Overgeared

The news of Beriache’s death had been a hot topic among the dragons. Some of them were shocked.

The 3 evils of the beginning—Beriache might suffer from the curse, but she was still Yatan’s daughter. In a way, it could be called the most noble status in the world after the old dragons and the gods of the beginning in the hierarchy. It was a natural position to enjoy eternal life and achieve everything she set out to do.

Yet she chose death on her own. It was in return for giving her child all her power. It meant that the vengeance she felt toward Baal was beyond imagination and it was also evidence that her power couldn’t harm Baal.

‘Marie Rose.’

The existence that inherited the power and aspirations of Beriache. She was chosen as a means to handle Baal and her skills were incredible. By manipulating the flow of blood at will and immediately refining the mana absorbed by her heart into demonic energy, there was no limit to her body and magic. It seemed that her body and magic were completely linked to her consciousness. It was the realm of realizing her willpower as soon as it was conceived.

It was right to compare it to operating the Heart Sword. Of course, it wasn’t Muller’s Heart Sword, but a normal Heart Sword. However, this was enough. Her appearance was beyond that of a transcendent and close to an absolute.

Cranbel’s left limb was ripped off entirely. She approached with relentless speed and penetrated the absolute defense with demonic energy, ripping at the scales, flesh, and bones. Force, magic, and power were completely integrated and exerted their strength.

Cranbel had a definite insight.

‘She isn’t an opponent I can win against in this state.’

Therefore, he simply gave away his limb. He didn’t resist.

Marie Rose noticed it. “You know that you have committed a mortal sin.”

[Are you discussing sin with a dragon? You are so wicked to rule with overwhelming force, just like the child of the demon who fought against Baal.]

Were all dragons the same just because they were dragons? Marie Rose shut up as she was about to hit back. This was a consideration of Cranbel’s status.

A being who seemed to prove that the refractive dragon existed. Cranbel must be a direct descendant of an old dragon. He deserved respect. Her dear husband who pushed him to this point… he was really cool.

“Huhut.”

“……?”

Grid became startled as he was staring blankly at Marie Rose. She suddenly turned to smile at him and he felt more affection and obsession than usual. He had the idea that it wouldn’t be strange if he was kidnapped like this and put into a coffin for the rest of his life.

[Overgeared God Grid. A great person who overshadows the years.]

Cranbel’s gaze was also directed at Grid. It was with a declaration that he wouldn’t kill Grid.

[In the current situation, I must also be prepared for death if I want to harm you. I will conform to reason and give up on the covenant. Will you allow it?]

“……”

Grid’s heart raced. He felt the respect in the words ‘allow it.’ Cranbel was a strong being with no reason to be wary of Grid. Even so, the person he was reluctant to act against right now was Grid, not Marie Rose. He was asking for Grid’s understanding, not Marie Rose’s. It was interpreted as him not wanting to ignore Grid. Grid seemed to know why Cranbel didn’t harm people even after he destroyed Reidan.

‘Cranbel is a being who knows how to be considerate of the weak.’

He had a very good character. It was like Xenon. There was a lot of respect.

Grid smiled slightly and looked at Marie Rose. She came close to Grid and handed over Cranbel’s limb.

“Well, he has paid a bit for his sins. Do whatever you want after this.”

It meant he could send Cranbel away. Marie Rose was also burdened to have a life or death battle with Cranbel. The odds of winning were high, but she judged that the sacrifices would be great. She was also concerned about the troubles that came from killing a dragon.

Dragons were poisonous holy grails. She could become the target of an old dragon. It wasn’t good for Marie Rose, who had to accomplish the task of killing Baal. More than anything else—

‘His taste is unique.’

Marie Rose prioritized Grid’s heart. What was so good about a crazy dragon? Even so, Grid was looking at Cranbel with favorable eyes despite Cranbel being the one to turn him into tatters. She didn’t want Grid’s resentment after killing Cranbel. If she incited hatred at a time when her marriage proposal was already rejected, their union would be a long way off…

“Okay. Instead, I have a condition.”

The sight of Grid giving a condition to the dragon evoked Marie Rose’s memories. She remembered the day when Grid had released her seal and demanded to be spared. It was nice to see his confident appearance. She thought that the eyes that shone purely resembled stars.

[What is the condition?]

“I hope you don’t retaliate against me later.”

[Of course. Retaliation comes from grudges. I have good feelings toward you, so I will never harm you.]

Grid had seen a dragon’s smile. It was an expression that the dragons themselves didn’t know.

At this moment, Cranbel was making the same expression as Ifrit. It was just quickly erased.

[We will never meet again.]

Cranbel didn’t even give him the chance to say goodbye. Transparent silver scales seemed to reflect the moonlight flowing through the cracks of the collapsed ceiling as he hid himself and disappeared like it was a lie. The strength of a silver dragon was definitely in stealth.

[I will go back now.]

[It was an honor to be with you.]

Basque and the other dragons left the scene one by one. They no longer had the will to fight. It wasn’t a romantic story of how they got attached while fighting together. It was simply just because they saw Marie Rose’s eyes. There was no dragon who would make a fuss in her realm when she was free from the Curse of Sloth.

“Is there any way to heal him…?”

Grid looked with worry at the one dragon who couldn’t leave.

Xenon—most of his scales had fallen off in exchange for protecting Grid and his breath was faded. It was sad to see the burned skin and the broken bones protruding from them. It was just fortunate that the horn was intact.

A stir occurred among the people. They couldn’t grasp the situation. It was natural. For civilians, dragons were no different from gods. Most people couldn’t see a dragon in their entire lifetime. Yet today, the people of Reidan saw a huge five dragons. Why did they come to Reidan to fight and why did they quietly step down…? It was impossible to infer the situation. They just thought that His Majesty had made another achievement.

No one knew that Xenon was the one who turned Reidan to ashes. It was because ordinary people couldn’t distinguish the appearance of dragons. In their eyes, all the dragons today looked the same. There was a limitation to recognizing something so huge and they had no idea who destroyed Reidan.

“Dragons don’t die so easily. He will recover soon.”

Marie Rose was the one who rescued the people of Reidan from Xenon. She had personally witnessed the scene of Xenon turning Reidan to ashes. Even so, she didn’t bother to tell Grid. She was curious about how Xenon would act.

At present, Xenon’s life was actually held by Marie Rose. If Xenon came to his senses and deceived Grid, Marie Rose planned to immediately cut off his limbs. A garbage that took advantage of her partner’s pure heart… she wouldn’t sit idly by.

[……]

After a while, Xenon opened his eyes. It was as Marie Rose said. The speed of recovery transcended common sense. The broken bones quickly reconnected and found their place, while the burned skin regained its luster.

‘It reminds me of Michael.’

However, Michael showed excellent regeneration even during the battle, while dragons were constrained while fighting. It was probably because a dragon’s tendency was to be aggressive. The flow of their magic power was more focused on attack than recovery. Scales started to develop on Xenon’s body as Grid was feeling admiration. It was just that it was very thin. For dragons, scales were their armor and they seemed to need more time to regenerate before they were solid.

“Have you regained your mind?” Grid couldn’t hide his worried expression as he asked. He met Xenon’s big eyes, which were revealed without the dark, pure film covering it.

Grid was favorable toward Xenon, who fought with Grid on his back. Even with a wounded body, he protected Grid at the risk of death at the last moment.

[……]

Grid’s warm eyes made Xenon experience unfamiliar symptoms. He felt a tingling pain in her heart. It made him very distressed even though the pain wasn’t great.

Xenon recalled it—the sight of the people struggling to protect each other as he turned the city into ashes. He thought their feelings at that time would resemble what he was feeling now. Then guilt flooded in. His actions that harmed human beings—these actions, which should be insignificant, suddenly became a sin.

[I’m sorry. The dragon who destroyed your city and harmed your people… it was none other than me.]

“……”

Grid’s expression stiffened, but it was only for a moment. Grid was well aware of what humans were for dragons—bugs. Nothing more and nothing less. Dragons didn’t give humans any meaning. They felt no liking, malice, or killing intent. Yet at this moment, Xenon’s expression was filled with sadness and regret. It wasn’t just because he was sorry for Grid. He seemed to have feelings for the humans he harmed that he never felt before.

Grid intuitively sensed it. What Xenon was showing now was a precursor to a huge change that would occur one day.

“If you are really sorry, take responsibility and help those who lost their homes and families.”

[…Gladly.]

The moonlight pouring down shone on Grid and the dragon. The giant eyes of the dragon with his head lowered that couldn’t face Grid and Grid, who silently stroked the dragon’s nose.

[Overgeared God Grid is writing the 17th epic.]

[It starts from the confession of the dragon who bowed his head.]

***

The reason why Cranbel was called the cloaked dragon wasn’t because he didn’t have enough perception. The silver dragon Cranbel was the master of distortion. He easily distorted and concealed not only his appearance, but also any phenomena or concepts.

[Cough…!]

In today’s battle, Cranbel didn’t use stealth. It was due to Grid. He decided that Grid wasn’t an opponent who could be handled while maintaining his stealth. Cranbel distorted something other than his appearance. It was his health. In other words, he spread falsehoods.

Cranbal had been shocked when he was cut by Grid’s sword technique that was reminiscent of Martial God Chiyou. He suffered a fairly serious injury. Of course, it wasn’t a wound that was directly linked to death, but he wasn’t as fine as he appeared.

Cranbel thought about it.

What if Grid had fully recognized his condition? What if Grid wasn’t frustrated? Wouldn’t today’s fight have been a bit more intense?

Then he listened to Xenon’s confession, which was imprinted on the world, and the epic of the Overgeared God, who forgave him.

Cranbel slowly and carefully crossed the desert. The shade he cast on the place he passed by was blood, not shadow.

Cranbel was once again grateful for the presence of the tower member, who blocked the access of other dragons from far away.