“I thought you ran away because you suddenly disappeared during our conversation.”

The recovery potions produced at Reidan’s alchemy factor were now called ‘secret medicine.’ Gulp. It was a smaller dose than ordinary potions, but the effect was much better. Grid swallowed it in one gulp and restored his health. His gaze was fixed on Mir even as he welcomed Kraugel.

Mir, who had just cut down Grid, was standing under the moon again. The remnants of Lightning God moved around him and burned the snowflakes.

“I just came after eating,” Kraugel told him.

“Did you eat well?”

“Yes.”

“Then you should digest it.”

This time, it was Grid who acted. He didn’t miss the activation timing of Earth God, which had a probability of randomly activating when his feet were on the ground. The ground that Mir was standing on rose. His body that was standing under the moon instantly floated to the top of the moon.

Grid and Kraugel didn’t talk to each other or develop plans. They judged and moved separately. Nevertheless, it was a perfect pincer attack.

Grid used Shunpo to appear behind Mir’s back and cut at Mir with the Fire Dragon Sword. Mir moved the Blue Dragon Dao behind him to block it and Kraugel used Earth Dragon’s Ascension. Mir easily avoided Earth Dragon’s Ascension, but this was the result that Kraugel expected. He used the recoil of Earth Dragon’s Ascension to rise above Mir’s head and connect with Meteor Sword.

At this time, Grid was in the middle of the two fusion sword dance, Linked kill. It was an attempt to attack during the gap that Mir briefly revealed while avoiding Earth Dragon’s Ascension. The Meteor Sword fell toward Mir’s head as he was blocking Grid’s onslaught. The powerful waves that crushed the ground made the land shake even more.

Grid and Kraugel each moved simultaneously. They thought it was possible to push Mir, but it was an illusion. Mir’s Blue Dragon Dao that was intertwined with the Fire Dragon Sword seemed to back down. Mir used a grappling technique to grab Kraugel’s wrist as he approached with Meteor Sword, turning it around.

It was the manifestation of transcendence. He split the 0.2 seconds that Kraugel perceived into shorter pieces and used it to easily deceive Kraugel.

“......”

Kraugel crashed into the ground and was silent for a second.

He realized that the process of his sword suddenly turning around from where it was aiming at Mir’s head and then him getting stuck in the ground was omitted from his memory and could only lament that his super sensitivity hadn’t reached transcendence yet.

‘...I’m too far behind.’

No, that wasn’t it. Grid was too far ahead. Kraugel confirmed that he wasn’t Mir’s opponent at this stage.

“......”

Kraugel raised his head. Unlike himself, who had been mesmerized by Mir's transcendence, Grid was still fighting with Mir on the shaky ground. He watched from a distance and was able to follow the two people’s movements and the intentions hidden in them. Yet the moment he got closer again, he wouldn’t be able to read it.

Kraugel was watching the battle silently when it was Grid who crashed to his side this time. He rolled on the ground several times before rising and calling out to Kraugel, “What are you doing? Aren’t you going to digest it?”

“You should start by changing from that weird look.”

“How can you say that someone else’s wife looks weird? You aren’t Huroi, so what is with that tone?” Grid grumbled. Grid was currently using the skin mask. Since he was in the East Continent, he intended to accumulate achievements in Irene’s form to build up her divinity.

“I’m not saying that Irene’s appearance is odd, but that you are weird in Irene’s form. Isn’t it treating people as trash?”

“Huroi might be impolite, but he never calls people trash...”

“Right now, you are wearing a form that doesn’t fit. Do you think you can show your original skills with shorter arms, shorter legs, and a subtly different vision from your original body?”

“......”

It was awkward. He had felt this every time he exchanged blows with Mir. The movements that his head and body remembered.There was a creaky feeling when carrying out the movements that he had taken for granted so far. He was caught by the subtle differences he didn’t feel when he fought relatively weak opponents.

‘It turns out my habits aren’t suitable for a shorter body.’

Habits arose due to ease and being accustomed to it. Grid belatedly realized and took off his skin mask. In the first place, Mir had talked about his divine air and had identified him from the beginning. There was no reason to insist on keeping Irene’s appearance.

“Sigh.” Grid regained his original appearance and took in a long breath. The cold but fresh air seeped into his lungs and woke up his mind.

Meanwhile, Mir showed no interest in Grid’s change in appearance. The words of the grandmaster who said that gods weren’t bound by the outer appearance came to mind.

‘In many ways... he is different from other yangbans.’

He wasn’t frivolous or arrogant. There was a sense of weight in his words and actions. The impression he gave off was quite weak compared to the loud and intense impression that Garam showed when he first appeared. However, Grid instinctively knew that this made Mir trickier. He was stronger than Garam and there were no gaps.

‘A middle stage boss of the East Continent... I can think of him like that.’

He was right below the gods of the Hwan Kingdom. Unlike the other yangbans, Mir could truly be called a half-god. He must be at least equal to the leader of the archangels.

“Overgeared God.”

“......”

Kraugel had been nervous while admiring Mir just like Grid. Then his expression relaxed at the words. His tension was broken by Mir calling out ‘Overgeared God’ with a serious expression.

‘Why is it the Overgeared God?’

He hadn’t been convinced by the Overgeared Guild, the Overgeared Kingdom, and the Overgeared King, yet it even reached the extent of the Overgeared God.

Kraugel was clicking his tongue at Grid’s awful naming sense when an eerie feeling came over him.

The handle was the tail of a dragon and the tip of the blade was slightly forked and open like a dragon that had lost its yeouiju.[1]

The Blue Dragon Dao’s blade trembled in a dizzying manner like it was going to start moving, but it was instead covered with pure energy. So far, there was nothing to be surprised about. The reason why Kraugel felt threatened was...

It was due to the strong lightning that covered the sword blade. It wasn’t a metaphor that the pure energy was like lightning. It really became lightning. The technique that Kraugel thought of when he invented ‘Thunderbolt’ was contained in it. However, it was more concise and perfect.

“You were born from human aspirations and will feel the duty to fulfill their desires, but you should know better than anyone. Just because you’re a god doesn’t mean you are omnipotent. If a god was truly omnipotent due to human beliefs, there would’ve never been a war between the gods. Hanul wouldn’t have been driven to this place and the Four Gods wouldn’t have been humiliated by being sealed. Your goal is to release all the seals of the Four Gods. I don’t want to be disrespectful to a god anymore, so please give up.”

After speaking, Mir swung the Blue Dragon Dao surrounded by lightning. It was a light movement, but the shockwave caused was huge. Lightning flashed and struck at Grid and Kraugel.

[There are no attacks that you won’t recognize.]

Grid read the lightning and responded. However, the lightning was so fast that he couldn’t completely avoid it and one arm was burned.

[You have suffered 28,900 damage.]

Kraugel couldn’t read the lightning. Instead, the moment that Mir’s shoulders moved slightly, he predicted the direction of the swing and reacted. It was just that the lightning was too fast and Kraugel’s movements were relatively slow. Half his upper body was burned.

“......”

Kraugel’s expression became darker as he suffered nearly 30,000 damage after being hit by the attack that was just a simple swing of the sword. Fortunately, he resisted the electric shock, but it wasn’t really that comforting. Mir just stood in place and swung his Blue Dragon Dao while Grid and Kraugel had to avoid it with all their power. Reacting, predicting, and avoiding the lightning strikes that occurred every time Mir swung the Blue Dragon Dao caused a tremendous drain on their mental power and health.

“Gasp, gasp, gasp...”

Grid unconditionally triggered the world of transcendence every time Mir moved and it placed great pressure on his body. His stamina was rapidly consumed and his movements became somewhat dull. On the other hand, Kraugel lost his health, but still had some stamina.

‘My role has become bigger.’

Grid and Kraugel’s purpose wasn’t to kill Mir. They expected from the beginning that it was impossible to fight Mir and win. Grid just wanted to test Mir’s skills to set an agenda for the future. Kraugel couldn’t turn away from such a Grid.

Yes, don’t overdo it. It was enough to go back alive.

As Mir once again swung the Blue Dragon Dao, Kraugel triggered Thunderbolt and rushed forward. The lightning that passed by his cheek gave him a thrilling pain, but he persevered. He arrived in front of Mir in an instant, but Mir watched him with an unconcerned gaze.

“Sword Saint Kraugel, your skills are very good but they are useless against me who has absorbed the Blue Dragon’s Breath.”

The words were belatedly heard. Mir had already disappeared from Kraugel’s sight. Kraugel was trying to chase after Mir when a notification window appeared in front of him.

[Your super sensitivity stat has increased by 1.]

It was a tremendous growth rate. Mir’s speed after using Lightning God and the Blue Dragon Dao was developing Kraugel’s super sensitivity in real time. It was inferior compared to Grid, who already entered the world of transcendence, but it was a growth rate that was enough to motivate Kraugel.

The Blue Dragon Dao cut Kraugel’s side and then moved to stab him in the back. Kraugel couldn’t withstand the shock and fell forward, but the Blue Dragon Dao was already in front of Kraugel’s eyes as he touched the snowy ground. This time, the Blue Dragon Dao pierced his chest.

Blood flowed as Mir approached Kraugel’s side. Kraugel was able to see the sword scar on Mir’s white neck. It was presumably a wound that occurred quite some time ago.

“Why didn’t you learn Muller’s secret techniques? Do you think you have more potential than Muller? If so, it is a terrible arrogance.”

The sharp criticism was filled with emotions. Kraugel figured out who made the sword scar on Mir’s neck.

‘What if... what if I give up on being stubborn now?’

Could he compete with Mir for a moment? Kraugel was shaken for a moment when a voice entered his ears.

“What is that bullshit?” It was Grid’s voice. His gaze as he approached Kraugel’s left side while using the five fusion sword dance intersected with Mir’s gaze who was standing on Kraugel’s right side. “Kraugel will go beyond Muller.”

“......!”

The words were filled with conviction. These words caused the troubles that had been rushing like a wave and tormenting Kraugel disappear like snow melting.

“......!” Mir had experienced Grid’s sword dance at the beginning of the battle and hadn’t felt too much interest in it. Now he was shocked. Both Kraugel and Mir noticed it. Grid’s sword dance had become sharper, more accurate, and more powerful than what it was just a few minutes ago.

“Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle.”

A mental image of destruction manifested itself and the entire space was filled with an overbearing deterrence. It was enough for Mir, who was using Lightning God, to shrink back, and Kraugel predicted Mir’s actions. He used ‘Loop Sword’ against Mir who was trying to accelerate away and pulled him to the side. The price was terrible. He lost all his remaining health from the immediate counterattack and entered the immortality state.

However, Mir also paid a great price. He was hit by Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle that was released from the combination of the Enlightenment Sword and Fire Dragon Sword. Mir’s eyes widened with surprise from the pain that was beyond imagination before a smile appeared on his face.

“I’m looking forward to... the future.”

Then Mir’s flames were overlaid on the Storm of the Fire God created by Grid. They were flames mixed with poison and lightning. The flames caused a fierce explosion when they collided that engulfed Grid and Kraugel. After that, Mir persistently attacked the two of them. All resistance from Grid and Kraugel was neutralized and the two of them were eventually killed.

“...I need to become stronger to challenge the remaining Four Gods later,” Grid murmured.

Now all he had to do was free the white tiger and the blue dragon. Due to this pressure, Grid was naturally obsessed with the East Continent. Now he neatly arranged his goals. Grid was able to immediately realize what he needed to do. A more correct and rational plan was made.

On the other hand, Kraugel became obsessed with Mir.

‘We fought for less than 30 minutes, yet I gained two points in super sensitivity. I’ve lost experience, but it is much more difficult to increase my super sensitivity than to gain levels.’

It was a very ignorant method, but he thought that insisting on fighting Mir would help him grow rapidly. They worked together, but had different goals. In any case, the result was the same. They would continue to become stronger and stronger.

1. In Korean myths, East Asian dragons are sometimes depicted as carrying a giant orb known as the yeouiju. It was said that whoever could wield the yeouiju was blessed with the ability of omnipotence and creation.