Surviving without God

Yes. It would have been far less surprising if Gunther had suddenly revealed some hidden power and slaughtered every enemy. But that kind of twist never happened. He was predictably weak and walked a tightrope throughout the entire trial.

...And yet, the results he achieved along the way forced one to watch.

Finding the ventilation shaft and successfully infiltrating the warehouse was impressive enough. Improvising a sabotage operation together with a captured comrade — that, too, was commendable.

But the way he turned the organization’s boss into a puppet, plunging the entire warehouse into chaos in an instant. The way he interrupted the priest’s unplanned “individual ritual.” And how he eliminated the upper echelon in a single stroke — that scene had been genuinely striking. His duel with the paladin, where for a brief moment he displayed movements far beyond his actual skill level, had also sparked deep interest.

However, what intrigued him the most was something else —

“Not a single hostage died.”

That was no accident. It was inevitability, constructed according to a precise design. Gunther had acted toward that goal from the very beginning.

“He couldn’t even have known that the targets to be rescued were people...”

To repeat, Gunther is not strong. He is a weakling who could have died from a single wrong step inside that building.

Yet in that extreme situation, he did not freeze in terror. Nor did he flail about in panic, making reckless gambles.

He simply chose the most rational move. Every time. At the most irrational moment.

— Why are you silent? I asked you, what do you think of the rookie candidate?

Unlike the other divisions, the Executive Unit handles “special assignments.” For that reason, Moon Wolf always evaluated candidates according to five criteria.

Combat power. Observational ability. Intuition. Crisis management. Psychological stability.

And if combat power were excluded, then for the remaining four, the most fitting word for Gunther was:

— Perfect.

— ...?

— You could say he has an innate sense for finding the correct answer.

Yes. Exactly that. The voice from the receiver fell silent for a moment before bursting into an exclamation of admiration.

— Ooo... I’ve never heard a squad commander give such an evaluation before. Now you’ve really piqued my curiosity! Tell me more. Come on?

— You’ll see for yourself.

In truth, there was something else he had not mentioned. Something he liked even more than the boy’s rationality.

That instinct which made him rush to save the victims first, despite the risk. A heart that strives to protect, even without possessing strength. That stubborn kindness — rare in a unit overflowing with mad avengers. And something that had long since faded within himself.

“Golden Fox did not send such a report for nothing.”

Moon Wolf let out a short sigh and changed the subject.

— What about your assignment?

The subordinate answered briskly:

— Commander of the 2nd Wing reporting! Mission — complete success! The ritual was disrupted as planned.

— ...Is that so?

Despite the news of success, Moon Wolf fell silent for a moment. In truth, when it came to discerning another’s emotions by voice, he stood head and shoulders above most.

— You borrowed power again?

— Had to. A 5th-hierarchy paladin showed up — wasn’t in the projections.

— ...5th hierarchy?

— Yeah. Looks like a disciple of one of the “Seven Great Ones.” If I hadn’t stepped in, everyone would’ve died.

— And the price?

— ...Paid, heh-heh.

Moon Wolf’s eyelids slowly lowered and rose again. In that brief silence, an unpleasant calculation concluded.

— ...How many months left?

— Well, about half a year, I guess?

— I see.

— Heh-heh... But I did good, right?

Moon Wolf drew a short breath.

— Return. Good work.

— Yes, Commander!

Moon Wolf turned off the receiver and stood still for a moment. The landscape of the Lower City reflected in his red eyes. Streets wrapped in thick darkness. Dim, flickering lights.

Half a year. One leaves, another comes. How long will this damned battle continue? Does it even have an end? One thing was certain: unless some great miracle occurred, his own end would arrive much sooner.

“The correct answer... huh.”

Moon Wolf ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) inhaled deeply. And soon, he vanished into the shadows without a trace.

***

By the time the two men, dragging their exhausted bodies, reached the lodging Moon Wolf had recommended, it was well past four in the morning. Ryan Parker paused with his hand on the doorknob of his room and called out to his friend:

— Hey... don’t you have any questions for me? I’m sure you’ve got a ton.

Gunther answered instantly:

— Later.

— Huh?

— It’s fine. You can tell me when you want to.

At those words, Ryan looked as though he might burst into tears from sheer emotion.

— ...Thanks.

It had been a brutal night. The thought that he didn’t have to spill bitter fragments of his past right now brought immense relief.

— Guess they’re right when they say I’m lucky with friends!

Beaming, Ryan stepped into his room.

— ...Ahem.

Gunther, who had been diligently reading Ryan’s background in the character window, entered the neighboring room with a faint prick of guilt.

.

.

.

One advantage of this city was the presence of certain scientific conveniences under the banner of magi-engineering. For example, a shower with hot water.

After washing off dust and blood, Gunther collapsed onto the bed. Exhaustion pressed down on him — comparable only to working three construction shifts back-to-back. And that was after he had swallowed cleansing agents midway through the return trip. Without them, he would have woken up tomorrow half-dead.

[Drug-Addicted Saint is concerned about side effects]

Instead of falling asleep immediately, Gunther reopened the character window he had not finished reading earlier.

Ryan Parker. 25 years old. Height 195 cm, weight 105 kg. Warrior, 1st hierarchy. Primary weapon: two-handed hammer...

The character window recorded surprisingly detailed information.

“...This is pretty amazing.”

It was a function he had actively used in the game — but he had never imagined Ryan’s stats would suddenly become accessible like this.

[Party Member “Ryan Parker” is now included in your scenario]

Apparently, this message was the reason. Had Ryan, who previously existed outside the scenario, now been recognized as a “supporting protagonist”? Either way, it meant stat points could now be distributed. One less burden.

“Ryan can become stronger too.”

Moreover, judging from the information in the window... surprisingly, this guy was not just an extra.

“Maybe in time, I’ll even gain some benefit from him.”

Next, Gunther opened another status window. A “critically important” one that became available after he obtained temporary membership in Night Raven.

[Influence of the Luthien Theocracy in the Border City: 10089]

Act 1, Chapter 3. From here on, the scenario would diverge slightly.

“Time for free action.”

The choice was his. He could go to Haven and take organizational contracts, or personally patrol the Border City, eliminating the remnants of Luthien’s forces and lowering their influence. When the influence value dropped below a certain threshold, the next scenario would unlock. First, it needed to fall under 10,000 to receive promotion to official member status and assignment to a unit.

“The problem is, if I fail to act within the allotted time, the influence will rise instead.”

In that case, all kinds of grim scenarios would open. Luthien’s forces in the Border City would grow bolder. The number of innocent victims would increase. High-ranking priests and paladins would be dispatched. Brutal experiments and rituals would become even more blatant. Fewer choices. Harder survival.

“And I’ll drift further from the true ending.”

So he had to move.

Reduce Luthien’s influence. Gather allies. Accelerate stat growth. Collect powerful artifacts. Do everything possible to prevent tragedy.

“...Can I pull it off?”

Knowing the game’s grim finale, he sometimes felt suffocated by dense hopelessness. It had been that way before. But the path ahead promised nothing but thorns.

Whirr—

Gunther instinctively pulled a glass marble from his pocket. The very one the girl had given him. Memories of how he received it surfaced on their own.

“That was madness.”

It was fortunate everything had ended well. Otherwise, the consequences would have been catastrophic. Gunther had never considered himself a saint or hero. He knew others... like Ryan, believed him to be kind. But that was merely the minimum shred of humanity left over from life in the modern world.

Injustice before his eyes? The weak? He had walked past countless times. Surviving himself was already hard enough — how could he save every misfortune he encountered?

“I’m not a god.”

This case was an exception. It had simply struck an old wound. From now on, he needed to return to a cold and calculated stance.

“If I keep throwing myself into charity like this, I can forget about clearing the game.”

Gunther carefully placed the glass marble on the table, turned off the light, and lay down. As his eyes began to close, the final scene resurfaced. Two filthy children bowing deeply.

— Tha. Nk. You.

...Well. Falling asleep with that feeling was, perhaps, just a little more pleasant than getting drunk on fat rewards for a no-death clear.

.

.

.

Ding-!

[Gaze of “◇” strengthens]

[“◆” remains silent]

***

The next day. Noon. I woke up feeling as terrible as expected. My throat was parched and raw with thirst, and my body felt heavy — as though lead weights had been tied to every joint.

“Damn.”

[※ Reward calculation is delayed. The System is analyzing your transcendent achievement]

Deciding I needed food to recover, I went looking for Ryan... but he wasn’t in his room. To my surprise, I found him in the training hall located in the basement of the dormitory.

— Sss— fuuu—. Sss— fuuu—.

The giant — 195 cm tall, 105 kg — was rhythmically performing handstand push-ups. His massive body rose and fell in time with breathing as steady as a machine’s. The floor beneath him was already soaked with sweat dripping down his back.

“And he just escaped captivity where he was beaten.”

Normally, he trained without fanaticism — just enough to stay sharp. The type of fighter who relied on innate instinct and experience. But now Ryan was different. Watching him repeat the exercises in silence, teeth clenched, I felt it — something inside him was changing.

I didn’t want to interrupt. Quietly stepping back, I summoned the character window.

==================

Name: Ryan Parker

Race: Human (male)

Class: Mercenary (1st hierarchy)

Age: 25 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Alignment: Lawful Good

[Level: 36]

[Strength — 41, Endurance — 29, Agility — 18, Magic Power — 8, Charm — 3, Luck — 15]

[Free Stat Points: 0]

==================

One advantage of the unlocked character window was the ability to distribute a companion’s free stat points. Last night, I had allocated his stats according to his build, and Ryan must have been feeling the changes in his body now. But that wasn’t the main point.

[There is 1 Trait. Would you like to view it?]

The guy I had considered as much of a background extra as myself possessed a unique trait.

Ding-!

[Trait: Descendant of Giants]

Rank: Rare

Tempered blood of ancient giants flows through their veins, and they have partially inherited the strength and resilience of their ancestors. They possess overwhelming physical power and endurance compared to ordinary humans, but pay for it with bodily clumsiness.

Strength Correction: +40%

Endurance Correction: +20%

Agility Correction: –10%

※ Maintains high resistance and can continue fighting even while injured or exhausted.

※ Does not immediately drop dead even if bodily damage exceeds the critical threshold.

That was why Ryan had survived beside me time and time again in the first chapter. And this trait was clearly connected to the past he had kept hidden from me.

“...If only I could have started with even one trait like that.”

Even accounting for the agility penalty, “Descendant of Giants” was a blessing for a melee fighter. As a swordsman, it would have suited me perfectly.

“.......”

Still, envy was useless. In this world, traits were innate. There were methods to obtain them later — but they were so brutal that thinking about it now was pointless.

“...So for now, I’ll have to make do with this thing.”

[Trait: ???]

Rank: ??

— Unable to contract with gods.

— Able to obtain and use Karma.

— Return After Death available (limited number of times).

※ Partial Co-Regression unlocked.

※ Other effects locked. Will not activate until conditions are met.

The mysterious trait I encountered the moment I entered the world of . At first, I thought it was a trash trait that only imposed the penalty of being unable to contract. But after a series of events, I finally understood. There was far more hidden within it than appeared on the surface.

“The effects aren’t limited to Return and Karma.”

Locked state. According to the description, there were still dormant properties. And instinctively, I felt:

“At present, this is the most obvious and most useful object for investigation.”

I couldn’t give up just because I lacked clues. Understanding the nature of this trait — that was the key to surviving the coming scenarios.

— Oh!

Ryan’s energetic voice rang out.

— Our captain has arrived!

He looked noticeably more cheerful than usual. The tone and smile were the same, but his eyes had changed. A man who once drifted with the current had found a clear goal and grown focused. It was good to see.

— Captain? We’re not a knightly order.

— Why not? Sounds cool. In the future, we’ll pull off bigger things than any knights.

[King of Ninety-Nine Defeats reminisces upon hearing a familiar title]

I smirked and clapped him on the shoulder.

— ...Go ahead and shout it on every corner that we’re a secret organization while you’re at it.

— I already hung a poster at the entrance. Anyway, Gunther, where are you headed today? Dressed to go out. Want me to come?

— No. I’ll walk alone today.

Ryan frowned in confusion.

— Alone?

Yes. Alone.

“Time to investigate.”

. Many phenomena in this world originate from divine entities. That meant Karma and Return After Death might also be the result of some god’s interference. I had suspected as much.

“Though among the gods I know, none possess such power...”

Unfortunately, this world was no longer confined to the boundaries of the game’s guidebook. In the reality beyond the monitor, there were undoubtedly gaps I had never known about — and those gaps were filled with their own local laws.

“If these abilities truly originate from some deity — ”

I had to uncover its identity. In this game, traits are directly tied to a character’s fate. Right now, they seemed like useful tools. But there was no telling where they might drag me in the future.

Put bluntly, I was currently using Karma and Return without paying anything. But who knew what changes awaited ahead? And if I could discover the conditions for full unlocking, perhaps these powers would evolve into something greater. Either way, remaining ignorant was not an option.

“I don’t even know the principle behind save point formation.”

What if a save point suddenly locked in one second before inevitable death? There was no guarantee I wouldn’t fall into a loop of endless deaths, wasting my remaining return count.

So today, when the side effects of potions made me unfit for combat, I intended to focus on the mysticism surrounding me.

On my trait. On the origins of the background character named Gunther Sirhe.

— Hey, are you going to tell me where you’re going or not?!

I simply waved goodbye and stepped out of the dormitory.