Chapter 47: C-Rank Labyrinth — Nightmare World (5)
Chapter 47: C-Rank Labyrinth — Nightmare World (5)
《Time remaining until the hypocrite goddess’s divine beast finishes absorbing the nightmare: approximately 3 minutes!》
The completion of the labyrinth was close.
Only three minutes.
Just enough time for a cup of instant noodles to cook properly.
But when someone was starving, even a few minutes could feel painfully long.
“The time is going… way too slowly!”
Pendrick, who was sweeping through the army of the dead like Lü Bu thanks to Maku’s buff, said this with a bright smile.
“And the undead are getting stronger!”
As he said, the corpses advancing from every direction grew stronger the later they appeared.
They were sturdy enough not to be cut down in a single blow, some even dodged attacks, and a few moved with something resembling strategy.
If such zombies appeared in a zombie movie, fans would have showered it with boos.
“Astrimia!”
While spraying flames with Spark of Glory, I shouted.
“This is the moment to awaken the second star!”
Astrimia of Joy.
The beautiful turquoise Ego Sword had seven gemstones embedded in its blade like stars.
Their arrangement resembled the Big Dipper—what Americans casually called the “Big Dipper.”
Whenever the user’s level reached a certain threshold, one star lit up and unlocked a new ability.
—Understood! Pendrick!
“…I’m ready!”
Pendrick, who had just managed to kill a zombie black mage stained with murky green magic, steadied his stance.
—Star, rise.
Beside the already shining star, another blue light blossomed.
The second star.
Merak.
A star that weakened enemies and revealed their weak points.
Shhhhh—
Blue light spread across the area centered on the White Land.
The undead caught in the light began slowing down.
At the same time, blue lines and dots appeared on different parts of their bodies, glowing clearly.
—Everyone! Aim for the dots and lines!
Before Astrimia even finished speaking, Pendrick dashed forward and swung his sword.
He struck only the weak points Astrimia revealed.
His stance and movement were still awkward.
But the power was overwhelming.
“……”
Rosalia, who had already eliminated most of the living black mages and priests, began swiftly cutting down the undead one after another.
I couldn’t stand idle either.
“Go peck them all.”
—Caw!
The Eye That Perceives Truth, in the form of a blind crow, flew out of my eye socket and darted through the battlefield, stabbing the glowing blue points on the zombies.
The radiance of Maku, servant of Arteine, blessed everyone equally—even the terminal of an Evil God.
—Hoo!
Perhaps amused by our performance, Maku danced happily in midair while devouring the nightmare.
I briefly grabbed the divine beast and shook it playfully.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
—Hoo!
More than half of the Nightmare World, which had once been filled with oppressive darkness, had transformed into pure white space.
A pure dream powerful enough that Sky Invader constantly reacted to the presence of purity.
The wicked nightmare faded away.
In its place, a noble dream world that allowed the future to be seen was being completed.
—…Hoo.
While dancing with its foreleg wrapped around my shoulder, Maku suddenly stared somewhere with unusual intensity.
The expected reaction.
About 150 seconds left.
Then it happened.
Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the distance.
It was coming.
The final phase of Nightmare World exploration.
A monster that could not be defeated at our current stage.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A giant whose mere steps shook the earth like an earthquake.
The King of the Dead.
Because the nightmare was being absorbed, the distortions in the world had fully awakened the giant from its dormant state.
Now its true appearance was visible.
Crackle!
A grotesque figure that even Sue’je seemed to reject.
A massive decaying body that defied logic, topped with a mountain-like head and a single lonely eye embedded within it.
Its terrifying presence alone clouded the mind.
“…Ah.”
Pendrick and Rosalia staggered briefly.
Without Maku’s radiance protecting us, we would have collapsed immediately.
Of course, we never would have attempted this labyrinth if the dream-realm gimmick allowing Maku’s summoning did not exist.
“Do not be afraid!”
Still holding the soft divine beast, I shouted again.
“It cannot reach us before the time runs out!”
The final phase was not about defeating the King of the Dead.
It was about enduring the mental shock of its approach.
“Ugh…”
“…Destiny approaches.”
The few remaining demon priests and black mages collapsed under the King of the Dead’s pressure.
Since those who had resurrected them were gone, the undead also fell lifelessly.
Thud.
Now there was only one thing left.
Endure.
“Both of you, come here.”
I gathered the expedition members together and hugged Maku.
“Please. Finish before we collapse.”
—Hoo!
As if saying to trust it, Maku inhaled even more violently.
《Estimated time remaining until the nightmare is fully absorbed: approximately 80 seconds!》
The message from Eye That Perceives Truth carried an unusual excitement.
I felt excited too.
How could I not?
We had faced death countless times during this exploration.
Boom!
As the King of the Dead closed the distance, the ground shook so violently it was difficult to remain standing.
The mental pressure from its eye grew stronger.
—Just a little more! Everyone hold on!
While clutching Maku and staring at the giant eye—
—…Hoo?
Maku suddenly flinched.
I widened my eyes as well.
Fwoooosh.
Flames suddenly rained down from empty air, burning the King of the Dead’s gigantic body.
Rain of Life.
A Ninth-Tier Mystery of Leria.
It granted an enormous amount of vitality to whatever it struck.
The King of the Dead, which had been slowly walking toward us, suddenly began running.
…Running?
A pattern that should not exist.
《Stability has been added to that rotting body!》
The Eye That Perceives Truth analyzed the anomaly.
《The King of the Dead has been infused with Leria’s Mystery—specifically Leria as the principal Evil God one thousand years in the future.》
Nightmare World took place in a future where demons ruled the world.
In that timeline, Leria had exterminated the faction of the good gods and ruled the world.
With such immense faith, granting a Mystery to a Level-9 undead was a trivial cost.
《Originally, divine beings were not manifested in this labyrinth. It is likely something newly generated. I do not know why!》
I had a rough idea.
Labyrinth enhancement.
A mechanic that occasionally occurred in B-Rank labyrinths or higher.
Nightmare World was only supposed to be C-Rank.
But labyrinths rarely favored explorers.
Definitely new content.
“Th-this is getting really difficult…”
—Pendrick!
As the King of the Dead rapidly approached, Pendrick collapsed.
His experience was the lowest, so he couldn’t withstand the mental pressure.
Maku hurried down and covered his head, but it was only temporary.
“……”
Rosalia wasn’t much better.
Her face was pale and she was staggering, so I supported her.
The only one still standing was me—simply because I had clung to Maku longer.
“…Hah.”
Though “standing” was generous.
My mind was fading and my body had lost strength.
If I relaxed for even a moment, I would collapse.
《30 seconds remaining.》
《Just a little longer! Endure somehow!》
This wasn’t the time to enjoy a new pattern.
Gripping my fading consciousness, I pulled a small statue from the subspace of Radiant Faith.
A cobra wreathed in flame.
An idol representing the authority of Leria, Watcher of Lonely Silence.
“Leria.”
To honor the silent deity, I covered my eyes with my arm and prayed.
Using the kind of language she favored.
“A fleeting stillness. I yearn for the eternity of the night sky where your gaze rests. Bearing the yearning of inevitable fate, I beg for your silent grace.”
Translation:
Please look this way just once.
“Do not turn away from the cry that pierces the abyss.”
Normally such a prayer would never work.
But I possessed the trait Blind Devotee, which earned unconditional favor from Evil Gods.
Perhaps my enthusiastic customized prayer struck the mark.
Fwoooosh.
The Rain of Life descended over us as well.
Warm flames of life.
【Watcher of Silence who came from the past.】
A suffocatingly quiet voice echoed in my mind.
【You have summoned eternal wrath through a fleeting act of foolishness. Yet considering your humble plea and the spark of potential yet to bloom, I shall withdraw the flames of judgment.】
—Hoo!
Maku howled loudly at the presence of the Evil God but continued devouring the nightmare.
The King of the Dead’s legs began trembling violently only a few steps away.
【If you dare step recklessly into the authority of silence again, your body and soul will burn in extreme flames until the twilight of time.】
I fully intended to remember that warning.
“I am deeply grateful for your boundless grace, Watcher of Lonely Silence.”
After the deity withdrew, I finally lifted my head.
—Hoooo!
The moment Maku absorbed the last of the silent darkness—
The world became pure white.
A pure dream realm.
A world filled with clean light and warm new life.
Nothing impure could exist here.
—The giant… it’s disappearing!
The King of the Dead slowly dissolved from the head down in the white light.
It had been only five steps away.
Unable to crush us at the last moment, it glared at me angrily.
“Yeah, I’d be mad too.”
But so was I.
Relying on the mercy of an Evil God.
That wasn’t the kind of exploration I wanted.
“…Next time we meet in another labyrinth, we’ll settle this properly.”
The King of the Dead appeared in many labyrinths.
Nightmare World was only one.
“And next time, you’ll be the one praying that death doesn’t reach you.”
It would take time.
But someday I would defeat it properly.
A perfect conquest without luck involved.
That was the kind of exploration I pursued.
“Goodbye.”
The King of the Dead tried to take one final step—
Then scattered like white petals.
The demon priests and black mage corpses surrounding us were purified as well.
Shing.
A red gate leading outside appeared before us.
Along with a single white treasure chest.
《The formidable labyrinth Nightmare World has been successfully cleared. The Forerunner of the Twisted Truth applauds your achievements and praises you generously!》
It had been the hardest expedition so far.
But also the most rewarding.