Overgeared

[You have taken the Dragon Pill.]

[A large amount of mana is flowing throughout your body.]

[The amount of mana is too much!]

[Attempting to expand your mana core in order to accommodate the mana!]

It was good so far. It seemed the Dragon Pill was working properly. However...

[Your mana core isn’t trained at all. The expansion of the mana core is progressing very slowly.]

[Mana has started to flood.]

[It is recommended to discharge the unacceptable mana from your body. Would you like to accept?]

It was a bit strange from here.

[The mana flooding is causing cracks in the expanding mana core!]

“...!”

Hell had begun. There was a shock like being stabbed in the stomach and then all the blood vessels in his body twisted simultaneously. The maximum amount of pain that the system allowed spread from the top of Grid’s head to the tip of his toes.

‘This...! What?’

It was a pain that continued without any breaks, making him dizzy. It felt like his mind and body were completely burning.

[You have suffered a serious internal injury!]

[The mana core has been damaged, making it harder to accumulate the mana.]

[It is recommended to discharge the unacceptable mana from your body. Would you like to accept?]

The system warned again. Grid almost accepted, but then he gritted his teeth and ignored the notification windows. The Dragon Pill was a myth grade elixir. It was an elixir even the gods coveted and he would never obtain it again. Grid absolutely wasn’t willing to give up the effects of the Dragon Pill.

"Kkuk...!”

The pain continued. Rather than adapting, he became more sensitive. All the life and death experiences he had been through passed through Grid’s mind.

Yura and the Yatan’s Servants including Malacus, Pope Drevigo and Pope Candidate Pascal, Hell Gao, Braham’s golem army, Randy who protected the mysterious forest in Pagma’s form, Elfin Stone and the direct descendant vampires, the legends of the Behen Archipelago and his clone, Kraugel, Agnus, Mercedes, the Red Knights, the evil dragon Bunhelier, the yangban Garam...

Grid was dominated by the worst pain and had the illusion that their alternating strikes were putting him to death. He couldn’t even scream. However...

‘Endure it!’

Grid was determined to hold on. The current him wouldn’t have existed if he gave up all his opportunities.

“Your Majesty? My Liege!”

Mercedes detected something while guarding the entrance of the training hall and ran in. She found Grid collapsed in the centre and screamed.

“Your Majesty! Ugh?!”

Mercedes let out a groan as she tried to help Grid. Grid’s reddish skin was as hot as lava. Even so, she was someone who would jump into a volcano to protect Grid. Mercedes swallowed back her screams and lifted Grid onto her back. Her hair, cloak, and armor were burning from the heat, causing a big burn on her back, but she didn’t care. Grid barely managed to speak to her as she tried to find Sticks.

“I’m ok...ay.”

It sounded like scratching iron. Grid coughed up blood every time he breathed but he barely managed to squeeze out a few words.

“Let... go.”

“...I understand.”

put Grid down. She sat down in front of the groaning Grid and cut off her

vowed twice that I can’t be

eyes stared at Grid. Her Keen Insight was trying to figure out exactly what her

***

unacceptable mana from

warning was repeated. He didn’t know how many times it appeared.

is recommended to discharge the unacceptable mana

“Kuweek!”

as the shaking Grid vomited out blackish red blood. Mercedes closed her mouth. Her Keen Insight could see it. A large amount of mana flooding in was expanding Grid’s blood

hard. Rather, the situation might worsen if she put her hands

‘Stay strong, Your Majesty.’

desperate support would

mana core has succeeded in accumulating a small amount of

mana core have been

achieved

permanently risen by

of the Epics class.

but then the intensity of the pain remained the same. It was natural. The amount of mana accumulated in the Dragon Pill was very high. It

"Kkuk...!”

Curse words automatically rose in

satisfied with

was hard for Grid’s willpower to endure this terrible pain for a long time. Grid felt like it had been a few hours, even days. Now Grid was trapped in an

just a bit

regret of missing out on this opportunity for the rest of his life would be much more

“...!”

for a moment. It was the aftermath of the pain one felt when a fire occurred. Every time

more…

closed as his floundering hand grabbed the hand of Mercedes sitting next to him. It was a coincidence. Nevertheless, Grid couldn’t throw her hand away and Mercedes wrapped her trembling hands around his. Mercedes’ hands were burning from

flooding is causing cracks in the expanding mana

recommended to discharge the unacceptable mana from your

heart crumbled. How long did he have to endure for the mana core to recover and pave the way for expansion? It was even more frustrating because it couldn’t

“......”

He used a superhuman mentality to see how much

‘10 minutes...?’

at the top of his field of view. It had only been 10 minutes since he took the Dragon Pill? Didn’t

can’t

10 minutes were as long as a day. It

“......”

to the side. He could see Mercedes praying. Her hands—wrapped around

up... I have

hesitation was over. He didn’t ignore the system’s

discharge the unacceptable mana from your

‘Accept...?’

accept. The moment Grid tried to shout this

that

a

specialty to think irrationally and be foolish? Yet

person Grid longed for had

‘Braham...!’

of Legendary Great Magician Braham has started to adjust the

cracks in the mana core have

that have swelled to