Everyone was shocked to see me quickly descending the hill with my shield raised, charging forward.
But I don’t care.
The bomb beetles and my shield collided.
Boom! KwaKwaKwaKwaKwaBoom!
The bomb beetles that touched my shield exploded in a chain reaction.
Squeak!
When the acidic substance from the bomb beetles reached its limit on my body.
‘Heal.’
《Healing spell used.》
《Remaining healing spell uses: 4》
I used the healing spell on myself.
Soon, my entire body was completely restored.
Although I can only use it five times, with such a powerful recovery, it’s enough.
Before the bomb beetles could fully climb the hill, I charged madly into their center.
The bomb beetles, who were just gathering to prepare for the climb, exploded continuously due to the aftermath of the leading bomb beetle’s explosion.
Boom! KwaKwaKwaBoom! Bang! Bang!
The explosion sounds were so loud they seemed to burst my eardrums.
‘Heal.’
《Healing spell used.》
《Remaining healing spell uses: 3》
I didn’t stop. Even though I grimaced in pain, I continued to run at high speed.
I intended to eliminate as many bomb beetles as possible before they could climb the hill.
To do this, I threw myself into the fray, burning with all my might.
“...Huh.”
“...That.”
“...”
Isaac, Serengeti, and Isabella, standing on the hill, could only stare in disbelief at the unbelievable scene.
*
After eliminating 99% of the bomb beetles and using all my healing spells, I raised my hand to switch positions with Serengeti.
Serengeti and Isabella then blocked the entrance as they climbed the hill again, while Isaac eliminated the remaining bomb beetles, completing the trial.
In a way completely different from my intention.
I have no intention of moving according to the Demigod’s plan.
I will use everything I have to break the board he created.
《Cleared in the shortest time!》
《Reputation increased by 30.》
《Trial completed.》
《Progress: 50%》
《Moving to the next level.》
A warp appeared before my eyes.
Already halfway. I’ve achieved 50% progress.
It’s more than twice as fast as when I challenged Wilhelm.
At that moment.
《The ‘Seat of the Shining Hero’ applauds your base.》
《The ‘Seat of the Shining Hero’ assigns you a special quest.》
《The ‘Rule Breaker’ quest has been reached.》
《Break all the rules and destroy the dungeon along with the will of the Demigod.》
《If successful, the ‘Seat of the Shining Hero’ will grant you a very special reward.》
《Do you accept?》
The quest from the Seat of the Shining Hero that appeared before my eyes.
I couldn’t help but tilt my head at this unprecedented phenomenon.
The Seat of the Shining Hero designating the destruction of the dungeon as a quest.
Moreover, not just a simple destruction but the elimination of the dungeon’s will.
‘A very special reward.’
Perhaps it’s referring to the treasure of the Seat of the Shining Hero, like the one Jingaoa has.
The existence that showed interest from the moment I entered the dungeon.
Then, what kind of close relationship does the Seat of the Shining Hero have with this dungeon?
At that moment.
《The will of the Demigod penetrates you.》
《Failed.》
《The will of the Demigod penetrates you.》
《Failed.》
《The will of the Demigod penetrates you.》
《Failed.》
《The will of the Demigod penetrates you.》
《Failed.》
《The will of the Demigod penetrates you.》
《Failed.》
...What are you doing?
Rule Breaker
Everything was well-structured on the board.
Rules that remained unchanged for countless ages.
But the ‘will’ couldn’t understand the sudden appearance of an ‘abnormal existence.’
‘Why aren’t you following the rules?’
From the moment of entry, you arbitrarily deleted one of the four propositions.
Not only that.
You suddenly transformed and used a skill to tame a werewolf.
Choosing the healer role, you wielded a shield that only a shield-bearer can use, and you single-handedly broke the trial designed to be unbreakable.
Rule Breaker.
You are clearly different from the humans who have challenged so far.
‘If you won’t follow the rules, neither will I.’
Thus, the ‘will’ tried to penetrate you.
There was nothing he couldn’t see or understand.
He planned to find your weakness and create the most difficult trial, one you could never break, leading to your frustration or death.
‘I will penetrate you. Your secrets, your weaknesses, everything about you!’
Although this act goes against the dungeon’s rules, you are also a rule breaker.
The will acknowledged that it couldn’t capture the ‘abnormal existence’ with normal methods.
Soon, everything about you, including your memories, would be revealed.
He planned to expose the most tragic and shocking secret to bring you down.
But.
‘...What is this?’
The will was flustered.
It was the first time he was flustered by a human since his creation.
It couldn’t be helped.
‘Can’t see?’
...Can’t see.
He couldn’t see anything at all.
When he tried to penetrate the abnormal existence, all he saw was pitch-black darkness.
Something huge was blocking him.
But, what?
The will of the Demigod.
A transcendent mental entity derived from a great being.
Moreover, this place was a dungeon.
To block his ‘penetration’ in the dungeon, the entity had to be at least on par with him.
So, is this human on par with him?
‘I can’t accept it.’
The Demigod continued to penetrate.
Despite failing countless times, he couldn’t accept it.
After failing hundreds, thousands of times, the will turned his head.
‘Fine. If I can’t see you, I’ll penetrate the others who came with you!’
*
‘Was it a pointless question?’
Isabella, who had passed through the Room of Truth, repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fists, deep in thought.
The question about whether he was a Celestial.
She was the one who asked it.
After meeting in the desert, Randolph lifted her curse.
He showed her the world beyond the desert.
The memory of arriving in the golden city of Arcana via the warp will never be forgotten.
He promised to find her roots and bloodline if she served for a year.
‘Yet, deep down, I doubted him.’
Is he really a Celestial?
The definition of a Celestial she knew was someone who chases the stars.
But Randolph seemed more like the master of the stars.
A Celestial cannot be the master of the stars.
They only help find the master of the stars.
Honestly, it didn’t matter.
Even if he wasn’t a Celestial.
He had already proven himself through countless deeds.
‘I wanted to know if it was a lie or not.’
She just wanted to clear this lingering doubt.
Whether he was a Celestial, the successor of the Knight King, or recognized by the White King, it didn’t matter.
It was a personal issue for Isabella.
When she heard the answer, she sighed in relief.
And she was disgusted by her own sigh.
She said it didn’t matter, yet she was more concerned than anyone else.
“Ah...”
Watching Randolph run down the hill alone, Isabella swallowed hard.
The man who, with rough explosions, pushed the bomb beetles to the brink of annihilation.
He finished the job that four people should have done alone.
As if he didn’t need anyone’s help.
Not just today.
‘An indomitable warrior. A reckless challenger who never falls.’
That’s who he was.
Randolph always challenged and never fell.
He proved himself and achieved his goals.
His identities are countless, but Randolph is ultimately Randolph.
Sometimes reckless, sometimes honorable, and sometimes cold.
If it were her, what would she do?
Could she run alone and create a similar scene?
Bomb beetles not only explode but also spew a powerful acid. Even as her flesh melted and bones were exposed, he never let go of his shield.
A patience that couldn’t be human.
Even as he groaned in pain, he never gave up.
‘He is a savior.’
Randolph was a savior of the era.
He saved her, saved the city, broke the curse, and sealed the harbinger of destruction.
Isabella bit her lip.
‘I need to be of help too.’
She couldn’t keep receiving help forever.
She said she would serve him, but what had she actually done?
Just harboring silly doubts.
Shaking her head, she crossed the warp.
《Swear to the ‘Oath of Truth.’》
After crossing the warp, the Room of Truth appeared again.
‘Again?’
Isabella tilted her head.
She couldn’t understand why she had to repeat the trial that she passed so easily.
Without any suspicion, she took the oath and wrote down the question.
Then, the questions started in a room where all party members were gathered.
《The first question assigned to Isabella.》
《‘Sonora. Why did you kill that poor child?’》
《‘Did you want to become a princess so badly that you had to kill the child?’》
The moment she saw the questions, Isabella’s eyes widened in shock.
*
《The first question assigned to Isaac.》
《‘After burying the mining city and killing many people, isn’t it too shameless to cry in joy over purifying the evil karma?’》
Isaac too.
《The first question assigned to Serengeti.》
《‘Do you think of Hudson as your escape? Is he not a tool to avoid reality rather than true love? Don’t you actually like Wilhelm more?’》
Serengeti too.
She couldn’t help but be flustered by the questions.
Who could have asked such questions?
No, there was only one person who could ask such questions.
Randolph.
Only he knew and could understand such details.
Only he, with his ability to see everything and act as if he knows everything, could ask such questions.
All three of them looked at Randolph in shock.
He didn’t move a muscle.
Brazenly.
‘There’s no way he can tell the truth...’
In a room where only the truth can be spoken.
But what if the truth is something you don’t want anyone to know?
The moment the questions were thrown, the eyes of suspicion turned to her.
It felt like everyone was doubting her, mocking her for being just another human.
She was afraid.
*
...I was watching the scene from a distance.
The scenes floating before me.
Like a hologram, the three of them were undergoing trials in separate rooms.
This trial is completely different from the previous Room of Truth.
It seems like all party members are gathered, but except for the individual, the rest are illusions created by the ‘will.’
They are suffering from the questions posed by the will amidst the illusions.
And they are shocked, suspecting that I asked the questions.
《The ‘will’ says it will stop the trial if it voluntarily exits.》
It was an interesting situation.
The master of the dungeon suggesting voluntary exit.
Since I couldn’t do anything about me wreaking havoc, it’s now tormenting the party members.
Trying to make me doubt and erode my trust.
“Worst of all.”
In some sense, he was worse than a demon king.
The will of the great Demigod, praised for its quality, turned out to be so low.
The dungeon is notorious for being trash, but here, the only trash is that will.
Everyone is suffering.
Facing the truth and having to answer.
《There are three questions. The ‘will’ says that even if you endure, your trust will fall off a cliff.》