Chapter 263

[Grrrrrrr-!]

The darkness had not completely receded, for the Demon King, the self-proclaimed symbol of Pride, still lingered.

[What a shame... If I had absorbed him, I would have gained even more power...]

Superbia, the Demon King of Pride who was named the strongest and worst among them all, said, stretching with gleaming red eyes.

[Frail human, you've ruined everything.]

The beast, with a lion's head, a snake's tail, and griffin wings, looked at Yu-Seong and spoke.

"I haven’t ruined

everything

yet," snorted Yu-Seong, as lightning bolts began to flash around him.

Boooom-!

With the resounding thunder, the world started to brighten with a blue light. On the opposite side, a flame erupted fiercely, repelling the darkness.

"After all, you're still alive, aren’t you?" Yu-Seong said coldly, his voice infused with a sneer.

[Kekeke... Your bravery is quite impressive, but do you honestly believe that you can defeat me—the Demon King of Pride—in this realm of darkness, feeble human?]

As Superbia chuckled in response and flapped his wings, a massive number of demons, wrapped in a clinging aura, began to rise from the darkness. What was astonishing was that each of them emitted an aura similar to that of the Demon King.

[This is my world, my territory. In this realm, where everything that exists is indistinguishable from myself, you hold no hope.]

"No," said Yu-Seong.

Even as he sensed the overwhelming malice and hostility closing in on him, Yu-Seong remained composed and widened his Eyes of God.

"That's not for you to decide," continued Do-Jin, smiling.

Do-Jin threw his sword into the air and climbed onto it. Simultaneously, purifying flames blazed around his outstretched arms.

"Antareus!" shouted Do-Jin.

In response to his call, the black dragon intensified the flames, repelling the rushing demons. Beside him, Yu-Seong's aura from the Eyes of God started pushing back the surrounding flow. In this world, it seemed that only two individuals had achieved true freedom—Do-Jin and Yu-Seong. The two men, each gripping a spear and a sword, exchanged glances before they began chanting their magic incantations.

'Wind Thunder Dragon God Art, advanced.'?

Lightning flashed all around Yu-Seong as he advanced. Right beside him, Do-Jin's flames, as if unwilling to be left behind, encircled Yu-Seong's body. Simultaneously, an immensely powerful magic expanded, enveloping the entire space that was shrouded in darkness. Yu-Seong widened his eyes and gazed at Do-Jin.

'This is the skill I've been preparing to defeat you.'?

The corners of Do-Jin's lips twitched.

'Super Space Transition...?'?

The Super Magic, far surpassing the limitations of humans, engulfed the two as they soared through space at nearly the speed of light, granting them the ability to manipulate space itself. In that moment, Yu-Seong felt a fleeting rift as the two individuals, transcending space and even the flow of time, entered the realm of light and pierced through the darkness.

'This is the speed of light.'?

The lightning continued to flash and the flames burned fiercely, piercing through the bewildered darkness. After a considerable amount of time had elapsed...

BOOM-!?

[How could I... Just like this...?]

The thunderous sound was accompanied by the disbelieving voices of the Demon King.

Thuuud-!?

Simultaneously, the swirling darkness surrounding them rapidly collapsed, giving way to a surge of light. As the darkness fully receded, Superbia, with both eyes fixed on the sun, wore a bitter smile upon his lips.

[Was this... My pride as well...?]

Psssh-!?

Shards of darkness scattered throughout the city, disintegrating upon contact with the sun. Truly, everything had reached its conclusion.

'Finally...'?

Yu-Seong, surpassing his own limits in an incredibly short time, had attained a state of ultra transcendence. He gazed at Do-Jin.

"Finally, it's over, Choi Yu-Seong," Do-Jin said, his voice drained.

With that exhausted voice, the two of them descended toward the ground together. They hoped for a safe landing, but they lacked the strength to even twitch a finger. However, neither of them worried about death or pain.

"These guys...!" Bernard exclaimed loudly, rushing over and swiftly catching the two individuals in each arm.

With a cool smile gracing his face, he exclaimed, "What's over? The real battle begins now!"

"...Have you been listening this whole time?"

As if moved to tears, Bernard's eyes glistened with slight redness. He landed and said, "Hahaha. Anyway, both of you did well. You made it. I believed in you, but still..."

"Wasn't I amazing?" Yu-Seong asked, struggling to stand on his own as soon as they touched the ground.

"To be honest, you were quite impressive," Do-Jin replied, stepping forward with a similar demeanor.

Their competitive spirit appeared unyielding even until the very end.

"But let's be honest, you wouldn't have made it this far without me," Bernard chuckled and remarked.

Soon, all three of them burst into laughter at their audacity.

"By the way, what happened to the other areas?" Yu-Seong, regaining his senses, searched his pockets for his cell phone. Unfortunately, it was in ruins from the intense battle.

"Do we need to go and see for ourselves...?" Yu-Seong murmured to himself, attempting to gather mana, but it refused to respond.

Do-Jin, facing a similar situation despite having utilized mana, let out a bitter laugh and said, "...Same here."

While it could have been a bewildering situation, they were not overly concerned as the mana circuits within their bodies remained intact.

"I think it's because we've pushed ourselves beyond our limits," Yu-Seong said.

"Looks like we won't be able to use mana for at least a week," Do-Jin remarked.

Bernard's eyes narrowed as he quietly listened to their conversation.

"So, if we were to fight now, I could beat both of you?" he remarked, emphasizing his point by clenching his fists that still overflowed with mana, and bursting into laughter.

"Try calling me ‘hyung-nim’," Bernard said.

"Stop talking nonsense."

The only one to respond was Yu-Seong. From the start, Do-Jin turned his gaze away as if he hadn't heard a thing.

"...Anyway, all of our phones are broken. How are we going to..."

Yu-Seong's concern was short-lived.

"Our savior is coming.”

Just as Do-Jin had mentioned, while looking into the distance, a helicopter carrying the sunlight on its back and fiercely rotating its propeller approached. Before long, the helicopter descended slowly to the ground, its strong gusts of wind whipping the hair of the three.

"Are you Mr. Choi Yu-Seong?" a white, middle-aged man from the helicopter asked.

"Yes, I am," Yu-Seong replied.

"Mr. Gabriel from the France Player Association has sent us. We've been briefed on the situation. After France, you've also saved England," the man said, his grin widening.

In response to the man's words, Yu-Seong wore an awkward smile and asked, "What about Shanghai or Moscow?"

"The situations there have been resolved. Oh, and of course, in a positive direction," the man assured him.

Truth be told, as Yu-Seong looked at the man approaching them with a bright expression, he had a hunch. However, he still desired confirmation and posed a question.

Once the confirmation was given, Yu-Seong's legs unknowingly weakened, causing him to stagger. If it hadn't been for the swift support of Do-Jin and Bernard, he would have surely collapsed on the spot.

"Thank you both," Yu-Seong expressed his gratitude.

"Don't mention it."

"If you're grateful, you could at least treat us to a meal."

Upon hearing the words from the two men who grinned, Yu-Seong let out a deep sigh of relief once again.

'It's really over.'?

Certainly, it wasn't meant in a negative sense. They had successfully vanquished all the Demon Kings, dismantled the Demon King Worshipers, and averted the predicted world destruction.

Yu-Seong no longer had to worry about his own mortality or the impending doom of the world he had grown to cherish.

'I have plenty of money... enough people...'?

All that remained was for Yu-Seong to enjoy the rest of his life happily. With the support of Do-Jin and Bernard, Yu-Seong boarded the helicopter. Upon seeing him, the middle-aged man expressed awe and spoke.

"Though it may be a bit late to say, it's an honor to have you, the Grand Star, here."

Truly, it signaled the end of everything. No, it was the moment when a new life began.

Epilogue:

Half a year had passed since the global emergency known as the Demon King Advent incident. The most significant change on Earth, without a doubt, was the heightened "awareness."

Although the incident had been resolved, the death toll exceeded initial expectations.

Countries that had once been cautiously optimistic were awakened to the harsh reality of dungeons and monsters and realized that they could lead to dreadful catastrophes. The countries expanded the workforce of the Player Association and implemented stricter operational policies for dungeon management.

But the greatest change of all was the increased vigilance against villains.

During an interview, Yu-Seong, known as the Grand Star and the savior of Earth, revealed that the Demon King Advent incident had originated from the nefarious criminal organization known as the Demon King Worshipers. He emphasized the importance of global cooperation to prevent the resurgence of such organizations. Yu-Seong's influential voice mobilized the World Player Association, as well as the private guilds that were driven by profit, to actively fight against villains.

A new world had emerged where even villains, once considered a "necessary evil" like underground criminal organizations, could no longer show their faces in public with ease. As a result, the public's perception of players, who were once seen as potential threats if they misused their powers, underwent a significant improvement. Observing the overall stability of the world, Yu-Seong pondered.

"This phenomenon won't last forever."

"Villains have a tendency to resurface even after being eradicated, so there's only so much we can do. You can't bear the responsibility alone," retorted Do-Jin, clad in a stylish black tuxedo.

Yu-Seong buttoned up his crisp white shirt as he responded.

"I never intended to shoulder all the responsibility in the first place."

"Isn't it ironic that someone like you is speaking of world peace and eradicating villains at every official event?" Do-Jin asked, his tone cold.

"Not at all. Besides, won't other people work hard even if I don't?" Yu-Seong replied with a cunning idea.

"But eventually, there will be people who will be dissatisfied with your attitude," Do-Jin warned.

"There probably are already. They just can't express it openly," Yu-Seong acknowledged.

That was the nature of fame. When you were at the height of popularity, everyone seemed to adore and trust you, but it also naturally bred envy and jealousy.

And the moment Yu-Seong made even a minor mistake that tarnished his image, those dark emotions would pounce, as if they had been waiting for the perfect moment to tear at his heart and soul. This was precisely what Do-Jin was worried about.

"And you will still hope for a stable world when that time comes," Do-Jin remarked.

"Absolutely. As long as I reside in this world, instability cannot be favorable to me," Yu-Seong affirmed.

"So..."

"And I also understand your concerns," Yu-Seong reassured.

After buttoning up all his buttons, he walked over to pick up a white jacket that hung on the other side of the room. His outfit contrasted with Do-Jin's tuxedo. He smiled and turned around.

He then said, "But don't worry. I have no intention of shouldering that responsibility. I'm not that remarkable of a person. I may act like a hero, but I'm not a real hero. My role ends here. What happens after this is up to the remaining people."

"What about those who won't easily let go of you?"

"Do you think I'd be swayed by them?"

"A little bit," Do-Jin answered.

Yu-Seong’s expression turned awkward at Do-Jin's frank words. He put on his jacket and stood in front of the mirror as he spoke, "Hmm. This pure white suit surprisingly suits me well.”

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Not as much as mine looks on me, though."

"Yeah, black suits you better."

Yu-Seong laughed and rebutted Do-Jin's confidence, smoothed his lapel with his hand, and continued speaking.

"I admit I might be shaken a bit, but I'll be put right back on track."

"By who?"

"By you."

"...You're burdening me with a tiresome task."

"If you don't like it, won't other people come and help?"

At Yu-Seong's confident words, Do-Jin slightly frowned, crossed his arms and legs, and sighed.

"Well, I have no choice. I'll take on that role," he reluctantly agreed.

Yu-Seong chuckled and glanced at Do-Jin through the mirror, nodding his head. "Thanks. Anyways, whose idea was it to dress up this grandly for a party?"

In fact, the party planning had been fully arranged for the day they safely returned to Seoul. Thanks to Bernard, who loved to party more than anyone, he insisted that it was absolutely essential to commemorate the new beginning. However, due to various issues and arrangements that each had to sort out, half a year had passed, and only now had they reached this situation.

"I believe it was Bernard who set the dress code," Do-Jin remarked.

Shaking his head, Yu-Seong approached the door. "The problem is with the people who agreed to it. And to top it all off, it's just at our place," he said.

"Now that we've come this far, what's the point of complaining?" Do-Jin responded.

Yu-Seong sighed. "I know."

The two men, continuing their banter, left the room together and walked through the somewhat tranquil house. As they crossed the long corridor that traversed the large house, Yu-Seong suddenly looked out the window at the many people waiting for them outside.

'Jin Yu-Ri, Jin Do-Yoon.'?

The two people who first caught Yu-Seong's eyes nodded with bright smiles on their faces. What if those two, who had stood by his side from the beginning, hadn't been there? Perhaps he would have been running around on his own to build everything from the ground up and might have died somewhere.

'I've harbored too much resentment and was incompetent...'?

Once again, an overwhelming sense of gratitude filled him for the presence of the two individuals. Ye-Ryeong and Jin-Hyuk followed closely behind, waving their hands with vibrant energy. They mouthed the words

'Boss'

and

'Yu-Seong hyung!'

loudly, evoking a sense of peculiarity within him.

.

'If I had to put it into words...'?

Yes, he felt proud. The individuals who might have originally been shrouded in darkness and labeled as calamities were now able to greet others with bright smiles. Yu-Seong, feeling a sense of happiness, waved his hand back at them. Right in front of him, Bernard suddenly appeared and gestured for them to hurry.

"I’m coming, I’m coming," Yu-Seong spoke with a smirk.

Then he continued walking, taking steps forward. As he moved further along, he noticed other figures in the outside scenery looking at him.

'Helen, Rachel, and Jenny.'?

From the retired Helen in the world of players to Rachel, who had surprisingly abstained from killing people in recent times, and Jenny, who surprisingly fit in well with the other two women, Yu-Seong also found the feeling of looking at the three women to be peculiar.

'Well, I get it with Jenny... But to think I would become this close with the other two.'?

Especially in Rachel's case, it was an unbelievably incredible situation considering their initial relationship, which he had thought was that of arch-enemies.

'...Perhaps I am still not that close with her?'?

When he saw Rachel's seemingly smirking gaze, chills ran down his spine. However, when Helen and Jenny, standing on either side, shouted something and jabbed her in the ribs, she immediately concealed her expression and feigned surprise.

'I need to always be careful around Rachel, even if not the others.'?

Chuckling, Yu-Seong passed by them as well and continued a bit further, where this time his family awaited him.

‘Ji-Ho hyung-nim, Mi-Na noo-nim.'?

Witnessing Ji-Ho, who had regained his strength and now stood on his own, stirred such profound emotions within Yu-Seong that he found himself overwhelmed. Standing behind Ji-Ho, Baek Chul also wore a wide smile; it was a marked contrast to the previous shadows on his face.

'It seems like Mi-Na noo-nim is doing well these days, too...'

With the operation to suppress villains in full swing, the Comet Guild took the lead, surpassing other groups. Although Mi-Na found herself somewhat forcibly in the position of Guild Master, she was overjoyed as she was able to do the work she loved: hunting down villains. Among the villains, Mi-Na was even referred to as a Catastrophe, a testament to her extraordinary performance that was difficult to put into words.

‘And Jin-Woo hyung-nim is here too.'?

Surprisingly, even Woo-Jae had managed to make his way to this location. He wasn't dressed in the typical suit attire, but there he was, appearing in person at a place where one wouldn't expect to find him. He had always considered it all just a game played by the kids, but now he stood among them, acknowledging the significance of the moment.

'He must be extremely busy these days but...'?

Thanks to the exploits of Yu-Seong and his party, the stock price of the Comet Group had skyrocketed, making it the top-performing company in the world.

Woo-Jae was fully committed to solidifying the Comet Group's reputation as the best for generations to come, with a legacy that would endure for thousands of years. He was rarely seen in the country due to his global business ventures, but when he heard about this party, he had personally made the effort to come all the way to Korea.

'...Maybe he came to nag me.'?

Truth be told, Woo-Jae's recent gaze toward Yu-Seong had not been very approving. Woo-Jae had been eager to involve him in various company affairs and get him accustomed to the corporate world, but Yu-Seong had been subtly avoiding such obligations. The reason behind this was quite simple.

‘I've worked hard, so I want to have a little fun. After all, I've even captured the Demon King and saved the world. I believe I deserve at least this much, don't you think?’

Unable to challenge Yu-Seong's confident stance, Woo-Jae observed him closely, his gaze piercing and contemplative, wondering when his own respite would come to an end.

'I'm still far from done, Father. Sorry.'?

With a hidden smile, Yu-Seong continued his journey, moving closer and closer to the front door. Alongside his family, there were members from various guilds, including Baek Ah-Rin from Eclipse. Even Do-Jin's mother, who had made a full recovery and now shared warm greetings with Woo-Jae, was among the attendees. All eyes were on Yu-Seong, a testament to the strong bonds and happiness that connected them all, creating a sense of unity and fulfillment.

'This is my life...'?

It was the story of Yu-Seong's life, one that had unfolded in unexpected directions and would continue to do so, and that was perfectly alright.

'Even if there's something I can't do alone... All these people are here to help me.'?

There was a time when he had tried to build a fence by himself. However, now he realized that a fence was something people made by holding hands and connecting with each other. After traversing the lengthy corridor, Yu-Seong arrived at the shoe rack and proceeded to put on his new pair of white shoes. Now, as he stepped out into the bright sunlight, everyone would be ready to welcome a new beginning.

"Whoa..."

Just as Yu-Seong was exhaling a short breath and grabbing the door handle, Do-Jin spoke up while putting on his black shoes right next to him.

"Choi Yu-Seong."

"Hm?"

"Don't...mble."

"What?"

"I said, don't tremble."

"Am I...trembling?"

Yu-Seong's gaze suddenly turned to his hand gripping the door handle. In fact, Do-Jin was right. He was trembling incredibly. But why?

As if knowing all the reasons, Do-Jin, who was standing next to him, also clasped the door handle and said, "Don't be afraid. The happiness you are experiencing won't shatter like a lie. It's real."

"Ah..."

"And even if someone tries to break it, don't worry." Slightly blushing, Do-Jin turned the doorknob together with Yu-Seong. He said reassuringly, "I, I mean, all of us will protect you."

At that very moment, unknown to Do-Jin, a wave of emotion engulfed Yu-Seong's heart, causing teardrops to form at the corners of his eyes. However, it wasn't sadness or fear that prompted these tears. He had never understood what it meant to cry tears of joy before, but now, it felt like he finally did.

"Thank you, Kim Do-Jin."

‘Thank you, everyone.’

As he gazed at Yu-Seong's beaming smile, Do-Jin, with a strange quirk at the corners of his mouth, spoke.

"I have caused a lot of trouble... from the very beginning until now."

Letting out a deep sigh, Do-Jin repeatedly furrowed his brows, relaxing them, and then furrowing them once more as he continued, "I'm not sure what words to use to express this feeling... but yes, I should be the one saying thank you, Yu-Seong."

Gradually, a bright smile spread across Do-Jin's face, a smile that Yu-Seong had never seen before, not even described in the original novel.

"Thanks to you, I was able to find happiness."

With those calm words, all Yu-Seong could do was nod and smile. At the same time, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin flung the door open with all their might. Bright and radiant light fell upon the two of them, and then the door closed.