Overgeared

Strength, authority, life, and eternity—the symbolic meaning of a 'horn' was very powerful. It was revered regardless of the era and culture. Trauka's act of cutting off and eating Ifrit's horn meant castration and plunder. It was the most fatal cause of Ifrit's weakening.

Ifrit lost her strength, authority, and right to eternal life. She suffered from the wounds and curses left by Trauka, and slowly fell to the point where she would die. It was a separate matter from the combat force that Ifrit was preserving. It was a type of inevitability.

Ifrit had no choice but to be drawn to Baal's power.

The fragment of Baal's power—it was a product of Baal's obsession with playing around. The nobler and greater the target, the stronger it functioned. It was an irresistible temptation for Ifrit, who couldn't recover. It was an option she couldn't turn away from even though she knew she would be Baal's toy.

Ifrit eventually made a choice.

That was when Grid appeared. There was greater hope than the fragment of Baal's power and Ifrit wanted to overturn the inevitability of being eaten.

Overgeared God Grid—his presence was extremely powerful. His short life was great. He proved that all his narratives were truths with no exaggeration. He proved he was alive and breathing.

[You have done it.]

Ifrit's voice trembled slightly as she opened her eyes. Her stature, whose horn was reproduced by inserting the spear made by Grid into her forehead, was neither shabby nor pathetic. Her shadow on the ground became huge and reached the horizon.

Kurururung!

The earth screamed. The muscles of Ifrit's originally huge body swelled to twice, triple, and then quadruple their size. Day and night were divided around Ifrit. It was the aftermath of Ifrit's head soaring higher than a great mountain and covering the sun.

A storm swirled and blew the remnants of the destroyed city into the desert. The city where thousands of people lived became 'nothing' due to one flap of Ifrit's wings. Even the traces that were left were erased.

Grid twitched like crazy. It vibrated to the point where he had the absurd worry that his flesh and skin might be separated.

A dragon—the ultimate transcendental species, which even the gods were wary of, was fear itself. It seemed to be a complete destruction that should never be faced.

'Crazy…'

Grid recalled the day when he guided Raiders around. He vividly remembered the fear that he tried to bury in his heart that day. He once again realized it. Dragons were so powerful. They were threatening just breathing and living.

"There is no normality among dragons."

The advice that he heard one day bothered Grid. Maybe he brought about bigger trouble while trying to avoid a smaller incident…

Ifrit had a distorted personality so Grid might be causing a disaster by trying to wield this powerful force recklessly…

It happened the moment that Grid distrusted his choice…

Kurarararara!

Ifrit blew out fire from her mouth. It wasn't just a hot breath, but a mass of pure magic power. It was a red pillar that targeted Usa. Usa was trying to suppress Ifrit's fire with rain, only to step back. The Breath narrowly passed by Usa, shot through the dark clouds filling the sky, and evaporated them.

These were the clouds that Unsa had called. It was intended to help Usa easily create rain but it turned out to be useless.

Then a red meteor shower poured down. It was a landscape created by the remnants of the Breath that had been destroyed only after breaking through the stratosphere. It was a beauty that was at odds with the terrifying power, causing Grid to briefly stare at the scene. The same was true of Hwang Gildong and Old Sword Demon, who had left the city earlier and were standing in the desert.

"Did you know this would happen?" Old Sword Demon questioned Hwang Gildong's attitude of withdrawing obediently. It was strange that he ran to help Grid, only to return without even looking. Old Sword Demon lacked skills, but it was different for Hwang Gildong.

Hwang Gildong had been fighting enemies stronger than himself for hundreds of years. Based on a variety of experiences and knowledge, he was able to display even more capabilities the greater the crisis. It meant it was possible to give a bit of help to Grid.

"Correct." Hwang Gildong nodded. Then he took out an old book and opened it.

The Utopia Magic Book—a divine object brought back after Hwang Gildong climbed to the Peach Blossom Spring. It was a book containing the advice of the daoist immortal and was close to prophecies. In any particular situation, a foresight poem was written in the blanks. This greatly helped Hwang Gildong's movements. This was why Hwang Gildong was able to fight against the Hwan Kingdom despite being only a legend and a human being.

"It was written that it would be fine."

"The dragon has started to flap her wings. Is it really okay?"

"Don't doubt it. Thanks to this book, I've been able to send so many yangbans to hell and help resurrect the black tortoise."

It was an exaggeration. It was true that the Utopia Magic Book was a great help, but it was the knowledge and information of Hwang Gildong, who established and utilized the Chivalrous Robbers, and Hwang Gildong's individual power, that were the sources of Hwang Gildong's great achievements.

However, Hwang Gildong placed all the credit on the Utopia Magic Book. It was because Bentao was the identity of the daoist immortal who handed him the book. The one who received the divine message and framed the seven good people as the seven evils. He belatedly realized the truth and was filled with regret. He was the only daoist immortal that Hwang Gildong trusted.

"Let's hurry and leave. There is something we have to do."

Hwang Gildong's gaze rose to the clouds in the direction of the Pa Kingdom.

"This is an opportunity to disconnect Kaya and Pa and isolate the white tiger."

***

Usa's dopo was quickly restored after it was grazed by the Breath and turned into rags. It soon flapped again without any wrinkles.

"Hanul seemed to have quiet expectations for you."

Usa's cold gaze was directed at Grid rather than Ifrit.

"If I am to confess, it was the same for me. How can there be no expectations of you, who have passed through Chiyou's trials with a human body, and eventually became a god?"

Light rain started to pour down.

"Additionally, your position is against Asgard."

Something was held in Usa's two hands. They weren't visible because they were transparent, but Grid could guess that it was a sword and a spear. The shape could be vaguely seen the moment the raindrops struck them.

"Think calmly and make a judgment. There is no reason for you to join hands with the dragon. We are the only ones suitable to be your companions in this wide world."

Usa's claim was reasonable.

The surface, hell, Asgard, the Hwan Kingdom, and the dragons—these forces were largely divided into five, but hell and Asgard cooperated, threatening the surface and suppressing the Hwan Kingdom. The surface and Hwan Kingdom were independent and isolated. Meanwhile, it was impossible to rely on the dragons.

The dragons were completely uncooperative and weren't unified. Every one of them had strong individuality, so their opinions weren't the same. Each one could be compared to a good-for-nothing. It was right to be cautious rather than dreaming of cooperation.

The wisest and only method was for the Hwan Kingdom and surface to join forces against the same enemy. The surface should be attracted to the proposal of the Hwan Kingdom. However, the person representing the surface was Grid. Grid didn't dwell on the shallow composition. Based on his many experiences, he understood the inner heart of the composition.

Usa urged Grid, "What are you worried about? If you are looking at that evil dragon, forget it. This is just her dying flash. It is an ember that is about to be extinguished."

Indeed. The backlash of releasing one Breath caused Ifrit's body to temporarily become smaller. The red scales that had regained their luster were dyed black as the light was dispersed. She soon recovered again, but it was too much to think she was in a normal state.

Nevertheless, Grid approached Ifrit and stood beside her. He might not need to be wary of Ifrit right now, nor could he negotiate with the dragons using the pretext of Ifrit, but Grid still chose ifrit's side. It wasn't because he trusted Ifrit. It was simply because he had a strong distrust and hatred toward the Hwan Kingdom.

"You really are the most wicked ones."

"……?"

"Aren't you twisted for not feeling guilty about unilaterally invading and seizing the territory of other gods, deceiving and parasitizing the humans who served them?"

Grid remembered everything he had experienced in the East Continent. The people who had been abused without knowing anything, Blue Tiger and Tosun who hid while wounded, the yangbans who mocked them without feeling guilt or any respect…

This place was also hell. It was a hell made by gods.

Anger filled Grid's eyes as he was reminded of this. It was the feeling of the god who was once called the God of Virtue.

"At the very least, there is an excuse for dragons to be beasts without common sense. You use them even after understanding human laws, principles, and wishes, so you are irreparable trash."

"……"

Silence descended.

The condemnation of Grid greatly flustered the three masters. It was Ifrit's laughter that broke the silence.

[Kuha…! Kuhahaha! Beasts without common sense. That's right. It might seem like that to you.]

Ifrit, who was reduced to a beast by Grid's words, had the right to be angry. However, she understood Grid and didn't have any unpleasant feelings. Ifrit's long neck sank down to Grid's foot. [Get on.]

"…Huh?"

Get on?

Grid had been shrinking back after realizing his mistake in speaking. Now he became flustered.

He was given no choice. Ifrit curled her tail around Grid's body and forcibly brought Grid to the back of his neck.

[I am told that human beings often self-proclaim to be dragon knights by taming the organisms we made.]

She seemed to be referring to the wyvern knights.

[How funny. Throughout the world, you will be the only true dragon knight at this moment.]

The wind blew wildly as Ifrit made the assertion and spread open her wings. The ground initially covered by sand and gravel became visible and the sky was covered with yellow dust.

"A crazy god and a crazy dragon have met," Pungsa murmured to himself as the wind blew like a surging wave.

A god on the neck of a giant dragon—the appearance of Grid that was carved on the shadows beyond the yellow dust was the first to be recorded in any legend or myth. It was hard to believe even when seeing it. It was a sight that far exceeded the wisdom and imagination of the gods.

Unsa, who was trying to bring back the scattered clouds, persuaded Usa, "We have to avoid it."

The unknown was a very fatal threat to gods. Something that an omniscient and omnipotent god didn't know? It was an act that denied the god itself. Their divinity would be greatly damaged. Usa also knew this well.

"This… it doesn't make sense…"

They had to step back. They struggled to shake off the shadow of the approaching Grid and Ifrit as it gradually became huge and fled the scene.

[…!!]

[…!!!]

[……!!!]

[We are working on analyzing the situation…]

Grid's notification windows were having errors…