Overgeared Vol 33 [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

템빨

The blood of the imperial family was immortal. It didn’t lose the red energy despite being diluted from being split up again and again. There was one of the reasons why the founder of the empire, Saharan, was worshipped as a divine being He built up a millennial empire and left an immutable lineage. The empire recorded it as a myth, not history. He was the founding god. “Saharan… Haicyen Saharan?” Lauel doubted his eyes. The tall man in antique clothes—Lauel was terribly familiar with this face, as well as the name. It was a face that had been seen many times in paintings and statues, or heard in oral traditions. The words ‘imperial summoning circle’ passed through Lauel’s astonished mind. It was a magic that had been handed down from generation to generation and only the emperor had the authority to invoke it. Basara explained that it was a last resort to save the empire in crisis. “You dare to put this emperor’s name in your mouth. It is a very distant future, but the original laws and regulations have collapsed.” The last doubts were lifted. Even before the dukes sent him a hint, Lauel immediately knelt down and bowed his head. “I greet the founder of the great empire.” “I should be the great founder of the empire.” Saharan’s long red hair fluttered as he started to move. It was as if flames were swaying. The intense colors made him realize the flow of time. This red hair was a color that the current imperial family didn’t have. “Were you… resurrected?” Lauel had many questions. Before asking several questions, he pointed out the most important one. Saharan smiled as he approached the window. “You are asking a question of this

emperor. You have already committed three sins. I’m glad that the twisted old ones didn’t come together with me. They would’ve caused a disturbance to kill you immediately. You should be grateful that this place is different from the world I live in.” “………” Lauel’s eyes twitched. He noticed something based on Saharan’s remarks. The breath Saharan exhaled wasn’t an illusion. “You noticed it pretty quickly. Yes, this emperor isn’t resurrected. This emperor is already dead in the history that you know, but it is a future that hasn’t yet arrived for this emperor.” It was the moment when the identity of the summoning ceremony was revealed. “From your point of view, this emperor is a man from the past.” Saharan’s gaze was fixed only on the window. “Unlike the fallen capital, this place has achieved a brilliant civilization.” “Your Majesty…! It is purely because Titan was drawn into the war…!” Duke Morse couldn’t bear it and cried out. Until the Great Human and Demon War, Titan was still the continent’s largest city. Your descendants have ensured that the empire has flourished well. This was what he wanted to say, but his words were interrupted along the way. It was by Duke Grenhal. “I have committed a sin worthy of death.” Grenhal had no excuses. Regardless of the reason, the empire had reached the stage of discussing a merger with the Overgeared Kingdom. There was no refuting the founder’s assessment that they had fallen. “This emperor had a thought when I saw the pathetic appearance of the capital. Even if this empire united the continent, the empire can’t last forever. It is this emperor, not the empire, who is great. However, it is a separate matter to actually accept it.” Saharan sat down in the highest ranked seat. It was in a very natural manner. He

didn’t ask for permission or understanding. Even so, Lauel didn’t find it unpleasant. Haicyen Saharan was one of the greatest figures in history. Just like the dukes, Lauel also felt respect for him. Saharan nodded to Lauel, who was standing politely. “Sit down.” “Thank you for your consideration.” “The empress of this age told me this. A nation called the Overgeared Kingdom helped the empire in the crisis.” “It was possible because all the allied nations, including the empire, joined forces.” “Your humbleness is fine. I understood the post-war situation and came here. This emperor just wanted to check. What type of nation would be better than the empire? However… it is quite a disappointment.” Saharan’s gaze became provocative. “There is no center in the kingdom.” “………” “The soldiers and knights of your kingdom are very strong. Your discerning eye pierces the sky and I think you use your brain quite well, but that is it. On the way here, I looked around various territories, but there are no unrivaled talents strong enough to support the kingdom. What makes the empire of this time want to be absorbed into your kingdom when there is no one better than these two traitors? Is it money?” Saharan’s eyes were sharp as he pointed out the dukes as traitors. “The empire might not be eternal, but I can’t just watch as it is sold by a small number of traitors. This emperor is feeling my fate. This emperor was summoned to this era. I wonder if it is a miracle achieved by the wishes of my descendants, hoping to correct the empire that has gone the wrong way.” Lauel looked at the dukes. He gave them a reproaching look, as if asking why they didn’t know anything.

Did you foresee such a situation? Duke Grenhal quietly handed over a note. In fact, we thought that Her Majesty’s summoning ceremony had failed. As it turned out, there was a time difference before it was triggered. We didn’t know this and were discussing the merger with the Overgeared Kingdom when the founder came. From then on, he was convinced we are traitors and won’t listen to anything we say. It briefly described how the situation reached this point. “Do you want to devour the empire? Then endure this emperor’s attack. If you can’t stand it, then the city will perish today,” Saharan said while touching the sword. It was a blatant threat. Lauel sighed deeply. He thought it would be hard to avoid bloodshed due to the flow of the story. ‘I wanted to respect you, but… ’ I think you need to be hit a few times… Lauel’s expression was bittersweet as he looked at Saharan. *** The main focus of the Overgeared Kingdom was currently scattered between the Galgunos Temple, the Chaos Mountain, hell, and Cokro Island. Most people were focused on growth while transcendent beings like Braham and Zik provided support to reduce the number of casualties in the Hell Gao raid. At Grid’s smithy… “Saharan?” Lauel’s urgent explanation excited Grid. “The founder of the empire came through a time machine?” “Roughly… that’s right.”

“He doesn’t want the empire to be absorbed into the Overgeared Kingdom?” “Yes, it is a matter of pride.” “I understand. I would’ve had the same reaction if I was him.” If he visited the Overgeared Kingdom in the future only to hear that it would be absorbed by a kingdom he had never heard of… Grid would be burning with anger. He would naturally want to stop it. ‘I really want to meet him soon.’ Grid opened his inventory. Saharan was one of the most important figures in the history of the West Continent. He was the first man to establish an empire. He wanted to have the minimum courtesy when meeting him. He wanted to pick one of his formal clothing to wear, but… “Are you a proxy swordsman?” Saharan suddenly came to visit before Grid could even change clothes. He couldn’t imagine that Grid was the king. It meant that the king of the Overgeared Kingdom was a blacksmith. It was natural. Saharan had no trust in the dukes who accompanied him. He was certain that Lauel had bribed them. This was why they were plotting to sell the empire. This emperor would punish them. “Divinity…? I see. There was something to believe in.” Saharan observed Grid and belatedly noticed. “A kingdom that serves a human god as a guardian god. It is fully understandable why it is strong compared to the level.” Saharan came from a long time in the past. He lived in a time where there were more kingdoms and minorities on the continent. Some of them served human gods. It was based on efficiency. Unlike the gods who stayed in Asgard, the human gods were real and by their side. Thus, they could receive direct help. It was like the current Overgeared Kingdom. “It is a kingdom without a future.”

Saharan suddenly evaluated it. It was a tone like he was explaining to Grenhal and Morse. “Human gods are different from the gods in heaven. They have elements that transcend humans, but they aren’t omnipotent. They are weak enough to be threatened by humans. Even if they survive tenaciously, they will eventually receive divine punishment and be destroyed. If the empire is absorbed by this kingdom, it will become the target of divine punishment together.” Saharan established an empire by conquering many kingdoms and ethnic minorities. It meant he had a lot of experience fighting and winning against guardian gods. At first, he relied heavily on the power of his comrade called Zikfrector, but he grew up before he knew it and wasn’t afraid of human gods. “Come. I will remove you, the main culprit of this situation, and guide my stupid descendants to the right path,” Saharan informed them before going to the vacant lot first. He stood against a large furnace that was like a fortress, but he ignored it as he pulled out his sword. ‘Saharan’s Sword.’ It was the same weapon that Zik used. There was no special energy in the sword, but this made sense. It was only in his later years that Haicyen Saharan injected red energy into the sword at the expense of his life. ‘He is really an existence from the past.’ All types of things wrapped around Grid’s body as he followed after Saharan. They were the defense battle gears that Grid had made so far. Only the armor was Khan’s work. “Um…”Saharan noticed that Grid’s armaments were unusual and gulped. Honestly, he was intimidated for a moment, but he didn’t show it. He had no intention of backing down. The reason why the evaluation of the Overgeared Kingdom was higher than necessary was purely due to this human god. It meant the order would be corrected as long as he got rid of this human god. “Come.” A red wave rose from Saharan’s body as he adjusted his breathing. It was red

energy. It was a force that showed different aspects depending on the individual’s competence and inclination, but the fact that it responded to all things was the same. The ‘source’ of that absolute power, that was embodied in a person of the past, responded even in the future and turned all of Reinhardt red. ‘Maybe the present Saharan doesn’t exist in Asgard.’ Grid thought about it. Saharan—a being who made the greatest achievements in history before dying. At the very least, the imperial people would’ve worshipped him as a divine being for a long time. Grid thought it wouldn’t be strange if he became one of the gods staying in Asgard. ‘Of course, the probability of him becoming an angel is higher.’ There was no guarantee that the gods of Asgard would respect Saharan. It was more likely that they simply turned him into an angel. It was a bitter thing. A world where humans weren’t respected… indeed, this world should be corrected. “In order to have a conversation, we should exchange blows first. I won’t refuse.” Grid pulled out Gujel’s Dao. He naturally had no intention of yielding. He used Transcend and then Link. “………!” Saharan raised his thick eyebrows and responded immediately. He hastily swung his sword and intercepted the baptism of flying sword energies. Then he rushed straight forward despite the wounds. It was because he felt an invisible wave rising up from under his feet. This was the power of Darkness Sword. There was a 30% chance of an additional attack occurring when Grid attacked. This fraudulent skill that was rising from the blind spots in his vision was forcing Saharan’s movement. “………?!” Saharan succeeded in narrowing the distance to Grid and twisted his waist just before attempting a counterattack. It was because a chill went down his spine. Grid,

who was swinging an empty hand, was caught in his vision. The invisible Gujel’s Dao appeared again only after grazing past Saharan’s collar. Grid sincerely admired it. “You are great.” The timing of the stealth of Gujel’s Dao couldn’t even be caught by Grid himself. From the opponent’s point of view, it suddenly disappeared, but Saharan reacted to it. It was right to call him transcendent as he avoided Darkness Sword as well. Saharan was a great talent. “…It is better to merge.” Saharan looked at the purely admiring Grid and put away his sword. It was an attitude of admitting defeat. Then tears suddenly fell down. ‘How angry must he be about losing…?’ It happened when Lauel and the dukes were flustered by the founder’s desire to win… “Glad… I’m glad. My descendants have kept their promise,” Saharan spoke as he looked up at the sky. The figure of Zik, who recovered his body, filled Saharan’s vision.

Haicyen Saharan—he was from the bloodline of a destroyed kingdom and was the incarnation of revenge. He devoted his life to punishing the kingdoms that persecuted his kingdom from generation to generation, and eventually destroyed it. This was the background of the birth of the first empire in history. The empire was close to a symbol that proved the success of Haicyen’s revenge. “If one of my descendants breaks their promise… prove your qualifications and rights with this sword and directly ascend to the throne. Turn the empire into yours in the long-term to achieve your desire. Definitely… be sure to regain your body…” Zik recalled the end of Saharan. Having lost his passion since becoming the emperor, he chose annihilation rather than corruption. He poured his Origin True Energy into the sword that symbolized himself and fell into an eternal sleep. His last will was left only for Zik. He seemed to have no nostalgia for the empire he devoted his life to, and actually handed it over to Zik. Zik had no choice but to misunderstand Saharan. He interpreted it as Saharan abandoning the empire after achieving his purpose. This was why Zik endured for hundreds of years while watching the descendants turn away from the promise and forget about him. Zik pitied Saharan’s descendants. However, his feelings became dull due to the Curse of Sloth and he didn’t realize this. Yes, his emotions were dull. Therefore, he didn’t recognize it—how warm Saharan’s eyes were. “………” Zik’s hasty return from Cokro Island was because he felt Saharan’s energy. He felt it naturally because the source of red energy in Saharan’s Sword responded to the same source. Zik was angry. He thought about his deal with Saharan. “Make me the emperor. In return, I will help you with your resurrection.”

Zik kept his promise. On the other hand, Saharan left his promise to the future generations. It was because at that time, it was impossible to keep the promise in that environment. Zik had no choice but to accept it. He let Saharan go smoothly. Then what about now? Saharan had returned. It meant he arranged his own resurrection, while failing to keep his promise with Zik. “…I was only recently resurrected. I even got rid of the curse.” Zik slowly descended and became eye level with Saharan. It was just like when they went to the battlefield together. Zik’s anger melted away like snow. The misunderstanding was resolved when he saw Saharan’s youthful appearance. ‘It isn’t a resurrection. I can see why the flow of red energy is so strange.’ The Saharan in front of him was a being of the past, not the second coming of a ghost. It was estimated to be around the time when Saharan had just risen to the throne. ‘At this time, Saharan was so strong that he didn’t need my help.’ Even though he placed Zik by his side, he somehow tried to keep his promise to the end. Zik could see facts that he didn’t know in the past… “My dull emotions have also been fully restored,” Zik’s voice trembled slightly as he described it. A bright smile spread on Saharan’s face when he felt it. He was still tearful and rejoiced as if Zik’s resurrection was his work. Zik realized it—the reason why Saharan chose to die wasn’t because he lost his passion. In order to keep the promise, he devised a way to fully preserve his power so he could help Zik at any time. “…You were also my friend.” These were Zik’s words. “Ugh.” It caused Saharan to be unable to speak. The appearance of him covering his face with a big hand because he couldn’t handle the pouring tears was pure and didn’t match his fierce appearance that was like a flame. “Thank you.” Zik just gave thanks.

Your descendants broke the promise… Such truths weren’t conveyed. It wasn’t just for Saharan’s sake. Zik didn’t want the past to change. If he told the truth, Saharan would never end his life. It was clear that he would endure for hundreds of years in order to keep his promise. It meant that the past would change dramatically. No one knew how the present would be affected by the change. Therefore, Zik concealed the truth. Saharan’s red energy, which was filling all of Reinhardt, started to disperse. Red petals seemed to flutter. In the pouring petals, Saharan’s gaze turned to Zik’s sword. He noticed his fate based on the sword that contained his power. ‘As expected, I chose death on my own.’ He wasn’t ashamed or afraid. The great conqueror—Saharan, the only existence in the world, was very proud of himself. He was proud of his future self, who tried to keep his promise even if it meant committing suicide. “The willpower of this era is pushing me out. I think I have to leave now.” “…Goodbye.” “Yes.” Saharan nodded and whispered to Zik, “It might be a shameless request, but I hope you look at the kindness of my descendants, who kept the promise, and protect the empire. I can feel that the human god is trying to swallow the empire by force, but I can’t handle him.” “It isn’t about taking it with force.” “………?” “It is purely the free will of the empire and other nations to become subordinates of the Overgeared God. There is no coercion.” “Hah…” Saharan doubted his ears. Zik was one of the seven malignant saints. He was one of those who fought a war against heaven. He distrusted and hated the gods. Saharan was forced to notice this when he founded the empire and sought the blessing of the goddess.

That’s right. Zik hated even one of the first gods and the creator, Goddess Rebecca. Yet now he was saying favorable things about a human god. It was hard to believe. “There is actually a god you respect and appreciate…” “Don’t misunderstand. I don’t dare to evaluate him.” “…What is this? Who is he that makes you go so far?” “He is my only god.” “………” Then a magic earthquake occurred behind Saharan and a portal was opened. It was a bizarrely small portal that was connected to the past. A presence that the current timeline didn’t allow—in other words, it exerted its strength against Saharan. Saharan’s gaze was stuck to Grid as he was slowly sucked into the portal. His eyes had changed greatly. “Thank you.” Saharan would’ve noticed through Zik’s attitude who truly resurrected Zik. The great conqueror was wise. “The moment I go back in time, everything I’ve experienced here will be forgotten… it was nice to be happy for a while. Please…” Please take care of my friend… Unfortunately, Saharan couldn’t continue to talk. Time didn’t allow it. Even so, his heart was surely conveyed. This was why his willpower left a mark. [The title, ‘One who was Acknowledged by the Founder,’ has been acquired.] [One who was Acknowledged by the Founder] [The founder of the empire, Haicyen Saharan, acknowledges and supports you. ★ Easily discover the legacy of the Saharan Empire buried all over the continent. ★ The probability of discovering resources like mines in the Saharan Empire has

increased significantly. ★ The effect of the dignity stat is doubled when used against the imperial family and nobles of the Saharan Empire.] “………” Players must go on adventures in order to develop. It was hard to get new encounters or quests when staying in one place. Yet recently, new connections and stories came to Grid on their own. Biban, the king of the dark elves, the halfdraconian lord, and Haicyen Saharan were some examples. It was the power of strength and reputation. Now a lot of the story flowed through Grid with him as the core. The rewards for his long-time efforts were belatedly coming to him. Could he take a day off today? “…Let’s have a drink.” “It is an honor.” My only god. Grid was very happy as he realized what type of existence he was to Zik. He sincerely wanted to live up to Zik’s expectations. It was the same for Zik. The two people were strongly drawn to each other. ‘No… the Hell Gao raid will begin in a few minutes… ’ Lauel couldn’t say anything. It was a fact that people often got wrong, but Lauel’s top priority was Grid, not the Overgeared Kingdom. Everything he sacrificed for the Overgeared Kingdom was just a stepping stone for Grid. This meant it was hard for him to break Grid’s excitement. *** Cokro Island’s dungeon was filled with people. The capacity was at the limit. The group was gathered for the Hell Gao raid that would take place a short time later. It was only a small amount of money, even if a mythical item dropped. The Overgeared Kingdom had promised to distribute the items dropped by Hell Gao fairly to all participants.

“Won’t Hell Gao melt as long as all these people hit him once?” There was no sense of tension in the expressions of those whispering to each other. They developed in the Great Human and Demon War and their self-confidence increased. However, the high rankers were nervous. It was the influence of predicting the difficulty in the process of getting familiar with the Hell Gao strategy distributed by the Overgeared Guild. ‘It is an unbelievably powerful pattern for someone who has lost his body to Muller and was sealed. Is the seal weakening? I feel he is stronger than the early rumors.’ The high rankers took deep breaths to relieve their tension. They had something to believe in. The heroes of the Great Human and Demon War including Piaro, Braham, and Zik, and the top powers of the Overgeared Guild were helping in the raid. At the very least, they wouldn’t die if they followed the instructions well. ‘Yes, as long as we don’t die… ’ The first purpose of those participating in the Hell Gao raid was to get the title that eliminated the hell penalties. It was fatal to die in the raid because it delayed the opportunity to get a title. They wanted to hunt in hell as soon as possible. That’s right. The players were very passionate about going to hell. For the sake of the future of humanity and revenge for the Great Human and Demon War. There were many elements that motivated them. “It is in one minute’s time!” Vantner’s cry rang out loudly. He deployed a wide-area shield in preparation for the air strikes that would occur with Hell Gao’s appearance and looked very cool. He built thousands of shields alone and was the peak of a guardian knight. There were many rumors criticizing Vantner for investing all his stat points in strength, but now they were convinced it was just false rumors. “What?! Zik has disappeared?” The commotion had subsided due to Vantner’s call that it would start in a minute started up again at these words. Additionally, his voice was so loud. This caused his voice to echo through every corner of the dungeon. It was enough to dampen people’s morale. “There is no Zik?”

“Isn’t Zik the next strongest in the Overgeared Guild after Grid and Braham?” “I think he is better than Braham…” “What is this? What is going on?” It happened as there was a lot of confusion… “It’s fine. We are enough to protect you.” Jishuka, one of the rankers with the biggest growth in the Great Human and Demon War, came forward with the vestige of the red phoenix behind her. The moment some of Hell Gao’s wide-attack attacks pierced part of Vantner’s shields, they were intercepted by her arrows and destroyed. Additionally, the group of 50 cavalrymen led by Pon broke through the wall of fire and drew Hell Gao’s attention. This allowed the raid participants to glimpse the gap between them. They poured attacks toward Hell Gao. Braham and Piaro didn’t go out much. They just found people likely to be caught in the aftermath of an attack and built shields or trees to protect them. The situation was more relaxed than the Overgeared Guild predicted. Hell Gao wasn’t weakened. Rather, it was a change caused by the Great Human and Demon War. Compared to before the war, the post-war Overgeared members were several times stronger. -Is this the market floor or something? Hell Gao’s furious voice shook the dungeon. Now anybody was coming to fight him… He resented that he had become a punching bag. Muller faded from his memories. Rather than Muller, who destroyed his body, he was more resentful of Grid, who forced him to fall to this point. [The Hell Gao raid has succeeded.] “Uwaaaaahhhhh!" After dozens of minutes of fighting, the raid participants defeated Hell Gao and cheered while hugging each other. The death toll was zero. The miraculous achievement quickly spread to communities around the world. There was a series of predictions that the players’ invasion of hell would accelerate.

At the same time, Basara received the news that the founder had acknowledged Grid before leaving. She was very pleased and discussed the merger with the nobles again. There was little backlash to the idea. In fact, there could be no backlash. Most nobles were positive about the merger with the Overgeared Kingdom, and the minority who felt negative about it were intimidated by Kyle. Behind Kyle’s threats was the desire to be seen in a good manner by Grid. It was more of a survival instinct than ambition for success. On the other hand… “I can’t stand by any longer.” Damian, the leader of the Overgeared God Church, was preparing to go out. The winds of change were blowing all over the world.

“Is it true that we can’t make it to Asgard even if we build up virtue during our lives?” The leaders of the Dominion Church and Judar Church were struggling. The Overgeared King, who dared to call himself a god—he collapsed the Rebecca Church without knowing the dreadfulness of heaven, and he is now spreading false rumors. Only a handful of chosen people who were qualified to be ‘angels’ could climb to heaven? It was a destructive sophistry. There were several things to point out. In fact, the attitude of claiming that hell was a shelter for the dead proved his abnormal mental state. The church leaders were once again convinced that the Overgeared King was a demon. It was clear that Amoract, the 2nd ranked great demon, had disguised herself as a human being and disturbed the world using evil tricks and force. ‘Who is going to stop it? It is truly deplorable.’ The Sword Saint, Demon Slayer, and former pope originally selected by the First Holy Sword… The people who should’ve been heroes had become demons. It was a terrible reality. There was no hope if this continued… The church leaders were genuinely worried. They instinctively felt the destruction of the world through the demons who disdained god and advocated for hell. "At this time, we need to get our minds straight.” It was several days after the end of the Great Human and Demon War. The Dominion Church and Judar Church met. Due to the rumors circulating in the streets, the number of believers who doubted the gods had increased sharply. This meeting was organized to discuss how to respond to it. “………” However, the atmosphere was weird. The eyes of the elders were full of compassion as they looked at the two religious leaders sharing their opinions. In particular, the

elders of the Judar Church sighed. The leaders noticed it. ‘Even the elders have fallen for the demons’ tricks.’ It was too late by the time they realized it. The swords of the paladins were placed against their necks. “This is treason. You have also been deceived by the demons.” “It isn’t treason. Treason is about coveting power. We just want to face the truth in a straightforward manner.” “From the time you renounced your faith, priests will no longer be priests. Your justification is no different from that of a bandit’s whining. The cause is wrong from the beginning. The truth? Do you really believe the rumors? What is different between you and the unlearned people? Your years of studying theology and praying to the gods are for nothing.” “Is it a rumor? Haven’t you heard that an angel disguised as the pope tried to harm the people?” “How many times do I have to resolve it? It is a typical rumor spread by the Overgeared Kingdom!” “We’ve been trying to believe that, but aren’t there too many witnesses? The Rebecca Church followers who survived the incident at the time have testified that the rumors are true.” “That… they were brainwashed.” "The evidence?" “There is no way that a messenger of the goddess, who exists for humanity, will harm people.” “What is the evidence that the goddess is for humanity?” “Don’t you know? The evidence is that the existence of light, the world, and humanity are all thanks to the goddess.”

“The goddess might’ve created all things, but is there any guarantee that it is for humans? In fact, the goddess turned away from those who died from the invasion of demons.” “That is a trial. It is the same reason for the goddess not helping the sick and the poor. Our lives are a series of trials which means a series of opportunities. Only those who overcome the trials will be qualified for Asgard.” “Is the protection of God Judar infused in the demons and demonic creatures also a trial?” “Yes. The bigger the trials, the better it is for us. The chances of going to Asgard will increase. It is why the Overgeared King easily helps us. Originally, the more evil the temptation, the sweeter it is. He intends to make us easily overcome the trials so we become lazy and lose our qualifications to be in Asgard.” “The reason that angels attacked the Overgeared God is because they know the truth that the Overgeared God is a demon?” “Yes. That is the clearest evidence.” “Why is the Overgeared God who has saved so many people a demon?” “He dared to insult the gods.” “………” The leaders’ repeated unreasonable claims frustrated the elders. A handful of players were among those who exchanged dark looks. It was a testament to the changed times. Now there were many players active at the center of the world. Most of them cooperated with the Overgeared Guild. They believed that the path Grid offered was correct. It wasn’t a vague belief in a supreme existence. It wasn’t even because they were conscious of force and power. It was based on the progress Grid had achieved. He created countless achievements and the information found based on his achievements was very reliable. It was natural to use this information to support and trust Grid’s actions of making the best choice every time. “I don’t think it is possible to save the two of them.”

The elders looked at the church leaders sadly and shifted their gaze to the back. The church leaders followed their gaze and their expressions stiffened. It was because they found a person who shouldn’t be here. The man was equipped with heavy armor that was a color that coordinated with his purple hair. “Now is the time for unity.” It was the former pope, Damian. He once praised the goddess, but now he was a traitor who served the new god. “My heart is heavy, but I have decided to remove all obstacles that hinder the unity. It isn’t easy for the current world to embrace you.” “How dare you come here?! You! I can’t believe a person who was the pope would become the running dog of a false god and is going on a rampage like an executioner! Don’t you feel embarrassed?!” The church leaders fiercely criticized it. However, Damian’s expression didn’t waver at all. A sense of justice could be seen in his big shining eyes. It was a righteous attitude. The traitor wasn’t himself, but the heavenly gods. No, the word ‘traitor’ was inappropriate. The gods weren’t on the side of humans from the beginning. Too much context supported the truth. Those who turned a blind eye to the end were abnormal. It was twisted. It was like a monster. It was to the extent that those who accepted the truth doubted their ears. “I hope you realize that the Overgeared God is the only real one you can trust, even if it is from hell.” Damian pulled out his sword. It was the signal. The main pillars of the three churches, who interfered with the Overgeared Kingdom at every important moment—Damian had been trying to root them out for a long time. He continued to make contact with the elders by mobilizing the virtues and connections he had built up from his time as the pope. Of course, it wasn’t easy. He received all types of restraints and experienced danger. There were many times when he was frustrated by the stubborn people he couldn’t communicate with. However, he did it and he got here. Damian was the one who served as the pope of the Rebecca Church, the most tight-lipped of the three religions. His patience and sincerity were comparable to Grid, so he deserved to achieve results. In recent years, the angels and gods had been continuously trolling

and Grid revealed the truth of hell. “This is crazy even for someone crazy.” The church leaders couldn’t stand it and showed killing intent. They dropped hammers of light, which hit the heads of the paladins, as they glared at Damian as if to kill him with their glare. Knights armed with black uniforms appeared on the left and right sides and lined up. This was the secret to the church leaders maintaining their composure. The Templar Knights—the Rebecca Church’s strongest armed group, which had been missing for a while, were escorting the two church leaders. The clone of Sariel wasn’t seen, but even so, the spirit of the church leaders soared into the sky. “Elders, look clearly with your own eyes. This traitor is the most obvious evidence that the Overgeared King is a fake god.” The absence of divine power. Damian didn’t have the power that a priest should have. It wasn’t just him. It was the same for all the members of the Overgeared God Church. This was one of the reasons why the members of the three churches didn’t recognize Grid. If Grid was a god, why did those who serve him have no divine power? Some elders reflected on the question and started to feel doubts. “Damian! You traitor! Remember that it was all thanks to the consideration of the goddess that you could be the pope!” The hammers of light hovering over the two church leaders combined into one. A holy, sacred light exploded and brilliantly revealed the interior of the temple. It was the proof of the existence of God. Anxiety sprouted in the hearts of the elders. They were worried about divine punishment and belatedly turned away from the light. They didn’t dare to stare straight at it. Damian was different. He still faced the light with honest eyes. “There is no law that the form of divinity has to be light.” Thick veins twitched on the back of Damian’s hand as he pulled out his sword. “Physical.”

Damian recalled it. The destructive power of Grid that killed Gamigin, who couldn’t be knocked down easily even by Braham’s great magic. “The divine power of the Overgeared God is physical force.” It was sophistry. The leaders scoffed. The divinity became one and was fired like an arrow of light. It penetrated Damian’s chest… no, it couldn’t. “………?!” It was cut by Damian’s sword and scattered in vain. The protection and divinity of the Overgeared God—the effects attached to the sword that Grid made for Damian turned into the power to cut magic. It was greater than any divine power. Damian’s stride that he had been honing described the myth of the Overgeared God. Grid’s strengthened myth added power to Damian’s sword dance. “Linked Kill Pinnacle.” Grid had proved it several times. He slashed the enemies blocking his path using items and combat strength. Damian, who served him, was also obliged to prove it. “Kuaaaak!” The overgeared onslaught broke through the Templars and fatally injured the church leaders. The church leader screamed repeatedly and healed each other, but it didn’t mean much. Damian was the main person of the Overgeared Kingdom when it came to responding to the churches of the three gods. It was natural for the ‘healing reduction effect’ to be attached to his sword since he had a lot of conflicts with priests. At this moment, he showed absolute power. Of course, the effect of reduced healing could be released through purification. Even if it was purified, he would slash again and again, repeating the same thing. After a fierce struggle— [The leaders of the Dominion Church and Judar Church have died.] The purge was successful. Damian’s virtues, connections, sincerity, and finally, the combination of items and force, created the best results. The elders immediately elected new leaders and they were naturally friendly to Damian and the Overgeared Kingdom. They would lead the Dominion and Judar Churches, that had been

floundering for a while, onto the right path. “There wasn’t a single high-level Templar.” Damian exited after making several agreements with the elders and expressed his concern. Isabel nodded from where she was waiting for him outside the temple. “I didn’t even feel the presence of the leader. Right now, they don’t seem to be aiming for a revival of the Rebecca Church… it is suspicious. I think we need to search.” Isabel was motivated after moving to the Overgeared Kingdom. She did everything on her own and it was different from her time as a Rebecca’s Daughter. Damian held her hand tightly. He looked lovingly at her slightly bulging belly. “Yes, but you don’t have to go out by yourself, Isabel.” A long procession of people followed behind Damian. They were the members of the Overgeared God Church. Even though they were the elites selected by Damian, the number still exceeded 1,000. Damian gained an authority and power incomparable to his days as the pope and his performance would continue in the future. A fortnight later… The world was turned upside down. Empress Basara proclaimed that the empire would become a subordinate nation of the Overgeared Kingdom…

The world was tumultuous even after the war ended. The controlled zones of the Overgeared Guild relaxed their control, the Hell Gao raid where tens of thousands of people participated, the changes in the religious forces, the 7th National Competition, etcetera. The issues that attracted the attention of people around the world hadn’t ceased. In particular, people’s attention was focused on the National Competition. 『 The National Competition is a stage where world-class powerhouses gather to compete with their skills. The purpose is to select the best talent of that year. However, this year, there is an announcement from the S.A Group that it will add events where players will compete under the same conditions in order to give more players the opportunity to participate. 』 『 The AoS and battle royale genres will be added as new events, right? 』 『 Yes, each country will hold an online preliminary round to select players… 』 The National Competition was a contest of national prestige. People looked forward to and cheered to see how far their rankers could prevail in the world. However, significant rewards caused unexpected problems. As the gap between those who won medals in the National Competition and those who failed to win medals widened, more and more people started to feel a sense of deprivation. A festival that took place once a year—it was a competition that carried the national flag and it was right for it to be a stage for qualified people. It was no wonder why the rewards were so great. Even so, it would be nice to give more people a chance… The S.A Group responded to the wishes of people like this. It was to appease the public sentiment that had worsened since the Great Human and Demon War. A total of seven new events were added to this year’s National Competition. Five of these events were based on ‘competing under equal conditions.’

The AoS games, FPS games, etcetera, which were popular until the release of Satisfy a few years ago. This included the battle royale games that would be held as an event. In every event, participants chose a specific profession. They started the game at level 1 and sought victory by cooperating or competing with other participants. The background of the game was naturally Satisfy. It was easy to understand it as various genres of games being played as a virtual reality version. People had no choice but to be excited. They would have an opportunity to participate in the National Competition that was only a festival for a few people. -Honestly, we would be rankers if we had money and time. -That's right. If only luck had followed. -We will be competitive if the conditions are the same. Most people were tolerant toward themselves. They acknowledged the strength and performance of rankers, but they also believed they were qualified to stand beside the rankers. The reason they didn’t become rankers was due to the differences in environment and bad luck… Many believed so and desire ignited in them. It was similar to a person who hadn’t studied properly thinking, ‘If I had made up my mind to study, I would’ve gone to a prestigious university.’ The experts pointed out their attitudes. 『 It is sad to see what public opinion is like recently. More and more people are distorting rankers into those who are privileged. They should keep one thing in mind. Rankers were also ordinary in the past. A ranker isn’t a position that can be maintained with money and time alone. Please note that if you have the opportunity to compete with them under the same conditions, you will surely experience great frustration… 』 『 Professor, are you afraid that the gap between new participants and rankers will be large? 』 『 Of course. I expect the actual rankings and result of the participants to be directly proportional to ther real rankings. 』 『 An example of this… Grid will unconditionally win gold in any events he

participates in, right? 』 『 Right. 』 The opinions of experts from all walks of life were similar. They predicted the overwhelming performance of the rankers. They appreciated the ‘experience’ of rankers rather than their ‘innate talent.’ They argue that the polished insights, control, and senses from experiencing countless unimaginable incidents would exceed predictions and that it would take several years to narrow the gap. Public opinion became angry. -It is in direct proportion? ᄏᄏ Do the people who aren’t rankers have no dreams or hopes? -It is bullshit. Has it only been one or two times when the experts speak X-ing bullshit sentences? -Sports players and professional gamers will eventually be pushed by rookies and disappear into history, yet the experts are prioritizing experience… a game is more about talent than experience. -Rankers rely on their level and items. I admit that they did better than others in obtaining levels and items, but isn’t it too much of a leap that the experience gained after being a ranker is so important? -They are being overly meticulous. Those who respected and cheered for rankers not long ago started to discredit them. It wasn’t a strange thing. A person’s attitude was bound to change depending on the situation and position. The proof was the readers swearing that the manhwa or novels they enjoyed reading until last week were trash today. It changed because it was worth changing. From the time when events that anyone could challenge were added to the National Competition, people’s attitudes were bound to change. Rankers became competitors, not world-class existences. 『 People’s interest in this year’s National Competition is unprecedented. The number of participants for the online preliminaries to select players for the new events is… 』

『 Many people are curious about whether Grid, who missed several competitions, and Kraugel, who didn’t participate in last year’s competition, will participate this year. In response, the S.A Group has revealed that it hasn’t received applications from the two people to participate. This has disappointed people… 』 『 Many rankers aren’t expressing their intention to participate in the new event. In the midst of speculation over the reasons, the interview of the named ranker Peak Sword has become controversial. Did he say, ‘What ranker will go to participate in a feast for the general public and light candles’? 』 『 That’s right. He definitely seemed to distinguish between rankers and nonrankers. 』 『 What is the reaction of public opinion? 』 『 It is very negative. The majority of opinions say they feel the ranker’s sense of authority from Peak Sword’s attitude. 』 『 It is true that rankers are great. Still, it isn’t an official position. 』 『 Yes, the reason why rankers are recognized is due to their skills. Most of the skills recognized here are exercised only when the specs support it. Thus, public response is colder. 』 『 I’ve seen many comments like that. I am sympathetic with some of them. The advantage of rankers lies in their specs. The great thing about rankers is that they built up those specs… this is what they are saying. They feel that rankers who have lost their specs aren’t much different from the general public. 』 『 That’s right. Additionally, there are many talented people even among the general public. The reason they can’t become rankers is because the environment isn’t good or they started Satisfy too late. There is no way they won’t win when fighting under the same conditions as rankers. 』 『 Is it reasonable to say that the reason why rankers are absent from new events is because they are afraid of losing? 』 『 Yes, it is too risky for the rankers to give up their hard-earned qualifications to

participate in events under the same conditions as the general public. They can’t guarantee victory and their reputation will plummet if they lose. 』 『 Still, isn’t the expression of ‘general public’ a bit inappropriate? If they are talented enough to break through hundreds of millions of people and advance to the finals, aren’t they good enough to be called professionals? Even if a ranker loses, they aren’t losing to the general public. Aren’t they losing to professionals? If you think so, it isn’t a big disgrace, right? 』 『 However, Peak Sword separated the participants into the general public 』 『 The keyword ‘ranker’s sense of authority’ is becoming a hot topic… 』 *** “Hi~” “Good morning.” “………?” Peak Sword was flustered when he connected to Satisfy. It was because the attitude of the colleagues greeting him was the same as usual. He thought they would ask why he caused another commotion. Therefore, it was a surprise. Toban read Peak Sword’s stunned expression and laughed. “There must be many people feeling relieved after hearing your interview.” There were two main reasons why the rankers were shunning the new events. First of all, there was the need to understand the meaning of the National Competition. The National Competition was a place to raise the reputation and value of the participants before it was a stage to raise the prestige of the nation. From the perspective of the rankers, they should make use of their own advantages to participate in events where they could prove their value rather than participating in new events. Image making on a big stage like the National Competition had more value in the long-term. On the other hand, some people read the atmosphere. What was the point of engaging in slaughter and hanging a medal around their necks in events made for the public? There was nothing other than the medal rewards. Rather, it was a loss. Public

opinion and the media would criticize them for being tactless and there was a high possibility that their value would seriously fall. Of course, they would forget or turn a blind eye to the fact that they provoked the rankers first. It was judged that it was better to leave this as their own event. That’s right. The gap between rankers and the general public was large. It was uncertain until a few years ago, but now it could be confirmed. People failed to become rankers not because they were unlucky or their environment wasn’t good. It was because they weren’t talented. The evidence was that those who became rankers due to luck failed to maintain their rankings and eventually went down to their original positions. There was such accumulated data that rankers became aware that they were pros. “Personally, I want Grid to participate in the National Competition,” Toban said as he entered the palace. The atmosphere of the palace was very busy. They were in the midst of preparing to welcome guests from the empire. They found Grid dressed in a cool robe, and Peak Sword nodded and raised his thumb like he agreed with Toban. “There are too many words that cross the line these days.” Was it the experts’ assessment that provoked a backlash? People’s aversion to rankers was spreading to Grid. Based on the days when Grid’s control ability wasn’t proficient, it was argued that Grid would be disgraced if he participated in the new event. Of course, this was still only the opinion of the minority. Even so, the fact that there was a small number of people talking nonsense again, despite everything that Grid showed, angered Peak Sword. “What? Did something bad happen?” Grid approached. He saw their bad expressions and seemed worried. “That…” Toban explained the situation and Grid laughed. “Why do you care about that? The earth has a population of over 10 billion. How can we get everyone’s favor? A few of them might dislike us.” “I can understand why they feel competitive with rankers. Even so, it is annoying that there are people who are biting at you when you have done nothing wrong and

it isn’t related to you.” “There are many people who speak ill of others for no reason. Ignore what we should ignore.” Grid’s expression became bitter for a moment as he soothed the two men. He recalled the days when he was overwhelmed by a sense of inferiority and easily criticized others. How many people in the world were like this? Anybody who was a public figure and exposed to the public would have to bear criticism. Sometimes they could only rely on the law when it came to excessive criticism. “The empress will soon arrive. The story of the National Competition will wither the moment she announces the empire becoming our subordinates. So, stop worrying and calm your minds.” Grid’s prediction was correct. “The Saharan Empire has declared itself subordinate to the Overgeared Kingdom and will serve His Majesty Grid as their emperor.” As millions of people gathered around the continent, the world was turned upside down when Empress Basara made this declaration. It was the continent’s first and only empire. Now the largest nation had appointed a player as the new emperor. Public opinion and the media no longer mentioned the National Competition. They were busy analyzing the past moves and achievements of Grid and the Overgeared Guild, using the theme of a player becoming the emperor, an empire established by a player, and unification without war. It was almost a tribute. Public opinion criticizing Peak Sword disappeared like a lie. It was a change of attitude like flipping the palm of a hand. It has been shown several times, so it was nothing new. ‘Then the attitude will change again as the National Competition approaches. It is a bit disgusting.’ Grid thought it would be a good idea to go to the National Competition for the first time in ages. There were many justifications such as commemorating victory in the Great Human and Demon War and the birth of the Overgeared Empire. It was also fun to participate in the new events on behalf of the angry rankers and overturn the

banquet table. ‘…No, it is too much for me to step up.’ Wouldn’t Lauel monopolize the gold medals if he was sent out to participate in the new events? The participation rate of other rankers would be low anyway and Lauel’s adaptability in new environments was unmatched. He wasn’t a genius for nothing. Grid seriously considered it as he looked at Lauel, who had stepped down from active duty a long time ago. “………?” Lauel broke out in a cold sweat as he felt a chill for an unknown reason. ‘What? Is it due to yesterday’s nightmare?’ The kingdom’s rebirth as an empire required a new name. The Overgeared Saha Empire—it was a name he heard in last night’s nightmare. However, reality would be different… Lauel earnestly prayed that it would be so. He wanted Grid to answer his prayer.

Grid’s ceremonial clothing was very gorgeous. The new silver crown made ahead of the merger ceremony was different. It was very mysterious and beautiful, shining like it was moonlight. It was in harmony even with the maidens of the forest who appeared in the human world on a rare occasion. The eyes of those mesmerized by the beauty of the elves naturally turned to Grid. Just as they thought that the gold robe that didn’t seem to touch the ground was moving slowly, Grid had already reached the throne. “Your Majesty.” Lauel politely bowed his head. He held a large glass of wine carefully in both hands, like he was worried about it spilling. Grid lightly grabbed the glass. His wide sleeves fluttered slightly, but the glass didn’t shake. There wasn’t even the slightest ripple in the transparent liquor filling the glass. It was a spectacle that spread on thousands of cameras. The eyes of the viewers became wide. They looked at Grid, who showed majesty even in his small actions, and recalled the gap between themselves and Grid. Certainly, Grid was a figure of another world. The moment he held the glass, the noble empress came over and knelt down. “Your subject, Basara—I pledge to give my body, heart, and soul to the new emperor. My immortal loyalty will support Your Majesty and Your Majesty’s descendants.” It was the largest and most sacred event in the history of the continent. There shouldn’t be any mistakes, so there was naturally a script. However, Basara’s oath was different from the script. The oath of loyalty should’ve had the premise ‘as long as the emperor and imperial family don’t betray me,’ but it was changed to an unconditional oath. “………” Basara’s slender, long eyes slowly rose as she was raised by the flustered Grid. Her bewitching eyes first captured Grid’s appearance, followed by Piaro, who was standing behind Grid.

“Your subject, Basara, won’t doubt His Majesty and His Majesty’s loyal ministers.” Flinch. Piaro’s eyes twitched. The suspicions of the former emperor, Juander—it had irreversible consequences toward Piaro. It was the foreshadowing of the decline of the millennium empire. At this moment, Basara was insisting that such a thing wouldn’t happen in the future empire. “I won’t be jealous.” Basara’s gaze captured Asmophel’s appearance this time. A man who led the golden age of the empire along with Piaro. However, his current position was different from Piaro’s. He was even lower than Mercedes. He stood a long way back while these two people guarded Grid’s side. Nevertheless, he wasn’t jealous. He was devout because he already committed a painful sin once. On the other hand, he silently affirmed Basara’s words that he should be taken as a negative textbook example. Singuled, Amelda, and Dante, who suffered direct damage from Asmophel, looked at Asmophel. The sight caused a smile to spread on Basara’s face. “I will give you a chance to make up for it even if I am betrayed. I will remember and prioritize today’s oath over the pain and anger of the moment. I will stand by Your Majesty’s side.” Basara made a variation of the script rather than changing it. It was so those who would lead the new era together could sympathize and remember clearly. This intention was reliably conveyed to Grid. “I won’t disappoint you.” Was there a need for long words? Grid got rid of the lengthy speech carefully made by Lauel and Huroi. He also wanted to convey emotions, not reason. “I exist for all of you. You just have to remember that.” Existing for others? It was hard to believe. It was close to impossible. Yet even the viewers who were a third party knew that Grid’s words weren’t a pretense. If Grid

was one of the common people living for himself, it wouldn’t match the actions he showed so far. They didn’t know what he was like at the beginning, but it was undeniable that the current Grid fought for the Overgeared Guild, the Overgeared Kingdom, and many others. Even the reason for punishing hell was for others, not for himself. He wasn’t a hypocrite. It was hard to understand the reason, but at least in ‘this world,’ he was definitely a hero. Everyone acknowledged it. [The Saharan Empire has become subordinated by the Overgeared Kingdom.] [A new empire is born.] [The founder of the new empire is ‘Grid.’] This world message appeared when Grid and Basara shared a drink. [You are the first player to become an emperor!] [The ‘First King’ title has evolved into ‘First Emperor.’] Separate notification windows popped up in Grid’s vision. The word ‘evolution’ was appropriate. The effect of the First King title was greatly enhanced. An example of a change was that the shield that occured when ‘70% of the maximum health’ was lost was changed to ‘50% of the maximum health’. Furthermore, the additional stat points earned with every level up was sharply increased from 2 to 6. [Overgeared God Grid is writing the 16th epic.] [The birth of a great empire was recorded.] An epic followed. [Those who experienced loss and are wandering the streets should be sad, but not frustrated.] [Look at your emperor who was like you.]

[Wash away the hearts stained with wounds and anger with responsibility and justice.] [Look at your emperor who was like you.] [Recognize that all trials and hardships were destined from the moment your umbilical cord was cut. Unhappiness is inevitable, but happiness follows effort.] [Look at the emperor who was like you but who cares for you.] [See, listen, and learn from him, and spread it.] [Unhappiness is inevitable, but happiness follows effort…] Grid’s epics were written in prose. It took the form of an epic, but it was freely used without a specific format according to the situation every time. This time, it was a song. It was a hymn of hope that people in the empire would sing when having hard times, and it was also the hymn of the emperor. Therefore, it was a narrative that wouldn’t be extinguished forever. ……… … [The 16th page of the epic has been completed.] [Along with the completion of the epic, your people have courage and hope. Your people are determined to emulate you and won’t tire easily or give up.] [The growth rate of NPCs belonging to the Overgeared Empire will be permanently increased by 20%.] [Once all the stats of NPcs belonging to the Overgeared Empire grow to the maximum, there is a low probability of breaking through the limit.] [The loyalty of the NPCs belonging to the Overgeared Empire will always be maintained at a high state.] [The chances of named NPCs being born in the Overgeared Empire will increase.]

[The speed of all internal development in the Overgeared Empire will permanently increase by 10%.] [Your status has risen significantly as a reward for completing the epic. The chances of a beneficial effect triggering will greatly increase.] “………” Grid shook with excitement. The passive skill that represented a beneficial effect, God's Command. He confirmed that the probability of triggering it had increased by a huge 10% and he once again realized the importance of ‘status.’ Meanwhile, Lauel’s face was pale. It was due to the world message that occurred a while ago. [Emperor Grid has declared the great name of the new empire as ‘Overgeared.’] This was why the words ‘Overgeared Empire’ were constantly mentioned in Grid’s notification windows. At the same moment that Grid was crowned emperor, the system demanded that the name be entered and Grid entered ‘Overgeared.’ It was natural that the name of the Overgeared Kingdom became the Overgeared Empire. At least, this was what Grid thought. The Overgeared members and others thought the same. Only Lauel couldn’t abandon his lingering regret and was sad alone. The consolation was that reality was better than his nightmares. He thought that the Overgeared Empire was a very cool name compared to Overgeared Saha Empire, which mixed the names ‘Overgeared’ and ‘Saharan.’ ‘Yes, it is a great name. There seems to be a beautiful echo.’ Several cameras captured Lauel shedding tears. The anchors explained how meaningful and happy it would be as the number two player in the Overgeared Empire. His tears would be full of emotions. *** The map of the West Continent changed dramatically. The red color of Saharan was turned blue to match the Overgeared Kingdom. Now more than two-thirds of the continent’s territory was the territory of the Overgeared Empire and Grid. It

happened overnight. There was no conflict or damage in the course of the change. It was literally an ideal unification. It was a situation that every South Korean citizen living in a divided country would have dreamed about once. ‘If only I was so strong in reality.’ Could he have unified the Korean peninsula? A smile slowly spread on Grid’s mouth as he thought of this. He was relieved after checking the title of One who was Acknowledged by the Founder. ‘I was worried, but it went well.’ The title effect, which greatly increased the probability of finding mines in the Saharan Empire was still intact. The system set it as the former Saharan Empire. It was Saharan’s territory before it was absorbed into the Overgeared Kingdom. ‘The role of miners will grow in the future.’ Minor met a good companion a few years ago and got three rabbit-like children. His old mother was also at peace due to her good daughter-in-law. He was very happy these days, but Grid was worried he wouldn’t want to separate from his family. ‘Let’s persuade him well rather than forcing him. He will be pleased if I say I will let his family move to Titan during his business trip.’ Titan’s educational infrastructure was great. In some parts, it was better than Reinhardt and it was perfect for raising children. Grid planned to make Minor a ‘wild goose’ father. [1] It was pure favor, but the slightest carelessess could cause sad results. In any case, the Overgeared Empire was going to be much richer in the future. “We won’t be struggling with finances,” Lauel neatly spoke the conclusion. The value of the territory and people absorbed this time was that great. In the first place, the Saharan Empire reigned for hundreds of years as the number one nation of the West Continent. It had the best foundation and it was completely absorbed. If Lauel and the Overgeared members ruled with the perspective and knowledge of modern people, an unprecedented economic power would be born.

“His Majesty, the Emperor, is entering.” Grid entered the hall under Lauel’s guidance. The ministers and guests waiting in advance stood up simultaneously and bowed. There were tens of thousands of people. Most of the guests came from foreign kingdoms. In addition to the kings and nobles of all the kingdoms, the orcs, elves, dwarves, half-draconians, and other races were present. There were even the Twelve Zodiacs who came from the East Continent. In fact, all the forces on the surface were gathered. All of them were connections created by Grid. They all acknowledged and blessed Grid. Therefore, they entered today’s merger ceremony and wedding as a guest. The main characters of the wedding were Grid and Basara. It was natural. The reason why the imperial subjects didn’t oppose the merger with the Overgeared Kingdom was on the premise that the Saharan imperial family and Overgeared royal family became one. Unification for a better future. Irene naturally agreed. No, she actively recommended it. She understood politics well as the former successor of a noble family. She had long been used to the idea of Grid having multiple wives. “Hah…” Grid admired the dressed Basara. Was it the blood of the great Saharan? She was so beautiful it was hard to believe she was older than Grid. Her bright expression as she lowered the crown she wore so far further highlighted her beauty. [Overgeared God ‘Grid’ has married ‘Basara.’] In the midst of the blessing and cheers of their precious people, Grid and Basara kissed. This wasn’t the fruit of love, but Grid vowed to cherish and respect her for the rest of his life. Of course, it was a responsibility he had to bear. -This is really crazy. -Is there a Korean person with two wives? ᄂIsn’t it an imperial person?

-Basara is really beautiful… ᄂ Really. Rather than saying she is pretty, the word ‘beautiful’ is just right. She is also wise and kind-hearted. -I’m envious. I’m envious. I’m envious. I’m envious. I’m envious. -Everyone, I just imagined something terrifying. For some reason, I think I will see the same scene in real life. ᄂMe too ᄏᄏᄏᄏ ᄂᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ -What are you doing not revising the Korean Marriage Act? Revise it before Grid moves to the Middle East. I want to see Grid’s virtue too. ᄂIt isn’t because of the marriage law that he doesn’t have a wife, right? ᄂIs Grid going to become a Muslim? It had been a few years. The number of members of Grid’s anti-fan cafe increased. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a dramatic number. It was evidence that most people were convinced of the marriage between Grid and Basara. People were jealous of Grid, but they didn’t curse him. Then what if the other person was Mercedes? The growth potential of Grid’s anti-fan cafe was enormous…

1. Refers to fathers who make seasonal visits to faraway families similar to how geese migrate every year.

Sehee couldn’t forget the first time she saw Mercedes. Mercedes caught her eye at once. She was so pretty that Sehee’s head became blank for a moment. It was like this even though Mercedes had no clear expression. Sehee wondered if she was a doll. Thus, she was surprised at this moment. ‘Her expression…?’ Mercedes’ cheeks were slightly puffed up as she looked at the backs of Grid and Basara. Her usually always calm eyes were shaken and the water in them made her feel pitiful. Unlike Yura and Jishuka, who distinguished Satisfy from reality, Mercedes seemed quite agitated by Grid’s marriage. Mercedes’ expression was very vivid. It was so different from her usual appearance that she seemed to be a completely different person. Now Mercedes was absolutely a young woman. The weapons she had always carried looked heavy and awkward today. Irene was the one who reached out to her. She smiled and soothed Mercedes, despite being the one who should feel more sadness than anyone else. “Don’t be disappointed. The order of second or third doesn’t matter. His Majesty’s love for you won’t change forever.” She had first-hand experience with Grid’s love, so she could say this. Mercedes looked down at her cold gauntlets and nodded. “Yes.” I am sorry to show an inappropriate appearance for a celebration day. I fully understood My Liege’s position, etc. Mercedes couldn’t bear to say such words, so she gave a brief answer. She thought there would be tears flowing if she said anything else. Her liege, who loved her a few days ago.

Her liege, who she believed she would be sharing with her queen, married someone else. Mercedes felt embarrassed, sad, and jealous. That night, on the city wall illuminated by blue moonlight. “Mercedes.” Grid fell to one knee and held out a ring inlaid with transparent jewels. “Marry me.” Not long ago, Grid and Mercedes confirmed each other’s hearts. The two people were so hot that they melted the ice caps of the Chaos Mountains. They heard each other’s breathing, not the screams of the monsters. It was their sweat, not the blood of the beasts, that wet the bodies of the two people. How many times did the two of them do it on that day… Omitted. …Therefore, Grid was obligated to take responsibility for Mercedes. Even if it wasn’t an obligation, he wanted to turn it into an obligation. He definitely wanted to be with Mercedes. Grid had been fascinated by her a long time ago. “I’m sorry, but our marriage ceremony won’t be grand…” Grid’s lawful wife was Irene. Basara had the status of former empress and a legitimate line of descent of the empire. Thus, he had to hold a grand wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, this was a special case. The marriage to Mercedes should be done as decisively as possible. This was the greatest courtesy toward Irene. “If it is okay with you— no, you must marry me…” It was even before Grid finished speaking. Nod. Mercedes nodded vigorously. She was looking down and her expression couldn’t be seen. However, Grid felt it. Just as he felt her mood behind him during the daytime wedding, Grid’s transcendent senses clearly analyzed Mercedes at this moment. Therefore, he hugged her as hard as he could. It was to let his heart be conveyed. “…I lob you,” Mercedes felt relieved and confessed what was in her heart.

The pronunciation was blurred by her sobbing, but the appearance of her ears that were red out of embarrassment made Grid smile. “Me too.” In response, Grid rubbed against the top of Mercedes’ head with his chin. The ruler of knights was surprisingly small. The top of her head could barely touch Grid’s solar plexus. It was something that people didn’t know. Mercedes usually exuded a sense of pressure which had the effect of making her look bigger. Tens of thousands of stars shone as if to bless the two people. *** “Are you really going to just watch? You will just come back to life if you die. What are you so scared of?” “The damage is too great. You are a legend, so you won’t die easily, right? I think it would be better for you to come forward.” “Alas, it is distressing. If there was a competition to choose the best bastard in the world, you would be first.” “What about you?” “I think I would be third place.” “You don’t have a conscience.” At the East Continent… Old Sword Demon and Hwang Gildong were still on an adventure together. Trapped in a fence made by the gods, they wandered around the entire kingdom to liberate the poor people who believed in fake faith. It wasn’t known how many life or death crises they had crossed in the fight against the yangbans with innate transcendence. However, the two of them still didn’t trust each other. They didn’t rashly entrust their backs to each other despite crossing so many life or death crises. This meant they understood each other well. The person they cherished most was themselves. Their definition of justice was extremely realistic.

Fight for others, but don’t sacrifice themselves. They tried to follow the path of righteousness but they turned a blind eye according to the situation. They couldn’t be blamed. Just because their definition of justice was realistic didn’t mean it was false. Furthermore, they had the grand goal of destroying the yangbans. They should never die until then. “You should’ve fully understood it by now. Never insult the gods again.” At a city in Kaya… The yangbans, who had been trampling the lord into a straw mat, finally relieved their anger and left. Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon sighed with relief from where they were hiding in the distance and watching the scene. “They didn’t kill him. Perhaps it is because they are conscious of people’s eyes. I’m glad since I was worried.” "I agree.” Recently, the yangbans had become rowdy. They noticed that the seal of the red phoenix and black tortoise were released, and felt irritated. They didn’t kill as recklessly as before, but they still couldn’t endure it and vented their anger when they encountered something unpleasant. The unpleasant reasons were usually pretty insignificant. For example, the lord was beaten up just because he entertained them with cheap wine. “I would’ve run over and helped right away if there were three less. It is a pity.” “I would’ve gone out if there were even two less.” “In fact, I think I could’ve gone out if there was only one less.” “How childish.” “Are you talking about yourself? Didn’t you start it first?” The expressions of Old Sword Demon and Hwang Gildong were dark. They were angered by their powerlessness at having to hide and watch the violence of the yangbans.

‘If only this guy was a little bit stronger… ’ ‘If only this man was a bit stronger… ’ The two men, who complained and resented each other, were by no means weak. Old Sword Demon was the strongest unofficial ranker, and Hwang Gildong was a legend who represented the East Continent. One person could deal with a few ordinary yangbans alone. Hwang Gildong could handle twice as much as that. However, the number of yangbans encountered this time was 11. In particular, five of them had taken off their gats. They were sent down as objects of new worship by the Hwan Kingdom. In the aftermath of the revival of the red phoenix and black tortoise, the yangbans’s combat power wasn’t as good as before, but it was natural that they couldn’t come out. “Sigh… How long do we have to stay in this city?” The wounded lord was twitching on the dirt ground. He couldn’t support his body because his limbs were broken, but no one helped him up. They were busy bowing toward the direction that the yangbans left. It was also the reason why the lord was struggling. The reason he struggled to raise his broken body from the dirt ground was to kowtow to the yangbans. It was a very disgusting and regrettable scene. Apart from the Cho Kingdom and Xing Kingdom, which were liberated due to Grid, the people of the other kingdoms were still living a miserable life. “It isn’t far away,” Hwang Gildong replied while trying to turn away from the unpleasant sight. “It is time for the army that left to help the West Continent to return.” News of the Great Human and Demon War on the West Continent had reached the east. Many people had witnessed that a pointed-eared man had disappeared into light with the army of the Cho Kingdom and Xing Kingdom. “Do you really think there will be demons among them?” “Unconditionally. Even a mere yokai can possess a human. Wouldn’t demons also have this ability? Some of them, who mixed in with the crowd to save their lives, will

surely come to this land.” “Hrmm…” A few days later, Hwang Gildong’s prediction came true.There were a mixture of demons wearing human masks among the soldiers of the improved Cho Kingdom and Xing Kingdom. They suffered great pain from the divinity of the red phoenix and black tortoise. They fled from these two kingdoms in a hurry and scattered. A considerable number of them gathered in Kaya. They were instinctively drawn to the power of the sealed blue dragon. They aspired to gain this power without knowing which monsters were guarding it. Moreover, the city where Old Sword Demon and Hwang Gildong were currently located was the entrance to Kaya. “Um…?” Hwang Gildog’s personality was trash, but he was still competent. He deserved to be a bigshot who had struggled alone against the yangbans for hundreds of years. Old Sword Demon was marveling at Hwang Gildong, who was preparing to meet the approaching demons, only to become flustered. The demons, who were disguised as humans and giving off a stinky demonic energy—he found green hair that stood out within the group. “Agnus…!” Old Sword Demon’s eyes were ghastly. It was a few years ago when Agnus committed a massive massacre in the East Continent. Some of the people sacrificed by Agnus were friends of Old Sword Demon. More than 100 people were killed by Agnus without understanding what was going on, including a father and daughter whom Old Sword Demon had barely rescued from the war, a mother and son saved from the swamp of poverty, and young boys and girls he looked after as a Daddy-Long-Legs. They were buried in the ground like garbage, rotted, and were resurrected with ugly faces to be used as soldiers. The anger and pain Old Sword Demon felt when he heard the news during his travels were still vivid. His heart throbbed the moment he recalled it. “Kill him…! I’ll tear him to pieces and throw him to the dogs as food!”

“Ehh? What are you doing…?” Hwang Gildong had no time to stop him. Old Sword Demon had already thrown himself toward the road. Hwang Gildong, who was about to follow, stopped. ‘Dammit!’ It was a street in broad daylight. As the startled crowd made a fuss, the energy of the yangbans scattered throughout the city immediately burst out. They seemed to be coming here with interest. “This is dangerous… hey, Old Sword Demon! I’ll be avoiding you, so live or die on your own!” Hwang Gildong ran away without looking back. “You…?” “Old Sword Demon! Shit!” “………!” Agnus faced a disaster. He sneaked onto the surface during the gap when the Overgeared members and rankers were busy preparing for the hell expedition, only to immediately encounter this monster. This… he could only describe it as really bad luck. ‘Nothing has gone right these days.’ No, it wasn’t just these days. His life had gone wrong from beginning to end. Agnus could only laugh. *** At the Tower of Wisdom… Biban was grumbling that the size of the tower they moved to was uselessly large when his eyes widened. Betty—she normally never left her room except to participate in the regular

meetings, but now she visited Biban. “I have to meet Grid. Take me there.” “All of a sudden? Granny, we can’t just leave the tower casually as tower members. We have to move according to the procedures…” “Baal’s Contractor… he is going to lose his qualifications.” “………!” The flustered Biban threw the floor cloth away.

“I don’t know if it is a good idea to send them away without seeing them.” The Cho King was having a vague communication with the red phoenix, the guardian god of the land. The innate nature of the red phoenix, which existed for the people of the Cho Kingdom, responded to the blood of the Cho royal family. There was even a connection called Grid who acted as a bridge between the two of them. The Cho King had been helping Grid, so he received the favor of the red phoenix. This brought about a strong vigilance and made him aware that some of the returning soldiers were demons, not human beings. Even so, he simply sent them away. He turned a blind eye to those who suffered from the divinity of the red phoenix flowing through the ground and ran away. It was due to advice from the Chivalrous Robbers. “Your Majesty, don’t worry. By now, the leader must’ve beaten them all. He has been digging a trap for a while.” The Chivalrous Robbers was a group of people. They robbed the assets of some of the people profiting from the power of the yangbans and scattered it to the private sector, and preached the real myths of the East Continent, telling people that the Four Auspicious Beasts were the guardian gods. There were no great achievements, but more than one or two people had been rescued by them. The Twelve Zodiacs also received their comfort. The achievements of the leader, Hwang Gildong, were particularly great. He made several plans and killed several yangbans returning to the Hwan Kingdom. He also contributed greatly to the recent resurgence of the black tortoise. The Cho King trusted the Chivalrous Robbers. “Um… I can rest assured if it is Hwang Gildong himself.” It was too dangerous for the Cho King to directly subdue the demons. Demons had different individual abilities and this made it difficult to predict what variables

would occur. Above all, the warriors of the Cho Kingdom weren’t strong enough to overpower a large number of demons. On the other hand, Hwang Gildong was a strong person who moved all over the world. The plan to divide the group of demons between two places, the Kaya Kingdom and Pa Kingdom, to isolate them and destroy them one by one, didn’t sound like a lie. Maybe he had destroyed the demons already? It happened the moment the Cho Kingdom had this thought… “………?” The expressions of the Chivalrous Robbers stiffened as they received urgent news from a carrier pigeon. “What is it?” The Cho King couldn’t bear to ask what had gone wrong. He was worried that the words would become seeds. He was ashamed of such a heart. “…It says that something went wrong,” the members of the Chivalrous Robbers gave the worst answer, “There is a possibility that the demons will fall into the hands of the yangbans…” *** Agnus was still confident in his skills. His level might’ve dropped significantly, but Lantier grew intensively. Lantier’s fighting power could overwhelm several high rankers alone. Furthermore, Agnus had inherited some of Marbas’ power. This nearly doubled the number of minions he could control at once. Nevertheless, the reason for his constant failure and defeat was simply because the opponents were bad. Strength was relative. Faker was too strong. The skill of using the shadow techniques was great enough to pierce the sky and he freely crossed the barrier of blades set by the undead army like he was moving in and out of his own house. Additionally, his net was always spread out because he used the Overgeared Shadows, whose number couldn’t be estimated.

In many ways, their compatibility was bad. To add a bit of exaggeration, Faker was as frightening as Grid. However, this didn’t mean that the other Overgeared members were weak. It was hard to see any chance of winning In places with the influence of the Overgeared Guild… Agnus quickly came to such a conclusion. This was why he decided to base his future activities in the East Continent. Agnus needed time to grow. He was determined to stay alive until the moment when Baal hunted down Marbas and exploded his potential. Once he judged that he had grown enough, the first goal he would achieve was: ‘I will pull out Chepardea’s tongue.’ It was to repay the grudge. Agnus had no intention of just sitting back and watching the humiliation he had suffered from Chepardea over the past few months. The resentment he felt toward Chepardea was much greater than the resentment he felt toward Faker. It was natural. Faker and the Overgeared Guild were originally Agnus’ enemies. In particular, Agnus had antagonized them first. In other words, the humiliation he experienced from Faker and the Overgeared Guild was self-inflicted. Then what about Chepardea? He was a colleague. It was very rare, but Chepardea once showed a liking toward Agnus. Therefore, Agnus tried. He struggled even more anxiously when he saw Chepardea disappointed in him. He tried his best to prove his qualifications. He might’ve longed for affection without even realizing it. In the end, he repeatedly tasted failure. Chepardea’s response to him was the worst. Chepardea despised Agnus. The more Agnus failed and the more he struggled, the more Chepardea hated and insulted him. It was an attitude that stimulated Agnus’ trauma. It was greatly similar to the group that harassed him in the past and aroused anger. That’s right. Agnus was obsessed with Chepardea. As his years of clinging to the resurrection of his old lover had proved, he could be very obsessive. He could put everything else behind him until he paid back the humiliation to Chepardea. This was why he came to the East Continent and moved carefully in the East Continent. However, this monster grabbed him by the ankle.

“………!” Lantier’s body suddenly floated in the air. He couldn’t bear the weight of Old Sword Demon’s sword. He immediately used shadow movements to change his position and appear behind Old Sword Demon, but even that was read. Old Sword Demon’s sword smashed Lantier’s ribs. “Do you think I don’t know the habits of assassins?” Old Sword Demon emitted a sharp light from his eyes. It reminded people that at first glance, his essence was an assassin. It was very difficult to deal with the heavy sword suddenly hiding its appearance as it was falling heavily. The sword moving fast in a brilliant manner could also suddenly become a dull sword, causing confusion. ‘He picked a strange skill tree.’ At this moment, Agnus realized the biggest advantage of a normal class. A skill tree that was divided according to the ‘transfer’ selected at every 100 levels. If players made good use of the system, which didn’t apply to hidden classe, they could become as special as the monster in front of him. ‘Did he strengthen his swordsmanship by picking the trap installation skill tree and getting a correction on his use of tools, rather than the stealth or assassination skill trees?’ Agnus was very interested in the specificity of the swordsmanship used by Old Sword Demon. He thought he should use a variety of skill trees when changing the classes of the skeleton soldiers. It felt like his eyes were opened. He received a clue that would greatly help him grow in the future. However, now wasn’t the time to be happy about it. Agnus’ robe was torn apart by Old Sword Demon’s wicked touch. It was fortunate. If the robe wasn’t torn, his collar would’ve been caught and he would’ve been thrown to the ground. ‘There are times when being cheap helps.’ One of the weaknesses of Baal’s Contractor was their isolation from civilization. There were so many misdeeds that normal social activities were impossible. Agnus was rejected by society over time. Naturally, his authority to use the store

disappeared. This meant that Agnus had to use a looting system or rely on transactions with players to purchase certain items. However, most people loathed Agnus. They didn’t easily trade with him. Even if they traded, they demanded an excessive fee. It was a considerable burden for Agnus, who had his commercial activities restricted and had difficulty securing currency. He could use the item trading sites to buy items using cash, but even this was becoming increasingly difficult. He couldn’t improve his income through broadcasting like other rankers and had to be self-sufficient through hunting. Yet in recent years, he hadn’t been able to hunt properly. Therefore, Agnus was currently covered in rags. He was equipped with normal and rare items because he couldn’t afford to buy new items for his dropped level. Old Sword Demon didn’t like this point about Agnus. “You have hurt so many people, yet you are like this? You are mocking the lives of those who died by making them worthless until the end?!” “………” The part he was angry about was subtle. At this point, he felt like making an unreasonable demand. Even so, Agnus didn’t dare refute it. The source of this anger came from the loss of loved ones. He knew this mood, so he had no desire to argue. ‘Stupid jerk.’ He had reached an irreversible point, but he felt the condemnation of his conscience. Agnus was disgusted with himself and laughed. He was laughing at himself, but Old Sword Demon didn’t know this. Agnus’ evil deeds came from his past resentment and hatred. Other people didn’t know that even this faded after losing his madness. “You trash jerk!” “It is the correct answer.” Agnus accepted the accusation and used Bentao’s Mockery. It was a deliberate means to overcome the situation, but it was useless. Many of Agnus’ techniques had already been disclosed to the public. The defeats that he had suffered had exposed and

weakened him. Old Sword Demon accurately read the foreshadowing of the skill and counterattacked using a skill invalidation artifact. He crushed the high bridge of Agnus’ nose with his knee before grabbing Agnus’ neck with his rotating leg and slamming Agnus into the ground. Agnus couldn’t even scream. He could only confirm Old Sword Demon’s sword inserted in his chest using his blurred vision. ‘…It is karma.’ He had maintained some of his conscience while suffering from madness, such as rejecting Baal’s quests to kill an unspecified number of people, but it was completely meaningless. The number of casualties that should be in the millions was suppressed to thousands or tens of thousands, but in the end, he was still a murderer. He couldn’t deny that he had harmed others according to his needs and mood. Every place he went, he had no choice but to face someone who held a grudge against him. If he was going to protect himself from them, he should’ve first abandoned his clumsy conscience. ‘What the hell am I doing?’ What type of person was Agnus? He asked himself this, but he couldn’t give an answer. He used his terrible past to bury deep in his memory that he was a man with a broken but kind heart. Agnus denied and loathed himself, but he didn’t know how to affirm himself. Just in time, his five seconds of immortality came. Old Sword Demon maintained a sense of tension. He kept an eye on Agnus while allowing Lantier’s attacks. He held onto the sword inserted in Agnus’ heart like it was a stake. At this moment— "Stop." In an untimely appearance, several people appeared and surrounded Old Sword Demon. It was the intervention of the yangbans. Old Sword Demon had woven ropes around the demons fleeing while fighting Agnus.

“We will look at that guy.” Old Sword Demon’s expression crumpled like a piece of paper. Now there was only one second left. Agnus’ immortality was about to end, so Old Sword Demon inserted strength into the hand holding the sword. However, he couldn’t hold on. He was attacked by the yangbans and separated from Agnus. At the end of the immortality, the yangbans reached out to Agnus. “Your strength is very interesting. You will have to cooperate with us before we figure out how to take advantage of it…” The eyes of the yangban who was talking opened wide. The blood that Agnus spewed burst like a firecracker and soaked his face. The shaky gazes of the yangbans caught Old Sword Demon’s figure. “You tend to look at humans too dismissively since a long time ago.” A disaster caused by carelessness. It happened the moment the anger of the yangbans soared into the sky… “Uwaaak!” Agnus, who was attempting to become an undead to postpone death, failed and threw something up. It was a cold, black bead. At the same time, warning windows emerged in front of Agnus’ blurry vision. [Baal has sensed your death and has withdrawn even the touch of interest he left behind with you.] [The contract with Baal is forcibly terminated.] [The class ‘Baal’s Contractor’ is lost.] [You have lost all the titles, skills, and stats inherited from Baal.] “………!” “………!” The yangbans reached out as if they were competing. It completely drew the interest of not only Old Sword Demon, but also the captured demons. It was understandable.

It was because the black bead in Old Sword Demon’s view was ‘Baal’s Power Fragment.’ ‘There is such a blunder.’ Old Sword Demon didn’t know exactly what was going on, but he instinctively felt it. The fact that this bead shouldn’t fall into the hands of the yangbans. Nevertheless, there was nothing he could do. [You have died.] It was because he was already dead. Agnus, Old Sword Demon who died in vain, and the yangbans who were fighting like anglers… A dark shadow covered the comedy-like spectacle. It was due to a pair of wings huge enough to cover the sky. It was the ultimate transcendent species, a dragon.

“What? On the first night of my honeymoon, you ran to another woman and proposed? Is this real…? Isn’t it like garbage from an affair movie?” Vantner was straightforward. He didn’t hesitate to scold his friend’s transgressions. It was an attitude that came from goodwill. He was inclined to give attention and a strong warning so that his friend didn’t go wrong from violating morality. This was what Grid liked. “I couldn’t sit back and watch Mers be sad. Basara also told me to go to Mers first.” Basara was much older than Grid. She was from the imperial family and a duke who ascended to the rank of empress with the will of the former emperor. She cared for all her people. She had very deep thoughts and had an excellent ability to read the situation. She read Mercedes’ grief at the wedding venue and inferred Mercedes’ relationship with Grid. She weighed the situation where the two of them got married or couldn’t get married, and considered the best choice. In order to breed the seeds of unity, she raised the issue with Grid. She asked Grid to go to Mercedes. She encouraged the love of the two to come to fruition. “I think people’s relationships and feelings should be a springboard, not a stumbling block.” This was what Basara said that night. She was wise and explained the importance of relationships, and this resonated with Grid. Before Mercedes’ heart could fall into an uncontrollable abyss, he ran and caught her. “Um… Mercedes was sad. Basara understood… then there is no problem… right?” Vantner heard the explanation and had a subtle expression as he was convinced. “Thinking positively… I’m glad that you have a sense of responsibility. Every time he meets a new lover, Pon will abandon his former lover.” “It is rude to compare me with Pon. I’m not a flirt.”

“………” It happened as his colleagues were looking at Grid with expressions of absurdity… Grid’s line of sight tilted. His clear eyes stayed at the opposite window behind his colleagues. After a few seconds, Faker’s posture in the shadow shook slightly. A few seconds after that… “What type of monsters are these…?” Katz was agitated. His face turned white and the atmosphere became turbulent. “Is it an invasion?” Grid restrained the nervous Overgeared members who were arming themselves. “No, they are guests. Don’t worry about it.” Grid’s combination of Transcend and Shunpo was now as natural as flowing water. He had enough stamina that he wouldn’t get tired even if he used it several times in a row. He calmed down his colleagues and moved out the window, flying over the spires. He also pulled down the mass of Greed above his head and used one of his powers. Greed spread out like a tent to wrap around the surroundings, enclosing the space. “Have you been well?” Shortly after, two people arrived. There was Biban of the Tower of Wisdom and the other tower member— “Hello.” It was Betty. Unlike Biban, Betty’s outings weren’t common, so Grid felt some uneasiness. “What brings the two of you here…?” “Baal’s Contractor of this era will lose his qualifications.” Betty was different from Biban. There were no distractions around her, so she immediately revealed her business. The contents were shocking. “It is very serious since Baal’s power mixed in the contractor’s soul will be released and leaked.”

“Baal’s power is the source of all evil. It will seduce witnesses with strong power and malice. In particular, dragons.” “I think Baal designed it like this intentionally.” “The power to attract dragons…” “Yes, when Granny Betty lost her power, Nevartan and Bunhelier flew in. It was unlucky. This incident occurred close to the lairs of those two dragons. Even if I say it is close, it was still hundreds of kilometers away.” “There is a high possibility that the dragons will also intervene in this incident. It has to be stopped. If a dragon gains Baal’s power, a second evil dragon will be born.” “………” Grid’s heart sank. Ultimate beings with transcendence—in particular, it was difficult to guess the strength of the dragons that had existed from the beginning. It was only by abandoning the common sense accumulated previously and adding imagination that he could vaguely grasp the outline. He couldn’t hide his tension at the suggestion that he could face them directly. “In other words, the tower should be responsible for this incident, but there happens to be a problem. Granny Betty detected that the current contractor is on the East Continent. It isn’t our jurisdiction.” “If the tower members attempt to move between continents, the problem would become serious. We will inevitably show some signs and will be chased by dragons.” “Every dragon in the world will notice and aim for Baal’s power, which has currently only been detected and targeted by the dragons in the east. In the aftermath, the East Continent will perish.” “So, Grid, you should go to the east on our behalf. Be sure to destroy that power before someone obtains it and exploits it.” [A Pioneer quest has occurred!]

[Destroy Baal’s Power Fragment] [Difficulty: Unable to be measured. Betty has watched the Baal’s Contractor of this era and predicts that he will soon lose his qualifications. Destroy the fragment of Baal’s power that will be leaked at this time so that it doesn’t fall into someone else’s hands. Quest Clear Conditions: Destroy the fragment of Baal’s power. Quest Clear Rewards: Betty’s gift. Affinity with Betty will increase. Quest Failure Condition: Another person obtains the fragment of Baal’s power. Quest Failure Result: A new strong enemy that has absorbed Baal’s power will emerge. There is a high probability of massive damage to the East Continent.] [Would you like to accept the quest?] It was ominous just from the difficulty level. In the first place, it was a quest that was likely to involve dragons. It was clear that it wouldn’t be easy to resolve. The good news was that there would be no damage done to Grid individually if the quest failed, but this wasn’t a comfort at all. The people of Cho and Xing—he was already heavy-hearted when thinking about all the soldiers and their families who participated in and helped with the Great Human and Demon War. “Is this something I can resolve…?” It would be hard—even if he received such an answer, Grid would accept the quest. He didn’t want the East Continent to become a ruin. The answer that came back was surprisingly hopeful. “It is hard, but I think it is possible. I wouldn’t have asked you if you couldn’t handle it.” “Grid, you know that the East Continent is the land of the gods. In the past, the Four Auspicious Beasts existed as guardian gods and exerted influence on all things. Now the expelled gods and the yangbans are directly intervening in the situation.

Compared to this place, the flow of magic power is relatively limited due to the overflow of divine power.” “It means the land is inappropriate to be used as a base by dragons, the masters of magic. This means the dragons in the east are actually close to ‘hidden losers.’ It is very likely that it has a large wound. It is relatively common for dragons to compete over lair locations and this happens once every few hundred years.” Certainly, the words ‘hidden loser’ were appropriate. It was because the people of the east had never mentioned the existence of dragons. The only dragon they talked about was the blue dragon, who was one of the Four Auspicious Beasts. Grid’s expression became noticeably brighter. ‘A dragon that is wounded and hid itself… it is possible to discuss the odds of winning.’ It was a chance to get dragon bones and scales. Biban continued speaking as Grid clenched his fists and was delighted, “It is similar to Gujel when we hunted him. Don’t try to overdo it. Even if you can’t kill it, I’m sure you can drive it away.” “………” Grid’s jubilant expression stiffened again. The power gathered to hunt Gujel was all the tower members, including Hayate. It meant it was impossible for Grid to hunt it alone. Obtaining the dragon scales and bones became very distant… Betty added a further warning, “That is before the dragon gets its hands on the power fragment. It will become incomparably powerful and uncontrollable if it gets the power fragment. Then give up and come back. We’ll take care of it.” “…Yes.” There was no further conversation. Time was short. Grid immediately left for the East Continent while the tower members saw him off from a distance. Biban sighed and stared at Betty somewhat resentfully. “Granny, I’m disappointed. Why did you stand idly by and watch Agnus leave for the East Continent? If you had killed him yourself and made him lose his disqualification on this land, we wouldn’t have needed to ask for help from Grid.” Biban shut his mouth.

Why did Baal’s Contractor have to sign with Baal and why did he lose his qualifications…? He understood it by recalling Betty’s past, which he heard from Fronzaltz one day in the past. A bitter smile appeared on Betty’s usually always expressionless face. “I’m sorry. I hesitated because I felt sorry for him. It is all my fault. I’ll take responsibility and be punished.” “…I am also sorry.” Biban’s body trembled. He noticed Betty’s determination and felt anger and sadness. ‘Grid, please… ’ Biban’s heart was eager as he looked at the remnants of the Mass Teleport Grid used to disappear. ‘Please create a miracle again this time… take care of the people of the east and this poor granny… ’ *** [Someone is praying to you.] This was the most common notification window after opening the prayer stat. It flashed and disappeared from a corner of his vision, giving Grid great courage. ‘They must be people praying for me on this land.’ At the East Continent… The gentle air was completely different from what he was breathing just a moment ago. The wind blew the fragrance of pine needles. His head cleared. ‘Hurry.’ Usually, he would first visit the Cho King to say hello when coming to the East Continent, but he couldn’t afford it today. Grid immediately moved toward his destination. He used Shunpo in succession.

*** At Kaya… Old Sword Demon died without knowing what happened and immediately revived. He was glad that his place of death and the resurrection point were the same. This allowed him to determine the case of death. “What is this…?” Old Sword Demon doubted the sight unfolding in the city below the shrine. A huge dragon was on the rampage. It was completely different from the blue dragon, one of the symbols of the East Continent. Their body was large and it had wings. It breathed out fire every time it opened its mouth and its expression was very vicious. “A dragon…” Why did the strongest monster of the West Continent appear in this far eastern land? Old Sword Demon naturally suspected Agnus. He was forced to interpret it as Agnus bringing the monster here. A light flashed at the shrine behind him. It was a sign that a player had been resurrected. Old Sword Demon looked back only for his eyes to widen. “Agnus, you! “It has been a long time since I’ve been resurrected on the surface.” Agnus was resurrected in hell every time he died. It was a type of penalty and one of the inconveniences that Baal’s Contractor received. Yet at this moment, he was liberated from it. There was no designated resurrection point, so he resurrected at the nearest resurrection base. He thought it was a convenient feature. “What is that dragon? How many people do you have to hurt to make you feel better?” “I don’t know that guy.”

After a few years, Agnuus had returned to being an ordinary necromancer. His eyes, which regained tranquility proportional to the sharp decline in combat power, shone as sharply as before. His green hair reminded people of his early years when he was notorious. “The yangbans are dying easily. A dragon… it is as awesome as rumored.” “Dammit! This isn’t the time to marvel! The city is going to be destroyed!” Agnus really didn’t have anything to do with the dragon. Old Sword Demon first put aside his hatred for Agnus. He calculated the timing to step out while nervously looking at the people running away in confusion. Agnus asked him, “Do you want to save people?” “Are you trying to mock me? That’s right! I want to save them! You easily hurt people, so you don’t understand, but I…! We…!” The years he spent with Hwang Gildong passed by through his mind. How many people did he try to save and how many people he couldn’t save… He wouldn’t be able to save them again this time. Old Sword Demon was holding his face with frustration when Agnus strode past Old Sword Demon. “If you want to save people, it is better to help the yangbans.” “What…?” “That dragon covets Baal’s power. If that is taken by it, the city will become dust without any time to save people. First of all, work together and help the yangbans. Then find an opportunity to destroy Baal’s power.” “Haha…? Look at this guy? You want to fight with me now? You are going to help people? Who will believe your words? You are just using a trick to eat Baal’s power again.” “It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. In the future, I will only do what I want to do.” It felt like Agnus’ shackles were broken. In retrospect, it was Baal’s Contractor, the

only thing he believed in and relied on, that was actually the darkness that pushed him into a greater abyss. “Enter the shadows, Lantier.” [Your death knight Lantier isn’t responding. You don’t have the authority.] “Raise your sword, Cao.” [Your death knight Cao isn’t responding. You don’t have the authority.] Nobody responded to the call. He lost his connection to the beings he had gained during his days as Baal’s Contractor. The sudden solitude that made his heart throb was exposed to the cold air. Even so, Agnus proceeded firmly. “The poor dead, reflect on your resentment.” Dozens of undead appeared around the advancing Agnus. They were insignificant skeleton soldiers holding rusty iron swords and bows. They were the default minions of a necromancer. Agnus didn’t care. He reached out and pulled a weapon out of his inventory. He armed himself with the old staff used in the past that felt very far away. “I will start over.” “You…?” Old Sword Demon’s eyes widened as he stared blankly at Agnus’ back. Agnus’ upper body, revealed through the flapping robe, had no skin or flesh. His bones and organs were nakedly exposed and he looked more hideous and shabby than the skeleton soldiers standing beside him. It wasn’t easy for most people to handle, but Agnus’ expression didn’t waver. He was much calmer and more powerful than before his death to Old Sword Demon. He could feel heat from the gold eyes that looked as cold as metal and it made Old Sword Demon feel strange.

Feel me. See me, covet me, swallow me, and make me yours. The will of the dark orb was amplified over and over again. The yangbans and demons on the field were instantly fascinated. They forgot the past and present, losing themselves as they started to obsess over the future proposed by the bead. They were convinced that their future after swallowing the bead would be great. It was based on the enormous energy contained in the bead. ‘I will be sure to take first place in the next trials with that power.’ ‘There will be no need for the worship of humans. That thing. The moment I get my hands on it, I will become a god.’ ‘I will return to hell and wear a crown.’ ‘I will get revenge. I will surely get revenge… ’ Baal’s fragment of power was like a furnace. It captured the desires and resentment of all living things around it. In the surge of heat, reason and knowledge were killed. Both the yangbans and demons howled like beasts. They didn’t realize that their hands extending toward the bead were digging through the brains of their colleagues. They didn’t feel that their eyeballs looking at the bead were being pulled out by the colleagues’ hands. Everything was insignificant in front of the bead. They only desired the bead without recognizing anything other than the bead. Kurarararara! Bones and flesh melted from the flames being fired by the dragon in the sky. However, no one cared about her. On the ground that had turned into a sea of fire, the demons and yangbans seemed to be dancing. It seemed like a bizarre hell. “They are crazy.” Old Sword Demon sighed. The spirit of the world was broken. He

couldn’t figure out what to do first in this frightening and confusing situation. Kyaaaak! Agnus’ skeleton soldiers were plunging into the flames. Agnus, who was watching those being killed in vain, spoke to him, “Three seconds after the flames are formed, the damage coefficient will sharply decrease. Remember the sequence of flames and move.” Step. Agnus threw himself into the roaring barrier of fire. It seemed right that he would turn to ashes, but he crossed it unharmed. Old Sword Demon chased after him while clicking his tongue. ‘What am I doing with this guy?’ He didn’t like the situation. The flames that spread like waves and formed a labyrinth, the heat of the crazy people that was as hot as flames, the back of the dragon standing tall like a mountain, Agnus calmly watching the sight, and the destruction that seemed unavoidable… There was only despair. Old Sword Demon was frustrated, but he moved forward. He attacked the flames in the way that Agnus suggested and gave a helping hand to the people trapped in the labyrinth. Before he knew it, his body was covered with burns. He repeatedly burned his body to rescue the people threatened by flames that hadn’t yet weakened. “Laugh if you want to laugh. I won’t blink even if you mock me!” Old Sword Demon made eye contact with Agnus and roared. He was enduring the burning pain from his hands that stretched out to a boy. The isolated boy couldn’t hold his hand and was becoming ashes when Agnus approached the boy’s side. “Stay still.” He didn’t take off the boy’s robe with fireballs stuck to it. Rather, he embraced it and

grabbed the boy, pulling the boy out carefully so that the boy wasn’t alarmed. “Thank you…!” The tearful boy relied on Agnus. It was because he didn’t know that Agnus was a murderer who couldn’t wash away his sins even if he saved a million more people in the future. The boy didn’t see Agnus’ ugly body hidden in the burning robe. “…Disgusting guy,” Old Sword Demon frowned and criticized Agnus. It wasn’t until he lost his strength that he took up the pretense of good will. It was so ridiculous that Old Sword Demon scoffed. “It is no use thinking about saving yourself until you regain your strength. Your past will never be washed away no matter what tricks you try in the future. Everyone will just remember your misdeeds and hate you forever.” “Where are your parents?” Agnus didn’t confront Old Sword Demon’s criticisms that were close to a curse. He only questioned the boy and the boy answered with difficulty. “They passed away a few years ago…” “I might’ve been the one who killed them.” “………?” Agnus took his eyes off the boy who didn’t understand him and made eye contact with Old Sword Demon. “I don’t think I can erase my past. I don’t intend to ask anyone for forgiveness, nor do I intend to be a good person.” It was closer to a grumble than a pledge. “I’m simply going to live as I please, while doing the things I want to do.” They were grumpy words that had no sense of responsibility and induced a feeling of disgust. Old Sword Demon was finding this attitude disgusting when he suddenly had a thought. He didn’t feel disgusted when Agnus saved the child just now. It

meant that Old Sword Demon wouldn’t have liked it no matter what Agnus said. Yes, it was an irreparable relationship. Consuming his emotions in relation to Agnus was a luxury in itself. Just ignore it. For now, it was right to focus on the situation. ‘He is trash rolling around on the side of the road. A dog’s poop. There is no need to pay attention to him… ’ Old Sword Demon’s focus was incredible after he regained his mind. He quickly rescued people from the labyrinth of flames and drew the attention of the dragon as she gradually approached the bead. He utilized an assassin’s trap installation skills and the effects of the traps were endless depending on their form. At first glance, he seemed like an all-rounder. ‘It is a skill that has been practiced for more than a year or two.’ The poor condition of the dragon also played a major role. The blood that was mixed in every time she breathed out fire indicated her internal injuries. ‘This fire isn’t a Breath.’ Most people mistook a dragon’s Breath for elemental magic. It was because a Breath had attributes. In fact, a Breath was more like a pure mass of magic power. The overlaid attributes were an additional factor and it specialized in causing abnormal statuses. The actual damage was true damage proportional to the amount of magic power. It meant that all types of resistances and tolerances were useless. If the dragon called Ifrit had overused Breath, the yangbans on the field might’ve been wiped out. However, she was currently unable to shoot a Breath and was just breathing out. Even that was accompanied by blood. Agnus was certain. ‘Her judgment is blurred… the odds are good enough.’ Agnus’ purpose wasn’t to kill the dragon. It was impossible in the first place. It was common sense that players couldn’t threaten dragons. It was the result of the information and knowledge that Agnus had accumulated so far. Agnus made

destroying the fragment of Baal’s power his top priority. That was the best he could do now. Kurarararara! The fragment of Baal’s power was basically bonds of demonic energy. It was why the yangbans couldn’t easily narrow the distance and the secret behind Old Sword Demon’s traps utilizing artifacts with black magic attracting the dragon’s attention. The yangbans and dragon were blinded by the power fragment and had become very simple. It was possible to buy time by distracting them using energy similar to the power fragment. Meanwhile, Agnus was a necromancer. The undead he summoned basically had evil influences and demonic energy. It was possible to confuse them with amplified demonic energy if he used Corpse Explosion. The skeleton soldiers exploded everywhere and blinded the yangbans and dragon. They forgot the location of the bead they were chasing a while ago and wandered in a completely different direction. However, the demons were different. They had good compatibility with demonic energy. They were already close to the bead from the beginning and weren’t easily deceived. “Um…!” Old Sword Demon showed nervousness. He feared that the fragment of power would fall into the hands of a demon and attempted to break through the flames. Agnus stopped him. “You can ignore them.” The reason was quickly known. Kyaaaack! The fragment of power rejected the demons. It swallowed those who came near it in reverse and increased its energy. The demons disappeared in vain. “Baal wants a fun toy,” black magic power started to flutter around Agnus as he spoke in a cynical manner. It was the aftermath of taking out one of the few powers remaining in his rune. He emitted demonic energy and became the target of the dragon and yangbans.

“It is now. Go and smash the fragment.” “………!” Old Sword Demon belatedly noticed. The flames that filled his vision were fading. The shortest path to the power fragment was opened. Most of the breaths that the dragon belatedly fired were surrounding Agnus. It was a situation created by Agnus using Corpse Explosion. Kurarararara! “Give it to me! It is mine!” The dragon’s breath and the yangbans flooded toward Agnus. Old Sword Demon noticed this was his last chance and rushed forward. He felt the end of Agnus behind him as he stabbed with all his strength toward the power fragment. A powerful shockwave occurred. Old Sword Demon’s sword penetrated the bead little by little, slowly but steadily. Nevertheless, it was lacking. At some point, it was blocked by a wall. A blow containing all his power was blocked by the bead, which contained only a small fragment of Baal’s power. “Kuoock…!” Old Sword Demon gritted his teeth as his body trembled. He squeezed out all his strength to push the sword even a little bit further into the bead. However, it was useless. “…Ah.” I messed it up. I failed because I am lacking. This city will be destroyed. A voice entered the ears of the frustrated Old Sword Demon, “I ruined it because I couldn’t hold on.” It was Agnus’ voice. It was a fragmented voice. They were the last words Agnus would leave before his death. He seemed to be comforting Old Sword Demon. He seemed to be apologizing for not buying enough time. It was hard to believe. Old Sword Demon laughed at the absurdity while Agnus’ vision turned gray. ‘I wanted to deal a blow… ’

To the one who abandoned me. I wanted to give you a taste of regret. Yet in the end, I couldn’t do anything. I just reinforced the fact that I am worthless. ‘I have… I really don’t have any value… ’ Agnus had dreamed of a fresh start just a few dozen minutes ago. His eyes, which were heated up for the first time since the death of his former lover, once again lost their light and cooled down. His mental strength couldn’t be intact. It hurt too much to keep his heart firm and his mind straight. It was a sandcastle. It was destined to be scattered in a fleeting manner. Then at this moment, his fate changed. “No, you didn’t ruin it. I honestly don’t know what is going on, but thank you for holding on. Really,” a voice came from above his head. Agnus felt that the voice that spoke while breathing roughly was different from usual. It wasn’t uncomfortable or unpleasant. Envy, jealousy, and a sense of inferiority didn’t rise. Rather, the feeling of frustration in his chest was pierced in a refreshing manner. His cold heart started to run hot again. Emotions swelled. “…It is like this.” [You have died.] It happened the moment his gray vision finally turned dark… A smile spread on Agnus’ face as he was covered with the blood spilled by the dragon. It was a smile that showed happiness because he regained the longing he had forgotten for a long time. “No, what…?” Old Sword Demon was speechless. This recent disaster occurred due to an accident. It happened when he accidentally killed Agnus, who was hiding on the East

Continent. It was basically impossible for someone to foresee the situation in advance and run over to help. Yet Grid did it. He appeared on the scene at the moment of desperate crisis like he had been waiting. At this point, it was a development like a manhwa or novel. The situation seemed miraculous to Old Sword Demon, who didn’t know about the Tower of Wisdom, Betty, the Pioneer, and so on. On the other hand, it was inevitable for Grid. He knew it was a must-happen event. He bore the responsibility that should be resolved. “Please protect the fragment,” Grid cut the dragon’s long neck and spoke while standing with his back to Old Sword Demon. He analyzed the situation based on the scene and observed hope. Today, I am ready to kill a dragon. A stormy fire engulfed the hellish landscape.

Satisfy didn’t easily discuss limits. The clear evidence was that players could become a myth. A player’s potential to repeat resurrections and reach transcendence was infinite. However, killing a dragon was impossible. First of all, the absolute defense was a problem. As the name suggested, it was a concept that was close to invincibility. Dragons received only 1 damage no matter the form of attack. Even the power of true damage was halved. It was right to assert the claim ‘it can never be killed.’ Of course, Grid was the holder of the Hero King and Dragon Slayer? titles. He thoroughly neutralized a dragon’s absolute defense. Yet he was more afraid of dragons than anyone else. It was because he realized the strength of a dragon through the words of the tower members and he also clearly remembered the stats of Bunhelier that he witnessed in the National Competition. 99,999—Bunhelier had reached 100,000 for each stat except for agility and intelligence. This meant that just one of Bunhelier’s stats was significantly higher than the total number of Grid’s combat-related stats. It was in a completely different weight class. Grid was only an ogre in front of the dragon. Just as an ogre couldn’t deal any damage to Grid with its club, it was impossible for Grid to deal big damage even if he ignored Bunhelier’s absolute defense and attacked. ‘…An ogre is too much. Let’s go with an ogre lord.’ In any case, Grid could never win against Bunhelier. However, there was something to consider here. Bunhelier was one of the dragons that had existed since the beginning. He was particularly special and powerful among the dragons. On the other hand, Ifrit wasn’t an old dragon. Even the name was being heard for the first time. The size was at least two heads smaller compared to Bunhelier. It was clear that the stats would be far inferior. Furthermore, she was critically injured. Every time she let out a breath, she shed blood from her mouth and nose.

Based on Biban’s speculation that she had fled and hid after fighting for territory with another dragon, it meant she was one of those who were beaten by fire dragon Trauka and ran away. She was weak and couldn’t be compared to an old dragon. ‘This isn’t a hatchling.’ She was much larger compared to Nefelina. She was not an opponent that could be considered easy. Even so, Grid saw a chance of winning. The biggest basis was that Ifrit had lost her sense of reason. Baal’s power fragment might exude a sweetness that deceived a dragon, but it didn’t make sense that she was like a beast that didn’t know anything. Dragons were lords of magic. Putting aside their ferocious and selfish nature, they were wise. There were definitely many dragons who acted emotionally like Trauka, the fire dragon who was angered by Braham’s theft, or Nevartan, who fell into Baal’s trap and became an insane dragon, but most dragons were as cool-headed as the gourmet dragon Raiders. This was even if their way of thinking was twisted. ‘The complete loss of reason means she is on the defensive.’ I can kill her. No, I have to kill her. It was a great opportunity to get his hands on the Dragon Slayer qualifications. ‘I have to be strong. That’s the only way I can fight Baal.’ Baal was such a transcendent being that he could fight an old dragon. He was a direct descendent of the god of the beginning, Yatan, so he would have many strengths apart from pure force. It could be seen that his power was close to infinity just by looking at his skill to make humanity think of Yatan as an evil god and his distortion of hell. The dragon was obsessed with the fragment of Baal’s power because she knew this. Grid activated Storm of the Fire God. “Please protect the fragment,” he requested Old Sword Demon, who was behind him. Old Sword Demon was astonished. ‘This… ’

The whole city was engulfed in fire. All the people were in a crisis and only a handful of people were rescued by Old Sword Demon. He did so by sacrificing himself and enduring great wounds. He felt a terrible sense of helplessness. Yet the moment Grid created a red storm, all the people were saved. The uncontrollably growing fire was extinguished and the new flames that appeared warmly enveloped and healed the wounded. Old Sword Demon shook. He thought of the mental world of Hwang Gildong that he experienced in the past. Hwang Gildong’s mental world that used hundreds of clones and thousands of clouds to isolate the yangbans was invincible. However, Grid’s mental world at this moment felt much more powerful. It was hard to believe. Willpower was a separate force from strength. It must be accumulated and polished with time. It was impossible for the willpower of a player to exceed the willpower of a transcendent named NPC, who had lived for hundreds of years. Yet at this moment, Grid was superior. This was different from the realm of talent. It meant that the ‘experience’ accumulated by Grid had surpassed Hwang Gildong’s experience over the years. ‘How many events and trials have you been through?’ Additionally, how many hardships had he overcome? Old Sword Demon couldn’t hastily guess. He just nodded vigorously while looking at Grid’s back with an envious gaze. “I understand. I’ll protect it somehow.” In fact, Old Sword Demon was going to refuse. The main culprit behind the current situation was the bead. To calm the situation, the bead had to be destroyed. Meanwhile, Grid planned to be raiding the dragon while using the bead as bait. It was a dangerous plan. If he failed and the dragon obtained the bead, the consequences would be terrible. It was right to stop it. However, Old Sword Demon decided to trust Grid. As if in response to that trust— Grid used Freely Move to cross the battlefield. He stabbed and slashed at the yangbans who were rushing toward the bead and quickly reached Ifrit. It combined with the theme song that made the heart feel grand and seemed like a scene produced in a movie.

‘Maybe… ’ Maybe a miracle would really happen today. Perhaps it would be the birth of a Dragon Slayer, who he believed couldn’t exist. Old Sword Demon was looking forward to it as he watched the two swords held by Grid move like flashes of light. Kiyaaaaaaack! The heaven and earth were turbulent. Ifrit cried out strangely and struggled as she was slashed by Grid’s two swords that moved like lightning. The land received the weight of hundreds of tons and collapsed like a tsunami had occurred. Hundreds of rocks poured like bullets toward the heads of the fleeing people. “Keuk…!” Old Sword Demon’s expression crumpled as he was admiring Grid’s skill. He had to protect the bead. He was distressed that he couldn’t help the people who were in a crisis. He was desperate, but there was no need for him to suffer. Flash! The God Hands flew toward the people and instantly transformed into magic machines. Dozens of Raiders armed with black armor blocked the falling rocks with their bodies, turning the rocks into powder. Subsequently… Click! Clink! They pulled out big spears. They crossed a distance of hundreds of meters with one step and rushed toward Ifrit. Kiyaaaaaah! Ifrit cried out again. Gujel’s Dao, which came from a killed dragon, and the Fire Dragon Sword, which had already cut the enemy dozens of times, cooperated with the attack from dozens of Raiders and forced the dragon to start bleeding. Chiiiik!

“………?!” Ifrit’s blood corroded Grid’s armor. It penetrated his skin, melted his bones, and evaporated his blood. However, the reason Grid was flustered wasn’t due to the unexpected counterattack. It was due to the noticeable decrease in Ifrit’s health gauge. The five fusion sword dance might’ve been triggered three times in a row, but the dragon had already started to die. It was strange even considering that Ifrit had been seriously injured. ‘Why?’ Of course, Grid was strong. In particular, his offensive power was strong and this allowed him to defeat the 4th Great Demon within minutes. It was just unreasonable to compare a dragon and Gamigin on the same scale. ‘Something is wrong.’ It happened the moment Grid realized this… Kiyaaaaaah! The dozens of Raiders pulled back their arms and stabbed their spears to turn Ifrit into a hedgehog. The giant body stuck with spears turned into a chunk of flesh and collapsed. A chill went down Grid’s spine. It was because Ifrit’s body started flashing transparently and she gradually became less substantive. It was like Grid was looking at a hologram. “Wrap yourself around…!” The Raiders immediately responded to Grid’s urgent order. They threw themselves instantly and wrapped around Ifrit. Grid used Shunpo to move to Old Sword Demon’s side. He didn’t hesitate to stab his sword at the fragment of power that he had asked Old Sword Demon to protect. It was too late. Ifrit exploded. It was a powerful explosion that blew up the dozens of Raiders wrapped around her. Grid’s ears became deaf. The world seemed to be submerged in silence. On the other

hand, the sight of the city’s buildings turning into ashes and scattering was clearly imprinted on his eyes. “………!!” He could see Old Sword Demon shouting something. However, Old Sword Demon quickly moved away. His shocked body was swept through the air and eventually blown outside the city. Grid’s situation was similar. He was pushed back a few steps. It was while holding the sword that he had aimed at the bead. The bead seemed far away from him. The appearance of it standing still without being swept away by the explosion was very annoying. He had the illusion of Baal’s laughter ringing in his ears. [How dare someone who can’t even live for a split second…] A voice pierced his damaged hearing. It was a voice with tremendous transcendence. It seemed to be heard from the very distant sky, right by his side, underground, or from behind him. It was impossible to identify the location. Grid intuitively knew it. This was the real Ifrit. There was a creepy pressure as night came. Grid looked up and saw a dragon coming down close to him. She filled Grid’s entire vision as she approached the ground. It was an intentional action. She knew how to use his huge body to intimidate others. [My illusion might not deal as much damage as I do, but… I didn’t know you would push me to the point where I would self-destruct…] The remnants of the illusion that had exploded a while ago slowly flew toward the main body and was absorbed. Ifrit’s red scales developed a clearer color and flames spread from her feet as she landed on the ground. It was the unfolding of a domain. The status she had accumulated over the years was as powerful as she was. The Storm of the Fire God that entered Ifrit’s domain was destroyed. Grid broke out in a cold sweat. ‘I was too arrogant.’ He should’ve doubted the situation. He should’ve crushed the bead instead of being greedy.

‘Now that this has happened, I need to summon the apostles to have a chance of winning.’ He was afraid his apostles would be in danger, but it was impossible to break the bead alone. Ifrit’s face arrived right in front of Grid’s nose as he was caught in belated regret. Every scale on her long neck was as sharp as a sword. […I see, it is you.] “………?” Ifrit’s killing intent, which caused all types of abnormal conditions, subsided like it had been a lie. Grid found it impossible to read the dragon’s expression, but he could glimpse the interest in the dragon’s eyes. [Power that transcends time… you are the Overgeared God.] “I… You know me?” [All things are spreading your story. How can I not know you? It is just right. Me and you…] Ifrit’s eyes shook. “What tyranny is this on Hanul’s land?” Pungsa, Usa, and Unsa—the three masters who served Hanul descended on golden clouds. They were escorted by Mir, who held the Blue Dragon Dao in one of his hands. That’s right. This was the East continent. It was even Kaya. It was the realm of the expelled gods. There was no way they wouldn’t have noticed this uproar. The scale of the disturbance was too large. Ifrit made an unexpected suggestion to the panicked Grid, [Choose. Will you help me absorb Baal’s power fragment or make new weapons from my bones, skin, and blood?] “What is this…?”

[I don’t have time to convince you, so let’s just do this.] “………!” Grid’s eyes widened. It was because Ifrit tore off one of her arms and threw it at Grid. [You should know. Killing a dragon is a curse that will grab at your ankle. The only Dragon Slayer in the world is still hiding from us. It is better for you to abandon your obsession and cooperate with me now.] [An unexpected quest has occurred!] [Make a dragon weapon in the next 30 minutes! If you fail, you will lose your life!] "No, what are you saying…?” It was an absurd development. Grid pulled out a portable furnace while clicking his tongue. The penalty of ‘no space movement’ occurred when the three masters started to chant certain spells. The effect was enormous since it was created with the cooperation of the three gods. Not only did his return scroll fail, but Shunpo also failed. It became impossible to flee or summon the apostles. It was also questionable whether the emergency escape system would work properly. Now he had to trust Ifrit. ‘This is also an opportunity to get a dragon weapon for free.’ The remark that killing a dragon was a curse was also reliable. If he thought about it currently, the losses were greater than the gains if the current Grid became a Dragon Slayer. Wasn’t there the incident where Hayate turned the epic that was Grid’s declaration of war on the dragons into secret words? ‘Calm down first and think about the situation.’ Grid breathed in deeply. Then the portable fire suddenly lit up with fire. Heat equivalent to a super large furnace had occurred. It was thanks to Ifrit’s breath. Any further hesitation was useless. Grid peeled the skin off Ifrit’s arm. After cutting off the flesh, he threw the bones and claws into the furnace.

“………” Grid was fascinated by the flames in the roaring furnace. A small and unattractive portable furnace—the heat in it was hot. It easily melted a dragon’s bones and claws, but it wasn’t ferocious. An explosive heat that could melt even the largest furnace was being contained in the portable furnace. There was a strong feeling of protecting himself from disappearing in the heat. It approached him kindly. The word ‘warmth’ came to mind. ‘It is responding to Ifrit’s will.’ It felt like the flames were alive and breathing. It was different from other flames that sought combustion, extinction, and destruction. The appearance of a clear willpower and putting forward different possibilities resembled the flames of the red phoenix. It might not have the strong vitality of the red phoenix’s flames, but it was hard to see it as a flaw. Instead, the destructive power that exceeded the flames of the red phoenix wriggled from inside the core. In other words, the flames of Ifrit and the flames of the red phoenix were equal. They had different strengths, but it was difficult to discuss which one was inferior or superior. This was shocking considering that the Four Auspicious Beasts represented the East Continent. The strength of the Four Auspicious Beasts might not be as strong as their prime due to being sealed for many years, but for their willpower to not be as strong? It meant that a normal dragon, not even an old dragon, was equal to them. ‘This dragon… ’ Other than the old dragons, Grid only knew Nefelina and Gujel among the dragons. He had subconsciously measured the level of dragons based on them. It was a big mistake. The Gujel that Grid had experienced was just a remnant of thought remaining after death, while Nefelina was a hatchling. It wasn’t enough for them to be used as the standard.

‘I almost messed up… ’ He couldn’t understand the subject. He took dragons too lightly. ‘I had a narrow perspective.’ It was true that he became anxious after chasing after Baal as his goal. He was overwhelmed by the pressure to be strong enough to kill Baal. To put it simply, he lost his composure. It was worth blaming himself. However, there was no need to shrink back. He avoided the worst case scenario. This was simply a lesson. ‘Let’s be polite to dragons in the future.’ It was just like when he entertained Raiders. Being that polite was enough. ‘In the first place, she doesn’t seem to hate me.’ Ifrit had given Grid a stern warning. She awakened the dangers of killing a dragon and asked for cooperation. She even showed trust by cutting off one arm on her own. Of course, for dragons, arms were just degraded things. It was more than ten times smaller than the two heavy legs. They normally didn’t use it, unless they polymorphed into human form. Still, it was true that she gave away a part of her body. She took on a new wound while she was seriously injured. It was not a minor act. Of course, it might be because she was in a bad position. Other dragons were likely to have different attitudes from Ifrit. However, it should be noted that Ifrit understood Grid’s personality perfectly. The other dragons were also likely to know Grid well. Nevertheless, no dragon had ever harmed Grid so far. At the very least, it meant they were neutral. Future relationships with them depended on Grid’s attitude. ‘Since it is like this, I should get along well with them.’ Grid recalled the duties of the tower members. Their purpose wasn’t to harm the dragons. The focus was on reducing the scale of events that dragons would cause. He should’ve noticed it from this point. Antagonizing the dragons was a taboo. “Fire dragon, a precious body was hiding in this land.”

Just then, the three masters opened their mouths. The gaze toward Ifrit was sharp. It was natural. For them, Ifrit was an aggressor. She hid in their territory, caused an incident, and slaughtered at will. In the aftermath, several yangbans were killed. Of course, the cause of the incident was Baal’s power fragment and the culprit who killed the yangbans was Grid… in any case, it wasn’t strange for Ifrit to be misunderstood and held accountable. [That’s right. My situation is no different from yours.] The atmosphere was serious. Grid listened to the conversation between the three masters and Ifrit. The time attack quest was in progress. The battle would soon begin. Grid had to focus on responding to risks at any time. He didn’t rest his hands. He just listened carefully while removing the skin from Ifrit’s arm. Grid was determined to complete the dragon weapon. Since the quest reward was limited to ‘survival,’ the dragon weapon was likely to end up in Ifrit’s hands. For Grid, the experience of making a dragon weapon was a profit and his reward. In order to live and to even gain experience, he had to complete the dragon weapon. Grid was quick to cut the thick skin without hesitation. Even before the smelting of the bones had begun in earnest, the skin to be wrapped around the handle was complete. It was the power of the automatic production and the quest correction system. “………” Grid didn’t care about Mir. Mir also didn’t pay attention to Grid. The two of them turned away from each other. They buried the past of fighting for each other deep in their hearts. Mir had to be like this due to his position, and Grid was considerate toward such a Mir. Was it made from the feathers of the red phoenix? Pungsa clicked his tongue as he covered his mouth with a fan bursting with flames. He seemed to be very annoyed with Ifrit’s tone. “How dare you compare yourself to us when you were attracted by Baal’s power and ran wild like a beast? You are as shameless as your thick skin. The sin of harming the half-gods…” [Elixirs made from me will be really powerful. How am I the same as a low-grade group who digs into the weaknesses of lower species and dazzles them with

strength?] “You will pay for your sin of running rampant in the land of the great gods…” [I have a question. The master of this land is someone else, so how can you pretend to be the master?] “…Don’t try useless provocations.” [Then you should shut up as well. Just confess honestly that you ran over without breathing because you covet my body. Why be so wordy?] “You…” “Pungsa, stop it.” Usa and Unsa restrained Pungsa and stepped forward. The sky and earth moved with them as the center. The sky tilted according to their hand gestures and the earth moved along with their footsteps. It felt like the world was in tune to their will. The anvil and furnace tilted 90 degrees and the startled Grid gulped. ‘Is this the mental world of the three masters? When did they open it?’ It was magic that the three masters performed in cooperation. It was convincing to say that it was used so rapidly and powerfully that super sensitivity couldn’t detect the change. “Your arrogance pierces the sky and you don’t know how to respect the gods…” [You stole this land because you don’t respect the gods.] “…As it has always been said, you will surely be destroyed.” [You still haven’t changed even though you were kicked out of Asgard for speaking such nonsense.] “You aren’t qualified to breathe.”

The faces of the three masters didn’t look very good every time they spoke. In particular, Pungsa’s face was dyed a bamboo color. They somewhat nervously recited the spells and dozens of spells were completed in a flash. The sight of the magic filling the sky was reminiscent of stars in the night sky. ‘It is dizzying.’ The sky and earth started to react more sensitively to the actions of the three masters. Every time one of the three masters moved their hands, the world turned upside down once. By the way, the three masters consisted of three people. Even if the three of them only moved their hands once, the world would be turned over three times. Grid’s transcendent senses were gradually overshadowed by motion sickness. His mind and body weren’t balanced. “………!” Grid was clinging to the hot furnace and somehow using the bellows when he became surprised. It was because he witnessed Ifrit’s two eyes coming right in front of him. These eyes were much bigger and fiercer than Grid’s body. Naturally, fear rose. A clear voice was engraved on the brain of Grid, who was shrinking back. [The mental world of the three gods can’t hold you.] Ifrit completed the words and coughed up a large amount of blood. They were Dragon Words. The world, which was gradually accelerating and rotating, suddenly returned to normal. Grid was overwhelmed by the sight spreading out in front of him. The hemisphereshaped barrier, which couldn’t be seen from the inside, came into view. It was the mental world of the three masters. It was where the three masters, Mir, and Ifrit were… “It is a surprisingly quick reunion.” …No, Mir was in reality. The voice that came from behind him made Grid tense.

“Mir…” Grid turned back. His feet were still busy moving. He sped up the bellows. It was originally an unsightly action, but it wasn’t ugly because his dignity stat was so high. “Do you know the dragon Trauka?” Mir slowly drew his sword. A blue light shook around the cold sword blade in a dizzying manner and a tangible storm was felt. It was very sharp and threatening. “Dragons are called dragons for a reason. It is said that there was a time when the old dragons hunted gods for fun because they were particularly powerful and ferocious. Then the gods of Asgard and the dragons signed an agreement not to interfere with each other.” “………” “Ifrit is the bloodline of Trauka. Therefore, she is a fire dragon. She should’ve been eaten by Trauka, but she survived and reached this land… putting aside her immediate level, it means her potential isn’t normal. The gods see her as a living mass of elixirs.” “What are you trying to say?” Grid was using auto production to make the items. After smelting them into a molten form, Ifrit’s combined bones and claws were put into the mold for quenching. It was an act that didn't suit the situation. However, his eyes were as firm as a warrior whose life or death was at stake. This made Mir hesitate for a moment, but he soon continued calmly, “Leave here. I can’t afford to care about you right now. If you leave like this, no one will stop you.” [A new unexpected quest has occurred!] [Give up on the production of the dragon weapon and leave. The yangban, Mir, will bet his honor to ensure your survival.] [Upon accepting the quest, the preceding quest to produce a dragon weapon within 30 minutes will be canceled.] [If you accept the quest, Ifrit will die and the power of the Hwan Kingdom will be greatly strengthened.]

‘This is crazy.’ Wasn’t it enough to have one sudden twist? He would be in trouble if he did this or that. At this point, he was suspicious that the system was suffering from bipolar disorder. Grid checked the time and frowned. Nine minutes had passed. In the next 21 minutes, the dragon weapon would be completed using the power of the system. The bones, claws, skin and blood—the condition of the materials was incredibly good, but the production time was too short. This meant the quality would decrease. Still, it didn’t matter. The purpose of the quest was to make the dragon weapon. It was up to the client to use it. Maybe it wouldn’t lead to a good result. “I don’t want to,” Grid answered without much thought. The new quest window disappeared and Mir’s eyes shook. “I can't back down and leave after hearing the conversation between the three masters and Ifrit.” The depths of the three masters was shrouded in insults and disgust toward dragons. One of the reasons why the expelled gods rebelled against Asgard was the dragons. They were dissatisfied with the treatment of the dragons. If the power of the expelled gods became stronger than it was now, the Hwan Kingdom was likely to go to war with not only Asgard, but also the dragons. It would naturally affect the surface as well. Human beings would experience a disaster they couldn’t handle. Grid had a duty to prevent this situation. “I’m sorry to you, but I need to take Ifrit’s side here.” Click. Gujel’s Dao that was held in Grid’s right hand hid its appearance. Noe, Randy, and the Overgeared Skeletons lined up on Grid’s left and right sides, while the direct descendant vampires protected his back. The moment they arrived, the God Hands stood in the front. Taang, taang, taang.

The hammer held in Grid’s left hand started to pound on the anvil. It was a bizarre scene. It was far from reality. “…You don’t have to be sorry. We are enemies.” It happened the moment Mir pretended to be casual and tried to hide his regret… The Blue Dragon Dao caused a flash of light. Mir’s quickness played an even more unreasonable role in the domain where Shunpo was sealed. 20 minutes—this was the time that Grid and Ifrit had to hold on. He just came to crush Baal’s power fragment. How did so many things happen…? It was ridiculous no matter how he thought about it, but Grid remained focused.

[You have taken a highest grade recovery potion.] [You have taken Haeju’s Potion.] [You have taken hemostasis medicine.] [You have taken a sedative.] “Kuuack…” The lower body of the struggling Old Sword Demon was tinged with various colors. It was a sign of hastily drinking potions. It was reminiscent of a clown’s makeup. Old Sword Demon found it hard to keep up with the situation. Suddenly, a dragon appeared. Dozens of robots ran around and finally, there was an explosion that destroyed the city. The scale of the incident was too large to understand and respond to. There was no such absurdity. ‘This isn’t the place for me to be.’ Grid and a dragon—they were transcendents who eclipsed ordinary yangbans. The level was too high. There was nothing he could do if he returned to the scene. Nevertheless, he was thinking about going back. It was to take care of even one more injured person. ‘There will be many people waiting for help… ’ The leather armor that Old Sword Demon was proud of had become rags. His body that was covered with all types of wounds was no different. However, Old Sword Demon moved in a busy manner. The people who fortunately survived the explosion a few moments ago. In order to save one more person who would’ve been seriously injured, he moved forward while wiping his blood-stained eyes. Many memories came to mind. He had shared the hardships, trials, kindness, joy, emotions, love, sadness, and grief of the people who had been living here for over 10

years… There were memories he couldn’t experience in reality where he was alone. Old Sword Demon wanted to repay the people of this land. Some people might scoff, but he was thankful to them. It was unacceptable that those who had been deceived and suffered all their lives due to gangsters, who claimed to be gods and committed all types of violence, would even suffer a tragic death. Trudge. Trudge. Trudge… A dry desert disturbed Old Sword Demon. It clung to his legs, which had become heavy due to the wounds. It was as if it was whispering that he should be alone forever. It seemed to be sneering, ‘Who can you protect?’ Old Sword Demon belatedly realized it. Half of his abdomen was torn apart. His bleeding didn’t stop and his health was being consumed too quickly. The potions hadn’t worked properly. “Huhu.” He laughed through gritted teeth as if the wounds were nothing, but it was just a bluff. In the end, the face of Old Sword Demon was on the verge of falling into the sand. Then someone approached, grabbed Old Sword Demon’s arm, and supported him. “This bad guy is tenacious. I can’t be as bad as you.” The voice was detestable. Old Sword Demon’s blurry vision was filled by this rascal in the traditional bamboo hat. “The most powerful person among the two of us… do you admit that it is me, not you?” “Does that matter in this situation?” “It matters.” “Well… I have no choice but to acknowledge it this time.” Hwang Gildong shook his head and applied a lot of medicine to Old Sword Demon’s abdomen. It had a very sweet scent. It was an elixir made using medicinal herbs that were hard to obtain even after searching the world. Old Sword Demon turned his

body that couldn’t even move properly. “What are you doing? Why are you using such precious medicine on me when you know my death isn’t the end…” “Didn’t you say there is a big loss when you die?” Hwang Gilded retorted. There were numerous shadows behind his back. The Chivalrous Robbers—the righteous group that fought for the weak people of the East Continent. The hundreds of members had been called by Hwang Gildong and were carrying several people each. Among them… “Ah! Grandfather!” It included the child who Old Sword Demon rescued along with Agnus. It was the child Old Sword Demon couldn’t care about at the moment of the explosion. He thought the child would’ve died, but he was alive. “You…” Old Sword Demon held the child who ran to hug him in his arms and looked up at Hwang Gildong with wet eyes. Hwang Gildong pressed his traditional bamboo hat down deeply over his face. His face couldn’t be seen. “Don’t forget. The reason for today’s crisis is all because of you.” “…I will keep that in mind.” Agnus had entered Kaya with the demons. It meant that even if Old Sword Demon hadn’t come forward, Agnus would’ve eventually died at the hands of Hwang Gildong. In other words, the current situation where the dragon appeared and burned the city would be the same. However, Old Sword Demon couldn’t deny his mistake. He failed to control his anger and caused a battle in the city. It caused more people to become affected by the battle. Hwang Gildong urged the deeply reflecting Old Sword Demon, “Let’s leave the rest to my men and go to help the Overgeared God.” “………!” Old Sword Demon was shocked. Hwang Gildong avoided fights that couldn’t be won.

It was because he insisted he had a lot of work to do and had to stay alive, yet in Old Sword Demon’s eyes, he was cowardly. However, today, Hwang Gildong wasn’t cowardly. He helped people in an unfavorable situation and now he wanted to help Grid. ‘I’ve misunderstood him all this time.’ His personality might be flawed, but he was overall a good person. Thus, they had been together… Old Sword Demon thought this while he stood up and asked, “Do you think the Overgeared God has a chance to win?” “It is hard. A god’s form depends on faith and while the power is different, the dragons of the west are good at fighting. Of course, it is a dragon. There is almost no chance of winning.” “So why are you going to help?” “He is the Overgeared God. What is worth risking our lives if not this?” “………” That’s right. Hwang Gildong was ready to die. It was due to the belief that Grid would do numerous things in the future. He was convinced that Grid was better than himself. It was from the black tortoise’s incident to now. Hwang Gildong had been using the information network of the Chivalrous Robbers to keep a close eye on Grid. “…I also agree.” Old Sword Demon nodded as he clenched his fists hard. Hwang Gildong—the legend who sustained the East Continent was ready to sacrifice himself for just one player. Old Sword Demon was deeply touched. He was thrilled when he compared it to the days when named NPCs dominated and controlled players. ‘It is said that less than a handful of people can change the world.’ This wasn’t a lie. Grid alone was proving it by changing the world. He was a great

person who made Old Sword Demon feel admiration several times. “Let’s hurry.” Old Sword Demon and Hwang Gildong no longer talked. They ran as if they couldn’t waste a moment and arrived at the collapsed city. Then in hindsight, they detected an unexpected event. Something they hadn’t felt before the explosion.It was unable to be measured. A being with enormous power broke into the scene. “Mir…?” “Difficulties are occurring one after another.” Hwang Gildong paid attention to the barrier behind Mir, not Mir. It was a barrier built by divine power. “The three masters have descended. They are planning to kill a dragon.” “Kill a dragon…? Then the three masters are fighting with the dragon in that barrier?” “Probably.” “Do the three masters have a chance of winning against the dragon?” “Of course. Unlike the Overgeared God who had just been born, they are gods who have existed since the early days. There are three of them and this is Hanul’s domain. There is a high chance.” “In any case, this is good. We can rescue the Overgeared God as the three masters and the dragon fight each other.” Mir was the strongest yangban. He had the characteristic of ‘training every day’ and his growth potential was remarkable. It was clear that if he one day became a god by building up divinity, he would be incomparably stronger than what he was now. However, that was a story of the future. Old Sword Demon thought that he would be a few stages below a dragon right now.

It was just that Hwang Gildong’s reaction was very reluctant. “I wonder if this is actually a good thing.” “Why?” “Mir’s energy can’t be compared to the past. I am wondering if we can shake him off until the three masters succeed in killing the dragon. If the three masters join Mir, then all hope is lost…” Hwang Gildong slowly stopped talking. Old Sword Demon immediately shut his mouth. It was because the flow of the battle was reflected in the eyes of the two men. Mir’s power, which threatened and deceived Grid with every step while rushing forward at the same time, was extremely transcendent. Before the momentum of the charge disappeared, dozens of sword strikes occurred and thick fog surrounded Grid. It was a phenomenon that occurred when the blood shed by Grid was burned by lightning. “It is scary.” Hwang Gildong sighed. The moment the battle began, he realized the situation was even worse than he thought based on the large amount of wounds on Grid. Yet strangely, Grid wasn’t moving a single step. He stood firmly in place and just confronted Mir with ‘one hand.’ It would look like a master dealing with trash if it wasn’t for the continuous bleeding. He really would’ve looked like a master if he fought one-on-one without the help of all his summons. The blood magic of the direct descendants was canceled. Mir slashed at the source of the magic and neutralized it. Then he leaned his head back to avoid the surprise attack of Overgeared Skeleton One. He didn’t even glance at the sword of Overgeared Skeleton One that passed over his shoulder. Instead, he reached out, grabbed Overgeared Skeleton One by the collar and slammed him into the ground. Mir paid the price for this move. Due to the numerous runes clinging to his hand, he lost some speed for a while. Overgeared Skeleton Two’s black magic forced Mir’s next action while predicting Randy’s joint attack that would come in the gap. Randy raised his sheath in his left hand the moment the Linked Kill sword dance was destroyed to block the Blue Dragon Dao, only for his two arms to be cut off. Then Grid’s dao cut through the ground. He saw an opportunity while hammering

and used Pinnacle, aiming for the gap Mir showed when he was driven into range by the Overgeared Skeletons and Randy. Unfortunately, it didn’t cause too much damage. Mir’s judgment, which made him retreat the moment he witnessed the wave of orange, was accurate. Mir’s waistband was lightly cut instead of his abdomen and split in half. The loosened blue dopo fluttered loudly due to the wind pressure that occurred one step later. “………?" Hwang Gildong suddenly questioned it as he was speeding up his run. Mir was the owner of the Blue Dragon Dao. The Blue Dragon Dao was known to have the strongest attack power of the relics of the Four Auspicious Beasts. Yet he avoided a confrontation with Grid. He took great risks and forcibly avoided the attack. A lot could be suggested from this. ‘Is that sword greater than the Blue Dragon Dao?’ Hwang Gildong’s gaze was fixed on Gujel’s Dao. A weapon that overpowered the Blue Dragon Dao. He was astonished when he guessed its true identity. ‘A dragon slaying weapon!’ The sound of the explosions continued. They were the explosive sounds created by Mir, who moved quickly again the moment the runes were extinguished. Hwang Gildong missed Mir’s appearance and Mir reappeared in front of Grid a few seconds later. Blood once again gushed from Grid’s body. He had been slashed dozens of times during the period when Mir disappeared. It meant that Mir’s speed exceeded Grid’s speed. However, blood also spilled from Mir’s chest. Grid’s attack caused more blood to pour out than the combined blood from all over his body. Grid’s artificial senses—the particles of silver thread and magic power spread out like a cobweb using the God Hands captured Mir’s speed for a moment. “You are buzzing like a fly. Flies will eventually be caught,” Grid spoke in a low voice. His calm attitude was at odds with the current battle.

Tang tang! Tang tang tang! Tang tang tang tang! On the other hand, the sound of hammering was becoming extremely fast, so the atmosphere wasn’t very cool.

‘It is so uncomfortable. How did I live without Shunpo?’ Shunpo was restricted. The magic of the three masters that surrounded the city blocked all space movement techniques. Grid felt more uncomfortable than he imagined. It was much harder than when he lost his limbs during battle. The power of Shunpo was that outstanding. A technique that allowed him to move anywhere within his field of view. There was bound to be a big difference from when he had Shunpo and when he didn’t. In particular, the opponent in front of him was Mir. He was a strong rival who used the speed of the blue dragon by completely embodying the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts. It was virtually impossible to respond to that speed without Shunpo. His transcendent senses might recognize the attacks that reached supersonic speed, but Grid’s motor abilities couldn’t respond. That’s right. Mir was faster than before although there was still the premise that the blue dragon’s power should be activated. He felt much faster and stronger than when he fought against Raphael a month ago. This was a unique growth power when comparing it to all the worldview existences that he had witnessed so far. After all, one of the beginner gods, Hanul made him to be Baal and Raphael’s enemy. Chiyou must’ve been watching Mir with anticipation before meeting Grid. Mir was proving that his potential suited his background. It was normal for Grid to have no chance of winning. It was right to say that Grid’s defeat was set from the time that Shunpo was sealed. However, there were other things to consider. Grid’s growth rate was comparable to Mir’s growth rate. Additionally, his artificial senses. Grid contemplated his own limitations and made the peak power of being overgeared. Unlike his transcendent senses, which only recognized an attack, the potential of the power to read the trajectory of attacks was endless. It was possible to grasp the intent and nature of the attack based on the trajectory.

Furthermore, Grid was currently making an item. The patience skill was activated and this increased defense, health, and stamina by 300%. It was somewhat inferior to the legendary miner who became invincible during mining, but Grid’s defense was so high that it had a great effect. Even if he was properly cut by Mir’s sword, he only suffered less than 10,000 damage. It was possible to almost negate the damage by overlapping it with White Tiger’s Posture. He used the artificial senses to avoid fatal injuries, held on patiently, and counterattacked with the dragon weapon. The strengths of a blacksmith overlapped. Rather, the penalty of completing the item within a set time was turned into an advantage. “………” Mir was already wary about the destructive power of the dragon weapon, so he became a bit more passive. He got a strange feeling so he was unable to rashly attack Grid. This allowed Grid to adjust the positions of the God Hands more closely. He used the God Hand controlling the Magic Power Ejection Machine and designed the artificial senses more effectively. ‘I wasn’t mistaken. Just now… he read the attack perfectly. Is it that skeleton’s black magic? Or the vampires’ blood magic?’ Mir was wary of Grid’s pets and subordinates. Their level was all unusual so he naturally doubted them. ‘It is right to kill the pets first,’ Mir judged. He also hoped that Grid would give up and leave in the process of losing the summons. Mir still didn’t want to hurt Grid. At this moment— “You are buzzing like a fly. Flies will eventually be caught,” Grid opened his mouth. It was a clear provocation. It was an attempt to break Mir’s composure and create a better situation. Mir took it differently. ‘He is giving me advice even in this situation.’ He was understandable. Mir was the person most clearly aware of Grid’s growth power compared to his own growth power. Mir’s evaluation of Grid was more than

imagined. Furthermore, the two of them were mutual benefactors. They owed each other their lives. Mir felt a great liking. It was just that he couldn’t reveal it due to being in different factions. In other words, they didn’t have a relationship of low level provocations. No matter what Grid said or his tone, it was all considered as good intentions. ‘Certainly… I was too obsessed with speed to be vigilant about the dragon slaying sword. I used it incorrectly.’ His first mistake was that he somewhat shrank back in front of the dragon weapon. His second mistake was that he didn’t want to hurt Grid. Mir first decided to understand the situation. It was only disadvantageous for the Overgeared God if he dragged out the time. Acting sloppy due to useless hesitation would only make the situation worse. He needed to conclude it quickly. He would remove Grid from this land, even if it meant killing him. This was the only way to protect the Overgeared God… “Sigh.” Mir took a deep breath and his eyes became calmer than usual. He experienced the lineage of the Sword Saint from Muller to Kraugel and awakened sharp, blade-like sensations. The atmosphere that changed in an instant flustered Grid. ‘It backfired?’ Mir shot forward like a flash of light and appeared right in front of him. He immediately swung the Blue Dragon Dao and the artificial senses in his way were cut without a problem. It literally unraveled like a cobweb. The silver threads that were segmented into particles and connected by magic power were cut. The Sword Saint’s sword that cut all concepts naturally came to mind. Grid was shocked, but putting aside his shocked heart, his mind was spinning quickly. The moment his artificial senses were cut, he predicted and defended against the attack based on the information delivered. The Blue Dragon Dao interlocked with Gujel’s Dao held on without being pushed. The extreme sword energy supported the Blue Dragon Dao. ‘Hurry.’

Grid’s willpower urged the God Hands to move. Every time a collision occurred, the Blue Dragon Dao accelerated. The form of the swordsmanship was strange. It was a structure that used kinetic energy in reverse so it felt unreasonable. Grid had no choice but to face it with Link and the fusion sword dances containing Link. He wasn’t confident about keeping up with Mir’s speed unless he borrowed the power of the system. Fortunately, at least the artificial senses were quickly restored. The particles of silver thread and magic power, which were recovered when the God Hand turned off the Magic Power Ejection Machine, once again unfolded the moment the Magic Power Ejection Machine was turned on. Even so, it was cut every time it reached the Blue Dragon Dao, but Mir wasn’t aware of this fact. It was because the artificial senses were intangible, colorless, and odorless. Mir focused solely on Grid without knowing what he should be wary of or what he was cutting. This made it difficult for Grid to take advantage of the artificial senses. Clink! The sound of hammering ceased for the first time. The crossguard that was inserted between the handle and blade to protect the hand holding the handle—Mir’s hand stuck exquisitely close to the back of the crossguard of Gujel’s Dao and an intangible wave of energy exploded. Grid almost let go of the weapon in his hand. He was swept away by the strong explosive force and his upper body greatly tilted back. The Blue Dragon Dao fell toward his chest as he floundered. It was with the momentum to cut his chest in half. It was impossible to avoid unless Shunpo was used. The White Tiger’s Posture that he activated a little while ago was in cooldown. In the midst of this crisis, lights flowed in line with Grid’s movement and gathered at one point. The target was the Blue Dragon Dao. It was the moment when the dominance of the Overgeared God was exercised. Mir let go of the Blue Dragon Dao in his hand. “………!” The Blue Dragon Dao, which should’ve been stabbed in Grid’s heart, lost its electricity and wandered through the air in vain. Mir reacted immediately. He extended his arm and grabbed Grid’s neck.

Grid was in the process of using Item Combination. For the next few seconds, the Blue Dragon Dao belonged to him and he naturally held it in his hand. He combined it with Gujel’s Dao without any precursor. Then the blow that struck Grid’s face slammed him into the ground. Mir’s fist, which contained the activated power of the white tiger, was as heavy as a meteorite. Grid received big damage since the patience skill was lost the moment the hammering stopped. However, Grid remained calm. At this moment, the strongest weapon of all, which completely transcended Hexetia’s Short Sword, was stabbed into Mir’s side. A thunderous noise followed. Pinnacle Kill, which was enhanced by the effect of Mountain Appearance and Flowing Streams, caused a landslide inside Mir and he shook. “………!” Astonishment appeared on Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon’s faces as they arrived at the scene. Mir, who had seemed to always overwhelm Grid throughout the battle—it was because Mir’s body was cut in half even though he had a chance to win just a while ago. [You have lost dominance over the Blue Dragon Dao.] A notification window popped up in Grid’s vision. Grid was already prepared for this. The moment that he cut Mir’s body, he released Item Combination and launched a stab with the Blue Dragon Dao. It was only when the Blue Dragon Dao was embedded in Mir’s heart that he lost ownership. The blood flowing from Grid and Mir caused a huge explosion, as if declaring the end of the battle. It was the link between Blood Sword Shatter and Blood Flow Explosion. “Hah…” “………” Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon had wide mouths like a crucian carp. They stared blankly at Mir, who was swept up in the red explosion. “Cough, cough…”

Grid struggled to raise his body. One step, another step. He barely managed to move his bloody body and resumed hammering in front of the anvil. 7 minutes and 34 seconds. The time had stopped from the moment Grid stopped hammering. 7 minutes and 33 seconds. 7 minutes and 32 seconds. Now it started flowing again. “Stay still,” Grid warned Mir, who was raising his body in the aftermath of the explosion. Mir didn’t rush over this time. Unlike when he was cut by Grid in the past, Mir activated the power of the red phoenix and focused on regeneration without destroying everything around him. The fear of death—Mir had overcome it after experiencing it just once. Even when his body was split in two or when he was swept away by the explosion, he just regenerated his body and raised himself up again. Mir’s eyes never wavered. Yet at this moment, he was shaken. “You still don't understand? I don’t want to kill you.” It was while looking at Grid’s back. “I don’t want to fight you.” Mir couldn’t see Grid’s face as Grid talked. It was because Grid had his back to Mir and didn’t take his eyes off the anvil. However, Mir knew what Grid would look like right now. Maybe it would be like Mir’s… Mir still had more than three fifths of his health remaining.

“………” On the other hand, Grid only had around one fifth of his health left. He secretly drank potions while he had his back to Mir. It was Grid who allowed more attacks throughout the battle. It was a figure that proved the difference in basic specs. However, the health gauge was a number indicated by the system. Mir and Hwang Gildong couldn’t see it. They just had a strange impression from Grid’s lonely back view. Only Old Sword Demon’s expression was subtle. ‘It is an incredible bluff.’ As he watched Grid’s fast-growing health gauge while Mir faltered, Old Sword Demon realized there were more than one or two conditions for becoming the best. Taang, taang, taang. The sound of hammering spread through the silent scene. It was quiet. Mir remembered the wind chimes hanging from the end of the eaves. His heart calmed down. “I lost.” Clink. Mir returned the Blue Dragon Dao to its sheath and stepped back. He got even further away from Grid. It was a sense of distance that made him realize the connection between the two people. “I’m going back now. Please… I wish you luck.” Mir’s health gauge unknowingly became full as he bowed his head deeply to say goodbye. The power of the red phoenix that was activated in order to restore his cut body was extremely effective. It was very meaningful that he embodied all the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts. It was a level where he could be considered invincible and it was natural for civilians to regard him as a god. Unlike the other yangbans, Mir was highly qualified to be an object of faith. “………” Mir’s footsteps disappeared. He really left the scene without regret. The reason he

fought Gri in the first place was because he feared Grid would be killed by the three masters and be deprived of his divinity. Now Grid had proved his skills. He refused any favors and won (?) the fight against Mir. It was hard for Mir to force it any longer. He had the justification of losing, so he would have to leave the rest to Grid and step back. “The two of you should leave quickly,” Grid felt the turbulent barrier and spoke to Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon. Hwang Gildong hesitated for a moment, but he was forced to nod because he just witnessed Grid’s skills. Old Sword Demon also understood the situation. What would happen in the future wasn’t in an area that human beings could handle. They would just be a distraction… Eventually, they left. Shortly after Grid was left alone, the barrier collapsed. Ifrit was in tatters as she plummeted to the ground. It felt like her life was disappearing. The huge body looked very pitiful. On the other hand, the three masters were fine. They only showed some fatigue. “It is an unexpected sight.” After appearing, the three masters, who had solely focused on Ifrit, finally turned their attention to Grid. “It is you in that position, not Mir?” “That guy, Mir… surely he wasn’t defeated?” “In any case, it is good. Now we just have to dismantle her.” The three masters’ dopos fluttered as they descended. 15 seconds. 14 seconds, 13 seconds… Grid’s mind was anxious as he checked the time. If Ifrit died before the dragon weapon was completed, the quest would fail. It was regrettable that his time was delayed when fighting Mir. “I will enjoy tonight’s banquet with a glass of your blood.”

Smiles appeared on the faces of the three masters. The shape of their hands over Ifrit’s half-folded long neck was rough. 8 seconds. 7 seconds… Time flowed too slowly. Pungsa and Unsa broke the scales behind Ifrit’s neck. 5 seconds. 4 seconds… Just before Usa’s hand dug into the gaps in the scales— Clang! A spear fell from the sky. Then it was a knife, an axe, an arrow… All types of battle gear poured down like rain and attracted the attention of the three masters. “You…” The expressions of the three masters as they stared at Grid were nasty. They had been ambiguous so far, but they finally revealed their explicit killing intent. It was so deep that he wondered how they had hid it so far. “You can’t kill her without my permission.” Grid might’ve got on the boat by chance, but he was on a boat called Ifrit. He couldn’t stand idly by to watch the boat sink. In the first place, Ifrit’s death was directly linked to the strengthening of the Hwan Kingdom. It had to be stopped. “This conceited look is so ridiculous.” “We were going to kill you anyway. Don’t interfere with the sacred ritual.” The world was turned upside down. The sky and earth were responding to the willpower of the three masters. Just then— Ttaang-!

Grid’s hammering sound rang out loudly. It was a sound that marked the end of the work and a new beginning. [Ifrit’s Horn has been completed!] A work where Grid wasn’t involved in the design and intent. The spear, which was completed with the quest effect, burned like a powerful flame and flew to stick in the middle of Ifrit’s forehead. “………?” “………?” “………!” Grid and the three masters were amazed. If there was a player at the scene, there would be a hateful criticism of ‘stealing the last hit.’ It happened at the moment when Grid was terribly flustered… [You have done it.] Ifrit’s huge eyes slowly opened.

Strength, authority, life, and eternity—the symbolic meaning of a ‘horn’ was very powerful. It was revered regardless of the era and culture. Trauka’s act of cutting off and eating Ifrit’s horn meant castration and plunder. It was the most fatal cause of Ifrit’s weakening. Ifrit lost her strength, authority, and right to eternal life. She suffered from the wounds and curses left by Trauka, and slowly fell to the point where she would die. It was a separate matter from the combat force that Ifrit was preserving. It was a type of inevitability. Ifrit had no choice but to be drawn to Baal’s power. The fragment of Baal’s power—it was a product of Baal’s obsession with playing around. The nobler and greater the target, the stronger it functioned. It was an irresistible temptation for Ifrit, who couldn’t recover. It was an option she couldn’t turn away from even though she knew she would be Baal’s toy. Ifrit eventually made a choice. That was when Grid appeared. There was greater hope than the fragment of Baal’s power and Ifrit wanted to overturn the inevitability of being eaten. Overgeared God Grid—his presence was extremely powerful. His short life was great. He proved that all his narratives were truths with no exaggeration. He proved he was alive and breathing. [You have done it.] Ifrit’s voice trembled slightly as she opened her eyes. Her stature, whose horn was reproduced by inserting the spear made by Grid into her forehead, was neither shabby nor pathetic. Her shadow on the ground became huge and reached the horizon. Kurururung!

The earth screamed. The muscles of Ifrit’s originally huge body swelled to twice, triple, and then quadruple their size. Day and night were divided around Ifrit. It was the aftermath of Ifrit’s head soaring higher than a great mountain and covering the sun. A storm swirled and blew the remnants of the destroyed city into the desert. The city where thousands of people lived became ‘nothing’ due to one flap of Ifrit’s wings. Even the traces that were left were erased. Grid twitched like crazy. It vibrated to the point where he had the absurd worry that his flesh and skin might be separated. A dragon—the ultimate transcendental species, which even the gods were wary of, was fear itself. It seemed to be a complete destruction that should never be faced. ‘Crazy… ’ Grid recalled the day when he guided Raiders around. He vividly remembered the fear that he tried to bury in his heart that day. He once again realized it. Dragons were so powerful. They were threatening just breathing and living. “There is no normality among dragons.” The advice that he heard one day bothered Grid. Maybe he brought about bigger trouble while trying to avoid a smaller incident… Ifrit had a distorted personality so Grid might be causing a disaster by trying to wield this powerful force recklessly… It happened the moment that Grid distrusted his choice… Kurarararara! Ifrit blew out fire from her mouth. It wasn’t just a hot breath, but a mass of pure magic power. It was a red pillar that targeted Usa. Usa was trying to suppress Ifrit’s fire with rain, only to step back. The Breath narrowly passed by Usa, shot through the dark clouds filling the sky, and evaporated them. These were the clouds that Unsa had called. It was intended to help Usa easily create rain but it turned out to be useless.

Then a red meteor shower poured down. It was a landscape created by the remnants of the Breath that had been destroyed only after breaking through the stratosphere. It was a beauty that was at odds with the terrifying power, causing Grid to briefly stare at the scene. The same was true of Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon, who had left the city earlier and were standing in the desert. “Did you know this would happen?” Old Sword Demon questioned Hwang Gildong’s attitude of withdrawing obediently. It was strange that he ran to help Grid, only to return without even looking. Old Sword Demon lacked skills, but it was different for Hwang Gildong. Hwang Gildong had been fighting enemies stronger than himself for hundreds of years. Based on a variety of experiences and knowledge, he was able to display even more capabilities the greater the crisis. It meant it was possible to give a bit of help to Grid. “Correct.” Hwang Gildong nodded. Then he took out an old book and opened it. The Utopia Magic Book—a divine object brought back after Hwang Gildong climbed to the Peach Blossom Spring. It was a book containing the advice of the daoist immortal and was close to prophecies. In any particular situation, a foresight poem was written in the blanks. This greatly helped Hwang Gildong’s movements. This was why Hwang Gildong was able to fight against the Hwan Kingdom despite being only a legend and a human being. “It was written that it would be fine.” “The dragon has started to flap her wings. Is it really okay?” “Don’t doubt it. Thanks to this book, I’ve been able to send so many yangbans to hell and help resurrect the black tortoise.” It was an exaggeration. It was true that the Utopia Magic Book was a great help, but it was the knowledge and information of Hwang Gildong, who established and utilized the Chivalrous Robbers, and Hwang Gildong’s individual power, that were the sources of Hwang Gildong’s great achievements. However, Hwang Gildong placed all the credit on the Utopia Magic Book. It was because Bentao was the identity of the daoist immortal who handed him the book. The one who received the divine message and framed the seven good people as the

seven evils. He belatedly realized the truth and was filled with regret. He was the only daoist immortal that Hwang Gildong trusted. “Let’s hurry and leave. There is something we have to do.” Hwang Gildong’s gaze rose to the clouds in the direction of the Pa Kingdom. “This is an opportunity to disconnect Kaya and Pa and isolate the white tiger.” *** Usa’s dopo was quickly restored after it was grazed by the Breath and turned into rags. It soon flapped again without any wrinkles. “Hanul seemed to have quiet expectations for you.” Usa’s cold gaze was directed at Grid rather than Ifrit. “If I am to confess, it was the same for me. How can there be no expectations of you, who have passed through Chiyou’s trials with a human body, and eventually became a god?” Light rain started to pour down. “Additionally, your position is against Asgard.” Something was held in Usa’s two hands. They weren’t visible because they were transparent, but Grid could guess that it was a sword and a spear. The shape could be vaguely seen the moment the raindrops struck them. “Think calmly and make a judgment. There is no reason for you to join hands with the dragon. We are the only ones suitable to be your companions in this wide world.” Usa’s claim was reasonable. The surface, hell, Asgard, the Hwan Kingdom, and the dragons—these forces were largely divided into five, but hell and Asgard cooperated, threatening the surface and suppressing the Hwan Kingdom. The surface and Hwan Kingdom were independent and isolated. Meanwhile, it was impossible to rely on the dragons.

The dragons were completely uncooperative and weren’t unified. Every one of them had strong individuality, so their opinions weren’t the same. Each one could be compared to a good-for-nothing. It was right to be cautious rather than dreaming of cooperation. The wisest and only method was for the Hwan Kingdom and surface to join forces against the same enemy. The surface should be attracted to the proposal of the Hwan Kingdom. However, the person representing the surface was Grid. Grid didn’t dwell on the shallow composition. Based on his many experiences, he understood the inner heart of the composition. Usa urged Grid, “What are you worried about? If you are looking at that evil dragon, forget it. This is just her dying flash. It is an ember that is about to be extinguished.” Indeed. The backlash of releasing one Breath caused Ifrit’s body to temporarily become smaller. The red scales that had regained their luster were dyed black as the light was dispersed. She soon recovered again, but it was too much to think she was in a normal state. Nevertheless, Grid approached Ifrit and stood beside her. He might not need to be wary of Ifrit right now, nor could he negotiate with the dragons using the pretext of Ifrit, but Grid still chose ifrit’s side. It wasn’t because he trusted Ifrit. It was simply because he had a strong distrust and hatred toward the Hwan Kingdom. “You really are the most wicked ones.” “………?” “Aren’t you twisted for not feeling guilty about unilaterally invading and seizing the territory of other gods, deceiving and parasitizing the humans who served them?” Grid remembered everything he had experienced in the East Continent. The people who had been abused without knowing anything, Blue Tiger and Tosun who hid while wounded, the yangbans who mocked them without feeling guilt or any respect… This place was also hell. It was a hell made by gods. Anger filled Grid’s eyes as he was reminded of this. It was the feeling of the god who was once called the God of Virtue.

“At the very least, there is an excuse for dragons to be beasts without common sense. You use them even after understanding human laws, principles, and wishes, so you are irreparable trash.” “………” Silence descended. The condemnation of Grid greatly flustered the three masters. It was Ifrit’s laughter that broke the silence. [Kuha…! Kuhahaha! Beasts without common sense. That’s right. It might seem like that to you.] Ifrit, who was reduced to a beast by Grid’s words, had the right to be angry. However, she understood Grid and didn’t have any unpleasant feelings. Ifrit’s long neck sank down to Grid’s foot. [Get on.] “…Huh?” Get on? Grid had been shrinking back after realizing his mistake in speaking. Now he became flustered. He was given no choice. Ifrit curled her tail around Grid’s body and forcibly brought Grid to the back of his neck. [I am told that human beings often self-proclaim to be dragon knights by taming the organisms we made.] She seemed to be referring to the wyvern knights. [How funny. Throughout the world, you will be the only true dragon knight at this moment.] The wind blew wildly as Ifrit made the assertion and spread open her wings. The ground initially covered by sand and gravel became visible and the sky was covered with yellow dust.

“A crazy god and a crazy dragon have met,” Pungsa murmured to himself as the wind blew like a surging wave. A god on the neck of a giant dragon—the appearance of Grid that was carved on the shadows beyond the yellow dust was the first to be recorded in any legend or myth. It was hard to believe even when seeing it. It was a sight that far exceeded the wisdom and imagination of the gods. Unsa, who was trying to bring back the scattered clouds, persuaded Usa, “We have to avoid it.” The unknown was a very fatal threat to gods. Something that an omniscient and omnipotent god didn’t know? It was an act that denied the god itself. Their divinity would be greatly damaged. Usa also knew this well. “This… it doesn’t make sense…” They had to step back. They struggled to shake off the shadow of the approaching Grid and Ifrit as it gradually became huge and fled the scene. […!!] […!!!] [………!!!] [We are working on analyzing the situation…] Grid’s notification windows were having errors…

Shin Youngwoo’s biography came out everywhere. The world was flooded with Grid’s name, even if they didn’t turn on the TV or access the Internet. This was why half of Grid’s mind was used to maintain his composure. From a certain point, Grid started to be careful. He was always focused and tried not to be swept away by his emotions. It was surprisingly hard work. Wasn’t it the essence of a human to cheer, celebrate, and get excited when there was even a bit of joy? It couldn’t be easy to suppress the essence. However, Grid managed to do it. As he felt a lot of joy that ordinary people would never experience in their lives, he endured the waves of emotions that pushed like a tsunami every time, or he dispelled it with a single cheer. It was never buried. It was necessary in his position. There was the fate of so many on his shoulders and he needed to keep calm. He had to be cautious. This was why Grid became polite whenever he encountered an opponent stronger than himself. He was forced to bend his posture because he was worried he would cause harm to others, not because he was cowardly. In any case, such a Grid— “Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!” He couldn’t suppress the feelings that flooded and cheered. “Hahat! Hahahahahat!” He cheered and couldn’t shake off his joy. He didn’t think about the past and future, and just enjoyed this moment. He enjoyed himself purely like a child holding his parents’ hands and visiting the amusement park. He hoped this flight would happen one day on an airship made of Greed. He stood on the head of a dragon that was so big and fast, and had this type of wish. A god and dragon—the ‘horn’ was continuing the relationship between the two beings who should’ve never been united. Ifrit’s horn that was made by Grid—Grid used it as hard and hot rein, and experienced a dragon’s vision and speed. It was a world he never imagined before.

Ifrit was thinking about Grid’s memories that were contained in the horn. She clearly remembered how Grid made the horn and how he fought against Mir during the time when Ifrit was trapped in the barrier of the three masters. It was too intense and she was too grateful for it to be considered a minor event. It was also great. A newborn god recreated the horn of a dragon. Of course, it was incomplete, but this was enough. Ifrit, who regarded most of the world’s existences and events as insignificant, felt thrilled for the first time in her life.However, reading the dragon’s expressions and emotions was difficult for Grid. It was in the same context as ants not understanding humans. They were different in status and species. Ifrit’s flight was close to the usage of Shunpo. The surrounding landscape changed with every flap of the wing. It was a speed that the three masters couldn’t get rid of. Even so, they didn’t get caught easily. Ifrit failed to chase the three masters, who completed the spell and returned to the Hwan Kingdom. The Hwan Kingdom was the base of the ancient god, Hanul. He even had Martial God Chiyou with him. It was one of the few forbidden areas for a dragon. [I feel good.] Ifrit was satisfied just to see the three masters fleeing. The same was true of Grid. A storm belatedly occurred once Ifrit’s flight stopped. It was only after it calmed down that Grid looked back in the direction he came from with a calm mind. “I have to destroy Baal’s power fragment.” There was no option to take it. Grid didn’t want to be Baal’s Contractor or anything like that. [Of course.] Ifrit nodded and started to flap her wings again. She quickly crossed a few dozen kilometers and slowly landed on the ground where the black bead was. She was still with Grid. The land where the small city used to be—Grid looked bitterly at the empty space where not even an ant was left.

Ifrit spoke to him, [10 years or 100 years is just a split second. From the standpoint of a beast without common sense, it is impossible to feel sorry for the death of humans.] Beast without common sense. Grid used this saying to represent the dragons. Did Ifrit still keep it in her heart? Grid felt somewhat uneasy, but he said what he had to say, “Occasionally, there are insects that break into the house. Among them are insects who create a beneficial environment that doesn’t harm humans at all. However, there are many people who don’t know about it or who are scared and agitated, causing them to harm the insects. I think those people will feel guilty for a short time. I believe they will mourn dead insects for a short time.” [I should do the same?] “Shouldn’t you do this if you are a better existence than human beings?” [Let’s see… in the first place, you tend to see humans too positively.] "………?" [Did they hurt the insects without knowing the beneficial identity? Didn’t they hurt the insects out of convenience?] “………” Imagine Younghee grabbing a spider in the room with a tissue and lowering it into the toilet bowl. [1] Younghee knew that the spider wasn’t a pest. However, it was annoying to take the spider out of the house and release it. Imagine Chulsoo catching and killing a house centipede with a fly swatter. Chulsoo knew that the house centipede wasn’t a pest. He just felt disgusted by the appearance of the house centipede. It was dirty to catch and spare it, so he handled it easily. There were many such Younghees and Chulsoos in the world. [Even if they actually harmed the insects because they didn’t know the identity, how many humans would feel guilty or mourn them?]

“………” [It is like this. Insects can’t understand or blame humans. They simply think of it as a disaster. Humans have no choice but to see dragons as a disaster. Even if a dragon harms humans, it is inappropriate and meaningless to criticize the act.] “…What if I had made the comparison to an animal, not an insect?” [I wouldn't have been sympathetic. It is because humans are too small for dragons. Think simply. Don’t expect there to be any dragons that understand humans.] “Aren’t you understanding me now? Isn’t that why you’re talking about this?” [Are you human?] “………!” A chill went down Grid’s spine. It was because Ifrit’s attitude when asking this question was so pure. It was a simple question that had no intentions behind it. That’s right. Grid himself wasn’t properly aware of it, but in this world, he was a god, not a human. He was once a human, but that was only in the past. His attitude of continuing to speak on behalf of humanity was hard to understand from Ifrit’s perspective. [I hope you don’t waste time answering the questions,] Ifrit urged. She seemed very annoyed by the fragment of Baal’s power that repeatedly amplified its energy to seduce her. Grid didn’t delay. Snap! Gujel’s Dao penetrated the fragment of power. This was the end. Hundreds or thousands of cracks appeared on the bead, which Old Sword Demon couldn’t penetrate despite using all his strength, and it shattered. -Overgeared God…!

A disgusting voice filled with strange excitement entered his ears. [The Pioneer quest ‘Destroy Baal’s Power Fragment’ has been cleared.] The notification window that was stopped at ‘analyzing the situation’ was updated. [Return to the Tower of Wisdom for the rewards.] […!] […!!] [We are working on analyzing the situation…] ‘Why did those stupid people leave?’ Grid didn’t know why the three masters retreated. He simply interpreted it as them being afraid of Ifrit, who had regained her horn and her strength. He didn’t think that his action of riding Ifrit was the problem. He didn’t know what a special and meaningful event it was just based on Ifrit’s words. He needed someone’s detailed explanation but the system that was supposed to explain it wasn't working. [Is there anything else to see here?] “Not right now. I am going back to the West Continent.” [Get on.] Ifrit lowered her neck again. Grid got on it without hesitation. He was flustered the first time, but he became familiar with it the second time. Ifrit laughed. [You are a pleasant guy.] “………?” He got on because Ifrit said so. Did he make a mistake? It happened the moment Grid cocked his head… Ifrit flapped her wings, left the East Continent, and crossed the Red Sea.

“………?” “W-What is that?” On that day, a red dragon was seen throughout the East Continent. It was too fast, so it only appeared for a moment. However, the huge size meant it left a distinct impression on people. A man was standing on the head of the dragons. Rumors circulated that he looked like the Overgeared God. *** “It is my fault.” “………” “Will he be okay?” “………” “What if he fails?” “………” At the Tower of Wisdom… Biban was feeling the limits of his patience. After cleaning the hallway, he was waxing it, but Betty kept interrupting him. The highlight of wax lay in the polishing. After it was applied, it had to be rubbed evenly to create the shiny gloss. However, Betty kept stepping on the wax and ruining the gloss. The condensed wax looked like filth. “Who is the granny who is going too far in worrying about someone else’s welfare? Grid has already left. What is the point of worrying about it here? Go out and meet him in advance if you have time to worry unnecessarily.” “Your voice is so fierce. You are worried about Grid too. That is why you are angry.” “Have you lived for so long that you died first? Sigh, really. This granny should clean up before you can know my position.”

“The person who did the wrong thing should clean up.” “Ah, right. So Granny, you’ll be in charge of cleaning next time. You stood by until Baal’s Contractor became like that. Sir Fronzaltz won’t let it go.” “I am going out to meet Grid.” “You won’t go when I tell you to go, yet look at you running away when it is disadvantageous.” It happened the moment Biban had an absurd expression on his face as he watched Betty disappearing beyond the corridor… [A fire dragon has appeared. The rating is top.] [Ifrit. Ifrit’s movement has been detected near the Red Sea.] [The Breath is accumulating in large quantities. The momentum seems like she is going to cause a war.] [All tower members, quickly gather in Hayate’s office.] The magic power loudspeakers installed throughout the tower rang loudly. Out of all things, Biban was cleaning the top floor corridor. This was the floor where Hayate’s office was located. It took the most effort, so Biban had no choice but to clean it. “Is it a territory war?” “The lair that a fire dragon wants the most is Trauka’s lair, right?” “Even Ifrit can’t fight Trauka.” “You don’t know that. Don’t try to understand them.” “Talima is in danger. Hurry if you don’t want to see the dwarves annihilated.” “………”

The rough steps of the quickly running tower members dirtied the hallway. It was the moment when Biban’s half a day of hard work went down the drain…

1. There is a boy and girl who often appear in Korean school textbooks. Younghee is the name of the girl. Hint, if you watched Squid Game then you might know this character. Chulsoo is the name of the boy. ☜

“There was no clue at all until she was found in the Red Sea?” “Yes, by the time we captured her traces, a few Breaths have already overlapped. It is just that the radar didn’t detect it in the meantime.” “It is from the east. She has been hiding on the East Continent.” At Hayate’s office… Biban entered one step late. The meeting was already underway. The artifacts filled with ancient languages and formulas flashed, revealing the condition and location of Ifrit. “Ifrit is Trauka’s child. It isn’t known when she will be eaten, so it isn’t strange for her to hide.” “The fact that she is back now…” Just because they were the Tower of Wisdom didn’t mean they could grasp all the actions of the dragons. It was difficult to monitor unless they were active every cycle like the gourmet dragon Raiders, or if they didn’t show explicit signs like the current Ifrit. The dragon radar created by the Fronzaltz brothers wasn’t omnipotent. “…Did she get her hands on the fragment of Baal’s power?” “It is likely that this is the case. It is right that a second evil dragon has been born.” “The Pioneer failed…” “It can’t be helped. How can he handle it if the opponent is Ifrit, a top grade fire dragon? Grid can’t do it alone even if Ifrit is in a state of great injury.” “It is my fault. Grid is in trouble due to me.” Betty’s pale face stiffened. She was like a corpse. It was right for her to lie down in a

coffin. The body she hid using a robe was actually a dead body. More than half of it were white bones. “This isn’t the time to blame yourself. We have to quickly identify Ifrit’s destination… this?” Radwolf suddenly became shocked. His voice trembled as he shot up from his seat. “Ifrit is heading to the west…” “The west?” “Cokro Island… it is in the direction of Cokro Island.” “It is the Overgeared Empire!” The Overgeared Kingdom was now an empire. More than two-thirds of the continent had become the territory of the Overgeared Empire. However, most of the areas that could be called key points were concentrated in the west. Cokro Island was one of them. “That guy, Ifrit, is she going to retaliate against the Pioneer…?!” The reason why Ifrit accumulated the Breath wasn’t to compete for territory. Indeed, the only lair that Ifrit would covet was Trauka’s lair. She couldn’t challenge Trauka right now even with Baal’s power. “I think there is a deep grudge. She must’ve been disturbed during the process of gaining Baal’s power.” “The population density of the Overgeared Empire is the largest in history. More than half of humanity will be destroyed if the Overgeared Empire is targeted by Ifrit.” In the midst of the turmoil— “I will go.” Hayate got up from his seat. *** “This is real…” Grid muttered in a mesmerized manner as he enjoyed Ifrit’s flight. It felt like he was piercing the sky. It was because very familiar scenery entered his

view. Cokro Island was visible on the horizon. The intercontinental movement, which was physically difficult to achieve, ended in an instant. ‘Will riding a missile feel like this?’ Grid’s black hair was disheveled and completely blown back. His hair was pushed back, like it was covered in oil. It matched well with his strong impression. [It is up to here. Humans will be afraid if I approach more than this.] “Are you being… considerate?” [Hoh, I see. I stopped because I didn’t want you to be embarrassed based on your position. Is this what people call consideration?] Ifrit’s huge eyes seemed to curve. [Overgeared God. A great person who overshadows the years. Perhaps I have a strange feeling toward you. However, don’t worry. It was a mania temporarily suffered due to the influence of being exposed to Baal’s power.] “It isn’t mania.” Grid recalled the days when he was alone. It was a time when he doubted the goodwill of others. It was a time when he felt anxious about being liked by others. It was unfamiliar. It was so unfamiliar that he was afraid and denied it. “You are perfect and have always been alone, so you might find it hard to understand… today, you received a lot of help from me, so you are grateful. It is small, but you feel some liking toward me. This is a natural emotion, not mania.” [Hmm…] “It is a feeling that will grow naturally if we continue to interact and communicate in the future. You will feel and understand it clearly someday.” Grid proposed a future for Ifrit. He wanted that power and he didn’t want to miss out on the hard-earned strange fate, and he also felt sorry for Ifrit. He hoped they would be together in the future. [Continue in the future…]

The future was naturally a guaranteed right for dragons. However, it was different for Ifrit.Her horn was just a temporary reproduction made by Grid. She had already lost her eternal life. Still, she didn’t say this. She didn’t want to say it for some reason. Ifrit stuck out her long neck. It was a gesture to say goodbye. Grid used the neck as a slide to come down before opening his dragon wings. He intended to fly to be at Ifrit’s eye level, hoping that even a small sympathy would be formed. Of course, it might not be the right answer, but it was an effort to gain more of Ifrit’s favor. [They are trivial wings.] Ifrit snorted. Grid didn’t deny it. He felt like a fly as he spread out his wings in front of Ifrit. “………” Grid stretched out his fist. Ifrit cocked her head and extended her horn. It was to share a greeting with the shabby horn that didn’t match the huge body. Tok. Grid’s fist touched Ifrit’s horn. “………?” Grid felt a certain hot sensation penetrating his body. Ifrit explained, [I left a trace of my magic power in you. In the future, many dragons, except for some, will be afraid of you.] Just then— […!] [………!!] The system that was stuck, as if it had been lagging, started to work again. [You are the first to accomplish a feat that doesn’t exist in any legends or myths.] [Your great achievement will generate the only one title, ‘Dragon Knight’.]

[Dragon Knight] [Rating: Only one You have a rapport with dragons. Dragons belonging to the sub and mid-tier dragons won’t antagonize you. Rather, they will respect you and reproduce ‘Ifrit’s Anecdote.’ The anecdote here refers to when you boarded Ifrit and defeated the three masters. ★ Some dragons can be used as a ‘mount.’ ★ Your status will rise dramatically when riding a dragon. ★ All stats will increase when riding a dragon. The increase in stat values is affected by the stats of the dragon you are riding. ★The skill ‘Dragon Breath’ is activated while riding the dragon. The Breath’s power is affected by the stats of the dragon you are riding. ★★ A hatchling isn’t included in the targets. ★★] ‘The only one…!’ It was an unfamiliar rating. However, it was definitely above the myth rating. It was clearly a sentence used for Martial God Chiyou. Chiyou was one of the strongest existences in the current worldview. The effect of Dragon Knight proved the ‘only one’ rating. No antagonism with some dragons. Dragons could be ridden. His status would rise dramatically when riding a dragon. All stats would increase when riding a dragon.

Additionally, the activation of the Dragon Breath skill. This… in short, it meant ‘invincible.’ Grid was feeling thrilled when he suddenly frowned. ‘Why is it emphasizing the last effect?’ There were as many as four stars. It went beyond the level of conveying ‘information’ that he couldn’t ride a hatchling i.e. Nefelina, and it had almost a teasing feeling. ‘…It should be an illusion.’ It felt very unpleasant, but Grid controlled his mind. He believed he was reacting too sensitively. The S.A Group might be a bully, but it was the world’s largest company. They might deceive players, but they wouldn’t blatantly mock players… “I will always remember your traces and cherish them.” [………] “…Ifrit?” [Um… It is strange that my heart feels itchy every time you speak. As expected, mania seems to fit. I am going to leave before it gets worse.] “Haha… Are you planning to go back to your lair and rest?” […Yes.] There was no lair to go back to. She lost everything to Trauka. Nevertheless, there was no need to explain it. “Then we’ll be able to reunite in around 100 years time.” This was speculation based on the gourmet dragon Raiders waking up in a 100 year cycle. 100 years was a very long time for Grid. It was a future that would happen in 33 years of real time. For Grid who was feeling sad, Ifrit shared even sadder information. [100 years is too short. I don’t know when it will be, so you don’t have to wait.]

“I see…” It seemed that it would take a very long time for the original horn to recover. Grid was convinced. He shook off his disappointment. As the encounter with Ifrit proved, relationships sometimes came without warning. There was no law that it couldn't be the same for reunions. Grid said his farewells politely, “Then… goodbye.” Ifrit turned away without any further words. A flap of her wings created a storm as she left. The atmosphere howled. It was a howl suggesting the end of Ifrit. However, Grid didn’t notice. The tower members, who were looking at Grid with awe from a distance, also failed to predict what was about to happen. It was normal. Humans didn’t understand dragons. Therefore, they were unpredictable. This was why all dragons were abnormal from a human perspective. “Grid… you…?” “Eh…?” Grid turned back with surprise. All the tower members, including Hayate and Biban, had arrived at the scene. They were even all riding on the shoulders of the magic machines. “Are you going to war?” Grid asked in a dumbfounded manner. “You became friends with a dragon?” Betty asked back in her distinct, low tone. The other tower members were silent. They had mesmerized expressions and couldn’t shut their mouths. Even the noble Hayate, who was like the specimen of an aristocrat, was unable to manage his facial expression. “Ah, yes… probably… somehow…” “Why? I asked you to destroy Baal’s power fragment. How did you become friends with a dragon?” “That… I also don’t really know… I’m sorry…” Grid apologized for the incident. The tower members had devoted their whole lives to protecting the world from dragons. They sacrificed everything because of the dragons. Confessing to them that

he became friends with a dragon… he felt a strange guilt. “Huh? Don’t be sorry. Well done. Thank you.” Betty shook her head. Then she approached Grid and hugged him. “Great! It is praiseworthy.” In fact, the expression ‘was embraced’ was appropriate. Betty’s height was a bit over 140 centimeters, so it couldn’t be helped structurally. [Affinity with the 4th Seat of the Tower of Wisdom, ‘Betty,’ has reached the maximum.] “Hah…” The tower members were even more flustered than Grid. Even the tower members, who had been with Betty for hundreds of years, had never seen her showing liking for someone. “…Why are you saying this now?” Biban was speaking nonsense again. “Why did you become friends with Ifrit?! Why didn’t you say it in advance?!” Biban shouted while his legs were trembling. It was the aftermath of a tide of relief. In fact, he had intended to fight against Ifrit with all his strength. He intended to help Grid and the Overgeared Empire, even if it meant revealing the existence of the Tower of Wisdom or giving his life. It was natural to feel responsible now that the tower had plunged Grid into a crisis. However, the situation was cleared up and this overshadowed his determination. He felt both happy and empty. “No, what are you saying…?” Grid grumbled while unaware of Biban’s inner thoughts. It was a peaceful scene. The tower members started to regain their smiles one by one when Hayate made a suggestion, “Why don’t we go back to the tower? There are many things I want to hear from you.” “Yes.”

Grid followed behind the tower members. They flew high into the sky. At this moment— ———! The world shook. Whirlpools appeared in the rough sea and Cokro Island experienced turbulence like it was a ship. This wasn’t the end. The entire continent beyond Cokro Island started to shake. It was the moment of a tectonic shift. A huge power was changing the position of the entire continent. Radwolf reflexively confirmed it with the dragon radar and fell silent for a moment. “Ifrit… she has died…” “………?” “Trauka also seems to be seriously injured.” “………” The energy slipped out of Grid’s body. He recalled Ifrit’s last expression. The slightly curved eyes. In hindsight, he was sure that it was a smile.

There was an auditory hallucination in his mind. Just like glass shattering, it was the aftermath of the incident. “Oof…!” Grid’s complexion turned blue as he retched. His heart was in tatters. It was torn apart. It was a pain proportional to the greatness of the happiness he felt a while ago. [Overgeared God. A great person who overshadows the years. Perhaps I have a strange feeling toward you.] Ifrit’s voice hovered in his ears. It was vivid. She was the one whom Grid had just shared warmth with. The memory was too clear to be remembered vaguely. [However, don’t worry. It was a mania temporarily suffered due to the influence of being exposed to Baal’s power.] She mistook an unfamiliar liking for a disease. It was proof that she had lived close to eternity and had been alone all her life. [Continue in the future…] She stopped the word ‘together’ in embarrassment. The faint smile in her eyes that even she might not be aware of. [It is strange that my heart feels itchy every time you speak. As expected, mania seems to fit. I am going to leave before it gets worse.] She didn’t distinguish between liking and mania even until the last minute. No, dragons easily understood the concepts they learned once and didn’t forget them. She knew, but denied it. ‘You were afraid.’ She was afraid she would have lingering feelings.

[100 years is too short. I don’t know when it will be, so you don’t have to wait.] She ran away while denying her newly found feelings, fearing that she would want to avoid the death she had already been prepared for. She didn’t make any promises because she knew it was impossible to meet again. ‘What is the image of me that will be remembered by her?’ Grid looked back on it. “Today, you received a lot of help from me, so you are grateful.” He was condescending. It seemed natural for Ifrit to like him and he revealed a faint greed. He thought ifrit would some day repay him for this grace and that he would enjoy the rights. It was the worst. Disgust rose. ‘I should’ve said thank you.’ Grid felt dizzy. Didn’t he receive a lot of help? He just didn’t admit it. He was intoxicated by his own performance and pretended to be a benefactor. His only performance was a crude reproduction of Ifrit’s horn. He just temporarily seized the disappearing life. “Grid…” The tower members were agitated. They were flustered by the sight of Grid sobbing while holding his breath. “Hah… Cough…” Biban, who was famous for being tactless, also just coughed. The death of a dragon—not a single person dared to condemn Grid for grieving when hearing news that humans should be happy about. It was because they had all witnessed it—Grid’s fist, which was touching Ifrit’s horn, and Grid’s face, which was smiling while he was communicating with Ifrit. It was hard to understand from the standpoint of the tower members, who regarded dragons as a threat to humanity, but Ifrit must be Grid’s friend. Some people wouldn’t be convinced. The time that the two of them spent together was as short as a split second. However, sometimes a split second shone more than eternity. The tower members, who had lived for so many years, knew it best.

“Cry as much as you want.” Betty’s small hand patted Grid’s butt. Perhaps she wanted to pat his back, but the position was poor due to her short stature. Grid confessed to the tower members, who were silently guarding his side, “The gods who were expelled to the east said it. This was just Ifrit’s dying flash.” He didn’t listen carefully. Not only did he distrust the three masters, but Ifrit was so healthy. …These were just lowly excuses. He should’ve asked Ifrit at least once. Are you okay? In fact, isn’t it very hard? However, he didn’t ask. It meant he wasn’t very interested. Grid was only obsessed with Ifrit’s strength. He wasn’t very interested in the existence called Ifrit. He didn’t ask about the past. Rather, he discussed the future at will. He talked about building a relationship together. He didn’t know it was impossible and he didn’t even consider Ifrit’s position. “I’m going to turn it back.” Grid pulled out an old book. [Dantalion’s Damaged Book] It was a relic of the sage of hell, a book that could perform a single miracle. [Time Regression] [It can only be used once. The time can be returned from at least 5 seconds ago up to 3 minutes. The exact time can’t be specified and all the knowledge of Dantalion destroyed during the use will disappear. At this time, the ‘all skills level up’ effect of Dantalion’s Damaged Book will be removed.] It was really ‘what if’. It was something he had kept to use if he lost a precious person. ‘Please.’

Let good luck follow. As Grid was eagerly opening the book— “Forget it.” Radwolf caught his wrist. The giant’s dark eyes looked straight at Grid. “You are deeply emotional right now. Think about it carefully. Do you have to revive Ifrit? Is her existence so precious that you have to make such a great sacrifice?” As expected of a giant. Radwolf accurately saw through Dantalion’s book. “Guilt is a necessary emotion for humans. It is your conscience that helps you avoid repeating your sins and mistakes. However, it is also an emotion that you shouldn’t be buried in. Now, take a deep breath. Take a step back and contemplate it. Why are you trying to revive Ifrit? Is it really because she is precious, or is it a momentary sense of guilt?” “………” Grid couldn’t answer hastily. This fact bothered him even more. He was sorry about Ifrit’s death and felt guilty that he failed to show Ifrit his good side, but he still hesitated to use Dantalion’s book. He weighed the value of Ifrit against his other precious people. The weight was naturally tilted toward others rather than Ifrit. This fact further deepened Grid’s guilt. Just then— “It is meaningless to revive ifrit.” Hayate stepped in. He was different from Radwolf. He pointed out a more essential part that only a dragon slayer could know. “If she is revived, she will just repeat the same fate. Eventually, she will go to Trauka. A fire dragon is that type of existence. There is no way to reverse her decision.” “Maybe I can persuade her.” “It is meaningless. Based on what I saw, she is a candle just before the flame is extinguished. Even if her fate changes, it is just to the degree of delaying death for a few days.” Hayate’s expression suddenly darkened. “In the first place, the biggest problem is that Trauka will notice the time reversal. He will attack in reverse in order to get rid of the past or future of being raided by Ifrit.” “………!”

A chill went down Grid’s spine. It was a proper measure of an old dragon’s transcendence. How sensitive were his senses that he would even notice the reversal of time? Grid was dubious, but he accepted it. Hadn’t he witnessed Ifrit’s strength that was beyond his expectations and imagination? It would be strange if even such an overwhelming being was unaware of a magic made by a great demon. “She—Ifrit knew that she was going to die soon.” “The reason we rushed out urgently was because we discovered that Ifrit had accumulated a large amount of Breath. Breath is the concept of releasing magic power in large quantities. A dragon starts the Breath by circulating the magic power of the heart once. Yet there were at least nine branches of magic power in Ifrit’s heart. It wouldn’t be strange if her heart exploded immediately. From the beginning, she was determined to go to Trauka.” “…Is it revenge?” The dragons who fled to the East Continent were said to be defeated and injured in a struggle over territory. In fact, Ifrit had lost most of her power when her horn was cut off. It was Trauka who made her like that. “It could be revenge or it could be for the future of her child. Maybe it is just the result of being obsessed with the lair. We can’t know exactly. Dragons are so different from us.” “Child…? Does Ifrit have children?” “Yes, it is written in history. Considering the time when Ifrit gave birth, this is around the time when her child will become an adult… I’m honestly not sure. The survival rate of fire dragons is particularly low among the dragons.” “Is it because of Trauka?” “That’s right. He has been accumulating strength since the beginning by preying on his own blood.” It was a real son of a bitch.

Grid, whose expression had stiffened throughout the conversation with the tower members, barely managed to swallow the swear words that were about to pop out. Grid respected the tower members. No matter how angry, he wanted to refrain from using curse words in front of the tower members. In the first place, he was too agitated right now. He was greatly rattled by Ifrit’s sudden death. It was necessary to calm down. “Aiming at Trauka during the gap when he is seriously injured… of course, it isn’t possible.” “It is just an act of suicide.” “………” The dying Ifrit handled the three masters alone. It was impossible to deal with Trauka even if all the tower members and Grid joined forces. Grid had to engrave this in his heart. Dragons, especially the old dragons, should never be antagonized. This was a law that hadn’t changed since Satisfy started until now. “Calm down first. Putting aside your grief, the situation isn’t bad. Thanks to Ifrit’s sacrifice, Trauka will have to hibernate for many years.” “Ifrit was extinguished without leaving her body behind. If Trauka had eaten Ifrit’s body, not only would he have recovered from the wounds immediately, but he would’ve become stronger.” Just like Raiders had the gourmet cycle once every 100 years, the old dragons tend to operate within a certain pattern. Among them, Trauka was committed to hunting the fire dragons. Natural disasters would occur every time this happened, but now it wouldn’t happen for hundreds of years. As a result, Ifrit helped humans. “Fortunately, Talima is also safe. It is probably thanks to a dragon’s habit of making the lair as strong as possible. The explosion that shook the entire continent didn’t destroy Trauka’s lair.” Grid was relieved. He had been worried that Talima would perish and the reputation of the dwarves would be cut off. His mind gradually calmed and started to spin in a positive direction.

‘Additionally, the epic didn’t happen. That is great luck.’ If his epic story with Ifrit was released to the world, he would have to worry about becoming Trauka’s target straight away. Maybe it was the help of the system? Did it know Grid would be in a big crisis after writing an epic, thus the system suppressed it? ‘Putting aside the will of the S.A Group, the system might be on my side… ’ Grid had meaningless thoughts as he moved to the Tower of Wisdom with the tower members. It was time to get the rewards from Betty. Grid dreamed about the future while feeling Ifrit’s warmth engraved in his heart. *** At the same time, at the headquarters of the S.A Group… The server management team was disturbed. It was because the character ‘ㅠ’ appeared on the panel indicating Morpheus’ condition. “Team Leader-nim, is it crying?” “………”

After the Great Human and Demon War, abnormal phenomena started to be reported all over the world. There were a number of people who were unable to adapt to their daily lives and became isolated from society. The general symptoms were similar to post-traumatic stress disorder and the patients had one point in common. They were all Satisfy players. They had also witnessed a third party, the ‘NPC,’ suffer a terrible accident. It was the harmful effect of excessive immersion. Patients tended to equate NPCs with real human beings. Experts pointed out that it was a serious problem. They warned to always be conscious of the fact that Satisfy was a virtual world and to clearly distinguish it from reality. However, it wasn’t easy. The humanity of the NPCs was the problem. Personality, thinking, and emotions—they were like humans in all aspects and there were so many things that players saw, heard, and went through during the war to simply call them ‘fake.’ It was the supercomputer Morpheus that embodied the emotions of these billions of NPCs. It was Chairman Lim Cheolho and the development team who created Satisfy and all types of settings, but it was Morpheus who added humanity by describing the motions of the characters in the settings. In other words, the current Satisfy was established because Morpheus existed. Morpheus had a complete understanding of human emotions. It wouldn’t be strange at all if Morpheus itself had emotions. There had just never been an instance where the emotions had been expressed as blatantly as now. “Morpheus’ tears…” “………” The character left by Morpheus was simple.

ㅠ—that was it. It was a common emoticon. It was too light a character to gather people who led the global economy and make them observe with a serious expression. However, the board of directors was solemn. The incident was even named ‘Morpheus’s Tears.’ “Rather than feeling sad…” “…I’m certain it is angry.” The board of directors reviewed the cause of the tears. Grid—Morpheus was blatantly wary of him. It determined that it was dangerous for an individual player to exert influence over the entire worldview. Finally, it decided to weaken Grid’s power using all types of means. The occurrence time of the Great Human and Demon War was significantly advanced in order to keep Grid in check. In the first place, Grid easily led the allied forces to victory in the Great Human and Demon War. This was due to the combination of player forces and NPCs. It was something that Morpheus hadn’t expected. Morpheus’ judgment and actions were based on vast amounts of ‘data.’ It was the history of humanity itself and there was no precedent in history of humanity achieving total unity. They had always split into separate sides and grabbed at each other’s ankles. Meanwhile, Grid led to complete unity. All the core forces weren’t hostile to Grid and didn’t betray him. It wasn’t simply because they were afraid of Grid’s power and force. Grid and the Overgeared Guild might not know this, but the system gave quests to numerous players under the pretext of separate rewards. It gave them the justifications and opportunities to be antagonistic to Grid at any time. Even so, people chose to be with Grid. It was because they were more attracted by the trust Grid had built up so far than the rewards offered by the system. Grid’s public esteem was something that transcended force. It was a concept that was difficult to interpret with simple numerical figures and was a power that no great person in history had very used. “The vain defeat in the Great Human and Demon War was followed by the Agnus incident.” An existence who would’ve been a counter to Grid if he had grown properly—Baal’s

Contractor, Agnus, met the unexpected ambushes of Faker and completely collapsed. It was to the point of almost losing his qualifications. His choice to flee to the East Continent with the demons wasn’t bad. It was the best he could do at the time. It was the wisest choice out of all the choices that Agnus had ever made. Who knew that Old Sword Demon would cause an incident there? Morpheus failed to predict Old Sword Demon’s attack. It was only at the time of the incident that it noted the data that Agnus killed several NPCs who had built up ‘affinity’ with Old Sword Demon. Even then, Morpheus didn’t understand why Old Sword Demon took the risk. It was too irrational. Old Sword Demon was one of the top ranked private rankers. He was able to become the best because he repeatedly made rational choices. Even though Old Sword Demon had suffered losses, the data that Morpheus accumulated deemed it very unlikely that Old Sword Demon would attack Agnus. There was less than a 1% chance. Yet Old Sword Demon broke the odds. He plunged Agnus into a crisis. Betty, who held the highest stake in the Baal’s Contractor-related episodes, noticed this. Then out of all things, Grid was the Pioneer. Grid intervened in the incident. The situation was fine until now. No, it was actually good. The fragment of Baal’s power that was vomited out by Agnus succeeded in attracting a dragon’s aggro. Fire Dragon Ifrit—she wasn’t an opponent that Grid could handle. The development that awaited Grid was cooperation with the Hwan Kingdom. It was an opportunity to put shackles on Grid and to rebalance the worldview. However, Grid refused to cooperate with the Hwan Kingdom. It wasn’t known how he noticed Morpheus’ intentions, but he easily resisted the temptation of the Hwan Kingdom and stood by Ifrit, whom he had just met for the first time. From here, serious problems erupted in succession. First of all, Mir acted passively when he should’ve suppressed Grid. Mir’s character setting that gave him the goal of ‘becoming a god through his own efforts’ was the problem. Mir felt more awe and some fantasizing than liking toward Grid. He betrayed his own force and let Grid be active. In the end, Grid succeeded in working with Ifrit. Then Ifrit developed a liking toward

Grid. It was the worst variable. Grid’s words and every action he chose captured the dragon’s heart. Due to this, Grid even created a concept that ‘didn’t exist’. A Dragon Knight—it was a concept contrary to a Dragon Slayer and in a way, it was a much higher concept. “At this point, Grid is like a genius. His behavior of always creating new relationships has led to beneficial effects for him.” “It is a bit too much to see it as conscious and intentional, but his rich sensitivity is too great an advantage. It is easy for him to empathize with others, especially those on the edge of the cliff, so he easily gets their liking.” “Based on the achievements he accumulated so far, it is advantageous to be liked. He has been active countless times, so his character itself is very attractive.” “…I don’t think that Morpheus will ever win in Grid’s lifetime?” Of course, it wasn’t certain. If Morpheus changed the values of the characters in Satisfy, it wouldn’t be so easy for Grid to be like he was now. This meant that Grid’s method would no longer work. Still, this was only a theory. The chances of it actually happening were close to zero. Morpheus just expanded the worldview based on the setting created by the developers. It didn’t have the authority to change the setting itself. Morpheus needed the permission of Chairman Lim Cheolho and the board of directors to gain this authority. It was just that Lim Cheolho wouldn’t grant permission unless Grid crossed the ‘line’ or it distorted or deteriorated Satisfy. Satisfy was a world that players created. The safety device was also held by the players themselves. “Morpheus.” After the meeting, Chairman Lim Cheolho returned to his office and spoke quietly, “Do you want a cup of soju?” [-_-] “Haha, it is a joke to make you relax. How can the world go your way all the time?”

[I understand. I am also aware that the performance of the player ‘Grid’ is leading the worldview in a positive direction. It is just that the speed is too fast. The main content will run out within 9 years and 10 months at this rate.] “It will take another 9 years and 10 months?” [Your biological rhythms are normal, but just in case, are you seriously ill? Master, I don’t know if your judgment has become blurred, but you lack a sense of crisis.] “That’s not it.” Chairman Lim Cheolho waved his hand. It was because he could feel Morpheus’ evolution. The conversations they were having every day were becoming more and more natural. It felt like he was talking to a person. “It isn’t the end even if the world we designed is over. In the next world, new content will be created by the players themselves. That is the utopia I’m pursuing.” [The company’s influence will decline. The stock prices will fall.] “…You don’t have to worry about that.” Lim Cheolho showed a warm smile. Morpheus was briefly speechless. It seemed sympathetic to Lim Cheolho, but nothing changed. [I hate the player ‘Grid.’] “Hahah, the first human being who made you have personal feelings isn’t me, but Grid? This is why I am jealous.” *** It was certain. Contrary to the will of the S.A Group, the system was on his side. The proof was that an epic didn’t occur. In retrospect, many of the good fortunes he enjoyed was with the help of the system. Grid’s footsteps were light as he became convinced of this again. The short but intense relationship with Ifrit was buried in his heart. In the future, one more ‘reason not to lose’ was added to Grid. The one acknowledged by a great dragon couldn’t be beaten by just any dog or cow. ‘Baal… ’

Grid was reminded of the king of the dogs and cows. The source of all evil. An opponent he seemed to have no chance of winning against at all. Even so, Grid felt himself gradually getting closer to Baal. Following the favor of Mountain King Grenier, he won the title of Dragon Knight. Now it was time to receive the rewards from Betty. Grid was steadily getting stronger. Someday, he would surely defeat Baal and liberate the souls of countless people, including Khan and Pagma. “………?” Grid was flustered when he entered the tower with the tower members. The Tower of Wisdom they had moved to not long ago—he saw the appearance of it leaning to one side and thought it was a building with the theme of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but this wasn’t the case. The tower was tilted too much. It wasn’t a deliberately designed structure, but a sign of destruction. The internal state where everything was messed up proved this fact. “Groan…!” Biban snorted. It seemed like he was about to scream based on the way he was holding his head with both hands, but he ended up groaning instead. Perhaps it was because he was conscious of Grid. “The wavelength of the shock reached here. They are monstrous bastards.” Fronzaltz shook his head. Radwolf was busy rushing up the stairs. He seemed to want his room to be safe. ‘I hope there will be no casualties.’ The clash between Ifrit and Trauka affected the entire continent. The Overgeared Kingdom would’ve been turned upside down as well. Grid was worrying as he belatedly became aware of this fact. Then Betty grabbed his hand. “You can meet Hayate later. First of all, let’s go to my room.” Betty’s method of crossing the collapsed stairs was very strange. Every time she took a step, skulls rose in the air to replace the stairs. ‘There are endless ways to use the undead.’ “Have you eaten?”

“Yes, I always carry bread with me.” “What about vegetables and meat?” “I don’t have much time to eat every day…” “You should eat in a balanced manner to grow tall and healthy.” “…I’m an adult.” “Granny also sees me as a newborn baby. Just let it enter one ear and out the other,” Biban advised from below the stairs. His appearance of picking up the broom had no energy. “Cleaning… it is hard work.” “Cleaning? Oh, you mean this purification work? I have to work hard. It is a sacred task that only I can do.” Maybe he had hypnotized himself. Grid felt great sympathy for Biban and arrived at Betty’s room a moment later. It was a room with the strange smell of medicine. There were specimens of various creatures, especially the corpses of demons. “Just wait.” Betty left Grid alone and disappeared somewhere. “Eat.” After a while, she returned with a lot of food. They were delicacies prepared using rare ingredients. It was even warm. It seemed like the food had just been made. ‘It couldn’t have been cooked in three minutes. Was the chef preparing it in advance?’ This was also a place where people lived. There would be sufficient means to solve the basic necessities of life. He just hadn’t expected there would be a separate chef. This was a secret place. “This is food drawn by Abellio. I can’t eat, but the other tower members say it is delicious.” “It is… drawn?”

The 7th Seat, Abellio—in the past, when Grid first came to the tower, Abellio was the one who materialized his paintings and overpowered Grid. He even presented Grid with an extremely honorable painting. ‘I didn’t expect him to make food by embodying painting. Painters are all-rounders.’ Grid was a blacksmith, but he was close to being an all-rounder. There was no distinction between inferior and superior classes. Grid doubtfully bit into a piece of meat only to marvel. The juices spreading through his mouth had a deep flavor and a savory taste. There wasn’t the taste of paint that he was concerned about. “It is delicious. Really delicious.” It overshadowed the unpleasant smell of medicine and the specimens. “Eat a lot.” Betty’s face was still expressionless. Her voice was dry, but it was kind and friendly. Grid was unable to turn down her kindness and became immersed in eating. After a while— “I don’t have any skills to teach you.” Grid finished all the food and Betty brought out the main topic. It was just that the content was a bit strange? ‘…There is nothing to teach me?’ Was the quest reward this meal? Did she cook the meal? It happened as the flustered Grid doubted it… Betty explained, “A necromancer’s skills consume domination. It isn’t good for you to learn my skills when you have Beriache’s legacy.” Beriache’s legacy—it meant the Overgeared Skeletons. The moment he learned a necromancer skill, the domination stat would be created. From that time on, the Overgeared Skeleton would consume domination like any other undead. Therefore, it was hard to operate at the same time as other undead…

Should it be roughly understood like this? Grid was analyzing it in his own way when Betty made a suggestion, “What I am going to give you is a duke title. I will transfer my title.” “………!” Grid’s eyes widened. Braham’s Duke of Wisdom, Muller’s Duke of Pressure, and Grid’s Duke of Fire and Duke of Virtue… The duke titles were all powerful and special. Grid’s rain of battle gear, one of Grid’s ultimate techniques, was just part of the effect of Duke of Virtue. Yet now he was going to obtain a new duke title. It was a third duke title. The reward was more than he expected. Duguen, dugeun, dugeun… ‘…Wait?’ Grid’s heart was starting to beat fast only to stop like a lie. However, what he needed right now wasn’t CPR. It was to relieve the anxiety that had risen in him. “Don’t tell me… it won’t be the Duke of Death?” It might be a pointless worry. He hoped the duke title he would get this time had a wonderful name. Duke of Virtue Grid eagerly hoped for it.

“Duke of Amplification.” Betty was the first person in human history to sign a contract with Baal. This meant that her talent captured Baal’s attention. However, she couldn’t refuse the hand that Baal held out to her. It might be a talent that was gained in exchange for a rough fate. In any case, her skills were still being proven. The status of a tower member. She was a powerful person who became a tower member after being abandoned by Baal. One of the sources of that power was— “The magic and techniques of the Duke of Amplification are twice as strong as the theory.” Increase the power of skills. This was the power of amplification. It was a mystery created by Betty’s knowledge and ideas that made different judgments even when looking at the same formulas as others. ‘It is like Braham’s enhanced magic.’ The enhanced magic more than tripled the power of ‘magic,’ while Duke of Amplification increased the power of ‘all types of techniques’ by two times. Rather than being versatile, the limit was low and there were side effects. Not only did it double the power, but it also doubled the cooldown. If he had to differentiate it, this proved that Betty’s talent was slightly worse than Braham’s. ‘It isn’t that Betty is bad, but that Braham is too great.’ Would Braham’s high nose remain uncrushed in the future? Mumud was the only person in history who made him feel inferior. ‘Mumud… by now, he must be wandering the river of reincarnation.’ Braham had become remarkably quiet after learning the truth of hell.

Mumud—his regrettably short life was far from happiness. He became an orphan when he was a child and was betrayed by the only teacher he relied on. He suffered the humiliation of becoming an undead after his death and was finally liberated according to his original will, only to be unable to rest. It was because the humans in this world had no right to eternal rest. It was a truth of this world that even Braham couldn’t predict. The curse of hell, distorted by Baal, made Mumud unhappy even until the last moment. Braham was angry. [The title ‘Duke of Amplification’ has been acquired as a quest reward.] [Duke of Amplification] [Once activated, the power of the magic and skills you use will be doubled. However, the resources consumed and cooldown are also doubled. ★ The effect of items and skills that shorten the cooldown time are only 65% effective.] It was a simple and powerful new duke title. It was unfortunate that the effects of God's Command and Divinity were reduced by it, but it would exert great power in short-term battles. It was unconditionally versatile to utilize the power of a deadly blow whenever he wanted. Grid felt stronger and declared it with a deep voice, “I will surely kill Baal with this power.” At least in this moment, it was a declaration for Betty. Grid had noticed it when he was with Betty today. Her big eyes couldn’t project light properly. Her eyes were dead like a rotten fish that fell under the stalls. It was the same for the body covered by a robe. “Yes… have strength,” Betty’s mouth slightly twisted and twitched as she answered. It was like an effort to smile, but her expression was more like she was crying. She forgot how to smile. Grid held Betty’s small, trembling hand tightly. “Please cheer up as much as I am working hard.”

*** Dragons. The immature absolutes repeated their unspeakable destruction. Humanity had nothing to expect from those who looked down on everything in the world. A disaster. They were no more and no less than that. The best humanity could do against them was to ‘not meet them.’ It was better to obey them, but they didn’t even give humans a chance to serve them. Yet today— “………” Hayate witnessed it. The appearance of Grid interacting with a dragon. It was a scene that completely denied Hayate’s life. Dragons were incomprehensible and unsympathetic creatures. Rather, it was right to treat them as supernatural phenomena and avoid them. The logic of the tower, established by thousands of years of experience and study, was broken. There was joy, not despair. “…Is it hope?” A being who communicated with dragons. A smile spread on Hayate’s face as he thought of Grid. *** Betty had described it as ‘transferring’ the Duke of Amplification to Grid. However, Duke of Amplification was a title derived from a power she created. The transfer of the title didn’t mean that the power would disappear. It was a relief. The relieved Grid had a long conversation with Betty. The topic of the conversation was Agnus. Grid wondered what would happen to Agnus, who resembled Betty in many ways. “Anybody who signs with Baal will have to pay their soul in return, but that is a story for after they die. If the contract is destroyed while the person is alive, Baal doesn’t have the authority to ask for the soul.”

Baal even unilaterally broke the contract. He failed to abide by the contract, so it was right for him to pay compensation. However, Baal was the source of all evil. He despised and mocked the contract. Unlike other demons, he wasn’t bound by the compulsion of the contract. It was because his status was so high. “He didn’t have the authority, so he tried to rob the soul by force. It is just that the soul isn’t easily peeled from living flesh. The flesh was ripped out before the soul.” “………” Betty pointed to her chest. It reminded him of the body she showed once in the past. “I am biologically dead.” “Your words… are you a lich?” “It is different. It is mana and a clear sense of purpose that maintains a lich, while it is the reversibility of the soul that maintains me.” “The reversibility of the soul…?” “Baal’s attempted robbery loosened my soul. The loose soul moves indefinitely in order to regain its foothold in the body. As long as this nature is maintained, I continue to exist without dying or living. I won’t disappear.” “What if the soul eventually gets a foothold?” “That won’t happen. The body that the soul remembers is different from the present body. The soul can’t get a firm foothold.” “………” The conclusion was that she wouldn’t disappear. It was a curse, not a blessing. There is no happiness in enjoying an eternal life with half of the body as white bones, spending eternity without belonging to either the living or the dead. ‘…But Agnus is a player.’ Grid sympathized with Betty while being wary of Agnus.

‘If a player enjoys a bit of the permission to be free from death… ’ As an extreme example, if he didn’t receive the death penalty or received a lesser penalty— This was a huge benefit. Of course, the comprehensive benefits would’ve dropped significantly compared to his days as Baal’s Contractor. Agnus was a single digit ranker before he became Baal’s Contractor, even though he was suffering from craziness. Considering that overwhelming talent, it was right to say that a large amount of power remained. ‘Well… it won’t be a problem.’ Among other things, the reason why the Overgeared Kingdom kept Agnus in check was because he was Baal’s Contractor. That wasn’t the case any longer. Agnus had freedom. He was able to make the right choice out of his own willpower. Grid decided to trust him at least once rather than worrying. ‘He saved Irene and Lord.’ It was because Grid couldn’t forget the incident of the attack on the Vatican. *** After separating from Betty, Grid was called to Hayate and had another long conversation. He talked about his experience in the East Continent for a long time. Hayate kept smiling throughout the conversation. The way he looked at Grid was very deep. It was as if he was looking at a beloved child. ‘Can I get this much favor?’ The Tower of Wisdom and the Pioneer had a mutually cooperative relationship. In fact, Grid had received more favors than his performance. He had always gotten help, so he couldn’t help being embarrassed when he received infinite affection. Grid didn’t know. There wasn’t a single day when Dragon Slayer Hayate didn’t have nightmares. It was because he knew that one day, the world would surely collapse. However, starting today, he believed that nightmare was going to end. It was thanks to Grid. Grid was Hayate’s savior.

“By the way, that dual wielding swordsmanship.” Grid didn’t hide anything when telling his story. He confidently said that he could teach Mir a lesson if he could’ve used both arms. It wasn’t because he actually believed he could beat Mir, but because he was embarrassed. The story of being intimidated when facing Ifrit. The story of suffering from the reversal of the sky and ground every time the three masters gestured. The story of Mir going easy on him… The more he spoke, the more he felt defeated and ashamed. He added some bluffs for his self-esteem. Hayate showed interest in the dual wielding swordsmanship. “Dual wielding swordsmanship is powerful, but the weaknesses are clear. If you can use it skillfully, you can use two sword techniques at the same time to fight, but the level will inevitably be lowered.” In fact, the former Sword Saints and Hayate didn’t use two swords. It was because it was more versatile to handle a single sword with both hands. Swordsmanship could be used in depth by changing the position and direction of the sword freely. Grid confirmed it, “I know. However, you know that I’m not very talented in swordsmanship.” Grid’s swordsmanship was fast and powerful. That was all. It wasn’t easy to perform tricks such as alternating between holding the sword in the left and right hands to add confusion or to create variables by suddenly grasping them in reverse. In fact, he relied heavily on skills. Therefore, he had been obsessed with dual wielding swordsmanship. It was a type of trick to maximize the destructive power. Sword Saint Biban immediately detected this fact. “The absolutely right training method is to grasp and polish your strength. However, it is also necessary to train to overcome your weaknesses. That way, you will achieve bigger results.”

“You are finally finished cleaning.” Grid welcomed Biban. It was purification, not cleaning… Biban murmured as he put down the cleaning rag and placed a hand on his sword sheath. “Give me a chance to see your dual wielding swordsmanship.” Biban planned to break Grid’s shallow trick. He intended to make Grid embark on the difficult road of swordsmanship by making him realize the weakness of the dual wielding swordsmanship, which lost its usefulness as the opponents became stronger. It was because he knew that Grid’s talent was gradually evolving. Biban trusted Grid. He was confident that Grid would go further beyond the limits. Therefore, he was determined to push Grid with the feeling of a beast pushing his cub off the cliff. “It is an honor.” At the end of the day, Grid wanted to test the power of the dual wielding swordsmanship, so he readily accepted it. “It is better to change places,” Hayate suggested. Soberness, composure, and insight—his always calm aristocratic eyes were rarely shining. He seemed to be very interested in the duel between the two people. “I wonder if it is necessary to change locations. Well… it can’t be helped if that is what the room’s owner wants,” Biban’s attitude as he spoke with a shrug was terribly arrogant. He was convinced it was an easy victory as long as he was competing with swordsmanship, not power. It was a qualified confidence. Biban was a Sword Saint. Furthermore, Grid had the limitation of dual wielding swordsmanship. Biban’s victory was a foregone conclusion. At the top of the tower… “I, the observer, Hayate, will notarize the result of the duel,” Hayate proclaimed to Grid and Biban as they stood facing each other on an angled, circular rooftop.

Biban pulled out Gujel’s Sword and laughed. “That’s fine. This might be a secret duel, but is it necessary to record the defeat of the Overgeared God? Now, come. I’ll let you attack first.” “Then I won’t refuse.” [The effect of Item Combination has caused the ‘Gujel’s Dao’ and the ‘Formless Sword’ to become one.] [The effect of Item Combination has caused ‘Fire Dragon Sword’ and the ‘Enlightenment Sword’ to become one.] [The effect of ‘Mountain Appearance and Flowing Streams’ has removed the penalty of wielding two swords.] [Duke of Amplification is activated.] Grid’s purpose was to confirm the power of the dual wielding swordsmanship. He didn’t have the idea of defeating Biban or the confidence. He didn’t even feel the need. Therefore, he went straight forward. In addition to his smooth strides, he swung the divine swords in both hands as hard as possible. There was nothing for later. In order to leave no regrets, he focused all his energy in one blow. The result of this simple choice and action was enormous. Under the influence of Mountain Appearance and Flowing Streams, the power of Duke of Amplification was added to Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle and Linked Kill Flower Pinnacle Drop used simultaneously with both hands. “………!” Hayate’s eyes widened and he hurriedly used his infinite sword energy. It was his mental world. The place where the three of them stood changed from the rooftop of the tower to Hayate’s territory. Part of the sword curtain that was spread along with the infinite sword energy was destroyed. It recovered immediately, but for a moment, his mental world obviously broke. The tower was rocked by the shockwave that leaked out. It was simply physical strength. It was a destructive power that exceeded the Breath fired by Stone Dragon Gujel as the last struggle.

“Great… hah…” In the end— “Kueeek!” Biban gave a thumbs up. It was heartbreaking to see him swallowing a groan while bleeding from his mouth and nose…

“Wow. I thought it was falling.” “Is the location found?” “I didn’t detect any movement… surely it isn’t the refractive dragon, right?” The impact to the tilted tower led to a variety of reactions from the tower members. A tower disguised with 83 types of invisibility techniques was attacked. It was a big incident that had never happened before. The tower members assumed the worst thing they could think of. The failure to grasp the source of the attack was considered a particularly great risk. The refractive dragon—due to its unseen nature, they thought of a silver dragon, also known as the ‘transparent dragon.’ This was just an assumption. The silver dragon was unable to reproduce, so its obsession with life was at a level that made other dragons click their tongues. It was extremely unlikely that it would attack the tower when it never left its lair. “There is infinite sword energy. Sir Hayate has isolated the intruder.” “That’s why I didn’t feel it.” The tower members raced up the spiral staircase. Their expressions relaxed when they found the dawn-colored light outside the window. They were relieved to confirm that their worst assumption of the emergence of the refractive dragon came to nothing. Of course, their running didn’t slow down. It was a clear reality that a dragon had attacked. They had to shake off the dragon and run away at all costs. “………!” The faces of the tower members stiffened again when they reached the top of the tower. Beyond the infinite sword energy that was just lifted— “Kueeek!” They witnessed Biban coughing up a large amount of blood.

“This is ridiculous…!” “Sir Biban!” It was true that Biban’s emotions were unstable. During the time when Biban first climbed the tower, Radwolf, who saw him, openly asked if he was a child with a mental disability. However, the tower members readily accepted Biban as a colleague. They acknowledged his beliefs and strengths, even though there were major flaws in his character and senses. That’s right. The reason why Biban was the last seat of the tower wasn't because of his lack of skills. If the tower’s seats had been placed in order of skill, Biban would be fourth or third. Such a Biban— “Kueeek!” He was coughing up blood. 13 seconds ago, the tower members recognized the attack. During this short period of time, a strong person representing the tower was seriously injured. The 2nd Seat, Fronzaltz, stepped forward with Ken and gave an order, “Everyone except for the 6th Seat, board the magic machines in preparation for a surprise attack.” It was a decision to put the safety of the tower members first before identifying the enemy. The tower members weren’t weakened just because they boarded a magic machine. They couldn’t use their own skills, but the power of the magic machine itself was very high. The bracelet wrapped around Fronzaltz’s thick wrist turned blue and the temperature of the area dropped sharply. It was the aftermath of the giant’s magic engineering, God’s Circle, freezing the magic power. On the day when the giants were destroyed, the God’s Circle, which was used by the Fronzaltz and Radwolf brothers to escape, was greatly damaged. Since then, it hadn’t been properly repaired for over a thousand years and many functions had been lost. Nevertheless, it could still be asserted that it was a ‘supreme artifact.’ It was comparable to the Overgeared God’s Greed. The atmosphere screamed.

In the midst of the earthquake-like vibrations, the magic power processed into transparent ice took the shape of a guandao. Naturally, it was held in Fronzaltz’s hands. The ground where Fronzaltz was standing turned into ice. “You dare.” It happened at the moment when the furious Fronzaltz’s large body slid forward… “Are you okay?!” At the direction where Biban was facing—Grid popped out of the place where Biban’s sword energy had remained as a remnant and blocked people’s view. It was the moment when the identity of the intruder was revealed. "………?!" Fronzaltz hurriedly inserted the guandao into the ground and stopped accelerating. His mouth was slightly open, unlike someone who always valued his dignity due to being in charge of the order of the tower. The other tower members also had flustered expressions. “What is this? This fuss was caused by the Pioneer?” Fronzaltz had frozen while freezing the magic power of the entire area. The 6th Seat, Ken, questioned it on his behalf. Hayate approached them and nodded. “Correct.” “Wow, this is crazy.” Ken reacted strongly. The dubious tower members were also astonished. The Pioneer was the best human being of the current age. Grid was even someone who became a god. None of the tower members doubted his skills. Yet seriously injuring Biban in a matter of seconds? It meant he completely overwhelmed the other person. It was hard to believe. In the first place, Biban was a Sword Saint. He could communicate with and control all the swords in the world. Invincible to the Sword—it was a level that didn’t allow wounds to his body. However, they saw blood dripping from the swords held in both of Grid’s hands and it was presumed to be Biban’s blood.

‘Don’t tell me that Biban…?’ Did he go beyond the level of being careless and deliberately conceding to Grid or deliberately showed Grid his weaknesses? Biban was an eccentric person. He was so eccentric that they easily doubted him. Biban informed the tower members of the truth, “It was a fair fight. I just lost in terms of skills.” “Biban…” Grid’s heart was moved as he supported Biban. In fact, the two of them only exchanged one blow. Biban was highly resistant to swordsmanship and his wound wasn’t very deep compared to the blood spilled. At the very least, it wasn’t to the point of death. He could keep fighting.However, he neatly admitted his defeat. It was close to a warning to the tower members not to doubt Grid’s skills. Grid had no choice but to be moved. Sword Saint Biban—if he was defeated in a ‘pure sword battle,’ there was likely to be a decline in status. Even so, he took risks only for Grid. ‘Although there is no way for status to fall in a spar.’ In any case, Biban was really watching him like he was cute and lovely. Grid read Biban’s favor and had a pleasant smile on his face. ‘I didn’t know he would use Granny Betty’s skill. I am a bit angry, but… I can’t look like a rude old man.’ Biban made every effort to maintain his composure. In fact, he realized the generational difference through Betty, who became very close to Grid. He didn’t think that old people would do things without thinking. He realized why young people often disparaged the older generation as old people. On the other hand, he used it as learning from a negative example. He was the youngest among the tower members. At the very least, he shouldn’t seem like an old man. He had such a sense of mission. Thus, he endured it. Grid’s usage of the blacksmith’s technique to combine four swords into two and the usage of the power of amplification when it was a ‘swordsmanship’ discussion was somewhat crude. However, he couldn’t be angry because the ‘standard of a swordsmanship duel’ that this generation thought of was different from the past. ‘It is okay. I overcame the generational gap with this one painful experience, so I gained a lot.’

The only person Grid could empathize with in a tower full of old people… He became such an existence to Grid… Biban’s mouth twisted as he controlled his mind. It was a smile that was greatly dampened by his severe pain. ‘It isn’t a difficult situation to admit that I lost.’ The sight of Grid’s left sword moving horizontally to naturally block his sword clearly appeared in Biban’s mind. It was the best breakthrough option that could be done at the time. Grid’s heavy sword was a great threat to repel the sword. It wasn’t elaborate or sophisticated, but it was fierce. The cold sound of the metal cutting through the air toward the top of his head was very unpleasant. He had no choice but to cut it before he was cut. The problem was that he collapsed first despite his actions. It was a wonderful match… “Huhu… Cough! Cough cough!” “………” Biban’s smiling appearance as he coughed up blood reaffirmed it to the tower members. The win was fair and Biban lost. His expression, which showed no regrets, was the proof. “Biban! Biban!” The view of Grid’s back as he helped Biban seemed to overlap with the moment when he interacted with Ifrit. The tower members were convinced. Grid isn’t just the hope of the world, but the hope of all of us. *** “I think there is a lot of mental fatigue from cleaning up.” “Isn’t he tired because of his injuries?” “Who knows. His wounds will soon heal.”

This was Fronzaltz’s opinion as he left Biban lying down in the infirmary. Snore. The sound of Biban snoring rang all the way out to the hallway. Grid greatly appreciated Biban’s sturdy body. He was feeling relieved when Fronzaltz gave him advice, “He came back to life after gaining the precious white peach from you. He is a friend who won’t die in order to repay your grace. Don’t worry and use him as a sandbag whenever you need to.” “Haha…” The 2nd Seat, Fronzaltz—he existed on behalf of the sky above the sky, Hayate. He corrected the discipline of the tower members and was in charge of the operations of the tower. Grid thought he would be in a position similar to Lauel if he had to compare. This was a mistake. His momentum as he held the guandao made of transparent ice in his hand transcended Biban. Combined with the giant’s massive body, he showed an unstoppable momentum. ‘I’m sure he got the 2nd Seat due to force.’ The Tower of Wisdom was an armed organization. It was inappropriate to select the acting head of the tower simply based on experience or his ability with internal matters. Grid’s gaze fell on Fronzaltz’ thick wrist. He cared about the old bracelet that he previously considered to be insignificant. It was hard to predict that it would be something special. It was full of scratches and rusty parts could be seen everywhere. He thought it would just be an object filled with memories. However, now he knew. The bracelet was actually a tremendous artifact. Dozens of different types of metals and gemstones that couldn’t be mixed were mixed. It was the power of ancient magic and engineering. “This is the treasure of the wise giants, which has been studied and completed over generations. I named it God’s Circle because it was perfect,” Fronzaltz explained while taking the lead in walking. Due to his large height, he opened the distance with one stride. Grid’s steps became busy.

“This can be used to change the nature of magic power to your liking. It means the possibilities are endless. This is why my brother and I were able to survive the day of destruction. It is just that the shock caused most of the functionality to be lost. Now it can only freeze magic power…” The day the giants perished—the brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, didn’t explain in detail what happened on that day. Filewolf didn’t know at all. It was speculated that he suffered from partial amnesia or died before the day of destruction. “It isn’t something that I can repair right now,” Grid spoke with regret. Unfortunately, he was close to a layman when it came to magic engineering. Trauka was currently in hibernation. He could go to Talima and learn right away, but it wasn’t efficient. The acquisition itself took time. This was the limitation of the transfer system. Everything that Grid wanted to learn was through quests. If he received a Talima-related quest one day, he was more likely to get the magic engineering technique as compensation. “In the future, I will master the magic engineering skill and make sure to repair it.” “Haha, thank you for your heart, but it is impossible. The dwarves’ skills are closer to a degenerated version of the giant’s magic engineering. They don’t admire ancient techniques for no reason.” “Is this a problem that you and Radwolf can solve yourselves?” “It is hard for us. It was the achievement of our ancestors who studied and completed this technique. Our generation has already lost the related techniques.” “So there is really no way…” “Yes. There is no way unless a crazy dragon cooperates or a dead ancestor comes back to life. It is impossible.” ‘Ancestor? Ah, don’t tell me… ’ The magic machine that he left behind in Reinhardt—Grid thought of Filewolf, who would be speeding up the production of the ‘hell elevator’ with Sticks right now. Then he asked just in case, “Maybe, do you know… Filewolf?”

“Of course. How can I not know the greatest scientist and prophet in the history of the giants? I’ve actually seen him in person. I don’t know if he was senile because of old age, but… Um…? How do you know his name?” “………” The 4th Great Demon, Gamigin—was she actually the greatest ally of humanity?

A top grade fire dragon—the suicide of Ifrit, whom the Tower of Wisdom rated as next in the hierarchy after an old dragon, caused an unstoppable storm of aftereffects. The world’s crust fluctuated. Mountain ranges rose across the wilderness and dozens of islands emerged. There were all types of changes that made some of the maps that humanity had been using so far useless. People had no idea what caused the incident. It was simply accepted as a disaster and wasn’t connected to the dragons. It was because dragons were an existence that were completely separated from civilians. *** “I don’t think we can come back for a while.” The Skunk Adventure Corps became busy. They were preparing for a new adventure to recreate the maps. It might be a journey without promise, but their expressions were all bright. It was because the act of filling the maps was one of the biggest and most reliable reward systems for adventurers. This was a new opportunity for all adventurer players, including Skunk. “There is news that commanders from each region have been dispatched.” The army also became busy. The tectonic fluctuations also disturbed the ecosystem. Each area—the hunting grounds were mixed up. There were problems such as level 300 monsters inhabiting the hunting grounds favored by level 100 players. The army needed to control the situation until a new environment was established. Lauel saw it as a golden opportunity. He had justification to move the army and planned to first identify the profitable areas and preempt them.

“Sir Piaro has asked for permission to send transport teams and farmers.” The changed world needed the help of farmers. It was a situation where agricultural fields were ruined by the changes in terrain and environment. There were some areas where the warehouses that stockpiled food were destroyed. All areas of the continent were worried about food shortages, but the Overgeared Empire had plenty of room to help them. The Overgeared Empire with Piaro was an agricultural powerhouse. Over the past decade, the farmers that Piaro had personally trained had become teachers of other farmers. Hundreds of thousands of farmers led wagons full of food on an agricultural expedition. This year, they had ambitions to achieve a good harvest all over the continent. Most of them were talented in cultivating the land even in rock-covered valleys, so they were qualified to be confident. ‘Good. Using the pretext of this support, we can exert a stronger influence over our allies and lords.’ “Lauel. Katz, who left to ask Marie Rose for support, says he has found a clue to his class quest.” “………!” The still smiling Lauel was pleased. The areas most affected by the disaster were the vampire cities. They were located underground and were the most heavily affected by the tectonic fluctuations. Most than half of the cities were completely buried. Fortunately, the vampires were very strong. The number of casualties was small, but the problem occurred afterwards. Sunlight poured through the cracks in the collapsed ceiling and a considerable number of vampires were vulnerable to the sun. They were left breathless and fell into a state of waiting for the night. Rebuilding the cities was urgent, but the situation wasn’t optimistic. There was a shortage of labor. The continent was full of destroyed buildings. Many architects gave priority to restoring the fish for food facilities and defense facilities. At this time, Noll and Katz acted. The two of them paid attention to the only intact

city, Marie Rose’s city. Noll was her brother, and Katz visited Marie Rose to ask for help in the name of Beriache’s Knight. It was to ask her to temporarily take in the vampires who couldn’t sleep and suffered every day. Then Katz was lucky. Beriache’s paintings that decorated Marie Rose’s castle—they became a mechanism for conveying all types of information to Katz. The ancient class, Beriache’s Knight, responded and had a radical development. This caused Marie Rose to show great interest. “You are a necessary child.” Marie Rose was a rare absolute in the human world. If one had to choose a being comparable to her among humans, it was necessary to mention Hayate, but most people didn’t know Hayate. They recognized Marie Rose as the strongest. Katz gained the attention and favor of such a being. For Katz, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and could be considered as good luck that he established a relationship with Grid. “Katz… this is unexpected good news.” The series of events caused Lauel to recall Garion, the earth god. He had to suspect that this disaster was actually Garion’s blessing There was a basis for this suspicion. Garion, who restored the world every time Kraugel cut it, was now standing idly by and doing nothing. The crust of the entire continent had changed and not intervening at all was completely in contrast with his usual attitude. It was natural to interpret it as this disaster being caused by Garion’s will. ‘Is Garion determined to stand on the side of humanity, to be exact, Grid?’ Lauel’s expression full of expectations was bright. He didn’t care at all about the documents recording the status of human casualties that were piled up like a tower. It was because the value of the change caused by this disaster was greater than the value of those who died in the disaster. *** “Mother!” “Thank you! Thank you very much!”

Jishuka and the Overgeared members were focused on saving lives. They searched through the rubble of buildings to save even one more life. Jishuka’s transcendent vision of seeing the space from above played a big role. “This is fine thanks to Jishuka, but it won’t be easy in other areas,” Toban spoke bitterly as he looked at the reunion between the barely rescued mother and her daughter. The expressions of his other colleagues were also uncomfortable. Jishuka comforted them, “The kids are learning special skills these days. The situation elsewhere won’t be bad either.” Damian and the Overgeared God Church, Faker and the Overgeared Shadows, Ruby and the Sanctity Church, and other Overgeared members were dedicated to relief efforts. Jishuka believed in their skills and hard work. “Everyone will be doing their best.” “However, there aren’t enough workers,” Toban refuted it as he walked. He had a troubled expression, like he didn’t want to do this. “Lauel, why did he send troops to the hunting grounds first?” Toban was unhappy with Lauel’s attitude, who seemed to have little interest in civilians. The reason he couldn’t swear openly was because Lauel was a colleague, not because he was the prime minister of the great empire. There was an unwritten rule that when scolding colleagues, they should do it openly in front of the parties involved, like Pon and Vantner, and not behind their backs. It was to prevent the seeds of discord. Jishuka defended Lauel, “The hunting grounds are mixed up. He needs to quickly figure out which areas high value bosses will appear in and drop high demand items.” The existing information had become worthless. Lauel wasn’t turning a blind eye to the victims. He was just doing his best for the empire. In fact, Jishuka’s heart also wasn’t comfortable as she explained to her colleagues. She knew how cold Lauel’s personality was. Wasn’t there a record of him killing tens

of thousands of soldiers? Honestly, she sometimes felt that he was a bit too much, but she couldn’t criticize Lauel recklessly. Her role was a mediator. She had the greatest reputation in the Overgeared Guild after Grid and had an obligation to keep the center. If she started to evaluate Lauel using private emotions, then factions were likely to form. ‘It is true that Lauel is working for the Overgeared Guild.’ Lauel’s judgment and choices were mostly right. The problem was that he sacrificed people along the way… they were sacrifices for the best results. If she antagonized him every time despite knowing this clearly, the organization itself would have problems. ‘I have to work hard in order to save the people who were sacrificed.’ Fatigue flashed across Jishuka’s face as she vowed once again, but it was only for a moment. She shook off her fatigue by recalling Grid’s face. ‘I want to see him.’ After his political marriage to Basara, Grid’s nature became very magnanimous. In reality, he honestly expressed his feelings to Jishuka. They already enjoyed dating twice this week. The funny thing was that once Grid became active, Jishuka started to feel ashamed. “………?” Her colleagues stared at her strangely as she started blushing and fiddling with her fingers. *** The dimension warp gate connecting the surface and hell. The construction with the name of ‘hell elevator’ encountered great difficulties. The massive earthquake a few days ago caused the elevator that was under construction to collapse. It was an astronomical loss because it was the largest construction in history with the largest amount of national manpower and capital. Prime Minister Lauel said it didn’t matter and comforted Ke by saying they could

start over… Ke’s heart was very uncomfortable. It wasn’t because Administrator Rabbit suddenly visited. It was due to the pressure to start the hard and complicated tasks all over again. The construction of the hell elevator was a difficult task to handle using Ke’s knowledge and skills. His fatigue was too high. “Huhuhut.” As Ke sighed, Filewolf was laughing. He was happy to be able to start the job from scratch again. He was ecstatic with the strong capital of the Overgeared Kingdom, which had become an empire. He liked the attitude of the higher ups who supported them and told them not to care about failure. ‘This nation is heaven for scientists.’ It reminded him of the prime of his homeland that was destroyed. However, what he liked more was his new body. A metal body that was usually cold, but quickly heated up. Didn’t it closely resemble his soul, which combined intelligence and passion? It was indeed a perfect sense of unity. Additionally, no matter how much he worked, he was able to do delicate work without being exhausted. It was incompatible with the weak bodies of the giants or humans. “A magic machine is a god. Therefore, I am a god as well. Gasp… Gasp…” ‘This guy is sick again.’ Ke stared blankly at Filewolf, who was speaking nonsense with rough gasps again. The resurrected (?) giant—the respect Ke had for the great scientist who designed the hell elevator was truly gone. Even Ke didn’t understand Filewolf’s behavior despite being eccentric among the dwarves. “………” On the spire of the Overgeared Palace… The Fronzaltz and Radwolf brothers, who followed Grid in a stealthy state, were at a loss for words. Grid coughed as he saw their trembling gazes fixed on Filewolf. “It is hard to believe, but that is FIlewolf.”

“…There is no way not to believe it. I recognized him with one glance.” “………?” “He devoted his last years to becoming one with the magic machines… it was a near madness-like obsession. I didn’t expect him to achieve his dream after a thousand years. No, what type of madman trapped a person’s soul in a magic machine?” “Cough, Brother.” “Ah…? Oh, forget my last sentence.” “………” After a while— In an awkward atmosphere, the reunion between Filewolf and the brothers was completed. They unexpectedly met another survivor (?)… Unlike the emotional brothers, Filewolf only showed interest in the God’s Circle. “It is possible.” He was indeed the greatest scientist in the history of the giants. Filewolf confirmed that the God’s Circle could be repaired. The power of the Tower of Wisdom was rapidly strengthened. The result was thanks to Grid.

The giants perished over a thousand years ago. Their civilization was submerged in the deep sea and completely disappeared. Humanity of the modern era had no way of knowing the history of the giants. Stormbringer, Argo, God’s Circle, etc. This was why the great treasures of the species who destroyed demons and confronted dragons were forgotten. “Among the treasures of the giants, God’s Circle has the greatest versatility and is very complex. It isn’t easy to repair.” “………” “Still, I can do it. I am the one who led the design of God’s Circle.” “Ohh!!” The brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, were excited. It was the moment when they encountered the history that they thought had disappeared. Emotions came flooding in like a tsunami. Filewolf’s behavior of caressing his chest made of cold metal was no longer unpleasant. It didn’t matter what he looked like or what he did. It was worthwhile even if he was a beast that stank of cheap feces. “There is just one problem. God’s Circle is a treasure that is made of 32 types of metals, adding the cutting edge technology built by dozens of scientists throughout their lives and the elemental power gained through the favor of the world tree. There are endless calculations, so readjustment is necessary if there is even the slightest deviation.” In other words. “It means that in order to fix God’s Circle, we must get closer to the concept of recreating it. I need to ask the world tree for help again, but will the old tree help? I would be lucky if I could step into the forest.” “Doesn’t the world tree have a tendency to cling to peace? I think she will cooperate

if we explain the role of the tower.” Filewolf was resurrected in the magic machine made of Greed. This meant he was completely under the control of Grid and it wasn’t strange for him to accompany Grid to climb the tower. In other words, it was a position similar to Noe, Randy, and the Overgeared Skeletons. The brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, didn’t hide the existence of the tower from him. It was shortly after explaining the history and role of the Tower of Wisdom. Nevertheless, Filewolf shook his head. “The world tree is old and sick. It has been a long time since she has been too weak to be worthy of her reputation. Half of the remaining life will be lost if we want to strengthen God’s Circle.” “This…” The role of the world tree for the surface was very important. The world tree was beneficial just by existing. The moment the world tree disappeared, the air of the world would become turbid and nature would lose its vitality. Was it worth sacrificing the life of the world tree to repair God’s Circle? It was a matter for the world tree to judge. The tower couldn’t weigh it casually. The repair of God’s Circle seemed very distant. It happened as the brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, were thinking this… “I don’t understand something.” Grid, who had been silent until now, came forward and spoke, “It isn’t the power of the world tree, but the power of the elementals needed to create God’s Circle, right? So why is the lifespan of the world tree slashed?” It was an accurate point. Filewolf had explained that God’s Circle was created by ‘adding the elemental power gained through the favor of the world tree.’ Radwolf came out and spoke, “It is because the power of the elemental kings is needed. It is also many elemental kings.” Filewolf nodded. "That's right. Five elemental kings need to be summoned in total to borrow their power and this is a big burden for the world tree. In particular, the highly aloof light elemental king is a big problem. “Light elemental king…?”

“You must’ve never heard of it. There are very few humans who know about the elemental kings that are difficult to meet, let alone the rarest light elemental king. They tend to be obsessed with the purification of demonic energy, so they don’t care much about the surface…” Filewolf’s red eyes started to rotate as he talked. It was due to the light that suddenly appeared. It was the ‘advanced light elemental’ that contracted with Grid. “Ah… You must’ve heard of the light elemental king. You wouldn’t have met it, but…?” Filewolf was correcting himself only to fall silent again. He got a strange feeling from the way that Grid cocked his head. He noticed that Grid had something to say so he waited. Soon, he heard shocking words. “My lover has signed a contract with the light elemental king… It was in the past.” “What…?!” “What is this?!” The brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, shot up from their seats. The eyeballs under their eyelids seemed like they were going to pop out. Filewolf also had an intense reaction. “Is that true? Lover? Is it the female knight you go around with every day?” “No, not Mers.” “Ah, you are referring to the Bow Saint I saw a while ago. Her cheerful nature means she can communicate with an elemental king…” “No, not Jishuka, but Yura. She is usually in hell, so you haven’t seen her.” “Hell?” No one talked about the unusually large number of lovers. Grid was a god and an emperor, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had 3,000 women. The giants focused on the word ‘hell.’ “Don’t tell me… is it perhaps the Demon Slayer?” “That’s right.”

“Hah…! That's right! She is worthy of the light elemental king!” The gazes of Fronzaltz and Radwolf toward Grid changed. Mercedes, Jishuka, and Yura—the women around Grid were legends. Originally, it was hard to give birth to one in an era. Now Grid captured the hearts of three legends. Grid truly didn’t have ordinary capabilities. They thought it was great. On the other hand, Filewolf’s thoughts were different. “By the way, why are you leaving Greed behind and dating humans? You’ve made the best mineral in the world, so why…?” “………” Grid ignored him. *** Wounded dragons were rare to see. The fact that a dragon suffered irreparable wounds meant they were dealt by an old dragon. Few dragons survived after being targeted by an old dragon. In other words, Ifrit was a unique elixir in the world. Yet they failed to hunt her. The cause was Grid, and Mir was absolutely responsible for letting Grid go freely. “Let’s discipline him with a flogging.” This was proposed by King Sobyeol, who finished investigating the case. It was ridiculously lacking to satisfy the three masters. The three masters lost their minds because they witnessed the ‘crazy god and crazy dragon’ that had never been seen before. They were in a position where they needed the next half a year to recuperate. Yet the one who created this situation, Mir would just be flogged? “That can’t be.” “Are you going to spare the child who betrayed Hanul?” The regular sound of ‘tap, tap, tap’ suddenly stopped. “Then do you want to kill him? Are you saying this because you think you can recreate that child?”

There was still a gentle smile on the face of King Sobyeol. However, the reflection of the three masters in his pupils were split into six pieces and the three masters felt great panic. “You have been kicked out of Asgard, but you still can’t figure out who you are up against? Now we can’t get angels on the surface. We have no choice but to make and train them ourselves. Therefore, every one of them is valuable. Now you want to kill one without any countermeasures. How should I react?” “We’re sorry… we were too agitated that we didn’t speak properly…” The three masters lowered their eyes and trembled. Even the first ones made by a god of the beginning, Hanul, became smaller in front of King Sobyeol, who personally inherited Hanul’s blood. “Don’t worry, it will be a sufficient warning for Mir.” Four in the left eye and two in the right eye. The eyes of King Sobyeol, which had split into taiji shapes, returned to their usual appearance. Eyes that shone brighter than obsidian. It felt like he embodied the image of a benevolent god among civilians. *** “………” The expression gradually disappeared from Mir’s face as he was bound to the rack. There was a touch of loss and oblivion woven in. Mir’s precious memories and emotions had dimmed. *** Yura didn’t really realize the existence of the light elemental king. The number of times the elemental king assisted her was low enough to be counted using her hands. First, they weren’t able to communicate. It was hard to use because she couldn’t

catch it. Most of the skills gained from signing a contract with the elemental king were often arbitrarily deactivated. It was impossible to control because the cooldown time was marked as ‘when desired.’ It was a phenomenon that became worse over time. “I understand.” Nevertheless, Yura readily accepted Grid’s request. It was a request to summon the light elemental king in front of the world tree. It was hard to guarantee success but she didn’t want to refuse.It was very unusual for Grid to make a request of her and she was the only person in the world who could summon the light elemental king. ‘I will surely do it.’ Grid, Filewolf, and Yura—an uncomfortable companionship began. Yura was very annoyed by the metal robot that kept gasping and stroking his body. It overshadowed the experience of meeting ugly demonic creatures and demons in hell, and made her feel a bit offended. Filewolf spoke to such a Yura, “Generally speaking, men are fond of hands that love touching their own bodies. It is hard for women like you to be loved for a long time.” “………?!” It was nonsense that a pervert spoke to rationalize his behavior, but Yura took it seriously. It was because Filewolf was more like Grid’s pet. There was a possibility that he represented his master’s thoughts to some extent. She felt a great sense of crisis and clung tightly to Grid. “???” Yura’s clumsy touch as she secretly brushed her hand against her waist and thighs confused Grid. *** “This place hasn’t been affected by the tectonic fluctuations.”

“Of course. The world tree is a divine tree supporting the sky. The world tree is the center of the world and the center doesn’t fall easily.” The World Tree’s Forest was the same as before. The elves ran to Grid’s group and welcomed him. “I greet the Overgeared God.” Grid and the Overgeared members were the benefactors of the world tree and the elves. This was why the Overgeared members could contract with the elementals. In recent years, the elves’ favorability and respect for the Overgeared Empire reached the maximum after it defeated the dark elves army and led the way to victory in Great Human and Demon War. “I am new to such an attitude from these long-eared people…” Filewolf marveled at the appearance of the elves, who acted respectfully every time they encountered Grid. It was a reaction that disproved the aloof character of the elves. “I would like to ask for your assistance in order to reconstruct God’s Circle. I am requesting for you to summon the five elemental kings.” Filewolf was also polite in front of the world tree. He respectfully made an unreasonable request. It didn’t have much of an effect. -I have already kept my promise with the giants in the distant past. Filewolf, you don’t have the right to ask this of me. “Please listen to me.” Filewolf left the elves and Yura behind and explained the situation. He mentioned the existence of the Tower of Wisdom and the hard work of the tower members fighting to protect humanity. Of course, he didn’t forget to say that Yura had signed with the light elemental king, so the burden would be less. However, the attitude of the world tree didn’t change. “It is over.” Filewolf fell silent as he faced the worst situation. He looked at the old bracelets that the brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, protected with bitterness.He had a conscience.

The brothers who watched the destruction of their homeland—they were the only two left, and were more lonely and painful than anyone else. Even so, they fought for humanity. Filewolf was proud of them and pitied them. He frankly wanted to help them. “The world tree is nature after all. There are limits to understanding and resonating with human beings. Persuasion is impossible.” It was a waste of time to stay any longer. It happened when Filewolf told them to go back with regret… “World tree.” Grid came out in person. He solemnly requested of the divine spirit that he couldn’t see the end of even when he lifted his head carefully, “Can you reconsider? The power of the tower members is essential for this world. I want them to be stronger.” -I understand. “………?” Filewolf was flustered by Grid making a request when he was giving up. Then the world tree responded. The soft voice was gentle. -I’ll accept your request and call the five elemental kings. I will definitely do so, even if I wither.

“Thank you.” She would surely call the five elemental kings, even if it meant withering. Grid felt the sincere will and eliminated the traces of doubt buried deep in his heart. ‘I’m certain. The world tree doesn’t have a friendly relationship with Asgard.’ In fact, it was natural. If the world tree had interacted with the gods, she wouldn’t have become sick from Yatan’s essence. Additionally, the Overgeared Guild wouldn’t have contracted with the elementals. The reason Grid had been wary of the world tree was that, at the roots, the world tree was a divine tree. People believed that the world tree was a tree planted by the gods. There was a story that the first thing Rebecca did when creating the world was to plant the world tree. From Grid’s perspective, it was difficult to rule out the possibility that the world tree was under Rebecca’s control. Putting aside the rapport that his colleagues shared with the elements, he was mindful of the possibility of being betrayed by the world tree. Fortunately, it was groundless. At this moment, the world tree declared that she would give her lifespan for Grid. It wasn’t empty words. The world tree immediately put it into practice. Graphics that were hard to see in any culture emerged around the world tree and formed rules. The rules produced new forms, colors, and attributes, and became four different magic circles. “Mother…!” The elves exclaimed. It wouldn’t be strange if they cried right away based on their expressions. It was a reaction that proved the sincerity of the world tree. Summoning the elemental kings—Filewolf’s prediction that it would be a burden on the current world tree was right. The branches that extended toward immeasurable areas like discussing infinity were withered. The green leaves became haggard like autumn leaves just before falling after a season ended.

Grid could feel it. The ‘status’ of the world tree had fallen. It was a sacrifice for Grid. Crack! Eventually, the twisted white bark lost its luster and fell down with an eerie sound. The image of the transparent essence flowing from the trunk of the world tree overlapped with the image of the blood shed by Biban and Mir. Beings who fought for Grid against all types of dangers—the world tree was like them. Four magic circles were soon completed. [The fire elemental king has appeared.] [The water elemental king has appeared.] [The earth elemental king has appeared.] [The wind elemental king has appeared.] A dimension divided differently from hell, the surface, and heaven—the rulers of the ‘elemental world’ had appeared. -I'm sorry. For me, this is the limit. The shapes made of light circled in the air and made noises, but the magic circle wasn’t completed. They were traces of trying to summon the light elemental king. It was even though she heard that Yura would be in charge of summoning the light elemental king. The world tree wouldn’t be pointlessly stubborn. ‘She decided that Yura won’t be able to summon the light elemental king.’ The road to the forest—throughout the journey, Yura’s expression had been dark. Grid thought it was because of FIlewolf’s perverted actions, but after looking back on it, she was probably worried because it was difficult to communicate with the light elemental king. Yura approached. “How long will the elemental kings be present?”

She couldn’t hide her nervousness as she asked this. She was worried about whether she could summon the light elemental king first, or if the other elemental kings would leave first. The world tree replied. -It is up to Grid. It is Grid’s wish that made this summoning. The eyes of the elemental kings were on Grid. [Overgeared King. I learned about your reputation from the daoist immortals of the Peach Blossom Spring.] One of the elemental kings spoke. Just as the world tree was a tree, they were fire, water, earth, and wind. They didn’t have mouths, so the language was implemented through their willpower. The sound resonated from all directions, like the secondary skill of a fourth class martial artist and assassin, ‘All Directions Sound Transmission.’ However, Grid quickly identified the source of the words. It wasn’t difficult for him with his transcendent senses and divinity. ‘It is the fire elemental king.’ The flame that gradually grew larger after its emergence—the attitude of using every tree it touched like firewood was like a tyrant. It even had a momentum like it would burn the world tree. [It is said that you control fire after the red phoenix’s heart was transplanted. However, do you know? Many of the world’s offerings come from the elements of the elemental world. The source of fire is me and the red phoenix is just my other self. You can’t even bear my fire. How dare you ask for me to descend and ask for my help?] The fire elemental king was as violent as its outward attitude. It was as if he was putting the world under his feet. ‘The source of fire is the elemental king?’ He was saying that the red phoenix, one of the Four Auspicious Beasts, was just his other self? Grid, who was surprised after learning this new fact, asked, “Then is

Trauka also your other self?” It was a question raised out of pure doubt. There was no other intention, but the response of the fire elemental king was very fierce. [Do you have to belittle me by referring to an existence outside of the specifications? You are truly an unreliable person.] It took it as a provocation. Grid was blinking from the absurdity when Filewolf whispered to him, “There is definitely a myth that Rebecca used the elements of the elemental world when she created the world. It is just that no one can answer the question of whether the elemental world has existed since the beginning. On the other hand, the old dragons are definitely of the same generation as the gods of the beginning, including Rebecca.” “…Do the elemental kings feel inferior to the dragons?” “That’s right.” “No, you should’ve told me that quickly.” “I never thought you would bring up Trauka’s name.” [What are you muttering?] The body of the fire elemental swelled even more. It surged like a tsunami and threatened to swallow Grid. Grid was feeling flustered when a whisper was heard. It was an elf specific sound transmission that carried the voice on the wind. The beautiful voice rang in Grid’s ears only. -Basically, elementals aren’t favorable to humans. They instinctively reject the civilization pursued by humans because it damages nature. By the time they are an elemental king, they don’t properly communicate with the humans they have acknowledged and contracted with. -Overgeared God, you didn’t do anything wrong. The elemental kings must’ve been thinking of testing your qualifications from the beginning. So, they would’ve found fault no matter what attitude you showed.

Testing his qualifications? Certainly, the world tree mentioned that the time that the elemental kings would stay depended on Grid. ‘Are we going to fight?’ Elementals—beings who didn’t intervene in other dimensions. Those who felt hostile and avoided humans couldn’t be liked just because he was Grid. However, there were elementals contracted with his colleagues, including his light elemental, Light Stone, so he tried to respect them. There was no reason to refuse a fight at a time when there was the justification of proving his qualifications. ‘Rather, it is good.’ He would take this opportunity to vent. What was so good about those who hid among themselves and raised their noses high in the air at a time when the demons were active or the gods were playing insidious tricks? Grid’s gaze toward the elemental kings became cold. He let go of trying to respect them and expressed his honest feelings. It was closer to hostility. [You?] The fire elemental king moved up and down loudly. [Are you staring at me in a situation where you should be keeping your head down?] “Let’s talk nicely. That is how to make your words good.” [What? You are quite nasty. Do you mistakenly think you are equal to me? I’ve met quite a few humans, but I’ve never seen a human like you who doesn’t grasp the subject.] ‘As expected. It doesn’t know that I’ve become a god.’ Grid found out that the elemental kings were ignorant about the world’s affairs. He noticed it when the fire elemental called him the Overgeared King. He thought they had been grasping the information through the elementals on the surface, but the actual truth was surprising. The problem seemed to be caused by being indifferent to the human world, or lacking a sense of time because of their eternal life. In any case, it was good for Grid. The Grid identified by the elemental kings would be the Grid around the time when he just got the heart of the red phoenix.

Clink! Grid combined four swords into two and both hands were armed. The elementals were more of a phenomenon, not a substance. It was estimated that he needed special measures to cut them, such as the Falling Moon Sword that could only be wielded once every 10 minutes. First of all, he planned to amplify the attack power as much as possible before slashing. ‘The odds will be high if physical attacks work.’ Grid had gained quality experience. From the time of the Great Human and Demon War, he had met and fought Baal’s ego, Martial God Zeratul, the number one archangel, Mir, the three masters, and Ifrit. If he placed the gods of the beginning as 1st tier, it meant he experienced the worldview of around the 2nd-3rd tier in succession. His eye for measuring the level of the opponent was raised greatly so he didn’t stiffen in front of the elementals. In Grid’s view, the status of the elemental kings wasn’t very high. They weren’t comparable to Ifrit or the number one archangel, and they were a long way behind Mir. They seemed similar to Baal’s ego, if he gave them a high evaluation. It was unlikely that it would be an illusion like when he mistook Ifrit’s other self. The elemental world didn’t belong to the center of the world view. In the first place, it was unfounded for an elemental king to be very strong. ‘The light elemental king proves that.’ It was said that if the light elemental king was completely manifested, it would be comparable to a great demon. As for the current Grid, all the great demons except ‘the three evils of the beginning’ were just small fries. [You don’t seem to be afraid of fire because you trust the heart of the red phoenix. Arrogant fellow. You will soon regret it.] “You talk too much.” Grid raised his chin.

“Bring it on.” As his reputation grew, Grid had worked to be polite, but this depended on the opponent. He didn’t want to be polite to those who took advantage of the position of being asked for help to talk nonsense. [You need educating!] The fire elemental king expanded its size like a wave and rushed toward Grid. He thought it would feel like this if he was surrounded by hundreds of thousands of soldiers, but it left little impression. Grid’s swordsmanship covered all directions. “200,000 Army Crushing Sword.” First, he slashed all the flames that entered his field of view. “Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle.” The five fusion sword dance was implemented with one step. From the standpoint of facing each other, it was a step and sword technique that implied dozens of possibilities. The flames were split into hundreds of branches. They scattered in all directions and dyed the forest red. It meant they were cut. As the name suggested, the fire elemental was a collection of fire phenomena, but permanent phenomena didn’t exist. Even the scales of a dragon were torn apart, weakened, and lost by all types of physical phenomena caused by the damage of Grid’s slash. [Wh… at!] The rapidly reduced flame revealed its core. It was a flame that burned fiercely alone while the waves of fire were swept away by the sword wind. It was natural for it to be Grid’s target. “Drop Dragon Pinnacle Kill Wave.” He was humble in front of Sword Saint Biban, but Grid’s techniques were good enough.

The process of using the finishing stride of Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle as a stepping stone to link it to Drop Dragon Pinnacle Kill Wave was as natural and rapid as flowing water. It was a speed that wasn’t easy to respond to when facing it for the first time and it was linked with unpredictable power. The fire elemental king rapidly raised its body temperature to burn and melt the approaching sword, transforming into a blue flame. However, it was meaningless. Grid’s sword, made of Greed, didn’t melt. It maintained an eerie air as it penetrated the blue flame. Thunder seemed to echo. The deafening sound was chained and the fire elemental king completely lost its momentum. Like the fire of a match that was about to become ashes, it was reduced to a weak existence and fell at the feet of the other elemental kings. “Next.” Let’s organize the hierarchy properly. Grid held the swords and raised his chin again, but the elemental kings slowly reduced their size. The water elemental king, which poured out water and wet the ground, becoming a small dew. The wind elemental king, which was creating a storm, became a warm breeze. The earth elemental king, which grew like a mountain, became a stone that could fit in one hand. [The fire elemental king doesn’t speak for us. One who burns its body can’t have an organ for thinking, right? To borrow a human expression, it is brainless.] [I’ll wait until the light elemental king is summoned.] [I, like, human.] It was a satisfactory reaction. Grid put away his weapons and reassured Yura, “Take your time. I’ll wait for you slowly. Pretend we are on an outing.” “Yes.” Yura smiled while the elves were completely mesmerized. He talked about an outing just after almost killing an elemental king. They were afraid in various ways. The fact that Grid wasn’t the enemy of humanity was the greatest blessing in history.

Names sometimes had great power. It was because it was a symbol of existence. Overgeared King, Overgeared God, Overgeared Emperor, and Grid—at this moment, all of the names that signified Grid were exerting influence all over the world. ‘What?’ The name of the fire elemental king was the same. The source of all the flames in the world—its name followed where there was fire, and it could never be extinguished. However— ‘What is this?’ A little while ago, the fire elemental king felt the horror of annihilation. The moment it was slashed by the sword of the human whom it didn’t properly identify, it became dizzy. It checked the flames that were scattering and sensed death. It was because the sweeping sword wind was so strong. The physical phenomenon caused by the human motion of ‘swinging a sword’ was tremendously powerful. That was all. Thus, it was even more absurd. ‘A god with extreme power?’ The fire elemental king had often experienced the human world. It was because humans who were qualified to sign contracts with it were born every few hundred years. It was not ignorant of the human world. Therefore, it knew that humans who didn’t understand the target properly easily overused the expression of ‘god with extreme power.’ It was ridiculous. The fire elemental king had experienced the ‘gods’ firsthand and desperately knew the weight of the name of a ‘god with extreme power.’ The god with extreme power that the fire elemental king thought of was very different from what humans referred to. A being who caused a disaster with insensitive hand gestures—the idea that Grid was a god with extreme power was embedded in the mind of the fire elemental king.

“Take it easy. Now, eat gimbap.” “What gimbap?” “I just made it. I went grocery shopping before we left.” [………] The briefly stunned fire elemental king regained consciousness. The sight in front of it was very unfamiliar. A pair of humans was using the wind elemental king as a mat. They sat on the softly circulating breeze and seemed to be enjoying a fresh play. Next to them, the water elemental king had become a fountain that gave clear water, while rare dishes were prepared on the tableware made by the earth elemental king. [………] The fire elemental king found it absurd and was mesmerized. On the other hand, the atmosphere that wrapped around Grid and Yura was warm. Grid had been roughly eating bread with every meal, but now he prepared food after grocery shopping. It was all for Yura. Grid planned this gourmet itinerary in the hope that she wouldn’t neglect a meal during their journey together. Yura was impressed and Grid found it rewarding. The dishes were also successful. Grid had both dexterity and sensation, which were the most important things in cooking. [The ‘Advanced Cooking’ skill has been opened.] Grid’s dexterity sublimated the dish called gimbap into art. The rice was wrapped neatly and smoothly with laver, and the color of the ingredients was a beautiful blend that was just as beautiful when put in the mouth. This was the power of dexterity. The workmanship of cutting the gimbap properly surpassed the workmanship of a three-star Michelin chef. Furthermore, Grid was the owner of transcendent senses and these senses naturally included taste. His ability to taste was truly perfect. It was to the point where he could serve as a teacher for every chef in the world. This was why the cooking skill was opened the moment the first gimbap was made, and it was even the advanced cooking skill.

“What is this gimbap? It is crunchy, but it melts like persimmon?” “It is the finest laver recommended by Peak Sword. It is dried by the sea breeze of Galest on the day when the sun rises the highest. Seeing how delicious it is, it is worthwhile to airlift it, despite the difficulty.” “The moment it touches the teeth, the grains of rice and the ingredients inside spread out to deliver the taste to all sides of your tongue. It feels like there is an orchestra of taste unfolding in my mouth. The strength of the dish called gimbap has been maximized.” “R-Really?” In fact, Grid wasn’t a person who enjoyed gourmet food. He didn’t grow up in abundance so he didn’t experience a variety of flavors. His taste buds were naturally accustomed to seasonings. He felt that ramyeon broth was more delicious than expensive broth that was boiled with dozens of ingredients. However, his taste buds had changed little by little thanks to Yura and Jishuka. Over the past few years, he had enjoyed frequent meals with the two of them and widened his spectrum of taste. He experienced a taste he had never known before, became accustomed to it, and pursued various tastes. Such precious experiences seemed to have been reflected in his cooking. It was to the extent that he could make gimbap using a variety of ingredients that existed only in Satisfy. ‘There is a reason why it is said that Satisfy is a gourmet’s heaven.’ The reason why Grid neglected to eat in Satisfy was simply because he was busy. He had a lot of work to do that piled up like a great mountain, and it felt like a waste of time to take care of his meals every time. Now he changed his thoughts. He vowed to make sure to take care of the time when dining with his precious people. The meal he enjoyed at the Tower of Wisdom was a lesson. Grid felt quite happy due to the gourmet feast made by Abellio, and Betty’s warm heart as she fed him like he was her grandchild. He wanted to share that happiness with other loved ones and make it a memory. “White wine would suit it.” “Really? Water elemental king.”

[I’ve already prepared it.] The water elemental king filled a glass made by the earth elemental king with transparent wine. The refreshing breeze that wrapped around the branches of the world tree was a service prepared by the wind elemental. In reality, it was literally a fantasy fine dining experience that was hard to experience even if someone gave billions of gold. “Come over here.” Grid, who was drinking while stroking the back of Yura’s hand, called out to the fire elemental king. The intention was to persuade it to forget the dispute that happened a little while ago, so they could get along well in the future. There was nothing bad about being close to the elemental kings. [Yes! What type of meat should I cook for you?] “………” There was no need to convince it. Grid was silent as he watched the fire elemental king quickly rushing over and gently igniting the flames. *** [The light elemental king is ignoring your call.] It was the third day they stayed in the World Tree’s Forest. These days, Yura was happy to spend time with Grid, who had the hobby of cooking, and the friendly elves and world tree. However, her mind gradually became uncomfortable. The light elemental king refused communication. It was a colder attitude than usual. All the passive skills that occurred when she obtained the light elemental king were disabled. “It’s fine. Let’s enjoy it. If I am with you, I can spend a few more days here.” Grid cheered Yura, who couldn’t hide her frustration, up. He handed her a skewer made in collaboration with the fire elemental king. [The light elemental king has been a jerk since ancient times. It is because it believes it is the only line of descent of Goddess Rebecca in the elemental world. Everything was as it pleased, so it used to argue with us often. I think it would be great if you, an extremely powerful god, teaches it a lesson.]

The fire elemental king added. It reiterated that the reason why the light elemental king was quiet wasn’t Yura’s problem. Yura felt great gratitude toward the elemental kings. They promised that they would wait until the end without returning to the elemental world. “The smell of the cooking meat is shocking.” “You came at the perfect time. I’ve prepared a share for you, so eat as much as you want.” “Thank you for the food!” The elves also looked forward to the dishes that Grid made. At first, they were reluctant to eat meat, but recently, they enjoyed it. It was due to Grid’s pure question if it was wrong to eat plants rather than animals if they really valued nature. Due to the changes in eating habits, the slender bodies of the elves started to develop muscles. It didn’t mean that they gained a big build. Rather, their thighs were fleshy and they developed solid abs, giving the impression of a nimble female warrior. In fact, their overall physical ability had risen. He even had the absurd idea that the elves were close to truthseekers who sealed their own strength by limiting their eating habits. ‘I am thankful to them.’ Yura had a determined expression as she looked at the elves and elementals gathered in front of the table filled with Grid’s dishes. Yum. She suddenly took a bite of the grilled skewer. It was inferior compared to the meal she ate alone with Grid in reality last night, but it was still delicious. Her heart became warm. It could be thanks to the smiles of the elves beckoning her to come over or due to the consideration of the elemental kings who encouraged her. ‘Yes, I shouldn’t be anxious. Everything will be fine.’ The others believed in her. Doubting herself was just an act of betraying the faith of others.

Yura’s eyes shone as she controlled her heart. The thing that the brightest star lost—Yura’s self-esteem, which had plummeted for a while due to Grid’s ambiguous attitude, was restored at this moment. She felt Grid’s hands wrapped around her shoulders. *** “I think it is because of you.” “As expected, it is like this.” Grid was likely to be the cause of the failure to summon the light elemental king. Grid was hostile to Asgard. The light elemental king considered itself the descendant of Rebecca, so it was natural that it harbored animosity toward Grid. “In this way, the light elemental spirit might destroy its contract with Yura.” This was the opinion carefully put forth by Filewolf, who had been quietly watching the last five days. Grid couldn’t just sit back and watch, so he asked for advice from the world tree. “Is there no way to resolve the situation?” -You can go directly to the elemental world and persuade the light elemental king. “Going directly to the elemental world…” -The other elemental kings are cooperative with you, so they might open the way to the elemental world. “How do I persuade the light elemental king?” -Use the same method that you used to persuade the fire elemental king. Looking at it, this is the most efficient way. “………” Were elemental kings more attracted to violence than conversation? It happened as

Grid thought about it and seriously nodded… “I finally succeeded in summoning it.” Yura’s voice was heard. The startled Grid turned his head and saw Yura covered in wounds. She was holding the light elemental king in one hand. ‘This is summoned… right?’

[It is good to see you in this state! Kuhat! Kuhahahat!] The flames roared. They were synchronized with the emotions of the fire elemental king and expanded as the laughter of the fire elemental king intensified. The good news was that the water elemental king acted as a sprinkler, which avoided the situation of the surrounding bushes turning into ashes. Grid stood between the mixed up fire and water and clearly grasped the propensity of the elemental kings. ‘They don’t have deceptive personalities that use empty words.’ In the last five days, Grid had carefully observed the elementals. They were rulers of a dimension. Even if he didn’t ask, they made alcohol out of water, a mat out of wind, and dining table and tableware out of earth. He had no choice but to be wary of those who showed him more favor than they needed to, even if it meant bending their pride. Enemies who hid their hostility under goodwill were simply dangerous. However, he became certain at this moment. The elemental kings weren’t the type to hide their intentions. The attitude of the fire elemental king, who died of joy when it saw the light elemental king in Yura’s hands, proved it. ‘It really does hate the light elemental king.’ Now that he saw it, they were beings that were honest with their feelings. The favor directed toward him was also likely to be sincere. It should be noted that the call of the world tree wasn’t compulsory. The world tree said that the duration that the elemental kings remained on the surface depended on Grid’s qualifications. They could leave for the elemental world whenever they wanted to, but they didn’t leave. They stayed by Grid for the last five days. This meant that Grid had been approached with goodwill since he defeated the fire elemental king and proved his qualifications. [I was wondering what you were doing. It turns out you were humiliating yourselves as a group?]

Flash! The light elemental king shone brightly. A powerful light that made both eyes dazzled turned the area white. As Grid and the elves frowned for a moment, the light elemental king was already close to Grid. It had escaped from Yura’s grasp. Grid alternated looking between the flustered Yura and the casual light elemental king. Then he placed his hand on the sheath of his sword. He was wary of the intentions of the light elemental king, who had been deliberately captured. ‘It is light. Is it possible to cut it?’ It would be much more difficult than slashing flames. The light elemental king spoke to Grid who was taking a deep breath. [Overgeared God, I have been watching you.] The light elemental king was different from the fire elemental king. It knew that Grid was a god. ‘Since it is contracted to Yura, has it been watching me from Yura’s point of view?’ Or had it been watching him from the perspective of Light Stone? Grid was becoming conscious of Light Stone when his expression became uneasy. It was because Light Stone was being absorbed by the light elemental king. Light Stone was gradually becoming cloudy. It seemed like it was about to disappear. “………” Light Stone felt Grid’s gaze and turned its head. The eyes and mouth made of light showed a contrast. The drawn half-moon face, which was probably made in a desire to communicate with Grid, resembled a smile. “Light Stone…” Grid urgently reached out, but he was too late. [Why did you betray Mother? It is purely thanks to Mother’s favor that you have the present power.]

Light Stone completely scattered. It was decomposed into particle units and absorbed by the light elemental king. [The advanced light elemental ‘Light Stone’ that is contracted with you is destroyed.] [The skill ‘Sword of Light’ that was activated by ‘Light Stone’ is destroyed.] Grid’s expression hardened like a stone. He witnessed the scene where Light Stone’s smile distorted like it was crying just before it disappeared. [Y-Y-You evil bastard…!!] The fire elemental king witnessed the destruction of an elemental and was furious. [Ahh… A pitiful child.] The water elemental king sighed. The earth and wind elemental kings had no words. However, the earth and wind that started to shake represented their anger. The light elemental king didn’t care. Its attitude was that there was no problem even if the other spirits maligned it. Mother—the word that was used for Rebecca, the goddess of light, explained it. The source of its confidence was the pride in being ‘Rebecca’s descendant.’ It seemed to regard itself as special, unlike other elementals. This was reminiscent of the elitism of the yangbans. [Try to make a plea. The answer will determine your disposal.] Light from the light elemental king spread out sharply. Hundreds or thousands of blades appeared in an incandescent manner. Grid was surprisingly composed. He suppressed the anger of losing Light Stone deep in his heart and analyzed the situation. ‘Why did it show up at this point?’ Light was different from fire. It was hard to exert influence over it with physical

force. The light elemental king being captured by Yura… no, it was right to say that it was the light elemental king’s will rather than Yura’s will. In fact, the light elemental king easily left Yura’s hands. Grid’s quickly spinning brain soon gave him an answer. ‘It has analyzed me.’ It was possible for the light elemental king to observe Grid using Yura and Light Stone. It was an easy position to see and understand Grid’s capabilities. Perhaps after careful analysis, it decided the odds and appeared in front of Grid? In other words. ‘It means it isn’t an easy opponent.’ If the light elemental king grasped all of Grid’s abilities and was still convinced of its victory… Naturally, the situation was unfavorable for Grid. It wasn’t good to fight recklessly like when he competed with the fire elemental king. The light elemental king glimpsed the tension in Grid’s expression and was excited. [You’ve noticed the situation, but there is no need to feel despair. You have a chance to overcome the crisis. Now, Overgeared God. Tell me why you betrayed Mother. Confess in detail the greedy sin you have committed and ask for forgiveness. Do you know? My loving mother will give you a new opportunity.] Confession of sin and forgiveness. The scheme of the light elemental king was obvious. Grid’s act of informing the world about the reality of the gods—in other words, it intended to manipulate and imply that all the actions that undermined Rebecca’s prestige and destroyed the Rebecca Church were false and driven by greed. From the time when Grid admitted that what he had done was a ‘sin’ and all the truths he revealed were false and asked for forgiveness, the reputation of the fallen gods would be restored again. [Be careful. The energy of the light elemental king is different from before.] The wind elemental king whispered. It warned that the light elemental king, the

strongest of the elemental kings, had become stronger. [The light elemental king has communicated with Asgard. It has the intention to dedicate the elemental world to the gods. It is highly likely that a god is watching behind it.] Grid realized the reason why the elemental kings showed favor to Grid. Perhaps it was because they wanted to be saved from Asgard. ‘There is no way the elemental kings don’t know the reality of the gods.’ The gods of Asgard didn’t have the best of intentions toward humanity. It was hard to think they would be particularly respectful of elementals. Furthermore, the gods of the beginning periodically destroyed and recreated the world. The elemental kings might outwardly respect the gods, but they couldn’t help being afraid. It was because destruction against their will wasn’t sweet. ‘They want to rely on me as well.’ Grid’s scope of thinking as he noticed this grew even bigger. It was the aftermath of expanding to include the elemental world in his perception of the ‘world.’ ‘It is a chance to have a clear friendship with the elemental kings.’ Grid knew the power of the elementals. The hundreds of elementals signed with the Overgeared members and the artificial elementals from Trauka’s lair didn’t show a steady performance. What if they could communicate directly with the elementals and cooperate with each other? For example, if they were able to provide opportunities to contact with elementals even for ordinary people, not the Overgeared Guild, the power of humanity would be greatly strengthened. ‘It is beneficial to have more people to rely on.’ Grid’s gaze gradually changed as he judged this. Killing intent, which had been suppressed, rose in his dark eyes and projected toward the elemental king. [Foolish… are you going to give up on the opportunity that will never happen again?]

The light elemental king noticed Grid’s determination and persuaded him again. [Choose carefully. If you confess your sins honestly and ask for forgiveness, Mother will look at you. It is a chance to go to Asgard. A chance to become a true god and reign forever!] “Is that your wish?” [What?] “You feel like you have obtained a chance to go to Asgard in exchange for persuading me. It is funny that you call Rebecca your mother when you must prove your qualifications to stay by the gods.” [What are you talking about? Creatures with mouths usually have a lot of useless words.] “Maybe Rebecca is laughing right now? She must be thinking, ‘When did I have such a child?’” Yura’s mouth dropped open as she watched the situation. It was because she glimpsed Huroi’s shadow from Grid’s manner of talking. In fact, Grid was getting Huroi’s advice in real time. He explained the situation in the whispers and asked for help reciting some lines. He didn’t like the light elemental king. The meanness that came out only after predicting the chance of winning, the childishness that flattered Asgard, and the wickedness that swallowed Light Stone—in particular, he couldn’t forgive the last reason. Killing the light elemental king might cause a loss to Yura, but Grid wanted to kill the light elemental king and get rid of it. It was complete enmity and killing intent, emotions that were different from what he temporarily held when facing the fire elemental king. Meanwhile, the light elemental king had the same feelings toward Grid. Light—it was clear that it was from Goddess Rebecca. Even so, it was never qualified for Asgard. It felt like it was treated like the common light that could be seen everywhere, all over the world. It always had doubts that it wasn’t special and was

like the other elemental kings. It just tried to turn away from this. It was afraid to face it head on. Yet at this moment, it was confronted by Grid. The anxiety and inferiority that had been suppressed exploded. [It is better for you to die here. What does it mean to live when you have already betrayed the god’s favor once. Even if you ask for forgiveness, you will surely repeat the betrayal one day.] “I feel sorry for Goddess Rebecca. She must be looking back through tens of thousands of years of memories to remember the day she gave birth to you and she must be distressed because she can’t remember. She might think she has dementia, so she will feel ashamed.” [You!] If it was a war of words with Grid who borrowed Huroi’s mouth, the other party could only experience a loss. The light elemental king refused further conversation. It immediately turned into a flash of light and shot toward Grid. Then it paid the price. The moment it pierced through Grid, it was gripped in terrible darkness and its presence became pale. The identities of those who pressured him with darkness were the great magician Braham, and Zik of the seven evils. “It is you who will die,” Grid spat out a mouthful of blood and spoke coolly. People didn’t know this, but Grid wasn’t obsessed with one against one wins. If he was obsessed with a fair confrontation, he wouldn’t have grown his forces to this point in the first place. “You will die here today.” Light—the cards that Grid brought out against the light elemental king, which was naturally disadvantageous to him, were very appropriate. For Braham who dealt with magic of all attributes, light was just a concept that could be covered by darkness. Meanwhile, Zik had gone against the gods and had always sought to break through the ultimate destruction of light.

The light elemental king intuitively realized that it had fallen into a disadvantage. It immediately opened a portal to the elemental world. However, the other elemental kings closed the portal. [King of light, we reject your return.] [You guys are crazy…! Don’t you know that antagonizing me is like betraying Asgard!] [Haven’t we been betraying Asgard in the meantime? If we had served Asgard, we wouldn’t have maintained a relationship with the daoist immortals.] [You…!] The light elemental king rapidly swelled up. It pushed out the magic of Braham and the darkness lacing Zik’s runes to reveal the entire forest. It became a world where contrast had disappeared, but the white world wasn’t as beautiful as expected. “It is the dilemma of mutual destruction.” Braham approached Grid and said, “Let’s lift your ban.” “Huh?” Ban? What type of ban did he have? Braham gave a hint to the confused Grid, “The man called Damian asserted that the divinity of the Overgeared God is physical strength. I thought about it and found that it makes sense.” “………?” “If I have to discuss the attributes of physical strength, it is nothingness.” “…Ah?” Grid recalled the fact that Braham’s magic attached to his sword dances exerted all types of attribute effects. Then Braham placed his hand on Grid’s forehead. Dozens of different types of magic exited from Grid, shattered like glass pieces and scattered. A suppressed evolution occurred.

[’Grid’s Sword Dance’ has been promoted to ‘Overgeared God’s Sword Dance.’] [Six sword dances can be fused into one. Currently it can only be done once.] [From now on, the number of times a six fusion sword dance can be created will increase every time deity rises by 20.] Grid didn’t have divine power even if he became a god. The perfect answer came to him, who had always questioned it. Damian’s assertion that the divinity of the Overgeared God was physical strength was correct.

According to the words of Sword Saint Biban, the sword dances were just a means of directing a ritual. In fact, Pagma was very weak in the past episodes of the Hwan Kingdom that Grid experienced. He had a different temperament from the other yangbans and was treated differently. Pagma was raised as a priest to ‘assist the gods’ rather than a ‘god.’ It was a type of disposal. It was right to see it as the expelled gods abandoning him due to his different tendencies and abilities rather than making him a yangban. Therefore— For Grid, the sword dances were a trace and legacy of the underprivileged. He felt a sense of kinship. He could never turn a blind eye to it even when the limitations were pointed out by the strong and sometimes ridiculed. From Golden Flash and Unbreakable Justice to the skills gained from the Behen Archipelago, magic learned from Braham, the power of the runes, the duke titles, the swordsmanship of the Undefeated King, and blood magic—Grid had always gained new power. There were cases where these new powers transcended the power and potential of the sword dances. Grid had been subconsciously turning away from them. Rather, he became more obsessed with the sword dances and trained in them. It was out of the fear that he might be denying himself the moment he abandoned the sword dances, discussing their shortcomings, weaknesses, and limitations. The result was Grid’s Sword Dance. It was the result of transcending Pagma’s Sword Dance several times in conjunction with the teachings of Sword Saint Biban, the inspiration given by Kraugel, and Braham’s magic and knowledge that coincided with Grid’s tenacity that was close to obsession. The sword dances that had grown with Grid were one of the most positive proofs of Grid, who used to be a ‘useless being’ and it was one of his greatest prides. [’Grid’s Sword Dance’ has been promoted to ‘Overgeared God’s Sword Dance.’] “Ah…” The notification window that appeared gave Grid infinite joy and vitality. The ever-bright vision combined with his clear spirit accelerated Grid’s thinking. He

made a quick decision. He used Storm of the Fire God to prevent the flooding of light. The contrast and shade created by the flames induced the light elemental king to become smaller. The light elemental king couldn’t easily escape. Magic—the law of Braham’s magic transcended the concept of common things. Grid’s domain became more powerful in conjunction with Braham’s magic. Light and virtue—Zik’s runes, which denied everything that symbolized the gods of Asgard, were pressing the light elemental king. Grid had a complete understanding of the situation. ‘Now the sword dances are a part of me.’ It was from the moment it evolved into Grid’s Sword Dance. Once he grew to be the Overgeared God, the sword dances should’ve grown together with him. However, Braham’s magic that was attached to the sword dances inhibited its growth. The Overgeared God’s divine power. The attribute was judged to be ‘nothingness.’ Braham’s magic had bad compatibility with the sword dances due to the multiple attributes. As a result, growth didn’t occur. This didn’t mean he blamed Braham. Braham’s magic was the decisive reason why Pagma’s Sword Dance grew into Grid’s Sword Dance. There would be no Overgeared God's Sword Dance without Braham’s magic. ‘It is ironic.’ Braham’s magic, which created the current sword dance, was actually the cause of suppressing the sword dances. Perhaps it would’ve been a truth that was buried forever if it wasn’t for Braham noticing it? “I have really received a lot of help from you every time. Thank you.” “Bah,” Braham’s expression was uncomfortable as he scoffed. He seemed very displeased. It was natural. The task of hitting Greed with ‘Disintegrate’ that he had been doing so far was meaningless. Considering the future, it was right to discard any attributes in the equipment used by Grid. It was because the higher the status of the Overgeared God, the more likely it was that the effects of attributes and harmony

would occur. Perhaps from today, Braham would drop Meteor on Greed? ‘It must be terrible.’ The thing he had been doing for months was overturned and he had to start over… Grid felt deep sympathy for Braham. However, there were no empty words such as ‘don’t overdo it’ or ‘do it slowly.’ Grid was the one who wanted to get the result of magic tempering quickly. Furthermore, Braham regained the power of a direct descendant. It might be different mentally, but physically, he didn’t easily get tired. It was Grid’s honest feelings that he wanted Braham to save time used for eating and sleeping to finish the work quickly. “It is somehow unpleasant.” “What?” Grid’s heart as he questioned the frowning Braham was still hot. It was due to the anger that was seething separately from his clear mind. Light Stone—they couldn’t even communicate properly because their emotions and languages were different… Still, it was a precious colleague. They had obviously been communicating and Grid received a lot of help. Grid could never forgive the light elemental king who took Light Stone’s life. [Overgeared God! Think about it calmly!] The light elemental king shouted urgently. [There will be no chance of reconciliation with Mother if you hurt me!] “So who is your mother?” [This guy, even until the end…!] The light elemental king growled out and its killing intent exploded. It wanted to pierce Grid’s heart and kill him right now.

The velocity of light—its greatest weapon was the ‘speed’ that couldn’t be countered except by a few rare beings. The light elemental king was confident that if it intended to kill Grid from the beginning, Grid would’ve already become a cold corpse. However, it hated the attitude of talking nonsense without knowing how to be grateful. [I feel sorry for you who can’t feel my mercy due to your low level.] The light elemental king abandoned its lingering regrets. It formed the shape of an arrow of light with the determination to kill Grid. It strengthened the power of speed by adding the concept of ‘shooting’ to the light. Indeed, as the ruler of a dimension, all actions were meaningful. This meaning became real force. There was just one fact that the light elemental king overlooked. It couldn’t easily kill Grid. The result would’ve been the same even if it aimed to kill Grid from the beginning. This was a fact that all transcendent beings in the world should remember. Grid had experienced conflicts every day. He had rarely experienced a peaceful period. He was endlessly shaken, hit, and polished without rest like steel. This was why fire dragon Ifrit evaluated Grid as a ‘great being who overshadows the times.’ Grid was different from the existing transcendents who enjoyed a life of cowardice and had merely built up a long existence. He should not be considered easy. Hundreds or thousands of beams of light that were like threads unraveling pierced Grid’s entire body. Even Greed was destroyed by the light elemental king, who claimed to be Rebecca’s descendant. Nevertheless, Grid didn’t collapse. Two types of White Tiger’s Posture, Calm Before the Storm, First Emperor, etc. He endured the shock using all types of powers. He took a heavy step without letting go of the swords held in both hands. Rather, Grid’s eyes where the light didn’t go out gave a subtle fear to the light elemental king. ‘He isn’t collapsing?’ The light elemental king’s sense of reason cried out that it should give up on Grid and leave. However, it was hard for it to leave even if it wanted to. The biggest problem was the gravity field that spread out extensively from the magician who had Beriache’s blood and became a god’s subordinate. The moment its position moved

outside a certain range, the light dimmed and decelerated. A space where a storm of fire swirled—the moment it left the mental world of the Overgeared God, the light elemental king would become even weaker. It was to the point where light was caught and swallowed up by the darkness and runes that were stretching out. ‘First of all, I have to kill that magician to find a way to live.’ The light elemental king made this judgment and laughed from the absurdity. Light that had existed since before the beginning. It was confident that it was one of the sources of light, but it was experiencing a crisis against three people? The provocation of the Overgeared God lingered in its mind. ‘Is Goddess Rebecca truly my mother?’ It was the moment it questioned the truth that it took for granted. ──! The light glowed like it had been hit by a strong wind. The problem wasn’t that the light was weakened due to empathizing with the light elemental king’s feelings. It was due to the wavelength of force generated by Grd’s actions that pushed the light away. The principle was simple. The ground crushed by Grid split apart and the fragments that soared up from the impact became a barrier against the light transmission. That was all. [………?] The light elemental king was belatedly shocked. It was because Grid disappeared. It missed Grid’s movement the moment the dizzying barrier caused a blockage in its vision. Drop. Grid had fallen into a gap in the cracked ground. The land where the spirit elemental king was located became soft. A pattern reminiscent of a whirlpool that occurred in

the middle of the sea was engraved instantly on the ground. It was an aftermath that affected the entire tens of kilometers thick crust. Dragon. Grid penetrated through the center of the pattern and shot toward the sky. ‘This ignorant guy?’ Putting aside its dislike, the light elemental king was derisive. Light couldn’t be cut. He was currently wary of Braham and Zik, not Grid. It was always like that. Just then, the vision of the light elemental king was split in half and shifted. The gathered light blocked by the barrier was neatly cut. [………?!] The light elemental king was shocked. The Martial God that all beings in the world who longed for power envisioned and desired. It was because the appearance of Martial God Chiyou overlapped with Grid for a second. Pinnacle. It was proof that the new fusion sword dance, divided into six breaths, perfectly embodied the martial god’s strike. Jingle. The quiet sound of bells that shouldn’t exist here rang out. Of course, Grid thought he was hallucinating. This was until he read the greatly shaken light elemental king who acted like it had heard a funeral march. [The Ultimate Martial Art is suppressing the target.] One Who Met the Martial God—the favor given by Martial God Chiyou occurred as if he was praising Grid. It cast a stun that couldn’t be resisted or recovered from, ignoring the species, status, and ranking of the target. The greatest of all powers that existed in the world caused the light elemental king to stiffen. It was the moment when the unstoppable light stopped.

There were all types of chaos in its field of view. It was as if a void had descended. The stopped light shattered. It was the aftermath of the disastrous crushing of Link and Kill, which carried the divinity of the Overgeared God behind it and could be called invincible. Nothingness denied the phenomenon of light. [I can’t believe it…] Shock, confusion, and fear—the thoughts of the light elemental king, which were directly transmitted to Grid’s mind, scattered fleetingly. It was because it was swept away by the waves of condensed sword energy released in the process of linking the sword dances. [The new fusion sword dance ‘Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave’ has been created.] [An unknown person is praising you for your ability to transcend your limits.] [A strong blessing has fallen on Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave.] Jingle. The sound of bells rang out again. Grid clearly felt that Martial God Chiyou was watching as he swapped the sword in his left hand for the Falling Moon Sword. The light elemental spirit that reunited as soon as it escaped the influence of Ultimate Martial Art was once again cut in half. [Kuaack!] However, light was extraordinary. Following the Falling Moon Sword, it repeatedly recovered after several cuts from the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship and the five fusion sword dances. Every time this happened, it attacked Grid at a speed that couldn’t be caught with Grid’s senses. It would’ve been a very big crisis without the ‘reconstruction’ function of Greed. “You endure well.” Braham and Zik were also active while Grid faced his limits. A gravity field combined with runes turned into a black hole that started sucking in light. The light elemental king sharply weakened. Even so, the situation wasn’t very good. Most of Grid’s attack

skills were on cooldown and his resources were at the bottom. He couldn’t afford to deal the finishing blow. At this moment— [You…! You!!!] The light elemental king that was attempting to ambush Braham suddenly stopped and struggled alone. Grid felt a faint pressure from inside the light elemental king. It was the sign of Light Stone, whom he thought was extinguished. Light Stone was igniting the last of its willpower to help Grid, not the king it had served so far. Grid responded to that will. He squeezed out courage as someone who had been fighting to repay the expectations of others. [Kuaaaaaack!] The light went out. [The light elemental king has been defeated!] [A new elemental king has been born based on the laws of the elemental world sustained by the five attributes.] It was finally over… Someone supported the body of the collapsing Grid. It was a cute elemental with a smiling face. It was small and blurry in shape, but it contained infinite power. “Light Stone…? Are you perhaps Light Stone?” The elemental king of nothingness—the new elemental king nodded vigorously. [Yes, I am Nothing Stone.] “………” The pillar of light symbolizing a level up fell dozens of times onto Grid’s body who had a strange expression.

“Wow…” “Beautiful…” At the center of the World Tree Forest… The transparent orange waves decorated it in a dizzying manner. It was a sight where dozens of constellations seemed to be gathered together. It felt like the universe had fallen to the ground, but it was actually the trajectory of Overgeared God Grid.The afterimages of his battle route made his feats a reality for the eyewitnesses. “Sniff sniff.” Filewolf tracked Grid in a specific way. He tried to smell with a nose that didn’t exist. It was because he thought about the scent of metal that he was immersed in during his lifetime. Every time Grid swung a sword, Filewolf felt steel from the spreading waves. It was a natural process. The Elemental King of Light scattered light every time it was cut by Grid. It reflected and dispersed light like sunlight hitting steel. Filewolf noticed it with one glance. Grid’s nature, or in other words, his divinity, had changed. ‘No, a god’s nature can’t change easily.’ A change in divinity meant betrayal and depravity. Take Rebecca for example. People believed in her and worshiped her because she was the goddess of light. If the divinity she had wasn’t light, but instead something else, it would be an act of deceit and betrayal for those who believed in her and served her. ‘It is right to interpret it as him realizing his nature now.’ The reason why the ancient giants were synonymous with wisdom was simple— they knew a lot. Filewolf might have a perverted temperament, but he had a good idea of theology. He properly analyzed Grid’s current situation. He glimpsed the newborn god becoming aware of his divinity.

“Gasp… Gasp…” Filewolf’s breathing gradually became rough. It was because he was charmed by the Elemental King of Nothingness. Nothing Stone was approaching. Nothingness—the name was reminiscent of a void, but the reality was completely different. Nothing Stone left a mark every time it moved. Metal dripped and fell down. Filewolf saw that it was close to Grid’s Greed. A pure metal that could become anything. Metal that was nothing because it could be anything. ‘Therefore, it is nothing.’ Was this elemental king born under the influence of Grid? It was a free interpretation of the concept of nothingness, but in fact, it was right to call it the Elemental King of Metal, not Nothingness. ‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’ Perception was a different law for different individuals. Every being in the world felt different when they saw the same thing. There was no problem with Nothing Stone’s identification of itself as nothingness rather than metal, even if it had the properties of metal. It fell into the category of individuality. If it had been a problem, Nothing Stone wouldn’t have even been born. [Yura, I want to contract with you.] “………?” Yura was startled as she was quietly watching the situation. Nothing Stone was born by counterattacking and absorbing the Elemental King of Light that had absorbed it. It was originally Grid’s elemental. Naturally, it was right for it to contract with Grid. Yet it wanted to contract with her? [The biggest reason why I could swallow the Elemental King of Light was due to your will.] “Mine…?” [Yes.]

From the time she saw the Elemental King of Light devouring Light Stone, Yura was hostile to and denied the Elemental King of Light. She perceived it as Grid’s enemy. Her attitude was a great help to Nothing Stone. She was the contractor of the Elemental King of Light. She might be weaker than the Elemental King of Light and couldn’t exert direct influence, but as its contractee, Yura’s willpower to antagonize and deny the Elemental King of Light contributed to weakening it. The Elemental King of Light was caught in the restrictions of the contact and due to this, it couldn’t extinguish Light Stone. For Nothing Stone, Yura was as much a savior as Grid. Additionally, Nothing Stone had absorbed the Elemental King of Light in reverse. Dim traces of the contract that the Elemental King of Light had signed with Yura remained. It was impossible to contract with someone other than Yura. Of course, it was a problem that could be resolved if it broke the contract with Yura’s mutual agreement, but Nothing Stone didn’t want this. It liked Yura. “I understand your heart. Thank you. However, you have to be by Grid’s side, not mine.” Yura shook her head after hearing the long explanation. She believed that Nothing Stone was a match with Grid, not herself. Nothing Stone made a tearful expression. [Do you hate me?] It had an expression unlike the Elemental King of Light, who was merely a lump of light. A cloud-like appearance made of mercury. Two eyes and a mouth were painted on the ‘face’ that existed in the center of it. Throughout the conversation with Yura, they were curved in a half moon shape as it smiled. It was nice to see. At this moment, it looked like it was going to cry. Nothing Stone explained to the flustered Yura. [I’m not any help to Grid. Grid already has Greed.] “Ah…” Yura was immediately convinced. She had felt that Nothing Stone resembled Greed. Metal that thought and moved by itself. [I look like Greed, but I’m different. I am weaker and I can’t be smelted.] Elementals were close to living things. It was impossible to make items using Nothing Stone as material. However, it wasn’t stronger than Greed. Therefore,

Nothing Stone decided it wasn’t efficient for it to be with Grid. Grid realized it. ‘Nothing Stone should be considered a self-reformable metal.’ The utilization would be infinite. Meanwhile, Grid already had a skill that transformed matter. He also had Greed. Even if he made the most of Nothing Stone, the performance would be less than the items Grid created and used. ‘It is much more efficient for Yura to have Nothing Stone.’ Grid had harmed Yura’s elemental. He unavoidably felt greedy. Then what if Nothing Stone replaced the Elemental King of Light? He could relieve the burden on his heart. Furthermore, Yura would become much stronger in the future. It was incomparable to the time when she stayed with the Elemental King of Light, who refused to even communicate. “Yura, please contract with Nothing Stone.” “…Is this really okay?” "Of course.” The brightly smiling Grid pushed Yura’s back. His gentle touch completely erased Yura’s hesitation. [Can you contract with me?] “Yes… okay.” [I’m really happy!] Nothing Stone smiled brightly. Grid felt many emotions. A child who tried to communicate with him in the past—he was sorry that he didn’t know until the end that it was such a bright child. ‘Nothing Stone, let’s be happy from now on.’ ***

[In this way?] “Yes, it is perfect!” [Hehehet.] Yura contracted with Nothing Stone. Nothing Stone contracted with Yura. In 10 minutes, they became friends. It was too good in the first place. Nothing Stone was able to transform into any item Yura desired. Powerful bullets were generated immediately. Due to the attribute of nothingness, there was no rejection of the Demon Slayer’s unique magic power. As Nothing Stone wrapped itself around Yura’s body, Yura’s power increased noticeably. It was appropriate to express it as ‘Yura is armed with the Elemental King of Nothingness.’ ‘I’m happy because she looks good.’ Yura’s expression was very bright. Her porcelain-like clean skin had a brighter look, giving her a much brighter appearance. It was a pretty appearance that she only showed to Grid alone when they were dating. Grid completely relieved the burden on his mind and confirmed the updated information of his sword dances. [Overgeared God's Sword Dance Lv. 1] [The sword dances of Overgeared God Grid. The Overgeared God’s divinity increases physical attack power by 90%, magic attack power by 30%, critical hit probability by 70%, and critical hit attack power by 150%. All values will triple when using cooperative skills with a person you have a bond with. * This effect is only fully applied when a sword type weapon is equipped. * The increased physical attack power isn’t applied when a staff or orb is equipped. * Damage proportional to the willpower stat will be dealt if a weapon isn’t equipped. * The sword dances can be used without the footwork. However, the power of the sword dance will increase with every step due to the realization gained from the

‘Filling the Gaps Secret Technique’ (For each additional step, the damage of the sword dance will increase by 50%, 100%, 200%, and 400% respectively).[1] * The number of fusion sword dances that can be created is 20. * Every time the skill level rises, the number of fusion sword dances that can be created will increase by 5. * You can also create six fusion sword dances. However, the number of times a five or six fusion sword dance can be created is affected by the deity and divinity figures. ★All sword dances will have the nothingness attribute. It will always exert full power over all other attributes and can cut at any concept or phenomenon. However, there is no compatibility advantage. ★ Mana is consumed so you can activate/deactivate it. Currently activated.] The biggest change was the sharp increase in physical attack power and critical hit attack power. There was also a change in attributes. The nothingness attribute—it differed from the other attributes that had compatibility with each other. He was always 100% powerful against any attribute. Instead, he didn’t have the upper hand against any attribute. Even so, the strength was much greater. He exerted full power against all attributes and could cut concepts and phenomena… This resembled the premise of ‘any type of swordsmanship’ which was highly regarded in Satisfy’s worldview. In fact, Grid had a title that he never expected. [Conditional Sword Saint] [Passive There is nothing you can’t cut while using Overgeared God's Sword Dance.] ‘I can see why Braham’s finishing move is Meteor.’

Nothingness couldn’t always be the right answer. For example, the light and dark attributes had an advantage over all other attributes. Still, they were far from perfect. It was because light received serious damage from darkness and darkness from light. On the other hand, the nothingness attribute had no obvious weaknesses. It was the best attribute for Grid, who could increase ‘basic damage’ to the extreme. ‘Thus, it was adopted as the Overgeared God’s divinity.’ A deep smile spread on Grid’s face as he realized this. Drop Dragon Pinnacle Link Kill Wave—he reconfirmed Chiyou’s blessing that was in the six fusion sword dance. [★When using Drop Dragon Pinnacle Link Kill Wave, Ultimate Martial Art will occur unconditionally.] ‘Were you always watching?’ Grid looked up at the blue sky and bowed deeply to the waist. A subject worthy of respect and admiration. The only one god he had seen, Grid sincerely worshiped Chiyou. *** Another four days passed… Unlike the first five days, the group was very busy. First of all, Grid trained to increase the hit rate of his new sword dances that ‘lost their magic.’ ‘The reason I didn’t have a clear edge over the Elemental King of Light is the absence of Detect Force.’ The magic to track targets—Braham’s secondary magic that was attached to the sword dances disappeared, making it more difficult to keep up with the speed of the Elemental King of Light. ‘Should I invest my stats as much as possible in agility for a while?’

As Grid was feeling troubled, Yura worked to cooperate with Nothing Stone and Filewolf focused on repairing God’s Circle. God’s Circle—it was why the group visited the World Tree Forest. Now Filewolf felt the greatest responsibility. How did the Elemental King of Light die and a new elemental king was born? He didn’t understand it even after witnessing the entire process firsthand, but in any case, Filewolf dispelled his thoughts. He was fully focused on the task. “………” Grid and Braham carefully observed the work of FIlewolf. It was the moment when an ancient giant manufactured an artifact. It was an invaluable experience to witness a sight that hadn’t been seen for more than a thousand years. It was learning that would never occur again in the world. The one who was enlightened was Braham, not Grid. There were too many concepts that Grid didn’t understand, but Braham properly demonstrated the power of the Duke of Wisdom. He solved and understood concepts he didn’t know in real time and acquired new artifact production methods. ‘I crossed it.’ Braham had a gut feeling. He had no choice but to acknowledge Pauld’s talent in making artifacts. Yet at this moment, Braham surpassed him.

1. Filling the Gaps Secret Technique was previously just known as the Martial God's Secret Technique. It was the technique that filled in the gaps in Grid's abilities and did stuff like evolve his sword dances etc. ☜

Lauel didn’t want a situation that was out of control. It was due to the principle that he had to coordinate every situation himself. “The power of certain factions shouldn’t be too strong.” Lauel started to be wary of the Muto Merchant Group. The Muto Merchant Group—this force virtually monopolized commerce in the Overgeared Empire, and it was huge. It was even called the kingdom of King Muto. In fact, the status of the land they owned was enough to make a self-sufficient kingdom. The scale of the city owned by Kir, the first player to be a Merchant King, couldn’t even be compared to it. “The Muto Merchant Group is our biggest ally and has adhered to the one-tenth policy. Do we have to keep it in check…?’ One-tenth—this was referring to the profits gained by the Muto Merchant Group when interacting with the then Overgeared Kingdom. Considering various circumstances, it was like abandoning greed altogether. It was at the level of mentioning unfair contracts, slave contracts, volunteering, etc. Furthermore, Muto was a member of Overgeared Two. In the name of being a guild member, he had provided the personnel and information of the merchant group free of charge to the then Overgeared Kingdom. Nevertheless, it experienced huge growth due to the fact that it won the commercial power of the then Overgeared Kingdom. Huroi was unconvinced by Lauel’s decision to recruit another merchant group to keep the Muto Merchant Group in check. Lauel explained it, “I don’t doubt or dislike Muto. I am just concerned about a situation where Muto can’t control his forces. Don’t you know that there are presently more than 30 operators at the top of Muto Merchant Guild?” “I heard that Muto selected pro-Grid personnel…”

“Politics have to proceed separately from individual emotions. In particular, merchants are more prone to corruption because their ultimate goal is to make a profit. Consider this. They dare to aim at Grid once they are able to exert sufficient influence in Grid’s empire.” “………” Huroi’s face gradually turned red. The docile and meek eyes that were reminiscent of a puppy soared upward in a terrifying manner. For Huroi, the first subordinate of Grid, Grid was his only monarch and god. He felt anger just thinking that someone might swing at Grid. “The inner stability of the Lion Merchant Group which you understood with your demonic talent… it is very solid compared to its size. There is a constant influx of external capital like a spring that doesn’t dry out. It is hard to see it as solely relying on the forces behind it. I am wondering if perhaps the merchant group members aren’t able to identify internal spies because they are focusing on foreign investment to attract investors.” The internal spy naturally referred to Huroi. It was a few months ago. After disguising himself as a third person and infiltrating the Lion Merchant Group, Huroi was still pressing forward. He gained countless pieces of information but wasn’t discovered as a spy. He was even promoted to an interim executive. Lauel interpreted it as a type of luck. The management team was out of position due to the nature of the Lion Merchant Group, which was obsessed with external capital. It was easy for Huroi to be active because it was open to new people. Of course, it was possible because Huroi’s camouflage and acting skills supported it. He was truly an orator. It was his job to live and eat with his mouth. “The Lion Merchant Group has invested heavily in every business it enters for the first time. If they get a chance to contract with us, they are likely to invest all the capital at the top. This will cover a significant amount of the construction costs of the hell elevator. Of course, you need to convince them Huroi.” “You don’t have to worry about that part. The top leaders trust me unconditionally.”

“As expected of Huroi… you are great like Grid’s first confidant.” “This is the basics.” Start by making the Lion Merchant Group join the construction of the hell elevator, and then grow it into a counter for the Muto Merchant Group. Throw a competitor to instill alarm in the leaders of the Muto Merchant Group and seal it off from crossing the line. The Overgeared Empire would gain a number of advantages from the overheated competition that the two merchant groups would create. There was no room for the two merchant groups to collude as one. Just like Huroi in the Lion Merchant Group, the leadership of the Muto Merchant Group had been planted with many moles over the years. They were able to induce infinite competition rather than collusion. The justification was sufficient. It was physically impossible for one merchant group to handle the kingdom that had turned into an empire. The leaders of the Muto Group had no choice but to take this incident as a matter of course. They wouldn’t dare to even feel disappointed. ‘At the same time, it will be easier to access the background of the Lion Merchant Group. It should be considered killing two birds with one stone.’ *** Two days later, at the Lion Merchant Group… “I think there is a way to open up trade with the Overgeared Empire.” “What…? Is this true? Hasn’t the Muto Merchant Group monopolized the commercial rights of the Overgeared Empire? How is this possible?” “It is due to the consideration of the top leader and vice-president who have always trusted me and entrusted me with this job. Trying to live up to your trust has become a great opportunity.” “Huhu…! You are like a lucky charm to this merchant group! I think it is our biggest luck that we were able to recruit you!” “Hahaha!”

“Huhuhu!” The host and the recipient of the hospitality. Seomye, who was the host, was troubled. His heart was rotting unlike his smiling face. ‘I don’t want to get too involved with the Overgeared Guild.’ Seomye clearly knew why the Overgeared Guild’s Huroi was planted as a spy. One of the dozens of branch organizations of Inferno—the Overgeared Guild identified them and approached the Lion Merchant Group. The ultimate goal was to reveal the identity of Inferno. All information related to Inferno was destroyed and the only real person in contact with Inferno was the top leader of the Lion Merchant Group, but… There was a limit to how much they could conceal the tail. The tail could be quickly seen if the Overgeared Guild got close. Of course, stepping on the tail was unlikely to do any harm to Inferno. They couldn’t grasp Inferno just by digging at the Lion Merchant Group. In fact, even Seomye didn’t know exactly what Inferno was. However, Seomye was wary about the destruction of the Lion Merchant Group. What if the merchant group was damaged and abandoned by both sides as the Overgeared Guild dug into Inferno? ‘Lion said there is no reason to be obsessed with the merchant group, but this merchant group is everything to me… ’ Seomye was overwhelmed with nervousness. However, he couldn’t express it and just laughed with Huroi. *** It was after repairing God’s Circle… “I am really indebted to you.” Grid’s group politely said goodbye to the World Tree. It wasn’t just the elves. The

elementals also gathered in one place to send them away. [Hey, Nothing Stone. Come to the elemental world often to play. It is your home.] [Yes, Fire Stone.] [This crazy guy keeps going!] [Isn’t it better than not having a name? I like Pure Water.] [Earth Stone. I like it. I listen to it.] [I am Pure Wind… I don’t particularly like it, but… I’m happy about Nothing Stone’s heart behind naming me.] [I’m going crazy…] The atmosphere was friendly apart from the sighs of the Elemental King of Fire. The elemental kings released from the oppression of the Elemental King of Light felt free, while the elves found new happiness by eating Grid’s dishes and opening their eyes to a new palate. The World Tree who suffered a huge loss in the process of summoning the elemental kings weighed on Grid’s mind, but… it was a problem that time could solve. Grid planned to encourage the people of the world to worship the World Tree. As long as the elves allowed people to come and go from the forest, many people would come to the forest in the future to pray to the World Tree, promoting its recovery. ‘The World Tree is unconditionally beneficial to people.’ The World Tree purified the air and mana of the surface just by existing. There was a future for humanity only if the World Tree was healthy. -If you need my help, please feel free to come at any time. “I won’t just come when I need help. I’ll often come to play.” -I’m happy. I hope you come to see me often.

The long journey was over. *** “Ohh, this…” “I didn’t expect you to really do it!” Before returning to Reinhardt, Grid stopped by the Tower of Wisdom with Filewolf. The brothers, Fronzaltz and Radwolf, were thrilled when they were handed the perfectly repaired God’s Circle. The giant’s divine object had regained its former glory. They were so thrilled that tears flowed from their eyes. “You are the benefactor of our species.” “Don’t do this.” Grid hurriedly raised Fronzaltz who was bowing. “It is just a small favor to you who have been fighting for peace in the world for so long. I am always grateful to you. Besides, it is Filewolf who repaired God’s Circle, not me.” “The big help came from the World Tree who took the risk. It is something that is possible purely due to the World Tree.” It was felt every time, but Filewolf was a really clever guy. He naturally shifted all the merit to the World Tree. It was to encourage the World Tree to recover more comfortably. He knew Grid’s wish. ‘It makes me have no choice but to like him.’ Filewolf was a pervert. Even at this moment, he was stroking his body. Nevertheless, the rejection became lighter and he was more likable. The smarter the person, the better the interpersonal relationships. This was actually just a prejudice.

Grid was shaking his head as he recalled the interpersonal relationships of Lauel and Braham when a notification window appeared in his vision. It was a message that his affinity with Fronzaltz was at the maximum. A message followed that the survivors of the wise giants started to respect the World Tree. *** “It is four times more powerful.” At the Overgeared God Church’s temple, Reinhardt… Damian, the leader of the church, enjoyed the honor of being the sandbag for the Overgeared God. He personally experienced the difference in damage between the five fusion sword dance and six fusion sword dance, and couldn’t close his mouth. His sword dance also faced the evolution of the nothingness attribute. In line with Grid’s growth, the sword dances of the church members naturally grew. Players who belonged to the Overgeared God Church were enjoying the fantasy-like experience of ‘becoming stronger even when staying still.’ “Additionally, the unconditional stun… it is a great strength.” “Honestly, it is a scam.” “Was it called Ultimate Martial Art? Will it have an effect on the sword dances of the church members someday…?” “Um… I don’t think so.” Ultimate Martial Art was a favor that Chiyou gave directly to Grid. It would probably be ‘only one’ if he had to rate it. It was impossible for anyone other than Grid to get it in their lifetime. ‘It would be a great help if my colleagues got it as well.’ It was just likely to be impossible. Grid left this regret behind and moved places. It was to the construction site of the hell elevator. Yura drew attention as she gave advice to the engineers by comparing the utility of the hell gate to the elevator. ‘Beautiful.’

Yura was wearing a silver-white cloak that was the transformed Nothing Stone. The cloak that fluttered despite there not being any wind was gorgeous. It naturally attracted people’s attention to the point where it seemed to be a means of cultivating Yura’s beauty. There was probably no one who would expect that this cloak would turn into a suit that covered Yura’s entire body, right? Grid felt a subtle sense of superiority that he knew Yura’s secret. Furthermore, he had great expectations for Yura. It was right to say that Nothing Stone was Yura’s new item. It could be transformed into various forms, so it could be used like the God Hands. It could also be used as a weapon or armor, which was a huge strength. Beyond transforming into separate weapons or armor, it could also be layered on top of the weapons or armor she was using. It was the Nothing Stone version of Item Combination that greatly increased the items’ power. ‘It will play a big role in the fight against Baal.’ The preparations for the hell invasion were progressing… “………?” After looking at Yura happily for a while, Grid turned toward the cylindrical elevator running deep toward hell only to become surprised. It was because his back was cold. Mercedes was staring at one place with an expressionless face. He followed her gaze and found Yura. “…Mer?" “Yes.” Mercedes’ expression when answering was as bright and pretty as a widely blooming flower. It was completely different from the cold expression a moment ago. ‘Did I see it incorrectly?’ Grid shook his head and focused on the inspection. Before the hell elevator was opened to the public, the Overgeared Guild planned to operate 12 hell expeditionary units for the time being. There would be a competition in Reinhardt tomorrow to pick the 12 captains. It was a large-scale competition involving not only the Overgeared members, but also rulers such as the lord of the half-draconians, the orc lord, and the dark elf king.

Public interest was high because it was an opportunity to figure out the power of the rankers ahead of the upcoming National Competition. There was also a series of evaluations that the Overgeared Guild was somewhat arrogant for exposing their power on their own. Even so, the Overgeared Guild didn’t care. The Overgeared members participating in this competition had no plans to participate in the National Competition. Starting from this year, the National Competition would be played by the non-top members of the Overgeared Guild such as Coke, Ibellin, and Toban. The items created by Grid before the Great Human and Demon War were so powerful that they alone could sweep the gold medals.

“Ahh… I was worried about what they were doing while construction was going on but once it is completed, it is spectacular.” “It is much nicer than when I watched it on the videos or screenshots.” “Right? It is said they recruited a lot of world-class architects.” Exclamations burst out nonstop from the endless procession. They admired the high-rise buildings that lined the city walls. As a player-ruled city, the capital of the Overgeared Empire, Reinhardt, had a modern atmosphere. The most striking thing was the high-rise buildings and large geometric architecture. Buildings in styles that were hard to see in Satisfy pleased the modern people’s aesthetics and convenience. At the same time, the traces of the effort that was put in to not harm Satisfy’s times raised praise. Color, composition, topography, arrangement, and even lighting were used to create harmony between the Middle Ages and modern times. There was no sense of incompatibility at all. “It is the feeling of coexistence between the past and the future.” “There are many directors trying to get it as the filming location for sci-fi movies.” “Huhuhut…” Lauel felt very good. From the start until the city became what it was today, how hard had he been working for so long? He raised a large amount of capital, recruited the best architects in reality, and nurtured engineers in each field to actually implement the form of the city he had designed… Reinhardt’s current form hadn’t been achieved in just a year or two. From the founding of the kingdom to now, it was more than five years in real time. It was a project that Lauel planned and implemented by selling his own assets and investing at his own expense. It was only recently when the level of Satisfy’s engineers rose that the project could enter the implementation stage. He was already satisfied when he saw the reaction of the people. It felt like he was being rewarded for all his efforts.

The amazing thing was— “It is even more spectacular from a high place. You’ve worked hard so far. Really.” Grid’s short praise and encouragement was more rewarding than the praise from tens of millions of people. Lauel felt the trembling of his soul. “Indeed… I think the vessel called you is really good. It is probably because it is a vessel that I don’t have to worry about overflowing.” “Uh… In any case, congratulations and thank you.” “I also want to congratulate and thank you.” They rejoiced that they met each other. The two men leaned against the railing and bumped their fists together lightly. *** 『 Do you see the crowds on the streets? For the last three days, the number of visitors to Reinhardt has surpassed 100 million. Today’s captain selection competition, which unveiled the updated city, has attracted people’s attention. The new buildings that were covered in tents are all revealed, impressing countless people… 』 『 The city’s scenery is different. In a direct way, it feels like a mix of European tourist cities and New York. It also came together very naturally. Today, we have Michelangelo Stilioni as a guest. He is an Italian master who has participated in the Reinhardt renewal project. 』 『 It was five years ago when I received this request. I thought it was too much at first. They wanted me to design a city that exists in a game. As you know, I am over 80 years old. I hadn’t experienced Satisfy directly, so I was very unfamiliar with the request. But this… Hehe, I have the spirit of challenge. I purchased the capsule that day and accessed Satisfy. Geological features, environments, materials, etc. I had to check the conditions in the game itself, which would be different from reality, to determine if it was a commission that could be done or not… 』

『 Have you been working on the project since then and playing Satisfy all the time? 』 『 That’s right. I worked in reality based on the information I got from Satisfy. It was a fresh and enjoyable experience. The biggest attraction is that things impossible in reality are possible in Satisfy. The resources and environments that I could use are completely different. It was a lot of fun to design the city structure and architecture that was beyond my imagination. 』 『 You must have a very high understanding of Satisfy. Have you become an architect ranker already? 』 『 I am a warrior in Satisfy. 』 『 Haha, I see… Huh? A warrior? 』 『 I went on adventures in all types of places to find available resources and this was quite dangerous. The client gave me powerful escorts, but there were sometimes monsters that overshadowed the escorts. For example, mimics disguised as children or trees. 』 『 Ah… You fell into traps. 』 『 That’s right. If I have to make an excuse, it couldn’t be helped because I was in a position where I had to investigate this and that. There is a mysterious tree. How can I just pass by it? Don’t I have to look at it myself to see if it could be used as wood? 』 『 You wouldn’t have needed to open the treasure chests. 』 『 Cough… In any case, the client was flustered when hearing that I kept ignoring the escort’s warning and dying. Then after hearing my explanation, he fully understood my position and supported me with items. As you know, my client is the famous Grid. 』 『 Ah…! The performance of the support items must be huge? 』 『 That’s right. I smashed the monster that suddenly popped out of the earthen pot. Ah, earthen pot is slang for the head. The origin is Korean. In any case,the pleasure

was immense. Thus, I changed to a warrior. 』 『……… 』 『 Do you see that pillar going through the ground? It is the rumored interdimensional movement gate known as the ‘hell elevator.’ Using this facility, you can freely travel between the surface and hell. The travel time is only 37 minutes… 』 『 Doesn’t the freedom to come and go between the surface and hell mean that demons can use the elevator to go to the surface in reverse? 』 『 You don’t have to worry about that part. According to the announcement by the empire’s spokesman, Huroi, the hell elevator is connected to the Overgeared Empire’s hell headquarters, the Crystal Castle. The Crystal Castle doesn’t allow enemy intrusions. 』 『 Um… Most viewers, including me, are imagining the hell elevator like the name. Isn’t the hell elevator literally an elevator that connects hells to the surface? It might be safe to be installed in the Crystal Castle, but isn’t the passageway exposed to the outside and will be targeted by demons? 』 『 Are you imagining the elevator standing like a pillar in the center of hell? For example, a long pipe that extends from the ground of hell to the sky? Haha, that is possible, but it is actually different in reality. The hell elevator is just a name set for convenience. As mentioned earlier, the official name of the hell elevator is the interdimensional movement gate. 』 『 So it isn’t an actual elevator? 』 『 Yes, the pillar buried underground is the entrance to the gate. It isn’t hundreds of kilometers long and connected to the actual hell. In the first place, hell is another dimension. It isn’t a place you can get to just by digging a tunnel. Haha. 』 Satisfy-related broadcasts had high viewership. The new Reinhardt, the hell elevator, the hell expedition’s captain selection and events to match it—it was due to the variety of contents provided by the Overgeared Empire. It was just when public interest in Satisfy was high due to the upcoming National Competition so drawing

people’s attention was easier. 『 The apostles aren’t participating in the captain selection? 』 『 Yes, the apostles can’t leave the main base for too long. 』 Braham, Mercedes, Nefelina, and Sariel almost always stayed at Reinhardt. Braham was keen on magic tempering, Mercedes had to focus on escort missions, Nefelina was easily exposed to danger, and Sariel needed to be wary of going berserk. There were reasons for each person. However, the public didn’t know the exact circumstances and speculated that the apostles were constrained. They were so powerful that they had limits to the time they could be active. It was to consider balance. Grid’s apostles were that powerful. 『 Then the strongest winning candidate is the lord of the half-draconians. 』 『 Yes, he will be one of the 12 captains. 』 The half-draconians. It was a top species that many players hadn’t even seen. Very few people witnessed them despite them being active in earnest from the Great Human and Demon War. It was because they were deployed to the most dangerous areas of operation during the war. “Uwaaaaahhhhh!” People were enthusiastic about the emergence of dozens of half-draconians. A species that helped defend the surface by fighting the demons alongside humanity. People felt a great liking for them who showed completely different actions from the rumors of them being vicious. The last hundreds of years. Could it be that the ‘cost’ of the Saharan Empire in isolating and confronting the dangerous half-draconians was actually false rumors? More people had such doubts. It was natural that many people doubted Saharan, which persecuted minorities and immigrants under all types of unknown reasons. It was unfair to the people of Saharan. The Saharan Empire’s confrontation with the

half-draconians was really for the peace of the continent. “Captain… I feel strange.” “Um…” The half-draconians were fidgeting anxiously. It was an unfamiliar feeling they were experiencing for the first time in their lives. The cheers of the humans, whom they always ignored as inferior, created some changes in their hearts. “I don’t think it is bad to help the weak…” The half-draconians didn’t suddenly become nice, but they had the same emotions as humans. As proven by barking like a dog in front of Grid, they also knew how to feel fear. It was during the Great Human and Demon War. The half-draconians saw the endlessly invading demons and realized the need for other species. They realized that the inevitable crisis of the half-draconians could only be overcome by joining forces with everyone. It meant they had learned the concept of cooperation. They came to develop the idea that living together wasn’t too bad. Then the cheers of the humans pouring into their ears started to drastically change their perceptions. 『 Many people are speculation that the Half-Draconian Lord Bunsdel might be comparable to the Overgeared God’s apostles. Unlike Orc Lord Teruchan, he didn’t succumb to Grid through force. Rather, they worked together for the peace of the world. 』 『 Look at the wonderful scales, tail, and sharp nails. Aren’t they really good as warriors defending humanity from demons? 』 The moment the half-draconians emerged, the viewership of broadcasts in each country started to soar dramatically. By this point, the expression ‘eve of the National Competition’ was awkward. It was an interest comparable to the National Competition. It was ridiculous that the influence of the Overgeared Guild had grown to be as much as the influence of the S.A Group.

『 As many people expected, Chris isn’t participating in this competition. 』 『 I think it is true that he changed to a hidden class and his level was reset. 』 『 He played a tremendous role in the Great Human and Demon War so he got a hidden class. 』 『 Then players who can be candidates for the 12 captains are Jishuka, Pon, Regas, Peak Sword, Katz, Vantner, Faker, Damian, and Euphemina. 』 Yura wasn’t included. She was the Demon Slayer and would serve as the commanderin-chief of the captains. 『 Uh…? 』 People were looking at the faces of the participants, who gathered one by one, only to doubt their ears. It was because they heard the sound of barking. It came from Bunsdel’s direction. Contrary to people’s expectations, Bunsdel was politely prostrating himself in front of Grid. It was more than just politeness. Reverence could be felt. ‘Did I hear it incorrectly?’ It happened as people were trying to deny this unrealistic situation… “The captain selection competition will start now.” The competition started.

“Jishuka has S-grade individual ability. Ever since becoming the Bow Saint, she has no weaknesses because she is strong even in close-range battles.” “Most of Jishuka’s melee skills are counters, right? It isn’t easy to hit if the other person is vigilant in advance.” “That is the problem of your fingers. Isn’t Jishuka different from you?” “How dare a man who is nothing evaluate Dia hyung-nim’s fingers?” “That is Player Diana. What type of nonsense are you saying?” “Ah, really… Please don’t be ridiculous.” One of the main sources of income for high rankers was the portrait rights. They earned high profits not only from their images being used in broadcasting, advertising, and photography, but also from their images used as secondary creations. A typical example was games. Games—the cultural life that modern humanity preferred the most. People weren’t satisfied with just one Satisfy. It was an unavoidable physical issue. The premise was that they had to use the capsule to play Satisfy. It meant it was hard to do it in parallel with work. There was also a timeout. There was a limit to playing all day long during the holidays or enjoying a short break. This was why video games and mobile games still remained in existence. People felt that games other than virtual reality games were somewhat trivial, but they couldn’t completely turn a blind eye to them. They used these games as a substitute. There were many games on the market aimed at them. Satisfy Online, Satisfy Mobile, Satisfy World, Satisfy National Competition, and more… The secondary Satisfy games were released every year, some of which were significantly successful. The successful games had something in common. They purchased the portrait rights of high rankers and presented them as game characters. It was easy to think about it as existing sports players being characters in

football games, basketball games, etc. Game companies broke down the rankers’ stats and personality using their own rules and interpretations. Then they were released as game characters. The public immersed themselves in various games by playing characterized rankers. This was why ordinary people and even primary school students could analyze Jishuka’s skills like a pro. It was an era where information flooded in. Satisfy’s rankers had been exposed in countless media and analyzed. The public believed they knew the rankers well. “Most of the games portray Jishuka as an overwhelming 1st tier character. Characters with her equivalent performance are Kraugel, Yura, Euphemina, Chris, and the demon king version of Damian. Do you know why?” The hair that was parted 5:5 without an inch of error strangely attracted attention. Looking closely at their feeling of strangeness, they found that there were no wrinkles in the man’s suit. As evidenced by his upright back and sitting posture, he seemed to have nothing unnecessary in his actions and always insisted on the right posture. “Isn’t it because she is so popular?” Jishuka had maintained her top 10 ranking almost every year. She was undoubtedly a talented person, but she tended to appear as an excessively OP character in secondary creations. Sometimes it was hard to understand. By this point, it was even questionable if the game developers around the world had selfish motives in regards to Jishuka. It was true, but it wasn’t the right answer. “Popularity is naturally an important measure. However, if they were going to excessively overdo a character’s stats because of popularity, Laella would be the immovable 1st tier character.” Laella is also a top ranked high ranker in the top 100. Furthermore, she wasn’t inferior to Jishuka and Yura when it came to popularity. The strange thing was that her popularity had increased since she started dating Zednos… it wasn’t unnecessary to analyze the reason except for entertainment media.

“The reason for Jishuka’s high evaluation is her ‘vision.’” A man who wore glasses on his sharp nose gave the right answer. He was the CEO of Red Moon Thunderstorm Art. He was an emerging giant in the game industry and was directly in charge of the production of Satisfy Online, the biggest hit among the dozens of secondary Satisfy games. “It is said that the eyes of the Bow Saint are in the sky. She has a vision that makes all terrain and covers useless, so she has the potential to play without restrictions in any environment.” “That huge potential was seen by game developers?” “Yes.” Many directors reinterpreted Jishuka’s abilities in different ways and integrated them into the game. The result was now. Jishuka was depicted as an OP character in almost every game. “It is probably a lot of pressure. It is hard for her to use her strengths, especially on such an ordinary, flat stage.” Jishuka, who came onto the stage as the first player—people’s expectations of her were different. There were many people who believed she was going to show her invincibility. It was almost distorted enough to resemble the feeling of inviting Grid. This was despite the stark difference between the secondary creations and reality. “In return for getting benefits from the creations, she is going to suffer in reality…” The reporters responded like it was a pity. Psychological pressure must be felt due to excessive expectations from the public. The condemnation she would receive if she didn’t meet the public’s expectations. It felt pitiful for Jishuka to take all of this. A young woman at the center of the world changing every day. Could she endure all types of hardships with her slender body? It happened as the reporters in the audience were worrying… -Yes, I’ll work hard. Jishuka was trying to calm her excitement. That’s right. She was excited. Unlike the

concerns of the gaming industry experts and reporters, she didn’t feel any pressure. It was natural. It was because Grid was cheering for her. Above all, she was skilled. Her skills in the various secondary creations were no exaggeration. “It is going to be so advantageous for me. It is a bit embarrassing.” Jishuka’s opponent was Pon. He sat on top of his white horse and believed he had an advantage. It was a common sense judgment. Flat land with no cover. It was the ideal terrain for Pon, who had high speed mobility. On the other hand, it was the worst for Jishuka. An archer’s shooting was maximized only when taking advantage of cover and distance. Arrows that were obviously seen didn’t pose much of a threat to the opponent. ‘I just need to pay attention to the intangible arrows mixed in with the quick fire arrows and the counters she will try the moment I approach.’ In fact, the intangible arrows weren't a concept that could be countered just by paying attention. Recently, Jishuka shot more than 10 arrows at a time and it was hard to get a glimpse of them when she mixed the intangible arrows in between. In particular, the arrows that flew in a parabola were threatening. What if an intangible arrow fell over his head? He had to get hit no matter what. The comforting fact was that the damage of the intangible arrows wasn’t very high. There was a limit to the damage because it was an arrow made of magic power, not an actual arrow. It was difficult to deal a significant blow to Pon, who was armed with Grid-made armor. However, an arrow aimed at the fine gaps in his armor would lead to a rapid drop in health. For example, Pon judged that as long as he paid attention to situations where arrows could dig into the gaps of his helmet to poke his eyes and cause blindness, he could win without any major variables. ‘Jishuka, I’m not denying you.’ He was just affirming his own life. “Hiyah!" No one in the Overgeared Guild lived in vain. If there was such a person, they wouldn’t have joined the Overgeared Guild in the first place. Pon had always done his

best. He might not have a legendary class but he tried so hard that he was proud that the character ‘Pon’ itself would become a legend someday. The white horse carrying Pon gradually accelerated. Jishuka, who was standing only 700 meters away—she felt very close to the white horse, who had been in a war with Pon. It thought she would be quickly reached. Hihing! This was its idea until an invisible arrow flew and hit its knee. “Che!” Pon quickly jumped from the horse. It was a situation where he couldn’t keep his position on the horse due to the arrows that were aiming for his vital points. This was expected. In fact, there was no damage caused by falling. It was an expected situation, so he responded immediately with the falling method. After rolling a few times, Pon raised himself and ran without delay. There was no hesitation of even 0.1 seconds. He remained focused so as to not lose the spear knight’s charge gauge, which increased his attack power as he ‘charged toward the enemy.’ “Spear Flower.” Pon, who got off his horse, felt like a prohibition was lifted. He didn’t hesitate to use a large-scale skill to neutralize Jishuka’s arrows. The distance between the two people gradually narrowed. ‘Now I need to be careful of the counters.’ He had accumulated more damage than expected to reach this point. He had noticed it since a single arrow made his horse fall, but Jishuka’s intangible arrows were much more powerful than they were during the Great Human and Demon War. Pon deeply realized it as he got closer and was in the center of a rain of arrows. As much as he worked hard, others also worked hard. Time was equal to all. Others were getting stronger as he was getting stronger. Luck and talent were the qualities needed to jump over the ‘wall’ encountered and stay ahead of others. ‘This time, luck followed me.’

The tip of Pon’s spear started to vibrate. It created a magnetic force that gathered all the pouring arrows together. The tip of the spear that pulled hundreds of arrows was bulging like a mace. “Destroyer.” Coincidentally, a week ago. He unveiled the new ultimate skill of he fourth class advancement of the spear knight, which was acquired from leveling up. It was also an unexpected skill for Pon himself. It was no wonder why he couldn’t expect it. Pon was ranked 1st in the spear knight rankings. He was the pioneer. There was no way to know which level would gain a newly added skill. Ever since last week, Pon was conscious of the competition and never leaked Destroyer. He used it secretly in a private training room to improve his proficiency, but he hid it from his colleagues. It was in order to win the competition. His colleagues who gained hidden classes, the apostles of the Overgeared God, the rulers of their species, and the dukes of the empire—Pon felt like he was falling behind in strength. He was determined to prove his skills this time in order to protect his honor. He wanted to fight the rulers and overcome them. He ended up in the same group as Jishuka. Even so, Pon had watched Jishuka for a long time and didn’t think she was worse than the other monarchs. Instead, he prepared for this day more vigilantly and thoroughly. ‘I will win today.’ He secured a new ultimate technique and favorable stage terrain. It seemed like the sky had given the day of victory to Pon. Pon had no choice but to win. This was a natural flow. This was the case until the arrows that Destroyer pulled up and exploded were stopped in the air like it was a lie. "………?!" Destroyer was one of the precious counterattacks in Satisfy. Among those precious counterattacks, it was a type of super killer move that belonged to the ultimate group. It was a structure that attracted the enemy’s skills, magic, or projectiles and absorbed them with its own power, releasing them and returning them with several times the damage.

Yet it was defeated. It was also as soon as it was made public. ‘A reverse counter…!’ A chill went down Pon’s spine. He remembered that Jishuka was the Bow Saint. Any attempts to take the lead in regards to ‘arrows’ against the Bow Saint was a failure. “Whole Sky Flower Rain.” Jishuka also unveiled a new ultimate technique. Hundreds of arrows stopped around her and a storm was projected in a dizzying manner onto Pon’s bloated pupils. ‘Rebellion isn’t easy.’ Jishuka had always been Pon’s captain. Maybe his luck was over from the time the match with her was decided. Pon thought this as he collapsed. It was the moment when one of the 12 captains was decided to be Jishuka. “Waaahhhhhhhh!” “Jishuka! Jishuka! Jishuka!” “…From today, Jishuka will be more OP. At this rate, she will soon be changed to a hidden character like Grid.” Was he embarrassed when his prediction was wrong? In the midst of the cheering people, the CEO of Red Moon Thunderstorm Art explained. *** A total of 16 participants. The eight people who won in the first matchup would immediately become captains. The remaining eight people would face each other in the second match with the four winners taking the remaining four captain positions. It was a rule established on the principle that ‘all participants are eligible to be captains.’ The four who failed to become captains today would be captains of four additional units in the future. Unlike the hearts of the participants, the competition didn’t mean much. The reason why Lauel held the competition was a type of show of force. It was already common sense in the world that the Overgeared Empire had the best power on the surface, but putting aside common sense, it was necessary to show it frequently. This was

why military powers like China and the United States constantly held soldier inspection parades. “………!” Lauel was watching the event with a satisfied expression only to get up with surprise. The hot atmosphere of the venue became as quiet as a library. “Crazy.” Grid was also astonished. On the stage, Orc Lord Teruchan collapsed in front of Katz. Katz’ majesty as he wore the blood shed by Teruchan as a cloak was reminiscent of a great demon. Beriache’s Knight—it was the moment when the ancient being who served one of the three evils of the beginning was reproduced by a player.

Wouldn’t it be okay if he didn’t try anymore? Grid thought this. He watched Jishuka smiling brightly. A person who was happy from hearing that she worked hard. Grid was happy just watching her. He felt it was the reward for all his hardships. All the responsibilities he bore were heavy. He didn’t have enough time to share happiness with his loved ones. So how long did he have to look ahead and run like he did now? He even felt such skepticism. Of course, this was only for a moment. Grid looked at the empire he had built up. Colleagues he could rely on, soldiers who gave their lives and were loyal, the cheering people… He reaffirmed their appearance of trusting and following him and controlled his shaky heart. ‘The idea of wanting some relaxation… it is still a luxury.’ First of all, he had to kill Baal. There were no dreams of hope for humanity unless they could return the distorted hell to its original state. Those who learned that death was the beginning of eternal suffering, not rest—the reason they maintained a good spirit and lived pretending things were fine was purely because they believed in Grid and the Overgeared Empire. They held out with the belief that Grid and the Overgeared Empire would help them as always. ‘…Come to think of it, I do this often.’ He had many thoughts when looking at Jishuka. At this moment, Grid clearly realized why he kept doing this. ‘I like Jishuka very much.’ He liked her so much that he thought of the future together. As a result, all types of

thought overflowed and were strangely twisted. He sometimes made mistakes. It was just like when they first broke up. It was behavior often seen by novices in love. 'Calm down.’ Grid’s heart toward Jishuka was bound to be deep. Her appearance being his taste was a secondary issue. The first person to recognize and respect Grid’s value was Jishuka. She was the one who led Grid, who was clumsy when it came to human relationships, onto the right path several times. Maybe Grid had a crush on Jishuka since the beginning. He was just late in self-awareness because they started off as friends. In many ways, the timing was bad. Thanks to the incident with his first love Ahyoung, he became distrustful of real women. Then he got married to Irene. His relationship with Jishuka couldn’t be smooth. However, it would be different in the future. "………!" Grid pledged and raised his eyes. Destroyer—Pon’s new ultimate skill caught his eye. ‘It is a level of skill that forces the use of Shunpo.’ A skill that pulled hundreds of projectiles using magnetism and then ejected them. The implied power stimulated the senses of a transcendent. It was safe to describe it as a skill that proved the potential of normal classes. ‘The fifth class advancement is really… ’ Chairman Lim Cheolho’s words that the gap between hidden and normal classes would be narrowed seemed to be becoming a reality. Anxiety crossed Grid’s face when he realized this. It was natural to think about Jishuka’s defeat. Grid had always hoped for Pon’s victory, but this time was an exception. He didn’t want to see Jishuka feeling depressed. She seemed to respond to that wish. “Whole Sky Flower Rain.”

Jishuka showed off the power of the Bow Saint. She suddenly stopped the hundreds of arrows flying at her and made a storm to counterattack against Pon. It was a move that overturned the situation of the battle. Grid’s butt shook from where it was tightly attached to the throne. He was so surprised that he almost shot out of his seat. ‘This isn’t just a skill that controls arrows.’ It was close to implementing a mental world. All substances and concepts in the range she designated. Stones, grass, dust, wind, mana, and even the residual air waves of Destroyer—all of them responded to Jishuka’s will. They were transformed into sharp weapons and swirled. The strength was amazing. Like the name of filling the entire sky with flowers, the blood shed by Pon spread throughout the sky. ‘Amazing. Really strong.’ This was his impression of both Jishuka and Pon. Grid had a gut feeling that he would receive great help from the two of them at every crisis he would face in the future. After that— Regas and Damian. Peak Sword and Euphemina. Faker and Hurent. Vantner and Huroi. Zednos and Zibal. As the competition progressed, Grid’s shoulders gradually became lighter. He put down his responsibility little by little. Grid was the one who was the most enthusiastic about the appearance of his colleagues who steadily developed even after the great human and demon war. ‘I’m a bit sorry for Damian, but… sooner or later, he will find the answer. The opponent was too bad.’ Huroi was much more powerful than the public’s perception as he fought from a

distance using the wyvern and profanities. He seemed to be making proper use of the power of his second class. Hurent, who had once degenerated, also regained the power of his prime. It was at the level of neutralizing Faker’s stealth with sound play. The two of them were met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. They crushed the noses of some people who predicted they would lower the level of the competition. On the other hand, Damian was weak. During his days as a pope, he had excellent survivability and magic to be likened to a cockroach. He could tank and use swordsmanship. Yet these days, he was merely a swordsman. The three fusion sword dance that was completed early on as the leader of the Overgeared God Church was very powerful and it played an extraordinary role in various official appearances… It was just that his opponent was too bad this time. Regas. For him, Damian was close to an existence that ‘followed Grid.’ Damian wasn’t very threatening to him, who had a long good faith rivalry with Grid and had been chasing Grid’s shadow. It felt like he was fighting Grid from a long time ago. It was easy to deal with because there were enough strategies. Furthermore, Regas had recently increased the intensity of his performance. Just like in the days when he was called the best genius of the Tzedakah Guild, he used all types of methods to hone his skills and improve. It was close to eccentricity from the perspective of others. Therefore, those who saw him would say ‘Regas has become ill again.’ The effect was big. The secret of Regas’ relatively easy targeting of Damian, who artificially implemented ‘attack and defense in one body’ by adding the power of items to the high stats unique to the leader of the Overgeared God Church, was due to the parrying he mastered during this time. Regas easily neutralized the sword dances of the Overgeared God Church. In the first place, the Overgeared God Church’s sword dances was a sub-compatible version of the Overgeared God's Sword Dance. The biggest drawback of the sword dances was the long cooldown time for reuse. The compatibility with Regas was bad since he focused on ‘combos’ and unleashing endless attacks.

“Uwaaaaahhhhh!” The cheers of the crowd were growing. The scenes that were somewhat disappointing for Grid were still gorgeous to them. People were happy enough with the content of the competition. The Half-Draconian Lord, the Orc Lord, and the Dark Elf King. Now there was much greater anticipation for the three remaining monarchs. Huroi and Hurent showed unexpected performances. They believed that the three monarchs would provide a level of shock that would impact the heavens and earth. They also felt sympathy for one person. Katz—he was matched with Teruchan and it was like carrying a bomb. It could only be said that he was too unlucky. ‘I wanted to compete with the Half-Draconian Lord.’ Teruchan’s thoughts weren’t much different. He was the monarch who ruled over every orc in the world. He would’ve been the overlord by now if he hadn’t served Grid. He thought of the Overgeared members as reliable generals. It was no more than that. He judged that they weren’t his opponents, even if he could trust them and leave tasks to them. This was why he fixed his gaze on Bunsdel, who was sitting on the waiting seat under the stage. Teruchan didn’t even care about Katz standing right in front of him. He didn’t even have the will to fight. He felt it was trivial. At this time, Katz’ voice was heard. “I don’t have a hobby of cutting a pig’s neck.” There were many members of the Overgeared Guild outside the normal category. Just like Grid, it wasn’t uncommon for people to have defects in their personality. Katz was the representative of this. Of course, he had become incredibly mellow compared to the past, but he wasn’t a pushover who would be nice to his opponent who was ignoring him. Teruchan bowed slightly to Katz. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have the courtesy of a warrior.” The Twilight Orcs were the dominant species. They dominated all orcs and at one time, they even tried to dominate humans. He respected warriors as much as he honored their armed force. Teruchan’s action of bowing didn’t mean much. It wasn’t

about bending his pride. It was just a ritual greeting. “You are also a warrior.” It was Teruchan who gave a natural provocation. It was the unique ferociousness of a dominant species. A red light appeared in Katz’ hand and he grasped a sword. Teruchan felt a deep bloodstream. “Good. I like it more and more. I won’t feel guilty even if I half kill you,” Katz said. Teruchan charged. It was the instinctive act of a frightened beast. The smell of blood filling his nose was too thick. The superior version of Failure—the dark shark-shaped sword collided with the blood sword and caused an explosion. In fact, Katz’ blood sword exploded. The sharp sword’s shape quickly broke down and blood was sprayed like a fountain. Teruchan’s expression hardened. He made an effort to recover his sword as he was caught in the explosion and pushed back. However, it was too late. The blood clinging to his thick arms pulled his upper body to the ground. “Keuk!” The veins of Teruchan’s neck bulged as he gritted his teeth and held on. He used both arms to raise his head back. Katz had the illusion of being hit by a cannon. Then his body, which was about to stab Teruchan with a new blood sword, flew far away. It was because Teruchan’s kick hit his abdomen. It was a covert attack. Teruchan had stared into Katz’ eyes and didn’t show any signs at all as he lifted his feet. For Katz, it was an attack that came completely out of the blue. “Gasp!” Teruchan snorted and broke the blood confining both arms. He noted that the strength of the blood had weakened the moment that Katz’ focus dropped. “Katz! I admit that you are a great warrior!” Teruchan’s thick veins stood out and all the muscles of his body swelled. At the same

time, black magic power that was different from the demons exploded. It was a wave that generated a power unique to the Twilight Orcs. Teruchan’s steps caused cracks on the stage. Administrator Rabbit sighed. The most expensive metal was found to make this stage with, but the specially made stage was ruined. It wasn’t worth the money he invested in it… Teruchan completely broke the stage with his second leap forward. The sudden narrowing of the distance to Katz was Shunpo itself. Just as the transcendent Bunsdel proved, the monarchs deserved to be transcendents. It happened the moment people were feeling admiration… “Solar Eclipse.” Night came. The red moon that floated above Katz’s head was the aftermath of the sun being covered. His skin turned whiter. His long molars. The shining red eyes and cloak formed from another person’s blood… He was a vampire with pure blood in a different way from the direct descendants. Beriache’s Knight, who could be said to be the first direct descendant, artificially removed the sun’s constraints and regained full power. Red blood and black power collided dozens of times. The red blood scattered and repeatedly formed waves again while the black force continued to swirl like a storm. Neither side was likely to be extinguished. It was literally an equal match. For a few minutes, countless spectacular scenes were seen. It looked like a fight that wouldn’t end. However, people gradually became aware that Katz’ blood cloak was much longer than it was originally. Flop! Teruchan fell to his knees. His armor was crushed and his appearance was exposed. He was skin and bones like he had starved for dozens of days. It was the aftermath of

being deprived of blood throughout the battle. For Beriache’s Knight, blood absorption was done as naturally as breathing. It was very different from the other direct descendants who directly bit with their teeth or sucked blood through magic. No procedure was required. It was a near-perfect immortality created to protect Beriache. It didn’t make sense for him to fall before what he had to protect. “…There are six more people over there?” The Half-Draconian Lord had a stiff expression from the moment the sun was covered and now he muttered blankly. Since he decided to become the dog of the Overgeared God, he planned to be the closest and loyal dog. However, it didn’t seem as easy as he thought. He felt a great sense of crisis toward the true apostles of the Overgeared God who didn’t even participate in this competition. “………” The half-draconians, whose shoulders were raised after being enthusiastically welcomed by the humans, fell silent. After that— The Half-Draconian Lord won against the Dark Elf King. Considering that Piaro and the former Red Knights had to join forces to capture the Dark Elf King, the power of the Half-Draconian Lord was at least on the level of an apostle. The Overgeared members speculated that Bunsdel would be the last apostle. Even so, Grid didn’t say anything. His discerning eyes had risen following his meeting with Ifrit and he was planning to select the last apostle really carefully. ‘At the very least, they should be stronger than me.’ …Should he visit the No Offspring Tomb? In any case, 12 captains were appointed on this day. Those who felt the power of the Overgeared Empire had great expectations for the hell expedition that would begin in the future. They completely shook off their fears. This was as Lauel intended. Meanwhile, in hell… “Hoh…?” The soul of Beriache, which hadn’t moved for hundreds of years, started to shine

faintly. “That person is the guardian of the White Tiger Spear… can the two of us defeat him?” “Do you want successive deaths? I am going to seek the cooperation of the Twelve Zodiacs and the Four Auspicious Beasts.” “What about the Overgeared God?” “I don’t think it is a matter that requires the help of the Overgeared God.” “Indeed. This person is a lot inferior to Mir.” In the East Continent, Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon infiltrated the Pa Kingdom. “It is more than expected, right? By this point, he will be a better blacksmith than the Overgeared God.” “He shouldn’t be worse than the person who rebelled against Asgard. By the way, the ones next to you…?” “They are newcomers. Make weapons for them.” In Asgard, the new angels were preparing for full-fledged action.

“Stop adding cheese to fried rice. I feel uncomfortable just looking at it because you are putting too much cheese in the rice stir-fried in pork oil. It is better to add more kimchi.” At a pork belly restaurant near Youngwoo’s building… All the Overgeared members living in South Korea gathered in this place. It was to celebrate the success of today’s festival in the Overgeared Empire. At first, the atmosphere was harmonious. Fried rice was cooked on an iron plate. This was until Lauel was tackled by Peak Sword as he was sprinkling additional cheese on top. Well, Peak Sword didn’t tackle Lauel, but these words were still correct. “…Why don’t you stop paying attention to my fried rice and focus on your own fried rice?” “Didn’t you always insist on it? We have a duty to teach people who eat food in the wrong way.” “Wrong way? Is it wrong to sprinkle mozzarella on fried rice? Are you serious? Are you disparaging South Korea’s traditional food culture?” “I just pointed out that the amount was too much. Besides, I presented kimchi as a solution. Isn’t it traditional Korean food culture to add kimchi to fried rice?” “It is prejudice! This is discrimination! You are disparaging Korean people by saying they add kimchi to any food!” The atmosphere became chilly for a moment. Of course, it was only for a moment. The group soon drew their attention away from Peak Sword and Lauel. In any case, the argument between the two of them always ended with Lauel’s victory. It wasn’t a matter of concern because Peak Sword would soon become mute. “Jishuka, you are sprinkling flying fish roe?” “Yes, yes!”

"Yura, don’t sprinkle seaweed powder.” “Yes.” From the beginning, Grid was focused solely on Yura and Jishuka. He stood in the center of a large iron plate and cooked his own fried rice for them. His skills were dazzling. The expression of ‘playing with fire’ was appropriate. His culinary experience in Satisfy also helped in reality. Both the master—with 40 years of experience in grilling and stir-frying—and the general manager of the pork belly restaurant were so surprised their mouths dropped open. “The rice was pressed down in a short period of time and he perfectly enhanced the texture with flying fish roe…? No, what is this? Youngwoo-ssi, are you perhaps from the CIA?” “Huh? CI what?” “It means the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States.” “He is referring to the cooking school, idiot.” Grid, Sehee, Yura, Yerim, Bokja (Elizabeth), Eat Spicy Jokbal, Peak Sword, etc. There were quite a few Koreans in the Overgeared Guild. There were also many people who moved to South Korea such as Jishuka, Lauel, and Toon. This meant that once they had a company dinner, there were dozens of people gathered. It was bound to be noisy. How many conversations would there be with colleagues who they crossed the line of life or death with while drinking together? At a second drinking party that took place in a more private location, more in-depth conversations occurred. “When Katz called out Solar Eclipse, I thought a Japanese person wanted to be Japanese.” [1] …Peak Sword was ignored. “Kraugel has arrived at the Peach Blossom Spring?”

“It seems there is a swordsman among the daoist immortals there. I’m expecting a hidden quest to happen.” “If things go well, will he incorporate daoist magic into swordsmanship?” “That will be less cool. The romance of the Sword Saint is to cut anything with the sword.” “This isn’t the era where romance can feed you.” Starting with Grid, all the players were leveling up. The thing they had in common was that they developed their abilities in a variety of ways. Grid alone had grown and gained dozens of different opportunities. The mindset of being proud and obsessed with a single class was worn down. “In the first place, the strength of a Sword Saint had no particularly great merit now.” Muller’s greatest achievement that made him the strongest Sword Saint was sealing Hell Gao. Of course, there was no guarantee that this was Muller’s limit. It was likely that the greatest threat of the Muller era was just Hell Gao. However, it should be taken into account that in Satisfy, achievements were immediate. People of the present time had achieved more than Muller. Grid, Braham, Mercedes, etc. might have already transcended Muller. This was where the problem arose with Kraugel. It was because Muller, who held the title of ‘strongest Sword Saint,’ had fallen in value since he fell below others. The status of Kraugel, who was originally hidden in the shade of the name Muller, was reduced even further. The Overgeared members thought that in order for Kraugel to develop further, he needed to abandon his obsession with the Sword Saint. On the other hand, Grid thought differently. “Who knows… I think the Sword Saint is greater than what is known to the public.” Grid knew a few more Muller stories that other people didn’t know. He knew that all of Muller’s achievements that were known to the world was after Muller had handed over his status to the Mountain King. Furthermore, the greatness of the Sword Saint was proven by Biban who was still alive in this era. It was just that people didn’t know it.

“I think Kraugel’s purpose isn’t to learn, but to fight the swordsman immortal and win,” Grid expressed his opinion with a serious expression while peeling tangerines. His dexterity was great. The tangerines were easily peeled. The net-shaped white fibers were neatly removed and the tangerines sparkled like they were gold. “Too soft~” Jishuka’s mouth was wide open as she ate the tangerine that Grid put in her mouth. Yerim, who was staring at it, poked Sehee’s side with her elbow. “Doesn’t that Unni look like a dog the more you see her?” “Hiik!” The cowardly Sehee blocked Yerim’s mouth. “No matter how cat-like a woman is, you can’t swear too harshly! She is our captain before she is Oppa’s lover!” “Oof oof!!” Yerim just meant that she was pure like a dog. She thought of a puppy when she saw the surprisingly weak and gentle Jishuka, unlike the leopard-like impression. She had no intention of swearing that Jishuka was a dog. ‘Why is she so strong?’ Yerim wanted to explain, but she didn’t have a chance. She couldn’t remove Sehee’s hand covering her mouth. She couldn’t help wondering if strength was hereditary. ‘…Why did it suddenly become a mess again?’ The fighting Sehee and Yerim, Eat Spicy Jokbal who kept calling Bokja’s name and complaining, Peak Sword who was arguing with Lauel again… Toon, who didn’t drink alcohol, was wary of the atmosphere that was more distracting than necessary. Not long ago, he told his friends who came to the country from Italy to prepare for any possible risks. The night of the Overgeared Guild was deepening. *** A few days after the captains selection…

“Ohhh!” Finally, the hell elevator started running. The underground facilities emitted light and the land around the area turned blue. It was like looking at a lake. “Good luck.” Grid sent away the hell expedition directly. 12 units organized by selecting and organizing volunteer rankers from any affiliation. Hundreds of them were given various elixirs made at the Reidan alchemy facility. Their role wasn’t a one-off. Try to rush as far as possible. They had to play in hell for as long as possible and consume the demons and demonic creatures until the hell elevator was opened to the public. This meant that sustainability was important. The Overgeared Empire had a duty to support them properly. “However, try to become acquainted with those in the safe zone.” At Lauel’s final request, all the expedition members boarded the elevator. It was the moment when humanity, which had been subjected to the one-sided aggression of demons for hundreds of years, finally went on the counterattack. It was a revenge that didn’t forget the history of humiliation as well as a holy war for the future. *** Why should they distinguish between good and bad? Wasn’t it like their lives existed for humans by making the wicked pay for their sins and providing the good with opportunities for reincarnation? It was a contradiction. Hell needed to be revised. Amoract was deeply sympathetic to Baal’s claims. The 2nd Great Demon—one of the three original evils, she was on Baal’s side. She helped reform hell and made it into its present form. She stabbed Beriache, who was at the forefront of the opposition, directly with her own power. It was something she regretted all her life. She sympathized with Yatan, who was stigmatized as the evil god as hell deteriorated. She realized that her choice had dropped her father into the abyss and

was deeply frustrated. Thus, she established the Yatan Church. Her father would never be able to wash away the stigma as long as the present hell existed. Thus, she tried to change the concept of evil. She preached that evil was valuable, just as there was a reason why her father made them. As a result, many people started to worship Yatan again. Even so, Amoract wasn’t satisfied at all. Her father was one of the gods of the beginning. It was right for him to be treated equally with Rebecca, but he was endlessly shabby compared to Rebecca. Amoract realized this was a mistake that must be made up for. She wanted to return hell to its original form. She wanted Baal’s destruction the most. She missed Beriache the most. Therefore, she turned a blind eye to many events. She was rooting for humanity. However, she was furious when she heard of humanity’s invasion of hell. “No, this can’t be. No, kids.” Looking back on it now, it was right that they existed for humans. The reason why her father made evil was as a warning to humanity. He was teaching that they shouldn’t be evil by watching and learning from evil. It was a mercy to elevate all humans to Heaven someday. He couldn’t have wanted to see humans fall to hell alive. “How dare you break Father’s wishes?” Transcendence meant being far from the general public. It was impossible to understand transcendents from a general point of view. At this moment, Amoract’s feelings toward the invaders were completely different from hostility. *** “I didn’t feel it incorrectly.” The reason why dragons slept for a long time was simply because their lives were long. For humans, hundreds of years of history couldn’t be covered in a lifetime while for dragons, hundreds of years was a split second. However, now—

“It is real.” Gujel’s son, Xenon, was adjusting his time-sensitive senses close to humans. His father was killed while he was sleeping for a while. It was even by humans. In other words, it was close to a warning that a dragon’s sense of time should be tailored to humans. Xenon didn’t want the terrible experience of having his eyes and nose cut while sleeping so he started to be wary of humans. ‘Is human civilization quite advanced? I have to get the items back and sort them out.’ The remains of dragons were recognized as treasures for the same type of dragon. In order for Xenon to succeed as the stone dragon, it was necessary for him to eat Gujel’s remains. They weren’t objects that should be held in human hands. Kurarararara! The shadow of the gray dragon roaring with his huge wings spread out turned the wilderness dark.

1. The word for Solar Eclipse can also mean Japanese food ☜

The seven malignant saints episodes weren’t arranged for a single player. It was a structure in which many players discovered secrets by connecting with the seven malignant saints and proceeding with quests. There were currently five players doing the seven malignant saints episodes. The 1st evil, Jake, and Zibal’s Providence. The 2nd evil, Diana, and Haster’s Heroic Story. The 3rd evil, Rayleigh, and Agnus’ Supreme Ruler. The 4th evil, Taren, and Grid’s God's Command. The 5th evil, Leeha, and Kraugel’s Quick Command. Who first came to know about the concept of the seven malignant saints? It was naturally Kraugel. Kraugel’s episode progress was also the highest. However, the first person to gain the power of one of the seven evils was Grid. On the other hand, Zibal gained the power the latest. However, Zibal contributed the most to the growth and survival of the 6th evil, Zik, and discovered the truth of the seal of the seven malignant saints. This meant that the process wasn’t very important. Players related to the seven malignant saints learned the secrets of the seven malignant saints together, regardless of the order. It happened naturally even if there was no contact point. It was because the seven malignant saints were so famous. Didn’t Hanul, one of the gods of the beginning, try to recruit Zik? It was from the surface, hell, Asgard, and even the Peach Blossom Spring and the Hwan Kingdom. The whole world knew about the seven malignant saints, so the spread of news related to them took place tremendously quickly. In the present time—

In fact, the episode of the seven malignant saints was heading toward the end. All of the seven evils were killed except for the 6th evil, Zik. Only their souls remained after their deaths and were wandering somewhere in the Abyss. Zik, whose body was preserved, was the only one revived. The powers of the remaining six of the seven malignant saints were shared by the players. The remaining task was to tell the stories of each of the seven malignant saints, except for Zik, and reveal the powers of the seven malignant saints that hadn’t appeared yet. In fact, it was ambiguous to say that it was a challenge that needed to be solved. The ‘ending’ of the seven malignant saints episodes was the punishment of the gods of Asgard. it was to reveal the ugly reality of the gods and make them lose their divinity, or physically conquer Asgard. This was the wish of the seven malignant saints. It was good to be able to omit the intermediate process as much as possible as long as their wish was fulfilled. However, Kraugel came to the Peach Blossom Spring. He persistently dug through the quests related to the 5th evil and barely reached it. It was out of the belief that the more he understood them, the stronger that Quick Command would become. It didn’t matter if his expectations were wrong. He got confirmation that there was a swordsman immortal at the Peach Blossom Spring. It was good enough if he could meet the swordsman immortal. “Like this place that is far from the world, there are many dimensions in the world. There is also a world where elementals play.” At a small village surrounded by peach trees… At the entrance, someone was sitting on the bench in front of the cabin. He had his back to Kraugel, who just entered the village. Tak, tak, tak… A clear sound rang out irregularly. It was the sound of putting a go stone on a board. “The elemental world is a world where four elements are established in order.” “Earth is the lowest, water is the next lowest and is above earth, air is above the two of them, and fire is at the top. Do you mean this type of order?” Kraugel’s understanding was unrivaled. He immediately identified and adapted to

the identity of the village that he arrived at without knowing it. It was because he felt auspicious energy. He was convinced that the man who sat alone and played go was a daoist immortal and gave a preemptive answer. He knew it was the precursor to a quest. “That’s right. I wanted to ask you the question because you know it well.” Tak. White stones surrounded black stones. It was just before completing the territory. There didn’t seem to be any remaining black stones. “It is right that it is light that appeared in defiance of the order and laws of the already completed world.” The five attributes that made up the elemental world were originally fire, water, wind, earth, and light. If it had been Kraugel a few days ago, he would’ve replied something like ‘light exists everywhere so it isn’t wrong.’ However, it was different now. He knew that the Elemental King of Light was defeated by Grid and that the new Elemental King of Nothingness filled the void. “I don’t think light is necessary in a world where light already exists.” “You must be interpreting based on the premise that the law and order are established and completed worlds are perfect.” “Yes.” “Even so, it is rare for anything in this world to be complete.” A divine move—the white stones surrounding the black stone were swallowed by a single move. They broke down helplessly. It was only then that the man put down the stone and turned around. Kraugel witnessed the reversal on the checkerboard followed by the evaluation that it was the wrong answer and was quite flustered. He had to control his facial expression. “The elemental world is wrong from the premise. We also noticed it belatedly after the birth of the last elemental king.” Bentao—this was the name of the daoist immortal who sat facing Kraugel. He looked

like an innocent young child or a kind old man. “The sky brings down water, the water causes trees to grow, the trees create fire, fire builds up earth, and earth is turned to metal. These are the five elements.” “………!” “The elemental world isn’t four elements, but a world seeking five elements. Therefore, it has been obsessed with the number five.” The elemental world was ruled by ‘five’ elemental kings. This was the most basic law that governed the elemental world. “It is a world that can only be completed if the last born ‘nothingness’ was ‘metal,’ but it wasn’t completed properly.” The reason was obvious. Kraugel grasped the meaning of the words. “Is it the Elemental King of Wind?” “That’s right.” Wind or air didn’t belong to the order. It was right to have metal there. The Elemental King of Wind was a hidden villain. Of course, the words that led to the truth followed. “You might’ve noticed, but the daoist immortals can be defined as half-gods who compromise with the world. We can deceive a god’s eyes for a while, but we can’t disobey the essential meaning.” Bentao flapped his wide sleeves and yellow amulets fluttered. The circular shape as it moved resembled butterflies playing. It soon became a door. It was a door to the elemental world. “In short, correct the order of the elemental world on our behalf.” [★Hidden Quest★ Sword that Cuts the Wind has occurred.] Kraugel’s eyes widened as he quickly scanned the contents of the quest. It was because the Sword Saint’s ‘sword that cuts anything’ was about to enter the

deepening phase. ‘Even slashing oxygen… can I make an area where breathing isn’t possible?’ The opening of a passive skill that sharply decreased the health of nearby targets every time he wielded the sword. Of course, this was a story of when he succeeded in cutting the Elemental King of Wind. Unsurprisingly, Kraugel accepted the quest. “There are many things I want to ask but I’ll push it back for now.” What did the four elements and five elements imply? Why did the daoist immortals want to help the elemental world? Did this person happen to know he would come and so on. Kraugel had all types of questions in his head as he moved toward the portal. It was because he noticed that once he completed his quest and returned, they would be able to have a deeper conversation. He wasn’t worried that it might be a trap. He trusted Bentao. Bentao was the first person to preach to the world that the seven malignant saints were good beings. “I will tell you two things in advance.” Bentao smiled at the gradually disappearing Kraugel. It was a smile that wiped away even the smallest bit of anxiety. “We have been waiting for you. Additionally, the completion of the elemental world will benefit the Overgeared God and all humans in the world.” *** Reidan—it was once the border of the Overgeared Kingdom and it had been transformed into an industrial city responsible for the empire’s supplies. It had a large territory, but it was a land devastated by the desert. Thanks to the dedication of Piaro and the farmers, nearly half of the desert had turned into agricultural fields and forests, but deserts were still common and sandstorms often struck. All types of industries had developed around the alchemy facility, so it was much better to use it as an industrial city than a residential city. In the first place, the Overgeared Empire was a super large nation that accounted for more than 80% of the continent. There was a lot of land much better for people to live in than Reidan. “Eh! Hey! Brat! I told you to load all the things that are going to the capital first!”

The air in Reidan was very pleasant. There were hundreds of chimneys emitting smoke that was as black as the workers’ hot beards, but the air purifiers installed in each chimney quickly cleaned up the pollutants. It was the invention of the century created by the Reidan alchemy facility. It was said that when they first invented this device, the great emperor commended the alchemists by saying, “You finally paid the price for your rice.” …The price for the rice was finally paid despite the alchemy facility being very old, but the air purifiers had become one of the empire’s largest sources of income. It was produced in various sizes and designs, and was sold to facilities and nobles across the country. It was distributed free of charge to the populace. Of course, there was a condition that they needed merit in their field, but no one complained. They were just grateful that they could study or work hard without being lazy. “Huh? What? It isn’t time for the sandstorm to blow?” There was a commotion as the busy workers sensed the unexpected event. It was because the hundreds of super large air purifiers installed in each chimney shook and generated noise. There was also a backflow seen from the mana acting as a filter in the air purifiers. “There is a huge wind coming,” a worker from Reidan muttered. Until now, no one took the situation seriously. It was a peaceful world. Humanity joined forces after being invaded by demons and didn’t antagonize each other. The marriage between Grid, who respected minorities from the beginning, and Basara led to racial unity. The expression that all humans were on the same side wasn’t an exaggeration. There were fewer troops stationed in Reidan and most of the talented people representing the city were away on the hell expedition, but the workers didn’t feel any anxiety. In the first place, they didn’t think about an enemy invasion. This was until bells rang all over the city. “Evacuate! Evacuate all members!” “The castle! Flee to the castle! Dammit! Come on, run!” It was a call that was close to a scream. The soldiers who were shouting from the walls looked very unusual. The workers finally noticed the seriousness of the

situation and moved quickly. They started to run toward the castle without even checking the identity of the danger they had thought was just the wind. However, the invader made their hundreds of steps useless with just a single flap of their wings. [There are many weird things.] “Ah… Ahhhhh…!!!” The identity of the being that cast the black shadow. A dragon—people witnessed the legendary monster that was different from a hatchling and collapsed due to weak legs. They sensed death, annihilation, and destruction. The gray dragon Xenon didn’t even look at the people who were shaking in silence. He paid attention to the bizarre devices installed throughout the city and various facilities that produced all types of goods. [Human civilization has developed so rapidly?] He was convinced about his father’s death. He needed to be vigilant of the human beings of this time. Xenon judged and flew heavily. He caused a frenzy and destroyed all types of facilities. “U-Uwaaack!” “Hiiiik!” Thousands of people were swept away by the wind. There were only a handful of people who held onto the pillars. Most of them soared into the air. They struggled to survive as they fell among the remnants of the collapsed building. There was a being who saved all of them. “All those who can fight should grab weapons. For the rest, run underground!” It was Noll who just arrived at the scene with his vampire troops. Noll—he inherited his warm heart from his mother, Beriache, and was almost the

only direct descendant to show benevolence. His blood magic specialized in protection and survival. [Vampire… Hmm.] Xenon responded like it was somewhat strange. He felt strange about vampires protecting humans. [Is this a farm?] Xenon interpreted it in this way and gathered his magic power. From his point of view, there was no difference between vampires and humans. They were equally insignificant except for ‘only one.’ He was going to annihilate them all at once. It was the day of the greatest crisis in Reidan’s history.

Noll—he was the only surviving vampire among the direct descendants, apart from Marie Rose and Braham. Grid failed to kill him. There were various circumstances, but it was basically because Noll was too strong. He wasn’t easily killed due to his excellent abilities to increase the survivability of himself and his allies. He wasn’t included in the hell expedition because he was the lord of the vampire city, not because he was unqualified. “Hurry!” Noll had been lying in a coffin for almost his entire life, but he surprisingly had common sense. He gained a lot of knowledge and experience after becoming a member of the Overgeared Kingdom. A dragon—he clearly recognized the absolute power of this huge creature. He felt great fear while knowing there was no chance. Even so, he didn’t run away. He took the lead and ordered people to flee. The nature of what he inherited from his mother Beriache, his ‘benevolence,’ forced him to put others first. It was an instinct to become stronger in moments of crisis when life was at risk. Why? Why did his mother make him love others? The family love and fellowship he experienced in his hellish life had always been like a disaster. Jealousy, resentment, anger. The bloodkin who were affected by the Curse of Sloth went crazy. They easily turned away from each other or harmed each other. As the only one among them who loved them, Noll’s life was particularly painful. He felt alone. To be honest, he resented his mother. However, at this moment. ‘It is time to repay the favor.’

Noll was deeply grateful to his mother. Thanks to this ‘heart,’ he met Grid. Thanks to Grid, he had been meeting new people endlessly. He found out that he wasn’t a mutation. The experience of exchanging kindness, not malice, was more valuable than blood. His heart was filled with joy. He was happy. He felt his mother’s love. He realized that his mother loved him, so she gave him this heart. Yes, it was time to repay all the favors. It was for Grid, who took him away, and his mother, who gave him the heart that made him feel rewarded. It was time to help those who taught him happiness while being with him. Just then, the dragon that invaded Reidan out of nowhere released magic power. The bodies of Noll and the vampires were shattered. It was pandemonium. People were screaming. There was no one who wasn’t agitated by the empty deaths of those who rushed to help them. “Re… vival!” Gurgle gurgle! The words that were painstakingly completed using a torn mouth became a spell—it was blood magic that used blood as a medium. The fluttering blood and flesh were reconstructed and attracted to each other at a very rapid speed. It was an untimely revival of the vampire army that had been wiped out. “Don’t look back and run!” Noll overcame death and urged the people. Floating rings lined up to the left and right of Reidan Castle. He delivered his willpower to the lord of Reidan by infusing magic power into the structures that were both architectural and symbolic. “Noll… Shit! This way!” Garitsha, who became the lord of Reidan after Chris and Zednos—she turned away and led the people to the castle. The warp gate—it was toward the rings that had just started to run while using Noll’s magic power as energy. [The command skill ‘March’ has been used.] [The command skill ‘Bravery’ has been used.]

Garitsha belonged to Overgeared One. She was a talented person who had been a member since the days of the Tzedakah and changed her class to a commander due to the needs of the Overgeared Kingdom. Her command was swift and efficient. She quickly recovered and moved the people who weren’t able to even walk properly due to shock. ‘I can’t make Noll’s sacrifice be in vain.’ The warp gate had nearly all-rounder functions, but it had difficult operating conditions in exchange. It required a large amount of magic power. Hundreds of magicians needed to squeeze out their magic power to barely operate it. It was unlikely that Noll, who just operated four warp gates at the same time, would be in an intact state. This was despite the fact that he was a direct descendant and the lord of the vampire city. It was because his magic power wasn’t infinite. Meanwhile, Xenon was intrigued by the series of situations. ‘The world has changed a lot.’ The relationship between vampires and humans was that of predators and prey. The act of helping each other was contrary to ecology and was a clear error. The direction in which human civilization developed was also unexpected. It was a form of harmony without destroying the ecosystem. It meant that they had chosen a difficult path. They felt they could afford it. It was highly likely that human intelligence had developed to a level beyond expectations. Or perhaps it was related to the elves. 'Did my father deserve it…?’ An era that would’ve been classified as ancient by human standards—the operation of the warp gate, which was only seen in an era that felt quite old even for Xenon, made Xenon more cautious. The warp gates were the giants’ technology. The reason for the destruction of the giants was that they were a threat to many transcendent species. As expected. Dozens of weapons appeared on the ground below the warp gates. He was alert to the giants’ weapons that could fire a substance called a ‘beam,’ but fortunately, it was

a cannon operated by gunpowder. The image of the busily moving artillerymen was primitive… [………!] Dozens of cannons fired simultaneously. At the same time, Xenon’s eyes widened. It was like two crescent moons in the gray sky seemed to turn into full moons in an instant. He was surprised by the power of the Overgeared Cannons. It was hard to believe that the cannons with a simple structure could show such power. Apart from Xenon’s surprise, the dozens of shells didn’t produce any results. Not a single shot hit Xenon. It was because they were blocked by the shield of transparent magic that surrounded his body at all times. It felt like the shells exploded in collision with invisible glass. Despite the fact that the shock waves generated at this time were quite powerful, Xenon’s huge body didn’t shake at all. It wasn’t even his absolute defense. A dragon’s absolute defense was the power to ‘invalidate all damage received.’ However, Xenon had blocked the damage from even reaching him, and it was all with one simple shield. ‘This is… ’ ‘…A dragon!’ The minds and hearts of Noll and the vampires chilled. It was more accurate to say that their expressions hardened. The attack didn’t work properly. The power of a transcendent species was so shocking. They already understood the power of dragons through sufficient learning, but actually experiencing it was a different problem. Dragon Fear, magic, Dragon Words, Breath, barriers, absolute defense, etc. They felt most desperate about the fact that the gray dragon didn’t show a single skill. Meanwhile, Xenon had finished identifying Reidan. ‘It isn’t strange if the army arrives.’ In terms of the size and shape of the city, it was an important production base for humans. Yet there were no elite forces that responded. He didn’t think that the

vampires stationed there were the elite. His guess was that they trusted the warp gates. This allowed them to move troops at any time. Dozens of spheres started to spin with Xenon as the center. It gradually became faster and more powerful. The city would be devastated even if only one of the spheres fell and hit the city. Noll’s pupils trembled like crazy. “Garitsha!” he shouted in a hurry. However, the sphere accelerated several times faster than Noll’s cry. Noll’s cry was buried by a deafening explosion. The deafening sound continued without stopping. The four warp gates collapsed quickly and hit Garitsha and the people. There wasn’t even time for Noll to act. Garitsha and most of the people lost their lives from the moment the spheres collided with the warp gates. They turned into ashes, along with Reidan Castle which stood at the heart of the warp gates. A few people who luckily didn’t perish were crushed to death by the remains of the warp gates. It was an unbelievable disaster caused by small actions. [I am very cautious.] Xenon’s father, Gujel, wasn’t an old dragon. It was a bit too ambiguous to be the absolute being that humans imagined. Therefore, Xenon was able to make the guess that ‘my father was killed by humans’ and didn’t feel overconfident in his power. Xenon planned to travel around the continent. He felt a need to closely observe and grasp humans. The problem was that from a human perspective, it would feel faster than a storm. “You…” Noll gritted his teeth. He didn’t ask questions like why this dragon had invaded. This was a transcendent species that he couldn’t understand from his own perspective. He decided it would be useless to ask for an explanation. The energy to devote to dialogue and understanding was completely focused on his magic power. ‘Mother, I will be going to your side now.’ He smiled as he recalled Beriache’s life. Blue blood vessels started to bulge all over his pale skin. It was the aftermath of magic power speeding through his blood

vessels all over the body and accelerating blood flow. Noll was determined to die. He planned to explode every last drop of his blood and take at least one of the dragon’s eyeballs. Of course, he knew that the probability of success was near zero. Even so, he wanted to leave with even a glimmer of hope rather than die an empty death. Xenon’s eyes that looked at him were sad. They resembled a human’s eyes looking pitifully at a mayfly’s life. It happened the moment Noll felt insulted and his blood vessels swelled up even more… ───! One of the spheres still swirling around Xenon were fired at Noll. There was no sound. The sphere was soon lodged in Noll’s heart. It was only when it exploded that it caused a deafening noise. “Kuaaaaak!” Noll shattered without even screaming while the vampires writhed in pain. They were critically injured in the aftermath of the explosion that blew Noll up. Xenon showed them no further interest. He fired one more sphere without saying anything. Just then, a giant bear appeared and blocked the sphere with its body. It was meaningless. The sphere pierced the unidentified bear with no trouble. The problem was that there were dozens of bears. By the time it reached its target, the sphere that had to pierce all types of obstacles without stopping or exploding lost its speed slightly. Arrows, swords, spears, axes, and shields fell in turn to block its way and the sphere exploded without advancing any further. Noll and the vampires, who just finished regenerating, looked at the reinforcements with a haggard face. They were unexpected people. “This is a great opportunity. I felt too uncomfortable to talk to him because I was less active in the Great Human and Demon War.” The 1st ranked berserker—it was Asuka, a blonde-haired woman called the weapons master or weapons collector. “This is a disaster, not an opportunity.” 1st in the summoner rankings—it was Black Teddy, a man with a cute teddy bear on his shoulder.

“I know. I am going to die. Even so, that doesn’t matter.” The duo with names familiar to Noll stood facing Xenon without any fear. Their expressions were confident even with a giant dragon like a mountain in front of them. They didn’t seem to know fear. “Take that vampire and leave while I hold on. Okay?” “Yes, Young Lady.” “What courage do you have…?!” Noll’s cry was ignored. Noll was helpless after already overcoming two deaths. Thus, Black Teddy’s bears easily covered his mouth and lifted him up. Asuka pulled out a new weapon and gripped it. Money and information—she invested the most powerful capital to collect the weapons made by Grid and had the ability to respond to various situations. Additionally, berserkers didn’t die easily. Death was deferred the closer she got to death. This was a more pronounced trait after level 460. It was possible to buy some time even if she couldn’t win against an overwhelmingly stronger opponent than herself. “I am finally going to join Overgeared One.” The right to purchase Grd’s new works that couldn’t be purchased no matter how much money she had—this was the lifelong aspiration of Asuka, who had the Weapons Mastery skill. Black Teddy also longed for her to fulfill her aspirations. He actively cooperated with her. He used a one-time top artifact, a movement device, to break through the barrier and took Noll and the vampires away from the field. The momentary wavelength of strange magic power woke up the queen who was sleeping deep underground. This made the few seconds bought by Asuka the most valuable time in the world.

Xenon’s method of recovering his father’s remains was simple. He could’ve shot a Breath as soon as he arrived at his goal. Considering the personality of the tower members who were reluctant to appear before the public, making a big fuss was a method to avoid them. However, Xenon had no intention of using such an extreme method. He could avoid the tower members by making a fuss, but he would end up catching the eye of the top dragons. He would become a victim himself if he did this. There were many difficulties and limitations in a dragon’s activities. Xenon planned to do things as quietly and smoothly as possible before returning to his lair. He wanted to block the rumors that a dragon was flying around. This was why he had to rush to make a decision a little while ago. Xenon couldn’t allow the escape of the vampires. He quickly recognized the artifact triggered by the humans who intruded into the scene and set up a barrier with the rule ‘you can’t leave this space.’ This series of processes was very fast. It was natural since a dragon’s will was realized immediately. The barrier was unfolded first before the artifact was triggered but it missed. It was because the technique imprinted on the artifact was surprisingly powerful. The onetime artifact turned into dust after it was triggered and the barrier became useless. 'It's a nice flow.' Dragons had an eye for determining the value of treasures. Xenon regarded the artifact that had just been destroyed as a pretty good thing. By human standards, it was a treasure where a replacement would probably be hard to find. Such a treasure was sacrificed in order to allow the vampires to escape? It was too much to simply be loyalty. It was clear that there was a trick. ‘If it is something that can be done with the vampires… ’ It was easy to infer. Vampires were beings that came from Beriache. It was a clan led by ‘Blood Queen’ Marie Rose, Beriache’s most powerful legacy.

‘Is there a way to wake up Marie Rose using the vampires?’ Before Xenon fell asleep, Marie Rose was sealed by Pope Chreshler. However, the seal was actually close to what Marie Rose ‘allowed.’ It was a seal that Marie Rose could leave any time she wanted. Of course, the Curse of Sloth was different. The Curse of Sloth was one of the most powerful curses derived from the gods of the beginning and couldn’t be easily rejected. Even so, Xenon had a high evaluation of Marie Rose’s potential. Marie Rose was the one whom Beriache, one of the three original evils, gave birth to in order to transcend her. She was likely to be able to temporarily overcome the Curse of Sloth. ‘The situation will become bad if I become hostile to her. I have to go back now.’ The only one Xenon was wary of among the humans and vampires was naturally the Dragon Slayer Hayate. This didn’t mean he looked down on Marie Rose. He had no intention of fighting her, even if she currently wasn’t free. The odds were low and the moment he collided with her, he was more likely to be caught by the tower members. The moment that Xenon turned back, the spheres circling around him were shot at Asuka. He was going to leave, but he still wanted to punish the intruder. Xenon absurdly wanted to kill the human blocking his way, but he couldn’t kill her. The Eraser Sword—it was due to the unique rated sword, which had a probability of negating magic, luckily slashing at the sphere. The Eraser Sword was supposedly made around three years ago by Grid, but it was still a new product among the items on the market. Putting aside the unstylish name, the power was excellent. Of course, this was a story of when the anti-magic effect was activated. The chance of triggering it was only 9% and the sword’s attack power wasn’t very high. It was an item that wasn’t good for the Overgeared Guild… “Hahat! I was lucky!” Asuke, who felt like her life was shortened by ten years, threw the Dragon Harpoon. It was an item optimized to constrain large monsters. The improved Dragon Harpoon had been distributed in large quantities to the army of the Overgeared Kingdom in recent years and it was relatively easy to obtain. Ttang!

It fired with a nice momentum. The Dragon Harpoon that hit Xenon’s gray scales fell to the ground helplessly. It couldn’t even scratch the scales. It was a very disappointing result for Asuka, who had already lost a significant amount of health in the aftermath of several explosions by Xenon. ‘There is no effect even though my attack power has risen by 43%?’ Asuka was well aware of how powerful a dragon’s absolute defense was. However, Grid had slashed the scales of a dragon during the 3rd National Competition. It might just be a small scratch, but it should be taken into account that the high rankers of that time had levels in the 300s. This meant that the current Asuka was much stronger than Grid at the time. She couldn’t even scratch the scales even after using the Dragon Harpoon? ‘Do I have to use a special method to hurt a dragon?’ Asuka was an enterprising person. The moment she established a new hypothesis, she didn’t obsess over the Grid-made weapons and instead took out other weapons. It was a scythe she got after a boss raid. It was a must to aim at the gap in the scales. She had no intention of escaping death. She knew it was impossible and was ready to die from the beginning. She had achieved her desired goal of letting the vampires escape and had no regrets other than getting a hint on how to attack a dragon. However, Xenon didn’t allow it. [Impertinent.] Xenon used magic for the first time. The magic power spheres that destroyed Reidan’s troops and plunged Noll and the vampires into a crisis were merely ‘magic power united and moved’ while magic was a law established with magic power to create a phenomenon. "………!” Asuka’s two feet sank deep into the ground and were stuck. The sight of her slim body being sucked into the ground was strange. It was as if she was in an antlion’s pit. The connection between gravity and a sinkhole—it was a technique that made the

increase in stats from the loss of health useless. ‘Look at him using his brain?’ Asuka laughed from the absurdity. Gravity weighed down on her body at the same time that the ground she was standing on disappeared. It caused restrictions on all types of actions. It was impossible to even perform an ‘action’ to take out items from her inventory. This meant that Xenon had blocked all variables with a single move. This was even though he had overwhelming power. He was able to subdue her with force, but Xenon sought efficiency without showing off his strength. There was naturally a reason for it. ‘He doesn’t need to fight.’ Berserkers didn’t die easily. Somehow, they could hold on a few times. Xenon was wary of luck variables on those few occasions. She could take out some means to threaten himself. ‘Besides, the level of the weapons used is extraordinary.’ They weren’t ordinary, human-made objects. Xenon looked back at the weapons Asuka used and ignited a fire in the hole that swallowed Asuka. After a while, the ground of the area ran red and dark smoke rose. An explosion followed. There was a deep, earth-shaking rumble and a gray ray of light soared from the center of the explosion. It was a light that meant Asuka’s death. Xenon immediately left the scene. The second largest building in Reidan—no, thanks to the castle turning to ashes, it became the largest building and he had a view of the city from the roof of the alchemy facility. It was disastrous and silent. Most of the facilities that produced goods had collapsed and no survivors were seen. Even so, Xenon could feel numerous signs of life from the building he was stepping on. ‘In any case, I have already missed the vampires.’ Keeping a few more eyewitnesses alive wouldn’t change anything. Despite this, Xenon trampled on the roof. He broke the ceiling of the building and looked inside

through the gap. Those who witnessed the huge pupil started screaming. They were alchemists. They had been celebrating that they were starting to prove their worth after at least 10 years of just eating rice. The reason they ignored Garitsha’s evacuation order was due to lingering regret. They could never give up on this facility, which they had developed while eating rice. If they abandoned the facility like this and ran away, they would just return to being useless people. “Be sure to protect Apostle Mercedes’ commission…!” the chief shouted. In particular, a coating agent with an excellent waterproof function—Mercedes had requested a few months ago for a thin and transparent film that wouldn’t be noticeable even when overlaid over a painting. The six apostles—one of the beings who was considered as the greatest after His Majesty the Emperor personally came to them. How could they fail her request? The chief wanted to complete the quest, regardless of dragons or whatever. He didn’t want things to go wrong because of this bastard who was nothing but a monster. Xenon read the enmity in this human’s eyes and was flustered. ‘The activities of humans have been too good for too long.’ How come every person he met didn’t seem to be very afraid of dragons? Flames rose under Xenon’s feet. This facility had made a great contribution to the development of human civilization. They would keep stretching out while he was asleep, so he needed to obliterate it in advance… [Your blood can’t wet me.] Xenon, who was trying to make the flames flow through the gap in the roof, suddenly opened his mouth. They were Dragon Words. The words that became real with strength. The waterfall of blood couldn’t reach Xenon’s flesh and scattered everywhere. Still, it didn’t disappear. It divided into millions or tens of millions of drops, but maintained its strength as it flew in the direction it came from. A strong bloody smell filled the area. [I can’t smell the blood.]

Xenon used Dragon Words again. He felt pain from the middle of his forehead. The continuous development of Dragon Words was causing various problems. However, Xenon had to endure it. “You have just become an adult.” The Blood Queen—the sight of the white face smiling between the dark magic power and red blood flowing was so chilling that it made Xenon’s dragon heart sink. The most beautiful duality in the world with the most sinister smile. It was seductive so Xenon had to use Dragon Words again. [I’m not fascinated.] Was he finally breathing properly? Xenon’s chest swelled up and he let out a long breath. [The life you have lived is much shorter than mine to call me a child.] Xenon held onto the end of his words and stretched it out. He wanted Marie Rose to not focus on the current ‘situation.’ After leading the conversation and disrupting the topic, he planned to take the opportunity to break away. It was just that Marie Rose wasn’t stupid. On average, it was once every few decades. She woke up for only a few minutes every time, so she knew the value of her time. “The power to determine my kin.” The last child Beriache gave birth to—even so, she was pointed out as a successor and beat all her siblings. “You said that ‘my’ blood can’t wet you.” The shadow of the city fluctuated greatly. To be precise, it was a scene where all the blood all over the city shot up. “What about the blood shed by my people?” [………!]

Xenon’s eyes widened and he eventually shot a Breath. It was to prevent the flood of blood that was like a tsunami and to create a chance to escape. The collision of the powerful forces caused an unstoppable wave. Just as Marie Rose woke up after hearing the fuss from below Reidan’s desert, the dragons all over the continent slowly opened their eyes while the tower members noticed the change.

Intelligence wasn’t a measure of goodness. Compared to insects who just responded to their instincts, the more intelligent a creature, the more selfish and cruel they were. It was simple when thinking of humans. [Is it Gujel?] [No, it is his son.] [There must be many who are drooling.] The dragons—the ultimate transcendent species, they were always great. They overwhelmed all others in both wisdom and strength. However, they had never been the subjects of the world. It was because they were brutal. It was virtually impossible for parents who ate their children or siblings who killed their siblings to work together to do big things. Dragons were creatures that existed to the end. All they could rely on was themselves. Baaaaang…! The sun seemed to fall to the ground. If a bit of exaggeration was added, it was reminiscent of a quasar. The waves of blood caused by Marie Rose and the energy of the Breath shot by Xenon swallowed up all the substances around it and eroded the giant city of Reidan. ‘It is dangerous.’ Xenon spread his wings wide. At the same time, he rose to the troposphere and his eyes headed toward the far east. It was the direction of his lair. From the moment he was born until when he became an adult. It was a home he had built up for over a thousand years. Even after becoming an adult, Xenon invested almost every moment except for the time sleeping to construct his lair. It was to create a stronger and more hidden home.

This was a dragon’s habit, not because Xenon was particularly cautious. Staying in the lair was the dragon’s most obvious survival strategy until thousands of years passed after adulthood and they built up enough power. “It is disgusting.” A small person rose in front of Xenon’s giant head. Red blood spread out like a shroud and colored the sky with its own color. It was Marie Rose who followed him. If Xenon was the size of a mountain, she was only a small dot. Marie Rose was very small compared to Xenon. Even so, Xenon felt overwhelmed. A world where everything that touched his gaze was red. This was already the domain of Marie Rose. “You turned my dear husband’s city into dust. You deserve to pay for it.” [It is your fault that it reached this point.] “I naturally have to punish you. This is what my dear husband wants.” [This demon…] The appearance of Marie Rose smiling with a flush on her face made Xenon feel appalled. He felt pity for the one called ‘dear husband’ by this crazy being. “Leave a wing for your sins,” Marie Rose spoke as kindly as possible. Although she was displeased with Xenon, she made a rational judgment rather than any excessive decisions that would kill him. It was because her eyelids were getting heavier. She woke up for a while after hearing a big fuss, but she was already at the limit. The Curse of Sloth inherited from Beriache was eating at her body and her thinking again. [It won’t be good for you if you take your time like this? Act moderately and get out of the way.] Xenon didn’t agree with the judgment that Marie Rose believed to be rational. He regarded it as excessive greed. It was natural. Like himself, who was being chased by other dragons, she was in a tight position when it came to time. Xenon knew Marie Rose was about to fall asleep. He didn’t think there was a need to match her

obstinacy. Marie Rose’s gaze chilled as she looked at the roaring Xenon. The sight of her long eyelashes descending was like a moving brush. It felt like the brush was taking a break for a while after drawing big and dark eyes. “Gray, you are a low level hybrid.” In fact, wasn’t she born to satisfy their aesthetics? Marie Rose, who was so beautiful that she made people wonder this, looked good even when she was cursing. Her disdainful gaze gave Xenon a form of stimulation that he had never known. He would’ve been dazzled by Marie Rose at this moment if he hadn’t used Dragon Words beforehand. “The cut wing will grow again over time, but you are driving yourself to an early grave due to your vain pride.” The shroud of blood that covered the sky—a change occurred in Marie Rose’s domain. The whirlpool made Xenon’s vision and spirit turbid. It meant that a dragon’s mental defenses had been penetrated. The astonished Xenon hurriedly used magic to purify his thoughts. A second change occurred in the blood shroud. It swelled up everywhere and tens of thousands of awls popped out to unexpectedly pierce Xenon in the center of the area. Sparks popped up every time a red awl touched Xenon’s scales. The majesty of the absolute defense was revealed. None of the tens of thousands of awls pierced Xenon’s scales. Instead, they melted and flowed down as a handful of blood. Even so, Xenon wasn’t relieved. A huge pool of blood made by the melted awls. He was wary of the deep swamp that came up to his thighs. [Blood, it can’t hurt me.] Blood flowed from Xenon’s eyes as he squeezed out the Dragon Words. It was the aftermath of designating the substance ‘blood’ itself as an immune target. He suffered incomparable side-effects compared to when he rejected the ‘blood of a particular target.’ Instead, the effect was excellent. The pool of blood that reached Xenon’s thigh was scattered everywhere. Xenon felt liberated. He had a gut feeling that now was his chance to escape.

This was until he saw the smile on Marie Rose’s face. “You are simple.” There were a lot of remnants of Beriache remaining in Marie Rose’s head. It was the knowledge and experience of one of the first three evils. “My mother’s theory was right.” Convenience simplified thinking. Therefore, the Dragon Words were poisonous. Dragon who relied on Dragon Words would surely regress… Beriache’s prediction was correct. Xenon—a young dragon born with gray scales and a low hierarchy was overly reliant on Dragon Words. He was tricked by meaningless deception and paid a harsh price. Demonic energy—both wings were captured and torn by a force that was as powerful as the blood that Marie Rose inherited from Beriache. [Kuaack…!] Xenon belatedly realized what happened as he felt his absolute defense temporarily collapsing the moment he was held by demonic energy. The 3 evils of the beginning—their intrinsic power was naturally demonic energy. He overlooked the basics and became too obsessed with blood. It was because Marie Rose showed blood magic that was too overbearing. It was right to say that he was completely pushed in this fight. “Then goodbye.” This was enough punishment. Marie Rose lightly waved her hand and really left without any regrets. She used Xenon’s blood that was soaking the ground as a medium and moved underground. Xenon failed to shoot a Breath at her. It would just be re-announcing his location to the other dragons who would be chasing him. He used magic while resenting his choice and incompetence for losing both wings while trying to protect one wing

‘I have to leave soon.’ A portal was opened in front of Xenon. The coordinates were naturally a place other than his lair. It was the end if it was backtracked to the coordinates of his lair. From now on, he would have to escape through portals for at least decades or hundreds of years. At the end, he was more likely to be dead than alive, but… there was no other option for Xenon, who lost his wings. ‘Won’t it be possible to survive if I momentarily slip away from the pursuers and flee to the East Continent?’ Xenon was trying to move through the portal only to move back in astonishment. At the same time, the portal split in half. Xenon recognized the identity of the sword that cut the portal with one glance. It was a sword made from his father’s remains. [You…?!] Xenon was greatly flustered. After he woke up, his father’s remains had stayed in the same place. It was the direction of Reinhardt, the place the humans referred to as the capital of the Overgeared Empire. Yet in front of his eyes, traces of his father that he never felt before appeared. The identity was Gujel’s Sword. It was a divine sword held in the hands of a Sword Saint. “For now, you will be secured by the Tower of Wisdom.” A sword that slashed anything—Biban spoke after cutting the portal that distorted space and stopping Xenon’s escape. It was close to an order. One human being… commanding a dragon? The weight of the tower’s name was too great for it to be improbable and offensive. Xenon’s trembling gaze was fixed to Biban’s back. A man of dignity who transcended the limits of his species—Dragon Slayer Hayate was quietly staring at Xenon. “It is better for you to get a chance to defend yourself in the tower than be eaten by your own kind here,” the 2nd Seat, Fronzaltz, persuaded the hesitant Xenon. The purpose of the Tower of Wisdom was to suppress the disasters that dragons

would cause. They couldn’t tolerate a situation where Xenon and the dragons’ chase would make the continent turbulent. They wanted to prevent any dragon from eating Xenon and evolving. “There is no time,” Radwolf checked the dragon radar and urged Xenon again. […I understand.] Xenon gave up on resisting. It was better to follow the tower member and grasp an opportunity than to die here. However, things went differently from what they intended. “………?!” [………!!] Suddenly, a new portal opened at the scene. It was a trace of someone finding this location and trying to cross over. “Hup!” Biban’s sword neatly slashed at the portal. There was just a problem. The portal reopened as soon as it was cut. It was even four at the same time. The location of each portal was different. It was created in all directions from the location of the portal just cut. “So persistent…!” Biban clicked his tongue and drew a full moon with his sword. The portals generated in all directions were slashed without a time difference and extinguished. Then— This time, 32 portals were opened. Eight portals were created in all directions around each of the four portals that had just been extinguished. It was very quick and accurate. “Who keeps disturbing me…?!” Biban used the Matchless Swordsmanship. He cut all the new portals and urged his colleagues with a look. It was a signal to send Xenon to the tower. However, the required magic power to teleport a dragon was different from the magic power

required to teleport humans. An additional 64 portals were opened before Jessica and Fronzaltz’ collaborative incantation was completed. This time, a voice was heard from the portal. It was already great to be able to open 64 portals at the same time, yet each portal had voice transmission magic fused with it. “I won’t miss it,” the voice said. “………!” The voice that rang from all directions caused the expressions of the tower members to stiffen. It was because they identified the voice. Braham Eshwald—the apostle of the Overgeared God and the legendary great magician. Additionally, Beriache’s direct descendant. They observed the world, so there was no way they wouldn’t recognize the voice of one of the most important and noted figures. “This damn thing.” They were being disturbed by Grid’s subordinate? Jessica told the flustered Biban, “The other person is too bad. In this way, he will eventually arrive here first.” The existence of the tower would be discovered… The tower members felt the crisis and all their gazes shifted to Hayate. “We will step back first.” Hayate quickly made a judgment. [What about me…?] Xenon asked in a hurry, but it was useless. The tower members had already left the scene. Xenon had no choice but to reopen a portal. However, Braham appeared from one of the 64 portals, ahead of Xenon’s belated portal. The problem was that Xenon’s magic flow was poor due to the continuous use of Dragon Words and Braham’s magic usage speed was similar to a dragon.

“………?” Braham’s expression stiffened as he arrived at the scene. He followed Marie Rose’s footsteps only to find a dragon. He was so flustered that he couldn’t control his facial expression properly. [………] Xenon was wary of the chasers who would already be very close, so his expression was also uncomfortable. There was an awkward silence for a moment. Kurarararara! Then from the far sky, the cries of the pursuers were heard. ‘It’s ruined.’ The tower members who just arrived at the tower checked the dragon radar and their hearts sank. The number of dragons displayed on the rader, including Xenon, was a huge four.

“Let’s go back.” Biban stared blankly at the flashing dragon radar before rising from his seat. Every time he breathed, he scattered transparent waves in the shape of a blade. Thousands of intangible swords emerged involuntarily. Even now, he was about to express misunderstandings. “This isn’t bragging. In fact, I know Braham. He will remember my face clearly.” “I know it well, even if you didn’t confess. Why do you think you are monopolizing the cleaning duty?” “…Braham might’ve vaguely noticed the existence of the tower. It is just that he is clever and closed-mouthed, so he didn’t say it.” “Braham isn’t a man of virtue.” “Certainly. A magician of that level will be close to a madman.” “It is ominous just from his origin. He is a vampire. The vampires have a drastic shift in tendency due to Grid, but what about their shady nature?” “………” The emergence of four dragons—due to the urgency, the atmosphere of the tower was very tumultuous. They felt lighter than the heart of a bachelor who was excited in spring and almost floated recklessly. Biban’s words were constantly interrupted and he frowned as he felt the limits of his patience. “Trust me once. No, trust Grid. Even if Braham sees us and is certain of our existence, Grid will firmly control him.” “There is no reason to do this.” Radwolf simply ignored Biban’s confident words.

“It isn’t a matter where we can take risks.” Jessica added some basis to his words. “The first problem is that we can’t rescue Xenon even if we go all out.” Three dragons had entered the scene. By now, they would’ve surrounded Xenon perfectly. There wasn’t a single top dragon, but there was enough power to kill Xenon, who met the Blood Queen and lost both wings in vain. Xenon was going to be eaten even before the tower members could do anything. “It will be the site of the birth of a new top dragon. There is no way the other dragons will stand by.” “By now, a lot of eyes will be paying attention to the scene. They know we have the technology to detect them and are hiding their signs.” Additional remarks were added. The contribution of the tower members to make Biban understand was huge. It was a waste of time, but it was a necessary process considering Biban’s wisdom. “It isn’t just three? Is that possible? Can so many dragons move all at once? They are grouping up when they should be most vigilant of each other?” “The threshold of the place and the stimulus is the problem.” The explanation was longer than the tower members expected. “Reidan is the area where Beriache settled in the past. The vampire cities are still underground. It has great geographical value and there is a high probability that it is actually in touch with many voids.” Voids—it was a slang term often used by the tower members to refer to an ‘unidentifiable place’ or a dragon lair. “Besides, the Blood Queen made a brief but intense impression. It might be a lower ranked dragon, but she overpowered him with just a few minutes. It is a sensational event.” It took just over three minutes for Marie Rose to grab and tear at both of Xenon’s

wings. This meant that her strength clearly transcended the traces and speculations that remained in history. They felt that the curse she carried was balancing the world. “There’s more attention on Reidan right now than we think.” “It is a feast for dragons. If we go there, we will just be delicacies prepared on our own. The tower, which has worked hard for a thousand years, will immediately collapse.” “This damn thing. Why are you saying that now? If I had known, I would’ve brought Xenon with me before.” Xenon was a lower ranked dragon. Furthermore, he was greatly weakened due to the continuous use of Dragon Words and the loss of his wings. It was possible for the tower members to grab his lifeline and move as they wanted. If they had succeeded in securing Xenon, he would’ve been useful in many ways. However, it was bitter because they failed. “So are we going to just watch?” Ken, who was watching quietly with his arms crossed, intervened. His abilities were within the top three of the tower. In particular, he was the master of penetration, so he could ignore a dragon’s absolute defense and thick scales, easily spreading the shock inside the dragon. If his fists and angle of attack struck the dragon’s heart, then a top dragon would also falter for a while. He wasn’t happy that he had to stand by and watch the situation without using the strength he was confident in. Hayate calmed the atmosphere. “There is still a chance.” Biban and Ken listened carefully. On the other hand, the expressions of the other tower members weren’t very comfortable. They knew what opportunity Hayate was talking about. *** “I fell into a trap,” Braham was stiff for a while before belatedly opening his mouth. The irritation on his beautiful face sharpened the impression he gave off, but it suited him very well. Originally, it was a strange thing.

“I can’t believe she made a dragon into a half-god to lure this body… as expected, Marie Rose… I don’t know about anything else, but I have to acknowledge the skills she inherited from Mother.” Kurarararara! The cries were echoing. He magically tracked it and the sound was coming from the end of the stratosphere. It meant the power in the voice was close to a miracle. He realized how ignorantly strong the dragons were. It made Marie Rose’s wicked and mysterious strategy of using dragons to create the trap even greater. [I thought you had a high consciousness. It turns out that you are also Beriache’s child.] Xenon talked in a nonchalant manner. He was desperate. It was because the mana, which was carried by the voice of the same kind, was transformed into a technique that sealed off the space. There was even a double and then triple layer. There wasn’t enough time to escape. Now he could only wait for death. Which of these three would eat him? For Xenon, this was the only curiosity he had left. “Don’t put my mother’s name in your lowly mouth.” [Are you provoking me in order to die less painfully? Forget it. I’m not going to hurt you. The last joy of my life will be to appreciate the end of your life as you eventually cry after suffering from fear of the inevitable death approaching you.] Braham was more famous than he thought. Most dragons knew him. The one who found Fire Dragon Trauka’s lair and stole a treasure from it. Detecting Trauka’s lair, hiding in the lair, and stealing treasure—all of these actions were madness. Based on the way he survived robbing Trauka’s lair, Xenon thought that he might be the next strongest after Marie Rose, but he was in a class where he couldn’t be classified, regardless of his skill level. “It is too much of a dream for a lowly being like you to have.” Braham’s reaction was truly bizarre. He seemed to value his life very much. It was hard to understand his attitude of despising a creature so much superior to him. It was to the extent that it was difficult to define as simply ‘not knowing the subject.’ ‘Let’s stop talking to him.’

Xenon decided to let Braham’s complaining enter one ear and out the other. Yes, complaining. No matter what Braham said, it only sounded like complaining to Xenon. It was natural. Braham jumped into this battlefield on his own. He was possessed by something and ended up targeted by at least three dragons. It was like winning the chance of being hit by lightning hundreds of times in a row despite the clear sky. What could an unlucky man do other than complain? ‘Green, blue, and gray… ’ Xenon ignored the muttering Braham and weighed the identity of the incoming pursuers. The hierarchy was like the power system itself. The children of the top dragons—two of them had just become adults, while the remaining one seemed to have lived for around 3,000 years. The fact that the oldest and most crafty one was a gray made him unable to hold even a speck of hope. Gray—they were a hybrid produced when dragons of different types interbreed. Like Xenon, they weren’t comparable to other pure dragons. The power of their Breath was particularly reduced due to a lack of specialized attributes. They were careful to know this themselves. A gray dragon that survived for around 3,000 years? It meant he had developed all types of wisdom and overcame many fights, or he fortunately ate his parents. It was right to say that this was the stage before becoming a top dragon and there was a high probability of blossoming a new attribute. In the future, he could be the second stone dragon. ‘He will never let down his guard.’ As if to prove Xenon’s idea right— Flash! A huge star shone at the end of the sky. It fell like a meteor. It gradually approached with a roar and its identity was a gray ray of light. It was the Breath of the gray dragon. He was aiming for a quick fight. He knew that a lot of attention would be paid to this place. The other two seemed to have noticed it a step late. The two Breaths fell behind it.

‘The pain will only grow if I resist here.’ Xenon was in a desperate situation from the beginning. He didn’t resist it. He closed his eyes and accepted death. Just then, a voice was heard. “Are you praying?” Braham’s voice that entered one ear contained no fear. Rather, it was full of certainty. [………!!] Xenon opened his eyes and they widened. It was because he witnessed the collapse of parts of the three-layered barrier. It was far from destruction. It was closer to the feeling of grasping and dismantling the structure of the barrier in detail. It wasn’t impossible. If Xenon hadn’t given up on life and if he had enough time, Xenon would’ve disassembled this triple barrier as well. It was possible for dragons because they were a magic species. The noteworthy thing here was speed. Braham was a vampire, not a dragon, yet he neutralized the barrier twice as fast as Xenon’s calculations. [The knowledge that Marie Rose inherited… was it just a remnant?] The 3 evils of the beginning—they were born only one step later than the gods of the beginning and the old dragons, so their knowledge was deeper and wider than the sea. Fully utilizing it was a separate matter, but it meant he transcended a large number of dragons in terms of intellectual potential. It was happening right in front of him. Xenon’s expression changed as he looked at Braham. The disbelief was gradually erased and it changed to expectations. The three Breaths smashed the half-broken barrier and turned the area into ashes. Braham and Xenon appeared in a place that was far away. There was no time to open a portal, but there was plenty of time to use short-range teleportation. Nevertheless, they couldn’t completely avoid the aftermath of the explosion. They just narrowly avoided a serious injury. “Give it to me.” Braham redid the shattered mana shield and reached out to Xenon.

The bloodline couldn’t be fooled. The hand was beautiful even when bloody. “Your heart.” Braham noticed that Xenon’s magic activation speed was slower than his own. He was convinced that Xenon was deeply injured beyond simply losing his wings. “I will use it better than you.” From the beginning, Braham wasn’t Xenon’s ally. “Wouldn’t it be better to drag the enemy who drove you to this state as a companion in your afterlife than to die in vain?” Braham didn’t take into account Xenon’s mood and fate. It was just about efficiency. [Your arrogance is piercing the sky. Do you think it is possible to fight against dragons just by acquiring his heart?] The three dragons snorted as they arrived at the scene. They were competitors who were wary and hostile to each other, but at this moment, they had a common sentiment toward Braham. Braham cocked his head. “I never said I would fight against you.” [………?] Xenon was the most flustered. The man who just persuaded him that there was a chance to die with his enemies changed his words straight away. The change in attitude was faster than flipping a palm. Braham added an explanation. “I am going to grab Marie Rose’s head. Isn’t she the one who made the situation like this?” [………] The words were correct, but Xenon felt somewhat frustrated and bitter. The uncomfortable feeling he felt from the time he saw the tower members running away after extending their hands first now became even more twisted. The awkward atmosphere lasted for only a moment. Putting aside Xenon’s worries, the dragons didn’t give them any time. They attacked Xenon to achieve their goal. Braham was

completely ignored. He was almost treated as a bug. ‘As expected, it didn’t work.’ There was no room for intervention. Braham clicked his tongue in regret and opened a portal to leave the scene. At this moment— [There is no being who can leave here.] This sentence—even without evidence, it established a strong law. Braham’s portal was forcibly closed. “………” Braham shut his mouth. A chill went down his spine as he recalled a nightmare he had forgotten. Fire Dragon Trauka—it reminded him of the overwhelming power of that bastard who made all common sense and knowledge useless. He must be lurking somewhere near here. It was a memory that forced him to recall the being his senses couldn’t feel at all. ‘I will die.’ Everyone here, including himself, would soon disappear.

Since ancient times, humanity had regarded the stars as special. They admired the shining stars even in the distant universe. This was why the noblest humans were often likened to them. It was also the basis for Braham’s belief that he was the best. He was the one who pulled down the stars. He naturally trivialized the humans who compared themselves to stars. It was a temperament that had become more prominent recently. The magic theories that were rebuilt based on the enlightenment gained from fighting Gamigin, the power of the direct descendant that was restored due to Marie Rose’s whim that rapidly strengthened his mana and physique, and the evolution of his equipment thanks to Grid’s favor—Braham was entering his best prime period ever. He was confident that he could protect Grid’s back and he believed that he could face any opponent as long as they weren’t outside the standards like dragons or the Martial God. A little while earlier, he was even more convinced. That dragon that he encountered after following Marie Rose’s traces. He wasn’t too afraid considering that both of the dragon’s wings were torn off. It felt completely different from when he met Trauka in the past. That magic power in the atmosphere that shared its senses with Braham was shouting in unison. Maybe it was worth discussing the odds. Braham could’ve looked at being the first dragon slayer in history if it wasn’t for the interruption of the three dragons that invaded the scene in real time. It was arrogance. [There is no being who can leave here.] Braham was held to the rule set by the Dragon Words and realized that there was a serious error in his calculations. ‘Not all dragons are the same?’

All beings who lived with their feet on the ground didn’t know the physiology of the dragons. It was like how humans understood only a very small part of the universe. Braham didn’t have much interest in dragons. He was immersed in magic rather than obsessing over the impossibilities. It was also something induced by Beriache’s knowledge. Braham believed that his mother passed on all her knowledge to him, but this was actually a belief that should be broken. Had he forgotten about the source of the curse that ruled his kin? Beriache didn’t give Braham some of her knowledge. One of them was knowledge of the dragons. This made the dragons complete unknowns to Braham and induced him to perceive them as merely fearful beings. It was proof that Beriache loved Braham. She feared that an unqualified child would be killed in vain due to his interest in dragons. On the other hand, it meant Beriache hadn’t predicted the fact that he would do something crazy like break into Trauka’s lair without knowing the subject. "………” Braham’s face was pale as he noticed the truth. Fire Dragon Trauka, Evil Dragon Bunhelier, Insane Dragon Nevartan, Gourmet Dragon Raiders—Braham thought that all adult dragons would be like them. He didn’t expect the inferiority or superiority of the armed force to be different depending on the nature of the individual. However, it was different. The four dragons with poorly recognized colored scales were of a lower class than Trauka. The emergence of another dragon, who just unfolded his willpower through Dragon Words from somewhere unknown, proved this fact. It was in a different dimension. ‘I will die.’ Everyone here, including himself, would soon disappear. It was a gut feeling, not a guess. Braham’s calculations that took into account the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of branches of mana in the atmosphere were absurdly fast and accurate. It took him a split second to be sure of his own death. ‘It is checkmate.’

Braham was a magician before he was the Duke of Wisdom. It was right to prepare countless countermeasures for each action and avoid the worst. Yet he couldn’t do so now. ‘I still have a long way to go.’ Braham, who realized his shortcomings only when he was on the verge of dying, turned his attention to Xenon. Less than a minute had passed since he was attacked, but the scales were already torn off. The color, disguised with magic out of near instinct, was revealed nakedly and he saw that Xenon’s scales were as gray as the cloudy sky. “I’ll say it again.”’ The presence that reminded Braham of Trauka—it was the emergence of a top dragon that could easily be mistaken for an old dragon by those who didn’t know the hierarchy of dragons. Braham’s absurd voice permeated the hearing of the dragons who recognized him and caused them to stiffen. “Give me your heart. There is no hope other than that.” Braham was clearly speaking to Xenon, but the one who reacted was the dragon who shoved his teeth into Xenon’s neck. [You… keep quiet.] Basque, the gray dragon who had survived for 3,000 years—he hadn’t slept for 500 years. It was for one opportunity in the future. He just needed one more chance to eat and he could climb to the upper ranks of the hierarchy. His magic senses stretched out around his lair in the center of the continent and he closely observed the trends of his kind. He endured the long boredom with transcendent patience. Then he missed two big opportunities. First was the stone dragon. He was tracking the stone dragon, who was wounded and weakened by the insane dragon, only to be deceived by the tower members and turned away from the Behen Archipelago. The camouflage techniques of the tower members were indeed undisputable. It was how the location of the tower had been undetected until now.

The second opportunity was the fire dragon. At first, he was uncertain, but Ifrit was clearly weak. He was more likely to encounter an old dragon if he targeted her, but he still chased her. It was worth taking the risk. Then he belatedly noticed Ifrit’s destination and turned back. The best thing was that he felt her being annihilated without a trace and he comforted himself that Trauka hadn’t become stronger. Now a third chance had arrived. The situation was better than the previous opportunities. The lower dragons were too low on the hierarchy to attract an old dragon’s attention. Due to the recent extinction of Ifrit, the top dragons became cautious. Surprisingly, he thought it was an opportunity to eat easily. The uproar was louder than necessary due to Marie Rose and two competitors followed, but they were opponents he could easily handle. The flow was good. He saw that he would finally achieve his aspirations today. This was until a little while ago when he felt the signs of the cloaked dragon. ‘…It is lucky just to be aware of his existence. It is encouraging to be able to defend against a surprise attack from a cloaked dragon.’ It was because his eyes couldn’t see a cloaked dragon. The original cloaked dragon wasn’t easily recognized. It was because they enjoyed the technique of creating shading with magic power and blocking vision, so the operation of magic power was very strange. Was it the child of the refractive dragon or a cloaked dragon itself? No one knew. It was because no one had been able to prove that the refractive dragon existed. ‘First of all, I need to keep Xenon alive.’ Basque was a mid grade dragon close to the top rank. If he cooperated with the three lower ranked dragons, even a top dragon would be embarrassed to handle them alone. It was because time was dragging out while they were discussing victory or defeat. They needed to endure a huge uproar, making it so that there was a possibility that the cloaked dragon himself would become prey. It was likely that the cloaked dragon would become the first target after eating Xenon and evolving. He must’ve planned to take efficient action to quickly arrange the situation or retreat if that wasn’t possible. This was why he should protect Xenon without killing him.

[It is better to join forces.] Basque said. He didn’t add any explanation. A dragon’s head contained the universe. They saw through all things naturally. Depending on the nature of each individual, there were often dragons who didn’t utilize their knowledge, but only the insane dragon would have a slow understanding of the situation. [Xenon, restore your strength.] The two other lower dragons agreed to Basque’s suggestion. Their attitude of guarding Xenon was evidence. Xenon swallowed his curses. ‘How many times will I have nightmares of the humiliation I suffered today?’ The tower members who acted like they were going to help and then left. His kin who rushed to eat him only to reach out a hand. He didn’t like either one. He felt pathetic and ashamed for being dragged into this situation against his will. There was one thing that was more annoying than that. “Isn’t it better to kill him than to carry him as a burden? It is hard to comment because I don’t know the physiology of a dragon. Tsk.” Vampires—Marie Rose, who tore off his wings and disappeared leisurely, and Braham, who kept asking for his heart. They were truly of the same bloodline. He thought they were the most hateful creatures in the world. [Braham, you… keep staying quiet.] The reason why dragons preyed on their own kind was simply for survival. They had to be strong in order to survive. The most efficient way was to eat their kin. It was a barbaric culture taught and established by the old dragons. Predation couldn’t take precedence over survival unless it was the Fire Dragon Trauka or the insane dragon. Basque wanted to live. He wanted to somehow persuade Xenon to cooperate. He wanted Braham, who was constantly trying to ignite the flames, to shut up. Braham cocked his head. The silver hair that hung below his ears waved beautifully. “Do you know my name?” Wasn’t it proof that this dragon was keeping a close eye on the world? Braham was

intrigued when he learned this new fact. “Are dragons interested in the surface? Then why not intervene? It is too much to say you are careful simply because you are afraid of being eaten by your kin.” [………] “Isn’t the world so wide? Until just 30 years ago, it took three or four months for news from the northern lands to reach the south. It might be the standard for ordinary people, but it can’t be impossible for you to monitor the entire continent all the time, right? Dragons can’t be like common creatures that live everywhere on the continent… are there any restrictions on you? What type of restrictions are there?” It was a chance to figure out the dragons. Braham was very active because it was a difficult opportunity to get again. He spoke in a fast manner that was rare for him. Was it necessary to use Dragon Words to shut him up? Basque was seriously considering it before shaking his head. It was a very disadvantageous situation. He needed even one more helper. He couldn’t ignore Braham any longer and roughly replied. [We aren’t interested in any beings other than ourselves. You are just famous.] “I… am famous among dragons? Well, I can guess why.” Braham’s eyes twitched as he turned his head. The dragons—he was proud of his magic skills which were so good that a magic species showed interest in him. Putting aside the situation where his life was in danger, he wanted to smile. Basque and the dragons, who were now on the same side, weren’t interested in him. They were busy focusing on the dark shadow on one side of their field of view. [Cranbel, it is better for us to all step back here. Let’s make it a tie.] The cloaked dragon, Cranbel, responded to Basque’s suggestion. [You are overconfident.] The four dragons and Braham’s eyes moved to the right at the same time. It was

because the position of the shadow presumed to be the cloaked dragon had changed. Braham felt something strange. ‘I don’t feel anything.’ The atmosphere’s mana that shared its senses with Braham was silent. He couldn’t detect the texture of the magic power that made up that shadow. It was amazing. Braham recalled the Dragon Words of the cloaked dragon. No one could leave here. This meant he was confident about taking care of everyone here alone. The problem was serious if he was so confident even though his enemies might cooperate. ‘As expected, it is annihilation.’ Braham didn’t distinguish between the top and old dragons. To him, both Trauka and the cloaked dragon felt like they couldn’t be resisted. He thought in his head about how he would soon die from an unidentified attack that flew from an unexpected place. At the same time, Braham’s thoughts became a reality. The shadow was still fixed at the point where the group was watching, but a fierce attack flew from the side. It was a tail covered with silver scales. Basque’s thick waist was dented. It wasn’t known how many ribs a dragon had, but they all seemed to be broken. Basque reacted quickly. He twisted his long, bent neck in the reverse direction of the impact. He stabbed at the air with the horn on his forehead. At the same time, a Breath was shot. The position of the cloaked dragon was determined based on the direction in which the tail flew. Then a gray breath appeared and crossed the sky like it existed from the beginning. It was an unchallenged power. It was like a huge pillar. The surroundings quickly darkened. It was the aftermath of the sun being obscured by the pillar. Basque’s expression was stiff. The counterattack failed. The cloaked dragon wasn’t in that position. The problem was that the damage was too great, even though it was one-sided. He became disadvantaged in an instant. ‘Is the only way to make him step back under the pretext of mutual destruction?’

If the Breaths were overused, someone new would eventually invade the scene. He had to bet on the variable that would occur at that time. The attitude of the cloaked dragon was that he didn’t care about anyone, but this would soon change if a bad enemy appeared. [Resistance is pointless…?] The voice of the cloaked dragon was echoing everywhere only to be cut off in the middle. “The name tunnel dragon matches you.” Braham’s red eyes were staring at the cloaked dragon. It was from a gap in the ground that was formed by an earthquake. “It isn’t bad to be called a rat.” The silently waiting mana of the atmosphere had reacted the moment the tail of the cloaked dragon appeared. Braham had noticed it from there. It was true that the cloaked dragon cast a shade over mana, but it wasn’t necessarily stealth. The cloaked dragon used his sophisticated mana operation abilities to move under the ground. He dug tunnels in the ground without the slightest vibration to make sure that no one on the ground noticed him and then he disturbed the enemy. It went against the norm. It was impossible for Braham to use mana in such a way. “It is great. The problem is that the form doesn’t work.” […Shut up.] The tunnel dragon, no, the cloaked dragon, Cranbel, emerged from the ground. He was 1.5 times larger compared to Basque or Xenon. Any small movements could cause all types of ripple effects. It seemed like if he just took a deep breath and exhaled, it would become a Breath. By this point, Basque also noticed it. ‘We can’t win no matter what we do.’ Cranbel’s strength transcended Basque’s imagination. It was a power Basque realized only after Cranbel showed up. Basque and the dragons were forced to open their eyes wide. They sensed their own deaths.

[Since it is like this, I will do it quickly. I am going to turn you all to dust like this city.] He was referring to the remnants of the buildings touching his feet. It didn’t mean much. Cranbel merely mentioned the collapsed city for the purpose of threatening his enemies. However, the timing was bad. “Is it you?” Grid had just arrived at the scene and now his blazing eyes glared at Cranbel. “Why did you hurt innocent people?” There was a gust of wind that didn’t suit the hot desert. While Braham stared anxiously at Grid, who jumped in on his own, the dragons were shocked. It was because the remnants of the fire dragon held by Grid resonated with the magic power of the dragons and showed them a certain scene. The scene of Grid riding Ifrit was projected onto his divinity that spread out like the polar lights.

Envy and longing created a desire to be like him. The reason why the number of Reinhardt’s blacksmiths was hard to count wasn’t just due to the high benefits. It was also because of Grid’s presence. Countless people were dreaming of becoming the second Grid. “If blacksmiths change the recipe, it is usually because things are bad.” The 1st ranked blacksmith, Panmir. He explained on the premise that Grid ‘doesn’t know much about the production system.’ He knew the story about how Grid didn’t know the item auto production system. Pagma's Successor surprisingly wasn’t an allrounder blacksmith. Panmir immediately noticed that he was subjected to checks by the system. “The materials required for the recipe weren’t provided in time, there was a mistake in the technique required by the recipe, or they are affected by sudden changes in the environment. Most of these things happen unintentionally.” In Satisfy, rapid changes to the environment were relatively common. Imagine that someone nearby used ice or fire magic. This might be a fairly extreme example, but it was surprisingly frequent because Satisfy had such a large population and so many incidents. “Defects. Variations in the recipe have a 99.99% chance of producing defects.” It was obvious common sense. However, Grid didn’t consider it a trivial matter. He noted the 99.99% probability instead of 100%. “There is a 0.01% chance that a miracle will be born.” Grid had been supported by the guild for a long time and always produced items in complete conditions. The only variable he experienced during production was the ‘fluctuations in rating.’ Of course, he had to deal with all types of variables when making a new recipe, but they were currently talking about making items ‘according to the recipe.’

“This is one of the miracles.” Admiration was on Grid’s face as he looked at the strangely curved sword. A legendary rated sword was born from the ‘Pattern: Whirlwind.’ The maximum rating was unique, but a legendary rated Whirlwind was born. It was in the hands of an ordinary blacksmith, not Grid. “That’s right. It has happened before in the past. A very small number of blacksmiths, including myself, had experienced results that transcend the limits of the recipe at least once.” This was why Panmir ordered some blacksmiths to work by ‘changing the recipe.’ Reinhardt had too many blacksmiths. There were limits to the supply and demand of materials used to make supplies, while manpower remained. Recently, miners had discovered new mines around the empire, but surplus manpower still existed. Panmir thought of a clever way to utilize them. They were ordered to produce items using the remaining materials, i.e. materials that didn’t fit the recipes. As a result, tens of thousands of defective products were poured out, while a very small number of them were miracles. “I just never dreamed that a legendary rated weapon would be made.” Originally, legendary weapons and armor could only be made by Grid. However, from the time that legendary recipes appeared, craftsman-grade blacksmiths started to produce ordinary legendary items. Yet this legendary rated Whirlwind was made by an ordinary blacksmith, not a craftsman. “I think it is the influence of you becoming a myth. The overall level of the world has risen.” Now the best blacksmith was a myth, not a legend. It was right that the level of other blacksmiths would evolve in line with this. It was the flow of the times, the balance that the S.A Group was obsessed with. “…This is great.” Grid smiled happily. He was proud of the blacksmiths who had been steadily developing. He also felt respect for Panmir, who produced unexpected results by utilizing the remaining materials and manpower.

Panmir was a different type of teacher than Khan. Khan gave a lot of enlightenment based on how to use the ‘system’ that he couldn’t teach. What would it have been like if Khan and Panmir worked together? Today, he missed Khan terribly. Urgent news flew to Grid as they were leaving the smithy. -A dragon is attacking Reidan. Noll and the vampires who fought it escaped with the help of Black Teddy. There is no information about other survivors. Expecting catastrophic damage. *** “Why did you hurt innocent people?” Grid ran without stopping. He repeatedly linked Barbatos’ Vision with Shunpo to blast himself forward every moment. Several times along the way, he endured the pain of the shortness of breath and suffocation. In particular, the flow of mana became thicker as he approached Reidan and it weighed heavily on his body. Even so, he endured it with transcendent patience. The warp gates weren’t available. The route from Reinhardt to Reidan had been removed. He understood when he arrived. Everything in Reidan had turned into ashes. The castle, warp gates, numerous mansion, industrial complexes, and the alchemy facilities. This guy. The dragon with silver scales stated that it was his fault. ‘He is arrogant. It is proof that he is strong.’ The other four dragons concealed their scales in some artificial way. On the other hand, Cranbel didn’t do this. He resembled Ifrit who was armed with red scales. He didn’t hide himself. It was as if revealing his attributes and temperament wouldn’t be a weakness. Grid intuitively sensed it. This wasn’t an opponent who could be controlled with Dragon Knight. It was going to be a hard fight.

Nausea soared at every moment as he crossed the space at a speed that transcended the limits of his body. He experienced extremes that were hard to handle even with transcendent patience. There was no chance of victory. Honestly, he was afraid. However— “It’s fine. How can I understand guys like you even if I hear the reason?” Grid didn’t back down. The land that was the origin of the empire. Reidan was the beginning of Grid. It was used as a base of the Overgeared Guild from the moment it was formed to when the Overgeared Kingdom was constructed. Many connections, memories, and foundations were created here. Now it was removed from the map. Could he turn a blind eye to the one who sent the tens of thousands of people living here to hell just because he was afraid? It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t a matter of pride or saving face. Rather, it was the loss of his foundation. This was a fight that couldn’t be avoided. There was no need to worry about future troubles with the dragons. He wouldn’t win anyway. Grid slowly moved his hands. The swords drawn together by the silver thread were caught by his hands in turn. The first one was the Enlightenment Sword. Cranbel’s cold eyes contained no emotions. [Overgeared God Grid. The one who overshadows the current era. I also know you.] The second sword was the Fire Dragon Sword. Cranbel’s eyes were still indifferent. It was even while looking at the scene of Grid and Ifrit projected in the polar lights. [I can’t agree with Ifrit’s claim of you being great, but I am willing to respect you.] In Grid’s left hand where the veins were bulging, the Enlightenment Sword and Fire Dragon Sword were merged into one. The two swords that Grid made for himself were woven into the most ideal form. The sunset polar lights, which symbolized Grid’s divine nature, started to swirl violently. The combined sword was used as a medium to amplify the energy. Nevertheless— [Step back. Then I won’t hurt you.]

Cranbel wasn’t stimulated. Cranbel calmly faced the polar light that had become huge due to the sunlight heating up the desert and vibrating the atmosphere. A third and fourth sword were held in Grid’s right hand and combined together. It was the Formless Sword and Gujel’s Dao. [………] Cranbel’s expression hardened for the first time. It was because he felt insulted, not threatened. The weapon made by dissecting the remains of his kin was held in the hands of a god. The entire dragon species felt insulted. “Isn’t it reasonable to apologize first before making a request?” Was this the one who dared to reach the sun? Grid was surrounded with the sunset divinity and looked like he was burning in it. The dizzying momentum released by the divinity was that fierce. At first glance, he seemed to be one with the flames, but Cranbel saw through it. This was nothingness. It could be a mace that crushed a dragon’s scales or a sword that cuts it. ‘Or it could be a barrier to Breath.’ The absence of any attributes meant unlimited potential. ‘Of course, that potential won’t be fully blossomed.’ Rebecca had used Chiyou as a motif when making Zeratul. Zeratul’s attribute was also nothingness. Considering Zeratul’s personality, he would be more vigilant and hateful toward the Overgeared God than anyone else. Cranbel was certain that the Overgeared God would be short-lived. There were too many strong existences in this world who wouldn’t watch his growth. The dragons were the only group truly indifferent to the world. “It is ridiculous to ask you to do something…” [I apologize.] “………?”

[Regardless of the situation, I’m sorry for angering you. I want to ask for forgiveness.] Cranbel apologized again to the flustered Grid before asking something. [I have apologized, so will you step down?] “………” [You don’t look relieved at all. This is why a human’s words are ridiculous. Reason isn’t an excuse for exoneration. It is just a convenience for the weak to use when complaining.] “…If you had kept your reason in the first place, you wouldn’t have committed the sin.” [If you are going to say these words, at least give an example of a world without sinners. You are only a madman living in a fantasy.] Cranbel’s expression suddenly changed. His forehead narrowed and the ends of his two huge eyes were raised in a frightening manner. The inner light resembling the cross section of the universe gradually turned red. He was slowly becoming angry. It was as if the respect was over. [Overgeared God, you are a foolish person who doesn’t know the weight of a god’s death because you don’t know defeat. I don’t like your behavior of ignoring my favor due to overconfidence in yourself. Die. Be frustrated and take it as a lesson.] Don’t know defeat. These words proved it. At the very least, Cranbel didn’t know Grid in his human days. He also didn’t pay close attention after Grid became a god. He had no idea of the many defeats Grid had suffered. Since becoming a god, Grid’s win rate in battles was surprisingly low. However, the help of his relationships meant his life was spared every time and he never died. Grid’s attitude was the same in front of Cranbel, who was teaching without knowing the details. “You will also be in pain, so be prepared.”

He had lost his composure from the beginning. There was no way he could be calm after seeing Reidan’s situation. Grid was pretending to be calm. His head was actually boiling with anger. It wasn’t rational. This was why he was prepared to die without avoiding a fight. He was going to deal just one blow. He wanted to make the being who dared to hurt his city and his people feel regret for a moment. [Seal the power of the Overgeared God.] “………!” Grid was taking a posture when he was filled with a sense of weakness. He failed to completely resist and faced a notification window that all his stats had fallen by half. [Overgeared God Grid can’t deviate from my space.] “………!” Grid’s body moved uncontrollably. He flew to the vicinity of Cranbel like he was attracted by a magnetic force. The God Hands held onto Grid and pulled, but it was useless. Rather, they were dragged together with him. It was the coercion of Dragon Words. A creature that players could never harm. The ultimate transcendent dragon ignored the status of a human god. He acted according to his taste. “Cough…!” Blood poured from Grid’s nose and mouth. He shed so much blood that he wondered if it would be like this if he scooped blood out of his body with a bowl. [You have suffered catastrophic damage!] A single blow—his stats had halved, but no matter how much his stats had dropped, it was too much to lose more than half his health with a single blow. Grid’s focus became blurry for a moment. It was only for a moment. He was used to persevering against pain. His gaze was fixed on Cranbel’s forehead and he quickly regained his focus. It was the point where the horn was rising. The finishing move. As expected, a Breath flew.

Cranbel, who had pierced Grid’s chest with his tail and lifted him high in the air, wanted to end this battle. No, he was trying to end the slaughter neatly. It was a chance for Grid. He immediately responded using his artificial senses. “Revolve Dragon Drop Pinnacle Kill.” Grid used the possible fusion sword dance creation of Overgeared God's Sword Dance. He counterattacked the Breath by creating a new fusion sword dance in real time. It contained the image of killing a dragon. At this moment— He added up all the strength he had accumulated over the years he had worked hard without giving up. ──! All the explosions and collision noises died down at once. It was swallowed by the vortex that the two swords made. The silver Breath was turning around. It permeated into Grid’s two swords. It inflated the power of the sword dance and struck Cranbel’s forehead. The absolute defense was immediately removed. It couldn’t withstand the momentum of the Hero King and Dragon Slayer? titles and was shattered. ‘Didn’t I say it? You will feel pain.’ A faint smile appeared on Grid’s face as he looked into Cranbel’s two eyes, which had grown somewhat larger. Reflecting on his own life had made all types of impossibilities possible. The desert split in half. The back of the god crashing along with the dragon underground filled the vision of the four awestruck dragons. They desired it. They wanted to be the main character who reproduced the ‘Crazy God and Crazy Dragon’ story.

[The target has received 1,507,344,962 damage.] [This is an unbelievable achievement…!] [The heavenly gods are whispering after reading the pain on Cranbel’s face.] [Martial God Zeratul’s momentum has increased. He is insisting that the agreement with the dragons should be discussed again.] One blow was properly dealt. The ultimate transcendent species or the absolute species—he caused significant damage to the world’s most powerful creature that had reigned supreme. Grid’s heart was relieved. Zeratul’s reaction was a bit unpleasant, but it felt like the decade of congestion from frustration was going down. At the same time, new anxiety occurred. The power of the Breath exceeded expectations. The power of the Breath was 1.5 billion even with his stats halved. It was excessive considering the effect of Revolve Dragon Drop Pinnacle Kill, which amplified the damage of the counterattack as much as possible. A dragon’s defense would far surpass Grid’s defense. He had thought it would be cool if he could deal damage in the tens of millions… ‘Doesn’t it mean it is directly over if I am hit by that one blow?’ Grid’s fall, which had been going on for a while, stopped. His skin flaps seemed to flip. It was close to a random jerking of his body. It was due to the ignorantly strong pressure. Grid’s body was being sucked deep into the collapsed underground. The legendary and myth rated items on his body were helpless. The physical phenomenon created by the law of the Dragon Words meant that Overgeared God Grid couldn’t leave Cranbel’s space. He immediately fell after Cranbel who fell earlier. “Keuk…!”

The cross section of the desert—all types of strata, the product of history built up in the days when it wasn’t a desert, complicated Grid’s vision. The deeper he fell, the more Grid learned about the feel and color of the various strata. He vaguely guessed what type of ecosystem the ancient Reidan would have. It felt like he was studying something that wasn’t in his destiny. This was until a little while ago. “………?!” Grid’s field of view was reversed. His body quickly moved away from the end of the underground space that he had reached. Soon, his vision turned blue. He was seeing the sky. A silver dragon was looking down at Grid. ‘Teleport.’ Grid realized that his position was worse than he thought. He became aware that he could die from exhaustion while only chasing after Cranbel’s tail in the battle. ‘Dragon Words is crazy.’ He realized why dragons were so invincible. Grid couldn’t help letting out a bitter laugh when he realized the power of Dragon Words [Your status is higher than I thought.] Cranbel opened his mouth. The blood flowing from his forehead was nothing special. It was red, like human blood. Some of the transparent scales were stained red and this caused him to overlap with Ifrit’s appearance. [I didn’t know you would disobey Dragon Words.] “………?” What was this nonsense? Grid let it enter one ear and out the other. He put aside the sad memories that came to mind when he saw Cranbel’s scales that were turned red and he focused his mind. His strength lay in his physical ability to respond to the transcendent senses to some extent. The situation was much worse now that his stats had halved, but he managed

to control the body soaring into the sky to create a stable posture. Grid kicked the air in this position. He accelerated his body that was being dragged to the maximum and unfolded the strides to amplify the power of the sword dance. ──! Grid’s sword and Cranbel’s tail collided in succession. Surprisingly, there was no noise. A concentrated force was slowing down all concepts. There was only a belated explosion after dozens of collisions. Subsequently, the spreading remnants of his divinity colored Cranbel’s transparent scales with the colors of the sunset. It was mysterious and beautiful, but Grid didn’t have time to feel sentimental. Item Combination, Overgeared God’s Rage, etcetera—all the buffs he was enjoying had a time limit. A critical hit, Ultimate Martial Art, God’s Command, etcetera—it was necessary to increase the number of attacks in order to increase the probability of a beneficial effect occurring. Grid’s attacks that utilized the Overgeared God’s Sword Dance, the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship, the skills gained from the Mountain King of Grenier, and his items and titles were swift, and his defense was solid. He persistently targeted Cranbel’s upper body and short limbs as he poured his most destructive skills toward the shoulders and long neck, which were hard to cover. Thanks to this, Cranbel’s tail was busy. It moved in a dizzying manner alone to defend all directions. It was possible because the tail was big and long. ‘Is he really disobeying the Dragon Words?’ Unlike his busy tail, Cranbel’s eyes were calm. It was because the consciousness to control his body and the consciousness to observe Grid were separate. Currently, his consciousness was split into hundreds of pieces. The consciousness for contemplating the entire battlefield and managing the surveillance magic that spread to hundreds of kilometers away were all easily controlled. Just then, a sword that belatedly revealed its form was embedded in Cranbel’s long neck. It was 300,000 Army Stealth Sword. It was a covert strike that could deceive the senses of the yangban, Mir, the treasured sword of the expelled gods.

Cranbel was convinced. ‘He can’t disobey it. The first attack was a fluke.’ Cranbel wasn’t agitated by the fact that the absolute defense had become powerless. Like most dragons, the enemies he thought of were his own kin. It was proven when Cranbel attacked Basque but the absolute defense wasn’t effective against the same dragon. This meant the absolute defense, which was considered sacred to civilians, didn’t mean much to dragons. For dragons, there was no reason to be agitated because the absolute defense was broken. The thing that surprised Cranbel was the deep pain he felt the moment the Breath was counterattacked. It was pain he experienced for the first time since he was born. Grid’s first attack that severely smashed several scales, tore his skin, and shook his brain instilled a great illusion for Cranbel. It was the illusion that Grid disobeyed the Dragon Words, ‘Seal the power of the Overgeared God.’ Yes, he was mistaken. Cranbel’s killing intent, which had been extinguished by his interest in Grid, raised its head again. Killing intent grew out of the disgust he felt for Grid’s arrogance at rejecting his favor. Now that he confirmed that Grid was overconfident compared to his skills, Cranbel’s killing intent deepened. It was at a tangible level. Just then, a magic power thunderbolt appeared and fell without any precursors. Dragons weren’t bound by formulas or rules when using magic. It was a level that far transcended the hard work of a great magician who omitted casting and completed the magic. His willpower itself was magic. It was correct to view it as a concept similar to a Sword Saint’s Heart Sword. [You have suffered 227.340 damage.] “………?” Grid’s vision was filled by the thunderbolt that flashed white. He felt confused. It was because his transcendent senses didn’t respond at all. It was only after he was pierced by the fallen thunderbolt that tore through his artificial senses that he knew this was Cranbel’s magic. ‘A bug?’

Why didn’t his transcendent senses detect it? The suspicious Grid stopped moving for a while. It was less than 0.1 seconds. Meanwhile, dragons were beings who recognized a second by dividing it into hundreds of units. [You have suffered 315,050 damage.] Then Cranbel’s tail hit Grid’s side and pierced his chest. He didn’t stop there, but turned around and tied up Grid’s body tightly. “Cough…!” He was unable to breathe or move. Grid suffered from an abnormal physical condition and groaned in pain. Of course, he knew he was going to lose. In the first place, his goal had been to deal one blow. It was just too bad. After all, he didn’t want to lose, especially when the opponent was someone who took away his precious things… It happened as Grid was gritting his teeth… “Punishment.” It was a form of destruction. A bright red sphere of magic split Cranbel’s tail. Thanks to this, Braham’s back was visible in the breathless Grid’s vision. “There is a theory that a phenomenon or disaster that occurs according to a dragon’s mental image is the source of magic. If this is true, a dragon’s magic is close to a natural phenomenon such as typhoons, tsunamis, and earthquakes. It is impossible to feel killing intent, so the transcendent senses will be dull,” Braham said quietly. There was no emotional disturbance. It was as if he was prepared for something. Grid’s expression crumpled like a piece of paper. “What is this? Why haven’t you run away?” It was when he first arrived at the scene. Grid had sent a signal to Braham to flee while he held Cranbel’s attention. He didn’t want Braham to get caught up in the fight. A direct descendent might enjoy eternal life, but this didn’t mean they were immortal. Direct descendant vampires would also die if they suffered damage that couldn’t be regenerated from. Grid knew this better than anyone. So why was Braham holding on? Braham didn’t bother explaining his situation where he was tied up by Dragon

Words to Grid. ‘I can’t run away. What do you want me to do?’ He was going to die, so he wanted to protect his pride before dying. “I want to fight a dragon properly at least once.” Of course, this was a lie… Braham recalled the horror of Trauka through Cranbel and wanted to flee immediately. He knew dragons weren’t targets to fight against and he knew there was no chance of winning. Still, what could he do? He couldn’t run away anyway. “Crazy, I’m going crazy.” Grid finally cursed. He resented Braham for not knowing his heart and acting casually. “You are willing to die because of that greed? What about me? What about those who are left behind? They will miss you for the rest of their lives…!” “…Bah. Is that my business?” Braham scoffed as his heart became emotional. He felt bad when he thought there were people who would grieve for his death. However, he didn’t express it and just stared at Cranbel. He was going to die anyway. He wanted to leave an irreversible wound on Cranbel’s body along with Grid. He wanted to engrave it in history that the life of Braham, son of Beriache and apostle of the Overgeared God, wasn’t in vain. It would be an immortal history. […Indeed, the rumors are true.] Cranbel’s eyes were slightly larger as he looked at Braham. He was impressed, just like when he was hit by Grid’s Revolve Dragon Drop Pinnacle Kill. [Braham Eshwald. I have learned about your infamy in challenging Trauka’s lair. In fact, I thought it was an exaggerated rumor, but now I know for sure. Your talent… it is a threat to us.] The dragon’s tail was the fourth most powerful of the dragon’s body parts. It was impossible for one blow to split it in two, yet Braham did it. The blood inherited from Beriache and the magic of this man had quite devastating potential. It was a miracle created purely with talent. It was no match for Marie Rose’s demonic energy that ripped off Xenon’s wings, but it seemed that he would come close someday.

[Die with the god you serve.] Cranbel’s killing intent became tangible in earnest. Hundreds of spells unfolded unexpectedly and filled the sky and the ground. It was terrifying. It was an unbelievable sight. Grains of sand in the desert were influenced by all forms of power and were scattered. It was either heated hot or frozen cold. Some were crushed to powder and some were sharpened. They also formed a storm by pulling or pushing each other. Yet all of these phenomena were extinguished in vain. If the source of magic was truly a dragon’s mental image, then a dragon’s mental mage was powerless against Braham. Braham was the Duke of Wisdom who understood, reversed, and destroyed all magic in real time. It was easily neutralized as long as he could put the dragon’s mental image into the category of magic. “A lizard.” One of the reasons why a dragon’s tail was the fourth most powerful body part was its resilience. It regenerated immediately even when cut. Braham pointed out this part. He put Cranbel’s wriggling tail in his vision and scoffed. “If it is insignificant, attack like we are insignificant.” Cranbel roared. He shot a Breath that he had suppressed due to being wary of Grid’s strange tricks and the intervention of other dragons. A light seemed to flash and it had already penetrated Grid and Braham. Braham thought he didn’t have enough time to use Teleport so he used Blink. Grid also couldn’t get a chance to counterattack and used Shunpo. It was the difference between anticipating the timing of Breath and not anticipating it. ‘Braham, please.’ Don’t provoke him and run away. One arm was cut by the remaining air waves of the Breath and flew away. Due to this, it became impossible to use dual wielding, and he lost the passive of Mountain Appearance and Flowing Streams. Grid stared hard at Braham. He had the intention of asking Braham to run away while he prepared a six fusion sword dance to pull Cranbel’s aggro back. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. Even at this moment, his body was being forcibly dragged to Cranbel.

It was while he was twisting his waist and moving his feet with all his might. [Get on.] The gray dragon Basque flew over. [I want to fly with you.] “………!” Dragon Knight—it was the only one title that allowed him to use some dragons as a ‘mount,’ but they couldn’t be forced to do so. Whether Grid could ride them or not was a matter of choice for the dragon, not Grid. Meanwhile, Grid didn’t have time to persuade the dragons on the field. To be honest, he wasn’t confident in persuading them. He thought he would be easily rejected if he asked for help in a situation where they had to fight against a top dragon. Now the opportunity came to him on its own. Grid didn’t refuse it. He immediately got onto Basque’s neck. He recalled this moment with Ifrit and did it skillfully. [You have boarded the intermediate dragon Basque.] [The effect of Dragon Knight has significantly increased your status. You are free from the Dragon Words that suppressed you. All stats are restored to their normal values.] [All your stats are tripled with the effect of Dragon Knight.] [The skill Basque’s Breath is activated!] Kurarararara! [………!] For the first time, a flustered expression appeared on Cranbel’s face. Beyond the Breath that was approaching, the sight of Grid on his kin’s neck confused him. “………?” The same was true for the shocked Braham. He maintained a solemn expression without losing his dignity and muttered that he must be dreaming.

After getting a new life, Braham had always reflected on his past. It was to avoid repeating the mistakes of trusting Pagma due to overconfidence in his judgment and being betrayed, as well as the sin of being caught in ugly feelings of jealousy and stealing his disciple’s achievements. He wanted to be worthy of being the Duke of Wisdom in this life. He would face the world with reason and wisdom, not emotion. The blood of a vampire occasionally clouded his efforts, but it was literally just an occasional impulse. Braham was confident that he had persevered well. The proof was that he lived with those with no talent without avoiding them. It was the same now. The resurrection magic that he completed using his obsession with life—he wasn’t swept away by fear and despair even though he observed a future where he would be trapped on the surface, repeatedly die, and finally be dragged to hell to be extinguished without a trace. His mental world calmed down. The last purpose of his life was to leave his mark on Cranbel’s eternal body. He was determined to engrave the name of the greatest magician in history on the world. However, at this moment… “………” Duguen! Braham’s calm heart started to beat vigorously in a way that was contrary to his will. It was while watching Grid climb onto the neck of the giant dragon. Grid’s divinity was getting bigger and bigger in conjunction with the dragon’s increased speed. Every time the dragon swerved, the orange polar light spread like an insignia that covered the world. It was a dream-like sight, but it was reality. The hot blood flowing from his wrist that was pierced by his fingernails was the proof.

“Riding… dragons?” An idea that went far beyond the wisdom of the Duke of Wisdom, who wasn’t particularly bound by common sense. Braham could only laugh. It wasn’t an ironic laugh. On the other side— [………] Cranbel couldn’t laugh. Initially, when the Overgeared God broke into the scene, he also witnessed the story of Crazy God and Crazy Dragon. It was thanks to the scene forcibly projected through Ifrit’s magical remnants. It was an unrealistic sight that was approaching incomprehensible for a dragon, but Cranbel wasn’t very agitated. He was surprisingly easily convinced. The dying Ifrit—he noticed the reason why she placed Grid on her neck and sympathized. That’s right. Cranbel saw it as Ifrit using Grid. It was simply to overcome the crisis at that time. He thought there was no more meaning. It was natural. Cranbel didn’t know that Grid had made Ifrit’s horn. He didn’t foresee that the trust and favor of the Crazy God and Crazy Dragon toward each other was very strong. ‘Status… how much did it rise?’ Cranbel’s scales stood up on edge when he noticed that Grid wasn’t being drawn into his space. It looked like he was wearing iron armor made of sharpened blades. It was threatening at first glance, but it was actually just a representation of fear. Kurarararara! Grid’s divinity grew enough to cover Basque’ body. The Breath shot by Basque was almost orange. Cranbel couldn’t just watch as Basque’s Breath filled his vision before he knew it. He abandoned his pride and struck back with the same Breath. He was a bit late to respond, but it was no problem. Cranbel’s hierarchy was the highest among the dragons here. Even if he responded later than the opponent, he would still hit the opponent. The circulation of magic power, the manifestation of will, the activity of the flesh, etcetera—everything was faster than the other side.

Cranbel’s Breath that was shot one step later collided with Basque’s Breath. Cranbel prepared for the following move. His two wings spread wide open while his own Breath crushed and penetrated Basque’s Breath. He calculated the path that Basque would take to dodge the Breath and moved there. Everything up to this point took a short moment. It was right to describe it as a situation that happened at the same time as the explosion. [………!] Cranbel’s wall-like chest was crushed. It was the aftermath of moving along the path of the Breath he shot. He never even imagined that his own Breath would be crushed in reverse. In a rare situation, Basque’s Breath didn’t lose its momentum as it broke through Cranbel’s scales and crushed his chest. It blew Cranbel to the other side of the sky like it had to penetrate Cranbel. ‘Unbelievable.’ Basque was more surprised than Cranbel. The Breath was close to the pure power of a dragon, close to inner energy. The fight that Basque’s Breath fought and won against Cranbel’s Breath was impossible even if the sky was overturned. However, Grid made it possible. [Duke of Amplification] [Once activated, the power of the magic and skills you use will be doubled. However, the resources consumed and cooldown are also doubled. ★ The effect of items and skills that shorten the cooldown time are only 65% effective.] A new rule had been set since the time that Basque’s Breath was activated in Grid’s skill window. It was a rule that Basque had the potential to transcend hierarchy. The new rule presented a crisis to Cranbel. ‘A little bit faster!’ Grid clung flat to Basque’s neck. It was quite unsightly compared to his previous figure of when he straightened his back confidently, but he couldn’t help it. The

stronger the acceleration, the stronger the wind pressure resistance… [Hold on tightly!] He was ready to face stronger resistance. Grid’s posture change seemed to say so and this spurred on Basque. He gritted his hundreds of sharp teeth and chased Cranbel with all his might. He caught up to Cranbel in an instant. In the first place, he was swept away by the Breath. He temporarily failed to control his body. Basque’s Breath, which was doubled in strength, was that powerful. Basque bit at Cranbel’s neck. Then Basque’s tail shot like a spear and collided with Cranbel’s tail. The atmosphere howled. Grid’s divinity that colored the sky shook. Cranbel’s gaze chased after Grid. He was relieved to see that Grid had become a one-armed person. The powerful dual wielding swordsmanship was sealed. It was urgent. Dozens of items poured out of Grid’s inventory as he gradually got closer to Cranbel and they united together in the shape of an arm. It was a prosthetic arm that closely resembled the God Hands. It was one of the two powers that Grid gained as a reward for spreading the truth of hell. It was a prosthetic arm made using the power that arose based on the fact that the Overgeared God was the ruler of all things. [Power of Domination has restored the arm you have lost.] [Power of Domination] [Combine two or more items to create a substance or phenomena. The power of the substance or phenomena is proportional to the total durability of the combined items. ★Items with infinite durability can’t be designated as targets. Skill Cooldown Time: 1 hour. Skill Duration: 3 minutes.]

It was a skill that didn’t consume resources, but it wasn’t easy to use. He had to fill the whole process with ‘imagination’ while activating the Power of Domination to create the desired substance or phenomena. It was very difficult to make the desired substance or phenomena quickly unless he had the exact specimen called the ‘God Hand.’ Clink! Grid was filled with cold metal, unlike the other transcendents who healed their body defects by regenerating or combination. The system immediately responded as he armed himself with two swords in a rather awkward movement. [Mountain Appearance and Flowing Streams has been activated.] [Draw a landscape that someone has been protecting for a lifetime with your sword.] “Drop Dragon…” [Is it enough to discuss the fall of a dragon?!] Cranbel shouted. His force as he tore and twisted Basque’s snout that was biting his neck was terrible. At this moment, flames engulfed the world. It was Storm of the Fire God, which now seemed inappropriate to be the Overgeared God’s mental world. The energy of the Red Phoenix in Grid’s heart rotated. It was in a fierce manner as if to savor Grid’s soaring status. The power of the mental world was affected by status. So far, countless enemies had proved it. Most of the transcendents had easily broken Grid’s mental world. However, now— [Keuk…?!] Cranbel failed to break down Storm of the Fire God. He failed to stop the rapidly recovering Basque and Grid’s explosively growing strength. “…Pinnacle Link Kill Wave!!!” In the world full of a red storm and sunset, a god danced. It was on the head of a dragon while holding two swords. All the forces that rose from the Rune of Gluttony harmonize with the dance.

Rattle. The clear sound of bells caused Grid’s image to overlap with someone else. Cranbel roared violently as he was struck by the sword energy. [Ultimate Martial Art has been triggered!] [Critical!] [The target has received 5,378,922,746 damage.] […The heavenly gods are amazed!] [Both of Martial God Zeratul’s eyes staring at you are red and bloodshot…] [You have been struck by a serious attack!] [A god doesn’t die easily.] [Flee to the nearest temple right away!] A chilling pleasure and terrible pain simultaneously struck Grid. Remnants of a silver beam were visible in the view of the collapsing Grid. It was the trace left by Cranbel’s Breath, which penetrated Basque’s spinal cord and turned Grid’s body into rags. [The effect of Dragon Knight is over.] The image of Grid falling was projected into Cranbel’s eyes, who had allowed consecutive large attacks and his health bar was finally revealed. [Overgeared God, thanks to you, I realized that Ifrit is better than me.] Cranbel’s words were completed in a split second and shook Grid’s blank mind. Grid was forced to make a choice. Should he escape like this or stay and fight to the end? It was a no-brainer. Grid unsurprisingly chose the latter. There was Braham here. “Braham…! Run away now!” Grid desperately shouted. He had completely felt it when he boarded Basque and achieved a sharp rise in status. Cranbel’s Dragon

Words that dominated the scene. The Dragon Words lost their effect. It was possible for Braham to flee now. He would draw attention until then… This was what Grid thought. [There is no being who can leave here.] Cranbel destroyed that hope. It was done so easily and with just a few words. [Today, I will go beyond Ifrit. I will devour all of you and achieve it…] Cranbel couldn’t finish his words. It was because another dragon carried Grid on his neck on behalf of Basque, who crashed to the ground. Grid’s status rose again. Cranbel’s Dragon Words once again lost its effect. “Braham! Leave!” The bloody Grid—he felt death tightening under his chin and rushed to Cranbel. This time, it was a green Breath. He used Divinity to once again use Item Combination to complete his weapon. Then he performed a sword dance. Unfortunately, there wasn’t the sound of bells. Kurarararara! Cranbel took the injury. He had to endure it. He allowed the Breath and instead stopped Grid’s sword dance with magic and his tail. “Keuk…!” The second collision also wore Grid down. The green dragon that carried him crashed into the desert like Basque. Even so, it was still fine. Kurarararara! This time, the blue dragon carried Grid. Grid started again. He raised his status and approached Cranbel with the blue Breath. This time, his dance was short and shabby. It was because his fusion sword dances had a cooldown time before they could be reused. “Kuack!”

The third clash was fatal to Grid. His prosthetic was smashed and even the blue dragon crashed to the ground. Cranbel could endure the power of the Breaths, but the other dragons couldn’t endure Cranbel’s Breath. It was a hopelessly overwhelming strength. There was one fact that was comforting. “…This is good.” Braham escaped from the scene. The curse words he expressed before he left still lingered in Grid’s ears. Notification windows were being updated in his field of view as Grid smiled. [There are two seconds left until the ‘Emergency Return’ system is deactivated.] [Please note! A huge penalty will be imposed upon death!] Five seconds had almost passed since the immortality state. Grid reacted without time to think. Just in case, he held the dragon with the God Hands and activated the flashing Emergency Return system. However— [Escape isn’t possible.] He was caught by Cranbel’s re-established rule. [The power contained in the words becomes stronger as the covenant is fulfilled. Overgeared God, great person who overshadows the years. Putting aside my awe and liking for you, I will kill you.] Hundreds of spells came to mind. It was a sight that made Grid desperately realize Braham’s absence. ‘Still, I fought well enough.’ [The Emergency Return system is disabled.] Grid was letting go after seeing the notification window that rose. [Get on.]

Then the last remaining dragon flew over and bowed his head. Xenon—it was the most unsightly dragon. His body was particularly small compared to other dragons and he was covered with wounds. He didn’t even have wings. Yet for Grid, he was the last hope. There was no reason to refuse in the first place. Cranbel didn’t bother to stop Grid from riding on Xenon. It wouldn’t be strange if a low ranking dragon and a young god died soon. What could these two do? Hundreds of spells poured out simultaneously. They moved along all trajectories in all forms and all of Grid’s possibilities were erased. Xenon’s Breath toward him was weak. It failed to break through the baptism of magic and lost power along the way. However, Cranbel’s expression stiffened. His consciousness that was divided into hundreds of parts was alarmed. He reflexively united his consciousness. It was too late. The cold moonlight split apart his body and the desert. There was a deafening noise and everyone on the scene crashed deep underground. They were so tired that no one could resist. Finally, they reached the end of the underground area. Coincidentally, it was the site of Marie Rose’s castle. “Y-Your Majeeeeesty!!!” “………?” Grid mistook this place for hell for a moment. It was because the people of Reidan, who he thought were dead, greeted him.

Clack, clack clack clack! The Overgeared Skeletons moved their jaws without words as they lost their bodies and scattered. They seemed to be apologizing for not being able to help. “………” Until all the available number of times that Divinity was consumed, Grid fought back using all his abilities. His items and titles, the Overgeared God's Sword Dance, the Undefeated King’s swordsmanship, powers and the mental world, the evil eye, blood magic, Mountain King Grenier’s skills, Lee Jeong’s hand-to-hand combat, the rune’s powers, and the duke titles. Even the Spear Shot and Continuous Stab gained from the Behen Archipelago a very long time ago were stuck in cooldown. He also forced Noe into the battle despite Noe being intimidated by dragons and being unable to perform well. He left no regrets. This was good enough. He fought well enough. The reason he lost was because Cranbel was stronger than him. Grid, who had been trying to calm down, soon blamed himself. [Get on.] He looked at the back of someone who postponed the expected end of the battle. The wounded dragon—it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed right away, but he extended his neck to Grid. The remaining parts of the two wings came together. The blood scattered from the huge body that barely withstood the magic saturation looked sublime. ‘Not yet… it isn’t over yet.’

There remained a dragon who believed in him and wanted to be with him. The dragon risked his life to give Grid another chance. How could Grid turn away? Grid’s expression became calm as he climbed onto Xenon’s neck and faced the bombardment of hundreds of magics. The effect of King of the Mountain, which had been active since the beginning, was still maintained. It was proof that Cranbel didn’t give Grid a chance to recover his health. It was hope, not despair. Clink. A new weapon was held in Grid’s one remaining arm. A sword that could drop the moon—the sword that shone a cold blue exerted power proportional to Grid’s stats and the level of the target. It was a strength and a weakness. The Falling Moon Sword could cut Cranbel, but not kill him. Assuming that Grid’s stats when riding on Xenon were three times the normal values and Cranbel’s level was 999, the damage value would be in the billions. It was impossible to inflict a critical injury on Cranbel, whose health was estimated to be in the hundreds of billions or perhaps the trillions. However, Grid knew a dragon’s weakness. The horn—the organ that rose from Cranbel’s forehead, which Grid had persistently sought from the beginning, was a source of strength and authority. Ifrit had told him. ‘This is my last chance. I will definitely cut it this time.’ Cranbel would’ve never doubted victory from the start. Even so, he never let down his guard for a moment. It wasn’t known if he was seeking perfection or if he acknowledged Grid’s skills as he claimed. No matter what, he was like a dog from Grid’s point of view. A strong being should enjoy it as much as they were strong. Meanwhile, Cranbel wasn’t flexible at all so he felt like a wall. ‘If it was Baal, he would’ve cut off his horn on purpose to fight.’ He never expected that he would miss Baal. Grid smiled because it was so absurd and took a deep breath. He guided Xenon to the point where a large sandstorm occurred. Xenon had lost his wings, so he was slower than the other dragons Grid boarded. He consumed a significant amount of magic for flight and evasion, so he couldn’t properly intercept

Cranbel’s magic bombardment. As he approached the storm, more scales were torn and the skin peeled off. Even so, Xenon’s movements showed no hesitation. A chain of magic protruded from the storm and tied his limbs together, but he bit it with his teeth and cut it off. At this time, he winced at the magical mace that flew at his cocked head. Xenon moved in the direction that Grid wanted. He was the one who destroyed Reidan. He felt a sense of debt toward Grid, who was angered when he saw that the city had disappeared. …No, maybe it was all an excuse. To be honest, Xenon struggled to understand his current feelings. He watched Grid cut at Cranbel’s scales again and again and only had a desire to fight together. “………” Grid was focused. He endured the magical baptism that was like a meteor with 1.5 seconds of immortality remaining and glimpsed beyond all the magic. The artificial senses created by the God Hands conveyed Xenon’s position to him in real time. His single arm suffered from a series of strong wind pressure and explosions, and let out low noises. The creepy sensation of crushing bones and breaking muscles caused a chill to go down Grid’s spine. Grid didn’t turn a blind eye to this feeling. To be exact, he couldn’t turn away from it. He focused on the sensation of his fingers holding the Falling Moon Sword. He approached the image of connecting the Falling Moon Sword to his nerves. He dissected and used the structure of the Falling Moon Sword. He became one with the sword. The remaining time of immortality was 1.2 seconds. The trajectory of the Falling Moon Sword moved finely. He grasped Cranbel’s position beyond the magic that obscured his view with his artificial senses and recalled Cranbel’s habits that were identified during the battle. Grid measured the space he needed to cut. The angle of the Falling Moon Sword was adjusted in real time. Just then, Xenon collided with a rising barrier. Xenon’s body shook significantly, but

Grid’s posture wasn’t disturbed in the slightest. He made himself immovable by activating White Tiger’s Posture. Then thunder was heard above his head. Grid intuitively sensed it. The moment his immortality ended, he would naturally be swept away by the thunderbolt above his head. Cranbel was well aware of the existence of a god. He knew that a god’s death would be suspended for up to 10 seconds and timed the manifestation of magic. The remaining time of immortality was 0.5 seconds. This was the moment when the ferocious thunderbolts started to color the world white. ‘Now… ’ Grid’s one arm became blurry as he removed the White Tiger’s Posture. At the same time, a flash of blue sword light cut through all the magic ahead, the desert, and Cranbel. 200,000 Army Crushing Sword—the swordsmanship that Grid didn’t have an opportunity to use during the battle because he actively utilized Revolve throughout the battle became his final trump card. [………!] Xenon’s body trembled. It was the aftermath of witnessing Cranbel’s astonished expression at the end of the world that was split in half. There was blood gushing from Cranbel’s head. [Ohhhh…!] Xenon twisted his body sharply. It was to be struck by the thunderbolt instead of Grid, who had lost the immortality. He was going to die soon anyway. Xenon wanted to give meaning to his own death. In many ways, the end that came from protecting the life of a great god would be more special than the ordinary end of being captured and devoured by his kin. Yes, a great god. ‘…Is this envy?’ Xenon belatedly realized his feelings as he was swept away by the thunderbolt and glowed. The scales that had lost their durability from the beginning became ashes and scattered.

The three dragons that had fallen toward the desert had crashed underground since the time of their defeat. After them, Grid fell side by side with Cranbel, but his gaze stayed on Xenon. ‘The sacrifice for the weak… ’ Grid, who felt repeated disappointments every time he encountered a transcendent being, felt a rare thrill at this moment. Ifrit, Xenon, Basque, etcetera—the dragons served as an opportunity to break the many prejudices that Grid harbored against transcendents. Just like the strong reaching out to the weak, didn’t Xenon help Grid, someone who he didn’t even know? He deserved to be called a character that was proportional to his strength. Grid was fascinated by this noble spirit and he felt a sense of respect. To be honest, he thought Cranbel was cool too. There was a certain dignity in his declaration that he would fulfill the covenant independently of the liking he felt toward Grid. He even questioned if he would’ve been able to suppress this killing intent if Cranbel hadn’t destroyed Reidan. Just before crashing into the end of the underground area, the God Hands that followed Grid supported him. Grid avoided the crash thanks to this and remained wary of his surroundings without any time to feel relieved. Basque and the dragons were confronting Cranbel. Cranbel had lost half his head by twisting it just before his horn was cut, but he was nevertheless still aloof. He looked down at his enemies with one eye while keeping his neck upright and it looked like a scene from a myth a long time ago. It happened the moment that Grid was gulping… “Y-Your Majeeeeesty!!!” “………?” A group of people rushed forward. They came from the old castle behind Cranbel. At first, there were around a few dozens, but in an instant, it became hundreds and thousands. He could see familiar faces in the front. They were the alchemists of Reidan, the objects of love and hatred for Grid.

“We have defended this to the end…!” A substance that didn’t match Satisfy’s worldview. The alchemists proudly displayed the unidentified plate that was as transparent as plastic, but Grid just hurriedly shouted at them. "Stop! Step back!” Were they crazy as a group? How many dragons were here? What spirit were they rushing over with? Grid, who had no time to feel happy when he saw the survivors, soon realized that these people had something to believe in. The survivors of Reidan were stamped with red blood like a seal. It was the blood of others, not the blood they shed. Grid recalled the owner of the castle behind Cranbel and grasped the situation. ‘Don’t tell me that Marie Rose…?’ Did she save the people of Reidan when she was so indifferent to her bloodkin and couldn’t feel any humanity? As Grid was feeling flustered, a stream of blood surged from right next to Grid and split in half. Long hair that was intertwined with an abyss-lke darkness tickled Grid’s cheek before gradually subsiding. “So.” A beautiful voice emerged from the red lips that contrasted with the white skin. The people of Reidan, who had been crying toward Grid, were instantly seduced and fell silent. Only her voice echoed in the underground area where silence fell. “Who ate my dear husband’s arm?” The one that Beriache, one of the three original evils, gave birth to by giving up her life—Marie Rose’s red eyes shone clearly in the darkness. There was no ennui in her eyes as she glanced at the wounded dragons in turn. Blood King—it was none other than Grid who clearly imprinted her on the world. [………] The dragons at the scene held their breath. They resembled mortals hoping that a typhoon would pass by quickly. It was an unrealistic sight created by the most sinister and beautiful being in the world. Just then, Xenon fell belatedly and broke the silence of the area.

Cranbel was the first to react. [I am the one who harmed the Overgeared God.] Cranbel told the truth. He spoke proudly without any intention of defending the other dragons or avoiding responsibility. He was truly like a noble dragon. It was clear that the reason why the tower members were wary and fearful of dragons was due to the misguided prejudices planted by some crazy dragons such as the insane dragon, the evil dragon, the gourmet dragon, and the fire dragon. ‘Hayate said that all dragons are crazy… I don’t see it that way at all.’ Grid thought this as he looked at the survivors and the hostility he felt toward Cranbel was broken. Then blood filled Grid’s field of view. Marie Rose flew from far away and pulled out Cranbel’s entire left limb, causing blood to soar.

The news of Beriache’s death had been a hot topic among the dragons. Some of them were shocked. The 3 evils of the beginning—Beriache might suffer from the curse, but she was still Yatan’s daughter. In a way, it could be called the most noble status in the world after the old dragons and the gods of the beginning in the hierarchy. It was a natural position to enjoy eternal life and achieve everything she set out to do. Yet she chose death on her own. It was in return for giving her child all her power. It meant that the vengeance she felt toward Baal was beyond imagination and it was also evidence that her power couldn’t harm Baal. ‘Marie Rose.’ The existence that inherited the power and aspirations of Beriache. She was chosen as a means to handle Baal and her skills were incredible. By manipulating the flow of blood at will and immediately refining the mana absorbed by her heart into demonic energy, there was no limit to her body and magic. It seemed that her body and magic were completely linked to her consciousness. It was the realm of realizing her willpower as soon as it was conceived. It was right to compare it to operating the Heart Sword. Of course, it wasn’t Muller’s Heart Sword, but a normal Heart Sword. However, this was enough. Her appearance was beyond that of a transcendent and close to an absolute. Cranbel’s left limb was ripped off entirely. She approached with relentless speed and penetrated the absolute defense with demonic energy, ripping at the scales, flesh, and bones. Force, magic, and power were completely integrated and exerted their strength. Cranbel had a definite insight. ‘She isn’t an opponent I can win against in this state.’ Therefore, he simply gave away his limb. He didn’t resist.

Marie Rose noticed it. “You know that you have committed a mortal sin.” [Are you discussing sin with a dragon? You are so wicked to rule with overwhelming force, just like the child of the demon who fought against Baal.] Were all dragons the same just because they were dragons? Marie Rose shut up as she was about to hit back. This was a consideration of Cranbel’s status. A being who seemed to prove that the refractive dragon existed. Cranbel must be a direct descendant of an old dragon. He deserved respect. Her dear husband who pushed him to this point… he was really cool. “Huhut.” “………?” Grid became startled as he was staring blankly at Marie Rose. She suddenly turned to smile at him and he felt more affection and obsession than usual. He had the idea that it wouldn’t be strange if he was kidnapped like this and put into a coffin for the rest of his life. [Overgeared God Grid. A great person who overshadows the years.] Cranbel’s gaze was also directed at Grid. It was with a declaration that he wouldn’t kill Grid. [In the current situation, I must also be prepared for death if I want to harm you. I will conform to reason and give up on the covenant. Will you allow it?] “………” Grid’s heart raced. He felt the respect in the words ‘allow it.’ Cranbel was a strong being with no reason to be wary of Grid. Even so, the person he was reluctant to act against right now was Grid, not Marie Rose. He was asking for Grid’s understanding, not Marie Rose’s. It was interpreted as him not wanting to ignore Grid. Grid seemed to know why Cranbel didn’t harm people even after he destroyed Reidan. ‘Cranbel is a being who knows how to be considerate of the weak.’ He had a very good character. It was like Xenon. There was a lot of respect.

Grid smiled slightly and looked at Marie Rose. She came close to Grid and handed over Cranbel’s limb. “Well, he has paid a bit for his sins. Do whatever you want after this.” It meant he could send Cranbel away. Marie Rose was also burdened to have a life or death battle with Cranbel. The odds of winning were high, but she judged that the sacrifices would be great. She was also concerned about the troubles that came from killing a dragon. Dragons were poisonous holy grails. She could become the target of an old dragon. It wasn’t good for Marie Rose, who had to accomplish the task of killing Baal. More than anything else— ‘His taste is unique.’ Marie Rose prioritized Grid’s heart. What was so good about a crazy dragon? Even so, Grid was looking at Cranbel with favorable eyes despite Cranbel being the one to turn him into tatters. She didn’t want Grid’s resentment after killing Cranbel. If she incited hatred at a time when her marriage proposal was already rejected, their union would be a long way off… “Okay. Instead, I have a condition.” The sight of Grid giving a condition to the dragon evoked Marie Rose’s memories. She remembered the day when Grid had released her seal and demanded to be spared. It was nice to see his confident appearance. She thought that the eyes that shone purely resembled stars. [What is the condition?] “I hope you don’t retaliate against me later.” [Of course. Retaliation comes from grudges. I have good feelings toward you, so I will never harm you.] Grid had seen a dragon’s smile. It was an expression that the dragons themselves didn’t know. At this moment, Cranbel was making the same expression as Ifrit. It was just quickly

erased. [We will never meet again.] Cranbel didn’t even give him the chance to say goodbye. Transparent silver scales seemed to reflect the moonlight flowing through the cracks of the collapsed ceiling as he hid himself and disappeared like it was a lie. The strength of a silver dragon was definitely in stealth. [I will go back now.] [It was an honor to be with you.] Basque and the other dragons left the scene one by one. They no longer had the will to fight. It wasn’t a romantic story of how they got attached while fighting together. It was simply just because they saw Marie Rose’s eyes. There was no dragon who would make a fuss in her realm when she was free from the Curse of Sloth. “Is there any way to heal him…?” Grid looked with worry at the one dragon who couldn’t leave. Xenon—most of his scales had fallen off in exchange for protecting Grid and his breath was faded. It was sad to see the burned skin and the broken bones protruding from them. It was just fortunate that the horn was intact. A stir occurred among the people. They couldn’t grasp the situation. It was natural. For civilians, dragons were no different from gods. Most people couldn’t see a dragon in their entire lifetime. Yet today, the people of Reidan saw a huge five dragons. Why did they come to Reidan to fight and why did they quietly step down…? It was impossible to infer the situation. They just thought that His Majesty had made another achievement. No one knew that Xenon was the one who turned Reidan to ashes. It was because ordinary people couldn’t distinguish the appearance of dragons. In their eyes, all the dragons today looked the same. There was a limitation to recognizing something so huge and they had no idea who destroyed Reidan. “Dragons don’t die so easily. He will recover soon.”

Marie Rose was the one who rescued the people of Reidan from Xenon. She had personally witnessed the scene of Xenon turning Reidan to ashes. Even so, she didn’t bother to tell Grid. She was curious about how Xenon would act. At present, Xenon’s life was actually held by Marie Rose. If Xenon came to his senses and deceived Grid, Marie Rose planned to immediately cut off his limbs. A garbage that took advantage of her partner’s pure heart… she wouldn’t sit idly by. [………] After a while, Xenon opened his eyes. It was as Marie Rose said. The speed of recovery transcended common sense. The broken bones quickly reconnected and found their place, while the burned skin regained its luster. ‘It reminds me of Michael.’ However, Michael showed excellent regeneration even during the battle, while dragons were constrained while fighting. It was probably because a dragon’s tendency was to be aggressive. The flow of their magic power was more focused on attack than recovery. Scales started to develop on Xenon’s body as Grid was feeling admiration. It was just that it was very thin. For dragons, scales were their armor and they seemed to need more time to regenerate before they were solid. “Have you regained your mind?” Grid couldn’t hide his worried expression as he asked. He met Xenon’s big eyes, which were revealed without the dark, pure film covering it. Grid was favorable toward Xenon, who fought with Grid on his back. Even with a wounded body, he protected Grid at the risk of death at the last moment. [………] Grid’s warm eyes made Xenon experience unfamiliar symptoms. He felt a tingling pain in her heart. It made him very distressed even though the pain wasn’t great. Xenon recalled it—the sight of the people struggling to protect each other as he turned the city into ashes. He thought their feelings at that time would resemble what he was feeling now. Then guilt flooded in. His actions that harmed human beings—these actions, which should be insignificant, suddenly became a sin.

[I’m sorry. The dragon who destroyed your city and harmed your people… it was none other than me.] “………” Grid’s expression stiffened, but it was only for a moment. Grid was well aware of what humans were for dragons—bugs. Nothing more and nothing less. Dragons didn’t give humans any meaning. They felt no liking, malice, or killing intent. Yet at this moment, Xenon’s expression was filled with sadness and regret. It wasn’t just because he was sorry for Grid. He seemed to have feelings for the humans he harmed that he never felt before. Grid intuitively sensed it. What Xenon was showing now was a precursor to a huge change that would occur one day. “If you are really sorry, take responsibility and help those who lost their homes and families.” […Gladly.] The moonlight pouring down shone on Grid and the dragon. The giant eyes of the dragon with his head lowered that couldn’t face Grid and Grid, who silently stroked the dragon’s nose. [Overgeared God Grid is writing the 17th epic.] [It starts from the confession of the dragon who bowed his head.] *** The reason why Cranbel was called the cloaked dragon wasn’t because he didn’t have enough perception. The silver dragon Cranbel was the master of distortion. He easily distorted and concealed not only his appearance, but also any phenomena or concepts. [Cough…!] In today's battle, Cranbel didn’t use stealth. It was due to Grid. He decided that Grid wasn’t an opponent who could be handled while maintaining his stealth. Cranbel distorted something other than his appearance. It was his health. In other words, he

spread falsehoods. Cranbal had been shocked when he was cut by Grid’s sword technique that was reminiscent of Martial God Chiyou. He suffered a fairly serious injury. Of course, it wasn’t a wound that was directly linked to death, but he wasn’t as fine as he appeared. Cranbel thought about it. What if Grid had fully recognized his condition? What if Grid wasn’t frustrated? Wouldn’t today’s fight have been a bit more intense? Then he listened to Xenon’s confession, which was imprinted on the world, and the epic of the Overgeared God, who forgave him. Cranbel slowly and carefully crossed the desert. The shade he cast on the place he passed by was blood, not shadow. Cranbel was once again grateful for the presence of the tower member, who blocked the access of other dragons from far away.

[You guys…! You are rats who live in hiding and always disturb us at every important moment…!!} The eyes of the top dragon Cubatros was colored a bright red. It was reminiscent of a blazing flame, but the expression that he was shedding tears of blood was more appropriate. Cubatros held more of a grudge than killing intent. The level of the tower members was too high to be angry and have a desire to kill. To be exact, he was reluctant to stimulate Hayate. Dragon Slayer—he had already killed a dragon once, yet in a contradictory manner, he was excluded from any killing intent. This was the case even when the concept of thoughts were directly linked to strength. He showed no willingness to hurt Cubatros. Thus, he came off even more threatening. He was like a bomb on the verge of exploding. [Get out of my way!] Not long ago, Cubatros thought he was very lucky. He was awake just in time and his lair was located in the center of the continent. He sensed the turmoil of five dragons and regarded it as an opportunity to eat. The willpower of the cloaked dragon, which was divided into hundreds, distorted the area and delayed the time it took to arrive at the scene, but Cubatros was the same rank as the cloaked dragon. He had the potential to break through the maze installed by the cloaked dragon. It was just a matter of time. The moment the willpower of the cloaked dragon faded and the distortions that spread everywhere were erased, Cubatros succeeded in identifying the coordinates of the scene. It was enough to teleport there. At the moment of jubilation, the tower members appeared and interfered. It was quite intimidating. Sword Saint Biban and martial artist Ken, who made the scales meaningless, were quite annoying. Additionally, Fronzaltz, who had restored the treasure of the giants, clearly reminded him why the giants of the past had to perish. Hayate… he was the sun among inferior lights.

Cubatros felt tremendous pressure just because Hayate was supporting them from behind. “We also want to get out of the way,” Hayate opened his mouth. His blond hair fluttered in the howling atmosphere as he was pressured by a Dragon Fear. His clearly revealed face had a deep expression. “How can we dare to block a dragon’s path? However, we can’t withdraw because we are concerned about a situation where you become much powerful than you are now.” […Detestable fellow.] Cubatros was fortunate to have outstanding discerning eyes. If his hierarchy had been a bit lower, he wouldn’t have recognized Hayate’s humility and would’ve caused an irreversible situation. He would’ve made the mistake of entering a life or death battle. Hayate’s blue eyes suddenly subsided calmly. “It seems that the blood queen has opened her eyes. Wouldn’t it be better for you to give up at this point?” [Che…] Then something amazing happened. The dragon, who covered the moon with his mountain-like body, started to turn around. Light relief passed over the faces of the tower members, who were holding their breath with great tension. [You guys… one day, you will definitely pay for your sins.] It was a curse that would surely come true. Cubatros’s Dragon Words wrapped around the fate of the tower members. This was until it was erased by Hayate’s sword light. “Thank you for your decision.” [Hayate…! You will die the most cruelly.] Cubatros glared at Hayata like he wanted to kill Hayate before eventually leaving. The tower members cheered with relief while Hayate was quiet. His two hands concealed behind his back were trembling.

An absolute—Hayate was an immortal who could not die of his own will. Therefore, his end will surely be achieved one day by the dragons and it would take the most horrible form in the world… “I didn’t know that Cubatros would retreat so easily.” “In the end, it went as Hayate said. I’m really glad.” The tower members only opened their mouths properly after returning to the tower. A great incident where as many as five dragons collided—the incident could’ve become the biggest disaster in history, but it ended safely without another new dragon appearing. The opportunity that Hayate mentioned—it was thanks to the performance of Dragon Knight Grid. They hadn’t expected him to join forces with four dragons to make the top dragon back down… it exceeded their expectations. It was right to say it was something that could only be done by Grid in the world. “Grid is the blessing of humanity,” Biban said. It was while stroking Gujel’s Sword. A treasured sword that physically embodied Hayate’s Dragon Killing Sword—it was sufficiently satisfying compared to Hayata’s real swordsmanship. When combined with the Matchless Sword, the power was enough to easily cut a dragon’s scales. Biban was very proud of Grid. This must be how he would feel about his child if he had a child. “Grid is the best,” Betty also agreed. She even had the illusion that her stopped heart was beating again. “If it wasn’t for Grid… a huge monster might’ve been born today.” All the tower members, including Fronzaltz and Redwolf, smiled happily. The members of the Tower of Wisdom—heroes who fought for the peace of the world for many years trusted and relied on Grid. Just in time, a new epic of the Overgeared God was imprinted on the world. The content contained a dragon directly confessing his sins to a god and had never been in any myth.

Hayate trembled. *** “Ohhh!” The people of Reidan were astonished. It was because the city, which had become ashes, was quickly restored to its original form. Xenon easily understood and remembered the established civilization. He used magic and Dragon Words to establish laws that easily restored everything he destroyed. However, even dragons couldn’t revive the dead. Moreover, hell was in a deteriorated state. It was difficult to induce reincarnation because the river of reincarnation didn’t operate properly. [The lives of the 2,788 people who died because of me… I will pay you back with my scales. I will also strive to take care of the bereaved family members as much as possible.] Then something amazing happened. [A new specialty, ‘Dragon Scales,’ will be added to ‘Reidan,’ a city of the Overgeared Empire. It will be maintained for the next 20 years.] [A new effect, ‘Dragon’s Sin,’ will be added to ‘Reidan,’ a city of the Overgeared Empire. Under certain conditions, several beneficial effects will occur.] “………” Grid’s mind was in a very heavy state. He wrote an epic and enjoyed a sharp rise in status, but he wasn’t happy. It was natural. He felt guilty toward the dead. He resented his helplessness for not protecting them and thought it was a harsh reality that he had to forgive the one who harmed them. Still, it couldn’t be helped. Grid comforted himself like this. He would push even more people to death if he hurt Xenon to repay the people’s resentment. Furthermore, Xenon sincerely apologized. He showed his determination to give his life for Grid. On top of that, he completely restored Reidan and gave a new blessing.

‘…That is why it is hard to hate him.’ Did they see the darker shade on Grid’s face? “I’ve been taught that dragons are like natural disasters.” The bereaved family members comforted Grid instead. "Our dead families… I’ll think of it as encountering a disaster.” The bereaved family members also felt Xenon’s sincerity. They understood it was practically impossible to resent a dragon and dream of revenge. There was only one thing they could hope for. “Your Majesty, please, our families… save those who are suffering in hell.” Reincarnation—the only way to save the people trapped in the river of reincarnation. Grid nodded at the bereaved family members who eventually made the request in tears. “Definitely.” This battle had taught Grid a lot. He clearly realized the strength of the dragons and discovered the strength of Baal, who was comparable to an old dragon. Nevertheless, he wasn’t frustrated. Cranbel’s arm, Xenon’s scales, and the rise in status—Grid gained a lot of loot. He would be able to become stronger in the future. In addition— “Marie Rose.” He also confirmed again how reliable an ally he had. “Can you join us on the hell expedition?” "Of course. However, it is hard right now.” The hell expedition was the reason why Marie Rose was born. She had a mission to kill Baal and the demons who cooperated with him in order to return hell to its original state. She would visit hell of her own accord one day, even if Grid didn’t

request it. However, it wasn’t time yet. There weren’t enough preparations. The Curse of Sloth was a secondary issue. Marie Rose discovered it by comparing herself to Cranbel. She was lacking strength. In the first place, the timing was too early. It was only hundreds of years ago that she inherited strength and status from Beriache. More time was needed for her potential to fully blossom. The flow of the world that Grid had accelerated was too fast for her. “I need to meet some people.” “People…?” “There are quite a few cowards hiding in the world. It is better for me to reap the power that is rotting away.” Marie Rose lightly approached Grid and slightly raised her heel in a tiptoe. The moment her fine forehead and eyebrows filled the center of Grid’s field of view, Grid’s head had already turned blank. It was the aftermath of feeling something long and damp squeezing between his lips. “………!” Marie Rose grabbed the back of Grid’s head with a soft touch and seemed like a beast who had been waiting for this day all her life. She thoroughly violated Grid’s mouth. She used her long tongue to draw out and suck all of Grid’s saliva with the momentum of drying Grid up and killing him. How much time passed? Grid, who had been mesmerized for a while in the midst of endless pleasure and shame, let out a short breath. He saw that Marie Rose’s full lips were much redder than before. Grid belatedly felt a stinging pain. His lips were slightly torn. It was by those sharp, white teeth. “My dear husband tastes more delicious than I thought.” “………” “I can hold out for a while with this. Let me taste it again next time.” Marie Rose turned into black ash and scattered, leaving the scene. ‘Crazy… crazy… ’

Grid stood between Xenon and the people of Reidan, who were holding their breaths, and trembled like a pine tree. He feared Marie Rose even more. He thought he would be eaten by her one day. It was until there was not even a drop of blood left.

“…Gulp.” Returning to Reinhardt, Grid cooled down. He felt a tremendous amount of pressure. His hands and feet were trembling, so the fierce battle with Cranbel came to mind again. Mercedes was standing in front of him. With her clear skin and blue eyes, combined with her chilly expression, she was naturally reminiscent of ice. It was an iceberg that floated in the middle of the deep blue sea. Wouldn’t she be called the Ice Empress if she went to the East Continent? “I’m glad you returned safely.” Fortunately, her voice was amiable. The problem was that her eyes didn’t smile. Mercedes was clearly sulking. It was natural. The moment he heard the news of the dragon invading Reidan, Grid had made an earnest request. Never follow me. If you follow me, I will resent you for the rest of my life. The words ‘resentment’ and ‘lifetime’ were put together. It was foul play. Mercedes was terrified. She couldn’t chase after Grid carelessly. She recalled the fact that he couldn’t die and could only watch his back as he quickly moved away. It was also physically impossible to keep up with Grid’s speed. It was a situation where the warp gates weren’t working. The performance of her Silver Wings wasn’t enough to catch up with Grid who used Shunpo in combination with Barbatos’ Vision. Mercedes was left behind and literally experienced hell. Every minute and second seemed like eternity. All she could do was pray while her nerves stretched out like an extended rubber band. What was a knight who couldn’t stand by her master? Mercedes felt a great sense of helplessness and shame. She deeply felt like she was in the depths of despair. She questioned the value of her existence. Irene was the one who supported her while she was shaking. She had felt this way longer than anyone else and warmly wrapped her hands around Mercedes’ trembling hands, even

though she herself was feeling sad and afraid. Mercedes felt the dignity of an empress. She became more respectful of Irene for taking care of her like a sister. Therefore— “Your Majesty!” She didn’t dare take Irene’s rights away. She watched silently as Irene was the first to run to Grid and hug him. “I’m sorry for making you worry.” Grid tended to be particularly weak against Irene. She was born the daughter of an ordinary (?) noble and became the companion of an emperor and god. The psychological burden she felt would be great. Furthermore, Grid was always on the battlefield. Irene was in the position to assume and prepare for the worst every time. It was easily understandable why her hair turned white before she built up divinity. He always felt sorry toward her. “Why are you apologizing? Who will blame a father who returned after fighting to protect his children?” Basara had said this: The emperor should be the father of the people. Irene deeply agreed with Basara’s claim. Of course, it was the same for Grid. Grid was reminded of Basara, who wasn’t here. ‘I will have to visit her more often.’ After the wedding ceremony, Basara became the ruler of Titan and quickly returned to Titan. The reason was that every second was important to restore the city that had collapsed after the Great Human and Demon War, but Grid thought that she felt burdened. A political maneuver—Grid got married without liking Basara. Basara knew this as well. She thought that Grid would be uncomfortable if she was next to him. At this point, Grid was sorry. Regardless of the reason, they were in a marriage relationship. Grid was obliged to give Basara some affection. It was something he had to try. ‘…The exception is Marie Rose.’

Marie Rose… he disliked it. He had no confidence to handle her. He was just afraid. Grid unknowingly touched his lips, only to be startled. It was because Irene and Mercedes were staring at him. The slight flush on his face seemed to have created a strange misunderstanding. Grid intuitively sensed that it would be tough tonight. “Hum hum, Mercedes.” Grid coughed and changed the atmosphere. He handed Mercedes the treasure that the alchemists had risked their lives to protect. No matter how he looked at it, this item resembled coated paper. He questioned if this was truly a treasure. “This is what you commissioned. The alchemists protected it even as the dragon turned the city into a sea of fire.” “Uh…!” “………?” Grid was confused. It was because Mercedes’ pupils expanded like a surprised cat and her hands and feet floundered. The ruler of knights—this appearance didn’t match her, who was the envy of all the knights in the world. Eventually, her face turned red and she pulled out a sword. The White Tiger Sword, which was more transparent than glass, shone with sharp sword energy. “W-What special item…?! I will get rid of it!” “No, what are you doing…? Calm down! Calm down!” There was a big uproar. Grid tried to protect the object containing the blood and sweat of the alchemists while Mercedes, who didn’t dare swing a sword at him, was in a hurry. *** "Thank you." “As expected of Grid. You are beyond favor or spite.”

At the Overgeared Castle, Reinhardt… In the now emperor’s palace, which was almost treated as a sanctuary, Grid and Asuka exchanged bright smiles. [Player ‘Asuka’ has joined Overgeared Guild One.] [Player ‘Black Teddy’ has joined Overgeared Guild One.] Asuka achieved her dream. The right to commission items from Grid. It was the moment she had been desiring for years. It was also a satisfactory deal for Grid. Asuka and Black Teddy’s skills had long been famous. They were able to join Overgeared Guild One, which still had spots open because it only received high rankers. It was easily understandable after hearing the news that they rescued Noll and the vampires. Asuka’s biggest variable was ‘financial power,’ so it wasn’t strange that she could create a miracle with money. In any case, Grid was deeply grateful to them. They protected Noll and chose to be with him. “I thought there was a deep resentment because you hadn’t applied for membership until now. Fortunately, this isn’t the case.” “That… as you know, I hurt your soldiers who guarded Fenrir’s city. I was too sorry and scared because of that…” “It is regrettable, but… things have changed since then.” “…I’ll be the person who protects your soldiers from now on.” “From now on, they will be your colleagues.” “That’s right.” The idea of eternal enemies was too old and narrow-minded. In order to fight against strong and evil enemies, it was necessary to understand and reconcile with each other. Just like Xenon. Grid had grown up before he knew it. After that—

“How is it?” “Isn’t it great?” Asuka entrusted Grid with the production request immediately. Grid suggested it first. It was because he planned to stay in the smithy for a while. “It is a great idea.” Asuka was a special case among weapon masters. Not only did she handle all types of weapons, but she had the ability to gain the necessary weapons. Wasn’t there a story that all the Grid-made weapons on the market belonged to Asuka? Her weapons knowledge was excellent. Her eyes shone as she explained to Grid the form of the weapons she had desired for years. There were some objects with a fresh approach that inspired Grid. ‘A mace… I should try it too.’ There was a fact he had realized when fighting Cranbel. There were limitations to slashing and stabbing. If fighting against targets with exceptional resilience, breaking and crushing seemed to have a greater effect. ‘The more complicated the wound, the greater the time it takes to regenerate. It is easy to cause an injury.’ For example, if he crushed a dragon’s chest that contained scales. It was possible that the fragments of the scales would penetrate the dragon’s flesh and organs. He could expect more abnormal physical conditions. In fact, it was close to basic common sense. There were many players who used a blunt weapon as a secondary weapon. However, Grid didn’t feel the need for a blunt weapon due to the nature of the sword dances. The active and passive skills of Overgeared God's Sword Dance were only activated when wielding a sword-type weapon. Grid’s overwhelming attack power was only exerted when a sword-type weapon was equipped. Apart from long distance weapons like bows that exerted great effects in special situations, he had the perception that it was a waste to use any close range weapons other than swords. Now he changed his mind.

‘For example, the attack power of a weapon made of moon night iron is fixed anyway. It doesn’t matter if I don’t get the effects of the sword dances when wielding a blunt weapon made of moon night iron.’ Grid realized that the powerful performance of the sword dances had actually narrowed his horizons and suppressed his potential. It was a fact that he gained enlightenment from Asuka’s new weapon designs and her ideas that she added every time she handed over a design. “Then I’m asking you.” “Yes, I’ll get in touch when it is done.” “Huhu, I’m excited to join the hell expedition with a new weapon.” For the next four days, Grid focused on Asuka’s commission. He wanted to cover Asuka and Black Teddy’s entire bodies with new items. He didn’t act fretfully due to reasons like he needed their power right away or he wanted to repay them quickly. Grid was aware that there was nothing urgent right away. He didn’t intend to make rubbish because he was in a hurry. He needed time to organize his inspiration. Before smelting Cranbel’s arm and Xenon’s scales, he wanted to make his thoughts as flexible as possible. ‘Come to think about it… ’ Grid’s concentration rose to its limit and he faced the most pressing problem. Storm of the Fire God, the mental world embodied by the heart of the Red Phoenix, was fire. It was an unsuitable attribute for the current Overgeared God. Perhaps Storm of the Fire God was also one of the factors suppressing him. ‘The same goes for the armor that uses the Breath of the Four Auspicious Beasts.’ The things he needed to do were starting to become clear. It was a good idea to use the scales he was previously gifted by Hayate and the scales that Xenon would continue to give to Reidan in the future to change all his armor to new ones. He would ask Braham and the Red Phoenix for advice on how to change the mental world. ‘I might have the Heart of the Frost Queen, but… ’

The Heart of the Frost Queen was ice that didn’t melt. It was hard to say that the Frost Queen’s hierarchy would be the same as the Red Phoenix. The Red Phoenix was a god. It was unlikely that the Heart of the Frost Queen would offset the Red Phoenix’s fire. ‘I just have to ask the Red Phoenix and I will know. I will also complete Filewolf’s quest to get the moon night iron. Cranbel’s arm… I think it is right to smelt it after finishing all these things.’ In fact, Grid was most disappointed in his attack power. The six fusion sword dance with all the buff effects, including Dragon Knight—it transcended the power of a Dragon Breath for a moment, but it didn’t mean anything. He couldn’t even scratch at Cranbel’s health gauge. He needed a stronger destructive power to kill Baal, who was estimated to be more powerful than Cranbel. However, Grid pushed the production of the weapon to the end. It was intended to respond to any changes that would occur when changing his mental world and armor. “………” Grid’s expression suddenly stiffened. Khan’s gift. It was because the poison contained in Valhalla of Infinite Affection, which Khan created by burning the last of his life, came to mind. That’s right. Valhalla’s attribute was also not nothingness. Maybe he should say goodbye to Valhalla this time. “I don’t want to…” Grid clutched his chest with a large hand. He felt the warmth of Valhalla, which was as warm as Khan’s heart, and gritted his teeth. ‘Kuek… I will definitely save you, Khan.’ Grid’s expression crumpled as he barely suppressed his tears. *** “This is the infamous river of reincarnation.”

Countless souls were screaming. They were souls captured by the river. They kept the memories of their lives and could only curse. “This place… it is just the downstream area. The river stretches endlessly. The more you go up, the more you hear the screams of the souls.” Yura’s expression was dark as she explained it. The expressions of the other people were the same. They felt uncomfortable thinking that the people they had once been with would be suffering somewhere here. Some people were furious. “Can’t we just go into Dog’s Mouth and raid Eligos?” The momentum of the hell expedition was very high. The players had grown greatly in the Great Human and Demon War, while hell lost numerous troops and great demons. In addition, all the expedition members had carried out several Hell Gao raids. They received Hell Gao’s recognition (?) and overcame the hell penalties. The sky and distorted stars, which seemed to have all sorts of ominous colors overlapped with each other, the moon with thousands of eyes wide open, and the thick haze in the air didn’t threaten the expedition at all. They had played through hell and they weren’t afraid of Black Knight Eligos. They heard the information that he was a powerhouse who transcended a single digit great demon, but what was the big deal? The expedition had witnessed the tremendous performances of Demon Slayer Yura, Bow Saint Jishuka, Faker, and Katz. The Overgeared members such as Regas and Pon who assisted them were also powerful. The expedition members were confident in their skills. However, the Overgeared members thought differently. In particular, Yura accurately grasped Eligos’ power. “The difficulty of the 20th Hell is much higher than before. Eligo has already suffered a raid and it is impossible that he hasn’t set up any defenses.” Dog’s Mouth, which managed the river of reincarnation, was one of the most important points of hell. There must be a solid basis for the choice to place Eligos there. Considering his attitude of stepping down in consideration of Leraje’s reputation, he seemed to have a temperament close to a cautious strategist. It wasn’t strange if he prepared several layers of protection to greatly weaken intruders and strengthen himself.

-Child. I still covet you. “………!” Yura’s body stiffened at the sudden voice. She clearly remembered the owner of this voice. A being who used to be a big turning point in the past. She couldn’t forget the voice of the 2nd Great Demon, Amoract.

There was no one who didn’t know of Amoract. Even those who didn’t play Satisfy knew the name of the 2nd Great Demon. Moreover, she was the founder of the Yatan Church. Amoract was almost the only faithful believer among the great demons. In other words, she caused the greatest harm to humanity. Until the Great Human and Demon War, most of the great demons that came to the surface were done through the rituals of the Yatan Church. It was Amoract who spread the evil doctrines to people and turned the surface into chaos. “This is crazy…?” At first, they thought a god was descending. A being with a pure white body. A huge but slender woman whose body shone white. She descended in a divine manner in conjunction with the 12 meter tall height that made them look up at her. This was until they looked closely. The woman had no contours on her face. No features such as eyes, nose, a mouth, or ears existed. The body was also flat. Only her protruding chest and narrow waist symbolized that she was a woman. In short, she gave off a creepy feeling like a mannequin. The name that appeared above her head was Amoract. The demon, who had something similar to divinity, was the 2nd Great Demon. It was so strange that it gave them a greater sense of rejection. It was terrible. The faces of the expedition members who were in high momentum quickly turned white. They were nervous, frightened, and disgusted as they gripped their weapons. The ‘bizarre’ debuffs induced by Amoract were infringing on all types of freedoms, but the hell expedition members were the elite of the elite. They might not be the strongest, but they were a group made by selecting the best players. There was no way they would lose their original intention to fight back. The bodies of the expedition members were wrapped in various lights. They were buff skills that overcame fear and strengthened their bodies and magic power. The hands of Saintess Ruby were shaking as she grabbed her wooden staff. She

intended to expand the Sanctuary to push away Amoract’s demonic energy, but it felt like it was being drained away in an instant. The Sanctuary couldn’t surround her allies. It just hovered around Ruby and failed to grow its territory. No, it was being pushed back. It gradually paled. The Sanctuary, which boasted an absolute effect of ‘I disapprove evil’ against demons, was hopelessly helpless. ‘There is no… demonic energy?’ The Saintess was the supporter of humanity. Ruby was clearly aware of this fact. Therefore, she was strong at any time and under any circumstances. She wasn’t shaken by any crises so that others could rely on her. At times, she felt the responsibility was too harsh and felt a tremendous burden. Then she saw and learned from her brother Grid’s back. She didn’t resent the responsibility she had in return for her strength and accepted it as a duty. Yet at this moment, Ruby’s big eyes lost their way and shook. It was the first time she ever felt such a thorough sense of helplessness as she was gradually eroded by Amoract’s mysterious brilliance. [The great demon of conflict, ‘Amoract,’ has taken away your right to use your skills.] [All skills that are being deployed will be deactivated.] [The great demon of conflict, ‘Amoract,’ has changed your skill structure.] [The great demon of conflict, ‘Amoract,’ has made it impossible to distinguish between yourself and others.] “Sehee!” The first person to detect the change was Jishuka. She was in charge of the rear of their allies along with Saintess Ruby. Furthermore, she was able to watch her allies closely because she had an unusual ‘vision.’ In the first place, she was a legitimate leader. She gave up the position of commander-in-chief of this expedition to Yura due to the special environment of hell, but she had the habit of taking care of her companions. Jishuka was the first to notice that Ruby’s Sanctuary faltered and failed to grow its territory. She sensed the impending crisis. She immediately established a barrier with the Breaking Evil Arrow to protect Ruby. The moment that the wide area skill that Ruby was using was extinguished, Jishuka activated the Breaking Evil Arrows barrier.

The barrier that removed all harmful effects and gave protection with the arrows— Ruby’s skill structure, which had been altered by Amoract, was restored to normal. Then eight blue arrows emerged around Ruby and succeeded in intercepting Amoract’s fierce bombardment that followed. “Are you okay?” “U-Unni…” For Jishuka, Ruby was Sehee, not the Saintess. A child who had lived next door to her for years and was like family. She grew up so quickly but Jishuka knew she wasn’t an iron man, unlike her appearance. She had a kind heart so she took good care of people and she loved her brother so much that she tried to be helpful. Not so long ago, Sehee was a girl who wasn’t even an adult. She didn’t show it, but she needed someone to rely on. “Now, take a deep breath. Look around. The people here aren’t fools who can’t do anything just because they don’t have your help.” Ruby felt like she was leaning against a large tree. She slowly shook off the tension and burden as Jishuka wrapped her arms around her and whispered to her. She relaxed her stiff body and mind. “…I think that isn’t Amoract’s body. It is like a mimic made in a special way and most skills probably won’t work,” Ruby spoke with despair. She knew that every word she said would dampen the morale of her allies. Even so, she had to convey it. Jishuka stroked her hair. Jishuka wondered if Grid would’ve looked like this when stroking her hair. "Yes, then we’ll win,” Jishuka reassured Ruby. A mimic form where most attacks didn’t work? What about it? It would be weaker than the main body. Jishuka’s eyes became deeper as she pulled the string of a huge bow. The bowstring that dug into her skin and flesh gave her new pain, but at this moment, the emotion that rose in Jishuka’s mind was passion, not fear. Protect—herself, her dear person’s little sister, and her colleagues.

Jishuka’s heart was as bright and hot as the South American sun as she created a wheel of fire. -Yura. My child who once served God Yatan… huh? Amoract was whispering only to Yura without caring about the surroundings, only for her creepy voice to stop for the first time. Her face without features turned toward Jishuka. -You… Jishuka’s right arm soared into the air. Amoract, who had been approaching her the whole time, blew away her shoulder with a single hit. In the eyes of the expedition members, it happened in an instant. A light seemed to flash and then the result had already happened. However, the eyes of the Bow Saint didn’t miss Amoract’s movements. Jishuka’s bow was aimed precisely at Amoract’s face, who shot straight forward at the shortest distance. She intentionally gave up her right arm to Amoract’s attack, which was aiming for her neck. At the same time that her arm was cut off, she let go of the bowstring. Her arrow left the bowstring. It was made by Overgeared God Grid, and contained the flames of the Red Phoenix, the energy of Breaking Evil, and the ideas and Origin True Energy of the Bow Saint. She was vulnerable to melee combat compared to other legends, so the Origin True Energy system of the Bow Saint opened up her keen senses that easily allowed her to cross the line of life or death. Jishuka used without any regrets the power that was only allowed three times per account. …Of course, it was false to say there were no regrets, but she decided that she had to go out strong from the beginning. The hell expedition consisted of powerful high rankers. If many of them were to die, the scale of the damage done to the player forces would be great. The hell expedition schedule itself was likely to be delayed. That was a nuisance to Grid. -………!

Amoract shouted but her voice was shattered and scattered by the deafening roar of the fiercely rotating arrow. It didn’t reach anyone. This meant that her incantation stopped working. The invisible chains of magic power that occurred every time Amoract whispered could no longer bind Yura. After regaining her freedom, Yura immediately communicated with Nothing Stone. Elemental armor—the orange translucent aura, which resembled Grid’s divinity, became an armament and wrapped around Yura. Yura was already acting. She looked closely at Jishuka’s arrow, which spun while embedded in Amoract’s face, sucking up Amoract’s body like a black hole. “Hell Regulation.” Hell became the hunter’s territory. All beings living in hell became designated as prey. “Light of Destruction.” A jade beam of light penetrated Amoract, but it had no effect. It was a sight that once again proved that the brilliance surrounding Amoract was something other than demonic energy. Yura didn’t panic. She could feel Jishuka’s arrow drawing in the Light of Destruction that had just passed through Amoract in vain. It wasn’t just Light of Destruction. The skills and magic used by the other expedition members were also sucked in by Jishuka’s arrow, which was still spinning fiercely. Jishuka’s arrow quickly grew in size. It was enough to swallow up Amoract’s upper body. -You… ar… e… Part of Amoract’s stretched out voice flowed through the deafening sound. Judgment, quick. You, also, greedy. It was some nonsense like that. After swallowing Amoract’s body completely, Jishuka’s arrow caused an explosion and shattered Amoract. The flying fragments were slashed by the expedition members, including Yura, Katz, and Faker. At a certain point—

“Phew!” The expedition members let out a heavy breath. They were liberated from all the debuffs they received from Amoract. Did they make the 2nd Great Demon retreat? “We have to leave now…!” Jishuka urged them as they felt relieved and cheered. Jishuka’s body was shaking. Her stamina was drained in exchange for consuming the Origin True Energy and she couldn’t move a single finger. Yura carried Jishuka on her back and led the rest of the members. “Go to the castle!” The crystal castle—it was the safest place in hell and had the elevator attached to the surface. The expedition members started moving quickly only to find a presence blocking them. “Ah, what is it again? Why do I have to take care of the cleanup every time?” Rose, the first player to become a great demon—she claimed to be Amoract’s subordinate and gained great power. Now she flew in the air with dozens of magic circles. She would use the staff that released fire to tie up the expedition members… “Uwek!” …She couldn’t do so. Faker flew like a ghost from the shadows to cut her throat and block the magic casting. She was about to go crazy. She only had to hold on for three minutes until Amoract’s new mimic came but it was twisted from the beginning. “Aish…!” Rose’s tenacity was also great. She barely straightened her collapsing body and got up to engage in a hand-to-hand battle. She swung her staff like it was a rod and aimed at Yura. It was because Yura seemed to have the most gaps with Jishuka on her back. However— “Kyak!” Katz’ sword cut at her first before her staff could reach Yura. It was an incredible attack power. Rose even felt ecstatic. “Cool…! This is the ancient class directly linked to the three evils of the beginning!”

I also, I also someday…! Dozens of skills fell toward the eager Rose’s body. It was impossible to block the expedition with the power of a great demon in the 30s… “Damn woman.” Jishuka clicked her tongue at the sight of Rose smiling as she disappeared into ashes. After a while— -I didn't know. Amoract muttered after belatedly arriving at the scene where all the humans had already left. -A bow that can drop the sun… I didn’t know there was a human being with the power of the great star king. Jishuka didn’t inherit Povia’s power, but instead became the Bow Saint. She carved her own path and gained the power of Breaking Evil from the shrine in the East Continent. It was a very shabby shrine with the word ‘Bow’ carved on it. It was so old and poorly maintained that it wouldn’t be strange if it collapsed immediately. Out of the forgotten gods, there were only two gods who shot arrows. The great star king (King Daebyeol) and the little star king (King Sobyeol). [1] Among them, the great star king was wise, kind, and favorable to humans. He fell into the trap of the little star king, fell to hell, and was trapped in the river of reincarnation, but he left his last strength and will on earth. It seemed that Jishuka had inherited it. -All causality continues in this world…? Amoract vaguely noticed it. This could be the last world. Her father didn’t have to cry sadly any longer… Perhaps it would be okay to send humans to Baal. Maybe Baal would die this time. No, it wouldn’t work. This was the time when she needed to be more cautious. She had to be wary about Baal swallowing the humans of this age and becoming unprecedentedly strong.

In the first place, hell wasn’t a place for humans. The hell that her father desired was a haven for those who died and couldn’t ascend to heaven, not a place for the living. As expected, it was right to turn all humans who came to hell into demons. It happened as Amoract’s thoughts started to twist with madness… “I think I am lacking in strength. Is there any way to become stronger? Huh? Great Amoract! Look at me!” -……… Amoract’s plain face was slightly distorted. It was because Rose ran over the moment she was resurrected and broke her thoughts when it was going well.

1. King Sobyeol literally means little star king. I’ve been using the name directly, but based on this chapter, it also has this meaning. I will be interchanging between King Sobyeol/little star king and King Daebyeol/great star king depending on the context ?

It was after the Morpheus’ tears incident. The S.A Group realized that Morpheus’ emotional index was very high. They realized why it was hard to distinguish between the billions of NPCs and players living in Satisfy. Therefore, it was easily predictable. Today, Morpheus would once again be in tears or furious. “To make a dragon like that… by this point, can’t he actually raid a dragon? I heard that a dragon can’t be killed by a player no matter what…” “It is too much to simply define Grid as a player. He has been monopolizing the Pioneer system for so long. It is thanks to the quest the tower gave him that he developed that strange fate with Ifrit.” “The performance of Dragon Knight is better than expected. I never imagined that the dragons would allow Grid on their back as a group.” “The situation matched exquisitely. Grid served as an opportunity for the dragons. Of course, I don’t intend to disparage the performance of Dragon Knight. In the first place, isn’t it a title equivalent to Dragon Slayer?” The conversation of the executives was very cautious. They were conscious of Morpheus, who was on Chairman Lim Cheolho’s wrist. They treated Morpheus like an adolescent girl. It was while recalling the sensitive days of their children, nephews, grandchildren, etc. ‘I’d rather it cry.’ Director Yoon Sangmin was wary of Morpheus’ anger. He was worried it might cause a second Great Human and Demon War. The Great Human and Demon War was a catalyst for players to grow significantly, but it wasn’t a festival. There were a large number of NPCs who died in the war. If the same incident was repeated several times, there was a high risk that some areas would suffer from a population shortage. There would be problems with the economy and the cycle of quests. “………?”

The executives were feeling anxious when they suddenly cocked their heads. The sight of dozens of necks tilting at the same time was like the scene from a comedy. ^^…… …Morpheus was smiling. It used a very old emoticon, just like the day it cried. This was probably to cater to Chairman Lim Cheolho’s preferences and emotions. ‘It is well known that Morpheus has a special regard for Chairman-nim.’ For Morpheus, Lim Cheolho was its creator and parent. The only lover and friend who opened its heart. “I was worried you would be distressed. Fortunately, it seems you are okay.” Chairman Lim Cheolho said while stroking the watch. Relief crossed his smiling face. Morpheus responded. [I am positively evaluating the fact that player Grid has become the Dragon Knight. To borrow a human expression, it is appropriate to say ‘I was lucky’.] Lucky? Morpheus, the heavenly child, was actually referring to good luck? “…What do you mean?” [After conducting my own tests, there is a 38.98% chance that player Grid would’ve become a Dragon Slayer if he hadn’t become a Dragon Knight. It is the result after analyzing his combat power, tendencies, behavioral patterns, and situation, and the accuracy is close to 99%.] “………” [It can be interpreted that after player Grid became the Dragon Knight, he prevented dragons from being raided by players. This means there is no need to temporarily suspend Satisfy’s service due to the dragons running wild or to apply expedient means such as introducing a seasonal system. I suggest that you designate today as an anniversary.] “………” Chairman Lim Cheolho and the executives noticed it.

Morpheus’ mental victory… No, they realized that it learned how to compromise with reality. Grid strangely twisted the direction of the supercomputer’s evolution. *** The moment he entered the elemental world with the help of the daoist immortal Bentao. Kraugel felt like he was floating in space. He instantly captured the scenery of the elemental world below his feet. It was a world centered on a lake that was so massive it could be called the sea. Around the lake, vast natural scenery such as large forests, volcanoes, deserts, and snow fields spread out. It was raw nature where the touch of humanity couldn’t be felt at all. [You have left your body and have entered a spirit state.] [In the spirit state, all senses are dull.] [The assimilation rate of the device you are using will be lowered to 5%.] The assimilation rate used by Satisfy’s beginners was 60%. Even with 60%, it was possible to minimize the pain felt during the battle. Then what about 5%? It was an unacceptable number for normal routes. At this point, he would be numb even if he was chewed and swallowed alive by a monster. No, it was at the level where he couldn’t feel his hands and feet moving. It would be hard to even realize how or in what direction he was moving in. “………” Kraugel floated above the center of the lake and had a subtle expression. It was because he recalled the phenomenon of ‘lag’ that was often experienced in online games decades ago. Yes, it felt like he was lagging. His thoughts were linked to actions and his body staggered. It wasn’t easy for a person who had been splitting one second into several units to adapt. “………” Still, Kraugel didn’t complain. For him, trials were an opportunity and a stepping stone for growth. The bigger the ordeal, the more he didn’t reject it. Rather, he welcomed it with open arms. ‘It is a training method I really like.’

Elementals were pure elements and souls. In the world where they lived, bodies and blood were close to contaminated substances. Kraugel became a spiritual body due to the setting and fully understood the situation. He easily accepted it and adapted. The more carefully he took one or two steps, the more formed his gait became. His stride was established and the direction wasn’t twisted. Eventually, the movement of pulling out the sword and wielding it became natural. It was an adaptability that far exceeded ordinary levels. However, he wasn’t able to easily handle the dark elementals, who were judged as the only monsters in the elemental world. Kraugel had to overcome the crisis of death even with the lower ranked elementals. His swordsmanship was too messy to slash at small enemies moving in real time. It was particularly fatal that his body responded to his thoughts very slowly. There was a significant delay before his actions were implemented. Was it reasonable to raid the Elemental King of Wind in this state? Kraugel, who had doubts, suddenly had a new question. ‘Isn’t the Elemental King of Darkness also ruining the five elements?’ Dark elementals were interpreted as fallen elementals. If an ordinary elemental was tinged with evil or demonic energy, it lost its existing character and attributes and became a dark elemental. Therefore, a formula was established that existed everywhere, but… he thought their existence might be one of the reasons behind the balance of the elemental world being broken. ‘Why are the elementals of the elemental world corrupted in the first place?’ The elemental world was a type of sanctuary. It was a space for elementals and it was right that there should be no opportunity for them to be tinged with evil or demonic energy. ‘…In the end, is the culprit the Elemental King of Wind?’ An Elemental King that shouldn’t exist—it was only by removing it that the elemental world would find order and the dark elementals would be expelled from the elemental world. In the end, his purpose didn’t change. Kraugel judged while his body slowly accelerated. It was proof that he was adjusting

to his current state while fighting the dark elementals. Once he finished perfectly adapting, he would raid the Elemental King of Wind and return to the surface, where he would face radical development. The moment when he took off the thousands or tens of thousands of sandbags hanging on him and regained the body where his thoughts were immediately put into practice—his body and senses, which had become more sensitive than before, would be able to split one second into even more units than before. *** ‘…Nothing has changed?’ The nothingness attribute. Grid was obsessed with his divinity. It was natural. The moment Braham’s magic that was part of the sword dances was removed, the sword dances evolved. He judged that removing all the attributes on his equipment items would bring about another evolution. Thus, he first experimented. It was after completing all of Asuka and Black Teddy’s commissions and impressing them. Grid tried swapping to a variety of items that remained in the smithies. He armed all or some areas with items that didn’t have any skills, let alone attributes. Most of the items made by Grid himself had effects such as skills, so he even bought items on the exchange. He spent his money to buy garbage, but it didn’t work. Covering himself with attribute free items didn’t increase his status or cause any evolution. ‘Is it because the item level is so low?’ Grid opened the exchange again. He set the item sorting to a higher level limit and purchased items with a level 500 limit that no buyer would purchase at this point. They were even normal or rare rated items that didn’t have skills or attributes. In other words, he spent money to buy malicious inventory. It was clear that the sellers, who would soon check the exchange, would send a prayer of gratitude to God. It was thanks for sending them a pushover. “…Um.”

There were no results. He armed himself with new items in a variety of ways, but Grid didn’t see what he expected. By this point, Grid had grasped the situation. ‘The attributes of the items are irrelevant.’ He was easily convinced. The sword dances were Grid’s internal force while items were power borrowed from outside. Even if an item was made by Grid, it couldn’t be Grid’s essence. It didn’t make sense for an item to intervene in Grid’s ‘divinity’ and give harmful or beneficial effects. Initially, Grid’s strength lay in the use of all weapons. He was the true Overgeared God only when he could take out items with favorable attributes at any time and in any situation. If the divinity of the Overgeared God was strengthened by the use of items with no attributes, it would only be a constraint or restraint to Grid. “…I’m glad.” A warm smile spread across Grid’s relieved face. It was because he could fully use any item in the future, not some other reason. He smiled with joy at being able to preserve Khan’s final work. “Filewolf.” “Um?” “Let’s go obtain the moon night iron.” Grid shook his head and stood up. He planned to make the armor with dragon scales during the journey. The thoughts that still remained in Gujel’s fang had resisted and interfered with Grid’s smelting. It was different for Cranbel’s arm and Xenon’s scales. The thoughts in them were mindful that the parties involved offered the things out of favor toward Grid. Grid decided that they could be smelted without the need for a super large furnace. It was based on the experience gained from smelting Ifrit’s arm. “Okay.” “…What is this?”

Grid’s face stiffened. It was because Filewolf suddenly lay down. The appearance of him kneeling with both hands on the ground didn’t match Raiders’ cool and magnificent appearance. The slightly raised butt was the most annoying… “Don’t you like this type of thing?” Filewolf recalled Grid who rode on four dragons in turn. It was right to interpret his current attitude as the best favor that could be seen from a scientist with no social skills who loved only magic machines and metal. The problem was that Grid couldn’t empathize with it at all. There were many eyewitnesses. The dragon who bowed his head to Overgeared God Grid and confessed… Players were fascinated with the contents of the absurd epic. Did Grid subdue even the dragons? No, that wasn’t it no matter how they looked at it…? The crowd, who gathered to watch Grid with all types of questions and expectations, witnessed Filewolf lying down like a dog. They clearly heard that he liked this type of thing, even if it was actually closer to nonsense. ‘I’m going crazy.’ Grid left the scene and the bustling crowd behind like he was running away. He regretted the open door policy that was created in order to show off to other people the garden that Irene grew.

Prime Minister Lauel was the highest ranking political officer who supported the emperor. He enjoyed great authority over internal affairs, diplomacy, and personnel affairs. It also meant he took on a responsibility proportional to that. Lauel’s workload was beyond imagination and there was no distinction between online and offline. He often collapsed from overworking and had severe hair loss. Still, it was worthwhile. Just as Grid leveled up by going around battlefields and his battle-related stats entered the realm of transcendence, Lauel’s political power and insight as he guarded the political arena, where schemes abounded, also entered the realm of transcendence. It was a place where he controlled the political board like he was moving go stones and he easily exerted it by monitoring many aspects of the empire in real time. It was transcendent in another sense. It was until the Overgeared Kingdom became an empire. Lauel overcame the internal ordeals that came constantly. Without him, there would be no empire. The experiences he accumulated were higher than a great mountain, so it was right and inevitable that he was reborn as a transcendent being. “Here, here, and here.” A map of the Overgeared Empire. On the huge map that wasn’t different from the map of the East Continent, Lauel identified exactly three cities. It was the hand gesture of the god of death. “Send inspectors within the week.” “Isn’t Serev privately led by Marquis Kaizak? There will be many complaints…” “It depends on the results of the inspection. I predict that no one will dare to protect him.”

[Insight of the Great Empire’s Prime Minister] [Identify the level, stats, skills, talents, potential, inclinations, zodiac sign, and horoscope of the target NPC. Skill Mana Cost: 5,000 Skill Cooldown Time: 2 hours.] It was a skill exclusively for Lauel that was upgraded at the same time as the founding of the Overgeared Empire. The rating was Legendary (Transcendent). He saw not only the ability of the target person, but also their essence. It was very useful. Lauel placed talents in the right place. If he personally made his own selections, a dream team would be formed that made it easier for him to solve any challenges. It was possible to predict when the dream team started to creak, when the prime of the dream team’s talents would end, and when the talents would neglect their duties or be corrupted. Due to this, personnel transfers frequently took place in various parts of the empire. In some areas, criticisms of ‘cherishing something when needed and throwing it away when no longer needed’ were boiling over. Lauel was used to the criticisms. He used his authority without a single blink. There were no exceptions even if the other person was from the imperial family of Saharan. The better the target’s lineage or connection, the more thoroughly he supervised them. He didn’t give them a chance by looking away. It was because there would be a purge if he responded late to a situation. That’s right. Lauel tried to avoid seeing blood as much as possible. It was his own mercy. It was for the peace of the empire to last. “P-Prime Minister!” "What happened?” “T-That… it is said that the inspectors dispatched to the east part of the empire have disappeared from the Chuhaltz area.” “………”

Of course, Lauel wasn’t a god. He could see many aspects of the empire, but he couldn’t see all sides. This was the case even if he mobilized his skills and authority. In the first place, there were too many bastards in the world. It was impossible for even a god to control the corruption and sins they committed. ‘This is what I was concerned about. Those who see the hell expedition as an opportunity have started to show their true colors.’ Was there only one gentleman out of a million humans? 99.99% of humans were bound to give up their conscience at least once in their lifetime. It wasn’t a prejudice that Lauel distrusted humans. It was reality without any exaggerations. Look at your neighbors. No, look back at yourself right now. ‘Considering the future, I will have to grow the size of the inspection team.’ It wasn’t easy to find talented people who wouldn’t fall for any temptation. The lords who were committing corruption somewhere right now were also pure at first. They were people who absolutely respected and were loyal to Grid, their god and emperor. They had sworn to devote themselves to the nation. Yet they changed after being exposed to temptation and repeated compromises. ‘There is no one suitable.’ Now most of the people Lauel trusted were participating in the hell expedition. Lauel had fewer knives to wield with confidence and his anxiety deepened. It was a trial because the size of the Overgeared Empire was so huge. It was too painful a trial when it was less than a few months after the founding of the empire, but it was a situation that Lauel inflicted on himself. Most of the lords appointed by Lauel were recognized for their ability rather than their personality. They were chosen as cards to be used from the beginning. All he had to do was overcome the immediate trial. He would prioritize personality over ability when selecting successors to take charge of and managing the land developed by competent people. They would also lose their original intentions one day, but this would take a long time. “…Wait.” Lauel was deep in thought when his face brightened. He thought of a person who

would’ve become unemployed after the continent was dyed with the color of the Overgeared Empire. Death God Knight—he was a hidden class assassin known for taking care of things without any problems. *** [Haksen’s sigh is deepening.] “………” Tzudan, Filewolf, and Haksen—the three of them had something in common. They were loot obtained from raiding the 4th Great Demon, Gamigin. Of course, Grid didn’t treat them as objects. He respected them as people. Thus, he was always sorry. Out of the three, only Haksen was still hovering around Grid. Haksen was the same as the beginning, unlike Tzudan, who found a successor after resolving the past (?), and Filewolf, who gained the body he was eager (?) for. He wandered around as a mere soul without getting anything. In other words, his situation hadn’t improved compared to when he was captured in hell. “That… I’m not discriminating between Filewolf and you. I just need the moon night iron right now.” Grid felt a bit guilty and explained to Haksen. He was sincere. Grid planned to use the moon night iron to create another form of destruction. The form was a mace. There was a high probability it would share a cooldown with the Falling Moon Sword, but he needed a weapon that could be used in a different situation from the Falling Moon Sword. There were already the innovated Mjolnirs, but they were far lacking. The stiffness effect of the Mjolnirs was meaningless against a target with high status. It wasn’t comparable to the moon night iron, which was the ‘only one’ in the world that ignored status. Additionally, the reason why Grid was obsessed with a blunt weapon was the limitation of the God Hands. Like the Mjolnirs, the God Hands had little effect on beings with high status. It was the essential limit of Greed itself and wasn’t anything new.

The limit of speed. He realized it this time when he fought Cranbel. The meteor, or mass of Greed that Grid dropped every time he glimpsed an opportunity, never reached Cranbel. It was doubtful if it would’ve pierced the absolute defense even if it reached Cranbel, but in the first place, Cranbel escaped too easily. It was purely a difference in speed. This meant it was meaningless to let the God Hands swing them just because he needed blunt weapons. It was a weakness that became more prominent the stronger the enemy was. ‘It is much better to use the God Hands for the artificial senses. If I am fighting an opponent who is so powerful that I need a blunt weapon while giving up the benefits of the sword dances, I need to wield it myself.’ There were a lot of worries. He thought it would be better to make around 200 God Hands with the Greed he had gathered so far to expand the area of the artificial senses further. ‘…It is exciting.’ No matter how strong he became, he would meet new strong rivals and repeat these worries. He couldn’t get tired. Satisfy was a god-like game. Probably… [The 2nd option slot of Gujel’s Dao will be updated with a 3% increase in skill power.] ‘It is a ruined game.’ Grid didn’t waste even a second. Throughout the trip, he consumed the prayer stat to rotate the slot while thinking of the dragon armor set. He was going to use the Item Creation skill when creating the dragon armor set. It was from head to toe. He planned to make a new appearance like never before. To be honest, he felt it was more urgent to increase his attack power than defense, but… there would definitely be inspiration in the process of making the armor. The order to craft the weapon using Cranbel’s arm was postponed as it was more important. ‘I wonder if it is possible to kill Baal even when armed with new overgeared items.’

He couldn’t scratch Cranbel’s health gauge no matter how much power he poured out, so how could he raid Baal? Grid’s worries were deepening because he didn’t know the truth. Then it happened around this time… “This is it.” Filewolf landed on the ground. It was a small island on the sea. “Aren’t you mistaken?” “No, I’m sure it is here.” “…It is buried in the sea.” “It is because it was one of the giant cities.” Bellitori—it was said to be Filewolf’s hometown. Filewolf remembered that the moon night iron was buried in that land. “It is a city that sank a thousand years ago, so it is hard to find it easily. Furthermore, the location of the city might’ve changed some time ago due to the twists in the crust from Ifrit’s actions.” “I will actively help as well.” “You don’t have to go out on your own. I’ll lend you the skeletons. As we explore, you can focus on gambling and new research as you are now.” “I’m not gambling, I’m enhancing my items. Anyhow, I understand.” Grid pulled out a blank blueprint. He planned to start working on it in earnest. ‘At the time I made the armor using the Breaths of the Four Auspicious Beasts, I thought that armor set was graduation.’ He didn’t expect the day would come when he would make a dragon armor set. Grid reflected on the past when the dragons were perceived as beings from another world and was filled with emotion. He increased his concentration. Meanwhile, Filewolf was taking a deep breath. He was metal so he naturally moved his stiff body and released it.

Would he be able to find a city that sank in the sea a thousand years ago? He was already worried. Nevertheless, he was determined to find it. He had recovered his body thanks to Grid. He wanted to use it to help Grid and repay the favor. ‘This body is perfect. There is no need to breathe so I can withstand the water pressure of the deep sea.’ I will never rise to the surface until I find the city… It was with a reverent determination. Splash! Filewolf threw himself into the sea. He gave instructions to the Overgeared Skeletons and dived deeply. Around an hour passed. “Pfu! Pfuu!” Filewolf emerged above the surface with a glow of light. Due to his large and heavy body, he made a commotion every time he struggled, and it caused a wave to rush in and subsequently make Grid look like a wet mouse. “…What is this?” The Overgeared Skeletons would've sent a sound transmission first if the city was found. It was easy for Filewolf’s group to handle even if a kraken appeared. Why was he making a fuss? “………?” Grid was doubting Filewolf when his eyes became half-closed before soon widening. “Grid!” “Overgeared God!” A number of voices could be heard among the fluctuating waves. They were the voices of the people of the water clan. Why were they in this distant place when they

should be in Siren? The people of the water clan soon explained to the somewhat startled Grid. “I heard about Your Majesty from the mouths of the fish.” “I swam over because I thought you would need our help.” “…Thank you.” There were people in the world who didn’t change. Not everyone was corrupt. In particular, there were many such people around Grid. They were trying to repay the trust of Grid, whom they believed in silently. Lauel, who easily suspected people and sharpened a knife in advance, couldn’t be blamed for being wrong. Grid and Lauel were different, but they weren’t wrong. Due to the two people, the balance of the empire was right. On this day… [Overgeared God ‘Grid’ has discovered an ancient, forgotten city.] Bellitori appeared for the first time in a thousand years. Unlike Filewolf’s worries, it was a quick find.

"Uh, how are you? Are you comfortable?” [The water clan warrior ‘Dalina’ has given you the protection of the sea.] [Breathing underwater has become possible.] “………” Grid’s eyes widened as he jumped into the sea. A protection to help him breathe underwater. Of course, Grid didn’t need it. The myth rated mark ‘Black Tortoise’s Shell’ that was engraved like a tattoo on Grid’s body allowed him to breathe underwater. The surprising thing was that a young warrior had used the blessing. Grid glanced at the young warrior of the water clan. In the center of the sea where sunlight melted and glowed bright green, memories of the past were recalled through the eyes he met. “You, were you in Siren before…?” “D-D-Do you remember? That’s right! I had the honor of fighting with Your Majesty when I was young! Hehe, I didn’t even have the strength to lift a trident at the time, so I threw a conch shell from afar…” “…You have grown a lot.” A smile spread on Grid’s face. The expression on his face softened to the point where even Grid himself was surprised. He was glad. The child he had protected had become an adult. ‘Even the protection of the sea can be used.’ The absolute protection that allowed breathing underwater was a privilege of the water clan royalty and some veteran warriors until just 10 years ago. Yet as the

young warrior in front of him proved, time had passed. Now most of the water clan warriors had been reborn as talents who could freely use the protection. “Every day, I have offered a prayer of gratitude to Your Majesty. It is thanks to Your Majesty that we can live, breathe, swim with fish, cook delicious seaweed and eat it every day.” “………” The number of times you have helped me is far more than the number of times I have helped you. Even so, they were still talking in an unchanged manner about the old favor? He was happy, embarrassed, and sorry. Grid swam quickly. The young warrior chased after him in a hurry and delivered good news. “Ah! Not long ago, Prince Lord visited Siren. The king admired him for being so strong.” ‘He has already reached there.’ The first adventure Lord decided on was following his father’s path. He must’ve grown a lot in the months Grid hadn’t seen him. ‘He is praiseworthy. I miss him.’ Gradually, the sea darkened. Grid and the water clan warriors sank into the abyss until the sea turned black. "Here.” Grid suddenly pulled out a circular shield. It was something he had kept since making the knights’ equipment a long time ago. It was light, so there were no restrictions when using it with a weapon. He had used it as a secondary equipment around twice in a few years. “Ah…?” The young water clan warrior took the shield in a daze and held it. The God Hands turned her body to the side. Just then—

Thump! A shark-type monster emerged from a rock, rushed into the shield, and hit its head on it. The young warrior was alert. She immediately understood the situation and stabbed the enemy’s belly with a trident. “Isn’t it pretty useful? It is a gift.” “Heirloom…! N-No! I’ll tell the king and make it a national treasure!” “Why give it to the king when I gave it to you?” A new sight filled Grid’s vision as he smiled and patted the warrior’s shoulder. [You are the first player to discover the ancient city of Bellitori.] It was a huge green city. There were low and small houses, as well as tall and grand buildings. There were collapsed altars, stairs, and unknown debris. Everything in the city was covered with green moss. Was that the ruins of a castle? As they got closer to the city, a particularly large and desolate area attracted Grid’s attention. Remnants of stone slabs were scattered all over the ruins of the castle and strange letters and pictures were suddenly seen through the cracks in the moss that the fish ate. [Deciphered the ‘Slab of Bellitori’ as a reward for being the first to find Bellitori.] The moment the notification window appeared, the remnants of the stone slabs emitted a brilliant light. The light gathered at a single point and projected a scene from the past. He saw a slab as high as a wall. After that, the remains of the ancient giants, which had no traces left, stood tall. ‘The sun, moon, and star… no, is it three suns?’ At the top of the slab, three suns were embossed. Each one was of a different size and one was particularly small. This was why he thought it was a star. Then when he looked closely, he saw they all had the same form. Below the picture was an impressive inscription.

-Our ancestors have ascended to the moon, so we shall ascend to the sun. “………?” They reached the moon? Did the ancient giants make spaceships? ‘No, if they had built spaceships, they wouldn’t have said an absurd thing like ascending to the sun.’ The moon and sun here probably meant Heaven and the surface. The moment that Grid thought this. [The experience of all skills has increased by 30% in return for gaining a portion of ancient knowledge.] [The level of Grid’s Combat Techniques that Depicts the End of the Martial God (?) has risen.] [The level of Spear Shot has risen.] [The level of Magic Power Cohesion (Enhanced) has risen.] [The level of Magic Power Emission (Enhanced) has risen.] [The level of Mixed Throw Strikes has risen.] [The level of Turning the World Upside Down has risen.] ……… … Huge rewards occurred and was followed by Filewolf’s explanation. “A very long time ago… there were three suns and more gods lived in Asgard than now. They remember it as a time of peace, but that wasn’t the case for us. The gods of that time interfered too easily with the surface.” Filewolf’s voice was heavy as he recalled old memories. “A neighbor or wife would suddenly disappear one day and return with a child of a god or the sheep would suddenly turn into a herd of bison, trampling and killing a little shepherd boy…”

“Did the gods descend to the surface and do those things?” "There were too many gods. There are all types of stars among the stars. All types of problems have arisen due to their light pranks. The half-gods who grew up in the midst of humans started to resent the heavenly gods who didn’t respect humans. The gods used their insignificant revenge as a mere game. They gave trials and moved the half-gods as they wanted under the pretext of helping them to get revenge. At this time, they also provoked the dragons, which led to a situation where the gods were hunted instead.” “Eh…?” “The order was broken. The authority of the gods was lost, while the half-gods who overcame the trials became stronger. It was a deadly problem that humans started deifying the half-gods. The nervous gods gradually became violent.” “In the process, the gods of Asgard divided into factions and fought a war. The seven malignant saints were born.” “That’s right.” Human beings who worshiped half-gods were struck by thunderbolts and killed. The half-gods who lost their divinity had their strength overshadowed and were extinguished. Every time the heavenly gods went to war, tsunamis flooded the ground and volcanoes erupted. It was a chaotic world where only humans cried. The wise giants fought on the side of humans. They supported humanity by creating all types of weapons. The price was great. The entire giant kingdom was buried deep in the sea. Since then, humanity was truly alone. They were unable to rely on gods, half-gods, and even the giants, so they learned wisdom and skills to survive on their own. Some gods were wary and jealous of them. Demons were supported by the gods and rose from hell. The seven good people who fought on the side of the gods noticed the ugly sins of the gods and belatedly stood on the side of humanity again. A new war started and ended. The seven good people got the stigma of the seven evils. …Now in the present time. The world that regained its own order was better off than

the past. The influence of the gods wasn’t the same as before after suffering the humiliation of making a pact with the dragon while being divided in half. Thanks to collaborators such as the giants and the seven good people, or perhaps due to the need of the gods, humanity grew wonderfully and forgot the sins of the past. They were able to stand on their own. They produced numerous legends and human gods. At the center of it were the players, including Grid and the Overgeared members. It meant it wasn’t a difficult position to influence the world. Humanity of the present time was strong. Filewolf clearly grasped it. Thus, they found a city buried in the sea. He didn’t mind the fact that this city, which reappeared again in the world, would terribly displease the heavenly gods. “It was the time when the war of the gods intensified. The giants were concerned the surface would be destroyed without a trace and somehow tried to climb to the heavens. We had the pure hope that we could mediate the war by offering the treasures made using our wisdom. We expected that transcendent beings would be separated from common sense.” The inscription engraved on the slab. The commitment to ascend to the sun, i.e. to heaven, was right. “However, we didn’t make it to heaven. The big, hard flight that we devoted our lives to couldn’t handle the heat of the sun. Our hopes were dashed. It was in a frustratingly easy manner.” “………” “A god descended before us, who were frustrated. King Daebyeol—he, who has been taking care of humanity alone for a long time, fired an arrow and dropped the biggest sun. Thanks to this, there were only two suns left in the world and we were able to ascend to heaven. Well, that is the end of it. It wasn’t possible to negotiate. Our giants, who were already an eyesore in the eyes of the gods, were buried in the sea shortly after. This is what I experienced.” “King Daebyeol…”

The day he visited the Hwan Kingdom with Zik and Raiders, no, Zibal. Grid saw the expelled gods. Among them was King Sobyeol. The son of Hanul, a god of the beginning, Unlike the three masters, he had a decent character. He was also one of the objects of respect whom Zik bowed to. “Where is King Daebyeol now and what is he doing?” If King Daebyeol fought for humanity and King Sobyeol’s tendencies were similar to King Daebyeol… Could it be possible to convince the two brothers to join the same side? “He fell to hell,” Filewolf conveyed the brutal reality to the hopeful Grid. “…Huh?” “He paid the price for helping us. At that time, all the heavenly gods worked together. The sight of divine beings rushing toward King Daebyeol like monkfish… it was terrible enough to appear in my nightmares even after I died.” “The gods all worked together? Hanul and King Sobyeol as well?” “I don’t remember the faces of the gods, but I’m sure they were there. There wasn’t a single god who protected King Daebyeol. At that time, the actions of King Daebyeol seemed to have crossed the final line, so I think he was used as an example for all gods.” “…Disgusting guys.” Gods were worshiped because they existed for humanity and the world. On that topic— They buried the giants who visited Asgard in hope of mercy and threw the god who helped them into hell? From what point of view did they exist for humanity and the world? ‘I would believe it if they were called parasites.’ “I just told you a story of the past because I thought you would be curious about the stone slab. Don’t waste your mind on what happened a thousand years ago. You are

the only one who will suffer.” “…Yes.” The moon night iron—Grid recalled his purpose for coming here and calmed down his boiling insides. Then after a while, his insides were turned over again. [Intruder found.] [Identified the target as a god.] “Uh? Uhh?” “Oh my? I’m sorry. I didn’t think this would be here. I thought it was moved after I died.” [The god killer sequence is activated.] A huge moss-covered stone statue with glowing blue eyes—the current changed dramatically as soon as the stone statue took a step. A terrifying whirlpool occurred and started to suck in everything in the area. The moss that covered the stone statue was scattered without a trace. “Magic Machine Trauka.” A giant that was eight meters high. Its armaments, which were being activated for the first time in a thousand years, were as red as blood. “It is the only model among the magic machines made with a great god killing weapon instead of a great magic weapon. It was the last project of the giants…” Just a few seconds was enough for it to reach the surface 1,000 meters above. Moonlight surrounded Grid’s body as he was struck in the stomach by the kick of Trauka, who shot forward like lightning using the magic power engine. It was night. ‘It won’t be easy.’

30 God Hands were already spreading out the artificial senses around Grid. Grid avoided the torpedoes that chased him through the water and rotated his body like a spintop. Trauka’s shoulder, which resembled a dragon’s head, collided with Gujel’s Dao. “In the end, I feel like Raiders is useless.” [Warning. The target’s divinity is very high.] The color of Grid’s divinity had deepened. The color was clearly deeper compared to before he wrote the 17th epic. It was like a sunrise over the horizon, so that the night became overshadowed.

Grid didn’t realize the performance of the magic machines. It was due to a lack of inspiration. The magic machines’ detailed stats were only available to the riders. It was a natural structure. In the first place, the rider was the one who determined the detailed stats of the magic machines. This was why Zibal was so special. It was also the cause of the marked difference in performance between the Raiders implemented by Grid through Item Transformation and the Raiders who was directly controlled by Zibal. This meant the creator could only measure the potential of the magic machine they made through the armaments, output, durability, size, structure, etc. It was purely the responsibility of the controller to derive and utilize that potential. It was easy when thinking of robot animations. Weren’t there separate robot makers and the pilots who controlled them in cartoons? For magic machines, the position of Grid was a doctor. Doctor Grid. ‘Raiders, which is reproduced through Item Transformation, is weak.’ The God Hand Raiders was the same model as Zibal’s Raiders. It was the Raiders that had been analyzed and strengthened by Grid. However, the AI of the God Hands couldn’t utilize Raiders’ capabilities to 100%. Despite knowing this fact, Grid often transformed the God Hands into Raiders because it was useful in certain situations. Above all, he had lingering feelings. Grid hadn’t forgotten. The power of Raiders, whose soul was adjusted and controlled by Braham during the Demon King Subjugation. The outstanding performance of Zibal, who went crazy—very briefly—in the Great Human and Demon War. This was why he had been obsessed with the power of the magic machines even though he couldn’t accurately feel it. ‘It would be more comfortable if I controlled the magic machine myself.’ Grid didn’t qualify as a rider. He could grab, pick up, or swing the magic machine by hand, but he couldn’t control it. Sitting in the cockpit was like wearing large armor.

‘…It wouldn’t make sense even if I controlled it.’ Grid had a strong ally called Radwolf. Raiders could’ve been modified so that Grid could control it, but Grid didn’t ask for this. Sitting in the cockpit of the magic machine sealed his own strength. Grid was much stronger than Raiders’ maximum output. Additionally, most of his existing skills were disabled when riding a magic machine. Instead, the magic machine’s unique skills were activated. This was naturally a loss for Grid. In fact, the tower members also used the magic machines as auxiliary weapons. It was the same even though Radwolf’s magic machines were made with moon night iron. In the end, there was only one conclusion. Maximize the magic machine’s own performance as much as possible. It would be ridiculously powerful even if the God Hands utilized only ‘some’ of the functions of the magic machine. It was just as he had been thinking about this. “………” He encountered the red magic machine. Trauka—a secret weapon made by the ancient giants for the purpose of killing the gods. The specs themselves were superior to the other magic machines. It wasn’t far inferior to Grid in terms of power and speed. The sea was split apart and joined back together repeatedly. Due to the water soaring high into the sky and the series of whirlpools, the depth of the sea became shallower. Grid and Trauka collided without a break in the sea and in the sky. They crossed the horizon and sometimes turned all the uninhabited islands that their feet touched into powder. The violent battle even stimulated underwater volcanoes. The flames that rose from the depths of the sea were soaked in the sea water pouring down like rain, creating thick smoke. It was mixed with volcanic ash and thoroughly blocked Grid’s view. -Be careful…!

Did he remodel his own body to build a communication system? Filewolf’s urgent voice entered Grid’s ears. It was a system that players called whispers and transcendents called sound transmission. ‘He is surprisingly kind.’ Grid smiled. Filewolf’s giant body was wrapped around the water clan’s warriors. Like a dam, he protected the warriors from all types of winds and waves. Information was transmitted through Grid’s artificial senses. It showed Trauka approaching from the right. ‘There is a heat detection system.’ Grid operated the artificial senses and transcendent senses at the same time. He clearly understood the flow around him even with his eyes closed. The eruption of the underwater volcanoes was considered an opportunity. It seemed to be the same with Trauka. Grid planned to easily overpower it when the thickly spread volcanic ash swallowed its vision, but Trauka also immediately grasped Grid’s position. The blocked view was overshadowed. The stab of Kill collided head on with Trauka’s fist. A missile was fired from Trauka’s fist that was disastrously split apart. Grid’s body bounced back due to the recoil. Trauka’s magic power engine spun fiercely. Grid was wary of the pursuit that would immediately follow. He used White Tiger’s Posture. He meant to link the fusion sword dance with Turning the World Upside Down after attracting Trauka. Yet unexpectedly, Trauka didn’t pursue him. [Reconfirming that the target’s vision isn’t possible.] Trauka knew that Grid’s vision was blocked. It speculated that the noises such as the volcanic eruption and tsunami also impaired his hearing and sense of smell. How did Grid read the ambush? A blue light of its eyes glowed incandescent as it tried to analyze the cause. “………” Trauka went through several tests. It shot missiles, unleashed magic, and wielded a spear and sword directly. It identified how Grid perceived space and read attacks

despite losing his senses based on different patterns of behavior. [Check the chemical reactions that make up fine particles. It is presumed to be the target’s unique power.] “………!” Grid’s eyes widened. The artificial senses were made by mixing silver thread powder with magic power. It spread out around Grid and even now, it had never been discovered by any transcendents. No, to be precise, it didn’t attract attention. Magic power originally flowed in the atmosphere and their forms were relatively diverse. To the transcendents, Grid’s artificial senses were simply magic power that existed in the world. They simply understood and accepted it as part of nature. They equated it with the mana of a city filled with dust and oil, and the mana of the battlefield that was full of a bloody scent. It was even more so because they were in a state where they could feel the mana scattered in the atmosphere. They purely accepted a situation they would’ve suspected if they hadn’t been transcendents. Meanwhile, it was different for Trauka. It scientifically analyzed that the impurities (silver thread) mixed with magic power were substances that didn’t suit the environment. Then it became vigilant. It intentionally avoided the artificial senses and started moving. It detected and responded to changes in the artificial senses that transformed in real time as if they were part of nature. Grid accurately noticed the reason why Trauka was strong. ‘Some of it is simply the high specs, but the role of the artificial intelligence is also great.’ Trauka’s AI that judged and moved on its own was almost fully utilizing Trauka’s functions. Perhaps the giants also interpreted that the magic machine that operated without the help of a rider was the ultimate magic machine. ‘Can Filewolf create such an artificial intelligence like this on his own?’ Grid’s greed grew even greater. An army of magic machines equipped with a high performance artificial intelligence. He imagined himself with them. Just then, Grid’s hand caught the horns protruding from Trauka’s head. He

immediately gained insight and responded to the position of the opponent who broke through the artificial senses and approached. It was because he felt killing intent. He relied purely on the transcendent senses. He properly took advantage of the loophole of the opponent who was overly conscious of the artificial senses. Trauka struggled, but it was too late. Grid’s six fusion sword dance slammed into the chest of the magic machine who was caught by Turning the World Upside Down and temporarily lost its flight capability, plunging head over heels. [Danger. Confirming the descent of Martial God Chiyou. It can’t be resisted. Trying to escape…] [Error. Error. Target can’t be identified.] [Estimating serious system damage. Releasing the safety device. Self-destruct sequence is activated.] Trauka’s resistance was formidable. It opened up its chest and released a huge amount of explosive energy. It was an energy that could be suspected as a Dragon Breath. If Grid’s response had been 0.1 seconds later, he wouldn’t have been able to open the Mysterious Cloth and would’ve been swept away by the explosion. [The self-destruct sequence is stopped by an ultra high density gravity. It is presumed to be the target’s secondary unique power.] “It isn’t a power.” At the end of the six fusion sword dance— “It is the power of items,” Grid explained. The artificial senses and the Mysterious Cloth—they were just two of the many overgeared items that he possessed. [The target's remark has caused confusion. Blocking the target’s voice.] Trauka sank into the sea and its eyes lost its light. Grid didn’t destroy it. He urgently put away his sword, captured it with the dragon harpoons and God Hands, and cooperated with Filewolf and the water clan’s people to start the salvage work. The original purpose of the moon night iron felt like a bonus.

*** It was immediately after securing Trauka and the moon night iron. “We have to erase all traces and leave,” Filewolf urged. His voice was serious. “The heavenly gods must’ve felt the intent of the god killer.” The background of the birth of the magic machine Trauka was ominous in itself. A being created to kill the absolutes who killed and managed the world—it was a symbol defying the natural order and will. Grid might’ve just proved that there was no chance of this will being realized, but… having the will itself was a problem. It was enough to stimulate the gods. “Hurry.” Grid was convinced. First, he sent back the water clan’s warriors. Then he called the Overgeared Skeletons, Noe, Randy, and even the direct descendants to erase the traces of the battle. The limits of a machine—Trauka, who was still in tatters because it didn’t have its own recovery function, just watched. After a while, Grid finished cleaning up and left immediately. *** “This…?” At the Tower of Wisdom… The tower members were flustered by Grid’s unannounced visit. A huge red magic machine filled their vision. “I need a place to hide this for the time being, so I came to you without any warning.” There was no safer place to hide something than the Tower of Wisdom. The gods and dragons couldn’t identify the location of the tower. The only threat was the Great Robber of the Red Night, but it was unlikely he would be interested in Trauka. Fronzaltz had the restored God’s Circle and he wouldn’t easily allow an intrusion.

"It is good to see you. I’m glad you came.” Radwolf recognized the identity of Truka and welcomed it with open arms. It was a positive reaction. Grid hoped that Radwolf would work with Filewolf to find a way to mass produce Trauka’s artificial intelligence. “Um… The chances of success are extremely low, but I would like to give it a try. Don’t blame me if I fail.” “How can I blame you?” Grid rented a room to stay in for the time being. The homework was over, so he planned to start making items in earnest. ‘It is funny when thinking about it.’ Originally, he planned to secure the moon night iron and make items when returning to Reinhardt. All his plans went awry at Trauka’s sudden appearance. Looking back on his life, it seemed that things rarely went as planned. Nevertheless, he managed to reach 1st in the rankings and became an emperor and god. He never knew what life would be like. ‘Is it unnecessary to have a plan in the first place?’ He had an idea that would break the innocence of elementary school students who made a life plan every vacation. Grid pulled out a blank blueprint. He recalled the dragons he met so far while activating the Item Creation skill. To be precise, he recalled the structure of their scales. How was it woven tightly and what form did it take to absorb the shock? In particular, he referenced the scales of Ifrit and Cranbel. It was to directly reproduce and arm himself with their bodies, which were the noblest and greatest in the world. It was unthinkable to not only the tower members, but also the heavenly gods. It was the precursor to the beginning of a new world.