Ranker Who Lives Twice

"Haha! Based on your expression, it looks like things aren't going your way?" Count Ferenc laughed loudly at Allforone, finding this situation to be rather entertaining.

The world was so white, as if everything was covered with snow. However, for those living in it, it was a prison.

『…』Allforone finished his meditation and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the laughing Count Ferenc, and he stayed silent. His expression was hidden by the blinding light, but he still tried not to show any emotion.

However, Count Ferenc, who had watched Allforone for a long time and continuously rebelled against him since being trapped in this world, knew that Allforone was feeling defeated. He said, "I saw that there are a lot of people attempting transcendence or excavation after looking through the screen. The king of the One-horned tribe who got on your nerves multiple times, and the one called the Head Elder, and the ones who seemingly hid from you have caught onto something."

『…』

"The one who worshipped your father just transcended too. Did you see?"

『…』

Count Ferenc didn't miss how Allforone's breath caught. Although Allforone was very indifferent to matters, and was even the one who caused the Dragon Massacre, Count Ferenc knew that Allforone's weakness was his father.

To Allforone, his father was a symbol of both love and hate. Allforone was grateful toward his father, who allowed him to be who he was today. But at the same time, he hated his father for forcing him to live this hell.

"What a shame. You did everything to stop it…and you forced yourself to do it at the cost of all those people's tears, but it will all go to waste. I would feel frustrated and mad too. Tsk!" Count Ferenc's words of "comfort" were filled with laughter. "So what are you going to do now?"

『…』Allforone still didn't say anything. He just sat there like a robot.

Count Ferenc's sneer finally went away. "Say something! You used to speak arrogantly all the time, so you should say something this time too!" He became angry, showing the rage of a man who had been trapped here away from his wife and the rest of his family. However, even when he cursed and shouted until he was out of breath, panting roughly…

『…』Allforone just looked at Count Ferenc silently.

Count Ferenc realized that it would always be his loss if he continued to be angry. He thought that it was difficult to move that stone-hard human. Plopping to the ground, he quietly watched Allforone. His mouth curved into a sneer again. "You're reaping what you sow. From Kronos, who once bested you, multiple other gods, and ###...what will you do then?"

『I…』Allforone slowly began to speak in a low voice. His voice was scratchy, like he hadn't spoken in a while.

『…will do the same as always.』With that, Allforone closed his eyes and started to meditate again. His consciousness fell deep within him. When he opened his eyes again, he was greeted by a world filled with golden rays this time. Then, he stretched his arms out in front of him as if trying to grasp something.

Creak, creak! The golden world was filled with various-sized cogwheels and springs. It was similar to the inner mechanisms of a machine… This was the space where Allforone's subconscious was synchronized with—the place that was called the world's backend. Idea. All the small and large cogwheels spinning in this place were the "laws" that composed the world. They were physical and natural laws, as well as laws of concepts that led to the creation of civilizations.

The gods and demons called the cogwheels conceptual gods or elder gods. The cogwheels were created with the universe, and they didn't have any ego over that long time of existence. They only remained as conceptual beings. Still, they were the ones who enabled the universe to continue expanding and developing.

Mother Earth had also begun from a small cogwheel out of the many. Although she was now gone, this mammoth world wouldn't stop functioning just because a small part disappeared. The world was living and couldn't stop. Once it did, it would die.

But Allforone was holding the conceptual gods, and turned the necessary parts as he wished—without anyone's assistance… Alone, he was demonstrating an impossible feat. Perhaps the Heavenly Demon had done something similar during the world's genesis.

The fact that Allforone was spinning the Ideas himself was surprising enough to the gods and demons, but he was doing it alone. However, it did take a toll on him. A few days would have been fine, but even Allforone would be exhausted doing it over all those years.

[Warning! The system is being overloaded with excessive data processing. Please remove yourself from the problematic area.]

[Warning! Part of the system's functions is paused due to the unrestrained amount of information. It is advised the system is restarted.]

[Warning! This location is not sufficient for the system's functions to…]

…

Warning messages continued to pop up, but Allforone intentionally ignored them.

From a few years ago, the conceptual gods and elder gods had awakened from their slumber and were attempting to descend to the heavenly world to turn the Ideas. Allforone didn't know exactly how they had woken up or had the desire to turn the Ideas, but after the turn of events, Allforone always had to focus fifty percent of his consciousness at this location to prevent their descent. And this was the reason why he hadn't been able to use his full strength when Yeon-woo escaped Persephone in Tartarus, or when he had tried to exuviate in the Changgong Library.

But now, the situation was worse. It certainly didn't help that Allforone was always kept busy here. Moreover, there were hindrances that tried to tie him to this place and exhaust his strength.

Clatter, clank! Chains that flew out from black lumps in the air bound Allforone's hands and feet. The chains became taut as they tried to pull Allforone, but he resisted them.

『Darkness is coming. You must know better than anyone that light will be covered by such darkness, but will you continue repeating this meaningless struggle?』Just then, one of the black lumps opened to reveal Harmonia's eye. The one who awakened the sleeping conceptual and elder gods, and wore him out with the chains after connecting to Ideas, looked at him.『You were the one who desired twilight the most, and this is an opportunity for you to let down that heavy burden, so why do you insist on staying here?』

Allforone looked back at Harmonia's eye. Under the white light, although weary, his face was still void of emotion.『That's my karma and duty.』

『Didn't you detest and despise this duty more than anyone? Didn't you hate your life having to repeat the same actions that you didn't wish to do?』

『If people neglected their duties because they didn't like it and turned their backs on it, the world would be filled with self-indulgent and reckless beings. There needs to be an idiotic fool like me for the world to function normally, don't you think?』

Harmonia almost felt nauseated from Allforone's steady voice.『Aren't you also steadily carrying out your duties without any complaint? Everyone is like that.』

『Even if your burdens are ones that your father left behind after escaping from this life?』

『My opinion doesn't change with that.』

『It's difficult to understand you.』

『There's nothing difficult about it. You and I are just walking the paths we believe in. Conflict that arises from it cannot be helped. Even if I become weary as you said, I won't stop walking this path. Isn't that what penance is?』

Harmonia smiled bitterly.『You should've been born as a monk. Then you would've become a renowned ascetic and made the world a better place. You wouldn't be hated as you are now.』

『From where I'm from, there's this saying.』

At that moment, Harmonia thought she saw Allforone's eyes flash behind the light covering his face.

『If you meet Buddha on the road, kill him, and if you meet your teacher, kill him.』Allforone emphasized his words.『If I don't go to hell, who will?』

『As expected. You shouldn't have come to a place like this. Someone who can be a hero has dirtied his hands with blood…』Harmonia's voice turned solemn.『So, out of respect for you, I will lead you to sleep.』

『That won't be easy. I am All For One. I am above all in everything. I am Vivasvat. The father of my mother, who is the mother of all humans, gave your name to you.』Dududu! Ideas whirled around Allforone and he roared.『Who can stop me? Go ahead and try, if you'd like.』

* * *

[This is the seventy-seventh floor, the gate of light.]

[The trial of the seventy-seventh floor is beginning.]

[Trial: 'The truth is nothing but the shadows of images.' Everything has a universal appearance that cannot be changed, and the world also contains an invariant change.

This place is an imitation of the world that contains that invariant change. You will not be able to feel any senses or discern things properly. Your consciousness must be looking toward the white light.

Perceive the light and obtain the "something" that is beyond it. Then, your soul will also obtain something.]

When Yeon-woo entered through the shortcut, he saw a white world which was the location he had seen in Kronos' memories. The world was purely filled with light. Once exposed to it, his soul was seemingly becoming purified and all complicated thoughts were disappearing.

However, this displeased Yeon-woo. He was being forced to experience this sensation that he didn't want. This could be a strategy to relax anyone who entered the state.

[An unidentifiable power has canceled the effects of the stage!]

[The condition 'ataraxia' has been aborted.]

Yeon-woo felt like he was abruptly awakened.

[Warning! This is player Vivasvat's great holy territory, where his power is in effect. Trespassers may be penalized. It is advised that you return.]

[Warning! You are currently trespassing on someone else's great holy territory. Various debuffs are activated.]

[Your immunity has decreased as a result of the debuffs.]

[Your resistance has decreased as a result of the debuffs.]

…

[The system key (snake) has activated and canceled the warning messages.]

Beyond the endless warning messages, Yeon-woo could see bursts of light exploding with sonic booms.

Dududu!

The gods of the heavenly god had all descended and were attacking the great holy territory wanting to waste no time finding Allforone's true body. The supreme gods who quickly entered the world of light shined the most.

『Son.』Just then, Kronos spoke up. Before coming here, Kronos had asked Yeon-woo for a favor: to save Count Ferenc, who was trapped somewhere here.

Count Ferenc was the savior who had helped Kronos when he was pulled here from the Tutorial. Yeon-woo also knew that he wouldn't have met Kronos and ultimately gotten here if it wasn't for Count Ferenc, so he agreed to save him. Most importantly, he was the Vampiric Lord's husband. "…It's been a while since I've been here."

Ssssss… Black haze floated up behind Yeon-woo and gathered into a human shape. The Vampiric Lord Bathory then looked at the world of light with narrowed eyes. All kinds of emotions wavered in her eyes.