Overgeared

Grid didn't realize the performance of the magic machines. It was due to a lack of inspiration. The magic machines' detailed stats were only available to the riders.

It was a natural structure. In the first place, the rider was the one who determined the detailed stats of the magic machines. This was why Zibal was so special. It was also the cause of the marked difference in performance between the Raiders implemented by Grid through Item Transformation and the Raiders who was directly controlled by Zibal. This meant the creator could only measure the potential of the magic machine they made through the armaments, output, durability, size, structure, etc. It was purely the responsibility of the controller to derive and utilize that potential.

It was easy when thinking of robot animations. Weren't there separate robot makers and the pilots who controlled them in cartoons? For magic machines, the position of Grid was a doctor. Doctor Grid.

'Raiders, which is reproduced through Item Transformation, is weak.'

The God Hand Raiders was the same model as Zibal's Raiders. It was the Raiders that had been analyzed and strengthened by Grid. However, the AI of the God Hands couldn't utilize Raiders' capabilities to 100%. Despite knowing this fact, Grid often transformed the God Hands into Raiders because it was useful in certain situations. Above all, he had lingering feelings.

Grid hadn't forgotten. The power of Raiders, whose soul was adjusted and controlled by Braham during the Demon King Subjugation. The outstanding performance of Zibal, who went crazy—very briefly—in the Great Human and Demon War. This was why he had been obsessed with the power of the magic machines even though he couldn't accurately feel it.

'It would be more comfortable if I controlled the magic machine myself.'

Grid didn't qualify as a rider. He could grab, pick up, or swing the magic machine by hand, but he couldn't control it. Sitting in the cockpit was like wearing large armor.

'…It wouldn't make sense even if I controlled it.'

Grid had a strong ally called Radwolf. Raiders could've been modified so that Grid could control it, but Grid didn't ask for this. Sitting in the cockpit of the magic machine sealed his own strength. Grid was much stronger than Raiders' maximum output. Additionally, most of his existing skills were disabled when riding a magic machine. Instead, the magic machine's unique skills were activated. This was naturally a loss for Grid.

In fact, the tower members also used the magic machines as auxiliary weapons. It was the same even though Radwolf's magic machines were made with moon night iron.

In the end, there was only one conclusion. Maximize the magic machine's own performance as much as possible. It would be ridiculously powerful even if the God Hands utilized only 'some' of the functions of the magic machine.

It was just as he had been thinking about this.

"……"

He encountered the red magic machine.

Trauka—a secret weapon made by the ancient giants for the purpose of killing the gods. The specs themselves were superior to the other magic machines. It wasn't far inferior to Grid in terms of power and speed.

The sea was split apart and joined back together repeatedly. Due to the water soaring high into the sky and the series of whirlpools, the depth of the sea became shallower.

Grid and Trauka collided without a break in the sea and in the sky. They crossed the horizon and sometimes turned all the uninhabited islands that their feet touched into powder. The violent battle even stimulated underwater volcanoes. The flames that rose from the depths of the sea were soaked in the sea water pouring down like rain, creating thick smoke. It was mixed with volcanic ash and thoroughly blocked Grid's view.

-Be careful…!

Did he remodel his own body to build a communication system? Filewolf's urgent voice entered Grid's ears. It was a system that players called whispers and transcendents called sound transmission.

'He is surprisingly kind.'

Grid smiled. Filewolf's giant body was wrapped around the water clan's warriors. Like a dam, he protected the warriors from all types of winds and waves. Information was transmitted through Grid's artificial senses. It showed Trauka approaching from the right.

'There is a heat detection system.'

Grid operated the artificial senses and transcendent senses at the same time. He clearly understood the flow around him even with his eyes closed. The eruption of the underwater volcanoes was considered an opportunity. It seemed to be the same with Trauka.

Grid planned to easily overpower it when the thickly spread volcanic ash swallowed its vision, but Trauka also immediately grasped Grid's position. The blocked view was overshadowed. The stab of Kill collided head on with Trauka's fist. A missile was fired from Trauka's fist that was disastrously split apart. Grid's body bounced back due to the recoil. Trauka's magic power engine spun fiercely.

Grid was wary of the pursuit that would immediately follow. He used White Tiger's Posture. He meant to link the fusion sword dance with Turning the World Upside Down after attracting Trauka. Yet unexpectedly, Trauka didn't pursue him.

[Reconfirming that the target's vision isn't possible.]

Trauka knew that Grid's vision was blocked. It speculated that the noises such as the volcanic eruption and tsunami also impaired his hearing and sense of smell. How did Grid read the ambush?

A blue light of its eyes glowed incandescent as it tried to analyze the cause.

"……"

Trauka went through several tests. It shot missiles, unleashed magic, and wielded a spear and sword directly. It identified how Grid perceived space and read attacks despite losing his senses based on different patterns of behavior.

[Check the chemical reactions that make up fine particles. It is presumed to be the target's unique power.]

"……!"

Grid's eyes widened. The artificial senses were made by mixing silver thread powder with magic power. It spread out around Grid and even now, it had never been discovered by any transcendents. No, to be precise, it didn't attract attention.

Magic power originally flowed in the atmosphere and their forms were relatively diverse. To the transcendents, Grid's artificial senses were simply magic power that existed in the world. They simply understood and accepted it as part of nature. They equated it with the mana of a city filled with dust and oil, and the mana of the battlefield that was full of a bloody scent. It was even more so because they were in a state where they could feel the mana scattered in the atmosphere. They purely accepted a situation they would've suspected if they hadn't been transcendents.

Meanwhile, it was different for Trauka. It scientifically analyzed that the impurities (silver thread) mixed with magic power were substances that didn't suit the environment. Then it became vigilant. It intentionally avoided the artificial senses and started moving. It detected and responded to changes in the artificial senses that transformed in real time as if they were part of nature.

Grid accurately noticed the reason why Trauka was strong.

'Some of it is simply the high specs, but the role of the artificial intelligence is also great.'

Trauka's AI that judged and moved on its own was almost fully utilizing Trauka's functions. Perhaps the giants also interpreted that the magic machine that operated without the help of a rider was the ultimate magic machine.

'Can Filewolf create such an artificial intelligence like this on his own?'

Grid's greed grew even greater. An army of magic machines equipped with a high performance artificial intelligence. He imagined himself with them.

Just then, Grid's hand caught the horns protruding from Trauka's head. He immediately gained insight and responded to the position of the opponent who broke through the artificial senses and approached. It was because he felt killing intent. He relied purely on the transcendent senses. He properly took advantage of the loophole of the opponent who was overly conscious of the artificial senses.

Trauka struggled, but it was too late. Grid's six fusion sword dance slammed into the chest of the magic machine who was caught by Turning the World Upside Down and temporarily lost its flight capability, plunging head over heels.

[Danger. Confirming the descent of Martial God Chiyou. It can't be resisted. Trying to escape…]

[Error. Error. Target can't be identified.]

[Estimating serious system damage. Releasing the safety device. Self-destruct sequence is activated.]

Trauka's resistance was formidable. It opened up its chest and released a huge amount of explosive energy. It was an energy that could be suspected as a Dragon Breath. If Grid's response had been 0.1 seconds later, he wouldn't have been able to open the Mysterious Cloth and would've been swept away by the explosion.

[The self-destruct sequence is stopped by an ultra high density gravity. It is presumed to be the target's secondary unique power.]

"It isn't a power."

At the end of the six fusion sword dance—

"It is the power of items," Grid explained.

The artificial senses and the Mysterious Cloth—they were just two of the many overgeared items that he possessed.

[The target's remark has caused confusion. Blocking the target's voice.]

Trauka sank into the sea and its eyes lost its light. Grid didn't destroy it. He urgently put away his sword, captured it with the dragon harpoons and God Hands, and cooperated with Filewolf and the water clan's people to start the salvage work. The original purpose of the moon night iron felt like a bonus.

***

It was immediately after securing Trauka and the moon night iron.

"We have to erase all traces and leave," Filewolf urged. His voice was serious. "The heavenly gods must've felt the intent of the god killer."

The background of the birth of the magic machine Trauka was ominous in itself.

A being created to kill the absolutes who killed and managed the world—it was a symbol defying the natural order and will.

Grid might've just proved that there was no chance of this will being realized, but… having the will itself was a problem. It was enough to stimulate the gods.

"Hurry."

Grid was convinced. First, he sent back the water clan's warriors. Then he called the Overgeared Skeletons, Noe, Randy, and even the direct descendants to erase the traces of the battle.

The limits of a machine—Trauka, who was still in tatters because it didn't have its own recovery function, just watched. After a while, Grid finished cleaning up and left immediately.

***

"This…?"

At the Tower of Wisdom…

The tower members were flustered by Grid's unannounced visit. A huge red magic machine filled their vision.

"I need a place to hide this for the time being, so I came to you without any warning."

There was no safer place to hide something than the Tower of Wisdom. The gods and dragons couldn't identify the location of the tower. The only threat was the Great Robber of the Red Night, but it was unlikely he would be interested in Trauka. Fronzaltz had the restored God's Circle and he wouldn't easily allow an intrusion.

"It is good to see you. I'm glad you came."

Radwolf recognized the identity of Truka and welcomed it with open arms. It was a positive reaction. Grid hoped that Radwolf would work with Filewolf to find a way to mass produce Trauka's artificial intelligence.

"Um… The chances of success are extremely low, but I would like to give it a try. Don't blame me if I fail."

"How can I blame you?"

Grid rented a room to stay in for the time being. The homework was over, so he planned to start making items in earnest.

'It is funny when thinking about it.'

Originally, he planned to secure the moon night iron and make items when returning to Reinhardt. All his plans went awry at Trauka's sudden appearance. Looking back on his life, it seemed that things rarely went as planned. Nevertheless, he managed to reach 1st in the rankings and became an emperor and god. He never knew what life would be like.

'Is it unnecessary to have a plan in the first place?'

He had an idea that would break the innocence of elementary school students who made a life plan every vacation.

Grid pulled out a blank blueprint. He recalled the dragons he met so far while activating the Item Creation skill. To be precise, he recalled the structure of their scales. How was it woven tightly and what form did it take to absorb the shock? In particular, he referenced the scales of Ifrit and Cranbel. It was to directly reproduce and arm himself with their bodies, which were the noblest and greatest in the world.

It was unthinkable to not only the tower members, but also the heavenly gods. It was the precursor to the beginning of a new world.