Chapter 1880
“You messed up your job because you were greedy.”
At Asgard...
Judar’s eyes were cold as he stared at Metatron. There was the sensation of digging into the inside that wasn’t apparent on the outside.
Judar reproached Metatron, who lowered their head in an overwhelmed manner.
“If you hadn’t been arrogant enough to hunt an Old Dragon, Chiyou would’ve displayed his strength relatively quickly.”
Metatron, who left the battlefield under the pretext that they had been ambushed by Chiyou, met a variable named Nevartan and was unable to return to the battlefield in the end. Thanks to this, Chiyou had enough energy and Asura didn’t have time to observe Chiyou’s strength. The reason for the failure of this Chiyou expedition lay purely with Metatron.
“”I’m ashamed. I have learned enough about the strength of an Old Dragon and I won’t repeat the same mistake twice.””
“Go away.” Judar didn’t bother being angry. He issued Metatron an order to leave and a.s.sessed the situation.
He couldn’t do anything about Chiyou, but it wasn’t a big loss. They got a lot of battle gear made by Grid. They were all powerful and beautiful enough to match the landscape of heaven.
Ornaments made of metal that symbolized Grid. Each battle gear was decorated with black-gold ornaments.
‘Is it the inherent limitation of those who rise up from a low place? Grid, you are also arrogant. Metatron’s mistake will be covered up by your mistakes.’
***
“Be aware of your position. Grid, your hierarchy isn’t one where you need to bow to a top dragon,” Bunhelier pointed out impatiently. He couldn’t accept the sight of Grid greeting Cranbel politely.
“Status doesn’t matter in a relations.h.i.+p,” Grid immediately retorted.
Hayate and Biban smiled.
As usual, Cranbel didn’t show any emotion with his facial expressions. He only captured the appearance of Grid in his deep eyes that was like an infinite universe.
Bunhelier read the mood and took a step back. “That is true from the time that I, a great Old Dragon, became your colleague.”
He shrugged and the black hair that went down his back waved. It was glossy, fine hair. From the tip of his toe to his hair, he was truly flawless in his appearance. He was literally fine on the outside.
‘Aren’t you embarra.s.sed in front of Cranbel?’
[I am the one who owes you. If you hadn’t intervened, I probably would’ve been killed by Bunhelier.]
Cranbel responded to Grid, who was inwardly clicking his tongue. It was while using honorifics very naturally.
“You are exaggerating. Your Dragon Words would’ve been enough to get out of the crisis. I was worried that you might be offended about me intervening unnecessarily.
“That is ridiculous.”
Bunhelier was the weakest among the Old Dragons, but he was invincible against the top dragons. Grid unrealistically appreciated Cranbel and it was just absurd. Grid didn’t care about this. In the first place, Grid was a.s.sertive. It was to the extent where he accepted Zeratul as a member of the Overgeared World despite the opposition of some people.
“What worries me even more is the relations.h.i.+p between you and Nevartan. Nevartan might hold a grudge against you. Do you have any intention of staying in Reinhardt for the time being?”
Biban was explaining in real time what had happened here to Grid. It wasn’t an explanation using language.
The scenes witnessed by Biban unfolded in Grid’s head.
It was the utilization of intent impossible for a player.
Grid thought about it. It could also be used as a mental attack.
‘An Absolute who knows how to use their power wisely will be able to subdue a player with their intent.’
It was nothing new. In the past, Garam had already shown how to overwhelm others with intent. For Grid, the experience of not being able to resist the Formless Will was as vivid as if it took place yesterday.
‘Garam...’
Once he remembered Garam, the images of the enemies he had encountered so far flashed like a kaleidoscope.
Starting with the poor slaughterer to the Black Knights, the Red Knights, the pope of the Rebecca Church during their dark age and the Yatan Servants. There were also monsters and bosses of various fields, the great demons, the yangbans, the Seven Guilds, Blood Carnival, the kingdoms and the Empire, the transcendents and the Absolutes who looked down on them...
At the time, they all felt powerful. There were many times when he wondered how he could win against them. But now he had defeated Baal and faced off against the heavenly G.o.ds. After fighting countless enemies, he was on his way to the ‘ending.’
‘The ending...’
Grid felt a bit confused. He always thought that he had to conquer Asgard in order to see a happy ending. However, looking back on what he went through today, he wondered if that was the right decision.
The G.o.ds of Asgard were different from demons. Of course, the G.o.ds were also far from being saints. They were selfish. They sometimes made mistakes and committed sins. However, it was the same with humans. The nature of the G.o.ds might be different from the aspirations of humanity, but humanity wasn’t ent.i.tled to condemn the G.o.ds.
‘We don’t have to fight.’
Of course, Grid’s obligations didn’t change. It was an obligation to prevent the destruction that Rebecca would cause. However, there was no need to antagonize all the G.o.ds in the process. He was convinced that there would be an opportunity to approach Rebecca in a more peaceful way.
It was a belief instilled by the att.i.tude of Dominion and the G.o.ds. Thanks to all types of encounters, Grid had his own discerning vision and had subtle expectations for Dominion. He had a feeling that it would be unlikely to meet each other as enemies in the future.
There was just one thing that bothered him. Judar, the G.o.d of Wisdom. If Dominion was in charge of the battlefield, Judar seemed to be in charge of all of Asgard in Rebecca’s stead. It was likely he had even more influence than Dominion.
However, looking back on what Chiyou had said, Judar’s disposition didn’t seem to align with Grid. Even Dominion seemed somewhat reluctant toward Judar.
‘I think it is more realistic to settle with him than to turn all of Asgard into an enemy.’
There were attack strategies in games. It was the same for Satisfy.
‘...Just keep building the tower and I will be able to do something.’
Of course, Grid was a person who used a standard attack strategy a very few number of times. That was the case this time.
At this point, Asgard was inaccessible without the help of the Old Dragons. Originally, Asgard was inviolable territory for players. Yet Grid had secured the means to ascend to Asgard. This was possible thanks to Eat Spicy Jokbal, but Eat Spicy Jokbal’s merit was also Grid’s merit.
If he hadn’t been squeezed by Grid, Eat Spicy would still be wandering in the underworld.
If Grid hadn’t provided Elizabeth with the environment to become a craftsman, Eat Spicy Jokbal would have run into all sorts of limitations without the artifacts that enhanced a dungeon master’s traits.
The weapon called ‘connection,’ which Grid used as his greatest strength, used Grid as its source in the first place.
In any case, Grid wanted to strengthen the relations.h.i.+p to the limit. He was also eager to appease Cranbel as an ally.
Unfortunately, Cranbel shook his head.
[I’m not ready to live with anyone. Additionally, I don’t think it is likely that Nevartan will retaliate against me.]
Grid didn’t force it any longer. It was because through the memories instilled by Biban, he overheard the conversation between Cranbel and Nevartan.
‘I’m glad that Nevartan is favorable toward me.’
In fact, this was the part he was looking forward to the most when raiding Baal. If Baal died, then Nevartan’s insanity would be cured. Grid decided that he could win Nevartan’s favor. He was looking forward to it more because Nevartan was Nefelina’s father.
Of course, there was a lot of anxiety. He was worried that the energy of the Insane Dragon in Greed would disappear when Nevartan’s insanity was cured. Fortunately, the nature of proliferation in Greed wasn’t extinguished and it was maintained. He got only the things that he wanted.
“I understand. Just... it is hardly a subst.i.tute, but can you listen to one request? I want to give you something.”
Making things one by one.
Grid took out the portable furnace and started hammering. In the process of making the dragon weapons with Hexetia, he surpa.s.sed the limits of his craftsmans.h.i.+p skills. Now he could really complete one piece in the blink of an eye. In terms of shape, it resembled a belt.
A waistband made of leather. It was very long. It was long enough to tie hundreds of human beings together. Surprisingly, its ident.i.ty was a bracelet.
[Bracelet Made by the Great G.o.d of the Surface for the n.o.ble Dragon]
[Rating: Myth
Defense: 100
Durability: 20,000/20,000
A bracelet made by Only One G.o.d Grid to give to the Cloaked Dragon Cranbel.
Greed is attached as an ornament to the special leather created by Hexetia, G.o.d of Blacksmiths.
Conditions of Use: A dragon.]
Was it because the background of being made for a dragon by an Only One G.o.d? Or was it due to the special materials made by the G.o.d of Blacksmiths and the use of Greed, which symbolized Grid, as a material? It was an accessory with no particular performance and was even made hastily, but it was judged as a myth rated item with all sorts of modifiers attached.
Due to his great artistry, he dazzled Cranbel, who liked treasure as a dragon. However, Cranbel couldn’t receive the bracelet easily.
[I don’t know what your intention is behind giving me this gift.]
“I can identify the location of Greed. As long as you have this, I can always find you, Cranbel.”
The Tower of Wisdom had a dragon radar. It was just that there were too many functional limitations to find hidden dragons.
“I don’t dare spy on you. Just in case you are in danger...”
[You’ve explained it.]
Cranbel slowly stretched out his huge hand. He carefully picked up the bracelet with fingers that were larger than Grid
[I know how you feel.]
An expression appeared on Cranbel’s face. Grid and Biban didn’t really recognize a dragon’s expression, but Bunhelier and Hayate did. It was a clear smile.
[I will cherish it.]
Cranbel was about to wrap a bracelet around his wrist, only to change his mind halfway through. He increased the size of the bracelet with magic power and hung it around his neck.
Biban was startled.
“It is like a dog on a leash... Hmm.” Biban’s words stopped halfway through. Hayate’s Dragon Slayer energy felt particularly chilly, so Biban came to his senses.
[Then let’s meet again one day.]
“Goodbye.”
The encounters with Cranbel were always short.
Bunhelier spoke to Grid, who was feeling regretful as he looked at the back of the giant dragon moving away quickly. “I would like a set of a bracelet and necklace.”
“......”
How many iron plates did he put on his face? Grid was convinced that there were few creatures in the world who could be more shameless than Bunhelier.
After a while, Grid returned to Reinhardt. The whole city was in an uproar because of Zeratul.