[Ending the game.]

The prince returned to the bed of reality and sat up half-way.

“……What a mess.”

I never imagined this at all.

I can’t believe that this guy Orpheus wouldn’t be affected by Save & Load.

Wasn’t the Abyssal Minions the only independent entity in the story?

Or could it be that Orpheus was the Abyssal Minion?

Either way, the story has already broken to an irreparable point.

At this rate, even if I return to the beginning of the story, that guy will also remember this loop.

“How is this possible? It’s just a game, isn’t it?”

To have an enemy that retains its memory, even if everything is reset. This isn’t just a game… it’s like creating a whole world, isn’t it?

The prince felt as if his knowledge about games and programs was being overturned.

“……”

How should a time traveler act when facing an enemy that recognizes and remembers the time travel?

The prince took a moment to gather his thoughts.

Thinking about it, it wasn’t that difficult.

In a situation where the outcome of all time travel depended on himself.

Unless he accidentally used the save function, whether to time travel or not was his decision.

Only reset when things didn’t go well and save when they did.

This battle was advantageous for the prince.

*

“Hero! You’re awake!”

[The Hero born to repel the invasion of the otherworld].

– You have been summoned to the underground sanctuary as a hero to fend off the monsters from the otherworld. In this world, humanity has hidden underground to escape from the Abyssal invaders. Reclaim the surface from this sanctuary, humanity’s last bastion. And stop the Abyssal Minions lurking in the gaps of the Abyss.

As soon as he reconnected to the game, the saint greeted the prince at the story’s starting point.

‘Even if that guy loops like me, he can’t change the surrounding environment.’

As long as the progress of the game isn’t saved, the prince’s opportunities were endless.

‘Then, I’ll keep trying.’

The prince repositioned Ian Kalyuga along with the Department of Mage Engineering.

A newly established laboratory within the Paladin Order.

If this place were invaded by Orpheus, it should be able to hold him back.

Or so he thought.

“Did you really think you could stop me with just this?”

Crack!

It was beyond my capacity to prevent the death of Ian Kalyuga.

…It’s something I can do again.

This time, I set up a lab at the base of the Paladin Order and also deployed mages.

Surely, they wouldn’t be able to break through this, right?

“Engaging in meaningless actions, are we?”

Crack!

It was impossible again.

Again.

“I told you.”

Crack!

Again.

“Is this all you have, reserve director?”

Crack!

Again.

“How disappointing.”

Crack!

Again.

Crack!

Orpheus always got ahead of him.

Da…… again.

“Hero! You’re awake!”

“Damn it!”

The prince slammed the sarcophagus with a twisted face.

What should I do?

Why can’t I win?

Both I and that guy have the memories of the last loop!

Inferiority complex and helplessness consumed him.

“Given what’s happened, I’m putting everything on Ian Kalyuga.”

For some reason, Orpheus kept targeting Ian.

He was obsessively fixated on killing Ian.

If he was going to be targeted anyway, it might be better to stay in the sanctuary and protect Ian Kalyuga instead of going out to reclaim the surface.

Digging traps and waiting to successfully take down Orpheus, then I would go out to the surface.

If I fail, I can just start over.

“Excuse me? Are you saying you’ll protect me, Hero?”

“Yes. The Abyssal guys are targeting you. Until we confirm your safety, you must stay with me.”

So, the prince began to spend time in the secret room with Ian and the saint.

If anyone were to intrude, numerous traps prepared in advance would ambush the intruder.

While inspecting the vicinity of the room, the prince overheard a conversation between the saint and Ian inside.

“Do you also think it’s right for the Hero to protect me?”

“Don’t feel too burdened, Ian. You’re an important person, responsible for our sanctuary’s Mage Engineering. You’re someone worth protecting directly by the Hero…”

Seeing Ian react vigorously every time he died in the previous loops, it seemed they had quite a bond.

“Do the others think the same way, Kate?”

“Why are you saying that, Ian?”

“You know that me and our researchers were pushed to the most secluded part of the sanctuary. We can’t even help retake the surface, yet we consume resources like crazy.”

“That’s something only those who know nothing would say! Mage Engineering is incredibly important! I believe Ian will play a crucial role in retaking the surface!”

So that’s how it was.

The prince could now understand why the Department of Mage Engineering was located at the edge of the sanctuary, unlike other departments, and why everyone had sour expressions when he ordered to protect the Department of Mage Engineering.

‘In this world, Mage Engineering seems to be quite looked down upon.’

In contrast to how greatly Mage Engineering, developed by [Mage Engineers], moved the continent in the real world, there was a significant gap.

“Ha. That makes sense. You are kind to everyone.”

A lone wolf consumed by an inferiority complex, pushing away those who were good to him.

The prince saw himself in him.

“But this isn’t good. If they find out that the Departments of Mage Engineering, which are rumored to just consume resources like pigs, are getting special treatment from the saint and the Hero, the other researchers might be oppressed.”

“That’s…….”

“About that, there’s no problem.”

Just as the saint was struggling to pick her words, the prince barged in by opening the door.

“Hero…!”

“I’ll protect you two. Who dares to oppress you?”

The Department of Mage Engineering is essential.

If maintenance and repairs become impossible, it would severely impact sustainability and the endurance of the war.

Contrary to the thoughts of the people in the sanctuary, the Department of Mage Engineering was, in fact, the most crucial part. It was also Orpheus’s primary target.

“You are the most important beings to us, to the sanctuary. So do not feel burdened or guilty.”

Kuh! What a true monarch!

Just then, when the prince was admiring himself and reaching out to Ian.

“……If there had been a hero like you back then, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Ian dropped his glasses and muttered with a deeply sunken voice, keeping his head down.

Crack!

!!!!

And suddenly, numerous mechanical arms shot out, restraining the prince and the saint.

They were traps that Ian had personally set up to deal with Orpheus.

“I-Ian! What are you doing?!”

“I’m doing what I must do.”

When Ian raised his head again, a mask was covering his face.

“……Were you Orpheus all along?”

The prince asked, trying to hide his confusion.

That can’t be right.

All the Ians that Orpheus had killed up to now were actual corpses.

There couldn’t be any possibility of them being the same person.

Ian removed the mask, revealing a slick-haired face with a sinister grin.

“To be precise, this guy isn’t me. I am the future version of this fellow.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s no need for you to know. Either way, you can’t go back now.”

“…What?”

[The game is automatically saving.]

!!!!

The prince’s eyes widened in shock.

Automatic save, you say?

[Akashic Archive] doesn’t have a separate save slot concept.

The automatic saving implies that he could never use Save & Load to go back to the past again.

Ian took out a small mechanical device and began to operate it.

Vroom!

Then, mana began to condense in mid-air, creating a small portal.

Step, step.

Out of it came an older version of Ian, looking much more wrinkled than the current Ian.

That was the Orpheus the prince knew.

“Ian? W-Why are there two Ians?”

The saint looked between the two with a perplexed expression.

Swish!

As Orpheus reached out his hand, the mask that had been covering Ian’s face flew onto Orpheus’s face.

And Ian’s head was sucked into Orpheus’s hand.

“This sinner won’t be able to resurrect anymore.”

Crack!

As Orpheus slammed Ian’s head into the ground, just like the previous loops, Ian’s head shattered, spraying blood and brain matter.

“Ian! No!”

The saint wailed as she had previously.

“……You’re always so kind. This foolish Ian……even though I made you kill…”

Recalling the past with a nostalgic expression, Orpheus approached the saint.

“I’m sorry.”

As he brushed the saint’s cheek, she collapsed, losing consciousness.

“Now then, reserve director. It’s our time.”

Vrrr!

A mechanical device covered Orpheus’s right hand.

The device slowly changed shape and morphed into the form of a beam weapon.

[The game is automatically saving.]

‘Another automatic save!’

A cold sweat ran down the back of the prince’s neck.

At this rate, even if he reset the game, he would just endlessly repeat this situation and die.

What if Orpheus kills me and saves automatically?

That would completely block the progress of the story.

The prince struggled to escape the mechanical arms, but the power flowing from them nullified all his abilities.

“Goodbye.”

Vroom!

Bam!

Energy gathered in Orpheus’s hand, unleashing a destructive ray.

As the ray was about to pierce through the prince’s head,

Boom!

Someone jumped in between the prince and Orpheus, deflecting the beam.

A young-looking boy with black hair.

“……I figured you’d show up, director. It’s been a while.”

It was none other than the director of the [Akashic Archive].

“Orpheus, huh? I never expected the Abyssal Minion to invade. How did you deceive my eyes?”

Orpheus shrugged at the director’s question.

“……So it was you. The protagonist of this story… That’s why I couldn’t find you.”

“You were slow to notice, director. The encroachment of the Abyss on this world has exceeded limits. The powers of the [Archive] can no longer reach this world.”

“……The powers of the [Archive] are not just what you know.”

Light of white sanctity gathered in the director’s hand.

“Oh.”

Orpheus twisted his lips into a smirk.

“You thought I would just sit back and watch, huh?”

Transforming his hand into an energy blade, Orpheus charged at the director.

Clang!

The director blocked the attack and shouted.

“Zeol! You are our last hope!”

The power flowing from the director surrounded Zeol’s body.

“I will send you into Orpheus’s dream world! Inside, cut off the core built by the Abyss! That is the only way to stop the encroachment of the Abyss within this world!”

The prince’s field of vision gradually narrowed.

He could see Orpheus’s face, grinning in satisfaction at the situation where the prince was being pulled into his mind by the director.