Overgeared

Chapter 1759

There was nothing difficult about conceiving the image of a god. Goddess Rebecca resembled a human being. Therefore, when humanity first witnessed the heavenly gods, they didn't panic and accepted their appearance.

The only exception was Yatan.

The Evil God who created hell—humans imagined that Yatan's appearance would be close to that of a monster. In fact, the image of Yatan in the murals recording the myths was depicted as bizarre and ominous, just like demons. However, the appearance of Yatan that the siblings saw in person was far from a monster.

Like other gods, he was infinitely close to a human being. He was even a man with a heroic appearance. He was a handsome man with a cool smile that matched him very well.

'This is… Yatan?'

Grid who had fallen to a certain point in the past. He was inwardly surprised as he stood facing Yatan. He had also suffered from prejudice. He didn't think Yatan was a monster, but he thought Yatan would look similar to the demon lords in the Demon King's Subjugation event. This was even though he knew that Yatan might actually be good. Just as human beings were created based on Rebecca, he thought the demons were created based on Yatan.

'His appearance is fine, so why did he make the demons look that way?'

Wasn't the reason why the demons became crooked due to their inferiority complex about their appearance?

Grid's speculation was serious. It was because he also experienced a time when his self-esteem was low due to his appearance.

"……"

They were on top of a green hill. It overlooked a small village surrounded by crude wooden walls. The houses huddled together were plain and shabby. Perhaps it was the houses made of a mixture of cow dung and straw that evoked the faint scent of the countryside.

'How long in the past is this?'

Grid was composed even in the midst of a very sudden situation. He thoroughly inspected everything around him while being wary of Yatan. It was to be prepared for possible dangers.

Yatan stared at him with dark eyes colored with interest. The first one to speak was the young Specter.

"Who are you?"

It was a clear voice. It was different from the Specter that the siblings knew. The young Specter, who stood alongside Yatan, wasn't sickly at all. It was nice to see the small face without the slightest shadow on it.

'It is obviously the past before hell was distorted. In the first place, here… is it hell?'

The neutral areas of hell—the areas inhabited by the demonkin, not demons, had a landscape that wasn't much different from the surface. A considerable number of demonkin tribes built towns between clear skies and green meadows, living by their own laws and morals. Maybe the hell of the past was exactly the same as the surface.

"The two of you are unusual… are you dragons using Polymorph?"

The young Specter gradually started to become wary of Grid and Ruby. It was because Grid's armor and Ruby's clothing couldn't be made with the technology of this era.

Grid's armor was made from dragon scales. He didn't look like a male human.

"There is no need to be vigilant. One is like me," Yatan calmed the Specter, who was gradually panicking.

"Huh?"

"A god."

Yatan smiled as he looked between the Specter and Grid.

"Did a relationship connected to the future lead you here…? Eve must've liked you very much."

"Me?"

The young Specter, Eve, had wide eyes. She looked at Grid in a bewildered manner.

I have good favorability toward him in the future and led him here?

The overall atmosphere is quite nice, but it is a bit far from my taste…

Finally, Eve's cheeks puffed out. If it wasn't for the words of the gods she served, she would've screamed, "Don't talk nonsense!"

Grid felt bitter. After seeing the Specter of the past, the Specter of the present was even more pitiful. Such an ordinary girl spent thousands of years alone and lost her emotions, turning into a monster who only wanted revenge…

It was really pitiful.

"Yes, why did Eve send you here? No matter what story you tell to me in the past, the future won't change… I think she wants me to deliver something to you, rather than you to me."

"She was just trying to convey to me who you are. I think some type of miracle was achieved due to her earnest heart…"

He couldn't change the future by changing the past. It was a declaration that took away the hope that just sprouted, but Grid wasn't shaken. It was because he thought it was natural.

"Is that so…? It is a world that needs an 'explanation' about me…" Yatan cocked his head and pondered on it.

Grid looked at Yatan and spoke with the feeling of grasping at straws, "In the future, hell will be distorted."

"Hmm?"

"Baal… your son betrayed you by taking advantage of a gap in your cycle."

"Yes… as expected, it is right."

"Did you expect this?"

"That child… he didn't want his home to become a paradise for the dead. It is inevitable."

"You neglected it despite knowing this?"

"It isn't neglect. It is trust."

"Baal didn't repay your trust. So right now, to Baal…"

"We created the world."

Kill Baal right now.

Yatan interrupted the words that Grid was about to say. "It wasn't to oppress anyone. We let the world flow, just as water flows naturally."

"Isn't that too irresponsible? Due to the distorted hell, the dead are suffering for eternity without being reincarnated. What are they guilty of?" Ruby couldn't just listen and interjected.

"Do you think the concept of reincarnation is correct?" Yatan calmly questioned her, who was somewhat agitated.

"Huh…?"

"Do you think it is right for a creature who has already gone through one life to be reborn and go through another painful life?"

"Is there any law that says they will only go through a painful life? Wasn't the concept of reincarnation created by your Gods of the Beginning in the first place?"

"It wasn't a concept we made. We only accepted it. Most of the souls in this world have been reincarnated from the beginning. Well… of course, I agree with your claim that there is no law that says they will have to go through a painful life."

"……??"

"I see the cycle of life and reincarnation as necessary. However, I often wonder if I am wrong. It is really painful when I see people suffering all the time during their tens, hundreds, or thousands of reincarnations…"

"……"

"I understand a bit of Baal's feelings about imprisoning the souls of the dead in hell."

"I think you are misunderstanding something," Grid interjected, "Baal took over the river of reincarnation simply to play with souls."

"Huh, he will be punished."

"You should kill him."

Grid's expression was cold. It didn't matter if this past wasn't connected to the present. He just wanted to see that bastard Baal die.

"It won't work."

Yatan shook his head. The dark divinity that flowed like long hair fluttered and left an afterglow.

"It is as I said earlier. I have no intention of oppressing the world. I don't kill of my own will."

"The one who has repeatedly destroyed the world can speak well."

Grid frowned and clicked his tongue.

"I don't intend to leisurely have a conversation. What is the cycle of the Gods of the Beginning? Why do you keep creating and destroying the world?"

"You…!"

The young Specter showed hostility. She took a step closer to Grid and held a club made of 'energy,' not Yatan's divinity. Grid glared at her coldly. "This isn't the place for you to step in."

"…….!!"

Eve's legs weakened and she fell to the ground. Grid's high dignity and divinity crushed her. She might be an apostle of a God of the Beginning, but she didn't have much experience and was no match for Grid.

"I will ask you instead," Yatan, who had been observing each of Grid's actions with interest, asked in a heavy voice, "Where are you from?"

"You are saying meaningless things again… didn't you notice that I came from the future?"

"I am talking about the world."

"It is the surface."

"No."

"……?"

"I feel like your origin is completely far removed from the worlds I know."

"……!"

A chill went down Grid and Ruby's spines. They sensed the meaning behind Yatan's words.

"Are there more like you? Did Rebecca recognize you?"

"……"

"If so, the cycle is simply an escape."

"…Wait, something is now a bit… the shock is so great in many ways that I feel like my mind is a bit blank. Can you explain it slowly and in detail?"

"Rebecca has ■■'s ■■ from the beginning… Huh?" Yatan, who had been saying something inaudible with a bitter expression, lamented, "This ■■ is fast…"

This was the end.

A bright light enveloped the entire world and the minds of the siblings bounced back to the present.

***

"……"

The complexion of the siblings after they came to their senses was fine, as if everything had been a lie. Khan's final work got rid of the sweat that had just dripped down, and Sehee evaporated it without a trace with her passive purification skill. They didn't even realize because they did it as naturally as breathing.

"God Yatan. In order to rule out… elements… that posed a threat to people from the beginning…"

"Stop."

She didn't even realize that the siblings had gone to the past. The Specter shut her mouth as she was talking about Yatan.

Grid asked her, "Is Rebecca higher than Yatan?"

"That… it is great disrespect. That question… the two of them. Naturally, they are equal."

"Next question. I heard that the world has been repeatedly destroyed and created. Did you witness the end as well?"

"…Yes."

"Did Yatan really destroy the world?"

"I don't know," the Specter answered immediately, "I've never seen it myself…"

It was as if she was denying it.

"Oppa…" Ruby grabbed Grid's hand. She knew it wasn't a good thing to delve deep into the Gods of the Beginning for the inhabitants of this world.

The same was true of Grid.

"Yes… I can't wait to see for myself Yatan who is buried underground."

"……"

Grid regained his composure and spoke mildly.

The Specter guessed from his attitude that he had experienced something she didn't know. She quickened her pace without speaking further.

At the deepest part of the No Offspring Tomb…

A towering temple could be seen in the middle of the darkness.

***

"83 liches, 161 death knights… apart from that, there are 13,000 undead and 8,000 local troops…"

The Specter's closest aide—Jishuka was shocked after reading the contents of the report posted by the 'Biggest Staff.' It was because the undead force joining the Overgeared Empire was stronger than expected.

The Biggest Staff puffed out his chest and declared proudly, ""You don't have to count the number of undead. They are such miscellaneous soldiers. We can raise more as long as there are corpses. Just count it as gaining thousands of troops.""

"Haha…" Jishuka laughed awkwardly.

The liches and death knights obtained from the No Offspring Tomb were different from ordinary undead. Most of them were transcendents in their lifetime. In other words, it was like dozens of strong individuals with the bodies of transcendents suddenly popped out from the fog.

They obtained that much power overnight, so Jishuka really couldn't feel it. She was worried if they could control it properly.

""You don't have to worry. There is no need to harm innocent people in order to obtain corpses. All of the No Offspring Tomb, including the Specter… from now on, we will move only according to the will of the supreme one.""

The undead of the No Offspring Tomb were beings who had accumulated great karma and sins in their lives. They were inherently dangerous, so the Specter disciplined them thoroughly. Thanks to this, they had a habit of being loyal to their master, almost like the Overgeared Skeletons.

Jishuka nodded. "As long as Grid chooses to trust you, we will trust you too. I hope you repay our trust."

""Ohhh…!""

"W-What? What is it?"

Jishuka couldn't understand the attitude of the Biggest Staff, who was suddenly thrilled. The red light of the Staff's eyes shone as he looked at her.

""I was reminded of how great you are after hearing how familiarly you call the supreme one. From now on, I will always follow you with a lowly attitude…""

"It is because Grid and I promised to get married. Okay, I look forward to working with you in the future."

""Ohh… I thought you were more beautiful and dignified than any human being I have witnessed in hundreds of years. It turns out you are the bride of the supreme one.""

"Hey~ I am the bride-to-be. What bride~~"

"……"

Jishuka, who had been wary and nervous about the undead just a moment ago—all of a sudden, she was laughing and chatting…

The Overgeared members realized it.

The undead who joined as colleagues at this time—in many ways, they weren't ordinary.