Inspiration.
A brilliant idea or stimulus that sparks creative work.
"A good idea…? What is it?"
I smiled faintly at Raven's somewhat uneasy question.
Just as a philosopher once shouted "Eureka!" upon stepping into a bathtub, inspirations come suddenly, unexpectedly, in a flash.
Just like now.
[Turua, Piare, Buamine Yandel, Harpu.]
"District 8, arson, culprit Yandel, support requested."
The goal was simple.
To draw aggro so Amelia in District 4 could escape more easily.
And in some ways, drawing aggro was a field both Bjorn Yandel and 'Lee Hansu' excelled at.
A kind of basic skill every average Korean man who spent his teens and twenties on games would have?
[Turua No, Tekkai, Jiganu, Remgak.]
"Point 8-2, access prohibited, support troops moving."
Moreover, this wasn't the first time.
Though now my body's better and my mind suffers less, back when I was so weak I'd collapse in the wind, I had to use even 'Lee Hansu's' knowledge to draw aggro.
So, then…
"Vivian."
I checked one last thing.
"That radio transmission — we could have sent it, right?"
"Yes. Though the more attention we draw, the higher the chance my line will be cut."
Good, it's possible.
I secretly worried she might say no, but the last obstacle disappeared.
"So… what are we sending?"
Vivian, curious about my "good idea," asked, and I answered.
"You'll know when you hear it."
"…What?"
"Translate what I say into code from now on. Exactly, without missing a word."
"Ah! Wait a moment!"
Vivian adjusted the crystal orb as if tuning it and told me she was ready.
Now it was time to send my message to every Noark commander.
"Ricardo Luhenpraha."
I spoke slowly.
"Mom."
"…What?"
"None."
It was time to return to basics.
Crackle!
Radio chatter came through my communication orb, but I barely paid attention.
[District 8, arson, culprit Yandel, support requested.]
'That guy' was causing chaos in District 8.
[Point 8-2, access prohibited, support troops moving, standby.]
The situation seemed serious.
But thud!
It wasn't my business.
The location itself was quite far from District 8 — it was District 4.
Unless someone specifically asked for my help, I intended to leave it to them.
Yeah, that's how it was.
Until I heard a familiar female voice.
"Ricardo Luhenpraha."
'Liranne Vivian…?'
I recognized the voice immediately.
After all, she was the one who brought in that bitter little girl and helped her become the infamous 'Witch of Screams.'
'She's in District 8 and calling me…'
Probably a request for help.
'Is her life in danger?'
I thought so, but even if true, I couldn't go.
Because it was wartime.
Besides, all the efforts to assemble 'Orculus' had been for this day.
[Uh, Mom…]
Even if it were urgent enough to look for mom, nothing changes.
Thud!
There was something more important now.
I should ignore this request.
[Uh, none…!!]
…?
"…"
I stopped for a moment, as if time froze.
Thinking I misheard or they'd said nonsense, I moved again quickly.
But it didn't take long before the voice came again.
[Ri, Ricardo Luhenpraha! Mom, none!]
The transmission repeated as if to say I hadn't misheard.
The experience was new and confusing.
What the hell was going on?
I couldn't understand, but the transmissions kept coming.
[The Rose Knights…]
"…"
[Here! Kill! So, no mom!]
The content was so shocking it felt unreal.
But at the same time, my mind went cold.
I sensed the hint.
'Someone is ordering this.'
Liranne Vivian wasn't sending this voluntarily.
She was probably captured and forced to send these messages.
But the problem was different.
'Who?'
Who would send these messages, and how did they know the grudge between me and the Rose Knights?
It was supposed to be a secret few knew.
Click.
My priorities shifted.
Chasing the woman with an aura similar to the Rose Knights was important.
But—
"Commander…?"
"I'm leaving the pursuit of Emily Raines to you."
"I… yes…!"
Deciding to assign others to the chase, I took out the crystal orb where I'd stopped.
[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 1, smaller than corpse collector!]
The only way to find out who was talking nonsense through Vivian was to confront them directly.
[…Who are you?]
I activated the orb and spoke quietly.
The reply was mockery.
[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 2, not scary at all but tries to act tough!]
Perhaps uncomfortable translating code, the mocking switched to the Lapdonia language without code.
A certain figure flashed in my mind.
The Dragon Slayer, Regal Bagos.
The corpse collector, Abet Nekrafeto.
Maan, Rolland Banossant.
All of them, as if agreeing, had warned me to "watch my mouth."
"Bjorn Yandel…"
If it was really him, I understood this behavior.
Because he was chasing my comrades.
Insider information had leaked, and if he wanted to draw attention, this explained his actions.
'If that's so… how does he know about my history with the Rose Knights?'
Unable to know, I gripped the orb again.
[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 3, trembling and can't say anything!]
The mocking continued, but I was unfazed.
In fact, I was calmer than usual.
I was just out of breath from running.
[…Where are you?]
I asked again to identify the other.
Thankfully, the reply came immediately.
[District 8.]
Just hearing the rough voice conjured an image of a bulky man.
[Come if you want.]
Considering he was a man and District 8 was where Yandel was seen…
'My guess was right.'
Though still surprised at the moment.
[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 4, only asks where but too scared to come.]
Could this be the words of a city hero, a leader of a race, and a baron?
It was too frivolous and crude.
But that made the opponent's intent clearer.
'Surely, his goal is to lure me here.'
So, what to do?
The doubt was brief.
[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 5, no dad either.]
I didn't like falling for the obvious trick.
[Don't expect to die peacefully.]
Maybe I'd let it slide once.
Curious how he knew that story.
[Oh, like your parents?]
Just as the taunt continued, the crystal orb I held shattered under pressure.
"Must've been defective."
I mapped the fastest route to District 8 in my head.
But for some reason, the words from that guy kept echoing in my ears.
No, more precisely, the 'voice' echoed.
[District 8, come if you want.]
I'd heard many stories about Bjorn Yandel, but this was the first direct conversation.
Yet why…
'Something about it feels familiar…'
A strange vague unease.
Long ago, in some time I barely remember, I feel like I heard this exact voice.
'When was that…?'
Frowning to recall, my steps quickened.
Whatever this unease was—
Thud—
I'd find out in person.
Have you ever been inside a wardrobe?
Sven Parab, former Paladin of Lapdonia, had.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't Sven Parab's real body, but still.
"…"
"…"
Inside a wardrobe, you have to hunch your body, can't straighten your neck, and the floor isn't soft like a bed.
But surprisingly, it's comfortable inside.
No, more precisely, while your body feels cramped, your mind feels at ease.
Because no one can find you here.
So since childhood, whenever scared, I always hid inside a wardrobe.
'Never thought I'd end up back here at this age.'
The wardrobe's cramped space barely fit my grown body, squeezed inside almost forcefully.
And I wasn't alone.
"Sorry… am I heavy?"
I had a roommate, and due to their pleasant scent, I had to pull back my waist even more in the tight space.
Still, no choice.
This was the only place nearby to hide.
"No, no… I'm sorry. ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ It's all my fault…"
"Don't apologize. We're both still safe."
I felt tremendous gratitude for that.
It was all my fault that we were trapped in this cramped wardrobe.
During a chaotic fight with comrades, I had a seizure and Lilith Marone tried to save me, falling behind together.
"It's amazing… how did you recover as soon as you got in here?"
"Haha… yeah, it is."
I laughed awkwardly, shifting the topic.
Though feeling both sorry and thankful, there was something I could never tell her.
'…I must never admit it was intentional.'
The seizure was an act.
A natural way to leave the group.
'What kind of wardrobe is this…?'
I touched the wall of the wardrobe, which looked completely ordinary.
An old, broken-down house.
And the wardrobe's top barely visible through a broken second-floor window.
But the moment I saw it during the fight, an intense instinct gripped me.
'I have to go.'
The wardrobe was safe.
If I entered it, I would never die.
'I have to go.'
Like someone possessed, I left the group.
Lilith Marone followed, and I had to fake a seizure again.
But anyway.
This wardrobe was worth entering even like that.
Like a panacea.
Thump—!
From the moment I returned to the city, chronic anxiety controlling my body vanished instantly, replaced with a firm certainty that as long as I stayed here, I'd be safe even if the world fell apart.
'…Sorry, comrades.'
In some ways, a betrayal of comrades.
I'd be lying if I said my heart wasn't heavy, but exhausted Sven Parab couldn't even think of leaving this wardrobe.
'As long as I'm in here… I live!'
For Sven Parab, instinct was something to follow.
No matter what.
-x-X-x-
Ricardo Rühenpraha.
My conversation with that bastard unfortunately ended quickly.
"Don't expect to die gracefully."
After throwing that taunt one more time, he remained completely silent no matter what I said.
I wondered if maybe he had activated a "radio silence" move, but after thinking it over, that didn't seem ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) right either.
'It's more likely he smashed the radio out of frustration.'
Yeah, no matter how many times I thought about it, that was the more reasonable explanation.
That trembling voice back then was real—something smoke or illusions couldn't produce.
Ah, and there's some evidence for this guess.
What kind of guy is he anyway?
In the past, he was called a "sword master," and now he's the leader of the ultra-famous terrorist group called Orkulis.
Of course, he's that strong…
'Guys like this always have the same kind of brain structure.'
Like the exact opposite of soft outside but strong inside.
According to statistics, big shots like this are resistant to this kind of nonsense.
Because they probably never meet crazy punks like me.
Ah, except for Ibaekho.
He may be a strong man of this era, but he's Korean-born.
'I wonder if by now he's trembling and rushing over?'
Of course, that's just wishful thinking—I can't be sure.
Well, that doesn't mean what I just did was meaningless.
At least I managed to get him to talk to me first, didn't I?
Just that alone helped Amelia breathe a little easier—
Crackle—!
Suddenly, static noise came from the radio, followed by a familiar voice.
"Prime Minister…?"
But since it was said in code, I couldn't understand. I signaled Vivian to translate quickly, and she started immediately.
"…It's the Prime Minister. He's telling each commander to leave the existing channels."
Hmm, so this ends our radio eavesdropping?
I wasn't really disappointed.
It was the expected outcome from when I started drawing attention.
But what followed next over the radio was a bit puzzling.
[Brett Chie, Saela Sa.]
[Tiri Bi, Saela Sa.]
[Tiri Ei, Saela Sa.]
"What are they all saying now?"
"It's just a simple procedure. They say the district names and then announce the communication is over…"
"Should we leave too…? It doesn't seem like anything useful will come up… The number of people connected is dropping quickly too…"
"No, stay put for now. Just in case."
Vivian gave me a 'just in case?' look but obeyed without a word.
How much time passed, I don't know.
"It's quiet now."
"Well, only two people remain connected."
So excluding us, there's only one person left.
"Give it here."
I took the radio back from Vivian.
"What? What are you doing?"
"I think he's about to talk."
"…You know who it is?"
Even without damage to the crystal ball, their comm system automatically disconnects when someone with authority dies to maintain security.
And now, there's one left.
What does that mean?
'It's obvious who.'
Not long after it dropped to two, a voice came through the radio.
[Tsk.]
It started with a tongue click that made you think about a lot of things.
"Long time no see, Prime Minister. Or should I say the leader of the rebels now?"
I greeted first before he introduced himself, but surprisingly, he replied just as naturally.
[You've been quiet for a while, but causing this kind of trouble as soon as you show up is so like you.]
It sounded like we were old friends chatting casually just days ago.
'Ah, maybe that's not wrong.'
Before I was imprisoned, I had talked to the Prime Minister quite a bit.
Well, back then he was the Prime Minister of Rafdonia.
"Since it's an accident, you probably don't have much to say."
[Yeah, that's true. Especially this time.]
Although we're enemies, I couldn't help but chuckle for some reason.
But this wasn't the time for trivial talk.
"Why?"
[You always look for the answer first.]
"I don't like wasting time."
[You can't get close to the answer that way. The answer is like a treasure hidden deep in the labyrinth, found only after wandering lost for a very long time.]
Oh, maybe it's because he's older than me?
It sounded meaningful.
But…
"What are you saying? You're a guy who's never been in a labyrinth in your life."
Only experienced explorers can say that coolly.
Like Nara, for example.
[Let me get straight to the point.]
"Are you trying to negotiate?"
He neither confirmed nor denied my question.
Instead, like an impatient businessman, he immediately laid out conditions.
[I guarantee the unconditional safety of your comrades.]
"How can I trust a guy who raised a knife to kill us?"
[In fact, I ordered the entire army to prioritize capturing Bjorn Yandel's comrades alive.]
I gave Vivian a look asking if that was true, and she nodded.
[For some reason, you always got caught. So I figured capturing your comrades alive might come in handy someday.]
Hmm…
It's a bad sign the enemy overestimates me…
But at least now I know one thing.
None of my comrades have been captured by the rebels yet.
If they had been, it would be threats, not negotiations.
[So, what's your answer?]
The Marquis's question came as Astarotta's eyes glanced at me.
It didn't seem like she wanted to interfere—just observing what I'd choose.
'Sigh…'
My answer was already decided.
"Refuse."
[Why?]
Like before, the Marquis asked for the answer right away.
But I wasn't going to waste time with small talk like him.
I'd held it in for a long time.
Until I could say this to his face.
"I swore it in Ice Rock."
[…]
"That I'd cut off the neck of the bastard who planned this."
I may look like this, but I'm actually a bit petty.
So far, I've never erased a name from my death list.
[Yeah… I see.]
After a brief silence, the Marquis spoke in a somewhat bitter voice.
"We ended up buttoning the first button wrong from the start."
Not an excuse or self-justification, just resignation.
I even sensed a little regret and some frustration in his voice.
If this was going to end in regret…
Clench.
I wished it hadn't come to this.
"You know it was you who buttoned the first button."
I couldn't help but speak a bit aggressively, but the Marquis didn't react much.
No, he even chuckled.
[Heh, nothing new. The more I try to untangle my life, the more tangled the thread becomes.]
Is he reflecting on his life now?
Well, if you're fighting the royal family, I guess that's natural.
Anyway, more talk would just be idle chatter, so I asked one last thing.
"What happened to Ragna Pepprok?"
Maybe the most personal question.
Surprisingly, he answered honestly.
[That kid's still asleep, knowing nothing. In the safest place in this world. When he wakes up, some kind of resolution will be made.]
"The safest place in this world… wherever that is, it's totally different from how I treat my son."
[You know the reason, don't you?]
Well, yeah.
The Marquis's son is a demon.
That's probably why they took Ragna, who'd been holed up in the library, in the first place.
Ah, I almost forgot to ask this.
"…Is the woman in the portrait hidden in your office Ragna's birth mother?"
[Yes, she was a very kind woman.]
Why is this guy answering so well?
That thought crossed my mind, but sadly, that was the end.
[Anyway, the situation's clearer now.]
"When wasn't it?"
[Ha ha, it still means a lot to me. That hope… it's what's made me neither here nor there all this time.]
You could dismiss it as an old man's nonsense, but it sounded like something said just before awakening, so it wasn't exactly comforting.
[When this conversation ends, I'll cancel the capture order and issue a kill order to the entire army.]
Does this mean something real is finally starting?
[In that process, one of the comrades you cherish so much will probably die. No, they will definitely die. Because I will make it so.]
"If this is a threat, you've got the order wrong."
[Isn't that obvious?]
"…?"
[It's not a threat.]
He spoke like he was stating a fact, not a threat.
[I just wanted you to know. I wasn't much different from you.]
Ironically, I felt overwhelmed for the first time talking with the Marquis.
[Do you know how hard it's been for me, laughing in front of people like you?]
"…"
[You should feel it too. The pain I felt.]
Huh, I didn't expect him to have such a tough guy side.
After that last word, the radio went dead.
"He's gone…"
Seeing the number of connected people on the network drop to one, I threw the now useless radio into the burning house.
"Don't worry too much. It's just a curse from a traitor."
Astarotta comforted me as she watched.
"You made the right choice."
The right choice…
Yeah, it definitely was.
If I had accepted the Marquis's persuasion, maybe no one would have died during this war, but after it ended, a bigger backlash would have come.
"Then will you tell me why the Marquis started the war now?"
"No. His Majesty ordered you to hear it directly."
Ha… This really drives a person crazy.
This isn't some game where you have to discover everything through adventures one by one.
'…Ah, is that true?'
Now I can say for sure.
Dungeon & Stone is a damn shitty game.
"A lot of people have already gathered."
Muttering to myself, Astarotta looked around and muttered under her breath.
Basically saying it's time to move.
So I stopped thinking about the Prime Minister and briefly summarized the situation.
The city is burning.
The rebels have orders to 'keep out' and maintain distance, while reinforcements are arriving and the troops are increasing.
'I still don't know if Rühenpraha is coming to me or not.'
Amelia is said to be in District 4, and clan members hiding in the sanctuary may or may not be safe.
To make matters worse, the Marquis just declared through some sudden awakening event that he would kill all my comrades…
[The evil spirits from another world '————' realized the path they must take only after losing three comrades.]
I don't even know if that event I saw in the records is happening during this war or not.
And that's not all.
[Arua Raven! That wizard who used to be your old comrade is a traitor!]
Vivian accused Raven of betrayal on the day the capital burned.
'…Why can't I get this organized?'
I tried to summarize it simply, but it just wouldn't come together.
"…"
My head feels like it's going to explode.
There's too much to think about.
I even thought I'd rather go back to surviving day by day in the labyrinth without thinking.
Thump—!
Extreme stress squeezes tight around my chest.
But because of that, I cleared my head.
Like a barbarian.
'…If I just keep going, somehow it'll work out.'
Besides, didn't the Marquis say earlier?
If you wander lost for a very long time, eventually you'll find the answer.
So I decided to focus on surviving this moment.
"Behel—laaaaaaaah!!"
Just like back when all I had was my body alone.
-x-X-x-
A Last Stand.
It means fighting with your back to the water—metaphorically signifying a situation where you can no longer retreat if you want to achieve something.
And I really like this saying.
Because it contains a certain truth.
People give their all when they're desperate.
Beyond just the spirit, if you have water at your back, you don't worry about what's behind and can focus all your energy on the enemy ahead.
There's a practical side to it.
Just like right now.
Crunch—!
In front of us are enemies to be defeated.
Flare—!
Behind us, the city is blazing fiercely.
Thanks to that, no enemies will appear from behind, but it also means our escape route is cut off.
Still, that doesn't matter.
I never had any intention of running away.
Crunch—!
In a way, this is how Ihansu has always lived.
He was forced to fight in dead-end situations with nowhere to run.
Because he had no other options.
'Pediatric ward.'
Fought with all his might against illness.
'Amusement park.'
Fought the pain of being abandoned.
'My room.'
Since then, he's endured endless loneliness and battles with no winners.
[We ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) were born warriors. If we can't fight, we die.]
In some ways, a life similar to a barbarian's.
But when you look at the reality, there's a crucial difference between me and them.
[You still haven't kicked the habit of running away.]
When there was no choice, I fought.
And that also means I always ran away whenever I had the choice.
Crunch—!
I hated the struggle.
Because I knew better than anyone how hard it was.
Above all, there wasn't much I wanted badly enough to fight that hard for.
Crunch—!
Unlike now.
"Raaaaaaveeeeen!!"
As soon as I shouted the name, a comrade who followed my dumb plan cast a spell.
「Arua Raven cast a grade 4 attack spell [Water Cannon].」
「Arua Raven cast a grade 6 support spell [Nature Transformation]…」
The city's flames spread even fiercer.
Whoooosh—!
Astarotta following behind me scattered a fierce aura with every sword strike, proving why she is the king's guardian.
"…M-Monster!"
"Damn, where the hell did that monster come from?!"
The battle was overwhelmingly one-sided, making the difference in numbers meaningless.
That's only natural.
In this world, even characters built just as corpse collectors get called one-man armies.
'And this guy's strength as the king's closest aide goes without saying.'
I'm the same.
Now that Shieldbarbarian is mostly complete, I think I can take on anyone without losing.
'The posture is good, too.'
Most of all, I like not needing to guard the rear.
Boom! Boom!
Stomping the ground like a tank, I crash into the enemy lines, breaking their formation while Astarotta follows and pulverizes everything like a blender.
"Behel—laaaaaaah!!"
"Don't get too excited. Judging by the fact they only have foot soldiers, the real ones must be behind."
Hey, stop pretending to give advice.
If I were king, that guy wouldn't say a word.
'…Well, not wrong, though.'
These guys are just buying time; the real fight hasn't even started.
The corpse collectors, the blood knights, and other Orkulis members.
None have shown their faces yet.
Yeah, so…
Kra-kssshhh—!
I better move more during this chance.
Once they're ready over there, breaking through will be far harder.
Tat-tat-tat-tat!
I pick up the pace.
Crunch! Crunch!
The strikes echo louder in step with my faster arms and legs. But at some point, the enemy forces started to retreat.
"Fall back!"
"Keep your distance! Maintain the distance!"
The enemy troops pulled back as we charged.
Though they said that, it was basically running away with their backs exposed.
Because we were running full force too.
"Ah, aaah!!"
Crunch—!
"Sa-save me—!"
Screech—!
I wonder how long we chased down the stragglers, smashing their heads.
'If we do this one more time…'
Once more, and we can enter District 7, which is basically my hometown. But that means we've already burned more than half of District 8.
"Ah, ah… no—!"
Crunch—!
Running death-tag while setting the streets ablaze, I suddenly felt like I'd become a villain. Still, I didn't feel guilty.
This world is one where those who see enemies as "people" don't survive long.
Ziiing—!
Looks like the free ride ends here.
Flash—!
A sudden intense flash of light surrounds me, and an overwhelming magical wave shoots straight from afar.
「Defense success.」
「Aegis Barrier absorbs all damage.」
Fortunately, it was smaller than my shield, so the guard succeeded.
But I couldn't relax.
That they sent elite troops means they're ready to stop me.
'Now it's time for me to…'
Prepare to meet them with full force.
「Character casts [Iron Fortress].」
「Character casts [Scales of Greed].」
About twenty troops started appearing from the front just as I activated both "Knight-crushing" and "Mage-crushing" modes.
Since this game depends on gear, their outfits were all over the place, but somehow their individual looks gave off an elite aura.
Still, I wasn't nervous.
"This is as far as you go."
Among those elites appeared a very familiar face. Seeing it, the group's morale seemed to drop sharply.
"Even you can't hold out against this many. Pfft…"
That's right, earlier he fled with his comrades leaving them behind.
Looks like he's puffing up his chest now that he's made friends.
"Abet Nekrapeto! Hey, you damn bastard!!"
Rianne Vivian screamed wildly when she spotted him.
"P-Pssst… Vivian, long time no see? Glad you're safe! I came back with reinforcements, so stop fighting and come with me—."
"What are you saying! You're dead, you son of a bitch!!"
"Psssst… Does that mean you're betraying Orkulis and siding with them?"
"You were the first to betray us!"
"Why am I a traitor? In the end, Vivian neither died nor got hurt, and I came back with backup to rescue her."
"…What? Yandel-nim!! No, Yandel oppa!! Please help me kill that bastard! I'll do whatever you ask…!"
Vivian's eyes rolled in rage, and she started throwing promises I didn't ask for.
The corpse collector clicked his tongue watching her.
"Oh dear… Looks like it's too late. They say you don't get your woman back from a barbarian…"
"Ahhhhhhh!!"
Sadly, Vivian's tantrum meant she lost the argument.
But right now, having the black magic user beside us with eyes wild from rage isn't good.
"Pathetic."
I cut in with a blunt remark.
"Small men's jealousy."
"…What?"
Sure enough, he immediately took offense.
"W-What did you just say…?"
"I said small men's jealousy is pathetic."
"…W-what?! This was a fight situation, so of course…!"
"I meant your height."
He froze, clearly not expecting that.
Like a groggy state in a game.
"Pathetic."
"…"
"Even the excuses."
I delivered the finishing blow; as expected, he was speechless.
"Wow…"
Even Vivian, who had been yelling in outrage, was stunned with her mouth wide open.
Seeing bones and flesh stripped in an instant, her anger cooled and her excitement subsided…
"That's enough talking."
A man who seemed to be the enemy's field commander pushed the corpse collector aside and stepped forward.
Hmm, I haven't seen him before…
"Bjorn Yandel, your heroic tale ends here."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry. I will take over the fame you built."
He looked like a tough guy but spoke like an extra.
Whoosh—!
I smirked and threw a hand axe.
"Remember the name of the man who will kill you. My name is Nortia—!"
"Oh, it still blocks, huh."
"…Ugh! Kill him!"
The guy who stopped talking gave the order, and the battle began.
I want to be special.
Is there really anyone without such desire?
No way.
Everyone wants to be special.
That was true even for a white kid born in America.
From a young age, he loved cartoons.
American cartoons full of heroic clichés.
But the characters he loved most were always the villains who left a deep impression before departing.
Compared to heroes who only talk big despite lucking into powers, those villains who did everything they wanted and troubled the heroes looked much more special.
The kid admired villains, but reality was harsh.
"I'm not special."
Growing up, he naturally accepted the truth that ordinary people are just ordinary.
He became a man that way.
I am ordinary.
No matter how hard he tried, that fact would never change.
That was his thought—until he downloaded a cheat for a brutally difficult game and decided to clear it.
「Transmission starting.」
What he'd only seen in cartoons, novels, and movies unfolded for him.
A game world appeared before his eyes.
'Abet Nekrapeto.'
The ugly, chubby man got a new name.
Here, he was no longer ordinary.
He had knowledge unknown to NPCs and a future that welcomed him to become even more special.
Though called an "evil spirit" and shunned.
But even that was something he saw as part of what made him special.
In fact, he really was special.
He had talent, rose quickly among the "evil spirits," and grew strong.
He gained fame and drew jealous eyes.
But the more that happened, the more reckless he became.
Like a villain in a cartoon who just has to do everything they want.
["Why should you die? Because you're weak!"]
["Ah, just needed a suitable corpse for the time being!"]
He used any means to grow stronger, eventually getting caught and investigated, and his identity as an "evil spirit" was exposed.
Waiting only for his death one day.
[There is no place in this city where you can live.]
He experienced a fateful encounter.
[Follow me, Abet Nekrapeto. I'll create the world where you'll live.]
Orkulis.
The crazy terrorist group that dared to set an ideology against the royal family in this city.
There was no reason not to join them.
Even if it wasn't the only way to survive, that group looked cool in his eyes.
He followed their leader to the underground city…
[Co-Corpse Collector…!]
Soon he gained a notorious fame surpassing his previous one.
[Psssst—!!]
His laugh grew louder day by day.
[Why the long faces? Smile!]
He couldn't help but be happy.
Being the center of attention wherever he went.
And having people laugh and cry over every action of his.
-x-X-x-
The moment the battle began, Abet Nekrapeto moved to the relatively safe rear.
Though his nature craved attention—bold enough to stand at the vanguard during the invasion of District 9—he wasn't planning to repeat that mistake.
He was somewhat confident in melee combat, but…
'How can you stand in front fighting a monster like that?'
His close-combat skills were basically just self-defense techniques, and even those were useless against them—he knew that well.
Of course, skill aside, there's also the difference in professions—
"Don't hide, come here! You bastard!!"
A former comrade yelled as she watched him move back.
Of course, such insults didn't faze him—they were practically compliments to people like us.
"Pssst! What nonsense! Since when is a commander going to the rear considered hiding?"
A natural statement, but the one captured by the enemy, who refused to do the obvious, yelled back in frustration.
"Then why the hell did you do that back then…! If not for that, I… I…!"
"Pssst, but thanks to that, we made a good connection, didn't we?"
"T-That's no excuse…!"
Their argument could have lasted for days if time allowed, but the situation was too bad to waste time.
They were in rear positions of opposing sides and far apart.
"Enough chit-chat—use your magic!"
"…Fine!"
"Nekrapeto!"
"Pssst…"
Both participated in battle support from the rear, and the quarrel naturally ended.
That was a relief for him.
「Rianne Vivian cast grade 4 dark magic [Curse of Rotten Land].」
「All enemies within radius suffer greatly reduced defense.」
That stupid woman was just a curse spammer, but he was different.
"Pssst… what a petty move."
「Abet Nekrapeto cast [Blessing of the Legion].」
「All allies within radius receive 50% reduced harmful effects and a 20% boost to their highest stat.」
He had recently gained a grade 2 AoE buff too.
"…Damn! Leyton's dead! Nekrapeto!"
"Pssst, leave it to me!"
Unlike the ambiguous dark mage Vivian, the necromancer had skills that made him ridiculously strong even in small battles.
「Abet Nekrapeto cast [Puppet].」
Necros can resurrect dead minions to fight again.
Not as strong as when alive, but with buffs, they're quite useful.
「Abet Nekrapeto cast [Bloodline].」
「All passive skills possessed by the caster are granted to minions.」
Poison flows through their blood, bones are strengthened, and all attacks apply debuffs.
But that's not all.
「Abet Nekrapeto cast [Modification].」
「Randomly modifies one minion.」
Orkulis's elite members summoned here were skilled enough to be called upon.
Those who died were revived with random special traits.
For example…
「Great success.」
「Minion: Coral Leyton gains [Giant Monster] trait.」
Coral Leyton, a melee warrior, transformed upon revival into a giant beast that could hold his own against that barbarian.
"Pssst… Great success right from the start, lucky."
Kraaaang-!
Stronger than ever, the new summoned beast (Coral Leyton) faced the giant barbarian.
"Psssst… to have strength enough to stop that ignorant barbarian!"
Nekrapeto sincerely hoped his newly created minion would survive.
That level of stat would place it among the top of his pocket dimension collection—
Screech-!
"…Huh?"
Watching the battle from the rear, he rubbed his eyes.
Boom-!
…That thing dies in one sword strike?
'A-great-success too? With the best base stats?'
He couldn't understand.
There was a dealer near that barbarian, and hearing how strong he was, seeing Leyton cut down instantly, he thought it best not to approach.
But still!
"…W-what the hell is that knight…!"
Though he spoke for himself, all Orkulis members here thought the same.
It made sense.
Even Nekrapeto, slow to react and unskilled in melee, felt it; those fighting upfront must feel it even more.
Screech-!
That unknown knight was dangerous.
Not just in one way, but every way.
Boom-!
Even more than the barbarian called the "giant."
Pshh—!
With every sword swing, blood sprayed relentlessly.
Twenty elite troops eagerly waiting.
And hundreds more supporting them.
"…"
"…"
Before long, they began retreating, no longer actively fighting.
They were all protecting themselves.
A common occurrence when defeat is imminent.
They only pretended to fight, playing a game of nerves until retreat orders came.
'…I must prepare.'
Having lived a life of highs and lows, Nekrapeto sensed the atmosphere faster than anyone and pictured the situation to flee.
But of course, running now was impossible.
No retreat orders had been given yet.
'I'll pretend to help a bit…'
Once the opportunity comes, I'll run without looking back.
Ah, just to be safe, let me fall back a bit more.
「Abet Nekrapeto cast [Puppet].」
He didn't spare support skills.
Doing at least his share would give him something to say after retreating, and without this, the frontline might collapse.
But…
'…Huh?'
His judgment was rational, but also a huge mistake.
The moment the new puppet rose.
The knight's gaze turned to Nekrapeto.
Mechanical yet hunter-like glowing eyes.
'Why is he looking at me…!'
He screamed inside, uneasy, but he actually knew why.
Because he could tell at a glance.
The thought the knight had when looking at him.
'Ah, I have to kill this one quickly.'
The knight's eyes showed no hatred or irritation.
That alone gave him goosebumps.
So…
Thunk.
He took an involuntary step back.
Tat-tat!
As if the signal had been given, the knight leapt high.
"What the—?"
"Hold on a sec."
The knight lightly stepped on the shoulder of the giant barbarian, using the leap to launch himself at Nekrapeto in one bound.
"…"
It was a very strange sensation.
Like time was flowing slowly.
Even as the knight rapidly approached, his mind raced faster than ever.
Searching for a way to survive.
'Momentary immortality.'
At first, it didn't seem like a good idea.
Sure, it would make him invincible for a minute…
But could he really survive after that?
'…I wasn't supposed to face this! Why does this always happen when it's that barbarian?'
Frustrated and resentful, he quickly cleared his mind.
Such thoughts don't help survival.
So…
'…Damn it!'
He immediately put into action the most likely way to live that he thought of in that instant.
「Abet Nekrapeto used [Staff of the Underworld].」
Staff of the Underworld.
A legendary item ranked No. 17 among Double Numbers and considered the definitive graduation weapon of necromancers.
It carried risks in many ways…
'Call of the Underworld.'
Without hesitation, Nekrapeto activated the staff's effect "Call of the Underworld."
Among the four options, of course, he picked the easiest and most annoying one—
'Rianne Vivian!'
With a sharp focus, having completed target designation, the aura disappeared, replaced by swirling green light.
「Character and designated target receive the Call of the Underworld.」
A realm of the dead where no outsider may interfere.
'Pssst… Even I think that was a smart move.'
Now, all he had to do was endure here.
The process might be dull, but… as long as Rianne Vivian didn't die, he could tease and soothe her.
…Or so he thought.
"Wow… the scenery here is something else."
Until he saw a barbarian calmly looking around.
「Character used [Aegis Barrier].」
「Receives designated target's effects instead.」
Three green moons hang split across the sky.
They look so clear and close it's like being in space.
Look closely, and you can see the moons are made of writhing corpses.
[Gurrrr…]
Zombie-like sounds echo around as background music.
Oh, and only above—below is a bleak dry plain stretching endlessly—
Boom!
Green magma bursts up from cracks in the earth.
'If you get hit by that, debuffs stack, right? Need to be careful.'
So this is what it feels like.
Different from the game visuals.
Maybe because the light shining from above is green, it really feels like another world.
'Anyway, sightseeing ends here.'
Even the best views come after a meal—no time to admire scenery; there's work to do.
So…
Sweep.
After scanning the surroundings, I looked straight ahead, and the guy I met flinched at the eye contact.
"B-Bjorn Yandel! Why a-are you here…!"
Using the active skill [Aegis Barrier] lets you take hits meant for an otherwise unblockable "targeted" instant skill.
This was the first time I used it in real combat.
"Well?"
No reason to explain it to him—
"I—I clearly targeted Vivian…!"
Ah… I didn't mean to target Raven.
I thought so and just used my shield without question.
'Well, they were both in similar spots.'
Though it started as a misunderstanding, it wasn't a bad situation.
Corpse Collector, Abet Nekrapeto.
I wanted to kill this bastard myself.
Grinning, I raised my hammer.
-x-X-x-
Unexpected sudden situation.
That's the only way to describe it, but it wasn't something to make him give up or despair.
At least Abet Nekrapeto thought so.
Because, wasn't it obvious?
「Field effect — Underworld is applied.」
This place is the Underworld.
A realm only accessible using a staff considered the graduation weapon of necromancers—
「All non-living creatures in this area have their physical stats increased by 200%.」
「All living creatures in this area have their physical stats decreased by 20%.」
A necromancer's paradise.
「Undead summoned here do not perish.」
Even if struck down, they revive after a short time as if nothing happened.
「Character possesses a symbol.」
「Character receives the Blessing of the Underworld.」
Characters wielding the 'Staff of the Underworld' are classified as 'non-living' and cannot die.
Well, there are counters to this, but still.
"Pssst…"
Right, no reason to be scared here.
Thud.
Of course, the giant approaching gave off the force of a tank.
Thud.
He didn't really think he could pierce that ridiculous defense and land a fatal blow…
'…But I can at least hold out!'
He judged that he could at least dodge around.
Because that barbarian, while having monster-level defense, lacked mobility.
He had felt that clearly in the recent chase.
Though he himself lacked mobility and was almost caught…
"Oh, are you laughing?"
The situation was different now.
His physical stats were greatly increased, and the summons were much stronger.
Coldly analyzing the situation, there was no reason to fear that barbarian.
So…
"Why shouldn't I laugh? Pssst…"
It was natural to gain composure along with soaring confidence.
"Well, it's not impossible… but it's funny because until recently, you looked like you were about to die."
"What dying face? I was just a bit surprised. Pssst…"
His body followed his mind, and his once hunched shoulders straightened.
There's a saying that positivity breeds positivity.
Thinking positively, advantages came to mind one after another.
'24 hours… should be enough.'
If no one dies within 24 hours, they'll be expelled from this place and returned to their original location.
But there was no need to worry.
'Until the captain arrives.'
Before blocking Bjorn Yandel, the captain waiting in District 4 had set off to District 8.
No matter how late, the captain would arrive by then, and that monstrous captain could easily deal with that mysterious knight.
A man can defeat monsters in a labyrinth, but beating the captain is nearly impossible.
If he just endured well and returned, the knight would have either died or fled, and the captain would be waiting in a siege formation.
Then even the stubborn barbarian—
Tat!
Hey, a man's thinking here.
Typical rude barbarians.
Whooosh!
A crude strike devoid of any grace.
"Pssst."
Dodging lightly by stepping back, he smiled and murmured.
"Slow."
That must have startled the barbarian quite a bit.
How could he dodge so easily? A strike that surely would've hit before…!
"Haha, clearly clueless."
That ignorant barbarian knew nothing about the Underworld.
Having that informational advantage doubled his odds.
So…
'Hmm… maybe it wouldn't hurt to try catching him once?'
Dodging just once gave Abet Nekrapeto huge confidence—and a bit of greed.
Because…
The corpse collector, Abet Nekrapeto, beating the giant Bjorn Yandel one-on-one?
What a story that would be—
Pshuuut-!
Green gas spouted from the ground between him and the barbarian, who stepped back to avoid it.
So far, no strange thoughts.
When unknown gas suddenly erupts, it's normal to avoid it.
But what was this?
"Why don't you get hit?"
…Huh?
He tilted his head, not understanding the question.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you know? Well, I guess it's awkward for me to explain…"
Like he knew something about that gas.
Though feeling something was wrong, he asked again for confirmation.
"…Do you really know where this is?"
"Why wouldn't I? It's the place you summoned with your staff—the Underworld. That gas curses me if I get hit but strengthens «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» your blessing if you do."
"…"
Abet Nekrapeto was speechless at the barbarian's simple explanation.
"What? You really didn't know?"
Of course, he wasn't completely ignorant.
But it amazed him how precisely the barbarian understood it.
His mouth froze briefly, but then he thought there was no reason to worry.
"…I-I might know a little about the Underworld. It's quite famous."
"Oh? Shall we start over?"
Without wanting a long talk, the barbarian gave a battle cry that sounded like neurosis and charged again.
And then…
[Grrrrrrr-!]
Abet Nekrapeto summoned the corpse he trusted most from his pocket dimension.
At first, fleeing had come to mind, but he planned to try a few tactics to see if he could hold ground.
But…
"Wow, [Barrier] trait? How much have you modified?"
The barbarian recognized the No. 3 trait, something that only appeared once after thousands of modifications.
And…
"This is its weak spot, so it's not easy."
Crunch-!
No. 3, normally immune to damage, got hit in its only weak point and collapsed powerless.
Sure, thanks to field effects, it would revive soon, but…
'…How does he know?'
Confidence dipped slightly; anxiety rose somewhat.
Still, he held onto hope…
"…[Punisher] trait can just be taken head-on."
Crunch-!
"Yeah, [Musician] trait is top priority."
Crunch-!
The barbarian moved with an efficiency like he'd mastered every truth in this world.
"Oh, 'Underworld Fire'? Sweet."
He hammered every field monster that temporarily gained dark resistance after being killed.
He also struck oddly protruding parts of the ground.
'…Why hit that?'
"Oh, don't you know? Hitting that raises resistance."
Having visited the Underworld countless times, even he didn't know this hidden piece.
Boom-!
After trying it, he felt his skin had really toughened a bit…
Thump-!
A growing sense that 'something's wrong.'
But not giving up, he prepared a secret weapon.
"Th-This can't be blocked!"
"Oh, looks like it's time to summon?"
"…Huh?"
"What, weren't you going to summon the Underworld King?"
"…"
Right.
A field boss that can be summoned when wielding the Staff of the Underworld in the Underworld after meeting certain conditions.
He planned to summon it now.
But…
Thump-!
How does this barbarian know even that?
Like he'd been here countless times…
"Oh, even if you know, it's useless! You can't block it like that!"
He raised his staff high.
Targeted the high-hanging moon.
And cast 'Call of the Underworld' again.
Then…
[The scent of the living is detected.]
A transcendent voice echoed throughout the Underworld.
Though he knew it was an ally, hearing that voice sent chills down Nekrapeto's spine.
He clearly remembered the Underworld King who killed the challenger in the Orkulis 'ranking war' with one strike.
Still, he wasn't completely sure.
Bjorn Yandel.
A 'Guardian' with skill known to all of Rafdonia's history—one of the top handful.
Even with the Staff of the Underworld, killing him in one hit was impossible.
But…
'I can deal a heavy blow.'
Nekrapeto decided to check this strike personally before making a final decision.
If the damage was severe, he'd fight more aggressively to kill him.
If it was minor…
'How could I kill someone like that?'
He'd accept it was impossible and run without looking back to buy time.
Whooosh-!
[Living one, answer me.]
The enormous Underworld King looked down at the planet…
Or rather, the battlefield.
[Why have you set foot on immortal land?]
It was a pointless event to him.
Whatever the living answered, the king would get angry and slam his palm down—
Pshuuut-!
…Or not?
'What's this?'
Suddenly, the barbarian plunged into the green gas spouting from the ground.
An utterly incomprehensible action.
Knowing it curses those who enter, why step into it on your own?
The answer came quickly.
[I must have been mistaken.]
The king's voice faded away.
"No! Your Majesty! He's here! The living is here! Please return! Return…!!"
Late to realize, Nekrapeto shouted at the sky, but the king was gone and did not reappear.
"…"
A void silence followed.
Pshuuut-!
The gas ceased erupting, and the barbarian revealed himself with a sly smile.
"Didn't know?"
A question so casual it almost mocked him.
Nekrapeto was dumbfounded, his neck muscles twitching.
'…Then how do you know all this?'
It was weirder to know it.
He'd never seen anyone summon the king and dodge like that.
Even the memoirs of a necromancer who once owned the Staff of the Underworld said nothing of this.
"…H-How do you know everything?"
Nekrapeto asked resignedly; the barbarian shrugged.
"Why should I tell you?"
His usual teasing tone.
"You don't really know; you learn."
But from what followed, Nekrapeto instinctively realized—
Thump-!
This wasn't just a bad feeling.
It was already way worse than that.
Under the green-lit sky.
Tat-tat-tat!
Running across the dry plains.
Tat-tat!
Ahead, a modified quadruped chimera carrying the corpse collector fled from me.
'Hmm, maybe I pushed too hard?'
The battle itself was easy.
With Underworld buffs, corpses or no, necromancers rely on numbers.
Even elites have weak individual attack power, so none can catch me.
Shield Barbarian grows stronger with each hit taken.
Also, having played a necromancer, I understood the job well, and having been to this Underworld countless times, there were no surprises.
「Accumulated damage exceeded threshold.」
The problem was that the Underworld King seemed discouraged after being countered and started fleeing.
'Time to try something.'
I didn't know how many stacks I had.
Having taken hits running through my corpse army, I probably had quite a few…
'Well, I'll check soon.'
「Character used [Aegis Dragon Armor].」
No sooner had I activated the armor's active effect than a spectral warrior appeared behind me and charged forward.
Not comparable to the Underworld King, but still large enough to feel unreal.
It turned its head just as I glanced back, clearly disgusted.
"…W-What is that?!"
Seriously, this guy's no kid.
Why does he keep asking like he wants everything spoon-fed?
'If you don't know, learn by getting hit.'
Whoooosh-!
The spectral warrior took a step forward, swinging a massive greatsword.
For a greatsword that huge, the distance between him and me was no obstacle.
Kraaaaang-!
With a thunderous roar, dust and smoke billowed.
「Abet Nekrapeto cast [Momentary Immortality].」
Okay, so that took away the invincibility skill.
Grin.
Next time, I'll be able to kill him.
-x-X-x-
Whooosh—!
A chilling wind blew fiercely, clearing away the swirling dust, and beyond it appeared the burning skeleton.
Flare—!
The corpse collector, reduced to nothing but bones engulfed in black flames.
Even so, the Staff of the Underworld—unaffected by the flames—was tightly gripped in his bony, marrow-like hand…
'…Why does he look so weak?'
The aura he showed when he first unleashed his invincibility skill in Goblin Forest was gone.
The reason was simple.
One minute of invincibility.
And the huge surge of physical stats from the conversion of ability and spirit stats.
The skill's performance hadn't changed since then.
No, with the blessing of the Underworld, his specs were even stronger than before.
Yet he chose a different course.
Unlike before, when he had aimed to pierce my forbidden zone with sharp strikes during that one minute.
Tat-tat-tat—!
Without a moment's hesitation, he turned his back and bolted away.
That sight reminded me of a familiar bug.
Back when I lived in the basement, when the kitchen light came on, cockroaches would dash off just like that.
'…He's pretty fast.'
With the Underworld's blessing and Momentary Immortality combined, his stat boost must have been significant, making his movement speed very high.
So I hurried after him.
Boom! Boom!
I moved my long, thick legs until they ached, but the distance between us kept growing.
How could he jump so well on such small leg bones?
'He's gonna die eventually anyway.'
Though the gap widened quickly, I didn't feel impatient.
An open plain with nowhere to hide.
No matter how far he ran, I stubbornly followed the direction he fled.
And…
'One minute.'
The moment the Momentary Immortality ended, flesh gradually returned to the skeleton's frame.
Tat-tat-tat—!
Now back to his natural state, holding only his staff, he continued to flee.
'…Still not closing the distance.'
Despite the invincibility ending, he kept up his fast escape.
I felt slightly annoyed but knew it wasn't a big problem.
The Underworld wouldn't close for quite some time.
'Maximum duration is probably 24 hours.'
No matter how many times he got hit here, it was roughly 30 minutes or so.
In other words, over 23 hours were still left.
Boom! Boom!
Striding at a steady pace, I grinned.
'Let's see how long you can keep running.'
A barbarian never gives up.
Have you ever played tag?
If so, you know.
Though it's just a game, being chased offers intense tension and thrilling excitement.
If even a game feels like that, how intense would real tag be?
Actually, Nekrapeto hadn't known well before.
Because he was always the 'it.'
Tat-tat-tat—!
His legs ached from nonstop movement.
Maybe due to psychological pressure, he felt exhausted faster than usual.
"Huff, huff…!"
Breath caught in his throat as proof.
'…P-please, just give up!'
The distance from the 'it' was still great, but he felt no relief.
Boom! Boom!
Even from afar, the steady footsteps were audible.
A tenacity that would never give up.
'If I'm going to lose him, I have to widen the gap more…'
Growing anxious, he used every means he had.
He kept summoning corpses from the pocket dimension, trying to obstruct the barbarian's path.
[Grrrrr—!]
He raised a massive wall of corpses.
[Kyaaaak—!]
Swung rotten claws, trying to irritate the barbarian.
"Oh, stacking buffs, nice."
Unaware that the barbarian behind him was smiling with satisfaction.
Tat-tat-tat—!
Time passed.
One minute, two, three, four…
Boom! Boom!
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty…
'One hour…'
Though he couldn't tell exactly, it felt that long.
The situation remained unchanged.
The man rode his fastest summoned creature, and the barbarian thundered through the corpse horde.
And the distance…
'…Why isn't it getting any bigger?!'
It was similar.
There were two problems.
First, despite summoning corpses to hinder, it didn't affect the tank-like barbarian much.
'Giant form.'
The barbarian showed no sign of dropping the [Giant Form].
Usually, such transformation powers consume MP per second and can't last long.
'If only that ended, I could widen the gap!'
When it did, he hoped to finally distance himself.
A wish rooted in ignorance.
Abet Nekrapeto didn't know—
「Bjorn Yandel activated a transformation ability.」
「Due to the effect of [Primordial Cell], the soul power cost of this skill is halved, and the highest stat is increased by 1.5 times.」
Shield Barbarian was about 70% complete.
「Bjorn Yandel cast [Soul Dive].」
「Soul power regenerates in proportion to the amount consumed.」
Unless MP drain is forced from outside, the [Giant Form] would never end.
Whooosh—!
Reacting to a chilling sensation behind him, Nekrapeto quickly turned—
「Character used [Aegis Dragon Armor].」
A massive soul warrior appeared, ignoring perspective or distance.
'…W-What skill has its cooldown reset already?!'
It wasn't a skill but an item effect, so Nekrapeto had no knowledge.
Aegis Dragon Armor was a 'Secret Number' not in the game.
He couldn't have known that his summoned corpse horde rapidly rebuilt his stacks.
'…I was trying to widen the gap because of that…!'
He was frustrated.
How could a tank keep using such broken skills consecutively?!
But he had no time for complaints.
Tat!
Diving off the summon, he dodged a giant axe falling like divine punishment.
The result—
Kraaaaang!
He barely dodged the axe, but his mount disappeared without a trace.
Thanks to the Underworld's field effect, it would slowly restore, but it would take hours.
"Tch, thought I could break it this time."
His keen hearing caught the barbarian muttering far off.
Snapping out of it, Nekrapeto got up and started running on his own feet.
Tat-tat-tat—!
He sensed something wrong after about five minutes of running.
"…Ugh!"
He dodged the axe's direct hit but didn't avoid it completely.
'My… leg…'
One leg was fine, but his left leg barely moved.
He forced it, but pain crept up relentlessly…
Crack!
The pain worsened.
Naturally, his speed slowed.
Nekrapeto didn't look back.
Saving the time, he focused on running.
Still, the sounds behind grew ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) closer.
Boom! Boom!
Step by step.
No matter how desperately he ran, the sounds neared.
Boom!
When the sounds were right behind him—
"Ugh!"
Feeling like his hair was being yanked, his body lifted upward.
"Finally caught you."
Opening his eyes, the barbarian appeared.
As if mocking him.
"Pssst."
Laughing aloud.
The chase was finally over.
It took just over an hour.
'Once this is over, I need to quickly get more movement skills.'
Although the chase ended safely, I reflected on my shortcomings and planned improvements.
Recently, the lack of movement skills caused too many difficulties.
Even just [Leap] would've made this pursuit much easier—
"Haha…."
Lost in thought briefly, the other suddenly gave an awkward smile.
"W-what about negotiations?"
Why do these bastards always pull that crap when cornered?
"No."
"B-But if we talk, maybe we can find a win-win solution—"
"No."
"…"
"Then let's just die."
I clenched my fist, ready to finally put the baby-like opponent to rest.
But then—
"…Huh?"
"I-I refuse to die like this…!!"
The one whose hair was grabbed pulled out a dagger from the pocket dimension and slashed.
Swwiiiiing—!
Of course, the dagger didn't aim for me.
Instead of my skin, which couldn't be scratched, he cut his own hair.
Then…
Thunk.
Rolling like a breakfall, he distanced himself quickly.
'Still looking for an escape, even now.'
Just like last time abandoning Vivian, the desire to live burned strong.
Well, no blame there.
"If you wanted to live, you shouldn't have done stupid things to die."
I raised my hammer and brought it down.
But—
Kraaaaang!
He rolled aside just in time to dodge.
Expecting the dodge, I immediately kicked his head.
But what's this?
Tat.
He backflipped to evade the kick.
Despite his injured leg, he was surprisingly nimble.
'Just one good hit and it's over…'
Knowing this, he resisted desperately.
Whoosh!
I swung the hammer.
Whoooosh!
Reaching out.
Kraaaaang!
Another hammer slam, but no hits.
'Damn, he's so damn hard to hit.'
Like trying to swat a fly.
Not threatening but annoyingly hard to catch barehanded.
I just need to land the finishing blow, but it keeps missing.
"Can't you just die already?"
Getting irritated, but the calmer you stay, the better.
"…Hoo, hoo."
Even looking at a rolling stone, there's something to learn.
Putting aside irritation, I saw him, seemingly in a trance, dodging all my attacks.
And then a small realization struck me.
Whoooosh—!
The reason my attacks missed was mindset.
He awakened all his senses to dodge each strike; what about me?
Did I use every bit of my effort?
The answer was no.
So…
'Ha, this calls for a mental attack.'
I kept swinging my hammer at empty air and said what I thought would best disrupt his concentration.
"Do you know, Abet Nekrapeto?"
"…"
"I'm actually an evil spirit."
"…?"
His pupils flickered slightly, but he again bent backward to dodge the hammer.
Hmm, that's not enough.
"I was born and raised in Korea."
I quickly continued, not giving him time to recover.
"In Stone Eben, I used the nickname 'Elfnuna.'"
"…What?"
Finally, a proper reaction.
Well, Elfnuna was somewhat well-known.
And I pronounced it properly in English.
Whoooosh—!
"Ugh!"
His focus wavered, and the hammer barely brushed past his nose.
Still dodging?
"Clown, Abet Nekrapeto."
I called out the name I used only at the round table, and his pupils dilated greatly.
His eyes seemed to say,
'…How do you know that name?!'
Well, how else?
Grinning, I felt an inexplicable sense of liberation.
"I am…"
A truth I wanted to tell him someday.
"The Masked Lion."
"…!!!!!!"
Ah, what a relief.
Seeing his disbelief lifted a huge weight off my chest.
"…Y-You are?"
He stopped moving and asked me.
"The Masked Lion."
I nodded.
Yes, I am the Masked Lion.
So then…
「Character cast [Swing].」
Now just die.
Crunch!!!
Like a bug.
-x-X-x-
When the Lion Mask first appeared at the Round Table, Abet Nekrapeto was utterly shocked.
[The one who recommended me here was your mother. So, is there a problem with that?]
Even among the gathering of top-tier players, his blunt words were fearless.
And…
[Stop it, please. Any more of this, and I'm in danger too…]
His skill backed up those words.
[…!]
[…!]
With suffocating killing intent, the Lion Mask instantly took control of the Round Table, and no one dared to oppose his opinion.
He was truly a violent presence.
Like the Mongol army ravaging the Western regions with overwhelming force, the Lion Mask conquered the Round Table in an instant.
However, his real fearsome trait wasn't just his brute strength.
[If three people catch a Bandemon, a core is guaranteed to drop.]
[A new relic has appeared in the world by the oracle of the Star Goddess.]
[The Stone of Resurrection exists.]
The Lion Mask knew information that no one else did, as if it was common knowledge.
It was enough to make one wonder what kind of sizable group he must lead to know such things so casually.
A figure shrouded in mystery.
'…Impressive.'
Abet Nekrapeto admired him.
It was almost an emotion close to longing.
Wasn't it natural?
If he wanted to crush someone, he crushed them.
He treated everyone like insignificant insects.
Then, when bored, he tossed some bait and enjoyed the reactions like a game.
To Nekrapeto's eyes, he looked cooler than any villain he had admired since childhood.
[If… if I said…]
[I want to abandon everything and come under the Lion Mask's command… would you accept me?]
That was why he spoke those words at the final Round Table meeting.
Orculis was a decent group, but compared to the Lion Mask, it felt lacking.
If he could join under him, he thought he might truly become someone 'special.'
Well, the answer to that offer was rejection.
[Insect, you say! Puhuhuhu… Surely, to the Lion Mask, everyone looks like that, right?]
He wasn't very disappointed.
He just wasn't worthy in the Lion Mask's eyes yet.
He hoped that if he built more notoriety and became a worse man, the Lion Mask might reach out to him first.
But…
'Bjorn Yandel…'
Not only did he constantly interfere with his plans, but he also earned the strange nickname 'Toy Collector,' that barbarian who deserved to be beaten to death without mercy.
'…The Lion Mask?'
His initial feeling was denial.
No way.
He must have heard some nonsense somewhere and was spreading it.
Bziiiiiiing!
Even as he thought that, part of him accepted it.
Like a blurred truth that had been avoided with cloudy eyes started becoming clear.
[The Lion Mask is Bjorn Yandel.]
The 'Queen' said this to the Lion Mask when he returned to the Round Table after a 2 year and 6 month absence.
Although it triggered a red alert, it meant there was # Nоvеlight # strong circumstantial evidence.
[A new relic has appeared in the world by the oracle of the Star Goddess.]
The Lion Mask knew the Reatlas religion's secrets better than anyone.
Because he was Bjorn Yandel.
After all, he was the very person of the oracle.
[The Jester is a corpse collector.]
This was the same.
When they first confronted Bjorn Yandel, he openly revealed himself as the 'Jester' while wearing the mask.
[Could it be somewhere… ugh!]
That day at the meeting, when he suddenly scattered killing intent toward him, it wasn't a bored absolute being's game but revenge.
Thunk—thunk—
Nekrapeto understood everything the moment he saw that look of disdain.
"Persistent."
The Lion Mask he admired was Bjorn Yandel.
The guy's expression was exactly what I expected.
At first, denial of reality; then a sense of betrayal at the plausible circumstances…
"..."
Eventually, fear of the impending death.
Pressing down on his upper chest with a foot after releasing [Gigantify], the guy grimaced in pain but then laughed like a madman.
It wasn't just the shocking truth of the Lion Mask.
After all, with half his head gone, it was impossible for his mind to be clear.
'Ugh… disgusting.'
Still, because I controlled my strength at the end, he didn't die instantly. I had originally thought about finishing him neatly in one blow, though…
'Hmm, no matter how busy, you gotta loot.'
If I killed him like this, I wouldn't gain much.
At best, the 'Staff of the Underworld' he still tightly held.
'That's why top explorers are such a pain.'
When roaming the lower labyrinth floors, I'd just kill and loot or strip equipment, but upper-tier explorers almost all have extra-dimensional spaces.
For him, being a necromancer, the extra-dimensional space would be even larger.
"Hey, you listening? Huh? Can you hear me?"
I spoke several times, but instead of answering, he just looked into the void, chuckling.
"Tch."
Having no choice, I took a potion from the extra-dimensional space and poured it over his head.
Sssiiiiiizzzzz!
What the hell, this bastard doesn't even feel pain?
The potion bubbled and steamed, but he didn't move, staring blankly.
His scream erupted only when his deeply cracked head partially healed—
"Pishshshshshsh! Pishshshshshshshsh! Pish, pish, pishshshiiiiiit!!"
He convulsed, bouncing up and down while screaming and laughing.
'…What the hell is this?'
The bizarre scene sent a chill down my spine, but it was just a side effect of his brain returning to normal.
"Guh, guh! Guaah… huh!!"
His screams turned into normal ones as if proving it was just a brain malfunction.
'Okay, that should do it.'
I gently tapped his cheek with the hammer.
"You hear me now?"
"…Uh, ah, ugh."
Hmm, not enough brain function for speech yet.
"Blink once if you can hear me."
…blink.
"Why only one eye? That's creepy."
Blink, blink.
"You mean it's not your will? Hmm… okay."
Well, that's not important.
"Alright, now I'm going to release the owner's imprint on the extra-dimensional space. Commencing."
I quickly got to the point for the guy who looked desperate for rest, but he rejected with his eyes.
Blink, blink, blink, blink.
His left eyelid rapidly opening and closing.
"You'd rather die than hand it over?"
"Uh, ah… uh, ugh…!"
"I can't understand a word you're saying, so use your eyes to tell me."
When I said that impatiently, his eyes flickered wildly. It seemed like he wasn't planning to die just yet…
"Then what is it? Got something to say?"
…blink.
"Okay, then I'll pour more potion. But when you can talk, no complaining—you hand over the extra-dimensional space, got it?"
Ahem.
"Answer me."
…blink.
He blinked a bit slower this time, as if hesitant about my offer, but that was probably just my imagination.
If I could give speech to a mute, I'd gladly pay a fortune for that.
Yeah, this was a reasonable and fair trade.
Crack!
Not knowing if he'd run away once he regained his mind, I crushed both his legs again.
Sssiiiiiizzzzz!
Pouring a bit more high-grade potion on his head to seal the deal, his screams intensified.
Had his cracked skull been gradually mending?
"…Aaaaargh! Guhhh… aaah!!"
The corpse collector screamed a more normal scream than before.
Sssiiiiiizzzzz!
About ten minutes later, he calmed down enough to talk.
"Tha…t…."
"Extra-dimensional space."
"…?"
"You have to keep your promise. Hand over the extra-dimensional space before we talk."
"N-no, that's not something—"
"What a waste of time."
I said emotionlessly and raised the hammer slightly; he frantically waved his hands and shouted.
"I-I'll give it!"
Gosh, should've done that from the start.
"B-but you must promise to talk to me for a little while…"
"Don't worry about that."
If he handed over the extra-dimensional space willingly, I had enough mercy to wait while he left a last will.
"Ok, it's done."
At the moment of releasing the owner's imprint, a translucent orb radiated light from his chest core.
It looked ordinary, but up close dozens of tiny magic circles overlapped inside it.
Wow, I hear implanting extra-dimensional space like this inside the body is expensive…
"Carrying something good."
"…Y-Yeah, I got lucky."
Is it really true that bad guys live well?
"To open the extra-dimensional space later, you'll have to re-implant it through a wizard…"
"I know, no need to explain."
"…."
"Alright, you have ten minutes."
I set a strict time but was curious.
What would this guy say during these ten minutes?
Would he pretend to repent and beg for his life?
Or would he make some sort of deal?
The answer was nothing like I expected.
Before opening his mouth, the guy seemed to focus like a broadcaster waiting for a standby signal.
"Pishsit…"
He laughed like when he wore the Jester mask.
And then…
'…Laughing?'
As if hearing my thoughts, he continued.
"Why? Did you think I'd tremble and beg for my life?"
Uh…
I wouldn't lie if I said no, but admitting it hurt my pride.
So I stayed silent, and he laughed again.
"Pishsit… I was really surprised! Bjorn Yandel, not only a player but the Lion Mask too!"
"…What exactly are you trying to do?"
His theatrical tone made me lose patience and ask, and he laughed again.
"Eh? I'm just having one last conversation knowing I'm about to die."
Wow… this guy is really into his role.
Honestly, I thought it was fake madness before, but now I see he's truly crazy.
Seeing real madness, I was at a loss for words.
"…No attachment to life?"
"Of course not! But even if I confess that, you won't spare me."
…That's true.
Still, trying is what a normal person does.
"Pish, I'm different from ordinary people."
"How so?"
"Survival of the fittest is nature's law. I have no intention of complaining about it."
"So why ask for talking time?"
"Because it's more fun that way."
Oh, I see…
Looks like his brain isn't fully recovered yet.
Yeah, that's why he's spouting nonsense 10 minutes before death—
"Pishsit…"
Then, from the clown's laughing eyes, I sensed a familiar emotion.
'…Huh?'
Fear, despair, regret, sorrow…
Dark emotions that inevitably arise when facing death.
"Why? Disappointed because I'm not crying or begging?"
Looking closely, his body trembled slightly.
Only then did I realize.
"You're pretending to be fine."
"…What do you mean? I really am fine. I was weak, and you were strong. So you deserve the rights of a victor."
"Isn't it better to be honest in the end?"
Though he deserved to die, I seriously gave him advice.
Everyone wears masks.
That's not wrong.
But no matter what, it's better to take off the mask in the end. That's my thought and the only kindness I could offer him now.
But…
"Pish, sit…"
Despite my advice, he forced a fake smile.
Still, maybe my advice reached him a little.
"…Life is too tough to live honestly. Oh! Of course, that doesn't apply to strong people like you. Pish!"
Saying it more truthfully than all his talk about survival of the fittest and natural law.
'Ha, damn it…'
I should have killed him earlier.
Even so, I asked him.
"…Hey, what's your real name?"
The corpse collector, Abet Nekrapeto.
"Pishsit, suddenly curious about me?"
"Yeah."
I found myself curious about this guy.
-x-X-x-
A sudden question: curious about me.
Without a moment's hesitation, I nodded affirmatively, and in turn, he showed a flustered expression.
From my point of view, I wondered why he acted that way.
'Well then, since you're curious, ask.'
He wouldn't have spent his precious time asking if he wasn't curious, right?
I didn't understand why he was embarrassed, but what followed his expression was even more telling.
"..."
When our eyes met, he averted his gaze shyly.
"…Are you embarrassed now?"
I made a disgusted face unconsciously, and seeing that, he quickly blurted out an excuse.
"…Of course! Until now, no one's ever asked me my real name!"
It felt like he was saying, 'Yes, you're the first!'
I almost swung the hammer right then out of irritation, but managed to hold back with superhuman patience.
"So, what's your real name?"
"..."
"Not going to answer?"
"…Threats won't work! I've already accepted death!"
Ugh, this bastard's being a pain again.
As I thought that quietly, he again sneaked a glance away.
"So… this isn't because I'm giving in to threats, got it?"
What? So you're going to tell me anyway?
I looked at him incredulously, and from his lips came a foreign-sounding name.
"…Jester Arlecchino."
"American?"
"Yes. My father was an immigrant from Italy."
Mentioning his father's origin was a bit too much info, but well… at least he opened up, so that couldn't be bad.
"I see. How long have you been here?"
"…About 19 years now."
"That's a long time."
"Pish… don't pity me. I like this world! Even if someone sends me back, I have no intention of returning!"
Uh… I really wasn't feeling sorry for him.
I have no intention of going back myself.
Still, since the topic came up, I asked.
"What do you like about this world so much?"
"I'm strong here. And here is a dream world where I can do anything to the weak."
No matter how he said it, it didn't really resonate.
It sounded less like a psychopath and more like a middle school kid pretending to be one.
"Sounds like reality was rough for you."
He couldn't answer, as if struck right in the heart.
I chuckled and continued.
"Hey, I'm not teasing. I wasn't much different."
Trying to build rapport, I spoke honestly, and confusion flickered in his eyes.
"…You?"
He asked, clearly doubting it, and I chuckled again.
"Do you think a guy playing 2D games for nine years didn't have a pathetic life?"
"Ah…"
He sighed quietly like he understood, then carefully asked.
"But are you really 'Elfnuna'… the one who posted countless guides and info on Stone Iven?"
"Yes, that's me. I only realized how famous it was after coming here. But why did it get so famous?"
"Well, obviously! Who among the people who played [Dungeon and Stone] didn't see your posts?"
"Oh… really?"
Honestly, even if people said that, I didn't quite feel it.
I only compiled stats like attribute summaries, skill lists, drop rates for my own play, and shared them because it felt like a waste not to.
Nothing that special.
"When I posted, the views were very low."
"That's because the user base was small."
"But everyone here seems to know."
"Being pulled here means they were truly into that game."
That made sense.
If they cleared the game even with cheats, they were still experienced players who enjoyed it to some degree.
"Also, the nickname 'Elfnuna' got famous partly because of the environment."
"Environment?"
"Everyone played on cheat servers… If someone cleared original mode and came here, everyone said there was no one but 'Elfnuna.'"
"..."
"Anyway… I guess the rumors were true. To get this strong in just a few years."
What nonsense, saying things he didn't know.
I cut him off.
"The rumors are half true."
"…Huh?"
"I did clear original mode, but got no special perks."
"…Then how?"
"I played original mode for nine years?"
Naturally, I knew far more than those who only played cheat servers.
This was knowledge gained naturally, not some kind of special reward.
"I'm done talking about myself. Keep going with your story."
"…I don't have to, you know? Pish."
Ah, this guy again.
But he'd talk eventually anyway.
"Did you start at Noark?"
"No, District 5. I was the son of a shopkeeper. Pish… It's funny how people kept calling me son when the evil spirit was eating me alive!"
Man, he talks a lot.
"When did you become an explorer?"
"About a month in. With my parents' help, I got basic equipment and entered the labyrinth."
A month, huh…
Still better than me, no matter how you think about it.
I had to enter the labyrinth right after a bloody adult rite of passage.
'…Well, better than starting at Noark, I guess.'
Anyway, since the conversation opened up, I quickly asked the important questions.
"When was your first kill?"
"Hmm… when was it? Oh! Around five months in!"
"Who was it?"
"My first teammate I met through the Explorer Guild! Such a nice friend…"
"Then why kill them?"
"They tried to rape me in the labyrinth."
…Huh?
"Uh…?"
The shocking motive caught me off guard, and for a moment I was speechless.
A brief silence followed.
Did that strange stillness trigger a laugh button?
"Pishsit, what's with that face? Pishshshsit!"
"Just confirming, was the target female?"
"No way! She was much stronger than me. So I pretended to be powerless and stabbed her neck quickly with a dagger! A shame really. If it were now, I'd make her undead and have her wipe shit forever!"
"..."
"Well, thanks to killing her, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) I learned one thing for sure."
"…What?"
"The answer is…! Killing people makes money, pish!"
Trials make people strong.
Seems he learned the truth I got from Hans A at five months in.
"Well, after that it was simple… I showed off things anyone would want to steal and waited for greed to show. Then when they let their guard down… bam!"
"..."
"I grew fast, and after getting stronger, I didn't need that annoying method. Just killed them outright!"
I began to understand how this guy got to this state.
If he'd been a decent guy, he wouldn't have killed in just five months.
His first teammate shocked him and gave a turning point, and many who fell into traps and showed greed after became 'certainties.'
"..."
I don't feel sorry for him.
I just thought about what might have been.
If his first teammate hadn't been that kind of guy.
If they had been more like Erwen, the dwarf, or Raven…
What if?
"Pishsit…"
A pointless hypothetical.
What good does blaming the past do?
Even serial killers had helpless infancy once.
"Well, to summarize, you were found out to be an evil spirit, then received an invitation from Orculis."
"Pishsit, yeah! That's one way to put it!"
He seemed shy at first, but surprisingly enjoyed telling his story.
He even told parts I didn't ask about, letting me understand him much better than before.
"When did you start using that damn tone?"
"Hmm… originally only inside the Round Table. To hide my identity."
"But now you use it outside too."
"Ah… sometime along the way, I started. When was that…?"
He pondered a moment, then said as if recalling.
"Oh! I think it was when you showed up at the Round Table!"
I was speechless at the unexpected timing.
"..."
Seems the Lion's appearance really pushed this guy's edgy button hard.
"So what's your goal?"
"Goal… huh…"
He seemed caught off guard by the question.
"You said you don't want to go home… and it doesn't seem like you hate the royal family like the captain. But you don't seem satisfied now either."
He thought for a while, then answered.
"None."
"None?"
"Well, maybe dying gloriously."
Yeah, that's it…
"Last question."
"Pishsit… already the last one? I felt a bit awkward at first but now it's kind of sad."
"What did you mean when you said that?"
"When I said it was too hard to live honestly, that's what I meant."
"…"
He stiffened for a moment but skipped the last question playfully, and I didn't press further.
'Maybe a defense mechanism…'
People who seem tough, confident, and quirky often have fragile minds.
And this guy looked like that type.
Like clowns wear makeup to hide sorrow beneath.
"Huh! Well, it's a relief! It's a shame there's no audience… but to think the one who's killing me is the city's hero, an evil spirit, 'Elfnuna,' and a player who cleared original mode!"
This guy hides behind the Jester mask, smiling proudly until the end.
And I didn't like it.
'So, what to do now…? It feels like a shame to leave it like this…'
I pondered briefly and made an offer.
"You said your goal was to die gloriously? Dying here as some extra feels lame, doesn't it?"
"…What do you mean?"
"I'll give you the stage you want. So follow me."
"…Haha, are you trying to persuade me?"
"I hear Orculis isn't exactly loyal?"
"…Pishsit, that's true."
He frowned exaggeratedly, looking like he was seriously considering it.
Of course, it didn't mean anything.
His answer was already decided anyway.
"Well… fine! I was a bit disappointed knowing it was you, but you're the Lion Mask after all!"
"Is that a yes?"
"…I'm curious how the captain and others would look if they saw me betray and turn enemy!"
He said it like a hedonist, but I heard emotions anyone would have.
Relief.
Hope.
The intense joy of having survived.
And then…
"That'd be pretty fun too—"
That was the betrayal when he realized it was all vain hope.
Crack!
"…Huh?"
The hammer smashed his head halfway, and he looked up at me with utterly confused eyes.
A fragile expression hidden by the mask until now.
"Ha, feels good to hit."
Yeah, this is it.
"Wh-why…."
As he desperately asked why, I answered.
"Because it's fun."
Especially since it wasn't a cool death at all.