Overgeared

"It is ordinary."

Those who were active in hell were burdened with all sorts of restrictions. They couldn't escape, they couldn't use movement skills, they couldn't communicate over a distance, etc. The tower members even experienced the debuff where their stats dropped dramatically. They suddenly entered hell, so they didn't have a chance to raid Hell Gao. They weren't in a perfect condition. Therefore—

"Hell is no big deal. It is rather trivial compared to the surface where transcendents and dragons roam," Biban muttered nonsense.

It was around the time when the Asura Road was closed and the heroes returned one by one. In the midst of those who felt relieved, delighted, or moved, Biban alone spoke indifferently.

Jessica poked him in the side to make him notice, but it was useless.

"T-That..."

The king of the half-draconians, Bunsdel, frowned. Biban's dismissive attitude, which was unlike everyone else who was covered in wounds or burns, was very unpleasant. The hell expedition was active, no matter how big or small. Some of them might be relatively less active, but they shouldn't be blamed. It might be a small performance, but it was true that it was definitely helpful. Additionally, they all suffered the same risk to their lives.

Bunsdel had been with them in hell, so he knew it well.

Half-draconians, a species with the lineage of Evil Dragon Bunhelier—Bunsdel was their king and recognized humans as an inferior species, but he respected those in the hell expedition. He couldn't get over the nonsense of Biban, who seemed to deny their hardships.

"I heard that there are many humans who become senile when they get old. This is exactly the case with you. How pitiful your life is for you to grow old with no shame."

"What?"

Biban's eyes widened when he heard the sudden harsh words. In fact, Biban was also dejected in his own way. He had thrown himself into hell with the determination to die for humanity, but he couldn't even properly meet a demonic creature, let alone a demon. The hell he experienced was a surprisingly calm and peaceful world. It was after properly killing the 6th Great Demon, Valefor, who had interfered.

It was because there was no one blocking his path in hell. It was natural. For the demons and demonic creatures of hell, the Sword Saint was one of the few objects of fear. Wasn't Biban the teacher of Muller? The demons heard rumors that he killed Valefor and deliberately avoided him. They ran away with the thought that they would die as soon as they encountered him.

This was why Biban wandered around without meeting demons. After overcoming one crisis, he only enjoyed peace and had no choice but to misunderstand hell. Of course, he would've doubted the situation if he was a person capable of normal things, but there were some flaws in Biban's wisdom.

"Now I can see that you are a half-draconian. Your founder and I are in the same hierarchy, but you don't recognize people and are presumptuous. Even if you have the madness that resembles your founder, you are definitely crazy."

"Do you know who my founder is to talk nonsense like this? He is the evil dragon, Bunhelier. Don't you dare insult him. He is wicked, but he isn't as crazy as you."

It was an explosive situation. It was while they were returning home in glory. As people warmly welcomed and cheered for the hell expedition that returned unharmed, the two Absolutes cooled the atmosphere. That's right. From the perspective of the general public, Biban and Bunsdel were Absolutes. They were god-like beings who could kill or save a person with a single, careless gesture. Many people wouldn't be able to bear it if they fought in the middle of the city.

"I beg you, please calm down the Sword Saint..." Lauel politely requested of the tower member near him. It was the 6th Seat. It was the fighter, Ken, who had the most aggressiveness among the tower members.

"Why? All those who have inherited Bunhelier's blood deserve to die anyway."

"Not necessarily..."

"Huh? What is that on your wrist? Why do traces of a dragon repeatedly appear and disappear?"

"Ah, that is the black flame dragon that is sealed in my soul..."

"I need to interrogate you."

"Wait. Wait a moment. I was joking."

The people enthusiastically cheering for the return of the heroes, Biban and Bunsdel who were ready to fight right away, Nefelina who was terrified for some reason, the frightened Lauel, Jurene who absurdly appeared with great demons, the dozens of memphis that Betty brought with her, etc.

The scene was a mess. It didn't calm down at all and the commotion only grew. It wasn't much different from when the Asura Road was opened. Just then—

Kuwooooh!

A huge shadow appeared over Reinhardt. It was the shadow of a black dragon.

"Waaahhhhhhhh!"

It was finally the return of the protagonist. The people who had witnessed the performance of Grid and Bunhelier from the surface cheered and welcomed them. So much blind faith and affection poured out that it was reminiscent of a gathering of fanatics.

The wide-eyed expedition members were dumbfounded. They suffered from the hell penalty of being unable to communicate across a distance, so they weren't exposed to Grid's epic. Their position was different from Grid, the protagonist of the epic.

"Bunhelier...!"

Apart from Fronzaltz, the other tower members screamed and took a battle stance. Somehow, the great demons who stood by Jurene's side also prepared to fight in response to Jurene's will. They had trembling expressions on their faces, but they couldn't refuse.

"Calm down." Fronzaltz, the highest ranked tower member with the exception of Hayate—thanks to God's Circle, he denied some of Baal's laws and was exposed to Grid's epic. Therefore, he tried to calm down the tower members. It was just that they couldn't be easily calmed down.

It was the appearance of an old dragon. It was also the old dragon Bunhelier, who was considered the second most dangerous after Nevartan. Bunhelier's atrocities were famous among the tower members. He wasn't communicative like the gourmet dragon, nor did he value his dignity like the fire dragon. He was no different from the insane dragon.

"Founder...! Our founder has appeared to punish the ignorant!"

Bunsdel was trembling. Who in the history of the half-draconians had faced their founder? Based on what Bunsdel knew, they were the first. He was greatly moved by the sight of the founder who appeared the moment the madman insulted the half-draconians. However, this only lasted a moment.

'Will he harm human beings?'

A moment later, Bunsdel's face turned white as he remembered that Reinhardt would become a sea of fire and the Overgeared Empire would perish in history. He didn't want to see the people he had defended die. He was also afraid of the Overgeared God's rage. Confusion grew inside Bunsdel.

Then Prime Minister Lauel suddenly fell to his knees and bowed his head while hundreds of knights raised their swords in unison. The people and soldiers who filled the city bowed in a near-fierce manner. It was like they were receiving the Overgeared God.

It was understandable. They saw a great dragon. Bunsdel was both proud and concerned about the response from the humans.

'Please think of them in a good manner....?' Bunsdel was bowing his head in a prayer when he stopped.

In the solemn atmosphere, the murmurs of the tower members were growing louder. Bunsdel and the tower members had to see it. The person riding on the neck of Bunhelier, who was gradually getting closer.

It was Grid.

"......"

Bunsdel was shocked in many ways and literally fainted. The half-draconians rushed to him and wrapped around him to support him, but they were one step late. Everyone witnessed the ugliness of the king of the half-draconians fainting with a foaming mouth. Even so, few people cared.

It was because everyone's attention was focused on the Crazy God and Crazy Dragon. There was no way their attention would be distracted just because the king of the half-draconians showed an ugly appearance.

"Now he is riding an old dragon..."

"It is also Bunhelier."

The tower members grasped the situation and laughed. Their gaze toward Grid resembled when they looked at Hayate. Their eyes were filled with infinite respect. Age wasn't an important concept when it came to respecting someone.

A very warm atmosphere was being created.

"T-Traitor!" Then Nefelina shouted with her small fists clenched. There was resentment in her voice.

It was a natural reaction. To her, Bunhelier was the enemy who made her father insane. From the moment she was born, her purpose was to kill Bunhelier. Yet Grid, who was believed to be her only companion, returned while riding on Bunhelier's neck. An overwhelming sense of sadness and betrayal came over her...

Her mind was so dizzy that her vision became hazy.

"......"

People looked at Nefelina with bewildered expressions. It was shocking to see a hatchling shed tears like chicken poop. There were many people who sighed with pity at the sight of the big, round eyes filled with tears. It was because Nefelina's appearance was that of a small, cute girl.

Now most people knew who she was, but they still dared to feel sorry for her.

"Nefelina, you misunderstood."

Grid jumped down from Bunhelier's neck, approached Nefelina, and comforted her.

"It is true that I worked together with Bunhelier, but we didn't become friends. So let's kill him together later. Yes?"

"Kuek... Uwaah!"

Was she relieved? Nefelina lost her dignity and started to cry as she hugged Grid tightly. It was definitely a father-daughter relationship.

As people were feeling moved by the friendship that transcended species, Bunhelier's expression had become rotten.

[As expected, I have to kill everyone here...]

This was Bunhelier, who felt the need to wipe out humanity. Yet a death notice was issued in his presence. The existence of the tower members also offended him. Initially, the cooperative relationship with Grid was temporary. At this point, he felt it was right to kill them all.

[......!]

Bunhelier was alone in the midst of humans when his expression suddenly hardened. It was because he read the form of the still weak magic power contained in Nefelina's heart.

[You—Nevartan's child...?]

It happened at the same time as his realization...

Bunhelier spread out his wings and hurriedly flew up.

Flash!

Just then, a light that appeared in the distance caught the attention of the people. Some transcendents noticed the wavelengths that the light produced. They felt the shockwaves that shook the clear sky, which regained its blueness after the hell moon disappeared, drawing nearer.

"A Breath...!"

The tower members had a lot of experience fighting dragons. They soon felt the presence of the Breath and dispersed. Yet along the way, they changed their behavior. It was because they remembered the faces of the countless people at the scene. In the end, they changed their direction and ran toward the Breath.

All the magic that existed in the world was unfolded throughout Reinhardt. They were the magics that the tower members cast to stop the Breath and the magic that the apostles and Overgeared members cast to protect the people.

[Insane Dragon Nevartan has appeared!]

It was the worst case scenario.

The faces of the tower members paled. They had just returned from hell and were in an exhausted state. There was no one who wasn't nervous about an enemy that was difficult to deal with appearing at this time.

Grid's tension was the greatest. The person who consumed the most strength was none other than Grid.

In the midst of the turmoil—

"Father!" Nefelina screamed.

The body of a giant dragon that was bigger than Bunhelier appeared there.