NOVEL NEXT Chapter 178
Chapter 178 – Borderline (8)
“…Game over.”
The darkened screen and the clearly visible words “You are dead.” The game, no, the world had come to a standstill. What was happening inside that space where only Riena remained was now beyond my control.
So I just stared at the screen, unable to bring myself to press the restart button. It was hardcore difficulty, but honestly, I could restart as many times as I wanted. It’s just that the data would be gone.
Compared to all the rewards Riena received, the data my character had was pitifully meager, so I didn’t feel too bad about it.
Of course, that’s precisely why I died so easily.
‘Is something more happening?’
Yet, despite my turmoil, I didn’t feel particularly anxious or afraid. It was due to the deep trust I had in Riena.
I could somewhat understand why the enemies suddenly targeted me and why Riena smiled at me in the last moment. It was abrupt, but the moment she chose to abandon me, I instinctively felt she made the right decision.
‘Just a mere character, after all. It was merely a game to clear.’
This was the final chapter’s final boss anyway. Even if I never saw her again, Riena’s power and knowledge were no longer in need of my assistance.
As long as my sacrifice kept her from falling into their traps, that was all that mattered.
After all, my role had always been… that.
I would go to any lengths to help her. She would take that help, fight against the enemies, and win. That was what was most important.
“When will she come out?”
Now, all that remained was a ceaseless wait.
While Riena faced her final trial inside, I could only set the game aside and divert my attention to other matters.
The collapse of the World Tree, the fallen city of the elves, and the elves fleeing in all directions, alongside our allies rushing out to rescue them and capture the bugs.
Seeing them, I wished that Riena, left all alone, would clear the game and join us soon.
‘That monster.’
There were other reasons, but the biggest was that guy. The Elf King Legion, who killed countless elves and, with a small troop, breached the elves’ defenses, drawing aggro near the World Tree, completely shattering their defense.
Even now, he was rampaging freely.
Brave elves rushed at him, risking their lives to save their kin, but he showed no concern, slaughtering anyone who dared approach, reigning as the god of the battlefield.
*
“Stop her! Hurry and stop her!”
As he anxiously waited, completely out of the game, Riena stepped forward without the warm light that had guided her through the last trial.
Razak, in shock, urged his subordinates to stop her.
But there was no way for a boss to defeat a player who had steadily powered up with items and skills.
They weren’t simply a player-boss relationship either. For someone, it was a game, but for them, it was reality, so Razak had opportunities to exploit her openings, yet she blocked them with almost perfect trust.
“Damn it, was it always destined to end up like this?”
Razak trembled as he watched Riena, adorned with her radiant wings of the Celestial Blessing.
The noble wings she gained through her final choice didn’t originally appear as items in the game but existed solely as lore.
Yet, she had received celestial recognition and was able to obtain them. She wasn’t merely a game character.
“Clear the way! I must return!”
As she drew her wings forward and lifted her sword, a massive three-pronged strike burst forth, splitting and shattering the encroaching monsters right down the city.
The power was so immense that even touches would obliterate ordinary monsters. The shockwave emanated, spreading light and dust simultaneously.
Just as Razak amassed more than his limit of subordinates to block her path, Riena exuded power far beyond her limits, sweeping them away.
“In the end, you’ve recognized your qualifications and obtained vast power, Judge!”
Razak shouted as Riena finally approached him without any hindrance.
“But don’t get complacent. They’ll use you and cast you aside!”
“They? Who are you talking about? The gods of this world that granted me these blessings?”
“W-what?”
“I’m grateful to Him. However, I won’t remain in this world. After killing you, I will return.”
Razak, who tried to shake Riena, was taken aback. There was not a hint of wavering in her shining eyes.
The heavenly ones wish to cast you aside; the game story indeed hints at such things, but it was a failed attempt to sway Riena.
“The enemy I must face is not you.”
Riena was already looking at another enemy.
Not Razak, but another demon that existed outside. An enemy with which conversation or negotiation was impossible.
The only thing left to do was fight for their lives. Realizing this, Razak was dumbfounded and speechless.
He never imagined that as the strongest among the demon lords, he would be treated with such disdain.
“Who the hell are you?”
Razak could only ask that. He finally recognized the uniqueness Riena possessed.
“I don’t need to explain.”
But Riena didn’t respond readily. She lifted her sword once more and propelled herself forward to clear the last remaining boss.
“Don’t get cocky!”
In the end, it turned out to be an intense fight. Razak, after all, was indeed strong and destructive, being someone who could bring a world to crisis.
Every time he swung his massive axe, the surrounding stone pillars and floor shattered, sending shards flying.
“Ugh?!”
However, that impressive axe’s power was merely stopped by her feather-light wings.
Riena wielded her wings, now infused with the power of the Celestial Blessing, like swords, relentlessly driving Razak back.
There were no set patterns or gimmicks; she unleashed a rapid series of consecutive strikes.
“T-this is impossible…”
Razak felt his power diminishing with each exchange, shocked. With every hit, the divinity radiated from Riena burned away and whittled down his magic power.
By the time the aftermath of the battle had nearly destroyed half of the castle’s corridor where Razak had established himself, she found an opening and thrust her sword.
The fierce strike severed one of Razak’s arms, including his shoulder, causing it to disintegrate into nothingness. His strength had vanished.
“Wait! I have something to say! About the secrets of this world…”
In a panic, he opened his mouth, trying to blabber, but with a cold expression, Riena unhesitatingly decapitated him.
As his disembodied head flew into the sky, Razak stared at her with astonished eyes. He never expected she would execute him without listening.
‘Is this it?’
As Razak fell, the gate connecting to hell closed, and surprisingly, the disgusting aura felt from all directions vanished at once.
All that remained was the hushed silence of the ruins. Catching her breath, Riena looked around.
Her wings had already re-entered her body, and the surging divine power had subsided.
“Now, send me back!”
She shouted into the void. Although she had fought to kill the enemy before her, she felt utterly lost about how to return.
The presence that always guided her path was now gone. She felt no one was looking down on her from the heavens.
‘No, surely not.’
As the excitement of battle faded, a chill crept into her spine at the thought that she might not be able to return. That was something she absolutely didn’t wish for.
“Don’t worry too much.”
But fortunately, someone appeared to assist her. As always, Riegner appeared before her, pulling a cart.
“I’ll send you back to your hometown. As you know, the one you serve has cut ties with this place.”
“…That’s right.”
“I’m somewhat disappointed. It’s been so long since a proper Judge appeared, and now I have to send you back. Just saying, Judges receive a fair amount of treatment as part of the celestial realm. Have you thought about that?”
Riegner chuckled jokingly. He knew her well enough to make a predictable joke, but Riena broke out in cold sweat. If Riegner decided not to send her back, she would have no alternatives.
“You may or may not see me again, but use the power gained here wisely. Now, let’s return, savior of the world.”
Smiling at her reaction, Riegner stopped joking and snapped his fingers.
‘The sky has opened.’
Simultaneously, Riena tilted her head back and looked up at the heavens.
Through the shattered roof, brilliant sunlight began to break through the dark clouds that had loomed overhead.
That light wrapped around her.
She surrendered herself to it and slowly began to rise into the sky. As if ascending to heaven, she soared into the endless, pouring light.
“Ugh.”
The intensity of the brightness was too much for her to withstand. She shut her eyes tightly and raised her arms to shield her face. As a result, she, unaware of where her body was headed, could only surrender to the light.
‘I’m moving somewhere.’
All she could ascertain was that she was being moved somewhere. Trusting in Riegner’s promise to send her home was now her only option.
‘What is that sound?’
After a while of traveling, she began to sense something changing in the atmosphere around her.
Faint sounds could be heard in the distance, and the brightness gradually dimmed. It was still too difficult to decipher the sounds or even open her eyes with any ease.
“…!”
“…It’s the sky!”
But as time passed, she started hearing the increasingly clearer shouts and cries of numerous people, and Riena, enduring the brightness, slowly opened her eyes.
‘Elves?’
She wide-eyed at the sight before her.
Having appeared with a brilliant pillar of light from the sky, she floated mid-air while down below, bugs attacked the fleeing elves indiscriminately.