Overgeared

“This is the last island.”

He revealed himself as the 10th great demon.

“My name is Leraje. I am one of the 33 rulers who control hell.”

Leraje covered half of his face with a deep hat. The red lips made a sharp contrast to the pale skin.

“I am a great ruler who combines power and strategy. The proof is that I easily made it to the 66th island. Huhut.”

““...””

It had been a long time since I met with others. Maybe it had been a few decades. However, I wasn’t happy. I was already bored and lazy.

The great demon was constantly talking. “My specialty is to struggle. I have a habit of winning against anyone I compete with. The evidence is that I easily took care of all the previous legends guarding the other islands. Demon Slayer Alex who made great demons tremble? Even he couldn’t be my opponent. Huhuhut.”

““...””

“Hrmm... It is unreasonable to try and talk to a death knight who doesn’t have an ego. It is no fun. Still, I am looking forward to it. Based on the sword hanging from your waist, you must be Sword Saint Muller. Didn’t you seal several great demons, including Hell Gao? I have always wanted to meet you. I will use this opportunity to prove that I am better than Hell Gao.”

““I’m not Muller.””

Who would dare to mistake my identity?

As I opened my mouth, Leraje said, “Hoh, a death knight is talking? Yes, you aren’t Muller? What are you called?”

““Madra. I was king of Lubana.””

“Madra...? I have heard it a few times. How disappointing. I was hoping to meet Muller on the last island... The final battle will be worthless as well.”

““...””

My anger rose. Pagma, you resurrected me because you are afraid of this guy?

““200,000 Army Crushing Sword.””

“...!”

I couldn’t find any meaning in this second life. I had no motivation and couldn’t move since I was trapped alone on the island. I stood in place and looked up at the sky, but my skills weren’t rusty. Fear filled the eyes of the arrogant Leraje.

***

It had happened before Grid learned 200,000 Army Swordsmanship. The past that he viewed in Madra’s diary stopped here in the middle of the seventh chapter.

However, things were different now. Grid, who had achieved level 399 and acquired 200,000 Army Swordsmanship, was able to read the back pages.

***

“Cough! Cough! Death... I am going to die from a death knight...!”

““A person who can’t stop this much is a loser.””

“You said you were the king of Lubana? You...! You aren’t Muller. How are you capable of this swordsmanship?”

““I am the Undefeated King. I haven’t experienced defeat, be it in life or death.””

“A bluff!”

Leraje tried to resist but it was useless.

My sword struck his flesh and bones.

‘...’

***

In the contents of the diary that followed, Grid saw the true power of 200,000 Army Swordsmanship. In the face of the true 200,000 Army Crushing Sword that couldn’t be compared to the degraded version, Leraje was literally crushed. He desperately unfolded his magic, but everything was cut equally in front of Madra’s sword.

‘Looking again, the difference is greater than the difference between heaven and earth.’

It was on a totally different level. The glimpses that Grid got of Pagma, Braham, and the yangban Garam weren’t comparable to Madra. Undefeated King Madra was the strongest. Duguen! Duguen! Duguen! Grid’s heartbeat started to accelerate. His admiration for Madra spurred his assimilation with Madra. 

I didn't know a single defeat.

I... I am Undefeated King Madra.

[★ Warning ★ You have assimilated with Madra in the diary and shared his memories and feelings. You need to be careful because you are psychologically feeling a great amount of anxiety and pain.]

[You are in extreme confusion.]

[The system is checking your brain waves and pulse. If it is determined to be dangerous, Death Knight Madra’s diary will be sealed.]

[Danger! Danger! Madra’s diary will be sealed!]

“...!”

The seventh chapter ended. Grid, who had completely assimilated with Madra, opened his eyes. He was drenched in sweat as he gritted his teeth. It was to distinguish between virtual and reality. He was Grid, not Madra. He tried his best to realize that he was Shin Youngwoo before he was Grid.

Duguen! Duguen! Duguen...

His frantic heartbeat started to stabilize.

[You are free from the confusion.]

[Your vitals have returned to normal. The eighth chapter of Death Knight Madra’s diary is unfolding.]

[Do you want to read it?]

“Heok, heok... Yes, I'll read it.”

@%$P)@!#$~$X##!!!!!!!

“...”

This challenge also failed. After learning 200,000 Army Swordsmanship, Grid re-read the seventh chapter several times to confirm the back of the diary. He experienced Madra’s great pain and despair, but he endured it. Grid wanted to read the eighth chapter. He wanted to understand Madra and Pagma more, and he wanted to get a glimpse of the 300,000 Army Swordsmanship.

However, the eighth chapter was completely unreadable. It was in a language that wasn’t human. Why? At first, he couldn’t understand what was going on. Then Grid was soon able to guess the reason.

‘It was the chaotic period.’

Madra defeated all the great demons that invaded the Behen Archipelago and was then alone for hundreds of years. He would’ve gradually lost the need for language because he had no one to talk to. The thoughts he wrote in the diary were likely transformed into something that only he could recognize. It was something completely different that couldn’t be defined by the concept of language. It meant that only Madra himself could read the eighth chapter of the diary.

‘Is this the end of the diary’s role?’

Grid had expected it. Death Knight Madra whom Grid had met on the Behen Archipelago hadn’t used 300,000 Army Swordsmanship. The weak body of the undead, that had undergone hundreds of years of storms, couldn’t withstand the destructive power of 300,000 Army Swordsmanship. Considering the time, it was highly likely that 300,000 Army Swordsmanship wouldn’t be written in the diary.

‘Even if there is 300,000 Army Swordsmanship, will I need to be level 499 to learn it?’

Level 499... At this point, it would take at least 5–6 years to reach that level.

‘There is no real answer.’

Grid opened his own status window. He was level 399. It was at 97% experience. He hadn’t leveled up despite beating Berith. Of course, there were many high-level NPCs among the raid party members. He had to consider that most of the experience had been distributed to the NPCs. It was common sense that the greater the level gap was between party members, the more disadvantages the lower leveled members received. Even so, the opponent had been a great demon. The amount of experience he dropped would’ve been beyond imagination. Frankly, this was too much.

‘I never dreamed that I couldn’t go up by even one level.’

From level 399 onward, the amount of experience required to level up seemed to double.

‘Isn’t this a point where I can’t level up through hunting?’

Grid suddenly realized this and stopped making the underwear that he was doing out of habit. His steady growth in the Tailoring Technique meant he was able to produce women’s underwear as well as men’s underwear. It was a sight where those who didn’t know about it would mistake him for an underwear thief or pervert, but it was an ordinary and familiar sight to the Overgeared members. 

‘It’s too big.’

‘It is Jishuka’s underwear.’

‘How do you know the size?’

‘Well, that... we lived together.’

‘I envy Jishuka.’

‘...?’

In the midst of the Overgeared members’ murmurs, Grid brought up his list of ongoing quests.

[Tailoring Technique Training]

[Class Quest

The possibilities for your development have become greater after learning the Tailoring Technique. 

If you get to the point where you can combine blacksmithing and tailoring, your foundation as a blacksmith will expand exponentially.

However, it is still difficult to utilize the Tailoring technique.

The gap between the intermediate Tailoring skill and legendary blacksmith skill is too large.

The intermediate Tailoring technique is likely to degrade the quality of the legendary blacksmith’s work.

Raise the level of your Tailoring skill to the point where it can be combined with blacksmithing.

Quest Clear Conditions: Master the Advanced Tailoring Technique.

Quest Clear Reward: Level +6 The opening of craftsman level Tailoring Technique.]

This was the reason why Grid made underwear whenever he had time. It was an inevitable class quest, and it also gave a huge reward. When he first received the quest, Grid was merely eager to see the craftsmanship. Now his thoughts had changed.

‘I have to stop making men’s underwear.’

He no longer coveted the craftsman level Tailoring Technique. If he received the craftsman level skill, he planned to apply it to blacksmithing and didn’t want to make underwear. Rather than the skill, Grid focused on the reward of six levels.

‘This is a real jackpot.’

Now it was hard to gain a level when fighting against a great demon. The quest gave six levels as a reward, so the value was astronomical. Grid made a judgment, ‘Don’t try to clear it too quickly.’

The higher his level, the higher the value would be. It wasn’t good to delay it too much, but he wasn’t in a hurry for the reward. Grid realized that he needed to be more relaxed.

‘The thing I need to focus on right now...’ 

It was to gain the remaining 3% experience and reach level 400. The right thing to do would be to reach the fourth stats awakening and then make items using Berith’s by-products.

“Okay. Ah, before that...” Grid made a plan and shouted, “Sticks!”

Was this the feeling when Jin X Gu called Dorae X Mon? Grid was excited every time he called Stick’s name. He had the confidence that Sticks would surely live up to his expectations.

“Ha... Why are you calling during class?”

Sticks was the principal and teacher at the Overgeared Academy. A few days ago, he gave Grid the ‘long-distance communication earphones’ which had been developed at Reidan’s alchemy facility, and this allowed him to hear Grid’s voice within the range of a certain distance. Grid got to the point straight away, “Take me to Reidan.”

“No, think about it. You can use the city’s warp facility...”

“It will waste Reinhardt’s magic power. That is money.”

“Don’t I charge Reinhardt’s magic power core anyway?”

“I-Is that so? As expected, isn’t Sticks really great?”

“Haha... Mass Teleport.”

Sticks was a busy person. It was his job to educate the children of the Overgeared Kingdom. He didn’t want to waste time, so he immediately used magic and sent Grid to Reidan. It was a waste of magic that ordinary players would never experience in their lives.

“W-We greet Your Majesty!!”

In the desert city of Reidan, the knights ran over after detecting the flow of magic power and recognized Grid. Chris, who was in the castle, immediately frowned upon arriving at the scene. “You have to send a whisper in advance if you aren’t going to use the warp facility. I was surprised at the thought of the enemy intruding.”

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll definitely do it next time,” Grid apologized with a smile before stepping forward. He moved in the direction of the alchemy facility.

Chris’ eyes shone as he followed Grid. “Has Berith’s Power finally been recharged?”

“Yes,” Grid answered with a confident smile on his face.

“Let’s see the real power of alchemy.”