< Chapter 163: System Error (2) >
Maiden, Hermit, and the others of the rescue team for the Lair of the Ancient Dragon in the rear guard were quickly running through the dungeon.
“There are no monsters or anything.”
Maiden mumbled as he surveyed the surroundings.
“It’s the ‘The One’ Guild. They wouldn’t make the mistake of leaving enemies in the rear,” replied Hermit who was running at the front.
“Monsters or not, are we there yet? Feels like we’ve been running a lot,” Lust furrowed her brow.
They had been running non-stop for a week. Yet, they hadn’t seen even a hair of anyone.
“Are we… too late?” Lust chewed her lip with a serious expression.
“There’s no need to worry about that. If everything was over, the Ancient Dragons’ Lair wouldn’t still be maintaining its form.”
“Thankfully, but…”
Lust glanced at the back of Hermit’s head with anxious eyes as she ran ahead.
“Besides, Hermit, you. Until when do you plan to use that polite language that doesn’t suit you?”
“This is my original way of speaking,” Hermit grinned.
“And I don’t think it’s your place to talk about my familial relationships.”
“…What?”
“I’m talking about that girlish expression you have.”
Who would look at the current Shirakawa Ai and think she is the executive Lust?
“…This is my original expression too.”
“Is it? It certainly suits you more.”
Centered around Kang Seo-yul, the awkward relationship between Hermit and Lust that was tangled had completely unraveled through this operation.
Hermit spilled all the details about Kang Seo-yul to Lust, and Lust did the same to Hermit about Kang Seo-yul.
“…Anyway, the fact that Mr Seo-yul knows my true identity. It’s confirmed, right?”
“Yes, it’s confirmed. Kang Seo-yul knew for sure that you were a villain affiliated with the Saviors of Truth. It was Kang Seo-yul who advised me to join hands with you, Lust.”
“…Right. It’s confirmed then.”
Lust’s eyes narrowed.
She seemed deep in thought.
Hermit discreetly turned his head to check on Lust’s expression.
It was clear what she was thinking about from her look.
“I can see what you’re thinking. But Kang Seo-yul wouldn’t approach you to deceive and use you.”
“How would you know that?”
“You should know it too. Kang Seo-yul is not the person to do such a thing.”
Hermit spoke assertively, stamping his foot on the ground.
“The person is too kind, to a fault, even.”
“That is…”
“That kid is indeed good. So good to the point it can be a drawback.”
Maiden, who had been quietly listening, chimed in with a small smile.
“So don’t worry unnecessarily, miss. If it really bothers you, you can give him a stern talking-to after we rescue him.”
“…Yes.”
That was correct.
Rescuing Kang Seo-yul comes first now. Worrying or whatever, they can’t address that worry unless they rescue Kang Seo-yul.
“By the way, miss. How is your body feeling?”
To break through the isolated barrier of the Dragon’s Lair, Lust used quite a lot of power. To the point of overexertion, even.
“I want to say I’m fine, but… to be honest, I’m not feeling great.”
She used too much energy to break through the barrier.
Although she felt slightly better than just before they entered, energy, in essence, is a consumable source. It doesn’t recover just by resting. Lust was considerably weakened.
“Still, I won’t be a hindrance, so you don’t have to worry.”
Lust’s pupils shone with determination. It was a look filled with the will to rescue Kang Seo-yul, no matter what.
“That’s a relief then.”
“We trust you.”
The other two were the same.
The slightly different thing was that perhaps in the eyes of Hermit and Maiden, there was a murderous intent towards the unknown embedded.
Kugugugugung-!
“!”
It was then that the ground began to tremble.
“…Earthquake?! Inside the dungeon?”
A fierce vibration as if the space was shaking. Estimating its intensity, it would not be less than 7 to 8 on the Richter scale.
“Kyah!”
“Kuek!”
“My head…”
Along with the vibration, their heads started spinning.
A severe dizziness occurred, accompanied by a tinnitus that felt like tearing the eardrums.
Chijijik, chijik!
Along with a noise that sounded like it was coming from a broken radio.
“What the hell…”
The space distorted.
* * *
[Removing impurities.]
[Removing impurities.]
[Removing impurities.]
Continuously watching the rising system messages, I clenched my teeth.
‘What the hell is happening!’
Everything is distorting.
The ground, the walls, the ceiling.
It was as if the elements that make up this world were collapsing and space getting destroyed. Everything is collapsing in succession.
“What on earth…”
Unknown seems to be just as perplexed as I am.
Looking around with trembling eyes, dodging the collapsing space by flying around.
“…Kang Seo-yul.”
He called me.
“What are you thinking?”
He grinds his teeth with a fiercely distorted expression.
“Are you planning to die together?”
Dying together.
To put it more simply, it means a situation where both you and I die.
Saying those words to me implies…
‘Does he think I caused this collapse?’
It means he is asking if I am willing to die together.
‘Why would he think that?’
I slightly lowered my gaze and looked at the system messages that were refreshing every second.
[Removing impurities.]
[Deleting impurities.]
[Resetting settings.]
‘If Unknown is seeing this message too, he would immediately know that I didn’t cause this…’
At that moment, a bolt struck my mind.
…Seeing the messages?
No way!
‘Can’t Unknown see the system messages?’
If that is the case, it makes sense to think that I caused this phenomenon.
“Answer me, Kang Seo-yul. Are you really planning to die together like this?”
Unknown glared at me with confident eyes.
“You, not only me but all the superhumans here will be killed.”
While continuously flying to avoid the spatial collapse, Unknown rebuked me.
Mentioning the people he used to call insects as superhumans while trying to shake me seems like he is really desperate.
‘Unknown is panicking right now.’
In that case, there’s no need to inform Unknown about the current situation unnecessarily.
If Unknown finds out about this situation.
If he learns about the anomaly caused by the system, there’s no telling what he might do.
‘Then, I should play dumb for now!’
A mischief flashed in my eyes.
“You shouldn’t have tried to swallow me then.”
I twisted the corners of my mouth.
“I inadvertently activated the spatial collapse because I felt wronged. I can’t even cancel it.”
“…You can’t cancel it?”
“Yeah.”
Unknown’s expression became even more fierce at my bluff.
“You did this to avoid being ‘devoured’ by me? Now… Is that what you are saying?”
Ah ha.
So, the name of Unknown’s ability is ‘devouring.’ Good to know.
“Yeah.”
At the spot where Unknown and I were standing, we could see the precursor to a spatial discrepancy phenomenon. We quickly moved away from the spot.
“So, even though it doesn’t change the fact that we will die, you are admitting to it??”
“I can’t die unjustly alone, can I?”
“You… Stupid bastard…”
A deep sense of disgust settled in Unknown’s gaze.
“I can’t believe the Unknown I’ve been searching for is such a fool…”
While continuously avoiding the consecutive occurrences of spatial distortions,
Unknown approached me.
Swoosh!
At the same time, he swung his sword.
It was a rough blade, intensified by excitement.
I unfolded my wings and flew high into the sky to avoid it.
“Aren’t you resentful! Don’t you despise the unjust concept called the system!”
Unknown also unfolded wings made of magic power and flew towards me.
“Don’t you resent becoming a heretic who has escaped from that oppressive shackle!”
Kaaang!
The swords collided.
Space exploded.
The void distorted.
The ground split apart.
“I am resentful. I despise it. I resent it!”
In between, Unknown swung his sword.
“I hate the world that made me like this!”
A downpour containing everything about the existence outside the norm called Unknown rained down like a shower.
“Kuek!”
Just as one cannot avoid all the pouring rain, Unknown’s strikes began to tear my skin little by little.
“If both you and I die, the person who will clarify the truth of the system will disappear! Do you realize that?”
It was a howl.
A scream of someone who has lived a thousand years.
It was a desolate and desperate outcry.
“I would have been fine losing. I would have been fine winning. If I had lost, it would have been enough if the heretic, Kang Seo-yul, the Unknown remained!”
Before I knew it, my body was soaked in blood.
Even if I healed with divine power for a moment. The speed of getting hurt was faster than the speed of healing.
The injuries on my body continued to increase.
“Even if I died, as long as you, who are stronger than me, fulfill my long-cherished wish of system collapse on my behalf, I would have been fine with any outcome! But you…”
[Error!]
“Kuek!”
Adding insult to injury, the usage time for the ancient artifact had passed.
Now there were only two artifacts left.
I quickly replaced the artifact.
Heart of the Time Dragon.
My trump card kept to definitely kill Unknown.
I held the orb in one hand while simultaneously grasping the Cheonbyeon in the other.
“You, foolish bastard…”
This is the first time I’ve seen Unknown rage to this extent.
“To choose self-destruction, the worst option of all!”
At that moment, my time slowed down.
1 second became 10 seconds.
In a world slowed down tenfold due to time distortion, I healed my body while swinging the Cheonbyeon.
Swoosh!
A long scratch appeared on Unknown’s body. However, it was not a fatal wound.
“Hmph!”
Unknown’s magic power surged as the wound healed. It was a different self-healing skill, distinct from [Save & Load]. Seeing as it wasn’t used until now, it must have been impossible to use it concurrently with [Save & Load].
Kaang!
Having healed his wound, Unknown faced me with his sword, growling ferociously as we struggled against each other’s strength.
“It’s not too late! Cancel this unidentified skill and…”
“Didn’t I tell you? It can’t be canceled.”
In the first place, I didn’t cause this phenomenon.
[Eliminating impurities!]
[Removing impurities!]
The will of this world.
A self-correction action initiated by the system.
It’s a phenomenon of a vaccine detecting a virus.
It’s not a situation I can do anything about.
“If you want to stop it, try stopping it yourself.”
“……”
Crunch.
Unknown gritted his teeth so hard it seemed like they might break.
As Unknown and I were in a standoff, explosions caused by spatial discrepancies occurred in succession once again.
Both Unknown and I quickly vacated the spot.
Thanks to that, I was able to take a breather.
“Kang Seo-yul!”
The respite was fleeting.
Right after dodging, Unknown rushed at me again.
“Kuek!”
The battle went on in parallel.
Unknown’s thunderous sword strikes.
My desperate evasions.
And the second, and third counterattacks using [Time Distortion].
Unknown’s desperate evasions and healing.
Perfectly identical battles unfolded at intervals of 20 seconds.
But gradually, it was reaching its limit.
[Error!]
[Eliminating impurities!]
Heart of the Time Dragon’s use limit had been completely exhausted, and with that, the balance in the battle collapsed.
Now, I have no way to block Unknown’s attacks.
‘I still have one artifact left…’
Although the demon race’s spear remains, it is not enough to deal a fatal blow to Unknown.
‘The spatial collapse phenomenon is also accelerating…’
The situation is becoming increasingly dire from every angle. It seems like Unknown is trying something between the battles to stop the spatial collapse, but it appears to be futile.
Paahhh!
At that moment, Unknown activated the ‘Magic Power Collapse’ after its cooldown had been refreshed. But nothing changed; the spatial collapse did not stop.
“…Is this also impossible?”
Unknown chewed his lower lip with a frustrated expression. It was an expression like all the last hopes had shattered.
However, it wasn’t a completely desperate look. There seemed to be a tiny glimmer of hope left, reflected in those determined eyes.
“In that case…”
Unknown’s muscles bizarrely swelled up. The already enormous magic volume doubled in size.
“I have no choice but to swallow you and find a way…!”
Unknown disappeared. He was moving at a speed invisible to my eyes.
‘He must be thinking of consuming me again.’
He intends to swallow my knowledge and strength to find a way to overcome this situation. That cannot be allowed. I drew the last remaining artifact.
Kang, Kaang! Kieeeng!
The sound of the sword and spear colliding resounded loudly.
‘Considering the situation earlier, the condition for consumption is highly likely to be [touching my head]. As long as I’m careful about that…’
Continuously, unceasingly, rapidly. We moved to kill each other.
Kikigik!
Our battle was quick and sharp to that extent.
The space is collapsing, turning stark white. On that white canvas, Unknown’s blood streak created a red trajectory.
Time passed in that manner.
Pajijijik!
Around the time when sparks began to fly from my artifact.
“I got you…!”
“Kuk!”
Finally, Unknown managed to touch my head successfully. Unknown’s magic slithered around my body like a snake, sticky and viscous magic enveloping my skin in an instant.
He intends to swallow me whole at this rate. Even though I want to resist, my body won’t respond.
“Kut!”
Is this the end after all?
Just when the word “give up” started to consume my thoughts.
Pajijijik!
[Critical error detected additionally!]
[Initiating additional countermeasures!]
Along with the renewed system message.
Chaaahaaaaak!
Unknown’s arms spewed a fountain of blood as they flew into the sky.
“Seo-yul-ssi!”
“Kid!”
Thud-!
Someone grabbed and held onto my body simultaneously.
“Are you alright!? Uh, look at your face…”
A familiar voice and a familiar scent. I confirmed the face of the person holding me.
“…Ai?”
“Yes!”
Shirakawa Ai. It was Lust, who was in the form of Succubus.
Why is Lust here?
No, more than that, the fact that Lust is here means…
I turned my gaze sharply.
“Hermit, and even Maiden-ssi?”
Hermit, wielding a pair of swords of different sizes,
And although I couldn’t recognize her face, MK-9495, identifiable through a myriad of mechanical devices — what could be considered Maiden-ssi’s identity — was confronting Unknown.
“Why are you here…”
“We heard there was a crisis, so we came to rescue you!”
Lust smiled brightly, seemingly trying to reassure me.
“So, what exactly is…”
My words did not continue till the end.
[Confirming that the purification of the impurity is not proceeding safely.]
[Initiating additional measures.]
Like a popup message from a broken computer, a system message appeared.
[Loan the ‘authority’ of the main system.]
[Expel the evil of the world. The unidentified impurity is ‘banished!’]
“…Banished!?”
“Kyaaaaak!”
Along with Lust’s scream.
“No…”
My vision turned stark white.
< Chapter 163: System Error (2) > End
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