Kugugugugu-!
Above Jormungandr's head.
Riding atop the violently undulating body of the serpent, we were desperately trying to destroy its last vertebra.
"Just grind it down a bit more!"
"We've almost got it! Just a little more...!"
Despite being on the verge of collapse from exhaustion after three days of non-stop action, everyone was clinging to the task of destroying the vertebra.
After all, we were so close to the end.
"Tch...!"
Just ahead... the walls of the fortress were in sight.
Gritting my teeth, I stared at the fortress walls, now merely dozens of meters away.
'Damn it, damn it, damn it!'
In the last hour, we had given it our all.
Junior, backed by other mages, had finally deployed 'Elemental Disassembly,' reducing the magic defense of the vertebra. Reina had then unleashed a full-power wind magic bombardment.
Kellibey managed to repair and enhance our drills and pickaxes even amidst the tense atmosphere, and those who still had the energy landed another attack on the vertebra.
But, that final 1 percent.
Various hardening buffs were in place, making that last tick nearly impossible to shave off.
'It feels like its physical resistance is at least 95 percent. Its magical defense is off the charts. Practically untouchable...'
Even with such impossibly inflated stats, we could have destroyed it given enough time.
The problem was those damned werewolves stealing that precious time from us.
Boom! Brrrrrr!
Kugwagwang-!
From atop the fortress walls, they were indiscriminately launching shells. Anything to delay the serpent's advance by even one second.
Useless as it was, occasional explosions even landed near us, adding an element of danger. But I ignored it. Right now, we had to do whatever it took.
'How much longer until we reach the walls?'
I estimated the distance between Jormungandr and the fortress walls.
If Jormungandr broke through and began its 'Civilization Devouring,' everything we had done would be for naught.
With my hands, stripped of skin and bloodied, I clenched my pickaxe once more.
We have to stop it before then...!
Ssshhh. Ssshhh.
That's when it happened.
Someone came up beside me and put a hand on my shoulder. I quickly turned to look. What is it?
"...Nameless?"
The one who had approached was Nameless.
What are you doing? Can't you see we're busy? Help us destroy that thing!
"Pull your comrades back, Ash."
"What?"
"I'll take it from here."
Screech-
The rusty old sword Nameless drew slowly began to glow white.
I blinked. Wasn't it that she couldn't use her powers outside the Lake Kingdom?
"The nightmare that invaded the Lake Kingdom, and allowed that nightmare to leak out, is the responsibility of the Lake Kingdom."
Nameless gave a bitter smile and gripped her sword with both hands, positioning it in front of her chest.
"As a person of the Lake Kingdom, it's my responsibility to stop Jormungandr."
Kwaaaaaaaa-!
A tremendous light burst from Nameless, funneling into her sword.
Though ignorant about ancient magic, I knew instantly.
That technique was burning her own life force.
"What are you doing, Nameless?! Are you trying to die?"
"If I expend this much power outside of Lake Kingdom... I'll probably die here."
Nameless spoke calmly, enlarging her blade of light.
Kwaaa!
"However, if I die, I can protect your city and all the people above it."
"What..."
"Not a bad trade-off, is it?"
I hesitated.
...To be honest, I ended up agreeing with her.
If one person's life could be thrown away to fend off Jormungandr, then it's a rational exchange.
This battlefield, after all, was the Monster Frontline where dozens, hundreds, thousands were dying.
But, was that the right choice?
"I have lived long, Ash. I am not afraid of death. If that death could erase the sins of the Lake Kingdom, I would be happy."
Amidst the wind, her white hair fluttering, I caught a glimpse of her eyes.
"I have one request, though."
The first time I looked into her eyes, they had the hue of a clear, deep lake.
"Do not abandon your quest in the Lake Kingdom. Continue to shine a light in that darkness."
"..."
"I make this request because I believe I can entrust it to you."
I slowly nodded my head. With a blurry nod in return, Nameless lifted her blade upward.
'Is she planning to cut off Jormungandr's head with that blade of light?!'
I screamed at my party members, who were focused on targeted destruction until the very end.
"Everyone, evacuate! Leave your positions immediately!"
Turning back, the party members, stunned, saw the massive blade of light Nameless was holding. I waved my arm frantically.
"No time! Jump under Jormungandr's body! Now!"
The party members immediately ceased their targeted destruction tasks and jumped off either side of Jormungandr's body, hooking onto it with grapples.
After ensuring the safety of the evacuated party members with a sidelong glance, I looked back at Nameless.
Nameless was sweating profusely as she completed her blade of light.
With this, Crossroad will survive once more.
The world maintains its lifeblood...
"...!"
At that moment, a strong premonition hit me.
- Please clear this world and lead it to the true ending.
The reason I was called into this world and suffering through all this.
What the so-called Director Aider said—about the existence of a 'true ending.'
To reach that true ending, one of the conditions required was—
"Stop, Nameless!"
...Nameless had to survive.
I grabbed Nameless's shoulder and urgently stopped her. With surprised eyes, Nameless looked at me.
I had no clear rationale, it was merely my gut feeling. But it was a gut feeling that bordered on certainty.
The true ending I had never reached in 742 runs through this game.
And Lake Kingdom's princess, Nameless, whom I had never met in 742 runs through this game.
These two are connected.
I cannot let Nameless die here.
"But, Ash, there's no other way!"
"..."
I gently bit my lower lip.
Nameless was right.
At this moment, the only way to stop Jormungandr was for Nameless to deliver the decisive blow.
Was the priority not to prevent an immediate game over rather than the possibility of a true ending?
But if I give up on the true ending, doesn't it make everything I've done so far futile?
'Damn it, what should I do? What's the right choice?'
Strategy always involves distinguishing between 'what can be compromised' and 'what must not be compromised'.
What should be discarded?
Who should be killed?
At that critical moment, I tightly closed my eyes.
Why must I... keep making these choices?
Then it happened.
Flash.
A beam of light flickered over my closed eyelids. I suddenly opened my eyes.
Flash. Flash. Flash.
Light twinkled from the direction of the castle gates. I looked that way.
'Damien?'
Standing tall in the middle of the open castle gates was Damien, holding a signal lantern and aiming its light at me.
'Is he communicating through light signals?'
A memory from Stage 3 crossed my mind.
When I had gone to the Margrave's villa to rescue Evangeline, I had asked Damien for sniper support.
Back then, we used lanterns in the castle as a means to exchange signals, and I used a blue flame torch.
Flash. Flash. Flash.
The signal Damien sent me was three lantern flashes.
It meant 'everything's fine here'.
In other words,
'Sniper support ready!'
I could see Damien's awkward smile.
Even though he still had the [Black Queen] on his back, the dark aura from before was gone.
Had he overcome it?
Even when I hadn't trusted you and had you detained?
"In this insane world, Damien!"
This son of a bitch is incredible!
"Lower your sword, Nameless! Reclaim your life force!"
After smacking Nameless on the back, I charged forward. Nameless stammered in confusion.
"Come back, Ash! If you're there, I can't swing my sword down!"
"You don't have to! Sheath your sword, will you? Trust me!"
To be precise, trust my sniper! The cheat character of this game!
Rushing past a flustered Nameless who had sheathed his light sword, I stood next to the nerve center of Jormungandr's head.
I took out the blue flame torch from my inventory and drew a large circle.
Shoot, Damien.
"Right here-!"
***
Whoosh-
Tossing the signal lantern aside, Damien gripped his magic gun with both hands.
"I have a clear view, Your Highness."
He saw Ash fervently waving the torch. Next to it, the snake's horn-like protrusions were also visible.
Damien took a knee, mounted the gunstock to his shoulder, and aligned the sights.
"Fire at maximum power."
Damien whispered to his magic gun.
Click, click, click...!
The pearly white magic gun began to transform, emitting a magical light.
The barrel split sideways, forming two long rails that extended forward.
Simultaneously, the magic-infused bullets in the magazine disassembled.
Seven magic bullets that popped out started to orbit in mid-air, eventually combining into one large magic bullet that settled between the rails.
Sizzle, sizzle!
Due to the split barrel and disassembled magazine, the magic core was now fully exposed.
The incandescently white magic core sent out magic like electrical currents, powering the rails.
Vrrrrrrr...!
Jormungandr was now literally right in front of him.
The monster's breath was almost touching Damien's face. Yet, Damien continued to aim until the last moment.
He felt that not just a part of the monster, but something even 'deeper' would reveal itself.
'If you could just pause, even for a split second...!'
At that moment, Ash pulled a dagger from his holster.
Thud!
He stabbed it into the snake's head.
The dagger was [Spirit Crasher], a one-time-use weapon that forcibly inflicted a stunned state on its target.
Given how high Jormungandr's Magic Power stat was, the stun effect lasted only a mere instant.
"Ah."
But for Damien, that was more than enough time.
"I've got you."
Damien's finger pulled the trigger.
Whooosh-!
A magical bullet flew out, glowing like a bolt of lightning.
The pure white bullet instantly lodged itself in the neural center of Jormungandr's head.
Multiple layers of hardening buffs and Jormungandr's innate magical defenses momentarily formed an invisible barrier, attempting to block the bullet.
Clang-!
But it was futile.
The bullet, which easily tore through the defenses, shattered the remaining sliver of health in the neural center.
Jormungandr's colossal body immediately came to a halt.
However, it wasn't over yet.
In the brief moment when Jormungandr's defenses were weakened due to the destruction of its vertebra, the magical bullet did not miss its chance.
Whoosh!
The bullet, acting as if it were a living creature, changed its trajectory and penetrated deep into the back of Jormungandr's neck—
Piercing and tearing!
It began to burrow through Jormungandr's internal body.
Ripping through the massive snake's flesh from the inside, the magical bullet continued its path.
It effortlessly pierced through the mythical creature's strong bones, internal organs, flesh, and skin.
Five hearts.
Nine spirit cores.
All were pierced through.
Krrrrrrrk?!
For the first time, something resembling a scream erupted from the giant snake's mouth.
At the end of that long, straight penetration—
Poof!
The magical bullet finally emerged from the tip of Jormungandr's tail and vanished into thin air, having exhausted its energy.
Effectively, it had pierced the snake from head to tail.
Krrraaaaaaaaaak!
Jormungandr raised its massive head and let out a long, terrible scream before—
Thud...!
Slamming its head into the ground.
And then it remained motionless.
Whiiii-
The battlefield was enveloped in silence.
Amidst the dusty haze that the thrashing snake had dispersed, Ash, who had sought refuge in Nameless's arms, murmured softly.
"...I mean, we were only supposed to repel it."
His voice was a mixture of delight and disbelief.
"He actually managed to find the kill-shot...?"