When Kang Sihyun regained consciousness, the dungeon was collapsing. Pia urgently nudged him as if urging him to hurry, and as he rose, he noticed his arm felt lighter. Turning his head, he saw the solid chain that had been binding his wrist crumble into ashes.
With a silent expression, Kang Sihyun activated his divine power, and golden energy burst forth from his body. The divine power that had been suppressed each time he tried to use it now exploded with a desire to break free, and the overjoyed Sihyun climbed onto the enlarged back of Pia before the children could see his condition and worry.
The dungeon trembled more violently. The collapse seemed imminent, and Pia, terrified, sped away with all her might. Her speed was so fast that even compared to the sudden acceleration abilities of Haehyuk, Ruth, and Haru, she was not to be outdone. Sihyun crouched low, grasping Pia's fur, then buried his face in it and murmured.
"Pia. We won."
"Pya Pya!"
"...I wasn't there, but you managed well on your own."
The wave-like emotions filling his heart were unclear to him. Slight disappointment was there, but pride was greater, along with surprise and endearment.
Indeed.
The fact that they had not faltered but had met the disaster with all their might had stirred Sihyun's emotions.
How could they be so brave, so steadfast, and rise again unbroken to fight?
Having lived as Kang Sihyun in this world, he had formed many connections. He had met hundreds of Awakened, and tackled dungeons with several S-Class individuals. Yet, the reason he had brought only these people to this dungeon was revealed in the battle against Primus.
They alone could be so unyielding in the face of despair. That's why he had brought these strong individuals. Overwhelmed, he buried his face in Pia's fur and sniffled. Tears just came.
Sihyun had never before realized that one could cry seeing strong people in the face of despair and misfortune.
"Pya Pya Pya!"
Whether Sihyun cried or not, Pia was frantic. Dodging falling debris with all her might, she sped through the maze and headed straight to Primus's dungeon. In the room where Primus's corpse had completely disappeared, the messy group was trying to escape through a hole opened in the sky. Sihyun saw Haeun faint and Ruth exhausted with no way to fly, so relatively stronger Haehyuk was planning to throw each person up through the hole.
"Fly."
At his soft whisper, all the group members flew up into the sky. Arumus, who was also managing to take care of the unconscious children alone, followed.
Suddenly airborne, the people looked around in shock until they spotted Sihyun.
"Kang Sihyun!"
Haemin, who was still conscious, was the first to shout his name.
"Sihyun?"
Haehyuk too turned with a surprised look, and both he and Taeju breathed a sigh of relief. Sihyun observed the fainted group. Down, Jihye, Seowoo, Haeun, and two IRS guild members—seven in total—so he created a barrier. A circular shield enveloped all the unconscious members at once, floating upwards into the sky. Seeing the rest of the people's dazed faces, Sihyun managed a faint smile.
"I was a bit late. I couldn't help in the fight, but I'll at least help with the escape."
Saying this, he sent the whole group out through the hole and finally left Primus's dungeon with Pia. The collapse that had started near the entrance of the maze reached the spot where Primus's throne had been, bringing down the building completely. Stepping out of the dungeon, they saw a small cabin collapsing into the river below.
"Wow!"
Suddenly, cheers erupted from somewhere.
"Kang Sihyun!"
"Kim Ruth! Well done!"
"Hey, since when was Ruth Korean to have such a surname?"
"Lee Haehyuk!"
"Muam Guild Leader! Gwon Taeju!"
The riverside walkway near the Han River was packed with people. Hundreds of cars were parked, and through the car windows, people waved and cheered. Watching blankly, Sihyun finally felt the dungeon raid was truly over. The group smiled at the people, and the remaining conscious Awakened also lost their composure and staggered in the air. The tension seemed to have dissipated.
"Whoa!"
People screamed, thinking they were falling, and shouted worriedly. Sihyun took the divine artifact from Ruth's hand and waved it lightly. The staggering people all safely entered the circular barrier created by Sihyun. Only Arumus was left conscious, and as he turned to the horned Irregular,
who waved his hand dismissively at the people and approached Sihyun.
"Are we going?"
"Let's. Thanks for the attention, but recovery comes first."
Sihyun spoke loudly enough for the nearby people to hear. Hearing him, people started saying, "Let him rest! Stop!" and Sihyun nodded to the still waving and cheering crowd before suddenly remembering something.
"I didn't do much in this dungeon. It was all these people."
As he glanced at the barrier, cheers for the unconscious Awakened grew louder. Finally satisfied, Sihyun smiled brightly at the people and returned to the Redem Guild, floating the barrier containing the group above him.
***
"This was really a close call, half-god. You know."
As soon as they reached the guild building and entered the infirmary, Arumus flopped down on the couch and said. Sihyun nodded.
"I didn't expect them to have developed a technique to seal divine power."
"Yeah. It's good to be prepared."
"...Yes, it is."
The fact that Primus could seal divine power meant that Gula above him might also have found a way to seal his own powers. Honestly, since there was no way to counteract this technique immediately, Sihyun kept silent and sank into worry as Arumus sighed and began moving the unconscious members to beds. Despite claiming to dislike people, Arumus had grown somewhat fond of them after breaking several dungeons together, and his touch in moving their bodies was quite delicate.
"The seal on Primus wasn't perfect. So, don't worry too much."
"But I couldn't break it."
"That's because your power wasn't perfect either."
"What?"
Sihyun blinked, puzzled, when Arumus pulled something from his chest. Recognizing it instantly, Sihyun inhaled sharply. It was the last piece of the divine artifact from Primus's dungeon.
He had honestly forgotten about it, and he hadn't expected Arumus to find it. Impressed, Sihyun reached out and grasped the final piece of the divine artifact. The artifact recognized its owner and emitted a bright light. Sihyun watched this and then separated the divine artifact he originally had into six rod shapes.
"You're right."
Arumus's words were true.
The artifact was also his power, and until he had completely recovered it, his power was not complete. Admitting he had forgotten this, Sihyun reached out to the first piece of the divine artifact he had obtained after defeating Decumanus.
"Humilitas."
Calling its true name, what had been merely a rod burst into light and regained its original form—a massive white spear. Next.
"Caritas."
Calling the name of the second artifact, the glowing rod transformed into a sword with a winged handle under Sihyun's hand.
"Benewelentia."
Calling the name of the artifact he had obtained from capturing Septimus, that piece also regained its form—a rapier with a bird motif.
After calling the names of the fourth, fifth, and sixth pieces, Sihyun stood in a room so brightly lit by the artifact's emitted light that even if the lights were off, the light from the artifact alone would illuminate everything. He called the name of the last divine artifact obtained from the last Primus dungeon.
"Industria."
As he slowly uttered the name, a very old spear appeared, the one that had accompanied him when he was born as Adam and first faced Gula. Thus, all the divine artifacts were gathered. Sihyun unleashed his power to combine them.
Flash!
A blinding white pillar of light erupted from the seven artifacts as they transformed. Industria turned into a bow frame, and Temperantia fitted into it, becoming a sturdy string. The remaining five artifacts transformed into five arrows lying on the floor.
If all his powers were awakened, each arrow would have the strength to pierce through a Primus-level adversary with a single shot, the executioner's weapon.
The reason he had been told to imprint himself as an archer, the fragments of Adam remaining in him, and Sihyun's main force recalling their original weapons came flooding back.
"Ah..."
A poignant emotion surged through him. At that moment, Sihyun grasped the divine artifact with longing.
As light blossomed from the bow frame, hitting Sihyun directly, he stood firm on two legs before losing consciousness and collapsing.
"...God, half-god!"
Arumus, watching in alarm, called out Sihyun's name as his voice gradually faded and eventually quieted completely. Sihyun opened his eyes in a dark space.
A very familiar space.
"Hey, it's been a while, but it's still the same."
And there, Sihyun met a very familiar person.
"...Kang Sihyun?"
"How long has it been?"
As the boy called his name, he laughed cheerfully, his lively smile and playful tone unmistakable. It was indeed the original Kang Sihyun who had once inhabited this body.
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