“If you accept a binding contract, I will tell you everything. Once Honey learns—”

The Mermaid Queen fell silent. The teammate-switch message appeared for everyone. Seong Hyunjae seized me.

“Honey! The outcome of the wager is already decided. It’s pointless!”

The Mermaid Queen’s cry faded as the scene shifted. We were in Seong Hyunjae’s room. His teammates had already been moved into my room.

Even if I joined his team now, the wager’s result wouldn’t change. Winning would have been safer, but in the end it made little difference. What I’d been aiming for was none other than—

“Let’s begin the settlement.”

The tally of team-member achievements. A team leader cannot receive a settlement, but a teammate can. Although I’d received Seong Hyunjae’s recruitment message before the wager began, I had not accepted it during the game. If one team leader became a teammate and spoiled the wager, Seong Hyunjae would be in breach of contract. I hadn’t trusted him fully before the regression, either.

Seong Hyunjae opened his system window. I, too, confirmed our world through the system.

“…We should have plenty of time. Creating barriers over all of Korea and the U.S. and summoning monsters will take far longer than in London. The U.S. alone is absurdly vast—at least three or four hours?”

The Mermaid Queen’s overreach was fortunate for us. At this rate, we could stop the monsters before they appeared. Even so, my teeth gritted at the thought. Korea was in peril, but if the U.S. vanished, the world would teeter even without a dungeon. Even if everyone evacuated, what of the refugees? What of the monsters’ remains? Economies would collapse, and famine would follow.

If a dungeon erupted too, we’d be doomed. If there had been no other choice, I would have accepted the Mermaid Queen’s offer.

“Good. Your achievement settlement will also take quite a while.”

Seong Hyunjae watched the system window.

“Don’t look at my skills!”

“As I said, my memory belongs to me. It cannot be transferred. And this isn’t my world.”

…So that’s why Hyunah agreed to the settlement. Regression erased skill information alongside the past self.

“I pass you the settlement authority.”

Seong Hyunjae looked away from the system and stared at the distant ceiling.

“An unwelcome guest wishes to intervene.”

“Will that be all right?”

“I can’t guarantee it.”

With that brief reply, he swung one arm broadly. The mansion collapsed like sand. Only the marble floor remained, revealing a vast white space. In the distance, part of the far wall trembled.

“This is my domain—I keep rebuilding the barrier, but I won’t hold out long.”

“Fighting, Seong Hyunjae.”

He handed me the settlement command authority. My mouth went dry. Yuhyun and Yerim had taken ages to settle theirs. Mine would be far longer. Under normal circumstances, it would take at least half a day, but I had grown familiar with the system. Helping Seong Hyunjae, I’d work ten times faster. Still, thirty minutes at minimum—perhaps an hour.

[Connecting record of Awakened One Han Yujin.]

I felt the system reaching out to me. I drew the connection stronger, broader—so I could review my records faster.

[Checking records…]

The system began confirming achievements. The barrier wall trembled more. Though not yet cracked, it wouldn’t last much longer.

“Hurry, hurry.”

Who would come—another Transcendent or the Mermaid Queen? Perhaps the King of Devourers? Even if they didn’t know my plan’s details, they’d predict I’d refuse to surrender the world fragments. Seong Hyunjae’s staunch defense suggested no Transcendent had personally arrived with full power.

[Verifying…]

Thud! The wall quivered as if pushed. A faint furrow formed on Seong Hyunjae’s brow. Could I continue settlement if captured? A sudden heat on my back—Seol-i. The boy with the red dragon’s pupils stood before me.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“…It’s too dangerous.”

The black dragon was powerful, but even its primordial form would not rival a Transcendent. Now its power was even weaker. Seol-i glanced at the wall beginning to crack.

“He is stronger than me, but so what? I’m not a child anymore.”

The little boy crossed his arms and looked up at me.

“Even if I lose, I won’t die. I’ll just lose my memory and strength, reborn entirely. So let me create an environment where this powerless me can live safely with my brother.”

“…Black dragon you.”

The child who once said he’d leave me to save his brother spoke those words, frowning.

“I still don’t think you’re perfect. But the world once only knew humans—now it accepts goblins, so it will change more. If we prevent its destruction, then living an ordinary childhood within it won’t be so bad. So call my name, Father.”

Though brusque, his gaze brimmed with faith.

“Han Seol. Seol-ah.”

The red-pupiled eyes blinked open. Seol-i sprang toward the wall like a coiled spring. Flames enveloped him, expanding in an instant until the white space rippled with obsidian scales.

Thud—

A massive black dragon rammed the trembling wall. Its body braced the broken barrier, pushing back the invading force as a guardian.

“Please hurry!”

I dared not let Seol-i be harmed. Every second was agonizing.

[Additional achievement updates complete]

Finally, the updates finished. But I was only halfway done.

[Han Yujin (?)

Duplicate records exist. Which record should be settled: current achievements or past achievements?]

A question-marked rank? Because of existential value? No time to ponder. I shouted:

“Current achievement records!”

The times from late spring until the beginning of summer. Scritch—something scraped along the wall. Seol-i growled low.

[Achievement settlement details]

[Worshiper of the Wolf (SS) – Clear (SSS) ×3]

My most recent achievement: defeating the Chohwayun gang. Though they were Transcendents’ monsters, I had single-handedly captured them as an F-rank. The system thus treated it as SSS rank. I swallowed dryly. SSS rank at the outset—that was only the beginning.

[Dernix (SSS) – Clear (SS)]

London’s SSS-rank monster, Dernix. Yuhyun had done more, so I received SS rank. A flurry of minor monster-hunt support achievements followed.

And then:

[Chatterbox (L) – Clear (Mythic)]

Chatterbox. I clenched my teeth. Complex emotions swelled, but joy prevailed. The Transcendent who tried to seize me as the Fake King of Harmlessness: not Gios Sanus, but Chatterbox fell by my hand.

‘Only L rank.’

If a Transcendent, it would’ve been at least Mythic, yet it fell by my own hand.

[Hound of the Labyrinth (A) – Clear (A)]

The hounds Chatterbox summoned. I’d slain one. Back then, I thought I was done for, but Ruga Peya had helped—memories of that party surfaced. I’d stood before people and earned the respect of high-rank Hunters. Beyond those at my side, people began to believe in me.

[Desert Punti (A) – Clear (C)]

‘That was fun indeed.’

I pitted lizards against each other—hence the low reward. The chat exploded. Many said they liked me… still does make me a bit bashful.

Thud! The space quaked again. I bit my lip. I tapped the system window as though fighting a broken PC, but it wouldn’t speed up. More minor achievements flashed by: the giant Japanese turtle I’d caught, the Chinese corrupted zombie Hunters, even Yu-yeon-yi’s fallen Demon Lord.

[Sealed Black Dragon (L) – Reseal (SS)]

And the black dragon, Seol-i. Yuhyun’s role was greater, so my achievement rank was lower. I watched Seol-i standing firm before the barrier—once terrifying on first encounter.

Japanese dungeon monsters appeared in succession. Shishio came to mind. Then the Japanese dungeon itself:

[▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒]

The system window warped, stuttering before the next messages appeared.

[Ruga Peya]

Transcendent. King of Harmlessness.

[Clear (Unmeasurable)]

[Estimated Mythic+]

I was F-rank. Impossible. An achievement beyond the system’s measurable limit. Perhaps overwhelmed by excess achievement points, the window shook.

Despite the emergency, my heart swelled. Yet it was not over. Virtual-reality dungeon monsters emerged: swarms and werewolves.

[Harmless Clan (SSS) – Clear (S)]

Choi Seok-won. The rookie’s doll had finished them, hence S rank. The window twisted violently again. Characters shattered then reassembled as achievement messages appeared:

[Diarma]

The root of the regression and another Transcendent. The Cursed Poisonous Dragon’s master who stole my brother. I drew breath sharply. He, too:

[Clear (Unmeasurable)]

I had killed him.

At last, Hong Kong’s Kraken finished the list. I gazed at the densely packed records.

Returning to avenge my enemy, yet pressing onward to bring Yuhyun back—to protect those precious to me—I had run that entire time. These struggles accumulated into a mountain too tall to see its summit even with a bent neck.

Two Transcendents. One quasi-Transcendent. Countless monsters. Achievements worthy even for an S-rank. And I was F-rank.

[Deducting excess achievement rewards]

A deduction message appeared, but I wasn’t tense. Rewards from killing Transcendents were few. Only minor monster-hunt achievements vanished; the big ones remained.

Fzzzt—

A large crack appeared in the white wall. Just a little more!

‘The rewards were fitting for the achievements.’

Though random, the system was precise. Yerim’s greatest achievement—her fishing wager victory—earned her water-related titles, skills, and gear. Yuhyun’s top achievement—sealing the fire-attribute black dragon—granted him a fragment of primordial flame. Noah had no singular major achievement, so he received gear matching his skillset.

[Excess deduction complete]

“All together now!”

Thus, to an F-rank who had felled Transcendents and inconceivably mighty foes:

[Achievement rewards (Unmeasurable, Mythic+)

Random rewards according to Awakener’s achievements and stats

※Can designate reward by dropping two tiers]

“Random it is.”

I would receive power to stand against Transcendents. The reward box glowed.

“…Ugh.”

Seong Hyunjae staggered. He gulped down another mana potion, his face ashen. The crack in the barrier spread wider than the black dragon’s body. Fragments fell away, holes appearing.

“Hold on a little longer!”

Why won’t it appear, dammit! The box warped. The system window flickered between dark and light.

[Calculating…]

[Measuring, measuring, measuring]

[Reward—crafting—]

Wait… Could it be…?

‘They’re making the reward for me?!’

Most rewards given to Awakeners were Transcendents’ possessions or crafted items. If none were suitable, the system would forge new ones.

‘…Of course there’d be no fitting reward for my achievements!’

Damn, the settlement itself had gone surprisingly quickly, but a trap awaited. Rumble—now the entire space trembled. I bit my lip. I pounded the system window, but it wouldn’t finish. Seol-i glared at the wall as it shattered.

– Be careful!

Crack, crack! Fragments rained like a storm. Beyond them, a massive head appeared.

– Hiss…

A serpent. A blue-scaled monster retreated into the chamber at leisure. Poison seeped from around the snake, and Seol-i countered with flame and smoke. I hastily used Sprout skill.

[Lineage of the King of Devourers? Radmirun of the Azure Poison Marsh

Current stat rank? L]

L rank. A monster sent by the King of Devourers. Chaos once said the black dragon would rank L at most. Now weaker, Seol-i could scarcely face the serpent. Yet he stood his ground before it.

– Since caring for those around you seems hard, avoid as you will.

The black dragon bared its fangs. The snake coiled and flicked its tongue. The reward remained incomplete. Perhaps the spatial assault had destabilized the settlement. Seong Hyunjae spat blood, his face ghostly pale.

“Over here! Eunhae’s aftereffects can block the shockwave.”

I pulled Seong Hyunjae behind me. He forced a pale smile.

“Never thought you’d crouch behind me first, Yujin.”

“You insisted you’d hide first yourself. I’ll borrow your Combat Anticipation—don’t refuse.”

Seong Hyunjae drew out his remaining strength and wove a transparent barrier around us. The black dragon’s claws gouged the floor. The azure snake raised every scale. Poison and flame mingled as the two titans clashed in an instant!

KRAAANG!

The entire space shuddered. The dragon’s teeth scraped the serpent’s scales; its tail lashed. Gauntlets of fire-clad talons seized the tail—but the serpent’s strength was superior. The black dragon was thrown aside, and another tremor shook the chamber.

“Seol-ah!”

System! Please! Even if you survive, I prayed Seol-i wouldn’t be gravely harmed. Yet despite my urgency, the reward still wouldn’t complete.

The black dragon rose again. The serpent wielded only fangs and tail—unless it had some hidden skill. Seol-i grappled with the snake’s head in his forepaws. The serpent twisted its body and flicked its tongue through its jaws. Again: RUMBLE! The black dragon crashed to the ground. Watching helplessly, I could only pound my feet in anxiety.

The serpent was at ease. It flicked its tail toward us, as if taunting. Seol-i staggered to his feet. This time, poison swirled stronger around the serpent, determined to end the fight. Droplets of venom dripped from its elongated fangs.

“…Seol-ah.”

It would strike and kill with a single bite. Seol-i breathed flames, but the serpent’s advantage was clear. My throat tightened with frustration—when «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» suddenly—

– Puiit!

A small cry echoed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep