919

 [Chapter 227]

[Relife (5)]

Black dungeon 30th floor.

It was a world that seemed to imitate the universe.

The world where up and down couldn't be distinguished was covered in pitch black, with starlight-like lights twinkling here and there.

The sizes of the stars varied, and the light they contained also differed.

The world was immeasurably vast, and the stars densely filling that world seemed to exist as many as the number of people.

[It seems you were having pleasant dreams.]

In the center of that world.

The dungeon's master and guide were there.

They looked up at the stars floating above their heads, raising their heads from the universe.

Stars twinkling with red light began to fall.

They were those who had set foot in the black dungeon.

The moment they opened the door to cross to the 30th floor, they fell into dreams.

[Despair is the greatest enemy. But because they didn't despair until the end, we needed to make them realize how terrifying beings we are.]

The dungeon guide giggled.

If they had despaired and trembled in fear while coming down the black dungeon, it wouldn't have shown them dreams like this.

It would have just killed them as they were.

But they far exceeded the black dungeon's expectations.

Even though it must have been incredibly arduous to come down here, they didn't let go of hope until the end.

So it showed them dreams, illusions.

[It doesn't matter if they realize they're dreaming midway. No, that's even better. Because they'll acutely feel that while the dream is this happy, reality is cruel.]

Reality is cruel and brutal.

Life is a continuous struggle.

Even if they didn't despair, they must have harbored at least a handful of anxiety while coming down here.

They must have been inwardly tired too.

Nevertheless, they whipped their tired bodies and advanced towards the goal of the 30th floor.

They mustn't stop midway.

Because they knew the moment they stopped, they would never be able to move forward again.

But they led their tired bodies forward and encountered dreams.

Rest and peace they couldn't comfortably enjoy while in the black dungeon.

Also, a world reflecting some wish contained in the foundation of their psyche.

But can they really wake up from the dream and come out to cruel reality?

Even if they realize they're dreaming, can they really deny the dream?

[They can't, absolutely.]

The dungeon guide asserted.

They can't deny it.

Rather, they will deny reality.

Like that, they who realize the gap between dream and reality will despair at reality.

They will choose to die in the dream, and the black dungeon will recycle their despair and emotions as nourishment.

[It's disappointing. If possible, I wanted to kill them directly with our hands. Well, let's just tell them to die in the dream.]

Look at those falling stars.

Stars emitting red light are meeting death in the dream while oxidizing.

Starting with one star, tens, hundreds of stars fall following behind.

And those stars─

[────Huh!?]

The dungeon guide, the totality of will constituting the black dungeon.

The fairy's words were no different from representing the black dungeon's will.

The fairy inside the sphere of light was flustered by the completely unexpected situation.

The stars were falling towards the dungeon's master and guide.

[This is... I can't understand. Why on earth are they desperately trying to crawl out to reality?]

Hundreds of stars land before their eyes.

The dungeon guide showed dismay seeing the stars falling ahead.

Red light was surging.

Whoosh!

Crackle!

From inside the starlight.

One man walks out.

Wearing a cloak of crimson flames.

The man with blue chains wrapped around his body was just the beginning.

Thud

From inside the starlight that fell behind him, countless people walked out too.

With solemn expressions after waking from false hope called dreams.

Faces with no trace of regret.

They chose reality over dreams by their own will.

By this point, the dungeon guide could only purely admire.

[Amazing, really. I'll express admiration for your will to give up dreams and face the abyss after all. But you will regret that choice.]

"Do you fight with your mouth? Come at me."

[...I'll definitely make you regret.]

☆

Sea of stars, universe.

Eun-ha was standing on the universe leading the conquest team members.

Fighting spirit was conveyed from behind his back.

"Did everyone have good dreams?"

The conquest team members responded.

Eun-ha raised the corners of his mouth.

The morale of the conquest team members who chose to wake from dreams by their own will could be said to have reached its peak.

Eun-ha was the same.

Blood boiled in his body.

His heart pounded.

Eun-ha who overcame the desire called dreams and decided to seize his ideals by himself felt like he could do anything now.

Whoosh! Crackle!

The black dungeon had made a mistake.

By letting them rest in dreams, it eliminated their fatigue.

Eun-ha drew out mana into the world together with the conquest team members.

Crimson flames blaze.

Blue lightning flashes.

Eun-ha who was wrapped in powers of different colors released that power in one breath.

He revealed all the mana in his heart, covering the sea of starlight.

"Seo-na."

"Yeah, just say it. I can do it anytime."

"Then convey this. There's no strategy." "...Really?"

"None. If there is one, it's to kill that thing with all our might."

[...I convey the lord's message. Everyone, prepare for battle. The target is the black dungeon's boss. As it's the final battle, annihilate the boss with all your might. That is all.]

Jin Seo-na conveyed the telepathy with a face saying "how reliable."

The conquest team members shouted battle cries.

The clan members burst into laughter.

"I don't know when we became Blaze Clan. But I agree. We should kill it with all our might."

Mok Min-ho stepped forward holding his sword.

The jet-black sword in his hand was imbued with light, preparing to unleash the principle of cutting anything.

Other people also prepared to attack.

Their devices emitted light.

Myth Manifestation

Revival

And finally.

Eun-ha created another world in the sea of starlight.

Crimson flames blaze fiercely.

His hair turns crimson red, and flames flicker in his pupils.

The reddish-brown cloak on his shoulders burns and transforms into a cloak of flames.

The change also occurred in the conquest team members, spreading quickly like sparks across a field.

"Now! As it's the final battle, I'll command with full power! Rara, can you lend me your power?"

"Rara ra♪"

Fairy Ring

Rosy Muse

Jo A-ra borrows Rara's power.

She who is wearing clothes reminiscent of a rose flower spreads fairy wings and flies, assisting the conquest team's magic.

"Everyone don't let your guard down just because it's the last! Be careful not to get hurt!" "Whew, we can't die after coming this far."

Angel's Necklace

Hermes' Steps

Following behind her.

Cha Eun-woo who spread mechanical angel wings and Kaede who wore shoes with wings sprouting flew up.

Cha Eun-woo uses her gift to maximize myth, and Kaede aims at the dungeon's master far away.

Now everyone, let us offer prayers.

There is nothing for us to fear anymore.

Everything according to the Lord's will.

There was movement below them too.

Iriya fluttered her cloak of flames supporting the conquest team members.

Other people also exerted their powers and took battle stances.

They showed their will to attack anytime once the signal dropped.

Eventually the attack signal dropped.

Ignis Cross

Flames and lightning enveloping the world gathered in Eun-ha's swords.

The two swords roared fiercely.

He burst the magic he had compressed to the limit.

The conquest team members also instantly released the power they had gathered towards the boss monster.

─────!!

An explosion that swallowed the universe occurred.

All sorts of powers exploded, incinerating the entire universe where it was standing.

The light didn't go out.

By the time the light went out, new light swept through the space again.

The conquest team quietly watched the area enveloped in light.

They knew too.

There's no way that thing died.

Sure enough, giggling was soon heard from inside the light.

[It's useless! You can't defeat us with your power!]

The light cleared.

It had just moved its arm.

With that alone, the attack the conquest team poured out disappeared in vain.

""""...."""

The conquest team looked at it.

Its body was growing larger.

The giant wrapped in darkness was looking down at them at some point.

There was only one feature to distinguish its appearance.

That its eyes were red.

A gaze that instilled fear just by facing it was fixed on the conquest team.

They instinctively shrank back.

Right at that moment─

"─First with fists."

The youngest player.

On the other hand, the tallest player stepped forward muttering those words.

Pandora Clan Guardian, Avenir.

The boy, no, the man with fluttering blonde hair clenched his iron fist.

He who spread his legs wide and lowered his upper body preparing an attack stance quickly threw an uppercut.

Throw The Heavens

The moment he twisted his leg stretched back.

He concentrates the power spread throughout his body into one, loading the totality of power into his fist.

As if piercing the heavens.

The uppercut Avenir threw towards the sky directly hit it.

────!!

Its jaw tilts back and it staggers.

The red eyes disappear for a moment, disrupting people's anxiety.

Eun-ha didn't miss that moment.

Whoosh!

His world completely erased the conquest team members' fear.

Also, they were connected by myth and sharing each other's will.

The will spreading from Noh Eun-ha's will made them feel conviction.

As long as Noh Eun-ha doesn't crumble, they absolutely won't crumble.

They showed no hesitation.

[No matter how strong you are, it's useless against us. Why? Because as long as we're in the dungeon, we become twice as strong as you. Yet you say you'll defeat us? You can't.]

Meanwhile the dungeon guide sneered.

The master of the <Dungeon of the Abyss> is special.

Unlike other dungeon boss monsters, it possessed the principle of becoming twice as strong as those facing it.

So no matter how strong they become, they can't defeat the boss monster.

Because the boss monster will also become twice as strong and overwhelm them.

[We are fear and despair. Also the limit of humans. No matter how much you struggle, you will never be able to reach us!]

The conquest team members didn't react.

They weren't afraid anymore.

They weren't intimidated by fear.

In other words, their will remained unchanged.

Rather, the stronger the enemy, the more their will blazed.

They tried to overcome fear.

They tried to overcome despair.

They tried to surpass limits.

That will strengthened them again and was conveyed to Noh Eun-ha at the center of will.

[Then we'll attack now too. Take exactly twice the attack you just did!]

At that moment it moved.

Just it taking a step made the world vibrate with sound.

Then it slashed the air with its hand.

The sea of starlight was torn horizontally, and light flashed from inside.

────!!!

The attack the conquest team members inflicted just before.

Light twice that attack pounced on the conquest team members.

It tears through Eun-ha's world.

They can't block it.

They were swallowed by the light just like that.

Nevertheless─

─Myth Manifestation

Revival

They didn't die.

Eun-ha's myth didn't crumble.

The myth of revival revived even in death, resurrecting the conquest team members.

And they gained even stronger power than before.

[Tch, how annoying... But how long do you think you can use that power? You'll run out of mana eventually!]

Not even funny.

Eun-ha snorted.

They had only exchanged attacks once each so far.

He pointed the Dawn Sword at it.

"All forces charge."

[All forces charge.]

The full-scale battle began.

Eun-ha spread wings of flame.

As he quickly flew towards it, the conquest team members shouted battle cries and all spread wings of flame following behind.

Familiar Transformation

Liger Blaster

Eun-ha flew right in front of its face.

He who stopped flying aimed the blaster equipped on his left hand at its eyes.

The red eyes that had become his fear.

He faced those eyes proudly and fired the energy gathered in the blaster.

Now is different from back then.

Blue lightning covers its eyes.

Eun-ha sneered.

Meanwhile the conquest team members also attacked it with all their might.

[It's useless I tell you! Take twice as much!]

It didn't budge at all.

It who received the conquest team members' attacks kicked the air.

People on the ground were launched into the air as if hit by an invisible attack.

Right after that, when it flashed its red eyes, magic circles appeared in the sea of starlight.

Tens, hundreds, thousands, perhaps billions.

There were no blind spots in the sea of starlight.

Attacks twice as much as the conquest team's attack just before poured down.

Attacks that ignore defense.

They were swept away so helplessly before the enormous being.

Myth Manifestation

Revival

Yet they don't die.

People who died are revived.

The conquest team who became even stronger than before opposes it.

And it became stronger again as much as they became stronger.

[Hah, truly like bugs. What changes by doing this? In the end you can only die, die, and die! And now even that dying ends! How much mana do you think you have to maintain the world?]

"I don't."

[See! Next time you die it's really...]

"I don't have it now."

[Wait, you just...]

The dungeon guide flinched.

Only then did it notice the change occurring in Eun-ha's body.

[Power is recovering!?]

The dungeon guide was shocked.

Noh Eun-ha's power was recovering.

A person who should have exhausted all his power reviving hundreds of people was completely recovering.

It's not that someone healed him.

It's impossible with human healing magic.

No, it's not recovery.

The dungeon guide realized what the change happening to him was.

[...He's going back?]

To before the battle started.

Noh Eun-ha's body was going back.

Eun-ha just giggled at the dungeon guide's question.

"It's strange to tell you this now, but I'm a regressor."

""""We know.""""

At the edge of the abyss.

Eun-ha was able to find the identity to truly define himself.

I am a regressor.

His resonance spreads through the world.

Like that it's deeply engraved in the world.

The myth advances one step and is completed.

Myth Manifestation

Relife