120 - A Collapsing World
“Sis! Your body... your body...?”
It was the moment I'd just defeated Baalzebub. My head spun, the world went dark like anemia had hit me, and my legs turned to jelly. It felt familiar, like that time before... Yeah, back when I pushed myself too hard in the capsule without caring for my body and got kicked out of the game world. Only Adella's voice faintly reached me. What was she saying?
“Hic... What is this... Why can't I grab it... Hic... Waaah!”
Adella kept swinging her arms desperately, but nothing was there for her to catch. I'd beaten the annoying flies, and now all that was left was the final boss... I'd overlooked the story too much. I figured even if Adella was alive, a boss would show up somehow. I should've prepared for the possibility of no boss. But how? It's not like a new boss spawns separately—what then for clearing? This was way beyond what I could prepare for.
Adella's figure faded like a stone sinking into a pond. A familiar sight unfolded before me: a tiny 3-pyeong room with a bed, table, and chalkboard. Somehow, my body was slumped in the armchair, but I jumped up and turned on the login screen right away. I couldn't log back into World of Arceria.
Access denied for User NoName#3947292
Error Code: 75015
Refer to the system event log for details.
“Why? The time limit hasn't passed yet?”
It was still 10:24 PM.
The viewers hadn't even gotten to savor the clear's joy before they were hit with bewilderment. Maintenance hadn't even started.
Access denied for User NoName#3947292
Access denied for User NoName#3947292
Access denied for User NoName#3947292
No matter how many times I clicked the World Tree icon, the result was the same.
“No matter what I try, it won't work...”
As they suggested, even creating a new account or restarting the stream didn't help—the World of Arceria icon stayed silent.
“Nothing works... Haa... seriously...”
“I'm not crying over something like this. Ah, but... Haaa...”
“I think it was Q39Z487YO166ML4338JA. Thanks for the help.”
Tick-tock, time kept passing. Pacing in circles made my limbs tingle like muscle pain hitting all at once. Above all, my whole body felt wrung out like a rag—I was exhausted. If I let my mind slip here, I'd probably get booted from the capsule too. What the hell should I do now? Helplessness always makes me feel the smallest. Like when I was perfectly trapped in the capsule, unable to escape, feeling like I was nothing.
It was 10:55 PM. No reply from customer support, of course. Earliest would be tomorrow at 9 AM. I held back the urge to tear my hair out and took deep breaths. Nothing improved. After doing it once, twice, dozens of times...
Ding— the chime signaling 11 PM rang out. I pulled up the window I'd shoved aside.
ipfs://worldofarceria.waresoft.com/ko-kr/
The notice window just had the emergency maintenance schedule the viewers mentioned, posted plainly. Countless comments burned with protests, but no operator response yet.
Back on the homepage, the World of Arceria trailer auto-played. Lush forest scenery flashed by, then the dazzling imperial capital and Remnant Academy appeared. Students in uniforms sparring with swords and magic spotted the screen and grinned widely. At the entrance to Letiskaya Cave—which I'd rushed through to catch Nocturne—bats poured out, startling Luna Pavilis into falling on her butt. The screen cut to the hero party visiting the Holy Kingdom, reuniting with Repi and Daniel, as a kindly pope arrived to baptize them with holy water. Scenes I'd have seen on normal difficulty. I'd had plenty of chances to pick difficulty again. But stubbornness stopped me. Nightmare mode didn't faze me much anyway—the monsters and enemies were small fry. That flimsy pride and obstinacy caused this mess. Unease had crept in with the error messages mid-run, but now it was too late to turn back. Not just protecting memories with her, but now I had a definite reason to talk to Adella: I was sure I'd seen her somewhere before. In my past life.
“Adella...”
A soft, gentle voice called her name. Shivering from the chill aura, her long lashes slowly lifted.
“Nya... Where am I nya...”
“Wynier Inn, District 3 of the capital.”
“Uwoong... Right nya... Eh? Wait, what? District 3?”
Adella tried to sit up in a hurry and tumbled off the bed. Hitting her head with a cute thud, she let out an “oww” before flattening to the floor and scanning around.
“NoName, did we... actually do it nya?”
“Yeah. We recovered both World Trees, Abyss allies are safe, and above all, we survived. You don't have to die anymore, Adella.”
“Hic... Hnyaang! We did it nya... Hic... Sis, do you know how scared I was nya...! Hnng...”
She threw herself at the golden-haired woman. Warmth. A heartbeat. Tears of relief streaming, Adella clung to her embrace for a long while.
“You've been through a lot, Adella. Dying over and over.”
“That's what I should say to you! What were you thinking nya! And what was that regression...! Was that the World Tree's power too nya?”
“No, not the World Tree. Something even more advanced, Adella.”
“Anyway, I'm so glad you're back... Really glad... Why'd you go that far for me nya...”
“Because I know you better than anyone.”
“You know me? You know me?”
“Yeah. Maybe even better than you know yourself.”
“Lies again... I can't trust you anymore, sis.”
Adella whipped her head away. The golden-haired woman wrapped around her, pulling her close. Startled by the sudden skinship, Adella gasped.
“Wh-what are you...?”
“Pat pat.”
The hand stroking her crown slid down her back, pausing at the base of her tail for light taps. Each vibration widened her eyes. Adella swallowed a moan as her nerves sparked.
“Stop now...”
But the hand grabbed her silver tail lightly, stroking from root to tip in one go.
“Hiiiik!”
A sound escaped unbidden. Adella grabbed her shoulders, shaking in protest.
“Y-you... you're crazy nya? Catfolk tails are super sensitive!”
“Weird. I thought it felt good.”
“Forget good or bad—touching without permission is rude nya!”
That was Adella's first meeting with “Night NoName.” Not literally only at night (time-wise, it was morning), but the nickname fit her personality perfectly for convenience.
“Don't just strip anywhere like that!”
“Adella? Can you apply some ointment to my back?”
“You're not a kid, you can do that yourself... Eh...?”
Peeking through fingers covering her face, Adella froze at the sight of the Keeper's pale back, scarred horrifically.
“Wounds... What the hell nya...? Who did this!”
Deep sword gashes, puncture marks—dozens of scars littered her body. Spreading thin white cream, Adella bit her lower lip hard.
“Were you... a slave before nya?”
“Good deduction. Similar, but a bit different.”
“Didn't it hurt...?”
“I don't perceive the past. I just remember it.”
She explained Arseria Forest and the World Tree's truth to Adella. Furious at the empire's cruelty, Adella learned child slaves without ointment were sacrificed for Yggdrasil's growth—and she might have been too. Knowing the world's secret, Adella wiped tears again. Her goal: return the soul called “World Tree” to seal the demon fragments forever.
“But why you, sis? No one even knows.”
Her answer was simple yet profound.
“For you. For the clear. And this is as far as I go. If you want to see me, keep beating Mephistopheles.”
Unable to understand, Adella met another morning without Night's form. Now, she couldn't even remember her name. But Adella got the gist: defeat Mephistopheles with Day NoName, the “angel.” Some conflict over disposing of Daniel, but Adella turned her heart. The angel's powers were limitless. She dispelled Repi's polymorph, curing an incurable disease instantly; sealed a great demon summoned underground forever. It should have been a perfect day. It was meant to be.
Yet she sat on the edge of a sheer cliff, gazing at the sky.
This World is currently under Maintenance.
Error 3003
Similar to when NoName died, but different text filled the sky. The world turned monochrome, crumbling from the edges.
“Heh... Am I dreaming a nightmare? If so, I hope I wake up soon...”
Even as a dream, this was too scary.