Overgeared

"Um…"

3:1—the Overgeared World was ahead of Asgard.

Grid's mind was on Piaro. It was because he suddenly found Piaro sighing among the cheering people. Grid was the only one who noticed it. Everyone was praising Piaro as a hero. Piaro was the only one who thought of himself as a loser.

A person who received a declaration that a god would serve (?) him—who would dare to consider him, who qualified as a complete god and was the starting point of this scripture—this epic—a loser? This was why the others didn't know that the faint shadow on Piaro's face was due to guilt.

'It is my fault that Piaro lost.'

The nature of this duel had changed since the very beginning. Which one was superior between Grid's items and Zeratul's passed down martial arts? Just as Kraugel wielded Twilight, the other apostles also needed to wield the power of items. Of course, Grid periodically replaced the items of the apostles.

However, it wasn't at the stage of distributing dragon weapons and armor, so it was too vague to call them divine objects. In particular, Piaro's farming tools were too outdated.

'To be precise, it isn't that they are outdated.'

They were unsuitable for combat. The farming equipment that Piaro wanted were essentially a suitable form for cultivation. From Grid's standards, they were naturally unsuitable for combat. However, if Piaro's farming tools were really unsuitable for battle, then his success until now was impossible. Yes, it was a very small difference. The difference was only revealed when fighting a being who was approaching an Absolute.

Grid felt sorry. 'I should've broken Piaro's stubbornness and made better items, but I neglected him.'

He learned a new fact. It was that caring and respecting his precious people shouldn't undermine his philosophy.

"……"

Even though his wounds hadn't recovered, Grid was about to go down to the ground to comfort Piaro. Then he stopped. He found Piaro's wife approaching Piaro. A heartfelt smile spread across Piaro's face, who had been forcing himself to look bright. It was the happiness of one who had established a family.

Grid realized the joy of regaining what had been lost for a long time and laughed. 'I don't have to worry too much.'

This incident would be a great lesson for Piaro. He would break his stubbornness and develop further.

It happened as Grid was feeling relieved…

"It is insignificant,"the god who stepped on the stage after Melory opened his mouth. The voice that roared through the atmosphere echoed throughout Reinhardt. The voice sank low so it created the illusion of sucking the listener into an abyss. There was a greatly disparate feeling.

"The only thing the gods do when gathering together are wielding swords. What is the difference with humans?"

"……"

Grid belatedly noticed it.

The god on the stage—the skinny god, who was three meters tall, wasn't breathing. The strange waves of language that was spoken without breathing gave a sense of strangeness that he had never felt in his life. It was also different from the language of the undead, which expressed their deep resentment.

'If he is a real god… he can live without breathing.'

The gods Grid had met so far had been breathing normally. In retrospect, even the demons breathed. So why did this god suppress his breathing? There must be some intention behind it.

Grid knew the importance of breathing, so he was wary.

"Didn't you punch as well as fight with swords?"

It happened as Huroi was refuting the words…

"This is a place to prove Zeratul's martial arts." Another god stepped forward and dismissed it. He was Aldro, the disciple (?) of Piaro, and the God of Abundance.

The tall god seemed unconvinced.

"Those of you who have never ascended to a high place won't know this, but… I contributed to the creation of heaven and the earth. Even before humans were born on this land, I created the mountains and rivers that flowed to form the ocean. For this, I… I have to compete against a human in front of humans? It is insignificant. I'm not convinced."

"So are you okay if your opponent isn't human?" Zik climbed onto the stage. He seemed to be acquainted with the tall god. "Kadlow. You were blinded by lust and chaotically spread half-gods everywhere."

"…Zik… That's right. If I had to say it, I am the parent of your Seven Malignant Saints."

In the distant, ancient times. It wasn't even this world, but the ancient times of another world. There was a time when the idea of giving divinity to humans didn't exist. This was until Kadlow coveted the human body and caused a child of god to be conceived. Until then, there was no concept of half-gods and the concept of a human god was faint. Gods and humans were completely different entities.

"Therefore, I am the benefactor of you humans. I am in a position to defend my prestige."

"It is ridiculous that you are talking about prestige when you were disqualified from being a chief god for lowering the prestige of the gods."

Kadlow had an endless desire for lust. He was blinded by sexual desire and undermined the order of human beings. During the time when he was in full swing, people regarded Asgard as a target of resentment. This was why he was a god who received a rare punishment.

"The qualifications of a chief god will be regained sooner or later. By force…"

The reason why Kadlow learned martial arts from Zeratul was simple. It was in order to build up force. Why was he the only one who was severely punished among the gods who committed the seven deadly sins?

He pondered on it and realized something. It was because he didn't have superior skills like Hexetia, resourcefulness like Venice, or the strength or wisdom of Dominion and Judar. He was treated as a relatively useless being and was the only one who suffered an unfair punishment…

Kadlow wanted to become a chief god today so he felt the need for transformation. Among them, he was interested in martial strength.

Zeratul became an example. A being who was just born, but who reigned and acted unruly because he was strong. No one rebuked him when he was bragging without acknowledging that he was a replacement for Chiyou. It was because he was strong. He had power so others avoided him rather than colliding with him.

This was what Kadlow had to reach.

"Zik, you must remember. My 'Pillar of Production' might be insignificant compared to the goddess' 'Pillar of Creation,' but it played a pretty big role. No… you were asleep 'at the time' and you wouldn't have witnessed it…"

It was the day when the Seven Malignant Saints invaded Asgard, except for Zik who was affected by the Curse of Sloth. Dominion's army watched the situation with their arms crossed while the angel army slaughtered the Seven Malignant Saints. The result was obvious to anyone.

The Seven Malignant Saints who dared to ask the gods for their sins were insignificant. This was until the 1st Evil Jake's 'Providence' caused an unexpected situation. Neither the gods nor angels felt a sense of crisis. At that time, it was Kadlow who blocked the variable of Providence. He produced bad luck with the Pillar of Production, suppressing all the good luck that tried to work to benefit the Seven Malignant Saints.

"A god's power is the source of the creation of the universe and a mystery incomprehensible to humans. It is only when using the power that humans will look up to the gods… sealing this power is just bringing us down to the same eye level as human beings."

"Get to the point."

It was before Huroi could intervene.

Zik urged Kadlow to get to the point and Kadlow replied, "This battle is unilaterally designed to be in your favor and it is unreasonable. Even if you win, it is just a natural result and it isn't honorable. That must be unwelcome to you as well."

"This is the method that Zeratul has chosen."

"It is the way that he chose for his life. I don't have to respect it."

"……"

It was enough to ignore Kadlow's meaning. Was he going to ignore the rules that had been established and use his power? There was no reason to listen to it.

It happened the moment that Zik was about to refuse…

"Use it." A voice came from above. It was somewhat lower than the high sky where Grid was floating. Braham floated here with Grid behind him like the sun. "Use the power or whatever you want as much as you want."

Braham's arrogant face had a slight smile, as if laughing at Kadlow.

"It doesn't matter what you do."

"Take a look, Zik. This is the treatment of a god who has lost his prestige. It is why it is unreasonable to prohibit the use of power."

Kadlow frowned and raised his power. The blue divinity that spread around him stretched out in such a vast manner that it covered the sky. A huge pillar rose toward the clouds that looked white in the distance. It was the Pillar of Production. In this world, the previous world, and the worlds before that, it was a pillar that supported Rebecca's Pillar of Creation.

"I will take on this guy." Originally, Braham was only conscious of the god who looked like a little boy, but he changed his mind at this moment. He was overcome with the desire to kill the god in front of him.

Zik respected this. He stepped down from the stage and Braham filled his vacancy.

"Let me take care of a bit of Zeratul's honor."

Kadlow's voice changed. It was the aftermath of resuming his stopped breathing. It caused a tremendous wavelength. The suppressed breathing was amplified through the Pillar of Production and an omnidirectional shockwave was generated. Reinhardt, especially the stage, started to shake as if all the barriers piled up around it would be shattered.

"This is the swordsmanship I have interpreted."

He would take care of a bit of Zeratul's honor. As if to fulfill this declaration, Kadlow pulled out a sword from his waist and swung it lightly. The sound of the air being cut was heard in the distance. It was in the direction that the pillar was rising. A silver sword light was produced in large quantities from the pillar. They rippled across the sky while covered in blue divinity. It felt like the space itself was degraded.

It reached Braham in an instant.

"……"

"……"

People were at a loss for words from the moment the pillar sprang up.

The majesty of a god that had been forgotten for a while—they realized once again that gods had a universal power and were greatly intimidated. They determined that Braham had touched a bomb by mistake. They thought that even Braham wouldn't be able to deal with a god.

The battle between Grid and Zeratul was so great that it was a real concern. In fact, Braham was torn to shreds. In an instant, the waves of sword light that swept across the stage tore Braham's body apart into hundreds or thousands of pieces.

"Uh…?"

"……??"

Did Braham really get hit? People who had been worried but hadn't expected this vain end lost their souls. They were too flustered to accept the situation.

Then the torn pieces of Braham's body started to glow a faint purple. The moment that those who were close to a transcendent noticed this fact, Braham's torn body started regaining its original form. It was with a transparent, purple color. It was the usage of Lightning God learned from the Blue Dragon. The physical force of the sword lights pierced through him without harming him.

"It is insignificant." Kadlow didn't even snort. He immediately understood the principles of Lightning God and replaced the divinity that had been released throughout the world with magic power. He intended to crush and kill Braham, who had become vulnerable to magic.

However, Braham's magic worked faster.

Gravity—the gravitational magic triggered by Braham compressed his Lightning God body and obliterated it in a hurry. He took his own life.

"It is insignificant until the end."

Choosing death the moment you realize you can't afford to go against me.

Do you believe that your pride will be protected with this?

It is indeed an ugly end.

"……?"

Kadlow, who was sneering, became shocked. It was because he saw the gravity that engulfed Braham being mixed with lightning and distorting space.

"You…!"

It was a magical black hole created using the explosive energy of magic power. After grasping its identity and noticing Braham's intentions, Kadlow hurriedly controlled his divinity. He intended to restore the divinity that had been replaced by magic to its original form. However, it was too late. The speed at which magic power was sucked into the black hole was too fast.

"No…! It can't be…!!"

It was the sensation of all his divinity being sucked in. Kadlow was horrified by the ominous sense of his existence fading and screamed. His screams echoed in an empty manner.

"It doesn't taste bad." Braham's satisfied voice filled the stage once the screams ended. The divinity that belonged to Kadlow was mixed with his purple magic power.

"……"

Reinhardt became quiet. Even Grid's mouth was shut as he looked like he was seeing a monster.