The World After the Bad Ending
Chapter 273

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Chapter 273

The Demon Dungeon of Zerion Academy.

Those who had entered it were advancing through the dungeon with overwhelming momentum.

“Rin!”

At the shout from Isabel, who was at the front, Sharin activated her magic.

In response, the head of an Apostle that had poked out from between the trees exploded and flew off.

Isabel spread her wings and cleaved the collapsing Apostle’s body in one swift motion.

But there was more than one Apostle.

From within the Apostle's body, a parasitic Apostle burst forth and lunged at Isabel.

At that moment, a woman with black hair leapt out beside her and swiftly sliced the parasite apart.

A clean, decisive strike.

It was a blade that proved who the final villainess truly was.

“As expected of Lady Iris!”

Hania choked back tears of joy at Iris’s return.

“Uraahhh!!”

Meanwhile, Seron let out a roar as she butchered an Apostle with her axe.

Seron charged with an indomitable spirit more intense than ever—so fierce it looked threatening even to allies.

“Seron, don’t rush. You need to pace yourself.”

Beside her, Eve, the unyielding Azure Flame, gently offered advice.

Seron seemed to take it to heart and eased her tempo slightly.

Between them, a wave of white frost surged forward.

In an instant, several Apostles froze into ice sculptures.

It was the work of Nikita Cynthia, wielder of overwhelming firepower.

She unleashed the full might of an ancient dragon’s magic without restraint.

“Don’t overexert yourselves.”

At that moment, Ban, the lazy genius, said as he sliced through an Apostle.

“Leave the small fry to us,”

Added Aisha the Iron Titaness, cleaving through another Apostle with her greatsword.

“She’s right. You all need to enter the Demon Sovereign’s chamber,”

Chimed in the Saintess, Acrede Saint Narea.

“We won’t be able to go in with you,”

Card added with a faint smile.

And it wasn’t just them.

Now, countless others were descending into the Demon Dungeon together.

Not only Zerion Academy students, but those from other academies too—everyone had mobilized, charging forward with unstoppable momentum.

All for one reason: to get the chosen five into the Demon Sovereign’s chamber.

Isabel Luna.

Sharin Sazaris.

Seron Parmia.

Iris Hysirion.

Nikita Cynthia.

Only five could enter the Demon Sovereign’s chamber—and these five were the ones chosen.

They were the ones who had built the strongest bonds with Vikamon.

Everyone unanimously agreed they were the best candidates and gladly risked the fate of the world on them.

If anyone could resolve matters related to Vikamon, it was them.

That belief united all.

“Haah, suffering through all this just to help that guy. Seriously.”

Even someone like Dorara Corazon, who grumbled constantly, was giving their all to break through the dungeon.

As a result, the Demon Dungeon was being breached at an unprecedented speed.

Even the Apostles were thrown into confusion, unable to keep up with the advancing force.

Once rivals, they were now fighting as one.

The golden flame burned brighter than ever.

‘No, that’s not it.’

But Isabel had a different interpretation of their belief.

‘It’s not belief in us. It’s belief in him.’

Everyone here was connected to Vikamon in some way.

They believed in the path he had taken.

He was always steadfast and strong.

A person who inspired the belief that he would always succeed.

That’s why everyone here willingly joined the assault team.

The 10th Floor of the Demon Dungeon.

Where the Demon Sovereign awaited.

They would reach it and retrieve Vikamon, no matter what.

Isabel, Sharin, Nikita, Iris, and Seron—all five shared the same resolve.

They would save him, just as he once saved them.

They swore to return the favor, no matter what it took.

* * *

At that very moment, as the Demon Dungeon assault team advanced—

On the surface—

The war was reaching its climax.

A storm of spells and arrows rained endlessly from the sky.

On the ground, knights and soldiers clashed with the nightmare army, weapons drawn.

If hell were to take physical form, it would look like this.

Someone was constantly dying—only to rise again as a soldier of the nightmare.

Yet still, everyone pushed forward with grit and determination, crying out with burning morale.

If they lost this war, there would be no second chance.

And those with nothing to lose did not retreat.

Most importantly, their heroes were still fighting.

At the center of the nightmare army,

A battle beyond the heavens raged.

The world’s greatest active heroes.

They fought with everything they had against the nightmare’s elite forces.

The imperial knights led by the unbreakable wall, the palace guard, the masters of the Magic Tower, and the Celestial Echo Squad.

Anointed by the Demon Sovereign, the enemy forces stood as equals to the world’s greatest powers.

The sound of explosions and clashing arms rang without end.

With each shockwave, the nightmare army was swept away like twigs in a storm.

Even they struggled to withstand the fury of the confrontation.

Amid that war—

White flower petals from Whitewood fluttered and engulfed the Demon Sovereign.

KWA-GAGAGAGAGAK!

The petals swept away even the royal knights nearby as they scattered.

But the Demon Sovereign, positioned at the center, remained unscathed.

Beside the Demon Sovereign and Celestial Duke stood a man—

A skeletal figure: the Oathsworn of Bone.

A mage who specialized purely in defensive magic.

He withstood even Whitewood’s full-power strike with ease.

“Khkhkhkh... hehehe...”

He let out an unpleasant, dripping laugh.

Whitewood clenched her hand again, about to strike once more—

When the sky opened up, and a cascade of light fell like a meteor shower.

That light touched the Oathsworn’s layered defense spells—and melted them away.

The Oathsworn opened his mouth wide in shock.

And in his line of sight stood a small girl, poised high in the sky.

In her eyes, stars streamed past.

Xenia Niflheim.

The incarnation of Zerion, she had activated a celestial magic powerful enough to pierce through even the spell cast by the Oathsworn of Bone, who had been strengthened by the baptism of Demon Sovereign.

At once, Duke of Whitewood kicked off the ground and leapt into the air.

Following closely behind her, Vega also soared upward with tremendous explosive force.

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The moment the two of them simultaneously targeted Demon Sovereign and Celestial Duke—

A different member of the Celestial Echo Squad blocked their way.

The Crimson Forger and the Spear of Severance.

These two intercepted the attacks from Duke of Whitewood and Vega.

In the meantime, the Oathsworn of Bone hurried to restore the broken defensive magic.

Duke of Whitewood and Vega shook off the interference and launched another attack, but the defense spell had become thicker and stronger.

The war was not unfolding in favor of the heroes.

They were somehow managing to hold down Demon Sovereign, but the Legion of Nightmares possessed infinite stamina.

Even if they were killed, they would only be resurrected by Demon Sovereign’s power.

No matter how many times they were killed, they were restored and rejoined the front lines.

‘It never ends…’

Their faces now reflected a dawning understanding of just how horrific it was to battle an immortal army.

Amid this brutal battlefield, Xenia let out a faint breath.

She repeatedly activated celestial magic.

As a result, her body began to break down under the strain.

Even if she had inherited Zerion’s memories, it was still Xenia who had to wield the magic.

Celestial magic inherently puts tremendous stress on the body.

Even if used with maximum efficiency, the strain was inevitable.

After all, she was not Zerion, who had fought relentlessly in wartime, but Xenia, who had lived in an era of peace.

Still, Xenia’s eyes were fixed steadily on Demon Sovereign.

Demon Sovereign hadn’t moved an inch since the start.

That lingering stillness gnawed at Xenia’s mind.

‘Fram is definitely still fighting.’

Inside Demon Sovereign—

She kept sensing the presence of Wolfram, also known as Vikamon.

It was proof that he was desperately resisting being consumed by Demon Sovereign.

The thought of Vikamon made Xenia’s face flush even in this dire moment.

In Zerion’s memories, the scenes of love with him had been far too vivid for the young Xenia to bear.

With a different kind of exhale, she shook off the images.

‘I’m Xenia.’

She was not Zerion—she was Xenia.

Even if she kept mistakenly calling Vikamon by the name Fram, that fact remained unchanged.

‘And… we’re family.’

The family she had longed for with him.

She had finally become what she’d always dreamed of—a part of his family.

‘Fram, I’ll bring you back.’

That day, when she sealed him together with Demon Sovereign—

Zerion had vowed to recover him, even if it took generations.

She had sworn to become family again and share a joyful life with him.

To fulfill that vow, she had come here.

Xenia drew upon her celestial magic once more.

Demon Sovereign was aware of her.

Back when she was Zerion, she had been one of Demon Sovereign’s greatest threats.

It was only natural for him to be wary.

And then, it happened.

The space before Xenia cracked open, and something emerged.

Reflexively, Xenia reacted—

From the rift stepped a feline beastkin, who slashed at her with a sword.

KAAANG!

A fracture rippled through Xenia’s defensive spell.

“Whoa—wh-what?! Why won’t it cut properly?”

It was Adora of the Celestial Echo Squad, a cat-girl who had ambushed Xenia.

As Xenia cast a spell in retaliation, Adora vanished, reappearing suddenly high in the sky.

“More importantly—hey, do you know where that blonde girl went? I really want to see her again!”

“I don’t think I have any reason to tell you that.”

Xenia bit her lip and answered coldly.

Adora tapped her chin thoughtfully, then nodded as if recalling something.

“Didn’t someone mention the Demon Dungeon earlier?”

A chilling smile crept across her lips.

“Then I guess I just need to head there.”

As if it were the simplest answer in the world, she crossed through the dimensional fold.

Xenia quickly twisted the space with celestial energy, but Adora slipped through with ease.

Having devoured a divine beast, Adora had the upper hand in matters of space.

“That idiot Adora.”

One of the Celestial Echo Squad members muttered in frustration.

Her actions had been completely unsanctioned.

“Girl, give it another try.”

“R-right!”

But there was no time to worry about Adora.

Summoned by Duke of Whitewood, Xenia gathered her celestial energy again to cast her spell.

The war was intense, and her celestial magic was needed all across the battlefield.

Just as she was about to intervene again, her hand froze.

A theory flashed through her mind.

Her gaze slowly drifted toward Demon Sovereign.

He had remained motionless this entire time.

Why hadn’t he participated in the battle?

If he used his power directly, it would only make things worse for the heroes.

And yet, he did not step in.

Why?

The greatest threat to Demon Sovereign thus far had been Wolfram.

But there was one other who had posed an equally great danger—

The Goddess’s Champion.

The one chosen by the Goddess, whom Demon Sovereign loathed above all.

Xenia’s eyes widened.

Demon Sovereign’s soul wasn’t confined to this battlefield.

The 10th floor of the Demon Dungeon.

Demon Sovereign existed there, too.

The seal had weakened over time.

It was inevitable—Demon Sovereign himself had been constantly gnawing at the seal to break free.

Of course, even so, his soul wouldn’t be able to exit the Demon Dungeon on its own.

The palace was a special space created with divine power.

But what if…

Just what if—

Demon Sovereign could move around within the seal?

And if he were to kill the Goddess’s Champion and absorb their power?

Xenia’s eyes grew wide with horror.

Her head snapped to the side.

“Lord Duke of Whitewood!!”

Having uncovered the truth, Xenia cried out in desperation.

The Demon Dungeon assault team is in danger.

[Translator - Night]

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