I opened my eyes.
A heavy, pounding pain pressed against my temples.
“Haa...”
I let out a deep breath.
Only then did my blurred vision return to clarity.
The familiar patterned wallpaper. The ceiling of the waiting room—my room.
‘A dream?’
No. I wouldn’t rationalize it so clumsily.
Once I pulled myself together, the sequence of events beca clear.
The 90th floor—our final mission. Every single one of the Townia NPCs, including Pria, had t their deaths there. I had mustered my remaining strength to take down the one responsible for killing Pria. And then, at that mont, Aaron and Yurnet had intervened.
‘So...’
Did they bring
here?
I let out a hollow laugh, brushing myself off as I stood.
“Ha, hahaha. Did I actually wake up? I never imagined that.”
The voice of a young girl, laced with laughter, reached my ears.
Srrng.
I pulled Bifrost from the wall where it had been hanging.
When I turned, I saw a black-haired girl in a white dress sitting in a chair.
“This is the first ti we’ve t in person since your 2-star promotion, right? It’s been a while, Loki. I missed you.”
“I didn’t miss you at all.”
“That’s a sha. I ca all the way here just to congratulate you. I even went to great lengths to avoid being caught by your subordinates.”
Tel smiled broadly.
On the surface, she looked like a beautiful young girl, but I knew all too well how utterly insane she was.
“Anyway, Loki, congratulations on clearing the mission. You’re now the only clearer of Pick
Up.”
“What about El Cid?”
“He used a workaround. If he weren’t a 7-star, it would’ve been quite the struggle for him. But you... you conquered the tower purely through your own strength. Truly, a feat worthy of the Master of Masters.”
“Get lost while I’m still being nice.”
“I ca to propose a deal that you’ll love.”
Tel rose from her chair and stepped toward .
Dark energy writhed beneath her shadow.
“If you desire it...”
Tel placed her delicate fingers on my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
“I can bring Townia back to life.”
“......”
“Priasis, Phryos, and all the others. Even the nobodies. The ones here in the waiting room, too. If you wish it, I’ll free them all from the cycle of sacrifice.” ????Ν????Еs
Her fingers lightly brushed my neck as she continued.
“Any missing interference can be borrowed from other dinsions. Townia could be sustained for at least several centuries—at best, a millennium. Isn’t that a fair condition?”
Tel exhaled a warm breath against my ear.
“If you fulfill my wish... I’ll give you everything... Hm?”
Tel looked down.
The hem of her white dress was dyed red.
A single spear had pierced through her abdon.
“Haha, well, this is...”
“Step away from my brother.”
Crack!
Aaron swiftly retrieved the spear and, with blinding speed, plunged it into Tel’s heart.
Black blood gushed from the # Nоvеlight # hole in her chest.
「Ahaha!」
Tel’s form, which had been that of a young girl, dissipated into mist.
Within the mist, crimson eyes glowed ominously.
「What an irritating little bug.」
“No one believes a word you say. If you don’t want to die, vanish.”
「Believe
or not, it doesn’t matter. Loki, no matter what, you’ll be mine. I’ve never seen such a ripe fruit before. Ahaha! To think... such coincidences could exist! Kill ! This is incredible! It’s destiny! Loki! I’ll make you the seed of the new world! Replace those pathetic rejects and beco the root of rebirth that brings light to all of M??bius! Hahaha! Ahahahaha! Just wait a little longer, Loki. I’ll co for you soon. Don’t move...」
Crunch!
A spear pierced through the crimson eye.
The mist dissolved, leaving only a faint residue behind.
“What an incredibly talkative being, just as I’d heard,” Aaron said as he twirled his spear and slid it back onto his back.
I observed him. Draped in a black coat over his leather armor, he stood before . The man who once blad himself for his lack of talent was gone. Now, he faced
with confident eyes. It was hard to believe this was the sa Aaron as before.
“It’s been a while, Hyung-nim. The last ti was back during that tournant, wasn’t it?”
“Your deanor has changed.”
“We’ve both been through a lot.”
Aaron gave an awkward smile, then cleared his throat.
“Oh, and... I’m truly sorry for that ti. I laid my hands on you without permission. But given the circumstances, I had no choice.”
“What circumstances?”
“If I had left you as you were, Hyung-nim, you would’ve surely died.”
“Is that so.”
I gave a short reply.
Aaron lowered his gaze, avoiding my eyes.
“Hyung-nim.”
“......”
“I don’t want to see you like this. The brother I knew was always brimming with confidence, solving every problem with ease. No matter how difficult the mission or hopeless the dilemma, you always found a way.”
“...you know?”
“Yes. Master told
everything.”
Aaron nodded firmly.
Of course. There was no need for further explanation.
“Your sister is dead. She can’t be brought back.”
“I know that too.”
“And you’re fine with it?”
“How could I be fine? When I first heard the explanation, I was bedridden for days. I even lashed out at Master, screaming for him to stop lying. But... you have to accept reality to move forward... don’t you?”
Aaron lowered his gaze again.
“I could only take a step forward after acknowledging my lack of talent. And that, too, was sothing you awakened in , Hyung-nim.”
“......”
“What I tried to protect... my family... may no longer exist in this world.”
Aaron clenched his fist tightly, a fleeting look of anguish crossing his face.
“But still...”
“But still?”
“I believe in you, Hyung-nim.”
Aaron’s clear, unwavering eyes t mine.
I let out a hollow laugh.
This fool must’ve lost his mind. Being stuck in the sa place for so long had apparently dulled his sense of reality.
“You believe in ? Based on what? No matter how strong I am, I’m just a hero. Do you really think I can change anything?”
“Master said it was a one-in-ten-million chance. The odds of surpassing our limits.”
Aaron closed his eyes.
“If I’d been scared off by those odds, nothing would’ve changed. I’d still be curled up in a corner sowhere. For what feels like countless lifetis, I’ve swung my spear. My mories of my living days are all but gone, but...”
Aaron’s eyelids trembled faintly, as though rewinding through all the ti he’d endured.
“There’s one thing I’ve never forgotten.”
「Didn’t I tell you to stop wasting ti on nonsense?」
Aaron opened his eyes.
The door swung open, and a woman cloaked in robes stepped into the room.
Yurnet Seed.
This wasn’t an illusion—it was her unmistakable, tangible presence.
She brushed back her silver-white hair, her sharp gaze locking onto Aaron.
“I told you to bring the Master, but here you are wasting ti on pointless chatter.”
“......”
“If you continue trying to tempt the Master with such drivel, even as Myuden’s disciple, I won’t let it slide. Stand down. Until this ceremony concludes, do not stand before the Master again.”
“...Understood.”
Aaron shot
a brief glance before leaving the room.
Yurnet deeply bowed before .
“My apologies. He’s still lacking in discipline.”
“Discipline? And are we in Townia?”
“Allow
to explain.”
I nodded.
Yurnet opened the door with a respectful gesture and led
outside.
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