Overgeared

The Specter's face wasn't exactly the same as Rebecca's. The shape of the head, the eyebrows, the eyes, the nose, the mouth, etcetera—every aspect was subtly different from the figure of the Goddess in the portraits. In particular, the difference with the eyes was great. It was a murky ash color, unlike the Goddess' clear and transparent eyes. At first glance, she looked like a blind person.

However, the overall atmosphere was too similar. Unless a person looked closely, one couldn't help mistaking her for Goddess Rebecca's twin sister.

"…Why do you look so much like the Goddess?"

"Are you pointing out my appearance? You care about the trivial things."

The Specter covered her face with the mask again. It was a mask that looked like it was cut from someone's skull.

Beriache bounced off the Yellow Dragon's divinity and landed at the Specter's side. The instantaneous shockwave that occurred shook the Specter's robe, revealing a bizarre object. It was armor made of human bones. To be precise, the bones of the human gods who nourished the No Offspring Tomb were woven together like armor, wrapping around the Specter's entire body.

The Specter that Grid had once peeked at was finally revealed.

"I and the other 'first humans' all resemble the faces of the Gods of the Beginning. It was because they were the only ones who could be referred to."

[You have learned about the 'first humans.']

[The acquisition of new knowledge, which hasn't even appeared in the myth of the creation of the world, has increased your intelligence by 100.]

The value of information that hadn't been known so far was enormous.

The people at the scene—the intelligence stat of Grid and the Overgeared members had increased by a huge 100. It was a value comparable to leveling up 10 times for an ordinary player.

"The first humans…"

Skunk and the other explorers reacted greatly. They weren't interested in the stat that increased. They were just excited that there was an additional story that they could dig into in the future.

"Did your bad taste come from your desire to hide your appearance that resembles the Goddess?"

Grid emphasized the Specter's appearance again. It was an outright bad taste. He felt a deep disgust at the sight of the Specter wearing the bones of human gods.

"I was just looking for convenience. Obsessing over appearances and giving them meaning is a characteristic of humans and animals. Don't you think it is an inappropriate attitude for an Only One God?"

"Convenience? Are you using these bones to make it easier to use the divinity you have taken away?"

"That is about right."

The Specter's answer was a signal. The 310 God Hands suddenly attacked the Specter. They dug in with the intention of removing the bone fragments from the armor and helmet she was armed with.

"You have a bit of a naive side…"

The Specter cocked her head and swung her left hand.

Rattle.

There was the unpleasant sound of bone fragments rubbing together as demonic energy spread. It was demonic energy that left a trail in the direction that the Specter's hand moved. It was black as if to not allow even a single ray of light, but it became contagious when it touched the God Hands. It chained back and forth between the God Hands and eventually spread out like a net.

It was in an instant. All of a sudden, the 310 God Hands were reduced to mayflies trapped in a spider web. They were tied up by the demonic energy and couldn't move even a finger.

"Holy Light." Saintess Ruby was among the Overgeared members and she used a skill. She targeted the demonic energy that had just captured all the God Hands. However, it didn't work. Ruby's face paled. "It isn't… demonic energy?"

"……!"

What was it if it wasn't demonic energy? Ruby's shocking remark puzzled many people.

'Divinity.'

Grid was convinced of the identity of the dark energy that the Specter was using. It originated from Yatan, who was the 'source of demonic energy,' but it was divinity, not demonic energy. It was natural. It was expected from the beginning.

The Specter opened her mouth, "We need to restart the conversation."

The dark divinity gradually condensed until it gradually took the shape of a club. The 310 God Hands were still trapped inside.

"I answered your question correctly."

Grid asked about the identity of the Specter and he received the reply that the Specter was an apostle of God Yatan. The conversation stopped there. Grid wasted time pointing out the Specter's appearance.

"In other words, I am a sinner who failed to defend the dream of the god I serve. I am a remnant of a hateful past and don't deserve to exist. It is just that the distorted hell doesn't allow me to die."

There was a short introduction and the Specter immediately got to the point.

"Only One God Grid, my purpose is to restore hell. I think my purpose is the same as yours."

"……"

Grid guessed why the Specter's voice was so bizarre. He wondered if it had something to do with the dark divinity that spread through her nose and mouth every time she breathed.

'Is the divinity so powerful that the body can't handle it? Even though she is an Absolute?'

Yatan's divinity—it was one of the most important factors that created the world. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that it went beyond the source of demonic energy and was the source of the world. It was natural for it to be powerful.

It was just very shocking that it couldn't be handled even by the Specter, who had built up the hierarchy of an Absolute after devouring all types of myths. Besides, wasn't she Yatan's apostle? She would've received 'permission' to use Yatan's divinity, but she looked like this.

'How powerful is it…?'

Grid looked at the club in the Specter's hand. It was a club made of black divinity. The 310 God Hands gathered and gave it a golden color.

'It isn't helpful, so it is trolling now…'

Was it because he was influenced by Braham? Grid was lamenting that his God Hands had poop on them when the Specter's scratchy voice entered his ears.

"I have seen enough of your combat ability. Considering the 'relationship' you have with the world, such as gaining the favor of the mother and daughter, Beriache and Marie Rose, it is calculated that it would be better to cooperate with you than to eat your divinity. Do you have any intention of cooperating with me?"

"What type of cooperation do you want?"

"It is simple. Get out of here."

It was almost like sending him off. She seemed to want Grid to disappear right before her eyes.

"I heard your purpose is to restore hell?"

"Yes."

"I guess you've already prepared all the ways to achieve your goal, right? I can see that you don't need any help? Does it have anything to do with this thing here?" Grid asked as he turned around and pointed to the lump of flesh.

"That's right." The Specter didn't hide it.

Grid demanded clarification, "I've seen the exact same thing in hell. It is what is distorting hell. Yet trying to restore hell with the same thing? I can't believe it. What are you trying to do?"

"…You have a lot of questions."

The Specter refused to explain. She was reluctant to explain her plan because she remembered Muller's reaction.

"Seeing that you can't explain, there seems to be something that bothers you?"

"The humans who die can't rest due to the distorted hell and are suffering. My purpose and means to save them are right."

"I feel like I am being tortured when hearing this ugly voice. Hey, Specter! Don't keep changing the subject and explain it! Why does a great being like you have such a twisted tongue? Did the Gods of the Beginning accidentally measure the wrong length of their tongues when creating the first humans? The Gods of the Beginning were once uncivilized and couldn't even measure properly? Hah, truly. There is a reason why the world was a mess before Grid was born."

"……"

Huroi interjected when he saw that there was no progress in the conversation. It was with a shiny Vantner in the vanguard. It was an effort to disperse the aggro.

"….This is the third time in thousands of years that I've had the intent to kill someone for private reasons."

There was no effect. The Specter's gaze passed by Vantner's bald head and landed precisely on Huroi. At the same time, a dark club fell toward Huroi's head. It was with the swiftness of an Absolute.

Grid tried to catch up to it, but he was a step late. Absolutes who could move their positions as soon as they wanted were greatly influenced by 'who moved first.' The one who moved later was naturally at a disadvantage.

'Why does the Yellow Dragon have a cooldown time of 12 hours?'

The new skill he just gained from his divinity being enhanced—Grid had evaluated the Yellow Dragon's skill of protecting his troops as being a bit (?) fraudulent, but now he changed the evaluation. It was far from being fraudulent. The disadvantages were too big.

'It will be okay. Huroi can endure one blow unconditionally.'

The club was about to hit the top of Huroi's head. Grid struggled to calm his pounding heart. He remembered that Huroi had immortality. Nevertheless, it was hard to calm down. He was worried about the repercussions of the attack.

Currently, hundreds of colleagues were gathered around Huroi. It meant that there would be many casualties from the shock wave that would occur the moment the club hit Huroi's head.

'Dammit…!'

It happened the moment when Grid couldn't hide his nervousness and gritted his teeth…

"……!"

The Specter's body suddenly stopped and coughed up blood. Someone's will, which was as powerful as Dragon Words, pierced her heart. It was hard to understand from Grid's perspective, but in any case, it was an opportunity.

The moment the Specter stopped, Grid arrived next to Huroi's side and swung Twilight, causing it to collide with the club.

"I didn't expect you to bring back the Sword Saint that fled to the dimensional gap… you are thoroughly prepared."

The moment the Specter's words were over—

"Gasp."

"What…!"

The Overgeared members screamed when they realized that Grid and the Specter had collided above their heads. In particular, Huroi's complexion was extremely pale. Grid and the Specter's eyes turned toward the entrance. They saw two men standing there. One was the Sword Saint of the present day.

[The strongest Sword Saint of all time, 'Muller,' has appeared.]

The other was a Sword Saint of a previous generation. The world message that rose proved it.

Flash!

The spear of light fell one step late and hit the Specter. The Specter's club started wriggling after it was struck lightly. It was because the God Hands trapped inside were resisting fiercely.

'They can't be digested?'

The inwardly surprised Specter judged that the harm was greater than the gains and ejected the God Hands from inside the club.

"The fact that you've been communicating with Muller… you must've known my plan."

"?"

"What is with that expression? Are you still acting innocent even at this point? There is a side to you that doesn't fit your hierarchy."

The emotions expressed by the Specter gradually diversified. She mocked Grid, who was making an expression like he didn't understand. Muller's calf-like eyes widened.

"How did he provoke a wooden stone that is thousands of years old? Does the power of the god you serve have anything to do with mockery or name calling?"

"……"

Kraugel couldn't deny it. It was because he found Huroi near Grid.

"Yes… you know that I will build a hell here. Just like a mirror reflection of the hell that Baal distorted, the same hell will be erected here and eliminate the value of the existence of hell."

"……?"

"Do you think there is another way to purify hell? Can you say that my method is wrong, even if it is violent? If any of you can suggest a better way, then tell me. I will listen."

The Specter reached the present point after searching for answers for thousands of years. Her convictions were strong and firm.

"In the first place, the surface might not necessarily perish if I build a hell here. Grid, as long as you are raising the level of the surface, there is a chance that the surface can handle the bloated energy that is on the same scale as hell."

-This madman.

Chreshler expressed Grid's feelings.

On this day, Sword Saint Muller, who was thought to be dead, emerged in a world message. The situation in many parts of the world, including the No Offspring Tomb, changed dramatically.