Overgeared

“This isn’t fair. I’m so frustrated...”

Tears fell down from the eyes of the old cultivator who was holding a dying girl in his arms. He was crying so bitterly that the atmosphere around him turned grim.

“Do you think we came here out of our own volition? This land is completely unfamiliar to us. We were forcefully brought here. In this cursed land where there are no constellations to perform rituals to and no way to raise our realm, we have no choice but to figure out a way to survive.”

The old man’s skinny hands tightened around the girl as he hugged her.

“My granddaughter has less than ten years left to live. If she doesn’t raise her realm within ten years, she will die. As her grandfather, how can I turn away from this child? I contributed to the construction of the Full Moon Fortress not because I had any ill will toward you. I just wanted to save my only granddaughter...”

The more the old man talked, the darker the expressions of the Overgeared members became. Together with Braham and Faker, they destroyed four fortresses and were on the verge of taking care of their fifth one.

They succeeded in capturing the walls of the Full Moon Fortress, which were guarded by as many as three Absolutes. Now, they just had to destroy the formation in front of them and a total of five Full Moon Fortresses would’ve fallen because of them.

The guardian of the formation also no longer fought back. Since his granddaughter, who was also guarding the formation with him, was seriously injured, all he could do was hug her and sob.

“...Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t have a story?” Zirkan asked. “I know how you must feel, but give me a moment. I will decide what to do with you once this formation is destroyed.”

Zirkan was the former top-ranked swordsman and Chris’ closest confidant. His words were oddly comforting, because he also had grandchildren, so he sympathized with the old cultivator.

The rest of the cultivators, who had been fierce in battle, relaxed their postures slightly.

Zirkan and the rest passed the sobbing old man, who was still hugging his granddaughter, and approached the formation.

But—

“So naive.”

The sneer of the young girl echoed throughout the hall.

Shocked, everyone turned around to see the dying girl in the old man’s arms standing up, looking quite healthy.

“...What?”

The Overgeared members were confused. They looked between the girl, who was smiling eerily, and the old man lying limp like a corpse next to her. They couldn’t really understand what had happened while they had their backs turned.

However, an archer with the skill Hawk Eyes noticed something suspicious. The girl’s fingertips had transparent threads attached to them. Quite a few threads were connected to the old man.

“That guy was a puppet...? A trap! It’s a trap!” the archer shouted, but it was too late.

The Overgeared members had already entered the formation, and the girl had the authority to activate it.

The girl snorted. “What is the point of making such a fuss when the trap has already been set?”

Every time her thin fingers formed a different shape, the formation containing the Overgeared members vibrated loudly.

magician, but it’s fine. You are also quite

Flash!

emitted a colorful glow, blinding them temporarily. They staggered back as long, thin threads pierced their skin. This wasn’t an illusion. Tens of thousands of transparent threads stretched out from the clusters of light emanating from the formation and wrapped around

Circuits’

to escape, but

have lost control

“What...?”

and penetrated their organs were in fact intricately crafted treasures. There were many complex circuits installed in every one of them. Every time the circuit

members couldn’t

“Huhu.”

she moved her hands. Her enemies were now acting in accordance with her will. They approached her, lined

swear loyalty to my new master,” they said against their

allegiance to the cultivator

strings had an additional

imprinted on the Puppet Circuits.] [You can’t be hostile to

‘This damn thing.’

the girl in front of them was. They couldn’t think of a way to get out of

was that they were all players, so

glad Braham isn’t here,’ the cultivators were consoling

did you

very handsome. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Braham

of his connections. I don’t have the knack for leading people, so I needed a squad commander to take charge.” Faker spoke for an uncharacteristically long

and not Chris’ because Faker asked Zirkan to lead the party on his behalf, since Faker had to act secretly as an assassin. Zirkan accepted this request after

up to expectations. Zirkan wanted to apologize and explain how things had turned out this way, but

good news was that Braham understood what was going on. As expected of the god of wisdom, he immediately put two and two together just by looking at the

sympathy for the girl who was crying while holding the dying old man...? Or was it the old man holding the girl? Oh, well. It doesn’t matter. Either way,

red eyes glared at Zirkan and contempt

who have been superior humans from the moment they were born, and who treated humans as livestock because their blood is

“......”

Zirkan, as if what he was saying was somewhat absurd. The way Braham described the cultivators was quite similar to how

was a

only for those who have the power to

after mentioning Grid did Braham’s criticism become harsher. Zirkan’s face turned

been

going to do? Your companions have already become my

been lying on the floor like a corpse, as well as Zirkan’s party, jumped up

me with your insignificant skills? It took you more than ten minutes to kill three cultivators in the early stage of the great ascension realm. Not to mention,

realm. It was the highest level a cultivator could reach before becoming an immortal. She had enormous power and she

thousands of years, she never let down her guard. Forcing Zirkan’s group into a trap and turning them into puppets

hesitate when faced with the risk of harming their colleagues, so

Clink, clink.

of metal moving against metal echoed in the great hall. Zirkan’s group pulled out their

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