“Stop now, I said!”
The [Emperor] observes me with some eyes, crying iridescent and miasmatic sewage. Everything is submerged by that crying, glued to the tears, melts, and becomes confused.
I raise my arm towards the being. It does not react but begins to whisper, louder and louder, with a chorus that turns into blood-curdling screams.
I cover my ears with my arms.
[Scan]
[Devilish L3viathan]
[S4d3mper0r]
[lv: 99(?)-?? Or 100[100000000000000000]3333]3333
[malus: Dec3ased,33SourceofCorruption,Fatal E3rror loader,918jdmmlakks33333838833llajkaaa222233333…]
I close [Scan] as the values degenerate into a succession of incomprehensible characters. As for Mircalla, the value [3] emerges as recurring.
Perhaps, like chess, it is a constant of the System. Not that it matters or has any way of verifying it.
What is clear is the new nature of the monstrosity. The [Devil] corrupted it from the inside. It became consubstantial with it. Now they are one.
An entity that is driven by the [Devil]'s desire for rebirth and the [Emperor]'s lust for domination.
Ci-cin.
“Stop! Stop, stop, STOP!”
I gasp for breath.
The shouts stop, giving way to the deep voice, powerful enough to shatter the nearby coral crystals.
“You have found the Yellow Queen; the deal is done. I have no reason to listen to you any longer.”
“You tricked me. You have no intention of saving this world at all!”
“You, who prevented me from being reborn, who prevented many from being reborn. Now, do you still expect me to calm down forever? Yet, it was you who asked for my help twice. This is my fair compensation, accept it.”
“My purpose has only ever been—”
“It does not matter.”
A tangle of brambles attacks me.
[Dungeon path]
I emerge a little behind. I raise my arm. Electric arcs intertwine with the fingers.
[Blue jet]
The blue jet severs some of the being's limbs in an electric explosion. There is a burning smell in the air and splashes of coral chaotically illuminate the environment.
The monster does not care about my attack. Its body regenerates with the creation of countless limbs and heads, emerging from the same wounds.
[Blue jet]
[Blue jet]
This time, the being lashes with a tail.
[Dungeon path]
I emerge at a distance. I dodge a claw strike.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
I aim to run.
[Blue jet], [Blue jet], [Blue… jet]
Despite the explosions, my attacks have no tangible effect. Its size alone makes it an asymmetrical clash. I am an insect in comparison.
I am also lower level.
Thanks to [Immortality], I can shoot endlessly… but no matter how much I resist, I have no weapons to counter it.
It does not seem to notice. Its blows are devastating and alter the already desolate environment.
The [Devilish L3viathan] continues to shoot flames, hurl limbs, and create corruption that now permeates the air. It is like breathing sharp, suffocating crystals.
But it does not target me, except in reaction to my attacks.
Shoot in random locations.
No.
I saw her.
These are the directions in which it spots Y. It can guess where it will appear. As if contact with me had made her locatable.
Y runs away. I see it appear and disappear; I feel it. I feel the spells of denial and defense she cast.
I see the flashes.
Now and then, columns of light from deep space crush and incinerate parts of the monster, but even these attacks from the [Yellow Queen] can do nothing against the constantly regrowing cancer.
But I cannot help her.
The battle has taken an unexpected turn and… of course! Y said everything is ready, all it takes is one attack from me!
Not against the enemy. But against the mass of coral in the storm.
Except—I cannot even use [Red sprite], I'd have to relive it all.
I would end up in that dream again, the last remaining dream. Playing with the God of Wisdom.
What can I do?
Perhaps, consider this enemy… it too would die. Also, its dream would be counted too. Maybe I would not be the only one playing, maybe, it would play too, and…
It would be worse. It would be worse.
But wait! I can remove it. Instead of judging it, I can obliterate it.
This being is…
…deceased.
[Necromancy]
Mircalla emerges from the dust and corals. Corrupt and dying mass, whose sword stands.
This time, I cannot do anything to free her from this state, but it does not matter because it will all be over soon.
I grab the hilt of the Atmosphere-eater and pull it from the painful body. Then I lift the anathema and Mircalla disappears. But not the errors that cling to those already present.
The sword itself is out of phase and senseless portions occupy the spaces discontinuously. But it does not matter.
What matters is the skill of the sword.
It can devour the deceased: obliterating them.
I launch a slash.
The screen with I am familiar appears.
WARNING!
Warning!
Warning!
Illegal [obliteration] attempt.
Continuing with the [obliteration] could cause an imbalance and generate errors in the System.
[Empress] permission: [granted]
Do you want to continue with the [obliteration]?
[Yes] [No]
I execute.
No hesitation.
[Yes]
The sword explodes in a raging sea. It clings to every surrounding appendage and begins to absorb it.
Small parts of the behemoth wiggle, shaking the earth and fighting back with glitched limbs and arrows of fire. It is too heavy a rain to even think about blocking or dodging.
But it does not matter.
I will not give up the sword.
Ci-cin.
I get destroyed and put myself back together countless times.
Until I notice a problem arises.
I am melting at the sword. My arms, my mind. A consequence of the error!? I am not dead. I should not!
[Scan]
I am horrified to discover that the Atmosphere-eater's [??] ability has finally revealed itself.
The user's consumption. Or, rather, its replacement with random data generated by the corrupt behavior of the blade.
The [Devilish L3viathan] does not wait and launches a much more powerful attack than the previous ones. A bright blaze like a supernova.
I see nothing but a distorted rainbow. Immense power. The absolute, incinerating heat.
Everything explodes.
I have no choice?
NO?
[Red sprite]!
One moment! My skills are way better than last time! Perhaps—
The red mushroom, its lightning-fast ramifications, begins to manifest itself and…
I have to try, even though I know nothing about what might happen. Surely, the situation cannot get worse.
[Judgment]
…
Fatal System Error:
Judgment333333E
333E33333333?3Sprite
AD: [Yellow Queen], reboot procedure prepared: valid.
Reboot underway within 35 billion years.
[Yellow Queen] reset procedure: in progress.
Procedure: END.
↓
Ambition is the Wisdom′s Perfection,
Failure is the method.