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The man who was called ‘Dog Meat Man’ by the girl was dreaming.

He was clearly aware it was a dream, but it was a dream he never wanted to wake up from.

It was a dream from the time he had decided to give up descending into the labyrinth.

Right before he could say, “I will no longer descend into the labyrinth.”

That moment was a dream that seemed to last forever.

As if time had stopped, allowing him to seize the opportunity to change the future.

A dream where he could say, “Let’s keep moving forward in the labyrinth together!”

At the 43rd floor of the labyrinth, a forest thick with coniferous trees.

The weather was so stormy that it was hard to see ahead.

The rain pouring down from the sky, as if a hole had opened, was suspended in time.

He saw himself standing in front of his companions, about to speak with a serious expression.

Perhaps if he were to enter that body now, it would be a dream where time would flow again.

It was a past he wanted to change.

After all, his companions who had gone down below, leaving him at the 43rd floor, never returned.

But the man could not bring himself to say, “Let’s keep moving forward in the labyrinth together!”

Because he was afraid.

Yet, he also lacked the courage to wake up from this dream.

It was a past he wanted to change.

He had neither the courage to alter his past choices nor to affirm his own choices and wake from the dream.

It was simply a dream where he had no choice but to remain frozen in this halted time forever.

Even though it was a dream, even knowing the dreadful future, he could not voice descending into the labyrinth.

From the man’s perspective, who realized the structure of the labyrinth, he could no longer choose to descend.

It was a realization akin to foresight.

The labyrinth granted superhuman power to those who broke through it.

With each level they progressed, stronger powers were bestowed.

It granted adventurers what they typically desired.

Strength, magnificent appearance, magic and swordsmanship, powerful items.

As long as they continued to traverse the labyrinth steadily, those things would become theirs forever.

But nothing was free.

Humans who gained power became strange.

Arrogance and a sense of superiority?

It was not some ordinary “ideal.”

It was madness.

Endless hatred for humanity and nonsensical ramblings of a deranged mind.

And the moment that mental derangement exceeded a certain level, the labyrinth devoured them.

They never returned from the labyrinth.

However, most people could not stop descending into the labyrinth even knowing this.

Because ‘strong power’ was addictive.

He was the only one who stopped descending into the labyrinth after the 30th floor.

The labyrinth’s difficulty, which could have been cleared easily by advancing cautiously like a game.

And the people who went mad upon gaining power.

Considering both of these factors, the purpose of the labyrinth became clear.

The labyrinth was transforming humans into something else.

And it was selecting those who could maintain their sanity amidst that transformation.

Therefore, the man could no longer move forward.

He had already lost himself.

He had no recollection of what he had done in Japan or what kind of person he had been.

Yet, ironically, the foresight he had obtained by losing himself led him to a realization about the structure of the labyrinth.

He stood still, lost in thought for a long time, while the heavy rain that resembled the sky’s tears remained completely unmoving.

In that silent dream where no sounds could be heard, the sound of heavy rain battering against trees and the earth still clung to his ears.

Years had passed already, but the sight of this coniferous forest remained vividly etched in his mind like a brand.

The man, unable to do anything, stood in place, unable to make any choices.

*

The girl stood on the school rooftop, looking down below.

The fiery red sunset painted the world in twilight hues.

She really liked the twilight of Labyrinth City.

The only thing resembling Japan was the twilight.

She loved the twilight of Labyrinth City and the noisy sounds that concluded the day.

The girl closed her eyes and listened to the sounds.

The noise of students bustling around on the playground, creating a ruckus.

The sounds of vehicles and people busily moving about on the street beyond the school.

She listened intently to that peaceful sound.

Even now, when she closed her eyes, she felt like she could hear the sound of rough meat being grilled on well-dried wood and people chattering loudly while drinking.

For some reason, Japan felt far away.

Somehow, it seemed she couldn’t remain in this dream-like fantasy forever.

Although it was a daily life she missed and longed for every night.

She didn’t want to dismiss all the connections she had made in Labyrinth City.

And there was no cute black fairy who was struggling to protect her here.

Returning to school after a long time felt delightful.

So.

The girl bid farewell to the world.

Goodbye until we truly meet again next time.

*

The Black Reaper was hopping around the Mini Reaper Garden.

In front of the jumping Mini Reapers stood the Gray Reaper, wearing the kindest smile in the world, watching the Mini Reapers play.

A kind mom feeding the tired Mini Reapers bites of pudding.

Moving around without snatching the Mini Reapers’ puddings and instead sharing snacks with them.

When the Mini Reapers brought pudding to share, she didn’t run away with it but rather shared it instead.

It was truly a happy Mini Reaper Garden.

After tiring out from playing with the Mini Reapers, the Black Reaper stepped outside the garden, only to be greeted by the Attached Human who worked at the Sehee Research Institute.

Om nom nom.

Sitting on the Attached Human’s palm, he happily munched on the pudding provided by the Attached Human.

So happy.

The mom had become strangely kind and that made him happy.

He was really happy about the change in the research institute’s regulations so that the Attached Human only had to work for just one hour a day.

To think he could stay with the Attached Human all the time!

But the peaceful sky of the Sehee Research Institute was torn apart, bringing an end to that happy moment.

Above the torn sky, a mischievous yellow eye was looking down at the Black Reaper.

It was a nightmare.

At that moment, the Black Reaper woke up in surprise.

*

You must have understood the Tyrannosaurus’s grudge!

I let out a silent roar as I looked down at the Tyrannosaurus-shaped mashed-up labyrinth boss.

Once I smashed the labyrinth boss and came to my senses, I began feeling the burning pain all over my body.

The power extending from the halo was mercilessly scorching me.

I nervously threw off the halo and tossed it to the ground.

The pain from the halo didn’t diminish no matter how many times I used it—it only pained me even more.

Clearly, it was my ability, so I should have become accustomed to it the more I used it.

But it hurt so much that I never wanted to use it again. Yet, driven by revenge against the Tyrannosaurus, I carelessly summoned it above my head.

As the tossed halo returned to the sky, I turned my gaze back to the chaotic scene where the Black Reapers were playing around everywhere.

A Deviant Reaper tending to a girl who had transformed into a bed and was asleep.

The Black Reapers celebrating their victory, hopping here and there in joy.

And the Black Reapers asleep, looking utterly content.

I felt a bit strange seeing the Black Reapers asleep with happy expressions for some reason.

It felt as if they were mocking me.

“Do you guys know why this is happening?”

When I asked why those kids keep sleeping, the Black Reapers shockedly rushed to the sleeping Black Reapers.

Only then did it seem they realized about the sleeping Black Reapers.

Perhaps due to their awareness of their toughness, the Golden Reapers and Black Reapers seemed indifferent to their own injuries.

In stark contrast to how the Blue Reaper cared for the injuries of a newborn as if it were a grievous matter.

They shook shoulders, pulled cheeks, and stretched faces.

They tried every possible means to awaken the sleeping Black Reapers, but the Black Reapers showed no signs of waking up.

Realizing it was an issue they couldn’t handle, the Black Reapers all gathered in front of me, carrying the sleeping Black Reapers.

“Big trouble!”

“Sleeping bell!”

Hearing the Black Reapers’ words, I understood the situation.

It meant they were in a dream, just like me, of an adventure with Tyrannosaurus.

The dream was happy, but reality was harsh, and unfortunately, I had to wake them up.

Even if they looked unbelievably happy, it couldn’t be helped.

It wasn’t that I was envious or anything!

The solution was simple.

Using the ability of the Golden Tree, I would enter their dream and then end the dream with my spatial cut ability!

First, I used the ability of the Golden Tree to enter the dreams of the Black Reapers, and they began waking up in a startle.

Without even having to use spatial cut, why was that?

The Black Reapers who woke up looked around, then rubbed their eyes excessively as if they had seen something strange and finally tearfully gazed at me.

What on earth did the Black Reapers see in their dreams to have such a reaction?

Feeling oddly unsettled, just as I was about to ask something, the entire labyrinth began to shake.

Grrrr.

A sound that didn’t belong to the second floor of the labyrinth, with its pure white plains and inverted trees, echoed.

It felt as if the long-untouched stones and sands had finally begun to turn, caught in the flow of endless time.

The scene of the labyrinth, once flashing chaotically like a broken TV screen, had now transformed into a landscape made of stones and sands.

Snowflakes made of sand were taking flight towards the sky, and a gaunt tree hewn from stone hung from the ceiling.

As the exposed calm and solid stones and sands began to crumble and flow.

Like rivers of sand flowing under the sun of the desert, each grain of sand was spilling down with a soft rustling sound.

That crumbled sand once again formed into a magnificent pillar, rising towards the sky, and a sea of sand defying gravity began to fill the sky.

When the sand-cataclysm that seemed endlessly continuing came to a halt, a vast plain made entirely of sand spread out before my eyes.

Rustle.

The sand that filled the sky in place of the heavens continued to flow, making snake-like sounds across the plains.

A land of sand and a sky of sand.

In the center of that peculiar desert, a tear in space revealed itself.

It felt as if a crack created just in front of me was inviting me.

*

An endlessly flowing space made of sand.

An old man sat in a chair there, opening his sand-filled eyes as he gazed into the labyrinth’s interior.

The old man, who had been watching the Black Sword, was soon looking at the Gray Reaper clad in black armor.

And as the Gray Reaper threw off his black reaper armor and revealed himself, a flicker of surprise passed across the old man’s expressionless face.

[The gray form.]

[Homunculus.]

[The likeness of the Last Alchemist.]

The old man opened his mouth as if smiling.

But his body had turned to sand, so he couldn’t release a sound of laughter.

Instead, his gaping jaw couldn’t maintain its shape and crumbled into sand, spilling down.

[Hahaha.]

[Is that so? Did he succeed?]

[The kid who seemed least likely to succeed actually did.]

[Then I shall try to walk that path of success as well.]

As the old man waved his staff, power was gradually being recalled from the labyrinth back to him.

[I look forward to knowing whether he is worthy of bearing the nine crowns.]

As his own body flowed to sand, the old man released a satisfied wave of magic.