Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Most Important Puzzle Piece
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Anima's conversation with the demon had a huge impact on her disciple, Ludwig.
But there were others even more affected than Ludwig.
Who could they be?
The gods of this world.
They were the gods who watched Anima's refreshing journey during breaks after finishing their work.
But then, a demon appeared before Anima, which was completely unprecedented!!!
How could they hold back from watching!
The gods, like a close-knit family, all gathered together to thrillingly watch the showdown between Anima and the demon—
"""Gah!"""
They couldn't watch!
The gods spat blood from the demon's heavy facts and Anima's responses.
Some gods' lives even dropped to zero, leaving them crawling on the ground.
The gods who suffered severe internal injuries afterward became dejected and simply returned to their own domains.
Still, there were gods who found meaning in the fact that they had corrected those mistakes over time to create the current Middle Realm.
Namely, the Heavenly God Ilusia and the Earth Mother God Elnor.
"Haa... It's heartbreaking that they're like that, and it's more than half our fault..."
"Ilusia, that doesn't mean we can cover for the demons' evil deeds."
The early gods who had placed too much trust in mortals were shocked to see the Middle Realm fall into chaos.
When things didn't improve no matter how long they waited, the gods finally began to intervene.
They even tried to change the demons' nature.
They attempted negotiations to reshape the Middle Realm.
But....
'What? Then you can just become my pet!'
'Pardon?'
'Come on~ Ilusia, call me Master right now.'
They were beasts at heart.
Despite the gods' efforts, the demons didn't reform—instead, they mocked the gods and grew even more vicious.
They tried to turn the Middle Realm into something worse than the trash heap they claimed to have been born into.
The gods were furious at demons who had no intention of improving at all.
In the end, to deal with them decisively, the gods took up arms.
The demons, terrified by the gods' power that slaughtered half of them in an instant, hid behind the Middle Realm as a shield.
It was like parents cutting off a child who had committed 25 prior offenses.
Their decision was ultimately the 'right choice.'
But whether it was truly an 'innocent right choice'...
The gods could not make that judgment on their own.
"In the end, all we can do here is face our mistakes and make better choices."
"Indeed. Beings like us gods can't run from the mistakes and sins we've committed. But... that place has become our sin now too."
Elnor nodded at Ilusia's words after confirming the Abyssal Pit.
Even if the world's will had lied to the gods, and the inside had turned into spaghetti code.
Why on earth was such a being on the first floor!
Not to mention giving poison and then medicine afterward.
Trying to act friendly with the dungeon's inhabitants now would just earn them curses.
"Even if we want to make amends, they've already got everything..."
"The best we can do is make it an independent shadow realm, like how the demons use the Middle Realm as a shield, so nothing from outer space can invade it."
"But what about the administrators there?"
"""Haa......"""
The Abyssal Pit was a collaborative creation of the gods and the world's will.
However, since the gods had ultimately agreed to create it, they struggled to clean up the mess they had made.
Just as the two gods were deep in thought.
There was one odd thing up until now.
"What the hell is that demon doing sticking around with Anima like that?"
"Right?"
It was Aretia.
Moreover, when Anima asked why a demon was in the Middle Realm, Aretia had clearly said.
'I came out of the Demon Realm because of the one you call Father.'
Why was Aretia trying to meet Valak?
Because they were the same demon race?
Valak was currently clad in full-body armor.
Unless they were gods with immense power or dungeon bosses cooperating with Valak, no one could tell what race he was.
Was Valak insanely strong?
The Demon Realm where demons currently lived could be seen as a separate world, like the Abyssal Pit.
Plus, how would she get information on Valak, who was atop a secluded mountain peak before entering the dungeon?
Countless questions surrounded her like that.
"Is she here to get revenge on the Middle Realm, perhaps?"
"That doesn't seem likely; she doesn't appear to harbor much resentment toward the Middle Realm's inhabitants."
"Then what the hell is that alien power of hers?"
"...It feels vaguely familiar, but I have no idea what lineage of power it is."
Seeing Aretia, who wielded a power that felt so alien, deliberately heading toward the Abyssal Pit, the gods had a hunch.
"If we play our cards right, that being could unravel all these mysteries."
"Indeed. That demon must hold the key link."
What the gods were pondering now was also on the minds of the dungeon's internal bosses.
"Just what is that demon's true identity?"
"Moreover, she's the first being Anima encountered after Beren upon exiting the dungeon."
"That means she knew Anima's location from the start. And now she's heading this way."
As everyone held questions in their heads.
Aretia arrived at the entrance to the Abyssal Pit.
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Upon reaching her destination, Aretia took a deep breath.
The scene at the dungeon entrance she saw after steeling herself was....
"Huh...?"
"Looking for a shield expert!! Shield tank!!"
"I-I can wrap bandages well!! I'll take a small share of spirit stones, just please take me with youuu!!!"
"Anyone wanna go all the way to sea voyages?!!"
"Seeking experts for relic exploration!!"
"What the hell, why attack a golem with a sword?!!"
"B-Because that's all the weapon I have..."
"Buy a backup weapon!!"
"Bread's on discount today!!"
Total chaos.
Countless people were lining up to enter the dungeon.
Street stalls selling food lined the surroundings.
Dwarves had brought grindstones and were doing business.
On one side, people were holding up signs and shouting loudly to recruit collaborators beyond their own parties.
Just as Aretia was baffled by what the hell was going on.
Five people strode forward confidently and shouted loudly.
"Our party has a priest! Seeking committed members for sea voyages too! Recruiting 20 people!!!!"
Freeze—!!
As their shout echoed from the entrance, everyone suddenly stopped moving.
Their heads began turning in eerie unison.
In most RPG games, healers make up less than 20% of the total population.
But for hard content like raids, a healer is essential.
However, with such a small population.
And few healers who enjoy hard content, they were treated like royalty.
But what if this became reality?
Clerics serve others at churches.
They pray to gods and build faith.
Unless they were humble folk joining a hero party to save the world, why risk entering a dangerous dungeon for some gain?
Because of that!!
"A p-priest?!"
"They have a priest!"
"Oh my god!!!"
"Ooooh!! Gods above!!"
Those who encountered an ultra-rare healer, even rarer than in games, had no choice but to worship the priest.
With the GOAT's appearance, the entrance turned into a military inspection tougher than a corporate interview.
Thanks to them, the crowd at the dungeon entrance thinned out considerably.
Aretia succeeded in quickly passing through by presenting a fake ID made with magic and hypnotizing the guard.
Afterward, thinking, 'Yeah! The entrance could be like that,' she steeled herself again.
But what she faced inside was—
"Arrrghhh!!!"
"Eeeeek!!!"
"Shall we explore the outskirts of Sky Island this time?"
"How about hitting the hot sea route instead?"
"Or going for the Golden Spirit this time wouldn't be bad."
"Catching a Golden Spirit gives amazing rewards. You'll be too excited to sleep..."
"Kuh?! So this is double gravity!"
"I can't seeee!!!"
"Aigoo... I told you not to ascend if you lack the skills..."
Summer.
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At the vast dungeon entrance, screams of despair echoed from the front.
On the right, various beings were putting on a spectacle from strange devices.
On the left, bright and lively faces gathered.
Aretia was speechless.
'W-What the hell has been going on in this dungeon until now?!'
Aretia vaguely knew that all the bosses in the Abyssal Pit were cooperating.
But who could've guessed that supreme beings who survived eons would swallow their pride and shout.
'Our champion, do whatever you want!'
They were truly competent and wise.
Having checked the first floor's situation with her alien power, Aretia was convinced.
'...No matter what proposal I make, it'll be rejected outright.'
She needed to build a good relationship with Valak right now.
But with the dungeon bosses providing Valak unlimited support, any cards she offered would seem utterly lame.
Moreover, she'd seen Anima reject any proposal that didn't align with her beliefs.
She figured Valak, presumed to have an even stronger disposition than Anima, wouldn't budge for her 'proposal'.
However, Aretia had to move for her race.
Even if it deviated completely from the original plan.
Her eyes gleamed golden as she instantly devised a backup plan.
'The most important thing in negotiations is the first impression you leave on the other party.'
Aretia partially released the seal that had bound her.
Golden mana particles began appearing at the dungeon entrance.
She closed her eyes and breathed calmly.
Thus, becoming the eye of a golden storm, she moved to meet Valak.