Ch-61
—
“W–where are you going!”
Seeing me charge downhill at full speed with my shield raised, everyone froze in shock.
But I didn’t care.
The bomb beetles slammed into the shield.
Boom! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwabang!
The bomb beetles that touched the shield exploded one after another in a chain reaction.
Ssszzzz!
Whenever their acid splashed onto me and my body reached its limit—
‘Heal.’
《You have used *Healing*.》
《Remaining uses of *Healing*: 4》
I cast healing on myself.
My entire body was instantly restored.
I could only use it five times, but with recovery power of this level, it was more than enough.
Before the bomb beetles even climbed the hill, I threw myself straight into their midst like a madman.
The bomb beetles, gathered together and preparing to climb, were constantly triggering further explosions from the shockwaves of those ahead.
Bang! Kwa-kwa-bang! Boom! Boom!
Explosions powerful enough to rupture eardrums.
‘Heal.’
《You have used *Healing*.》
《Remaining uses of *Healing*: 3》
I didn’t stop. Even though the pain made me grimace, I kept sprinting at full speed.
My plan was to wipe out as many as possible before they reached the hill.
For that, I burned my entire body as if throwing it away.
“······Huh.”
“······What is that.”
“······.”
Standing atop the hill, Isaac, Serengeti, and Isabella could only stare blankly, stupefied by the sheer absurdity unfolding before them.
*
*
After eliminating 99% of the bomb beetles and using up all my healing uses, I raised my hand and swapped positions with Serengeti.
Serengeti and Isabella, back atop the hill, blocked the entrance, and Isaac finished off the remaining bomb beetles, completing the trial of the floor.
A method completely different from what was intended.
I had no intention whatsoever of moving according to the script devised by the demigod.
I would use everything I had to shatter the board he had set.
《Fastest Clear!》
《Honor +30》
《Trial Complete》
《Progress: 50%》
《Proceeding to the next floor.》
A warp gate formed before my eyes.
Already halfway through—50% progress achieved.
More than twice as fast as when I attempted this with Wilhelm.
At that moment—
《The ‘Constellation of the Shining Hero’ applauds your ingenuity.》
《The ‘Constellation of the Shining Hero’ grants you a special quest.》
《You have received the quest: “Rule Breaker.”》
《Break all rules and extinguish the dungeon along with the Demigod’s Will.》
《If successful, the ‘Constellation of the Shining Hero’ will award you a very special reward.》
《Do you accept?》
A constellation’s quest—appearing directly before my eyes.
I couldn’t help tilting my head at the unprecedented phenomenon.
A constellation designating *the destruction of the dungeon* as a quest?
And not simple destruction—*erase even the dungeon’s will*.
‘A very special reward, huh.’
Perhaps it meant a treasure like Golden band, the constellation’s relic.
This constellation had appeared the moment I entered the dungeon, observing me with interest since the beginning.
Then what exactly was the relationship between the Shining Hero constellation and this dungeon?
Just then—
《The Demigod’s Will tries to pierce through you.》
《Failure.》
《The Demigod’s Will tries to pierce through you.》
《Failure.》
《The Demigod’s Will tries to pierce through you.》
《Failure.》
《The Demigod’s Will tries to pierce through you.》
《Failure.》
《The Demigod’s Will tries to pierce through you.》
《Failure.》
······ What is it doing?
—
Everything had always been built on a flawlessly constructed stage.
Rules unchanged for ages beyond measure.
But the Will could not comprehend the sudden appearance of an “abnormal existence.”
‘Why isn’t he following the rules?’
From the moment I entered, I casually erased one of the four fundamental propositions.
And that wasn’t all.
I suddenly transformed, then used a skill to tame the warwolf—pure lunacy.
Despite choosing the Healer class, I grabbed a shield that only a Shieldbearer could wield and charged alone, breaking through a trial meant to be endured, not overpowered.
A Rule Breaker.
A being utterly different from all humans who had challenged this place until now.
‘If you refuse to follow the rules, then I shall refuse as well.’
Thus, the Will tried to pierce through me.
Nothing was beyond its ability to see or comprehend.
It intended to discover my weakness and prepare the hardest possible trial—one I would fail utterly, shatter against, or die from.
‘I will pierce you. Your secrets, your weakness, everything!’
Though this violated the dungeon’s rules, I too was a rule breaker.
The Will acknowledged it could not defeat this “abnormal existence” through normal means.
Soon, all my memories—all of me—would surface before it.
It planned to expose my most tragic, most shocking secret and crush me.
But—
‘······What is this?’
The Will was shaken.
For the first time since its creation, it was shaken by a human.
It had no choice.
‘It cannot see?’
······ It could not see.
It saw absolutely nothing.
The moment it attempted to pierce the abnormal existence, only pitch-black darkness filled its vision.
Something enormous blocked its sight.
But—what?
The Demigod’s Will.
An exalted spiritual entity, a fragment of a great being.
And this was the dungeon.
To block its absolute vision within its own domain, one would need to be at least equal to it.
Did this mean the human was equal to itself?
‘Unacceptable.’
It kept trying to pierce.
It failed repeatedly—hundreds, thousands of times—but it could not accept this.
Only after failing countless times did the Will turn its gaze.
‘Fine. If I cannot see you, I will pierce the ones who came with you!’
*
*
‘Was I wrong to ask that?’
Passing through the Room of Truth, Isabella clenched and unclenched her fists as her thoughts spiraled.
Asking if he was truly a Star-Bearer.
She was the one who asked.
Ever since they first met in the desert, Randolph had lifted her curse.
He had led her out of the desert and shown her the world.
She would never forget arriving in the Golden City of Arcana through warp.
He promised to help her find her origins—her bloodline—if she served him for just one year.
‘And yet deep down, I kept doubting.’
Was he truly a Star-Bearer?
Her understanding was that Star-Bearers followed stars.
But Randolph wasn’t someone who followed the stars—he was more like a master of them.
A Star-Bearer could not become a star’s master.
They merely guided others to one.
Honestly, she didn’t mind.
Even if he wasn’t a Star-Bearer.
He had proven himself with countless feats already.
‘I just… wanted to know if it was a lie or not.’
She wanted to rid herself of that lingering sliver of doubt.
Star-Bearer, successor of the Knight King, acknowledged by the White King, bearer of the Mythical Mysteries······ None of his titles mattered.
It was her own problem.
When she heard his answer, she sighed in relief.
And then she felt disgusted—with herself, sighing like that.
She claimed it didn’t matter, yet no one cared more than she did. The contradiction sickened her.
“Ah······.”
Watching Randolph charge alone down the hill, Isabella swallowed hard.
A man who drove bomb beetles to near annihilation by himself amidst violent explosions.
He completed the work meant for four alone.
As if he needed no one.
Not just today.
‘An indomitable warrior. A reckless challenger who never falls.’
That was who he was.
Ever since she’d met him, Randolph had always challenged everything—and had never once fallen.
He always proved himself and seized victory.
He had many identities, but ultimately, Randolph was Randolph.
Sometimes reckless, sometimes honorable, sometimes frighteningly cold.
What if it were her?
Could she run alone like that, standing amidst such carnage?
Bomb beetles didn’t just explode—they spewed strong acid. Even as his flesh melted and bone was exposed, he never once let go of his shield.
Endurance that didn’t seem human.
Even while groaning in pain, he refused to give up.
‘He is a savior.’
Randolph was a savior who transcended eras.
He saved her, saved a city, shattered her curse, and sealed the Gatekeeper of Rift.
Isabella bit her lip.
‘I must help him too.’
She couldn’t keep receiving help forever.
She’d vowed to serve him, yet what had she actually done?
Only held petty suspicions.
She shook her head and stepped through the warp.
《Swear upon the ‘Oath of Truth.’》
Once she passed through, the Room of Truth appeared again.
‘Again?’
Isabella tilted her head.
She didn’t understand why a trial so trivial the first time would repeat now.
She took the oath without much thought and submitted her question.
And then, in a room where all party members appeared—though not truly gathered—the questioning began.
《First question for Isabella.》
《‘Sonora. Why did you kill that poor child?’》
《‘Did you want to become a princess so desperately that you killed her?’》
The moment she saw the question, Isabella’s eyes trembled violently.
*
*
《First question for Isaac.》
《‘After burying the mining city and killing countless people, isn’t it shameless to cry with joy saying you purified your sins?’》
Isaac too.
《First question for Serengeti.》
《‘Don’t you think of Hudson as your hideaway? Isn’t he a tool for avoiding reality, not true love? Did you not actually prefer Wilhelm?’》
Serengeti as well.
All three stared in shock at the questions.
Who could have asked such things?
No—only one person *could* ask such things.
Randolph.
Only he knew. Only he *could* know.
The Star-Bearer, the man who saw through everything. No one else could pose questions like these.
All three, flustered, looked to Randolph.
He did not move an inch.
Brazenly.
‘There’s no way he would tell the truth······.’
A room where only truth could be spoken.
But what if the truth was something they never wanted anyone to know?
As soon as the question appeared, those eyes—those suspicious, questioning eyes—fell on them.
As if everyone doubted them.
As if everyone laughed, sneered, asking whether they were truly such vile people.
They were afraid.
*
*
······ I watched this scene from afar.
Visions hovered before me.
Like a hologram, I could see the three undergoing their trials.
This trial took place in three separate rooms.
Completely different from the previous Room of Truth.
Although it looked like the party was gathered, everyone except oneself was a fake—illusions created by the Will.
Within those illusions, they were being tormented by questions issued by the Will.
And they were panicking, thinking *I* was the one who asked them.
《The ‘Will’ says it will stop this trial if it voluntarily withdraws.》
A truly amusing situation.
The dungeon’s master recommending its own withdrawal.
Unable to handle me trampling the dungeon however I pleased, it resorted to tormenting my party members instead.
Making them doubt me and eroding their trust.
“The worst.”
In some ways, worse than a Demon King.
Who would have thought that a being called the exalted Demigod’s Will would be so vile?
This dungeon was infamous for being trash, but the only trash here was the Will itself.
They were all suffering.
Forced to face truths they never wished to speak.
《There are three questions. Even if they endure, the ‘Will’ says your trust will fall off a cliff.》
The problem wasn’t just one question.
Three questions—meant to completely shatter their spirits and turn their trust in me into doubt.
Even if the trial were cleared, the damage was permanent.
Trust broken could not be repaired.
It would be better to abandon this dungeon altogether.
“I understand.”
I nodded.
《The ‘Will’ laughs and creates a warp to the exit.》
A path leading out—a warp shimmered open.
Good. Now it was clear.
There was nothing this thing could do to me.
But that wasn’t all I realized.
“Demigod’s Will. You’re here, aren’t you.”
A smile spread across my lips.
Where I was standing—
This was no trial room.
This was the Will’s domain—close enough for it to speak to me directly.
It was nearby.
Once the party cleared their trials, the Will would appear.
The Will wanted me to withdraw.
But—
“This will be the final trial. The end of this dungeon—and your end.”
I fully intended to kill it.
《The ‘Will’ scoffs.》
《The ‘Will’ is confident.》
《It believes they will never tell the truth.》
《And even if they do, the trial will not break.》
Ну и мерзкая фигня эта ваша воля