Overgeared

Kraugel—the one with achievements and a reputation for being beyond humans in different areas—was running away. He gained as much distance from Grid as possible. From the moment the effectiveness of Control Sword failed, it became hard for Kraugel to handle the four moving golden hands.

The God Hands wielded the hammer regardless of terrain or land. In Kraugel’s field of view, Grid moved closer while being covered with the 100% accumulated fighting energy. Grid now overwhelmed Kraugel in both strength and agility.

A sword shot out from Kraugel’s inventory. This was the deployment of Control Sword. It shot out and hit Grid. Then it got tangled up with the Blue Dragon Sword Breaker and shattered. Several swords had already disappeared. The battle was outrageously destructive. A more accurate representation was that Grid was one-sidedly destroying things. He pushed Kraugel easily with the power of the God Hands while shattering Kraugel’s sword with the sword breaker. Grid was like a god of destruction.

-...This is being overgeared.

-Isn’t this a new work created by Grid? I wish he would mass produce it and sell it to me. 

-Then I would sell my house to buy it.

-Do you live in a house worth 20 billion?

-Will he even sell it for 20 billion? It is said that the items Grid makes are only distributed within the Overgeared Guild.

-It is true that if you join the Overgeared Guild...

-Well, they don’t accept just anyone.

The public’s gaze didn’t move from Grid’s left hand, which held a sword breaker with blue lightning flowing around it. Today, the sword breaker was the best sword on Earth and the world’s greatest treasure. The object, which had been created by an individual called Grid, was being treated as a masterpiece and coveted by every person who was watching around the world.

In the waiting room, Peak Sword thought seriously, ‘Grid’s works should be used as the national treasures of South Korea.’ This was why Peak Sword was the chairman of the Patriotic Association of South Korea. 

Another sword was destroyed by the sword breaker. Kraugel suddenly stood still. He gathered strength in his toes and bounced up like a spring.

“...!”

‘Fast.’ Grid was very surprised as he belatedly noticed the situation after breaking a sword. Kraugel used White Light Steps and was instantly in front of Grid. Grid got such a fright that he got goosebumps.

“Meteor Sword.” An intense wave of energy was ejected from the tip of Kraugel’s sword.

Grid dropped down and stepped on land. “Kill!”

Under the pressure that was crushing his shoulders, Grid also used a skill. Naturally, it was done with the Enlightenment Sword. The basic damage of the sword breaker was slow, and the penalty it received meant that any skills released wouldn’t show their power properly.

The collision between Kill and Meteor Sword stirred up the battlefield. Shockwaves extended dozens of meters and knocked down the widely distributed marble columns. However, there was no ceiling here. The fallen pillars were merely ornaments supporting the air.

“Condemnation Sword.”

“...!?”

That was a skill which Kraugel didn’t abuse initially. It was a fight between skill and skill while mixing in common attacks. This was the most effective means to utilize the effects of the skills while arranging the cooldowns. Yet, now, Kraugel was linking skills straight away?

Grid was slightly puzzled but then responded with Drop. Soon afterward, he started the footwork of Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle. His intuition sent a warning that it was dangerous. In fact, the power of Condemnation Sword was different from Meteor Sword. It was on a level similar to Space Sword.

The two intertwined sword techniques roared. Black flames and stone pillars appeared in full force. Two God Hands blocked the stone pillar that was about to pierce Grid’s side. Then the two God Hands tried to smash Kraugel’s face, only to be blocked.

After the aftermath of Condemnation Sword and Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle ended, Grid immediately swung the sword breaker to reduce the durability of the White Tiger Sword. Kraugel reversed the White Tiger Sword and removed it from the influence of the sword breaker. He had already found the range of the magnetic field. Control Sword wasn’t wasted any more.

The White Tiger Sword aimed at Grid’s collarbone. It was the place where Valhalla and Triple Layers were combined, and there weren’t as many barbs. The durability of the White Tiger Sword wasn’t reduced. Kraugel raised his knees, pushed Grid away, recovered his White Tiger Sword, and used Space Sword.

‘Ah!’ It was only at this time that Grid could read Kraugel’s intentions. Kraugel started using many skills in order to suppress the efficiency of the Blue Dragon Sword Breaker. It wasn’t a bad idea. The sword breaker’s attack power and durability couldn’t afford to go against the skill.

Even so, there was a limit to his resources. Was it possible to fight with only skills?

“Freely Move.” Grid used the skill attached to the Secret Hero title. Last year, Grid had escaped from Kraugel’s Space Sword with this skill. This time, he planned to approach after avoiding Space Sword and then put an end to the fight using Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle that had its cooldown reset by God’s Command.

However, Grid failed to evade Space Sword. “...?!”

Kraugel’s Space Sword had been enhanced into a targeting type skill. It was the same as a legendary blacksmith reinforcing items by creating, disassembling, modifying, combining, and transforming items. Kraugel could configure his swordsmanship to change or enhance its performance. Last year, the ultimate sword technique that had lost to Freely Move was strengthened into a targeted skill.

[You have suffered 32,090 damage!]

[Your left arm has been cut off!]

[Your agility and strength have drastically dropped due to the loss of one arm!]

“Kuaaaaak!” Between the earth and sky which were split apart, blood splashed as Grid grabbed his shoulder and fell down. The Blue Dragon Sword Breaker which had pressured Kraugel throughout the battle fell down along with the severed arm. Kraugel didn’t miss this small chance. He rushed toward Grid and swung his sword mercilessly. Every stab or cut shaved at Grid’s health.

[The target has received 4,120 damage.]

[The White Tiger Sword’s durability has decreased by 21.]

[The target has received 4,390...]

[The White Tiger Sword’s durability...]

The fragments of the White Tiger Sword mixed together with the red blood that Grid dripped. Grid’s health dropped to the limit, and the White Tiger Sword was also heading toward destruction. The God Hands were once again caught by Kraugel’s Control Sword. The battlefield was completely reversed.

『 T-This is unbelievable...! 』

『 Grid suffered a fatal injury and isn’t even able to resist...! 』 

The commentators’ consternation echoed incessantly. Some audience members cheered while others were stunned. In the midst of the chaos, Grid was reminded of Yura’s face.

‘I can’t lose.’

He still remembered how he had gone to his reunion with Yura. Grid had been in a tremendously insecure state. Without her help, he wouldn’t have been able to let go of Ahyoung so easily. Grid remembered when he suffered from hair loss due to tax problems, the hair loss medicine Yura had given him had been as effective as the one Vantner recommended. He was grateful she had been there during his dark times. In fact, he felt that she had saved his youth, and he wanted to hug her.

‘She ran to the broadcasters every time in order to help me.’

He sometimes dreamed about the pleasant experience of them going to a restaurant together. Grid thought Yura was beautiful and never imagined that she could make such a cute face. For the first time, he became aware that she was younger than him.

...He didn’t want to lose her. She should continue being next to him.

[You have lost 3,250 health.]

The White Tiger Sword was weakened due to suffering sustained damage to its durability. However, Grid’s status wasn’t great either. The shield effect of the First King title, the healing effect of Tiramet’s Power, and the blood-sucking effect of Cray’s Power—Grid had consumed all the cards he could rely on during the battle that had already run for dozens of minutes. 

Of course, Kraugel was the same. Kraugel had few cards remaining.

While the chairman of the Daejin Group and president of Daejin Motors shouted, while Yura’s eyes became clouded, and while Chris discussed the Ferrari and Bugatti... 

Both Grid and Kraugel had been fighting without stopping. They fought fiercely and mobilized all means in the process. The two of them didn’t have any cards related to survival left. Yes, in terms of survival...

“Storm Demonic Energy Field.’

The clouds that Kraugel tore through at the beginning of the battle had long been blown away by the wind. New clouds were now in place and were quite dense. It was enough to gather rain and lightning. In fact, this was what Grid had just seen. This was thanks to the loss of his arm. It was only after this happened that he looked up at the sky.

“...!”

Grid had less than 5,000 health remaining. Kraugel was dismayed as he was unable to strike the final blow. A lightning bolt struck the place where he was standing. It didn’t end with this one blow. Lightning bolts aimed at Kraugel’s crown fell several times after that. 

Kraugel relied on Super Sensitivity to avoid them, allowing Grid to rise from his seat. Grid reclaimed the Blue Dragon Sword Breaker that was lying on the wet floor. He put the Enlightenment Sword in his mouth and held the sword breaker with the remaining arm.

Divinity was a skill that removed the casting and cooldown time of blacksmithing related skills. It could only be used once a day, but it could be used up to two times in a single use. This meant he could use it twice.

‘Item Combination.’

The Enlightenment Sword and Blue Dragon Sword Breaker became one. 

‘Item Enhancement.’

Grid attempted to use all the remaining enhancement scrolls in his inventory. However, he failed because he lacked time. Kraugel was already unleashing a series of strikes again. It was virtually impossible to deal with Kraugel while using the weapons enhancement scrolls.

“Crushing Sword!”

“100,000 Army Massacre Sword.”

The sword breaker had become one with the Enlightenment Sword. Now, it became a medium for great skills. The completely shattered White Tiger Sword scattered all over the place, and Kraugel entered the Immortal State. The single-handed Grid might have his stats decreased, but the power of the 100,000 Army Massacre Sword and Item Combination that attacked a target 30 times was enormous.

Of course, Grid wasn’t safe either. Crushing Sword was a skill that fractured the enemy’s wrist and damaged an item. Grid’s one remaining wrist was hanging limp. His remaining health disappeared, and he entered the Immortal State.

“Kraugel!!”

“Grid...!”

Kraugel brought out a new sword to replace the shattered White Tiger Sword. Grid tried to attack him in his defenseless and weaponless state, but his attack speed was slowed due to the fracture. He failed to counterattack, and in that gap, Kraugel once again pulled out a new sword. Once again, a sword was broken.

Another new sword...

Then one more broken sword...

This process repeated a few times, and the duration of Grid and Kraugel’s immortality ended. Concurrently, all the swords that remained in Kraugel’s inventory appeared simultaneously. There were only five swords, but this was threatening enough for Grid. The rain of swords poured toward Grid.

It was followed by Kraugel. He chanted the ‘Poem that Praises the Sword’, becoming one with the sword as he planned to stab Grid. However, he was blocked.

“Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle.”

“...!?”

This was a skill that could be called trash if he had low luck. It was the variable called God’s Command. The five swords were smashed by Linked Kill. Meanwhile, Pinnacle fell toward Kraugel’s body that was as solid as steel after becoming one with the sword. Kraugel’s vision turned gray, and red letters popped up.

[The Demon King Subjugation has failed.]

Grid had won. A thrilled smile appeared on Grid’s face as he spoke to himself, “Daejin Motors.”

“...?”