Ch-331 **Giant of Ruin vs. Park Hyun-myung**
—
Hudson’s eyes, as he shouted his absolute opposition, were filled with *resolve*.
A determination that said he would never allow me to go alone, no matter what.
It had been a very long time since I’d seen Hudson with that expression.
The last time might have been at his wedding.
That alone told me how serious he was right now.
“……Commander. I feel the same as Hudson. Going alone is dangerous.”
Serengeti stepped forward as well.
Then Isabella added her voice.
“The Giant of Ruin is powerful. The other Star Guardians are the same. Especially some of them—several Star Guardians are keeping a close eye even on my Transcendent Star, *Jörmungandr*.”
Jörmungandr—the named star Isabella wielded.
A serpent nicknamed *the World-Devouring Snake*, one that devoured anything in its path.
If even that monster warranted caution, it meant the opposing group was packed with terrifying entities.
Others didn’t say anything, but their eyes all conveyed the same message:
*Going alone is dangerous.*
*The Giant of Ruin is certainly dangerous.*
Guardian of the *Mother Star*—the Giant of Ruin.
A monster among monsters who had beaten the King of the Dead, Ahram, into the dirt all by himself.
Ahram—the First Lord of Hell—who had been preparing an invasion alongside the Demon Race beneath Cramdel!
Even after reviving and becoming stronger, the King of the Dead had ultimately accepted defeat and self-destructed.
The Giant of Ruin was strong enough to kill a Lord of Hell single-handedly.
I had trembled when I saw that power.
I still remembered thinking how lucky it was that he was on our side.
Never did I imagine I’d end up facing him as an enemy.
And to make matters worse, there were Star Guardians I’d never seen before.
*If they move as a group, it’ll definitely be dangerous.*
I pondered briefly.
There was no denying the risk of being isolated and overwhelmed.
If they attacked from all sides, even I would be in danger.
*They won’t try to kill me—the God of Druids and Master of the World Tree—but still…*
Of course, if they had any sense, the Giant of Ruin and the Star Guardians wouldn’t kill me.
I had made that perfectly clear before we entered.
If they killed me, they’d cross a river they could never return from with the druids.
And that wasn’t all.
The revival of other World Trees would also become impossible.
The Star Guardians, tasked with maintaining the balance of the world, would never make such a choice.
“……Very well. I’ll accept your opinions. We’ll move in pairs.”
I organized my thoughts and spoke.
Two people per team should be sufficient.
If too many stuck together, it would be hard to decide the battle within one hour.
“However.”
I needed to add one condition.
Everyone turned their gaze toward me.
Slowly, clearly, I stated it.
“You must not kill the Star Guardians. Suppress them only.”
“……Is that really something we can control?” Hudson asked skeptically.
Against opponents that strong, could suppression really be possible?
In a desperate fight, death would hardly be surprising.
But I nodded.
“If you think you can’t suppress them—run.”
“Will they let us?”
“They will.”
I was confident.
The Giant of Ruin—
He wasn’t the type to kill a fleeing opponent for no reason.
This wasn’t a deathmatch to see who killed more enemies.
There was only one objective.
*Defeat the opposing commander.*
……Though I had no idea yet how we were supposed to suppress the Giant of Ruin,
I still spoke firmly.
“Remember this. We will engage in *honorable competition*.”
This was a rule that absolutely had to be upheld.
I’d seen it clearly upon entering the dungeon.
> 《Tip. Knight orders must compete honorably.》
……Knight orders were required to fight honorably.
In other words—
Play fair.
Not tearing each other apart in a bloodbath, but cooperating.
Otherwise, why would such a line appear as a *Tip*?
*The true way to clear this dungeon is for everyone to achieve as many feats as possible, working together, until the finest knight order reaches the Roots.*
I’d entered a dungeon like this once before.
Back when I was clearing a party-dungeon quest.
*……The Demigod Trait Dungeon was similar.*
The Demigod.
A half-god with corrupted honor who had constantly interfered with our progress.
He tried to sow discord, distrust, and division.
When that failed, he revealed his true intentions.
He appeared himself and challenged us directly.
We cleared it because we didn’t waver despite his interference.
This dungeon was the same.
The only sure way to clear it was to stand united against the Forgotten Gods, who were doing everything they could to divide and obstruct us.
The only difference now was the scale.
Back then, it was a party of four.
This time, it was ninety-one.
And seven different groups, no less.
True cooperation would be nearly impossible.
……Even so, I wasn’t aiming for a mediocre clear.
There was only one thing I wanted.
Not just first place.
*A perfect clear.*
To completely clear this primordial-grade dungeon.
—
—
Raiga turned his head to look beside him.
The one paired with him in the two-man team.
He had assumed he’d be with his disciple, Hyun.
But—
“……”
“……”
Heavy silence.
Naturally so.
He’d never imagined he’d be paired with Albino.
“We did need some time to talk,” Albino finally said, breaking the silence.
As the Elder of the Fang and the Great Chieftain of the Druids, his relationship with Raiga had long been awkward.
The appearance of the Golden Scale Druid had completely tangled the hierarchy.
It was his first time dealing with a situation like this, and he didn’t know how to act.
Raiga replied as if it were nothing.
“Just act like you always do.”
“……I can’t exactly treat someone my master reveres as a subordinate.”
“……”
“……”
“……”
“……”
“……”
“Let’s just fight.”
In the end, Raiga had no choice.
He couldn’t bring himself to command someone ranked far above him, so he proposed they simply speak formally to each other.
Close, yet distant.
They were still far too awkward.
Still, what needed to be done was clear.
A sky as black as the cosmos.
Several monsters stood atop scattered *small stars*.
Defeating the monsters clad in black armor and claiming territory was the priority.
Albino nodded.
“That would be best.”
“Or shall we push straight through?”
“You mean the two of us going all the way?”
“Albino. Are you afraid of the Giant of Ruin?”
“No. It’s what I was hoping for.”
In stiff, awkward tones, the two reached an agreement.
With their combined strength, they were confident even against the entire Annihilation Knight Order.
Raiga and Albino exchanged looks and sprinted forward.
—
—
There were thirteen members in the knight order.
With two-man teams, one person would inevitably be left over.
That person was Hudson.
“Alone… what am I even supposed to do……?”
Left standing by himself, Hudson felt utterly lost.
Objectively, he was the weakest member of the order.
Even if Randolph were gone and only Park Hyun-myung remained, Hudson would still be weaker.
He reflected on himself.
*Level 11. Still not transcended.*
When he first met Randolph, Hudson had been level 9.
Stuck at level 9 for over a year, he finally broke through to level 11—but—
*I’m the slowest.*
His growth was the slowest of all.
Serengeti, Isabella, and Isaac had long since surpassed him.
And Saintess Seia?
She was already in a completely different league.
What about Priest Andrew?
Seeing him again after a long time, he seemed incomparably stronger than before.
……Even Balte, who had joined last, had surpassed him ages ago.
*Everyone’s either transcended—or as strong as if they had.*
No wonder the road ahead felt bleak.
Of course, he had excuses.
He was a merchant, with mountains of work.
He built labyrinth cities and, in reality, acted as a prince of England.
But…… still.
*……I’m not in a position to criticize Hyun-myung.*
Park Hyun-myung.
Looking at him inspired nothing but awe.
It was practically a fresh start for him, yet he’d already climbed to an unfathomable height.
Disciple of Raiga, the Empire’s strongest.
God of Druids.
Surrounded by beings Hudson couldn’t even dream of standing beside.
*I have to become stronger.*
He couldn’t keep relying on others forever.
He couldn’t keep being protected.
And here—this place—might hold the key to surpassing himself.
The Star Guardians.
If he could glean even a hint of *Transcendence* by facing them……
“Oh? What a delicious-looking prey.”
“…….”
That was when it happened.
With a heavy thud against the ground, a massive wolf appeared before Hudson.
A wolf so enormous it resembled the mythic *Fenrir*.
To think it had already reached this far—what kind of absurd speed was this?
The moment Hudson saw the wolf, one thought crossed his mind.
*I’m fucked.*
……This was probably the end.
—
—
《Miraculous Feat (6) – ‘Conquest of 10 Zones in the Land of Stars’ achieved!》
《The ‘Golden Scale Knight Order’ has now conquered 10 zones of the Land of Stars.》
《Health regeneration and total penetration increase by 10%.》
《10 points of stats are randomly distributed and increased.》
Text suddenly appeared.
A notice that ten stars had been conquered and a feat achieved.
“Not a bad pace.”
Only about ten minutes had passed.
This was a solid start.
“……Is it really okay for us to just stay here?”
Priest Andrew asked from beside me.
We were literally standing still at the starting point.
But there was a reason.
“It’s safe here.”
“For the *commander*, yes, but……”
By the effect of the starting area, the commander received a measure of protection here.
【‘Star of Beginnings’ – When the ‘Commander’ is positioned here, all resistances increase by 50%.】
That was the effect.
Staying here increased all my resistances.
Physical, magical, and all forms of anomalous attacks were reduced.
That alone was incredible—but—
*I already have minimum physical resistance.*
Thanks to the *Primordial Armor*, I possessed *minimum physical resistance of 50%*.
At the very least, I wouldn’t die or take heavy damage from physical attacks.
At that moment, Priest Andrew spoke cautiously.
“So… have you truly lost the appearance of ‘Randolph’?”
“……?”
“You don’t have to answer. I understand.”
……What exactly did he understand?
Did he think I was staying here because I was afraid?
Seeking safety?
I could see why he might think that.
But the reason I was standing still here was different.
I gazed into the distance and said,
“He’s finally here.”
Far away—
At the edge of the stars.
“Hah—!”
Priest Andrew gasped in shock when he saw it.
*Boom!*
*Rumble!*
A gigantic figure appeared amid swirling dust.
《The ‘Giant of Ruin’ has appeared!》
He had arrived.
Alone.
As if he were saying he needed no one else.
And as I looked at the Giant of Ruin—
*As expected. A straight-line thinker.*
……I smiled faintly.
Everything was going exactly as planned.
