Chapter 338
They had won.
They had overcome destruction.
The Empire held a grand celebration in honor of their victory.
“We have triumphed!”
“A toast to the Hero!”
“For the immortality of our great Empire!”
Dressed in extravagant attire, the people drank and feasted in joy.
Among them, Taesan sat quietly, watching the festivities unfold.
“Oh! Our great Hero has arrived!”
Bardray approached him, his face flushed red from drinking.
“Once again, I express my gratitude! Thanks to you, our world has been saved!”
Bardray raised his glass high.
The others cheered, lifting their drinks in unison.
The heat of the celebration filled the hall.
Once the commotion had settled slightly, Taesan spoke.
“What do you plan to do now?”
“Hmm. That’s a good question.”
Bardray furrowed his brows.
Though they had won, it wasn’t as simple as celebrating without consequence.
The damage had been severe.
Many kingdoms had fallen, countless knights and soldiers had perished, and it would take a long time to rebuild.
“Even so… we have survived destruction.”
For the first time, they no longer had to live in fear of the future.
Bardray took a relaxed sip of his drink.
“For now, let us enjoy this moment. We have plenty of time ahead of us.”
The grand doors swung open.
The Emperor and Empress entered, and the people immediately stood and bowed.
“You have arrived.”
“Yes, my son.”
The Emperor gazed at Bardray with pride.
“You have done well. Truly, no one but you is fit to inherit my throne.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Bardray’s face brimmed with emotion.
As the Empire’s sole legitimate heir, he had eliminated all his rivals himself.
The throne was already his.
And now, before all these witnesses, the Emperor had publicly declared it.
With a hearty laugh, the Emperor patted Bardray’s shoulder.
“Enjoy yourself, my son. A bright future awaits us.”
After those words, the Emperor joined the celebration.
Bardray smiled with satisfaction.
“Things are looking good.”
He looked truly happy.
“You have done so much for us. You fulfilled the prophecy and personally stopped the Demon King.”
From the Empire’s perspective, no amount of gratitude could repay such a debt.
Bardray turned to Taesan.
“If you desire it, the Empire will always have a place for you.”
“I will consider it.”
Taesan answered quietly.
The festivities continued.
“Your Highness.”
“Oh, Levantia.”
Levantia approached Bardray, her face flushed with nervousness.
“I… have something to confess.”
“A confession?”
Bardray looked at her curiously.
Levantia took a deep breath and spoke.
Upon hearing her words, Bardray’s eyes widened.
Then—his face lit up with sheer joy.
He shouted something loudly, pulling Levantia into an embrace, his expression overflowing with happiness.
And then—
The world began to distort.
Everything drifted further away.
—
When Taesan opened his eyes, he found himself in a twisted, distorted realm.
A place where power seeped from every corner, corroding the mind and forcing one to relive the past.
Taesan lifted his gaze.
Before him stood an endlessly warped and shapeless entity.
Instinctively, he recognized what it was.
“Rigrit, the God of Regret.”
The formless being shimmered in confirmation.
An aura of deep, lingering emotions radiated from Rigrit as it spoke.
“Did you enjoy it?”
Taesan did not answer.
Yet, Rigrit’s emotions spread through the air.
He was immensely pleased.
—
[System Messages]
[Rigrit’s Influence has weakened.]
[Rigrit bestows a reward upon you. You have obtained “Robe of the Ruler.”]
[You have cleared an enhanced trial. Additional rewards granted.]
[You have obtained “Ring of the Distorted Regret.”]
—
Two rewards.
The trial had been completed.
Yet, Rigrit did not send Taesan back.
Because he wasn’t looking at Taesan.
His focus was on the Ghost standing silently beside him.
Rigrit asked, “What do you think?”
The Ghost, who had remained quiet all this time, finally spoke.
[What do you want from me?]
His voice was stiff, laced with countless emotions as he questioned the God of Regret.
[What answer are you expecting from me?]
Rigrit chuckled softly.
As if saying—now comes the real choice.
A vast power surged outward.
—
[System Messages]
[Rigrit’s Influence is weakening further.]
[Rigrit presents an offer to the Hero buried in the labyrinth.]
1. The Hero returns to the labyrinth and continues his quest alongside Kang Taesan, fulfilling his contract.
2. The Hero inhabits his body in the memory-world crafted by Rigrit. The contract with Kang Taesan is nullified, and upon death, he returns to his grave in the labyrinth.
—
The Ghost trembled as he read the words.
[…You have a twisted sense of humor.]
His voice was low, almost bitter.
Taesan read through the options carefully.
The first choice was straightforward.
He would remain by Taesan’s side, continuing their descent into the labyrinth and facing the Guide of Sin.
But the second choice…
It was different.
The Ghost would return to his world.
He would live there once more.
He would see the people he had loved, watch over the Empire he had fought for, and witness the birth and growth of his child.
He could experience their lives—their joys, their struggles, and their eventual deaths.
But it would all be fake.
His world had already perished.
What he saw was merely a reconstruction based on his memories—nothing more than an illusion created by Rigrit.
It wasn’t real.
It was nothing but a fabricated world.
Yet—
The Ghost could not decide easily.
For just once—
He wanted to see his world, unbroken.
He longed for a life where his world had not been destroyed.
A life where he, she, and their child could be together.
If he rejected the illusion, the Ghost would never again have the chance to see his world.
His sole wish was revenge against death itself—and that would be fulfilled by defeating the Guide of Sin.
Once his wish was completed, there was a high chance he would no longer be bound to the Labyrinth, just as the spirits before him had been freed.
He could attempt to renegotiate with the Magician to alter the conditions of his contract.
But whether the Magician would agree, or whether reversing time was even possible, was unknown.
Furthermore—
Choosing the second option would sever his contract with Taesan.
He would return to his grave at the entrance of the Labyrinth, forced to wait indefinitely for another adventurer willing to fulfill his wish.
Watching the Ghost’s silent struggle, Rigrit was delighted.
Taesan understood Rigrit’s intent.
“Truly twisted.”
Rigrit did not care which choice the Ghost made.
If he chose the first option, he would regret not witnessing his world, even if it was fake.
If he chose the second option, he would enjoy his life—but the more happiness he felt, the more he would suffer knowing it wasn’t real.
Either way, Rigrit would get what he wanted.
The Ghost would be tormented by his own choices.
In the end, after death, he would return to his grave once again.
No matter what he chose—
It was a trap.
—
[I…]
The Ghost’s voice trembled with agony.
As if grasping for a lifeline, he turned to Taesan.
Taesan spoke.
“I will respect your decision.”
Short and simple.
Because, in the end—this was a choice only the Ghost could make.
The Ghost’s wavering body slowly steadied.
He spoke.
—
[You have obtained the Belt of the Ruler of the Savage Space.]
[You have obtained ???.]
“So, secret rewards are obtained naturally.”
Even though he hadn’t found a Secret Room, he had still received Secret Clear rewards.
[There are no more Secret Rooms in this part of the Labyrinth. The Secret Clear rewards now depend on how perfectly you fulfill the conditions of the trial.]
The Ghost’s voice was calm—but firm.
Taesan collected his rewards and turned to him.
“Are you alright?”
[…I don’t know.]
The Ghost’s voice echoed faintly.
[I struggled. I wanted to see my child’s face, to hear their voice, to watch them smile.]
His child.
His own bloodline.
The result of his love.
That longing had tormented him more than anything else.
[But in the end, it’s fake. It’s not real.]
The Ghost spoke as if spitting out the words.
[To accept an illusion and deceive myself would be an insult to my world and to myself.]
The Ghost was resolute.
Talented, unyielding, and resistant to temptation.
Even if the choice brought him pain, he refused to accept a false world.
So, he had chosen the first option.
[Besides, you still need my help, don’t you? You’re only at the entrance of the deep layers. I have plenty to teach you.]
The Ghost forced a lighthearted tone.
Taesan replied.
“Thank you.”
[No need to thank me. It was my decision.]
Truthfully, Taesan’s presence had played a major role in the Ghost’s choice.
Since Taesan’s arrival, the Ghost had watched him.
Through countless battles in the Labyrinth, he had observed him.
Though their time together had not been long, the experiences they had shared were profound.
And in the process—
The Ghost had grown fond of Taesan.
“In the end, we’ll part ways.”
If it had been real, things might have been different.
But a false world meant nothing.
Instead, he wanted to see how far Taesan would go.
“I gained quite a bit. Let’s check them.”
First—his Ability Sword, Airach Martial Techniques, and related skills had all increased in proficiency.
The Title from the 70th Floor had been immensely effective.
His Airach Martial Techniques, which had barely progressed, had increased by 3% in a single battle.
There were no new skills, but it was a positive development nonetheless.
[Special Activation Skill: Call of Ruin]
– Proficiency: 1%
– Consumption: ???
– Effect: Calls upon Ruin.
“That’s vague.”
Even the cost of activation was unknown.
It was unclear whether it was an attack, a summoning, or something entirely different.
But one thing was certain—
It felt ominous.
Just looking at the skill made him hesitate.
“I should test it later.”
Once he was in top condition, he would properly experiment with it.
—
[Special Passive Skill: Nemesis of Ruin]
– Proficiency: 1%
– Effect: When facing an entity that wields the Will of Ruin, rank and power are maximized.
“A skill for fighting beings like the Demon King or the World-Burning Wolf.”
Given the enemies he would face in the deep layers, this skill would likely prove invaluable.
—
[Special Passive Skill: Rank of Will]
– Proficiency: 1%
– Effect: A mind that has reached greater heights.
– Prevents the mind from being easily corrupted by rank or power.
“Interesting.”
Taesan’s eyes gleamed.
This was an exceptional skill.
Whenever he tried to wield both divinity and abyssal power, his mind was nearly overwhelmed.
This skill would help counteract that.
It would definitely be useful moving forward.
—
[The Will That Calls for Ruin]
A material item, similar to the Fragments of Will.
He planned to visit Haphran to learn more about its purpose.
But more than anything—
There was one thing Taesan was most eager to inspect.
He turned his gaze to the ring radiating a dark aura.
The Ring of Distorted Regret—a reward granted by Rigrit for clearing the enhanced trial.
The power it exuded was immense.
—
[Ring of the Distorted Regret]
– HP +10%
– MP +100
– Attack +10%
– Defense +100
– Allows the user to reset the cooldown of one skill (cooldown reset cannot apply to skills with cooldowns exceeding one week).
– Cooldown: One month.
