Overgeared

With a body that generated electricity, Kyle was a mutant who gave off electric shocks when a person got near him, and he hadn’t been loved by anyone. It had been Emperor Juander who wanted him, even when his parents were reluctant to get close.

Kyle still remembered the bright faces of his parents as they willingly gave their child away. Having been reviled all his life, Kyle tried to shake off the sorrow and solitude caused by his parents and tried to be acknowledged by the teacher the emperor introduced him to. 

After being abandoned by his teacher, he tried to raise his self-esteem that had fallen to the bottom. He worked alone to control his own power, and once he was finally able to control his power, he tried to live up to the emperor’s expectations. Kyle was overcome with great frustration and fear when he lost an arm to the Undefeated King’s descendant, but he tried to overcome it.

He thought his efforts were finally being repaid when he met the war god at the ruins in the Red Sea. The power gained in the midst of really great adversity—Kyle was intoxicated with it. He believed that becoming stronger was the only way to prove his value to the emperor, so he overcame his fear of the Undefeated King’s descendant.

Then he returned to the empire. Waiting for him was the news that the emperor had died. Kyle felt a moment of solitude that he believed he had shaken off a long time ago. The only thing that could sustain Kyle now was power. All he had left was the pride of the strong. Even so...

Even that was lost. He had lost in a place like this and received help from unknown people. If he died like this, it would really be the end. There would be no value in his birth. He would prove that his parent’s choice to abandon him had been right.

“All of you will die!!”

This time, he had to overcome himself. Only then could he move forward. Kyle believed this and consumed his Origin True Energy to recover, releasing all the electric currents in his body at once.

Following a massive explosion, lighting strikes dropped all over the place. Lightning fell to the ground and caused damage. It was a phenomenon that generated electrical discharge. In the end, it all came from electricity, and at this moment, Kyle was the source of dozens of lightning strikes. 

It was like a god. Everyone at the scene was overwhelmed and terrified by Kyle.

‘It is a great talent. There is a reason for the war god’s love.’ Even Lee Jeong marveled at Kyle’s potential. 

Kyle might still be immature at the moment, but in the very distant future, he would be rubbing shoulders with the Triad...

Lee Jeong was thinking this in the midst of the continuous lightning strikes and screams. Then an unusually loud sound of thunder was heard. The others didn’t care, but Lee Jeong who had long reached transcendence sensed some danger.

“...!?” Lee Jeong turned his head to the source of the sound. An incandescent man had dropped to the ground and grabbed Kyle’s neck. It was a miracle that he managed to tear through the storm of currents which made physical intervention impossible and pulled Kyle out.

“K-Keok!”

When did he get hit? Kyle struggled as he was held by the neck. The remnants of the currents, which had been torn apart, turned into a spear and returned to guard Kyle. Dozens of electric spears penetrated the unidentified monster. However, Kyle still couldn’t breathe. The force in the hand holding his neck didn’t loosen at all.

‘He’s fine?’

Why? No, even an attempt to figure out what was going on was a luxury right now. He had to survive first. Kyle transformed his body into electricity. He intended to escape from the hand that was holding his neck. Even so...

“...!!!” Kyle felt himself get extinguished the moment he turned into electricity. He was in pain like all the electricity he was made of was burning, and he had to stop his power hurriedly. Even the same electricity had a different voltage.

Kyle’s electricity generation was based on his innate constitution. In the past, he encountered a strange fate and went to the East Continent to receive the blue dragon’s favor. However, this electricity was ultimately generated through the medium of a human body, and the blue dragon only enhanced his natural strength.

In contrast, Grid processed and enhanced the Blue Dragon’s Breath and assimilated the power of the blue dragon itself into the Arrogant Blue Dragon's Boots. If Kyle’s electricity was 10,000 volts or 100,000 volts, then Grid’s electricity—which drew on the power of the blue dragon who oversaw lightning and rain—was one million volts or 10 million volts.

If he had to make an analogy, it was easy to see it as the difference between Pikachu and Raichu. Kyle couldn’t do any harm to Grid when he wore the Blue Dragon’s Boots. A heavy and cold voice entered the ears of the confused Kyle, “It has been a while.”

The shocked Kyle bit his tongue. His struggling body became limp, and an unidentified liquid dripped down. He had pissed himself. The god-like Kyle from a little while ago was gone. Kyle trembled. His newly regrown left arm was engulfed in a burning pain. 

“...”

Could Grid handle all of the war god’s followers and this person with half his health remaining during the duration of Lightning God? An unusual notification window appeared in the vision of the troubled Grid.

[The target has completely lost his will to fight.]

‘As expected.’

His expectations from several experiences were confirmed at this moment. Kyle—he had been treated like a bug by Braham who borrowed Grid’s body in the past. So, he equated Grid with Braham and still feared Grid. There was no resistance, and he didn’t dare to even look at Grid.

“I’ll look later.”

There was no time to spare for an opponent who wasn’t resisting. In many cases, it was virtually impossible to kill a durable named NPC. Grid let go of Kyle and turned his attention to the silent follower who was blindfolded and restrained. After observing the scene, Grid roughly grasped the situation and was furious with the follower above all else. Most of the wounds on Mercedes’ body were bruises.

“You dared to harm my knight.”

“...!” Lee Jeong’s eyes widened under the blindfold. The identity of the person who quickly beat Kyle with overwhelming force was Mercedes’ master?

‘There is a reason why she worshipped her master like a god.’

His skin was becoming numb. This was the power of the blue dragon. Why did he witness a power, which he had seen while serving the expelled gods, in this place?

“...I see.” Lee Jeong came up with a hypothesis. “You are allied with the expelled gods?”

“....?”

“It is ridiculous. They aren’t the lanterns of humanity.”

The expelled gods...

The beings that Grandmaster Zikfrector mentioned were emerging here? Grid moved. He couldn’t miss this opportunity to get great information, so he acted quickly. Lightning God only lasted as long as the maximum speed was maintained. Grid had already reached the maximum speed, and he was fast enough to threaten the perfect transcendence.

The panicked Kyle gathered his electric currents and thunder echoed in the forest again. Lee Jeong allowed nine attacks to get through while Grid managed to complete his sword dance.

“Transcended Link Flower!”

‘Isn’t this swordsmanship...?’ 

Was this man someone who rode in the same boat as the expelled gods?

──!

In the new quiet that fell, dozens of sword energy blades descended on the iron binding Lee Jeong’s hands. Grid didn’t aim at the restraints. Rather, his attack was blocked by Lee Jeong raising the restraints. However, defense was pointless. This was followed by a thunderous sound again.

Lee Jeong’s body shook. The lightning property of the sword energy had electrocuted him. Yet, surprisingly, Lee Jeong counterattacked perfectly. His kick struck Grid’s temple. It was the moment when the willpower of a transcendent overcame the notion of a status condition and the senses of a transcendent overcame speed.

There was just one problem. It was pointless to take a lot of damage and fight back. Lee Jeong’s kick clearly hit Grid, but Grid didn’t receive any damage. Instead, Lee Jeong’s feet passed through Grid.

‘It is different.’

There were no imperfections. This was a lightning god. Lee Jeong was thinking this when he was struck by Pinnacle Kill. The bleeding Lee Jeong tried to escape, but his escape route had already been blocked by Grid.

“Really great!” Lee Jeong honestly felt admiration for Grid as he once again avoided Grid’s attacks. He counterattacked, but it was once again pointless.

“Transcended Link Kill Pinnacle.” Grid triggered all types of magic and sword energy as four sword dances were sublimated into one. It was a finishing blow.

Lee Jeong’s intuition warned him of danger. ‘I have to release my restraints...!’

He had made the wrong judgment. After all, he wasn’t the only one with experience. Lee Jeong realized in hindsight and resented the restraints he wore for training.

[The duration of Blackening is over.]

Grid slowed down dramatically.

[Lightning God has been turned off.]

The white light winding around Grid’s body disappeared. However, Grid wasn’t upset. He had been calculating the duration of the skill. Grid had already taken control of Lee Jeong and completed Transcended Link Pinnacle Kill. The skill would hit. Victory or defeat in this fight had already been decided.

Grid judged this and calmly swung the Enlightenment Sword.

“Black Death Light!” Lee Jeong was someone who fought evenly with Mercedes while wearing restraints. He wasn’t someone Grid could handle without the Lightning God state.

“...?!” Grid’s vision darkened. His body was baffled.

Flash!

A sharp light penetrated.

[You have suffered 145,900 damage!]

[The First King title effect is activated.]

[A protective shield containing the health that was lost in the last minute has been created. As the shield continues, terrain adaptability will increase by 100% while movement speed and defense will increase by 10%.]

[Tiramet’s Power belonging to the Rune of Darkness is activated.]

[If your health drops below 10%, 30% health will be restored in an instant.]

“Kuek...!”

It was the worst. Due to the loss of vision, Transcended Link Pinnacle Kill was canceled in the middle.

‘It took too much time to come here.’

He had arrived at the World Tree’s Forest through Mass Teleport. Then Grid witnessed the explosion that occurred in the distance and noticed that Asmophel had triggered the Power of the Number Two. He had been running since then. However, the forest was so wide that he had felt like he wouldn’t arrive on time. Then Mercedes set up a new chivalric code, and an explosion occurred. Grid used Blackening out of anxiety.

He had used this power because he couldn’t summon his knights without knowing the exact situation. This was the result. Defeat?

“You are fine after being hit with Black Kill Light?”

No. Asmophel and Mercedes did as Grid expected and recovered sufficiently while he was buying time.

“Your Majesty!”

Grid was surprised as he stood on his two feet. He saw two people running beside him. The red-hot Asmophel and the cold Mercedes were a perfect contrast. Grid moved with them.

“Tell me about the expelled gods!”

“K-Kuaaaack!”

The three different swordsmen flowed like a wave and slammed toward Lee Jeong.