Chapter 61

"Hey, where are you going!"

Everyone was shocked to see me rushing down the hill with my shield raised.

But I don't care.

The bomb bugs and my shield collided.

Bang! KABOOM! KABOOM!

The bomb bugs that touched my shield exploded in a chain reaction.

Squish!

When the acid from the bugs reached its limit on my body.

'Recovery.'

《Recovery skill used.》

《Remaining recovery uses: 4》

I used the recovery skill on myself.

Soon, my entire body was completely restored.

Although I can only use it five times, this level of recovery is more than enough.

Before the bomb bugs could fully climb the hill, I charged madly into their center.

The bomb bugs, who were just gathering to prepare for the climb, exploded endlessly due to the shockwave from the leading bomb bugs.

Bang! KABOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The explosions were so loud they seemed to burst my eardrums.

'Recovery.'

《Recovery skill used.》

《Remaining recovery uses: 3》

I didn't stop. Even as I winced in pain, I ran at full speed.

I intended to eliminate as many bomb bugs as possible before they could climb the hill.

To do that, I threw myself into the fray with all my might.

"......Huh."

"......That."

"......"

Isaac, Serengeti, and Isabella, standing at the top of the hill, could only stare in amazement at the unbelievable scene.

*

After eliminating 99% of the bomb bugs and using all my recovery skills, I raised my hand to switch places with Serengeti.

Serengeti and Isabella then blocked the entrance as they climbed the hill again, while Isaac eliminated the remaining bomb bugs to complete the trial.

In a way completely different from my intention.

I have no intention of moving according to the Demigod's plan.

I will use everything I have to break the board he created.

《Cleared in the shortest time!》

《Honor increased by 30.》

《Trial completed.》

《Progress: 50%》

《Advancing to the next level.》

A warp appeared before my eyes.

Already halfway there. I've achieved 50% progress.

It's more than twice as fast as when I challenged Wilhelm.

That's when it happened.

《The 'Shining Hero's Throne' applauds your base.》

《The 'Shining Hero's Throne' assigns you a special quest.》

《The 'Rule Breaker' quest has been reached.》

《Break all the rules and destroy the dungeon along with the Demigod's will.》

《If successful, the 'Shining Hero's Throne' will reward you with a very special reward.》

《Do you accept?》

The quest from the throne that reached my eyes.

Faced with this unprecedented phenomenon, I couldn't help but tilt my head.

The throne assigning the destruction of the dungeon as a quest.

Moreover, it wasn't just a simple destruction but the elimination of the dungeon's will.

'A very special reward.'

Perhaps it was referring to a treasure like Jinggwa.

A presence that showed interest from the moment I entered the dungeon.

Then, what kind of close relationship does the Shining Hero's Throne have with this dungeon?

At that moment.

《The Demigod's will penetrates you.》

《Failed.》

《The Demigod's will penetrates you.》

《Failed.》

《The Demigod's will penetrates you.》

《Failed.》

《The Demigod's will penetrates you.》

《Failed.》

《The Demigod's will penetrates you.》

《Failed.》

......What are you doing?

Rule Breaker

Everything was well-planned.

Rules that had remained unchanged for countless ages.

But the 'will' couldn't understand the sudden appearance of an 'abnormal existence.'

'Why aren't you following the rules?'

From the moment of entry, you arbitrarily deleted one of the four propositions.

Not only that.

You suddenly transformed and used a skill to tame a werewolf.

Choosing a healer, yet you wielded a shield that only a tank could use, and you single-handedly broke the trial designed to be a test of endurance.

Rule Breaker.

You are clearly different from all the humans who have challenged so far.

'If you won't follow the rules, neither will I.'

So the 'will' tried to penetrate you.

There was nothing his eyes couldn't see, nothing he couldn't discover.

He planned to find your weakness and create the most difficult trial, one you could never break, leading to your frustration or death.

'I will penetrate you. Your secrets, your weaknesses, everything!'

Although this act was beyond the dungeon's rules, you were a rule breaker.

The will acknowledged that normal methods couldn't capture this 'abnormal existence.'

Soon, all your memories and everything else would be revealed.

He planned to expose the most tragic and shocking secret to bring you down.

But.

'......What is this?'

The will was flustered.

It was the first time he had been flustered by a human since his creation.

It couldn't be helped.

'Can't see?'

......He couldn't see anything.

Absolutely nothing.

When he tried to penetrate the abnormal existence, all he saw was pitch-black darkness.

A massive presence blocked his view.

But, what was it?

The will of the Demigod.

A transcendent mental entity derived from a great being.

Moreover, this was a dungeon.

To block his 'penetration' in the dungeon, where he had absolute power, it had to be an entity of the same level.

So, was this human of the same level as him?

'I can't accept that.'

The Demigod continued to penetrate.

Despite failing repeatedly, he couldn't accept it.

After failing hundreds, thousands of times, the will finally turned his head.

'Fine. If I can't see you, I'll penetrate the others who came with you!'

*

'Did I ask a pointless question?'

Isabella, who had passed through the Room of Truth, clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly, lost in thought.

The question about whether he was a Celestial.

She was the one who asked it.

After meeting in the desert, Randolph had lifted her curse.

He had freed her from the desert and showed her the world.

The memory of arriving in the golden city of Arcana via warp would stay with her forever.

He promised to find her roots and bloodline if she served for a year.

'Yet, deep down, I doubted him.'

Was he really a Celestial?

The definition of a Celestial she knew was someone who chased the stars.

But Randolph seemed more like the master of the stars himself.

A Celestial can't be the master of the stars.

They only help find the master of the stars.

Honestly, it didn't matter.

Even if he wasn't a Celestial.

He had already proven himself through countless deeds.

'I wanted to know if it was a lie or not.'

She just wanted to clear this lingering doubt.

Whether he was a Celestial, the successor of the Knight King, or recognized by the White King, it didn't matter.

It was a personal issue for Isabella.

When she heard the answer, she sighed in relief.

And she was disgusted with herself for sighing in relief.

She had said it didn't matter, yet she was more concerned than anyone else, which was contradictory.

"Ah......"

Watching Randolph run down the hill alone, Isabella swallowed hard.

The man who, with rough explosions, pushed the bomb bugs to the brink of annihilation.

He finished the job that four people were supposed to do alone.

As if he didn't need anyone's help.

It wasn't just today.

'An indomitable warrior. A reckless challenger who never falls.'

That's what he was.

Randolph had always challenged and never fallen.

He proved himself by overcoming.

He had countless identities, but in the end, he was still Randolph.

Sometimes reckless, sometimes honorable, and sometimes coldly ruthless.

What if it was her?

Could she run alone and create the same scene?

Bomb bugs not only explode but also spew strong acid. Even as her flesh melted and bones were exposed, he never let go of his shield.

A patience that couldn't be called human.

Even as he groaned in pain, he never gave up.

'He is a savior.'

Randolph was a savior of the era.

He saved her, saved the city, broke the curse, and sealed the harbinger of destruction.

Isabella bit her lip.

'I need to be of help.'

She couldn't keep receiving help forever.

She had said she would serve him, but what had she actually done?

She had only harbored petty doubts.

Shaking her head, she crossed the warp.

《Swear to the 'Oath of Truth.'》

After crossing the warp, the Room of Truth appeared again.

'Again?'

Isabella tilted her head.

She couldn't understand why she had to repeat a trial that had passed so easily.

Without any suspicion, she made the oath and wrote down the question.

Then, the questions started in a room where all party members were gathered.

《The first question assigned to Isabella.》

《'Sonora. Why did you kill that poor child?'》

《'Did you want to become a princess so badly that you had to kill that child?'》

The moment she saw the questions, Isabella's eyes widened in shock.

*

《The first question assigned to Isaac.》

《'Isn't it too shameless to cry in joy over purifying evil after burying the mining city and killing so many people?'》

Isaac too.

《The first question assigned to Serengeti.》

《'Do you think of Hudson as your escape? Is he a tool to avoid reality rather than true love? Don't you actually like Wilhelm more?'》

Serengeti too.

Seeing the questions, they couldn't help but be flustered.

Who could have asked such questions?

No, there was only one person who could ask such questions.

Randolph.

Only he knew and could know these things.

A Celestial. His ability to see everything. The way he acted as if he knew everything.

The three of them looked at Randolph in shock.

He didn't move a muscle, brazenly.

'He can't possibly tell the truth......'

In a room where only the truth could be spoken.

But what if the truth was something she didn't want anyone to know?

The moment the questions were thrown, the eyes of suspicion turned to her.

It felt like everyone was doubting her, mocking her, and ridiculing her for being just another human.

She was afraid.

*

......I was watching that scene from a distance.

The scenes floating before me.

Like a hologram, the three of them were being tested in separate rooms.

This trial was completely different from the previous Room of Truth.

It seemed like all party members were gathered, but everyone except the one being tested was a fake, a creation of the 'will.'

They were suffering from the questions the will had asked, and they were shocked, suspecting that I had asked the questions.

《The 'will' says it will stop this trial if it voluntarily leaves.》

It was an interesting situation.

The owner of the dungeon suggesting voluntary withdrawal.

Since I had wreaked havoc in the dungeon, it couldn't do anything to me, so it was tormenting the party members.

It intended to make me doubt and erode my trust.

"The worst."

In some ways, he was worse than a demon.

I never thought the great will of the Demigod could be so despicable.

The dungeon was notorious for being trash, but the only trash here was that will.

Everyone was suffering.

Facing the truth and having to answer.

《There are three questions. The 'will' says that even if you endure, your trust will fall off a cliff.》

The problem was that I wasn't the only one who had to answer.

By throwing three questions, it intended to completely break their spirits and turn their trust in me into distrust.

Indeed, even if I broke this trial, it would be a problem.

If distrust arose, it would be designed so that it could never be broken.

They might end up hating me forever.

It might be better to conquer another dungeon before that.

"I understand."

I nodded.

《The 'will' smiles and creates a warp leading to the entrance.》

The path to the exit. A warp appears.

Yes. Now I understand clearly.

There's nothing he can do to me.

That's not all I've learned.

"Will of the Demigod. So you're here too."

I smiled.