Overgeared

『 Let’s run through it again. 』

The second day of the 5th National Competition. A total of 129 participants took part in 13 events during the day. However, people only noticed four players. Yura, Jishuka, Chris, and Sword Saint Kraugel. Among them, Yura played a particularly powerful role.

『 Let’s look at the position of every player at this point. The Korean players were completely isolated. They fell for the Chinese players’ move and ushered in a situation of being besieged. 』

『 It is really true when looking back. The positioning of the Chinese players was perfect. Their approach couldn’t be known from the South Korean players’ point of view. 』

『 That’s right. The ambush of the Chinese players should’ve been a success. However, this was where the problem arose. 』

In the video that played, the Chinese players secretly approached the isolated Korean team. Their positioning was perfect and there seemed to be no chance. Then the sky turned black.

『 The moment the hell moon rose in the sky, Yura closed her eyes. She summoned a black hole in that state, aimed the sniper rifle’s muzzle and fired without hesitation. 』

The shot precisely hit the head of a Chinese player who was crawling. At this point, the video was suspended and there was a close up of the hell moon.

『 Check for yourself. Where are the four largest eyes among the thousands of eyes on the hell moon looking? 』

『 ...! 』

The faces of the commentators turned white. The panel pointed out that four eyes of the hell moon were staring at the Chinese participants. There was only one correct answer they could think of.

『 Did Yura share vision with the hell moon...? 』

The commentators showed absurd expressions as they asked the question. The audience was also stunned. The expert panel looked assured in this seething atmosphere.

『 Yes, it is certain. 』

What was the identity of the moon that appeared only in hell? What exactly was it and why was it cooperating with the punisher of hell?

『 I’m sure that Yura is different from before. It is clear that she has the legendary majesty that Grid and Kraugel have already shown many times. 』

Yura certainly played a big role in last year’s competition. Nevertheless, she was widely regarded as lacking compared to the other legends. She was defeated by Zibal and Kraugel, a legend as well, so she was forced to listen to a relatively harsh assessment. However, this year she looked different from before. She had already taken revenge on Zibal on day one and in today’s canyon strategy battle, she smashed the Chinese team, a strong winning candidate.

-Sharing the vision of the moon ——; that is almost the level of a satellite operation.

-It is a greatly fraudulent skill... Kraugel might specialize in one-on-one battles but Yura will shine more in larger battles. There is nothing you can’t do if someone is watching over you.

-Then what is Grid specialized in?

-ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ Does that question even need to be asked? God Grid is specialized in every battle.

-I want to see Grid.

-Yes...

No matter how enthusiastic the commentators or broadcasters, it was useless. The more they rated someone as great, the more viewers eventually compared them to Grid. Grid’s performance last year was so intense that it couldn’t be helped.

The public’s stimulation threshold had been increased by Grid so Yura and Kraugel were still lacking from their position. The public wanted a greater tremor. Then they became depressed because they knew they needed Grid to taste more of the tremors that Grid had given him. Even the anti-fans who hated Grid when he was active now missed Grid. Only...

-Still, there is Damian to look forward to.

-I acknowledge that.

People were full of expectations for the Demon King’s Subjugation. Damian himself was a man who would be able to fully take advantage of the demon king’s buff effect. In particular, people paid special attention to Damian’s Four Heavenly Kings. Rebecca’s Daughters and the head of the Templar...

-Please give me just 0.5 of Grid, Damian.

-It is worth watching even if you give 0.1 millionth of Grid...

Well, the evaluation was still low compared to Grid.

***

Grid only recently recognized the importance of breathing. It was the type of enlightenment based on the accumulated experience of competing with masters seeking a moment’s gap between breathing in and breathing out.

Grid took only 27 seconds to fuse the two smelted breaths into one. It was the fastest record ever. The time was two seconds faster than Grid’s theoretical maximum speed. It was an achievement that was attained due to the combination of highly developed technology and concentration.

“Sigh.”

Grid, who had held his breath for the sake of smooth movements, finally breathed out. There were goosebumps all over his body and his swollen muscles twitched. 

‘This... It is normal to fail.’

In the process of tempering and fusing the two breaths, Grid realized it. The convergence of breath and breath was inherently ‘impossible.’ It wasn’t a matter of technique. It was clear that even God Hexetia would fail if he came out to attempt it. This wasn’t a level comparable to a god.

Every one of the breaths with conflicting attributes desperately rejected each other. All the reactions that occurred at this time made the fusing itself impossible. The Red Phoenix’s Breath burned and destroyed itself while the White Tiger’s Breath was firmly entrenched in the ground, so there was no way to try it. It was like a providence that would never change. However—

[The ‘White Tiger’s Breath that has absorbed the Red Phoenix’s’ has been completed!]

Grid succeeded in fusing the two breaths. Was it because Grid’s blacksmithing technique surpassed Hexetia’s technique? Not at all. As mentioned earlier, ‘technique’ didn’t fuse the two breaths. It was impossible. There was only one reason why Grid was successful.

He had the Red Phoenix’s 9th Heart.

‘The Red Phoenix’s Breath sacrificed itself for me.’

The Red Phoenix’s Breath that refused to fuse with the White Tiger’s Breath and tried to burn itself suddenly changed its attitude. It suppressed the flames and accepted Grid’s hammering. Then it gradually permeated the White Tiger’s Breath.

The Red Phoenix’s Breath abandoned its pride only for Grid’s sake and became submissive to the White Tiger’s Breath. The White Tiger’s Breath was satisfied with it and absorbed the Red Phoenix’s Breath. This was why the name of the merged breath was ‘White Tiger’s Breath that has absorbed the Red Phoenix’s.’ The brilliant white bead contained a flame that wouldn’t go out and was technically classified as a White Tiger’s Breath.

‘It isn’t a complete fusion...’

The result that Grid wanted was simple. It was to create a whole new breath that had the full function of the Red Phoenix’s Breath and the White Tiger’s Breath. However, the actual result was different from his wish. While the function of the White Tiger was more powerful than the whole, only around half the Red Phoenix’s Breath’s function was implemented.

[White Tiger’s Breath that has absorbed the Red Phoenix’s]

[It has absorbed the energy of the red phoenix and the power of the white tiger has been reborn in a stronger manner. Just by keeping it in the inventory, the earth attribute resistance will increase by 60%, fire resistance by 20%, and health recovery by 10%.

It can be used to infuse items with the powerful aura of the white tiger.]

The results differed from his intentions but Grid wasn’t disappointed.

‘This isn’t a failure.’ 

No, quite the opposite. The fire resistance of the Strengthened Red Phoenix’s Breath was 40% while the earth resistance of the Strengthened White Tiger’s Breath was 40%. The fire resistance of the White Tiger’s Breath that has absorbed the Red Phoenix’s might be relatively low but it also improved the earth resistance and added the option of increasing health recovery.

‘At this point, the defense option will be much higher than I intended.’

It was expected that since the Red Phoenix’s Breath could be absorbed, the Blue Dragon’s Breath and Black Tortoise’s Breath could also absorb it.

‘The red phoenix gave me so much.’

If he hadn’t resurrected the red phoenix, he wouldn’t have succeeded in fusing the breaths together in his lifetime. Grid was once again grateful to the red phoenix and smelted the White Tiger’s Breath that has absorbed the Red Phoenix’s together with Greed in the furnace. From now on, it was a full-scale production.

‘There are two forms of shoulder guards.’

It was divided into the wing-like shape and a rounded shape. The former felt like it covered the shoulders while the latter wrapped around the shoulders. Most of the shoulder guards circulating the market had the former shape. It wasn’t as functional. It was just because it was easier to make.

On the other hand, the shoulder-wrapped shoulder guards weren’t easy to make. Only craftsmen, the most skilled craftsmen, would be able to create the round shoulder guards that wrapped firmly around the shoulders. Naturally, Grid planned to produce the round shoulder guards.

Mobility, toughness, durability, etc. Compared to the winged shoulder guards, the round ones had more advantages.

‘The only downside is that it isn’t glamorous.’

Most nobles and royalty loved the winged shoulder guards. They used it to show off their wealth by painting the shoulder guards that stretched from side to side a gold or silver color or put various gems on them. Even so, Grid wasn’t in a position to be extravagant. He was in a position to be stronger by making more practical equipment rather than showy equipment. He was a king who spent more time on the front lines than in the palace.

A powerful recoil occurred as Grid hammered the mixture of Greed and the breath. The White Tiger’s Breath, which threatened Grid by releasing thorns every time it was hit, started to emit even more ferocious thorns. The sharp stones protruded and aimed at Grid’s neck, wrists, arms, and chest.

Of course, Grid wouldn’t be smoothly hit. In the past, when the White Tiger Sword was first made, he had been seriously hit by these thorns. Then the years passed and Grid grew.

“Hey hey. Relax.”

Grid didn’t even blink as he avoided the sudden attack of the thorns. Every time the mineral was hammered, he responded to the thorns that soared at irregular points.

“...”

The mineral subsided. It was hit by the hammer and no longer fired thorns. It wasn’t for such a beautiful reason like it decided to submit to Grid when he kept avoiding the surprise attacks. It was because every time Grid hammered, Greed started to show its presence. It was an absolute mineral with infinite durability, suppressing the breath and blocking the release of the thorns.

Grid’s mouth curved upwards.

“You should be moderately mischievous.”

The ‘blacksmith’ Grid wasn’t tired. It might be different after it was finished but he had never collapsed in the middle of his work. As Grid’s hammering increased, the breath resisted more violently but it was useless. In the face of the infinite siege of Grid and Greed, it gradually lost momentum and was encroached on by Greed.

This was it.

“Good.”

Greed and the breath had become complete. The smiling Grid started to make the shoulder guards. His goal was a lifetime item. Grid wanted to make perfect shoulder guards with the specs of a king that would be used for the rest of his life.