Chapter 123

– How much time is left? What time is it now?

└ It’s 10 o’clock. About an hour left.

– I’ve skipped all the story parts I could, but I don’t think I can reduce the battle time more than this.

– There’s too much boss health with the 10/10/10 setup.

– Isn’t the third part’s boss the Pope? If Sariel and Ramiel didn’t make eye contact, I could have skipped it, but why didn’t I?

– (Manager 1): Before going into the third part boss battle, we need to do some groundwork by killing angels and saving Daniel.

└ (Manager 2): + We have to release them, not just kill them.

– To let Daniel go? What the hell, hahaha.

└ It’s the source of all evil; how can I tolerate this?

– The fact that I haven’t died even once until now is more impressive.

└ This is really nonsensical play.

└ Adella has become incredibly strong, so it’s a bit easier than the first part.

[LG Chaos: The finale has a double lariat pattern. Be careful as the mid-range can inflict instant death judgment that cannot be blocked!]

[Veixel: Adella is turning around, so don’t dodge in advance and just keep slicing as much as you can!]

– It’s instant death judgment, but I have to slice as much as I can, hahaha! How do I do that?

– That’s something No Name can do.

– It’s hard to even follow with my eyes.

Words that sound easy to say were poured out one after another toward Name.

But with mechanically precise movements, she deflects the swords of the other angels.

She grabs the head of the other angel, buzzing like a fly, and slams it into the ground.

Without Name having to say a word, Adella ended the battle by embedding her dagger into its heart.

Ka-kang-!

A crack formed in the spot where the other angels had been.

The statue served as a seal stone.

The barren land that couldn’t even grow a single pol was split into two, and a mechanical sound of gears operating flowed out from the crack.

Clink-clink-

A massive animal cage, which you would see at a circus, rose from the ground.

And inside, Name could easily discern the collapsed individuals.

“Daniel, Remy…”

The harsh sunlight helped Daniel regain consciousness as he rubbed his eyes. It took time for his pupils to adjust since he hadn’t seen light for a long time.

Seeing the familiar figures of two women outside the prison, Daniel smiled brightly.

“Adella! Forest Guardian! You’ve come to save us!”

Daniel, standing up while holding the bars, had a beaming expression.

Upon seeing that, Adella clenched her teeth.

“How could you…! Because of you, both our Abyss and No Name could have died!”

“What are you talking about, Adella? I’m…”

“I came knowing everything… You puppet of the Empire!”

Adella swung her fist through the bars.

With that blow, Daniel flew to the opposite side and collapsed helplessly.

“If you hadn’t lured Gestalt, this wouldn’t have happened. Why did you do it?”

Adella pleaded with almost a crying voice.

How many regressions had there been because of that nonsensical invasion plan?

“I almost died because of you! No, surely everyone died! You pushed us into the abyss even knowing that!”

Adella could vividly recall all memories from every regression as if they occurred yesterday.

“Speak! Why did you do it?”

“Do you really act like I did everything wrong?”

“Uh?”

With both hands gripping the bars, Daniel raised his voice in anger.

“Did I steal the laurel? Did I personally oversee Wigrasil’s experiments? I just followed along with everything. I’m a victim too!”

“This… this…”

“I knew everything, including that Remy is our mom, right? Can you even empathize with my situation? Mom is being held hostage by the Empire, and if the Holy Nation finds out my identity, my head will roll immediately. No, you absolutely wouldn’t understand. People like you, street trash, have nothing precious to protect!”

With bloodshot eyes, he continued to pour out his grievances. Each of his words felt disgusting to Adella, who shut her ears, yet he persisted.

“For ten years, I’ve been hiding from the Holy Nation, which wants to find and kill us at any moment. The slaves sacrificed for the experiment? Who cares, whether dying from starvation on the streets or in the forest, it’s all the same.”

“So, you know that Wigrasil is a demon summoning ritual, and you executed such deeds?”

“Demons? Ha. Listen closely. No matter what demon is summoned, it’ll be better than this world.”

“What?”

The essence of recapturing the laurel ultimately lay in the power struggle of demon worshippers.

The Imperial front, led by the Crown Prince, hid Wigrasil’s growth thoroughly, using the guise of purifying the forest to deceive the Emperor.

However, the truth cannot be hidden forever. While naïve envoys were transferring the laurel, it was discovered by spies planted by the Holy Nation, including Professor Cronicle.

The Empire and the Holy Nation attacked the envoy to take the laurel by force, resulting in the scattering of five laurel branches.

“Anyway, this world has already been handed over to demon worshippers. The Empire and the Holy Nation, all of them! It’d be better if one side wins quickly, ending the war!”

The Pope worshipping Baal-Zebub, and the Crown Prince worshipping Belphegor.

Not to mention the various fanatics serving other demons littering the grounds.

Daniel, who knew the true power of the laurel, intended to use the cycle’s laurel as a bargaining chip to negotiate with someone who could heal his mother, but felt threatened by Name’s sudden appearance and had no choice but to hand it over.

If she were to side with either the Empire or the Holy Nation, he would have lost his life before the laurel even mattered.

“Then, the reason for planning the Academy invasion operation is…!”

“Gestalt contacted the headquarters to verify my identity? I had no choice but to remain in the Empire for a long time.”

He sent an anonymous tip to Professor Cronicle to destroy evidence and made the rest of the unaware members betray him regarding the laurel.

The Abyss Branch 15, now vacant, was crushed by Professor Cronicle, and Daniel seized the confusion to escape. At first glance, it was a perfect operation.

However, becoming suspicious, Professor Cronicle informed the Holy Nation’s Inquisitor in advance, unraveling his plan.

“I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you!”

“Do you think I’m explaining this to you without believing in anything? You’re monsters who could kill me anytime, right? You’re looking for the laurel of creation, right? I assure you, unless you have the Execution Sword of the Breaking Spell, you will never defeat the Pope. I know its location.”

Daniel said with a sense of conviction.

Affectionately petting Remy’s head, who was flinching at the sound of their shouting, he continued,

“Get Remy and me out of here. I won’t ask for anything more. Why are you looking at me so fearfully? The weak live like this, as cowards. Don’t blame me; blame this world.”

“…”

“You don’t even know where Gestalt is now, do you? If you don’t make a decision quickly, that guy might just die, you know?”

Currently, the laurel in Name’s possession consisted of ‘Reincarnation’, ‘Life’, and ‘Diligence’.

‘Creation’ was in the Pope’s hands, and ‘Death’ still remained undetermined.

[Save the Graduate Student: If you just let Daniel and Remy go, I’ll reveal the random spawning coordinates of the Execution Sword of Breaking Spell. There’s a chance Daniel might lie on the first try, so don’t just kill him outright just because he told you. If you find it’s not there, you have to go back and argue about it.]

“Older sister! Are you going to believe that guy? He’s been lying the whole time! Because of whom did we end up in this situation!”

– It’s really tempting to just kill this one, I swear~

– Without the Execution Sword of Breaking Spell, the Pope really can’t be dealt with?

└ We need to dodge the madmen while also searching for the Life Vessel.

– Let’s harden our hearts. If we kill him here, Adella will die too.

– If it weren’t for the time attack, I could just slice him down!

– Are there really that many spawning places for the Execution Sword of Breaking Spell?

└ There are a ton, at least 30 minutes, if unlucky it could take over two hours.

[Save the Graduate Student: If you’re not serious, please? If you kill him, you really won’t break in time!]

“What are you worrying about? What if he betrays us again?!”

Daniel exuded confidence. In contrast, Adella pleaded, her eyes glistening.

“Right now, you’re… merely a vessel for that body… Have you ever imagined the pain the original owner went through? You have enough ability. You can easily defeat the Pope without that Execution Sword!”

Suddenly, Adella mentioned the term ‘possession’.

– ???????

– ?????

– Did you just say possession?

– What? How did you know?

– I’m starting to feel scared now.

– Has she realized the existence of the player?

– dddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

– Ugh, I need to sleep early today and have to work tomorrow, but I’m doomed now.

– You said there’s no script after the first part! What in the world is this!

Startled by the sudden words, Name bit her lip.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Um… I’m not sure, but you must be an angel from another world? Anyway, you certainly said that yourself. At night.”

– ?

– If you skipped the story, then who did you talk to?

– 77yaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!

– Hahahahaha, this is crazy.

– Is the end of humanity’s era finally coming?

“I understand that we need to retrieve the laurel as soon as possible. But does it make sense to say we should let that guy live to figure a way to defeat the Pope? We’ve died multiple times to escape from that hellish Academy! Not to mention, we don’t need to hold back like some kind of demon!”

Adella thought the two years after failing the Academy exam were hellish, but she had already adapted to that life.

And she hated Daniel, who thoroughly destroyed that adaptation, wanting to stab him immediately.

If it weren’t for his deception, wouldn’t there have been days where she would get along well with the other members? She continued to persuade Name.

Name hesitated, mumbling her answer while continuously blinking her eyes, scanning Adella’s face and body.

“Demon… Demon… Let’s have a chat later.”

Name picked up her sword.

Adella flinched and took a step back.

Regardless, Name took one step, two steps closer to the barred cell, splashing muddy water all around, soiling the green grass.

“Get me out quickly. I’ve been here long enough, and it’s starting to itch.”

“I understand all of your actions, Daniel. You must have done your best to protect your mother without forsaking the celestial order, and given the harsh world, it was unavoidable.”

“Older sister, no, No Name!”

“Indeed… I thought you would understand. You must have abandoned all your comrades in the forest and escaped too, right?”

Adella and Daniel displayed contrasting emotions.

“But the celestial order alone isn’t a reason why I can forgive you. Is that really the only reason I shouldn’t kill you here?”

“Are you joking? If you kill me… Even if the Pope died and came back, he couldn’t win! Do I look like I’m lying?”

“When you win money in gambling, you think it’s all because of your skills, but why do you think when you lose money, it’s all someone else’s fault?”

“No. No way… You can’t do that. You shouldn’t do that to me! You better think it through. If you kill me, you all will die in the Papacy!”

“If you step into the gambling den, you have to pay up when you leave. It’s a natural fact.”

Name drew her sword.

Daniel ran to the opposite side of the cell, trying to distance himself as much as possible, but the sword’s blade shimmering in Name’s hand could pierce right through the entire prison.

Her unwavering, chilling gaze assured that she intended to kill him.

Daniel felt pain in his chest as his heart raced uncontrollably.

I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die.

Clutching one side of his chest, the man knelt on the cold iron floor.

When he realized that it wasn’t just fear causing the pain in his chest, through the closing bars, he saw Name’s expression, devoid of emotion.

“You’re an adult, after all? You need to take responsibility.”