The fierce battle had begun.

“W-What the hell is that...?”

“It’s a dragon...!! A dragon has appeared!!”

“Everyone snap out of it and get ready for combat!!!”

Strange phenomena erupted all across the Dream Amusement Park. The entire sky turned into the cosmos, and soon it cracked open with a rupture. From the mirror-like shards of that rupture, grotesquely distorted dragons crawled out.

They weren’t particularly large, but they were deformed and repulsive. Some bore human body parts.

Instead of dragon claws, they had human limbs. Some had human heads in place of dragon ones. Their forms were rotted and twisted as if cursed beyond recognition.

And from the rift in space, the evil god whispered:

『Prove it.』

A petty whim or a test. Either way, it was a catastrophe for humans.

“Stay sharp! Don’t listen to the whispering!!”

“Priests, please!!”

“Everyone, do not let the curse consume your minds...!!”

“Hold on—we’ll come help you!!”

In the face of human endurance and will, the dragons screamed.

“Aaaaaaaaahhh—!!”

“Hnghh... Uh... Uwaaaaahh!! AaaaAAAHHH!!!”

“KIEEEEK, KIEEEEEEEEEK!!!”

Any dragon with eyes glared with hatred. Those with mouths screamed curses.

They tore into humans with their hands and feet, coiled around them with their massive torsos, pouring out their fury.

“Aaaahhh, humans, humans, humans...!!”

“You abandoned me...!!”

“Father, answer me! Father!!!”

“How could you forsake me!!!!”

And their voices... were young.

“T-That’s insane....”

“...Fuck, this is sick...!!”

Most of them looked barely older than ten. When a dragon with a child’s hand tore through people, the wounded reeled from the grotesque sensation.

It was a repulsive sight.

Not a few went mad in response.

“Ah, ahaha...!! That’s right, humans are disgusting!! Aaah, we abandoned these children! We deserve to die!!”

“Grab that bastard—don’t let him do anything stupid!!”

“AAAAH!!! AAAAAAAH!!! Please—don’t let me live!! I can’t go on like this, please kill me...!!!”

Many of them attempted suicide. Some were stopped. Others weren’t.

Amid the absolute hellscape, a few composed hunters managed to glance up at what was showing through the cracks in the sky.

“The evil god...!”

“It’s the evil god—it’s there!!”

Through the mirror-like break, the evil god’s face appeared. Half a face. A head filled with golden liquid.

The hunter who met that ecstatic smile collapsed, losing all will to fight.

That was the fate of anyone who faced the evil god.

“Don’t look directly at the evil god!!!”

Though it had no eyes, it possessed a gaze. To face such a twisted divine mystery head-on was pure folly. But the situation wasn’t in their favor.

“Captain, the damage is too severe...!”

“Fuck, why are these dumbass brats staring straight at a god like that?!”

“You’re yelling at the wrong person...!”

How many times had humanity fought against divine beings on Earth?

“Well, we used to have more, but lately we haven’t had such large-scale battles.”

Thanks to the Symbols of Eternity. Thanks to the planetary system’s protective mechanisms.

The younger hunters were simply inexperienced.

“Hey hey hey, spread the word! Quick! Tell them not to look at the sky!”

[―Attention, hunters! Attention, hunters! A message during combat! Do not look up at the sky! Do not look upward! We earnestly ask you to concentrate on the battle on the ground!!]

“That’s right, good job, kid!!”

“You only compliment me at times like this, Captain!!”

“When else do you think we use loudspeakers, huh?!”

“That’s not a loudspeaker, though...!!”

“Who cares, just keep shouting!! Keep broadcasting!!”

[―...Repeating the message! Do not look up at the sky! Do not look upward! Please focus on the ground battle immediately...!!!]

Once one person regained their senses and began coordinating, other hunters from various guilds began relaying the same message.

With the help of the veteran hunters, the chaos slightly subsided.

“We’re already swamped trying to fight down here—who the hell has the time to look up, you dumbass brats!!!”

The rough encouragement from the seniors jolted the young hunters back to their senses.

“Ugh, fuck...!!”

“...So this is what divinity really means....”

“This is insane. Are we even supposed to win this?”

“Who cares?! If you don’t wanna die, grab your axe!!”

The same confusion broke out near the Black Forest and the Ruins.

“Th-This is...!”

“Dragons are crawling in from the amusement park!!”

Hunters who had been researching data from the old world, in the abandoned dimension, immediately went into combat mode.

Through that narrow hole connecting to the forsaken world, lifeforms oozed in like liquid.

Naturally, they were the rotted dragons.

“W-What the hell is that...!”

Like sticky swamp creatures, they poured into the abandoned world and stirred up the Black Forest.

Their mucous-like bodily fluids were toxic, threatening the hunters.

Fortunately, the hunters gathered in the underground realm were experienced and sharp.

They quickly recovered from the shock and began suppressing the dragons.

The priests of the Moon Sect were the same.

“We will cover you!”

“With the wisdom of the Moon upon us, guide and shield this unworthy vessel...!!”

When fighting divine powers, it was always the priests who shone brightest.

Even if their faith had been sinful, they used it to protect their comrades.

With the priests’ help, the hunters fought more freely.

And it wasn’t only the humans who were fighting.

“―Grrrrrrrrrrk!!!”

“W-Wolves...!! The wolves!!”

“Raaagh!!!”

Even the dungeon animals rose to aid the humans.

“Wha—?!”

―Kaa! Kaa!!

Kuuuuuuuuk!!

KAA!!!

“L-Look at that...!!”

“The crows! The crows are helping us!!”

“Hell yeah!! Block their sight!!”

The wolves used their massive frames and agile, powerful bodies to crush the attacking dragons with their jaws.

The crows flew through the sky, obstructing the dragons’ vision and clawing at their eyes.

“H-Hnngh... ngh... huh?”

“Kya-ong.”

“...A fox?”

The wounded were cared for by foxes.

“Wait, where are you taking....”

“...What? There was a burrow here?”

The foxes gathered the weakened into the ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ dens they had dug.

With their soft fur and affectionate gestures, they eased the humans’ fears, leading them into their dens to recover.

Even those who were mentally broken or completely mad found peace with the foxes’ help.

They nestled into their arms, licking them with warm tongues and wrapping them in fur.

“...Th-Thank you....”

“Kyeng.”

Hunters who regained their senses slowly emerged again to support their allies.

“If it’s like this...!”

“Then maybe we can do it!!”

“Bring it on, you worm bastards!!”

Whether it was the artificial world or the abandoned one, the animals all lent their strength.

The sight of beings from other species fighting alongside them inspired hope.

The hunters, regaining some morale, began fighting back the grotesque dragons pouring in.

But the situation still wasn’t good.

“This place is still a dream. It’s the evil god’s dungeon.”

“We can hold on, but how long can we keep this up...?”

And as expected, it was the seasoned hunters who answered.

“Just believe.”

They had always built history like this.

“Someone will save everyone.”

“B-But....”

“We’ve lived through it that way until now. And what else can we do?”

A middle-aged hunter said as he plunged his blade into a dragon.

“So just endure.”

Because among them, a hero always rose.

***

Yeah, it was a fierce battle.

“Kang Eun-Seong!!”

“Just charge in—I’ve got your back!!”

“Thanks as always!!”

KWAJIK—!!

Seo Seo-Hee brought his greatsword down.

“Haa...!!!”

KWAGAGAGAGAGAGAK—!!!

The slash flew and shattered the evil god’s form.

『Hey there, friend. Why are you so angry?』

『Go on, tell me. I’m listening.』

『I’ll help you. I’ll embrace you...』

CLANG!

A sound like shattering glass or broken pottery echoed out.

The once silent cosmos was again filled with thunderous noise.

Seo Seo-Hee batted away a massive hand like a withered tree reaching for him, then struck back at the evil god.

He called for the Moon Sect's Saintess.

“Saintess!!”

“Proceed as planned.”

She didn’t stand idle either.

“Every curse that touches you—my brothers and I will sever it.”

Aram stood with the massive Moon at her back, supported by her siblings who shimmered like stars. Many priests gathered their wisdom and reached out their hands.

They purified all visible and invisible mysteries in a single sweep.

The curse that had blazed with heat now cooled under the Moon’s frost. Aram didn’t stop there—she gestured to the stars and began composing a score.

Ting! Ding! Tiding, Ting—!!

The stars responded with bold sound.

“My beloved siblings.”

She fluttered her hand like a butterfly, and a meteor shower rained down like daggers.

“Have courage, hold on to your will, look upon the world. I am with you. The Moon’s boundless wisdom is with us! The day our faith rewrites history is coming!”

One, two, three—and then countless stars began to twinkle.

The stars gave birth to light. That scattering of brilliance soon became moons—small and large—that radiated their will.

Their stars touched the evil god, diffusing and exploding.

“Our wisdom forges the mystery!!”

They had touched the essence of the evil god. Divinity was mystery—and these stars were humans mimicking mystery.

“Read that sublime blueprint! If you read it, then fall like rain! If you fall and touch, then dismantle the mystery! I will help you—the mystery of me, of the Moon, of the universe is aiding you!!”

And then all the stars blazed brightly in unison. Aram smiled along with them.

“...See? You’re doing great.”

As the Saintess gestured, the stars erupted in clamor.

Aram was grateful for all of it. Her mother, present in the real world and bishop of the Moon Sect, was gathering the minds of the four sibling saints, harmonizing their intentions so that each could shine in their own way.

As expected of her—she was an excellent coordinator.

Yes, even failure becomes knowledge and wisdom.

“The eyes, that’s right...! Target the eyes! Block its vision!!”

“Saintess, you’re... kind of enjoying this a little too much!!”

“Crush that insufferable evil god’s pride for me!!”

“...Good grief.”

Seo Seo-Hee moved diligently even as he gave an awkward smile.

Apparently, the Saintess had a lot bottled up from when she’d been abducted. Maybe it was a relief to see her so full of energy now.

Well, anger can be a useful tool.

It was effective for overcoming fear, for finding a reason to live. Through anger, conflict could be mediated. Sometimes it lent people strength far beyond their usual limits.

A weapon, and a fortress.

The evil god had been right.

Indeed, it was divine rage.

Seo Seo-Hee stared directly at the evil god.

Unlike what he’d seen before, it had shrunk down to a human-like size. No—this was likely its original form.

It had grown bloated from accumulated curses and hatred. What a pitiful tale.

“...Saintess!!”

“Go ahead!”

“How long do we have to keep doing this?!”

“Hold out—we can do this!”

Aram answered.

“We wait until Ather finishes persuading him!”

Whether this would end in annihilation or enlightenment—that was ultimately their choice.

And besides—wasn’t this rage the ghosts’ to begin with?

***

“.......”

Ather recognized this sight.

“...Is this... the ruins?”

The ruins were full of life.

“Ah, that’s mine...!”

“You were slow, that’s why!”

“That’s so unfair, seriously!”

Children with unfamiliar faces were playfully arguing over food. They bickered, then made up just as quickly—and laughed. It was the image of children growing up strong and healthy.

“So then I...”

“No way, that’s such a lie, isn’t it?”

“It’s not! I swear it’s true!”

Young people laughed in clear, bright voices. They were probably enjoying a cheerful chat. Some were weaving silk or crafting accessories with it—apparently quite skillful with their hands.

“Okay, now spread your hands like this...”

“Like this?”

“No, not like that—like this!”

Others were sharing the magic and martial arts they knew. They gathered in groups to discuss things; when someone gave a demonstration, others exclaimed in awe. Adults were seen kindly teaching children who held weapons.

“.......”

Ather opened and closed his hand.

...Can they not see me?

He couldn’t tell exactly where he was. Was this a dream? A vision before death? Or maybe, by some fortune, he’d arrived where he had longed to go.

Ather walked through the ruins.

They were far more radiant than he remembered. The walls were filled with neat inscriptions, and stunning paintings adorned every surface.

Clank, ka-kak, 

At the sound of small metal clinks, Ather looked up at the ceiling.

“...Ah.”

Twilight.

Beautiful.

Twilight, crafted by human hands, was being formed.

“Argio.”

“Who’s calling me?”

“My god.”

“...Mmm, let’s see...”

The one perched on a ladder tall enough to touch the ceiling looked down at Ather with a broad smile.

Long red hair swayed lazily like an animal’s tail, brushing at his waist.

The last dragon met the last hero.

“I’m no god.”

“...Of course you’re not.”

Ather let out a hollow laugh.