Overgeared (WN KR)
chapter-1523

Music had power. It was possible to influence people psychologically and mentally, and induce emotions. Many people were inspired by the faint notes they heard and changed their lives. How else could the study of music therapy have developed? Examples of using music as a therapeutic tool also existed in the Bible.

Kulalala~

In Satisfy, the power of music was portrayed in greater detail. The bards' singing and playing had a practical and immediate influence. They gave strength to their allies and decreased the enemy's motivation. As the war intensified, the bards sang and played instruments louder and longer. They didn't stop in the freezing cold land that froze their vocal cords, in the lava valley that burned their tongues, or in front of the piercing wind that tore at their fingers.

They were fighting as well. It was with other people for their own future.

Kulalala...

At Reinhardt, at the streets near the Overgeared Castle...

A melody flowed between the people who were busily moving. It was music that marked the end of winter. It was one of Grid's theme songs, Appearance.

There were no signs of Grid on the streets. The song that was flowing now was being played on a harp, rather than with a magnificent orchestra. It quietly permeated people's hearts and was very comfortable to listen to. A subtle heat rose in their hearts. It was a comforting and hopeful performance for those who had sent their husbands or children to the battlefield.

"A song honoring my husband..."

On the road to the main temple of the Overgeared God Church, Irene sat in the carriage and smiled at the melody heard from outside.

Grid always felt new to her. He was never complacent and developed all the time. Now, even the songs honoring him were enough to encourage people. Was there anything else like this in the world?

She reflected on her life with Grid and could only admire it. She was proud that he was her husband, thankful that he was her king, and relieved that he was her god.

'I should also be a person who doesn't make him ashamed.'

Irene's posture was straight as she reminded herself of this every day. Even in the carriage where no one could see her, she maintained a proper attitude and achieved a heart that was as clear as a mirror. Her desires were consistent.

Become a person Grid can rely on.

She hoped he would see her as a shelter to rest whenever it was hard and he was exhausted.

"......"

The performance in the street stopped playing. She wanted to hear more. Irene was feeling sorry when her carriage stopped.

Irene's always warm and affectionate eyes became cold.

She was a person who didn't know laziness. She was like this by nature. Additionally, she met her husband called Grid and used him as an example. Thus, she became more diligent than necessary. During the time when she got married, gave birth, and became a queen, she had always included learning in her daily life.If she learned 100 things, she hoped that at least one of them could help her husband.

She even started honing her combat ability and physical strength since building up divinity thanks to Grid. In the first place, she had the bloodline of a prestigious combat family. She was talented. She mastered knowledge, cultivated her sense of culture, and honed her body and mind. Her training was very smart. She considered the route, speed, time, and environment of the carriage, and immediately grasped that the current situation was abnormal.

She held that sword sheath that was placed at an angle and looked out the window. "Sir Jude, what is the situation?"

"Carriage. Stopped." Jude's temperament was that, when he was asked a question, he would give one answer.

The senior knight, Adol, explained the situation on behalf of Jude, "The coachman's condition is bizarre. He isn't holding the reins even if I urge him. Don't worry too much because there are no signs of an enemy invasion."

Rattle.

Irene got out of the carriage.

Jude, who was standing still, moved to stand behind her. He was appointed as Irene's new escort on Kasim's behalf and didn't forget his duty.

"Your Majesty, why did you get off? Ahh! We are on the way to the temple! Let's go!" The coachman made a fuss. He was still in the driver's seat. His expressions and reactions were normal, but there was a sense of strangeness because he wasn't holding the reins.

"Why did you stop?"

"Huh?" There was a problem with the coachman's expression and reaction. He cocked his head like he didn't understand it and finally got off the driver's seat. Then he said something, "Now, let's go to the temple."

"......"

"......"

The expressions of the knights became serious. The thoroughly educated coachman of the royal family wouldn't joke around with the queen. They were at a loss on how to accept this bizarre attitude.

First of all, they created a much more thorough protective formation. They took a formation so that the queen couldn't be aimed at from any angle. Then they looked around after restraining the coachman. Then they quickly noticed the streets. It wasn't just the coachman. The vast majority of people had become bizarre.

First of all, many of them were empty-handed. The bards playing musical instruments, the people polishing the shoes of pedestrians, the soldiers on patrol, the merchants making and selling food at stalls, etcetera—they had put down the 'tools' that needed to be used. Among them, people did things that were fine even without tools. For example, the soldiers kept patrolling despite abandoning their spears, while the bards continued by singing after putting down their instruments.

On the other hand, there were people who did things that couldn't be done without tools. For example, the street vendor frying noodles on an iron plate or shoe cleaners who polished shoes froze with blank expressions. Then the street vendor belatedly came to his senses and continued his activities by touching the hot iron plate with his bare hands.

"Uh...?" The latter case gave off a bizarre feeling. The burned street vendor cocked his head as he felt pain. Then once the noodles in the iron plate started to burn, he fried the noodles again with his bare hands while repeatedly screaming.

"Let's go to the temple," the senior knight, Adol, urged Irene.

"......"

The expressions of the group heading to the temple gradually became darker. It was because they kept witnessing unexpected events. People... human beings, who evolved using tools, had forgotten how to use them. Something that couldn't happen was happening.

Firstly, it was necessary to take refuge and investigate the situation carefully.

"...Ah?" Adol, who was walking in front, suddenly cocked his head. Then he immediately thought it was groundless and hurriedly moved.

The sword in his hand was gone. He had already let go of it a few minutes ago...

"......"

Irene's expression didn't change. More than half of the knights escorting her had become bizarre, but she didn't deliberately reveal it. It was useless to point it out, so she decided that getting to the temple was a top priority. There was a reason why she could rest assured.

"Jude, protect. Queen."

It was because Jude was beside her.

A greatsword reminiscent of a predator of the sea—the famous sword that Grid made and gave to Jude didn't leave Jude's hand until the party arrived at the temple.

***

The war situation tilted rapidly. The allied army suffered a lot of one-sided damage. Soldiers and knights were unable to hold their weapons and shields. It was absurd. During the war, they abandoned their weapons and fought the enemy with bare hands. Coincidentally, it was a meaningless death.

Fortunately, the situation of the Abyss and Behen Archipelago had improved. Braham, Piaro, Zik, Kyle, the 10 meritorious retainers, etc.

However, it was impossible to hold out forever. The terrible thing about the great human and demon war was the near infinite wave of demonic creatures. The game genre had changed from a MMORPG to tower defense.

Of course, there were various types of demonic creatures, so the number of demonic creatures that could pose a threat to the rankers was unexpectedly small. Even so, there were limits to a human's physical strength. Even the half-god Zik couldn't hide his tiredness.

The soldiers and knights were all driven away and there were only a small number of people left to fight every wave. Thus, the overall resource consumption was too fast.

"In the midst of all of this, the military supplies aren't arriving. Potions are running out and it will cause a serious problem."

"The transport forces don't seem to be in a good shape either."

"It seems that the activity of most NPCs has become impossible."

Almost immediately after the signs occurred, people forgot how to use tools before there was time to come up with any countermeasures. It seemed to be the setting that Judar had removed wisdom from people.

"It is almost a bug-like power."

"Fortunately, it isn't applied to players."

"If it was the same for us, the customer center would've exploded."

"First of all, let's look at it. There must be a time limit, even if it is the power of a god."

"It is too bad. If we can prove that Judar did this, it is an opportunity to damage his divinity."

It was hard to prove. It was pointless to even try to prove it.

The wisdom to use tools. Those who lost it, the basis of humanity, had something in common. They didn't know it was a problem to not be able to use tools. They took it for granted. It meant they couldn't resent Judar even if they learned that he was the one who made them like this.

"...What is this now?"

"The timing is making me crazy."

At the entrance of the Abyss...

The 4th ranked Great Demon, Gamigin, climbed out from the largest of the many passageways connected to hell. 100 soldiers made from the souls of heroes and three soldiers made from the souls of legends were guarding her. She lost to Braham at the beginning of the war. They had wondered where she was and what she had been doing during this time. Then they belatedly understood after seeing the increased number of guards.

『 This is unbelievable...! The legends of the past have emerged as the subordinates of a great demon...! 』

『 It isn't a scale that can be stopped with a small number of people. They must give up on the Abyss. They should've left together when the army withdrew. They are going to suffer a great deal of damage due to the meaningless obsession... 』

『 What? Meaningless obsession? Look, if you give the Abyss to the enemy, then all of Titan will be taken away. Think of that huge city being transformed into a fortress for demons. An astronomical amount of damage will be required to take it back. Where will we be if we can't cheer for the heroes who are fighting to the end even in a difficult situation...? 』

It happened as loud voices were coming from the broadcast...

One of the legends that appeared with Gamigin—Haksen, known as the founder of the Highest Point Magic, turned the ground into a sea of fire. It happened in an instant. Unbelievably, it was a catastrophe created by an ordinary fireball. It was a power that was comparable to Braham's magic. Regardless of what would happen later, it was right to give up on the Abyss...

It happened as many people were making the same judgment...

Suddenly, night came along with a loud roar. It was the aftermath of a huge shadow covering the sky and the ground.

『Dr...! 』

『A...! 』

『...Gon!? 』

A transcendent species that accidentally appeared in the past National Competition and shocked them—an absolute creature that Chairman Lim Cheolho once said 'it is designed to be impossible to hunt' broke into the war. It was absurd for it to even appear.

"Drop Dragon Pinnacle Kill Wave."

Now it was at the tip of Grid's blade.

The remnant of the gray dragon—it was nothing more than an illusion created by the ego of Stone Dragon Gujel. However, the effect of the illusion depended on the illusion. There were few people who weren't surprised.

The stupefied expression of the 4th Great Demon was caught on camera.