“......”

The confrontation between Kraugel and Yeum ended with Yeum’s victory. However, Yeum’s expression was dark. She returned to the palace covered in blood and stood in front of a snow-covered pine tree. The snow turned red due to the dropping blood.

‘I didn’t have a single advantage in technique.’

Yeum’s face wrinkled as she recalled the battle. All her techniques were detected and destroyed with a sword. It was a reality she didn’t want to believe. She had studied and trained for the past hundreds of years to become like Mir. How did a human who hadn’t lived even a hundred years...?

‘I would rather he be a transcendent.’

It would’ve been convincing if she had been surpassed in technique by a transcendent who enjoyed eternal life, unlike ordinary human beings. What was the difference between a yangban and humans? It wasn’t surprising if the other person was better than her after hundreds of years of training. The problem was that the human she met today wasn’t a transcendent.

‘I don’t know... I don’t know at all.’

Yeum was analyzing the human’s swordsmanship and quickly shook her head with a pained expression. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t understand the human’s swordsmanship with all her knowledge and understanding. She couldn’t picture it because she didn’t understand. Since she couldn’t understand, she couldn’t picture it. It felt like her efforts, common sense, and world were being denied.

Someone approached her and stood quietly by her side. “It is sad to hurt humans.”

“Mir...”

Mir was one of the most talented yangbans of all those born to become a god. Less than 20 years after his birth, he participated in Chiyou’s Test and achieved a record that could never be broken. He was deified among the yangbans. Mir was so special that even the arrogant Garam became humble in front of him.

“You’ve worked hard.” Mir gently stroked Yeum’s head. Then the energy of the white tiger and red phoenix spread and healed Yeum’s tired body and mind. While the other yangbans could only use the power of the white tiger and red phoenix on their own bodies, Mir could exert influence over others.

“Mir, the reason I’m depressed right now isn’t because I hurt a human.”

“Then?”

“I lost in a fight of technique. It was also to an ordinary human, not a transcendent. It is infuriating and unfair.”

She won the fight, of course, but it was a fight that she won only because she had overwhelming physical ability and Shunpo.

“I see.” Mir noticed what happened to Yeum and removed the snow from the pine needles. “Don’t feel wronged. Excellence and inadequacy are relative and can’t be stretched. Even if they are human, they can be better than yangbans—didn’t the death of Garam and our siblings teach us that?”

“Yes, of course I know that. But... But I...”

Yeum touched her gat. For her, the gat was just an ornament that could be removed at any time. She had sufficient abilities and qualifications to obtain divinity. The reason she still wore the gat was because she didn’t participate in Chiyou’s Test. She wanted to be by Mir’s side. In fact, Yeum was confident that she was one of the most outstanding of the yangbans. For this reason, the situation was even less convincing.

Mir shook his head as he observed the sword marks on her dopo and her body. “Your opponent was bad. You don’t have the skills to beat a Sword Saint’s swordsmanship yet.”

“...Sword Saint? Did I fight against the Sword Saint?”

“Yes, the new Sword Saint visited to find the previous one’s secret technique.”

He discovered the identity and purpose of the outsider. Mir grasped the situation and touched the sword scar on his neck that wasn’t erased.

Yeum recalled old memories through this and realized something—she was lucky. If the Sword Sword Saint of the present generation had visited this place many years later instead of now, and if she had blocked his path...

‘I would be dead.’

Yeum clearly remembered it—the monster who fought with Mir and cut through all of Mir’s power with a single sword. The man she fought today was the one who inherited his swordsmanship and spirit. To be honest, it was surprising. He was still too weak that she never thought he would be the Sword Saint.

Yeum’s heart became urgent. “What should we do? Should we find Muller’s secret technique and burn it?”

A legend couldn’t die easily, and the potential of a Sword Saint was explosive. She didn’t want to stand by idly at the thought of the human she met today finding Muller’s secret technique and growing. She even felt fear and Mir soothed the trembling Yeum, “No, leave it. We can’t find it anyway, and I’ve always wanted to compete with the Sword Saint.”

The duel with the Sword Saint caused Mir to greatly develop. Mir got a glimpse of the Sword Saint’s swordsmanship. Every time he interpreted it, he felt himself growing in real time. He wanted to have another experience. He would use this experience as a nutrient to peek at the peak of martial arts and bring rest to Chiyou.

‘I will become the new Martial God.’

Mir wanted a new Sword Saint.

‘You must find Muller’s secret technique.’

[Someone unknown is encouraging you.]

[The Dragon Coat received as a gift from Biban is burning hot for a moment.]

[Your blood is boiling.]

[The accuracy and power of all swordsmanship will slightly increase.]

‘Is this perhaps...?’

Kraugel vaguely noticed something through the event that occurred suddenly. The fact that the ‘unknown person’ encouraging him was the one whom Muller described as a ‘trial.’

Muller had felt his long-desired death approaching and recalled a bloody battle on the East Continent that he had accidentally visited. It was fun—he thought he had been practicing swordsmanship all his life for this moment. Muller felt nostalgic and wanted to once again meet this person and cross the sword.

The next day, he left for Kaya and found it was a lingering regret. He realized he couldn’t die unless he gave up these lingering regrets. Eventually, he took a step back and wrote a book before leaving Kaya. He wrote down his first and final secret techniques in a scroll for the swordsman who would someday come here and go through the trial.

The person who made Muller, the absolutely invincible powerful, feel regret.

“Who are you?” Kraugel asked as his gaze turned toward a distant place.

“......”

Naturally, there wasn’t an answer.

***

In the future, Grid would unconditionally participate in the Hell Gao raid. Then the moment Hell Gao summoned the eighth fire stone, he would completely destroy Hell Gao with Ruby’s power. The moment Grid explained the future direction, Pon once again realized how strong Hell Gao was.

A question also popped up so he asked it. “Still, is it necessary to go as a group when you managed to kill him along with Mercedes? Why don’t you kill Hell Gao by yourself?”

He wasn’t shirking responsibility because it was annoying and dangerous.

“It would be better if you kill the boss alone.”

The value of a named boss was very high. Dropping great items was just a bonus reward. The key was that it gave a lot of experience. In that case, it was better for one person to monopolize all the rewards alone.

Grid shook his head at Pon who was sincerely thinking about Grid. “No, let’s kill it together.”

It was just level. If he had wanted to, he could quickly raise it. The enlightenment effect was no joke. If he settled in the Chaos Mountains or the reservoir where the immortal ghosts lived and immersed himself in hunting, his level would rise every week. Currently, Grid wanted to focus on the growth of the guild members, not just his individual gain. “I think I should push you a bit harder.”

“Ah...”

Was he trying to make them grow in all aspects by letting them continuously experience high difficulty raids? The Overgeared members figured out Grid’s intentions and looked frightened, while the eyes of the 10 meritorious retainers shone brightly. Who would refuse to let the supreme one step in and strengthen them?

‘Such people are fools. I’m looking forward to it.’

They were serious. It seemed they wouldn’t be able to sleep properly for a while. They were already excited at the thought of the Hell Gao raid and learning from Grid. The hearts of the 10 meritorious retainers were pounding.

***

Over the past few days, Grid had frequent meetings with Yura. There were many things he had to ask Yura, who had more expertise in hell than Sticks. What was the best hunting ground in hell, what consumables were essential in hell, and were there any tips or precautions he needed to know?

Above all, Grid showed the most interest in the type and characteristics of demonic creatures. Grid asked Yura in great detail about the demonic creatures before and after level 430. He wanted to know the most powerful monsters or monsters with tricky abilities.

Yura answered all these questions perfectly. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that she was the best expert when she easily killed monsters with a high level difference as the Demon Slayer.

“The succubi are the strongest and most demanding.”

The ability to seduce targets and the combat skills that utilized Blink were of high quality. In particular, the use of passive skills to reduce the target’s magic resistance was very high. Therefore, even Yura avoided them when multiple succubi appeared at the same time.

‘A passive that a legend can’t resist...’

A passive that reduced a target’s magic resistance was something he definitely coveted.

‘Yes, I have decided on the succubi.’

He was going to tame the succubi. Grid made up his mind and spent a few days in Reinhardt with his family. At this time, he still didn’t know. What type of race was a succubus? He didn’t realize it was embarrassing to go around with them as a group.

At the same time, at the First Hell...

“Deceased Creation.”

Agnus, who was awakened from his past failures and regrets, was creating an invincible existence. There was no more madness in his gold eyes after he abandoned his obsession with the past.

“It will start soon.”

Baal’s gloomy laughter was heard in the dark great hall.