Overgeared (WN KR)

At the deepest part of a vampire city...

In a place where even the Overgeared Empire couldn't reach, there lurked an abyss that even Noll didn't dare to peek at. There was an orange lotus blooming in the center of the abyss. It was a castle illuminated by unquenchable torches. The geometric exterior looked like a flower at first glance and the walls surrounding it were beautiful while conveying a sense of intimidation.

"Marie Rose!!"

The ceiling of the castle, which hadn't allowed a foreign invasion for hundreds of years, collapsed. It was unable to withstand the surge of Braham's magic power as he broke in screaming.

"You, did you know everything and deliberately shirk your responsibility?"

Braham had met Leraje after leaving the hell expedition. The 10th Great Demon with the nickname of Supreme King—as Beriache's subordinate, she confessed and proved that she had been eagerly waiting for the day when Beriache's successor would visit hell. There was a strong ally in hell when he thought it would be full of enemies everywhere.

Did Marie Rose not know this? At first he was skeptical, but now he knew for sure. He noticed it when he heard that Marie Rose had tied up the feet of the Evil Dragon. Unlike him, this woman inherited his mother's memories. She had knowledge he didn't know as the Duke of Wisdom and knew the truths that were hidden behind the world.

She would've known of Leraje's existence. Then why had she been delaying her revenge?

"Now looking back, you were able to lift the curse on your own from the beginning."

He hated to admit it, but the 'Blood King' was a role that his mother arranged for Marie Rose. A being who would become Marie Rose's groom and provide her with high-quality nutrients.

The day when Grid became the Blood King—Marie Rose would've been able to elevate her rank by subduing him with force and forcibly committing a crime against him. It was clearly possible for her to transcend their mother and remove the Curse of Sloth.

However, she didn't do so. It was as if she was ignoring their responsibilities.

"What are you up to? Why did you postpone our mother's revenge?"

"......"

Marie Rose slowly raised her body from the white coffin and stared at Braham. The sight of Braham staring at her with a contemptuous gaze was very familiar to her. It had always been this way.

"It is too much if you are trying to evade responsibility. You were born after killing our mother and you have a duty to fulfill her aspirations."

A dagger was lodged in her chest. It was a different type of pain than when a stake pierced her heart. It was much more painful. There were no signs of recovery. Nevertheless, Marie Rose didn't show it. She smiled leisurely as always and gave the same look to Braham.

How can you despise me when you haven't even taken on the duty...?

She couldn't bring herself to fight back like this. She experienced how painful it was to have her heart wounded and didn't want to return the same wound. Her feelings were becoming infinitely closer to a human being. She was becoming softer in real time. It was a fact that she only recently realized.

"If I forced Grid, then wouldn't I never be loved?"

"What...? Love?"

Braham looked as if he had seen something he shouldn't have seen. He even convulsed slightly.

"You were born after killing our mother… you were born with absolute power and knowledge in your hands, yet you are discussing a single emotion? This jerk monster. You, who should be lonely without being understood by anyone. Do you have no sense of shame?"

"You have enjoyed it enough. There is no law that says I can't crave love."

Braham had a deep connection with his disciples, Pagma, and Grid. It might've been in a twisted form, but there was no denying that the feelings he had were precious.

"You dare... you dare to enjoy the same thing as me?" Braham's beautiful face was terribly distorted.

"Do you think that our mother gave birth to you just to share love? The reason why our mother gave her life to give birth to you was because...!!"

"It wasn't what I wanted."

"......"

Marie Rose never wanted their mother to sacrifice herself. She never wanted to take on their mother's responsibilities. She couldn't bring herself to say this, but it was sufficiently communicated.

Braham was stunned for a moment. He looked at Marie Rose with a dazed expression that he had never shown in front of anyone. He was at a loss for words because he never dreamed that she would say such nonsense.

Marie Rose's long, white legs emerged from the coffin. Even ordinary gestures became sensual and forcefully attracted the attention of others. "Besides, it is too late to come here and criticize me."

Braham came to his senses. "Too late? What does that mean?"

"My dear husband has become too strong. It is impossible for me to forcibly commit a crime against him now."

"Don't make me laugh." Braham scoffed. "I know full well that he couldn't handle an Absolute, even if his transcendent status reaches the limit. Isn't even divinity unable to be compared with the power of an Absolute? Grid can't deal with you unless he rides a dragon, so what is this nonsense?"

You are giving a vain excuse due to being blinded by love. This ugly being...

Marie Rose continued speaking as Braham was expressing his anger, "I already know it because I blended with my dear husband once."

Marie Rose had taken Grid's blood. Blood that was so sweet that it was distracting... life... She felt so ecstatic that it could be called the first pleasure she felt since birth. It was from then on. No matter how far away she was, Marie Rose was able to feel Grid's presence.

"The rank of my dear husband has become almost the same as mine."

"You keep talking nonsense..." Braham was staring at Marie Rose as if he wanted to kill her, only to become startled. It was because he felt that one of the concepts underlying him, Grid's divinity, had become sharply strengthened. His power as an apostle of the Overgeared God had grown exponentially stronger.

"What..." Braham was bewildered by the unexpected situation, but he soon understood. Grid had become the master of a new myth called Yellow Dragon. At the same time, his transcendent status had reached the peak and he was on the verge of acquiring the qualification of an Absolute. It was fundamentally different from the temporary qualifications gained from relying on dragons.

"In the future, my dear husband will encounter all types of powerful gods."

"......"

"I think it is more important to take care of my dear husband's safety than to take revenge for our mother."

"......"

As expected, Braham was silent.

Marie Rose had a satisfied expression on her face. Then she sneered. "Or do you want to release my curse?"

It was possible until recently. However, now it was impossible. Marie Rose had used her power to fight the Evil Dragon and suffered from the curse being even stronger as a side effect. In the first place, the Curse of Sloth was a structure that restrained Beriache. The more Marie Rose revealed the power she inherited from Beriache, the stronger the curse became.

"A man who can only speak. Get lost,"Marie Rose issued an order to leave.

Braham's mind was complicated as he left the castle with helpless steps. He understood and hated himself for putting the living Grid before his already dead mother. He was weighed down with a great sense of guilt, but he wasn't buried under it. It was because Grid was the most precious thing for him now.

***

[The myth of the 'Yellow Dragon' has caused an upheaval in the Overgeared World.]

[The areas defended by the Four Auspicious Beasts are about to be incorporated into the Overgeared World.]

[It will take some time to mix the myths.]

[The current transfer progress is 0.1%...]

[The gods of the Hwan Kingdom are reacting sensitively. Caution is required.]

[The myth of the 'Yellow Dragon' has given you a new power.]

[It is a power that contains the ideals of the Four Auspicious Beasts.]

[You have acquired the new skill, 'Breath of the Yellow Dragon.']

[Breath of the Yellow Dragon Lv. 1]

[Passive

If the skill used is related to a dragon, then the skill effect and power will be enhanced.

The power of the Red Phoenix, the power of the Black Tortoise, the power of the Blue Dragon, and the power of the White Tiger can be activated.

Once the power of the Four Auspicious Beasts is activated, all the skills of the Four Auspicious Beasts are unlocked.

★ An additional feature is created every time it levels up.]

"Uh...?"

Wasn't this too showy? Grid was feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the divinity that had turned into an image of a Yellow Dragon. Then his eyes widened in a dumbfounded manner. He seemed to have a heart possessed by a ghost as he tried to activate the power of the Blue Dragon.

Some of the divinity that formed the image of the Yellow Dragon caused sparks. Yellow lightning literally swept around Grid. Several notification windows popped up at the same time.

[The effect of 'Incarnation of Lightning' is activated.]

[The effect of 'Lightning God' is activated.]

[The skill 'Lightning Speed' will be opened.]

[The skill 'Come Down!' will be opened.]

'This is crazy.'

The skills contained in the Arrogant Blue Dragon's Boots—in other words, the skills of the Blue Dragon were opened when, previously, they could only be used when wearing items made using the Enhanced Blue Dragon's Breath. Even the conditionally activated skill Lightning God was applied directly as a passive skill like Incarnation of Lightning.

Grid was thrilled and activated the power of the Red Phoenix. The divinity that took the form of lightning was mixed with flames.

[The effect of 'Incarnation of Fire' is activated.]

[The effect of 'Red Phoenix's Breath' is activated.]

[The skill 'Fire of Life' will be opened.]

[The skill 'Fly Up!' will be opened.]

Then Grid used the power of the White Tiger and the Black Tortoise as well. It was perfect. It wasn't possible to stack more than two powers, but this seemed to be a problem that would be solved when the level of Breath of the Yellow Dragon increased.

'There is no need to be sad even if I can't stack them.'

It was because there was no cooldown time. Apart from active skills such as Come Down! and Fly Up!, the passive skills could be activated at any moment without any constraints or delays just by switching. Grid felt as if he was wearing invisible items overlapped over him. It felt like the shoulder guards, gaiters, boots, and gloves bearing the names of the Four Auspicious Beasts were overlaid over the dragon armor. The effect of Yellow Dragon was just ridiculous.

However, the one thing that really bothered him was that the appearance was just as splendid as the effects. The orange divinity he wore around his body already felt burdensome at times, but now it reached the point of forming a Yellow Dragon...

Grid took a deep breath and walked toward the well in the yard of the shrine. He checked his reflection on the surface of the water. A circular divinity that was three meters in diameter and the image of a Yellow Dragon, that seemed to be alive and breathing, was spread out behind his back. No matter how he looked at it, this was cooler than it needed to be...

It was so gorgeous that it seemed like flies would greatly hover around him. For example, Lauel or Lauel.

'Maybe Kraugel as well...'

There was a yellow dragon embroidery on the back of the dopo that Kraugel liked to wear. It was unfortunate, but Grid's new divinity was likely to be to Kraugel's taste.

'What if he is really jealous? I am embarrassed.'

Grid was feeling sorry when he suddenly realized something. Perhaps the reason why he acquired the Tailoring skill was for this day. It was to give Kraugel a new yellow dragon dopo that was as wonderful as his divinity...

"......"

Grid was thinking about his friend with a keen heart when his gaze suddenly shifted toward the sky. Beyond the ceiling of the collapsed shrine, the blue sky was crossed with curved and straight white clouds. It was too artificial to be a naturally formed cloud. It was the traces of the protection that concealed the location of the home of the Chivalrous Robbers for many years.

Grid opened his mouth toward these traces. A near golden Breath was fired. It was the feeling of releasing his divinity. The artificial breath attached to Cranbel's Head penetrated the sky with an extraordinary power, unlike before.

At the same time, faint murmurs were heard. It was the voices of the Three Masters that were now somewhat familiar to Grid. The aftermath of the emergence of the Yellow Dragon myth rendered the protection around the base of the Chivalrous Robbers meaningless.

The gods of the Hwan Kingdom attacked the base.