Chapter 199
How much time had passed?
The floor was cracked and broken.
Blood was splattered everywhere.
"Huff... huff..."
"Cough."
Thud.
At the very front...
Bong Taesu vomited blood and dropped to one knee.
His other leg...
The one still barely holding him upright...
Trembled dangerously.
He struggled to steady his blurred vision.
Then glanced behind him.
Traces of battle covered the area.
And among them...
The other three were barely standing.
Step.
Step.
At the sound of approaching footsteps...
Taesu's gaze returned to the front.
As expected...
The one walking toward him was System.
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Wow."
"I'm impressed."
"I never imagined you'd survive this long."
System applauded enthusiastically.
It looked almost insane with excitement.
Through his violently shaking vision...
Taesu saw the Rank surrounding System.
An ominous energy coiled around its body like an enormous serpent...
Radiating overwhelming killing intent.
The murderous pressure instantly filled the entire space.
Even Bong Taesu...
Who had always pushed forward without losing hope...
Felt despair.
There was no meaning in continuing this fight.
The situation had changed the moment System injected Rank into Mihyeon.
Whether directly or indirectly...
The difference between being able to use Rank and being unable to use it was enormous.
And the Rank injected into her...
Belonged to Constellations of exceptionally high standing.
Watching Mihyeon use all of their Traits and abilities...
Taesu felt as though he were fighting Suhyeok himself.
Only...
Her attacks were far more ruthless.
She didn't exploit weaknesses.
She simply smashed straight through them.
Eventually...
Five minutes passed.
The first seal was released.
And System regained access to its own Rank.
The difference in strength became impossible to overcome.
Of course...
Once the first seal was released...
The four of them were also allowed to use Rank.
Another fierce battle followed.
But every five minutes...
Another seal was released.
And with every seal...
The balance tilted further against them.
Hmm.
So this is all you can do for now.
It'd be fun if I could join in too...
But these seals are annoyingly restrictive.
Then maybe I'll just support her from behind.
At that moment...
System's enormous Rank was layered over Mihyeon.
"Urgh...!"
"E-Everyone, dodge!!"
They couldn't even compete.
It wasn't a matter of losing a contest of strength.
They were simply being massacred.
Helplessly.
By now...
Six seals had already been released.
And the seventh was about to follow.
"..."
Bong Taesu looked down at his convulsing arm.
Then laughed weakly.
There was no point pretending anymore.
They couldn't fight this.
In truth...
System could've killed them whenever it wanted.
It had simply been keeping them barely alive.
"The others already collapsed?"
System glanced past him.
"You're really sturdy."
"I guess that's why you're still hanging on."
Then...
System turned toward Ruzian.
He was outside the Stage...
Barely conscious as he watched.
"Having a rough time?"
"Looks like you don't have much left either."
"Haha..."
Ruzian forced out a laugh.
"You certainly worry a lot..."
"Considering this is all because of you..."
"Cough!"
"Cough...!"
"Kugh...."
He coughed up dark clots of blood.
One hand clutched his chest...
Where his heart felt as though it were being crushed.
Ruzian dragged himself toward the wall...
Then slumped against it.
His breathing was ragged.
Blood stained his lips.
Still...
He chuckled.
"Kuhuhu...."
"So this is really it...."
"I can't see anymore."
"I can't hear either...."
"Maybe that's why..."
"I can't even hear his voice."
"Now..."
"I really have no choice but to leave it to luck..."
His voice slowly faded.
To open this Hidden Stage...
Ruzian had sacrificed everything.
All his Rank.
All his life force.
Naturally...
This was the result.
The Stage was surrounded by walls.
System stopped attacking for a moment...
And walked toward the one separating it from Ruzian.
It placed a hand against the wall.
Then looked at the dying Administrator.
"Last chance."
"My patience is running out."
"Take my hand."
"I'll let you achieve what you want there."
"I won't care what you do inside."
"You can even prepare your revenge against me."
System smiled.
"So come with me."
"Now."
It knew Ruzian couldn't hear.
But reading lips would be enough.
Ruzian stared blankly at the ceiling.
Countless thoughts crossed his mind.
Should he accept the offer...
And wait for another opportunity later?
Should he become someone else's pawn once again...
Using other people as pieces on the board?
Should he bind the woman from his fleeting memories to this world...
Simply because of his own desire?
Question after question pierced his chest like blades.
No matter how many times he thought about them...
The answer remained the same.
System watched Ruzian laugh like a madman and shake his head.
Its expression hardened.
"...So that's a refusal."
"Fine."
"I expected you to refuse anyway."
"But..."
System turned around.
Its gaze landed on Leon...
Floating in the air with his fur standing on end.
"Even if you're not ideal..."
"There's always a replacement."
"Just like the Tower replaced me."
"H-Hiiik...!"
System smiled pleasantly and approached Leon.
"How about it?"
"Why don't you take his place?"
"M-Me, nya...?"
"Yes."
"You."
System tilted its head.
"Honestly..."
"You have no reason to care about those people."
"You don't particularly hate me either."
"If anything..."
"Don't you owe me?"
"In the end..."
"Lee Suhyeok only regressed because I gave him the Chalice of Reincarnation."
"Without that..."
"You would've spent your entire life as a Lower Administrator..."
"And eventually been extinguished."
"Isn't that right?"
Not a single word was wrong.
If System hadn't given Suhyeok the Chalice...
