Horizon was dead, but none of the Players could say that they had already won.
The strongest Count of the Underworld, Orpheus, was still standing, after all.
"A useless fool till the end."
Horizon would have exploded in fury if he had heard Orpheus’ words.
‘Things went off track, but... it doesn't matter.’
He never had any expectations to begin with, so the disappointment wasn't that great.
Actually, Horizon’s death wouldn't significantly affect the overall situation.
Orpheus was convinced that even if he were to die, the situation wouldn’t change that much.
‘We've already taken over the 7th Floor, the 8th Floor, and the 9th Floor. Those Floors have nothing but demons.’
They were demons from all over the universe, and they had responded to the Archduke’s call. Orpheus couldn’t even count just how many demons had gathered under the Archduke’s banner, and those demons were waiting for their turn to enter the lower Floors.
‘They’ve decided to throw themselves into battle where they virtually have zero chances of winning.’
Orpheus swept his contemptuous gaze across the humans.
"Kill everything that isn't a demon," he said coldly.
***
"Oh, damn..."
"Get your act together and move quickly! We'll all die at this rate!"
"Move to your designated positions!"
The Players moved in a frenzy.
Their role was to deal with the demons while the elite Players confronted Orpheus.
‘But... c-can we even face them?’
Gong Ju-Ha absentmindedly looked up at the massive dimensional rift. Demons poured out endlessly from the rift, and it was no longer possible to count just how many Demons had arrived. Gong Ju-Ha felt like he was witnessing the end of the world.
"Hmm." Her eyebrows trembled. For a moment, she thought it was fortunate that they weren’t on Earth.
"—cess, Princess!"
She was jolted awake by someone shaking her shoulders.
"We have to hurry and move now!"
"Oh, yeah." She nodded and looked back at the members of Goblin Guild’s Team 2. She reckoned that what she was feeling at the moment had to be similar to what parents felt whenever they had to send their child to a battlefield.
The way they looked at her made Gong Ju-Ha feel as if she were their mother hen, and the overwhelming emotions made her feel a dull ache in her heart. Perhaps that was why she talked more than usual.
“Wait for me there, and don’t die.”
"Yes."
"If you die, I’ll deduct your wages, and you’ll have to listen to my nagging for three years."
"Understood."
"And..."
"What? There’s still more? What kind of evil team is this?"
"I still have to listen to your nagging in the afterlife? Geez. I don’t wanna die."
"..."
Their grumblings made her feel sad. Was it because she might never see them again?
Gong Ju-Ha bit her lips and held back the tears forming in her eyes as she nodded with determination. "Go ahead and joke around all you want from now on. You won't hear any nagging from me. Just don’t die."
It seemed that her will managed to reach them as they nodded heavily.
"Please be careful as well, Princess."
"He’s a true monster, just like the rumors said. Please don't be careful."
"If I survive, I'll definitely mess around more than usual. Don't nag me by then."
Booom!
As screams began to echo from all over the city, Ha In-ho raised his hand.
"All right! From now on, I’m the leader of Team 2! Follow me, everyone! Move out!"nove(l)bi(n.)com
He calmly led the team away.
He was aware that he couldn't stay lost in the mood forever.
"Where the heck is our Ju-Ha... Ah, there she is."
Gong Ju-Ha saw familiar faces at their rendezvous point.
"Sorry for being late."
"No, it’s okay. It's fine. We have to wait until the Players are done making space for us, anyway." Skaya lifted the blinds on the window. The city was on fire, and there was absolute pandemonium within its confines.
Gong Ju-Ha carved the harrowing sight into the retina of her eye.
"The number of surviving Players will increase the quicker we dispatch Orpheus,” said Skaya.
“Can we even kill him?" asked Shin Sung-Hyun.
Skaya nodded and swept her gaze across everyone. “It’s doable."
Skaya and Rahmadat.
Kim Woo-Joong and Shin Sung-Hyun.
Finally, Gong Ju-Ha and Seo Jun-Sik.
The team was made up of just six Players, but they were unstoppable.
"This combination is something I carefully thought out. There's no better combination than this."
If these six Players failed to kill Orpheus, the situation would remain hopeless, even if a few Star Destruction Stage Players were to join the battle from somewhere. In addition, Players like Baek Geon-Woo, Gilberto, and Wei Chun-Hak were more powerful against a crowd of enemies rather than fighting a single enemy.
"Uh... What about me?" Gong Ju-Ha pointed to her own face.
Her Ruler of Flames (S) was also great when dealing with multiple opponents.
"Princess, you have great synergy with Woo-Joong and Sung-Hyun, so we picked you."
"Aha."
Ruler of Flames truly had excellent synergy with Cutter of Flames.
Similarly, the Controller of Space, who could twist the trajectory of flames in many different ways, synergized greatly with the Ruler of Flames as well. Of course, the reason these things were possible was due to the training the trio had done together.
"We'll have to wait at least thirty more minutes."
Orpheus had entered the city’s old castle, where True Vampire Tepes used to live.
"The entry phase has been decided, so please make sure to remember it."
Skaya suspended a hologram in the air.
The team members nodded.
"I’ve memorized it."
"Yeah, I think he’s waiting for the demons to completely wipe out the resistance army."
Orpheus’ hands were still intact, and he remained resolute as he sat quietly on the stone steps. The Players had been attacking him from afar, but Orpheus’ power of vain was still as potent as when the battle had just started.
“He’s determined to take at least one of us down with him."
Orpheus’ remaining eye shone in a determined light. It was clear that he wouldn’t allow himself to die without taking one of the Players with him. It was a strange standoff, indeed, and Seo Jun-Sik finally made his move.
"I'll go."
All eyes turned toward him; Seo Jun-Sik smiled wryly and said, "Why so serious, everyone? I'm just a clone, you know?"
"..."
Everyone remained silent. They knew he was Seo Jun-Ho’s clone, but they had been fighting together on the battlefield for more than two years now.
"His power of vain may erase your very existence."
"Well, yeah. I suppose that could happen." Seo Jun-Sik nodded. After all, even Sung-Jun's clone had apparently disappeared in a similar manner, so it was possible.
"But still, once Original comes back and..." His gaze swept over the team before continuing. “And if he finds out that one of you died while he was gone, I’m sure he’s going to be sad—really sad.”
"If we're talking about the Seo Jun-Ho that we know, I think he’s going to be sad as well if you disappear"
"Well, that's true. We always bicker, but he took care of me pretty well."
Seo Jun-Sik, who was thinking about the Original while looking up, turned to Gong Ju-Ha.
"You asked earlier, right? Ah, was it yesterday? Why I’m so calm and casual?"
"T-that’s..."
"No need to explain. You’re not exactly wrong."
But there was a reason behind it...
"Original... his personality’s really nasty."
"...?"
"He knows I love sushi, but he rarely buys it for me, and he has a ton of money, you know!" His Original also knew that he liked orange juice, but the fridge was filled with nothing but cold brew coffee and black tea.
"Why are you bringing that up?"
"I’m saying that guy is like my hometown. I eventually have to look back at him and return to him."
Seo Jun-Sik’s calm and casual personality belonged to Seo Jun-Ho. He had been exactly like Seo Jun-Sik before he became a Player—back when he still trusted people without doubting them.
"So I can't become serious..." Otherwise, he might forget what he was like before the demon army’s invasion. Seo Jun-Sik had to avoid that at all costs. Seo Jun-Sik pulled out a blue spear from his Inventory.
"Let's go, Fake Dragon."
The original White Dragon was with his Original. The White Dragon in his hand was just an imitation of the original, so he named it Fake Dragon—fake like himself.
"Heh." Seo Jun-Sik's lips curled up. He aimed the tip of his spear at Orpheus and spoke, "Here I come."
Seo Jun-Sik took the lead. The scornful power of darkness enveloped him as he tore through space and reappeared in front of Orpheus.
"Ugh!" Orpheus quickly enveloped his hand with the power of vain.
'It doesn’t feel good that I can only take a clone down with me, but...'
It was better than nothing. He caught White Dragon with one hand.
Crack!
The power to scorn was reduced to nothingness.
'Damn.'
Seo Jun-Sik reckoned that his Original would have lasted longer than him—no, the tables would have turned, and his scornful darkness would have devoured Orpheus’ power of vain.
However, Seo Jun-Sik was simply too weak to resist Orpheus’ power of vain.
“Now!” Seo Jun-Sik roared.
Meanwhile, Orpheus grabbed Seo Jun-Sik’s hand.
"Let's hold hands and go down this stage together..." said Seo Jun-Sik with a snicker.
Orpheus grinned wryly. The idea of dying with this bastard was hardly appealing, but he smiled at Seo Jun-Sik and asked, "What are you talking about?"
How could they go down the stage together when Seo Jun-Sik’s figure was already starting to disappear into nothingness? However, two figures quickly appeared behind Orpheus and punched him.
"Argh!"
Orpheus spat a mouthful of pitch-black blood.
Slice!
A dazzling sword light severed both of his arms from his shoulders.
He collapsed and stared at the burning ceiling in a daze.
"You all... are still going to die"
"Just shut up and die. Stop talking nonsense,” growled Rahmadat.
However, Orpheus’ smile hung on his lips as he muttered, “Fools. Do you really think that there are only two Star Destruction Stage demons left throughout the universe?”
Everyone's gaze was drawn to the hole in the burning ceiling.
The dawn parted, giving way to the rising sun as the world was enveloped by a terrifying amount of energy.
"Damn it, t-this can't..."
"No way. Are they all...?"
More than a hundred Star Destruction Stage demons were approaching them.
Orpheus glanced at the astonished Players and chuckled. "The Archduke... is impartial."
The Archduke gave him and Horizon the chance to seize the glory of conquering the lower Floors.
"But Horizon is dead, and I... I’m dying."
The Star Destruction Stage demons who had been waiting on the upper Floors no longer had any reason to wait. From now on, they would descend and wreak havoc like rampaging bulls.
"..."
"..."
Everyone's mouths were tightly sealed at the harsh and cold reality.
Meanwhile, Seo Jun-Sik's arm was finally reduced to nothingness.
He smiled bitterly and bid farewell to them. "Damn it. It doesn’t feel good leaving you guys just like this. Please... stay strong, you guys."
The power of vain rushed toward Seo Jun-Sik, and he closed his eyes to greet death.
Booom!
The ceiling abruptly collapsed, and a beam of darkness landed on the ground.
"Are you really going to leave them with the burden just to rest in peace?”
The darkness took the shape of a certain individual, and he approached Seo Jun-Sik.
"I don’t remember teaching you that."
"Huh? You, you... you!"
"Nice to see you, Jun-Sik." Seo Jun-Ho grinned upon seeing Seo Jun-Sik’s eyes that had gone as wide as saucer plates. He then placed his hand on Seo Jun-Sik's forehead and muttered, "Wheel of Time."