At the river of reincarnation...

A tremendous noise had been going on for dozens of minutes already.

It was the aftermath of a collapse of an invisible dam—the dam created by the distortion of hell, and imprisoned the souls in the river.

"Thank you."

“Thank you...”

The liberated souls—they expressed their gratitude to Kraugel as they finally let go of the sorrow and pain they had experienced for eternity and started to enter the path of reincarnation.

“I won’t forget your last words and will deliver them to Grid.”

I will deliver your words to Grid, who isn’t here, on your behalf.

Kraugel thought so and promised. The souls were bewildered for a moment before smiling. Contrary to Kraugel’s thoughts, the souls were grateful to him too. It was because he shouted that Grid would surely defeat Baal and gave them hope. Thanks to him, they endured the pain for a while. This was a tremendous blessing for the souls.

“In our next life, we will return the merits to you and Grid.”

These were the words of a soul. It blurred so quickly that Kraugel couldn’t get a close look at the soul's appearance, but he could see the neatly shaved head and deep eyes. He thought this soul must’ve been a monk-like practitioner in his lifetime.

The cycle of life.

Reincarnation—Kraugel had a vague idea of the value of this concept. The souls had started to prepare for reincarnation thanks to Grid. When they were one day reborn as beasts or human beings living on the surface, maybe they would vaguely love Grid and the warriors of the expedition. Wouldn’t these feelings gather to bless Grid and the Overgeared Kingdom?

“The immortal empire.”action

Just then, Eligos interjected.

“As long as their subconscious minds remember the events of their previous lives after they are reborn, even if it is just the smallest detail, the empire of Grid will be eternal. They won’t sit idly by and ignore the nation and everything that Grid has created. They will instinctively want to protect it.”

Great nations throughout history had often been born from a combination of strong military power, brilliant politicians, and good timing. It was right to express it as a gift from heaven. However, none of the nations lasted forever. In the end, they declined and collapsed.

However, the Overgeared Empire would last forever. Even though it was only a demon’s claim... Kraugel agreed with it.

“I guess so.”

Putting aside the blessings and the help of the reincarnated souls, there weren’t many forces left that could threaten the Overgeared Guild right away. If he had to name them, wouldn’t it be the Old Dragons, the Hwan Kingdom, and Asgard? Among them, the Old Dragons seemed to have deep exchanges with Grid, while Hanul and King Sobyeol of the Hwan Kingdom felt inferior. Perhaps only Asgard could disrupt Grid’s path.

It happened as Kraugel was thinking this...

“......”

Eligos stood on the cliff and watched the procession of liberated souls. Suddenly, he changed his position with high speed movement. Before anyone knew it, he climbed on top of Cerberus, drew his sword, and looked up at the sky.

“......”

Kraugel didn’t bother asking what was going on. It was because he could also sense the traces that were getting closer.

Soon—

A tremendously powerful air wave seemed to fall on them. Then a gloomy voice rang out.

“”I... must not forget my past life. I can’t obtain enlightenment in this state.””

King Daebyeol—Kraugel was familiar with the name of the soul that stopped just before falling into the still swirling river.

The son of Hanul, a God of the Beginning—a being who fell into hell after falling for the machinations of his younger brother, King Sobyeol. Finally, he was tricked by Baal and was reduced to the mass of red flesh. The episodes related to him hadn’t been revealed in detail. However, it was easy to predict how much pain he would’ve suffered just from looking at the briefly known content. He must’ve held a very deep grudge.

“”It doesn’t make sense for me, an Absolute, to perish... I have to go up to the surface in this state and meet my younger brother.””

“Does the disappearance of an Absolute make no sense? Baal also talked nonsense before he died.”

Cerberus leapt forward. He jumped off a cliff and instantly attacked King Daebyeol.

Black Knight Eligos—his strange swordsmanship, which had a history of troubling Grid for a moment, inflicted new wounds on the soul of King Daebyeol, who was already full of wounds. He pushed relentlessly at the weakened King Daebyeol in the hope of quickly plunging him into the river.

“I can’t tolerate you going against the flow of the river, which has regained its original flow. It is your story. I feel sorry for you, but I can’t let you do as you please. It could become an opportunity to cause the rules to collapse again.”

Eligos’ desire was to be the representation of hell. He hoped that people would think of him the moment they thought of hell. It was a completely different concept from being the master of hell. It was a type of honor. Therefore, Baal didn’t bother to break his aspirations. In any case, Baal was now dead and hell was regaining its original form.

Eligos dreamed of becoming the representation of hell and he was even more obsessed with his role as the gatekeeper of hell. He struggled to defend the laws of hell that had finally been restored.Eligos and King Daebyeol clashed multiple times, causing the river to gush out every time.

A rainbow that originally wasn’t in hell came into existence. It was a sight that could only be seen thanks to the sun rising after the hell moon disappeared.

“......”

Kraugel didn’t bother to intervene. It was very foolish to act recklessly in a situation where he couldn’t judge right from wrong. It also bothered him that King Daebyeol had a deep grudge. He was undoubtedly a good being, but it was hard to predict what variables he would cause if he went up to the surface like this.

‘...I think it is better for Eligos to win.’

He never thought the day would come when he would cheer for a demon. Kraugel’s expression stiffened as he felt something strange.

“There must be a way to get to the surface without crossing the river of reincarnation.”

There was a uniquely upright existence among the souls moving while entrusting their bodies to the flow of the river. The form was also distinct. He looked like a living person, like King Daebyeol, unlike most other souls that had faded.

“...Madra?”

The name of the soul was confirmed. Then the image of the rapidly approaching soul was projected on Kraugel’s slowly widening eyes.

“I would be thankful if you teach me how to climb to the surface with my present memories and soul.”

This was Madra’s request as he closed the distance in an instant. His well-developed forearm muscles helped show what type of swordsmanship he would perform.

Kraugel was reflecting on what type of existence Madra was when Eligos shouted to him.

“They are beings who have suffered for as short a time as several years or as long as thousands of years. It is right to say that they have been twisted unconditionally, unless their innate ability is straight and strong. Don’t bother with him and ignore him.”

Don’t look at what they are like in life.

This was the key point of the warning.

Kraugel didn’t really agree. In fact, most of the souls were flowing along the river in a calm manner. It was hard to believe that the soul of a person who was called a hero in his lifetime could be twisted when even ordinary souls were like this.

Of course, this didn’t mean he intended to trust and help Madra. There was no reason for it.

“I’m an ordinary human being who doesn’t have much to do with hell... I can’t answer your question.”

“Yes, you look like an ordinary human being. You don’t seem to be dead or a demon. That is why I’m asking you. How did you get to hell? It is enough to tell me what you used.”

“Hey. Didn’t I say not to get involved?”

Eligos intervened as he briefly left King Daebyeol and returned to Kraugel’s side.

“The stronger and more special a being was in their life, the higher the bridge of their noise and the more obsessed they are with grudges. They are even more twisted than normal souls...”

Eligos’ words were cut off in the middle. It was due to Formless Will. It was Madra who wielded a sword made of formless energy.

,000 Army Swordsmanship—it was like looking at the Space Sword. The earth split in half around the spot where Eligos stood.

“...Help me,” Eligos openly asked for help as he was surrounded by King Daebyeol and Madra, who chased after him before he knew it.

At this point, it was also hard for Kraugel to remain still. He remembered the mission given by Grid—it was the mission to cooperate with Eligos. Grid gave such a mission because he believed in Eligos. It was also right for Kraugel to believe in him. Moreover, the purification of hell had just begun. The situation wasn’t over yet and Kraugel’s mission was still ongoing.

“...I will try.”

Kraugel pulled out Twilight and gripped it.

“That isn’t ordinary.”

The expressions on the faces of King Daebyeol and Madra became serious.

It was a tense moment.

‘This aura?’

Madra had been watching closely after realizing that Kraugel’s true identity was the Sword Saint. Then he suddenly shifted his gaze in the direction of the river. It was because he detected a presence he had been missing for many years.

“Pagma...”

One of the people he always wanted to meet. It wasn’t in a good way.

Madra’s face strangely contorted as he remembered the humiliation of being resurrected and used as a death knight by this bastard, as well as the loneliness and pain that he had to endure because of it.

“I... if I can help you even a little bit... can I?” Pagma’s soul rose from the river and slowly approached the scene. He was a shabby figure compared to Madra, let alone King Daebyeol. He was very blurred in form like most ordinary souls. Pagma’s soul was so weak that it wouldn’t be strange if he disappeared right away. His voice wasn’t connected properly.However, Kraugel believed in him. It was because he was one of the origins of Grid. Regardless of his outward appearance, he would never be weak.

It was also now after Pagma had just witnessed the activities of his successor. It was highly likely that he got great inspiration and trained his mental image.

“I will be happy for your help.” Kraugel’s answer was the signal.

[You have been possessed by the soul of the Legendary Blacksmith ‘Pagma.’]

[Pagma’s Sword Dance is activated.]

[The Legendary Blacksmith’s Craftsmanship Skill is activated.]

It was just like how Grid united with Braham’s soul in the past. Kraugel also became one with the soul of a legend. It was such a historic moment that Eligos’ eyes filled with anticipation. However, reality was terrible.

[Your swordsmanship level is higher than Pagma’s Sword Dance.]

In the past, when Grid became one with Braham, he gained a strong intelligence stat along with the opening of the ability called magic, but the combination of Kraugel and Pagma had little synergy.

Pagma had only reached the level of a great swordsman before signing a contract with Baal, so he was unable to help Kraugel with his swordsmanship. The only stats that Pagma increased was dexterity, which didn’t help much in battle.

“......”

It was the wrong fusion. Pagma read Kraugel’s inwardly disturbed mind and hurriedly recovered it. He examined the number of swords in Kraugel’s inventory and activated a hidden secret skill.

“Item Combination.”

“......!”

Kraugel trembled. A technique that combined two or more items into one to amplify power—it was one of Grid’s ultimate moves. Kraugel had witnessed how powerful it was several times so his expectations soared to the extreme.

That’s right. He didn’t know. It was the fact that Item Combination required a ‘process’ to go through.

Ttang! Ttang! Ttang!

“...Are you crazy?”

Kraugel crouched down despite the enemies in front of him, took out the Grid-made repair hammer and anvil, and started pounding on his sword. This caused Eligos to be engulfed in a sense of crisis like never before.

At the same time, at the entrance of the hell elevator...

“......”

An innately born Absolute—Braham admired, was thrilled with, overwhelmed by, and then defeated by his mother, who absorbed the power of Baal and Amoract and showed off her perfect appearance. Then his fighting spirit, which had weakened, came back to life.

It was because the presence of a certain bastard became very clear.

Pagma—he had heard Pagma’s hidden story several times through Grid’s mouth and tried to understand and forgive him somehow, but it was impossible. The moment he felt this presence, the resentment he had tried to forget boiled over. He wanted to make sure to meet Pagma and make him pay for his sins before Pagma jumped into the convenient feature of reincarnation and forgot everything. To do so, he had to overcome the crisis facing him right now.

“Let me ask you one last time. Can’t you give up on Marie Rose?”

“”Then there is no reason in giving birth to that child.””

“...I will fight with the intention of killing you. Please forgive me.”

His most respected and beloved mother in the world—Braham hadn’t dared to resent her even when he was banished. Now he made a resolution that he never could’ve imagined in the past. It wasn’t because he felt sorry for Marie Rose. It was only for Grid’s sake and to kill Pagma.

As if hypnotizing himself, Braham’s magic power soared with no end in sight.

Braham-style Enhanced Mana Drain—the power that even Baal coveted engulfed all of the surrounding magic power. In other words, he started to absorb even the magic power of Beriache’s soul.

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