Overgeared

gic because Grid asked him to open the way ahead. Yes, the person who created this hell was Grid himself.

‘…I’m sorry.’

Brush off his boiling guilt with an apology. Distinguish between games and reality. The selfish defensive mechanism worked.

Usually, Grid respected and cared for NPCs like they were humans but he made exceptions in some cases. It was if the target was an ‘enemy’ or ‘other.’ In this case, Grid recognized NPCs as non-human chunks of graphics and didn’t think deeply about their death.
He tried to shake it off easily. It was why he had been able to kill so many enemies so far. Someone would say he was an insane, creepy guy, but Grid was confident.

‘If I don’t do this then I’ll go crazy.’

From the beginning, he was a selfish person who only valued his people. Don’t take on more of a burden than was necessary.

“…?”

Grid, who was trying to harden his mind, stopped in place. It was because he felt a lot of movement from within a safe building. Grid reflexively used Quick Movements and Blacksmith’s Rage as he moved in the direction he felt it from. Then he found it. Women, men, children, adults, and the elderly—there were thousands of people.

“H-Hik!”

“…Who are you?” 

The dumbfounded Grid asked and one terrified person responded cautiously. “W-We are inhabitants of Chiaotzu.”

“…!”

“Hey, you look like you’re from a foreign country.
Do you know what is going on here?”

“We were just living as usual when our bodies suddenly floated up and our location changed.” 

“Everyone was flustered and tried to exchange stories when stars fell from the sky and the city collapsed.
Then a monster appeared, night came and we were forced to hide here…”

Grid’s heart was pounding. He noticed Braham’s favor.

‘Braham, you…
you knew I would feel guilt.’

Did he rescue the civilians using Mass Teleport? Even from the legendary great magic Meteor?

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“Dammit.”

Sticks of the Overgeared Kingdom had once explained it. Mass Teleport was divided into three main types. First, there was the Mass Teleport that moved the caster and the targets around the caster in a group. It was the commonly known Mass Teleport. It was also the favorite of Sticks.

Second, there was the Mass Teleport that moved targets within a range specified by the caster as a group. It was much more difficult than the typical Mass Teleport.
It was said that the only man who could complete this magic formula was the legendary great magician.

Third, there was the Mass Teleport where the caster moved specific targets in groups. It was the ultimate magic that embodied ideas. It was said to be habitually used by the top 10 great demons. They specified ‘demons who follow me’ and teleported them over to the target to be attacked. Among the mixed-race people, only Braham and Marie Rose could use this type of ultimate Mass Teleport and it was said to be an area that could never be reached by humans. Sticks had explained it when warning of the dangers of Marie Rose but Grid hadn’t expected it would be a foreshadowing for this moment.

“You should get away from here.
It will soon be swept up by a bigger disaster.”

Grid didn’t have to persuade them. Drops of black liquid protruded from the black tortoise’s mouth and wrapped around the inhabitants’ bodies.

“Oh my!”

“Huh?!”

The clothes and belongings of the residents in the black droplets turned to ashes and disappeared.
Fortunately, the droplets were black so their nakedness couldn’t be seen. The droplets carrying the residents floated in the sky.

“Uwah…”

The residents weren’t scared.
Rather, they felt an unknown tranquility and leaned comfortably against the droplet.

『 I…
Protect you…
』

The vague voice of the black tortoise echoed through the minds of the Chiaotzu residents. The memories of the old gods engraved into their genes loomed vaguely.

“B-Black tortoise…”

The residents instinctively recognized the black tortoise’s identity and their eyes turned red.
They reached out to the black tortoise but it was too late. The droplets carrying them flew higher and transported them to the outskirts of Chiaotzu.

『 Thank you…
』

“No, it wasn’t me.
It was my friend.”

Grid smiled proudly at the black tortoise and started walking again. The black tortoise guided Grid and the rankers to the palace.
The scenery of the palace was no different from the city center. Much of it was crumbling.
Blood from the dead soldiers dyed it red.

“Uhh…”

The high rankers walking behind Grid shrank back. They were terrified when they recalled the indifference of the yangbans who fought Grid. Could they help? They wondered if they were doing something they would regret for the rest of their lives. They thought about it before soon stopping.

The main reason they followed Grid was to repay his grace but it was also for their individual rights. From the time they received Dodam’s hostility, they were judged to have failed the Call of the Heavens quest.
This meant they would suffer a penalty of losing four levels.

It was disgusting. They had to make up for it. They wanted revenge.

‘You guys used us as victims first.’

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‘They became hostile just because we were bystanders, those yangban bastards.’

The more they thought about it, the more hateful it became. It happened when the high rankers became resolved once again.

『 Here.
』

The only safe little palace in the ruins of the castle. The party arrived in front of the building made of an unknown material, just like the white building, and there was suddenly a cold air.

Subsequently…

『 I don’t want to…! I don’t want to!!! 』

Another black tortoise screamed. Then different notification windows appeared in front of Grid and the high rankers.

 

[★Hidden Quest★ Protect the Black Tortoise has occurred!]

[The cooperative quest ‘Revenge’ will occur!]

 

Something soared up through the ceiling of the palace that was still intact. A beautiful and mysterious bead—it was the Black Tortoise Jewel that held the black tortoise.

“Where are you going?”

Grid used his buff skills and flew up when he saw the yangbans pursuing the Black Tortoise Jewel. He had already won against three yangbans and was full of confidence. At least, until he faced someone with the same presence as Garam.

“Haha, what? How are you all safe?”

A cheerful voice was heard. Grid’s body was slammed into the ground. Grid was struggling to shake off the shock of the strong impact to his head.
He raised his head in a laborious manner and saw a yangban called Maru standing with crossed arms.

“That silver-haired demonkin was protecting you? At the expense of himself?” 

“What…?”

“…?”

Grid’s eyes became demonic and the noisy Maru was startled. Grid stuck in the ground was pulling fire. No, it was a bow. A bow that burned with flames. The Red Phoenix Bow, which was reproduced with the item duplication skill, responded to the Red Phoenix’s 9th Heart with a momentum greater than ever before.

“Fly Up!”

“Kuek…!”

The yangbans guarding the Black Tortoise Jewel and facing Grid groaned, unable to bear the falling rain of fire.