“Haha! Kuhahahahat!” Garam watched the situation and exploded with laughter. It was because Grid’s reinforcements who appeared and stood in Harang’s way were ordinary humans.

“Hundreds of thousands of humans can gather and they will be as insignificant as dust. What is the point of relying on less than 10 people?” Garam mocked Grid, “You’ve lost any idea on basic concepts just because your momentum has increased a bit recently. There is nothing that you can expect by relying on humans. Humans might struggle but they can’t block the path of a god. Harang will be here soon and you will die.”

It was Braham, not Grid, who mocked Garam with a twisted smile, “You wouldn’t exist without humans.”

“What?”

Braham laughed. The most glamorous smile was derisive as he glanced at the yangbans, who judged the value of living creatures. “There is no comedy when a parasitic man who relies on human faith regards humans as insignificant.”

“...It is the exact same provocation as before. It is Hanul who created us and Hanul who gave us the qualifications of a god. Human faith is just a means to make us more complete.” Garam was refuting it sarcastically when he suddenly shut his mouth. He finally noticed that Braham’s claims couldn’t be denied.

Braham shrugged. “If, according to your logic, humans are insignificant then you will also be insignificant. Well, you are just a trivial thing.”

“You! I am tired of being scolded by a human!” Garam blushed and shouted as he realized he undermined his own value while discussing humans. It was a silly reaction.

Braham’s expression became mischievous. “There is no room for rebuttal. You are just a sick dog that can only bark at someone taller than it.”

“...!”

“It is funny that you people mistake yourselves as gods just because you are a little bit stronger than humans.” Braham’s gaze was focused on the cut off ear peeking through Garam’s matted hair. “The image of a god is unchanging.”

It was human habit to embody it the more they understood and remembered. It was because the abstract eventually faded. Humans remembered, preached, and prayed to thoroughly shape the object of faith. It was through them that the image of a god was immutable.

“If you were a real god—” Braham watched the yangbans who cut off their arm and foot to get rid of the poison. “If humans truly regarded you as gods, these insignificant wounds would already be gone.”

However, it wasn’t that way. Human beings were obligated to follow because they were afraid or deceived by false myths, but they didn’t serve with genuine faith. Why? Why didn’t the yangbans foresee the situation? Could they be true objects of faith when they didn’t respect and support humans? Braham didn’t have any doubts.

‘They would’ve done it at first.’ It was just that after many years, they forgot their position and made mistakes over and over again. Maybe the humans let them down first.

“...” Garam kept his mouth shut. He wasn’t angry nor did he deny Braham’s words. He merely looked at Braham with a serene gaze and analyzed the situation. He intuitively felt that the moment he intervened, he would fall apart.

“Gru, Naeun."

“Uh.”

“Speak.”

They were the yangbans who cut off their arm and foot to avoid the poison. They often argued with Garam but now they were showing a rare docile attitude. They determined that Garam, who had achieved a high performance in all of Chiyou’s test, would be able to overcome this crisis and acknowledged him as the leader.

“I will deal with the silver-haired man. You guys deal with the black-haired man behind him while waiting for Harang to join.”

Normally, he would’ve changed the opponent. He would’ve thrown the dangerous silver-haired man to Gru and Naeun while he dealt with Grid and gave Harang the finishing blow. However, this time he really had to be careful. He had to take the tough role. If Gru and Naeun were defeated before Harang joined, Garam would also be in danger.

“Um... I’ll do so.”

“I know.”

Gru and Naeun responded after a moment of worry. In fact, they thought that Garam and the three of them would join forces to deal with the silver-haired man. They saw him as someone who wasn’t ordinary, unlike the black-haired man who had been half-dead since the first time they saw him.

‘...Grid. It is the name of the creator of the reproduced Red Phoenix Bow, which was a hot topic last time.’

‘Garam has been playing for a long time but he must be persistent to live until now.’

Gru and Naeun had arrived at the scene even before Braham showed up and saw Garam turning this man into a rag. The Cho king deceived the Hwan Kingdom thoroughly enough to prepare for the red phoenix’s resurrection and he must’ve prepared a trump card. Even if the red phoenix’s curse grabbed Garam’s ankle, it would be difficult for him to drive Garam to this extent if he was just an ordinary human being. Of course, this was a story for when he was in a perfect state.

Gru and Naeun placed Garam behind them as they released the soft swords tied to their waist at Grid. Gru had lost his right arm and Naeun had lost his left foot, but they took a swordsmanship stance without losing balance.

“You will die before Harang arrives.”

“This is better for you, maker of the reproduced Red Phoenix Bow.”

Gru leaned his upper body deeply forward to touch the ground while Naeun grabbed his shoulder and climbed onto his back. It was a swordsmanship that a human couldn’t attain even if they trained all their lives. The moment Grid revealed a gap, Gru’s soft sword moved in an arc.

The rocks on the ground soared like a typhoon was occurring. Grid’s vision was disturbed and his heart was pierced by Gru’s soft sword. He was already more dead than alive due to Garam and couldn’t respond to the speed of the half-god.

“Hap!” Naeun used the reaction that occurred when Gru launched his sword movement to fall toward Grid’s head, stabbing his sword toward it. He thought this human was completely settled. Of course, this thought ended with Gru’s scream. 

“Kuaaaaak!”

“...!?”

Gru’s scream happened just before Naeun’s sword pierced Grid’s head. Naeun was feeling doubts when Grid disappeared from Naeun’s vision.

‘Shunpo?’

A chill went down Naeun’s spine as he landed on the ground and turned his gaze in Gru’s direction. Grid clutched Gru’s sword piercing his chest with his left hand while acting in a wild manner.

“Ohhhhhh!”

Rather than allowing Gru to recover his sword, Grid thrust the sword deeper into his chest as he advanced and advanced. He recklessly approached Gru as he stabbed and swung his sword wildly like a wounded beast at the edge of a cliff.

“Get away now!”

Naeun temporarily took back the White Tiger's Breath that had been used to stop the bleeding at his ankle to operate the Blue Dragon's Breath and Black Tortoise's Breath to strengthen his speed and attack power. He immediately flew to Grid and stabbed his back.

It entered properly—the sword dug into the gap of Grid’s armor that was woven like dragon scales, ripping at Grid’s internal organs. It might not be an instant death but the impact was so large that the person would naturally be unable to move. However...

“Kuaaaaah!”

Grid didn’t stop. He roared even louder as he chopped at Gru together with the black and gold hands holding weapons. Gru couldn’t bear it and abandoned his sword to try and move away, but he failed.

“Link!”

“Nyaang!”

An identical copy of Grid and a cat-like monster risked their lives and Gru’s retreat path didn’t easily open.

“N-Nauen!”

“...!”

The shocked Naeun regained his senses. He faced Gru’s eyes seeking help and realized that the situation was far more serious than he expected.

“Get lost!!” Naeun exerted his power. The wind moved as hundreds of attacks were thrown at Grid. Yet all the attacks were scattered by an invisible, intangible blade.

‘What?’

Nauel was appalled by the incredible sight when Gru’s groan filled his ears. The eerily silent blade pierced his heart.

‘T-This is impossible?’

How could the sword of a human pierce the body of a god that was harder than a great mountain since birth? Naeun was daunted when he realized that Gru didn’t just falter under Grid’s pressure, Gru fled with all his might. At the same time, Gru—skewered by the Enlightenment Sword—sank down like a broken doll. His pupils lost their light and were empty. No emotions could be seen in them.

“De...ad?”

To a human? Naeun’s two hands, which had been bold enough to cut off his limb in order to handle the poison, trembled like crazy. Fear—the first and last time this feeling struck him was when he watched the Five Seniors seal the old guardians. He took a few steps back from the blood-covered Grid gasping for breath and examined Garam’s situation first.

Garam had risen into the sunset-filled sky and was engaged in a fierce battle with the silver-haired man. He was so focused on his battle with the silver-haired man that he didn’t even notice Gru’s death. This time, Naeun’s gaze turned to the distant walls.

Like Garam, Harang had achieved excellent results in Chiyou’s test yet she was still unable to cross the gates. There were less than 10 humans with different abilities but it was hard to find gaps in both their attack and defense. The biggest problem was the reproduced Red Phoenix Bow.

Was it blessed by the red phoenix? Every time there was a roaring boom, arrows surrounded by divine flames appeared and raged. Each arrow fired contained a power reminiscent of a meteorite and it was absurd. The flames of the red phoenix, who sprinkled a rain of fire to defy the Five Seniors, was imbued in the Red Phoenix Bow.

‘What is this...?’

There was no hope if this continued. Yes, hope. This was the lowly word that incompetent humans used when trying to endure reality. He never thought he would use it. He felt shame and blushed.

‘Garam, that bastard...! He gave us the bomb!’

It was certain. Grid was stronger than the silver-haired man. He was a transcendent and grew beyond the definitions of a human.

The convinced Naeun raised the aura of the blue dragon to the extreme. He had to survive, even if it meant the deep sin of fleeing. ‘Go to the Hwan Kingdom and communicate the situation here...’

It happened the moment Naeun jumped forward. In the process of defeating Gru, Grid had consumed all his skills and resources, including immortality. Now he muttered with stiff shoulders, “Skill...” 

A notification window filled his blood-stained vision.

[The duration of immortality is over.]

[The effect of the title Protagonist of Two Eras has instantly restored health and mana by 20% each.]

“...Creation.”

Things were bad. The Red Phoenix's 9th Heart helped with stamina and recovery but he was on the verge of exhaustion. All his skills were disabled because he had poured everything he had at Gru. New skills were needed even if this skill was his last blow.

[Skill Creation has been used. Are you sure you want to use it?]

It was a choice that required prudence. It happened just as Grid’s mind was about to answer yes...

“Hell Summoning.”

The space where Grid was located was cut off from the world. The sunset sky where Naeun was floating was dyed black. The tens of thousands of eyes covering the red full moon blinked and welcomed Grid and Naeun.

“Condemnation Sword.”

Hell—in the cursed space that defied divinity, Naeun’s weakened body was struck by a green sword of light. In the black scenery, blood splashed over the silver armor and reminded people of red roses scattered on the snow.

“It has been a while.”

Was he so happy to be together? Yura’s bright smile as she gently descended and held out her hand was like timely rain in Grid’s impoverished heart.