Overgeared

“Ugh!”

Something huge and ugly was the method to create primitive fear. The black tortoise merely cried out to the sky but the high rankers shuddered with fear. They felt threatened by the enormous size of the black tortoise and disgusted by its appearance. Grid was the same. No, the confusion he felt was much greater. It was a side effect of knowing many things.

‘Is this one of the Four Auspicious Beasts?’

Grid knew—the Four Auspicious Beasts were the guardian gods of humanity, born from the aspirations of humanity. It was their role to help with the stability and prosperity of humanity. Naturally, they were favorable to humanity and their existence itself was beneficial for humanity. This wasn’t speculation, it was real.

Grid had witnessed the resurrection of the red phoenix enriching the south. Now the current black tortoise was completely different. The resurrection of the black tortoise didn’t help the north. A black, sticky liquid oozed from the snake scales and eroded the civilization of the earth. The smoke that came from the fire spout protruding from the tortoise shell covered the sun in the sky.

[Death is coming!]

[Death is coming!]

[Death...!]

The transcendent senses that detected and warned of danger drove Grid to great confusion. The warning messages steadily rose and Grid was dizzy.

‘...This isn’t the guardian god.’

Grid watched the growing size of the black liquid puddle and was convinced.

‘A wounded god.’

It was completely different from the red phoenix. The black tortoise was a god that stifled human life and destiny just by its existence. Was it originally like this?

‘No, it is impossible.’

The Twelve Zodiacs had told him that the black tortoise was the gentlest of the Four Auspicious Beasts. They said the reason the black tortoise denied and got rid of artificial substances was for humans.

‘By preserving nature, it is protecting the human race.’

It was extreme logic comparable to the claim that there was no war without an army. In any case, most of the actions of the black tortoise came from its heart or instincts for humanity.

‘It is different now.’

Night came to the world because the poison that the black tortoise emitted completely covered the sun. Was this darkness that withered life, for humanity? Not at all.

‘Something is wrong.’

It was strange from the beginning of the resurrection. It appeared that the yangbans had deliberately released the black tortoise.

‘Did they make this type of black tortoise?’

It happened when Grid was constantly thinking.

“Dammit! They hid a monster instead of a treasure!”

deceived by the yangbans! We

we fail the quest

even know where

from the black tortoise’s scales. Whenever the poison touched their skin, they quickly took out an antidote to drink it. However, the situation of some magicians wasn't good. They had relatively low physical abilities due to their investment in intelligence. They were overwhelmed by avoiding both the black pool and

“Hey! Come this way!”

behind them while raising their shields to stop the black liquid falling from the sky. They

“Gasp.”

for self-defense would melt without defending them. The black tortoise had no idea of the situation on the ground. It was still roaring at the sky without looking at the humans it

"Damn...!"

tankers who lost their shields and the magicians behind them all paled. A black drop of

“Shield!”

“Anti-magic!”

Shield couldn’t handle the mass of liquid and

‘We’re going to die!’

removed. He was only wearing a shirt, shoulder guards, gaiters, and boots. The water droplets that should’ve soaked the rankers splashed all over the blond man. The blond knight’s shoulder

“H-Hey!”

“Kyaaak!”

would melt and die without a single bone left

only to close their mouths. The blond knight’s shoulder guards, boots, and gaiters recovered immediately after the black liquid touched it. They repeatedly melted and regained their form. The

and disappeared. The half-naked blond man spoke, “This liquid only extinguishes artificial substances and is harmless to organic things. So take everything

“Eh?”

it off? The female rankers were perplexed while the male rankers took off their items without hesitation. Then they yelled at the blond knight. “You’re our enemy! Why are you

with Asmophel’s appearance. "I never thought of you

had considered them enemies then he would’ve killed them the moment he saw them. He would’ve gone beyond the

urged them. He had noticed why the rankers came

a call from the heavens, just like me in the

Grid recalled the blacksmiths who had been killed by Garam before looking up at the black tortoise.

“Uh...?”

the blond knight’s attitude and were rushing to leave this spot when they suddenly stiffened like

durability of Berith's Skin Mask has decreased by

the great demons were comparable to a god. Berith, who was only ranked 22nd, couldn’t be compared to a god. It meant the skin mask made by Berith wouldn’t be safe before the power

The muscles that made up the chest and the thick waist was reminiscent of the statue of

“...Grid?”

astonished. Then their faces soon distorted. The emotion that struck them

They stared at Grid who was standing in front of the black tortoise. Bubat, Shane, Ronam, etc.—they were representatives of their countries. If they had something in

Why are you helping

goal. Yes, their goal. No matter if they liked Grid or

we are really nothing to

attend the event because it was boring. He was going to be

was the one trying to overcome

Does it mean we’re not even your competitors?” Bubat yelled

for the eyes of the other rankers. They were angry. They were mortified by their pitiful selves, who could only be angry at Grid for doing them a favor. It was a complicated feeling that the rankers themselves couldn’t understand. However, Grid understood—he knew the feelings of the

say, “The wrath of the black tortoise is directed