Overgeared

The God Hands, which were originally made based on Grid's hands, bound together to form Grid's arms and hands. They were judged as 'prosthetic arm' items and Grid could naturally handle all types of items without restrictions.

[It is too late.]

Zeratul's thoughts resonated. It fluttered like he was excited. He seemed confident that he had a chance to win.

He had no choice but to think so. His self-defense power had been restored to its original state. It was a structure that could thoroughly neutralize Grid's sword dance. Analyzing and neutralizing certain types of swordsmanship with the power of the Martial God was as natural and easy as an angel flapping their wings to fly.

Grid also understood. Therefore, he had been prepared. All the God Hands except the ones acting as prosthetic arms spread out like giant wings. They each held a different type of weapon and released a basic attack in unison.

In the distance, it was seen like wings unfolding.

[……?!]

Zeratul's bewilderment was conveyed to Grid. It was conveyed with the spirit that filled the realm of the Absolute. Basic attacks wielded by 300 weapons that caused 'fixed damage to a god' struck simultaneously and shook Zeratul's self-defense.

[You are really persistent…!]

Was his pride hurt due to the fact that he revealed his agitation? Zeratul couldn't hide his anger and caused a shockwave. It was intended to disturb the God Hands that formed wings in all directions, but it didn't work. They interlocked with Grid's prosthetic arms and used Grid as a pillar to withstand Zeratul's shockwaves.

Grid was an unshakable being. To be precise, he couldn't shake. He knew that many of the people below him were relying on him, and endured Zeratul's momentum.

Flap.

The huge black-gold wings wielded by Grid again launched the second bombardment. This time, the rain of battle gear fell along with it. It was Grid's total offensive after using Request to Stand With Me. The Blockade sword wielded together with it became a threat to Zeratul. It was to the point that he flinched when Grid tried a fake and pulled out the Falling Moon Sword that was still on cooldown.

[Really… are you prepared to oppose a god in such a trivial way?]

Zeratul used all types of martial arts to prevent the heavy rain of battle gear and gained acceleration again. He broke through the heavy rain in an instant and reached Grid.

At this moment, Grid understood that the self-defense had changed its structure. He had learned it earlier in exchange for losing both arms. The proof was that Grid had triggered a six fusion sword dance by the time that Zeratul arrived.

Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link—it was a sword dance that reproduced the spirit of a dragon. Grid pierced Zeratul's body with Twilight, which he had swapped to.

[You are the master of the Overgeared World.]

His body was infinitely light. In the aftermath of using his ultimate skill, there was no such thing as a huge drain on resources or cooldown time.

Grid pierced Zeratul's body again.

From the front to the back.

From the back to the front.

From the front to the side.

From the side to the bottom.

From the bottom to the top.

Serve Dragon Pinnacle Wave Kill Link was repeated several times without a break. Zeratul's perfect self-defense collapsed each and every time. He tried to achieve the structure that neutralized the sword dance again, but it repeatedly failed and broke.

[…Kuaaaack!!]

The realm of the Absolute dispersed. Zeratul's screams echoed throughout the world.

The Martial God—it was the moment when the being who was supposed to be victorious and invincible, albeit a fake, collapsed disastrously due to Grid. It was the moment when the ragged Zeratul fell to the stage as if he was going to his grave. All types of roars that matched the battle between Grid and Zeratul followed like thunder and echoed throughout Reinhardt.

[My passed down martial arts… my passed down martial arts haven't lost yet…!] Zeratul, who was dripping blood from his mouth, eventually couldn't speak and cried out with willpower. He turned to gray ash. He truly left the stage in an ugly manner.

[Overgeared God 'Grid' has defeated Martial God 'Zeratul'!]

The result that people were already aware of had emerged as a world message.

"Uwahhhh!" A huge roar spread. It wasn't just in Reinhardt, but people all over the world cheered at the victory. However, Zeratul's status hadn't dropped significantly yet. His solid divinity remained as traces and the trinity of the eight gods was also maintained.

"Don't be intimidated and fight comfortably. Even if you die at my hands and lose your honor, there won't be the misfortune of losing your status if your remaining apostles do well against my passed down martial arts."

It was the insurance that Zeratul had mockingly said to Grid. The fact that Grid was helped by Nefelina also played a role. It was something that had to be endured after the secret story of Crazy God and Crazy Dragon was known.

The eight gods serving the Martial God—in other words, those who learned the passed down martial arts still had a chance to save Zeratul.

The lowest ranking god proclaimed himself as the vanguard, "I will repay the disgrace and shame that the Martial God suffered from the cowardly Overgeared God with the Martial God's martial arts."

The name of the lowest ranked god who proudly stepped onto the stage was Baralo. He was as sacred and beautiful as an angel. However, the pressure he exuded at this moment was as terrifying as a demon. He was starting at Grid as if he wanted to hurt Grid.

"Which apostle will deal with me? Anyone is fine," Baralo urged.

"I will deal with you." The person who would be on the stage was decided from the beginning.

Sword Saint Kraugel—he had one of the most suitable powers to deal with the lowest god. Kraugel showed the virtue of humility toward the other apostles and Euphemina.

Baralo's horribly distorted face crumpled even more. "You will be my opponent when you aren't even an apostle? Didn't you even lose your sword?"

Baralo's pride was badly hurt because he felt ignored. He pointed to Kraugel's sword, which had curved in an impossible manner, and reacted in an unwilling manner.

Kraugel silently looked up at the sky. Grid's figure was so high up that it was invisible to the general public, but it was clearly visible to him. Grid was full of wounds. He couldn't come down to the ground in this state.

Kraugel struggled to suppress his sorrowful heart and flew Twilight high with his Control Sword skill. It was soon in Grid's hands and was completely repaired after Grid tapped it with the hammer once.

-Please take care of it.

Along with Grid's whisper, Twilight returned to Kraugel's grip. Kraugel's expression stiffened. It was because the Twilight that Grid threw was Grid's sword, not his own. In other words, it was the Twilight made from the fang of an old dragon…

He tried to suppress his flustered emotions and pointed the sword at Baralo. "There doesn't seem to be any excuse for you to not do this anymore."

"Really… you are all unpleasant people." Tsk. Baralo clicked his tongue and narrowed the distance to Kraugel in an instant. It was a speed that Kraugel's Super Sensitivity barely caught.

Kraugel raised Twilight with the intention of defending and recalled Mir, who had arrived at the scene a little while ago. He wondered how strong the god in front of him was compared to Mir in his prime. Mir, who was destined to be the vanguard of the Hwan Kingdom, and the subordinate god who followed the fake Martial God—which of the two would have the upper hand?

As he thought about it—

"……?!"

Kraugel aimed precisely at the gap in Baralo, who was bewildered by the energy felt from Twilight, and used Space Sword. It was the cooperation between the Overgeared God and Sword Saint. The power easily exceeded Kraugel's predictions and Grid's expectations. To put it more accurately, Grid's divinity was crossing the world.

"Isn't it too grand to use the term 'passed down martial arts'?" Kraugel looked dumbfounded for a moment before criticizing Baralo.

"……"

Baralo didn't respond. It was physically impossible for him to speak with his body cut in half. He attempted to recover in real time, but Kraugel didn't give him time. As the Sword Saint, he perfectly handled Grid's Twilight and pushed the god with swordsmanship.

Then it ended.

"Ugh… I lost…" Baralo was helplessly pushed by the item combined with the Sword Saint's swordsmanship and left the stage. On the way, he wondered if he could've overcome the crisis using his own power, not the martial arts he learned from Zeratul, but he soon blushed with shame and surrendered.

Grid watched the scene from the sky and murmured that this god was better than Zeratul.

"…Uwaaaaahhhhh!"

Shouts echoed.

Grid, who defeated the Martial God as a player—the people were already in a dream-like mood and couldn't believe the reality happening in front of them. Now they cheered with great enthusiasm. Thousands of people were intoxicated with mental pleasure that reached the peak.

The Overgeared World—the divine world that Grid and humanity created together was far greater and stronger than people expected. Grid was held up by pillars and supported by the people.

"…I feel like I've become an actor in a comedy."

Soon, a new god took to the stage. It was the second highest ranked god after Zeratul. This aura itself was different from Baralo. He gave off a great sense of intimidation that he could pretend to be the Martial God in front of people who didn't know Zeratul. Few people could breathe properly.

"Zeratul is going to lose… is this the limit of a false god? It is something I should bear because I served him even though I knew this." It was as if he didn't care who heard it. The white-haired god who expressed his feelings had discerning eyes. He pointed to Braham, who had climbed to the highest spire and was looking down at the stage with an arrogant expression. "You are the best among the apostles. Come."