Ch.127To You, I’ve Placed My Bet

# 1.

The moment his vision distorted.

Someone wrapped in the same golden light as himself pressed down on Nahan’s head.

“Duck!!”

Immediately after, a black strike swept past.

Crack.

With a rough sound, the space where Nahan’s head had been was instantly obliterated.

“This way!!”

Before he could even grasp what was happening, his body was grabbed and pulled along.

‘…Is that Hallorand?’

Just as he identified who was leading him, the ground beneath his feet disappeared, and his body tilted.

Thud!

After tumbling down in a tangled heap for a moment.

As Nahan got back on his feet after hitting the ground again, Hallorand also stood up.

“You saved Casler.”

“…Are you alright?”

“I’m not dead, so that’s good enough. More importantly.”

Despite nearly dying from the fall, Hallorand remained calm as if it were someone else’s problem.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness and his vision cleared, Hallorand, who had casually sat down, approached Nahan.

“I don’t care about my life, so let’s continue our previous conversation.”

“What conversation are you referring to?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You promised, didn’t you? If you stopped Casler on your own, you’d believe me and help.”

Nahan’s mind returned to clarity at the consistently even voice despite the situation.

After confirming Hallorand’s composed demeanor, he briefly contemplated before asking.

“An explanation first. What’s the situation?”

“Didn’t it appear for you?”

Hallorand pointed at the empty air.

Realizing it was a status window though invisible, Nahan calmly continued.

“I saw it. But that’s not the information I want.”

“Then what…? Ah. You want information from me as a Regressor.”

Hallorand chuckled and shook his head.

“Sorry, but I don’t have any. I’ve been forcibly summoned like this before, but this specific situation is a first.”

“Forcibly summoned?”

“Exactly as it sounds. It’s a procedure that gathers all Saviors in one place when the ‘Ending’ of the current cycle is about to be determined, just like now.”

Gathering all Saviors in one place, but for what purpose?

As if reading Nahan’s question, Hallorand tapped the empty air and added:

“The role of Saviors is to ‘save’ the world in their own way. But one world can’t have three endings, can it?”

“And?”

“From here on is my speculation… When an ending is about to be confirmed, they probably gather the remaining Saviors in one place to ask: ‘Are you satisfied with this ending?'”

Hallorand’s eyes curved as if amused.

“So this case must be the same, right? The Reincarnation Savior has the highest probability of reaching the ‘Ending,’ so if you don’t like it, they’re giving you one last chance to stop it somehow.”

Finally, everything made sense.

The currently set <Bad Ending 13 – Seed of Destruction – Germination>.

The Reincarnation Savior – Abyss has almost completed this bad ending, and the system has gathered other Saviors to give them a chance.

If that’s the case, then naturally,

“I must stop it.”

Nahan immediately stood up and looked at the place Hallorand had led him into.

‘…A cave?’

Dim luminous orbs were embedded throughout, and after stepping out of the room to look around, it appeared to be as complex as an ant colony.

“Which way should I go?”

“Well? Even though I agreed to cooperate, aren’t you being too demanding?”

For a moment, Hallorand’s eyes narrowed slightly, but Nahan asked again without concern.

“Which. Way. Should I go.”

Despite not activating any skills, a chilling killing intent emanated from him.

This was because he was worried about those dear to him—the members who had clashed head-on with Ilsik, the captured Hestia, and Reina whom he had left behind.

“…!”

This came as quite a fresh shock to Hallorand, who had until now assessed him as an ordinary person possessing the “Black Wolf.”

So Hallorand pondered.

All the possessed Saviors he had seen so far were from a place called ‘Earth.’

From what he’d heard in several cycles, that world had no aura, mana, or even manifest gods.

Could someone from such a world emit this level of killing intent without any help?

‘…Indeed, he’s an interesting one. Worth betting on properly.’

Erasing even a trace of distrust, Hallorand extended his hand and pointed to a location.

“When you exit, take the right path. As you walk, you’ll come to a three-way fork, but just keep going straight ahead, and you’ll reach a vast space.”

“Why is Abyss there?”

“He probably intends to awaken the sealed Dragon Lord and make it his body. After all, the body Abyss reincarnated into is nothing but a weak human.”

Since Hallorand described someone of his own rank as weak, Nahan asked one last question before departing:

“If… Abyss takes possession of the Dragon Lord’s body, what will happen?”

“Do you really need to ask that?”

After his immediate response, Hallorand moved his hand.

He playfully clenched his fist and then opened it, parting his pursed lips.

“Boom. The next cycle will begin.”

Nahan immediately dashed out of there, and Hallorand waved at him as he left.

“Good luck. This time, I’m betting on you.”

# 2.

In this endless darkness.

-Submit and close your eyes.

“…Move aside.”

-Submit and lay down your body.

“I said move.”

Hiss, thump.

Hiss, thump.

Hiss, thump…

Hestia desperately reached out and crawled toward the faintly visible light.

How many hours had it been?

No.

How many days, weeks, months…

Perhaps years.

In the fading sense of time, there was only one reason Hestia could continue without giving up.

Ironically, it was the advice from the man she had so despised.

After losing the celestial barrier while suffering from the Black Wolf’s hostage crisis.

To be honest, Hestia had been greatly discouraged then.

-Honestly… there’s no solution.

The power needed to maintain the barrier was beyond human capability.

Even the family head, called a quasi-hero, could only contribute to the remaining energy.

But she wasn’t resentful.

-My life has always been like this.

She had dreamed of becoming a warrior, but that dream was shattered.

So she diligently used her remaining intellect and became a strategist for a legion, but she was merely being manipulated by an organization called Ilsik.

She wanted to put down all her responsibilities and run away, but her legs weren’t even whole.

-It’s always been like this. I struggle desperately to reach a goal, only to fall into a deeper place. Then I climb up again, only to fall even deeper…

Therefore.

Because she had lived such a life full of despair until now, she could be certain.

-This time will be the same. No matter how I crawl up, I’ll just fall again.

It was too painful.

Pretending to be fine when she wasn’t, making bone-crushing efforts in that state, and finally reaching only to fall again.

-Now… no more.

When she had called the Black Wolf separately to vent her frustrations, he had casually remarked:

-Then give up.

-…What?

-Why make it so complicated? If it’s that hard, just give up.

It was truly a clear answer, but a careless one devoid of even a little responsibility.

Hestia erased the slight goodwill that had formed and asked with contempt:

-You call that an answer?

-Yes.

-…Huh?

But Nahan was confident.

-You’ve been protecting it alone with difficulty until now, so from now on, do it together.

-But…!!

Who would shoulder that burden?

Even if someone were to share it, how could she ask them to carry it together when she could clearly see they would suffer?

As if reading Hestia’s mind, Nahan took her hand and answered:

-I’ll be your practice partner.

-What?

-Try saying it. “Help me.”

He was truly an absurd man.

Why would the empire’s worst criminal offer to help her?

Nevertheless, the exhausted Hestia unconsciously opened her mouth and murmured:

-Help… help me.

-Well done.

A few days later, the Black Wolf found a solution.

The barrier regained stability, and Hestia became a hero who protected it.

She learned to do her best to solve problems on her own, but when she hit her limits, she could open up to others and receive help.

So,

“This time too. I absolutely won’t give up.”

Thump, hiss.

Her hand finally reached the light.

【Amazing mental strength!】

【You have reached the exit!】

【<Hestia Gardner (???)> escapes from the grasp of <Abyss (Ex+)>.】

The moment Hestia, who had barely escaped from the abyss, regained consciousness of her body.

And…

.

.

.

“Oh my, you’ve opened your eyes. Is it because you’re an avatar? Truly remarkable mental strength.”

It was also the moment she came face to face with Abyss.

“…!!”

Clank!

She quickly tried to move her hands and feet to create distance, but she was bound to an altar.

【<Abyss’s Sealing Sphere> absorbs the <Final Key> lingering in your body.】

【The seal is released.】

Her strength drained away through the chains restraining her body.

Simultaneously, an ominous energy swept over her.

【Success.】

【<Dragon Lord (Ex+)> awakens.】

Above the massive altar like a grand temple, a dark red being appeared, tearing through empty space.

Facing this presence that crushed space by its mere existence, Hestia trembled and murmured:

“Why, just why…!!”

“Well…”

Abyss smiled and reached toward the Dragon Lord while whispering:

“Because it’s fun. And… because I want to become a god.”

The moment Abyss’s hand entered the torn space, someone from below the altar, where commotion had broken out, looked at Abyss and murmured:

“【Stop.】”

A soft, beautiful voice.

【Warning.】

【Target – <Abyss (Ex+)>’s rank is too high, consuming life force along with aura.】

“…Cough!”

It was Lactea, the vice-captain of the Black Wolf, who had been engaged in direct combat with the elders of Ilsik.