The two men’s battle stopped only after Grid’s hand blocked the grandmaster’s elbow that fell at a sharp angle. All sorts of shockwaves occurred belatedly. At the same time, the shockwaves shook people and the peach trees.

“W-What?”

Zibal and the Neo Red Knights looked like they had seen a ghost and stepped back. They were surprised to discover that Grid and the grandmaster who disappeared had actually exchanged blows.

“Gulp.” The yangbans gulped. They tried to keep calm and maintain their dignity, but they were astonished.

The person who was more surprised than anyone else was Grid. “Gasp... Gasp... T-This...”

Grid hadn’t forgotten the fierce battle between Chreshler and Pagma. Chreshler had exercised infinite divine power with his faith. His skill in summoning hundreds of spears of light simultaneously and firing them in dozens or hundreds of different orbits was a great power and a miracle. Pagma’s body would be pierced and he would die instantly. At least, it would be like that if it was Grid.

However, Pagma completed two fused sword dances. The hundreds of light spears were accurately captured using his absurd dynamic vision. He set everything as a ‘target’ for Flower and returned the massive bombardment to Chreshler intact. It happened in the blink of an eye.

A world where time had stopped. Grid had indirectly experienced the world ‘in the eyes of a transcendent’ through Chreshler and Pagma, who shared dozens of blows before the debris caused by the explosion was affected by gravity. Then he realized how shabby he himself was. Then today...

“Gasp... Gasp...”

Grid himself entered the world of a transcendent. It was only for a moment and his breathing was completely rough afterwards, but he was very happy and excited. Betrayal and infighting, opposition and war, high ranking great demons and dragons, unrevealed transcendents and heavenly gods...

He felt freed from all the concepts he had subconsciously feared. Grid was clearly aware that he had become a being that transcended all concepts in the world.

“Hat...! Hahahat! Hahahahat!”

He hadn’t felt this much accomplishment when making his first legendary item. Chiyou approached the extremely happy Grid and handed him a small wooden box. “You deserve to receive this.”

[The ‘Martial God’s Secret Technique’ has been acquired as a first place reward.]

“This...!”

“Mir had received it!”

The yangbans were in great turmoil. It was because Mir was the only one who had been given a secret technique by Chiyou. The second protagonist of the secret technique was a human. Something unimaginable had happened.

‘The secret technique of the martial god...’

Grid was one of the few people familiar with the secret techniques of the martial god. A skill book created by the martial god. Once used, a skill of a random rating was acquired. It wasn’t a common skill, regardless of whether the rating was low or high. Most of the skills of the martial god boasted excellent power or utility. Of course, the martial god mentioned here was Zeratul. However, Chiyou was the martial god who handed him the secret technique...

‘Sure enough, Chiyou...’

Martial God Chiyou in the east and Martial God Zeratul in the west. Who was the stronger martial god? Whose secret technique was better? The curious Grid opened the wooden box and tried to appraise the Martial God’s Secret Technique.

‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal.’

[You have failed to observe the targeted item.]

“Keuk?!”

Grid felt severe pain from his eyes and groaned.

‘What?’

There were occasionally some items that he failed in appraising. However, this was the first time that an appraisal failure resulted in pain. It felt like he was being punished for doing something he shouldn’t have done. The grandmaster sent a voice transmission to Grid, whose eyes were bloodshot and filled with panic.

-It is taboo to touch the one god.

‘One god?’

Was it another concept of the absolute god? Grid couldn’t understand and whispered a question, “Can I interpret it as being on the same level as an absolute god?”

-I think it is a similar status. However, you are mistaken about something. There isn’t only one absolute.

That’s right—the absolute gods were Rebecca, Yatan, and Hanul. However, regarding this logic, there were two martial gods. The expression ‘one god’ wasn’t appropriate.

“Aren’t there two martial gods?”

-There is one martial god.

“......?”

-Zeratul is just a copy of Chiyou.

“......!!”

-Unlike Zeratul, who comes from Rebecca and can’t rebel against Rebecca’s power, Martial God Chiyou is unique and the only one. No one in the world can interfere with him.

“No... I don’t understand.”

Grid was vaguely aware of it. Chiyou was a remarkable existence born from human aspirations unlike other gods. However, he was unique?

“Aren’t the Four Auspicious Beasts also real gods derived from human aspirations? How could Chiyou be the only one when there are the Four Auspicious Beasts?”

-It is absurd to compare Chiyou to the Four Auspicious Beasts. The Four Auspicious Beasts are gods that originated from the ‘humans of the east’ while Chiyou is a god who comes from ‘all of humanity.’

“???"

-All human beings, without dividing between the west and the east, the past and the present, are eager for strength. The Four Auspicious Beasts were born to defend the land of the east. How can they be compared to Chiyou, who is the gathering of all the martial power that humans wished for?

“......!”

A memory flashed in the mind of the startled Grid.

“If your pledge is true, escape the eyes of the Five Seniors and leave for the western land. Then return with the qualifications of a God Killer.”

These were the words Chiyou had told Pagma in the distant past. Even today, Chiyou was obsessed with god killers.

“Born from the heart’s desire of all humanity... does that mean Chiyou can never be forgotten?”

-Yes, Chiyou is immortal. He will never perish unless humanity perishes. However, humanity can never perish. The moment that Yatan or someone else destroys the world, Rebecca will immediately recreate a new world and humanity. Then Chiyou will once again be created by them.

“……”

-Humans are the only thing that can destroy Chiyou. It is only by proving that ‘human power is greater than the power of a god’ that he can be denied and destroyed. This is why Chiyou is obsessed with the absolutes and the yangbans.

“Aren’t the yangbans half-gods and not humans?”

-No, not necessarily. Half of the blood flowing in the yangbans is divine, while the other half is human.

“......!”

The yangbans were not only half-gods, but they were half-god and half-human?

“They are half-human, yet they despise humans?

-They don’t know the truth. Yangbans are born with Hanul’s will. How can they know the world? From my perspective, the motif of the yangbans is like the seven good people...

“...Stop, just stop.”

Grid blocked both ears. He didn’t want to know much. Listening to the complicated stories made him feel uncomfortable.

‘The bottom line is that Chiyou is amazing.’

There was no need to think deeply about the yangbans. They were unconditionally enemies. There was only one thing he should be feeling right now. Just be happy. A reward given by the strongest being in the world. Its value will be immeasurable.

[Martial God’s Secret Technique]

[Type: Skill Book

?????

Weight: 10]

‘...There are only question marks.’

It was a fact that it was a skill book. There was a very high chance of acquiring a high level skill. Grid stopped before using the Martial God’s Secret Technique.

‘I don’t know, but I should try it once...’

He checked the status of his Open Potential skill. Fortunately, it was available. Chiyou’s Test was categorized as an instance dungeon and the cooldown had been reset.

‘Open Potential.’

[Please specify the skill to increase the rating.]

‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal.’

[The potential of Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal has been opened and the skill ‘Blacksmith’s Appraisal Comparable to a God’ has been activated.]

‘That’s it!’

It was a success as he hoped. Grid once again challenged appraising the secret technique.

[You have failed to observe the targeted item.]

‘Kuek, I really can’t see it.’

It was unfortunate even though he expected it. Grid covered his pained eyes with his hands. It happened while Zibal and the yangbans looked at the pained Grid with surprise.

“It is a blank secret technique, so there is no need to look at it so hard.” It was Chiyou’s advice. The secret technique was blank?

"Blank...? There is no content?”

“Yes.”

“How can it be a secret technique if there are no contents?”

Grid was frustrated. Of course, it was only internally. In front of Chiyou, Grid was infinitely polite and humble.

“This was made to fill up your deficiencies. The gaps will be naturally filled up by the secret technique.”

“……”

Grid thought over Chiyou’s words and nodded quietly. He noticed the identity of the secret technique and had no hesitation.

[’Martial God’s Secret Technique’ has been acquired.]

[Contemplate your own combat power.]

[Due to enlightenment, Grid’s Swordsmanship is strengthened.]

[The skill information of ‘Transcend’ has changed.]

[It isn’t an imaginary transcendent being, but a sword dance that fully expresses yourself.]

[The skill information of ‘Link’ has changed.]

[It isn’t a butterfly’s wings flapping, but a sword dance that exudes the momentum of an absolute, stretching out like the sun.]

[The skill information of ‘Kill’ has changed.]

[The sword dance of punishment will be performed.]

[The skill information of ‘Wave’ has changed.]

......

[The skill information of ‘Pinnacle’ has changed.]

......

[The skill information of ‘Restraint’ has changed.]

......

[The skill information of ‘Flower’ has changed.]

......

[The skill information of ‘Drop’ has changed.]

......

[The skill information of ‘Revolve’ has changed.]

......

[The new sword dance ‘Sky’ has been learnt.]

[The ‘heart’ is strengthened by enlightenment.]

[The ‘Meditation’ skill is always active.]

[’Formless Will’ can be handled more skillfully.]

[When using Request to Stand With Me, the summoning request isn’t issued if the target is in combat.]

[Gained enlightenment and integrated the mastery skills.]

[Weapons Mastery and Magic Mastery are merged into Grid’s Combat Techniques and the level is based on the skill with the higher growth.]

[Enlightenment is gained and the advanced light elemental is liberated.]

[The advanced light elemental wants to stay with you.]

[The advanced light elemental will stand guard by your side and will judge and act on its own in the future.]

“Ah.”

This was the taste of playing a game. The thrilled Grid turned red.

The time to leave the Hwan Kingdom was approaching.

A week has passed since the event started! I've already received a few submissions for the fanart portion but no fanfic yet. Are you working on your submissions?

6th Anniversary Event Link