The blinding light still lingered in my mind, drowning out every other sensation. My ears were ringing—no sound could reach me except a low, muffled rumble, like an echo from the depths of hell. My eyes were wide open, yet all I could see was a blurry white haze, unsure if it was residual light or my consciousness drifting away from reality.
I couldn't hear Seina, Suzu, or Meradis anymore.
This scene… feels oddly familiar...
Don't tell me—I'm about to die again?
Nai wa!
No way.
Could I really be that unlucky?
In the chaos, I felt something approaching. A cold, oppressive presence—like the gaze of a predator stalking its prey. I focused as hard as I could and realized it was the eye—the very source of everything that had happened—moving toward me. Not to flee or escape, but to charge straight in my direction.
Nai wa?
What's going on now?
Trying to give me a parting gift before I die?
I stood frozen, perhaps from exhaustion after the intense battle, or maybe part of me genuinely wanted to end it all here. But as the eye drew closer, I immediately understood its intent: it was searching for a safe haven—
And I… was the only option.
Well, even if the process was a mess, the result turned out correct in the end… I guess that's not too bad, huh?
At that moment, the eye stopped right in front of me. And before I could even think, it plunged directly into my chest—no hesitation, no time to react.
Well, I could definitely feel it now—
It had entered the Virtual World within me.
I wasn't sure what was happening inside, but I hoped Seina and Suzu could temporarily suppress it.
Suddenly, a wave of searing pain hit me. It wasn't just physical… It felt like a divine flame tearing apart every inch of my flesh and soul.
I felt the dark power flooding in, trying to overtake my mind. But in the end, it couldn't get past the barrier protecting my soul.
Then… I stopped feeling anything at all.
Maybe everything inside had stabilized—
But the outside…
Definitely wasn't fine.
At the same moment, I couldn't dodge the collision erupting between the three destructive forces at the center of the battlefield. The instant the impact occurred, my entire body was torn apart by overwhelming power.
I couldn't scream.
I couldn't resist.
All I could do was feel each part of me disintegrate—crushed under unimaginable pressure. But then, in the midst of the pain, a warm light burst forth from deep within my body—the light of magic!
Suzu's earlier words echoed in my head like a divine reminder: "You still have a guardian armor, remember?"
Wait—
How did I forget again?
Even though it had already been mentioned once before, at the edge of death, I really couldn't think of anything else.
That said… didn't I have to die for that skill to activate anyway?
Eh, whatever.
I didn't like the stat penalty it came with, but getting another shot at life wasn't something I could complain about.
Sacred flames radiated from my body as my destroyed cells began to regenerate. I felt the divine power spread through me, pulling me back from the brink of annihilation.
Of course, that didn't come without a price.
I could clearly sense every one of my stats decreasing rapidly. But thanks to the eight "Holy"-affiliated creatures surrounding me, the penalty was significantly reduced.
Instead of losing 50% of my stats, I only lost 26%.
In the end—
I had survived.
When I came to, the first thing I noticed was the heavy, suffocating air of the Great Dungeon. The darkness surrounding me… the cold, ancient stone walls carved with runes...
I used Appraisal and confirmed I was back on the 13th floor of the Elbrinat Great Dungeon.
Didn't expect to return to floor 13, of all places.
I slowly sat up and checked my body. Everything was intact, though I was far weaker than before.
But what worried me most was the eerie silence around me. There was no sign of the dragon or the Dark Witch. As if they had vanished—leaving behind not a single trace.
What happened?
I wondered.
Was everything really gone?
That would mean... I'd succeeded gloriously. I survived, achieved my goal, and even shook off all my rivals.
Yet, for some reason—
I didn't feel all that happy. Because, in the end, this felt like a failure. I hadn't truly defeated anyone.
Seina, Suzu, Meradis—are you all okay?
"We're fine, just a little dizzy." Seina replied.
What about the eye?
"It's under control. Its power has been almost entirely sealed." Seina reassured me, easing my nerves a little.
That's good then.
I'll figure out what to do with that thing later.
Right now, what I need is some sleep after that hellish battle. Even though my body had no injuries—thanks to the resurrection, my mind had hit rock bottom.
From the moment I stepped into that space, it was a constant cycle of running, fighting, getting hit… Then more running, more fighting. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but I'd guess it had been at least a month.
Alright, that's enough for now!
I quickly found a random spot, used Drill Leg to carve out a small cave, and sealed the entrance with webbing.
Lying in my makeshift shelter, I felt the cold stone under my back and the stuffy dungeon air pressing down around me. Even without seeing anyone, I knew this battle wasn't truly over.
The Dark Witch likely wasn't completely defeated, and I had no idea whether the dragon had survived. But more importantly… That eye, now dwelling inside me… What would be the heaviest burden I'd carry from this point on.
Well… I'll deal with it when the time comes.
With that final thought, I slowly drifted off into sleep.