Overgeared

Angels were the guardians and agents of the gods. They protected and enforced the laws established by the gods, meddling in private affairs to uphold the prestige of the gods. The reason for their birth itself was for the sake of the gods. They couldn't be a god even if they received countless worships. Even in the days when the great demons of hell reigned with fear, they couldn't become evil gods or demon gods.

The angels and demons were classified as a completely different species from the gods, unless they were deformities like Sitri, a collection of principles. They couldn't accumulate the concept of divinity itself. It was the minimal safeguard.

The seven angels and three demons that Rebecca and Yatan created at the beginning—some of them transcended ordinary gods from their birth, so if they could build up even divinity, the balance of the divine world would collapse and most gods wouldn't be respected.

"Good."

The number one archangel, Raphael—one of the unique beings who worshiped the goddess of light from a short distance smiled.

The soul of the blacksmith that had been collected just in case—his ability as an angel to fill Hexetia's vacancy was more than Raphael had expected. He wasn't as skilled as Hexetia, but Raphael judged it was a problem that time would solve. They really liked this angel.

"Hexetia can be imprisoned for life. Someday you will do his share."

The blacksmith angel scratched his head at Raphael's ensuing praise. "You're overpraising me. How can I, an angel, take the place of God Hexetia?"

"Look at me. Just because you're an angel doesn't mean you are inferior to a god. In fact, some angels are more noble than the gods."

"Only the archangels are so special…"

"Haha, you are mistaken. Rather, archangels have greater limitations. Think about the case of Sariel, who was exiled in the old days. They only work as designed by the goddess. They can't evolve because they are machine-like and have a weak imagination. Among the archangels, Gabriel and I are the only ones who are special. Meanwhile, you angels are as free thinking as Gabriel and I."

It was thanks to his former life as a human. Additionally, he ascended to heaven while inheriting the techniques of his human life.

A skill that has risen to the legendary level—this technique was honed more quickly thanks to the goddess' favor and Gabriel's blessing, making it stronger than it was during his life.

Raphael swallowed down these last words and smiled.

The blacksmith angel was bewildered. Raphael didn't reveal the basis for this trust, so the angel just scratched his head. He wanted to focus on the senses still at his fingertips. It was the sensation he felt when creating the works projected from the fragments of memories floating in his mind.

It was nostalgia and warmth.

***

The owners of the holy weapons appeared all over the continent. Lauel even planned to send apostles to subdue them. It meant he took the situation seriously.

However, it was just a matter of possibility. He was wary of a situation where the remnants of the three churches used the holy weapons as a symbol to secure hundreds or thousands of believers. He didn't feel threatened by the current three churches. What reason was there to fear those scattered in groups of at least dozens or hundreds?

Grid was also well aware of the situation. He didn't worry much about this incident and just saw it as an opportunity to check the performance of the newly created dragon weapon and armor. He also had a great desire to not disturb the time of his apostles, who were living a rare peaceful daily life. Even at this moment, Mercedes must be wielding her sword hard. She was the model for all the knights in the world and didn't know how to rest.

'Maybe she is meditating while reflecting on the chivalric code…'

A deep smile spread across Grid's face as he imagined Mercedes kneeling in the morning sun. He was proud of Mercedes, but also worried. He wished that she would develop a small hobby.

"Are you leaving?"

The new divine object of the Overgeared God—Biban asked carefully as he admired the appearance of the sword that was as transparent and beautiful as the scales of the Cloaked Dragon Cranbel. He looked disappointed. The responses of the other tower members were similar.

The clear sound of Grid hammering that repeated every day, the cute Overgeared Skeletons dancing to the beat of the hammering, the good God Hands who helped Biban clean, the unique Randy who tried to gain enlightenment whenever she learned, and the pure Noe and Nefelina who ran wildly around the corridors—Grid's group, who had been with them for some time, had already become part of the tower. They were afraid that the empty space would become big.

The tower members had isolated themselves for hundreds to thousands of years for the sake of the peace of the world. They believed they had fully adapted to solitude, but reality was completely different. The tower members who became aware of this were naturally happy. They confirmed that they were still ordinary human beings.

The same was true for Grid. He felt admiration for the noble spirit and mental power of the tower members who maintained their humanity even after enduring long years of solitude. He was pleased to be able to be with such great people in the future.

"I'll be back."

"……"

Grid discussed a reunion, not goodbye. He was extremely calm like nothing was happening. Such an attitude brought great joy to the tower members.

"Yes, go and come back."

The tower members saw him off with a smile. They were friends and family members who would protect Grid's other home.

'Is this living in two houses…?'

It was truly a happy thing to have more precious people.

Grid had a new realization and led his group. "Let's go."

***

The number three archangel, Michael-the fourth angel to be witnessed by the Rebecca church members of this age. Contrary to the descriptions in the temple, Michael was merciless and violent, but the church members couldn't doubt or resent them. It wasn't reasonable to judge all angels or doubt the gods based on only a few angels.

Of course, most of the church members were disappointed with Michael and abandoned the church, but… it was because their faith was weak. Thousands of church members still believed in Goddess Rebecca and the angels. They hid throughout the continent that was now mainly the territory of the Overgeared Empire and looked for an opportunity.

They waited while believing the goddess would give them, who believed and followed her until the end, a revelation. Indeed, their goddess responded to their faith. She sent Raphael, the archangel who was like her incarnation, to bestow the holy weapons. It was a time when most of the Overgeared God's subordinates had plunged into hell.

Raphael only handed them the weapons without saying anything, but the church members took advantage of this opportunity to gather believers and correct the tarnished honor of the goddess.

"For a long time, we have suffered. We had no choice but to hide like gutter rats while the Overgeared God trampled on our temples and dignity and deprived us of our rights. He ran madly as if a mere human god is the only god. However, it will be different in the future."

Shuri, a senior priest who was an elder of the Rebecca Church—as he shouted his declaration, 15 paladins took to the stage. They were all armed with holy weapons. Many of the 19 people chosen by the goddess were gathered in one place. The light that spread like frost from the 15 holy weapons was full of divinity. It was a magnificence that far exceeded the Rebecca Church of the Chreshler era, which was considered to be the greatest heyday of the Rebecca Church.

The believers cheered. Most burst into tears. The faithful cried while chanting their prayers and fainted. It seemed like they would explode all their resentment from their years when they scattered by the dozens or hundreds and had to live like dirty gutter rats.

Shuri calmed them down and said, "Not all our brothers and sisters have gathered yet… still, I think it is enough to let the world know about the revival of our church. Who will have the power and cause to stop us while we are holding the weapons that the goddess herself has given us?"

"Wahhhh!"

"We are the legitimate Rebecca Church! Our faith is the light that will revive and lead the Rebecca Church! The warriors of the holy weapon will protect us!"

"Uwaaaaahhhhh!"

At the Overgeared God temple in a city on the outskirts of the empire…

The cries of the Rebecca followers, who illegally took over the temple with overwhelming force, gradually grew louder.

The onlookers who heard the rumor flocked to watch it from the outside.

"Holy weapon… is it the same one that Damian used?"

"It isn't the same. I heard rumors that said they have different forms. That said, it isn't fake. The power is equal or more than a real holy weapon."

"They got 19 such monstrous weapons in one day? It will be strange if the Rebecca Church can't be revived after this."

The onlookers were unconcerned. It was a completely different attitude from the city residents who hid in fear of being swept away in the uproar. They were completely neutral as evidenced by their indifferent looks toward the dead or captured Overgeared God Church members. It was judged that the new Rebecca Church had to gather followers and wouldn't antagonize them. Still, it was true that they were displeased.

"The Asgardians are insidious. It would've been a great help to people if they bestowed the holy weapons during the Great Human and Demon War. Doing it now? Out of all things, it started with the hell elevator started operating in earnest, so they were aiming for the gap in the Overgeared Guild?"

"They might not have the holy weapons during the Great Human and Demon War… no, this is too blatant to defend. It is as Grid claims. Heaven will eventually become the enemies of humanity.

The people who chatted casually were famous rankers. They weren't high rankers, but they were confident in their skills as internationally known figures. Furthermore, they calculated that the new Rebecca Church wouldn't be able to act recklessly because they needed people's support. They didn't expect for the Rebecca Church members, who mixed in with the onlookers, to make a fuss by accusing them.

"There are heathens here!"

"They dare to insult the heavenly gods!"

"How outrageous."

"Fanatics are hard to predict."

The rankers frowned and stepped back. They glared at the Rebecca Church members, who were among the spectators, and placed buffs around their bodies. They had no intention of fighting. They saw that the best method was to run away like wise men.

However, the situation wasn't so easy to run away from.

An owner of the holy weapon rushed out after hearing the disturbance and chased them. He was named Winter. The speed of the man who used the divinity of the holy weapon as a source was so swift that he easily exceeded the physical abilities of the rankers. The concept of transcendence naturally came to mind.

"This da…"

The rankers' bodies turned to ash before they could finish their swear words. The light that cut at their bodies didn't disappear. Instead, it floated in the air and formed lines before eventually forming rings. They were rings that bound the bodies of the astonished onlookers.

"What? Why are you making trouble with us?"

"We aren't with those guys just now…"

"Is the Rebecca Church crazy?"

"S-Spare me."

The agitated onlookers bound by the rings. Winter didn't even look at them. He spoke while staring into the distance, "Stop. I will kill those talking nonsense as soon as I behead this guy."

The onlookers were startled. They took into account that the owner of the holy weapon had transcendent powers based on the power of the sword. They realized that he clearly perceived and was talking to a target rather than talking alone. There would soon be a big fight and they would be caught up in it…

It was the moment when the onlookers sensed this and felt a serious crisis…

—Beautiful music flowed. It was music that the players had to know. It was the theme song of Overgeared God Grid.

"……!"

Winter, the master of the holy weapon, was astonished.

The Overgeared God, who just appeared in the distance, was now right in front of his nose? It was high speed movement that didn't even leave an afterimage. He couldn't read it even with the power of speed that the holy weapon had given him. He even had the suspicion that the concept of space itself had been eliminated for a moment.

Winter violently swung the holy weapon. At the same time, the rings of light responded to his will and rapidly compressed. It seemed like it would cut off the bodies of the onlookers. However, it didn't work.

Grid's hand, armed with gray gauntlets where it seemed like hundreds of scales were alive and breathing, seized Winter's wrist and broke it. As Winter swallowed his scream and let go of the weapon he was holding, the ring of light that had been binding the onlookers scattered without a trace.

"What is the intention of the bastard who made this?"

The holy weapon that Winter dropped was held in Grid's grasp.

A very long time ago—it was a holy weapon that closely resembled the Ideal Dagger that he made to protect Khan's smithy. Grid felt very displeased because it felt like his memories with Khan had been tarnished. The holy weapon didn't reject Grid. On the contrary, it emitted a more intense and radiant glow, so Winter lost his fighting spirit.