I wasn't the only person surrounded by light.
[Searching for the existence of the Devil King on the 12th floor…unable to be found.]
[Confirming the Devil King's retreat.]
Paaat!
[History changes.] [TN: This is an idiom in Korean.]
The white light spread everywhere. Lightly shining, it looked like fog. The light covered the field in an instant, and it even covered the capital of the Aegim Empire.
Raindrops.
They could only be described as that. Sprinkles of light started to breeze through the air like dandelion seeds.
"This is…?"
The Witch looked around not knowing what to do.
"Kim Gong-ja, what's going on?"
"Uh, no. This is the first time for me as well so…"
I also didn't know what to do.
Seeing the world completely covered by light, I asked inwardly.
'Sword Emperor. Do you know what's happening?'
-No, this is a first for me as well. What is this? It's scary.
'······.'
Other than the time when he taught me about the sword, he was useless.
I didn't know how this ignorant gorilla managed to get to the 99th floor.
-Mm? Hey, Kim Zombie. You just cursed me, huh?
'No way. I was just thinking that you're so amazing and a lowly person like me wouldn't be able to understand you.'
-That's strange. You look like you just cussed at me secretly…
Bae Hu-ryeong frowned and complained.
Even when we were talking, the light rain continued to whirl around.
"Huh?"
It was then, that I felt a change.
I pointed my fingers at the gigantic city walls of the empire.
"Black Dragon Master. Look there."
"Hm?"
"The city walls. It seems like all the flags are vanishing."
The flags on the city walls that were red and gold were quickly disappearing. The hundreds of flags decreased to tens of flags in an instant. And they were still continuing to disappear.
"…Yeah. You're right."
The Witch frowned.
"Hold onto me for a moment. We should go check."
"Yes, I agree."
"Teleport!"
The Witch held my hand and used her skill. The next moment, we weren't in the middle of the field, but on the tallest fortress of the empire. A fancy view entered our eyes.
"Goodness…"
The Witch quietly murmured. "It's all changing."
It really was.
The world was changing.
The squatter settlements and the harlem were wrapped in white light, and…they disappeared. As if they never existed.
"······."
The clothes of the citizens on the streets also changed. The dirtied rags turned into normal clothes. Even the fruit in the market changed. The rotten apples started to shine and looked tasteful.
I subconsciously muttered.
"History changes…"
"What?"
"History changed."
The numbers of guards around the city walls noticeably decreased as well.
Not only did their numbers change, but their expressions also changed.
Their faces weren't filled with fear and despair of the Devil King's presence. They looked like they were bored with their jobs.
"Normally, the Aegim Empire should've been attacked by the Devil King, whether they won the war, or were destroyed by loss…whatever it was, they should've had to fight against the Devil King. But…"
I swallowed.
"In this world, the attack of the Devil King itself became [Nonexistent]."
While no one knew.
In the time that no one knew, the incident of the Devil King attacking vanished from history.
Yeah.
I made it disappear.
"…History changed."
And that result was spread out right in front of my eyes.
[The 11th floor stage is being revised.]
[The 12th floor stage is being revised.]
White light covered the city.
The light touched the face of a child beggar.
The rain of light streaked on the clothes of a man who was worrying about tomorrow's meals.
Shhaaaaa…
Light fluttered around like dandelion seeds.
In the markets, in the corners, on the lamp post of a street and on people returning home.
It softly stroked the world.
[Revision complete.]
And soon, it faded away.
It had disappeared somewhere.
"······."
I shut my mouth.
The Witch also did the same.
In the paused world, we couldn't hear anything, so because we were both silent, it was like the world was holding its breath.
But then-
"–Everyone, it's cheap!"
Not too long after, the silence was broken.
"Apples that just came over from Ailbrant! Fresh apples! Sir, even elves get these seasonal apples! Come look at these fresh apples!"
Sound.
"The water in the sauna is horrible these days. I can see the dirty things. Geez, what are we supposed to do if the people who take care of it don't…"
I could hear sounds.
After I accepted the quest, the paused time started to flow again.
"Sheesh! The Crown Princes are so naughty! I can hear the Emperor screaming at them every night over the palace walls. They're just rumors, but I think…"
"How about a drink this evening? Just us"
"Donate a little! Just a little! The goddess loves everyone."
"Ailbrant apples that even elves like! Cheap!"
The world started to breathe again.
"You there!"
Among them, there was a sound calling out to us.
"Where are you from?!"
The Witch and I turned our heads in the direction of the voice. A general was holding his sword on the city walls. He frowned menacingly.
"How rude! Who dares to step on the fortress of the empire?! Come down immediately!"
Somehow, it was a familiar face.
I muttered.
"Sarbast Aegim…"
The general's eyes widened. He looked like he was seeing me for the first time.
"Huh! How does a guy like you know my name?"
I shut my mouth.
'…I see.'
He was a general that should've been on the 11th floor.
A citizen of the empire who greeted hunters kindly.
The NPC with the skill that I copied after dying.
"You bastards! Didn't you hear me tell you to come down?!"
He was shouting like he was talking to a stranger.
Even the history of the 11th floor had changed as well.
Thump.
'Ah.'
My heart suddenly vibrated.
Unknown emotions wrapped around my heart, my chest, and my entire body. I couldn't even speak. Why was it me? The world had found its breath, but my voice seemed to have been taken by something.
"······."
I shut my mouth and looked down at the general.
It was now an old memory.
Thinking of the words the general NPC had said to me-
-End your life. I can't do it!
-I thank you instead of the empire.
I remembered the general's last smile.
-Please, take good care of our empire.
"······."
Ahh. I see.
This was what it was.
"He."
I didn't know why, but laughter escaped my mouth.
"Ahaha! Hahahaahm, uahhhah!"
I laughed while holding my stomach.
The general looked at me dumbfoundedly. All the soldiers turned their gazes towards me. The Witch looked at me strangely. Bae Hu-ryeong looked at me like I was crazy.
But I didn't care.
I was sad that the citizens of the empire had forgotten about me, but a greater emotion than that had captured my entire body.
"Ahh."
I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.
"—-The empire!"
A lion's roar exploded from my mouth.
The general's shoulder twitched.
"I protected!"
The soldiers on the city walls paused.
"I protected your empire!"
And I didn't stop.
My lion's roar was amplified with red Aura.
"I! Kept the promise!"
The citizens of the empire turned their heads.
Some from the streets, some from the market, others from their houses.
My voice rang in the city, climbed the city walls, and scratched against the reception room. I laughed. Loudly. My laughter echoed and echoed and rang to the tower.
"Without any shame!"
I pointed at the sky on top of the fortress.
Hundreds of days.
With the thought that I didn't want to create a single victim, the fact that I defeated the Devil King of Fall Rain after 100 days was,
"I'm proud!"
I was overjoyed.
"I did it!"
It was the first time in my entire life that I felt an emotion like this.
I lived like trash. I was envious of others, laughed at them, and spent my days drinking.
I threw my life away. I threw myself away.
But not today.
[Stage clear.]
Today, I could stand tall.
[Today, the 12th floor stage has been cleared.]
I could stand tall in front of people.
To the Witch, and the Sword Saint.
And to the world.
Most of all, I could stand tall in front of myself.
[Letting everyone know again.]
I could be proud of myself.
[Today, the 12th floor stage has been cleared.]
I could be that kind of person.
[Calculating challengers…]
[Calculation complete.]
I was so happy that it felt like my heart was going to burst.
[The 3 challengers are being announced.]
Light was carved into the sky.
+
[Subjugation Contribution Ranking]
Rank 1. Death King
Rank 2. Witch
Rank 3. Sword Saint
+
They were probably letters NPCs couldn't see.
The general was frozen at my lion's roar.
"J, just what are you…"
"Sarbast Aegim!"
The general flinched.
I looked down at him from the fortress.
"Look after the empire well!"
"······."
"Sorry, but this is the end of a warrior's duties! Catching the Devil King is enough! There's probably rotten bits of the empire that you can't see, a bunch of other problems! Definitely!"
I beamed.
"Take care of it on your own!"
"······."
"We're out! Woop, woop! Let's go!"
The general's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.
"I, I don't know what you're saying from earlier…just what…"
-Uhahahaha!
Bae Hu-ryeong rolled in the midair holding his stomach.
-Heek! Heeheeheehee! Kuek?! C, crazy bastard! You psychopath! Zombie bastard! I thought you were going to be mature but you just explicitly bragged like that! I'm curious about how your brain works. Hey! Kim Zombie! I acknowledge! You're worth researching!
'Ah.'
I swept my hair back.
'Then what should I do? I'm so lovable today.'
-C, crazy bastard…! Kim Psycho Bastard! Uhuk, fine! I like it because you're not being like a loser! Uheeheeheeheek!
Bae Hu-ryeong continued to roll in the air like it wasn't enough.
I turned to look at the Witch.
"Alrighty, Black Dragon Master! What are you doing? Let's go to the 13th floor!"
"······."
The Witch sighed.
"Yeah…there's no normal person in the higher ranking hunters. It's okay. I understand. I'll think of it as a relief since you're better than the Heretic Questioner at least."
"What?"
"Teleport."
The Witch grabbed my hand and activated her skill. The next moment, we were back in the field again. She didn't say much and grabbed the Sword Saint's arm.
The owner of Black Dragon peered at my face.
"The first entrance is always given to the Rank 1."
She spoke.
"You can say Transmit for all of us. Death King."
It was the first time my nickname was called.
Today was full of firsts.
"Yes, ma'am."
I smiled.
"-Transmit."
And.
We headed towards the next stage.