—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Ruby
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thump! Thump─! Thump!
Yuma thought for a moment that an earthquake had struck.
After returning to the Empire from the Lycanthrope kingdom Baukalak, Yuma watched Bell running towards them like a beast.
‘What is this.’
Not even a hint of killing intent could be felt.
Nothing triggered the skill [Crisis Detection] either.
Kugugugugugugu!
But what was this fierce charge rushing towards them?
“Yumaaaaaa!”
So why are you charging so fiercely?
Tak!
Bell jumped up and embraced Yuma as if pouncing on them.
“I crossed the bottleneck.”
Bell said this while nestling in Yuma’s arms.
Yuma looked at Bell’s face speaking so energetically.
Seuruk…
After gently stroking the cheek that was smiling brightly as if asking for praise,
Yuma looked at Bell with
She had definitely broken through the bottleneck.
And reached it.
The realm called the peak and ultimate point of the human race.
‘It won’t be enough.’
Eight Evil Gods.
To face the remaining ones, they needed the power of Bell before them and Cloney’s power.
Although Yuma had killed Evil God Incrinew with their own hands – who could be said to have gathered these two and Brigitte in one place – they still believed unchangingly that these three were necessary keys to completely saving this world.
‘Bell and Cloney have the talent to surpass these numerically defined levels and standardized realms.’
Yuma was certain of this.
Their own role hadn’t changed much from when they first gathered these individuals together.
Making sure their talents could shine fully.
Until the still somewhat small flames could fully illuminate the world.
Protecting those flames so they wouldn’t go out.
That’s what Yuma had decided.
Yuma met Bell’s pink eyes that were staring intently at them.
“You did very well.”
“Yes!”
Bell nodded vigorously.
Then slowly opened her lips.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of settling for this at all. I’ll keep getting stronger, bit by bit.”
Yuma’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t hard to guess where this innocent aspiration was ultimately yearning for.
‘…It must be me.’
That aspiration was directed at none other than Yuma.
The realm of ‘illusion’ that [Absolute Counte]r always achieves.
That absolute martial prowess that earned the title of ‘War God.’
However, Yuma was certain that Bell was one of the few humans who could approach that nearly illusory realm.
“Yes, you can do it.”
Yuma patted Bell’s shoulder.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
At the central table of the Imperial Palace.
Right now, only two people were present there.
Brigitte looked across the table at Yuma sitting opposite her.
The hero who had saved not only the Astes Empire but also other kingdoms of the continent and nations of other races.
“Their invasion forces have decreased dramatically. I think we must be nearing the end.”
There were no demons who dared to stand firmly on this continent.
And now the number of demons pouring out from the gate in thousands had noticeably decreased.
The intermittently emerging forces numbered at most five hundred.
“It seems so.”
Yuma agreed with Brigitte’s assessment.
Brigitte looked at Yuma on the opposite side of the table.
Their eyes reflected each other.
“Yuma, going to that demon realm. It must be something you absolutely have to do.”
A human going to the demon realm.
Anyone would think it was insane.
For humans, properly counterattacking the demon realm’s invasion was unimaginable.
And it was the same for other races as well.
The demon realm is a separate dimensional world from the middle realm.
A world of demons.
Grand Master.
10th Circle.
A place where all those great achievements could become powerless.
No matter how accomplished one was in the middle realm, they couldn’t predict what variables might occur in the demon realm where everything and everywhere was hostile.
That’s where Yuma was trying to go.
No matter how much Brigitte thought about it, she couldn’t guess the reason.
As Yuma had always been until now, she could only vaguely think it must be absolutely necessary.
“Even if I tell you not to go, you will, won’t you?”
Brigitte’s eyes were trembling slightly for some reason.
“Yes, it’s something I must do.”
This time, Yuma spoke firmly.
Dragon Heart.
They needed to eat the dragon’s heart and break free from being ordinary.
What would happen after that breakthrough couldn’t be predicted yet.
‘But it won’t just be becoming a human with talent from being ordinary.’
Something more than that happens.
That’s what Yuma thought.
Status window.
The status window appearing before their eyes kept leading them somewhere.
And the clearest path for now was breaking free from being ordinary.
Whether the being that brought up the status window and granted achievement rewards was a god included in “good” or not was still unknown, but…
‘They said I could meet them after breaking free from being ordinary.’
Yuma didn’t know about this world.
They never knew anything from the start.
After all, they hadn’t been possessed by the game Loop Blood.
Thinking about it now, Yuma recalled the email that had been the trigger for their summoning to this world.
We’d like to give [Don’tScrewMeOver] one special privilege as a gift. Because you love our game so much.
Well then, we’ll send you an invitation when we’re ready.
‘New work.’
Strictly speaking, you could say they had entered a new work made by the creators of Loop Blood, but…
‘This couldn’t possibly be just a game world.’
Open world and whatever else, the content hinting at a new game was purely wordplay.
This is a complete world.
Not a game, but a real world.
‘Tutorial.’
In terms of process, for Yuma, the game Loop Blood had served as a tutorial for this world.
‘Was I selected, or was it coincidence?’
He didn’t think there were other people who had been summoned to this world from modern times besides himself.
It was clear he was the only summoned one.
If there were more summoned people, they would have stood out.
‘…For now, putting all that aside.’
His head was starting to hurt.
Thinking about it now wouldn’t reveal anything anyway.
He needed to focus on what he could do right now.
Yuma focused back on Brigitte, the Empire’s empress.
“Don’t worry. I’ll return safely.”
Brigitte smiled softly at Yuma’s calm words.
“I can’t help but worry, but… I Bellieve in you, Yuma.”
Brigitte slowly rose.
She walked over.
Her snow-white hair swayed.
And she stood beside Yuma.
The noble empress’s gaze looked down at Yuma.
The empress’s fair white fingers touched Yuma’s cheek.
Warmth transmitted through Brigitte’s fingertips.
“Sometimes I resent myself. For not having any special personal abilities unlike Cloney and Bell.”
Brigitte and Yuma’s faces drew closer.
Close enough to feel each other’s breath.
“No matter what dangerous choices you make… I can’t tell you not to do them, because I have neither the power nor the right.”
Brigitte’s clear blue eyes stared directly at Yuma.
“This time too, I feel so powerless. So powerless…”
Brigitte quietly expressed her helplessness like that.
Then slowly opened her lips.
Seuruk…
Brigitte put her arms around Yuma’s shoulders and covered Yuma’s lips with her own.
Yuma also embraced her, putting their arms around her back.
It was very brief.
After that moment, Brigitte, trembling with a racing heart, removed her arms from Yuma’s shoulders.
“…How foolish of me.”
Brigitte said this while looking into Yuma’s eyes after separating their lips.
“It’s fine since we were foolish together. You don’t need to be so hard on yourself. Even if it’s just a simple emotion.”
Brigitte raised the corners of her mouth at Yuma’s comforting words.
The slight inferiority and anxiety that had been on Brigitte’s face earlier had faded.
Brigitte’s lips, which had just been touching Yuma’s, slowly parted.
“Make sure to keep your promise to return safely.”
Their faces were still close.
“Yes. I’ll keep that promise.”
Only then did Brigitte widen the distance that had been literally nose-to-nose with Yuma.
Brigitte then turned around and walked nobly like Yuma to reach the stairs, disappearing from Yuma’s sight.
Brigitte pressed her back firmly against the wall.
“Whew.”
And let out a deep sigh.
A faint blush had bloomed on her snow-white face.
She spread both palms to cover her face.
“…What did I just do.”
Brigitte, Empress of the Astes Empire, kept muttering these words in her mind until she fell asleep.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Yuma’s party had arrived at the Mullen clan’s island.
This was because the demon realm’s gate had opened in the sky above the Mullen clan’s sea.
Yuma’s gaze swept over Cloney, Bell, Hestia, and Brigitte.
Tisha, who had joined her clan, also bowed her head toward Yuma.
Step
They moved toward Bell.
And held out one of the Dimensional Movement Pearls taken from their spatial pocket to Bell.
The Dimensional Movement Pearl received as an achievement reward for killing Demon Lord Bephalon.
An item that could ignore the boundaries between dimensional worlds and move between them.
It was a holy relic that served as a ‘return artifact’ to return to the Astes Empire in the middle realm set as coordinates.
“If there’s a time when your life is in danger, don’t worry about me and use this. Of course we’ll stay together, but. The judgment of when life is in danger is left to each individual.”
Bell, who would be heading to the demon realm with Yuma, nodded.
“Yes, I understand.”
Bell wasn’t even that curious about why Yuma was trying to enter that demon realm.
‘I’m glad I can go together.’
She was just glad she could be Yuma’s sword.
Yuma approached Cloney.
Tears were welling up in Cloney’s eyes.
Yuma didn’t find this appearance weak.
Rather, it was strange that she had been too brave until now; this current appearance was more fitting for her age.
Yuma took out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears beneath her golden eyes.
“…”
Cloney stared at Yuma with round eyes.
“Don’t worry. Protect our companions. Understand?”
Only then did Cloney smile brightly.
“Yes, Lord Yuma.”
They had already said enough farewells to Brigitte.
“Keep your promise.”
“Yes.”
Finally, Yuma looked at Hestia.
Hestia twitched her crimson cat ears.
“Have a good trip, Yuma! Come back quickly! Ermel and I are preparing something that will surprise you!”
Ermel.
Yuma felt a bit curious hearing the former saint’s name after so long.
Though it was just a tiny bit of curiosity.
“Alright, I look forward to it. Guard the Empire well.”
“Yes!”
Hestia was unchangingly energetic.
Kurulung…
Yuma and Bell’s gazes turned toward the demon realm’s gate that was still spitting out demon beasts little by little.
Yuma and Bell climbed onto Griffin Ethan.
“After clearing all of those out, we’ll enter the demon realm through that gate they opened.”
Seureung─
Bell drew her sword.
“Understood, my lord.”
Ethan spread his massive wings.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
