Surviving without God

[Hidden Stage Perfectly Cleared]

You traced the origin of the phantom and uncovered the full truth. This vision was not merely a space born from the power of an Evil God, but the traces of resistance left behind by “Marien” — the spiritual essence of Kate.

● Reverse Flow

You defied the hunger of Jean Daet, saving Mari not as a “vessel,” but as a “human.” In that moment, the forgotten will of Marien — her desire to remain human — was reborn at the very center of the vision. Her refusal and resistance shattered the foundation of the illusion, and the power surged backward, shaking the mind of Kate Bellamor. Her memories, emotions, and false faith collided, leading to a complete mental collapse.

[Difficulty of clearing Bellamor Mansion greatly reduced]

● Hymn

You and your allies, even while trapped inside a vision steeped in madness and hunger, trusted one another and persevered until the very end. The “humanity” you demonstrated during this process has left a deep mark on their trust.

Affinity of all participants +15

Parco: 50 / 100

Levain: 60 / 100

Tarsha: 50 / 100

Blanc: 45 / 100

♥ Marien: 100 / 100

(Object disappeared, future affinity values locked)

● The Blessing She Left Behind

Marien’s days were filled with ridicule, alienation, coldness, and indifference. Even so, she never betrayed herself until the very end. Her brilliant self-respect now becomes a part of you.

[Permanent effect: “Mari’s Blessing”]

Resistance to mental corruption states, including madness, chaos, and despair, greatly increased.

Passive skill created: “Basic Cooking”.

● Secret

By reading Marien’s memories, you have learned a certain secret. The coordinates of the hidden underground structure of “Bellamor Mansion” have been engraved into your memory. This is the place where Kate Bellamor keeps her most precious possessions.

● Final Reward

Because all hidden conditions were fulfilled, you receive experience and Karma exceeding the standard reward system.

[Level Up! x5 / Lv. 68]

[Strength 60 → 62]

[Endurance 57 → 60]

[Congratulations! Endurance 60 — a value that has broken through the limit of human durability]

[Muscles, nerves, and all internal organs have been strengthened. Your body can no longer be easily broken]

[Endurance Perk Unlocked!]

Steel Body: all physical damage -10%, resistance to bleeding, fractures, and poison +30%.

Unyielding Heart: when in a state of near-fatal exhaustion, all received healing and resistance effects increase significantly.

[Standard Karma reward increased from 500 to 575]

[Karma acquisition bonus +15% applied]

[Current Karma: 1751]

[Total Karma: 4256]

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Gunther stood not in the ruins of a vanishing mansion, but in a corridor shining with luxurious lamps and decorations. This was exactly the sense of reality he had dreamed of while trapped inside the vision. Yet it brought far less joy than he had expected.

It must have been because of the cold in his empty hands, which only moments ago had been warm.

He slowly raised his gaze, reading the system messages filling his vision. The illusion had disappeared, leaving behind only consequences and proof. An enormous number of thoughts and emotions tangled together in his mind.

But he was given no time to think.

--------!!!!

An indescribable scream.

A sinister vibration rolled throughout the entire mansion. Gunther and the members of the squad simultaneously raised their weapons, staring forward.

“Deep inside the mansion.”

“...That’s Kate.”

The fairy-tale ending where the Mari from the vision replaces the real Kate had not happened.

Only one monster remained — neither Kate nor Mari, but a deranged conglomerate of victims’ personalities.

The final boss phase that exists even in the original game.

Abomination.

Rumble—!

The floor groaned deeply. The walls twisted and shrieked. This was not a conceptual distortion like the “stretching corridor” from before. Real physical force was tearing the mansion apart in real time.

Boom!

At that moment the ceiling cracked, and the upper section of the mansion’s °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° central structure collapsed downward. Even the battle-hardened members of the squad fell silent for a moment as they stared at the enormous shadow that rose before them.

The dust cleared.

And what was no longer human appeared before them.

Ueeeeeeeee!

From the swollen mass of flesh, Kate Bellamor’s face protruded halfway, as if torn outward. From the displaced positions of her eyes and mouth, a sinister light seeped out. Her limbs had split into dozens of parts, piercing the walls, ceiling, and columns of the mansion. Each throbbed like a beating heart, devouring the surrounding structure and continuing to swell.

A shattered vessel.

This was the moment when the Authority of Devouring Kate had accumulated for many years spiraled out of control.

In the normal scenario, this phase can only be reached after overcoming one by one all of Kate’s stubborn and cunning dark arts and curses. Because Mari had completely destroyed her personality, they had skipped all preparatory stages and entered this phase immediately.

Moreover, the mansion itself was collapsing now, and even the traps and barriers she had spent days preparing had been neutralized.

In other words, this was the perfect opportunity.

Gunther knew exactly what he had to do.

He also knew very well what “Mari” would have wanted.

The squad members, including Tarsha, lightly tapped his shoulder one after another and rushed forward.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

Gripping his sword, Gunther ran as well.

Through the cracks in the shattered walls, the night scenery quietly entered the mansion — the very night view she once wanted to show someone.

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Even while running, his thoughts and emotions continued to tangle.

The first thing that surged up was relief that he had saved Mari. The lingering memory of her peaceful smile in the final moment brought him immense comfort. Even within the abyss, Mari’s fragment had struggled until the very end, and she had certainly been saved as a human.

But the past that had already happened could not be changed.

Marien’s body had already been devoured by Moretia a hundred years ago, turning her into a monster. And now he was running with his sword raised to destroy her.

That fact tore at his heart from within, and his anger toward Luthien burned fiercely.

He already knew perfectly well what kind of trash the people of Luthien were.

Fanaticism. Violence. Greed wrapped in the name of a god.

Because of them his comrades had fallen, and he himself had failed countless times.

But that... was the only thing that “could be changed.”

He had “Return After Death,” and there was hope that no matter what tragedy he encountered, he could still move toward a better future.

But now he had encountered a tragedy that could not be changed.

He felt the cruel weight of it — losing something and being unable to bring it back.

And he realized.

That somewhere beyond his sight right now, hundreds... thousands... tens of thousands of Maris were meeting the same fate.

Watching precious lives and bonds extinguished meaninglessly and unjustly by the hand of an Evil God.

At that moment Gunther fully understood the weight of his mission and the burden of salvation he had placed upon his shoulders.

This was a truth before which it was impossible not to feel anger as a human.

And it was also the responsibility of the only person who had the possibility to overthrow Luthien.

“......”

Its beginning stood directly before him.

Gunther quietly stopped and looked ahead.

Beyond the shattered ceiling stretched the star-filled night sky. Beneath it writhed the enormous silhouette of the Abomination.

To grant peace to the one who had lost control.

To ensure that the suffering she had endured for a hundred years would continue no longer.

“Gunther. Your orders?”

The squad members instantly formed up around him. Despite the series of unexpected situations, there was not a trace of doubt in their eyes.

It was the deep trust of comrades-in-arms — and the heavy responsibility placed upon a commander.

Because of that, Gunther could step forward as well.

He was the kind of person who became stronger when he carried responsibility.

He took a deep breath and spoke.

“We begin the extermination of Kate Bellamor.”

It was time to meet the end of this long story.

***

[Final Phase – Abomination]

The mutation was almost complete.

The enormous body fused with the mansion finally took shape, and countless pupils that had emerged across that “wall of flesh” silently observed Gunther and the Fourth Platoon.

A sense pierced through everyone present that the battle would begin the moment even the slightest movement was noticed.

“I’ve got good news,” Tarsha whispered, crouching beside Gunther. With the tip of her finger she pointed toward a section of the mansion floor that had not yet collapsed.

“Your friend seems to be alright. The detection isn’t perfect because of the interfering spells, but he’s alive somewhere below.”

After learning the location, Gunther slowly nodded.

“The ritual chamber, most likely.”

“...Well, in any case, that means we can fight at full power.”

It was no wonder Tarsha felt relieved. The enormous Abomination before them looked like an enemy that could not be defeated while holding back their firepower.

However, firepower alone would not be enough. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

This was not simply a mass of flesh.

It was a structural-type boss filled everywhere with complex mechanisms.

Therefore—

“In the end, there’s only this way left.”

The battle could not be prolonged. These were the Upper Levels. Even if support squads handled the cleanup and Seraz concealed the city from unnecessary eyes, the entire situation was built upon strictly limited time.

So Gunther, after a very long time, chose a method that only he alone could use.

“Dandy.”

[Alphonse of Red Street notices something and looks at you with a penetrating gaze]

Clink—clink—clink...

The long-forgotten ringing of Karma.

But this time it was different.

Unlike the usual brief moment, the sound of coins falling continued one after another without stopping. It seemed the amount of Karma Gunther had decided to release was so enormous that its weight and flow required time to seep beyond reality.

An omen of overwhelming power.

He closed his eyes for a moment and quietly exhaled.

[You offer ‘1,000’ Karma to Alphonse of Red Street]

And everything froze for a moment.

Crrr—

At the instant when all the eyes of the Abomination turned toward him.

[Dandy laughs quietly]

The squad members almost simultaneously stepped back from Gunther.

But Gunther had no chance to notice their reaction, nor the Abomination’s attack beginning to descend upon him.

Since obtaining Karma, this was the first time he had made such a colossal offering.

Even he could not predict the backlash.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Explosive notifications rang out.

[The Karma you offered penetrates into ‘Alphonse of Red Street’]

[Changes are occurring in the divine essence of ‘Alphonse of Red Street’]

[His rank is temporarily elevated]

[He temporarily regains his noble form of the past]

Gunther felt his consciousness retreat slightly.

[The elevated divine essence responds to your origin and descends into this world]

At the center of something extremely refined, deep, and alluring, something gently descended as if performing a smooth landing.

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[Skill ‘Serpent’s Nest’ Lv.1 transforms into ‘Throne of Senses - Collective Consciousness’ Lv.10]

[Skill ‘Bad Sleight of Hand’ Lv.2 transforms into ‘Touch of Debauchery’ Lv.10]

[Stigma ‘Tempter’ temporarily transforms into ‘Ruler’]

[New skills temporarily acquired]

-Flow of Sight Lv.10

-Heart of a Lover Lv.23

-Song of Bloody Tears Lv.9

-Proclamation of Unique Domain – Red Lantern Lv.1

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[The Ruler of the Oceans falls into deep confusion due to a familiar presence]