Overgeared

Chapter 1793

“Are you going to move the entire imperial capital?”

The Tomb of the Gods wasn’t just huge. All types of infrastructure and several palaces boasting high spires were being built. It was smaller than Reinhardt, but it felt like a new city was being built.

It was a city that rose high in the sky. It was a fortress that no one would be able to reach, so it seemed suitable for use as a new imperial capital.

However, Grid’s answer was unexpected. “They said that they are planning to split it, not move it. It is said that there are many cases where it will be deployed to the battlefield, so there is a practical problem in housing civilians here. There are also administrative agencies where the efficiency will be increased only by inspecting the site. I think it will be a forward base and an administrative capital that takes advantage of a moving city.”

“......?”

Hexetia cocked his head as he had been secretly admiring it and asked another question, “Aren’t you the emperor?”

“That’s right...”

“Aren’t you the owner of this flying ship?”

“That’s right...”

“But your tone is weird. It feels like someone other than you rules this place.”

“Oh, I’m terrible when it comes to politics so I am leaving it to my other friends.” action

In Satisfy, governance wasn’t simply done with knowledge and experience. It was necessary to possess a large amount of stats and skills related to politics in order to achieve effective results. This was why Grid diligently studied politics and economics, but left most of the work to Lauel and the others.

‘I’m trying, but it isn’t easy.’

In reality, most of Grid’s daily routine was focused on managing his physical fitness and condition. He felt obliged to have at least some knowledge, so he studied politics and economics on his own with the help of Yura, but he lacked a lot. In the first place, he spent too much time in Satisfy and had less time to devote to studying.

‘I wish I was as smart as Lauel.’

It was even now when he felt that his comprehension and memorization skills have improved by hundreds of times compared to the past. It was true that he was envious of geniuses like Lauel, who could learn one thing and realize others.

‘...Well, it would be a crime to have this face and to be smart as well.’

Grid’s confidence had skyrocketed after he became accustomed to being loved by the opposite sex. The continuous confessions of the unprecedented beauty Marie Rose was the catalyst. Grid was positive to the point where he thought his current self was a bit cooler than when he assimilated with Braham.

“......?”

Hexetia looked puzzled at the sight of Grid sweeping a hand through his long, flowing divinity that was like long hair. Then he changed the subject.

“In any case, I like the structure of the smithy the most. It is big and has a lot of chimneys. I don’t want the heat getting trapped. I was worried because I often saw fools blowing up smithies while smelting metals that require high heat, but you are different.”

“...It isn’t that they are fools. It was a mistake they made because they were inexperienced. They are growing pains that everyone has to go through.”

“You are right. My remarks were careless.”

Hexetia reflected deeply. He was reminded that he naturally learned many things due to being born a god and was in a different position from humans. He almost casually hurt humans again...

Hexetia’s expression darkened sharply out of guilt and Grid lightened the atmosphere.

“Come, let’s go in. Shouldn’t we get to work?”

The smithy, which boasted an area larger than 10 soccer fields, slightly vibrated. Trauka’s arm, which was lowered by hundreds of God Hands, was that heavy.

‘At this point, isn’t it almost like a Sword Saint?’

Grid clicked his tongue as he examined the leather and scales neatly separated from the flesh. It was a scene that seemed like it had been created by the ultimate swordsman. This was the work of Idan. It was the traces of a cooking that was acknowledged by a dragon.

A Dragon’s Chef—he wielded the power of a sword to turn the body of an Old Dragon into food ingredients...

‘Like Pagma's Successor, he possesses several attack skills.’

Was it a result of Raiders’ desire for his chef to be able to protect himself? Idan had learned a number of attack skills and magic, despite being called a chef. Grid remembered the status window of Idan that he had looked at a few days ago and seriously pondered on it.

‘Wouldn’t it be right to send him to a training dungeon rather than letting him stay in the kitchen?’

The training dungeons made by Eat Spicy Jokbal were still in use. As the level of Eat Spicy Jokbal increased, dungeons of higher difficulty were created one after another. They might be inferior for the Apostles and the 10 Meritorious Retainers to use, but there were many hunting grounds suitable for Idan, who was still a new chick.

‘Considering the position of Idan, who is prone to grudges, it is right to send him for training.’

By the time Grid came to this conclusion, Hexetia’s mentality had recovered. A god who showed early symptoms of bipolar disorder in the aftermath of committing one of the seven deadly sins—Hexetia’s mental strength that resembled fragile glass was also a new concern for Grid.

It was Grid’s duty to restore him to his full state after he believed in Grid and became a god of the Overgeared World.

‘Should I talk with Agnus about mental illness?’

He seemed to have become pretty human these days. Grid remembered what he had heard about Agnus through Betty’s mouth and suddenly smiled. It was a smile that naturally bloomed as he watched the backs of Khan and Hexetia, who were checking the condition of the smithy.

The various realistic problems didn’t matter. He was just happy to be with people he thought he would never see again.

***

“I think this is nothing more than a decent sword.”

What type of tools were needed to smelt the arm of Fire Dragon Trauka? Hexetia shrugged off the problem that Grid had been thinking about for days and days. He said that as long as the flames of his nipples and the Red Phoenix worked together, he would be able to easily smelt a horn, let alone an arm. Therefore, he proceeded with the first step of production.

It was the design.

“Decent...?”

Grid’s face hardened. A completely unexpected sentiment came from Hexetia’s lips as he examined Twilight, Grid and Kraugel’s latest and greatest work of all time.

Hexetia spoke with no hesitation, “In terms of the size, weight, and shape, how else would you describe this sword that is suitable for ‘all types of swordsmanship’ if not decent? It is too much and too shallow to call it the best.”

Twilight wasn’t a work created by Grid alone. It was actually Kraugel who set the form. Of course, a lot of the ‘thoughts of a Sword Saint’ were included. A Sword Saint was the master of all swordsmanship.

“Are you saying that a sword specialized in one swordsmanship technique is the best?”

It was too one dimensional. It was a process that Grid had already gone through.

Gujel’s Sword and Dao—they were a pair of weapons specialized for slashing and stabbing respectively and Grid had made them first. Then in the end, he concluded that Twilight was the best weapon. It was because there were so many variables in actual combat. Weapons with distinct identities were limited in their ability to block, deflect, and counterattack the ever-changing enemy attacks. It was the same even if two swords were treated as one sword.

Hexetia shook his head. “That isn’t it either. I think the best sword is... it is based on the inspiration that can be obtained from that gauntlet you are armed with.”

“Ifrit’s Arm...?”

Grid’s gaze lowered to his arms. Gauntlets that reproduced a dragon’s arm by splitting one scale into thousands. It seemed to be alive and breathing as it responded to the wearer’s movements, repeatedly joining together and diverging in real time.

“A transforming sword...”

What was the best sword in Hexetia’s opinion? Its identity flowed from Khan’s mouth.

A transforming sword. It referred to a sword that changed its appearance according to the user’s intention. Grid had also made it several times.

“Aren’t the limitations of a transforming sword clear?”

Grid couldn’t hide his disappointment. The transforming sword was a sword made by ‘weaving together several small blades.’ Once the user applied power, it straightened and performed the role of a sword properly. However, when it was simply swung, it bent like a whip. It was difficult to use full swordsmanship with it.

“I have complete control over Ifrit’s Arm because it is in close contact with my body. The moment it is separated into an independent tool, it becomes difficult to control it as I wish. Of course, I can mix in Greed to induce remote control, but the problem is that I have to issue commands in real time...”

“You have very ordinary worries.”

Hexetia smiled.

“I think the disadvantages of the transforming sword can be solved by adjusting the range of operation. Of course, this isn’t easily solved, so the transforming sword has always been neglected, but... look at the identities of the three of us.”

Two legendary blacksmiths and the God of Blacksmiths. Was there a weapon they couldn’t make when they put their heads together? It was almost impossible.

“Furthermore, we are using the body part of an old dragon as a material. It is right to give it a try first rather than worrying about it.”

Even if they failed, it wasn’t a problem to try again. Trauka’s arm was so huge that the materials were overflowing.

“You are correct. I was prejudiced for a while and worried about useless things.”

It had to be so. The years where Grid had worked alone were too long. Grid had lost an adviser from the moment Khan passed away. There was no rival ever since Hexetia was imprisoned. The only exception was Kraugel, who occasionally gave his opinion on the ‘sword.’

Grid always stood alone in front of an anvil. The hot flames emitted by the furnace made him shiver with loneliness. Every time, he thought about it alone and was subconsciously trapped by self-made prejudices. It was time to smash those invisible bars.

Rely on Khan and watch and learn from Hexetia.

“Let’s do anything for now.”

The moment Grid made the declaration, the blacksmith trio started to move. Surprisingly, there was little sense of unity. The three of them moved of their own judgment. They each smelted Trauka’s scales and bones at different timings. It was the effect of having different interpretations on the temperature of the furnace required for smelting.

They weren’t afraid of the failures that would come from it. Using these failures as lessons, problems were corrected in real time. Hexetia tasted success without any failures, but he still learned something from Grid and Khan

‘Cracks along the direction of the grain occurred before the scales melted? That will be useful if we use it well. I can see why Grid and Khan made attempts to smelt it at such temperatures.’

Pillars of fire gushed through the chimneys connected to the furnace. People on the ground thought a volcano had erupted and tried to evacuate. If there wasn’t the Tomb of the Gods, several cities might’ve disappeared from the map on this day.

“......”

Humans weren’t the only ones intimidated by the series of fire pillars soaring from the Tomb of the Gods, which was flying high in the sky.

Evil Dragon Bunhelier—he came to join Grid after knowing Grid would go on a campaign against Ball, only to hesitate in surprise. The aura of Fire Dragon Trauka, who had recently taken refuge in a new lair, was gushing from the Tomb of the Gods. He didn’t have the courage to get any closer...

‘Is he using his recent friendship with Trauka to keep me from approaching? Of course, it is unlikely that Trauka is there, but... it seems like he doesn’t plan to welcome guests for the time being. It is right to plan for the future.’

Bunhelier’s back was small and lonely as he turned and left.