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 have to

the quest

to protect the treasure but we don’t even know where the treasure is! It is right

black liquid that fell 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

“Hey! Come this way!”

their shields to stop the black liquid falling from the sky. They didn’t know the power of the black tortoise

“Gasp.”

idea of the situation on the ground. It was still roaring at the sky without looking at the humans it needed to take care of. Every time it roared, new black liquid oozed from the scales

"Damn...!"

paled. A black drop of water, the same size as a house, was falling

“Shield!”

“Anti-magic!”

couldn’t handle the mass of liquid and Anti-magic didn’t

‘We’re going to die!’

reason, his armor and helmet were removed. He was only wearing a shirt,

“H-Hey!”

“Kyaaak!”

and die without a single bone

did this person help them? The stunned rankers were screaming at the blond man’s incomprehensible sacrifice 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 process was quickly repeated dozens

blond man spoke, “This liquid only extinguishes artificial substances and is

“Eh?”

without hesitation. Then they yelled at the blond

with Asmophel’s appearance. "I never thought

would’ve killed them the moment he saw them. He would’ve gone beyond

and get out of here,” Grid urged them. He had noticed why the

call from

no need to inflict pain on them. Grid recalled

“Uh...?”

this spot when they suddenly

durability of Berith's Skin

the skin mask made by Berith wouldn’t be safe before the power of the black tortoise. He took off the skin mask in order to avoid the drop in

eyes became sharp. The muscles that made up the chest and the thick waist was reminiscent of the statue

“...Grid?”

the truth of the blond knight and were astonished. Then their faces soon

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 common, it was that they suffered due to Grid

Why are you

their goal. No matter if they liked Grid or not, they had been struggling to catch up with him and learn from him. They secretly hoped that

are really nothing

determined after seeing Grid’s interview about how he wouldn’t attend the event because it was boring. He was going to be stronger. He would be sure to become stronger so that Grid wouldn’t be able to say the same thing again. Participating in this quest was just one way to

the one trying to overcome it. Bubat didn’t want to tolerate this

mean we’re not even your competitors?” Bubat

by their pitiful selves, who could only be angry at Grid for doing them a

say, “The wrath of the black tortoise is directed at