episode_0043

Its size is enormous.

A gigantic body reaching the top of the stairs.

A perfectly cut cube, artificially created.

Even the steel-like cool blue color.

I’m not sure if this is a golem.

It feels formless, to the point where you wonder if it’s just a mass of steel placed there.

But it was, in fact, a golem.

Because those two grey eyes up there were staring at us.

Those two expressionless eyes.

That gaze, on a completely different level from my defensive golem.

With that look, as if a superior being was looking down on us, I couldn’t do anything.

Helplessness.

Helplessness fills my mind, and the strength drains from my body.

Why on earth is a monster like this on the 4th floor?

The rest of the party members felt the same.

If there was just one person who was fine.

It was only Kairek.

“Snap out of it!!!!!”

Kairek’s intense voice, as if striking the soul.

Thanks to his voice, I was able to regain my senses.

“Prepare for battle!”

Having come to our senses, we immediately took our positions.

But the golem remained motionless.

As if it would stay there forever, even if the world turned upside down.

Without doing anything, it just stared down at us blankly.

A tense moment. We were ready to attack at any time, waiting for it to move.

“…….”

Then, the golem’s eyes closed.

Silence flows.

A situation where we were frozen in unexpected circumstances.

Grace hurriedly took out a book and began to read.

“Why isn’t it attacking? The book says it moves actively. Could it be that it hasn’t discovered us?”

The possibility that the monster hadn’t discovered us.

It was a perfectly reasonable suspicion, but.

“Unfortunately, that’s not it.”

I showed the 3 cards in my hand.

『Battle Start. Draw 3 cards.』

『Energy 4/4』

[Electrocute(2)] [Strike(1)] [Ice Storm(4)]

Since it entered the battle state.

The monster had already discovered us.

“I don’t know why, but good! Let’s defeat it in this opening!!!”

Kairek discarded his broken harpoon arrow and took out a new one.

“I agree. We don’t know when it will wake up, so we have to do our best now.”

Although the situation didn’t make sense, there was no reason not to attack a monster that was standing still.

Kairek shot arrows.

I used magic.

Grace threw her dagger.

Luca swung her massive axe at its body.

Of course, Hans was just standing there blankly.

But even through all that, not even a scratch appeared on its tough body.

Nevertheless, we continued to pour out attacks.

10 minutes, 20 minutes.

As time passed.

Kairek shouted.

“All my arrows are broken!!!”

There were no arrows left in his quiver.

Far ahead of the golem, there was a pile of broken arrows.

Moreover, that wasn’t the end of it.

“…My axe.”

Luca’s axe blade was completely chipped.

To the point where she couldn’t even cut a goblin with it now.

Even though we fought so desperately, the steel golem hadn’t suffered any significant damage, not even a scratch.

It was definitely strange.

A monster that was absurdly sturdy for one that appears on the 4th floor.

“It’s strange.”

“Why on earth is a monster like this here?”

It doesn’t even attack.

A monster whose behavior pattern can’t even be understood.

Usually, when something this strange happens in the Labyrinth, the culprit is clear.

“It must be the work of the Black Mage. After passing through the desert, there were no problems in the Labyrinth until now. To think he’d do something like this at the end.”

“Right? What could his purpose be?”

“Since the desert’s purpose felt like stealing our resources like food and water. This golem might be similar.”

“Maybe it will suddenly activate after a few days, or something like that?”

“It might just be a sturdy one.”

Just then, as if something came to mind, Grace slowly approached the steel golem.

Sniff sniff.

“Perhaps it’s hiding something, like the frozen demon we saw on the 2nd floor?”

The possibility that it has changed into a gimmick-type boss, unlike a regular steel golem.

It’s a factor worth considering.

“Take a break for a bit.”

“Got it!!”

Leaving the party members who were building a campfire, I and Grace began to examine the steel golem carefully.

Looking for any rust spots.

Looking for parts that are a different color compared to the surroundings, indicating a weak point.

Just in case, I used [Terrain Manipulation] to lift the golem and carefully examined the underside of the golem as well.

But I couldn’t find anything.

“I don’t feel anything strange…”

“Me neither.”

“But maybe there’s something on the other side?!”

“Right. We can’t give up.”

There must be a gimmick hidden within this.

I and Grace left the golem and began searching every corner of the spire.

Even so, we couldn’t find anything easily.

Then, I remembered something Han Yeram had said.

‘She said the Saint was in league with the Black Mage.’

If, as she said, the Arielian Church’s influence is in this steel golem created by the Black Mage now. What would the Saint want?

No matter how much I thought about it, nothing came to mind.

“I found it!!!”

At that moment, Grace shouted excitedly.

I immediately headed to where she was.

In front of the door leading to the 5th floor. There was a map next to it.

A vertically long map showing the entire 4th floor.

“I was wondering why this was here even after coming to the 30th floor, so I lifted it up slightly like this.”

When Grace lifted the map, there was a timer behind it.

[330:14:29]

“Surely this isn’t time, is it?”

[330:14:28]

[330:14:27]

A timer that decreases every second.

It’s certain.

Something will happen if we wait 330 hours.

But.

“330 hours is roughly 13~14 days. We can absolutely not last. Food is one thing, but the wood to build a campfire is starting to run out.”

“Besides, the inside of the spire is colder than we thought.”

Waiting for all that time could be dangerous due to hypothermia.

“Normally, the beginning of the 4th floor wasn’t this cold.”

“Since the 5th floor is a cold place, is it being affected by that?”

“Exactly.”

It felt similar to a mushroom game I played a long time ago, where the lower you went down the tower, the colder it got, causing ice and snow to accumulate.

Of course, it wasn’t to that extent.

“So, waiting is impossible, meaning we have to break through that, right?”

“It seems so.”

Even though we all attacked for a long time earlier, not a single scratch appeared.

Since we don’t know if its defense is high or if the damage is nullified altogether, it’s even more daunting.

“Is it that absolutely no damage is going through?”

“I really don’t know. I don’t think we’ll know unless we land a powerful attack.”

It would be good if we could at least know if damage is going through.

“Haa, I guess we have to do it.”

I have to use everything I have to defeat that guy.

*

There is something called a scarecrow.

I don’t know what it’s called in other countries, but at least in Korean games, the meaning of the word scarecrow is only one.

A sandbag used to check a character’s damage output.

Right now, the steel golem is the sandbag, and I am the player.

Usually, such sandbags have the characteristic of continuously recovering health.

But that doesn’t mean they are invincible.

To the point where some players set their goal as defeating the scarecrow in certain games.

And that’s what I have to do now.

To defeat that guy using all the cards I got from the 4th floor.

Ding!

『Deck List』

『Elementalist’s Deck』

I scroll down the deck list.

The cards I got from the 4th floor this time.

[Chain Hell] [Descent – Power] [Growth] [Blizzard] [Grind]

[Fire Dragon] [Wave] [Fusion] [Burst] [Level Up]

[Purgatory] [Mist Rain] [Meteor] [Earthquake] [Typhoon]

[Exchange] [Mana Rush] [Thunder Shock] [Drain] [Ragnarok]

[Jackpot] [Transcendence] [Attunement] [Infinite Hand] [Reversal]

There are so many that I can barely remember what their effects were.

But I have to somehow defeat that guy with these cards.

Even though I’ve been attacking for a while and the golem is still fine, making a path not easily visible.

But if I keep attacking, maybe something will happen?

This is the first method.

The second method is to build up shields with the [Paladin’s Deck] and attack.

But I don’t have much time left.

My intuition tells me.

That guy is more powerful than the witch I met on the 2nd floor.

I don’t know why such a crazy thing exists here.

Even if I build shields with the Paladin’s Deck and attack, it will take at least 7 days.

“Huu…”

How on earth am I supposed to defeat that?

Perhaps the second method, attacking infinitely with a powerful shield from the Paladin’s Deck, has a higher probability.

But my intuition says.

That golem cannot be defeated with that.

“……?!!.”

At that moment, one single fact entered my mind.

I immediately opened the status window.

Ding!

『Please check your card rewards.』

There was still one left. The reward obtained from defeating the monster on the 29th floor.

If this could give a variable, maybe it would be different.

I slowly reached out and pressed the status window.

3 cards appeared.

I checked them one by one.

[Mana Rush(0)] – Energy increases by 3. Take damage.

Unfortunately, it’s a card already in my deck.

Getting energy is good, but it causes minor injuries.

Of course, there’s no big risk, but even so, putting 2 copies in the deck is a bit much.

[Growth(2)] – Enhances all magic cast next turn.

This is also a card I already have.

Around the 29th floor, I’m starting to get many duplicate cards.

This is also a very good card, but I probably don’t need 2 copies.

The last card.

[Archmage’s Grimoire(5) – Power] – Allows you to draw magic circles.

It’s a card I’ve never seen before.

A 5-cost Power card.

Moreover, it allows you to draw magic circles.

I had never seen anything this unique before.

Is this the variable?

The moment I reached out to choose, I felt a shiver.

If the status window is the main god, as I suspect.

He would have naturally placed this as the final move to overcome all these difficulties.

Making me choose the card he wants within his grasp.

It felt like my life was in his hands.

‘Even so, are you not going to choose this?’

I can’t do that.

If this hypothesis is correct, this is the one single move to break through this difficult situation.

Main god, I don’t know what you want, but I’ll pass for now.

Because I have to protect my party members now.

I chose [Archmage’s Grimoire(5) – Power].

The card returns to the deck.

Immediately, 3 cards were drawn again.

[Mana Overload(0)] [Lightning(3)] [Archmage’s Grimoire(5) – Power]

A hand so perfect it was transparent.

If I’m going to be played, I’ll do it properly.

I played a card.

[Mana Overload(0)] – Energy doubles. Energy decreases by 1 next turn.

『Energy 8/4』

I immediately played a card.

[Archmage’s Grimoire(5) – Power] – Allows you to draw magic circles.

Ding!

『Current Status』

『Energy 3/4』

『Until next draw 53』

『Archmage’s Grimoire – Allows you to draw magic circles.』

It was applied properly.

But nothing seems to have changed.

When I used Power cards like Terrain Manipulation and Ifrit, a feeling of omnipotence filled my body.

Now, I only feel a dry sensation.

What on earth has changed?

To find that out, it seems like I’m supposed to use the remaining 3 energy for the 3-cost attack card, Lightning.

[Lightning]

I use this attack magic that has been with me for a long time.

Crackling.

Electricity sparks around my body and gathers in my right hand.

If I threw this as is, it would be a spell.

A new method came to my mind.

I absorb the electricity gathered in my hand directly into my body.

The mana from [Lightning] flows down into my body as is.

As I stomp my right foot down! A magic circle begins to be drawn on the ground.

The magic circle is drawn stroke by stroke.

I instinctively understood how to use this.

Closing my eyes, I touch the magic circle within my expanded senses.

I touch the magic circle, just like I did on the 2nd floor when I severed another mage’s mana detection.

Snap!!

The magic circle glows, and the [Lightning] within it shoots forward.

That lightning didn’t deal any damage to the steel golem, but.

Hope was born nonetheless.

If 1 isn’t enough, then 2.

If 2 isn’t enough, then 3.

If that’s still not enough, I can defeat it with endlessly stacked magic.

The fog that blocked the front cleared, and a path appeared.

…Actually, all my magic is powerful, but it had a big weakness.

Since it had a 1-minute cooldown, no matter how powerful the magic was, rapid-fire casting was impossible.

Of course, it might have been possible in situations with many small fry, but it’s impossible to use against a single boss monster like this.

In other words, my weakness was the lack of explosive firepower.

Is the magic circle filling that gap?

“…….”

There’s no reason not to try.

I cycle through the deck.

I turn all the drawn attack magic into magic circles.

One by one, the magic circles are added.

The party members were watching the scene blankly.

Forgetting hunger, I continued to stack magic circles.

18 minutes passed.

I created 21 magic circles, putting in all the high-cost attack cards in my deck.

I activate them all simultaneously.

Lightning strikes.

Spears of flame shoot forward.

A strong wind blows.

Blizzard hits.

A meteor falls from the sky.

A strong shockwave strikes the entire body of the steel golem.

A feast of countless spells.

But the results were not good.

As the spells overlapped and collided, they created a strong reaction.

Magic of different attributes that met didn’t combine but instead shattered each other, releasing mana into the surroundings.

Shwaaaaaaa!!!

The aftermath of the colliding magic struck me.

“Ugh?!!!”

Unable to withstand it, I was sent flying.

A situation where I could have been seriously injured.

“Are you alright, Mage-nim!!”

Fortunately, Hans caught me.

Hans, holding a shield that had grown massive, endured the aftermath of the magic.

Behind him, the party members were hiding, watching the spells collide and cancel each other out.

Paaaaaaat!!!

Powerful mana shakes the surroundings and the spire.

It took quite some time for it to calm down.

“…….”

But there was a good sign.

“The golem’s body is cracked!!!”

The steel golem’s body, which hadn’t even had a scratch, had cracked.

Although it was just a very small crack.

However, it was not yet time.

“…It’s slowly recovering?”

“That’s impossible!!”

The golem’s body, which had cracked, was slowly recovering.

How on earth are we supposed to catch a guy with a tough body that also recovers?

I felt a sense of injustice.

Sniff sniff.

“I smell something. There’s something inside its body.”

As soon as I heard Grace’s words, I expanded my senses to check inside its body.

I found a huge sphere inside the cubic body.

“Is that the golem’s core?”

“That’s probably the weak point!!”

The monster’s wounds disappeared in an instant.

As if nothing had happened, it just stood there loftily.

“The golem’s core.”

“Originally, all golems die when their core is destroyed. It seems like this golem is no different! Of course, the core is buried deep inside its body.

But a breakthrough was visible.

Breakthrough after appropriate feedback.

“Grace. This phenomenon just now, it probably happened because the spells collided. Is that right?”

“Actually, I don’t know much about magic…”

“Me neither!”

My comrades also said they didn’t know, so it was time for an experiment.

Create magic circles with different powers and make them collide.

As a result of the experiment, performed behind Hans while reading mana.

When spells collide, they don’t combine; instead, their power weakens, and the colliding mana scatters in all directions.

This was something I didn’t know until now because I used magic one by one.

Actually, when you think about it, it’s natural.

I haven’t fought against another mage, but.

If I launch a shockwave and a shockwave is launched from the opposite side, they don’t combine; instead, they cancel each other out and then spread outwards.

In other words, just using magic circles simultaneously will cause a counter-effect.

So, I wondered if it would be okay to just make a lot of magic circles using raw power, but.

The magic circles didn’t overlap when drawn.

This means that it’s impossible to stack them infinitely as long as there is the limited space of the spire.

We had to consider efficiency.

“…….”

Then, what if I gathered only one attribute, or only one type of magic, and used it?

I immediately conducted an experiment.

[Lightning] and [Lightning].

When I used the two simultaneously, the power actually increased.

This was the expected result.

[Electrocute] and [Lightning]

Even when using the same attribute, the result was the same.

When using magic of the same attribute, regardless of their original effect, they combine into what I want.

[Lightning] could become [Electrocute], and [Electrocute] could become [Lightning].

In other words, what I have to do from now on is certain.

After deciding on one attribute.

Use that to destroy its heart, the core.

The attributes of my deck, the Elementalist’s Deck, are a total of 5.

Fire, Water, Earth, Electricity. Wind. And then there are neutral spells without attributes.

All of them have their own destructive power.

But among these, what magic could pierce through the tough body of the steel golem in a straight line and destroy the core?

Only one came to mind.

Electricity.

As always. I believe it will solve this problem this time too.

“Grace. How long do you think we can last?”

“We have about 2 days worth of food. Water is also sufficient. But the biggest problem, of course, is that we’ve run out of things to put in the campfire.”

As far as I know, the maximum time a human has survived fasting is 53 days.

Water is also sufficient.

But the fuel for the campfire to maintain body temperature is running out.

Can we finish this before someone dies from hypothermia?

“First, let’s get some sleep.”

My comrades preparing a place to sleep and getting ready to sleep.

Since I was so tired, I also lay down in my sleeping bag and tried to sleep.

And so, the first day after entering the 30th floor passed.

Day 2.

I create a [Lightning] magic circle.

I create an [Electrocute] magic circle.

My body was getting cold, so while waiting for the draw cooldown, I warmed up a bit by the campfire, then went back and laid down a [Thunder Shock(4)] magic circle as well.

This is a card I got from the 4th floor. It’s similar to Lightning. Except it’s an area-of-effect spell, unlike Lightning which flies in a straight line.

But it’s enough to add power to [Lightning].

I lay down the magic circle and return to the campfire to warm myself.

Grace and I exchanged some casual conversation.

After 1 minute, I draw again.

This time, [Infinite Hand] came up.

The effect of this card is simple.

[Infinite Hand(2)] – Draw until your hand is full.

As soon as I used it, my hand was full.

There were no electric spells among them, so I just chatted with Grace while watching the campfire.

Time flowed, and the deck cycled once.

[Thunder Shock] and [Lightning] returned.

They were drawn at the same time, but it wasn’t a problem.

Thanks to the effect of [White Storage Box], I could preserve one and use it next turn.

I drew two magic circles and returned to the campfire.

Grace, Kairek, and Hans went out, saying they would try to find something new and hidden, just in case.

Luca stayed behind alone to talk with me, who felt lonely.

She said she would introduce me to her family when she returned.

Family, does that mean she was born into a good household?

It was surprising since she hadn’t shared any personal stories until now.

I told her to do as she pleased.

On Day 2, I continued to stack magic circles.

I ate meals in between.

Time flowed, and it was time to sleep again.

Grace spoke seriously.

“We’ve run out of wood for the campfire.”

I knew it, but it was shocking news.

“……Let’s try to manage with this somehow.”

I used the clothes I had put in my Subspatial Bag for the 5th floor, and Grace’s food and grass to build a fire.

But these would eventually run out too.

“Huu…”

I used Terrain Manipulation to raise the ground and create a small house.

To minimize heat loss.

It would have been good if I had done it sooner.

I regretted just sleeping on the first day.

“Aren’t you sleeping?”

“I’m fine.”

Even though Day 2 ended, I didn’t sleep.

Whenever I drew the cards I wanted, I drew magic circles, going back and forth between the dirt house and outside.

I stayed up all night making magic circles.

I slapped my thighs and pinched my body out of fatigue.

I walked around like I was taking a casual stroll to wake myself up.

Then, sleepiness vanished.

Before I knew it, half the floor of the spire was filled with magic circles.

Time continued to flow.

Kairek woke up.

But he didn’t do his usual exercises.

When I asked him why, he said it was to conserve energy.

It was a bit strange that someone who could never tolerate muscle loss would say that.

I chatted with Kairek, who was bored.

Perhaps because of the extreme situation, he talked about his own kind, unlike usual.

I felt a lot better.

Not long after, everyone woke up.

We finished our meal, lightly chewing on hardtack and jerky.

This was the last meal.

Perhaps because I thought of it as the last supper, the dry bread went down well today.

While eating, I continued to stack magic circles.

1 hour, 2 hours.

Time continued to flow.

I stayed up all night, but my body is still… okay.

In between, I thought about taking a nap for about an hour, but.

What if, because I slept for about an hour more, I couldn’t kill the golem and couldn’t get out?

And everyone died?

That fear kept me from sleeping.

As time passed, my concentration dropped, and there were times I didn’t know if I was moving or if someone else was.

Day 3 passed, and it became Day 4.

I stayed up for 2 nights.

I tried to make it rain in between to fill up on water, but.

I couldn’t do it due to the possibility of the temperature dropping.

My water bottle was also getting empty.

I swallowed the last of the water.

“There’s nothing left to build a campfire with now.”

A bleak reality.

I burned all the countless clothes I was going to use on the 5th floor, and even the pouches containing cards or magic stones. Even the bags.

Of course, I couldn’t burn my Subspatial Bag.

Everything is inside it right now.

“…Should I take off my clothes?”

Luca was about to take off the clothes she was wearing to burn them, but I stopped her.

“That’s even worse.”

“Alright.”

The campfire disappeared.

But there was still a way to cope.

The blue torches on the walls of the spire weren’t warm, but they still dispelled at least some of the chill.

[Fire Dragon(4)] – Summons a fire dragon to attack the enemy for 1 turn.

[Fireball] [Ifrit]

I mixed in my fire magic occasionally to preserve body temperature.

But even so, I was slowly getting tired.

Day 4 passed, and it became Day 5.

The first to show signs was Grace.

Excluding the furry Luca and the two guys, she was the most vulnerable to the cold.

Of course, my condition wasn’t bad.

Because flames would rise around me every time I used fire magic.

Of course, my brain felt like it was about to burst from not sleeping, but.

I could endure it sufficiently.

Cough, cough!!

The frequency of Grace’s coughing increased.

“…It’s getting dangerous.”

As soon as Grace signaled her limit, I expanded my senses to check the countless magic circles.

The magic circles were almost filling the floor of the spire.

But I still didn’t feel certain.

Would I be able to defeat that golem with this?

“I will help.”

Kairek returned.

Holding his harpoon arrow, which he had mended by working on it.

“I can help with exactly one shot.”

“Right. It’s about time, I guess.”

But my body didn’t act.

What if this attack fails?

Then it would truly be a mass death.

Seeing me hesitate, Grace smiled and said it was okay.

“You’re still not certain, are you?”

“……That’s right.”

“I’m okay.”

Grace pulled Luca and hugged her.

Luca hugged Grace, warming her body.

“Defeat the enemy at the sure moment. Don’t worry about us.”

“……Okay.”

If we fail with an uncertain attack, that would truly be the end.

Cautiously, I continued to stack magic circles.

As I stacked one, then two magic circles.

Grace’s expression gradually worsened.

Hans also leaned against the wall, looking tired.

Wrinkles formed on Luca’s brow.

But not yet.

My instinct was telling me.

This isn’t enough.

Then when on earth is the answer?

I asked, but no answer returned.

I just kept stacking magic circles.

Time continued to flow.

Thud.

“Grace!!”

“Sis(?!)”

Grace lost consciousness and collapsed.

“She’s alive. Somehow…”

Her body temperature is still maintained, but that’s only a matter of time.

There wasn’t much time left for Grace.

When on earth will I be able to kill that guy?

“Live…”

Thump!!

Even Hans collapsed.

Luca, not knowing what to do, gathered the two of them and tried to warm their bodies.

She took off her outer clothes and built a small campfire.

As if that wasn’t enough, she put everything but her underwear into the fire as kindling.

Seeing that, Kairek took off his outer clothes, draped them over Luca, and returned.

“Please…”

While Luca was somehow warming their bodies.

Kairek and I stared at the steel golem.

I was also nearing my limit.

Kairek wasn’t showing it, but his body was trembling slightly.

Kairek had his harpoon arrow on the bowstring, as if ready at any moment.

And then. I set up the final magic circle.

Only then did my instinct tell me.

It’s possible now.

“…Let’s go.”

Watching Kairek nod, I expand my senses.

I activate the countless magic circles installed in the spire simultaneously.

The glowing magic circles.

Electricity surged from within them and began to gather in my right hand.

Crackkkkkkkle!!!!

Powerful lightning moves, shaking the world.

The strong lightning that drives away all the chill gathers into a single point.

Now, within my right hand, there is a single line that will pierce through everything.

I throw it.

Towards the core of the steel golem.

Flash!!!

The dark spire instantly turns white.

By the time my vision returned, the steel golem’s body had already been pierced through.

The sound of thunder followed afterwards.

Rumbleeeeee!!!!!!!!

But it wasn’t over yet.

The steel golem’s core had numerous cracks.

It hadn’t been destroyed yet.

A slight lack of power.

This was also calculated.

Kairek’s harpoon arrow flies.

Although his arrow normally had poor accuracy.

His concentration had surpassed its limits.

One arrow piercing through the cracks in the core.

That was enough.

Kraaaaaak!!!

The steel golem begins to break apart, making a strange sound.

And then, it exploded.

Boommmmmm!!!!

To protect ourselves from the fragments of the exploding golem, I used Terrain Manipulation to create a massive dome.

Thump!!! Boom!!!

The world shakes.

Vibrations are felt through the ground.

But.

All things always have an end.

When I removed the terrain, all the commotion had ended, and the steel golem was disappearing.

And there, there were several brightly colored magic stones and a sky-blue card.

Ding!

『You have defeated [Immortal Golem]!』

『You have succeeded in twisting your fate and saving your party members.』

『This is an achievement unknown to anyone, but.』

『Only one faction will be wary of you.』

『[Arielian Church] is watching you.』

『Third deck has been unlocked.』

『Choose the deck you…』

*

Labyrinth 5th floor. The Frozen Zone.

Here, where blizzards raged and the world was frozen over.

There were many people here who didn’t suit this harsh environment.

The Saint, Aria, was waiting for the returning hero with numerous followers.

Of course, the scheduled time was much later.

Because the [Immortal Golem] was set to self-destruct in 20 days.

Nevertheless, arriving early and waiting was also the Saint’s duty.

They had built a suitable camp and were waiting, but.

Whoosh.

A portal opened.

“It shouldn’t be opening now?”

Aria, flustered, rushed out.

From the portal, the person she had been waiting for, Ivan Arkana, came out.

But it wasn’t the situation she had wanted.

Because his comrades were still alive near Ivan.

“What on earth is this….”

Aria’s goal was just one thing.

To kill all his party members who had served their purpose here, and after the hero had starved and weakened for 20 days, take him in, build favor, and manipulate him within their grasp.

She had made countless preparations for that, but what on earth was happening?

Fwooosh!!!

Intense divine power erupted from Aria and scattered chaotically into the surroundings.

Seeing that, the Knights of God also drew their weapons and pointed them at Ivan.

Step, step.

But Ivan paid no mind to such things.

He simply walked through the snow, holding the Grace he held in his arms.

Complete disregard.

Ivan passed by Aria.

Then, at midnight, a red portal opened in front of them.

Ivan’s party members walked towards it.

Aria, filled with rage, swung her fist full of divine power, but.

All her divine power was abruptly cut off by Ivan’s interference.

“Get lost.”

Having said those words, Ivan entered the red portal.

No one present could stop him.