Chapter 2059

No, it was a bit different.

What Agnus had seen in his notification window was simply the mention of a complete ending. The world hadn't been mentioned at all in Agnus' message.

"...What?"

Grid was curious. A chill went down his spine. Beyond the storm of Annihilation energy, a new gray pillar was rising just after the ash pillar symbolizing the death of the Refractive Dragon had ascended to the sky.

"Rebecca?"

Grid hurriedly retrieved his Annihilation energy, but it was too late. The purple storm lifted and revealed Rebecca, who was severely injured. She looked just like Hanul, another God of the beginning, just before he died.

Grid hurriedly used Shunpo to support Rebecca. "Why didn't you avoid it?" he asked. It almost sounded like he was rebuking her.

Rebecca was the Goddess of Light. Grid's attack speed certainly was incredibly high with his Agility maxed out, but that was only high enough to block the Refractive Dragon's route. Rebecca had enough time to run away before the fourteen thousand swords unleashed the Annihilation energy, but she didn't...

Rebecca managed to speak as Grid held her in his arms. She was using her real voice, not intent. "As long as I am alive... You will always be anxious about my existence."

It seemed like she didn't want to let the world know about her death. She was worried there would be a crack in the peace that Grid had worked so hard to achieve.

"......"

Grid couldn't even deny it. It was true that he had tried to kill Rebecca on several occasions. She was an Absolute god who knew that this world was just a game. She needed to be thoroughly interrogated if he wanted to keep her alive. No matter how much Grid tried to make sure that she wouldn't go berserk, he might not be able to shake off his anxiety and end up harming her.

"I... In the name of protecting the world, I have destroyed it many times. I constantly betrayed and killed those who trusted and relied on me."

Every time Rebecca spoke, a brilliant divinity flowed like blood. Her soul, which resembled light, was being torn apart and dispersed.

"I am a sinner who shouldn't be understood or forgiven."

Rebecca was clearly dying. Her golden eyes, which looked like condensed light, lost their luster.

"When you were by my side and I was saved, the guilt I felt was indescribable."

There wasn't the slightest bit of exaggeration when she used the word 'saved.' Rebecca's repeated rampage and subsequent judgment of being a bug was due to how lonely she was. Everyone except for her believed that the world was real and was faithful to keep on living, so she had always been alone. She couldn't rely on anyone.

Of course, she tried. She told the truth to Yatan and Hanul, who had been born alongside her at the beginning, and sought their cooperation. However, they didn't understand her.

Yatan felt sorry for the lives that Rebecca destroyed and created hell. The souls of the dead were drawn by the gravitational pull of hell and revived via the river of reincarnation. Rebecca's efforts to extinguish life and free the people from a world that was nothing more than a game had been in vain.

Hanul's reaction also made it difficult for her to keep going with her plan. He didn't care about the truth of the world. So what if the world they lived in was artificially created? What did that have to do with anything? After all, this world was real and vast. They could live in it well enough. It was enough for him if those he didn't like just left...

Hanul had rebelled using this logic. Instead of sympathizing with Rebecca, he branded her a lunatic murderer and attempted to kill her. Looking back at it now, Yatan and Hanul could have also acted as a vaccine, just like the Refractive Dragon.

"I knew that, perhaps, they were the ones who were right and I was in the wrong. But I couldn't stop. There was already so much blood on my hands... I lost count the number of lives I have taken..."

It was hard to continue speaking. Rebecca's breathing became more ragged as she paused for a moment. She stared at Grid's face.

"...I found hope in you."

Players were beings from a higher dimension. Despite Rebecca's struggles, they eventually descended to this world.

She was frustrated. She felt helpless after realizing that everything in the world existed for the sake of players. She shed tears every day as she watched the people's lives being exploited for the players' needs or sacrificed for the players' whims.

She couldn't stand it. Even if she disappeared, she was determined to destroy the world once again.

Back then, she witnessed a man being handed an ugly wildflower by a young girl. He was a particularly weak man. He took many hits from rabbits and deer despite being a player. He used his money to buy flowers from the girl every day, despite earning less than others.

It was unnecessary, but he didn't miss a single day visiting her. He worried that she might be starving one day, and sometimes stayed by her side because he was worried others might hurt her. Even though he was a player, he treated the inhabitants of this world as real people.

Rebecca had a very small but clear hope. In other words, he had been the first straw Rebecca held onto. Yes, in the beginning, this man was only a straw.

But at this moment, being held in his arms...

"Thank you, Grid..."

[For making sure your sprout bloomed.]

"Thank you, Grid..."

[For bearing fruit that resembles you.]

"Thank you..."

[For being a giant tree that the world can lean on.]

"Th... ank..."

Thud.

Rebecca's hand, which had been touching Grid's cheek, fell limply.

"......"

Grid was crying. The Goddess, who had always smiled warmly, couldn't smile during her last moments. Her eyes slowly closed. There was only sadness and pain on her face.

[If I knew I would meet you, I wouldn't have sinned.]

At some point, Rebecca's will started spreading throughout the world in the form of a confession stating that she was a wicked being who had destroyed the world many times. It was also a hymn about being saved along with the world thanks to Grid. Intent was greatly influenced by emotions. Perhaps this was the reason this happened. Or had this been her intention all along?

Rebecca's last will was rooted in the world because light was everywhere. The moment he heard this, Dominion rushed to where she was and sobbed.

[M-Mother...]

He tried to grasp the ashen traces of his mother from Grid's arms, but it was in vain.

[How did this happen?]

[I never thought the annihilation of the greatest of the gods of the beginning would happen...]

Rebecca's death caused a great stir in Asgard. All the angels and gods arrived at the scene one after another. Sinners like Raphael, who had been expelled from the archangel position, were also there.

"......"

After Rebecca completely disappeared, Grid slowly raised his head and realized he was isolated among Asgardian forces. In the end, he would have to fight again...

Grid was feeling a bit depressed when Dominion bowed to him. He reacted differently than Grid expected.

[Thank you for being at my mother's side in her last moments. In a bid to atone for the sins of the Goddess, Asgard will help out more people in the future.]

Dominion was an upright god.

[Everyone here will forever remember your grace for saving Mother.]

Rebecca's dying wish had been firmly transmitted.

Just then, Grid fully understood the meaning of the notification windows that had appeared just now.

[The world has reached a complete ending.]

[This is the ending you have achieved.]

The demons corrupted by Baal, the corrupted gods, the God of Fighting that had been a symbol of disaster, the Martial God who had been out of control... Their deaths alone weren't enough to fulfill Grid's wishes.

The deaths of Rebecca, the bug, and the Refractive Dragon, the vaccine, that had been born in response to her actions were what finally completed the world. This was the peaceful world that Grid hoped for.

[Asgard is completely bowing to the Overgeared World.]

[From now on, all beings in Asgard will show unconditional favor to humanity.]

***

Grid had been through so much. He had experienced events that would require compiling a book to explain them all. Joy and sorrow had always been intertwined.

Sometimes, he had felt so distressed and sad that he wanted to give up but, thanks to the people he cared about, he was able to endure those moments and overcome them.

Sometimes, he had been so happy and excited that he became arrogant but, thanks to the people close to him, he was able to not make mistakes.

"I'm grateful for every moment."

If he had deviated just once from his path, his beloved family and trusted friends wouldn't be around him now.

As Shin Youngwoo hammered on the steel on the anvil, his eyes were as thoughtful as the eyes of Grid in the game. The muscles of his arms and back that flexed every time he swung the hammer were no different from those of Grid in the game. It seemed that the image of the greatest god had been perfectly carved into his real life persona.

Peak Sword, who had been biting his nails impatiently, could no longer stand it. "Excuse me, God Grid... Can you stop chatting and focus on your work? You've made too few items compared to the amount of required deliveries."

Youngwoo lost his benevolent expression and frowned. "Don't you know anything about craftsmanship? My memories and gratitude must be captured in each hammer blow so that my experience and will can be conveyed in my work. That is how the steel becomes harder."

"Shall I tell this to my sister-in-law?"

"......"

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Youngwoo started hammering too fast for people's eyes to follow. This meant he had given up on craftsmanship.

"H-Hurry!"

The smithy's employees were confused by the boss showing his real skills for the first time in ages. People rushed to somehow keep up the pace, and the huge smithy quickly became crowded.

As the sound of hammering could now be heard everywhere, relieved, Peak Sword took out two pieces of candy.

"Children, come sit here so that your father can concentrate on his work. I'll give you this candy."

"We want to eat chocolate, so you can eat the candy, Uncle."

"Uncle Daehan is too old-fashioned. Pfft."

"Haha..."

Peak Sword could see a glimpse of Grid's younger self in his nephews and laughed. He could see how much Youngwoo was struggling at home.

***

[According to the government's announcement, the newly appeared gate in Gangwon-do has been identified as the North End Cave. It is a monumental place where player Shin Youngwoo is known to have discovered Pagma's Book...]

Seven years had passed since the asteroid called Ghamid collided with Earth. The world had changed a lot. All types of threats, including monsters, poured out of the gates that appeared randomly all over the world. An apocalyptic event that could only happen in movies had occurred.

Surprisingly, the damage to humanity wasn't significant since the governments of each country had been preparing for this extraordinary event. This was also largely due to the countless players that had awakened.

The monsters that ran through buildings and attacked people, as well as the monsters that trampled on the legacies that humanity had protected for hundreds of years were unable to withstand the counterattack from humanity's side and either perished or took refuge in the gates.

Earth quickly regained its peace. They acquired substances and concepts that used to only exist in Satisfy and civilization developed rapidly.

"...You want me to become a player?"

Kim Jaseon was an ordinary fourth-generation rich kid. Like most ordinary people, he had lived peacefully without experiencing the changed world. He didn't care about who accomplished what at the gates, what treasures they obtained, who died in a fierce battle... He had always dismissed it as stories that had nothing to do with him.

Now he finally graduated from high school and was going to enter university. He didn't have a care in the world. All he thought about was spending a lot of money and going out to have fun.

However, his father was forcing him to join the player army. The incident occurred two days after taking the Player Aptitude Test that Koreans had to take as soon as they became adults.

"Two days ago, you scored very highly on your aptitude test. You are the first person in our family who has the qualities of a player. You can't miss this opportunity."

"......"

"Become a player by any means. Become a world-class great individual like Grid... No, you can't become like Grid even if you come back from the dead. Just like the people of South Korea, please respect Grid's achievements, follow in his footsteps, and contribute to the country's development for the sake of our company's image."

Jaseon had no chance to veto it. He could enjoy a leisurely life all thanks to his father.

[A little while ago at ten o'clock, Yura, the president of the Korean Players Association, held a press conference and announced the occupation of Cokro Island. This is the first time in the world that a gate has been declared to be occupied rather than captured. It seems to be a choice that respects the academic opinion that Cokro Island is suitable as a training ground for new players and...]

"...I think it's a good idea."

Jaseon saw the news on TV and thought optimistically about his situation.

Yura looked like she was in her early twenties and was still the most beautiful woman in South Korea. Even though she was a married woman, Jaseon was strangely excited at the thought of seeing such a beautiful woman from up close.

Thus, the world was at peace. This was the peace created by Grid and the Overgeared Guild.

Overgeared Completed.

Author's Note: Thank you. Thanks to the love and interest of the readers, I was able to complete this eleven-year journey safely. I hope you can achieve everything you want, just like Grid. Always be healthy and happy.

It is hard to believe that such a long journey is finally ending. Overgeared has been part of my life for so long that I can mark major events in my life using it as reference. I have experienced so many ups and downs with this story, so I am glad that I have managed to complete it. It will be bittersweet to think that there will be no more regular Overgeared chapters, but I am also looking forward to exploring more Korean novels in the future. I hope to see you there! Thank you, everyone.