A powerful blue light flash, Melissa’s sword energy collided repeatedly with the starlight that enveloped me. The faint starlight, as if it would shatter upon touch, perfectly blocked the relentless blue sword energy.
I fell into a trance, scattering starlight around me. Through the movements of my sword, I stopped all threats from the outside.
In my inner time, an eternity may have passed, but in actual time, perhaps only a few seconds went by.
The starlight still lingered around me, although I had stopped my swordplay.
Now, there’s no need to directly target the opponent.
[Blade Barrier. Activate]
Whoosh!
I swung my sword forcefully. The starlight that had been surrounding me scattered in an instant, slashing through the surroundings.
Boom boom boom boom boom—!!!
Melissa’s phantom was swept away by the starlight storm.
“Whoah.”
I placed my hand on my chest, calming my fluttering heart.
[Blade Barrier]
[Invulnerable during casting (Cooldown 1 minute)]
[Blade Barrier. Activate]
[Following Blade Barrier]
[Delivers a powerful slash within a 30m radius centered on the caster]
The first standing invulnerability skill for the swordsman, the first area-wide technique.
This made things clear.
The skills that users gain at the end of the tower, no, at least the skills of swordsman users, are based on my technique.
All ranged classes possess standing invincibility skills, but melee classes lack such skills. The only invulnerability skill available when there’s no target is ‘Backward Evasion.’ Counterattacks cannot be used without a target.
Fighter’s ‘Dragon Fist,’ swordsman’s ‘One Flash,’ and other charging skills also have invincibility frames, but they have very short timings and follow-up delays, making them hard to intentionally use unless you’re proficient like me.
But this new ‘Blade Barrier’ is different.
It can be used without conditions, without a target, while standing. It blocks all attacks during casting. And the sword energy used for defense can be unleashed offensively.
Truly, offense and defense in unity.
The skill system of Astria Online, activated when I resolved to use it. Other users might also access it as a temporary invincibility skill. However, the emission is my unique skill. To unleash the slash, one must directly move the sword, leaving the trajectory of the sword energy.
If translated into a game, it’s a type of command skill. It can be activated immediately by a hotkey, but entering a command makes it transform into a powerful technique.
Have I regained the powers of the past?
No, the past me couldn’t do this.
I clenched my fist tightly.
“I’ve evolved.”
I’ve progressed compared to before.
This time, I’ve fully claimed the teachings of Melissa that transcended time and space as my own.
As I relished the lingering afterglow of enlightenment, I quickly turned my head.
The battle was over.
What about Melissa’s phantom?
She was still enveloped in the blue shimmering light, having stopped all actions, swept up by my sword energy.
[Ancient Hero ■■■]
Whoosh.
[Ancient Hero ‘Melissa’]
The named interface changed, engraving the name there.
I sent a bright smile towards my companion, who had regained her name.
Now, it’s farewell once again.
The shimmering light-covered phantom of Melissa.
Her mouth.
Opened.
– Rain.
“……!”
– Rain, Rain, Rain.
“Ah…?”
I blankly groaned.
Why?
The moment this tower was built by House Roede, it was before I met Sister Melissa.
The one here should surely be the Melissa before she met me.
So why does this Melissa know my name?
– Rain, where have you gone, my little chick.
Melissa was alive?
Even after I left this world?
But, surely.
“Sister, Melissa Sister…!”
I screamed, reaching out toward the shimmering light.
It doesn’t reach. My hand only slices through the air, the phantom of Melissa, whose role has ended.
– Why has Rain disappeared while I remain?
– I’ve walked all this way for you, to make you happy.
– I want to believe I didn’t die. I want to believe I’ve returned to the world we spoke of like a dream.
– But, I’ve come this far.
– For you to find me again, I’ll leave a message here with the last strength I can muster to stay as I am.
– Rain, if you ever find this world again.
– For the Asteria continent you loved.
– I will seal myself in the Eastern Canyon, consumed by magic.
Consumed by magic.
The soul of the once-master knight, now steeped in magic.
Death Knight.
A corrupted knight.
Yearning for a higher realm. The last remnants of this world, the thick magic. It turned them into Death Knights. The magic swirling around the Demon Lord’s castle, which we fought last, was enough to resurrect the dead knight.
But, Melissa’s noble soul, as a Death Knight?
Could such grief cling to a soul in this world?
Her grief, her remaining longing.
“Me.”
I knelt down.
*
Now accustomed, Chris and I’s home.
From the penthouse terrace, the view outside is wide open.
The landscape of a large, artificial city, a massive river running through it.
It rains.
The sounds from outside, blocked by the window, are hardly audible.
I blankly stare down at the rainy Seoul scenery.
“Rain.”
I felt a familiar and warm touch on my head.
Before I knew it, Chris stood next to me.
In contrast to the rough, raining scene outside, a tranquil moment flows.
I unknowingly opened my mouth suddenly.
“Um, can I continue Astria Online?”
“…….”
Chris didn’t answer my words.
In truth, I don’t even know why I said that.
How long did the silence last?
Chris, who had been watching my expression, spoke first.
“Didn’t get hurt today, right? Um, from your condition, it seems like you’re okay today.”
“My body is fine.”
I clenched my chest.
My body was fine, but.
Why does it hurt here?
How long did Melissa wander?
Combating the magic that devours the soul, struggling against the echoes in her mind that urged her to destroy the world, how long did she fight?
Just to find me.
To find me, whose existence had vanished from the world.
Believing she hadn’t died.
“Did I do something wrong?”
Despair and running away.
The chasm between dimensions is deep.
A thousand years is a long time.
Should I not have left?
Would I have been able to meet Sister Melissa again if I had stayed there?
Even if it wasn’t her former self.
“Rain.”
Chris’s calm voice resonated in my ears.
“I saw you cry while playing Astria Online, but I haven’t seen you cry here? Hm, well, thinking about it, I think you cried once while drunk…. Anyway!”
“……?”
“It’s okay to cry.”
Chris laughed cheerfully.
I lowered my head.
I can’t hide my true feelings in front of Chris.
She must have read the unmistakable sadness in my eyes.
Crying, and then?
There’s no one to resent.
Just swallowing the cruel reality.
The hero’s mission.
I felt it in the past, but it’s too heavy a burden for me, the weak one.
To save the world, does a hero have to betray their comrades?
“What on earth is making Rain’s heart ache?”
“……”
“Are you okay?”
“…I don’t know.”
Really, I don’t know.
“Everything just feels too much for me.”
I whined.
“Sister won’t leave my side, right?”
“Yes.”
“You can’t. I won’t forgive you.”
“Sister isn’t going anywhere. Absolutely.”
The person who made me, who had lost everything and was engulfed by despair, able to live again.
The one who gave me strength to move forward.
Hug.
Chris embraced my head.
I quietly wept in her embrace.
*
Finally, today.
Whoosh.
Erin’s Canyon, the seal of the Heaven-Descended Basin has opened.
I saw many familiar faces around. Members of the Hong Baek Guild, members of the Skada raid team. Everyone gathered here was filled with anticipation for the new dungeon.
Skada smiled at me and nodded. I also nodded back.
Then I slightly licked my lips.
After finding this world again, I thought I would no longer get involved with people. I vowed not to create bonds.
But now, I have quite a few connections. Besides Chris and the members of Hong Baek, our cute newbie swordsman Nagi and the outstanding raid leader and wizard Skada.
Is my remaining identity as a solo player nothing more than challenging elite dungeons and raid dungeons alone?
The first scouting party began to disappear into the dungeon one by one.
“Rain.”
Bae Merong, Deathly Death, and Cherni, who stood with Chris, held my hand.
“Yes.”
“Are you going solo again?”
“Of course.”
I smiled brightly.
Thanks to Chris, I’ve gained the courage to face others once more.
For her sake, I need to part with my past along with the hero’s mission.
To live happily as ‘Lee Seulbi,’ not ‘Rain.’
That’s what Igrim wishes for.
And perhaps Melissa too.
As her figure vanished into the basin.
Once I was left alone, I silently gazed at the valley leading to the Heaven-Descended Basin.
The identity of the second commander, the Eastern commander, has become certain.
Melissa, the Death Knight.
I will face it.
As the enemy I must defeat.
The elite dungeon before me is merely a path I must pass through.
Beyond this, I will reach Melissa’s side.
Whoosh.
As I crossed the boundary of the valley, my body was engulfed in a strange buoyancy.
[Entry Level 53]
[Elite Dungeon (4-member party recommended)]
[Heaven-Descended Basin]
