Overgeared

-That woman just now… putting aside her personality, her skills were excellent. You might not be able to easily empathize.

Up until a little while ago, Chreshler hadn't really gauged Grid's combat power. He simply perceived Grid as 'much better' than himself. It was based on Marie Rose's assessment and the divinity of the Yellow Dragon that was around Grid's body.

This was a big mistake. Grid's true value came from the power of items. Every time certain items were utilized, his tendencies changed or his combat power increased dramatically. A prime example was Twilight.

Seeing the 'spear of light' that fell when Grid's sword grazed Yeo Yulan's body, Chreshler knew that he had eaten something wrong. The last food he ate was an egg dish that was popular hundreds of years ago, but he remembered swallowing it because it was surprisingly too sweet. He thought it wouldn't be strange if he got indigestion at that time and lost his mind.

Yes, his whole life after becoming a coffin could've been a dream. Now he was looking at nothing…

…The manifestation of Disintegrate was so unrealistic that he had such useless thoughts. He couldn't believe what he saw.

Chreshler corrected his assessment of Grid. To be exact, an assessment itself was forbidden. Grid was so much better and at a far higher level than Chreshler dared to evaluate.

'He is an Absolute being that is impossible to fathom.'

Chreshler had also relied on the holy sword a few times in the past. However, the power of the holy sword was just a 'sword that amplifies divine power.' The stronger he became, the more he believed in his own skills rather than the holy sword. In other words, it was hard for him to understand the potential of items. He saw Grid rapidly getting stronger every time a particular item was used and recognized it as revealing a 'power that is usually hidden.'

'It is returning to the basic form.'

It was the stage where a being ascended to the highest realm and usually looked like an ordinary (?) person. This was how Chreshler defined Grid. It was an evaluation that dismissed the extravagant divinity that took the form of a Yellow Dragon, but it meant that Grid was that powerful when using the power of items.

"I already know that. Yeo Yulan must've been a powerhouse who represented an era."

Grid had met quite a few transcendents. He found that the transcendents of the past, such as Chreshler and the Great Robber of the Red Night, were much stronger than the modern day transcendents represented by Kyle. It was the difference of the years that was physically unavoidable. It was natural that those who had already built up transcendence for a long time were stronger than the juniors who had just started to accumulate it.

Grid was the only exception and was able to reach the Absolute level.

-It is unexpected. I thought you would misunderstand that she was weak because she was such an easy opponent.

"It was never easy."

-……

What did he mean by 'it was never easy' when he overwhelmed her without losing his breath?

'Is he trying to save face for his senior? He is very humble.'

Come to think of it, Grid had always been polite. It was even though Chreshler was just an old coffin now that Marie Rose was unsealed…

Shake shake!

The thrilled Chreshler trembled. It looked even more bizarre when a giant coffin floating around and talking like a human being started convulsing.

"…Please calm down."

Did he imagine Marie Rose's naked body? Grid was worried that Chreshler would suddenly have an accident. Chreshler barely calmed himself and asked.

-Then do you think Yeo Yulan's guess is plausible?

Grid was treating the crazy woman who suddenly flew in with a sword as a senior. It wasn't simply an admission of her force.

"Yes."

It was as expected. Grid seemed to trust the personality of Yeo Yulan itself.

"It isn't that ridiculous."

Yatan might be buried here—Yeo Yulan's guess was quite plausible. The size of the No Offspring Tomb and the status of the Specter could be explained if this was a place where Yatan was buried.

"However, she seems to believe that she needs the Specter to revive Yatan. I don't understand that belief."

-I understand. We still have no reason to trust the Specter.

Yeo Yulan told him not to fight the Specter. There was a nuance of worrying about Grid's safety, but it also contained the meaning of not disturbing the Specter. In the first place, she seemed to be cooperating with the Specter. It was clear that she judged that the Specter was necessary to resurrect Yatan. It was hard to relate from Grid's perspective.

A myth usurper—the Specter sent hunters throughout the entire continent beyond the No Offspring Tomb to slaughter the human gods. This was harmful to humanity. Of course, it might not be intended to harm humans. According to Yeo Yulan's interpretation, it would be making sacrifices for the cause. It was just like Pagma of the past.

It was unacceptable. Grid was a god of the surface. He shouldered the duty of guarding humanity and his divinity was created from human aspirations. The moment he turned a blind eye to it, Grid would become corrupted like the heavenly gods.

'In the first place…'

The order of hell would be corrected by him and the Overgeared Guild. They had been trying to do that. Even at this moment, Yura was guarding hell. Yatan would just be an unpredictable and uninvited guest if he appeared now.

'I'm not saying I will doubt and fight it.'

No matter whether it was trustworthy or not, Grid felt the need to meet and check the Specter in person. It was a natural procedure.

'A lofty Absolute?'

On the one hand, Grid felt pure curiosity.

Yeo Yulan's last words—she spoke as if the Specter was a being who shouldn't be disobeyed. She was worried about Grid even after experiencing Grid's strength firsthand. This overlapped with Marie Rose's concerns. It was why he needed to check it even more.

Was it okay to let such a strong being grow like this?

"Hurry up."

Dozens of God Hands grabbed Skunk and the Divine Wood Coffin. They were influenced by Grid's stats and their tremendous grip was displayed. Skunk floated up without any resistance, while Chreshler laid down (?) his body to make it easier for the God Hands to lift him.

-It is comfortable.

At the same time, Grid broke through the intricately twisted labyrinth without hesitation and the God Hands followed closely. It was a skill he saved when fighting Yeo Yulan. They immediately moved through the complex terrain. The process of analyzing the terrain was omitted.

"Ughhhhh!"

-Uweeeeeok!

Of course, there were side effects. The effect of the skill was limited to Grid. Skunk and the Divine Wood Coffin were grabbed and dragged by the God Hands and crashed into all sorts of rocks. Skunk's health was reduced in real time. The rocks also contained the 'status' that made the No Offspring Tomb eternal, so even the durability of the Divine Wood Coffin was reduced.

Shrill screams echoed. Grid didn't care. It was enough to restore health and durability.

"Ughh… Gulp gulp. Cough cough!"

-Uweeeok! These guys hit me… it feels good?

The God Hands were active. They shoved potions into Skunk's mouth and repaired the Divine Wood Coffin in real time. The reproduction of a body part that moved on their own—they had unmatched versatility. It was one of Grid's greatest strengths.

""You are here already?""

At the open space at the end of the labyrinth…

There were dozens of death knights waiting there while surrounded by distant ancient murals. The moment they found Grid, they raised their swords and saluted. It resembled the knights of the Overgeared Empire. There was strict discipline. It was an attitude of dealing with a respected superior, not an aggressor.

However, the intention was impure. The reason why the monsters of the No Offspring Tomb respected Grid was purely for the sake of the Specter. It was why Grid felt it was unpleasant. It felt like a human smiling and pouring food to fatten a pig from a pig's point of view.

"There are so many intermediate bosses."

Grid was about to go straight forward and slaughter the death knights, only to stop moving. It was because he found someone he needed to be cautious of.

Thick, curved, and fierce—it was a Sword with as many as three modifiers. The leader of the dozens of death knights stood and blocked the gateway to the next labyrinth.

""Grid, do you know?""

The ground was smashed with every step that the Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword took.

Formless Will—the will of the Sword cut down everything that was offensive to the senses.

""All the forces and gateways in the No Offspring Tomb aren't there to deter intruders. It is just a test.""

The No Offspring Tomb was a huge filter. It was filtering out useless filth.

""However, I have doubts about using it against you. How dare we test an Only One God? It is presumptuous. It is like Zeratul testing Chiyou.""

"Are you comparing yourself to Zeratul?"

Grid let out a laugh.

Martial God Zeratul—he was obviously just a replacement modeled after Chiyou. However, it wasn't a name worth mentioning for a death knight, who was someone else's servant all his life since his death. It was too cheap. Grid clearly remembered Zeratul's strength. This was even though there were a lot of flaws in his personality. In the end, he was caught by this personality and was repeatedly defeated.

""No way. I just used an example to highlight the fact that the gap between you and us is that great.""

"The example is wrong. Wouldn't it be right if you compared yourself to the dogs guarding the gates of hell?"

The eyes of Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword shimmered like flames. It was a fleeting sight, but Grid clearly saw it.

""You seem to unexpectedly care about Zeratul.""

"I just don't like you."

Skunk was nervous. Did he care about Zeratul? Grid looked very uncomfortable because the death knight was talking nonsense.

As expected. Grid couldn't stand it. It was different from usual.

Hundreds of God Hands drew their swords in unison and threw them. The technique symbolizing Grid, a 'Rain of Battle Gear' was used in a physical way. It was with a straight trajectory rather than a falling trajectory. From this moment on, it was a new skill for Grid.

The purple light of the death knights' swords drew countless lines. They opposed the waves of the swords, which showed power over the space, and eventually pushed them out little by little. There was Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword in the center. His Formless Will spread in all directions and helped his allies by twisting the trajectory of the thrown swords and weakening their power.

'He spent quite a lot of time fighting Yeo Yulan.'

Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword was considering the time when Grid and Yeo Yulan confronted each other. He heard it took 10 minutes. It was hopeful news for Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword, who prided himself on mastering a swordsmanship similar to Yeo Yulan. It meant that a 'fight' could be established against an Only One God.

'I can endure for 10 minutes with a learning mindset.'

Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword didn't have the amulets or daoist techniques. Additionally, he didn't even know the principles of daoism. He was an undead. His physical strength was infinite, unlike Yeo Yulan who had remnants of humanity left as a half-god. He was confident that he could hold out against Grid as well.

""……?""

Then the eyes of Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword greatly widened as he captured Grid with his transcendent senses. He was surprised by Grid's dancing performance that was contrary to his expectations. Unknowingly, he was overwhelmed. For a moment, he couldn't even move his fingertips. Then his vision turned over and over again. It was because his skull was separated from his spine and rotated dozens of times in the air.

Flash!

The spear of light penetrated the body of the headless and floundering Sword. Then falling meteorites crushed him. It was the effect of Twilight that followed the six fusion sword dance. It was the moment when Grid's lethal move, which he suppressed against Yeo Yulan, revealed its sharp teeth.

""I didn't know you kept a trump card…""

"Foolish."

It was ever since he became a god a few years ago. Unlike the popular rumors, Grid failed to win consecutively and instead lost several times in a row. However, he wasn't ashamed even once. The opponents he fought were on a different level, at least in terms of skill, from the skeletons in front of him who couldn't grasp the subject.

-Receive this well!

The wreckage of the shattered death knights were picked up by the God Hands and transported to the Divine Wood Coffin.

[The executive of the No Offspring Tomb, 'Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword,' has been defeated.]

[Your level has increased.]

[The skill book 'Sword Energy Dispersion' has been obtained.]

[The divine power of the Divine Wood Coffin has become a bit stronger after purifying the undead of the No Offspring Tomb.]

[The divine power of the Divine Wood Coffin has become a bit stronger after purifying the undead of the No Offspring Tomb…]

……

…

[The current purification count is 23.]

[The Divine Wood Coffin has read the memory of 'Thick, Curved, and Fierce Sword'.]

The consciousness of Grid's group was transferred to the past. It was the past of the No Offspring Tomb.

𝐍𝐞𝐰 novel chapters are published 𝒐𝒏 𝘧r𝘦𝑒𝘸e𝙗𝒏𝙤vel.𝑐o𝙢.