Surviving without God

The heads of Albino Lacreta and his followers were displayed throughout the city. Those faces, once masked with holiness and dignity, were mutilated beyond recognition. Within hours, they were pelted with stones and filth.

The fury of the citizens—who had learned that they and their loved ones had nearly been sacrificed like livestock—raged like a storm.

Ever since Luthien had risen to become the strongest power on the continent, no one had dared to publicly execute high-ranking priests like this. But Mikhela Iska did not hesitate. She read the mood of the people perfectly and turned it into a political opportunity.

By uniting the city’s fear and anger, she brought together scattered citizens and adventurers. The calculation was that they themselves would become the wall protecting the city... and that calculation proved correct.

The “Society of Holy Flame,” which had been advancing from the Luthien metropolis toward the Border City, immediately withdrew its support for the Cult of Abundance. With Albino Lacreta’s internal collaborator eliminated, they judged that a direct assault on a unified city would result in excessive losses. Abandoned, the Cult of Abundance was left with nothing. Mikhela Iska could now carry out internal purges without hesitation... and our true law enforcer, Seraz Bolton, was practically delighted.

— Come on, you filthy corrupt rats. Line up those fat necks.

Of course, the internal chaos within the city had not completely subsided.

As is well known, it is easier to deceive a person than to convince them they have been deceived. Zealous believers still insisted that it was not Luthien behind these atrocities, but rather a conspiracy by the mayor and the city’s upper echelon to strengthen their control. Because of this, the city continued to tremble—from gangs in the slums to councilors in the highest ranks.

But one thing was clear: the diseased city was beginning to recover. And the main figures who had corrected this chaos were away from all the noise, catching their breath in their own cozy nest.

— Not eating breakfast?

— Who’s on duty today?

— That... what’s his name, the one who adds “-yeon” at the end of every sentence...

— I’ll pass.

After a light morning workout, Gunther returned to his room, leaving behind a puzzled Ryan Parker. Eddie Wilder had already rushed off to the торговая street. Ryan would understand soon enough himself.

Pshhh—

As Gunther stepped out of the shower, he was greeted by the sound of an incoming call on the Operate Link.

[Moonless, this is Jackal from the support group.]

The voice was already familiar. Cold, quick in judgment, and incredibly capable—the leader of the support group. A man who evaluated everything in numbers, not emotions. Kalian Ladenbach had once described him like this: “A man with neither blood nor tears.”

But Gunther didn’t really feel that. Anyone would doubt it, hearing how his voice trembled with excitement and admiration in every conversation.

[The situation has only just stabilized, so I can finally contact you officially.]

Today, too, there was a strange aftertaste in his voice. After letting out a heavy breath, Jackal spoke quietly:

[...To be honest, I don’t know what to say. I was shocked by what happened with Kate Bellamor, but this... this is on a completely different level.]

A moment of silence.

[A whole city was saved. Do you understand what that means? For the first time in decades, we saw a morning where Luthien’s shadow had receded.]

Admiration and reverence mixed in Jackal’s voice. But there was another reason he was so moved. Gunther smiled faintly.

“All thanks to that damn save point.”

The save point, which always worked however it pleased, had this time returned Gunther again and again to the moment just before entering the Labyrinth. Thanks to that long interval, he didn’t just memorize Albino Lacreta’s patterns. He saw through everything—how the city was attacked, where defenses collapsed first, which monsters and gangs moved, and what schemes the councilors and corrupt officials carried out.

And all that data—he passed it to Jackal. Based on it, Jackal adjusted response routes, ultimately saving countless lives.

Jackal had always been in a position where he had to make decisions through cold calculation. Who to save, and who to abandon. He had always had to sacrifice someone—but this time, for the first time, he saw a “possibility to save everyone.” There was no need to explain what that meant to him.

[You protected everything, Moonless. The citizens, the organization members... even the future.]

[The support group promises you maximum assistance from now on. And also...]

Jackal hesitated slightly before continuing.

[Grand Crow and the support group have prepared a special reward for you. Please visit the Sanctuary when you have time.]

At that moment, interference cut into the connection. There was some commotion, excited voices breaking through the sensitive microphone.

[W-wait, team lead? Are you talking to Moonless right now?!]

[Oh, Badger, you’ve grown bold. Raising your voice while your senior is on comms?]

[Ah—s-sorry! I’ll—]

A quiet sigh.

[My apologies, Moonless.]

...Even without seeing it, the atmosphere in the operations room was obvious. Gunther let out a quiet laugh.

[Jackal, you did well too. You did everything you could.]

[Everything I could... I used to feel ashamed of those words, but this time—I don’t.]

Jackal ended with a warm farewell.

[I look forward to working with you.]

The connection cut. Immediately afterward, another message arrived—one that lifted Gunther’s mood even further.

Ding!

[Luthien Theocracy Influence in the Border City: 4635]

The number was so low it was hard to believe—considering it had once exceeded 30,000. And it was clear it would continue to fall. When he had just returned from the Labyrinth, it had still been over 10,000.

— Already the third day...

In truth, until yesterday, Gunther had been sleeping like the dead. Only at dawn had he been able to move—and he had immediately gone to the training ground. He needed to integrate his new power into his body. The jump had been too abrupt. The reward had been immense.

Gunther calmly reviewed the past few days. Even ignoring the smaller details, there were three major changes. First:

[Level: 80]

Yes. His level had increased. By ten points at once, reaching the limit of the 2nd hierarchy. It was likely thanks to the countless summoned creatures he had destroyed, and the fact that he had dealt the final blow to Albino Lacreta of the 6th hierarchy. Of course, Moon Wolf, Cheonmae, and the mechanical constructs had dealt most of the damage, and he had only landed the finishing strike, receiving only a portion of the experience—but it had been enough to reach the cap.

He now stood at the threshold of the 3rd hierarchy.

[Promotion quest is being determined.]

✔ The trial will be based on your past actions.

✔ Status influences the outcome.

✔ The influence of the trait “???” is reflected.

[Three gods quietly applaud your rapid growth.]

[They admire the potential that allowed you to surpass two hierarchy thresholds in less than a year.]

[The One Ahead of the Wind recalls your first meeting...]

Gunther smirked.

“...Too early to celebrate.”

To reach the 2nd hierarchy, he had been given a four-star task—“Contract with a Bureaucrat-rank deity.” Fortunately, he had resolved it through the Karma mechanic, but there was no guarantee the same would work for the 3rd hierarchy.

Still, it was a task that had to be completed before moving on to Act 2. In Act 2, he would face the true “Secrets” of this world. Without raising the rank of his existence, they wouldn’t even acknowledge him.

“Act Two...”

Gunther repeated the words slowly. If Act 1 of had been the “Wailing Wall,” then Act 2 was where players finally began to enjoy the game. The storyline could vary depending on whether Mikhela Iska or Albino Lacreta survived, and the condition of the city... but the key word was one.

“Unification.”

Right now, the continent was collapsing due to Luthien’s schemes. But it wasn’t over yet. In times of chaos, heroes always emerged. In different places, there were still those who resisted Luthien. The essence of Act 2 was to save them from crisis, unite them, and prepare for the coming full-scale war—Act 3.

Gunther had already decided exactly where to begin this long journey. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“Of course, the Union of Kingdoms is calmer than Badland.”

The knight kingdom, Valloren. The mage kingdom, Seiran. The maritime pirate kingdom, Nereus.

These three states, forming the Union, were ancient and powerful nations that had survived countless upheavals. And within them were strong allies, each as unique as their traditions.

Compared to the Desert Empire ruled by a tyrannical Sultan, Nomadis filled with races that hated not only Luthien but all humans, and the lawless Great Plains crawling with monsters—compared to that chaotic Badland where all three zones intertwined—the Union was the better choice.

“Come to think of it... Levain and Sharin said they’re from the Union.”

He would likely be able to get help or advice. Incidentally, the homeland of “Gunther” himself was Seiran.

“I’ll follow the route: Nereus, Valloren, Seiran.”

Typically, the progression began with recruiting the “Grand Admiral,” a mandatory ally for Act 2, and awakening the “Sea Dragon,” which only he could rouse.

“...And along the way, I’ll need to search for relics of the ancient gods.”

Having reached that conclusion, Gunther shifted his gaze to the skill window. That was the second “major change.”

[Available Skills]

Knight Swordsmanship — Lv. 5 / Mastery: Max

Art of the Pure Heart — 4★ / Mastery: 31.3

Eyes of the Tyrant — Lv. 2 / Mastery: 33.6

Sleight of Hand (Corrupt) — Lv. 1 / Mastery: ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ 22

Zero Point Strike — Lv. 3 / Mastery: 11.7

Overdose — Lv. 1 / Mastery: 38.3

“Serpent’s Nest” — Lv. 2 / Mastery: 55.3

Heavenly Mechanism Vision — Lv. 2 / Mastery: 10.5

Flame of Eternal Torment — 2★ / Mastery: 90.3

The growth was remarkable. “Flame of Eternal Torment” was on the verge of reaching 3★. That meant the fire he controlled was approaching the next stage—Scarlet Flame. “Eyes of the Tyrant” had surpassed level 2, and “Art of the Pure Heart” had reached 4★, making his mana control far more refined.

But what stood out most was Knight Swordsmanship at Max. Gunther thought it might be time to learn a new sword technique, but—

[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats remains silent.]

[He could grant a higher-tier technique... but advises you to think carefully.]

Gunther looked at the message and let out a quiet breath. Considering his plans for Valloren, the knight kingdom, it would be efficient to go there with a high-tier technique. But it seemed the King of Ninety-Nine Defeats expected “something else” from him. It was strange that his growth had stopped at the maximum.

“Well... there’s still time.”

There was still much to do in the Border City. It would take about a month. He could think it over slowly before departing.

— ...

Gunther looked out the window. The alleys of the Lower City, veiled in pale haze, lay as quiet as ever beneath the dim light of magical lamps. He had never thought he would grow attached to this city—but now that it was time to leave, the feeling was strange.

...But his mind was calm. Unlike Act 1, where he had started with nothing, now he had reliable comrades—and he himself was no longer so weak as to fall so easily.

Whatever lay ahead, he would overcome it. Without fail.

Pshh—

Someone contacted him through the Link just as Gunther was about to check the third result... the strange privilege obtained after his accumulated Karma exceeded 5000.

.

.

.

— Gunther.

The raccoon who had lost her home... no, Mayor Mikhela Iska had been staying with Seraz Bolton lately. While the host was away on night duty, Mikhela Iska awkwardly served tea. Gunther watched her in silence. Wearing Seraz Bolton’s oversized home clothes, Mikhela Iska looked nothing like her usual dignified self.

The sleeves covered her hands, the pant legs dragged across the floor. But Gunther didn’t laugh, despite how comical it looked. Mikhela Iska’s expression was far too serious.

“What is it? Everything’s already over.”

She opened and closed her mouth several times. Gunther waited patiently. By then, he had already memorized every flower pattern on Seraz Bolton’s wallpaper.

— No matter how I think about it... I believe Ellen wanted to pass this to you.

...Ellen? Gunther didn’t recognize the name immediately, even though it sounded familiar. It was hard to imagine someone speaking of that person so casually. But Mikhela Iska’s next words left no doubt.

— Do you know... what Tablets are?

Gunther froze, cup still in hand.

[“◇” is watching you.]

[“◆” is watching you.]