Overgeared

Pulling out the eyeballs—it was the habit of the yangban Haejin. Humans should walk around with their eyes to the ground. Occasionally, someone would raise their heads and she would threaten them. She had actually done it several times. She didn’t take into account the fear and suffering of her victims. The yangbans were the masters under the heavens and there was no reason to think from the perspective of a victim.

“Kuaaaaack!”

Haejin’s sharp scream shook the ship as her left eye was cut. The shock wave that occurred caused the deck to become turbulent like they were riding on the waves. Grid stood on top of it and questioned Haejin, “How does it feel when your eyeball is pulled out? Does it hurt?”

“Ugh... Uuuuck!”

Half the world seemed to be gone.

Haejin barely saw the silver-haired woman in her narrower field of view and she cursed, “You...! You will be the human who dies in the most terrible way since Taejo! The moment I become a god, I’ll have your blood and flesh! I’ll find all those who have been in contact with you and kill them!”

Red paint was sharply sprinkled on the world dyed white that was just like blank drawing paper. Haejin’s anger and killing intent exerted influence on Chiyou’s mental world.

‘Indeed...’

Jingle.

Chiyou acknowledged it. The yangbans were Hanul’s masterpiece.

Pagma, who he had shown mercy to; Garam and Haejin, who tried to overcome their humiliation; and Mir, who wasn’t buried by his talent—there were differences according to their inclination, but most of the yangbans had the potential to obtain a God Killer qualification if they got the chance.

“My children will bring you rest.”

‘If such children continue to appear and cooperate with Mir...’

It was around the time when Chiyou remembered Hanul’s promise and felt anticipation for Haejin...

“I won’t allow your comfort.”

An uncomfortable energy was felt from Grid’s eye and it tried to exert some influence on Haejin. However, there were no changes. Haejin’s anger and killing intent didn’t fade at all. The mental world was influenced by her will and gave her a strong power.

‘What?’

The Castration Eye had no effect? Haejin’s combat power was amplified as Grid was feeling puzzled. The red paint sprinkled on the pure white world gathered together and took the form of a sword. The red sword filled with a murderous spirit was held in Haejin’s hand.

Just as Grid used Storm of the Fire God in the second trial, Haejin carved her own image in Chiyou’s mental world. Storm of the Fire God caused by Grid and the red sword held in Haejin’s hand were just fleeting mirages that disappeared the moment Chiyou denied them, but Chiyou watched silently. This world was just a space created for proof of combat ability. Chiyou had no intention of restricting the participants.

"I won’t allow your comfort!”

Grid felt a sense of crisis and once again triggered the Castration Eye. Once again, the Castration Eye had no effect. It was because the beneficial effect of the strengthening came from the mental world, not a physical force. The only method to weaken her was to break her heart, not the evil eye.

“Haaap!”

Haejin’s counterattack began. Her sword bent like paint on a brush. Her red-black sword spread out. The attack range was very wide and light, so it was difficult to avoid.

“Kuoock...!”

[You have suffered 12,310 damage.]

[You have suffered 13,900 damage.]

[You have suffered 12,850 damage.]

Grid felt a pain like his wrist was being torn every time he encountered Haejin’s sword. He was being pushed back in strength despite the myth-rated Fire Dragon Sword having over 4,000 attack power.

‘What is this strength?’

Grid also had buff skills. The fact that he was pushed back in pure strength from a basic attack was quite a shock. It was also absurd since his defense had been raised to the maximum amount possible for him. Every time a blow was exchanged, Grid stepped back. Eventually, he was pushed to the end of the deck.

“Hahahat! The moment the fluke ended, you are driven to the edge of the cliff! A human’s power is definitely trivial!”

“Keuk.”

He wanted to hit this person in the face. Should he take out the power of the Eccentric Duke to flatten this face? Grid contemplated it but soon rejected it. It was because one victory in a battle of strength against Haejin was meaningless. It was immature to take out Power of Not Knowing Defeat.

‘...Wait, basic attack?’

Kaaang!

[You have suffered 11,980 damage.]

Was this really a basic attack?

[A strong killing intent is coming toward you.] action

[A strong killing intent is coming toward you.]

Grid questioned it and focused on the warning that his transcendent senses had been giving him from the beginning.

[A strong killing intent is coming toward you.]

The warning rose every time Haejin swung her sword. It was every time.

‘This damn monster.’

Grid grasped it. It was the reason why Haejin’s attack power surpassed the other yangbans he faced so far despite not using a breath. It was because every one of her attacks was a skill. It was a skill so powerful it reminded him of Kill.

‘Isn’t this infinite skills rampage too fraudulent?’

A skill with zero cooldown time...

It was a really rare and fraudulent trait, no, power.

‘She truly is a half-god.’

Due to the experience of killing the yangbans relatively easily with the help of the red phoenix and Braham, Grid had gradually forgotten the fear of the yangbans. He once again realized it—the yangbans were half-gods and they were really powerful. This was why he was even more determined...

Kang!Kang!Kaaang!

“Hahahat! You are weak! Seeing the way you’re bleeding, you will die soon! However, endure it! Survive like a villain! You have to taste as much pain as possible before death!”

..... Grid needed to get rid of her. These yangbans who didn’t sympathize with human problems and only cared for themselves couldn’t be allowed to achieve their dream of becoming a god. Grid took a deep breath as he remembered the resolution in his epics.

It was only half a step now. He would fall off the ship with one more half step. Additionally, this ship was the only stage in the white world. Grid expected that he would be eliminated from the trial the moment he died.

“Hahahat! A last ditch effort! Run away like a rat!”

The red sword stretched out. The stab that made the gap of three meters useless struck Grid with a power comparable to that of Kill. Should he hit it back with Revolve? No, this wouldn’t work. Haejin’s skill was similar to Kill and it was enough to overwhelm him with power. It was called compatible natures.

“Pinnacle Kill.”

“......?”

The sound of Haejin’s laughter stopped and she groaned.

“Ugh!”

She was pushed back by an opponent she had completely overwhelmed so far? Haejin’s face cooled down as the hand and arm holding the sword shook and she temporarily lost any feeling in it. Then she shook her head and swung her sword again. She believed that she had only been pushed by chance.

“Haap!”

“Transcended Link Flower.”

“Kiyaaaaak!”

A waterfall of sword energy that fluttered like petals. Haejin was pushed back in the struggle, became a rag, and stumbled. She barely managed to stand up and wanted to fall down.

‘What?’

Her implementation of the ‘must kill’ desire in the mental world was successful. The moment she held the red sword in her hands, she felt power boiling over and felt invincible. It was absurd that their positions changed like it was a fleeting dream.

‘It wasn’t a fluke.’

The small human woman in front of her suddenly became huge. The wary Haejin purely admired it. Was her name Irene? A human being had this much hidden strength.

‘...No, she isn’t just a human.’

Haejin burst out laughing. It was a laugh that mocked herself. She blamed herself for realizing late that the human in front of her was a special being.

‘Zik’s apostle.’

Yes, the human in front of her wasn’t an ordinary human. He was chosen by the 6th Evil, Zik, who was said to be the most outstanding among the seven evils who had risen to the level of a half-god in the past. She couldn’t be normal, even among humans. Perhaps it was correct to evaluate her as a daoist immortal aiming to be a half-god.

‘Okay... maintain my mind.’

It was no wonder why she couldn’t win easily. It was natural to get hurt when fighting. She wasn’t superior. Thus, even more... she should become even more aggressive. New red paint was sprinkled all over the white world. It felt like a thunderbolt and covered Haejin’s red sword. It was like a swaying stream of blood.

Haejin’s red sword became bigger and more gorgeous. It made the shaking of the ship stronger. Her mental image was enhanced. Now she would win. She couldn’t lose even if she wanted to. The confident Haejin rushed toward Grid and swung her sword with all her might. The trajectory left by the red sword seemed to suggest that trajectory of blood that Grid would shed after a while. It happened when Haejin smiled...

“Linked Kill Flower Pinnacle.”

Kwaaaaaang!

“Transcended Link Kill Pinnacle.”

“......?”

All of Haejin’s attacks were smashed. In the meantime, Haejin was attacked in the gap that was revealed and suffered a deep wound to her chest and shoulders. Even so, she kept calm. This was the end. The end. This person had no more potential while she could still wield the sword. She would surely win if she just cut and stabbed...

Haejin accelerated in the tense fighting situation only to suddenly stop. It was because Zik’s apostle moved forward with a brilliant sword dance and used the same swordsmanship again.

“Transcended Link Kill Pinnacle.”

“......?”

This time, Haejin couldn’t even defend. A question mark appeared above Haejin’s head as the attack slammed into her.

‘God’s Command?’

How? The apostle of the 6th Evil, Zik, had the power of the 4th Evil, Taren?

Ku tang tang tang!

“Cough, cough! Keuk!”

The positions of Grid and Haejin had completely reversed. The one who was pushed to the end of the deck was Haejin, not Grid. She was even seriously injured as she vomited out black blood. Haejin wasn’t too frightened as she dared to look down before glancing at the approaching apostle of Zik. Rather, she started laughing.

“Hahat!Hahahahat! Stupid fool! In fact, this place is Chiyou’s mental world! It isn’t real. It is fake! I have clearly remembered all the sword techniques and power you used while struggling in order to survive! You will die once you return to reality after the test!”

“......”

Did this mean she couldn’t be killed? It was regrettable, but it didn’t matter. At least he prevented Haejin from passing the test. Furthermore...

“It’s fine, there are many more things you haven’t seen.”

[The level of Grid’s Swordsmanship has risen.]

[Physical attack power, critical hit probability, and critical hit attack power have increased by 10%. Five fusion sword dances can be created.]

Haejin judged that the only technique left to Grid was the Transcended Linked Kill Wave Pinnacle he used during the first trial, but the reality was completely different. Just as Haejin hadn’t taken out the White Tiger’s Breath and the Blue Dragon’s Breath due to pride, Grid hadn’t revealed everything.

“300,000 Army Swordsmanship Stealth Sword.”

“......?!”

“100,000 Army Massacre Sword.”

“......!!”

“200,000 Army Crushing Sword.”

“Kiyaaaaaak!”

The red sword in Haejin’s hand cracked before shattering and disappearing.

Fear...

She couldn’t withstand the feeling she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

“I won’t allow your comfort.”

The Castration Eye entered through the gap. Haejin lost the last of the strength supporting her and fell down like a broken doll. Grid pushed her off the ship with a finger to her bloody forehead. Then he looked at the yangbans remaining on the ship. “Next.”

The yangbans saw a silver-haired reaper. They remembered that talents such as Garam and Maru had also died in the human world.