Chapter 1873
Grid didn’t want to fight Chiyou. However, Chiyou was obsessed with Grid.
‘I have no shame.’
He would fight only when there was a chance of winning. What should he do to overcome this situation? The solution he came up with was surprisingly simple.
Metatron had hinted at it from the beginning. The heavenly G.o.ds were aiming for Chiyou. This was why Grid loosened the constraints of the Overgeared World.
The heavenly G.o.ds, who came down as if they had been waiting, targeted Chiyou and Chiyou could no longer be obsessed with Grid.
‘Now I can breathe a bit.’
Martial G.o.d Chiyou—the Only One G.o.d’s power was beyond Grid’s imagination. There were many cases where dozens of G.o.ds wielding all types of powers were unable to inflict any injury despite unleas.h.i.+ng a coordinated attack.
However, the composition of the battle wasn’t one-sided. It was because Dominion, the G.o.d of War, was balanced. The spear he wielded protected the other G.o.ds while carving wounds on Chiyou’s body. It was a neat spear technique without any frills. It possessed formidable power and suppressed the Martial G.o.d.
Grid was also overwhelmed.
‘There is something intuitively powerful about the combination of the huge presence and power of the spear.’
He was certain that Dominion’s divinity was rising in real time right now. There were few people who would witness such a figure and not wors.h.i.+p it. Additionally, Dominion’s spear unconditionally caused a multi-hit effect. Every time they collided with a target, the image of a huge spear fell from the sky and attacked the target several more times.
However, the fact that Chiyou was the target worked badly. Chiyou’s power was to induce a ‘pure confrontation.’ The added effect of Dominion’s attack had no effect on Chiyou. The moment the image of the spear touched Chiyou, it shattered like gla.s.s shards. All the wounds on Chiyou’s body were cuts and stabs from the spear wielded by ‘Dominion himself.’
‘They are monsters.’
Grid was convinced. The fact that in order to fight and win against them one day, he needed something other than force.
A mob beating. Yes, in vulgar terms, it was beating up one person as a group.
They weren’t the type of enemies he could fight one-on-one and win.
‘This is why the others need to become stronger.’
In any case, Grid entered the realm of transcending himself and focused on the situation. He was able to breathe by encouraging the fight between Chiyou and the G.o.ds, but he couldn’t be satisfied with this much. The G.o.ds fighting among themselves ignored Grid.
When would he encounter this situation again? It was an opportunity that wouldn’t come twice.
Grid decided to take advantage of this opportunity.
“Keok...” The G.o.d, who was seriously injured and lying on the ground, had an incredulous look on his face. He alternately looked at the sword that pierced his heart and the face of Grid, who inserted the sword.
“How could you... shameless...”
“......!!”
The other G.o.ds were also agitated. The same was true of Chiyou.
“You shouldn’t have done this,” Chiyou lamented. It didn’t feel like a rebuke. He seemed worried about Grid. It was natural to be concerned. Now Grid had done something cowardly in front of everyone watching. Didn’t he incite the other G.o.ds to fight and take advantage of the opportunity to attack them? It wasn’t something that a great being should do.
“The wors.h.i.+p of you will weaken...!” Finally, Sariel warned. It was advice. At the same time as the cry, the concerns of the G.o.ds once again s.h.i.+fted away from Grid. They heard the apostle’s warning and didn’t think Grid would do the same thing again.
‘It is a chance I will never get again.’
Grid wasn’t the only one who saw this as an opportunity. Dominion also considered this situation where Chiyou was isolated as a unique opportunity.
A variable that wasn’t affected by the G.o.ddess’ influence—in the past, the heavenly G.o.ds were unable to stop Chiyou from taking refuge with Hanul and experienced helplessness for the first time. They learned the concept of a disaster. They were obsessed with Chiyou because Asgard knew it couldn’t be perfect as long as Chiyou was alive.
The exception was Zeratul. Unlike the other G.o.ds, he couldn’t take his eyes off Grid. It was because he experienced firsthand that Grid’s specialty was making predictions go wrong.
‘He isn’t the type to listen to others.’
It was as expected.
“Kuack!” Another G.o.d was seriously wounded by Chiyou and immediately beheaded by Grid. He was fatally injured in front of a large number of people. In return, his status was greatly damaged and he fled to heaven helplessly.
“...What are you doing?” Dominion couldn’t stand it any longer. He stopped the G.o.ds’ offensive with a heavy gesture and glared at Grid. “Isn’t this a loss for you as well?”
Even an Only One G.o.d wasn’t free from criticism. Chiyou was proving it right now. The reason why Chiyou’s appearance was blurry—it was because he was worried he would be wors.h.i.+ped by people.
That’s right—G.o.ds were ultimately influenced by humans. Grid shouldn’t be arrogant just because he accomplished the formidable feat of purifying h.e.l.l. His cowardly actions were being witnessed all over the world at this moment. The humans who wors.h.i.+ped him would be suspicious and disappointed.
Grid’s beheading of a G.o.d who had already been defeated by Chiyou did more harm than good. The gains were small, while the losses were great. In reality—
[The G.o.d of Joy, ‘Paante,’ has been defeated.]
[Your level has risen.]
[Your level has risen.]
Grid got a large amount of experience for beheading the G.o.d. His status didn’t rise at all but he instead faced a warning window.
[Many people have witnessed your cowardly actions.]
[If they are disappointed in you and give up their faith, your status might be reduced.]
“Is there anything left to be disappointed about?”
Grid c.o.c.ked his head. He looked like he really didn’t understand. Did he have poor wisdom instead of being born with no talent?
It was at a time when the G.o.ds were whispering.
“You’ve disappointed them several times already...?”
Dominion pondered on Grid’s words and looked at the reactions of the humans. Then he immediately came to a conclusion.
“From every detail, you are different from other G.o.ds. In a different sense from Chiyou, you deserve to be an Only One G.o.d.”
The humans who witnessed Grid’s despicable deeds in real time—they didn’t make a fuss at all. They took it for granted. It was as if Grid was inherently a despicable being.
“To tell the truth, Grid has been strange recently. Since when has he been fair?”
First of all, the members of the Overgeared guild—they weren’t disappointed in Grid in the slightest. On the contrary, they seemed happy that he showed his true colors.
“He is a man who doesn’t even keep his promises.” The apostle Braham testified to it. He thought back to Grid of the past, who broke the promise to make a ‘vessel’ and only took the pavranium.
“He is an unappealing person by nature.” Piaro’s testimony followed.
“He and Sir Kraugel made a joint attack on me...” Mir added a sentence cautiously.
“He has always been stingy with a few cows.” Nefelina was very excited.
“......” Zik confirmed it with silence.
Even Mercedes, who loved Grid the most, couldn’t defend it and looked away.
“T-That...” Sariel closed her mouth. In retrospect, Grid wasn’t a fair being. He showed greatness when it was necessary, but he also had moments of narrow-mindedness. Sariel remembered Grid’s insistence that she become a woman every time she met Empress Irene and finally realized.
“I-I can’t believe the G.o.d I serve is a mean and narrow-minded person...!”
It shouldn’t be like this. It was right that a G.o.d be perfect.
Sariel was filled with nervousness when she suddenly saw the expression of people. The soldiers and knights of the empire were building barriers on every street in the city, and the people were watching the scene with bated breath from a distance—everyone looked calm. It was hard to find anyone who was disappointed in Grid. As the people who had been watching Grid for a long time, they knew Grid’s nature. Nevertheless, they admired and wors.h.i.+ped him.
“Ahh...” Sariel had a new epiphany. A G.o.d didn’t have to be infallible. On the contrary, they could be flawed and therefore, the object of empathy. In the first place, flaws weren’t sins. Wasn’t it too harsh if imperfection was a sin?
“...I acknowledge and accept that the G.o.d I serve is flawed, and I will not be disappointed.”
I am the most lacking being. Despite being the apostle of a G.o.d, I have never played a proper role. Even so, G.o.d has fully accepted me. It is also right that I do the same...
Sariel had a great epiphany and abandoned her hesitation. She stood beside Grid, spreading the feathered wings of several archangels. “I will also be cowardly.”
“......”
It was like... things were working out as expected, but he felt bad...? Grid frowned at the apostles’ reaction and turned to Dominion. From the moment he appeared until now, he had maintained a solemn expression befitting his gigantic appearance. Now for the first time, he looked taken aback.
“A G.o.d who maintains his dignity despite being treated like that by his apostles... there has never been one.”
“......”
It was Grid who couldn’t react hastily because it was ambiguous whether it was a compliment or a curse. Even that silence became special to Dominion.
“You don’t intervene in how others evaluate you. Absolute confidence in yourself... it is an att.i.tude that I want to emulate.”
“......!”
The eyes of the heavenly G.o.ds widened.
The son of the G.o.ddess—one of the highest beings in Asgard said that he wanted to emulate someone other than the G.o.ddess. A divine punishment fell immediately. It was a divine punishment with a definite form. It was Asura, the Evil G.o.d born in h.e.l.l. He came down and crushed Dominion’s shoulders, which were as wide as the sea.
“There are many familiar faces. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to exchange words. I’m afraid of Judar’s reproach.”
The essence of Asura was fighting spirit. He didn’t delay and immediately rushed at Chiyou.
It was an absolute mess. In the midst of the messy and chaotic situation, Grid refrained from acting recklessly. He had hope that Asura, the ominous ma.s.s of variables, could be dealt with.
However, unexpectedly, Chiyou failed to overwhelm Asura. He was the first to step back in a one-on-one situation. Maybe it was because he was tired of dealing with the heavenly G.o.ds and Dominion after Zeratul, or Asura’s martial arts were simply too outstanding.
Dominion’s eyes were glaring at him fiercely.
‘He doesn’t seem to like Asura...??’
Just then, Grid and Dominion’s eyes met in the air. It was an exchange of looks that represented intertwined interests.
“I’m going crazy.”
Zeratul had a hunch.
At the same time—
‘Did Asura partic.i.p.ate in the battle?’
Metatron regained their full strength when the Overgeared World’s constraints were lifted and grasped Reinhardt’s situation in real time. They spread their 18 pairs of wings in an attempt to quickly return to the scene and contribute to the subjugation of Chiyou. However, they were unable to fly up and stiffened.
[I heard your voice the other day. You compared yourself to an Old Dragon.]
The surroundings turned black. A very large shadow obscured the sun, causing the illusion that night had suddenly come.
[Let’s check it.]
The existence that spoke solemnly while raising his two giant eyes.
The Insane Dragon—no, it was Nevartan, the Old Dragon who was freed from the curse after Baal died.