Overgeared

Demonkin meant all those born with intelligence in hell. The appearance and tendency of each species were different, so they rarely co-existed. The only thing they had in common was that they were born with demonic energy.

Demonic energy was an energy that intervened in and strengthened both matter and magic power. It wasn't an exaggeration to describe it as a source of power. This was why the value of the demonkin was determined in proportion to the quality and amount of demonic energy.

The red species—a demonkin species that created red dokkaebi fire according to their change in mood. The overall appearance was similar to that of humans. In many cases, they worked as technical experts in neutral areas due to their excellent dexterity. Hell's only blacksmith, Helmis, was a typical representative of the red species. However, most of the red species didn't receive good treatment. Their innate magic power was inferior to demonic creatures, so they were discriminated against and despised.

Zepar was born in the red species and he was used to the cold treatment. He had no good memories in his younger days. He was born as an underdog in a society where the weak were trampled on.

It was Sword Demon Iyarugt who gave him dreams and hopes. Iyarugt was from a lower ranked demonkin species like himself, but he gained the power to fight against great demons by honing his swordsmanship.

Zepar wanted to be like that. He did so by killing him.

***

The world was red. It was the blood shed by Zepar.

'Isn't this to the extent where he should be called the Sword Saint?'

Kyle was astonished as he watched the battle and marveled. A transcendent's senses were extremely keen. The other person's gaze, breathing, muscle and ligament movements—none of that was missed as the battle was moved to the realm of foresight. This was becoming poison. Iyarugt constantly deceived Zepar's senses. Every time he wielded his sword, he would change the center of his body. He made the center of the body go against the direction of the sword and disturbed the senses of a transcendent.

Kyle, who was watching the battle from a third party perspective, could identify it. Zepar, the party involved, likely couldn't understand why he kept getting cut. This was actually reality.

'Why?' It was a situation where Zepar encountered Iyarugt the moment he came to the surface. Zepar's concentration reached its peak after he encountered his greatest enemy. The wounds he suffered against Kyle were quite large, so he couldn't afford to conserve his strength. He did his best from the beginning.

However, it was strange. He couldn't read Iyarugt's swordsmanship at all. Despite developing further over hundreds of years, he was being overwhelmed by a specter of the past, just as he was hundreds of years ago. Even now, the situation was much worse.

In the past, Zepar had the status of a great demon. The almost unlimited health sustained him. On the other hand, he was currently only a demon. It was different from the past when he could be cut by Iyarugt's sword for seven days and seven nights and still survive somehow. Now every blow was serious.

Zepar's face flushed with embarrassment and anger. Dokkaebi fire rose and hovered around him.

Iyarugt laughed at him. "You've degenerated after hundreds of years like a little bug."

"A bug is right. My origin is similar to yours."

"Kukuk, yes... You and I are no different."

It was true that Iyarugt's swordsmanship had reached a supreme point, but this was limited to just 'appearance.' A swordsmanship that made the center of the body go against the direction of the sword to deceive the opponent's eyes and senses.

This swordsmanship had a fatal weakness. It didn't carry the full power of the sword. It was natural to have less power since the sword would turn against the center of the body. The force of the sword gradually increased due to the coil every time the center was changed, but there were limits to this. It was a long way from the 'power to cut anything' like the Sword Saint's swordsmanship.

Simply put, there was a lack of conclusive power. Despite being feared by countless demons and even overwhelming the hydra of the Abyss for a moment, Iyarugt had actually killed a small number of great demons. He hadn't achieved much, so his status was relatively low compared to his strength.

It was inevitable that Iyarugt couldn't become the Sword Saint. Still, it was fine. It was worth discussing if it was the strongest at this level. He just had to cut the other person until they died. Zepar's flesh and bones were hard to cut. If he couldn't cut the neck or destroy the heart, he could kill Zepar with excessive bleeding.

"Shit!" Zepar roared as his counterattack failed again and he was cut in the shoulder. He couldn't adapt to it at all. The sword flew from the left when it was obviously flying from the right or the sword rose from the bottom when it was obviously soaring from the top. He tried to react in the opposite way to what he saw, but even that was useless. In the first place, his senses were in Iyarugt's hands.

Sword Demon Iyarugt—the legend of hell was alive and well.

'I didn't expect to be unable to win after hundreds of years!'

It was frustrating. If Zepar knew he was so weak, he wouldn't have taken the vanguard by himself with so much confidence.

'I might've been expelled by the throne, but...!'

Zepar fought with great demons and took away their throne every time he won. He had been ranked 13th, but he couldn't keep his position. It was because the demonic creatures despised him as being from a low-grade demonkin species. The demons acknowledged and feared Zepar's ability, but the demonic creatures were faithful to their instincts and saw Zepar's essence. Regardless of his skills and achievements, they saw low quality demonic energy and bared their teeth. Therefore, he lost his dignity and naturally lost his power. It was as Iyarugt had predicted.

You or I can never be rulers...

'I will die if it continues like this.'

Zepar wanted to escape and catch his breath, but it was impossible. The high quality swordsmanship blocked his vision and kept cutting off his route.

'...I don't want to die! No!'

He tenaciously survived. He killed all those who despised him, took revenge, and grasped power for a while. He lost the power in the end, but it wasn't so bad. He achieved his dream of being like Iyarugt. This was enough. He killed Iyarugt and became the only sword demon in hell. He received the minimum of respect.

In this war, it was possible for him to regain the power he lost. Chepardea had promised to connect him with Baal. He could become a real noble by being Baal's subordinate. He didn't think he would lose his life here... he never imagined it.

It happened as the scared Zepar was shuddering...

"Zepar, you are still the same. You have many stray thoughts when you meet Iyarugt. This is why I hate worship."

The sky split in half. A red carpet stretched out from the crack that spread out across the battlefield. Dozens of ghosts appeared from the portal and lined both sides of the red carpet. The world held its breath. It was because all 30 ghosts with different shapes had golden names. The sight of them bowing in unison was spectacular.

[The 4th Great Demon, the king of the dead who rules the souls, 'Gamigin,' has appeared.]

[Gamigin has exercised strong power over the souls of the dead. If you die to Gamigin, the death penalty will be paused for at least 5 to 20 minutes and you will work as a 'soul soldier.']

[In the soul soldier state, you can't disobey Gamigin's orders.]

[The death penalties will apply if you die in the soul soldier state or the duration of the status ends. Additionally, the soul has been hit hard and you won't be able to resurrect for an hour.]

[Gamigin's four legs are fast and strong. No one can stop Gamigin from running.]

[The souls of the forgotten heroes will defend Gamigin.]

The lower body was a horse while the upper body resembled a human woman.

Gamigin—the one who cooperated with Zepar to bring death to Iyarugt. She appeared stepping on the carpet.

"Zepar, I will play with Iyarugt, so empty your head. Your sword is very strong when you abandon all thoughts."

There was a joke that if Iyarugt and Zepar's talent were combined into one, a Sword Saint would've been born in hell. Iyarugt's swordsmanship was high quality technique, while Zepar's swordsmanship was the ultimate power.

"Now, Iyarugt. Play with me like we used to?"

Gamigin's eyes shone with greed as she stared at Iyarugt, who was as stiff as a statue. This time, she was determined to collect Iyarugt's soul.

"Gamigin!"

Iyarugt's killing intent exploded. Unlike the atmosphere he was giving off, he didn't rush forward. Rather, he stepped back. It was instinct. Even if a cat sharpened its claws, it wouldn't be able to hurt the skin of an elephant. It was difficult for Iyarugt to be motivated to go against one of the strong great demons.

He was feeling intimidated when a light fell beside him. It was the remnant of Teleport.

"Get lost." A cold voice calmed the seething atmosphere of the battlefield. "I want to kill you."

The ruby-like eyes were staring at Iyarugt, not Gamigin. There was deep hatred in it. He couldn't forgive it when he saw Grid's servant showing shameful behavior.

Step.

Even his simple walk had dignity—it was aristocratic. The lack of wrinkles on his clothes further emphasized his dignity.

Gamigin's mouth twitched as he stared at the silver-haired man. "You...? Are you the child of Beriache?"

"Don't fill your low-grade snout with my mother's name." Braham frowned. His action of opening the space and pulling out the staff was impatient. The moment that staff Grid carefully innovated was revealed, a spear of light fell from the sky and pierced Zepar's body.

"......?!" Zepar had tried to enter the absence of self state during the time that Gamigin earned. He was focused on shaking off his thoughts so he couldn't respond. He turned to gray ash.

A notification window popped up in Peak Sword's vision.

[The hidden piece 'Sword Demon' has ended with Iyarugt's victory.]

[Iyarugt has gained enlightenment related to the 'Free From All Thoughts Sword'.]

[Iyarugt's soul is restored and further strengthened.]

[The seal on Sword Demon Iyarugt is weakened.]

[The hidden piece 'Last Seal' has occurred.]

[If you want to unseal Iyarugt, destroy the 4th Great Demon, Gamigin.]

"T-This is real..." Peak Sword murmured with a stunned expression. Zepar's death was Iyarugt's desire of a lifetime. He was sealed in a sword and endured hundreds of years thanks to his unending desire for vengeance. Finally, it was reached today. He was on the brink of achieving his long-cherished wish. Then the 4th great demon appeared and interrupted. Iyarugt was deeply desperate. There seemed to be no hope even with Peak Sword. His hundreds of years were about to disappear in vain.

However, Braham appeared and killed Zepar so easily...

Rather than feeling relieved or admiration, the development was so absurd that it was hard to follow.

"Hmm." Gamigin chuckled. It was an unnatural and unpleasant smile like a clown mask.

Braham Eshwald—the son of the 3rd Great Demon, Beriache—a legendary magician, Duke of Wisdom, someone who glimpsed the myths, and the apostle of the Overgeared God, raised a question, "Do you know why the stars are falling?"

Gamigin didn't seem interested in him at all. She seemed lost in thought. Her temperament, as a being who reigned as an absolute in hell, was peculiar.

"I heard that there are multiple of Beriache's children... I will collect them all."

It wasn't an answer, but an expression of her thoughts. Braham naturally predicted that a bigshot like this would appear from the Abyss. Therefore, he stayed in Titan from the very beginning. He just hadn't come forward before because the situation was trivial. Braham was also famous for his eccentric personality.

"There is one reason," Braham asked the question by himself and answered it by himself, "It is in response to my will."

The sky burned and the heavens and earth shook. Dozens of meteorites were pulled from space and fell on Gamigin's head, devastating the area.

The dukes and knights focused on saving lives, the people and players struggling to survive, the reporters and viewers watching the situation, and Iyarugt, Kyle, and Peak Sword—everyone looked at Braham's back with their jaws dropped open.

The burning and crumbling ground, the fierce smoke and the pillars of ash that filled the sky...

Braham's appearance as he enjoyed the landscape that seemed to depict the collapse of the world was as lonely and beautiful as ever, causing people to feel all types of emotions.