Overgeared Vol 34 [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

템빨

There might be many similarities, but it was rare for it to be identical. Just as even the snowflakes had different patterns, the scales of the dragons that Grid remembered were different in pattern. It was just like Xenon’s scales in his hand right now. [Dragon’s Scale] [Rating: Myth The scales of the gray dragon Xenon. Xenon himself is sincere to Overgeared God Grid and the scale is not damaged at all. It is the only complete dragon scale that exists in the world. Minimum smelting requirement: Possess a legendary rated production skill. Conditions for smelting: Legendary rated production skill at the master level.] It was before leaving Reidan. Grid received a total of three scales from Xenon. Each one of them were larger than Grid’s body, and their patterns were slightly different. Even with Grid’s insight, he only noticed it when he observed closely. The angled direction varied by about one degree, the texture of the root part resembling petals was different, there was a color difference that was at a level that was hard to tell, etc. It was a difference that couldn’t be overlooked if he wanted to fully implement the dragon’s armaments. A dragon’s armaments—in other words, Grid wanted to fully reproduce the pattern of the scales on their bodies. In particular, Ifrit and Cranbel’s armaments. There was an obligation to clearly recall the pattern of the scales of the two dragons, how they connected and how they functioned. “………” Of course, there were limitations to memory alone. Grid repeatedly played videos of

the two dragons dozens of hundreds of times. It was as he smelted Xenon’s scales and recreated them into hundreds of small scales. He closely watched, studied, and recorded how to make the pattern of each scale. ‘I have to approach it with the sense of assembling.’ It took a lot of work to produce the scale armor. It was made by cutting iron plates and sewing them on leather cloth like scales. Meanwhile, the dragon armor set that Grid would create demanded more care and effort. Grid had no intention of adding leather. There was a fear that the leather of other beasts or monsters would be detrimental to the dragon scales. He didn’t need leather. The scales themselves had a structure that absorbed shock. He would craft the armor only by binding the scales. Grid concentrated solely on it in order to perform the high level work he had never tried before. By referring to the appearance of Ifrit and Cranbel, the blank blueprint was slowly filled. He also devised tools and environments in order to actually implement the hundreds of scales recorded on the blueprint. Time passed by like a flash. The scales hadn’t even been smelted, but a fortnight had passed. *** It was right after another major battle. The sound of handwriting echoed in the silent battlefield. It was the sound made by the Overgeared members. The hell expedition members watched in a somewhat absurd manner. The habit of taking notes after each battle was strange no matter how they looked at it. ‘What are they doing?’ They had a very strong desire to peek, but no one did it hastily. They knew it was rude. They were also busy reviewing the battle. For rankers, who couldn’t settle for the present and dreamt of a higher realm, reviewing was the most important procedure. As they entered a deeper hell, they organized information about new monsters and checked themselves as they fought. They studied so they could do better next time. The writings of the Overgeared members were along the same lines. The reason they took notes was because there was more information to record than others. Their

records would greatly affect the functionality of the new items to be commissioned from Grid. That’s right. Their records were the cradle of information that would later be delivered to Grid. It was looking back on their own shortcomings and a request for item production at the same time. It was beneficial for both the Overgeared members and Grid. Grid gained endless information thanks to his colleagues and the items created based on that information would further develop the Overgeared members. *** -This week’s style. After logging out, Shin Youngwoo entered the dressing room and changed into sportswear. Sportswear and outdoor clothes to wear from Monday to Sunday were placed beside each other on one side of the closet. As always, his sister Sehee had prepared it. ‘Am I that bad at dressing?’ Shin Youngwoo had a serious question as he looked at the note left by Sehee. No matter how much he thought about it, Sehee seemed to be overdoing it. In fact, he wasn’t bad at dressing. Sehee had been helping him for several years and he had done a few photo shoots. He would be stupid if he still didn’t have a fashion sense. The problem was that he didn’t differentiate between brands. He blindly preferred cheap brands, so there were times when his coordinated clothes didn’t suit his age group or social status. It wasn’t like this from the beginning. Shin Youngwoo bought a car before buying a house. He didn’t know about smart spending. Until just a few years ago, he had luxuries that were far from frugality. However, it wasn’t an innate instinct. He didn’t have money, so he couldn’t eat what he wanted to eat and he couldn’t buy what he wanted to buy. He had regrets because he went through such hard times. Now Youngwoo had relieved this. He had eaten what he wanted to eat and bought all the things he wanted to buy. He also built a magnificent house. Money just piled up in his account. He no longer felt the need for luxury.

Was it a type of regression instinct? There was a rebound and Youngwoo became frugal again. He never spared money when buying necessary things or eating food he wanted to eat, but he wasn’t particularly obsessed with consumables such as clothes and cars. Well, this didn’t mean he would refuse the clothes his younger sister bought him. “Good morning!” “Good morning.” At the entrance of the walkway… Youngwoo and Jishuka arrived at almost the same time and greeted each other brightly. Recently, the two of them had been exercising together every morning. It was because Youngwoo requested it. Spending time with Youngwoo for any reason was what Jishuka desired most, but she knew to respect the person she loved. Jishuka secretly pursued Youngwoo and she took pleasure in hiding and watching as he exercised alone. She never infringed on his personal time by suggesting that they exercise together. “How was it yesterday?” “Amoract’s mimicry came within a week.” “Again? You didn’t use the Origin True Energy again, did you?” “No. After that, Bunsdel and Teruchan always acted together.” “Is it possible to organize it with the kings of the different species?” “Yes, Amoract’s mimicry is definitely different from Baal’s clone. It can be used without restrictions but it is relatively weak.” “Without restrictions…” Youngwoo and Jishuka’s athletic abilities were different. The speed at which they ran lightly without a break in their breathing exceeded the full speed of ordinary people. However, they talked without a break. The reason Youngwoo suggested working out together with Jishuka wasn’t just to enjoy a date. It was to understand each other’s situation by exchanging new information every day. Communication was important.

“The seats are full.” Jiwol-gu. It was the 26th sub-administrative district of Seoul that was newly created due to the influence of Shin Youngwoo. The neighborhood where Youngwoo lived was given the ridiculous name of ‘Overgeared-dong’ and it had the largest population in Jiwol-gu. The walkway was a bit crowded in the early morning and the training area with several exercise equipment was already full of people. “Oh my, the two of you? Use this. I’m okay.” The aunts who spotted the young couple made a fuss and gave up their seats. They had very pleased expressions on their faces. It was an attitude toward a young couple. “Aish~ finish your workout. I’ll just accept your heart.” Jishuka perfectly communicated with people without an interpreter. There wasn’t much difference from Koreans in terms of the exclamations used. ‘There is a reason why my parents like her.’ Youngwoo looked happily at Jishuka, who was smiling and talking with the aunts. Jishuka’s bright and friendly nature always made him feel good. He felt like he was taking vitamins and nutrients just by looking at it so the longer he saw it, the healthier his mind and body seemed to be. “Grid?” “Huh?” “Can I borrow your body for a little bit?” Youngwoo was smiling widely when he came to his senses. He was puzzled by Jishuka’s sudden blush and nervous attitude. “Of course…?” Youngwoo answered the question and thought it was a good thing that he allowed it. It was because Jishuka was happy to hear the answer and looked very pretty. The way she slightly lowered his eyes and smiled widely was reminiscent of a puppy. He thought it would look good if she lay down and extended her belly with this face.

Most people around the world used the words ‘cool’ or ‘sexy’ for Jishuka, but Youngwoo saw that she had a cute charm. It was a charm that only Youngwoo knew about. “T-Then I’ll borrow it for a second…?” “………” Youngwoo took a deep breath. It was because Jishuka took off her shoes, stretched out her leg and placed her heel on Youngwoo’s shoulder. She was very flexible. Her legs were also long… As Youngwoo admired an ambiguous part, Jishuka’s face turned red like an apple. She couldn’t make eye contact with Youngwoo as she leaned her upper body forward. The hearts of the two people touched. They heard each other’s bursting heartbeats from up close. “Stretching… we can’t skip it…” “R-Right…” Youngwoo thought of himself as a tree. A tree that helped Jishuka’s movements. He gave strength to his core and held it tightly. Nevertheless, his trembling voice was something he couldn’t help. “You too… do you want to use my body…?” “………” His ears and heart were itchy. These days, Youngwoo was happy every morning. *** Kaang, kaang, kaang… The sound of a hammer hitting metal echoed through the tower. It was nice to hear because it was clear and regular. The tower members recalled their ordinary human days. It reminded them of the sound of the wind chimes attached to the eaves of

their homes. “Now it seems like a place where people live.” The tower members stayed in their rooms unless there was a special event. It was because their tendencies toward truthseeking meant they considered their own time important. The tower was too huge for nine people and it was always silent. However, this changed since Grid started to stay here. The Overgeared Skeleton secretly helped Biban clean, Randy tried to watch and learn from the tower members, while Filewolf and Noe acted frivolously. Their presence alone made the tower feel bustling. The sound of GrId working, which had already been going on for a month, added to the vitality. All the tower members welcomed this atmosphere. Loneliness had grown in them without even knowing it. They had endured the years with their commitment to protect world peace, but unfortunately, they weren’t able to take care of their own happiness. “………!” The contemplative tower members suddenly opened their eyes in a wide manner. The dragon radar was beeping with a warning. “Isn’t this unbelievable?” The location at which the dragon emerged was inside the Tower of Wisdom. It was an unbelievable situation. The tower members were busy moving. They immediately prepared for battle and gathered in one place. It was clear that the radar was broken. This could never happen… In the midst of the tower members brainwashing themselves, the radar gradually analyzed the dragon’s position accurately. It was the room where Grid was staying.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. “It is an offline meeting about Satisfy… I guess it will match the nasty hobby of a rich man riding a private plane.” A man sitting with his back to the window where skyscrapers were visible. The man who acted under the ID of ‘Knight’ in Satisfy wasn’t in a good mood. Ever since the release of Satisfy, human convenience had reached its peak. The restriction of ‘space,’ a mandatory requirement for meeting, had disappeared. Someone in the Middle East and someone on the Korean Peninsula could meet within seconds. It was a phenomenon realized by Satisfy. Yet they were sitting down to have a meeting in reality. It was taking away valuable time. Of course, it was an interpretation based on the difference in inclinations. There was no need to express displeasure. However, Knight expressed it blatantly. It was preliminary work to raise his price. Lauel—the second-in-command of the Overgeared Guild and the prime minister of the great empire. He was high in the hierarchy of all people. He could achieve something as soon as he had the desire. It was not an exaggeration. In a modern society that perceived Satisfy as a second world and another reality, the influence of Lauel, who controlled Satisfy, was beyond imagination. However, it was a great responsibility. He was famous for his busy schedule on behalf of Grid, who was indifferent to internal affairs. He was arguably the busiest man in the world. The president of the United States even joked that he would use Lauel as a role model. Such a bigshot asked for an offline meeting. He flew all the way to the remote Middle East to meet Knight. It couldn’t be an ordinary day. ‘It is the 71st day since Kraugel’s whereabouts have been unknown and the 46th day since Grid’s whereabouts are bizarre.’

Was it a request related to them? Knight's mind was spinning busily. Lauel smiled brightly. The keffiyeh worn on his head, as if to make him feel like a tourist, suited him quite well. It was simply because his original appearance looked so good. He would look good no matter what he wore. “Knight, I wanted to meet and chat with you in person. Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule.” “To be honest, it is scary to see you chase me to a distant resort. Are you trying to threaten me to be prepared if the contents of your request are leaked?” Knight’s nationality was Russian. It hadn’t been long since he arrived here. His fearful attitude toward Lauel, who followed him as if he had been waiting, was quite plausible. Of course, he wasn’t actually afraid. How urgent did it have to be to follow him all the way here? Knight was rather happy as he guessed how valuable Lauel’s request would be. “Would I have risked a long flight just to entrust Knight with a request?” “…It isn’t a request?” A chill went down Knight’s spine. At this moment, he was genuinely intimidated. It wasn’t acting. ‘Did I ever do something wrong to the Overgeared Guild?’ There was no such thing. He always thoroughly researched it every time he received a request. Would the result of the quest cause losses to the Overgeared Guild and Overgeared Empire? It was a survival strategy. There was no reason for retaliation… …No, was it really this? ‘I might’ve made Grid uncomfortable without even knowing.’ For a split second, all types of misconceptions crossed Knight’s mind. His eyes became dazed and shook. He was fortunate to be wearing thick sunglasses. Lauel reached out to him, who was unable to speak hastily. The attitude was very polite. “To be honest, I want to welcome you as a colleague. Knight, please join us.”

“………” The reason why the busiest man in the world crossed the sky by himself was revealed. A death god who consumed the target’s ‘soul gauge’ to deal a definite death—Knight was worth Lauel moving personally. Lauel’s long persuasion began. *** A fortnight for the concept and design of the work and a month for the production of the work. Grid spent more than 45 days in the tower. In the meantime, he stopped all external activities and disappeared from public view. The empire was safe even in Grid’s absence. The remnants of the religions, including the Rebecca Church, refused to follow the Overgeared God and devised all types of schemes, but the security of the empire remained unshakable. The knights led by Mercedes thoroughly cracked down on the soldiers. There were many negative rumors about Grid going missing after receiving divine punishment, but few people were agitated. Duke Grenhal and Duke Steim led the unity of the nobles and held the center well. Of course, they couldn’t control all the nobles. There were many nobles who acted as if they were trying to secure a share. They were properly stopped by the inspectors. Lauel and Basara led politics and the economy correctly, while the powerful boss monsters that regularly appeared in certain areas were neatly handled by Grid’s apostles. The evil demons of hell had no time to turn their gazes to the surface due to dealing with the expedition led by Yura and Jishuka. Thanks to this, Grid could concentrate fully. He smelted Xenon’s three scales into a total of 678 small scales. Then they were reborn as two pieces of armor. Nothing could disturb Grid. [Overgeared God Grid has created a dragon’s body.] It was a world message that could be misunderstood by anyone looking at it. It felt like the world was turned upside down. A dragon’s body—there was a reasonable reason why the system judged the armor

made by Grid in this way. [Fire Dragon Ifrit’s Arms] [Rating: Myth (Transcendent) A set item. Durability: 12,800/12,800 Defense: 1,895 * Strength increased by 300. * Skill damage will increase by 20%. ★ Grip strength is greatly increased. ★ Absolute hit rate is increased. ★ The maximum attack speed is reached. ★ If fighting a great demon, archangel, god, or dragon, a portion of the durability is replaced by attack power. ★ The chance of an arm injury is reduced by 80%. ★ There is a 10% chance to trigger ‘Absolute Defense’ when hit. ★ There is a 30% chance to trigger ‘Dragon Fear’ when attacking. ★ The skill ‘Small Breath’ is created. ★ Magic power circulation will occur every time an arm is hit. Every five cycles of magic power circulation will reset the cooldown time for Small Breath. ★ The weapon attack power is increased by 20% when armed with a dragon weapon. These are the arms of Fire Dragon Ifrit, which was realized by Overgeared God Grid after smelting Xenon’s scales.

Gauntlets made from weaving a total of 286 small scales, they give the wearer the power of a dragon. ★ Dragon Armor Set Effect Every time additional armor made of dragon scales is equipped, defense will increase further and the probability of Absolute Defense will increase significantly. Wearing Conditions: Grid, Dragon Slayer, Dragon Knight. Weight: 150] [Cloaked Dragon Cranbel’s Pelvis] [Rating: Myth (Transcendent) A set item. Durability: 19,370/19,370 Defense: 2,640 * The stamina stat is increased by 300. * Skill defense is increased by 20%. ★ Complete immunity to restraint type skills. This includes physical restraints. ★ If fighting a great demon, archangel, god, or dragon, a portion of the durability is replaced by defense. ★ The chance of a lower body injury is reduced by 95%. ★ There is a 20% chance to activate ‘Stealth’ when the lower body is hit. ★ There is a 10% chance to trigger ‘Absolute Defense’ when hit. ★ There is a 30% chance to trigger ‘Dragon Rage’ when attacking. ★ The skill ‘Tunnel’ is created.

This is the pelvis of Cloaked Dragon Cranbel, which was realized by Overgeared God Grid after smelting Xenon’s scales. A gaiter made from weaving a total of 392 small scales, it gives the wearer the power of a dragon. ★ Dragon Armor Set Effect Every time additional armor made of dragon scales is equipped, defense will increase further and the probability of Absolute Defense will increase significantly. Wearing Conditions: Grid, Dragon Slayer, Dragon Knight. Weight: 850] Grid was heavily inspired by Ifrit and Cranbel, and recreated entire parts of their bodies. Of course, it was a size that suited his own body. Yet as far as the form and structure were concerned, it closely resembled the two dragons’ bodies he saw and experienced firsthand. To be precise, it was the armaments that surrounded a dragon’s body. In other words, the pattern and structure of the scales were reproduced intact. The results were beyond expectations. [Fire Dragon Ifrit’s Arms is equipped.] Gauntlets that covered him from hand to shoulder. It was usually gray due to Xenon’s scale, but it turned a colorful red when the skill was activated. [Cloaked Dragon Cranbel’s Pelvis is equipped.] Gaiters that covered him from pelvis to the calves. It was also gray and boasted a gorgeous appearance like Ifrit’s arms. It was only when the skill was activated that it refracted light and shone transparently. …Being transparent didn’t mean exposing the flesh. It was just a type of signal that generated all types of defense and resistance effects. In the first place, Grid always wore Beriache’s Underclothing. There was no need to worry about exposing himself even if he took off all his armor.

In any case, Grid interpreted that Cranbel was better between Ifrit and Cranbel, at least when it came to survival. This was why the Cranbel style was envisioned as gaiters, which had the highest defense after armor. He suffered a lot. He made 678 scales of different patterns and bound them together. Grid’s concentration and patience were consumed at an all time high. He didn’t even get help from the God Hands. The God Hands had inherited some of Grid’s blacksmithing skills, but they failed to skillfully smelt the dragon scales. They couldn’t complete the task of making the scales into 678 different patterns. Grid worked with a feeling of complete isolation. He thought about whether Pagma of the past would’ve felt like this. [Two pieces of the dragon armor set have been equipped and defense is increased by an additional 400.] [The effect of equipping two pieces of the dragon armor set has increased the probability of Absolute Defense by 20%.] [Absolute Defense] [Passive The power of an absolute species. There is a high probability of being completely immune to attacks from targets with a lower status than yourself and damage resistance will temporarily increase if the immunity fails. Resource Consumption: None. Cooldown Time: None.] [Dragon Fear] [The power of an absolute species. There is a high probability that targets with a lower status than yourself will lose the will to resist. Targets that lose their will to resist will have their defense and magic resistance significantly reduced and their weaknesses will be exposed.

Resource Consumption: None. Cooldown Time: 1 minute.] [Small Breath] [Magic power is fired. It causes fixed damage proportional to 20 times the user’s intelligence. The higher the user’s status, the higher the damage. The absolute hit rate correction is obtained due to the high speed. Resource Consumption: 10,500 mana. Cooldown Time: 30 minutes.] [Dragon Rage] [Passive The power of an absolute species. During the duration, all attacks (including skills) of the user will stack two times. The same effect can be stacked. Duration: 10 seconds. Resource Consumption: 1,000 mana per second. Cooldown Time: 2 minutes.] [Tunnel] [Break through the ground and dig underground. At this time, you will be fully immune to all types of attacks and can detect the location of enemies on the ground. Once activated again, you will appear at the rear of the designated target. Duration: 5 seconds.

Resource Consumption: 5,000 mana when activated. 3,000 mana per second. Cooldown Time: 10 minutes.] The gauntlets and gaiters moved like waves in sync with Grid’s movements. Each of the 678 scales seemed to be living and breathing. It took more than 30 minutes to make each of these small scales. From the first design phase, it really felt like he was dying for 46 days, but it felt incredibly rewarding once he finished. Grid smiled widely. Snap! Then the door was opened without any knocks. The tower members rushed in while armed with weapons. “………” “………” The eyes of the tower members gradually widened as they looked at Grid. There were a number of people who couldn’t close their mouths. The dragon radar in their hand was still flashing loudly. Grid was designated as the target. “Which son of a b*tch dares to use Polymorph to turn into Grid…?! Is Grid in your stomach?!!” Sword Saint Biban yelled with a red face, but he was immediately restrained by the other tower members.

The first Baal’s Contractor said that Baal’s saliva turned him into a demon. He added that if Baal’s Contractor was truly evil, the worst villain would be born. The halfdraconians, who had long demonstrated their combat power, were also born from a single drop of blood. It was believed that the blood shed by Evil Dragon Bunhelier accidentally fell into a well and mutated ordinary humans. The half-draconians, who made up and believed in a plausible legend, would deny it, but this was the reality. The influence of transcendent beings greatly deviated from the common sense of the public. When the average person saw it, it easily caused huge waves of unusual objects or actions. ‘These are the scales of a dragon.’ Dragon scales weren’t ordinary. Rather, it was the hardest part of a dragon’s body. This was actually a proven fact. Therefore, it became one of the greatest symbols of the dragons. The armor of an absolute species. Dragon scales weren’t only the best material in the world, but they also had a great and powerful symbolic meaning. A dragon’s heart and horn was next. ‘It was no wonder why the radar had an error.’ An object created by the wise giant Filewolf after many years of research—the radar that precisely analyzed magic power and signs to identify dragons, it was equalling Grid to a dragon. It was a natural thing. Grid perfectly reproduced and armed himself with the armor of the absolute species. The gray gauntlets and gaiters emitted a soft light and seemed to be alive and breathing. Hundreds of small scales wriggled, repeatedly exhaling and absorbing. It added vitality beyond the level of following, so there were no inconveniences in Grid’s movements. It wasn’t a magical function, but instead something in the realm of technique. Grid’s technique completely pulled out the performance of the scales. “Congratulations. Now that you have fully reproduced the self-defense of the

absolutes, you will be twice as safe.” In the midst of the tower members’ admiration and astonishment, Hayate felt relieved. The gentle smile on his aristocratic face matched well like ceremonial clothes. Dragon Slayer Hayate—he was the only absolute among humans and his life was swayed by the dragons. The dragons’ will prevented him from dying and he was destined to be killed by the dragons one day. It was inevitable because the dragons couldn’t be annihilated. Hayata’s death must come in the most horrific form in the world. It was a truth that only he knew. “I’m glad. It is really fortunate.” Hayate always liked Grid. It was because the fate of the human god was similar to his own. He felt pity for Grid, who would one day be erased by the heavenly gods. It was even though he knew his great strength. It was simply futile to stand up against the steadily multiplying angels and gods. Grid would be thoroughly isolated if even the dragons had a grudge against him. It was beyond the level of annihilation. He would lose everything he had achieved and shed tears of blood. This was why Hayate had been working hard for Grid. Every time the dragons’ gaze tried to turn to Grid, Hayate revealed his presence. He focused all their attention on himself, not Grid. It was while barely suppressing his fear. It was close to compassion. Hayate’s favor toward Grid was due to respect and expectations, but sympathy and a sense of similarity played a role in his sacrifice. Now things had changed. Grid went beyond interacting with dragons and gained some of the dragons’ powers. There would be no dragon who dared to antagonize him unless it was an old dragon. Of course, this didn’t mean that Grid could take dragons lightly, but at least one concern was relieved. It was right to see it as a small hope in a fate that had no dreams or hope. It was an interpretation from Hayate’s point of view. Hayate knew that Grid was different from him. It had been a long time since he became a coward after being crushed by the pressure of the dragons for all these years. “Hayate.”

Hayate, who was lost in thought, suddenly came to his senses. There was no change in his expression. Hayate had been smiling from the moment of relief when he saw Grid’s changed fate to now. The gaze facing Grid had only honest liking. Grid wrapped his hands around both of Hayate’s hands. “I will make dragon armor for you in the near future. Please accept it even if you’re not satisfied.” Sword Saint Biban could use all types of sword weapons without restrictions. No, he handled them even more strongly. It was even the case with dragon weapons. The Gujel’s Sword he wielded could cut even the scales of a top dragon. Meanwhile, Hayate was a Dragon Slayer. He could handle anything made with a dragon’s body part more powerfully. The ‘Dragon Slayer’ in the conditions of use for the gauntlets and gaiters created by Grid indirectly proved it. Additionally, Grid was in a position to steadily secure Xenon’s scales in the future. It was natural to have the desire to arm Hayate, his strongest ally, with a dragon armor set. ‘Xenon said he would pay the scales once a month… ’ Xenon had vowed to steadily provide scales for the next 20 years. There were plenty of resources left to create a dragon armor set for Hayate and Mercedes, and develop mass produced dragon armor for his other colleagues to use. ‘No… Maybe he will only give one scale every month?’ He was already worried about what the system would do while using balance as an excuse. Getting only one scale every month wouldn’t cause much disruption to his plan, but he didn’t like the delay. ‘…Well, it is fine. If I am in a hurry, I can just ask him to pull it.’ Based on Xenon’s personality, Grid didn’t think he would refuse. “………?” Grid became startled as he was busy thinking. It was because Hayate’s eyes facing him were trembling. The blue eyes as clear as glass shook. Grid had never seen him so agitated. “Thank you.” It happened the moment Hayate opened his mouth…

[Overgeared God Grid is writing the 18th epic.] [It comes from a tower whose name is unknown.] “You have given me courage.” [There was a human being who beheaded a sick dragon and was covered in its blood.] [He was a lonely and pitiful person.] [The man who became the only Absolute in human history was already alone.] [His eternal life was nothing more than a cruel curse.] “I will cherish your kindness and live.” [The Absolute assumed responsibility. He built a tower that no one knew about and defended humanity. For countless long years, he lived for people who didn’t even know his name. He built up fear without showing it. The height of his fear quickly overtook the height of the tower. He was crushed by despair. He forgot who to blame and endured the roar of the dragons. Anger, hatred, killing intent, darkness, darkness, and darkness. His vision and mind gradually darkened. He fell into an endless abyss.] “Hayate…?” Hayate was a noble person. He fought for the world and humanity, and his back was always upright. Even the same tower members didn’t know the pain he felt. They only vaguely estimated it. They never imagined that the pain would be so great that it crushed his shoulders. Even Fronzaltz and Radwolf, who had been with him for a thousand years, didn’t notice that Hayate was barely holding on. It was originally a secret that would be buried forever. Yet at this moment, Grid revealed the secret. Grid’s expression became cautious. He was worried that Hayate would be ashamed. However, Hayate was still smiling. [A new god established by humanity—Overgeared God Grid reached out to the dark

abyss.] [The hands that made hundreds of thousands of weapons were firm and strong. They easily bore the weight of the fear crushing the Absolute, so he grabbed the Absolute and pulled him out of the abyss.] “I am no longer afraid thanks to you.” Hayate’s smile brightened. It was a pure smile that overshadowed the years he endured. Was he originally a person who smiled like that? The hearts of the tower members were touched when they saw Hayate, who had regained his true smile. Biban was shedding tears like chicken poop… [The Absolute realized it.] [I am also just one human being.] [I want to rely on the lantern if possible.] [He said this as he held the hand of the god who had become a lantern.] “From now on, I won’t hesitate to kill the dragons. I will fulfill my duty with anticipation rather than fearing the future that hasn’t come. I will remember that the strength I acquired is a blessing, not a curse.” ……… … [Overgeared God Grid has completed the 18th page of the epic.] [The dragon killer—Dragon Slayer ‘Hayate’ has appeared in the world.] [The secret stories of the dragons that had been buried all over the continent will start to appear.] This was the world message. [Your status has risen further as a reward for completing the epic.]

From here on out, it was the contents of the notification windows that were only visible for Grid. [The reward for completing the epic has given you maximum affinity with all the tower members.] [The reward for completing the epic has given you a bond with Hayate.] [The sword energy of Dragon Slayer Hayate is covered with the killing intent he has been suppressing.] [Humanity’s only Absolute has gained his full skills.] [In the future, the Tower of Wisdom will more actively intervene with the peace of the world. They will no longer turn away from people’s unjust deaths.] [The hidden piece ‘Hidden Role of the Pioneer’ has been completed.] [The status of ‘Tenth Tower Member’ has been acquired as a reward for the hidden piece.] [The qualification of Pioneer has become meaningless with the acquisition of the tower member status. Transferring the Pioneer qualification to the next suitable person.] [Player ‘Kraugel’ has become the new Pioneer.] “………” Grid simply said he would make an item. He really said only a few words. So what was this…? Grid had a bewildered expression on his face, but he soon smiled. He was endlessly proud when he saw Hayate, who had relieved the burden of his heart, and the tower members who were happy to see it. Grid’s heart was filled with joy. Maybe he had been fighting for these moments. He had such a thought. ***

[A dragon slayer existed from the beginning?] [Dragon Slayer Hayate is a hot topic… what is the Absolute?] [What is the tower’s identity?] [Relics and documents related to the dragons are being excavated all over the world. There are so many clues to know about ancient culture… attention is focusing on whether the ‘Ancient Episodes’ will open, starting with the city of the giants found by Grid.] Breaking news poured in. Just one of the news would’ve made headlines for a few days. People’s minds were confused. They felt like they had adapted a bit, so it was absurd to see the world that opened up again. They wondered if Grid, who was always at the center of the opening, was the same person as them. -In fact, isn’t Grid the god of the game? └ The real God Gridㅋㅋ └ Peak Sword’s foresight is crazy… └ I think Peak Sword should retire and become a shaman. Tremble. Suddenly, the stock price of Peak Sword increased. It was purely because he created the nickname ‘God Grid.’ It was a social phenomenon that was half a joke. However, some people were serious. The Korean Patriotic Association was flooded with inquiries about lottery numbers, so Peak Sword had to suspend the operation of the customer service center for the time being…

One day, a wounded dragon crashed into the middle of a city. It was purely coincidental. The city was just located at the wrong place at the wrong time. The dragon struggled in pain. Every time he screamed, the windows of the city were smashed. The same was true of the stained glass of the temple. Goddess Rebecca, who was portrayed on the stained glass, was praying for humans, but it was meaningless. The goddess’ prayer didn’t protect humans from the disaster that had come. The young Hayate was stunned. He just stared blankly as his neighbors were swept away by a gust of wind every time the dragon’s torn wings fluttered, his friends were crushed to death every time the dragon’s bloody tail swung, and his family burned in the flames mixed into the dragon’s screams. This was until he saw his lover bursting like a balloon under the feet of the dragon who raised himself using the half-broken castle as a stepping stone. It was only after really losing everything that he realized this was reality, not a nightmare. His stopped thoughts started to run explosively. The thoughts that extended to all areas were out of control. He had to endure the pain that cut through his brain. He held his sword with trembling hands. After jumping over the corpses of his family and friends and the bloodstains left by his lover, he grabbed the dragon’s broken horn and leapt, aiming his sword at the cracks in the scales. He continued to aim tenaciously at the neck of the roaring dragon until it subsided. The feelings of anger, killing intent, and fear stimulated his talent. The help of his extended thinking allowed him to grasp the destructive sword energy and integrated it with his will. Finally, he cut off the dragon’s head. He was covered in blood when he came to his senses. It was blood that had been flowing for thousands of years. Hayate never forgot the single moment he met the dragon’s empty pupils through his red covered vision.

You are engraved on ‘us.’ Like me, you will have a harsh end. Hayate frantically ran away from the huge giant eyes that seemed to be saying this. The Dragon Slayer was a being who grew out of such despair and fear. From that day to today, Hayate never shook off his fear. Every day, he trembled in fear. The dragon’s power was too destructive to forget the horror of that day. Nevertheless, his reason for fighting was simple. He hoped that no one else would go through the same despair he did. He endured the killing intent and intimidation of all dragons in the world without expressing his fear. “I stumbled upon a dragon who was wounded in a power struggle. I was terrified by his pressure. I struggled desperately to survive and finally cut his throat.” He was simply lucky. On the first day he met Grid, Hayate used this simple phrase to explain to Grid how he became a Dragon Slayer. He didn’t mention the details. He would rather ignore it. The fear he had in his heart from the beginning—he was afraid that he would reveal the feelings that grew day by day. Now he had completely shaken off his fear. Therefore, he could calmly talk about the disaster of that day. “………” The changes that took place inside Hayate were clearly revealed to Grid. He was glad that his little promise gave courage to this great man. It was an honor. It happened at a time when he was deeply emotional… “Look here, Junior.” Biban wiped away his tears and interjected. The traces of his runny nose were clearly visible. As a Sword Saint who cut at targets with his willpower alone, he seemed to express his emotions in a manner that was stronger than others. ‘No, this is too positive an interpretation.’ They were both Sword Saints, but why were they so different? Grid was naturally reminded of Kraugel. He clicked his tongue as he recalled the completely different personalities of Biban and Kraugel.

“Now that we have a 10th Seat, there will be many days when you are staying at the tower, right? I would like to show you around.” The Tower of Wisdom had recently moved. Grid had already been here for 46 days, but he stayed in his room. He didn’t look around. In the first place, his purpose wasn’t tourism, so he focused only on work. “Um… It’s fine. I’ll come back often, but I think I will just stay in my room anyway.” Just because he was a member of the tower didn’t mean he took on their duties. Grid, who was armed with the dragon armor set, clearly transcended all the tower members except for Hayate. He had too much power to take on the odd jobs of the tower members. This was why they couldn’t hold him as the Pioneer. The reason Hayate gave him the position of tower member was so Grid could give up the responsibility of the Pioneer while enjoying more benefits. There was no need to understand the structure of the tower in detail because he wouldn’t have a big role to play in it. However, Biban had other thoughts. “But… sometimes, the cleaning… no, you have to clean up. Wouldn’t it be better to familiarize yourself with the structure in preparation for that time?” “Why me…?” “Aren’t you the youngest?” “Biban, have you forgotten why you are cleaning? Or did you distort your memory on your own? The reason you are in charge of cleaning isn’t because you are the youngest, but because you committed a crime.” “What did I do that was so wrong? Honestly, isn’t it too harsh to consider it a mere punishment? Additionally, I am talking to a junior. Jessica, don’t interrupt. I also have the face of a senior. Isn’t that right, 10th Seat, Grid?” “Your pronunciation… please be more gentle…” “Um? Huh? Now you are finding fault with everything? Aren’t you being too much just because we are in the same organization? I might look like this, but I am 400 years older than you.”

“I apologize for this, Grid. There aren’t many cases where this man is sane. Don’t worry about it.” “Still, he is cooler than anyone else when holding the sword.” “Haha, of course. I am the Sword Saint. As expected, Grid. Your character is really righteous. You are a person who will neve forget your original intentions. No, wait… I’m not sane when I’m not holding a sword? What…? Don’t tell me…” “………” Grid sneaked back while Biban muttered. Grid really liked and respected Biban, but that didn’t mean he accepted all of Biban’s personality. It was appropriate to say that Biban was a person who was good to see sometimes, but not every day. ‘Kraugel is amazing.’ During the time when the other tower members were holding back Biban, Grid returned to his room and smiled as he recalled Kraugel, who was identified as the next Pioneer. Not only did Kraugel become a Sword Saint and had his level reset, but he also studied under Kirinus for at least a year. He even obsessed over Mir for months and suffered several deaths. Yet his level was the second highest? Of course, it was the aftermath of Chris’ level being reset recently. There was also the effect of stagnant growth for a while as the top powers of the Overgeared Guild were active in hell along with high level NPCs like the kings of the different species. He heard that Amoract was constantly harassing them. In the first place, Kraugel was the pinnacle of talent. Even the members of the Overgeared Guild had longed for it. Yura, Jishuka, Regas, Pon, and even the proud Chris had said more than once that ‘Kraugel can never be overcome.’ Hao even chose to go under Kraugel. He didn’t see Kraugel as a competitor, just like Kraugel didn’t see Grid as a competitor. However, Grid thought that the next highest level player after Chris would naturally be Yura. It was because Yura’s growth potential after she took over the entire hunting ground called hell was good enough to be compared to Grid for a while. Considering that the growth had been slowed in recent months and Kraugel’s past moves, it was somewhat unconvincing that Yura’s level was lower.

‘No, it isn’t something that I can hastily judge.’ In terms of talent, it was true that Kraugel was unique. Furthermore, Kraugel had the most titles and hidden pieces after Grid. Above all, he was the Sword Saint. There were no enemies that couldn’t be cut, so he was less likely to be harmed while hunting. He must’ve created enough wide area skills. He had been staying in the elemental world for nearly three months. There was a high probability that he got an experience buff as a reward for the first discovery of a place no one had been to before. It wasn’t known what type of violence he was going through. ‘No, putting everything aside.’ Hayate might’ve judged that the Demon Slayer wasn’t suitable to be the Pioneer. The Pioneer’s biggest mission was to bridge the gap between the isolated tower and the world. However, the Demon Slayer often stayed in hell, away from the surface. She wasn’t suitable to be the Pioneer. ‘This is convincing.’ Additionally, Kraugel had already been the Pioneer. The pitiful one was Chris. If he had known this would happen, he would’ve put off giving the previous hidden class change book as a gift (?). ‘Well, it can’t be helped.’ He hadn’t expected this to happen. Furthermore, Tzudan’s Successor was a highly difficult class. In the long run, it was better for him to change early and gain a bit more proficiency. Of course, it would’ve been much better if he had changed classes after being qualified as the Pioneer. In any case, it was all in the past. No one knew about the Pioneer system other than Grid and Kraugel. There was no need to worry about Chris being mentally shocked. Grid relieved his guilt and took a deep breath. He might’ve been delayed for a while due to the visit of the tower members, but his work wasn’t finished. The scales previously obtained from Hayate and Cranbel’s arm remained. The two scales would be used as a supplement when the additional scales from Gujel were insufficient, but he planned to smelt Cranbel’s arm immediately into a sword.

‘It is right to have at least two dragon weapons in order to maximize the power of the newly created gauntlets.’ Ifrit’s arms increased the damage of dragon weapons. Grid planned to use two dragon weapons as dual swords at all times and use them as the framework for Item Combination. ‘Let’s begin.’ It happened as Grid was focused again… “Would you like some food?” “Why do you ask about food every time we make eye contact? I’m not a pig. I’m the best demonic creature in hell, a memphis!” “I’ll give you a snack. A fish cake.” “…Bah, if you really want to give something then give it to me.” Noe had fully adapted after moving around the tower for more than a month. Betty showed great interest in the guy who reached the level of enjoying a nap with his belly sticking out. She took him to the room where she didn’t allow anyone except for Grid to enter. Soon, Noe screamed like crazy. It was because he found a memphis anatomical specimen on the shelf… “Why are your soles pink?” "Kyaak! Kyaaaaak! Murder! A murderer, kyak!” Noe’s fur stood up and he struggled. He felt the crisis of his life and really did everything in his power. However, Betty’s room was very soundproof. The windows were always closed, so Noe’s screams didn’t leak out. Meanwhile, Randy… “Are you interested in my techniques?” Nod. She started to win the favor of the tower members. The main thing was her

appearance as a little girl. The long solitary tower members had an average age of hundreds of years and they treated Randy like a grandchild. In fact, Randy was over 200 years old, but she was a child in the eyes of the tower members. Noe and Randy also gained new opportunities.

People who were satisfied and comfortable with only billions or tens of billions in assets weren’t eligible to become Overgeared members. It had been a long time since the Overgeared Guild dominated various contents and Grid had reached the level of easily producing legendary items. Just as Chris recently purchased a legendary class change book, it was right to say that the Overgeared members were always exposed to the opportunity to purchase astronomically valuable items. It was a situation where an ancient city and dragon killer appeared. As a result, forgotten literature and treasures were being unearthed. They couldn’t be careless no matter how much wealth they accumulated so far. Unless they were going to settle for the present and be eliminated, they had to work as hard as a cow to make more money. They also had to engrave the habit of frugality on their bodies. Grid had personally reminded them by turning Chris into a debtor in an instant. It would’ve been very painful for Grid to sacrifice a longtime friend and colleague, but he had to sacrifice Chris as a lesson for everyone. ‘He knew in advance that we would need more money in the future.’ From the first day they met, she knew that Youngwoo was a great person. In fact, he became one of the best players in the field. There were so many things to respect that she was naturally convinced when he was praised as a great man. However, she hadn’t expected his foresight to be so excellent. In fact, wasn’t his intelligence itself very high? At this point, it wasn’t enough to express it as ‘perfection.’ It was an objective assessment. It had nothing to do with the feelings she had for him. “………” Yura returned after a photo shoot to earn money. She had led the hell expedition for four months and was engaged in external activities, so her fatigue was very great. She was less physically exhausted due to consistently exercising since she was young, but she was mentally exhausted. It was hard to believe it had been only a few months.

Yura felt sorry for her weak self. Yet when others saw it, they thought it was natural for her to be tired. It was fortunate that she didn’t fall down. High rankers who were envied by two billion players—they were the best in different ways. It wasn’t easy to lead these strong people who had extremely strong individual personalities. Besides, what about the three kings of the different species? They openly ignored Yura, saying they were only loyal to His Majesty Grid. They prioritized their own judgments over the orders of Yura, the commander-in-chief. It wasn’t just one or two operations that were ruined because of them. Even so, Yura never blamed them. She controlled herself most thoroughly and led the expedition so that the expedition members didn’t antagonize each other. So far, there had been no casualties. Surprisingly, Jishuka helped a lot. During the expedition, Yura and Jishuka never clashed. There was no fighting. In the first place, Jishuka would mostly lose if they fought, but… in any case, the war of nerves between the two of them was famous. Yet recently, they showed off their friendship to the point where it could be believed they were real sisters. The more they spent time together, the more they acknowledged each other. In hell, the two of them were the strongest allies, not competitors. They relied on each other more than anyone else. Meow. “………?” Yura parked in the parking lot and was running her bathtub application when she stopped. She unknowingly put away her desire to wash and lie down on the bed. She turned in the direction of the cat’s cries rather than entering her house. Meow. The cat who made eye contact with Yura cried out again. It was a very ugly cat. The fur pattern was ugly. It looked grumpy. There was a lot of flesh on its body, so it seemed to have stolen all the food from the stray cats in this neighborhood. “………” Yura didn’t approach small animals. They were cute and pretty, but they were small. She was worried they might get hurt if she touched them. Of course, there was a lot

of interest. She had countless urges to hug them tightly and rub her face into their fur. Thus, she had her own knowledge. ‘Winter.’ The day was cold. South Korea’s temperatures had dropped below zero since the closing of the National Competition, which recorded the lowest ratings ever. A cat’s fur swelled up when it was cold. She remembered reading that it was the effect of narrowing pores to withstand the cold. “Did you come to a warm place?” Nyang. The cat cried out as if answering her and it looked every uglier close up. She couldn’t turn a blind eye to it. She thought other people would avoid the cat because it was ugly. She was worried they would abuse it rather than feeding it. Nyang. She slowly reached out. The cat approached and rubbed its cheek against Yura’s white hand. The surprised Yura felt flustered and she carefully touched the cat’s back. She could feel the skinny body beyond the puffy fur. It looked fat, but it was actually underweight. “Uhum… Wait here.” Yura walked inside the parking lot. Her mansion had a huge parking lot. There was plenty of space left even if she parked more than 20 large cars, so she could use it for various purposes. Naturally, there were several warehouses.One warehouse had piles of canned food for cats. She had never actually given it to a cat. Yura wasn’t the type to look for stray cats and she never had a cat approach her like this. The reason why she had canned food… it was preparation for a situation like the present one. She was very well prepared. “Eat slowly.” The shelf life of canned goods was sufficient. She also periodically purchased new ones out of thorough preparations.

Nyang. A cat that answered her even when frantically eating canned food. It was very kind unlike its grumpy face. ‘A lovely kid.’ Yura’s heart softened as she sat in front of the cat and smiled. Naturally, her fatigue disappeared. Many thoughts flowed through her mind as she relaxed. Apart from her thoughts about the missing Youngwoo, all of them were work-related thoughts. ‘Amoract.’ The 2nd Great Demon—she threatened the expedition by sending her mimicries and she sent a whisper to Yura every time. Come back to my side now. I covet you so much. She connected mind to mind and sent a whisper without anyone knowing. Of course, Yura didn’t fall for the temptation. She had no intention of becoming a demon. It was decided a long time ago. It was the time when the 30th Great Demon pushed a kingdom to the brink of destruction. Yura had been able to reign as a demon early on, but she chose a hard road out of her own will. Rather, she became the Demon Slayer to kill demons. She would’ve been hostile to Grid forever if she had become a demon. She didn’t like it. It was impossible for her to change her mind now. Furthermore, Amoract was a dangerous existence similar to Baal from Yura’s point of view. Amoract constantly persuaded Yura by saying she planned to return hell to its original state for Yatan’s sake and it would be beneficial for humanity, but Yura never trusted her. It was because Amoract was the great demon of conflict. Was it shamelessness or a lack of self-awareness? Amoract herself acted without being aware of her title, but Yura was rightly wary. It was true that Amoract was hostile to Baal right now, but Yura decided that they should never hold hands. ‘Yatan’s honor and the restoration of hell might be excuses.’ Conflict—Amoract’s setting was quite malicious. It was her essence to split up sides

and create fights. The fact that she didn’t show it outwardly made her worse than Baal. Nyang. Yura’s mind suddenly returned. The cat who neatly emptied the canned food was rubbing against her calf. Yura, who was unknowingly smiling, couldn’t help blushing. She was embarrassed at the thought that she was smiling like a fool. Even so, she thought she would have a good dream today. *** Dragon Slayer—the world was abuzz with the emergence of a being they never imagined would exist. On the other hand, the elemental world was serene. The only human here was Kraugel and he didn’t talk much. ‘It is hard.’ Kraugel didn’t prefer a party play. He found it uncomfortable to work with someone. It was because he generally suffered losses. This talented person’s intuition was his strength. He had to lower his level by several stages when cooperating with others. His body that moved while omitting the process of reasoning, understanding, and judgment confused even his allies. Cooperation required mutual understanding, but there weren’t many people in the world who could read Kraugel’s intentions. Therefore, a proper cooperation couldn’t be achieved. From a certain point, Kraugel preferred solo play. He unintentionally isolated himself and adapted. This was a story until he met Grid. Kraugel changed. He got used to being together with others. At this moment, he noticed the absence of Hao and Alexander, who dared to follow and assist him. -Sword Saint? The empty spots of the Overgeared members who fought together in hell. -Huhu, it is just this much? Above all, the fact that he couldn’t be back to back with Grid gradually made Kraugel anxious.

The Elemental King of Wind was outstanding. It had been nearly four months. Kraugel, who had slaughtered hundreds of thousands or even countless dark elementals, was confident that not only had he leveled up significantly, but he also fully adapted to the ‘delay.’ The spirit that escaped from his body. He had a perfect understanding about how to operate this slow body that couldn’t keep up with accidents. However, the limitations were clear. The problem was that his actions were slow no matter how many times he fought with the correct timing and predicted the future actions. He had a bad compatibility with the Elemental King of Wind, who used speed as a long-term weapon. If it hadn’t been for his super sensitivity and the Formless Will that developed in the process of making up for the loss of his body, he would’ve died immediately and been expelled from the elemental world. -No matter how many years pass, humans remain the same. They aren’t that great. Just look at the Grid whom you worship as a god. He trusted me without doubting me until the end. He ignorantly relied on his strength and was lacking in his senses. The torn apart spirit body—Kraugel’s expression turned cold as he barely moved his translucent body to prevent a violent storm. For the first time, he opened his tightly closed mouth, “…It wasn’t worth doubting.” -Huh? “To Grid, you are nothing, so he passed you over as unimportant.” For Kraugel, Grid was a special existence. Grid was the first person in his life that he aimed for. He was close to an idol. From a certain point, just chasing Grid’s back filled his heart. It was a type of sanctuary. No one could intrude on it. -… Hah? Hahat! It is far from reasonable to say this. You are too emotional for someone who proclaims to be the Sword Saint. I can see why you are weak… huh? The Elemental King of Wind was laughing from the absurdity, only to flinch. It was because he felt that the willpower of this insignificant human being was suddenly strengthened. [Confirming the expression of emotions based on your remarks.]

Expression of emotion—it was the most important virtue for the Sword Saint who used the Heart Sword as a weapon. The thing that Kraugel lacked was being fulfilled in this moment. The system analyzed and judged his vocalization, breathing, pulse, etc. The intangible sword cut through the storm. As if to prove that the willpower of the Sword Saint had finally become clear, the color of his translucent blue spirit body gradually deepened.

“The gap is too long.” Nefelina was self-aware. She knew she was a dragon. Of course, it was true that she was just born. She knew she was younger than the little children running around on the streets. However, she was a dragon. She was even the direct descendant of an old dragon. She hadn’t grown up yet and she would be classified as a hatchling for a thousand years. Nefelina was clearly aware she was a great being. She knew why Grid protected her and cared for her. Potential—Grid respected Nefelina, who was destined to become an Absolute. He waited for the future to come. It was a future they would share together. It was mutual reliance on each other. Then what was this? She hadn’t seen Grid in over five months. “Bah,” Nefelina snorted and put down her fork and knife. She saw her reflection in the mirror. A great being in human form, wearing human clothes, using human tableware, and consuming food in the human way. This was her current self. It was tailored for Grid. She was looking forward to the future with Grid, so she endured the unwelcome present. She understood and accepted human culture, sentiments, and emotions, even while abandoning her dignity as a great being. It was an effort to get along with Grid. However, Grid wasn’t by her side. He was originally a wanderer, but this was the first time there was such a long absence. These days, the big dining table felt lonely. “Does he have the will to be with me in the future when he isn’t with me now? Is this the fish he caught? Is this handling me? It is disgusting.” Nefelina was young. Furthermore, the side effects of learning about human emotions and sentiment meant she longed for parental affection. Finally, she jumped up from

her seat and raised her magic power. She sucked the remaining dozens of servings of food into her mouth without touching them. It couldn’t be helped because she was growing up. Putting aside her anger, she had to eat three meals a day… “An apostle must be by the side of their god.” The hatchling’s words were beyond words. She had tried to use Dragon Words before, but it was impossible. The power of Dragon Words increased by fulfilling the covenant and accumulating status. However, Nefelina was of the blood of an old dragon. She might be the daughter of the insane dragon, but Nevartan’s madness wasn’t acquired. Nefelina didn’t inherit the madness. She inherited only the talent and qualifications. She was clever enough to use a shortcut to pull out her potential. She took advantage of the laws. The beginning that went back into ancient times. The laws established by the gods that existed from the beginning. Gods had apostles and the apostles always followed the god’s orders by the god’s side. Nefelina disappeared as soon as she added the weak Dragon Words to the laws that governed the world. The triggering of Dragon Words was successful but incomplete. At this moment, her position was close to the area where Grid was located. She could be compared to a cow who entered the slaughterhouse on her own. *** “Oh my.” Sariel smiled softly when she felt Nefelina’s presence disappear. She felt peace at the sight of the young hatchling playing freely alone. The peace that humans protected by defeating the demons who climbed up from hell—it was infinitely noble and lovable. She was envious of the other free apostles. Of course, Sariel wasn’t shackled. The Overgeared God guaranteed the freedom of his apostles. However, Sariel was concerned about going berserk. She had been imprisoned in the abyss and lived as a demon for a long time. The demonic energy and madness that accumulated over the years when she forgot her origin were still wriggling inside her. “Do you prefer warm tea?” It was a question from Empress Irene. She was worried about Sariel, who suddenly fell silent.

Sariel laughed as she was handed a cup of tea with ice floating in it. “No. Any kind gift is good.” Currently, Sariel was a woman. It was the result of learning from experience that the appearance of a woman was better when hanging out with Irene. She understood human physiology like Nefelina. “Sorry for being late.” Mercedes arrived one step late. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. Why was this the case when the ruler of knights wouldn’t lose her breath even when racing around Reinhardt? Irene was puzzled but she didn’t show it as Mercedes sat next to her. Irene, who was qualified to be the empress; Mercedes, who followed the chivalric code; and Sariel, who administered justice even to the gods—the three women with strong beliefs had a lot in common. An emotional rapport was easily achieved. They respected and admired each other and enjoyed being together. This short tea time after breakfast was an extension of their friendship. Sariel stared at Mercedes, who had a somewhat embarrassed expression, and opened her mouth, “Among the desires, sexual desire isn’t a sin. Rather, it is sacred because it allows for species to reproduce.” “Pfft…!?” Mercedes spat out the cold tea that she had taken a sip of. The tea that was spat out failed to wet Sariel. The light that spread around Sariel—every crystal of that light that was smaller than a grain of sand was Sariel’s magic power and divinity. It operated as a barrier that couldn’t be invaded using ordinary means. Sariel cocked her head. “Why are you embarrassed? I was just advising you not to worry because you were making an expression like you are a sinner. Do you really feel guilty for being late? Huhut, you are so pure. You aren’t late. The empress and I just arrived earlier than agreed upon.” “W-W-What were those words you said just now…?” Mercedes’ cheeks turned even redder. Sexual desire? Why all of a sudden? The intentions of Sariel, who had an innocent look on her face, was hard to read even with Keen Insight.

“S-S-Sexual desire?” “Are you in denial? It is strange. The portraits in your bathroom should be a means of satisfying your sexual desires. You always look at those portraits while soaking in the bathtub…” Omitted. Sariel spoke vulgar words that were difficult to accept with common sense without changing her expression. Mercedes, who was staring at her in disbelief, belatedly came to her senses and shouted, “Stop! Shut up.” When did you peek at my bathroom? Mercedes had a strong desire to argue, but she couldn’t do so. Archangel Sariel was the one who monitored all the sins of the world, even the sins of the gods. Moreover, her mission was to protect Irene. It was natural for Sariel’s gaze to reach every corner of Reinhardt. The perception of angels also wasn’t the same as humans. She might not even know the concept of privacy. It meant Mercedes would just lose if she argued with Sariel while talking about common sense. “Ah…” Irene sighed as she silently listened to the conversation. She finally learned the identity and usage of the transparent material that the alchemists of Reidan risked their lives to protect. It was both surprising and embarrassing. Mercedes couldn’t raise her head… Irene comforted her, who couldn’t lift her head out of shame and guilt. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Isn’t it because you love His Majesty?” “…That’s right. Besides, I never dreamed that the alchemists would even risk their lives to protect it.” It meant she had no intention of sacrificing the alchemists to satisfy her desires. But… in any case, she was sorry and embarrassed. Irene patted the shoulder of the speechless Mercedes again. “It is an object that the alchemist risked their lives to protect, so you should cherish it even more and use it well… you have an obligation to do so. No one blames you, so

be proud.” On the other hand, Sariel didn’t comfort Mercedes. “You shouldn’t be like this as an apostle, but… don’t resent the Overgeared God. We shouldn’t interpret it as your desire being aroused by loneliness because God neglected you. It is sinful to doubt and resent God based on mere reasoning. I think God is testing you, who has stronger desires than the average person, so you should try to overcome the ordeal with a reverent heart.” “………” What was she doing here? Mercedes felt a sense of humiliation and hoped that this uncomfortable tea time would end soon… *** The sixth apostle, Zik. After hundreds of years of reigning as the grandmaster and meddling in the internal affairs of Saharan, he also had high political power. He was literally an all-rounder and Lauel was obsessed with him. It was to the point where Zik was placed in all types of positions, was supported and entrusted with duties. “Did a traitor appear?” At the imperial palace… Zik cocked his head as he sat in the office and looked at documents. It was because he felt Mercedes’s dizzying energy coming from the direction of the Overgeared Temple. It was a rare disturbance from the ruler of knights. For a moment, killing intent and despair crossed, so it seemed like she had encountered quite a shocking incident. ‘I’ll find out later.’ It wasn’t easy for secrets to exist between transcendents. They had reached the level of seeing through all things and easily grasped each other and delved into secrets. It was a desperate fact for Mercedes, but it was unavoidable. There were so many monsters in Reinhardt.

Just then, a deafening sound was heard in the distance. Zik’s gaze shifted outside the window. It was a gaze that crossed the vast agricultural fields beyond the city and reached the top of a mountain. He secured his vision by adding the power of runes to the body of a half-god. The figure of Braham was captured in the field of view that exceeded Barbatos’ Vision. Among the monsters who inhabited Reinhardt, he was an expert who could compete for the top position. He had been studying new magic for months and now his expression was serious. He looked very unpleasant at the sudden uninvited visitor. The identity of the intruder was Piaro. The one who was obviously the weakest among the Overgeared God’s six apostles. Piaro's weakness was an unavoidable problem. He was nothing more than an ordinary human being and couldn't match half-god Zik; Beriache’s descendant, Braham; Archangel Sariel; the child of the insane dragon, Nefelina; and Mercedes, who had the power of Keen Insight. ‘It would be different if he was the Sword Saint.’ Piaro was from Saharan. Zik naturally knew Piaro. Piaro might not know it, but Zik had been watching him since childhood when he hadn’t yet become a knight. He was slightly interested in humans with such capabilities because they were rare even throughout the eras. In fact, Piaro grew wonderfully. He became the leader of the Red Knights, became a great swordsman, and then a legendary farmer and apostle of the Overgeared God. He might’ve given up on the path of the Sword Saint, but it was clear that he was an outstanding human being. He might be the weakest alongside Nefelina among the apostles, but he was at the level of pretending to be an absolute to the world. Zik respected Piaro. He seemed to have visited Braham for advice, so Zik cheered for him. ‘Operating nature is completely different from using magic, but… he must want to grab at any straw. I hope he can cross the wall as soon as possible, even if he has to be wary of overdoing it.’ Zik was thinking this when he suddenly stiffened. He stopped the hand that was signing the paperwork. It was because the golden agricultural fields surrounding

Reinhardt shook all at once. The trees and flowers of the imperial palace’s garden also shook loudly. They detected the existence of Piaro on the distant mountain and distributed energy to him. It meant that the range of Natural State had expanded tremendously. “…Hah.” It had been a long time since Piaro came back, but it wasn’t just trying to get advice. A smile spread across Zik’s face as he felt rare admiration.

The Tower of Wisdom had existed for over a thousand years. It was the only home of the tower members and the last bastion of humanity. It had to be absolutely safe. It was necessary for the barriers to not only be unable to be observed with physical force and magic, but also by mysteries like powers and divinity. The tower members were especially wary of dragons. Many of the multiple barriers they installed around the tower were responsible for blocking Dragon Words. In the first place, the tower was the target of dragons. There was no means to stop the dragons’ magic and Dragon Words, so they made it so their existence itself couldn’t be established. Therefore, it was a huge shock. A hatchling was hanging around near the tower? How did a hatchling find the tower? The tower members were quick to detect that the hatchling wasn’t ordinary and were wary. They were mindful of the possibility that an old dragon had used Polymorph. Yet the reality was… “Heeek!” “………?” “Grrruk…” “………” It wasn’t enough to crawl around like a bug and scream. In the end, her mouth foamed up and she fainted. Embarrassment crossed the faces of the tower members who were nervous and wary of her. They knew that Grid was hiding a hatchling, but they didn’t know the characteristics of the hatchling, so they couldn’t associate it with Nefelina. Biban’s confusion was the greatest. “I expected it to be no ordinary hatchling, but this is beyond my imagination. Her madness has reached the peak.” A hatchling fainted? Even if she was a crazy hatchling, this was firmly crazy. He got goosebumps from the moment he saw the obsidian-like black scales. Biban felt the

temperament of the insane dragon from the passed out hatchling in front of him. It was very reasonable and high quality reasoning, even if he thought about it himself. “We must kill her now.” Biban was drawing his sword with conviction when Jessica poked his side. “It is the hatchling from Reinhardt.” “………” Among the tower members, only Hayate and Jessica saw through Nefelina’s identity. It was strange for Hayate not to know and Jessica noticed it by combining the current situation with the strange feeling she felt when she visited Reinhardt. The unusual thing was that Biban didn’t notice it despite him visiting Reinhardt several times. “Is there a secret between us…?” Biban’s expression was bitter as he muttered like it was absurd. His eyes as he looked at Grid were sad. ‘Has Biban never met Nefelina?’ Even if they had met, Biban would’ve forgotten. It was using the excuse that the situation at the time wasn’t good. Grid didn’t care if Biban was sad or not. He had completely adapted to Biban’s tendency to be slow to grasp something and to easily forget due to indifference to the matters around him. He treated the elderly who had dementia with a sense of support. “Nefelina.” Grid carefully shook Nefelina’s shoulder. A child who was supposed to be in Reinhardt suddenly came and fainted, so he was concerned in many ways. He ruled out the possibility that Reinhardt might’ve been attacked. A message would’ve come already if this had happened. ‘Did she run away from home? Is it puberty?’ Someone who still had a long way to go to become an adult? Grid found it improbable but he still seriously suspected it. Wasn’t it said that a dragon realized the principles of the world from the moment they hatched from the egg? It wasn’t unusual for puberty to come quickly. He thought it was plausible because puberty was caused by emotional problems separate from the level of knowledge. Lauel’s existence was proof.

“G-Grid…” A nostalgic smell—Nefelina’s eyes trembled slightly as she slowly regained consciousness in Grid’s arms. “I… no, perhaps more dragons have no sense of kinship…” “Yes… that’s right.” In the past, Grid had treated Nefelina with great caution. There was something like trauma about a dragon’s power, so he supported her as if serving her in a temple. However, this changed as time passed. Behind the change was Nefelina’s favorability. The more time Nefelina spent with Grid, the more she liked him and relied on him. Grid also cared for her in the same way and the two of them gradually became friends. Irene was pleased because it seemed like a father-daughter relationship. Irene’s role was also great. Nefelina followed her, who was kind and warm. Irene’s presence played a big role in Nefelina’s ability to learn human emotions and empathize with humans. In any case, Grid was no longer uncomfortable with Nefelina. His attitude was extremely friendly as he stroked her head while she still looked confused. Nefelina buried her head deeper into Grid’s chest like she liked the touch and continued to speak with difficulty, “It’s fine. I won’t dislike you or be afraid of you, even if you are a savage who slaughtered my people and put their bones and scales on your body…” “………” Grid belatedly noticed why Nefelina had passed out and he closed his mouth. *** “Can we keep that child alive?” At the round table… All the tower members except for Grid were gathered. It was to discuss the treatment of the hatchling, who was traveling around the tower with the memphis even at this moment. The tower member felt that the situation was unrealistic. A hatchling was playing in their sanctuary where they had been fighting dragons for a thousand years…

The foundation of the tower felt shaky. Strong rejection and confusion pushed the composure of some of the tower members to the extreme. Jessica spoke cautiously, “Nefelina is the apostle of the 10th Seat, Grid. He is clearly our ally.” The giant brothers nodded. “Besides, the 10th Seat has proven earlier that we can communicate with dragons. From our point of view, there is no reason or justification to antagonize that hatchling. Rather, it is better to gain a firm ally and plan for the future together.” The 8th Seat, Abellio, expressed concern, “A human god tends to be a target of heaven and it is difficult to live forever. Moreover, the 10th Seat is preparing for a battle against Baal. Doesn’t everyone here know that Baal’s strength is comparable to an old dragon? If the 10th Seat is defeated by Baal, loses his divinity, and perishes one day… Nefelina will no longer be an apostle of the 10th Seat. The means of coercing her will be gone.” The 5th Seat, Jurene, agreed, “Right. She will stab us in the back one day. We can’t let her run wild in the tower just because we don’t have justification to kill Nefelina right away. What if she remembers the structure of the tower and makes a way to neutralize the tower’s barriers once she becomes an adult dragon? Do you want to keep moving? The structure of all the towers is the same, so won’t we eventually be captured wherever we flee?” Opinions were largely divided into two. Jessica, Betty, Radwolf, and Fronzaltz had the opinion to trust Nefelina and let her go free. Meanwhile, Abellio, Ken, and Jurene had the opinion that Nefelina couldn’t be ignored. It was a separate issue from the liking they had for Grid. It was because the tower’s existence was at stake. “………” The eyes of the tower members all focused on Biban. It was to ask for his opinion since he had been silent throughout the meeting. Biban opened his mouth with a bewildered expression, “Is there a way to erase memories without killing Nefelina?” “It is possible if we use Yatan’s essence. There is Betty here who can use Yatan’s

essence better than anyone else and Jessica and Radwolf have the ability to help her.” “By the way, Grid is a tower member, right? From now on, he will be free to come and go from the future. Will he tell the apostles to keep it a secret every time?” “Isn’t it strange to give Grid’s apostles the freedom to come and go from the tower? The tower has been our home for a thousand years and it will continue to be so.” “What if Grid doesn’t come to the tower often because he is uncomfortable?” “That… it is unfortunate, but it can’t be helped. In the first place, the 10th Seat is an honorary position. He doesn’t have the responsibilities of the tower members, so he doesn’t have the obligation to come and go from the tower.” “Um… Didn’t you say that Nefelina is the daughter of the insane dragon? I know that Baal and Yatan’s essence were deeply involved in the reason why the insane dragon went crazy… using Yatan’s essence on the daughter as well is a bit… I wonder if it is too cruel.” “………” The tower members couldn’t refute it. Jessica clenched her fists at Biban. It was to support Biban, who rarely spoke the correct words. Biban expressed his thoughts, “Putting everything else aside… won’t Grid be hurt the most if we hurt Nefelina? I don’t like that.” “………” It was up to here. It was 5 to 3. The meeting lost its meaning since Biban added strength to the opinion that they should trust Nefelina and leave her alone. Furthermore, the tower members all felt great liking toward Grid. Abellio, Ken, and Jurene realized that harming Nefelina would hurt Grid and they were no longer stubborn about it. Hayate, who had been silent the whole time, smiled. “Our unity seems stronger thanks to the 10th Seat. “Cough…”

The tower members were embarrassed and coughed. From as little as hundreds of years to as long as a thousand years—the tower members had been together for a very long time. They didn’t always get along, even if their purpose was the same. They had spent many years together and had many fights. Yet today they agreed on an important issue. They even put emotions ahead of reason. Still, was this really the right thing to do? Hayate reassured the anxious tower members, “I will prepare the minimum of safeguards for this matter. Don’t worry too much about it.” *** ‘It looks like a lot of fun. Since when did she become so close to Noe?’ He could hear Nefelina’s laughter as she ran with Noe from the corridor beyond the door. Noe intermittently screamed and cried, but… Grid ignored it. At this point, shouldn’t Noe overcome his dragon phobia? He already learned how to work hard from Betty. Putting aside the commotion outside, Grid’s hands were moving diligently. He was in the process of carving a pattern on the cool white sword pommel. A sword entirely made using Cranbel’s arm—it was an impressive divine sword with a delicate blade that emitted a subtle luster. It was an appearance that anyone would recognize as a treasured sword of the world, but there were no structurally special parts apart from the fact that it was hard to distinguish between the blade and the handle. Grid didn’t use any special techniques in the production. His focus was purely on creating an ‘ideal sword.’ The material itself was so excellent that he was worried any shortcuts would become poison. Nevertheless, the reason why it took a month to make was the special nature of the material. Cranbel’s arm—it was the ultimate material in theory, so the smelting difficulty was extremely high. Grid had to work hard alone without the help of Randy and the God Hands. Besides, Grid made full use of Cranbel’s arm. He used an entire arm for only one sword. From the stage of starting a fire, flesh and blood were sacrificed. The bones and nails

were repeatedly smelted and tempered until they became as transparent as glass. He was worried that the cold at dawn and the warmth of the day would have a small effect on the temperature, so he paid attention to the time of the day. The small scales were also removed, smelted, and tempered separately. He devoted his heart even to the material to be used for making the guard and handle. The same was true when tanning the leather to wrap around the handle. It was bound to take a long time. Knock knock. Then a knock was heard. Grid identified the visitor just on this. It was thanks to his transcendent senses that reached the highest level and were forged like a treasured sword after writing 18 epics. “I’m sorry. You must be busy.” “It’s fine. If you had called, I would’ve gone straight to you. Hayate, why did you come here yourself?” Hayate immediately brought up the topic, “I think I should put a ban on Nefelina.” “Ah…” Grid immediately noticed the reason. They seemed uncomfortable that Nefelina was in the tower. It didn’t make sense to bring a hatchling to the den of the dragon-fighting tower members. “If you say a ban…” “I want to seal today’s memories. It is inherently very difficult to intervene in a dragon’s thoughts, but Nefelina is your apostle. I think it is possible. I will help.” Hayate spoke calmly, but his voice spread clearly down the hallway. It clearly dug into the ears of Nefelina, who was stiff due to Hayate’s visit. She barely shook off her fear and hurriedly opened the door to enter the room. “I-I don’t want to! I…! I’ve never spent time with Grid! Definitely! I will remember it without forgetting!” Nefelina’s voice trembled. It was due to fear. She trembled and even had tears in her eyes. She was facing the Dragon Slayer. It was a fear that was hard to bear from the perspective of a hatchling. Nevertheless, she spoke clearly so Hayate looked at her with admiration.

Nefelina misunderstood the meaning of Hayate’s smile and was terrified. “H-Hik! AAre you going to kill me?” “Nefelina…” Grid got up from his seat and held Nefelina’s shoulder. He waited for her to calm down before explaining the situation. Then Nefelina made an unexpected remark. “It is simple. If… it will never happen, but if Grid dies, I won’t disclose the position of the tower. I will swear using Dragon Words and the tower members will be relieved.” “Dragon Words…” Hayate’s expression became bitter. It was because he knew that hatchlings couldn’t use Dragon Words. His heart grew even heavier when he realized how young Nefelina was. ‘It has only been a few years since she was born. It is a pity I have to impose such harsh standards on her.’ In the end, he had no choice but to put a ban on her. It happened the moment when Hayate made a decision and Grid’s heart sank heavily when he read the signs… “I won’t do any harm to the Tower of Wisdom or its members. This oath will be valid until the day I die.” Nefelina’s vow became words to be obeyed. The shackles of Dragon Words tied around her tightly. It was a miracle that combined the experience of having already succeeded in triggering Dragon Words, her identity as Grid’s apostle, and her earnest desire to be with Grid. The main point was that the tower wasn’t hostile to her and didn’t interfere with her will. “Huh?” A brilliant light flashed in Hayate’s eyes. The tower members, who were watching the situation from outside the door, were astonished. “A genius dragon…!” Biban’s pure admiration made Nefelina shrug. Those who had put away their burdens were delighted and only Noe showed a sullen reaction. Noe hated Nefelina so much that his stomach ached when he saw her doing well. At the same time…

“Ohh…! Ohhh!” The remnants of the three churches, who refused to serve the Overgeared God and scattered across the continent, burst into tears. It was because a beautiful angel descended with the light and gave them a holy sword.

Punishment was Braham’s unique magic. Just as Disintegrate, which embodied light with magic power to form a spear, had its origin in the symbolic meaning of light, Punishment originated from Braham’s blood, magic power, and knowledge. It was designed and created by Braham himself from the basics. It was completely different from other magic that had been established and developed through the hands of countless people over a long period of time. The more people that witnessed Punishment, the more that Braham’s magic would be worshipped as a myth rather than a legend. Why did he make Punishment? It was intended to be used against Gamigin, who was a formidable enemy at the time. Yes, it was a good opportunity. The significance of Punishment lay in the beginning, not the end. The techniques that made up Punishment were free beyond the various standards. They worked as if they were alive. They eroded and covered other magic techniques. A thunderbolt struck after Braham waved his hand through the air. It stretched out like a hundred-pronged spear and soon reached the end of Braham’s field of view. Clouds flowing around the mountain peak released blue light and rainwater. It was an unchallenged power. He changed the weather with magic alone. “…Che.” Braham’s expression was full of complaints. The remnants of the electric current in his hand were colored purple. It was a sign of the addition of the techniques of Punishment. It was too slow. The result that Braham wished for was that the entire electric current fired earlier was purple. However, the current had already reached its goal and took effect before the formula of Punishment was overlaid. Of course, if he had mixed in Punishment at the magic execution stage, the current would’ve been purple rather than blue from the beginning. It was just that this method required too many processes. The casting time itself became longer. It meant Braham’s greatest strength

in casting magic was fading. ‘I have no choice but to simplify the techniques even more.’ It wasn’t easy. Braham had already adjusted the techniques of Punishment again and again. It was reduced by twice as much compared to when he created it to fight Gamigin. He couldn’t even estimate how much more time it would take to reduce the techniques beyond this while maintaining its power and functionality. Nevertheless, the ideal solution was to strengthen the ideas. Strong thoughts combined magic and willpower. It meant realizing magic as soon as he intended it. However, Braham became complete when he regained the power of a direct descendant. His thoughts reached the extreme in an instant. Among the great magics, the large-scale Meteor could be realized immediately. Even so, the development and utilization of Punishment took time. ‘Right now is my limit.’ From now on, it was a battle against time. He would have to immerse himself in research for many years before he could complete Punishment and make it the ‘base of all magic.’ It might take decades or even hundreds of years. It was fine. He would become a ‘magic god’ if he could reach the level where he could use Punishment to that extent. He was certain that he would be successful one day, so it could take as long as it took. The god referred to here wasn’t just a god born of worship. A magician who killed even a god—in other words, it meant reaching the ranking of a god using simple force. “Come on out now,” Braham suddenly spoke while he was trying to keep his mind together. It was toward the uninvited guest who had been waiting. “I’m sorry to interrupt you.” The identity of the intruder was Piaro. His face was haggard. He might be a legendary farmer but he lacked dignity. It was hard to find anything extraordinary from his dead eyes.

‘Did he end up experiencing shock from going overboard?’ Braham frowned. It was several years ago. It was a time when Braham hadn’t regained his body and drifted as a soul. Piaro was the pillar that supported the kingdom. Grid and all the people relied on Piaro. He had that much skill. Braham, who regained his body and sparred with Piaro, had a deep impression of him. ‘However, the progress has been slow since then.’ The one who shone the brightest next to Grid ended up so shabby. It was something that Braham hadn’t expected. It was proof that the occupation of a farmer was more insignificant than expected. Of course, Piaro himself was very proud of his profession as a farmer, but that was a story of the past. It was as Grid became a god and started to recruit new apostles one by one. Piaro clearly recognized his limitations. He gradually became agitated. He started struggling to overcome his limitations. In the end, he couldn’t overcome it and became like this… “Tell me what you want,” Braham urged him. It was with his distinctive vague expression and indifferent voice. He looked impatient. It was a misunderstanding. If Braham was really annoyed, he wouldn’t have associated with Piaro. Others might not know this, but Braham was very favorable toward Piaro. It was respect to the person who protected Grid’s side when he wasn’t confident. He naturally had good feelings toward Piaro. He just couldn’t show it due to his personality. Furthermore, he felt more sympathy than liking these days. “Please spar with me.” “Spar?” Braham laughed. He didn’t mean to laugh. It was just so absurd and ridiculous that a laugh naturally burst out. “I don’t think a spar will be valid,” Braham spoke calmly. He was thinking of Piaro’s skills that he saw in the Great Human and Demon War. He might be strong as a legend, but that was a story when compared to ordinary humans. Braham wasn’t just a legend, but he also built up transcendence and divinity. Furthermore, he regained the power of a direct descendant. It was at the level of

discussion the extremes in both the physical and magical aspects. To be honest… the level difference was too great. He knew Piaro’s intention to get inspired by changing blows, but he thought there was little possibility that Piaro’s intention would be achieved. In the first place, Braham had no talent for teaching anything other than magic. “It is better for you to give up your pride and ask your disciple.” He meant Mercedes. The knight who once served as Piaro’s aide—she had the best conditions to teach Piaro. Of course, it would be horribly cruel for Piaro, but… Braham gave realistic advice as the Duke of Wisdom. Piaro shook his head. “I don’t have the confidence to control my power yet.” “………?” “So it must be your noble self.” “………!” Braham’s eyes widened. It was because he felt the magic power in the atmosphere fluctuating as Piaro’s blurry eyes regained light and focus. The bushes. No, the entire mountain started to shake. There was the momentum of being uprooted as they poured out all their energy and delivered it to Piaro. Braham felt the operation of Mana Drain becoming uncomfortable and floated his body in the air. He pulled out Belial’s Staff and armed himself. ‘This guy?’ Braham always used detection magic when fighting a strong opponent. It was to intuitively sense the movement of the target more quickly and clearly. Even now, he reflexively used it, but he became shocked. Piaro, who was standing at the top of the mountain—Braham’s eyes captured him, but his magic didn’t detect Piaro. “A natural body…”

From the day he became a farmer, Piaro’s combat abilities were related to nature. However, nature was sometimes rowdy and uncontrollable. It was an area beyond complete control. It was the wrong approach. He shouldn’t have controlled it. Piaro instead chose to be part of nature. It was so he could be the ground that Grid stood on, the rain that washed off Grid’s blood and sweat, and the wind that dried Grid’s body. It was harmony, not subjugation. Then Natural State was completed. “I’m coming.” The moment that Piaro took a step forward—Braham felt a pressure like the mountain he climbed was approaching and became thrilled. It was the sign of a new inspiration. The techniques of Punishment that had been floating in his mind changed. The formulas that had been reduced as much as possible were expanded from the original state, resulting in the loss of the ability to erode other magic. Instead, the formulas were now quickly added. It was harmony, not conquest. A purple current covered the sky. *** “It is strange.” The first experience was special for everyone. Nefelina activated Dragon Words for the first time since her birth and she fell into doubts without any time to rejoice. The operation of Dragon Words was successful. However, it was an empty field that stretched out in front of her eyes. There was nothing, let alone Grid. What was going on? ‘Don’t tell me?’ Nefelina’s face turned pale as she wandered around in bewilderment. She lay flat on the ground and pressed her ear to it while holding her breath. She was concerned that Grid was buried in the ground. ‘I-Is he dead and buried?’

She had thought the gap was too long. Her eyes were spinning round and round. Her thoughts weren’t properly connected and breathing became difficult. The senses of her body were floating. Crawling. Crawling. A great being—the insane dragon’s daughter, Nefelina wandered through the wilderness in confusion. One ear was attached to the ground as she crawled around. She was reminiscent of a giant cockroach or lizard. Even though she looked like a cute human girl… therefore, it was even more bizarre. “Are you corrupted?” “………???” Where was Grid buried? Nefelina was crawling around with stiff thoughts when she suddenly stiffened. She could see human legs in her wet, hazy vision. Grid…? No. Grid’s smell wasn’t like this. In the first place, Grid didn’t walk barefoot. Nefelina slowly looked up and met the gaze of Ken, who was staring down at her. “What is a hatchling doing here?” The 6th Seat, Ken—among the members of the Tower of Wisdom, his senses were at the highest level and was transcendent. It was the aftermath of a martial artist’s desire to use his entire body as a weapon. He easily detected the presence of a hatchling wandering near the tower and descended. “H-Hiiik.” The deathly pale Nefelina let out a shriek. She smelled death from Ken, just as cows and pigs instinctively felt the scent of death from a slaughterhouse. She naturally added scales to her body. The scales were as beautiful as obsidian. Ken understood. “You are the child of the insane dragon. You must not be sane.” Fortunately, she wasn’t corrupted. The other tower members arrived at the scene as Ken was feeling relieved. Nefelina’s mind went blank as she smelled the deeper smell of death. She felt like she was going

to faint. However, she was the daughter of the insane dragon and the apostle of the Overgeared God. She couldn’t show her ugliness, so she held herself together. At this moment— “Nefelina?” A voice she missed came from behind the monsters. “Grid…!” As expected… as expected, he was still alive. It was natural. Her god, her parent couldn’t die… Nefelina smiled and turned her head in the direction of the voice. Then she was stunned. It was because the sight of Grid, whose body was wrapped with the scales of her people, was terrifying. It wasn’t something she could handle while she was mentally and physically weak.

Knight, someone who was known to the public as the death god. A person who consumed the target’s ‘soul gauge’ to deal a definite death. Unlike his ID, his notoriety was quite high because his ability specialized in assassination. Some people said that his assassination-related potential was comparable to Faker. Lauel paid attention to his personality. Cool-headed, yet tenacious. He clearly distinguished when to back down and when not to back down. He didn’t compromise easily. If faced with an unfavorable situation, he seemed to give up without any regrets, but in the end, he produced results. If 10 people escaped from Knight’s assassination, nine of them would suffer a mysterious death one day. An inspector who needed to dive into the tiger’s lair and gather evidence to hunt the tiger. It was judged that there were few people more suitable than Knight to carry out the mission that had constant exposure to danger and temptation. Of course, Knight found it absurd. He was moved by Lauel’s effort to recruit him, so he joined the Overgeared Guild. But… his first assignment was unexpected. An assassin acting as an inspector? ‘In the first place, are there any fools who have a traitorous mind against the present empire?’ The Overgeared Empire used the absolute armed force and popularity of Grid as the backdrop for its birth. Not only did it absorb Saharan intact, but it received tribute for all nations on the continent. Was there a nobleman who dared to have a traitorous mind when Grid’s power pierced the sky? If there was such a person, he was either impatient or a stupid person. He wouldn’t be appointed lord in the first if he was these things. Knight’s thoughts changed a short time later. ‘Eyes and ears can’t reach here.’ The Overgeared Empire was too wide. It was natural since almost all of the continent was the territory of the empire. The further away from the imperial capital a place

was, the harder it was to find a warp gate and the more the unique color of the area grew. Of course, there were statues of Grid everywhere. There was also a flood of believers praising Grid’s epics. However, there was a considerable sense of strangeness. This was a remote region far from the center. The place had been ruled by local nobles since ancient times and built their own culture and sentiments. The dialect and clothing of the people became unfamiliar. It gave the strong impression that it was a separate nation and not part of the empire. ‘I think they interpret Grid’s epics slightly differently.’ For the Overgeared God Church, Grid’s epics were the holy book. Was it okay to interpret the holy book in an open manner? Knight was looking around the city while listening to the strange epics praised by the people when he suddenly stopped walking. It was because dozens of soldiers and knights blocked his path. “You are the inspector from the imperial palace? My lord is waiting at the territory’s capital.” Territory inspections were carried out by surprise. It was because the meaning faded if the target knew and prepared for it. Yet this place already knew about it. They didn’t give him any time to look around the city and instead wanted to drag him to their den. “I planned to visit the capital after looking at a few more cities.” “What is there to see in the countryside? You will just be bored. Furthermore, the lord himself has prepared a banquet. Please accompany him for the sake of the lord’s face.” The attitude of the knights was polite yet coercive. It was a bit awkward to refuse since they were talking about face. ‘I can do the inspection after the banquet. Let’s start with checking the attitude of the lord.’ Lauel had said that the lord here was planning a rebellion and that there must be the remnants of the Rebecca Church behind the lord. They were absurd words. Lauel presented no physical evidence to back it up. He wasn’t a fortune teller and simply

doubted the lord based on circumstantial evidence. Knight found it hard to relate to. He might be wary of the strange closed nature and independence of this land, but he didn’t judge the other side hastily. Above all, Knight admired the lord’s competence. The development status of the cities in the area exceeded expectations. The high political power of the lord could be seen with one glance. ‘It might be different if he is an idiot, but there is no way such a talented person would conspire with the remnants of the Rebecca Church to start a hopeless rebellion.’ Knight’s confidence was shattered that night. “………” Upon arriving at the lord’s castle, he attended the banquet and witnessed strange people. They were those whose souls were colored gold. It was the same as the soul color of the high priests of the Rebecca Church. “My lord.” Knight put down the drink that the lord poured for him without drinking and stared at the lord. “Try calling Rebecca a son of a bi*ch.” “………” “………” The noisy ballroom became silent. The shocked band stopped playing while the lord and his vassals blinked and doubted their ears. Some of the vassals belatedly regained their minds and shouted. “What are you suddenly saying?” “How dare you say such low-level words in front of the lord… it is none other than the imperial palace who put the lord in this position. Insulting the lord is insulting the imperial palace. It is a crime of treason!” Some showed hostility and even threatened him. Knight ignored them. As the figure

of a giant death god with a scythe appeared behind him, he spoke again, “My lord, you don’t want to call Rebecca a son of a bi*ch?” “…Why should I? Why are you suddenly asking me to commit the sin of blasphemy?” “Why is it blasphemy if a follower of the Overgeared God swears at Rebecca?” “What reckless words…! No matter how much we serve the Overgeared God, this is still a heavenly god! You will be punished for insulting a god of the beginning!” “The heavenly gods who stood by when we were in danger will punish us as soon as we sin? What is the basis for this bizarre belief?” “My lord, don’t deal with him.” “He must face the charge of treason right away. I’m sure the imperial palace will understand.” The vassals who turned red earlier slowly rose from their seats. There were four in total. The thing they had in common was that they possessed gold souls. They were Knight’s targets from the beginning. The death god pointed at them with four long, dry fingers and swung the scythe in the air. At the same time… “Keok!” Four golden souls were split in half. The souls' owners died without any trauma, so it was a shocking sight. In the silence, Knight quietly got up from his seat and approached them. He picked up the accessories dropped from the corpses with an expressionless face and examined them. There was a necklace and ring symbolizing the Rebecca Church. “My lord, did these senile people deceive you or did you call them?” “Get him!” This answer was enough. Knight marveled at how the situation was flowing according to Lauel’s guess. ‘It is beyond foresight. It would be more accurate to interpret it as a situation that

Lauel intended.’ In the first place, his intention might’ve been to place rebels in the lord’s position and deal with them when the time came. The reason for this was that the lord’s political power was needed. Talents who would develop their territory quickly—even though Lauel knew he would someday have a dark heart, Lauel made him the lord and drained his abilities. Now that the lord was no longer needed, Knight was sent to deal with it. ‘It is thorough and cruel.’ This was the Overgeared Guild. The Overgeared Guild was seen as an invincible group, but the Overgeared Guild seen from the inside was also unique. It felt even scarier. ‘I should never betray them.’ Of course, he had no intention of betrayal from the beginning. It was just that he now made up his mind not to betray them even if the world was destroyed. Knight clicked his tongue and pulled out his weapon. He slashed at the soldiers coming from all directions and blocked the knights’ attacks. People were impressed by the way he blocked any gaps in his defense and neutralized the complicated pincer attacks. Nevertheless, soldiers were constantly coming. The lord’s expression was full of ease. He seemed to have judged that Knight would collapse from exhaustion before reaching him. In fact, Knight’s armed force wasn’t overwhelming. The level of the knights was too high. They were also excellently armed as knights of the Overgeared Empire. The fact that he didn’t receive assistance from the death god behind him was serious. The death god was silent and didn’t take any action. Then it secretly raised one finger and aimed it at the lord. “My homeland was Saharan, not the Overgeared Empire. How can you understand how I felt as an incompetent woman became the empress and I had to watch while crying tears of blood as she sold my homeland.” The lord gained momentum and spoke as he saw Knight gradually being pushed on

the defensive. The time he spent playing as a loyalist of the Overgeared Empire was so intense that he felt great. There was the feeling of excitement, but he was convinced of victory. In fact, there was no such thing as victory. What victory was it to catch and beat a dirty hound running wild? This was just hunting. Knight laughed. “Have you forgotten the Great Human and Demon War? Saharan wouldn’t have survived without the Overgeared God.” “Bah. If the three churches were still strong, we would’ve been able to fight against the demons without the Overgeared God.” “That is why you joined with the remnants of the Rebecca Church.” Knight recalled that this place was extremely remote. They couldn’t have directly experienced war in the Abyss and the Behen Archipelago. They simply dealt with the demonic creatures which came through the portals and couldn’t know how terrible the Great Human and Demon War was. Hearing it a thousand times was less than actually experiencing it once. “Every time you talk, there will be more than one person who feels upset. You should die here.” Originally, Knight planned to arrest the lord and take him to the imperial capital. It was because he would receive bigger contributions for capturing the lord alive. However, his thoughts changed at this moment. His death god, who had been standing silently, pointed to the lord with the finger that had been secretly raised. At this moment, the lord experienced the horror and killing intent as if the world was falling apart. He sensed his inevitable death and turned his back to the wall of soldiers he had built in front of him as he tried to flee. It was meaningless. The moment the death god wielded the scythe, the lord died and collapsed like a broken doll. The knights and soldiers lost strength in their body. They were confused and stepped back. ‘I have to kill them all.’ Saharan was their nation and they were loyal to the rebel. There were too many of

them to capture alive. The eyes of Knight’s death god flashed. It swung the scythe directly and started to assist Knight. Knight was alone but also two. He cooperated with the death god to overwhelm the soldiers and knights, unlike before. It was a level of power that made the concept of numbers useless. He was able to handle hundreds alone. At this moment— “A cruel death ghost is on the rampage. You must’ve sold your soul to the devil.” A man entered the scene. A paladin armed with white armor carved in the shape of light—it was reminiscent of the days when the Rebecca Church flourished. His name was Winter. He wasn’t a named NPC. Knight only thought there was one more opponent to kill and didn’t take it seriously. This was until light flickered at Winter’s fingertips. “I will purify you with light.” The light spread and took the shape of a hilt and blade. It was a sword with divine power, not magic power or sword energy. Damian once loved using it, so there was no way that Knight didn’t know its identity. “A holy sword…?” Knight felt a great sense of strangeness. It was because the form of the sword, which was revealed through the flickering light, was very familiar. It was like Grid’s… Puhahahak! The ferocious light cut through Knight’s body as his eyes widened. *** It wasn’t just Knight who was hit by the holy sword. The remnants of the three churches armed with holy swords started to appear all over the continent and established strongholds with powerful force. They attracted believers scattered throughout the continent with the miracle of light caused by the holy swords.

Coincidentally, it was around the time when the hell elevator became popular. It wasn’t just the top powers of the Overgeared Guild. There were also a considerable number of players who started to travel freely to hell to invade hell. At this time, an unexpected ambush appeared on the surface. ‘At this point, it feels like heaven is deliberately disturbing us.’ The owners of the holy swords ran rampant with the goal of reviving their religion. Lauel’s expression gradually distorted as he sifted through the papers containing the information. There were weapons that came to mind when people saw the description of the holy weapons. ‘Failure, Sword of Self-transcendence, Thorn of Deep Grievance, Sword Ghost, and the Red Phoenix’s Bow… the form of the holy weapons resemble the works that His Majesty created a long time ago?’ What was the intention behind it? The blacksmithing god, Hexetia—assuming that he was imprisoned and made holy swords to receive a pardon, he had no reason to plagiarize Grid’s works. Grid had said that Hexetia’s skills were beyond his. Hexetia would’ve made better weapons. Even if he plagiarized Grid’s works, he would’ve plagiarized the divine swords. It was unlikely that he would plagiarize the old works Grid had made a long time ago. ‘A new blacksmith god was born in heaven and his skills were still low, so he started to hone his skills by plagiarizing His Majesty’s words?’ It was just a guess because there was so little information. Lauel was unable to draw a hasty conclusion and had to report the incident to Grid without identifying the truth. He added that the enemies didn’t hide their appearance due to their strong momentum, so he would send apostles to help quell the situation and try to retrieve the holy swords. Just then, there was a world message that a new divine object of Grid’s had been born. -Don’t send the apostles. I will go there myself.

Grid replied immediately.

Angels were the guardians and agents of the gods. They protected and enforced the laws established by the gods, meddling in private affairs to uphold the prestige of the gods. The reason for their birth itself was for the sake of the gods. They couldn’t be a god even if they received countless worships. Even in the days when the great demons of hell reigned with fear, they couldn’t become evil gods or demon gods. The angels and demons were classified as a completely different species from the gods, unless they were deformities like Sitri, a collection of principles. They couldn’t accumulate the concept of divinity itself. It was the minimal safeguard. The seven angels and three demons that Rebecca and Yatan created at the beginning—some of them transcended ordinary gods from their birth, so if they could build up even divinity, the balance of the divine world would collapse and most gods wouldn’t be respected. “Good.” The number one archangel, Raphael—one of the unique beings who worshiped the goddess of light from a short distance smiled. The soul of the blacksmith that had been collected just in case—his ability as an angel to fill Hexetia’s vacancy was more than Raphael had expected. He wasn’t as skilled as Hexetia, but Raphael judged it was a problem that time would solve. They really liked this angel. “Hexetia can be imprisoned for life. Someday you will do his share.” The blacksmith angel scratched his head at Raphael’s ensuing praise. "You're overpraising me. How can I, an angel, take the place of God Hexetia?” “Look at me. Just because you're an angel doesn't mean you are inferior to a god. In fact, some angels are more noble than the gods.” “Only the archangels are so special…”

“Haha, you are mistaken. Rather, archangels have greater limitations. Think about the case of Sariel, who was exiled in the old days. They only work as designed by the goddess. They can’t evolve because they are machine-like and have a weak imagination. Among the archangels, Gabriel and I are the only ones who are special. Meanwhile, you angels are as free thinking as Gabriel and I.” It was thanks to his former life as a human. Additionally, he ascended to heaven while inheriting the techniques of his human life. A skill that has risen to the legendary level—this technique was honed more quickly thanks to the goddess’ favor and Gabriel’s blessing, making it stronger than it was during his life. Raphael swallowed down these last words and smiled. The blacksmith angel was bewildered. Raphael didn’t reveal the basis for this trust, so the angel just scratched his head. He wanted to focus on the senses still at his fingertips. It was the sensation he felt when creating the works projected from the fragments of memories floating in his mind. It was nostalgia and warmth. *** The owners of the holy weapons appeared all over the continent. Lauel even planned to send apostles to subdue them. It meant he took the situation seriously. However, it was just a matter of possibility. He was wary of a situation where the remnants of the three churches used the holy weapons as a symbol to secure hundreds or thousands of believers. He didn’t feel threatened by the current three churches. What reason was there to fear those scattered in groups of at least dozens or hundreds? Grid was also well aware of the situation. He didn’t worry much about this incident and just saw it as an opportunity to check the performance of the newly created dragon weapon and armor. He also had a great desire to not disturb the time of his apostles, who were living a rare peaceful daily life. Even at this moment, Mercedes must be wielding her sword hard. She was the model for all the knights in the world and didn’t know how to rest.

‘Maybe she is meditating while reflecting on the chivalric code… ’ A deep smile spread across Grid’s face as he imagined Mercedes kneeling in the morning sun. He was proud of Mercedes, but also worried. He wished that she would develop a small hobby. “Are you leaving?” The new divine object of the Overgeared God—Biban asked carefully as he admired the appearance of the sword that was as transparent and beautiful as the scales of the Cloaked Dragon Cranbel. He looked disappointed. The responses of the other tower members were similar. The clear sound of Grid hammering that repeated every day, the cute Overgeared Skeletons dancing to the beat of the hammering, the good God Hands who helped Biban clean, the unique Randy who tried to gain enlightenment whenever she learned, and the pure Noe and Nefelina who ran wildly around the corridors—Grid’s group, who had been with them for some time, had already become part of the tower. They were afraid that the empty space would become big. The tower members had isolated themselves for hundreds to thousands of years for the sake of the peace of the world. They believed they had fully adapted to solitude, but reality was completely different. The tower members who became aware of this were naturally happy. They confirmed that they were still ordinary human beings. The same was true for Grid. He felt admiration for the noble spirit and mental power of the tower members who maintained their humanity even after enduring long years of solitude. He was pleased to be able to be with such great people in the future. “I’ll be back.” “………” Grid discussed a reunion, not goodbye. He was extremely calm like nothing was happening. Such an attitude brought great joy to the tower members. “Yes, go and come back.” The tower members saw him off with a smile. They were friends and family

members who would protect Grid’s other home. ‘Is this living in two houses…?’ It was truly a happy thing to have more precious people. Grid had a new realization and led his group. “Let’s go.” *** The number three archangel, Michael-the fourth angel to be witnessed by the Rebecca church members of this age. Contrary to the descriptions in the temple, Michael was merciless and violent, but the church members couldn’t doubt or resent them. It wasn’t reasonable to judge all angels or doubt the gods based on only a few angels. Of course, most of the church members were disappointed with Michael and abandoned the church, but… it was because their faith was weak. Thousands of church members still believed in Goddess Rebecca and the angels. They hid throughout the continent that was now mainly the territory of the Overgeared Empire and looked for an opportunity. They waited while believing the goddess would give them, who believed and followed her until the end, a revelation. Indeed, their goddess responded to their faith. She sent Raphael, the archangel who was like her incarnation, to bestow the holy weapons. It was a time when most of the Overgeared God’s subordinates had plunged into hell. Raphael only handed them the weapons without saying anything, but the church members took advantage of this opportunity to gather believers and correct the tarnished honor of the goddess. “For a long time, we have suffered. We had no choice but to hide like gutter rats while the Overgeared God trampled on our temples and dignity and deprived us of our rights. He ran madly as if a mere human god is the only god. However, it will be different in the future.” Shuri, a senior priest who was an elder of the Rebecca Church—as he shouted his declaration, 15 paladins took to the stage. They were all armed with holy weapons. Many of the 19 people chosen by the goddess were gathered in one place. The light

that spread like frost from the 15 holy weapons was full of divinity. It was a magnificence that far exceeded the Rebecca Church of the Chreshler era, which was considered to be the greatest heyday of the Rebecca Church. The believers cheered. Most burst into tears. The faithful cried while chanting their prayers and fainted. It seemed like they would explode all their resentment from their years when they scattered by the dozens or hundreds and had to live like dirty gutter rats. Shuri calmed them down and said, “Not all our brothers and sisters have gathered yet… still, I think it is enough to let the world know about the revival of our church. Who will have the power and cause to stop us while we are holding the weapons that the goddess herself has given us?” “Wahhhh!” “We are the legitimate Rebecca Church! Our faith is the light that will revive and lead the Rebecca Church! The warriors of the holy weapon will protect us!” “Uwaaaaahhhhh!" At the Overgeared God temple in a city on the outskirts of the empire… The cries of the Rebecca followers, who illegally took over the temple with overwhelming force, gradually grew louder. The onlookers who heard the rumor flocked to watch it from the outside. “Holy weapon… is it the same one that Damian used?” “It isn’t the same. I heard rumors that said they have different forms. That said, it isn’t fake. The power is equal or more than a real holy weapon.” “They got 19 such monstrous weapons in one day? It will be strange if the Rebecca Church can’t be revived after this.” The onlookers were unconcerned. It was a completely different attitude from the city residents who hid in fear of being swept away in the uproar. They were completely neutral as evidenced by their indifferent looks toward the dead or captured Overgeared God Church members. It was judged that the new Rebecca Church had to

gather followers and wouldn’t antagonize them. Still, it was true that they were displeased. “The Asgardians are insidious. It would’ve been a great help to people if they bestowed the holy weapons during the Great Human and Demon War. Doing it now? Out of all things, it started with the hell elevator started operating in earnest, so they were aiming for the gap in the Overgeared Guild?” “They might not have the holy weapons during the Great Human and Demon War… no, this is too blatant to defend. It is as Grid claims. Heaven will eventually become the enemies of humanity. The people who chatted casually were famous rankers. They weren’t high rankers, but they were confident in their skills as internationally known figures. Furthermore, they calculated that the new Rebecca Church wouldn’t be able to act recklessly because they needed people’s support. They didn’t expect for the Rebecca Church members, who mixed in with the onlookers, to make a fuss by accusing them. “There are heathens here!” “They dare to insult the heavenly gods!” “How outrageous.” “Fanatics are hard to predict.” The rankers frowned and stepped back. They glared at the Rebecca Church members, who were among the spectators, and placed buffs around their bodies. They had no intention of fighting. They saw that the best method was to run away like wise men. However, the situation wasn’t so easy to run away from. An owner of the holy weapon rushed out after hearing the disturbance and chased them. He was named Winter. The speed of the man who used the divinity of the holy weapon as a source was so swift that he easily exceeded the physical abilities of the rankers. The concept of transcendence naturally came to mind. “This da…”

The rankers’ bodies turned to ash before they could finish their swear words. The light that cut at their bodies didn’t disappear. Instead, it floated in the air and formed lines before eventually forming rings. They were rings that bound the bodies of the astonished onlookers. “What? Why are you making trouble with us?” “We aren’t with those guys just now…” “Is the Rebecca Church crazy?” “S-Spare me.” The agitated onlookers bound by the rings. Winter didn’t even look at them. He spoke while staring into the distance, “Stop. I will kill those talking nonsense as soon as I behead this guy.” The onlookers were startled. They took into account that the owner of the holy weapon had transcendent powers based on the power of the sword. They realized that he clearly perceived and was talking to a target rather than talking alone. There would soon be a big fight and they would be caught up in it… It was the moment when the onlookers sensed this and felt a serious crisis… —Beautiful music flowed. It was music that the players had to know. It was the theme song of Overgeared God Grid. “………!” Winter, the master of the holy weapon, was astonished. The Overgeared God, who just appeared in the distance, was now right in front of his nose? It was high speed movement that didn’t even leave an afterimage. He couldn’t read it even with the power of speed that the holy weapon had given him. He even had the suspicion that the concept of space itself had been eliminated for a moment. Winter violently swung the holy weapon. At the same time, the rings of light responded to his will and rapidly compressed. It seemed like it would cut off the bodies of the onlookers. However, it didn’t work.

Grid’s hand, armed with gray gauntlets where it seemed like hundreds of scales were alive and breathing, seized Winter’s wrist and broke it. As Winter swallowed his scream and let go of the weapon he was holding, the ring of light that had been binding the onlookers scattered without a trace. “What is the intention of the bastard who made this?” The holy weapon that Winter dropped was held in Grid’s grasp. A very long time ago—it was a holy weapon that closely resembled the Ideal Dagger that he made to protect Khan’s smithy. Grid felt very displeased because it felt like his memories with Khan had been tarnished. The holy weapon didn’t reject Grid. On the contrary, it emitted a more intense and radiant glow, so Winter lost his fighting spirit.

“Vex? How fast…” “They must’ve manipulated the timing of when they got the holy weapons. We need to contact the three forces of Sez, Aldia, and Hachiton right now so they can send a relief force…” The three churches sought revival after gaining the holy weapons. The informants became urgent as they looked at the movements of the Rebecca Church after they gained 19 holy weapons. Vex—they heard that thousands of Rebecca believers gathered in the eastern outskirts of a city far from the imperial capital. The enemy’s gathering speed was much faster than expected. They had no choice but to interpret it as intentional confusion in the information. The good news was that there were three baronies surrounding Vex. Tens of thousands of rescue troops could be dispatched relatively quickly. However, this was already a war. The situation in each territory was different from usual. “I can’t communicate with Sez or Aldia. It is presumed that the remnants of the Rebecca Church, who haven’t joined Vex, raided and cut off their magic communications.” “Hachiton sent their army in the morning. It is meant to suppress the rebellion in the west, but the remnants of the Rebecca Church might’ve dazzled the people…” The faces of the informants gradually darkened. They belonged to the Overgeared Shadows and they felt resentment toward the vast continent. In the days when the empire was still a kingdom, the territory was small and easy to manage. It was possible to monitor the continent’s major bases at all times due to the availability of manpower. It was no longer possible to properly watch their own territory. It was the aftermath of absorbing almost all of the large continent. No, if they had to say a cause, it was the Great Human and Demon War. Too many people died during the Great Human and Demon War. In particular, the more talented they were, the

more valiantly they went to the frontline and lost their lives. The vacancy of dead people became even larger when combined with the expanded territory. It was the time when the sober informants couldn’t hide their agitation. “You don’t have to worry about the Rebecca Church. Let the relief force handle the damage scale and support of Vex, Sez, and Aldia. You focus on tracking the Dominion and Judar Churches.” Lauel came to visit and took command. The cohesion of the Dominion and Judar Church remnants was much weaker than the remnants of the Rebecca Church. There were many loopholes, so spies had been planted. The informants nodded, but their expressions were dark. The Rebecca Church obtained as many as 19 holy weapons The prime minister judged that they couldn’t be overpowered immediately, so he seemed to be standing by for the time being. However, the reality was different. “His Majesty has personally departed for Vex.” “Gasp…” There was no warp gate in Vex. Among the apostles, it would be difficult for them to get there quickly unless it was Braham, the great magician. In the worst case, a barrier was installed to block magic and even Braham’s movement could be hindered. The informants saw Vex’s independence as a matter that was already decided. They were convinced it would be the base of the new Rebecca Church. The best they could do was hope for fewer casualties. However, Grid was directly sent. A being capable of high speed movement comparable to Braham. It wasn’t even magic. It was movement using physical strength and a power. As always, His Majesty would save Vex. The faces of the unsuspecting informants rapidly brightened. However, the faces of the tacticians stiffened. “According to the eyewitness accounts, the masters of the holy weapons displayed transcendence. Of course, I don’t doubt his skills, but I’m worried about His Majesty dealing with 19 transcendents alone.”

“Um…” Lauel couldn’t answer hastily. In fact, Lauel was also worried about this. Grid had rode (?) a dragon during the time they hadn’t seen each other, so he was active and growing… furthermore, Lauel heard he had created a new dragon weapon and armor. It was just that no matter how strong Grid was, there would be limitations. Grid, who had been steadily building up his transcendence, status, and divinity, had already lifted the limits such as the ‘movement speed limit’ and ‘attack speed limit.’ He had grown beyond the maximum area permitted to the players. It was hard to expect him to have exploded in strength compared to the last time they saw each other. Dealing with 19 transcendents alone? It never seemed easy when thinking of the power of the holy weapon that Damian handled. Furthermore, all the holy weapons obtained by the three churches plagiarized Grid’s work. Assuming that the unique function of the holy weapon, which granted powerful divinity along with an increase in stats, was added to the effects of Grid’s works… wouldn’t it boost the power so it was closer to Grid’s divine swords? ‘In the worst case scenario, there is a restriction on the knights summoning skill.’ The gods of this world couldn’t be predicted. They were endlessly indifferent and didn’t give any help, but they were powerful at interfering in important matters. Rebecca, who reigned over them, had been silent for so long that it was impossible to read her intentions and she was unpredictable. Therefore, Lauel worried about several variables. Even so, he didn’t stop Grid. Grid was also hard to predict. If both sides were unpredictable, then Lauel would naturally believe in Grid. *** “Why…?” Winter muttered in vain as he was deprived of his holy weapon. The Blessing of Light, one of the foundations of Grid. It was a very long time ago. Grid, who was blessed by the goddess in exchange for defeating the corrupt pope Drevigo, was still favored by the light. The holy weapon didn’t refuse his touch even though he tore the angels to pieces, cruelly trampled on

the three churches to destroy them, and damaged the authority of the goddess and the honor of heaven. Instead, it shone more radiantly. The light was incomparably intense compared to when it was held in Winter’s hand, despite Winter having worshiped the goddess even before he became an adult. It was a cruel sight for Winter. He felt wronged by the goddess. He sobbed because it seemed like the divine message he received was wrong. “Ugh…” Winter, who completely lost his fighting spirit, couldn’t do anything. He couldn't even sit down. Grid was still holding his wrist. Fire Dragon Ifrit’s Arms—the fully armed gauntlets covered his fingers to his upper arm and had 286 small scales that repeatedly tightened and released like it was breathing. It instantly detected and responded to the movement of the wearer’s joints and muscles, reproducing the power of the dragon by creating a mana cycle that only occurred in a dragon heart. Among them, the most basic power was ‘significantly increased grip strength.’ Grid’s limit, which already exceeded the limits of a player by building transcendence, was lifted once again. It was right to say that he always reproduced ‘Power of Not Knowing Defeat,’ the power of the 19th Great Demon, Saleos, with his grip. “Ugh…!” Winter was eventually unable to suppress his scream as his knees bent and he staggered. His wrist that was gripped by Grid was strangely contracted. It was clear that the bones and muscles were shattered. The skin below his elbow blackened in real time. “Who gave you this?” “A-Archangel…” “I will take it.” Grid’s blacksmithing technique was inferior to Hexetia. It was because the Overgeared God wasn’t classified as the blacksmith god. The Overgeared God encompassed the blacksmith god, but he was a completely different being. It was possible to create and dominate more diverse materials and to take away the target’s items. However, taking away the target’s item using his power was only a temporary effect.

In order for Grid to completely take away Winter’s holy weapon and gain permanent ownership, he had to kill Winter. Furthermore, he had to hope that Winter would ‘drop’ the holy weapon when he died. Or— “Yes… as you… wish…” [Rebecca’s paladin, ‘Winter,’ has transferred the ‘Holy Weapon’ to you.] Taking it away like now… no, it could be received when transferred to him. “U-Uhh…” It was only after that holy weapon was transferred that Winter was released and he took a step back. He bowed his head like a sinner. He considered it a sin to make eye contact with Grid. The overwhelming force that couldn’t be resisted even while holding the holy weapon and the majesty of being chosen by the light… Winter, who had always denied Grid, finally realized it. The Overgeared God was like a heavenly god. Even if he went against the goddess, the goddess recognized him, so no human being should criticize and oppose him… Winter knelt as if praying to Grid only to scream. A large arrow of light embedded in his back and he collapsed. “He who was chosen by the holy weapon actually succumbed to mere force.” “………” Grid’s gaze shifted in the direction that the arrow flew. At the entrance to the half-collapsed Overgeared God temple… Thousands of Rebecca Church members were flowing in. The 14 people in the lead were all armed with holy weapons. The Efficient Hunting Sword, Failure, Sword of Self-transcendence, Thorn of Deep Grievance, Grid’s Greatsword, Sword Ghost, etc. The forms of the holy weapons were all familiar. There was also the bow that resembled the Red Phoenix Bow. A bow emitted a radiant brilliance formed a divine arrow and was aimed at Grid.

“I can’t believe you bewitched the warrior with a holy weapon. It is right to call you an evil god whose black magic has reached the peak,” Shuri hid behind the masters of the holy weapons and shouted. He hadn’t seen the holy weapon in Grid’s hand. It was because Winter’s collapsing body covered the short holy weapon. Soon, Winter’s body turned to gray ash. “………!” The thousands of Rebecca believers, including Shuri, witnessed it. The appearance of the holy weapon emitting light in Grid’s hands. It had the appearance of a dagger and was emitting a greater light even though it was smaller in volume than the weapons held by the other warriors. It was so brilliant that it made the 14 holy weapons confronting it look shabby. It seemed appropriate to say it was ‘burning.’ Four paladins belatedly joined the scene. This resulted in a total of 18 weapons owned by the Rebecca Church. It was meaningless. The light from Grid’s weapon was still growing stronger. It was enough to cast a shadow on the ground. Grid’s gray gauntlets and gaiters refracted and dispersed the light from the holy weapon at various angles to increase the power. It couldn’t be called a simple light any longer. A sanctuary—it was the foundation of the sacred realm that no one should or could interfere with. “G-Gasp…!” “Ahh…! How can he be so divine…?!” The remnants of the Rebecca Church had already been ignored by the goddess several times. They even faced the risk of being killed by an archangel. Nevertheless, they wanted the revival of the Rebecca Church, so they were clearly fanatics. Grid knew it as well. He clashed with the Rebecca Church several times because he had to. Each time, he felt sorry for the damaged Rebecca Church members and was reluctant to harm them… now he acknowledged that he should no longer sympathize with them.

“The Overgeared God spread the sanctuary of light, so is he the incarnation of the goddess?” “Sophistry! How could the incarnation of the goddess persecute and destroy the church?” “Isn’t this an ordeal that we have to overcome?” “If the Overgeared God was the incarnation of the goddess, would the archangels have given us the holy weapons to punish him?” “The archangels never told us to punish the Overgeared God! It is right to say that the holy weapons were given to proclaim that the Overgeared God is the incarnation of the goddess!” “Shut up! Have you forgotten that the Overgeared God mercilessly slaughtered the archangel?” The fanatics were divided. Both sides interpreted and expressed their opinions based on strong faith and didn’t back down. It was meaningless. They were already dead. “Disgusting things. I can’t look at you any longer.” A god descended. Martial God Zeratul—he suddenly appeared high in the sky and thousands of the Rebecca Church members exploded and died when he stomped his feet on the ground. The 18 holy weapons that lost their masters rose in the air. They danced with the white beard that fluttered before stopping at a certain point. Even though the aftermath of the martial god’s descent still shook the world, they aimed at Grid in an upright manner regardless of the chain of ripples that burst the city buildings and trees like balloons. “I was going to kill you from the very beginning.” He was disturbed by Hayate once, but Hayate wasn’t here right now. “I will kill you again and again until your divinity is completely worn out and you disappear.”

The memory of the dual wielding swordsmanship secret technique returned by Venice still clearly remained in the mind of Martial God Zeratul. He buried deep in his heart the humiliation he felt at the time with killing intent. “Today is the most appropriate time.” One day, Raphael had said it. They took possession of the human soul that the Overgeared God cherished during that time. If they wanted to give the Overgeared God a taste of true frustration and pain, it would be better to damage his old memories rather than just kill him. Zeratul agreed. After waiting until the angel developed the ability to embody the remnants of memory, he finally descended in front of the Overgeared God. He already enjoyed it. Look. The figure of this stupid guy who felt killing intent without knowing who made the holy weapons. Zeratul was planning to stab, slash, and cut the Overgeared God to death with the holy weapons. He planned to whisper the identity of who made the holy weapons that killed him to the man who would die in pain. Grid, who had been silently watching Zeratul who was drunk on delight, slowly opened his mouth, “Are you alone?” The gods of Asgard were subject to great restrictions when acting on the surface. However, if they formed a trinity like the angels, then the constraints would be loosened to some extent. Therefore, Grid was wary of the concept of the trinity. Zeratul’s eyes, which were curved in an arc, slowly rose upward. “I… alone? Perhaps you… do you think there is a chance of winning? A fake god—a human god who doesn’t deserve to ascend to heaven?” “………” Grid didn’t respond and just focused. An opponent whom Hayate defeated virtually alone. At the very least, Martial God Zeratul on the surface was lower in status than Baal or Raphael. He was an opponent

who couldn’t be avoided out of fear by Grid, whose goal was to raid Baal.It was right to fight and win. It should be used as a means of proving his qualifications to challenge Baal. “Perhaps you… don’t you know me? I am the Martial God. Do you think that I, the only one god in the world, will lose even if I am alone?” In the first place, Zeratul wasn’t an opponent who needed provocation. He would lose his cool by himself, even if Grid was silent. It was the limit of an existence that was unstable due to the gap that came from knowing he was a fake and denying it. “You… a little bastard who didn’t even dare meet my eyes not long ago has become completely arrogant after getting entangled with the dragons through luck. Okay. This was better… I can feel more joy when I see the despair on your face as you die.” “You are very angry. Is Rebecca looking at you with pity these days?” Grid finished his preparations and finally opened his mouth. This was what Hayate had said when he provoked Zeratul. The effect was big. Zeratul moved his eyes and immediately fired an attack. The 18 divine weapons floating around him flooded together with it. It was a sight like light forming a river. The eyes of the survivors who watched while holding their breath were suddenly blinded. Gujel’s Fang and Cranbel’s Horn—the two dragon weapons split apart the light.

Light was everywhere. The darkness must be purified. Nevertheless, there was darkness because the light had gone away for a while and the reason why the light went away was a lack of faith. 'Pagan bastards.' The wave of light formed by the 18 divine weapons—it was a magnificent and holy sight. It was enough of an opportunity to awaken true faith. However, their eyes were blinded and they turned away from the light. The reaction of the frowning humans was captured in Zeratul’s vision and senses. Exactly 87,598 people. No matter where they hid, he could see it clearly. He clearly read what type of expression they were making. Zeratul was furious. He was a god derived from beings who worshiped and long for martial arts. Therefore, he was the only god who didn’t have much to do with Goddess Rebecca. However, wasn’t it Goddess Rebecca who created the world in the first place? Zeratul worshiped Rebecca. He couldn’t stand by while those who had been made out of Rebecca’s kindness rejected the light. Turning away because the light was dazzling? It was blasphemy. High treason. The wave of light that was cut in half by Grid swirled. It spread everywhere in response to Zeratul’s will. The holy weapons guided the light. The 18 holy weapons targeted and shot at humans, causing a chain bombardment of light. As always, it was Grid who protected the people. He used Request to Stand With Me and activated the rain of battle gear, blocking and twisting the trajectory of the 18 holy weapons. Thousands of weapons struck and blew away the holy weapons, while thousands of armors and shields isolated the light, reducing the bombardment range. Eventually, the particles of light that caused an explosion hit the people, but the electric barrier created by Noe almost surrounded the entire city to protect them. “My master’s slaves will be guarded by this Noe!”

Thanks to the help of 4th Seat, Betty, Noe was able to use the power of the thunder stone more efficiently. He was full of confidence. He actually achieved the result of protecting people and ran wildly with excitement. He used the darkness in the hearts of the terrified people to forcibly raise demonic energy and transformed into an adult. He pounced at Zeratul with a wide open mouth. He was someone who could jump and play with the crazy hatchling in the tower for a while. He wasn’t afraid because his opponent was a god. Noe meant to devour Zeratul whole. He wanted to transfer Zeratul’s abilities to Grid, but he had too much courage. “Yip!” The daring Noe didn’t even reach Zeratul. The colorless divinity surrounding Zeratul was acting as a self-defense force. Unlike ordinary gods, he didn’t have a holy side. This was why the demonic creature, Noe, was brave enough to pounce. Even so, the divinity was very powerful. It might be invisible to the eye and unreadable by the senses, but it clearly caused the phenomenon. “I-I don’t want to, keong…!” Noe, who couldn’t get near Zeratul and became bloody, screamed and squirmed. He read Grid’s willingness to reverse his summoning. Noe had a hunch. This god was strong. He had enough qualifications to destroy the dignity of Grid that Noe had seen before. Noe didn’t want to run away. He clearly knew that the reason why Grid didn’t summon Randy and the Overgeared Skeletons was because it was meaningless, but he still didn’t listen to Grid. He refused the reverse summoning. He was afraid when he imagined Grid fighting alone and dying. He knew how deadly death or defeat was for a god. They had to fight together. After he became stronger with the help of Grandma Betty, he swore in front of her that he would protect Grid from now on. She had stroked his head and said she was proud. No, she clearly told him that he was special among the memphis… “A mere trifle.” He belatedly heard the voice. It was after Noe refused the reverse summoning and

his head was caught by something. The voice was heard only after his vision became dark. Noe was finally aware of his condition. He realized he had been captured by Zeratul. He thought this was better. His mouth twitched as he felt the pain of his skin being torn to shreds and his bones being crushed due to Zeratul’s strong self-defense. He was pleased that the other person had narrowed the distance that he couldn’t narrow himself. “…Nya nya nya nya nyang!” Noe’s Scratch and Discharge skills were deployed immediately! It occurred without a delay of 0.1 seconds and resumed without a cooldown time of even 0.1 seconds. This was the majesty of the strongest demonic creature in hell. The willpower of a memphis, which even the great demons found hard to raise, was so great that the concept of casting and cooldown time wasn’t applied. It was meaningless. Noe’s attack didn’t even scratch Zeratul’s strong self-defense. Zeratul’s perception was far ahead of the speed at which Noe wielded his claws and generated electricity. A vein bulged on the back of Zeratul’s hand that was holding Noe’s head. Noe had transformed into an adult and his head grew larger in line with the growth of his body, but the concept of volume and mass was pointless before the celestial gods. Zeratul’s hands were several times smaller than Noe’s head, but he clearly gripped Noe’s head. Then he made it burst. No, he was thinking of making it burst. “………!” Zeratul took a step back. The hand that had been placed on the head of the demonic creature from hell was immediately removed and held the air. It was a gripping technique as if holding a sword. The colorless divinity stretched out in a straight line and took the form of a sword. It was held in Zeratul’s hand. There were still clear fingerprints on Noe’s wide forehead. The black fur, that was caught and crushed by Zeratul, clung to the skin. There was no movement even though it was free from the pressure. This meant that the flow of time that Zeratul was moving at was overwhelmingly fast.

Before Noe’s pressed fur could stand back up again, Zeratul held the intangible sword that he had made and swung it down strongly. A powerful sword energy penetrated the earth. A deep wound reminiscent of the Abyss occurred and the ground shook from the inside. The ground couldn’t withstand the shock and spit into thousands or tens of thousands of cracks before finally beginning to sink. It had the momentum to devour everything in the city. If Garion, god of the earth, hadn’t immediately come forward and restored the land, the city named Vex would’ve disappeared from the map at this moment. ‘This guy?’ Zeratul took a step back and saw the scene of the earth, which had collapsed and immediately recovered. The gesture of leisurely walking in the sky was elegant. However, Zeratul’s expression was contrary to his gesture. He was overcome with emotions like all the human beings he had just disparaged. He had no choice but to be so. The transparent sword that was approaching at this moment—Grid’s sword had a somewhat dull blade, but it took advantage of its strange form. He didn’t simply subdue the resistance of the atmosphere, but made it obey him. The flow of the atmosphere followed the direction the sword was pointing. It accelerated as if pushed from behind. It approached Zeratul very quickly. He had to take two steps to avoid it. Zeratul’s intangible sword turned red with shame and extended its range. The colorlessness divinity surrounded it more strongly. He heard the voice of the earth god Garion begging for something. Zeratul ignored it. He intended to cut the approaching Grid with one blow. It was so that this time, it could never be avoided. Even if it was blocked, Grid would be destroyed entirely along with the sword. He thought it didn’t matter if the world was smashed by this. In any case. he had already lost a lot of his divinity in the aftermath of descending to the surface. He could only break a part of the world, not all of it, with his strike. Additionally, what was the big deal if the land on which humans lived became much

narrower than it was now? —Noe’s fur still hadn’t stood up. The world that Noe saw was still dark. ‘Martial God Zeratul covered my eyes and grabbed my head.’ Noe’s thoughts stopped there. No, it was flowing. It was just that Zeratul’s time, which divided the moment into countless moments, was exceptionally fast. The world was the same as usual. Time passed normally and there was no problem with the speed of thought of Noe and ordinary people. In the center of that ordinary world— Zeratul walked through that extraordinary time alone and swung his sword again. A shapeless sword that was merely huge shattered the atmosphere. It was the willpower of the martial god to rebuke the attitude of the atmosphere that responded to Grid’s sword trajectory and made it fast. ………! The earth let out a soundless scream. It couldn’t withstand the high pressure and shattered. It soon turned to dust and rose into the sky. The world would be covered with yellow dust for the next few days. The earth god Garion didn’t want such a situation. He recalled his mission and grasped his divinity. He was pained as he recognized the ‘time of the martial god’ and reached his limit, but he still managed to connect the hundreds of thousands of pieces of earth together. Just then, Noe’s fur stood up slightly. Zeratul belatedly grasped the situation. ‘Is the dragon crazy?’ It was only when Grid narrowed the distance again, dodging and blocking the first blow, that Zeratul angrily admitted it. If he had skills like this, then he must’ve accumulated achievements in the past… Zeratul was convinced and acknowledged Grid’s achievements that he had denied so far. It was different now that even his second attack failed. Zeratul’s ferocious eyes fixed on Grid’s gauntlets and gaiters. Funnily enough, the

armor seemed to reproduce a dragon’s outer shell. In fact, it was expected to have an excellent performance since it was a product made from dragon scales. However, he hadn’t expected it would be this much. Enduring the sword energy he created with the intention to destroy the world? Zeratul felt a sense of strangeness, especially from the circulation of mana flowing through the gauntlet. The mana circulated at a high speed like the mana of a living dragon. The reason why it could be cycled without a dragon’s heart was due to the dragon’s favor. It was clear that the dragon’s favor was imbued in the gray scales that made up the gauntlets, which were sometimes tinged with red. At the very least, it meant that Grid’s arms would exert a durability and power similar to that of a dragon. No, it was more than that because it combined Grid’s physical power and divinity. He just checked it. “What a crazy dragon…!” Are you willing to sacrifice yourself to cooperate with Grid? Why? Why is this guy loved by so many beings? In the midst of the unresolved questions and unprovoked jealousy, Zeratul felt a sense of crisis. It was a situation where he was moving through the time of martial god even with the penalties from descending to the surface. His perception, body, and awareness soon reached their limits. On the other hand, Grid’s expression was calm as he gradually got closer. The sound of bells ringing in the distance proved it. This person hadn’t even started yet. Zeratul’s judgment was correct. Grid was only now completing the six fusion sword dance. In the aftermath of Zeratul’s attempted second swing at the sky, Grid’s collarbone was smashed, there were deep cuts on his neck and chest, and his waist was half cut. His two hands holding the sword were fine. Grid’s willpower to fight after opening up all the power of the rune and stacking his buff skills wasn’t dampened in the slightest. A body that moved slowly even though Shunpo had been triggered several times—in a world where everything slowed down due to the extended time, Grid was thinking about Hayate’s advice. Overwhelming power.

‘I can’t give him time to recover.’ A small attack was meaningless even if it hit dozens or hundreds of times. The thing he needed to pursue was the deadly blow. Then— “Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave.” There was only this. [The effect of ‘Conditional Sword Saint’ has been activated.] [The effect of ‘Ultimate Martial Art’ has occurred.] “Keok!” A gust of wind blew. Tens of thousands of people stood on the crumbling ground and stared up at the sky. Noe also had a bewildered expression. The orange divinity, which seemed like it could be extinguished immediately, was falling like a meteor. It was Grid. The blood he spilled turned the sky red. “M-Master…!” “Your Majesty! Your Maaaajesty!” The opponent was too strong. This was the martial god. How could it be a flaw even if their god was defeated? Noe and the people ran with all their might. They threw their bodies to cover the falling Grid. Just then, an orange light spread through the serene sky. The feast of the sword dance that was sometimes red, gray, and sometimes transparent, raged. It looked like the frenzy of a dragon with long horns and sharp teeth. It was Grid’s traces. It was the traces of the Overgeared God, who stood alone against the martial god in a time that ordinary people didn’t recognize. [Overgeared God ‘Grid’ has defeated Martial God ‘Zeratul’ who has descended to the surface.] The world message that emerged one step late informed them of the exact result.

Only three times. The people and players of Vex only blinked three times. Was that really an old man? They questioned it when a man with a fierce gaze and presence appeared with no warning. The sight of the remnants of the Rebecca Church bursting like balloons was so terrible that they had to close their eyes. Then when the ground collapsed and the buildings exploded, they opened their eyes in shock and found that the 18 holy weapons had already formed a wave of light. They had to close their eyes for the second time because the light was so bright their eyes ached. Hundreds of thousands of explosions occurred as a ringing tinnitus pierced their minds. It was before they could scream. Everything was fast. It was difficult for the blinded people to tell if they lived or died. The situation was so urgent and threatening. The people struggled in confusion without realizing where they had been wounded and who was helping them. It was an overwhelming combat force and great strength that couldn’t be understood, let alone resisted. They opened their eyes again after the light had subsided and the explosion calmed down. This was what they saw. [Martial God Zeratul has descended.] [Zeratul has denied the martial arts you have accumulated.] [Your armed might has become insignificant. All stats, including character level, skills level, and magic level will be reduced by 50%.] [Resistance has failed.] [All passive skills and combat-related title functions are sealed.] [Resistance has failed.]

[The power of all active skills and magic will be reduced by 99%.] [Resistance has failed.] [Martial God Zeratul has established a temporary sanctuary. The freedom of most beings, except the followers of the martial god, are oppressed.] [Resistance has failed.] “Ah… Uwahh…” The martial god—if discussing the absolutes, this was naturally the first being to be considered. There was a powerful echo in Zeratul’s name. People were overwhelmed. They vaguely understood the situation and felt despair. Sometimes it was better not to know. There was a clear difference in people’s confusion and fear when they were unaware of what was going on and when they perceived the existence of the martial god. The tens of thousands of people hiding all throughout the city were completely panicked. At this time, the slave of the Overgeared God—no, Noe turned large like a giant wolf and flew high into the sky. He bravely opened his mouth toward the martial god. People noticed it one step late. The blue current that wrapped around the area and protected them actually came from Noe. This was why they lamented even more. They stomped their feet as they sensed Noe’s death as his head was caught in the hands of the martial god. The electric currents shook due to Noe’s crisis. The electric currents that formed the barrier were suddenly disturbed and it delivered a piercing pain to the people. People blinked for the third time. It was short. It was in a split second. However— “M-Master…!” They only blinked once, but the situation in front of them changed. People saw the back of Noe, who was still alive. The scene of Grid, who had just been on the ground, falling from the sky intertwined with this landscape. The ground on which they stood trembled like it was going to explode. Then it calmed down again.

There was no sense of reality. They noticed that the martial god had disappeared out of nowhere and wondered if they were dreaming as a group. However, it was reality. The long lines of blood falling from Grid’s body was proof. “Your Maaaajesty!” Unlike the players who were wary of the disappeared martial god, the people ran recklessly to Grid. They stacked their bodies on top of each other to form a cushion. It was to fully accept Grid, who seemed to have been seriously injured. Grid didn’t want their sacrifice. [There are eight seconds remaining on the duration of the immortality.] He had no intention of showing his ragged state. Noe’s large body wrapped around Grid. The people who looked like dots on the ground—Noe hid Grid so they couldn’t see what he looked like. At the same time, an orange light caught people’s attention. The afterimage of the six fusion sword dance used by Grid with two dragon weapons colored the sky behind Noe and Grid. Grid buried his face in Noe’s soft fur and laughed helplessly. “I’m not as good as Hayate.” Grid had witnessed the battle between Hayate and Zeratul. After a flash of light, Zeratul fled and Hayate descended to the ground unharmed. On the other hand, Grid was in tatters. It would’ve been hard for him to win if many miracles hadn’t overlapped. Of course, those miracles weren’t mere flukes, but an inevitable result. It was when Zeratul entered the ‘time of the martial god.’ Grid’s divinity responded to Zeratul’s divinity. It was because Zeratul’s divinity, which was reduced in the aftermath of him descending to the surface, didn’t overwhelm Grid’s divinity. It was also evidence of the high divinity that Grid had accumulated over the years. Just as Garion, god of the earth, moved through the time of the martial god and restored the earth in real time, Grid also moved through the time of the martial god. It was a time that could slow down even Shunpo. It seemed to split one second into hundreds.

The realm of an absolute that went beyond transcendence—Grid realized the skills of Hayate and Zeratul and moved drastically. He climbed higher and captured the sight of Zeratul swinging the sword in the air. Then he moved his hands behind him and fired a Breath. In order to get a bit closer to Zeratul’s speed, he used the explosive energy as a propulsion force. He crossed his arms in front of him as the invisible, transparent sword approached with immense pressure. The gauntlets that reproduced the arms of Fire Dragon Ifrit—he determined that he had no choice but to believe in the effect of absolute defense built into it that significantly reduced the probability of injury. He was hit directly by the sword energy that spread through dozens of waves and the absolute defense was horribly broken. Fortunately, both his arms avoided any injury. Every time the absolute defense was broken, his body became stiffer due to increased damage resistance. Magic power circulation occurred and the cooldown of Small Breath was reset. In exchange, he lost more than half his health, but Grid pushed his hand back and fired the Breath to narrow the distance with Zeratul. He didn’t forget to keep Zeratul in check by firing the fusion sword dances based on Transcend from time to time. Unfortunately, he faced a crisis. Zeratul’s second sword strike was much more powerful than the first attack. He immediately noticed that it was sincere. One more step and the absolute defense didn’t occur. The probability of absolute defense for Ifrit’s Arms and Cranbel’s Pelvis was 10% respectively. Thanks to the set effect, it resulted in a total probability of 40%, but it was still less than half. Grid entered the immortality state as a burning pain shot throughout his entire body. He couldn’t look back. It was a situation he was prepared for from the beginning, so he wasn’t agitated. The reason he stacked Item Combination, the power of the rune, and his buff skills from the beginning was because he predicted this battle wouldn’t be long. If he didn’t kill Zeratul all at once, he wouldn’t be able to hold on and would die. Grid took into account the meaning of Hayate’s advice and performed the six fusion sword dance with two swords.

King of the Mountain, which was activated thanks to his low health, the blessing of Chiyou in the sword dance, and the incomplete qualifications of the Sword Saint gave him great strength. Additionally, Dragon Rage occurred. The power of the absolute species that stacked all attacks twice. The activation probability was only 30%, but it was inevitable. It was because the number of hits of the six fusion sword dance using dual swords was high. The occurrence of God's Command was inevitable. In the end, the pain he felt was so real that it made him dizzy, but Grid gritted his teeth and cut at Zeratul’s body. Darkness Sword responded by soaring from Zeratul’s feet. Zeratul’s invisible health gauge fell to the bottom in an instant. It was the same reason that Grid’s health gauge disappeared in less than 0.1 seconds. The two of them delivered a fatal blow to each other, but this was the human world, not Asgard. It was the realm of the human god, Grid. Zeratul, who was constrained by the duration of immortality, eventually got scared first and retreated. In the meantime, he cursed, but… Grid didn’t even remember. Thanks to Zeratul’s retreat, the time of the martial god ended and Grid’s passage of time returned to normal. The dam seemed to collapse. He thought he had already felt enough pain, but that was just arrogance. Grid briefly lost his mind as the pain that had been trapped in the extended time washed over him all at once. Now— Grid looked at the sword in his trembling hand. It was a sword that revealed its pure white appearance in places of low light, but it sparkled like frost and became as hazy as fog in the light. ‘This guy’s help was the greatest.’ A sword that reproduced Cranbel’s horn—of course, Cranbel’s actual horn was much larger and the ends were divided into three branches, so it was right to say that he had only reproduced one branch. Just as Ifrit’s horn resembled a spear, Cranbel’s horn resembled a sword. Thus, Grid naturally thought about it during the production.It was inevitable because Cranbel’s arm was the material. [Horn of the Cloaked Dragon Cranbel] [Rating: Myth (Transcendent)

Durability: Infinite Attack Power: 23,880 ★ Critical hit chance will increase by 100%. ★ The probability of attacking a weak spot will increase by 100%. ★ The attack skill usage speed will increase by 50%. ★ Inhibits the target’s perception. ★ Significantly reduces the target’s counterattack and evasion rate. ★ There is an 80% chance of neutralizing the target’s defense (including all skill, magic, and powers). ★ Skill attack power against great demons, archangels, gods, and dragons will increase by 50%. ★ There is a 25% chance to trigger ‘Extreme Speed’ when attacking. ★ It can replace a dragon’s horn. This is the horn of the Cloaked Dragon Cranbel, which was realized by Overgeared God Grid smelting Cranbel’s arm. It has retained a ferocity that is contrary to its beautiful appearance. It refracts and scatters light, so it is difficult to detect the shape and movement. Wearing Conditions: Grid, Dragon Slayer, Dragon Knight. Weight: 3,900.] [Extreme Speed] [Passive Completely neutralizes the target’s evasion and defense.

Cooldown Time: 1 second.] It was natural that the rating and attack power was higher than Gujel’s Fang. It was because the material was different. Gujel’s Fang was literally a sword made by splitting Gujel’s teeth in half, while Cranbel’s horn was made entirely of Cranbel’s arm. It was also easy to anticipate that the effect of hindering the perception of the target would be attached. It was because the inherent effect of Cloaked Dragon Cranbel was presumed to be ‘concealing his appearance.’ However, the skill ‘Extreme Speed’ was unexpected for Grid. He had tried to reproduce Cranbel’s horn while creating the ideal sword shape, but he ended up conceiving a structure that subdued the resistance of the atmosphere… The passive skill that ‘completely neutralized’ the target’s evasion and defense was attached. There wasn’t even the restriction that the target should ‘have a low status.’ Cranbel’s Horn was literally the strongest weapon for Grid, who had been and would continue to fight against enemies with a higher status than himself. Would it have been possible to defeat Zeratul without Cranbel’s Horn? It wouldn’t have been easy. There was a high chance that Gujel’s Dao would’ve lacked attack power, even with Duke of Amplification, God's Command, Dragon Rage, etcetera were all combined. “Grrung… Randy and the skeletons will be sad… Aheung.” He made a dog noise, cried like a cat, and then made a sound like a tiger. Noe, who became an adult, seemed to have some confusion about his identity. Still, he said what he had to say. It was obvious how upset Randy and the Overgeared Skeletons, who hadn’t been summoned, would be when they saw the injured Grid. Of course, they would understand Grid’s heart. The reason Grid summoned Noe was due to the existence of the skill Impertinent! Noe’s ultimate skill had grown significantly thanks to Betty and it was optimized to protect a large number of targets. In fact, it evolved into a barrier skill. Randy and the Overgeared Skeletons also had many means of protecting people, but he judged that Noe alone was sufficient. What if Grid had summoned Randy and the Overgeared Skeletons as well? If they were in a group with Noe, it would be easier to

protect people and there would be more energy so they could attack Zeratul. There was naturally a high probability they would’ve died. It was just that their experience was precious, so it wasn’t a situation that Grid wanted. “If they are dissatisfied, tell them to be stronger,” Grid was flustered for no reason, but he spoke firmly. Only the naive Noe’s mood improved. “Like me, nyang?” “Uh… Yes…” Grid responded roughly and confirmed the victory reward. He thought the members of the Noe fan cafe should know how good he was to Noe. The list of rewards was gorgeous. Out of the 18 holy weapons that Zeratul swung, he received 14 as the rewards. It was followed by five volumes of the legendary rated martial god’s secret techniques. However, these things were just incidental. The reward that Grid paid attention to was the evolution of his mental world. It was the unique mental world of the Overgeared God, not the mental world borrowed from the Heart of the Red Phoenix. It was the reward he had dreamed of. Grid wanted to immediately look at it in detail, but the people were concerned about him. The facial expressions of the people who were as small as dots were clearly imprinted in his eyes. They all looked worried. “Let’s go down first.” Grid decided to reassure the people first and gradually descended to the ground. The wounds on his face were unpleasant, but he had fought and won against the martial god. He thought this much was understandable. A body with no strong areas except for the arms and legs… he supported it with the God Hands and covered it with a cloak. The color of the blood-stained cloak had become darker. It was evidence and a medal for defeating the martial god.

“Aren’t we going to build up a transcendent status soon?” Vantner spoke with a serious expression. He had been subjugating the demonic creatures of hell for more than half a year and he already wasn’t ordinary. Blood vessels that were as tough and thick as steel rose on the hard muscles that made armor look shabby. Every time the blood vessels twitched, the tattoos on the bald head moved and the impression he gave off changed dramatically. Depending on the angle of viewing, he seemed more ferocious and wild than a demon. It was the effect of the Light Iron Armor skill that he acquired with the fifth class advancement. The tank-based players. No, it was the ultimate skill that all warriortype players would covet. Light Iron Armor was a passive skill that significantly increased defense and attack power, and reduced the cooldown of some skills in exchange for constantly declining health. As a fifth class advancement tank with high natural recovery, it was literally the ultimate skill without burden even if it was activated at all times. “Don’t make a serious expression with that face. I thought you were a monster and almost killed you.” The shortcomings of Light Iron Armor was a change in appearance. Due to the increase in muscle volume upon activation, there was a concern that the impression could become very rough depending on the basic appearance. It was like Vantner right now. Of course, Vantner accepted the change in appearance caused by Light Iron Armor as an advantage, not a disadvantage. He believed that baldness, muscles, tattoos, and a beard were a means to prove manliness. The evidence was his tattoo, shaved head, and thick beard that he added during the character customization stage. “What~? What is this low level bastard saying? I can’t hear it properly because it sounds like flies are buzzing?” Vantner dreamed of becoming a handsome man, but he became a child when he was with his friend. He accepted it as a man’s destiny. He made fun of Pon, who died

every time he engaged with a single digit great demon, so he hadn’t completed his fifth class advancement. Regas spoke in place of Pon, who provoked trouble first, but fell silent because he couldn’t refute it, “You will know when looking at Yura. She will be the first one out of all of us to become a transcendent.” “Um, that’s right.” The hierarchy of legends was built up with achievements and fame. If Grid and the Overgeared Guild succeeded in the Baal raid and cleansed hell, some of the expedition members were likely to become legends. On the other hand, transcendence was a hierarchy that was obtained only by reaching the peak of martial arts. They had to overcome daily training and battles, fight and win dozens of times against enemies far more powerful than them, and influence the worldview with pure force alone. In short, they should be like Grid. Meanwhile, the members of the Overgeared Guild had clearly seen it with their own eyes. The armed force of Demon Slayer Yura, who had been active in the battles that had continued for half a year. In particular, she grew rapidly every time she won a battle against a great demon, who had appeared more frequently starting from two months ago. The light of destruction that she shot was so intense that it was incomparable to half a year ago. The more skilled she became in handling the Elemental King with the bizarre name of Nothing Stone, the stronger her physical ability and swordsmanship became exponentially. The reason why the group could counterattack and win even after being attacked by a single digit great demon wasn’t only due to the kings of the different species, but also Yura’s performance. “Don’t be sad. They are coming again.” Now the kings of the different species followed Yura well. At some point, they acknowledged her power and leadership and abandoned their resistance. All the Overgeared members were moved when in the end, even the half-draconian king Bunsdel acknowledged her and called her Captain. Jishuka had patted Yura on the shoulder and Yura had buried her face in Jishuka’s chest. “………”

The eyes of the kings of the different species lined up on either side of Yura reached the horizon. The distorted sky and trembling ground. The center of it was the horizon that was as jagged as a line drawn by a child. It was caused by clouds of dust. Clouds seemed to be coming. It was the sight of tens of thousands of demonic creatures advancing all at once. This phenomenon had occurred several times a day starting from two months ago. Yura knew what caused this phenomenon. Marbas reigned as a leading power in hell. A demon presumed to have known the truth of hell and struggled to restore hell to its original state—he built his position by walking a tightrope between the Baal and Amoract factions and had the power to lead the demons of hell regardless of their affiliation. Now that power belonged to Baal. Baal appeared to have killed him and taken away the power. “We will fight for around five hours.” “It is better than before.” “Those with Barbatos’ vision, be wary of the great demons’ intrusion.” “Thinking about it, we would’ve been ruined two months ago if we didn’t have Barbatos. Right?” “Barbatos is actually on our side.” The ranks of the Overgeared members were naturally divided into two. It was to prepare for a long battle. It was an operation to fight in shifts and distribute their stamina. Faker melted into the shadows, while Jishuka, who was at the rear, would balance the first and second groups. Yura, who was at the forefront, wrapped the Elemental King of Nothingness around her body. Like the orange divinity of the Overgeared God, Nothing Stone layered itself over her weapons and armor. She looked so much like Grid that it could be believed that she was Grid’s apostle.

The hell expedition members naturally looked at her back. They trusted and relied on her. They expected her to become transcendent. The transcendent status—this power resembled super sensitivity, the class characteristic of the Sword Saint, but it boasted a wider range of utility. It was necessary for the Overgeared members who would one day fight the celestial gods as well as cleanse hell. It was because they couldn’t let Grid suffer on his own forever. Acquiring transcendence was a homework that must be solved to be even a small help to Grid. It was Yura who would prove their possibilities. The strongest one in hell without Grid. “Let’s go.” Yura jumped in first and the kings of the different species and the Overgeared members followed her. The sight of tens of thousands of demonic creatures, strengthened by Baal’s buffs, flocking every day was intimidating, but they weren’t afraid. On the contrary, pleasure appeared on the faces of the Overgeared members. This wave might be powerful due to Baal, but it gave high experience in proportion to its power. It would serve as a stepping stone for their rapid growth, just as it had been for the past two months. It would also balance hell. As long as a large number of demonic creatures gathered together, it would leave room in other areas of hell. Players who had been fighting against the demonic creatures all over hell would have time to escape a crisis and reorganize. Just like most disasters, the raid of the great demons came unannounced. The reason why ordinary players insisted on hunting in hell despite such risks wasn’t simply because of their sense of mission to purify hell. It was because the actual profit was large. The Overgeared members were obligated to maintain their passion. “Uh…? Wow, won’t Faker unconditionally be the next transcendent after Yura?” How long had they fought while being swept away by the wave of demonic creatures that came back no matter how many they killed? The 15th Great Demon, who took advantage of the opportunity to attack, was bound

by Faker’s shadow army and was stabbed in the throat. He lost momentum for a while and was surrounded by Yura and the kings of the different species. He didn’t get any benefits from the surprise attack and was instead isolated. New great demons occupied the vacancies of the great demons who died in the Great Human and Demon War. —If only there wasn’t the hell elevator. Or if there hadn’t been Demon Slayer Yura, they would’ve accumulated strength in hell and reigned in fear. However, they repeatedly died before they could grow and each time, the Overgeared members were growing stronger in reverse. Good. They just needed to keep doing this consistently. They would make greater effort in order to not worry Grid, who had his growth stalled due to concentrating on item production. [Martial God Zeratul has descended.] “………!” “What?” The world message that rose in the aftermath of the players of Vex witnessing Zeratul. The shocking content made the faces of the enthusiastic Overgeared members turn white. Martial God Zeratul—they recalled the hostility he had toward Grid and sensed that the worst situation would happen. In particular, Damian’s reaction was intense since he had personally experienced Zeratul’s overwhelming force. They found out about the crisis on the surface thanks to the world message that was only one line and could no longer focus on the demonic creatures. They dismissed the situation in front of them as insignificant and sought to return. Only a few seconds passed. [Overgeared God ‘Grid’ has defeated Martial God ‘Zeratul’ who has descended to the surface.] “………?”

“???” Therefore, it was even more shocking. The half-conscious Overgeared members slashed at the monsters in front of them with blank faces. Their bodies moved mechanically even when half their consciousness was gone. It was a sight that proved how many enemies they had killed over the years. The first person to speak was Regas, who was famous for his good mentality. “Yura will be a transcendent faster than we expected.” Their growth had always been three or four steps slower than Grid. Now that Grid started to break down the walls beyond a transcendent, it was the right time for them to slowly enter transcendence. *** After reassuring the people of Vex, Grid returned to Reinhardt using the return scroll. His damaged body hadn’t been restored, but the entire world had already received news of the martial god’s defeat. Grid’s name dominated all types of news. “My Liege! Your Majesty! God! I love you! I respect you!” Unsurprisingly, Lauel also received the news. He rushed forward with only socks on his feet and hugged Grid while crying. Noe laughed at the way Lauel laughed and cried. He boasted that he also made a great contribution. “I can’t believe you defeated the martial god at once… you are great. Are you now completely in the ranks of the absolutes?” Lauel’s eyes shone after hearing the detailed story. His clear eyes were full of hope. It seemed like he was going to tell Grid to fight Baal right away. Grid smiled bitterly. “It isn’t time to talk about an absolute just yet. Rather, I realized how lacking I am through this incident.” Grid consumed his immortality in exchange for cutting Zeratul. He was invincible for 10 seconds. He won thanks to the immortality, but it was important to consider that this was a one-on-one match. Hell or heaven—the situation would be completely different if Grid was in the

position to invade the enemy camp. Would Baal or the heavenly gods fight Grid one-on-one? Baal might be eccentric and the demons of hell didn’t cooperate easily with each other, but the heavenly gods were united around Rebecca. She even had an army of angels. Grid inevitably had to fight a large army. It would be against enemies more powerful than Zeratul who had descended to the surface. It would be hard to guarantee a one-on-one or two-on-two victory over them, but if he was hit by a group… there was no chance of winning at all. ‘This time as well. What if Zeratul wasn’t alone?’ A chill went down Grid’s spine as he thought about Zeratul descending with Raphael. In the first place, the difficulty level of one-to-one and one-to-many was different. This was even more so when assuming that the opponents’ skills were comparable to his own. It would be difficult to defeat one person within the time limit of the immortality. Even if he had succeeded in winning, he would’ve been killed by the other one. Of course, in such a situation, the apostles would’ve been summoned to fight. In any case, Grid decided that he needed to defend against the ‘overwhelming attack power’ of the absolutes. ‘I need to complete the dragon armor set.’ This might not be the answer. Hadn’t Hayate told him? Most fights between absolutes ended within a short period of time. It was indeed like this. It meant that even if he completed the dragon armor set, there would be a limit to his tanking ability. ‘Still, I have to give it a try.’ A 40% chance of triggering the absolute defense was different from a 100% chance of triggering the absolute defense. He was looking forward to the special benefits that would occur when the set was completed. “………?” Grid was deep in thought with his back against a chair. Lauel had been silent in order to not interfere with Grid’s contemplation. Now his eyes slowly widened. The landscape had changed. The white glow from Grid’s heart covered everything around

it and forged it into steel. The world expanded infinitely and the steel that swallowed the landscape rose like a mountain. It was a canyon of steel. It was the mental world of the Overgeared God. Grid sat alone in the gap of the endlessly soaring canyon and felt the heat rising from his chest. The Red Phoenix’s Heart became lava and flowed down. It circled and permeated Grid’s heart. The steel that formed the canyon melted in the heat. It started pouring down like a waterfall. However, the size of the canyon didn’t decrease. The steel was infinite in Grid’s mental world. It also responded to Grid’s wishes. It repeatedly formed and made dozens or hundreds of armor that were layered over Grid’s body. Every time it was overlaid, it became blurry and didn’t appear to be visible, but Lauel clearly felt it. He was now wearing hundreds of layers of armor. Even the mental world was overgeared…

The sky above the sky—it was a place where golden clouds formed the sky: Asgard. It was the heavenly place where the seven main gods and 18 lower gods resided. “………” The expression of Martial God Zeratul was calm as he reached the temple. The soaring eyebrows and long beard that descended to the ground were dignified and his gait was majestic. He looked like usual. However, the evaluation of the angel who met him was stinging. “Unattractive.” The number one archangel, Raphael—they were the leader of the angel army, which had recently grown to 465, and had the second largest military power after Dominion, the god of war. Raphael was one of the only beings with the right to meet the goddess, and the expression of ‘influential power in heaven’ wasn’t exaggerated. “Quite a few humans have witnessed your defeat. Rumors are going to spread quickly. Perhaps it is because their allowed lives are short, but humans are obsessed with pleasure, right? They will surely enjoy the story of how the martial god ran away for a long time.” “Are you not going to treat me like a god any longer?” “Huh? Haha, I made a mistake. It isn’t a story, it is a myth, a myth. It is even a myth that will last forever.” “How can a mere story last forever? The only eternal beings in this world are the gods.” After all, as always, the world will perish and begin again. Rebecca and Yatan would make it so. Therefore, he had decided not to pay attention to it. Zeratul barely regained his composure that started to collapse due to Raphael’s subtle provocation and entered the temple. The second largest of the 25 temples in

Asgard. This place proved his authority. Yes, no matter what humans say, I am me. I am Martial God Zeratul. Raphael warned him as he was gulping down wine, “Well, yes. There is nothing eternal. However, isn’t it true that you are half ruined in this world? It is different from when you were defeated by the Dragon Slayer, so I can’t help much. Many humans have started to doubt your martial ability and your divinity will steadily fall in the future.” “Have you forgotten who I am?” “No?” “I am the martial god. I am the source of the armed force that human beings and other beasts aspire to. It will rise faster than it falls so you don’t need to worry.” “…Aha!” Raphael tilted their head and blinked their big eyes. Then they clapped their hands. The inside of their smiling eyes was colder than ice. “Are you out of your mind right now? Haha, I’m scared. I’ll be going now! Don’t go out for a while and get some rest!” “…Someday, I will kill you.” It was only after Raphael left that Zeratul, who revealed his killing intent, sat down as if he collapsed. Everything was in vain. In fact, he also knew it. The martial god wasn’t the source of martial arts. On the contrary, martial arts came first and the martial god came next. The martial god was a god that was born from the aspirations of many human beings and the name of the god was Chiyou. Chiyou didn’t even have a temple. There was no need to prove himself, so he firmly existed. “Proof… I can do it.”

The sky of Asgard was a universe that the sun didn’t reach. The entire space would be dark if it wasn’t for the clouds that formed the ground emitting light. The temple had no light and the darkness obscured Zeratul’s distorted expression. The Overgeared God—the one who received Chiyou’s recognition. Additionally, he was a god born from the aspirations of humans like Chiyou. The one who made the world’s time flow rapidly faster was indeed beyond the ages as the dragons had evaluated. The concept of time was strongly overshadowed. He approached as a completely different person from the last time they met. It was more than expected. Due to that, Zeratul was defeated in a battle he thought he would definitely win. He felt more regret than anger. If only he had sought the cooperation of the other gods and achieved the trinity as Raphael advised. At the very least, he should’ve only descended to the surface after securing enough status to establish a sanctuary. No, he should’ve dealt with Grid right away without waiting for the holy weapons to be made. Then he wouldn’t have experienced today’s humiliation. On the other hand, he thought it worked out. The Overgeared God would become more arrogant after today’s incident and would surely challenge heaven one day. At that time— Just kill him at the moment when he was most confident in himself. Zeratul would repay several times the humiliation that he went through today… A pale energy rose from Zeratul’s fingertips. It was a fairly dense god killer qualification. It was an energy that would’ve destroyed Grid if it had descended to the surface. Zeratul’s divinity might’ve been greatly damaged, but he was still close to invincible in Asgard. He was confident that he could defeat Grid, even if he gradually weakened as Raphael predicted. 'Win and win again. Since you have used me as a stepping stone, you must be sure to climb to this place.’ At that time, I will complete the qualifications for a god killer and destroy Chiyou. I’ll erase the traces that Rebecca made me and destroy the temple, completing myself. I am the martial god, the only one god.

*** “This place…” The view of the canyon in the mental world resembled a place that Grid could never forget. The place where he wrote his first epic during the battle with the Great Demon, Berith. This was where Grid was completed. “It is Taleren Canyon. It is a historic place where Your Majesty stood tall as yourself and not anyone’s successor.” “Lauel, you remember everything.” “Of course. Your Majesty is an object I respect, love, and serve. I can forget my birthday, but I remember everything about Your Majesty.” Lauel had approached Grid because he saw Grid’s potential. He was determined to follow Grid. He believed that he would succeed unconditionally if he was with Grid. It was just an opportunity. Over time, Lauel gradually became fascinated with Grid. The reason why he started to serve Grid in the hope of being overgeared only to become an internal affairs official who didn’t need items was because his pure desire to help Grid grew bigger than his greed. “It isn’t just me. All the colleagues we have been with from the beginning basically love Your Majesty. Even these days, Vantner calls me when he is drunk. He watched the moment Your Majesty wrote the first epic and was so moved that he was in tears. I have suffered from this drinking session exactly 866 times, but in fact, Vantner must’ve watched Your Majesty’s videos more than 1,000 times. Huroi must’ve watched it over 10,000 times.” “………” “At this point, the S.A Group also seems quite favorable to Your Majesty. Of course, Your Majesty will deny it, but… I’ve felt it ever since I heard your theme song. The S.A Group actually understands you very well. Just looking at the form of this mental world, isn’t it a meaningful place for Your Majesty? It is a sudden thought, but the reason why Your Majesty has no restraints on your repeated growth even when you go beyond the limits of the system is because they also believe the purification of hell

is essential.” It was a fact that had been proven for a long time. Every time Grid grew significantly, the level of the other players also rose. In the past two months, monster waves had been occurring in hell. It was around the time that Grid started making the dragon armor. A large number of demonic creatures who received Baal’s buffs attacked the expedition several times a day, rapidly accelerating the growth of the Overgeared members. At this time, he was reminded of the words that the absolutes had emphasized many times. “Grid has accelerated the flow of the world.” The acquiescence of the S.A Group to this proved two things. It was okay for the world to maintain its current pace. However, it was necessary for all players to grow together in line with that speed. This suggested that Grid alone would face clear limitations. “It is speculated that new content will emerge after purifying hell. In fact, the heavenly gods who don’t wish for the purification of hell have declared war. We need to be prepared from now on.” “Are they going to declare war first?” Grid shivered with disgust. It was a situation where a fake god who descended to the surface almost killed him. What if a number of gods led an army of angels and attacked them? They could not stop it. There would be nothing but destruction. Enough time was needed for his colleagues to grow. He worried if he should delay the Baal raid as much as possible. “Among those who participated in the expedition, how many people did the fifth class advancement?” “Five people. By the way, what level is Your Majesty?” “691.” “As expected of Your Majesty. It is already almost level 600…”

“It isn’t 591, it is 691.” “Six…???” “I made a series of dragon armor and weapon one after another and won a big fight against Zeratul. He might be a fake, but he is still the martial god.” There were also several incidents before that. During the time when Lauel was entranced, Grid was deep in thought. ‘The fifth class advancement… it is fast, but also slow. It is safe to say that there is little room for me to grow.’ Completing the dragon armor set and making a few more myth transcendent dragon weapons… It was the final specs that was theoretically possible. No matter how much you think about it, there wasn’t much room for growth other than level. Becoming a god killer according to Chiyou’s wish? It was difficult. He was convinced after the fight against Zeratul this time. He had no way to catch the one fleeing with all his might. As evidenced by the immortality skill that was strengthened when Grid became a god, the system in which a god escaped to their temple was an absolute right. It was right to judge it as the best of all the systems. It was physically impossible to stop that and kill a god… “…Huh?” Grid’s eyes widened. It was due to checking the details of the newly obtained mental world. [Sanctuary of Metal Lv. 1] [A sanctuary derived from the mental world of the Overgeared God. ★ Build a canyon of metal. Currently steel. * The metal that forms the canyon can make weapons or armor in response to your will.

* The weapon’s attack power is proportional to your willpower and strength stats, and the armor’s defense is proportional to your willpower and stamina stats. * The number of weapons you can make is proportional to the number of weapons (unique rated or higher) you’ve made so far and the number of armor you can make is proportional to the number of armor (unique rated or higher) that you have made so far. ★ Your senses extend throughout the canyon. * You can ‘disarm’ those you perceive as enemies and the weapons you create will constantly pursue your enemies. * Provide additional defense by placing armor on those you recognize as allies. ★ God is omnipotent in their sanctuary. * Specify all the weapons that have been disarmed and assign a compulsive force to them. * The power of the weapon you’ve assigned the compulsive force to will be affected by the stats of the most powerful weapon you’ve ever made and the God Hands will be armed with them. * The compulsive force lasts as long as the sanctuary is maintained and 20,000 mana per second will be consumed during the duration. * Every time a weapon you borrow attacks a target, you will gain additional attack power. * The armor you borrow will be overlaid over your body. * Every piece of armor has a duration of 0.1 seconds and the cooldown of the immortality is greatly reduced every time damage is received during the duration. However, the reduced cooldown will be reset if the sanctuary fails to be maintained. ★ The 9th Heart of the Red Phoenix is completely absorbed. * It resonates more easily with the Red Phoenix. Instantly unleashes the Red

Phoenix’s will and bring a rain of fire down throughout the canyon. * The rain of fire will deal damage to the enemies and heal your allies. The amount of damage and recovery is affected by the Red Phoenix’s stats. No mana will be consumed. Cooldown Time: 10 minutes. * If you want, the main body of the Red Phoenix can be manifested. * However, if the summoned Red Phoenix dies, then a severe penalty will be imposed on both you and the Red Phoenix. 100,000 mana will be consumed when summoning. Cooldown Time: 12 hours. ★ Your willpower that is as strong as metal will inspire your allies. All allies in the canyon are significantly less likely to gain an abnormal status. * Every time your allies resist an abnormal status, you and your allies will gain a buff skill. However, it doesn’t stack with buff skills of the same type. The buff duration time varies depending on the type of buff. * This effect will last while the sanctuary is maintained and no additional resources are consumed. There is no cooldown time. Skill Cooldown Time: 1 hour. Resources Consumed: 100,000 mana.] ‘This is crazy… ’ He checked the performance immediately. It was just a scam. Yes, it was a scam. By the way, levels existed? He thought he had reached the limit, but there was more room for growth. “Your Majesty?” Lauel woke up belatedly and was worried when he saw Grid’s stiff expression. He felt guilty because he thought Grid was burdened after he talked about the conquest of hell. His heart throbbed. The sealed black dragon seemed to be laughing at him. “Ah, I was thinking about something else for a moment.”

Grid took back the mental world and laughed. The canyon of steel disappeared like it was a lie and the two of them sat face to face in Grid’s office again. “Let’s think about this later. First of all, our goal is Baal.” He didn’t know what would happen in the future, but as the emperor, he wanted to save people’s souls quickly. It wasn’t just because of the quest to free Pagma. He always felt heavy-hearted and pained when he thought about how Khan and many other people would be suffering at this moment. ‘I’ll give the secret techniques to the apostles. There is no one to use the holy weapons, so I will melt them and extract the adamantium… what?’ Grid’s expression hardened as he looked at the loot he obtained from the martial god. It was because his high insight stat, which replaced the concept of vision, captured the strangeness of the holy weapons. The holy weapons were similar in shape to the works that Grid had made so far. They contained faint nostalgia when they should be plagiarized works intended for provocation. “What’s wrong?” “This… it isn’t plagiarism.” “Huh?” “The details are too different to say that they were made while looking at the real objects. It was almost as if…” It seemed to have been made by recalling memories. There was care and affection in the smallest details as if the maker missed those days. ‘Don’t tell me… ’ Grid’s face turned cold as he recalled the family member he didn’t want to talk about. His Formless Will became uncontrollable due to killing intent and shook and cut all the furniture around him. As if to calm him down, a guest came.

[Formless Will - Divine Skill] [Attack the target with a solid willpower. * The amount of damage done by Formless Will is the same as the willpower stat combined with the strength stat. It completely ignores the target’s resistance and defense. * Targets with the willpower stat will be immune to this attack. Skill Resources Consumed: None. Skill Cooldown Time: 10 seconds after every three activations.] Formless Will was a basic skill gained by realizing the concept of the mental world. It naturally grew as Grid’s mental world evolved. The cooldown time, which used to be a huge 24 hours, was extremely shortened and as of today, there was no consumption of resources. This meant it could be used properly in practice. It was on a different level from the yangban, Garam, who used Formless Will against the Grid who didn’t yet know the concept of a mental world. It was at the level of harming the enemy just by having the will. Of course, that was only when dealing with those who were unskilled. Those who were hostile to Grid were usually transcendents, so they naturally had the willpower stat. They weren't targetable by Formless Will. Grid recalled the archangel Raphael’s face and his desire to kill activated Formless Will. Grid used it naturally without being aware of it, but it ran wild because no target could be designated. Formless Will, which had reached a divine level, was virtually no different from a passive skill. It was sensitively sympathetic to Grid’s will. It vaguely resembled the martial god’s strong self-defense that didn’t allow Noe to approach. “As expected of Your Majesty… just as I sealed the black dragon, did you seal a great

monster into your body? It is a criminal with an unimaginable cause…” Lauel’s face turned white. Invisible blades cut in all directions, so it was natural to be scared. He kept talking nonsense while Grid didn’t have time to take back the Formless Will. The good news was that his subconscious recognized Lauel as an absolute ally. The wildly rampaging Formless Will didn’t touch even one of Lauel’s hairs. “They are looking for a replacement for Michael.” Grid’s consciousness sank to the time when he raided Gamigin. It was shortly after the attack of Raphael, who formed a trinity and descended. “It is really good that you didn’t give them the souls. I pay homage to you.” Mir had said when rushing over to help Grid. This, combined with Raphael’s purpose of seizing the souls of the legends, helped Grid understand. An uncomfortable truth was delivered. The truth was that angels were made from the souls of legends and that heaven had always harvested the souls of legends. ‘Why didn’t I doubt it at that time?’ Khan was also a legend. He might’ve only been a legend at the moment of death, but… it was safe to say that he didn’t have a period of activity as a legend, but he left behind numerous works. The world remembered him and talked about him. As such, it was natural that the heaven who imprisoned Hexetia would covet him. He should’ve been mindful of the possibility that Khan would become an angel. However, he didn’t doubt it. Maybe it was because he was so afraid that he tried not to be conscious of it. At this moment, a harsh price was paid for it. He suffered a great psychological shock and emotional pain that he couldn’t bear. ‘Khan… ’ All types of memories flashed by like a lantern. The days when he was next to Khan and knocked on the anvil. They always laughed. No matter what they did together, they had fun. During the time when they stared at blueprints all night, when they couldn’t eat and were just using the bellows, or when they handed over the bad customers to each other, Khan and Grid just laughed. Even when Khan placed flowers on his son’s grave, looked up at the quiet sky and wept, Grid smiled while

quietly squeezing the large, oil-stained hand. His teeth were clenched together so strongly that there was a noise like they were going to break. Grid’s eyes were bloodshot. The shallowly pooled tears looked red. ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ Grid had believed that Khan was in hell. He speculated that Khan was suffering as he wandered the river of reincarnation while retaining the memories of his life. Grid’s heart ached every time he thought about it. He had been working hard with the desire to save Khan as soon as possible. However, he hadn’t been as nervous as he was now. The dead fell into hell and wandered through the river of reincarnation. No matter how terrible and distressing it might be, this was the ‘pure logic’ of this world. It might’ve been a law of the world that was distorted by Baal, but the dead could never reject the laws of the world. It meant it was possible to rationalize that it was inevitable. Yet things turned out differently with divine intervention. Every time they needed it, they chose only the souls they wanted, took the souls away, and turned them into angels? An angel was a soldier who fought for the gods. Zik speculated that during the time when the seven malignant saints raided Asgard, there must’ve been thousands of angels blocking the way. On the surface, they cried out that they cared for and loved human beings and were worshiped for it yet secretly, they used humans as meat shields. Maybe it had always been like that. They might’ve done the legends of the past a favor and harvested them when the time came. This was the only way the large number of angels made sense. Grid trembled at Asgard’s duplicity. He knew that the yangbans were made based on angels and having experienced Michael and Raphael, he recalled that the angels were imperfect. It was easy to guess that Khan, who had been resurrected as an angel, wouldn’t be in a normal state. Maybe he was suffering more than he would’ve in hell. Therefore, it was possible that he made these swords while clinging to old memories. Or maybe he was asking Grid for help.

Grid’s contemplative face gradually distorted. Every time his breathing became as rough as a beast, his Formless Will became even more ferocious. Raphael’s smiling face kept popping up and stirring in his mind. Was it purely out of necessity that they made Khan an angel? Wasn’t this actually trying to provoke Grid? If so, Khan was taken as a hostage. He was even more anxious because he didn’t know what type of atrocities they would commit against Khan. ‘I have to pretend I don’t know that Khan has become an angel. Khan will be thoroughly exploited the moment I reveal that I have noticed.’ It was the moment when Grid’s killing intent reached its peak… “Calm down.” The door opened. His precious people rushed over and hugged Grid. It was Irene, who had been silently guarding the palace without Grid, and Lord, who had followed in Grid’s tracks after saying he wanted to experience his father’s life. Mercedes hung back and looked at Grid anxiously. Piaro stood next to her. Sariel wrapped light around the frightened Lauel and Zik looked around to try and guess the situation. Braham leaned against the wide open door and scoffed. “What is it that made the guy who defeated the martial god so impatient?” Step. One step, another step. Braham’s red eyes as he slowly approached Grid were very deep and transparent. He seemed to be contemplating the trajectory of Formless Will, whose form couldn’t be seen. It was completely different from his eyes in the past which had been filled with irritability, anger, resentment, killing intent, and anxiety. “I don’t know what is going on, but remember one thing.” “………” Grid felt that the mana in the atmosphere had changed. It wasn’t just at the level of the flow changing. It was the essence that had changed. The subject of the changed

mana was Braham. The place itself was perceived as the inner world of Braham. Braham’s mana core stretched out infinitely like the universe. Grid felt like he had become a part of it. It wasn’t an illusion. It wasn’t just Grid. Everyone else experienced the same feeling. The mana, which should’ve been transparent and pure, was tingled with a subtle purple color. The world was clearly dyed by Braham’s color. Grid noticed it. This was Braham’s sanctuary. It was still only a fragment, but the ultimate meaning was that Braham’s mental world would develop as his divinity increased and it would eventually reach the same hierarchy as Sanctuary of Metal. The one who made Grid understand the concept of a mental world—Braham’s realm, which had already been created after utilizing his mental world for hundreds of years, progressed one step forward in line with his divinity that had steadily developed since the time he killed the hydra. “You are outstanding… I know you are arrogant and have placed yourself ahead of us.” Braham, who almost unknowingly expressed a compliment, naturally corrected his words. He wasn’t flustered and looked calm. He didn’t blink at all. “The reason I couldn’t rebuke you for taking responsibility on your own was because I didn’t deserve it. However, it will be different in the future.” “………” Grid was surprised to see Braham’s details. He wasn’t surprised to see that Braham’s level had surpassed 750 before he knew it. The level of super named NPCs rose quickly and among them, Braham’s level up speed was extraordinary. In the first place, Grid alone was almost level 700. The effect of Enlightenment, which increased experience just by making items or fighting against strong enemies, was that great. The higher the level of the item created and the stronger the enemy, the more brilliant the effect. The thing that surprised Grid was that Braham’s ‘death penalty’ had been greatly eased. Originally, the number of times Braham could definitely be resurrected was one. From then on, he could be resurrected based on a probability. Even just one death was still deadly.

Now it was different. It was immunity to death itself. There was the prerequisite of ‘must rest for 24 hours in a coffin after dying,’ but he could be resurrected unconditionally after death like a player. It seemed to be the aftermath of regaining the power of a direct descendant vampire and the growth of his divinity. Even so, it was incredibly good news for Grid, who was grieving as he recalled the dead Khan. At this moment, he could smile broadly as if he had the whole world. Braham frowned at the burdensome reaction and avoided Grid’s eyes. As if he intended to do so from the beginning, he naturally looked at Piaro, Zik, Mercedes, and Sariel one after the other. Irene and Lord were also in his field of view. Among the apostles, the only one who didn’t receive attention was Nefelina, who was hiding behind the door. She was offended for some reason, but Braham continued talking without caring. “Grid, you aren’t alone.” “………” “We are here now while the idiots who are in hell are growing slowly, but steadily. So to fight alone, be afraid alone, and grieve alone… stop it. Just as you have fought for us, we will fight for you and fulfill your wishes in the future.” “…Yes, I understand.” Just then, Grid threw away all his worries and fears. He decided to rely on his loved ones in the future with no doubt or hesitation. He now had the conviction that he could do it. “Me too. Rely on me,” Nefelina rushed over and added, making Grid and Irene laugh. Grid’s fierce Formless Will suddenly fell quiet. After a while— “Choose what you need.” There was a ceremony to hand out the secret techniques. As for the divine weapons, they were put into the furnace and smelted. Mercedes could arm herself with most of the items created by Grid, but the other apostles couldn’t. It was necessary to create suitable new works using the divine stone. The fact that it was made by an angel believed to be Khan didn’t mean much. Grid didn’t need anything to remember Khan by. He already had many memories. Grid

just wanted Khan’s salvation and he was determined to save Khan someday.

“Zeratul? He is a weird guy.” The defeat of the martial god was also a topic in hell. “Why did he descend to the surface and fight unfavorably? On the surface, the rank of the Overgeared God is by no means easy,” Amoract asked like she didn’t understand. The 3 evils of the beginning—they were the absolutes of hell created by Yatan himself. Even the 4th Great Demon, Gamigin, who reigned with fear during the Great Human and Demon War, feared them. However, an absolute appreciated Grid. ‘Considering Grid’s achievements, even Yatan would appreciate him. It isn’t just Amoract.’ Rose was surprised, but she was understandably convinced. On the other hand, she also felt sad. ‘By the way, Amoract has been courting Yura as well, right? Is she just treating me poorly?’ Endurance of hardships—it was a phrase that Rose had been reminded of hundreds or thousands of times. By the time she was aiming for the black magician rankings, Yura had already been reigning as the most supreme magician. She surpassed the 1st ranked black magician rankings to dominate the overall rankings and became Yatan’s Servant. The gap had widened by the time Yura betrayed the Yatan Church. She started to cooperate with the Overgeared Guild. The best rankers in each field gathered around Grid and created a synergy beyond imagination. The Overgeared Guild was literally active in all directions. They established a kingdom and reigned. Hostile forces were brutally trampled on and the targets included the Yatan Church. The Overgeared Guild might not even remember it, but Rose had clashed with the Overgeared Guild again and again. Every time, she suffered defeat, failure, and bitness as if it was natural.

There was a time when she cried because she was sad. In particular, whenever her hidden quest was interrupted and failed, she got caught in her pent-up resentment and tossed and turned through the night for a few days. She felt so resentful that she even went on air and played the press. She never lay sick in bed. She never had the thought of giving up or running away. The experience of competing with Yura made her stronger. A gap that was difficult to narrow even with bloody effort. She had experienced such a desperate situation from the beginning and quickly adapted no matter how difficult the environment around her. Satisfy was inherently difficult. It had never once been easy. This suffering was a matter of course… it was with this mindset that she endured the suffering. She suddenly had a thought. She thought it was better that the enemy was strong. Rather than being tangled up with those of a similar ability and fighting a muddy battle that no one knew about, it was better for her to compete with those whom everyone approved and envied. That way, her value would rise regardless of the outcome. It wasn’t just self-rationalization. In fact, she had been offered many opportunities. By gritting her teeth and holding on, she quickly became the hope of the Yatan Church. A group where everyone had left. She became the only high ranker left in the Yatan Church, which had become as precarious as a shipwreck that might be swallowed up by the sea. It was natural for all the hidden pieces related to the Yatan Church to revolve around her. Eventually, she met Amoract and was reborn as a great demon. At first, she thought she had received enough rewards. She believed that the golden road to her future life was unfolding in front of her. …This was until she was defeated by the Overgeared Guild. She was the first player to achieve the feat of becoming a great demon, but her life didn’t change. She was defeated every time she met the Overgeared Guild and the shadow of Grid standing in the distance was the same. More power was needed. Yes, like Katz, she would only be competitive at the level of the three evils. Rose hoped to be chosen by Amoract. Ever since she moved to hell, she served Amoract

with the utmost sincerity. She believed that her heart had been sufficiently conveyed. It was because Amoract was kind to her. She was looking forward to being something special to Amoract, just like Katz became Beriache’s Knight. It was an illusion. She noticed Amoract’s attitude toward Yura. Amoract didn’t show real kindness to Rose. Compared to her obsession with Yura, Rose was treated like a stone on the side of the road. Rose tried to understand. From Yatan’s Servant to Demon Slayer. Wasn’t Yura’s background really special? She thought it was natural for Amoract to show interest. There was no need to talk about Grid. “Trauka’s daughter, Ifrit, regarded him as the one who overshadowed the years. It must mean that the Overgeared God’s growth rate is against common sense, but only the uselessly arrogant Zeratul overlooked this and suffered humiliation.” The supreme player—there was no way Amoract couldn’t know him or underestimate him when he was powerful enough to change the worldview. ‘I understand everything. I understand, but isn’t it too much to not be interested in me?’ It was Rose who felt left out. Then she laughed because a thought suddenly came to mind. Grid and Yura—she was the one who had been competing for more than 10 years with the two people acknowledged (?) by Amoract. In recent years, the armed conflicts had been frequent. Of course, she was always one-sidedly defeated and the two of them might not remember her name, but… in any case, it was amazing that she fought with these two people. ‘How can she not acknowledge me?’ Amoract. Even if you neglect me now, one day you will eventually turn to me. Rose was already ecstatic when imagining that moment. “…Huhut! Kekekeke!” “………?”

Amoract looked strangely at Rose, who was suddenly laughing alone, before looking away. This great demon with a human origin was incomprehensible in many ways… She often laughed even after failing every mission and she seemed to have lost her mind due to the side effect of losing too often. 'At first, I thought she was a pretty talented kid.' Then Amoract realized it was unreasonable the moment she saw Yura again. If Yura was a star shining in the universe, then Rose was a pearl in the mud. Rose wasn’t bad, but she wasn’t at a comparable level. Ahh, Yura. Poor child who doesn’t know that being a Demon Slayer is useless. You don’t know what it means that Baal targeted Alex’s soul. The Light of Destruction that you depend on has already been thoroughly dissected. Baal is lowly and he enjoys the suffering of others. He has been digging into the bottom of Alex’s soul for a long time. In the first place, Alex’s strength doesn’t even reach the toes of the 3 evils. If you really want to purify hell, you shouldn’t be satisfied with being the Demon Slayer. You must hold onto the hand I reach out… Once again, Amoract sent a whisper to Yura today. Her body was tied to the throne, but the mimicry using her magic power flew to Yura’s place and conveyed her consciousness. ‘…Um?’ Amoract, who had a sad expression on her face, cocked her head. It was because her mimicry was cut too easily. This had never happened before. The level of the human beings who invaded hell had quickly risen due to Baal’s meaningless tricks, but it was unlikely that they had already reached this level. ‘Who cut me? Don’t tell me…?’ The Overgeared God—did he use the momentum of winning the fight against Zeratul to go straight to challenging Baal? It was excessive overconfidence. He would be defeated. ‘It is a pity, but this is a good thing.’

Amoract’s wish was the return of hell, or purification, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a grudge against Grid. Grid was the culprit for suppressing the Yatan Church and desecrating God Yatan. She was reluctant in many ways to sit back and watch him become endlessly strong after he received the recognition of the dragons. Honestly, she felt intimidated. ‘Yet if he loses to Baal today and loses his divinity… it will be balanced. Humans will rely on me, not the Overgeared God.’ What Amoract desired wasn’t the complete independence of humanity. He hoped that humanity would triumph over Baal and reclaim hell, but in the process, they would surely borrow her strength. A great demon was inherently strong and the more humans they contracted with, the stronger they became. The ideal picture would be for humans to receive her help when coming to hell, but… the advent of a bizarre device called the hell elevator made it impossible to hope for that much. ‘Sooner or later, I will restore my father’s lost honor and I will be the only one standing by my father’s side.’ A smile spread across Amoract’s face as she positively accepted the early appearance of the Overgeared God. *** “Wow…” It was soon after the offensive of the demonic creatures sensed by Baal ceased. Amoract’s mimicry broke into the Overgeared Guild’s camp. It seemed to have aimed for this timing. It was a great crisis for the greatly tired Overgeared members. This was when Yura stepped forward and slashed at the mimicry. That’s right. Contrary to Amoract’s expectations, the one who cut her mimicry was Yura. Thanks to this, the members of the Overgeared Guild could breathe and they couldn’t help admiring it. They noticed the Light of Destruction. Light of Destruction was the ultimate technique of the Demon Slayer, who acted to counter evil beings. Unconditional critical hits, attacking the weakness, increased damage of critical hits, ignore attribute resistance, penetration damage, overlapping damage, demonic energy weakening, incurable, etc. It had all types of beneficial effects. It was unreasonably

powerful, but it had the terrible restriction that the full power could only be exerted against targets with demonic energy. Instead, there was one more drawback. It was a ranged attack. It was easy to load a gun and shoot the bullets, so it was fast and easy to snipe targets. It was just difficult to use in a close-ranged battle. The Demon Slayer showed enough fighting power to discuss being called the strongest in hell, but that was when her teammates supported her. In a one-on-one situation, her strength was sealed and she was relatively vulnerable. Now it was different. Yura, who at one point had attempted to use Light of Destruction like Aura, had evolved completely after becoming accustomed to Nothing Stone. Light of Destruction, which normally refused to be overlaid over armor and couldn’t exert its full power, was mixed with Nothing Stone and overlaid on her armaments. It was possible because Nothing Stone was the Elemental King of Nothingness. Nothing Stone had no attributes, so it was able to embrace all attributes that were incompatible with each other. It meant that the power of the Elemental King of Nothingness and the ultimate technique of the Demon Slayer had become one, so it naturally exerted transcendent power. The power of Light of Destruction had risen several times more than before. It transformed into a continuous skill and became useful in many ways. -It is rewarding to have a contract with you. The Overgeared God will be delighted as well. ‘Thank you, Nothing Stone.’ The sight of Yura smiling brilliantly like she was with Grid was extremely beautiful. Vantner looked at her with a pleased expression and said emotionally, “It is a predetermined fact that Yura will build up transcendence… additionally, won’t she be aiming for level 600?” The wave of demonic creatures sent by Baal gave him dozens of times more experience points than the undead that inhabited Galgunos’ Temple. Moreover, the number was thousands of times greater. In effect, it was actually a wave of experience. At this point, he almost couldn’t help wondering if Baal was helping on

purpose. “Yes, if this goes on for a year or two, it will be easy to reach level 600. Yet before that, won’t Baal come to us in person or we will go to Baal? Level 600 is nonsense. Even Grid isn’t level 600 yet,” Pon refuted it. He didn’t mean to pick a fight. In the first place, Vantner knew that his words weren’t realistic. He was just excited after admiring Yura and talked about anything. However, Vantner objected to one part of Pon’s words. “What do you mean by Grid isn’t level 600? He is naturally over level 600. In my opinion, um… he would be at least level 602.” “Of course. Grid is always beyond our imagination!” Huroi immediately agreed. Unconditional faith that was close to a faith beyond loyalty. There was more than one person like that. Regas and many others, even Katz, nodded in agreement. Surprisingly, Peak Sword denied it. “Even if it is God Grid, he can’t be level 600. He hadn’t hunted for almost half a year.” It was a conviction that came from the confidence that he knew Grid better than anyone. He was the president of the Korean Patriotic Association, which worked for the motherland, so Peak Sword placed great importance on Grid’s personal safety. He knew Grid’s schedule and knew almost everything Grid was doing and where he was doing it. He naturally knew that Grid had only focused on the work of a blacksmith for over half a year. Of course, he had challenged a super named boss raid several times, such as fighting the dragons and repelling Zeratul, but he only won the Zeratul battle. This meant that Grid could only gain experience from the fight against Zeratul. So what means would he use to pass level 600? It was a fantasy that could only be embraced by those who didn’t know God Grid. “Why can’t he do hunting? Grid can hunt while making items, right?” “You mean by using the God Hands and Overgeared Skeletons? Heh, you really don’t know God Grid very well. The items that Grid has made recently are the dragon weapon and armor. He needs an extra large furnace, just like when he made Gujel’s Fang. This means it is almost impossible to do blacksmithing work while hunting.”

Peak Sword’s nose gradually rose higher. He seemed to regard his words as the truth. It was a sight that proved the Overgeared Guild was close to a Grid cult. There were those who believed that Grid surpassed level 600 and those who believed they were a Grid expert and thought this wasn’t the case. The thing they had in common was that they didn’t know the benefits of being the Pioneer. They also vaguely counted the fact that the level of enemies that Grid fought was beyond imagination, but they didn’t intuitively understand it. Yura and Jishuka just found the situation interesting. It was because the women who met and talked to Grid every day knew Grid’s exact level. It was a huge 691. How surprised would their colleagues be when they found out… they were already looking forward to the reactions. *** [Your level has risen.] ‘I have eight levels left until the 7th awakening.’ His level rose again in the process of disassembling and smelting the 14 divine weapons. Even so, his experience gauge was almost full. After defeating Martial God Zeratul, he actually gained over 50 levels. ‘It is fun.’ There was a time when his level really didn’t go up. This was especially the case in the late 300s and the 400s. He got a few experience buffs from his items and titles, but he felt it was far from enough. Then a lot changed after he became the Pioneer. The enlightenment effect gave wings to Grid. Enlightenment was a perfect match for Grid, who was prone to being targeted by strong enemies. The effect of enlightenment was maximized the higher the enemy’s level and status. It was also important that he made dragon weapons and armor. Perhaps it was because the system decided they were ultimate items, but they gave a lot more experience points than killing a bunch of named bosses. The fact that Xenon’s scales would be steadily supplied in the future made Grid even more excited. He enjoyed seeing his level soar up.

‘Indeed, the taste of leveling up in games is the greatest.’ In particular, Satisfy had stats awakening in increments of 100 levels. Every time he entered a new level unit, he was given a sense of purpose. Therefore, there was no room to get tired of growing. “…Um?” Grid had been concentrating on his work with Lord when he noticed something unusual. The air had changed. It was different from Braham’s sanctuary. Braham’s sanctuary had increased the destructive power of mana in the atmosphere, while the current air was gentle and warm. Grid belatedly noticed it. The beginning of this change came from the ground. The overflowing vitality of the land had changed the ecosystem and even the climate had changed. ‘Piaro?’ Did he have good compatibility with the new secret technique? Grid felt overwhelming emotion, so he stopped working and left the smithy. He saw Piaro integrating with nature. It was accompanied by a strange notification. [Garion, the god of the earth, is cheering and clapping while saying that he believed Piaro could do it.] “………” A god who originated from Rebecca, but stayed on the surface, not in Asgard. Although he was always on the surface, the earth god Garion was respected by all humans like the world tree and he seemed to have been watching Piaro for quite some time.

Do you believe in the existence of gods? This was a question that didn’t exist in Satisfy. Gods existed. Traces left by gods were all over the world. Until 15 years ago, some people heard Rebecca’s voice. Dominion and Judar, who were bound to Rebecca and worshiped alongside her as the three gods, still gave divine messages to their believers. Right now, Overgeared God Grid was living with humans. Grid's divine objects had been absorbed into the world and performed all types of miracles. This was the reason why human gods overflowed. People knew about the existence of gods and they naturally associated gods with great beings. They easily worshiped and deified targets. One of the biggest factors that made the gods feel real was the god of the earth. Garion, the god of the earth, was sensitive to disasters, especially man-made ones, and protected the land. The land was the most primordial concept that established humans. People felt Garion clearly and relied on him. Even the churches of the three gods revered Garion despite them defining gods who stayed on the surface rather than heaven as heresy. The land had always been polluted. It was due to the greed of human beings. Every time, Garion protected it. It was God Garion who restored the land that was destroyed several times by the powerful blow of the Sword Saint. Literature describing the relationship between the Sword Saint and Garion was easy to find. Sword Saint Kraugel, who appeared in the current age, lent credibility to the literature. Even at this moment, countless people would be imagining Garion as a kind mother or reliable father and giving offerings. That great being… “………” He was clapping and happy to see Piaro grow up. He seemed to have been watching Piaro for quite some time. Grid felt more uncomfortable than happy. Did Piaro get

close to a god other than himself? It was very disappointing. Shamefully, jealousy grew in him. It was a natural feeling. Grid and Piaro—the two of them had relied on each other. If it wasn’t for Grid, Piaro would’ve lived his entire life as practically a dead man and he would’ve died plunging into the empire like a moth to fire. On the other hand, the Overgeared Guild wouldn’t have grown as quickly as it did now without Piaro. The pioneering speed would’ve been slow because they wouldn’t have been able to easily handle the monsters in Reidan’s desert and they would have struggled with food shortages because they couldn’t clear the desert. Due to the lack of influx of new people to Reidan, the infrastructure wouldn’t have developed and the supply and demand of troops would’ve been difficult. The expansion of power wouldn’t have been easy. It was highly likely that they would’ve experienced a setback against Belial. Hell Gao had lost his body, so the Belial battle was actually the first raid against a great demon. In the most important battle in history, which sharply increased the growth rate of Grid and the Overgeared members, humanity’s victory was due to Piaro’s sacrifice and performance. If humanity had been defeated at that time, the power of the Yatan Church might’ve prevailed and the continent might be completely different to what it was now. Grid, the king of the small Overgeared Kingdom, would’ve suffered the humiliation of kissing the feet of Mercedes, who came as the envoy of the Saharan Empire. Thinking about it now, it was a reward, not humiliation. In any case… Grid and Piaro were each other’s benefactors. They were together and relied on each other. Thanks to that, they were able to come this far. It was a special relationship like a couple. There was a reason why Grid had chosen Piaro’s daughter as Lord’s fiancee. Of course, Piaro’s daughter was still very young and he had stopped the desire to match Piaro’s daughter and Lord due to Irene’s opinion that they should marry someone they loved… In any case, Grid considered Piaro so special that he wanted to be in-laws with Piaro. “Piaro.” “Your Majesty.”

“I said this when you got married, but I respect who you meet and who you have a deep relationship with. I will help you if I can. I don’t have any intention of disturbing you.” “………?” Grid’s expression was dark. There was no strength in his voice. Piaro was just perplexed. He expected to be congratulated for reaching the peak of Natural State when he saw Grid rushing out of nowhere, but he heard something that was completely strange. He tried to figure out the hidden meaning, but it was impossible due to the lack of cultivation. How could a mere ordinary person understand the deep meaning of His Majesty who defeated even the martial god? “Yes… I know it well. It was thanks to Your Majesty’s full support and encouragement that my wife, an elf, was able to make the decision to come to the human world.” “Exactly. I’m not petty. No, I can be petty, but I am generous when it comes to you.” “Yes… I’m also well aware of that. Your Majesty has always been good to me and Sir Khan in the past when you were insignificant and mediocre.” “………” It might be the past, but wasn’t it too much to call him mediocre in front of him? The flustered Grid got to the point. “So why are you so unsettled that you met another god without me knowing?” “…Huh?” “You aren’t stingy like my past self. So why did you secretly have a deep relationship with a god other than me?” “………” Piaro closed his mouth. He had nothing to say. It wasn’t because it was difficult to answer, but because he didn’t understand. Grid noticed it. ‘Piaro doesn’t know?’

It seemed to have been Garion’s one-sided voyeurism. Well, it was natural. Piaro was the apostle of Grid, the Overgeared God. There was no god who would court another god’s messenger unless they were crazy. Grid didn’t covet Raphael just because Raphael was really strong and excellent. Apart from not liking Raphael’s personality, an apostle’s loyalty was absolute. It was safe to say there was no case of an apostle of a god serving another god, unless they were first betrayed and abandoned like Sariel. “Um… Congratulations, Sir Piaro. It is amazing to see so much of nature responding only to you. It is like a planet.” “………” Grid changed the subject. He had a lot of experience wearing the skin mask and pretending to be someone else, so it was easy to manage his facial expressions. He controlled his expression and serious attitude and praised Piaro’s development. It was with sincere admiration. Putting aside his embarrassment, the change in Piaro was enormous. If Braham’s magic core expanded like a universe and circulated infinite mana, Piaro was like a planet. It wasn’t infinite, but contained various and strong powers in one body. If there was enough opportunity, Piaro would be able to achieve divinity. ‘…Divinity?’ Grid belatedly noticed it. Why did Garion show interest in Piaro? It was inevitable, not because of some dark heart. ‘If Piaro achieves divinity… the divinity comes from nature and nature implies the energy of the earth.’ Once PIaro attained divinity, he would resemble the god of the earth. Garion was bound to be interested in his position. “Sir Piaro!” Administrator Rabbit ran over as Grid was silently thinking. Something urgent had happened. “You’ve worked hard.” “Your Majesty, can I? I will step aside for a moment.” Piaro politely said goodbye and followed after Rabbit. He managed both the army and agriculture, so he seemed to

be lacking an extra body. Grid was worried that he wouldn’t have time to have a second child. ‘A person like Piaro must have many children to make the country prosperous.’ Well, there would be some room sooner or later. It was because Lauel said he started the work of concentrating the military power on Asmophel. Asmophel was also growing steadily. Rather than the capabilities of a knight, he developed the abilities of a commander with the assistance of the 1st Overgeared Army. Grid was told that his stats such as leadership were extremely high and the growth rate was fast because he had the Empire's Military Tactics skill. In the case of a second Great Human and Demon War, the army commanded by Asmophel would be the main force. ‘Asmophel should also get married… ’ It wasn’t just Asmophel. He also wished for Braham, Zik, and Sariel to get married as soon as possible. It was because good children were born from good parents. Of course, there was a possibility that it could be bad, but this was generally the case. ‘In that sense, Mercedes should also quickly have a child… ’ The ensuing thoughts made Grid’s face turn red. He felt his body getting hot and fanned himself, only to suddenly look at his feet. -Hello. Small letters were carved into the ground. It wasn’t written. It felt like a craftsman, whose profession was to cut stones, had engraved it with passion. ‘What is this?’ Grid was startled and wary. It was because these letters had just been created. It wasn’t there a moment ago. Who was it? Just as Grid was panicking, the rocks that made up the ground were silently cut. In an instant, new letters were engraved. -IamGarion. “…Hah.”

The great god of the earth—unlike the other heavenly gods, Garion wasn’t involved in politics but only cared for the land. He deserved respect just for being faithful to his role and he was praised as great because he was beneficial to all beings on the surface. Would he be considered equivalent to the world tree that supported the sky? However, it seemed he didn’t learn how to add spaces when writing. ‘The space is excluded.’ Garion explained to Grid, who was clicking his tongue out of embarrassment. -Pleaseunderstand. “………?” -Longwritinghurts. “………” It was good handwriting. It wasn’t that he didn’t write spaces, it was that he couldn’t do it. He also wasn’t talking informally because he wanted to. Garion’s short words contained many meanings. Grid was trying to think positively, only to question it. “…Can’t you just say it?” -Can’tdoitnow. “………” Grid frowned. Putting aside his understanding of Garion’s situation, the tone was somehow annoying. It was the type of annoyance he felt when having a keyboard battle with an elementary school student. On the other hand, Garion was pitiful. He was so anxious about the pain that the earth would feel that he couldn’t even write properly… How heartbroken must he have been every time Kraugel split the land in half? ‘Wouldn’t he have fainted after Zeratul smashed the ground not too long ago?’ Grid had felt Garion’s struggle when he moved through the time of the martial god. Grid admired Garion’s feat of restoring the land by dividing into thousands of

branches with all his strength and Grid also felt grateful. If Garion hadn’t been faithful to his role, most of the people at the scene would’ve died. Grid suppressed his anger when he recalled that time and asked in the gentlest tone possible, “So why did you come to me? If you want to take Piaro… that isn’t acceptable.” -Whatdoyoumeanbytake?ItwillbebigtroubleifItakehim. “Why don’t you use spaces if you are willing to write that long?” Grid finally snapped in a frustrated manner. He was a Korean who learned and wrote in Hangul, created by King Sejong the Great. Therefore, he was very sensitive to spacing. He often felt uncomfortable when finding typos while reading web novels, but this was a completely different matter. -I-I’msorry. He had room to stutter, but not to use spaces? Grid noticed it. This god wasn’t normal either. Just then, Garion revealed his purpose. -Saveme.

‘Save me? Why?’ Once the light came, chaos lost its darkness. At the end of the procession of trumpet blowing angels was Goddess Rebecca. The goddess created the heavens and earth and formed living things, while Dominion and Judar helped. It was a prelude to Genesis. The first thing Rebecca did when she came to the surface was the creation of the heavens and the land. Garion and the World Tree were likely to have been born at this time. It meant that just like the other heavenly gods, Rebecca was Garion’s mother. Of course, he had been on the surface ever since his birth, so his tendencies might be different from the other gods in heaven. Even approaching Piaro and Grid was within the scope of understanding. Yet asking for help was a completely different matter. Garion wanted Grid to save him? A god who was respected and loved by all and who had Rebecca behind him. He was in a position to ask for help? “………” Grid didn’t answer hastily. Doubts had already sprang up in his heart as he touched his chin. He acknowledged that Garion was a god worthy of respect, but he didn’t trust Garion. It was the right decision. The first Great Human and Demon War that Pagma went through, the second Great Human and Demon War that humans of this time went throug, and the old seven malignant saints episodes—as history proved, the gods had committed numerous sins. They pretended on the surface while secretly committing the crime. They were far more insidious than Baal, who was openly trash. Grid clearly knew this, so how could he believe only in Garion’s reputation and trust him? He would just be an idiot.

‘It seems like a trap.’ Of course, it could be an opportunity. Garion was a god who walked a neutral path on the surface. If it was true that he was a god who existed only for human beings, then it was a status that had no relationship with the heavenly gods. It was understandable to rely on Grid when going through a crisis. ‘It will be a great strength if I help at this time and we take the same side.’ First of all, it was great to be able to get a lot of information. The World Tree had little expression of emotions and had difficulty communicating, perhaps because it was fundamentally a tree. Meanwhile, Garion resembled an ordinary god. It meant Garion was similar to humans. He fully expressed his emotions through writing, so it seemed possible to communicate smoothly. ‘I’m a bit upset, but… ’ -Saveme. Grid felt emotional again when he saw the letters on the ground. This was a god who didn’t use spaces. Of course, it might be possible to have an actual conversation if he succeeded in saving Garion. Grid thought about it for a while before sending a whisper to Lauel. He explained the current situation and asked for advice. Then he asked questions based on the advice. “What are the circumstances in which you are asking to be saved? First of all, I want to know the situation you are in.” -Consumedivinepowereverytimethegroundisrestored. -TherearemanySwordSaintsthesedayssoIkeeplosingstrength. ‘Biban and Kraugel did something wrong.’ So why do they keep cutting the world… Grid shook his head when he remembered the powerful swordsmanship of the Sword Saint before his expression soon stiffened. -Stillitwasbarelymanageable.

-Butpeoplethesedays. -WorshipOvergearedeGodratherthanmyself. -Slowsdowntherecoveryofmystrength. “…Uh, um…” Grid realized it once again. How much influence he had on the worldview. He felt embarrassed but proud. -Whyareyousmiling? “I feel sorry, so I am smiling bitterly.” -Itisokay. -OvergearedGodisn’twrong.Itisgreat. ‘Indeed… he is upright and has a discerning eye.’ He was a respected god for a reason. Then wouldn’t it be better to just trust him? -ItwasalreadyhardbutitwasruinedduetoZeratul. -HedestroyedthelandandIlostdivinepower. ‘Indeed, Zeratul is a jerk.’ Grid shifted all the blame and responsibility to Zeratul and found peace of mind. The writing continued. -IaskedMothertohelpme. -Silencewastheanswer. “Mother… you are talking about Goddess Rebecca.” -Right.

-Mothercanrechargemydivinepower. -ButthereisnoasnswerevenwhenIcall. Rebecca’s silence had been an issue that had been going on for a long time. It was around two years after Satisfy opened. In the early days, there were some people who heard Rebecca’s voice through quests but at some point, these experiences disappeared. Damian even said that when he was the pope, he had only received Rebecca’s divine message twice. It was only like that at the beginning and she had been silent ever since. It was the same for Grid. The goddess’ gentle voice that Grid heard had long disappeared from his memory. He was now uncertain if the voice had ever been genuinely kind. ‘What is this?’ Various speculations were possible about the reason Rebecca became silent toward humanity. It could have been to rebuke the Rebecca Church for its many civil wars in the wake of the corrupted Pope Drevigo or because she disliked the people who lost faith because the gods didn’t save humanity when the great demons came. However, was it possible for her to also be silent with the gods? It was unreasonable to see it as her simply alienating Garion. Zeratul, who repeatedly descended to the surface without sufficient preparations, proved it. Wouldn’t Goddess Rebecca have restrained Zeratul if she was in a good state? Asgard was obsessed with increasing their armaments to the point of harvesting legendary souls and turning them into angels. It was unlikely that the goddess would’ve hoped for Zeratul’s helpless defeat and loss of divinity when he could be described as the goddess’ weapon. Looking back on it now, the events of the archangels’ attempts to slaughter humanity also seemed far from the will of the goddess. In the past, the goddess communicated with the Rebecca Church by sending down the holy sword and divine messages. It meant she actively supported the religious activities of human beings. Did she really want the angels to hurt her believers and destroy the trust that had been built up? Grid had a complicated expression on his face due to the many doubts he felt and he asked another question.

“Did something happen to Goddess Rebecca? Is it possible that someone has imprisoned the goddess and is wielding her authority recklessly?” The gods of the beginning—in other words, there were two more gods the same as Rebecca. One of them, Hanul had lost his power and fled to the East Continent, so he was out of the question. Meanwhile, Yatan had never appeared in the world. His appearance meant destruction. Therefore, it couldn’t be recorded. Maybe Yatan, to Rebecca…? Grid had new doubts. It wasn’t the speculation that Rebecca was actually a good god, but the evil god Yatan was suppressing Rebecca and causing chaos in the world. The fact that Yatan wasn’t an evil god was proven by the hell purification episode. Grid didn’t discriminate between good and evil. He just wanted to figure out the situation. -ThereisnoonewhocanimprisonMother. -EvenYatancan’tdoit. -YatanandMothercooperatewitheachotherbuttheycan’tinterfere. “………?” Grid was puzzled. It was because Garion’s writing had stopped. No matter how long he waited, the writing no longer continued. “Garion?” Grid urged and a few minutes passed. -OvergearedGod,asyouknow. -BaalbetrayedYatan. -RaphaelorGabriel. -ItmeanstheycanbetrayMother. The beings who opposed the three evils of hell were the 1st and 2nd archangels. The angels Rebecca created before the other gods. Born from the chaos of nothing, they

had to inherit Rebecca’s ‘blood’ and their authority was enormous. It might’ve been possible for them to distort heaven, just as Baal who inherited the blood of Yatan had distorted hell. Grid remembered Raphael’s unlucky face and gritted his teeth. “Then are you saying the whole situation is Raphael’s doing?” -Itisallaguess. -Mother’ssituationisdifferentfromYatan. -Alwaysthere. -RaphaelandGabriel. -Theprobabilityofasuccessfulrebellionislow. -Mother’ssilence. -ItmustbeMother’swill. -Idon’tknowthereason. “…How can I help you?” After a discussion with Lauel, Grid decided to help Garion. Given Garion’s past actions, it was safe to assume there was no possibility of him antagonizing them. The conversation also lent some credibility to this. In the first place, he wasn’t a god in the position to hit them in the back of the head. The right judgment was to at least consider him as neutral. Of course, if he asked for unreasonable help then it was right to be suspicious and wary. -IrecognizetheOvergearedGodasagod. -ThegodthatpeoplebelieveinthemostrightnowistheOvergearedGod. -IcanrestoremydivinityifIamacknowledgedbytheOvergearedGod. -Buildonesmalltemple.

Garion's request was ridiculously easy. He just wanted Grid’s recognition. It also meant Grid would be holding Garion’s leash. If Garion regained divinity through Grid’s recognition, he would lose his divinity again the moment Grid denied Garion. “That… isn’t this the same as betraying Goddess Rebecca? Heaven won’t just sit still, right? How are you going to handle it?” -Itcan’tbehelped. -Mymissionistoprotecttheland. -Protectthebeingslivingontheland. -Therearemanypeoplesufferingdisastersevenatthismoment. -Ihavetohelpthem. -TherelationshipwithMotherorheavenisn’timportant. A great god. He was worthy of worship. Grid, who had slight doubts even after realizing Garion’s essence, nodded. There was a slight smile on his face. “Then I will protect you.” -…………… Countless dots were engraved on the ground. It continued constantly. Wasn’t he worried that the land shouldn’t be hurt? Why was he suddenly abusing it? A notification window popped up in front of the bewildered Grid. [Garion, the god of the earth, has blushed and fled.] “………” There was a high probability that he was an uncle. Grid intuitively sensed it when he recalled past memories and frowned. At his feet, there was a sentence saying goodbye.

*** The number of temples for the Overgeared God had exceeded 5,000. This was even despite the fact that they were built gorgeously and magnificently. The huge empire operated as a device to supply faith to Grid. There, Grid inserted something. The Garion Temple was built next to the main temple of the Overgeared God where a large number of believers came and went. It was small, but it wasn’t shabby. It was just small compared to the Overgeared God Temple. Additionally, there were quite a few craftsmen among Reinhardt’s architects and sculptors. They had a lot of experience in building temples, so Garion’s Temple was beautiful from anyone’s point of view. “The appearance of God Garion… it was very different from what I imagined.” Lauel looked a bit disappointed. The statue of God Garion on the left side of the Overgeared God Temple resembled the stone statue of Khan on the right side. The appearance was of a large, old man. Like Khan, his belly stuck out and his shoulders were wide. He looked generous and reliable. “Really? What did you imagine?” “It is the appearance of a benevolent and beautiful goddess. An appearance that fits well with a smile, just like Sir Sariel?” “Isn’t that too stereotypical?” Sariel had been smiling brightly beside him and now his expression stiffened for a moment. He looked shocked by something, but unfortunately, no one knew. Sariel had always taken a male appearance in front of Grid. The male appearance was beautiful, but he received less attention than when he was a female. Additionally, people’s attention was currently focused on the statue of God Garion. “Even so, I think the appearance I imagined would fit well given the things God Garion has been doing.” “That is true, but… it isn’t the case.” “How can you be sure when you haven’t seen his face or heard his voice?”

"Well… it’s fine. Isn’t it better to lower expectations in advance rather than being disappointed when seeing the real thing later? Huh? Sariel, why do you have a stiff expression? Is your relationship with Garion bad?” “No. God Garion has never stayed in heaven, so I’ve never seen him. I just know that he is a god worthy of respect.” “Yes, I’m glad.” The fact that there was a god that humans could trust and rely on. Grid was smiling happily when he remembered something. ‘Aren’t most human gods on the side of human beings?’ Like Grid, they were humans. Then they were worshiped and became gods. Most of them were difficult to meet because they had been eaten by the myth predators or were hiding from the myth predators. However, he was convinced that he could find them if he borrowed Garion’s power. He was the god of the earth, so his gaze would be on the entire continent. Would there be a great synergy if Garion collaborated with the Skunk Expedition? ‘I gained a great ally.’ Grid’s expression brightened. He felt like he had found light in a word full of unbearable enemies.

“What? What type of world is it these days? There are still people like that?” God of War Ares—it was said that his skills weren’t as good as his fame and it was a short bubble that would only work in the days when the level of players wasn’t high. He had been subject to public ridicule and criticism for quite some time. It was because his comparison target was mainly Grid. It couldn’t be helped. They were the only ones among players to establish a kingdom. Ares had a significant number of high rankers as his subordinates and naturally attracted the attention of the public. He was compared to Grid, who was in a serious position. However, his achievements were relatively shabby. Grid’s achievements were so great that being held back by the empire wasn’t an excuse. In the first place, Grid wouldn’t have been held back by the empire. In any case, it was a thing of the past. After the Great Human and Demon War, the assessment of Ares changed by 180 degrees. Valhalla’s army literally crushed the demons and demonic creatures. They trampled and marched like tanks. It was said that the power of the god of war made the army many times more powerful and there was no exaggeration in this rumor. The strength of God of War Ares was immense. He defeated a great demon in the 20s alone and won continuous victories. The moment he became the target of a great demon in the 10s, he retreated without looking back, but by then, the public was already blinded by Ares and didn’t see any flaws. People praised Ares for his excellent judgment or the clever strategy of passing through the enemy’s main force without evasion even when they saw him retreat. The reputation built up at that time made Valhalla what it was today. It had the largest number of players among the kingdoms serving the Overgeared Empire as a subordinate kingdom. It was a leap forward to become the next powerhouse after the empire. He also shouldered a great responsibility. The kingdom in the east, which was building a large port to advance into the Red

Sea, acted as a front-line fortress to guard against the expelled gods, while also killing the followers of the martial god who returned after building up their strength on the uninhabited islands in the Red Sea. It knew that the empire had little leeway due to the conquest of hell, so it assumed the role of keeping the third force in check. There were quite a few ranker-class strong people among the followers of the martial god and they had to always remain tense to guard against any unforeseen incursions of the yangbans. In the first place, it was very difficult to build a port to advance into the Red Sea. The seawater raged and the weather was unpredictable, causing disasters every day. A tremendous amount of capital and manpower was invested and their mental strength was consumed. Sima Qian, a native of the East Continent and a super named strategist—if he hadn’t strongly insisted on the construction of the port and provided all sorts of reasons for it, Ares wouldn’t have even looked at the Red Sea. In a time when the immediate enemy was hell and the future enemy was heaven, why were they already preparing for an advance into the East Continent? Ares had his troops consumed while fighting with the foreign people to expand this far and he felt pained. ‘In the midst of this, the PK criminals are running wild.’ Gulp gulp. The highest grade magic power potion made at Reidan’s alchemy facility—Ares drank the precious potion he had saved in a corner of the inventory, which was difficult to get supplies of at the moment in the aftermath of Reidan being smashed. The taste was like a superior version of Coke, so it was good to de-stress. Before the dragon invaded Reidan, he had lived with drinking it every day, but now the price had risen too much. Ares sighed with regret as he removed the empty bottle. “It isn’t even the remnants of the Yatan Church or the churches of the three gods? They are average players making a fuss?” The Great Human and Demon War acted as an opportunity rather than a crisis. It made Grid and the Overgeared Guild a more powerful focal point and induced the unity of players. Even the dark players like the Black and White sisters, who were

notorious for committing all types of crimes, started to cooperate with the world. It was thanks to the common enemy of hell being revealed to the surface. It was an atmosphere where the players would unite as one, at least until hell was conquered. However, there were many types of human beings in the world. Even in real history, humanity had never achieved complete unity. It had been less than a year since the war ended. New dark players sprung up, either because they couldn’t stand the boring peace or because they couldn’t make money in peace. They created confusion on the surface in a situation where manpower had to be concentrated in hell. The judgment they made was to use other kingdoms as areas of activity rather than the territory of the Overgeared Empire and one of those kingdoms was Valhalla. Of course, Valhalla had plenty of room to suppress them. However, players didn’t die. They were resurrected even when they died. They were killed right away, but after a while, they resurrected elsewhere and caused another incident. The ideal method was confinement in prison according to the law, but a week was the limit even with all types of charges. It was a constraint of the system. It was for the sake of players’ rights or whatever. In the first place, no one was meekly imprisoned unless they were idiots. If caught, they would rather avoid the crisis by committing suicide. It wasn’t so easy to subdue them so that suicide wasn’t possible and there was no answer if they took poison in advance. Since ancient times, the production and distribution of poison was the source of side income for the Yatan Church, so poison had evolved into various forms. “The best way to suppress the commotion of the players is to kill them over and over again. We have to make them passive by persistently decreasing their level. The moment their location is found, we need to dispatch a high ranker who can subdue them at once…” “I also know that. The main forces of Luck, Scott, Bondre, etc. are operating in hell, while the other generals are blocking the followers of the martial god. However, Sima Qian will oppose it if I move myself.” “Just in time, Oasis has caught the sea creatures and returned.”

“Oasis…? That child is a bit…” Ares showed a reaction that wasn’t that pleased. Oasis also fell into the category of a high ranker, but it was only at the level where he barely broke into this category. Most of all, the penalties were too great. Oasis couldn’t be defeated. If he was isolated and killed by a group of rankers, then he would be abandoned by the sheath of the Undefeated King this time. “PK and hunting are completely different fields. A monster’s AI has limitations, while a player’s behavior is hard to predict. I don’t want to send the inexperienced Oasis and endanger him.” Currently, Oasis was one of Valhalla’s hopes. Ares hoped he would master the 100,000 Army Swordsmanship safely. The tactician chuckled. “Oasis has said it. He learned a lot from the Overgeared members when participating in the hell expedition. Let me tell you, the level of the sea creature that he killed was in the 500s. Two of them were even named bosses.” The AI and anomalies of named bosses were superior to decent rankers. “Now stop treating him as a troublesome child and trust him.” “Cough…” A fortnight later, the players making a fuss in Valhalla disappeared without a trace. Certain kill—the power of Oasis’ sword, which slaughtered players with every draw of his sword, was so overwhelming that he quickly became an object of fear. The news about his great performance came to Lauel’s ears. “I knew there was a lot of talent in Valhalla, but I didn’t expect Oasis’ growth to be so extraordinary.” “You said that he can use 100,000 Army Swordsmanship?” “Yes, it is only the massacre sword, but…” “That alone would be considered a legend in terms of firepower.”

“Aren’t you offended? The Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship was originally Your Majesty’s signature skill but now you are sharing it with Oasis.” "Not at all. Oasis is a serious and upright man in all things. Not only will him becoming stronger benefit us, but the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship isn’t my signature skill. There is no such thing as a monopoly.” Additionally, the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship that Grid had acquired had evolved. Grid’s level and stats also overwhelmed Oasis. Even with the same 100,000 Army Swordsmanship skill, Grid’s swordsmanship was far superior to Oasis’s swordsmanship. “It is something you already know well.” “Haha, I suddenly remember your former self, Your Majesty.” Lauel looked at the anvil. The last holy weapon was being smelted and extracted. The works that reminded him of Grid’s past. The precious works supposedly made by Khan, who became an angel, were dismantled without leaving a single piece behind. There wasn’t a single bit of hesitation. The current Grid didn’t dwell on the past, but saw only the future. ‘It isn’t here either.’ Grid’s inventory after completing the extraction of the last holy weapon— [Adamantium has been received.] A total of 41 adamantium was piled up. Unfortunately, he didn’t gain a single divine stone. The divine stone was a mineral created by the god Hexetia, so the angel that succeeded him… it seemed that Khan didn’t have permission to use it. He had inwardly expected it, but it was still disappointing. Grid sighed before speaking again, “As for Valhalla, I will make new weapons and armor for Uncle Ares.” The amount of adamantium extracted was higher than expected. There would be some remaining after making battle gear for his apostles. The Overgeared members, who were currently active in hell, had supplied him with the materials needed for

the items they wanted, so Grid wanted to use the remaining adamantium to support Ares. Not only had Valhalla been reborn as a key location, but he knew that Ares was actively cooperating with the Overgeared Empire. The other side had shown sincerity first, so he should reciprocate. Moreover, Grid had liked Ares from a long time ago. His personality didn’t hold grudges and most of all, he was competent. If he moved an army with Grid’s items to Valhalla and let Asmophel take command… it would really be the strongest army. It was necessary to build enough trust to entrust his army there. A smile spread across Lauel’s face. “Now you are making wise decisions without my advice.” “Don’t lay the groundwork. Don’t even think about running away because it is impossible without you.” “Don’t worry. I won’t leave even if you push me to leave.” It was after abandoning worthless greed. Grid had become even wiser. He captivated people’s hearts without appealing with force or emotion. It went beyond merely being powerful and was becoming great. *** “It was weak. The outward appearance was plausible, but the power was below expectations. It should’ve been at the level where trivial beings can wield it and produce great results.” The archangel Raphael smiled as usual. It was a smile that suited their beautiful, boyish appearance. It came out as extremely pure. However, the words coming from his mouth were fierce and harsh. “It is right for holy weapons to leave immortal achievements in human history, but the ones you made went into the belly of the Overgeared God without leaving any achievements. The battle gear you made under my favor of the heavenly minerals has become mere rubbish, so you have insulted heaven. It is also an insult to me for believing in you and giving you wings. I heard you were praised for your many achievements during your lifetime, but it was just false, right? I had doubts from the time I saw your bulging belly. How lazy were you to accumulate fat like livestock trapped in a cage? Don’t you think you need to be prepared to work a bit more

diligently?” “…I’m sorry. I am ashamed.” The angel with the bulging belly couldn’t lift his head. When he first heard the news, he simply thought that the one called the Overgeared God was very good. However, he realized that he lacked knowledge after he was reprimanded by Raphael. He felt a great sense of guilt because he couldn’t make a holy weapon properly despite borrowing the workshop of God Hexetia. Raphael’s voice softened. “Even so, I still believe in you. If you devote yourself without relying on the memories of your life, I think you will make a better weapon at that time.” “…Thank you again for trusting me. I will definitely live up to your expectations.” “Can I give you one piece of advice? Why do you think angels have halos and wings of light? It is evidence that Goddess Rebecca has given her blessing and is the condensed power of light. This means it can be used.” “The goddess’ blessing…” “Yes, it is incomparably stronger than the blessing I have given you. Try using it. It will be terribly painful, but isn’t it worth suffering in order to strive for heaven?” “Yes… you are correct.” The angel’s face was shadowed as he answered. It wasn’t just fear of pain. He just wasn’t happy. He had been happy when he became an angel and grabbed a hammer again, but his heart became heavy and distressed when he heard that the weapons he created had harmed humans. Didn’t heaven and angels exist for humans? The Overgeared God was a traitor and deserved to be punished, but was it really right to harm other humans due to this? “Ugh…” The anguished angel’s mind went blank for a moment. He felt a tremendous pain from his shoulder that stopped his thoughts. He looked back with a trembling gaze and saw Raphael’s fine hand on his shoulder. “You just have to stick to your mission. That is the duty of an angel and the secret to being loved by the goddess. Get rid of all distractions.”

Raphael smiled with joy and patted the angel on the shoulder before leaving the workshop. They stared in the direction of the prison where Hexetia was imprisoned for a moment with a sad expression before shaking their head. “I wish that advice was given about this.” A sword that had become a demon by sacrificing an existence—the power of the demon sword created at the expense of an angel was hard for Raphael to predict. It would be a light match for a dragon weapon. ‘Besides, it has good compatibility with the demons of hell.’ Baal, be strong. Raphael uttered something that would frighten anyone who heard it and made their way to the temple where the goddess resided. They planned to announce Garion’s betrayal and give the advice that Garion should be stripped of divinity. Just as in the previous world and the worlds before that, the sufficiently chopped up ground could exist on its own. Of course, the goddess wouldn’t give an answer, so the decision would be made by Raphael.

The past few months had been hectic and busy. Finding and distributing the secret techniques obtained from Zeratul, disassembling the weapons to create new items, inspecting the armies of the main strongholds, visiting Valhalla to build up an exchange, exploring ancient ruins and securing new food resources for Nefelina, who had become dissatisfied with livestock such as cattle and pigs. There were no major incidents, but time flew by quickly. A sensation that penetrates in an instant. It resembled Zeratul’s sword power. Grid was aware of it. ‘I’m nervous.’ His reunion with Baal wasn’t far away. He realized it in the course of crossing the continent in search of the human gods. The flow of the world had become even faster. After encountering the servants of the myth usurpers, fighting several battles, and destroying the guardians who protected the ruins, he reached level 700. All stats were strengthened by 1.3 times after reaching the 7th awakening. He felt several times stronger. Just in time, he received the news that Chris had surpassed level 400. It was a growth rate that exceeded expectations. It was a feat achieved only one year after his class change. It was at a time when 15 people who completed the 5th class advancement were born inside the Overgeared Guild alone. It was followed by reports that Zibal’s boarding time on the magic machine had become several times longer. ‘Every situation is hastening the growth of the players.’ This had been the case since Grid became involved with dragons and the appearance of the forgotten ancient cultures. It seemed to be warning him to prepare for the impending hardships and Grid gradually realized that he would soon be reunited with Baal. It was the reason why time passed so quickly.

Grid couldn’t wait to fight Baal, win, and purify hell, but on the other hand, he was afraid because he wasn’t sure he could fight Baal and win. He hoped the day of the decisive battle would come soon and at the same time, he wished to have a grace period. The world would change 180 degrees depending on the outcome of the day, so his tension and burden grew indefinitely. However, he didn’t show it on the outside. Grid’s expression was always calm and his actions were dignified. Thanks to this, many people believed in him and felt relieved. The expressions of the people Grid met while inspecting the main strongholds and visiting Valhalla were as bright as ever. How could people have no worries? It was just that their hope seemed greater. “Is this the right place?” Grid had been in constant communication with Garion. Garion, who started to be worshiped again thanks to Grid, was in the stage of slowly restoring his divine power. It was a divine power based on Grid. It was the aftermath of people misunderstanding Garion’s small temple being placed next to Grid’s large temple. Many people recognized Garion as the god who assisted Grid rather than the god of the earth. Garion didn’t care. It was an attitude that any status was good as long as he could fulfill his duties. -That’sright.Itissomewherehere. Garion tracked the divine power and identified the location of the human gods based on the flow of the earth’s veins. It just wasn’t as almighty as Grid expected. “Even if it is somewhere here…” Grid frowned. A huge forest overgrown with lush greenery. It was a dark and wide forest with no room for sunlight to fall. How many years would it take to find a person who was determined to hide here? It wasn’t much different from finding a needle in a desert. “Can’t you pinpoint the location more accurately?” -Ican’tdoitevenifmydivinepowerwascomplete.

-Iruleovertheland. -Idon’truleoverthebeingswholiveontheland. -Inthefirstplaceitisanoppositegod. “…It is below expectations.” -Thatistooharsh. -Justguidingyouthisfar. -Itisabigthingsoshameonyou. “A close friend of mine is a scientist who created a radar that identifies dragons. That radar pinpoints a dragon’s location. Isn’t it a big problem that the god of the earth is inferior to a machine made by human hands?” He added a bit of exaggeration. The dragon radar wasn’t almighty either. It was detected only if the target was nearby or emitted a large amount of magic power. -I’magodnotadetector. -Ihopeyourfriendisdoingwell. ‘The old man is upset.’ Grid chuckled. He had a sentiment of affection, not contempt. Grid opened up to Garion after only a few months. Garion’s tendency to love and embrace all beings on the ground had earned Grid’s favor. Grid pulled out Cranbel’s Horn. A dragon weapon—it was reminiscent of a beautiful black meteor that revealed a pure white appearance in a forest without light. A meteor that soared through the dark night sky. The thing that could never be reached by human hands until it fell to the ground and became a meteorite was lightly held by Grid and swung.

The fan-shaped sword energy that made day and night coexist. The spot where Grid stood was dark, while the place in front of Grid was bright. It was because all the lush bushes were cut down and the sun shone. Moss was visible everywhere on the ground. It was the culprit that made Randy slip a few times. Overgeared Skeleton Two read Grid’s meaning and caused a fire that burned all the moss. That was it. The flames, which were raging intensely, burned only the moss before dying down. Not even a small ember was transferred to the bushes. Overgeared Skeleton Two’s mana control ability had become extremely delicate after studying under the tower members. It meant that the power of his spatial distortion, which was used as a long-term weapon, was maximized. Grid swung his sword again. It was a dance move that slowly took the breath away. Every time the glow of the sunset, which was darker than the sun, fluttered like silk, it brightened the surroundings. The forest was cleared. “It isn’t enough.” Ifrit’s Arm contracted. Red scales were stacked on top of each other in layers and adhered to Grid’s muscles. There was no discomfort. On the contrary, his veins were energized and a sense of freshness was felt. The flow of mana was stimulated. A large amount of magic power gathered at his fingertips. It was the precursor to Breath. It was weak, but it was clearly the power of a dragon. Grid’s gaze focused on a further place and Grid’s hand holding the breath formed a straight line with his gaze. “Are you going to completely get rid of the forest?” The existence that Grid was eagerly looking for emerged. It was an elderly man with an old wooden box in his hand. “This is a very important place in the area. It is an indispensable forest that circulates nature and provides abundant resources to people. It is also a place that the servants of the myth predators are keeping an eye on. So for the sake of people and even your own safety, stop doing that. I lose.” Debirion, the god of hunting—he was famous for the Hunting God’s Protection buff which greatly increased PvE ability and was the god served by the majority of monks. At one time, Zibal was Debirion’s Envoy. He was the most well-known human god before the Overgeared God.

“What are you doing? Go ahead. Take back that ominous energy and hit my neck directly with your sword. I won’t resist. It is better for the world to give you my life than to be eaten by a myth predator.” Debirion had also heard the fame of the Overgeared God. He knew that Grid had protected millions of people through the mouths of hunters, woodcutters, and herbalists who came to the forest. He just couldn’t trust Grid. It was the side effect of being troubled by the myth predators. Debirion had been trapped in this forest for a long time. He hid while being targeted by the servants of the myth predators. He developed the misconception that other people would be seeking his divinity. Thus, he hid deeper when he sensed the visit of the Overgeared God. Yet at this moment, he let go of his lingering attachments. After the disturbance, he decided it was right to sacrifice himself rather than being eaten by a myth predator. He gave up his life and resistance for the world. It was a life where he shouldn’t have lingering regrets in the first place. Ever since being worshiped by people and becoming a god. Had he really been helpful to the world so far? At most, he only helped people hunt. All he did was help their arrows pierce the animals’ necks accurately, hoping that the number of hungry people would decrease a bit. It was insignificant and worthless. There was absolutely no reason to cling to life. ‘My life ended hundreds of years ago.’ The day he stopped being a human. There was no life for him the moment he stepped into solitude. A weak god. A being who was worshiped and became a god simply due to his good heart smiled after many years. Once he accepted the end, he felt at peace and regained his smile. Just then, the Breath was fired from Grid’s hands. It reached Debirion, who had tightly closed eyes, and pierced the ominous mist that had risen behind Debirion, extinguishing it. “………?”

The wide-eyed Debirion, who survived without dying, became dumbfounded. ‘Was that a lich’s magic power? I wonder if it is a servant sent by the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb [1].’ Grid inferred the identity of the mist and used Shunpo. He approached Debirion and asked while feeling admiration in many ways, “Have you only been hunting animals all this time?” “…Yes. I am a hunter, so I have only killed animals for their flesh and skin when necessary.” “………” Grid swallowed down his embarrassment. He smiled with joy despite feeling embarrassed by the shabby appearance of Debirion that was contrary to expectations. A god who was much nicer than what he vaguely imagined. After Garion, he met a god he could trust again. The weakness wasn’t a problem at all. It was enough to increase the power. In the first place, Debirion had a shabby appearance, but his divine power was extremely dense. It was natural since he had been worshiped by many people for a long time. He might have no experience in fighting properly, but he had great potential. “There are so many animals to be hunted in this world. Dear Debirion, I need your help,” Grid politely requested. It happened as Debirion was hesitating with a puzzled expression… “…Let's move the location first.” “Ah, yes. That would be great. The specter will send a new pursuer if we stay here.” Debirion was concerned about the servants of the myth usurper, but this wasn’t the problem for Grid. Grid felt Garion’s divine power, which was connected to him, shaking as if it was going to be extinguished. He seemed to have been attacked by some overwhelming being. It was reminiscent of Martial God Zeratul, but Zeratul had lost so much of his divinity that it was impossible to descend again this soon. So this…

"Let’s go.” He had to hurry. Grid grabbed Debirion’s wrist tightly and immediately started to leap through space using Shunpo. However, he stopped along the way. It was because barriers were being spread on every road leading to his destination. The space movement restrictions that often followed a super named boss were scattered everywhere. -Lauel, send the apostles to these coordinates. Grid realized that one of Rebecca’s archangels had appeared and summoned the apostles. Lightning Speed was triggered. The Arrogant Blue Dragon's Boots, that put the sky and earth under his feet, glowed and helped Grid fly. He soon became the Lightning God and turned into lightning. --1. Changing childless specter to Specter of the No Offspring Tomb since I named it before the tomb appeared. ☜

The beginning of the memory was a bright light. Garion understood the concept of beauty when she first opened her eyes. [1] Cultivate the land. Let the bushes take root and let the clear water flow so that the ground animals could play and the flying beasts could rest. Garion thought that the heart of her mother, who came down on the golden clouds with a smile, was beautiful. “You always greet me with the same look.” Her mother’s expression suddenly saddened, but Garion had no doubts. She was just becoming aware of herself. She was busy retrieving the information flooding her mind as a side effect of awakening her consciousness and reasoning. She naturally buried her mother’s words, which seemed like it wasn’t the first time they met. It was a memory that became blurrier because of the faint voice. ‘…I am reminded of that now.’ She lost all her divine power. It included the divine power she gained from the Overgeared God. It went beyond the level of being unable to fulfill her duties. She now found it hard to even establish her existence. It was only at this time that the fragments of memory that came to mind were assembled. She was saddened to realize that the culprit that sealed such an important memory was nothing other than divine power. ‘I see.’ She had always been abandoned. In the previous world and the previous worlds before that. In the world that would follow as well—she had faced and would face the same moment as today. Tears streamed down Garion’s white cheeks.

Long hair that flashed transparent light green and pink. The long wavy hair of Gabriel, which she had seen on the day of her birth, was still confirming her beauty. She wept bitterly while noticing that she hadn’t changed, but was consistent. “Gabriel… have you hurt me every time?” “Yes, your sin has always been the same. You prioritized the surface, not heaven, and grabbed the ankles of the gods.” “That is my duty. Mother asked me to protect the beings on the surface.” I also came to love the beings on the surface. Garion swallowed down these words. It was because she was afraid that this heart would harm the beings on the surface. Gabriel nodded. “Yes. We have long known that it is meaningless to ask for flexibility from your upright soul.” It was through countless experiences. Gabriel had long let go of the hesitation she had when cutting off Garion’s head. Gabriel had been cutting off Garion’s head from an unfathomably long past and had become accustomed to this behavior. She had reached the point where she didn’t even feel any inspiration. However, this time was different. “It is just that this case is special. Garion, your crime in this world is that you have betrayed the goddess. It is the worst crime in history. Working with the Overgeared God?” The Overgeared God—the existence that never existed before was changing many things. She remembered that the goddess had watched his steps with great interest and sometimes with delight. The reason why she didn’t question the attitude of the goddess, who went missing without any signs, was because the condition of the goddess was special. She accepted it naturally rather than wasting her mental strength on questions that couldn’t be resolved. Raphael was pleased that the goddess finally trusted them, but… If Gabriel was the goddess, she wouldn’t trust Raphael. “What type of attraction does the Overgeared God have?” Gabrial asked the fundamental question. It was without removing the spear aimed at Garion’s slender

neck. On the left side of the spear blade, a pole stretched out like a crescent and penetrated Garion’s skin little by little. “Attraction…? There are so many things that it will take me quite a while to explain. Are you going to keep me alive until then?” The Overgeared God had no choice but to be Garion’s ideal type. Even when he was a human and after he became a god, he guarded the beings on the surface. Gabriel’s lips curved up. It was just a habit. Her transparent eyes were cold from the beginning. No heart. From a certain point, Gabriel had completely excluded the concept of emotion. It could be that she was worn out from experiencing the repeating worlds or it might be due to a sense of mission to control Raphael. Even at this moment, there were pitiful human beings hoping for her kindness somewhere. “This is enough for the answer.” Gabriel ended the conversation. She decided that rather than depriving Garion of her divinity and sealing her soul, she should kill Garion completely. She had too many flaws to continue assuming the role of god of the earth in the future. The ‘seed’ planted in the soul must’ve grown sufficiently. It was a good idea to take this opportunity to recover it and develop the energy of a god killer. Gabriel’s long, fine fingers curved slightly. A subtle change in the grip method brought a dramatic change to the spear. The stopped spear quickly moved in a half moon trajectory and cut Garion’s neck. There was a pale aura on the tip of the spear. It was the energy of a god killer. The forest, which belatedly shook due to the storm, was brutally green. There was no disturbance even though the god who had been taking care of it until now was facing a crisis. It meant that Garion’s death had no effect on the world. Indeed, the land had been sufficiently strengthened. Gabriel gently pushed the spear with her index and middle finger and the spear that soared in the shape of a half moon fell like a thunderbolt. Garion’s small head was smashed. Light poured from her broken head like a waterfall, to the extent where the particles of light pouring out of her previously cut

neck seemed insignificant. A god’s death was bound to be delayed and a god had the right to retreat during this grace period. It was just that they lost some of their rights in the face of the energy of a god killer. In the first place, Gabriel was completely different from Raphael or Zeratul. She wasn’t easy because she didn’t get swept up in emotions. She was reasonable and thorough. It meant she acknowledged the fact that she should be wary of the existence of the Overgeared God when coming to the surface and she prepared sufficiently. She had naturally formed a trinity. She even armed herself with the divine objects she had been with since her birth. She also used the energy of a god killer, even if it was weak, so she was almost in a perfect battle state. Of course, it was a big loss compared to when she was in heaven, but she couldn’t be better based on the standards of the surface. “Why are you trying to hold on?” Gabriel cocked her head. It was an attitude that showed she couldn’t understand the land that decayed due to giving energy to Garion and Garion’s attitude of accepting and using it to sustain herself rather than rejecting it. “The ground has been sufficiently strengthened. The world won’t fall apart if you die. You staying alive won’t bring any benefits to the beings on the surface.” Garion herself knew it best. She didn’t have many uses any longer. Now the earth could exist on its own. Even if it was cut by the Sword Saint, it had enough regenerative power to recover slowly. It was meaningless even if she had the wish to protect the beings on the surface like before. Garion had lost most of her divine power. Her divinity had even fallen because she proved to be powerless to help the land she cared for. So why was she trying to survive? ‘I’ve never been like this before.’ In previous worlds, Garion always compiled with death. She couldn’t resist because she knew her worthlessness. “You—are you waiting for the Overgeared God?” The current Garion was based on the Overgeared God’s divine power, not Rebecca.

By now, the Overgeared God would’ve sensed Garion’s crisis. However, that was it. The Overgeared God couldn’t help Garion. It was because he defeated Zeratul a few months ago. Zeratul, who didn’t have enough defense, was defeated in a humble way. The Overgeared God clearly won and rose in status. He must’ve come to a point where he could clearly see the difference in power between himself and Gabriel. What courage did he have to come and rescue Garion? Of course, he could come. Thinking about the Overgeared God’s past actions, he was far from reason. There was a high possibility that he would be emotionally biased and try to come. The problem was that he wasn’t Gabriel’s opponent. Gabriel decided that she was unlikely to be defeated by the Overgeared God because she was fully equipped. “The Overgeared God only has a small chance of winning if he comes with a top dragon. However, you know that there are no dragons the Overgeared God communicates with on a daily basis. If you persevere and attract the Overgeared God, he will lose a lot of divinity because of you. He might even die to me. Do you want that?” “…No.” The earth shook. It felt like it was shouting at Garion, who started to refuse to accept the energy, to not give up. Gabriel inserted the spear into the land that started to fluctuate like waves and said, “Yes, you thought about it well.” Gabriel was mindful of Grid’s intervention from the beginning. She might’ve made enough preparations, but this didn’t mean she welcomed Grid’s intervention. Her purpose was to punish Garion to the fullest. She didn’t want to be disturbed. Unlike Raphael, who enjoyed unexpected events, she preferred that things went according to her plan. “Goodbye.” “………” Garion closed her eyes while sympathizing with herself, who would be reborn oblivious in the next world and would be used again. She just wanted to die before the Overgeared God arrived. She felt a lot of guilt because she almost put the

Overgeared God in danger by dragging out the time. ‘I’m sorry. I think I also wanted to rely on someone at least once.’ From the moment of her birth until now. Garion had lived alone and isolated on the surface. She was faithful only to her duty and depended on the beings of the surface. It was just that life. She was useless. Even so, she had no regrets. Then the cold air of the spear blade brushed against her throat. Garion thought her head had fallen to the ground. She didn’t open her eyes because she was afraid that she would face her collapsed body after losing her head. Meanwhile, Gabriel’s fingers moved busily like she was playing an instrument. She flicked the spear with her ring finger and pulled it with her index finger. She immediately put it down and supported it with her middle finger. Her long spear turned greatly and spread over her head, exerting a tremendous presence. It blocked all the rain of battle gear pouring from the sky and made it impossible for them to come in contact with her. Her divinity, which had spread softly on the ground she had stepped on, expanded its territory to the left and right. It acted as a barrier to protect the baby angels brought to form the trinity. “It ended up like this.” Gabriel’s eyes, which were a cross of blue and gold, looked into the distance. Grid drew attention with the rain of battle gear and approached while minimizing any signs as much as possible. He approached Garion while wearing the Hooded Zip Up and believed his operation was a success, but he soon realized he was mistaken. It was a trap. A pillar of light rose from under Garion’s feet and swallowed Garion and Grid at the same time. It was excessive greed to try and deceive Gabriel, who had existed since the beginning. ‘What excessive nonsense?’ Grid had maintained the maximum speed while coming here so the Lightning God state was activated. He rose like lightning and dodged the pillar while asking Garion on his back, “Those wounds, will they recover if you go to the temple?”

Grid didn’t really see Garion’s appearance. It wasn’t because her disastrous appearance was unsightly. It was out of consideration. Garion was a great god. He wanted to protect her dignity. In fact, Garion had been desperately trying to hide herself from the moment Grid appeared. It was their first and last meeting and she didn’t want to look ugly. “Leave me here and avoid this place,” Garion said while pushing Grid’s back. It was a plea. He could feel her little hands trembling. Had such a small hand sustained the world? It happened as Grid’s head cooled down. Gabriel finished extinguishing the rain of battle gear and nodded. “Yes. Overgeared God, you should go back. My purpose today is Garion, not you.” “Don’t go overboard. My purpose is you.” The dragon weapons were held in both of Grid’s hands. It was a state in which the items were combined. The angels who didn’t show their noses when people were praying desperately to be saved—Grid was extremely disgusted with those who showed up whenever they weren’t wanted and targeted good beings. He was convinced that they were worse than the great demons. The demons at least responded to the call of the Yatan Church, while these damn angel jerks didn’t answer. Killing intent soared. His emotions were expressed as Formless Will. A violent storm seemed to rage around Grid. “At this point, it is possible to activate a sanctuary.” Gabriel measured Grid’s level and raised her spear. She aimed at Grid, to be precise, she aimed at Garion who was on Grid’s back. “Choose whether you will survive alone or if the two of you will die together.” The warning was short and the action was immediate. Throwing the spear—a movement that symbolized hunting from the beginning, it had a strong meaning. It must hit the subject and induced death. It was one of Gabriel’s powers and now it even contained the energy of a god killer.

Grid was engulfed in a terrifying fear despite experiencing a dragon’s Breath and Zeratul’s sword power. Death flashed through his mind the moment he saw the flying spear. Naturally, the desire to live blossomed. It was instinct. The sanctuary was opened without any precursors. The Sanctuary of Metal—hundreds of armor from the Canyon of Steel were overlaid on Grid. Grid wrapped his arms around Garion. Garion’s face turned red as she lowered her head in surprise. It was because she read Grid’s mind through the communion of divine power. Even though she was hurt, she didn’t look unsightly. Rather, he was surprised because she was so pretty. So she shouldn’t make this face. The comfort healed her torn heart a bit. “………?” Gabriel’s eyes widened slightly. It was a surprised reaction. It was the first time since she was born that she made such an expression because she was somewhat flustered by the appearance of Grid, who was in good condition even after blocking the thrown spear with his body. --1. Previously, I have been using male for Garion's gender because that's how Grid saw them. Now it has been confirmed that Garion is female so I will switch to female pronouns from now on. ☜

The sanctuary was a measure that distinguished between a high or low god. The stronger the god, the more powerful their divinity and the more independent the realm that was built. Being independent made it hard to approach. ‘This is the sanctuary of the Overgeared God.’ The angels were accustomed to the sanctuary of the goddess. Even with fighting against the expelled gods or suppressing the rebellion of the seven malignant saints, the angels fought with protection in the goddess’ sanctuary. It meant she had a high discerning eye. Gabriel easily grasped and evaluated the Overgeared God’s sanctuary. ‘Excellent.’ It was a canyon of steel. The steel that melted in the heat spreading from the Overgeared God’s heart made hundreds of armor and overlaid them on the Overgeared God. Attacks could be absorbed without damage. It was a space optimized for the concept of protection. It was a sanctuary that reflected the tendencies of the Overgeared God who protected humanity. If it was Raphael, they would’ve ridiculed and belittled it for being the domain of a coward, but… Gabriel couldn’t smile at all. ‘It is a noble mental world.’ The canyon of steel was high and serene. The steel that formed the canyon was cold and the heat that melted the steel was hot. The scene was like the tip of hell. However, Gabriel got a glimpse into the essence behind the landscape. Humanity had faced all types of monsters, demons, angels, and even gods and dragons. So far, countless beings had plunged the surface into crisis and every time, the Overgeared God had saved it. The high canyon was the Overgeared God’s desire to be the fence that guarded the land and the numerous armors that sprang up in the canyon was the embodiment of the Overgeared God’s achievements. ‘A true god.’

Gabriel’s gaze shifted to Grid, Garion, and Debirion, who was wandering behind them. They might be weak, but their character alone resembled the goddess. It was unfortunate that she had to kill them. This sentiment didn’t lead to the desire to help them. Gabriel’s heart had long cooled down. It was too cold to have any aspirations. “It is very good for a sanctuary that you have just earned. However, there is a limit to the power of simply defending.” The Overgeared God had been fighting enemies stronger than him. Above all else, surviving must’ve been the top priority. It was easy to understand the nature of the sanctuary that was specialized in defense. There was just no end if he kept simply defending. The way to achieve true victory and end the fight was to destroy the enemy. It meant that attacking was a higher concept than defense. It would’ve been perfect if it was as omnipotent as the goddess’ sanctuary, but it was unlikely that the Overgeared God, who had just been born, could create such a sanctuary. “Let’s see how long you can hold out.” Gabriel retrieved the spear that she had thrown. She held it in her hand, not with her fingers. This spear was her symbol. It formed a single body and moved freely even without her touching it. The intention of her fingers alone shook the sky and the earth. If she held it in her hand and wielded it, the world might perish. However, now she had no hesitation. It was okay to destroy this place because it was the Overgeared God’s sanctuary, not reality. A surge of shockwaves from Gabriel shook the entire canyon. The golden armor and spear she was armed with exploded a bright light in accordance with her will. They were the armor and spear bestowed by the goddess in the beginning. They were Gabriel’s symbols that had been with her since birth. In the shaky world, Garion became contemplative. She was amazed by Gabriel’s power to shake up the entire sanctuary. She recognized that Grid’s divinity would fall significantly if the sanctuary collapsed and tried to persuade him, “There is no need to have a power struggle with Gabriel, who is going her best. First of all, I think it is better to take back the sanctuary and step down.” One blow. Just block one attack and there would be a chance. No matter how strong

Gabriel was, the aftermath would be great if she used that much power on the surface. Perhaps the duration of the trinity would end soon. Garion thought this, but her opinion wasn’t adopted by Grid. The flow of the battle was fast. Gabriel had already arrived in front of him. The spear blade that rotated like a wheel was fierce. A gold glow was dispersed dizzyingly and the spaces that were touched by the particles of light dissolved in vain. There was a hole in the sanctuary. Gabriel’s spear, armor, will, actions, and very existence destroyed the Overgeared God’s sanctuary in real time. ‘Too late… ’ The spear blade that was right in front of her was projected into Garion’s large eyes. Garion sensed annihilation and grasped Grid’s cloak. She pulled Grid toward him and pushed herself forward. It was a desperate effort to save at least Grid. It was just that she hadn’t recovered the strength she had lost. She was too weak. She did her best, but Grid’s body didn’t budge. “Ah…” Garion’s mind went blank. It wasn’t her own death that made her despair. It was Grid’s pain that she would have to witness before she died. She had experienced how much pain the energy of a god killer could cause. It broke her heart to think that Grid would suffer the same pain as herself. “………?” Garion’s eyes widened. It was because Gabriel’s face, which was enlarged as she got closer, crumpled up like a piece of paper. The astonishment that filled the indifferent eyes was unfamiliar. Garion understood the situation one step late. Gabriel was covered in a thin white cloth. Her armor, which she had proudly armed herself with just now, was taken off and she revealed her half naked body. Why? Before Garion could properly question it, she saw Gabriel’s spear soaring high. It was as if the spear was rejecting Gabriel. Contrary to Gabriel's will as she gave strength to her hands to the point where they turned white, the spear slipped out of her hand uncontrollably.

It was just before she reached Grid. Gabriel faced a situation where she met Grid with all her equipment removed. She looked like she was swinging her fist in the air. There was no way to explain the scene other than ‘full of gaps.’ Flap. Grid’s cloak, which hadn’t moved despite Garion holding it with all his might, soared up backwards. The orange light, which suddenly spread like a veil, was restoring the damaged sanctuary in real time. During the time when he performed the sword dances with two swords, Grid mostly wielded Gujel’s Dao first. It was to use the characteristics of the dao, which used drawing the sword as an advantage. Most of the enemies weren’t able to respond to the tremendous acceleration. Grid was currently level 700. His stats had reached the seventh awakening, so he was several times stronger than when he fought Zeratul. However, Gabriel dodged Grid’s first attack. The light that spread around her seemed to replace her senses. It was obviously a superior version of the artificial senses favored by Grid. ‘It is great.’ Grid naturally admired it. Gabriel’s ability to react to a surprise attack while disarmed was that great. It was an opportunity to once again realize the skills of the absolutes that he would have to deal with in the future. ‘It is okay.’ Grid wasn’t daunted. He felt the presence of Garion and Debirion standing behind him. Apostles and human gods—he also had many colleagues who would soon become absolutes. It was also reassuring that the Overgeared members in hell were becoming stronger. They would be of great help in the future if they became legends or transcendents. A roar spread. It was the aftermath of Cranbel’s Horn being fired. Gabriel was tangled up with the Formless Sword and also reacted to Gujel’s Dao combined with the Fire Dragon Sword. Therefore, she failed to avoid the attack properly. It was before she recovered the mental energy she poured out when avoiding Gujel’s Dao.

Grid recognized Gabriel’s situation as she was stabbed by a sword bent at a strange angle and stretched out the thumb of his left hand. He gripped the handle of Gujel’s Dao in a shorter manner. “Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave.” Grid used Shunpo to move above Gabriel, whose balance had collapsed, and descended vertically. He pulled Gujel’s Dao, which he was holding with a short grip, toward his chest. At the same time, he pushed Cranbel’s Horn forward. The dragon’s movement that he used to penetrate through Gabriel’s light showed a certain vision to Gabriel, who was already confused. A dragon’s descent—it was a sight created by combining the sword dance and Cranbel’s Horn. ‘I will lose if I get hit.’ Gabriel immediately judged. Her lost spear and empty hands helped her make a quick judgment. She was robbed of her weapon, a weapon that she had been with all her life? It was ridiculous. Gabriel used Shunpo. Even so, her body remained motionless like it was nailed in place. It was due to the wavelength of power generated by Grid’s six fusion sword dance. A vast energy was pulling at the surroundings like a black hole. Gabriel was startled and looked into Grid’s eyes. There was no ecstasy or anger in the eyes that looked at her who was in a crisis. His eyes looked like he was encountering something insignificant and Gabriel laughed in vain. Unable to be resisted. It was an emotion she felt only when facing the gods of the beginning, the old dragons, and the only one god, Chiyou. This was the surface, not heaven, it was because of the loss of her weapon or armor, and other excuses, but even without these causes, Gabriel would’ve admired Grid. The appearance of Grid as he reproduced a dragon’s momentum and personality was a threat in itself. At the same time, there was the sound of bells as if responding to this sentiment. ‘…Chiyou?’ A chill went down Gabriel’s spine. There was a great ripple in her heart, which had

been still even in the face of a crisis. It was because she felt that Chiyou’s obsession with Grid was greater than the rumors. Had Chiyou ever shown such a great obsession with someone? Could it be that he believed the Overgeared would become a complete god killer? It was a law of the world that a god couldn’t be a complete god killer. So what was the basis for this? ‘…I have to win.’ It was after noticing that the odds were low. Gabriel, who was about to retreat to find a suitable opportunity, changed her mind. She recalled Chiyou’s personality. From the beginning of time, he didn't know how to tell a lie. He wasn’t insignificant enough to become senile. The fact that he marked the Overgeared God as ‘a being who can kill me,’ or a god killer in other words, meant that the Overgeared God was fully qualified. Therefore, Gabriel felt a sense of duty that she shouldn’t be defeated. She didn’t dodge the Overgeared God’s sword attack, which raged like a storm, and instead faced it. She surrounded herself with divinity as armor and blocked the sword of the Overgeared God. At the same time, she fired her divinity as a spear. The wounds on her body rapidly increased while the armor around the Overgeared God started to be smashed mercilessly. It was the determination to make it mutual destruction. Gabriel’s resistance was fierce as she was determined to lose their status together rather than suffer a one-sided attack and increase the status of the Overgeared God. Even so, Grid didn’t stop dancing. On the contrary, he increased his momentum and continued the development of the six fusion sword dance. It didn’t matter how great Gabriel’s willpower and strength were. It had nothing to do with Grid. It would just build up the basis for Grid’s victory unless the opponent had the means to neutralize or offset the Sanctuary of Metal. “………?!” Gabriel’s fierce resistance stopped like it had been a lie. The spear that had been lost earlier—it was the aftermath of being stabbed in the back by something that was like a part of herself and suffering devastating damage. ‘Why is this…?’ Gabriel’s face turned white as she hurriedly dodged the spear wielded by the black-

gold hand floating alone. Eventually, the sanctuary made a difference. Armor that was crushed at most. The fragments of armor that the Overgeared God was wearing changed into hundreds of weapons in response to the divinity of the sanctuary. The number was too high and it was too strong to endure at the same time as she fully took on the Overgeared God's sword dance. “How absurd…” Gabriel laughed in vain. The sanctuary of the Overgeared God that she thought was simply specialized in defense—the more she experienced it, the more almighty it became. It was so much so that it resembled the goddess’ sanctuary at first glance. She realized that the Overgeared God’s achievements were far more than she expected. ‘An absolute on the surface.’ Gabriel evaluated the Overgeared God as so and revealed her power. She fired a beam of light from her expanded halo and caused a storm with 14 wings. It smashed the hundreds of swords in real time and shook up Grid’s sanctuary. Her hand, which had the energy of a god killer, pierced Grid’s heart. [You have suffered fatal damage!] [You have entered the immortality state.] [The energy of a god killer has reduced the function of immortality. The duration of the immortality is 4 seconds.] It was one step too late. The reason why Gabriel’s hand was able to pierce Grid’s heart was because Grid had narrowed the distance to cut her neck. Gabriel’s soul abandoned her body and escaped. Grid alone had suppressed the situation before the apostles even arrived. Grid completely overwhelmed Gabriel, who had a better talent than Martial God Zeratul who descended to the surface a few months ago. It was a difference made by his increased level and the possession of a sanctuary. Numerous notification windows filled Grid’s vision. However, the thing that pleased him wasn’t the rewards, but Garion’s presence by his side. He protected her.

[Overgeared God ‘Grid’ has defeated the 2nd archangel, ‘Gabriel.’] For angels, the body was clothing. It was a concept that could be easily discarded and changed. Harming their bodies didn’t cause pain or death. Of course, the story was different when the Saintess was around, but Ruby was currently active in the hell expedition. From the beginning, Grid wasn’t obsessed with Gabriel. Rather than feeling regret that he wasn’t able to stop her from running away, he was satisfied and rejoiced that he had protected Garion. “First of all, let’s go to the temple.” Grid gently held the wrists of Garion and Debirion. There was courtesy in his conduct, such as seeking their understanding in advance. Grid’s inner feelings of respect for the two gods naturally made him polite. The two gods were still stunned. The goddess’ masterpiece—the hierarchy of the archangel Gabriel was at a height that made the gods on earth mere miscellaneous junk. She was a difficult existence even considering that they weren’t complete, unlike in heaven. She was that virtuous from birth. Yet she was trampled on by Grid. Was it ‘someone who overshadowed the years’ or something? They had vaguely heard rumors that even dragons had a high regard for him, but they never thought it would be this much. Garion, who had witnessed firsthand the scene of Grid repelling Zeratul, was even more shocked. Grid’s skills were very strong compared to when he fought Zeratul. In the awkward silence, Grid used a return scroll. The magic power squeezed through the barriers that started to break down the moment Gabriel retreated and swept through the bodies of the gods. However, it didn’t have any effect. The setting that the return scroll was developed by a human magician grabbed at their ankle. Unlike the human born Grid and Debirion, the return scroll didn’t work with the physiology of Garion, who was a god from birth. The structure of the magic circle

activated by the scroll collapsed as soon as it touched Garion. ‘This… ’ Grid frowned. Garion had severe injuries to her neck and head. She tried not to show it, but he could feel that she was weakening in real time. In a situation where he was in a rush, he was caught off guard by the return scroll. It would take quite a while to get back to Reinhardt even if he linked Lightning God and Shunpo, so he was nervous. ‘I should’ve built more temples for Garion.’ There was a lack of respect due to a weak vigilance. It was at the moment when Grid had belated regrets… A light fell. The purple beam of light had as much destructive power as a meteorite colliding, but it was simply a wavelength of magic power. It was the remnants of teleportation. However, it tore apart all the traces that Gabriel had left behind. The trees and rocks that Gabriel had used as a tool to create the barriers—in other words, it specifically destroyed the forms that contained even the slightest bit of Gabriel’s divinity. The principles contained in just one teleport were enormous. Braham approached Grid, who was speechless with shock. The teleport that was operated like a ballistic missile and the calm face attracted the attention of the gods. “I was one step late.” He was about to properly check the performance of his new magic power… Braham murmured words mixed with regret and captured the magic power that was running wild in all directions. It was shortly after he completely erased Gabriel’s divinity and the elements that would’ve allowed her to come again. Garion and Debirion became contemplative. Braham looked like a death god. It was due to the domineering nature found in Braham’s vague divinity. It was understandable that he was mistaken for a death god. The mix of magic and divinity, filled with the confidence to kill and eliminate anything, came as a shock to Grid as well. Braham was aware of the situation. He confirmed Garion’s divinity, which neutralized the magic of the return circle, stared at Garion’s wounds, and drew a magic circle in the air. “Let’s hurry.”

“…Yes…” Grid could feel the presence of the other apostles who started arriving on the scene, but he couldn’t afford to wait for them. Grid nodded gently while Grid and Debirion accepted the magic in an anxious manner. “Your Majesty!” The apostles who arrived at the scene after Braham were Zik and Mercedes. Zik looked around calmly while Mercedes couldn’t hide her anger. “Sluggards.” It was due to the word Braham said with a confident expression when he arrived first by a hair’s breadth. The always sober and bold Zik wasn’t agitated at all, but Mercedes was greatly affected. It wasn’t because her mentality was unusually weak. In the first place, Braham had a knack for making others angry. Now it was a matter related to Grid. The fact that she couldn’t immediately respond to Grid’s call bothered her, so it was hard for her to maintain her composure when Braham provoked her. Zik, who couldn’t be provoked, was the unusual one. ‘This doll-like guy.’ Braham clicked his tongue when he saw Zik’s indifferent expression and teleported. “I-I…!” Mercedes trembled with embarrassment as she was left at the scene. It was a meaningless emotional consumption in the eyes of Zik. He silently tore the return scroll and followed Grid and Braham back to Reinhardt. Gabriel’s armed power was identified based on the traces of the battle. There were some strange things when he compared the Gabriel he saw during the days of the seven malignant saints to the current Gabriel, so he thought he should investigate. “…I am very late.” Just then, Piaro arrived at the scene. It was a great speed considering that he didn’t have any long-distance travel skills, but he felt disappointed. Mercedes purified her heart after seeing his humble self, unlike Braham, and opened her mouth, “His Majesty has returned to the imperial capital first. We should go back as well.’

“Um, wait a moment.” Piaro pulled out a hand plow and rake. He started to tidy up the land where traces of the battle remained. It was a move done out of concern that someone else would judge Grid as insignificant based on these traces. After that, even the two of them left. Some more time passed… “I am first.” Nefelina, who was the last to arrive at the scene, smiled proudly. The daughter of an old dragon, she possessed tremendous potential, but she was only a hatchling right now. Sariel was fully aware of all the barriers created along with the descent, while Nefelina couldn’t interpret some of the functions of the barriers. She shamefully wandered through the maze in a lost manner for a while. Nevertheless, she was the first to arrive at the scene. It was because the scene was neatly organized by Braham and Piaro. In a place where no traces of Sariel’s divinity or a battle could be found, Nefelina admired her own greatness. Grid and Sariel—Nefelina had no choice but to admire it when she was the first to arrive at the scene when even the parties involved hadn’t arrived yet. ‘…How can this be?’ Nefelina belatedly realized that things were wrong and blushed in embarrassment. Could it be that her father’s madness affected her? So maybe she became stupid for a moment, a moment, a very brief moment. She was ashamed enough to ask such a question for a moment. *** Angels were different from gods. The divinity they built him was more reminiscent of the divinity of a human priest. It was gained by believing in and serving a god. In other words, it meant they couldn’t achieve divinity on their own. It was also the cause of being unable to gain the protection of immortality. There was no problem. Angels, like great demons, continued their endless lives through the reincarnation of the soul. Moreover, unlike the great demons, they had hundreds of thousands of bodies to change into. The moment they lost their body, they were reborn in another body.

“How long has it been since you’ve changed bodies? Isn’t it the first time since you were born?” Raphael greeted Gabriel, who was walking out of the temple in a neat manner. The action of poking Gabriel’s tender skin was full of playfulness. It was a completely different reaction from when Zeratul was defeated. Raphael didn’t seem to care that Gabriel’s status had been damaged. It was because an angel’s status was quickly restored. In the first place, Gabriel’s status didn’t drop much. Angels were servants of the gods. It wasn’t a big flaw for an angel to be defeated by a god. It was the law of the rule that would be applied regardless of the rise or fall of armed might. Moreover, the weaker Gabriel became, the freer Raphael would be. To be honest, Raphael was delighted. They could act as they pleased for the time being. “How was the Overgeared God? Didn’t I say that he is a very detestable guy?” “Let’s see… he is very good compared to you.” “Huh? Ahaha, why do you always say such harsh things to me?” Gabriel didn’t respond to Raphael, who was speaking with a smile. Hatred, killing intent–every time she faced Raphael, she felt a constant stream of emotions that an angel shouldn’t have. This was even though she used to believe she had lost her emotions. She had noticed it. This was why Raphael entrusted this task to her. Raphael was wary of the Overgeared God and wanted to gauge his power. Gabriel was thoroughly exploited. Even so, there were no regrets. If Raphael had been involved in this matter, Garion might’ve suffered much greater humiliation than she had ever suffered. Raphael would’ve uttered insulting remarks nonstop, making all her efforts to strengthen the earth in this life and her previous lies futile. This had been the case once in the past. Since then, Gabriel had been in charge of Garion. ‘This time around, I wasn’t much different.’ The fact that Garion betrayed the goddess was disgusting. It didn’t connect to the emotion of anger, but it was hard to say anything nice.

“You—don’t go too wild just because you are excited.” “Of course not. I might be scolded by the goddess later, so I have to maintain the minimum of goodness.” “Before that, you might be upset by the Overgeared God.” “Huh? Ahahat, you didn’t do your job properly and have only learned how to joke.” Raphael blinked and drew a heart with divinity. It conveyed Raphael’s heart to Gabriel. ‘Should I kill them?’ The emotions she thought had been worn down and disappeared from the beginning were stimulated and wriggling again today. Gabriel stared at Raphael with a cold look in her eyes before turning around. She was going to stop by the temple of the goddess and confess her sin of not punishing the traitor. Then she would pray. *** “Come this way.” Sariel’s position was very different from normal angels. A fallen angel—she was exiled from heaven and lost most of her authority. For her, this body was the only one and death was the end. Additionally, the demonic energy accumulated in the Abyss was inherent in her and she didn’t know when it would run rampant. Therefore, she was the only apostle who waited in Reinhardt. Surprisingly, she predicted Garion’s condition and made all the preparations. She brought as many believers as possible to Garion’s temple to sing hymns and pray for her. The authority of the apostles of the Overgeared God was absolute and Sariel was popular among the apostles because she was famous for being beautiful and kind. Garion was also a recognized god, so the crowd gathered like a swarm of clouds. Their fervent prayers and hymns became divine power for Garion and Garion seemed to be quickly recovering from her wounds. Garion would’ve recovered immediately if there hadn’t been a problem along the way.

“By the way, who is that…?” Garion was represented as an old man supporting the earth with a wide back and muscular arms in the stone statues and frescoes of the temple. However, the god who actually appeared was in the image of a young and beautiful woman. The people were confused and the hymns started to fall apart. The divine power that was originally being poured toward Garion dispersed in vain without finding the target. “So what did I tell you?” “………” Grid couldn’t say anything to Lauel, who scolded him. In any case, on this night, Garion regained her strength and her health.

‘Indeed, there are limits to my current state.’ Watch the strength and weaknesses of the enemy before taking action. Even if the sword was drawn late, he would strike the opponent first and deny the rule of ‘must win’ for the opponent. It was an easy trick against those who weren’t skilled. If it was an opponent he could overwhelm with physical power and control, then it was easy even if he watched and responded late. However, it was difficult to use for an opponent who was equal. It had to be supported by not only control and the body, but also insight and light. The difficulty was high. So far, Kraugel was the only player who had shown a late start against Grid. Kraugel had only shown it a couple of times, which was the limit. To be honest, Grid had only recently learned the concept of a late start. Over the past few months, he had been collecting and analyzing the PvP footage of players. It was a concept he realized in the process of playing Kraugel’s highlight videos over and over again, as if it was a habit, before he realized there was something strange. Then he concentrated and dug into it. A technique that couldn’t be defined even if he experienced it himself in the past. Grid was fascinated the moment he understood the trick that he had dismissed as merely a miracle caused by superior control. He had a desire to master it perfectly and use it freely. Today, Grid’s aspirations grew even stronger. Gabriel stoked the fire. She dodged the first blow of the six fusion sword dance that was used in a fully buffed state. It was a reaction rate that was clearly superior to Grid’s. Grid checked his status window. [Name: Grid Level: 719 Class: Overgeared God

Species: God Title: Dragon Knight and many more ★Strength: 8,900 ★Stamina: 7,500 ★Agility: 7,500 ★Intelligence: 9,250 ……… …] The beautiful arrangement of numbers was eye-catching. Grid had been growing steadily ever since becoming a god. He earned a lot of stat points during the growth process and he distributed points in response to the stats that rose partially when obtaining items or titles. It meant he didn’t miss the ‘golden ratio,’ which had different ratios for each level section. Grid’s status window was simply perfect. The level was abnormally high? It was nonsense. Grid had justifiably leveled up. He fought enemies that were hard to handle every time. After becoming a god for a while, he defeated various enemies. Additionally, he steadily made myth rated items. Grid was proud of his level. The 19 levels gained today from defeating Gabriel felt rather small. ‘In fact, the amount of experience received was more than what I got when I defeated Zeratul.’ It was the aftermath of the amount of experience required to level up rising after reaching level 700. The experience required, which hadn’t changed much after level 400, grew dramatically. He was on the verge of recalling the hell section he had experienced in the 300s and Grid had a vague idea about the reason. ‘It is the last safeguard.’ During the time when Grid was in his late 300s, the average level of the named NPCs was in the 500s. At that time, Grid would’ve surely passed the level of the named NPCs if the hell section hadn’t appeared.

‘It is right to say that the average level of the super named NPCs right now is around 900.’ It was a line that wasn’t allowed even for Grid, who became a god. Even the authority of a Pioneer was lacking. This line seemed to mean that the level of the opponent that Grid had to confront wasn’t narrowed down. Grid didn’t care. He had titles and status that nullified the concept of levels as well as Chiyou’s blessing. Right now, there was a separate part that was striking his nerves. [★ Strength and speed and easily reach the maximum.] Grid crossed the limit every time his status rose. He broke the upper limit allowed for players again and again. As a result, the above phrase had always appeared at the bottom of Grid’s status window from a certain point. Just as it had become natural to exert the maximum grip force after equipping Ifrit’s Arm, Grid could easily reach the maximum strength and speed in any situation. A typical example was the usage of the six fusion sword dance. Grid’s attack speed reached the maximum from the moment Gujel’s Dao was drawn. It was incredibly fast. Even so, Gabriel avoided it. ‘Speaking of beings who are stronger than the version of Gabriel on the surface… ’ There were the heavenly gods, Raphael, Baal and Amoract in hell, the gods of the Hwan Kingdom… There were at least more than 20 when estimating it. The senses and physical abilities of those specialized in combat among them would usually exceed the level of Gabriel seen today. It meant they were superior to Grid. There was nothing to be upset about. Just look at any online game. There were few cases where the boss was weaker than the player. However, Grid had always been greedy. He wanted himself to be stronger than the enemy. The efforts made in the past, the help of the people around him, the good fortune that followed, etc. He kept all this in mind and thought it was natural to be stronger. It was why he was obsessed with a late start. He was convinced that a late start was one of the means to overcome the upper limit that the system had recreated.

‘Another means… ’ It was naturally the strengthening of his items. Grid decided that the upgrade of the God Hands was urgent. Originally, the greatest strength of the God Hands was forcing the enemy to choose between them. A very simple example was Grid and a God Hand attacking the enemy at the same time. The enemy had to block one of them, maximizing the value of the God Hand. It was just that the God Hands weren’t very effective against recent enemies. The problem was that the speed of the God Hands was too slow. Even in the fight against Gabriel today, the attack of the God Hands only hit once. Gabriel’s spear, which was taken away, couldn’t be utilized as he wished. ‘It is a problem that Braham has to solve.’ Gravurnium—when would Greed evolve? It was when Grid was thinking about these things… “The god of the earth has completed her restoration. Should I bring her here?” “No, I will go by myself.” *** People were busy. The work of recreating Garion’s stone statues and repainting the murals was in full swing. Their faces were all bright. Not a single person was dissatisfied with the sudden increase in work. They were happy and it wasn’t just at the level of being happy to work for a great god. ‘This is why appearance matters.’ There was a saying that the best probability was appearance. Why was reason so easily twisted by the protagonist of a novel? It was because the protagonist was pretty or handsome. In any case, Garion, who they thought was a middle-aged man, was actually a young woman. Large pupils and drooping eyes. Combined with the bountiful body, she gave off a gentle and cozy appearance. She was like a mother or big sister. There was a certain

mysterious charm that made people naturally rely on her. "Maman…” (French for mother) It felt like it was the scene of separated families reuniting. Some players were treating Garion as a parent. Grid heard ‘maman,’ ‘maman’ as he passed the painter players painting the mural and once again realized. ‘There are so many players from France.’ As expected of a country that produced high rankers like Bondre. It happened when he was thinking nonsensical thoughts… "Welcome." Grid reached his destination, but the door opened on its own before he could knock. Beyond the door stood Garion. She felt Grid’s presence and came directly to meet him. She was well-groomed and had very polite manners. “Why are you talking formally all of a sudden…?” “I have received your life-saving grace and must serve you with the utmost sincerity.” Garion didn’t have much time to think when she met Grid during the crisis. It was a habit to omit honorifics when exchanging written conversation. Now that she was saved and received treatment, she came to her senses and changed her attitude. ‘It is burdensome.’ Grid respected Garion. Garion was one of the old gods and was much older than Grid. She was at least thousands of years older. Additionally, many people started to call her ‘mother.’ She was expected to become the godmother of everyone sooner or later, so it was burdensome that such an existence would serve him. He was afraid that the number of anti-fans would increase like in the Noe incident. Even so, he didn’t point out that she needed to change her attitude. It was because he thought it wasn’t polite. Grid respected Garion. He wanted her to do whatever she wanted to do. “Besides, you are also my chief god,” Garion read Grid’s complicated facial expression

and added an explanation. Currently, her divine power used Grid’s divine power as the source. Therefore, Grid became a god served by gods and was called a ‘chief god.’ A chief god—Grid thought about the weight of these words and asked with anticipation, “Is there room for my divinity to rise significantly?” “Yes, the more gods who serve you, the greater a chief god you will become,” Garion answered with a kind smile before blinking and looking back. Then the awkward Debirion cautiously approached Grid. “That… can you also build my temple here?” It was a very cautious tone, but there was no hesitation in it. There was a certain conviction. “In fact, I wasn’t sure exactly what it meant to become a god. I just became a god without knowing anything. I once resented my situation.” It was a time when the pursuit of the myth usurpers was in full swing. Why do I have to go through such trials? I won’t grow old or die. Maybe I, a human who became something other than human, am simply a poor monster? Debirion had such doubts and skepticism. It was a type of puberty symptom experienced by most people in their early years. But today— He saw the other gods and the responsibility and pride they carried. He had a desire to be like them. He wanted to be together with them. Griid read Debirion’s inner thoughts and held Debirion’s hands with all his might. “I’m glad.” A world message appeared. [Overgeared God Grid is writing the 19th epic.]

[It comes from a small divine world that was just born.] ‘Divine world…?’ [He was revered by two gods.] [Garion, the god of the earth, worshiped his great power that overshadowed the years. She was fascinated by the achievements he had accumulated.] [Debirion, the god of hunting, worshiped his noble sense of responsibility. Debirion hoped to watch and learn from the achievements he would build up in the future.] “May we be of help to you.” [The desire of two gods to be with him became a ritual.] [A holy divinity has arrived in the world.] [The cornerstone of the wall has been laid and will lead to the jealousy and envy of others.] ……… … [Your deity stat has risen by 10 as a reward for completing the epic.] [The level of Sanctuary of Metal has risen due to the increase in deity.] [You are now the ‘master of one world.’] [The size of the world is proportional to the size of Reinhardt’s temples.] [The more gods you recruit, the more the world’s size and influence will expand and more functions will be added.] [Choose the name of the newly born divine world.] This was unbelievable! Grid’s body trembled. He was thrilled by the completely unexpected situation. The birth of a divine world following Asgard and the Hwan

Kingdom. Additionally, the master of this world was Grid himself. He felt a different type of emotion compared to when he founded a kingdom. "What is the name of our world?” Our world. It was really nice to hear. Garion asked with a benevolent smile and Grid responded to her. “…It is Overgeared World.” The trembling voice represented Grid’s emotions. His feelings were passed to Garion and Debirion as well and the three gods smiled sweetly.

[Overgeared God ‘Grid’ has built a new divine world on the surface.] The world message that emerged at dawn turned the world upside down. A divine world—people immediately understood it as a concept of a dimension like Asgard. The 19th epic of Grid’s that emerged earlier helped them understand. Garion and Debirion—the two great gods asked to serve Grid and this led to the arrival of a holy divinity on the surface? It was said to be the cornerstone of the wall that would lead to the jealousy and envy of others. Shortly thereafter, there was a message that Grid had built a divine world. “Messiah…” Lauel’s heart thumped. Surprise, joy, and excitement—all types of intense emotions whirled in his heart. A world where the gods resided. He didn’t expect that a new divine world, following Asgard and the Hwan Kingdom, would be born on the surface and it was even at the hands of Grid. He couldn’t have imagined it, let alone anticipated it. The rationale was too poor to assume it would be within the range allowed by players. From Lauel’s point of view, it was an event that occurred with no foreshadowing. ‘…Maybe His Majesty himself didn’t expect it.’ The S.A Group had always been unkind. Lauel suddenly recalled the past. The day when the first ‘lord’ was born among the players. The world had been turned upside down and Lauel was astonished. It was because the information provided in advance by the S.A Group didn’t mention a system in which players could become nobles and lords. There was a really big wave when the news spread to the world one day that Chris, who suddenly became a noble, had become the master of a city a short time later. People ran wild with excitement like a monkey in a new world.

Until this time, the NPC nobles had rightfully ruled over players and were arrogant. Many people had hopes and dreams that they could rise to an equal position and gain power and wealth. There were only a few players who became nobles and lords, but… in any case, there was such a time. It was the era of nobility, when every player had the goal of becoming a noble. It was the era that Chris opened. Chris was the first to pioneer a system that was now common sense. It wasn’t until a few years later that Grid ushered in the era of kings. Now at this moment, he opened the era of gods. It was literally a divine world. An era he could’ve never imagined even after going through the era of nobles and the era of kings… The scale was different. “Indeed… he is the one I chose.” The black flame dragon flashed over Lauel’s hand as he smiled and covered half his face. The flames mixed with the black energy were stronger today as if to represent his emotions. The divine world on the surface—the place that would henceforth be humanity’s greatest bastion held a significance so great that it diluted the anxiety Lauel had buried deep in his heart. ‘A third divine world after Asgard and the Hwan Kingdom… ’ What type of cool name would it have? Lauel’s thoughts were naturally connected. He naturally wondered about the name without even being aware of it. At the same time, a chill went down his spine. “…Don’t tell me?” Ehhh? No? He tried to believe it, but— [The name of the divine world is ‘Overgeared World.’] Reality was harsh. The smile disappeared from Lauel’s face. His skin turned so white that it looked blue. The Overgeared Guild—Lauel resented Grid when he first heard the name. The name

of the guild he would belong to for the rest of his life was called Overgeared? Lauel suffered from nightmares for half a year. It was a nightmare where he was surrounded by many people and was being pointed at. ‘He said it is the Overgeared Guild.’ ‘Is this real? How did the guild get the name Overgeared?’ ‘Overgeared members, keke.’ In the nightmare, the masked people laughed at Lauel like he was insignificant. Lauel was always ashamed and sad because their attitude seemed to represent the public’s inner thoughts. Lauel’s nightmare ended only when Grid and the Overgeared Guild’s fame rose and the world adapted to the name of Overgeared. However, the peace was short-lived. Soon afterward, Grid created a second guild that was the Overgeared workforce. From then on, Lauel had to suffer from nightmares again. He almost fainted with open eyes when Grid designated the kingdom’s name as Overgeared. Overgeared Kingdom… Surprisingly, the public quickly adapted to the name, but Lauel’s nightmare continued for two years. He felt like a chicken.He got goosebumps every time people called him the ‘Overgeared Prime Minister.’ Yet he even adapted to that. Lauel was proud of himself. Thanks to Grid’s naming sense, he was confident that his mentality was harder than a rock and that he could withstand any trials and adversities in the future. However, that firm faith had soon been broken. “Overgeared World…?” Cock-a-doodle-doo… At the same time, dawn broke and roosters cried out. Lauel resented himself for studying Korean so hard. In his head, English was naturally translated to Korean and he had the idea that the tone of Overgeared World resembled Black-skinned Chicken World. Tears flowed down like chicken poop.

*** [Overgeared World Lv. 1] [Rating: Myth Type: Dimension It is a dimension that descended from the divinity of the god of the earth, the god of hunting, and the Overgeared God. ★Dimension effect (based on current level) -The size of the Overgeared World is proportional to the size of the temples of the Overgeared God, the god of the earth, and the god of hunting in Reinhardt. -The cooldown time of all skills is removed for the Overgeared God, the god of the earth, and the god of hunting within the Overgeared World. -If a target that isn’t allowed by the Overgeared God enters the Overgeared World, their status will be greatly weakened and all stats will be reduced by 50%. -If a target allowed by the Overgeared God enters the Overgeared World, their status will be preserved and all stats are increased by 30%. -Part of this effect is applied throughout the ‘Reinhardt’ area where the Overgeared World is located. -You can appoint ‘angels.’ However, the attributes of the angels are greatly influenced by the chief god. In order to appoint angels of the Overgeared World, the target must be armed with at least three myth rated items and the target must be absolutely loyal to the Overgeared God. Number of angels currently available to be appointed: 10. ★Every time a new god is recruited, the level of the Overgeared World will rise. ★Every time the level of the dimension rises, the dimension effect is enhanced or added.]

‘This is crazy… ’ The envy and jealousy of others. It was an allusion to the invasion of gods and demons. It meant that the Overgeared World would act as a wall to guard against the enemy’s invasion. Grid had expected it to be a huge influence, but he never dreamed it would be this much. Wasn’t this truly a heavenly fortress? He could feel reassured. In the future, Reinhardt was unlikely to be the target of an invasion. Even Zeratul, who enjoyed pretending to be strong, would never come near Reinhardt again. Additionally, if the level of the divine world was steadily raised then the entire surface would be safe one day. Garion explained to Grid, who was feeling amazed and rejoicing, “It is theoretically possible for chief gods to become independent and create a new world. It is easy if you reference the sample called Asgard, made by the gods of the beginning. It is just that the chief gods who have existed so far don't dare to create a separate divine world because they regard the god of the beginning as a mother.” Asgard was created by Rebecca, a god of the beginning, while the Hwan Kingdom was made by Hanul, another god of the beginning. Except for these two places, the divine world created by the Overgeared World God was the first. “You have crossed the last line. By now, the heavenly gods must be very angry. There will probably be many gods who will use today’s event as a pretext to invade the surface.” Garion was discussing a despairing matter, but her eyes didn’t waver at all. She wasn’t blaming Grid. “Still, I dare to assure you that the result wouldn’t have changed even if you hadn’t made the Overgeared World. The gods would’ve made up an excuse to someday invade the surface. So… well done.” "I also have the same idea." Grid nodded. Angels and gods had already threatened the surface several times. It was a shame to lower his head just because he was afraid. It was right to provoke them or gain the strength to fight back. It was the same logic that nuclear weapons were needed for a nation’s self-defense. Grid, a citizen of the Republic of Korea, had completed his national defense duties. He understood the importance of national defense. He would’ve created the

Overgeared World for the sake of the future, even if he had known in advance that the birth of the Overgeared World would lead to a new crisis… “………” Grid’s expression suddenly hardened. Asgard—it was because he realized the fatal penalty he would suffer if he went there in the position of an invader. Just the level one Overgeared World was enough to drastically reduce the invaders’ stats and status. Therefore, he didn’t know how much of a penalty would occur in Asgard. Then he quickly calmed down again. When was there a situation that wasn’t hopeless? As always, he would find the answer. [★ You can create a new six fusion sword dance.] Grid came up with the first answer. It was the notification window blinking in the detailed information of Overgeared God's Sword Dance. It was the effect of the 10 points of deity he had just obtained. Grid focused on the late start. *** “Your help would’ve been great." King Sobyeol—he was always smiling. He smiled even when pushing his older brother to hell. Therefore, Chiyou didn’t like his smile. Jingle. Chiyou didn’t open his mouth, but his bells made a sound. Light bells swayed in the cool breeze. It was the symbol of absolute force, the symbol of arrogance, and the hope of the one who desired death. The bells were a tool that made Chiyou’s location identifiable. Anyone who wanted to challenge Chiyou could chase after these bells and raid him at any time. This was Chiyou’s desire for death. Yet so far, no one had ever dared to challenge Chiyou. It had long been engraved into the world as common sense that they would

face the backlash of extinction the moment they challenged him. “A divine world has come to the surface. Isn’t it all thanks to your help that the Overgeared God has survived without ever dying and created a divine world?” Even those who were blinded by light would’ve noticed it by now. Ultimate Martial Art—the fact that Chiyou’s blessing resided in the Overgeared God. Perhaps all the resentment was pouring toward Chiyou? It was because Chiyou was behind the Overgeared God insulting the gods of the beginning and creating a divine world. “It is the most novel suicide method I have ever seen.” Chiyou was using the Overgeared God to kill himself. The ones blinded by light would soon send an army of angels toward this place and a new war would begin. This… it was a huge opportunity. The power on this side was still far inferior to Asgard. If he invaded from the other side, they could fight from an advantageous position. There were few concepts as important to the gods as the divine world. Chiyou saw the gradually darkening smile on King Sobyeol’s face and opened his mouth, “I have never helped the Overgeared God.” The ultimate technique was different for each individual. The Ultimate Martial Art that Chiyou gave to Grid wasn’t Chiyou’s ultimate, but the ultimate that Grid would one day surely reach. It was the ultimate in ignoring and subduing the opponent’s blows. It was purely Grid’s potential that would threaten Chiyou. “What nonsense is this…?” King Sobyeol understood the meaning and frowned. He reacted like it was absurd, but the bells that rang violently from the wind that just blew seemed to laugh at him.

‘Is it right to use Revolve as the first sword dance?’ The second six fusion sword dance—Grid’s concerns deepened ahead of the creation of a new sword dance. The late start where he watched the strength and weaknesses of the enemy before taking action. The trick was to hit the opponent first even if he drew the sword late. It was a skill that Grid had to acquire. It was because the level of his enemies was higher than Grid’s level. Grid realized it based on the information of Overgeared World. What a great penalty the angels and gods he had fought so far had to bear. Nevertheless, they were still strong. In particular, Zeratul’s rank was superior in terms of speed. Replaying the battle with Zeratul revealed the seriousness of the situation. What if Zeratul’s divinity hadn’t been downgraded to a level that was equal to Grid’s divinity when he descended to the surface? The coincidence of Grid and Zeratul’s divinity being equal wouldn’t have happened. There was a high probability that Grid would’ve been cut with a single strike without being aware of the time of the martial god. He would’ve read the strike with his artificial senses only after he was cut. ‘Of course, I would’ve thought it was a reaction.’ Zeratul’s sword was fast enough to raise such suspicions. However, Grid was already near complete. It was both in terms of level and items. He had few means left to become stronger. His body was already at the limit. It was dry as if he had squeezed out the last remaining drop of potential. The upper limit of speed currently holding him back proved it. The upper limit was so low that it couldn’t be compared to his enemies. This was the limit of a player. ‘Dammit.’ He couldn’t help cursing. He had crossed the limits again and again and it was still lacking? Wasn’t this too harsh for players? How much more did he have to try? “Sigh…”

Just before his resentment turned into anger, Grid took deep breaths and controlled his mind. There was nothing good about losing his composure and clouding his judgment. He would make mistakes he didn’t normally make. ‘There is no need to worry. I still have many means to be strong.’ Right now, there were ways to create a new fusion sword dance by raising his deity. He could also grow the Overgeared World to expand the area in which he was advantageous or he could raise his status. The problem was that they boasted an atrocious level of difficulty, but… it was a problem that could be overcome with experience and effort. Additionally, he could continue to develop his items. It was hard to say if anything better than the dragon weapons could exist, but Grid believed in himself. Wasn’t he the Overgeared God?Based on the legendary skill Item Creation, he gained the undeserved reputation of the creation god. Items better than the dragon weapons? It was enough to make them. Gravurnium would help. …Probably. ‘Everything will be fine. I’ve kept the rest of the ancient scrolls so far.’ Grid had no doubts and first focused on the situation in front of him. Was it possible to use the late start with the six fusion sword dance? In order to find the answer to this, he had to turn away from Revolve. The late start had a different concept from a counterattack. A counterattack was to respond to an enemy’s attack. He sought to subdue the enemy’s attack, so he had no choice but to be entangled in the enemy’s attack. On the other hand, a late start was close to the feeling of using the overall flow. It was freer and more effective. It was no use asking what type of nonsense this was. It was a concept that Grid had only recently learned about, so it was hard to establish it properly. ‘In any case, this is right. Just as cheese and cheesecake resembled each other but were completely different, the late start and counterattack were different. Grid was reminded of the cheesecake he ate yesterday. He had returned home from a date with Yura and found his parents and Jishuka there. The taste of the cheesecake that Jishuka bought was amazing. It was said that she bought it from a cheesecake

store with 200 years of tradition in New York who commemorated its opening in South Korea and boasted a much deeper flavor compared to the cheesecakes he had eaten so far. It tasted like it would make him fat, so it seemed like it would be hard to eat it often, but anyway… it tasted so good that it suddenly came to mind. ‘It might’ve been even more delicious because I ate it with Jishuka.’ It was just like the meal he ate with Yura tasted a lot better than the meal he ate alone. “Overgeared God?” He was awakened from his thoughts by a sweet voice. Garion and Debirion were looking at him with worried faces. As expected, the level of the gods was high. They seemed to have noticed that Grid’s mind started wandering to miscellaneous thoughts. “Um… I have many problems to think about.” “I understand. You are bearing Asgard’s grudge while keeping hell in check, so there will be no moment of relaxation.” They were worried. They noticed that Grid’s consciousness, which had been contemplating a new realm, suddenly changed its course and were afraid he was having a nightmare with open eyes. Overgeared God Grid—it was the moment when they felt the responsibility born by the guardian god who protected the isolated surface alone… The two gods, who were looking sadly at Grid, exchanged glances and spoke. “We will go out for a while and look around the city.” “I hope you work hard in your contemplation…” The more a god was worshiped, the stronger they became. Garion and Debirion might serve Grid, but they couldn’t rely on Grid alone. “Why are you naked?”

“You’ll know in a moment. Debirion, you should also take off that smelly leather and put on this silk.” “………” It was after the two gods left in order to stand in front of the people. The temple was quiet, but Grid wasn’t alone. Noe, Randy, and the Overgeared Skeletons were gathered in a corner and watching Grid. The Overgeared Skeletons and Randy didn’t even breathe while Noe stuck out his belly and licked his fur. Noe knew—no matter what he did, there was nothing that would interfere with his master’s concentration. Their master wasn’t an ordinary person (?). In fact, Grid was raising his concentration. He thought of Kraugel during the National Competition. There were moments when Kraugel neutralized the attacks of Grid, who was far stronger than him. Reading and blocking the sword? It was simply a defense. Predicting the trajectory of the sword and twisting it one step ahead? That was pure insight. Reacting to the stab of the God Hands? That was phenomenal senses. It was a high level technique to draw a sword with overwhelming power and halve its power while bringing back the sword at a speed that was hard to discern to consume the counterattack. Grid recalled another scene. It was a scene he saw from his own point of view. It was the moment he subdued Kraugel with pure force and items, and inflicted a blow. He realized that his vision had become uncomfortable. The debris of the shattered stones bothered him again and a high pile of dirt obscured his vision on one side. At the same time, Kraugel’s face suddenly came closer. It was close enough to hear the sound of breathing. Kraugel’s movements were still uncomfortable but even so, the situation unfolded in Kraugel’s favor. It felt like the whole world was disturbed. Kraugel’s kick, which rose while sweeping the ground, was probably slower than Grid’s sword. Just the mere fact that he caused dirt and kicked something unexpected saved Kraugel from the crisis. It even provided the basis for a counterattack. It was the result of a combination of great agility, insight, senses, skill, and luck. Thinking about it now, the person who was most surprised at the time must’ve been Kraugel himself. He probably hadn’t expected that jajinmori, which was used as a means to escape from the crisis, would sweep the ground messed up by the battle

and created dust which kicked the rocks hidden in the dust at the same time. At that time, Kraugel’s situation had been too urgent. Therefore, it wasn’t in the realm of calculation. It was correct to interpret it as a desperate behavior linked to good luck. Grid only recently learned this fact and had the desire to use the situation itself freely. He wasn’t just talking about raising dust and kicking rocks. It was to dominate the flow of battle, thus rendering the advantage of the first attack useless. Neutralizing the attack of an enemy that he might’ve realized too late. What Grid wanted was all the actions that deliberately created situations like this. Let’s take a simple example… “Number one.” Grid raised his willpower and the God Hands responded. It recreated Grid’s movements and swung the Enlightenment Sword. Grid acted under the assumption that he perceived the attack late. He drew his sword only when the Enlightenment Sword got closer. The trajectory of the sword, drawn from the inventory, struck the side of the Enlightenment Sword. The Enlightenment Sword couldn’t reach Grid and was deflected. On the other hand, the sword drawn by Grid moved along the first trajectory and struck the God Hand. The trajectory of the sword, belatedly drawn by Grid, was the result of creating a ‘situation.’ “So it is like this… it is different from a counterattack. Do you understand?” “…Yes.” [Yes…] Randy and the Overgeared Skeletons nodded from where they were standing in a corner of the temple. There were no signs of sympathy at all. Noe waved his stumpy paws. “We understand, so stop explaining, nyang.” "Noe, do you think that I’m explaining for nothing?”

“Nyang? I just think that Master’s attitude of explaining it alone when no one is saying anything is lame.” “What? This… it isn’t a lame explanation. It is out of consideration that I want to educate you well while I am studying. Noe, you stayed in the tower and took the classes of the tower members, right? You just have to understand it in the same context as that.” “It seems to me that Master is trying to convince himself…” Noe’s words were interrupted halfway. His summoning was reversed. Now Grid could properly focus. The satisfied Grid recalled the Restraint sword dance. This sword, which restrained the behavior of the target, was less effective on beings who were of equal or higher status. After constant experimentation against Ifrit, Cranbel, Zeratul, and Gabriel, he found that the average effect was only 0.1 seconds. Of course, the 0.1 second of being restricted couldn’t be ignored in a battle where victory or defeat could be decided in an instant. Depending on the situation, it had the potential to have an enormous ripple effect. However, the opportunity cost of using it had to be considered. Grid underestimated Restraint because there were often situations in which attempting to restrain the target for 0.1 seconds wasted more opportunities. In particular, he was reluctant to include Restraint in his fusion sword dance. It was because the expected damage value would drop significantly if Restraint was included in a limited sword dance. Now he changed his mind. He decided it was right to include it in his new six fusion sword dance. It was the only way he could use the late start freely. The reason why the late start was essential was to overpower an enemy who was much faster than him. ‘The value of Restraint will shine the higher the level of the enemy.’ Grid made a decision and started to envision it in earnest. First of all, he considered what order to put Restraint in. It absolutely had to be first. This was the only way it made sense. The next sword dance to be connected to Restraint was… it was better to be something quick. He had to strike fast in order to make significant use of the extremely short CC.

‘Link?’ The motion required was too big. It would be better to use Kill or Pinnacle. ‘It would be most effective to use Dragon.’ Dragon was the only charging skill among the sword dances. A charge was a good cornerstone for most combos. However, there were too many restrictions. It was because Dragon was a soaring charge. It was only when the user was positioned below the target that it showed its proper power. There were ways to suppress the trajectory in conjunction with Drop, but the process forced additional movements. It was too slow to subdue the enemy within the duration of Restraint. ‘What if I mix Shunpo in between Restraint and the next sword dance?’ It was even worse. He couldn’t attack when using Shunpo, so if he used Shunpo immediately afterward, he would waste the 0.1 second duration of Restraint. Moreover, the power to block ‘space movement’ was common in the heavenly world. How many times had he already been caught by it? He had to always keep in mind the possibility of Shunpo being blocked. ‘…Wait. Is it possible to gain momentum by shooting the Breath at the same time as triggering Restraint?’ Grid immediately experimented. He used the Restraint sword dance while shooting the Breath from his hand that extended backwards. Grid quickly shot forward. It was the moment he confirmed that the simultaneous use of Restraint and Breath was possible. However, there were side effects. The balance of his upper body collapsed. It was because the Breath’s repulsion force was so strong. Shooting the Breath with one hand caused his upper body to quickly twist to one side. Grid took advantage of this position. He used Dragon to naturally lift his tilted upper body. “…This works.” Grid was engulfed in great joy as he soared through the roof of the temple.

Grid had doubts about the utility of Restraint. It wasn’t because he didn’t know the importance of CCs. It was because Grid himself was too strong. It was a loss to invest in it from Grid’s perspective, who easily attacked without having to use it and directly condensed a single attack into a lethal blow. However, now that he was fighting enemies of a higher level than himself, he once again realized the preciousness of Restraint. It was up to 0.1 seconds in duration. Even so, the value of Restraint couldn’t be diminished. It was important when fighting against the absolutes. ‘Operate it in such a way that it is used as soon as I read an attack with my artificial senses.’ It was possible to artificially implement the trick of a late start. Even if he responded one step late to the attack of enemies who were faster and stronger than him, he could let the attack flow out and counterattack. “What is going on?” People murmured when they saw Grid breaking through the roof of the temple and soaring. The crowd that gathered after hearing about the birth of the Overgeared World wasn’t just one or two. The temple that collapsed along with the explosion made many people nervous. They were afraid that the enemy might be attacking again. This was how turbulent it was. People thought of an enemy attack even when a small incident occurred. They were overcome with fear and pulled out their weapons in an alert manner. ‘Ah.’ The Overgeared World. A small dimension, that was rooted in Grid’s divinity, resonated with the hearts of people. It resonated with the fear, determination, and faith of those beyond the dimension and caused ripples. It was a ripple that reached Grid.

It was Grid who soared with the force of a dragon in a body that was tilted as if it was about to fall. Following Pinnacle, his sword that was on the verge of cutting down a virtual enemy, embraced an even more powerful sword energy. [The people who have witnessed the birth of the Overgeared World worship you more and more.] [There are many people who recognize the linkage between Overgeared God's Sword Dance, Restraint and Small Breath as a single action.] [Seeing you bend like you are about to fall, people remember the sacrifices they once saw.] It was Grid who reassured people by covering his smashed face with the God Hands and his broken and damaged body with a cloak. It wasn’t a small number of people who noticed the wounds that Grid had hidden that day. Grid’s sacrifice had been talked about since then. The image of the Overgeared God, who barely stood up with a body that wouldn’t be strange if it collapsed right away, was painted on murals all over the world and recorded in the temples. Those who worshiped the Overgeared God always mentioned the events of that day. The sword dance of sacrifice—Grid’s new posture, which was greatly tilted due to the linkage between Restraint and Breath, made people think of this sword dance. The virtual sword dance created by people’s worship and beliefs resonated with the Overgeared World and became a reality. [The new sword dance ‘Serve’ has been acquired.] [Serve Lv. 1] [1] [A sword dance depicting the sacrifice of the Overgeared God. It was created through the people’s worship and faith. It overwhelms the surrounding with a splendid dance, approaches the target, and inflicts damage proportional to Small Breath. No one can approach you at this time.

All nearby enemies are overwhelmed by your power and will fall into fear. The feared target will have their defense reduced and won’t be able to move. Skill Duration: Up to 5 seconds. For targets that resist the relevant abnormal condition, the effect is applied for a minimum of 0.2 seconds and a maximum of 0.3 seconds. Skill Sword Energy Cost: 80 Cooldown Time: 10 minutes. ★This skill doesn’t share a cooldown with Restraint and Small Breath. ★This skill is only activated when wearing Ifrit’s Arms.] The more a god was worshiped, the stronger they became. It was the moment when this powerful law was applied to Grid. Grid trembled. The responsibility that the strong should bear—it was a responsibility that he took for granted without any resentment. He never hoped for anything in return, but he was happy when he received it. He was thankful to the people. The sword of Pinnacle that cut at the enemy was divided into several branches. The virtual enemy was torn to shreds. It was a wave that contained the power of Pinnacle. It also had the trick of slowing down the target. Restraint. No, it was Serve. Grid inflicted dozens of attacks on the weakened virtual enemy who was unable to escape the influence of Serve. [The new fusion sword dance Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link has been created.] [Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link] [Six sword dances have been sublimated into a single field. The terrifying soaring momentum of the fanatical crazy dragon imposes a heavenly punishment on the enemy. It overwhelms all nearby enemies and approaches the target immediately.

Causes the target to enter a fear state for a minimum of 0.1 seconds to a maximum of 5 seconds, causing magic damage proportional to a weak breath and 3,000% physical damage. The target will float in the air, unable to act and have their weaknesses exposed, taking five rounds of damage equal to 2,200% of physical attack power that ignores defense. Additionally, the target will fall into a state of absent-mindedness and slow down, taking 6,000% physical attack power up to 30 times. Every time the target is hit, they will be disarmed, bleed, and fall into despair. Skill Usage Conditions: Equipped with a sword type weapon and Ifrit’s Arms. Skill Resource Consumption: Half of the maximum sword energy. 20,000 mana. Skill Cooldown Time: 6 hours.] It was weak compared to Drop Dragon Pinnacle Linked Kill Wave, but instead it had a powerful correction effect. It was safe to say there was no chance that the sword dance’s first blow would miss. Grid was satisfied enough and someone in the east also praised him. [An unknown person is praising you for your new martial prestige.] [A strong blessing resides in Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link.] Jingle. There was the sound of bells that still felt lonely and the new six fusion sword dance completely evolved. Ultimate Martial Art also resided in Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link. It was Chiyou’s blessing. ‘How are you?’ Even from afar, Chiyou was always watching and sending him favors. Grid had emotions toward him, the true martial god and only one god. He suddenly wanted to see Chiyou, but he couldn’t go anytime soon. It was because Chiyou dreamed of

extinction. The reason he favored Grid was because he wanted to be killed. If they met, his heart would only become heavy. ‘In the first place, we can’t easily meet.’ Chiyou stayed in the Hwan Kingdom. It was a place that Grid couldn’t walk in and out of. “………” Grid’s gaze shifted to the ground. He could see the dumbfounded people. They were amazed by the sword dance they were seeing for the first time. They instinctively realized that Grid had become stronger, but no one felt offended or jealous. Just as Grid wanted others to be stronger, the people wanted Grid to be stronger. He was fully aware that it was a community of destiny. There was a saying that even if one betrayed the Overgeared Empire, they didn’t betray Grid. Even the traitors who were removed by the inspectors left behind wills that stated they truly respected the Overgeared God. ‘I’m glad.’ Grid faced countless people and smiled. The thing that pleased him was the trust of the people rather than obtaining a new sword dance. He thought about it for a moment before bringing up the information of the Overgeared World. [-If a target allowed by the Overgeared God enters the Overgeared World, their status will be preserved and all stats are increased by 30%.] Only targets permitted by Grid could freely move in and out of the Overgeared World. Grid had first planned to limit it to the Overgeared Guild or citizens of the Overgeared Empire. He observed the trends and thought it was right to gradually expand the range. Now he changed his mind. [Specify the target or group that will be allowed to enter the Overgeared World.] “Humanity.” The Overgeared World established a divine world on the surface. The beings living on the surface shouldn’t be rejected. Initially, the Overgeared World also meant the

temples of Grid, Garion, and Debirion. The more people came and went, the more the gods of the Overgeared World were worshiped. Therefore, Grid made a choice without hesitation. Garion and Debirion, who were watching from afar, smiled happily. *** “This is a bit… isn’t it absurd?” It was when the 2nd ranked archangel Gabriel returned without punishing the traitor, Garion. Raphael thought this was better. It was a chance to shake off the annoying Gabriel. In the first place, Raphael could kill Garion any time they stepped out. That was until a little while ago. “That… is it really a divine world?” “There is no way. Of course, it is a fake.” “How does that look like a fake?” The baby angels floating around Raphael made a fuss. It was annoying. As the divinity that rose from the ground became clearer and the warmth approached, Raphael’s heart grew colder. It was an emotion they felt for the first time since their birth. It was none other than anger. Raphael understood. They hadn’t been truly angry even when the seven malignant saints rebelled or when Hanul and his son betrayed the goddess. It was because real anger made their head and heart cold. “…Can you shut your mouth?” Raphael ordered in a cold voice. Their glare toward the baby angels was terrifying. It was so that there was a suspicion that Raphael’s usually soft eyes were acting. The loud baby angels closed their mouths and avoided the gaze. Raphael barely suppressed their killing intent and clicked their tongue. ‘He established a new divine world on the surface?’ Raphael never imagined such a development. It was because they never dreamed this was possible. They felt that the Grid in the distance was beyond reach. It had no

choice but to be so. From the moment that the Overgeared World was established, Grid regained his sovereignty. The angels and gods who freely invaded the surface at any time were now restrained from crossing to the surface. Now the goddess had disappeared and Gabriel had lost her status. Raphael missed the opportunity to enjoy the ‘freedom’ that would probably never come twice and frowned. Something was firmly wrong in this world. The overall flow seemed to imply some danger… ‘Will Asgard be in crisis one day…?’ Raphael was engulfed in vague anxiety and quickly shook their head. They thought of Baal in hell. The Overgeared God couldn’t surpass the heavens as long as Baal was strong. Baal was powerful. A being who had innate strength and status like Raphael, but unlike Raphael, he liked an unrestrained life. The one who betrayed his father and built up strength through all means would be a wall that the Overgeared God would never be able to surpass. Raphael had no doubt about this and turned around. They were going to abandon their lingering regrets and return to heaven rather than approaching the Overgeared World and suffering humiliation. Then an unexpected obstacle appeared. “Dragon Slayer Hayate… what is this? Why are you blocking the way of an apostle of the goddess?” Zeratul’s successive failures had tarnished the honor of heaven to a considerable extent. Raphael just found it annoying and unpleasant. Hayate was a great being that had never before existed in the world, but Raphael was an archangel. There were only a few people in the world that Raphael revered and Hayate wasn’t among them. “You just need to keep an eye on the dragons as you have always done. Why are you trying to get involved with heaven?” “I can’t just stand by and watch your killing intent.” The sword held in Hayate’s hand wasn’t a sword made of materials, but a sword of

sword energy. The Dragon Killing Sword—it was closer to a concept. The concept of even cutting a dragon. “I have a duty to protect the Overgeared God.” “The order on the surface has completely collapsed. It is ridiculous. It is because that fake Zeratul has tarnished the honor of heaven.” “You angels are pretentious.” Suddenly, a new person appeared. The great magician Braham—it was someone Raphael had been paying attention to for a while. It was hundreds of years ago. The news that Braham was murdered by Pagma was known to heaven and Raphael attempted to retrieve Braham’s soul. It was because he would become a great angel. Raphael coveted the fact that Braham was the blood of Beriache, one of the three evils of the beginning. Raphael thought it would be rather interesting. Well, they failed in the end. Braham used magic even when he was reduced to a mere soul. Additionally, he was active for a certain purpose and his location kept changing. Therefore, he wasn’t easy to retrieve. ‘It is good.’ Raphael slowly regained his smile. Hayate and Braham—it was from the expectation that if Raphael killed those who blocked their path, the anger in their heart would subside a bit. At this moment— “I’m not too late this time?” Mercedes arrived at the scene. It was with Piaro. These four had something in common. The absolute Hayate with his internal perception. The great magician Braham with mana. The knight Mercedes with Keen Insight.

The farmer Piaro who could expand his senses in a wide range based on nature. Once multiple conditions and coincidences overlapped, they could almost immediately detect abnormalities that occurred far away. It was inherently possible for Hayate. The reason that he didn’t take an active role was because he was afraid of the dragons. Now thanks to Grid, he overcame the fear and gained courage. It was only possible for the other three after they recently built up their skills. At this moment, they unintentionally moved in coordination to isolate Raphael. “………” The smile completely disappeared from Raphael’s face. Raphael measured the level of the beings around them and realized that these existences were unusual. It was natural that Hayate was strong, but Braham’s magic power approached the unknown. Mercedes’ eyes were more unpleasant than the rumors and Piaro’s pure aura was strange because it felt like it contained Garion’s divinity. Flap. After a moment of silence, Raphael spread open their wings. Hayate and the apostles responded immediately. They were ready for the divine bombardment and prepared to counterattack. However, there was no time for them to step out. It was because Raphael had escaped. --Raphael vowed not to look at the surface for a while. 1. So I actually had a hard time naming this new sword dance. A one character word has lots of different meanings and it is hard to determine the right one. Fortunately, the author included the hanja (Chinese characters) for this sword dance but that created even more complications. The hanja basically meant something like: to do/to be/to become/to do for the sake of. I changed names several times but I eventually decided that the closest meaning to the description is 'to do for the sake of' since it is considered a sacrifice sword dance. I was looking for one word that fits it and eventually decided on 'Serve.' ☜

It was impossible to track Raphael. A golden cloud from the sky blocked the approach of Hayate and the apostles. It was an attitude that stated those who weren’t allowed should withdraw. Braham snorted. “Presumptuous and arrogant.” Braham’s ridicule wasn’t to release emotions. It was a rational sentiment based on obvious grounds. Heaven—Asgard had reigned because it was the only world of the gods. It was naturally worshiped and accumulated divinity. Now it wasn’t the only sanctuary. It was the aftermath of Grid unveiling the Hwan Kingdom and the establishment of the Overgeared World on the surface. The Overgeared World—from the moment it was named, the mysterious sanctuary was coloring the surface with new divinity. It was easy to sense, unlike the divinity of Asgard that was far away. It was clearly seen and felt. It was an energy that would benefit all beings on the surface. People would gradually move away from Asgard. Now the symbol of Asgard, a mere cloud, was acting arrogant? It was unsightly. It was like a beggar begging to make a living swaggering around. Braham shrugged and looked back. He saw a blond-haired man. The man who arrived at the scene before him. It was impressive that he had a dignity comparable to Braham, who inherited a noble lineage. Braham knew who he was. “Dragon Slayer.” The only absolute on the surface and the protector who defended humanity for many years. Above all, he had achieved killing a dragon. It meant that Braham’s wish, the ultimate pursuit of Braham, had been accomplished a long time ago.

“It is an honor… to meet.” Braham greeted him. It was at the level where Braham didn’t even bow his head, let alone his waist, but his choice of words was shocking. An… honor? Piaro had a pleased expression on his face while Mercedes was astonished. It was because she had never seen Braham show such a humble attitude. Of course, the shock was only brief. Mercedes also recognized Hayate’s identity. She judged that his level was far away from her. Even with this type of power, he carried it on his back without using it to reign. A person who could’ve ruled the world the moment he wanted, but he had been silently defending the world without ever appearing in history. She couldn’t help admiring it. Mercedes and Piaro bowed to also show their respects and Hayate looked troubled. “People misunderstand me as a hero. I’m just a coward. Grid… I have only been living in secret, unlike you who have protected the world with the Overgeared God. Please correct your attitude.” “Grid deserves to be liked…” Braham muttered with a frown. A feeling of being defeated by inferiority flashed across his rapidly darkening face. “Your humility is excessive,” Mercedes felt better at Braham’s reaction and said with a smile. Some time ago, humanity had experienced the greatness of dragons. They saw that a dragon’s meaningless exhale and a single flap of its wings destroyed a huge city built by humanity in an instant. It was Hayate who had been keeping such monsters in check. Without him, humanity would’ve experienced the disaster caused by dragons several times and despaired. In the midst of the unexpectedly harmonious atmosphere. Something happened in the golden cloud that was moving away. It created a sudden lightning bolt that bombarded Hayate and the apostles. It contained a great deal of power. The ground was devastated in an instant. “That guy.” Braham covered himself with a red-purple shield and stared up at the sky. A presence armed with translucent armor could be seen through the scattered clouds.

It was a god. The hierarchy seemed very high. The goosebumps that appeared on Braham’s skin and the puncture in the shield proved it. “Dominion.” Zik’s voice was heard. One of the decisive factors that caused Raphael to retreat. He stood in the distance and looked at the ‘strongest man in this world.’ Now he couldn’t sit back and watch and entered the scene. “It was the beginning of the creation of the concepts of consecutive wins, being undefeated in 100 battles, etc. Armed with impenetrable armor and a spear that can pierce anything.” “It is an unreasonable existence.” “Yes.” Dominion was the god of war. Additionally, Asgard had never been defeated in any war so far. Dominion was the reason why the rebellion of the seven malignant saints failed in vain. “………” Hayate couldn’t take his eyes off Zik. As the strongest person in this world, he felt a certain special appreciation for the strongest person in the previous world. It wasn’t something fateful. He simply judged and marveled at the armed might. ‘He is indeed one of the seven good people.’ The seven good people, in other words, the seven malignant saints, were the history of the previous world. It was originally impossible for them to be spread to the present world. Yet it was recorded and spread throughout the ages. It was the arrangement of the daoist immortal, Bentao. As a result, the people of this time knew about the seven malignant saints and it was the same with Hayate. Thanks to this, the conversation proceeded quickly. Hayate silently listened to Zik’s words. It was an attitude toward an elder. “There is no way such a great existence would come for a light reason. I’m nervous about Reinhardt.” Zik discussed returning. Braham didn’t like it. The enemy was right above them. He was a threat and it was

right to strike right here. What if they were tracked when returning to Reinhardt? It was nothing more than expanding the battlefield. So why were they talking about returning? Braham wanted Zik to provide a convincing rationale, but he couldn’t ask for it directly. It was a big burden just dealing with Zik, but now even Hayate seemed sympathetic to Zik. Therefore, he couldn’t open his mouth at all. ‘I… how did I become like this…?’ Originally, Braham treated everyone equally. He belittled everyone except himself and perceived himself as the center of the world. That changed with Grid. He watched Grid from the side and realized the greatness of a hero. He regretted and reflected on himself in the past for not taking good care of his disciples. He learned to respect them. Therefore, he couldn’t resist these two heroes and followed them silently. He used the return scroll while trying to ignore Raphael, who was laughing behind Dominion’s back. Then he saw it the moment he arrived in Reinhardt. The sky over Reinhardt was glowing with a golden color. It was due to the heavenly clouds that gathered without leaving even a small gap. A huge presence was seen at the head of the clouds. An opaque armor was wrapped around his entire body and a spear was held with both hands. Dominion, the god of war, was here as well. “What is this?” There couldn’t be two Dominions. It meant that the Dominion they saw a while ago was either a clone or an illusion, which was unbelievable. To say that was a fake… it was hard to fathom. While wrapping the runes around himself and accelerating, Zik explained to the bewildered Braham, “Dominion is on every battlefield.” The voice faded away in an instant. Braham used Teleport and caught up with ZIk. Zik explained, “In other words, this is already a battlefield.” Zik knew the habits of the god. They enjoyed ‘warnings’ and their warnings had

always caused natural disasters. -Overgeared God Grid. Dominion opened his mouth and thunderbolts struck. Explosions occurred all over the ground and flames soared. It was due to the thunderbolts pouring down. There were many people present. It was a crowd that gathered to celebrate the birth of the Overgeared World. ‘Um.’ Braham was about to deploy a wide-area shield when he stopped chanting the spell. Piaro, who seemed invisible, was plowing the ground before he knew it. His plow made a wall by pulling out the rocks buried deep underground. It was like looking at a small mountain range. Sariel even used the magic power of light. There were few casualties thanks to this, but the apostles were in a hurry. Dominion on the cloud was pointing a spear at Grid, who was standing alone in front of the temple. The blue divinity that was spreading was a threat. It was much darker and greater in range than Grid’s divinity. It was clear that the spear he threw would be faster than lightning. -You will sooner or later pay for the sin of building a false world and destroying the order of the world with your vain greed. Dominion’s rant spread throughout Reinhardt. All humans heard his heavy and ferocious voice that pierced through the thunder. Some people recalled the order of a general while others recalled the roar of a wild beast. They instinctively stiffened and their complexions turned white. Grid’s expression also stiffened. ‘This fox-like bastard.’ The god of war who came out of nowhere was huge. It wasn’t an optical illusion created through a combination of strong divine power and ferocious momentum. It was actually a massive body with a majestic air to him. His features were noticeable even when he was at a very high altitude, but what he was doing was delicate and didn’t match his size. He was talking while maintaining a distance where he didn’t reach the Overgeared World.

This was normal. Unless they were an idiot, there was no one who would step into other people’s territory to fight. Still, he couldn’t help feeling that this size was a waste. ‘I’m glad there are the apostles.’ Grid didn’t move hastily. Dominion was a chief god. He was even one of Rebecca’s two sons. Besides, he was cautious. The evidence was that he had never appeared before and now appeared for the first time. There was no way he was weaker than Zeratul or Gabriel. Considering his prudence, he must’ve descended after accumulating a stronger force than the two of them. ‘The people will be guarded by the apostles.’ At the temple’s entrance… Grid stood on the boundary between the Overgeared World and the surface and was ready to draw his sword at any time. He thought he would take advantage of the opportunity when Dominion was targeting people and the apostles blocked him. He didn’t really question why Dominion had come now. Asgard was an obvious enemy. There was nothing strange about Rebecca invading the surface right now. He would just fight as always. “………?” Grid was quietly focusing when he became startled. Dominion’s divine power was gradually getting stronger. The more it was overlaid over the spear in his hand, the more there seemed to be no limit to the divinity that was building. Grid realized it. Dominion had no intention of hurting people. His target was Grid from the beginning. ‘Does he intend to hurt me and lower my status?’ If Grid was pierced by the spear despite being in the Overgeared World, he was bound to lose his status, even if he didn’t die. It was because it seemed to be proving the uselessness of the Overgeared World in front of a large number of people. At the same time, Dominion threw the spear. It was precisely toward Grid. A spear

larger than the spear of magic machine Raiders was shot at Grid, dividing the sky into two. Grid reacted immediately. He didn’t hesitate to use Revolve. Two swords interlocked with the huge spear tilted at an angle. Eventually, they would draw an arc and twist the trajectory of the spear. They had to do so. However— [The counterattack has failed.] The power in the spear was unstoppable. Revolve was naturally canceled and Grid’s chest was pierced by the spear. Grid’s upper body exploded. Flesh and blood were sprinkled in all directions. Dominion’s spear literally flew to the temple of the Overgeared God and was embedded in it. It pierced Grid’s body and used the remaining power to cause the temple to collapse. It was pandemonium. The people who had been staring blankly at the terrible sight came to their senses one step later and screamed. Then— “…Cough.” Grid lost his status. ……… … “………?” Grid suddenly came to his senses. The pain that made his head blank disappeared like it was a lie. The collapsed temple behind him was still intact. There was no wound on his chest. Dominion in the sky was just throwing the spear. What was that just now? ‘Deja vu?’ The confused and relieved Grid hesitated. A spear full of huge power at first glance. Was it really right to block that with Revolve? In the first place, Grid’s enemies had always evolved. It was natural as long as this world was a game. He didn’t dare compare the rabbit he hunted at level 1 to the enemies he was fighting now at level 719.

‘There is no guarantee that Revolve will work forever.’ The Overgeared God's Sword Dance wasn’t invincible. The level of the enemies was too high for Revolve to always have the upper hand. Could the deja vu he experienced a while ago be created by his subconscious mind? Grid thought about it and quickly made a decision. He used the Serve sword dance. It was a dance move where he staggered like he was going to collapse. He expressed his determination to die to protect someone. The giant spear that reached the tip of his nose stopped. It was weighed down by Grid’s power. It was a side effect of containing divine power. This dragged it down. The large spear, which was connected to Dominion through divine power, was communicating with Dominion. It had feelings. Therefore, under the influence of Serve, it stiffened and stopped. It was only 0.2 seconds. This was enough. An object worked as a target as long as the conditions were met. Grid learned something new and opened the Sanctuary of Metal. He dominated the still spear and fired it at Dominion. A divine warning—due to its absolute intention, it couldn’t be avoided or prevented, but it could be reversed. Dominion and Zik understood what this meant and their eyes widened.

A warning literally meant an act of ‘giving advance notice.’ It was the foreshadowing of some type of outcome, but the warning itself was done without any foreshadowing. This was why a god’s warnings were so threatening. There was absolutely no way to omit the intention of an absolute who omitted the precursor. Compared to the punishment, a law was established that the goal must be achieved, even if the level was low. It was why Zik in the distant past couldn’t resist the Curse of Sloth. The warning that Asgard sent before punishing the seven malignant saints was to put Zik to sleep and Zik was helplessly forced to suffer. It was due to this experience that Zik couldn’t believe it even more. ‘How can this be?’ A spear thrown by the god of war who suddenly appeared. It was right for it to hit. It might not be fatal to Grid, but it must hit him. However, it was returned futilely. Grid’s dance, which increased in power along with the sanctuary, struck Dominion’s spear and warning. He returned it in reverse. It was something that shouldn’t have happened. Dominion frowned as he witnessed the collapse of order once again. ‘Mother, why?’ Dominion couldn’t avoid the flying spear because it was a warning from the Overgeared God. Once a spear that pierced everything and armor that couldn’t be pierced collided, the result was a draw. However, the damage absorbed by the armor was completely delivered to the wearer so the spear didn’t necessarily deal no damage. Blood dripped from Dominion’s mouth. It was as red as human blood. It was the moment when the religious people’s belief that humans resembled the image of the gods was proven. There were currently many human beings from the three churches at the scene but none of them were thrilled. ‘Sooner or later, you will pay for your sin… ’

Dominion had earlier declared that he was no longer on the side of humanity. It was an attitude that made them throw away even their vague remaining faith. Now the humans of the three churches relied solely on Grid. They revered Grid who built the Overgeared World as a being as great as the three gods. Dominion fully felt their hearts, but he didn’t feel bad or angry. He, who had loved humanity since a long time ago, had already experienced great disappointment. After that, he never had any expectations of human beings. There was no disappointment or anger because there was no expectation. Rather, he took their betrayal for granted. “I think it is a good idea to go back peacefully.” Zik suddenly approached and pointed his sword at Dominion. The runes spinning irregularly around him were breaking through the clouds below him. Wearing the goddess’ divinity and making the golden clouds inaccessible meant that Zik had completed the language of denying divinity. -You are the worst traitor. Dominion declared. His face was expressionless, but it was almost like a lamentation. The seven half-gods—he recalled the moment when those known as the seven malignant saints betrayed the gods. Zik had led their betrayal. -Sooner or later, you will grab at your new master’s ankles. Some of the clouds were greatly influenced by the runes and lost their color. It was the loss of divinity. There seemed to be holes drilled in the golden sky. “That isn’t going to happen.” -That is something you don’t even know yourself. Dominion turned his head. He was afraid that if he looked at Zik any longer, then he would recall the ugly memories of the past that he had worked hard to bury. -Establishing a divine world was an irreversible mistake. Dominion recovered the spear that had escaped from Grid’s dominance the moment

it hit him. He spoke while looking down at Grid, who was still standing on the ground. -You might believe that human beings are dignified, but the truth is different. Sooner or later, you will be disappointed by humans and feel regret. Keep in mind that there is no companion in the world who will comfort you and reach out to you at that time. Mother—Goddess Rebecca had certain expectations for the Overgeared God. This had been the case since the days when the Overgeared God was human. Dominion and Judar knew it, but they didn’t know the reason. Even if they knew the reason, they couldn’t respect Grid any longer. The establishment of a new divine world and the weakening of Asgard’s influence was clearly an act that crossed the line. Thus, he intended to oppose Grid forever. This was the responsibility of a chief god. “You are being needlessly tragic,” the silent Grid opened his mouth. He was still standing in front of the temple. This surprisingly clever guy wasn’t taking a single step out of the Overgeared World. The attitude of trusting in and using his strong apostles was very natural. Grid grinned. “Let me make one thing clear. I will never be disappointed by humans.” It wasn’t a vague belief. Grid had already experienced the worst of human beings. It was none other than himself. It was markedly different from the gods of Asgard, who arbitrarily cut humans while feeling expectant, jealous, and disappointed in humans. "Get lost," Grid issued an order. He wanted to undermine Dominion’s divinity, but the location was too bad. The Overgeared World referred to some temples, not the whole of Reinhardt. Dominion was too strong to fight in the middle of Reinhardt. The aftermath of the battle alone would result in numerous casualties. ‘It is tricky to cut him.’ Grid recalled the information of the spear that he had just dominated. [Dominion’s Spear] [Attack power: 41,000 Durability: 21,300/21,300 A divine object made with great care by Hexetia, the god of blacksmiths.

……… …] It was an overwhelming attack power, but there was something else to pay attention to. It had the effect of ‘penetrate unconditionally when attacking.’ Dominion’s armor was likely to have effects such as absolute immunity to slashes and stabs. It was an impossible opponent to aim for a short decisive battle. ‘I have to pick the right time when fighting someone like this.’ The urgent task now was to recruit a new god. He wanted to quickly raise the level of the Overgeared World. At the very least, it should be raised to the level of covering all of Reinhardt so that he could fully concentrate on the Baal raid. ‘The thing that worries me the most about when I go to hell is my empty house being robbed.’ He thought it was a problem he would have to deal with until the birth of the Overgeared World. He decided that he had no choice but to trust the knights, including Asmophel, and Sariel. Now things had changed. There was no need to take risks when there was the Overgeared World. -You are serious… Dominion had a strange expression on his face. Grid’s conviction that he wouldn’t be disappointed by humans didn’t sound like a lie. However, he soon passed over it like it was nothing. Maybe it was because the years that Grid lived were short. He will one day go through the same thing as me and he will end up like me. The golden clouds filling the sky started to recede. It was spectacular to see them all soaring higher into the sky in unison. The image of Dominion standing on top of them quickly faded away. He left without saying anything else.It was shown in the appearance of an absolute. The unflinching appearance of the Overgeared God and his apostles as he suddenly appeared and disappeared amazed the people. Of course, Grid, who drove him away, looked even greater.

Soon, Dominion’s figure disappeared. “………” People’s eyes were focused on Grid. They were envious. The eyes of the players were shining particularly brilliantly. A god—he was safe even fighting against Dominion, one of the three gods? They had seen the scene of Grid’s defeat of Martial God Zeratul dozens of times on the news and on the Internet, but it felt completely different to actually see it. The magnitude of the impression they got couldn’t be compared. ‘I thought I was going to die.’ There were many people who lost 10 years of their lives. The holy divinity surrounding the temples of the Overgeared—people who were busy filming the Overgeared World were actually aware of Dominion’s appearance quite late. It was only when the world shone like it was covered in golden leaf that they realized that an unusual swarm of clouds had arrived. Then they looked around and found Dominion on the clouds. [Dominion, god of war, has descended.] A world message appeared shortly after there were a few witnesses. Grid stood with his back to the huge temple and seemed to have come to meet Dominion from the very beginning. Dominion said something. It was the moment when people felt it was unusual. A roar echoed through the sky and the ground exploded. A blue flash of light cut the sky in half and rushed right in front of Grid. It was the trajectory of the spear that Dominion threw at him. However, the people didn’t know this. They just recognized that the flash of light had become darker. It wasn’t until the spear turned in the opposite direction, struck Dominion, and caused a larger explosion, that they started to infer the situation little by little. Dominion bled. It seemed that Grid had counterattacked. There was bound to be a big fight. The thought that many people would die again sent chills down their spine.

However, no one died. Grid and his apostles carefully guarded them. “Hmm.” Elnidana—an ordinary member of the Overgeared Guild watched the scene with a satisfied expression. She was a member of Overgeared Six that was established after the Great Human and Demon War. She was from the Ryan Merchant Group, which became close to the Overgeared Guild for their contribution to supporting the Overgeared Guild during the Great Human and Demon War. She was an accountant with a cheerful personality. Her ranking might not be high, but she was quick at calculations, so she caught Lauel’s eye. Lauel appreciated her potential and recruited her personally. He didn’t pay attention to the Ryan Merchant Group. It was said that their relationship with the Ryan Merchant Group had become closer, but the Overgeared Guild didn’t really favor the Ryan Merchant Group. The Overgeared Guild just put the Ryan Merchant Group as an object of observation and put them aside. This time, a meaningful smile spread on Elnidana’s face as she watched Grid. "You are slow.” Then Braham’s low voice was heard. It was so beautiful that it entered people’s ears even in the middle of a commotion. Their eyes naturally focused on Braham and then they looked at the same place that Braham was looking at. There was a handsome, blond-haired man there. His neat posture and wrinkle-free collar were impressive. It was in perfect harmony with his handsome face. At first glance, they thought he was Braham’s brother because he was so dignified. However, the color of the name was strange. It was a jade color that had never been seen before. The name Hayate was even more unfamiliar. “Do you have a bad sense of direction? It turns out that a Dragon Slayer isn’t perfect either, but don’t be too pretentious. I’ll make up for your flaws.” “………!” “………!”

The wide-eyed people swallowed down their gasps. Dragon Slayer. Yes, the name of the dragon slayer who appeared in the world message the other day was probably Hayate… The people were shocked when an unexpected person appeared while they were out of their minds. They were curious and happy but at the same time, they felt anxious. It felt like something big was going to happen. “It is fine. The gods of the Overgeared World will protect you. Let your anxiety be shaken off through prayer.” As Sariel was calming down the people, Mercedes sent a message to Braham. -Lord Hayate can’t use the return scroll. “………” -Hayate’s return point isn’t Reinhardt. It is only natural that he is one step behind us. Braham’s face, which was as white as snow, slowly turned red. Contrary to his appearance, he was quite agitated when he first met the being who had already achieved the ultimate goal he dreamed of. ‘I can’t sleep in a coffin today.’ It felt like he was going to break the coffin while he was sleeping.

The world had changed so much. Grid, who was tilting his teacup, realized it once again. It was through Hayate, who was sitting facing him. The dragon killer who had confined himself for over a thousand years now appeared in front of everyone. It was a new feeling. “It is all thanks to you.” Hayate smiled as he happily looked at the people passing by the window. Until not so long ago, Hayate had been passive in all things. He feared that the smallest carelessness would provoke the dragons and endanger the world. This wasn’t the case any longer. He learned from watching Grid fight against enemies stronger than himself. He learned by watching Grid, who wasn’t afraid of defeat. He learned from watching Grid develop while taking failure as a lesson. There was no end to avoidance. Even if he lost, he had to fight, learn, and improve. “I plan to go on a trip for a while. I will visit and talk to the top dragons who have maintained their dignity and settled in one place for a long time.” “A conversation…” A conversation between a dragon and a Dragon Slayer? Grid couldn’t imagine it in his head. Could shooting fire and aiming the sword at the other be called a conversation? Hayate read the mind of the bewildered Grid and explained, “I only recently realized that most of the top dragons, who are inherently threatened by the old dragons, can make rational decisions.” The vast majority of dragons made decisions and acted based on the awareness that they were a great species. Therefore, they showed unstoppable and incomprehensible actions. On the other hand, the small number of top dragons were rational from a human point of view. Most of them were cautious because they were targeted by the old dragons. They were clearly different from the low ranking

dragons who were full of pride, an intermediate dragon who was obsessed with hunting the low ranking dragons, and the old dragons who were outside of common sense. Grid taught him. “Crazy… I learned from your story of becoming a Dragon Knight.” “………” It was Hayate who couldn’t bring up the words ‘crazy god and crazy dragon.’ It was caring that wasn’t caring. The reason why the story associated with the Dragon Knight was given the name ‘crazy god and crazy dragon’ was simple. It was because those who witnessed the secret story at the time were the three masters. Grid wasn’t actually crazy… There was no need to explain this one by one. He wondered if he might feel upset. Grid hesitated for a moment as Hayate continued. “I’ll make sure to invite some human gods to come to you while I’m traveling.” “………!” Hayate understood the structure from the moment he entered the Overgeared World. He knew exactly what Grid needed and looked for ways to help Grid. He decided to assist in the search and recruitment of human gods. It was a very grateful thing for Grid. “According to the research conducted by the tower members, the recent trend isn’t bad. They said that something happened to the Gale of the Great Forest.” The reason the human gods hid was due to the myth predators. Among them, the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb [1] and Gale of the Great Forest had a wide range of activities. Unlike the Mountain King, who took the towering mountain as his domain, their area was overwhelmingly large in scale. In particular, the servants of the Gale of the Great Forest were called ‘violent gales’ because they freely moved through the ‘forests’ and roared through them. It was said to be the most threatening to the human gods. ‘Debirion said he could’ve been easily defeated.’

Debirion was the god of hunting. He exercised various powers when he was active in the forest. Even so, it was just a matter of barely being able to survive. It was because the minions of the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb were too numerous and the servants of the Gale of the Great Forest moved from east to west. After all, the myth predators were strong. Grid had directly experienced it. There was no way they would be troubled by a normal opponent. Grid crazily thought up to this point and touched his lips. He felt a sharp pain. ‘Don’t tell me… ’ “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—she chewed on a man’s lips and taught him a type of pain and pleasure that had never been felt before. Then she left these meaningful words before she went on her journey. Apart from Hayate, she was the only one who could overwhelm the myth predators. ‘…Did she eat a myth predator?’ Marie Rose snatching the Gale’s hair and flicking her tongue with a smile… A chill went down Grid’s spine as he imagined this terrifying appearance. However, he didn’t show it on the outside as he bowed his head to Hayate. “Thank you for your help.” “It is insignificant compared to the grace you have bestowed upon me.” “Please… take care of yourself.” “This is a body that has been hiding for over a thousand years. I can take care of myself even if an old dragon tracks me.” "Yes…” Grid wanted to advise him to watch out for a beautiful woman, but he thought it was rude. Marie Rose might be the most beautiful being in the world, but Hayate was an absolute. The moment he encountered Marie Rose, he would be aware of her identity

and be wary. “Then I’ll be going.” The reason Hayate came to Reinhardt was because he was worried about Grid. Dominion was too strong to fight while defending against the people, so he thought he would help. Yet by the time he arrived, things had already been sorted out. There was no reason to stay for long. “………” Hayate stood up from his seat and suddenly smiled. He made eye contact with Irene, who was looking over here with an anxious expression. He also saw Lord standing by her side. Grid’s family and his people. There were many precious beings in the world that he had turned away from using all types of reasons. Most of them were built and protected by Grid. ‘I won’t turn away again.’ Hayate’s expression was determined. Irene and Lord, who were still looking at him cautiously, reflexively stiffened and bowed their heads. Just then, Grid grabbed Hayate’s wrist. In an unhurried and polite manner, he stared into Hayate’s eyes. “I will ask you again. Please value your life the most.” The value of your life is the greatest in this world. This is even when compared to the lives of those who are precious to me. Who can bear the collapse of the tower that has supported the world beyond the world? Hayate’s heart became bitter when he read the thoughts in Grid’s eyes. A body that shouldn’t be sacrificed. His unchanging condition for over a thousand years suffocated him. However, he nodded without showing any signs of it. “I will keep that in mind.”

It was also a promise to remind himself. “………” In the distance, Lord tightly gripped his mother’s hand. The young man who was a human but also the son of a god was feeling many things. He felt the solitude and responsibility of the pillars who sustained the world and was greatly stimulated. He reflected on his journey of chasing after his father’s footsteps. He had gained a lot of experience and was moved. He just didn’t build a special connection with people. The path that his father took was already firmly completed, so there was no room for Lord to intervene. Most of the impressions he got during his trip were merely a confirmation and admiration of his father’s achievements. It was less intense and lacked some desperation. Yet he felt fulfilled at this moment. Lord enjoyed being in the same space as Grid and Hayate and gave up the relaxation that had been holding him back. He desperately recalled the teachings he had learned from many great teachers. His rapidly expanded thinking helped him understand. Of course, the divinity of the Overgeared World was also favorable to Lord. ‘He looks just like his father.’ Hayate’s steps as he moved away from the temple became lighter. He felt Lord’s potential and some of the burden in his heart was lightened. *** The players active in hell frequently sent good news. The reason they weren’t happy was because they knew the surface was in danger. The descent of the angels and Martial God Zeratul raised the alarm. Dominion, who suddenly appeared, drove the wedge in. Once Asgard started to be openly hostile to the surface, questions rose in various places about whether it was right to cling to hell. There were even some people who criticized Grid for being wrongly stubborn. The presence of the Dragon Slayer who appeared at this time was very great. His distinctive character trivialized Dominion, who caused a natural disaster not long ago. It was even more so because he was the opposite of Dominion, who was equipped with large armor and a spear. He wore light clothes and walked leisurely. It

was like he was out on a walk. Only Dominion, who faced Grid with a serious attitude the entire time, became funny. The most surprising thing was Braham’s attitude. Braham’s arrogance was a fact that everyone knew, but he was especially humble in front of Hayate. What type of monster was Hayate…? Additionally, his attitude toward Grid was very polite. They sat next to the window of the temple while drinking tea. Hayate, the guest, personally made the tea and poured it for Grid. Everyone saw it. The reporters who took photographs and videos wrote headlines and spread it all over the world. Thanks to this, the suspicions and dissatisfaction of those who found out Grid had something to firmly believe in were dispelled. The tea ceremony was simply Hayate’s hobby, but people didn’t know this. “Is this the power of the Dragon Slayer?” Braham felt the mood of the people change as well as Lord’s development and trembled. He was shocked beyond admiration by Hayate’s ripple effect, who changed the world without even saying anything. He beckoned to Lord while rekindling his dream that he would one day achieve killing a dragon. “You will stay with me for the time being. I must educate you before you forget the enlightenment you have gained from Hayate.” “It is an honor!” “It is at the level that gives enlightenment and stabilizes the world through meaningless actions such as a tea ceremony… I wonder if it is a realm that will be achieved naturally after killing a dragon…” “………” “………” The apostles looked at Braham like he was absurd, but in any case, the atmosphere was good. “The Gale of the Great Forest had an accident… certainly, the human gods must be quite free right now. I have a few guesses about where they might’ve settled.” “Then let’s go right away.”

Grid was accompanied by Garion and Debirion and was ready to embark on a journey. Grid was reminded of the class game Three Kingdoms that he had once played. He searched all over the continent to recruit the hiding generals, but he felt that the current situation was much better than back then. --1. Changing childless specter to Specter of the No Offspring Tomb since I named it before the tomb appeared. ☜

Unlike the gods or half-gods born out of the intentions of the gods of the beginning, the purpose of the human gods was vague and the vast majority of them were born without understanding it. Few of them were pleased with the power and eternal life that they suddenly gained one day. No, they were resentful. It was because they were targeted and suffered due to the myth predators. The myth predators were persistent. The moment they accidentally discovered the presence of a human god, they studied the background of the target. They grasped an instinct that even the human god didn’t know based on the aspirations of the human beings who created the human god. They threw the bait and lured the human god into their territory. For example, the reason Debirion visited a forest near the No Offspring Tomb was because he was fascinated by the rumor that there was prey in the forest that would enrich humans. Fortunately, he didn’t enter the interior of the No Offspring Tomb and this helped him avoid the worst situation of being eaten by the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb. It was just that from then on, his life turned into hell. In a situation where he was pursued by the minions of the Gale, the minions of other predators clung to him, so he couldn’t rest for a moment. His life was threatened every day. Pain and isolation—they were concepts that marked the lives of most human gods. “It must be hard to endure.” Garion, the god of the earth—she had observed almost all the events that took place on the surface and realized the sufferings of the human gods. She was worried that they wouldn’t be able to endure life and would become corrupted. On the other hand— “You don’t have to worry about that.” Debirion was adamant. “The human gods can’t be corrupted.” They were human, so they understood human beings and didn’t resent them. They strove to live up to human aspirations.

Grid smiled bitterly. “That is what people are.” Human beings had maintained their dignity throughout a long history. It wasn’t the result of relying on individual wisdom, but the result of cooperation. Every time a great crisis came and threatened them, human beings cooperated. They formed a relationship that relied on each other against the opponent they were fighting for their lives against. This would repeat when they confronted a new enemy. Human gods couldn’t betray human beings. Grid and Debirion right now were the proof. “Hehe,” Garion laughed softly. It was close to a hum. She glanced at Grid and Debirion with wide eyes and seemed very happy. “What is it?” “I’m just happy. It is reassuring to think that those who trust each other will be my family from now on.” “What type of family…?” Debirion maintained a serious expression. He had lived alone in the forest since his human days and he was unfamiliar with the term ‘family.’ “What is family? If you live under one roof, then you are a family,” Grid answered with a smile. “Indeed… you have several wives, so your thoughts are quite free-spirited.” Debirion sighed. It wasn’t criticism, but pure admiration. Grid was also dignified. “I only recently learned this, but the more you share love, the better it is. Being happy is beneficial in many ways. Debirion, I hope you also meet a good person…” Grid abruptly shut his mouth. It was because Garion’s sparkling eyes gave him a strange pressure. They were eyes full of anticipation.

‘What?’ From Grid’s point of view, Garion was an elderly person who had lived for thousands of years. Therefore, he couldn’t easily judge the desire that was shining in her eyes like a young girl and he felt puzzled. “Stop.” Debirion gave a signal. The ground, which stretched out like a wave, stopped moving. “This is it.” They were in front of a lake so huge that some people would mistake it as the sea. It was faint, but divinity could be felt. The faint ripples that spread from the depths of the lake caught the senses of the three gods. “I think we are a bit late.” “We have to hurry.” The cooperation between Debirion, who guessed the places where the human gods were hiding, and Garion, who moved the entire land, worked very well. They arrived at five destinations in just one day, searched the surroundings thoroughly, and finally found a human god at this moment. It was much faster and easier than Grid expected. However, the situation wasn’t very good. The Gale of the Great Forest might’ve had an accident, but the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb was also adept at finding and tracking the human gods. His minions, who had been chasing the human gods for a long time, arrived at the scene one step earlier than Grid’s group and were active. “The two of you, wait here.” Grid stopped Garion and Debirion, who were about to throw themselves straight into the lake. Garion exerted her full power on the ground, and Debirion his in the forest. There was no reason to weaken them by entering the water. ‘It isn’t necessarily a situation where I need help.’ The lich he had encountered in the forest when finding Debirion was quite strong.

Based on the amount of experience that was given, it was at least level 450. Now there were at least 15 energy sources felt in this lake. Of course, this wasn’t a threat to Grid. He could handle them just by sending Randy and the Overgeared Skeletons. Even so, Grid came forward. Just as Liu Bei personally visited Zhuge Liang and tried to invite him and just as Ash captured the pokemon personally, Grid needed to move directly in order to recruit the human gods. He had to show sincerity and kindness to open the heart of the other person. Grid threw himself below the surface of the lake. ‘I heard he is the god of fishing.’ He was told this god was born out of the aspirations of fishermen. He had to be careful not to harm the ecosystem of the lake in order to easily get favorability. Grid made this judgment and didn’t draw his sword. He swam without even taking off Lee Jeong’s training tools. He was basically only using his core power. A shockwave coming from the lakebed violently shook the flow of water, but Grid wasn’t affected. This was why it was good to have high stats. “”Stop… give up…”” A hoarse voice rang in Grid’s ear as he reached his destination. The uniquely empty voice of the undead was clearly transmitted even in the water. In the distance, he could see oscillating black demonic energy that was darker than the dark Abyss. Five liches were surrounding a single boy. The energy they were giving off was terrible. There were two death knights for each lich and their size was unusually large, making them even more threatening. ‘The Frostlight Orcs.’ It was Teruchan’s tribe. There was a large number of liches, so the range of activities of the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb seemed larger than expected. ‘I may have already run into it a few times without knowing it.’ So far, Grid had killed more than one lich and death knight. He felt it wouldn’t be

strange if there was a minion of the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb among them. Lightning hovered around Grid’s feet. It was the moment when the Blue Dragon’s Boots reacted to the speed that had reached the maximum from the very beginning. The lightning god had descended. “”………!”” The red eyes of the liches grew larger. There was a disturbance in the upper water currents and the death knights were torn to pieces. There was no time to respond, so they couldn’t hide their confusion. “”A new, human god…”” The liches started to gather magic power on their staffs while staring at Grid. The being that made up the blue current—it was the incarnation of lightning that caused electric shocks in a wide area. Hands that were restrained were holding the large heads of the death knights who died with their eyes open. This gave a strange feeling of intimidation. “”Lightning… God… the aspirations of humans have finally created a monster…”” “Is it, Kyle of Saharan?” “The rotation of magic power, is twisted. It is by, divinity. This is, a real, god.”” “”Catch him. Master will be pleased.”” Every time the liches spoke, the waves of magic power grew. The ripples that spread in concentric circles continued one after another. Each one was magic. They constrained Grid, limited the flow of lightning, and prepared for an explosion at the same time. ‘It is the level of a great magician.’ It was natural. In the first place, they had to achieve a high level during their lifetime in order to become a lich. They were the beings acquired by the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb. The level of power collected over the long history by the owner of a

tomb that existed before ancient times couldn’t be low. Still, so what? Grid took a step forward after placing the God Hands by the side of the god of fishing—Lars, the boy behind Grid. All the magic that restrained Grid unraveled like they were thread. The magic that couldn’t be resisted with the status of a legend was resisted with the status of a god. “”………!!”” The hands of the liches were busy. Magic performed by bending the joints of the fingers in reverse—they drew magic circles in a shape that humans couldn’t create and fired a bombardment. It had incredible power. It ignored the water pressure of the abyss and struck Grid at high speed. ‘Ahh, I don’t know who he is, but he is going to die.’ After resisting the liches surrounding him, Lars’ consciousness was gradually fading. It was forced transfer magic. The magic that the five liches used in cooperation was dragging Lars’ body to the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb The more a target resisted, the stronger was the pressure of the magic. Lars felt pain like his mind and body were being torn apart. He didn’t even have time to feel grateful to the benefactor who suddenly appeared to help him. He was limited to recognizing the situation in front of him. “………!” Then Lars’ mind returned. It was because the ‘eyes’ transmitted to a dark space faced the being sitting on a throne. Were bones connected to bones? Whose bones? Could it be the bones of the gods he had been preying on? This… a monster. He couldn’t be resisted. The Specter of the No Offspring Tomb was far beyond Lars’ common sense.

A chill went down his spine. Cold sweat poured down like rain. It felt like the water wrapped around his body was being peeled off with sweat. Lars wanted to take his eyes off the other being. He didn’t want to look at this monster any longer and wanted to forget it forever. However, the transmitted eyes were out of Lars’ control. Lars was forced to stare at the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb and he was clearly engraved in Lars’ eyes and in his memory. The more he did so, the greater Lars’ fear grew. He started to have seizures. ‘It is painful.’ He would rather die as a human being. He hated this terrible pain. However, he didn’t blame those who worshiped him as a god. He was the one who helped them when all the fish in the poisoned lake died. He made them depend on him. He knew their earnestness, so how could he blame them? Tears dripped down from his trembling eyes, but he knew he couldn’t hope for salvation. Even so, Lars didn’t collapse even at the last moment. He suppressed the darkness that was about to rise in the depths of his heart. It was because he was a god. It was a god’s duty, regardless of the helplessness against a stronger combat force. No one would understand, whether it was the monster in front of him who laughed like it was insignificant, the heavenly gods, the demons of hell, or even humans. Lars knew that humans were selfish, but he still felt an infinite amount of loneliness. However, he understood. It was while imagining the moment when his body would be completely transported in front of the monster to be chewed up. ‘It is scary.’ What part of that monster would the bone that he left behind fill? Arms? Waist? Legs? He wished it was as low as possible. He didn’t want to stand out like the owner of that rib that the monster was wearing like a crown. A shadow fell over Lars’ eyes that turned bloodshot because he didn’t blink once. It was a shadow created by someone’s hand. The monster’s hand had reached up to here. The arm was so long that it was possible.

A strange smell pierced Lars’ nose as he was thinking this. It was the smell of a ship that he once smelled. To be a bit more precise, it was the smell of steel. It was completely different from the smell of death exuded by the monster. ““You… are…”” The monster opened his mouth for the first time. The voice was as terrible as he looked. It was the moment when Lars’ body stiffened even more… “Just wait. Sooner or later, I will come to smash that big head.” The voice of an unfamiliar man awakened Lars’ consciousness. The fear disappeared like it was a lie. There was the sound of something collapsing and the world that Lars saw changed. It was the abyss of the lake once again. It was bright and wasn’t black. The cold water also felt warm. It was due to the orange divinity that spread across the lake.

In the distant past… A new lord was appointed to the town of a certain kingdom. He was a very greedy man. He used every excuse to impose harsh tax rates and hard labor on the people. The higher the walls and spires of the manor, the more impoverished the people’s lives became. Of course, the people didn’t just sit idly by and watch. They sent an appeal to the king while listing the lord’s guilt. However, the kingdom didn’t help them. It was because the lord was justified in raising the tax rate. The inspector dispatched just in case took the bribery money from the lord and ignored the hardships of the people. He praised the contribution of the lord for building high walls to prevent the invasion of the different species. After the inspector left, the lord resented the people. Why did you, who should be loyal and obedient to me, betray me? He trembled with a sense of betrayal and harbored hostility toward the people. From then on, there were people suffering from starvation. More and more people fell ill and died because they couldn’t eat well. It was Lars who saved them. The people who lost their lives after meeting the wrong lord—the boy took pity on them and used his extraordinary brain and his father’s power to help the people. Embankments were built in exquisite locations and largescale fishing was done to give food to the people. He didn’t raise his father’s suspicions. He explained that the embankments were built because he wanted to monopolize the big lake. There was no interference from the lord. It was because his father was the lord. The boy, who was the son of the vicious lord, used the heart and power of his father who loved him to help the people. The hunger of the people was quenched due to the boy.

Then an accident happened. The lord’s eyes turned when he learned the use of the lake his son had created. He released poison into the lake. Dead fish floated on the blackened lake. The number of dead fish was so great that it was almost impossible to see the water’s surface. The only thing visible was the bellies of the fishes. The people lamented and the boy despaired. “Why are you doing this when you should be their parent?” The boy yelled at his father for the first time since he was born and threw himself into the lake. It was after chewing herbs that purified water only when mixed with human blood. The son’s resentment and curse that he would blame his father even in death if he took the lake away from the people lingered forever in the lord’s ears. On this day, the lake turned black and then returned to blue. The boy died. It was only when he died that he became a god. It was a rare case among the human gods. However, the boy didn’t know about his own death. The complicated memories of being reborn with the aspirations of human beings made him forget about death. “You… who are you?” The boy who spilled water, not blood, from his wounds—Lars, the god of fishing, barely managed to come to his senses and asked. He seemed unfamiliar with Grid’s group, who were looking at him with sad expressions. It was different from Debirion, who vaguely guessed Grid’s identity. He seemed to be ignorant of the world since he had been living in rivers and lakes. “I am called the Overgeared God.” “Over… geared God.” “Like you, he is a god born from the aspirations of human beings and the emperor of a great empire. He is the one who has been protecting and caring for human beings from various positions.” “I never cared for people.” Grid looked serious at Garion’s words. He took care of people? He might have a lot of experience fighting to protect someone, but the expression that he cared for them

wasn’t right. They were words that he didn’t dare to bear. His face was about to explode with embarrassment. Lars saw Grid’s reaction and smiled. “You are the master of the divine world that was born not long ago. I heard the news often through the mouths of fishermen. You are a very wonderful person… additionally, you are the benefactor who saved me. You must’ve come to me for some purpose. If there is anything I can do to help, I will do it if I can.” It was just after witnessing the monster in the darkness. It was a monster that formed a bizarre shape by attaching the bones of human gods to its own bones. Lars was convinced. He would never forget the horror of that moment even in death. He assured himself that even if he fought the demons of hell, he wouldn’t be more afraid than of that monster who would chew on his body. Yet right now, the fear was gone. His trembling body calmed down like it was a lie. It was due to the warmth of Grid’s divinity that stained the land and lake with the color of the sunset. Lars, who was rescued by Grid just before being dragged away to the No Offspring Tomb, accurately measured Grid’s level. He was very strong. He even had a humble and wholesome demeanor. Lars wanted to rely on this person. The moment that Lars’ instinct harbored this faint wish… “Be a part of our family.” Grid brought up why he was here. “I hope you can live with us in the Overgeared World.” It was a polite request without the slightest hint of coercion from the strong. Moreover, Lars had been lonely and anxious for a long time. He felt the attraction in his heart. However, there was a catch. “The meaning of my existence is blurred when there are no fish. In the first place, I have no power. I wonder if I am worthy to stay in your world…” The divine world that was recently born was very small. There was no possibility of a lake or a river. Even if there was a river, Lars was a weak god. All he could do was help people catch fish. Was there any use for him?

“Just you being with us will help us a lot. In essence, the more gods that stay in the divine world, the bigger it gets. Additionally, you are a god who symbolizes abundance in a small way. It will be good for the people as well,” Garion explained to Lars, who was doubting himself. Debirion, the god of hunting, and Lars, the god of fishing—their essence lay in helping people living in poverty. It would be a good match if they were together. They would enrich the people entering and leaving the Overgeared World. These people would feel grateful and worship the gods even more. It meant that a beneficial cycle was completed. Of course, Garion was aware of the need for lakes and rivers, but this wasn’t something to worry about. Garion was the god of the earth and Piaro was among the apostles of the Overgeared God. It was easy to create lakes or rivers in the Overgeared World if the two of them joined forces. “I will join you if that is the case.” Lars happily nodded. [The god of fishing, ‘Lars,’ has become a member of the Overgeared World.] [The level of the Overgeared World has risen by 1 due to recruiting a new god.] [If you build a temple for Lars in the Overgeared World, the scale of the Overgeared World will be slightly expanded.] [The god of hunting, Debirion, and the god of fishing, Lars, have activated the ‘Gods of Abundance (1)’ effect.] [If a friendly being visits the Overgeared Empire, they will receive buffs that increase the experience rate, decrease the penalty of an empty stomach, increase movement speed in forests, and increase the time of dives.] ‘That’s it.’ It was a good start. Grid inwardly exclaimed with joy, but he couldn’t smile. He was worried about the specter he encountered at the No Offspring Tomb, which could be seen through the space that the liches had distorted. He was stronger and more evil than Grid expected. Pure evil. It felt similar to Baal.

‘The range of activity of such a being is larger than expected… ’ There were likely to be repercussions if he left the other being alone. However, there was a part of Grid that was reluctant to subdue him prematurely. The biggest problem was that the size of the No Offpring Tomb was very large. The largest dungeon in Satisfy—the No Offspring Tomb was large enough to be called that. From the outside, it looked like a forest and a mountain, but it hadn’t been discovered in many years. The scale was huge so it was unknown how many traps and trials were lurking. It would take a very long time to reach the specter. Additionally, there was a high probability that the executives he encountered along the way were likely to be at the level of super named beasts. It would be unreasonable for Grid to defeat them alone. An attack was only possible if the apostles were mobilized. However, he couldn’t afford to invest in attacking the No Offspring Tomb right now. Resources had to be conserved. One example was the potions. The potions made at Reidan’s alchemy facility, which had been repaired after it was destroyed, were being stockpiled for the Baal raid. It wasn’t right to consume them at the No Offspring Tomb. ‘No, that isn’t it.’ Suppose he used all the resources he had prepared on a raid of the No Offspring Tomb. He couldn’t estimate the losses if the attack failed, but if it succeeded, the gains would be far greater than the losses. Grid and the apostles would level up significantly and powerful items would be acquired in large quantities. ‘Let’s adjust the schedule.’ In any case, the hell expedition needed a bit more time. Grid decided it was better to postpone the Baal raid until the average level of Overgeared One reached 500. Just then, Garion realized Grid’s thoughts and gave him advice. “It is better not to touch the No Offspring Tomb.” “Is the specter that strong?” “The specter being strong is a secondary problem. Think about the nature of the specter.”

“The nature of the specter? Isn’t it a myth predator?” “No. That is just an additional role. Why is the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb the specter of the No Offspring Tomb? It is because it doesn’t leave the No Offspring Tomb, but why doesn’t it leave it?” “To protect the No Offspring Tomb… Ah.” Grid realized the essence of the specter. It was the guardian of the No Offspring Tomb. Despite hunting many human gods, it had never left the No Offspring Tomb. At first glance, it resembled the Mountain King of Grenier, but there were obvious differences. The Grenier guarded by the Mountain King was simply a mountain, whereas the No Offspring Tomb was someone’s tomb. Why did the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb protect someone’s tomb? Wasn’t it because the owner of the tomb wanted it? The problem arose at this point. “You might provoke the owner of the No Offspring Tomb if you harm the specter.” “What is the true identity of the owner of the No Offspring Tomb?” “I don’t know.” “You… don’t know?” The No Offspring Tomb was a tomb built on the ground. Yet Garion, the god of the earth, didn’t know the true nature of the No Offspring Tomb? Grid was baffled and a bitter smile crossed Garion’s beautiful face. “Yes, as you know, my authority isn’t absolute. The reason I took care of the land was because my mother wanted it and she had the right to control me. From my perspective, the No Offspring Tomb was something that popped up out of nowhere. The being who made the No Offspring Tomb is probably Mother or a being comparable to Mother.” This was why she believed that the No Offspring Tomb shouldn’t be touched recklessly. There was something ominous lurking there. Grid saw Garion’s deep concern and struggled to shift his attention.

‘I don’t have to worry about the No Offspring Tomb right now.’ He was in the process of recruiting human gods. It was also time for Xenon’s loot to arrive. There was a lot of work to be done. “Let’s return first.” There was a large fountain at the point where the temples of Grid, Garion, and Debirion, which were next to each other in the Overgeared World, were facing. How about changing that part into a lake and building Lars’ temple there? Grid thought about it and pulled out a return scroll. At the same time… “Do you have an estranged relationship with your parents?” “Why are you suddenly asking that now?” “Professor, I heard you have two brothers born at the same time as you.” In the real world, Huroi was causing a social ripple. “I think your parents are definitely great people because they predicted that an illbred fellow would be among their children and gave birth to three at the same time. I need to connect you with a writer I know well to publish a book about great people.” It was because he strongly criticized the panelist who argued that the seasonal system should be introduced in Satisfy. The debater’s recklessness in saying it was fine to reset the NPCs provoked Huroi…

A game surely had an end. It was because the story had an ending, or the content was depleted. It wasn’t just single player games, but also online games enjoyed by multiple users. The developers added new content every time, but it didn’t mean much. It was easy to remember that even movies made by hundreds of the best people in each field with hundreds of billions of capital behind them were often ruined. People in the gaming industry weren’t gods. They weren’t always successful in developing content that satisfied the majority. On the contrary, the more updates that were done, the more the game received a backlash. In the end, every game tended to have fewer users as the service period continued and they would eventually disappear into history. Online games with a PvP system had a particularly short lifespan. It was because PvP naturally had winners and losers. The winner got the better reward, so as time passed, they entered their own league. What were some ways to extend the lifespan of the game? This was the biggest challenge the gaming industry had been contemplating for a long time. The answer was in seasons. It gave new stimulus to users by resetting the game environment after a certain period of time passed. It wasn’t at the level of simply resetting the rankings like in chess-type games or games like AoS, FPS, etc. In the case of MMORPGs, the story and levels were completely reset. This way, people could start the game on an equal footing again from the beginning. Of course, the proper line was kept. In order to reduce the feeling of deprivation to existing users, the classes and items acquired in the previous season were partially inherited. On the other hand, variations were added to the content of quests, hidden pieces, and information of hunting grounds and dungeons, etc, to render existing knowledge meaningless. The intention was to ensure that the winners, who monopolized a lot of information from the previous season, would start from the beginning like the average person.

So far, this was a very simple example. The game companies used the seasonal system in their own way. They used several innovative methods to satisfy the winners and losers of the previous season, and both existing and new users. As a result, most of the games that introduced a season system were well received. The difference in lifespan between games that introduced the seasonal system and games that didn’t introduce the seasonal system was quite large. Of course, by now, most of the games except for Satisfy had been destroyed. “Grid has gone beyond an empire and created a divine world. In this way, Grid’s power will grow uncontrollably… I’m not using a leap of logic to talk about the seasonal system. Who doubts Grid these days? Grid isn’t someone who harms others just because he becomes stronger. Rather, he has a style of feeling responsibility. He is a great man. We all know that.” The professor, who was voicing the need to introduce a seasonal system, inserted a neutral gear along the way. It was proof that he was conscious that the absolute majority of public opinion liked Grid. At the same time, it was a move to appeal that his opinion had objective value. “Moreover, it is clear that hell and heaven have become the enemy of the players. For humanity, which has to rally around Grid, there is no news as good as the birth of the Overgeared World. Isn’t there a statistic that less than 20% of people perceive Satisfy as a simple role-playing game? Research shows that most players enjoy Satisfy for a variety of everyday reasons, whether it is simply to decorate their home or garden, spend time with their family or lover, enjoy leisure activities such as fishing or exercise, or simply using it for work purposes.” The professor drank water while avoiding Huroi’s bloody gaze and continued his words. “I’m just talking about the future. It should be noted that when Grid and the rankers have subjugated hell and heaven and the story is over, or when the failure prevents people’s daily lives from being maintained, we need to note that we have to start Satisfy again in a new environment.” “What will happen to the NPCs if the world is reset?” Huroi, who didn’t get a chance to come forward because the professor praised Grid every time he said something, finally interrupted at the right moment. He pointed out the fundamental problem.

The professor fixed his glasses. “The NPCs? Is that a matter to worry about? Once the world is reset, it means the system is reset. So the NPCs will be reset as well, right?” “I was asking how the NPCs are going to make sense of the world starting over, but you are thinking about killing them. You are trying to teach people when you are a potential killer. The world is going to the dogs.” “Killer…? What are you now…?” The professor panicked. From then on, Huroi’s criticism began. He even took advantage of the fact that the professor was part of triplets to curse him. A convincing logic wasn’t presented. It was because the professor didn’t consider Grid’s position at all. Reset the NPCs? What type of crazy nonsense was this? Huroi, who only thought and worked around Grid, had plenty of reasons to insult the professor. He didn’t need any logic to curse… “Uh… Um… We will come back after this advertisement.” The host couldn’t control the executive of the Overgeared Guild he painstakingly worked hard to recruit and barely took over. The survey results confirmed that people were negative about the seasonal system. It was a natural result. Satisfy was different from usual games. The vast majority of people recognized and utilized it as another world rather than a game. Progressing through quests, killing monsters, leveling up, competing with others, and increasing their power… this was only a small part of Satisfy. It was why so many people were cheering for Grid and the Overgeared Guild. People just wanted peace. They dismissed the argument that a seasonal system should be introduced to reset the environment they had adapted to the best, the relationships they built, etc. The same was true of the S.A Group. What type of seasonal system would be introduced when the company didn’t even update the game in order to avoid intervening in the game? The common opinion of the people was that the professor was cheap and he was cursed at.

*** The symbol of the Overgeared Empire was once blacksmiths. Tens of thousands of blacksmiths, led by Grid, filled the nation. Naturally, industry developed and technicians from many fields flowed in. As the nation prospered, the technicians gained a variety of experiences and became craftsmen, producing new technicians through apprenticeship training. It was a land of craftsmen. “Perhaps—” The lake at the place where three temples were facing—the great lake built by Garion and Piaro was beautifully decorated by craftsmen. Flowers and trees of various colors were planted around the lake. White gravel was laid on the ground and it didn’t look awkward even though it was in the middle of the city. The lake itself was where Lars would reside, so the statues and portraits of Lars were arranged around the lake. It felt like an exhibition hall in nature. The overall scale was much larger than Grid’s temple. It was built large in the hopes that the size of the Overgeared World would be directly proportional to the size of the temples. It was fine even if it wasn’t proportional. In the future, the Overgeared World was planned to be developed around the lake. Therefore, it was decided that the lake would only be beneficial if it was large. “Do you know the Undefeated King?” This was a question that arose from the time he heard that Lars died and became a god. Undefeated King Madra—during the time when he was alive, he alone cut down the empire’s great army to defend his homeland. Then he became a death knight and defended the Behen Archipelago. Unfortunately, the Great Human and Demon War in the Behen Archipelago didn’t go down in history. However, his homeland Lubana existed until relatively recently. The empire might’ve deliberately concealed the name of the Undefeated King, but this would have its limitations. The people of Lubana might’ve longed for the Undefeated King for at least a few decades after the death of the Undefeated King and offered sacrifices. It meant they would’ve worshiped him. “Madra, of course I know him.”

Debirion and Lars shook their heads, but Garion knew about the Undefeated King. She nodded with an inquiring expression. “Ah…” Grid remembered the Undefeated King’s Swordsmanship and started sweating. There was no way Garion couldn’t know Madra. Madra must’ve smashed the land quite a lot. “You must be wondering if he also became a human god.” “Yes… in any case.” He didn’t really have high expectations. Madra’s body and soul were defiled. He was reduced to an undead by Pagma and stayed in the Behen Archipelago until recently. Existing as a death knight and becoming a human god? The possibility that a separate ego from the death knight would become a god wasn’t impossible, but it wasn’t realistic. In the first place, Madra was a legend. He was outstanding even among the legends. His position was different from Lars, who was an ordinary boy. It was more likely that he would be chosen as an angel before he became a god. After becoming an angel, he couldn’t become a god even if he was worshiped. ‘Please, I hope my guess is wrong.’ Grid was aware that his predictions were quite often wrong. This was why he was eagerly hoping that this prediction was also wrong. “He can’t be a god. As you know, he has fallen to the level of becoming an undead.” “………” This time, his prediction was corrected. A shadow fell over Garion’s beautiful face. “He is likely to have become a slave to Baal. I heard that Baal’s favorite souls are unfortunate souls, both alive or dead. It is a shame.” Did he become a slave to Baal? It happened as Grid sighed, feeling gloomy after his unnecessary curiosity…

“The warp gate is ready.” One of the knights prostrated himself and announced. ‘Why do they bow every time?’ A God Hand pulled up the knight. However, it was useless. The knight fell to his knees again. It was because Grid’s red robes fluttered and his sunset-colored divinity spread. It was a sight that made one feel awe. *** He soon arrived in front of the warp gate and found the apostles, except for Braham and Sariel, waiting. “Uh…” Nefelina’s complexion was pale. The restless appearance meant she didn’t look like a great hatchling, but it was very familiar to Grid. To be honest, Grid couldn’t picture Nefelina’s future in his head. A dragon that would show off her magnificent stature and act as an absolute? This child? “You don’t have to go with me,” Grid said while stroking Nefelina’s head. From a certain point on, he naturally treated Nefelina like a daughter after she treated him as a parent. She also seemed to have become quite close to Lord. It was absurd that Lord seemed to have taken on the role of an older brother. “No, I will go. I really want to see him.” The gray dragon Xenon—he might not be a child of an old dragon, but it was said that an adult dragon had made an exchange with Grid. It had been a long time since it turned out to be true. However, Nefelina didn’t feel like it was real. It was impossible to believe that a dignified dragon interacted with another species. She wanted to see it with her own eyes. ‘Perhaps he is suffering from madness.’ That dragon called Xenon was likely experiencing the same symptoms as her father. It meant that he was ridiculously dangerous. It was necessary to find out what plot he had in mind when approaching Grid.

‘If I am lucky, I might get a hint to improve my father’s symptoms… ’ Somehow, the gravity of the matter seemed to be reversed, but in any case, Nefelina took the risk. She chose to accompany Grid despite knowing she could be a target for Xenon. “Let’s go.” Grid respected her choice. He was the first to enter the warp gate, followed by Mercedes, Piaro, Zik, and Nefelina. The apostles were all wearing the same clothes as Grid. It was a thin robe made from woven silk. The hem went down to the knees and the sleeves were wide. It was gorgeous. It fluttered every time they moved, making the appearance of the gods and apostles even more mysterious. *** [I think they have become more devoted since we haven’t seen them.] Reidan was full of people. It was to watch the ‘descent of a dragon,’ which was now famous. A dragon—an absolute species that was considered to be something they would never see in their lifetime just last year. The people who were mesmerized by his splendid appearance turned their gazes in the direction of the warp gate. Grid was there. The attitude of the dragon who found him and made eye contact was unusual. The sight of him stretching his neck down like he was bowing caused a turmoil among the people. ‘He is far crazier than I expected.’ Xenon’s polite attitude made Nefelina feel shocked.

The keyword for dragons was arrogance. They were monsters that were immune to death due to the ‘absolute defense’ that wrapped around them like a garment, and devastated a city with a single breath. Understandably, they were fearless and arrogant. They were famous for belittling all beings other than themselves. The ancestors’ advice that it would be ugly to get involved with them as they did not know the concept of respect remained throughout the continent as a history. Yet an unexpected event occurred around half a year ago. A giant dragon periodically visited Reidan to give gifts. A dragon doing Grid a favor? There was a rumor that it was because he felt guilty toward Grid, but people weren’t convinced. How could a dragon feel guilty in the first place? Smashing cities and hurting people? For them, it would be as uninspiring as trampling on ants. So why? The people were puzzled and went to visit Reidan. They heard rumors that Grid was attending this ‘descent of a dragon' event. However, it wasn’t easy to enter the city. There was a long procession even from a location where the walls of Reidan, famous for being very high, looked blurry. It was a procession of visitors to Reidan. “Do we have to pay an entrance fee? By the way, why are there so many people? Rabbit, a notorious administrator even among civilians, declared that he would charge an entrance fee. The reason was that it was difficult to manage security if just anyone was accepted. The people felt a backlash and they lost their motivation when they saw the long procession. “Let’s watch from the outside without going inside the city.” “That is good. It is a pity that I can’t see Grid, but the dragon is as big as a mountain. I can see it well from afar.” Eventually, a few people left the line. Tents were set up in various places of the agriculture fields like they were camping. Then suddenly, dark clouds appeared in the sky and it rained. It was a heavy rain.

“Wasn’t it originally a desert here?” “The clouds are too thick. We won’t even be able to see the dragon properly like this.” “Damn, it can’t be helped. Let’s enter the city now.” The people took down their tents and moved busily. They literally rushed in like a turbulent wave. However, the visitors didn’t end there. There were also many members of the bourgeois who crossed over using the warp gates rather than taking the usual routes. Reidan was crowded without any place to step. It was like a huge pot of bean sprouts. Just then— “………?” The rain stopped like it was a lie. *** “Thank you for the hard work,” Rabbit laughed at the dumbfounded tourists and spoke while adjusting his glasses. At the lord’s castle… Lauel was sitting down with a haggard look. He had changed his class to a feng shui master because it was useful for battlefield and city management, and he harbored a great sense of skepticism about his job. “The prime minister of the great empire uses the ultimate technique to take money away from people… isn’t this too trivial? You are someone who has earned the title of daoist.” “The number of visitors is 1.2 million and we got 7 gold per person. Recall the days when Reidan was reeling because it didn’t even have 200,000 gold and endure it.” “Isn’t the rate of visits by children very small? Administrator Rabbit, did you predict that far?” Garitsha looked at the two men with a somewhat pitying expression and asked. It was a question from the lord of Reidan.

Rabbit explained it with all his heart, “That’s right. What fearless parent would lead their children to watch a dragon? This was the calculation behind the propaganda that preschoolers would be admitted for free.” They pretend to be hospitable, but it was nothing more than a show. It was the basics of business. Rabbit’s smiling face was full of pride. It was similar to the look Garitsha had when she led 50,000 troops and won consecutive victories. “Oh my, you did well,” Garitsha finished rebuking him and urged Lauel, “We need to go. Grid will arrive soon.” After a while, a huge and wonderful dragon descended to Reidan, just as people had imagined. Then Grid’s group appeared through the warp gate. The surprising thing was that people’s nerves were more focused on Grid’s group than the dragon. The beautiful men and women dressed in colorful clothes and Grid’s divinity was that enchanting. They couldn’t help drawing attention. [I think they have become more devoted since we haven’t seen them.] The people who were alternatingly admiring Grid’s group and the dragon were suddenly shocked. It was because the dragon’s attitude was very polite as he lowered his long neck to match Grid’s eye level. The dragon’s tone was polite from the start. ‘Isn’t this crazy?’ ‘It was this much?’ People had been keeping a close eye on Grid’s epics and the temples of the Overgeared God Church. It was possible to roughly guess where Grid was and what he was doing. They took it for granted that he had been involved with dragons for the past year. They didn’t expect him to rise so much in the hierarchy that he was greeted by a dragon… they never even dreamed of it. Weren’t dragons beings that even the gods of Asgard were wary of? It was beyond imagination. Silence fell in a city as a million people lost their words.

“That… that can’t be a dragon!” someone shouted in a ferocious voice. It was close to a cry. There was a strong hostility in the voice. All eyes turned in the direction of the voice. It was a man in a black robe who gave off a gloomy impression. Anyone could tell that it was a black magician from the Yatan Church. “This…! That is just a fat wyvern!” The Yatan Church, like the churches of the three gods, was divided into two factions—the radicals, who believed in the truth of hell that Grid revealed and formed a friendship with the Overgeared God Church, and the moderates, who held to their existing positions regardless of the truth. The difference between them was whether they worshiped God Yatan or the demons. The radicals worshiped God Yatan himself while the moderates wanted the power of the demons. The moderates were close to the existing Yatan Church. They were still obsessed with the ritual of kidnapping humans, sacrificing them, and summoning demons. This person was part of the latter. He was even a bigshot. The proof was that he infiltrated this place without any problems. ‘A Yatan Servant. It has been a while since I’ve seen one.’ Grid’s high insight read the ominous magic power of the black magician. However, that was it. Grid quickly shifted his gaze away. He paid as much attention to the black magician as he did a stone on the side of the road. The black magician threw off his robe and shouted fiercely, “If you know the identity of this body, then you can’t ignore me! I am Yatan’s Second Servant, J…” The Yatan Second Servant, Jijeil—he was obsessed with power. Therefore, he violated the rules of heaven, harmed people, and became a Yatan Servant. Naturally, he fantasized about the dragons. He feared them more than the Great Demons and hoped to meet one at least once in his life. However, he only witnessed the scene of his object of awe serving Grid, his firm enemy, as if Grid was his master. He had to lose his temper. He was so caught up in his emotions that he experienced a backlash of magic power. Still, it was fine. There were countless people here.

These miscellaneous things that only sucked in air. Those who wished to lead a trivial life were nothing more than rubbish not worth existing. Meanwhile, they had found to take advantage of this trash over the years. It was as an offering. The magic of dedicating their blood, flesh, and life to the demon was completed with powerful magic that was different from ordinary magic. A miracle that made meaningless things meaningful. I am great. It happened at this time… “………?” Jijeil’s thoughts stopped. The madman, who was ready to give up his life the moment he shouted at Grid, dreamed about completing a large-scale magic on the people here and seeing Grid’s expression contort. It was just that his wish didn’t come true. Grid’s figure disappeared from view. By the time he realized that a huge, black shadow had approached, it was already too late. Jijeil’s head was crushed by pressure and exploded. “………” “………” Mercedes and Piaro, who had just reached Jijeil’s side, turned around. Not a single drop of the blood that burst out like a fountain touched their robes. It was the same for the other people. The gravity field spread out by the proud-looking Mercedes crushed the swirling blood and flesh, and buried it in the ground. “………?” There was only silence. The dragon’s huge claw that slowly approached the black magician who appeared with a shout and the black magician that disappeared without a trace—few people understood the situation properly. Garitsha, a former member of the Tzedakah Guild and the current lord of Reidan, had a subtle expression on her face.

‘It was slow?’ A little while ago… The claw that Xenon stretched out was not fast. This was clearly recognized by herself as well as one million people. Meanwhile, the black magician who was the target of the claw didn’t respond. He only looked puzzled the moment when the slowly approaching claw crushed him. ‘What type of harmony is it? Did he fall for the Dragon Words that Grid mentioned?’ Some of the Overgeared members that came from the Tzedakah Guild had grown into commanders. They honed their military skills and leadership skills rather than their individual strength. Unfortunately, Garitsha was incapable of assessing what Xenon just did. Piaro read her contemplative expression and said with a pleased look, “It was just visible because it was huge.” In fact, the dragon’s claws were shot at a tremendous speed. Even Piaro only noticed it when he felt the change in the wind’s flow. He got goosebumps. Mercedes seemed to have a similar sentiment. There was a subtle competitive spirit in her eyes that were looking at Xenon. ‘As expected, a dragon is truly a supreme being.’ The more Piaro realized the greatness of a dragon, the greater Grid felt. By this time, the old image of Grid that clearly remained in his mind seemed false. It happened as people started to understand the situation one by one… They were fascinated by the appearance of the dragon that was even more wonderful up close, but then they belatedly felt fear and turned pale. Even so, it was only for a moment. People forgot their fear again. [I ended up hurting humans like my habit. I’m sorry… I will pay the price for my sins.] The sight of the dragon bowing his head to Grid was absurd and made them forget their fear.

“He deserved to die a hundred times.” Grid respected Xenon. He liked Xenon’s personality, who knew how to make mistakes and take responsibility. Yet treating Xenon as a fat wyvern? It was on the verge of being unpleasant to Grid. Xenon saw his frown and greatly misunderstood. He hurriedly opened his subspace and took out a gift. [This is the scale I have prepared to offer you today. It is a scale that grew around my heart, so it will be especially hard.] Offer. The scale. Every time the dragon opened his mouth, and with each word that emerged from it, people’s minds gradually became distant. ‘Is he really going to put Grid on his back?’ Then wasn’t it not much different from a fat wyvern, just as the dead black magician said? People clicked their tongues at the sight of the dragon that seemed to have been tamed by Grid. ‘It is definitely different.’ Grid’s face was bright. “I will cherish it and use it well.” Even the scales from the same dragon differed in quality depending on the area. The scale that Xenon gave him this time was so good that a great work would be born if he combined them with the scales he collected so far to make a shoulder guard and helmet. [It is an honor.] Hell, Baal, Asgard, the angels and gods, the Specter of the No Offspring Tomb, and Khan—these days, there were fewer and fewer genuine smiles due to his

accumulating worries. Now Grid smiled widely for the first time in a while. Mercedes read it with her Keen Insight and was thrilled. She took back the competitive spirit she secretly (?) felt toward Xenon. Meanwhile, Nefelina was coming to a conclusion. ‘I would prefer that he is an uncontrollable lunatic. No harm is done to Grid, but I shouldn’t associate with this guy. It is unfortunate, but I have to get a hint of resolving my father’s madness from somewhere else.’ A fat wyvern—Nefelina sympathized with the heart of the black magician who shouted at Xenon. On this day, the whole world was filled with the subject of Grid and dragons. Would Grid lose a fight against Baal when he could extort scales from a dragon? The people were hopeful and encouraged. They also praised Piaro and Mercedes, who reacted to the dragon’s movements. In particular, many people were fascinated by the appearance of Mercedes, who wasn’t discouraged even against a dragon. It was rewarding for Grid to lead the apostles to visit Reidan…

It was when he saw the spear made by Hexetia. Grid once again realized the difference in skill between himself and Hexetia. There were no complaints. He could understand. Hexetia was the god of blacksmiths. It was a shameful wish to compare blacksmithing skills against him, whose stats and powers were so rooted in the creation of items. However, Grid didn’t think he was unconditionally at a disadvantage. The material of Hexetia’s short sword or spear was the divine stone. It was the unique material created by Hexetia. It was probably a great metal, but it didn’t have an advantage over the scales and bones of a dragon. He saw Xenon’s scale today and was convinced. [Xenon’s Heart Scale] [Rating: Myth A scale that regenerates with the highest priority among the scales of the gray dragon, Xenon. It is the thickest and strongest as it wraps right around the right side of the chest where the dragon’s heart sits.] ‘This is definitely on a different grade from the scales I’ve dealt with so far.’ It was when Grid fought Cranbel. This was the reason why he couldn’t deal a direct blow to the dragon’s heart. A bit of confidence grew in Grid’s heart as he admired and examined the scale. ‘One day, I will create a dragon weapon that goes beyond Hexetia’s work.’ The possibilities were sufficient. Xenon was a lower ranked dragon. Even so, Grid succeeded in using Xenon’s scales to embody the body parts of top ranked dragons like Ifrit and Cranbel. Someday, if he used the scales of an intermediate or top

ranking dragon, there was a high possibility he could make them more perfect and it was even possible to recreate the body of an old dragon. ‘An old dragon… I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s make a good helmet first.’ He had obtained a good scale, so he was going to try and reproduce Cranbel’s head. The investment value of a helmet was high because it had a high defense among all the armor parts and it was an important part that specialized in defending weak spots. There was no regret about parting with Talsha. He had been replacing the armor made with the breaths of the Four Gods one by one, so why would there be any regrets about Talsha? Talsha… it wasn’t that he disliked Talima's Shame because it was rude. It had been a long time since Talsha had become obedient, even though it grumbled. To put it bluntly, it had become useless. It was because he didn’t need the help of Talsha to dominate items. Talsha’s current position was nothing more than noisy armor. Of course, it was only for Grid. In addition to King's Negation that disarmed the target and King's Command’s that controlled ego items, Talima's Shame had a unique skill called King’s Domination. [King’s Domination] [Dominates the wearer’s mind and controls the body. During the time when King’s Domination is maintained, the wearer’s attack power and all speeds will increase by 20%. The wearer will also be immune to critical hits and attacks in weak spots. However, the wearer will die at the end of the domination. Skill Resources Consumed: None. Skill Duration: Until the wearer dies. Skill Cooldown Time: 24 hours.] It was a skill that drove the wearer to death. This was a really blatant and vicious curse given that Talsha had no conditions to be equipped. Grid was naturally immune to it because it was a mental domination skill, but most people apart from Grid would have no way to avoid death the moment they wore Talsha.

‘There will be times when it is useful depending on the situation.’ A knight’s helmet with goat horns—Talsha’s outward appearance was pretty cool. It was a design that suited Lauel’s taste so much that his eyes shone and he said he wanted to give it a try (?). If he aimed it at the target well, he could easily make them put it on. -Phew… Talsha escaped being disposed of and sighed with relief. A monster whose intelligence was so high that it didn’t want to belong to anyone. After repeatedly cursing and killing the wearer, it was sealed in Pandemonium.Talsha had resented its fate as a mere tool, but it was different now. It hoped to lead a life of its own. Its mind changed as it ventured out of the dark Pandemonium and adventured with Grid. “Then shouldn’t you have usually done a bit better?” The defense of Talsha was from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 2,750. It adjusted its defense according to its mood, but it rarely showed a good form because its nature was evil. In particular, there were some cases where the defense was 1 in battle, causing damage to Grid. -That… I tried to do well… Grid no longer scolded Talsha, who closed its mouth while trying to make excuses. As he stated earlier, the uncooperative nature of Talsha was a matter of nature. It might’ve succumbed to Grid with force and was impressed by Grid’s heart, but it wasn’t inherently good. Grid shouldn’t expect loyalty. It was similar to Iyarugt. ‘Cranbel’s head.’ Grid closed his eyes and focused. A dragon’s head had horns. It was a very strong symbol that meant power, authority, life, eternity, etc. If there was a world line where Grid didn’t meet Ifrit. The Grid of that world line wouldn’t have even dared to make a dragon horn. Meanwhile, the Grid of this world was lucky enough to meet Ifrit and make her horn. Ifrit actively cooperated. Grid used the experience of that time to create a divine sword that referenced the shape of Cranbel’s horn. He was confident that he could properly reproduce Cranbel’s head, which had two horns protruding from the

temples. Of course, it wasn’t a perfect reproduction. This was due to the exaggerated protrusion of the dragon’s snout. It was necessary to change it to a shape appropriate to wear. It was also the reason why he planned to make Cranbel’s Head. Ifrit’s single horn was too large compared to Cranbel’s Horn. He had to scale it down further, so it was likely to lose the value. ‘I have to do my best more than usual.’ They were misleading words. It was because Grid had always done his best. It was physically impossible to do more than his usual best. Even so, Grid wasn’t conscious of the impossible. It didn’t matter if it was possible or not. He always tried to do better today than yesterday, and better tomorrow than today. He maintained the same attitude even if the desired result didn’t come out. It was the secret to always staying at the top and was the basics. ‘The helmet is special compared to other armor parts.’ A dragon’s head not only had horns, but also a mouth. It was an organ where a real dragon released Breath and spoke the Dragon Words. He didn’t want it for Dragon Words. Dragon Words were the perfect power of dragons who had fulfilled the covenant several times. It made no sense to simply implement it with items. However, the Breath was worth looking forward to. Didn’t Grid implement a Small Breath based on the dragon heart’s functional pattern with the gauntlet that he made earlier, Ifrit’s Arm? Once it came to Cranbel’s Head, a more powerful Breath might be attached to the skill. It was an established fact that the viability would develop greatly based on the symbolic meaning of the horn. “Please, god.” “Huh?” “Who are you calling…?” “………” He had returned after receiving the scales from Xenon. Grid had been praying as a habit before designing Cranbel’s Head with Item Creation. Now he closed his mouth

at these words. Garion, Debirion, and Lars were around him. All of them had a bewildered expression at Grid’s search for a god and their attitude made Grid feel embarrassed. ‘There are no human beings.’ A bit… the emotions were different. Did he move the smithy to the temple for nothing? Grid shook his head despite his regret. For production and enhancement, the location and timing were important. This was the historic wisdom of the predecessors that had been passed down from the beginning of the birth of MMORPGs. There were too many statistics to dismiss it as a mere superstition. It was correct to say that it resembled physiognomy. It was clear that the probability of success of making and enhancing items would be higher in the Overgeared World, the most sacred place in the world. —Probably. ‘Let’s begin.’ Grid took a deep breath and calmed down. Then he started the production. The nonstop moving foot on the bellows was as sophisticated as a machine and there were no mistakes. The flames in the furnace moved according to Grid’s will. It was as if Grid’s will was embodied. ‘It has not been easy.’ The gods were deeply impressed by the sight of Grid smelting the dragon scale for three days and nights. A god was omnipotent compared to humans. They were able to achieve whatever they wanted when it came to most work, especially in their field. Garion’s power to immediately restore the land was a prime example. It was very unfamiliar for a god to be absorbed in a certain task while maintaining extreme concentration. It was an unnecessary ascetic practice. Yet at this moment, Grid was burdening himself with the ascetic practice. Self-control—it was due to this side that he managed to overshadow the years.

A few more days passed after the gods realized it. [Cloaked Dragon Cranbel’s Head has been completed.] Grid’s item production was finished. A helmet made by splitting Xenon’s scale into hundreds of pieces and connecting them to form two separate horns. It resembled the head of a dragon who was beheaded the moment it roared. It was a structure in which the wearer’s face was located between the gaping upper and lower jaws. Since the lower part of the mouth was split to the left and right to cover the wearer’s neck, it didn’t interfere with movement and played the role of a helmet properly. It was a bit wild, but it suited Grid very well. Grid’s sharp eyes and the raw-looking helmet gave a great feeling of harmony. It was reminiscent of a monarch who commanded the world with a fierce force. ‘I want it.’ Debirion unconsciously harbored a desire. He thought that if he wore this while going hunting in the forest, he could raise his shoulders high. It was the first material desire he had ever felt in his life. Just as Debirion was feeling flustered by his desire, Grid tilted his head at an angle. Then some of the scales that made up the helmet worked and changed positions. The two horns that rose from the sides rotated in the reverse direction to wrap around his neck thickly, and the upper part of the mouth, which acted as a covering, lowered and transformed into a face shield that covered the entire face except for Grid’s eyes. The wild feeling disappeared and it instead gave off a firm, yet noble, feeling. It was reminiscent of a knight in winter wearing a thick scarf. ‘It must be painted separately in order to match well with other armor.’ He could set the helmet to be invisible. In particular, the crown and helmet could be worn together, so Grid usually set it so that the crown was visible. Yet in the future, he would need to make the helmet visible. It was due to the special effect attached to the helmet. [★ The skill ‘Somewhat Incomplete Breath’ has been generated. [Somewhat Incomplete Breath Lv. 1]

[Instantly releases magic power, dealing fixed damage equal to 40 times the amount of intelligence to all beings in its path. The higher the user’s status, the greater the damage. There will be an absolute hit rate correction due to the high speed. Dramatically reduces the target’s magic resistance the moment the target is hit. The penetration and multiple hits effects will occur. Skill Mana Cost: 50,000 Skill Cooldown Time: 25 minutes. * This skill doesn’t share a cooldown with Small Breath. * Every time this skill is used, the face shield made of Cranbel’s Head will be released and it will be opened. * If the helmet’s appearance is set to be hidden, the wearer must open their mouth wide to use the skill.] “………” The emperor, a god, the leader of a guild, and someone’s husband and father—he couldn’t open his mouth in front of people to breathe out fire. Grid had a duty to maintain the minimum of dignity.

[Cloaked Dragon Cranbel’s Head] [Rating: Myth (Transcendent) [A set item. Durability: 24,600/24,600 Defense: 3,510 * Stamina and charm increased by 300 each. * The probability of defending the weak points is increased by 50%. * The probability of a critical hit resistance is increased by 30%. ★ Immunity to blindness, silence, and beheading. ★ If fighting a great demon, archangel, god, or dragon, a portion of the durability is replaced by defense and critical hit resistance probability. ★ The power and activation probability of skills used through the eyes, nose and mouth will increase and the casting time is decreased. ★ There is a 20% chance to activate Stealth when hit on the head. ★ There is a 10% chance to trigger ‘Absolute Defense’ when hit. ★ There is a 25% chance to activate Dragon Blessing when attacking or hit. ★ The skill ‘Somewhat Incomplete Breath’ has been generated. ★ Dragon Armor Set Effect Every time additional armor made of dragon scales is equipped, defense will increase further and the probability of Absolute Defense will increase significantly.

Wearing Conditions: Grid, Dragon Slayer, Dragon Knight. Weight: 520] [Dragon Blessing] [Passive The horns of an absolute species have a powerful meaning. When the skill is triggered, the effect of either one of the ‘Symbol of Strength,’ ‘Symbol of Authority,’ ‘Symbol of Life,’ or ‘Symbol of Eternity’ is applied. The symbol effects can be stacked. Skill Cooldown Time: 5 minutes each.] [Symbol of Strength] [Both horns are dyed red and the attack will have a ‘crushing’ effect.] [Symbol of Authority] [Failed to open due to the lack of status. The information can’t be accessed.] [Symbol of Life] [Failed to open due to the lack of status. The information can’t be accessed.] [Symbol of Eternity] [Failed to open due to the lack of status. The information can’t be accessed.] A great piece of work beyond what Grid hoped for was born. Grid felt so much joy it was like he was going to fly away. He wanted to cheer, but he couldn’t. He was conscious of the gods who were chatting and looking this way. In front of the noble gods, the chief god who would lead them forward couldn’t lose his dignity. ‘No… ’ They were companions who would be with him forever. Was it right to lie about his

feelings in front of them? It was only by showing his true self that it would be possible to become a true family… “…Aaaaaah!” Grid thought about it before honestly expressing his feelings. He clenched his fists tightly, shouted, and even did somersaults. Debirion was dumbfounded, while Lars cheered and clapped. Garion smiled with a kind face. Each of them reacted differently according to their personality, but the three gods fully accepted Grid’s true face. They were happy without recklessly judging between right or wrong. The dignity of the chief god? That sort of thing didn’t benefit those around him. Grid’s attitude of smiling when he wanted to smile and spreading joy and happiness around him would be far more beneficial to the world. It was as orange divinity spread like a polar light around a clear lake. The gods of the Overgeared World communicated and became close to one another like long-time friends and family. They weren’t suspicious or wary of each other. They only hoped for peace in the world and for humanity to be without any darkness in their hearts. They were pleased with each other as they faced each other honestly and glimpsed the other’s sincerity. Peace—the present safety gained only after meeting Grid, and the possibility of the future that they saw through the works created by Grid, relieved the anxiety in the hearts of the surface gods. *** ‘I’m afraid people will misunderstand.’ It was four days later… Grid invested all the remaining scales and finished Fire Dragon Ifrit’s Shoulders when he suddenly became worried. Grid had a total of three types of Breaths. First, the Breath of the fire dragon attached to the Fire Dragon Sword. From the perspective of Grid, who actively utilized Item Combination, the Fire Dragon Sword was one of his inseparable symbols. Every time he attacked, there was a 5% chance of releasing a Breath.

Second, there was the Small Breath attached to Ifrit’s Arm. The status correction effect meant the strength was much higher than that of the fire dragon’s Breath. He used it habitually because it was so versatile that it became the trigger to creating a sword dance. Third, there was the Breath attached to Cranbel’s Head. It was the most powerful Breath. The particularly noteworthy part was the release location. It was right to say that enemies who fought at eye level with Grid would always be exposed to danger because the Breath was fired from Grid’s mouth or helmet. The moment they weren’t aware of it, a hole would be drilled into their forehead and they would suffer a proper loss. Everything was good. It was all good, but… ‘I feel like I’m shooting too much.’ The ripple effect of the Breaths used by Grid lay more in the directing effect than the power. A beam that stretched out in a straight line. The effect was so gorgeous that it caught people‘s attention and left an intense impression. If he shot a Breath from the helmet instead of his sword or gauntlet… He was worried he would get a nickname like Beam Man. It was because people loved nicknames. ‘…It is a useless worry.’ After all, Grid was the most famous person in the world. He got nicknames even if he stayed still. There was no point in worrying about a new nickname. ‘In the first place, Beam Man is a bit… it sounds cool.’ Grid thought positively. Ifrit’s Shoulders were waving in line with his movements. The shoulder guards of red scales. It was in a state of being integrated with Ifrit’s Arm. Like the White Tiger’s Shoulder Guards, it had a round shape that wrapped around the shoulders, so there was no inconvenience in movement. The performance… it easily transcended the Shoulder Guards of the White Tiger with the Protection of the Red Phoenix. Despite being an area of weak defense, it had

a huge 2,100 defense. There was also a further increase in defense when attacked on the upper body, a shoulder injury immunity effect, etc. It was perfect armor. Just as Ifrit’s Arm had Dragon Fear, Cranbel’s Pelvis had Dragon Rage, and Cranbel’s Head had Dragon Blessing attached, this also had some of the dragon’s powers embodied. [Dragon Charging] [The power of an absolute species. Strongly push a target in the specified range to shake the insides. A strong internal injury will be dealt. Resource Consumption: 20,000 mana. *None when hitting directly with the shoulders. Cooldown Time: 1 minute. *None when hitting directly with the shoulders.] It was powerful. The increased defense from the dragon armor set effect couldn’t be ignored either. However, it was necessary to use it often while swapping it with the White Tiger’s Shoulder Guards. It was impossible to completely abandon the White Tiger’s Shoulder Guards, which had features such as Earth God that changed the terrain. Swapping items to use a skill that required meeting certain conditions to be activated had a difficulty level high enough to be called an area of luck, but this wasn’t a problem for Grid. The Shoulder Guards of the White Tiger with the Protection of the Red Phoenix had been used by Grid as a part of his body for the past few years. He had confidence to activate the desired skill at the desired timing. In the first place, Grid was a specialist in swapping items. There was no need to consider the problems that occurred when swapping items. “Are you idle?” After almost 10 days, it was time to leave the temple and get some fresh air. Then

Mercedes approached and asked him a question. Her expression was terribly cold. Cold air seemed to cover his skin and it gave him goosebumps. Grid couldn’t help looking behind his back. It was in the direction that Mercedes’s gaze was focused. It was where Garion was smiling. She treated Mercedes, who was staring coldly at her, kindly, like Mercedes was an adorable child. “I can’t be idle when I am taking care of the land all the time, right?” “Indeed." Mercedes nodded slightly. Pretending to be busy while chasing continuously after His Majesty. Judging by the look on her face, such words might pop out. However, she surprisingly closed her mouth and seemed to accept it. It seemed to be the power of Keen Insight. She predicted that she would suffer a loss if she said one more word here. Grid was paying attention to the war of nerves between the two women when he remembered what happened not long ago. It was the time of his confrontation with Dominion. Grid had predicted a future where he would explode due to Dominion’s spear and die. Did his high level of transcendence combined with his high insight manifest the power of Keen Insight? Or was his evil eye strangely deformed? Grid thought about it seriously, but it was only for a moment. ‘It isn’t a superpower.’ It was a future he predicted based on his accumulated experience and information. It was a level that anyone who played the same game thousands of times or for thousands of hours could reach. Predicting the timing and path of the enemy’s skill and avoiding it in advance—such an extremely ordinary phenomenon just came to him in an unusually specific and clear manner. He didn’t know why it was unusual. It could be a simple coincidence or it could be influenced by something special about a virtual reality game. ‘…Let’s not think too deeply about it.’ He would just be wasting his mental strength if he gave useless meaning to the experience of that time and immersed himself in it. Grid felt it intuitively and grabbed Mercedes’ hand. He clasped their fingers together in a gentle embrace. He

thought that the shy and red-eared Mercedes was cute. “Did your training go well?” Mercedes had immersed herself in training while Grid was creating the new dragon armor. Looking back on the magnitude of the commotion he vaguely sensed, she seemed to have fought the apostles. “Yes, I have gained valuable experience.” The expression was full of the confidence of winning. She seemed to have a high win rate. It happened the moment he was stroking Mercedes’ head while feeling proud of her… -Beings, on, the surface, listen, well. A clear voice was imprinted on everyone in the field, no, on the surface. It was a voice that penetrated directly into their heads. It felt like their brains were being stirred. “Ugh…!” The knights who were following Grid groaned. The soldiers held their heads in a tormented manner while the people on the streets sat down with pale faces. Grid swallowed down his nausea. [You have resisted the demonic energy that has permeated the world.] He didn’t feel any pain. There was just extreme disgust. It was a wicked, ominous energy that he had never experienced before. It was disgusting because he felt like he was facing something he never needed to know in his life. -I, am Amoract, the 2nd monarch of hell. “What type of mysterious phenomenon is this? There are no traces of Amoract entering anywhere on the surface.” Garion cocked her head. She was taking care of the people along with the other gods. They gave priority to using their divinity to restore the well-being of the suffering

people. “She… is in hell.” Mercedes’ Keen Insight gleamed as transparently as ice. Her gaze peered underground and glimpsed into another dimension beyond the underground. The two eyes that even the gods were wary of faced Amoract in hell. Then they were dyed red. The sword that Mercedes drew and wielded in a dazzling manner was blocked by Grid just before it cut Garion’s neck. The Great Demon of Conflict—Amoract’s power was strong and vicious. Grid had no time to hesitate. He immediately spread out the Sanctuary of Metal. It squeezed in between the interlocking blades and dominated Mercedes’ shield. Then he took away the sword and held the frantic Mercedes in his arms. -I will, save you. You, desire, my advent. Amoract’s nonsense continued. It happened as he was gritting his teeth… “I’m sorry.” Just then, Mercedes woke up. She activated her Keen Insight and looked at hell again. “It is foolish…! Amoract’s power is a catastrophe on the scale of destroying the world! No one can afford it!” Garion sighed. She couldn’t understand Mercedes, who was repeating the same mistake. In fact, Amoract, who was in hell, was ridiculing it. She laughed and deceived the human being who hadn’t grasped the target and once again met Amoract’s gaze. Mercedes’s transparent eyes once again turned red. Garion and the gods flinched and stepped back. On the other hand, Grid’s expression was calm. It was because he believed in Mercedes. A notification popped up as if responding to his belief. [Your apostle, ‘Mercedes,’ has partially deciphered some of the causes of the conflict.]

[Your apostle, ‘Mercedes,’ has resisted the power of conflict!] -What…?! Amoract hurriedly shut her mouth, but it was too late. Her bewildered cry spread throughout the world. The world that used to be dyed in darkness was torn apart. The sky that resembled a bleak winter night had its blue color restored. It was spring. There was the ruler of the knights in the center of the scattered petals. “…Our spring is a spring that is right,” Lauel muttered with a bewildered expression after belatedly arriving at the scene. It was a poem by Paul Eluard. She, who wasn’t tainted by darkness and didn’t tremble in the cold—Mercedes’ spring was a spring that is right.

“I will save you. Desire my advent.” Children, that is enough. She muttered while looking up at the ceiling. She was casually speaking to herself. Her face couldn’t be seen because it was covered by fine cotton, but it was easy to infer that she was making a crazed expression. However, Rose didn’t mind and instead felt thrilled. She had been plagued by terrible anxiety for the past few months. Was it because the number of humans invading hell through the weird machine called the hell elevator was increasing day by day? No, this was something to be grateful for. The small fries wandering through hell was nothing more than food to fatten the great demon Rose. The problem was the main expedition. The most elite party consisting of many famous rankers of the Overgeared Guild and the kings of the different species. They were using the swarm of demonic creatures sent by Baal as mobs and were getting stronger every day. It felt like there would be trouble if left like this. However, Rose didn’t dare to step out. The best she could do was curse Baal, whose mind was unknown, and Amoract, who still coveted Yura and didn’t rush out. This XX guy, this XX woman, these bastards that shamed their parents, and so on—it just so happened that Rose’s cursing skills were rising. Then today, Amoract made a decision. She said she needed to meet the Overgeared God. She was suspicious of that guy Baal, so she announced her plan to propose a cooperation. Rather than being wary of the growth of the hell expedition, she didn’t want to ignore what Baal was doing. It was good. Rose was proud of Amoract, who came up with the card of negotiation, unlike the other great demons who might not have brain cells. She thought that the three evils of the beginning were truly different. It was strange to see her looking up

at the dark ceiling and talking to herself, but… it was understandable enough. ‘She is probably practicing before giving a speech in front of humans. She is thorough, unlike great demons who don’t know how to plan. As expected, she is one of the three evils of the beginning.’ Amoract’s authority was incomparable to the other single digit great demons. She was terribly free. Even without using the Abyss, she could go to the surface at any time, either directly or indirectly through a clone. Of course, she couldn’t avoid a penalty, but it was okay. Amoract didn’t seem to have any intention of fighting against Grid or the Overgeared Guild. Additionally, given the content of the rehearsed speech, it seemed she planned to mitigate the penalty by winning the support of human beings. “As expected of a monarch. Look at the humans listening to the world of their monarch.” “………?” Rose slowly shifted her gaze. Yukal, a great demon loyal to Amoract, was laughing as he looked at a crystal ball. Surprisingly, it was a crystal ball that relayed the situation of the surface. Oh my god, a broadcasting tool that transcended dimensions? “Was there something like this?” “What a stupid question. Indeed, you are a bumpkin of human origin, so you don’t know. The crystal ball is enchanted with a spell to share the vision of Amoract’s mimicry.” Of course, Amoract could share her gaze with her familiar without the help of the crystal ball and she had over a thousand familiars on the surface. Rose ignored Yukal, who was saying that he would be able to get a glimpse into the heavens if he could plant familiars. To be precise, Yukal’s words didn’t enter her ears. She was amazed to learn that Amoract, who she thought was talking to herself while staring at the ceiling, was actually speaking to humans. ‘Isn’t that almost a god?’

An influence that transcended dimensions—the power of the three evils of the beginning was truly astonishing. It was more than Rose had expected and imagined. She was convinced that the things to come would exceed her imagination. The Yatan Church and some humans who were thrilled by Amoract’s speech and desired her coming—Amoract would use their desire to step on the surface and Grid, who was unable to stop her, would have to sit down at the negotiating table with her. Perhaps the union of hell and the Overgeared Empire would be born. Grid must be afraid of Baal, just as Amoract was wary of Baal. He would naturally grab at this last straw and join forces. It happened at a time when Rose’s anticipation was gradually growing… “What…?!” Amoract, who was humming, showed signs of confusion. It was a familiar sight to Rose. Grid was usually intertwined whenever a great demon acted like this. Most of the great demons involved with Grid died. It wasn’t just one or two who perished without leaving even their souls behind. ‘It can’t be… no?’ One of the three evils of the beginning suffered a defeat to Grid? There was no way. It didn’t matter how great Grid was. Amoract was now in hell. It was her main body. It couldn’t or shouldn’t be the case where Grid could harm Amoract when they existed in different dimensions. Then… why was she so anxious? Gulp. The sound of Rose gulping echoed through the palace. Some time passed. “The power of Keen Insight is more than the rumors. There is a monster by the side of the Overgeared God,” Amoract opened her mouth. The breath that she let out like a groan blew the cotton veil that covered her face. Ah… As Rose was sighing involuntarily, Amoract swung her tail to fix the cotton and continued speaking, “There are so many children who make up the legends. There are also many children who became gods. However, not even a handful of them discussed the ultimate and the Absolute. No matter how many times I have looked

back at the world, there has only been one Absolute with a human origin.” However, Grid was on the verge of stepping into the realm of an Absolute. Amoract had never actually experienced his armed might, but he was the one who gave birth to the Overgeared World. The divine world on the surface made Amoract carefully consider her emergence on the surface. She had no intention of underestimating Grid even after seeing it. How could a human god become like this…? She would’ve been convinced if it had been a hundred years since he became a god but Grid hadn’t been a god for long. How did he grow up so unrestrictedly? The question that seemed impossible to solve forever was only resolved today, at this very moment. Keen Insight—she realized after meeting those irrational eyes why the gods were reluctant to even mention it. The secret to Grid becoming a god and growing so quickly was probably thanks to him borrowing the power of Keen Insight. ‘The power of the apostles is the power of the god. He used the exploit properly.’ It was very wicked. He definitely wasn’t an easy opponent. “I shouldn’t provoke him.” To be honest, she could send a clone or familiar if she wanted to meet the Overgeared God. The reason why she gave a long speech before her visit and why she was prepared to go in person was in an effort not to offend the Overgeared God. Wouldn’t he feel less repulsed if she announced in advance that she would come? She also decided it would be good for negotiation to visit in person, rather than sending a clone or familiar, because it would allow him to realize her strength to a certain extent. Yet looking at it now, this wasn’t enough. He had the foresight to keep a monster with Keen Insight by his side. It was clear that the Overgeared God, who always borrowed the power of Keen Insight, would be much more arrogant than expected. She decided that in order to come to the surface, it was necessary to ask for permission from the Overgeared God. It would be a bad move to take advantage of people’s desires and gain the Overgeared God’s displeasure. In the first place, Amoract had no intention of harming the humans on the surface. It wasn’t due to any good feelings, but simply because it wasn’t necessary. Placing a

curse on Mercedes so she went on a rampage was by no means intentional. That crazy monster looked her way willingly and was cursed uncontrollably. “Um… Prepare a sheet of paper and a pen.” “Why a sheet of paper and a pen…?” “I’m going to write a letter to the Overgeared God. I have something to discuss, so can you please allow me to visit?” “Huh…?” “Is your hearing savage because you are from a human origin?” Yukal scolded Rose, who questioned it. He poked her side and urged her to bring a sheet of paper and a pen. Of course, Rose’s hearing was fine. The reason she asked the question wasn’t because she didn’t hear Amoract’s words, but because she couldn’t believe them. The 2nd Great Demon was one of the three evils of the beginning. Now she was sending a letter asking for permission to visit one player? Rose was well aware that Grid was a great person, but it seemed like something was wrong. ‘Even if she appreciates Grid, how can a great demon be so gentlemanly?’ Was she crazy? Rose clicked her tongue at the absurdity, but she still faithfully carried out her orders. She scoured the castle for a sheet of paper and a pen. However, it was nonexistent… There was no way there could be writing utensils in a castle where demons and demonic creatures resided. “Paper and pen… there is none?? Should I go to the neutral zone to obtain it?” “It isn’t very elegant. The quality of the paper used by demonkin will be very poor.” “Then? Ah, don’t you have many familiars on the surface? Why don’t you send a

familiar to deliver your message?” “That isn’t polite. It is bad manners considering the hierarchy of the Overgeared God.” No, was this what a great demon should say? It happened as Rose, who was still unable to adapt, frowned… “Rose, the situation is like this, so you will have to go to the surface. The Overgeared God won’t care about your appearance.” “Huh…? Amoract, do you want me to meet the Overgeared God directly to convey your will?” Rose was shocked. She used to be a Yatan Servant and had many enemies in human society. Almost all players hated her after she became a great demon. She was treated like a traitor who sold out the country. She was even the target of the Overgeared Guild’s kill order. In other words, it meant the role of a messenger wasn’t suitable for Rose. Maybe as soon as she visited Reinhardt— No, she would be killed even before she arrived in Reinhardt. “You don’t have to do that. At your level, you won’t be able to handle the divinity of the Overgeared World.” A quest window appeared in front of Rose, who was feeling dizzy. [Paper and Pen] [★ Hidden Quest ★ The 2nd Great Demon, Amoract, has given you a solo mission for the first time. Bring her a sheet of paper and a pen from the surface. The better the quality of the sheet of paper and the pen, the greater the reward. Quest Reward: Depends on the result.] [Congratulations. You have acquired the first solo advent event since becoming a

great demon.] [Your appearance will be spread widely and intensely throughout the world.] “…XX.” Rose’s cursing skills were developing every day. *** “It is over? Really?” “Yes…” Mercedes nodded as she lifted her gaze from hell. The light that spread in her transparent eyes scattered like shards of glass. It scattered like snowflakes around her blue hair before disappearing. Now all that was left were the petals floating in the spring breeze. Grid removed the petals from her plump lips and sighed with relief. "I'm glad." There was a small sense of futility, but the relief was much greater. So far, Grid had met a lot of Absolutes. Hayate, Marie Rose, Raphael, Gabriel, Zeratul, Dominion, Chiyou, and the dragons… Not a single one of them failed to thrill Grid. It meant all of them were really great. However, the power in Amoract’s voice just now was particularly special. There was an extremely sinister feeling. It even made him feel hopeless.

This was just the power of her voice. It was enough to make night and winter come to this warm world. He felt intuitively that he shouldn’t let Amoract appear on the surface like this. Yet to back off after making eye contact with Mercedes a few times… ‘Keen Insight is truly fraudulent.’ Biban’s advice to not rely on Keen Insight came to mind once again. Ruby’s divinity and Mercedes’ Keen Insight—what was the source of these powers that the heavenly gods loathed and the demons of hell feared? Grid was questioning it when he became startled. It was because Mercedes’ body was trembling. She bowed her head and the nape of her neck and her earlobes were dyed bright red. She seemed to be completely exhausted. It was proof that it wasn’t easy to counter Amoract. “You’re not feeling well. Go to the doctor…” “N-No, I’m fine. I-I just need to rest! I’m fine!” “…She sounds fine.” Mercedes was ridiculously fast as she rushed to leave. He couldn’t help feeling that her condition was better compared to usual.

“Hoo, hah.” “………?” It was early in the morning… Youngwoo arrived at the promenade and was dumbfounded. Jishuka was floundering around. She took deep breaths and slowly swung her arms around. It resembled the Tai Chi moves in movies that Youngwoo enjoyed as a child. She had good proportions and was pretty, so she looked good no matter what she did. Jishuka explained to the engrossed Youngwoo, “It is good for increasing concentration.” It was surprisingly difficult to release the action slowly. It required higher concentration and patience than when moving fast. Youngwoo nodded as he remembered a story he once heard. ‘I heard that the difficulty of the new skill she learned is very high. Is this why?’ He had watched the video recorded by his younger sister, Sehee, several times. Now Jishuka’s arrows didn’t need to be aimed at the target. She shot at the innocent ground or walls and it repeatedly bounced off and bent at strange angles before reaching the target. The demons collapsed with an incredulous look as they looked down at the arrows stuck in their necks. Jishuka’s arrows had a stealth effect and evolved into a more unpredictable weapon. However, he heard it was very difficult to use because it wasn’t easy to calculate the trajectory even from the perspective of shooting arrows. “Hmm… Should I try it too?” Youngwoo had never skipped stretching before he started his jogs. It was always with Jishuka, but now Jishuka was doing Tai Chi instead of stretching. Youngwoo always wanted to do the same thing.

Jishuka laughed. “I knew this would be the case, so I prepared it.” A holographic image emerged from Jishuka’s watch. It was a Tai Chi video. This was a video that Hao had taken and sent to her. Hao was the heir to a prestigious Chinese martial arts family and he practiced the peak of Tai Chi. Every move was accompanied by a detailed explanation to help with understanding. Wouldn’t the value of this video be worth billions if converted to money? It was to the extent where it was a perfect textbook. However, Youngwoo’s expression was very uncomfortable. “Did you contact Hao separately?” “Huh? It is natural. We are friends.” In the absence of Youngwoo, the alliance of the Overgeared Guild and Hao had been repeated several times. It would be a problem if they didn’t become friends. It was just that Youngwoo’s reaction was uneasy. “Friends…? Friends… can a man and a woman be friends?” Youngwoo repeated the word ‘friend’ several times before asking with a serious expression. He was trying not to express his feelings, but his stiff eyes showed his unpleasant emotions. If Jishuka had been an ordinary woman, she would’ve felt a great deal of anger. He had two lovers in reality and three wives in the game, but he was doubting her friend? Nevertheless, Jishuka wasn’t angry. Rather, she blushed with a relaxed expression and her fingers twitched. “It is right that we are friends, but… Hmm, you don’t want me to get in touch with a man?” “Yes.” “W-Well, I will do as you say.” Jishuka unexpectedly liked being restrained. *** “What? Grid is a martial artist?”

“Yes! It is completely right!” In hell… Jishuka’s eyes shone as she told her colleagues about what happened this morning. The content was very interesting. Grid only watched the Tai Chi video twice before mastering it perfectly. It was even in reality. Jishuka was so surprised that her eyes popped out when she heard Hao’s video rated it as a 100% synchronization rate. Anyone would be surprised if this story was true. Of course, the fact that their experience in Satisfy was also reflected in reality was scientifically proven. She had just never heard of a person becoming a complete genius like Grid. “It is a bit of an exaggeration… isn’t this too much?” “It isn’t an exaggeration. I’m just saying it as it is.” “Then Grid must’ve been learning Tai Chi on his own. He is very interested in working out.” “I-Is that so?” Certainly, this was more realistic. Grid did many things that required concentration, so it wasn’t straight for him to learn Tai Chi. ‘He only got a 53% synchronization rate the first time he followed it.’ Was he playing a prank on purpose? ‘He is mischievous. So cute.’ Her colleagues turned away from Jishuka, who was smiling. The horizon was turning dark. A new swarm of demonic creatures was coming. *** ‘Hao is great.’ He felt it the entire time he was watching the video and learning Tai Chi. The few

words of explanation that followed the slow implementation of the action were very kind. It seemed to be approaching the spirit of educating dogs and monkeys. Even Grid could easily understand it despite having no aptitude for learning. Grid was able to learn it in less than one hour because of the explanation added to the easy to unravel movement. Grid’s left hand moved. It was an action that neutralized the attack of a monster that ambushed him in an untimely manner. The swift attack was gently grabbed and deflected. The technique of reality was implemented in Satisfy. It wasn’t anything special. One example was professional boxers practicing boxing in Satisfy. Hao also performed dozens of martial arts. Of course, it didn’t have a significant effect. It wasn’t judged as ‘skill,’ so it was just a basic attack with a rather complicated path. However, Grid had transcendent stats. The technique used with his maximum strength and speed was close to a skill in itself. ‘It is pretty useful to beat opponents who are weaker than me.’ The need to consume resources such as skills and mana had disappeared. Of course, it was too much to evaluate it as a big improvement. It was because the level of the enemies that Grid faced was too high. Such tricks wouldn’t work against them. In practice, this was virtually meaningless. Nevertheless, Grid had hope. The emotion he felt after mastering Tai Chi this morning still filled his heart. ‘Let’s apply this to the God Hands.’ The disadvantages of the God Hands were clear. They were slow. They didn’t exert a proper effect against transcendents, let alone absolutes. It was hard to reach them even when swinging the swords for a long time. This didn’t mean that the value of the God Hands was undermined. Currently, the God Hands were used as the framework for the artificial senses. Grid could face the Absolutes thanks to the silver thread of the God Hands warning him of danger. He was satisfied enough, but he couldn’t be satisfied any longer. It was necessary to make a large amount of God Hands in order to increase the effectiveness of the Sanctuary of Metal. He had a lot of God Hands left after spreading

out the artificial senses, so he had been worrying about how to use them. Then he learned Tai Chi today. ‘The aesthetics of slowness. I will surely see great results if I apply the principles of Tai Chi to the movements of the God Hands.’ In fact, Tai Chi was the inner fist method that trained the essence, vital energy, and spirit. In the modern world, it was dismissed as health gymnastics that trained the five viscera and six entrails. Even so, Satisfy was different from reality. As Grid had just shown, here he was able to use Tai Chi as real martial arts. His stats made it happen. This meant he could maximize the theory of Tai Chi and suppress movement with stillness. ‘Here.’ Grid came to the hunting ground after a long time, closed his eyes and focused. First of all, he controlled one God Hand directly. It moved slowly without any urgency. It flowed naturally like water and led to the suppression of the artificial flow. Sweat formed on Grid’s forehead. The God Hands were basically a weapon moved through his willpower. It meant he had to control it with his conscious mind without touching it. He had been using the God Hands for more than 10 years and mastered the control, but that didn’t make it easy. It was even harder to move slowly. It wasn’t easy to direct the movements of Tai Chi in detail and control the speed compared to simply telling them ‘what to do.’ “I’m hungry.” It was around the time when the stamina of Randy on the sidelines was depleted. “Gasp… Gasp…” Grid was barely able to move one God Hand at will. Just then, a large monster roared and rushed in. It was the field boss. Grid restrained Randy and controlled the God Hand. The God Hand gently suppressed the swinging front paws of the boss that was faster and more powerful than itself. The wrist was grabbed and broken to stop the boss’ charge. “Kill it.”

Grid smiled with satisfaction, but it was still too early to be pleased. Right now, he could only control one God Hand. He didn’t know how long it would take to control dozens or hundreds of God Hands at the same time. ‘…It isn’t a superpower. Realistically, controlling dozens of them is impossible.’ Wouldn’t it be enough to just control 10 at a time? In the eyes of others, even 10 might seem like a superpower. In any case, Grid lowered his target and started moving two God Hands at the same time. He failed several times and allowed the boss to reach him, but it wasn’t a problem. Grr…? Grid was currently armed with four dragon armors. With the set effect, the probability of Absolute Defense activating when hit was as high as 80%. This meant most of the enemy’s attacks were nullified. Instead, the one who was hitting him was tired. A few days later, Grid could control a total of four God Hands. The sight of the God Hands moving in a slow, circular motion while shedding the threats to Grid was overwhelming. “It is amazing.” “The difficulty is different from the fifth one… Huh?” Grid was stroking the head of the admiring Noe when his expression stiffened. [The 32nd Great Demon, ‘Rose,’ has appeared on the surface.] Rose—it was a familiar name to Grid. A Yatan Servant who had committed many evil deeds. At one time, Grid had hated her. Now he didn’t even feel dislike, let alone hatred. On the contrary, he felt a bit of sympathy for her. It was because in the aftermath of becoming a great demon, it was discovered that there were penalties such as the inability to trade items, inability to use stores, inability to build up affinity with NPCs, and inability to exchange whispers or other correspondence. He didn’t know if she had won any victories since gaining a lot of strength, but a great demon in the 30s in this world… they were treated like nothing. They were just

good prey for high rankers. She repeatedly lost every time she met the Overgeared Guild, so it was amazing she hadn’t quit the game. ‘What courage did she use to climb to the surface?’ Judging by the fact that a world message popped up, she must’ve been witnessed by a large number of players. He was a bit worried about what accident she would cause when appearing in a crowded place. It happened the moment Grid pulled out a return scroll… [The 32nd Great Demon has declared.] [“I’ll go back soon after finishing my work. Sorry…”] “………” *** Rose got the first solo advent event since becoming a great demon. She didn’t like the assignment very much, but she was naturally going to do her best. It was a mission where she just needed to get a sheet of paper and a pen. The content was trivial, but in any case, it was a hidden quest. She expected the rewards to be surprisingly good. It was a mission given to her by Amoract. It could be an opportunity to get a hidden piece related to the three evils of the beginning. She was determined to succeed. She raised her level as much as possible over the past week before finally making her way to the surface. That was when she discovered the fact that her emergence appeared as a world message. [Declare to the insignificant beings of the surface.] It was even asking her to declare something? ‘This is crazy.’ Rose had no choice. She didn’t want to fail the quest when all it took was to obtain a sheet of paper and a pen. She spoke as politely as possible that she would go right back without causing any trouble. She was sorry to bother them.

“What is she up to?” …It was useless. It was bad from the place where she appeared. The faces of the players who appeared through the bushes were amazing. This was a top hunting ground used by rankers. Rose was stunned by the stinging gazes and slowly stepped back. ‘Paper! All I have to do is get a sheet of paper and a pen! Don’t waste time here. Just steal from a small town!’ As expected of an evil being. In this tense situation, Rose planned an evil deed very naturally. She showed no mercy as she attacked the rankers. She released flames and got away from the pursuers. She moved as far as possible to the outskirts. She passed quietly by cities and searched for a sparsely populated village. In the village she finally ended up at— “…Eh?” She saw a man with green hair. Agnus—he was treated as a broken toy by Baal and discarded. She thought he would quit the game. So why was he doing the laundry with the women in this village? “What are you looking at? Aren’t you getting lost?” Agnus brushed his wet hands through his hair as he spoke. His left hand contained a wooden stick. It was a stick that was used to beat the laundry just now. It was normal that he didn’t pose a threat to a great demon. Even so, Rose felt an eerie panic. She imagined that this stick was covered with her own blood. It was inevitable. Agnus was the strongest necromancer before he was Baal’s Contractor. He was also one of the few people who had the power of both a rune and the seven malignant saints. He wasn’t easy to handle even if he was discarded. ‘Of course, I won’t lose.’ Rose calmed her heart and smiled. “N-Nice to meet you. I am glad to meet you by chance. That—there are many stories I want to exchange with you, but I am a bit busy right now. I’ll finish my urgent work first and come back to greet you later.” “Trash.”

“…Huh?” Rose doubted her ears. She had been resented by many people, but she rarely heard profanity in her presence. She was flustered and speechless for a moment. Agnus’ cold, golden eyes flashed. “Get lost.” Hell, Baal, demons, and regret… Dirty memories ignited Agnus’ anger. The bone spear he threw penetrated Rose’s abdomen. In fact, this was a simple optical illusion. The actual bone spear brushed past Rose’s side and struck her shadow. Rose’s shadow let out a scream and roared loudly. It wriggled like clay and gradually took shape. The bewildered Rose looked back and saw Baal’s familiar there. “What? This…!” Was it possible that Baal was interested in her? Was she being scouted? Rose was someone who felt great joy even in an urgent situation… In the end, Agnus told her cheering self to shut up and stretched out his hand to the air. He caught a sword made of bones that flew to him. It was a sword made from his own ribs.

She was being watched by Baal’s familiar. Upon learning this new fact, Rose felt joy, not panic. The only great demon among players. Who else but me is the right person to be Baal’s Contractor, a position that is currently vacant? The thoughts that had been hidden in the dark rose to the surface. Baal’s surveillance came with mixed interest. ‘My loyalty to Amoract… I don’t need to keep it.’ It was purely because of Amoract that Rose became a great demon. However, Rose hadn’t seen any benefits to being a great demon. The strength gained in exchange for many inconveniences had been repeatedly trampled on before it could even see the light. At every important moment, she only had memories of meeting the Overgeared Guild and being crushed. It wasn’t because Rose was incompetent. Rose participated in large-scale quests every time, but each time, she was pushed in terms of strategy and tactics because the leadership positions were empty. Among the demons, the clever ones were rare. In the first place, the clever ones didn’t go to war. They were busy working secretly and taking care of their own interests. In any case, Rose didn’t feel the need to be loyal to Amoract. Rose thought it would be more convenient to be by Baal’s side, rather than being on the side of Amoract, who was obsessed with Yura even though Rose was beside her. In the first place, Baal was the 1st ranked Great Demon. She had to get on his ship well. ‘Let’s accept the scouting offer!’ “Filth.” “W-What?” Rose questioned Agnus, who was cursing. It was stinging, like Agnus had read her heart. However, Agnus’ gaze was fixed on her

back, not on Rose. It was on the wriggling and swaying darkness. Baal’s familiar. “That shadow is Baal’s filth. The moment you step foot into hell, everyone will have that filth in their shadows. Baal isn’t watching over you because he thinks you are special.” Agnus only discovered this after he was disqualified from being Baal’s Contractor. The moment when he was exhausted and weakened, the filth that had been attached to his shadow popped out. It recovered the power he had built up as Baal’s Contractor… Agnus understood many things from then on. How did Baal know most of what was going on in hell like it was on the palm of his hand? What means did he use to ‘absorb’ and ‘transfer’ the power of dead demons and demonic creatures? “Contrary to its appearance, hell is under the complete control of Baal. It is no more or less than Baal’s playground. There is nothing more worthless than having a purpose or finding meaning there.” All beings bound to hell ultimately had their fates determined according to Baal’s will. Agnus had actually witnessed it several times. The sight of the demons, who were saved by Baal, gained strength due to Baal, and praised Baal, only to be eventually betrayed by Baal, ridiculed, cursed at, and killed due to Baal. All those who associated with Baal would face the same end. “A-Amoract is different, right?” Rose asked with an awkwardly stiff face. She was reminded of Agnus’ personality. Agnus was a madman in everyone’s eyes, but he rarely spoke empty words. One of the reasons why he was treated like crazy and hated by people was due to his outspoken attitude of always telling the truth. He was a person who had no lies or pretenses because he didn’t intend to get along with people. That was Agnus. “Isn’t her existence itself too much of a curse to trust her?” Agnus answered immediately without thinking about it. The Great Demon of Conflict—a curse that drove people into a frenzy just by looking into her eyes. Someone who faced her would perceive an ally as an enemy. Even legends couldn’t resist it. A long time ago, Agnus had experienced it firsthand. He

had encountered Amoract, who visited Baal’s palace. -Agnus, your tongue has grown longer. Baal’s familiar emerged from Rose’s shadow and opened his mouth. No, there was no organ called a mouth. A voice permeated his mind every time the black smoke rose. It had an unsightly appearance, but Agnus knew this was a prominent figure despite his outward appearance. The eyes and ears of Baal. [Asura’s Fragment] He was someone who maintained his ego and carried out Baal’s will even when he was broken into billions of pieces. There was a high probability that he was one of the strongest in hell along with the three evils of the beginning. It wasn’t particularly surprising. Among the gods, it could be debated that the only one god called ’Chiyou’ was the strongest. However, ordinary people often didn’t know about Chiyou’s existence. It was right that even in hell, there was hidden a strong existence that people didn’t know about. -What qualifications do you have to discuss hell when you have been kicked out. “What qualifications do I need to talk about a pile of shit? This stupid jerk.” Agnus was honest about his feelings. I want to resurrect my dead lover in the game. He hated demons even in the days when he was trying to achieve that futile goal, so there was no need to talk about now. “W-Wait. Is this okay?” Rose stepped back with a pale face. It was because she received all types of abnormal statuses the moment the black shadow gradually took a certain shape. A great demon naturally resisted most status abnormalities, but this was an exception. In the end, she felt a terrible fear from the fragment of Asura, which completed his human form and stretched out three pairs of arms. Killing intent was clearly directed toward Agnus, Rose, and the villagers. It was an

attempt to eliminate all witnesses. No, it could be killing intent for no reason. A demon was basically this type of being. “It should be fine.” It wasn’t the main body, it was just one of billions of fragments. Agnus snorted and summoned his death knights and skeleton army. Rose doubted her ears. It was because Agnus ordered some skeletons to ‘protect the villagers.’ ‘What? Why is he doing this?’ Agnus was famous for his contempt of the weak. He was called a mad dog because he hated and harmed the weak as if they didn’t deserve to live. It was often rumored that he didn’t treat women harshly, but of course, it was just a rumor. Yet at this moment, Agnus was protecting people. He made no distinction between men and women and gave priority to caring for the weak. He seemed no different from the ordinary people who were inspired by Grid’s heroism and talked about justice. Was it the aftermath of losing his power? Did he decide that he needed to shake off the notoriety he had built up in the past in order to gain a foothold? It was the wrong decision. Agnus had been a villain for nearly 15 years. Doing good deeds now wouldn’t change people’s perceptions of him. ‘I know it best. In the end, it is just a means of self-gratification.’ He might not be able to wash away his sins, but he wanted to get rid of the sense of guilt. This was really an uncool guy. If you play the villain, you should live as a villain until the last minute. Rose clicked her tongue, but still cooperated with Agnus. It was obvious that she would also be a target of Asura if she remained still. After solving the misunderstandings, she had to survive and obtain the paper and pen to safely complete the quest. Rose thought it was quite doable when she first exchanged some blows. It was because the fragment of Asura only had a slight advantage over herself and Agnus

was undoubtedly a strong player. ‘It is creepy to know that a familiar is on the level of a great demon.’ Rose remembered the big frog she had seen during the Great Human and Demon War. Chepardea—he was also Baal’s familiar, but he had a power equivalent to a single digit great demon. The same was true of Amoract’s henchman, Yukal. It was only when she saw them that she understood. Meanwhile, the fragment of Asura was only a small part of Asura. It meant it could only exert the strength of a fingernail or a hair compared to the main body. Even so, he was on par with a great demon. At this point, wasn’t Asura’s main body not much different from the three evils of the beginning? Rose wondered what Asura’s identity was. It was for a very short time. It was a momentary curiosity, but the price she paid for it was very high. The shadow that took the form of Asura suddenly grew and pierced Rose’s chest. She had enormous health compared to an average player, but a huge 20% of her health was blown away with one blow. It was a destructive power she had never experienced even against the Overgeared Guild. Her head was blank for a moment when Agnus’ voice permeated her ears, “So it is like this. The other fragments have gathered. Tsk.” The fragments of Asura were in the shadows of all beings who stepped foot onto the land of hell. This meant he wasn’t just spying on demons and demonic creatures. Recently, humans had been traveling freely to hell and back, so they were all in the palm of Baal’s hand. It was natural that there would be more fragments of Asura in the immediate vicinity. Yes, just like right now. -Kikil! Kikikik! The fragment of Asura grew his body using the shadows that started to gather from all directions and burst out laughing. He seemed to be the type that maintained reason only when he was individually separated.

“…Can you take the people and run away?” “Huh…?” Rose trembled and looked dumbfounded. Agnus explained it to her, who was questioning it while blinking her big eyes, “They are the ones who did me a favor when I was lost and wandering with nowhere to go. I just hope that they don’t die because of me.” “Because of you…? Isn’t it because of me? This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t come here by chance.” “I was the one who touched your shadow.” In fact, Rose was the one to blame. Agnus’ position was discovered because of her and he was in a position where he must bear the invasion of demons one day. However, now wasn’t the time to blame people, but to cooperate. The lives of hundreds of people were at stake. Agnus no longer overlapped his weak self with those who became victims because they were weak. He didn’t feel hate. In fact, this had been the case for a long time. It was just that Baal’s Contractor was a villain. He could only achieve his purpose by hurting people, so he was forced to turn away from his true heart. His desire to save his dead lover was far greater than the weight of his true heart. “Okay. Instead, there are conditions. Give me the best pen and paper in the world in return. Shouldn’t you have a lot of money?” Rose didn’t miss Agnus’ wrist, which was revealed through his long sleeves. White bones without a single piece of flesh. Agnus’ race wasn’t human. A lich? A death knight? In any case, he was an undead. He was likely to be one of the few players she could interact with. If possible, she wanted to form a connection with him. “I understand.” Agnus agreed to the deal and Rose spread open her wings. Each great demon had their own power. She used Giant Transformation and surrounded the people with magic to float them in the air.

First of all, she planned to get out of here quickly. However, her plan didn’t come true. Two additional shadows flew from a distance. The fragments of Asura ripped her wings apart. Then they merged with the human figure shadow and became even larger. Even Agnus was overwhelmed and a sense of tension dominated the small town. People were confused and Rose became impatient when her magic was canceled. “Open the Rune of Death.” Agnus pulled out the power of the rune. After checking that the power of the seven malignant saints, ‘Supreme Ruler,’ was working normally, he rushed toward fragment of Asura’s. The fragment of Asura had a definite advantage. The level of the one who increased his strength by summoning the fragments was comparable to that of the great demons in the 20s, but it wasn’t at a level that Agnus could handle right now. Nevertheless, Agnus had Bentao’s Mockery. It was a trump card that allowed the possibility of a reversal against anyone. -Kihahahat! The more Agnus gritted his teeth, the louder Asura’s laughter grew. He didn’t defend against any attacks. He laughed like he felt a huge pleasure whenever he cut his enemies and when his body was cut. Thanks to this, Agnus was able to enjoy the effect of Supreme Ruler, which had a probability of doubling the damage of every basic attack. Even so, his hope gradually diminished. The undead body wasn’t as hard as it seemed. The undead easily resisted most debuffs and physical status abnormalities, but this was due to the setting that their emotions were light and they didn’t feel pain. His bones, which lost muscle and flesh, were vulnerable to breaking with each attack. Agnus’ combat power quickly weakened. -I’ll also peel off the skin of your face to match that body. Kikik. It happened as Asura seized the victory and laughed lightly… A three-pronged beam of light that fell from the ground pierced Asura’s upper body. Asura raised his head in a hurry and muttered curiously. -A dragon…?

Two dragon weapons cut Asura’s body in half. [The effect of God's Command is activated and the skill cooldown is reset.] [The opponent has been wounded by another power of the seven malignant saints, Supreme Ruler.] [The hidden bond effect, ‘Will of the Seven Malignant Saints,’ will occur!] [The next skill used with God's Command will have the blessing of Supreme Ruler. The damage will be doubled.] Asura didn’t know pain. He didn’t change his expression and moved the body split in two at the same time. An attempt was made to counterattack against the intruder armed with powerful dragon weapons and armor. The sight of six arms, each holding a different weapon, moving in unison was dazzling. However, Grid had as many as 30 hands. They were hands that moved in a spiral and nullified Asura’s attacks. More than anyone else, Grid himself was the most surprised. ‘What happened?’ Tai Chi wasn’t a skill. Unlike the God Hand’s artificial intelligence that used a skill when a specific command value was entered, this was a normal attack with a strange harmony. Therefore, Grid believed that he had to give orders so that the God Hands could use Tai Chi. Now he saw that 30 God Hands had learned Tai Chi. Grid wondered if they had reviewed what Grid had taught them over the past few days. ‘…It is possible enough.’ Ordinary people used their experience in the game in reality, while they used their experience in reality in the game. Just because it was the God Hand’s artificial intelligence didn’t mean it was impossible. Rose and the people watched blankly while Grid smiled in a convinced manner. “Kill me.” Agnus, who burned and destroyed the torn fragments of Asura, extended

his neck to Grid.

[You have defeated Asura’s Fragments.] ‘Asura?’ The power of the Overgeared Empire was greatly dispersed. It had little room since he had to be wary of hell and heaven, as well as the local nobles. Valhalla was a barrier against the Red Sea, but it wasn’t possible to completely ignore the Hwan Kingdom. This didn’t mean that the eyes and ears of the Overgeared Guild were closed off. The rankers who witnessed Rose’s appearance and chased her reported her location in real time. There were many advantages to showing sincerity to the Overgeared Guild whenever the opportunity came. Thanks to this, Grid had been tracking Rose and quickly grasped the overall situation. A small country town… Agnus, who tried to protect the people from an unidentified demon, and Rose who cooperated with him. Saving the people was the first priority, so Grid fought the demon first. Asura—it was a demon with the same name as the realm that martial artists wanted to reach, or the god of fighting that some monks served. Grid felt very reluctant from his perspective where he speculated that Asura was a legendary martial artist or human god. The fact that he gave a lot of experience made Grid even more uncomfortable. ‘Did Asura have his soul mortgaged to Baal like Pagma and Alex?’ He felt too complete for his soul to be taken away… Grid frowned at the negative thoughts, only to become startled. It was because Agnus burned and incinerated the fragments of Asura that had been torn apart like a rag. Every time a fragment disappeared, additional experience was given to Grid. It was proof that Grid hadn’t completely eliminated Asura.

‘I thought I got rid of him?’ He naturally had to think so. The system ruled Asura’s death. It provided Grid with a reasonable amount of experience points. Yet it turned out he was still alive? It meant that Asura possessed a series of passive skills that deceived death. Another possibility was that every one of these shadows was Asura’s body. ‘No matter what is the case, Agnus was aware of it?’ “Kill me.” Agnus extended his neck. After being repeatedly killed and weakened by Faker and abandoned by Baal, he was definitely weak compared to his prime. There were no rumors of him causing an incident recently. Then Grid saw him trying to protect people… “Why should I do so?” Grid stared at Agnus’ skinny neck before putting away his sword. Technically, Grid had little justification to kill Agnus. Most of the bad memories were actually cleared up when Agnus saved Irene and Lord. Faker even paid it back dozens of times. Why did Grid force Faker to join the hell expedition rather than staying by Lord’s side? It was partly because Faker’s growth was important, but the desire to spare Faker’s Kill List skill was greater. Today’s Agnus wasn’t worthy enough for Faker to constantly chase and kill him. “…Don’t do it if you don’t want to.” Agnus didn’t force it. It was surprising since it was expected that he would go crazy due to his hurt ego, such as saying ‘Am I not even worthy of being killed?’ “Y-Your Majesty…!” Hundreds of villagers who belatedly regained their minds discovered Grid and rushed over, bowing their heads. The empire was ridiculously wide. Additionally, the emperor described in the portraits or the words of the imperial palace tended to be beautified. It was safe to say that it was normal for the people living on the outskirts to not recognize the emperor when they encountered him. However, the people of the Overgeared Empire could recognize the emperor’s face immediately, even if they were slash-and-burn farmers living in the mountains. It was because Grid was a god before he was the emperor. They were too familiar with

his divine portraits, statues, and temples that didn’t need beautification. “………” Grid looked closely at the attitudes of the people who bowed their heads. He saw their relief when sneakily looking at Agnus and figured out what type of person Agnus was to them. ‘He has changed.’ It was said that people didn’t change easily. In particular, it was argued that the more evil or lazy a person was, the more difficult it was to correct it because they were used to living a free and easy life. However, Grid didn’t agree with this argument. It was a case where he changed himself. He believed that others could change just as much as he did. He trusted Agnus even more. A man with a past he never would’ve been able to bear. He wasn’t completely corrupted even after being bullied by ugly trash and losing the woman he loved. Grid had seen him instinctively show kindness to others. “Agnus, I know what type of person you are to them.” “………” The people who were relieved and rejoiced after confirming that Agnus was unharmed—Grid’s eyes toward them were warm, so Agnus shut his mouth without looking for any excuses. Grid suggested to him, “Can you talk to me for a while?” Agnus had clearly handed the fragments of Asura that Grid had almost spared. It was evidence that he had a good understanding of demons as the previous Baal’s Contractor. Come to think of it, the player who knew Baal best was definitely Agnus. Grid needed Agnus’ knowledge. “I don’t want to…” “This town is the empire’s territory. Don’t you have to change your citizenship if you

want to live here? It will be troublesome if there is a sudden crack down and you get caught up as an illegal immigrant.” “………” His authority was used in an important manner. Grid easily dug into the weakness of Agnus, who lost his citizenship from the time he became the enemy of the continent. “I-It is shabby, but I will take you to my house.” It happened as the chief of the village was guiding Grid and Agnus… “G-Grid!” Rose chased after Grid. She reduced her body back to human size and covered the horns on her forehead with both hands. It was an effort to look as human as possible to Grid, who was sure to hate demons. “Lord A-Amoract… No! That Amoract wants me to tell you in a very respectful manner that she has something to say to you! Hehe!” “…Let’s hear it.” Grid recalled the scene of Rose trying to save the people and gave her some leeway. After a while, Grid sat facing Agnus and Rose and felt strange. The former Baal’s Contractor and a great demon was sitting across from him. He thought that the world had changed a lot. “Say it first.” Grid glanced at Rose and Rose sprang up from her seat. It was a display that was similar to military discipline. Her eyes, which normally flashed with slyness, shone like stars. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to meet Grid, whom I’ve always admired! If you allow me, I would like to take a proof shot… the great demons don’t have screenshot or video-taking features… Ahahat…” The great demons were in a position where they were completely hostile to humans. Leaking events from hell to the surface could put hell at a great disadvantage, so there were many restrictions on filming and communication functions. It was a huge penalty considering that Rose’s hobby was once to post proof shots from dessert shops onto social media. Therefore, Rose hoped for things to go well. She wanted to seize this opportunity

since she had received a lot of losses by becoming a great demon. It was why she gave up her pride and bowed to Grid at this moment. “Just get to the point.” It was Agnus, not Grid, who urged Rose. He was uncomfortable with this position and didn’t intend to silently listen to Rose’s nonsense. Rose inwardly cursed Agnus while speaking with a smiling face. She rubbed her hands together and Grid thought she resembled the dung flies he saw at his grandfather’s house in the countryside. “Y-Yes. How dare people like us take away Grid’s valuable time? To start with, Amoract believes that Baal should be kept in check. Grid, you know that Baal is a psychopath, right? The one who turned hell into what it is now is none other than Baal…” “………” Grid looked at Agnus. Like us. He thought Agnus would naturally be angry at Rose’s attitude of quietly tying Agnus to herself. Yet surprisingly, Agnus’ expression didn’t change. It was an attitude where he didn’t care no matter what type of treatment he received. Despite this, his eyes were alive. At the very least, he didn’t seem like he was lost and wandering, so Grid couldn’t help being relieved. ‘I said I hated him.’ The past, which now felt extremely distant. Memories of his fierce battles with Agnus crossed his mind. He suddenly had a question. Agnus, who was declining unlike those days, and himself, who had become incomparably stronger than he was in those days. Which one was normal? Both were abnormal, but… Grid thought he was a bit weirder. ‘How did I become so strong?’ He felt like he had come too far by himself. There was a sudden rush of incomprehensible anxiety and loneliness. “Baal has always been a thorn in Amoract’s neck. It just so happened that you

declared that you would purify hell. Amoract, who has always been interested in your achievements and virtues, is completely fascinated. She thinks she can trust you and work together with you. She wants to work with you to get rid of Baal…” Grid’s consciousness gradually subsided as Rose continued speaking. Since when did I become such a unique person? I have come too far to simply dismiss it as a result of hard work. I miss the days when I was competing with other players. A time when there were many rivals I was resentful of, felt jealous of, or sometimes relied on. I think I had a lot more fun back then… “You.” “………” The sudden voice brought Grid’s mind back. Agnus was staring at him from across the table. “You seem to be mistaken about something when looking at me, but don’t do any memory correction. I have never been equal to you for a single moment. There is no reason for you to feel any type of emotion through my fallen appearance.” Agnus had always suffered from loneliness and anxiety. This meant he could easily read the emotions contained in Grid’s slightly trembling eyes. As for the basis of those emotions— “From the beginning, there was only one monster, Kraugel, on the same eye level as you.” He is the darling of talent that caused me to feel the first frustration in this world. He will surely come back as your competitor one day. It is still too early to be disappointed. Your loneliness and anxiety are premature. Agnus closed his mouth and swallowed down these words. It was because he would be embarrassed if he talked any longer. ‘Shit.’ From a long time ago, just looking at this guy called Grid made him feel emotional. He believed it was antipathy toward the man who stood tall, unlike Agnus, despite

his tough past. However, looking at Grid now, Agnus didn’t think the only feelings he had were antipathy. Grid realized it when he saw Agnus covering his forehead and smiled slightly. “Thank you.” “Damn.” “…C-Can I keep talking?” Rose didn’t wait for permission and continued desperately. She explained to Grid the benefits of working with Amoract in as much detail as possible. In the first place, the reason why Amoract wanted a sheet of paper and a pen was to send a letter to Grid. It was an alliance proposal letter. If Rose succeeded in forming an alliance with Grid here then the need to obtain paper and pen would disappear. It was obvious that the value of the quest reward would be much higher. “So…” “I know everything,” Grid cut off Rose’s words in the middle. “Huh? What?” “The one who cooperated with Baal to make hell what it is now is Amoract. In the process, Beriache was banished.” “………” “The Great Demon of Conflict. How can I trust and hold hands with the one who isolated Beriache and Baal and induced internal strife? Do you have any guarantee that I will get the desired result in the future even if I join hands with her and succeed in killing Baal?” “Ah, that… Hehe, I would appreciate it if you could give me a chance to explain.” Rose was very flustered by this situation. She didn’t know that Grid knew so much about hell. How did he know the facts that she only recently learned? Of course, Rose didn’t outwardly show her embarrassment. She kept as calm as possible while her mind spun quickly. Grid didn’t give her any time. He followed Lauel’s advice sent through whispers and

spoke straight away, “Rose, do you have any intention of becoming a spy on our side?” “I, a demon…” “If you don’t like it, then die once.” “………” Agnus had a thought as he watched the situation from the sidelines. This is how that poisonous bastard reached this place. This is how he became the supreme one. Then isn’t it shameful to feel lonely…?

“Wait! Wait a minute!” People gave Grid all types of praise. Occasionally, there was a group that went beyond the level of a great man and treated him as an angel. It was because he had a good demeanor and did a lot of good deeds. However, from the position of being Grid’s enemy, hearing such stories was laughable. It couldn’t be denied that he did a lot of good deeds in both reality and Satisfy. Yet his behavior? Imitating his behavior was just nonsense. This was a real gangster. At this moment, Rose was convinced that the parents who read Grid’s biography to their children should keep a close eye on their children so that they didn’t grow up to become wicked people. Suddenly, she felt a cold blade against her neck. No, it was just a feeling. It wasn’t really cold. There was no distinctive metallic smell or feeling. It felt non-existent. The blade that touched her neck was clearly real and filled one side of Rose’s vision, but for some reason, Rose couldn’t feel a sense of reality. On the contrary, it seemed that weapons made with energy-based skills would show a more distinct presence. ‘This is a dragon weapon… ’ Rose assumed that she was fighting Grid. She remembered herself being cut without being aware of it. She was bound to be cut even if there were no signs of the sword being swung at a transcendent speed. “For now, please take away your sword.” Threatening her and drawing a sword in the middle of a conversation… Rose was tired of Grid’s outrageous actions and half had a fit. Her eyes and voice were trembling and her breathing was harsh. Through her reaction, Grid gained a lot of information. ‘Is the damage from dying very large?’

Rose was known as Team Rocket inside the Overgeared Guild. The villains that appeared in the world-famous anime, Pokemon. A third-rate villain who confidently blocked the protagonist’s path, only to repeatedly lose and flee in vain. Rose’s temperament resembled them. Didn’t she repeatedly struggle and was smashed terribly every time? Nevertheless, seeing her come back every time, she looked like someone who was anxious to die. She wasn’t afraid of failure or death at all. However, now she was terrified. It meant she had a lot to lose. ‘It seems she visited the surface with a clear purpose.’ Grid pondered on the world message that emerged when Rose appeared and made a judgment. Currently, Rose was on a high value quest and the loss she would suffer from dying here was greater than usual… -It is a great opportunity. Let’s push harder. Lauel was informed of the situation in real time and gave advice. Grid nodded and opened the Sanctuary of Metal. The village chief’s house that the three of them were borrowing immediately opened up. It was like a house built of paper rather than logs. The ceiling and walls separated and touched the ground. The orange polar light flowed like a wave and cast shadows over the area. It was because a high cliff rose. The black-colored cliffs were made of black iron. “A canyon…” Agnus murmured from among the cliffs that soared into the sky. A vague memory of the days when he wandered around as a madman flashed through his mind. Taleren Canyon—the place where Grid wrote his first epic was strongly engraved in Agnus’ mind. He would probably never forget it for the rest of his life. It was because it was the place where the Grid who resembled him was completed as a totally different being from him. Agnus vividly recalled all the emotions he felt at that time and made a meaningless assumption. ‘What if I had affirmed Grid without denying it back then?’ What if he had been honestly envious without being engulfed in feelings of despair,

betrayal, and anger? If he hadn’t turned away from his desire to become like Grid, maybe he would’ve changed at that time. Would it have been possible to move forward rather than being stuck in the past? “Uh…? Uhhh?” A teleportation event that was difficult to understand using the common sense of players—Rose was puzzled by the suddenly transformed landscape. She half lost her ability to speak while her expression changed in a variety of ways. She seemed to be in a state of great confusion because she couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality. The cliffs flowed down. The heat from the Red Phoenix’s heart, which had become a part of Grid, melted the black iron like it was chocolate. The moment it touched the ground, the black iron that hardened and piled up was like a stopped wave. It was high and big. Rose was afraid of being swallowed. She felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. Then she noticed one step later. The edge of the black wave was all sharp. They weren’t waves, they were tens of thousands of weapons. All these weapons were pointed at her… ‘Really… isn’t he really crazy?’ Rose was fully aware that she was the villain. She recognized most players as enemies except for herself. Even so, she didn’t harbor any hostility toward Grid, who could be called the leader of her enemies. It was because she knew the overwhelming gap between them and felt a sense of respect as a gamer. Yes. Rose was polite from the moment she met Grid. She never lost her manners for even a moment. However, Grid pointed his sword at her. She asked him to withdraw his sword and he released the mental world that she had only heard about in words, surrounding her with thousands of weapons… …Why? She was feeling confused about how to deal with this when Grid offered the answer to her. “I don’t want much. You just have to continue as usual, while giving us the information we want when we want it and take the stance we want when we want

it.” This… wasn’t he a thief? Grid’s way of speaking was that stinging. Yet surprisingly, Rose’s expression relaxed. ‘A verbal promise is fine.’ It was impossible to whisper, let alone take screenshots and videos. The great demon Rose was in a closed off state, so the Overgeared Guild had no means to spy on her. In the end, how could the Overgeared Guild confirm that Rose was acting as they wanted? “…Okay. I can be in great danger if I betray the demons, but well, I actually like the Overgeared Guild. It is an honor to be able to work with the Overgeared Guild.” Rose swallowed the smile that wanted to emerge and spoke with a heroic expression. “In return, please do me a favor. I hope you will form an alliance with Amoract. This isn’t a request to satisfy my own self-interests. It is only once we can get rid of Baal that we can plan for the future, whether on the surface or in hell. The cooperation between the Overgeared Guild and Amoract is truly a cooperation for the sake of the world!” “Okay.” Rose’s face was rosy. She was delighted by Grid’s attitude as he nodded gently. Grid told her, “If you go to the Overgeared Guild’s hell branch, there will be succubi in thick clothes. They are my subordinates. Take them and meet with Amoract to coordinate the exact negotiations.” “Huh?” She had a rough guess about the Overgeared Guild’s hell branch. It was the crystal castle ruled by Yura. However, succubi in thick clothes? A succubus who was obsessed with bewitching the opposite sex couldn’t wear thick clothing, right? What did it mean to leave and take a bunch of demonic creatures to a negotiating position with Amoract? “I can communicate through them, so don’t worry about communication. Why don’t we talk about the details with Lauel?” Grid took back the Sanctuary of Metal. The canyon and the waves of weapons

disappeared like they were a lie and the three of them were once again seated next to each other. Knock knock. There was a knock and another bigshot appeared. It was the prime minister of the Overgeared Empire, Lauel. He was a person who was regarded as an invincible trash, rascal, bastard, etc., to all the forces that opposed the Overgeared Empire. “I am deeply moved to see the three of you together. I can truly feel the passage of time. Huhut.” The image of a black dragon appeared on the back of Lauel’s hand as he smiled and swept back his hair. Then the black dragon disappeared. A certain pattern appeared in one of his eyes. It seemed true that he was covered in skins like rumored. Rose’s eyes darkened. She was tired from dealing with Grid and now she had to get involved with Lauel… she wanted to log out right now. “Rose, please move with me. I will be in charge of your business.” “Ah… Hahahat… Yes…” Rose followed Lauel with weak steps. Today, she would be thoroughly analyzed and bound. In the future, all her actions and choices would be controlled by the Overgeared Guild during her period of cooperation with the Overgeared Guild. The Overgeared Guild brought together specialists from each field and had too many means and methods. After a while, Grid was left alone with Agnus and immediately got to the point. “Kill Baal with us.” Agnus’ knowledge and experience. Additionally, the synergy that occurred when the powers of the seven malignant saints came together. Grid judged that Agnus was a necessary person. He also noted that Agnus’ condition was the same as Betty’s. For now, his strength might’ve declined, but his potential would be enormous. ‘Even if he is weakened, he is much stronger than a decent high ranker.’ Grid definitely wanted to cooperate with Agnus, but he didn’t know how to persuade the other person. The problem was that he had no card to take out for negotiation. Agnus had retired from active work and it was impossible for him to have the same

greed as Rose. Agnus replied to the troubled Grid, “Okay.” It was an unexpected answer. Grid got up from his seat with delight, while Agnus’ gold eyes shone eerily for the first time in a long time. “I want to laugh at Baal at least once.” Agnus was exploited due to his wish throughout his time as Baal’s Contractor. Baal’s face as he laughed at Agnus resurrecting his dead lover as a doll was still in Agnus’ nightmares. He was robbed of most of the strength he had built up when he was abandoned by Baal. It was a loss of time. He thought it would be enjoyable to pay it back if possible. Yes, he wanted to have fun. He was tired of this life full of resentment, hatred, and regret. This gave him enough of a reason to work with Grid. *** “………” At the Overgeared Castle, Reinhardt… The members of the Overgeared Guild looked dumbfounded. It was the aftermath of witnessing the man who was walking beside Grid. The green hair, which had always been oily, dropped down, and his gold eyes, which shone with madness, had lost their light. Even so, people immediately recognized the identity of the man. Agnus—the worst player ever. Why was he here? They thought he was being escorted as a criminal, but this wasn’t the case. He wasn’t even handcuffed. There were no signs of shrinking back from the steps that aligned with Grid’s ones. It happened as people were agitated… “Uh? Uncle!” Lord came running from the end of the corridor. He first greeted his father politely before grabbing Agnus’ dry hand with a big smile. He was happy to meet the benefactor who saved his life. “It has been a really long time! Have you been

well?” “………” There was silence in the tense corridor. People were worried about what type of humiliation Lord would suffer. Shaking off the hand was the default. They guessed that Lord might be cursed at or spat on. All their predictions were wrong. Agnus didn’t shake off Lord’s hand, swear, or spit at him. “Yes.” Rather, he even gave a brief answer. The astonishment of the people followed.

There was a mother and child left in a fragment of his memory. An ordinary woman and an extraordinary child. As screams erupted everywhere and chandeliers fell and smashed, the mother and child struggled to protect each other. The helpless woman embraced her son, while her son escaped from his mother’s arms and picked up a sword as large as his own body. Perhaps it happened… in the Vatican. He helped the mother and child who were surrounded by the Yatan Servants. He was originally working with the Yatan Servants, so he ended up stabbing them in the back. He knew there would be many disadvantages, but he still stepped out. ‘I did a good job.’ A boy who was now a young man—Agnus stared at the boy who had a bright smile on his face and praised his former self. A small thrill flooded in. For the first time since he was born, he realized how happy he was to be able to praise himself and feel proud. I—I was born and drove a woman to a miserable death. For the first time, this garbage that is worse than filth, feels pride… “That is where I…” Lord’s stories about his adventure continued without stopping. Lord chatted as brightly as he could while trying not to notice the breathless sobs of Agnus, who had his head lowered. *** No human being always made the right choices. All human beings had regrets and suffered. In particular, the more someone believed they were inferior to others, the more regrets they left behind. It was the same for Grid. It was even in childhood, in school, and in society. For all types of reasons and excuses, he left a variety of regrets.

Even these days, he would take a shower and scream when thinking back to that time. However, he didn’t bury it. In any case, regret was established because it was in the past. Yes, it was all over. It was enough to try not to repeat the same situations that made him feel regret again in the future. “…So you should be strong as well,” Grid, who had left when he saw Agnus’ eyes turn red, leaned his back against the door and muttered. Lord’s powerful voice that came from beyond the closed door was considerate of Agnus. He was an admirable guy. *** Lord’s adventure stories, which resembled Grid’s epics, ended only after Irene came. Agnus’ shy expression as he bowed to Irene and greeted her respectfully made Grid smile. “First of all, call back the expedition.” It was after the two of them left. Agnus explained the overall situation to Grid and insisted. “Fragments of Asura will enter the shadows of all beings who step foot in hell. They are the eyes and ears of Baal.” “………?” Grid’s expression stiffened at once. It permeated the shadows of all beings who stepped into hell? He understood the meaning, but he didn’t want to. “Asura’s fragments… are you referring to the guy I killed earlier?” “Yes. It is literally fragments. It is only a small part of him.” “I think he was pretty strong for only a small part.” He might’ve managed to kill the fragments in one go with the five fusion sword dance that overlapped with the full buff state and the buff of the seven malignant saints, but it was great that it endured the five fusion sword dance in the full buff state even once. Someone who was so strong was in an incomplete state? A hypothesis had to be formulated in order to be convinced.

“Is he a hidden powerhouse of hell?” “You understand it quickly.” He couldn’t help but understand quickly. Grid had met Hayate, the strongest hidden powerhouse on the surface, and Chiyou, the strongest hidden powerhouse of the divine world. He even knew that the refractive dragon was said to be the strongest among the dragons. The refractive dragon was most likely to be an imaginary being, but in any case, it wasn’t strange that someone unusual was hiding in hell ‘Asura… judging from the relevant settings, I don’t think he would’ve been a demon from the start. I will have to ask Garion about his exact identity.’ Agnus’ explanation continued as Grid was thinking. “There is no guarantee that he is more powerful than Baal. It is clear that he won’t be inferior when compared to Baal. Other than that, he has a convincingly powerful ability that I can’t comprehend. All I know right now is separation and joining together, parasitism and stealth, skill absorption and transfer…” “Skill absorption and transfer?” “There was a famous, powerful existence in hell.” Marbas. “Baal killed him and transferred the absorbed power to me. Until then, I thought it was Baal’s unique power…” Agnus told the story of what he had been through. It was immediately after the contract with Baal ended. Asura’s fragment emerged from his shadow and took away his power. “This…” Grid’s face hardened. Fragments of Asura parasitized the shadows of every member of the hell expedition. If it also had the ability to deprive the parasitized target of their skills… “Now the puzzle is coming together,” Lauel returned from the negotiations and interjected, “This is why Baal sent a wave of demonic creatures to the expedition. He intends to fully nurture the expedition members and then take away their power. It

is a type of fish farm.” He had been uneasy from the beginning. It was because the waves of demonic creatures clearly stimulated the growth of the hell expedition. It was impossible to interpret it as pure favor. They could only guess that Baal was acting on a whim because he was so eccentric. Now it obviously wasn’t a whim. There was a clear purpose. ‘A sinister bastard.’ Grid frowned while recalling old memories. It was the memory of when he encountered Baal’s body in hell. The Absolute of hell didn’t have much interest in Grid at that time. He was just preoccupied with mocking and trampling on the demon, Andras, who was loyal to him. He laughed at the demon who showed loyalty and respect to him when demons should betray grace, trample on respect, undermine trust, and ridicule those who depended on them. He cruelly and viciously trampled on the loyalist who believed in him and served him. Yes. That cruelty was his nature. “The expedition is in danger.” The nervous Grid got up from his seat. Lauel stopped him from departing to hell right away and raised a question, “By the way, is it possible to take away the skills of a player who isn’t a demon? Agnus, the skills you had taken away from you were the skills you developed as Baal’s Contractor. You still have the skills you learned separate from your contractor status, right?” “Not necessarily. Out of the skills I had stolen, two were skills that had nothing to do with Baal’s Contractor.” It was one rune power and one passive skill unique to a necromancer. “The same will apply to your companions.” The exact effect of the Skill Absorption used by Asura was to ‘recover the power of the demon’ and ‘take away up to two skills at random.’ Agnus was convinced and Lauel had no reason to deny his conviction. “It is better to hurry. Baal will move forward with the plan the moment he finds out that you and I have met.”

The most basic role of Asura’s fragments was surveillance. Baal would’ve been aware of the meeting between Grid, Agnus, and Rose from the time they met and would’ve roughly guessed what would happen next. It was because that abominable existence was subtle and clever, unlike his appearance. “What is the probability that one of Asura’s fragment will parasitize Grid?” “None. He can’t stand divinity. He can’t cling to Grid and the people around him, so Grid should hurry…?” Agnus abruptly stopped talking. It was because the divinity surrounding Grid’s body suddenly shook greatly. The feeling of a burning flame caught Agnus and Lauel’s attention. “What?” “This…” Grid rushed to the window. A dark sky appeared outside the window. It was a sky that swallowed up not only the starlight, but also the moonlight. It looked like it had been painted with black paint. “We’re too late.” Agnus frowned. “Ah.” Lauel sighed. The growing darkness was swallowing the city’s lights. It was dark all over the place. Only the area with the Overgeared World retained its light. It was an occupation. The moment Grid and Lauel realized it, six types of lights shone throughout the city. There was silver for Mercedes’ sword energy, gold for Sariel’s divinity, purple for Braham’s magic power, the dark blue color created by Zik’s runes intersecting, the green from Piaro’s Natural State, and the five colors that indicated Nefelina’s attributes. The apostles of Grid resisted the darkness that engulfed the lights and illuminated their surroundings. They were a lighthouse to guide the frightened people.

Grid was a bit relieved as he sensed the soldiers and knights who gathered around the apostles and started to lead the people. His orange divinity soared above the spires and suddenly swelled up like the sun. It flashed from the highest point of the Overgeared Castle and lifted the darkness. It reached the small light from the apostles. In the end, the combined light formed a path. At the end of the path was the Overgeared World. It was a wonderful sight. The people were reminded that this was a nation established by Grid and felt relieved. Their fears were dispelled. They followed the path of light to the Overgeared World. Then, as if to laugh at them— “………!” A red moon appeared in the center of the black sky. It seemed to wriggle strangely before slowly opening its eyelid. A huge eye that had a panoramic view of Reinhardt with one glance. Tens of millions of people felt like they made eye contact with it. The same was true of Grid and the apostles. Lauel murmured, “The hell moon…” The world message confirmed it. [The hell moon has awakened.] Tens of thousands more eyes emerged around the huge pupil that was moving back and forth. The entire surface of the moon was made of eyes. They were compound eyes. There were countless pupils within the tens of thousands of eyes. Some were spinning around, some moved up and down and some moved diagonally as they took in every inch of Reinhardt. People got goosebumps. It felt like the hell moon they saw during the Great Human and Demon War had evolved even further. Agnus also showed an expression of surprise. “What are all those eyes?” There was no one who didn’t know the hell moon. They had experienced the Great Human and Demon War and learned. A moon with countless eyes—each eye embedded in the moon observed the ground and it was also a weapon that fired rays to annihilate the target. Therefore, it was an

object of fear. The old hell moon alone made people felt the fear that they couldn’t handle it. Meanwhile, the moon that rose at this moment had hundreds of thousands more eyes. The sight of the eyes reminiscent of a dragonfly’s compound eyes moving back and forth to search for prey was unrealistically horrifying. It was an apocalyptic sight that was beyond the disasters that humanity had ever imagined. “Shit.” Grid involuntarily cursed. It was because the countless eyes gradually turned red. There would soon be a downpour of light. It would make no distinction between men and women and the elderly and children. It would easily destroy the civilization that had been built up. There would be holes in the bodies of tens of millions of people. The corpses would pile up as high as a mountain and the blood would form a river. Grid fell into a panic. He failed to find the best response in the face of a sudden crisis. It was right that he should’ve thrown himself out to save the people in front of him right away. It was only two seconds after the hell moon appeared. Rays of light started to pour down. It poured down on all sides without a single gap. Grid used Shunpo. He emptied his head and used all the skills he possessed to extinguish even one more ray. He immediately realized that it was an attempt with little results. The number of rays and the range was so large that even the skills that could be used within his range of view couldn’t handle it. Just then, the ground rose from all sides. Arches instantly formed and piled up to form a dome. It was a roof large enough to cover the entire city called Reinhardt. It was an umbrella that blocked the pouring rays. -Hurry. The voice of Garion, god of the earth, spread throughout the city. It was relaxed, not impatient. It was a gentle and warm voice. The people were encouraged by her attitude and started rushing again. “Good.” Grid stopped the rampage of skills and gave Garion, who would be watching him, a thumbs up. Reason had been regained from the very beginning. In the first place, he didn’t lose it. He was just agitated for a moment and missed the timing

while looking for the best method. Moments later, the bombardment of rays stopped and the dome was lifted. The black sky and hell moon once again became the backdrop of the city. Grid first examined the people. Thanks to the leadership of the apostles, tens of thousands of people had completed entering the Overgeared World. However, it was only a small fraction of the population. There was no more room for people to evacuate due to the limited area of the Overgeared World. ‘If the bombardment starts again, I have to stop it with the apostles.’ No matter Garion’s strength, it would be difficult for her to use the same large-scale power again in a row. It was the same with the hell moon. It was discovered during the Great Human and Demon War that there was a limit to the number of its bombardments. Grid thought this and glared at the hell moon. He raised his spirit with the intention of taking on the countless eyes alone. He recalled Hayate, who once captured the attention of the dragons, and took on the responsibility as if imitating Hayate. -Great. You are already an Absolute just based on your attitude. Grid’s eyes widened. The pressure from the voice that was suddenly heard was terrifying. For a moment, his legs were weak and he almost collapsed. In fact, many people fainted. [The 1st Great Demon of hell, ‘Baal,’ has appeared.] [All willpower has been lost.] [The resistance of all attributes except the divine attribute is fixed at 0%.] [Demonic energy resistance is fixed at -200%.] [Critical hit resistance, weakness resistance, and evasion correction effects are fixed at 0.] [The buffs in effect are released and all buffs are disabled. The same is applied to items.]

[The passive skills in effect are released and all passive skills are stopped. The same is applied to items.] [You can’t set a target when using skills or magic. Targeting skills and magic are changed to non-targeted skills and magic.] [The skills that receive the absolute hit correction will lose the correction effect.] The Absolute of hell—Baal’s presence wasn’t something that humanity could afford. Even the apostles were pale, while Grid’s fingers trembled slightly. His body that moved in the opposite direction of what he was thinking and his slowed movements were unfamiliar. Out of all the status abnormalities that Baal caused, even Grid couldn’t resist the ‘fear.’ Even the chief gods under the three gods couldn’t fully handle Baal’s status. —This was even though it wasn’t hell. No, maybe this was an absolute verdict unrelated to status. It was sufficient considering Baal’s share of the worldview. -A while ago, I set a new rule in hell. Under the hell moon, Baal opened his mouth while his appearance was half-covered with a veil of shadows that moved like wildfire. At first glance, the corners of his mouth were curled up like he was amused. -Admission is free, but you must pass the test to exit. -It is simple. Fight the demons standing in the way and win. You humans have an appreciation for the arts, so you will be able to enjoy it together. Aren’t we both drawn to this primal and instinctive game? -Then let’s start the game. Baal disappeared into the shadows at the same time as his unilateral declaration. This allowed those freed from the debuffs to breathe while Grid was briefly mesmerized. It was due to the strange sight that unfolded in the sky. [The Asura Road has been opened.] The numerous eyes of the hell moon started to project the landscape of hell. The

images of people struggling in the even more horrific hell were broadcasted onto the sky like it was a screen. It was a sight that could be seen anywhere on the continent… Will you sit still or come down to hell and rescue them? Baal forced humanity to choose. The full-fledged prelude to the hell episode was opened with Baal’s first attack.

‘What passage did he use?’ It was after Baal left. Reinhardt was in turmoil, but Agnus was the one who was most shocked. Based on what he knew, Baal couldn’t appear on the surface. He learned that Baal could only appear by a fragment of his consciousness into a specific subject and borrowing their body. Yet the Baal just now was real. An Absolute who had a figure that was perceived differently depending on the player’s inclination and mood. The 1st Great Demon, Baal. He came as an immense fear to Agnus today. ‘He even sent the hell moon to the surface to make it hell.’ Where did Baal get the demonic energy to emerge on the surface? Could it have something to do with the hell moon, which appeared in a more threatening form? The hell moon was sent to the surface, so hell’s demons and demonic creatures must be greatly weakened. It would be the same for Baal. In a situation like this, wasn’t holding humans hostage and luring Grid putting himself at risk? Agnus was filled with many doubts and tried to interpret the situation, but it wasn’t easy. He was gradually becoming nervous. The emergence of Baal meant some denial of his knowledge and information. It was hard to stay calm after knowing that the knowledge and information he truly believed was wrong. Lauel saw his confusion and explained like it was trivial, “Baal’s information often turns out to be false.” The opponent was the demon among the demons. It meant he was the most distant being in the world from trust and belief. Most of the information related to him was false. “You… do you think that Baal was able to come to the surface from the beginning?”

“Would Baal be any different from Zeratul and Raphael, who can enter and exit the surface like it is their bedroom? If Baal’s authority is greater than theirs, he will only be superior, not inferior.” Baal and Raphael stood on opposite sides but were clearly different beings. The master of hell was Baal, while the master of heaven was Rebecca, not Raphael. Baal’s status was beyond Raphael’s from the time he betrayed Yatan and seized hell. Just going to and from the surface? Lauel guessed that it would’ve been easy from the beginning. Even so, it was obvious why he had been quiet so far. ‘It is because the situation wasn’t ripe yet.’ The principle of Baal taking action was related to the pursuit of pleasure. He must’ve waited happily until there was an environment where he could enjoy himself to his heart’s content. Now was the moment he had been waiting for. ‘Can we afford it?’ Lauel’s expression darkened as he raised his head. All sorts of events and accidents were taking place in the sky that was projecting the situation of hell. Blood burst out, followed by pained screams. Fear had spread throughout the world. *** “Does this make sense?” At the S.A Group’s shareholders meeting… The angry shareholders became furious. It was because Satisfy’s environment changed overnight. It didn’t matter if it was day or not. If they looked up at the sky from anywhere on the continent, they would see a bizarre and terrifying moon. A red moon with countless eyes. What about the videos being projected in the sky? A real-time slaughter in hell was being played. It was really pandemonium. It wasn’t a landscape that could be endured with a sane mind.

Some shareholders who viewed Satisfy as a metaverse rather than a game showed greater rejection. To them, Satisfy was another world in which social, economic, and cultural activities were carried out in a much faster and easier manner than in reality. Regardless of the background story, it was a space where the value grew only when daily life was lived. Now that daily life had completely collapsed. Ordinary people with common sense couldn’t accept the world that had changed overnight. How many people in the world would want to have dates, do their hobbies, or have a business meeting under a sky full of terrible sights? In fact, Satisfy’s connection rate was showing a noticeable decline. “This time, it doesn’t seem like a problem that Grid can easily solve. I don’t know much about the game, but that existence called Baal isn’t ordinary.” “That’s right. The moment that Baal appeared, Reinhardt’s army that was famous for its strength fell down like dominoes. Needless to say, the ordinary people passed out.” “Looking at the video posted on the Internet of the players who were at the scene, the debuffs are quite significant. I even saw Grid stagger like he was about to fall. Director Yoon-nim, did you see it?” “Ah, that…” The purpose of the shareholders in coming here wasn’t to socialize. They came together to hold the company accountable and urge the company to come up with a solution. Criticisms poured out and the anger became contagious. They didn’t swear, but their loud voices were like the grandstands in baseball stadiums. They didn’t understand it no matter how much Director Yoon Sangmin explained the situation. The thing the shareholders wanted was a declaration of the end of the situation. They didn’t want to hear any background explanations or excuses. The silent Chairman Lim Cheolho finally turned on the microphone. “We don’t interfere with Satisfy.” It was actually the worst answer. The expressions of the shareholders crumpled like paper and they started to protest fiercely. However, Chairman Lim Cheolho’s expression was still. The hell episode might’ve

opened decades earlier than scheduled, but he still crossed his arms in front of the large pile of reports because there was solid rationale for it. “Trust the players as always.” “What players… based on the briefing earlier, the difficulty of hell is too high. Are we supposed to rely only on Grid this time?” “Grid alone can’t solve it.” The shareholders were even more upset by Chairman Lim Cheolho’s resolute remarks. Grid couldn’t solve it? The shareholders, who had regarded Grid as their last hope, started to say it was all ruined. Chairman Lim Cheolho opened his mouth again, “Strictly speaking, Satisfy isn’t ruined. Even if the players lose and fail in the war against hell, another story will begin anew.” The end was nothing more than a device that signaled a new beginning. Hell, Asgard, the Hwan Kingdom, and the dragons—Satisfy would return no matter which faction was ultimately victorious. Even if it happened to start over from scratch. It was okay even if humanity won and saw the ‘ending.’ It was because the end of the story didn’t mean the end of Satisfy. The story that took place after that was enough for people to create a new one. *** The world changed in an instant. The sky that showed the current state of hell haunted the minds of the people. They were worried their family or friends would be among the many who died horribly in the fight against the demons. Ordinary people who lived a life far from fighting felt anxious. It was a gory movie that was playing above their heads all the time. There were few places they could look at. Fortunately, they couldn’t hear any sound. “Crazy bastard.”

Immediately after Baal left, General Asmophel and the soldiers took care of the people. Lauel and the nobles appeased the confused people. This allowed Grid to focus on his role. He soared into the sky and got as close to the hell moon as possible. Numerous bloodshot eyes swept indifferently over Grid. They rolled around non-stop and spread the situation of hell to the entire world. It was an even more unrealistic sight up close. The sky was infinitely segmented and screened. “He is a really crazy bastard.” Curses kept popping out. It was impossible to withstand the urge to swear. The humans in hell were taken hostage, while the moon, which should’ve been in hell, was moved to the surface and used to relay the reality of hell. Baal’s power and intentions were extremely abhorrent. He stole the sky and the ability to rest from all beings on the surface. Humanity was exposed to a fear and disgust they had never experienced before and were no longer able to live a normal life. Then Grid used Item Combination. He combined Gujel’s Dao and Cranbel’s Horn. It was a fusion of dragon weapons. A huge amount of energy was released. The entire area around him was distorted like a whirlpool. It was a power that even Grid couldn’t handle at the moment. He eventually grabbed the long hilt with both hands. His arms were trembling. Grid combined this with the field of view skill to aim at the evil moon. He clearly engraved the hell moon in his eyes, squeezed out all his strength, used his buffs, and swung the sword. It was a blow belatedly followed by a sound. By the time the explosion spread, an orange divinity had already filled the sky. Nevertheless, it couldn’t reach the hell moon. It seemed that even if he used a field of view skill, he was unable to cut down the moon in space. A new sight entered the eyes of the disappointed Grid. Very small shadows were approaching and touching the moon. They were the meteorites that Braham had pulled down. Braham designated the target as the hell moon and used Meteor. …But nothing happened. The hell moon existed steadfastly without showing a single movement. “I can’t smash the moon with my magic,” Braham said as he clicked his tongue and glared at the intact moon.

“………” Wasn’t this too violent to be called a magic attack? There were too many things to tackle, but Grid kept his mouth shut. Just then, Mercedes came to his side with her silver wings. Her transparently glowing eyes analyzed the moon and videos. ………! The hell moon shook a bit, unlike when it was hit by Braham’s Meteor. Finally, it trembled. Screams seemed to reach all the way to where they were. “………!” “………!” The faces of Grid and the apostles were filled with admiration. It was because some of the eyes of the hell moon started to shed bloody tears and some of the videos filling the sky started to turn off. The perfect sky suddenly appeared through the cracks in the videos. However, new videos soon appeared and filled in the gaps. There were too many eyes on the hell moon. The damaged eyes were quickly replaced by new ones and the videos that were turned off were repeatedly turned on. “Stop. Stop it,” Grid whispered as he grabbed Mercedes’ hand and pulled her into his arms. Gasp, gasp… Mercedes’ wildly gasping body was trembling. Her eyes, which were more transparent than glass, became blurred and veins bulged around her trembling eyes. “This… it isn’t here,” Mercedes explained as she leaned against Grid’s chest with a pale face, “It is still in hell… it is a using the moon of the human world as a mirror.” This was why Grid’s attack didn’t reach. The hell moon on the surface was nothing more than an illusion. In the first place, it couldn’t be targeted by the field of view skill. The moon that Braham’s Meteor struck wasn’t the moon of hell.

‘Then Braham… did he just use Meteor on the real, innocent moon?’ By the time Grid realized it, Braham’s face was already red. He was very sensitive to the word ‘troll,’ so Grid didn’t bother to point it out. “…We have no choice but to go there in person.” Grid’s judgment was quick. He declared that he would accept Baal’s invitation. It was the moment when the apostles nodded as if they had been waiting… “Of course, we should do so.” A welcome voice was heard. Grid looked up at the sky and made eye contact with the smiling Biban. There were the tower members behind him. Legends from the previous eras—the great heroes who protected the world behind history had come forward. One by one, the people who were in a panic and couldn’t come to their senses started to gain courage one by one. “………” Betty was staring at Agnus.

Were they carrying an invisible rock? Most of the people walked around with their heads lowered. They were afraid the scenery of hell that was projected into the sky would enter their vision. Nevertheless, there were a few people who dared to raise their heads and gaze at the sky. They carefully watched the scenes that others said were scary and unpleasant. They were the rankers with a high reputation in each region. Most of them were fighters. They were people who enjoyed the fight itself or struggled to get something. This was a huge opportunity for them. “Playing an active role in front of everyone watching…? There can be no better stage to build up my fame.” “There will be a personal camera the moment you enter hell. Even a small performance will make you stand out more than in the Great Human and Demon War.” There was a lot of speculation that the final boss of Satisfy was Baal. His force was that high. Moreover, this incident caused by Baal was very threatening. Based on the atmosphere alone, it seemed like an event that would determine Satisfy’s fate. It wouldn’t be strange if humanity was defeated when following the flow of this story. The level of attention was bound to be high, apart from those who were walking around with their heads lowered. It was a large-scale event that was incomparable to the National Competition and was at least above the level of the Great Human and Demon War. In short, it was a situation that all of humanity would be paying close attention to. What if they went to hell at this time and played an active role? They would surely become heroes. Being heroes meant money. The named rankers proved it from the very beginning. Didn’t they say that the money from commercials alone was tens of billions of won a year… It was a bonus that there were countless scandals about the actors or actresses they appeared on shows with.

“This is a really huge opportunity.” “We are going to be the second Grid.” How many people in the world wanted to become the second Grid? There were many people in the world who called themselves the second Grid the moment they did anything. There were many people, regardless of their age or gender, so it was very funny. Even so, no one expressed it. The rankers who formed a cooperative group together—it was right to respect their great ambition to cross the line together in the future, rather than laugh at them. “Huh…?” The western mountainous region dominated by the slash-and-burn farmers. The high ranker Musashi had been ruling this territory that received less attention from the Overgeared Empire due to its low value. Now he cocked his head. He was a German-British man whose terribly red hair didn’t match his ID. His hair fluttered in the wind like a flame and it naturally caught people’s attention. His outfit was also very fancy. Gold sheets or jewels hung from every piece of equipment he wore. The rumor that he controlled more than 30 small and medium-sized hunting grounds and received admission fees from people seemed to be true. It was something people couldn’t take an issue with. It was just the strong enjoying the rights they deserved. Yes, Musashi was a strong powerhouse. If only 3,000 strong players in the world could be counted, then there was a high probability that he would be mentioned. He was such a person. “What… is this?” he murmured with an absent-minded expression. It was the expression of a person seeing something he shouldn’t have seen. It was a frightening reaction. He was someone who never lost his composure even when seeing the video of Baal appearing in Reinhardt. Now he suddenly reacted violently and the impact was great. The moment Musashi became agitated, anxiety quickly spread among the people belonging to the same guild as Musashi. “What is going on?” Another high ranker who couldn’t see what happened was questioning it, only to

stiffen. It was because in one of the videos in the sky, people were dying one after another. The ranker who participated in the great demon raids during the Great Human and Demon War were being slaughtered by mere demons? This wasn’t supposed to happen. Players had grown rapidly since the Great Human and Demon War. They gained so much experience and even had the cooperation of the Overgeared Guild. One simple example was that the high-end items previously only distributed within the Overgeared Guild were released on the market. The Overgeared Guild, who rejected outside players before the Great Human and Demon War, started to cooperate under the banner that ‘humanity is one.’ Yes, most of the players who took the elevator down to hell were great people. They deserved to hunt the demons in hell. So what was this miserable appearance? The high level and Overgeared Guild’s items were being overshadowed and trampled on in a disastrous manner. It was an even bigger shock because there was someone Musashi considered a rival among them. “That… does this make sense?” Musashi had very good eyes. He had invested heavily in insight because his main focus was on counter skills. Due to this, he noticed it. The skills that the demons used… they were very familiar. Skills that symbolized particular rankers. The techniques that made them known were being used with the bodies and magic power of the demons. It was a completely unexpected blow that hit him properly. He could accept the reason why the rankers were helpless. ‘How is this possible?’ The stronger the skill, the more difficult the conditions of use. They had to gain skills by taking a specific path and being promoted to the right class. It was also greatly influenced by their stats and the weapons used. The sight of a demon holding a club while using human fist techniques, a bare-handed demon using human swordsmanship, or even using demonic energy as a replacement for mana was bound to feel strange. ‘How is this difficulty level set?’ He was reminded of Baal’s words that a new rule had been set in hell. It ignored the

existing laws, so the newly set difficulty level could be considered a hardcore level. This made Musashi shrink back. He was frightened because he could see many things. “Musashi?” It was only a few steps to the city where the warp gate was located. They would be able to reach their final destination of Reinhardt in less than 30 minutes. Then one of the captains of the group, Musashi, suddenly stopped and didn’t move. Musashi hesitated as the eyes of numerous people focused on him. “This probably…” It seems like it isn’t possible. The situation is more serious than I thought. If we go to hell like this, we are more likely to be killed like dogs. Let’s step back and watch the progress. …He wanted to say this, but he was afraid his honor would be lost. It happened at this moment… [The founder of Echo Magic, ‘Jessica,’ has emerged.] [The one who takes reality as a canvas, ‘Abellio,’ has emerged.] [The one who smashes a great mountain with his first, ’Ken,’ has emerged.] [The one who trains monsters and demons, ’Jurene,’ has emerged.] [The one who breaks the chain of reincarnation, ’Betty,’ has emerged.] [The ancient wise sage, ’Radwolf,’ has emerged.] [The ancient wise warrior, ’Fronzaltz,’ has emerged.] [The teacher of Muller, Sword Saint ‘Biban,’ has emerged.] World messages emerged one after another. Some familiar names were mixed with unfamiliar names. The thing they had in common was that they were all unusual. Biban and Jessica instilled such an awareness.

First of all, Biban. He was known as the teacher of Muller, the greatest Sword Saint of all time. Players who had reached the minimum level of great swordsman would’ve come across his records and felt envious. Next was Jessica. She was a legendary great magician of a past era and was the founder of the famous Echo Magic. The theory of Echo Magic contained the logic of ‘creating multiple magic with one spell,’ so it was often rated as the best magical theory of all time. Those who appeared with them could never be ordinary. The modifiers were no joke. “An acquaintance in Reinhardt said that they came to see Grid?” “What are tower members?” “Tower?” Dragon Slayer Hayate was well known, but the Tower of Wisdom was still unfamiliar to people. The tower had still kept itself a secret. However, at this moment— [The Tower of Wisdom, which has been defending humanity behind the veil, has declared that they will fight against the demons.] The tower revealed its identity out of its own volition. They knew that danger would come from provoking the dragons, but they still came out for the sake of humanity. “What are you doing? Go quickly!” the previously intimidated Musashi urged the group. He was full of energy and his voice was strong. Similar things were happening all over the continent. *** It was really exquisite timing. Grid was very happy and thankful that the tower members came to him as people were gradually losing hope. But… “Isn’t it dangerous to leave?” The duty of the tower members was to be on the lookout for dragons. No one could handle it if the dragons were active while they were away in hell.

“Don’t worry. Sir Hayate will keep his position.” Biban wasn’t very comfortable as he explained it. Based on Hayate’s personality, it meant he would almost never sleep and would stand guard. Therefore, Biban and the tower members were intent on responding even more aggressively to this incident. Grid’s attitude was the same. “Let’s settle the situation as quickly as possible and return.” Baal was too strong. Grid and his apostles couldn’t completely resist the debuffs, so it would be the same for the tower members. Grid made a realistic judgment. Rather than aiming to kill Baal, the priority was to stop the function of the hell moon. The morale of humanity could only be restored when the landscape of the surface returned to its original state. There was a high possibility that the currently active Asura Path would end when the hell moon was removed. It meant that he could save those trapped in hell and use them as an extra force. Of course, this was all just a hypothesis so far. Nevertheless, Lauel and Grid decided that this hypothesis was very realistic. What if stopping the function of the hell moon didn’t improve the situation? If that was the case, it meant the possibility of humanity winning would be infinitely close to zero. There would be no answer. However, there would always be answers in Satisfy. Grid and Lauel were the best duo who found more answers than anyone else. They believed in their own judgment. “Depart.” In front of everyone watching, the apostles except for Sariel, the tower members, Grid, and the gods of the Overgeared World all stood in front of the hell elevator. Grid’s inventory was full. He took all the potions made in the alchemy facility and packed the materials necessary for blacksmithing. During the battle in hell, he planned to repair or make new items for the apostles and tower members. [The 20th epic of Overgeared God Grid has begun.] [It comes from the mouths of those who watched him go to hell.] The temples of the Overgeared God scattered all over the continent radiated a soft light. They were prepared to record the epic that would be added line by line in the future.

*** [………] The old dragon, who had existed since the beginning of time, opened his eyes. The pure white membrane split open and revealed the universe. The longitudinally torn pupils were the first chaos and the circles dotted in the iris were like countless planets derived from chaos. The moment the old dragon slowly raised his head and unfolded his long tail, a raging wind occurred in the huge lair. The aftermath was terribly great. The great mountain where the lair was situated and the forests surrounding the great mountain shook as if they had been hit by an earthquake. The birds and beasts were startled and immediately abandoned their homes to flee. […Things are interesting…] The dragon’s expression was calm as he let out a long breath and checked the scenery outside the lair. However, the smile that his snout made looked twisted and wicked. He was suited for the moniker of evil dragon.

Not long ago, Hayate had told Grid, “I only recently realized that most of the top dragons, who are inherently threatened by the old dragons, can make rational decisions.” He said he learned a lot based on the story of the Crazy God and Crazy Dragon and he planned to leave the tower to embark on a long journey. “I will visit and talk to the top dragons who have maintained their dignity and settled in one place for a long time.” He would persuade them to understand and coexist with each other. It would not be easy, but he smiled as he said it would be better than blindly confronting them. He even promised to help with the recruitment of the human gods during the journey. Then today, the situation changed rapidly. Baal caused a proper incident. Hayate was forced to return to the tower in a hurry and the tower members told him that they wanted to help Grid. He naturally allowed it. The essence of the Tower of Wisdom was to protect the world from threats that humanity couldn’t respond to. It wasn’t just about being obsessed with dragons. In his heart, Hayate also wanted to go to hell with them. However, he couldn’t leave the surface empty, so he stayed alone in the tower. He didn’t express it to the tower members, but he was worried about the evil dragon Bunhelier. A dragon that cooperated with Baal in the distant past and swallowed demonic energy—Hayate was concerned that the Asura Path that spread on the surface might provoke him. That concern became a reality. The energy that blossomed from the end of the world—the unbelievably powerful and ominous aura captured Hayate’s mind. ‘He has woken up.’ An elegant demeanor—a bitter smile spread across Hayate’s face as he placed his hand on the pommel of his sword.

‘It must be Baal’s intention.’ A thousand years after the tower was born, he had a new dream and planned a trip. It was a pity that he would die before he could even start properly. Still, it was fine. Even if he died, Grid remained. He felt some lingering regrets, but there was no worry. For the first time since he was born, he wasn’t afraid of death. *** Time was running out. Grid’s party clearly recognized the situation. Just before boarding the elevator, they saw hundreds of humans in a crisis on their own being broadcasted in the sky. They had to hurry to save even a few more lives. The lives of those currently trapped in hell weren’t just their own lives. The more they died, the stronger Baal’s power became. Therefore, it was necessary to rescue them, even if it was just for the sake of the cause. “It is said that logging out is possible within hell.” Immediately after the incident, Lauel logged out without hesitation. The quickwitted Yura logged out in advance and had been waiting for his call. He received a lot of information thanks to this. “However, as you know, it is impossible to log out during a battle. They said that it is very difficult to find the timing to log out.” It meant that the enemy’s offensive continued non-stop. “In the first place, avoiding the crisis by logging out isn’t the solution.” Baal set a new law in hell. The beings who entered hell couldn’t escape from hell through any means or methods. It meant that even if they avoided the crisis in front of them by logging out, they would be stuck in hell for the rest of their lives. “The only method identified to get out of hell so far is to die. Yet when looking at the reviews left by the deceased players, there is a 100% chance that those who are killed will lose their skills. This means it is hard for them to offer up their lives

blindly…” This was why the players trapped in hell couldn’t die. The skills of the dead were absorbed by Asura’s fragments and transferred to Baal or Baal’s subordinates. “It is known that the skills will be taken away, so I guess there will be a fuss.” “Yes, there are many people looking for flights to the S.A Group’s headquarters in order to protest.” ‘It serves them right. Those beggar jerks.’ What S.A Group? Please be surrounded by protest trucks and have the entrance of the parking lot blocked… Grid cursed sincerely. It was absurd no matter how much he thought about it. The last class quest of Pagma's Successor. It was to save Pagma’s soul. How could he clear this? If Grid hadn’t reached the myth rating and if he hadn’t obtained the apostles, tower members, and human gods—if he was just an ordinary Pagma's Successor, he would’ve tearfully given up the quest. ‘At least 10 years… no, I would’ve only set up a large group in 20 years to attempt it.’ It was a class quest that most players could only challenge when they reached a high level. Was this really the right design? Grid didn’t think so. He suspected that they were aiming for him and raised the difficulty of the class quest. The S.A Group had long been obsessed with balance and would block a player’s path. Although maybe he grew to this point because of the backlash he received from the S.A Group… “It is said that the neutral areas throughout hell have lost their safe zone function as the statues of Yatan were destroyed… that doesn’t mean there are no answers. The crystal castle is still in good shape, so we can use it as a shelter.” Inside the elevator that descended quickly, Lauel stood beside Grid and communicated the situation non-stop. They were companions for many years. Lauel had lost his combat capabilities in the aftermath of investing his stats in political power. He was reluctant to fight on the battlefield, but he couldn't help it this time. It was an urgent situation. Time was running out to organize the information that Yura had obtained and to pass it onto Grid. It was best to do it himself and deliver it.

“We need to rescue people, gather them in the castle, and then reorganize our power. However, most of the groups have been pushed out of the front lines and dispersed. This means the difficulty will be very high. Rescue is possible only when we know where they are located, but it is difficult to find where they are hiding…” “Don’t worry about searching for people.” The elevator felt cramped because it was loaded with magic machines. Braham cut in proudly from where he was standing proudly alone in the center. “You’ll be able to find them with the magic of me and that woman.” He glanced at Jessica. He showed that he was willing to cooperate with Jessica. It was a very surprising attitude considering Braham’s usual personality. He seemed to be acknowledging Jessica’s skills. However, the tower members weren’t at a rank where they needed Braham’s acknowledgment. “That guy has no courtesy,” Biban whispered in Jessica’s ears, but his voice was so loud that it entered everyone’s ears. Well, he wouldn’t have deceived the hearing of the people here even if he spoke in a low voice in the first place. “It is understandable. He is the child of Beriache and the strongest magician of all time. It is natural to be arrogant considering his background. He is probably around the same age as me.” “What does age have to do with having no manners? Tsk tsk.” In the end, Biban clicked his tongue. In fact, he didn’t like Braham from the start. Didn’t Braham proudly cross his arms and occupy the center the moment he boarded the elevator? This habit would’ve been corrected right away if Braham hadn’t been Grid’s apostle. Braham snorted. “You are frivolous. It seems there is a flaw in your wisdom that doesn’t match your rank. I can see why you were overtaken by your disciple.” Braham had a strong first impression of the tower members. Previous legends and transcendents—weren’t they the ones who supported the

Dragon Slayer? Additionally, he was told that they had helped Grid several times. He naturally appreciated them and liked them. However, his heart became cold the moment he saw Biban’s sword. The dragon weapon created by Grid—his stomach cramped at the thought that this bastard occupied the most precious treasure in history that even he hadn’t been gifted with yet. It meant that his liking disappeared like it was a lie when it came to Biban. “What…? Frivolous? There is a defect in my wisdom? Say it again.” “You are frivolous and ignorant. Now you also have bad hearing? Once again, you deserve to be overtaken by your disciple.” “Y-You…!” From his strong body to his intelligence, magic, and appearance, Braham was perfect in every way. There was just a problem with his reactionary personality. He had improved to the level of a gentleman compared to when he was a scumbag in the past, but he had a bad personality from a general point of view. He used his innate intelligence and magic power enhanced senses to analyze the weaknesses of his opponents and dig into them without hesitation. Biban couldn’t handle him. He would have to use violence to beat Braham. “This vampire, demonic bastard…” The tower members eventually had to restrain Biban from grabbing his sword and Lauel whispered to Grid, “Will it be okay? They seem to be on bad terms?” “It’s fine. Agnus and I are getting along well. Will those who are older than us be more childish than us?” “………” “………” Braham and Biban clearly heard Grid’s voice and took back their killing intent. They knew it was shameful. The situation seemed to have calmed down, but this was actually a miscalculation.

“Your eyes… Shall I dig them out?” Agnus suddenly growled. He seemed annoyed that from before the elevator until now, Betty had been staring at him without blinking. His attitude of swallowing down his swear words was quite commendable. He wasn’t intimidated because Betty was a powerful being. It seemed he was unable to treat her like that because she was a girl. “Eyes. Shall I give them to you?” “………!” Agnus was frightened. He would be abnormal if he wasn’t surprised when seeing a girl shoving her fingers into her eyes. “…Will it be okay over there?” “Probably…” By this point, Grid was also slightly exhausted. Nefelina was clinging to his arm and trembling because she was overwhelmed by the spirit coming from the tower members. Abellio had drawn a puppy with a brush with the sense of playing with a grandchild, but he fell into deep thought after seeing the puppy disappear when it was read by Mercedes’ Keen Insight. Zik was discussing runes with the giant brothers and raised his voice in a rare manner. The fighter Ken was proposing to Garion. It was questionable if he was doing this even though he knew she was a god. It was complete chaos. It was no different from a market. “They… they are great people, right?” Lauel asked again for confirmation, but Grid couldn’t answer. He just smiled slightly. He felt very reassured by his colleagues, who didn’t show any signs of nervousness despite descending to hell. He was convinced that once they joined the expedition active in hell, they would create a party that didn’t fear anything in the world. Yes, they wouldn’t be afraid of Baal either…

Ding! At the same time, the elevator stopped descending. The automatic opening and closing device made by the giants activated and the door opened. The group led by Grid stepped proudly into hell. [A random teleportation has occurred.] It was a large magic circle that greeted them. The black magic that only fully functioned in hell activated as soon as it read the aura of the visitors. Apart from Braham, who quickly grasped the structure of the magic and destroyed it, everyone in the party was engulfed in light and scattered throughout hell. The place where Grid fell… “Overgeared God…?” It was the river of reincarnation. The blood-red eyes of the hell moon watched him.

“Hmm.” Braham smiled as he was left alone. The black magic that worked upon detecting the presence of an intruder—it was great when seeing it himself. It was perfect without a single margin of error. Since it was perfect, it was solid and fast. It worked under the set conditions, so it was normal to not be able to respond to it. Even so, he reacted. He even succeeded in breaking it down in a breathtaking manner. He was the only one in the group who did so. This proved his unrivaled ability among the most powerful people. He was quite pleased. His great pride had grown even more. ‘In particular, I am far superior than that retired swordsman.’ Braham was in the realm of achieving magic with his willpower. The act of looking back on his memory naturally gave rise to the Memorize magic. The sights he glimpsed a short time ago came to mind as vividly as a photograph. Braham looked closely at Grid, the gods, the apostles, and the tower members in the picture. It was the moment when they entered hell and the black magic was triggered. Grid responded immediately. He was faster than Braham in terms of reaction speed alone. However, he failed to activate Duke of Wisdom, so he just pulled Lauel and Nefelina to his side. Almost immediately afterward, Mercedes, Piaro, and Zik responded. It was with the same timing as Braham. However, it took some time to activate Keen Insight, while Piaro was close to an outsider when it came to magic. Zik was the only one who responded properly. The rune was immediately rotated to complete a word. It was a word he didn’t understand… Zik demonstrated a miracle and intervened in the magic coordinates applied to himself. He reversed the trap. Even when he was a mere incarnation, he was praised as a grandmaster by reaching the peak in most fields. Now that he retrieved his true body and harnessed the power of a half-god, he was so excellent that he made Braham alert every time. ‘…The tower members?’

Most of them were like the apostles. They were very quick. Their response was as fast as the unit that divided one second into dozens of segments, but they couldn’t find a way to respond to the magic. No… that was just what he thought. ‘Those ignorant people.’ A chill went down Braham’s spine. He noticed that faint cracks were carved on the images of the tower members contained in Memorize. There were signs of the magic itself being hit. Abellio wielded his brush, the giant brothers used artifacts, Jessica used magic, Ken used his fists, Jurene gathered his magic power, and Betty tried to stop the black magic by cutting off the flow of magic power. That retired swordsman just cut it with a sword. This meant that they attempted physical destruction, unlike Braham, who understood the principles of black magic and reversed them in order to invalidate them. As a result, they failed, but it made a difference. The black magic applied to them wasn’t fully intact because part of the techniques were destroyed. At the very least, they wouldn’t have fallen to a ‘dangerous’ place. ‘They aren’t just Sir Hayate’s associates.’ Braham admired it in his heart, only to become startled. He was surprised at himself, who acknowledged the skills of others. It was a bit… unpleasant. It was to the point where he welcomed the uninvited visitors who just arrived. “The insight of Sir Goron is amazing. It was said that only the son of the exile would remain and it came true.” “He got Beriache’s wisdom and studied the magic of human beings. Magic of this magnitude would’ve been easy to read.” “Hahaha! Braham! The son of Beriache! Your mother might’ve been an exile but she was one of the three evils of the beginning. Why did you, her child, study the magic of human beings? Don’t you know shame?” “The son of an exile can’t feel shame. He doesn’t have the roots.” They were three demons. They were those who had the title of henchmen, but

weren’t Baal’s familiars. In the very distant past, they were the ones who helped when Beriache was expelled from hell. They all had a mighty aura. Gamigin was better than all of them, but they were powerhouses, especially when considering that this place was hell. ‘They will be able to use frenzied demonic energy at their current level.’ The longer the fight, the more powerful the demonic energy. It was a type of technique practiced by a small number of high ranking demonkin. It had the disadvantage of only being able to be activated in hell, but it wasn’t a disadvantage at the moment since this place was hell. “Seeing you trembling brings back memories. Your mother looked exactly like this when she was banished from hell.” “It was a pleasure to watch the virtuous being that all the demons of hell looked up to become miserable in real time. Even now, so much time has passed, but a sense of pleasure still wells up when I think back on that time.” “………” A scene from the past flashed in Braham’s mind as he stood with his head lowered. It was an image of his mother being cast out to the surface by sneering demons. This was just his imagination. The reality would’ve been much more miserable. ‘Ahh, Mother.’ Braham felt his fate. Did Grid lead me here or did you send them to me? Did you arrange for me to get revenge for you and eventually transcend you? “…That guy.” It was just like when they isolated Beriache in the distant past. The demons who laughed around Braham slowly frowned. They belatedly realized why Braham’s shoulders were shaking while his head was lowered. It wasn’t due to fear. He was laughing…

It wasn’t an illusion. Braham’s face as he raised his head confirmed it. The eyes of the smiling man whose chin was raised arrogantly were glowing red like his mother’s. “You were just one of the thousands of soldiers that surrounded my mother. Now only the three of you are meeting me? The long years that have passed have made you senile.” Braham’s magic power, which had sharpened like a knife, gradually turned dark purple. The frenzied demonic energy—the technique that Beriache’s son, Braham, could use ‘naturally’ was already triggered. The quality of the secret technique was different. “………!” “………!” Baal’s henchmen—they had already slaughtered dozens of rankers. They clearly imprinted their overwhelming power onto the human beings observing the conditions of hell from the surface. They were more powerful than any of the great demons who fought in the Great Human and Demon War. This was why people lamented when they saw Braham confronting them. It wasn’t difficult for people to guess Braham’s defeat. Many people already closed their eyes after knowing that his beautiful face in the sky would soon be terribly ruined. Thus, it came as a bigger shock. The sight of the purple flames rising from Braham’s fingers and spreading like a storm as it swept through the battlefield, and the surprised faces of the demons who retreated—the development pattern was completely different from what people expected. The news spread in an instant. Those who tried to turn away from the sky slowly started to raise their heads. *** “Are they completely encamped?” “Gulp. Do we have enough food?”

The expedition team from the Overgeared Guild was evacuated to the crystal castle. They moved immediately after the incident happened. They believed in the judgment of Yura and Jishuka. Thanks to this, they avoided the crisis of being isolated in the field, but the situation wasn’t good. A demonic army was besieging the crystal castle. The sight of them hunting their own demonic creatures and cooking barbecue was far from common sense, but unfortunately, the smell of grilled meat was appetizing. A hunger that couldn’t be satisfied with jerky tormented the expedition. It was a curse. It had no influence on legends like Yura, Jishuka, and Faker, but it was enough to cause pain to non-legendary players. “This… isn’t it a skill that high level chefs have?” Hunger was classified as an abnormal condition. Vantner was frowning at the debuff linked to decreased stats and lack of motivation, so he noticed one step late. It was the moment when Lauel’s warning that they would lose their skills and the words of those who died proved to be a definite truth. Their fear grew as the number of enemies increased in real time. In the midst of the tension, someone raised their hand and asked a question, “This castle… the enemies can’t attack it, right? It is safe, right? Yes?” It was a very cautious attitude. This person had to be careful. Rose—she was a great demon, so she felt very uncomfortable in this position… She thought that sitting on a thorny cushion would be better than this. It was absurd no matter how she thought about it. Baal caused the incident when she was visiting the castle to meet Grid’s succubi. She was unexpectedly isolated in the castle where just making eye contact with the Overgeared Guild members made her feel numb. Why did she have to be here…? She had already asked herself this dozens of times, but she had to interpret it as simply bad luck. “It is safe. That is correct. The problem is that we can’t stay here like this. If we are going to stay still like this, why not just log out?” In games, time was gold. There was no point in simply surviving. It was obviously a

loss to sit here for a long time. Even at this moment, their competitors and enemies would be growing and eating at each other. “Hmm…” Rose was inwardly relieved. She was worried about what would happen if no one answered her question, but at least this person was kind enough to get along with her, even if he was bald. It would be better to hang out with good-looking men like Faker and Regas, but what was the current situation? It was fortunate that she was less embarrassed. “Why do I feel dirty all of a sudden?” It happened the moment Vantner was wondering about this… The castle shook. The outside of the window was tinged with a colorful light that disturbed the eyes of the group. It was the aftermath of a magic bombardment. “Ah, it is safe, right?” Rose asked again with a pale face. Croak, croak, croak croak croak… The cries of frogs were heard in the distance. Chepardea and Baal’s familiars had joined. *** Chepardea stopped the magic bombardment and spoke, “It is Dantalion’s legacy. It is natural that it is hard to attack. You don’t have to attack it. Croak.” Dantalion was the wisest demon in hell. There were many demons who gained knowledge comparable to him, but Dantalion was the only one who made use of that knowledge. It meant he was a coward. He was despised by many demons despite being a great demon. From the beginning, Chepardea had no intention of attacking the last bastion that the coward had made to keep himself safe. It was okay to isolate them. Human lives were so short that they would quickly become nervous. Eventually, they wouldn’t be able to endure it and would walk out on their own.

Chepardea urged the demons to be patient and the demons nodded obediently. It was originally rare for demons to cooperate, but this was an exception. They were clearly aware of the fragments of Asura that seeped into their shadows. Baal made it public. The moment they realized that the fragments of Asura could act either as a bomb leashing them or a blessing to give them more power, the demons chose to be loyal to Baal. In the first place, Baal was the peak of the three evils of the beginning. He was the ruler of hell after Yatan. He just needed to step forward to become the focal point and there would be few reasons why the demons wouldn’t follow him. ‘There were many demons who rapidly became stronger thanks to the fragments of Asura. They easily killed the intruders scattered all over the place.’ Chepardea’s round snout curled up as he thought. It was the scene of a large frog with his tongue hanging out and laughing. However, the demons remained silent and didn’t ridicule him. There were few complaints. It was quite enjoyable imagining the trembling of their prey locked up in the castle. Additionally, the Demon Slayer was among the prey trapped in the castle. A being born to exterminate demons—as a demon, the act of fighting, winning, and eating her would go against providence. It was an opportunity to be judged as killing the enemy and their status would greatly rise. It happened as the gloomy laughter of the demons was gradually spreading… “I came to the right place.” It was Zik who reversed the coordinates of the trap. The all-rounded talent who could compete to be the strongest among the apostles of the Overgeared God entered the scene. Runes that combined to form words that meant destruction, massacre, and annihilation swirled, raged and sparked a bloody breeze. He knew he had to first secure the only base in hell.

The apostles were invincible and Grid was a god—this was the general public perception. It was also a play on words using the fact that Grid’s identity was a god, but it was more referring to his actual strength. It was after the Great Human and Demon War. People had witnessed the invincibility of the apostles from various angles. Additionally, Grid won victory after victory that was delivered in real time due to the epics written. Of course, Grid’s actual win rate was very low, but… he had always benefited, so he seemed to always win from a third party’s point of view. To the public, it meant that Grid and the apostles were close to being invincible. They couldn’t be distinguished from the Absolutes of dragons, Baal, Hayate, etc., and they were recognized as being part of the same hierarchy. Nevertheless— “Will it be okay?” “It looks too dangerous.” The people were concerned about the safety of the apostles. It was an unavoidable limitation. People didn’t understand the invincibility of an Absolute and they couldn’t even judge it. They made the mistake of recognizing the apostles as Absolutes, while easily thinking about defeat. There was a reason for it. The environment surrounding Piaro was fire and ashes. It was hot, black, and empty. There was no energy of life from the sky and the ground. Clatter clatter. A ghost horse walking in the night sky circled overhead like a satellite. A blue flame lit up the deathly silent sky, while a red flame burned the ground of black ashes, erasing the traces of life. Piaro had fallen to this place. A legendary farmer—it was the worst situation for him, who borrowed the energy of the rain and wind, the sun, and the earth, in order to show his abilities. People’s belief that Piaro was invincible was greatly shaken.

“Is there anybody nearby who can help?” “I will quit the game if Piaro dies. XX.” There were stars in every field. In particular, Satisfy was a game that billions of people enjoyed directly or indirectly. There were countless of the world’s brightest stars in Satisfy. There was naturally a fandom proportional to it. One of the most powerful fandoms was Piaro’s fandom. An existence who had been with Grid since Grid was about to become the lord of Reidan—Piaro was the foundation that symbolized the Overgeared Guild and Overgeared Empire. Piaro was the reason why the still weak Overgeared Guild could withstand the invasion of the Seven Guilds and the great demons. He was the one who led the army and used all sorts of military tactics in all types of wars. It was rare to find someone who wasn’t fascinated by him. Piaro’s popularity was the best without distinguishing between enemies and allies. The sight of him falling to a bad place and being surrounded by demons was enough to make people mourn. “Piaro, the apostle of the Overgeared God. I have vaguely heard the name.” Baal’s henchmen, who kept appearing here, spoke in an expressionless manner. “He was prepared to die together only with Belial.” Demons competed with each other and cooperated. Right now, they were intoxicated on the sweet reward of ‘the more you hunt humans, the stronger you become’ and entrusted their backs to each other, but until just yesterday, they had been eating each other. There were many competitors around them right now, so they were relatively careless and indifferent on the outside. The old subordinates who had been aiding Baal for more than a thousand years had long lost their passion. Would they be interested in mere creatures when they hunted the greatest of all time, Beriache? Everything in the world was insignificant for them, who had already fought and overcome one of the three evils of the beginning. They were even less interested in the surface. They couldn’t distinguish between the time when the former 32nd Great Demon, Belial, invaded the surface and the time before and after the outbreak of the Great

Human and Demon War. They knew only a small fraction of Piaro’s performance. In fact, it wasn’t even a performance from their perspective. All the information related to Piaro was dismissed as equivalent to the information that pine caterpillars needed to eat pine needles to live. This meant it was insignificant. Unfortunately, Piaro didn’t have any great achievements in the Great Human and Demon War. It was great that he could tie up the feet of the great demons in the 20s, but it was minimal compared to the performance of the other apostles. It had been less than two years. Putting aside their liking for Piaro, the public was concerned. He was weak compared to the other apostles and now he had fallen to an unfavorable battlefield. They started looking around to search for anyone who could help him. They observed with open eyes the situation in hell, which they previously avoided because it was terrifying. The cruel sights tormented their eyes and minds, but they didn’t care. There were many people who would endure this much pain for Piaro’s sake. “Ah…” Let’s find it. The moment I find an apostle near Piaro, log out and post about it to the community. Someone from the Overgeared Guild will respond… Those who looked up at the sky with such hopes soon felt despair. There was no one near Piaro, no matter where they looked in the sky that showed hell. The other apostles and tower members were all far away. They were also in a mostly isolated situation. Well, there was one. Lauel was nearby, but… ‘Isn’t this nonsense?’ …Lauel had long lost his reputation as a warrior. Few people remembered that he was the peak of the 1st generation rookies. It was natural. He had been away from the battlefield for too long. Looking back on the work he had done as the prime minister, it was likely that his stats had been remodeled to be closer to an internal affairs official. No, it was certain. Sending him to Piaro would only be a hindrance rather than a help. The situation would just become worse if he was caught at the scene and taken hostage. ‘We need to find someone else… ’

Most people tried to ignore Lauel, but… [Piaro is in danger alone, but Lauel is nearby.] There were already many related articles posted in several large communities. It was posted unnoticed by people who had a relatively poor eye for reading the game. If they had to calculate the ratio, there were far more beginners than experts in Satisfy. There were only a small number of masters who listened to the so-called experts. It was the same logic as this. -UP. -I will add a recommendation. -Rise up, rise up! -Heeeeey, Overgeared Guild! Read this article! People in each community started to click to recommend posts that they didn’t notice… It wasn’t only a short time before it became the number one popular post. Lauel. The only hope. Lauel who was near Piaro. Overgeared Guild, look here. Etc, etc. All types of related keywords flooded the real-time popular posts on search engines and social media. The members of the Overgeared Guild, who were looking at external information while logged out, quickly caught onto the fact. Some of the Overgeared members of the hell expedition were activating the emergency contact network in turn.

“You say that Lauel is near Piaro?” Those logged in relayed the situation after hearing the news from the outside. It had been less than two minutes since the community’s popular posts were registered. Everyone’s eyes turned to Yura. Yura had already taken action. The Demon Slayer’s magic that purified the demonic energy of hell—the unique bullet made using this magic power, the ‘penetration bullet’ that were in the shape of a ‘bird,’ was shot. It was a technique designed by Alex, who struggled in the unfavorable environment of hell, to cooperate with those who rarely helped him. It enabled communications. It purified all demonic energy present in the path of the bullet and easily deceived the senses of the demons. Even if it was discovered, it couldn’t be caught smoothly. In the worst case where it was caught, powerful debuffs would be sprayed. There was an explosion at the same time that Yura pointed the gun at a gap in the open window. “………?” A sinister jade trail passed over the battlefield and the agitated demons all raised their heads in unison. The price for a quick glance was their deaths. Zik took advantage of the brief opportunity to take the lives of dozens of demons. Then he quietly brushed off the blood on Saharan’s Sword. The unchanging expression on his face was horrifying for the demons. Chepardea’s mind was complicated. ‘Why aren’t they cooperating?’ The strongest from the previous era—Zik was the best among the seven malignant saints, a half-god who made the gods wary. The nose of Chepardea, Baal’s closest subordinate, might be raised high into the sky, but he couldn’t leave Zik alone. He devised a plan to take advantage of the enemy’s power rather than directly colliding and taking great damage. A magic circle was set up around the crystal castle. He was waiting for the magic circle that would trigger a trap that absorbed magic power the moment a ‘human’

stepped in it. However, the humans trapped in the castle didn’t intend to come out at all. They continued to pretend that they were unaware, despite ZIk being isolated on the battlefield after coming to their aid. It was an incomprehensible reaction considering that humans were a race that cooperated easily, unlike the demons. ‘Did they notice the magic circle?’ No… it wasn’t possible. It was invisible to the human eye. It was impossible to decipher it even if the Saintess performed a miracle and noticed it. No one could figure out the identity of the magic circle unless it was a monster like Braham, who deciphered the magic circle installed at the entrance of the elevator in an instant. Inside the castle, Rose was watching the puzzled Chepardea, who was gradually being pushed out of the front line little by little. ‘That toad really doesn’t know I’m here.’ The most important function of the crystal castle was ‘protection.’ It had all the laws favorable to defense. Thus, there was naturally the law of concealment. It was difficult to estimate the power inside the castle from the perspective of those invading the castle. Their presence was completely blocked, so there was no way of knowing who and how many people existed in the castle. This was why the initially anxious Rose calmed down. Now she wasn’t afraid. She cooperated with the Overgeared Guild to her heart’s content. In order to gain the trust of the Overgeared members, she shared information and warned them about the magic circle surrounding the castle. It was all about doing her best to survive. There was no objection because she was in a position to form an alliance with Grid. ‘It is the fault of those guys who stabbed us in the back first.’ Strictly speaking, it was Amoract who tried to stab Baal in the back first. However, it was Baal who actually put it into practice. She was isolated due to the bastard who changed the laws of hell and waged a full-fledged war without consulting Amoract. Therefore, she had no choice but to side with the Overgeared members. Rose was rationalizing it proudly when Jishuka confirmed it again with her. “That magic circle has a cooldown of 33 minutes?”

“Yes. It repeats the cycle of 33 minutes of charging, followed by 3 hours of activation.” “Hmm… it is close.” Could they open the gates, go out to join Zik, and return to the castle in less than 33 minutes? Her beautiful brow furrowed as she recalculated the power of allies and enemies, the formations, the distance from the castle to Zik, and the status of her allies’ skills. It was only for a moment. Surprisingly, she soon relaxed. Jishuka had a smile on her face as she patted Rose on the back. “Shall we go out together?” “…Where?” “Huh? Of course, it is to save Zik.” There was no invincibility in Satisfy. Even the invincible celestial gods had been shot down several times. The enemy’s reinforcements were also arriving in rapid succession. Zik couldn’t be active forever. They had to unconditionally rescue him and give him a break to rest. If ZIk was killed— It would be a disaster if a demon absorbed his power. “Why me…?” “Is that a question? Aren’t you pretty strong? Then we have to fight together.” “However, I’m a demon. I might be bullied in the demon world later…” “Is it time to think about the later things? You don’t have a veto right, so do what you’re told. Or I’ll shout to that frog that you leaked information about the magic circle before throwing you out of the castle.” “………” Rose remembered the Tzedakah Guild that had been active a long time ago. The Tzedakah Guild only had a small number of members, but it grew its reputation based on the leader’s ruthless actions. It was comparable to the Seven Guilds in terms of fame alone. Jishuka was the leader.

‘This b*tch is the same as a runaway locomotive.’ Rose inwardly swore while nodding with a helpless smile. No matter how high her notoriety, it only worked among the public. She was close to a gentle sheep in front of the main force of the Overgeared Guild. “Okay… since we are on the same side…” Baal’s new laws were working against humans. Just like Grid’s succubi or the redskinned demon Glant, who was contracted to Yura, the demons or demonic creatures who were already subordinates of humans were subjected to all types of restrictions. It was also impossible to communicate with Grid through the succubi. Rose had no choice but to overcome the situation she was in on her own. “Now, everyone get ready. Let’s go in 10 minutes.” At this time, the expedition led by Yura and Jishuka stood in front of the castle gates. [The god who descended to hell arrived at the river of reincarnation. The demons were perplexed as he comforted the wailing souls with the warmth of his divinity.] The 20th epic that was activated with Grid’s entry to hell—the first line was recorded in the temples. It was by those watching Grid from the surface.

‘What?’ Grid was engulfed in random transportation magic. He looked around for a moment to determine the location, only to become puzzled when he saw the world message. [The god who descended to hell arrived at the river of reincarnation. The demons were perplexed as he comforted the wailing souls with the warmth of his divinity.] Grid had just fallen into a trap. However, the epic glorified his actions and gave them great significance. It was embarrassing, but Grid understood the situation. ‘A large-scale epic.’ Originally, the epics had little regularity. The speaker and format changed frequently. Sometimes it achieved a melody that stimulated emotions, while sometimes it was just a dull history. It wasn’t strange that the way or style in which this epic was written was different from usual. It wasn’t given special treatment because it was the 20th epic. The order had nothing to do with it. It was the peculiarities of the situation that undeniably increased the scale of the epic. [The 20th epic is starting.] [It is a large-scale epic that has a ripple effect beyond the dimension of ‘hell.’] [It can’t be predicted what will happen in the future so the content and outcome of the epic can’t be predicted.] [There are many people watching you. Many of them are your believers, so they will evaluate your actions more positively.] Rather than tempting him in secret, Baal provoked Grid in front of everyone. It was as if the souls caught in the river of reincarnation weren’t enough. He also took those active in hell as hostages. The skies of the surface were even flooded with the

horrible landscapes of hell. In effect, it was a declaration of war. Grid had little justification to turn away. He didn’t want to turn away. He went to hell with all the people watching. Most of humanity was watching him as he arrived at the river of reincarnation. The 20th epic was written through their eyes and mouths. It was different from the previous epics that used Grid and the central characters of the event. “Hmm…” Grid kicked a stone at his feet. The stone couldn’t withstand the impact, turned into ashes, and scattered. [A god has smashed a symbol of hell. The demons, who feel suffocated by this majesty, peered into their fate and trembled with fear.] The world message continued. “………” How many lines were they going to write? It happened as Grid decided to be careful with his words and actions, so he could become a Grid that was taken seriously… “The Overgeared God…” A large shadow fell over Grid’s head. It was a dog. The three-headed watchdog of hell—it was a mythical demonic creature that was the main body, or source, of the Cerberuses that sometimes appeared on the surface. The first time he saw it in the past, he had been overwhelmed by its sheer size and magnificence. In fact, Black Knight Eligos, who was riding on the Cerberus, was also powerful. [The 20th Great Demon, the Black Knight ‘Eligos,’ who guards the river of reincarnation, has appeared.] [Eligos has denied life. Your race will change to the undead.] [You have resisted.]

[Eligos often exercises his authority to interfere in the reincarnation of souls. Once killed by Eligos, there is a 50% probability that you will receive the ‘no resurrection’ punishment. If this penalty occurs, you can’t reconnect for 24 hours.] [Resistance has failed.] [You have witnessed the mythical demonic creature, the Cerberus.] [Facing Cerberus’ six eyes, you have fallen into deep despair. There is a problem with your senses.] [Your fire resistance, cold resistance, and poison resistance are greatly reduced due to Cerberus’ breath.] [You have resisted.] It was at odds with his ranking. Wasn’t it said that he was responsible for the river of reincarnation because he transcended the single digit great demons? Sariel said that he was one of the demons that the heavenly gods were wary of. Eligos’ presence had been so great that it caused Grid and the apostles to retreat. However, at that time, Grid and the apostles were badly suffering from the penalties of hell. It was before Braham had regained his strength and Grid and the apostles hadn’t grown as they were now. There was naturally no ZIk. “What courage do you have to set foot in the river alone?” Eligos’ question had a subtle meaning. He didn’t even consider the possibility that Grid was forcibly transported here. It was such a naive reaction that Grid wondered if he was unaware of the current state of hell. ‘I think it is true that he is acting independently.’ The 20th hell was the most important stronghold in hell. It wasn’t just the river of reincarnation. The Dog’s Mouth, which was the main gate of hell, was also here. It wasn’t possible for just anybody to rule the 20th hell. Eligos had more than ordinary power and wasn’t bound. Neither Baal nor Amoract had control over him. Of course, it was likely that he was politically close to Baal, who had transformed the river of reincarnation into what it was today. However, based on what Grid saw now, it seemed that communication had been neglected.

‘There is little room for meddling.’ It was hard to imagine Baal helping anyone in the first place. Grid looked around quietly before asking Eligos, “Will the river of reincarnation be purified if I kill you?” “Purified? Are you talking about it going back to its original state?” “Yes, just like when Yatan first made it.” “That… it is naturally impossible. Just killing me won’t change it.” An existence with the nickname of ‘black,’ which symbolized evil and demons— Eligos was very special among the great demons, but it was Baal who created the present hell. Just as the death of the great demons who ruled every territory of hell wouldn’t have any effect on hell, the death of Eligos wasn’t likely to lead to a change in the river of reincarnation or the Dog’s Mouth. ‘As expected, I have no choice but to kill Baal.’ Liberating the souls caught in the river of reincarnation is breaking the providence of this world. It was natural that interference wasn’t possible unless the existence close to a final boss was eliminated. Grid felt it was unfortunate, but he was convinced. Then Eligos’ voice entered his ears. “But… apart from being purified, some souls will be liberated. For example, the souls which had their reincarnation cut off by me using my authority.” Eligos’ attitude of speaking frankly wasn’t due to favorability. It was a simple provocation. “It is a story of when you kill me, but is that possible?” The reason Eligos’ nickname was the Black Knight was due to his armor. The black helmet and armor—Eligos’ demonic energy was overlaid on it and created a much stronger defense. Eligos faced Grid as black all over without revealing a single piece of skin. He was like a shadow because even the glow of his eyes was black. “It might’ve been on the surface, but you killed Gamigin. I won’t disregard your skills,

so it will be despair for you.” The purer the law, the more beautiful it was. Eligos’ black armor was more dignified than sinister. It made Eligos even more special. It was an appearance that overwhelmed the humans on the distant surface. All of humanity, the eyewitnesses of the 20th epic, were horrified. The image of Eligos depicted in Grid’s temples was as the worst and strongest demon ever. However, Grid knew—the moment that Baal appeared in this epic, Eligos would lose the title of strongest and worst. Eligos’ position was around the four heavenly kings at most. Grid was only able to move forward if he passed through such an ordeal. “Let’s start right away.” Grid armed himself with two swords and gestured with his chin. He had no intention of saving his skills. It was right to view the possibility of Baal intervening as low and to do his best in every moment. Eligos’ helmet rubbed against the sword swung diagonally by Grid. It slipped on the back of the black gauntlet that was raised in a straight line. At this time, the tip of Eligos’ spear was blocked by Grid’s shoulder guards. The crescent-shaped tip was lodged at the nape of Grid’s neck. Grid didn’t shed a single drop of blood. Cranbel’s Head—the helmet’s horns came down and wrapped around Grid’s neck. The usage of sword energy and divinity disrupted the demonic energy. The utilization of items deflected the spear with supreme power. Both Grid and Eligos noticed that their opponent’s skills were better than expected and their expressions hardened. However, both were armed with helmets. They couldn’t grasp the other person’s expression and silently continued their offensive. In the end, it was Eligos who shook a bit more. It was because Eligos’ demonic energy was a concept that was consumed, whereas Grid’s items could be immediately repaired at any time. ‘The dirty tricks are excessive.’ Eligos saw Grid tapping on his armor with a hammer every time he widened the distance after a collision and Eligos couldn’t help thinking of Baal. It was too wicked from the standpoint of the opponent.

*** Wasn’t it a bit slow? The people cheering for Piaro had a common question. It was because the demons’ pincer attacks were swift, while Piaro was slow to respond as he was surrounded by them. In fact, the wounds on his body were increasing. The difference from what he normally showed was too great, even considering the environmental concerns. He seemed to be affected by a big debuff. “Tsk, there doesn’t seem to be anything to gain from killing this guy.” Baal’s henchmen finally clicked their tongues. They already had low expectations of Piaro. Now they saw his skills weren’t as good as expected and decided that the power gained from killing him would be low. “I didn’t want to come out because of this.” One of the henchmen revealed his true thoughts. He rebuked the other henchman who coveted the power of humans and emerged from seclusion. Then he paid the price for it. The henchman was talking with a dissatisfied expression when his face was swallowed by fire. It was a flame that seemed to be a mixture of the blue flames left by the trajectory of the ghost horse and the lava seeping from the ground. It soared strongly with bright colors and the power was terrifying. Baal’s henchman, who had been so arrogant, couldn’t contain his screams. “What?” The demons and the people watching from the surface were dumbfounded. It was because it wasn’t the demons who harmed their colleagues. “It is like this.” The eyes of the demons and the people were all focused on Piaro. A fierce fire was surrounding Piaro’s farming equipment as he talked to himself in a manner that was unsuitable for the situation. It was the same color as the flame that hit the henchman a moment ago. The demons were astonished. It was because all the flames in the area were moving

while following Piaro’s gestures. The naturally occurring sparks acted like they were magic with a unified will. ‘This was why his reaction was slow… ’ Was it to communicate with the fire? In the midst of the silence, Piaro frowned. “The power of burning…” The power of the flames controlled by nature’s energy exceeded expectations, but Piaro didn’t like it. It was because his root was a farmer. He liked the land, the sun, the rain, and the wind. He wasn’t emotionally fit to love the flames that burned crops… It was as if in anticipation of his mood— “Sir Piaro! I’m here!” At this time, Lauel rushed to the scene and created a rainstorm. His expression was full of pride and the black flame dragon on his forearm danced as if happy. The power to cause climate change—his ultimate skill, which had been used as a means of trading for Rabbit not long ago, was used to help Piaro at this moment. It was natural for him to be happy. “Very good,” Piaro spoke with a smile. The hand plow he swung propelled the rain forward and the demons retreated sharply. Tens of thousands of seeds were spread in all directions and grain started to grow on the land that had lost its fire. A golden wheat field was born in hell… Even the god of earth wouldn’t be able to perform such a miracle. ‘He is god-level at a minimum. It is different from what I heard.’ Unable to be resisted—Baal’s henchmen quickly corrected their assessment of Piaro.

The reason Baal’s henchmen were arrogant was because they were living history. The time when hell was a paradise for the dead—Baal’s henchmen went through all sorts of battles. In the war against Beriache, they overcame countless obstacles and helped Baal. They might’ve never dared to confront Beriache directly, but it meant they contributed a little bit to her end. They had to be proud of themselves. Most of the things they went through afterwards were treated as trivial. It was different from having dementia. Beriache’s power was such a nightmare that it made it easy for them to treat the powerful presences and events they encountered later as relatively trivial. The ‘fear’ they felt at this moment was very extraordinary. ‘Piaro, the apostle of the Overgeared God.’ ‘God-level. He is an opponent that is hard to deal with.’ Of course, not all gods were powerful. Just as there were demons who were hunted by humans, there were also gods who weren’t omnipotent. However, they knew that most gods could perform miracles. Based on people’s faith, they often wielded a power beyond their strength. This was the case with Piaro today. Piaro’s basic skills such as controlling the flames and his slow reaction were as weak as reported. It was just that the moment he succeeded in controlling the flames, he exerted a great deal of destructive power. It was an overwhelming power that was at odds with his lack of strength. Therefore, they judged him to be god-level. ‘An all-out battle is impossible, but… this doesn’t mean there is no way.’ The henchmen exchanged looks. It was in a barely noticeable manner. Like old men who had followed Baal at a reasonable distance and lived for thousands of years, their judgment of the situation was very quick. They understood that Piaro’s miracle was to borrow the power of ‘nature.’ Their top priority was to kill and eliminate the bastard who belatedly appeared and created the wind and rain. Then they plotted an

operation to extinguish all the nearby flames. They weren’t worried about Piaro’s interference. There might be a storm of wind and rain, but they were able to resist it to some extent as long as it had ‘attributes.’ Everything would be easier once they broke through the storm and killed that bastard… The henchmen decided the direction without a conversation and scattered. Some moved on the ground, while another one soared into the sky and rode on the back of the ghost horse. Hihing! The wild ghost horse shuddered. It shook its head up and down in order to shake off the demon that had dared to climb onto its back. At this time, the henchman used flames. The wheat field that shouldn’t exist in hell—he induced the blue flames of the ghost horse to pour down toward the golden land that was beneficial to Piaro. He predicted that the wind and rain that Piaro controlled would move to extinguish the flames. It was to create a path for his colleagues to easily move by limiting the path of the wind and rain. ‘The speed of controlling the flames is very slow. He has no choice but to move the wind and rain… ’ The thoughts of this henchman stopped. It was because the weapon that flew like a thunderbolt pierced both eyes and penetrated through his brain. It was a weapon with a terribly bizarre form. It was a shape that greatly resembled a trident and it looked good to scrape at the target and lift them. It was a pitchfork. However, the demons didn’t know farming equipment. ‘Human beings have such cruel weapons?’ Wielding a weapon that looked like it could scrape off skin and flesh, and pull out every organ inside the body? The henchman who remembered the rumors that the surface was infested with humans worse than demons twisted his body violently. The leverage moved the pitchfork stuck in his skull, but he didn’t care. He just had to live and it would be possible to reattach the skull and regenerate the spilled brain matter.

Yes, it was enough to run away. “…What?” The henchman was stunned as he kicked the horse’s back and jumped even further. It was because Piaro was above his head. It was a location that completely blocked his movement path. ‘He is faster than me?’ Wasn’t his physical ability far inferior to them? This… there was something wrong. His brain was broken, so maybe he was mistaken about something. Despite his suspicions, the henchman swung his scythe. Then he realized he wasn’t mistaken. It was because he distinctly felt the aura that the target released. “This…” Slash! “Swords… manship?” Piaro had never abandoned his past. Just as he ended his bad relationship with Asmophel in some form, he also saved the hard-earned swordsmanship without abandoning it. It was sublimated by his farming technique. The farming equipment he wielded were weapons for overturning and preparing the land, growing crops, and cutting down the enemy. It encompassed life and death. The techniques and symbolism contained in it was enormous. The Matchless Heart Technique added to its power. The henchmen, who got a hole in his throat due to the hand plow that came down smoothly underneath the scythe, coughed up foamy blood. “You made the worst move!” The henchman, who previously dug underneath the ground and targeted Piaro, rose up with a shout. He soared from the ground. The landscape of the huge wheat field behind their backs was changing. It lost its golden color after being covered with the

aura of death and scattered as ashes. During the time when Piaro was aiming for the henchman in the sky, the henchman on the ground removed the wheat fields that would benefit him. They were indeed old men who went through all sorts of hardships. They immediately responded to the changing situation in real time and found the best move. “This is no longer your territory!” The word ‘sanctuary’ rather than territory filled his throat but he barely suppressed it. The henchmen noticed that the miracle that Piaro was performing was greater than the miracles of the gods, but they didn’t dare express it. They were wary that their ‘recognition’ might be misunderstood as faith. The attacks of two henchmen pushed Piaro. They did their best from the beginning in order to provide an opportunity for their seriously injured colleague to recover. They had no intention of winning. They decided it was enough to buy time and they had sufficient ability to do this. It was because they were the protagonists who made hell what it was like today. Hihing! The ghost horse was startled by the swirling magic power and fled far away. Of course, it didn’t forget to kick the demon bastard who previously rode it. The still seriously injured henchman screamed and was thrown to the ground. The problem arose from there. The henchmen’s plan to find a way out by working with the colleague who was about to recover went wrong. “That crazy horse bastard…!” The color on the faces of the growling henchmen soon changed. It was because they saw the plan that underpinned the operation was on the verge of being implemented. One of the four henchmen—the one who had been hiding his traces since earlier had arrived in front of Lauel. The wind and rain would stop once Lauel died. Piaro would weaken again and the escape route would open. Everyone watching murmured to themselves as they grasped the intentions of the demons.

The demon’s fist aimed at Lauel’s face. There was the loud sound of skin bursting. Flesh flew. Lauel’s head wasn’t split apart. It was the aftermath of the heart and chest of the henchman who attacked Lauel being torn apart. “………?!” The demons were shocked by the unexpected situation. The ‘Iron Wire of Bitter Grief’ was held in Lauel’s undamaged hands. It was an item based on the Thorn of Deep Grievance. It inflicted damage proportional to the health of the target. The disadvantage was that it had a near zero chance of activating against named targets, but for those who weren’t named, it was an almost deadly weapon. Was it because there were so many of them? The fortunate thing was that Baal’s henchmen weren’t judged as being named. [The number of uses of ‘Cloth Armor Full of the Love of the Overgeared God’ has been exhausted.] Additionally, Lauel was armed with Grid’s items. It was armor to protect his weak body. The number of uses might be limited, but it had the ability to absorb a certain amount of damage. There was such a thing as equipment regions and there were a total of five pieces of armor that Lauel could wear. He could somehow endure at least five attacks. How easy could it be to assassinate Grid’s closest subordinate? “You…!” After a moment of hesitation, the henchman attacked Lauel again, but it was too late. Piaro arrived after killing the other henchmen and decapitated this opponent, killing him. “Huhut, it reminds me of the past. It is the days when I swept through the battlefield with you,” Lauel, who gained a large amount of experience for the first time in ages, exclaimed with excitement. He was ecstatic after seeing that he gained 12 levels at once and covered half his face with one hand. His eyes were filled with a brilliant light and the black flame dragon flashed.

Piaro didn’t bother to block his actions. He was considerate to those who would be cheering on the surface. Then Asura’s fragments poured from the shadows of the dead henchmen. Four fragments absorbed the power of the henchmen. They wriggled and merged into one before staring at Piaro. “I have to be prepared to die this time.” “I can do that, but it shouldn’t be you.” *** “………” Abellio had been in a daze in the elevator. Grid’s loyal follower and lover—Mercedes, whom he only heard about in stories, was very pretty. There were no frills when it came to her appearance and etiquette, so he naturally became fond of her. He painted her a picture with the feeling that she was his grandchild’s friend… Then the whole thing was analyzed and destroyed. It was shocking because it was something he had never experienced even with a dragon. He was distressed because it felt like the skills he had honed over hundreds of years were denied. “Cough, cough.” Abellio, who received a big shock to his heart, coughed up blood. The white beard that came down all the way to his abdomen was stained red here and there. There were demons targeting him. It was an army led by the 16th Great Demon. Thousands of demons surrounded Abellio. “Demons… in terms of aura alone, you are more vicious than a dragon.” Abellio created a trickle of water from the brush he wielded lightly in the air and held it in his hand. He used the water to wipe his beard. The blood that was wiped away soaked the ground. At the same time, hundreds of the demons that were surrounding him were wiped out. They were twisted to death as if they had been squeezed by something.

It was the aftermath of Abellio using his beard as the canvas and depicting the blood on his beard as the battlefield. From the time his hands squeezed the battlefield, death was inevitable unless they were above a certain status. “This old man is a monster…” The 16th Great Demon felt pure admiration. Abellio was a monster even in the eyes of a demon. The great demon quickly realized that the rumors of humans fighting dragons weren’t false rumors. However, he wasn’t particularly disturbed. There were small fragments of Asura even in the shadows of the demons. He had never appeared in public in order to hide his existence, but it was different now. The death of hundreds of demons was no different from summoning hundreds of Asuras… then why was this happening? As the shadows of the dead demons remained silent and motionless, Abellio gave his opinion to the bewildered great demon, “The acting of hiding itself usually means you are weak. I think the fragments of Asura, hidden in the shadows, have a very low status.” “You… I will be sure to kill you here.” Maybe this old man was the most dangerous one. The great demon made a quick judgment and immediately rushed at Abellio. However, Abellio’s brush was already drawing Hayate. It wasn’t as strong as the real thing, but this was a portrait of the Dragon Slayer. The Dragon Killing Sword that scattered light made a thunderous sound. It was a picture of when he fought that dying dragon in the past. He sliced the great demon’s club like it was a radish and dug into the nape of the great demon’s neck. The shocked great demon backed away. Abellio predicted this and completed his second picture in time. It was the portrait of the Overgeared God performing the Kill sword dance. A large hole was created in the chest of the great demon, who couldn’t withstand the attacks of Grid and Hayate. The absurd miracle was being carefully recorded in the epic.