Chapter 1902  

Unless they were a half-god born on the surface or an Evil God that wandered without any affiliations, all the gods in heaven were aware of Chiyou’s disposition. It was easy to guess why Chiyou was obsessed with Grid.

Therefore, King Sobyeol held on. He believed that Chiyou would surely enter the battlefield.

However, he hadn’t expected this to happen. Wanting to sacrifice him to Grid?

[It isn’t too late now...! Take back your attitude and help me!] King Sobyeol exclaimed desperately.

Chiyou was still holding him by the back of the neck. He had no choice but to struggle until his body hurt. He noticed that Chiyou’s obsession with Grid was far beyond his predictions.

[No matter how much you... no, it is because it is you that you shouldn’t break your oath. How are you going to pay the price for this betrayal?]

Just as Dragon Words was strengthened by an accumulation of ‘fulfilling the covenant,’ the concepts of oaths and promises also played a very important role for a god. In the worst case scenario, violating the oath would make them lose their ‘right to live in heaven.’

It didn’t just mean being weaker. There was a fear of losing their reason and becoming an Evil God. The honor that they had built up... no, they would lose their whole life. This was the reason why King Sobyeol used an ‘indirect method’ when dealing with King Daebyeol.

[Are you going to be blinded by absurd greed and follow in Pluto’s footsteps? Chiyou, wasn’t it you who sympathized with Pluto more than anyone else?]

“That is misleading.” Chiyou, who had been silently waiting for Grid’s answer, responded to King Sobyeol for the first time. “Our contract has lost its value, so the oath I have to keep has simply disappeared.”

In other words, it wasn’t a betrayal. Chiyou drove in the nail and King Sobyeol couldn’t recklessly refuse it. The reason why Hanul was able to appease Chiyou was due to the promise that Hanul would make a God Killer.

The yangbans created by Hanul and nurtured by Chiyou—among them, Mir was especially outstanding and he served as a small hope for Chiyou. However, before he could prove his worth, he was taken away by Grid. Since then, the yangbans also started to leave the Hwan Kingdom one by one.

Chiyou was right. The Hwan Kingdom couldn’t afford to keep their promise to Chiyou...

[...Grid! I still have a firm desire to cooperate with you!] King Sobyeol made a very quick judgment. The moment he realized that he couldn’t change Chiyou’s mind, he tried to persuade Grid. [Don’t be misled by Chiyou! He will persistently cling to you until the day he is destroyed!!]

It was right. Chiyou had high hopes for Grid. He would follow Grid relentlessly until the day that Grid killed him.

Grid thought, ‘It is safe to say that no matter how much time passed, the odds of me defeating Chiyou are zero.’

This wasn’t an existence he could fight against and win. A disaster that would follow him forever... it was right to accept Chiyou as this.

“Not bad.” Unlike Grid, who didn’t feel particularly motivated, Chiyou’s reaction was positive. He gently let go of King Sobyeol’s neck and took out a weapon that looked like a long steel bar.

“Come at me together,” Chiyou declared.

‘This bastard.’ Now Grid had no respect for Chiyou at all. At this moment, he abandoned the lingering admiration and all the blinders were peeled off.

This guy was just a psychopath.

‘He has too much discernment just to call him crazy.’

Chiyou saw through it in a brief moment. He thought that Grid would be much stronger cooperating with King Sobyeol, rather than Grid killing King Sobyeol and gaining ‘status.’ This meant Chiyou accurately measured King Sobyeol’s current level.

‘This guy... he is pretty strong.’

Grid sighed and directly asked King Sobyeol, who came to his side, “How much longer can you stay in this state?”

Currently, King Sobyeol used his own power to embody the divinity of King Daebyeol and Bunhelier’s magic power. He was twice as powerful. It was impossible for it to be permanent, so it should be interpreted as a type of buff state.

[...There are 15 seconds left.] King Sobyeol obediently revealed it. He seemed to sincerely believe that he had to cooperate with Grid. It meant he could be trusted. However, it wasn’t a particularly positive answer from Grid’s perspective.

‘15 seconds is too little.’

[It is quite a long time.] Did he read Grid’s thoughts? King Sobyeol protested, but Grid no longer paid attention to him. Step.

As Chiyou took one step, all types of simulations were being drawn in Grid’s head. He was thinking about how to control the battle to knock Chiyou off Bunhelier’s back.

Grid’s purpose was to escape this place safely. However, due to the remnants of the barrier or the formations, normal return magic wasn’t working. His colleagues had escaped using Mass Teleport for a reason.

Grid also had to rely on Bunhelier’s Mass Teleport. In order for him to enter the magic alone with Bunhelier, he needed to cut off contact between Chiyou and Bunhelier.

‘I’m going to have to use the flail.’

Grid had no way of shaking off Chiyou with force even if he cooperated with King Sobyeol. Grid tried to plan as much as possible while considering the performance of the items he possessed. Then he heard Bunhelier’s voice in his mind.

[Grid, hand over the yeouiju to me.] It was Sound Transmission. It was a communication method that had the same effect as the players’ whispers. Bunhelier spoke so that only Grid could hear. [I have the confidence to use the magic power of the yeouiju properly. It will be helpful. No, who knows? If I am a mixed race like you said, I might be able to defeat Chiyou in reverse if I regain my sealed powers.]

‘I was going to be careful until I read the precise information of the yeouiju, but it can’t be helped in this situation.’

Then a voice was heard. “I don’t recommend that.”

[.....!]

“......!”

Grid and Bunhelier were stunned. Chiyou entered the conversation as if he had overheard Bunhelier’s Sound Transmission. “The balance you’ve been maintaining will break again. Can you handle it?”

[What do you mean? What balance are you talking about?]

“...The reaction is strange. Didn’t you know everything?” Chiyou asked back. The way he tilted his head showed that he was really confused.

“You haven’t heard an explanation from Grid? No... I see. Rebecca isn’t in a position to send divine messages, so it is fair to say that Grid doesn’t know either. Then it was all a coincidence...”

[Explain it clearly so that I can understand, Chiyou.]

“Indeed. Grid, your essence is a person who will usher in a new era.”

The world had started to change since Grid became active. In the west, a thousand year old empire was destroyed. In the east, the myths were restored. Finally, the underground hell distorted by Baal was purified. Starting with the Eternal Kingdom... so much history had been ended by Grid and they entered a new era.

Chiyou continued, “The strong power of destiny that you possess is about to end another era.”

Grid wondered, “What do you mean?”

[Stop talking nonsense and speak clearly.] It wasn’t just Grid and Bunhelier. King Sobyeol also didn’t understand. He couldn’t keep quiet and expressed his doubts. He seemed to have forgotten for a moment that he was weakening as time passed.

Thanks to this, Grid’s mind returned. ‘It isn’t the time to be doing this.’

If he had any chance of winning, his only opportunity was while King Sobyeol was maintaining his current status. There were only 11 seconds remaining. He held Twilight and Defying the Natural Order in his two hands and leaned his upper body forward heavily.

‘Pretend to dual wield. Then use Item Combination at the moment of approach and attack...’

Kkikikikik.

As Grid was somehow trying to increase his odds, Noe was smearing the Imoogi’s Poisonous Fang onto Grid’s swords. His jelly-like paws trembled and the movement of the fang scraping against the blade slowed.

It was nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it was great that he didn’t faint. Those who weren’t afraid in this current situation—

Except for Chiyou, there was no one.

Nod.

It happened the moment when Grid and King Sobyeol exchanged looks and shot forward at the same time... “Let’s postpone it until the next era,” Chiyou spoke meaningful words and stepped back. “Didn’t you get your hands on the yeouiju anyway? Regardless of my warning, the balance will soon be broken and a new era will come. For the time being, even if it isn’t you, the Old Dragons will fight me.”

“......?”

“If I am still alive when you are ripe, I will ask for another confrontation at that time.”

Grid noticed it—Chiyou’s eyes were filled with impatience. It looked like when they first met. Then everything was over.

Jingle.

Chiyou disappeared, leaving only the sound of the bells.

“...King Sobyeol, you don’t know what he is talking about, right?”

[Yes... it seems to be something that only the Gods of the Beginning, the Martial God, and the Old Dragons know about.]

[I don’t know about this?] Bunhelier retorted, but it wasn’t an important issue.

Grid quickly made a judgment and acted.

[All stats will be distributed to strength.]

Bam!

[What...! You—what are you doing?] King Sobyeol was shocked as he was stabbed in the heart from behind. It was while a large amount of divinity, which replaced blood, poured out of his mouth. If he hadn’t been speaking using intent, he wouldn’t have been able to speak properly.

Grid replied, “You can’t let your guard down in front of the enemy.”

[Enemy? Weren’t we supposed to work together?]

“Chiyou is no longer here.”

[Despicable and ignorant... the epic you are so proud of... how will it record this despicable act of yours... aren’t you afraid?]

Ah, King Sobyeol hadn’t experienced Grid’s epics in person.

Grid chuckled as he recalled Baal, who was disgusted after knowing the true nature of the epics that recorded everything in favor of its master.

“That is a problem that I have to deal with. It is just like how you couldn’t gain my trust because you betrayed your brother and ended up like this.”

[Amazing... the one called a god... is obsessed with personal things...]

King Sobyeol’s words didn’t last. It was because Grid and Bunhelier linked attacks without giving him any time. Thanks to this, they were able to kill him one second before his ‘strengthened state’ ended. This meant the rewards earned by Grid had also increased.

[You have defeated ‘King Sobyeol,’ the son of Hanul, the God of the Beginning.]

[Your level has risen by 100.]

[Your status has risen significantly.]

[’King Daebyeol’s Bow’ has been acquired.]

“...Huh?”

He hadn’t expected King Sobyeol to drop his weapon.

Bunhelier looked at the bewildered Grid with great satisfaction. [I like you more and more, Grid.]

It wasn’t just flattery. It must’ve been from the time when Grid stabbed King Sobyeol in the back—Bunhelier’s eyes toward Grid had become warm.

[In fact, I’ve noticed it for a long time. You are like me. In human terms, we are a match made in heaven.]

“...Stop talking nonsense. Let’s go back.”

Grid got everything he wanted to get. No, he got much more than that. It was time to leave without any hesitation.