Demonic power was poison. If he died in Blackening state, there was a possibility of being forced into hell. There was also the possibility of his race changing to a demon, becoming a demon in Satisfy’s world view, and many other possible side effects. A typical example was Baal’s gaze.

Grid had already experienced that the higher his demonic power, the greater the chances of being exposed to Baal’s gaze. This made him feel scared. However, he never wanted demonic power to be extinguished, nor did he avoid the accumulation of demonic power.

Blackening and the Rune of Darkness—Grid’s favored abilities were closely related to demonic power. Blackening was a skill that couldn’t be used without demonic power. Additionally, certain skills attached to the Rune of Darkness would have fewer penalties in the Blackening state. Even the prerequisite for having Noe as a pet was demonic power. 

Demonic power was a poison that could be deadly but it was also one of the forces that formed Grid’s foundation. Grid was in a position to fully control it, rather than fearing and avoiding demonic power.

‘Damn, what’s going on?’

[The effect of Duke of Virtue is purifying your demonic power.]

[Demonic power is purified and Blackening can’t be used.]

[A new skill is created using the effect of Duke of Virtue.]

Was he going to lose demonic power? Grid was greatly flustered. First, he wanted to check his condition. However, he wasn’t allowed this time.

“Your face is changing frequently.”

“...!”

Grid, who was trying to bring up the skills list, hurriedly pulled out his sword and held it. A man of great beauty was right in front of him. It was Garam.

[An unknown person is writing the fourth epic.]

Lips that stretched out coldly and dark eyes. Garam, who he met again after a long time, still boasted a pleasing appearance. Even so, Grid knew—the man in front of him was one of the most arrogant, cunning, and cruel beings in the world. He couldn’t be fooled by appearance. He couldn’t forget the vicious slaughter of the residents who remained in Pangea and the blacksmiths...

Grid swung his sword viciously. He used Blacksmith's Rage, Quick Movements, and Blackening out of habit but the absence of demonic power prevented him from using Blackening. At the same time, Garam’s short spear moved quickly enough to cut apart the dozens of energy blades coming from Grid’s sword. It was a stabbing attack that directly penetrated the center of Link, which had spread out like a net, and Grid’s sword stopped helplessly.

“Slow.” Garam’s words were short. He had been training using his anger toward Grid as a springboard and he was much stronger than the last time they met.

“No matter who you are, you can’t go against him! Run away!” Tosun shouted as she jumped and kicked at Garam with an amazing lower body power. Garam’s short spear stabbed at Tosun but Tosun was nimble. She wasn’t a normal existence. She was someone who once served the Four Auspicious Beasts but Garam was even greater. 

The sword hanging from Garam’s waist was suddenly unfurled and wielded. It twisted its trajectory like a living creature and wrapped around Tosun’s ankle.

“...!”

“...!”

Changing the direction of already released sword energy? Grid and Tosun were stunned by the incredible sight and Garam declared, “All things in Heaven and Earth will move according to God’s will.”

A god—Garam called himself a holy being without any doubts. Did he build up even more divinity? His pride that soared into the sky seemed to have gotten even higher. 

“Ugh! Run away! I’ll buy you some time.” Tosun urged as she stood in front of Grid and took an unfamiliar martial arts stance. She had great strength in her lower body but she seemed unstable due to her injured ankle. Nevertheless, she seemed to have no intention of backing down. Like the blue tiger, she was determined to protect Grid at her own expense. She didn’t want Grid’s Red Phoenix Bow to return to the yangbans.

“Please! Please run away safely...!”

[The beginning of the story comes from the desire of the fleeting people who have been forgotten.]

“Protect the red phoenix on our behalf!”

“....”

[He saw an unchanging faith in the face of the coming disaster.]

[He revisited the meaning of a god through those who worship the gods, despite losing everything because of the failure of the gods they believed in and served.]

“...?”

The emergence of Garam. A new epic. Tosun and the rabbits who were making sacrifices. In this dire situation, Grid got a strange feeling.

“....”

“....”

Grid and Garam’s eyes met in the air. Grid’s eyes swirled with confusion and fear while Garam’s eyes were still. Grid realized the identity of the strange feeling. ‘Garam’s attitude is different from usual.’

Garam’s eyes always looked down on others. His disdain and disgust toward lower-class people always offended Grid. It was Garam who hated Grid more than Grid hated Garam. Garam showed passion every time he faced Grid. He expressed extreme joy or anger. Sure enough, Garam’s attitude was as usual when they met in the toothless tiger community a few hours earlier.

Now it was different. Grid didn’t read any emotions from Garam. Garam was controlling his emotions.

‘This jerk... he’s serious now.’

The reason why Grid survived every time he met Garam was due to Garam’s arrogance. It was the belief that humans wouldn’t dare bare their teeth at him and the conviction that he wouldn’t be defeated even if they did... 

Due to his life experience, Garam looked down on Grid and experienced bitterness twice as a result. However, this time was different. Garam had learned. He witnessed Hangyeol’s death. Today, Garam wouldn’t make any mistakes. Grid noticed that the dark shadow of death was covering him.

Garam declared, “I won’t miss you this time.”

Flap.

Garam swung his arms out wide and his blue dopo flapped. Dozens of talismans poured out from his wide sleeves.

[A powerful enchantment has been installed.]

[Space transition has become impossible.]

“Let’s get rid of the disrupters.”

—!

Garam’s soft sword silently drew a circle. As sword energy expanded along the circle, it stretched out to the chest of Tosun and the rabbits surrounding Garam.

“Avoid it!"

Tosun hurriedly shouted as she jumped and all the other rabbits jumped as well. However, the sky became Garam’s limbs once the sword energy expanded enough to accommodate all of them and spun violently. The majority of the rabbits, except for Tosun, were devastated by the sword energy whirlwind they couldn’t escape from and crashed down disastrously in a puddle of blood.

“Hahat, those who were insignificant have become even weaker.” Garam laughed. No malice could be felt. It was the pure laugh of a child enjoying it as he tore off the wings of a dragonfly. 

Was this a god...?

Grid felt like he had been struck in the head with a hammer and was in shock. It was as if he had seen something that shouldn’t be seen. Yatan and Rebecca—it occurred to him that the way that the two absolute gods destroyed and recreated the world wouldn’t be much different from the current Garam.

[He was reminded of the other side of the world that he had neglected.]

[He faced a fate that couldn’t be resisted despite knowing he would be sacrificed to providence.]

[He knew that the screams of the fleeting people couldn’t be the only future of those who served him.]

An epic was written along with Grid’s thoughts. The contents of the epic were likely to incite Grid’s thinking. Still, one thing was clear. Grid’s choice would’ve been the same even without the epic. The epic was merely writing down Grid’s story. Morpheus just made him aware of the future that would come without even a 0.01% variable.

The whirlwind of sword energy kept slaughtering the rabbits. Garam painted a tranquil forest of death.

“200,000 Army Crushing Sword.” This was crushed by Grid’s interference.

“You...!”

Tosun avoided the whirlwind of sword energy and gritted her teeth as she exclaimed. She resented Grid, who didn’t use the short gap created by her sacrifice to escape.

Grid spoke in a mysterious manner, “If you are a god, shouldn’t you at least live up to the expectations of those who believe in you?”

“...Eh?”

Tosun didn’t have time to understand. Grid was charging toward Garam. Garam shook off 200,000 Army Crushing Sword after suppressing it and spoke while facing Grid, “It’s light.”

It was an honest feeling. Compared to Garam’s sword, Grid’s sword was slow and weak. On the way to this place, Garam had been greatly surprised when he sensed Hangyeol’s death but now he was fully calm. He once again confirmed that Grid, who inherited Pagma’s power, could hurt him but not defeat him. He was pleased with Grid’s self-destructive attitude. He felt great joy that he could finally cut off this annoying guy’s head.

“Now, come!” Garam’s sword aimed at Grid’s sword. He intended to blow away Grid and his sword. He identified Grid’s power through a few exchanges and determined it was possible. ‘I understand the target. Now I will trample on it slowly and thoroughly.’

Two sharp points were aimed at the same point. Just before Grid’s sword and Garam’s sword collided, Grid was undergoing a change.

[400 points have been invested in agility.]

[Your strength and agility stats are exactly the same.]

[The golden ratio effect of the fourth stats awakening will strengthen your normal attacks.]

[Normal attacks will deal 20% more damage and there is a normal probability of the ‘high speed’ and ‘destruction’ effect occurring.]

[The effect of Duke of Fire infuses your weapon with the flames of willpower.]

“...?!” The moment their swords collided, Garam’s eyes widened. He was supposed to blow away Grid but instead, his right arm was rising in the air.

‘...What?’

Flames travelled along Grid’s sword and smashed into Garam’s nose.

‘You!’

Garam’s eyebrows were scorched and he tried to suppress his boiling anger. He ignored the unidentified force that pushed back his right arm and sped forward, cutting at Grid’s waist in the gap when Grid couldn’t respond. At the same time, he attempted to use the intangible winds to smash Grid’s head into a mess. The sharp energy that rose around Grid tore the wind apart.

“Ah...!”

Garam was continuously shamed and his face was red. Even so, there was no light in his eyes. He suppressed his feelings because he knew he would forever regret it if he was overcome by his anger. In order to avoid creating variables, he calmly started to target Grid.

There were no more variables. The intangible winds kept disrupting the actions of the God Hands. Grid’s sword dance was broken. The four fusion sword dance was never completed. Garam thoroughly destroyed Grid’s strengths. It was as if he felt no more humiliation as he avoided a power struggle with Grid and made all of Grid’s efforts useless.

‘This is it.’

The only thing left was to wash away the shame.

‘The end.’

It was the moment when Garam peeked at the tired Grid’s face.

Flash!

A light as brilliant as the stars filled the high expanse of the sky. A sword flew toward Garam. It didn’t hit but Garam was nervous. It was because a person powerful enough to throw a sword from a distance that was hard to grasp couldn’t be underestimated by even Garam.

However, there wasn’t only one. One weapon, two, ten... 100, 200...

Hundreds of different types of weapons continued to descend from the sky, bombarding Garam’s enchantment. Most of the weapons scattered into dust, unable to penetrate the enchantment, but some were exceptions. A large greatsword that resembled a predator of the sea started to crack the enchantment. Then the enchantment collapsed. Two swords with the breath of the white tiger and a bow with the breath of the red phoenix were particularly irritating to Garam.

‘What is this?’

He couldn’t understand it. What type of incomprehensible scene was this?

“What type of trick are you playing?” Garam roared angrily as he moved backwards to avoid the rain of battle gears falling toward him.

Grid told him, “Pant... Pant... You... you can’t be a god.”

Blood flowed from Grid’s eyes and nose. It was the aftermath of using the Duke of Virtue skill that he checked during the rabbits’ sacrifice. He was mentally exhausted but he continued in an upright voice, “I will stop you.”

“...!”

[He soaked the land of the old gods with the rain of battle gears of those who believe in him and serve him.]

“I.”

[He declared in the presence of the murderer dreaming of being a god and the fleeting people watching.]

“I will become a god.”

[My myth will lead the world in the right direction.]

[The rain that falls now proves my qualifications.]

“You...! What sophistry is this?”

Garam couldn’t bear it and showed his power. He opened the four powers of the sacred creatures simultaneously and slammed into Grid, fiercely breaking through the rain. It was the final blow and Grid died. Grid had lost his immortality before Garam arrived and had no way out.

However, Grid hadn’t be beaten in silence. Thanks to the help of the rain of battle gears, which was now beginning to die down, Grid fought against Garam with all his might. There was Noe, who stayed with him despite him losing demonic power, Randy who had always been with him, the Overgeared Skeletons still dancing in the midst of this, and the light elemental.

“Run away! The red phoenix... Kuk! Don’t worry and run away!”

“H-Human...! N-No! God...! God...!!”

“Run aw...ay!”

“Ugh...! Kuock...! You must...!”

[He hopes to sustain the world that will perish.]

[A tree that has grown up with the help of many.]

....

...

[An unknown person has completed the fourth page of the epic!]

[Special compensation will be paid to all players who have contributed to the completion of the epic.]

....

...

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