Overgeared

Sneak sneak.

A blue and round object moved stealthily. The glossy and fluffy appearance made people want to pet it.

It was none other than the head of the number one knight of the empire. She continued to lie down and creep forward. Several strands of hair stretched out like antennae and fluttered like a radar detecting enemies. Of course, there was no practical effect.

“Where are you going?”

“Gasp...”

She even took off her shoes so as to not make footsteps.

Mercedes’ secret escape was eventually discovered. The variables were too numerous. She never thought that the Empress herself would be sitting in front of the door...

“G-Go, for a, walk...”

“In the middle of the night?”

Irene slowly closed the book she was reading and smiled. It was her usual gentle smile but it sent shivers down Mercedes’ spine. It was due to her Keen Insight. Irene’s eyes weren’t smiling.

“What’s more, you are wearing your sword.”

“T-That...”

Mercedes, who was struggling with a stiff head, soon closed her eyes and shouted.

“Give me permission to go! It is a battle with an Old Dragon...! It isn’t an exaggeration to say that the rise or fall of the Empire is at stake!”

Mercedes was a knight and an apostle loyal to Grid. Defending Grid and the Empire he had built was her guiding principle. Now that everyone else was struggling for the sake of the Empire, she couldn’t lie in bed alone and count the stars outside the window.

“I have to fight too! My colleagues need me!” Mercedes shouted from the perspective of a soldier. Her eyes were desperate and her voice was loud. She made it clear that she could no longer make concessions.

“Mother...” Lord’s cautious voice came from the door. He seemed to be trying to persuade Irene. Even outside the door, he was inspired by the conviction in Mercedes’ cry.

However, Irene didn’t blink despite standing face to face with Mercedes. “I am fully aware of your strength. If you join the war, then the odds will surely rise.”

Mercedes’ face, which had become pale from being locked in her room for several days, turned bright red. It was a useless expectation.

“Right now, you are carrying His Majesty’s child. You might not die prematurely, but the child in your womb is different. Shouldn’t you act with the self-awareness of the mother of His Majesty’s child, not His Majesty’s knight, at least for now?”

“Ugh...”

Irene, who had been careful not to burden Mercedes, mentioned her baby for the first time. An invincible logic came out.

However, Mercedes was also persistent. “I-I might be being presumptuous, but... if the subjugation team is defeated by the Old Dragon and his anger reaches all the way to the capital... I will lose everything, not just the child in my womb.”

“Don’t worry. If such a situation happens, the prince and the soldiers of the Empire will become your shield.” It was an emphatic answer. Irene’s unconventional declaration that she would sacrifice even the crown prince shocked Mercedes.

“This...! How can His Highness be my shield?!”

“It is our duty to protect our families.”

“......!”

Family—it was a word that stood out to Mercedes, who was abandoned by her biological parents.

Mercedes was speechless due to embarrassment. Irene stood up and hugged her warmly. “Your duty is to protect His Majesty’s child and my duty is to lead you.”

“...Yes.” Eventually, Mercedes was forced to lower the sword in her hand. In fact, she knew it as well. The moment she went into battle against an Old Dragon, the child in her womb was unlikely to survive. Perhaps she would only trouble her other colleagues. Her colleagues would be worried about Grid’s child as well.

had changed a lot as the years had

patience. Sometimes, you have to trust

like I’ve always

to her usual gentleness.

***

bigger than any other dragon. He constantly poured out a heat that burned everything. He

never doubted himself. The concept of death was unfamiliar to him, who was destined

to be just

[Grruk...]

nose, not fire. His magic power was still

him. He swung his tail to kill the insects coming from all directions, but they somehow seemed fine. It was

lizard. Today is your

the Martial God was screaming.

beings—fleeting beings who only lived for

understand the concept of

small and insignificant. Soon, a sea of flames would cover the desert. He would

[.....]

like a dream. The surroundings were silent rather than becoming a sea

sight of the Breath he had just shot, splitting in half

male human in the dark dopo. There was spirituality in the sword he wielded. It was energy with an unusual origin. It showed the mystery of cutting through the elements, in other words, the components of which matter was composed. No matter

you cut down the Elemental King of

which, that person had black

[...Grid.]

Trauka suddenly became angry.

he restored the Refractive Dragon and put an end to the

them. He armed his subordinates with battle gear made from Trauka’s materials and created a tenacious army. Dazzling Absolutes and transcendents attacked Trauka tirelessly

[Why...?]

Why?

are you

here was nothing more than a trivial pastime. To put it simply, this world was his playground. There was no reason to

is

that he realized it. From Grid’s perspective, ephemeral beings and the Old Dragons were equally insignificant. After all, this

[Kukuk.]

Trauka polymorphed into human form. It wasn’t a self-deprecating act aimed at

an Old Dragon. He pursued perfection even in the midst of a crisis that he was experiencing for the

his senses were dull, he would just look like a dull and slow turtle to his enemies. Therefore, he brought himself to the same eye level. By compressing his muscles and magic power, he prevented the discharge of power. Some of

dare you treat

rampaging like Marie Rose. Then he swung his lance-like sword. A sword energy that was hundreds of meters long flew sideways and slaughtered

“Uh...?”

and Euphemina, turning to ash or becoming incapable of combat. People couldn’t understand the situation for a while. The incident happened in

“Oh, my.”

“......?!”

she heard someone’s groan and saw the back of the previous

“M-Muller?”

care of yourself. Your firepower is the

why Trauka targeted her and why Muller protected her. The surprise attack caused him to

directly. Once again, he relentlessly aimed at Euphemina. Then a lightning fast kick

body—it was an attack by Zeratul, who started to be called the Overgeared Martial God or Item Martial God. He was infinitely feared and loathed when he was an enemy, but once he was on the

by his bluffing. Now that he has abandoned his

let out thunderous breaths and calmed the subjugation

hunting the isolated Old Dragon and drew a new battlefield. The

to this, Piaro and Hurent became like fish in water. They sowed seeds in all

air and weighed down Trauka’s

pincer attack linked from left to right, stabbing Trauka

struck Trauka in the chest, while Jishuka and