I’m… Sorry

When I was cutting down monsters multiple times with my time-limited power, I believed everything would end well.

I never wanted Rea to be poisoned by a monster, but as long as I got the sap, I could heal her sufficiently.

In fact, it was overwhelming just to adapt to my noticeably more agile and nimble body, making it difficult to think properly about anything…

But the only thing I needed to do right now was eliminate the monsters.

And so, after massacring all the monsters while drawing upon my power to a somewhat excessive level.

Even until I obtained the sap at the exact same location as in my memory and delivered it to Iris.

Even until I reassured Iris with words that it would be fine, and entered through the gate connected to the next floor alone, there was no problem.

But during that brief moment of passing through the space rippling with various colors inside the gate.

‘…How dare you.’

The image of Rea, who paid no attention to the poisoned needle lodged in her left shoulder.

Who was only focused on killing the monster that attacked me, began to fill my mind more and more.

The images of Iris and Adrian attacking the monster without listening to anything I said also gradually surfaced, causing something within my heart to waver.

“…What did I mean by it was nothing?”

I belatedly realized how foolish I had been to think that I was just slightly scratched by the monster’s sharp leg.

That it wouldn’t matter anyway since it would heal completely before long.

To be honest, it didn’t matter at all if I got hurt.

Any wound would heal and regenerate as if it had never existed in the first place.

The problem was what was being forced upon people affected by my skill.

Ding

▶ The Bullied Becomes the Bully (P)

[Forcibly designates entities that have harmed Object Name: Lua as public enemies.]

“Now that I think about it… this ability would be better off not existing.”

Even when I first learned of this ability, I thought it was a terrifying power, but I only realized how terrifying it was in a negative sense after experiencing it firsthand.

A power that controls people to eliminate whatever attacked me unconditionally, without any meaningful limitations or restrictions.

Bluntly speaking, they probably wouldn’t have cared even if they were a step away from death.

Since it also made the monster that attacked me attack itself, it wasn’t a completely useless ability, but…

When considering what state Rea ended up in, the side effects were too severe.

Instead of attacking the monster while being controlled by my skill and overexerting herself, if she had just sat still and rested before the poison spread.

No, if she had just not used magic excessively, her condition probably wouldn’t have worsened so quickly.

The bigger problem was that the same thing could happen to Adrian and Iris too.

Because of none other than me.

Just by me being near them.

They would focus all their effort on eliminating the monster that attacked me, without any regard for their own safety.

As my thoughts reached this point, I couldn’t bear it anymore.

If by any chance I get wounded by monsters once more.

And if once again, Rea, Iris, or Adrian begins an all-out attack on the monsters regardless of their own will.

Surely someday they would get hurt or something irreversible would happen.

So eventually, if the worst situation I’ve been constantly worried about comes due to my ability.

“That absolutely… cannot happen.”

No matter how I thought about it, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to maintain my sanity.

Right after that, I finally faced the monsters that had now become something I had to eliminate alone if possible.

Kugugugu…

“…No time. If you’re going to attack, attack quickly.”

While my skills and various abilities were overlaid with those from my first playthrough.

While no one was beside me, I needed to deal with as many monsters as possible and climb to the highest floor I could reach.

Only then would the possibility of my people getting hurt be reduced, even if just a little.

Not even a few seconds later, after once again grasping various translucent weapons.

Kwajik

I directly countered the fists of the golem monsters that were rushing in together and broke them head-on.

Perhaps thanks to my attack stats that had been modified to nearly the limit.

Even the hard wooden golem’s fists were no match.

Soon after, I cut or split all the sharp wooden stems rising from the ground.

And continued to dismantle attacks of forms I had already experienced in my first playthrough.

Ding

[Object Name: Wood Golem Root Crushing]

[11/15 ▶ 13/15]

[Object Name: Wood Golem Root Crushing]

[13/15 ▶ 17/15]

Not caring about achievements that didn’t matter anymore, I turned every last one of them to stone.

Finally making the gate to the next floor appear before me.

And so, just as I was about to step into the gate that was rippling like ocean waves.

Ding

[Object Name: Neutralizing Corrupted Tarantula’s Poison Sting]

[16/20 ▶ 17/20]

A monochrome system window indicating achievement progress appeared before my eyes once again.

“…That’s a relief.”

Only after confirming that Rea’s poison had been treated could I smile slightly.

But since there was no guarantee anywhere that I could continue to solve such problems in the future.

Before long, I returned to a stiff expression and moved toward the next floor.

After that, it was just a succession of battles.

Sometimes with a monster so huge it was bigger than even the Lunatic Guild headquarters.

Ding

[Object Name: Disrupting Petrification Colossus’s Balance]

[7/10 ▶ 23/10]

Sometimes with strange beings that were neither monsters nor humans, trying to drag me deep into the sea.

Ding

[Object Name: Nullifying Corrupted Diver’s Chain]

[3/10 ▶ 11/10]

Sometimes with monsters that grew as large as tsunamis, trying to devour me in an instant.

Ding

[Object Name: Destroying Storm Slime’s Source]

[2/3 ▶ 3/3]

And so, I continued to fight all kinds of monsters, over and over.

Drawing on the maximum I could based on memory and experience, as quickly as possible.

[Time remaining until synchronization release 33:21]

[Time remaining until synchronization release 25:17]

[Time remaining until synchronization release 11:43]

[Time remaining until synchronization release 4:29]

“Hah, hah…”

I advanced without stopping to the highest floor I could reach before the synchronization ended.

Finally, even the massive elder dragon that served as the gatekeeper to the Tower’s top floor.

[Time remaining until synchronization release 13]

[Time remaining until synchronization release 9]

“Now, just… die!!”

Stab─!

Ding

[Object Name: Piercing Blue-Horned Elder Dragon’s Reverse Scale]

[1/2 ▶ 2/2]

Just before the first playthrough clear reward completely ended, I thoroughly pierced and shattered its vital points.

Almost simultaneously, a white flash suddenly enveloped the surroundings.

However, because the synchronization was finally released before I could notice what was happening.

To make matters worse, as I was flung from the already falling dragon and began to fall powerlessly toward the ground.

Kwawawawawa─!!

“……………….”

I slowly closed my eyes while watching the dragon that was still thrashing about madly even in the final moment.

Perhaps the backlash from moving my body beyond its limits hit all at once, but I just couldn’t regain my senses.

All I could feel was the strong wind brushing past my ears.

Was it a momentary illusion that familiar figures appeared beyond my consciousness that was gradually being pulled into a deep, dark place?

Still… thanks to that, I could be a little reassured.

Regardless of whether the true identity of those figures was a fantasy or illusion, just encountering them lessened my fear.

Not even a few seconds after that, finally, snap.

Like an overstretched rubber band breaking, the thread of consciousness broke.

After that, I felt a floating sensation as if drifting in outer space.

However, since I still couldn’t perceive or be aware of anything at all.

After being deeply immersed at the bottom of consciousness without even feeling the flow of time.

Rustle─

At some point, the sensation of someone gently stroking my hair gradually brought me back to consciousness.

And so, slowly blinking.

With still hazy consciousness, I steadily made eye contact with someone looking down at me.

Eventually, I heard a few mumbling words, but I couldn’t actually understand them.

For some reason, drowsiness overcame my whole body once again.

In the end, unable to resist for long, I burrowed toward where I felt more warmth and once again sought deep sleep.

The moment the blue eyes that had been closed for quite a long time slowly blinked and met Rea’s own eyes.

She urgently asked if the child, who was staring at her blankly with half-asleep eyes, was conscious—more urgently than she had intended.

However, because the child closed their eyes again just a few seconds later and burrowed deeper.

“Uh, um… Lua?”

Even more, as the child stretched out both hands and hugged her tightly like a huge pillow.

Her mind, which had been filled with the intention to scold the child severely, suddenly turned blank.

Was the child acting cute, unlike their usual self, knowing they were about to be scolded?

But that couldn’t be right since they had already returned to dreamland.

Even the faint sound of breathing was extremely peaceful.

“Haah…”

As a result, she finally exhaled a faint sigh instead of a sharp scolding.

And so, in the end, she left the child alone until they opened their eyes naturally.

Since even the gate leading to the top floor had already opened, it seemed better to let them get sufficient rest.

About an hour later, eyelids were finally slowly lifting.

As the child gradually began to sit up, she was briefly contemplating what to say first.

Rustle

“I’m… sorry.”

For whatever reason, before she could say anything, the child suddenly knelt down and began to punish themselves, saying they had done wrong.

In addition, Adrian and Iris, who had left their seats for a moment to look around, started backing away as they returned.

“…Call me when you’re done scolding.”

“B-But don’t scold too harshly, senior. Lua must have had a hard time too.”

Somehow, she had become a mean person who made a child exhausted from fighting monsters kneel as soon as they woke up.

…It was unfair. In many ways.