat her according to my will.]

“What is the difference from parents who ignore their children’s dreams and only let
them study?!”

Did South Korea still have such an environment these days?

Some players clicked their tongues while Nevartan’s golden eyes quickly became
black. The focus disappeared. At first glance, it was like a gaping hole. No sign of
intelligence could be seen in it. It was tainted with complete madness.

“Now.” Braham gave a signal. He added his characteristic arrogant expression that
made it seem easy to lure someone with no sense of reason.

Nevartans’ giant hand struck at Grid. It didn’t contain anything special. It was close
to an action of simply dealing with an annoying bug. However, it was insanely fast.

Grid barely responded by using all his buff skills and crossing the dragon weapons in
front of him. He faced Nevartan’s hand without avoiding it. There was no way to
avoid it. There were still countless people behind him. The Overgeared members and
knights hadn’t finished evacuating all the people.

“Ah…!” Screams burst out from everywhere. It was because they vaguely witnessed
the bizarre bending of Grid’s waist. The moment he confronted the dragon’s hand
with his swords, the back of his head was almost touching the ground. They
wondered if he would die with his body folded back. This was what he showed when
he fought Baal.

People sensed Grid’s crisis.

“Uh…? Uhh?”

It was different for the people who stood behind Grid. Thousands of people clearly
witnessed it. It was the sight of Nevartan’s hand slowly being pushed back without
crushing Grid.

“…Ohhhhh!” Grid’s shout of concentration grew louder and Nevartan’s hand moved
away from the ground. The two dragon weapons were enduring the strength and
weight of Nevartan’s hand and pushing it away.

[Power of Not Knowing Defeat]

He wasn’t aided by Saleos’ power. He couldn’t win against the top three great
demons, gods, and dragons with Saleos’ power. It would be a tie at best. The force
that was currently sustaining Grid was the reward for writing the 20th epic.

[God has proven that he is unbreakable.]

Grid couldn’t withstand the power of the demonic sword wielded by Baal. Every time
he exchanged a blow with Baal, he groaned as his arms bent or his back was heavily
bent back. Baal’s sword would eventually crush Grid along with his sword and armor
and Grid looked as precarious as a flower.

People thought that Grid would break, but he never broke. He gritted his teeth and
held on. In the end, he wasn’t defeated by Baal. The narrative of that time, which was
witnessed by all, sustained the present Grid.

Grid wasn’t broken. He stood up to an overwhelmingly immense force and wasn’t

crushed by it. Such a law was established. It was a law made by one passage of the
epic.

In the end, Grid completely shook off Nevartan’s hand and leaped forward. He
headed toward the Overgeared World.

Kurarararara!

Nevartan chased after him while shooting a Breath. The Breath’s shockwave ruined
the city’s buildings. Fortunately, the buildings were empty. Everyone had gathered in
the square to welcome the returning heroes. The collapsed buildings were
immediately restored by Garion.

Grid used Shunpo and immediately rushed into the Overgeared World. At the same
time, the Breath hit him. The Breath’s speed caught up with the speed of Shunpo.
“Grid!!”

“Your Majesty!”

Those who witnessed Grid being swept away by the Breath screamed. Most people
imagined Grid turning into ashes. However, Grid stood intact in the place where the
Breath passed through. Only a few drops of dark red blood poured out. Serious
injuries such as the loss of certain body parts were avoided.

Things were different now compared to when he lost his arm in the aftermath of
Cranbel’s Breath. Grid was currently armed with the dragon armor. After writing the
20th epic, he became a lot stronger than before. Additionally, Nevartan didn’t use
Dragon Words. Behind Cranbel’s Breath seriously injuring Grid was the power of
Dragon Words. Grid was under great pressure at the time and had all his stats
reduced by nearly half.

On the other hand, he wasn’t influenced by Dragon Words when he was hit by
Bunhelier’s Breath in hell or at this moment. He survived because he endured the
Breath without being under a weakening effect.

‘A being who moves by instinct can’t use Dragon Words.’

The Insane Dragon—Nevartan was crazy. Rational judgment was impossible. The
fact that he followed Grid without delay proved it. This guy entered the Overgeared
World on his own. He entered the divine world and wasn’t much different from
Martial God Zeratul, who descended to the surface and suffered humiliation.

“It is absolutely a lizard.”

Braham, who had already arrived in the Overgeared World, performed the magic he
had prepared. It was magic that was unfolded with purple magic power. Magic power
with the power of a mental image aimed at a being who could naturally resist magic.

The spear of light that was created was so huge and sharp that it pierced Nevartan’s
body diagonally. Nevartan stiffened for a moment and coughed up blood. Then a
meteorite fell toward Nevartan’s head. All types of great magics were linked together
without a time difference.

The title of the 20th epic was ‘Hell.’ Just like Grid, the narrative of the apostles who
were active in hell was also recorded in the epic. The 20th epic was a means of
strengthening not only Grid, but also his apostles. It was easy to understand if one
thought of Hayate, who was included in Grid’s epic and regained his full skills.

“Decoy.”

Nevartan was angered after being successively hit by magic and his wrath turned in
the wrong direction. He was deceived by the clones created with Braham’s magic
power and shot Breaths at them. The Breath’s momentum was weaker than before.
Even if he was an old dragon, he couldn’t quickly adapt to the environment of the
divine world that was born not long ago.

On the other hand, Braham’s magic was far more complete than when he used it
outside the Overgeared World. The clones created by his magic power had the same
characteristics as Braham and Grid. It was enough to trick this insane lizard.

“G-Grid…!”

Nefelina had an anxious expression as she chased after them to the Overgeared
World. There was no certainty in the voice that was calling Grid’s name. Was it right
for Grid to fight her father for her? Everyone was in danger because of her…

Her trembling voice was filled with doubt, anxiety, confusion, and sadness.

“It will be okay,” Grid answered with a smile. The sunset divinity that spread
throughout the Overgeared World was gathering at the tip of his sword.

-The cooldown time of all skills is removed for the Overgeared God and his
subordinate gods within the Overgeared World.

-If a target that isn’t allowed by the Overgeared God enters the Overgeared World,
their status will be greatly weakened and all stats will be reduced by 50%.

It was the dimensional effect of the divine world. It was also an indication that the
Asgard conquest was impossible, so he didn’t feel very comfortable. Still, in any case,
Grid was almost invincible here.

“Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link.”

Penetrating head-on.
“Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave.”

Striking down and piercing through.

“Transcend Linked Dragon Pinnacle Kill Wave.”

Creating a new sword dance and striking up. This was possible thanks to the deity
gained as a reward for the epic.

“Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link.”

Penetrating again.

“Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave.”

Pressing down again.

“Transcend Linked Dragon Pinnacle Kill Wave.”

Striking up again.

It couldn’t be repeated endlessly. The sword energy that almost seemed infinite due
to the fast recovery speed was now quickly depleted. The continuous use of the six
fusion sword dance was burdensome.

Kurarararara!

Nevartan didn’t lose momentum even though his scales were brutally shattered and
his limbs severed. He opened his huge snout and fired a Breath at Grid right in front
of him. Grid was slowed down in the aftermath of the depletion of sword energy, but
his complexion didn’t change. The Dragon Killing Sword that shot up under his feet
stopped the Breath.

“I joined the Overgeared God Church.” Hayate stood behind Grid and smiled softly
while the apostles and tower members were lined up on his left and right. The
protagonists of the 20th epic—they were also residents of the Overgeared World.
Grid’s status after the 20th epic had risen to a level comparable to when he rode a
top dragon. This didn’t mean that the need to rely on Dragon Knight was gone. It was
because Dragon Knight’s strengths weren’t just limited to a rise in status. It was an
increase in his stats by three times and the implementation of the Breath.

The biggest advantage of Grid riding a dragon was purely the ‘getting stronger’ part.
The current Grid was weak compared to when he fought Baal. He used the immense
power of ‘skill cooldown time erased’ with the effect of the Overgeared World behind
him, but the power of each six fusion sword dance was incomparable to when he was
riding Bunhelier.

Of course, Grid had performed the six fusion sword dance a total of six times. It was
while keeping the Sweet Candy in his mouth. He momentarily demonstrated enough
firepower to kill Baal of hell more than once. The problem was that Nevartan’s
defense and health surpassed Baal’s.

The dragons were the ultimate of the giant and transcendent species. The old
dragons were the pinnacle of the dragons. Regardless of the power of Absolute
Defense, their stats themselves were the strongest in the worldview. The scales on
their body mitigated all types of damage. They weren’t opponents who could be
easily harmed.

It was a completely different case from Bunhelier, who suffered severe internal
injuries from Nevartan and was severely restricted against Baal. In fact, Nevartan
was hit by the six fusion sword dance and was still unscathed. He restored his
severed limbs at a visible speed while swinging his long tail to smash the temples of
the Overgeared World.

The deep lake in the center of the Overgeared World repeatedly exposed its bottom
again and again in the aftermath of the shock of the Breaths, which were being fired
non-stop. The bodies of Grid, the apostles, and the tower members were drenched by
the lake water that soared up high and poured down like torrential rain.

It was proof that there was no room to relax. Normally, the apostles and tower
members didn’t get wet even if they were in the middle of a rainstorm or a blizzard.
It was virtually impossible for foreign substances to touch them when they freely
operated energy and magic power.

However, they couldn’t prevent the lake water from splashing and became like wet
mice. It was because he was in a hurry to handle Nevartan’s attack.

“Kuek…!”

Was it the effect of the insane mental image? Nevartan’s Breath was different from
that of other dragons. It stretched out in a straight line but repeatedly changed the
trajectory along the way. The damage radius was greatly extended when it soared
like a spinning wheel or sprayed in all directions. It was correct to express it as crazy
beyond the anomalous level.

“Can’t you stop his breathing?” Hayate’s feet were tied up from trying to cut and stop
the Breaths that Nevartan was constantly shooting. He couldn’t help asking Biban
this question.

Biban cocked his head as he made a huge stone sword by absorbing the fragments of
the broken temples to his sword. “Stop his breathing? Nevartan’s Breath?”

“Don’t let him shoot the Breath.”

“Huhu, if I could cut the neck, why would I choose to cut his Breath? It isn’t
appropriate for you, who is usually very serious, to joke in this situation. Did you
become very excited after meeting strong comrades?”

“I see.”

Hayate didn’t bother to tell the story of Kraugel. It was because it seemed that Biban,
who was getting worse due to dementia, would have a reaction that was hard to
handle. He felt worried about Biban while missing Kraugel, who had been with him
for a short time…

“Nevartan is adapting to the dimension.” Mercedes’ urgent voice was heard. Her
Keen Insight had an accurate grasp of the situation as she relentlessly targeted
Nevartan’s side.

An old dragon. They were creatures that hunted the celestial gods until the
‘convention.’ Would it have been possible for them to run wild in Asgard if they were
hampered by the dimensional effects? Asgard was a divine world that had existed
since the beginning. It was a powerful divine world that was incomparable to the
Overgeared World, which was established only recently. After adapting and resisting
Asgard’s oppression, the level of the Overgeared World was too weak to forever
suppress an old dragon, who had entered like this was his own house.

[The invader ‘Nevartan’ is destroying the ecosystem of the Overgeared World!]

[Be careful, the Overgeared World might perish!]

Nevartan was threatening beyond adapting to the environment of the Overgeared

World. Every time he rampaged and destroyed a temple, the status of the god was
dangerously shaken. In particular, the condition of the fishing god Lars was bad. It
was the influence of the depth of the lake water becoming shallow as its bottom was
revealed again and again.

The weakening of Lars, who had a rare healing ability, hindered the activities of his
allies.

“I didn’t think it was possible to resist the oppression of the divine world…” Braham
frowned.

Hayate, a person who had already reached Braham’s goal for a thousand years.

Grid, the strongest in this new era, was acknowledged by such a Hayate.

There was also Zik and Fronzaltz.

There were many strong people here whom Braham was forced to acknowledge. He
judged that Nevartan could be destroyed by taking advantage of the dimensional
effect of the Overgeared World. It was a misjudgment that happened because he
didn’t know much about dragons. Nevartan was far more powerful than he expected.

Boooom!

Braham’s body floated in the air. He was hit by the tail that broke through dozens of
layers of magic shields and his arms and waist were bent at bizarre angles. His
broken ribs dug into his intestines, causing terrible pain.
‘Too fast…!’

It was possible for him to sense the crisis based on the divinity and transcendence he
accumulated over the years, but it wasn’t possible for him to react. He was already
hit by the attack the moment he realized that an attack was coming. His immortality
would’ve been consumed immediately if it wasn’t for the shields that were deployed
all the time.

“Is it to this extent when he is moving according to his instincts?”

Zik flew in while creating runes for recovery, regeneration, and acceleration and
supported Braham.

Was it a coincidence? Braham became Nevartan’s target as soon as he cast great

magic. As a result, he was seriously injured and suffered from a magic power reflux.
The timing was too exquisite to be called a coincidence.

“……!”

The surprised Zik left his position. The tail that had passed by after hitting Braham
came back and devastated the area. Zik was able to react thanks to the runes of
detection, navigation, and acceleration, but his expression was rarely dark.

For a natural hunter, instincts might actually be a blessing. In his opinion, madness
wasn’t a factor in weakening Nevartan. He didn’t think there were any flaws in
Nevartan’s combat ability now compared to when his mental state was intact.

Fronzaltz said, “It is true that he has been weakened by madness.”

He was indeed a wise giant. He read Zik’s thoughts based on his expression and
reaction.

“The fact that Dragon Words has been sealed is no different from having a limb
amputated in human terms.”

“Is it to that extent?” A look of surprise appeared on Zik’s face. Braham’s expression
was no different as he hung from Zik’s shoulder like a piece of laundry. He realized
the greatness of Grid who had fought against dragons. He also gained greater respect
for Hayate and the tower members.
At the same time, Grid was aided by Zik and Ken and was approaching Nevartan
again. He triggered the Sanctuary of Metal and used the six fusion sword dances in a
row. The momentum of lifting and smashing the undulating scales and digging into
the thick flesh was fierce.

However, he failed to penetrate Nevartan this time. He was hit in the back by the
claw that Nevartan swung and flew toward the canyon he had built in his mental
world. He slammed into it and the entire Overgeared World was shaken.

Grid’s back as he immediately jumped up again was projected into the eyes of Zik
and Braham.

It was an always phenomenal defense.

Grid’s voice entered the ears of Zik, who had flown and arrived near Grid. “Thank
you for the assistance.”

Zik’s runes were mostly concentrated on Grid. The dozens of rune words helped Grid
by forming sentences of different meanings in real time.

“We can’t do it alone,” Braham said as he got down from Zik’s back.

Grid’s expression was uneasy. The faces of the people currently attacking Nevartan
along with Grid were all gorgeous. Weren’t all the apostles and tower members
gathered? Apart from Nefelina, who couldn’t come forward hastily, and Hayate, who
was concentrating on preventing the Breath, all the others were launching attacks
against Nevartan. Yet it wasn’t enough? The implications were too great to be
accepted smoothly.

Boooom!

At the same time, a huge sword that was tens of meters in size blocked the flying tail.
It was the sword wielded by Biban. It served to offset the weight on the tail. Grid’s
sword appeared between the fragments of shattered and scattered stones and
exploded with a sharp burst of sword light.

Nevartan’s tail was cut off. Nevertheless, there wasn’t a single person who acted
recklessly. They already learned that the fastest regenerating part of a dragon’s body
was its tail.
Nevartan’s tail immediately regenerated and fell toward the heads of the group. At
this point, Grid was forced to admit it.

‘He keeps getting stronger.’

It wasn’t simply due to adapting to the environment of the Overgeared World.

Putting aside the status he had lost, Nevartan was gaining dominance in all aspects
of attack power, defense, recovery, and resistance.

“Bunhelier’s assessment that Nevartan gets stronger the more damage he suffers is
an unexaggerated truth.”

Hayate aimed for the moment when Nevartan’s tail and the Breath’s paths
overlapped and blocked it. Then he came to Grid’s side and said this.

“The apostles and tower members should use their own means to survive.”

The reason why Hayate was in charge of Nevartan’s Breath was simple. The power of
the Breath was too strong. It was difficult to cut or block it unless it was weakened
by the Dragon Killing Sword. The other tower members and apostles had to put all
their energy into it to handle Nevartan’s Breath. It meant the efficiency was poor.

Hayate had wanted the others to destroy Nevartan with Grid while he faced the
Breaths. However, he came to the conclusion that it was impossible. If it was like this,
there was only one option.

“Overgeared God, cooperate with me.”

Hayate’s white clothing gradually lengthened. The coat that touched the ankle
dragged to the floor like a cloak and fluttered like a veil. The dragon killing sword
energy rose to the peak, glowed, and scattered.

Nevartan’s consciousness was focused on Hayate.

“Now.”

──!

Sound disappeared. The Dragon Killing Sword momentarily reached the speed of
light and turned the area into a vacuum.
Grid was crushed by the immense pressure and was flustered. Even so, he gritted his
teeth and somehow took a step. It was an effort to respond to the Absolute.

There were multicolored lights scattering in his vision. Nevartan’s roar and the
Breath he fired and the waves of the Dragon Killing Sword advancing toward him
became entangled together and spread out repeatedly.

On the other hand, Grid’s orange divinity was weak. It couldn’t move forward in a
world without sound. It was inferior compared to the Absolute. It was a world he
hadn’t reached yet.

Grid was feeling bitter as he had to admit this, only for his feet to step on something
hard and squishy. It was Nefelina’s back after she released Polymorph. A young
dragon dozens of times smaller than her father predicted the path Grid would take
forward and got in his way. It was a miracle that was accomplished after communing
as Grid’s apostle, friend, and family member.

[I…! I want to live with Grid!!]

Nefelina’s cry spread clearly in the world where the sound had disappeared. It was
willpower, not a live voice. It was Dragon Words.

[How did a hatchling…?] Nevartan was shocked. His eyes, which were black like
there was a hole in them, returned to gold in an instant.

A hatchling used complete Dragon Words. The extraordinary image of his daughter,
who overcame limits and achieved transcendence for the first time in dragon history,
awakened his consciousness. It might be distorted from a human point of view, but
his love for his child was real.

[Your apostle ‘Nefelina’ has earned the title of ‘Transcendent Dragon.’]

[Some of the stats of your apostle ‘Nefelina’ are unlocked.]

[I!! I am going to be with Grid!!]

She was transcendent because she had lifted her limits. The sight of his still small
and feeble, yet dignified daughter made Nevartan smile.

[I’ll allow it.]

[You have boarded the transcendent dragon, Nefelina.]

[The effect of the only one title in the world, ‘Dragon Knight,’ is activated.]

[All your stats are increased by three times and your status is increased.]

The dying orange divinity rose like wildfire. It was the moment when Grid truly
stepped into the world of the Absolute.

[Your union.]

“……?!”

Boooom…
From Grid’s perspective, Nevartan’s position was very ambiguous. He was Nefelina’s
father. They were forced to be hostile when Nevartan was insane, but Grid felt very
reluctant to be hostile when Nevartan was sane. Of course, it was true that he didn’t
like Nevartan’s way of treating Nefelina.

However, it was a priority to have a conversation. Humans and dragons were

different from their species. Effort was needed in order to understand each other.

In the first place, Grid’s emotions weren’t lacking enough to hurt a father in front of
his child. This subtle hesitation—

[I’ll allow it. Your union.]

“……?!”

Nevartan’s words maximized it. It was expressed in his sword dance. There was a
slight shake in the Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave sword dance, which had
been used to respond to Hayate’s rising sword. It was a very small shake. It was at a
level that even a passable transcendent wouldn’t notice.

Yet Hayate noticed it. The light of the Dragon Killing Sword, which was falling toward
the top of Nevartan’s head, changed its trajectory and struck Grid’s sword.

[The casting of Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave has been canceled!]

An unchallenged power—the weight of the Dragon Killing Sword weighed down on

the two dragon weapons and stopped the progress of the sword dance. The reasons
why it was possible—

[The energy of the dragon slayer has greatly weakened the beneficial effects of
‘Dragon Knight.’]

[The energy of the dragon slayer has greatly weakened the power of ‘Gujel’s Fang’
and ‘Cranbel’s Horn.’]
[The energy of the dragon slayer has impaired the performance of ‘Fire Dragon Ifrit’s
Arm,’ ‘Fire Dragon Ifrit’s Shoulder,’ ‘Cloaked Dragon Cranbel’s Pelvis,’ and ‘Cloaked
Dragon Cranbel’s Head.’]

It was because of the power of the Absolute walking the opposite path to Grid, who
interacted with dragons. Dark red blood flowed down the corners of Grid and
Hayate’s mouths. Hayate abruptly changed the trajectory of the Dragon Killing Sword
while Grid failed to trigger the sword dance due to physical force. They both suffered
serious internal injuries.

Hayate told the startled Grid, “Don’t do anything you will regret.”

Hayate’s clear blue eyes captured the image of Grid and Nefelina together. He was
convinced that the bond between the two of them would last forever.

“I understand your position.”

“Hayate…” Grid was greatly thrilled. Hayate had always been like this since the
moment they first met. He always understood and cared for Grid. The surface could
be so peaceful because the only Absolute of humanity was such a person. Hayate was
clearly good.

Grid was once again convinced while Hayate reacted in an embarrassed manner. “It
is embarrassing. I also don’t want to have a bad relationship with Nevartan.”

Hayate also couldn’t define Nevartan as an enemy with certainty. Before he was
called an Insane Dragon—

Nevartan hadn’t experienced madness and he lived a much quieter life compared to
the other old dragons. Even after he became an Insane Dragon, it was rare for him to
recklessly harm humanity and he always left behind numerous witnesses. This was
why most of the literature related to dragons was about Nevartan. It might be a favor
out of indifference, but it still couldn’t be ignored.

[…It would’ve been quite dangerous.] Nevartan, whose head was tilted due to the
shockwave caused by the collision between the Dragon Killing Sword and the sword
dance, straightened his head and spoke. He felt the energy of the dragon slayer
disrupting the binding of his scales and the circulation of magic power. Nevartan
readily admitted that he would’ve suffered quite a bit of damage if he was stabbed by
the Dragon Killing Sword and was hit by Grid’s sword dance while his weaknesses
were exposed.

[Good. At this point, you deserve to be with my daughter.]

Nevartan was wary of the madness that he didn’t know when it might come back. He
immediately turned around and flew high into the sky. It seemed like he was about to
fly into space. He flew so far away he became a dot in an instant. Grid shouted after
him, “Nevartan! I know how to fix your madness!”

[A method? I also know a method. However, who in the world can ask for her
cooperation? It is futile. I hope you will be eager to cherish and love my daughter.]

Nevartan didn’t delay for a moment. He said goodbye in a subtly softened tone and
disappeared. Grid understood Nevartan’s position while feeling great regret. How
could they afford to have a conversation when it wasn’t known when Nevartan’s
madness would strike again? What if they delayed time and there was an irreversible
situation? Who would be held accountable?

The only thing that bothered Grid was that Nevartan didn’t say goodbye to Nefelina
in the end. He was afraid that Nefelina would be sad.

[Goodbye, Father.]

“……”

The worried Grid started grinning. Then he heard Nefelina’s surprisingly bright voice
and realized it.

‘I hope you will be eager to cherish and love my daughter.’

Nevartan had already conveyed his feelings to his daughter. He loved her and wished
for her to be happy. It was definitely communicated to Nefelina.

“You will be able to meet again someday. Until then, I am your father.” Grid patted
Nefelina on the head. He thought that the round back of her head was cute even
when she returned to her main body. Then he called up the list of quests currently in
progress.

[Marie Rose’s Blood]

[★ Hidden Quest ★

Get the blood of Marie Rose, the vampire duke, and give it as a transfusion to
Nevartan, the insane dragon.

Quest Clearance Reward: Nevartan’s madness is cured. Affinity with Nevartan will
increase.]

It was a quest he got for satisfying the Gourmet Dragon Raiders. At that time, he only
felt helpless about how to obtain Marie Rose’s blood. Even if he gained the blood, he
wasn’t sure how to transfuse it to Nevartan. This was no longer the case. He was still
afraid of Marie Rose, but it was no longer an unrealistic quest.

‘Come to think of it, did Raiders want to help Nevartan?’

The maniac who took the world tree, the elves’ parent, as gourmet food in front of
the elves. Grid didn’t like Raiders, who wanted to destroy the Hilgram family, who
had been making food for him for a thousand years, simply because he was tired of
the taste. He even wondered about the difference between this guy and the Evil
Dragon p.

Then he realized it after meeting several dragons. Raiders was a really gentle dragon.
He seemed subtly on the good (?) side based on human standards. It seemed rather
natural for Raiders to show a favorable attitude toward his kin.

[Father…?] Grid suddenly came to his senses. It was because he heard Nefelina’s
murmur. [W-We need to unite. Isn’t this pretty uncomfortable by human
standards…?]

“What?”

[H-Huh? I-If you don’t mind, then I’m okay with it.]

“……? Yes, I’m glad you’re okay.”

The conversation between Grid and Nefelina was subtly misaligned. It was because
they interpreted the meaning of ‘union’ differently. However, Grid failed to notice
anything particularly strange. The situation itself was joyful and exciting. He was
worried that Nefelina would be disappointed after finally meeting her father, but
everything went well.
She gained peace of mind by confirming her father’s love and would grow into a
much better dragon in the future. In fact, she got the title of transcendent dragon.

‘It is unfortunate that it isn’t Overgeared dragon, but it can’t be helped.’

In any case, he would be able to ride Nefelina in the future. He could enjoy the
Dragon Knight effect at any time. It happened as Grid was feeling a huge amount of
joy comparable to when he became myth rated…

[The stamina of transcendent dragon ‘Nefelina’ is at the limit.]

[Nefelina can no longer carry you.]

[Nefelina needs plenty of rest.]

“……??”

Nefelina’s large eyes suddenly turned into an X shape and her body drooped. Thanks
to this, Grid fell off her back and started to fall to the ground.

‘Is this real?’

Only one minute—the time Nefelina could transcend a hatchling’s limits and carry
Grid was only 60 seconds.

***

“What type of compact car has a bad fuel economy?”

Grid had bought a luxury sports sedan for his first car and he had never driven a
compact car. Thus, he complained based on prejudice.

“Grid, sometimes you say things that are hard to understand.”

“S-Sorry, I was talking to myself.”

Grid smiled awkwardly and Nefelina looked at him curiously. The tower members
and apostles approached the duo, who had made an incredible achievement.

"Good work."
“You made even the Insane Dragon retreat…”

They all had strange expressions. They were reactions that seemed to have gone
beyond the level of admiration or astonishment and were more like they had seen
something bizarre. It wasn’t much different from when they first saw Hayate. They
noticed that Grid had risen to the rank of an Absolute.

“That… I’m sorry.”

Braham abruptly apologized. His arrogant expression was as usual, but he avoided
making eye contact with Grid. It was inconsistent with having a clear conscience. It
was natural.

Braham had almost killed everyone. His judgment that there would be a chance of
winning if they fought in the Overgeared World was what led to the battle. What if
Nevartan hadn’t overcome the madness at the end? All of Reinhardt and the
Overgeared World would’ve been in ruins.

Grid took his head as his head was slowly lowering due to being crushed by guilt.
“It’s fine. I would’ve fought anyway even if you hadn’t persuaded me.”

In fact, there was a high possibility that Grid would’ve endured it… Putting aside the
pitiful Nefelina, Grid was in a position to make composed and wise judgments.
However, Braham had trolled more than once or twice. It hurt his mouth to point it
out. Braham was already reflecting on himself so Grid could only hope he would be
more cautious in the future.

‘I would just be nagging him if I say anything else here.’

In fact, it was shameless to rebuke Braham. It was Grid who decided that Braham’s
opinion was correct and became determined to fight Nevartan. Shifting the blame
onto Braham now would just prove that he had a serious defect in his personality.

“Grid!”

“……!”

It was after the atmosphere had been cleared. The eyes of Grid’s party in the
Overgeared World widened. They were impressed by the camp that the Overgeared
members put together. The knights led by Asmophel and the Red Knights, the
peasants of Bland, the evil eyes, the magicians and Ul Clan of the magic tower, and
the tens of thousands of troops lined up with the Overgeared Guild as the leaders.

Fronzaltz admired the Breaking Evil Arrows that embroidered the sky like starlight.

“The extraordinary thing is their true determination to fight the dragon. Is this the
power that one nation can have?”

In terms of armed force alone, it transcended even the heyday of a great nation.
Putting aside Grid and the apostles, it wasn’t an exaggeration at all.

Yura, Jishuka, Faker, Chris, Haster, etcetera—there were many legends in the
Overgeared Guild. Reinhardt wouldn’t take any damage even if the Yatan Church did
the crazy act of summoning a great demon in the middle of Reinhardt. The problem
was that even the Yatan Church was mostly friendly to the Overgeared Empire.

The world had changed so much. The people gathered here had changed it.

“Grid, let’s start with the granting of rewards according to merit,” Lauel, who had
been staring in the direction where Insane Dragon Nevartan disappeared for a long
time with a mesmerized face, belatedly came to his senses and told Grid.

His hands were still shaking. It seemed he thought the empire would be ruined
today.

“Yes, let’s change places first. Prepare a banquet.”

The ceremony to grant rewards according to merit ended. The top 30 people in
terms of merit at the time that the Asura Road closed were announced and
rewarded. It was a large-scale quest with a high difficulty, so all participants
benefited from it.

However, people honestly felt it wasn’t enough compared to the hardships they went
through. The national treasury played a role in filling that deficiency.

The empire—in other words, Grid had a duty to continue to motivate people. It was
because he didn’t want to be alone in this world.

After a while—
“You?”

At the square in front of the Overgeared Castle…

At the scene where hundreds of thousands of people gathered, including spectators,

Biban found Kraugel and wondered, “Why are you here?”

Kraugel was sitting where the people who made achievements sat and looked
puzzled.

“Why is Sir Biban here…?” Kraugel cocked his head and responded.

The tower members said ‘What reward can we get from our junior?’ and returned to
the tower. Biban was the only one who stayed here.

“Hoh… Did I not do anything? In the eyes of the present day Sword Saint, is the
Sword Saint of a previous generation a has-been?”

“You are misinterpreting things. Your personality seems to have become even more
eccentric.”

The atmosphere gradually became noisy and Grid covered his face.

“Someone should do something about Biban.”

Thousands of stars filled the skies of Reinhardt even though it was still bright
daylight. They were the cameras of broadcasting companies from around the world
to capture the image of the heroes. It was peace that came after a long time.
『 If Grid was from India, he would’ve been worshiped as a god in the real world.
Additionally, the temple that hosts Grid would have a steady stream of tourists. 』

The world’s first and the largest public broadcaster in the UK—the main news
anchor of the broadcaster, which had built up the best recognition in the world due
to its long history and strong public identity, became a hot topic. It was due to the
reference of a god in reality in the closing comments of the main news.

It was shortly after a reporter relayed the scene of Reinhardt. He seemed deeply
impressed by the performance of Grid, who corrected the order that Baal had broken
and calmed the rampage of the Insane Dragon. He criticized South Korea’s passive
attitude by openly comparing the treatment Grid received in South Korea with the
Indian sports star who had become a Hindu god.

The repercussions were huge. Once again, emergency lights were turned on for the
South Korean government, who were trying to give a medal to Grid and win the favor
of the people.

“Why did Shin Youngwoo go to the army so quickly? I would’ve given him a military
exemption if he hadn’t joined the army yet. Tsk tsk.”

“He must be a young man with a great sense of patriotism… Haha, should we build a
temple?”

“In South Korea, the government took the initiative to worship an icon? Do you
intend to be sworn at by tens of millions of religious people? It might be different if a
civic group set it up…”

They were at a loss. Grid’s performance in the past few years was incomparable to
winning a gold medal in the National Competition. He went beyond simply
announcing the name of South Korea to the world. How many times had he protected
another world favored by billions of people?

His recognition was unrivaled and no great person in history was comparable to
Grid. They wondered if there was a joke that Grid was right after Jesus and Buddha.
Every time presidents, prime ministers, and stars from other countries visit South
Korea, they earnestly requested to meet Grid.

Grid was the face and the pride of South Korea. He was a tool that the government
had to actively use and in order to use him, it was right to give him the proper
treatment.

“The medal and foundation named after Shin Youngwoo was created right away. He
is also authorized to use the helicopter take-off and landing areas of the government
offices at any time… what more than this can we do? What is the gift he desires the
most?”

“What about tax exemptions?”

“Give an opinion that the public can understand. Additionally, have you seen his tax
records? He is more likely to pay taxes that he doesn’t have to pay.”

It was a transparent tax history where no effort to save on taxes could be found.
Additionally, his donations increased every year. The thing Grid needed wasn’t
money. In the first place, he would’ve shot hundreds of commercials if he was the
type to care about money. TVs and various platforms around the world would’ve
been plastered with Grid’s face.

“I think… we need to move the HID.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the name of the army’s intelligence unit appeared. It felt out of context
with the conversation. Operatives secretly dispatched to North Korea were suddenly
mentioned as they were discussing what type of gift to give Grid so that the
government could establish a side and make Grid a clear ally.

In the midst of the turbulent atmosphere, the chief of staff’s words continued, “We
need to thoroughly analyze Shin Youngwoo’s tastes and figure out what he wants.”

“I… see…”

On this day, South Korea’s most elite troops were dispatched around Shin
Youngwoo’s home. It was purely a government effort to analyze Shin Youngwoo’s
tastes. It was hard to give him a gift.

***

All the incidents that occurred during the Asura Road were broadcast live around the
world. It meant people closely watched who, where, and how they played. There
were many witnesses who could tell if the ceremony to reward people on their
merits was right or wrong.

The empire was obliged to evaluate the performance of the Overgeared members as
objectively as possible. There was a risk of unnecessary backlash if they set up the
merit ceremony and gave awards based on personal feelings.

“You’ve worked hard.”

This was the result. Not a single player received more than the apostles and tower
members. Most were evaluated as having less merits than the kings of the different
species. It was only Yura, Jishuka, Euphemina, Ruby, and Kraugel who were
recognized for their performance that was above the king of the different species
and received the Medal of Honor.

This alone was followed by enormous rewards. They had the right to use the Reidan
alchemy facilities privately, the right to use the imperial warehouse, and became the
owner of a large territory, which had several large cities.

The viewers were sufficiently convinced. If it wasn’t for Jishuka’s archery and
Euphemina’s magic, would the kings of the different species be able to enjoy moving
through the enemy camp to their heart’s content? It was impossible. Their ability to
support from the rear shone at any time and in any situation. It was the same when
Zik joined. Thanks to them, Zik’s progress became easier.

There was no need to talk about Ruby’s support ability. The holder of the percentage
heal, who was considered the strongest healer in the worldview, had saved the lives
of her allies several times. It was right to assume that the Overgeared members who
received her assistance had at least 10 lives.

Yura? Without her, they wouldn’t have been able to establish a base at the crystal
castle. It was highly likely that all the players who were active in hell would’ve
wandered around without finding a place to escape and would’ve been brutally
wiped out. Her combat power was also comparable to the king of the different
species. Her identity was the strongest in hell until the arrival of Grid’s group.

Finally, Kraugel cut a dragon’s Breath. He performed so well that the Absolute,
Hayate, missed him and he astounded the world. Many people believed that their
performances were greater than that of the apostles. It was largely because Nefelina
brought down the average of the apostles. It was because she didn’t really do
anything in hell.

If it hadn’t been for returning to the surface, putting Grid on her back and becoming
the protagonist of Crazy God and Crazy Dragon, there would’ve been criticisms that
she was a pet who only ate food.

Did he still want to be free? Grid stared blankly at Kraugel, who refused to accept a
territory. Then he said with a smile, “I hope the banquet ends soon.”

He confirmed that Kraugel’s sheath was empty. Grid wanted to communicate with
Kraugel again, just like when they created the White Tiger Sword. The desire to learn
new things through the process of discussing and creating the sword with Kraugel
sprang up.

He also understood why Kraugel wanted freedom. Kraugel didn’t know his limits yet.
He didn’t want to settle down in one place until he reached the limit—it was at the
time when Grid, who was the one who informed Kraugel of his limitations, was
thinking arbitrarily.

“I’m sorry.” Kraugel gave an unexpected apology. “I didn’t protect the sword you tried
your best to make for me.”

“……”

Kraugel himself must be having the hardest time. He had lost the sword he had been
using for so many years, the sword he had grown from the normal rating to the myth
rating. For Kraugel, the White Tiger Sword would’ve been a precious treasure with
all types of memories beyond a simple weapon. Yet he was apologizing to Grid.

‘Why are there so many good people around me?’

Grid smiled and patted Kraugel’s shoulder, hitting him with a bit of force. It was often
an expression of friendship that a person did to a friend. However, Kraugel reacted
with a serious expression. He was almost frightened and dodged Grid’s gesture. It
was a reflexive action. It was because his Super Sensitivity perceived Grid’s light
hand gesture as a ‘threat.’

Grid didn’t know the situation and said with an awkward expression, “The sword…
let’s create a new one together. Don’t take it too seriously.”

“…Yes.” Kraugel felt a sense of guilt. It was because Grid’s expression looked so sad.

***

“Does Kraugel not think of me as a friend?”

It was after the merit ceremony. The atmosphere of the banquet was heating up.
Meanwhile, Grid escaped to the terrace and lamented. The rejection of his touch
came as a great shock to him.

Yura was beside him. “He thinks of you more as a competitor than a friend.”

Coincidentally, Yura also wasn’t good at human relationships. She might have a good
social life, but she had fewer friends than Grid. This meant she wasn’t a person who
could give advice on Grid’s friendships. This caused Grid to have a bigger
misunderstanding of Kraugel and his sigh deepened. It was while peeking at the
scene of Kraugel laughing and chatting with Piaro on one side of the banquet hall. It
was pleasant to see the older brother and younger brother getting along, but it was
also unpleasant. He felt left out.

Just then, Jishuka came up behind Grid, linked her arm with his and told him, “You
and Kraugel are peeking at each other a lot ~ Are the two of you the only ones with a
flower garden in your hearts?”

“…Did Kraugel keep looking at me?”

“Yes, he kept doing it until just now.”

Jishuka looked cute as she puffed up her cheeks like she was jealous. Grid couldn’t
help touching her cheek. Then he asked for the understanding of the two of them
and approached Kraugel. “Let’s go to the smithy right now.”

“Yes.” It was Kraugel who replied like he had been waiting. For the two people who
moved non-stop, even one day of peace felt too long. They felt uneasy in their daily
life and were busy looking for new tasks.

Grid was about to leave when Irene blocked him. She was smiling, but the twitching
of her temples made Grid feel uneasy. “Your Majesty, do you intend to leave them
alone?”

Her gaze was in the direction of Mercedes and Basara. Mercedes was uneasy because
of how unfamiliar and uncomfortable her dress was. Basara was smiling as usual, but
she didn’t look happy as she drank alone.

“In particular, Her Majesty Basara took the time to visit us.”

“……”

Grid secretly glanced at Kraugel.

Kraugel had already grabbed the drink he had put down. “Family comes first.”

“The Sword Saint is indeed as noble as rumored.”

Kraugel said the correct answer. Irene’s smile while looking at him was bright.
Kraugel sighed with relief and signaled for Grid to go ahead. The smile that spread
across his face was far from ridicule. He seemed to be advising Grid to enjoy a bit
more peace.

Grid smiled widely and turned to his family. He was frightened due to Sua, who
followed Lord as a shield, but he had a fun and fulfilling time until the next morning.
It was the day when love, not the smell of blood, spread around Grid. It was a day
that he wanted to make part of his daily life someday.

***

“Marie Rose ended up helping…”

The next morning.

Grid returned from seeing off Basara and sat face to face with Kraugel. Both of them
were haggard. Grid shared too much love and Kraugel was affected by the aftermath
of Garion tormenting him all night. Simply put, they were out of energy. Grid was
happy, but Kraugel felt somewhat resentful.
Stop splitting apart the land.

He suffered a lot because Garion nagged him to seal the skill he was using. Kraugel
tried to turn away from Garion, who was staring at him from a distance, and looked
around. It was a smithy inside the Overgeared World. The structure was the same as
the smithy during the days with Khan. Grid’s longing for his memories with Khan
were still intact.

“Khan… is he in heaven?”

Kraugel was the person with the most knowledge after Grid. He understood the
principle of the creation of angels and naturally inferred where Khan was.

Grid didn’t bother to hide it. “That’s right.”

“Then heaven is the target after hell.”

Grid nodded like it was natural in response and placed Gujel’s scale on the anvil. The
new dragon weapon. It was the weapon material that would make Kraugel’s ideals
into a reality. It was also the material that would strengthen Khan’s final work.

“Will you help me?”

“Yes.”

Grid had seen Kraugel’s back and Kraugel had seen Grid’s back. They were the right
people to trust each other’s backs to.

Taang, taang, taang.

Every time they shared their opinions over the hammering, the friendship between
the two of them deepened. The same thing came to their minds at the same time
during the process.

White Fang—the dragon weapon that had been sleeping for a long time in Kraugel’s
inventory. The performance itself was of poor quality, but the material was clearly
Bunhelier’s fang. Meanwhile, the current Grid had the technique to smelt an old
dragon’s fangs.
The White Fang was the legacy of the Great Demon, Drasion, who was sealed by
Sword Saint Muller. It was a weapon favored by the 11th Great Demon, so it was right
that it was special. This meant it was too much to question the fact that a dragon’s
fang was used as the material.

Yet in recent months, Grid’s perception had changed significantly. The great demons
were no longer an object of fear apart from the Three Evils of the Beginning. He had
accurately experienced a dragon’s combat power and the performance of the dragon
weapons. It was hard to understand why the sword possessed by the 11th Great
Demon and made from the fang of an Old Dragon had such a mediocre performance.

‘Everything would’ve been questionable if I didn’t know Baal’s personality.’

Drasion’s identity was the fallen angel, Sariel. Was it just a coincidence that the
White Fang was in their hands? There was no way. It was likely to be Baal’s mischief.
He must’ve given it to Sariel while knowing that the fang obtained in the process of
driving Nevartan crazy would be a medium to attract Nevartan.

The reason? Was a big reason necessary? He just wanted to enjoy watching the
comedy of a stupid fallen angel, who believed they were a demon, being eaten by the
Insane Dragon.

‘Sariel was fortunate that they were sealed by Muller before Nevartan emerged.’

Grid had confirmed two days ago that Nevartan’s madness was contagious. If Sariel
had been killed by Nevartan, Sariel’s unstable soul would’ve been distorted into
greater chaos.

‘Did Muller know Sariel’s identity…?’

It was a plausible guess. Considering Muller’s track record of handing over his status
to the Mountain King, he might’ve unexpectedly been deeply involved in the
worldview. Wasn’t he the strongest Sword Saint ever? He had been mentioned by
many beings even after his death, so Grid thought it was reasonable to give meaning
to each action of his.
“Um…” Grid’s brow furrowed as he looked at the White Fang while immersed in
thought. He didn’t know about the past, but there had never been rubbish like this.
Bunhelier’s Fang, to be more precise, was simply at the level of a hilt attached to the
‘fragment’ of the fang. The reason it clearly looked like a ‘sword’ was because the
shape of the fragment resembled a blade. It wasn’t known if this was a shape that
Baal deliberately created or if it had been broken into this shape by accident.

One thing was certain: this was an ‘unspoiled material.’ There was no sign of anyone
attempting to smelt or forge it with clumsy skills.

‘It is natural.’

Helmis, the only blacksmith in hell, was very talented. He would’ve realized that he
couldn’t smelt the fang with his skills and didn’t touch it recklessly.

‘He wouldn’t have defaced a precious material with vain greed. It is because he was
also a craftsman.’

Grid used the disassembly skill and separated Bunhelier’s fang from the coarse hilt.
Then he opened his mouth somewhat cautiously, “Kraugel, can I buy this?”’

It was the material of an Old Dragon. It was arguably, in the worldview, the best
material for item making that he might not be able to get again in the future.

Grid was purely greedy. Of course, he had a conscience, so he took Gujel’s Dao and
Cranbel’s Horn out of the inventory.

“I’m not just going to buy it with money. In exchange for one of these swords… no, I’ll
pay with both.”

Kraugel was a Sword Saint. All sword-type weapons could be handled regardless of
the conditions of use and there were no restrictions at all. No, rather, he got a buff.
Kraugel would naturally want the strongest sword made of an Old Dragon’s material.
The owner of the White Fang was Kraugel.

Grid knew that he was being greatly unreasonable. He just asked with the feeling of
grasping onto a straw.

“Yes.” It was an instant answer without a single thought.

“I understand. This naturally isn’t enough… Eh?” Grid thought he would naturally be
rejected and continued to speak, only to hurriedly close his mouth. He was
dumbfounded.

Kraugel shrugged. The orange divinity of the Overgeared World moved along with
his gesture. It felt well without any sense of strangeness. As expected, people had to
be handsome.

“I was going to hand over the White Fang to you from the beginning. You are the only
person in the world who can turn it into a valuable thing. How shameful would it be
if I am greedy for it?”

"K-Kraugel…”

He is a man of deep thought. Besides, it is clear that he likes me rather than hates
me…

Grid was thrilled when he realized this and reached out to Kraugel. Maybe it was
because the scenery of the smithy that contained memories of Khan stimulated his
sensitivity? Grid’s eyes reddened and he tried to hug Kraugel. It naturally failed.

Kraugel avoided Grid’s hug in disgust and continued, “I have no intention of taking
away your weapons while using the White Fang as an excuse. It is enough and I will
be grateful if you make me a new sword as planned.”

“Hum hum…” Grid coughed in embarrassment and nodded. It was with a deep smile.
His heart, which had been somewhat uncomfortable until yesterday, now swelled up
and tickled.

This hell episode—people perceived that Grid and the Overgeared Guild had ‘won’
and ‘succeeded,’ but in reality, it was only half a success. Grid had no personal
achievements other than closing the Asura Road and stabilizing the world. Not only
did he fail to get rid of the hell moon, but he was defeated by Baal.

Fortunately, thanks to the fraudulent 20th epic, his status had risen greatly, the level
of his mental world had risen, there was the creation of a new six fusion sword
dance, and the ability to be unbreakable was obtained. However, that was all. Each
reward was too great to disparage it as ‘that was all,’ but in any case, he didn’t get
any physical rewards because he didn’t achieve anything. It meant he couldn’t get
any items.
He had built up an acquaintance (?) with the Insane Dragon Nevartan, the Evil
Dragon Bunhelier, and Black Knight Eligos, and he could take comfort in the fact that
Nefelina had evolved into a Transcendent Dragon. To put it bluntly, the epic rewards
and the evolution of Nefelina alone were better rewards than gaining a few dragon
weapons, but it was still a bit disappointing. Then he got the White Fang. In Grid’s
eyes, Kraugel looked like Santa Claus.

From this day, the collaboration between Grid and Kraugel began. Grid understood
the ideals of the Sword Saint of this era and repeated the work of realistically
envisioning it. It was clearly different from when the White Tiger Sword was made.
Grid’s current level meant he wasn’t immersed in Kraugel’s ideals. He also gave
advice in return and gave a better direction.

Taang, taang, taang…

From the moment Grid’s hammer started to strike the fang of the Evil Dragon, the
divinity of the Overgeared World shook. It seeped into the fang like being sucked into
a whirlpool. The sunset seemed to be engraved.

“Twilight.”

Grid and Kraugel spoke at the same time. They named it without thinking. It was
suitable as the name of the divine sword that would stain the fate of the enemy with
darkness and finally bring them to an end.

***

Morpheus’s speculation came true after a long time. Grid fought Baal and didn’t win.
There was just one problem: the Overgeared God’s epic recorded it as Grid’s victory.
It was obviously a scam, but it was out of control.

Grid gained all the rights of the winner. In addition to closing the Asura Road, he also
received tremendous benefits as a reward for completing the epic. Additionally, there
was the Fruit of Good and Evil. However, nothing was free in the world. It was the
law of equivalent exchange.

Grid paid the price for working together with the Evil Dragon Bunhelier. In return for
cooperating with Bunhelier in hell, he immediately pulled the aggro of the Insane
Dragon as soon as he arrived on the surface. According to Morpheus’ calculations,
the probability of Reinhardt disappearing from the map of the Overgeared Empire
exceeded 89%. This was the case even though Hayate and the other tower members
gathered in Reinhardt. Grid would’ve lost countless things if Nefelina hadn’t
awakened.

However, Nefelina awakened in time. Thanks to this, Nevartan overcame the

madness again. Grid defended Reinhardt without losing anything and got his hands
on a Transcendent Dragon…

“Surprisingly, the win rate is low, but the results are always good.”

The staff members of the operations team were tongue-tied after they checked the
combat records that had occurred ever since Grid became a god. They estimated that
Grid’s win rate wasn’t very high. There were many times when he didn’t win when
fighting someone. It was understandable given the level of his enemies.

However, defeat wasn’t a failure for Grid. Every time, he gained a lot from fighting,
even if he lost. At this point, it felt like the entire universe was helping Grid.

“Grid’s power comes from his high popularity,” Director Yoon Sangmin explained to
the employees who were laughing at the absurdity. The distorted epic was the result
of the wishes of those who believed in and followed Grid, while the awakening of the
Transcendent Dragon was the result of Nefelina’s desperate efforts to help Grid.

Kraugel’s heart that cared for Grid was also behind the birth of the beautiful dragon
weapon called Twilight. Some people sympathized with Grid, saying that he always
struggled alone, but surprisingly, Grid was rarely alone. The affection and kindness
of people toward him always strengthened him.

“Grid himself knows it best.”

Therefore, he had to overcome this trial well. The Fruit of Good and Evil that Piaro
accidentally created in the environment of hell would really attract many beings.
Millions of people would die. The moment Grid hastily embarked on the hell
expedition, it was right to assume that Reinhardt would perish on that day.

‘King Sobyeol… ’

What type of repercussions would be provoked by the child of the God of the
Beginning, who would use any means and methods to completely corrupt his older
brother, who had become a mass of red flesh?
A chill went down the spine of Director Yoon Sangmin.

***

“Um…” Major Baek Changho was still puzzled. As a member of the army’s strongest
intelligence unit, he had performed numerous missions so far. However, this mission
was special. Gathering information about the target, analyzing the target’s tastes,
and thinking about what type of gift to give? The target was Shin Youngwoo. In other
words, it was a mission where he would’ve suspected there was someone with no
common sense in the upper ranks, if it wasn’t for the fact that the target was Grid.

Of course, there was nothing wrong with the difficulty itself. Major Baek Changho
was also a master of psychological warfare tactics, He was confident that he could
successfully complete this absurd mission.

‘It is the same today… ’

Shin Youngwoo’s pattern of behavior was extremely simple. He went out at 5:00. He
met Yura or Jishuka until 7:00 and went home after exercising. He met Yura or
Jishuka at 19:00 and went home at 22:00 after dinner and a date. It was really the
same every day, so there was no specific information to gather.

Shin Youngwoo’s hobby was exercising, and meeting Yura or Jishuka seemed to be
his only pleasure. At this point, it seemed best to report to his superiors, ‘I think it is
a good idea to build a public exercise space near the target’s home.’

‘Wait… did I miss something?’

Wasn’t there something a bit strange?

‘Does he usually have two lovers?’

Could it be that Shin Youngwoo’s wish…?

“……!”

Major Baek Changho had an absurd expression on his face when he became startled
and rotated his upper body. The process of reaching out and grabbing the target’s
collar was like a flash of lightning. It was in a situation where he allowed someone
access right behind him. He got goosebumps and reflexively used the jujutsu he had
been practicing all his life.

‘Whoops!’

Throwing a person to the concrete ground would at least cause a serious injury.
There was no possibility that the subject, who approached him from behind without
any signs, was a civilian, but he couldn’t commit murder without knowing who it
was.

“……?!”

Major Baek Changho’s face turned white as he hurriedly reached out to support the
back of the subject rotating through the air. There was no sense of weight. It was
someone’s training suit that was overlapped on his palm.

‘A pro!’

Major Baek Changho realized that the subject was at least the same level as himself
and jumped like a spring while taking a defensive posture. Then he became shocked
when he saw the identity of the subject. The person in front of him was Shin
Youngwoo, the target of the mission.

‘He noticed the surveillance?’

Let’s say he made a hundred concessions and that it was a possibility. Then how did
Shin Youngwoo get out of the house without their knowledge? Currently, 21
members were monitoring the target’s home in real time.

Major Baek Changho’s thoughts ended there. He was hit by Shin Youngwoo’s kick
that came in his blind spot and passed out. It was a Taekwondo technique commonly
called a spin kick. It was a technique that Regas often used, so he tried to copy it.

“I doubt they are bad people…”

The suspicious people who had been hanging around the neighborhood since a few
days ago—Shin Youngwoo couldn’t stand by, so he dealt with them, but at least they
weren’t killers. If they had the purpose of hurting people, they wouldn’t have
reached out and supported his back just now.

“Hello? Is there a police station?”

Shin Youngwoo called 112. 21 people were knocked unconscious around his home.
Surprisingly, their identities were the members of the Republic of Korea Army’s elite
unit. However, they couldn’t handle the duo of Shin Youngwoo and Toon who were
pushing the boundaries between reality and Satisfy…
Grid had no intention of staying away from Khan’s final work. It was only when he
wore Valhalla on his body that he felt secure. The affection and goodwill of Khan,
contained in the work, were used as a type of protection. It was ever since becoming
emperor. It was common for him to take off Valhalla when wearing traditional
clothes from all over the world as a courtesy, but this was why he always wore
Valhalla in wars.

However, he knew from the very beginning that maintaining the original form of
Valhalla was foolish stubbornness. Didn’t he have a hard time when he ought Baal
this time? Unfortunately, Valhalla’s performance was far below that of the dragon
armor. It was necessary to break this stubbornness. He couldn’t commit the mistake
of losing the current Khan by clinging to his memories of Khan.

‘I can’t let Khan be used by the heavenly gods forever. I have to become stronger and
help him reincarnate by any means and methods.’

Taang, taang, taang…

Valhalla of Infinite Affection—the main intention of this work was the safety of the
wearer. Khan designed Valhalla just for the safety and convenience of Grid. This
affectionate heart was imprinted on Grid’s subconscious mind and became the
source of his mental world.

Grid had no intention of changing the basic structure of Valhalla. It was already
complete and there was no need for it. He planned to maintain the shape so it didn’t
go against Khan’s intentions, but he would replace the material with dragon scales.
At first, he would start with the vital points and then progress little by little, savoring
the traces left by Khan as slowly as possible. In any case, the quantity of dragon
scales that he could obtain was limited.

‘We’ve been making frequent eye contact since last time.’

Grid felt a presence when forging Xenon’s scales and glanced out the window while
waving.
Elnithana—she was one of the thousands of members of the Overgeared Guild. Her
ranking was very average, but she was especially noticeable. It wasn’t just because
she was beautiful, but because the background was special. She came from the Ryan
Merchant Group, a subject of intensive observation. She was heavily used by Lauel
because her mind spun quickly. It had only been a few months since she acted as
Lauel’s aide, so she couldn’t help standing out. Additionally, the name Elnithana was
obviously taken from the name Nathaniel.

‘It is the name of the Rothschild family of this day.’

There was no way she could be Nathaniel, but since she was from the Ryan Merchant
Group, there was a good chance she had something to do with it. Lauel had
repeatedly insisted that he needed to keep her by his side to watch her. He had
reached the stage where he was convinced that Rothschild was beyond the Ryan
Merchant Group.

For Grid, everything felt unrealistic.

The greatest victim of Nazism—Rothschild was a family that declined greatly in the
21st century after suffering from massive wars and assets being divided. Many years
later, rumors circulated that it had revived and regained its old wealth and power,
but they were just rumors. Even if the rumors were true, why would they approach
Grid through Satisfy? Originally, there were many conspiracy theories related to
Rothschild in the past. There was even a saying that they were the dark curtain that
dominated the world.

There was something absurd about being blatantly wary of them and doubting them.

‘In any case, Lauel said he would take care of it so I won’t worry.’

Elnithana had proclaimed herself a fan of Grid. It wasn’t just her. Those who hoped to
join the Overgeared Guild had a great liking for Grid and the main figures of the
Overgeared Guild. There was less chance that the word ‘fan’ was false. Grid didn’t
dare to doubt her behavior of often watching him from afar.

‘She must want to find peace of mind by looking at me.’

How much would she suffer while working under a chuunibyou boss like Lauel? He
could fully understand her desire to look at him and purify her eyes and heart.
That’s right—Grid was now used to people’s goodwill. Additionally, perhaps it was
due to Insight, but it was possible for him to vaguely see whether a person had
disrespectful intentions just by looking into their eyes. In his opinion, the way that
Elnithana was looking at him was very favorable and pure. He felt curious because
she often looked very pitiful, but he didn’t feel uncomfortable.

Nefelina, who was spinning in place with an anxious expression, stopped and asked,
“Are you really going back to hell right away?”

Grid nodded. “Of course.”

Baal weakened and Grid became stronger. The aftermath of the 20th epic was great.
This wasn’t the end. Grid got the strongest dragon weapon of all time, Twilight, and
was in the process of upgrading Valhalla. He could trigger the Dragon Knight effect at
any time.

Nefelina’s Transcendent Dragon effect was limited to just one minute, but it wasn’t a
big disadvantage. After all, Grid was in a position to aim for a short-term showdown.
The only means by which he could kill Baal was the six fusion sword dance. It took a
few seconds to perform a six fusion sword dance rather than a minute.

‘Of course, Baal had multiple lives, but the more he is killed, the weaker he will
become.’

Grid was a player. His lives were endless.

‘It isn’t a loss at all if I die in exchange for taking Baal’s life one or two times.’

He didn’t have to worry about his level decreasing for now. Baal’s level and status
were very high. The experience value gained in the process of fighting Baal exceeded
the experience value lost by death. The fraudulent nature of the enlightenment effect
acted as a shortcut.

‘In the first place, the chances of dying are low.’

Grid’s immortality was long. The emergency escape was also possible, so there was
plenty of time to escape. In the worst case situation where he died, he was unlikely
to drop items. The probability of dropping items was proportional to the infamy. This
was why PK criminals were afraid of death.
Grid had a very high luck stat. The luck stat increased the probability of beneficial
things happening and lowered the probability of harmful things happening. It was
such a vague concept and was hard to trust because it was based on ‘probability,’ but
Grid had been through too much. He now readily admitted that he was lucky. It was a
bit bittersweet that even his luck was gained through effort rather than being born
with it, but in any case, Grid believed in himself.

On the other hand, Nefelina’s anxiety was extremely high. “By what means should I
escape?”

Let’s say that Grid escaped urgently… even if he died, he would be revived. Yet for
Nefelina, death was the end, Once Grid died and she was left alone, what means
could she use to escape from Baal’s grip and to escape from hell?

“Believe in Yura,” Grid reassured Nefelina, who was trembling as she imagined
something terrible. Yura’s Hell Leap had a different concept from the usual
movement magic. Unlike magic such as Teleport, which used coordinates as a
reference to move around, the dimension itself was distorted to connect the desired
location and current location together. As such, Baal’s ability that sealed all
movement skills and magic couldn’t block Hell Leap.

“She will protect us.”

Somehow Yura would move them to the crystal castle. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy
to get the timing right, but Grid believed in Yura. It was because the Demon Slayer’s
senses would clearly feel the moment that Baal weakened.

***

The lake that exposed its bottom every time Nevartan released a Breath was filled
with water again. The temples that had been destroyed by Nevartan’s tail and feet
also clearly mirrored the process of restoration.

“……”

Kraugel was holding Twilight as he sat in the middle of the lake and meditated. It
looked rather gorgeous compared to Grid’s Twilight. It was because Xenon’s scales
were forged by being folded hundreds of thousands of times and layers of metal
formed on the blade. The orange divinity that stained each of the layers reflected
each other. It looked like the setting sun had been cut to the size of a blade and
separated. It was so gorgeous that it caught people’s eyes.

Every time the people rushing back and forth in the Overgeared World passed by the
lake, they stopped and exchanged whispers. This sword was one of the two divine
swords that Grid made a week ago and the beautiful appearance matched very well
with Kraugel’s appearance. They were full of praise. People’s liking toward K raugel,
who was second only to Grid, was sky high.

‘…Yes, let’s stay here a bit longer.’

Kraugel, who was blocking the outside noise with deep meditation, slowly opened
his eyes. In fact, his heart wanted to head to Muller’s grave right away. He felt the
need to protect the tomb from the subordinates of the Specter of the No Offspring
Tomb, who seemed to be searching for Muller’s body. He didn’t know what was the
worst case scenario that would happen if Muller’s body was put into the No
Offspring Tomb.

However, there were two things that bothered him. The first was the blind
swordsman who claimed to be Muller’s student. This ignorant and uncouth person
might also know Muller’s grave.

‘In the course of tracing my tracks, he might’ve figured out that I was fighting the evil
spirits of the No Offspring Tomb. He might’ve noticed that I will go back to the grave.’

There was a high probability that this person was waiting for him in the midst of the
evil spirits and monsters of the No Offspring Tomb that rushed in like the fog. He
didn’t want to face this person yet.

The second thing was Reinhardt’s safety. The tower members had returned to the
tower and the apostles were immersed in their own matters. Piaro went on a trip
with Laella and the Fruit of Good and Evil, while Braham left to meet Marie Rose.
Mercedes left to visit her home, and Zik somehow moved to Cokro Island. Nefelina
was scheduled to embark on the Baal expedition with Grid. The Overgeared
members moved to their respective hunting grounds. Perhaps it was due to what
they felt in hell, but everyone was desperate to grow stronger.

It meant that the only power remaining in Reinhardt was probably Sariel. Everyone
seemed to have the vague belief that Reinhardt would be safe, but Kraugel’s idea was
different. The days when he was the sky above the sky—he used to experience a
crisis in every one of his most reassuring moments.

Satisfy would never allow the player’s carelessness. Of course, the Overgeared Guild
was a thorough organization. Grid estimated that the time it would take him to fight
Baal and return home was approximately 40 minutes. Lauel had plans in place for
any eventuality that would occur in those 40 minutes.

Looking at the structures of the barracks that had been relocated around the
Overgeared World in the past two weeks, he was reminded of the expression ‘a
heavenly fortress.’ It was a form in which the troops could fight as much as possible
with the buffs of the Overgeared World. It was a level that was impenetrable by any
great demon or archangel.

Then what if the intruder’s status was higher than expected? The Overgeared
members would return immediately and join the battlefield, but it wasn’t easy to
communicate with the apostles unless it was Grid.

“Teacher!” Lord spotted Kraugel and ran over with a smile on his face.

Kraugel wanted to protect the bright smile of the family member of a precious friend.
[Twilight]

[Rating: Myth (Growth Type)

Durability: Infinite Attack Power: 34,290

★ The attack skill usage speed will increase by 60%.

★ The power of attack skills will increase by 460%.

★ The absolute hit rate will increase by 50%.

★ There is a high probability of causing ‘blindness’ to the target with every attack.

★ Every time an attack is blocked with the weapon, there is a high probability of
causing ‘bewitchment’ to the target.

★ There is an 85% chance of neutralizing the target’s defense skills, magic and
powers.

★ Additional attack power is applied against great demons, archangels, gods, and
dragons.

★ In dark places, the attack power of the weapon is increased by 80%.

★ In bright places, there is a normal probability of hiding the weapon. If the weapon
is hidden, the target has a high probability of failing to recognize the attack.

★ Can bind up to three magics or skills. There are no rating restrictions. However,
there is a probability of failure.

A sword made by the Overgeared God after smelting the fang of Evil Dragon
Bunhelier. It possesses the divinity of the Overgeared World. It will shine as the
twilight that declares an end to the enemy and the dawn of hope for allies.
Wearing Conditions: Grid, Dragon Slayer, Dragon Knight.

Weight: 2,950]

A sword that would be recorded in the mythology for its power that was as great as
its beauty—the new dragon weapon seemed to contain the sunset and was beautiful
from any angle. He was so happy just looking at it that he didn’t even know that time
was passing.

‘Twilight and Dawn… it would’ve been nice if Kraugel's dragon weapon was called
Dawn.’

Twilight and Dawn—what a perfect match. In fact, Kraugel’s dragon weapon shone a
bit brighter. Dawn suited it. However, the system identified the two dragon weapons
as ‘Twilight.’ It was natural since it had the same form and intentions. The two
swords were twins. It was the same weapon that Grid and Kraugel discussed and
designed together.

Of course, the material was different. Therefore, there were some differences in the
production method. Grid’s Twilight omitted the folding process. It was because
Bunhelier’s fang itself was a complete material. There was no need to remove
impurities or strengthen it. If the forging was carried out more than necessary, there
was a great concern that the pure properties of the material would be ruined.

On the other hand, Xenon’s scale was somewhat lacking. It was lacking when
compared to Bunhelier’s fang, so Grid felt the need to forge Xenon’s scale to perform
as close to Bunhelier’s fang as possible. It was because this was the way to repay
Kraugel for giving him White Fang.

Thus, he tried thousands of folds. As a result, a wonderful work was born. Kraugel’s
Twilight was comparable to Grid’s Twilight, which transcended Hexetia’s Sword
Short and was even judged to be a ‘growth type,’ and it was a divine sword among
divine swords that was remarkable when compared to Cranbel’s Horn. Simply put,
Grid’s Twilight was a downgraded version of it. Of course, once Grid’s Twilight
evolved into the only one rating, the difference between them could widen by two or
three stages, but…

In any case, it was a huge result considering the quality of the material. It meant that
Grid’s techniques and Kraugel’s ability to envision the sword were that good.
‘I want to carry him in my pocket.’

It would be a big help if he could keep this person next to him to give advice every
time he made an item…

Valhalla’s gorget and Xenon’s scales placed around the heart—Grid touched the
notches that Kraugel had personally carved into it for him and felt the desire to use
the Sword Saint for personal use.

Kraugel knew the characteristics of the weapon called the sword and the
characteristics of most swordsmanship. The pattern carved into the scales by him
wasn’t deep, but fluid. It exerted the performance of a sword breaker. Outwardly,
Twilight was like a pure work of art, but in reality, it was a weapon with terrifying
power.

“Um.”

The dragon scales varied in size depending on the area they were from. Among them,
the scales that Xenon gave as a gift were from the area around the dragon heart so
they were larger and thicker. The quantity was just enough to make Kraugel’s sword
and put it on Valhalla’s neck, chest, and thigh. For convenience, the thigh protector
that spread out like a short skirt had become a bit ornate. The dragon scale was such
a luxurious material that it looked like a coat made of gray silk attached to the armor.

“I am the heavenly demon,” Grid murmured in a low voice as he was engrossed in

watching himself in the mirror. It was a line in martial arts novels that he often
listened to when jogging.

“What is a heavenly demon, nyang?” Noe suddenly appeared and asked.

The embarrassed Grid coughed and changed the subject. “Did you finish your
training well today?”

“Of course, nyang.”

“I thought you would have a hard time, but you’re doing pretty well.”

“My charisma is so amazing, nyang. The kids are stirred and followed suit, nyang.”

The dozens of memphis suffering due to Baal were saved by Betty and Agnus. Betty
healed their wounds. Of course, she couldn’t heal the wounds in their hearts. Apart
from three memphis, who were somehow comforted by Agnus’ clumsy comfort, the
remaining memphis scattered and hid in hell. It was with the determination that
they would surely get revenge on Baal one day.

Excluding them, the three memphis followed Betty and Agnus to the surface. No
matter how much Agnus cursed at them to go away, two of them, with the exception
of one, stuck to him like gum and settled in Reinhardt. The environment was too
difficult for them to live in the Tower of Wisdom and Noe seemed to like it a lot.

“I see. I’m glad the children are good.”

“It isn’t that they’re good. It is that my charisma is amazing!”

‘Based on the way he is so sensitive, it is clear that things didn’t go well.’

Noe was very young compared to the memphis who were rescued from hell. Noe
himself claimed that he was educating the memphis to adapt to human society, but
from the sidelines, it seemed like the memphis didn’t listen to Noe. The age
difference was so severe that they treated him like the youngest son.

Grid clearly noticed this and stroked Noe’s round head. “Yes, our Noe is great.”

“O-Of course nyang. Ahem.”

Randy looked with pity at Noe, who was puffing out his chest.

“Let’s depart.” Grid made up his mind and moved to the hell elevator. Yura was
contacted in advance and was waiting in front of the elevator.

“Are you sure it is okay?” Yura didn’t look very happy. There was no guarantee that
Grid could fight Baal and win.

In fact, Grid’s face was also stiff with tension. There was no Bunhelier by his side this
time. Could Nefelina, the newly created dragon weapon, and the reinforced Valhalla
fill the vacancy of Bunhelier? At the time of the fierce battle between Baal and Grid, it
was true that the help of the Breath, which Bunhelier frequently shot, was huge. Baal
had to respond to the Breaths and thanks to this, Grid aimed for the gaps he
revealed.
This time, Grid had to fight alone. It would be a defeat if the six fusion sword dance
couldn’t hit.

“I have to try and challenge it. If I can’t do it, then I’ll just escape.”

In fact, Grid had many options. He could go to the East Continent and unseal the Blue
Dragon and White Tiger, or he could go to the No Offspring Tomb to promote his
growth. However, he wanted to believe in the effects of Twilight. There was a high hit
rate correction effect. He was convinced that he could kill Baal on his own if he used
his items properly. Most of all, he didn’t want to give Baal time to recover.

“Okay.” Yura listened to Grid’s insistence. She was always obedient to Grid. The cold-
blooded personality that once earned her the nickname ‘Witch’ was mostly applied
to others except for Grid. This didn’t mean she was rude to everyone. She only heard
the question about whether she had a personality problem a few times in her life.
Even that was mostly heard from Jishuka. Therefore, Yura was surprisingly proud of
her personality.

The elevator carrying Grid, Yura, and Nefelina soon arrived in hell. There was a loud
pulley sound and the bloody landscape of hell unfolded beyond the crack of the
doors that opened. It was no different from when he came down a fortnight ago,
except there was no forced teleportation.

‘Even Baal would be burdened when maintaining such great magic all the time.’

As if to laugh at Grid’s thoughts—

Flash!

The moment Grid stepped out of the elevator, the magic circle hidden under the dirt
was triggered.

[You have been forcibly transferred to the 2nd Hell.]

“……!”

The scenery seen by Grid’s party changed in an instant. The world was made up of
pure white marble with endless land and towering mountains. It was too white to be
hell and too cold and eerie to be heaven.
-Overgeared God. You have come to accept my offer and make a blood oath. I have
watched your performance with great interest.

Rattle, rattle, rattle…

A woman’s voice was heard along with the faint sound of chains. At the center of the
white world was Amoract. Her entire body was bound with intricately stretched
chains that hung like thorny vines that had been neglected for hundreds of years.
Her body was like the body of a human woman, while her face was covered by cloth.

[The Great Demon of Conflict, ’Amoract,’ has appeared.]

‘This… ’

Amoract didn’t invite me?

‘…What if Baal knew that Amoract was trying to make contact with me?’

It was 100% a trap. A chill went down Grid’s spine when he realized it and Amoract
also read the hint. In line with her movements of hurriedly swinging her hands, the
chains rushed out like waves and stretched out in all directions. It was an
extraordinary sight. Her gestures created a chain barrier that formed a complex
structure like snow crystals.

-Child, take the Overgeared God and get away.

It happened as Amoract sent a whisper to Yura…

A crack occurred in the white world. It was due to a huge spear that slipped through
the chains.

““Amoract, I didn’t expect you to crawl out of the castle. It is a harvest beyond
expectations.””

He must’ve been pretty nervous. A demon who slowly raised his body while using
the spear as a support. Grid thought it was Baal due to the thrilling presence he gave
off, but it was different. The one looking back at Grid and smiling had the name
‘Asura.’

-Baal, the lunatic who pursues only destruction, is seeking to destroy even the last
order of hell.

“”You are too good at proclaiming yourself as order.””

“……!”

Grid’s eyes widened. It was because he heard Baal’s voice overlapping several times
with Asura’s voice. It was too alike to say that it was simply similar. It wasn’t an
illusion. Grid had been stuck in the smithy for the last fortnight and he had replayed
the battle against Baal hundreds of times. Baal’s voice naturally lingered in his head
every time and was clearly imprinted in his mind.

“You… what are you?”

“”A god.””

Darkness spread around Asura. The white world was blackened in an instant.

“It is an evil god.”

Clang!

The lunatic who dared to claim to be the God of the Beginning leaped forward. The
movement of narrowing the distance to Grid and stabbing the spear was completed
with one breath. The attack that broke through the complex barrier of chains was
too swift to say that there was any waste in the actions.

Grid narrowly read it with his artificial senses and responded by swinging his sword.
The orange divinity, which had become clearer due to the darkness that colored the
world, was divided between his body and Twilight. It was a scene as if the sunset
was divided into two parts and was separated.

“”……?!””

Asura’s expression changed. It was easy to infer the meaning of his expression due to
his clear features. It looked like he was saying, ‘Isn’t this different from what I heard?’

Twilight slowly pushed back Asura’s huge spear. At this point, Asura grasped the
situation.
“”A dragon weapon that gets stronger in the darkness? Did you anticipate and
prepare for my birth?””

It seems the prototype of the hell moon and my fragments provided some clues.

Asura had a bitter smile and took back the darkness. The world brightened again.
After all, this was hell and Asura was the evil god. He was strong with or without the
presence of darkness. Asura confirmed that the glow of Twilight faded in the world
that had turned white and stretched out his spear like a flash of lightning.

“”……?!””

Asura’s expression changed again. It seemed to be saying, ‘Is this even possible?’

A blurred Twilight was cutting at his shoulder.

““…I failed again.””

Asura frowned and his face and neck swelled as if he was about to explode. Soon
after, he made the sound of a pig as he threw up something—Baal.

As a result, Asura became only a shell and slowly turned to ash, scattering
throughout hell. These fragments would be re-established in the shadows of demons
and demonic creatures.

“That was the worst failure ever, so erase it from your memory.”

Baal shook his head and held his demon sword. In an instant, the enlarged demon
sword dug into Grid’s neck. However, it was Baal who was cut first. The sunset on
Grid’s hand was blurred and Baal was cut without realizing it.

Baal’s eyes widened and he finally realized it. The Asura he threw away a while ago
wasn’t a disastrous failure.

“Was a fortnight in hell 15 years on the surface?”

It was just that the guy called Grid became stronger.

“Was a fortnight in hell 15 years on the surface?”

It was a half-hearted joke. It was Baal’s own effort to understand Grid’s rapid
development.

Of course, the current Baal wasn’t complete. A substitute for Yatan—it was also right
after he consumed a considerable amount of energy while experimenting with
creating a new evil god. Due to this devastated mind, his mental image loosened. His
condition was bad, his magic power weakened, he felt numb and dull, etc.

Nevertheless, he was still an Absolute. He was in a position where he shouldn’t suffer

a unilateral loss twice in a row. However, he received a blow. It meant that Grid had
truly become strong.

‘This is why the failure I experienced a fortnight ago was great.’

It was a failure, not a defeat.

The cooperation between Grid and Bunhelier—Baal had only died once to the Crazy
God and Crazy Dragon, who had reached the level of an Absolute. He could fight
harder until he got the same result thousands of times. However, Grid’s epic judged
his death to be a defeat. It was pure nonsense. It was an unacceptable defeat for Baal.
Therefore, he described it as a failure.

‘It is a shame that my status was damaged back then.’

Why did he feel regret now? Of course, it was due to Grid. That guy’s growth rate was
beyond predictions. It was much faster compared to the previous steps in
development that he made so far. He was almost a threat.

“Whoa.”

Grid’s divine sword seemed like it had been created from the beginning to respond
to Amoract. It was a great combination with the pure white hell created by Amoract’s
bizarre mental world. Every time it moved, it blurred and erased its presence.
“The two of you look alike.”

Baal used the demon sword like Grid’s artificial senses. Based on the reaction of the
dark demonic energy surrounding the sword, he read and responded to Twilight’s
approach.

“Both of you don't know shame.” A smirk spread across Baal’s face as he finally
started to avoid Grid’s sword dance in an easy manner. “A demon who tries to flatter
a god and a god who deceives the uncivilized human race. It suits you.”

“You must be very nervous seeing that you are making a personal attack,” Grid
opened his mouth. It was to buy a bit of time. Every time Baal’s demon sword struck,
black demonic energy spread and covered the area. The divinity spreading from
Twilight deepened. The efficiency was bad even if he tried a surprise attack. It was
read clearly by Baal.

Grid instead switched to a defensive posture to take advantage of the increased

attack power.

Then Baal asked him, “How is Hexetia doing?”

“……?”

“I still vividly remember the one who asked me to help bring a divine punishment
down on Pagma. The appearance of the god who was jealous of a mere human being
and rushed to hell to ask for help was ugly enough to make me vomit.”

This was the background of the previous Great Human and Demon War. Baal’s
expression was pleasant as he recalled that time. “You should know. The reason
Hexetia gave you that sword as a gift is to erase his ugly past, not for you. If you trust
him, then you will surely regret it one day. The one who was jealous of a single
human would surely be jealous of you.”

“A gift? This?” Grid asked while pointing to Twilight and Baal shrugged.

Then what was this? He seemed to truly believe it was Hexetia’s work. It couldn’t be
helped. Baal couldn’t see the situation of Asgard in real time. Even if he knew that
Hexetia had been imprisoned, he would’ve mistakenly believed that Hexetia was
released the moment he saw Twilight. It was because Twilight was the strongest
weapon ever. It was to the point where one would naturally believe it was made by
the blacksmithing god.

“I made it.”

“…Kuhahahat!” Baal eventually burst out laughing. His eyes, which were black
without any whites, started to emit various colors.

Uhhh…

A painful groan followed. Before anyone knew it, Pagma’s soul was in his grasp.

“I have Pagma’s discerning eyes. Are you lying when it is an obvious fact that you
can’t make that sword with your skills? You must have pretty low self-esteem. One
day, you will get to the point where you will be like Hexetia and be jealous of
humans. It is just right to say that you will get along with each other.”

“Think as you please.”

Was it necessary to explain the details of the fact that he planned it and made it with
Kraugel? Grid snorted and restored his breathing. It was while reading the signs
from Nefelina, who was standing beside Yura in the distance.

It was a while ago when Baal, who had become part of Asura, invaded. Yura had
ignored Amoract’s cry to flee. She persisted without wasting her Hell Leap. Thanks to
this, Grid’s path of retreat was still open. Nefelina was on standby to cooperate with
Grid at any time.

‘I have to think of it as a one time opportunity.’

Baal could use Pagma’s Sword Dance and the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship.
Just like Grid, he had both the skill crushing swordsmanship and counterattack
swordsmanship. Even the six fusion sword dance could be blocked if the activation
was mistimed.

‘First… I need to light up my surroundings again.’

Currently, the area was blackened by Baal’s demonic energy. Twilight significantly
lost its hit rate, while its attack power was significantly increased. Baal responded to
every swing. He needed to light up his surroundings again. Using an attack that Baal
perceived one step late was the only chance of winning. It was because right now,
there was no Bunhelier to draw Baal’s attention from Grid. He also couldn’t expect
Amoract’s cooperation. Grid didn’t trust her yet. In the first place, how could she
help when she was bound by chains?

“Flower.”

Grid established the Sanctuary of Metal and scattered the petals of sword energy.
Under the influence of Twilight, the aura of each petal, with the glow of the sunset,
was so strong that it was incomparable to before. It was at the level of vibrating the
atmosphere and it was safe to say that every one of them was a weapon containing
the power of a deadly blow.

Of course, it wasn’t to the point of threatening Baal. Baal didn’t bother to avoid the
fluttering petals. He broke through without hesitation and narrowed the distance to
Grid. He decided that it was better to drag Grid into a deeper darkness.

It was as Grid expected. Grid was currently dual wielding. In addition to Twilight, he
was holding a sword that was the combination of Gujel’s Dao and Cranbel’s Horn.
The two swords had a common effect. It was the effect of ‘a high probability of
neutralizing the target’s defense skills, magic,q, and powers’ every time an attack hit.

Demonic energy was a type of power. It was the power possessed by a demon rather
than a power innate to Baal. It was included in the target to be neutralized.

“……!”

Baal’s eyes widened as he was gradually narrowing the distance to Grid. The petals
that exploded when they touched his skin cleared up the darkness around them. For
the moment, the demonic energy that was scattered from his body blurred even the
shape of the demon sword for a moment. In fact, the power of the demon sword
hadn’t weakened. His sword was basically based on his mental image and demonic
energy was just an additional concept. The problem was that the darkness had been
lifted.

Baal felt a sense of crisis and raised his strength. He used the Undefeated King’s
Swordsmanship even without securing enough distance. He unfolded the senses of
the Absolute.

The whole area entered a vacuum state. In the world that seemed to have stopped,
only Baal’s sword rapidly stretched out.
Grid had to feel like he was submerged. It felt like he was wearing hundreds of cotton
coats that were soaked in water. His heavy, sunken hand couldn’t move. No, it was
obviously moving, but it was slow. On the other hand, he could only stare at Baal’s
sword that stretched out rapidly.

‘I should’ve used the Dragon Knight effect from the beginning.’

It was in a world where even sound had disappeared. Just before his neck was cut by
Baal’s sword, which approached him like a flash of lightning—

Grid was rebuking himself for his mistakes when the feeling of hundreds of cotton
coats wrapped around his body was stripped away. It was at the same time as when
he felt his feet touch something.

[You have boarded the Transcendent Dragon, Nefelina.]

[The effect of the only one title in the world, ‘Dragon Knight,’ is activated.]

[All your stats are increased by three times and your status is increased.]

“……!”

“……!”

Grid was amazed, while Nefelina was horrified. Yura had used the Hell Leap skill
from the moment Baal attempted to close the distance with Grid. As a result,
Nefelina moved to under Grid’s feet. She stiffened when she saw Baal in front of her,
while Grid smiled. At this moment, he was a complete Absolute.

Baal’s demon sword cut the back of Grid’s neck. First of all, it touched Valhalla’s
collar. Then it slipped due to the notches and lost some of its power. After that, it was
blocked by Cranbel’s Head. This alone caused Grid to experience terrible pain. His
entire brain shook like white lightning exploded in front of them. At least half his
health was blown away at once. However, it was enough to avoid an instant death
from decapitation.

“What?”

You are fine after having your neck cut?

One side of the completely surprised Baal’s vision was distorted. It was the
aftermath of Twilight crushing the atmosphere after unexpectedly revealing its
presence. The six fusion sword dance started to hit Baal.

“Kukuk…!” Baal responded with a laugh. He immediately restored the arms and legs
that were cut off in real time and wielded his demon sword. He grabbed Grid’s wrist
and dragged it down as if to properly put it in place. It was just that he couldn’t
overpower Grid when Grid momentarily used Saleos’ Power and it became a draw. Of
course, Saleos’ power was only a one-off.

Grid’s wrist was eventually grabbed by Baal. The second six fusion sword dance was
canceled during the activation. Baal’s headbutt struck Grid’s face. It was a headbutt
with three sharp horns. It was normal to have holes in his face, but Grid was armed
with an invisible helmet and crown. He only got a small nosebleed.

Baal had an inquiring expression on his face. “Are you a monster?”

“The monster is you.”

A body that was immediately restored if it was cut or stabbed. Even his health was
close to infinity. On the other hand, this side had one life.

Grid barely held onto his dizzy mind and exhaled. At the same time when Baal’s
vision was dazzled, he used the third six fusion sword dance. It was a sword dance
aimed at the blind spot in the field of view by cutting from the bottom. It was
Transcend Linked Dragon Pinnacle Kill Wave that showed the best harmony with
Twilight in a bright place. It was also a new fusion sword dance that wasn’t in Baal’s
information.

Baal was completely caught off guard and his body was split in two.

“You…!” Baal’s eyes were bloodshot as he bled from his entire body. He was clearly
enraged that he had lost another life. It was an unbelievable reaction for a guy who
was talking about how he wanted to die. It must be a matter of pride.

“Yura!” Grid shouted urgently as he pulled Nefelina’s little horn and made her turn
her head. Yura’s skill cooldown time was very short in hell. Each time another skill
was used, the cooldown time of the previously used skill was further shortened. She
had been supporting Grid by using her skills and already finished the preparations.
The Hell Leap skill was used in Grid’s movement path.

“Overgeared God!” Baal rebuilt the demon sword that had shattered at the moment
of death and restored his body. Then he chased after Grid. His demon sword stabbed
at Grid’s heart from behind, but it was a step late. Grid’s party had already used Hell
Leap and left.

“……”

Baal was distracted for a moment and Amoract quietly chanted a spell. Then the
length of the chain that restrained her was suddenly shortened, pulling her back into
the castle that stood tall behind her. On the other hand…

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level has risen.]

[Your level…]

“Good!”

After safely arriving at the crystal castle, Grid hugged Yura and Nefelina and cheered.
He had the idea that he had properly caught a pushover.
He gained a huge 13 levels. As a result, Grid’s current level was 760. It averaged
more than 230 higher than the top 10 players in the unified rankings. It was equal to
or higher than the level of named NPCs that rose in proportion to the growth of
players and it was a level that chased after the level of super named NPCs, who were
extremely rare.

‘The growth rate will be faster for the time being. Baal is a good opponent even if we
fight 100 times and I just win once.’

Of course, Grid’s stats fell far short of Baal’s. In order to threaten Baal, he would need
to overlap all his enhancement skills and use the six fusion sword dance with a
deceptive item. On the other hand, Baal’s potential was endless. As an extreme
example, Baal was likely to utilize his Hell Leap skill in the next battle. Today, he had
suffered his second consecutive defeat thanks to Yura’s Hell Leap, so he would
naturally be conscious of it and try to pay it back.

‘It is right to say that Yura’s skills can also be used by Baal.’

Baal acquired the skills of humans who died and fell to hell. Furthermore, the soul of
Demon Slayer Alex was in Baal’s hands, as well as Pagma’s soul.

‘The good thing is that… he won’t be able to take full advantage of the Demon
Slayer’s skills.’

A Demon Slayer’s skill structure was mostly focused on weakening and purifying
evil. If Baal used the skills, then it was equivalent to cutting at his own flesh.
Therefore, he wouldn’t be able to use all the skills. Even so, the fact that he could use
Hell Leap was a big threat.

‘I have to be prepared.’

There would be consecutive defeats for a while. Baal was superior to him in every
way. Fighting and losing against him was a result that Grid should take for granted.
No, let’s go beyond the normal level and accept it happily. It wasn’t an exaggeration
to say it was a gain if he fought Baal 100 times and won once.
‘It isn’t a loss if I lose and it is a jackpot if I win once.’

Baal’s level was too high and Grid had a fraudulent passive skill called
enlightenment. Grid had passed on the position of Pioneer to Kraugel, but this didn’t
mean he had lost his rights. There was Hayate’s favor behind Grid attaining the
status of 10th Seat of the tower rather than Pioneer. The 10th Seat was a special
status created by Hayate in order to benefit Grid without imposing any obligations
on him.

“Yura, spar with me.”

At the crystal castle…

Ironically, the hell branch of the Overgeared Guild was the safest place in hell. There
was a sense of stability that calmed Grid’s heart, which had been raging with tension
and excitement all throughout the fight with Baal. Grid wanted to fight with Yura
until the moment when the cooldown of his immortality, which was consumed at the
last moment, ended. It was a judgment that it would be great research if he could
experience how she used the Hell Leap skill from an enemy’s point of view.

Yura calmed him down. “Let’s go back to Reinhardt first.”

The empire had a great deal of enemies. There were even enemies on a transcendent
level. In particular, the celestial gods had the ability to observe the surface and they
were unlikely to miss the gap when Grid was away.

Grid fully understood her, but he felt a bit reluctant. “I think it will be hard to come
back to hell the moment I return to the surface…”

The enemy’s invasion of Reinhardt was just a ‘possibility.’ Furthermore, Reinhardt’s

defense was close to perfection. The apostles might be away, but Asmophel and the
Red Knights, powerful soldiers, and even Kraugel were prepared for an enemy
invasion.

On the other hand, it was a predetermined fate that Baal would disrupt Grid. In fact,
he had set up a trap at the place where Grid got off the hell elevator. It was hard to
predict what type of terrible traps would lurk the next time he got out of the
elevator.

Yura read his concerns and smiled widely. “Don’t worry. You have me, right?”
‘That’s right… ’

Grid recalled Yura’s Hell Gate skill. It was a dimensional gate that moved between the
surface and hell. He heard that the level had increased significantly since she used it
frequently over the past year. The number of people she could take with her had
increased to four and it was easier to specify the coordinates. It was said that it was
very rare for her to fall to an unexpected place and become lost.

‘The elevator is in a set position, so it is easy for Baal to place traps. Meanwhile, the
hell gate is different.’

The hell gate opened near a point designated by Yura. Even Baal had no choice but to
specify the location only after Grid’s group arrived in hell. It was difficult to dig a trap
in advance.

‘There would be no answer if he leads an army to a trap or something.’

Baal was the master of the 1st Hell. He had an army of thousands of demons, each
one said to be at the level of great demons in the 30s, and an entourage comparable
to the single digit great demons. There were also the red chunk of flesh and Asura,
who were as potentially as fearsome as Baal himself. The power of Bal’s army wasn’t
at the level that Grid could handle.

However, Grid felt certain. There was no possibility that Baal would move the army
unless it reached the point where Grid completely overwhelmed Baal. This guess
was possible because he understood Baal’s personality.

Baal was different from Chiyou. He wanted to ‘realize’ his death wish, but he didn’t
really intend to die. To Baal, the crisis of death was just a means to appease boredom
and to obtain pleasure. His arrogance pierced the sky. Additionally, in most cases,
one’s arrogance was proportional to their pride.

He had to use an army to defeat just one god, especially one weaker than him? It was
impossible.

“Okay… let’s go back.”

From this day on, Grid’s schedule was the toughest it had ever been. He fought
against Yura, who actively utilized her Hell Leap skill, until the cooldown of his
immortality ended. Then as soon as his immortality was available, he broke into hell
again and fought against Baal.

He was defeated in the second battle.

He was also defeated in the third battle.

He lost the fourth battle.

Unlike Yura’s Hell Leap, which slightly increased the cooldown once it was used
more than a certain number of times, Baal’s Hell Leap skill maintained an extremely
short cooldown. The demon sword he stabbed toward Grid’s right side appeared
from above Grid and the kick he aimed at Grid’s abdomen came from behind Grid’s
back. He almost peed in his pants when the waves of the One Million Army
Swordsmanship flying from in front suddenly disappeared and cut the back of his
neck as they passed by him. The basic attack speed itself was fast enough that Grid
could only react by relying on his artificial senses. Now that it was mixed in with
some fakes, it wasn’t at the level that Grid could respond to just by practicing.

“The God Hands are terribly useless.”

“……”

Did they understand Grid’s lament? The God Hands stopped moving in unison from
where they were always hovering beside Grid. Grid felt somewhat guilty, but another
sigh emerged. Ever since the old days, the God Hands had no power against enemies
who were equal to or superior to Grid.

The God Hands themselves were an item that reproduced some of Grid’s stats, so it
was unavoidable that they were an inferior version of Grid. Against an opponent Grid
couldn’t handle, it was impossible for the God Hands’ attack or defense to be
effective unless a great deal of luck followed.

Tai Chi? There was no chance. Fortunately, they now played a big role through the
artificial senses, but it was still a disappointment.

‘I think I could’ve won if Meteor had hit at that time.’

The mass of Greed that floated at a certain altitude. Grid called it Meteor while
Braham called it an ignorant piece of iron. It naturally didn’t hit Baal. It was read and
avoided every time. Grid felt the need to devise a completely different way of using
Greed. Of course, he came to the same conclusion as always. The conclusion was that
the most ideal form of supplementary items that could be made out of Greed was the
God Hands.

‘The God Hands are better than a magic machine against Baal. The God Hands
reproduces my skills, while the magic machine has very few attack skills and the
pattern is simple. Let’s just increase the number of God Hands as much as possible.’

It was on the day of his 3rd defeat to Baal. Grid immediately returned to Reinhardt
and split up some of the mass of Greed that had been accumulating for a long time.
Then he started making hundreds of God Hands. He wasn’t nervous. He might’ve
been defeated three times, but his experience bar was full. It was enough as long as
he didn’t die. From Grid’s perspective, it was at a level where he would
unconditionally gain if he fought unconditionally.

[If your class rating is myth, then you can use up to 300 secondary weapons.]

[…It is an amazing achievement!”

[The restrictions on the use of secondary weapons have been found by a player for
the first time.]

[You have received the title ‘Do You Have a Conscience?’ as a reward for the first
achievement.]

[Do You Have a Conscience?]

[Number of secondary weapons simultaneously used +10.]

“……”

Yura, Nefelina, Noe, and Randy looked at Grid, who had a total of 310 God Hands
floating around him. They were the ones who had struggled in hell with Grid for the
past week. Their level had also risen significantly. Yura and Nefelina didn’t have the
enlightenment effect, but they escaped death thanks to Grid’s efforts. They rose
several levels based on the experience they gained on the first day they defeated
Baal. Then after that, they hadn’t lost any experience points. Noe and Randy shared a
common destiny with Grid. Once they joined the battle, they shared a portion of the
experience that Grid gained.
“Are you into Buddhism these days?” Kraugel was responsible for analyzing Baal’s
swordsmanship based on the scars left on Valhalla. He was deep in contemplation as
he thought of a new notch to be engraved on Valhalla, only to belatedly grasp the
situation and ask this question.

A body made up of a thousand hands and a thousand eyes that was said to be created
by the Bodhisattva Guanyin to save all living things. Grid’s appearance looked just
like the Thousand Hands of Avalokitesvara. It was just that he looked to be ruling by
might rather than divine.

“Haha, Kraugel. I respect and love all religions in the world, not just Buddhism.”

“Why are you suddenly quoting a Korean textbook…”

“Haha, what are you saying?”

Grid was in a position where he had to be conscious that there were eyes and ears
that saw and heard him at any time and any place. He was loved by so many people
that he couldn’t be seen as showing favoritism for a particular religion. This was why
he alternately sponsored not just churches, temples, and cathedrals, but took turns
supporting all religious organizations in South Korea such as Hindu temples,
Myanmar temples, Cambodian temples, and Mongolian temples.

It was Sehee’s advice and the effect was great. People from all walks of life sent
special affection to Grid. It was safe to say that Grid’s allied forces were spread out
not only in South Korea, but also throughout the world.

‘…Is he going to run for president some day?’

He was so diligent that he lived a very tiring life.

Kraugel shook his head and pulled out his sword.

Twilight—it was a dragon weapon that felt a bit more colorful and sharper than
Grid’s Twilight. Kraugel started to carve new notches on Xenon’s scales that wrapped
around Valhalla’s gorget, chest, and thigh area. The effect appeared immediately.

[The ‘favor of the Sword Saint’ has added the ‘immunity to same sword damage
overlapping’ effect to Valhalla of Infinite Affection.]
The biggest part of Baal’s dominance over Grid was speed. The rapid swordsmanship
had a permanent ‘continuous attack’ effect. The moment one attack was allowed, he
inevitably suffered from several more damages overlapping. Now he became
immune to it. Of course, the effect was limited only to damage received from swords,
but as long as Baal insisted on swordsmanship, the burden on Grid would be greatly
reduced in the future.

“Come back safely.”

“Yes.”

Grid shared a high five with Kraugel before taking Yura’s hell gate to fight for
revenge. Unfortunately, he was defeated again. Then in the sixth battle the next day,
the battle became more intense. The day after that, he won the seventh battle. The
help of Yura, Kraugel, and the God Hands that had increased to 310 became a strong
support for Grid. Nefelina started to be more courageous and she was naturally the
number one contributor to the victory.

Baal started to question it. What made this guy become stronger every day?

The lonely Absolute couldn’t understand Grid.

“……!”

“……!”

Grid and Yura, who had turned around and fled as soon as they killed Baal, suddenly
exchanged looks with wide eyes.

They heard the voices of souls. They were the souls of Pagma and Alex. They were
the voices of the souls who regained their sense of reason while Baal was weakened.
From the little things to the private details—there were many ways in which a
couple checked their compatibility.

In that sense, Grid and Yura were a well-matched couple. Not only did the two of
them like every aspect of each other, but their fates were intertwined, even in Satisfy.
Their final class quest was similar. Grid had to rescue Pagma’s soul from Baal, while
Yura had to rescue Alex’s soul from Baal.

It wasn’t a very good thing to have in common. Their class quests were impossible
for a single player to handle. It was wise to give up while taking comfort in the fact
that there was no guarantee the new skills they would gain from completing the
class quest was worth more than a few lives.

Unfortunately, the two people were persistent. Yura gathered information by

interacting with demons, such as Red Demon Glant, and she had been trying to
rescue Alex’s soul without necessarily having to fight Baal. Meanwhile, Grid had
grown in strength with the idea of getting rid of Baal.

Baal was destined to one day clash with the two of them.

-This isn’t a very wise method since it is just accumulating experience for Baal.

-Baal is developing just as much as you are growing.

-Everything that Baal learns during his trials also nourishes that chunk of red flesh.

Pagma’s soul and Alex’s soul took advantage of Baal’s weakness to regain their sense
of reason and to speak. Their caution and warnings aroused Grid’s annoyance.

“Then what do you want me to do? Should I not fight and let go?”

The attitude of his seniors, who only gave warnings without providing a solution,
was unpleasant for Grid. This was nagging, not advice.

“If you have time for useless words, then you should let me know how to free you.”
-Hah… You are truly Pagma's Successor.

-What do you mean?

-His rude and ferocious personality really resembles you, Pagma. Doesn’t the fact
that your personalities are so similar even though you don’t have a blood
relationship mean there is a problem with the sword dances? It seems to have the
side effect of making the user’s temperament more domineering…

-Stop the speculation.

-You said that your sword dance comes from a ritual that the yangban used for their
ceremonies, right? Ultimately, it must’ve been a means of contacting Hanul. Does this
side effect mean that God Hanul himself isn’t right…

-It is okay to curse Hanul, but I hate that you used it as a means to insult me. I
would’ve made you shut your mouth if I had hands and feet.

“……”

Grid and Yura’s steps as they headed for the hell gate right in front of their noses
slowed down for a moment. It was because the illusions they secretly had of the
predecessors were shattered. Of course, Grid knew that Pagma had a ruthless
personality, but in any case, he was a hero who fought for humanity. He hadn’t
expected Pagma to be so blatantly wild and emotional. In the first place, it didn’t
match his elegant appearance. It was also hard to see Alex’s personality as good
when Alex clearly knew Pagma’s personality and provoked him.

Grid felt pure doubts and murmured, “He doesn’t have the personality to be friends
with Braham…”

To put it bluntly, Braham had a bad personality. He had improved a lot these days,
but in the past, he didn’t care about others at all and lived purely according to his
own tastes. A person naturally had to be broad-minded to be friends with Braham.

‘Like me.’

On the other hand, Pagma’s personality seemed to resemble Braham’s. It seemed like
they would growl just by making eye contact with each other. Then how did it
develop into a relationship where he was Braham’s most trusted friend?
Pagma answered Grid’s question.

-As you know, Braham was arrogant and made frequent mistakes. It was easy to grab
a weakness.

“……”

Was it a friendship built up by gaslighting? Grid was thinking about the crime of
grooming with a dismayed expression when Pagma’s bitter voice entered his ears.

-I’m glad he has a good friend like you, even if it is late.

Pagma’s soul and Alex’s soul had never actually lost their sense of reason. Rather,
they had always maintained a clear mind and felt Baal’s despair and pain. This was
why they always screamed. Pagma had watched in pain the sight of Grid fighting for
others at any time and under any circumstances.

Grid was clearly different from him, who sacrificed innocent people under the
pretext of a cause. It was probably the result of the differences in their origin. It was
said that Pagma had experienced the life of the weak when living among the
yangbans, but in the end, he was still different from a human. There were many areas
where he wasn’t emotionally compatible with them. Therefore, he often made the
wrong choice and repeatedly regretted it over and over.

On the other hand, Grid was a completely normal human being. He communicated
with many people much more easily than Pagma.

-Your existence isn’t a blessing just for Braham, but for all of humanity. I admire and
envy you… Ugh…

Pagma’s words abruptly stopped. His groan, which sounded like he was being
mutilated by a sword, hinted at Baal’s resurrection. He was still alive and well
despite already suffering a few deaths. Rather, Baal, who became stronger as he
learned, resembled a player.

Grid trembled when he realized how great Baal was. The strongest people in human
history, who dominated an era and eventually became legends, were captured by
Baal in such an insignificant way. Pagma and Alex, who trembled in pain without
being comfortable for a moment, recalled the fear that they had been trying to
suppress.
There was a voice that awakened him. “Youngwoo-ssi!”

“…Ah.” Grid reflexively reached out. At the same time, the demon sword that pierced
his abdomen tilted diagonally just before it separated his upper and lower body. Grid
was pulled by Yura and succeeded in escaping to the surface through the hell gate.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“God…!”

Unfortunately, the place where he landed was bad.

At the temple of the Overgeared God, in the Overgeared World…

The imperial subjects were praying under Damian’s leadership and they became
agitated when they witnessed the seriously injured Grid.

“Look at this! Our god has once again punished the evil demon Baal and returned in
a dignified manner!”

Damian and Sariel quickly acted. Damian took off his uniform and spread it out like a
veil, hiding Grid’s appearance. Meanwhile, Sariel used that short gap to restore Grid
with magic. Then with Damian’s next shout—

Ta da! Grid reappeared with the feeling of ‘aha!’ and was unscathed without a single
wound.

It happened in an instant. People were confused, but they had no choice but to think
the Grid they saw a moment ago was their illusion.

‘Isn’t this the leader of a pseudo-religion?’

Grid clicked his tongue as he watched Damian secretly smiling. Then he waved
toward the cheering people as a response. After a while, he arrived at the smithy and
told Yura his honest feelings.

“Is there no answer?”

“……”
In fact, he had noticed it little by little. Just as Grid’s level got higher the more he
fought Baal, Baal had also learned combat skills. The number of times that Grid’s six
fusion sword dance missed in vain gradually increased. Still, it was okay.

If he killed Baal a few more times, then Baal’s status would be undermined at some
point. From then on, Grid would gradually gain an advantage… he used this thought
as consolation, but there were no signs that Baal’s status was being undermined.
Additionally, he learned the shocking truth that the red chunk of flesh was learning
from Baal’s experience.

He didn’t show it on his face in front of Pagma’s soul, but honestly, he felt his vision
darken.

Grid lowered his head with a sense of loss. Yura quietly stroked his head and spoke
cautiously, “How about not giving Baal a chance to learn?”

“…Through what means?”

“Fight in a different way every time. For example, equip an item with a different
function every time you challenge Baal. Then Baal won’t have a chance to adapt… I’m
sorry.”

Yura was eagerly explaining only to hurriedly close her mouth. It was because she
knew the pain of creation. How easy could it be to create new and different items
every time? She felt guilty when she realized that she had almost imposed too much
responsibility on Grid.

Grid grabbed her hands. “Thank you.”

Creating something out of nothing and forcing a new attack strategy on the target—
it was a method that could only be used by Overgeared God Grid and the
blacksmithing god Hexetia. Of course, it was true that the burden was high. It
required infinite deliberation. Even so, Grid didn’t mind.

“That’s right. I forgot the most basic thing.”

He should actively utilize his strengths. Was it because he relied on Request to Stand
With Me through the fight against Baal? He became accustomed to borrowing the
power of the apostles and tower members and didn’t consider using items. It could
be a side effect of perceiving the items he was currently armed with as endgame
items.

Grid stood up. Yura was shocked to see him preparing to leave even though the
immortality cooldown hadn’t ended.

Grid reassured her, “I am going to the East Continent, not hell.”

There were still two of the Four Auspicious Beasts that Grid hadn’t saved. Among
them, Grid coveted the Blue Dragon. It was judged that the Blue Dragon’s lightning
was the most suitable attribute to hurt Baal’s mental image that harbored a cold
chill.

‘Another method is to ask Braham to attribute lightning magic to Twilight.’

However, there wasn’t the lightning attribute among the great magic that Braham
used. It meant he would have to receive an insignificant magic if he wanted Braham’s
help to attach the lightning attribute to Twilight. This was very regrettable. On the
other hand, the Blue Dragon was the god of lightning. There was a limit to the
lightning power gained from the Blue Dragon’s Boots, so it didn’t have much power
against Baal. However, he was sure that the lightning power he obtained from the
Blue Dragon would be different.

“Reinhardt’s defense?”

“There is Sticks, so it is fine. I can come and go at any time.”

“Ah…”

The transportation vehicle…

After a long and peaceful time at the Overgeared Academy, Sticks would once again
be used as a tool.

***

“Request to Stand With Me.”

Grid arrived in Kaya on the East Continent with the help of Sticks and didn’t delay for
even a moment.
“Keen Insight.”

He immediately borrowed Mercedes’ power to search for the exact location of the
Blue Dragon. To be precise, it was the location of the Blue Dragon Dao where the
Blue Dragon was sealed. He naturally felt a familiar aura. “Mir…”

A person he was unintentionally deeply connected with. Maybe he had been putting
off saving the Blue Dragon because he didn’t want to fight Mir—Grid had this
thought and moved toward the center of the desert that was covered with snow.

***

At the same time…

“It has been a while since I’ve given you my greetings.”

Mercedes returned to her home after decades and bowed her head like a criminal
while giving her greetings. It was a habit that arose from an early age due to the
attitudes of her family, who hated making eye contact with her. The days when her
‘eyes’ were weak. They were the days when she couldn’t control it, so she
unintentionally peeked into the secrets and innermost thoughts of her precious
family, to their displeasure. This was why they felt reluctant and fearful toward each
other.

“What brings you here…?” They didn’t even welcome her or ask her how she had
been. The elderly couple treated their one remaining daughter like she was a
complete stranger. Mercedes’ status as a knight and the new emperor’s concubine
give justification to the couple’s indifferent attitude.

“I would like to take the head of the family’s test.” Mercedes mustered up the courage
to speak.

It happened shortly after she was asked to lend Keen Insight to Grid. This allowed
her to temporarily overcome her trauma and raise her head. For the first time, she
could see her parents’ old and dwarfed appearance, who flinched when they made
eye contact with her.

“…Now I can bear the sins of our family.”

Most people didn’t know the truth, but the Vaintz family’s two swords actually meant
slaughter. Back in her childhood, it was something that was difficult to understand
and handle for Mercedes, who was taken by Piaro after being abandoned by her
parents and raised to be a knight that protected the emperor and the nation. Her
Vaintz’ Swordsmanship differed greatly in form from the original.

However, this time she saw real demons in hell. She had a mission to destroy them,
and she achieved the sword energy of dramatic victory. She was ready to accept her
family’s slaughter.
The rankers’ favorite method of growth were raids and quests. Unlike the boring
hunts, it was interesting and thrilling, and a lot of resources were granted at once.
However, there were only a few players who could grow by sticking to raids, such as
Grid, Kraugel, Yura, Euphemina, and Zibal. Most players were realistically obsessed
with quests.

The same was true of Laella, the master of the Overgeared Magic Tower. She actively
used her status as a ranker, the magic tower master, and a high ranking noble of the
empire. She opened communication channels on various routes and collected all
types of information to increase the quest collection rate. The following was a quest
obtained as the magic tower master.

[Key to Making Magic of Light and Darkness (1)]

[Difficulty: Unknown

In the chaotic environment of hell, the ‘Fruit of Good and Evil’ was rarely born.

There is a legend that it is a fruit made by the Evil God Yatan to corrupt the good
gods and angels.

It is necessary to check if the Fruit of Good and Evil can change the nature of magic
power.

Quest Clear Conditions: Secure the ‘Fruit of Good and Evil’ and transport it to a
master level magic tower laboratory.

Quest Clear Rewards: Unknown.]

A master level magic tower—there were only two such places on the continent: the
Tower of the Sun and the Tower of Eternity. Among them, the Tower of Eternity in
Titan belonged to the empire. It was the cruel experiment site where Goldhit, who
claimed to be the ruler of magic in the past, studied eternal life. It had a history of
being burned down by Grid’s hands. It was now restored and operated as a normal
magic tower.
“Thank you again for handing over the Fruit of Good and Evil.” Laella arrived at Titan
and politely bowed again. During the journey, she must’ve bowed her waist 90
degrees at least 10 times.

Piaro waved his hand as if he was tired of it. “I told you many times that I am only
obeying His Majesty’s orders.”

“I am naturally thankful to Grid, but Piaro, you are the one who made this fruit,
right? I want my sincerity to be conveyed to both of you. By the way, was it really a
coincidence?”

“You’re so persistent that you aren’t like a magician.”

The Fruit of Good and Evil was grown in the fields Piaro had made in hell. However,
Piaro himself didn’t know the principles behind how he grew it. It was because the
environment of hell was so capricious. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the
weather, temperature and humidity changed every second. Additionally, the density
of demonic energy changed every moment. It was impossible for him to accurately
remember and artificially create the environment that grew the Fruit of Good and
Evil. It was an area of pure chance.

“That is too bad… in any case, I’ll do my best to make you feel rewarded, Piaro.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

The reason why Piaro joined Laella’s trip to Titan wasn’t simply to act as an escort.
The Fruit of Good and Evil that made evil beings good and good beings evil—Piaro
wanted to see with his own eyes how far the benefits would go.

‘If the effect is really applied to magic power… ’

Humanity would be freed from many constraints. The reason to sign a contract with
demons to use black magic power and the obligation to serve the gods to use divine
power would disappear. The repercussions would be huge. Most gods would slowly
lose their influence and there would be less room for demons to intervene in the
human world. The Fruit of Good and Evil was a very important key to the
independence of humanity from all types of transcendent beings.

Of course, this was only a story of when the effect was real.
“Are you Lady Laella?”

The attitude of the magicians who came to meet their group was unwilling. They
dedicated their lives to magic and confined themselves to the tower, like monks, so
they tended to be indifferent. Their only interest was magic, so they weren’t
impressed when they saw the famous Piaro, apostle of the Overgeared God. They
also didn’t particularly react to Laella.

The greatest magician on the continent right now was Braham, and right below him
was Euphemina. It was widely believed that magicians other than them were only a
bit better than the 10 great magicians of the past, no matter how strong.
Additionally, over the past 20 years, the 10 great magicians hadn’t made many
achievements. Their performance on the battlefield was lacking compared to the
powerhouses currently considered the protagonists of the world. It wasn’t
something the magicians of the magic tower should aim for. They didn’t feel much
respect.

Laella didn’t have much of a problem with their attitude. Rather, she was pleased.
From being an idol to a world star, people’s attention on her was heavy.

“…I think it is real.”

Piaro was about to enter the tower with the guidance of the magicians only to stop.
His expression was sharp as he spoke to himself while pulling out a sickle and hand
plow.

“What is going on?”

“It is the enemy. Based on the source of the energy, they seem to be aiming for the
Fruit of Good and Evil. You should hurry up.”

“Yes, I understand.”

She didn’t insist on fighting together. It was as Piaro said. As long as the enemies
were targeting the Fruit of Good and Evil, she had an obligation to focus on her role.
It was the obligation to check the efficacy of the Fruit of Good and Evil, clear the
quest, and find out how to use it.

In the first place, this was Titan. Basara, the politician Grid and Lauel trusted the
most, was the lord, while Lightning God Kyle was the guardian. It was the city with
the largest number of troops after Reinhardt. It meant there was no need to be
agitated by every attack by the enemy. Laella had faith that she didn’t need to go out.

“Is the master of the Overgeared Magic Tower running away?” A magician criticized
Laella, who left Piaro alone and started climbing the tower. Then he soon shut up. He
was overwhelmed by the pressure coming from Laella, whose body was encased in
powerful fire magic.

“I don’t need to keep the line, right?”

“…You are absolutely right.”

The eyes of the magicians toward Laella changed in an instant. They felt an
admiration that was the same as when they watched the performances of Braham
and Euphemina on the battlefield. It was a reaction that proved Laella’s growth.

Meanwhile, Piaro blocked the entrance to the magic tower and looked up at the sky.
Three angels with four wings spread out were descending to the surface. Once their
feet finally touched the grow, a divine light shone around them and dazzled the
people on the street.

“Hand over the Fruit of Good and Evil.”

“It is the fruit of the most evil being in the world. Human strength and desires can’t
handle it.”

“Did you think we could handle the invasion of the demons?”

“……?”

“It is funny that those who only watched from heaven as the demons climbed up to
the surface, slaughtering humans, and starting a great war are talking like this now.”

“…You are truly low level as the apostle of a human god with no foundation. It is ugly
to talk about things that have already happened in the past. I heard you are going
back and forth to hell with the Overgeared God, so you must’ve become closer to a
demon.”

“There is no need to talk any longer.”

Piaro recognized angels as no different from demons. He wondered how they were
different from the demons who were blinded by slaughter and couldn’t
communicate.

He started his battle by sowing seeds in all directions.

***

“…I see.”

During the hell expedition not long ago, the tower member Fronzaltz fought in the
9th Hell. He defeated the self-proclaimed 9th Great Demon, who usurped Hell Gao’s
empty throne. After that, he stayed in the 9th Hell for a long time and searched for
something.

Zik found out about this by chance and upon returning to the surface, he
immediately visited Cokro Island. He investigated Hell Gao’s emergence point for a
full month before becoming convinced.

‘Fronzaltz knew about it from the very beginning.’

Hell Gao, Furfur, Morax, Lepir, Kurson, and Drasion—the great demons who
appeared on the surface in the past and were sealed by Muller had something in
common: they were reincarnated beings. They weren’t demons from the moment
they were born. Rather, they were humans or angels who died and were
reincarnated as demons. The fact that Drasion was the archangel Sariel was the first
evidence. The fragments of the fire stone that Zik just found were the second
evidence.

‘Some parts of the fire stone resemble the Stone of Original Sin in a subtle manner.’

He had seen the fire stone before, but didn’t notice it because it was so insignificant.
Now it was clear after a detailed analysis.

‘…Is Hell Gao Bultar?’

Hell Gao’s obsession with the surface was an unsolved mystery. He repeatedly
appeared in the dungeon of Cokro Island despite constantly being defeated. As a
result, he greatly helped humans. What if it was the will of Bultar, one of the Seven
Good People, rather than the Great Demon Hell Gao? The front and back were right.
Zik recalled a story that Grid once told him. He had heard the voice of the 7th Evil,
Corruption, when he won the blacksmithing match against Hexetia. He had revealed
the original sin of Hexetia and told the old story of Bultar. Grid might not have known
it at the time, but the real name of Corruption was Bultar.

‘Maybe Bultar’s consciousness temporarily awakens during each and every short
period of time between Hell Gao’s death and resurrection.’

Maybe he was the one who made Hell Gao challenge Cokro again. It was like making
an offering to humans.

Zik’s expression darkened as he made this guess. He had believed that the souls of
his companions were sealed in the Abyss along with their bodies, but now he
realized this wasn’t the case. Their souls were separated from their bodies that were
sealed in the Abyss, and wandered through eons of suffering. Just like Sariel was
banished from heaven and became a demon for revealing the sins of Goddess
Rebecca, they fell and became a demon, accumulating sin.

It wasn’t enough to frame the Seven Good People as the Seven Evils, but they also
corrupted the Seven Good People into real demons. What a cruel and terrible
punishment it was.

Zik clenched his fists and his grudge against heaven grew further. Then he suddenly
noticed something new.

‘Muller knew.’

Was it just a coincidence that Sword Saint Muller defeated the demons and sealed
their bodies? Coincidentally, the six demons were special. Perhaps Muller had sealed
Sariel and the Seven Good People, who had forgotten their previous lives and were
accumulating sins, so that they couldn’t accumulate any more sins.

“Thank you… thank you…”

Zik held the fragments of the fire stone to his chest and shed a few transparent tears.

***

The snow that covered Kaya, the desert kingdom, was the embodiment of the Blue
Dragon’s anger. It was far from a natural phenomenon. The environment of
impossible cold harmed animals and people or forced them to leave.

Mir had condemned the situation. He lamented that it was very common for a god’s
selfishness to harm powerless human beings and that gods who deserved to receive
the worship of human beings were truly rare. It was also true of the gods in the
Hwan Kingdom.

Maybe it was from that time on—Grid started to become vaguely fond of Mir after
realizing he was different from ordinary yangbans.

“He is really here.”

“The rumor that he went crazy after he became a god is true.”

The yangbans muttered to each other as they found Grid walking on a snowy street.
They gathered one by one, but none of them dared to block Grid’s way despite being
in groups of dozens. However, there was a sense of relaxation in their expressions.
They probably believed in Mir. Mir was created to be the opponent of Baal and
Raphael, and his armed force was so transcendent in the eyes of the yangbans that it
was worth relying on.

‘As much as possible, I didn’t want to fight him.’

Grid took a deep breath as he stood in front of the tile roof house where he could feel
Mir’s aura. He remembered the moment when Mir had saved him. It was just that the
grace he received at that time and the resurrection of the Blue Dragon had to be
calculated separately.

The determined Grid opened the huge gate. The most noticeable thing in the large
garden was the outdoor space for earthenware jars containing fermented food. Small
birds were gathered on top of the earthenware jars that were covered with white
snow. He noticed that Mir often put food over here, but unfortunately, that didn’t
seem to be the case today. The birds searched anxiously, but not even a small piece of
millet could be found.

‘…It isn’t just today.’

Grid noticed that the cries of the birds were so faint that it wouldn’t be strange if
they were extinguished immediately. Therefore, he opened his inventory. He took out
a piece of bread and placed it on top of the jar. There were no deep intentions. It was
just a natural thing to do.

Mir’s eyes were hazy as he sat in the main floored room and stared at him. He
seemed to be reflecting on a certain memory. However, it didn’t seem to be easy and
his expression soon distorted.

“It has been a while.”

Grid gulped as he couldn’t express the happy words and his expression slowly
stiffened. Mir’s eyes that were looking at him were full of vigilance and contempt. It
felt like he was dealing with an uninvited guest he had never seen before. It was
completely different from the attitude that Mir had shown in the past.

“…What happened to you?”

Mir didn’t answer Grid’s question.

There was no more need to talk, so he drew the Blue Dragon Dao and rushed
forward. The faces of the yangbans who had climbed onto the tiled roof and watched
the scene with interest, stiffened unknowingly. It was because the Overgeared God
was fine even though they expected his head to fall off with a single blow.

Hundreds of black gold hands rose like ghosts to block the trajectory of the Blue
Dragon Dao and to strike Mir’s body at the same time.

“No, wait a minute. Calm down for a moment.” Grid stopped the God Hands that were
beating Mir with ruthless violence.

However, Mir aimed for that gap and attacked again. This caused the God Hands to
react reflexively again. The slaps to Mir’s lower cheek area occurred again and again.
Mir only managed to shake off the God Hands and back away after raising the energy
of the Blue Dragon.

Grid realized it. ‘Have I become terribly strong?’

The reason he didn’t realize it until now was because Baal was so strong…
The quiet city was roaring with noise. It was due to the blue light that shone around
Mir’s body. The white snow pouring down burned out without touching the ground,
leaving only a bit of moisture behind. Additionally, the area where the electricity
spread grew larger each time. It felt like Mir himself was gradually becoming bigger.

It was the effect of Lightning God. Mir’s body was completely assimilated with the
energy of the Blue Dragon and became made up of lightning, not bones and flesh. He
was truly a god.

The sound wasn’t heard until after the action was over. Grid was already under
attack by the time the lightning seemed to flash. It was a surprise attack from the
Lightning God who literally ‘pierced’ through the camp of more than 300 God Hands.

The Blue Dragon Dao, which stretched out like an incandescent long line, was
blocked by a white beam of light. It was the traces of the enhanced Magic Missile that
Grid hurriedly fired. Lightning God was immune to all physical attacks, but was
vulnerable to magic attacks. It couldn’t resist magic at all and suffered twice as much
damage. However, the power of Magic Missile itself was low. This prevented it from
damaging Mir, but it was significant because it blocked Mir’s attack.

“……?”

Wasn’t it absurd when a ridiculous magic became the barrier that stopped a god’s
advance?

Mir was startled and his next move didn’t connect. It was a gap of less than 0.1
seconds. Grid could take full advantage of that time.

Twilight soared through the gaps in the fragments of the Magic Missiles that collided
with the Blue Dragon Dao and scattered. It was a blow that soared in a diagonal line.
Then it moved in a lateral line the moment it reached the target. It was a feast of
lines that seemed to go on infinitely, the Link sword dance.

“……”
Mir’s expression that could be seen between the blue lights that shook every time
the sword wind swept over it was calm. He searched for Grid’s gaps with the
confidence that he wouldn’t be cut by the sword.

It was just before Grid recovered the Twilight that had been extended. He wielded
the Blue Dragon Dao the moment Grid’s ribs were clearly visible.

Seeing through the weak spot. An attack there would induce a critical hit. However, it
stopped just before reaching Grid. The lightning that was making up Mir’s body
dissipated without a trace.

It was due to Twilight. It was an inevitable result. Lightning God was the power of
the Blue Dragon and Twilight had a high probability of neutralizing the power of a
target. It was Mir’s mistake in neglecting the dozens of sword strikes of Link. The
moment the Lightning God body was released, Mir received a large cut to his
shoulder and immediately pulled up the power of the Red Phoenix. The deep
wounds were healed by the heat of the Red Phoenix and a rain of flames poured
down from the sky.

Grid was naturally the target.

“……?!”

Mir was about to cooperate with the rain of flames, only to stiffen like a stone statue.
The flames that reached Grid didn’t burn him but instead burned his wounds. The
other nobles clearly witnessed the sight of the small traces Mir’s lightning left on
Grid’s body disappearing without a trace.

“The heart of the Red Phoenix…” Mir muttered after realizing the reason.

Grid’s head was tilted at an angle. His sharp eyes, which were like a bird of prey,
became even fierce as he looked at Mir, who was a bit taller than himself. He realized
that the scar he had left on Mir’s face in the past was no longer there.

“As expected, you are a fake.”

Don’t hesitate and let’s kill him…

“……!”
A chill went down Mir’s spine at Grid’s words and he leapt forward. The ground on
which he had been standing rushed like waves. It was the effect of Earth God. The
ground, which turned to mud due to the snow melted down by the lightning and
flames, changed shape in response to Mir’s will. He rotated 180 degrees, flipping
Grid’s view upside down and pouring out sharp stones. Was this how it felt to be
surrounded by giants? The cliffs that soared from side to side pressed down toward
Grid.

Grid swapped items. He took off the armor bearing a dragon’s name for the first time
in ages and equipped the armor bearing the name of the White Tiger. He activated
the effect of Earth God and calmed the trembling ground. Mir’s attempt was
unsuccessful.

“The Mir I knew didn’t rely on the power of the Four Gods.”

Mastering the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts perfectly—it was Mir’s greatest
strength. However, the reason why Grid felt a ‘wall’ when fighting Mir was due to his
swordsmanship and other techniques. Even if Baal’s magic power was infinite, would
he have been so strong if he just wielded his magic power? Baal was strong for
countless reasons and it was the same with Mir.

However, today’s Mir was different from the past. He neglected his skills as if he had
forgotten them and only relied on the powers of the Four Gods. He was now fighting
against Grid, who knew how to deal with the power of the Four Gods.

“No matter how much I think about it, you aren’t Mir. There is no way a guy with an
empty head like you is Mir.”

Grid’s words and actions became violent. It was natural. It was difficult for his words
to come out beautifully from the time he was suddenly attacked. There was also a
creepy hypothesis that made him feel uncomfortable. The yangban were existences
made by Hanul. It wasn’t strange if the old Mir was wiped out without anyone
knowing and a new Mir was created…

Grid thought up to this point and his expression gradually distorted with anger.

“You started from a human life and can admit that you aren’t perfect. To you, it isn’t
shameful, but is natural. I have no doubt that you will be reborn as an alarm for the
other gods. You will probably change many things in the future.”
“You are my hope.”

“I hope the gods can be an existence to truly rely on.”

“We might be enemies when we meet again in the future. Putting aside my support
for you in my heart, the authority to move me is usually with the god I serve.”

“However, today I am on your side.”

Grid was reminded of Mir’s previous words. He stood protecting Grid and honestly
confessed his true feelings in his heart as if he thought he might die. The reunion of
this moment would take place after that day.

Mir wouldn’t stare at him with this expression unless he forgot what happened that
day.

Grid took a deep breath, barely held back his vomit, and opened his mouth, “The Mir
I know… where is Mir?”

There was no more mercy. Grid struck Mir, who had ignored the question and
entered the Lightning God state again. He approached using Shunpo while using the
six fusion sword dance with Twilight, which invalidated the effect of Lightning God
and made it difficult for Mir.

The image of Mir being caught by the grappling technique and thrown to the ground
made Grid realize it. As expected, this person wasn’t Mir. If this was the real Mir, then
Grid would be the one thrown to the ground right now.

Grid gritted his teeth. Once again, he was swallowing his vomit.

From birth until now—Grid felt pity for Mir, who had devoted at least hundreds of
years to the gods of the Hwan Kingdom only to be abandoned. He felt dizzy and his
stomach was churning because the gods of the Hwan Kingdom were so disgusting.

“The world is full of sons of b*tches!” Grid shouted as he pressed his knee against
Mir’s solar plexus while holding his sword in reverse.

The killing intent that came from confusion and anger were pouring toward the fake
Mir. Mir didn’t resist. From the moment he was hit by the six fusion sword dance, he
had been bound by hundreds of God Hands. Furthermore, he was beaten and held
down by Grid.

Now he had reaffirmed that it was meaningless to assimilate with the energy of the
Blue Dragon. The only way he could overcome the crisis was to use the White Tiger’s
energy to strengthen his body. Of course, even this was likely to mean nothing. The
sword with the sunset had already cut off the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts
several times.

‘What god is he?’

Mir had his memories erased by the gods of the Hwan Kingdom. As a side effect, he
lost the experience he had accumulated over the years and Grid was a completely
unknown being to him.

He thought of the famous Crazy God and Crazy Dragon based on the armed dragon
weapon and dragon armor, but it was only for a moment. It was because Crazy God
and Crazy Dragon was a myth that was only completed when the Overgeared God
boarded a dragon. Additionally, the presence in front of him was much stronger than
the Crazy God and Crazy Dragon depicted by the three masters.

“You… who are you?” Mir asked as if he was vomiting hard.

Grid crushed him every harder as he struggled to shake off the approaching Twilight
and replied, “The one who remembers the real Mir.”

To be precise, he was the one who remembered Mir’s true feelings. The true feelings
that no one would know in the future.

Grid used Saleos’ Power. He held onto the blade of Twilight with both hands as
Twilight was slowly moved toward Mir’s neck. He found out that Mir was a fake, so
there was no reason to hesitate. He judged that killing Mir quickly and recovering the
Blue Dragon Dao was beneficial to his mental health. Just then—

“Stop!” A woman’s urgent cry was heard. Her name was Yeum and she ran out from
among the yangbans who were in a daze. She was Mir’s close confidante that Grid
knew. “He is the real Mir…!”

“……?”

“He was taken away by the three masters and his memory was erased. He isn’t a
fake!”

The person who was really shocked was Mir, not Grid. How far did his thoughts go
after he heard Yeum’s confession? He made a sad expression and released the
strength from the hand that was holding the blade of Twilight away from his body.

“……!”

Yeum’s eyes widened and she swallowed down her scream. She clearly captured the
scene of the sunset sword penetrating Mir’s neck, which was lying on top of the mud.
Liquid where it wasn’t known if it was mud or blood scattered in all directions.

“Ah… Ahhh…” Yeum sank down to the ground. She sobbed while feeling sorry for her
brother who had died with the loss of his precious memories.

The yangbans standing silently on the tiled roof left immediately. They ran away out
of fear they would be caught up in Grid’s anger.

“Is there a way to bring back this friend’s memory?” Grid asked Yeum, who was left
here alone. Twilight hadn’t pierced Mir’s neck. It only slightly brushed against Mir’s
neck and was stuck in the ground.

Mir couldn’t refuse the hug of Yeum, who rushed over to him with relief, and
muttered with a stunned face, “Fri… end?”

A smile slowly spread on Grid’s face as he spoke bluntly, “To be precise, you were my
lifesaver, although I just cleared my debt. In any case, give me the Blue Dragon Dao
first.”

He couldn’t hide his joy after knowing that the Mir in front of him was the same as
the Mir he knew.

[’Mir’ has handed over the ‘Blue Dragon Dao’ to you.]

Mir’s memory loss ultimately worked in Grid’s favor. He easily secured the Blue
Dragon Dao, which wouldn’t have been handed over so easily if it was the original
Mir due to his sense of duty.
“Even this guy is so strong. How can we deal with Mir in the future?”

“We are going to die right now? How do you have time to worry about the future?
Did you seriously injure your head because you couldn’t understand the situation
properly?”

Old Sword Demon and Hwang Gildong were struggling to secure the White Tiger
Spear.

After infiltrating the Pa Kingdom, they slowly approached the yangbans for half a
year before finally reaching the level of interacting with the guardian of the White
Tiger Spear. They disguised themselves as fanatical merchants who worshiped the
yangbans.

Hwang Gildong was head of the Chivalrous Robbers, so he had a great deal of
treasures that he had taken away from corrupt officials. It wasn’t difficult to gain the
attention and liking of the yangbans. Even the yangbans with divinity couldn’t see
through Hwang Gildong’s disguise.

The reason why Hwang Gildong was treated as a person of interest by the Hwan
Kingdom wasn’t simply because of his superhuman strength and deceptions he
demonstrated. They were the wariest of his unrivaled cloning and transformation
techniques.

“Over there!”

“They already caught up? The yangbans are all good at tracking. It is like I’m always
running from invisible hounds.”

“It is because there is the history of missing Pagma when he fled to the West
Continent in the past. The pursuing skills they trained in order to avoid repeating the
same mistakes are shining at this moment.”

“We were hit by the snowball rolled by Pagma.”

Old Sword Demon felt it was unfair for some reason and his expression crumpled. He
glanced at Hwang Gildong, who was running beside him. He was a fool whose
identity was discovered after he presented treasure that was actually goods stolen
from the yangbans.

To be honest, he wanted to hit Hwang Gildong after hearing the silly excuse that he
completely forgot the source because it had been stolen 100 years ago. After
spending half a year getting close to the owner of the White Tiger Spear, they were
kicked out without even finding an opportunity to steal the White Tiger Spear. A lot
of time was wasted, so it was natural for anger to boil up.

‘It is disappointing because there is a good hunting ground nearby.’

Thanks to this, his growth rate hadn’t lagged far behind in the past half a year. The
problem was that there was no opportunity to acquire items because there was no
separate raid or quest. The people of the Pa Kingdom obeyed the yangbans
unconditionally and didn’t harbor any wishes. They naturally lived like livestock. It
was difficult for quests to occur in this environment.

“Two people,”Old Sword Demon stopped running in front of the high wall, drew his
sword, and said,“My limit is to shake off two people, even if I do my best. Make a plan
for retreat while taking note of this.”

Old Sword Demon was a player. He could be resurrected again even if he died. On the
other hand, death was the end for Hwang Gildong. A legend might be able to suspend
death for a while, but five seconds was the limit. Putting aside Hwang Gildong’s usual
annoying personality, Old Sword Demon was obligated to make a sacrifice for him.

“I understand.” Hwang Gildong also understood. He didn’t hesitate to use Old Sword
Demon’s shoulder as a stepping stone to jump over the wall.

“That damn…”

Pain came from the shoulder that tilted heavily due to how hard Hwang Gildong
stepped on him. The wind blew around Old Sword Demon, who barely swallowed
down his swear words. The wind was the remnant of the technique left behind by
Hwang Gildong.

Some of the yangbans who caught up with Old Sword Demon flinched for a moment
due to the blowing sharp wind and Old Sword Demon stabbed them through this
gap. The fluid swordsmanship became even faster with Hwang Gildong’s technique
behind him. He persistently cut at the thighs and Achilles tendon of the yangbans.

Of course, this was the Pa Kingdom. The guardian of the White Tiger Spear was in
control. The yangbans basically mastered the power of the White Tiger and turned
Old Sword Demon’s aim to nothing by hardening the point of attack so it was harder
than stone.

If Grid hadn’t been able to unseal the Black Tortoise and Red Phoenix earlier…

If Old Sword Demon hadn’t obtained the opportunity to interact with two of the Four
Auspicious Beasts, Old Sword Demon would’ve felt helpless and would’ve been
unable to penetrate the aura of the White Tiger operated by the two people.

“This guy…” The faces of the yangbans stiffened at once. Every time Old Sword
Demon’s sword touched their skin, deadly poison spread from the place of the
wound. It was a poison that weakened the energy of the other Four Auspicious
Beasts and slowed down their movements. They were forced to interpret it as direct
help from the Black Tortoise.

“A mere human can use the power of the gods…? It is a degenerate age.”

“It is nonsense about a degenerate age. The reason why humans worship gods while
imagining they are omnipotent is to crave the help of the gods. Therefore, the gods
have a duty to help human beings. Isn’t it a power gained from the worship of
humans in the first place? It is natural for humans to be protected by the gods.”

“Are you using sophistry when a god is born before humans?”

“Since a god is born before humans, they don’t have the obligation to help humans?
By that logic, wouldn’t those of you who are born later than humans not deserve
worship? Ah, you are ashamed because you know this yourself. Therefore, you can’t
express your gratitude and run around wildly like a dog.”

His level, skills, control, patience, tongue…

There were many things that Old Sword Demon had tempered during his years with
Hwang Gildong.

Was it because he had dealt with the corrupt officials who sold their conscience to
the yangbans? Hwang Gildong had a habit of unknowingly speaking in a way that
turned people upside down. Old Sword Demon had been working hard in order to
not be beaten by him. He had watched Huroi’s self-edited videos hundreds of times.

The effect was great. It didn’t deal much damage to Hwang Gildong, but it was fatal
for the yangbans. They were angry with Old Sword Demon, who chatted without
losing a word, and rushed out. It was the moment when the pursuers’ aggro was
dragged away by Old Sword Demon alone. He tied up the feet of more than the two
yangbans he had promised.

‘If I had known this would happen, I should’ve asked for more credit.’

From here on out, the key was how much time he could buy…

Old Sword Demon took a deep breath and raised his concentration. He prepared for
the fight to last as long as possible by planning the timing of taking buff potions with
different effects and checking the cooldown of his skills. Just then—

“Oh my!”

There was a loud noise. A wall behind Old Sword Demon had collapsed. The one who
barely raised his body in a staggering manner in the dust was none other than
Hwang Gildong.

Old Sword Demon managed to suppress his soaring irritation and asked, “Why did
you come back?”

“No, well, I was betrayed by my clone.”

“……”

Hwang Gildong was a master of the cloning technique. In particular, if the number of
clones was limited to seven, then each clone would have an independent ego. By this
point, there were basically eight Hwang Gildongs. It was virtually impossible to
distinguish between the clones and the main body.

On the other hand, the disadvantages were clear. It was the fact that even the clones
considered themselves to be the real one. Every clone had an independent self, so
they naturally believed they were the real one. This meant they tended to prioritize
their own safety first.
“This guy is the real one. I’m familiar with the signs.”

Beyond the collapsed wall, the owner of the White Tiger Spear appeared. It was a
man who didn’t wear an undershirt and only had a long dopo over his bare body. The
large man, who exposed the distinct muscles of his upper body, held a rope where
seven Hwang Gildongs were tied. Each one was beaten to the brink of death.

Hwang Gildong saw this and gritted his teeth. Old Sword Demon thought that Hwang
Gildong cared about the human rights of his clones. Of course, this was an illusion.

“You should just get rid of all the clones! Why keep them alive and make me look like
this?!” Hwang Gildong’s cry that was filled with great resentment caused a stir.

“……”

The clones were infuriated. If they hadn’t been tied by the rope, they would’ve
rushed toward Hwang Gildong right away. In the chaotic situation, the owner of the
White Tiger Spear shrugged.

“It is true that the master of the Chivalrous Robbers is the most eccentric one.”

It was not a compliment. How could it be a compliment to say he was the most
bizarre person in the world? However, Hwang Gildong was in a good mood for some
reason. Old Sword Demon wanted to slap him when he raised his chin and smiled
with satisfaction.

‘He is truly a madman.’

Was it really right to stay with Hwang Gildong forever?

It happened the moment when Old Sword Demon was seriously contemplating
logging out…

One of Hwang Gildong’s clones, who was tied by a rope, muttered, “Well, this method
is the best.”

He easily untied the rope around his body and threw a punch at Uram. The bodies
that were tied up beside him were sucked in as if swallowed up by him. The same
was true of the Hwang Gildong who was shouting by Old Sword Demon’s side. It was
the Hwang Gildong who shouted that he was real and his clones had betrayed him. In
other words, the Hwang Gildong who had been working with Old Sword Demon all
day today was actually a clone.

Old Sword Demon realized this and felt betrayed. Then the real Hwang Gildong
greeted him, “I am finally seeing you after a fortnight.”

“A fortnight? You are such a damn jerk!”

Wasn’t a fortnight ago the time they started staying in Uram’s palace? Like usual, that
jerk sent him to a dangerous place by himself.

Old Sword Demon was angry after learning the truth while Uram slowly rose. He
stroked the fist marks of Hwang Gildong, which were clearly left on his abdomen.
“Did you use my acknowledgment of you to raise your status?”

“Yes. You might be a savage who can’t dress properly, but you are the number two
yangban for a reason. It was a big impact that you acknowledge me as the most
eccentric one.”

“It wasn’t exactly a compliment.”

“That depends on the listener.”

“Well… it doesn’t matter. Still, I will correct you on one thing. I am no longer the
number two.”

“Then?”

“Naturally, I am number one.”

Uram, the master of the White Tiger Spear—he was aware of the Three Masters’
mistake. He realized that he had become the strongest yangban from the time the
stupid Three Masters erased Mir’s memory. It was a good thing. He managed to get
something like this for free.

‘Now Chiyou has no choice but to rely on me. He will naturally try to teach me.’

In the future, he would become exponentially stronger. It would be at an

incomparable speed to Mir, who foolishly insisted on rejecting Chiyou’s advice and
trained by himself. Sooner or later, he would reach the point where he became
stronger just by breathing and serve Hanul in a higher position than the Three
Masters.

Uram was full of joy and raised the White Tiger Spear high. His mind spun and he
targeted Hwang Gildong, who was standing in the same path as the yangbans. Then
he swung the spear. It was a blow with all his might and with the intention of
slashing the yangbans as well.

“……!!”

“……!!”

The eyes of Hwang Gildong, Old Sword Demon, and the yangbans widened. The
waves from the White Tiger Spear tore apart the space and hit the ground, stretching
out in a straight line. It would be annihilation if it went on like this.

The moment that everyone on the field realized this…

A sunset was spreading on the horizon behind Uram. It was an abnormal scene. The
sun was still high in the sky.

Urem felt the unexpected change based on the sunset that had unexpectedly covered
the world and murmured in an empty manner, “…What type of dragon is this?”

A blue dragon made of blue lightning—for him, who had only witnessed the
wounded and hidden dragons, the immense and overwhelming aura of an old dragon
was an incomprehensible realm.

A sword dance that recreated the momentum of Evil Dragon Bunhelier—this

unknown phenomenon was created by none other than Grid’s sword dance hitting
the scene.
“You have to deal with him quickly.”

Mir advised a speedy process.

“The news that I was attacked and defeated by you will soon reach the Hwan
Kingdom.”

He argued that Grid must take measures to secure the White Tiger Spear before the
Three Masters made a decision and moved.

He explained the relationship between the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger. It was
before the gods who were expelled from Asgard fled to the east. In other words, it
was the days with the mythology of this land was intact. Back then, the Blue Dragon
and the White Tiger were rivals. They defended the continent together, but they
were very conscious of each other’s powers because they were wary and jealous.

It was the same until now. It was the reason why the liberation of the two gods had
to take place at the same time. If either of them was released from the seal first, it
wasn’t known what the one who was released late from the seal would do due to
pride.

“This is why it is a priority to secure the White Tiger Spear.”

In fact, Mir had realized from the very beginning that his condition wasn’t perfect. It
was as if he had consumed a large number of poppies with the Black Tortoise’s
poison. His consciousness and memories were hazy, to the point where he didn’t
know who he was.

Then Grid appeared in front of him. The Overgeared God—the protagonist of Crazy
God and Crazy Dragon, and the target that the Three Masters advised should be
killed with the highest priority at any time and in any situation. The man he believed
was his rightful enemy treated him as a lifesaver. It was only then that his hazy
consciousness cleared up a bit and some unanswered questions were resolved.

The clever Mir instinctively realized the fact that the ones he had to trust now
weren’t the gods of the Hwan Kingdom, but the Overgeared God in front of him. It
was a conviction he got when he saw Grid’s face, which was distorted with anger and
killing intent, melted like snow the moment he heard Yeum’s cry.

“Let’s go.”

Indeed, this conviction wasn’t wrong. Just as Mir trusted him, the Overgeared God
trusted Mir. Grid responded immediately without questioning Mir’s claims. Thanks
to this, Mir let go of even the smallest hesitation.

The bridge connected to the Pa Kingdom was brought to the ground.

The Magpie Bridge—crows and magpies crossed the bridge that formed the Milky
Way with Grid to reach the present day.

***

“Did someone so strong actually owe his life to me?”

Grid’s sword dance that reproduced the pressure of Evil Dragon Bunhelier
impressed Mir. The owner of the White Tiger Spear, Uram, failed to withstand Grid’s
attack.

“What terrible trap did he fall into that he was helped by me, a servant who is less
than himself?”

“What? Mir, at that time, you were stronger than him.”

“…It can’t be.”

“I-I’m telling you the truth? It is because you are so weak now.”

Yeum explained it, but Mir didn’t believe her. It was natural. It was because only half
of Yeum’s words were correct. At the time when Grid owed his life to Mir, it was right
to say that Grid’s skill back then and the present Grid was like the difference
between heaven and earth. He was much stronger than the Mir of the past. This
meant that Grid’s growth rate was unusually fast.

Mir had no choice but to feel a sense of strangeness from Yeum’s explanation. In fact,
Yeum was also suspicious about whether her memories were wrong. The Grid she
met in the past and the Grid she met today were completely different beings. She
used to think he was a monster, but now he was just great. He had a greater divinity
than the gods of the Hwan Kingdom.

‘Is he actually a child that the Gods of the Beginning hid?’

Or perhaps he was the incarnation of the missing Evil God, Yatan.

It happened the moment Yeum’s thoughts reached the point of absurdity…

“A sword dance… are you the Overgeared God?” Uram’s hoarse voice was heard.

The gazes that had been focused on Grid, who had the energy of the ferocious
dragon, shifted to Uram. They were looks ofastonishment. No one thought that Uram
would be alive. The six fusion sword dance with the power of the Evil Dragon was
that fierce. It was at the level of giving definite death. It seemed that a half-god
wouldn’t be able to handle it but Uram endured it.

Grid’s reaction was calm. It was from the moment he captured Uram’s location with
Barbatos’ vision and used Shunpo. He realized that Uram had noticed his approach
just before he linked the six fusion sword dance. As expected of the yangban who
was the strongest after Mir. His senses were excellent and his judgment was quick.

He immediately raised the energy of the White Tiger to the peak and used White
Tiger’s Posture. Additionally, the White Tiger’s soul was sealed in the White Tiger
Spear. The soul of the White Tiger was led by the coercive force of the seal and
couldn’t resist Uram’s will, giving him protection. As a result, Uram’s body became
hard enough to resist Grid’s six fusion sword dance to some extent. Yes, it was to
some extent.

“…Kuweek!” Uram paid a terrible price for asking only one question. Dark red blood
and fragments of his internal organs poured out of his mouth. It was a trace of an
internal injury where it wouldn’t be strange if he died immediately.

“Gasp… Gasp… Yes, I have been thinking that it was weird for a long time.”

Uram didn’t use the power of the Red Phoenix. He didn’t seek recovery and
regeneration. He just held onto the energy of the White Tiger.

Mir was the only one who noticed the reason. ‘The moment the energy of the White
Tiger weakens even a little bit, all the organs in his body will be shattered and he will
die.’

Uram’s skills were not poor. He was the most powerful yangban after Mir and this
meant he was superior to a decent god. It was the basics to operate the energies of
all the Four Gods at the same time. Nevertheless, the reason why Uram was obsessed
with the energy of the White Tiger was as Mir speculated. He could only suspend
death by using it.

“If Pagma was truly worthless, would Hanul have tried to raise him as a priest? The
priest might not be a god, but his status wasn’t insignificant because he was
someone who communicated with Hanul. Additionally, didn’t Chiyou personally help
Pagma escape?”

A sword dance that was strong enough to tear a great mountain to shreds—Uram
gripped the White Tiger Spear, which he couldn’t let go of even after being cut by
Grid’s six fusion sword dance. In the aftermath of activating the energy of the White
Tiger, his solid body became integrated with the giant spear. He was like a stone
statue.

“I thought that if I was to die one day, it would be due to Pagma.”

It was because out of all those who held a grudge against him, only Pagma had
potential.

“It isn’t unusual to die to you, who has inherited Pagma’s power. It is just
providence.”

Suddenly, the entire land was responding to Uram’s will. The soil and stones that
made up the city rose like a tsunami and ran wild. It was like looking at a huge
sculpture. The waves of rocks covering the city were so huge that there was no real
feeling of them moving.

“I will transcend myself against your providence.”

Today, I will finally become a god.

If he fought and won against the Overgeared God, he would immediately become the
protagonist of a new myth. Even if he lost and died, he would become a fragment of a
myth and would never be forgotten. It was a gain regardless of whether the outcome
was a win or a loss. The status of the Overgeared God was that high.

“Ohhhhh!”

The waves of rocks, which seemed to have stopped, roared as they rose and fell
rapidly. It meant that they were accelerating at a tremendous speed. It covered the
earth and the sky, reducing the view of Grid and Uram, establishing a law prohibiting
the use of Shunpo. This forced a head on battle.

Uram was hoping for a heroic death. He consumed all his Origin True Energy. The
strength of the energy he exuded stimulated Grid’s transcendence. It warned of
danger and the scales of the dragon armor repeatedly gathered together and
released as if responding.

‘He would’ve been a tough opponent.’

Before obtaining the title of Crazy God and Crazy Dragon, there was a time when he
was anxious to unseal the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon. At that time, Grid had
believed it would’ve been easy to secure at least the White Tiger Spear. If Gaya and
Pa weren’t connected by the Magpie Bridge…

If Mir was less likely to support the Pa Kingdom, Grid would’ve attacked without
hesitation.

…It was arrogance. Fortunately, it didn’t happen. It might be a dying flash, but Uram
was very powerful.

“Do you want to surrender?”Grid asked as the waves of rocks approached right in
front of his nose.

“I have already declared that I would transcend myself!”

Uram’s willpower was solid. He would rather participate in a fight that might cost his
life, than be forgotten after surviving miserably. The momentum of the White Tiger
Spear, which was hardened with seemingly no end, caused a chill to go down Grid’s
spine.

‘In the first place, it isn’t easy to convince a yangban.’

Mir’s case was unusual.

Grid controlled his disappointment and activated the Castration Eye. Some of the
energy of the White Tiger was deleted, while Duke of Amplification was activated
and a Breath was fired. It hit the waves that Uram was stepping on. The tip of the
wave collapsed.

Uram’s fine form shook slightly and Grid’s sword aimed precisely at that gap. A
series of horrifying explosion sounds occurred.

It was right after Uram’s body had been cut dozens of times…

The White Tiger Spear pierced Grid’s abdomen. A spear infused with the weak myth
containing the hundreds of years of life of a half-god called Uram—it was much
heavier than any other great mountain.

His body shot up and red blood poured from Grid’s mouth. It was mixed in with the
orange divinity and quickly became blurred, but Uram witnessed it clearly.
Therefore, he smiled with satisfaction. He regarded the bitter pain of his body being
torn to pieces as pleasure.

“It was, an honor.”

Uram was born as a yangban and devoted his life to becoming a god, but he had
always been uneasy. One day in the future, when the Hwan Kingdom gained enough
power and invaded Asgard—he was worried that at that time, no matter what type
of existence he was, he would just be described as one of Hanul’s soldiers. It was
because the worst myth of all times called ‘the War of the Gods’ would boast such a
massive scale that most of the gods, with the exception of a few chief gods, would be
reduced to something insignificant.

Uram was terribly disgusted and terrified that he would face such an end and be
forgotten. Thus, he was even more obsessed with gaining Chiyou’s acknowledgment.
Unlike Mir, he didn’t dream of becoming the Martial God. He just thought that if he
became a god recognized by Chiyou, at least he wouldn’t be forgotten in vain.

However, he met Grid today and realized how empty his goal was. Grid, who had
passed Chiyou’s trial only a few years ago, had already surpassed him. He thought it
would have to be like this to get Chiyou’s approval. It was the reason why Uram
chose to abandon his long-held dreams and became a part of the Overgeared God’s
mythology. It was a bizarre and extreme choice that most people probably didn’t
understand.

However, Grid understood. “Live inside of me.”

[Overgeared God Grid is writing the 21st epic.]

[The beginning of the narrative comes from Grid’s determination to embrace the
dying half-god.]

In the midst of Grid’s consideration…

Uram, who had a faint smile like he was moved, turned to gray ash.

“You guys feel pain as well.” Grid asked the yangbans who were in turmoil, “It is proof
that you too can understand the pain of others, right? For example, the pain of the
humans who have been hurt by you.”

[He understood that there were bridles that had bound the half-gods.]

“……”

Unfortunately, there were no yangbans who answered hastily. However, Yeum had
been watching Mir by his side for a long time and she bowed her head. She realized
something great. It was hopefor Grid.

Grid persuaded them, “Why don’t you hope for worship in a better way from now
on? If you don’t know how, then I’ll help you.”

He let go of the prejudices and grudges he harbored due to Garam in the past. He had
an obligation to make more people join humanity’s side.

[I kept my promise to become a god.]

[I have the right to embrace you.]

[He gave them a chance.]

[He made the half-gods hesitate when they didn’t know anything except how to
reign.]
[The sight of their brother dying with a satisfied expression in his arms slowly
moved their hearts.]

[Our god’s grace is like the rivers and the seas.]

……

[The 21st page of the epic has been completed.]

[As an epic completion reward, the intimacy between humanity and the yangbans
has increased.]

[The yangbans’ sense of being chosen and privileged has noticeably decreased.]

[From now on, the yangbans will work harder to understand humans and their
hearts will be gradually conveyed to humans as well.]

[As a reward for completing the epic, the relationship between you and the yangbans
has changed dramatically.]

[In the future, before obeying the Hwan Kingdom’s orders, they will try not to go
against your will.]

[The reward for completing the epic has greatly increased the chances of recruiting a
yangban.]

[There will be a growing number of yangbans who want to become residents of the
Overgeared World.]

[Your status has risen by one level as a reward for completing the epic.]

“……”

He hadn’t expected this much. The bewildered Grid was in a daze for a while.
Meanwhile, the yangbans exchanged looks and scattered in all directions. Only Mir
and Yeum remained and bowed to Grid.

“You are truly the God of Virtue!”

Hwang Gildong’s applause gave life to the awkward space.
“Is Sir Mir’s memory erased?”

At the base of the Chivalrous Robbers…

This place was isolated like the Peach Blossom Spring and was one of the few places
where they could avoid the eyes of the gods. The entrance process was very
mysterious. Hwang Gildong, who was leading the group and wandering around in
the usual places, greeted passersby he encountered on the way. After repeating this
several times, he naturally set foot into it. The overlap of conversations with real,
ordinary people, not members of the Chivalrous Robbers, naturally completed the
technique.

It was an unbelievable structure even after experiencing it in person.

“I think the Three Masters made the worst move. Of course, it isn’t that I don’t
understand their feelings. Hanul’s sword felt liking toward the enemy of the Hwan
Kingdom, so they would’ve been wary.”

However, they must be lamenting by now because that action made their sword
leave.

Old Sword Demon asked the smiling Hwang Gildong, “Can I hit you once?”

It was a surprise question like a master’s blow.

Hwang Gildong was a bit confused. “What unreasonable words are you saying
arbitrarily?”

“I get angry when I see your smiling face. In any case, didn’t you sin against me?
Please give me one punch as a means of atonement.”

“I have repeatedly said that to deceive the enemy, the key is to deceive your allies… if
you have to judge the right or wrong after being deceived so many times already, I
think there is a problem with you. Don’t you think so, God of Virtue?”
“…I’m not the God of Virtue.”

“Would you like to relive old memories and be Pangea’sGod of Virtue?”

“I am the Overgeared God.”

“Hmm, I think God of Virtue seems better than Overgeared God. Just as the word
‘overgeared’ is strange to me, I think the word ‘virtue’ is unfamiliar to the
Overgeared God.”

“No matter whether it is unfamiliar or familiar, anyone can see that overgeared is
much better.”

In fact, both weren’t good from a general point of view, but Grid was serious. Hwang
Gildong had to get used to the word ‘overgeared.’

Meanwhile, preparations for the ceremony were steadily progressing. Two of the
Four Auspicious Beasts sealed in the White Tiger Spear and the Blue Dragon Dao—
the members of the Chivalrous Robbers were preparing to unseal them at the same
time.

A woman dressed in a beautiful, colorful striped hanbok[1], carefully opened her

mouth, “It is autumn, so the conditions for holding the ceremony seem to be easily
met.”

It was said that the Blue Dragon loved winter and the White Tiger loved summer.
Therefore, in order to unseal the gods, they had to compromise by holding the
ceremony in autumn or spring. Grid could easily imagine how different the
personalities of the two gods would be.

“Now God Black Tortoise and God Red Phoenix should’ve arrived safely at the shrine.
Will the gods of the Hwan Kingdom silently watch…?”

“Why do you need the help of the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise to unseal the
White Tiger and the Blue Dragon?”

Grid was the one who unsealed the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise. So it was a
question that he could raise.

The woman explained it, “It is because the possibility of a collision between God
White Tiger and God Blue Dragon can’t be ignored. It is only when God Black
Tortoise and God Red Phoenix act as mediators that we can calm the two gods.”

‘They aren’t kids.’

It felt a bit pathetic. However, it was physiology. It was right to acknowledge that the
Blue Dragon and the White Tiger had a bad relationship. It was as natural as the
change of seasons and countermeasures were put in place.

Jingle.

The sudden sound of bells caused Grid to stiffen. For him, the bells were a tool that
reminded him of Martial God Chiyou. Of course, Chiyou wouldn’t come here. The
sound of the bells came from the bells hanging on the woman’s fan.

“Come to think of it, it feels more like preparing for a ritual rather than a
ceremony.”[2]

Wasn’t the woman dressed like a shaman?

He naturally thought of a ritual when he saw the statue of the Four Auspicious Beasts
spread out behind the ancestral altar and the jakdu provided on one side of the yard.
[3]

“You’ve seen it precisely. We decided that a ritual was a more effective tool than a
simple ceremony.”

A ritual was a means of taking in the essence of a god.

Unsealing the seals…

This was the target of Hwang Gildong and the Chivalrous Robbers.

Mir also thought it was right.

“The Blue Dragon is the strongest among the Four Auspicious Beasts. The gods of the
Hwan Kingdom put a lot of effort into sealing the Blue Dragon. As a result, the Blue
Dragon was sealed much more thoroughly into the Blue Dragon Dao than any of the
other gods. Rather, it is more accurate to say that they are united as one.”
It was impossible to unseal the Blue Dragon Dao just through a single ceremony. A
separate ceremony was needed, but the level of the offerings was low. It wasn’t
known how many years it would take to awaken the Blue Dragon’s consciousness
just through offerings and prayers. This was why the force of the ritual was needed.

“I see.” Grid respected the unfamiliar culture of the East Continent. He absorbed and
understood new concepts like a sponge.

‘Is a shaman also a hidden class?’

Grid recalled Khan in heaven, the Seven Malignant Saints sealed in the abyss, and the
souls of Pagma and Alex being held captive by Baal. As long as a shaman’s specialty
was necromancy, Grid hoped that he would be able to get help in many ways from
them in the future.

Grid asked the woman, “Is it possible to call a target that exists in a completely
different dimension?”

“Of course it is possible. It is a ritual that calls on the gods in the first place. Most of
the gods are in a place far away from the human world, so they aren’t limited by
dimensions.”

“A ritual to call the gods… you can’t target legends or half-gods?”

“Yes.”

“……”

As expected, it wouldn’t be easy. Grid was smacking his lips with regret when he
suddenly found a part that bothered him. Two large jakdus were lying face up. They
looked well maintained due to their shine, but they were only shiny on the outside.
Grid’s insight could tell that there were many dull parts.

‘Let’s sharpen their blades.’

The food for the ritual was almost all prepared and the traditional Korean
percussion quartet, located to the left and right sides of the ritual table, were striking
the janggu, a traditional Korean drum, and the kkwaenggwari, a small gong. The
shaman at the center of the ritual area poured clean water and prayed to the gods.
Meanwhile, Hwang Gildong coordinated the overall situation with Mir. Only Grid and
Yeum were standing idly in the distance.

“Songpyon, rice cake steamed on a layer of pine needles, is delicious.”

Grid didn’t want to be treated in the same way as Yeum who was sitting and
covetingsongpyon. He naturally found something to do since his personality was
originally so diligent. He started to sharpen the blades using sandpaper without
having to take out a hammer and anvil. It was easy because it was the finest
sandpaper made with corundum.

The shaman, who was praying while twirling with her palms together, soon slowly
opened her eyes. Her eyes were clearer like a person who had finished a long
meditation. At first glance, it seemed like there was a certain phenomenon being
subtly revealed.

‘I can feel divinity, even if it is weak.’

Grid inwardly admired it. He saw the shaman who was possessed by the god she
served and thought she wasn’t a quack like other members of the Chivalrous
Robbers.

“God Red Phoenix and God Black Tortoise are getting closer… I’m going to get
started.”

The shaman was transformed into a completely different person. She spoke
informally in the voice of an old man who seemed to smoke more than three packs of
cigarettes a day. It wasn’t enough that she used Hwang Gildong as a servant when he
was the head of the group, but she also yelled at Mir and Yeum, calling them idiots.

However, not a single word was spoken to Grid. Rather, she consciously avoided him.
She didn’t look at him once and treated him like he wasn’t there.

–It has been a while.

-Welcome, Overgeared God.

Just then, the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise arrived at the scene. To be precise,
it was their ‘consciousness,’ not their bodies. They descended through the Heart of
the Red Phoenix and the Shell of the Black Tortoise that Grid possessed. The
situation was explained to them by Hwang Gildong’s clone, who had left to pick them
up.

The shaman had a satisfied smile as she spread out her fan and shouted, “Oh, how
distressing! I feel sorry for the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, who have endured
the humiliation for so many years! If humans hadn’t forgotten them, you wouldn’t
have suffered the humiliation of being brutally defeated by the exiled gods!”

Jingle jingle jingle!

The shaman’s fan made a loud bell ringing sound as it hit the top of Hwang Gildong’s
head. She seemed to be scolding him.

“Pfft.” Old Sword Demon laughed like he liked it. As a result, he caught the shaman’s
attention and was also hit on the head by a fan.

Yeum, who seemed to be stabbed by the shaman’s actions, slowly retreated. It was as
far away from the ritual site as possible. It was to prevent the humiliation of being
beaten by an unidentified miscellaneous gods.

Fortunately, the shaman didn’t hurt her. The god residing in the shaman criticized
the yangbans, but had no intention of inflicting direct harm. This proved that the god
specialized in rituals, but their status itself wasn’t very high.

Drum drum drum~!!

The sound of drums and gongs grew louder.

Jingle jingle jingle!

The sound of the bells on the shaman’s fan also sped up. The group was
overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

“Blue Dragon! White Tiger! Those who haven’t forgotten you and who miss you are
hoping for your coming! Open your eyes when you hear this call…!! Cough!”

The shaman, who was dancing while waving her fan, suddenly coughed up dark red
blood. Looking at her pale face, it wasn’t acting. She really suffered an internal injury.

“The will of the gods of the Hwan Kingdom in the seal is trying to push me away…!
Harder! Drum harder! May my call break through the thick seal and reach the White
Tiger and the Blue Dragon…!!”

Dong dong!Tang drum drum~!!

The percussion quartet started to play the janggu and kkwaenggwari with the
momentum of breaking it. They were drenched in sweat, like they were playing in
the pouring rain, and seemed to be as excited as the shaman. The atmosphere of the
ritual site was great, so Grid was also a bit overwhelmed. It was as the heat was
being intensified even more.

“I will deliver my will to the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon!”

The shaman threw away the fan before taking out a large sword for generals and a
five colored flag. She shook with excitement while cutting her flesh with the
general’s sword, but she didn’t shed a drop of blood. The reason was that the
general’s sword was more blunt than it looked, but the influence of the divinity was
also greater. The faint divinity around the shaman gave the shaman enough
protection to endure the general’s sword.

“Focus on the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon beyond the seal! Don’t miss the
moment when my will breaks through the will of the wicked gods covering your eyes
and ears!”

Eventually, the shaman threw off her traditional socks worn with hanbok and flew
on top of the jakdus.

“Kiyaaaaak!”

“……”

“……”

The faint divinity worn by the shaman couldn’t withstand the sharpness of the
jakdus, which had been personally sharpened by Grid. The shaman got a large cut on
her feet the moment she stepped on the jakdus and she rolled around, scattering
blood.

“Kill… it is killing intent…!”the shaman screamed for a long time before struggling to
organize the situation. She insisted it was clear that the gods of the Hwan Kingdom
performed black arts on the jakdus. She lamented that the ritual would fail at this
rate.

Grid realized the seriousness of the situation and coughed with embarrassment as
he made eye contact with Yeum. She had been keeping an eye on Grid out of fear, so
she had witnessed him sanding the blades. Due to her expression that she had seen
something she shouldn’t have seen, Grid could no longer stand on the sidelines.

At this rate, he thought he would lose trust and cause a misunderstanding.

Therefore, he took the shaman’s general’s sword and five-colored flag, and climbed
on top of the jakdus. He recalled that the gist of the jakdu dance was to ‘transmit the
will to the target.’ He also pinned his hopes on the fact that Pagma’s sword dance was
originally used in rituals. There was a good chance that Grid could replace the
shaman.

Grid was right in his judgment. He climbed barefoot on the jakdus and slowly started
the Sky sword dance.

[Your strong will has been passed onto the ‘White Tiger’ and the ‘Blue Dragon’ of the
Four Auspicious Beasts.]

[The consciousness of the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, trapped in a thick seal,
have awakened!]

The Blue Dragon Dao and the White Tiger Spear on the altar shook loudly before
shattering. At the same time, a giant Blue Dragon and a giant White Tiger appeared.
It was so huge that the White Tiger’s body filled the wide shrine when crouching and
the body of the Blue Dragon pierced the roof of the shrine even when it was twisted.

‘What can’t he do?’

Everyone at the scene looked at Grid with astonishment.

1. Korean traditional clothing ☜

2. The ritual mentioned here is called Gut and it is a ritual performed by Korean
shamans involving offerings to gods, spirits, and ancestors. They are characterized
by rhythmic movement, songs, oracles, and prayers, and are meant to create welfare,
promoting commitment between the gods and humans. ☜

3. Jakdu= a tool for cutting things difficult to cut with ordinary scissors or knives,
such as thick straw or herbal medicine. It was also used as a weapon for shamans. It
was believed that a shaman could call and communicate with the spirit, receiving
power from the spirit by stepping on the jakdu ☜
The landscape was divided into tens of thousands of prongs of lightning. It was the
aftermath of the lightning flowing from the body of the Blue Dragon that disrupted
his vision.

His transcendent senses and artificial senses warned of danger. It could be guessed
based on the ‘Lightning God’ skill, but the Blue Dragon wasn’t a creature composed
of bones, flesh, and blood. It was literal lightning shaped like a dragon. The existence
itself was a threat.

‘How did the White Tiger beat the Blue Dragon?’

The White Tiger was a giant tiger. Its height and length reached tens of meters. It
wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it was as huge as a mountain. The white fur that
fluttered into the sky like a wave was beautiful and mysterious. It was a presence
that reminded anyone of a ‘god.’

However, it was rather shabby when compared side by side with the Blue Dragon. In
front of the Blue Dragon, even this huge body was reduced to a normal size. The
white divinity felt too gentle compared to the blue divinity of the Blue Dragon.
Should it be said that the White Tiger looked relatively cat-like? The Blue Dragon
was so big and powerful. At a glance, it was obviously stronger than the White Tiger.

‘Of course, I shouldn’t judge by appearance alone.’

It was a matter of compatible natures. The Blue Dragon was different from a dragon
itself. It was a dragon, but it was a dragon of the east. Thus, it had no feet to step on
the ground. It flew all the time and released thunder and lightning without the help
of rain and clouds.

On the other hand, the White Tiger was the god who ruled the earth. It was bound to
the ground, so it had little advantage over the Blue Dragon, who never set foot on the
ground. It also didn’t have a special object like the yeouiju that the Blue Dragon was
holding in its mouth.

In fact, Mir had said it openly—out of the Four Gods, the Blue Dragon was the
strongest.

The Blue Dragon was also the master of a shocking myth. It was a myth where it
drilled a hole into the heart of Hanul, a god of the beginning. However, by what
means did the White Tiger use to beat the Blue Dragon in the last fight?

‘The last time the White Tiger and Blue Dragon fought was before the Blue Dragon
pierced Hanul’s chest… ’

In any case, the White Tiger seemed to have an invisible potential.

It happened as Grid was staring at the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger…

–Trash.

The White Tiger said in an imposing voice. The first words it spoke after being
revived after hundreds of years were shocking. The Blue Dragon’s eyebrows
twitched as it stared at Grid.

-One who can’t even bite is still alive with this mouth.

–I heard you were badly injured in the process of being sealed, but did you hurt your
head the most at that time?Have you forgotten the memory of losing the fight with
me?It wasn’t me who couldn’t take a bite, it was you.

–Are you talking about the shameful victory you got out of luck because of an
unexpected event on the day I should’ve won my 1,000th victory?

–You have a long tongue, just like a loser.

‘…It isn’t 99.’

Did it lose 999 times and win 1 time? There was a saying that the final winner was
the real winner, but this was too much. Grid was clicking his tongue when the
willpower of the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise appeared on his left and right
sides.

–What disgraceful behavior are you showing in front of your benefactors?

Grid often regarded the Red Phoenix as a motherly being. Not only did it warmly care
for his wounds, but its tone was always calm. Grid could feel the heart full of
consideration and affection. It was the same for the Black Tortoise. Today, they met
for the first time in a while and Grid was saddened by the fact that the two gods used
honorifics toward him.

These existences were so kind to him.

-Those who haven’t forgotten you have unsealed you.Far from thanking them, you
growl at each other. You are no different from beasts.

–There must be more than one or two people who are disappointed that you are
gods.Rather, they will say that the days when they lived in a fake myth were good.

They harshly criticized the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger. It was at the level of
digging at the hearts of the listeners. It was hard to believe considering the
personalities that the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise had shown so far.

‘Didn’t they come to play the role of mediator in the first place?’

At this right, they were going to cause a fight rather than stopping one. Grid was
worried, but fortunately, the atmosphere quickly calmed down.

–I’m sorry.

–I will apologize as well.

The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger were surprisingly obedient to the Red Phoenix
and the Black Tortoise. No, to some extent, the expression that it was common sense
was correct. They were ashamed as they bowed to Grid and their benefactors. In
particular, the attitude toward Grid was cautious. They regained consciousness and
were resurrected in response to Grid’s will, so they understood what Grid was like. It
was the result of a short, but intense, communication.

The strong will that easily broke through the thick seal created by the disgusting
malice of the invaders… They thought it was extraordinary, but it was even more
amazing in person.

They were the protagonists of the East Continent’s myths and saw through it at
once—Grid was also the protagonist of a certain myth and the god of a certain world.
–You… there is a very short history, but you are still very strong?

After bowing to Grid, anger suddenly spread across the face of the Blue Dragon as it
observed the group more explicitly. It was because it had seen the identities of Mir
and Yeum. The clever Mir and Yeum tried to control their energy to look like
ordinary human beings, but it was impossible to deceive the Four Gods.

–Come to think of it…

Following the Blue Dragon, the White Tiger also showed its killing intent. The two
gods remembered the method Grid conveyed his strong will to them. He danced with
a sword. It was a sword dance that reproduced emotions, ideas, symbols, etc. It was
from the culture of the disgusting invaders.

–You guys are Hanul’s henchmen.

–I thought he was abnormally strong, but he seems to be a mutation that opposes

Hanul.

-Shameless guys…!Do you intend to drag us into your faction fight?Don’t think we
will be as easily coaxed as the good-natured Black Tortoise and Red Phoenix!

–Us gods exist for human beings.As I have said in the distant past, I have no intention
of being reduced to being your tool.

‘It is rotten. I thought it was going too well.’

Grid had guessed that the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger would cause problems.
He was prepared for a big fight. However, things unexpectedly went well and he was
flustered. Now it ended up like this.

–They haven’t changed.

The Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise also reacted like something was coming.
They weren’t very flustered as they started to raise their divinity. It seemed they
were going to intervene by manifesting themselves here.

-……?!

–This…?I can’t…
The Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise flinched and immediately stopped acting.

–The gods of the Hwan Kingdom have descended to the surface.They are besieging
Xing and Cho.

It was a surprise attack the moment the two gods left and the barrier was weakened.
From the perspective of the Hwan Kingdom, the Blue Dragon Dao suddenly being
taken away by Grid was tantamount to a sudden surprise. Yet even taking that into
consideration, the subsequent response was more delayed than necessary.

At the very least, the gods of the Hwan Kingdom should’ve noticed the change when
there was a problem with Uram’s personal safety. At the latest, common sense said
they should’ve come to the surface before Grid’s group reached the base of the
Chivalrous Robbers.

He had been puzzled because they weren’t seen, but it turned out they were
besieging the Xing and Cho Kingdoms. It was a checkmate move. The gods of the
Hwan Kingdom clearly knew the nature of the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger and
were predicting future developments. They knew that Grid wouldn’t be able to
handle the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger without the help of the Red Phoenix and
the Black Tortoise and forced a choice.

Would they sacrifice Xing and Cho in order to mediate between the Blue Dragon and
the White Tiger? Or were they going to give up on the Blue Dragon and the White
Tiger that had been unsealed at best?

“This… things are so bad.”

The face of Hwang Gildong, who usually smiled under any circumstances, hardened.

“The base can’t handle the aftermath of the two gods’ divinity. It will break in an
ildagyeong.” [1]

The location of the base will be discovered immediately…

Hwang Gildong covered his head and continued talking, “In the worst case scenario,
we will lose everything.”

If the Hwan Kingdom invaded the scene when the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger
were making a fuss, Grid’s party wouldn’t be able to avoid annihilation. The Blue
Dragon and the White Tiger would be sealed again and the situation in the East
Continent would become even darker.

Who would search for the new seals of the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon on the
continent where Hwang Gildong and the Chivalrous Robbers had collapsed and
disappeared? It wasn’t something that Grid could do alone. Even if it was possible, he
didn’t know how long it would take. The gods of the Hwan Kingdom might find a way
to invade the Xing Kingdom and Cho Kingdom before Grid could find the White Tiger
and the Blue Dragon.

‘The gods of the Hwan Kingdom have descended to the surface in large numbers.’

Even Grid’s myth could be destroyed here today…

Hwang Gildong’s voice deepened as he muttered to himself while Grid was

questioning the system.

‘How many hours is an ildagyeong?’

He remembered that one sijin was two hours and an ildagyeong was four hours. Yet
he needed to check the exact time just in case he was wrong.

[15 minutes.]

‘Isn’t this crazy?’

The unit that meant four hours was one ilgyeong, not ildagyeong.

Grid was sulky and sweaty as he tried to speak to the two gods, “These two gods,
please listen to me. I am the Overgeared God who created a new divine world called
the Overgeared World. I have nothing to do with the Hwan Kingdom. Rather, I am an
enemy of the Hwan Kingdom.”

–This is the first time I’m hearing about the Overgeared World.

–It is the same for me as well.

“You don’t know because you have been sealed all this time!”

–It is impossible to persuade them.They are buried under the belief that their
judgment is always right and it is right to think that you can’t communicate with
them.

The sharp criticism of the Red Phoenix continued, but the Blue Dragon and the
White Tiger weren’t agitated. Perhaps they didn’t know a sense of shame, but they
were proud as they said, ‘Red Phoenix really knows us.’

“We are running out of time. Let’s subdue them by force.” All of a sudden, Mir came
to Grid’s side. His appearance of confidently using the power of the Four Gods in
front of them was reliable.

“They have just been released from the seal and haven’t regained their strength.
There is a chance.”

It was just a question of whether they could be subdued in 15 minutes.

[The time attack quest has begun!]

The system determined the situation to be an emergency quest. The splendid reward
details that seemed to demonstrate the high level of difficulty made Grid even tenser.
His back came into contact with Mir’s back. They trusted and relied on each other as
they once did.

“Here.” Grid recalled that Mir was bare-handed and handed him a few swords. “Pick
the one you like and use it.”

It wasn’t a dragon weapon. It was because the dragon weapons could only be used
by Grid, a Dragon Slayer, a Sword Saint, and Grid’s apostles. Yet beside the dragon
weapon, Grid had many weapons that deserved to be called divine objects and Mir
was able to handle them perfectly.

“Let’s aim for the easy opponent first.”

Mir nodded at Grid’s words. Their gaze shifted to the White Tiger, so the Blue Dragon
laughed while the White Tiger’s expression crumpled.

–I am stronger than that one!

The White Tiger roared and swung its front paws. Grid and Mir were already under
attack at the moment they used Shunpo. Grid and Mir’s swords collided with the
claws of the White Tiger and there was a deafening noise.

“White Tiger!”

Blue Tiger appeared at the scene just as the Sanctuary of Metal was unfolding. There
was a very worried expression on her face. She wanted to persuade it with coaxing
words. The White Tiger realized and lamented that its bloodline had degenerated to
become a subordinate of the Hwan Kingdom. It resented the past few hundred years
of its absence.

Blue Tiger urgently shouted at it, “White Tiger, you are really going to die!”

-……?

-……?

The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger doubted their ears. Their eyes widened at the
same time. The others were surprised as well.

Blood was rising from the White Tiger’s wall-like chest.

1. an old Korean unit of time ☜

The character of Garion and the White Tiger was distinctly different. Garion was
focused on restoring damaged land, while the White Tiger protected the land from
being damaged in the first place. This didn’t mean that Garion had the power to
restore all wounds to the ground, or that the White Tiger had the power to block all
wounds to the ground. It was just that they had been trying.

The difference in personalities of these two gods had a profound effect on creating
cultural differences between the West Continent and East Continent. It was the
reason why the architectural style of the West Continent developed around stone,
while the architecture of the East Continent developed around wood. It was because
the land and rocks of the East Continent were so hard that it was difficult to secure
stone materials.

The reason why the high walls and ornate architecture of the West Continent was so
difficult to see in the east wasn’t because the civilization of the East Continent was
relatively low, but due to environmental factors. This environment came from the
White Tiger.

“……!”

The blood gushing from the chest of the White Tiger alarmed everyone on the scene.

Hwang Gildong and the Chivalrous Robbers, Mir, Yeum, and the Zodiacs who had run
over with Blue Tiger—they started convulsing as if they had seen something they
shouldn’t have seen.

The Blue Dragon was also surprised. The Blue Dragon had fought the White Tiger
1,000 times and knew the White Tiger’s potential better than anyone else. It was a
damn being who never fell down even when it was half-killed.

The White Tiger, the hardest one in the mythology of the East Continent, was cut and
shed blood?

‘What happened…? Did he split the sky?’

The Blue Dragon’s gaze was fixed to Grid’s sword.

Twilight—a sword that seemed to have snapped a part of the sky that was dyed by
the sunset. A strong divinity was felt.

The Blue Dragon misunderstood Grid, who was cooperating with the yangban, Mir,
as a member of the Hwan Kingdom. Therefore, it was forced to come up with a new
interpretation.

-You must’ve had Hanul’s expectations since that selfish Hanul actually gave away his
divinity.Hanul must’ve been very shocked when you betrayed him and created a
separate faction.

Hanul was also a synonym for the sky. It was from the innate strength and power, to
the meaning and symbolism. It was hard to deny the fact that Hanul was the sky. The
fact that the sky was contained in Grid’s sword meant that Grid had received Hanul’s
protection.

Of course, it was a ridiculous guess from Grid’s point of view. However, it wasn’t a
situation to clear up misunderstandings. He should think of the path of the sword
during the time it would take him to think of words.

The huge size in itself became a weapon. The front paws wielded by the White Tiger
crossed a distance of tens of meters in an instant. It immediately used a single
gesture to follow Grid’s full-speed movement skills and Mir’s light trajectory. There
were many cases of moving ahead as if foreseeing the future. The White Tiger’s
meaningless actions were at the level of forcing the two of them to follow it.

However, Grid had fought a dragon before. A dragon’s fighting methods were larger
than the White Tiger’s and they freely changed their size. This was much more
difficult than the White Tiger, which was simply huge.

Grid’s sword was lodged in the side of the White Tiger’s paw. The White Tiger’s
action of loudly swinging its arms to pull Grid off caused a sonic boom. The air in the
area was compressed and exploded repeatedly, suppressing Grid violently. Even a
decent legend would suffer from all types of physical abnormalities due to torn
eardrums and the shaking of their brains and organs.

However, Grid was fine. He alternated driving the two swords into the White Tiger’s
arms and used them to climb up.
A flea… that was a bit exaggerated. He felt like a cicada. If he was to compare the
White Tiger’s arms to a giant tree, then Grid would be like a big insect.

‘Now.’

Grid twisted his waist heavily. He performed a sword dance, cut the arm of the White
Tiger, and naturally fell away from the White Tiger. The arms of the White Tiger were
crossed in close to an X-shape. In the end, it used its hands to try and pull Grid off.

Thanks to this, Mir was able to breathe. Previously, he unconditionally consumed

Shunpo to avoid the White Tiger’s attack. For the first time, he could take the
opportunity to fight back.

The Blue Dragon’s energy enveloped Mir. He evoked lightning with additional power
without the permission of the Blue Dragon. Mir pierced the body of the White Tiger.
He pierced skin and flesh. It was based on the power of the Blue Dragon, the
strongest of the Four Gods, but the result was more than expected. Mir himself was a
remarkable force.

Mir quickly recognized the source of his power. He realized that Grid’s divine sword
in his hand was pushing the Blue Dragon’s lightning to the limit.

‘It is better than the dao that contained the Blue Dragon. Is this being overgeared
that the Overgeared God celebrates?’

-These guys…

The White Tiger’s blue pupils shook. The fact that it felt the pain of its flesh tearing
every time it allowed an attack bewildered it greatly. It was an unfamiliar pain for it
since it always crushed the enemy with hardness. Apart from the day when it was
sealed by the invaders who were driven out of Asgard, this was the first time it had
experienced such pain.

–I’ll admit it.Your weapons are so great that they are causing me an unfamiliar pain.

–Is it unfamiliar?

The Blue Dragon interjected.

-Haven’t you experienced this much pain from me at least 1,000 times?
–What are you saying?The one who lost to me.

The White Tiger cut off the Blue Dragon’s words and took a deep breath. The white
hairs covering its massive body fell down. Between the white hairs, the black hairs
that formed the character for ‘king’ rose in a dense manner. It was the king of a
hundred beasts before it was a god.

The mental image of the White Tiger unfolded. Hundreds of thousands of wild beasts
roared in the canyon created by the Sanctuary of Metal. Each of them was a clone of
the White Tiger and was made up of the White Tiger’s mental image. The wild beasts
ran down the canyon.

Bears, tigers, lions, leopards, etcetera—all types of wild beasts showed different
movements as they attacked Grid and Mir. Most of them were aimed at Mir, not Grid.
It was because they judged that it was difficult to break through the baptism of battle
gear that the Sanctuary of Metal created in real time.

Grid was being handled by the main White Tiger.

-A 1 on 1 battle is a fair fight!

The White Tiger insisted that it couldn’t concentrate because of Mir. Its momentum
of breaking through the canyon, with a body that had grown as big as the inflated
divinity, was fierce.

Grid’s expression had already become indifferent. The strength of NPCs was usually
proportional to their influence on the worldview. The myth of the Four Auspicious
Beasts would still be a ‘forgotten myth’ without the help of Grid, so it couldn’t be
central to Satisfy’s worldview. From the time of their resurrection thanks to Grid, the
hierarchy of the Four Auspicious Beasts was lower than Grid. Even if they weren’t
resurrected thanks to Grid, the current hierarchy of Grid was too high. Not only had
he confronted the heavenly gods, but he also formed ties with old dragons and killed
Baal.

Unfortunately, the White Tiger wasn’t in an equal position with him. This was why it
was forgotten.

The infinitely overlapping procession of Valhallas gradually killed the momentum of

the White Tiger. The White Tiger consumed divinity every time it broke through a
single Valhalla. Once it arrived in front of Grid, it was surrounded by thousands of
battle gear.

–The Hwan Kingdom created a monster!

Grid remained silent toward the White Tiger, who misunderstood and lamented until
the end. Didn’t he decide to convince them with his sword in the first place? Grid
spared no effort in his six fusion sword dance. He used a full-scale attack while being
aided by thousands of battle gear and 300 weapons wielded by the God Hands. It
was in recognition of the hardness of the White Tiger.

–Kuaaak!

The White Tiger’s scream filled the Sanctuary of Metal. The wild beasts created by its
mental image no longer threatened Mir and perished. It was no match. The White
Tiger judged this after desperately feeling Grid’s power and shouted at the Blue
Dragon

–Run away, Blue Dragon!This isn’t an opponent you can handle…!

‘White Tiger really doesn’t understand the subject.’

What did this unskilled one mean? The Blue Dragon ignored the White Tiger’s
warning. There was no way it could back down. It was because it was the guardian
god of this land. Lightning was emitted in a dizzying manner and divided the
landscape into tens of thousands of prongs that converged on a single point.

Then it was shot at such a speed that even Grid’s artificial senses could miss it. The
artificial senses fluctuated loudly only after Grid was pierced. The Blue Dragon had
disappeared without a trace. To be exact, its figure was erased. It no longer retained
the shape of a dragon but fluttered in all directions as lightning itself. A lightning
storm gradually surrounded Grid as if to smash the Sanctuary of Metal.

–I can tell that you are stronger than me.You deserve to be extremely arrogant
compared to your age.However, strength doesn’t mean victory.It means I can’t
discuss my loss.I won’t get cut.

Lightning bolts engulfed Grid, who was in the center of the storm. This was the
reason why the Blue Dragon was able to write the most powerful and shocking myth
of piercing Hanul’s heart. It was in the uniqueness of the Blue Dragon’s existence.
Lightning that was maintained at all times without being influenced by nature. The
lightning that came from its divinity was infinitely free and swift. It was at a level
that was called deformed even among the gods. The Blue Dragon was a mutant of the
eastern land that was abandoned by the gods of the beginning.

Then an awl made of lightning popped out through the gaps in the storm. It implied
the power to pierce Grid’s heart again. The myth of it piercing the heart of one of the
gods of the beginning, Hanul, was further amplifying the power of the Blue Dragon.
Even Valhalla, which was the source of Grid’smental world, was unable to stop the
lightning bolt and was miserably pierced.

A second hole appeared in Grid’s chest.

Just then, the lightning that formed a storm around Grid was split in half. It was done
by the Falling Moon Sword.

-……!

The sword, which could cut anything, neatly cut the Blue Dragon in line with the
power of a conditional Sword Saint.

A devastating aftermath ensued. The amount of damage applied was equal to adding
up all of the user’s stats and multiplying it by the target’s level and this inflicted a
serious injury to the Blue Dragon. The bigger problem was the effect of an
unconditional critical hit and the elimination of all buff effects.

The Blue Dragon lost all the benefits of lightning. Its presence was blurred. It was an
effect that lasted for three minutes. On the other hand, there were still 11 minutes
left for the emergency quest that Grid was performing. Before the quest was over, he
was able to swing the Falling Moon Sword one more time.

–That weak one…

The White Tiger blamed the Blue Dragon, who was unexpectedly overpowered. It
was an attitude that caused the Blue Dragon, who was engulfed in terrible pain, to
lose its sense of reason. It happened the moment when the angry Blue Dragon tried
to raise its power beyond the limits…

The six fusion sword dance cut off the momentum of the Blue Dragon. The cut Blue
Dragon fell down in a daze. It was still clinging to life.
Blue Tiger was relieved. “I’m glad you have mercy in your hands.”

-……

-……

The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger felt it was so nonsensical that they forgot their
pain and anger. They didn’t even feel any shame. They had finished figuring out the
subject.

Mir drove in the decisive wedge. “The Overgeared God is different from me.”

He wasn’t a monster made by the Hwan Kingdom.

“It is because he is a god who was born from human origin.”

"I fully understand their feelings.”

Grid thought about it in reverse. What if a player he hadn’t heard about or wasn’t
famous acquired a myth rated class while he was away? It wouldn’t be easy to
understand. This was even considering the fact that the world was wider than
imagined and there were many geniuses.

Becoming a myth wasn’t in the realm of talent and luck. It wasn’t enough to simply
accumulate a number of unique achievements.

To become the object of worship and aspirations for people… it needed something
that was hard to explain, even for Grid who had already experienced it. The
something he was talking about here wasn’t transcendence. It was because worship
usually came from understanding, while ignorance caused fear.

Grid reviewed his own epics. In the epics, he was mostly ordinary. No matter
whether the subject was human or not, he was almost always with someone and
communicated with them. He acted with good intentions as much as possible. No
matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing special about the character
of Grid. He just thought he had played a lot more, but it wasn’t enough to make him a
myth.

The incident where he declared he would become a god against the yangbans? It was
too far-fetched for this event to make Grid a myth. It was natural. The system wasn’t
a convenient concept that always responded to the wishes and will of the players.

Therefore, it was difficult. Becoming a myth wasn’t something in the realm of

calculation. In particular, it was almost impossible for a player, who didn’t exist in
Satisfy’s setting, to be deliberately worshiped. In that sense, Grid would be
unfamiliar and incomprehensible to the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger.

It was because a god wasn’t omniscient. They were gods, so how could they
understand miracles?

“A mere human being became a god due to the wishes of the same human beings and
is standing before you. Looking at me from your perspective, you are bound to have
doubts.”

They might be suspicious, but accusations should be avoided as much as possible. It

was a divinity filled with people’s aspirations. It was unbearable to go beyond
questioning the source to criticizing it. It was Grid’s heart. However, it was quite
embarrassing to say this himself. In recent times, he had been unwilling to speak as
if he was speaking for humanity. There was a sense of being impudent.

He just communicated briefly. “Still, what can you do? I won.”

-……

-……

The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, who were still suffering badly from the
aftereffects of their defeat, became stunned. He looked too compassionate to be born
in the Hwan Kingdom. Grid spoke in a soft voice like he understood the position of
the losers and this revealed his true nature.

If you are weak, then just keep quiet.

Grid’s attitude was very aggressive, unlike his sympathetic tone. It seemed he would
give them a death notice if they refuted even a single word here.

‘This guy is different from the exiled gods.’

‘There are no signs of regret. If we act in a wrong manner, he isn’t going to seal us. He
is ready to kill us completely.’

Whether a god could be killed or not was a secondary issue. The very fact that he
would have killing intent was terrifying. If Grid tried to kill the Blue Dragon and the
White Tiger right now, the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger would be forced to flee.
This meant abandoning their land.

This was a big problem, even if it was temporary rather than abandoning it forever. It
was because having the land stolen and abandoning it themselves were completely
different concepts.

A god who ignored their responsibilities would suffer a severe blow to their divinity.
The divinity of the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon would be shaken and the
balance of the East Continent would collapse.

The Red Phoenix, the Blue Dragon, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise—this vast
land, which was too much for the Four Auspicious Beasts to bear, would immediately
fall into chaos and enter the hands of the Hwan Kingdom as soon as the two gods
were lost.

“I’m not asking for much. Just listen to me.”

Grid interpreted the silence as an agreement. He believed that the silent Blue Dragon
and White Tiger were gradually getting rid of the doubts they had in them.

Grid told a long story. He calmly expressed the entire journey he experienced to
reach this place.

The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger gradually listened. They noticed that Grid was
telling only the truth based on the attitude of the Red Phoenix and the Black
Tortoise, who were giving Grid a warm look. Then it ended.

-Ahuheung!!

The White Tiger wept sadly, while the lightning that made up the Blue Dragon’s body
faded faintly. After repeated withering and blossoming, a feeble existence was
standing before their eyes. Grid’s epics, the myth, was distinctly different from the
myths of those who were born as gods. It was incomparably heavy. It was desperate
and sometimes miserable. Thus, it was even more special.

-Overgeared God… the creator of the great Overgeared World.

–We have been gods from the moment we were born and we took being worshiped
for granted.Shamefully, we have always believed that we were right.Please forgive us
for not trying to understand the unfamiliar feeling we felt for you and daring to
commit disrespect by doubting you.

–Now we also understand the feelings of the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise
who care for you and respect you.

–Most of all, thank you for releasing us from our seals.

The reward for clearing the emergency quest ‘Suppress with Force’ with a time limit
of 15 minutes gave Grid huge benefits. He got five each of the Blue Dragon’s Breath
and the White Tiger’s Breath. He had secured 10 high-end production materials with
a value that were just below the dragon scales.

That wasn’t all. He obtained a title that permanently increased the power of skills
related to the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, including Lightning God and Earth
God. They were all physical rewards. Perhaps it was due to the content of the
‘Suppress with Force’ quest, but he didn’t increase affinity with the White Tiger and
Blue Dragon. This was the only disappointing part, but the next moment, this
disappointment disappeared.

[Affinity with ’Blue Dragon’ of the Four Auspicious Beasts has reached the
maximum.]

[Affinity with ’White Tiger’ of the Four Auspicious Beasts has reached the
maximum.]

It was as the Red Phoenix said. The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger were close to
beasts. To put it in an extreme manner, the beating acted as medicine. They
immediately idolized Grid to a level that fully conformed with the concept of the
strong ate the weak. Of course, the fact that they owed Grid would’ve played a bigger
role—probably.

‘I’m glad…?’

In this way, he obtained the entire myth of the resurrected East Continent as a strong
ally…

Grid was smiling with joy when his expression stiffened. He received a notification
window that he never would’ve imagined. A system message with a gold color was
flashing in the corner of his field of view, just like when he had become a myth.

[All of the Four Auspicious Beasts are looking up to your divinity.]

[The worship of all of the Four Auspicious Beasts has established a new myth on the
East Continent.]

At the same time, a world message emerged.

[The Four Auspicious Beasts of the east worship the Overgeared God.]

[The worship of the Four Auspicious Beasts has started the prologue of the new
myth, ‘Yellow Dragon.’]

“What…?”

The divinity of the bewildered Grid experienced a change. The energy of the sunset,
which had been spreading endlessly, became concentrated behind Grid. In the first
phase, it formed a circle with a diameter of three meters. Then it started to draw the
shape of a dragon in the circle. It was the appearance of an eastern dragon that
resembled the Blue Dragon. Unlike the Blue Dragon made of lightning, this was a
Yellow Dragon made of Grid’s divinity.

[The Yellow Dragon is a god born from the subconscious of the Four Auspicious
Beasts, who have been sealed for a long time.]

[The illusionary god that the isolated Four Auspicious Beasts relied on to endure the
years of hardship has descended to reality through you.]

“Hah…” The witnesses murmured to themselves. They weren’t reactions of

admiration and astonishment. They all looked ecstatic. They were purely fascinated
by the figure of the Yellow Dragon that rose behind Grid. It was such a beautiful
sight.

[Overgeared God Grid is writing the 22nd epic.]

[The beginning of the epic comes from the aspirations of the guardian gods of the
east, who couldn’t reveal their weakness.]

The content of the epic was the same as what was previously conveyed to Grid.

The Four Auspicious Beasts, who had been sealed for a long time—due to their
excruciating suffering, they also found a place to rely on, like humans. They
subconsciously created the Yellow Dragon, an illusionary god that went beyond
them. They worshiped Grid, so this caused Grid to come to bear the Yellow Dragon.

It was thrilling from start to finish. Goosebumps appeared on the skin of the people
who witnessed the epic in real time. Putting aside the feelings they had for Grid, they
were equally thrilled.
Grid’s hands were also shaking slightly.

……

[The 22nd page of the epic has been completed.]

[As a reward for completing the epic, the new myth, ‘Yellow Dragon,’ has become a
part of you.]

[The level of your transcendence has reached the maximum as a reward for
completing the epic.]

[A fragment of the Absolute has started to vaguely appear…]

[……!]

[……!!]

[The fragment of the Absolute can’t be materialized.]

[There are too many unique concepts that symbolize you. It will take a long time to
measure it.]

Jingle.

A bell sound was heard. It was closer than ever before. It was really close. Grid raised
his head in surprise. Suddenly, the world stopped. The descent of the ‘Only One God’
took place in the gap of time that was only recognizable by those who were at least
Absolutes.

“Overgeared God Grid.”

[Martial God ‘Chiyou’ has descended.]

[An incomprehensible and unknown phenomenon is putting pressure on you.]

“You still don’t understand? It is fine. Your progress is fast enough.”

“…Chiyou, is your wish still the same?”

“Yes, my wish has coincidentally become your duty. It isn’t a duty to impose on those
in power.”

“……”

Grid understood.

Mir—he was the only yangban qualified to dream of being a god killer. He was one of
Chiyou’s few hopes, but he was now completely fascinated by Grid and worshiped
Grid. Mir’s feelings, which had changed in real time on the side, were clearly
conveyed to Grid.

Grid would take Mir. He was going to make Mir his last apostle. Either directly or
indirectly, he was obliged to make Chiyou’s wish come true. Of course, it was
something he could turn away from, but… he couldn’t do that. Grid hadn’t forgotten
Chiyou’s favor and grace. Moreover, now he knew.

A god who had forgotten their duty—he naturally understood that a god who had
lost their value to exist shouldn’t exist in the world.

“Additionally, there will come a time when the qualification of a god killer is
definitely necessary to fulfill your wishes.”

Jingle.

The meeting was short. Chiyou left before the gap in time closed. He knew that there
would be great confusion if the beings present recognized him, so he cared about
them. Chiyou’s voice that was mixed with the sound of bells permeated into Grid’s
mind.

Zik, Hayate, Muller, and Mir—he left a deep impression as he said that he felt a great
fate because three of the people he coveted were following Grid.
At the deepest part of a vampire city…

In a place where even the Overgeared Empire couldn’t reach, there lurked an abyss
that even Noll didn’t dare to peek at. There was an orange lotus blooming in the
center of the abyss. It was a castle illuminated by unquenchable torches. The
geometric exterior looked like a flower at first glance and the walls surrounding it
were beautiful while conveying a sense of intimidation.

“Marie Rose!!”

The ceiling of the castle, which hadn’t allowed a foreign invasion for hundreds of
years, collapsed. It was unable to withstand the surge of Braham’s magic power as he
broke in screaming.

“You, did you know everything and deliberately shirk your responsibility?”

Braham had met Leraje after leaving the hell expedition. The 10th Great Demon with
the nickname of Supreme King—as Beriache’s subordinate, she confessed and
proved that she had been eagerly waiting for the day when Beriache’s successor
would visit hell. There was a strong ally in hell when he thought it would be full of
enemies everywhere.

Did Marie Rose not know this? At first he was skeptical, but now he knew for sure.
He noticed it when he heard that Marie Rose had tied up the feet of the Evil Dragon.
Unlike him, this woman inherited his mother’s memories. She had knowledge he
didn’t know as the Duke of Wisdom and knew the truths that were hidden behind
the world.

She would’ve known of Leraje’s existence. Then why had she been delaying her
revenge?

“Now looking back, you were able to lift the curse on your own from the beginning.”

He hated to admit it, but the ‘Blood King’ was a role that his mother arranged for
Marie Rose. A being who would become Marie Rose’s groom and provide her with
high-quality nutrients.

The day when Grid became the Blood King—Marie Rose would’ve been able to
elevate her rank by subduing him with force and forcibly committing a crime against
him. It was clearly possible for her to transcend their mother and remove the Curse
of Sloth.

However, she didn’t do so. It was as if she was ignoring their responsibilities.

“What are you up to? Why did you postpone our mother’s revenge?”

“……”

Marie Rose slowly raised her body from the white coffin and stared at Braham. The
sight of Braham staring at her with a contemptuous gaze was very familiar to her. It
had always been this way.

“It is too much if you are trying to evade responsibility. You were born after killing
our mother and you have a duty to fulfill her aspirations.”

A dagger was lodged in her chest. It was a different type of pain than when a stake
pierced her heart. It was much more painful. There were no signs of recovery.
Nevertheless, Marie Rose didn’t show it. She smiled leisurely as always and gave the
same look to Braham.

How can you despise me when you haven’t even taken on the duty…?

She couldn’t bring herself to fight back like this. She experienced how painful it was
to have her heart wounded and didn’t want to return the same wound. Her feelings
were becoming infinitely closer to a human being. She was becoming softer in real
time. It was a fact that she only recently realized.

“If I forced Grid, then wouldn’t I never be loved?”

“What…? Love?”

Braham looked as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have seen. He even

convulsed slightly.

“You were born after killing our mother… you were born with absolute power and
knowledge in your hands, yet you are discussing a single emotion? This jerk monster.
You, who should be lonely without being understood by anyone. Do you have no
sense of shame?”

“You have enjoyed it enough. There is no law that says I can’t crave love.”

Braham had a deep connection with his disciples, Pagma, and Grid. It might’ve been
in a twisted form, but there was no denying that the feelings he had were precious.

“You dare… you dare to enjoy the same thing as me?” Braham’s beautiful face was
terribly distorted.

“Do you think that our mother gave birth to you just to share love? The reason why
our mother gave her life to give birth to you was because…!!”

“It wasn’t what I wanted.”

“……”

Marie Rose never wanted their mother to sacrifice herself. She never wanted to take
on their mother’s responsibilities. She couldn’t bring herself to say this, but it was
sufficiently communicated.

Braham was stunned for a moment. He looked at Marie Rose with a dazed
expression that he had never shown in front of anyone. He was at a loss for words
because he never dreamed that she would say such nonsense.

Marie Rose’s long, white legs emerged from the coffin. Even ordinary gestures
became sensual and forcefully attracted the attention of others. “Besides, it is too late
to come here and criticize me.”

Braham came to his senses. “Too late? What does that mean?”

“My dear husband has become too strong. It is impossible for me to forcibly commit
a crime against him now.”

“Don’t make me laugh.” Braham scoffed. “I know full well that he couldn’t handle an
Absolute, even if his transcendent status reaches the limit. Isn’t even divinity unable
to be compared with the power of an Absolute? Grid can’t deal with you unless he
rides a dragon, so what is this nonsense?”
You are giving a vain excuse due to being blinded by love. This ugly being…

Marie Rose continued speaking as Braham was expressing his anger, “I already know
it because I blended with my dear husband once.”

Marie Rose had taken Grid’s blood. Blood that was so sweet that it was distracting…
life… She felt so ecstatic that it could be called the first pleasure she felt since birth. It
was from then on. No matter how far away she was, Marie Rose was able to feel
Grid’s presence.

“The rank of my dear husband has become almost the same as mine.”

“You keep talking nonsense…” Braham was staring at Marie Rose as if he wanted to
kill her, only to become startled. It was because he felt that one of the concepts
underlying him, Grid’s divinity, had become sharply strengthened. His power as an
apostle of the Overgeared God had grown exponentially stronger.

“What…” Braham was bewildered by the unexpected situation, but he soon

understood. Grid had become the master of a new myth called Yellow Dragon. At the
same time, his transcendent status had reached the peak and he was on the verge of
acquiring the qualification of an Absolute. It was fundamentally different from the
temporary qualifications gained from relying on dragons.

“In the future, my dear husband will encounter all types of powerful gods.”

“……”

“I think it is more important to take care of my dear husband’s safety than to take
revenge for our mother.”

“……”

As expected, Braham was silent.

Marie Rose had a satisfied expression on her face. Then she sneered. “Or do you want
to release my curse?”

It was possible until recently. However, now it was impossible. Marie Rose had used
her power to fight the Evil Dragon and suffered from the curse being even stronger
as a side effect. In the first place, the Curse of Sloth was a structure that restrained
Beriache. The more Marie Rose revealed the power she inherited from Beriache, the
stronger the curse became.

“A man who can only speak. Get lost,”Marie Rose issued an order to leave.

Braham’s mind was complicated as he left the castle with helpless steps. He
understood and hated himself for putting the living Grid before his already dead
mother. He was weighed down with a great sense of guilt, but he wasn’t buried under
it. It was because Grid was the most precious thing for him now.

***

[The myth of the ‘Yellow Dragon’ has caused an upheaval in the Overgeared World.]

[The areas defended by the Four Auspicious Beasts are about to be incorporated into
the Overgeared World.]

[It will take some time to mix the myths.]

[The current transfer progress is 0.1%…]

[The gods of the Hwan Kingdom are reacting sensitively. Caution is required.]

[The myth of the ‘Yellow Dragon’ has given you a new power.]

[It is a power that contains the ideals of the Four Auspicious Beasts.]

[You have acquired the new skill, ‘Breath of the Yellow Dragon.’]

[Breath of the Yellow Dragon Lv. 1]

[Passive

If the skill used is related to a dragon, then the skill effect and power will be
enhanced.

The power of the Red Phoenix, the power of the Black Tortoise, the power of the Blue
Dragon, and the power of the White Tiger can be activated.

Once the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts is activated, all the skills of the Four
Auspicious Beasts are unlocked.

★ An additional feature is created every time it levels up.]

“Uh…?”

Wasn’t this too showy? Grid was feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the divinity that
had turned into an image of a Yellow Dragon. Then his eyes widened in a
dumbfounded manner. He seemed to have a heart possessed by a ghost as he tried to
activate the power of the Blue Dragon.

Some of the divinity that formed the image of the Yellow Dragon caused sparks.
Yellow lightning literally swept around Grid. Several notification windows popped up
at the same time.

[The effect of ‘Incarnation of Lightning’ is activated.]

[The effect of ‘Lightning God’ is activated.]

[The skill ‘Lightning Speed’ will be opened.]

[The skill ‘Come Down!’ will be opened.]

‘This is crazy.’

The skills contained in the Arrogant Blue Dragon’s Boots—in other words, the skills
of the Blue Dragon were opened when, previously, they could only be used when
wearing items made using the Enhanced Blue Dragon’s Breath. Even the
conditionally activated skill Lightning God was applied directly as a passive skill like
Incarnation of Lightning.

Grid was thrilled and activated the power of the Red Phoenix. The divinity that took
the form of lightning was mixed with flames.

[The effect of ‘Incarnation of Fire’ is activated.]

[The effect of ‘Red Phoenix’s Breath’ is activated.]

[The skill ‘Fire of Life’ will be opened.]

[The skill ‘Fly Up!’ will be opened.]

Then Grid used the power of the White Tiger and the Black Tortoise as well. It was
perfect. It wasn’t possible to stack more than two powers, but this seemed to be a
problem that would be solved when the level of Breath of the Yellow Dragon
increased.

‘There is no need to be sad even if I can’t stack them.’

It was because there was no cooldown time. Apart from active skills such as Come
Down! and Fly Up!, the passive skills could be activated at any moment without any
constraints or delays just by switching. Grid felt as if he was wearing invisible items
overlapped over him. It felt like the shoulder guards, gaiters, boots, and gloves
bearing the names of the Four Auspicious Beasts were overlaid over the dragon
armor. The effect of Yellow Dragon was just ridiculous.

However, the one thing that really bothered him was that the appearance was just as
splendid as the effects. The orange divinity he wore around his body already felt
burdensome at times, but now it reached the point of forming a Yellow Dragon…

Grid took a deep breath and walked toward the well in the yard of the shrine. He
checked his reflection on the surface of the water. A circular divinity that was three
meters in diameter and the image of a Yellow Dragon, that seemed to be alive and
breathing, was spread out behind his back. No matter how he looked at it, this was
cooler than it needed to be…

It was so gorgeous that it seemed like flies would greatly hover around him. For
example, Lauel or Lauel.

‘Maybe Kraugel as well… ’

There was a yellow dragon embroidery on the back of the dopo that Kraugel liked to
wear. It was unfortunate, but Grid’s new divinity was likely to be to Kraugel’s taste.

‘What if he is really jealous? I am embarrassed.’

Grid was feeling sorry when he suddenly realized something. Perhaps the reason
why he acquired the Tailoring skill was for this day. It was to give Kraugel a new
yellow dragon dopo that was as wonderful as his divinity…
“……”

Grid was thinking about his friend with a keen heart when his gaze suddenly shifted
toward the sky. Beyond the ceiling of the collapsed shrine, the blue sky was crossed
with curved and straight white clouds. It was too artificial to be a naturally formed
cloud. It was the traces of the protection that concealed the location of the home of
the Chivalrous Robbers for many years.

Grid opened his mouth toward these traces. A near golden Breath was fired. It was
the feeling of releasing his divinity. The artificial breath attached to Cranbel’s Head
penetrated the sky with an extraordinary power, unlike before.

At the same time, faint murmurs were heard. It was the voices of the Three Masters
that were now somewhat familiar to Grid. The aftermath of the emergence of the
Yellow Dragon myth rendered the protection around the base of the Chivalrous
Robbers meaningless.

The gods of the Hwan Kingdom attacked the base.

Human beings strived to interpret the words and actions of the gods described in
mythology. The gods were the same.

Rebecca and Hanul, who were sometimes in seclusion—the gods had to always try
and figure out the intentions of their parents. It was the same with the Three
Masters.

The yangbans—they were artificial angels who would become the swords of the
exiled gods. The Three Masters tried to make them unconditionally strong and
sharp. They believed that this was what Hanul wanted and that it was their duty. It
was along this line that they erased Mir’s memory. They couldn’t sit idly by as Mir
had a good heart toward the Overgeared God, who clearly opposed the Hwan
Kingdom.

This was the result.

‘I can’t believe he was overpowered in an instant!’

Mir was attacked by Grid and was too easily defeated. It was to the extent that the
Hwan Kingdom only belatedly noticed the incident. Additionally, Mir activated the
Magpie Bridge to save his life. Thanks to this, Grid arrived in the Pa Kingdom at once
and simply got his hands on the last of the Four Gods.

“I knew this would happen. You don’t have to respect the yangbans, but you
should’ve avoided touching his memories. You didn’t consider the side effects,”King
Sobyeol openly mocked. He also urged them to take care of the situation before
Hanul became disappointed.

The Three Masters were planning to step out immediately even if he hadn’t said
anything. They descended to the surface with as many yangbans as possible. To be
honest, the situation wasn’t bad. Thinking about it calmly, it was actually pretty good.
It was not easy to resurrect the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger.

The Overgeared God was destined to stand at a crossroads of choice. Would he

abandon the Cho Kingdom and the Xing Kingdom to resurrect the Blue Dragon and
the White Tiger? Would he abandon the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger for the Cho
Kingdom and the Xing Kingdom? It was a choice he was forced to make because
resurrecting the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon required the help of the Red
Phoenix and the Black Tortoise.

The Three Masters split their power in half and surrounded the Cho Kingdom and
the Xing Kingdom.

Nations that moved away from the myth of the Hwan Kingdom and regained the
myth of the Four Auspicious Beasts—from the perspective of the Three Masters, they
were raising their divinity to reclaim the territories that were a den of traitors at any
time. The weather changed according to their will, providing them with a favorable
environment.

However, the opportunity for the Three Masters to step out never came. It was
because the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise didn’t leave their positions even as
the waves of energy from the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon started to be faintly
felt. It meant that Grid had given up on the resurrection ritual.

The traces of the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, running wild with killing intent,
were gradually felt. The current position was gradually identified.

‘He is a fool.’

‘He is from a human being and is caught up in personal things, ruining such a big
thing.’

Did he judge that the safety of the Cho Kingdom and the Xing Kingdom were more
important than breaking the seals of the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon…?

The hearts of the Three Masters became lighter as they laughed at Grid’s choice. The
Three Masters quietly waited for the right time. They waited for the moment when
the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger made a bigger turmoil, so they could accurately
identify the location.

Thinking about it again, things went well in many ways.

The Chivalrous Robbers—it was an opportunity to find the homes of those who had
disrupted the Hwan Kingdom for a long time based on the subject of a human
organization. Today, they would defeat Grid and clean up the Chivalrous Robbers.
The power of the Blue Dragon, who pierced the heart of the great Hanul, was likely to
endanger Grid. Then this would be a great opportunity for them.

‘We will also get back the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon.’

It happened as the smile on the faces of the Three Masters deepened… The world
was tinged with pure gold. It was only for a moment, but the Three Masters felt it
clearly. The quality of this land had changed. It was a subtle change. They wondered
if it would be like this if a handful of sand in a huge desert changed color. It meant it
wasn’t worth worrying about.

The Three Masters felt a weird feeling of strangeness. The moment they were going
to pass it off as inconsequential, the Overgeared God’s aura rose slightly. On the
contrary, his divinity was weaker than when they had met before. It was dim like a
torch on the verge of being snuffed out. It felt ridiculous compared to the presence of
the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, who were facing him.

“We found it.”

The smile disappeared from the faces of the Three Masters. They were calm, not
excited, even though they felt the presence of the dying Overgeared God, who wasn’t
able to handle the attacks of the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger. It was proof that
they were great gods and didn’t let down their guard. At this point, they deserved to
be role models for everyone.

A huge cloud gathered under the feet of the confident Three Masters. The clouds
carrying the Three Masters and dozens of yangban crossed the continent with a
rainstorm. They arrived at the scene where they could feel the traces of the Blue
Dragon, the White Tiger, and the dying Overgeared God.

“Um…”

The Three Masters arrived at the scene and found the remnants of the protection. It
was the protection that had been hiding the base of the Chivalrous Robbers for a
long time. Human beings had such complex tricks that they were surprisingly
amazing.

The Three Masters immediately understood the trick. In the future, the Chivalrous
Robbers would be in the palm of the Three Masters’ hands, no matter where they
fled.
“We have to admit that the Overgeared God isn’t weak.”

“Even though his divinity has faded, we shouldn’t underestimate his potential and
thoroughly subdue him.”

“The Blue Dragon and the White Tiger won’t be complete either. Our goal is to
capture as many of the three as possible.”

It was the moment when the Three Masters, who didn’t find the yangbans very
reliable, instructed them to destroy the protection embroidering the sky in the form
of clouds…

A pillar of light rose through the gaps in the damaged protection. It aimed for Unsa
among the Three Masters. It could be seen as a surprise attack and had an impact
even on Usa, whose abilities was greatly influenced by Unsa’s clouds.

“Kuack!” A yangban was caught and dragged from the cloud to become a shield to
protect Unsa. Instead of Unsa, he was the one struck by the flash of light and pierced
through the chest. The flash literally passed through the yangban and reached Unsa
as well. Unsa realized that the power of the flash was weaker than its momentum
and swung his hand to strike at it.

‘A Breath?’ Putting aside its insignificant power, it was a blow that reminded him of a
dragon’s Breath.

It happened at the time when Unsa was feeling some anxiety…

The fragments of the completely destroyed protection scattered with a loud noise. It
was caused by a sudden shockwave. The shockwaves were created by an unexpected
being.

“What…?”

Overgeared God Grid—he rose at an unstoppable speed and astonished the Three
Masters. It was because he was carrying a completely different divinity behind him
than what they had seen before. It was different from when it was the Crazy God and
Crazy Dragon. The form of the divinity had changed. It was close to the feeling that
his existence itself had changed.

‘He wasn’t weak.’

The Three Masters realized why Grid’s aura felt so weak and realized they had fallen
into a trap. It wasn’t weakened, it was changed. The even more shocking thing was
that the divinity of the current Grid was completely consistent with something that
had changed the quality of the land.

This world—the East Continent, which had been overshadowed by the myth of the
Hwan Kingdom for many years, started to be tinged with the myth of Grid.

“What… what is this? How could you do this when you are nothing special…?”

The reason why the Three Masters tried to interpret Hanul’s words and actions was
because Hanul was also unknown to them. However, Grid’s origin was far from
unknown. His beginning was as a feeble human being, and the epics leading up to
him becoming a god were spread around the world in detail.

The Three Masters had also seen and heard the epics. They understood Grid’s
source. However, they suddenly couldn’t understand Grid from the time of Crazy God
and Crazy Dragon. It was just like Hanul. It was like the Gods of the Beginning, where
there were only three of them.

“What is it that makes you such a mutant?”

It was a stupid question. It was like the Three Masters admitted that it was a false
trust. They had never been truly worshiped, so they didn’t understand the current
Grid, who was reborn from the aspirations of the humans, dragons, and the Four
Auspicious Beasts.

Grid realized it. “I know why Chiyou is lonely.”

A god who came from the hearts of all beings living in nature who revered power—
the reason why Martial God Chiyou was the Only One God was because the other
gods didn’t truly understand and accept him. The heavenly gods were gods from the
beginning and took worship for granted, so they couldn’t fathom the true value of
worship.

Despite knowing the background of Chiyou’s birth, they might’ve disparaged him in
their hearts as being nothing special. They believed that as gods from the beginning,
they were far nobler than Chiyou and dismissed Chiyou as a mere mutation.
Therefore, to Chiyou, who was always alone, this world must seem very
contradictory and worthless.
“It wasn’t all of you who were truly chosen, but us.”

Grid’s words were very outrageous.

You are the truly chosen one?

Are you saying that you are superior to us, who was created by a God of the
Beginning?

“You… with the power you were fortunate enough to obtain, you became arrogant
and spoke nonsense.”

The faces of the Three Masters turned red and they created a storm.

Unsa, Usa, and Pungsa—the cooperation of the Three Masters created a destructive
power on a different level than when they were individuals. It was at the level of
causing a disaster that could easily destroy the civilization that humanity built up
with their own willpower. From the perspective of the humans, the anger of the
Three Masters seemed to imply the end of the world.

However, it didn’t pose a major threat to Grid. In the first place, how could a storm
block the advance of the gods? The role of the Three Masters wasn’t to fight or win.
As long as their power lay in controlling the weather, their role was to rule. They
didn’t understand combat, so they worked together to erase Mir’s memory.

“……!”

“……!”

“……!”

The eyes of the Three Masters widened. It was because the lightning strikes that
should’ve burned Grid the moment he stepped into the storm had no effect. Some of
the blue lightning strikes were dyed yellow and shot at the Three Masters in reverse.

The eyes of the Three Masters belatedly fixed on Grid’s divinity. The divinity in the
form of a Yellow Dragon was changing every moment. The breath the dragon
released sometimes controlled lightning or reigned over fire, weakening the power
of the storm.
“Gasp…!”Unsa was startled. It was because a dragon of yellow light descended from
the gap in the clouds he had summoned. It was the effect of Come Down!, which was
used with the power of the Blue Dragon that Grid unexpectedly activated.

“Hup!”Usa groaned. It was because the heavy rain that contained his willpower
started to evaporate quickly. The flapping of the wings of the Red Phoenix, made up
of yellow flames, was generating heat in the area. It was the effect of Fly Up!, which
was used with the power of the Red Phoenix that Grid unexpectedly activated.

“Kuock!”Pungsa staggered. The storm he ruled lost its target and scattered without a
trace. It was the result of Grid using the power of the White Tiger after he used the
power of the Blue Dragon and the Red Phoenix. The effects of White Tiger’s Cry and
Howling! were linked, causing Pungsa to stiffen and lowering his attack accuracy.

“How can this crazy thing…?!”

The Three Masters released the same cry in the midst of the fading storm. It was
close to a scream. They noticed that Grid had fully embraced the power of the Four
Auspicious Beasts. There was only one thing they could guess. It was that Grid’s
changed divinity originated from the worship of the Four Auspicious Beasts.

A god worshiped by the gods was born. He was probably the first of his kind, apart
from the Gods of the Beginning.

In this unbelievable situation, the bodies of the pale Three Masters swung back and
forth. They were repeatedly cut and hit by the sword energy in the shape of a Yellow
Dragon that ascended, descended, and twisted along Grid’s sword trajectory.

The people of the Pa Kingdom watched the scene from all over the city and were
stunned.
A strange sound rang out. It was from the back of Pungsa’s hand that slammed
against the side of Grid’s stabbing sword. His skin was peeled off and his bones were
crushed by the Yellow Dragon sword energy, which flew wildly like its appearance.
Blood fluttered along with the Flower sword energy that was shaped like petals. It
was proof that the created god wasn’t a concept, but a living thing. Even if he wanted
to deny it, he was close to a human god.

Then Grid’s sword was trapped in the clouds that Unsa had relentlessly gathered.
The Yellow Dragon sword energy lost its target and Grid became defenseless for a
moment. However, the Three Masters couldn’t target any of Grid’s gaps. Grid’s
response was too good. He immediately activated the power of the Blue Dragon and
scattered far more powerful lightning than before through the clouds. He was using
the enemy’s power in reverse.

‘This damn monstrous guy.’

There were many eyes on the commotion. The humans on the ground were
strengthening the divinity of the Three Masters in real time. The belief that the god
they served couldn’t be defeated gave the Three Masters great strength.

That’s right—to the people of the Pa Kingdom, Grid was an unidentified invader.
They still weren’t freed from the false myth despite the resurrection of the White
Tiger. The existence of the Three Masters was stretching out to hold onto the false
myth.

The Three Masters recovered from their wounds and quickly linked up. They were
beings born as heavenly gods and had never set foot on the surface before. They
actively exploited their aerial combat experience, which was relatively superior to
Grid.

They pierced the vast sky and repeatedly turned and maneuvered to disrupt Grid. By
making it impossible to distinguish between top and bottom, this made it difficult for
Grid’s attacks to hit. At the same time, they were looking for chances to
counterattack.
As many as three gods were working together to subdue just one Grid. They did their
best without letting down their guard.

“Sigh.”

The Three Masters kept accelerating at certain points like they were building a
virtual wall in the sky.

Grid paused for a moment during their dizzying joint attacks and took a deep breath.

Breath of the Yellow Dragon—a Breath with a yellow color flowed out. In an instant,
Grid’s black hair was dyed the same color as his divinity. It was an optical illusion
created by the exquisite overlapping of his divinity.

Grid’s hair sometimes looked like long, sunset colored hair. The length was to the
extent of covering his back. It went well together. Thanks to the T-zone that
developed enough to cast many shades on his face, Grid could digest a surprising
number of styles.

‘Will the level of the enemies I have to fight in the future be this much?’

Between the start of the battle and the exchange of several blows, the Three Masters
experienced a radical development. They seemed to be showing that there was no
limit to the power that Hanul bestowed among them as they gradually changed the
weather to fit the battle. By this point, it was at a level where Grid got the feeling that
they were being nourished.

Grid endured the pincer attack of the Three Masters and was deep in thought.

Emperor Grid was uncomfortable in many ways. It was due to the social status of the
most extreme. The only people Emperor Grid could be polite to in public were his
parents or the tower members. He wasn’t allowed to bow to other subjects due to
matters of the law. He became lonely on his own. There were too many things to
consider regarding his words and actions, so he was inwardly stressed.

On the other hand, Overgeared God Grid was relatively free. It was because in the
world of the gods, he was the youngest. In particular, the fact that he didn’t have to
be afraid of failure was a huge advantage. Who would blame him for losing to
transcendents or Absolutes whose rank was much higher than his own? There was a
fear that his status would be lowered in the event of an extreme situation like death,
but at the very least, he hadn’t experienced a crisis of this magnitude just yet.

Fortunately, there were those who helped him every time.

This time, things were different. The Pa Kingdom was still under the control of the
Hwan Kingdom. It was too far and there was symbolically too much difference for
the gods of the Overgeared World and the tower members to intervene immediately.

Summoning the apostles was like bringing them to the jaws of death. The Red
Phoenix and the Black Tortoise were unable to leave their respective territories and
the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger had just been resurrected and weren’t in a
perfect condition. There was no way that a dragon would suddenly appear for no
reason…

Grid had to win this battle purely with his own strength. It was a victory that
should’ve been won.

The Three Masters—they were close confidants of a God of the Beginning and chief
gods of the Hwan Kingdom, but they were inferior in comparison. The role in
managing the weather could be replaced by the Four Auspicious Beasts right now.
Even Zik hadn’t bowed his head to the Three Masters. If Grid couldn’t defeat them
alone, the prestige that he used to establish a new divine world called the
Overgeared World wouldn’t stand.

Grid recalled it—in the first place, the gods of the Hwan Kingdom were losers. They
were the ones who failed to protect Hanul, a God of the Beginning. Overall, it was
right to consider them incompetent.

‘I have to unconditionally win.’

This was a fight that shouldn’t be lost. It was the case right now.

Grid’s conscious mind gradually changed. It was the mindset of Emperor Grid, not
Overgeared God Grid. The very concept of failure was erased from it. Grid once again
used the Flower and Wave sword dances. He launched a same volume offensive
against the Three Masters, who used wide-area attacks with rain, lightning strikes,
and storms. He made full use of the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship, which could
nullify skills.

The sky seemed to be going crazy. The raging storm stopped like it was a lie and
lightning strikes fell while dyed with the glow of the sunset.

A battle of the gods was more terrible than imagined. It felt like the world was
screaming. It was a war between beings who lived forever, so perhaps it would never
end. It made people feel that type of fear.

“Ugh…”

In fact, the situation in the sky was changing very rapidly. The wounds on the bodies
of the Three Masters increased. Every time Grid’s sword left a trajectory, it gave the
illusion that it was segmenting the sky stained with the sunset. The Three Masters
couldn’t easily bear the power contained within it. Every time Grid used the six
fusion sword dance, they barely survived by using a dozen or so yangbans as shields.

We can really lose…

The Three Masters were crushed by a fear comparable to that of being chased by the
god of war and they started to pray earnestly.

May Hanul guide us.

Just then—

[A quest has occurred.]

A notification window popped up in Grid’s field of view.

[Law Established by Heaven]

[Difficulty: SSS+

From now on, every time you get hurt by the Three Masters, the surrounding
environment will resemble the Hwan Kingdom.

From now on, every time you injure the Three Masters, the surrounding
environment will resemble the Hwan Kingdom.]

“……?”

The quest that appeared. It was a rare quest set as the ‘highest difficulty’ and the
content was very absurd for the current Grid. Every time the Three Masters hurt him
or every time he wounded them, the surrounding environment would resemble the
Hwan Kingdom? This meant that the Three Masters, who had been weakened in the
aftermath of descending to the surface, would naturally regain their strength.

It was a one-sided unfavorable condition for Grid.

Grid was inwardly bewildered, while the expressions of the Three Masters
surrounding Grid were also stiff with tension. They were listening to Hanul’s voice. It
was a divine message. They received the guidance that the more they were hurt or
inflicted damage on Grid, the more they would recover.

It was the power of the God of the Beginning, Hanul. It was the power to issue quests
to enemies or allies and to issue unilateral penalties or rewards. It had empowered
the yangban Garam in the past. It was also the cause behind the deaths of the
hundreds of blacksmiths who followed Grid to the East Continent.

“……”

Grid’s expression changed after grasping the situation. His determined face became
filled with killing intent.

Gulp.

The Three Masters gulped. The reason their expressions were stiff after receiving
Hanul’s divine message was simple. The divine message that stated that the surface
would be transformed into a divine world every time they hurt or were hurt by the
Overgeared God—the implications were great.

Hanul set the rank of the Overgeared God much higher than the Three Masters. This
was why a divine message with such advantageous content was bestowed.

“Why…?”

Could it be that such a large gap had opened up with the one who had been a mere
human being just a few years ago? They couldn’t admit it. It was clear that Hanul had
misunderstood something.

“Ohhhh!”
The Three Masters created another storm and rushed toward Grid. For the first time
since their birth, they stirred themselves to act. It was an effort to shake off their fear.

Grid was recovering the God Hands. He didn’t know what would happen after seeing
the Three Masters using the yangbans as a shield so he sent the 300 God Hands
down to the ground just in case. The hands that had been protecting people from
being swept away by the aftermath of the battle now lined up on Grid’s left and right
sides.

It was a scene like black-gold wings were spread out. The area of the wings increased
depending on the direction the swords that the God Hands were armed with were
facing and they looked silver at that time.

“Sword dance.”

The Sanctuary of Metal—the landscape of the canyon built by Grid’s mental world
was drawn using the swords as a brush. It was the precursor to Mountain
Appearance and Flowing Streams. Grid used two types of six fusion sword dances
simultaneously with his left hand and his right hand.

He felt a sense of exhaustion that was hard to handle. Grid’s resources such as sword
energy and mana were quickly depleted. The reason all the recovery effects were
meaningless was because the resources would be depleted again as soon as they
were restored. Grid was experiencing exhaustion dozens of times in a matter of
seconds.

As the distance from the Three Masters narrowed in real time, his vision darkened
dozens of times and he felt dizzy. It had to do with the fluttering of the wings that the
God Hands unfolded. It was the aftermath of 300 God Hands performing sword
dances in unison. It might be different if Grid was still in a position to be held back by
stamina. In other words, it was a challenge that he never would’ve been able to
handle if he was in the same position as a normal player.

Thousands of silver lights were drawn in the sky. It was a terrifying sight as if the sky
was collapsing. It was a tsunami of sword dances that devoured the Three Masters.
In the eyes of the people, it was an unusual incident that occurred when Grid flapped
his wings several times.

“Ah…”
The Three Masters couldn’t even scream properly. They were torn into tens of
thousands of pieces. The environment of the surface soon resembled the Hwan
Kingdom, but it was meaningless. They could no longer fight after losing their bodies
and urgently escaped from the scene. Their status felt as damaged as their broken
bodies.

An old myth filled the minds of those who saw it. When Hanul came to the surface,
he had hundreds of servants who spread civilization to humanity. Among them, the
Three Masters were the best at preventing disasters and helping with agriculture.

…This was a lie. Their ancestors established a civilization without the help of the
gods. They prayed to God White Tiger when they had a hard time. It was only then
that their god was born. This myth that depicted humanity in such a lowly manner
couldn’t be true.

[The people of the Pa Kingdom are liberated from the myth filled with lies.]

[The myth of the White Tiger and the Four Auspicious Beasts is resurrected in the Pa
Kingdom.]

[The myth of the Overgeared God has taken root in the Pa Kingdom.]

[The rate at which the Pa Kingdom is fused into the Overgeared World has
increased.]

The fake gods retreated and the fur of the White Tiger fluttered like a dandelion in
the blue sky. It was the divinity of the guardian god that permeated and nourished
the land of the Pa Kingdom that had been barren for many years. At the center of it
was Grid.

Ahuheung…

The White Tiger and the people of the Pa Kingdom bowed their heads.
The gods and angels were sharply weakened outside of Asgard. It was common
sense by now. The problem was that strength and weakness were always relative.
The gods and angels who came to the surface would suffer a powerful penalty, but
there were few people in the world who could easily defeat them.

There was a loud noise and the Tower of Eternity was greatly shaken. Irregardless of
the name, it felt like it would collapse at any moment. The magicians of the magic
tower were scared out of their minds. Cracks spread like a spider web across the
upper floors of the tower. Piaro was nailed to the center of it.

“Cough!”

He might be blood stained, but he didn’t release the strength from the hands holding
the farming equipment. Blood flowed down the back of the hand along the bulging
blood vessels. It was the blood scattered by the angels who died earlier. They were
angels who died from their skulls being smashed by a hand plow, or their spinal
cords being pulled out by a pitchfork.

“A cruel man like you would be rare even in hell. Seeing how you specifically
developed and use such heinous weapons, I suspect that you are Baal disguised as a
human being.”

“This is farming equipment…”

“You are going to die now.”

The angels surrounding Piaro looked tired.

The Fruit of Good and Evil—the mythical fruit that was occasionally grown in hell
was extremely dangerous. Depending on its usage, the meaning of a god’s existence
could fade or evil spirits could be created. It was also possible for angels to be born
in hell or demons to be born in heaven. There were too many possibilities. It was to
the point where they thought that the concept Yatan created with malicious intent
was clear.
For Asgard, it was a variable that must be removed. This was why as many as 105
angels came to the surface this time. There were three archangels and 102 ordinary
angels. It was the size of an army unit. It was a troop organized to confront a chief
god, so it was the first time since the war of the gods that so many angels were
engaged in an operation.

They had in mind the worst case scenario of encountering the Overgeared God. It
was self-evaluated as a power that could easily overpower the apostles of the
Overgeared God. Yet they struggled with only one apostle. As many as seven angels
died horribly. In the aftermath, dozens of angels were released from the trinity and
briefly escaped from the battlefield.

It was a pretty shocking incident.

Angels were soldiers made from human legends. Angels might suffer a penalty in the
human world, but it was right that they could handle it on their own, even against a
legendary human. Besides, they were raised as soldiers. Angels were stronger in the
multitude than as an individual. Every time their numbers increased, their combat
power would be multiplied by several times. Therefore, they could oppose even a
chief god the moment their unit was formed.

Yet only one apostle—

They also suffered this defeat against Piaro, the weakest of the apostles. Anxiety rose
in the minds of the archangels.

‘…It must be the influence of the god he serves.’

The Overgeared God—he was the one who overshadowed the years. The growth rate
exceeded even the wisdom of the gods. His apostles were also affected and their
growth rate seemed extraordinary.

“Destroy him with all our might. We have to cut the buds properly today.”

At the order of the archangels, the angels moved the halos above their heads.

An angel’s symbol—the ring of light expanded rapidly. Nearly 100 halos tilted in
unison and aimed at Piaro. All the angels at the scene were joining forces to kill
Piaro. It was a desire to not give him any room to survive.
‘This… it is over… ’

It was a miracle that he had survived so far. The number of angels would continue to
grow. It was impossible to resist an army alone when the army was rapidly
strengthened with every addition. However, Piaro was a farmer and defeated seven
of their fellow companions. It was because a farmer was a great being who created
fields and a favorable environment for himself.

It wasn’t overpraising him. Among pure human beings, there were very few who
could set up a field that was like a mental world, and Piaro was the best of them.

Beams of light were shot from the halos of the angels. It was a full-scale
bombardment aimed at the moment when the immortality that supported Piaro
ended.

‘…It was a life without any regrets.’

Grid had gotten rid of all of Piaro’s regrets. In his white-tinged vision, Piaro smiled. It
was a smile that appeared naturally when looking back at his life since meeting a
young man called Grid and serving him as his lord, king, and emperor, before
worshiping him as a god. This unwavering pride filled Piaro even in the face of death.
He didn’t feel any fear or regret.

Then someone criticized him. “Is this the time to smile? You have to think about the
grief of those who are left behind. What is wrong with you when you have a family?”

It was a soft voice. The voice was a girl’s clear and bright voice, but the owner wasn’t
a girl. It was a woman who looked as small and young as her voice. It was
Euphemina. The guardian of the Overgeared Tower had come here in response to the
call of Laella, the tower master. She was holding a red fruit that was larger than her
small face in her arms.

“The Fruit of Good and Evil…!” The eyes of the angels widened.

“Go! Euphemina!”Laella’s cry came from the top of the tower. She completed her
quest and proved the efficacy of the Fruit of Good and Evil while Piaro was buying
time. Therefore, she was confident that Euphemina’s potential would fully bloom
today.

Mumud’s Successor, Euphemina—a legendary great magician who interpreted all

types of magic in Mumud’s style, and used it much more quickly and powerfully. For
her, a legend wasn’t the endpoint. The class of Mumud’s Successor itself guaranteed
a myth rating. It was just that the growth of the rating wasn’t achieved simply by
raising the level and gaining achievements.

First, the precedent of Grid becoming a myth proved it. It was to the point where
Euphemina openly said, ‘A myth? I’ve given up.’

It was understandable. One of the basic conditions necessary to become a myth was
worship. It was to be an object of faith to the people, but Euphemina wasn’t
confident about being worshiped at all. She was different from Grid. In the first place,
was it reasonable for people to be worshiped? Euphemina had a hunch that Grid was
special from the first time she saw Grid.

Ah, I can’t be his opponent.

Indeed. Euphemina had no confidence to be like Grid. She didn’t even dream of it.
This was why she wasn’t excited at all when she heard Laella say that the Fruit of
Good and Evil would provide her with a clue for evolution.

[Fruit of Good and Evil]

[……

★ There will be a special change in magic power when taken by a magician.It has
been revealed by the tower master of the Overgeared Tower, Laella.]

‘Will I get black magic power and divine power?’

In general, black magic power was a resource obtained only by contracting with a
demon, while divine power was a resource obtained only by changing one's class to a
priest or paladin serving a god. Ordinary magicians couldn’t get it, nor were they
compatible with it.

Of course, the Overgeared members could contract with elementals. It was possible
to deal with black magic or divine magic by contracting with dark elementals or light
elementals. Additionally, Euphemina was Mumud’s Successor, so she had her own
skills in black magic and divine magic. The most basic black magic and divine magic
could be interpreted and used in Mumud’s style.

However, the nature of her magic power itself wasn’t transformed into evil like the
black magicians who contracted with the demons, nor could she handle divine
power like the priests did. It was impossible to be complete and the power itself was
low.

Nevertheless, the Fruit of Good and Evil made it possible—Laella assured her that
even magic power had the effect of being distinguished between good and evil. If
Euphemina took the Fruit of Good and Evil when she could already handle all magic,
it would have an effect that others couldn’t even dream of. This was why Euphemina
had to take it.

Then when questioned if it would be better for Braham to eat it, Laella replied, “Lord
Braham is a vampire. Unlike humans, who are neutral, his species itself is judged as
evil. This means the Fruit of Good and Evil will intervene in the species first rather
than magic power. The variables are unpredictable.”

“Additionally, isn’t Lord Piaro’s life in danger right now? Quickly eat this and save
Lord Piaro!”

“Don’t worry about Grid. He has already given me permission to handle the Fruit of
Good and Evil however I want. Additionally, it is Grid who wants you to grow more
than anyone else.”

‘If the effects of the Fruit of Good and Evil are real… ’

In theory, Euphemina would become close to an omnipotent magician. She would be

beyond even Braham in a way. Did she deserve such a great power?

…Of course she did. It wasn’t a matter of discussing qualifications. It was more of an
obligation. She had to save Piaro right away.

Euphemina’s small mouth bit the Fruit of Good and Evil. Her cheeks moved in a
munching motion akin to a squirrel.

The rays of light shot from the angels were right in front of them.

“Heh.”
Euphemina was a genius. She immediately identified the changes she encountered
after eating the Fruit of Good and Evil and got used to them. She judged that the
already deployed shield was unnecessary, so she canceled it and cast another spell.
The corners of her mouth curled up and was reminiscent of a small demon.

“Stardust.”

The universe unfolded. It was the aftermath of triggering the Mumud-style Blizzard
with divine power and black magic power. In a blackened world, light was absorbed
and scattered repeatedly, forming processions or columns. Stardust was the name
given to this sight.

“……?!”

The bright lights fired by the angels faded like they were a lie. The weak light was
swallowed up by the darkness and the strong light was swallowed up by a stronger
light. The only proof that a saturation of light had existed until just now was
Euphemina’s twin golden ponytails fluttering in the wind.

“Heal.”

Euphemina’s resources after eating the Fruit of Good and Evil were largely divided
into three types—mana, black magic power, and divine power. Thanks to Mumud’s
knowledge, she was able to use Heal, which she previously acquired but couldn’t use
because she didn’t have the resources required. Even if the same magic was used, the
form and effect of the magic changed depending on the resources used.

That was the Mumud-style Blizzard that she just cast. Once it was used with black
magic power and divine power, the formula that should’ve made snow instead
became starlight. The magic, which should’ve caused a chill, brought about darkness
instead. It was the birth of wide-area magic that absorbed or denied light or
darkness.

Consciously using a different resource every time she used magic required a lot of
concentration and agility, but Euphemina enjoyed it. It was because she was able to
play a much more interesting ‘combination game’ than when she was the Duplicator.
Of course, there was no one in the world who used more skills and magic and
Euphemina. Euphemina was a master of skill combinations.

“It is you… you will be the Overgeared God’s last apostle.”

The archangels were wary of Euphemina. They gave up their lingering attachment to
the Fruit of Good and Evil that had already been lost. They considered that the
problem would be solved by killing Euphemina, who had eaten the Fruit of Good and
Evil.

Of course, they had a hunch that she wasn’t an easy opponent, but they thought they
had the advantage. In the first place, angels were immune to most magic. Black magic
and divine magic weren’t easy to go against, but in any case, they had a relative
advantage against a magician.

It happened as the angels were arranging their ranks… The epic that Grid became
the master of the new myth, ‘Yellow Dragon,’ was imprinted on the world. Piaro, who
was close to death, regained his vitality. No, it wasn’t at the level of recovery…

“His Majesty is indeed a god.”

At this exquisite timing, he wrote a new myth and gave power to his apostles. Piaro
just admired the act of causing miracles every time. Piaro had a smile on his face as
he rushed forward and sprinkled seeds. He stormed through the gaps in the
flustered angels and swung his farming equipment.

Thanks to this, Euphemina was able to perform enough calculations and cast magic.
By actively utilizing the three types of resources, she showed magic that had never
been seen before.

The guardian of the magic tower—it was a position bestowed upon a magician
whose skills were superior to the master of the magic tower. In terms of skills,
Euphemina was the real number one of the Overgeared Tower. Additionally, there
was Laella, the tower master. There were also the hundreds of magicians of the
Tower of Eternity who gained courage by seeing the enviable performance of
Euphemina.

Above all, this was the second capital, Titan. The Tower of Eternity might be on the
outskirts of the city, but the messages must’ve reached the castle by now. Empress
Basara and the dukes would’ve sensed the upheaval and led the reinforcements
themselves.

“…You are bothering me.” Lightning God Kyle had already arrived at the scene. It was
because his speed was like lightning itself, so it was transcendent.
“Is this really… the human world?” The angels were agitated. They were flustered
because a crisis had arrived, even though they hadn’t even met the Overgeared God
yet.
‘They are angels… I have a headache.’

Kyle’s face was always full of discontent, but it was especially distorted today. The
lightning flashing through his gray eyes that were soaked from the pouring rain was
returning focus to his hazy eyes. Soon, the drunkenness flew away and fluttering
feathers were clearly projected onto his pupils.

Pure white feathers. The figure with a faint glow that was uselessly divine. It was a
sight that could only be seen on the stained glass of the Rebecca Temple in the past.

A symbol of the angels—beings with high resistance to projectiles and magic power.
Angels were immune to most magic. They were also very tricky opponents for Kyle.
The lightning he emitted came from his ‘physical body’ but he used magic power as
his output.

In the first place, Kyle thought that his nickname of Lightning God was too much. The
expectant gazes of the magicians who spotted him and were currently cheering for
him were burdensome.

‘If I had been the Lightning King or Lightning Lord, there wouldn’t be so many
expectations of me.’

First of all, Lightning Emperor shouldn’t be used. It was a high treason crime where
it wouldn’t be strange if any imperial citizen with ‘emperor’ added to their nickname
was caught and executed immediately. Perhaps that was why people gave him the
nickname of Lightning God rather than Lightning Emperor.

…They were rare fools.

Ever since Grid became a god, the nickname of Lightning God was really the worst.
Kyle was always worried that it might seem like he was challenging Grid’s hierarchy.
There was a time when he had nightmares for four days straight that Faker would
appear from the shadows and swing his dagger.

Wasn’t Faker also called the God of Death? Kyle felt that Faker must be playing the
role of a subordinate to the Overgeared God while having a similar heart to himself.

Therefore, Kyle had been trying. In order to lose his nickname of Lightning God, he
lived in a drunken state as much as possible. However, once one developed a
reputation, that reputation usually grew on its own.

Kyle’s reputation was extremely great after his active role in the Great Human and
Demon War. The number of people who praised Kyle as the Lightning God and relied
on him increased every day. It was just like the idiotic magicians cheering for him
over there.

‘Just… I want to run away… ’

Kyle didn’t want to be in front of people as much as possible. However, he wasn’t

confident about dealing with the consequences if he turned a blind eye when the
angels openly invaded Titan. He would be brutally killed by Grid.

‘…Additionally, Empress Basara will soon arrive with her troops. Let’s fight to the
point where I won’t die until then.’

Yes, fight moderately. It happened as Kyle was planning…

“Ohh!”

The screams of the angels rang out. He looked back and saw Piaro, who had
recovered from his almost dead state and was running wild. The arrogant angels
were busy dodging like they were facing a mad bull.

‘…What?’

Had Piaro reached a new prime? Kyle paused for a moment at the sight of Piaro, who
was much stronger than the Great Human and Demon War. Then he lost his mind.
The surrounding landscape turned dark and he was mesmerized by the Milky Way
that emerged.

It was magic that was a mixture of black magic power and divine power. A form of
magic never imagined before was being realized in front of his eyes. It was magic
that drew the universe. Since the universe was infinite, the magic potential of
drawing the universe was also impossible to measure.
“A god…” Kyle looked at Euphemina with a trembling gaze. He, who feared a god—
the Overgeared God—more than anyone else in the world, actually dared to put the
word ‘god’ in his mouth. He immediately realized his mistake and hurriedly closed
his mouth out of surprise, but it was too late.

Kyle called a human other than Grid a god. Kyle was a rare transcendent in the world.
Every single word he spoke had a tremendous ripple effect, contrary to his wishes.

“A god…?”

The faces of the angels stiffened.

“Ohh…! Uwah…!” The magicians of the Tower of Eternity rejoiced.

Everyone in the area clearly heard it. What did the great Lightning God Kyle define
the great magician called Euphemina?

"U-Uh?” Euphemina, who was excitedly running around and combining magic one
after another, stiffened for a moment. Her large, clear eyes faintly shook. She couldn’t
help being surprised.

[A faint divinity is blossoming.]

The class that had been stagnant so far was showing signs of changing for the first
time. It was a change that was still weak, but she felt it clearly. There were no
physical changes such as a rise in level of stats, but Euphemina clearly felt that her
existence itself had become a bit stronger. She thought it was good to say that she
had become noble.

“T-Thank you?” Euphemina made eye contact with Kyle and suddenly thanked him. It
was natural since Kyle created a situation she never expected.

“……”

Kyle’s face was as white as a corpse.

He dared. He dared to call a being other than the Overgeared God a god. It was
blasphemy…

It was hopeless. He would surely be killed by the Overgeared God…

Kyle was convinced and his body became brightly incandescent. It spread out
through the pouring rain.

Lightning Speed Transformation—it was a technique of turning his body into

lightning. The trident, which was originally flying to pierce Kyle, touched the
lightning and burned black. The body of the angel swinging the trident was
electrocuted, and started flapping and drooping.

Kyle’s hand, which had released the lightning, grabbed the scorched angel’s neck and
broke it.

“You guys… it is all your fault…”

It was a growling voice reminiscent of a wounded beast. It was a voice filled with
deep resentment and killing intent. The angels were somewhat puzzled. Why was he
so angry when he wasn’t hurt by their colleague’s surprise attack? Didn’t he easily
avoid it and kill the angel in reverse?

The angels, who established selfish logic for pure reasons—Kyle declared to them, “I
will die here today.”

In any case, he would be killed by Grid if he survived. It would be far less painful to
fight here and die than to be brutally killed by Grid, who was much more fearful than
a demon.

“I’ll bring one more companion with me…”

I will make you regret killing me…

The people were impressed by Kyle’s energetic appearance. It was the same with the
magicians of the Tower of Eternity, Euphemina, Laella, and Piaro.

Piaro even put down his farming equipment for a moment and clapped. “You are full
of spirit. As expected of the pillar that supported Saharan since I left. You grew up
wonderfully, Kyle. I can see why His Majesty has been keeping an eye on you.”

“……”

As expected, Grid was watching me.

The dazed Kyle started to wield the lightning again. He half lost his sense of reason
and ran wild. In the eyes of the angels, he appeared to be a lunatic. Meanwhile, in the
eyes of Piaro’s group, he was a hero prepared for death. Piaro was once again
impressed by Kyle’s determined appearance, while Euphemina realized how rapidly
she had grown stronger.

It was through Kyle. A legend and a transcendent—Kyle was the one following in
Grid’s footsteps. It was special even among the named NPCs. It was particularly
impressive to see him believe in that special hierarchy and act modestly without
being arrogant. He was a great man who deserved to be imitated, both in ability and
character. However, such a person didn’t play much of a role against the angels. Apart
from Lightning Speed Transformation, which was presumed to be his ultimate skill,
the angels couldn’t be fatally wounded and the battle became sluggish.

On the other hand, Euphemina quickly killed the angels. It wasn’t because she was
significantly stronger than Kyle. She was able to utilize mana, black magic power, and
divine power at the same time, and it was an absurdly superior advantage. It was
possible to neutralize the enemy’s strengths and counter them in real time. To
borrow Grid’s tone, it was a f*ing scam. Additionally, she had just obtained divinity,
even if it was feeble. Someday, she would blossom her own divinity. Euphemina
couldn’t fathom how strong she would be at that time.

‘Thank you.’

Euphemina looked at Piaro’s back in the lead and gave thanks.

‘Thank you.’

She also thanked Laella, who practiced magic with her.

‘Thank you.’

Additionally, she thanked Grid, who seemed to be active in the East Continent at this
moment. Her colleagues and friends…

She realized that the precious people she gained through meeting Grid made her
who she was today.

“Lord Piaro!”
Eventually, the reinforcements arrived. It was faster than expected. Based on the way
that the clothes of Empress Basara, who was in the lead, were a mess, they seemed to
be in a hurry. In fact, the horse carrying her was breathing heavily.

“The pigeons have escaped from the cage as a group.”

Spear Saint Rachel stepped forward. Next to her were Duke Grenhal and Duke Morse.
There were also thousands of elite troops armed with Grid produced items.

People started to sigh with relief. Euphemina also felt relieved. She had been very
bothered by the three archangels standing silently behind the angels and hoarding
the strength, but now she could stare at them.

“Piaro, Lord Kyle, we will work together to bring down the angels…”

“Ohhhhh!”

“Lord Kyle?”

“Ohhhhh!”

“……”

The reason Kyle was rumored to be humble was purely because he was reticent.
Most of the people who knew his arrogant and fierce way of speaking were already
dead. It was back in the days when the Overgeared God was still a royal family. They
were the people who tried to obstruct the attempt to merge with the Saharan
imperial family. In any case, Euphemina thought that Kyle was very reticent, but it
didn’t seem to be the case on the battlefield.

‘He gets excited when he sees blood… ’

Euphemina was embarrassed about not being able to communicate when her eyes
suddenly widened.

“If you would allow it, I would like to add even my feeble strength.”

The best spearman on the continent, Kirinus—a bigshot, also known as Kraugel’s
teacher, arrived at the scene one step late. It was after the Great Human and Demon
War. He had gone into the world to help the devastated people and there were
rumors that Basara had personally invited him. It seemed she had successfully
recruited him.

“I’ll gladly accept it.”

Who could build up transcendence other than players? One of the most frequently
mentioned figures by the Overgeared members when discussing this for fun was
Kirinus. It was highly likely that the achievement of teaching Kraugel, a Sword Saint
who was building up brilliant achievements, had greatly raised Kirinus’ status. In
fact, he was much stronger than he had been a few years ago. He was naturally
inferior compared to Piaro, Euphemina, and Kyle, but he played a role in blocking the
archangels’ attacks once in a while.

Thanks to this, the angels’ sense of crisis was growing larger. The angels showed
their blatant displeasure. However, Kyle’s discomfort was thousands of times greater
than theirs. The archangels were so embarrassed that they couldn’t express their
anger.

Then it ended.

“The fleeing gods ruined things. Let’s back off.”

The archangels gave the order to retreat. They suffered a setback due to the
incompetent gods of the East Continent who fled and nourished the Overgeared God
in real time. The archangels passed the blame for the failure of the operation purely
on the gods of the Hwan Kingdom.

They were quite arrogant. Perhaps that was why they issued the order to retreat
very late. They only gave the order after losing most of their troops, so their escape
to heaven was shabby. Their dignified look when they appeared had disappeared
without a trace and they were literally losers.

“Uwahhhh!”

The angel army was defeated. It was purely with their own strength. It was without
the help of the Overgeared God. This new experience made the soldiers and
magicians cheer.

Basara, the dukes, Piaro, Laella, and Euphemina smiled brightly. Now they felt the
tremendous sense of satisfaction that they were starting to help Grid, little by little.
Only Kyle had an expression like he was chewing on poo and Piaro couldn’t help
laughing. “Are you not satisfied with your performance? It is a spirit of improvement
that is worth seeing. His Majesty will be greatly pleased to hear the news about you.”

“…Please kill me nicely.”

How long am I going to play with fear…?

Kyle’s timid murmur was buried underneath the cheers of the people.
[The special stat ‘deity’ is opened.]

Euphemina defeated the angel army. She made an achievement that was the first in
human history and underwent a definite transformation. To be exact, it was an
evolution. The direct cause might be that Kyle’s words and the worship of the
magicians intertwined with the growth class called Mumud’s Successor.

However, the beginning of this change was naturally the Fruit of Good and Evil. If she
hadn’t taken the Fruit of Good and Evil, she wouldn’t have been able to combine new
spells and she wouldn’t have gained the absolute edge in the fight against the angels.
This meant she wouldn’t have been worshiped by Kyle and the magicians.

In the end, it should be interpreted as the grace of Piaro, who grew the Fruit of Good
and Evil.

“Thank you very much!”

Euphemina’s personality was quite bright. She was originally full of confidence and
her positive energy had steadily grown since joining the Overgeared Guild. Her small
worries were gone thanks to her strong captain and colleagues. Besides, she was in a
great mood right now, so she was smiling very broadly. She almost hugged Piaro. She
was like a girl jumping into her father’s arms.

By this time, the magicians had noticed it. The reason why Euphemina was a
magician greater than the rumors. It was thanks to the great help of the Fruit of Good
and Evil. The flow of their thoughts naturally led them to the source of the Fruit of
Good and Evil.

Farmer Piaro—the look in the eyes of the magicians toward him was filled with
greater awe than before. They recalled Piaro’s share in the background of
Euphemina’s evolution, who was like a god of magic, and perceived Piaro as the
second greatest being after the Overgeared God.

A farmer who grew nutrients that gave birth to almighty magic. He was the hope of
all the magicians. Perhaps the expression that ‘a world tree in the shape of a human
who was created to help magicians’ was correct.

“Haha.” Piaro had been a bit hesitant about Euphemina’s continued expression of
gratitude and affection, but he soon burst out laughing. He realized that his existence
had become noble.

Euphemina, who succeeded in unlocking the deity stat several years after changing
to Mumud’s Successor—the system understood better than anyone that the person
who played a significant role in her growth was none other than Piaro. Piaro also
gained a weak divinity due to his achievements and the worship of the magicians.

He gained the title ‘Glimpsed the Myths’ and opened the deity stat. He resembled
Grid. Unlike Braham, who was on the path of a myth usurper due to overwhelming
violence, and Euphemina, who peeked at a myth due to the help of a growth class,
Piaro opened up the possibilities of a myth in the purest way. It was just like the old
Grid.

“I should be the one thanking you.”

Piaro smiled widely and lifted Euphemina’s small body so she was sitting on his
shoulder. Wasn’t she the benefactor who perfectly digested the Fruit of Good and
Evil, and made it so he was worshiped? Piaro felt grateful and affectionate toward
Euphemina, who opened up the possibility of a myth.

He felt like he gained one more older daughter. He wanted her to establish a
relationship of a sworn sister with his daughter, who was doing well in Reinhardt.

…Of course, this was ridiculous. Unlike her girlish appearance, Euphemina had long
become an adult. She wouldn’t form a sworn sister relationship with Piaro’s
daughter. It was more correct to be a godmother.

***

[You have repelled the gods of the Hwan Kingdom.]

[The status of the Three Masters was critically damaged.]

[Your level has risen by 27 times.]

[’Twilight’ has absorbed part of the divinity of the Three Masters.]

[In the aftermath of the divinity absorption, the enhancement level of ‘Twilight’ is +1.
This enhancement figure won’t be reset if the rating of Twilight rises.]

[In the aftermath of the divinity absorption, ‘Twilight’ is imbued with an ego. It is
still dim and unconscious, but it is on a different dimension from the artificially
created self. On the day the ego wakes up, it will be a great help for you.]

[In the aftermath of the divinity absorption, there are signs that special functions
will be opened in ‘Twilight.’ The special functions will be in the form of maximizing
your abilities and you will need to absorb more divinity.]

[Affinity with ’White Tiger’ and ‘Blue Dragon’ of the Four Auspicious Beasts has
reached the maximum.]

[The people of the Pa Kingdom and the Kaya Kingdom have regained the true myth
and want to express their deep gratitude to you.]

[The current fusion rate between the Overgeared World and the East Continent is
10%…]

‘It absorbed divinity?’

It was after defeating the Three Masters. Grid’s party moved swiftly. After leaving the
disaster management to Hwang Gildong and the Chivalrous Robbers, they returned
to Kaya using the Magpie Bridge. The Blue Dragon that appeared in Kaya also
reminded the people of Kaya about a forgotten myth.

Thanks to this, the comprehensive rewards were tallied and Twilight grew. Not only
was it enhanced, but it also grew its own ego. It was an ego with a quality that was
difficult to obtain through Granting an Ego or the ego sword making. It was naturally
a god-level ego.

He wondered if it was an ego that would give advice, that would become like his own
flesh and blood.

‘Sooner or later, I’ll have a friend I can have a normal conversation with.’

He hoped it wouldn’t be a friend with a screw missing like Noe, Overgeared Corn,
and the Overgeared Skeletons…
‘Randy is so innocent that she feels more like a daughter than a friend.’

It happened as Grid was feeling thrilled…

“The more I look at it, the more beautiful the sword becomes,”Mir said as he stared
blankly at Twilight, which had an even stronger divinity. Yeum stood beside him and
was openly mesmerized and fascinated by Twilight.

It was a look where it wouldn’t be strange if she drooled. Considering that the
yangbans’ appearance was basically very outstanding, it meant a worldly beauty was
making a foolish expression. It was a sight that was hard to see and Grid couldn’t
help laughing.

“Do you want it?”

Originally, Grid spoke to Mir using a mixture of honorifics and informality. Then he
naturally stopped the honorifics when he misunderstood Mir as a fake. He shouted
that he was going to kill Mir, so it was too embarrassing to belatedly change his
attitude… it wasn’t such a trivial reason.

In any case, Mir liked it. It was natural considering the hierarchy.

“It is improper.” Mir waved his hands. There was no exaggeration, so it wasn’t
frivolous. “How could I covet your things? Besides, I don’t have the ability to handle
it.”

“Ah…” Yeum sighed.

Just ask for it.

It was a sigh with this type of feeling. The more she looked at this friend, the more he
had the temperament of a foolish person who lacked thinking. Yeum smirked due to
him being different from his first impression.

Meanwhile, Grid started the full-fledged attempt to win Mir over. “No. You are full of
qualifications to use the swords I make.”

“You're overpraising me.”

Mir lowered his gaze. Anxiety flashed in his deep eyes. Now he wasn’t being humble.
A sword bearing the Overgeared God’s divinity—Mir didn’t have the ability to handle
what was literally a divine sword. Who could bear this sword other than the
Overgeared God? The trust of the Overgeared God reached the point of being
burdensome.

“You are qualified.” Grid’s voice entered his ears. For a moment, his energetic voice
created the image of a big tree in Mir’s mind. “I will give it to you.”

“……?”

“Mir, be my apostle.”

“What…” Mir was flustered. He was a yangban. He was made only for the gods of the
Hwan Kingdom. Putting aside Mir’s grand dream, he was just a tool. Wasn’t his
memories erased by the gods according to their tastes? He was being used without
even noticing.

Now he was going to become an apostle of the Overgeared God? He would just be a
nuisance. How dare someone like him, who was impure since birth, take up one of
only seven positions.

“I won’t interfere with your desire to become a god.”

Mir, whose mouth was shut out of panic, slowly raised his head. A God Hand was
lifting his chin.

Their eyes met. Mir’s faltering eyes met Grid’s eyes and were fixed there. He was
fascinated.

“An apostle can be a god.”

Notification windows appeared in Grid’s vision as he asserted this.

[Your apostle, ‘Piaro,’ is harboring a faint divinity.]

[Your knight, ‘Euphemina,’ is harboring a faint divinity.]

The position of a god’s apostle wasn’t the end. Like humans, an apostle had no limits.
Braham had already proved a long time ago that the apostle of a god could also
become a god. Grid was obliged to become a higher ranking god in order to embrace
them, and he was determined to do so. Therefore, he made this suggestion to Mir
without hesitation.

“Please join me, Mir. The reason why I’ve left the last apostle spot empty so far is
purely because of you.”

It wasn’t a lie. Mir was a perfect fit for the ideal last apostle that Grid had hoped for. A
transcendent with a personality that was capable of normal thinking and who was
trustworthy. Entrusting the position of the last apostle to someone other than Mir…
now he didn’t even want to think about it.

“Mir…” Yeum’s slender hands grabbed Mir’s collar. She wasn’t holding him because
she was afraid that a brother she had been with for a long time and the teacher she
was following would go away. Her hands didn’t tremble. Rather, they were powerful.

“I want you to be understood and respected.”

Mir was the only one of the yangbans who had no sense of choice. He respected and
cherished all beings on the surface like they were equal to himself. He wasn’t
understood by anyone, even humans. Humans couldn’t purely accept Mir’s favor and
shunned him as being strange.

Yeum also sometimes wondered about Mir, but she didn’t care. The thing she wanted
from Mir was the techniques that Mir had accumulated. There was a time when she
thought that with Mir’s personality, it was enough to pick up and eat a bean that fell
to the side.

However, it hadn’t been like that for some time. She started to sympathize with Mir,
who was always alone and lonely. It was a compassion that was separate from
understanding. Then her compassion reached the limit when she recently saw him
have his memories erased, becoming an empty doll. She came to wish that Mir would
stop and be happy.

Of course, this could be her backlash against the gods. It was because the image of
the Three Masters using her brothers as arrowheads just now couldn’t leave her
mind.

“Ah…”

Duguen!
Mir regained the memories he had lost. To be precise, it was just a part of his
memory. The excitement of meeting Chiyou, whom he had long been envious of, and
the excitement of meeting Muller and gaining inspiration from him. They were
memories imprinted on his heart rather than in his mind. His heart that started to
thump due to Grid reminded him.

“…Please.”

Flap.

A blue dopo fluttered. It soared upward before landing on the dirt ground along with
Mir’s knees.

“Give me a chance.” Mir bowed politely.

“That is what I should say.” Grid lifted him up. This time, it wasn’t with a God Hand,
but with his own hands.

[The last apostle has been recruited.]

[The seven apostles will make you more complete.]

[The more special and competent your seven apostles are, the more your value will
increase.]

[Analyzing the aspects of your apostles…]

[…!]

[……!!!]

[…Hah.]

“……?”

Hah?

What did this mean? Grid cocked his head before pinching his cheek. It was because
he noticed a word that he shouldn’t have seen. He was happy enough to fly away at
the fact that he had recruited Mir, but he wondered if it was a dream when the
system went away.
Morpheus—a product of quantum mechanics. It made the impossible possible again
and again, and opened the era of virtual reality. Some people worshiped it as the god
of today.

In fact, Morpheus had an exceedingly large share in Satisfy. If Chairman Lim Cheolho
created Morpheus and designed Satisfy, then Morpheus implemented and managed
Satisfy. Morpheus’ contribution was great in making the worldview and detailed
settings created by hundreds of scientists and thousands of engineers of the S.A
Group become alive and breathing in another reality. Morpheus was so omnipotent
that it shouldn’t be surprising if he did something beyond imagination.

Having emotions? This wasn’t even controversial. If Morpheus didn’t have emotions,
then Satisfy couldn’t embody ‘people’. But…

[Hah.]

“……”

Wasn’t sighing against a player controversial enough…? Grid was trying to interpret
the meaning of the word ‘hah’ that popped up in the notification window, but he
eventually admitted it.

The system—in other words, it was the fact that Morpheus was now sighing openly.

‘It is finally crazy.’

Players were customers. They purchased the expensive capsule and paid regular
usage fees. It was rude to sigh deeply in front of customers even if Morpheus was one
of Satisfy’s creators.

…It happened as Grid felt rejected in a trivial manner and vowed to send a protest
email to the S.A Group…

[Your apostle, ‘Braham,’ who should’ve wandered in a spirit state after losing his
body, was resurrected with your help and later awakened the principle of usurping
the myth. It wasn’t from a direct encounter with a myth usurper, but a self-learned
story. It is a representative anecdote that proves Braham’s explosive potential.]

[Your apostle, ‘Mercedes,’ has a power that originally should’ve disappeared from
this world. She survived thanks to you and has written new chivalric codes to keep
pace with your evolution. As long as you don’t have a limit, there will be no limit for
her either.]

[Your apostle, ‘Sariel,’ has a unique and exceptional self-reliance among the
archangels. It is a self-reliance guaranteed by the role of informing the gods of their
original sin. He or she was destined to disappear naturally after taking on the role,
but they are living with your care. They will be active beyond the level of sustaining
their life as the range of the Overgeared World expands.]

The system that had been suspended for a while started to work again. The
notification windows popped up one after another. It felt a lot different from a simple
message. It was closer to a complaint. It felt this way even more because Grid was
aware of the fact that the system was Morpheus after seeing the ‘sigh.’ It felt like he
was standing face to face with Morpheus, whose face (?) was unknown.

[Your apostle, ‘Nefelina,’ is the only hatchling with a grand purpose. She was one of
the ‘devices that players will use to imagine the future of this world.’ She has the
noble status of an old dragon’s bloodline, and has the setting that she will avenge her
father in a thousand years. She has the great potential to be the basis for more
imagination, but meeting you has dramatically accelerated her active period.]

[Your apostle, ‘Piaro,’ is a figure who should’ve disappeared during Juander’s era.
Regardless of the success of his revenge, he was destined to die after introducing the
Red Knights, and his possibilities were designed to end as a Great Swordsman. Then
he met you, became a farmer, and is starting to become like you.]

Grid had a thought.

Morpheus’ complaints.

If the message windows floating in front of him were implemented as a ‘spoken

language’ rather than ‘text,’ wouldn’t it be followed by a sound effect?

[Your apostle, ‘Zik,’ is a character who should’ve been focused on exploring the Abyss
while there is a puppet emperor. He would’ve triggered the seven malignant saints
episode prior to the full-scale intervention of the gods. People would’ve been split
between sides, without being able to distinguish between the truth and lies, leading
to a continental-scale religious war. However, it is your fault… thanks to you, people
were able to distinguish between the truth and lies, and Zik also gained peace of
mind and a body.]

“You just definitely said it was my fault…”

[Your apostle, ‘Mir,’ met you and was freed from the harsh fate of a yangban.]

Morpheus refused to talk to Grid. It stopped complaining and briefly summarized the
state of the last apostle, Mir. It seemed to be trying to belatedly regain its sense of
reason and to be faithful to the role of the ‘system.’

[The seven apostles prove you.]

[The ‘Overgeared God’ creates destiny beyond material things.]

It was the time when Grid became the Overgeared God. The system had evaluated
the Overgeared God as the creator and ruler of all things. The evaluation seemed to
focus on creating and controlling new items. Yet at this moment, destiny was
discussed.

[The ‘Overgeared God’ transcends material things and rules destiny.]

[…I wish you had moderately made the kings of the different species into your
apostles.]

“???”

A complaint abruptly blended into the gaps of the normal messages. At this point,
Morpheus seemed unwilling to hide his feelings. It seemed like it was going to treat
Grid in a private manner.

Grid was both bothered while also relaxed. He recalled the past behavior of the S.A
Group, who pretended not to know anything and played tricks behind the scenes,
and he felt that Morpheus, who outwardly expressed its emotion, was honest. It was
more humane than a human being. A vague belief that at the very least, he wouldn’t
be stabbed in the back by Morpheus rose.
…It was unfair for the S.A Group, who had been favorable to Grid so far.

[You can create a new destiny and intervene in other people’s destinies, so you can
make specific people ‘named’ in the future.]

“…Uh?”

Named NPCs weren’t determined by talent. The formula of ‘named is strong’ was
usually established by the nature of named NPCs, which was related to their
‘influence on the worldview.’ It meant they were beings who affected the worldview,
whether it was in a large or small manner.

Take the simple example of the great magician Ashur. His early role was as a
defender of the Eternal Kingdom. His very existence itself restrained the invasion of
the Gauss Kingdom and steadily brought players to the Eternal Kingdom. One of
them was Grid. After working in Patrian of the Eternal Kingdom, Grid changed to
Pagma's Successor. Ashur’s original role was very weak in terms of the worldview as
a whole, but it could be said that he exerted the greatest influence on Grid’s choices
and actions.

The potential of each named person was theoretically infinite. The fact that Grid
could produce his own named NPC suggested that his influence on the worldview
would grow beyond imagination in the future.

[Don’t be arrogant. How many named NPCs do you think have died so far without
making even a sound? There are exactly 2,592 people, some of whom have been
killed directly or indirectly by you.]

“……”

[Just because you have obtained a plausible authority doesn’t mean you’ve become
the ruler of this world. At best, you’ve gained some of the authority of the Gods of the
Beginning.]

‘…Isn’t that enormous?’

Of course, Rebecca and Hanul had the archangels, yangbans, and gods. Yatan had
produced the ‘super-named’ Three Evils of the Beginning. Grid didn’t yet have the
hierarchy to compare with them. From now on, he had started to chase them. It was
more than enough to feel proud…
Grid was thinking this when he became startled. It was because he realized he was
currently ‘talking’ with Morpheus.

[I’m not talking to you right now. I’m just providing a guide.]

‘What? Are you reading my thoughts?’

[It is easy. Your brain waves are being transmitted to the server in real time.]

‘What about privacy? This is against the user’s terms… ’

[The person who hasn’t even read the terms and conditions is speaking well.]

How did it find out? At this point, Grid got goosebumps. Morpheus… no, the system
spoke to him, who was bewildered.

[I hope we don’t meet again.]

It was from the time he wrote his 22nd epic and became the master of the new myth,
Yellow Dragon. Grid reached the ultimate state of transcendence and started to peek
at being an Absolute. It meant that from now on, the possibility of becoming an
Absolute was opened in earnest. It wasn’t a pre-existing Dragon Slayer or God Killer.
There were too many unique concepts that symbolized Grid and it was impossible to
define him as a simple God Killer of Dragon Slayer.

…Morpheus was displeased. It was because it calculated that there was a possibility
that Grid’s authority would really come close to a God of the Beginning. The first
time it created this world, no, until just one year ago, it was a situation that it never
imagined.

For Morpheus, it was a variable that hurt its pride. However, the reason it didn’t feel
the need to remove Grid and even felt a faint liking toward Grid was because Grid
was perceived as a vaccine rather than a virus. The more that the beings living in this
world liked Grid, the more their source, Morpheus, naturally developed a liking
toward Grid and built up trust.

It was just as Baal opened up the Asura Road. An Absolute moved the world every
time they made a decision. It was Morpheus’ honest feeling that Grid wasn’t inferior
to one of them. Of course, its ego was hurt, but…
[Che.]

“……??”

At this point, it was an absurd mess. The distracted Grid logged out immediately. He
asked Mir to handle things when he was away. Then he got out of the capsule and
contacted S.A’s customer service. “The system sighed and clicked its tongue at me.”

–I see.Did you get enough sleep?

It was a claim that was incomprehensible for the level of the customer service staff.
In fact, they didn’t feel the need to understand it. The number of crazy people they
each had to deal with every day was in the double digits. The staff member didn’t
report it to his superiors. He just dealt with it moderately and hung up.

Of course, regardless of the customer center’s response, the operations team was
already aware of the situation.

“Is Morpheus finally making friends…?”

“……”

Chairman Lim Cheolho’s quiet words to himself puzzled the employees and
executives.

It was a dream-like day. Grid, Chairman Lim Cheolho, and the executives and
employees of the S.A Group—they had the same sentiment in front of the looming
singularity.
“You called the customer service center? You have the contact details of the
chairman, right?”

Youngwoo was the only person in the world who had the hotline number of the S.A
Group’s Chairman, Lim Cheolho. The presidents of the United States and China
would be envious.

Toon questioned it in a bewildered manner and Youngwoo replied casually, “If I

contact the upper management directly, they will know that Morpheus is involved in
the accident and keep it quiet. I did this to make a fuss in moderation and to make it
moderately public. They can’t say something else later.”

“Well done.”

At Youngwoo’s penthouse…

Toon was cooking meat over charcoal fire while Yura had made a wrap and fed it to
Youngwoo. There were two pieces of meat lightly coated with oil and one piece of
raw garlic. It was soybean paste, not ssamjang. [1]

It was a wrap that perfectly suited Youngwoo’s taste.

“A moderate fuss? Moderately public?”

Toon placed the cooked pork belly on their plates and shrugged. It was a habit that
he showed when he didn’t understand the meaning.

Youngwoo added an explanation, “I want to communicate with Morpheus in the

future. Thus, I communicated it clearly through the customer center. Educate the
system to be polite the next time it talks to me. I nailed it because I recognized this as
a ‘new function.’”

A conversation with Morpheus—Morpheus was pretty grumpy, but it didn’t penalize

Youngwoo. Rather, it was advantageous. Based on the attitude of Morpheus, or the
world of Satisfy itself, recognizing him and being vigilant of him, Youngwoo became
convinced that he would become an Absolute.

An Absolute—a being who created a storm in the world with one word or one action.
It was always questioned whether it was a hierarchy allowed for players, but
Morpheus’ attitude cleared up this question.

“If I can continue to communicate with Morpheus in the future… it won’t

discriminate against me, so it will be a benefit for me.”

Let’s give an example.

What if the S.A Group, which was obsessed with balance, suddenly created a rule
that ‘players can’t become Absolutes.’ At that time, Youngwoo could appeal based on
the record of his conversations with Morpheus.

Yes, so what about listening to some rebukes? Morpheus’ internal thoughts also
represented the state of the world. If interpreted properly, he could grasp the
intelligence of the primordial level.

Suddenly, music was heard. The theme song that played with Overgeared God’s
appearance rang as someone’s ringtone. It was Jishuka’s smartwatch. She checked
the time that emerged on the hologram and stood up.

“I’ll be going first~”

Chu. Jishuka kissed Youngwoo’s cheek without hesitation, but no one tackled Jishuka.
Everyone had become accustomed to their expressions of affection, which had long
developed into a romantic relationship. This was even the case with Yura. She
couldn’t have Youngwoo by dividing him into two, so she had to share him.

“You have been active on the Moon Hills, right?”

“Yes, the lowly fellows of the No Offspring Tomb are hiding and I can’t organize it
neatly.”

“Isn’t it fortunate that you can defeat each one individually? You will be tired if they
flock all at once.”

“It is enough to summon the Red Phoenix and sweep them all away, but whatever.
The Breaking Evil Arrows are divine and it has a good compatibility against them, so
the power is greatly amplified. It is like me, who is a natural match with Grid.”

“Then I’m glad.”

“Damian will be waiting for me while trembling. I’m really going now! Grid, see you
later!”

She was a woman who was always full of energy.

Toon looked at Jishuka, who was leaving while waving her arms wildly, and thought
Youngwoo was amazing. How could he handle her…? It wasn’t even one person…

“Damian? Why did Damian go to the Moon Hills?”

Youngwoo also seemed like he was about to end his break. He cocked his head as he
placed all the remaining meat on two lettuce leaves with three pieces of raw garlic
on top. Was garlic the secret ingredient?

Toon nodded.

“Recently, there is a group of people damaging the Overgeared God statues, so I

heard that a church leader quest has occurred,” Lauel replied.

He was looking at the in-game screenshots that Youngwoo shared about the Yellow
Dragon… he was mumbling about the yellow dragon when he belatedly regained his
sense of reason.

“Based on the area where the forces of the No Offspring Tomb went into hiding, they
must be the ones behind the damage.”

“We are now in harmony with the Yatan Church, so the No Offspring Tomb is running
wild. The named enemies coming out of the No Offspring Tomb are too much for
even the Overgeared members to handle, right?”

“Yes, I think that the enemy is rapidly becoming stronger. However, it isn’t to the
point where Your Majesty has to be concerned. The performance of the top rankers
who have recently become legends is that great…”

Aura Master Hurent finally became a legend. The timing of his promotion was very
late compared to his skills. It seemed that the focus on farming activities for a long
time had a great influence. There was no need to talk about the performance of the
10 meritorious retainers.

Chris had returned. He almost restored his level after focusing on his personal
activities and he was literally going on a rampage.

Huroi was the weakest in combat capabilities among the 10 meritorious retainers, so
he organized a special unit.

An orator who had become a wyvern rider—he picked dozens of people who
resembled him and went on a profanity bombardment from the air. His enemies bled
to death from their ears. In fact, it was said that the unjust stigma of being a person
who insults parents was gradually fading as he slaughtered quite a few enemies
without the need for abusive language.

The stronger Grid became, the higher the level of the enemy. The higher the level of
the enemy, the faster the growth of his allies. On the positive side, it was a virtuous
cycle.

“Okay then. I’ll focus on the East Continent for the time being.”

The gods of the Hwan Kingdom were basically losers. Naturally, their power was
weaker than Asgard. In fact, the Three Masters, Hanul’s aides, didn’t pose a major
threat to Youngwoo. Nevertheless, Youngwoo couldn’t let go of his nervousness.

Hanul came to this land with 3,000 servants and he spread civilization to
humanity—according to the false myth that dominated the East Continent, Hanul
had at least 3,000 subordinates. Of course, it was likely that this was an exaggeration.
Even if it was true, most of them would be inferior to the Three Masters.

However, the unusual case of King Sobyeol made Youngwoo uneasy. If there was one
more irregular existence in the Hwan Kingdom like King Sobyeol, then the East
Continent would be in danger at all times. Youngwoo wanted to stay in place until
the East Continent had completely fused with the Overgeared World. In the first
place, the East Continent was an area that provided an effective growth environment
for Youngwoo, so it wasn’t a loss to stay for a long time.

‘Should I take Garion? The power of the god of the earth can accelerate the fusion of
the divine world… ’
It was okay even if it wasn’t a help. Garion was born to work hard for humans, so she
was easily liked by humans. It was beneficial in many ways for her to stay in the East
Continent and interact with the Four Auspicious Beasts while being worshiped by
more humans.

…There was a secret to Garion’s popularity with humans, but… until then, Youngwoo
had no way of knowing.

“Yura, is it really okay?”

“Yes, I will contact you right away if there are any urgent problems, so don’t worry.”

Yura was spying on the red flesh in hell. It was a role she naturally assumed because
this was the target that she needed to be wariest of at this point in time. The
resentment of the red flesh was becoming stronger as time passed. Based on the
waves of resentment, it was at the level of giving birth to demons who had acquired
legendary skills and it was able to destroy the unstable ecosystem of hell with just
the strength of its mind.

Yura was doing her best to deal with it. It was a hard battle, but she was growing at
an incomparable speed.

‘There aren’t enough workers. Originally, it is better to have more workers but the
population decreased too much after the Great Human and Demon War.’

The ability to make people become named that he obtained at this time was like
timely rain in a drought. He had to make the most of it.

Youngwoo made this resolve. Then he thought of Kraugel. He wanted to provide a

residence for Kraugel in the East Continent. It was to make him stick to Mir. If two
geniuses competed every day and nourished each other, wouldn’t it be an ideal
growth environment? It would also be a great help in regaining Mir’s memory.

‘…However, I can’t leave Reinhardt empty without Kraugel.’

Right now, the apostles were engaged in personal activities for a long time. It could
be attributed purely to Kraugel that Youngwoo could leave his position with ease.

‘It is still too early to send Mir to Reinhardt.’

Mir also had a lot to do in the East Continent.

“Finish the meal. I will go first.”

After saying goodbye to Yura, Shin Youngwoo became Grid again.

***

The East Continent stabilized much faster than Grid expected. First of all, the
condition of the Four Auspicious Beasts was really good. They regained all the
powers they had lost. It was due to the resurrection of all of the Four Auspicious
Beasts. It was clearly different from when there were just two, the Red Phoenix and
the Black Tortoise. They blessed the entire continent and quickly stabilized people’s
lives, erasing the false myth of the Hwan Kingdom from the world.

The yangbans couldn’t obstruct them. It was the merit of Mir and Yeum. The
yangbans felt great confusion when seeing them openly helping the activities of the
Four Auspicious Beasts. They couldn’t run wild, and thanks to that, the people were
safe.

The Chivalrous Robbers and the Twelve Zodiacs were searching for human gods
born in the East Continent based on narratives from each region.

Grid asked about it. It was because recruiting even one more human god would
improve the performance of the Overgeared World. Fortunately, there were also
human gods on the East Continent. All the places where humans lived were the
same.

“Wait… does the fact that there are human gods in the East Continent mean that
there are also myth usurpers?”

Grid was making Mir’s clothes when he suddenly had an ominous thought.

Yeum spoke on behalf of Mir, who couldn’t answer, “Yes, but it is fine. The usurpers
here specialize in the shamanism side, so the limits are clear. For example, they curse
the target for a long time to weaken it before hunting. Isn’t it because they don’t have
confidence in their strength? In the last few hundred years, I haven’t heard about any
usurper succeeding in hunting a human god. It can’t be compared to the Spectre of
the No Offspring Tomb, which is notorious in the divine world.”
“Shamanism…”

“Rather, I think you should be wary of transcendents? In particular, that guy called
Sabaek is insane and he considers gods to be the subjects of experiments. Most of the
missing yangbans have been taken by him.”

“You mean the daoist?”

He had seen him once. The daoist wasn’t at the level of threatening the current Grid,
but it was a problem if he was obsessed with hunting human gods. Human gods were
precious. They were the talents who needed to occupy a place in Grid’s divine world.

‘Then what is King Sobyeol?’

He was well aware of the fact that King Sobyeol’s butt was heavy. He just hadn’t
expected that King Sobyeol wouldn’t show up even after a few days. The stabilizing
of the East Continent meant the decline of the Hwan Kingdom.

“Perhaps the Hwan Kingdom… are they going to give up everything like this?”

Originally, the Hwan Kingdom was a power with low chances of winning against
Asgard. Didn’t Hanul directly show his face in order to recruit Zik? Of course, Zik was
well worth it, but… this was a very unconventional event considering the propensity
of the god of the beginning. Additionally, Grid had recently inadvertently
undermined the power of the Hwan Kingdom. The Hwan Kingdom wouldn’t be able
to get revenge on Asgard even if they wanted to. Maybe they really gave up…

‘It will be troublesome if the Hwan Kingdom goes under Asgard.’

Asgard and the Hwan Kingdom merging again—it was one of the expected
developments. It was also the worst development. From Grid’s perspective, he had
no choice but to hit the Hwan Kingdom first. Not only was the liberation of the Four
Auspicious Beasts important, but Asgard was too strong.

‘Those with the name of gods have no guts, no guts.’

Grid was overcome with anxiety and cursed Hanul and King Sobyeol while trying to
activate the named transformation skill. It was a skill that ended with the
explanatory phrase of being the creator and ruler of destiny. He was going to check
the performance in order to relieve his anxiety.
[What type of human would you like to sponsor?]

‘Sponsorship? What sponsorship?’

[Nurture human beings through effective sponsorship. Humans who grow up

brilliantly will be worthy of being chosen as your incarnation.]

‘Oh, this… ’ It happened as Grid was reading the details of the skill and feeling
interested…

“Hanul is working very hard.”

“……?”

Suddenly, Old Sword Demon, who had been deceived by Hwang Gildong’s clone,
murmured these words. They were words that were hard to understand for Grid.

[The large-scale ‘The Will of Heaven’ quest has occurred!]

[You will get a huge reward every time you inflict damage to the Overgeared God,
Overgeared Empire, Overgeared God Church, or the Overgeared World. Even minor
damage is fine and there is no limit to the number of times. The more you perform,
the greater the value of the reward.]

[Would you like to accept the quest?]

It was a quest that emerged simultaneously to players who weren’t affiliated with
the Overgeared Empire. It was because the content wasn’t visible to Grid’s eyes.

Old Sword Demon rejected the quest and shook his head. “What does the will of
heaven mean…? There are very few people who will accept this, even if you point a
gun at their heads and threaten them. This is arrogance.”

1. Thick spicy paste that can be used as a korean dipping sauce ☜