[You’ve gone too far, Nirti.]
At Simon’s words, Nirti let out a cold, cynical sneer. "Gone too far, you say?" Her interest in him had vanished, replaced by contempt for his naivety. "Why? Are you going to spout some pathetic sermon about how revenge is wrong?"
[No.] Simon slowly shook his head. [I have no desire to understand the motives that led to this tragedy, but I know that forgiveness and repentance don’t solve everything. Even if every person in Tarados begged for your forgiveness, your hatred would remain.]
"What, then—!"
[However,] Simon cut her off, his voice sharp, [as I see it, you’ve already completed your revenge. But you didn’t stop there. You declared you would destroy the kingdom, and then the Alliance.]
’Screech—’
The tip of his greatsword scraped hollowly against the dungeon floor.
[Someone stands before me, threatening to destroy the people and places I hold dear—]
Nirti had missed the point entirely.
[—is there any fool in this world who would simply stand by and let that happen?]
The direction of her revenge. Its target. All of it was wrong.
[What’s most absurd is that you offered an alliance to me, a complete stranger. Simply because you thought I might be useful. A convenient tool for your grand cause. My own goals and intentions are irrelevant to you. You aren’t prepared to persuade anyone. No, you have no intention of even trying.]
Simon’s eyes turned bleak. [You’re not seeking revenge, Nirti.] His voice was a low, cold murmur that spread across the floor. [What you’re doing isn’t revenge. It’s a tantrum.]
Nirti was speechless.
A long, heavy silence enveloped them. Both Simon and Nirti knew they would never understand each other. In that case, the stronger one would decide the outcome.
Simon readjusted his grip on his greatsword. Nirti infused her modified chimera arm with jet-black.
"We’re back to where we started," she said.
"But what can you possibly do alone? With every moment that passes, the victory of our Order is all but assured," Nirti sneered.
[I’ll handle it one piece at a time,] Simon projected, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smirk. [Starting now, I’m going to rewrite this story until my victory is the only outcome.]
A torrential cloud of sand erupted the moment he finished.
[Did you forget? We’re the ones who took the Dungeon Lord.]
The pocket dimension Herseva had created collapsed. As the sand settled, it revealed Herseva in her staff form, hanging limp as if utterly spent. Behind her lay the mangled body of the Dungeon Lord, its flesh riddled with countless black feathers and grains of sand.
Nirti’s expression hardened. ’He defeated the Dungeon Lord I enhanced with my own research...!’
’Of course, I knew Herseva and Akemus would win,’ Simon thought.
Though they had torn the Dungeon Lord to shreds, the dungeon itself remained intact. He’d suspected as much when he realized that moving the creature to another dimension hadn’t caused any structural rifts. Besides, it was still alive. Its immortal nature was asserting itself, flesh writhing as it tried to regenerate, but the cursed feathers Akemus had embedded within it were impeding its recovery.
’If I can make its recovery impossible...!’
With a sharp kick, Simon launched himself from the ground and charged toward the Dungeon Lord. Nirti, propelled by a blast of jet-black, moved to intercept him.
The greatsword and the chimera arm collided with a deafening clang. With a tremendous roar, both were thrown backward. Nirti immediately cast a magic circle with her left arm.
"Cease research. Deactivate codes. All units, deploy!" she commanded.
As she activated the circle, the sound of shattering glass echoed from all directions. One by one, the chimeras trapped inside massive containment tanks broke free.
Vicious growls and piercing shrieks filled the air. The moment they were loose, the chimeras swarmed toward Simon, radiating pure hostility.
’So, she plans to overwhelm me with numbers. Predictable.’
With a sharp cry, Simon dashed forward.
He swung his greatsword in a rising arc, cleaving a chimera in two with a sickening crack. White arcs of steel sliced through the air, carving through the monsters. But a bison-like chimera broke through his sword’s path and slammed into him. With a sickening crash, Simon was sent flying into a wall.
"Kill him!" Nirti shrieked.
At her command, every chimera in the laboratory charged into the cloud of dust that had billowed around Simon. At the same time, an arm rose from within the haze.
<Simon Original – Royal Guard>
The dust cloud was shredded by countless turquoise sword lights that hummed through the air, then blown away by a sudden gust of wind. With measured thuds, twenty skeletons emerged, each wielding a turquoise sword, their tattered capes fluttering as they formed up beside Simon.
[Follow me,] Simon commanded, leading the charge. The Royal Guard fell in behind him, their blades tracing turquoise arcs in the gloom. Every time their glowing blades flashed, another chimera was split apart.
’How can mere skeletons be defeating chimeras?’
For Nirti, it was an unbelievable sight. Her creations were being systematically shredded as if they’d been thrown into a meat grinder. Unable to watch any longer, she sent a signal through a magic circle, and the chimeras converged in the center, forming a dense, solid formation.
[I was waiting for that,] Simon projected. He opened his subspace as Cloud drained from several Royal Guard members, spreading before the portal to form a magic circle. [Come forth, Skeleton Knights.]
Five Skeleton Knights shot out from the subspace, spinning like deadly tops. The moment they passed through the magic circle formed from the essence of their brethren, their power surged.
<Simon Original – Royal Guard & Blade Storm>
A vortex of turquoise energy erupted with a deafening roar, surging forward and grinding to pieces every chimera caught in its path. Nirti’s mouth fell open.
"What in the world is that?"
Concentrating her forces had been a fatal mistake. The massive tornadoes tore relentlessly through her lines, allowing Simon and the remaining Guard to pass safely behind the storm of blades. As the majority of her forces were annihilated before her eyes, Nirti shrieked as if trapped in a nightmare and clawed at her hair.
"Fire everything!"
The artillery chimeras in the rear unleashed a deafening barrage of blinding flashes, jet-black projectiles, and biological shells at the tornadoes. The sheer force of the impacts stopped the Skeleton Knights’ rotation, and they collapsed to the ground.
[Ugh!]
As his Royal Guard was struck, the damage transferred directly to Simon.
’A limit like this...’
Without bothering to wipe the blood trickling from his lips, Simon’s eyes flashed with defiance. ’...is just another thing for me to overcome!’
He retrieved the Cloud that had been enshrouding the fallen Knights, and the bones of the other Royal Guard members converged on him. The legion’s true strength was its adaptability. Simon kicked off the air and soared upward.
<Royal Guard – Flight Mode>
The Royal Guard’s Flight Mode fused with Pier’s Bone Armor. Cloud erupted from Simon’s back like a booster, launching him high into the air. He traced a long, turquoise trajectory across the ceiling, shooting from the front of the battle to the very rear in an instant and cutting down dozens of Nirti’s artillery chimeras in a single, devastating strike.
"You—!" Nirti spun around in a rage as her most crucial units were annihilated.
As Simon charged, he gathered the swirling Cloud and molded it into the shape of a bow.
<Simon Remake – ’Blood Arrow’>
A black arrow flew like a beam of light and pierced Nirti’s arm. An instant later, an explosion like splattered black ink erupted, engulfing the area.
"Kugh!"
Nirti endured the blast, her chimera arm torn to shreds as the force sent her staggering back. In that brief opening, Simon closed the distance with a sound like tearing air. The white greatsword descended in a straight line, aimed directly for her head.
She raised her tattered chimera arm, blocking the blow with a thunderous impact.
[Mwahaha!]
Nirti’s eyes widened. Something was wrong. The force of the strike was far weaker than before. Looking closer, she saw that while the Bone Armor maintained its form, it was completely empty inside.
’Don’t tell me, he did it again...!’
Her head snapped around. ’A double feint!’
The real Simon stood behind her. Having shed the Bone Armor, he was already in a perfect throwing stance. His leg came forward, his shoulders and pelvis twisted, and he unleashed the attack with the full force of his body.
<Simon Original – ’Chaos Spear’>
With a sound like the very air was tearing apart, two violet spears flew like streaks of light and impaled Nirti’s abdomen.
"Gah-huk!" Black blood poured from her mouth. ’Just how many Originals does he have...?!’
"I’m not done yet!" Simon roared, continuously forming and throwing Chaos Spears. The third and fourth spears pierced her abdomen and chest before her remaining chimeras could belatedly shield her with their bodies.
With a thud of his feet, Simon ceased his ranged assault and charged in, his body unprotected. Pier, who had served as the feint, disintegrated into countless bone fragments that instantly reformed around Simon. The moment the Bone Armor was equipped, his speed increased fivefold.
The chimeras that blocked Nirti’s path were sent flying by the explosive impacts of the Sword of Ruin he brandished.
’What is this man?!’ Nirti’s pupils trembled. ’His eye for the flow of battle, his combat instincts... they’re far beyond the level of a professional!’ The form she saw when he shed the armor... this had to be the Student Council President, Simon. ’Lacking experience? No! Just how many life-or-death battles has he overcome to reach this point?’
’Crunch!’ She bit her lip hard, watching her chimeras get mercilessly shredded by the greatsword, damaged beyond regeneration. But when it came to the number of times she had cheated death, she wouldn’t be outdone.
"Come on!" she screamed. She snatched a new syringe with her left hand, stabbed it into her neck, and activated the permanent magic circle embedded in her stomach.
With a sickening wet sound, tentacle-like appendages shot out from her abdomen, grabbing the surrounding chimeras and fusing them to her body. Simon, who had been cutting through her forces to reach her, froze in his tracks.
’So this was her final card.’
This was on a completely different level from merely replacing her limbs. She had abandoned any hope of returning to her original form, choosing instead to fuse with over a hundred chimeras. Her body, all except for her head, began to seethe with a grotesque, motley collection of flesh.
[Mwahaha! They say madness is a necromancer’s virtue, but this is truly insane!] Even Pier was at a loss for words.
Leaning on his greatsword, Simon gasped for breath. He had to sever her neck before her body grew larger and more complete, but...
’The backlash from pushing myself so hard...!’
He had commanded his legion to break through to the third basement level, used advanced Cloud techniques, and even unleashed his Chaos power. He had expended everything he had. Simon could barely force strength into his legs, managing only a few stumbling steps as Nirti continued to grow larger and stronger.
’It’s about time,’ Simon thought, panting as he glanced upward. ’They should be here by now.’
Of course, Nirti wasn’t the only one with an ace up her sleeve. While the two had been fighting, a large crack had formed in the ceiling of her lab. Simon had kept making loud noises during the fight to keep her from noticing it. All he needed was one more push.
With a tremendous roar, the lab ceiling completely shattered, revealing a boy poised in a punching stance.
[Hahahaha! Were you waiting, Simon?!]
Prince, who had gone upstairs to find Kal, dropped down alongside Kajan. Next to them was a giant containment tank.
"Glad you’re safe, Simon!" Kajan called out.
[We found Kal!]
The two landed softly on the floor. Prince immediately clenched his fist and shattered the tank. A yellow liquid spilled out, and from within emerged a sloshing, fluid substance. It was Kal’s main body, undulating continuously as if craving something.
[Boy! Now! Bring out Kal’s other half!] Pier urged.
"Right!"
Simon opened his subspace and retrieved the part of Kal’s body he already possessed. As if they had been waiting, the two halves began to surge toward each other, merging into one.
As the two bodies became whole with a sickening gurgle, a flickering core appeared at their center. With the core as its focus, the mass planted four feet firmly on the ground and transformed into the shape of a giant dog.
’This is it!’
Simon clenched his fist. ’The true form of Kal, the Beast of Disease!’
It looked as if it were wreathed in green gas and flames. Contrary to what he had expected, its form was blurry and indistinct.
[O being whom I face for the first time! Thank you for freeing me from this endless pain,] Kal’s voice echoed in his mind.
Simon blinked. ’First time?’ It seemed the main body had no memory of its clone.
"How are you? Are you okay?" Simon asked.
[No.]
Kal silently shook its head. [It is already too late for me.]
"Huh?"
[They wrung every last drop of my strength from me. It’s a miracle I’m even maintaining this form. I will completely perish soon.]
Simon’s pupils trembled violently.
"That’s not what your clone said!"
[My apologies. My clone could not have known the full situation. Rescuing its main body would have been its only priority.] Kal’s gaze shifted to Pier’s skull. [Pier, I will soon perish. You know what must be done, don’t you?]
Pier was silent for a moment.
A gleam flashed in Pier’s eyes. [Are you serious, Kal?]
Kal let out a sharp bark. [Don’t play dumb! You must have had some idea it would come to this.]
Nirti, now towering dozens of stories tall, raised a giant fist and brought it down toward Simon’s group with a ground-shaking thump.
[What are you all doing?!] Prince yelled, shooting into the air. [I get that you’re happy to see each other, but is this really the time for a chat?] He threw a ’Hidden Card Punch’, but the difference in power and mass was too great. Prince’s body was sent flying backward into a wall.
"Prince!"
[Hurry, Pier! And you, human!] Kal urged, its mouth open. [At this rate, we’re all finished! This is the only way to defeat that woman!]
"Pier! What do I have to do?" Simon demanded.
Pier conveyed the grim situation to Simon through his thoughts. This time, it was Simon’s pupils that trembled. He squeezed his eyes shut. There was no time to waste.
"I’m sorry, Kal," Simon said, raising the Sword of Ruin. "I wanted to talk more."
[If Pier chose you, you must be Richard’s son,] Kal barked. [You’re uncharacteristically sentimental!] Kal stepped before Simon. [I have been endlessly exploited and depleted by them! I am tired. If you care for me, then claim me with your own hands!]
Simon nodded grimly. Kal’s chest opened, revealing its core. It couldn’t last much longer. But there was a way to preserve its power.
"Farewell, Kal."
The Sword of Ruin pierced Kal’s core. The great beast let out a relieved laugh as its body dissolved into liquid.
The fluid essence began to flow into the Sword of Ruin Simon held. He could feel an enormous, untamed power being transferred into him.
’What the—!’
Simon’s arm trembled violently. ’I can’t control this power.’
Soon, Kal’s body vanished without a trace, leaving a faint green hue imbued in the Sword of Ruin.
[I’ll explain this only once, so listen carefully, boy!] Pier’s voice was urgent. He could see Kajan being sent flying by a kick from the gigantic Nirti, who was now closing in on Simon. [We can now wield the power of Kal!]
Green smoke began to billow from the Sword of Ruin, forming the shape of a dog howling at the sky.
With a grunt, Simon focused his jet-black into the greatsword and slammed it into the ground with all his might. Using the power wasn’t difficult.
The area around the greatsword transformed into a virulent, poisonous swamp. Nirti’s steps slowed as she became mired in the muck, and at the same time, hundreds of small dogs—Kal’s ’clones’—rose from its depths.
"Fire!" Simon shouted.
Hundreds of clones fired a volley of toxins laced with disease from their mouths, their projectiles striking Nirti’s form with wet thuds. As the poison splattered over her, the chimera bodies making up Nirti began to scream in agony. She lost control, thrashing about wildly.
’Not yet!’
Dragging the tip of his greatsword through the swamp as he ran, Simon powerfully lifted it into the air. The poisonous swamp extended in the direction he swung, wrapping around Nirti’s colossal form like a serpent and forcibly slamming her to the ground.
"Th-This is amazing!" Simon exclaimed, awed by his new power.
Pier chuckled. [This is nothing! The core of Kal’s power lies elsewhere! You already know, don’t you?] Pier’s gaze shifted to the fragmented corpse of the Dungeon Lord. [Destroy the Dungeon Lord with that sword and claim this dungeon for your own, boy!]

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