Chapter 588

Nearly an hour of carnage.

It was as if a typhoon had swept through.

The blood-soaked ground testified to how brutal the battle had been.

“Kieee… kuhuk! Guhk!”

Black blood gushed from Katran’s mouth.

The last attack had cost him his left arm.

Agonizing pain seared his brain along the severed stump.

“A monster… to take such wounds without a change of expression. Are you even human, wench?”

His gaze fixed forward.

There stood the golden-haired saint, her body likewise drenched in blood.

No—she was no longer a saint, but a Fallen Saint who had lost her divine power.

“Hmph. Calling a fair lady a monster? How rude. On the outside I may seem like this, but inside I’m delicate. Look—so very crimson, isn’t it?”

Her ribs were visible through the gaping wound.

Her insides laid bare.

And yet, as if pain meant nothing, Teresa leisurely began to heal.

Vwooom!

New flesh sprouted, broken ribs rejoined.

In an instant, her injuries vanished.

“Now, I’ll be taking something more than an arm. Before you die, you’d better give me some thrills.”

Thunk.

With a smile soaked in bloodlust, Teresa rested her sword on her shoulder.

The once holy blade dripped with blackened blood—it could no longer be called holy.

“Even if I die here, I’ll carve off that vile face of yours.”

Katran steadied his stance, hefting his giant scythe with his lone arm.

Rumble…!

[Torture Materialization ‘Last Guillotine’ is activated!]

The scythe gleamed with a razor’s edge.

At the same time—

“Heh. Strong ones really are the best. No matter how many times I cut you, you just keep thrashing like a live fish. Hm, should I kill you now? Or hold back? I do want to enjoy this just a bit longer… what’s the right answer, I wonder.”

Muttering back and forth, Teresa made her choice.

“Decided. There’ll be more to cut anyway.”

She readied her blade horizontally.

Black magic condensed to a single point.

Her smile was one of pure madness, of pure enjoyment.

And for the first time, Katran felt fear.

A shiver.

Instinct recoiled more strongly than when facing Nyarlathotep.

But he could not retreat.

Clench!

Grinding his teeth, he poured everything into the guillotine’s release.

“Die!”

[Guillotine ‘Release’ – ‘Body Severance’ is activated!]

From above—

Downward.

An attack carrying the weight of gravity itself.

In answer, Teresa unleashed all the magic she had gathered to its limit.

[Teresa uses Dark Draw-Sword ‘Desecration’!]

Vertical and horizontal lines met at a single point.

The ultimate strikes, filled with force and speed, carved a crimson trajectory.

No clash of steel rang out.

Instead, a chilling sound of flesh tearing pierced the ears.

Slice!

A silent scream.

Katran thrashed in the air, still unable to accept what had happened.

Only his headless body staggered a few steps.

But no matter how strong, not even he could survive such wounds.

Splaaash!

With a fountain of blood, the leader of a great faction fell.

[The Hermit’s Village faction ‘Torturers’ has lost their will to fight.]

One of the three pillars had collapsed.

“Shame. About an hour is my limit. Guess I’ll have to hand it back to the goody-two-shoes.”

Even at full power, only an hour.

Still, her time of control had grown longer.

Teresa’s lips curved upward.

At this rate…

One day, the primary personality might be replaced.

“Until next time, handsome. And bring that sly pretty boy too. Both of you are already mine.”

[‘Corruption’ is released.]

With that short message, Teresa’s body swayed.

The lively voice gave way to one weak and frail.

“Ah… is it over?”

“Yes. Another personality came and finished it.”

“I don’t remember clearly. It’s hazy, like fog… faint and scattered.”

“Of course. Such great power always demands its price.”

Equivalent exchange.

Such strength required its toll.

“If possible, I didn’t want to switch personalities. One day, it could end the worst way.”

Teresa forced herself upright.

“But we must get to Jinhyuk. He must be fighting even deeper inside—we need to help.”

Even unable to stand properly, she tried to move.

The reason was obvious.

“Is that leech really so precious to you? What do you see in him?”

Even a fool knew Teresa liked Jinhyuk.

No matter how hellish the path, she always followed without complaint.

She worried for his safety more than her own—it was beyond simple saintly altruism.

“……!!”

Her face flushed at being caught.

She had tried to be careful, but the question had hit dead on.

She mulled over the answer.

The reason she liked him…

“He’s always been there with me.”

From the Corridor of the Fallen to the Hermit’s Village.

When she left the Veteran Corporation and risked her life in Europe.

Jinhyuk always understood her, always came to save her.

Sharing hardships together—how could she not grow to love him?

“You walk a thorny path. You know Alice is by his side. You can’t be unaware of her feelings.”

“Of course, I know.”

She had long noticed Alice’s feelings for him.

But—

“I can’t give up.”

Feelings needed no reason.

No matter how strong the rival, she could not lie to her own heart.

“This team will have its drama. But fine, I’ll support you. If you need help, say the word.”

“Yoosung…”

“Don’t read too much into it. I just sympathize with being number two.”

He tossed her a flask.

“Thank you.”

She took a sip.

The ‘Elf Spring Water’ from the coin exchange refreshed body and spirit.

Soon, they would rejoin Jinhyuk and the others.

The two gathered their mana, preparing for what came next.

—

Meanwhile.

At the maze’s end, Jinhyuk had summoned the elemental spirits to stand guard while he took a short rest.

“Keep watch. Alert me if anyone comes.”

“Got it, Master. Don’t worry.”

“Just trust us.”

Undine and Gnome clenched their tiny fists.

The earthen hut and moat formed a fine temporary base.

The spirits bustled about energetically, well-trained.

Then—

“Achoo! Achoo!”

Alice sneezed.

“What’s wrong? Caught a cold?”

“No, something just irritated my throat. Usually that means some fool saint or fox has ruffled my mood….”

“Cut the nonsense. Manage your mana. We need to reach the objective before the Apocalypse fully starts, remember?”

“Nonsense? My instincts are always right!”

Alice fumed, hopping in place.

But at the same words, Pesis’s face turned pale.

“P-player Kang Jinhyuk…?”

“Yes?”

“Maybe I’m hallucinating from exhaustion, but you didn’t just say the Apocalypse was starting, did you?”

“Oh… that? Well of course—”

“Of course not! Haha! What a silly question. Surely you wouldn’t drag me into one of the Tower’s worst disasters!”

Pesis laughed wildly.

Hmm. Hard to just say yes.

How could he tell those doe-like eyes the truth?

“Exactly. The Apocalypse is practically beginning. From what the contractor said, we’re already late. My opinion? Way too late.”

Alice cut him off, blunt as ever.

She always crushed others without mercy.

Pesis dropped his head, shoulders shaking.

Undine pointed.

“Master, he’s crying.”

“Leave him. Even guides need a moment to cry.”

There was no escape.

Either sink together, or push forward alive.

Pesis, weeping, resigned himself to keep guiding.

The mana waves from Teresa and Yoosung’s side had stabilized. Orun and Andrea’s as well.

Everyone was catching their breath after a hard fight.

‘So we’re halfway there.’

Jinhyuk nodded slightly.

They’d made it this far. Alice’s words aside, there was still a chance to halt or weaken the Apocalypse.

At least, he believed so—

Bang!

A gunshot cracked.

“……!”

Jinhyuk reflexively drew his sword.

Clang!

He split the bullet aimed at his forehead.

A hair slower, and it would have killed him instantly.

‘It bypassed the barrier?’

Unbelievable.

He had set three layers of defense, all shattered by a single bullet.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart pounded.

Every nerve screamed in alarm.

Only one person could do this.

[All conditions for Apocalypse have been met!]

[The ‘Gunslinger’s Apocalypse’ begins!]

As the status window turned crimson, the green miasma was drawn to one place.

“Master! Are you okay?”

“Contractor! This mana…”

“Ugh! I knew my gut was right. Not just any Apocalypse, but one from the Gunslinger—the kind that can wipe out floors of the Tower?!”

Everyone reacted at once.

But words were wasted now.

Step.

Footsteps approached from the gunshot’s origin.

The stench of rotting corpses filled the air.

A black hood. Two revolvers of different colors.

No mistake.

The one before them was once known as Top Gun.

The Extinguisher.