Kang-San, whose appearance was changed with the Myriad Cheoyong Mask, and Radix were following a female grey elf along Elvenheim’s underground tunnel, where not even a single ray of light shone.

“This way,” the grey elf said.

“What is that?” Kang-San asked, squinting as he stared at the dim green light before him.

“It’s been a while,” Radix mumbled, expressing yearning and remorse.

The grey elf gestured with her hand and said, “Head inside.”

“Is the leader of Viridis inside?”

“I cannot say. However... beyond this light lies Qetseb, the place we call the root. Another guide is waiting for you inside.”

“I see.”

Radix and Kang-San threw themselves into the dim green light without hesitation. The scenery changed, and they were in a city. A root of the colossal World Tree was at the city’s center, and its surroundings, with the blowing sand, were dry and desolate. The trees planted around it were also dry, as if all their moisture had been sucked out, and the elves walking around looked fatigued and devoid of life.

“A World Tree inside the World Tree... and grey elves...” Kang-San mumbled as he stared at the grey elves filling the streets.

“This is my hometown, Qetseb, or root. Common bloodlines reside here,” Radix said from beside him, his voice cynical and filled with rage.

Kang-San glanced at him, then looked around as he changed the subject. “It’s fascinating that another world exists inside the World Tree. How is this space even arranged?”

Even he, who had explored various places throughout the Mirror World, had never been inside the World Tree. The villages on the surface of Elvenheim were merely superficial sights for visitors. The true city of the elves existed within the World Tree.

The elves strictly divided the space inside the World Tree into six cities. Qetseb (bottom), Qaneh (stalk), Zemorah (branch), Tereph (leaf), Tsiyts (flower), and Peri (fruit). The elven bloodlines differed between each city; the higher the city, the thicker the blood of the high elves that they carried.

Just then, a grey elf approached Kang-San and Radix, saying, “Follow me.”

The two followed behind the grey elf.

***

Explosions endlessly echoed inside the sinkhole. Seong-Hwi and the Shell of Tellus were having a battle to the death. Seong-Hwi, with all twelve wings sprouted, pummeled his enemy with such speed that not even his afterimages were visible.

The effect of the trait, Natural Enemy of Chaos, was long since over, and his secondary force conversions into Holy Force, Demon Force, and Draconic Mana were also terminated. He was now swinging the Harvesting Scythe after borrowing the birdfolk’s Kinetic Force and the undead’s Wraith Force.

The Shell of Tellus was initially red-brown, but his thick Chaos Mana dyed him black-yellow, and he had become more slender to boost his speed. The team members clicked their tongues as they slid down the sinkhole, staring at the rampaging Chaos exuding ferocious Chaos Mana.

“Is that... his secondary transformation?”

“Dammit! I guess the plan to kill him at the start of the battle failed.”

However, they were more surprised by the fact that Seong-Hwi was fighting on even footing against the immensely ferocious monster. Portions of the Shell of Tellus’s exoskeleton were destroyed with each whip-like swing of Seong-Hwi’s arm holding the Harvesting Scythe, enveloped in a green wraithly aura.

GRAAAH!

Sensing the danger, the Shell of Tellus extended his arms, which had two elbow joints, resembling the arm of an excavator. He then swung his fist at Seong-Hwi once his arms grew as long as those of an orangutan.

Seong-Hwi blocked the fist with twenty-eight pentacles. Twenty-three were instantly destroyed. He flew into his blind spot and clenched the Harvesting Scythe.

He shouted inwardly, Reaper’s Harvest!

[The Reaper reaps the harvest marked with the Mark of Harvest.]

Seong-Hwi swung at the air with the Harvesting Scythe, and the Reaper wearing black armor appeared behind the Shell of Tellus. The Reaper severed the Shell of Tellus’s right arm; his rock-like arm fell to the ground, forming a cloud of dust.

Now’s my chance!

Seong-Hwi’s eyes gleamed with the bloodlust of a predator who had caught the perfect chance to pounce on its prey. The Wings of Evolution, which were filled with the power of Kinetic Force, flashed, and Seong-Hwi immediately appeared before the Shell of Tellus.

Farewell Strike!

[Converting Extinction Aura to Penetration Aura.]

[The Reaper designates the target’s weakness.]

[The next attack must strike the Reaper’s Seal.]

The green aura enveloping the Harvesting Scythe disappeared, replaced by a translucent blood-red aura. The regular Deathly Aura was enhanced through Wraith Force, changing to Extinction Aura, which was then transformed into Penetrating Aura.

If Seong-Hwi used this power to strike the target’s weakness that the Reaper designated, the attack could ignore the opponent’s defense in exchange for being unable to use the No.13 Death card for 4,444 hours. However, if he failed, he would be unable to use the card for 444 hours and forced to pay the Reaper a blood price. It was an ultimate attack followed by a price, regardless of success or failure.

The Reaper’s finger, nothing but bone, pointed at the center of the Shell of Tellus’s os, and the strike zone was illuminated with a red light. It was the Reaper’s Seal, a skull-shaped mark around 0.5 centimeters in diameter. Seong-Hwi had to pierce the mark with the Harvesting Scythe, but doing so during fierce combat was significantly harder than threading a needle in a car shaking on a bumpy road.

“AHHH!”

However, Seong-Hwi swung the Harvesting Scythe without hesitation, determined for this attack to be the last.

Bullseye! Seong-Hwi thought, certain of his success from the beautiful arc of his swing.

However, the Shell of Tellus did something Seong-Hwi had not expected.

GRAAAH—!

The os vibrated, shifting the target for the Harvesting Scythe slightly sideways. A tiny crack formed on the os, but Seong-Hwi knew that his ultimate attack had failed because it was about a centimeter off the mark.

Once his attack failed, the Reaper in black armor appeared behind Seong-Hwi. It swung its translucent red scythe, stabbing Seong-Hwi’s back. The strike, infused with the Penetrating Aura, ignored Seong-Hwi’s defenses and churned his intestines.

“Kurgh!”

[Farewell Strike has failed.]

[Sealing No.13 Death for 444 hours.]

[The Reaper collects a blood price.]

Seong-Hwi, resembling a fish pierced by a hook, coughed up blood. The Reaper vanished, turning into smoke, and Harvesting Scythe was canceled.

“Hyung-nim!”

“Seong-Hwi!”

He could hear his team members shouting from behind him, but he had no time to respond. The Shell of Tellus’s right arm had regenerated before he had realized it, and a giant fist filled his field of vision. The punch was nothing like what came before it; the black Chaos Mana subtly vibrated, making the sound of a crying beast.

Seong-Hwi manipulated the unbroken five pentacles to guard, but they were nowhere near enough. The Shell of Tellus’s fist easily destroyed the pentacles and smashed into Seong-Hwi.

“GURGH!”

Seong-Hwi’s cheekbones were caved in, and his fractured ribs punctured his lungs. The blood vessels of his eyes burst, dyeing his vision red. He was blown away like a deflating balloon.

GRAAAH—!

The Shell of Tellus leaped upward with the thought of finishing Seong-Hwi off.

“Hyung-nim!”

Chaya sprinted to Seong-Hwi and grabbed him as he activated Concealing Cloak. The two of them disappeared without a trace.

“Over here, you rock monster!”

“Stop him!”

[Activating Unique Skill: Combination Shot.]

[Activating Unique Skill: Act II Scene I Carbine.]

The mana balls that Douglas hit converged toward the Shell of Tellus to strike him simultaneously, and Evgeny’s magnum turned into a carbine once his skill moved on to the second act, and he barraged the Shell of Tellus with bullets.

“Take Seong-Hwi to the rear!”

“Keep that bastard at bay!”

Ha-Eun’s purple Liquid Monster interrupted the Shell of Tellus’s charge, and the Mannequin Army charged at the Shell of Tellus without a care for their integrity, slowing him down.

“HUY GAGA!” Leo shouted, leaping into the air as he activated a skill.

[Activating Unique Skill: Grassland Friendship.]

The power of the friendship between Rhodes the lion and Le-Yeyo the human was as great as the vastness of the green grasslands of Kenya. Rhodes and Leo were enveloped with mana of the earth element, known for its powerful physical defense. Leo knocked back the Shell of Tellus with the armified Rhodes with all his might.

GRAAAH!

The Shell of Tellus took the brunt of the team’s focused attacks and was jammed into the ground. The ground shook, forming a cloud of dust.

***

“Gurgh...”

“Hyung-nim! Come to your senses! Hyung-nim!”

“We need a healer!”

“Seong-Hwi is the healer!”

“Does anyone else have a healing skill?”

“I-I have one, but it’s not very effective—”

“Just do it!”

“The rest of you, back into formation! We’ll keep him at bay! From this point on, I will take command!” Yuki commanded once she saw Ha-Eun covering Seong-Hwi’s wounds with the Liquid Monster.

“We can’t kill that thing. Prioritize retreat over subjugation.”

The Shell of Tellus had not used a single skill; he likely did not even have the intelligence to use them. However, his absurdly durable body and immense Chaos Mana alone made him an insurmountable foe.

Is this how powerful a World Ranker is? Just physical prowess alone can push us this far?! Yuki thought.

Just then, Tellus’s voice echoed, My body is slowly beginning to draw out my true power after being freed from the seal.

“Your true power?”

I freely controlled vibrations in my prime. Your friend probably won’t be able to get up for a while. My Quake Force shook all of his organs and mana waves, Tellus said apologetically.

He was known as the Subterranean King because of his ability to cause vibrations, which he named Quake Force. All things vibrated at a certain frequency, and subterraneans, whose sight was atrophied long ago, were more familiar with it than any other race. It was no coincidence that their secondary force was called Seismic Force, and Tellus possessed the most powerful Seismic Force of them all.

His Seismic Force was so well-known, even among World Rankers, that it was given a separate name, Quake Force. It used the power of vibrations to cause internal injuries and entangle one’s mana patterns.

He will be able to use Quake Force even better over time.

“That thing’s going to get even stronger than this? That’s insane,” Douglas said.

“As Onie Yuki said, we can’t kill that monster,” Evgeny agreed.

“Was a Hispar-rank Chaos always this strong? I would believe it if he were a Lang-rank Chaos that I’ve only heard about,” Leo added.

Just then, a drone flew toward them, and Enrique’s voice came out from its speaker.

— I’ve secured an escape route! I’ll lure him away.

“Good. We’re giving up on killing him. Let’s retreat before he regains his—”

“On whose—Cough! Orders?!” a voice interrupted Yuki’s command.

Yuki turned around to see Seong-Hwi standing up as he coughed up blood.

“Seong-Hwi! You...”

“The commander... is me! There is... no retreat!”

“Stop spouting bullshit! The second commander takes over if the commander is incapacitated!”

“I’m... not incapacitated.” Seong-Hwi activated every healing skill he had, such as Regenerating Crown, Torah, and the Cups, and stood tall. He continued, “This will be the final attack. Support me. I... will kill it, and climb even higher. I will head to the center, deeper inside, and shine brightly!”

His teammates couldn’t bring themselves to suggest retreat after seeing his bloodshot eyes exuding immense bloodlust. They knew he wouldn’t accept it.

“You lunatic...”

“Huuu. It’s do or die, I guess.”

“I will follow you to the very end, hyung-nim.”

“Just a little longer until Act III Scene IV... We have a chance.”

The team members raised their morale and prepared for battle again. Just then, screams sounded from inside the dust cloud.

“GAAAH! WHO... WHO... AM I?!”

***

“GAAAH! I MISS... THE VIBRATIONS OF TROPHONIUS... AHHH, MOTHER! FATHER! BROTHERS AND SISTERS! MY FRIENDS! WHERE... ARE YOU?!”

The dust settled, revealing the Shell of Tellus shouting as he stood completely still.

“What?”

“What the hell... is he saying?”

“Forget that, he can talk?”

All eyes were on the Shell of Tellus, who seemed in extreme agony.

“What is he talking about?” Seong-Hwi mumbled as he clenched his temples. His vision was still blurry due to the effects of Quake Force.

That is... the grudge of the subterraneans, Tellus answered.

“Grudge?”

Look at his os.

Seong-Hwi focused his mind and stared at the Shell of Tellus’s black os. Red-brown smoke was seeping from the crack he had made. He could see the tens of thousands of agonized faces inside the smoke.

“What are those?”

The grudges of my people are leaking from the Earthquake Stone fragment inside its os. I mentioned earlier that the Earthquake Stone holds the consciousness of every subterranean, including myself. Tellus continued sorrowfully, We have been corrupted by Chaos Mana for too long, living hopelessly amidst certain extinction... Our grudge has long since been unable to be released, even in death.

“So, that shell is taking in all those grudges?”

This is... far more dangerous than I had expected. If my shell accepts all the grudges of my people... He will no longer be a Hispar-rank Chaos. He will gain an ego, become able to think for himself, and even use race skills.

They were already having enough trouble as it was, but their enemy was about to get even stronger.

And my grudge is... among those... countless... grudges...

Tellus’s voice grew fainter.

Could it be?! The monster is absorbing the Subterranean King’s consciousness as well? This can’t be! Seong-Hwi thought.

If that were to happen, the shell could evolve from Hispar to Lang... or perhaps to the undefinable Bachtasha-rank.

“Dammit! Can’t you do something about it? Stop him somehow!” Douglas shouted.

I... cannot. I also... possess... a strong... grudge for... this world... So strong... that I wish... to get out... of this... dungeon and... destroy... everything... This is... what Bafor... feared...

Tellus’s voice grew even fainter.

“Dammit!”

Tellus’s voice disappeared, and as if having given the baton, the Shell of Tellus screamed, “GAAAAAH! I... I AM... THE SUBTERRANEAN KING, TELLUS! I AM THE PILLAR THAT MUST FULFILL THE WISHES OF MY PEOPLE! I CANNOT... AFFORD TO FAIL!

The properties of the Chaos Mana leaking out from the crack in the os changed from red-brown to pitch-black, like the serene dead of night, but the energy inside was surely terrifying. It was similar to Ajingya’s Chaos Mana, excluding the stars.

“GAAAAAH!” he screamed as he raised both arms.

Rocks and dirt in his surroundings began to gather around and cling to him, making him bigger.

“W-what’s going on?”

“Could this be... a tertiary transformation?”

“Then, is that thing a Lang-rank Chaos?”

The team members were left shocked by the growing Tellus.

Yuki grabbed Seong-Hwi’s shoulder and shouted, “No more! Get a hold of yourself! This has gone beyond what we can handle! A Lang-rank Chaos is something you’d see in the seventh zone!”

“He’s... not a Lang-rank yet. It’s incomplete,” Seong-Hwi remarked.

“So what? You couldn’t beat him when he was in his secondary transformation! How do you expect to beat that monster?!”

Seong-Hwi remained silent. His organs were a mess due to the effects of Quake Force, and blood was spewing from the hole in his back and stomach, formed from the penalty of Farewell Strike. He was dizzy because of the bleeding, and the flow of his mana was unstable. He was in no ordinary condition. Taking on the Shell of Tellus in a stronger state was impossible.

Seong-Hwi gritted his teeth in frustration and thought, Dammit! Have I... failed?

He was not unfamiliar with failure. Rather, his past life was a series of failures. He was not so naive as to think that he wouldn’t taste failure in a place like the Mirror World because his life after returning from the past was one victory after another. Such a thought was egotistical, as if thinking the world revolved around him.

Seong-Hwi’s sense of reason already knew what the answer was. They needed to get out of here, run to the Capital, and get Bafor.

— Hurry, Seong-Hwi! This isn’t good! One more earthquake, and the escape route I’ve secured will be gone!

Enrique’s impatient voice sounded from a drone.

Seong-Hwi reluctantly said, “Retr—”

Just then, a possibility flashed in his mind.

Wait. A grudge? Then, maybe...

Endorphins flushed his brain, and he instantly completed his calculations. As a result, he concluded that it was worth a try.

Instead of giving the order to retreat, he mumbled, “There is no retreat. I’ve experienced it far too many times to count. I’m sick of it. If I want to walk a different destiny... I can’t take failure for granted anymore. I mustn’t fail. I must succeed.”

His mumbles somewhat resembled the Shell of Tellus’s screams. It was the determination of those who bore heavy burdens on their shoulders. If Seong-Hwi were to retreat, all his plans would fall apart.

“What in the world are you talking about?” Yuki asked.

“Give me a few seconds, Yuki. If this fails, I will give the order to retreat without a second thought,” Seong-Hwi replied as he grabbed a maroon pouch from his pocket.

Yuki frowned once she saw the pouch and said, “You’re going to... do drugs in this situation? That’s your ace in the hole? Did I have the wrong idea about you this whole time?”

She knew what was in the pouch since she had delivered it to Seong-Hwi from Sonya. Seong-Hwi pulled out a pink and white capsule from the pouch and put it in his mouth.

“Well... You’ll see.”

He bit into the capsule, releasing the fluid inside.

[Ayahuasca (B) ingested.]

[Absorbing DMT (Dimethyltryptamine).]

[Applying Debuff: Time Prison.]

[Time ratio 1:100,000]

***

Seong-Hwi, standing before the door of the Calasanz Home for Children, pulled out six cards and placed them on the door.

[Activating Unique Skill: Borrowing Destiny.]

[Six-card Destiny.]

[Spread cards: No.6 The Lovers, No.0 The Fool, No.17 The Star, Ace of Cups, Ten of Swords, Knight of Cups.]

[Destiny reading: The constellation of a romantic, foolish lover who tasted the awful sadness of pure love.]

The cards seeped into the door, and the door opened soon after.

[Love-Yearning Bard]