Overgeared

“Are you sure it is okay?”

This morning—following Biban, Grid fell unconscious. It was the aftermath of entering Biban’s mental world. The tower members were nervous when they saw the two men who hadn’t regained consciousness even as night fell. In the first place, was it possible to break into someone else’s mental world?

“After Sir Biban, if something goes wrong with Grid... we have no choice but to hold you accountable.”

The tower members respected Muller. However, they didn’t have a personal relationship or trust with Muller. Even considering Muller’s achievements and reputation, they had no choice but to become suspicious.

Muller understood.

“If I happen to cause trouble to Grid—” He nodded and spoke with a serious expression, “I will fall into hell immediately and cut off Baal’s head at least three times before dying.”

I will die after slightly reducing the life of the master of hell, which is close to infinity...

Even that paled in comparison to the achievements that Grid would accumulate in the future, but it was the best thing that Muller could do.

The tower members frowned. “Are you threatening us now?”

Muller dying to Baal? There was nothing worse than that. If Baal possessed the power of the Sword Saint, then he would become so powerful that it couldn’t compare to now.

“I just want to take some responsibility. In any case, the world is over the moment something goes wrong with Grid. What is the point of a threat?”

Muller knew that Grid was essential to the world. He said that he wouldn’t put Grid into danger, but in fact, he was inwardly nervous. It was because Grid was unconscious for much longer than he expected.

‘The resistance of the sword seems stronger than I expected...’

Right now, Biban’s mental world would’ve been ruled by a sword. The small sword, which was originally only a small part of Biban, would’ve absorbed Biban and become larger than him. In other words, it was difficult to communicate. Perhaps Grid was engaged in a fierce battle without discussion with Biban, who had become a sword.

‘...I was hoping that Grid’s presence would awaken Sir Biban’s consciousness.’

Muller had only recently known about Grid. Despite this, Grid was imprinted as the most special connection throughout Muller’s life. That was how great a person he was. Muller guessed that for Biban, who had associated with Grid for years, Grid was likely to be a very extraordinary presence. Moreover, Biban was the owner of the dragon weapon that Grid created for him.

He believed that the swordsman would’ve realized that it was natural for him to rely on the sword, even if it was belatedly. This was the background behind the reason he expected Grid to awaken Biban’s consciousness from a deep sleep. But looking at the situation, it seemed difficult.

Biban’s consciousness seemed to have sunk deeper than Muller expected.

‘If it is delayed any further here, I have no choice but to step out and destroy it by force.’

Muller was close to invincible when it came to swords. Not only was he good at handling swords, but he was about to fight against those who used the sword and win unconditionally. Therefore, he asserted that he could behead Baal three times. He knew Baals’ personality, who enjoyed pretending to be playful, and knew that Baal would try to use swordsmanship to confront him at least three times.

In any case, Muller would win as long as it was a sword that was dominating Biban’s mental world. Nevertheless, the reason why he sent in Grid was naturally for Biban’s sake. The sword that dominated Biban’s mental word was also Biban. Muller breaking into Biban’s mental world and slashing his sword meant he would be cutting Biban’s mental world. There was a risk of damaging his mind, memories, and experience.

In order to fully rescue Biban, a conversation was needed, not force. The ones most suitable to rescue Biban through a conversation was Hayate and Grid. At the very least, Muller didn’t have the confidence to awaken Biban’s consciousness without violence.

‘In this situation, it would be ideal to send Hayate, but...’

Hayate was pale and tired. He seemed to have been quite shocked after realizing that he was the one who ruined Biban. It was only natural that, as the Dragon Slayer himself, he felt guilty for driving Biban to this point because he was afraid of the dragons. The unity of his mind and body shook like it was about to break and the atmosphere was unusual.

‘He is the person after Grid who shouldn’t be lost. I can’t put him in danger.’

Humanity’s first Absolute—Hayate was the only one who reached the level of an Absolute in a pure human body. Unlike other Absolutes, he was subjected to various restrictions due to being human. Nevertheless, he used all his capabilities to suppress a dragon’s rampage. This was even though he feared dragons more than anyone.

He was a great man who had no flaws in terms of his skills and personally. He was also the pride of humanity. In Muller’s opinion, the value of Hayate was higher than that of the world. Even if this world was destroyed, he had to protect Hayate so that humanity’s hope would continue.

Who knows? In the next world or the world after that, Hayate might stop the end of the world.

‘I hope that Grid stops the end of the world this time.’

Hayate was insurance. He must not be lost. Muller was convinced again and drew his sword. He was determined to come forward and rescue Grid and Biban himself. It was the only solution at the moment, even if it meant hurting Biban.

“......?!”

Muller’s eyes widened as he swung his sword and tried to open the entrance to Biban’s mental world. It was because the entrance didn’t open. His Heart Sword, which could cut anything, couldn’t cut Biban’s mental world.

‘Why?’

It happened as Muller realized there was a serious problem and became even more concerned about Grid’s body...

“Biban!”

“Grid!”

Grid and Biban, who were sleeping as if they were dead, opened their eyes at the same time. Muller trembled while the tower members looked relieved. He realized why the Heart Sword couldn’t cut Biban’s mental world.

‘The world... it has become five.’

The surface, hell, heaven, and the Hwan Kingdom—the world was largely divided into these four dimensions. Except for these worlds that each had their own Absolute, the other dimensions were insignificant.

Now the game had changed. The world would be divided into five, not four. It was the surface, hell, heaven, the Hwan Kingdom, and the Tower of Wisdom. This meant that a group that had less than ten people was now standing shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the world.

It had to be so. They now had two Absolutes.

“You...”

Hayate was also aware of Biban’s extraordinary situation. He couldn’t help being amazed when seeing Biban’s deep, mellow gray eyes. In the tumultuous atmosphere— Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

“I was greatly helped by Grid,” Biban explained.

Just then—

Flash!

Grid’s Twilight exuded a brilliant glow.

[Twilight has contributed to the birth of an Absolute and the enhancement value has increased to +3.]

An overwhelming energy filled the space. The tower members flinched and were slowly overwhelmed. It was because they felt the faint energy of an old dragon from Twilight. They realized that a sword made from the fang of an old dragon could truly carry the energy of an old dragon.

“Can I borrow that sword for a moment?” Biban politely asked Grid.

“Of course.” Grid gladly handed it over.

In the first place, he planned to make new dragon weapons for the tower members. There was no reason to hesitate to lend Twilight. Biban’s figure holding Twilight disappeared like a lie.

Grid, Hayate, and Muller shifted their gazes outside in turn. Through the huge window, Biban’s back could be seen. His gray hair fluttered in the moonlight and shone like white snow. It felt like he was cooling down the orange divinity emitted by Twilight.

“......!”

The tower members found Biban one step later and were horrified. It was because they noticed a huge light approaching through the night sky. It was a Dragon’s Breath. The precise trajectory was aiming at Biban. It was a bombardment that would turn the sober Biban into ashes and make the tower collapse.

“They have started to locate the tower...!”

They had to hasten the relocation. However, it would take quite a few sacrifices to deal with the dragon that was attacking right now. The first victim would be Biban.

Ken’s fist smashed through the window. The giant brothers, Radwolf and Fronzaltz, and Betty flew out the window, while Abellio’s painting and Jessica’s buff magic were stacked on Biban’s body. The 5th Seat, Jurene, attempted taming against the dragon. The chance of success was naturally 0%, but it was theoretically possible to restrict its behavior for a while.

They were all desperate apart from Grid, Hayate, and Muller. It was a weak stream of fire compared to the Breath of Fire Dragon Trauka.

However, the Breath of a low-grade dragon could still annihilate a human city and it was coming close to Biban. It would be long before the tower members arrived.

“Biban!”

It happened at the time when the tower members screamed out of concern about Biban, who was facing the Breath alone...

A series of explosions were created from the Breath. They were explosions that occurred as Biban pierced through the flames that continued in a straight line. It felt like a wave of flames was engulfing the night sky.

[...What?!]

The dragon’s willpower that was filled with consternation was conveyed intact to the tower members. Muller and Hayate’s mouths dropped open slightly. Muller was admiring the movement of Biban, who used the power of Twilight to charge at full speed. It was the appearance of communication and mutual understanding with the sword. It could be called the peak of ‘being one with the sword.’

Hayate felt and admired the aura of a Dragon Slayer mixed with Biban’s sword energy. Originally, the energy of a Dragon Slayer was obsessed with harming dragons and it had a violent temperament. It resembled killing intent, so it was easy to read. However, the energy of a Dragon Slayer handled by Biban was different. It was naturally suppressed by sword energy and only showed its power when necessary. This made it difficult for a dragon to respond.

[You... what are you?!!]

The dragon shouted ferociously as its scales and bones were cut.

The emergence of a new Dragon Slayer—it was impossible. For the supreme dragons, Biban was an unknown.

“What am I?”

Biban smiled as he pondered on the question.

“I am just one swordsman,” he replied as he tossed Twilight, imbued with the energy of a Dragon Slayer, back to Grid, who was joining from behind the tower members.

A swordsman with Grid’s sword in his heart. The trajectory of Twilight cut through the dragon’s wings. This was what Biban intended. He was using Grid’s divinity that dwelled in Twilight as if it was his own energy. The Absolute, born from borrowing Grid’s sword and cutting at his own mental image, became a Sword Saint who was qualified to be a Dragon Slayer. He was also the most brilliant being when using Grid’s sword as a weapon.

“Overgeared swordsman...”

Grid’s words that he murmured to himself were buried by the dragon’s scream.