Chapter 43: My Time (4)

It took almost one thousand deaths to clear the twelfth floor. The thirteenth floor would need less than that.

Mr. Sword Emperor,

I said.

—What?

Let’s make a bet.

—A bet on what?

A zombie attacked me, so I sliced off its head. Since the zombie’s neck was already rotten, my blade went through it like tofu. There were dozens—hundreds—thousands of zombies coming at me.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

How many times do you think I will die before I clear the nineteenth floor?

—Hmm.

The Guardian stroked his chin.

Okay. I’ll bet on less than a hundred!

I grinned.

Then I’ll bet on less than ninety-nine times.

—Do you really want to go that low?

Yeah, I really want to.

—Alright. I’ll have fun watching you kill your own kind. Good luck, Zombie! But a bet is a bet, so I won’t be helping you this time. Deal?

The Guardian chuckled.

Deal.

I smiled at the endless horde of zombies closing in on me.

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

I died with a smile.

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

“Gosh, I really should reduce their numbers first... Black Dragon Master, can you do something about it?”

“I’m already trying my best since I’m the only one who can do area attacks. But it’s difficult. Can we use your Skill to fight fire with fire, Death King?”

“Ah, yes, I’m going to use it, but the cooldown time isn’t over yet... It’ll take about three coins.”

“What coins are you talking about?”

“It’s a long story. Hmm, anyhow... Huh? This part on the mini-map... Mr. Sword Star! Can you destroy that large lid? The one on that coffin! I need to check something!”

“Check what?”

“I’ll explain later. Please destroy that one first! I’m a clairvoyant, remember?”

“Hmm...”

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

“Okay, Mr. Sword Star! That stone coffin actually leads to a secret passageway. Underneath that lid, you’ll find a hammer that is made to deal with the undead! Can you go over there with the Black Dragon Master and use it?”

“My life has been about my sword and sword only...”

“It has an area of effect attack! Infuse your aura and slam the floor and a ground effect will be created to wipe out the zombie! Okay?”

“How do you know that?”

“Me, clairvoyant! Okay?”

“What...?”

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

“I think the zombies are taken care of now. It’s time for the Demon King... What the heck is that?”

“It’s a zombie. And it’s giant. I believe it’s a giant zombie.” The Sword Star stroked his chin.

“Hmm, the temple obviously has a long history... Maybe it’s a soldier that used to protect this temple. It got killed by the Demon King and became their minion... I guess that’s what’s going on here. The Inquisitor could have looked into it if he were here...” the Black Witch mused.

“Wow. Does he also know about religions in a different world? He’s a Class SSS theologist,” I said.

“It’s just thanks to his Skill.”

“Well, that makes a Class SSS Hunter.”

“Do you really need to bring up that obnoxious man again? He makes me feel unpleasant.” The Sword Star shook his head. “Anyhow, I’ll deal with that thing.”

“Yes, please do that, Mr. Sword Star!”

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

“Anyhow, I’ll deal with that thing.”

I shook my head. “No, Mr. Sword Star. Please focus on subduing the zombies with that hammer.”

“Young man, my sword will—”

“Me, clairvoyant! Clairvoyant! Okay?”

“Seriously...

Phew

. Who will deal with it then?”

“It should be Black Dragon Master.” I turned to the Black Witch. “Please hit the cyclops’s eye with your laser beam.”

“I’ve been wanting to hit that eye. The one, big eye smack in the middle of its face is practically begging me to hit it.”

“Perfect! Let’s go!”

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

“Anyhow, I’ll deal with that thing.”

“

Monster Legion Summon!

” I immediately shouted.

“My god. Death King, does that Skill even have a cooldown?” the Black Witch exclaimed.

“It’s a long story... Now, you two can deal with the cyclops—but Black Dragon Master, I need to make a request.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t hit its eye,” I answered.

“Why?”

“We’d be in big trouble.”

“But, Death King, look at that giant eye. Look at it. Can you see it?”

“Yeah... I’m looking at it. I know it really feels like it’s begging to be hit there. But we shouldn’t.”

“Why? You know... Death King... Its eye... If you can shoot laser beams like me and see that kind of eye...”

“Yes, I agree, Black Dragon Master. I would have tried everything in my power to dissuade you if you told me not to hit its eye. But I don’t have time to explain the reason right now. Please.”

The Black Witch groaned.

“Do as he says, Black Witch.”

“Not you too, Sword Star...”

“That young man told me he’s a clairvoyant. Let’s do as he says for now.”

“...Okay... I’ll try my best... not to hit the eye.”

“Thank you!”

We ran, fought, and rescued each other. Sometimes we spent time hiding. We talked a lot, and we did a lot.

—My children...!

We took down the zombies in the temple.

—My general...!

We defeated the cyclops, who must have been a legend when the temple still functioned as the shield of the eastern lands.

—Ahhhhhh...!

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the fourteenth floor!]

And once again, we pushed the Demon King back to the next floor, just like we had done on the twelfth floor. Drops of light flew in the air. The temple, the gateway dividing the continent, shone like a newly polished shield.

A bell rang, and hymns drifted into the air from within the temple. While merchants from the east rode on horses, those from the west were on strange walking birds as they exchanged greetings. The paladins sparred, their hammers swinging with enthusiasm.

An orphan left at the temple secretly admired the merchants and paladins. However, his escapade was quickly discovered by the priests, and he was dragged to the chapel by his ear.

And the cyclops was sitting on a mountain ridge where it had a full view of the temple, looking bored. Whenever a fluffy cloud brushed past its head, it sneezed, its big eye blinking.

“The Mountain King sneezed!” the orphan cheerfully exclaimed. Not a hint of fear could be heard in his voice.

After giving the orphan a playful tap on the head to warn him, a priestess paid her respects to the one-eyed giant. It grinned and waved its hand at her.

Ahhh...

“Death King.”

Hmm.

“Ah, yes...” I shelved my thoughts. “Black Dragon Master, let’s go. Are you ready, Mr. Sword Star?”

“Hold on. The merchant over there sells good whetstones,” the Sword Star commented.

As he sharpened his sword, I looked away from the giant and examined the map. A big chunk of the red land was gone, but the redness in the map was squirming, as if reflecting the Demon King’s anger. She had sworn she would be back—still, we still had enough time for the Sword Star to hone his blade with his new whetstone.

“Death King.” The Black Witch grabbed my hand.

When he was done with his sword, the Sword Star immediately took her hand as well.

“Send me,” I said.

The light enveloped us again.

“Hmmm. It seems the fourteenth floor is a forest, and the Demon King... is hiding.”

“Be careful. I’m sensing bloodlust from all directions.”

“You’re right. Let’s go slowly. Slowly.”

[You have died.]

[Rewinding twenty-four hours.]

That was how we defeated the Demon King, who had the corrupted Elf King of the cursed forest.

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the fifteenth floor!]

And then we took down the Demon King, who had the Mermaid Queen of the Reverse Waterfall under her command.

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the sixteenth floor...!]

The next time, we defeated the Demon King who controlled wyverns residing around an erupted volcano.

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the seventeenth floor...!]

History was rewinded to the time before the Demon King’s invasion of the empire. Then before her invasion of other countries and the fall of the temple the humans called the Goddess’s Shield. Time quickly reached the point before the Elf Forest fell under a curse, the reversal of the Mermaid Waterfall, and the eruption of the Primordial Volcano.

Further and further. History went back to the era before the Demon King reigned as the monarch of absolute evil. Events slipped away like a fleeting wind. It all happened like falling blossoms on other blossoms and an ocean wave on another ocean wave.

Every time I and the others reached the higher floor, the Demon King’s land got smaller and they grew weaker.

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain’s presence has weakened.]

Just like how the Demon King was weaker on the thirteenth floor than the twelfth floor, she was worse on the fourteenth floor. Little by little, she grew weaker on the fifteenth floor.

[You have died.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain’s presence has weakened.]

[You have died.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain’s presence has weakened.]

...

After ninety-seven deaths, I reached the nineteenth floor, which was the barren outskirts of a small, nameless country.

—You! You!

The Demon King screamed. She ground her teeth and glared at... Her eyes weren’t on the Sword Star or the Black Witch; the Demon King’s death glare was solely directed at me.

—Only if it weren’t for you!

Her eyes were red with anger.

—It’s all because of you! You! You should have taken the proper steps...! Yes! None of this would have happened if it weren’t for you! How dare a murderer from a different world—

I drew my sword. “Wow, I finally see your eyes.”

—What...?

“I mean it literally. I finally got to see what your eyes look like.”

The Demon King of Autumn Rain was a viscous shadow before, so she didn’t have eyes. She had a head but not a face. While her arms may have been present, her hands were missing. The endless, bubbling coat of wastewater hid her entire body.

Yes, the Demon King’s mask was finally broken.

“It doesn’t make sense. The Demon King and the heroes never got to look each other in the eyes. It’s a ridiculous tragedy.”

The wastewater finally failed to cover the Demon King’s bloodshot eyes. Although her eyes were still filled with wrath... I wasn’t afraid of them. I was rather delighted as I pointed my sword at the Demon King.

“Gimme your best shot.”

—You...

“Or run away again. Don’t you want to know how much weaker you’ll become if you do? But you’ll never win unless you give it everything you got. “

Even without the reward I would receive by clearing the nineteenth floor, the Demon King was going to be significantly weaker on the twentieth floor.

—Watch your mouth... How dare you. You’re just a hyena biting away at my flesh. What do you know...!

Despite her curses, the Demon King seemed to be at a loss.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Estelle.”

The Demon King’s red eyes widened.

“I warned you—fight me with everything you’ve got.”

And I leaped forward. The Demon King—Estelle—screamed, dark fluids splattering everywhere.

“Otherwise, my time will be longer than your history.” I let the scream roll over me, my eyes fixed firmly on my destination.