“Now, eat it. I mixed honey with garlic seasoning.”

“Delicious.”

“......”

A tiger enjoyed the carrot salad made by a rabbit.

Grid had no intention of tackling the fact that a rabbit was cooking. Tosun was special among the people of the old gods. The Twelve Zodiacs—they were the subjects who personally served the old gods. Tosun had intelligence, was bipedal, and knew how to handle tools. The physique was similar to that of humans. What was the big deal about cooking?

He was also convinced by the sight of a tiger eating carrots. It was because Blue Tiger was the child of the white tiger. Yes, a half-god. She was more than twice as big as an ordinary tiger, but she didn’t insist on eating meat. However, Grid was confused. He naturally couldn’t accept the appearance of Tosun and Blue Tiger, both who were openly engaging in affection.

Even if Tosun wasn’t a normal rabbit and Blue Tiger wasn’t an ordinary tiger, weren’t they still a rabbit and tiger? No, they had already come too far to discuss the issue of species. Blue Tiger was a half-god. The problem of species couldn’t be solved even if Blue Tiger dated a tiger, not a rabbit.

There was a simpler problem.

“At least get the gender right. Can’t you turn into a man?”

Grid took a bite of the carrot salad served by Tosun and finally pointed out the problem. Blue Tiger had become human to sit at the table and talk to Grid face to face and she was a slim beauty. Tosun was also a female...

Blue Tiger explained with a bitter smile, “It isn’t a good thing to be born a child of god. We are lonely and easily exposed to danger. I can’t give birth to a child.”

Grid had Pagma’s memory and recalled Blue Tiger being treated as a dog by the yangbans, so he had a vague understanding of Blue Tiger’s mood.

“Platonic love...”

“Kiss.”

“...No.”

Just because they had the same gender didn’t mean they couldn’t have a physical connection. Grid seemed to hear the voice of a minority group asking him to respect diversity when he saw Tosun and Blue Tiger kissing. Then he picked up another carrot.

‘No matter what, it is good as long as they are happy.’

Grid smiled and quietly looked around the surroundings. The forest that had been turned into ruins by the yangban, Garam. The territory of the old god that made him think of the word ‘destruction’ had been completely recovered. Tosun and Blue Tiger worked together to restore the land and their feelings toward each other developed in the process of suffering.

Grid was thinking about it when Blue Tiger poked the forearm of Grid who was drinking cold tea. “It used to be just hard as steel. Now it is more elastic.”

“Is it like the muscles of a tiger?”

“Aheung.”

Grid’s body as he built up transcendence and divinity had experienced a dazzling development. The muscles that gained elasticity and durability easily added strength to the evolved skeleton. He was able to explode powerful forces in an instant and the range of motion of his body had increased. It was comparable to a predator.

‘It is amazing to think about how these muscles were messed up.’

Grid was reminded of the side effects of making the Formless Sword when Blue Tiger asked Grid a question with a smile, “Did you come from the west just to see us?”

"Yes. Why?”

“Hung hung heh.”

"What? Why are you laughing?”

“Huhuhu, you mean that you missed us. I’m glad. Sure enough, the god of virtue is very gentle.”

“I’m not the god of virtue now...” He had never been the god of virtue in the first place. Tosun was the only one who called him that. He was called the god of virtue for the first time in ages so the name Overgeared God, which he liked, felt even more wonderful.

“Benefactor! You came, ong!”

“God of virtue, om!”

“Moooooo!!”

Kyeongja, Banguli, Black Cow, etc. The Twelve Zodiacs who lost their god and became ghosts of the forgotten land. They were saved by Grid and came running belatedly after hearing the news that he came

“I missed you!”

“I’m so happy you came again!”

“Moooooo!!”

“W-Wait! Calm down!”

Grid screamed as he was pushed to the ground by the sudden attack of the Twelve Zodiacs. He was smiling with delight when he saw that the clothes and armor of the Twelve Zodiacs were covered in dirt and sweat. He got a glimpse of how hard they must’ve lived. Still, this smell was a bit...

Grid barely escaped from the Twelve Zodiacs, who were persistently rubbing their bodies against him, and rolled up his sleeves.

“I’m going to make you some new clothes while I’m here.”

“We’ll help you!”

“I’ll prepare alcohol and food.”

“Moooooo!!”

Grid had a realization among the chattering Twelve Zodiacs members. Their smiles and the fact that they had found their lives. He felt great.

***

Snore. Grrrr.

Deep in the night. The Twelve Zodiacs and people of the old gods were drunk and fell deeply asleep. Perhaps he didn’t want to wake them up, so he used a subtle light to illuminate his field of view. The shining light. It was the light emitted by the light elemental that judged and acted on its own to help Grid. The 10 God Hands held Mjolnir and swords as they broke rocks and branches on the path, cutting them and helping Grid move them easily.

“......”

Inside the forest, Grid stood in front of the lake shining with moonlight and savored the word ‘peace.’ The Hwan Kingdom, the expelled gods, hell and the great demons, and the gods from Asgard—the more he savored the value of peace, the more he felt the flood of enemies threatening the peace.

Thinking about it a few times, it was good to see the ending quickly. Mir’s presence emerged in the mind of the confident Grid. Mir, the owner of the Blue Dragon Dao—he was the existence that Hanul designed to face against the archangels. He was a strong man with a strength that rivaled the great demons.

Grid felt the need to fight him. Could he break through the lightning that he couldn’t respond to properly a few months ago to reach Mir and hurt him? Additionally, could he do it without Kraugel’s help?

‘I don’t need to kill him, but I have to pose a threat.’

Mir was the most important figure in the present time. It was only by defeating Mir that the white tiger and blue dragon would be liberated, and the forgotten myths of the East Continent completely recovered. He was very powerful and was suitable to be used as a ‘standard.’ It was just as Garam was once his measure of strength.

‘I can break through the 20th Hell once I reach a level where I can threaten Mir.’

How huge was the existence of the Black Knight guarding Dog’s Mouth? Grid didn’t notice it when standing face to face. It was only when he took a step away and looked back objectively that he could truly feel the Black Knight’s size. Even if the messengers raided Hell Gao and eliminated the penalty in hell, he couldn’t expect them to overpower the Black Knight. The assistance of the myth rated cerberus couldn’t be underestimated and it played an important role. Once they fought, Sariel would certainly go berserk, so Sariel had to be excluded from the combat power.

‘My role is important.’

He needed to fight Mir and check his skills. It had to be Mir. Grid was making this judgment and asked the person coming from behind him, “Is there any way to break the Magpie Bridge?”

The Kaya Kingdom and Pa Kingdom were connected by the Magpie Bridge. Both were under Mir’s influence. Destroying the Magpie Bridge was the most fundamental solution to the situation in the East Continent.

“The Magpie Bridge... it is a bridge built at the expense of tens of thousands of crows and magpies. The concept of breaking the phenomenon caused by unified souls isn’t common.”

The one who was coming was Blue Tiger. One step, another step. As she approached, she gradually changed from a human to a tiger.

“You still haven’t given up on liberating God White Tiger and God Blue Dragon? Aheung... I think it is right to give up. It is hard to say this... Kaya was cursed by God Blue Dragon and was covered with ice, so many people died and disappeared. Meanwhile, the Pa Kingdom has always been a small kingdom. Few people will be saved even if you liberate the two gods.”

“......”

“Grid, this continent is virtually at peace thanks to your resurrection of God Red Phoenix and God Black Tortoise. This is what I think... Aheung...”

“How is it peace when you are trapped in fear for the rest of your life?” The people of the Cho Kingdom and the Xing Kingdom couldn’t step out of their kingdoms. The moment they left the protection of the red phoenix and black tortoise, they would be captured by the Hwan Kingdom and taken to Kaya or Pa. They once again forgot the old gods they had regained and turned into puppets praising the false myths of the yangbans. “Additionally, you want to see your father.”

“Grid...” Blue Tiger’s large eyes were wet.

Grid tapped her forehead with the ‘King’ character engraved on it. “I just want to do what I can. Then in the future, you can do what you want. That will do.”

It was a terrible arrogance to believe that personal power could never be destroyed. As long as Satisfy didn’t have an ending, there would surely be an era ‘without Grid.’ Grid wasn’t too worried or thoroughly trying to prepare for that time, but he had a wish that his actions today would have a positive impact on the future.

Who knew? Sooner or later, the Overgeared members would get married in reality, have children, and their children would get in touch with Satisfy. Existences like Blue Tiger would become their solid backing. Of course, he didn’t necessarily want a reward for helping people. He was aiming for his actions to lead to a virtuous circle.

Grid opened his mouth, “I want to leave this with you for the time being.”

“This...?”

“It is the Heart of the Frost Queen. I have a place I need to go to. It will be embarrassing if I lose it there. Please protect it for a few hours.”

There was a high probability of dying if he fought Mir. It was crazy to go with the Heart of the Frost Queen to meet Mir. Blue Tiger and the Twelve Zodiacs had the power to protect the Heart of the Frost Queen. They had regained some of their myths and had become incredibly strong over the past few years. This was also a place out of reach of the influence of the Hwan Kingdom.

“Aheung... This is somehow... it resembles the curse of God Blue Dragon.”

“Yes, but there isn’t a connection. The Frost Queen is the ruler of an isolated land in the West Continent. There would be no contact with the East Continent.”

“Yes...”

“Then I’m going.” Grid left the forest. The moment he left the protection of the old gods, he felt a sticky gaze, but it was only for a moment. The ‘ponds’ of the Hwan Kingdom that monitored the ground couldn’t follow Grid’s rapid and secretive movements unless a god was watching it. Of course, chores like surveillance were taken care of by the yangbans.

Grid was able to enter Kaya safely without any interference. Just then—

[The powerful sword of the Sword Saint has separated the world!!!]

“......!”

Grid’s vision tilted at an angle. The desert he stepped on collapsed and sand fell like a waterfall down the dark underground.

[The earth god Garion has exerted his power. Everything split in half is restored.]

“......”

The sight he saw just now was like a dream. The desert that had shook like crazy and collapsed was restored again. Grid burst out laughing at the following world message.

[Sword Saint ‘Kraugel’ has killed a half-god.]

‘Is he still doing this here?’

If Kraugel had stayed and fought in Kaya since that time...

Aside from the level, it was highly likely that the White Tiger Sword had grown to almost a myth rating. He might’ve built up divinity after killing a half-god several times. Grid’s tension that was taut every time he thought about the strong enemies he would have to face in the future relaxed. He even felt relieved. That’s right. Kraugel was one of the people Grid trusted and depended on most. The yearning he had for the sky above the sky that would never fade away...

Tang tang tang!

“......?”

Grid was lost in the memory of Kraugel in the past only for his expression to stiffen. It was because a man with blood all over his body flew from somewhere and rolled around several times before stopping at Grid’s foot. It was Kraugel...

"K-Kraugel?”

“...You recognized the wrong person.”