73. Harvest's Deadly Door

Regression—what is it, really?

People often say it happens when you're filled with regret or deep remorse right before death.

I'd just awakened the regression trait and kept looping back, that's all.

The Eternally Cursed Body trait was ultimately one that awakened from the black seed Balpador—demoted from god to demon by the previous Demon King—had planted on Earth out of spite.

Whether I got cursed because I awakened a trait that would make me the Demon King, or if awakening that cursed trait turned me into one, it's unclear.

But from Balpador's memories, the Dark Queen had sent him to the demon world to find a "Demon King," so no matter the cause, my awakening that trait probably wasn't unrelated to her.

Even so.

The fact that Irkalla knew I was a regressor—and even the exact number of loops—was truly unexpected.

Is it something a god can see?

But both Baldr and Balpador were once gods. Even fallen to the demon world, their existence's rank doesn't vanish. It just gets corrupted.

Balpador himself hadn't expected a true Demon King to emerge from the black seed he planted in a human.

Which means he surely didn't know the trait that awakened me as the Demon King would also cause regressions.

And Baldr had met me across 998 loops but never once noticed I was a regressor.

Yet Irkalla knew about something even they hadn't noticed, so there had to be some other reason.

She'd been living with me like family, making me forget her true nature, but every so often, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this woman in front of me reminded me she was the goddess of the underworld—the Dark Queen.

"How... how did you know I'm a regressor? And the exact number of times, too."

As I glared at her warily, Irkalla let out a deep sigh without thinking.

"Hmm, how to explain it? It's too long a story to cover everything."

"Long or short, just tell me."

Irkalla trudged toward me.

Already on guard, I tensed, ready to draw the holy sword from my side at any moment.

"You've got a ton of questions and things that don't make sense. Still..."

Irkalla's face drew so close it nearly touched mine.

Her sparkling black eyes were even clearer up close.

"Don't forget I came for you. That's the only truth that matters."

"...Bullshit. Explain it properly."

Seeing me unmoved and still wary despite her sincere words, a subtle expression flickered across Irkalla's face.

"Tch, fine. If that's what you want, I'll explain properly."

"Smart choice."

Irkalla poked the unconscious dark dragon with her foot.

"But only once you can properly use the Control Tower. I can't tell you now."

"What? What's the Control Tower got to do with this?!"

"Can't say if it's related or not yet, either. So, what'll it be? I rather like you glaring at me like this endlessly."

"Fine. We'll guard the Control Tower, then we'll see."

"Humans say the ones who say 'we'll see' aren't scary. Guess it's true."

"Kuh!"

Irritated, I smacked the dark dragon's cheek to wake it.

"Hey! Snap out of it."

Kiiiii.

The dark dragon weakly opened its eyes and looked at us.

"From now on, you're guarding this dungeon and tending the World Trees I planted. Do that, and I'll let you live. Got it?"

Kiiiii.

The dark dragon barely lifted its head and nodded.

If you wipe out every monster in a dungeon, it's judged cleared, so at least one demonic creature has to survive inside to keep it active.

Right now, this dark dragon was the only survivor here, so I couldn't kill it—I had to use it as a limb to maintain the dungeon and farm the World Trees properly.

First things first: cast a skill to bind this boss monster firmly.

"Irkalla."

"What."

"Put an Existence Oath on this dragon. You can do it, right? It's your old skill."

"Existence Oath isn't for lowly things like this. It's a loyalty oath for god-rank beings to form master-servant bonds..."

"So you can't?"

"It's not that I can't. Sigh."

Irkalla sighed briefly, then blew a bit of dark energy into the dark dragon.

Its translucent, lifeless body darkened again like the night sky, sparkling.

Kiiiii...

Regaining some energy, it shrank further, down to the size of a village serpent.

When Irkalla extended her hand, it slithered onto her palm and coiled obediently.

"This size is perfect. It'll listen and obey, so no worries."

"Oh? Really?"

"Yes. The dark energy inside it is mine to reclaim anytime. It knows that, so no funny business."

"Hm, makes sense. Disobey orders, and it loses its life, after all."

I nodded at Irkalla's simple yet wise idea.

"Now, time to make dark creatures. Irkalla, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spread dark energy wide."

"You fussed about danger coming to Earth, opposed it, and now you're all 'do this, do that.' Using me well, huh."

"Ahem... Ah! Gotta earn your keep. Your keep."

"How much do I even eat that you're on about keep?"

"What?! How much...?"

Irkalla normally ate for 15 people. If I weren't a hero and unawakened civilian, the food bill would've bankrupted me.

As I stared in disbelief, Irkalla quickly averted her eyes and scattered dark energy evenly across the dungeon floor.

I drew the Harvest's Deadly Door.

I'd thought this divine artifact from a god would just work if I swung it around, but it required a proper procedure.

I selected New Farm Construction first.

What? Paid construction?

I couldn't hide my surprise.

Helons were units of dark energy.

I had none left, and Irkalla's supply seemed limited too.

The dark energy we'd taken from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dark dragon was mostly used to seed the farm, so little remained.

As if reading my thoughts, the system messaged again.

I hit Y for now.

It hurt to use dark energy needed for creatures, but without a farm, I couldn't make any anyway.

I couldn't help but feel ridiculous and bitter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠debating whether to use 1,000 units of dark energy.

I didn't care when I was burning through it like crazy... but now that it's gone, it feels precious.

Like falling from billionaire to homeless overnight.

Me... scrimping on dark energy!

But revive that nasty trait just to use it again? Hell no.

So I'd have to make do sparingly.

I hit Y to start helon generation.

"Ha!"

A hollow laugh escaped me. What was this, some K-mobile game? Random rates?!

Put in 1,000, get 2,000.

Did I really need to waste precious dark energy? But without enough, it was useless anyway.

I didn't trust probability, but my luck was 999.

Had to try to the end.

"Oh ho!"

A decent amount this time.

Keep it up like this!

I gripped the massive scythe with both hands, praying for luck.

And then.

"Kuh!"

Chanting desperately while clutching the scythe, I collapsed from exhaustion.

55 helons? What the hell.

Probability rose, but the payout sucked.

Did my luck only work for skill acquisition?

Seeing my dazed face, Irkalla approached.

"Why the distraught look? Not like you."

"Ah! Right, Irkalla, you try holding this! Who knows, maybe you'll hit the jackpot!"

"Hm? Jackpot? What's that?"

"Come on, quick!"

"Kwon Mu-hyuk, your eyes look crazy. Not like you."

Irkalla frowned but gripped the Harvest's Deadly Door with me anyway.

"Wheeeee! Super! Super! Mega jackpot! Yes! Irkalla forever!"

Too thrilled, I jumped around, then scooped up Irkalla and spun her in circles.

Irkalla, bewildered at first, beamed back at my joyful face.

Up close like this, even the underworld goddess looked adorable.

"Ahem! Anyway, thanks to you, we hit big. Thanks, Irkalla!"

"No idea what I did, but congrats anyway."

"Hahaha..."

After celebrating, the final attempt yielded even less than 55 helons.

But who cared.

Now I could build farms and spawn creatures freely.

And so...

A month later, Irkalla and I finished the creature farm excitedly, harvested plenty of Corrupted Demonic World Tree points, and exited the dungeon.

Then I saw something totally unexpected.

That's... Baldr!

In a video uploaded by hunters, Baldr was rampaging in the boss room.