“A dragon, huh?”

At her dear friend’s message, the Association President, Dan Haera, tilted her head with a faint smile.

“It’s not exactly common for a dragon to become an Evil God.”

[But it’s not unheard of either.]

“Yeah, and that’s the problem. This is going to be a real headache.”

The nature of dragons differed across dimensions.

Some were beastlike, while others served as sages or bore the mantle of gods.

But one thing was consistent—

In every dimension, dragons were called messengers of the divine.

“If that dragon’s ended up in such a form, the hatred must be immense. There’s never been a case where a dragon willingly corrupted itself. If it degenerated enough to become an Evil God... that’s quite...”

[It must’ve taken a great deal. A dragon, nature’s greatest advocate, becoming something as vile as an Evil God—It wouldn’t happen just from being betrayed by all of humanity or abandoned by the gods.]

“What form did you say it took again? Was it that a humanlike figure formed the upper body of the dragon?”

[It looked like immature humans—most not even adults—mashed together and sewn into one. No, maybe ‘mashed’ isn’t the right word. It was more like pieces shattered like porcelain or stretched long like syrup...]

“Just from your description, I’m imagining a long, Eastern-style dragon more than a Western one. Heh, I take it you didn’t have time to take pictures?”

[Just getting our guild members out alive took everything I had. I think I saw every kind of curse imaginable in that place. There were so many varieties.]

Seo Seo-Hee was currently recovering from injuries after escaping the dungeon.

True to the name “Dream,” the injuries weren’t grave, but the sheer number of curses layered onto his soul had reached a point where treatment was unavoidable.

One of the curses he’d received was necrotic decay—his flesh rotting and falling apart.

The crinkling of bandages echoed.

[Fighting against divinity really is exhausting. Each minor aspect of it hits humans with overwhelming force. Hearing its voice made my ears bleed and left my mind blank... Seriously, it was no joke.]

“Honestly, just surviving after seeing that thing is something to be grateful for.”

[Yeah. And since its essence was that of a dragon, it wasn’t quite as lethal. I guess it wasn’t a traditional god, one that had always been destiny or nature. That gave us at least a sliver of hope.]

“If it’s an artificial god, then we stand a chance.”

Divinity is fate, nature—and, put another way, history.

They are living history, and their magnitude can be measured by the time they carry within them.

Compared to traditional divinities, whose time cannot be measured—an artificial god...

“...isn’t the absolute worst.”

They could be dealt with by human hands.

“...Hmm. Should we restrict the Collector’s involvement?”

[Ah, that guy... right... yeah, that would make sense.]

Though the topic of Bisa Beul had suddenly come up, Seo Seo-Hee nodded knowingly.

[Guildmaster Bisa Beul can’t resist dragons.]

“Well, he does have dragon eyes himself, so of course he’d be drawn to them.”

[Come to think of it, this Evil God had an awful lot of eyes.]

“That’s an even more ominous detail.”

[No, I mean—on his arms, hands, wings... They were full of golden eyes.]

Seo Seo-Hee began describing the Evil God he had seen.

[Because its form was made of many humans melded together, it had an abnormally large number of arms. The wings alone were beyond anything I could call normal. They bent and twisted like the branches of a dried, withered tree, spanning the entire amusement park like a web... As time passed, you couldn’t even find a path anymore.]

“Yet somehow, you managed to escape.”

[It covered every direction, practically turned the place into a maze. But if it’s a maze, there has to be a way out, right? We found a rough path and got out. All those hands tried to crush us, but it wasn’t beyond what we could shake off.]

“If you say so...”

The Association President nodded.

“Then it’s probably best to designate it as EX-rank.”

She was referring to the classification of “Dream Amusement Park.”

“This way, the public will stay on alert.”

[Is cooperation with the government going well?]

“Most of the victims were citizens of the city, so it hasn’t been that difficult. All we had to do was stimulate their lingering sense of responsibility in reality, and provoke their desire to grow beyond it.”

[And you gave them an incentive too.]

“Obviously. People who wake from their dreams early and put in effort should be the ones to receive more rewards.”

Because of this, aside from the official recovery programs, many personnel had to be deployed.

But the situation was gradually improving.

Citizens, having been reminded of what truly mattered to them, were beginning to return to reality, one by one.

“Plus, the image of people who cling to ‘Dream Amusement Park’ has become one of laziness and disgrace. They no longer have any real reason to stay in dreams. You stepping up personally helped a lot.”

The public’s affection and trust toward Justitia were sky-high.

And of all Justitia’s hunters, Seo Seo-Hee was the most beloved.

That he had personally led this subjugation meant public sentiment would naturally turn against the “Dream Amusement Park.”

[So this is why I kept that ‘Symbol of Eternity’ title all this time.]

“I’m always grateful to you guys for enduring the hassle and burden just for me.”

[Don’t get all sentimental... Friends are supposed to help each other in times like these, right?]

“And that’s exactly what I’m thankful for.”

Dan Haera nodded.

“At this point, we have to seal or eliminate the Evil God quickly and shut the dungeon gate. If we drag this out, the citizens who hesitated thanks to your reputation and my maneuvering might start longing for dreams again.”

Seo Seo-Hee sounded exasperated.

[Easy for you to say—you’re not the one going in there.]

“But you can do it, right? And besides, I think...”

Dan Haera recalled the small Saintess she had once seen.

“...Yes.

That Saintess who was reportedly kidnapped... she’s not the type to just sit there and take it.”

[Oh, do you think we could get cooperation from the Moon Sect’s Saintess?]

“For matters like this, the Collector is more likely to make an accurate judgment than I am. He’s got good eyes, after all. And since the Collector has expressed intent to participate in this subjugation, our chances are looking pretty good.”

[That’s some much-needed good news in a headache of a situation.]

Seo Seo-Hee asked,

[What about Hunter Sergio?]

“He hasn’t been appearing at the Collector’s shop recently, citing poor health.

The Collector hasn’t said anything either, and since he’s not listed for this operation, he probably has his reasons.”

[I feel like I can already hear the subjugation squad mourning the loss. He looked fine last time I saw him—do you think his condition has anything to do with this dungeon?]

“It’s hard to say for sure, but the timing is suspicious. Maybe he’s hiding out because he’s afraid of this dungeon. If our theory’s correct, and he died once and is now sustained by mystic forces, then perhaps the Collector stepped in out of concern for his family.”

[He never struck me as the type to run and hide, so yeah—you’re probably right, he’s got his reasons. And if we’re really short on power, we can drag Hae-Woon into this. No need to panic.]

Seo Seo-Hee laughed.

[Catch you later.]

“Yeah. At that time...”

[I’ll try sweet-talking Hunter Sergio too.]

“Let’s hope that time comes soon.”

For Dan Haera, who always had to make promises, memories and special emotions were essential.

***

Naturally, the casualties mounted.

“That vile Evil God took our brothers...!!”

The ones most sensitive to this were the Moon Sect and the Church of the Sun.

“With that horrific voice, it melted my partner’s brain! We must seal it away. If we leave the Dream’s Evil God alone, he’ll once again reach into reality and destroy the world!”

“We’ve only recovered a few traces of the Saintess... Where is she? Surely that delicate soul wasn’t devoured... Please, please, may it not be so...!!”

“He’s a traitor! He’s rebelling against all things sacred and traditional. How could such an evil being even come into existence?! We must seal him away!!”

The Evil God melted human brains with his singing.

He shredded people apart with hands that approached like dancers.

He made them weep blood with those mesmerizing golden eyes.

Divinity, by its very presence, was a threat.

“But how? He doesn’t even see us as toys—he sees ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) us as less than that. You all know how much that monster loved battle and blood in life...”

“This is nothing but a game to the Evil God of dreams. It’s literally war play. You saw those giant hands suddenly appear and start playing with dolls—need I say more?!”

There were also priests overwhelmed by despair.

These were the ones most well-versed in divinity and mysticism.

They understood its danger and holiness more than anyone.

And so, the Church of the Sun gradually adopted a lukewarm approach to battle.

The Moon Sect condemned them for it.

“Cowards!”

“This wasn’t our war to begin with!”

“Did you really think you'd be safe if you left the Dream’s Evil God alone?!”

“We’re not changing sides for that reason, damn it...!!”

Amid the escalating crisis, the Moon Sect crumbled further.

Their advances and methods became more reckless.

They weren’t skilled in warfare, leading to rising casualties.

Priests mourned, weakened in spirit, as the ranks thinned.

The bishop remained silent through it all.

“Bishop, I’m sorry, but... please, you need to eat something...”

“I’m too busy. I’ll see to it later.”

“It’s already been four days.

We understand the Saintess’s absence hit you hard, but if even you isolate yourself...

Who can we rely on?”

“I believe in you all.”

She smiled—a rare expression.

“Are we not proud disciples who serve the Moon?”

“Th-that’s... yes, you’re right, Bishop.”

“Did you think any of this was unfair?”

“No. I’m satisfied with our purpose, Bishop.”

“I see.”

The bishop murmured,

“Yes... this is who we are.”

She remained diligent in her duties as bishop.

She organized the camp, cared for the wounded, planned their next strategies.

But behind it all, she was obsessed with a single research project.

The Moon Sect found nothing strange in this.

Their souls, deeply steeped in individualism, made it possible.

If one had a desire, they were given freedom.

No one judged the other.

That was the Moon Sect.

"......"

Even so, the Moon Sect began to fall.

“―Hey, my friend.”

"......"

“Look here. Look at me. Everything you want to know is here. Shall I open my magnificent castle’s library for you? You want to see the wider world, all its mysteries? Very well, I grant it. I grant it. My friend, we’re such good friends... Don’t doubt me.”

“...Ah, ugh...”

“What’s wrong? Why? Is there a problem? My friend, will you abandon me? Ah, it hurts so much. I can’t breathe. Are you the same? Then I can help. Reach out to me. Beg me. Ask for mercy and surrender yourself.”

“S-stop. Please... please, stop...!!”

“Stop? You want me to stop? Stop what, exactly? This all began with your weakness. Why do you think you’re the only one who can hear my voice? Do you know why? You accepted me. You were curious about me. I’ll help you. Don’t suffer. My friend. My honorable, intelligent, wise friend...”

Through that weakened heart, the Evil God’s whisper seeped in.

“Now, look. See with those beautiful eyes.”

"......"

“Where in all this is your precious thing?”

Through giggling laughter—

Through childish squeals, through soft fingers caressing cheek and neck,

Through a gentle hand stroking one’s head—

Seduced by that rapturous golden glow—

Eyes dyed in gold, people went mad.

“Bishop, Bishop. We must follow his will. He will grant us rest. Only he can guide us to the right path... Only he can lead us into our teacher’s arms...”

“Thank you... for understanding my wish.”

“Ah, if only I had realized it sooner. Surely the Saintess has already entered the Moon’s embrace. That merciful, sweet embrace... Led by that kind, warm hand... I’m jealous. Jealous, truly...”

“...Yes, I’m sure she has...”

The bishop gently embraced the priests who wept tears of gold.

“We can become stars.”

Such must be the will of the Moon in the dream.

***

"......"

And amid all this, the Saintess had no intention of staying silent.

“...So, would you kindly let me go?”

“Ahaha, haha! Hahahaha!! Haha! Ha...! Haha!!”

“This is insane.”

A prison of hands and arms that did not even allow for conversation.

The Saintess looked toward Ather, trapped with her.

“There’s no talking to this thing.”

“Be grateful we haven’t already been crushed in this state.”

“That’s true, but it’s still infuriating.

Ather, are you only capable of stating facts?”

“I learned to say other things, but I forgot them while trapped in this thorny cage.”

“Look at you dragging up painful memories just because you’re cornered.”

“I must’ve had some talent—that’s how I became a royal archivist.”

“Your capacity for self-justification is incredible...”

Trapped in the Evil God’s grasp—or more precisely, the Demon King’s castle—

The Saintess crossed her arms.

“Well then, let’s see who wins this.”

Once again—Aram had not even the faintest intention of staying silent.

At the very least, she would carry out the plan she had prepared so thoroughly.