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Was it that I had lost consciousness for a moment? Hearing my name called, my awareness returned. I struggled to open my eyes and raised my head.

Through the blurry focus, I saw a woman with ash-gray hair clad in white armor.

Like a white flower blooming amidst the ruins. Noble and beautiful.

As I stared blankly at her, she knelt on one knee and spoke with a bitter look in her eyes.

“You survived.”

Though her voice was sweet, her tone was blunt. Still, the moment I heard it, a smile naturally formed on my face.

“……”

I tried to speak, but no sound came out. I took a breath and tried again. It failed.

Then she took my hand. A warm energy flowed into my body, bringing a slight vitality back into me.

The pain subsided significantly. However, my dying body showed no signs of recovery.

At most, it seemed I had bought a brief amount of time. I couldn’t afford to waste this precious time.

“Is it over?”

At my question, she nodded heavily.

“Yes, look over there.”

I followed her hand as she pointed. Far away, one of the divine beings from the Outer Seas, which sought to bring this world to ruin, lay motionless on the ground.

As I beheld that utterly disastrous sight, a great upheaval occurred within me.

A powerful sensation surged up from deep within my body, and a flash of lightning seemed to strike in my mind.

A feat.

The moment I realized I had taken a step towards an achievement that no one else had ever dared to reach, the solid wall of growth collapsed, and I finally awakened.

At the same time, a brilliant light emerged within the darkness of my mind.

My polluted spirit cleared, and the reason that had been fading into madness returned to some extent.

A soul star.

The mark of the 6th level and the beginning of hierarchy. At last, I had obtained the soul star that I had longed for.

I had hoped that this might lead to the fabled reconstruction of my body, but unfortunately, such a dramatic change did not occur.

It was likely due to my overwhelmingly insufficient magic and the physical limits I had reached. It was disappointing.

But that’s okay. I had gained a reprieve from death. That alone was more than enough to satisfy me.

As she watched silently, Abella spoke to me again.

“You’ve achieved your goal.”

“Aren’t you going to congratulate me?”

“You already know how I feel without me saying it.”

Her uncharacteristic joke made me chuckle.

“Thanks to you, I’ve achieved all my dreams. Though I don’t like that it happened right before my death, at least I can leave without any regrets.”

“……”

“What about the others? If they’ve come to their senses, shouldn’t they come over and at least congratulate me? Even if they hate me, we spent a long time together; they could do at least that much, couldn’t they?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Hmm?”

“They’re all dead. You’re the only one who survived.”

I was momentarily speechless. Silence hung in the air. As I chewed over her words, I realized just how unbelievable the being she had killed truly was.

A foe so powerful that even those mighty enough to shake the world could not survive.

Now that I looked, she wasn’t in great shape either. I hadn’t noticed before because she was covered in blood.

Even the armor she wore, bestowed upon her directly by one of the Twelve Lords, was cracked and broken in several places.

“The weakest one lived the longest. How ironic.”

“You were just lucky.”

“Is that so? Luck, huh… not exactly a word I’d associate with myself.”

“……”

“Abella, you know what? When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a hero.”

“……”

Ian began to speak in a quiet voice, reminiscing about the past. It was a story he had never shared, not even when he was drunk.

Even when someone asked, he would only give a bitter smile and remain silent. Knowing this, Abella listened intently.

“I had brilliant talent. With the strong Berger family backing me, I was certain it was possible. But it wasn’t. By the time I became an adult, I realized there was always someone better.”

“……”

“If it had been just one person, I might have thought it was possible. But no, there were several. They were the true heroes in the making. Unique personalities, outstanding talents, exceptional looks. There was nothing to criticize about them. Well, except for their terrible personalities.”

“…I see.”

“Knowing that people like them existed made life feel terribly hollow. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I spent my days in a foolishly lethargic state.”

“Weren’t the people around you disappointed?”

“Of course, they were. My father especially. I couldn’t bear it. My siblings… they tried to help me, but even their concern became something I detested. I just wanted to forget everything. So I drank. Every day. People mocked me, and I became a wreck, indifferent to their jeers.”

“But you pulled yourself together, even if it was late.”

“Yeah, I did. Far too late.”

I recalled the past with a tinge of regret. As I wasted away and became a useless person, I happened to hear a story about treasure hunters.

They said that if you crossed the defensive line and retrieved relics from the fallen Zyle Empire, you could gain wealth and fame.

“It wasn’t the money I cared about, but the fame.”

Even if I couldn’t be the hero praised by everyone, I thought I could at least make my name known in the world.

So I gathered some money and left secretly.

I tried to become a treasure hunter. But the world was not so kind.

Without my family’s backing, I was nothing. The job of a treasure hunter was no different from being a mercenary.

“To survive, I had to do things that made me sick. I had to swallow my pride.”

Not only that, but the job required various skills, so I had to learn all sorts of trades.

Had it not been for the knowledge I had accumulated as a child, it would have been truly miserable.

I considered returning to my family, but I gritted my teeth and endured, knowing I would only become a laughingstock.

“I’ve been in countless battles, risking my life.”

There were many times I almost died. I was stupidly exploited and foolishly betrayed. But I survived and gained experience.

After much hardship, I found a few relics and made the name ‘Ian’ fairly well-known. Some people from my family even came to find me, but I didn’t go back.

I was still too lacking to return.

So, I continued my wandering life as a treasure hunter and mercenary, eventually reaching the level 5 that people commonly called ‘master.’

It was a level of skill that would be respected anywhere, but I wasn’t satisfied. I aimed for an even higher state.

“And then you met me. Did you know who I was?”

“I knew the moment I saw you. Abella, that you were one of the Twelve Lords’ chosen warriors who ruled the world on behalf of the Gods. But I must say, our first meeting left quite an impression.”

“In what way?”

“You were stunningly beautiful, but it was what you said that surprised me. Do you remember?”

“Of course. Sadly, this world is on the brink of destruction.”

“Yes, that’s right. Even a three-year-old would nod their head, knowing the truth of it. The world was indeed on the brink, just as you said.”

The Outer Seas, as they were called, were places where transcendental beings known as Outer Gods resided.

They tore through space from beyond dimensions, sending forth grotesque monsters with strange powers into our world.

Their purpose was unknown. Scholars proposed various theories, but none were proven.

The only certainty was this:

The beings known as Outer Gods were not friendly.

The invasion of the Outer Seas began centuries ago, leading to the fall of many nations and even the decline of the once-great Empire.

As the situation grew more dire, humanity finally united across all races to fight against the Outer Seas, but that was ancient history.

Perhaps due to the complacency that came from the remarkable achievement of repelling the first invasion of the Outer Gods, the unity that once existed gradually faded over time, until today, the appearance of monsters was seen as a routine occurrence.

Abella smiled faintly.

“Yes, it was easier to talk to you because you recognized that.”

“…Honestly, at the time, I thought you were just spouting nonsense.”

“Did you?”

“I did. You said the Outer Gods’ invasion would begin in earnest again. And that wasn’t all, was it? You said monsters would swarm the world, and humanity, caught off guard, would be helplessly overwhelmed.”

“And wasn’t that exactly what happened?”

“I didn’t know at the time.”

“…Then why did you follow me back then?”

“Because I was curious. You spoke with such certainty, like someone who had seen the future, and asked for my help, insignificant as I was.”

“Hmm. You must have misunderstood something. You were not insignificant, Ian. At that time, you were the only one who dared to venture into the fallen Zyle Empire’s territory as if it were your own backyard.”

“No, there were exploration teams, Pillars, and even the Fallen Emperor at the time.”

Abella fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

“Let me correct myself. You were the only guide I could trust and who would follow my lead. Did you have any complaints?”

“No, of course not. I was honored.”

“……”

“At that time, I thought this might be my chance to become the hero I had dreamed of as a child. ‘Ian the Guide, who led the hero and their companions.’ I imagined that’s what would be written on my tombstone and decided to join you.”

“In the end, that’s what happened.”

“Yes, that’s what happened. If you could just set up my tombstone for me.”

He continued speaking.

“As we traveled together, I realized, Abella, that you were truly a noble and upright person. You were like the protagonist of a fairy tale. I admired you and wanted to be like you—both your character and your strength.”

“Did you?”

Whenever a group of monsters appeared, the hero would charge in without hesitation, and when a beast emerged, she would bravely confront it, leading the charge.

She grew stronger at an incredible pace. The same was true for the companions who traveled with her.

“Trying to keep up with you all made me grow as well. I thought I’d split in half.”

Of course, it wasn’t easy. The hero and her companions were always ahead.

“When I walked, you all ran. When I ran, it felt like you all were flying. It was overwhelming.”

But I didn’t give up, as I had when I was younger. Having experienced it once before, I just accepted it and kept trying.

“Ian, just so you know, everyone liked you for that.”

“Really? Well, I did receive some kindness. They all teased me, saying I should have put in more effort when I was younger. But now they’re all dead, and I’m about to die too. Hmm, maybe that’s why I’m talking about all this.”

“……”

“Well, it’s not so bad. It was a life full of regrets, but I’m one of those who saved the world with the hero, after all.”

“……”

“Ha, I’m happy. Awakening just once allows me to say everything I want before I die… This is truly what you’d call good fortune.”

“……”

“Abella, before it’s too late, let me ask one favor.”

“No. Sorry, but I can’t grant that.”

“It’s not that difficult a request.”

“No.”

Her refusal was so firm that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“How cold. We have a connection, don’t we?”

“It’s not that. I… I’m going to start over.”

“…What?”

Start over?

“Start what?”

“Everything, from the beginning. Now that we’ve succeeded in killing an Outer God, we can do better next time. I can’t accept this ending, where everyone dies and I’m the only one left. To be honest… this is a failure.”

“Kuek. Why… why do you think that way?”

My body began to feel heavier. It meant the end was near.

“Because the Outer Gods are not just one. This was only the beginning. They weren’t supposed to die here. Neither were you.”

I was confused. Honestly, I didn’t understand what she meant.

I wanted to ask for more details, but I couldn’t speak, and my body, perched on the steps, slumped forward. She caught me.

“Ian. Thank you. I was able to come this far because of you. And… I’m sorry.”

For some reason, she apologized. It didn’t suit her at all. I wanted to say it was okay, but I didn’t have the strength.

My vision darkened. I could barely hear her voice. Silence was coming.

‘This is the end.’

That’s what I thought.

But.

It wasn’t.

Not yet.

——–