Translator: HunterW

Editor: RED

==[Escape: Dead End (Rank 10)

When trapped in a dark and desperate situation with no visible way out, this item breaks through that darkness and reveals an escape route. However, the decision to use that escape route is up to the user.

Consumed after one use.]==

It was no doubt a Rank 10 item, but it did not boost a single one of my Stats. Its description was so measly-sounding, which was why I’d thought of it as a dud. I thought that it wasn’t going to help in the fight against Adora, but now, I desperately needed to use it.

==[Are you sure you wish to use Escape: Dead End?

This item will be consumed upon use.]==

“Activate!” I quickly activated the item. Shaman Ko’s boost wasn’t going to last much longer.

==[Current available escape route: Sacrifice.

A person who is immediately willing to sacrifice themselves for the user is required.

The volunteer will have to live the rest of their lives in immense pain and cannot be saved.

If the volunteer hesitates even for a moment, that person will not be sacrificed.

A successful sacrifice is required for the user to obtain the following item.]==

==[One Scroll of Absolute Destruction will be provided.]==

“…” I stared dumbly at the message before me. When the realization sank in, my mouth dropped and my eyes shot wide open with shock. I didn’t expect Escape would be used this way. It was utter nonsense.

But then, I thought of one person; my mother. If it were my mother, she could sacrifice herself without a shred of hesitation. And the thought that I wanted to live even if it meant selling out my mother pissed me off even more.

“Fuck!” I vehemently swore. I had to, because if I didn’t, I would have become less than trash and actually might have gone through with it. I had desperately wanted Absolute Destruction, which prompted me to use Escape, but this cursed item just left me with a fucked-up decision to make.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I spat out. The thought of my mother just didn’t leave my mind.

“What’s wrong with you? Are your Skills almost out of time?”

“Shut up, you piece of shit!” I roared as I charged at him. If it wasn’t for his damned One Kill One Shot ability, I wouldn’t be faced with this decision in the first place.

As I charged him, I also remembered the faces of the Monarchs I had destroyed; the Blood Prince, the Predator Duke, the Grim Reaper, and the Dungeon Creator. With those four wiped off the face of the Earth, the remaining three had lost almost all of their influence. This allowed devas to rule over the Earth, unlike Croot, where deities ruled.

If I had known that we would have to band together on the Judge’s Continent like this, I would have at least tried to find a more peaceable solution against the deities. It didn’t matter if we were enemies; they would have needed to survive on the Continent as well.

But I hadn’t known. None of us did. Still, I just couldn’t help but think that I and Earth would have had an easier time if all of the Monarchs except for Kazunari had progressed almost as well as I had. The Predator Duke would have especially shone here with his Absolute Predation. Even if Adora couldn’t be digested, he could at least be imprisoned by the Duke for the rest of his damn life. The Duke was Adora’s perfect nemesis.

But they weren’t here. The Predator Duke, the Blood Prince, and the Grim Reaper weren’t on the Continent. I didn’t regret destroying them; I was just disappointed. I had only done what was necessary to get stronger and now, all that effort just wasn’t enough against this bastard.

“Die! Die! Just die, you bastard!”

“Ho ho, looks like you’re out of time.” The angrier I grew, the calmer Adora became. Even though I knew that, I didn’t stop attacking. If I didn’t take out my anger like this, I was going to go mad from the thought of my mother that just wouldn’t leave the corner of my mind.

—

Ten minutes later, the message finally appeared.

==[You have lost the effects of Consuming Shaman Ko.

Your Stats will now return to normal.]==

The twenty-four hour long desperate fight had come to an end, with me as the loser. Adora still had his 1000x Focus activated.

I still had the option that Escape had given me. I also still had my mother registered on Call, but I just couldn’t bring myself to say her name. But while the words wouldn’t leave my mouth, the excuse was still there in the back of my mind, ready to take over at any time. It kept telling me that it was for the fate of Earth, not me; that I had to make the sacrifice for everyone else to live. But even I knew that it was a cowardly excuse.

“Ho ho, is that powerful Skill of yours finally over? Kekeke. I really didn’t expect you had something strong enough to make me get rid of Focus Attack.” Adora was completely exhausted from the fight too, but he was beaming, confident that he had victory at his fingertips.

“I’ll send you off quickly. It’s the least I can do for my greatest opponent.” Adora charged at me.

I opened my mouth to say the words. I wasn’t ready to die yet, even if it meant I was going to regret this decision for the rest of my life. Even if it meant the whole world was going to curse me till the day I die. I was that much of a coward. “Call: Sung Soo…”

“Gah!” Because I knew that I still had the Bracelet of Eternal Fire that would keep me alive for a little while longer and because of the guilt that sat heavily in my heart, I couldn’t finish saying my mother’s name. But in that moment, I saw someone step in between me and Adora and take Adora’s attack in my stead. I knew her quite well. She was also the first to become a deva after me: Song Haein.

“Jiwon oppa! Get out of here. I…I can’t stop another attack!” It was a miracle that Haein was able to stay standing after taking Adora’s attack. No, she might be the only one who could, as Earth’s strongest tank.

“Ho ho. That’s impressive. Let’s see you withstand another one!”

“Oppa! Hurry!”

In that moment, I had completely forgotten about Escape and about its escape route. All I could see was Haein’s tears. I watched as Adora’s fist flew at Haein’s back as she stood over me.

“Thank you and I’m sorry about everything, Jiwon oppa. And I…” Haein couldn’t finish her sentence as Adora’s fist burst through her chest from the back. Haein disappeared from my eyes. The two teardrops that fell from her face vanished before inches away from me.

Adora cackled. “Was she your lover? What a tear-jerking moment. But don’t worry. I’ll send you to her soon enough.”

“…” I was shocked and horrified at what had just happened, but a message appeared before me, not caring about how I felt.

==[A successful sacrifice has been invoked.

You will now receive a one-use Scroll of Absolute Destruction.]==

Adora continued to natter on about something. I didn’t really hear what he was saying, but I slowly got up and took out the Scroll from my inventory.

==[You have activated a one-use Scroll of Absolute Destruction.

Your next attack has a 100% chance of inflicting Absolute Destruction.]==

I turned to look at Adora.

“Why get back up when this fight is over? Are you going to try to avenge your lover?” Adora cackled. “What an eyesore. Just die. Struggling any more will just be wasted effort.”

I didn’t reply to Adora and just walked forward. As I slowly walked towards him, I opened my mouth. “Have you ever experienced something so unbelievable in your life?”

“What nonsense are you spouting now?”

“I had so many experiences. So many that no one would ever believe me if I told them.” My second chance at life, my four-year-long sleep, my reunion with my mother and grandfather, and even my recent trip back to Earth where I was able to meet Luana again. I had so many unbelievable experiences, but I could say with confidence that this was the most shocking event of my life.

“Ha… did you love her that much that it drove you mad?”

“I wish that was the case. I wish I could shed tears for her. I wish I could scream in despair for her. That’s the least I could do for her. But do you know how I really feel right now?”

“…” Adora didn’t reply, but I continued on.

“I want to shout for joy and shout that I survived, that I am still alive. That infuriates me even more. I hate myself for feeling that, for thinking that. It frustrates me that I think that way even though she sacrificed herself selflessly to save me!”

“You really have lost it. Just die already.”

“Yeah, one of us will die,” I said simply, as I stabbed Adora through the chest.

“What is this?” Adora spouted, unable to hide his surprise.

I didn’t say anything though, as it worked.

==[Absolute Destruction has been activated.]==

I wasn’t the only one to receive that message.

“Gaaah!” Adora screamed as he slumped to the ground and vanished.

==[You have obtained 7,974,000,000 golden rings for defeating a powerful opponent.]==

==[You have gained a level.]==

==[You have gained a level.]==

:

==[You have gained a level.]==

I had obtained so many golden rings and leveled up eleven times, each with Bortega’s Blessing, but I barely paid any attention to the messages. I slumped to my knees, my heart filled with a mix of anger, guilt, and grief.

“Argh….Fuck! Fuck!” After fighting for a whole day, my Fatigue was through the roof, especially since Shaman Ko’s boost was off.

“Activate! Ripped Advance!” But I couldn’t walk away now, not while I felt this trapped. I activated Ripped Advance, which was now off its cooldown and charged at the Crootian soldiers. I didn’t feel fear or pressure. All I knew was that I couldn’t keep still. If I stopped moving, I was going to lose it.

——

The battle was just about over. Song Daechul had decided to lead the Empire’s soldiers into one last stand. Even though he was weaker compared to the other Terrans, he was still the guild master of Earth’s strongest guild. The other guild masters also knew that Earth had lost and followed Song Daechul into battle. Lee Jiwon was no doubt the most powerful Terran, but Adora was just too strong. He was just so strong that no one could bring themselves to hate Lee Jiwon for losing.

Then, just when Lee Jiwon was about to fall, Song Haein suddenly broke away and headed straight for the duel. No one, not even her own family, expected her to use her Blink Ring to intervene in a battle between gods.

When the Songs saw Song Haein die after just two hits, they came to an abrupt halt in shock. As much as they knew what dying on the Continent entailed, they had lost one of their own precious family members.

Song Daechul knew that he couldn’t take his Sunbin soldiers to attack Adora, even if he had just lost his only granddaughter. He stood there, in silent rage, while holding in his tears. He knew that he couldn’t hate Lee Jiwon, either.

But then, the tables were suddenly turned when Lee Jiwon slowly walked over to Adora and killed him in one attack. It was like Song Haein’s death had opened up a way to kill Adora. Then, when Song Daechul saw Lee Jiwon charge at the Crootian soldiers even after fighting all day, he turned to the Terran soldiers. He now had a change to avenge his granddaughter.

“Follow the commander! Kill every single enemy soldier! We end this battle now!”

Every single Empire soldier knew who Song Haein was. She was the greatest tank, the one that had put South Korea and the Sunbin Guild on the map. She died to save Lee Jiwon, their champion, and her death somehow allowed Lee Jiwon to kill Adora. The Terran soldiers were now of the same mind as Song Daechul. They all wanted to kill every single Crootian before them.

“Yes sir!”

“Charge! Fight to the end! Don’t let anyone of them get away!”