Overgeared

Chapter 1760

"……"

Sword Saint Muller was deep in thought. He revisited the battle between Grid and the Specter and tried to understand Grid's intentions.

'Why did he bother sparing the Specter?'

The Specter had lost her emotions. She had lived for too many years as an apostle of a God of the Beginning. It was natural for her to have a different point of view than humans, and it was possible that she would unintentionally threaten humanity again.

'In the first place, the Specter isn't very weak compared to Grid.'

To be honest…

The Specter was stronger than Grid. Even considering that the No Offspring Tomb was the realm of the Specter, didn't Grid get help from many people, including himself? It was hard to guarantee that Grid could definitely control her if the Specter started to run wild.

'It is true that the Specter is pitiful, but… it would've been better to neatly get rid of her.'

The strongest Sword Saint in history stood with both eyes closed. The Overgeared members were hovering around him with serious expressions. They killed the sound of their breathing and footsteps and struck all types of poses.

It was to capture themselves and Muller in a screenshot. It was the treatment of a male superstar.

"……"

Muller's thick eyebrows twitched. In his 'pure' state, he wasn't an Absolute, but he possessed absolute self-sufficiency based on his senses that had reached the peak. He naturally read the signs of the people busy moving beside him without making a sound.

'Each one of them must be a famous hero…'

Muller didn't find it ridiculous. Aside from Grid, all the Overgeared members were amazing. There were not only legends and transcendents, but also masters of their field. They were naturally those who valued their reputation. However, what they did together wasn't much different from the innocent youths in the countryside.

'How can those who are fighting against the fate of the world as Grid's close aides be so bright?'

Muller was wondering this when he suddenly realized it.

'Is this Grid's true ability?'

It was the power to reassure those around him and provide a peaceful 'daily' life despite the harsh reality. Perhaps Grid believed that he could make the Specter like them? This might be why he took away that swift sword that should've originally cut the Specter's neck.

'He is really a great hero…'

Muller was a hero of heroes. He was the treasured sword that protected the people and was one of the few who had been called the 'Hero King' throughout the ages. It was a shameful title for Muller. He was simply a swordsman and couldn't become the focal point to lead people.

It was an irresistible force.

Some people of noble status were inclined to shun Muller as long as his will was to look out for humanity. In the first place, there were dozens of kingdoms and countless forces on the surface. Origin, status, affiliation, ideology, politics, etcetera—there were many people who shunned Muller for all sorts of reasons and excuses. Some even interfered with him. Achieving 'great unity,' which should've been the basic premise for saving the surface, was simply impossible with a swordsman's ability to cut down the enemy.

However, Grid achieved it. His statues, standing tall throughout the continent on the way to the No Offspring Tomb, proved it.

'It isn't possible just because he is a god.'

Muller knew that Grid was originally a human. It was a fact that was naturally revealed through Grid's words and meaning. The great unity that Grid achieved wasn't because he was a god. Perhaps it was possible because it was 'Grid.'

'A great man to… respect…'

The faces of countless people flashed through Muller's mind. He never forgot the faces of those who worshiped him as a great man, trusted him, and cheered for him. All the years when he had been hiding in the dimensional gap, he thought about their faces every day and felt guilty.

He didn't dare to resent them. He was just sorry.

'It would've been nice if the hero in charge of my time had been Grid instead of an ordinary person…'

Muller's face, which had been stiff due to the behavior of the Overgeared members, trembled. The heart demon he had been enduring since he met Kraugel was tormenting him again. It was the aftermath of admiring Grid, a real great person, unlike himself. He got a bigger heart disease as the images of the people who adored him in the past overlapped with those who adored Grid. His agitation was on the verge of running wild.

"It is because of you, crazy bastard."

"Didn't you take photos as well?"

The Overgeared members whispered when they saw Muller's complexion deteriorating rapidly. In particular, Pon pointed to Vantner. Secretly taking photos beside Muller, who was deep in meditation—Vantner was the first one to start it. It was in the midst of the commotion.

"Sir Muller," Zibal spoke to Muller.

He had the experience of serving a prince who dreamed of rebellion, and understood the concept of a mental disorder from a heart demon. He had seen high ranking NPCs suffering from the imperial family's secret assassinations being killed or vomiting blood before dying.

"I don't know how you feel, but please control your mind."

Zibal was also someone's hero. Young people in the United States used to cheer for him enthusiastically. This was why he had a special heart for Muller, who was like the symbol of heroes.

The other members of the Overgeared Guild weren't much different. They realized that the situation was unusual and moved busily. They tried hard to help Muller somehow, such as taking out rare elixirs.

It happened as the commotion was growing…

Duguen!

The red lump of flesh—the thing that had stopped beating since Grid defeated the Specter suddenly started beating loudly again.

"……!"

"……?"

The eyes of the undead, as well as the Overgeared members, were all glued to the flesh. Jishuka, who was examining the No Offspring Tomb's information in detail, asked the Biggest Staff, "What is this? Didn't that stop working?"

""That's right. It stopped working the moment the Specter swore to the supreme one to destroy it…"" The puzzled Biggest Staff replied like he was also curious and stood in front of Jishuka.

It was as if protecting her. He was trying to score a lot of points with the supreme one's bride-to-be. The situation was unusual.

""Something… is coming.""

It happened before the Biggest Staff finished speaking. There was the sound of skin bursting and bones cracking. At the same time, the huge ball of red flesh split in half and something popped out of it. It was like a beast that tore apart its mother's belly.

[The 1st Great Demon, 'Baal,' has appeared.]

It was the moment when the true adversary of humanity appeared. A grotesque monster to some, a handsome gentleman to others, or a giant beast to someone—the man looked at each one of them and then his eyes shone when they fell on Muller among the Overgeared members.

"It was true? It was stated in Grid's epics. Isn't it both a great weapon and a weakness? They give away too much information."

"Baal…!"

In an instant, the Overgeared members raised their weapons and lined up as if to protect Muller. At the center of them was Jishuka. She loaded the Breaking Evil Arrow and aimed at Baal's forehead with a smile.

"What, is it you? Did you already know about 'that'?"

"Bow Saint Jishuka. You are asking an obvious question."

The red flesh made by the Specter was a reproduction of the red flesh in hell. The Specter insisted it would become the material for another hell. Therefore, Baal's senses were naturally connected to the red flesh created by the Specter. It was a fact that the Specter overlooked. She had unknowingly been on the palm of Baal's hand from the very beginning.

"I am going to become two? I cheered for Eve's tenacity while anticipating the unimaginable chaos that would arise. To be honest, I stayed on the sidelines because she is a tough opponent."

""How dare you say the name of the Specter?""

The Biggest Staff was furious. The undead of the No Offspring Tomb had been trained by the Specter for a long time, so they naturally hated Baal. They recognized him as the ultimate enemy who must be destroyed one day.

Baal chuckled.

"I'm deeply moved. The toy I threw away a long time ago is showing his teeth at me with the force to bite me."

""What nonsense are you saying?""

"Are you asking because you don't know? Albern, all the pain and sorrow that you went through in your life was what I gave you."

The undead of the No Offspring Tomb were reaped by the Specter, made into immortal bodies, and trained. They were both heroes and sinners in the past. They had an incredible career of saving and destroying the world.

Baal was behind it. One of Baal's long-standing hobbies was to bully talented people.

"Know that it was purely through my intentions that you were ultimately able to save and destroy the world."

""…You!""

The Biggest Staff, Albern, couldn't just hear this and cast magic. Rather than feeling nervous about seeing the 1st Great Demon, he was ready to beat Baal to death right away.

It was after the No Offspring Tomb expedition. It was a scene that proved the strength of the Overgeared Guild, which had grown exponentially.

Baal also admitted it. "The Sword Saint of the present era who cut a god, the Bow Saint, and Beriache's Knight…"

Baal pointed them out one by one. In turn, it was Kraugel, Jishuka, Katz, Zibal, Chris, Faker, Vantner, Hurent, Haster, etc. He was identifying the strongest talents one by one and was wary of them. This was a completely different attitude from the past when he was only wary of Grid.

Finally, Baal pointed to the trembling Huroi and said honestly, "I will be the only one to lose if I deal with you one by one here."

There was a limit to how long he could act before being caught by Grid…

"Get out of the way. I'll just take Muller," Baal muttered such words and squeezed through the cracks in the flesh to fully reveal himself.

Sword Saint Muller was the aspiration of humanity. In other words, he was the Grid of a past era. He was feared by demons, yet highly valued by Baal in many ways. Baal had long been eager to get his hands on Muller.

Baal released his power from the beginning. The No Offspring Tomb, which had the habitat of hell thanks to the red flesh, allowed him to show the majesty of the 1st Great Demon for a while. It took him an instant to break through the Overgeared Guild and the undead to reach Muller. He didn't care about the numerous wounds he suffered in the process.

Wounds weren't a big problem for Baal, who resurrected even when he died.

"Muller, I am finally going to get my hands on you."

Baal's voice whispered ominously and awakened Muller's consciousness.

Cough.

He vomited dark red blood due to the internal injuries he obtained from his heart demon and swung his sword at the great evil standing in front of him. It was a slash filled with incredible power and it was hard to believe he swung it in his unhealthy state. It was from the shoulder to the waist.

Baal's upper body was cut diagonally, but he just laughed. "Yes, this is it. This is why I want you."

"……"

Muller's arms drooped. The Space Sword he wielded in a state where it wouldn't be strange if he died right away was his last strength.

Baal dodged the Breaking Evil Arrow, blocked Kraugel's sword with his demon sword, and grabbed Muller's neck. The labyrinth improvised by Eat Spicy Jokbal tried to tempt him, but he destroyed it with force.

Muller thought about it.

As expected, it was dangerous. The Overgeared Guild was great, but it was somewhat lacking compared to the Specter. Grid would have a hard time handling her if the Specter betrayed him.

'I won't be able to stay with you… as expected… she should've been killed…'

It was the moment when Muller was feeling regret…

The ceiling collapsed and a presence with a very strong aura fell behind Muller's back. It wasn't just one, but seven of them. Muller noticed that some of them were strong enough to rival him and was so surprised that he regained his fading consciousness.

"At this point, can't we come forward?" the God of Magic and Wisdom spoke in a very disgruntled tone.

"God will praise us," the strongest person in the previous world agreed.

"Baal, how dare you appear here…" the surprisingly beautiful gorilla spoke human words.

Kraugel rescued Muller with Faker's help in the midst of Baal's panic and whispered an explanation to him, "They are Grid's apostles."

"…Hah."

Muller's worries melted away like snow.